References:

• Blessed are those who mourn… (Mt 5:4) πενθέω (pen-theh'-o)
  • This is not something to strive for in order to be blessed
  • Rather, an example of the power of the Kingdom of God.
• Isa. 25:6-9 - swallowing up death - בָּלַע  (baw-lah')
  • Prov 1:10-14 - the dark side engulfing the innocent
  • Ex 7:10-13 - Illustrative of God’s Kingdom engulfing the kingdom of darkness 
  • God will swallow up the final enemy
• 1 Cor 15
  • vss 1-11
  • vss 12-28
• John 11:21-27
  • Life to LIFE transition
    • Phil 1:20-24
    • 2 Cor 5:1-10
• This Isn’t Goodbye
  • No, this isn’t goodbye. It’s more like, “see you latter.”
  • Though my room is prepared, and all is ready for me
  • Still, the harder I try, the more I have to wrestle.
  • With my need to remain, and my desire for home. So, this isn’t goodbye.

• For every tear that I have cried, countless thousand more have fallen.
• Knowing yours are wiped away is a comfort to me
• So, this isn’t goodbye. It’s more like, “see you latter.”
• My memory is good. So this isn’t good bye. This isn’t goodbye.

• Our God is love. He holds us both within his hands
• His gentle hands help us to follow in his plans
• They’re plans for our good, for a hope-filled future
• A future together in his love. That’s why this isn’t goodbye

• Make my prayer with a sigh, the Spirit interceding
• And I long to connect through that ephemeral power
• Still I can’t help ask why, even though I need no answer
• How well I know a father’s concern; no this isn’t goodbye

• No, I never will die, for this life to life transition
• His promise is sure, and my hope is secured
• So, this isn’t goodbye. It’s more like, “see you latter.”
• My memory is good. So this isn’t good bye. No this isn’t goodbye.

• “This Isn’t Goodbye,”  words and music by John Bromhal
• ©2002 Bromhaljohn Music.  All Rights Reserved

References:

• … you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven!
  • Mt 5:20 - exceed the righteousness
    • περισσεύω - (per-is-syoo'-o) - 
      • to exceed a fixed number of measure, to be left over and above a certain number or measure
        • a thing which overflows unto one, something falls to the lot of one in large measure
        • Mt 14, Mk 6, Lk 9, Jn 6 - feeding miracle
          • Exceeding abundance - left over bread and fish
          • Excess not wasted or lost - 12 baskets
            • Each disciple received not only what they needed for their hunger, but an abundance to share that didn’t come from themselves.
      • to be pre-eminent, to excel
        • Compare Col 2:7, Phil 1:9 to Mt 5:20
  • Let’s not approach the beatitudes with the righteousness of a Pharisee
    • I want to be blessed, so how do I become…
      • Poor in spirit, one who mourns, a peace-maker
    • Rather, what would be beatitudes today?
      • Blessed are the unemployed, for they will find their true vocation.
      • Blessed are those diagnosed with a disease for they will be healed.
      • Blessed are those abandoned by their friends for they will be called friends of God.
• Seeking the Kingdom?
  • Look at your own heart.
    • How have you feasted on the righteousness of Christ to such overflowing abundance that you have leftover righteousness to share with others?

References:

• “Repent …, for the Kingdom … is near. (Mt 4:17)
  • Kingdom - βασιλεία (bas-il-i'-ah)
    • Of heaven (Mt) - 45x
    • Of God (Mk, Lk, [Jn]) - 51x & 2x
  • What is the first thing that comes to mind when you hear “the Kingdom of God?”
    • Heaven - #1 answer
      • Think first not in terms of place
    • Think in terms of the function of ruling over…
      • The reign of the king
      • The reign of THE King
    • Wherever the KING reigns, that is the King-dom
      • Bore-dom: the state of being bored
      • King-dom: the state of being ruled over
  • Gen 1:26-28 - רָדָה (raw-daw') - to rule, have dominion, dominate, tread down
  • Psalm 8 - esp vss 5-6
    • We have made a mess of our God given purpose to rule at God’s image bearers that we are
    • So, Jesus comes to set the Kingdom right.
      • Luke 4:14-22  
• Mt 6:33 - seek first the Kingdom
  • Seek - ζητέω (dzay-teh'-o)
    • to seek in order to find
      • to seek [in order to find out] by thinking, meditating, reasoning, to enquire into
      • to require, demand, to crave, demand something from someone
  • What are we looking for? What happens when we find it?

