The Seven Streams Method

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Numbers 28-30 We are in the World Stream reading from the International Standard Version. 7streamsmethod.com | @7StreamsMethod | @serenatravis | #7Streams | Donate

Commentary by Dr. Drake Travis

Lord God, our lives our yours, and we bring our lives to you.  We are the offering that you are really looking for. Amen. 28 -  The ten chapters of 27 - 36 are various offerings that are required to bring before the Lord. First on the list today are the daily offerings.  In today's world we may read about this and muse, "really? God wants this ritual every day?!"  Well what do we do every day? Does all of it make sense? Is it productive? Inspiring? Healthy? Inspiring? We had a neighbor/couple years ago who would make a full size cake and eat the whole thing every day - just the two of them...this happened seven days a week, 'wouldn't miss it without a panic. People walk their dog every day. A woman in our church years ago wouldn't miss this daytime show for anything.  It was mindless, unedifying, the host was vehemently anti-Christian and joked about it. It's such a waste, but the show's funny (I guess) so it was her daily hour long routine. She did it as religiously as she would pray for 16 seconds before her double breakfast every morning.. People check facebook three times an hour every day,  My husband had a guy on his hall in college who drank 15 cups of coffee every day - not making this up!. Take away his coffee and he was a crazed depressed soul. 'Kind of sad isn't it? [And he was a minister-in-training.]  What do we do daily without fail? Well God wants us to come to Him daily, to offer ourselves daily, to remember Him daily, to live for Him daily, to worship Him daily, to embrace Him daily v.s. our selves and our possessions.  This daily offering remedied all the misgivings that surely yet unwittingly takeover the lives of everyone who will not come to Him daily and make their offerings.  And to remain focused upon God continually there were the Sabbath offerings each week, the monthly offerings, the annual offerings, the offerings for the week following Passover, and also the offerings that God required during the beginning of harvest.  This is not oppressive to be living through. And also keep in mind that God doesn't personally need this. He didn't sit in heaven and sigh, "oh good, there's that smoldering lamb pelt aroma/smoke coming up to me again. I need this, because this is my smoking habit."  Not The Case.  We needed to be making offerings and going through this ritual because we are souls that are prone to wander without our regular protracted time in God's Presence.  And in case anyone was wondering, a liquid "hin" is about a gallon.  And an ephah of grain is between 40-45 lbs. 29 - The Festival of Trumpets heralded the New Year.  It was a jubilant gathering and there was also time for solemn worship within this same holiday stretch.  It was eight days of celebration and worship. This may strike us as awfully peculiar - to be just doing a religious ordeal for eight days straight.  Well it was a party with God who had brought through another year.  And God is into celebration. Wait until we experience "day one" in heaven!  My husband finished college in Jerusalem over 30 years ago. Judaism was his major. He catered at a business in New York 1985-1988 and much of the events were Jewish holidays/weddings/festivals.  He said that much of the gatherings were so joyful with food and music and Hebrew worship dance routines that they actually became zany fun. And some went on for 2-3 days.  We cannot even think of a wedding going on for three days. We're too preoccupied and needing to get back to our frivolity. Some of it is productive, yes, but much of it is the long path to nothing. Most of our holidays have precious little to do with God. New Years is gazoos, kisses, and fireworks. We holiday for Presidents (sort of), civil rights leaders, ground hogs (ahem), Memorial Day, 4th/July, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Pumpkins on Halloween. We do have our Christian Holidays of Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas but the pop culture is desperately trying to paganize them into bunnies, turkeys and presents floating in egg nog or whatever people are trying to do to get it secularized.  These holidays in the Bible times were the meaning of life itself; the joy of being with God. Try to see it in this light. God wants to celebrate with us.  Those who won't celebrate with God eventually end up partying with the devil.  It's a disastrous fact. 30 - Vows made before the Lord were taken seriously and were binding.  Vows made by females were also taken seriously and were at the same time assessed in a different manner.  It isn't news to anyone literate that men and women think differently. They also emote (feel), and express and calculate and communicate differently. Therefore women's vows were sifted via a different grid. Their vows whether made while single, married, widowed or divorced in the presence of her espoused or her father affected others in her household and so the man was to become involved when needed. They were even held responsible at times and were to execute leadership in these matters.  To feign oblivion against a vow that should not have been made held the household male culpable.  All this was set up because vows made by females were subject to emotions and/or illogic at times and the females nor the family members of that household were to be punished because of a vow made without their knowledge. The male head of household was to step in and remedy the situation.

