Today is Wednesday. On a Wednesday nearly two thousand years ago, the disciples of Jesus were preparing for Passover, not knowing that Jesus, "Lamb of God," was about to become the true Passover Lamb.
Twenty-some years ago, someone rocked my preconceptions about Good Friday, asserting that Jesus actually died on Thursday. Today is your turn to be challenged. (If you wish to bypass the relevant details of the Jewish calendar, skip down to the red letters.)
" 'The Feast of Unleavened Bread begins on the fifteenth day of the same month. You will eat bread made without yeast for seven days. On the first day of this feast you will have a holy meeting, and you must not do any work. For seven days you will bring an offering made by fire to the Lord. There will be a holy meeting on the seventh day, and on that day you must not do any regular work.' "
~ Leviticus 23:6-8 (NCV)
Although our society changes the calendar date at midnight, the Jewish day begins a few hours earlier at sundown. Our month is aligned with the sun, according to the Gregorian calendar. The Jewish month is aligned with the moon, beginning on the day when the new moon is visible at dusk. (A lunar month is 29.6 days long, so the Jewish calendar month is either 29 or 30 days long, and a "leap month" is added when necessary.) The first month of the year, Abib (Exodus 12:2 & 13:4; also called Nisan, Esther 3:7), began with the first new moon of spring. Important to note is that the New Moon is among numerous biblical feast days celebrated as a Sabbath, in addition to the regular Sabbath on the seventh day of the week.
During the week of Jesus' last days, the tenth of the Abib was on a Sunday, when each Passover Lamb was selected and brought to the household, in accordance with Exodus 12:3-5. (Sunday was also the day when Jesus was brought to Jerusalem.)
The fourteenth of the month—Passover—was on a Thursday, which began at dusk at the end of the day on Wednesday. The fifteenth of the month was the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Leviticus 23:6, above), which occurred on a Friday and was an additional Sabbath. Saturday was also the regular Sabbath. As commonly occurred, that Passover included back-to-back Sabbaths, so no work could be done for two days straight.
Why does any of this matter?
But He answered and said to them, "An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth."
~ Matthew 12:39-40 (NKJV)
Our traditions observe the Last Supper at the end of the day on Thursday and our Lord's crucifixion on (Good) Friday. But all four Gospels attest that the resurrection occurred on the first day of the week, Sunday. No matter how you count the days and nights, Jesus could only fulfill His own prophecy by being killed on Thursday—His tomb undisturbed for three nights (not two) because of a "double" Sabbath.
Thus Wednesday was the day of Jesus and His disciples preparing for Passover, and Scripture describes only that activity on this day.
When this was first explained to me, I resisted the notion that Good Friday could be any other day of the week. It seemed blasphemy. Christian tradition held me tight. Then Jesus—the Word of God—started challenging just about every area of my life, including things held dear. And I learned to let God's Word and Spirit trump my preconceptions.
One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind. He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it. He who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks; and he who does not eat, to the Lord he does not eat, and gives God thanks.
~ Romans 14:5-6 (NKJV)
I still observe Jesus' death on Good Friday with fellow Christians. I love celebrating a Maundy Thursday meal when I get the opportunity. I believe with all my heart that Jesus Christ was resurrected from the dead. The day is honestly no big deal. What's important to me is the life of my Lord Jesus, not the day of the week.
More important yet is that I have hope because I have faith in Jesus. Because there is no hope at all in this world apart from believing that Jesus means what He says, and trusting Him to fulfill His every Word.
Comments are welcome (including respectful disagreement) and will receive a reply.
You may also contact author via Twitter – @anne4JC
or e-mail – use @gmail.com *after* buildingHisbody
Copyright 2013, Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved. Dependence on God, Hope, Word of God
Showing posts with label Word of God. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Word of God. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Jesus' Last Days V –
Feast of Words
Today is Tuesday. Scripture records more of Jesus' teachings for this single day than any other. Just over five percent of the entire New Testament relates the words of Jesus spoken on the Tuesday before His death.
"Have faith in God. For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them."
~ Mark 11:22-24 (NKJV)
Jesus begins the day with the above exhortation. He goes on to verbally spar with and utterly vanquish various members of Jewish leadership. He rebukes religious hypocrites. He affirms both a scribe who understands the heart of the law—love the Lord and love neighbor (Mark 12:28-34)—as well as the destitute widow who gives more with two mites than any rich man (Luke 21:1-4). He describes in detail for His disciples (and us!) the signs to accompany His second coming. He tells numerous parables.
The day is a feast of words like no other.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.… And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
~ John 1:1,14 (NKJV)
Here is the Word of God in all His glory, wielding truth and displaying grace.
The Word of God made flesh closes His last day of public teaching by describing one of the final events humanity will experience as our era closes. It well sums up the heart of all else Jesus has taught.
"Then the King will say to those on His right hand, 'Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.' Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry … thirsty … a stranger … naked … sick … in prison …?' And the King will answer and say to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.' Then He will also say to those on the left hand, 'Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels … Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.' "
~ Matthew 25:34-41, 45 (NKJV)
Comments are welcome (including respectful disagreement) and will receive a reply.
You may also contact author via Twitter – @anne4JC
or e-mail – use @gmail.com *after* buildingHisbody
Copyright 2013, Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved.
"Have faith in God. For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them."
~ Mark 11:22-24 (NKJV)
Jesus begins the day with the above exhortation. He goes on to verbally spar with and utterly vanquish various members of Jewish leadership. He rebukes religious hypocrites. He affirms both a scribe who understands the heart of the law—love the Lord and love neighbor (Mark 12:28-34)—as well as the destitute widow who gives more with two mites than any rich man (Luke 21:1-4). He describes in detail for His disciples (and us!) the signs to accompany His second coming. He tells numerous parables.
The day is a feast of words like no other.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.… And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
~ John 1:1,14 (NKJV)
Here is the Word of God in all His glory, wielding truth and displaying grace.
The Word of God made flesh closes His last day of public teaching by describing one of the final events humanity will experience as our era closes. It well sums up the heart of all else Jesus has taught.
"Then the King will say to those on His right hand, 'Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.' Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry … thirsty … a stranger … naked … sick … in prison …?' And the King will answer and say to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.' Then He will also say to those on the left hand, 'Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels … Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.' "
~ Matthew 25:34-41, 45 (NKJV)
Comments are welcome (including respectful disagreement) and will receive a reply.
You may also contact author via Twitter – @anne4JC
or e-mail – use @gmail.com *after* buildingHisbody
Copyright 2013, Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved.
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
The Case for Love: Damning Evidence
If we are to prove the case for love—that God's love is first our salvation, and then the answer for every problem—we must overcome the most damning evidence against our case: division.
"He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters."
~ Luke 11:23 (NKJV)
On football field or battlefield, whether shaping an offensive to take the goal or maintaining defense to protect the goal, one soon understands the value of a united team and the danger if adversary isolates individual. "Divide and conquer" is a fundamental weapon of the contest.
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
~ 1 Peter 5:8 (NKJV)
Our adversary has become adept at dividing us. In earliest days of Christianity, Jewish and Greek believers in Jesus worked to overcome differences. A thousand years later, a great schism between Greek and Roman churches was solidified, followed by Protestant breakaway from Rome in another half millennium. Like the web of cracks that forms when the surface of ice or glass is hit, hundreds of denominations separated from one another during the centuries to follow, with factions among even denominations and congregations.
