Hello everyone,
I didn't want to believe my eyes. It's been nearly a year since I've blogged anything.
I've made a few "thinking out loud" notes on my face book page but, nothing more. Too much time has past and too many things have happened to try to play catch up. So, we start from where we are. Today will end a week long consecration of minstrels and psalmist. This has been both refreshing and enlightening. Embracing the truth! This study did what a good study does to me. It made me go beyond what was presented to get more for my self. A former pastor of mine would say It satisfied the needy and left plenty in the pantry waiting to be prepared for the for the greedy. I've not had a problem preparing a meal for my self since I was 7 yrs old and oatmeal was my specialty. O taste and see that the word is Mmmmm Good! Nearly every sentence Minister Mingo wrote set off new leaves on the branch in my head. I had to make my self go to the gym in order to move.
Today I'm just letting you know that I will be working on my book."Mission Possible, from Victim to Victor". This has been a work in progress for longer than my embarrassment will allow me to say. I hope to finish it this year and work on getting it published. I will share more insights on my blog and make mention of them on my face book pages.
Be blessed and know you are loved.
Sunday, September 15, 2013
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Seek ye first the kingdom of God...
The kingdom, the kingdom. What's with the kingdom. Ever notice how most fairy tales mention a kingdom? even if the story is about some member of the royal family it will mention the disposition of the king of the land." He was a generous and beloved king" or He was an evile king." As a child I loved fairy tales and now as a grandmother I fine I still like them.
It seems that in each story the happiness and prosperity of the people was a direct reflection of the king of the land. If he was a hard person who made life hard for his subjects the people were sad and poor. If he was a charitable man, had good communication with the people and encouraged them they would have a sense of pride. The people were happy to say they were of such and such kingdom.
In the natural kings and kingdoms have been very much the same. The people were happy even during times of war or famen because they had confidence that their good king would prevaile. They trusted him. They knew he was not living a life of eaze as their sons went of to war and their children went hungry. The lands belonged to the king. The Kings word was law. The king employed the doctors, the lawyers and the military. The King kept the people informed and was responsible to say how educated his subjects were. Guest that is why the people of France looked to the young king Louis and his queen marie to give them food duing the French revolution. Her famous words "let them eat cake" helped her to lose her head. An ineffective king with a spendthrift wife. Kings were suppose to be responsible for the people. Like a father with his children. Care, disaplne provision and protection. Most of the kings and kingdoms read about in our histroy books were considered greedy tyrants who used economic slavery to control the people. This was common of the kings and lords of the day. Only concerned with the welfare of them selves and their families and the keeping of their wealth.
Wars. usually fought over land and or the riches found on the land. It doesn't appear that the Roman form of goverment and expantion was ever again used as successfully as the Roman way.
living in 21 centry USA, I've only visited countries under the rule of a king. Few kings today have the power and authority of the kings of yesteryears.
What I've read in the scriptures tell me that God never intented that the Hebrews have an eartly king. He wanted to be their king. He never wanted them to be come a relegion nor did he desire that we would be come a relegion. No. we were alway to be earthly representives of his heavenly kingdom. All people we to be blessed through Abraham. But the people made themselves the object of the blessing instead of the conduit. Now that is a different lesson. Relationship VS Religion.
The criteria for king was given in advance because God knew that the people would forget how good they had it and want to have a human king like the surrounding peoples. So they were given a list of criterion to check off when selecting him. They were even told what they could expect one the king was in place. Taxes, drafted in to the army, your lands taken at the will of the king and your daughters and sons taken for servants. Still they wanted an earthly king to complain to and about. you can read the check off list in Deuteronomy 17:14-20.
Now all of this is to say that Jesus use parables to speak to the people. It was not meant to confuse
them, They lived in a kingdom which from a certain view looked like the kingdom that had always been. Yet, though it looked as if the kingdom was still intact, they had their religion, their celebrations and their occupations, it was yearly more and more Roman. The Romans could not understand a people with one god. They were unaccustomed to multi-gods and a king. Nor did the people seem to realize that their god was to be their king. Of course the Romans didn't care about the gods of the Hebrews. They could have as many or as few as desired but their king was to be Ceaser.
