The Chosen

This has been a study on the back-burner for a long time. And finally, I am going to take a crack at it. The concept of God choosing me. The concept of being chosen by God.
Now, I do not know about any of my readers... but I know what it is like to be chosen as the last person for a team. I know what it is like to be constantly picked toward the last, or DEAD last... I know the feeling can be one of those feelings where a person can get sad about being picked late. I normally had the attitude of proving them wrong for picking me late. And I normally did. But what about the feeling about being chosen by God... Do I feel like I have been chosen by God? Do I act like I have been chosen by God? What would that look like, me being chosen by the Lord? Well, that is what I am going to search out in the scriptures. I don't know how long this study will be... if it is one that will be a short burst and fizzle out or one that will hit sixty editions...

Proverbs 1:20-33
Wisdom calls aloud in the street, she raises her voice in the public squares; at the head of the noisy streets she cries out, in the gateways of the city she makes her speech: "How long will you simple ones love your simple ways? How long will mockers delight in mockery and fools hate knowledge? If you had responded to my rebuke, I would have poured out my heart to you and made my thoughts known to you. But since you rejected me when I called and no one gave heed when I stretched out my hand, since you ignored all my advice and would not accept my rebuke, I in turn will laugh at your disaster; I will mock when calamity overtakes you- when calamity overtakes you like a storm, when disaster sweeps over you like a whirlwind, when distress and trouble overwhelm you. "Then they will call to me but I will not answer; they will look for me but will not find me. Since they hated knowledge and did not choose to fear the LORD, since they would not accept my advice and spurned my rebuke, they will eat the fruit of their ways and be filled with the fruit of their schemes. For the waywardness of the simple will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them; but whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm."

Proverbs 3:31-32

Do not envy a violent man or choose any of his ways, for the LORD detests a perverse man but takes the upright into his confidence.

Proverbs 8:10-11

Choose my instruction instead of silver, knowledge rather than choice gold, for wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare with her.

Proverbs 16:16-18

How much better to get wisdom than gold, to choose understanding rather than silver! The highway of the upright avoids evil; he who guards his way guards his life. Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.

I thought what better way to start this series than to check out Proverbs... wisdom is best explained in Proverbs. If I choose to not fear the Lord, I will eat the fruit of folly. And, it may not add up to much in this life, I may not feel all that too many consequences for my sin if I choose to act in such a way, but the next life, the afterlife, it always will.

Do not choose to act like a sinful man, a violent man, or lustful man. It is better to get wisdom, instruction and understanding than to pursue money. Try telling that to the US society. It is so difficult to not pursue the ways of the ca$h. Johnny Out.

Character Study: Eli - Part II

The first part of this study: Eli: Part I

CHRISTIAN, n. One who believes that the New Testament is a divinely inspired book admirably suited to the spiritual needs of his neighbor. One who follows the teachings of Christ in so far as they are not inconsistent with a life of sin. (Devil's Dictionary)

CHARACTER, n. The aggregate of features and traits that form the individual nature of some person or thing. Moral or ethical quality. Reputation. A distinguishing feature or attribute, as of an individual, group, or category.

DISCIPLE, n. A person who is a pupil or an adherent of the doctrines of another; follower.

BELIEVER, n. To have confidence in the assertions of (a person). To accept as true or real. A supporter who accepts something as true.
Eli thought she was drunk and said to her, "How long will you keep on getting drunk? Get rid of your wine."

Eli's sons were wicked men; they had no regard for the LORD. Now it was the practice of the priests with the people that whenever anyone offered a sacrifice and while the meat was being boiled, the servant of the priest would come with a three-pronged fork in his hand. He would plunge it into the pan or kettle or caldron or pot, and the priest would take for himself whatever the fork brought up. This is how they treated all the Israelites who came to Shiloh. But even before the fat was burned, the servant of the priest would come and say to the man who was sacrificing, "Give the priest some meat to roast; he won't accept boiled meat from you, but only raw."

This sin of the young men was very great in the LORD's sight, for they were treating the LORD's offering with contempt.

Now Eli, who was very old, heard about everything his sons were doing to all Israel and how they slept with the women who served at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. So he said to them, "Why do you do such things? I hear from all the people about these wicked deeds of yours. No, my sons; it is not a good report that I hear spreading among the LORD's people. If a man sins against another man, God may mediate for him; but if a man sins against the LORD, who will intercede for him?" His sons, however, did not listen to their father's rebuke, for it was the LORD's will to put them to death.

