Ephesians 5: 1-21

     1 Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children 2 and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
    3 But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people.  4 Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.  5 For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person - such a man is an idolater - has any inheritance n the Kingdom of Christ and of God.  6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God's wrath comes on those who are disobedient.  7 Therefore do not be partners with them.
    8 For you were once darkness, but now your are light in the Lord.  Live as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth)  10 and find out what pleases the Lord.  11 Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.  12 For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret.  13 But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, 14 for it is light that makes everything visible.  This is why it is said: "Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you."
    15 Be very careful, then, how you live - not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.  17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is.  18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery.  Instead, be filled with the Spirit.  19 Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs.  Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, 20 always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
    21 Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.

Tabernacle Experience

THE TABERNACLE

The Brazen Altar
(Exodus 27:1-8, 40:6, 10, 29)
5 cubits long x 5 cubits wide x 3 cubits high (7 1/2 ft x 7 1/2 ft x 4 1/2 ft or 23 m x 23 x 1.38 m)
The brazen altar was made of shittim (acaccia) wood.  It was square and covered with bronze (brass).  The four corners had horns overlaid with bronze.  Also there were pans to receive ashes, shovels, basins, fleshhooks (forks), and fire pans, all of bronze.  A bronze grate with a bronze ring in each corner was put under the brazen altar.  Staves (carrying poles) were made of shittim wood covered with bronze to carry the altar.
Pattern of Worship
(Exodus 27:1-8)
  God wanted to dwell among his people.  How does a holy God dwell among sinful?  First God required the people to sacrifice a perfect animal for their sins (Leviticus 17:11).  The blood of the animal was important to justify the people before God.  Only the finest animal - a perfect one - was good enough.  Sacrifices needed to be offered on a regular basis (Hebrews 9:25).
  The person bringing the offering would put his hand on the head of the lamb while it was killed (photo below - is a goat.  "Viewer discretion is advised").  This symbolically put the person's sins onto the animal, and the animal dies in his place.
To think about:

• Jesus is our perfect sacrifice and shed his blood for our sins (See John 1:29; Revelation 13:8; Hebrews 10:10; Romans 4:25.)  Jesus was not only the perfect sacrifice, but his sacrifice covered all sins - past and future.  No more sacrifices are required. 

Laver of Bronze
(Exodus 30: 17-21; 40:7, 30-32; Ephesians 5:26; Hebrews 10:22)
A large basin of brass, in which Aaron and his sons washed their hands and feet, was placed between the brazen altar and the Tabernacle.  The LORD said if they did not wash when they came near the brazen altar to minister, they would die.
Pattern of Worship
(Exodus 30:18 & Exodus 38:8)
  The next step was for the priest only.  In fact, the rest of the work was performed by the priests on behalf of the people.
  After making the sacrifice, the priest washed himself at the brass laver.  This washing purified the priest and prepared him to enter the Tabernacle.  In Exodus 30:20, God says they must wash so that they do not die when they enter the Tabernacle.
  The brazen laver was made from brass mirrors donated by the women.  The Bible does not describe the laver completely, but perhaps it had a shiny mirrored surfaced which would help the priest wash thoroughly and to remind him that the Lord sees past the outward appearance, straight into the heart.

The Tabernacle
(Exodus 26:1-37) The new holy temple - Ephesians 2:19-22)
30 cubits long x cubits wide x 10 cubits high (45 ft x 15 ft x 15 ft or 13.8 m x 4.6 m x 4.6 m)
The general appearance of the Tabernacle was that of a rectangular box.  It was divided into two sections - the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place (Holy of Holies).
a.  Goats' hair covering with linen beneath (Exodus 25:4; 26:7)
b.  Ram skin covering dyed red (Exodus 25:5; 26:14)
c.  Badger, porpoise, or sea cow skin covering (Exodus 25:5)

d.  Boards (48 boards, Exodus 26:15-25)

e.  Sockets (100 total, 96 silver sockets for the boards, four under the pillars of the veil)

f.   Bars (Exodus 26:26-29)

g.  Pillars, hooks (Exodus 26:32, 37; 36:36, 38)

 h.  Curtains at the entrance (Exodus 26:1-6)

The Holy Place

(Exodus 26:33, Hebrews 9:2, 6)

10 cubits wide x 20 cubits long (15 ft x 30 ft or 4.6 m x 9.2 m)

The priest entered into the Holy Place daily to minister to the LORD.  The table of the showbread stood on the right, the seven-branched golden candlestick (lampstand) stood on the left, and the altar of incense stood in the Holy Place right in front of the veiled Holy of Holies.

