Reflecting God – Embrace Holy Living - WordAction - The Foundry Publishing House of Kansas City, Missouri, United States - The Global Church of the Nazarene for Saturday, 28 October 2017 "Transforming Grace" by Duane Brush - 2 Corinthians 3:7-18
2 Corinthians 3:7 Now if that which worked death, by means of a written text engraved on stone tablets, came with glory — such glory that the people of Isra’el could not stand to look at Moshe’s face because of its brightness, even though that brightness was already fading away — 8 won’t the working of the Spirit be accompanied by even greater glory? 9 For if there was glory in what worked to declare people guilty, how much more must the glory abound in what works to declare people innocent! 10 In fact, by comparison with this greater glory, what was made glorious before has no glory now. 11 For if there was glory in what faded away, how much more glory must there be in what lasts.
12 Therefore, with a hope like this, we are very open — 13 unlike Moshe, who put a veil over his face, so that the people of Isra’el would not see the fading brightness come to an end.
14 What is more, their minds were made stonelike; for to this day the same veil remains over them when they read the Old Covenant; it has not been unveiled, because only by the Messiah is the veil taken away. 15 Yes, till today, whenever Moshe is read, a veil lies over their heart. 16 “But,” says the Torah, “whenever someone turns to Adonai, the veil is taken away.”[2 Corinthians 3:16 Exodus 34:34] 17 Now, “Adonai” in this text means the Spirit. And where the Spirit of Adonai is, there is freedom. 18 So all of us, with faces unveiled, see as in a mirror the glory of the Lord; and we are being changed into his very image, from one degree of glory to the next, by Adonai the Spirit.
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Exodus contains an intriguing story. Moses met with God alone for a 40-day period to restore the stone tablets of the law destroyed because of the Israelites’ sin of worshiping the golden calf (32:19). During this time, a change came over Moses that became immediately apparent when he returned to their camp. “When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the covenant law in his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the LORD” (34:19). This radiance caused fear among the Israelites. Such a clear reflection of God’s glorious holiness was disturbingly convicting for the sinful, stiff-necked Israelites. Thereafter, Moses covered his face with a veil, except when he was speaking with God or while speaking to the Israelites on God’s behalf.
Paul points out that Moses’ display of divine glory was “transitory,” soon fading away (2 Corinthians 3:7). a new covenant had come displaying the unfading glory of God's Holy Spirit. Those "who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord's glory, are being transformed into His Image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit" (3:18). No veil required.
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Hymn for Today:
"I Want to Be Like Jesus" by Thomas O. Chisholm copyright 1945. Renewed 1975 by Lillenas Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
1. I have one deep supreme desire,
That I may be like Jesus.
To this I fervently aspire,
That I may be like Jesus.
I want my heart His throne to be,
So that a watching world may see
His likeness shining forth in me.
I want to be like Jesus.
2. He spent His life in doing good;
I want to be like Jesus.
Always in humble service stood;
I want to be like Jesus.
He sympathised with hearts distressed;
He spoke the words that cheered and blessed;
He welcomed sinners to his breast.
I want to be like Jesus.
3. A holy blameless life He led;
I want to be like Jesus.
The Father's will, His drink and bread;
I want to be like Jesus.
And when at last he came to die,
"Father, forgive them," He could cry
for those who taunt and crucify.
I want to be like Jesus.
4. O perfect life of Christ, my Lord!
I want to be like Jesus.
My recompense and my reward:
that I may be like Jesus.
His Spirit fill my hung'ring soul,
His power all my life control;
My deepest pray'r, my highest goal:
that I may be like Jesus.
---
Thought for Today:
In other words, do not let yourselves be conformed to the standards of the ‘olam hazeh. Instead, keep letting yourselves be transformed by the renewing of your minds; so that you will know what God wants and will agree that what he wants is good, satisfying and able to succeed.(Romans 12:2)
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Please pray:
For the development of Christian leaders in Saint Vincent.
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Reflecting God – Embrace Holy Living - WordAction - The Foundry Publishing House of Kansas City, Missouri, United States - The Global Church of the Nazarene for Friday, 27 October 2017 "We Become Letters" by Duane Brush - 2 Corinthians 3:1-6
2 Corinthians 3:1 Are we starting to recommend ourselves again? Or do we, like some, need letters of recommendation either to you or from you? 2 You yourselves are our letter of recommendation, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone. 3 You make it clear that you are a letter from the Messiah placed in our care, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on stone tablets but on human hearts.
