Where Do I Look?
“It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will go up to heaven for us to get it for us and make us hear it, that we may observe it?’” Deuteronomy 30:12 NASB
Not in heaven – Have you considered the implications of Moses’ observation about God’s revelation? Moses is delivering Torah to Israel. He is elaborating the code of living that God wants His people to accept and follow. In the process, Moses makes this startling claim. Don’t look to heaven to find God’s word! In fact, he goes on the say, “Don’t look in far away places (“beyond the sea”) either.” Where is God’s revelation to be found? “But the word is very near to you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may observe it” (v. 12).
Doesn’t this sound wonderful? We don’t have to investigate heavenly proclamations. We don’t have to travel the world in search of wisdom. We can just sit quietly in our own comfortable surroundings and let God speak to us in our hearts. Isn’t that what Moses is saying? Unfortunately (?), no, this isn’t what Moses is saying, even if we interpret his words according to our culture.
The question we need to ask is this: What would these words have meant to the children of Israel? And the answer is all about the religious environment of the ancient Near East, not about contemporary meditation and introspection. The reason Moses makes this claim is simply because the Israelites have lived for centuries in a culture (Egypt) where divine revelation did come from imploring the heavens, seeking the gods, expecting divine disclosure from distant sources. We should also notice that Moses dismisses the idea that human effort is involved in acquiring the words of the gods. Think about the religion of Egypt – and the whole Near East. Basically, men were left in the dark about the will of God. They were expected to serve the gods, but were never given specific directions about how to do that, until, of course, they “sinned.” Then punishment arrived. The biggest issue in the religions of the ancient world was the lack of direction. In these circumstances, it was only natural to do everything you could do to obtain insight into the will of the gods. But Moses brings a completely new approach. God tells you what to do. His directions are not mysteriously hidden in the heavens requiring you to find some way to access the other world. No incantations, no ancestor worship, no rituals, no self-mutilation or sacrifices are necessary. God reveals everything you need to know. His words are “not too far away.”
Does that mean you only need to look into your heart to find God? Once again, no. As is clear from the story of the wilderness wanderings, relying on your heart is often a very big mistake. How you feel about things today isn’t really an adequate guide to God’s will. What Moses means must be understood in an oral culture. Where do I go to find out what God demands of me? I go to the source of my understanding of God – my collective storehouse of memories and teaching – my heart, the place where I keep all those instructions I have memorized. Why have I memorized them? Because that’s the way all learning took place in a culture without books. I look to my heart because that is the depository of revealed Torah. Obviously, if I haven’t memorized what God revealed, there will be nothing in my heart to remind me of His words. This isn’t a statement about meditation. It is a statement about education. Once God has revealed specifically what He requires, it is up to me to commit His words to memory so that I am never without them.
Book believers (like me) are lazy examples of wandering Israel. Since we rely on concordances, software searches and textbooks, we have the tendency not to know exactly what God said. We think, “Well, I can always look it up.” But that’s not possible for ancient Israel – and I wonder if we don’t do ourselves damage by slipping into this lazy form of biblical knowledge.
When you look into your heart, do you find volumes and volumes of Torah? Or do you find instructions for how to use a Bible dictionary?
Topical Index: not in heaven, Torah, education, heart, Deuteronomy 30:12
‘Where do I go to find out what God demands of me? I go to the source of my understanding of God – my collective storehouse of memories and teaching – my heart, the place where I keep all those instructions I have memorized. Why have I memorized them? Because that’s the way all learning took place in a culture without books. I look to my heart because that is the depository of revealed Torah. Obviously, if I haven’t memorized what God revealed, there will be nothing in my heart to remind me of His words. This isn’t a statement about meditation. It is a statement about education. Once God has revealed specifically what He requires, it is up to me to commit His words to memory so that I am never without them.’
