Give Peace a Chance

I found yesterday that I am just not as patient as I thought. I continued to find myself frustrated by one situation or another. Wow. I did the study and then learned a little more about myself. Well, today, I am focusing on peace. Hopefully, I do not have to be humbled again.
I really like that graphic. So does Mackenzie. Again, today's topic is peace. So, I guess I should start with the phrase: "No Jesus, No Peace; Know Jesus, Know Peace". I try to stay away from cliche, but I really couldn't resist the urge on this one.

Judges 6:20-24

The angel of God said to him, "Take the meat and the unleavened bread, place them on this rock, and pour out the broth." And Gideon did so. With the tip of the staff that was in his hand, the angel of the LORD touched the meat and the unleavened bread. Fire flared from the rock, consuming the meat and the bread. And the angel of the LORD disappeared. When Gideon realized that it was the angel of the LORD, he exclaimed, "Ah, Sovereign LORD! I have seen the angel of the LORD face to face!"

But the LORD said to him, "Peace! Do not be afraid. You are not going to die."

So Gideon built an altar to the LORD there and called it The LORD is Peace. To this day it stands in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.

I do rely on the spellcheck on this thing and snice I cna't use it, I am srue taht tihs wlil be mseesd up. Of course, I just did that on purpose. Anyway, I thought to put the scripture about Gideon in here due to the name of the altar that was built for God. The LORD is Peace is the name. I tried to find a picture of the altar, but I was unsuccessful. But here is a map.

And because I just couldn't stop looking, here is an altar that would either be the altar in question, or something pretty close and similar.

I've decided that since time is of the essence and I just don't have all that much of it today, I will pick up on this tomorrow. Johnny Out.
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A Little Patience

As it is said, a doctor makes money with a lot of patience. Oh, wait that's patients. I'm feeling pretty good about this month. I may not have finished with over 90%, but I am in good striking range. I just have to be patient, which is today's topic.
Proverbs 19:11

• Smart people are patient; they will be honored if they ignore insults. (NCV)
• Smart people know how to hold their tongue; their grandeur is to forgive and forget. (Message)
• If you are sensible, you will control your temper. When someone wrongs you, it is a great virtue to ignore it. (Good News)
• A man's wisdom gives him patience; it is to his glory to overlook an offense. (NIV)

Here are four translations of the same passage. I could simply sit on this one verse on patience, because it has so much wisdom here. Wise people overlook an offense, they ignore it. Patience also leads to forgiveness, which isn't listed as a fruit, but without forgiveness, can you really fruitful? No. Wisdom is controlling your temper and controlling your tongue. That is how I see patience. But enough of what I think, what does the dictionary and the Bible say?

Patience (noun):

• The quality of being patient, as the bearing of provocation, annoyance, misfortune, or pain, without complaint, loss of temper, irritation, or the like.
• An ability or willingness to suppress restlessness or annoyance when confronted with delay.
• Quiet, steady perseverance; even-tempered care; diligence.

Patient (adj.):

• Bearing or enduring pain, difficulty, provocation, or annoyance with calmness.
• Marked by or exhibiting calm endurance of pain, difficulty, provocation, or annoyance.
• Tolerant; understanding.
• Persevering; constant.
• Capable of calmly awaiting an outcome or result; not hasty or impulsive.
• Capable of bearing or enduring pain, difficulty, provocation, or annoyance.

So what is the fruit of being patient?

1st Timothy 1:15-17

Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life. Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Salvation is fruit from patience. Without God's patience, there would be absolutely no hope for anyone! (see also 2nd Peter 3) What else?

James 5:7-11

Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord's coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains. You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord's coming is near. Don't grumble against each other, brothers, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door!

Brothers, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job's perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.

Patience brings about perseverance. Without patience, I cannot persevere.

Romans 12:9-21

Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality.

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.

Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay,"says the Lord. On the contrary: "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head." Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

I honestly didn't know patience was tied into so much stuff. I guess if I ever sat down and thought about it, I would've come up with some of this. I like a good QT. Johnny Out.