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Hebrews 1-5 We are in the Church Stream reading from the Good News Translation. 7streamsmethod.com | @7StreamsMethod | @serenatravis | #7Streams | Donate

Commentary by Dr. Drake Travis

Hebrews is written to the leaders and residents in Jerusalem - a remarkable book of literary excellence with piercing and perfect logic. It's eloquence is historical and its message is powerful.  The Message is that Jesus is our messenger of what God is, what He's done, and that He is The New Covenant.  Salvation once and for all is found in Him. It was written before the destruction of the Temple in 70 A.D.  It in a sense is bracing the Hebrews for the fact (that they were slow to accept) is that Jesus is the Atoning Sacrifice. The sacrifice of animals and their blood can never take sin away.  So that with the Temple soon gone, they would not slump into defeat and dismay, but would be further urged to simply accept the glaring truth that the final sacrifice for their sin has been made.  Hebrews is truly a writing of marvelous triumph.  You will enjoy and be blessed as we read this book during the church stream for most of this month.

1 - The opening is something that needs to printed large and readable and put in a prominent place so that it's the first thing we all read each morning and the final muse each night:  Christ is glorious Deity, the Creator, Preserver and owner of the Universe.  It is His sacrifice that redeemed humanity so to bring salvation for all who would receive Him.             God's Son; Jesus is, first off, greater than angels. The angels' position is explained for the remainder of the chapter.  Christ, the angels, and man and the interrelation of the three are laid out. Angels have been very misinterpreted in history, so this section of chapter one clears up much fog for all of us.  And it ought also inspire us about the heights to which we are headed as God's creation who have followed in His calling. And for what it's worth - the angels are here to assist us in following Christ in our calling.

2 - There is no overstating the fascinating and wonderful salvation that has been offered us. We must seriously embrace this gift. One day we will reign with Him. And the angels will continue in their service. We will reign with Him because of the love our Savior has for us. He knows us and understands us and forgives and saves us because He has been with us in our plight as humans. Christ knows our sufferings and is righteous to save. 3 - This discourse is an urging of the Hebrew-minded people to realize that one greater than Moses has come. Reverence Moses, yes, but Christ being greater is the one we are to worship.  Christ is over Moses. This is God's doing.    The Holy Spirit, speaks to us, and we are to hear so that we obey and then come into blessing and rest by walking with God.  It is not His plan for us to disobey, and dwell in a wrong place where we should not be.  The Israelites of the Exodus had a blessed place to go and find rest from the wandering but they disobeyed and died in the desert. We have all the revelation we need in Christ and are therefore to live and believe and walk in His rest today. 4 - God has a rest, and tremendous rest, a sabbath, a world of rest for His people. This rest is not just an idea, it is a position of blessing and provision and communication and intimacy with Him that He wishes to take Believers to - if we will let Him.  This is the Word that God has spoken to us.  His Word is sharp and discerning and active. And know that Christ Jesus is our great High Priest now. He is perfect in every way, compassionate and empathetic toward us and able to plead for us. Christ's role for us supersedes the Levitical Priesthood - more on this in Hebrews 10 later this month - ... 5 - Christ Jesus' role is compared to that of the Levitical Priests.  'Not that the Levites were all 'off base' now, it is simply that God is stressing that Christ is the Priest that offered it all on our behalf. The Priests offered animals as they were called upon to do. Some of the reasoning is to prove that centuries of doing such is all and only temporary gestures to have us be exercising the need to be forgiven. Christ's body and blood is God giving all so that we can be saved. The animals blood offered by Priests can never save us the way we need to be saved. Again, the priests were not irrelevant and futile. God ordained them. But now the time has come to shift our minds from the temporary work of the priests to the eternal work of God.  The Hebrew mentality especially needed to restructure their priorities. The passage ends today with the writer of Hebrews making a sobering statement of the childish faith and indolence of the church that the Hebrew leaders in Judea were in charge of. They had forgotten the basics and the beauty of their Christian faith along the way.  They needed to rebuild their foundation spiritually and grow from there - again! The Thread Through the Streams The theme that arose day after day is a salient reminder of what the truth is; truth that needs to be stated, and stated again and again. -In Numbers the men who stray and start prostituting with women of Moab and Midian are identified and executed. Then a census is taken. The statement is that we are going to go in to Canaan soon and we have what we need numerically but the wrong men need to be removed from the ranks first. We cannot proceed with army flanked by men who resent the truth. Also with leadership switching to Joshua soon, Moses' departure does not mean the need to be following is over with. We still need to be following -it just switches to Joshua soon. These are dire reminders and truths -In Chronicles, David makes his offerings and praises to God, commissions the next king and the construction of the Temple begins. Are we to do any different than to offer ourselves to God, praise God, raise up the next generation for God and build upon all the things that pertain to God. This needs to be stated repeatedly to each generation lest we stray from what He wants for us. -In Proverbs we are told what wisdom is and the endless need for wisdom.  'Looking for wisdom? Here it is; keep reading the Proverbs. -Ezekiel has the task of taking the Hebrews from la-la-land back to the truth. The Judeans think they will be fine. The Hebrews in exile think things will be fine...just let them go back to Jerusalem (now). No, folks, Zedekiah the king is going to be tortured, his family killed, Jerusalem is going to get over run and leveled, the prophets in the land are liars and cultic, the lives and faith of the Judeans are like dead vines...THAT is the truth, kiddos!  God is going to smash it all and start over. -Habakkuk gives the recipe for successful faith and remaining in the truth: though we may be completely empty-handed, I will be joyful and glad for The Lord God is my Savior, -John tells the whole world what the Truth and the Word is - he tells exactly what and who the Word is! -The "Book of Hebrews" tells the Hebrews what it is they have been looking for and waiting for and longing for all these centuries. You are looking for HIM?  It's Jesus whom you have been looking for.  He is the Truth and you need look no further.      HE is the Truth.