Most certainly, divisions are sometimes necessary (Amos 3:3, 1 Corinthians 11:19), such as during the Reformation era. But far too often, we Christians distance ourselves from the people we most need because we foolishly allow diversity to become division.
What our adversary intends for evil, God can and will use for good. Truth is necessarily affirmed when the righteous boldly suffer in its defense—whether a Christian sheds blood or is simply shunned. Diversity has flourished amid the divisions, creating a rich variety in worship styles and development of spiritual gifts. Ministry can be particularly effective when structured to reach specific people.
When we capitalize on diversity, we become the body of Jesus Christ in the fullest sense:
… by speaking the truth in love, we will grow up completely into the one who is the head, that is, into Christ, in whom the whole body is united and held together by every ligament with which it is supplied. As each individual part does its job, the body's growth is promoted so that it builds itself up in love.
~ Ephesians 4:15-16 (ISV)
The key to seeing growth and being built up (rather than being divided and weakened) lies both in that first line—
… by speaking the truth in love …
—and in the understanding that not every truth of the faith is a fundamental Truth for which the body of Christ must bleed:
And decline stupid and ignorant debates, because you know they breed strife. A servant of the Lord must not quarrel, but must be gracious to everyone, articulate, willing to suffer wrong, in humility educating those who are in opposition …
~ 2 Timothy 2:23-25
As we study and discuss and wrestle with one another over how we will practice the many truths of faith, we can avoid unnecessary divisions when our argument returns to affirmation of fundamental Truth. And if we find no such affirmation, we don't then have cause for division, but discover that we are already divided. Our choice is not whether or not to distance ourselves from one another, but if we will recognize existing distance between separate foundations.
"Everyone who comes to Me, and hears My words and does them, I will show you to whom he is like: He is like a man building a house, who dug and went deep and laid a foundation on the rock."
~ Luke 6:47-48 (EMTV)
A time comes to silence our words, that perchance the Word of God will reach into places we cannot.
For the Word of God is alive and effective, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit … a Discerner of the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.
~ Hebrews 4:12
+ + +
… if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
~ Romans 10:9 (NIV)
If compelled to choose three most important elements of Truth—Truth for which I'm willing to suffer, Truth over which I'm willing to be divided:
• I affirm the absolute authority of God's Word as preserved in Scripture;
• I confess Jesus the Christ as God and living Lord;
• I have salvation through no more and no less than faith (belief, trust) in Christ's death and resurrection.
For me, few truths rise to this level in my aspiration to stand for Truth, to build up Christ's body of believers, and to unite us in proving the case for His love.
"He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters."
~ Luke 11:23 (NKJV)
Comments are welcome (including respectful disagreement) and will receive a reply.
You may also contact author via Twitter – @anne4JC
or e-mail – use @gmail.com *after* buildingHisbody
Copyright 2013, Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved.
"He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters."
~ Luke 11:23 (NKJV)
On football field or battlefield, whether shaping an offensive to take the goal or maintaining defense to protect the goal, one soon understands the value of a united team and the danger if adversary isolates individual. "Divide and conquer" is a fundamental weapon of the contest.
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
~ 1 Peter 5:8 (NKJV)
Our adversary has become adept at dividing us. In earliest days of Christianity, Jewish and Greek believers in Jesus worked to overcome differences. A thousand years later, a great schism between Greek and Roman churches was solidified, followed by Protestant breakaway from Rome in another half millennium. Like the web of cracks that forms when the surface of ice or glass is hit, hundreds of denominations separated from one another during the centuries to follow, with factions among even denominations and congregations.
Most certainly, divisions are sometimes necessary (Amos 3:3, 1 Corinthians 11:19), such as during the Reformation era. But far too often, we Christians distance ourselves from the people we most need because we foolishly allow diversity to become division.
What our adversary intends for evil, God can and will use for good. Truth is necessarily affirmed when the righteous boldly suffer in its defense—whether a Christian sheds blood or is simply shunned. Diversity has flourished amid the divisions, creating a rich variety in worship styles and development of spiritual gifts. Ministry can be particularly effective when structured to reach specific people.
When we capitalize on diversity, we become the body of Jesus Christ in the fullest sense:
… by speaking the truth in love, we will grow up completely into the one who is the head, that is, into Christ, in whom the whole body is united and held together by every ligament with which it is supplied. As each individual part does its job, the body's growth is promoted so that it builds itself up in love.
~ Ephesians 4:15-16 (ISV)
The key to seeing growth and being built up (rather than being divided and weakened) lies both in that first line—
… by speaking the truth in love …
—and in the understanding that not every truth of the faith is a fundamental Truth for which the body of Christ must bleed:
And decline stupid and ignorant debates, because you know they breed strife. A servant of the Lord must not quarrel, but must be gracious to everyone, articulate, willing to suffer wrong, in humility educating those who are in opposition …
~ 2 Timothy 2:23-25
As we study and discuss and wrestle with one another over how we will practice the many truths of faith, we can avoid unnecessary divisions when our argument returns to affirmation of fundamental Truth. And if we find no such affirmation, we don't then have cause for division, but discover that we are already divided. Our choice is not whether or not to distance ourselves from one another, but if we will recognize existing distance between separate foundations.
"Everyone who comes to Me, and hears My words and does them, I will show you to whom he is like: He is like a man building a house, who dug and went deep and laid a foundation on the rock."
~ Luke 6:47-48 (EMTV)
A time comes to silence our words, that perchance the Word of God will reach into places we cannot.
For the Word of God is alive and effective, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit … a Discerner of the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.
~ Hebrews 4:12
+ + +
… if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
~ Romans 10:9 (NIV)
If compelled to choose three most important elements of Truth—Truth for which I'm willing to suffer, Truth over which I'm willing to be divided:
• I affirm the absolute authority of God's Word as preserved in Scripture;
• I confess Jesus the Christ as God and living Lord;
• I have salvation through no more and no less than faith (belief, trust) in Christ's death and resurrection.
For me, few truths rise to this level in my aspiration to stand for Truth, to build up Christ's body of believers, and to unite us in proving the case for His love.
"He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters."
~ Luke 11:23 (NKJV)
Comments are welcome (including respectful disagreement) and will receive a reply.
You may also contact author via Twitter – @anne4JC
or e-mail – use @gmail.com *after* buildingHisbody
Copyright 2013, Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved.
Friday, May 18, 2012
Feeding Wanderlust
Thirty years ago I traveled as often and as far as I could afford. The topper shell on my '82 Toyota pickup provided my roof. The cooler and sleeping bag and were all the kitchen and bedroom I needed. Each year I'd recruit a sibling or cousin to tour the West with me for a couple of weeks and see something new, my wanderlust incurable and never disappointed.
These days, I traverse the globe via the internet. My own humble blog is visited from Australia and Sweden, Indonesia and South Africa, Germany, France and Italy. I intend to one day see such places, and especially Israel.
But I will never get close enough to the land of Jonathan and Peter, Mary of Bethany and Abigail.
