tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-48721143826957416262024-03-13T23:14:56.139-04:00Living Life with AntoineAntoine Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06451584627230434466noreply@blogger.comBlogger214125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4872114382695741626.post-62841469931987184312020-09-03T11:36:00.001-04:002020-09-03T11:36:32.566-04:00Healed From the Pain of Death<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IpRVpcyEz7E/X1EIULo3_3I/AAAAAAAA9ts/-TTo8vJt_UgxMd3qgibH3-auSKjrMhtfwCPcBGAsYHg/s1280/1599145654682_verse_image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IpRVpcyEz7E/X1EIULo3_3I/AAAAAAAA9ts/-TTo8vJt_UgxMd3qgibH3-auSKjrMhtfwCPcBGAsYHg/s320/1599145654682_verse_image.jpg" /></a></div><p>You know, yesterday (September 2, 2020), the craziest thing happened to me. I called my Mom just to check on her, you know, to see how she was doing and I didn't think much about the specific day other than the fact that I had not spoken to her in a while. What was strange about the conversation was that at the end she said that she was doing fine and then she asked how was I doing today? So, I thought it was the weirdest thing because we had already spoken on the phone for about 40 minutes. And then it hit me: yesterday would have been five years ago that my father passed away. </p><p>Typically, on that day I would call my Mom to check on her just to make sure that she was okay. So, I told her that until she mention it that it was the first time I had even thought about it at all. At first, I felt bad for not recognizing the day and so after I got off the phone with her, I texted my brother to check on him (we had made it customary to just check on each other). To my surprise, he had the same reaction that I had - until I mentioned it he had not thought of the specific day either! </p><p>This made both my brother and I realize that there had been some healing for us. No longer did the sting of the day of our father's death impact us. It took us five years to get to this point and this is not to say that we will ever think about it again, but this was the first time it had never crossed our minds on the day. This is the beauty about our Lord and the Holy Spirit. Yes, we as humans will grieve and we will deal with human emotions, but in due time God will take away the pain that we've felt due to the loss of a loved one. We will never forget them, but the pain that we felt on that day no longer holds us captive and that is healing only God can provide. I think my brother summed it up best when he said,</p><p></p><blockquote><i>...to me I don't want to think about today if I don't have to, don't want to think about the sad thing about daddy but celebrate the happy moments... --Adrian Hall</i></blockquote><p>If you have suffered the loss of a loved one, I know that we heal in our own times, but I would encourage you to think how my brother stated it. Celebrate the happy moments and don't focus on the sting of the sadness of loss. I guarantee there is more celebrate than the one day of pain.</p><p>Be Blessed Folks.</p><p>Antoine E. Hall</p><p></p>Antoine Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06451584627230434466noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4872114382695741626.post-37794083211096662872020-09-01T10:24:00.001-04:002020-09-01T10:31:32.309-04:00Out of Grief and into Comfort<p><span style="background-color: white;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HUZfaVt-KhQ/X05WoTVIPVI/AAAAAAAA9s4/LXYrwHM7FD44x6NeZaDcUL4BJGg94oy2gCPcBGAsYHg/s1280/1598969382563_verse_image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1280" height="328" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HUZfaVt-KhQ/X05WoTVIPVI/AAAAAAAA9s4/LXYrwHM7FD44x6NeZaDcUL4BJGg94oy2gCPcBGAsYHg/w328-h328/1598969382563_verse_image.jpg" width="328" /></a></div><span style="color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Let's face it. This year, 2020, has been a doozy. It seems like Murphy's Law definitely applies for this year. It is as if anything that you can think could go wrong, seems to have gone wrong up to this point. With shock and awe in society, racial tensions, numerous public figure deaths, family deaths and economic uncertainty, I feel that one of the emotions that may describe many of us at this time is one of grief.
Grief can be described as "an emotional reaction to change. It may entail many different feelings or changes in behavior. You may grieve a loss that has happened or one that you know is coming if, for example, a loved one is terminally ill. Depending on how close you were to the person who passed, you will notice varying degrees of grief." (from Mary Elizabeth Dean's article <i><a href="https://www.betterhelp.com/advice/grief/learning-the-grief-definition-is-the-first-step-to-finding-peace/" target="_blank">"Learning The Grief Definition Is The First Step To Finding Peace"</a></i> at BetterHelp.com). I mean, we are human beings and as such we will experience various ranges of emotions. The bigger question is one of how we deal with them.
However, no matter what we may be experiencing, there is One who can comfort us at all times. Christ has sent the Holy Spirit to comfort us and as we become better, we learn how to help comfort others during times of trials. Yes, these are trying times, but we cannot lose faith and hope in God who knows it all. Again, it has been a crazy year, but the things we are experiencing are not above the power of Yahweh. If we are at the end of the rope, in despair, and believing nothing can fix us, then we are saying that God has a limitation which is far from the truth. Know that He knows where you are and He knows how much you can bear. It is up to us to trust that God's love, mercy, and grace is sufficient enough to get you through these times and as you are built up, you are able to help lift up someone else as well.
Be Blessed Folks.
Antoine Hall</span></span><p></p>Antoine Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06451584627230434466noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4872114382695741626.post-84951236075561466152020-04-03T09:56:00.002-04:002020-04-03T22:05:14.260-04:00Do Not Quench the Spirit<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rzS_WE4etmA/Xocwm5OJzoI/AAAAAAAA6lM/flM1mGa4nhoNYSVniBnV1zfyNqKik14ZgCKgBGAsYHg/s1600/1585918027604_1632304-1585917676523.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rzS_WE4etmA/Xocwm5OJzoI/AAAAAAAA6lM/flM1mGa4nhoNYSVniBnV1zfyNqKik14ZgCKgBGAsYHg/s320/1585918027604_1632304-1585917676523.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
You know, it's funny how the Holy Spirit works. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B-fAm-Kj4kt/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link" target="_blank">Yesterday</a>, I had the opportunity to read from 1 Thessalonians (I mistakenly stated that it was from 2 Thessalonians) and a part of that included verse 19. Something about that verse stuck out to me among the others, so I intended to come back to it for study. I mean it seemed so simple and straight to the point, I wanted to double check that I wasn't missing something.<br />
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Well, little did I know that the Holy Spirit would bring me back here because of my own thought process.<br />
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<h3>
Back Story</h3>
Since we have been back to Raleigh, NC back in 2013, we have been renting our home. We have taken slow steps of getting to build, but it has taken a lot longer than we'd liked. We have gone into purchased land which we maintain, but we do not live on at the moment. We've been looking at plans, we've talked to builders, but just waiting for all the finances to line up for us. Again it's goinn slowly that we would like.<br />
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<h3>
Last Night</h3>
So, being the High-I (Optimistic, Influencing, Outgoing, Visionary) type personality that my wife is, she boldly says (and I am paraphrasing some):<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>What month is it? Oh yeah, we need to get started building by next month.</i></blockquote>
My response?<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>Well, we will see what this economy does first.</i></blockquote>
She says, "Oh, forgot about that" and we moved on to other things. Considering that we are in the midst of the Coronavirus Pandemic of 2020 and pretty much the US economy has shut down, I am thinking about the residual effect of the economy. You see, I am the High-C (Contemplating, Cautious, Detailed Oriented) type personality and I think about the "down-the-road" scenarios. For us, while our personality types differ, they help us to balance each other out. While I might overthink things and have analysis paralysis, she can see above the details and drag me out of being stuck. While she is the visionary and might not think of the details at times, I can add some "meat" around her ideas to help understand the small stuff. We balance each other out.<br />
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<h3>
Dousing the Fire</h3>
Now that you understand our relationship dynamic, you might see my response as "thinking about the details". However, if you don't look further, you may miss how my response could have squelched her enthusiasm. This very same idea is what is meant by quenching the spirit. The Holy Spirit is like a fire and He moves and guides us, but we at times put our own reasoning above the movement of the Holy Spirit. By my response, I pretty much ruled out the fact that my wife's bold statement may have been from the Holy Spirit. Despite what the economy looks like or what happens around us, what is planned for us is for us. I may be standing in my own way and putting out that fire of the Holy Spirit to do the good that is meant for my family!<br />
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<h3>
The Conclusion</h3>
In Matthew Henry's commentary on 1 Thessalonians 5, I think he summed it up best by saying:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>"...it is this Spirit of grace and supplication that helpeth our infirmities, that assisteth us in our prayers and thanksgivings. Christians are said to be baptized with the Holy Ghost and with fire. He worketh as fire, by enlightening, enlivening, and purifying the souls of men. We must be careful not to quench this holy fire. As fire is put out by withdrawing fuel, so we quench the Spirit if we do not stir up our spirits, and all that is within us, to comply with the motions of the good Spirit; and as fire is quenched by pouring water, or putting a great quantity of dirt upon it, so we must be careful not to quench the Holy Spirit by indulging carnal lusts and affections, or minding only earthly things."</i></blockquote>
We all make mistakes, but this is also why it is good to have the humility to admit when you're wrong. <b>I was wrong </b>to assume that my thought process was the right one. I mean, even the best of us have the best intentions, but our plans are many...it is God's plan which must ultimately prevail.<br />
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Be Blessed Folks.<br />
<br />
Antoine<br />
<br />Antoine Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06451584627230434466noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4872114382695741626.post-88257407659201085192019-12-03T14:03:00.003-05:002019-12-03T14:06:11.006-05:00In a Instance, It Was Gone<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-en8A9wINWU4/XeamQCNy3KI/AAAAAAAA4Zs/FMyJQrs5QJo04ZayxBGMowuQ8hZFBozvQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/glass-984457_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Broken Glass" border="0" data-original-height="426" data-original-width="640" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-en8A9wINWU4/XeamQCNy3KI/AAAAAAAA4Zs/FMyJQrs5QJo04ZayxBGMowuQ8hZFBozvQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/glass-984457_640.jpg" title="Broken Glass" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Image by <a href="https://pixabay.com/photos/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=984457" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Free-Photos</a> from Pixabay</i> </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I remember it like it was yesterday. I woke up that morning like any other, walked out to my car only to see my seats flipped forward, and my back window busted out. My sound system was gone; stolen; not to be had any more and I was upset to say the least. Did I mention that I was upset? That is probably putting it mildly.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
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<br />
Let's rewind back to when I was in high school. This was my 1987 Ford Escort with 5-Star rims on it and it was rightly named, "Da 'Scort". I worked as a teenager and so I paid for the car, but I was also interested in car sound systems. My interests were triggered by my cousins who had systems as well.<br />
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Over time, I managed to build quite the system. I had two 12" Sub woofers taking up the entire trunk, nice mid-range speakers in the doors, a 12-Disc CD changer, two amplifiers (one under each seat), and a Pioneer radio with a removable face and alarm. Yes, all of that was inside an Escort and on the surface you couldn't even tell. However, when it turned on my parents would say they could hear me coming into the neighborhood. It would rattle windows if I was close by. It was loud and it was my baby. To top it all off, I did all the installation work myself, so there was much pride in what I had.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rwym3r6xPBE/XeaqYcKPhCI/AAAAAAAA4aM/yQpWZvNbPF8io_I-Q7FAbifCXTA1xHXyQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/dascort.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Da 'Scort" border="0" data-original-height="410" data-original-width="802" height="163" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rwym3r6xPBE/XeaqYcKPhCI/AAAAAAAA4aM/yQpWZvNbPF8io_I-Q7FAbifCXTA1xHXyQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/dascort.jpg" title="Da 'Scort" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Da 'Scort</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
