Noah!?
I like Russell Crowe as an actor, but I think I'll take a pass on going to the show to see him in the "watered down" version of the biblical story of Noah. (It's gotten a flood of criticism.). But more importantly, let's talk about how we can influence people toward the Lord through it and other trending things. Jesus certainly used current events in His day to evangelize. Read Luke 13:1-5.
So how can we take a trending topic and turn it toward a spiritual conversation? Use questions! Here's a few examples-
*Are you going to go see the movie Noah?
*A lot of people are talking about it. Did you know even Jesus talked about Noah?
Jesus said, "As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man." Mt.24:37-39.
*Do you think God will keep His promise and bring another worldwide judgment on the earth?
2 Peter 3:6-7 says regarding Noah's day that "the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men."
*Why do you think God hasn't brought such worldwide judgment and destruction yet?
The same passage goes on to tell us the answer. "The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise as some understand slowness. He is patient with you. Not wanting any to perish, but everyone to come to repentance" 2 Peter 3:9.
PS- Those who think the story of Noah and the ark is just an ancient myth, fail to realize that the greatest historian who ever lived also verified such. His name? Jesus.
1. There are several places in the New Testament that refer to Noah. He definitely was an historical figure. Post a verse you found by simply doing an online search for verses on Noah in the New Testament. (I want you to get used to finding things for people when they ask you Bible questions. There's such a wealth of information available to you at your fingertips. It cost an old-timer like me a small fortune in bought books for such info. Include the link you ended up using. No fair copying the post of someone else. :)
Because God is holy and just, He had to punish the wicked world of Noah's day. And with the coming day of the Lord, He will punish this world again- but with fire. This month of April, we will be focusing on God's attributes of holiness and judgment. God's holiness means He is pure, hating evil and loving that which is good. Because He is also just, He must punish sin. A judge would not be just if he didn't punish the guilty. And God is perfectly just. I realize that God's holiness and justice are not pleasant topics of conversation to have with lost people. But they must know the truth to flee from the wrath to come to the ark of salvation provided- Christ Jesus.
This month of April, I want to welcome you to a quick trip through several of Paul's powerful letters. We're starting by reading through Galatians.
2. Wouldn't it be great if you could listen to an excellent overview of Galatians or any book of Scripture? Now you can. Click here-
Please listen to at least the first few minutes of Galatians by Pastor Ray Stedman. He is so rich, giving an overview of the Bible there as well. So jot down some of his golden insights in your wealth catcher. Now post one gem for me. Thanks! You're fulfilling Gal.6:6.
You'll want to go back to this site whenever you desire to listen to an overview of a Bible book. What a helpful site to pass on to others over the many years you will be influencing and mentoring others. What a lasting legacy you're going to have!
Bonus- Want just a 4 minute audio overview of any book in the Bible? You got it! http://www.discipleshiplibrary.com/bible_aag.php
3. Please post one verse you've enjoyed from your daily readings in Galatians. (Don't feel obligated to comment on it.) Wow! You've gleaned a lot of gold this week to enrich you wealth partner with!
Announcements & Reminders
This coming Sunday, April 6th- Prepare for a feast of learning at our NGL Leadership Training Meeting at 11:30. So bring your Bible, pen and wealth catcher. We'll be meeting in the break room again.
Call me as soon as you can quote Eph.2:1-5. c.773-742-2694. It's due by our next NGL leadership training meeting- Sunday, April 6th at 11:30. (That date sounds strangely familiar.)
Here's our reading guide for the next couple of weeks.
March
30th- Gal.1
31st- Gal.2
April
1- Gal.3
2- Gal.4
3- Gal.5
4- Gal.6
5- Eph.1
6- Eph.2
7- Eph.3
8- Eph.4
9- Eph.5
10- Eph.6
11- Phil.1
12- Phil.2
13- Phil.3
14- Phil.4
15- Col.1
Leadership is influence. Who do you plan on inviting to any of our Easter outreaches? Way to go!
Deep thought to ponder- How much deeper would the ocean be without sponges in it?
