My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you
turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding
and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding
and if you look for it as for silver
and search for it as for hidden treasure
then you will understand the fear of the Lord
and find the knowledge of God
For the Lord gives wisdom
and from His mouth come knowledge and understanding Proverbs2:1-6
Yesterday we looked at the fear of the Lord as being the thing that keeps us from putting God in a box or a cage. Today our reading shows us that the fear of the Lord also includes the dimension of moral, mental, and spiritual excellence.
The best word for this is wisdom. And it is an endless loop: The more we pursue wisdom, the better we will know God, and the better we know God, the wiser we become!
How do we do it?
1. Turn to God's Word: His commands and His Words.
2. Store them inside you - i.e. think about it, reflect on it.
3. Strive to be always learning and growing. Hunt understanding down, search it our, hunger and thirst for it!
(More on this next week!)
The search for Wisdom is a search for God.
When we do it with all we have, the rewards are worthwhile.
---
--------------------------
Theo Groeneveld theo@emmanuel.org.za
You can see past EmmDevs at http://emmdev.blogspot.com/
Friday, August 24, 2012
Thursday, August 23, 2012
EMMDEV 2012-08-23 [Proverbs revisited] The foundation of a wisdom
For the next few weeks I am going to be re-working and adding to a series I did on Proverbs way back in 2002...
Hope you enjoy it!
------------------
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge
but fools despise wisdom and discipline. Proverbs1:7
Proverbs contains some wonderful nitty gritty earthy wisdom...
We had a teacher at school who was not a Christian. To be `safe` when he had to conduct devotions in assembly, he would always read from Proverbs. Many people turn to wisdom writings as self-help material to 'get ahead', but the Proverbs aren't really intended for the self-help category.
They are intended to help us live closer to God.
In the introduction to Proverbs, Solomon clearly points out that true wisdom springs forth from the foundation of a right relationship with God. When we have that foundation we will automatically be living closer to ourselves and to others.
To fear the Lord is to remember who He is and who we are.
To fear Him is to know that He is not a comfortable God who we can put in our pockets or on the shelf when we want Him to look the other way. In CS Lewis' `Narnia Chronicles` where Jesus is depicted by Aslan the lion, one of the characters says `Aslan is not a tame lion.`
When we read the proverbs we are being introduced to the character of God. The advice that we are given is advice that connects us to the very heartbeat of the living God.
My teacher was very wrong when he thought reading Proverbs was safe!
---
--------------------------
Theo Groeneveld theo@emmanuel.org.za
You can see past EmmDevs at http://emmdev.blogspot.com/
Hope you enjoy it!
------------------
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge
but fools despise wisdom and discipline. Proverbs1:7
Proverbs contains some wonderful nitty gritty earthy wisdom...
We had a teacher at school who was not a Christian. To be `safe` when he had to conduct devotions in assembly, he would always read from Proverbs. Many people turn to wisdom writings as self-help material to 'get ahead', but the Proverbs aren't really intended for the self-help category.
They are intended to help us live closer to God.
In the introduction to Proverbs, Solomon clearly points out that true wisdom springs forth from the foundation of a right relationship with God. When we have that foundation we will automatically be living closer to ourselves and to others.
To fear the Lord is to remember who He is and who we are.
To fear Him is to know that He is not a comfortable God who we can put in our pockets or on the shelf when we want Him to look the other way. In CS Lewis' `Narnia Chronicles` where Jesus is depicted by Aslan the lion, one of the characters says `Aslan is not a tame lion.`
When we read the proverbs we are being introduced to the character of God. The advice that we are given is advice that connects us to the very heartbeat of the living God.
My teacher was very wrong when he thought reading Proverbs was safe!
---
--------------------------
Theo Groeneveld theo@emmanuel.org.za
You can see past EmmDevs at http://emmdev.blogspot.com/
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
EMMDEV Some Emm-Dev Info...
Hi everyone
Thanks so much to all of you who filled in the feedback form. It helped me a lot to see if I was on track and where I need to tweak and adjust.
Many of you requested devotional material on the Holy Spirit...
I have good news!
I did a number of series on the Holy Spirit a few years ago and you can find them by clicking the links below:
http://emmanuel.org.za/category/emmdev-archive/
I'll be starting our next series tomorrow...
God bless!
Theo
Thanks so much to all of you who filled in the feedback form. It helped me a lot to see if I was on track and where I need to tweak and adjust.
Many of you requested devotional material on the Holy Spirit...
I have good news!