That summer I was in summer school at NC State and that night I came home blasting my music like normal and went in the house. Out of all nights, I forgot to take the face off my radio, which if the face wasn't put on the radio in 10 seconds the alarm (horn) would go off.<br />
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So, when I walked to the car and saw what happened, my heart dropped. The only thing that they left for me were the speakers in the doors, but that was only because they were behind the factory covers. There was anger, sadness, disbelief, and so many emotions running through my head. I had felt so violated. Something that I had worked so hard to create over years was gone in just an overnight nap. So, for a long time, I drove around in silence with wires hanging out of my dashboard where a radio used to be, which was a constant reminder of what had happened that summer.<br />
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So, why the pain? Why the heartache? Why did I feel like I had lost everything? The reasoning was because of how I treated my car and my sound system. It was my treasure on earth and like a king with riches, it was my vault that held all my valuables. In <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matt+6%3A19-21&version=NKJV" target="_blank">Matthew 6:19-21</a>, the Bible says:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>(19) “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; (20) but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. (21) For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.</i></blockquote>
I did exactly what the scripture said not to do. I wasn't saved back then, so these verses didn't register to me, however, even as a non-believer I learned something. The things you have on this earth can be gone in an instant. The things that you build up that are material can be lost in a matter of minutes. If your heart, soul, and everything are in those things, you will feel defeated and demoralized when they are gone.<br />
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Yes, this life changing event is still vivid to me, but what has changed is where I put my value. Yes, I do own things, but my worth isn't wrapped up in them. My walk with Christ and the love of my family tops my list now-a-days and that's what matters most. Yep, I still have treasures - it's just that now I store them in a different place.<br />
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Be Blessed folks.<br />
<br />Antoine Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06451584627230434466noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4872114382695741626.post-28991735702120633082019-11-07T15:20:00.000-05:002019-11-07T15:24:32.147-05:00The Blame Game<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Humans are great at blaming others for their problems or short-comings and we have no greater example than Adam and Eve. In Genesis 3, we find that the two have eaten from the tree of Knowledge, to which both were given direct instructions on not to eat. Adam was told directly from Yahweh and Eve by Adam, however, before we go any further, let's look specifically at verses 12 and 13:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>(12) Then the man said, “The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate.” (13) And the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”</i></blockquote>
</blockquote>
The passages above follow as they both have eaten the fruit of the tree of knowledge. Now, while there was some deception at play, we also know that the Lord always provides us with a way to escape temptation (see <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Corinthians+10:13&version=NKJV" target="_blank">1 Corinthians 10:13</a>). It's up to us to take His offer and escape!<br />
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While the two hid from the Lord (because they knew what they did was wrong), God called out to them and asked why they were hiding. He knew the answer, but it was a matter of whether or not they would be truthful. We start off with Adam responding to the Lord and he does two things:<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>He indirectly blames God for providing the woman too him, and then</li>
<li>He directly blames Eve for the reason he ate the fruit.</li>
</ol>
While all the blame was pointing at Eve, she says, "The serpent deceived me". She essentially passed the buck too.<br />
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In both cases, they displayed this new found desire for man to cover and/or protect themselves when they knew they had done wrong. This is the reason why Adam and Even covered themselves with leaves when Yahweh called out to them. They felt ashamed because they were naked. Now, had they not ate from the tree, they would not have this knowledge of being naked or have a feeling of being ashamed!<br />
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You see, it is easier to blame others for our problems, but it takes a mature person to look inward and ask what was your role in a particular situation. Instead of blaming others for your problems, why not see how you can fix your part of the problem. Do a little self-reflection and if we are honest with ourselves, there are enough issues to solve within ourselves without pointing fingers at others.<br />
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<br />Antoine Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06451584627230434466noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4872114382695741626.post-25366954977569533412019-11-01T14:59:00.000-04:002019-11-01T14:59:18.133-04:00He Calms the Storms<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Wu_mm7UQiAo/Xbx9nWgmD-I/AAAAAAAA3WA/zIrBWw9AlQ0j1owkta5hYKDI7pMzLT21gCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/lightning-bolt-768801_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Wu_mm7UQiAo/Xbx9nWgmD-I/AAAAAAAA3WA/zIrBWw9AlQ0j1owkta5hYKDI7pMzLT21gCK4BGAYYCw/s320/lightning-bolt-768801_640.jpg" width="320" /></a>Throughout our lives we will all have rough patches. We will have moments of smooth sailing and we will have bouts of stormy weather. This will happen to us both physically and spiritually.<br />
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For Instance. Last night in North Carolina, we had a line of storms to come through that produced tornadoes. We were on a level 3 (out of 5) alert in our area. The good thing is that the weather predictions prepared us for what was to come. Even if nothing happened, we were prepared for if it did. Now, today the weather is cool, crisp, and sunny.<br />
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In our spiritual walk there are times when you may be minding your own business and without warning, a storm seemingly comes out of nowhere. In the physical, when people are not warned ahead of time there can be many injured and loss of life if the storms are bad enough. Spiritually, you may not lose your life, but you can suffer great emotional and spiritual injury if you aren't prepared to endure and the aftermath. <br />
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However, despite how bad the storms may appear in our lives, Yahweh is always there to make them pass away. Let's look at <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+107%3A23-30&version=NKJV" target="_blank">Psalm 107:23-30</a>.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>(23) Those who go down to the sea in ships, Who do business on great waters, (24) They see the works of the Lord, And His wonders in the deep. (25) For He commands and raises the stormy wind, Which lifts up the waves of the sea. (26) They mount up to the heavens, They go down again to the depths; Their soul melts because of trouble. (27) They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, And are at their wits’ end. (28) Then they cry out to the Lord in their trouble, And He brings them out of their distresses. (29) He calms the storm, So that its waves are still. (30) Then they are glad because they are quiet; So He guides them to their desired haven.</i></blockquote>
Despite the damage that may be caused, God is there to bring us out of our distress. The Holy Spirit allows us to pass through the calm after the storm and He guides us to a desired haven. However, the only way this happens is that we understand who is in control and that the desired outcome for our lives is His will. We just have to be patient and a willing vessel so that we may learn, grow, and have a testimony to share with others.<br />
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Storms will come and there is no doubt about that. It's in the aftermath of the recovery period that shows our true character and how we are really walking out this Christian faith.<br />
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<br />Antoine Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06451584627230434466noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4872114382695741626.post-82189744411020328292019-10-22T09:53:00.003-04:002019-10-22T09:53:55.854-04:00Opening Doors That Cannot Be ClosedThis past Sunday while on our way home from the kids swim practice, my family stopped to eat out for dinner. In the establishment, there were a couple of televisions and one had two shows, back-to-back, that we do not allow our children to watch. We monitor what our kids take in at their ages because we firmly believe that they can see and hear things that their brains are not mature enough to process.<br />
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On the drive home, this led to a discussion with our kids (who are 14 and 12 respectively) about why we do not allow them to watch certain TV shows and it boiled down to this. There are some things that are shown on TV that may well look innocent, but has adult language and content. There brains may not be ready to handle that type of information yet, and with children today they look things up. With the internet, everything is right at people's finger tips to get all the information they want - both good and bad. One thing can lead to another and the next thing you know, you've gone down a rabbit whole and opened up doors to seeing things that you should not have seen in the first place. And, once you see something, it is very hard to "unsee" it.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-C-jqDVN1rVU/Xa8HFPhtacI/AAAAAAAA3Nk/aQws22e6uAg7xO0uIrJIbq7ztMnakx7MQCKgBGAsYHg/s1600/1571751671156_1632304-1571751578567.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-C-jqDVN1rVU/Xa8HFPhtacI/AAAAAAAA3Nk/aQws22e6uAg7xO0uIrJIbq7ztMnakx7MQCKgBGAsYHg/s320/1571751671156_1632304-1571751578567.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
As the parents, we want to help our kids to avoid opening doors that can spiritually, emotionally, and physically have a negative impact on their lives. In <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Gen+2%3A15-17&version=NKJV" target="_blank">Genesis 2:15-17</a>, Yahweh gave specific instructions to Adam about what he could and could not have in the Garden of Eden. He said,<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>(15) Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it. (16) And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; 17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”</i></blockquote>
This was the Father doing the same job that we as parents try do for our kids, however, we know that life is never simple. In the very next chapter we see that temptation in the form of a serpent comes and plants doubt into the mind of Eve. It said, <i>"...You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." </i>(<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Gen+3%3A4-5&version=NKJV" target="_blank">Gen 3:4-5</a>). In her naivety, Eve goes along with it and not only did she eat of the tree, but she then gave it to Adam. Even though Adam was given the instruction, directly from God, HE STILL ATE THE FRUIT!!!<br />
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Once they both ate of the tree of knowledge, something immediately happened. Their eyes became opened just as the serpent said, but they now had to deal with things that they didn't have to worry about before. When God approached them in the garden, Adam and Eve hid and in <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Gen+3%3A10-11&version=NKJV" target="_blank">Genesis 3:10-11</a>, it says,<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>(10) So he said, “I heard Your voice in the garden, and <b style="background-color: yellow;">I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself.</b>” (11) And He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you that you should not eat?”</i></blockquote>
Yahweh knew what they had done because his response was, "who told you that you were naked?" They covered themselves in shame, but if we go back at the end of Genesis 2 after God had created woman, it said,<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>"And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed."</i></blockquote>
If you gloss over the end of chapter 2, you will miss the impact that it has in Genesis 3:10-11. You see, for us to think about walking around naked today is weird. Even when talking to our kids in the car, our daughter said how strange it would be for everyone to be naked. However, our response was that had Adam and Eve not opened that door, none of us would know any different. We went on to talk about how they hid and tried to cover themselves, but that's when my wife, in her brilliance, recognized something. She said (and I am paraphrasing) that usually when someone does something wrong, they spend time trying to cover themselves. Whether it be to find cover and hide from their actions or to cover up and hide their actions through deception or silence, time is spent doing a cover up. Why would people do this? It is because they are aware of their wrongs!<br />
