tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-84999577775163276572024-03-13T05:59:22.961-06:00TheologosTheologos: the teaching and writing ministry of Piper Green, M.Div.Piper Green, M.Div., MAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03151501804654133188noreply@blogger.comBlogger283125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8499957777516327657.post-85250594523280938412021-11-01T00:00:00.005-06:002021-11-02T01:12:03.282-06:00Psalms To See Me Through Psalm 30: Rescue Me<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>Thanksgiving for Rescue from Death. </i></b><b><i>A Psalm; a Song at the Dedication of the House. A Psalm of David.</i></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><i><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Well, it is that time of year in
which we begin to anticipate Thanksgiving; it is just around the corner. Though
this is just the first day of November, the holiday season will soon be upon
us. I have written before, and many others have as well, how vital thanksgiving
to God is in our life. We should be thankful for all the Lord has done for us
through all of our days, not just at Thanksgiving time. Though this prayer
also, is a song for the dedication of the House of the Lord, we don’t have to
wait until church on Sunday to give Him thanks. We can start now in our home
cultivating a <span style="color: #0070c0;"><a href="https://pipergreen.blogspot.com/2016/11/advent-journal-i-theology-of.html"><span style="color: #0070c0;">theology of thanksgiving</span></a></span> throughout the
year.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div></div><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-q9jAa4DCU8Y/Vz-QQ10GuJI/AAAAAAAAE-c/JxPb-EG6h7o2KsTgv50vke8RItsjmW9vACPcBGAYYCw/w640-h362/book%2Bof%2Bpsalms%2B2.jpg" /><br /><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This Psalm is yet another in the category of thanksgiving Psalms in which the one praying is saved from distress. This song is a beautiful illustration of what our thankfulness to God should resemble. In this particular Psalm, David is thanking the Lord for saving him from death’s grip. In these times, saving from death’s grip does not seem distant from us. Disease, sickness, and the like are in our world and touch us all. David here rejoices once again that the Lord has snatched him from the clutch of his enemies.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-w6QB2L0KjKI/YYDQIpN73pI/AAAAAAAAHOc/DcWkG4HKgYMWQYpLzDYq9pCEALEtq42hQCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h557/flowers%2Bfinal.jpg" /><br /><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>I will exalt You, Lord, for You have lifted me up, And have not let my enemies rejoice over me</i> {v.1}.</span></p><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Lord has lifted him up. The Hebrew verb used here is daloh. This word is used for drawing water from a well.<a href="file:///G:/Blog%20Post/Piper%20Green%20Blogspot/Psalms%20to%20see%20me%20through/Psalm%2030.docx#_ftn1"><span style="font-size: x-small;">[1]</span></a> The Lord saved him from the deep pit of despair, and we know that we can have the same confidence when we cry out to God, He hears us and will draw us up from despair. The language here may indicate that his enemies may not have caused his despair, but rather that they gloat that death or despair has him in its clutches. Either way, the Lord has lifted him out and he seeks to thank the Lord for His goodness and mercy; David exalts the Lord and praises Him. <i>I will extol your virtues with the highest of praise.</i><a href="file:///G:/Blog%20Post/Piper%20Green%20Blogspot/Psalms%20to%20see%20me%20through/Psalm%2030.docx#_ftn2"><span style="font-size: x-small;">[2]</span></a> How can you praise the Lord today? This week? This month? Let’s become grateful today and cultivate a heart that is thankful and worshipful. The Lord is pleased when we fully depend on Him and He not only hears our cries, but He welcomes them. This confidence, this belief that God answers when called upon is essential to the <span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: HE; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">“</span>prayer Psalms<span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: HE; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">”</span> and this Psalm celebrates its vindication.<a href="file:///G:/Blog%20Post/Piper%20Green%20Blogspot/Psalms%20to%20see%20me%20through/Psalm%2030.docx#_ftn3"><span style="font-size: x-small;">[3]</span></a> David did not want to give the enemy the last laugh.</span><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Rqu1cDhZWX4/YYDSIiA186I/AAAAAAAAHOk/oa3z75pwfzg5ZN_a1CMBDyuSAm3iU9VUgCLcBGAsYHQ/s4032/windmill.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Rqu1cDhZWX4/YYDSIiA186I/AAAAAAAAHOk/oa3z75pwfzg5ZN_a1CMBDyuSAm3iU9VUgCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/windmill.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Lord my God, I cried to You for help, and You healed me. Lord,
You have brought up my soul from Sheol; You have kept me alive, that
I would not go down to the pit </i>{vv. 2-3}. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">David’s despair was so deep that he believed he was literally in hell. The word used here in Hebrew is miyordey but means the speaker felt he had gone down to death.<a href="file:///G:/Blog%20Post/Piper%20Green%20Blogspot/Psalms%20to%20see%20me%20through/Psalm%2030.docx#_ftn4"><span style="font-size: x-small;">[4]</span></a> Have you felt this way? That your despair has been your hell and there is no way out? I have experienced that level of despair in sickness and hardships—in myself and loved ones—but there is a way out; call on the Lord our God, who like David, rescues us from the pit of whatever trial we are in. He gives us the strength to endure whatever trial we are facing. We may not always get the outcome we desire, but He will rescue us and lift us up. David praises the Lord because though he was in the grave, he was raised up.</span><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p> </o:p><span><i>Sing praise to the Lord,
you His godly ones, And praise the mention of His holiness</i> {v.4}.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://pipergreen.blogspot.com/2016/04/the-attributes-of-god-god-is-good.html">God is so good</a>. How can we utter anything worthy of Him? He is holy, mighty, good, love. “<i>Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!</i>” {<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah+6&version=NASB">Is. 6:3</a>}. How can we mortals ever thank Him for all He has done for us? We must, by recognizing His glory, <a href="https://pipergreen.blogspot.com/p/the-attributes-of-god_7.html">His attributes</a>. No name truly describes God, for His essence is beyond our comprehension.<a href="file:///G:/Blog%20Post/Piper%20Green%20Blogspot/Psalms%20to%20see%20me%20through/Psalm%2030.docx#_ftn5"><span style="font-size: x-small;">[5]</span></a> As I said above, we must cultivate a thankful heart and worship the Lord for His goodness in our lives, and that is necessary for our personal devotional life. It is also important to worship Him before all believers in the house of the Lord. The psalmist is calling us to praise as a lesson for the congregation that in our sufferings, there is God’s deliverance.<a href="file:///G:/Blog%20Post/Piper%20Green%20Blogspot/Psalms%20to%20see%20me%20through/Psalm%2030.docx#_ftn6"><span style="font-size: x-small;">[6]</span></a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LfZtaffz1RU/YYDS2VwziVI/AAAAAAAAHOw/e5y8Bi5aQiUm-sN6eStZXAB6Xk8OG1fXgCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/plumbago.jpg" /><div><i><br /></i></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for a lifetime; Weeping may last for the night, But a shout of joy comes in the morning.</i> {v. 5}.<br />
</span><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Ellicot’s commentary speaks so beautifully of this:</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“Sorrow is the wayfarer who comes to the tent for a night’s
lodging, but the metaphor of his taking his leave in the morning is not carried
on, and we have instead the sudden waking with a cry of joy, sudden as the
Eastern dawn, without twilight or preparation. Never was faith in the Divine
love more beautifully expressed.”<a href="file:///G:/Blog%20Post/Piper%20Green%20Blogspot/Psalms%20to%20see%20me%20through/Psalm%2030.docx#_ftn7" name="_ftnref7" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">[7]</span></span></span></span></a></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p> </o:p>The apostle James encourages us,</span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“<i>Consider it all joy, my brothers and sisters,
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</i> {<span style="color: #0070c0;"><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James+1%3A2-4&version=NASB"><span style="color: #0070c0;">Jas. 1: 2-4</span></a></span> NASB}</span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: inherit;">God’s anger lasts only for a short time. But when we cry
out in prayer, repent, and pray for mercy, we can expect joy once again. We can
have joy now even when it is dark. Though it is dark this side of the trial on the
other side is exceeding joy! </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qta17T0dHmA/WG7MvEII8nI/AAAAAAAAFWI/liX_dIqr9Bs4IK8P6DnlNrY8PmkeCZzogCPcBGAYYCw/w640-h480/blooming-rosemary.jpg" /><br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Everything David has he recognizes as God’s favor on his life. He knows that without the Lord he would have nothing. The Lord anointed him king and gave him riches and honor; this was not David’s doing but the Lord’s. Our hearts should resemble the psalmist’s in that we acknowledge before the Lord that all we have, the roof over our head, the clothes on our backs, the breath in our lungs…is from the Lord and He deserves our thankfulness and praise. We must constantly be aware that no matter how hard some of our trials are,<span style="font-family: inherit;"> t</span>hat life is a gift from God, and what better way to acknowledge this than through our worship.</span></span></p><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AgewyjxrBaI/WIpzwPpuPJI/AAAAAAAAFY0/NkTMBRGANxwtOZ7kazkJ1zqHEO-TVedJQCPcBGAYYCw/w640-h480/redrocks-2.jpg" /><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Now as for me, I said in my prosperity, “I will never be moved.” Lord, by Your favor You have made my mountain to stand strong; You hid Your face, I was dismayed</i> {vv. 6-7}.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">David is explaining here that while
everything seemed to be going his way, that nothing could shake him. But then
he was shaken. <a href="https://pipergreen.blogspot.com/2021/09/sabbath-sanctuary-sabbath-year.html"><span color="windowtext">This happened to me</span></a> and can happen to all
of us. Just when things seem to be fine, <a href="https://pipergreen.blogspot.com/2020/03/sabbath-sanctuary-crucible-hillliving.html"><span color="windowtext">they can change in a moment</span></a>. The Lord
sometimes uses the trials and hard times that we experience to shake us out of
reliance on the things of this world and to shift our focus back to Him—the
only place our security is found. But it was during this trial in the deep pit
of despair that caused David to feel as though God had turned His face from him
and as we see in verse 8, David sought Him in prayer.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p> </o:p><i>To You, Lord, I called, And to the Lord I pleaded
for compassion: “What gain is there in my blood, if I go down to the pit? Will
the dust praise You? Will it declare Your faithfulness? </i></span><i style="font-family: inherit;">“Hear, Lord, and be gracious to me; Lord, be
my helper.” You have turned my mourning into dancing for me; You
have untied my sackcloth and encircled me with joy, That my soul
may sing praise to You and not be silent. Lord my God, I will give
thanks to You forever</i><span style="font-family: inherit;">. {vv. 8-12}.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We will all be faced with hard times and trials. It is in
these hard times that we need to seek the Lord. When hard things hit our lives
we have two choices; either turn away from God or turn to God. When we trust in
Him there is deliverance; not always from the trial itself (though that may
happen) but from the power that it has over us. We can say like David that “I
will not be shaken.” In agony, David cried out to God and bared his soul. We
read that he had indeed secret wrestlings with God; he had his complaints and
objections, cries, and pleadings. His rhetorical questions are a part of those
wrestlings. Yet, God still heard Him and rescued Him from the pit. He prayed in
the dark. We must pray while it is dark. Prayer is a constant source for us.
When we are at the end of our rope and the end of ourselves the mercy seat awaits
us. For we have this confidence that we can approach the throne of grace to
obtain all that we need {<span style="color: #0070c0;"><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Heb.+4&version=NASB"><span style="color: #0070c0;">Heb. 4:16</span></a></span>}. Though an earthquake erupts
and shakes our mountain, God’s throne of grace remains sure and will always
welcome us to seek refuge in His presence. Always turn to prayer and have faith
that He hears and answers. When He rescues do not forget to praise Him. He
deserves our worship. He is worthy of all glory, honor, and praise {<span style="color: #0070c0;"><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation+4&version=NASB"><span style="color: #0070c0;">Rev. 4:11</span></a></span>}.</span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: inherit;">David reminds the Lord that he cannot praise him or tell
others of His marvelous works if he does not rescue him. The Lord heard him and
rescued David from the pit. David asked that he could live to sing His praises.</span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I love Matthew Henry’s words on praise and worship to the
Lord:</span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“We ask aright for life, when we do so that we may live
to praise him. In due time God delivered the psalmist out of his troubles. Our
tongue is our <span style="font-family: inherit;">glory, and never more so than when employed in praising God.”<span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="file:///G:/Blog%20Post/Piper%20Green%20Blogspot/Psalms%20to%20see%20me%20through/Psalm%2030.docx#_ftn8" name="_ftnref8" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: HE; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">[8]</span></span></span></a> </span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Sg_il1K4rd0/YYDV9eSsVOI/AAAAAAAAHPU/Be2gR3t_4XgkeZpaR91Rrp-kajMgj3Z7QCLcBGAsYHQ/s4032/20211101_214900.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Sg_il1K4rd0/YYDV9eSsVOI/AAAAAAAAHPU/Be2gR3t_4XgkeZpaR91Rrp-kajMgj3Z7QCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/20211101_214900.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p> </o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0VZH9C3Kshw/VsjNcRxtAKI/AAAAAAAAEnI/iMbPAPoRnm0V5leSqGeCAopF0hC-oCRvACPcBGAYYCw/s170/piper-sig_edited-2.gif" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="130" data-original-width="170" height="130" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0VZH9C3Kshw/VsjNcRxtAKI/AAAAAAAAEnI/iMbPAPoRnm0V5leSqGeCAopF0hC-oCRvACPcBGAYYCw/s0/piper-sig_edited-2.gif" width="170" /></a><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0VZH9C3Kshw/VsjNcRxtAKI/AAAAAAAAEnI/iMbPAPoRnm0V5leSqGeCAopF0hC-oCRvACPcBGAYYCw/s170/piper-sig_edited-2.gif" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div><br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span style="background: white; color: red; font-family: "crimson text", serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 19.26px;">To read all the Psalms in this series click here: </span><span style="background: white; font-family: "crimson text", serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 19.26px;"><span style="color: #064be9;"><a href="http://pipergreen.blogspot.com/p/blog-page.html" style="color: #2288bb; text-decoration-line: none;">Psalms To See Me Through</a></span></span><br clear="all" />
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<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><a href="file:///G:/Blog%20Post/Piper%20Green%20Blogspot/Psalms%20to%20see%20me%20through/Psalm%2030.docx#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: HE; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>
Robert Alter, <i>The Book Of Psalms </i>(New York: W.W. Norton & Company,
2007), 102.</span></p><p class="MsoFootnoteText"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><a href="file:///G:/Blog%20Post/Piper%20Green%20Blogspot/Psalms%20to%20see%20me%20through/Psalm%2030.docx#_ftnref2" name="_ftn2" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: HE; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">[2]</span></span></span></span></a><span> Avrohom Chaim Feuer, trans., Nosson Scherman, and Meir Zlotowitz eds, <i>Tehillim</i> Vol.1
(Brooklyn: Mesorah Publications, 1995), 360.</span></span></p></div><div id="ftn2"><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><a href="file:///G:/Blog%20Post/Piper%20Green%20Blogspot/Psalms%20to%20see%20me%20through/Psalm%2030.docx#_ftnref3" name="_ftn3" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: HE; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">[3]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>
Craig C. Broyles, <i>Understanding The Bible Commentary Series: Psalms </i>(Grand
Rapids: Baker Books, 1999), 155.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><a href="file:///G:/Blog%20Post/Piper%20Green%20Blogspot/Psalms%20to%20see%20me%20through/Psalm%2030.docx#_ftnref4" name="_ftn4" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: HE; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">[4]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>
Alter, 102. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><a href="file:///G:/Blog%20Post/Piper%20Green%20Blogspot/Psalms%20to%20see%20me%20through/Psalm%2030.docx#_ftnref5" name="_ftn5" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: HE; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">[5]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>
Tehillim, 362. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><a href="file:///G:/Blog%20Post/Piper%20Green%20Blogspot/Psalms%20to%20see%20me%20through/Psalm%2030.docx#_ftnref6" name="_ftn6" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: HE; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">[6]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>
Broyles, 154.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div id="ftn7">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><a href="file:///G:/Blog%20Post/Piper%20Green%20Blogspot/Psalms%20to%20see%20me%20through/Psalm%2030.docx#_ftnref7" name="_ftn7" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: HE; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">[7]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>
Charles
John Ellicott, <i>An Old Testament </i><i>Commentary
For </i><i>English </i><i>Readers</i>, Vol. 4 (London: Cassell and Company, 1897),129.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div id="ftn8">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
</div><p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><a href="file:///G:/Blog%20Post/Piper%20Green%20Blogspot/Psalms%20to%20see%20me%20through/Psalm%2030.docx#_ftnref8" name="_ftn8" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: HE; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">[8]</span></span></span></a>
Matthew Henry, <i>Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary On The Whole Bible </i>(Nashville:
Thomas Nelson, 1997), 479. </span></p></div>Piper Green, M.Div., MAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03151501804654133188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8499957777516327657.post-78751947238883416292021-09-04T18:55:00.006-06:002021-09-04T20:59:06.536-06:00Sabbath Sanctuary: The Sabbath Year<p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I have been contemplating </span><a href="https://pipergreen.blogspot.com/p/sabbatismos_7.html" style="font-size: 12pt;">sabbath</a><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> rest. Resting
has been something of which </span><a href="https://pipergreen.blogspot.com/p/sabbatismos_7.html" style="font-size: 12pt;">I write often</a><span style="font-size: 12pt;">
and it has been at the forefront of my existence for the last couple of years.</span></span></p><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aguVU7Qz430/VvsXc-dzPBI/AAAAAAAAExE/5ltoN58iIIMXQe-rojwfe_0IpimapIhdQCPcBGAYYCw/w640-h576/church-stain-windows.jpg" /><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Though
we all are aware of the </span><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus+20%3A+8-11&version=NASB" style="font-size: 12pt;">sabbath
commandment</a><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> to rest on the seventh day, my contemplation has been focused
on the year of rest that the Lord commanded the Israelites:</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="text"><span style="background: white; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">“<i>The </i></span></span><span class="small-caps"><i><span style="background: white; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-caps: small-caps; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 107%;">Lord</span></i></span><span class="text"><i><span style="background: white; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"> then spoke
to Moses on Mount Sinai, saying,</span></i></span><i><span style="background: white; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"> <span class="text"><span id="en-NASB-3472">“Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them,
‘When you come into the land which I am going to give you, then the land shall
have a Sabbath to the </span><span class="small-caps"><span style="font-variant-caps: small-caps; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">Lord</span></span><span class="text">.</span></span> <span class="text"><span id="en-NASB-3473">For six years you shall sow your field,
and for six years you shall prune your vineyard and gather in its produce,</span></span> <span class="text"><span id="en-NASB-3474">but during the seventh year the land
shall have a Sabbath rest, a Sabbath to the </span><span class="small-caps"><span style="font-variant-caps: small-caps; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">Lord</span></span><span class="text">; you shall
not sow your field nor prune your vineyard.</span></span> <span class="text"><span id="en-NASB-3475">You shall not reap your harvest’s aftergrowth,
and you shall not gather your grapes of untrimmed vines; the land shall have a
sabbatical year</span></span></span></i><span class="text"><span style="background: white; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">”</span></span><span style="background: white; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span>{<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Leviticus+25&version=NASB">Lev.