4 Such is the confidence we have through the Messiah toward God. 5 It is not that we are competent in ourselves to count anything as having come from us; on the contrary, our competence is from God. 6 He has even made us competent to be workers serving a New Covenant, the essence of which is not a written text but the Spirit. For the written text brings death, but the Spirit gives life.
-------2 Corinthians 3:7 Now if that which worked death, by means of a written text engraved on stone tablets, came with glory — such glory that the people of Isra’el could not stand to look at Moshe’s face because of its brightness, even though that brightness was already fading away — 8 won’t the working of the Spirit be accompanied by even greater glory? 9 For if there was glory in what worked to declare people guilty, how much more must the glory abound in what works to declare people innocent! 10 In fact, by comparison with this greater glory, what was made glorious before has no glory now. 11 For if there was glory in what faded away, how much more glory must there be in what lasts.
12 Therefore, with a hope like this, we are very open — 13 unlike Moshe, who put a veil over his face, so that the people of Isra’el would not see the fading brightness come to an end.
14 What is more, their minds were made stonelike; for to this day the same veil remains over them when they read the Old Covenant; it has not been unveiled, because only by the Messiah is the veil taken away. 15 Yes, till today, whenever Moshe is read, a veil lies over their heart. 16 “But,” says the Torah, “whenever someone turns to Adonai, the veil is taken away.”[2 Corinthians 3:16 Exodus 34:34] 17 Now, “Adonai” in this text means the Spirit. And where the Spirit of Adonai is, there is freedom. 18 So all of us, with faces unveiled, see as in a mirror the glory of the Lord; and we are being changed into his very image, from one degree of glory to the next, by Adonai the Spirit.
---
Exodus contains an intriguing story. Moses met with God alone for a 40-day period to restore the stone tablets of the law destroyed because of the Israelites’ sin of worshiping the golden calf (32:19). During this time, a change came over Moses that became immediately apparent when he returned to their camp. “When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the covenant law in his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the LORD” (34:19). This radiance caused fear among the Israelites. Such a clear reflection of God’s glorious holiness was disturbingly convicting for the sinful, stiff-necked Israelites. Thereafter, Moses covered his face with a veil, except when he was speaking with God or while speaking to the Israelites on God’s behalf.
Paul points out that Moses’ display of divine glory was “transitory,” soon fading away (2 Corinthians 3:7). a new covenant had come displaying the unfading glory of God's Holy Spirit. Those "who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord's glory, are being transformed into His Image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit" (3:18). No veil required.
---
Hymn for Today:
"I Want to Be Like Jesus" by Thomas O. Chisholm copyright 1945. Renewed 1975 by Lillenas Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
1. I have one deep supreme desire,
That I may be like Jesus.
To this I fervently aspire,
That I may be like Jesus.
I want my heart His throne to be,
So that a watching world may see
His likeness shining forth in me.
I want to be like Jesus.
2. He spent His life in doing good;
I want to be like Jesus.
Always in humble service stood;
I want to be like Jesus.
He sympathised with hearts distressed;
He spoke the words that cheered and blessed;
He welcomed sinners to his breast.
I want to be like Jesus.
3. A holy blameless life He led;
I want to be like Jesus.
The Father's will, His drink and bread;
I want to be like Jesus.
And when at last he came to die,
"Father, forgive them," He could cry
for those who taunt and crucify.
I want to be like Jesus.
4. O perfect life of Christ, my Lord!
I want to be like Jesus.
My recompense and my reward:
that I may be like Jesus.
His Spirit fill my hung'ring soul,
His power all my life control;
My deepest pray'r, my highest goal:
that I may be like Jesus.
---
Thought for Today:
In other words, do not let yourselves be conformed to the standards of the ‘olam hazeh. Instead, keep letting yourselves be transformed by the renewing of your minds; so that you will know what God wants and will agree that what he wants is good, satisfying and able to succeed.(Romans 12:2)
---
Please pray:
For the development of Christian leaders in Saint Vincent.
