II Timothy

II Timothy

Summary: Nero had become the Emperor of Rome. His gardens were lit with the faith tarred and on set ablaze. The coliseums where filled with lions, fires and gladiator events fueled by Christians. And it was under this tremendous persecution that Paul was arrested again and sentenced to be executed. As Paul prepared for his final days with his last words to the next generation. II Timothy is just that a passing of the torch and final wisdom; filled with encouragement and teaching. 

Things I Noticed:

1. For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

2. By the Holy spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted in you.

3.You then, my child be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 

4. Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 

5. Charge them before God not to quarrel about words, which does no good, but only ruins the hearers. 

6. So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.

7. Having nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. 

8. The Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil,  correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by hime to do his will.

9.  Having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. 

10. For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth. 

11. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it.
12. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproofing, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.
13. Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season.
14. Fro the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.
15.As for you, always be sober-minded, enduring suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.  

The book of Hebrews is where I and headed next to as I travel through the times after Jesus. Right now I am pondering through David's Psalms finishing the first book of them which is up next on the blog spot.  Till then, Read up, Post up, and Shalom.

Ecclesiastes

Ecclesiastes

Summary: Summary: When Solomon was granted wisdom and the throne by God he success shot him to the top of the world. Being King he saw the worst as judge, the best as dignitary and life through the eyes of a wise man. After a life time of experience one can only image the dark day Solomon was in when he put ink to scroll to pen Ecclesiastes. Filled with wisdom masked in the highs and lows of a kings emotional journey the reader is brought to a summation of fear God and keep his commandments.

Things I Noticed:

1. Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity. 

2. What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun. 

3. For in much wisdom is much vexation, and he who increase knowledge increases sorrow. 

4. Then I saw that there is more gain in wisdom than in folly, as there is more gain in light than in darkness.

5. sometimes a person who has toiled with wisdom and knowledge and skill must leave everything to be enjoyed by someone who did not toil for it. This also is vanity and a great evil.

6. There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil. 

7. For to the one who pleases him God has given wisdom and knowledge and joy, but to the sinner he has given the business of gathering and collecting, only to give to one who pleases God. 

8. I perceived that whatever God does endures forever; nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it. God has done it so people fear before him. That which is, already has been; that which is to be, already has been; God seeks what has been driven away. 

9. All are from the dust , and to dust all return. 

10. Better is a handful of quietness than two hands full of toil and a striving wind.

11. Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for there toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up... a threefold cord is not quickly broken. 

12. Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. 

13. Be not rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven and you are in earth. Therefore let your words be few. 

14. Let not your mouth lead you into sin. (The tongue is a mischievous thing)

15. Sweet is the sleep of a laborer, whether he eats little to much, but the full stomach if the rich will not let him sleep.

16. As he came from his mother's womb he shall go again, naked as he came, and shall take nothing for his toil that he may carry away in his band. (Job made reference to such wisdom)

17. Everyone also to whom God has given wealth and possessions and power to enjoy them, and to accept his lot and rejoice in his toil--this is the gift of God. 

18. A good name is better than precious ointment. 

19. It is better for a man to hear the rebuke of the wise than to hear the song of fools. (I think this is forgotten and now a days people ignore rebuke and dance to a fools tune.)

20. Wisdom is good with an inheritance, an advantage to those who see the sun. For the protection of wisdom is like the protection of money and the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preservers the life of him who has it. 

21. In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider: God has made the one as well as the other, so that man may not find out anything that will be after him. 

22. Wisdom gives strength to the wise man more than ten rulers who are in a city.

23. Do not take to heart all the things that people say. 

24. See, this alone I found, that God made man upright, but they have sought out many schemes.

25. For the word of the king is supreme, and who may say to him, "What are you doing?"

26. The wise heart will know the proper time and the just way. ( This can be applied to love and a relationship.)

27. For the living dog is better then a dead lion.

28. The words of the wise heart in quite are better than the shouting of a ruler among fools. Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner destroys much good.

29. Bread is made for laughter, and wine gladdens life, and money answers everything. 

30. Much study is a weariness of the flesh.

31. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing whether good or evil. 

We will be seeing Timothy's second letter up next on the blog. While I will pen my next entry I will be visiting the Psalms of David which is as large of a roller coaster emotionally as Ecclesiastes.  Till then, Read up, Post up, and Shalom.

1 Timothy

1 Timothy

Summary: Ephesus the home of the Temple of Artemis, infested with magic practitioners of all sorts and a port of trade was a vibrant city in Timothy's time. It was here Paul had left Timothy having quite a job to fulfill. Timothy was to guide the church out of heretical teachings and to solidly establish church leadership. As writing like a father to son we see much advise given to Timothy included to have wine to ease his stomach and ailments. Let us follow this journey and take a good look at what was said. 

Things I Noticed:

1. The aim of our charge is love  that issues from the our heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. 

2. The law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient.

3. The King of ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever.

4. First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgiving be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. 

5. For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time. 

6. For if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God's church?

7. Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil. 

8. They must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience.

9. The Spirit expressly says that in the later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demon.

10. For everything created by God is good, and and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer. 

11. Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myth

12. For to this end we toil and strive, because we have out hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe. 

13. Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching.

14. Do not rebuke an older man but encourage him as you would a father. Treat younger men like brothers, older women like mothers, younger women like sisters, in all purity. 

15. Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands, nor take part in the sins of others; keep yourself pure. 

16. (No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments.)

17. Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content.

18. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils.

19. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness.

20. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of God.      

As I continue through Ecclesiastes I can only say as you peel away the layers of angst gems of wisdom are strewn throughout this book.  We will be having time with Timothy again in Paul's second letter to him. Till then, Read up, Post up, and Shalom.

