Craig

I believe one reason that non-believers stumble over the basic gospel message of Jesus Christ in our culture is that it is not scientifically based or proven by post-modern standards and therefore is a myth. Faith and trust God not proven by the scientific method cannot exist. Scientists most put their stamp of approval of any belief for it to be valid. A lot of Americans and the western world are blinded by this notion. God gave us a great gift called reason and rationality. The basic gospel message of Jesus Christ can be presented in a rational and logical manner. Science doesn't have the market on reason and logic. You don't have to water down the gospel in presenting it in a logical and rational manner. In fact, in presenting the gospel, Paul not only preached but he also reasoned with people. It presented the gospel in this manner while in Athens. The book of Acts gives a great account of his visit to Athens. I believe a Christian should just sow the gospel of Jesus Christ into our culture and water it with prayer and ignore the so called tension in communication. We over complicate things in this culture. Keeping it simple and pure is the best way to present the basic gospel of Jesus Christ. Anything else distorts and waters it down. We present the gospel and the Holy Spirit does the work within the person. God draws people to himself.

Four value differences between pop culture mores on television and Christian teachings is: The diminishing and disrespect of parents vs. honoring and respecting parents -- See passages in Exodus; Proverbs; and Ephesians. The love of money; false richness vs. the love God; a true richness -- see II Timothy 6:6-9 The glorification of self and celebrity vs. being humble -- see Matthew 5:5; Micah 6:8 for a few examples. The push for the acceptance of homosexuality as a norm vs. the institution of marriage as one man and one woman. See Genesis; Leviticus; Matthew for some points of reference.

I see racial and denominational divisions within the Christian community throughout our nation. I have experienced "what means to a Christian" divisions within the church at last church I was a member of. Many churches cannot even get it together on what a follower of Jesus Christ looks like. Many Christians don't even know what a Christian is. This is a major source division within many churches, particularly small family run country churches. They are big on religion but very weak on what it means to be a follower of Jesus Christ as Jesus taught on the Sermon on the Mount -- see Matthew 5-7. The cause of all divisions is human ego and not truly seeking to become in agreement around Jesus Christ. Being of one mind on Christ and the church only really works if all are submitting their wills to the will of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. There are too many secular motivations and personal agendas going on in a lot of churches. I think there will always be divisions in this world where part of the church are spiritual and following Jesus and the other part are church attenders for whatever motivation. Pray for the church.

God has provided us with strength in Jesus and His Word, forgiveness, faith, and fellowship to persevere as saints in Christ until Jesus comes again or we pass from this world. In other words, we have the grace of Jesus Christ, the love of God the Father, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit to see us through this pilgrimage in this life. Unless we actively participant in these gifts we have no relationship with God. The most important aspect of all of these is placing our faith and trust in God and obeying Him. Appling His Word in our lives.

I regularly pray for those that I have issues or problems with. I pray that God would continue to bless them and that His face would shine upon them. I thank God for the wonderful moments I had with them and might again. Because being at at odds with someone doesn't mean you stop praying for them. We should always practice grace. The fact that Paul prayed for and gave thanks to God for the blessings give to him by those he was at odds with shows his spiritual development and how atoned to God he was. Paul saw the big picture. That picture was about the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the salvation of people. People are people -- fickle, fragile, emotional, imperfect, and immature. Paul, in his own imperfections, has to work with these people in order to establish and grow a church in Corinth as well as spread the Gospel in that region. Paul practices love and grace. Paul thanked God for their eloquent words and knowledge.

I am holy and a saint by means of Jesus Christ. By accepting and calling upon Jesus, the Messiah, who died on the cross for the universal atonement of human sin. As a result, I became a child of God. A holy saint in Jesus Christ. Nothing I have done puts me in that status expect accepting Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior. Biblically, saints are those separated from this satanic world order to serve God in a personal relationship with Him. Saints are God's special possessions/treasures. It is comfortable for me to say that I am no saint because I know me. I know my flaws, defects, sin, and that I am a sinner. For me it is easy acknowledge that I am a saint only in Jesus Christ. The expectation of one separated to be the personal property of God is to have a dynamic personal relationship with Him in love, obedience and service. The world sees being a saint as one who is perfect as a person. A shallow view.

The significance of the Ark in the Holy of Holies was the Ark is where the Ten Commandants were contained and from above the Ark Yahweh would speak to Moses. "...From there I will give you my commands for the people of Israel." Exodus 25:22 (NLT). The Holy of Holies was a earthly throne room for Yahweh. It was holy because Yahweh spoke to Moses from there. Yahweh was localized there. Whether anyone sat upon the Ark is immaterial because it represented the Throne of Yahweh and from above it Yahweh spoke to Moses. It was Holy.

