Search This Blog

Tuesday, December 26, 2023

Fresh Illustrations

Devotional Thoughts and Teaching Illustrations About Fresh




*Clickable Quick Links Are Below:

#Fresh
#Freshly
#Freshness
#Fresher
#Fresh-cut
#Refresh
#Refreshed
#Refreshing
#Refreshes
#Refreshment
#Afresh

Proverbs 18:15 (MSG) Wise men and women are always learning, always listening for fresh insights.
Proverbs 16:22 (MSG) True intelligence is a spring of fresh water, while fools sweat it out the hard way.
Acts 3:19 So repent [change your inner self—your old way of thinking, regret past sins] and return [to God—seek His purpose for your life], so that your sins may be wiped away [blotted out, completely erased], so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord [restoring you like a cool wind on a hot day];
2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ [that is, grafted in, joined to Him by faith in Him as Savior], he is a new creature [reborn and renewed by the Holy Spirit]; the old things [the previous moral and spiritual condition] have passed away. Behold, new things have come [because spiritual awakening brings a new life].
James 3:11 - Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and saltwater?
Mark 2:22 - And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the wine will burst the skins—and the wine is destroyed, and so are the skins. But new wine is for fresh wineskins.”


DAY ONE-FRESH START

“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 15:58

Life is made up of beginnings, endings and more beginnings. Winter ends and spring begins. Spring ends and summer begins. Summer ends and winter begins. We are ending one decade and starting a new one with the challenges of the past year behind and the challenges of a new year ahead. We end childhood and begin young adulthood. We end being young adults and enter middle age. We end middle age and become senior adults. We are born, we live, we die, and then if we know Jesus, we live again.

I have found that the older I get the harder it is to begin again, the harder it is to move forward and not to stop. For many of us it becomes harder to try something new, the easier it is to do nothing. We sometimes think we have done enough.

How do you begin again, how do you move forward with life, how do you really live as long as you are living? This verse in 1 Corinthians 15:58 gives us some direction as to how to do that. The first instruction that Apostle Paul gives us about how to begin again, how to live is this: “…stand firm. Let nothing move you….” He is saying that we should let nothing in this world deter us, keep us from living the abundant life that Jesus came to give us (John 10:10). We should let no bad thing, no evil thing, not even a good thing keep us from living our lives for the Lord.

For the early Christians, there were some obstacles to living the Christian life. If you were a Christian in Corinth you could count on feeling out of place, out of step with most of the people who lived there (sound familiar). If you were a Christian in Corinth you could count on encountering persecution in one form or another. Paul was telling them don't let that stop you from living like you should “…stand firm. Let nothing move you….”


Thought of the Day  What is it that Paul would say to you today? “…stand firm. Let nothing move you….…stand firm. Let nothing move you….” It’s time to get busy in 2020, we have a lot of work to do.


You Think About It!
Kevin Rayner


Posted by at No comments:
Labels:

Wednesday, December 06, 2023

Angels Illustrations

Devotional Thoughts and Teaching Illustrations About Angels
Picture


*Clickable Quick Links Are Below:

#Angels

Matthew 4:11 ESV - 11 Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him.
Matthew 13:41, 49 ESV - 41 The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers, ... 49 So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous
Matthew 16:27 ESV - 27 For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done.
Matthew 22:30 ESV - 30 For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven.
Matthew 24:31 ESV - 31 And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
Acts 7:53 ESV - 53 you who received the law as delivered by angels and did not keep it."
Romans 8:38 ESV - 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers,


Logos Dictionary Themes

Notes:

Angels
    Angels carry out God’s judgment (2 Samuel 24:16–17)
    Angels serve God (Psalm 103:21)
    Angels praise God (Psalm 148:2)
    Angels are messengers (Daniel 4:17)
    Angels protect God’s people (Daniel 6:22)
    Angels do not marry (Matthew 22:30)
    Angels do not die (Luke 20:36)
    Angels will be judged by people (1 Corinthians 6:3)
    Satan disguises himself as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14)
    Angels encourage Christians (Hebrews 1:14)
    Angels who sinned were thrown into hell (2 Peter 2:4)
    Angels are holy (Jude 1:14)
    Angels are in the presence of God (Revelation 4:8)
    Angels should not be worshiped (Revelation 22:8–9)

Angels

THE NATURE OF ANGELS

1.    Angels are spirit beings (Heb. 1:14; 1 Kgs. 22:19-21)

§  Angels are sexless and do not marry (Matt. 22:30)

§  Angels are never represented as females

§  They are created beings (Ps. 148:2,5; 1 Kgs. 8:27; Deut. 10:14; Ex. 20:11). 