25:1-5 NASB</a>}.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">As I read this passage, I thought about how hard this must have
been for them. It is important to remember that this community was an agricultural
one, their livelihood was tied to the land. If they could not grow their crops,
they had nothing. But the Lord is always merciful, and He foresees their trouble
and before they can even raise their lips to complain He answers them: <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="text"><b><sup><span style="background: white; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">“</span></sup></b></span><span class="text"><i><span style="background: white; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">You shall
therefore follow My statutes and keep My judgments so as to carry them
out, so that you may live securely on the land.</span></i></span><i><span style="background: white; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"> <span class="text"><span id="en-NASB-3489">Then the land will yield its produce, so that
you can eat your fill and live securely on it.</span></span> <span class="text"><span id="en-NASB-3490">But if you say, ‘What are we going to eat in
the seventh year if we do not sow nor gather in our produce?’</span> </span><span class="text"><span id="en-NASB-3491">then I will so order My blessing for you
in the sixth year that it will bring forth the produce for three years.</span></span> <span class="text"><span id="en-NASB-3492">When you are sowing the eighth year, you can
still eat old things from the produce, eating the old until the
ninth year when its produce comes in</span></span></span></i><span class="text"><span style="background: white; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">”</span></span><span class="text"><span style="background: white;"> </span></span></span><span style="background: white; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">{<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Leviticus+25&version=NASB">Lev.
25:18-22 NASB</a>}.</span><span style="font-family: Bookman Old Style, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wqq4J_CJuy4/YTQLOqREohI/AAAAAAAAHM0/tYmsAr87m6IyTCSbvpJr05TLOgVJq0DhACLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h360/11.17.15%2BDSC_0297.jpg" /><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background: white; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">The Lord is always faithful. If they will only but trust in
Him, even during the </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://pipergreen.blogspot.com/p/sabbatismos_7.html">sabbath</a>, </span><span style="background: white; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">He will not leave
them or forsake them.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background: white; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">I have been meditating on this for some time now because I
seem to be in a </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://pipergreen.blogspot.com/p/sabbatismos_7.html">sabbath</a></span><span style="background: white; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"> of my own. Those
of you who know me know that I garden every year as I am working toward being
able to grow as much of my own food as possible. I also love flowers and grow
them as well. I am one of those who sow her seeds early so that as soon as winter
has made its last stand (and a very cold spring where I am) and the threat of frost
has </span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">vanished,
I plant them in the garden as soon as possible (also we have a short growing
season). </span><span style="font-family: Bookman Old Style, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YcOa5rncw3U/YTQOFA5MkVI/AAAAAAAAHM8/dfiCMp2cAGcqWoQNr1R9w74NAoN68KvKACLcBGAsYHQ/s1080/seeds.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YcOa5rncw3U/YTQOFA5MkVI/AAAAAAAAHM8/dfiCMp2cAGcqWoQNr1R9w74NAoN68KvKACLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h640/seeds.jpg" /></a><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--9DPddG4jLY/YTQUFYMjUaI/AAAAAAAAHN0/qvSsAvDO5mgB6DnPRXrGtIa3OpTQT0CEwCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/20200721_183440.jpg" /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Well, this year was the first year that I can
remember that I have not planted any seeds and did not have a garden. While
this may seem irrelevant to some it is a huge disappointment for me. Though I
don’t rely on my little farm for my livelihood, </span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CEAD6h4DGWc/" style="font-size: 12pt;">Piper’s Farm</a><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> brings me much
joy. I love planting seeds and watching the miracle that it produces in the
fruit for it is part of the creation that I love. It was not to be this year. In
April, I had major foot surgery so I knew I would not be able to attend to the
seeds or get them planted, and I did not want to burden the husband as he
already had to pick up the slack for me in so many other areas, so I didn’t
plant any. While it was something I needed to lay down, it was still very hard
for me. I walk the yard often looking at the place where my garden is usually
growing to see only weeds {which are screaming at me as well}.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--ms2I5BYk1A/YTQS3babFcI/AAAAAAAAHNQ/x4_1jLNpQIg4DAerlMoLg5UHWrw0uXDEwCLcBGAsYHQ/s4032/weeds.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--ms2I5BYk1A/YTQS3babFcI/AAAAAAAAHNQ/x4_1jLNpQIg4DAerlMoLg5UHWrw0uXDEwCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/weeds.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-89B0F3rRlGg/YTQS-OeDbnI/AAAAAAAAHNY/dPFXm3chHIw7gXRsp4RF_5oaoWoURa7HwCLcBGAsYHQ/s4032/weeds%2B2.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-89B0F3rRlGg/YTQS-OeDbnI/AAAAAAAAHNY/dPFXm3chHIw7gXRsp4RF_5oaoWoURa7HwCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/weeds%2B2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">This is where my </span><a href="https://pipergreen.blogspot.com/p/sabbatismos_7.html" style="font-size: 12pt;">sabbath</a><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> has
occupied my mind because it has spiritual implications as well. We are not the
ancient Israelites, but there are some spiritual implications concerning the </span><a href="https://pipergreen.blogspot.com/p/sabbatismos_7.html" style="font-size: 12pt;">sabbath</a><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> and the
waiting periods that we often find ourselves in. This has certainly been a year
of sabbath for me. In April, I found myself in the recovery room after foot surgery
with very low oxygen levels. So, long story made a tad shorter, they found a
nodule in my lung. The location of the nodule was very problematic and could
not easily be reached. I endured two </span><a href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/bronchoscopy/about/pac-20384746#:~:text=Bronchoscopy%20is%20a%20procedure%20that,throat%20and%20into%20your%20lungs." style="font-size: 12pt;">bronchoscopies</a><span style="font-size: 12pt;">
in two weeks, and they were not able to retrieve a sample size of the tissue large
enough to determine a diagnosis. Then a PET scan, then a diagnosis of </span><a href="https://www.cancercenter.com/cancer-types/lung-cancer/types/adenocarcinoma-of-the-lung#:~:text=Most%20lung%20cancers%20are%20non,in%20glands%20that%20secrete%20mucus." style="font-size: 12pt;">adenocarcinoma</a><span style="font-size: 12pt;">.
Then, three weeks ago, they removed the nodule by removing half of my right
lung, and thankfully, it is not cancer—the </span><a href="https://pipergreen.blogspot.com/2016/04/the-attributes-of-god-god-is-good.html" style="font-size: 12pt;">goodness
of God</a><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> displayed. I am recovering, and will be fine, but I feel as though I
have lived in a state of recovery for most of this year {also part of why I
have been absent from this space}. Though I was still in school working on my Ph.D.
in the spring, I have had to postpone school until later in October. This was
very hard for me to do; I wrestled with the decision for weeks. I also had to
step down from my editing work at my church where I was employed. It feels like
everything I am and everything I do is gone. A </span><a href="https://pipergreen.blogspot.com/p/sabbatismos_7.html" style="font-size: 12pt;">sabbath</a><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> rest,
though mine is not in obedience, mine seems like I had no choice.</span></span></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">There are seasons where we will feel as though we
have been emptied of everything and we have no choice but to trust the Lord in
the season of sabbath. I cannot fully convey the frustration in my life right
now as I struggle with everything being stripped away. I have to rest in order
to recover, I have no choice. I don’t have the strength to do much. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I imagine this is how the Israelites may have felt
in that sabbath year. But God is so faithful to us. Just as He was with them
and blessed them in the sixth year so that the sabbath year would not be a
strain for them, He is with us. He is with <i>me. </i>When we are faithful to be
in His Word and walk with Him daily, we are strengthened to walk through these
times. The Lord promised us that we will not be alone, He has sent the Comforter
to keep us:<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="woj"><i><span style="background: white; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">I will ask the Father, and He will give you
another Helper, so that He may be with you forever;</span></i></span><i><span style="background: white; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"> <span class="woj"><span id="en-NASB-26678">the Helper is the Spirit of
truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or
know Him; but you know Him because He remains with you and will be in
you</span></span></span></i></span><span class="woj"><span style="background: white; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> {<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+14&version=NASB">Jn.
14: 16-17 NASB</a>}. </span><span style="font-family: Bookman Old Style, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WMMhHH98ois/YTQUzUMpJWI/AAAAAAAAHOA/Cl3XVxbMQBgvUqf4ZRGUE27q3mdq9cbZwCLcBGAsYHQ/s4032/20210731_124958.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WMMhHH98ois/YTQUzUMpJWI/AAAAAAAAHOA/Cl3XVxbMQBgvUqf4ZRGUE27q3mdq9cbZwCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/20210731_124958.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 12pt;">He will not leave us, and He is faithful to walk
through them with us. The Apostle Paul was told that God’s grace was sufficient
for him when he cried out to God during one of his struggles {</span><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Corinthians+12&version=NASB" style="font-size: 12pt;">2
Cor. 12:9</a><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 12pt;">}, His grace is sufficient to help us do what we cannot do for
ourselves.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="woj"><span style="background: white; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">During this time, I have had to completely
deconstruct who I am and what I am doing or should be doing for Him on this
earth and have had to rebuild from the foundation up. Though this is a hard
thing to walk through, He is faithful in the waiting—in this sabbath. He is
working towards my good when I rest in Him. I have no choice but to wait on Him
and then He works in me to form me into His image; to make me more Christlike, which
is always for my good:<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="text"><span style="background: white; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">“<i>And we know that God causes all
things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who
are called according to His purpose.</i></span></span><i><span style="background: white; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"> <span class="text"><span id="en-NASB-28134">For those whom He foreknew, He
also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so
that He would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters;</span></span> <span class="text"><span id="en-NASB-28135">and these whom He predestined, He
also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom
He justified, He also glorified</span></span></span></i><span class="text"><span style="background: white; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">” {<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+8&version=NASB">Rom.
8: 28-30 NASB</a>}.</span></span><span class="woj"><span style="background: white; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">So, I will wait. I will take this sabbath rest and
trust and wait on Him to bring forth His purpose in my life, because He has
given me enough spiritual riches in abundance to endure this sabbath, as
frustrating as it can be at times, and to live under His sovereign hand. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="text"><span style="background: white; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">“<i>If a man dies, will he live again?</i></span><i>
All the days of my struggle I will wait</i></span><i> until my relief comes</i>” {Job.
14:14 NASB}.</span><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Rest in God this beautiful Sabbath weekend.....</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TTOCVxJNvhE/WDqFzTh6WSI/AAAAAAAAFI8/LkCoUXm5I0Ejta-jIgPo-Gc3PtY_v4HrQCPcBGAYYCw/s170/piper-sig_edited-2.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="130" data-original-width="170" height="130" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TTOCVxJNvhE/WDqFzTh6WSI/AAAAAAAAFI8/LkCoUXm5I0Ejta-jIgPo-Gc3PtY_v4HrQCPcBGAYYCw/s0/piper-sig_edited-2.jpg" width="170" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>Piper Green, M.Div., MAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03151501804654133188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8499957777516327657.post-25783300861976209422021-05-23T00:33:00.004-06:002021-05-23T00:33:51.791-06:00A Prayer For Pentecost<p><span style="font-family: inherit;">“Father of light, from whom every good gift comes, send
your Spirit into our lives with the power of a mighty wind, and by the flame of
your wisdom open the horizons of our minds.</span></p><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LdIoC1C6YiA/YKn215rjrFI/AAAAAAAAHMI/w2gwH6VF1uIfaKpJr1qAa3B73HZURBoAgCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h308/Pentecost-Slider.jpg" /><br /><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Loosen our tongues to sing your praise in words beyond the power of speech, for without your Spirit we could never raise our voice in words of peace or announce the truth that Jesus is Lord.”</span></p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />Author Unknown <br /></span><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TTOCVxJNvhE/WDqFzTh6WSI/AAAAAAAAFI8/LkCoUXm5I0Ejta-jIgPo-Gc3PtY_v4HrQCPcBGAYYCw/s170/piper-sig_edited-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="130" data-original-width="170" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TTOCVxJNvhE/WDqFzTh6WSI/AAAAAAAAFI8/LkCoUXm5I0Ejta-jIgPo-Gc3PtY_v4HrQCPcBGAYYCw/s0/piper-sig_edited-2.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div>Piper Green, M.Div., MAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03151501804654133188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8499957777516327657.post-21090100457170943492021-05-23T00:09:00.002-06:002021-05-23T00:27:58.031-06:00God’s Appointed Times: Pentecost or the Feast of Weeks<p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Today is Pentecost Sunday the day we celebrate the
outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the church. Pentecost is also referred to in the Bible as the Feast
of Weeks, Feast of Harvest, and the Day of Firstfruits {<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus+23%3A16&version=NASB">Ex.
23:16</a>; <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Numbers+28&version=NASB">Num.
28</a>}. Pentecost falls on the fiftieth day from <a href="https://pipergreen.blogspot.com/2018/03/the-passover-lamb-behold-lamb-of-god.html">Passover</a>.
It was a one-day feast and celebration {<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus+23%3A16&version=NASB">Ex.
23:16</a>; <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus+34%3A22&version=NASB">34:22</a>; <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Leviticus+23%3A22&version=NASB">Lev.
23:15,22</a>; <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Numbers+28&version=NASB">Num.
28</a>}. </span></p><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lGvbG72iK4w/YKnrxxA98FI/AAAAAAAAHLw/prS5fCU90qw7D2doTS1A1yI37dxflnL7gCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h424/hd-pentecost%2B2.jpg" /><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;">The liturgy for the feast is found in Deuteronomy,<br /><br />“You shall also count for yourselves from the day after the Sabbath, from the day when you brought in the sheaf of the wave offering; there shall be seven complete Sabbaths. You shall count fifty days to the day after the seventh Sabbath; then you shall present a new grain offering to the Lord. You shall bring in from your dwelling places two loaves of bread as a wave offering, made of two-tenths of an ephah; they shall be of fine flour, baked with leaven as first fruits to the Lord. Along with the bread you shall present seven one-year-old male lambs without defect, and a bull of the herd and two rams; they are to be a burnt offering to the Lord, with their grain offering and their drink offerings, an offering by fire of a soothing aroma to the Lord. You shall also offer one male goat as a sin offering, and two male lambs one year old as a sacrifice of peace offerings. The priest shall then wave them with the bread of the first fruits as a wave offering with two lambs before the Lord; they are to be holy to the Lord for the priest. On this very day you shall make a proclamation as well; you are to have a holy convocation. You shall do no laborious work. It is to be a permanent statute in all your dwelling places throughout your generations” {<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Leviticus+23%3A15-21&version=NASB">Lev. 23:15-21</a>}.</span><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p></o:p></p><div><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Feast of <a href="https://pipergreen.blogspot.com/2018/03/the-passover-lamb-behold-lamb-of-god.html">Passover</a>
was the beginning of the barley harvest and Pentecost was celebrated during the
wheat harvest. The feast was a wave offering to the Lord. It consisted of two
loaves baked with leaven. It was made with fine flour that was sifted in order
to separate the chaff from the wheat. The wave offering was a way for the Hebrews
to exhibit their dependence on God, not only for the harvest but also for their
daily bread, an offering of thanksgiving. </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This is of course the first Pentecost, a foreshadow of
the Pentecost in the New Testament. God gave Moses the law on Mt. Sinai written
on tablets of stone. Yet there was a promise from the Lord of a future time
when the law would be written on the tablets of the heart {<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jer.+31%3A31%E2%80%9334&version=NASB">Jer.
31:31–34</a>}. For thousands of years, people<span style="font-family: inherit;"> journeyed</span> to Jerusalem to celebrate
Pentecost awaiting the promise of God. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TL0f8Jh2qig/YKnstucAlII/AAAAAAAAHL4/yxN3cAahInAUbCE9pv92u-QIj4q0UUpyQCLcBGAsYHQ/s429/OT%2BPentecost.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="429" data-original-width="300" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TL0f8Jh2qig/YKnstucAlII/AAAAAAAAHL4/yxN3cAahInAUbCE9pv92u-QIj4q0UUpyQCLcBGAsYHQ/w448-h640/OT%2BPentecost.jpg" width="448" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">The Feast of Pentecost was fulfilled in Jesus when He was
glorified in the resurrection and seated on the throne at the right hand of the
Father. He sent the promised Helper, the Holy Spirit in the upper room to the
disciples on the Day of Pentecost which was the fulfillment of God’s promise.