I did a number of series on the Holy Spirit a few years ago and you can find them by clicking the links below:
- http://emmanuel.org.za/emmdev-archive/the-holy-spirit-in-the-old-testament/
- http://emmanuel.org.za/emmdev-archive/the-holy-spirit-in-the-shorter-epistles/
- http://emmanuel.org.za/emmdev-archive/bearing-fruit/
- http://emmanuel.org.za/emmdev-archive/pentacost/
- http://emmanuel.org.za/emmdev-archive/the-holy-spirit-in-corinthians/
- http://emmanuel.org.za/emmdev-archive/the-holy-spirit-in-romans/
- http://emmanuel.org.za/emmdev-archive/the-holy-spirit-in-the-gospels-and-acts/
http://emmanuel.org.za/category/emmdev-archive/
I'll be starting our next series tomorrow...
God bless!
Theo
Thursday, August 16, 2012
EMMDEV Second Request
Hi everyone,
I'm sorry to bug you with a second request, but it turns out that there
was a problem with the website and the evaluation page didn't work for a
number of people.
If you haven't yet, please take 2 minutes to complete the feedback form on
http://emmanuel.org.za/webapps/emmDevSurvey/edevsurvey.php
PLEASE help me with this as I take the responsibility seriously would
like to improve wherever I can.
Thanks so much!
Theo
I'm sorry to bug you with a second request, but it turns out that there
was a problem with the website and the evaluation page didn't work for a
number of people.
If you haven't yet, please take 2 minutes to complete the feedback form on
http://emmanuel.org.za/webapps/emmDevSurvey/edevsurvey.php
PLEASE help me with this as I take the responsibility seriously would
like to improve wherever I can.
Thanks so much!
Theo
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
EMMDEV Please help me out...
Dear EmmDev Friends
Before I start the next series, I'd be grateful for some constructive
feedback on the devs so far.
Please could you click on the link below and do a quick evaluation?
It's anonymous and shouldn't take more than two minutes.
I'd be very very grateful!
http://emmanuel.org.za/webapps/emmDevSurvey/edevsurvey.php
Much love,
Theo
Before I start the next series, I'd be grateful for some constructive
feedback on the devs so far.
Please could you click on the link below and do a quick evaluation?
It's anonymous and shouldn't take more than two minutes.
I'd be very very grateful!
http://emmanuel.org.za/webapps/emmDevSurvey/edevsurvey.php
Much love,
Theo
Friday, August 10, 2012
EMMDEV 2012-08-10 [Forty Days of Resurrection] 40.NOT here!
"Don't be alarmed," he said. "You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene,
who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where
they laid him. 7 But go, tell his disciples and Peter, `He is going
ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.'
" Mark16:6-7
"He is not here."
Not in the darkened cave-tomb in the garden.
He is also not in the dried out regulations of legalistic religion.
... not in the calcified institutes of ritual and tradition.
... not in the age old power struggles of institutionalised faith.
... not in cold and dark of past hurts
... not in the sad memorials of pain and brutality
He is RISEN!
Victorious and glorious over the pain, sorrow, injustice and formalised
religiosity.
He is ALIVE.
And He goes ahead of us.
So it is our task to "go, tell..."!
It is our privilege to discover that wherever we go - He is ahead of us
and the joy, power and peace of His resurrected life is ours.
We are alive in Him and we have life in His name.
So now, it is your turn - "GO, tell the world that your Saviour is ALIVE!"
----------------------------------------------------------------
This brings us to the end of "40 days of Resurrection." It has taken
much longer than 40 days to get these devotions written, but now they
will be available to download and print as a booklet and used after
Easter in future years.
As such, this little booklet is dedicated to all who have joyfully
affirmed the wonderful truth of Resurrection in the midst of criticism
and resistance.
My soul has been renewed and restored by this period of reflection on
this one single truth with its many facets. It's my prayer that you too
have been inspired and enthralled by this central truth which is so
powerfully summarised by Matt Maher:
Christ is risen from the dead
Trampling over death by death
Come awake, come awake!
Come and rise up from the grave!
Christ is risen from the dead
We are one with him again
Come awake, come awake!
Come and rise up from the grave!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IExdrZGQVeI
who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where
they laid him. 7 But go, tell his disciples and Peter, `He is going
ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.'
" Mark16:6-7
"He is not here."
Not in the darkened cave-tomb in the garden.
He is also not in the dried out regulations of legalistic religion.
... not in the calcified institutes of ritual and tradition.
... not in the age old power struggles of institutionalised faith.