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By them eating of the tree of knowledge, it opened a single door that led to the fallen state of man today. It started with temptation, but temptation is all around us and it is upon us to recognize it. Even as adults, it is our job to find the door that God provides to avoid temptation when it comes our way. As a parent, we are to help our kids avoid the pitfalls of life and to keep doors closed that could lead them to knowledge that they are not prepared to handle. If we ever forget what could happen, we have to look no further than Adam and Eve as an example of what could happen. Some doors may give shiny appetizing reasons to open them, but not all doors are meant to be opened.<br />
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<br />Antoine Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06451584627230434466noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4872114382695741626.post-3241911341425885412019-10-10T13:06:00.000-04:002019-10-10T13:06:01.018-04:00Go Earn It!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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In Ruth's time, to go out into the fields to "glean after the reapers" signified that those people went out in the fields after the reapers had gone through to pick up what was left behind. Those people were poor and working to feed their family. See, in <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Leviticus+19%3A9-10&version=NKJV" target="_blank">Leviticus 19:9-10</a>, the Lord commanded the farmers to not harvest their entire field, but to leave a corner for the poor. Not only that, but whatever bundles of grain they dropped, they were to leave them for the poor as well. This was an awesome way of having a farmer to provide for his family, but also left means for the poor to go and work to provide for their family as well. No one gave the poor anything, but they put in the hard work to do so.<br />
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When we see Ruth becoming closer to Boaz, he didn't spoil her by giving her anything. Ruth didn't ask for anything either. He still allowed her to work for all the grain she needed for herself and Naomi (her mother-in-law), but was nice in providing extra for her to gather. Granted, it was the law that said the portion of the field was for the poor, but Ruth didn't feel that she was entitled to it.<br />
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Contrast that to today. There is a ton of entitlement going on. So many people feel that they are owed certain things just because. And to think that today, there are no laws that says that someone owes you anything. The point that I am getting at is that there are opportunities for many to work to provide for themselves. The work may not be elegant or beautiful, but could be rather difficult and ugly labor. Whatever it may be, do what you have to do and go earn it for yourself and for your family because if someone gives it to you, you will not appreciate it.<br />
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<br />Antoine Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06451584627230434466noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4872114382695741626.post-83278761011350743642019-10-03T11:09:00.002-04:002019-10-03T11:09:13.371-04:00Idols Give You False Hope<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We as a humans have an innate quality to worship things that give us hope. This is a good quality but it also is a bad quality. You may be wondering how is it bad, but first let's start with the good.<br />
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The good thing about the desire for hope is that it gives us motivation. It drives us to continue in the face of adversity. It allows us to dream even when the dreams seem far fetched. It let us to believe in Yeshua (Jesus) the Christ and understand what Yahweh did so that we could have everlasting life. God has been trying to have his people love Him,since the beginning of time, but even in the midst of all the miracles the hope we have in Him tends to waiver.<br />
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This leads us to the bad quality about worshiping things that give us hope. In times when it appears that God is silent, we tend to navigate towards things that appear to make us happy. Or, we put things up on pedestals and make them the gods over our lives. What do I mean by this? Well, I am referring to things such as jobs, money, material things, objects, etc. Anything that takes our focus off the Lord has become our idol and our idols can never save us.<br />
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Let's look at Micah in the book of Judges. In <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Judges+18%3A22-24&version=NKJV" target="_blank">Judges 18:22-24</a>, it says:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>(22) When they were a good way from the house of Micah, the men who were in the houses near Micah’s house gathered together and overtook the children of Dan. 23 And they called out to the children of Dan. So they turned around and said to Micah, “What ails you, that you have gathered such a company?” (24) So he said, “You have taken away my [a]gods which I made, and the priest, and you have gone away. Now what more do I have? How can you say to me, ‘What ails you?’ ”</i></blockquote>
Now, I could go on with my own explanation here, but I think David Guzik does an excellent job of breaking down these verses and shedding some like on Micah's situation in his <a href="https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/guzik_david/StudyGuide2017-Jdg/Jdg-18.cfm?a=229018" target="_blank">Commentary Study Guide on Judges 18</a>. He states:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>You have taken away my gods which I made: </b>This is powerful irony. Micah had to rescue his own gods. Obviously, his gods should be able to care for themselves. We wonder if Micah saw the foolishness of this. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<ol>
<li>We each either worship a god of our own making or we worship the true God who made us. But the gods we make are always less than we are. Idol worship is just another way of worshipping self. </li>
<li><b>And the priest:</b> Micah was foolish enough to have a priest who could be taken away, and it reminds us of how wonderful it is to have a High Priest who cannot change, and who can never be taken away from us. As F.B. Meyer wrote, “Whatever can be taken from us has the mark and signature of man upon it.” Yet Jesus Christ, our High Priest, can never change; will never leave us out of a concern for someone else; and our sins and failures cannot rob us of Him.</li>
</ol>
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>Now what more do I have? </b>This shows how empty Micah’s idolatry was. His false gods didn’t bring him any lasting good.</blockquote>
I think the biggest takeaway here is that your idols cannot save you and that they cannot bring you lasting good. Idol worship is only temporary and if you hope isn't in Christ who can save you, then you will find yourself creating new idols to take the place of the old ones.<br />
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<br />Antoine Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06451584627230434466noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4872114382695741626.post-44102371095298852452019-09-30T08:47:00.001-04:002019-09-30T08:47:53.734-04:00Fear, Even When God's Power is Present<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's funny that people seem to follow the same patterns. In this case, it is with Samson and the Israelites. It is one of those things where fear has caused them to give up or turn over the thing that they thought would cause them pain. In reality, that very thing is what can save and keep them.<br />
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In the previous verses, Samson had burned the Philistines grains in anger of his wife being given to his friend by his father-in-law. Albeit, Samson did give her to the friend and left for a while, but when he came back there was an expectation that he'd be able to "go into her" (or have sex with her). Once the father-in-law informed him that the friend had already done so, he offered Samson his younger daughter instead. This upset Samson, so he set tails of alive foxes on fire, then sent them running through a field of grains, vineyards and olive groves.<br />
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Once the Philistine's found out what happened, they in-turn went up to the wife and father-in-law and killed them by setting them on fire. Yes, you heard that right. They killed them both by setting them on fire. In return, Samson killed quite a few Philistines because they took the lives of his wife and father-in-law. Afterwards, he went to dwell in the "cleft of the rock of Etam". It had become an escalated case of tit for tat.<br />
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This brings us to where today's verses start. Bare in mind that during this time period, the children of Israel were living under the rule of the Philistines. They had turned their backs on Yahweh (again) and their punishment was servitude to them. So, by this time the Philistines are angry and they go up to the land of Judah to encamp in it which caused the men of Judah to fear being attacked. When they questioned the reason for their prescence, the Philistines told them they came to arrest Samson.<br />
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At this point, the men of Judah are thinking, why should they fight this? So, they go find Samson and explain to him why they have come to arrest him. Now, at this point there are a few things that stand out:<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>They knew exactly where Samson was located,</li>
<li>They sent 3,000 men down to Etam to retrieve Samson, and</li>
<li>They never seem to bat an eye at the fact that Samson allowed them to bind him only with the promise that he wouldn't be killed.</li>
</ol>
<div>
One could say that the men were trying to preserve their lives and Judah, however I choose to look at what they ignored. Given points 1 & 2 above, this tells me that Samson was a known individual. They knew exactly where to find him and there wasn't a huge search. In addition, they sent 3,000 men down to get Samson. If they did not know who he was or recognize his strength, they would have only sent a hand full of men to bring him back. They didn't do that. They went as though they were prepared to use as many men as possible to subdue him.</div>
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It never dawned on the men that Samson never resisted their demands. He only required that they not kill him. If they knew Samson's history, then they knew his strength. If they knew his strength, why did they not question the lack of resistance? It was as though the only thing they were focused on was how they could preserve their lives by any means. Later, they would take Samson back to the Philistines only to see him break out of the ropes and kill a thousand men with the skull of a donkey.</div>
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It is amazing how we miss the presence and power of God when it is around. Despite the miracles of strength Samson put on display, the men of Judah were frustrated and willing to arrest him because of fearing their captors. Instead of turning to Samson in support and belief, they seemed to need a little bit more evidence of who he was and from where his power came. </div>
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Can you recognize when the power and presence of Yahweh is around you?</div>
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Antoine Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06451584627230434466noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4872114382695741626.post-6563194609849615182019-09-27T12:45:00.002-04:002019-09-27T12:45:18.564-04:00You Married Your Spouse, Not Everybody Else<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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When two people make marriage vows under Yahweh God, they are supposed to abide by what He set forth in the beginning. In Genesis 2:24, the Lord laid it out quite plainly:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>"Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh." (NKJV)</i></blockquote>
This means that you two have become one unit. You have each other's backs and you work for the betterment of your marriage. Granted we can talk to friends and family for advice, especially if they are married, BUT that advice should never be anything that would be to the detriment of your marriage.<br />
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In Samson's case, he found himself marrying a woman who did not believe what he believed. She did not follow God the way that He followed God, but yet he chose to yoke himself to this woman. In these verses, he gave a riddle to the Philistine's, but the only way they could solve it was to coerce Samson's new wife. They threatened to do harm to her family (not her and Samson) if she could not trick Samson into producing the answer. In the end, the wife chose to pester him so much that he gave up the answer to the riddle, to which she in turn told the men of Philistine.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>"Some wives will make themselves a burden to their husbands until they get what they want. This tactic is used because it often works in the short term; but it can poison the relationship and ends up costing more than it gains."</i> --David Guzik</blockquote>
One might say that her family's life was threatened. However, I would like to point out that she was married to the strongest man on the planet - Samson. She could've told her husband and he could have taken care of those who threatened her and her family. She made the choice to side with her people instead of supporting her husband. Again, David Guzik's study guide of Judges 14, sums up everything quite nicely:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>"The willingness of Samson’s Philistine wife to side with her people against Samson shows a fundamental weakness in their marriage. She did not fulfill the idea essential to marriage of leaving one’s father and mother to be joined in a one flesh relationship to their spouse... Yet this also shows why it was wrong for Samson to marry a Philistine. We cannot expect someone who does not love the God of Israel to build a marriage on God’s principles."</i></blockquote>
