Text Size: Zoom In

Wonderful Misused Words

Mart De Haan Posted by Mart DeHaan
January 23rd, 2012
133 Comments » 

The 91st Psalm is one of the most quoted, claimed, wonderful, mysterious, and misused portions of the Bible.

 “He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. 2I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust. (Psa 91:1-2)…

No evil shall befall you, nor shall any plague come near your dwelling; 11for He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways. 12In their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone. 13You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra, the young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot. (Psalm 91:10–13)

Today, in addition to finding courage in these words,  we recognize this song of protection as one that Satan used in an attempt to get Jesus to jump off a pinnacle of the temple… to prove (and possibly force) the hand of God’s protection (Matt 4:5-6)

Since Jesus responded with another text saying, “It is also written, do not put the Lord your God to the test” (Matt 4:7), it’s clear that these words, like the rest of the Bible, can be quoted with faith and profit, or with presumption and loss.

As so many of us have acknowledged in these conversations, no  individual text of the Bible stands by itself. Psalm 91 is no different. It must be interpreted in light of all that precedes and follows. In this case we only have to go back a few statements to find another perspective:

The days of our lives are seventy years; and if by reason of strength they are eighty years, yet their boast is only labor and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.  (Psalm 90:10).

So how are we to understand and count on the protection we find in Psalm 91? Certainly it is not our only assurance of God’s protection. Much later in the Bible the author of Hebrews writes,

“Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. 6 So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.” (Heb 13:5-6)

Seems to me that there is a way of claiming Psalm 91 for ourselves, if we first reflect on how it was ultimately fulfilled in Jesus. After seeing how he rested in the shadow of his Almighty Father, I take it that we can say in faith– rather than with presumption, ‘As we rest in the presence and purposes of our God, no one, can keep us from being, saying, or doing whatever our Lord wants us to be, say, or do… on his terms of safety rather than our own. ”

In other words we can claim the kind of loving protection that this Psalm talks about as long as our trust extends to anything  our Father lovingly and wisely allows into our life.

In this regard, seeing how the 91st Psalm is fulfilled in Christ provides a good backdrop for the Heidelberg Catechism which asks:

“1. Question. What is your only comfort in life and death?”

And answers: “That I am not my own, [1] but belong with body and soul, both in life and in death, [2] to my faithful Saviour Jesus Christ. [3] He has fully paid for all my sins with His precious blood [4], and has set me free from all the power of the devil. [5] He also preserves me in such a way [6] that without the will of my heavenly Father not a hair can fall from my head; [7] indeed, all things must work together for my salvation. [8] Therefore, by His Holy Spirit He also assures me of eternal life [9] and makes me heartily willing and ready from now on to live for Him. [10] (The catechism uses the following corresponding texts as support for this answer)

[1] (1Cor 6:19,20); [2] (Rom 14:7-9)  [3] (1Cor 3:23) (Tit 2:14); [4] 1Pet 1:18;19) (1John 1:7) 1John 2:2);  [5] (John 8:34-36) (Heb 2:14-15) (1John 3:8); [6] (John 6:39-40) (John 10:27-30) (2Thess 3:3) (1Peter 1:5);   [7] (Matt 10:29-31) (Luke 21:16-18);  [8] (Rom 8:28) [9] (Rom 8:15-16) (2Cor 1:21-22) (1Cor 5:5) (Eph 1:13-14)   [10] (Rom 8:14).”

This is a bit long. But I think it’s important to consider all of this in our ongoing conversations of how to hear the Bible as the Word of God. Seems to me that if we don’t show such care, the most wonderful assurances of Scripture can result in great disillusionment and loss of faith.

 


« Previous: Fair Calls and Due Process Next: A Tree That Talks »
Vote on whether you think this post is something you'll be thinking about:
Vote This Post DownVote This Post Up (+59 rating, 61 votes)
Loading...
133 Comments »

Filed in God, His Love, His Will, Jesus Christ, Life Example, Power, Reliability Of, scripture, Trials, wisdom

133 Responses to “Wonderful Misused Words”

  1. Bob in Cornwall England says:
    January 23, 2012 at 6:30 am

    Psalm 91 very much applies if we are in the will of Christ.
    On Sunday we talked about the crossing of the lake and the storm.
    It is mentioned in all three historical gospels so must be important.
    Jesus gave and order to cross to the other side. That meant, as Jesus had said it, it would come to pass.
    Jesus himself settled down for a knap in the back of the boat, secure in the knowledge that His words would be fulfilled.
    On seeing the storm the diciples panicked and woke Jesus who immediately calmed the wind and the waves to the astonishment of them all.
    They were doing God’s Will by following His instructions to cross to the other side, but did not have the faith to realise that if God said it, it would happen.
    If we are in Christ and doing His will then no “Storm” in life will harm us or stop us from getting to the goal set before us.
    In everything we do we must make sure Jesus is “In The Boat” with us, then Psalm 91 becomes a prophecy of truth for our lives.

    Bob

    Weather here wonderful today. Sunny, warm, Daffodils in flower, like a perfect spring day!
    Rain forcast for tomorrow.. but with Jesus in the boat who cares!

  2. fiyameta says:
    January 23, 2012 at 7:01 am

    Dear Bob,

    I love your comment, God bless you!