I changed the color since "patience" was really light in color on the original.
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Fruit Study: Edition #2 - Fruitcake

Well, since I looked at the Sin List in Galatians, it would only be fitting to follow it up with The Fruit List, which was actually started back in 6/4/2006. So, I will restart the series and begin with edition #2. (Edition #1)

Galatians 5:22-26

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

And with that, I created this:

This is a graphic that will help me along the way in this series. Each day I will focus on one of the "fruit's", much like I did on the "Sin List". With this series, it should be less (time) than the sin list, simply due to the fact that there was a list of 16 for the sinful stuff and only 9 on this list.

So, what is the importance of fruit? Scripture says that being fruitful is important for salvation.

Matthew 3:7-10

But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not think you can say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.

Fruit is tied to repentance. If I repent, I should have something to show for my repentance. Whether it be actions or a lack of action (as in no longer doing a certain sin), there should be fruit to be able to tell something has changed.

Matthew 7:15-23

"Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.

"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'

So, by their fruit, I will recognize them. If they produce good fruit or bad fruit, I will be able to see and dissern what kind of "tree" (person) they are and whether I want to associate with that person or not. And it is good to know what person you hang out with simply because I struggle with certain company. And if I know I struggle with this person or that, I should count the costs before I devote time to them. Johnny Out.

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Bread and Wine: A Look at Communion - PART II

This is an extension of the POST #600, which you can access here: Bread and Wine - A Look at Communion. I felt I only touched the tip of the iceberg on this topic, so I am not sure how long I will be doing this topic, but I could jump back to it now and again, if anything to keep it fresh.
Now, I found this scripture rather interesting.

Genesis 14:18-20

Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High, and he blessed Abram, saying, "Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth. And blessed be God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand." Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.

OK, so it is like the first communion. There was bread and juice from the vine. And then contribution took place, as Abram gave a tithe.

But I read this and something struck me... first off: the scripture...

Exodus 12:1-30

The LORD said to Moses and Aaron in Egypt, "This month is to be for you the first month, the first month of your year. Tell the whole community of Israel that on the tenth day of this month each man is to take a lamb for his family, one for each household. If any household is too small for a whole lamb, they must share one with their nearest neighbor, having taken into account the number of people there are. You are to determine the amount of lamb needed in accordance with what each person will eat. The animals you choose must be year-old males without defect, and you may take them from the sheep or the goats. Take care of them until the fourteenth day of the month, when all the people of the community of Israel must slaughter them at twilight. Then they are to take some of the blood and put it on the sides and tops of the doorframes of the houses where they eat the lambs. That same night they are to eat the meat roasted over the fire, along with bitter herbs, and bread made without yeast. Do not eat the meat raw or cooked in water, but roast it over the fire—head, legs and inner parts. Do not leave any of it till morning; if some is left till morning, you must burn it. This is how you are to eat it: with your cloak tucked into your belt, your sandals on your feet and your staff in your hand. Eat it in haste; it is the LORD's Passover.

"On that same night I will pass through Egypt and strike down every firstborn—both men and animals—and I will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt. I am the LORD. The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are; and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt.

"This is a day you are to commemorate; for the generations to come you shall celebrate it as a festival to the LORD -a lasting ordinance. For seven days you are to eat bread made without yeast. On the first day remove the yeast from your houses, for whoever eats anything with yeast in it from the first day through the seventh must be cut off from Israel. On the first day hold a sacred assembly, and another one on the seventh day. Do no work at all on these days, except to prepare food for everyone to eat—that is all you may do.

"Celebrate the Feast of Unleavened Bread, because it was on this very day that I brought your divisions out of Egypt. Celebrate this day as a lasting ordinance for the generations to come. In the first month you are to eat bread made without yeast, from the evening of the fourteenth day until the evening of the twenty-first day. For seven days no yeast is to be found in your houses. And whoever eats anything with yeast in it must be cut off from the community of Israel, whether he is an alien or native-born. Eat nothing made with yeast. Wherever you live, you must eat unleavened bread."

Then Moses summoned all the elders of Israel and said to them, "Go at once and select the animals for your families and slaughter the Passover lamb. Take a bunch of hyssop, dip it into the blood in the basin and put some of the blood on the top and on both sides of the doorframe. Not one of you shall go out the door of his house until morning. When the LORD goes through the land to strike down the Egyptians, he will see the blood on the top and sides of the doorframe and will pass over that doorway, and he will not permit the destroyer to enter your houses and strike you down.