According to Numbers 2-3:39 the organization of Israel's camp was arranged according to clan and family responsibility and function. Additionally, "Each clan and family set up camp and marched under their banners exactly as the Lord had instructed them." Numbers 3:39. This taught the Israelites discipline and obedience to God. It seems Yahweh is very organized, purposeful, and methodical. Each clan and family were to remain within their roles. Straying across lines could end one's life. Most importantly this organization taught Israel that Yahweh is at the center of the life and purpose of Israel. The Priest and Levites were closest to the Tabernacle, the earthly throne room of Yahweh, because of their service to Yahweh and maintenance of all things Tabernacle. Their working relationship with Yahweh was closer than the rest of Israel.

Interceding for the people of Israel is important for Moses' ministry because they are Moses' ministry. If he is not interceding for them who else is going to? God placed Moses in a leadership position among the Israelites and they now become his responsibility. The same applies to pastors and lay leaders/teachers who God has placed in leadership positions. Leaders must know the Word of God in order to understand him and to know on what basis to pray to him.

He lead the people of Israel in idolatry and refused to take responsibility for his actions. I think he felt ashamed, embarrassed, and afraid to take responsibility for his actions. Most people don't like taking the heat for making a bad decision or committing an error/sin even if they know they are at fault. God showed Aaron great mercy knowing that Aaron needed work and development toward his future role as God's priest to the people. If leaders will not take responsibility for their actions then they are free to lead in whatever fashion. That is unacceptable. It is important for leaders to acknowledge and learn from their mistakes in order to grow and develop into strong and solid leaders. To be the best they can be. A leader cannot grow if he or she is in denial.

The people of Israel were immature spiritually and apparently did not take Yahweh seriously. When left alone they returned to the gods of Egypt in whom they felt secure. They did not place their faith and trust in Yahweh. Aaron was afraid of the people and appeased them. I think the creation and worship of the golden calf was an insult to God and that behavior on some level disappointed and hurt Him. Especially after what He had already lead them through. Christians in the church today permit the things of secular society and the satanic world order lead them into worshipping material things instead of Yahweh. Gods of their own creation;. Times and people have not changed.

The function of the blood of the covenant in Exodus was to consecrate the people before God. To cleanse them of their sins because God is Holy. The blood shed by Jesus the Messiah on the cross was shed for the universal forgiveness and atonement of human sin so that humanity might be reconciled to God the Father Almighty. In brief, the Old Covenant shedding of blood for the forgiveness of sin was constant, whereas Jesus' sacrifice was a one time event for the forgiveness of sin.

Israel is a holy nation in the sense that it was separated from the nations around it by God to be a nation of holy priests and a light to the gentile world leading them to Yahweh. Being holy is not to be contaminated by the world by worshipping other gods and doing those things forbidden by God. It is to be transformed into a Christ-like human-being and a denial of the satanic world order in one's life. Holiness is de-emphasized today because many have compromised with an affluent, materially oriented society which is America today. Self-indulgent Christians caught up in the heresy of the prosperity gospel dismiss the need for holiness as taught in the Bible. Wealth and health are all that is important. Suffering and sacrifice is to be avoided at all costs. Holiness involves some degrees of separation from the behavior of post-modern America and its secular and materialistic vision of the good life. Which doesn't include God.

The priests in the Old Testament were separated from the rest of the populous to serve God. They conducted sacrifices on behalf of the people and conducted intercessory prayer for the Nation. They honored God with their lives and service. They were to live holy lives reflecting God. As Christians, we serve many of the same functions. We are to live holy lives in service to God. Representing God, in Jesus Christ, to the world around us. Making intercessory prayer for others, presenting the gospel to the lost, and to be ministering spirits to those around us. We are to honor God in our daily lives. I can improve in all these areas. Improvement is an ongoing thing. The bottom line is that priests now and then honor God with every dimension of their lives and declare Him to the world around them beginning with their families.

Looking over treasured possessions brings good memories in obtaining them in addition to the delight and joy in possessing them. It seems that God takes great delight and joy when humans adopt His heart and take on His ways and standards and honor Him. In a sinful, selfish satanic world order, Israel would become His treasured possessions if Israel would take on His ways and follow Him. In the long run Israel as a whole would not do this. Through Jesus the Messiah, the only begotten Son of God, the privilege of being God's special people is opened to all who trust in Jesus. There is much peace, joy, and security in this knowledge and relationship.