My daughter says I was born two or three thousand years too late. She sees clearly that my heart resides in a land and time captured in the pages of Scripture—that I could step into that place without missing a beat.
Full well I know that the Lord lives in no one time, no one land. I comprehend that the Holy Spirit living within me brings me as close to Him as if I watched the Red Sea part, heard Jericho's walls fall, smelled the incense of temple worship, felt the earth shake beneath Calvary.
But like the woman who reached out a finger to grasp the fringe of our Lord's garment, I perceive in my soul that if I could but touch the people and events that stir my heart when I read Scripture, power would flow to me.
"Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one! You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children …
~ Deuteronomy 6:4-7 (NKJV)
Perhaps I think that if I read Scripture long enough, hard enough, I will—like Alice in Wonderland—break through some mysterious barrier and step into its pages, touch its God, and, perchance, form a direct link from Him to my children.
We read the Psalms (sometimes Proverbs) together each night before bed. We study Bible (currently Genesis) for homeschooling. We listen together as the pastor preaches on Sundays. I sometimes blog through a Bible book (recently finished John), and I'm currently doing another, non-chronological, read-through-the-Bible-in-a-year outline (just started Deuteronomy).
My incurable wanderlust always searches to see something new. Anticipation seizes me whether I crack open dog-eared pages or click open one of my computer Bibles. I am never disappointed, except by the distance.
And I pray that in some miraculous way, God will grant to me the privilege of bridging that distance. I pray for you and for me that we might be conveyed across the time and miles into Scripture.
Comments are welcome (including respectful disagreement) and will receive a reply.
You may also contact author via Twitter – @anne4JC
or e-mail – buildingHisbody [plus] @gmail.com
Copyright 2012, Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved.
These days, I traverse the globe via the internet. My own humble blog is visited from Australia and Sweden, Indonesia and South Africa, Germany, France and Italy. I intend to one day see such places, and especially Israel.
But I will never get close enough to the land of Jonathan and Peter, Mary of Bethany and Abigail.
My daughter says I was born two or three thousand years too late. She sees clearly that my heart resides in a land and time captured in the pages of Scripture—that I could step into that place without missing a beat.
Full well I know that the Lord lives in no one time, no one land. I comprehend that the Holy Spirit living within me brings me as close to Him as if I watched the Red Sea part, heard Jericho's walls fall, smelled the incense of temple worship, felt the earth shake beneath Calvary.
But like the woman who reached out a finger to grasp the fringe of our Lord's garment, I perceive in my soul that if I could but touch the people and events that stir my heart when I read Scripture, power would flow to me.
"Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one! You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children …
~ Deuteronomy 6:4-7 (NKJV)
Perhaps I think that if I read Scripture long enough, hard enough, I will—like Alice in Wonderland—break through some mysterious barrier and step into its pages, touch its God, and, perchance, form a direct link from Him to my children.
We read the Psalms (sometimes Proverbs) together each night before bed. We study Bible (currently Genesis) for homeschooling. We listen together as the pastor preaches on Sundays. I sometimes blog through a Bible book (recently finished John), and I'm currently doing another, non-chronological, read-through-the-Bible-in-a-year outline (just started Deuteronomy).
My incurable wanderlust always searches to see something new. Anticipation seizes me whether I crack open dog-eared pages or click open one of my computer Bibles. I am never disappointed, except by the distance.
And I pray that in some miraculous way, God will grant to me the privilege of bridging that distance. I pray for you and for me that we might be conveyed across the time and miles into Scripture.
Comments are welcome (including respectful disagreement) and will receive a reply.
You may also contact author via Twitter – @anne4JC
or e-mail – buildingHisbody [plus] @gmail.com
Copyright 2012, Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved.
Saturday, April 7, 2012
Spiritual Armor: The Word
My friend's testimony goes something like this.
He visited church as a child with a friend. The Sunday School teacher told them that when the devil tempted Jesus, Jesus defeated him with The Word, so when the devil comes after us, we can also defeat him with the power of The Word. My friend ran home and excitedly reported this discovery to his mother, who asked what word should be used. My friend said, with some disappointment, that he didn't know, because the teacher never did say which word it is that defeats the devil.
But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out. And he who has seen has testified … so that you may believe. For these things were done that the Scripture should be fulfilled …
~ John 19:34-36 (NKJV)
Which Scripture is fulfilled by Jesus' birth and ministry, death and resurrection?
The entirety of it.
Which Word defeats the devil?
The entirety of it.
"The reason some of us are not healthy spiritually is because we don't use the Bible as the Word of God, but only as a textbook."
~ Oswald Chambers
I defy any person to read through the Bible in a year and not discover new power in the process, no matter how many times it is done. Scripture is not static, but dynamic. Though recorded with ink and paper, or on hard drives, or in human memory, the Word of God is "living and powerful" (NKJV), "quick and powerful" (KJV), "alive and active" (NIV), because the Word of God is personified in the Son of God (John 1:1,14).
We have opportunity to know The Word and build our lives on Him (Wednesday's post). If we will train daily with The Word, applying it in to everyday situations, we will be ready to wield The Word as the sword of the Spirit in the hour of attack.
All other pieces of armor are defensive. A sword may be either defensive or offensive, useful to not only repel an attack, but also to strike at the heart of the enemy.
But if we take up the sword and are not well practiced with its use, it is a weapon which may turned back upon us.
"To speak of 'mere words' is much like speaking of 'mere dynamite.' "
~ C.J. Ducasse
Lord, You are beautiful and glorious, as our Father, as Jesus the Savior and Living Word, as the Spirit of Truth. Please draw us to know You, and to practice applying Your Word daily, so we are well trained in its use against the enemy.
Comments are welcome (including respectful disagreement) and will receive a reply.
You may also contact author via Twitter – @anne4JC
or e-mail – buildingHisbody [plus] @gmail.com
Copyright 2012, Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved.
He visited church as a child with a friend. The Sunday School teacher told them that when the devil tempted Jesus, Jesus defeated him with The Word, so when the devil comes after us, we can also defeat him with the power of The Word. My friend ran home and excitedly reported this discovery to his mother, who asked what word should be used. My friend said, with some disappointment, that he didn't know, because the teacher never did say which word it is that defeats the devil.
But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out. And he who has seen has testified … so that you may believe. For these things were done that the Scripture should be fulfilled …
~ John 19:34-36 (NKJV)
Which Scripture is fulfilled by Jesus' birth and ministry, death and resurrection?
The entirety of it.
Which Word defeats the devil?
The entirety of it.
"The reason some of us are not healthy spiritually is because we don't use the Bible as the Word of God, but only as a textbook."
~ Oswald Chambers
I defy any person to read through the Bible in a year and not discover new power in the process, no matter how many times it is done. Scripture is not static, but dynamic. Though recorded with ink and paper, or on hard drives, or in human memory, the Word of God is "living and powerful" (NKJV), "quick and powerful" (KJV), "alive and active" (NIV), because the Word of God is personified in the Son of God (John 1:1,14).
We have opportunity to know The Word and build our lives on Him (Wednesday's post). If we will train daily with The Word, applying it in to everyday situations, we will be ready to wield The Word as the sword of the Spirit in the hour of attack.