"Obey these instructions as a lasting ordinance for you and your descendants. When you enter the land that the LORD will give you as he promised, observe this ceremony. And when your children ask you, 'What does this ceremony mean to you?' then tell them, 'It is the Passover sacrifice to the LORD, who passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt and spared our homes when he struck down the Egyptians.'" Then the people bowed down and worshiped. The Israelites did just what the LORD commanded Moses and Aaron.

At midnight the LORD struck down all the firstborn in Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh, who sat on the throne, to the firstborn of the prisoner, who was in the dungeon, and the firstborn of all the livestock as well. Pharaoh and all his officials and all the Egyptians got up during the night, and there was loud wailing in Egypt, for there was not a house without someone dead.

The significance of this passage is HUGE. First off, the passover was a celebration of the Jews leaving Egypt. God looked over the Jews and struck down the Egyptians. In the same way, being a disciple of Christ, God looks over our sins and on judgment day, strike down those not saved. And that should be a double-edge sword, since it is a disciple's duty to share their faith. If someone gets struck down, that is reason for sadness, like that the Egyptians felt of their lost ones. The good news is that being a disciple, I'm saved.

Jesus is the Passover Lamb. The reason the Jews celebrated (and they did celebrate and not mourn) was to remember what God did for them. The reason we have communion is to celebrate what God did for us and remember the ultimate sacrifice. The bread and wine were once symbols of being quick to get out of dodge, per se, but now it is more symbols of the cross (flesh and blood). This is all I can think of for now... I am sure there will be an edition #3 in another week or so... Johnny Out.

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The Five Languages of Apology

Have you ever noticed that what one person considers to be an apology, is not what another person considers to be an apology? What is an apology?

It’s different things to different people. After three years of research, Dr. Jennifer Thomas and I have concluded that there are five basic elements to an apology. We call them the five languages of apology. Each person has a primary apology language, and one of the five speaks more deeply to them emotionally than the other four. If you don’t speak their language, they may consider your apology insincere.

A Question of Sincerity

Ever had someone apologize to you and you questioned their sincerity? Ever ask yourself why? It’s probably because they did not speak your apology language. They said, “I’m sorry.” But what you wanted to hear was, “I was wrong.” They said, “Will you forgive me?” But what you wanted to hear was, “What can I do to make this right?” Many of our apologies come across as insincere because we are not speaking the apology language of the offended person. If couples can learn each other's primary apology language and speak it when they offend each other, forgiveness will be much easier.

The Five Languages of Apology

Do you know the five languages of apology?

• Expressing Regret – “I’m sorry.” “I feel badly about what I did.”
• Accepting Responsibility – “I was wrong.” “It was my fault.”
• Making Restitution – “What can I do to make it right?”
• Genuinely Repenting – “I’ll try not to do that again.”
• Requesting Forgiveness – “Will you please forgive me?”

Speaking the Right One

When you apologize, you are trying to make things right. So you say, “I’m sorry. I was wrong. I know I hurt you and I feel badly about it. Will you forgive me?” But your spouse says, “How could you do that if you loved me? How can I forgive you when you never do anything to ‘make it right’?" You feel frustrated and don’t know what to do next. The problem is not your sincerity, the problem is that you are not speaking the right apology language.

Which Do You Want to Hear?

Which one of the five languages of apology do you want to hear? That is your primary apology language. Apologize effectively by learning your spouse's apology language and speaking it when you know you have offended each other. Ask your spouse, “When I apologize, what do you want to hear from me?” You may be surprised at their answer, but it will give you their primary apology language. Learning to speak each other's apology language will lead you to a growing marriage.

Excerpt taken from The Five Languages of Apology: How to Experience Healing in All Your Relationships by Gary Chapman and Jennifer Thomas. To find out more about Gary Chapman's resources, visit http://www.fivelovelanguages.com/.

Johnny Out.

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The Temptations

This is the account in the Gospels about Jesus being tempted by Satan in the desert.

Matthew 4:1-11
Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him and said, "If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread."

Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'"

Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple.

"If you are the Son of God," he said, "throw yourself down. For it is written: " 'He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.'"

Jesus answered him, "It is also written: 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'"

Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. "All this I will give you," he said, "if you will bow down and worship me."

Jesus said to him, "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.'"

Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.

Mark 1:12-13
At once the Spirit sent him out into the desert, and he was in the desert forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him.