---
This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now
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Reflecting God – Embrace Holy Living - WordAction - The Foundry Publishing House of Kansas City, Missouri, United States - The Global Church of the Nazarene for Friday, 27 October 2017 "We Become Letters" by Duane Brush - 2 Corinthians 3:1-6
2 Corinthians 3:1 Are we starting to recommend ourselves again? Or do we, like some, need letters of recommendation either to you or from you? 2 You yourselves are our letter of recommendation, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone. 3 You make it clear that you are a letter from the Messiah placed in our care, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on stone tablets but on human hearts.
4 Such is the confidence we have through the Messiah toward God. 5 It is not that we are competent in ourselves to count anything as having come from us; on the contrary, our competence is from God. 6 He has even made us competent to be workers serving a New Covenant, the essence of which is not a written text but the Spirit. For the written text brings death, but the Spirit gives life.
-------
Some lament that letter writing is a lost art. Unlimited calling plans and electronic messaging have taken their place. In the apostle Paul’s day, letters were truly a rare thing. First, very few people could read, maybe 5 or 10%. Next, sending letters was very expensive because there was no postal system for the common people; all letters were hand-delivered by personal couriers. Finally, it could take months, even years, to get a reply. However, none of this kept Paul from writing the letters that now compose around half of our New Testament.
One type of letter common both then and now is the “letter of commendation” or “recommendation.” Such letters serve as introduction and verification. They communicate the confidence and respect of the sender in the subject.
When Paul told the believers in Corinth that they were “a letter from Christ,” he was reminding them of the high calling of their spiritual position (1 Corinthians 3:3). This letter, written on their hearts, declared them “competent as ministers of a new covenant” (v. 6). Some in Corinth sadly needed a reminder of whose they were and what they were called to be in the world. Have you got that letter?
Some lament that letter writing is a lost art. Unlimited calling plans and electronic messaging have taken their place. In the apostle Paul’s day, letters were truly a rare thing. First, very few people could read, maybe 5 or 10%. Next, sending letters was very expensive because there was no postal system for the common people; all letters were hand-delivered by personal couriers. Finally, it could take months, even years, to get a reply. However, none of this kept Paul from writing the letters that now compose around half of our New Testament.
One type of letter common both then and now is the “letter of commendation” or “recommendation.” Such letters serve as introduction and verification. They communicate the confidence and respect of the sender in the subject.
When Paul told the believers in Corinth that they were “a letter from Christ,” he was reminding them of the high calling of their spiritual position (1 Corinthians 3:3). This letter, written on their hearts, declared them “competent as ministers of a new covenant” (v. 6). Some in Corinth sadly needed a reminder of whose they were and what they were called to be in the world. Have you got that letter?
Hymn for Today:
"Have Thine Own Way, Lord" by Adelaide A. Pollard
1. Have thine own way, Lord! Have thine own way!
Thou art the potter, I am the clay.
Mold me and make me after thy will,
while I am waiting, yielded and still.
2. Have thine own way, Lord! Have thine own way!
Search me and try me, Savior today!
Wash me just now, Lord, wash me just now,
as in thy presence humbly I bow.
3. Have thine own way, Lord! Have thine own way!
Wounded and weary, help me I pray!
Power, all power, surely is thine!
Touch me and heal me, Savior divine!
4. Have thine own way, Lord! Have thine own way!
Hold o'er my being absolute sway.
Fill with thy Spirit till all shall see
Christ only, always, living in me!
Please pray:
That many people in Saint Vincent will come to know Yeshua as their Messiah and receive the fullness of the Ruach HaKodesh.
This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now
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1. Have thine own way, Lord! Have thine own way!
Thou art the potter, I am the clay.
Mold me and make me after thy will,
while I am waiting, yielded and still.
2. Have thine own way, Lord! Have thine own way!
Search me and try me, Savior today!
Wash me just now, Lord, wash me just now,
as in thy presence humbly I bow.
3. Have thine own way, Lord! Have thine own way!
Wounded and weary, help me I pray!
Power, all power, surely is thine!
Touch me and heal me, Savior divine!
4. Have thine own way, Lord! Have thine own way!
Hold o'er my being absolute sway.
Fill with thy Spirit till all shall see
Christ only, always, living in me!
Thought for Today:
because it is not the one who recommends himself who is worthy of approval, but the one whom the Lord recommends.(2 Corinthians 10:18}Please pray:
That many people in Saint Vincent will come to know Yeshua as their Messiah and receive the fullness of the Ruach HaKodesh.
This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now
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