§  They are not equal with God. (Note Job 38:4-7 where angels are pictured as shouting for joy when the foundation of the earth was laid).

§  They have distinct personalities and possess names such as Michael and Gabriel (Dan. 8:16, 9:21, 10:13-21, 12:1; Lk. 1:11-38; Matt. 1 & 2; Acts 8:26; 10:3ff, 27:23; Jude 9; Rev. 12:7ff).

2.    Angels are "heavenly hosts” (2 Kgs. 21:3; Jer. 33:22; Dan. 7:10; Zeph. 1:5; Lk. 2:13-15) 

§  Called "sons of God" (Job 1:6, 2:1; Ps. 29:1, 89:6)

§  They are 'elohim or godlike beings (Ps. 8:6, 97:7, 138:1; cf. Heb. 2:7). 'elohim is translated aggelos in these passages.

3.    Angels are regarded as "holy ones" (Job 5:1; 15:15; Psa. 89:5 7; Dan. 8:2,13; Matt. 25:31; Gal. 4:14; Jude 14)

§  These holy ones assemble in a council (Ps. 89:5-7)

§  They may be regarded as of unquestioned integrity, goodwill and obedience (cf. 1 Sam. 29:9; 2 Sam. 14:17-20, 19:27).

4.    They are subject to Christ (Heb. 1:4, 13)

Not to be worshipped, they are fellow servants (Rev. 19:10).

5.    They almost always take human form when in contact with men

§  At the tomb: Matt. 28:2-6 “angels” compare to Luke 24:4-8 “men"

§  With Abraham and Lot (Gen. 18:2, 33, 19:1-2)

§  With Joshua (Jsh. 5:13, 6:2)

§  With Gideon (Judges 6:11-13)

§  With Manoah and his wife (Jdg. 13:3-6)

§  The "man" Gabriel speaks to Daniel (Dan. 9:21)

 

Angels were capable of making themselves both visible and invisible (Num. 22:31) and to appear under circumstances obviously miraculous in nature (Ex. 3:2).

 

1.    Angels are capable of sin (2 Pt. 2:4; Jude 6; Rev. 12:7).

(See also Job 4:18; Ez. 28:12-19; 2 Cor. 11:14; Gal. 1:8-9).  Eternal fire was prepared for the devil and his angels (Matt. 25:41).

2.    While angels are never pictured as having wings, cherubim and seraphim do have wings (Is. 6:2; Ex. 25:20). 

The living creatures around the throne of God have wings (Ez. 1:6; Rev. 4:8).

§  Cherubim function as throne bearers and custodians of the sacred places (see Gen. 3:24; Ex. 25:18-22; 26:1, 31; Num. 7:89; 1 Sam. 4:4; 2 Sam. 6:2; Is. 37:16; Ps. 80:1, 99:1).  Compare the four living creatures of Ezek. 1:5ff.; 10:20.

§  Seraphim appear only in Isaiah 6.  Their reverence is graphically depicted and they praise God.  They are described as winged creatures.  The root word seems to signify "to burn," and is found in Numbers 21 as "fiery serpents."  Note the burning coal in Isaiah 6.  Seraphim have six wings.

§  Angels do have the ability to cover vast distances immediately (Ex. 12:29-30).  Gabriel came from the presence of God into the presence of Daniel.  Angels are pictured as flying (Rev. 14:6).  Artists have assumed that they have wings.

3.    Number of angels: innumerable company (Dan. 7:10); camps or army (Gen. 32:2-3); myriads (Heb. 12:22; Rev. 5:11).

THE FUNCTION OF ANGELS

·         God's Messengers (malak, aggelos)

§  At the conception of John the Baptist (Lk. 1:11-20)

§  Gabriel appeared to Mary (Lk. 1:26-38) to announce the news to her that she would conceive. After the conception of Christ, angels appeared to Joseph (Matt. 1:20-24).

