fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,383 
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Post by fearnot on Jan 24, 2016 21:56:23 GMT -5
Romans 1 28-32
v. 28 Having a "depraved mind"...is further down the road then your average sinner who has sinful thoughts ( then actions).It is so perverted that it now believes that what is 'bad' is good and what is good is 'bad'. Its the worst type of insanity.The whole mind, and behavior has become like animals but worst than animals because animals never had the choice to turn from their Creator.
v. 29-31 lists 21 sins that all people are capable of if they are not saved. ( this is not an exhaustive list but enough to unearth a glimpse of hell and a type of hell on earth).
It is thus we can begin to understand how great is the power of God to save a person who believes, no matter how depraved they might have sunk to....( murder, prostitution, etc.) the gospel is truly magnificent.
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Post by Cindy on Jan 25, 2016 12:28:32 GMT -5
Yes that most certainly helped.....thank you.
I do remember you talking about our salvation as a gift but one which many of us don't open up to see what else is included ( like the gift you gave to a granddaughter who didn't know you that well.
I also found this helpful too...I don't think I ever really understood it.
"For this reason, there is no reason for any Christian to pray for love, joy, peace, strength, etc. because the Lord has already given us these things (and so much more!). Instead, what we need to do is learn how to use and apply what we've already been given!"
Romans 1 28-32
v. 28 Having a "depraved mind"...is further down the road then your average sinner who has sinful thoughts ( then actions).It is so perverted that it now believes that what is 'bad' is good and what is good is 'bad'. Its the worst type of insanity.The whole mind, and behavior has become like animals but worst than animals because animals never had the choice to turn from their Creator.
v. 29-31 lists 21 sins that all people are capable of if they are not saved. ( this is not an exhaustive list but enough to unearth a glimpse of hell and a type of hell on earth).
It is thus we can begin to understand how great is the power of God to save a person who believes, no matter how depraved they might have sunk to....( murder, prostitution, etc.) the gospel is truly magnificent.
Another mistake people often make is thinking that this is only talking about our "minds" and not our hearts. They don't realize that the word in the original language actually means what we would call our "minds and hearts". The Bible generally speaks of them as one and the same. That's a problem when people think that way because then they think they have reason to trust their feelings, and that's always a fatal mistake, for they are just as depraved as our thoughts.
I loved your last sentence Barbara and you're right. There's one little thing that I'd like to clear up though just to be sure you realize it. I understand what you're saying and you're right, but some might get a wrong impression so I wanted to clear that bit up... when you say "no matter how depraved they might get", it makes it sound like some people are more depraved then others, but that's really not true. Oh, I know we tend to think that way, but in reality, God's reality anyway, it's not true. We are all as completely depraved as anyone can ever get. You, and I, and everyone on this earth is totally, 100% depraved in their minds and hearts. We can't get more depraved or less depraved then we are; our only possible hope is through salvation, and like you said, that shows how magnificent the gospel truly is. But although we are all totally depraved, we don't all show the depravity as much as others do. Some of us hide it better then others, and of course we often do our most depraved things in private and hope no one will find out about them. That's why we can think of someone like a murderer as being "more depraved" then we are, because their depravity shows more then our own.... know what I mean?
I read Luke 8:40-56 today and got so much from it! I loved what one of my commentaries said about it:
“And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years, but no one could heal her. She came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped.” (Luke 8:43–44)
This woman in her helplessness is a picture of humanity. It is sick with the worst of all maladies—sin. It is suffering all the wretched consequences of guilt—weariness, restlessness, misery, remorse. It often spends its resources on things which have no healing virtue, and which leave it ill as ever. At length it repairs unto Him in whom is no disappointment, in the shelter of whose cross, and in the shadow of whose love, and in the sunshine of whose service is pardon for every sin, comfort for every sorrow, rest for every soul. St. Luke Vol. I. 1909 When I read that, it struck me as being so true. I've often said that unsaved are like a country song because they're all searching for love in all the wrong places, and only find the love they're so desperate for when they come to Jesus.
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,383
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Post by fearnot on Jan 26, 2016 0:18:22 GMT -5
I read Ch. 2 1-11 but am only able to write up to v. 4 perhaps tommorow I will feel better and be able to write a bit more.
Romans Ch. 2: 1-4
Right off the bat, some people are going to think V.1 proves we should never judge anyone.
However, there is a difference between judging and warning someone of sin out of love.
Judgmentalism is anyone who thinks he or she is better than others and having a morally superior, self-righteous attitude, when in truth they do the same things (same sins).
V. 4 is another verse often misused in that folks will sometimes say: "See God is tolerant and patient with sin ( instead of what is true, He is patient with sinners)...and it is only kindness that leads to repentance.
That is not the case because back in Ch. 1 v.18 The Bible says that sinners are under the wrath of God for their sins.
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Post by Cindy on Jan 26, 2016 12:41:23 GMT -5
I read Ch. 2 1-11 but am only able to write up to v. 4 perhaps tommorow I will feel better and be able to write a bit more.
Romans Ch. 2: 1-4
Right off the bat, some people are going to think V.1 proves we should never judge anyone.
However, there is a difference between judging and warning someone of sin out of love.
Judgmentalism is anyone who thinks he or she is better than others and having a morally superior, self-righteous attitude, when in truth they do the same things (same sins).
V. 4 is another verse often misused in that folks will sometimes say: "See God is tolerant and patient with sin ( instead of what is true, He is patient with sinners)...and it is only kindness that leads to repentance.
That is not the case because back in Ch. 1 v.18 The Bible says that sinners are under the wrath of God for their sins.