Next we will take a look at the teaching of Jesus. What did he say and how does it bring light on the kingdom of heaven.
It seems that in each story the happiness and prosperity of the people was a direct reflection of the king of the land. If he was a hard person who made life hard for his subjects the people were sad and poor. If he was a charitable man, had good communication with the people and encouraged them they would have a sense of pride. The people were happy to say they were of such and such kingdom.
In the natural kings and kingdoms have been very much the same. The people were happy even during times of war or famen because they had confidence that their good king would prevaile. They trusted him. They knew he was not living a life of eaze as their sons went of to war and their children went hungry. The lands belonged to the king. The Kings word was law. The king employed the doctors, the lawyers and the military. The King kept the people informed and was responsible to say how educated his subjects were. Guest that is why the people of France looked to the young king Louis and his queen marie to give them food duing the French revolution. Her famous words "let them eat cake" helped her to lose her head. An ineffective king with a spendthrift wife. Kings were suppose to be responsible for the people. Like a father with his children. Care, disaplne provision and protection. Most of the kings and kingdoms read about in our histroy books were considered greedy tyrants who used economic slavery to control the people. This was common of the kings and lords of the day. Only concerned with the welfare of them selves and their families and the keeping of their wealth.
Wars. usually fought over land and or the riches found on the land. It doesn't appear that the Roman form of goverment and expantion was ever again used as successfully as the Roman way.
living in 21 centry USA, I've only visited countries under the rule of a king. Few kings today have the power and authority of the kings of yesteryears.
What I've read in the scriptures tell me that God never intented that the Hebrews have an eartly king. He wanted to be their king. He never wanted them to be come a relegion nor did he desire that we would be come a relegion. No. we were alway to be earthly representives of his heavenly kingdom. All people we to be blessed through Abraham. But the people made themselves the object of the blessing instead of the conduit. Now that is a different lesson. Relationship VS Religion.
The criteria for king was given in advance because God knew that the people would forget how good they had it and want to have a human king like the surrounding peoples. So they were given a list of criterion to check off when selecting him. They were even told what they could expect one the king was in place. Taxes, drafted in to the army, your lands taken at the will of the king and your daughters and sons taken for servants. Still they wanted an earthly king to complain to and about. you can read the check off list in Deuteronomy 17:14-20.
Now all of this is to say that Jesus use parables to speak to the people. It was not meant to confuse
them, They lived in a kingdom which from a certain view looked like the kingdom that had always been. Yet, though it looked as if the kingdom was still intact, they had their religion, their celebrations and their occupations, it was yearly more and more Roman. The Romans could not understand a people with one god. They were unaccustomed to multi-gods and a king. Nor did the people seem to realize that their god was to be their king. Of course the Romans didn't care about the gods of the Hebrews. They could have as many or as few as desired but their king was to be Ceaser.
Next we will take a look at the teaching of Jesus. What did he say and how does it bring light on the kingdom of heaven.
A warning to teachers
Honor the Lord with your heart. Worship him with out consite, pride or emptiness.
Teach the doctrins of God, his requirements, his instructions. Forget the empty rituals men have devised. Reject the traditions of men. You have made excuses for your behavior, your lack of honorable behavior toward my people, by hiding behind church work. You dilute the instructions of God to strengthen your traditions and positions. Just as the Scribes and Pharisees of that day so are you. For with your lips you honor me but, your heart is for from me.
Teach the doctrins of God, his requirements, his instructions. Forget the empty rituals men have devised. Reject the traditions of men. You have made excuses for your behavior, your lack of honorable behavior toward my people, by hiding behind church work. You dilute the instructions of God to strengthen your traditions and positions. Just as the Scribes and Pharisees of that day so are you. For with your lips you honor me but, your heart is for from me.
Warning
To teachers of the word. Honor the Lord with your heart. Worship him without conceit, pride or emptiness. Teach the doctrines of God, his requirements, his instructions. Forget the empty rituals men have devised. Reject the traditions of men. You have made excuses for your behavior, your lack of honorable behavior toward my people even in your own homes, by hiding behind "church work". Just as the Scribes and pharisees of that day so you are. Let him who has ears to hear, hear.