Through the Holy Spirit, the Father wrote His precepts on the hearts of all who
placed their faith in Christ. <span style="font-family: inherit;">He does this still today for all who come to faith in Christ.</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p> <img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WYUUpt433pM/YKnthOyFL1I/AAAAAAAAHMA/LL38JK3VK_gwbN3fhmPH-O4LW7cPXOuhQCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h354/The-Descent-of-the-Spirit-Dore.jpg" /><br /></o:p></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In John’s gospel account Jesus speaks and reveals how He fulfills this feast: “But Jesus answered them by saying, ‘The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Truly, truly I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit’” {<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+12&version=NASB">Jn. 12:23–24</a>}. Jesus is the seed of grain that died for our sin. He is the Bread from Heaven made with fine flour; perfect righteousness. </span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The feast of Pentecost marked the fifty days between </span><a href="https://pipergreen.blogspot.com/2018/03/the-passover-lamb-behold-lamb-of-god.html" style="font-family: inherit;">Passover</a><span style="font-family: inherit;"> and Pentecost, the New Testament Pentecost was fifty days from Jesus’ resurrection
to the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the one hundred and twenty in the upper room. </span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">There is so much more to say concerning the symbolism,
types, and fulfillment in Christ concerning the Feast of Pentecost, but
this is sufficient for now. I will write more in the future concerning <a href="https://pipergreen.blogspot.com/p/god-appointed-times.html">God’s
Appointed Times</a> because they so beautifully speak to the life, ministry,
death, and resurrection of Jesus our precious Savior. <o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TTOCVxJNvhE/WDqFzTh6WSI/AAAAAAAAFI8/LkCoUXm5I0Ejta-jIgPo-Gc3PtY_v4HrQCPcBGAYYCw/s170/piper-sig_edited-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="130" data-original-width="170" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TTOCVxJNvhE/WDqFzTh6WSI/AAAAAAAAFI8/LkCoUXm5I0Ejta-jIgPo-Gc3PtY_v4HrQCPcBGAYYCw/s0/piper-sig_edited-2.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "IM Fell English"; font-size: 17.6px;">Graciously consider subscribing to the blog and follow me on social media! </span></p><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></div>Piper Green, M.Div., MAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03151501804654133188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8499957777516327657.post-74540741719291770542021-04-25T20:15:00.000-06:002021-04-25T20:15:09.332-06:00Sabbath Sanctuary: The Doxology Giving Praise To God<p> <span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background: white;">“<span class="text"><i>Let the word of Christ richly
dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one
another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing
with thankfulness in your hearts to God.</i></span></span><i> <span class="text"><span id="en-NASB-29522">Whatever you do in word or deed, do everything
in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father</span></span></i>”
{Col. 3:16-17<span style="background: white;"> </span>NASB}. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--W3PyuZwAic/Wbdyzot2qqI/AAAAAAAAFt0/cLzFNc-SKLQ_AwMK4WaDPbwVqo_BTmcHQCPcBGAYYCw/s1600/mountain-sky-edited.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1190" data-original-width="1600" height="476" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--W3PyuZwAic/Wbdyzot2qqI/AAAAAAAAFt0/cLzFNc-SKLQ_AwMK4WaDPbwVqo_BTmcHQCPcBGAYYCw/w640-h476/mountain-sky-edited.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ksP4eV1KA7k/YIYhD5xeqDI/AAAAAAAAHJs/30ppxU1rFScC1-rpcFQCK9H6kzrQg5kLACLcBGAsYHQ/s705/dox%2B2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="705" data-original-width="480" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ksP4eV1KA7k/YIYhD5xeqDI/AAAAAAAAHJs/30ppxU1rFScC1-rpcFQCK9H6kzrQg5kLACLcBGAsYHQ/w436-h640/dox%2B2.jpg" width="436" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rTTGw5EtkhE/YIYhRH3uAZI/AAAAAAAAHJw/9vwbwMzNFsATxJwB657HM778J8w7xI5hQCLcBGAsYHQ/s4032/20200828_160304.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rTTGw5EtkhE/YIYhRH3uAZI/AAAAAAAAHJw/9vwbwMzNFsATxJwB657HM778J8w7xI5hQCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/20200828_160304.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QOl1IdTJ-kE/YIYhbgLxb9I/AAAAAAAAHJ8/s226i2ThX8MxMdALi2FOUHARkSnGmDIFwCLcBGAsYHQ/s259/doxology%2B2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="194" data-original-width="259" height="479" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QOl1IdTJ-kE/YIYhbgLxb9I/AAAAAAAAHJ8/s226i2ThX8MxMdALi2FOUHARkSnGmDIFwCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h479/doxology%2B2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TTOCVxJNvhE/WDqFzTh6WSI/AAAAAAAAFI8/LkCoUXm5I0Ejta-jIgPo-Gc3PtY_v4HrQCPcBGAYYCw/s170/piper-sig_edited-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="130" data-original-width="170" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TTOCVxJNvhE/WDqFzTh6WSI/AAAAAAAAFI8/LkCoUXm5I0Ejta-jIgPo-Gc3PtY_v4HrQCPcBGAYYCw/s0/piper-sig_edited-2.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p></o:p></p>Piper Green, M.Div., MAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03151501804654133188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8499957777516327657.post-27868195128115917942021-04-04T09:00:00.003-06:002021-04-04T09:00:42.914-06:00He Is Not Here, He Is Risen!<p> <span class="text"><span style="background: white;">“</span></span>…<i>and
as the women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, the
men said to them, ‘Why are you seeking the living One among the dead? He
is not here, but He has risen. Remember how He spoke to
you while He was still in Galilee, saying that the Son of Man
must be handed over to sinful men, and be crucified, and on the third day
rise from the </i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: HE; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">dead</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: HE; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">’”</span> (Lk. 24:5-7 NASB).</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zBwvVdVMo6c/WZJb8480POI/AAAAAAAAFp8/dkx8lOGO4dQKYos-9znW3bm3jiFVFEaWgCPcBGAYYCw/s800/he-is-risen-sign.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zBwvVdVMo6c/WZJb8480POI/AAAAAAAAFp8/dkx8lOGO4dQKYos-9znW3bm3jiFVFEaWgCPcBGAYYCw/w640-h480/he-is-risen-sign.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8Gmq6VCCJxY/WPQseCQV_II/AAAAAAAAFlE/jL1Br_qkTPID8D0o14zjKvAqpBp91zN-ACPcBGAYYCw/s5312/garden-tomb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5312" data-original-width="2988" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8Gmq6VCCJxY/WPQseCQV_II/AAAAAAAAFlE/jL1Br_qkTPID8D0o14zjKvAqpBp91zN-ACPcBGAYYCw/w428-h640/garden-tomb.jpg" width="428" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Happy Resurrection Sunday! He is risen!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TTOCVxJNvhE/WDqFzTh6WSI/AAAAAAAAFI8/LkCoUXm5I0Ejta-jIgPo-Gc3PtY_v4HrQCPcBGAYYCw/s170/piper-sig_edited-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="130" data-original-width="170" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TTOCVxJNvhE/WDqFzTh6WSI/AAAAAAAAFI8/LkCoUXm5I0Ejta-jIgPo-Gc3PtY_v4HrQCPcBGAYYCw/s0/piper-sig_edited-2.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div></div><br /><p><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>Piper Green, M.Div., MAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03151501804654133188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8499957777516327657.post-54988082897163172302021-04-02T11:54:00.002-06:002021-04-02T12:16:44.697-06:00His Passion<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #3b3b3b; font-size: 14.85px;">I stand here and look up to a cross on a hill</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #3b3b3b; font-size: 14.85px;" /></span><div style="background-color: white; color: #3b3b3b; font-size: 14.85px;"><div class="WordSection2"><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">All of creation was in chaos but yet I was still<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Amazed at the way you were beaten and torn<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">How could they hate you and show you only scorn?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Do they know that you did this out of such love?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Do they know you were sent here from above?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Yet it must be done so that all is as you have said<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Oh Lord your torn body and the thorns in your head!</span></div></div></div><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-6700300552967868976" itemprop="description articleBody" style="line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 628px;"><div class="WordSection2"><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #3b3b3b; font-family: Calligraffitti; font-size: 14.85px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-q1f9gUeHSmc/YGdZNb466DI/AAAAAAAAHJQ/skYWqvw7_Nk9YV3pKhSoWo0eo95ssrh_wCLcBGAsYHQ/s5312/20180217_155643.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5312" data-original-width="2988" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-q1f9gUeHSmc/YGdZNb466DI/AAAAAAAAHJQ/skYWqvw7_Nk9YV3pKhSoWo0eo95ssrh_wCLcBGAsYHQ/w360-h640/20180217_155643.jpg" width="360" /></a></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3b3b; font-family: Calligraffitti; font-size: 14.85px;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3b3b; font-size: 14.85px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Oh Lord I helped drive that nail through your hand</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3b3b; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3b3b; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Because we all turned away and sinned every man<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3b3b; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">You were led away as a lamb to the slaughter<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3b3b; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Yet you did it to redeem every son and daughter<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3b3b; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3b3b; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Oh Lord I pray let not your death be in vain<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3b3b; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Or that I take for granted your suffering and pain<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3b3b; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">May I be faithful to you up until death<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3b3b; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">May I never deny you till I take my last breath<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3b3b; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3b3b; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This was my passion I knew I must die<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3b3b; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">But not for long would I in a grave lie<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3b3b; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">For every person of creation was before my face<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3b3b; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">As I gladly died to pour out God’s grace<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3b3b; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3b3b; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I was crucified so that all people will be<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3b3b; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Chosen, cleansed and set apart for me<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3b3b; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I long to know you and to call you my friend<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3b3b; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">So that we will be together always to the end<o:p></o:p></span></div></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="WordSection3" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3b3b; font-size: 14.85px;"><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I gave you my body I Am the Bread of Life</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">You are my spotless bride my beloved wife<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I gave my blood poured out just for you<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">When you drink you are free, cleansed and anew<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Take my body and blood in remembrance of me<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Remember that I died to set every person free<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I long to commune with you and call you by name<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I paid the price so that you will never be the same<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Piper Green<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">©2004</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calligraffitti;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Calligraffitti; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-G_zSbzX3Ecw/VvXGrgqxi-I/AAAAAAAAEuk/y9Z14lQ5USAxuzL4tZT_jIK-Zc73QjEBACPcBGAYYCw/s1122/franciscodezurbaran_christonthecross_opt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1122" data-original-width="640" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-G_zSbzX3Ecw/VvXGrgqxi-I/AAAAAAAAEuk/y9Z14lQ5USAxuzL4tZT_jIK-Zc73QjEBACPcBGAYYCw/w364-h640/franciscodezurbaran_christonthecross_opt.jpg" width="364" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calligraffitti;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calligraffitti;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calligraffitti;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calligraffitti;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calligraffitti;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calligraffitti;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calligraffitti;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calligraffitti;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calligraffitti;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calligraffitti;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calligraffitti;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calligraffitti;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calligraffitti;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calligraffitti;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calligraffitti;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calligraffitti;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calligraffitti;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calligraffitti;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calligraffitti;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calligraffitti;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calligraffitti;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calligraffitti;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calligraffitti;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calligraffitti;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calligraffitti;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calligraffitti;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calligraffitti;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calligraffitti;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calligraffitti;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calligraffitti;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calligraffitti;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calligraffitti;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calligraffitti;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Calligraffitti; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0VZH9C3Kshw/VsjNcRxtAKI/AAAAAAAAEnI/iMbPAPoRnm0V5leSqGeCAopF0hC-oCRvACPcBGAYYCw/s170/piper-sig_edited-2.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="130" data-original-width="170" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0VZH9C3Kshw/VsjNcRxtAKI/AAAAAAAAEnI/iMbPAPoRnm0V5leSqGeCAopF0hC-oCRvACPcBGAYYCw/s0/piper-sig_edited-2.gif" /></a></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calligraffitti;"><br /></div></div></div>Piper Green, M.Div., MAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03151501804654133188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8499957777516327657.post-16982668884321753392021-03-20T01:15:00.002-06:002021-03-20T16:28:33.429-06:00God Was In Christ: The Doctrine of the Incarnation Part VII<p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I want to continue with the next part of God was in Christ. We have
walked through the Old Testament and where Christ, the preexistent Second Person
of the Godhead, made many appearances. We also saw the Old Testament prophets their
prophecies concerning the Incarnation of Christ. Let us look now to the New
Testament to see what Jesus Himself and that He claimed to be God. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span></p><p></p><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--W3PyuZwAic/Wbdyzot2qqI/AAAAAAAAFt0/cLzFNc-SKLQ_AwMK4WaDPbwVqo_BTmcHQCPcBGAYYCw/w640-h476/mountain-sky-edited.jpg" /><br /><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Jesus presents Himself through the Gospels not only as a prophet but as the object of prophecy. Jesus acknowledged that He was the Messiah on oath at His trial.<span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="file:///E:/Blog%20Post/Piper%20Green%20Blogspot/God%20Was%20In%20Christ%20The%20Incarnation/03.19.21%20blog%20post.docx#_ftn1">[1]</a> </span>His ministry, however, is meaningless unless He firmly believed that He was God’s chosen One to redeem His people. In fact, no sense can be made of Jesus Himself “unless we are prepared to acknowledge that Jesus saw in Himself the culmination of Israel’s law and for salvation and God.”<a href="file:///E:/Blog%20Post/Piper%20Green%20Blogspot/God%20Was%20In%20Christ%20The%20Incarnation/03.19.21%20blog%20post.docx#_ftn2"><span style="font-size: x-small;">[2]</span></a></span></p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Jesus claimed His divinity and looked to the Old Testament to substantiate this truth, “It was the Old Testament…the Hebrew Scriptures in which he found a rich tapestry of figures, historical persons, prophetic pictures and symbols of worship. And in this tapestry, where others saw only a fragmented collection of various figures and hopes, Jesus saw His own face.”<a href="file:///E:/Blog%20Post/Piper%20Green%20Blogspot/God%20Was%20In%20Christ%20The%20Incarnation/03.19.21%20blog%20post.docx#_ftn3">[3]</a> Christ repeatedly stated to the disciples, Pharisees, and others that He existed with and came from the Father.</span><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gOKMwgyoLpc/Wd6T6rBqVII/AAAAAAAAF6g/qclMBm-goSo9dqZpRN2zlZ4VWVk1YhXtQCPcBGAYYCw/w640-h474/apples-fall.jpg" /><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Word God (Theos)<br /><br />The word Theos (God) refers to God the Father in the New Testament, “Nonetheless, there are several passages where it is also used to refer to Jesus Christ.”<a href="file:///E:/Blog%20Post/Piper%20Green%20Blogspot/God%20Was%20In%20Christ%20The%20Incarnation/03.19.21%20blog%20post.docx#_ftn1">[4]</a> One of the most well-known is, “<i>In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God</i>” (Jn. 1:1). Another is John 1:18, “No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him.” This is a direct reference to God and His essence as Spirit, “This first statement is to be connected with verse one, which also speaks of Jesus Christ in His self-existence is an eternal and infinite Spirit. Then, to show the very special relationship of the Son to the Father.”</span><a href="file:///E:/Blog%20Post/Piper%20Green%20Blogspot/God%20Was%20In%20Christ%20The%20Incarnation/03.19.21%20blog%20post.docx#_ftn2"><span style="font-family: inherit;">[5</span>]</a> <div><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"></span></i></p><img border="0" height="350" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lTSyom9Cb2I/WIcJyRxvh4I/AAAAAAAAFYc/vKTF-DN2Z3IshEywq_Dv921DFJ57tFKCgCPcBGAYYCw/w640-h350/Rainbow-1.jpg" width="640" /><i><br /></i><p></p><span style="font-family: inherit;">
The Word Lord (Kyrios) <br /><br />Grudem defines Kyrios in the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Old Testament) as the Hebrew word, Yahweh. Yahweh is translated “LORD,” or “Jehovah.” It is used to translate the name of the Lord 6, 814 times in the Greek Old Testament, “Therefore, any Greek-speaking reader at the time of the New Testament who had any knowledge at all of the Septuagint would have recognized that, in contexts where it was appropriate, the word “Lord” was the name of the one who was the Creator and Sustainer of heaven and earth, the omnipotent God.”<a href="file:///E:/Blog%20Post/Piper%20Green%20Blogspot/God%20Was%20In%20Christ%20The%20Incarnation/03.19.21%20blog%20post.docx#_ftn3">[6]</a> <br /><br /> In the New Testament, there are many instances where ‘Lord’ is used of Christ, “In what can only be understood as…Yahweh or God himself.”<a href="file:///E:/Blog%20Post/Piper%20Green%20Blogspot/God%20Was%20In%20Christ%20The%20Incarnation/03.19.21%20blog%20post.docx#_ftn4">[7]</a> These names of God refer not only to the Father but also Christ, the Second Person of the Trinity, attributing to Christ the nature and attributes of God. <br /><br />The Son of Man <br /><br />The Son of Man was one of the most prominent names that Jesus’ used in referring to Himself. The Gospels record seventy-eight times that Jesus used this title. The Son of Man is the name associated with the eschatological prophecy in Daniel 7:13. The title is connected to the earthly life of Jesus. He refers to Himself as the Son of Man in the healing of the paralytic, which we see in Mark 9:6. He also referred to Himself as the Son of Man as the Lord of the Sabbath (Mk. 2:28); with His suffering (Mk. 8:31); and concerning His future death and resurrection: “<i>And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again</i>” (KJV). The Son of Man is a title that was used exclusively by Jesus—His disciples did not address Him as such. Jesus uses this title when referring to His humanity, but also as a designation of the Messiah and the Kingdom of God. <br /><br />Son Of God <br /><br />One important aspect of His nature that Scripture claims, and vital to His pre-existence, is that He is the Son of God. The term “Son of God” is used to refer to Israel; a man created by God; or a redeemed man in general. Some even assert that the Sons of God in Genesis chapter 6 and Job 1:6; 2:1 refer to angels. However, “There are nevertheless instances in which the phrase “Son of God” refers to Jesus as the heavenly, eternal Son who is equal to God Himself (see Matt. 11: 25-30; 17:5; 1 Cor. 15:28; Heb. 1:1-3, 5, 8).”<a href="file:///E:/Blog%20Post/Piper%20Green%20Blogspot/God%20Was%20In%20Christ%20The%20Incarnation/03.19.21%20blog%20post.docx#_ftn5">[8]</a> Christ is referred to as the “Son of God” in a more unique sense than the created, the redeemed, and the celestial creation. <br /><br /> When an individual comes to faith in Jesus Christ, they become a son of God, “<i>But as many as received him, to them gave power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name</i>” (Jn. 1:12 KJV). But only Jesus is the Only-begotten of the Father, “And again, when he bringeth in the first begotten into the world, he saith, and let all the angels of God worship him” (Heb. 1:6 KJV). The author of Hebrews is drawing from the only Old Testament reference to the “Only-begotten,” as Psalm 2:7 reads, “<i>I will surely tell of the decree of the Lord: He said to Me, ‘You are My Son, Today I have begotten You</i>.’” This designation is only attributed to Christ by the Father. <br /><br />In the next post, we will look at more of Jesus’ claims of how He is the Incarnate Christ and other witnesses who verified His claims. </span><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="text"></span></p><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UT3ZBL7Nbvs/VyWAKaiyiuI/AAAAAAAAE5I/WUx7Xe51PRgslqLZ4zY0tPDrpxSuS6J9QCPcBGAYYCw/w640-h296/scheppingadam_grt%2Bcreation%2Bof%2Bman.jpg" /><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0VZH9C3Kshw/VsjNcRxtAKI/AAAAAAAAEnI/iMbPAPoRnm0V5leSqGeCAopF0hC-oCRvACPcBGAYYCw/s170/piper-sig_edited-2.gif" style="clear: left; display: inline; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="130" data-original-width="170" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0VZH9C3Kshw/VsjNcRxtAKI/AAAAAAAAEnI/iMbPAPoRnm0V5leSqGeCAopF0hC-oCRvACPcBGAYYCw/s0/piper-sig_edited-2.gif" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "IM Fell English"; font-size: 17.6px;">Graciously consider subscribing to the blog and follow me on social media! </span></p><div></div><div>
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<div id="ftn1">
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><a href="file:///E:/Blog%20Post/Piper%20Green%20Blogspot/God%20Was%20In%20Christ%20The%20Incarnation/03.19.21%20blog%20post.docx#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt;"> Elwell, <i>Dictionary
of Theology</i>, 1019.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></p>
</div>
<div id="ftn2">
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><a href="file:///E:/Blog%20Post/Piper%20Green%20Blogspot/God%20Was%20In%20Christ%20The%20Incarnation/03.19.21%20blog%20post.docx#_ftnref2" name="_ftn2" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[2]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt;"> Spiros Zodhiates,
ed., <i>The Complete Word Study New Testament </i>(Chattanooga: AMG Publishers,
1992), 306.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></p>
</div>
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<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><a href="file:///E:/Blog%20Post/Piper%20Green%20Blogspot/God%20Was%20In%20Christ%20The%20Incarnation/03.19.21%20blog%20post.docx#_ftnref3" name="_ftn3" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[3]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt;"> Grudem, 544.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></p>
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<div id="ftn4">
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><a href="file:///E:/Blog%20Post/Piper%20Green%20Blogspot/God%20Was%20In%20Christ%20The%20Incarnation/03.19.21%20blog%20post.docx#_ftnref4" name="_ftn4" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[4]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt;"> Ibid. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<div id="ftn5">
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><a href="file:///E:/Blog%20Post/Piper%20Green%20Blogspot/God%20Was%20In%20Christ%20The%20Incarnation/03.19.21%20blog%20post.docx#_ftnref5" name="_ftn5" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[5]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt;"> Grudem, 546.</span></p></div></div></div><div>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-indent: 0.5in;"><a href="file:///E:/Blog%20Post/Piper%20Green%20Blogspot/God%20Was%20In%20Christ%20The%20Incarnation/03.19.21%20blog%20post.docx#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[6]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt;"> George L. Carey, <i>God
Incarnate </i>(Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press., 1977), 11.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div id="ftn2">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; text-indent: 0.5in;"><a href="file:///E:/Blog%20Post/Piper%20Green%20Blogspot/God%20Was%20In%20Christ%20The%20Incarnation/03.19.21%20blog%20post.docx#_ftnref2" name="_ftn2" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[7]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"> Ibid. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<div id="ftn3">
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><a href="file:///E:/Blog%20Post/Piper%20Green%20Blogspot/God%20Was%20In%20Christ%20The%20Incarnation/03.19.21%20blog%20post.docx#_ftnref3" name="_ftn3" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[8]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt;"> Christopher J.H.
Wright, <i>Knowing Jesus Through The Old Testament </i>(Downers Grove:
InterVarsity Press., 1992), 108.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
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</div><p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></p>Piper Green, M.Div., MAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03151501804654133188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8499957777516327657.post-15868256039545852242021-02-20T21:27:00.002-07:002021-02-20T21:58:39.486-07:00Sabbath Sanctuary: Crucible Hill; God Was In Christ <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Lent is upon us. This past Wednesday was Ash Wednesday, and though
my church does not follow the liturgy of the church, I love it and miss it;
especially Ash Wednesday.</span> </span></span></p><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aguVU7Qz430/VvsXc-dzPBI/AAAAAAAAExE/5ltoN58iIIMXQe-rojwfe_0IpimapIhdQCPcBGAYYCw/w640-h576/church-stain-windows.jpg" /><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Lenten season has me reflecting on the death and
resurrection and it has urged me to continue with my series on the Incarnation.