All other pieces of armor are defensive. A sword may be either defensive or offensive, useful to not only repel an attack, but also to strike at the heart of the enemy.
But if we take up the sword and are not well practiced with its use, it is a weapon which may turned back upon us.
"To speak of 'mere words' is much like speaking of 'mere dynamite.' "
~ C.J. Ducasse
Lord, You are beautiful and glorious, as our Father, as Jesus the Savior and Living Word, as the Spirit of Truth. Please draw us to know You, and to practice applying Your Word daily, so we are well trained in its use against the enemy.
Comments are welcome (including respectful disagreement) and will receive a reply.
You may also contact author via Twitter – @anne4JC
or e-mail – buildingHisbody [plus] @gmail.com
Copyright 2012, Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved.
Monday, September 26, 2011
Tripled Surprises
I'm back from the ACFW conference in St. Louis (always an exciting time), ready to continue blog posts from the book of John. As I fell asleep last night, I remembered that John 4 is the next chapter, and my thoughts went to the Samaritan woman at the well.
However despised she may have been in her own culture, it seems she is one of the most beloved characters to Christians. Perhaps we identify with her because we feel shamed by our sin, we feel out of place in the circles where we function, or we long to engage Jesus the way she did.
I woke up this morning with new insight into the story, thinking I knew exactly what I wanted to share from this passage about God meeting us and using us. But when I sat down to actually read John 4, the chapter overwhelmed me with its surprises—far too many for one post.
He left Judea and departed again to Galilee. But He needed to go through Samaria.
~ John 4:3-4 (NKJV)
Like Jesus' side trip into Samaria, I readily decided to detour and simply post a list of those surprises. I was surprised again when the list filled an entire page—too many to even list!
As I counted the items, my mathematical mind wondered if it might perchance arrive at some even number like 20 or 24 (two dozen) or 25. I was a tiny bit disappointed by the random number 27.
But only for a moment. When I speak or teach, I try to always outline in threes, to keep things simple and memorable. No one but you math geeks is likely to appreciate my third surprise in the realization
Some of the surprises in John chapter 4 might be seen as only surprises for the incident's context, while being familiar to us: Jesus visiting Samaria and speaking to a woman; Jesus knowing the woman's past; Jesus' revelations to her. But God's Word is alive, and God Himself is the Master of Surprise. I trust that He has fresh insights and surprises—beyond what I even see in this moment—for the posts to be shared here.
Jesus said to her, "I who speak to you am He."
~ John 4:26 (NKJV)
Comments are welcome and will receive a reply.
You may also contact author via Twitter – @anne4JC
or e-mail – buildingHisbody [plus] @gmail.com
Copyright 2011, Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved.
However despised she may have been in her own culture, it seems she is one of the most beloved characters to Christians. Perhaps we identify with her because we feel shamed by our sin, we feel out of place in the circles where we function, or we long to engage Jesus the way she did.
I woke up this morning with new insight into the story, thinking I knew exactly what I wanted to share from this passage about God meeting us and using us. But when I sat down to actually read John 4, the chapter overwhelmed me with its surprises—far too many for one post.
He left Judea and departed again to Galilee. But He needed to go through Samaria.
~ John 4:3-4 (NKJV)
Like Jesus' side trip into Samaria, I readily decided to detour and simply post a list of those surprises. I was surprised again when the list filled an entire page—too many to even list!
As I counted the items, my mathematical mind wondered if it might perchance arrive at some even number like 20 or 24 (two dozen) or 25. I was a tiny bit disappointed by the random number 27.
But only for a moment. When I speak or teach, I try to always outline in threes, to keep things simple and memorable. No one but you math geeks is likely to appreciate my third surprise in the realization
Some of the surprises in John chapter 4 might be seen as only surprises for the incident's context, while being familiar to us: Jesus visiting Samaria and speaking to a woman; Jesus knowing the woman's past; Jesus' revelations to her. But God's Word is alive, and God Himself is the Master of Surprise. I trust that He has fresh insights and surprises—beyond what I even see in this moment—for the posts to be shared here.
Jesus said to her, "I who speak to you am He."
~ John 4:26 (NKJV)
Comments are welcome and will receive a reply.
You may also contact author via Twitter – @anne4JC
or e-mail – buildingHisbody [plus] @gmail.com
Copyright 2011, Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Don't Use Words You Don't Know
On September 12, 2001, America reeled from blows by terrorists the previous day. Among the efforts of our leaders to speak words of encouragement was a floor statement by Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle which said this:
"I know that there is only the smallest measure of inspiration that can be taken from this devastation. But there is a passage in the Bible, from Isaiah, that I think speaks to all of us at times like this:
'The bricks have fallen down, but we will rebuild with dressed stone;
the fig trees have been felled, but we will replace them with cedars.' "
'The bricks have fallen down, but we will rebuild with dressed stone;
the fig trees have been felled, but we will replace them with cedars.' "
Mr. Daschle most certainly did not recognize the context of the passage. Isaiah is prophesying that when the Lord allows an enemy attack to destroy because He wishes to humble His people, the wrong response is a defiant resolve to rebuild. The verse looks like this when put in context:
The Lord has sent a message against Jacob; it will fall on Israel.
All the people will know it
Ephraim and the inhabitants of Samaria
who say with pride and arrogance of heart,
"The bricks have fallen down, but we will rebuild with dressed stone;
the fig trees have been felled, but we will replace them with cedars."
~ Isaiah 9:8-10 (NIV)
This example is not cited for ridicule or criticism. I've no doubt that on some occasion, I myself have taken Scripture out of context in the effort to use it for good, and failed to apply it as the Lord intended.
Seeing Isaiah's words again, in context, simply seems like a good time to remind ourselves to be careful of how we use God's Word.
Lord, I thank You for allowing me the honor and privilege to host this blog. Please move me to always handle Your sacred Word with fear and trembling, mindful of its power. Please give us all hearts to thoroughly search out what You are saying when we read the Bible.
Comments, questions, and respectful disagreement are welcome. Reply to BuildingHisBody.com comments, or e-mail buildingHisbody [plus] @gmail.com
Copyright 2011, Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved.
image source: steeljawscribe.com
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Most Dangerous Virus
"An idea is like a virus—resilient, highly contagious.
And the smallest seed of an idea can grow;
it can grow to define or destroy you."
~ Cobb, from the movie Inception,
© 2010 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.
Though the movie Inception is science fiction, its premises are chillingly real. An idea can be planted in the mind from the inside. Ideas may take root which both defy eradication and come to define and destroy a person. And the attempt to alter our world by defining our own reality with deceptive ideas is most assuredly a deadly mind game.
Our enemy the devil is master of inception. His goal is to steal, kill and destroy. His modus operandi is to first plant an idea from within, mixing the lie with enough truth for it to take root.
"The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly."
~ John 10:10 (NKJV)
Another premise of Inception is that freefall is fatal even before it ends with an impact. When we think of what is needed to sustain life, we think air, water, food. But the need for something solid to stand upon is also vital.
Skydiving exhilarates with its eagle's ride upon the wind, until the moment when a ripcord is pulled and one floats gently back to terra firma. Without a parachute to capture the earth's breath, the same swan dive would bring death—whether when man meets rock, or in terror of anticipating that inevitable end.