1. “When Noah awoke from his wine, he knew what his youngest son has done to him. So he said “Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants he shall be to his brothers.” He also said “Blessed be the Lord , The God of Shem; And let Canaan be his servant” Genesis 9:24-27
ReplyDeletehttp://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/Noah
2. “The old Testament contributes the theme of preparation, the groundwork. The New Testament contributes the note of realization. It actually confronts us with the person of Jesus Christ, who is himself Gods program and plan for making life complete for us.”
3. “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” Galatians 2:20
Very good Jasmine! I also want to commend you for being so prompt on your postings. Way to go!
DeleteGood evening,
ReplyDeleteI told myself "Hollywood" and "Noah" not a good mix at all, but then something clicked! What a good way to evangelize and spread the actual message of what really happened. Through time and prayer, then listening to Moody Radio one windy afternoon, I heard the Evangelist Ray Comfort talking about the upcoming Hollywood movie "Noah" and how he and a team worked on mini movie to show the world the actual facts on Noah and the Ark. What perfect timing, right before the premiere of "Noah". So I quickly wrote the info down and when I got home purchased a bulk of DVDs to later pass them out at the movie theater. Wow, what a very powerful movie and with Ray Comfort going to random people and asking these questions, I strongly believe someone was going to be saved watching this movie."Noah Movie HD- And the Last Days. Just in time to spread the message and give to others the real bible (non - green screen version with all type of Hollywood effects) version. So many Christians and unbelievers arrived for the "Noah" movie premiere and when the movie finished, I made sure I was first at the exit doors to pass out Ray Comforts "Noah Movie" to a good 30 individuals until (Security) saw what was happening and said to me "I couldn't sell DVDs" then someone said "They are free" and then Security Officer said "Could I get one also" (He also was a Christian). All went smooth and a bit overwhelming with questions asked all around, but it all worked out according to plan.
Here it is for free on YouTube; http://youtu.be/A7bPCYizcFM
1. http://worldwideflood.org/general/noah_refs.htm is great general link to references to Noah. The verse that I would love to share is Matthew 24:37 "But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be
(Sorry about forgetting to post the author of the commentary of 2 Corinthians on the last post) wont happen again :)
2. Pastor Ray Stedman had so many gems and the one that did it for me was when he said " Its aim is freedom of our human spirits to the utmost extent, restrained only as necessary for us to exist in harmony with the design of God. Therefore, this letter has been called the "Bill of Rights of the Christian Life," or the "Magna Carta of Christian Liberty," the "Emancipation Proclamation" from all forms of legalism and bondage in the Christian experience.
http://www.raystedman.org/bible-overview/adventuring/galatians-dont-submit-again-to-the-slaves-yoke
3. Galatians 1;10 Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people?If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.
Apostle Paul was seeking the approval of God and not of men. Paul did not let the flesh consume him and take authority, as he gave it all to God. He desired the favor of God then the attention and favor from men, he did not want to be like a pharisee or scribe (Matthew 6:5 "to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full". That was the last thing he wanted to do, as he knew he was commissioned by God and had a great calling upon his life. As he also said in 1 Thessalonians 2:4 ' It is not my aim or purpose to please people, and to conciliate their favor". We should not exalt in men or such events to receive praise and glory, as all praise and glory goes to God almighty and not human praise (John 21:43 " for they loved human praise more than praise from God" all is done through the Holy Ghost that was given by God and makes us not our own ( 1 Corinthians 6:19). Let us all seek the approval of God then to seek others approval.
Way to go Eddie with your outreach at the movie theater! The real Noah will enjoy meeting you one day.
Delete1) Hebrews 11:6-7 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who diligently seek him. By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith. I did not have a search site so I used Brother Eddie’s: http://worldwideflood.org/general/noah_refs.htm. That site is amazing, is there a listing of other sites like that one?