Good word Skip! Below is a quote from the “48 Ways To Wisdom” by Rabbi Wienberg OBM
You can’t recite dead notes. Even if you’ve already taught the same material 100 times, it has to be real to you. It has to invigorate you. This will translate into your personal sincerity coming through. For as the Sages say: “What comes from the heart, goes into the heart.” (Rabbi Noah Wienberg OBM Way #12 Growth Through Teaching)
Is this not just what Jeremiah 31 verses 31 to 34 reveals to us who Believe in Jeshua.Is it not Holy Spirit speaking to the New Creature in Christ Jeshua and Leading us into All Truth of The Word???
Skip, Your Word this morning is truth! It is Torah written by the spoken Word of Yahweh engraved on the tablets of stone thru Moshe to give to Israel, His chosen people. As it is now ours today to be engraved
upon our hearts, by reading and studying and hiding it in our hearts to bring correction and reproof
when we are confronted with the adversary day to day, 2Tim.3:16,17 to know and live a righteous life,
as Yashua did for our example. It is the sword of the Ruach , which is the Word of Elohim, Eph. 6:17…
the Torah, written and hidden in my heart! It is NOT about how each one interprets HIS WORD, it’s only
His Words that will be engraved there. Thank you for the reminder and conviction to know HIM
more intimately! Shabbat Shalom
“Rabban Gamliel the son of Rabbi Judah HaNassi would say: Beautiful is the study of Torah with the way of the world, for the toil of them both causes sin to be forgotten. Ultimately, all Torah study that is not accompanied with work is destined to cease and to cause sin.
Those who work for the community should do so for the sake of Heaven; for then merit of their ancestors shall aid them, and their righteousness shall endure forever. And you, [says G-d,] I shall credit you with great reward as if you have achieved it. (Pirkei Avot 2:2)”
Whether one is in a western-cultured classroom or an Israeli one; there seems to be a similar issue. Education either comes at the expense of ignoring Torah (secular), or it is so focused on Torah (religious) that its students are unprepared for gainful employment. William Berkson, writing for JPS, shares his concern for Israeli students. He writes, “This has created a problematic situation in which Torah scholars, good or bad, become wards of the state.” I might take this a step further. Perhaps centering on one and not both has the same consequence; an unordered, unproductive life that comes to depend on the entitlements offered either by government or church.
This article would be a great round table discussion.
Do not add to or take away from YHVH’s word. IT DOES NO GOOD TO STUDY IF YOU AREN’T GOING TO DO WHAT YOU LEARN. Take away the doing and you make YHVH’s word of no effect.
Keep 08104 רמשׁ shamar shaw-mar’ a primitive root; 1) to keep, guard, observe, give heed
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to keep, have charge of
1a2) to keep, guard, keep watch and ward, protect, save life
1a2a) watch, watchman (participle)
1a3) to watch for, wait for
ETC………………………..
AND
Do 06213 השׂע ‘asah aw-saw’
a primitive root; 1) to do, fashion, accomplish, make ETC………………………………………
A KEEP AND DO SAMPLING
De 4:1,6,14, 5:1, 31, 6:1, 7:11-12, 11:22, 17:19, 19:9, 26:16, 27:26, 28:13,
De 29:9 Keep therefore the words of this covenant and do them, that ye may prosper in all that ye do.
Shabbat Shalom to all of you who are doing Shabbat today.
Wow, yes. I have been convicted of this personally. I’m no scholar, but I’ve studied biblical things to the detriment of my family. I ought to have been doing some work, but I was caught up in my hobby — increasing in scriptural knowledge while leaving the dishes to someone else. The one ought to have been done,… without leaving the other undone.
~I go to the source of my understanding of God – my collective storehouse of memories and teaching – my heart, the place where I keep all those instructions I have memorized. ~
let’s go (together) to the Source- the holy scriptures
~ and that from a child you have known the holy scriptures, which are able to make you wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus ~ (2 Timothy 3.15)
~ And He said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into His glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself. ~ (Luke 24.25-27)
Who is the Hero of the word of God?
Is it Moses? David? Elisha? Peter? Paul? or Mary? -or any of the twelve talmudim?