The Golden Lampstand (Candlestick)

(Exodus 25:31-40)

The lampstand or candlestickd was made of pure, hammered gold, one solid piece.  It had a central shaft with six branches, three on each side, making it a seven-branched lampstand.  Each branch had knobs, flowers, and an almond-shaped bowl to hold pure olive oil.  It was part of the priests' ministry to keep the lamp burning perpetually.

Pattern of Worship

(Exodus 25:31-40 & Exodus 26:35)

From the laver, the priest passed through a veil into the Holy Place.  the room he entered had three objects: a golden lampstand on the south, a table on the north and an altar of incense to the west just before the veil to the most holy place, the Holy of Holies.

  The unique lampstand was beaten from a single piece of gold.  It was not pieced together.  Scripture tells us it was fueled by oil, not wax.  It had lamps at the top of each branch, not candles.

  Its purpose was to provide light in this otherwise dark room  Trimming the lamp wicks to keep them burning brightly was an important job for the priest..

To think about:

• Jesus called himself the light of the world in many places in the Bible.  See John 12:46.
• Christians are called to be lights.  See Acts 13:47. 

The Table of Showbread (Shewbread)

(Exodus 25:23-30; Hebrew 9:2)

2 cubits long x 1 cubit wide x 1 1/2 cubits high (36 in x 18 in x 27 in or 92 cm x 46 cm x 69 cm)

The table of showbread was made of shittim (acacia wood.  It was overlaid with gold and had a crown or frame of gold around it that was as wide as a man's hand.  A ring of gold was put on each of the four legs, to put the carrying poles through.  The carrying poles were made of shittim wood overlaid with gold.  Also made of pure gold were the dishes, pans, pitchers and bowls.  Twelve loaves of bread were placed on the table, six in a row.  Fresh bread was placed there every Sabbath.

Pattern of Worship

(Exodus 25:23-30)

On the Table of Showbread, Aaron and his sons placed twelves loaves of bread made from fine flour.  These twelve loaves represented the twelve tribes of Israel.  The table with the loaves was a continual remainder of the everlasting promises, the covenant between God and the Children of Israel, and a memorial of God's provision of food.  The bread was eaten by Aaron and his sons and was replaced every week on the Sabbath.

To think about:

• Jesus called himself the "Bread of Life."  See John 6:35 and 6:51.  He said that those who came to him would never hunger again.  Physical bread - even the special bread of the Tabernacle - is consumed.  But the spiritual Bread of Life, Jesus, gives eternal life.
• Hebrews 8:6, 7 and Hebrews 10:16 tell of a better covenant through Jesus, one superior to the Old Testament covenant to Israel.  The law would be written on people's hearts, not on tablets of stone.

The Altar of Incense

(Exodus 30:1-10; Hebrews 9:2)

1 cubit long x 1 cubit wide x 2 cubits high (1 1/2 ft x 1 1/2 ft x 3 ft or 46 cm x 46 cm x 92 cm)

The altar of incense was made from shittim (acacia) wood.  Its four corners each had a horn made from one piece.  Its top, sides, and horns were overlaid with gold, with a crown or molding all around the top.  Aaron, the High Priest, burned incense upon it every morning and evening.  Once a year,, on the Day of Atonement, the horns of the altar were sprinkled with the blood of the sin offering.

Pattern of Worship 

(Exodus 30:1-10)

The Lord required that special incense be burned constantly on the altar of incense.  It was a special sweet incense, a mixture of spices to be used only for the Tabernacle.  See Exodus 30:35-37.  God specifically required this recipe.  None other was to burned on the altar.  It was a matter of life and death, as Leviticus 10:1, 2 clearly shows us, when two of Aaron's sons offered a "strange fire" before the Lord and were struck dead.  In the New Testament (Luke 1:5-13), the priest Zacharias was in the Holy Place when a angel appeared near the Table of Incense.  Zacharias fell down with fear.  The angel announced that God had heard Zacharias's prayers and he and his wife would have a son (John the Baptist).

To think about:

• Incense represents the prayers of the faithful.  There are several references to this in the book of Revelation (5:8; 8:3, 4).

The Veil (my personal favorite)

(Exodus 26:31-33; Hebrews 10:19, 20)

A woven veil of blue, purple, and scarlet thread, with designs of cherubim embroidered on it, was hung on four pillars of acacia wood overlaid with gold.  Four gold hooks were put in four sockets of silver.  the veil was hung from these, and was a divider between the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place.  