  3. SFDBWV says:
    January 23, 2012 at 7:14 am

    Where to begin? One does not have to go backward in time to a place where superstition and ignorance ruled the private thoughts of people; such maladies are still very much alive in the hearts and minds of mankind.

    God went to a great deal of effort in creating a race of people through which He would not only reveal His true nature and the truth of creation and the purpose of men, but through which every example of right and wrong living could be exposed and finally through which a Savior could be born to save man from his slavery to evil.

    During the *Dark Ages* misguided enthusiasts destroyed thousands of ancient writings and books, even during the Spanish conquest of the *New World* ancient histories and any written records were destroyed.

    From such ignorance people believe still that certain words contain *Magical* power. The very word magic coming from the religion of Babylon and ancient Persia.

    If it were only as simple as *claiming* the protection of the 91st Psalm over ones life then set back and live the good life. However the Bible is not a collection of magical incantations meant to bring about good fortune to those who know how to use it. As well as cast curses at ones enemies.

    The Bible is an introduction and instruction manual for life, is meant to give hope and comfort as well as see far into an eternal future and see that all suffering will end. We must keep steady through life by believing and trusting God…No matter what circumstances seem contrary to those eternal promises.

    This is where I choose to begin this very long and detailed study of Marts topic this morning.

    Steve

  4. remarutho says:
    January 23, 2012 at 7:31 am

    Good Morning Mart & Friends –

    Thank you for laying out so thoroughly the causes why I may trust the Lord in everything, good and bad. The photo of the little lamb next to the old goat says it all!

    Mart, you wrote:
    “…a way of claiming Psalm 91 for ourselves, if we first reflect on how it was ultimately fulfilled in Jesus.”

    It seems to me that all the covenant promises of God are “ultimately fulfilled in Jesus.” He is a man in the flesh who has never violated any law of God – so that his life, death, resurrection and ascension are the Way, the Truth and the Life. He makes a way for us to live in God’s will by his own radical obedience to God’s will. He has removed the threat of death apart from God. He has removed me from the goats and, by his own goodness, placed me among the sheep. (Matt 25:32, 33)

    Psalm 91 describes the place that Jesus has made for any and all who believe in him as the Son of God (John 14:1-2, 3-4)

    In Him,
    Maru

  5. remarutho says:
    January 23, 2012 at 7:54 am

    Mart, your second Scripture citation upholding the first answer to the question, “What is your only comfort in life and death?” reads: “For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.”

    It seems to me that the human will of individuals grazes away from the Sovereign Will of God. Can it be I might claim Christ as my Savior, yet somehow forget that my life is forfeit apart from him? To live and abide in his shadow and shelter — to make him my refuge and dwelling place — to love him — are to abandon forever my own will for myself.

    Maru

  6. yooperjack says:
    January 23, 2012 at 8:34 am

    Mart: I’ll take question #1 What is your *only* comfort in life and death. At age 71 I would say: I’m convinced Jesus is the way the only way to the Heavenly Father, there is no other and the Bible truely is His Word.

    I’ve lived enough of the Bible to know it is truth. “A soft answer turns away wrath” that is a biggy, it really works and stops arguments and yelling. I live by faith not by sight and I speak to those mountains and they move when I believe without doubting. I live Hebrews 13:5-6.

    And of course a good meal once a day, at least, is comforting. And good music makes me feel good, on a sunny day. LOL

  7. remarutho says:
    January 23, 2012 at 9:26 am

    Mart, you wrote:

    “Seems to me that if we don’t show such care, the most wonderful assurances of Scripture can result in great disillusionment and loss of faith.”

    As I consider “Wonderful Misused Words,” I must consider whether I have come to the Rock of Salvation with covenant faith or with self-centered assumptions. The covenant in Christ’s blood must be answered by my whole being. The place made for me could be a prison of my own delusion. Intellectual agreement with the premises of the Good News can break down — leaving me, as you say, with disillusionment when I have withheld my most cherished self-image from the fire of Christ’s baptism. (Matt 3:11)

    Maru

  8. SFDBWV says:
    January 23, 2012 at 9:46 am

    At the very beginning of creation, earthly life was formed as being in a cycle of birth and death. In the creation of the dry land and the oceans and grass and fish and trees and fruit and seeds there is a continuing process of the cycle of life that is present at the very beginning.

    Our sun is the source of energy that feeds life here on our planet, created by God for that purpose.

    The very nature of soil is the decay of living matter that feeds the very grasses and trees that anchor in it, all depending upon the energy that the sun provides to fuel the process.

    In the oceans life depends upon that energy that the sun provides to feed the smallest and oddly the largest of creatures that live in them.

    Maybe in the very beginning the algae that teemed in the seas were enough to feed all of the fishes and creatures of the sea and maybe at the beginning every animal could be fed from the grasses and fruits of the plants that lived from the decay of living matter found in the soils. Certainly all the things that crept and crawled among the soil aided in the manufacturing of what we know of as soil.