People, when you marry, you dedicate your life to each other. You do not dedicate your life to each other and everyone else around you. If you are to love each other until death do you part, then each needs to know that they have each other's back. Again, it is ok to seek advice of others, but it is up to you to not let that advice violate the tenants of your marriage.<br />
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<br />Antoine Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06451584627230434466noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4872114382695741626.post-80234946854427873962019-09-26T11:55:00.000-04:002019-09-26T11:55:52.099-04:00Clarity in Manoah's Panic<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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As the head of the household, sometimes men we put a lot of burden on ourselves. There are so many things that we go through as husbands and leaders that we sometimes have our minds clouded. Sometimes work and home blurs together and then there is the spiritual component in the mix of it all. We start to ask ourselves all sorts of self-evaluating questions: Am I serving God the way that I should? Am I raising my children right? Am I being a good husband? Will it rain this weekend because I need to cut the grass?! <br />
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In this scripture, most would see the beginning of the great Samson, but I want to share something else. In the previous verses, Manoah and his wife sacrificed a young goat and a made burnt and grain offerings to the Lord. As the flames burned, "the Angel of the Lord ascended in the flame of the altar" up to heaven. In a panic, Manoah just knew that they would die because no man was to see Yahweh and live. It was at this moment that the voice of reason spoke.<br />
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His wife said in short, if the Lord was going to kill them both, they would already be dead. Yahweh wouldn't have accepted their offerings. On top of that, He would not have sent the angel in the first place with the a divine message from God. It was God who appointed a time such as this for Samson to be born and they were to be his parent. It wasn't a time for the Father to kill them both.<br />
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Brothers, we need our wives to be that voice of reason at times. Sometimes we can get ourselves so worked up and close to the edge, that we need that strong presence to talk us off the ledge. All we have to do is set pride aside and listen. Manoah could and so can we.<br />
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<br />Antoine Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06451584627230434466noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4872114382695741626.post-70088892851774975922019-09-25T10:37:00.000-04:002019-09-25T10:37:06.232-04:00Lessons from Manoah, Samson's Father<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Manoah had a wife who had been barren and out of the blue an Angel of the Lord appeared to her. The message? She would have a son who would deliver Israel out of the hands of the Philistines. Now think for a moment. Here is a women who have not been able to conceive a child and three miraculous things happened to her all at once.<br />
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<ol>
<li>She was visited by an Angel of the Lord,</li>
<li>She was told that she would have a son,</li>
<li>The son that she would have would deliver Israel out of the hands of the Philistines.</li>
</ol>
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After hearing this, the first thing she did was run to her husband, Manoah, to tell him of the incident. He did not doubt her or think she was crazy, but rather his thoughts were, Lord please send this man to teach us what to do with the child. <br />
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First of all most men would wonder who is this strange man talking to my wife! Second, most men's first thought would not be to pray to have the man come back for instruction (probably more so for confrontation). It really tells us a lot about a man who would be the father of one to save a nation.<br />
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What lessons can we glean from Manoah?<br />
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<ol>
<li>Men, have your wife's back. You married her for a reason and sometimes she just needs you to hear her and believe/support her, no matter how crazy things may sound, and</li>
<li>Men, seek the Lord first. Manoah wanted this man to come back to know exactly how to raise his future son. Yahweh was blessing them and he wanted His instructions on how to care for that blessing. Brothers are we like Manoah in how we treat the things God blesses us with?</li>
</ol>
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Antoine Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06451584627230434466noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4872114382695741626.post-41367063991586151092019-09-24T14:03:00.001-04:002019-09-24T14:03:30.406-04:00Dreams About My Father: On the Front Porch<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It was all so clear; the sound of your voice; the belting out of your laughter,<br />
It was as if you were still here.<br />
We were in Grandma Eula's house and I was the age I am now.<br />
You and I walked on the front porch and the sun was setting<br />
And that's when I realized you were not really here.<br />
You were there, but not here.<br />
As I realized this, my eyes welled up and I wiped away the tears<br />
And you and I stood on the porch never saying another word.<br />
It was as if we were going separate ways and we both understood it.<br />
Then I woke up.<br />
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<i>~Antoine E. Hall, 2019</i>Antoine Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06451584627230434466noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4872114382695741626.post-29603775686614328192018-01-11T23:23:00.001-05:002018-01-11T23:31:57.567-05:00Now That I Have Your Attention<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; clear: left; color: black; float: left; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><img alt="Now that I have your attention" height="186" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/trpuLJJp746z-DqFvYYfEMnHs7Q7uytU3HjrUloSrsmNTj9NLza7ED6ZD8Dya6i5jqd2h836EiVQVQRZoXiqIyYuOWP0w2TSYdgdqXrIchB3d9Wf23hz0itdg8598f4gvV2Ozh5H" style="border: none; transform: rotate(0rad);" title="Now that I have your attention" width="237" /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">It has been a while since I have blogged (over a year), but I had something to happen that gave me some motivation. Yesterday, I went to my normal fish market and had the opportunity to talk to the owner. Nothing special about that (you would think) except this man had been gone for a long time. He had a heart attack last year and had died. Yes, dead. No pulse. The paramedics would eventually bring him back to life, but needless to say he spent a while in the hospital and at home resting.</span><br />
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So, yesterday when I talked to him it was a pleasant surprise. We talked for a while after he rung-me-up and his overall message to me was, “God is Good”. I just shook my head yes and said, “Yes, He is.” He went on to tell me that God definitely got his attention and he had made some serious lifestyle changes. Things that use to be important to him have been replaced by areas where Yahweh wants him to focus. Yep, Yahweh got his attention.<br />
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We often plow through life with our heads down working, raising kids, making life work to the best of our abilities. In the midst of all of this, we tend to forget that Yahweh is in the mix and that He has plans for our lives. When we ignore the leading of the Holy Spirit and His many attempts to get us submit to obedience, we eventually stir up God’s wrath. Sometimes, He has to grab our attention; you know, shake us to the core before we realize what He wants from us.<br />
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The funny thing is that Yahweh has been consistent throughout the existence of man. Throughout the Old Testament, you can see how the Israelites waffle on the Lord. For one period of time, they follow Him to a “T”. For another period of time, they do all the things that would invoke God’s wrath, but yet He responds, corrects them and get them back on track. <br />
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Let’s look at Jeremiah 29:10-14:<br />
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(10) For thus says the Lord: After seventy years are completed at Babylon, I will visit you and perform My good word toward you, and cause you to return to this place. (11) For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. (12) Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. (13) And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. (14) I will be found by you, says the Lord, and I will bring you back from your captivity; I will gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have driven you, says the Lord, and I will bring you to the place from which I cause you to be carried away captive.</blockquote>
Yahweh sent the Prophet Jeremiah to warn His people of the coming wrath. There had come a time when He needed to jolt the Israelites for them to realize their wrong. However, through all of this, He still had plans for them to prosper after they would spend 70 years in Babylon.<br />
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The same with us today. He loves us. In fact He loves us so much that He sent His son to die for our sins, so that we may have everlasting life. But yet, even in a time where the Comforter (Holy Spirit) keeps us, we still find ways to ignore His will for our lives. Unfortunately, sometimes Yahweh has to do something radical to gain our attentions. If only we could just slow down and realize what He desires for us rather than putting our own plans before His. It has to just make you wonder, how different would our lives be?<br />
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Antoine<br />
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<br />Antoine Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06451584627230434466noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4872114382695741626.post-48956361446942482232016-09-14T11:48:00.000-04:002016-09-14T11:48:37.343-04:00King David - A Blueprint for Salvation<div dir="ltr" style="margin-bottom: 3pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;">
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; line-height: 20.24px; white-space: pre-wrap;">In studying the book of 2 Samuel, I have found myself stuck in chapters 11 and specifically 12. However, I do not see this as being a bad thing because I am convinced that there was something that the Lord wanted me to see and today I get to share that with you as well. Rather than do a normal blog entry, I am going to provide some notes in the form of commentary. I hope that it all still makes sense as I attempt to lay out some logical flow. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; line-height: 20.24px; white-space: pre-wrap;">So, to give some background the main focus of this study will be on 2 Samuel 11-12 and Psalm 51 along with other supporting scriptures. In the first part, we will look at the account of King David and how he laid with Bathsheba, got her pregnant, and plotted to have her husband killed. The second part will focus on the displeasure of Yahweh and the punishment. Lastly, we’ll take a look at David’s prayer and how the Lord responds to his prayer.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 21.333333333333332px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Sins</span></h2>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">He took a wife that wasn’t his to take; one from another man. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Sam+11%3A1-5%2C26-27&version=NKJV" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">2 Sam 11:1-5,26-27</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> - (1) It happened in the spring of the year, at the time when kings go out to battle, that David sent Joab and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the people of Ammon and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem. (2) Then it happened one evening that David arose from his bed and walked on the roof of the king’s house. And from the roof he saw a woman bathing, and the woman was very beautiful to behold. (3) So David sent and inquired about the woman. And someone said, “Is this not Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?” (4) Then David sent messengers, and took her; and she came to him, and he lay with her, for she was cleansed from her impurity; and she returned to her house. (5) And the woman conceived; so she sent and told David, and said, “I am with child”...(26) When the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she mourned for her husband. (27) And when her mourning was over, David sent and brought her to his house, and she became his wife and bore him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased the Lord.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Commentary: </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> It is ok to for a widow woman to remarry, but in the manner that Uriah’s death occurred, this was not approved via the law. In </span><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+7%3A1-3&version=NKJV" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Romans 7:1-3</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> it says: “(1) Or do you not know, brethren (for I speak to those who know the law), that the law has dominion over a man as long as he lives? (2) For the woman who has a husband is bound by the law to her husband as long as he lives. But if the husband dies, she is released from the law of her husband. (3) So then if, while her husband lives, she marries another man, she will be called an adulteress; but if her husband dies, she is free from that law, so that she is no adulteress, though she has married another man.”
