I was reading Moses prayer (Deut.3:24-28) to God that he be allowed to enter the Promised Land and this statement caught my eye…
"But the LORD was angry with me on your account, and would not listen to me."
Moses attributed God’s refusal to accept his request not to himself and his actions but to the Israelites and their actions.
Hmmm… pretty curious, after all it was Moses that struck the rock at Kadesh Barnea instead of speaking to it as God had instructed.
The answer lies in Deut. 1:34-37.
"Then the LORD heard the sound of your words, and He was angry and took an oath, saying, not one of these men, this evil generation, shall see the good land which I swore to give your fathers, except Caleb the son of Jephunneh; he shall see it, and to him and to his sons I will give the land on which he has set foot, because he has followed the LORD fully.'
The LORD was angry with me also on your account, saying, Not even you shall enter there".
Moses was not allowed to enter the Promised Land because of the bad report of the 12 spies and Israel’s acceptance of it. He was lumped together with them and would have to die in the wilderness with that “evil generation”.
So God’s anger that began with this incident continued 40 years later and still burned when Moses requested to be able to physically enter the Promised Land. Moses correctly attributes God’s anger to them… not him.
He was the last of that generation to die. When we last see him, just prior to his death, he is on mount Nebo viewing the Promised land.
When we next see him he is standing on another mountain in the Promised Land where Jesus was transfigured.
Moses received punishment on earth but his eternal destiny with God was secured. I’ve got a feeling that when his spirit left Mount Nebo and was received by God that he was not in the least bit disappointed at not having stepped foot on the Promised Land.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Fosters
This is from Jeff Carr (in part)
I just had lunch with Larry Foster, son of our birthday boy, 99-yr old Hubert Foster.
Larry asked me to pass on this information. Hubert and Ann enjoy going out to dinner and an occasional movie and would enjoy a ride to something like this. ALSO ... they can pay their own way for these things, they simply need transportation.
Right now they are getting meals on wheels delivered and their son who lives in town makes grocery runs for them on a weekly basis.
I just had lunch with Larry Foster, son of our birthday boy, 99-yr old Hubert Foster.
Larry asked me to pass on this information. Hubert and Ann enjoy going out to dinner and an occasional movie and would enjoy a ride to something like this. ALSO ... they can pay their own way for these things, they simply need transportation.
Right now they are getting meals on wheels delivered and their son who lives in town makes grocery runs for them on a weekly basis.
The Failure of Preaching (Ezra 9&10)
Problem: Violation of Exodus 34 and Numbers 32… marrying foreign women.
Extent: The sons of the High Priest had married foreign women.
Identification: It was brought to the attention of Ezra… not the High Priest.
Assumption: The High Priest had not been preaching on the subject.
Fallout: Because of the failure of preaching and the failure of example the violation had spread throughout Judah.
The Fix: Get rid of the wives and their children… tough fix… tougher than not marrying them in the first place.
Conclusion: The “Failure of Preaching” is not preaching the whole of God’s word. When preaching fails people fail and have to go through the sometimes painful process of getting right with God. Preach to prevent problems.
Extent: The sons of the High Priest had married foreign women.
Identification: It was brought to the attention of Ezra… not the High Priest.
Assumption: The High Priest had not been preaching on the subject.
Fallout: Because of the failure of preaching and the failure of example the violation had spread throughout Judah.
The Fix: Get rid of the wives and their children… tough fix… tougher than not marrying them in the first place.
Conclusion: The “Failure of Preaching” is not preaching the whole of God’s word. When preaching fails people fail and have to go through the sometimes painful process of getting right with God. Preach to prevent problems.
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Fall Adult Class Schedule
Sunday Morning
Adult 1: David Smitherman, “Hebrews”
Adult 2: Rob Perkins, “Ezra, Nehemiah and Esther”
Sunday Night
Auditorium only: Jeff Carr. Islam and related topics.
Wednesday Night
Adult 1: Shane Torno, “Evidences”
Adult 2: Joey Vaughan, “Mark’s Gospel”
Adult 1: David Smitherman, “Hebrews”
Adult 2: Rob Perkins, “Ezra, Nehemiah and Esther”
Sunday Night
Auditorium only: Jeff Carr. Islam and related topics.
Wednesday Night
Adult 1: Shane Torno, “Evidences”
Adult 2: Joey Vaughan, “Mark’s Gospel”
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Being a Priest
Ezra 9
In this segment, Ezra and the returned exiles have been in Jerusalem for about eight months. He is informed that the previous exiles (including some of the priests and princes) had married women who they had been forbidden to marry… women from idolatrous nations. The people had been warned way back in Exodus 34 that inter marrying with native peoples would lead the Israelites to commit the sin of idolatry. That’s what got them in trouble in the first place and caused God to decimate their nation and send a small remnant into Babylonian captivity. Now after returning from captivity they are repeating the same mistake all over again.