And the LORD said to Samuel: "See, I am about to do something in Israel that will make the ears of everyone who hears of it tingle. At that time I will carry out against Eli everything I spoke against his family—from beginning to end. For I told him that I would judge his family forever because of the sin he knew about; his sons made themselves contemptible, and he failed to restrain them. Therefore, I swore to the house of Eli, 'The guilt of Eli's house will never be atoned for by sacrifice or offering.' "

The man who brought the news replied, "Israel fled before the Philistines, and the army has suffered heavy losses. Also your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God has been captured."

When he mentioned the ark of God, Eli fell backward off his chair by the side of the gate. His neck was broken and he died, for he was an old man and heavy. He had led Israel forty years.

These are parts of the passage from June, when I started this study. Eli knew what was going on. And he really didn't do anything about it. He did confront his sons. He was also partaking in the sin. He was eating the sacrificial meat. He was holding the Lord's offering in contempt.

Leviticus 22:4-9

"If a descendant of Aaron has an infectious skin disease or a bodily discharge, he may not eat the sacred offerings until he is cleansed. He will also be unclean if he touches something defiled by a corpse or by anyone who has an emission of semen, or if he touches any crawling thing that makes him unclean, or any person who makes him unclean, whatever the uncleanness may be. The one who touches any such thing will be unclean till evening. He must not eat any of the sacred offerings unless he has bathed himself with water. When the sun goes down, he will be clean, and after that he may eat the sacred offerings, for they are his food. He must not eat anything found dead or torn by wild animals, and so become unclean through it. I am the LORD.

"The priests are to keep my requirements so that they do not become guilty and die for treating them with contempt. I am the LORD, who makes them holy."

Eli knew this. It wasn't as if this was new material. As a Priest, he had to know the law and he did. When Eli confronted his sons and they did not repent, he should have taken another step... put them in a "time out," per se... maybe the reality of disfellowship, stoning, or something just as serious and severe. I don't know what he really should have done, but doing nothing wasn't an option. Eli did nothing. I would much rather have a consequence from man rather than from God. Johnny Out.

A Loving Spirit

Luke 11:1-13
One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples."

He said to them, "When you pray, say: 'Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread. Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation.'"

Then he said to them, "Suppose one of you has a friend, and he goes to him at midnight and says, 'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, because a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have nothing to set before him.'"

"Then the one inside answers, 'Don't bother me. The door is already locked, and my children are with me in bed. I can't get up and give you anything.' I tell you, though he will not get up and give him the bread because he is his friend, yet because of the man's boldness he will get up and give him as much as he needs.

"So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.

"Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"

I have thought about this passage a good deal... and I think what Jesus may be trying to drive home is that when I pray, I should be bold, which is good... but I should also pray for direction from the Holy Spirit.

Ask: aiteō - pronounced: ahee-teh'-o

• To ask (in generally): - ask, beg, call for, crave, desire, require.

Boldness: anaideia - pronounced: an-ah'ee-die-ah'

• Impudence, that is, (by implication) importunity: - importunity.

Importunate (adjective):

• Urgent or persistent in solicitation, sometimes annoyingly so.
• Pertinacious, as solicitations or demands.
• Troublesome; annoying.

Impudence (noun):

• The quality of being offensively bold.
• Offensively bold behavior.

My prayers should look something like begging... bold begging. Begging to the point of being annoying to God. So annoying that it comes across as offensive. And a request for the Holy Spirit to come to action in some way... I guess that will do it for now.

The Loving Spirit

Genesis 41:15-40

Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I had a dream, and no one can interpret it. But I have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it."

"I cannot do it," Joseph replied to Pharaoh, "but God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires."

Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, "In my dream I was standing on the bank of the Nile, when out of the river there came up seven cows, fat and sleek, and they grazed among the reeds. After them, seven other cows came up—scrawny and very ugly and lean. I had never seen such ugly cows in all the land of Egypt. The lean, ugly cows ate up the seven fat cows that came up first. But even after they ate them, no one could tell that they had done so; they looked just as ugly as before. Then I woke up.

"In my dreams I also saw seven heads of grain, full and good, growing on a single stalk. After them, seven other heads sprouted—withered and thin and scorched by the east wind. The thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven good heads. I told this to the magicians, but none could explain it to me."

Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, "The dreams of Pharaoh are one and the same. God has revealed to Pharaoh what he is about to do. The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven good heads of grain are seven years; it is one and the same dream. The seven lean, ugly cows that came up afterward are seven years, and so are the seven worthless heads of grain scorched by the east wind: They are seven years of famine.