Sunday, August 7, 2011
Seek ye First The Kingdom...History
The gospels of Matthew chapter 4:17 say that from the time Jesus began to preach he said "repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand". Verse 23 states "Now Jesus went about all Galilee teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people."
To be clear the scriptures tell us that those who come to him must believe that he is and he is a reward- er of them who diligently seek him. So being me I started with historical Jesus. Now a rabbi friend of mine once told me that their are historical writings about this Young man who caused a great stir among the people during the years just before the common era. It supposedly states how it was plotted to have him arrested and killed for treason against Ceaser. This type of uprising was common among the people and their was even suppose to be another of the same name who made claim to being the sent one, The Christ.
I found that my looking up the ruler's names mentioned that I could get a better understanding of the times, cultures and people that lived when Jesus did. The book of John does an excellent job of presenting intellectual material in which to base ones conviction concerning the man Jesus. In fact he states he wrote "that ye may believe that Jesus is the son of God and that believing you may have life." KJV In each of the gospels I fine the presentation of Jesus to be given in such a way as to provide evidence of his position as the Christ. I would find it hard to understand that the persons written to would believe what they read if there had not been a base for plausibility in the presented words and deeds of the man. They had to believe that what had been presented as their history was indeed true. That what could be called miracles had been seen before and could be seen again.
To believe in my opinion requires both knowledge and volition. ( the power to choose or determine)
Just in Matthew, and we will be mostly in Matthew, we can find at least seven references to Jesus offering himself as I AM. I am the bread of life, I am the light of the world, I am the door, I am the good shepherd, I am the resurrection and the life, I am the true vine, I am the way the truth and the life. This was to establish in the minds of those he spoke to that he had the power and the right to do and say what he did and said.
Now, Jesus said a lot about the kingdom. What the kingdom is like, what those who entered the kingdom were like, what they'd have once they entered the kingdom, and where the kingdom is.
But he disclosed this information using parables. The word parable does not indicate an intention to make the information hard to understand or a mystery. Instead it was designed to give an example or comparison as the kingdom of heaven is like or as ...using examples that the people were familiar with.
So you see how my simple request for answers concerning the kingdom of heaven/God became a long blog.
The people of Jesus' time were wanting and expecting a deliver to stand up to Rome. Military leader such as David had been. They were ready to fight for their release from these gentiles. Many of them were as many are today. They had heard scriptures, they went through the motions of gathering them selves and some interpreted the scriptures in ways that could seemingly justify their behaviors. But because they did not have knowledge (an intimate relationship) of the scriptures they missed some key points that would have caused then to identify Jesus for who he was and understand the parables as the revelations they were meant to be. However, one needed to have heard in order to hear.
Jesus spoke with his disciples concerning the type death he would die. They didn't get it. They'd forgotten that this had been written of the Christ by the prophets. They did not realize that the Christ could not have been born sooner nor could come to die at a later time. Why not? Glad you asked.
The usual way was to conquer a people, take away their daughters their smartest young men and their young men who were old enough and strong enough to work at hard labor but young enough to change their way of thinking to accept the master's culture and treatment of them as right, just and good for them. They were to become slaves, compelled to work and with out a choice. Later in history slaves were servants. They could be given their own homes and a piece of land. They could even make a profit and buy them selves and their families out of bondage. Now, the Romans had a better idea. Leave the people on their land, leave alone their gods, let them have their names and their languages. Set up their religious leaders in high places, give them a little power under the rulers assigned to the land. Give these leaders a perception of wealth above the rest of the people.( along with the threat of keeping the people under control or facing criminal punishment and the loss of all wealth for all of your kind) Let the people continue their chosen occupations then tax um ta death. For those who rebel against the gracious generosity of Rome they set up one of the most cruel public displays of punishment known to man. Crucifixion.
There is a reason you say for Jesus being born, living and dieing under these conditions? Yes.
One is that Rome was the first and only kingdom to annex other countries and peoples to themselves. They added every place they conquered to "the kingdom of Rome".
Then they set up their government to dictate the laws of the land concerning commerce and finance.
they slowly injected their moral attitudes as not to get the older people overly stirred up so that they would be complacent concerning them. The younger one would as they reached the age of self direction would embrace the new morals after having been exposed from a young age. ( sound like today) But the real kicker is The way they punished those considered criminals.