You don't have to write about everything you read hon. Just write what most stands out to you, what you think the Lord was sharing with you about what you read. This isn't about explaining everything you read, it's just to share with each other that we did in fact spend time in God's word so we can hold each other accountable. Therefore, we don't need to explain everything we read that day. All we have to do is post what we read and then share a little bit about what the Lord showed us about it. Of course if we WANT to, we can write more, but we don't have to, ok?
I'm really getting worried about Eva. I'm going to go pray for her again now so I don't forget.
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,383
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Post by fearnot on Jan 26, 2016 22:14:33 GMT -5
I too am worried. Two ( well 3 things)I worry that she is very sick, also I wonder if the immigrants are in Rhodes and rioting like they are in other parts of Greece? Or is she angry or hurt by us in some way?
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,383
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Post by fearnot on Jan 26, 2016 22:27:07 GMT -5
Today I read Romans 2 1-11
We are all on one of two paths contempt for God or repentance ( however v. 5 seems to disprove that God's patience and tolerance leads us to repentance rather stubbornness and unrepentant hearts.
However, I think those who do turn and put their faith in Jesus, sometimes have a struggle of how to get out of the company of the wicked they had been hanging out with.
Just like I needed your encouragement and help recently with my neighbor.
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Post by Cindy on Jan 27, 2016 11:07:26 GMT -5
I too am worried. Two ( well 3 things)I worry that she is very sick, also I wonder if the immigrants are in Rhodes and rioting like they are in other parts of Greece? Or is she angry or hurt by us in some way? Today I read Romans 2 1-11
We are all on one of two paths contempt for God or repentance ( however v. 5 seems to disprove that God's patience and tolerance leads us to repentance rather stubbornness and unrepentant hearts.
However, I think those who do turn and put their faith in Jesus, sometimes have a struggle of how to get out of the company of the wicked they had been hanging out with.
Just like I needed your encouragement and help recently with my neighbor.
I started a bible study today on the walk of repentance which I wrote about in another post in this forum if you want to check it out.
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Post by Cindy on Jan 27, 2016 12:19:26 GMT -5
Oh I forgot to say I'm still studying the first 17 verses of Luke. It's weird because I'm really extra tired today, but something finally hit me and I understood it much better then before! It's about John the baptist and Elijah, so I thought you might be interested in hearing it. It's from Mark 9:13: “But I say to you that Elijah has indeed come, and they did to him whatever they wished, just as it is written of him.”
Elijah has indeed come. The Jews were aware that Elijah had not died (cf. 2Ki 2:11). Jesus directly addressed the disciples’ question: the prophecies of Elijah’s coming had been fulfilled in John the Baptist. Though certainly not a reincarnation of Elijah (cf. Jn 1:21), John came in the “spirit and power of Elijah,” and would have fulfilled prophecies if they had believed (see notes on Mt 11:14; Lk 1:17). Because they did reject both John the Baptist and Jesus, there will be another who will come in the spirit and power of Elijah before the second coming of Christ (see notes on Mt 11:14; Rev 11:5, 6).
they did to him. The Jewish leaders rejected John the Baptist (Mt 21:25; Lk 7:33), & Herod killed him (6:17–29).
as it is written of him. No specific OT prophecies predicted that Messiah’s forerunner would die. Therefore, this statement is best understood as having been fulfilled typically. The fate intended for Elijah (1Ki 19:1, 2) had befallen the Baptist.
“Now Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, “May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them.”” (1 Kings 19:1–2)
I hadn't thought about it before, but it's true that Elijah did not die, and yet the evil queen had vowed she would kill Elijah in the same way he'd killed her prophets! (with a sword). Isn't it weird that another evil queen, told her daughter to ask for John's head which resulted in him being killed in the same way that Jezebel planned to kill Elijah! So because of Israel's continued unbelief, the last OT prophet (John the baptist) was murdered by them! (John is considered the last of the OT prophets, not a NT prophet). And remember what Jesus had said about that? “Therefore I am sending you prophets and wise men and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify; others you will flog in your synagogues and pursue from town to town. And so upon you will come all the righteous blood that has been shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berekiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. I tell you the truth, all this will come upon this generation.” (Matthew 23:34–36) That shows us that John's death was what was planned for Elijah if the people had had their way, but God brought him up to heaven and they couldn't kill him. We know too that because Israel refused to believe and didn't accept either John (Elijah) or Jesus, that another will come in the spirit and power of Elijah, before our Lord's second coming. Wow, it's scary just how badly Israel missed the boat on their Messiah and missed so many of the prophecies which should have been clear to them. And scary too because the same thing is happening today.
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,383
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Post by fearnot on Jan 27, 2016 18:31:20 GMT -5
Thank you sooo much for explaining that this is first an accountability thread!! I really didn't get it ( and I am not sure but I don't think Eva did either).
It is not your fault that I didn't understand ( it wasn't due to your not explaining clearly...you always do....I just get a 'bee in my bonnet' and miss the boat.
That was why I was having such a hard time because I thought we were to read and study with the Lord every day.....
AND....
write a LOT!!!!
But some days I had and have been feeling badly..
( Hossanah has had more late nights than ever ever before, and I don't do well....I just don't end up feeling well even IF I get to sleep over there ( after the little girl kitties stop playing arrrgghhh LOL)....that I just couldn't write a LOT!!
But your explaining that we are first ,to keep each other accountable,
and can write a sentence, or, a page if we choose...( but we don't HAVE to write a dissertation ) was such a relief!!!!!!
So I finished reading (with the Lord Jesus) the end of Romans chapter 2 today.
I will have to go back and find your answer to my question. I thought I had thanked you and said it really clarified it to me....
but maybe, I only 'thought' I had done so?
I may look for your answer ( and question) later this evening or tomorrow ( no babysitting tomorrow yeah! tee-hee).
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Post by Cindy on Jan 28, 2016 13:02:44 GMT -5
Thank you sooo much for explaining that this is first an accountability thread!! I really didn't get it ( and I am not sure but I don't think Eva did either).