The freedom of traveling upon the ocean is likewise thrilling—as long as one has feet planted in a reliable vessel. But a ship must eventually return to land to sustain its human cargo, and one could not float or tread water for long without solid support before the sea would prove fatal.
Jesus warned that shifting sands of self-defined reality will inevitably collapse, resulting in thorough destruction. Our lives are secure only if resting upon the solid rock of His words. (Matthew 7:24-25) If we do not build upon that rock, truth will fall upon us with crushing power.
Jesus said to them, "Have you never read in the Scriptures: 'The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone ...' ?
... whoever falls on this stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder."
Matthew 21:42-44 (NKJV)
It's been said that not all lies send you to Hell. But to embrace a lie is to sleep with the enemy, who is father of lies. Whether inception plants deception in mind of self or another, lies compromise ability to discern truth, distort reality, and architect a hell of the mind which destroys life.
Our enemy attacks not only when he covertly speaks within our minds, but when he speaks through the false teachers who infiltrate our churches and other Christian circles. No weapon of man can fight deadly ideas, but only the sword of God's Spirit.
In the movie Inception, potential victims can be trained to fight against an enemy who enters the mind.
In reality, it is critical that we immerse ourselves with the truth of God's Word so that the enemy's seeds find no inception.
"Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth."
~ John 17:17 (NKJV)
~ ♥ ~ ♥ ~ ♥ ~
This post is the rest of the story attached to the gratitude I express today at Everyday Testimony.
Comments, questions, and respectful disagreement are welcome. Reply to BuildingHisBody.com comments, or e-mail buildingHisbody [plus] @gmail.com
Copyright 2011, Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved.
Friday, October 8, 2010
Question of the Week:
Who Compiled the Bible?
"When you have read the Bible, you will know it is the word of God, because you have found it the key to your own heart, your own happiness and your own duty."
~ Woodrow Wilson
~ Woodrow Wilson
Who decided which books would be in the Bible? I understand others were considered, but not added.
~ Andrew Garber, Port Orange, Florida
The Bible boldly declares itself to be the Word of God, that Jesus is the Word of God personified, and that Jesus is God—squarely placing the Bible as equivalent to God in authority.
The wise person is willing to question why any authority should be recognized as such.
The Bible requires reliable testimony be established by two or three witnesses. (Two witnesses are sufficient, but if doubt remains let there be a third witness.) Who are the witnesses to determine the difference between a simple writing (Greek gramma) and Scripture (graphē)?
When the Lord gave the Ten Commandments, He took the extraordinary step of speaking directly to the Israelites (Exodus 18:19-22), giving miraculous signs as a second testimony. There was no question of the commandments being God's Word. Because Moses was God's spokesman, likewise performing miraculous signs as confirming testimony, the first five books of the Bible (Torah) were accepted as Scripture without question (about 1450–1400 BC).
The remainder of the Old Testament (OT) was written by various prophets, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. The Torah instructed that a prophet of the Lord would be confirmed by accurately foretelling what would come to pass. The Jews preserved the writings of these men as Scripture. In the third century BC, when the Greeks sought to establish a common language throughout their empire, the OT was translated into Greek as the Septuagint. Additional historical and philosophical writings of the time were included, and are contained in some Bibles to this day. But those additional writings were not recognized as Scripture by the Jews of the time, and are therefore referred to as apocryphal writings to distinguish them from the writings unquestionable as Scripture.
And that is the same standard used by compilers of the New Testament (NT). Early church leaders determined which writings to include as the authoritative Word of God by consensus. This was not a matter of voting, with majority rule. Only those writings judged as above reproach to be God’s Word were copied and handed down as Scripture. (See the "Criteria for Canonicity" below for further specifics.)
The most prominent criteria was if writings which recorded the Word of God came from Jesus' apostles—men with authority confirmed by miraculous signs and power of God. While they wrote many letters (or epistles), only some of those writings were held up as as Scripture (2 Peter 3:15-16.)
In our days, we still have witnesses to confirm the Word of God's authority. Church teachers who speak audibly are known as reliable by their fruit (Matthew 7:15-17)—by consistently displaying the fruit of the Spirit in revering Jesus Christ as Lord and God.
And when we seek God in truth, the Holy Spirit testifies truth to our heart.
Related post: Who Wrote the Bible?
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Criteria for Canonicity * [inclusion in the canon of Scripture]:
• Apostolic Origin — attributed to and based upon the preaching/teaching of the first-generation apostles (or their close companions).
• Universal Acceptance — acknowledged by all major Christian communities in the ancient world (by the end of the fourth century) as well as accepted canon by Jewish authorities (for the Old Testament).
• Liturgical Use — read publicly when early Christian communities gathered for the Lord's Supper (their weekly worship services).
• Consistent Message — containing a theological outlook similar to or complementary to other accepted Christian writings.
© 2010 Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved.
Image source unavailable.
* Source, "Criteria for Canonicity": justasiamchristian.com (original author unknown)
: : :
This post originally appeared at Bullets & Butterflies. To see additional comments click here.
Monday, September 6, 2010
The Book of Eli
"People had more than they needed,people didn't know what was precious and what wasn't,
people threw away things they kill each other for now."
~ Eli, describing the pre-apocalyptic world
The Book of Eli
[God] has in these last days spoken to us by His Son ... [who is] upholding all things
by the word of His power ...
~ Hebrews 1:2-3 (NKJV)
By request, I'm today sharing some thoughts about the movie The Book of Eli.
Aside from historicals, I generally avoid movies of gratuitous violence. But I’m one HUGE fan of the Book of Elohim (also called Holy Bible), so there was no way I’d miss a movie centered upon pursuit of a Bible for the power in its words.
As with any other post-apocalyptic movie, one must suspend belief in the Bible's version of end-time events to engage with the story line. The irony here is that the story asks the viewer to believe that the Bible holds words so powerful that one man (Eli) will kill to protect it, and one man (Carnegie) will kill to obtain it for his personal ambition.
I have enough imagination to suspend belief in both prophecy and the movie's various technical oversights while I watch the story.
Eli's use of violence (beyond self-defense) didn't bother me. In society, government is responsible for administration of justice. In a vacuum of governmental authority, where vigilante justice rules, Eli demonstrates righteous use of the supernatural protection and defense tactics he employs. He seeks peace with other men, but does not tolerate their evil attacks on innocent people. I am reminded of Samson, who God used to punish evil Philistines in a similar manner.
As in societies the world over throughout human history, most people in the movie employ power through physical might rather than intelligence or honor. Women are the physically weaker sex, and therefore exploited by the evil and protected by the righteous. The movie's R-rated profanity is not gratuitous. Both these elements are realistic rather than sensational.
Jesus is never mentioned. Such a glaring oversight might be expected in a movie which operates on more Old Testament principles than New Testament ones. I appreciate the movie's scriptwriters' expression of faith in divine protection and preservation of God's Word, and in the great power of God's Word—power which men employ for good or evil. But failure to see the truth in that power as relevant to the story shows their faith to be marginal.
Despite its many flaws, faith was in evidence throughout The Book of Eli. I thoroughly enjoyed it and would recommend it. Aside from The Passion of the Christ, this is the only R-rated movie I've allowed my 11-year-old son to see. (I had him skip an attempted rape scene.)