Philemon

Philemon

Summary: Paul, who is in prison (probably in either Rome or Ephesus), writes to  Philemon and his other brethren. Some think Philemon was possibly a bishop of the house church that met in his home in Colosse.  As a slave-owner he would have been wealthy by the standards of the early church and this explains why his house was large enough to accommodate the church that meets in his house. Paul writes on behalf of Onesimus, Philemon's slave. Beyond that, it is not self-evident as to what has transpired. Onesimus is described as having been "separated" from Philemon, once having been "useless" to him (a pun on Onesimus's name, which means "useful"), and having done him wrong. Onesimus seems to be a runaway slave who became a Christian believer while imprisoned with Paul. Paul now sends him back to face Philemon his aggrieved master, and strives in his letter to effect reconciliation between these two Christians.

Things I Noticed:

1. The Heart of the Saints have been refreshed through you. 

2. I appeal to you for my child, Omesimus, whose father I became in imprisonment. 

Ecclesiastes is throughly filled with sorrow found in the depths of understand that everything one does is a legacy. Solomon's sadness is filled by the wisdom that nothing gained is kept. As we move on with Paul we will visit his protege Timothy. Till then, Read up, Post up, and Shalom.

Lamentations

Lamentations 

Summary:  The city you have loved has been burned, rampaged and the people carried off. The King has been captured and you sit watching the embers of the Temple burn. The great army of Babylon lead by Nebuchadnezzar has crushed Israel leaving Jeremiah the prophet Lamenting over the lost. Known already as the weeping prophet this does nothing to take away from that nick name. Still there is a time to mourn loss and this would be one of them.     

Things I Noticed:

1. Jerusalem sinned grievously; therefore she became filthy; all who honored her despise her for they have seen her nakedness; she herself groans and turns her face away. She took no thought for her future. (This reminds me of where America is today)
2. Your prophets (economic forecasters) have seen you false and deceptive visions; they have not exposed your iniquity to restore your fortunes, but have seen for you oracles that are false and misleading. 

3. The Lord has done what he purposed; he has carried out his word
4. The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
5. "The Lord is my portion," says my soul "therefore I will hope in him."
6. (God) will have compassion according to the abundance of his steadfast love.
7. Is it not form the mouth of the Most High that good and bad come.
8. Let us test and examine our ways, and return to the Lord! Let us lift up our hearts and hands to God in heaven.
9. Our fathers sinned, and are no more; and we bear their iniquities.

Next we take a look at the honorable Philemon. The concept of grace and mercy over a run away slave who is returning to his master and Paul's plea. Continuing through the sorrow found in the depths of the books of wisdom we shall move on to Ecclesiastes. Till then, Read up, Post up, and Shalom.

Titus

Titus

Summary:  Titus was a gentile convert to the belief of Christ. He was mentored by Paul most likely as a Rabbi mentors his disciplines. Titus would have lived with Paul, walked with Paul and learned oral and written precepts from him also. This letter to Titus takes brings us into his journey as a student of Paul's who has been in trusted with the Island of Crete to finish what they had started together. This letter is should be seen as not a letter from teacher to student but more like father to son giving him direction in how to care for the household. More then just a job these instructions would have been a showing of trust and a reminder of what Paul saw in him and the identity that Paul has seen in Titus during their travels. 

Things I Noticed:

1. God's stewart must be above reproach, hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined. He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine (Torah, Law) and also to rebuke (correct) this who contradict it. 

2. To the pure all things are pure, but to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both their minds and their consciences are defiled.
3. They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works
4. Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled. sound in faith, in love and in steadfastness. Urge the younger men to be in self-controlled.
5. Oder women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled.
6. Live self-controlled (Paul hounds on this in this letter), upright, and godly lives in the present age.
7. He (God) saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior.
8. Those who believe in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works.  (Seems like we have some agreement with James here Paul)
9. A person who stirs-up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him, knowing that such as person is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned.
10. And let our people learn to devote themselves to good works, so as to help cases of urgent need, and not be unfruitful.

After our visit to the Island of Crete the next person to visit it is Philemon, Apphia and Archippus three fellow brethren. My journey into Lamentations is rich with regret and grief, emotion usually ignored in Christian society today. Parallels strike me as I read this book of sack cloth, tears and ash; all of which I will address upon my posting. Till then, Read up, Post up, and Shalom.

Ruth

Ruth

Summary:  The country has gone desolate so you pick up your bags and move to a better land with your  sons. There for a time you settle and life is good your sons marry and your successful. Just as time and life seem at its best tragedy hits, taking your heart, the color from your world and forever changing things. Naomi lost her husband and then her sons. When her life seemed as desolate as the land she was decided to return home. She sent her daughter-in-laws away back to there families in hopes they could start over. Still as everything had gone out of Naomi's life, Ruth decidedly did not. This is a story about sticking together through adversity and God honoring that with redemption.   

Things I Noticed:

1. For where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God.

2. The man is a close relative of ours, one of our redeemers.

3. Then go and uncover his feet and lie down, and he will tell you what to do.

4. May the Lord make the woman, who sis coming into your house, like Rachel and Leah, who together built up the house of Israel.

5. So Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife. And he went into her, and the Lord gave her conception, and she bore a son. (Yep the whole act in the Bible described.)

6. They named his Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David. 

 Titus is up next and I do not mean the comedian. My journey with him will help me as I read through Lamentations a book of regret and grief, emotion usually ignored in Christian society today. Still to get a better understanding of my self and my savior I have to reevaluate these emotion and ideas found in this book. Till then, Read up, Post up, and Shalom.