Luke 4:1-13
Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the desert, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry.

The devil said to him, "If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread."

Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone.'"

The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. And he said to him, "I will give you all their authority and splendor, for it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. So if you worship me, it will all be yours."

Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.'"

The devil led him to Jerusalem and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. "If you are the Son of God," he said, "throw yourself down from here. For it is written: " 'He will command his angels concerning you to guard you carefully; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.'"

Jesus answered, "It says: 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'"

When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time.

It is like pieces to a puzzle, you get a much bigger picture when you read the same account from other books of the Bible.

Johnny Out.

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Sexual Immorality: PART II

Continuing from what I did the other day, here is the previous post: Sexual Immorality

1st Corinthians 10:1-13

For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers, that our forefathers were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea. They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. They all ate the same spiritual food and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ. Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered over the desert.

Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did. Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written: "The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in pagan revelry." We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did—and in one day twenty-three thousand of them died. We should not test the Lord, as some of them did—and were killed by snakes. And do not grumble, as some of them did—and were killed by the destroying angel.

These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come. So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall! No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.

Ephesians 5:1-7

Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a man is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God's wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore do not be partners with them.

How many died when Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed? Twenty-Three Thousand. And it was due to their sexual immorality. They had more than just a hint. But what does the Bible say a "hint" is?

Hint (noun):

• An indirect, covert, or helpful suggestion; clue.
• A very slight or hardly noticeable amount.
• Perceived indication or suggestion; note; intimation.
• A brief or indirect suggestion; a tip.
• A statement conveying information in an indirect fashion; a clue.
• A barely perceptible amount.

Well, that is the dictionary's definition. Now, for the Bible...

Hint: Onomazo (pronounced: on-om-ad'-zo):

• to utter, to make mention of the name, to name, give name to, one be named; to bear or utter the name of a person or thing.

IMMORTALITY, n.

A toy which people cry for,

And on their knees apply for,

Dispute, contend and lie for,

And if allowed

Would be right proud

Eternally to die for. —G.J.

(Devil's Dictionary)

Johnny Out.

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The Sin List: Directory

The Sin List Directory:

Introduction

• Am I A Sybarite? Are You??
• The Beer Glass is Half Empty
• Deciding on Dissension
• Discussing Discord
• Everything is Idolatry
• The Facts on Factions
• Green with Envy
• Hating Hatred
• How Do Witches Spell Witchcraft? With A WAND!
• A Jealous God: Part I
• A Jealous God: Part II
• No Ambition Like Selfish Ambition
• Orgy
• Rage or Wrath
• Sexual Immorality: Part I
• Sexual Immorality: Part II
• What is Impurity?
• What Is "The Like" Like?

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What Is "The Like" Like?

This proves to be a tough weekend for me. I have a birthday party for Mackenzie, my son, to go to, and the Rangers Fan Fest is also Saturday. Then there is church on Sunday, which I am going to make sure I have a QT on Sunday, and we have to make sure all the paperwork is a go for our move.
This topic seems like it will be the toughest because it just sounds vague. Of course, the topic in question is "the like". What is the like?
I want to start with the Greek definition.

Like: Homoios (Pronounced: hom'-oy-os):

• Like, similar, resembling
• Like: i.e. resembling
• Like: i.e. corresponding to a thing

Jude 1:3-16

Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints. For certain men whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are godless men, who change the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord.

Though you already know all this, I want to remind you that the Lord delivered his people out of Egypt, but later destroyed those who did not believe. And the angels who did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned their own home—these he has kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the great Day. In a similar way, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion. They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire.

In the very same way, these dreamers pollute their own bodies, reject authority and slander celestial beings. But even the archangel Michael, when he was disputing with the devil about the body of Moses, did not dare to bring a slanderous accusation against him, but said, "The Lord rebuke you!" Yet these men speak abusively against whatever they do not understand; and what things they do understand by instinct, like unreasoning animals—these are the very things that destroy them.

Woe to them! They have taken the way of Cain; they have rushed for profit into Balaam's error; they have been destroyed in Korah's rebellion.

These men are blemishes at your love feasts, eating with you without the slightest qualm—shepherds who feed only themselves. They are clouds without rain, blown along by the wind; autumn trees, without fruit and uprooted—twice dead. They are wild waves of the sea, foaming up their shame; wandering stars, for whom blackest darkness has been reserved forever.

Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men: "See, the Lord is coming with thousands upon thousands of his holy ones to judge everyone, and to convict all the ungodly of all the ungodly acts they have done in the ungodly way, and of all the harsh words ungodly sinners have spoken against him." These men are grumblers and faultfinders; they follow their own evil desires; they boast about themselves and flatter others for their own advantage.

Here is an example of the like. In another translation, the "surrounding towns" are replaced with like... meaning similar. In fact, in Galatians 5, the like is refering to sins similar to those refered to earlier in the passage. Don't stab, shoot, maim, kill or anything else to hurt someone. "The like" simply refers to sins not mentioned, but sins similar to those already mentioned. This was a little easier than I thouoght it would be... still it took a lot of time to find this passage in Jude. Johnny Out.

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Bread and Wine: A Look at Communion

Bread and Wine: A Look at Communion

I had an idea sometime last week about studying about the bread and juice.

Matthew 6:9-15

"This, then, is how you should pray: 'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.' For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

Matthew 4:1-4

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him and said, "If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread."

Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God."

Deuteronomy 8:3

He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD.

John 6:1-59

Some time after this, Jesus crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee (that is, the Sea of Tiberias), and a great crowd of people followed him because they saw the miraculous signs he had performed on the sick. Then Jesus went up on a mountainside and sat down with his disciples. The Jewish Passover Feast was near.

When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, "Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?" He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do.

Philip answered him, "Eight months' wages would not buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!"

Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, spoke up, "Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?"

Jesus said, "Have the people sit down." There was plenty of grass in that place, and the men sat down, about five thousand of them. Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish.

When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, "Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted." So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.

After the people saw the miraculous sign that Jesus did, they began to say, "Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world." Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself.

When evening came, his disciples went down to the lake, where they got into a boat and set off across the lake for Capernaum. By now it was dark, and Jesus had not yet joined them. And a half miles, they saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the water; and they were terrified. But he said to them, "It is I; don't be afraid." Then they were willing to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the shore where they were heading.

The next day the crowd that had stayed on the opposite shore of the lake realized that only one boat had been there, and that Jesus had not entered it with his disciples, but that they had gone away alone. Then some boats from Tiberias landed near the place where the people had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks. Once the crowd realized that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into the boats and went to Capernaum in search of Jesus.

When they found him on the other side of the lake, they asked him, "Rabbi, when did you get here?"

Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, you are looking for me, not because you saw miraculous signs but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. On him God the Father has placed his seal of approval."

Then they asked him, "What must we do to do the works God requires?"

Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent."

So they asked him, "What miraculous sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do? Our forefathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written: 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat.'"

Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world."

"Sir," they said, "from now on give us this bread."

Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty. But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day."

At this the Jews began to grumble about him because he said, "I am the bread that came down from heaven." They said, "Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, 'I came down from heaven'?"

"Stop grumbling among yourselves," Jesus answered. "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in the Prophets: 'They will all be taught by God.' Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from him comes to me. No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God; only he has seen the Father. I tell you the truth, he who believes has everlasting life. I am the bread of life. Your forefathers ate the manna in the desert, yet they died. But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which a man may eat and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world."

Then the Jews began to argue sharply among themselves, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?"

Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him. Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your forefathers ate manna and died, but he who feeds on this bread will live forever." He said this while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.

This scripture in John, from John 6:5 to John 6:58, the word "bread" is used seventeen times. And that doesn't include the word "manna" and "loaves" and "food", which also encompass the word bread. Those would also be satisfactory searches on this subject. This is going to become a series, simply because I cannot dig enough that would satisfy me. And I have dabbled into the wine/juice a little today, but not really all that much. So much to look at. I will look more into it once I finish the "Sin List" series. Johnny Out.

I finally achieved the "600 Mark". I will have another countdown for #700 later on this year... hopefully in four months.