It is the Christ, the Messiah- (who is) the Word made flesh. He is the Living Torah of God and He also lives within the new heart of every blood-bought, twice-born child of YHWH.
~ Nevertheless the foundation of God stands sure, having this seal, The LORD knows them that are His and let every one that names the Name of Christ depart from iniquity ~ (2 Timothy 2.19)
Christ is the center, the compass, the circumference, ~ Christ is all and in you all ~ (Colossians 3.11)
~ “In Him” there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, or free person. Instead, the Messiah is all and in all ~ (Colossians 3.11)
~ Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God ~ (Romans 10.17)
The ways of God, the will of God, the wisdom of God are no longer concealed but fully revealed to “whosoever will” (including “both” Jew and Gentile, male and female) in the living Word of God, “both” written and Incarnate.
~ He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and His Name is the Word of God ~ (Revelation 19.13)
~ On His robe and on His thigh He has this Name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. ~
(Revelation 19.16)
Yeshua HaMaschiach IS YHWH, our sinless spotless Sacrifice, the Lamb who was slain before the foundation of the world.
~ and they sang in a mighty chorus: “Worthy is the Lamb who was slaughtered–to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing.” ~ (Revelation 5.12)
~ fixing our attention on Yeshua, the Pioneer and Perfecter of the faith, who, in view of the joy set before Him endured the tslav, disregarding its shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God ~
(Hebrews 12.2)
~ and let us gaze at Yeshua, Him who is The Author and The Finisher-Perfecter-Completer of our faith, who for the joy that was His, endured the cross and ignored the shame, and He sits upon the right side of the throne of God ~
(Hebrews 12.2)
~ looking stedfastly.. ~
-not a casual glance, but a continual gaze..
~ and whenever The Messiah, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory ~(Colossians 3.4)
“Kavannah means to act and to live with intentionality and consciousness. Mindfulness, attention, and awareness but more precisely it is the ability to concentrate on one single object for extended stretches of time, rather than being scattered.
“watch” and pray..
be alert to opportunities
to pray
to serve
to be a friend
to be a listener
to be available
to the needs of others (to be a servant)
to danger (to be strong)
to strengthen (to be a comforter)
Abraham Heschel says, “Kavvanah is attentiveness to God. Its purpose is to direct the heart rather than the tongue or the arms. It is not an act of the mind that serves to guide the external action, but one that has meaning in itself.” “Kavvanah in this sense is not the awareness of being commanded but the awareness of Him who commands; not of a yoke we carry but of the Will we remember; the awareness of God rather than the awareness of duty.”[1]
Heschel draws attention to the fact that kavvanah is being rather than doing. It is experiencing being with God. The external actions that accompany our religious expressions are incidental to dwelling in the presence of the Lord. If our hearts draw near to Him, we stop trying to be dutiful servants of the Most High. We become awe-struck worshippers of He Who Is.
Drudgery, duty or delight?
“Kavannah means to act and to live with intentionality and consciousness. Mindfulness, attention, and awareness but more precisely it is the ability to concentrate on one single object for extended stretches of time, rather than being scattered.
“watch” and pray..
be alert to opportunities
to pray
to serve
to be a friend
to be a listener
to be available
to the needs of others (to be a servant)
to danger (to be strong)
to strengthen (to be a comforter)
Abraham Heschel says, “Kavvanah is attentiveness to God. Its purpose is to direct the heart rather than the tongue or the arms. It is not an act of the mind that serves to guide the external action, but one that has meaning in itself.” “Kavvanah in this sense is not the awareness of being commanded but the awareness of Him who commands; not of a yoke we carry but of the Will we remember; the awareness of God rather than the awareness of duty.”[1]
Heschel draws attention to the fact that kavvanah is being rather than doing. It is experiencing being with God. The external actions that accompany our religious expressions are incidental to dwelling in the presence of the Lord. If our hearts draw near to Him, we stop trying to be dutiful servants of the Most High. We become awe-struck worshippers of He Who Is.
Drudgery, duty or delight?