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John 1-2 We are in the Christ Stream reading from the Good News Translation. 7streamsmethod.com | @7StreamsMethod | @serenatravis | #7Streams | Donate

Commentary by Dr. Drake Travis

Thank you Lord Jesus for becoming flesh, for living among us, for touching our hearts, for your Cross, for saving us, for loving us... For you.  We are grateful.  Amen. We began the book of John today.  It is the first of John's five books we find in Scripture; John, I Jo., II Jo., III Jo., Revelation. John's gospel is comprised of incidents and teaching that is over 90% unique to John; found only in John, whereas Mt,Mk,Lk are much more similar to eachother  John was closest to Jesus. It was John who was told by Jesus from the Cross to "look after mother." [Mary]. Peter was regularly jousting with John and James for prominence among the disciples. John sat next to Jesus at the Last Supper and leaned upon Jesus. He seemed to know most clearly that 'this was it.'  Back in Galilee, Jesus told Peter in a clear insinuation that Peter would also be executed years from now. Peter immediately refers to John and asks, "what about him...?!"  The other Disciples had to sense that Jesus was closest in heart to John.  One writer wrote, "The Intimate Gospel: Studies in John" in 1978. It is a perfect title for commenting upon one of the most amazing books ever written. 1 - John opens by equating Jesus as "The Eternal Word."  The Truth is that God is God, and what God has said is also God. His Word IS Him. All people can look back on things spoken in the past and blush, "oh heavens, did I say that?" We compare our words now with what we said or believed years ago during school days, or earlier school days and muse, "what on earth was I thinking?" Well we weren't thinking clearly, nor completely. We never totally are prior to meeting Christ Jesus (I John 3:2). After we see Him, we shall be like Him. What Jesus is and says is God. Not so with us, however. God's Word is eternally true, and eternally God.  God's Word is Jesus.  This Word; Jesus came to earth and dwelt among us. The only way we ever find out the eternal truth about God is to dwell with Him. Therefore He came to dwell with us. Jesus is God's grace and truth and therefore He's the one way that we find grace and truth. This news of God's arrival on earth was so vital that it warranted a messenger to go ahead of and announce his entry. This was John the Baptist. In case anyone missed it, Jn./Bpt is a different John than the John who wrote the Book of John. Jesus and John/Baptist meet publicly and Jesus is baptized by John to demonstrate that we are to be baptized also; to put this world and this life away in burial and arise anew in the Holy Spirit to live for our Eternal Savior.  Jesus then calls the first Disciples.  He calls us too, btw! 2 - Jesus walks into a wedding situation and performs his first miracle by turning water into wine. It was not just any wine but the finest of the finest of fine wine. The value of what Jesus made that day was in the realm of $2.5Million in wine if it were to be purchased and served today. This is similar to when Jesus fed the 5,000 and the 4.000.  The farmer's work turns a bag of seed into tons of food every summer. Then there is the miller, then the baker and "voila" there is bread on the table for us to eat.  All this 6-month long process happens in moments in Jesus' hand. How? Jo.1:3 "Through Him all things are made." So the process of winemaking requires years...normally. Jesus' hands can make it happen in moments. And He did. And it was such an excellent product that it made the satiated guests marvel over the flavor and quality. The disciples picked up on who did it but not the wedding guests. Jesus went to Jerusalem for the Passover three years before He Himself would be the Passover Lamb and cleaned out the Temple area from being a market place. He was angry that God and prayer time with God was being sold to the highest bid that anyone could afford. The distinction here is that Jesus refers to them making the Temple of marketplace.  When He clears the Temple area the week before the Resurrection, He calls what they are doing as making the Temple a "Den of Robbers."   And the reading today ends with a clear reference that Jesus understood human nature. And indeed He did. That is why He came to redeem - for we needed redemption.