The natural leaders of the people had a right to punish to a point for having sinned but to put someone to death was left up to the HRIC. (head Roman In Charge).
No other government hanged anyone on cross bars of wood. There was not a different word for tree and wood in Hebrew at that time. The person so sentenced was not hanged by the neck using a rope. remember that method was used during Ester's time. The rulers before that tossed you into fire or fed you to lions. beheading and stoning were popular in the region. As Egyptian slaves being beaten to death was the entertaining method of their rulers. Again none of which was carried out on Hebrew soil. Nails had to pierce his hands and feet.(not different word for wrist and ankle) Some one who had no respect for the Jewish scripture would even consider this form of death. It was an insult to injury. " Cursed is any man that hangs upon a tree". You might risk your physical life as a Jew but to be cursed of God". Nooooo! Had the Romans beaten him to death then it would have disqualified Jesus as being who he said he was, because he had to fulfill all of the prophesy. Not just die and come back. You do remember that their were other who had died and came back even during the time of the prophets.
OK, history and reasoning lesson over. We will next look at the gospels and get some understanding.
Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness...
Monday, July 25, 2011
Seek ye first the Kingdom.....preface
As I stated in the introduction, in answer to my concern for my financial situation I received this instruction to put first things first and use what I've got. Did I say that I hadn't thought of my most valuable asset. My faith.
The speech I learned as a child was about how God brought the Hebrew children out of a place of bondage. a place where they were obligated to serve against their will. This is what debt feels like to me. Bondage. Moses had spent 40 years in his father in law's camp, learning and growing in faith. He saw his Father in law practice his faith as king, priest and prophet of his family and servants. He gained experiences as he encountered God for himself. Then after obeying God to go back to Egypt and get his people, he found himself standing in front of a large body of water. This was a naturally impassable place to be in. The story begins to end by saying " when Moses got to that red sea, he gave up on the spot. but the Lord said to Moses, what's that in your hand, use what you've got" the rest of the story is that he swept his walking stick over the water, the sea parted and they walked across on dry land. the Egyptians tried to do the same and were drowned.
Now, what does this have to do with me and my situation? The other part of the instructions. Seek ye first the kingdom of God and all these things shall be added unto you". It was the word FIRST that caught my attention. Had I not placed God first? Was I trying to do it by my self, thinking up stuff then asking God to bless it? Was I out of proper order? Oh, I had a method to my madness but was not in the right order. First things were not first.
It's funny that as I tried to reorganize my life I was actually becoming more frustrated. I'm just coming back to my self after a few years of being in a coma with my eyes open. See I practiced nursing for over thirty years. I was better at it then some, not all, some of my former managers would care to admit.
One day after having done all the leg work to begin. I was financially able, and ready to get a building to open my first assisted living facility for seniors. I had two more patients to see before my appointment with the realtor. I never made it. A couple of poor decisions on the part of teenage girls, and disobedience on my part ended with our colliding. Now, one has to live with the consequences of her actions, one is dead and I am still recovering from both physical and emotional injuries.
As a psychiatric nurse I've encouraged my patients suffering with depression to journal. Something I've seldom done my self. I usually study and write what I discover. I love to learn and see how I can use it. When I began to do service I found that what I studied was not just for me but that there were many who needed this information I was hording. I encouraged getting some new experiences. Decided to take my own advise and do it. Not that I could say I felt like it or wanted to do anything. At least in public I was and still am less likely to cry for no apparent reason.
Now in case you think I've gone off the subject. Let me assure you I have not. This is just history of how I got here. As you may can tell even as I write I'm not fully recovered. I still hurt, I still fight depression and to add to all of that. I'm out of money. Yes, nosey I got a small settlement form my insurance company and that's a story that would make you depressed too. I spent it on daily living needs and the many hospitals, surgery centers, labs, x-ray centers, physical therapist and doctors I have been seeing over the last few years. Now that your curiosity has been dealt with. can I get on with my blog? Thank you.