It is not your fault that I didn't understand ( it wasn't due to your not explaining clearly...you always do....I just get a 'bee in my bonnet' and miss the boat.
That was why I was having such a hard time because I thought we were to read and study with the Lord every day.....
AND....
write a LOT!!!!
But some days I had and have been feeling badly..
( Hossanah has had more late nights than ever ever before, and I don't do well....I just don't end up feeling well even IF I get to sleep over there ( after the little girl kitties stop playing arrrgghhh LOL)....that I just couldn't write a LOT!!
But your explaining that we are first ,to keep each other accountable,
and can write a sentence, or, a page if we choose...( but we don't HAVE to write a dissertation ) was such a relief!!!!!!
So I finished reading (with the Lord Jesus) the end of Romans chapter 2 today.
I will have to go back and find your answer to my question. I thought I had thanked you and said it really clarified it to me....
but maybe, I only 'thought' I had done so?
I may look for your answer ( and question) later this evening or tomorrow ( no babysitting tomorrow yeah! tee-hee). I have a feeling that you guys are not going to like our next project, but I think that it's something I should have done a very long time ago. I just always assumed you'd each do it on your own. Now though, I have no excuse because you've told me numerous times that you don't do it. Therefore, because I love you and want the best for you, I want to set up a plan to hold us accountable for reading God's Word with Him every single day. It doesn't matter how much or how little you read; what matters is that you DO spend some time in His Word with Him every single day. It would be best for you to set up a schedule for yourself so that you're doing it at approximately the same time every day; or the same time on week days and a different time on weekends, but the point is that you have some kind of schedule that you follow so you can get into a routine. What I want you to do now then is to set up that schedule after asking the Lord to help you do so, tell me what your schedule is and then each day we will post what scriptures we've read with Him that day. OK, ready, set GO!
So, for example, we'd come here each day and say something like: Today I read Mark 16:1-5 and then we'd share whatever the Lord had shown us in our time with Him. I just read this post so I will come back later and tell you what I read and what the Lord showed me.
I am really glad you are doing this....it feels a little scary because I fear I might miss a day like I have in the past ( well even more that A day)
but I am also excited because I really want to get closer to Jesus and this is the main way ( and prayer) to do it ( prayer is easier, but this is what I really need!) So I thought I would start with Genesis 1-19.
Right off the bat, God pointed out to me that had I been reading daily I might have been able to provide my neighbor with a refutation to her belief that God and His Creation were one and the same.
Verse one makes it clear that God created the Heavens and the earth. He was already ( actually He has always been, there never was a time when He wasn't).
My neighbor's pantheism is not even logical nor is it true.
And even verse three God pointed out to me how He separated 'light' from 'darkness' is a 'principle' that applies to our relationships....
I should have never allowed myself to get entangled with my neighbor knowing she had 'new age' leanings because at the very least I now suffer sorrow on several levels.
The phrase 'separated' is repeated several times which seemed to me that the Lord was making a firm principle of the need for separation on many different levels ( things, people, types of entertainment etc. etc.)
I am not sure how long you want us to write so I will leave it at this for now until I have a better understanding of your expectation of us :-)  Sounds good Barbara, and I'm glad you're enjoying it. Keep up the good work!
I started studying Luke today and enjoyed first learning about the author and the history behind the book. (taken from scripture mainly) I knew the book was written mainly for gentiles, but hadn't realized that he was a gentile himself. I just never really thought about it before, but now that I have, it's nice to know the Lord would include a gentile author for His Word. Some think that Luke may be the “brother” referred to in 2 Cor 8:18–19. I love God's Word, it's so interesting!
Eva, this is something you could easily do with us every day. Even if for some reason you couldn't come here one day, you could keep notes on what you read each day and then when you can come, just copy your notes here. Although I honestly don't see why you have a problem with coming here for only 5 minutes a day. It shouldn't take any longer than that, even with the language problem. So I hope you'll start joining us soon!
Yes, we can simply write just enough to let each other know what we read, and when the Lord leads us or we just want to share, we can write more if we want to. It's easy to see from my own posts that some days I'm just not up to talking about what I read. Like you said though, that doesn't mean I didn't enjoy it or get anything out of it, I did. It means that I'm simply not up to writing about it due to pain or illness, or lack of time; or sometimes, I want to reflect on what I've read a little longer before I write about it, and still other times, I've already written something about it elsewhere. I do enjoy reading what you guys write though, and pray that the Lord shows you how exciting it is to study His Word with Him.
I studied Luke 9:18–28 today and wrote about it in The cost of Being Saved
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,383
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Post by fearnot on Jan 28, 2016 21:14:37 GMT -5
I know you would find it hard to believe.
I understood the being held accountable and having a schedule parts. In fact, perhaps because I was soooo focused on those 2 I was not getting the we don't have to write a dissertation.
I remember you praising me for not writing so much....but still in my mind "not so much' still meant at least several paragraphs worth.....to me, that was 'not so much'.
I have been focused on the schedule to this day. Some days are easier when Leonard has to drive Hossanah or goes out for coffee etc.
I have told him about trying to keep to a scheduled time but sometimes he is excited to tell me something, or is upset, angry, needing my immediate help ( he has not been working for about 10 years so is home all the time)... and that can fall during the time I have set....so I am still working on that.
Today was the first day, I couldn't make the right time....
In any case I studied and read psalm 28.
V.1 Impressed me "the wicked flee though no one pursues"
I remember several battles in scripture where the wicked became confused, paranoid, ended up fighting each other etc.
But I am not sure I see that happening yet today. Tho I am sure I know little of what really goes on in the minds and hearts of evil power brokers, they might well be paranoid, tho no one is chasing them.