    Adam and then Eve were placed in this perfectly harmonious existence as creatures in this newly created realm of being and were made in the likeness of the creator Himself. Apparently at the beginning God did not want Adam or Eve to experience evil or even be aware of its existence. Also God apparently had created Adam and Eve to be eternal creatures in the form of what we come to understand as flesh and blood, never dying but continuously made new by the processes of renewal at the very molecular level of their bodies.

    Certainly at this point in the lives of Adam and Eve the covering described in the 91st Psalm fit their position in their earthly experience.

    This is exactly where God wanted Adam and Eve to stay.
    This is exactly where God wants us to be.

    However because of Adam and Eve’s disobedience they stepped out from under the solid protection God had offered; because Adam had dominion over all living things in the earth, everything suffered as a result of his sin.

    Evil, calamity, sorrow, distress, grief, misery and worse entered the realm of this new creation.

    As a result we live in a world filled with evil, yet God wants for us still to be under the protection described in the 91st Psalm, if we will choose to believe Him, it still can be so. Yet different in our understanding of it.

    I will pick it up from here later today, as there is much more to say and much more to ponder.

    Steve

  9. oneg2dblu says:
    January 23, 2012 at 10:41 am

    Mart… You’ve kept it short and sweet again, as usual. :)
    That is a rather large amount of verse to bring home a singular point. I see your point as, “No individual thought, verse, or person can stand by its own merit.” You can’t take just one verse, one thought, or one person, and place every thing else on it. There must be a cohesive context to fully develop any thought.
    If we consider the shear volume of verses as having in them the power to deliver us from all “other things” that can equally oppose them, we can also loose ourselves, because in volume alone, one never wins.
    When we consider all the writings of mankind, all the things he worships, all he desires, and all he even destroys, we see we need an immeasurable and uncontainable event in our lives we can define as our Salvation. Where, in that one event it gives us a needed foundation, freedom and purpose to resolve, our Beginning and our End. We who gather here have that singular event, In Christ alone. He is however, a non-singular reality that is expressed in the Entity of the Holy Trinity as manifested within us. It is not contained in the volume of any supporting verses, but it is however, birthed, housed, and eternally expressed in and through us as we choose to continue to Obey, Serve, and believe only Jesus Christ as being Our Saviour.
    “All the words of man ever written can not express or contain that one event as it continues to live and breath within us.” Be Blessed, Gary

  10. poohpity says:
    January 23, 2012 at 11:17 am

    I guess I am confused because I do not see how Psalms 91 was fulfilled in Christ. I have read many times in the OT from many authors prophesying about Christ and the fulfillment of a lot of the OT found in Christ but not in this Psalms. I see the promise of God’s protection and care. Well maybe verse 16 talks about giving us God’s salvation but I am still confused. I need some help in understanding this one.

  11. fadingman says:
    January 23, 2012 at 11:43 am

    Satan’s misuse of the psalm during Jesus’ temptation was to try to get Jesus to think He would be exercising faith in his Father by casting Himself down from the temple parapet. But in reality that would have shown lack of faith. The Father’s will was that Jesus be in the wilderness for a time, led by the Holy Spirit rather than His own desires. Jesus submitted to His Father’s will rather than His own.

    Trusting in God to protect and sustain while waiting in difficult circumstances that He has placed you in takes more faith than stepping out in presumptuous (self-initiated) faith.

  12. poohpity says:
    January 23, 2012 at 11:43 am

    I do understand that many folks will take scripture out of context to apply to different areas of life then have “great disillusionment and loss of faith”. Jesus did address that in His wilderness temptations and just as Adam and Eve misquoted what God had told them which can happen when people do not understand or have not read the scripture in their entirety. If Jesus would not have known the meaning of this Psalms when Satan asked Him to throw Himself off the mountain knowing that the angels would stand guard over Him, He may have done like some religions do by putting their hands into pits of poisonous snakes.

  13. yooperjack says:
    January 23, 2012 at 12:14 pm

    Poohpity: Haven’t you heard the Bible is the living Word of God. Peachers say it all the time. You can read the whole Bible 10 times a year and not understand it. Where someone may not even know how to read will hear the Word in Church and understand more about God than the greatest minds in the world.

    It’s way to complicated to fully understand, you will go nuts trying to figure it out. I gave that up years ago. Just walk in the Spirit and by faith not by sight; then you’ll do fine.

    Note: If you try to mix the OT with the NT you will really get confused. Trust me I went through that night mare years ago, also.

  14. poohpity says:
    January 23, 2012 at 12:30 pm

    Jackie, I will never give up reading the bible. It is not the bible that confused me it was how Mart attributed Psalm 91 to the fulfillment of Christ and my confusion could be just the way I read the post. The OT and the NT are all part of the same book that is so interwoven that you can not have one without the other to me. I do not try and figure out the bible I read it to learn more about our God and yes there is something new to learn each time I have read it because it is the Living Word of God. He reveals Himself more each day to those who really seek after Him and to me that means reading the bible everyday. So much to learn in preparation for eternity when we will know then God face to face which is way better than the glimpse we have in the bible.

  15. yooperjack says:
    January 23, 2012 at 12:48 pm

    I understand.

  16. Bob in Cornwall England says:
    January 23, 2012 at 1:10 pm

    fadingman,
    what you said at 11:43 am really spoke to me.

