Resurrection to life!

New Guest: Like this one, most entries are devotional. Those related to Car Biz can be located by searching the blog archives for that title. You might start with 'Welcome,' the first entry, dated November 12, 2008, where I introduce myself and the blog. I hope you'll record your responses as you read, since these entries serve best as the first remarks in a coversation.

Blessings and best wishes,
Dr. Will

Monday, August 16, 2010

Devotions: Ps 106; Jdg 17:1-13; Acts 7:44-8:1a; Jn 5:19-29

Praise YHWH, Whose steadfast love endures forever. Lord, remember me wth You show favor to Your people. I am a sinner from a line of sinners. Your people have long and repeatedly rebelled against Your grace; yet, Lord, You continue to keep Your covenant and bless us. Save us, YHWH, from among the nations. Blessed be YHWH, God of Israel, forever! Amen and hallelujah.

In the hill country of Ephraim lived a man named Micah. He had stolen 1100 pieces of silver from his mother, but repented, admitted the theft and returned the silver to his mother. She blessed her son and had a graven image smelted from 200 of the silver pieces. Micah set up a family shrine centered on the silver idol. A Levite from the territory of Benjamin and the city of Bethlehem was sojourning in this region, seeking a place to live and serve. He came upon Micah, who offered to hire the priest, an offered him a salary, a wardrobe, and bed and board. The young man accepted, and became Micah's household priest. Micah thought that in doing all this, he would merit God's faver and insure his own prosperity, 'because I have a Levite as priest'.

Stephen's address before the Jewish Council reached its climax: 'Our fathers had the tent of witness in the wilderness, made just as God directed Moses. Our fathers brought it with them as they followed Joshua into the land of promise and dispossessed the nations that God thrust out before our fathers. The tabernacle continued until the days of King David. He found favor in God's sight, and asked to build a permanent home for God; this was accomplished through David's son Solomon. Yet the Most High does not dwell in houses made with human hands; as the prophet said, "Heaven is My throne and earth My footstool. What house will you build for Me," says the Lord, "or what is the place of my rest? Did not My hands make all these things?" You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. You behave as your fathers did. Which of God's prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who announced beforehand the advent of the Righteous One, Whom you have now betrayed and murdered, you who received the law as delivered by angels, and did not keep it.' The Jewish leaders were enraged and gnashed their teeth at Stephen. But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and beheld the glory of God and Jesus standing at God's right hand. And he said, 'Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing at the right hand of God.' The Jews cried out with a loud voice, covered their ears and rushed together upon Stephen They cast him out of the city and stoned him; the witnesses laid their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. As they were stoning Stephen, he prayed, 'Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!' He knelt and cried out with a loud voice, 'Lord, so not hold this sin against them!' And when he had said this, he fell asleep. And Saul was consenting to his death.

Jesus said to those who opposed Him: 'Truly, truly I say to you, the Son can do nothing by himself—only what He sees the Father doing. For whatever God does, His Son does likewise. The Father loves the Son and shows Him all that He Himself is doing; and greater works than these will He show Him, so that you may marvel. For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom He will. The Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son, that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Whoever fails to honor the Son fails to honor the Father Who sent Him. Truly, truly I say to you, the hour is coming and now has come, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son also to have life in Himself, and has given Him authority to execute judgment, because He is the Son of man. Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear His voice and come forth: those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of judgment.'