Coming in to summer I'd made plans to attend an MMI (millionaire mind intensive, it is not a religious event). I'd been to a few before. I found that I received a different thought and a new curiosity about money, my relationship with it and the management of it after attending the first one. I thought that if I could go and take someone with me who could receive it I could get back to where I was just before the accident when life was looking rather good. I was looking for what I could put my hands to do so that God would have something to bless. Well, because of my makeup, I got home excited and began to go to my scripture to make sure that I was in line with the word. And. Yes, it happened again. My pastors instructions were to have the people do a 1-90. Place God first by increasing our study time. doing self evaluation to see where God is in our lives. We are to recommit to seeking the kingdom of God first and his righteousness for 90 days. there is a call " can He count on me? Yes he can!" There is so much to it that I'll just have to refer you to check our church out on line for your self to get the audios. Heritage Christian Center Jacksonville, Florida.
I soon found my self reading my bibles starting in the gospels. I don't know how to just read. I have to ask questions. That is how I ended up here. So, questions. what is the kingdom of God, Where is it, how to I seek it, how will I recognize it, what does it take to become a citizen? How do I seek righteousness, What does it look like, how do I know if I have it, what can I do with it? And, the question that only a few would ask out loud. What is the benefit to me for doing all this seeking once I find them?
I read the gospels then was about to read Acts when I was instructed to go back to Matthew. There I would ask those questions. What was Jesus saying? Did he answer my questions already in his parables? The answer is, yes. So for anyone who may actually decide to follow this blog you are going to be blown away at what you will discover in this study to Seek Ye First The Kingdom.
The speech I learned as a child was about how God brought the Hebrew children out of a place of bondage. a place where they were obligated to serve against their will. This is what debt feels like to me. Bondage. Moses had spent 40 years in his father in law's camp, learning and growing in faith. He saw his Father in law practice his faith as king, priest and prophet of his family and servants. He gained experiences as he encountered God for himself. Then after obeying God to go back to Egypt and get his people, he found himself standing in front of a large body of water. This was a naturally impassable place to be in. The story begins to end by saying " when Moses got to that red sea, he gave up on the spot. but the Lord said to Moses, what's that in your hand, use what you've got" the rest of the story is that he swept his walking stick over the water, the sea parted and they walked across on dry land. the Egyptians tried to do the same and were drowned.
Now, what does this have to do with me and my situation? The other part of the instructions. Seek ye first the kingdom of God and all these things shall be added unto you". It was the word FIRST that caught my attention. Had I not placed God first? Was I trying to do it by my self, thinking up stuff then asking God to bless it? Was I out of proper order? Oh, I had a method to my madness but was not in the right order. First things were not first.
It's funny that as I tried to reorganize my life I was actually becoming more frustrated. I'm just coming back to my self after a few years of being in a coma with my eyes open. See I practiced nursing for over thirty years. I was better at it then some, not all, some of my former managers would care to admit.
One day after having done all the leg work to begin. I was financially able, and ready to get a building to open my first assisted living facility for seniors. I had two more patients to see before my appointment with the realtor. I never made it. A couple of poor decisions on the part of teenage girls, and disobedience on my part ended with our colliding. Now, one has to live with the consequences of her actions, one is dead and I am still recovering from both physical and emotional injuries.
As a psychiatric nurse I've encouraged my patients suffering with depression to journal. Something I've seldom done my self. I usually study and write what I discover. I love to learn and see how I can use it. When I began to do service I found that what I studied was not just for me but that there were many who needed this information I was hording. I encouraged getting some new experiences. Decided to take my own advise and do it. Not that I could say I felt like it or wanted to do anything. At least in public I was and still am less likely to cry for no apparent reason.
Now in case you think I've gone off the subject. Let me assure you I have not. This is just history of how I got here. As you may can tell even as I write I'm not fully recovered. I still hurt, I still fight depression and to add to all of that. I'm out of money. Yes, nosey I got a small settlement form my insurance company and that's a story that would make you depressed too. I spent it on daily living needs and the many hospitals, surgery centers, labs, x-ray centers, physical therapist and doctors I have been seeing over the last few years. Now that your curiosity has been dealt with. can I get on with my blog? Thank you.