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Habakkuk 2:2-3:19 We are in the Exile Stream reading from the Good News Translation. 7streamsmethod.com | @7StreamsMethod | @serenatravis | #7Streams | Donate

Commentary by Dr. Drake Travis

Lord, fill us with your faith. You tell us that the righteous shall life by faith, so that is how we want to live - by the faith that you put in our hearts. Amen. We remember, from last week, Habakkuk petitioning of the Lord in great anxiety because of the Babylonians bearing down on Judah. It was an invasion that came in three waves: 605 B.C. 597 B.C. and 586 B.C.  Habakkuk is writing his book right before the first invasion.  His desperate prayer is answered starting in Hab. 2:2 2:2ff - Habakkuk is told to "have pen ready" to write down the prophecy that God gives.  First item to be assured of is that the evil will not live and the just/the righteous shall live by faith; by being faithful to God.  The Babylonians were wealthy, greedy, violent, armed, sneering, plundering - all taken by conquest v.s. building something and doing something positive.  The Babylonians had shed blood everywhere and were bent on destruction. All nations cowered and trembled in the presence of the Babylonians.  Well their time was coming and they were doomed to destruction; to the destruction they had inflicted on everyone else.  They were doomed to fall shortly after finishing this conquest of Judah.  However the Babylonians would not cover the earth.  They would go down just like all their victims.  And the people of God would, in time, be the ones who would cover the earth. The end of chapter two still echoes across the world: "The Lord is in His holy Temple. let everyone on earth be silent in His presence." 3 - Habakkuk prays a response of great awe at God's hand and workings.  He gives a terribly colossal rendition of the mighty works of God who rules all the universe with great power and might. Habakkuk is also resigned that God must do what God must do (in the finishing of His cleansing Judah of their ungodliness).  By now Habakkuk is so positively certain of God's righteous work and his own personal faith in God that nothing is going to shake him from his faith. The coming days may be dark but the future is bright and glorious in God. And all the securities of the earth; food, shelter, clothing - come what may - are irrelevant to the security that God gives.  The near future which held the decimation of Judah, did not dim the glory and wonder of God who eternally holds His best and His people in His hand.

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Ezekiel 12-15 We are in the Prophetic Stream reading from the Good News Translation. 7streamsmethod.com | @7StreamsMethod | @serenatravis | #7Streams | Donate

Commentary by Dr. Drake Travis

Good Lord have mercy -->some might pray at this point. But our job is to learn permanently that your rules are rules that we need to live by...permanently.  Amen. 12 - so goes the life of a prophet living among spiritual dullards to say the least.  It's great being a big name in history but the road to prominence here is not a pleasant one - not for Ezekiel. He is called to model what is coming for King Zedekiah as he flees Jerusalem at night. Zedekiah, the waffling, flip-flopping king who tried to play both sides, [make that all sides!] to avoid discomfort during the looming invasion back in Jerusalem.  Remember Ezekiel is exiled among the Chaldeans and prophesying in this setting as the Chaldeans are on a mad charge for Jerusalem to burn the place and execute anyone who fights them in the process.  So Ezekiel has to go camping and, uh, it's not at an R.V. park!  What is being foretold is that the Judeans are going to go "camping" and it's the type of camping trip where they ironically would love to be concerned with mosquitos and ants and pine needles in their sleeping bags. But they are going to be concerned with war, famine, and disease. After this then maybe they will begin to hear God and realize that they are a stubborn indolent people v.s. what God called them to be; His testimony.  From 'here on' the cheery prophecies that were all lies and the false encouragement is over with. God is going to talk to them straight and plain: YOU ARE REBELLIOUS ... and it's time for your spanking, and it's going to hurt! 13 - The false prophets in Jerusalem and those who had been exiled and were living among the exiles were disgusting to the Lord. The false prophets, male and female, were hucksters that had nothing to do with the Lord nor His Truth. The men were declaring that all was safe and fine. They were painting the crumbling walls white to give the impression that they were steady and strong when they were in shambles. The ladies were selling "magic cloth" veils [oh boy!] and charms that were supposed to give good luck/protection/power. The occultic material is under-described because the Bible doesn't want to encourage it nor even foster a curiosity.  Simply put, God has Ezekiel scold these false prophets. Their due time is coming. 14 - Israel has an idolatry problem. But in a phony gesture of pious inquiry, the leaders, who approve of all the idols, seek Ezekiel to find what the Lord's Will is.  No one but the duplicitous leaders fooling themselves get fooled here. God's sentiments are pretty clear here in responding to those who deliberately break His Will while claiming to want to know God's will.  Get real, jokers. The Babylonians would have sent the worst death blow so far save for the fact that Daniel, an exceptional Hebrew, was an exile who became a man of tremendous favor and service in the Babylonian Leadership. His prominence took him to basically 2nd from the top in the Empire. And mayyy-be God was staving off the inevitable because of Daniel, a Hebrew from Judah...?. He, Noah, and Job are mentioned as righteous examples of types that could thwart a disaster for Jerusalem. But even that wasn't going to delay the judgment that was set to befall Judah for its idolatry.  Not any longer. 15 - The people of Jerusalem are compared to a vine that is growing where it is of no use.  It cannot be used for anything. Can you say, "worthless"? This is how God sees the people of Jerusalem;  worthless dead vines that need to be burned. Jerusalem needed to be burned clean of its idolatrous people. God was getting set to do that via the Babylonian army.