"It is just as I said to Pharaoh: God has shown Pharaoh what he is about to do. Seven years of great abundance are coming throughout the land of Egypt, but seven years of famine will follow them. Then all the abundance in Egypt will be forgotten, and the famine will ravage the land. The abundance in the land will not be remembered, because the famine that follows it will be so severe. The reason the dream was given to Pharaoh in two forms is that the matter has been firmly decided by God, and God will do it soon.

"And now let Pharaoh look for a discerning and wise man and put him in charge of the land of Egypt. Let Pharaoh appoint commissioners over the land to take a fifth of the harvest of Egypt during the seven years of abundance. They should collect all the food of these good years that are coming and store up the grain under the authority of Pharaoh, to be kept in the cities for food. This food should be held in reserve for the country, to be used during the seven years of famine that will come upon Egypt, so that the country may not be ruined by the famine."

The plan seemed good to Pharaoh and to all his officials. So Pharaoh asked them, "Can we find anyone like this man, one in whom is the spirit of God?"

Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one so discerning and wise as you. You shall be in charge of my palace, and all my people are to submit to your orders. Only with respect to the throne will I be greater than you."

This is a very cool passage. One, it tells us that the Spirit is a visualizing Spirit... it reveals things about us and others. Two, it is obvious who has the Spirit and who doesn't. Pharaoh pointed that out. Three, if one has the Spirit, that person should take charge. That person should lead.

Exodus 31:1-5

Then the LORD said to Moses, "See, I have chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability and knowledge in all kinds of crafts- to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, to cut and set stones, to work in wood, and to engage in all kinds of craftsmanship."

How about this as being a charge to use the gifts God has given me... and you, for those who happen to read this. The Lord took this guy and filled him with the Holy Spirit SPECIFICALLY to do artwork! Wow. How convicted am I about this? Terribly convicted. I gotta go do some artwork... Johnny Out.

The Christmas Spirit

Well, not really the "Christmas" Spirit, but really the Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost.
Genesis 1:1-2

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.

In the first two verses of the Bible, it is pointed out that God was there, and he created everything. There was also the Holy Spirit there. Here is the definition of Spirit:

Spirit: rûach - pronounced: roo'-akh:
Wind; by resemblance breath, that is, a sensible (or even violent) exhalation; figuratively life, anger, unsubstantiality; by extension a region of the sky; by resemblance spirit, but only of a rational being (including its expression and functions): - air, anger, blast, breath, cool, courage, mind, quarter, side, spirit (spiritual), tempest, vain, (whirlwind) wind (windy).

Genesis 6:1-7

When men began to increase in number on the earth and daughters were born to them, the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful, and they married any of them they chose. Then the LORD said, "My Spirit will not contend with man forever, for he is mortal; his days will be a hundred and twenty years."

The Nephilim were on the earth in those days—and also afterward—when the sons of God went to the daughters of men and had children by them. They were the heroes of old, men of renown.

The LORD saw how great man's wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time. The LORD was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain. So the LORD said, "I will wipe mankind, whom I have created, from the face of the earth—men and animals, and creatures that move along the ground, and birds of the air—for I am grieved that I have made them."

Inclination (noun):

• A disposition or bent, esp. of the mind or will; a liking or preference.
• Something to which one is inclined.

Inclined (verb):

• To dispose (a person) in mind, habit, etc. (usually followed by to).
• To be disposed to a certain preference, opinion, or course of action.
• To have a mental tendency, preference, etc.; be disposed.

How sad is this? It really isn't sad as it is... I can come up with the words to describe the whole situation. Every habit was sinful. Every preference was sinful. Being sinful was so much a part of life, that the people did not think about it. They just did it. And because everyone did it, everyone approved of it. It was commonplace to act the way they did. Having a whole bunch of wives? It was common place. Homosexuality? It was acceptable. In fact, you were considered out of place if you did not practice homosexuality.

Nephilim: nephîyl - pronounced: nef-eel':

Properly, a feller, that is, a bully or tyrant: giant.

Feller (noun):

• A man or boy; a fellow.

I simply had to look up that word out of plain curiousity.

So, bullies are not a new thing. Bullies married many women, maybe practiced homosexuality, and every thought and action was rooted in sin. And bullies were pre-flood. They've been around forever. God is grieved by sin. The Spirit is grieved by sin. More to come... Johnny Out.