Pattern of Worship

(Exodus 26:33 & Exodus 30:10)

  The Veil separated the holy placed from the most holy place where the Ark of the Covenant was kept.  It was a barrier between God and man.  Once a year Aaron would enter the most holy place (Holy of Holies) through this veil.  The veil was a heavy woven cloth stretching for ten cubits (15 feet or 4.6 meters).  There was no separation in the middle.  The high priest had to go around the side to enter the most holy place.

  Later when the Temple was constructed, it followed a similar design.  The veil of the Temple was torn from top to bottom when Jesus died.  This symbolizes the ability of every believer, not just a high priest, to approach God through the death of Jesus.

To think about:

• For hundreds of years, the Israelites needed a human high priest to represent them before God.  Read Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 8:1; Hebrews 9:1, and Hebrews 10:11, 12. 

The Most Holy Place (Holy of Holies)

(Exodus 26:33, 34, Hebrews 9:4)
10 cubits long x 10 cubits wide (15 ft x 15 ft or 4.6 m x 4.6 m)
Also called the Holy of Holies, here resided the Ark of the Covenant.  It was exactly one-half the length of the Holy Place.  The shekinah glory of God rested upon the lid of the Ark (Mercy Seat).  The high proest entered the Most Holy Place once a year, on the Day of Atonement, to sprinkle blood on the Mercy Seat to atone for his sins and the people's sins.

The Ark of the Covenant
(Exodus 25:10-16; Hebrews 9:4)
2 1/2 cubits long x 1 1/2 cubits wide x 1 1/2 cubits high (45 in x 27 in or 115 cm x 69 x 69 cm)
The Ark was made of acacia wood.  It was overlaid with gold, inside and out.  A gold crown or molding was set around the edge of the top.  Four gold rings, one in each leg were placed for the carrying poles.  The poles were acacia wood overlaid with gold.  The Mercy Seat was set on top of the Ark.

The Mercy Seat
(Exodus 25:17-22; Hebrews 9:5)
2 1/2 cubits long x 1 1/2 cubits wide (45 in x 27 in or 115 cm x 69 cm)
The Mercy seat was made of pure gold.  It had a winged cherub on each side, facing each other with wings outstretched above them, towards each other.  The Mercy Seat was beaten or hammered from one solid piece of gold.  It was placed above the Ark.
Pattern of Worship
(Exodus 25:10, 14-16; Exodus 25:22; Hebrews 9)
  The central focus of the entire Tabernacle was the most holy place where God spoke to the high priest above the Mercy Seat - the area where the winged cherubim face each other.
  Annually the high priest would sprinkle blood on the Mercy Seat to atone for the sins of all the people.
  God's purpose and desire is to dwell among his people and to commune with them.  The layout of the Tabernacle, along with the steps of sacrifice, cleansing, and remembering God's promises are all designed to bring sinful mankind to a loving and Holy God.
To think about:

• Christianity is not a religion in which man reaches to know God.  It is God who approaches his creatures and makes it possible for them to know Him.  (John 6:44; Ephesians 2:8, 9)
• Our efforts to be "good people" are not enough to approach God.  Jesus alone is the Way to God (John 14:6; Hebrews 10:19-23)

The Twelve Tribes

East of the Tabernacle

Moses Aaron & Sons 

(Numbers 2)

The Tribe of Judah - 74,600

The Tribe of Issachar - 54,400

The Tribe of Zebulun - 57,400

South of the Tabernacle
The families of Kohath
(Numbers 2)

The Tribe of Reuben - 46,500

The Tribe of Simeon - 53,300

The Tribe of Gad - 45,650

West of the Tabernacle
The families of Gershonites
(Numbers 2)

The Tribe of Ephraim - 40,500

The Tribe of Manasseh - 32,200

The Tribe of Benjamin - 35,400

North of the Tabernacle

The families of Merari 

(Numbers 2)

The Tribe of Dan - 62,700

The Tribe of Asher - 41,500

The Tribe of Naphtali - 53,400

The Tabernacle was in the center of the Israelite camp.  The 12 Tribes of Israel were encamped around it.  The flags refer to the number of the males age 20 or over in each tribe.  The total would be 603,550.

Closing

Israelites Communued with God through the Tabernacle / Christians Commune with God Through Jesus

1. Brazen Altar for sacrifices / Christ Sacrifice
2. Laver of Brass for washing / Cleansing through confession
3. Candlestick or Lampstand / Enlighted by the Holy Spirit
4. Table of Showbread / Fed by the Living Word
5. Altar of Incense / Prayer, communication, intercession
6. Through the Veil into the Most Holy Place / Entering God's presence boldly through Christ.
7. Priests and the garments / Service to God and others.

Why is The Tabernacle Important Today?