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Proverbs 1-4 We are in the Wisdom Stream and reading from the Good News Translation. 7streamsmethod.com | @7StreamsMethod | @serenatravis | #7Streams | Donate

Commentary by Dr. Drake Travis

Dear Jesus, we ask for wisdom, and we know that you give generously to those who ask of you.  Amen. Solomon was raised by David who was stalwart, regal, a musician, a tactician, soldier, and poet turned king. And David was diligent to instruct Solomon. Excelling was normal living to Solomon. He wrote the first 29 chapters of this book [with Agur writing 30 and King Lemuel 31].  His writings are voluminous, not to mention the songs he wrote. His mind was the wonder of his world and his era. People came 1000's upon 1,000's of miles to have audience with him. He taught on botany, animals, science, politics, business, poetry, virtue. His preaching entranced those who were able to gather in his corridors. Solomon was impassioned to have learning be a preoccupation for his people; and of anyone who would come to learn. So for the next nine weeks (through USA's Thanksgiving weekend) we will be sitting and learning from Solomon. Letting one's self be mentored by Solomon is far better than making all the mistakes personally. World leaders today benefit from Solomon's wisdom. 1 - Solomon urges us from the start to pay attention and learn wisdom. Wisdom surpasses knowledge for wisdom properly applies what is known and learned.  Wisdom is even defined as "skill" when describing the skill of the workers who did the artwork and thinking for the Tabernacle [Exo.31]. There are plenty of people in this world who have storehouses of knowledge and are yet derelict in their living. Therefore wisdom is worth more because wisdom knows what to do with what is learned. There are billions of people on earth who know things but do not know what to do next...[so get wisdom!] Wisdom will grant character, steering lives away from stupidity, bad company, and criminal living,  And attaining wisdom isn't some mysterious hunt disguised behind tricky endeavors - simply ask God for it. Wisdom is everywhere and for the embracing. Avoiding wisdom will increase trouble, bring destruction and cut life short. Whereas wisdom brings secure living. 2 - The young will be rewarded for seeking wisdom. In wisdom they will possess a guide in life that surpasses all other forms of guidance.  Wisdom will guard against darkness and sin and those who seduce wandering souls to unwittingly traverse the wrong road that leads to the world of the dead. I.e. Wisdom keeps life aright. Shunning wisdom will funnel anyone past and beyond the point of no return. Outer darkness awaits those who stop their ears from learning wisdom. 3 - Solomon advises the young to adhere to teaching, loyalty and faithfulness, to trust God over their own thoughts, remain humble, and remember to make offerings to God. Wisdom is letting yourself be corrected.  Therein comes wealth and honor, for wisdom is the source of all life. And it is imperative to grow in wisdom - for wisdom is never outgrown.  Be charitable. And to remain in God's blessing --> avoid arguments, scheming, jealousy, violence, evil and all stupidity. 4 - Above all things get wisdom - for wisdom opens the world and eternity. Wisdom leads to all things that are desired in this life. There are two paths in this life: one that comes from wisdom and leads to life and wonder, and the other that shuns wisdom - leading to darkness, evil, pain, wickedness, and shame.

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II Chronicles 28:1 - II Chronicles 5:1 We are in the Nation Stream reading from the Good News Translation. 7streamsmethod.com | @7StreamsMethod | @serenatravis | #7Streams | Donate