And v.2 "when a country is rebellious"....that sure seems to fit our country now.
proverbs have so much wisdom in every verse that it is hard not to go thru each one and find a truth or wisdom to write and share.
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,383
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Post by fearnot on Jan 28, 2016 21:27:45 GMT -5
I am not sure if I have the right explanation but I am thinking its this one:
"no matter how depraved they might get", it makes it sound like some people are more depraved then others"
Actually your explanation was great. I did know we all are 100 percent depraved....
but I was thinking about this verse:
"God gave them over to a depraved mind,"
That's why I worded it that way...
but I see now, that the way I wrote would cause confusion,
and you needed to clear up the wrong impression I gave....
Hopefully, I am addressing the right explanation
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Post by Cindy on Jan 29, 2016 11:07:12 GMT -5
I know you would find it hard to believe.
I understood the being held accountable and having a schedule parts. In fact, perhaps because I was soooo focused on those 2 I was not getting the we don't have to write a dissertation.
I remember you praising me for not writing so much....but still in my mind "not so much' still meant at least several paragraphs worth.....to me, that was 'not so much'.
I have been focused on the schedule to this day. Some days are easier when Leonard has to drive Hossanah or goes out for coffee etc.
I have told him about trying to keep to a scheduled time but sometimes he is excited to tell me something, or is upset, angry, needing my immediate help ( he has not been working for about 10 years so is home all the time)... and that can fall during the time I have set....so I am still working on that.
Today was the first day, I couldn't make the right time....
In any case I studied and read psalm 28.
V.1 Impressed me "the wicked flee though no one pursues"
I remember several battles in scripture where the wicked became confused, paranoid, ended up fighting each other etc.
But I am not sure I see that happening yet today. Tho I am sure I know little of what really goes on in the minds and hearts of evil power brokers, they might well be paranoid, tho no one is chasing them.
And v.2 "when a country is rebellious"....that sure seems to fit our country now.
proverbs have so much wisdom in every verse that it is hard not to go thru each one and find a truth or wisdom to write and share.
I am not sure if I have the right explanation but I am thinking its this one:
"no matter how depraved they might get", it makes it sound like some people are more depraved then others"
Actually your explanation was great. I did know we all are 100 percent depraved....
but I was thinking about this verse:
"God gave them over to a depraved mind,"
That's why I worded it that way...
but I see now, that the way I wrote would cause confusion,
and you needed to clear up the wrong impression I gave....
Hopefully, I am addressing the right explanation
I studied Luke 9:28–36 today, about the transfiguration. |
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Post by Cindy on Jan 30, 2016 10:40:58 GMT -5
I studied the next section of Luke about Jesus healing a boy that was possessed by a demon and causing him to have seizures. It was the one where the disciples couldn't cast out the demon, so Jesus did it. It reminded me yet again of how important prayer is. I say that because Jesus had taken 3 of the disciples up the mountain and was transfigured before them, then when He came down with them, He found the other disciples having the problem with the demon. It seems that during the few days he was gone, they'd slacked off on their prayer life, and because of that, weren't able to use the power available to them. It's amazing how easily and quickly we tend to step away from what we know is needed and right, (like prayer and daily bible study) and then wonder why we're having problems.... No wonder Jesus was so frustrated with them. I imagine He must get just as frustrated with us too.
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Post by Cindy on Jan 31, 2016 10:29:09 GMT -5
I studied Luke 9:46–50 today and got a lot out of it! Jesus is just so amazing! Before I did that study, the Lord directed me to Hebrews 13:5–6 to study and that led me to Psalm 131:1–3. He's so precious....He knew that was exactly what I needed to hear this morning and that it would answer my prayer from last night. Among other things, it reminded me that the love of more of anything is coveting, whether the thing you want more of is material, or relational.And also that I needed to wait patiently on Him, expecting Him to work everything out for my good and His glory. I had to laugh when I finally got to my scheduled study of Luke and realized that it also spoke to the same thing I'd been praying about the night before. It shows us the need to treat those weaker in their faith with love and tenderness; that we're to be humble and like a little child—helpless, dependent, without status, living by faith.
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Post by Cindy on Feb 1, 2016 12:21:03 GMT -5
Among other scriptures I studied Luke 9:51–56 today.
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,383
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Post by fearnot on Feb 2, 2016 16:02:55 GMT -5
So while I was gone I read Joel.
I am sure you know which verse was my favorite and even most likely why.
Joel 2:25
"I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten—..."
Tho Joel is talking to Judah I apply this verse to my life, in that I have let the locusts of entertainment, self-centered-ness, laziness, etc etc. eat up the time I could have spent with a relationship with Jesus and His word.
So this verse is hope even nearing the end of my life perhaps... so that all that wasted time will seem restored or perhaps as if they never existed or maybe because I can become so in love with the Lord the shame of neglecting Him will be forgotten.... because He will in love restore the life time of lost years.
Also Joel 2 has the super interesting vision of the end times.
Today I am starting Amos and will write if anything jumps out
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Post by Cindy on Feb 3, 2016 11:59:16 GMT -5
Sounds good, but are you saying that during the the days you missed here, you read the whole chapter of Joel 2? Just checking as I'm not sure what you meant. Remember, I said that when we couldn't post here, we should keep notes so we could show what we'd read on the days we missed. So rather then just saying I read chapter 2, you need to show what you read each day, ok?
I read Luke 10:13-24 today.
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Post by Cindy on Feb 4, 2016 10:44:10 GMT -5
Sounds good, but are you saying that during the the days you missed here, you read the whole chapter of Joel 2? Just checking as I'm not sure what you meant. Remember, I said that when we couldn't post here, we should keep notes so we could show what we'd read on the days we missed. So rather then just saying I read chapter 2, you need to show what you read each day, ok?
