Friday, April 20, 2006

Good Morning

Hope everyone has had a good week.

 

For those who haven't noticed, Christie Peebles is great with child.  The LEAP Class will be having a diaper shower to celebrate the imminent arrival of little Jenna Rose Peebles.  The shower will be at Monica and Joey's house at 4613 Nicholas Drive in Letson Farms on Saturday, April 29 at 6 PM.  Joey and Monica will provide the chicken fingers and drinks.  We are to bring a dessert and/or side as well as diapers for Jenna Rose.  Christie is primed and ready for delivery.  The doctors are hoping she can hold on until at least May 10th, so we need to be prayerful about that.  Email or call Monica (phimpactyouth@aol.com) to let her know that you are coming and if you have any questions.

 

Today's Reading:  Revelation 8:6-13

 

-- again, working without Barclay today.

 

-- while we discussed on Sunday where we might be in the Revelation timeline -- have some of the seals been opened, or is all of it in front of us, I think it is pretty safe to say the trumpets are all in front of us.  You could say that some of what John described as happening with the four horsemen could be connected with current or past world events, but I can't think of anything that has happened in the past that could be connected with the trumpets -- hail and fire mixed with blood, a third of the earth burned up, a third of the sea turned to blood, a third of waters turning bitter -- all these lie somewhere in the future.

 

-- as with the breaking of the seals, the sounding of the first four trumpets is grouped together like the first four seals were.

 

-- the first four trumpets primarily effect the natural world instead of the inhabitants of the world.  But they each affect 1/3 of the earth, instead of 1/4, which is the portion of the earth affected by some of the first seals.  Since 1/3 is a bit larger than 1/4, you get a sense of increase, of things getting bigger and affecting more of the earth.

 

-- note that their are echoes in these judgements with the plagues that befell Egypt prior to the release of the Jews. 

 

-- this is hard, but there is a sense that God is answering the prayers of the martyrs by sending these judgements to the earth -- "how long" was what they asked, and it seems like these judgements are the answer to their question and their prayer.

 

Today's Scripture

 

If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.

 

Romans 12:18

 

Today's prayer requests:   Corey, Megan's student

 

Megan had a good report about Corey on Sunday, but we still need to remember him and his family as they deal with his spells/seizures and try to determine the cause.

Today's class member prayer:

Jerri Wesson

Jay

Thursday, April 19, 2006

Good Morning

 

I know it is silly, but I still don't have my Barclay book, but you all do, so keep reading till I can catch up.  Did find me a source online for some commentary, which may or may not complement what we are reading in Barclay.

 

Today's Reading:  Revelation 8:1-6

 

-- couple of things to mention/discuss:

 

-- why the silence?  my online source mentions a couple of possibilities, but says that it was dramatic preparation for what follows.  It does have the feel of that, or of the idea of the calm before the storm.  But I'm not sure that anything in heaven is done simply for dramatic effect, that things are done to contrive or create or manipulate an emotional response. It feels to me that the silence is the last bit of sorrow or contemplation by heaven before unleashing these terrible judgements on the earth.  It will be interesting for me to read what Barclay says.

 

-- the thunder and flashes of lightning are consistent with other passages in the Bible regarding the presence of God, such as when Moses went up on Sinai.  It is also interesting the idea of the trumpet sound -- notice Paul's reference to the last trumpet in his passage in Corinthians below.  It amazing to me how ancient the idea of a trumpet sound is as a herald of an event or of a person.  It is something that we don't really have as part of our daily life today, but it is something that we are all aware of, something that actually transcends all cultures and nations.

 

Today's Scripture

 

Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.

 

1 Corinthians 15:51-52

 

Today's prayer requests:   Chris Brymer, son of one of Michelle's co-workers

He's 20, and just started treatment for Hodgkin's Disease.  We need to remember him and his family during this time.  FYI, if you are like me and need more information about Hodgkin's, go to this entry on Wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hodgkin%27s_Disease

Today's class member prayer:

Jay Waters

Jay

Wednesday, April 18, 2006

Good Morning

 

I know it is silly, but I still don't have my Barclay book, but you all do, so keep reading till I can catch up.

 

Today's Reading:  Revelation 8:1-6

 

Undoubtedly, Brad's Fear Meter will go up this week, as the seven trumpets are sounded as the seventh seal is opened. 

 

Today's Scripture

 

As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, continue to live your lives in him

 

Colossians 2:6

Today's prayer requests:   One of my employees, Cassandra.

She is going through a very tough time right now with her work and home situations, and she is going to have to make some decisions here in the next day or so about her future.

Today's class member prayer:

Andrew Peebles

Jay

Michelle wanted me to forward this to each of you.

To: Ray, Ronald Lesley, Jr.
Subject: Prayer Request

Please keep Chris Brymer in your prayers. He is the 20 year old son of a man I work with who has just started treatment for Hodgkins Disease.

Monday, April 17, 2006

Good Morning

 

Don't forget that today is Tax Day!

 

Also, today is Easter Monday, which is celebrated in a number of countries around the world.  In particular, there are some unusual traditions associated with Easter Monday in Poland and the Czech Republic that have made their way to the United States.  For more information, here is the link from the ever handy Wikipedia:

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Easter_Monday

 

Well, I must have left my Bible and Barclay at church Sunday, so I'm flying blind this morning.

Today's Reading:  Revelation 7:16-18,  read the section called "The Bliss of the Blessed"

 

-- this passage is one of the "hope" passages that gets overlooked in Revelation, as we dicussed yesterday.  It describes a life of no hunger or thirst, nor any heat, and no tears.

 

-- for context, we need to remember that John is describing those who have come through the great tribulation, so John is specifically talking about the rewards for those who remained faithful during the tribulation.  So the idea of hope is expressed as ultimate victory for those who are faithful during the toughest times.

 

-- there is a timing question that I have, which will be answered later I imagine - the elder tells John that these are those who have come through the great tribulation, but in the book, the great tribulation has not happened as of yet.

 

-- as more information, in regards to our thoughts about timing of the story of Revelation, here is a Wikipedia entry that talks specfically about the great tribulation, that can give you one perspective on that:

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Tribulation

 

 

Today's Scripture (this week, passages from Luke about the Easter story)

 

When he was at the table with them he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it up to them.  Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight.

 

Luke 24:30-31

Today's prayer requests:   Our troops in Iraq.

Need to continue to remember our troops in Iraq -- that story sometimes falls off of our radar, but there are still a lot of our troops over there in danger.   .

Today's class member prayer:

Susanne Russell

Jay