Commentary by Dr. Drake Travis

Heavenly Father, you build us up and raise us up. We see your astonishing Temple going up today with unsurpassed beauty and value and strength. Thank you that the fixation has switched to us; your Temple today. As David's life draws to a close, here's a quick reminder: I Chron. is David's life as is I & II Samuel. I Chronicles being a slightly more regal and godly illustration of David.  Whereas I & II Samuel would make for a slightly higher grossing movie with all the illustrative details.  II Chron. covers the same time period of I & II Kings. The "Kings" covers the melee~ that was going on in both Kingdoms, while II Chron. is focussing on only the Southern Kingdom of Judah. 28/29 -  Here is David's final instructions for the Temple, his calling forth of Solomon and declaring him the next king. Solomon is to build the Temple as his father reminds him to honor God and follow the plans every step of the way. The duties and details are stated to the Levites reminding them of their duties.  His encouragement to Solomon is what every child wants to hear from their father and it would eliminate the woes of much of the world if this type of word proceeded from every father. Before David heralds his last public worship service, he declares what his gifts for building the Temple are going to be. Not to belabor the math too much but here's one picture: the gold that was amassed just for the Temple was 610,000 lbs. / 305 tons of gold! It's almost 13 semi trucks loaded to capacity weight!. If it were a single cube of gold it would be 505 cubic feet [8 feet X 8 feet X 8 feet square!] <--GOLD!  We would spend like this on our houses of worship today were it not for our having so many otherpriorities.  As was mentioned, David's last worship service was declared. His final declaration that the Kingdom would be led by Solomon, the sacrifices or worship are laid on the altar... And David passed from our world. Imagine David's arrival in heaven, to be greeted by our Savior who would 970 years later be born in the City of David and be labeled "Son of David" ... !!! II Chr. 1 - Solomon starts out well; humbled, yielded, prayerful, surrendered to his God. He asks for wisdom and God gives him wisdom. And wisdom is the gateway to everything.  Solomon in no time has an impressive fleet of 12K horses and 1400 chariots.  He from the start had God's blessing, the plans from his father to build the kingdom, he was able to defend his kingdom, and therefore Solomon has the confidence to build the Kingdom. 2 - Final preparations for the Temple and Solomon's Palace are underway.  Do we realize what 150,000 stone cutters and transport men can get accomplished?! This is beyond immense. Solomon negotiates with King Hiram of Tyre who will do business and trade for supplies and send skilled help to see the job to finish. We read of all the cedar logs, the wheat and barley, wine and olive oil.  Just a visual here: the wine and oil poured together would fill eight full-size 10' deep in-ground swimming pools.  That's a lot of salad dressing!  o.k., we'll get back to serious- 3 - The construction of the Temple begins.  The tallest part was 180' high.  There were not hardly any buildings that tall anywhere. From that time to the invention of the elevator in the 1800's very little was that tall because very few were willing to climb more than two flights of stairs to their home or office and almost no one was very excited to climb three flights to the fourth floor once or twice daily to their residence or business. So workers, foreign and local were in awe to be building something 180 feet tall over 27 centuries before anyone dreamed of living on the 18th floor; 180 feet up!  And the gold, the mathematics, the craftsmanship, the artwork and carvings, the metallurgy.   Was God worth it? Absolutely worth it.  It would be nice to see more beauty and immense artwork today dedicated solely to the worship of God. 4 - There were gorgeous and sturdy columns, and huge tanks, lampstands, and various articles and items for service and decoration in the Temple. There was gold and silver and bronze everywhere.  Where are those three medals regularly mentioned in athletic competition?  So much gold was used in so many of the items in construction and in overlayment that it's been said that when one walked in they could feel the gold and the glory of it. 5 - Then Solomon finished the task and put all the items in the Temple that David his father had given him to put in there.  The greatest construction task in history has just been completed.  This was far more than just the 'next thing' on the king's list.  We'll catch his regal and moving prayer next week. Plus we'll see what the spectacular thing that the Lord does!

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Titus & Philemon We are in the Church Stream today reading from the Lexham English Bible. 7streamsmethod.com | @7StreamsMethod | @serenatravis | #7Streams | Donate

Commentary by Dr. Drake Travis

Titus was an apprentice and disciple of Paul and a soul that Paul had the utmost trust in. He was a greek that Paul himself had converted to following Christ. He was with Paul in Ephesus; a highlight of Paul's ministry years. Paul later sends Titus to Corinth to quell problems that Paul couldn't find time to deal with further...this is a great indication of the trust that Paul had in Titus. Titus was instrumental in gathering the offerings that Paul took to Jerusalem. He was a sage that did great work for the church in Crete. The similarities we read in Titus and I Timothy are because Titus in Crete and Timothy in Ephesus are dealing with very similar issues for which Paul has similar advice.  You're not "seeing double" in your hearing.  Paul is saying things virtually a second time.  You may get the same feeling when we are reading what sounds like ditto material going through the gospels.  You didn't accidentally flip backward in the pages and you are not in the twilight zone.