I read Luke 10:13-24 today. |
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Post by evafromgreece on Feb 4, 2016 16:37:26 GMT -5
Hey guys,
This period I studied John and now I started the book of Acts. I read 1-3 yesterday and today 4 and 8-9.
I have one question on John 21:7, the disciple who Jesus loved was John?
Also I have one general question about John. In Patmos island there is a cave that it is considered to be the cave where John wrote the Revelation. Is this the actual cave? Is this true?
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Post by Cindy on Feb 5, 2016 12:54:29 GMT -5
Hey guys, This period I studied John and now I started the book of Acts. I read 1-3 yesterday and today 4 and 8-9. I have one question on John 21:7, the disciple who Jesus loved was John? Also I have one general question about John. In Patmos island there is a cave that it is considered to be the cave where John wrote the Revelation. Is this the actual cave? Is this true?
If you are going to be part of this, you need to first understand why we are doing it, and then you need to commit to doing it yourself. Do you even remember why we're doing it or what the directions were?
If you don't want to be part of this, that's fine, you don't have to be. If that's true, then at least tell us and then I will start a thread for you in this forum where you can just ask whatever questions you have. OK?
yes, John was the disciple that is called the "beloved one" or the one Jesus loved. That doesn't mean that He didn't love the others, because He did. John never names himself in his gospel because he is so humble. So when he calls himself the one Jesus loved, it was not to draw attention to himself but rather to let others know that he was no better then anyone else. MacArthur does a good job of explaining this:
If four people take a trip together and each carries a camera, the group shots each person takes will naturally not include them. In fact, someone else could probably guess who took which pictures by which member of the group was absent. The gospel of John functions this way. John’s absence by name shouts his presence. As for his signature phrase, the words “whom Jesus loved” convey both a sense of the apostle’s humility and the depth of his relationship to Jesus. The phrase doesn’t mean that John thought of himself as the only disciple Jesus loved. It simply expresses with disarming honesty the wonder of this disciple over the fact that the Lord loved him! The MacArthur Bible handbook
Here's what some of my books say about Patmos:
The location of the dramatic revelation of Christ recorded in this book of Revelation was the island of Patmos, a small island in the Aegean Sea southwest of Ephesus and between Asia Minor and Greece. According to several early church fathers (Irenaeus, Clement of Alexandria, and Eusebius), John was sent to this island as a prisoner following his effective pastorate at Ephesus. Victorinus, the first commentator on the Book of Revelation, stated that John worked as a prisoner in the mines on this small island. When the Emperor Domitian died in A.D. 96, his successor Nerva let John return to Ephesus. During John’s bleak days on Patmos, God gave him the tremendous revelation embodied in this final book of the Bible. The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures
PATMOS [PAT muhs] — a small rocky island to which the apostle John was banished and where he wrote the Book of Revelation (Rev. 1:9). The island, about 16 kilometers (ten miles) long and ten kilometers (six miles) wide, lies off the southwest coast of Asia Minor (modern Turkey). Because of its desolate and barren nature, Patmos was used by the Romans as a place to banish criminals, who were forced to work at hard labor in the mines and quarries of the island. Because Christians were regarded as criminals by the Roman emperor Domitian (ruled A.D. 81–96), the apostle John probably suffered from harsh treatment during his exile on Patmos. An early Christian tradition said John was in exile for 18 months. Nelson’s new illustrated Bible dictionary. 1995
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,383
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Post by fearnot on Feb 5, 2016 15:36:46 GMT -5
I'm sorry Cindy, yes, I meant I read the whole chapter of Joel 2....
actually, I finished chapter 3 of Joel
and, started Amos 1 which listed condemned foreign nations and their specific sin or sins.
yesterday, I read Amos 2 which continued the condemnations Moab, even Judah and lastly Israel.
I know we have talked about how each and every one of us is totally sinful and depraved, and I do believe it.
Still when reading the sins of all the nations at first blush, it would be easy to think:
Yeah is was bad Judah rejected God's law, but Ammon's sadistic cruelty of ripping open pregnant women seems so horribly worse...
until you realize that without the true God, His Word and Law, and His love.....at some point every person could become sadistically cruel.
Today, I intend to read and study Amos chapter 3.
Did I get it right this time?
Thank you so much for putting up with me Cindy!!!!
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Post by evafromgreece on Feb 5, 2016 16:37:27 GMT -5
Hey guys, This period I studied John and now I started the book of Acts. I read 1-3 yesterday and today 4 and 8-9. I have one question on John 21:7, the disciple who Jesus loved was John? Also I have one general question about John. In Patmos island there is a cave that it is considered to be the cave where John wrote the Revelation. Is this the actual cave? Is this true? Actually I didnt say exactly this. I was studying alone and then I saw an email of her and login and then I read that you were worrying and replied.
If you are going to be part of this, you need to first understand why we are doing it, and then you need to commit to doing it yourself. Do you even remember why we're doing it or what the directions were?
If you don't want to be part of this, that's fine, you don't have to be. If that's true, then at least tell us and then I will start a thread for you in this forum where you can just ask whatever questions you have. OK?The truth is that I do want to be a part of this, but I dont see how of this is possible. We are doing this in order to be closer to the Lord and learn His Word. (I am not sure if I use correct English). I believe we partly lost the purpose of this and we spend too much time and energy on explaining reasons like this instead of discussing the actual Word. This is why I dont believe it is possible. I dont see it like a possible thing because of this As for the study, today, I studied Acts ch 10. |
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Post by Cindy on Feb 6, 2016 10:50:50 GMT -5
I'm sorry Cindy, yes, I meant I read the whole chapter of Joel 2....
actually, I finished chapter 3 of Joel
and, started Amos 1 which listed condemned foreign nations and their specific sin or sins.
yesterday, I read Amos 2 which continued the condemnations Moab, even Judah and lastly Israel.