~ I take joy in doing your will, my God, for your instructions are written on my heart ~ (Psalm 40.8)
~ fixing our attention on Yeshua, the Pioneer and Perfecter of the faith, who, in view of the joy set before Him endured the tslav, disregarding its shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God ~
(Hebrews 12.2)
~ and let us gaze at Yeshua, Him who is The Author and The Finisher-Perfecter-Completer of our faith, who for the joy that was His, endured the cross and ignored the shame, and He sits upon the right side of the throne of God ~
(Hebrews 12.2)
~ looking stedfastly.. ~
-not a casual glance, but a continual gaze..
~ and whenever The Messiah, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory ~(Colossians 3.4)
Beautiful Carl. Tonight is the new moon. It’s already been spotted in Israel. We will be fixing our attention towards sighting it . Gazing intently prepared to blow the shofar when it appears. Practicing forthe feast of Yom Teruah (the day of shouting/blowing the shofar) and ultimately for the day that He appears.
Chodesh Sameach!
Happy New Moon!
“But Moses brings a completely new approach. God tells you what to do. His directions are not mysteriously hidden in the heavens requiring you to find some way to access the other world.”
Hmmm
When I first started reading Today’s Word, the question that interested me most was where do I look; I wanted to reconcile my attraction to the Heart metaphor with Skip’s theological approach
Growing up in the 50’s in San Bernardino with Catholics (mostly), Jews, and Protestants
My impression was that:
“God tells you what to do. His directions are not mysteriously hidden in the heavens requiring you to find some way to access the other world.”
St Anne’s Church was right around the corner and Father O’Toole made it very clear
God gave Moses the 10 commandments and we were expected to obey them
As I got older and studied literature, the Heart metaphor resonated more with my experience
Than Moses and the burning bush, which I’ve since learned to appreciate from Skip
What I like about the lesson above is how it combines the “Heart” with memory & education
I have always tended to think of the memory as part of the “Head” rather than the Heart
And being something of a Romantic thinker myself, I believe that the “Head” is of no value
Without the “Heart”
Speaking of the Heart, I love this Music video by Roxette performing “Listen To Your Heart”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCC_b5WHLX0
AH HAAAA – MICHAEL, IS THAT WHAT YOUR MOTHER LOOKED LIKE IN HER 20’S & 30’S – ROXETTE????
I UNDERSTAND IMPRINTING AS ANIMALS DO BUT I HAVE MORE READ & STUDIED ABOUT MEN HAVING SEX & LOOKING IN TO THE FACE OF THE WOMAN UPON CLIMAX/ORGASM & THAT BEING THE IMPRINT FOR THEM. THERE ARE CERTAIN CHEMICALS RELEASED IN BOTH MALE & FEMALE AT THIS POINT & FOR THE MALE IT BONDS THEM TO THE FEMALE – WHOMEVER THEY ARE LOOKING UPON AT THAT MOMENT.