How appropriate then that we examine the testimony of the prophets in the Old
Testament who prophesied about His coming. Isaiah speaks about the coming
Messiah more than any of the prophets. </span></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cbPp6jNQYeo/VvDf8vbooDI/AAAAAAAAEo0/XU-trbIDaMU9bsJ51eZehoto2PttF8uaQCPcBGAYYCw/s2048/ashes%2Bwith%2Bcross.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cbPp6jNQYeo/VvDf8vbooDI/AAAAAAAAEo0/XU-trbIDaMU9bsJ51eZehoto2PttF8uaQCPcBGAYYCw/w480-h640/ashes%2Bwith%2Bcross.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Isaiah prophesies Jesus’ birth, but also foretells His Incarnation;
“</span><i style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="background: white;">Therefore
the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>a<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>virgin
will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel</span></i><span style="background: white; font-size: 12pt;">” (Is. 7:14). Matthew
quotes this prophecy in his gospel in 1:23 to recognize Jesus as the One Isaiah
spoke of dwelling with His people. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Isaiah prophesied Jesus birth and His
name, and each name describes His attributes:</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to
us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name
will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father,
Prince of Peace. There will be no end to the increase
of His government or of peace, On the throne of David and over
his kingdom, To establish it and to uphold it with justice and
righteousness From then on and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of
hosts will accomplish this </span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">(Is. 9:6-7)<i>.<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Again, this is fulfilled in Matthew that Jesus is the long-awaited
King, the rightful heir to David’s throne, the Ruler of God’s people.</span><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><a href="#_ftn1" title=""><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">[1]</span></span></span></a></span></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-c_7HNa8HPyU/YDHdR7xW5vI/AAAAAAAAHIE/d65eSEFJio0Q-l0SJa5aJfc-DxjU_4DYgCLcBGAsYHQ/s4032/hydrangea%2B1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-c_7HNa8HPyU/YDHdR7xW5vI/AAAAAAAAHIE/d65eSEFJio0Q-l0SJa5aJfc-DxjU_4DYgCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/hydrangea%2B1.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mBr-j8pOfXc/YDHddc4lXtI/AAAAAAAAHIM/_E7OgYCfAPsMUtmr6t8fXg5dfwTTWNF2QCLcBGAsYHQ/s4032/hydrangea%2B2.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mBr-j8pOfXc/YDHddc4lXtI/AAAAAAAAHIM/_E7OgYCfAPsMUtmr6t8fXg5dfwTTWNF2QCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/hydrangea%2B2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Isaiah also prophesied about the suffering and death of Christ, the
Man of Sorrows in Isaiah 53:</span></span></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Who has believed our report?<br />
And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?<br />
For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant,<br />
And as a root out of dry ground.<br />
He has no form or comeliness;<br />
And when we see Him,<br />
There is no beauty that we should desire Him.<br />
He is despised and rejected by men,<br />
A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.<br />
And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him;<br />
He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Surely He has borne our griefs<br />
And carried our sorrows;<br />
Yet we esteemed Him stricken, <o:p></o:p></span></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Smitten by God, and afflicted.<br />
But He was wounded for our transgressions,<br />
He was bruised for our iniquities;<br />
The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,<br />
And by His stripes we are healed.<br />
All we like sheep have gone astray;<br />
We have turned, every one, to his own way;<br />
And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">He was oppressed and He was afflicted,<br />
Yet He opened not His mouth;<br />
He was led as a lamb to the slaughter,<br />
And as a sheep before its shearers is silent,<br />
So He opened not His mouth </span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">(<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah+53&version=NKJV">Is.
53:1-7</a> NKJV).<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We reflect on Jesus, who walked up <a href="https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/cruciblehill/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Crucible Hill</a>, the Man of Sorrows, the Suffering
Servant, who died on our behalf. He carries those things that hurt, the pain we
suffer—He bore it all. He took upon Himself our sickness, our stress, our
heartbreak—our sin. </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8OfbPXCsk_M/VvXGAnrqyJI/AAAAAAAAEuU/pnqHBQbuxJQAX8NliMb6PMzx4Yk5vjYVwCPcBGAYYCw/s2048/20130413_145506%2B%25282%2529.jpg" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8OfbPXCsk_M/VvXGAnrqyJI/AAAAAAAAEuU/pnqHBQbuxJQAX8NliMb6PMzx4Yk5vjYVwCPcBGAYYCw/w480-h640/20130413_145506%2B%25282%2529.jpg" width="480" /></a><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The prophet Micah also prophesied the Incarnation. He warns
Bethlehem of their coming deliverer and speaks of His pre-incarnational
existence, “</span><span class="text" style="font-size: 12pt;"><i><span style="background: white;">But as for</span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space" style="font-size: 12pt;"><i><span style="background: white;"> </span></i></span><span class="text" style="font-size: 12pt;"><i><span style="background: white;">you, Bethlehem
Ephrathah, too</span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space" style="font-size: 12pt;"><i><span style="background: white;"> </span></i></span><span class="text" style="font-size: 12pt;"><i><span style="background: white;">little to be among the clans of Judah, From</span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space" style="font-size: 12pt;"><i><span style="background: white;"> </span></i></span><span class="text" style="font-size: 12pt;"><i><span style="background: white;">you <b>One will
go forth for Me to be</b></span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space" style="font-size: 12pt;"><b><i><span style="background: white;"> </span></i></b></span><span class="text" style="font-size: 12pt;"><b><i><span style="background: white;">ruler in Israel. His goings forth are</span></i></b></span><span class="apple-converted-space" style="font-size: 12pt;"><b><i><span style="background: white;"> </span></i></b></span><span class="text" style="font-size: 12pt;"><b><i><span style="background: white;">from long ago,
from the days of eternity</span></i></b><span style="background: white;">” (Mic. 5:2 NASB bold emphasis added). This is the
strongest possible language concerning His pre-existence, “The plain
antithesis…shows that the eternal generation of the Son is meant. The terms
convey the strongest assertion of infinite duration of which the Hebrew
language is capable.”</span></span><a href="#_ftn2" name="_ftnref2" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="background: white; color: black;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">[2]</span></span></span></span></span></a><span class="text" style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="background: white;">
The prophets, through God’s Spirit, saw the coming of the Messiah. Matthew
calls upon this prophetic verse to proclaim that Jesus is the fulfillment of
this Messiah who existed with and came from the Father (Matt. 2:6).</span></span></span></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="text" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="background: white; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Throughout
the history of mankind, God has used numerous methods and mediums to
communicate with His creation and to give them His message. The prophets gave
us God’s words. But Jesus is the very Word of God. The book of Hebrews tells us
that “<i>God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets
in many portions and in many ways,<b><sup> </sup></b>in these last
days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of
all things, through whom also He made the world</i>” (Heb. 1: 1-2).</span></span><span style="background: white; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;"> This is
just one more claim by Scripture to the deity of Jesus Christ.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I pray that
you meditate on His Word during this season of Lent. Christ left the glory He
shared with the Father, to suffer and die so that you are no longer captive to
the power of sin. Meditate on what He sacrificed for and how much He loves you.
His love is eternal.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-G_zSbzX3Ecw/VvXGrgqxi-I/AAAAAAAAEuk/y9Z14lQ5USAxuzL4tZT_jIK-Zc73QjEBACPcBGAYYCw/s1122/franciscodezurbaran_christonthecross_opt.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1122" data-original-width="640" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-G_zSbzX3Ecw/VvXGrgqxi-I/AAAAAAAAEuk/y9Z14lQ5USAxuzL4tZT_jIK-Zc73QjEBACPcBGAYYCw/w364-h640/franciscodezurbaran_christonthecross_opt.jpg" width="364" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0VZH9C3Kshw/VsjNcRxtAKI/AAAAAAAAEnI/iMbPAPoRnm0V5leSqGeCAopF0hC-oCRvACPcBGAYYCw/s170/piper-sig_edited-2.gif" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="130" data-original-width="170" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0VZH9C3Kshw/VsjNcRxtAKI/AAAAAAAAEnI/iMbPAPoRnm0V5leSqGeCAopF0hC-oCRvACPcBGAYYCw/s0/piper-sig_edited-2.gif" /></a></div><br /><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: 17.6px;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: 17.6px;">Graciously consider subscribing to the blog and follow me on social media! </span></p>
<div style="mso-element: footnote-list;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><br clear="all" />
<hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" />
<!--[endif]-->
<div id="ftn1" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="line-height: 115%;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a> Andreas J.
Köstenberger, L. Scott Kellum, and Charles L. Quarles, <i>The Craddle, The
Cross, And The Crown </i>(Nashville: B&H Academic, 2009), 220.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div id="ftn2" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="#_ftnref2" name="_ftn2" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn2;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="line-height: 115%;">[2]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a> <a name="_Hlk17307223">A.R. Fausset, David Brown, and Robert Jamieson, eds., <i>Jamieson,
Fausset & Brown’s Commentary On The Whole Bible </i>(Grand Rapids:
Zondervan, 1961), 817. </a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></p>
</div>
</div>Piper Green, M.Div., MAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03151501804654133188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8499957777516327657.post-28544853497351822582021-01-04T01:23:00.001-07:002022-06-13T11:00:57.836-06:00Psalms To See Me Through: Psalm 29 The Lord Sits Enthroned Over The Flood<p><span style="font-family: inherit;">I have felt the tugging at my heart to continue with the <a href="https://pipergreen.blogspot.com/p/blog-page.html"><i>Psalms to See Me
Through</i></a> series since I have not written one in while. I was embarrassed
when I realized that it has been almost three years since I wrote on the last
Psalm!</span><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-q9jAa4DCU8Y/Vz-QQ10GuJI/AAAAAAAAE-c/JxPb-EG6h7o2KsTgv50vke8RItsjmW9vACPcBGAYYCw/s2048/book%2Bof%2Bpsalms%2B2.jpg" style="clear: left; display: inline; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1158" data-original-width="2048" height="362" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-q9jAa4DCU8Y/Vz-QQ10GuJI/AAAAAAAAE-c/JxPb-EG6h7o2KsTgv50vke8RItsjmW9vACPcBGAYYCw/w640-h362/book%2Bof%2Bpsalms%2B2.jpg" width="640" /></a></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Well, we find ourselves once again in a new year. 2020 had
its challenges, yet there was much to be thankful for in the face of a very difficult
year. God proved Himself faithful on every occasion—every trying obstacle and
hard place. He is so faithful. <a href="https://pipergreen.blogspot.com/2016/04/the-attributes-of-god-god-is-good.html">He
is so good</a>.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">For much of 2020, my <a href="http://www.wolcc.net/">pastor</a> preached on Psalm 29, specifically verse 10: “<i>The Lord sits enthroned
over the flood</i>” (ESV). 2020 saw many floods for many people. I do not know
anyone who was not in some way affected by the pandemic whether physically,
financially, or who did not suffer a loss. I do not think it is an accident then when I
looked to see what the next Psalm was in the series that it was this Psalm.</span></p><img border="0" height="418" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uyQZUrM9jk4/V7QBq_dSETI/AAAAAAAAFFA/Zk0XDZxHk5gEDY8VDhpXLqr09-o4jKiQgCPcBGAYYCw/w640-h418/thunderstorm.jpg" width="640" /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The ESV Bible titles this Psalm “Ascribe to the Lord Glory.” God should always be the first to give glory to. The NASB titles it “The Voice of the Lord in the Storm.” Both are worthy titles.</span></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Ascribe to the Lord, O heavenly beings, ascribe to
the Lord glory and strength.</i> <i>Ascribe to
the Lord the glory due his name; worship
the Lord in the splendor of holiness</i> (vv. 1–2). <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In this Psalm, David echoes the name of the LORD eighteen
times and “the voice of the LORD” seven times. LORD, is the <i>tetragrammaton</i>,
which we write <i>Jehovah</i>, <i>Yehovah</i>, <i>Yehveh</i>, <i>Yeveh</i>,
<i>Jhuh</i>, <i>Javah</i>, etc. A name so holy that the Jews do not dare to
utter it. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“Ascribe” in the Hebrew means to give. God is to be given glory
at all times. Who is to give Him glory? The ESV translates heavenly being, the
KJV translates mighty ones, the NASB renders it sons of the mighty. It may be
speaking to either powerful nobles or mighty celestial beings. The phrase is
used elsewhere to denote ‘heavenly beings’ or angels (cf. Genesis 6:2, 4; Job
1:6; 2:1; 38:7; Psalms 82:6; 89:6).<span style="background: white; color: #414042;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">David is well aware that the powerful on the earth tend to
forget God and, in their arrogance, give themselves all the credit for their accomplishments.
A stern warning for those in power to remember the Name of the Lord and to give
Him the glory for everything. Perhaps some kings of old can serve as our
teacher: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="text"><span style="background: white; color: black;">“<i>The
king began speaking and was saying, ‘Is this not Babylon the great, which
I myself have built as a royal residence by the might of my power and for
the honor of my majesty?’</i></span></span><i><span style="background: white; color: black;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"> </span><span class="text"><span id="en-NASB-21869" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">While the word was still in the king’s
mouth, a voice came from heaven, saying, ‘King Nebuchadnezzar, to you
it is declared: sovereignty has been removed from you,</span></span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"> </span><span class="text"><span id="en-NASB-21870" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">and you will be driven away from
mankind, and your dwelling place will be with the animals of the
field. You will be given grass to eat like cattle, and seven periods
of time will pass over you until you recognize that the Most High is ruler
over the realm of mankind and bestows it on whomever He wishes’</span></span></span></i><span class="text"><span style="background: white; color: black;">” (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Daniel+4&version=NASB">Dan.
4:30-32</a> NASB).</span></span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We all would do good to remember the Lord our God; whatever
success we have achieved, whatever crowns we have won, should be cast back at
His feet in humility. Those who are in power in the earth or the heavens would
do well to praise the God of Heaven, He will not share glory with anyone, “<i>I
am the Lord, that is My name; I will not give My glory to
another</i>…” (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah+42&version=NASB">Is.
42:8</a> NASB).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">His Voice; the Voice. How wonderful, powerful, awesome, and majestic
is the voice of the Lord. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“<i>The voice of the Lord is over the waters;
the God of glory thunders, the Lord, over many waters. The voice of
the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is full of
majesty. The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars; the Lord breaks the
cedars of Lebanon. He makes Lebanon to skip like a calf, and Sirion
like a young wild ox. The voice of the Lord flashes forth flames
of fire. The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness; the Lord shakes
the wilderness of Kadesh. The voice of the Lord makes the
deer give birth and strips the forests bare, and in his temple all cry, ‘Glory!’</i>”
(vv. 3–9 ESV). <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">All creation cries Glory to Him. All who are in His temple,
cry Glory! He deserves nothing less. His voice can be heard above all creation;
over all rulers of the earth; over the animals. The earth and heavens shake at
the sound of His voice; all creation is shaken. Each mention of His name
illustrates the strength and glory of His voice. If the sound of His voice
carries this much strength and authority, imagine the Words the Voice is
speaking. They should leave us in awestruck wonder. The God of glory thunders.
He thunders in the face of every trial, every hard road you travel, every
attack you face. Does His voice thunder in your atmosphere or the voice of the trial?
Does His voice thunder or does the voice of the sickness? Does the voice of Yahweh
thunder in your ear or the financial trial? Do you tremble at the strength and
glory of His voice or do you tremble at the circumstance? </span><o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CWpxjuJrXyo"><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;">“<i>After it, a voice roars; He thunders with His majestic
voice, And He does not restrain the lightning when His voice is heard. God thunders
wondrously with His voice, doing great things which we do not comprehend</i>”<i>
</i>(</span></a><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Job+37&version=NASB">Job
37:4-5</a> NASB).<i> </i></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“<i>The Lord sits enthroned over the flood; the Lord sits
enthroned as king forever</i>” (v.10) <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hoH0lvPWc8E/V7QBq7ePGCI/AAAAAAAAFFA/9MKKfgule8McvaOu6jI8Io_T-4skWr1fQCPcBGAYYCw/s3216/stormy-sky.jpg" style="clear: left; display: inline; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2202" data-original-width="3216" height="438" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hoH0lvPWc8E/V7QBq7ePGCI/AAAAAAAAFFA/9MKKfgule8McvaOu6jI8Io_T-4skWr1fQCPcBGAYYCw/w640-h438/stormy-sky.jpg" width="640" /></a><span style="font-family: inherit;">David most likely had the flood of Noah in mind as this is the
only place in the Old Testament other than in Genesis 6:9 where this Hebrew
word for flood occurs. Yes, the flood was His divine judgment for the evil in
the earth, yet He watched over it all and saved <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%207:1-3&version=NASB">Noah,
his family, and seven pairs of clean animals and a pair of every unclean</a>. In
a world-wide flood that wiped out everything, God was on His throne and He kept
Noah and the animals and brought them all to safety. He hid them in the safety
of the Ark during the worst storm and flood the world has ever experienced. He
stopped the flood for Noah, and He will stop the flood for you. He is enthroned
over the flood of sickness; He is enthroned over the flood of financial
trouble; He is enthroned over every circumstance you face; He will not allow you
to drown. He is Lord over it all. He is the King forever!</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“<i>May the Lord give strength to his people!
