Marriage, Part 2.

All cardinals are red; all cardinals fly: therefore all red things fly.

Why is this incorrect? The last statement works only on an IFF (IF and only iF) basis. All cardinals must be red AND all red things must be cardinals, etc.

Monday, September 28, 2009: Ephesians 5:33

Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.

Does this mean that a wife should expect that her husband love her as he loves himself? Or does it mean that a husband expect or demand submission or respect from his wife? This, the reverse, is NOT true and is unsupported in scripture. Each statement is a one-way statement and isn’t reversible.

Tuesday, September 29, 2009: Ephesians 5:22,24

Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord.

Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything.

Do wives submit to their husbands? Does the Church submit to Christ? This is the way it should be but is only partially true in reality

Wednesday, September 30, 2009: Ephesians 5:25,28

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her

So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself.

Do husbands love their wives? It is said that a man marries a woman hoping she won’t change and a woman marries a man hoping to change him: it just doesn’t happen that way. But Christ loves the Church perfectly in both expression and demonstration.

Thursday, October 1, 2009: Ephesians 5:23,29

For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body.

For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church.

How does a husband establish his headship? The only way is by serving up the word of God. Tell husbands you know that my blog on workweekbible.blogspot.com can be used for five minutes after dinner to establish spiritual headship in his family.

Friday, October 2, 2009: Ephesians 5:30,32

For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones.

This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church.

Can you guess what the missing verse 31 quotes? It quotes Genesis 2:24 Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.

Marriage, Part 1.

Monday, September 21, 2009: Genesis 2:18

And the Lord God said, “It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him.”
God declared that creation was good. What is the meaning of this first ‘not good?’ It was God’s decision to make a helper for Adam. God has determined your spouse.

Tuesday, September 22, 2009: Genesis 2:20

So Adam gave names to all cattle, to the birds of the air, and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper comparable to him.
What really was ‘not found?’ God has created in the soul of man a need for one to love. Adam recognized this.

Wednesday, September 23, 2009: Genesis 2:21–22

And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place. Then the rib which the Lord God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man.
What are the implications of the end of this passage in scripture? God brings a woman to a man.

Thursday, September 24, 2009: Genesis 2:24

Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.
What is the implication of leaving Father and Mother? In God’s eyes the new husband and wife are one, not two.

Friday, September 25, 2009: Mark 10:7–9

‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’; so then they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.”
These are the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, answering the Pharisees about divorce. Which ‘man’ is most responsible for separation of a marriage? The husband or the wife is most responsible, not outside influences!

Most Important Verses

Tuesday, September 15, 2009: Deuteronomy 6:1–2

“Now this is the commandment, and these are the statutes and judgments which the Lord your God has commanded to teach you, that you may observe them in the land which you are crossing over to possess, that you may fear the Lord your God, to keep all His statutes and His commandments which I command you, you and your son and your grandson, all the days of your life, and that your days may be prolonged.

This is the prologue to the most important verse, which summarizes the Old Testament.

What did Moses say that the children of Israel were to keep? They were to keep the statutes and commandments of the Lord, their God.

Wednesday, September 16, 2009: Deuteronomy 6:5

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.

This is the most important verse that summarizes the Old Testament.

How important is this verse? Jesus Christ declared that on this (plus love your neighbor) stood all the Law and the Prophets.

Thursday, September 17, 2009: John 3:16

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

This is the most important verse that summarizes the New Testament.

How does this verse compare with the one above? This verse expresses the reason why we should love God: He sacrificed His Son for us and our sin.

Friday, September 18, 2009: John 3:17

For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

This is the epilog to the most important verse in the New Testament.

What is the rationale behind this? God did not want to condemn us but to see us saved for eternity.

Trials and Suffering as a Christian

Monday, September 7, 2009: 1 Peter 1:6–7

In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ
Why will our troubles seem like fire? No testing of the genuine faith of a Christian is without anguish.

Tuesday, September 8, 2009: 1 Peter 2:20–21

For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God. For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps
Does God commend those who suffer for doing what is good? No, God commends those who take such suffering patiently.

Wednesday, September 9, 2009: 1 Peter 3:14 –15

But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you are blessed. “And do not be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled.” But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear
Why are sufferings and threats different to a Christian? A threat is for the future, and one never knows how God can intervene.

Thursday, September 10, 2009: 1 Peter 4:15–16

But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people’s matters. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter.
How can shame become glory? Shame, heaped on us by non-believers is commendable by God and rewarded in eternity. Those who suffer shamefully should glorify God for the opportunity of an eternity.

Friday, September 11, 2009: 1 Peter 5:10

But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.
What is the aftermath of suffering for Christ Jesus? God’s grace will build you up.

Word of God

Monday, August 31, 2009: Mark 4:39–41
Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. But He said to them, “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?” And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, “Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!”
Why were the disciples terribly afraid? This was the Word of God in flesh! Only the Word could command wind and waves.

Tuesday, September 1, 2009: Matthew 12:10–13
And behold, there was a man who had a withered hand. And they asked Him, saying, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”—that they might accuse Him.
Then He said to them, “What man is there among you who has one sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not lay hold of it and lift it out? Of how much more value then is a man than a sheep? Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.” Then He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And he stretched it out, and it was restored as whole as the other.
How could a withered hand be stretched out? The Word of God said so and the man with the withered hand believed.