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Everything is Idolatry

Well, this is post #599. Tomorrow will be the BIG 600! I am looking forward to that one since I already know what I will be talking about and am really looking forward to studying out the subject matter. Well, onto today's QT, which is just as interesting.
I haven't ever studied out idolatry before and that is what makes is so very interesting to me. I know a lot of what God says on it, but I haven't ever put it into a QT, or at least that I can recollect.
Now, I put idolatry behind everything else so that it encompasses all the sins in Galatians. I did that because every sin is a form of idolatry, or at least I believe it is. With drunkenness, it is either the "bottle" that is the idol (the addiction), or it is a form of self before God and that my comfort is more important than anything God can provide. Fits of rage would be more of I can handle this and God can't. Each thing is a self-righteous action that ends back to idoling myself or a lack of trust in God and more trust in something other than God. Witchcraft is putting more trust in tarot cards and the answers they provide than the answers God can provide. But enough of what my observations, let's see what the Bible says on idolatry.

Jesus spoke a lot from Deuteronomy... here is a passage on Idolatry from Deuteronomy.

Deuteronomy 4:15-31

You saw no form of any kind the day the LORD spoke to you at Horeb out of the fire. Therefore watch yourselves very carefully, so that you do not become corrupt and make for yourselves an idol, an image of any shape, whether formed like a man or a woman, or like any animal on earth or any bird that flies in the air, or like any creature that moves along the ground or any fish in the waters below. And when you look up to the sky and see the sun, the moon and the stars—all the heavenly array—do not be enticed into bowing down to them and worshiping things the LORD your God has apportioned to all the nations under heaven. But as for you, the LORD took you and brought you out of the iron-smelting furnace, out of Egypt, to be the people of his inheritance, as you now are.

The LORD was angry with me because of you, and he solemnly swore that I would not cross the Jordan and enter the good land the LORD your God is giving you as your inheritance. I will die in this land; I will not cross the Jordan; but you are about to cross over and take possession of that good land. Be careful not to forget the covenant of the LORD your God that he made with you; do not make for yourselves an idol in the form of anything the LORD your God has forbidden. For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.

After you have had children and grandchildren and have lived in the land a long time—if you then become corrupt and make any kind of idol, doing evil in the eyes of the LORD your God and provoking him to anger, I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you this day that you will quickly perish from the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess. You will not live there long but will certainly be destroyed. The LORD will scatter you among the peoples, and only a few of you will survive among the nations to which the LORD will drive you. There you will worship man-made gods of wood and stone, which cannot see or hear or eat or smell. But if from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you look for him with all your heart and with all your soul. When you are in distress and all these things have happened to you, then in later days you will return to the LORD your God and obey him. For the LORD your God is a merciful God; he will not abandon or destroy you or forget the covenant with your forefathers, which he confirmed to them by oath.

The definition for what God calls an idol is anything other than God. If I turn to worship an image, whether it be money, women, or a car, than I am idolizing. It is that simple. If I put more trust in a brother or sister in the church instead of God, then that is idolatry.

Idol: Pecel (pronounced: peh'-sel):

• idol, image

1st Corinthians 10:1-22

For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers, that our forefathers were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea. They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. They all ate the same spiritual food and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ. Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered over the desert.

Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did. Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written: "The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in pagan revelry." We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did—and in one day twenty-three thousand of them died. We should not test the Lord, as some of them did—and were killed by snakes. And do not grumble, as some of them did—and were killed by the destroying angel.

These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come. So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall! No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.

Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry. I speak to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say. Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf.

Consider the people of Israel: Do not those who eat the sacrifices participate in the altar? Do I mean then that a sacrifice offered to an idol is anything, or that an idol is anything? No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God, and I do not want you to be participants with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot have a part in both the Lord's table and the table of demons. Are we trying to arouse the Lord's jealousy? Are we stronger than he?

Now, just thinking about this is convicting... participating with demons.

Demons: Daimonion (pronounced: dahee-mon'-ee-on):

• The divine power, deity, divinity (A spirit, a being inferior to God, superior to men)
• Evil spirits or the messengers and ministers of the devil.

Demons are real. The Bible says it is so. I, however, want no part in them. These creatures can do surprising and powerful things. God can do so much more than they. Why would I want to dabble in such dark arts only to condemn myself? Why? It would be foolishness.

Idol: Eidolon (pronounced: i'-do-lon):

• An image, likeness (i.e. whatever represents the form of an object, either real or imaginary).
• Used of the shades of the departed, apparitions, spectres, phantoms of the mind, etc.
• The image of an heathen god.
• A false god.

