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Enduring Passion Overcomes Past Misunderstandings |
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Written by Rev. Spence Laycock
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Tuesday, 21 February 2006 16:00 |
Joshua has just divided up the land to the twelve tribes, the people have rest from war, things look great and then comes Joshua chapter 22. This is about a five minute read, so you?re going to want to read along to get the picture of where we are going. Let?s Joshua 22.
I. Joshua?s Caution ? Be Very Careful To Pursue God. It?s significant that the words Joshua gives to the three parting tribes are not about politics or war, they are about worship. In essence he directs them to have a zeal for the glory of God that is guided by truth, love and service. 1. Truth ? follow the commandments and the law, literally the Mitzvah and the Torah. The former, the commandments or Mitzvah, refer to the broader statements of guidance, like the Ten Commandments. The Torah or law refers to the greater body of teaching such at that contained in Leviticus Numbers and Deuteronomy. ?Be very careful to observe?? is the caution and it is a caution to be zealous. Go after it, know it, keep it, if you will pursue God, this is your compass. Otherwise you will pursue everything.
2. Love ? the Hebrew word used here can have a very broad range of meaning that is to be determined by context. This context would define the word ?love? as, ?to breathe after or to desire deeply.? The man who sighs with love for the woman of his heart has a ?breathe after? kind of love. Joshua is saying that to . . .
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Written by Rev. Spence Laycock
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Wednesday, 15 February 2006 16:00 |
Have you ever talked with a young couple who are engaged. They look forward to the date of their wedding with great joy and anticipation. The day draws nearer and nearer, as you talk with them they tell you about all the preparations that are going on, their eyes are on their wedding day. In a similar way, we have been talking about the promises God made to Israel for a land, a promise that had been a long time in coming. First promised to Abraham in 2100 B.C., then to his son Isaac, then to his son Jacob whose name was changed to Israel, they all waited for the land. Jacob, or Israel, had twelve sons and this promise of land was passed on to them. One of them, Joseph, secured the survival of all his family as he rose to power in Egypt. Then over 430 years passed and a man named Moses receives the promise of entering the land in around 1450B.C. Then around 1390B.C. the promise is finally realized, Joshua brings conquest to the land of Caanan. We have been following this story of Joshua for several months now and here we are at the ?wedding day? so to speak. It was a time of entering into the rest that this land symbolized, of no longer being slaves and wanderers. As Christians we know that every wedding, as wonderful as it is, is but a picture of something much greater, a picture of the uniting of mankind to Christ Jesus for all eternity. Every wedding in that sense is absolutely heavenly! In this mornings sermon we?re going to watch the process of how the land was actually given to the people and then we?ll stand back and look at how this ?wedding? is but a picture of something so much greater. For starting point in scripture let?s read Joshua 14:1-5.
I. The Division of the Land is Sourced in a Love Story.
It all goes back to a love story, a man named . . .
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Written by Dr. Harold McNabb
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Monday, 13 February 2006 17:26 |
This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.
And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers 1John 3:16
How well do you know your "3:16?s"?
Most people know John 3:16, For God so loved the world that he sent his only son that whoever believes in Him will not die but have eternal life.
And there is 2Timothy 3:16, All scripture is inspired and useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in holiness.
And now we have 1John 3:16, This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.
John Lennon and Paul McCartney wrote the words to their song All You Need is Love
All you need is love, all you need is love,
All you need is love, love, love is all you need.
And they are quite correct.
Deuteronomy says it, "You shall love the . . .
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Written by Dr. Harold McNabb
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Saturday, 04 February 2006 21:44 |
The little village of Rattenberg is the smallest town in Austria, and getting smaller each year. The town has lost 20 percent of its population in the past two decades, and as of 2005 had only 440 residents. The reason? Darkness. Rattenberg is nestled behind Rat Mountain?a 3,000-foot obstruction that blocks out the sun from November to February. But thanks to some clever new technology, the town?s situation is about to get a little brighter.
An Austrian company called Bartenbach Lichtlabor has come up with a plan to bring sunshine into the darkness by installing 30 heliostat mirrors onto the mountainside. The mirrors will grab light from reflectors on the sunny-side of the mountain and shine it back into the town.
The project will not be cheap?the European Union will cover half of the $2.4 million bill?but if successful, will bring hope to the 60 other communities scattered throughout the Alps that endure the winter darkness each year. Markus Peskoller, Lichtlabor?s director, has also committed to paying for the $600,000 cost of planning the project because of its potential for other markets. "I am sure we will soon help other mountain villages see the light," he said.1
John says God himself is light.
Is the Light.
And the way we live in fellowship with God is to . . .
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