Posts from 2013 (Page 2)
Persons Expelled from the Church and Attending Church Meetings
I have often heard through the years that those who have been disciplined out of a church should nonetheless be allowed to attend as non-members. I want to submit my view on the matter. The passage about the man who committed incest is instructive. This is found in 1 Cor 5. Look carefully at what Paul instructed the Corinthian church to do concerning this man. Note the strong language: —“so that the one who has done this deed would be…
In or Out
You may think you can be a little bit into Christ, but this is impossible. You are either in Him or not in Him. If you are “in Him,” you are “complete in Him” and “members of His body.” And you are “accepted in the Beloved.” “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace which He lavished on us.” If a man is “in Christ,” he is a new…
Jerusalem Update: November 2013
“You know what I love about living here?” These were the first words I heard from Bryan’s mouth this morning. I peeked my head into our tiny bathroom area where Bryan was carrying out his morning bug massacre to hear his answer. “I love how many problems we have here. It’s great.” You might think this answer sounded Pollyannish, but I understood exactly what he meant. Of course, unlike our escalating bug problem, a few weightier ones we’ve been dealing…
Thanksgiving in Ethiopia: Ministry in Hosanna
I just finished an outstanding lunch at the missionary guesthouse—mashed potatoes, cooked carrots, dressing, chicken, and a unique salad that included bananas. It was like Thanksgiving in Ethiopia! Not surprisingly, the attendance at this lunch was higher than most days. We hope the people we served in Hosanna this past weekend enjoyed the food for the soul that we gave them. Our plan is so simple: teach the Bible. What else do they ultimately need? And what else has God…
From Ethiopia: Ministry in Goha Tsion
While driving back from a weekend of ministry in a town called Goha Tsion, we learned from a church planter with us that just yesterday (Sunday) a mini-bus crashed into another vehicle on the same route we were taking. 13 people died and 4 are in critical condition. I was able to get a picture of the vehicles as we drove by, although the picture doesn’t illustrate just how devastating the crash really was. It was a reminder to us…
The Glory on the Mountain; the Glory in You
After Moses encounters the preincarnate Christ on the mountain called Horeb seven times, the glory of the Lord comes on the newly erected Tabernacle, the new meeting place. It is a holy place because God is there. Later this glory will come on the Solomonic Temple, but later still, thanks to God, on His church at Pentecost. We are the temple of the New Covenant, where the Spirit dwells and we can behold the glory of Christ with unveiled face…
Jerusalem Update: October 2013
Elliff October Update You know the feeling. You stop paying much attention to the paths you walk (or drive) every day, you go to the same stores and buy the same foods, you see the same people and grow to enjoy their company . . . it’s the feeling of settling in. Though surprises still often tap us on the shoulder, this welcome feeling has been growing in us this last month. Lately we’ve found that a good way to…
The Plagues on Egypt Memory Tool
One, water to blood; Two, toads in mud; Three, thriving gnats; Four, flies that splat; Five, flocks that drop; Six, sores that pop; Seven, stones and storming; Eight, eaters swarming; Nine, nighttime bumbling; Ten, tykes are tumbling.
Seeing Stars with the Promised One
When Abram had a vision of the word of the Lord speaking to him, he envisioned the preincarnate Christ (Gen 15:1). Abram then discussed the problem of having no child for the fulfillment of the promise of a heritage and the apparent necessity of fulfilling it with his servant, Eliezer. Yet more than a vision happened. The language indicates it: “THEN BEHOLD, the word of the Lord CAME to him, saying, “This man shall not be your heir; but one…
Update From Jerusalem: September 2013
“Hello, hello.” “Excuse me, please come in.” To the thousands of tourists swarming through Old City Jerusalem every day, these words, spoken in heavy accents by every Arab shopkeeper lining the narrow streets, may seem endearing and inviting. But now we hear them multiple times a day, on our way to school, on our way to work, everywhere we go. They’re almost offensive to us now, because although we look like every other tourist passing by, the Old City is…
Bible Intensive Retreats: Romania 2013
While I was in Romania with Jim Elliff toward the beginning of April, my wife was putting our youngest daughter, Lilly, to bed. She told her, “Tomorrow we get to go to the airport to pick Daddy up!” Lilly responded, “To keep him?” I’m happy to say my daughter cherishes me. Jim and I are hopeful that the pastors and missionaries we served while in Romania now cherish their Bibles more than ever. We left the States on April…
False Teachers are like Spiders
Spider! It’s early in the morning, still dark, and I’m sitting at my kitchen table unable to sleep. Just outside my window and clinging to the corner of that window is a spider’s web. He has provided entertainment for several nights now. The light from the inside by the table draws unsuspecting bugs to the window pane. The spider takes advantage of the light to deceive them into his larder. The spider isn’t effective without being close to the light.…