Bible Quiet Time Notes (11.14.2009): Father-Son Rebelliousness, True Gospel Discipleship, and Restoration of the Church

Quiet time chapters for this morning: Ezra 3-4

Passage for reflection:

“In the reign of Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reign, they wrote an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.

In the days of Artaxerxes also, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabel, and the rest of their companions wrote to Artaxerxes king of Persia; and the letter was written in Aramaic script, and translated into the Aramaic language.  Rehum the commander and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem to King Artaxerxes in this fashion:

‘From Rehum the commander, Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their companions – representatives of the Dinaites, the Apharsathchites, the Tarpelites, the people of Persia and Erech and Babylon and Shushan, the Dehavites, the Elamites, and the rest of the nations whom the great and noble Osnapper took captive and settled in the cities of Samaria and the remainder beyond the River – and so forth.

(This is a copy of the letter that they sent him)

To King Artaxerxes from your servants, the men of the region beyond the River, and so forth:

Let it be known to the king that the Jews who came up from you have come to us at Jerusalem, and are building the rebellious and evil city, and are finishing its walls and repairing the foundations.  Let it now be known to the king that, if this city is built and the walls completed, they will not pay tax, tribute, or custom, and the king’s treasury will be diminished.  Now because we receive support from the palace, it was not proper for us to see the king’s dishonor; therefore we have sent and informed the king, that search may be made in the book of the records of your fathers.  And you will find in the book of the records and know that this city is a rebellious city, harmful to kings and provinces, and that they have incited sedition within the city in former times, for which cause this city was destroyed.

We inform the king that if this city is rebuilt and its walls are completed, the result will be that you will have no dominion beyond the River.’

The king sent an answer:

‘To Rehum the commander, to Shimshai the scribe, to the rest of their companions who dwell in Samaria, and to the remainder beyond the River:

Peace, and so forth.

The letter which you sent to us has been clearly read before me.  And I gave the command, and a search has been made, and it was found that this city in former times has revolted against kings, and rebellion and sedition have been fostered in it.  There have also been mighty kings over Jerusalem, who have ruled over all the region beyond the River; and tax, tribute, and custom were paid to them.  Now give the command to make these men cease, that this city may not be built until the command is given by me.

Take heed now that you do not fail to do this.  Why should damage increase to the hurt of the kings?’

Now when the copy of King Artaxerxes’ letter was read before Rehum, Shimshai the scribe, and their companions, they went up in haste to Jerusalem against the Jews, and by force of arms made them cease.  Thus the work of the house of God which is at Jerusalem ceased, and it was discontinued until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.”  (Ezra 4:6-24)

Bible Quiet Time Notes (11.13.2009): Discipleship, the New Birth of God for Dying Onto Righteousness, and Baptism

Quiet time chapters for this morning: 1 John 1-2

Passage for reflection:

“These things I have written to you concerning those who try to deceive you.  But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him.

And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming.  If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him.”  (1 John 2:26-29)

Goodreads Comment (11.12.2009): High Maintenance Friendship (“The Bean Trees,” Barbara Kingsolver)

Here is a comment I wrote on Goodreads for Barbara Kingsolver’s The Bean Trees, about the developing friendship between Taylor Greer and Lou Ann Ruiz, and their moderation of each other in friendship during Lou Ann’s heartache and forthcoming divorce (New York: Harper, 2003).

High Maintenance Coping Between Independence and Heartache

Bible Quiet Time Notes (11.12.2009): The Idols of Commerce Versus New Birth from God the Father

Quiet time chapters for this morning: 2 Chron. 15-16

Passage for reflection:

“In the thirty-sixth year of the reign of Asa, Baasha king of Israel came up against Judah and built Ramah, that he might let none go out or come in to Asa king of Judah.  Then Asa brought silver and gold from the treasuries of the house of the LORD and of the king’s house, and sent to Ben-Hadad king of Syria, who dwelt in Damascus, saying, ‘Let there be a treaty between you and me, as there was between my father and your father.  See, I have sent you silver and gold; come, break your treaty with Baasha king of Israel, so that he will withdraw from me.’

So Ben-Hadad heeded King Asa, and sent the captains of his armies against the cities of Israel.  They attacked Ijon, Dan, Abel Maim, and all the storage cities of Naphtali.  Now it happened, when Baasha heard it, that he stopped building Ramah and ceased his work.  Then King Asa took all Judah, and they carried away the stones and timber of Ramah, which Baasha had used for building; and with them he built Geba and Mizpah.