References:

• The @ 30 hours of travel as a sort of death
  • Jet lag or sheol - שְׁאוֹל (sheh-ole')
    • the underworld
    • Sheol - the OT designation for the abode of the dead
      • place of no return
        • 1 Sam 28 - Saul & Samuel
      • wicked sent there for punishment
      • righteous not abandoned to it
  • Job 14:13-20
    • v 13 - the grave is sheol
    • v 19 - you destroy people’s hope - תִּקְוָה (tik-vaw') 
      • Job didn’t have the whole picture
        • Prov 10:28 may have shaped his perspective
      • He wasn’t aware of the cause of his suffering
      • He didn’t know from what God had protected him
• The Creed and “descended into ‘hell’”
  • sheol vs gehenna γέεννα
    • the Hebrew word ge-hinnom, a valley south of Jerusalem
      • Human sacrifice (2 Chron 28:3; 33:6)
      • Garbage dump? - tradition without evidence?
    • Mt 12:40; Eph 4:9 ESV; 1 Pt 4:6
  • Jesus led the captives to paradise
• The resurrection of the body
  • Luke 24 - material yet unconstrained
  • John 5:25-30
  • 1 Corinthians 15 (v 20)
• Quantum FUN

References:

• Why pray?
  • This week at camp in Kenya
    • The relationship of prayer
    • The work of prayer
    • The structure of practiced prayer
    • The HOME of prayer
    • The vision of prayer
• SPIT Prayer - 1 Tim 2:1-4
  • Suplications - δέησις (deh'-ay-sis)
    • need, indigence, want, privation
    • a seeking, asking, entreating
      • Bringing to God whatever is on your heart
  • Prayers - προσευχή (pros-yoo-khay')
    • prayer addressed to God
      • Communication, to include listening to God
  • Intercessions - ἔντευξις (ent'-yook-sis)
    • a falling in with, meeting with
      • Bringing to God what is God’s heart or will for another
  • Thanksgivings - εὐχαριστία (yoo-khar-is-tee'-ah)
    • thankfulness, the giving of thanks
      • One’s heart connection with God in trust that He hears and responds according to His goodness and wisdom.
• Prayer as our expression of a missional heart
  • 1 Tim 2:4
    • “God want all people to be saved.”

References:

• Somewhere, over the Swiss Alps…
  • Lessons from “Oz?” or…
  • My year starts with a trip to Kenya.
• Drowning in guilt - כִּי־תַעֲבֹר בַּמַּיִם  “when you pass through the waters…” 
  • Isa 43:2 and Wm Faulkner’s “As I Lay Dying”
  • Ps 38 - v 4 - “For my iniquities have gone over my head.” - עָבַר (aw-bar') - pass over, by or through  
    • Abraham and the covenant ceremony of Gen 15
    • The Exodus - Ps 66
  • Isa 43:1-4 MSG
    • ““Don’t be afraid, I’ve redeemed you. I’ve called your name. You’re mine. When you’re in over your head, I’ll be there with you. When you’re in rough waters, you will not go down.
• Ask for help.
  • Hebrews 4:14-16 MSG
    • κρατέω (krat-eh'-o) - to have power, be powerful, to take hold of, seize, to keep carefully and faithfully
      • To what are you holding tightly? ὁμολογέω
    • “He’s been through weakness and testing, experienced it all—all but the sin.
• It’s a new day, a New Year. Call on Him. Cling to Him. Trust Him.

References:

• Isaiah 6:1-13
  • v 3 - holy: קָדוֹשׁ  (kaw-doshe') - sacred, holy, Holy One, saint, set apart
    • Ex 19 - the people of God are holy (see 1 Peter 2:9)
    • 1 Sam 2 - Hannah’s song of praise (see Luke 1:49)
    • Holy, holy, holy - a trinitarian designation
  • vs 5-7 - The consuming fire of God’s holiness
    • Who can stand? Malachi 3:2
  • v 8 - the call
    • “Here I am, Lord. Is it I, Lord.”
    • I will go, Lord, where you lead me.
    • I will hold your people in my heart
  • vs 9-10 - God’s appraisal of the people
    • Referenced in each of the Gospels
      • Mt 13:14-15; Mk 4:10-12; Lk 8:10; Jn 12:39-41
      • The parable of the sower, the seed and good or not good soil
• What about you? What about us?
  • What kind of soil are you/we?
    • Foot path, rocks, thorns, fertile
    • Consider the seed
  • v 13 - Israel’s stump will be a holy seed.
    • Jesus the Messiah is the shoot that comes from the stump of Jesse - Isaiah 11
    • The holy seed of the vision finds its NT counterpart in the good soil of the parable.
• The Mystery of Love
  • In the year that King Uzziah died
  • I saw the Lord on His throne, exalted, high
  • Around Him six winged seraphs flew
  • Holy, holy, holy, Lord, are you
  • The mystery of love, it filled my eyes
    • 
      