T - 1 - Paul's life is coming to a close and he is getting more and more fixated (wondrously so) on eternal life. Eternal life was a grand motivation to Paul and has been throughout his ministry.  His next urgent message is that Titus plant elders throughout the Church of Crete so that there be an orderly body of believers on the island.  Christendom was the antidote for the culture that had bedeviled Crete for centuries. The scallywag nature of the population was legendary. Even some the so called Christian teachers on Crete were more committed to the dark heritage they grew up in v.s. blessed faith that Paul and Titus had explained to them. The indictment of liars, evil brutes, lazy gluttons, etc. is Paul quoting Epimenides from around 575 B.C.  He had little positive to say about the Cretans about 500 years before Paul quotes him about these same people.  Let's put it this way, they needed Titus' input badly.

- 2 - Titus has sterling advice for all ages, both genders, every class of citizen and basically his advice is the needed recipe for transforming the culture of Crete along with saving the souls of the Cretan people.  There is simply no argument against an exemplary life and Titus wants believers to exercise the power of exemplary lives for a witness and to strengthen the power of evangelism upheld by right living. - 3 - The Cretans believers also received instruction to be supportive of their civil leaders. Nonstop rebellion and under-handedness had been the Cretan trademark long enough. Paul wanted Christian believers to lead the way in being cooperative and gracious all the more.  He lastly reminds to not be involved in senseless arguments about law, old doctrines, and genealogies.  That was a trademark of the trolling "circumcision group".  They thought they could pull their stunts authoritatively so because they were the 11th generation great grand nephew of the prophet Zephaniah or some other 'blue-blood'.  Paul thought all this contention was nonsense - and rightly so.  I.e., Titus is basically saying, "hey, act like a Christian!" Philemon was a property owner and Onesimus was actually Philemon's property; Philemon was the master and Onesimus was his slave.  Paul dives right into a touchy subject today and his writing here has much to teach even today in a world where 2020 A.D. is fast approaching and there are in upwards of 200 million slaves currently on earth!  In about 60 A.D. Paul had departed Colossae where Philemon was living. Five years or so later, Onesimus seems to have stolen some of Philemon's property and stowed away to Rome.  Onesimus happened upon Paul who led him to Christ.  There was great admiration for Paul and Paul loved Onesimus like a son.  Paul wrote this book "Philemon" and had Onesimus hand deliver it back Philemon; his master. Paul urges mercy, forgiveness, he strongly hints at releasing him when he welcomes him back - telling Philemon to be as warm as a dear relative to Onesimus.  This is in great contrast to what is known of Roman Law that requires that this runaway slave Onesimus be executed.  Paul's antidote to current law IS The Gospel. And as with all other aspects of the gospel, it's a better way to live than current law the world over. The Thread Through the Streams The impression that surfaced each day this week could be articulated, "Can you believe it? Can you believe what is going on here? Can you believe what we are witnessing? What on earth is going on?!" -in Numbers Balaam is setting off to do something he shouldn't be doing and is stopped by an angel that he doesn't see, which is halting a donkey that he does see- because the donkey sees the angel and Balaam doesn't. He shames himself by ignorance and rage at a donkey that has more sense than he does - THEN he sees the angel!  He had to be thinking, "I can't believe what is going on here!" -In Chronicles this week David is putting in place all the tens of thousands of staff before he passes and they commence on construction of the Temple. This "rollcall" must have had them all buzzing in anticipation.  Here goes boys!  We're getting ready to start real soon here.  The Temple was the greatest endeavor and we begin on this soon... -The Psalms' finale~ is a virtual foretaste of heaven. Imagine being on the Temple Mount as thousands sang this together at the top of their voices as David's life is in its final chapter! -Ezekiel, about 400 years after David was enthroned sees the destruction of Jerusalem and the burning of the Temple in a vision we would label "high definition" - several years before it actually happened. You might say "Ezekiel saw it first!"  He had to be in awe of what he was witnessing. -Habakkuk is incredulous and aghast as the Babylonian/Chaldeans are bearing down on Judah. His appeal to God is desperate. God's answer must have left Habakkuk feeling numb.  "Am I hearing things?? God? Really?  Habakkuk realizes the greater truth in our reading next week. But this week, he is in disbelief of what is going on. -Luke tells the story of the Resurrection in ch. 24.  The women at the tomb can't believe that their Lord is not there.  The two on the road to Emmaus can't believe that it was Him who was there!  They heard Him, they welcomed Him, they ate with Him...and he vanished.  They run back to the disciples who can't believe anything. Then Jesus appears and, ... it must be a ghost. Hey, the gospel continues to stun the world! -Titus has the marvelous task, with Paul's backing, to transform the Island of Crete and he gets started upon it.  Philemon receives the initial document that sends the first shock waves leading to the emancipation of slaves everywhere.  It goes way beyond apparent slavery.  Paul wants Philemon to be free too of resentment, vague thoughts of retribution, pay back, the darkness of Roman Law that requires Onesimus to be executed.  God's mercy has a much better way.  And Philemon is living at the intersection of world history where slavery is normal, and freedom in Christ is the Way. What shall Philemon do?  What a joyous time to obey a brand new order!