1. Today, we are God's dwelling place.  1 Corinthians 6:19
2. God's Holy presence is among us.  Exodus 40:34-38
3. As believers, we are part of a priesthood.  1 Peter 2:5, 9; Revelation 5:10; Revelation 20:6, and Hebrews 4:16.
4. The Tabernacle shows a pattern of worship prescribed by God.  Hebrews 10:19-25

Sources:

Rose Book of Bible Chart, Maps, and Time Lines, Rose Publishing

Photos by: I. Pogue

12/12/12

Saving this Date : ) Hee Hee!

Love, Love, Love {Song}

~ Sidewalk Prophets ~

It goes deeper than just religion
Realer than reality television

Truer than the pages of a fairytale

It’ll happily ever never fail

It’s better than your good intentions

A lot more honest than a politician

It’s worth more than the money in your pocket

It won’t back down, no one can stop it

Love, love, love
Love love love

Love love love

Goes that far

Love love love

Love love love

So love love love

With all your heart

You can find it where the children play

It’s in the coffee shops and the alley ways

You can see it in the stars above

And when you think you can’t, you can with love

So take it out to the weak and lonely

Take  it out to the outcasts too

Give it away to the tired weary

When you give it away, it comes back to you

Love, love, love
Love love love

Love love love

Goes that far

Love love love

Love love love

So love love love

With all your heart

Read about a man who came in to this world

Loving every man, woman, boy and girl

Hung out with some folks that would make you stare

Saying come as you are, you’re welcome here

Spent His life with the least of these

Died on a cross between two thieves

And on the third day the stone rolled away

He beat back death so we could say

Love, love, love
Love love love

Love love love

Goes that far

Love love love

Love love love

So love love love

With all your heart

It’s a great big hug for all those haters

Even broke through the dark side of Darth Vader

It’s like the air we breathe, we all need it

Oh, yeah

Even Chuck Norris can’t defeat it

Love, love, love

Love love love

Love love love

Goes that far

Love love love

Love love love

So love love love

With all your heart

Lyrics:      songlyrics.com

Video clip: youtube.com

Photos: Chris Pogue

Isela Pogue

God's Complete Knowledge and Care

Psalms 139 (GNT with Deuterocanonicals/Apocrypha)
1LORD, You have examined me and You know me.  2You know everything I do; from far away You understand all my thoughts.  3You see me, whether I am working or resting; You know all my actions.  4Even before I speak, You already know what I will say.  5You are all around me on every side; You protect me with Your power.  6Your knowledge of me is too deep; it is beyond my understanding.

7Where could I go to escape from You?  Where could I get away from Your presence?  8If I went up to Heaven, You would be there; if I lay down in the world of the dead, You would be there.  9If I flew away beyond the east or lived in the farthest place in the west, 10You would be there to lead me, You would be there to help me.  11I could ask the darkness to hide me or the light around me to turn into night, 12but even darkness is not dark for You, and the night is as bright as the day.  Darkness and light are the same to You.

13You created every part of me; You put me together in my mother's womb.  14I praise You because You are to be feared; all You do is strange and wonderful.  I know it with all my heart.  15When my bones were being formed, carefully put together in my mother's womb, when I was growing there in secret, You knew that I was there - 16You saw me before I was born.  The days allotted to me had all been recorded in You book,  before any of them ever began.  17O God, how difficult I find Your thoughts; how many of them there are!  18If I counted them, they would be more than the grains of sand.  When I awake, I am still with You.

19O God, how I wish You would kill the wicked!  How I wish violent poeple would leave me alone!  20They say wicked things about You; they speak evil things against Your name.  21O LORD, how I hate those who hate You!  How I despise those who rebel against You!  22I hate them with a total hatred; I regard them as my enemies.

23Examine me, O God, and know my mind; test me, and discover my thoughts.  24Find out if there is any evil in me and guide me in the everlasting way.

No Confidence In The Flesh

Philippians 3:7-11 (NIV)
7 But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ.  8 What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ - the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.  10 I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death, 11 and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.

Alive (Song)

~Natalie Grant~

Who but You
Could breathe and leave a trail of galaxies
And dream of me?

What kind of love
Is writing my story till the endWith Mercy's Pen?
Only You.

What kind of King
Would choose to wear a crown
that bleeds and scars
To win my heart.

What kind of Love
Tells me I'm the reson He can't stay
Inside the grave
You.
Is it You?
Standing here before my eyes
Every part of my heart cries.

Alive, Alive
Look what Mercy's overcome
Death has lost and Love has won!

Alive, Alive
Halleujah, Risen Lord
the only one i fall before

I am His
because He is
Alive.