What really stands out to me and inspires me is that God has Abraham's attention, interacts with God, and allows God to use him in carrying out a universal plan for human salvation that spans generations into the present. Abraham walks close enough to God to begin to really understand who God is and what he expects and desires of humanity. Abraham permits God to work with him and develop him spiritually. Abraham is truly on a physical and spiritual journey that transcends time.

The servant trusted God to answer his prayer in a way that would affirm the girl as the right girl for Isaac. I don't think the servant was testing God, but working out a simple and direct way to know which girl to choose. He was looking for certainty. The criteria was a good criteria under the given circumstances. The girl that would give him drink and also willingly give drink to his camels without being asked was unique. It also revealed the kind of woman Rebekah was -- thoughtful and caring. This kind of woman would make a good wife.

Abraham buys a family burial plot in order to bury Sarah and later himself, in the land that has been promised to him by God. He believes that God is going to provide the land to his descendants as promised and he is buying a family burial plot in advance. So in a sense he will be in that promised land. Abraham's faith is such that he believes and trusts God's promises to him to the point where he can assuredly buy the burial plot knowing that his descendants will some day own the land that the plot resides in.

Only God can provide the sacrifice that is needed for the atonement of human sin and salvation.

Sarah's major strength was that she followed and obeyed Abraham. She supported and encouraged him. She was faithful to him. Abraham was called by God to carry out a mission that would impact humanity for the ages. At times she was skeptical and even laughed at God, but she reminded faithful to the overall calling of the couple to carry out God's plan for the Jewish people and all of humanity. Sarah reflects all of us. Sometimes we are skeptical and selfishness submitting to our lower, basic human nature and not trusting in God. However and most importantly, at other times permitting the Holy Spirit to lead her being the higher Godly person God intends us to be.

The near sacrifice of Isaac at God's required great trust, obedience, and love for God on Abraham's part. Isaac was the only son Abraham has left and he was the child of promise and future hope. Likewise, Jesus was the only begotten Son of God and to sacrifice Him for human sin must have taken great love and confidence in His plan for human salvation. Even though Jesus rose on the third day, the brutal acts of the Romans and Jews throughout the arrest, trial, punishment, and crucifixion of Jesus was not easy for a loving father. Not easy just to stand by and allow this event to take place. Take God for His love and mercy. I cannot really comprehend Jesus' crucifixion on the cross completely. But, I am thankful to God for Jesus Christ.

I have learned to place my trust in the Lord to provide for and my family my applying God's Word to my life and circumstances. There really is no trick here. Take God seriously and apply to your life what He is telling us through scripture and the Holy Spirit. All of my needs are being met. Truly, the Lord is my Shepherd and I am not in want.

A person cannot really know God without trusting God with their whole life. A complete personal relationship with anyone requires trust. Furthermore, personal trust and surrendering of will to the Lord is required if we are know God's will and purpose for our life. If we are on a different page than God then we never know God's purpose for us and never develop spiritually into a Christ-like human-being. Yes I have surrendered my life to God in Christ and have peace and joy with Him in my daily life.

Satan wants trials to destroy our faith in God and our relationship with God. Maybe even to destroy us. Satan wants to discount or discredit our testimony and witness. God wants our victory over trials to encourage us and others and to reveal His glory for all to see. One of the biggest and most severe trials I have ever been through was when a brush fire came back on me and burned 17% of my body. I spend three days in the burn unit and eleven days on the trauma ward. I have spend four years (to date), recovering from this wound. God has walked with me through the entire trial. He has made me a better pastor and Christian human-being through this trial. During those intense 14 days I learned in new ways how to wait upon the Lord and worship and praise in distress. Ironically, it might have been the best two weeks of spiritual training and growth I have ever had. God used what seemed to be a terrible situation to develop my spiritual life and draw me closer to Him. Through all of this, I was able to witness and share Jesus with my health care providers. It was great.

I think why it took Moses so long to delegate authority was because he felt personal responsibility for his leadership role. After all God did directly call Moses to lead the people out of Egypt and lead them to the destination that God had for them. Moses had tunnel vision. It took someone standing on the outside to point out to him that the job he was trying to do was so overwhelming that it would destroy him if he didn't recruit some help. If he didn't delegate qualified help in leadership and being judges over Israel. The leadership qualifications were to be found in men who were: capable God-fearing honest accountable Like Paul's teaching in Ephesians 4:11-12, he was to train and equip those leaders to judge over Israel. Unlike secular leadership, Christian leadership involves the interaction and influence of the Holy Spirit in the leader's actions and decision making.