ReplyDelete2) “The Bible in Depth” by Ray C. Stedman is also a great source of information. His in sight on the purpose of both the Old and New Testaments as a whole spoke to my heart. “The whole revelation of God or the whole Bible is given that I might be complete in Christ that is holy and filled with Christ himself, having a body holy, filled and flooded with God himself. To put it in the language of the Apostle Paul: that we might experience all that God had intended when he made man in the very beginning.” The living, life changing, all inspiring Word of God is the only way for us to intimately know and walk with God. When all is said and done – it all boils down to one thing, Christ in us, every step of the way.
3) Galatians 2:20-21 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Thanks Bea. Gal.2:20 goes so well with what you wrote just above it. Very good.
DeleteWhat an important reminder that He loves us- even when we don't feel it.
1. 1 Peter 3:20 Who once were disobedient, when the patience of God kept waiting in the days of Noah, during the construction of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through the water. - See more at: http://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/Noah#sthash.T6bxJHqs.dpuf
ReplyDelete2.“They are frank, impetuous, impressionable, emi- nently intelligent, fond of show but extremely in- constant, the fruit of excessive vanity.” Doesn’t that sound like Americans? Most of the world would agree to that."(Ray C. Stedman) This really hit America today on the head. We are as the Gauls were then. Americans are very impressionable but there is too much of the wrong things getting to the American people. It would be completely opposite if there was as much Religion being pushed on people as there is as drugs and sex and other sorts of wordily things. It is also true that most Americans have to much pride to have God rule their lives. Americans want to be the own rulers of their lives. So i think Stedman does a great job relating the Gauls to Americans.
3.Galatians 2:6 "As for those who were held in high esteem--whatever they were makes no difference to me; God does not show favoritism--they added nothing to my message."
Excellent Lucas! You gave me just what I was wanting. Good job. Looking forward to seeing you this Sunday.
DeleteAmen Lucas, I'm glad you got back on the saddle, way to go...
Delete1. Hebrews 11:7
ReplyDelete7 By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that is in keeping with faith.
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+11%3A7&version=NIV
2. Wow. Pastor Dave, thanks for that resource. That is true gold! I love that the letter to the Galatians is referred to as the "Emancipation Proclaimation" of Christians. Paul was telling the churches of Galatia that they were free by grace. From the overview and commentary by Stedman I learned that Judaizers were coming down from Jerusalem, trying to get the new believers, in Jesus Christ, to follow Old Testament rituals - from being circumcised to following the Law of Moses. But Paul tells the Galatians that they do not need do these things, because they have freedom in Christ. The Law was a guardian for those before Christ. I love how Stedman points out that, by instituting OT rituals in the churches of Galatia, believers would have put precedence to the Law, thus putting Christ Jesus second. But God shouldn't be second in our lives He should be our first and only.
3. Gal 4: 21-31
I love how Paul uses the stories of Hagar and Sarah. Such a rich literary verse, from symbolisms to parallels to allegories, that expresses our freedom in Christ through our faith in Him. For those who believe in Christ, we are no longer slaves to "the guardian", which is the law, but are children of the free woman, which is of the new covenant. Freedom by faith.
So glad you liked the resource. Those who are hungry for God's word, I'm sure will agree with you that it's gold. Very good! As always, feel free to call me anytime.
Delete1. "By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that is in keeping with faith." Hebrews 11:7.
ReplyDelete2. "Faith is the means by which all that Christ is in us and we have in Him is made manifest in our experiences". This is impacting because it gives faith a broader meaning. Most people think that faith is just believing in something, but in Christ it means so much more than that. Our daily walk with Christ should be about constantly trying to be more like Jesus and through this creating a relationship with God like Abraham who was called a friend of God. When our relationship with God is prevalent in our lives, our faith and foundation in him is like the house built on the rock, it did not fall. Just like this, when we live in Christ and He in us, our faith and conviction in Him grows, and when tested, can impact many lives including our own.
3. Galatians 5:16-18 "So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever[c] you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law." As we read chapter 5 (verses 16-25) Paul exhorts the Galatians to live life by the Spirit and also describes a constant conflict between our flesh, our tendency to sin, and the Holy Spirit that roams within us. When we fully submit ourselves and give control to the Holy Spirit to take over our lives, only then can our flesh be tamed to live in sanctification and the fruit of the Holy Spirit can flourish in our lives.