I know we have talked about how each and every one of us is totally sinful and depraved, and I do believe it.
Still when reading the sins of all the nations at first blush, it would be easy to think:
Yeah is was bad Judah rejected God's law, but Ammon's sadistic cruelty of ripping open pregnant women seems so horribly worse...
until you realize that without the true God, His Word and Law, and His love.....at some point every person could become sadistically cruel.
Today, I intend to read and study Amos chapter 3.
Did I get it right this time?
Thank you so much for putting up with me Cindy!!!!
monday I read:
tuesday I read:
Wednesday I read: etc that way you can show that you read something each day, and there's no question about it, ok? Obviously if you only miss one day, then it's fine to just say, "yesterday I read ____ and today I read ____"
What Ammon did was horrid. It's fascinating to know though that the judgment was fulfilled through the Assyrian conquest under Tiglath-Pileser III in 734 B.C. God keeps His Word. But as bad as Ammon was, Israel was just as bad, as were the other nations around her. And like you said, we're all capable of doing horrendous things like they did, when we aren't saved and even when we are, if we are not abiding in Christ. Thank God for His forgiveness! Reading about Judah and Israel also reminds us that privileges bring responsibility. They had God's Word and chose to rebel against it, therefore they would be judged more harshly then those who didn't have His Word. That should make us sit up and take notice and make us be very sober, because we have ALL of God's Word, His FULL REVELATION, through Christ, which makes our sin worse then anyone before. By "our sin" I don't mean just Christians, although we would be judged harshest of all, but even the unsaved because that full revelation is available to them and they haven't done anything with it. It reminds me of how we're told that there is a "sin unto death", for Christians, but you sure don't hear that preached about these days of tolerance do you? Makes me wonder how many people have died because they crossed the line and sinned unto death, so God took their lives so they wouldn't dishonor His Name any more....
Eva, you have only posted a few times on this thread, January 3rd, 4th, and 12th are your only posts before today, so it's been 3 and a half weeks since your last post. Because it's been so long, I certainly don't expect you to write a list of what you studied each day for the last 3 weeks. That would be ridiculous. I would like to know though whether or not you plan on joining us in this or not? We've worried about you and waited for you and wondered about you and prayed for you, yet you never showed up here, or at least never posted. Why? I know that Barbara has written you and asked you why and you told her that you were reading this thread, but why were you reading it if you have no intention of joining us? And why would you read posts that said we were worried about you and not reply? Actually I didnt say exactly this. I was studying alone and then I saw an email of her and login and then I read that you were worrying and replied.
If you are going to be part of this, you need to first understand why we are doing it, and then you need to commit to doing it yourself. Do you even remember why we're doing it or what the directions were?
If you don't want to be part of this, that's fine, you don't have to be. If that's true, then at least tell us and then I will start a thread for you in this forum where you can just ask whatever questions you have. OK?The truth is that I do want to be a part of this, but I dont see how of this is possible. We are doing this in order to be closer to the Lord and learn His Word. (I am not sure if I use correct English). I believe we partly lost the purpose of this and we spend too much time and energy on explaining reasons like this instead of discussing the actual Word. This is why I dont believe it is possible. I dont see it like a possible thing because of this As for the study, today, I studied Acts ch 10.
Now you say you do not know how you can be part of this???? The only reason we're spending time on "this" is because you haven't been doing it and you aren't following the directions. These are the directions I gave at the beginning and the reason for why we are doing this:
Therefore, because I love you and want the best for you, I want to set up a plan to hold us accountable for reading God's Word with Him every single day. It doesn't matter how much or how little you read; what matters is that you DO spend some time in His Word with Him every single day. It would be best for you to set up a schedule for yourself so that you're doing it at approximately the same time every day; or the same time on week days and a different time on weekends, but the point is that you have some kind of schedule that you follow so you can get into a routine. What I want you to do now then is to set up that schedule after asking the Lord to help you do so, tell me what your schedule is and then each day we will post what scriptures we've read with Him that day. OK, ready, set GO!
So, for example, we'd come here each day and say something like: Today I read Mark 16:1-5 and then we'd share whatever the Lord had shown us in our time with Him. You don't have to write much, just enough to show that you got something from the time you spent with Him. What's neat is that as time goes by, you'll find yourself excited about what He's shown you, and you'll want to share it with someone.
And this was one of my replies to you on January 3rd when you did post:
So if you want to do this, then you need to first let me know what your scheduled time to spend with the Lord is, and then be here every day and post what you read and what you got from it. If you do not want to do this, then again, just say so. But don't just disappear.
I'm studying the first 5 verses of Luke 11 today. Let me share something that I found that surprised me as I'd never thought of it that way before. These verses are about the Lord's prayer: “Give us each day our daily bread.” (Luke 11:3)
Generally speaking, the patristic expositors interpret this famous word in such a way that the petition prays, not for the common bread of everyday life, but for a spiritual food, even the Bread from heaven, which giveth life unto the world. “So taken, the petition raises us to the region of thought in which we leave all that concerns our earthly life in the hands of our Father, seeking only that he would sustain and perfect the higher life of our spirit.” St. Luke Vol. I. 1909
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Post by Cindy on Feb 7, 2016 11:16:33 GMT -5
Today I finished studying Luke 11:1-13, mainly the last portion of it. It's so wonderful how Jesus shows us what it means to be persistent in prayer,and that it's the same thing as “Praying without ceasing” (1 Thes. 5:17). In other words, it's simply what Jesus often calls "abiding" in Him.