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">David broke the law making him an adulterer as well as causing Bathsheba to become an adulteress.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus+20%3A14&version=NKJV" style="background-color: transparent; text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Exodus 20:14</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> - You shall not commit adultery.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Leviticus+20%3A10&version=NKJV" style="background-color: transparent; text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Leviticus 20:10</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> - ‘The man who commits adultery with another man’s wife, he who commits adultery with his neighbor’s wife, the adulterer and the adulteress, shall surely be put to death.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy+22%3A22-24&version=NKJV" style="background-color: transparent; text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Deuteronomy 22:22-24</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> - (22) “If a man is found lying with a woman married to a husband, then both of them shall die—the man that lay with the woman, and the woman; so you shall put away the evil from Israel. (23) “If a young woman who is a virgin is betrothed to a husband, and a man finds her in the city and lies with her, (24) then you shall bring them both out to the gate of that city, and you shall stone them to death with stones, the young woman because she did not cry out in the city, and the man because he humbled his neighbor’s wife; so you shall put away the evil from among you.
</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">David committed premeditated murder</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Samuel+11%3A14-17&version=NKJV" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">2 Samuel 11:14-17</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> - (14) In the morning it happened that David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it by the hand of Uriah. (15) And he wrote in the letter, saying, “Set Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retreat from him, that he may be struck down and die.” (16) So it was, while Joab besieged the city, that he assigned Uriah to a place where he knew there were valiant men. (17) Then the men of the city came out and fought with Joab. And some of the people of the servants of David fell; and Uriah the Hittite died also.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Commentary:</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> The law that forbid premeditated murder can be found in </span><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus+21%3A14&version=NKJV" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Exodus 21:14</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> where it states, “But if a man acts with premeditation against his neighbor, to kill him by treachery, you shall take him from My altar, that he may die.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 21.333333333333332px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Conviction and Punishment</span></h2>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Commentary:</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> One thing to note in this section, we specifically talk about Yahweh’s conviction which is odd under the old Mosaic Law. Breaking the law while under the law was a cause for condemnation instead of conviction (see </span><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Rom+8%3A1-4&version=NKJV" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Romans 8:1-4</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> for no condemnation).</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Condemnation (noun) - the act of expressing strong disapproval of; the act of pronouncing judgement against; the act of sentencing
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Conviction (noun) - the state of being found or proven guilty</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">David, through his own judgement, found himself guilty.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Commentary:</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Yahweh sent Nathan the prophet after he broke the law. In this, Nathan had a direct order to tell a parable that would not only arouse David’s anger, but also made him want to fulfill the punishment for the law that was broken.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Samuel+12%3A1-6&version=NKJV" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">2 Samuel 12:1-6</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> - (1) Then the Lord sent Nathan to David. And he came to him, and said to him: “There were two men in one city, one rich and the other poor. (2) The rich man had exceedingly many flocks and herds. (3) But the poor man had nothing, except one little ewe lamb which he had bought and nourished; and it grew up together with him and with his children. It ate of his own food and drank from his own cup and lay in his bosom; and it was like a daughter to him. (4) And a traveler came to the rich man, who refused to take from his own flock and from his own herd to prepare one for the wayfaring man who had come to him; but he took the poor man’s lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him.” (5) So David’s anger was greatly aroused against the man, and he said to Nathan, “As the Lord lives, the man who has done this shall surely die! (6) And he shall restore fourfold for the lamb, because he did this thing and because he had no pity.”
</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">David is convicted by the Lord.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Samuel+12%3A7-15&version=NKJV" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">2 Samuel 12:7-15 </span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> - (7) Then Nathan said to David, “You are the man! Thus says the Lord God of Israel: ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul. (8) I gave you your master’s house and your master’s wives into your keeping, and gave you the house of Israel and Judah. And if that had been too little, I also would have given you much more! (9) Why have you despised the commandment of the Lord, to do evil in His sight? You have killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword; you have taken his wife to be your wife, and have killed him with the sword of the people of Ammon. (10) Now therefore, the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised Me, and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.’ (11) Thus says the Lord: ‘Behold, I will raise up adversity against you from your own house; and I will take your wives before your eyes and give them to your neighbor, and he shall lie with your wives in the sight of this sun. (12) For you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel, before the sun.’” (13) So David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die. (14) However, because by this deed you have given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the child also who is born to you shall surely die.” (15) Then Nathan departed to his house. And the Lord struck the child that Uriah’s wife bore to David, and it became ill.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Commentary:</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Notice in verse 13, after David verbally admits to sinning against the Lord, Nathan immediately says to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die.” Remember, the punishment for adultery and premeditated murder was death. This is very important because we see an instance of conviction instead of condemnation. The sentence was death, instead David was given grace and mercy to live. However, his sin was not without consequence.
</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The death of David’s first son by Bathsheba</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Samuel+12%3A16-19&version=NKJV" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">2 Samuel 12:16-19</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> - (16) David therefore pleaded with God for the child, and David fasted and went in and lay all night on the ground. (17) So the elders of his house arose and went to him, to raise him up from the ground. But he would not, nor did he eat food with them. (18) Then on the seventh day it came to pass that the child died. And the servants of David were afraid to tell him that the child was dead. For they said, “Indeed, while the child was alive, we spoke to him, and he would not heed our voice. How can we tell him that the child is dead? He may do some harm!” (19) When David saw that his servants were whispering, David perceived that the child was dead. Therefore David said to his servants, “Is the child dead?” And they said, “He is dead.”</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Commentary</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: David saw Yahweh’s punishment come to fruition. Despite being told his son would die, he continued to pray that the Lord would not harm his child, He fasted and laid on the ground all night in hopes that the Lord would reverse his punishment, but it would not be so.
</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The maturity to know when to move on.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Commentary</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: This is slightly off topic, but in the next few verses we find another life lesson which we all can learn. Many can attest that prayer is a powerful thing and we all should be doing it, but sometimes we continue praying for an answer or solution where one has already been provided. David was well aware of the Lord's decision, and he recognized it was time to move on. We too need to recognize the same things and know when to move on.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Samuel+12%3A20-23&version=NKJV" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">2 Samuel 12:20-23</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> - (20) So David arose from the ground, washed and anointed himself, and changed his clothes; and he went into the house of the Lord and worshiped. Then he went to his own house; and when he requested, they set food before him, and he ate. (21) Then his servants said to him, “What is this that you have done? You fasted and wept for the child while he was alive, but when the child died, you arose and ate food.” (22) And he said, “While the child was alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, ‘Who can tell whether the Lord[a] will be gracious to me, that the child may live?’ (23) But now he is dead; why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.”</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 21.333333333333332px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Repentance & Forgiveness</span></h2>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">David Repents</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Commentary</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: One thing that we as believers have been blessed to have is the book of Psalms. The majority of the psalms within it have been accredited to King David and as such we have the pleasure of knowing how David responded to his convictions. In Psalm 51, we are blessed to observe just how he went before the Lord. This Psalm was written when Nathan the prophet came to David to give him a message from Yahweh. Although, I am talking about repentance and forgiveness now, Psalm 51 actually occurs during the time around Nathan’s visit and before the birth and death of his first son by Bathsheba.