Who could speak
and send the demons back from where they came
with just one name?

what other heart
would let itself be broken every time
until he healed mine?
You. Only Youcould turn my darkness into dawn
running right into your arms

Alive, Alive
Look what Mercy's overcome
Death has lost and Love has won!

Alive, Alive!
Halleujah, Risen Lord
The Only One i fall before

I am His
because He is

Emmanuel, The Promised King
The Baby who made angels sing
son of man who walked with us
healing, breathing in our dust

The Author of all history
The Answer to all mysteries
The Lamb of God who rolled away
the stone in front of every grave.

Alive, Alive
Look what Mercy's overcome
Death has lost and Love has won!

Halleujah

i am His
because He is
Alive

Alive

lyrics: http://www.lyricsreg.com/lyrics/natalie+grant/Alive/

video: youtuve.com

Concluding Exhortations

Hebrews 13:1-6 (NIV)
1 Keep on loving each other as brothers.  2 Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it.  3 Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering. 
4 Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.  5 Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said,
          "Never will I leave you;
             never will I forsake you."
6 So we say with confidence,
          "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.
             What can man do to me?"

Sinning After Being Saved

Hebrews 6:4-6
4It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, 5who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, 6if they fall away, to be brought back to repentence, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting Him to public disgrace.

Hebrews 10:26
26If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left
Note: Is there no forgiveness for sins committed after becoming a Christian? Forgiveness is always available to those who repent and confess their sins (1 John 1:9).  This warning is against deliberate, persistent sinning.  Those who do sin in this way become spiritually calloused; eventually they may no longer want to be forgiven.

Hebrews 10:29
29How much more severely do you think a man deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God under foot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that santified him, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace?
Note: How do we insult the Spirit of grace?  We insult the Spirit of grace when we reject the Son of God, whom the Spirit glorifies (John 15:26).  Therefore, those who have been enlightened and fall away (Heb. 6:4-6), have hardened their hearts through unbelief (Heb. 3:13, 19), and have deliberately rejected Christ's sacrifice for sin (Hebrews 10:26) insult the Spirit of grace.

Source: Quest Study Bible NIV

Broken But Strong In Christ

2 Corinthians 12:7-10 (NIV)
7 To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me.  8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me.  9 But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."  Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.  10 That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties.  For when I am weak, then I am strong.

The Hurt and The Healer (Song)

Why?
The question that is never far away
The healing doesn’t come from the explained
Jesus please don’t let this go in vain
You’re all I have
All that remains

So here I am
What’s left of me
Where glory meets my suffering

I’m alive
Even though a part of me has died
You take my heart and breathe it back to life
I’ve fallen into Your arms open wide
When the hurt and the healer collide

Breathe
Sometimes I feel it’s all that I can do
Pain so deep that I can hardly move
Just keep my eyes completely fixed on You
Lord take hold and pull me through

So here I am
What’s left of me
Where glory meets my suffering

I’m alive
Even though a part of me has died
You take my heart and breathe it back to life
I’ve fallen into your arms open wide
When the hurt and the healer collide

It’s the moment when humanity
Is overcome by majesty
When grace is ushered in for good
And all the scars are understood
When mercy takes its rightful place
And all these questions fade away
When out of the weakness we must bow
And hear You say “It’s over now”

I’m alive
Even though a part of me has died
You take my heart and breathe it back to life
I’ve fallen into your arms open wide
When The hurt and the healer collide

Jesus come and break my fear
Awake my heart and take my tears
Find Your glory even here
When the hurt and the healer collide [x2]

Jesus come and break my fear
Awake my heart and take my tears
Find Your glory even here.

~Scheduled to be released May 22, 2012~

Images and Lyrics:

http://lyricsmusic.name/mercyme-lyrics/the-hurt-the-healer/the-hurt-the-healer.html 

Video: youtube.com

The Fruit Of The Spirit

Fruit of the Spirit
(Galatians 5:22-23)

Love
Love is not based on emotions or feelings.  It is a decision to be committed to the well being of others without any conditions or circumstances.
Other Scriptures:  John 15:12-14
Greek Definition:  Agape -  Love which seeks the highest good of others.

Joy
Joy is not based on financial success, good health, or popularity.  By obeying God's will, fellowship, ministering to others, and sharing the Gospel, believers will experience will experience joy.
Other Scriptures:  1 Peter 1:8, 9
Greek Definition:  Chara - Gladness, delight, a special presence of God.

Peace
Peace is a state of assurance, lack of fear, and sense of contentment.  It is fellowship, harmony, and unity between individuals.  Peace is freedom from worry, disturbance, and oppressive thoughts.
Other Scriptures:  Philippians 4:7
Greek Definition: Eirene - Peace between individuals, harmony, unity.