    “Trusting in God to protect and sustain while waiting in difficult circumstances that He has placed you in takes more faith than stepping out in presumptuous (self-initiated) faith.”

    That one paragraph expresses so well the circumstances I find myself in at the moment and your words just echo what I feel God is saying to me right now.

    I just got to “hang in there” and, one day soon I hope, Those Angels will come and minister to me as thay did for Jesus when He endured the desert experience to the end and resisted satans call.

    Pooh,
    I too feel the old and new testaments are intertwined and am always amazed when the Holy Spirit reveals connecting truths and types.
    Just been reading about Joseph again and marvel at the way his relationship with his brothers reflects Jesus relationship with Israel, especialy when Joseph weeps so loud all the palace could hear.
    I think there will be much weeping when Jesus reveals to Israel who He Is, Messiah!

    Gary, loved what you said.
    Steve, awaiting eagerly your next post.

    Bob

  17. poohpity says:
    January 23, 2012 at 1:29 pm

    Bob, I think Jesus already revealed to Israel who He is, some believed and the others crucified Him not knowing that that act was the salvation of the whole world. I feel that Jesus still weeps when the body of believers does not make it their lives work to live for Him.

  18. yooperjack says:
    January 23, 2012 at 1:53 pm

    Pooh and Bob: Explain in 400 words or less how you feel the NT and OT are intertwined.

    Just wondering no argument intendend.

  19. yooperjack says:
    January 23, 2012 at 1:56 pm

    Keeping in mind most of the gosples are OT.

  20. Bob in Cornwall England says:
    January 23, 2012 at 2:05 pm

    Jesus will reveal Himself to His brethren after the rapture, just as Joseph sent all the Egyptians out of the room before telling his brothers who he was.
    Revelation says there will be much weeping in Israel when they realise who Jesus is and what they did to Him.
    As for the OT and NT, The OT is all about the LAW and points to Jesus as a way of salvation from the Law of sin and death. The NT is the fulfillment of the LAW in Jesus Christ. You can’t realy have one without the other.
    Just OT and there is no Messiah, just NT and there is no LAW to condemn us.

    Bob

    Bit off topic!

  21. yooperjack says:
    January 23, 2012 at 2:15 pm

    We’re not off topic. Read Romans 8:1 then study the whole book really hard.

  22. yooperjack says:
    January 23, 2012 at 2:38 pm

    Being born is what condemed us. It was our sin nature that seperates us from God. The Messiah is God in the flesh we don’t need any testiment to have a Messiah.

    Fulfillment means just that we no longer need the law. That does not mean we have to do away with it but we don’t need it anymore. I AM FREE.

  23. SFDBWV says:
    January 23, 2012 at 2:38 pm

    After Jesus was tempted in the wilderness He came to Nazareth and on the Sabbath and read to the assembly from the book of Isaiah 61: 1

    Jesus come to *preach*, *heal*, *deliver the captives*, *recover the sight to the blind*, *to set at liberty them that are bruised*.

    As He went about healing He did not quote from Psalms 103: 1-5, nor did He quote Psalms 147: 3-5.

    However He did quote from Psalms 22:1 as he hung from the cross.

    Because we are all in a state of need, Jesus came to fulfill that need and in so doing we are placed in that state of being under the promises of Psalms 91.

    Had evil never entered the world, there would not have been a need for a deliverer.

    Because evil entered the world, God waited for the appropriate time and then came to mankind as the Prince of Peace and “with His stripes we are healed.”

    My attention is directed to Psalms 91: 1 “He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty”

    He who lives in the hiding place of the Father shall *stand fast*, *remain*, *go on being* under the *protection* of God the Father.

    Today in the obituary section of our local newspaper are the obituaries of two children ages 2 and 4 who were killed in a house fire in a nearby city. The story being in yesterdays paper about how an off duty police office seen the fire notified 911 and was injured himself trying to get into the fully engulfed row house in try and save these little children unsuccessfully.

    Who among us would say that these two little girls were not in the secret place of the Most High and not under His protection and so died as a result?

    Because we exist in a world where evil exists alongside life, we can expect evil things to happen to any of us at any time. The more serious matter being prepared for when it does.

    Jesus said to Pilate in John 18: 36 “My kingdom is not of this world:”

    In His Kingdom we are in that secret hiding place under His protection and so safe from the evil of this world. Our salvation is safe in the care of The Most High and nothing can come against it.

    While we can ask and even expect God to keep us from harm while living here in the midst of evil all around us, we are still bound by His design and His will; even if we are delivered unto death we are still safe in the Lord of Heaven.
    James the brother of Jesus killed by the sword, Stephen stoned to death, Paul beheaded, Peter crucified upside down, and countless others killed because of their stand for Jesus. Were they not afforded the protection provided in Psalms 91?

    I say yes, but not in the sense that they escaped the evil of this world, but are eternally safe in the Most High.

    Steve

  24. oneg2dblu says:
    January 23, 2012 at 2:47 pm

    Bob, your opening today with your comments and sharing that teaching, was a joy to read. Gary

  25. oneg2dblu says:
    January 23, 2012 at 3:09 pm

    Steve, please keep developing this topic. It will take more than one post that’s for sure, for it is profoundly important and takes much to convey and absorb, but I do treasure where you taking it so far. Good work brother!

