I have spoken with a few folks about this quarter's Sabbath School lesson on the book of Numbers and to a man (an woman!) everyone is quite enthusiastic and grateful for the particular lesson. And why not. This quarter's lesson has brought for many renewed interest in a book of the Bible that many consider, quite frankly, fairly boring. I've read the book before but this quarterly has helped shed new light on a number of topics and given new light to, and renewed interest in, this book. When examined much closer the book of Numbers is a book full of many fascinating, dramatic and certainly heart wrenching stories of both individuals, and the congregation of the children of Israel in particular. These stories really cause the brain to work overtime in an attempt to understand just exactly what is happening and the lessons we are being taught from scripture.
Then something hit me this morning while I was reading the E.G. White Notes book that is part of the Sabbath School quarterly. Moses was not just meek, he was super meek (if there is such a thing)!
Regarding the Sin of Moses and Aaron Inspiration writes: "Aaron and Moses both sinned in not giving glory and honor to God at the waters of Meribah. They were both wearied and provoked with the continual complaining of Israel, and, at a time when God was to mercifully display His glory to the people, to soften and subdue their hearts and lead them to repentance, Moses and Aaron claimed the power of opening the rock for them. "Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock?" Here was a golden opportunity to sanctify the Lord in the midst of them, to show them the long-suffering of God and His tender pity for them. They had murmured against Moses and Aaron because they could not find water. Moses and Aaron took these murmurings as a great trial and dishonor to themselves, forgetting that it was God whom the people were grieving. It was God whom they were sinning against and dishonoring, not those who were appointed of God to carry out His purpose. They were insulting their best Friend in charging their calamities upon Moses and Aaron; they were murmuring at God's providence." {3T 301.3}
And that's when it hit me just exactly who Moses was, and what a truly a meek and humble man was. While it is certainly evident in all the wonderful actions of Israel's first shepperd in guiding God's children, and his magnanimous pleadings and prayers to God, just exactly how meek and humble Moses is what dawned on me. The quote above helped me figure it out.
Now, if we believe that Moses wrote the first five books of the Bible, and I see no reason not to believe this considering just how many theologians believe this, then this quote from Numbers 20:10 really is quite fascinating: "Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock?" Moses was writing about himself! He was writing about what he had done. He was admitting for all to see his fault, his misstep, his error and most of all his sin. How many of us could do this? He goes on to tell us even more in verse 11: "And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice: and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts [also]." Wow, what honesty in the face of all the difficult times he had been through with Israel amd on the heels of the death of his sister.
How many could, or would, write so little about the death of our sister and yet be so open and honest about the very sin that would keep Moses from entering into the promised land? While pondering this I couldn't help thinking about just exactly how great a servant of God Moses truly was. Would any of us have been so willingly honest and open regarding our own sinfulness? Would we write what happened without embellishment and admit our fault as Moses did?
The humbleness, humility and honesty of Moses are truly magnificent gifts that God gave this man, who in spite all that he went through with Israel, was still able to delivery them into the hands of Joshua. Mission accomplished.
Monday, November 23, 2009
Monday, November 16, 2009
So.....where are we headed?
While tooling around You Tube I ran into www.3angelstube.com which is a link from a channel a lady named Pamela who invited me to be a You Tube friend. I'm glad I accepted because I found this link from Pamela's channel. As a result I've added the following video from Hope Video because this video clearly shows where our Adventist church is heading. It is also full of Sister White quotes that clearly demonstrate she was from a true prophet of God. So check out the video below and explore the other video's at www.3angelstube.com.
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Here's the description:
"Hope Media Ministry (www.hopevideo.com) invites you to watch this warning to all of God's people for this new movement - The Emergent Church - A New Spirituality has taken root in the Church today and an attempt to reinvent Christianity itself is underway. Ellen White exposed the Alpha of heresies in her day as pantheism and warned that it would resurface in the Omega apostasy before Christ's return. What are the characteristics of the Omega? What is the Emergent Church? Let's delve into contemporary Christianity and the inroads that Spiritualism and Catholicism are making both inside and outside the Christian Church. Be sure to watch both part 1 and part 2."
