Daily Bread - Nov 30 2006
Acts 10:35 - "But in every nation those who fear Him and practice righteousness are acceptable."
The Greek word, 'dekton,' which means, "acceptable," is used often in the Old Testament sacrificial system. The acceptable offerings are those offerings which a worshiper can worship God with. "If his offering is a whole burnt offering of the oxen, it shall be a perfect male which he shall bring to the door of the tent of meeting; he shall come near; for it is acceptable before YHWH" (Leviticus 1:3).
Through the transformation of life that was brought to us through Jesus Christ, God has made us holy and acceptable so that we can live our lives as an offering to God which is "holy and acceptable" (Romans 12:1). Paul said that the Gentiles were made acceptable to God because they were sanctified by the Holy Spirit (Romans 15:16). In Proverbs, God says "to do righteousness and judgment is more acceptable than sacrifice" (Proverbs 21:3). All worshipers, along with the Psalmist, cry out to God and say, "Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in your sight oh Lord my strength and my redeemer (Psalms 19:14).
When Jesus began His ministry He introduced the acceptable day of the Lord wherein God is calling all men to repent and turn back to the ways of righteousness, purity, and holiness for which we were created (Luke 4:19; Isaiah 61:2; Ephesians 1:4; 1 Peter 2:9). God has called us to live in righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost to which Paul says that those who serve God in these things are acceptable to God and approved of men (Romans 14:17-18).
Be blessed,
Pastor Mark Spitsbergen
www.abidingplace.org
Thursday, November 30, 2006
Wednesday, November 29, 2006
Daily Bread - Nov 29 2006
Acts 11:18 - "And when they heard these things they grew silent and glorified God saying, also unto the Gentiles God has given repentance unto life."
The expression "repentance unto life" may be understood more clearly by analyzing the Greek word 'metanoian' which is translated "repentance." The Greek word 'metanoian' means "change of mind." Every time it occurs in the New Testament is translated "repentance." It is the noun of the Greek verb 'metanoeo' which is the primary word for "repent." The Greek word 'metanoeo' is derived from two Greek words 'meta' and 'noeo' which mean ''with" and "understanding" respectively. It may be said, then, that "repentance" means a change of life as a result of a change of thinking and attitude with regards to sin and righteousness.
Man is a deceived prisoner of sin. The eyes of his understanding are blinded to the truth and reality of God (2 Corinthians 4:4; Revelation 13:14). When God granted repentance unto life He gave to whosoever will the ability to escape from the prison of deception and spiritual blindness and come into the revelation of the life that is in God through Jesus Christ the Messiah. Repentance, then, by definition, is a change that occurs in a person which allows them to change their attitudes and behaviors.
The closest Hebrew word in the Old Testament that conveys the meaning of repentance would be 'shuv' which is translated "turn or return" as in Malachi 2:6 and Isaiah 6:9-10. This word denotes the way one conducts their life in relationship to another person such as Israel with God, thus, walking in the way of the Lord (Psalms 1:1). The contrast associated with the meaning of this word is understood between the way of Israel and the way of Canaan, the way of the righteous with that of sinners, the way of the Lord with the way of the evildoers. Thus, to deviate from the way in which God required His people to walk would demand that there be repentance on their part which would then result in their walking again in the way of Lord, as underscored in Amos 4:6-13; Hosea 5:15-6:5; Jeremiah 3:12-14.
In both Hosea and in Jeremiah, the love relationship that God had for Israel was drawn out as the love that a man has for a woman, so in Hosea God says, "I will woo her. I will go with her into the wilderness and comfort her; there I will restore." (Hosea 2:14-15) and in Jeremiah He said, "I remember the unfailing devotion of your youth, the love of your bridal days when you followed me in the wilderness through a land unknown" (Jeremiah 2:2; 31:3).
Finally, although the Hebrew word 'shuv' carries with it the New Testament meaning of repentance it is translated in the Septuagint by the Greek word 'epistropho' which means "to turn or be converted." There are two passages of scripture in Acts that bring 'metanoeo' and 'epistrepho' together: Acts 3:19, "Repent therefore and turn back that your sins may be wiped out" and Acts 26:20, "repent and turn to God and prove their repentance by their deeds." We may conclude that the act of true repentance results in one being converted and walking in the ways of God's righteousness. Calling men to repentance is calling men to come and to walk with God. It is the ministry of Jesus and all those who proclaim the good news (Luke 5:32; 24:47).
