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Joined: 2003/6/3 Posts: 4821 Savannah TN
| Re: | | Br or Sis Figtreelives wrote:
Quote:
Among the many judgments mentioned in Scripture, seven are invested with special significance.
What about the significance of this judgement spoken of in Scripture.
Psalm 119:
64 The earth, O LORD, is full of Your mercy; Teach me Your statutes. 65 You have dealt well with Your servant, O LORD, according to Your word. 66 Teach me good judgment and knowledge, For I believe Your commandments. 67 Before I was afflicted I went astray, But now I keep Your word.
Also
Psalm 119
75 I know, O LORD, that Your judgments are right, And that in faithfulness You have afflicted me. 76 Let, I pray, Your merciful kindness be for my comfort, According to Your word to Your servant. 77 Let Your tender mercies come to me, that I may live; For Your law is my delight.
In these Scriptures we find that mercy is something this Psalmist understood because of God's judgement in his life. What is the substance of this judgement? How does it impact the life of those who receive judgements from Him?
In Christ Jeff _________________ Jeff Marshalek
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| 2006/3/16 12:58 | Profile | roadsign Member
Joined: 2005/5/2 Posts: 3777
| Re: prodigal - ?faulty picture? | | The following quote did not come from this thread, but from a friend. I thought it was worthy of consideration. I don't dispute the possibility:
Quote:
I think you construct a picture of the prodigal son that is not necessarily true, albeit possible.
Diane _________________ Diane
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| 2006/3/16 23:00 | Profile | roadsign Member
Joined: 2005/5/2 Posts: 3777
| Re: definition - judgment | | Here are some definititions of the word, Judgment. I think that we tend to focus on only one aspect:
Judgment: - a decision or opinion given after judging (anyone been to judging competitions?) -sentence pronounced -the process of forming an opinion by discerning and comparing -misfortune regarded as a sign of divine displeasure -the final judging of mankind by God
Diane
_________________ Diane
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| 2006/3/16 23:03 | Profile |
| Re: | | Why do we fear Mercy so much ?
I keep thinking that, he who is forgiven much, loves much and mercy produces a gratitude and love that makes the forgiven one desire to PLEASE the One Who forgave them.
Are we needing to re-read Galatians and Romans again maybe ?
Why are we tearing at this parable that JESUS told ?
Am I wrong here, or do I feel a beautiful Parable that our Lord told us, has been tainted somewhat by filthy rags ?
Diane, could you tell me what I'm feeling by my questions ... in other words ... I need your gift with words right now, because all I have are feelings at present.
Thank you again. Love. Annie
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| 2006/3/17 0:03 | | roadsign Member
Joined: 2005/5/2 Posts: 3777
| Re: fear of mercy | | Quote:
Am I wrong here, or do I feel a beautiful Parable that our Lord told us, has been tainted somewhat by filthy rags ?
Diane, could you tell me what I'm feeling by my questions ... in other words ... I need your gift with words right now, because all I have are feelings at present.
Annie, I think you know "who" I am talking about without me saying - it is the "older brother". EDIT: The parable was spoken directly to the older brother.
Frankly, one reason I wrote the article the way I did was in an attemt to break through that wall - but only God can do that.
(Yet, I'll consider it if I am shown to have been unfair in my portrayal of the prodigal.)
... back to your question:
Quote:
Why do we fear Mercy so much?
Because we believe that mercy will make the sinner feel justified in continuing on in his sinful life. We are addicted to LAW --- and that produces filthy rags. Diane _________________ Diane
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| 2006/3/17 7:20 | Profile |
| Re: | | Diane,
The title you have given this thread reminds me of the question 'Is your God too small?' (which I think is the title of a book).
My favourite person in this story is the elder brother, perhaps because I was also the eldest child in my family, but, more because despite his petulance (also reminds me of myself!) and his unwillingness to go in to the party, he had a wonderful realisation in store, because of what his little brother had got up to - and been through.
When his father shows how well he understands his elder son and comes out to him, and hears his complaint (Amen. All good parents listen to the complaints of their children.) he does not begin his admonition with a negative statement; he says 'Son, you are always with me', as if that is a privilege for him, the father (Father) and then he adds AND [b]ALL[/b] THAT [b]I HAVE[/b] [u]IS [b][i]YOURS[/i][/b][/u].
In other words, the father already sees the elder son as an equal (almost) who can take what he wants from the riches in the father's coffer..... But the elder son has still been thinking like a juvenile. He didn't realise that when his father came to terms with his younger brother, in his heart he had already given the older son his share, also. Now the father was living in the older son's inheritance.
Luke 15:28 And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him. And he answering said to his father, 'Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends: but as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf. [b]And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and [u][i]all[/i] that I have is [i]thine[/i][/u][/b]. It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.
As I understand it, the older son would have received a [u]double portion[/u] as he would have to take responsibility for any widows, orphans, strangers (aliens) who belonged to the family, or joined themselves to his household, as well as the servants.
Although he may have been annoyed at the thought of [b]re[/b]-sharing his father's inheritance with his brother - and have him living at home still! - because the intention of God's heart was always that there should be INCREASE - he should not have been.
One has to admire the way Jesus encapsulated such a typical mindset into the characters in this story. It really is a Masterpiece.
Deuteronomy 7:13 And he will love thee, and bless thee, and multiply thee: he will also bless the fruit of thy womb, and the fruit of thy land, thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil, the [b]increase[/b] of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep, in the land which he sware unto thy fathers to give thee.
Deuteronomy 16:15 Seven days shalt thou keep a solemn feast unto the LORD thy God in the place which the LORD shall choose: [b]because the LORD thy God shall bless thee in all thine increase, and in all the works of thine hands, therefore thou shalt surely rejoice[/b].