Follow this link to the second half of this presentation: http://www.3angelstube.com/video/242/The-New-Spirituality-Pt-2
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Here's the description:
"Hope Media Ministry (www.hopevideo.com) invites you to watch this warning to all of God's people for this new movement - The Emergent Church - A New Spirituality has taken root in the Church today and an attempt to reinvent Christianity itself is underway. Ellen White exposed the Alpha of heresies in her day as pantheism and warned that it would resurface in the Omega apostasy before Christ's return. What are the characteristics of the Omega? What is the Emergent Church? Let's delve into contemporary Christianity and the inroads that Spiritualism and Catholicism are making both inside and outside the Christian Church. Be sure to watch both part 1 and part 2."
Follow this link to the second half of this presentation: http://www.3angelstube.com/video/242/The-New-Spirituality-Pt-2
Friday, November 13, 2009
One man's opinion
My buddy Keith Johnson, who got me involved in prison ministry, in an email that he sent just a few days ago has commented on the recent incident at Foot Hood that I thought was interesting and worth sharing. So I asked him for permission to post it here. Thankfully he was glad to share.
One man's opinion
by Keith Johnson
A Poor Excuse for a Major, a Physician, and a Human Being
Major Nidal Malik Hasan is a religious and a medical fraud. As a veteran, I served in the Marine Corps from 1966-1969; during the time of the draft where one could claim to be a conscientious objector for religious reasons and/or choose to serve as a medic/corpsmen while refusing to carry a weapon.
The late Desmond Doss is the only Congressional Medal of Honor winner to never carry a weapon in combat. Doss said, "I am willing to die for my country, but not kill for my country." He also referred to himself as Cooperative Objector. Yet, he chose to go to war and not carry a weapon, while taking valor to a whole other dimension.
But Major Hasan willingly wounded and murdered unarmed personnel, while claiming Muslims should not be killing other Muslims. Well, if all Muslims held firmly to that belief then please explain to me how Iraq and Iran could go to war for 10 years; while killing, wounding, and maiming millions of Muslims? Was not that war, Muslims killing Muslims? Or can Sunnies kill Shites and visa versa and that rule not apply? Then again, how can all of the suicide bombers be relentlessly killing civilian Muslims every day? What book are they reading, because there are some who are definitely not on the same page of those who have reached a higher calling?
Where is their religious code against Muslims killing Muslims? I am smelling religious hypocrites... thousands of them, maybe millions or more. If their mantra is true about Muslims not killing Muslims, then they should be living in peace, love, harmony, and serenity, but we know that is not the case. So much for zealous religious beliefs.
In addition, Major Hasan also took the Hippocratic Oath as a medical doctor and a portion of that oath reads, " ...I will prescribe regimens for the good of my patients according to my ability and my judgment and never do harm to anyone. ..." Did he just gloss over this oath or something? Or did he have his fingers crossed--when he swore to its creed? Or was he just kidding?
Furthermore, he also took an oath to defend the Constitution from enemies within and without. Meaning, as a professional soldier, he volunteered. Nobody forced him to enter a professional standing Army. So, in reality he is more than a deranged hypocrite despite the oaths that he took, it reveals that he is another typical, religious, pious fraud. So, to those who think he is a hero, then you are just as big a fraud as Major Hasan, for it is clear that by his actions, he endorses the bombings of innocent Muslim men, women, and children that are occurring in Pakistan, Iraq, and Iran as I compose this. Muslims killing Muslims...to the demented zealots is an everyday occurrence. They are so demented that they call cowards and liars, heroes. Will somebody please pass me a dictionary, because one of us appears to have a hard time finding truth, even if truth is the only light peering out of a dimly lit room--Major Hasan would obviously not be able to find it.
Yet, he is in dire need of prayer for he is utterly deceived.
End of the article.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Isn't it interesting how it is so easy to see the deception from Satan that we are all subject to when it is so dramatically, vividly and personally brought home to roost by such public displays of evil, yet when these very deceptions are personified closer to home they can be sometimes harder to see and recognize?