May the Lord bless his people with peace!</i>” (v. 11).</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Do you feel weak? Weak in the face of the trial; weak in the
face of sickness or financial trouble? Do you feel week standing in faith when it
is all you have done…for what seems like forever? He will give strength to His
people. The strength and authority that is in His voice He freely gives to His
people. You have strength to stand. You have authority over the flood of trials
that you face. He will bless you with peace. Though the power of God can be a
terrifying storm for those who rebel against the Lord, God’s people can be
confident and sure that His peace belongs to His children. Be confident that He
will bless you and know that His strength comes to comfort you; the destructive
storm is relegated for the enemy of your soul.</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></p><img border="0" height="360" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZD-QwcSgBLE/VyaUDvkaTPI/AAAAAAAAE6g/00twnLOuRTsqj4L6jXLHgQE5tR7q2BTtACPcBGAYYCw/w640-h360/DSCN1244.JPG" width="640" /><br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0VZH9C3Kshw/VsjNcRxtAKI/AAAAAAAAEnI/iMbPAPoRnm0V5leSqGeCAopF0hC-oCRvACPcBGAYYCw/s170/piper-sig_edited-2.gif" style="clear: left; display: inline; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="130" data-original-width="170" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0VZH9C3Kshw/VsjNcRxtAKI/AAAAAAAAEnI/iMbPAPoRnm0V5leSqGeCAopF0hC-oCRvACPcBGAYYCw/s0/piper-sig_edited-2.gif" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal">To read all the Psalms in this series click here: <a href="http://pipergreen.blogspot.com/p/blog-page.html">Psalms To See Me Through</a></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Graciously consider subscribing to the blog and follow me on
social media! </p>Piper Green, M.Div., MAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03151501804654133188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8499957777516327657.post-8688013641331398882020-12-30T00:23:00.001-07:002020-12-30T00:45:14.809-07:00God Was In Christ: The Doctrine Of The Incarnation V<p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I
wrote to you in an earlier post that <a href="https://pipergreen.blogspot.com/2020/12/god-was-in-christ-doctrine-of_5.html">Christ
did not begin to exist at His birth</a> in Bethlehem. He has always existed; the
Godhead Trinity are <span style="background: white;">co-equal, co-eternal, one in essence, nature, power, action, and will;
all uncreated, and all three are eternal without beginning. Jesus
Himself told the Jews that “…<i>Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham
was, I am</i>” {Jn. 8:58 NASB}, and He said in John 6:62, “<i><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #202124;">What then if you see the Son of Man
ascending to where He was before?</span></i></span><span style="background: white; color: #202124;">” (NASB)</span>. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Not only does Scripture
affirm the pre-existence of Christ, but the earliest leaders of the church,
from the Patristics to the Reformers, concluded that Scripture taught that Christ
eternally existed with the Father <span style="font-family: inherit;">(One of the greatest works being St. </span></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Athanasius</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">’ <i>On The Incarnation</i>)</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">. </span></span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt;">His</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt;"> pre-existence is revealed
throughout the Old and New Testaments, the prophets, and by Jesus Himself,
which I will discuss all in later posts. Christ’s divine nature is the very
same nature as the Father and the Holy Spirit. Christ, according to His divine
nature is immutable, impassible, and neither lessened nor weakened by the
incarnation.</span><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="file:///E:/Blog%20Post/Piper%20Green%20Blogspot/God%20Was%20In%20Christ%20The%20Incarnation/12.29.20%20The%20Preexistence%20of%20Christ.docx#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" title="">[1]</a></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ECD7ReFq8Nk/WVrNq5TCMAI/AAAAAAAAFoA/tiempr6LakcZDwoGhcqKGq8wHaOI_EMOgCPcBGAYYCw/s950/2885.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="713" data-original-width="950" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ECD7ReFq8Nk/WVrNq5TCMAI/AAAAAAAAFoA/tiempr6LakcZDwoGhcqKGq8wHaOI_EMOgCPcBGAYYCw/w640-h480/2885.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The
pre-existence of Christ is essential to the Incarnation. If Christ pre-existed
eternally with the Father, He was God. If He did not pre-exist, He could not
have been God. If He is God, He is to be worshiped as God, and the </span><a href="https://pipergreen.blogspot.com/p/the-attributes-of-god_7.html" style="font-size: 12pt;">attributes
of God</a><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> should be ascribed to Him. The complete teaching of Scripture about
Jesus Christ is that He was fully human and fully divine. “Although the Word
does not explicitly occur in Scripture, the church has used the term </span><i style="font-size: 12pt;">Incarnation</i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">
to refer to the fact that Jesus was God in human flesh. The </span><i style="font-size: 12pt;">Incarnation </i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">was
the act of God the Son whereby he took to himself a human nature.”</span><a href="file:///E:/Blog%20Post/Piper%20Green%20Blogspot/God%20Was%20In%20Christ%20The%20Incarnation/12.29.20%20The%20Preexistence%20of%20Christ.docx#_ftn2" name="_ftnref2" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">[2]</span></span></span></span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt;">
Scripture implies and assumes that Jesus was God. The nature of Christ’s
pre-existence deals with the nature of His deity. If Jesus’ birth was His
beginning, He was not God, and it negates any idea that He is the Word in the
flesh. He simply could not be God incarnate if He did not pre-exist eternally
with the Father. “The world was from the beginning, but the Word was in the
beginning. The Word had a being before the world had a beginning. He that was
in the beginning never began, and therefore was.”</span><a href="file:///E:/Blog%20Post/Piper%20Green%20Blogspot/God%20Was%20In%20Christ%20The%20Incarnation/12.29.20%20The%20Preexistence%20of%20Christ.docx#_ftn3" name="_ftnref3" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">[3]</span></span></span></span></a></span></div><p></p>
<img border="0" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QXg-52VK8W0/X-woZ8aP2TI/AAAAAAAAHHE/SuQCsWTDyWYJSCHe1tcp9XuSCxi7ji0TgCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/incarnation%2Bbooks.jpg" width="640" />
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Another aspect of the nature of His pre-existence is that He is the Second Person of the Trinity. The implications of this are imperative to His pre-existence. Christ was not only human, but He also claimed to be equal with God; sharing the very same essence of the Father. Jesus prayed in John 17:5, “<i>Now, Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.</i>” This is a clear statement by Christ that He existed before the world. This means Jesus existed before His birth and was as God in <a href="https://pipergreen.blogspot.com/p/the-attributes-of-god_7.html">nature and attributes</a>.</span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></span><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5B9TI8USmrc/WflrrO2d2QI/AAAAAAAAGDg/S_g_dKMzbSMkU0p1lGDi1i1vWAHaOTwhACPcBGAYYCw/s1494/1200px-Angelsatmamre-trinity-rublev-1410.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1494" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5B9TI8USmrc/WflrrO2d2QI/AAAAAAAAGDg/S_g_dKMzbSMkU0p1lGDi1i1vWAHaOTwhACPcBGAYYCw/w514-h640/1200px-Angelsatmamre-trinity-rublev-1410.jpg" width="514" /></a></p><p></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">There
are several key events in Scripture that speak to the eternal Second Person of
the Trinity. It is these events that solidify His pre-existence. We will
examine these events in the next post with the appearances of Christ in the Old
Testament.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TTOCVxJNvhE/WDqFzTh6WSI/AAAAAAAAFI8/LkCoUXm5I0Ejta-jIgPo-Gc3PtY_v4HrQCPcBGAYYCw/s170/piper-sig_edited-2.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="130" data-original-width="170" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TTOCVxJNvhE/WDqFzTh6WSI/AAAAAAAAFI8/LkCoUXm5I0Ejta-jIgPo-Gc3PtY_v4HrQCPcBGAYYCw/s0/piper-sig_edited-2.jpg" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><p></p>
<div style="mso-element: footnote-list;"><br /></div><div style="mso-element: footnote-list;"><br /></div><div style="mso-element: footnote-list;"><br /></div><div style="mso-element: footnote-list;"><br /></div><div style="mso-element: footnote-list;"><br /></div><div style="mso-element: footnote-list;"><br /></div><div style="mso-element: footnote-list;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: inherit, serif; font-size: 18pt;">Graciously consider subscribing to the blog?</span><span style="font-family: "IM Fell English",serif; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-language: HE; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" />
<!--[endif]-->
<div id="ftn1" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><a href="file:///E:/Blog%20Post/Piper%20Green%20Blogspot/God%20Was%20In%20Christ%20The%20Incarnation/12.29.20%20The%20Preexistence%20of%20Christ.docx#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt;"> Timothy Pawl, <i>In
Defense Of Conciliar Christology: A Philosophical Essay </i>(Oxford: Oxford University
Press., 2016), 16.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><a href="file:///E:/Blog%20Post/Piper%20Green%20Blogspot/God%20Was%20In%20Christ%20The%20Incarnation/12.29.20%20The%20Preexistence%20of%20Christ.docx#_ftnref2" name="_ftn2" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[2]</span></span></span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 10pt;"> Grudem, 543.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p></div>
<div id="ftn3" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><a href="file:///E:/Blog%20Post/Piper%20Green%20Blogspot/God%20Was%20In%20Christ%20The%20Incarnation/12.29.20%20The%20Preexistence%20of%20Christ.docx#_ftnref3" name="_ftn3" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn3;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[3]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt;"> <a name="_Hlk17305373">Leslie Church, ed., <i>Matthew Henry’s Commentary </i>(Grand
Rapids: Zondervan, 1960), 1506.</a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
</div>
</div>Piper Green, M.Div., MAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03151501804654133188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8499957777516327657.post-36884014696800211922020-12-25T00:36:00.000-07:002020-12-25T00:36:41.144-07:00Merry Christmas!<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-67Hk6zY3MAU/X-WEBB4wA4I/AAAAAAAAHF8/4wgf5kbz8lk3Ty3Yr1SWO9D6GuGOleCkwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1080/December-25-2020.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-67Hk6zY3MAU/X-WEBB4wA4I/AAAAAAAAHF8/4wgf5kbz8lk3Ty3Yr1SWO9D6GuGOleCkwCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h640/December-25-2020.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;">“<span style="color: #38761d;"><i>For a Child will be born to us, a Son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace</i></span>” {<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah+9%3A6&version=NASB">Is. 9:6</a> NASB}.</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/rANjKelbzBM" width="320" youtube-src-id="rANjKelbzBM"></iframe></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p></p>Piper Green, M.Div., MAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03151501804654133188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8499957777516327657.post-25830035427292602972020-12-24T16:44:00.001-07:002020-12-24T16:44:49.318-07:00God Was In Christ: An Advent Reading Of Luke 24<p> <span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 24pt;">Day 24 </span><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+24&version=NASB" style="font-size: 24pt;">Luke
Chapter 24</a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We made it through all twenty-four chapters! Thank you for walking
through Luke’s wonderful Gospel with me. I pray that these little devotions
blessed you and helped to make your Advent season one of reflection and
dedication to the Lord Jesus Christ. </span><o:p></o:p></p><img border="0" height="464" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KfoBcQaPio4/WFdUZv1DhoI/AAAAAAAAFQM/m5mYc206TZ8P61H69nfMGg9BV3RxwBiLgCPcBGAYYCw/w640-h464/advent-2.jpg" width="640" /><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“<i>They said to one another, ‘Were not our hearts burning
within us while He was speaking to us on the road, while
He was explaining the Scriptures to us?</i>’” (v. 32 NASB).</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p> </o:p>This is one of my favorite passages in all of Scripture. I
pray this prayer every day: <i>May my heart burn within me as you open the
Scriptures to me. </i>If I had a time machine, the road to Emmaus would be my
first choice so that I could eavesdrop on the Lord’s conversation with these
two disciples. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Tr9_ECfBR3g/X-UmVSL6pKI/AAAAAAAAHFo/QvII5fPe_ik-wusWLYg4YiMYNFt7dXRwQCLcBGAsYHQ/s500/8495295238_992847e9a8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="398" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Tr9_ECfBR3g/X-UmVSL6pKI/AAAAAAAAHFo/QvII5fPe_ik-wusWLYg4YiMYNFt7dXRwQCLcBGAsYHQ/w510-h640/8495295238_992847e9a8.jpg" width="510" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This account is the first of three post-resurrection
appearances Christ made in the New Testament. Two men are walking to Emmaus
just a few days after the crucifixion of the Lord. Jesus came upon them, though
they did not recognize Him through their sorrow. He came to comfort them in
their grief. I love the rendering of the <a href="https://biblehub.com/kjv/luke/24.htm">KJV</a> and the <a href="https://biblehub.com/nkjv/luke/24.htm">NKJV</a> and the <a href="https://biblehub.com/esv/luke/24.htm">ESV</a> which says that <i>Jesus
drew near to them</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Together these three men walked and they listened as He
encouraged them that what the women reported was true. Yet another glimmer of
hope that the injustice from just a few short days before could be made right.
Jesus opened their spiritual eyes so they could understand all that the
Scripture spoke about Christ—His sufferings, death, and resurrection. He began
with the Old Testament—Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms. He was exactly who
He claimed to be—the Christ, the Son of God, the promised Redeemer. There was
no one more worthy or qualified to explain the Scripture to them but the <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah+9%3A6&version=NASB">Prince
of Peace</a>—the very Word Himself. His words were so full of power and life
that their <i>hearts burned within them;</i> they were like a burning fire in
them like many others who came before them who heard with joy the Words of the
Lord:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>My heart was hot within me, While I was musing the
fire burned </i>{<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+39%3A3-4&version=NASB">Ps.
39:3</a> NASB}. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“<i>But if I say, ‘I will not remember Him Or speak
anymore in His name,’ Then in my heart it becomes like a burning fire Shut
up in my bones; And I am weary of holding it in, And I cannot
endure it</i>’” {<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jeremiah+20%3A9&version=NASB">Jer.
20:9</a> NASB}.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">They had a taste of what John the Baptist declared about
Jesus, that <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+3%3A16&version=NASB"><i>He
would baptize with fire</i></a>.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I cannot escape the language of <i>drawing near</i>. For
that is just what God did in sending His Son, He drew near to us because we
could not draw near to Him. He came to do for us what we could not do for
ourselves. There was no way for us to draw close to Him because of our sin. But
the Lord of Glory, not only drew near, but He also communed so that He could
have a relationship with His fallen, human creation. Jesus walked the road to
Emmaus and at their bidding, He broke bread with them. As soon as He blessed
the bread and ate with them, their eyes were opened, and they recognized Him!
He then vanished before them, but they were witnesses to the Eleven that what
the women proclaimed—that Jesus was indeed resurrected—and their hope was
revived! I must make note as well that these two disciples were not numbered
with the Eleven. Our Savior found them to be just as important as the Apostles.
We are equally important to Him and He desires to reveal Himself to all who
will receive Him. </span><o:p></o:p></p><img border="0" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QqVgwMZOScc/X-UmwAi8DiI/AAAAAAAAHFw/6FG7c_NlAFIyRPqUtMtx_n9FGVOXTcmxACLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/20201224_121844.jpg" width="640" /><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In the quiet, still, cold night, Christ crept into the world
unnoticed, except for a few lowly shepherds. While the world slept, the Chronos
was broken with the Kairos—the long-awaited promise—the Redeemer, Deliverer,
and King of Glory drew near to the world that He loved so much, in a humble
stable that holy night. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">He did for us what we could not do for ourselves; we now
have the privilege of drawing near to Him:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“<i>Let us draw near with a sincere heart
in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from
an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water</i>” {<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+10%3A22-25&version=NASB">Heb.
10:22</a> NASB}.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“<i>Draw near to God and He will draw near to you</i>” {<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James+4%3A8&version=NASB">Jam.
4:8</a> NASB}</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TTOCVxJNvhE/WDqFzTh6WSI/AAAAAAAAFI8/LkCoUXm5I0Ejta-jIgPo-Gc3PtY_v4HrQCPcBGAYYCw/s170/piper-sig_edited-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="130" data-original-width="170" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TTOCVxJNvhE/WDqFzTh6WSI/AAAAAAAAFI8/LkCoUXm5I0Ejta-jIgPo-Gc3PtY_v4HrQCPcBGAYYCw/s0/piper-sig_edited-2.jpg" /></a></div><br /><o:p></o:p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Roboto",serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Roboto",serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #001637; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #001637; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #001637; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Did today’s message inspire you? If
you enjoyed it, will you share it?<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span style="background: white; color: #00b050; line-height: 107%;">Graciously</span><span style="background: white; color: red; line-height: 107%;"> consider </span><span style="background: white; color: #00b050; line-height: 107%;">subscribing </span><span style="background: white; color: red; line-height: 107%;">to </span><span style="background: white; color: #00b050; line-height: 107%;">the</span><span style="background: white; color: red; line-height: 107%;"> blog</span></span><span style="background: white; color: #00b050; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">?</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>Piper Green, M.Div., MAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03151501804654133188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8499957777516327657.post-37457895589642457142020-12-23T21:49:00.001-07:002020-12-24T16:51:43.186-07:00God Was In Christ: An Advent Reading Of Luke 23<p> <span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 24pt; line-height: 107%;">Day 23 </span><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+23&version=NASB"><span style="font-size: 24.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Luke Chapter 23</span></a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“<i>And we indeed are suffering justly, for we are
receiving what we deserve for our deeds; but this man has done nothing
wrong</i>” {v.41 NASB}.</span></p><img border="0" height="581" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AghB-0EWDJc/X-QcUbckLJI/AAAAAAAAHFU/DW-3G-Eyn34wKp8ACQ4nxuvpyE1tqLAcQCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h581/Titian_-_Christ_and_the_Good_Thief_-_WGA22832.jpg" width="640" /><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Jesus was born in a manger and died on a cross. He came to
redeem mankind from our fallenness, darkness, sin, and rebellion. <a href="https://pipergreen.blogspot.com/2016/03/a-liturgy-experience-christ-stations-of.html">He
was the only perfect sacrifice for sin </a>and the only mediator we will ever
need {<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Timothy+2%3A5-6&version=NASB">1
Timothy 2:5-6</a>}. He was declared innocent by seven different people that
day. Seven times Jesus was examined, judged, and found to be without sin. God
is a detail-oriented God. Each sacrifice brought to <a href="https://pipergreen.blogspot.com/p/the-tabernacle-of-moses.html">the
Tabernacle</a> was to be carefully observed by the priest to ensure the
offering being presented was without spot or blemish. Everything in the law in
Israel was observed, in Christ, they are fulfilled, in the church (believers)
they are applied. Christ fulfilled every Old Testament Scripture concerning the
Messiah.</span></p><img border="0" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BTK0j1QfkI0/VvsLcR7oB1I/AAAAAAAAEwo/jOuf9e-dcXsLhHC-Qmj0l5XKJagQ4EezQCPcBGAYYCw/w640-h400/Tab1946InWilderness.jpg" width="640" /><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Jesus’ innocence was so apparent that even a thief dying on the cross next to Him could see the truth. Though Luke’s Gospel gives the impression that one thief mocked Him and one did not, Matthew and Mark’s Gospels give the full account. <a href="https://www.blueletterbible.org/search/preSearch.cfm?Criteria=Matthew+27.44&t=NKJV">Matthew 27:44</a> and <a href="https://www.blueletterbible.org/search/preSearch.cfm?Criteria=Mark+15.32&t=NKJV">Mark 15:32</a> reveal that both criminals mocked Jesus.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Though both mocked Him, hours spent being crucified next to
the King of kings taught him to think better of his behavior. He began to see
Jesus for who He was and put his faith and trust in the Jewish carpenter from
Nazareth. In this Chronos, the condemned thief and criminal who was a rebel
against God became a child of God. What a difference one moment can make in one
life. He was no longer on his way to hell, but rather on his way to paradise.
One moment he was a criminal who did not deserve mercy but was welcomed into
the Lord’s bosom that very day. What mercy. What grace. What a price Christ
paid to bridge that gulf between God and man; life and death.</span><o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8M0SbAn8eWA/X-QdGKFRArI/AAAAAAAAHFc/91ZsBpfEqnYyixtok0e-0074G5o1LXY0gCLcBGAsYHQ/s2307/The_Crucifixion_Christ_on_the_Cross_between_two_thieves_%2528f._80%2529_Cropped.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2307" data-original-width="1802" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8M0SbAn8eWA/X-QdGKFRArI/AAAAAAAAHFc/91ZsBpfEqnYyixtok0e-0074G5o1LXY0gCLcBGAsYHQ/w500-h640/The_Crucifixion_Christ_on_the_Cross_between_two_thieves_%2528f._80%2529_Cropped.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">That is what the innocent babe in the manger came for; to
seek and save the lost {<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+19%3A9-10&version=NASB">Lk.