The Greek "idol" encompasses quite a bit more. So who or what is my God? I have used a number of these scriptures already in this series and here is another one that was recently used.

Colossians 3:5-10

Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.

An evil desire is idolatry. Impurity is idolatry. Lust is idolatry. Greed is idolatry. And it is because of these idolatrous sins that the wrath of God comes. It really brings it home to think that an evil desire is idolatry. Everything on the sin list in Galatians is an evil desire and thus idolatry. Convicting. Johnny Out.

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What is Impurity

Well, here I am again, continuing the Sin List series. In just a couple of more posts and I will finally hit the 600 post mark. That's a lot of Quiet Times. Still, it should be more, but I'm not going to beat myself up too much over it. One thing I do know, the past can not be undone, but the future is spotless.
Today, the topic is "impurity".
I'm sure you've heard the story about someone watching a silversmith one day as he was melting silver. The silversmith told them that you must get the exact temperature because if you make it too hot, you’ll ruin it. They then asked him “How do you know when you have the right temperature?” The silversmith replied “When you see your reflection in the silver, the temperature is right.”

That's about being pure.

Ephesians 5:1-7

Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a man is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God's wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore do not be partners with them.

So, when the Bible says there should not be any kind of impurity... what does it mean? I mean, I know that impurity is being impure, but what does that entail?

Impurity: akaqarsia (pronounced: ak-ath-ar-see'-ah):

• uncleanness, physical, in a moral sense: the impurity of lustful, luxurious, profligate living; of impure motives.

It is a physical uncleanness. Let's say, I lust after a woman at the grocery store, I become unclean. If I go out of my way to look at someone, say while I am driving in my car... that is impure motives, whether I succeed at looking at that person or not. That's good to know, because I have often wondered about whether the desire to sin and not doing it was sin. In this case, it is. Johnny Out.

It may take me a while to actually climb back up into the 90 percentile, but the challenge is definitely welcome. I think that this is more and more attainable all the time.

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Orgy

I really need to figure out what to do on Sunday's. This is yet another Sunday in which I didn't have a QT. My family looked at apartment's yesterday and found a new place to live. That's cool. Especially since Mackenzie will now have a backyard to play in.

Today, I am looking at "orgies", which Biblically I believe this is more of an eating thing instead of a sexual thing.

Romans 13:8-14

Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law. The commandments, "Do not commit adultery," "Do not murder," "Do not steal," "Do not covet," and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: "Love your neighbor as yourself." Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

And do this, understanding the present time. The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature.

1st Peter 4:1-6

Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because he who has suffered in his body is done with sin. As a result, he does not live the rest of his earthly life for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God. For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do—living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry. They think it strange that you do not plunge with them into the same flood of dissipation, and they heap abuse on you. But they will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. For this is the reason the gospel was preached even to those who are now dead, so that they might be judged according to men in regard to the body, but live according to God in regard to the spirit.

Orgies: Komos (pronounced: ko'-mos):

• A revel, carousal
• A nocturnal and riotous procession of half drunken and frolicsome fellows who after supper parade through the streets with torches and music in honour of Bacchus or some other deity, and sing and play before houses of male and female friends; hence used generally of feasts and drinking parties that are protracted till late at night and indulge in revelry

I have issues with eating... normally the things I shouldn't eat... like cookies. I love cookies. Chocolate. I do like a candy bar. Sugary sweets seem to be the end of me. I have been mindful of that of late and it still makes me powerless at times. Anyway, that's it for now. Johnny Out.

Just a few more posts and I hit 600!
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Sexual Immorality

I am whipped out. I am tired. I had a bad night.
Today, as I continue this series, I hit a tough subject... actually, the next several are going to be a bit tough. The reason is because I am hitting a number of sexual topics, the sexual sins. I just so happen to struggle a great deal in this area. I am not proud to say that I do, but the fact of the matter is that I do and so this is going to be a bit more personal and convicting for me. AMEN for that.
1st Corinthians 6:12-20

"Everything is permissible for me"—but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible for me"—but I will not be mastered by anything. "Food for the stomach and the stomach for food"—but God will destroy them both. The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. By his power God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will raise us also. Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself? Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never! Do you not know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body? For it is said, "The two will become one flesh." But he who unites himself with the Lord is one with him in spirit.

Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body. Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.

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