I loved the parable in Luke 11:5–8 too and how Jesus was telling us that when we begin to start feeling as though God isn't listening, or that He won't help us, we should just remember this parable and the verses following it, where He explains that God isn't like us. He will always hear His children and will always answer us. The answer may be no sometimes, but only because what we're asking for wouldn't be good for us. We don't have to worry about it though, because even if we do ask Him for a snake or a scorpion, thinking they're good things, He won't give us those things, instead He will only give us good and perfect gifts. (Luke 11:11–13) If a tired and selfish neighbor finally meets the needs of a bothersome friend, our loving Heavenly Father will meet the needs of His own dear children even more! If persistence finally paid off as a man beat on the door of a reluctant friend, how much more would persistence bring blessing as we pray to a loving Heavenly Father! After all, we are the children in the house with Him!
This explains the point of the parable: “I tell you, though he will not get up and give him the bread because he is his friend, yet because of the man’s boldness he will get up and give him as much as he needs.” (Luke 11:8) Persistence is an important aspect of prayer. This is not because God is reluctant, but because prayer develops intimacy with God and our greatest need is God, not the answer to all our prayers. God invites His children to come to Him even in times and circumstances that may seem inappropriate. God is more available than any host, like Psalm 23 shows us: “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.” (Psalm 23:5–6)
Let me share something from one of my commentaries that I really liked:
Why does our Father in heaven answer prayer? Not just to meet the needs of His children, but to meet them in such a way that it brings glory to His name. “Hallowed be Thy name.” When God’s people pray, God’s reputation is at stake. The way He takes care of His children is a witness to the world that He can be trusted. Prayer is not overcoming God’s reluctance; it is laying hold of His highest willingness. Persistence in prayer is not an attempt to change God’s mind (“Thy will be done”) but to get ourselves to the place where He can trust us with the answer.The Bible exposition commentary
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Post by evafromgreece on Feb 7, 2016 13:38:11 GMT -5
So if you want to do this, then you need to first let me know what your scheduled time to spend with the Lord is, and then be here every day and post what you read and what you got from it. If you do not want to do this, then again, just say so. But don't just disappear.
Ι am not sure if you understand what I am trying to say. My scheduled time is every night after work, but it cannot be the scheduled time in FH always. Anyway, if you wish create another thread as you said that we can talk about questions etc, and its ok |
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,383
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Post by fearnot on Feb 7, 2016 16:29:16 GMT -5
Eva, I can't really speak for Cindy, I am sure she will come and speak for herself.....
But, I am pretty sure she is not asking us to post every day at the same time ( tho, it would be cool if we could)...
My understanding is that she is only asking we read the Bible and study it at approx the same time each day
In fact, she even said, if we can't post....
to let each other know what we read and studied the day before, or even several days in a row ( not ideal, and not to make a habit of that, but things happen).
I suspect that if we checked a few weeks of her posts here on this thread, we would see that she may have posted early morning one day and late at night the next ( but she read and studied bible scriptures each day)
Also, she has said to me, at least, I am fairly sure.....to feel free to ask questions if after studying, I have questions.
But if I am wrong, she will correct me.....but I really don't think she ever asked us to post the same time each day.
Anyway, I am soooo happy you are back. Cindy and I were really worried...I imagined all sorts of bad things like: maybe you were in the hospital dying of some rare disease, or some sort of violence had happened to you, you lost your job, your computer broke etc etc etc. sniff sniff
It's like what I used to ( and still sometimes still feel) with our children....it's the not knowing thats the worse....
Sort of like Cindy said....if for some reason, you didn't want to be with us studying God's Word anymore, well, ok, but don't just disappear into a black hole....just tell us so we won't worry. We really care about you.
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Sooooo after all that....
Yesterday, I read Amos 3
So Amos 3 talks about why God was judging Northern Israel
( they were ungrateful, willfully ignorant, and they didn't know how to do right)!
Well, those all fit my life to a tee!!!
I have been 'trying'... and actually 'Thanking God' for some many of my abundant blessings....
Yet.... I so often fail..... by forgetting, or just not thinking of the Lord to thank Him....
until waaaay later in the day or night
( better late than never I guess),
but I do not want to settle for that,
its almost the same as not really being grateful at all.
Willfully ignorant reminds me of how children when caught doing something they know they were told repeatedly NOT to do,
Will say:
"I didn't know...you didn't tell me, I didn't understand etc.
It's true, there are occasions we do not understand, or miss
( if told over and over)....it's happened to me, on this thread.
However, I could have asked you Cindy ( like I did the day , if I was ok etc.)
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Post by Cindy on Feb 8, 2016 12:56:38 GMT -5
So if you want to do this, then you need to first let me know what your scheduled time to spend with the Lord is, and then be here every day and post what you read and what you got from it. If you do not want to do this, then again, just say so. But don't just disappear.
Ι am not sure if you understand what I am trying to say. My scheduled time is every night after work, but it cannot be the scheduled time in FH always. Anyway, if you wish create another thread as you said that we can talk about questions etc, and its ok
By asking me to create another thread, are you saying you do not want to do this anymore? You said you felt we weren't talking about what we were studying enough here, but I can't talk about anything unless someone brings it up first. If you don't tell me what you're reading, then I can't talk about it can I? I said you don't have to write a lot about what you've read, because I know you hated having to write a lot when I asked you to before....well you thought it was a lot, but it really wasn't. So I thought you'd be happy that you didn't have to write a lot anymore. What I'm saying now though is that you can write as much or as little as you want to about what you studied, and I've always said you can always ask questions about what you studied and I'll try to answer them. So what do you want to do? Are you going to do this with us or are you quitting? Eva, I can't really speak for Cindy, I am sure she will come and speak for herself.....
But, I am pretty sure she is not asking us to post every day at the same time ( tho, it would be cool if we could)...
My understanding is that she is only asking we read the Bible and study it at approx the same time each day
In fact, she even said, if we can't post....
to let each other know what we read and studied the day before, or even several days in a row ( not ideal, and not to make a habit of that, but things happen).