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| 2006/3/17 7:24 | | roadsign Member
Joined: 2005/5/2 Posts: 3777
| Re: the older brother | | Quote:
My favourite person in this story is the elder brother, perhaps because I was also the eldest child in my family, but, more because despite his petulance (also reminds me of myself!) and his unwillingness to go in to the party, he had a wonderful realisation in store, because of what his little brother had got up to - and been through.
Dorcas, I believe that the older brother was indeed the audience Christ intended this parable to be for. And, if we don't see through the "older brother" part of us, we will miss the "punch".
I sure tried hard to present the story the way the older brother would see it - through HIS EYES." Older brothers" just don't "get it" - so the story aught to produce a certain degree of confusion and discomfort.
At some point we have to identify with the younger brother, but I think that happens through life's circumstances, and in God's time.
And only when we GET IT, will the rest of scripture come alive as never before. After all, the parable is a mini-picture of entire scripture.
"God has bound all men over to disobedience so that he might have mercy on them all"
Why do we keep on putting out "safety nets" to prevent people from coming to the place of neediness. God didn't do that? I think that there is always a temptation to use the LAW as a safety net. Could I be right?
That brings us to consider the purpose of divine judgment: it is the path to mercy. How blessed are the judgments of God.
Diane _________________ Diane
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| 2006/3/17 7:42 | Profile |
| Re: | | I guess why I couldn't express myself last nite was because I had just come back from the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir concert with Pastor Cymbala and his wife and in between they also showed mini-movie clips of folks they saved off of the streets.
People that I'd have to say that 89% of Christians wouldn't even approach.
But when these folks got saved .... they are now in the Choir.
That breaks me into tears right now. It's so intense when you see where they had come from. Grown men, who where rich, making money off of the entertainment industry by being make-up artists and all, go down to 108 lbs on the streets because of drugs and totally lost their mind completely, with hearing voices and all. Then a girl from BT Church just told him, "Whenever you're ready, just cry out onto the Lord" and he said, it finally happened, that all these voices in his head were screaming still, but her soft statement would pop through now and then. He's got gray hair and older now (and chubby, PTL :), but he Glows as you see him in the Choir.
So, to see two such mini-movies and to look at the Absolute Gratitude on every face of the singers, etc.... it was a very heavy atmosphere of Grace in that place last nite.
My eyes were swollen from the tears but my cheeks were hurting from smiling with Jesus, all at the same time. It was unbelievable, and I'm not a "concert" type person.
Diane, what I also saw in this thread Also, was one starting off seeing the Grace, but when the tide began to shift, the tone of the first, changed also from page one. Going along with whichever way the tide flows, I guess you'd say. That happens in 'packs'. That is what happened to Peter when he got in with the pack of Judaisers. Paul had to correct him before all, because he feared the people and that filthy rag religion of self-righteousness is so appealing to our flesh, that we don't see that we can lose our salvation if we choose to stay there ... if we read Galatians clearly enough.
We can flip back and forth to being the elder brother even in one thread if we're not grounded in Grace, Love, Gratitude and what Salvation is really based on. If we don't know of these things in a concrete way, we can either fall into no power against sin or no knowledge that our salvation is just as much at risk, by 'serving & obeying Him' in our own flesh and self-righteousness. {filthy rags}
Thank you again and I think maybe Galatians and Romans would be a good Spring Time Study for us, just as a sweet reminder and Spirit refresher.
Love the Lord you God, with all of your heart, soul, mind and strength and love your neighbor as yourself. He who has been forgiven much loves much - doesn't mean you had to be saved at 50 after much debauchery .... but that you can be saved at 5 years old but SEE just how much we've been forgiven FROM. It's the JOY of our Salvation, that brings a very grateful heart that would not want to do anything against such amazing grace yet knows, that even our obedience is in only the power of His mercy, grace and by faith and no righteousness of our own.
Ya get so grateful, ya want to dance like David danced, though he was being mocked for doing so by Saul's daughter/his wife, who represents our cocky flesh.
Wish we could all get together for a Prodigal's Party today and go right through the weekend ... the whole SI gang together rejoicing for being amongst the Forgiven :-D . Yee-haaa, Thank you LORD of Glory !!! |
| 2006/3/17 14:28 | | roadsign Member
Joined: 2005/5/2 Posts: 3777
| Re: Let's have a party | | Quote:
We can flip back and forth to being the elder brother even in one thread if we're not grounded in Grace, Love, Gratitude and what Salvation is really based on.
Oh, how I pray that God will help me KNOW his Grace, and cure me of my older brother tendencies. Quote:
Wish we could all get together for a Prodigal's Party today and go right through the weekend ... the whole SI gang together rejoicing for being amongst the Forgiven .
[img align=left]http://www.thewayback.net/Images/art/balloons.jpg[/img]Let's have a party!! No party poopers allowed!
This is maybe the best definition of true revival - the PRODIGAL PARTY.
There is [b][color=00CC00]rejoicing[/color][/b] in the presence of the angels over one sinner who repents." Luke 15:10
And when she finds it she calls her friends together and says,"[b][color=00CC00]rejoice[/color][/b] with me. I have found my lost coin." Lk 15:9
"He [b][color=00CC00]joyfully[/color][/b] puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, "[b][color=00CC00]rejoice[/color][/b] with me; I have found my lost sheep." Lk 15:5 _________________ Diane
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| 2006/3/18 8:53 | Profile |
| Re: | | The JOY of The LORD is my Strength :-D and I want every human on earth to attend our party sis.
Amen ! |
| 2006/3/18 8:59 | |
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