Amen Natalie! Thank the Lord that the conflict between the flesh and Spirit will one day be over.
DeleteThanks for the heads-up for Noah (the movie).
ReplyDelete1. Hebrews 11:7 says, "By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that is in keeping with faith". This is a really great verse of encouragement by the author of Hebrews and I believe that it is a wake up call to anyone struggling with listening to the voice of God. It also encourages me and others to not only have faith, but to have an easier approach on actually acting out on God's command.
2. WOW!! I love that website. I listened to 20 minutes of Stedman's commentary on Galatians because it was incredibly fascinating. One thing that I was mostly intrigued by was his insight on the background and ethnicity of the Galatians. They were northern European (Celtic) with similar traits of modern day United States. With that in mind and knowing the struggle in the american church, Paul targeted various churches of Galatia and taught them the famous "justification by faith alone and not by works". Very interesting!
3. Gal. 4:7 says, "So you are no longer a slave, but God's child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir". This means that once we become sons of God, we are no longer, metaphorically speaking, sons of our biological family, but adopted into the family of God, therefore, giving us a grand blessing! This gives me a sense of comfort and thanks to God.
Good Ivan! I struggle with "listening to the voice of God" so it will be good to discuss that together. Until then...
Delete1. (I want to share 2 verses that stood out) Gen. 7:6 Noah was 600 years old when the floodwaters engulfed the earth and Gen. 6:22 And Noah did all that God commanded him – he did indeed.
ReplyDeleteThis is my number one tool and website. I use this for everything. It helps so much in sermon prep and in Greek/Hebrew translation. Anyone reading my post, please use this site!
https://net.bible.org/#!search/Noah
2. Gem - All who are justified in Christ, SHALL LIVE - Liberty, the fullest expression in life All BY FAITH. The Christian is called to Liberty in Jesus Christ, set free from other restraints!
3. Galatians 4:12 I plead with you, brothers and sisters, become like me - Can I repeat that to those who surround me?
Good Ken! Thanks for also sharing the good net.bible.org site.
Delete1) I like to use Bible Gateway search because it is very easy to use and works just like a concordance. You can even choose what books you want the search to cover. To shake things up a bit I decided to try a new site. Here is the link for the website that came up when I googled “New Testament verses about Noah”: http://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/Noah
ReplyDeleteHere is one verse that was on the site: 1 Peter 3:20 “…who once were disobedient, when the patience of God kept waiting in the days of Noah, during the construction of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through the water.
2) “The Christian is called to liberty. Freedom to the utmost extent of the human spirit. Set free from every restraint other than that from God himself which is necessary to our existence…this is called the Bill of Rights of the Christian life.” I am taking a Political Science class this semester, so my ears perked up at the mention of liberty and the Bill of Rights. I fell in love with the book of Galatians when I was around sixteen or seventeen after a good friend lent me a book called the Silas Diary. Now, it is a fictional book based on concrete facts about Paul and Silas’ journeys and the events that inspired the book of Galatians to be written. I recommend this book to everyone. After reading it I went back to my Bible and basically highlighted the entire book of Galatians and scribbled notes all over the margins. One of my notes is about the true freedom the book of Galatians proclaims to Christians.
3) I LOVE verses 8-10 of chapter 1: “But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God’s curse! As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let them be under God’s curse! Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ! (I imagine an exclamation point here.)
What a strong reminder that even our great leaders and teachers are still just men. Everything we hear or read concerning scripture should be measured back to the Word of God. Oh Lord make us Bereans who take no man’s word for truth except your own! So easy to be lazy and just believe whatever we hear. It takes discipline to be a truth seeker.
Yes, Sarah, it does take discipline to study and correctly handle the word of God. I too am certainly fallible. So as I've said many times, "If anything I ever say doesn't line up with the word of God, spit it out." Keep walking in the freedom that Christ has brought us.
Delete1. Luke 17:26-27 (ESV) "Just as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be in the days of the Son of Man. They were eating and drinking and marrying and being given in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all." I got this from New Testament Hyper-concordance at http://www.semanticbible.com/hyperconc/N/Noah.html from the keyword Noah.