Coming in to summer I'd made plans to attend an MMI (millionaire mind intensive, it is not a religious event). I'd been to a few before. I found that I received a different thought and a new curiosity about money, my relationship with it and the management of it after attending the first one. I thought that if I could go and take someone with me who could receive it I could get back to where I was just before the accident when life was looking rather good. I was looking for what I could put my hands to do so that God would have something to bless. Well, because of my makeup, I got home excited and began to go to my scripture to make sure that I was in line with the word. And. Yes, it happened again. My pastors instructions were to have the people do a 1-90. Place God first by increasing our study time. doing self evaluation to see where God is in our lives. We are to recommit to seeking the kingdom of God first and his righteousness for 90 days. there is a call " can He count on me? Yes he can!" There is so much to it that I'll just have to refer you to check our church out on line for your self to get the audios. Heritage Christian Center Jacksonville, Florida.
I soon found my self reading my bibles starting in the gospels. I don't know how to just read. I have to ask questions. That is how I ended up here. So, questions. what is the kingdom of God, Where is it, how to I seek it, how will I recognize it, what does it take to become a citizen? How do I seek righteousness, What does it look like, how do I know if I have it, what can I do with it? And, the question that only a few would ask out loud. What is the benefit to me for doing all this seeking once I find them?
I read the gospels then was about to read Acts when I was instructed to go back to Matthew. There I would ask those questions. What was Jesus saying? Did he answer my questions already in his parables? The answer is, yes. So for anyone who may actually decide to follow this blog you are going to be blown away at what you will discover in this study to Seek Ye First The Kingdom.
Seek Ye first the kingdom... Vocabulary lI
Debt: sin,trespass;something owed, obligation (unable to pay off his debt); a state of owing; the common law action for the action for the recovery of money held to be due. liability, obligation, score
Mosaic law encourages lending but forbade the exaction of interest exception from foreigners. Usury was strongly condemned. On sabbatical year all pecuniary obligations were cancelled. These regulations prevented the accumulation of debt.
Trespass:a moral or social violation of ethics unwarranted infringement, an unlawful act committed on real property a person or anothers rights. Offence, error, breach, lawbreaking.
Pecuniary: Consisting of a measure of money; more at fee. syn: dollars and cents, fiscal, pocket, monetary, financial.
Fee, a fixed charge, a sum paid or charged for a service, a legal possession
Judge: to form an opinion about through careful weighing of evidence and testing of premises; to try; to determine or pronounced after inquiring and deliberation. Govern; Rule. to form an estimate of value esp to form a negative opinion about.; to hold an opinion, guess, think as in (I judge she knew what she was doing) I think, I guess; Syn; arbitrate, decide, determine, referee, rule on, settle, umpire.
Judge: used of Hebrew tribal leaders: to govern, to exercise continuous sovereign authority over, esp to control and direct the making and administration of policy in; to rule with out sovereign power and usually with out having authority, to determine basic policy (Archaic) -manipulate, to control direct or strongly influence the actions and conduct of. to hold in check, restrain, to require. to have decisive influences or control to exercise authority. Syn. Boss, captain, command, control, preside over, rule (archaic- sway)
Mosaic law encourages lending but forbade the exaction of interest exception from foreigners. Usury was strongly condemned. On sabbatical year all pecuniary obligations were cancelled. These regulations prevented the accumulation of debt.
Trespass:a moral or social violation of ethics unwarranted infringement, an unlawful act committed on real property a person or anothers rights. Offence, error, breach, lawbreaking.
Pecuniary: Consisting of a measure of money; more at fee. syn: dollars and cents, fiscal, pocket, monetary, financial.
Fee, a fixed charge, a sum paid or charged for a service, a legal possession
Judge: to form an opinion about through careful weighing of evidence and testing of premises; to try; to determine or pronounced after inquiring and deliberation. Govern; Rule. to form an estimate of value esp to form a negative opinion about.; to hold an opinion, guess, think as in (I judge she knew what she was doing) I think, I guess; Syn; arbitrate, decide, determine, referee, rule on, settle, umpire.
Judge: used of Hebrew tribal leaders: to govern, to exercise continuous sovereign authority over, esp to control and direct the making and administration of policy in; to rule with out sovereign power and usually with out having authority, to determine basic policy (Archaic) -manipulate, to control direct or strongly influence the actions and conduct of. to hold in check, restrain, to require. to have decisive influences or control to exercise authority. Syn. Boss, captain, command, control, preside over, rule (archaic- sway)
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