Wednesday, September 2, 2009: Matthew 9:27–31
When Jesus departed from there, two blind men followed Him, crying out and saying, “Son of David, have mercy on us!” And when He had come into the house, the blind men came to Him. And Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They said to Him, “Yes, Lord.”
Then He touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith let it be to you.” And their eyes were opened. And Jesus sternly warned them, saying, “See that no one knows it.” But when they had departed, they spread the news about Him in all that country.
What did the blind men really ask for? They wanted their sight from the mercies of the Word of God. They believed. Christ touched their eyes: at His word, their eyes received sight.

Thursday, September 3, 2009: Matthew 9:4–8
But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, “Why do you think evil in your hearts? For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Arise and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins”—then He said to the paralytic, “Arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.” And he arose and departed to his house. Now when the multitudes saw it, they marveled and glorified God, who had given such power to men.
How can a paralyzed man rise in strength enough to carry a stretcher home? He did so at the very Word of God.

Friday, September 4, 2009: John 11:43–44
Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth!” And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with graveclothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Loose him, and let him go.”
How can a dead man, tightly bound, come out from a grave? Only at the command of the Word of God.

Zion

Monday, August 24, 2009

2 Samuel 5:7 (NKJV) Capture of the stronghold of Zion

Nevertheless David took the stronghold of Zion (that is, the City of David).

Take a guess what ‘nevertheless’ meant. The Jebusites, whose stronghold was Zion, a walled city, boasted that their lame and blind would defeat David’s army.

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

1 Kings 8:1 (NKJV) The Ark of the Covenant is brought into the Temple

Now Solomon assembled the elders of Israel and all the heads of the tribes, the chief fathers of the children of Israel, to King Solomon in Jerusalem, that they might bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord from the City of David, which is Zion.

Was not the Ark already in Zion or Jerusalem? Part of Jerusalem was Zion, the city of David: the Ark was placed in the holiest of the temple, the largest structure in Zion.

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Psalm 2:6–7 (NKJV) Prophecy of The Anointed Son of God

“Yet I have set My King

On My holy hill of Zion.”

“I will declare the decree:

The Lord has said to Me,

‘You are My Son,

Today I have begotten You.

What could ‘set My King on the hill of Zion’ mean? With hindsight, we can say that there Christ, the only begotten Son of God, was crucified.

Thursday, August 27, 2009

Zechariah 9:9 (NKJV) The King is coming

“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!

Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem!

Behold, your King is coming to you;

He is just and having salvation,

Lowly and riding on a donkey,

A colt, the foal of a donkey.

Did a King ride a donkey? No, a King rode a decked-out horse, but never brought salvation.

Friday, August 28, 2009

Hebrews 12:22–24 (NKJV) Mount Zion, the heavenly Jerusalem

But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel.

Where is the real Mount Zion? It is the heavenly Jerusalem, prepared for believers.

Extra - a mystery

Revelation 14:1 (NKJV) The Lamb with 144,000

Then I looked, and behold, a Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand, having His Father’s name written on their foreheads.

This number has many interpretations. Please let me know your ideas.

Revelation of Jesus Christ is Apostle Peter's 1st letter

Monday, August 17, 2009: 1 Peter 1:6–7 (DNT)

Wherein ye exult, for a little while at present, if needed, put to grief by various trials, that the proving of your faith, much more precious than of gold which perishes, though it be proved by fire, be found to praise and glory and honour in [the] revelation of Jesus Christ

Will your faith be praised at the revelation of Jesus Christ?

It is the tests that prove your faith that will be honored.

Tuesday, August 18, 2009: 1 Peter 1:10–11 (DNT)

Concerning which salvation prophets, who have prophesied of the grace towards you, sought out and searched out; searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ which [was] in them pointed out, testifying before of the sufferings which [belonged] to Christ, and the glories after these.

When Noah prophesied about the coming flood, God’s judgment against sin, what did the Spirit of Christ reveal to him?

Noah’s redemption from God’s judgment was by faith: a foretaste of our salvation based only on faith. Every thing but the door was watertight: God Himself sealed it!

Wednesday, August 19, 2009: 1 Peter 1:13–16 (DNT)

Wherefore, having girded up the loins of your mind, [be] sober [and] hope with perfect stedfastness in the grace [which will be] brought to you at [the] revelation of Jesus Christ

Why should we gird up the loins of our minds?

We have hope — a hope for the future when Christ is revealed.

Thursday, August 20, 2009: 1 Peter 4:12–13 (DNT)

Beloved, take not [as] strange the fire [of persecution] which has taken place amongst you for [your] trial, as if a strange thing was happening to you; but as ye have share in the sufferings of Christ, rejoice, that in the revelation of his glory also ye may rejoice with exultation.

How are we to view persecution, here described as fire on us?

It is not strange, but a share in the sufferings of Christ. Glory will follow.

Friday, August 21, 2009: 1 Peter 5:1–4 (DNT)

The elders which [are] among you I exhort, who [am their] fellow-elder and witness of the sufferings of the Christ, who also [am] partaker of the glory about to be revealed

How is Peter similar and yet different from elders?

He is a fellow elder but one that is an eyewitness of the unimaginable sufferings of our Lord Jesus Christ.