Kings: Recent Comments

Comment on 1st John 1

Rich — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 17:57:50 GMT

A good friend of mine (Johnbob here) gently rebuked me on Sunday about not blogging. I apologize and I repent. I confess that I have been lazy and distracted. I have no excuse (how can there be any excuse to not spend time with God and to share my excitement about what I am learning with others). John, thanks. A friend who will hold you accountable and who knows how to motivate and rebuke is more valuable than all the gold in the world. I don't think that is a proverb, but it sure could be. I know the message is similar to proverbs we have read over the past year.

I find John's comment: "We write this to make our joy complete" to be very interesting. I see a footnote that "our" is "your" in some manuscripts. But as I learned in a book Mac suggested about the origin of scripture, our is probably the accurate translation. More likely than not, as this verse was being transcribed, someone thought that your made more sense. And in fact, in some ways it does make more sense. John writes so that others may know Jesus and because they know him they can have complete joy.

But "our" is more interesting. If this is really what John wrote, then he obviously felt that sharing the gospel with others, that teaching others about Jesus, that sharing his convictions with others actually COMPLETED him. It fulfilled his mission is life. John believed that sharing his faith and life and convictions was just as much a part of his Christianity as having faith. Our belief and knowledge of Jesus is not something to hide. It is only truly complete if we share it with others. I really wish I believed this deeply enough to share my faith because I thought it would make me more complete.

Comment on 1st John 1

Sam — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 13:41:18 GMT

Fellowhip--I LIKE that....sorta like discipling! :-) Something you get after you confess your sin to someone else other than God! :-)

OH, you meant fellowSHIP...My bad!

Face-to-face fellowhipping is probably better than this OR the telephone. But, you're right, probably none of us have done too much of this James 5:16 thing lately. Occasionally Tony and I talk, and sometimes Rik and I--but other than the obvious stuff we blog about, probaby not much confession is going on---BUT, I hope that each IS confessing to God....but then, you're right again, probably if we're not talking about between ourselves, we're probably not telling God about it either. We can't do this alone, like you said, JB---we can only do this with God AND with friends.

Comment on 1st John 1

Johnbob — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 08:47:09 GMT

Ok. Let's hear it. Let's hear about your sins. Well, this blog might not be the best venue if Danielle is reading, but in some way, we need to be confessing our sins to God and to one another. Have any of you participated in a Chemical Recovery group? I have sponsored a couple of people over the years and I can tell you that it is the most refreshing ministry - (I might have blogged about this before). It was refreshing because people were REAL (though some did lie through their teeth, but would usually come clean eventually). So we had people from all walks of life talking about their addictions to alcohol, cigarettes, drugs, and all the 'triggers' in their lives that led to such behaviors. And they were real and the 'graduates' would lovingly (and sometimes not lovingly) disciple them until eventually they were victorious over their sin. Very refreshing because I am typically surrounded by college graduates with good jobs, a 'together' life, a sharp wife, etc., but I really never feel like I know what is going on with them. This chapter really deals with the fact that you can't be a lone ranger christian. Part of walking in the light is 'fellowhip with one another'. I have said this before that I think 40+ year old American men are very independent and really want to put on a good face more than anything.

So I haven't confessed much in a while. A couple things happened toward the end of Thanksgiving that I need to get off my chest - will do that via phone sometime today.

Comment on 1st John 1

Sam — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 08:04:10 GMT

Life.

L-I-F-E. A small word. A simple word. It is a quality, a force, a state. an existence.

If you are reading this, you have it. LIFE, that is. God has, a few (the number varies dependent upon who is reading this) years ago, given you this thing. This state of being, this organismic existence.

As the Apostle John starts out this letter, he addresses 'The life', without directly stating WHAT (or WHO) this 'life' is...just 'the life'. We obviouisly conclude, however, that John is referring to the Son of God, Jesus, the 'life' God put on this earth for him and the other Apostles to learn from.

John brings to 'life' the concept of walking in the light, explaining that God is that light, and that Jesus is part of God, and hence was a 'light with life' on earth. I find it interesting that John says that we need to 'walk in the light', and not necessarily BE light. That is, we are not perfect, as 'the light' is, however, we are allowed to walk 'in' it.

Why aren't we light? Because we sin. Why aren't we banned from the light, from life? Because Jesus died for us. If He had not done so, we would not be saved. We would not be in the light. We would not go to Heaven. Now, this is where many non-believers have issues. The concept of sin. We are allowed to walk in the light, to have life beyond our current physical life, EVEN IF WE SIN, because of the deeds accomplished by Jesus. However, as you can read, if we sin and do not confess it, then we can't walk in the light, and we won't go to Heaven. And even non-believers believe (????sounds weird) that doing wrong is sin---they don't get the concept that 1, there is life beyond this one, 2, that sin can stop you from going to Heaven, and 3, because we Do sin, then 2 can't be true.