Patience
Patience is a slowness in avenging wrongs.  It is the quality of restraint that prevents believers from speaking or acting hastily in the face of disagreement, opposition, or persecution.
Other Scriptures:  1 Thessalonians 5:14, 15
Greek Definition:  Makrothumia - Longsuffering, bearing trials without complaint.

Kindness
Kindness is an eagerness to put others at ease.  It is a sweet and attractive temperament that shows friendly regard.
Other Scriptures:  Proverbs 11:16, 17
Greek Definition:  Chrestotes - Merciful, easy to bear.  Morally good and upright.

Goodness
Goodness is the selfless desire to be open hearted and generous to others above what they deserve.
Other Scriptures:  Titus 3:8
Greek Definition:  Agathosune - Useful, generous.

Faithfulness
Faithfulness is firm devotion to God, loyalty to friends, and dependability to carry out responsibilities.  Faith is the conviction that even now God is working and acting on one's behalf.
Other Scriptures:  Revelation 2:10b
Greek Definition:  Pistis - Trust, conviction.

Gentleness
Gentleness is a humble non-threatening demeanor that derives from a position of strength and authority, and is useful in calming another's anger.  Gentlesness is not a quality that is weak and passive.
Other Scriptures:  1 Peter 3:15
Greek Definition:  Prautes - Humble, meek.

Self-Control
Self-control is to restrain one's emotions, actions, and desires, and to be in harmony with the will of God.  Self-control is doing God's will, not living for one's self.
Other Scriptures:  Titus 2:11,12
Greek Definition:  Egkrateia - Being in control of one's self.


Acts Of The Sinful Nature
(Galatians 5:19-21 and Colossians 3:5-9)

• Sexual Immorality 
• Impurity
• Debauchery
• Idolatry
• Witchcraft
• Hatred
• Discord
• Jealousy
• Fits of Rage
• Selfish Ambition
• Dissensions
• Factions
• Envy
• Drunkenness
• Orgies
• Lust
• Evil Desires
• Greed
• Anger
• Malice
• Slander
• Deceit

Source: Rose Book of Bible Charts, Maps & Time Lines, Rose Publishing
Image: loldenver.wordpress.com
  

The Vine and the Branches

The Vine and the Branches - John 15:1-17
(Quest Study Bible, NIV)

         1 "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.  2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.  3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.  4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you.  No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine.  Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
 
     5 "I am the vine; you are the branches.  If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.  6 If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.  7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.  8 This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my diciples.
 
      9 "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you.  Now remain in my love.  10 If you obey my commands, you will  remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love.  11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.  12 My command is this:  Love each other as I have loved you.  13 Greater love has no one that this, that he lay down his life for his friends.  14 You are my friends if you do what I command.  15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business.  Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.  16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit - fruit that will last.  Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.  17 This is my command:  Love each other.

Images: pictureweekly.com

Books of the Bible

Old Testament - (contains 39 books)
The Law
The first five books of the Bible are called "The Law" or the Pentateuch or the Torah.  The Law contains stories about the creation of the world, the flood, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, the children of Israel in Egypt, the Exodus, and the time the children of Israel spent in the wilderness before entering the Promised Land.  The books of the Law also recorded the law God gave to the people on Mt. Sinai which laid down the regulations for sacrifice, worship, and daily living.

• Genesis
• Exodus
• Leviticus
• Numbers
• Deuteronomy

History
The 12 History books continue with the story of the people of Israel and the conquest of the Promised Land in the book of Joshua, the continuous cycle of disobedience in the book of Judges, the first kings and the United Kingdom, Divided Kingdom, the Assyrian invasion, Babylonian invasion the years in exile, and the return from exile during the Persian rule.

• Joshua
• Judges
• Ruth
• 1 Samuel
• 2 Samuel
• 1 Kings
• 2 Kings
• 1 Chronicles
• 2 Chronicles
• Ezra
• Nehemiah
• Esther

Poetry & Wisdom
The Five Poetry and Wisdom books include hymns, proverbs, and dramas.  They illustrate the creative ways the people of Israel expressed themselves to God and to each other.

• Job
• Psalms
• Proverbs
• Ecclesiastes
• Song of Solomon

Major Prophets
The Five Major Prophets are not called "major" because of their message or quality, but rather because of the length of the books.  The prophets brought God's word which included warning of judgment, warnings and hope for the immediate future, (as well as warnings and hope for the distant future), and hope in the coming Messiah.