  26. poohpity says:
    January 23, 2012 at 3:14 pm

    Jackie, everything Jesus taught was from the OT books. If Jesus used it to teach from especially to point what it said to Him then I would say it is intertwined and fulfilled in Jesus Christ. When Jesus was in the temple teaching what book was He teaching from? I believe one of them was the book of Isaiah although I could be mistaken. When Jesus was with the two on the road to Emmaus in Luke 24:44-45 he opened their eyes to what was written in the OT.

  27. florida7sun says:
    January 23, 2012 at 3:16 pm

    Mart, in looking at your photo, Proverbs 8:12-14 comes to mind:

    “I, wisdom, dwell together with prudence; I possess knowledge and discretion…”

    As the Holy Spirit is discreet in helping guide our behavior and teaching us the Word of God, we are blessed with wisdom. Wisdom transforms us day-by-day into the image of our Lord and Savior. We are blessed with a keener perception of evil and conduct that is unbecoming of our Lord. We seek His forgiveness through repentance and hold Him in reverence. We desire to stay by His side: “to dwell in the shelter of the Most High and abide in the shadow of the Almighty.”

    We understand why Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” Just like that little lamb next to his father; the living Word of God “is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.”

    The gift of faith from our Father in Heaven has opened our eyes.

    Bright and sunny today. Temperature is 78 degrees.

  28. yooperjack says:
    January 23, 2012 at 3:19 pm

    Pooh: Jesus was liveing in the OT speaking to OT Jews.

  29. poohpity says:
    January 23, 2012 at 3:30 pm

    Jackie, Jesus was incarnated in the times of the NT there was a 400 years gap between the writings of the OT and the NT although Jesus was alive from the foundation of the world because He Himself is God. He seemed to be speaking to the wrong teaching of what the religious leaders had misinterpreted from what was meant in the OT.

  30. yooperjack says:
    January 23, 2012 at 3:33 pm

    Those Jews were still under the law. The OT law.

  31. poohpity says:
    January 23, 2012 at 3:35 pm

    You asked how the OT and the NT was intertwined I thought. Did I misunderstand your question?

  32. yooperjack says:
    January 23, 2012 at 3:45 pm

    No, you didn’t misunderstand, thankyou for your explanation, I don’t agree with you but that’s ok, so we’ll let it go now.

  33. Bob in Cornwall England says:
    January 23, 2012 at 3:54 pm

    Jack,

    I think I hear what you are saying.
    The New Testament begins at pentecost with the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and the formation of the church.
    Before that moment Peter and the others were still living in fear, but after that moment they spoke boldly and changed the world.
    Jesus always spoke about “The Kingdom of God being at hand”
    It was not until He accended to His Father and “The Comforter” came that the new dispensation started.
    Is that right?

    Bob

  34. poohpity says:
    January 23, 2012 at 3:55 pm

    Jack may I ask a question and you do not need to answer it, are you of the Mormon faith?

  35. Bob in Cornwall England says:
    January 23, 2012 at 4:04 pm

    Technically it started when Jesus gave up His Spirit and the Vail of the Temple in the Holy of Holys was rent from top to bottom thus removing the barrier so man could pass freely into the prescence of God and God was also set free to live in man.

  36. yooperjack says:
    January 23, 2012 at 4:17 pm

    Bob: You are right on brother not many people understand it. When you get it, it sets you free.

    Pooh: You got to be kidding after reading my post for two month. I’m a full Gosple believer in Jesus Christ.

  37. yooperjack says:
    January 23, 2012 at 4:29 pm

    Pooh you made me feel like Jesus must of felt when John the Baptist asked: “Are you the one or should we be looking for another”? I say go back and read my post. Me a Mormon? LOL LOL LOL

    Bob got it why didn’t you? The differents may be he really wanted to no and didn’t stay in the box.

    Just a thought.

  38. Mart De Haan says:
    January 23, 2012 at 4:32 pm

    Poohpity,
    Here’s what I am thinking. For openers, Jesus fulfilled perfectly the person who “dwells in the shelter of the Most High and who therefore rests in the shadow of the Almighty.”

    In that sense then it seems to me that whatever protection is promised could be claimed by him.

    With him as our reference point, we see that he was not protected from tests and suffering. But he was protected from anything that would keep him from faithfully fulfilling the work of salvation the Father had entrusted to him.

    He himself indicated at one point that he could have called on angels for protection (Matt 26:53).

    My working assumption is that Jesus fulfills perfectly all that human’s fall short of.

    See if that makes sense… as a start :-)…

  39. Bob in Cornwall England says:
    January 23, 2012 at 5:39 pm

    Jack,

    I have always understood the meaning of Pentecost as the birth of the church etc. but it is the 50th day after Passover and also the feast of the first fruits of harvest. You see how the OT and NT intertwine here. LOL
    But really we are being perdantic in the fact that God Himself devided the Bible up into old and new covenants.
    The Jewish Menorah? or Candle stick represents this in the fact there are 39 parts making the left three stems and centre stem and 27 parts making the remaining three right hand stems. This corresponds exactly with the division of books in the OT(39) & NT(27)
    Even though the Bible was put together and “edited” by man, God had planned it’s layout from the begining of time. yet another interaction between old & new.