And at that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah, and said to him: ‘Because you have relied on the king of Syria, and have not relied on the LORD your God, therefore the army of the king of Syria has escaped from your hand.  Were the Ethiopians and the Lubim not a huge army with very many chariots and horsemen?  Yet, because you relied on the LORD, He delivered them into your hand.  For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him.  In this you have done foolishly; therefore from now on you shall have wars.’  Then Asa was angry with the seer, and put him in prison, for he was enraged at him because of this.  And Asa oppressed some of the people at that time.

Note that the acts of Asa, first and last, are indeed written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.  And in the thirty-ninth year of his reign, Asa became diseased in his feet, and his malady was severe; yet in his disease he did not seek the LORD, but the physicians.

So Asa rested with his fathers; he died in the forty-first year of his reign.  They buried him in his own tomb, which he had made for himself in the City of David; and they laid him in the bed which was filled with spices and various ingredients prepared in a mixture of ointments.  They made a very great burning for him.”       (2 Chron. 16)

Goodreads Comment (11.11.2009): Self-Reinvention and Romance in France (“Dreams of Bread and Fire,” Nancy Kricorian)

Here is a comment I wrote on Goodreads about Nancy Kricorian’s book Dreams of Bread and Fire, a story of a young woman who reinvents herself away from a troubled American family past in the form of renaissance and romance in France (New York: Grove, 2003). 

Fragmented Identity Composition and Neo-Modern Self-Reinvention and Self-Actualization in Nancy Kricorian’s “Dreams of Bread and Fire”

Bible Quiet Time Notes (11.11.2009): Waiting for the Lord’s Provision of Good Fruits

Bible quiet time chapters for this morning: Job 39-40

Passage for reflection:

“ ‘Look now at the behemoth, which I made along with you;

He eats grass like an ox.

 

See now, his strength is in his hips,

And his power is in his stomach muscles.

 

He moves his tail like a cedar;

The sinews of his thighs are tightly knit.

 

His bones are like beams of bronze,

His ribs like bars of iron.

 

He is the first of the ways of God;

Only He who made him can bring near His sword.

 

Surely the mountains yield food for him,

And all the beasts of the field play there.

 

He lies under the lotus trees,

In a covert of reeds and marsh.

 

The lotus trees cover him with their shade;

The willows by the brook surround him.

 

Indeed the river may rage,

Yet he is not disturbed;

He is confident, though the Jordan gushes into his mouth,

 

Though he takes it in his eyes,

Or one pierces his nose with a snare.’ ”  (Job 40:15-24)

Goodreads Comment (11.10.2009): Muslim and Chinese Social Networking for Western Culture (“The Next World War,” James Adams)

Here is a comment I made on Goodreads regarding James Adams’ data on the emergence of Muslim and Chinese social networking for Western culture in his book The Next World War: Computers Are the Weapons & the Front Line is Everywhere (New York: Simon & Schuster, 2003).

American Isolationism, China, and Muslim Social Networking in James Adams’ ‘The Next World War’  

Bible Quiet Time Notes (11.10.2009): Though We Have Not Seen Him, It is Through Witness that We Love Him: Apostolic Witness, Evangelism, and Suffering in Jesus’ Ministry

Bible quiet time chapters for this morning: 1 Pet. 1-2

Passage for reflection:

“In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, who having not seen you love.  Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith – the salvation of your souls.”  (1 Pet. 1:6-9)

Emmanuel Sermon Notes (11.8.2009): No Way Out

This blog article contains my notes taken from my pastor Scott Seaton’s sermon from this past Sunday for Emmanuel Presbyterian Church (PCA).  Scott’s sermon was meant to highlight our need to trust God as our Chief Shepherd during circumstances in which we’re fenced in from our natural self-sufficiency and our abilities to take care of ourselves.  God strips away our pride and self-righteousness, and our self-made ways of success, in such a way that God magnifies Himself as the God worthy of shepherding a peculiar people, and the God worthy of judging self-sufficient sinners.  And in the Gospel foundation, we are to trust in Jesus as the true and better Moses, the true Deliverer of our souls from bondage to false fears, our false places of self-worship, in this life, so that we know real grace and peace with God as our comforting Father.

Goodreads Comment (11.6.2009): “The Bean Trees,” Barbara Kingsolver

As part of my experimentation with Goodreads for this blog “New City,” I share in this blog article a comment I made on my initial reading of Barbara Kingsolver’s book The Bean Trees (New York: Harper, 2003).  As far as Bible quiet time notes go, I read Esther 9-10 as my quiet time chapters from the Bible this morning.  There are a lot of things I would like to go over from these chapters, especially regarding holidays, or “holy days,” especially as Thanksgiving and Christmas roll around.  I decided that the breadth of the subject deserved a more formal essay length blog article rather than the quiet time notes I’ve produced in recent articles.

Here is my Goodreads comment for Kingsolver’s book. 

“The Bean Trees,” Barbara Kingsolver