• Isaiah
• Jeremiah
• Lamentations
• Ezekiel
• Daniel

Minor Prophets
The 12 Minor Prophets, called "The Book of the Twelve" in the Hebrew Bible, are just as important as the Major Prophets.  They were called "minor" because of the shorter length of the books.  The Minor Prophets also brought God's word to the people regarding judgment and hope.

•  Hosea
• Joel
• Amos
• Obadiah
• Jonah
• Micah
• Nahum
• Habakkuk
• Zephaniah
• Haggai
• Zechariah
• Malachi

New Testament - (contains 27 books)
Gospels & Acts
The Gospels, which are the first four books of the New Testament, record the good news of God's plan for a Savior through the life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  Each writer has a particular method or style to communicate the life and message of Jesus Christ.

• Matthew
• Mark
• Luke
• John

Acts is the record of the radically changed "acts" or "actions" of the followers of Jesus Christ after the resurrection.  Acts opens with the out-flowing of the Holy Spirit and describes the missionary efforts of the early followers of Jesus as they spread the message of the gospel to Judea and Samaria.  Acts also records the actions of the apostle Paul as he and other courageous believers continued to spread the good news of Jesus to the Jews and Gentiles of the Roman Empire.

• Acts

Paul's Letters (Epistles)
The apostle Paul wrote 13 letters to young churches, pastors, and friends in order to guide, encourage, and correct them.  Most of these letter served a specific purpose or addressed a specific question or problem.

• Romans
• 1 Corinthians
• 2 Corinthians
• Galatians
• Ephesians
• Philippians
• Colossians
• 1 Thessalonians
• 2 Thessalonians
• 1 Timothy
• 2 Timothy
• Titus
• Philemon

General Epistles & Revelation
The eight General Epistles were written by other apostles and leaders including Simon Peter, James, John, and Jude.  The General Epistles were addressed to the early Christians to provide guidance, encouragement through persecution, and warnings of false teachings.

• Hebrews
• James
• 1 Peter
• 2 Peter
• 1 John
• 2 John
• 3 John
• Jude

The book of Revelation addressed seven churches in Asia Minor (Turkey today).  It encourages believers who are experiencing persecution.  Revelation illustrates that God is in control and that all people were created to love and worship God.

• Revelation

Editor: Christopher Ortiz

Source: Rose Book of Bible Charts, Maps, & Time Lines, Rose Publishing

Images: http://jonlovesjen.blogspot.com/2011/07/books-of-bible-puzzle.html

Giants

Genesis 6:1-4

1 When men began to increase in number on the earth and daughters were born to them, 2 the sons of  God saw that the daughthers of men were beautiful, and they married any of them they chose.  3 Then the LORD said, "My Spirit will not contend with man forever, for he is mortal; his days will be a hundred and twenty years."
4 The Nephilim were on the earth in those days - and also afterward-when the sons of God went to the daughters of men and had children by them.  They were the heroes of old, men of renown. (Quest Study Bible NIV)

     

Who were the sons of God? (6:2)
Some suggest they were supernatural being such as angels.  In the Book of Job the phrase is used for angelic or nonhuman being (Job 1:6; 2:11)  (however, nowhere else in the Bible is there even a hint that nonhuman and human beings can mate.  There are many parallels in pagan thought, but none in biblical thought.  Also Jesus stated that angels do no marry (Matt. 22:30).  Thus, "sons of God" in this passage must refer to human beings.)  (New Illustrated Bible Dictionary - Nelsons)
Others say they were godly men descended from Seth who married sinful women descended from Cain.  A better interpretation may be that they were human rulers who emerged as heads of city-states in the ancient Middle East and flaunted their power by having large harems.  Rulers and judges are sometimes called gods or God in the Hebrew text.  (commentary Quest study Bible NIV)



     

 Who were the daughters of men?

Adam and Eve's offspring.  (Cain was Adam and Eve's first born)



Who were the Nephilim? (fallen ones)
May refer to persons of great physical stature.  But in Gen. 6:4, it probably means prince or aristocrats - men of political stature.  Nephilim is linked to another term that indicates a heroic person with both power and influence. (commentary Quest Study Bible NIV)
The offspring of marriages/union between the "sons of God" and the "daughters of men" (Gen.6:4).  The word "Nephilim" is translated as "giants" by the KJV and NKJV.
Giants - human beings of abnormal size and strength.  Races of giants are first mentioned in the Old Testament where giant godlike beings were produced.  These abnormal unions displeased God (Gen 6:5-6). 
Rephaim were primitive giants who lived in Canaan, Edom, Moab, and Ammon.  They were also known as Emim (Deut. 2:11) and Zamzummim (Deut. 2:20).  King Og of Bashan (Deut. 3:11) was the last of these giants.  His iron bed was about 13 feet by 6 feet).
Goliath is the most famous giant in the Bible (1 Sam. 17:4), measuring about (9) nine feet tall.  (New Illustrated Bible Dictionary - Nelsons)



Genesis 6:5-8
5 The LORD saw how great man's wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time.  6  The LORD was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain.  7  So the LORD said, "I will wipe earth - men and animals, and creatures that move along the ground, and birds of the air - for I am grieved that i have made them."  8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD. 