</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: lower-alpha; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">David first pleads for Mercy</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+51%3A1-2+&version=NKJV" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Psalm 51:1-2 </span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> - (1) Have mercy upon me, O God, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">According to Your lovingkindness;</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">According to the multitude of Your tender mercies,</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Blot out my transgressions.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(2) Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And cleanse me from my sin.
</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: lower-alpha; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">David acknowledges his Transgressions</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+51%3A3-4&version=NKJV" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Psalm 51:3-4</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> - (3) For I acknowledge my transgressions,</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And my sin is always before me.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(4) Against You, You only, have I sinned,</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And done this evil in Your sight—</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">That You may be found just when You speak,</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And blameless when You judge.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Commentary</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: This also coincides with </span><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Samuel+12%3A13&version=NKJV" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">2 Samuel 12:13</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> where David says to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.”
</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: lower-alpha; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">David wishes to be cleansed of his sins</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+51%3A7-12&version=NKJV" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Psalm 51:7-12</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> - (7) Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(8) Make me hear joy and gladness,</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">That the bones You have broken may rejoice.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(9) Hide Your face from my sins,</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And blot out all my iniquities.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(10) Create in me a clean heart, O God,</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And renew a steadfast spirit within me.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(11) Do not cast me away from Your presence,</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(12) Restore to me the joy of Your salvation,</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And uphold me by Your generous Spirit.
</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: lower-alpha; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">David asks Yahweh for forgiveness</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+51%3A14&version=NKJV" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Psalm 51:14</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> - Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God,</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The God of my salvation,
</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: lower-alpha; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">David acknowledges what the Lord desires from us.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+51%3A16-17&version=NKJV" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Psalm 51:16-17</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> - (16) For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it;</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">You do not delight in burnt offering.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(17) The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit,</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A broken and a contrite heart—</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">These, O God, You will not despise.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Commentary</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: The recognition by David to understand what Yahweh desires from us is really important. It is a foreshadowing of what He desires from us after Christ fulfills the law. David understands that the Lord does not desire sacrifice, but what He really wants is a changed heart. In Hebrews 10, we see that sacrifices under the law could not cleanse us from our sins. We needed Yeshua to do this for us.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+10%3A1-4&version=NKJV" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hebrews 10:1-4</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> - (1) For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with these same sacrifices, which they offer continually year by year, make those who approach perfect. (2) For then would they not have ceased to be offered? For the worshipers, once purified, would have had no more consciousness of sins. (3) But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. (4) For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Lord Forgives David </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Commentary</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: We have seen David sin, be convicted of his sins, and repent. Everything that David did should have resulted in death, but this surprisingly does not happen. Recall, that in</span><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=+2+Samuel+12%3A13&version=NKJV" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> 2 Samuel 12:13</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, Nathan informs him that “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die…” Again, one could wonder why this happened, but if you study David, you’ll understand that he really had a relationship with Yahweh. He went to Him in prayer for everything. He was truly a man after God’s own heart. We see again a foreshadowing of things to come with the gift of Christ.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+6%3A23&version=NKJV" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Romans 6:23</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> - For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Solomon is Born</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Commentary</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: At this point we have to realize a couple of things:</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: lower-alpha; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">David has been forgiven.</span></div>
</li>
<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: lower-alpha; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bathsheba has also been forgiven because she was not put to death either.</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: lower-alpha; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Since both have been forgiven and Bathsheba has been widowed, the normal laws for marriage would apply.</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: lower-alpha; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Therefore he could “legally” have Bathsheba.
</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This makes the birth of Solomon, the second son of David and Bathsheba, very special. The first son was born out of sinful actions, which is ironic because after the fall of Adam, all men are born into sin. However, Solomon was not born due to sinful actions, but rather from the fruit of David’s repentance, the turning away from his sins, and the grace and mercy of Yahweh.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Samuel+12%3A24-25&version=NKJV" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">2 Samuel 12:24-25</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> - (24) Then David comforted Bathsheba his wife, and went in to her and lay with her. So she bore a son, and he called his name Solomon. Now the Lord loved him, (25) and He sent word by the hand of Nathan the prophet: So he called his name Jedidiah, because of the Lord.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Commentary: </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">One last thing to note, is the name that the Lord gave to Solomon. The name Jedidiah is only mentioned once throughout the entire bible in reference to Solomon. Although it is not mentioned any more, it is worth noting that the Lord sent a message by giving him this name. That message was that He loved Solomon and approved of David’s prayer and repentance.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 21.333333333333332px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Conclusion</span></h2>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Through David’s sin, Yahweh gives us a glimpse of how Christ would redeem us. We see sin, the repentance of sin, and we see the forgiveness of sin. It almost seems out of place because the true wages of some sins at David’s time was death. Remember, burnt offerings did not cleanse the people under the Mosaic Law. It was only a temporary solution until the coming of Yeshua because one can only be cleansed through the blood of Christ! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;">Salvation is the deliverance from sin and the only way for us to do that today is to confess Christ. We must repent of our sins and believe in our heart that Christ is Lord and Savior. In Peter’s sermon on the Mount, he tells us this:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+2%3A36-39&version=NKJV" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Acts 2:36-39</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> - (36) “Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.” (37) Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” (38) Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. (39) For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; line-height: 20.24px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">David deserved death under the law, but he did not receive it. We deserve death for our sins, but those in Christ will not receive it either. You see, the Old and New Testaments tie together, much more than most imagine. The Old Testament isn’t just a book to be shelved because we live under a new covenant. It too should be used for instruction, teaching, and to gain a better understanding of Yahweh, our Father. We have all 66 books for a reason, so we might as well put them all to the use for which He intended.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Be blessed everyone.</span></div>
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<br />Antoine Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06451584627230434466noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4872114382695741626.post-894842970728906012016-09-09T16:11:00.000-04:002016-09-09T16:11:18.396-04:00Please Excuse the Mess<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1mxIdDlqXvM/V9MWxhgof0I/AAAAAAAAaeQ/qgw2ftiAcd00jD8dSeduXrC0Shd8PtFiACLcB/s1600/construction.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1mxIdDlqXvM/V9MWxhgof0I/AAAAAAAAaeQ/qgw2ftiAcd00jD8dSeduXrC0Shd8PtFiACLcB/s400/construction.jpg" width="358" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
All, I am doing a template upgrade to the sight. Please excuse the mess. I hope that I don't mess up the site in the process, but if I do, just know that I will eventually get it working again! </div>
<br />Antoine Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06451584627230434466noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4872114382695741626.post-87451506639128897742016-07-15T14:55:00.000-04:002016-07-15T14:55:58.086-04:00The Word, Christ, & Swords<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="border: 1px solid black; float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Zkc4eJPdRLE/VxZDaCT8qHI/AAAAAAAAXO0/L81zsEVeGP8kOeGWfIPTlW3afQzNeQgrACLcB/s1600/longsword-1422533-640x480.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="A Sword" border="0" height="240" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Zkc4eJPdRLE/VxZDaCT8qHI/AAAAAAAAXO0/L81zsEVeGP8kOeGWfIPTlW3afQzNeQgrACLcB/s320/longsword-1422533-640x480.jpg" title="A Sword" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Image Courtesy of <a href="http://www.freeimages.com/photographer/zeathiel-44463" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">FreeImages.com/Brian Hoskins</a></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">To someone who reads this title, you may be wondering what these three words have in common. The cool thing this that the Bible weaves all three together quite nicely. Although, they are described separately in different chapters throughout, once you start to look at the Bible in it's entirety, the relationships begin to make a lot of sense. With that being said, the most fitting and proper place to start is at the beginning. In </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Genesis 1:26</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, it says,</span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<b id="docs-internal-guid-6ceb9a42-efde-b203-11a1-82d82e4a9196" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness;...</i></span></blockquote>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I want to draw your attention to the word “Us” in this passage. Ask yourself: “Who is the "Us" being referred in this verse?” If we understand that there is Yahweh (God), Yeshua (the Son, Christ), and the Holy Spirit then it starts to makes sense who makes up the "Us". If you have had the opportunity to listen to at least one church sermon, I am sure at some point you've heard a preacher speak on the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. Again, those three entities make up the “Us”! Now that we have this established, let’s move forward. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<h3 style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Christ as the Word</span></h3>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In the book of John, it talks about the Word becoming flesh, but what does this really mean? Let’s look at </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">John 1:1-5</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to see: </span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">John 1:1-5</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(1) In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (2) He was in the beginning with God. (3) All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. (4) In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. (5) And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.</span></blockquote>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">From John, we see that the Word was with God in the beginning. That “Word” being referenced was Yahweh's Word! If you read John 1:6-13, you will see the lead-up of the arrival of Christ, but let's skip down a few more verses to read more about this Word.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">John 1:14-16</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(14) And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. (15) John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.’” (16) And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace.</span></blockquote>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yahweh's Word in the flesh is Yeshua the Christ! I hope this is making sense because it is easy to gloss over and miss, yet it is important to understand. I know that I did not fully understand this for a while because I was use to being spoon-fed instead of digging into the Bible for myself. I never want to pretend that I am perfect and have it all together, but as we grow in knowledge we are responsible for sharing with fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<h3 style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Christ as a Sword</span></h3>