19:10</a>}. The same mercy and grace He extended to that dying, repentant thief
is available to you and me. He was innocent of sin at His birth; He was
innocent of sin at His death. That is what He took on <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah+9%3A6&version=NASB">His
shoulders</a> for you and me.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I know I have made much use of Bonhoeffer in my Advent
musings, but he says it so eloquently:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #7030a0;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Great Turning Point Of All
Things <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #7030a0;">What kings and leaders of
nations, philosophers and artists, founders of religion and teachers of morals
have tried in vain to do—that now happens through a newborn child. Putting to
shame the most powerful human efforts and accomplishments, a child is placed
here at the midpoint of world history—a child born of human beings, a Son given
by God {</span><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah+9%3A6&version=NASB"><span style="color: #7030a0;">Is. 9:6</span></a></span><span style="color: #7030a0;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">}. That is
the mystery of the redemption of the world; everything past and everything
future is encompassed here. The infinite mercy of the Almighty God comes to us,
descends to us in the form of a child, his Son. That this child is born <b>for
us</b>, this son is given <b>to us</b>, that this human child and Son of God
belongs to me, that I know him, have him, love him, that I am his and he is
mine—on this alone my life now depends. A child has our life in his hands.</span><a href="file:///G:/Blog%20Post/Piper%20Green%20Blogspot/Advent%202020/Day%2023%20Luke%2023.docx#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="color: #7030a0; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;">[1]</span></span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #7030a0;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TTOCVxJNvhE/WDqFzTh6WSI/AAAAAAAAFI8/LkCoUXm5I0Ejta-jIgPo-Gc3PtY_v4HrQCPcBGAYYCw/s170/piper-sig_edited-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="130" data-original-width="170" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TTOCVxJNvhE/WDqFzTh6WSI/AAAAAAAAFI8/LkCoUXm5I0Ejta-jIgPo-Gc3PtY_v4HrQCPcBGAYYCw/s0/piper-sig_edited-2.jpg" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #00b050; font-family: "Calligraffitti",serif; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #00b050; font-family: Calligraffitti, serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">Graciously</span><span style="background: white; color: red; font-family: Calligraffitti, serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;"> consider </span><span style="background: white; color: #00b050; font-family: Calligraffitti, serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">subscribing </span><span style="background: white; color: red; font-family: Calligraffitti, serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">to </span><span style="background: white; color: #00b050; font-family: Calligraffitti, serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">the</span><span style="background: white; color: red; font-family: Calligraffitti, serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;"> blog</span><span style="background: white; color: #00b050; font-family: Calligraffitti, serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">?</span></p>
<div style="mso-element: footnote-list;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><br clear="all" />
<hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" />
<!--[endif]-->
<div id="ftn1" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="file:///G:/Blog%20Post/Piper%20Green%20Blogspot/Advent%202020/Day%2023%20Luke%2023.docx#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: HE; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a>
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, <i>God Is In The Manger </i>(Westminster: John Knox
Press., 2010), 56.<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
</div>Piper Green, M.Div., MAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03151501804654133188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8499957777516327657.post-35318021169403213762020-12-22T19:24:00.000-07:002020-12-22T19:24:24.994-07:00God Was In Christ: An Advent Reading Of Luke 22<p> <span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 24pt;">Day 22 </span><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=luke+22&version=NASB" style="font-size: 24pt;">Luke
Chapter 22</a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">“<i>And being in agony He was praying very fervently;
and His sweat became like drops of blood, falling down upon the
ground. When He rose from prayer, He came to the disciples and found them
sleeping from sorrow, and said to them, ‘Why are you sleeping? Get up
and pray that you may not enter into temptation</i>’” {vv.44-46 NASB}.</span></p><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-w2159RMvhF4/X-KnukMh3nI/AAAAAAAAHEo/G8OdEV7PatoqJuRHOKvkDxfnzlVmFugjACLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h488/After_Titian_-_Christ_in_the_Garden_of_Gethsemane_RCIN_406592.jpg" /><br /><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">This verse touches me. It really makes me ponder the
humanness of Jesus. <a href="https://pipergreen.blogspot.com/p/advent-theology-of-thanksgiving.html">He
was fully God, but He was also fully man</a>. You cannot ignore Jesus’
humanity or you will never fully grasp the depths of Gethsemane or your own
humanity when you are faced with choices like that of Jesus. Jesus could have
gone His own way and followed His own will. But thankfully, He chose to follow
hard after God and to fulfill the will of the Father. Our salvation was on the
cusp as He cried out in anguished prayer, “<i>Father, if You are willing,
remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done</i>” {v.
42 NAS}. He obeyed the Father—sealing our salvation. The curse that came on
Adam in the garden to toil by the sweat of his brow is broken by the Redeemer
of the world in a garden by the blood-sweat from His brow.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><img border="0" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cIeZDdDUBAw/X-Kn_VgZIZI/AAAAAAAAHEw/FIYIRQ-d0TUobmVNEGsVj1r8g5zLNBVdwCLcBGAsYHQ/w553-h640/gethsamene.jpg" width="553" /><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><span style="color: #7030a0;">In His love for real human
beings, Jesus becomes the one burdened by guilt – indeed, the one upon whom all
human guilt ultimately falls and the one who does not turn it away but bears it
humbly and in eternal love… As the human being who has entered reality, Jesus
becomes guilty. But because His historical existence, His incarnation, has its
sole basis in God’s love for human beings, it is the love of God that makes
Jesus become guilty. Out of selfless love for human beings, Jesus leaves His
state as the one without sin and enters into the guilt of human beings. He
takes it upon Himself</span></i>.<span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="file:///E:/Blog%20Post/Piper%20Green%20Blogspot/Advent%202020/Day%2022%20Luke%2022.docx#_ftn1" title="">[1]</a></span></span></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"></span></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-F6MAVKnKF8s/VvDlD4RsASI/AAAAAAAAEpc/MjnnnJz_8NALW8GFJk4OZui1TXD7VZXNgCPcBGAYYCw/s320/passion%2Bof%2Bthe%2Bchrist.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="210" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-F6MAVKnKF8s/VvDlD4RsASI/AAAAAAAAEpc/MjnnnJz_8NALW8GFJk4OZui1TXD7VZXNgCPcBGAYYCw/w420-h640/passion%2Bof%2Bthe%2Bchrist.jpg" width="420" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Each of us will face our own Gethsemane or many of them
perhaps. Though we do not bear the salvation of the world on our shoulders, we
each must choose in the hard places who we will follow…our fleshly desires or
the will of the Father. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Advent is about Jesus’ birth in a manger, that Holy crèche
on that Holy night, but will we make room for Him? Not just as our Savior but
also our Lord in the hard places—the hard choices—in this fallen world. </span><span style="background: white; color: #00b050; font-family: "Calligraffitti",serif; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cXIQBEWEmTo/WF4EdPEkYUI/AAAAAAAAFS0/ExJ1GLM0BzclngyvxStyTHhRcF0i-wFLgCPcBGAYYCw/s5312/advent-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2988" data-original-width="5312" height="360" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cXIQBEWEmTo/WF4EdPEkYUI/AAAAAAAAFS0/ExJ1GLM0BzclngyvxStyTHhRcF0i-wFLgCPcBGAYYCw/w640-h360/advent-2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TTOCVxJNvhE/WDqFzTh6WSI/AAAAAAAAFI8/LkCoUXm5I0Ejta-jIgPo-Gc3PtY_v4HrQCPcBGAYYCw/s170/piper-sig_edited-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="130" data-original-width="170" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TTOCVxJNvhE/WDqFzTh6WSI/AAAAAAAAFI8/LkCoUXm5I0Ejta-jIgPo-Gc3PtY_v4HrQCPcBGAYYCw/s0/piper-sig_edited-2.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #00b050; font-family: "Calligraffitti",serif; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #00b050; font-family: "Calligraffitti",serif; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background: white; color: #00b050; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">Graciously</span><span style="background: white; color: red; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;"> consider </span><span style="background: white; color: #00b050; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">subscribing </span><span style="background: white; color: red; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">to </span><span style="background: white; color: #00b050; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">the</span><span style="background: white; color: red; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;"> blog</span><span style="background: white; color: #00b050; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">?</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="file:///E:/Blog%20Post/Piper%20Green%20Blogspot/Advent%202020/Day%2022%20Luke%2022.docx#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: HE; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a>
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, <i>God Is In The Manger </i>(Westminster: John Knox
Press., 2010), 34.<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
</div>Piper Green, M.Div., MAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03151501804654133188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8499957777516327657.post-59361458464526453442020-12-21T19:45:00.001-07:002020-12-21T19:45:48.959-07:00God Was In Christ: An Advent Reading Of Luke 21<p> <span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 24pt;">Day 21 </span><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=luke+21&version=NASB" style="font-size: 24pt;">Luke
Chapter 21</a></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 24.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background: white; color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">“</span><i>Then they will see the Son of Man
coming in a cloud with power and great glory. But when these things
begin to take place, straighten up and lift up your heads, because your
redemption is drawing near</i>” {vv. 27-28}.</span><o:p></o:p></p><img border="0" height="478" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Bs9WYk616GY/X-Faj6vvyHI/AAAAAAAAHEU/uiudEOzaVPcq499KGsgFd0NTqSAbRadhgCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h478/son%2Bof%2Bman%2B2.jpg" width="640" /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I love when the Old Testament meets the New. Jesus speaks of
yet another fulfillment of God’s Word that He poured into His prophets
concerning things to come. And Jesus, the Son of Man, stands before them as the
fulfillment of the prophet Daniel’s words given by God. Jesus came to save the
world and to offer salvation to those who will receive the precious gift. Those
who choose Him become citizens of the glorious, universal Kingdom of which
Daniel foretold. The Jews have been harassing Jesus for a sign that He is who
He says He is and He answers their demand. </span></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“<i>I kept looking in the night visions, And behold, with
the clouds of heaven One like a Son of Man was coming, And He came up to
the Ancient of Days And was presented before Him</i>” {<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Daniel+7&version=NASB">Daniel
7:13 </a>NASB}.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“<i>Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye
will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth
will mourn over Him. So it is to be. Amen</i>” {<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation+1&version=NASB">Revelation
1:7 </a>NASB}.</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We must remember that though Christ came as a baby; He is a
grown, real, living person; who grew in wisdom and stature before the Lord {<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Lk.+2&version=NASB">Lk.
2:52</a>}. Christianity is not a religion that follows a certain set of rules,
but a real faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. He came to us and now lives in us
through His Spirit. He lived and died and rose again to redeem you and me. At
the Second Advent, He will judge our mortal lives and the decisions we made and
whether or not we lived for Him. This is a time to reflect on our lives and
consider whether there is any part of our life that does not please Him. The
One True God is holy and hates sin, but He loves us immensely, so much so that
He sent His Son to redeem the world. Because we are living for Him His Second Advent
need not be a terror in the night. Only those who persist in their wickedness
need fear His coming. If we submit our lives to Him now, we will be accepted
when He appears on that Great Day.</span></p><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Msn719-3vtM/WFthrc1sZbI/AAAAAAAAFSA/NhnBPx_t4QkcCWl2lZoWh-6YevXUrVnsQCPcBGAYYCw/w640-h360/advent-1.jpg" /><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">His message is urgent that we believers on earth be ready. The tribulation and tumult of the earth will not last forever. Just when it
looks as though the anguish and despair can only worsen,<span style="background: white; color: #001320;"> </span>Christ will be
revealed in the heavens and every eye shall see Him. And the old prophet
Zechariah’s words concerning His appearance will come to pass, “<i>they will
say where did you get those marks in your hands? And he will say, ‘in the house
of my friends</i>’” {see <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Zechariah+13&version=NASB">Zech.
13:6</a>}. Then, according to the Apostle Paul the Jewish nation will be born
in a day; all Israel will be saved.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Jesus will also place His precious, nail-pierced feet on the
Mount of Olives. The prophet Zechariah tells us that Christ, accompanied by His
raptured saints, will enter the great city of Jerusalem. The returning saints
along with those believers on earth will gather to crown Him King of kings and
Lord of lords and Christ will begin His millennial and eternal reign.</span><o:p></o:p></p><img border="0" height="429" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VHsedoulbTM/X-Fa6yDt1mI/AAAAAAAAHEc/585mNxb1UeIcKTHWbQ86MH81AAvqlDKqwCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h429/sign%2Bof%2Bthe%2Bson%2Bof%2Bman.jpg" width="640" /><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Are you ready for His return? What part of you are
withholding from Him that you may offer Him as a gift this Advent season? Is
there room in the inn of your heart for this precious gift of the promised
Redeemer?</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="color: #7030a0;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Let’s not deceive ourselves.
“Your redemption is drawing near” {Luke 21:28}, whether we know it or not, and
the only question is: are we going to let it come to us too, or are we going to
resist it? Are we going to join in this movement that comes down from heaven to
earth or are we going to close ourselves off? Christmas is coming—whether it is
with us or without us depends on each and every one of us. Such a true event
happening now creates something different from the anxious, petty, depressed,
feeble Christian spirit that we see again and again, and that again and again,
wants to make Christianity contemptible… Advent creates people, new people. We
too are supposed to become new people in advent.</span></span></i><a href="file:///E:/Blog%20Post/Piper%20Green%20Blogspot/Advent%202020/Day%2021%20Luke%20Chapter%2021.docx#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="color: #7030a0;"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="color: #7030a0; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">[1]</span></span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></span></a><span style="color: #7030a0;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TTOCVxJNvhE/WDqFzTh6WSI/AAAAAAAAFI8/LkCoUXm5I0Ejta-jIgPo-Gc3PtY_v4HrQCPcBGAYYCw/s170/piper-sig_edited-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="130" data-original-width="170" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TTOCVxJNvhE/WDqFzTh6WSI/AAAAAAAAFI8/LkCoUXm5I0Ejta-jIgPo-Gc3PtY_v4HrQCPcBGAYYCw/s0/piper-sig_edited-2.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #00b050; font-family: "Calligraffitti",serif; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #00b050; font-family: "Calligraffitti",serif; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background: white; color: #00b050; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">Graciously</span><span style="background: white; color: red; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;"> consider </span><span style="background: white; color: #00b050; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">subscribing </span><span style="background: white; color: red; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">to </span><span style="background: white; color: #00b050; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">the</span><span style="background: white; color: red; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;"> blog</span><span style="background: white; color: #00b050; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">?</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="file:///E:/Blog%20Post/Piper%20Green%20Blogspot/Advent%202020/Day%2021%20Luke%20Chapter%2021.docx#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 107%;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a>
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, <i>God Is In The Manger </i>(Westminster: John Knox
Press., 2010), 40.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
</div>Piper Green, M.Div., MAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03151501804654133188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8499957777516327657.post-397047703276943742020-12-20T18:13:00.001-07:002020-12-20T18:13:45.578-07:00God Was In Christ The Doctrine of the Incarnation An Advent Journal Part IV<i>The Incarnation: Necessary For Salvation <br /></i><br />Why did Christ come to earth? Why would He leave the glory of heaven to live in human skin and suffer the things this world has to offer?<br /><br /><img border="0" height="509" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oQTuY9kdRes/VvIfkHVsaFI/AAAAAAAAEqQ/kcCjryi9FjgMZ-2UxdMgWCQ-Wx72ljGfACPcBGAYYCw/w640-h509/borgianni_gethsemane_grt%2BOrazio%2BBorgianni.jpg" width="640" /><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Incarnation is essential to God’s plan of redemption. Salvation comes by believing in Him as Lord and Savior and accepting the sacrifice He made for mankind. Packer writes, <br /><br />“Take the atonement, how can we believe that the death of Jesus of Nazareth—one man, expiring on a Roman gibbet— put away the world’s sins? How can that death have any bearing on God’s forgiveness of our sins today?”<a href="file:///G:/Blog%20Post/Piper%20Green%20Blogspot/Advent%202020/God%20Was%20In%20Christ%20The%20Incarnation/12.20.20%20God%20Was%20In%20Christ%20The%20Doctrine%20of%20the%20Incarnation%20An%20Advent%20Journal%20Part%20IV.docx#_ftn1">[1]</a> The writer of Hebrews answers Packer’s query, “<i>Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people</i>” (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Heb.+2&version=NASB">Heb. 2:17</a> NASB). </span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8OfbPXCsk_M/VvXGAnrqyJI/AAAAAAAAEuU/pnqHBQbuxJQAX8NliMb6PMzx4Yk5vjYVwCPcBGAYYCw/s2048/20130413_145506%2B%25282%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8OfbPXCsk_M/VvXGAnrqyJI/AAAAAAAAEuU/pnqHBQbuxJQAX8NliMb6PMzx4Yk5vjYVwCPcBGAYYCw/w480-h640/20130413_145506%2B%25282%2529.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">He came and died as a sacrifice for sin. We are incapable of making the sacrifice for ourselves. It is only by the sacrifice made by Christ, that we can be forgiven and reconciled to God. If Jesus were a mere human being, He would in the end amount to nothing more than a great religious teacher or spiritual guide. However, in the Incarnation, God bears the brunt of suffering and evil by subjecting Himself to the cruelty and horror of the world.<a href="file:///G:/Blog%20Post/Piper%20Green%20Blogspot/Advent%202020/God%20Was%20In%20Christ%20The%20Incarnation/12.20.20%20God%20Was%20In%20Christ%20The%20Doctrine%20of%20the%20Incarnation%20An%20Advent%20Journal%20Part%20IV.docx#_ftn2">[2]</a> <br /><br />Mankind was made in the glorious image of God: <br /><br />“Then God said, ‘Let Us make mankind in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the livestock and over all the earth, and over every crawling thing that crawls on the earth’” (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+1&version=NASB">Gen. 1:26</a> NASB). <br /><br />The Potter molding His clay; The divine Creator creating. He separates mankind from the rest of creation to be made in His holy image:<br /><br />“The image of God in Genesis 1 functions as a calling for humankind: to use all their capacities, those they share with the other animals and especially those that set them apart, in establishing a community that exercises dominion over God’s world, a dominion that reflects God’s faithfulness, wisdom, benevolence, and creativity.”<a href="file:///G:/Blog%20Post/Piper%20Green%20Blogspot/Advent%202020/God%20Was%20In%20Christ%20The%20Incarnation/12.20.20%20God%20Was%20In%20Christ%20The%20Doctrine%20of%20the%20Incarnation%20An%20Advent%20Journal%20Part%20IV.docx#_ftn3">[3]</a><br /></span><br /><br /><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nTxrwPIqmx4/VyWNmacHe7I/AAAAAAAAE6M/rRooonHQkL0I8ulA4Gkrvuby20tjVSzfQCPcBGAYYCw/s700/clayshapedhandspotter.jpg__700x460_q95.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nTxrwPIqmx4/VyWNmacHe7I/AAAAAAAAE6M/rRooonHQkL0I8ulA4Gkrvuby20tjVSzfQCPcBGAYYCw/w640-h397/clayshapedhandspotter.jpg__700x460_q95.jpg" /></a><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;">Satan came to the garden and broke the earthen vessels and tempted them to sin by choosing to believe his lies. They fell, damaging the beautiful image that God bestowed on them. This was too big for them to repair; they had dug a hole too big to climb out themselves. God had to cast them from His presence. He longed to restore mankind to Himself so they could once again be in His presence. </span></div><div><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cHdt6P76M8o/XlYfUXmRATI/AAAAAAAAGxU/7VzAf5CZHLk3yCMjz9C3WdFOfDH4N3VSwCPcBGAYYCw/w640-h458/Lucas_Cranach_%2528I%2529_-_Adam_and_Eve-Paradise_-_Kunsthistorisches_Museum.jpg" /><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;">“What was God to do? What else could He possibly do, being God, but renew His Image in mankind, so that through it men might once more come to know Him? And how could this be done save by the coming of the very Image Himself, our Saviour Jesus Christ? Men could not have done it, for they are only made after the Image; nor could angels have done it, for they are not the image of God. The Word of God came in His own Person, because it was He alone, the Image of the Father, Who could recreate man made after the Image…He assumed a human body in order that in it death might once for all be destroyed, and that men might be renewed according to the Image. The Image of the Father only was sufficient for this need.”<a href="file:///G:/Blog%20Post/Piper%20Green%20Blogspot/Advent%202020/God%20Was%20In%20Christ%20The%20Incarnation/12.20.20%20God%20Was%20In%20Christ%20The%20Doctrine%20of%20the%20Incarnation%20An%20Advent%20Journal%20Part%20IV.docx#_ftn4">[4]</a> </span><br /><br />That is His purpose—that we may know Him. That we have a personal relationship with Him. That He be our everything. He loves us that much. <br /><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RkfGOmC7d2U/X9_zWJZY_kI/AAAAAAAAHEE/rQzIJ38yleU6F5yALo3me0aDJmcHdXkUgCLcBGAsYHQ/s4032/20201211_162748.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RkfGOmC7d2U/X9_zWJZY_kI/AAAAAAAAHEE/rQzIJ38yleU6F5yALo3me0aDJmcHdXkUgCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/20201211_162748.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TTOCVxJNvhE/WDqFzTh6WSI/AAAAAAAAFI8/LkCoUXm5I0Ejta-jIgPo-Gc3PtY_v4HrQCPcBGAYYCw/s170/piper-sig_edited-2.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TTOCVxJNvhE/WDqFzTh6WSI/AAAAAAAAFI8/LkCoUXm5I0Ejta-jIgPo-Gc3PtY_v4HrQCPcBGAYYCw/s0/piper-sig_edited-2.jpg" /></a><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background: white; color: #00b050; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">Graciously</span><span style="background: white; color: red; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;"> consider </span><span style="background: white; color: #00b050; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">subscribing </span><span style="background: white; color: red; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">to </span><span style="background: white; color: #00b050; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">the</span><span style="background: white; color: red; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;"> blog</span><span style="background: white; color: #00b050; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">?</span></span></p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><a href="file:///G:/Blog%20Post/Piper%20Green%20Blogspot/Advent%202020/God%20Was%20In%20Christ%20The%20Incarnation/12.20.20%20God%20Was%20In%20Christ%20The%20Doctrine%20of%20the%20Incarnation%20An%20Advent%20Journal%20Part%20IV.docx#_ftnref1">[1]</a> J.I. Packer, <i>Knowing God</i> (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press., 1973), 52.<br /><a href="file:///G:/Blog%20Post/Piper%20Green%20Blogspot/Advent%202020/God%20Was%20In%20Christ%20The%20Incarnation/12.20.20%20God%20Was%20In%20Christ%20The%20Doctrine%20of%20the%20Incarnation%20An%20Advent%20Journal%20Part%20IV.docx#_ftnref2">[2]</a> Michael Green, <i>The Truth Of God Incarna</i>te (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1977), 103. <br /><a href="file:///G:/Blog%20Post/Piper%20Green%20Blogspot/Advent%202020/God%20Was%20In%20Christ%20The%20Incarnation/12.20.20%20God%20Was%20In%20Christ%20The%20Doctrine%20of%20the%20Incarnation%20An%20Advent%20Journal%20Part%20IV.docx#_ftnref3">[3]</a> C. John Collins, <i>Reading Genesis Well </i>(Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2018), 164. <br /><a href="file:///G:/Blog%20Post/Piper%20Green%20Blogspot/Advent%202020/God%20Was%20In%20Christ%20The%20Incarnation/12.20.20%20God%20Was%20In%20Christ%20The%20Doctrine%20of%20the%20Incarnation%20An%20Advent%20Journal%20Part%20IV.docx#_ftnref4">[4]</a> Athanasius, <i>On The Incarnation</i> (Yonkers: St. Vladimir’s Seminary Press., 2011), 41. </span><br /> <div><div id="ftn4">
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</div></div>Piper Green, M.Div., MAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03151501804654133188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8499957777516327657.post-72220822911488783272020-12-20T15:57:00.005-07:002020-12-20T16:27:52.838-07:00Sabbath Sanctuary God Was In Christ: An Advent Reading Of Luke 20<p> <span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 24pt;">Day 20 </span><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+20&version=NASB" style="font-size: 24pt;">Luke
Chapter 20</a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“<i>How is it that they say the Christ
is David’s son? For David himself says in the book of Psalms,‘The
Lord said to my Lord, ‘Sit at My right hand, Until I make Your enemies a
footstool for Your feet. Therefore David calls Him ‘Lord,’ and how is He his
son?</i>’” (vv.41-44 NASB).<o:p></o:p></span></p><img border="0" height="576" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aguVU7Qz430/VvsXc-dzPBI/AAAAAAAAExE/5ltoN58iIIMXQe-rojwfe_0IpimapIhdQCPcBGAYYCw/w640-h576/church-stain-windows.jpg" width="640" /><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;">I love this exchange between Jesus and the religious leaders. Once again, wisdom is vindicated by all her children {<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+7&version=NASB">Luke 7</a>:35}. This speaks to the <a href="https://pipergreen.blogspot.com/p/advent-theology-of-thanksgiving.html">dual nature of Jesus</a>, which the Jewish religious leaders never understood, though the Old Testament told them to look for these signs in the Redeemer. Jesus validates this by quoting from the verse in which the <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+110&version=NASB" target="_blank">Lord gives dominion to the King.</a> He solidifies the inspiration of the Old Testament Scriptures.</span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">What they did not understand that Jesus was telling them is
that this implies both the future existence of David’s throne and the authority
of the Messiah over all that has been given Him by the Father; His spiritual
authority as King over the nations. </span><o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MB56xEQ9dBs/X9_Ss6xoMjI/AAAAAAAAHDs/AbqdGBaau6smRg7x40pwqt6XCf1j2k5ggCLcBGAsYHQ/s3840/DSC_0335.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="3840" height="360" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MB56xEQ9dBs/X9_Ss6xoMjI/AAAAAAAAHDs/AbqdGBaau6smRg7x40pwqt6XCf1j2k5ggCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h360/DSC_0335.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><img border="0" height="536" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-L-Gid0InxmY/X9_VehFWkwI/AAAAAAAAHD4/ERGThTXhfZo9wAG9cbqAIJ0qjQgZdrMlgCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h536/Annibale_Carracci_-_Christ_Wearing_the_Crown_of_Thorns%252C_Supported_by_Angels_-_WGA04427.jpg" width="640" /><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Sadducees were silenced once again by Jesus, who as fully God {<a href="https://pipergreen.blogspot.com/p/advent-theology-of-thanksgiving.html">the preexistent Christ</a>} was David’s Lord, and as <a href="https://pipergreen.blogspot.com/p/advent-theology-of-thanksgiving.html">fully man was David’s son</a>. This same account in Matthew’s Gospel tells us that He so confounded them that “<i>No one was able to answer Him a word, nor did anyone dare from that day on to ask Him another question</i>” {<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matt.+22&version=NASB">Matt.