And the ending scenes had too many good surprises for me to spoil them here.
I appreciate hearing from you. Questions are welcome. Reply to BuildingHisBody.com comments or e-mail me—my address is
buildingHisbody [plus] @gmail.com.
Copyright 2010, Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved.
Image are from the movie "The Book of Eli," © 2010 Alcon Entertainment
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Two-edged Sword, Part II
"Most people are bothered by those passages in Scripture that they cannot understand; but as for me, I always noticed that the passages in Scripture that trouble me most are those that I do understand."~ Mark Twain
Two-edged Sword, Part II
"These things says He who has the sharp two-edged sword: '... Repent, or else I will come to you quickly and will fight against them with the sword of My mouth... To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat...' "
~ Revelation 2:12,16-17 (NKJV)
The Word of God is sword of the Spirit and Jesus Himself. The gentle King on a donkey's foal is five times in Revelation depicted with a sword—the warrior King on a horse. Among those to feel His sword are those in the church who dare use His Gospel for personal gain (yesterday's Part I).
For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
~ Hebrews 4:12 (NKJV)
His two-edged sword cuts both ways. For those who love Him named Word of God, the sword which pierces to division of godly spirit from soul of flesh also brings peace and comfort; the sword which cuts away shackles of bondage brings both freedom and liberty; the sword which shall condemn to death God's enemies is life to His children.
Reading the Bible may first trouble a person as it reveals sin. But to then turn away from the Word allows sin to fester as an unattended infection. Staying in the Word and allowing it to complete its full work brings light and strength and treasure.
To stay in the Word is to find hidden manna to nourish the soul.
Lord Jesus—Word of God, Word of Life, Word of Hope—please give Your people a desire for all the gifts in You. Please let us never fear Your sword.
I appreciate hearing from you. Questions are welcome. Reply to BuildingHisBody.com comments or e-mail me—my address is buildingHisbody [plus] @gmail.com.
Copyright 2010, Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved.
Image from wordunplugged.com
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Two-Edged Sword, Part I
"Look, I need that book... I grew up with it. I know it's power. If you read it then so do you... I don't have the right words to help them, but the book does... If we have that book ... Imagine how different, how righteous this whole world could be ... people would truly understand why they're here and what they're doing and they wouldn't need any of the uglier motivations..."~ Carnegie, from the movie The Book of Eli
arguing for surrender of a Bible
"It's not [just a] book! It's a weapon! A weapon aimed right at the hearts and minds of the weak and the desperate. It will give us control of them... we have to have it. People will come from all over, they'll do exactly what I tell them if the words are from the book."~ Carnegie, explaining to his thugs
the true motive for obtaining a Bible
Two-Edged Sword, Part I
"And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write, 'These things says He who has the sharp two-edged sword: "I know your works ... And you hold fast to My name ... But I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam ..."
~ Revelation 2:12-14 (NKJV)
The Pergamos church contained both people who lived by the Word of God, and those who used God's Word as a means for their own profit, as Balaam did.
The above quotes are from the post-apocalyptic movie The Book of Eli. Jesus warned that false teachers would dwell amid His flock as wolves in sheep's clothing, and would do so convincingly.
Paul likewise warned:
But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money ... having a form of godliness but denying its power... always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
Full context: 2 Timothy 3:1-7 (NKJV)
Christians need not avoid the church or eye all teachers suspiciously. If each of us intimately learns, lives, and loves the Bible, we will be able to weigh teachings against God's Word with firsthand knowledge.
I've mentioned this recently in a comment, and will say again: Don't believe what I say because I said it. Measure my every word against Scripture.
Don't follow me—please join me in following Jesus.
I appreciate hearing from you. Questions welcome. Reply to BuildingHisBody.com comments or e-mail BuildingHisBody@gmail.com.
Copyright 2010, Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved.
Images are from the movie "The Book of Eli," © 2010 Alcon Entertainment
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Conquest
Your word I have hidden in my heart,
That I might not sin against You.
~ Psalms 119:11 (NKJV)
Conquest
How does the human soul
comprehend that it is whole
for to it Your Spirit binds.
My joy You intimately know
only in You is it able to grow
fleeting happiness is not the same kind.
My griefs You also share
Rooted in sin and heavy to bear
You reveal the guilt which is mine.
No condemnation You hold
Your blood makes me white as snow
You bid me leave sorrow behind.
A tender heart of desire You need
Your Word is sown as Your seed
And conquest power I find.
I love hearing from you. Reply to BuildingHisBody.com comments or e-mail BuildingHisBody@gmail.com.
Copyright 2010, Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved.
That I might not sin against You.
~ Psalms 119:11 (NKJV)
Conquest
How does the human soul
comprehend that it is whole
for to it Your Spirit binds.
My joy You intimately know
only in You is it able to grow
fleeting happiness is not the same kind.
My griefs You also share
Rooted in sin and heavy to bear
You reveal the guilt which is mine.
No condemnation You hold
Your blood makes me white as snow
You bid me leave sorrow behind.
A tender heart of desire You need
Your Word is sown as Your seed
And conquest power I find.
I love hearing from you. Reply to BuildingHisBody.com comments or e-mail BuildingHisBody@gmail.com.
Copyright 2010, Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved.
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Glimpsing Heaven
"Blessings"photo by Lavone' Vannoy
Our church held VBS (Vacation Bible School) this week. Instead of the age 8-10 kids I have for Sunday School, I this time assisted with 4 and 5 year olds. We had over fifty kids each night in just our group. What a challenge to constructively channel that energy!
One activity involved distributing a Bible or placard heart to each child, to be held up during a song. The first night we alternated, giving every other child a heart or a Bible.
The second night, kids make known their preferences for heart or Bible. We mostly followed the routine of the first night, making changes for the most insistent requests and moving on.
The third night, my heart said to offer each child their choice. Being an assistant, I hesitated. What if nobody wanted the heavier Bibles? I'd mess up the teacher's song. But the soft voice in my heart won out, and surprise! Bibles and hearts were distributed as equally as when we'd alternated, pretty evenly among both boys and girls.
My soul rejoiced. These small children had actually asked for heavy black Bibles when they had the choice to hold a lightweight colorful heart.
After the song I helped collect props. Passing out and picking up those volumes is a weekly task I do with little thought. As I laid Bibles down on the table, a last book in my hand seemed to come alive. I stared at simple paper and ink, bound in black hardcover, stamped with nine gold letters: HOLY BIBLE.
My heart quivered, suddenly overwhelmed with a feeling of awe and love. The closest way to describe what came over me is the feeling I had when I held one of my children for the first time. My eyes beheld a treasure of incomparable worth. Countless generations made great sacrifices of love to preserve the sacred power of life in my hands. How many millions of others across the globe and time have agonized to touch and hold and own what I've come to see as an everyday presence in my life?
Somewhat unnerved, I lay down that last precious volume. I turned to look at the group behind me. Why did half ask for a Bible? Do little children see something that adult eyes pass over?
I'd like to think that perhaps, just maybe, a little child glimpses Heaven more often than we think.
I'd like to think that perhaps, just maybe, the same is possible for us.
"Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it."