Be blessed,
Pastor Mark Spitsbergen
www.abidingplace.org
Acts 11:18 - "And when they heard these things they grew silent and glorified God saying, also unto the Gentiles God has given repentance unto life."
The expression "repentance unto life" may be understood more clearly by analyzing the Greek word 'metanoian' which is translated "repentance." The Greek word 'metanoian' means "change of mind." Every time it occurs in the New Testament is translated "repentance." It is the noun of the Greek verb 'metanoeo' which is the primary word for "repent." The Greek word 'metanoeo' is derived from two Greek words 'meta' and 'noeo' which mean ''with" and "understanding" respectively. It may be said, then, that "repentance" means a change of life as a result of a change of thinking and attitude with regards to sin and righteousness.
Man is a deceived prisoner of sin. The eyes of his understanding are blinded to the truth and reality of God (2 Corinthians 4:4; Revelation 13:14). When God granted repentance unto life He gave to whosoever will the ability to escape from the prison of deception and spiritual blindness and come into the revelation of the life that is in God through Jesus Christ the Messiah. Repentance, then, by definition, is a change that occurs in a person which allows them to change their attitudes and behaviors.
The closest Hebrew word in the Old Testament that conveys the meaning of repentance would be 'shuv' which is translated "turn or return" as in Malachi 2:6 and Isaiah 6:9-10. This word denotes the way one conducts their life in relationship to another person such as Israel with God, thus, walking in the way of the Lord (Psalms 1:1). The contrast associated with the meaning of this word is understood between the way of Israel and the way of Canaan, the way of the righteous with that of sinners, the way of the Lord with the way of the evildoers. Thus, to deviate from the way in which God required His people to walk would demand that there be repentance on their part which would then result in their walking again in the way of Lord, as underscored in Amos 4:6-13; Hosea 5:15-6:5; Jeremiah 3:12-14.
In both Hosea and in Jeremiah, the love relationship that God had for Israel was drawn out as the love that a man has for a woman, so in Hosea God says, "I will woo her. I will go with her into the wilderness and comfort her; there I will restore." (Hosea 2:14-15) and in Jeremiah He said, "I remember the unfailing devotion of your youth, the love of your bridal days when you followed me in the wilderness through a land unknown" (Jeremiah 2:2; 31:3).
Finally, although the Hebrew word 'shuv' carries with it the New Testament meaning of repentance it is translated in the Septuagint by the Greek word 'epistropho' which means "to turn or be converted." There are two passages of scripture in Acts that bring 'metanoeo' and 'epistrepho' together: Acts 3:19, "Repent therefore and turn back that your sins may be wiped out" and Acts 26:20, "repent and turn to God and prove their repentance by their deeds." We may conclude that the act of true repentance results in one being converted and walking in the ways of God's righteousness. Calling men to repentance is calling men to come and to walk with God. It is the ministry of Jesus and all those who proclaim the good news (Luke 5:32; 24:47).
Be blessed,
Pastor Mark Spitsbergen
www.abidingplace.org
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
Daily Bread - Nov 28 2006
Acts 13:2 - "And while they performed the service of the Lord and fasted the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart now Barnabas and Saul unto the work which I have called them."
This is one example of how actively in charge the person the Holy Spirit is in the church of the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 15:28; 16:6; 20:28). The Holy Spirit not only proclaimed that they were to be separated unto Him but is also the one who sent them (Acts 13:4). The Holy Spirit is the one who is here to teach the church everything that it is supposed to do (John 14:26).
When anyone spoke to the leaders of the church they were actually addressing the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:3). When men spoke in the church they did so by the Holy Spirit (Acts 20:23; 21:11). When men refused to listen to the gospel they were, in fact, refusing to listen to the Holy Spirit (Acts 7:51). It was the Holy Spirit who spoke the word of God through the prophets of old such as Isaiah, and it is the Holy Spirit that speaks through His servants today (Acts 28:25; 1 Thessalonians 2:14).
