Tag Archives: Jesus Christ

DEFINITON OF THE DAY (JOY PT2)

As Jesus’ death approached, He told His followers that soon they would be like a woman in labor, whose sorrow would be turned into joy (John 16:20-22). Later they understood when the dark sorrow of the cross gave way to the joy of the resurrection (Luke 24:41). Viewed from this perspective, eventually they came to see that the cross itself was necessary for the joy to become real (Heb 12:2). Because of His victory and the promise of His abiding presence, the disciples could rejoice even after the Lord’s ascension (Luke 24:52).

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EVERYDAY LIFE IN BIBLE TIMES (PHARISEE PT1)

The Pharisees became a recognizable group on the landscape of Jewish culture in the second century BC, making their presence felt throughout the New Testament era. The Pharisees were a highly identifiable group during the time of Jesus given their distinguished leaders, distinctive habits of living, and regular meeting. A person became a Pharisee not by family heritage as did the clergy of Israel or by being born into a wealthy, aristocratic family like the Sadducees but by pledging to lead a pure life that conformed to the many rules of the

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DEFINITION OF THE DAY (JOY PT1)

State of delight and well-being that results from knowing and serving God. A number of Greek and Hebrew words are used to convey the ideas of joy and rejoicing. We have the same situation in English with such nearly synonymous words as joy, happiness, pleasure, delight, gladness, merriment, felicity, and enjoyment. The words “joy” and “rejoice” are the words used most often to translate the Hebrew and Greek words into English. Joy is found over 150 times in the Bible. If such words as “joyous” and “Joyful” are included, the number comes to over 200. The verb “rejoice” appears well over 200 times.

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SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY (PROVERBS 1:1-33)

 1.The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel;

To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding;

To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity;

To give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion.

A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:

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DEFINITION OF THE DAY (SPIRITS IN PRISON)

In 1 Pet 3:19 the text says Christ “went and made a proclamation to the spirits in prison” (HCSB). Peter further says that they “in the past were disobedient, when God patiently waited in the days of Noah.” Several interpretations have been offered concerning these curious words.

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EVERYDAY LIFE IN BIBLE TIMES (WASHING CLOTHES PT2)

(Exod 19:10, 14). The law they received from the Lord gave very specific instances when the Israelites were to wash their clothing as part of purification riturals-from touching the carcass of a clean animal that had died to touching something a person had touched who was having a natural discharge (Lev 11:25, 28, 40; 13:6, 34, 54-58; 14:8-9, 47; 15:5-6, 8, 10-11, 21-22; 17:15-16). The clergy and their assistants were to wash their clothing in connection with specific duties they performed (Lev 6:27; 16;26,28; Num 8:7, 21; 19:7-8, 10, 19,21). Again, because the washing of one’s clothing was done less frequently, the direction to do so was more arresting for those living in that era.

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CAN YOU GET ANYTHING YOU WANT IF YOU HAVE FAITH?

God is not a supernatural vending machine. Jesus did not mean we can fulfill our selfish desires if we simply believe they will happen. There are some leaders and churches that teach that health and wealth are available to all Christians who have faith. That dangerous teaching not only puts the focus on the temporal comforts of life but also leads a believer to think that any shortage of health or wealth is the result of unbelief. That is not what Jesus taught.

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DEFINITION OF THE DAY (HOLY SPIRIT AS A PERSON)

The popular notion of “personhood” is based on the idea of individuality and of the possibility of conscious tow-way communication with another embodied person. One does not relate to the Spirit in quite the same way as one does to a human, but the Spirit is a person, nonetheless. The Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness to engage the Devil in spiritual conflict (Luke 4:1-13). It is the Holy Spirit who effects new birth (John 3:1-16). In John 14:16 Jesus told His disciples that He was going to send them “another Counselor,” referring to the Spirit. There are two Greek words for “another,” one meaning another of the same kind (allos) and the other

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WHO’S WHO AND WHERE’S WHERE IN THE BIBLE (PETER’S DEATH)

The Bible doesn’t say exactly how or when Peter died. But it hints. How. Jesus told Peter, ” ‘When you are old, you will stretch out your hands. .’ . . .Jesus said this to let him know what kind of death he would die to glorify God” (John 21:18-19).

When. First Peter places the apostle in Rome. Several Christian writers from early centuries say he died there-crucified.

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