THEREFORE, “BEHOLD” THE WIFE OF YOUR YOUTH… IT IS NO WONDER MEN BECOME SO FRAGMENTED WHEN GAZING UPON DIFFERENT WOMEN AT THAT MOMENT IN SEX…
GOD PUT US TOGETHER [OUR BODIES – HE CREATED] – ALL THE CHEMICAL REACTIONS & HOW THEY WOULD AFFECT US – HE DIDN’T MEAN FOR US TO BE SLEEPING WITH A THOUSAND OR MORE MEN OR WOMEN – EVEN IF SOLOMON OR DAVID DID IT – IT WAS NOT HOW WE ARE MADE TO REACT SCIENTIFICALLY TO GIVE HIM GLORY. ONE MAN – ONE WOMAN FOREVER AS SOME ANIMALS MATE FOR A LIFETIME ALSO…
DAVID & SOLOMON DIDN’T ALWAYS COME OUT SMELLING LIKE A ROSE… AND THEY LEARNED FROM THEIR MISTAKES – BUT WE ALSO DON’T HAVE TO MAKE THOSE MISTAKES – NOW DO WE – OBEDIENCE IS THE NAME OF THE GAME & WE ARE OVERCOMERS BY THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB & THE WORD(S) OF OUR TESTIMONY(IES) – ALL OF US CAN OVERCOME STRONGHOLDS IN OUR LIVES WITH THE LORD JESUS CHRIST AS OUR MASTER TEACHER… OUR BELOVED PERFECT ONE… WE ARE TO BE AS HE IS…jan
“IS THAT WHAT YOUR MOTHER LOOKED LIKE IN HER 20′S & 30′S”
Hi Jan,
That’s a good question, but to me Roxette looks more like Billy Idol than my mother 🙂
My mother was a young, 50’s style, brown-haired and browned-eyed housewife
And I was never very attracted to Behaviorism, with its chemical/scientific explanations
Of psychological behavior
I always found Freud’s explanations to be far more interesting
Especially when re-interpreted from a French or German existentialist perspective
I liked the existentialist focus on the concept of freedom
Regarding “man’s search for meaning”
MICHAEL, IT’S LATE & I DON’T UNDERSTAND MUCH OF ANY OF WHAT YOU SAID/TYPED – PERHAPS IN LAYMAN’S TERMS FOR ME… jan
Hi Jan,
In one model, Freud divided the mind into consciousness and the unconscious
Freud thought our conscious mind was often at the mercy of our unconscious mind
He referred to the unconscious mind as a “cauldron of desire”
Because all our desires are not compatible with society, some must be “repressed”
For example, a little boy does not want to share his mother with his father
But he must learn to “repress” his selfish desire for his mother
And eventually “sublimate” that desire onto another more appropriate female
In addition to the binary model above, Freud also used a tripartite structure to describe the mind:
– id (sex and aggressive drives)
– ego (moderator between the id and superego)
– superego (repressive apparatus)
Freud was a medical doctor who “discovered” this language of the unconscious in the process of treating his psychotic patients and analyzing their dreams
It seems to me that the id has a lot in common with the Yetzer Hara
And the Torah serves as a kind of communal Superego
That ideally supports our ego to act in alignment with the Yetzer Tov
In a book called I’m OK You’re OK the author makes the following comparisons:
id = internal child
ego = internal adult
superego = internal parent
Some would criticize the Freudian model for being too deterministic
The existentialists address this issue by defining consciousness as freedom
Hope this helps 🙂
OK, MICHAEL – THAT EXPLANATION WAS BETTER & I HAVE READ SOME OF FREUD BUT VERY LITTLE – SEEMS TO CARNAL TO ME. I READ “I’M OKAY YOU’RE OKAY” MANY MANY YEARS AGO & IT STILL DOES NOT IMPRESS ME ENOUGH TO REMEMBER ANY OF IT…
I SEEM TO HAVE LEFT THE WORLD BEHIND IN PSYCHOLOGY – LET GOD/JESUS/HOLY SPIRIT HANDLE THAT IN ME – I TRY TO KEEP MY FOCUS ON HIM & WHAT HE SAYS/TEACHES US THROUGH TORAH/BIBLE/SCRIPTURES – I FEEL MIXING ALL THE OTHER YOU REFER TO IS A WASTE OF TIME & I HAVE LEARNED IT IS BETTER TO DOWNLOAD ONLY THAT WHICH BRINGS TRUE LIFE & DELIVERANCE THAN TO MUDDLE MY MIND WITH MAN’S DECEPTION(S)… OR DISCOVERIES… IF THEY LINE UP WITH SCRIPTURE THEN I TEND TO GRAVITATE TOWARD THOSE TYPE OF WRITINGS – I KNOW WHO FREUD IS & I SEE HIM NO DIFFERENT THAN KINSEY – JUST TRYING TO FIGURE IT OUT WITH A CARNAL MIND…
I CAN SEE WHERE PEOPLE THAT ARE DRAWN TOWARD PSYCHOLOGY MIGHT TAKE HOLD OF WHAT SOME SAY – I WANTED TO BE A PSYCHIATRIST OR PSYCHOLOGIST WHEN I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL BUT HAD A SCHOOL COUNSELOR QUELCH MY DREAMS BUT GOD/JESUS/HOLY SPIRIT GIVES ME DISCERNMENT & THAT SEEMS TO SUFFICE FOR ME… ♥
BUT THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO EXPLAIN IT ALL TO ME – WHAT YOU WERE TRYING TO SAY… jan
THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO EXPLAIN IT ALL TO ME
Hi Jan,
My pleasure.