22:46</a> NASB}. Jesus again bewildered His adversaries.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In God’s holy promise of the coming Savior into the world,
it was imperative that the prophecies reveal <a href="https://pipergreen.blogspot.com/p/advent-theology-of-thanksgiving.html" target="_blank">both the fully God and fully man natures</a> of the Holy Savior. The revelation of the coming Redeemer of
man-kind—this holy truth—caused the Old Testament prophecies to declare of Him,
“<i>And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Eternal Father, and Prince of Peace</i>,” as well as being the man of
sorrows and acquainted with grief {<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Is.+9%3A6&version=NASB" target="_blank">Is. 9:6</a>; <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah+53&version=NASB">Is.
53: 1-12</a>}. </span><o:p></o:p></p><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-k5uqWmSnjdk/XfiE7lzpZfI/AAAAAAAAGso/TvtA38SErnENoLkqGSnAeh4hYDHUXnBtgCPcBGAYYCw/w640-h480/bible-light-in-the-darkness%2B1.jpg" /><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TTOCVxJNvhE/WDqFzTh6WSI/AAAAAAAAFI8/LkCoUXm5I0Ejta-jIgPo-Gc3PtY_v4HrQCPcBGAYYCw/s170/piper-sig_edited-2.jpg" style="clear: left; display: inline; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="130" data-original-width="170" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TTOCVxJNvhE/WDqFzTh6WSI/AAAAAAAAFI8/LkCoUXm5I0Ejta-jIgPo-Gc3PtY_v4HrQCPcBGAYYCw/s0/piper-sig_edited-2.jpg" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #00b050; font-family: Calligraffitti, serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">Graciously</span><span style="background: white; color: red; font-family: Calligraffitti, serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;"> consider </span><span style="background: white; color: #00b050; font-family: Calligraffitti, serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">subscribing </span><span style="background: white; color: red; font-family: Calligraffitti, serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">to </span><span style="background: white; color: #00b050; font-family: Calligraffitti, serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">the</span><span style="background: white; color: red; font-family: Calligraffitti, serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;"> blog</span><span style="background: white; color: #00b050; font-family: Calligraffitti, serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">?</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>Piper Green, M.Div., MAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03151501804654133188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8499957777516327657.post-44523940793591607962020-12-19T19:05:00.000-07:002020-12-19T19:05:22.941-07:00Sabbath Sanctuary God Was In Christ: An Advent Reading Of Luke 19<div class="separator"><p style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 24pt;">Day 19 </span><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+19&version=NASB" style="font-size: 24pt;">Luke Chapter 19</a></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“<i>The whole crowd of the disciples began to praise
God joyfully with a loud voice for all the miracles which they had seen, shouting:
‘Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord; Peace in heaven
and glory in the highest!</i>’” {vv.37-38 NASB}.</span><o:p></o:p></p><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aguVU7Qz430/VvsXc-dzPBI/AAAAAAAAExE/5ltoN58iIIMXQe-rojwfe_0IpimapIhdQCPcBGAYYCw/w640-h576/church-stain-windows.jpg" /><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;">For the third chapter succinctly in Luke’s wonderous gospel, we see again people crying out to God. The ten lepers, blind Bartimaeus, both crying out in anguish for mercy. Now the crying rings of anguish have turned into praise the miracles they have seen; a stark contrast from the nine who went their own way. One wonders if they were in the crowd that day.</span><img border="0" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RypeHVV9-_U/X96wO2A-DXI/AAAAAAAAHDY/XSxGvN3Z3JYJf6jAlP20lZILtNn2LnjWwCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h640/triumphant%2Bentry.jpg" width="640" /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Rejoice Zion! The prophecy is fulfilled in their very
presence:</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“<i>Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, O
daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; He is just and
endowed with salvation, Humble, and mounted on a donkey, Even on a colt, the foal
of a donkey</i>” {Zech. 9:9}.</span><o:p></o:p></p><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8b9HBEX-Bxg/X96wYF8YkTI/AAAAAAAAHDc/9w8iIYnUd5sxKd_AO5ueT62lZeaIaSh0gCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h442/triumphant%2Bentry%2B2.jpg" /><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Advent is a season in which we look for the crèche, the babe
in the manger, rightly so. But I think that when we read about Christ’s
triumphal entry, we tend to lose the seriousness of what this particular day
means. This entry into Jerusalem is definitely revered at Palm Sunday, but do
we understand the full meaning of this day; what we are seeing?</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>We have become accustomed to the idea of divine love and
of God’s coming at Christmas that we no longer feel the shiver of fear that
God’s coming should arouse in us. We are indifferent to the message, taking
only the pleasant and agreeable out of it and forgetting the serious aspect
that the God of the world draws near to the people of our little earth and lays
claim to us. </i>{Dietrch Bonhoeffer, <i>The Coming of Jesus in our Midst</i>}.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Reflect and prayerfully seek God about what His coming truly
means for this world. He is the Light in darkness that was foretold from ages
past. He is the blessed King who comes in the name of the Lord bringing Peace
for those who are enduring this chaotic world—t<i>his weary world rejoices…</i>the
promised King is here. Yes, He was a babe in a manger which is what we are
celebrating in this hushed season of Advent—don’t let go of that holy hush. Let
us only remember that He is our King and is coming again.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SZcLvyzrqoQ/WD-8QzaSQ7I/AAAAAAAAFKE/1ZnTSwZCcA4cWQA6hLrv_8qqnLLvWbb4ACPcBGAYYCw/s1630/Advent-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1630" data-original-width="1222" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SZcLvyzrqoQ/WD-8QzaSQ7I/AAAAAAAAFKE/1ZnTSwZCcA4cWQA6hLrv_8qqnLLvWbb4ACPcBGAYYCw/w480-h640/Advent-1.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TTOCVxJNvhE/WDqFzTh6WSI/AAAAAAAAFI8/LkCoUXm5I0Ejta-jIgPo-Gc3PtY_v4HrQCPcBGAYYCw/s170/piper-sig_edited-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="130" data-original-width="170" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TTOCVxJNvhE/WDqFzTh6WSI/AAAAAAAAFI8/LkCoUXm5I0Ejta-jIgPo-Gc3PtY_v4HrQCPcBGAYYCw/s0/piper-sig_edited-2.jpg" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="text"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="text"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="text"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #00b050; font-family: "Calligraffitti",serif; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Graciously</span><span style="background: white; color: red; font-family: "Calligraffitti",serif; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> consider </span><span style="background: white; color: #00b050; font-family: "Calligraffitti",serif; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%;">subscribing </span><span style="background: white; color: red; font-family: "Calligraffitti",serif; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%;">to </span><span style="background: white; color: #00b050; font-family: "Calligraffitti",serif; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%;">the</span><span style="background: white; color: red; font-family: "Calligraffitti",serif; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> blog</span><span style="background: white; color: #00b050; font-family: "Calligraffitti",serif; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%;">?</span></p><p></p></div>Piper Green, M.Div., MAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03151501804654133188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8499957777516327657.post-17315093637157442142020-12-19T18:14:00.000-07:002020-12-19T18:14:25.440-07:00God Was In Christ: An Advent Reading Of Luke 18<p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 24pt;">Day 18 </span><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%2018&version=NASB" style="font-size: 24pt;">Luke
Chapter 18</a></span></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“‘<i>Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Those
who led the way were sternly telling him to be quiet; but he kept crying out
all the more, ‘Son of David, have mercy on me!</i>’” (vv. 38-39 NASB).</span><o:p></o:p></p><img border="0" height="588" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-APCCn6Pljjo/WDqDT4zJYkI/AAAAAAAAFI0/f3S9GcrIimMmLAQ0sVaD6a25z-qBg7DeACPcBGAYYCw/w640-h588/advent-2-web.jpg" width="640" /><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">These two chapters of Luke speak volumes to the pain and suffering in the world. Two accounts of hurting and sick people crying out for the mercy of God. If He does not see their pain and intervene, they have no hope.</span></p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Bartimaeus has lived in a blind existence. His world was dark and lonely. Jesus said that while He is in the world that He is the <a href="https://www.blogger.com/u/0/#">Light of the World</a> {<a href="https://www.blogger.com/u/0/#">Jn. 4:5</a>}. Isaiah prophesied of the coming Child that He came to give Zion a happy future; <br /><br />“<i>Say to those with anxious heart, ‘Take courage, fear not. Behold, your God will come with vengeance; The recompense of God will come, But He will save you.’ Then the eyes of the blind will be opened And the ears of the deaf will be unstopped. Then the lame will leap like a deer, And the tongue of the mute will shout for joy</i>’” (<a href="https://www.blogger.com/u/0/#">Is. 35:4-5</a> NASB). </span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gUkM5fga-fI/X96jnYA-6ZI/AAAAAAAAHDM/l2UwIkn2weAneE_tBmM6hheQtfhgMlP3ACLcBGAsYHQ/s960/12363253_10153210542781994_7842695132720676813_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="954" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gUkM5fga-fI/X96jnYA-6ZI/AAAAAAAAHDM/l2UwIkn2weAneE_tBmM6hheQtfhgMlP3ACLcBGAsYHQ/w636-h640/12363253_10153210542781994_7842695132720676813_o.jpg" width="636" /></a></div><br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="color: #7030a0; font-family: inherit;">Mary did you know that your
baby boy would give sight to a blind man?<br />
Mary did you know that your baby boy would calm a storm with his hand?<br />
Did you know that your baby boy has walked where angels trod?<br />
When you kiss your little baby, you kiss the face of God…<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="color: #7030a0; font-family: inherit;">The blind will see, the deaf
will hear, the dead will live again<br />
The lame will leap, the dumb will speak, the praises of the Lamb <o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="color: #7030a0; font-family: inherit;">Mary did you know that your
baby boy is Lord of all creation?<br />
Mary did you know that your baby boy would one day rule the nations?<br />
Did you know that your baby boy is heaven's perfect Lamb?<br />
That sleeping child you're holding is the Great I Am.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;">(<i>Mary Did You Know?</i> Mark Lowery, 1984) </span><o:p></o:p></p><br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="329" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ifCWN5pJGIE" width="408" youtube-src-id="ifCWN5pJGIE"></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">How many times have we been faced with trials and circumstances that have brought us to our knees and caused us to cry out with anguished desperation, “Jesus, have mercy on me!?” The darkness, the sickness; this lost, dark, evil world gives many an opportunity. I have been brought to cry out on many occasions. </span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />“God doesn’t miss a single sigh that escapes our lips. But historically, God’s people most often cried out in spoken words that sprang from the depths of their being! God heard their petitions…and shook their worlds” {The Power of Crying Out: When Prayer Becomes Mighty, Bill Gothard}. <br /><br />Remember this Advent that this is why He came—to give us a happy future. He came to set the captives free—giving sight to the blind and opening deaf ears to hear the Good News of His coming Kingdom and to see Him when He arrives. Keep your eyes open, He will be arriving soon. </span><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NEdJRj7GKIA/WEuE7cwQUUI/AAAAAAAAFMs/8ZTg2faLxyA1x5hlrcuIAAYTVBkNJHiVwCPcBGAYYCw/s1456/advent-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1136" data-original-width="1456" height="498" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NEdJRj7GKIA/WEuE7cwQUUI/AAAAAAAAFMs/8ZTg2faLxyA1x5hlrcuIAAYTVBkNJHiVwCPcBGAYYCw/w640-h498/advent-2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /> <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TTOCVxJNvhE/WDqFzTh6WSI/AAAAAAAAFI8/LkCoUXm5I0Ejta-jIgPo-Gc3PtY_v4HrQCPcBGAYYCw/s170/piper-sig_edited-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="130" data-original-width="170" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TTOCVxJNvhE/WDqFzTh6WSI/AAAAAAAAFI8/LkCoUXm5I0Ejta-jIgPo-Gc3PtY_v4HrQCPcBGAYYCw/s0/piper-sig_edited-2.jpg" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background: white; color: #00b050; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 25.68px; text-align: left;">Graciously</span><span style="background: white; color: red; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 25.68px; text-align: left;"> consider </span><span style="background: white; color: #00b050; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 25.68px; text-align: left;">subscribing </span><span style="background: white; color: red; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 25.68px; text-align: left;">to </span><span style="background: white; color: #00b050; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 25.68px; text-align: left;">the</span><span style="background: white; color: red; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 25.68px; text-align: left;"> blog</span><span style="background: white; color: #00b050; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 25.68px; text-align: left;">?</span></span></div><br /><br />Piper Green, M.Div., MAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03151501804654133188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8499957777516327657.post-76539193160948005812020-12-17T14:22:00.005-07:002020-12-17T14:22:56.916-07:00God Was In Christ: An Advent Reading Of Luke 17<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Day 17 <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+17&version=NASB">Luke Chapter 17</a> </span><br /><br />“<i>Now one of them, when he saw that he had been healed, turned back, glorifying God with a loud voice, and he fell on his face at His feet, giving thanks to Him. And he was a Samaritan</i>” {vv. 15-16 NASB}. <br /><br />Leprosy was a horrible disease. There was no treatment and no cure. It was a brutal disease that met with a horrific death. Their cry, “Have mercy on us” is heart-wrenching. Such a cry of anguish that echoes through human history.</span><img border="0" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1AA-MsBWfb8/VvTV7cPfp9I/AAAAAAAAEtU/Vop91WcBjP8taZ6hxFbGo6V5n71ZD8KoQCPcBGAYYCw/w640-h480/VD_station_8.jpg" width="640" /><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;">The ten lepers cry out to Jesus for mercy because He is their only hope to be delivered from this agonizing existence. One with the curse of leprosy was marked as someone God Himself had cursed. There was no way out from this deadly mark. They desire to be healed because they know that only their healing can lift the ostracism and allow them to enter society and give them a glimmer of hope that life can return to like it was before.<br /><br />The narrative of the ten lepers is a lesson for us. Before we entered into this Advent season, we were focused on being thankful and not complaining and murmuring about what we don’t have or what we want. God responds to gratefulness, not grumbling at our circumstances. These ten lepers all had faith in Jesus. They knew He was the only one who could deliver them and make things right again. Every hope they had clung to who Jesus was and the power of God within Him. Jesus delivered. They cried out for mercy and He granted it to them. He told them to go show themselves to the priest {according to the Law of Moses}so they could be declared clean. They all went away healed!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;">This account is not one of a lack of faith but of a lack of gratefulness. Only one returned to worship the Lord for what He had done for them. They were in a crisis moment in their lives—in utter despair—yet how quickly they forgot. As soon as the crisis was over, they went their separate ways. What they received was not taken from them. But the one who returned left with more blessing than the others who did not return to worship. Jesus told him that not only was he healed from this crippling disease, but because he came back and worshiped the Lord for the miracle, he would also be made whole. All that he had lost would be restored to him. <br /><br />That is Mercy’s pen writing a new chapter for each of them. But special prose was written for the one who worshiped in gratefulness to the divine Physician. He took the time to come back and let Jesus know what it meant to him to be healed. </span><br /><br /><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-G-kRJREz-2I/WEuEyOowmRI/AAAAAAAAFMs/7E8PY13cmp03Rqjbbh18wo-d_EcrmabHgCPcBGAYYCw/w640-h390/advent-1.jpg" /><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;">Reflect in this season of waiting for the Christ Child upon everything the Lord has done for you. Let us not forget what He has so merciful delivered us from; how He has healed us and made us whole. Let the Lord know how His mercy has marked your life with deliverance and wholeness.<br /></span><br /><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TTOCVxJNvhE/WDqFzTh6WSI/AAAAAAAAFI8/LkCoUXm5I0Ejta-jIgPo-Gc3PtY_v4HrQCPcBGAYYCw/s170/piper-sig_edited-2.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TTOCVxJNvhE/WDqFzTh6WSI/AAAAAAAAFI8/LkCoUXm5I0Ejta-jIgPo-Gc3PtY_v4HrQCPcBGAYYCw/s0/piper-sig_edited-2.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background: white; color: #00b050; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">Graciously</span><span style="background: white; color: red; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;"> consider </span><span style="background: white; color: #00b050; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">subscribing </span><span style="background: white; color: red; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">to </span><span style="background: white; color: #00b050; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">the</span><span style="background: white; color: red; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;"> blog</span><span style="background: white; color: #00b050; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">?</span></span><o:p></o:p></p>Piper Green, M.Div., MAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03151501804654133188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8499957777516327657.post-3721449976784850982020-12-16T17:33:00.003-07:002020-12-16T17:44:27.561-07:00God Was In Christ: An Advent Reading Of Luke 16<div class="separator"><p style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 24pt;">Day 16 </span><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=luke+16&version=NASB" style="font-size: 24pt;">Luke Chapter 16</a></p><p class="MsoNormal">“<i>The Law and the Prophets were proclaimed until
John; since that time the gospel of the kingdom of God has been preached,
and everyone is forcing his way into it. But it is easier for heaven and
earth to pass away than for one stroke of a letter of the Law to fail</i>”
{vv.16-17}.<o:p></o:p></p><img border="0" height="547" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_dFnYJcYhcI/X9qmBDBoS7I/AAAAAAAAHC0/IGfi5hMGlpwX2PK-IsaNn_3VCv_wyESigCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h547/paharisees.jpg" width="640" /><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;">This chapter sixteen is a continual rebuke to the Pharisees who believed they were more righteous because they had wealth. They believed that financial wealth was a sign of God’s blessing on them. So, if you were poor, God’s blessing was not on your life. But Jesus responded to them that God alone knows the heart and only He can judge who is righteous and who is not; money is not that judge. They cannot justify themselves by their wealth or religious standing. Jesus rightly informed them that He was not impressed with their outward appearance when their hearts clearly were not right; they have misunderstood the blessing of God’s covenant. There were many righteous people in the Old Testament who did not have riches and many unrighteous who were rich.</span><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Jesus once again reveals the hearts of these Pharisees when