Ezra is very disturbed by this… he plucks hair off his head and his beard and tears his clothes. People gather around him and he words a prayer to God that contains many interesting elements. One of the most interesting to me is this, “O my God, I am ashamed and embarrassed to lift my face to thee, my God, for our iniquities have risen above our heads, and our guilt has grown even to the heavens.”
Even though Ezra is not guilty of this sin and was not even around when it occurred he takes responsibility for it. I’m convinced that he did so because he was a scribe and a priest and it was the responsibility of scribes and priests to teach the people about God and hold them accountable to God’s “statutes and ordinances” (7:10). Ultimately, if the people violated God’s “statutes and ordinances” the scribes were at least partially responsible. So even if Ezra, as a scribe and a priest, had not been around when these marriages were being engaged in, he takes responsibility because he is part of the scribe/priest-hood.
There are similarities with God’s people today. As Christians we are living in a country that that promotes sin. Just like the Israelites living in Canaan surrounded by idolatrous pagan peoples, we could be influenced to sin. In the church we don’t have a sheriff and deputies who police our members. The people have a mutual obligation to “police” each other. We are responsible to each other to help each other grow. Our tools are encouragement (to live better), edification (to build up) and admonishment (to identify sin). We are after all a congregation of priests (Rev. 1:6) and as such have the responsibilities of a priest to each other.
Ezra took personal responsibility for the sins of others. If someone in the congregation is living in sin we too must take personal responsibility for it. After all we are priests just like Ezra.
Ezra 7:10
For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the Lord, and to practice it and to teach his statutes and ordinances to Israel.
In this segment, Ezra and the returned exiles have been in Jerusalem for about eight months. He is informed that the previous exiles (including some of the priests and princes) had married women who they had been forbidden to marry… women from idolatrous nations. The people had been warned way back in Exodus 34 that inter marrying with native peoples would lead the Israelites to commit the sin of idolatry. That’s what got them in trouble in the first place and caused God to decimate their nation and send a small remnant into Babylonian captivity. Now after returning from captivity they are repeating the same mistake all over again.
Ezra is very disturbed by this… he plucks hair off his head and his beard and tears his clothes. People gather around him and he words a prayer to God that contains many interesting elements. One of the most interesting to me is this, “O my God, I am ashamed and embarrassed to lift my face to thee, my God, for our iniquities have risen above our heads, and our guilt has grown even to the heavens.”
Even though Ezra is not guilty of this sin and was not even around when it occurred he takes responsibility for it. I’m convinced that he did so because he was a scribe and a priest and it was the responsibility of scribes and priests to teach the people about God and hold them accountable to God’s “statutes and ordinances” (7:10). Ultimately, if the people violated God’s “statutes and ordinances” the scribes were at least partially responsible. So even if Ezra, as a scribe and a priest, had not been around when these marriages were being engaged in, he takes responsibility because he is part of the scribe/priest-hood.
There are similarities with God’s people today. As Christians we are living in a country that that promotes sin. Just like the Israelites living in Canaan surrounded by idolatrous pagan peoples, we could be influenced to sin. In the church we don’t have a sheriff and deputies who police our members. The people have a mutual obligation to “police” each other. We are responsible to each other to help each other grow. Our tools are encouragement (to live better), edification (to build up) and admonishment (to identify sin). We are after all a congregation of priests (Rev. 1:6) and as such have the responsibilities of a priest to each other.
Ezra took personal responsibility for the sins of others. If someone in the congregation is living in sin we too must take personal responsibility for it. After all we are priests just like Ezra.
Ezra 7:10
For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the Lord, and to practice it and to teach his statutes and ordinances to Israel.
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Church News
Raul Christie is back from the Virgin Islands.
Joe Shaw and son Joseph were back in attendance today.
Julian Davila has moved back from San Antonio and will be attending school here.
Virginia Lawler was back at services today after being sick.
Kathy's dad, Travis Keese, is awaiting bone marrow test results.
Sharon Cagle has been out of town for several months and has come back early so her mom, Dot Miller, can be evaluated for a knee replacement procedure.
Next Sunday is Megan, Laura, and Nathan's last Sunday to be with us before they go to Texas A&M (College Station). Whoop!
Joe Shaw and son Joseph were back in attendance today.
Julian Davila has moved back from San Antonio and will be attending school here.
Virginia Lawler was back at services today after being sick.
Kathy's dad, Travis Keese, is awaiting bone marrow test results.
Sharon Cagle has been out of town for several months and has come back early so her mom, Dot Miller, can be evaluated for a knee replacement procedure.
Next Sunday is Megan, Laura, and Nathan's last Sunday to be with us before they go to Texas A&M (College Station). Whoop!
Brandon
This is my "little brother" Brandon who has been attending. He has been helping me and Walker build our new chicken house.
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