~ Mark 10:15 (NKJV)
I love hearing from you. Reply to BuildingHisBody.com comments or e-mail BuildingHisBody@gmail.com.
Copyright 2010, Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved.
Image source: www.nationalphotoawards.com
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Heading Back,
Heading Forward
"Ask yourself what makes you come alive.And then go and do that."
~ Harold Whitman
Your word has given me life...
I rejoice at Your word
As one who finds great treasure.
~ Psalms 119:50,162 (NKJV)
If there's something that makes me come alive, it's expressing my passion for the Bible.
I can't help but see all of life through the lens of Scripture, because I see Scripture has already focused upon all of life.
If there's only one thing I know and write, love and breathe, it's the Bible and its Author.
: : :
The above photo and text were the start of a post I wrote on January 16—post #699. Later in January, I experienced an interruption to life and to blogging and to my established routine in manner of walking with the Lord.
This is post #796. For most of the last 100 posts, I've been drifting through life and the Bible without much direction beyond keep putting one foot in front of the other. I'd like to again be more purposeful. I believe a meaningful way to is restore a more orderly blogging routine on a daily basis, and I'm going to try that.
I plan to make more frequent posts shorter. Successive passages of the Bible will be the foundation for Monday thru Thursday, Bible / Christianity Q&A will make for a longer Friday post, something more casual and personal seems fitting for Saturdays, as does church community and praise for Sundays. And although I think a photo can really enhance my words, it will help me reduce the time it takes to post if I put the focus on writing.
I'm grateful for the prayer support so many friends have offered in the last several difficult months. I appreciate any prayers you remember to offer on my behalf as I move forward.
Much love to you all,
~ Anne4JC
Monday, July 19, 2010
A Time to Dance,
A Time to Mourn
This picture is being moved here from the foot of my blog. It's been parked there for about the last seven months, since our church’s Christmas program when the picture was snapped. It was my first (and, so far, last) opportunity to take part in the worship dance I’ve longed to do for the last twenty years.
And behold, a man of Ethiopia ... had come to Jerusalem to worship, was returning... So Philip ran to him, and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, "Do you understand what you are reading?" And he said, "How can I, unless someone guides me?" And he asked Philip to come up and sit with him.
~ Acts 8:27-31 (NKJV)
Sunday night my church presented a report on a recent trip to Russia by our pastor and one of our elders. They'd provided critically needed training to a team of Russian pastors, who live with great needs. Unemployment is at 80%, and they work however they might to survive so that they can serve their churches on weekends. In one community of 70,000, only 200 are Christians. Their beautiful woodland areas are devoid of the wildlife which has been hunted by residents for subsistence.
Their greatest need is materials and teachers to gain understanding of the Bible.
Distress of economy did not hinder Russian hospitality. Our visiting duo was treated with the best to be offered, such as liver gravy over rice and fish hash. Their “riches” were traded for the riches of knowledge being transported across the Atlantic.
In America we take for granted our access to abundance of food and knowledge. The Russians take nothing for granted, Before our pastor left, he was cornered with a plea: "Can your wife come next time? Can she teach our women? Please?"
I restrained tears at such words, my heart mourning in the same room where I once danced.
And a vision appeared to Paul in the night. A man of Macedonia stood and pleaded with him, saying, "Come over to Macedonia and help us."
~ Acts 16:9 (NKJV)
I publish this blog to share what I’ve learned through intensive study of the Bible. I ask the Lord to send people here as pleases Him, assuring myself that it doesn’t matter how many or how few visitors He sends. His Word shall not return void.
But now, I long to reach just a few more people—some of my Russian family. Might they find access to Bible truths and Q&A for which they are famished in this place? Perhaps? (Is there any chance, Lord?)
I don’t yet know that answer. In the meantime I’ve streamlined, removing some photos and features so this page loads more quickly on a dial-up connection. I’ve installed a translator so posts can be read in Russian, or a host of other languages. I’m putting a couple of my “back 40 posts” (as my friend Bud calls them) in storage, because they might be confusing.
"And indeed God has granted you all those who sail with you."
~ Acts 27:24 (NKJV)
I will plow now and pray for rain.
My Father, I'm grateful for all You've granted me to learn about You and the Bible. You know where famine exists for understanding Your Word. Please show favor to Your hungry people and send them Bread from Heaven. And if it might please You, please use me. Here am I, Lord.
Your feedback is appreciated. Post to BuildingHisBody.com Comments or e-mail to BuildingHisBody@gmail.com. Copyright 2010, Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved.
Sunday, June 6, 2010
My Lord and My God
Yesterday a comment was posted to Thursday's Father, Son, Spirit, inviting the viewing of a two-hour video to "aid the quest for truth" on the identity of Jesus. I verified that the video is by Unitarians and sought to prove Jesus human alone and not God. The comment was deleted. I offer not apology but the following apologetic.
My Lord and My God
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God... And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
~ John 1:1,14 (NKJV)
In 1985, after 23 years of hearing and reading the Bible—of believing Jesus to be the divine Son of God—I met Jesus the Word of God. The experience of hearing the Word speak with authority was love at first sight. In the 25 years since that day, the Bible has been my first and last authority for faith. It has yet to let me down. It has sustained me through every dark hour. It has lifted me up to pinnacles of love for God and neighbor of which I am otherwise incapable.
And Thomas answered and said to Him, "My Lord and my God!" Jesus said to him, "Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."
~ John 20:28-29 (NKJV)
Having the Bible turn my world upside down made me willing to question everything I'd been taught and measure it against Scripture. When it was proposed to me in 1990 that Jesus being the Son of God did not make Him divine, I readily examined it with an open mind, in search of truth. The texts throughout both Old and New Testament which declare Him God are numerous. The voice of the Holy Spirit has confirmed them repeatedly. The testimony of countless Christians matches what I know by personal experience beyond a shadow of a doubt: Jesus could not do for those He touches the miracles He performs if He were less than God.
Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
~ Philippians 2:9-11 (NKJV)
No entity but Almighty God may be worshiped. To Him alone do we bow the knee in prayer, in faith, in worship. To Him alone do we lift up voice and hands to praise, to exalt, to magnify as Lord. Angels refuse such worship and praise. True disciples of Jesus refuse such worship and praise. Yet Jesus accepted such worship and praise not only because He is worthy of it, but because it brings glory to the Father. Those who wish to exalt God do so by exalting Jesus.
For many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist... He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house nor greet him.
~ 2 John 1:7-10 (NKJV)
For as long as I host this blog, it will not welcome or give space to those who masquerade as "Pastor" and declare on behalf of satan that Jesus is anything less than God made flesh in order to deny Him homage.
If I use two of the precious hours Jesus my Creator lends me in quest of truth, I will praise Him for the beauty of His creation. I will search out Jesus the divine Word of God in the Bible. I will bow the knee in prayer to Him Who is Savior of my soul, Lord of my life, King of my future.
Father Almighty, for as long as I draw breath, I will exalt Your Son Jesus Christ as my Lord and my God.
Your feedback is appreciated. Post to BuildingHisBody.com Comments or e-mail to BuildingHisBody@gmail.com. Copyright 2010, Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved.
#knowingGod
Art image by Riek Jonker
Monday, March 29, 2010
Question of the Week:
Value of the Old Testament?