ReplyDelete2. I thought it was pretty amazing when he talked about three letters from the New Testament, Romans, Galatians, and Hebrews, as closely related and a sort of commentary on a verse from Habakkuk 2:4 (RSV) "The righteous shall live by faith". Especially that Galatians focuses on the "shall live" part of that verse in that Paul talks about living as a righteous person justified through Christ.
3. Galatians 2:16 (ESV) "...yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified." This verse stuck out to me while I was reading and later on Pastor Stedman's overview of Galatians really put some insight on the purpose of the epistle.
Very good Nick! And you posted by Wednesday- congrats!
Delete-Luke 17:26-27 “Just as it was in the days of Noah, so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man. People were eating, drinking, marrying and being given in marriage up to the day Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all." This verse stood out to me because it made me think of how no matter what we do, God has the ultimate power. God comes in a suddened way and has a way of catching our attention.
ReplyDelete-My favorite part of the audio was when he talks about how to live. We were called to live in freedom, called to liberty. The Christian life is to be lived by faith.
-Galatians 2:16 "know that a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified." This is so encouraging to know that we can't not be justified by our works because if we were, we would all not be saved and justified because we all fall short. There's nothing we can do to earn or lose Gods love for us.
That's right Genesis- "There's nothing we can do to earn or lose God's love for us." May you enjoy the Father's warm smile upon you!
Delete1. http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+11:6-8&version=NIV
ReplyDeleteHebrews 11:6-8 Noah made it to the Hall of Faith
2. Christ has done it for us, we cannot save ourselves!
Ray C. Steadman, says that Martin Luther sought the Head of the Order in his quest to finding peace for his soul regarding eternal salvation. The Augustinian monk told him, “Put your faith not upon yourself, but in the works of Christ.” Martin Luther struggled and believed he can earn his salvation through works by performing; indulgences, sacraments, fasting, the intercession of the saints, etc…). However, thanks to God the Lord led him to key passages which showed him the truth in that Christ’s righteousness was given to us by having faith in Jesus and His work on the Cross!
For instance, Galatians 2:16 tells us that, “A person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in[d] Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified.” The Apostle Paul was determined to let people know that one is justified by faith and not by works. Likewise, when Martin Luther discovered this gracious truth he passed it on as well… These men challenge me to do likewise, especially since there are many people and religions that believe they can earn their salvation.
3. “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20).
I love this verse and I have memorized it since 2010. I still pray it for myself and others because of its richness and truth. This is a constant reminder to me everyday in knowing that I no longer for myself, but for Christ because of His sacrificial love for me.
Excellent Jose! And what a great verse- Gal.2:20!
DeleteThanks Dave--Interesting topic! It is so good to try and bring God and spiritual issues into conversations. But it's not always easy. On the one hand we don't want to be an undercover Christian who never talks about their faith but on the other hand we don't want to be a Pharisee who is correcting everyone all the time. If we truly love people it should come across the right way and we should have discernment. Regarding Noah, he is mentioned in Hebrews 11:7 as an example of faith, "By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household." He certainly is one who shows that the minority is sometimes right, even the very small minority. Really enjoying Galatians, There is a lot about faith in this book but I also was impressed by Gal 2:7-9. Paul talks about how he was called to go to the Gentiles and Peter to the Jews. God has a plan for all of us, we have specific gifts and abilities, there are opportunities we need to pursue, and people that we are supposed to influence. Eph 2:10 says that He has created us to do good works and that He has prepared these works in advance. So if we are living according to God's will we are not just randomly trying to do good but can be following His direction and experiencing His power, protection, provision, and guidance. And we never go alone, God is with us and He gives us a family of brothers and sisters bound together by the Spirit which is 'thicker than blood'. I love how Paul expresses his love and concern for the Galatians. He was not just a teacher but a spiritual Father, friend, and leader.
ReplyDeleteI'm struck by Paul's great love for them too Mike. O that I would increase in love. PS- Will be praying for you and the guys on the encounter retreat. I'm working.
