The First Day of The Week

at 06/28/09 6:40AM

A day to gather.
A day to edify.
A day to remember.

Heb 10:19-24 Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, and having a High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works...

A day of family.
A day of rejoicing.

by 71lespaulcustom at 06/28/09 7:14AM
Excellent!

by cyber_space_cadet at 06/28/09 1:02PM
...at the very least 'consider' one another. that's an excellent place to start.
thank you for those thoughts.
we had a great service this a.m. a lot of the florida college campers/families were there today. all good.

by justg at 06/28/09 1:02PM
"Only A Step" was my mom's favorite song...

by justg at 06/28/09 8:19PM
PSA... for anyone leaving my mom a private message, please do a cc on my page. thanks, have a good day :o)

by kelly at 06/28/09 10:37PM

This IS a Test and The Answer...

at 06/04/09 5:14PM

Q1: Is the way straight and narrow?
Q2: Where is the answer?
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
You will notice I headed this post as being 'A Test'. That should have been the first tip off.
I answered the same as y'all when presented this question, as though this will make you feel better. Most were half right. Larry did not blow my cover. I sense he knew where this was going...
I based my incorrect answer on what I thought I knew the verse to be and what you hear in society...
'the straight and narrow way'.
Mt 7:14
"Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." KJV
"For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few." ESV
"Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it." NKJV

Answer to Q2: Matthew 7:13-14
based on verse 13 the above picture would better represent the way we do not want to go – to destruction.
It is wide, flat, easy to navigate, many can find it...

Answer to Q1: No. The way is not straight. No. The way is not narrow, in our daily use of the word, that would be the gate...
Based on verse 14 the gate is STRAIT, not straight (without a bend, angle, or curve)
Strait – (stenos #4728) - a narrow passage or area / obstructed, confined / fitting tightly; constricted
Like a strait jacket or think navigational, as in “The Strait of Magellan”.
Based on verse 14 the way is narrow/difficult/hard (depending on version)
Narrow – (thlibo #2346) - afflict, narrow, throng, suffer tribulation, trouble / a position of difficulty, distress, or need

This picture would probably better represent The Way we want to be on. It has turns and unseen things ahead but it is where God wants us to be...

All of this to make a point...
I am the first to state I am guilty as charged. 'We' (I and the mouse in my pocket, maybe you too) are often guilty of being sure we know what the scriptures teach. If we approach God's precious Word with this attitude we are bound to miss things. Important things, joyous things, comforting things, instructive things...
We expect those that we are trying to help learn of God to have honest hearts that are open and receptive to God's Word. Why should we not expect the same of ourselves???
I'd be glad for you to point out where I have misapplied Matthew 7:13-14. Study and honest discussion are good things.

Yes, the WAY is straight and narrow. The question for each of us is, are we ON it?

by cyber_space_cadet at 06/04/09 5:32PM
The gate is narrow ...the way is straight. but what is the difference?

by hastings at 06/04/09 6:05PM
Yes, and few there will be who find it...

by dcroush at 06/04/09 6:08PM
"I took the one less traveled by,..."

by 23_bravo_7 at 06/04/09 6:42PM
You and an elder where I attend see the same thing. I agree. I only delete messages that contain personal attacks.

by 23_bravo_7 at 06/05/09 5:18AM
Great post...I totally agree with you. The pictures were a perfect illustration. I'm guilty as charged, seeing the straight/narrow path, in my mind's eye. As I look at your illustration, that visual IS the easier way to navigate.
Thank you for the lesson. I enjoy a respectful, non-personal attacking discussion. You provided that.

by justg at 06/05/09 7:07AM
Hello, new friend! I guess I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around this whole "worship" conversation. If worship is action to show reverence or praise towards God, then wouldn't singing praises to Him, praying to Him, studying about Him, etc. (all things we do when we assemble (by example)) be considered worship to Him? I tried to make the point on Larry's blog that I don't feel worship HAS to be confined to just when we're assembled together, but I feel that worship should be a goal when we do so. I apologize for the lack of scriptures, I am at work. I'll get some to you in a bit! :)

by dcroush at 06/05/09 8:11AM
See his page...I think I clarified what I was trying to get across :)

by dcroush at 06/05/09 9:46AM
The "Big Picture" study is really good. I am sure you'll get a lot out of it. It's not often that we study the whole picture all at once. I hope you find my sermons useful. It was my first time delivering the topic.

by dcroush at 06/05/09 9:53AM

This May Be A Test

at 06/04/09 8:01AM

The picture of the pig and wee one still cracks me up. I may have to repost it one of these days, just for the fun of it.