<div>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Now, we have addressed a couple of things. We have laid the groundwork that Yeshua was present with the Lord in the beginning. In addition, we have established that Yahweh’s Word became flesh which was Christ. Now, given all of this, I suppose at this point you are wondering what a sword has to do with any of this. I mean Christ is peaceful right? After all, when Peter sliced off one of the guard’s ears, Yeshua said, “Put your sword into the sheath. Shall I not drink the cup which My Father has given Me?” (see John 18:10-11). Taking verses 10 and 11 out of context, one might believe that Christ was passive and meek. However, if you understand the part about drinking “the cup which My Father has given Me” it helps you see the reasoning for scolding Peter. Yeshua was saying that Yahweh had a plan and that plan was to go to the cross. So, Peter could not get in the way or cause resistance for what the guards had come to do. The plan must be fulfilled. </span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">However, the question still remains. Was Christ so peaceful that He was against the usage of swords? The answer is a resounding “No”! In one instance, He specifically instructed the disciples to acquire swords as He sent them out. </span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Luke 22:35-38 </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">35) And He said to them, “When I sent you without money bag, knapsack, and sandals, did you lack anything?” So they said, “Nothing.” (36) Then He said to them, “But now, he who has a money bag, let him take it, and likewise a knapsack; </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and he who has no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (37) For I say to you that this which is written must still be accomplished in Me: ‘And He was numbered with the transgressors.’ For the things concerning Me have an end.” (38) So they said, “Lord, look, here are two swords.” And He said to them, “It is enough.”</span></blockquote>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Which one is it? Is the Messiah quiet and peaceful or a sword wielding teacher? Physically and from the descriptions we have of Him, Christ may appear to be peaceful, however spiritually-speaking, He is not so docile. The things He did and said are written down for us to learn and grow, however, Yeshua was "sharp". He arrived in the flesh and His acts were like a two-edged sword! He said things that upset the apple cart during His time and it brought division to those who did not have ears to hear; to which this still happens today. </span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart" (Hebrews 4:12).</span></blockquote>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We have to agree and understand that there are precepts taught by Yeshua that are hard for people to comprehend. An example of this is when He told a grieving family member to let the dead bury the dead (see Luke 9:60). I mean come on now! Where is the sympathy here? Reactions like these "cut" and may hurt someone who has recently lost a loved one, but it also takes a level of spiritual maturity to understand the purposes of preaching the Kingdom of God, despite the circumstance. Another example is having the gumption to tell your own mother and brothers "whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother" (see Matthew 12:46-50). I mean if you heard a sibling or child say this to you, you may think of yourself as chopped liver. Again, it can hurt if you don’t understand His context. Those things cut to the core and may cause emotional destruction and injury, but then again our purpose is to serve the will of Yahweh - not our own. The faster we learn our purpose and His will, the less severe the Word cuts us.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So, in the beginning we started with Yahweh and the Word. Now, we get to end with the Word as flesh (Yeshua) carrying a two-edged sword in his mouth. In Revelations, where Christ has come to John in a vision while on the island of Patmos, it is written:</span></div>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Revelations 1:9-16</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(9) I, John, both your brother and companion in the tribulation and kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was on the island that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. (10) I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet, (11) saying, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last,” and, “What you see, write in a book and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia: to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea.” (12) Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands, (13) and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band. (14) His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire; (15) His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters; (16) He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength.</span></blockquote>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A sword is a weapon that can be used for cutting and slicing. A two-edged sword can be used for cutting on both edges which increases its capability and impact. Spiritually, this type of sword is needed, especially in a time where the world has turned its back on God, the very one who created it. There will come a time when there will no longer be an opportunity to choose Christ. When this happens, the wrath of Yeshua will be felt and that two-edged sword will exact destruction. Until then, always remember that while Christ may not physically swing a sword, He is like one, cutting to the heart of man and taking away anything that is not a reflection of Him and His Father. </span></div>
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<br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Antoine E. Hall</span><br />
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Antoine Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06451584627230434466noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4872114382695741626.post-4288564915611313362016-06-01T16:53:00.000-04:002016-06-01T16:53:16.103-04:00Masters of Illusion<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9tGsJA4dC7g/V09ED4tHl-I/AAAAAAAAYSA/mO43ltox2IIEyrmCJor8MuhyEyymSrQ8ACLcB/s1600/Oh_Oh_Baby%2B%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9tGsJA4dC7g/V09ED4tHl-I/AAAAAAAAYSA/mO43ltox2IIEyrmCJor8MuhyEyymSrQ8ACLcB/s320/Oh_Oh_Baby%2B%25281%2529.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>Deception </b>(<i>noun</i>) - the act of causing one to accept as truth, that which is not true.</blockquote>
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The other day, I was taking a shower and sometimes in this quiet time, I pray and/or think. This day, the topic of "deception" was on my mind and it went a little something this: Sometimes, deception can be pretty obvious when it presents itself, but most of the times, it shows up unannounced and with very little fanfare. The reality is that deception rarely shows up like a lady in a red dress where it is readily identifiable.<br />
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Think of it like this. When a magician performs a trick, the idea is to cause one to focus on one thing as the trick, while the trick is really "out of focus" from the act itself. However, because you have been focusing your attention on the original presentation, you miss what really happened. As long as a magician's secrets are not discovered, they can keep convincing people to come marvel at their illusions. The moment they can no longer trick the audience, their act is over.<br />
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As followers of Christ, we should be alert and aware all the time. There will be false teachers and other people anxious to show us their full deck of cards, while they hide aces up their sleeve ready to work acts of deceit. The Word of God warns us of deception and its effects, but if we can never recognize it, where does that leave us? The only way to recognize spiritual deception is to...<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>...know who God (Yahweh) is;</li>
<li>...have a true relationship with Yeshua the Christ and;</li>
<li>...allow the indwelling Holy Spirit to guide us in discernment.</li>
</ol>
I believe that John sums things up very well in <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+John+2%3A18-20&version=NKJV" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">1 John 2:18-20</a> when he says,<br /><br />
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<i>(18) Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour. (19) They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us. (20) But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things. (21) <b>I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and that no lie is of the truth.</b></i></blockquote>
Know this - purposeful deceit is dishonesty and a lie can never be the truth. Keep your eyes open as deception will continue to get worst in the days ahead.<br />
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Until next time, be easy folks.<br />
<br />
Antoine<br />
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<br />Antoine Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06451584627230434466noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4872114382695741626.post-48333694006228557752016-02-16T16:03:00.000-05:002016-02-16T16:03:06.044-05:00The Dangers of Blind Allegiance<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1RSHiJLd1uk/VsOKQFjhdvI/AAAAAAAAWH4/x_i8X-8poEY/s1600/walking%2Bstick.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1RSHiJLd1uk/VsOKQFjhdvI/AAAAAAAAWH4/x_i8X-8poEY/s1600/walking%2Bstick.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A couple of nights ago, my wife and I were sitting down semi-watching the news. One segment particularly caught my attention as they were talking about how the Democratic Party hopeful, Hillary Clinton, had gone to Flint, MI to speak out about the recent water crisis. They followed this report with a snippet of the commercial depicting black people in support of Hillary. Now, I did not see the whole segment as it may have well included others in Flint because there are other ethnicities living there as well. So, I don't want to make this a black or white thing, but the story triggered a larger concern for me.</span></div>
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<b id="docs-internal-guid-a14d8637-ebe3-6172-6204-095be5254842" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As we all know, it's presidential-race season and the political posturing is in full swing. That commercial made me question for a moment: “Why do people follow a group or entity without even questioning why they do it or the deeper implications of this action?” Then the phrase "blind allegiance" came to mind. So, today that's what I want to discuss, but first, let's get a definition of each word separately and then work our way from there.</span></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">blind</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (adj) - Unable or unwilling to perceive or understand; Not based on reason or evidence; unquestioning</span></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">allegiance</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (n) - Loyalty or the obligation of loyalty, as to a nation, sovereign, or cause.</span></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">From this, I would conclude that "blind allegiance" is when someone has loyalty (or the obligation of loyalty) not based on reason or evidence and no question as to why it is they are loyal. In addition, they are not willing and do not have a desire to understand why it is they are loyal.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So just to level-set things, the issue of following blindly is not just in politics, but we see it in other common places such as work and even church. It just so happens that politics is an easy one right now because of the current "season". Circling back to the news segment, it made me realize how people are a part of political parties and do not have any idea why. Many are affiliated through their parents, grandparents, great grandparents, cousins, aunts...well you get the point. It is almost as if the majority of folks are born that way. As an African American, I can personally speak to this and a quote from the Washington Post sums, it up best:</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"Black voters hold an unusual position in American politics. They vote heavily Democratic, as you know, and have for decades." - </span><a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2015/07/31/democrats-are-heavily-dependent-on-the-black-vote-thats-an-opportunity-for-the-gop/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2015/07/31/democrats-are-heavily-dependent-on-the-black-vote-thats-an-opportunity-for-the-gop/</span></a></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This used to describe me as well, but one day I asked "Why?" I could not really answer anything other than, "I'm Black, of course I am a Democrat." Yes, I know that was a real show of ignorance on my part, but that was how I used to think. It made me take a step back and ask questions and in part I had no reason to be affiliated as a Democrat other than I never sought the information for myself to make my own decisions. Everyone has their own opinion, however, a look at the graphic on the Washington Post link above is very telling. In part, almost all African Americans vote Democratic. The question I would ask is why? What has that party done to earn your loyalty? This is not a question for just Blacks and Democrats, but for anyone who has blindly positioned themselves behind one party, without even deeply reflecting on it’s true meaning as it measures up to yourself. The political side of this could carry on forever and the aim is not to bash anyone or a group, but rather to trigger thoughts, using something that is readily relevant. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As such, I can take this same topic to the Christian church. There are some people who have had generations of families attend the same church. It's not right or wrong, but this type of thing can easily take on the look of "don't ask questions, just do because we've always done". In addition to this, you have people who blindly follow the leaders of churches whether their character and fruit line up with the Word of God or not. As a Christian, we are called to "know them by their fruits", with “them” being false prophets and wolves in sheep's clothing (see Matthew 7:16). We are constantly called to ensure that each member of the body of Christ is living by the Word and as such we cannot blindly ignore wrongdoing.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When you give someone, an entity, or ideal a free pass of loyalty without even questioning it, you essentially make yourself gullible. Standing behind something without really knowing why you stand behind it is as about as safe as a blindfolded person driving a car 60 mph down a crowded street. That's just not safe. Even if you do not presently see the effects, blind allegiance is harmful. Don't allow yourself to be blind about anything or anyone you support. Opening your eyes may hurt and may cause you to part ways with your past convictions when you sit down and put everything on the table. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #263238; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But, to make informed decisions, this is necessary. On the other hand</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, if you know the WHY to your decisions and you are comfortable with the WHY then you are not blind. You have made a conscious decision to be loyal to someone or something. I am not saying that the decision is right or wrong, but it is about not being blind to what is happening around you.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We as people, tend to ignore a lot of things and continue on with life, making decisions for no other reason than “don’t ask questions, just do because we’ve always done…”. It is as though at times we are eyes-wide-open and at other times we have them tightly closed. I have to put myself under the microscope and in that same vain, I have to ask: What or who are you blindly following? On that note, I will leave you with this quote.</span></div>