Little do they understand. Yes, sin can stop you from going to Heaven (even those who have been saved)....it's a matter of confessing that sin and at least 'attempting' to walk in the light, that is, attempting not to sin--even though we know we will.

Jesus is our only venue through which we can confess our sins and get forgiveness. If we don't, we don't. Do you? Do you, on a regular basis, confess your sin (after all, John points out that if we claim not to have sinned, then we're liars)?

To have life, to have an existence, is one thing. To have a life for all of eternity is another. To get the latter, we must spend the former by walking in the light, by trying not to sin, but when we do sin, confess it to God through Jesus, for forgiveness.

I hope you all enjoy our new journey for the month of December. Been missing a vital link from Rich, who has been going through some tuff times. Hopefully this sojourn will help him, and us all. Welcome home Rick---how was Vermont? Thanks for the help again Tony...always a great experience when we're together, whether it is working or just fellowshipping. JB--I look forward to many more words from the wise--you have talent.

Comment on Ecclessiastes 11 AND 12

Johnbob — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 10:13:24 GMT

Anyone have any thoughts about the word Shepherd at the end? Does it refer to Solomon or is Solomon referring to God?

Comment on Ecclessiastes 11 AND 12

Johnbob — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 10:10:06 GMT

I'm not sure if I agree with your second paragraph. While it is depressing in parts and harshly judgmental in parts, I got a ton of meaning out of a book on meaninglessness. Again, since this is a book of 'poetry' then, as in other art forms, certain people will really enjoy it and certain people will come away maybe not enjoying it but getting something out of it.

Comment on Ecclessiastes 11 AND 12

Johnbob — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 10:01:22 GMT

Ecc 11:6
Sow your seed in the morning, and at evening let not your hands be idle, For you do not know which will succeed, whether this or that, or whether both will do equally well.

This is something I have been thinking about a lot during these troubling economic times. In my career, I can't afford to coast along in my job at Sprint (especially since that company is not doing well). I need to diversify and come up with other skills so that if (when?) I get laid off from Sprint, I will have built up other skills or had some sort of other income. I see time and again people who don't do this and get laid off and have all sorts of trouble (not just financially).

It is still amazing to me how applicable something that was written several thousand years ago is.

Comment on Ecclessiastes 11 AND 12

Johnbob — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 09:53:34 GMT

Thanks for looking up the word 'goad'. I tend to gloss over words like that, and it is full of meaning. I have a couple people in mind to 'goad'. What a great word.

Comment on Ecclessiastes 11 AND 12

Sam — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 08:56:11 GMT

Goad. Here's a term you don't hear too much today. Besides here in Ecclesiastes, it is only mentioned three other times, once in Judges 3:31, another in 1st Samuel 13:21, and once in Acts 26:14. My Vines Concise Dictionary did not have a definition for it. SO, using my precious internet, I found these following definitions at Noah Webster's New International Dictionary of the English Language:

1. (n.) A pointed instrument used to urge on a beast; hence, any necessity that urges or stimulates.

2. (v. t.) To prick; to drive with a goad; hence, to urge forward, or to rouse by anything pungent, severe, irritating, or inflaming; to stimulate.

Why, in the words of Solomon, would 'the words of the wise' be like goads, a sharp pointy instrument. Maybe because they convict us maybe? That would be my assumption. Like being pricked with a sharp stick, sometimes wise words from others 'hurt' us. We feel the pain of rebuke. BUT, as with an actual goad which was designed not to HURT an animal but to actually 'guide' it in some manner toward maybe of goal of getting it some food or water, so are times of rebuke from others which are designed to guide US toward a better life for God....a goal we should all have in our short meaningless lives. After all, Solomon seems to be 'goading' us all along into knowing that all things other than the goal of fearing God and keeping His commandments, are meaningless.

Do you have someone you know needs goading in this manner? If so, try to do it with less bluntness if you can than Solomon does in his book. This has been a depressing book of sorts, and any non-, or new- Christian might REALLY get depressed when reading it and actually give up. We need to seek out those non and new folks and goad them into reading the ENTIRE book, keeping in mind the goal (change the 'd' to an 'l'), the conclusion of the matter, of fearing and loving God and obeying what He tells us to do.

Tomorrow we start a new book for the month of December. Tune in to see which one.

Comment on Ecclessiastes 10

Sam — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 16:31:01 GMT

Yeah. Me too. Unfortunately, I have been following off a lot lately...my studies have not been as deep and long as they used to be. That's why today, I thought I would try to sharpen myself a little bit more and spend a longer time in the Word of God and try to get something more out of it.

Hope you had a great T-Giving Dinner. My wife I simply had Jenny Craig turkey meals---our family was unavailable to get together this year.