You may want to peruse an interesting and IMPORTANT study/discussion over at Larry's page.

Now on to something new...

What do you know of the strait and narrow?

I know I want to be on it.

by whipsmile at 06/04/09 9:59AM
Few find it :( Especially the rich.

by tommygirl at 06/04/09 11:46AM
Me too! btw-I love the word peruse. It makes me happy.

by tommyswife at 06/04/09 2:57PM
I got hijacked. j/k

by 23_bravo_7 at 06/04/09 4:19PM

How Do You Contract Swine Flu??

at 06/02/09 11:25AM

Public Service Announcement...
Wednesday night between 8 pm and midnight, Sonic will be giving away 10 oz. RootBeer Floats!

Oh my. If I wasn't a germaphobe before, that could just send me over the edge! LOL!

by auntjennywren at 06/02/09 11:38AM
Isn't that sweet. I'm seeing the bacon and Pat's pork gravey with mashed potatos

by 23_bravo_7 at 06/02/09 11:43AM
Hahahahahahaha!

by cecile at 06/02/09 12:19PM
Funny thing is that the pig will likely get sick.

by 71lespaulcustom at 06/02/09 12:51PM
YUK!! hehehehe

by mockinbird at 06/02/09 1:06PM
That is gross and really funny.

by cyber_space_cadet at 06/02/09 1:50PM
I almost puked! Totally grossed out here! :) Where is the Purell? Where is my Lysol.

by tommyswife at 06/02/09 3:42PM
love it!

by kelly at 06/02/09 4:44PM
well, i laughed out loud! this is so cute!

by justg at 06/02/09 4:50PM
I cant stop laughing... That has made my day. Thank you

by toad8029 at 06/03/09 8:32AM
good idea, we are trying to plan a hubby & I trip only in July to a beach. Yum, sonic free floats!

by sprmom at 06/03/09 9:21AM
WooHoo! You go girl!!! On my feet, clapping and shouting BRAVO!

by justg at 06/03/09 2:16PM
We don't have any Sonic locations nearby. :( Andrew *loves* root beer floats.

by cyber_space_cadet at 06/03/09 4:24PM
HAHAHAHAH

by leighbee09 at 06/03/09 10:55PM
I don't know whether to laugh or gag! But I can do both! :)

by flyonthewall at 06/04/09 9:08AM

The Five Acts of Worship

at 03/03/09 3:57PM

I believe most who would read this would be able to recite what the list of the five acts of worship are perceived to be: Singing, Prayer, Preaching, Giving, Partaking of the Lord's Supper. If I understand it correctly these five activities constitute worship. I'm not sure if any one by itself is worship or just when the five are done in one place where Christians are assembled in a 'worship service'.

Following are three of about forty verses from the New Testament for us to consider...

Matthew 2:2 Saying, "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him."...
Were the wise men coming to sing to Him, listen to a lesson, give of their means, say a prayer, observe the Lord's Supper? Is this what you believe they did?

Matthew 4:9 And he said to Him, "All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me."
Did satan want Jesus to sing to him, listen to a lesson, give of His means, say a prayer, observe the Lord's Supper? Is this what Jesus would have done if He had worshiped satan?

1Corinthians 14:23-25 Therefore if the whole church comes together in one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those who are uninformed or unbelievers, will they not say that you are out of your mind? But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or an uninformed person comes in, he is convinced by all, he is convicted by all. And thus the secrets of his heart are revealed; and so, falling down on his face, he will worship God and report that God is truly among you.
Did the 'visitor' who worshiped: sing to God, listen to a lesson , give of His means, say a prayer, observe the Lord's Supper ? . If these five things are the way he worshiped, why did he 'fall down on his face'?

If you substitute the actions, that are stated as acts of worship, in place of the word worship ~ I have trouble seeing the 'fit'. I am not trying to be difficult. I do not want change just for the sake of change. From just these three verses I see worship as being something that happens. It is not scheduled. It appears to happen from within. I'll stop for now and look forward to your thoughts.

You have touched upon a very big problem.

"Worship" in English, according to Webster (relevant definition):
Chiefly and eminently, the act of paying divine honors to the Supreme Being; or the reverence and homage paid to him in religious exercises, consisting in adoration, confession, prayer, thanksgiving and the like.

Yet the Hebrew and Greek words are much more specific: rendering homage through prostration or bowing, as you see in the verses above. I have yet to find other actions described as "worship" in the New Testament according to the Greek definition: homage through prostration is homage through prostration.