    Bob

  40. florida7sun says:
    January 23, 2012 at 5:42 pm

    I agree. As Christ lives in the temple of each believer, we take refuge and rest in the shadow of the Almighty. Given a new heart, old things have passed away. We are one with our Savior… “neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” – Romans 8:38:39

  41. Bob in Cornwall England says:
    January 23, 2012 at 5:47 pm

    Also if you look at it… there are 7 candles one for each thousand years.
    4 thousand years from Adam to the Cross then 2 thousand years to now, then 1 thousand year reign of Jesus on Earth.
    How wonderful is our God when He plans something and how clear can He make it for us to see.

    Bob

  42. poohpity says:
    January 23, 2012 at 5:59 pm

    Thank you. I know that at times people feel when they have to undergo calamities and suffering they feel as if the Lord has left them and their faith can falter and they become disillusioned because of misapplied use of scriptures. When we see that Jesus endured the horrible things He went through yet was forever about doing the work that was set before Him then Psalms 91 specially verse 14 & 15, I can see Jesus. I may not have fully understood yet but I am getting a better understanding again thank you.

  43. yooperjack says:
    January 23, 2012 at 6:14 pm

    Bob: See your point, what your saying was the OT was a shadow of things to come. My objection was the word *intinterwined* like a rope the strandes intertwined.

    I believe the OT is good reading but don’t be confused when you read it because much of it will not apply to a Christian. Like stoneing people to death and the wrath of God on His people, etc. Much of it is no longer fruitful to the Christian life style.

    Thanks for your reply.

  44. poohpity says:
    January 23, 2012 at 6:16 pm

    Jack, I wish I understood a lot of things a lot of times but I am just a student. I was confused by what you wrote and what you were looking for and if Bob understood then I am very glad. Things go over my head and there are sometimes when a ladder is just not handy.

  45. Bob in Cornwall England says:
    January 23, 2012 at 6:29 pm

    OK Jack,

    I just find so much truth and inspiration from reading and studying the ways of the old testament.
    The layout of the Temple and how it speaks of Heaven and the redeeming processes of God. God’s anger at us and sin. God’s mercy to us.
    How He used the weakest and the failures to fulfill His purpose.
    It all gives me hope and the little gems that the Holy Spirit reveals that just send shivers down my spine when I realise what God is saying and how it all fits together.
    Certainly not a subject for arguement as we agree in the Truth of our Risen Lord and that is really all that matters. Just I get excited about it all.

    11:30pm here and past my bed time.

    Bob

  46. yooperjack says:
    January 23, 2012 at 6:39 pm

    Pooh I’m not that good at explaining things, at least not in a form like this. My vocabulary is very limited. LOL I’m learning though.

  47. poohpity says:
    January 23, 2012 at 7:29 pm

    Mart, I wonder if the periods after the abbreviations of the book references are preventing them from coming up when the curser touches them. (The catechism scriptural texts)

  48. yooperjack says:
    January 23, 2012 at 7:49 pm

    Pooh: If you click them they come up.

  49. remarutho says:
    January 23, 2012 at 8:53 pm

    Good Evening Mart & Friends –

    It looks like the psalm matches up pretty well with what Jesus says about himself:

    (Psalm 91:16) Jesus has been given all things by God – in him all things pass into eternal life (John 6:39-40)

    (Psalm 91:8) Jesus, as the Son of God, frees those who believe in him from slavery to sin (John 8:34-36)

    (Psalm 91:14) Jesus, the Good Shepherd, is one with God the Father, and leads his people to eternal life (John 10:27-30)

    (Psalm 91:11) God loves all his creatures, but especially his people, so much that the hairs of their heads are numbered (Matt 10:29-31)

    (Psalm 91:15) Even in severe hatred and danger in the world, the Lord Jesus will protect his faithful from perishing (Luke 21:16-18)

    Psalm 91 celebrates God’s covenant – and the assurance we have in it. We enter the covenant fellowship of God through faith in Christ. Jesus said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” (Matt 28:18; Luke 10:22; John 3:35).

    The risen Christ sits enthroned at God’s right hand, ruling the universe. From that exalted place, he keeps the promises named by the psalmist, who recognized the character of Messiah long before Messiah appeared in the flesh.

    Blessings,
    Maru

  50. Regina says:
    January 23, 2012 at 10:27 pm

    Evening All,

    Hope your day was good. I had a great day hanging out with 1st graders! I love children! :-) It makes my heart glad to be able to spend time with them on a daily basis. Enjoyed reading your intro comment, Mart. Your statement…

    “In other words we can claim the kind of loving protection that this Psalm talks about as long as our trust extends to anything our Father lovingly and wisely allows into our life.”

    brought a song to mind titled, “Blessings” by Laura Story. I *absolutely* love that song! If you haven’t heard it, you should listen to it on youtube.

    Another amazingly beautiful, sunny day in Texas (65 degrees-high temp)!

    Love to all…

  51. Regina says:
    January 23, 2012 at 10:28 pm

    Ooops! I thought my comment did *load* because of the website, so I accidentally posted twice! Sorry all!