This from the pen of Inspiration:
"Rebellion and apostasy are in the very air we breathe. We shall be affected by it unless we by faith hang our helpless souls upon Christ. If men are so easily misled, how will they stand when Satan shall personate Christ, and work miracles? Who will be unmoved by his misrepresentations? Professing to be Christ when it is only Satan assuming the person of Christ, and apparently working the works of Christ? What will hold God's people from giving their allegiance to false Christs? "Go not ye after them. The doctrines must be plainly understood. The men accepted to teach the truth must be anchored; then their vessel will hold against storm and tempest, because the anchor holds them firmly. The deceptions will increase, and we are to call rebellion by its right name. We are to stand with the whole armor on." - SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 1, p. 1114
One man's opinion
by Keith Johnson
A Poor Excuse for a Major, a Physician, and a Human Being
Major Nidal Malik Hasan is a religious and a medical fraud. As a veteran, I served in the Marine Corps from 1966-1969; during the time of the draft where one could claim to be a conscientious objector for religious reasons and/or choose to serve as a medic/corpsmen while refusing to carry a weapon.
The late Desmond Doss is the only Congressional Medal of Honor winner to never carry a weapon in combat. Doss said, "I am willing to die for my country, but not kill for my country." He also referred to himself as Cooperative Objector. Yet, he chose to go to war and not carry a weapon, while taking valor to a whole other dimension.
But Major Hasan willingly wounded and murdered unarmed personnel, while claiming Muslims should not be killing other Muslims. Well, if all Muslims held firmly to that belief then please explain to me how Iraq and Iran could go to war for 10 years; while killing, wounding, and maiming millions of Muslims? Was not that war, Muslims killing Muslims? Or can Sunnies kill Shites and visa versa and that rule not apply? Then again, how can all of the suicide bombers be relentlessly killing civilian Muslims every day? What book are they reading, because there are some who are definitely not on the same page of those who have reached a higher calling?
Where is their religious code against Muslims killing Muslims? I am smelling religious hypocrites... thousands of them, maybe millions or more. If their mantra is true about Muslims not killing Muslims, then they should be living in peace, love, harmony, and serenity, but we know that is not the case. So much for zealous religious beliefs.
In addition, Major Hasan also took the Hippocratic Oath as a medical doctor and a portion of that oath reads, " ...I will prescribe regimens for the good of my patients according to my ability and my judgment and never do harm to anyone. ..." Did he just gloss over this oath or something? Or did he have his fingers crossed--when he swore to its creed? Or was he just kidding?
Furthermore, he also took an oath to defend the Constitution from enemies within and without. Meaning, as a professional soldier, he volunteered. Nobody forced him to enter a professional standing Army. So, in reality he is more than a deranged hypocrite despite the oaths that he took, it reveals that he is another typical, religious, pious fraud. So, to those who think he is a hero, then you are just as big a fraud as Major Hasan, for it is clear that by his actions, he endorses the bombings of innocent Muslim men, women, and children that are occurring in Pakistan, Iraq, and Iran as I compose this. Muslims killing Muslims...to the demented zealots is an everyday occurrence. They are so demented that they call cowards and liars, heroes. Will somebody please pass me a dictionary, because one of us appears to have a hard time finding truth, even if truth is the only light peering out of a dimly lit room--Major Hasan would obviously not be able to find it.
Yet, he is in dire need of prayer for he is utterly deceived.
End of the article.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Isn't it interesting how it is so easy to see the deception from Satan that we are all subject to when it is so dramatically, vividly and personally brought home to roost by such public displays of evil, yet when these very deceptions are personified closer to home they can be sometimes harder to see and recognize?
This from the pen of Inspiration:
"Rebellion and apostasy are in the very air we breathe. We shall be affected by it unless we by faith hang our helpless souls upon Christ. If men are so easily misled, how will they stand when Satan shall personate Christ, and work miracles? Who will be unmoved by his misrepresentations? Professing to be Christ when it is only Satan assuming the person of Christ, and apparently working the works of Christ? What will hold God's people from giving their allegiance to false Christs? "Go not ye after them. The doctrines must be plainly understood. The men accepted to teach the truth must be anchored; then their vessel will hold against storm and tempest, because the anchor holds them firmly. The deceptions will increase, and we are to call rebellion by its right name. We are to stand with the whole armor on." - SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 1, p. 1114
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