This is not to say that praying, singing, giving, partaking of the Lord's Supper, and preaching is unimportant. It just means that the idea of "worship" is a confused mess.

by deusvitae at 03/03/09 4:35PM
I have come to believe that worship happens virtually all the time in a true Christian's life. Including when the church is assembled, but by far not limited to that time.

The idea that "worship" is only what we do during assembly is very denominational. In fact, our whole "formula" during assembly is based in denominationalism. I'll even go one further and risk being a heretic: Our idea of "church" does not resemble what "church" was in the Bible...and we pride ourselves on advertising ourselves as NT Christians, dating from 33AD.

OK--potshots welcomed!

by tryphena at 03/03/09 5:30PM
Good questions. To me there are two separate components. Collective worship and individual worship. As we study the first century church, and we observe the activities of their assemblies, we have pieced together a package that we have conveniently labeled (we love labels) THE FIVE ACTS OF WORSHIP. Based on my own experience, I will confess to participating in the 'five acts,' and at times, have not been worshipping at all. For me....worship is 'something' of the heart. (No labels here). Worshipping is something that I strive to do frequently in the time frame of 24/7. I believe the scriptures you cited, would be more of an individual worship situation. As I go through my day and I feel compelled to sing a hymn, or when I feel the desire to pray, or I offer up to God a charitable deed, or just living my life in the best way I know how, in my mind...it is my day to day individual offering to Him. When I do assemble with the saints, and I participate in the 'acts' my HEART better be engaged. It is another form of worship. A collective form. And...there is the bonus of being with my Brothers and Sisters to be stimulated and stimulating, encouraged and encouraging. For me...it's a heart thing. Just my thoughts.

by justg at 03/03/09 5:59PM
Very interesting thoughts here. I have nothing profound to add. I agree with her that it is a heart thing. We have a balance between fulfilling commands and giving the Lord our hearts in worship. I look at the Lord's supper as a very worshipful act if it is taken in the right way, you may not be physically falling prostrate, but you are doing so "in remembrance of Me." It is a humbling act and should be done in a reverent attitude. I will have to delve more fully into these passages.

by tommyswife at 03/03/09 7:27PM
OK let me put up my stone shields on this one. I believe the five mandatory acts of worship is Church law not Bible law. Here is another, in I Cor. 5 the brethren met to withdraw from a brother is that a 6th act of mandatory worship? In Acts 20 when "they" met to break bread--I won't open another can of worms on that one--all we have listed is preaching and eating. Where are the other three mandatory acts. As for the contribution, the context of scripture indicates that contributions were taken as needed, not a mandatory every Sunday act.

by arsenal at 03/04/09 3:57AM
^^^^ For GSR, there seems to always be a need. Having a building automatically creates a need. There are always preachers that need support. Instead of shoring up our funds...there are plenty of ways to use the monies. Mandatory? Maybe, maybe not....it's a heart thing.

by justg at 03/04/09 6:32AM
True but what do you think of a congregation with a $100,000 CD in the bank while expenses were only $62,000. Yet the congregation still insisted on an every Sunday contribution.

by arsenal at 03/04/09 6:51AM
In ref. to your comment on my blog, I gave up on that B,C and V "doctrine" years ago. Its long on preach and short on practice.

by arsenal at 03/04/09 7:06AM
I have no opinions on this subject.

by 71lespaulcustom at 03/04/09 7:41AM
^^^^I noticed he used the term "opinions" and not the term "beliefs".

by arsenal at 03/04/09 7:48AM
The statement is 'inaccurate'. He is trying to be PC or was not up to boat rocking this morning. Love him anyway! :·) :·)

by cruisingmom at 03/04/09 8:09AM
Clarification:
1) I have no opinions on this subject that you have not already heard
2) I have no opinions on this subject that many others would want to hear.

by 71lespaulcustom at 03/04/09 8:29AM
No, I have a copy right on that being that Homer Hailey who said it first is now dead.

by arsenal at 03/04/09 8:39AM
thanks for your continued thoughts ....and I guess I never considered the five acts as collective. I am worshipping when I do any of those because I am paying homage when I do.

by mockinbird at 03/04/09 10:49AM
LOL...you are right! It was a very late post...but, I was delayed. Posted then ran out the door while it was fresh on my mind!!! I am so lame.

by justg at 03/04/09 8:00PM

The First Day of The Week

This IS a Test and The Answer...

This May Be A Test

How Do You Contract Swine Flu??

The Five Acts of Worship

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