  52. Regina says:
    January 23, 2012 at 10:29 pm

    *didn’t :)

  53. bubbles says:
    January 23, 2012 at 10:53 pm

    Regina,
    just almost every morning, I am on the verge of tears walking into my school building because I go into a war zone EVERY single day. The disrespect of children is shocking. Students fail subjects because they choose not to pay attention. They choose not to work. They canot sit still for two seconds. I beg them to look at the board and they won’t. I am up to my eyeballs in positive reinforecement until I can’t take it any longer. I have “written up” students and called so many parents about behaivor that I have three sheets covered with documented phone calls to parents. NOTHING WORKS.
    Students get rewards and they don’t care. Then those above me promise rewards and don’t follow through.
    I dread going to school EVERY DAY. It’s exhausting. If I did not “need” this job, I would get in my car and disappear and never go back.

  54. bubbles says:
    January 23, 2012 at 11:00 pm

    and then the students do whatever they want to do and then turn right around and lie about it. They do not want help with work. Many will not try to work. They do not seem to care. Nothing pleases them. If they are not entertained 100% of the time, they are uninterested. Nothing–positive rewards, compliments, thank-yous, nothing works. And then there is all this “stuff” that is to be taught. We cannot walk down a flight of stairs without someone doing something unsafe or doing something to another student and then lying about it. We cannot walk from point A to point B without at leat 2 or 3 incidents between students. We cannot stand in line for restroom break for 10 minutes without 2 or 3 of them arguing or yelling in the bathroom or doing something to another one. If I am not looking directly at stdent, they will don something to someone else and lie about it.

  55. bubbles says:
    January 23, 2012 at 11:01 pm

    and by 9:00 am, I am already exhausted and drained and upset and I want to quit every single day.

  56. phpatato says:
    January 24, 2012 at 12:11 am

    Bubbles

    What you have related is the EXACT reason why my sister quit being a teacher…and that was oh about 20 years ago. I know it has gotten a thousand times worse since then. If you were here beside me I’d give you a long warm hug! As you aren’t please accept this….((((((hugs))))))

    I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers.

    Pat

  57. Mart De Haan says:
    January 24, 2012 at 2:01 am

    Bubbles,
    Sounds like a war zone. Am sure that many of our hearts and prayers go out to you as you express your exhaustion.

    Poohpity, another thought on how Jesus fulfills and personifies the psalm. He is not only the perfect suffering servant who rests in the strength and shadow of the Almighty, but turns out, in his resurrected exaltation, to be the Almighty– in whose strength and shadow we now suffer, rest, and are renewed.

  58. remarutho says:
    January 24, 2012 at 2:04 am

    Hello Bubbles —

    Your description of your day sounds like the seven years I taught on the reservation in N. CA. I had only two or three prayer partners in that setting — the Opportunity Class teacher, a librarian, plus one Special Ed. Aide. We met for a few minutes before school to pray for Jesus to be with us each day. We also prayed for the students, their families, the administrators, our fellow teachers and aides. Some days we could not meet, but we drew strength from God’s faithfulness and from one another.

    I will pray for your strength through those who lift you up in your school — even one other who prays with you — and for the Lord to walk with you every moment of every day.

    Yours,
    Maru

  59. Mart De Haan says:
    January 24, 2012 at 4:11 am

    Pooh, I just realized what I needed to do to make the Scripture references for the catechism active. Sorry I missed this earlier. Hope the change of format helps. Thanks for calling it to my attention.

  60. Mart De Haan says:
    January 24, 2012 at 4:21 am

    While thinking about how Psalm 91 is fulfilled in Christ, I checked to see what J Vernon McGee (Bible teacher of past generation) had to say. Interestingly, he comments first graciously and, later, with caution about the way some have claimed this passage. The excerpt is a bit long. But because of the importance of the subject, I am going to copy below what I found in McGee’s Thru the Bible Commentary on Psalm 91.

    I hope those who are not interested will just scroll by.

    McGee writes:
    “A young man in my congregation claimed this verse as his when he went into military service. He felt that it brought him through combat safely.

    Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday [Ps. 91:6].

    Another young man took this verse with him when he was in the Navy Air Corps. He was a very fine young man, and he retired as a commander. This was the verse he claimed as his.

    A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.
    Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked [Ps. 91:7–8].

    I believe these verses can be used by God’s people, and many times God has made them real to His people; but they actually picture our Lord… ”

    [Mart] At this point, while saying that he believed the two young men had a right to take courage from Psalm 91 McGee goes on to quote Dr A.C. Gaebelein (a Bible Teacher from a generation previous to McGee) as cautioning, “Fanaticism may claim all these statements as having an absolute meaning for the trusting child of God, experience teaches often the opposite. Because we are the failing and erring creatures of the dust we need discipline and have to pass through the tests of faith. Yet in it all the believer can be in perfect peace, knowing that all is well. ‘Though He slay me, yet will I trust’ is the summit of true faith and confidence in God” (The Book of Psalms, p. 347).

    McGee continues…”This is quite a wonderful statement, is it not?

    Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation;
    There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling [Ps. 91:9–10].

    This pictures Christ, you see.

    For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.
    They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone [Ps. 91:11–12].