"Those who cannot learn from history
are doomed to repeat it."
~ George Santayana
~ George Santayana
Since we have the teachings of Jesus in the New Testament, how pertinent is the Old Testament to us now? from John B.
The Old Testament is sometimes considered either irrelevant or outright offensive. It portrays a God of wrath and judgment who directs war and destruction. The New Testament is filled with teachings of grace, and seems to portray a completely different God of love and mercy.
Human history was remarkably changed by Jesus and His followers, who presented teachings which challenged religious traditions and introduced an entirely different way of seeing God. To many people, the Old Testament is "good riddance."
Yet upon closer examination, there is nothing in the New Testament which contradicts the law of the Old Testament, nor has God Himself changed. The change is how we relate to God, because the death of Jesus Christ offers forgiveness for sins which completely alters our ability to have peace with God.
The law was our tutor to bring us to Christ,
that we might be justified by faith.
But after faith has come,
we are no longer under a tutor.
~ Galatians 3:24-25 (NKJV)
The Old Testament's 39 books comprise 78 percent of the Bible and cover some 3600 years of history. 27 New Testament books, written over a period of less than 40 years, depict less than a century of history.
The New Testament is the tip of the iceberg. To ignore the Old Testament is to miss most of the Bible's treasure. Not only is it a wealth of history, poetry and prophecy, the Old Testament:
• Accurately defines the holy, merciful, and unchanging character of God;
• Establishes a solid foundation for faith;
• Presents God's laws, which are for humanity's benefit;
• Explains the world's need for the Lord's Messiah;
• Prophesies the ministry of Jesus, giving us a solid testimony of God's plan and His ability to fulfill that plan;
• Evaluates the furious war between good and evil which still rages today;
• Provides vivid object lessons which the Lord authored to give us a graphic depiction of how Christians should live out their faith.
Here is an example of that last point. When the Israelites reached the Promised Land, they were commanded to be unrelenting and uncompromising in eliminating the pagan nations, lest wickedness pollute the people set apart to the Lord—and therefore defame His name. Allowing pagans to coexist led to immorality, brought the Lord's discipline, and the Israelites missed out on God's fullest blessings.
Believers in Jesus Christ are now citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven. We are commanded to be unrelenting and uncompromising in eliminating the sin for which we have been forgiven, lest wickedness pollute people set apart to the Lord—and defame His name. Allowing sin to coexist leads to immorality, brings our Father's discipline, and we miss out on His fullest blessing.
And incidentally, while the New Testament puts new emphasis on God's grace, it likewise depicts His wrath.
© 2010 Anne Lang Bundy
Image source: lal.tulane.edu
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This post originally appeared at Bullets & Butterflies on March 27. To see the comments, click here.
Monday, March 1, 2010
Question of the Week:
Who Wrote the Bible?
Q: How much of the Bible (Old and New Testaments) comes from God, and how much comes from man?
(from Harvey Averne, NYC)
Consider that a baby is 100% from its parents, and is shaped by the parents' environment and personalities, yet is also 100% from the Creator of life.
The Bible (also called Scripture or the Word of God) is 100% from God, and 100% from man. God spoke His Word to prophets, who recorded it with their own words and personality.
The Bible says this about itself—from the Old Testament:
"The LORD said to me [Moses]: '... I will speak to you all the commandments, the statutes, and the judgments which you shall teach them, that they may observe them ...' "
(Deuteronomy 5:28,31 NKJV)
Surely the Lord GOD does nothing,
Unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets...
The Lord GOD has spoken!
Who can but prophesy?
(Amos 3:7-8 NKJV)
And from the New Testament:
No prophecy ever originated from humans. Instead, it was given by the Holy Spirit as humans spoke under God's direction.
(2 Peter 1:20-21 GW)
"... this Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke before by the mouth of David ..."
(Acts 1:16 NKJV)
Scripture is prophecy. Prophecy can be the foretelling of future events, which God has revealed through a human. But that occurs within the far broader purpose of prophecy, which is "the acting as an ambassador of God and the interpreter of His mind and will ... the prophet spoke not his own thoughts but what he received from God, retaining, however, his own consciousness and self-possession." *
"If you believe what you like in the Gospel, and reject what you don't like, it is not the Gospel you believe, but yourself."
~ Augustine
It might be argued that the Bible alone cannot testify on its own behalf. The Bible's uncanny truth is also proven by science, archeology, and history—and none of the Bible has been disproven. Scripture's power to reveal God, make His love known, and change lives argues for divine origins as well.
But ultimately, the proof of the Bible's origin as God's Word is a matter of faith, verified by the testimony in our hearts of the Holy Spirit, of Whom both the Old and New Testaments speak.
The Holy Spirit is given by God to those who ask, by faith in Jesus Christ.
"If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!"
~ Jesus, Luke 11:13 (NKJV)
For more information on how the Bible was put together,
see All About Truth.
More verses of interest on:
Holy Spirit
God's Word
© 2010 Anne Lang Bundy
* Definitions of prophecy and prophet are quoted from The Complete Word Study Dictionary, General Editor: Spiros Zodhiates, Th.D., © 1992 by AMG International, Inc., Revised edition, 1993
Image source: robertpeake.com
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This post originally appeared at Bullets & Butterflies on February 27. To see the comments, click here.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Sharp Two-edged Sword
"Most people are bothered by those passages in Scripture that they cannot understand; but as for me, I always noticed that the passages in Scripture that trouble me most are those that I do understand."
~ Mark Twain
~ Mark Twain
Sharp Two-edged Sword
These things says He who has the sharp two-edged sword:
"I know your works ... And you hold fast to My name ... But I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught ... to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality... Repent, or else I will come to you quickly and will fight against them with the sword of My mouth."
~ Revelation 2:12-16 (NKJV)
"And that servant who knew his master's will, and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. But he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few. For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required ..."
~ Luke 12:47-48 (NKJV)
To the church at Pergamos Jesus portrays Himself with a sword. The sword of the Spirit is the Word of God. The Word alone was powerful enough to create the universe. When He was tempted Jesus used Scripture to defeat the devil. Jesus is named both Bread of Life and Word of God.
He is prepared to use this sword against whom? Those in the church with bad doctrine, who give a nod to what is immoral.
Good and bad religion will be addressed in the next post from Revelation, in examining Jesus' words to the church in Thyatira. For now it's sufficient to point out the words of Jesus from Luke. While knowing His will and disregarding it shall certainly be dealt with, even failing to heed His will out of ignorance brings consequences.
Before thinking "unfair," consider that God gives us consciences. His moral law is written on hearts that can remain ignorant of His Word and still be guilty. How much more so might He expect those of us with abundant access to the Bible to understand our Master's will and do it?
Our most wealthy nation's greatest treasure are the Bibles available everywhere. We are stewards not only of the material riches entrusted to us, but especially of God's Word.
Bread of Life, we live not on bread alone but upon every word from Your mouth. You give our souls the sustenance of eternal life. Please increase our desire for and understand of the Bible that we might learn it, love it, and live it.
Contrasting points-of-view, questions and feedback are invited. Post to BuildingHisBody.com "Comments" or e-mail to BuildingHisBody@gmail.com. Copyright 2010, Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved.
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