MICHAEL, UPON READING MY EMAILS THIS MORNING – I READ SOMETHING THAT KINDA EXPLAINS WHAT I AM TRYING TO SAY IN REGARD TO PSYCHOLOGY [SEEMS FROM A GREEK STANDPOINT WITH SHIRLEY]:
Spiritual Strength, Clarity & Understanding
Understanding is basic to intellectual strength. To have understanding in a matter means action can be taken to improve, or remove, to analyze and intellectually conclude certain things in a basic way. More importantly, understanding is a powerful key to spiritual strength; the spiritually mature person will tell you understanding is gained through meditation in, and study of, God’s Word, and that the intellect is involved but what we need is higher than intellect alone can supply.
The spiritual man actually understands more fully than someone without godly, spiritual motivation. For those who are spiritual, understanding is more complete because discernment and judgment are present. The spiritual man judges all things and is prompted by godly discernment so his decisions are more accurate, and penetrate beyond surface pretense, which is common to man.
Two Greek words, phronesis and sunesis, both meaning “to understand”, explain these levels of understanding, one basic and intellectual, the other discerning and spiritually perceptive:
– Phronesis (fron’-ay-sis) is basic understanding that is practical and analytical. This understanding is basic intellectual or moral insight and includes prudence or wisdom, results in action taken, and is basic to taking correct action. “We do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding.” (Colossians 1:9) “Brethren, do not be children in understanding… in understanding be mature. (1 Corinthians 14:20).
– Sunesis (soon’-es-is) is discernment and judging, a greater depth of understanding in addition to the basic phronesis. Jesus’ understanding was astonishing for a boy of only twelve. He comfortably discussed spiritual matters with top leaders and teachers, impressing them with his depth of understanding. This term means the ability to put together for clarity, to clearly discern and quickly comprehend, to discern and critically assess: “All who heard Him were astonished at His understanding and answers.” (Luke 2:47)
As followers of Jesus we have the same kind of understanding He possessed; we receive it from His Presence . . . and from His Word. And really, much of what we call prophetic insight today is this kind of developed, disciplined and mature understanding to discern the true nature of what is taking place.
Amen.
1Thessalonians 5:21
http://us2.campaign-archive1.com/?u=e760da10154e9f51084bae623&id=d79596bd06&e=d30f077868
“As followers of Jesus we have the same kind of understanding He possessed”
Hi Jan,
When it comes Greek (Phronesis and Sunesis) you are way over my head 🙂
If I understand you correctly, Phronesis is practical wisdom as opposed to theoretical wisdom (Sophia)
And Sunesis is a kind of spiritual wisdom or knowledge of God/Jesus?