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Luke 24 We are in the Christ Stream reading from the Lexham English Bible. 7streamsmethod.com | @7StreamsMethod | @serenatravis | #7Streams | Donate

Commentary by Dr. Drake Travis

Thank you Lord Jesus for this day that changed everything.  Amen Everyone who encountered the Risen Christ was deeply touched.  Here is Luke's rendition of who met Jesus the Risen Lord. The women were the first to go to the empty tomb. They see the angels who told them what had happened. The women ran and told the others who seemed incredulous and so they wouldn't move. Peter, however, blitzed to see for himself and he still doesn't know what to make of it.  After this Jesus appears along the road to Emmaus and lets them tell him what they are aall down about, what has been happening and what they felt about it all. This is a great literative tactic of Luke for it brings out the sentiment of obscure observers and they end up more or less telling of the mood that had overtaken the city.  Most could not believe what they ended up witnessing as an innocent man was caught in the web of Sanhedrin legality against Roman cruelty (called 'law'). It is about a 7 mile walk between these two areas, -[a path my husband traversed over three decades ago.]  So Jesus is explaining all about Himself from Moses and the Prophets and 'all' the Scripture. Let me tell you that is a two-hour lecture that would captivate just about anyone. Their hearts were burning as they listened.  After they realize it's Him, they tear back to Jerusalem and tell the 11 disciples (remember Judas hung himself they're not back to 12 yet). Mind you they took this journey back to Jerusalem at night - something that is not done. They were so very impressed and determined to notify the disciples immediately.  It had to jolt them all that while they are breathless explaining that Jesus is risen  . . .   he appeared in the room and apparently did not enter via a doorway. They thought he was a ghost ... until he spoke.  Then He ate.  That is another one of the manifold proofs that he was alive, not a ghost, and not in a walking coma.  The resuscitated; nor those who are not fully alive do not eat. How many times did Jesus raise the dead and then order that the revived be given food to eat. It's a proof that one is back to life again.  His words to His disciples at this point are a pure marvel.  He tells them the meaning of all that happened in just a few lines and this is what these disciples end up taking to the whole earth!!  In less than a century the gospel had extended from the Atlantic to the Pacific, from where Portugal is today to the east coast of China where Shanghai is found today.  This Resurrected Christ Jesus had opened the door to salvation.  Soon he would send fuel for the journey, tools and provision for the job, minds that would be up for the task, hearts that would turn these fluttering ruffians into bold lions that would shake an empire. They would soon have the Holy Spirit and this would be what God provided to make this news a global phenomenon.    The joy that came over these souls who witnessed this Risen Lord, and heard His reassurance and explanation, and saw Him rise and depart for heaven went and did what they were born to do.  They worshiped in the Temple.  They actually engaged in a spontaneous worship marathon!  This is another one of those events that y'wish y'could have been there...

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Habakkuk 1:1-2:1 We are in the Exile Stream reading from the Lexham English Bible. 7streamsmethod.com | @7StreamsMethod | @serenatravis | #7Streams | Donate

Commentary by Dr. Drake Travis

Lord, teach us faith. Increase our faith, and let us rest in your sovereign providence, knowing that you do all things well and on a level that is much higher than where our minds operate. And teach us more patience.  Amen. Habakkuk is writing about two years before the initial invasion of the Chaldeans; These are the Babylonians who invaded Judah in 605 B.C. then in 597 B.C. and finally in 586 B.C. with devastating results. Habakkuk is petitioning God, and he feels completely justified in his petitioning God for allowing the Babylonians to bear down on Judah the way they had and were about to again.  Yes, Judah was not exemplary in their spiritual behavior by ANY means, but the Babylonians were worse! (in the mind of Habakkuk) and this just wasn't right.  God answers basically saying "indeed, these are the marauders of the world and they seem to be unstoppable as well as incapable of mercy."   He goes on in detail about how escaping them is as hopeless as a hamster getting away from a cheetah.   Habakkuk finds himself acknowledging that God is just and right but he seems to say, "really, God?! You're really going to let them run ragged over Your  Holy  Land?"  Are we really just fish in a net? Certainly we are more than just beings who are caught, counted, and gutted.   Habakkuk has a sobering question and line of thinking that crosses the minds of most Believers in their lives.  His answer doesn't come right away either - nor do ours.  Let's see what God says to Habakkuk next week (if you can wait that long to read it).