9 This is the account of Noah.

Editor: Christopher Ortiz

images:  www.jameslyonart.com;
http://www.thevesselofgod.com/giantsonearth.html

www.familywikinut.com;

www.myspace.com/childrenofadam/blog;

www.herebedragons.weebly.com/nephilim;

www.hotspotsz.com

Gospel For Asia (GFA)

We finally got this in the mail!!!
     

"Dear Isela,

I praise God for your heart.  Thank you so much for partnering with GFA.  Know that your life is making huge difference in Asia.  May the Lord be your source of peace and strength.  PS. 32:8 "

~Clara~

Back in Dec. 2011 - Christmas.  Me and the boys decided to give a very small gift to some of the most unreached regions of our world - Asia.  We sat down, logged on to http://www.gfa.org/ website, and browsed through their donation categories and items.  After a long discussion we decided to buy a pair of chickens and (1) one goat.

What can a pair of chickens do and mean for these people?
- For the family of a Bridge of Hope child, a rooster and hen are not pets. They are the source of up to 40 dozen eggs a year! When the pair produces chicks, a flock develops that will provide nourishment and income for years.  (text from gospel for asia website)

A goat?
 - When a Dalit family receives your present of a goat or a pair of goats it will be a special day! Goats are hardy and can live in almost any climate. And a pair of goats produces at least two kids each year. Their manure is also good fertilizer. Your gift of goats will be a good way to bring a little joy to a poor family's world.  (text from gospel for asia website)

Angels

This has got to be one of my favorite supernatural topics.  I bought this cool book at a local store about a year ago.  The Amazing Bible Factbook for Kids by: American Bible Society.

Types of Angels

Cherubim (plural for cherub)
     After He {God} drove the man out, He placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life (Genesis 3:24).
Description:
-A cherub has (4) four faces (one like a man, one like a lion, one like and eagle and one like an ox) (Ezekiel 1:5-6, 10-12).
- Has huge crossed wheels covered in eyes surround a cherub, whirling inside each other (Ezekiel 10:12-13).
- A cherub has four wings - two touch the other cherubs and two hang down covering its human hands (Ezekiel 1:5-6).
- Also has straight legs that sparkle like bronze and has hooves like a calf (Ezekiel 1:7).
- A cherub "shines like chyrsolite" (a greenish stone) (Ezekiel 1:16).

Seraphim (plural for seraph)
   A seraph is fiery burning angel (Isaiah 6:6).  The name seraph comes from a Hebrew word, saraph, that means "burning" (it means burning one in the Bible).  When Isaiah says he has unclean lips, a seraph touches his lips with a holy burning coal to clean him (Isaiah 6:7).  Seraphim shout so loud in Isaiah 6:4 that they shake the temple.
Description:
- The seraphim have six wings (Isaiah 6:2)
      (2) two to cover thier faces
      (2) two to cover thier feet
      (2) two to fly with
~fun fact: Saraph (Seraph) is the name that the Israeli Air Force calls its Boeing AH-64D Apache Longbow attack helicopters~

Archangels
     There is only one angel in the Bible named as an archangel - Michael (Jude 9).  The prefix arch can mean "prince," "highest," or "chief."  Some people beleive that Gabriel is an archangel as well, because Michael comes to help him fight an evil angel, the Prince of Persia, in Daniel 10:13.  In that chapter Gabriel tell Daniel that Michael is the "chief prince."
Description:
- When Jesus returns, there will be a trumpet blast and a loud shout, the voice of the archangel (1 Thessalonians 4:16).

Messenger Angels
     God's messengers.  The angels we see most often in the Bible are messengers.  Angels can deliver their messages in person or in dream like the one Jacob had in Genesis 28:10-15, or the one Mary's husband Joseph had, in which the angel told him to name Mary's son Jesus (Matthew 1:20-21).  Gabriel is most famous for telling Mary that she would be the mother of Jesus in Luke 1:26-38.

Which is your favorite angel?

* Both my and my oldest son's favorite angel is Michael the archangel.
* My youngest son's favorite angel is a cherub angel. 

images/photos obtained from: www.google.com/images

www.arch-angels.info/st.michael

www.novelnovice.com

www.yourcaringangels.com/blog