Month: May 2019

The Day John Left Home

eejoseph

Zachariah is likely to have remembered the angel’s message about John’s ministry when it became apparent to him that John had no interest in the priesthood. The people who came to know John knew also discovered that he had views: views espoused in his message and teaching. John fled home because he saw his work as unrelated to his father’s occupation, tribe, and inheritance. Goodbye to home and family was also “see you later” to temple and Moses.
John’s teaching moments come when he has to address the important issues in Jewry

Rabbi Yohan and the people’s issues

  • Salvation. To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins, Luke 1:77
  • Light. To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace. Luke 1:79
  • Guidance. (Ibid.)

Light was either natural, templar or divine: sol, menorah or God. Salvation, in the Exodus model, was not being repeated, and the temple itself is irrelevant when John declared that expiation is through the Lamb of God.

John’s Teaching

  1. And the people asked him, saying, What shall we do then? Luke 3:10
  2. And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do? Luke 3:14a

On Generosity (Luke 3:11)

He answereth and saith unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise.

On Nonviolent soldiers and labour stability (Luke 3:14)

And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do? And he said unto them, Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages.

Expose and depose

The day John left home was the day the Jewish people began to realize that the end of the Mosaic system with its gold silver and the blood of animals had come, and that the new day had dawned, and all of the traditions of patriarchy and monarchy were not going to cut it. The demise of the status quo and and the deposition of the priesthood was already in place. John’s departure from home started the public exposure of a broken covenant with the alternative- the mediation of God’s Son – in plain view.

The hounds of humanity’s last hurrah

eejoseph

May 29, 2019, 1308 hours

The public statement by Special Counsel Mueller was just released and Jay Sekulo is on radio parroting the bigot in the White House, “no collusion, no obstruction”.

Like the writer of Psalm 119, the creative genius behind the asinine presidential tweets and GOP talking points is happy to have a few seconds of glee from the crowd whose distinction are hatred for aliens, cheerleading for bigotry, blindness to facts and truth, and deliberate ignorance of the constitution.

Mr. Sekulo is supposed to be a constitutional authority and his understanding of his employer’s criminal enterprises will help Mr. Sekulo give up the moral majority’s conspiracy to create constitutional crises that will, they foolishly hope, make America a religious nation.

I suppose these hounds of moral horror do not see the ruins on Temple Mount, or the concepts of Judaism that are irreconcable with truth and decency, or the failure of Caucasian capitalism and imperialism. Social media, manipulated by Russia or China cannot save the pro life smokescreen from crashing and burning. The leash is ready.

No charge

eejoseph

NO charge, it is all on the house. GOD (Romans 8:32 tells us)

did not spare his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shallow he not with him also freely give us all things?

Gift or merchandising

So why are there strings attached to the gift of salvation in some churches? Maybe they are not churches but are Satan’s synagogues. People are shamelessly trying to make everything reflect the transactions of the law of Moses/God and the patriarchal age. In most cases that practice results in waste.

And no man putteth new wine into old bottles; else the new wine will burst the bottles, and be spilled, and the bottles shall perish. But new wine must be put into new bottles; and both are preserved. Luke 5:37-38

The part of gift people do not want to accept is that part that says no creature can pay for the life of another. In the kindergarten games perishable things are precious. Gold, silver, flour, spices, and animal blood were at the centre, now they are useless. So are any work of righteousness – the filthy rags we dare to imagine God is interested in.

God’s Son is not a loan. What an amazing generosity! Shall we not give Him everything?

Interference in Trouble

eejoseph

But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea. Matthew 18:6

Grave and Irrevocable

What gravity accompanies the Saviour’s concern for his contemporaries who were coming into the way! Our Lord promises a most unpleasant and certain fate – drowned with a heavy stone attached – for the one who interferes offensively with the progress of new believers.

Sadly, this phenomenon proceeds in the 21st century with quasi-Bible studies. Our introduction to Christ, often begun with Bible studies, quickly deteriorates into sectarian and ethnic attempts to control. We do not know what is better for the new convert. Holy Spirit has and knows what is necessary for our converts and chooses the timing for guiding us to truth.

Sneaky Wolf

There have been open and stealthy attacks on people in the Way. From Galatians 2:4 we learn that Christian freedom became a target for zealous Jews (like James) who wanted to enslave people with the Law. They sneaked into our fellowships to intimidate and threaten us.

And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage:

2 Peter 2:19 tells us there were people who preach things they do not possess.

While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.

Brazen Barbs

In plain sight today lies and propaganda proceed with no shame. Interferers introduce people to Christ by teaching a host of supposed Bible subjects. We thought that unbelievers were the evangelists’ target and that the goal of preaching the gospel was to introduce people to Christ as Savior.

Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. 1 Timothy 4:1-3

If they had been converted they would know what the gospel is and that no one gets saved by anything other than grace through faith. They would have experienced pardon and promise. Instead their priorities are carnal ordinances and elevating types over reality, rank discrimination against women and the little ones who are coming to Christ.

A harvest we cannot claim

eejoseph

We thought that circumcision was a mark of a righteousness condition. Big mistake. It established male MEMBERship in Abraham’s family. Foreskin cutting did not mean people were in (obedient to) the Sinai covenant, and it did not make women joint heirs.
Circumcision may stand for a conscientious attitude but it also facilitated discrimination, namely misogyny and oppressive xenophobia.

Let’s be glad that we do not reap many things we sow

Uncondemned

eejoseph

Think you know someone condemned already? Not likely. Unbelieving people are in the only position of eligibility for salvation.

He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. John 3:18

A person engaged in faith is not being judged. He’s passed from death to life. Christ does not surrender to unbelief nor does he turn away from unbelievers. No-one judges the believer.

Unbelief, as the prior condition

• Needs action, examination and change

• Is not bad deeds

• Is not final

Such a Bold Liar

eejoseph

Every time some people open their eyes they see condemnation of others. Every time some people open their ears they hear “don’t do it”. Every time some people sniff the air they smell “rubbish”. Repentance, such as brings us to life and forgiveness, is the training ground for learning to sift the lies we are bound to encounter.

Exaggeration and creative energies

David was not a serious historian but he had two things that mattered a great deal: a sense of the context of kingdom of which he was the nagid, and he had no bias about what Israel had achieved.

Popular song affirms the hard truth

They did not keep God’s covenant, but refused to walk according to his law. Psalms 78:10

Abigail to David

And when the Lord has done to my lord according to all the good that he has spoken concerning you and has appointed you prince (nagid) over Israel, 1 Samuel 25:30

God to Isaiah

Turn back, and say to Hezekiah the leader of my people, Thus says the Lord, the God of David your father: I have heard your prayer; 2 Kings 20:5a

Two Really Big Whoppers

  1. They answered him, We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, You will become free? John 8:33
  • And they reviled him, saying, You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. John 9:28 For if you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote of me John 5:46

All about worship?

Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said, Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired, but a body have you prepared for me; in burnt offerings and sin offerings you have taken no pleasure. Then I said, Behold, I have come to do your will, O God, as it is written of me in the scroll of the book. Hebrews 10:5-7

Has not Moses given you the law? Yet none of you keeps the law. Why do you seek to kill me? John 7:19

Purpose of life

eejoseph

A simple response to what our labour goals are should be “prayer”. I am not talking about what happens in church building at meetings. Since prayer is fellowship with God we urge everyone to learn how. Paul urged his disciples to keep watching for opportunities to pray.

To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, Ephesians 6:18-19

There is gospel beside grace through faith. Much of what most fills the air waves are no mystery.

Prayer and Proclamation