§  At the birth of Jesus to the shepherds (Lk. 2:8-15)

§  Joseph warned to go to Egypt (Matt. 2:19-20)

§  At the resurrection of Jesus and the tomb (Matt. 28:2-6)

§  At the ascension (Acts 1:10-11) 

§  At the birth of Samson (Jdg. 13:3-23)

§  "you have received the law that was put into effect through angels but have not obeyed it." (Acts 7:53)

§  "The law was put into effect through angels by a mediator" (Gal. 3:19)

§  "For if the message spoken by angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment . . ." (Heb. 2:2)

·         Agents of Divine Judgment (destroying angels)

§  Genesis 19:1,13 – two angels sent to destroy Sodom

§  Exodus 12:21-23; Psalm 78:49-51 – band of destroying angels killed firstborn in Egypt

§  2 Samuel 24:1-17 – the pestilence sent for David's sin killed 70,000 (cf. 1 Chr. 21:9-16).

§  2 Kings 19:35 – the angel of the Lord struck down 185,000 Assyrians (cf. 2 Chr. 32:21; Is. 37:36)

§  Acts 12:23 – Herod struck by an angel because he did not give God the glory.

§  Exodus 33:2 – God sent an angel to drive out the Canaanites, Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites

§  Present at the Judgment: Matthew 13:39-41 – angels will weed out of the kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil, throw them into fiery furnace; Matthew 13:49 – angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace

§  Genesis 3:24 – angel guarded way to the tree of life

§  Revelation 20:1-3 – angel binds Satan and throws him into the abyss for a thousand years

·         Unseen protectors of those who fear God

§  Psalm 34:7 - "The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them." Isa. 63:9 "In all their distress he too was distressed, and the angel of his presence saved them." 

§  Genesis 48:16 - Jacob's blessing of Joseph's sons:  "the Angel who has delivered me from all harm; may he bless these boys."

§  2 Kings 6:15-17 - chariots of fire surrounding Elisha at Dothan

§  Matthew 26:53 – Jesus could call more than twelve legions of angels (cf. Ps. 91:11)

§  Revelation 12:7 – Michael and his angels fought against the dragon (devil) and his angels

§  Daniel 6:22 - “My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions." (cf. 3:25, 28) angel rescued three Hebrew children from the fiery furnace.

§  Matthew 18:10 – Little ones' "angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven."

§  Jude 8-9 – archangel Michael disputed with devil over body of Moses

§  Angels assist nations (Is. 37:36-37, 63:9; 2 Kgs. 18:13-19:37; Dan. 10:21, 12:1).

·         Ministering spirits

§  Hebrews 1:14 – “Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?” (Cf. Psalm 103:21 where the heavenly hosts are regarded as servants or ministers.)

§  Serving Jesus (1) at Jesus' temptation (Matt. 4:11; Mk. 1:13) and (2) at Gethsemane (Lk. 22:43)

§  Serving Peter by opening the doors of the jail (Acts 5:19) and waking Peter up in prison and removing his chains (Acts 12:7)

§  Serving Paul by encouraging him during the storm (Acts 27:23)

§  Serving Lot and his daughters (Gen. 19:15-22)

§  An angel secured Isaac a wife (Gen. 24:7)

§  Angels met Jacob on his way to Esau (Gen. 32:1-2)

§  Angel fed Elijah (1 Kgs. 19:3-7).

§  Angel directed Philip to Eunuch (Acts 8:26)

§  Angels rejoice when sinner repents (Lk. 15:7-10; cf. Heb. 12:22)

§  Confession and denial of Jesus will be done before the angels of God (Lk. 12:8-9)

·         Angels take away our souls to God at death (Luke 16:22 23)

·         Duties before God

§  They praise God (Ps. 91:11, 103:20, 148:1-2).

§  Members of the heavenly court (1 Kgs. 22:19-20; cf. Job 1:6ff, 2:1ff; Ps. 89:6-8).

CONCLUSION:

In his book, These Things Speak, Hugo McCord has written concerning angelic help: 

"From what we know by sight and feelings and experience, we cannot affirm that angels are real.  But from what we know by faith, the faith that comes by God's word, we are positive that 'for the sake of them that shall inherit salvation' angels are 'ministering spirits sent forth to do service' (Heb. 1:14).  Christians rejoice because the angel of the unchanging Jehovah 'encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them' (Mal. 3:6; Ps. 34:7).  Specifically what the angels do is an untaught matter, but the reality of their help for Christians is a positive and encouraging doctrine of revealed religion."

 


You Think About It!
Kevin Rayner


Posted by at No comments:
Labels:
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)