May I have a WORD with you?

References: Philippians 1:20-30 Paul is hardpressed between going and staying v20 - Not ashamed but bold παρρησία (par-rhay-see'-ah) Acts 4:13 v27 - Living as citizens of heaven - πολιτεύομαι (pol-it-yoo'-om-ahee) KJV - conversation (recall last week’s koinonia(communicate)) v27 - Worthy of the gospel - ἀξίως (ax-ee'-oce) Connection to axiom, axiomatic Live in a way that is axiomati...

References: Philippians 1:1-19 “you have been my partners…”  fellowship - v5 κοινωνία (koy-nohn-ee'-ah) Acts 2:42 - the believers devoted themselves to… The Apostles’ teaching κοινωνία The breaking of bread (eating together including Holy Communion) Prayer Phil 2:1, 3:10 Hebrews 13:15-16 To do good and communicate (KJV) Forget not - ἐπιλανθάνομαι

References: 1 Corinthians 13:13 Faith, hope, love abide (remain - μένω) John 15:4 The Enchiridion on Faith, Hope and Love by St Augustine Augustine connects these three with authentic worship Romans 12:1 Colossians 1:3-5 Hebrews 6:10-12 1 Thessalonians 5:8

References: Jesus talks about the purpose of God’s law and the prophets Matthew 5:17-18 He did not come to seek lodging in the law or to abolish the law or the prophets He came to accomplish their purpose. James 1:22-25 Intentionality Obedience The Cost of Discipleship On purpose-ness What is your life purpose? What is God’s purpose for your life? What’s the difference between the two?

References: Fourth day of creation - Genesis 1:14-19 signs and seasons, days and years Sabbath - 7th day A sign - the sun’s shadow going backwards from it’s normal progression. 2 Kings 20:8-11 Ecclesiastes 3:1-15 - chronos, kairos God ordains We have a sense of the eternal, but not complete knowledge  Leviticus 23:4 … - 7th day & 7 festivals Passover, Unleavened Bread, First Fruits, Weeks (Pen...

References: Isaiah 26:3 a hymn I remember from my youth perfect שָׁלוֹם שָׁלוֹם  peace - Shalom shalom In Greek εἰρήνη (from which my daughter’s name comes: Erin)  Romans 8:5-6 - life and peace Romans 12:14-18 Sounds like peace-keeping, until… Matthew 5:8-10 - working for peace Relational Wisdom (rw360.org) God aware - remember God engaging - faithful Self aware - humble Self engaging - discipline...

References: Epiphany as both revelation and manifestation. “They saw (ὁράω) the star…” Mt 2:10 “They… saw (εὑρίσκω) the child…” Mt 2:11 Curiosity, wisdom & obedience Daniel 2 (v 48; 5:29) Cartoons, Truth & worship Matthew 2:1-12 The gifts Royalty Divinity Humanity Chalcedon (AD 451) and Orthodoxy Is wisdom being comfortable with mystery? In this New Year, let God be too big for your brain.

References: John 1 - λόγος - Word Genesis 1 & Psalm 33 Exodus 3:14 & John 8:58 Philippians 2:5-11 Luke 24 - Jesus in the flesh, unconstrained by S/T eyes were held from knowing - v 16 eyes were opened and they knew - v 31 Jesus was made invisible - v 31 Luke 24:35-45 1 Corinthians 2:1-12

References: Genesis 32:24-30 - God’s mighty works (conspicuous favor) Judges 13 - Luke 1:5-20 2 Samuel 12:24-25 What’s in a name? David & Jedidiah Absolom & Solomon Isaiah 9:6 : שַׂר־שָׁלוֹם - śār-šalôm (Prince of Peace) Exodus 20:7 Isaiah 7:14 & Matthew 1:23 Immanuel & Emmanuel = God with us Joshua 5:13-15 “What do you want your servant to do? … And Joshua did as he was told.”

References: St Nicholas Day - Dec 5 / 6 Who was St Nicholas? Why talk about him? Consider our Preparation thoughts. Gaudete Sunday - Philippians 4:4-7; 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24 Joy is Fruit of the Spirit - Galatians 5:22-23 “The Jesus Principle” - Philippians 2:3-4  JOY is an acronym for living Jesus Others Yourself Advent is getting serious now.