  • Then I knew my sin, that I was lost
  • Neither I, nor my people could pay the cost
  • He touched my lips with a burning coal
  • Let my loving forgiveness make you whole
  • The mystery of love, it filled my eyes
    • 
      
  • Whom shall we send, He asked, who will go?
  • How my reply came out, I do not know
  • Here am I, willing to be used by you
  • You, indeed shall go and be my voice
  • Tell my people they must make their choice
  • Either you’ll be mine, or life is through
    • 
      
  • Listen closely, but never understand
  • Watch carefully but not discern the plan
  • Don’t see or hear or ever guess
  • The greatest problem is your own stubbornness
  • The mystery of love, it filled my eyes
    • 
      
  • How long, I asked, shall this go on
  • Will you bring your people to complete ruin
  • Are you saying, Lord, you will not intercede
  • Until their hard hearts are all laid waste
  • Their living trees cut down in every case
  • But in their stumps there lies a holy seed
    • 
      
  • This ancient story is not irrelevant
  • We’re the stubborn ones to whom the Word was sent
  • Unstop your ears to hear, open your eyes
  • There’s no room for any heart compromise
  • The mystery of love will make you wise
  • The mystery of love, it filled my eyes
    • 
      
      • “The Mystery of Love,”  
        • words and music by John Bromhal
        • ©2005 Bromhaljohn Music.  
        • All Rights Reserved.

References:

• A New Year is upon us! Again?!?
  • I resolve to …
    • Lose Weight and Get Fit
    • Travel to New Places
    • Get Out of Debt and Save Money
    • Be Less Stressed
    • Learn Something New
  • OR…
    • Philippians 4:8 - fix my thoughts on what is …
      • true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, admirable
      • things that are excellent and worthy of praise.
• Psalm 1
  • vss 1-3 - meditating day and night.

• • •  הָגָה  (haw-gaw') - to moan, growl, meditate, devise, plot, speak, to roar, growl, groan

• • • • Joshua 1:6-9
      • Isa 31:4-5

• • • צָלֵחַ  (tsaw-lakh') - to prosper, to advance, make progress, succeed

• • • • Josh 1:8
  • vss 4-6 - God charts the road you take. The road they take leads to nowhere. MSG

• • •  דֶּרֶךְ  (deh'-rek) - way, road, journey, manner, habit, of course of life, of moral character

• • • • Psalm 139:23-24

References:

• Christmas is a time to marvel at the mystery of God who came among us.
  • John 1:1-3, 14 ESV
    • ἀρχή (ar-khay') - beginning, the first person or thing in a series, the leader, that by which anything begins to be, the origin
      • Gen 1:1 (LXX)
      • Mark 1:1; John 1:1; 1 John 1:1
    • μονογενής (mon-og-en-ace') - single of its kind, only
      • Of others
        • Luke 7:11-17; 8:40-56; 9:37-43
        • Heb 11:17-19
      • Of Jesus
        • John 1:14, 18; 3:16, 18; 1 John 4:7-12
      • Linguistically unique? How can we talk about someone or something that is “only?”
    • σκηνόω (skay-no'-o) - to fix one's tabernacle, abide, to dwell
      • Jn 1:14; 
        • Moved into the neighborhood
      • Rev 7:15, 12:12, 13:6, 21:3
        • Separated out, sheltered, protection
        • Where the King is, there is the Kingdom
  • Full of grace and truth
• This Christmas, begin anew to welcome Jesus’ pitching His tent in you. Allow this “only One” to live in truth, leading with grace.

References:

• Col 4:2-6
  • v 2 - προσκαρτερέω (pros-kar-ter-eh'-o) to be steadfastly attentive unto, to give unremitting care to a thing, built on a word that means “endure.”
    • Acts 1:14; 2:42; Rom 12:12 (see esp. MSG)
  • v 3 - God’s mysterious plan (Part 2, Ep 60)
  • v 5-6 - having a heart for the “world”
    • ἐξαγοράζω (ex-ag-or-ad'-zo) to redeem, by payment of a price to recover from the power of another, to buy up, to buy up for one's self, to make use of every opportunity for doing good
    • seasoned with ἅλας (hal'-as)
      • 8X - 2x in Mt 5:13; 3x in Mk 9:50; 2x in Lk 14:34
      • 1x here - Paul, intentionally or not, points us to Jesus’ admonition
• Col 7-18 - names
  • vs 7-9 - Tychicus, Onesimus
    • They will inform you about “my” ministry
  • vs 10-11 - Aristarchus, Mark, Justus
    • Send greetings
  • vs 12-13 - Epaphras
    • A prayer warrior on your behalf
  • vs 14-15 - Luke, Demas, Nympha
    • Also greetings from and for…
  • v 17 - Archippus
    • MSG - “Do your best in the job you received from the Master. Do your very best.”