I suspect that if we checked a few weeks of her posts here on this thread, we would see that she may have posted early morning one day and late at night the next ( but she read and studied bible scriptures each day)
Also, she has said to me, at least, I am fairly sure.....to feel free to ask questions if after studying, I have questions.
But if I am wrong, she will correct me.....but I really don't think she ever asked us to post the same time each day.
Anyway, I am soooo happy you are back. Cindy and I were really worried...I imagined all sorts of bad things like: maybe you were in the hospital dying of some rare disease, or some sort of violence had happened to you, you lost your job, your computer broke etc etc etc. sniff sniff
It's like what I used to ( and still sometimes still feel) with our children....it's the not knowing thats the worse....
Sort of like Cindy said....if for some reason, you didn't want to be with us studying God's Word anymore, well, ok, but don't just disappear into a black hole....just tell us so we won't worry. We really care about you.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sooooo after all that....
Yesterday, I read Amos 3
So Amos 3 talks about why God was judging Northern Israel
( they were ungrateful, willfully ignorant, and they didn't know how to do right)!
Well, those all fit my life to a tee!!!
I have been 'trying'... and actually 'Thanking God' for some many of my abundant blessings....
Yet.... I so often fail..... by forgetting, or just not thinking of the Lord to thank Him....
until waaaay later in the day or night
( better late than never I guess),
but I do not want to settle for that,
its almost the same as not really being grateful at all.
Willfully ignorant reminds me of how children when caught doing something they know they were told repeatedly NOT to do,
Will say:
"I didn't know...you didn't tell me, I didn't understand etc.
It's true, there are occasions we do not understand, or miss
( if told over and over)....it's happened to me, on this thread.
However, I could have asked you Cindy ( like I did the day , if I was ok etc.)
That describes me too and I think it fits just about everyone really. We're all like that. I know it pleases God though when we ask Him to help us so that we won't be like that. I think we all go through stages where we're first like Israel was, then we try on our own not to be, and then we finally ask God to help us to do better. That's when things really start to change, although we may not realize it for a long while. I think that varies- we have good days and bad days and better days, but if we keep on persevering, with God's help, eventually we'll get there.
I wrote about something I studied that may help you someday. I posted it here:
fresh-hope.com/thread/1868/when-trials-love
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Post by Cindy on Feb 9, 2016 11:04:31 GMT -5
Today I studied Luke 11:29–36 which is where Jesus tells them that the only sign He will give them is the sign of Jonah. It's amazing how the Lord shows us in this short piece so many things. He shows us that there are varying degrees of punishment in Hell, just as there will be varying degrees of award in heaven. He points out to the Jew's of His time that it will be Gentiles that will judge them for not believing in Him, and of course, that Gentiles will inherit the Kingdom because they did believe. He then goes on to tell them that the sign of Jonah will not be some hidden thing, but will be there for all to see, so they need to be concerned about that. Instead He tells them that they need to be concerned about the condition of their spiritual eyes, for if their spiritual eyes are not healthy, they won't be able to see the sign even though it will be quite obvious. I like the way a commentary written in 1909 paraphrases what Jesus says: “Ah!” he seems to say, “you ask a heavenly sign which will substantiate my lofty claims; that sign in a grander and more stately form than ever you have dreamed of, shall, indeed, be given you. Have no fear on that score; rather dread that blindness, the punishment of a hard and evil heart, will come upon you, and render you incapable of seeing the sign you ask for and which I mean to give you.” He was of course still speaking of the sign of his resurrection. He shows us too that it's double minded people that wind up with diseased spiritual eyes, unable to see and understand. Those people are said to have hardened hearts or be double minded. One commentary gave 3 great examples of men who were like that and who would have been unable to see and understand the sign of Jonah when it came. Let me quote what it says for you. It's so good, I'm going to quote the whole thing:
Light (Luke 11:33–36). The third illustration was from daily life, not from history, and was one Jesus had used before (Matt. 6:22–23). God’s Word is a light that shines in this dark world (Ps. 119:105; Prov. 6:23). But it is not enough that the light be shining externally; it must enter our lives before it can do any good. “The entrance of Thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple” (Ps. 119:130). The brightest sun cannot enable a blind man to see.
When we trust Jesus Christ, our eyes are opened, the light shines in, and we become children of light (John 8:12; 2 Cor. 4:3–6; Eph. 5:8–14). The important thing is that we take advantage of the light and have a single outlook of faith. If we keep one eye on the things of God and the other eye on the world (1 John 2:16), the light will turn into darkness! There is no “twilight living” for the Christian, for God demands total submission and obedience (Luke 11:23).
Three men in the Bible illustrate this truth. They began in the light and ended up in the darkness because they were double-minded. The name Samson probably means “sunny,” yet he ended up a blind slave in a dark dungeon because he yielded to “the lust of the flesh” (Jud. 16). Lot began as a pilgrim with his uncle Abraham. He ended as a drunk in a cave, committing incest (Gen. 19:30–38), because he yielded to “the lust of the eyes” (Gen. 13:10–11). Lot wanted to serve two masters and look in two directions! King Saul began his reign as a humble leader but his pride led him to a witch’s cave (1 Sam. 28), and he died of suicide on the field of battle (1 Sam. 31). His sin was “the pride of life”; he would not humble himself and obey the will of God.
Each of us is controlled either by light or darkness. The frightening thing is that some people have so hardened themselves against the Lord that they cannot tell the difference! They think they are following the light when, in reality, they are following the darkness. The scribes and Pharisees claimed to “see the light” as they studied the Law, but they were living in the darkness (see John 12:35–50). Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary
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Post by Cindy on Feb 10, 2016 12:53:25 GMT -5
Today I studied Luke 11:37–54 and it was simply wonderful!
What's happened to you guys???
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