... not in cold and dark of past hurts
... not in the sad memorials of pain and brutality
He is RISEN!
Victorious and glorious over the pain, sorrow, injustice and formalised
religiosity.
He is ALIVE.
And He goes ahead of us.
So it is our task to "go, tell..."!
It is our privilege to discover that wherever we go - He is ahead of us
and the joy, power and peace of His resurrected life is ours.
We are alive in Him and we have life in His name.
So now, it is your turn - "GO, tell the world that your Saviour is ALIVE!"
----------------------------------------------------------------
This brings us to the end of "40 days of Resurrection." It has taken
much longer than 40 days to get these devotions written, but now they
will be available to download and print as a booklet and used after
Easter in future years.
As such, this little booklet is dedicated to all who have joyfully
affirmed the wonderful truth of Resurrection in the midst of criticism
and resistance.
My soul has been renewed and restored by this period of reflection on
this one single truth with its many facets. It's my prayer that you too
have been inspired and enthralled by this central truth which is so
powerfully summarised by Matt Maher:
Christ is risen from the dead
Trampling over death by death
Come awake, come awake!
Come and rise up from the grave!
Christ is risen from the dead
We are one with him again
Come awake, come awake!
Come and rise up from the grave!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IExdrZGQVeI
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
EMMDEV 2012-08-08 [Forty Days of Resurrection] 39.A Beautiful OT Picture
6 He is then to take the live bird and dip it, together with the cedar wood, the scarlet yarn and the hyssop, into the blood of the bird that was killed over the fresh water. 7 Seven times he shall sprinkle the one to be cleansed of the infectious disease and pronounce him clean. Then he is to release the live bird in the open fields. Leviticus14:6-7
This passage is part of a set of rubrics (liturgies and guidelines) for priests to use for the cleansing and healing of infectious skin diseases (which probably included leprosy and similar diseases.) These diseases were regarded as incurable.
Normally I am careful about taking symbolism too far. One has to be careful about extrapolating imagery beyond what is reasonable. But in this passage there are incredible parallels:
The priest needed two birds, a clay jar with water in it, a piece of cedar wood (to act as a handle), a bunch of hyssop twigs, and some scarlet yarn. (Hyssop is a thin river reed.) He would kill one of the birds, draining the blood into the clay pot. The hyssop was bunched together and tied to the cedar handle with the yarn to form a brush of sorts. The live bird and the "brush" were dipped into the blood-stained water and the sick person was "sprinkled" (brush-spattered) and the live bird was released.
Now let's look at the cross:
-He came to heal us of the incurable disease of sin.
-Cleansing required sacrifice - blood was shed
-In Ezekiel 17:22-23 God talks about a cedar-sprig (a symbol of the Messiah)
-They lifted the wine-vinegar sponge to Jesus on a stalk of hyssop.
-They pierced His side, and blood and water flowed.
But the most significant is the TWO birds.
The priest needed two birds, one to die and one to speak of release, forgiveness, healing and freedom.
The cross only needed ONE Saviour: Jesus died - BUT HE ROSE AGAIN!
---
--------------------------
Theo Groeneveld theo@emmanuel.org.za
You can see past EmmDevs at http://emmdev.blogspot.com/
This passage is part of a set of rubrics (liturgies and guidelines) for priests to use for the cleansing and healing of infectious skin diseases (which probably included leprosy and similar diseases.) These diseases were regarded as incurable.
Normally I am careful about taking symbolism too far. One has to be careful about extrapolating imagery beyond what is reasonable. But in this passage there are incredible parallels:
The priest needed two birds, a clay jar with water in it, a piece of cedar wood (to act as a handle), a bunch of hyssop twigs, and some scarlet yarn. (Hyssop is a thin river reed.) He would kill one of the birds, draining the blood into the clay pot. The hyssop was bunched together and tied to the cedar handle with the yarn to form a brush of sorts. The live bird and the "brush" were dipped into the blood-stained water and the sick person was "sprinkled" (brush-spattered) and the live bird was released.
Now let's look at the cross:
-He came to heal us of the incurable disease of sin.
-Cleansing required sacrifice - blood was shed
-In Ezekiel 17:22-23 God talks about a cedar-sprig (a symbol of the Messiah)
-They lifted the wine-vinegar sponge to Jesus on a stalk of hyssop.
-They pierced His side, and blood and water flowed.
But the most significant is the TWO birds.
The priest needed two birds, one to die and one to speak of release, forgiveness, healing and freedom.
The cross only needed ONE Saviour: Jesus died - BUT HE ROSE AGAIN!