DeleteOne more thing, I apologize to the team for always posting on Thurs or Fri. The goal is Wed and I want to be on board but for some reason have been late the last few weeks. See you all this Sunday as we meet for our monthly meeting during the 2nd service at Midway. Don't miss the service, make sure you get the 930 am so you can join after. I do have to cover announcements so I will be late to our meeting. Sundays are full but it still seems like the best time to meet. God Bless!
ReplyDeleteI used my parents concordance to find a verse, and I saw that it listed only three verses.... As a result, I believe someone will definitely have the same verse as me and vice versa.
ReplyDelete1.Hebrews 11:7 - " By faith Noah, being warned by God about things not yet seen, in reverence prepared an ark for the salvation of his household, by which he condemned the world, and became an heir of the righteousness which is according by faith. "(NASB)
2. Perhaps this is somewhat off topic, but I like how Mr. Stedman says how Paul had learned all about Jesus and His disciples from Christ Jesus Himself. I found that incredibly interesting because as silly as it sounds, I really have never caught that truth myself while reading through the Paul's letters before. As a result, I can look back and see it easily.
3. "Even so Abraham BELIEVED GOD AND IT WAS RECKONED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS. " Galatians 3:7. "There for the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor." Galatians 3:24-25
Very sorry about the late post, Pastor Dave.
DeleteGood thoughts Alex. Glad you have access to a concordance and know how to use it.
Delete1. 1 Peter 3:19-20 “After being made alive, he went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits— to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water,….”
ReplyDeleteLeave it to me to choose what many consider the most difficult scripture in the New Testament to understand. A passage that even Martin Luther said he is uncertain of. Just choosing this scripture has made me study, read, and search for reference. What is the most intriguing thing to me is the fact that it is hard to interpret. I simply love how God uses texts like this, and says to us “You think you know all there is to know about me…..you have no idea….”. It is a passage that’s debatable meaning needs to be reserved for a different forum, but I chose it ultimately for its mystery, and how well it shows Noah’s situation and its parallel to another verse:
Matthew 7:13-14 "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”
In this case, small was the gate to that Ark, a striking symbol of God’s Salvation.
http://www.openbible.info/topics/noah
2. Very good resource to have on hand. I look forward to listening to more of them soon. The gem I felt stood out to me the most was when he mentioned Paul’s words in Ephesians 3:19, about the Bible given to us that we might be “a body wholly filled and flooded with God Himself”.
Such an awesome and soothing thought, to be flooded (Noah reference for bonus points) with God himself. That our hunger and thirst for righteousness would ultimately end with the Lord’s presence inundated in us. Not simply filling us, but flooding us, overflowing, touching the lives of those around us. Always about His Glory. Opened my eyes to that verse in a new and profound way. The Lord God, choosing to impact His creation through people drowning in Him.
3. The verse that stood out to me in the reading of Galatians, and has stood out to me previously, would definitely be:
Galatians 2:5 “We did not give in to them for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you.”
This is something I shared with someone recently. In context, it speaks of ideas that some false believers were trying to insert into the Gospel teachings. This verse was very compelling, as it feels like a “call-to-arms” for the Church of today. Generation upon generation of the Church has fought, resisted, and kept the Gospel pure, through the grace and protection of the Lord, preserving its Authority; we also must step forward and resist ideas or practices contrary to scripture from seeping into the hearts of minds of the Faithful. With the rise of the Cults, it is, and will always be, imperative that we continue in our labor of love, that the “Gospel might be preserved for you”.
Very good Will- you deserve bonus points!
ReplyDelete1. http://creation.com/nt-global-flood
ReplyDeleteHebrews 11:7 "By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith."
2. "Galatians takes up the question, "What real christian life is like? The christian is called to liberty in Jesus Christ. Freedom to the upmost extent possible to the human spirit. Set free from every restraint." Galatians might just be might favorite book.
3. Galatians 2:20 My old self has been crucified with Christ.[a] It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
--
Very good and to the point Nori!
ReplyDelete