References: The Second week of Advent reminds us of the need to prepare for prophecy to be fulfilled John the Baptist - Mark 1:1-8; John 1:6-8 Witness = μάρτυς (martys) - Testimony = μαρτυρία (martyria) John the Elder (the Apostle) Revelation 19:10 Then I fell down at his feet to worship him, but he said, “No, don’t worship me. I am a servant of God, just like you and your brothers and sisters who...

References: The season leading up to Christmas is Advent The first week of Advent points us to Christ’s second coming. Revelation 22:20 1 Corinthians 16:22 μαράνα θά (marana tha - come, Lord)  Isaiah 55 and the power of God’s Word for future fulfillment 55:11 Isaiah 7:10-16 1 Peter 1:10-12 The Kingdom come in it’s fullness Already, but not yet Prayer and expectation Amen! Come, Lord Jesus

References: Another praise song from back in the 80s. All hail, king Jesus! all hail, Emmanuel! King of kings, Lord of lords, bright Morning Star. Philippians 2:1-11 The Jesus Principle: Phil 2:3&4 1 Timothy 6:15 Of God the Father ὁ βασιλεὺς τῶν βασιλευόντων καὶ κύριος τῶν κυριευόντων The King of the kinging and Lord of the lording Revelation 19:6-16 Of Jesus Βασιλεὺς βασιλέων καὶ κύριος κυρίω...

References: Psalm 100   תּוֹדָה toda - thanksgiving in worship 1 Corinthians 11:23-24 εὐχαριστέω - (eucharisteō) to be grateful, feel thankful give thanks Colossians 4:2 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Philippians 4:4-7

Bible references: Matthew 22:34-40 Hebrews 10:19-25 - Let’s look at the 4 lettuces Vs. 22 - let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him.  For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water. Leviticus 16 - The Day of Atonement High Priest - once a year,  Matthew 13:36 - imagine the...

The four let-us’s. Last week was the north point of the cross.  Today we address the 2nd let-us. “ Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. ” Heb 10:23 Bible references: Heb 10:23 Hold tightly - Luke 8:15 - parable of the sower Without wavering - not bowed down Luke 24:5 White water rafting example Hold tightly - lean into the approach...

Bible references and notes: Hebrews 10:19-25 - The four let-us-es: we’ll take the fourth one third. V 25 - And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near. Abandonment, leave utterly forsaken, an abdication of one’s role as a member of the Body Parousia - tribulation, apostasy, anti-christ “ encour...

Bible references: Hebrews 10:19-25 - The four let-us-es: we’ll take the third one fourth. V 24 - “ Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works .” Other translations “provoke” (KJV), “stir up” (ESV), “how inventive we can be in encouraging” (MSG).  The word in Greek is παροξυσμός (paroxysmos). Where we get paroxyism. A sudden outburst of coughing, a sudden fit of lau...

Bible references: Luke 22:31-32 Hebrews 11:1 1 Corinthians 13:4-7, 13 Ephesians 6:16-17 1 Thessalonians 5:8 1 Peter 1:6-7 Luke 22:32

Bible references: Ecclesiastes 3:1, 9-15 Matthew 2:1-18 Chronos The wise men Herod The murdered children and the prophetic word Chronos and (Kairos-though not in the text) Luke 1:8-20 Kairos

Bible references: Ecclesiastes 7:13-14 Proverbs 12:15 Hebrews 9:10 John 15 - Vine and branches, bearing fruit

References: The Word of God points to three things Jesus - the Living Word John 1:1-17 Scripture - the written word 2 Timothy 3:16-17 Gospel - when we share Gospel Truth with one another 1 Thes 2:13 Old Testament TaNaK Torah Nevi’im Kethuvim Luke 24:27, 44 New Testament 2 Peter 3:15-16

References: Work / Rest challenge What hobbies, recreation and social media rob us of. AI, algorithms and intermittent reinforcement Ecclesiastes 7:9 NLT, ESV, KJV Exodus 20:8-11 Keep Sabbath holy God rested ( נוּחַ - nûaḥ - καταπαύω - katapauō) Ex 23:12 - connection between Sabbath and rest (שַׁבָּת - šabāṯ  &  שָׁבַת - šāḇaṯ )    Ex 17:8-13 - when Moses rested the enemy took the advantage Pr...

Bible references: Revelation 21:1-5 Deuteronomy 26:1-11 Isaiah 43:14-19

Bible references: Psalm 119:105-106 Luke 10:38-42 Psalm 34:8-10 1 Peter 2:2-3 Psalm 1:2