Be blessed,
Pastor Mark Spitsbergen
www.abidingplace.org
Acts 13:2 - "And while they performed the service of the Lord and fasted the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart now Barnabas and Saul unto the work which I have called them."
This is one example of how actively in charge the person the Holy Spirit is in the church of the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 15:28; 16:6; 20:28). The Holy Spirit not only proclaimed that they were to be separated unto Him but is also the one who sent them (Acts 13:4). The Holy Spirit is the one who is here to teach the church everything that it is supposed to do (John 14:26).
When anyone spoke to the leaders of the church they were actually addressing the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:3). When men spoke in the church they did so by the Holy Spirit (Acts 20:23; 21:11). When men refused to listen to the gospel they were, in fact, refusing to listen to the Holy Spirit (Acts 7:51). It was the Holy Spirit who spoke the word of God through the prophets of old such as Isaiah, and it is the Holy Spirit that speaks through His servants today (Acts 28:25; 1 Thessalonians 2:14).
Be blessed,
Pastor Mark Spitsbergen
www.abidingplace.org
Monday, November 27, 2006
Daily Bread - Nov 27 2006
1 Peter 2:24 - "Who Himself carried our sins in his own body upon the tree so that the sins being removed we might live righteously by whose wound you were healed."
Sin is an incurable disease that is passed from generation to generation. The only cure for this terrible plague is the blood of Jesus. It was through the bloody wound that Jesus received on the cross that our sins were put to death and the sicknesses and diseases, which are a consequence of sin, were cured.
When a cure for sin was provided in Christ Jesus, the cure for all sickness and disease was also revealed. For in Christ Jesus we have forgiveness for all our iniquities and healing for all our diseases (Psalms 103:3). It is God's will that every man find freedom from sin through the power of the blood of Jesus and healing for all their diseases through the wound which He bore. When men are healed from their diseases and sicknesses it is made known that the Lord Jesus has power to forgive sin (Matthew 9:6). It is through the prayer of faith in what Jesus has already accomplished for us that the sick are saved and sins are forgiven (James 5:15).
In both the Hebrew Bible (Leningrad Text/Cairo Text) and the Septuagint this verse simply reads, "by His wound we were healed" (Isaiah 53:5). Peter, who was speaking for God in the first person, did not include himself and therefore used the word "you" in an address by God to all mankind. The Greek word 'molops' appears in the singular form in both Testaments and both languages it means "wound, bruise, strip, or mark". However, the Hebrew word in Isaiah 53:5, 'chaburah' primarily refers to 'wound'.
Be blessed,
Pastor Mark Spitsbergen
www.abidingplace.org
1 Peter 2:24 - "Who Himself carried our sins in his own body upon the tree so that the sins being removed we might live righteously by whose wound you were healed."
Sin is an incurable disease that is passed from generation to generation. The only cure for this terrible plague is the blood of Jesus. It was through the bloody wound that Jesus received on the cross that our sins were put to death and the sicknesses and diseases, which are a consequence of sin, were cured.
When a cure for sin was provided in Christ Jesus, the cure for all sickness and disease was also revealed. For in Christ Jesus we have forgiveness for all our iniquities and healing for all our diseases (Psalms 103:3). It is God's will that every man find freedom from sin through the power of the blood of Jesus and healing for all their diseases through the wound which He bore. When men are healed from their diseases and sicknesses it is made known that the Lord Jesus has power to forgive sin (Matthew 9:6). It is through the prayer of faith in what Jesus has already accomplished for us that the sick are saved and sins are forgiven (James 5:15).
In both the Hebrew Bible (Leningrad Text/Cairo Text) and the Septuagint this verse simply reads, "by His wound we were healed" (Isaiah 53:5). Peter, who was speaking for God in the first person, did not include himself and therefore used the word "you" in an address by God to all mankind. The Greek word 'molops' appears in the singular form in both Testaments and both languages it means "wound, bruise, strip, or mark". However, the Hebrew word in Isaiah 53:5, 'chaburah' primarily refers to 'wound'.
Be blessed,
Pastor Mark Spitsbergen
www.abidingplace.org
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