---
--------------------------
Theo Groeneveld theo@emmanuel.org.za
You can see past EmmDevs at http://emmdev.blogspot.com/
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
EMMDEV 2012-08-07 [Forty Days of Resurrection] 38.Not optional
Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. 9 (They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.) John20:8-9
Peter and John ran to the tomb after the women told them that the tomb was empty. We know that Peter "walked away wondering to himself what had happened" (Luke24:12) but here we are told that John saw and believed. But, as John himself explains in v9, his belief was instinctive, a gut feel that this was not the end of the story.
So what is John saying in v.9? He is saying that later on they figured it out: --> It _had_ to happen!
Jesus _had_ to rise from the dead.
He is saying that the resurrection was an imperative.
Let's think it through...
* It was an ontological imperative (ontology is about the "being" of a thing or person.) If Jesus is part of the Trinity, was the WORD by which the world was created, if He was the perfect sacrifice and the fulfilment of prophecy, then resurrection is simply part of who He IS. He is the Way, the Truth and the LIFE.
* It was a theological imperative - how can the Author of Life lose His life?? How could the perfect sacrifice not be sufficient??
* It was a prophetic imperative - the Scriptures made it clear: "You will not let your Holy One see decay!" (Ps16:10)
* It was a truth imperative - Jesus said: "Destroy this temple and I will rebuild it in three days." Could He have been a liar??
It took a while for the disciples to get it, but eventually they did. It took them time because Jesus really died - and He died horribly - it wasn't a "pretend" death - He really died at the hand of our guilt and sin. Resurrection wasn't a short-cut, but it was a victory He was going to achieve. Because of who He is and because of His great love for us, He _had_ to rise. He _had_ to overcome!
---
--------------------------
Theo Groeneveld theo@emmanuel.org.za
You can see past EmmDevs at http://emmdev.blogspot.com/
Peter and John ran to the tomb after the women told them that the tomb was empty. We know that Peter "walked away wondering to himself what had happened" (Luke24:12) but here we are told that John saw and believed. But, as John himself explains in v9, his belief was instinctive, a gut feel that this was not the end of the story.
So what is John saying in v.9? He is saying that later on they figured it out: --> It _had_ to happen!
Jesus _had_ to rise from the dead.
He is saying that the resurrection was an imperative.
Let's think it through...
* It was an ontological imperative (ontology is about the "being" of a thing or person.) If Jesus is part of the Trinity, was the WORD by which the world was created, if He was the perfect sacrifice and the fulfilment of prophecy, then resurrection is simply part of who He IS. He is the Way, the Truth and the LIFE.
* It was a theological imperative - how can the Author of Life lose His life?? How could the perfect sacrifice not be sufficient??
* It was a prophetic imperative - the Scriptures made it clear: "You will not let your Holy One see decay!" (Ps16:10)
* It was a truth imperative - Jesus said: "Destroy this temple and I will rebuild it in three days." Could He have been a liar??
It took a while for the disciples to get it, but eventually they did. It took them time because Jesus really died - and He died horribly - it wasn't a "pretend" death - He really died at the hand of our guilt and sin. Resurrection wasn't a short-cut, but it was a victory He was going to achieve. Because of who He is and because of His great love for us, He _had_ to rise. He _had_ to overcome!
---
--------------------------
Theo Groeneveld theo@emmanuel.org.za
You can see past EmmDevs at http://emmdev.blogspot.com/
Friday, August 3, 2012
EMMDEV 2012-08-03 [Forty Days of Resurrection] 37.Part of His Mission
From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life. Matthew16:21
I've heard many a preacher say that "Jesus was born to die" or that the "shadow of the cross, fell over the manger." This is an awesome truth that should be celebrated because it is a Great Truth: God's Son paid a tremendous price for us.
But, at the risk of sounding flippant, Jesus didn't wake up Easter Sunday surprised that He was alive. He was also born to rise.
This passage is one of at least four times that Matthew records Jesus predicting that He would rise. (See also 17:9; 17:23; 20:19)
What is interesting about this passage is that it precipitated by a specific event because Matthew tells us the "From that time on" Jesus explained His mission.
What was the event??
Peter's confession that Jesus is the Christ - the Messiah!!
Yes, the cross was part of the Messiah's mission, but so also the resurrection. Jesus' explicit intention was not to be a martyr, but a Conqueror. He would face our most implacable enemies: sin, death and Satan and He planned to be victorious.