He explains the Law to them. With the arrival of John the Baptist as Jesus' forerunner came the arrival of God’s kingdom and brought to completion the Law
and the Prophets. Many people, including the Pharisees, were trying to force
their way into the kingdom by other means that what John—and Jesus—were
teaching. Regardless of their self-justification, they were not even living
according to God’s Law. The fulfillment of the Law does not mean an end to the
Law. Because of Jesus’ sinless, perfect, once-and-for-all sacrifice, the sacrificial
requirements of the Law were no longer needed. The principle of the Law,
however, did not conclude and they (and we) are required to live by the
principle of the Law; to be written on our hearts. Paul later rebukes the
religious leaders for the same heart issue:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“<i>Which one of the prophets did your fathers not
persecute? They killed those who had previously announced the coming
of the Righteous One, whose betrayers and murderers you have now
become; you who received the law as ordained by angels, and yet did
not keep it</i>” {Acts 7:52–53 NASB}. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">God’s eternal laws and principles did not cease. We must
still live out love, faith, hope, and loving our neighbors, and putting God
first in our lives.</span><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SZcLvyzrqoQ/WD-8QzaSQ7I/AAAAAAAAFKE/1ZnTSwZCcA4cWQA6hLrv_8qqnLLvWbb4ACPcBGAYYCw/w480-h640/Advent-1.jpg" /></p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Let’s purpose through this Advent to continue to live out the principles of God’s Law, which Christ declared should now be written on our hearts. Let’s put God first in our lives—this Advent—and beyond and give Him our very best.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TTOCVxJNvhE/WDqFzTh6WSI/AAAAAAAAFI8/LkCoUXm5I0Ejta-jIgPo-Gc3PtY_v4HrQCPcBGAYYCw/s170/piper-sig_edited-2.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="130" data-original-width="170" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TTOCVxJNvhE/WDqFzTh6WSI/AAAAAAAAFI8/LkCoUXm5I0Ejta-jIgPo-Gc3PtY_v4HrQCPcBGAYYCw/s0/piper-sig_edited-2.jpg" /></a></div></span><br /><br /><br />
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #00b050; font-family: "Calligraffitti",serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #00b050; font-family: "Calligraffitti",serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background: white; color: #00b050; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">Graciously</span><span style="background: white; color: red; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;"> consider </span><span style="background: white; color: #00b050; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">subscribing </span><span style="background: white; color: red; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">to </span><span style="background: white; color: #00b050; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">the</span><span style="background: white; color: red; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;"> blog</span><span style="background: white; color: #00b050; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">?</span></span><o:p></o:p></p></div><p><br /></p>Piper Green, M.Div., MAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03151501804654133188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8499957777516327657.post-90966261519764147282020-12-15T12:28:00.003-07:002020-12-15T12:28:46.237-07:00God Was In Christ: An Advent Reading Of Luke 15<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 24.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Day 15 <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+15&version=NASB">Luke
Chapter 15</a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“<i>What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and has
lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open pasture and
go after the one which is lost until he finds it? When he has found it, he
lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing</i>” {vv.4-5 NASB}.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The care our magnificent Creator of the universe takes in
reaching poor, lost, wandering sinners. His sheep are important to Him. He
cares so much for His sheep that even though He has one- hundred, should one
stray away, He will go searching until He finds that one lost sheep. <o:p></o:p></p><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-C8un9sMbYBk/WGssUTNgOYI/AAAAAAAAFVI/K_fOL37glLg39br24j-f-IzMVNVzpmlEACPcBGAYYCw/w640-h480/Sheep_looking.jpg" /><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;">I find it so beautiful (and no accident) that today is the third Sunday in Advent in which we focus on joy. {If you would like to read more on joy in Advent, I wrote several posts a few years back for Advent; you can find them <a href="https://pipergreen.blogspot.com/2016/12/advent-journal-day-xvi-grief-in-our-joy.html">here</a>, <a href="https://pipergreen.blogspot.com/2016/12/advent-journal-day-xvii-thanksgiving-in.html">here</a>, <a href="https://pipergreen.blogspot.com/2016/12/advent-journal-day-xviii-joy.html">here</a>, <a href="https://pipergreen.blogspot.com/2016/12/advent-journal-day-xix-cs-lewis-and-joy.html">here</a>, <a href="https://pipergreen.blogspot.com/2016/12/advent-journal-day-xx-awaken-your.html">here</a>, and <a href="https://pipergreen.blogspot.com/2016/12/advent-journal-day-xxi-journey-to-joy.html">here</a>}. Jesus continues within this verse to say, “I tell you…there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance” {v.7 NASB}. When one sinner comes to Him there is JOY in heaven. There is joy in the presence of the angels of God! Imagine how wonderful that is, that though they cannot fathom salvation {<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Peter+1%3A12&version=NASB">1 Pet. 1:12</a>} they rejoice when one of God’s human creations receives salvation. Our salvation is one of joy; the psalmist prays, “Restore to me the joy of Your salvation And sustain me with a willing spirit” {<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+51%3A12&version=NASB">Ps. 51:12</a>}.</span><img border="0" height="340" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uyvFZr2Diec/WDqDe-2KnPI/AAAAAAAAFI0/UZinpz8s-oUlCwm96OU6BfzpMouFLuiPgCPcBGAYYCw/w640-h340/advent-3-web.jpg" width="640" /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />I heard a minister of the Word once say that most Christians look more like they are on their way to hell rather than heaven. We should be the most joyous people on earth. Our salvation should put a sparkle in our eye, joy on our face, joy in our walk; we should cause the lost to long to have what we have. If our Messiah has this much joy over finding us, should we not have joy when we find Him and walk with Him for the rest of our lives?</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yFUSdibRAWc/WFTJTWq9H2I/AAAAAAAAFPM/a856txkHniMgtXfvBbH3OG-gY_gWkTu6wCPcBGAYYCw/s4263/advent-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4263" data-original-width="2988" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yFUSdibRAWc/WFTJTWq9H2I/AAAAAAAAFPM/a856txkHniMgtXfvBbH3OG-gY_gWkTu6wCPcBGAYYCw/w448-h640/advent-1.jpg" width="448" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The whole of chapter fifteen Jesus teaches parables on the
importance of finding those </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">who are lost. The righteous ninety-nine should take
care lest they think themselves more righteous than the lost one. We need to
share the heart of the Shepherd and search for those who are lost. Pray daily
for the lost—those you know<i> and</i> those you don’t. <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+19%3A10&version=NIV">Jesus
came to seek and save the lost</a>. Let’s search for them this Advent season
and bring them into the care of the Good Shepherd.</span> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TTOCVxJNvhE/WDqFzTh6WSI/AAAAAAAAFI8/LkCoUXm5I0Ejta-jIgPo-Gc3PtY_v4HrQCPcBGAYYCw/s170/piper-sig_edited-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="130" data-original-width="170" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TTOCVxJNvhE/WDqFzTh6WSI/AAAAAAAAFI8/LkCoUXm5I0Ejta-jIgPo-Gc3PtY_v4HrQCPcBGAYYCw/s0/piper-sig_edited-2.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="woj"><span style="background: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><p><span style="background: white; color: #00b050; font-family: Calligraffitti, serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="background: white; color: #00b050; font-family: Calligraffitti, serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background: white; color: #00b050; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">Graciously</span><span style="background: white; color: red; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;"> consider </span><span style="background: white; color: #00b050; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">subscribing </span><span style="background: white; color: red; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">to </span><span style="background: white; color: #00b050; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">the</span><span style="background: white; color: red; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;"> blog</span><span style="background: white; color: #00b050; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">?</span> </span></p>Piper Green, M.Div., MAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03151501804654133188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8499957777516327657.post-50781573846773858192020-12-14T14:31:00.003-07:002020-12-14T14:49:40.989-07:00God Was In Christ: An Advent Reading Of Luke 14<p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 24pt;">Day 14 </span><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+14&version=NASB" style="font-size: 24pt;">Luke
Chapter 14</a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“<i>Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after
Me cannot be My disciple</i>”</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> {v. 27 NASB}.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Discipleship. It is the most important call Christians
receive. The disciples have been following Jesus for some time now. Yet, He
continues to speak to them in parables so that perhaps they will begin to
understand what He has been teaching them—what He is teaching us—that we are to
give God first place in our lives. The disciples are traveling with Him and are
caught up in all the needs of the ministry, yet, Jesus still needs them to
understand exactly what it means to be a disciple. To be a disciple is an act
of obedience, not a declaration of faith.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span><o:p></o:p></p><img border="0" height="360" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BLT2t1LSfQM/X9fYX5iui1I/AAAAAAAAHCc/mTEDE-UC8R8-26H-lIi6N3NyanqDdk8BQCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h360/20171223_144702.jpg" width="640" />
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>For the mighty ones, for the great ones of the world,
there are only two places where their courage deserts them, which they fear in
the depths of their souls, which they dodge and avoid; the manger and the cross
of Jesus Christ.</i><a href="file:///G:/Blog%20Post/Piper%20Green%20Blogspot/Advent%202020/Day%2014%20Luke%2014.docx#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">[1]</span></span></span></span></a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Father gave us the most incredible gift that one could
give—His only Son because of His love for us:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“<i>For God so loved the world, that He gave
His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish,
but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the
world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him</i>”
{Jn. 3:16-17 NASB}.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Father gave us a wonder beyond all comprehension to our
finite understanding. He endured a long path to the cross to complete everything
for us. Can we not give Him back our best? Can we not follow Him with our whole
hearts? Can we move beyond a confession of faith and follow Him in obedience? </span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In this season it so easy to be caught up in the busyness
of preparing for the holidays, just as the disciples were so busy, that they—and
we—forget about what Jesus is </span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">endeavoring to teach us; discipleship is the
call and it's going to cost us. </span><o:p></o:p></p><img border="0" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dchyLzVdpxs/X9fYo7VIHkI/AAAAAAAAHCk/963vUOdtQUUrJnccYWk-V4TAY3563MsBgCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/20201211_162810.jpg" width="640" /><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;">“Discipleship means adherence to Christ, and, because Christ is the object of the adherence, it must take the form of discipleship. An abstract Christology, a doctrinal system, a general religious knowledge on the subject of grace or on the forgiveness of sins, render discipleship superfluous.”<a href="file:///G:/Blog%20Post/Piper%20Green%20Blogspot/Advent%202020/Day%2014%20Luke%2014.docx#_ftn2"><span style="font-size: x-small;">[2]</span></a></span><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TTOCVxJNvhE/WDqFzTh6WSI/AAAAAAAAFI8/LkCoUXm5I0Ejta-jIgPo-Gc3PtY_v4HrQCPcBGAYYCw/s170/piper-sig_edited-2.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="130" data-original-width="170" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TTOCVxJNvhE/WDqFzTh6WSI/AAAAAAAAFI8/LkCoUXm5I0Ejta-jIgPo-Gc3PtY_v4HrQCPcBGAYYCw/s0/piper-sig_edited-2.jpg" /></a></div><br /><span style="background: white; color: #00b050; font-family: "Calligraffitti",serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #00b050; font-family: "Calligraffitti",serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #00b050; font-family: "Calligraffitti",serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #00b050; font-family: "Calligraffitti",serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #00b050; font-family: "Calligraffitti",serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">Graciously</span><span style="background: white; color: red; font-family: "Calligraffitti",serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;"> consider </span><span style="background: white; color: #00b050; font-family: "Calligraffitti",serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">subscribing </span><span style="background: white; color: red; font-family: "Calligraffitti",serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">to </span><span style="background: white; color: #00b050; font-family: "Calligraffitti",serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">the</span><span style="background: white; color: red; font-family: "Calligraffitti",serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;"> blog</span><span style="background: white; color: #00b050; font-family: "Calligraffitti",serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">?</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<div style="mso-element: footnote-list;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><br clear="all" />
<hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" />
<!--[endif]-->
<div id="ftn1" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="file:///G:/Blog%20Post/Piper%20Green%20Blogspot/Advent%202020/Day%2014%20Luke%2014.docx#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: HE; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a>
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, <i>The Mystery Of Holy Night </i>(New York: Crossroad
Publishing Company, 1996), 16.<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div id="ftn2" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="file:///G:/Blog%20Post/Piper%20Green%20Blogspot/Advent%202020/Day%2014%20Luke%2014.docx#_ftnref2" name="_ftn2" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn2;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: HE; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">[2]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a>
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, <i>The Cost Of DiscipleShip </i>(New York: Touchstone,
1959),<i> </i>58.<i><o:p></o:p></i></p>
</div>
</div>Piper Green, M.Div., MAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03151501804654133188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8499957777516327657.post-79425123107328294622020-12-13T11:33:00.001-07:002020-12-13T11:33:11.802-07:00Sabbath Sanctuary: God Was In Christ: An Advent Reading Of Luke 13<p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 24pt;">Day 13 </span><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+12&version=NASB" style="font-size: 24pt;">Luke
Chapter 13</a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“<i>Now Jesus was teaching in one of the
synagogues on the Sabbath. And there was a woman who for eighteen
years had had a sickness caused by a spirit; and she was bent over
double, and could not straighten up at all</i>. <i>When Jesus saw her, He
called her over and said to her, ‘Woman, you are freed from your
sickness.’ And He laid His hands on her; and immediately she was made
erect again and began glorifying God</i>” (vv. 10-13 NASB).<o:p></o:p></span></p><img border="0" height="360" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WqfKwFDwcxg/X9ZcqZ7D0JI/AAAAAAAAHCI/xYANMLLR86UsIVKcwqj8X4SPd2hdG_rGQCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h360/20161206_212600.jpg" width="640" /><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;">I have had my share of physical sickness and hurt in my life. When I read this verse, it fills me with such hope. I have rested on this Scripture more times than I can count. Jesus was teaching in the synagogue and in the midst of His important expressions of truth, He sees a woman who is so sick she is bent over and cannot stand upright. Christ sees us in our pain and misery. Christ in us sees others who are sick, miserable, and hurting. To preach and teach that Jesus came to deliver the bound, we must pray for their deliverance—it is part of the Good News.</span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Jesus came to seek and save the lost. He came to heal the
hurting. When you feel you are alone in your suffering, He sees you. Reach out
to Him in faith and He will touch you. He will give you peace, strength,
endurance. I have been healed and deliver from sickness. Sometimes I still
experience sickness, however, I am strengthened by the Lord through the Holy
Spirit to endure the struggle. Either way, I experience His divine deliverance.</span></p><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WCJPLtWVWwE/X9ZdBTs1RHI/AAAAAAAAHCQ/OZedrDmNHz0Ypd8NlQgYHxFM2zCqjcvtgCLcBGAsYHQ/w360-h640/20161209_190506.jpg" /><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Hope is a part of the promise of the coming Messiah. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Those
awaiting the Christ Child longed—hoped for </span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">deliverance. Have hope this Advent
season that Christ </span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">came to deliver you and to give you hope. <br />
</span><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TTOCVxJNvhE/WDqFzTh6WSI/AAAAAAAAFI8/LkCoUXm5I0Ejta-jIgPo-Gc3PtY_v4HrQCPcBGAYYCw/s170/piper-sig_edited-2.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="130" data-original-width="170" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TTOCVxJNvhE/WDqFzTh6WSI/AAAAAAAAFI8/LkCoUXm5I0Ejta-jIgPo-Gc3PtY_v4HrQCPcBGAYYCw/s0/piper-sig_edited-2.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #00b050; font-family: "Calligraffitti",serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #00b050; font-family: "Calligraffitti",serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #00b050; font-family: "Calligraffitti",serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background: white; color: #00b050; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">Graciously</span><span style="background: white; color: red; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;"> consider </span><span style="background: white; color: #00b050; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">subscribing </span><span style="background: white; color: red; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">to </span><span style="background: white; color: #00b050; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">the</span><span style="background: white; color: red; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;"> blog</span><span style="background: white; color: #00b050; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">?</span></span><o:p></o:p></p></div>Piper Green, M.Div., MAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03151501804654133188noreply@blogger.com0