For me, psychology is an “object” of knowledge that helps me understand myself
MICHAEL, I DON’T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT GREEK EITHER – THAT IS NOT MY WRITING – THAT WAS RECEIVED IN A MORNING EMAIL & IT REMINDED ME OF OUR CONVERSATION ON HERE SO I POSTED IT FOR YOU TO READ…
I THOUGHT IT SOUNDED/SOUNDS LIKE WHAT WE ARE DISCUSSING… ♥ IF YOU CLICK ON THE LINK IT WILL TAKE YOU TO THE SITE FROM WHENCE THE PIECE CAME – WRITTEN BY SHIRLEY WEAVER OF A CLEAR TRUMPET… jan
I THOUGHT IT SOUNDED/SOUNDS LIKE WHAT WE ARE DISCUSSING
Hi Jan,
I understand and agree that it sounds like what were were discussing
My initial response was an attempt to communicate how I understood her CLEAR TRUMPET
I did not find her definitions of Phronesis and Sunesis to be very clear
And I also had some difficulty with the following statement of yours:
“As followers of Jesus we have the same kind of understanding He possessed”
With all due respect I don’t think “understanding” is the correct word here
if I said that:
“as followers of Skip we have the same kind of understanding He possesses”
It would not make sense IMO
But if we were to say:
“as followers of Skip we share the same kind of values ”
It would make sense to me
And when you say “we receive it from His Presence . . . and from His Word”
I think you are referring to an “experience” rather than an “understanding”
I don’t think even the followers of Jesus such as Mark, Matthew, and Paul
Had the same understanding of Jesus
And one last point to disagree with 🙂
“And really, much of what we call prophetic insight today is this kind of developed, disciplined and mature understanding to discern the true nature of what is taking place.”
I tend to think of prophetic insight as a gift that can be given to all sorts of people
Some of the Jewish prophets in the Bible were extremely mentally distressed, full of anger, and often displayed anti social behavior
not mature understanding 🙂
MICHAEL, AGAIN – YOU ARE SAYING “I” MADE THE STATEMENT – I DID NOT WRITE ANY OF THE ARTICLE – I SIMPLY SHARED IT WITH YOU…
I DID NOT MAKE THIS STATEMENT AS YOU INDICATE: And I also had some difficulty with the following *statement of yours:*
I DID NOT MAKE THIS STATEMENT: “As followers of Jesus we have the same kind of understanding He possessed”
I DID NOT SAY THIS: *And when you say* “we receive it from His Presence . . . and from His Word”
AND SO – GOD USED THEM ANYWAY – YOU MIGHT HAVE EXHIBITED THE SAME KIND OF BEHAVIOR IF GOD COMMANDED YOU TO: “Some of the Jewish prophets in the Bible were extremely mentally distressed, full of anger, and often displayed anti social behavior”
not mature understanding – YOURS OR HERS??? jan
Hi Jan,
This is how I communicate with my wife
It is a lot less stressful in email 🙂
MICHAEL, SAY WHAT???
“Hi Jan,
This is how I communicate with my wife
It is a lot less stressful in email :)”
DID YOU JUST CHANGE THE SUBJECT ON ME… jan
“DID YOU JUST CHANGE THE SUBJECT ON ME… jan”
“not mature understanding – YOURS OR HERS??? jan”
Hi Jan,
Regarding your first question, the answer is yes I jokingly changed the subject to the difficulty we seemed to be having understanding each other
Regarding “not mature understanding,” I was referring to “some of the Jewish prophets in the Bible”
I knew you did not write any of the article, but maybe I assumed that you agreed with more of it than you did
In any case, the ideas expressed in the article obviously mean a lot to author, but I have a different point of view
GOOD MORNING MICHAEL, I MYSELF WOULD NEVER SAY ANYTHING AGAINST THE PROPHETS OF OLD/TESTAMENT – SEEMS GOD/JESUS DIDN’T LIKE THAT VERY MUCH SINCE HE MENTIONED THE PEOPLE BACK THEN KILLED THEM & WERE GOING TO PAY FOR IT…
“Regarding “not mature understanding,” I was referring to “some of the Jewish prophets in the Bible”
AND I THOUGHT YOU WERE SPEAKING OF THE WOMAN THAT WROTE THE ARTICLE: “Regarding “not mature understanding,” I was referring to “some of the Jewish prophets in the Bible” THAT IS WHY I SAID YOURS OR HERS – SOMETIMES I QUESTION YOUR MATURITY IN UNDERSTANDING…♥ jan
“SOMETIMES I QUESTION YOUR MATURITY IN UNDERSTANDING…♥ jan”
Enter the Kingdom
Become a child
Become a child
Enter the Kingdom
The Essential Jesus
John Dominic Crossan