Sometimes, if you watch a movie on DVD, you can go to the extra features where they will often have an alternative ending. They often do this if the final cut has a sad ending, they provide an alternative happy ending.
These predictions of suffering and resurrection make it crystal clear:
The resurrection is not optional, it is not a "happy ending" tacked onto a sad story. It is part of the mission of the Son of God.
HE PLANNED TO WIN!
-----------------------------
The early church moved worship from the Jewish Sabbath (Saturdays) to Sundays to celebrate this awesome truth. Go to church on Sunday with a song in your heart - He rose - He won!
---
--------------------------
Theo Groeneveld theo@emmanuel.org.za
You can see past EmmDevs at http://emmdev.blogspot.com/
I've heard many a preacher say that "Jesus was born to die" or that the "shadow of the cross, fell over the manger." This is an awesome truth that should be celebrated because it is a Great Truth: God's Son paid a tremendous price for us.
But, at the risk of sounding flippant, Jesus didn't wake up Easter Sunday surprised that He was alive. He was also born to rise.
This passage is one of at least four times that Matthew records Jesus predicting that He would rise. (See also 17:9; 17:23; 20:19)
What is interesting about this passage is that it precipitated by a specific event because Matthew tells us the "From that time on" Jesus explained His mission.
What was the event??
Peter's confession that Jesus is the Christ - the Messiah!!
Yes, the cross was part of the Messiah's mission, but so also the resurrection. Jesus' explicit intention was not to be a martyr, but a Conqueror. He would face our most implacable enemies: sin, death and Satan and He planned to be victorious.
Sometimes, if you watch a movie on DVD, you can go to the extra features where they will often have an alternative ending. They often do this if the final cut has a sad ending, they provide an alternative happy ending.
These predictions of suffering and resurrection make it crystal clear:
The resurrection is not optional, it is not a "happy ending" tacked onto a sad story. It is part of the mission of the Son of God.
HE PLANNED TO WIN!
-----------------------------
The early church moved worship from the Jewish Sabbath (Saturdays) to Sundays to celebrate this awesome truth. Go to church on Sunday with a song in your heart - He rose - He won!
---
--------------------------
Theo Groeneveld theo@emmanuel.org.za
You can see past EmmDevs at http://emmdev.blogspot.com/
Thursday, August 2, 2012
EMMDEV 2012-08-02 [Forty Days of Resurrection] 36. Temple re-defined
Then the Jews demanded of him, "What miraculous sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?"
Jesus answered them, "Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days."
The Jews replied, "It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?" 21 But the temple he had spoken of was his body. 22 After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the Scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken. John2:18-22
The Jews believed that the physical temple in Jerusalem was God's earthly address. They were sadly mistaken. The Old Testament describes the temple (and sometimes the whole earth) as merely God's foot-stool. Even Solomon, while dedicating the temple, realised that God is much too great to be contained in an earthly building.
In 1Kings 8:27 he says "But will God really dwell on earth? The heavens, even the highest heaven, cannot contain you. How much less this temple I have built!"
But God has another temple in mind: He wants fellowship with us. He wants to live IN us. Paul explains this to the Corinthians: "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body." (1Cor6:19-20)
Jesus' describes His resurrection as "rebuilding the temple." His resurrection is our certainty that NOTHING can separate us from the love of God.
"For I am convinced that neither DEATH nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Rom8:38-39)
Amen!
---
--------------------------
Theo Groeneveld theo@emmanuel.org.za
You can see past EmmDevs at http://emmdev.blogspot.com/
Jesus answered them, "Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days."
The Jews replied, "It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?" 21 But the temple he had spoken of was his body. 22 After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the Scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken. John2:18-22
The Jews believed that the physical temple in Jerusalem was God's earthly address. They were sadly mistaken. The Old Testament describes the temple (and sometimes the whole earth) as merely God's foot-stool. Even Solomon, while dedicating the temple, realised that God is much too great to be contained in an earthly building.
In 1Kings 8:27 he says "But will God really dwell on earth? The heavens, even the highest heaven, cannot contain you. How much less this temple I have built!"
But God has another temple in mind: He wants fellowship with us. He wants to live IN us. Paul explains this to the Corinthians: "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body." (1Cor6:19-20)
Jesus' describes His resurrection as "rebuilding the temple." His resurrection is our certainty that NOTHING can separate us from the love of God.
"For I am convinced that neither DEATH nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Rom8:38-39)
Amen!
---
--------------------------
Theo Groeneveld theo@emmanuel.org.za
You can see past EmmDevs at http://emmdev.blogspot.com/
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