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<b>*</b> <i>Definitions are from <a href="http://www.thefreedictionary.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">TheFreeDictionary.com</a></i></div>
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Antoine Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06451584627230434466noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4872114382695741626.post-83763333033364031242015-12-21T09:49:00.001-05:002015-12-21T09:49:20.290-05:00One Phone Call With Love<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
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It's been a while since I have written a post and I have had a few topics in mind, but this morning is a little different. I have not purposely procrastinated in writing, but rather the motivation had not driven me to carve out the time to do so.<br />
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Early this morning as I sit at the pool-deck watching my kids swim at 7am, I am doing something a different. I am up earlier than usual and out the house earlier than usual. In addition, swim practice is usually in the evening, but they are on holiday schedule. In addition to this different type of morning, today is my 39th birthday! Yaaaay, Happy Birthday to me!!!<br />
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Usually birthdays aren't a huge deal for me. I don't count down the days or make big announcements. I give thanks to Yahweh for keeping me alive yet another year and cherish the moments that I have with my family. I don't ask for anything and it sometimes frustrates my wife and/or mother that I want nothing. But just as this morning is different, so too is this birthday. <br />
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For once I have a desire for something like a little five year old wearing a birthday hat. It is something that I REALLY want, but something that no one can provide - just one phone call from my father. For the first time in my life, I will not hear my Daddy's voice on December 21st. That is weird. No, wait. Actually, it is really weird. Every year I would get a call from my parents singing Happy Birthday, but this year, the tenor from that duet will be missing. One half of the reason for my existence no longer exists and it is a odd feeling.<br />
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It wasn't that he made promises of giving me lots of money or things. It was that he was my Daddy and he loved me (and my brother who has a birthday tomorrow) unconditionally. Now, it has been three months since his passing and while every day has its ups and down, it has generally gotten better over the short time.<br />
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I know that I am not the first to experience the lost of a loved one nor am I the last, but when a parent passes away, the situation seems to be parked only in your drive-way. To those who will experience a first special occasion or holiday without someone they love, be encouraged. Let the ones around you love you the way they know how and you reciprocate that love the best way you know how. There is some things that we can never get back, but there are somethings that we can pass forward. With that, I will leave you with the scripture that I shared during my father's funeral. It described him to a "T", but also is an example of how we are to love as well.<br />
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<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+John+3%3A17-19&version=NKJV" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><b>1 John 3:17-19</b></a> <i>"(17) But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? (18) My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. (19) And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him."</i> <i>(NKJV)</i></blockquote>
Be blessed folks.<br />
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Antoine Hall<br />
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<i style="background-color: white; color: #5d5d5d; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 14px;">Phone image is from Creative Commons and created by </i><span style="color: #5d5d5d; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><i><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Fuld-modell-frankfurt.jpg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Christos Vittoratos</a></i></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #5d5d5d; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><i><br /></i></span></span>Antoine Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06451584627230434466noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4872114382695741626.post-43048040154969779772015-11-25T10:17:00.001-05:002015-11-25T10:17:47.802-05:00Status: Rumors of Wars<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's crazy at where we are with the world, but it seems that we have stumbled into the rumors of wars phase of things. For decades we've heard echos of a future World War III, but with the latest downing of a Russian war plane by Turkey, things have gotten really complex in the Middle East. You can see the boldness and pride on display as all of the countries involved in fighting are not standing down because no one can appear to be weak. <br />
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In all of this, followers of Christ should not be surprised. The disciples asked Yeshusa (Jesus) how they would know when the end of age and time and in <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+24%3A3-14&version=NKJV" target="_blank">Matthew 24</a> it says the following:<br />
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<i>(3) Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”</i></blockquote>
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<i>(4) And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you. (5) For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. (6) <b>And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.</b> (7) For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. (8) All these are the beginning of sorrows.</i></blockquote>
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<i>(9) “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. (10) And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. (11) Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. (12) And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. (13) But he who endures to the end shall be saved. (14) And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come. (NKJV)</i></blockquote>
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The same answer that was given then applies to us today, but do not be worried. There are things that must happen before Yeshua's return and "rumor's of wars" just happen to be one of them. Do not be deceived in that the end is now because there are still verses many more things that happen before the second coming of Christ.<br />
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Be safe and vigilant during these times.<br />
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Antoine<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Bullhorn image is from Creative Commons and created by <a href="http://fortawesome.github.com/Font-Awesome" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Font Awesome</a> by Dave Gandy</i></span><br />
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<br />Antoine Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06451584627230434466noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4872114382695741626.post-41275677434708988032015-11-13T10:14:00.000-05:002015-11-13T10:14:38.937-05:00Sin...Bringeth Forth Death<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"(12) Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. (13) Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: (14) But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. (15) Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death." - <a href="http://bible.com/1/jas.1.12-15.KJV" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">James 1:12-15</a> (KJV) </blockquote>
Antoine Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06451584627230434466noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4872114382695741626.post-36251046132463803952015-08-31T10:04:00.000-04:002015-08-31T10:04:34.915-04:00Not In Our Own Wisdom<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The Bible does not shun wisdom as it is a good thing to have. However, when we share the gospel we all have to be careful not to be wise in our own might, but rather through the power of the Holy Spirit.</div>
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<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=I+Corinthians+2%3A1-5&version=NKJV" target="_blank"><u>I</u> Corinthians 2:1-5</a> And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. (NKJV)</blockquote>
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Antoine Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06451584627230434466noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4872114382695741626.post-67226353382426981002015-06-29T15:41:00.000-04:002015-06-29T15:41:47.692-04:00Church Attack From the Inside<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(Image Courtesy of <a href="https://www.blogger.com/Image%20https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Wolves_and_bones.jpg">WikiMedia.org</a>)</td></tr>
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With all that is going on in the United States today most Christians would view that the church is under attack. Most Conservative blogs, radio, etc. have exploded over the latest SCOTUS (Supreme Court of the United States) ruling over gay marriage. The consensus is that it is an attack on the church. While I have my own opinions about this, my answers are a bit more complex and would have to be addressed at another time. I wrote about this topic back in 2013 and if you are interested, please read my blog entry called <i>"Christians, You Misunderstand The Marriage Debate"</i>:<br />
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<a href="http://toinebo.blogspot.com/2013/04/christians-you-misunderstand-marriage.html">http://toinebo.blogspot.com/2013/04/christians-you-misunderstand-marriage.html</a><br />
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While it is a complex topic, in its simplest form it will become an attack on the people of Yahweh. I do not believe that every person of the LBGT community is out to get us. For the most part, I believe most want to be left alone and don't want to bother anyone, but there are a select few who are powerful and lead the way. You may not see them, but they have a powerful hand in everything that occurs. All you need is for a select few to stir the pot and persuade people that XYZ is what they desire. <br />
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What we are seeing is just a tip of the iceberg and the church will begin to see a lot more persecution. This is not news hot off the press and there is/will be more than just one frontal attack by many things against the church. Remember that Yashuah the Christ, said, <i><span style="color: red;">"If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you</span></i> (see, <b><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+15%3A18&version=NKJV" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">John 15:18</a></b>)". There are many ways the church is and will be attacked and things will get a lot worst before they get better. In <b><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Timothy+3%3A12-13&version=NKJV" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">2 Timothy 3:12-13</a></b> it says,<br />
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<i>(12) Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, (13) while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. (NKJV)</i></blockquote>
So, this is nothing new under the sun. However, I believe what most Christians fail to realize is that the very church they attend or group they attend for fellowship can have individuals who will do the same. What are you talking about Antoine? My church has Christians in it and while not all visitors are saved, everyone else are all Christians. This may or may not be true, but you are truly deceived if you believe that your congregation or group is immune from attack from the inside out. Paul goes on to tell the church and Ephesus this very same thing.<br />
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<b><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+20%3A28-31&version=NKJV" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Acts 20:28-31</a></b><i> (28) Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God[c] which He purchased with His own blood. (29) For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. (30) Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves. (31) Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears. (NKJV)</i></blockquote>
This very same message that Paul shared with the Ephesians applies to us today. Just because your church building have four walls does not make it immune. It is not like getting under the covers to hide from the Boogie Man. Satan and his cohorts, will not stop at the church door, snap his fingers and act like Swiper from Dora the Explorer: "Awwww Man!" Just like that cartoon, that thought process is fictitious and will allow believers to be led astray from the inside, by people who tickle their ears.<br />
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People of Yahweh at a time such as this, it is not wise to be asleep. We have to be awake and ready for all things that may and will come our way. We know that many believers will fall away, but we must be vigilant of the very thing that will let us put our guards down - being around other members of the church (see, <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Thessalonians+2:1-4&version=NKJV" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><b>2 Thessalonians 2:1-4</b></a>). <br />
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Stay vigilant in these days to come!<br />
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Antoine E. Hall<br />
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<br />Antoine Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06451584627230434466noreply@blogger.com0