    This is the passage that the Devil quoted, and the interesting thing is that Satan knew this psalm applied to the Lord Jesus. He knew something a lot of theology professors don’t know today. During the Lord’s temptation, Satan said, “For it is written, He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee.” This statement is recorded in Luke 4:10; it seems that the Devil quotes Scripture for his purposes. Well, I don’t think he can quote it, but he can misquote it, and in this case that is just what he did. He left out the words, “in all thy ways.” The Lord Jesus Christ came to do the Father’s will, and that meant to walk in His ways. He would have stepped out of the will of God if He had attempted to make the stones into bread, or if He had accepted the kingdoms of the world from Satan, or if He had cast Himself down from the pinnacle of the temple. To do any of that would have been out of the way of God. The promise is: “For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.”
    Now in verse 14 there are two “becauses,” and they are very important:

    Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.
    He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him [Ps. 91:14–15].

    You see, the perfect Man went into the jaws of death. He went down into the lowest parts of the earth, which meant death and the grave. Deliverance came on the third day when God raised Christ from the dead and gave Him glory. God says, “I will set him on high.” What a picture we have of Christ in this psalm!”

    (end of quote from McGee, J. V. (1997). Thru the Bible commentary (electronic ed.) (Ps 91:5–15). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

  61. Bob in Cornwall England says:
    January 24, 2012 at 6:43 am

    Thank you Mart for those quotes above.

    I can now see more clearly what you are trying to get across.
    It seems there are many “Prophetic” Psalms about Jesus, like psalm 91 and also psalm 22 about His crusifixion.
    But as Jesus was the first born among many brethren and God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit dwell in us and with us, then these words also apply to us as we are in Him.
    Just as the Isaiah passage about “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He has annointed me….. etc.” also applies to us as we go in His name, preaching the good news and healing the sick etc.
    The Day of Penticost proved what Jesus said was true when He said we would do even greater things than Himself because He goes to the Father…etc.

    I am a little concerned that some in the USA tend to be Dogmatic rather than Pragmatic.
    We need to start beleiving these wonderful promises from God, wether from Old or New Testaments and put them into practice.

    Bob

  62. Bob in Cornwall England says:
    January 24, 2012 at 6:49 am

    Bubbles,

    My heart goes out to my friend.
    Like Maru said, you need to find some support in both prayer and fellowship at school.
    I will pray that God will provide such for you and that He guides you as to what to do.
    It would be so easy to quote some lovely sounding scripture to you, like Psalm 91, but your circumstances would not change.
    But prayer is a powerful thing and can release you and empower you in this situation.

    Take Care!

    Bob

  63. SFDBWV says:
    January 24, 2012 at 7:23 am

    Psalms 40: 7 “: in the volume of the Book it is written of me.”
    Luke 24: 44 “These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the Law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the Psalms concerning me.”

    Hebrews 10: 1-39

    This *Bible* this Book of Books is all about Christ. It always was and always will be about Christ.

    It is all about what you are looking for; if you’re looking for Jesus Christ you will find Him on every page of scripture. However don’t make the mistake of choosing what you want to believe and what you don’t based on your own intellect or desires.

    Open your eyes or at least ask Christ to open your eyes as He did for the disciples in Luke 24: 45

    Steve

  64. SFDBWV says:
    January 24, 2012 at 7:52 am

    In my earlier efforts I intended to lay down a base for understanding a need for a *hiding place* and in who we hide.

    We are lost sinners and if the death angel that came looking for the first born of Egypt were to come looking for us, because of our sin, we could not be found because we are hidden in Christ, covered by the blood. Just as those Hebrews were covered by the lamb’s blood and so passed over.

    We are guilty of our sins we have no excuse, yet there we are our sin not seen because we are covered by the Lambs blood and so hidden from eternal destruction.

    Yet in the full discussion of this Psalm we must also look at the facts of living in this broken world.

    I do not believe that any person, except we who are alive today, who read and claimed the 91st Psalm over them for the past 3000 years are still alive in this world and walking among us. Maybe some of their descendants but not they themselves. Yet I know they still live and are still safe in that dwelling place of the Most High, because what God says stays said and His Words will live long past everything else in existence.

    As a Christian I know that this walk through this world in its present state is a temporary dwelling place as is my body. I pray every day for God to keep calamity and disaster and evil from me and my family, I ask for this every day because I know only too well that the pain of this world escapes no one, so even though I want good things for us I also know to ask that Gods will be done and to strengthen me for it, to prepare me for it and to see me through it. Knowing that our eternity is safe in that shadow of the Almighty, under His wings and in that secret dwelling place.

    Steve

  65. remarutho says:
    January 24, 2012 at 8:05 am

    Good Morning Mart & Friends!

    Mart, you wrote:

    “You see, the perfect Man went into the jaws of death. He went down into the lowest parts of the earth, which meant death and the grave. Deliverance came on the third day when God raised Christ from the dead and gave Him glory. God says, ‘I will set him on high.’
    What a picture we have of Christ in this psalm!”

    Amen and amen! Though I have not been at war in the uniform of my nation, I have struggled knowing the victory over calamity belongs to my Lord Jesus! I agree with Dr. McGee that the ultimate statement of faith in Messiah is:

    ‘Though He slay me, yet will I trust’ is the summit of true faith and confidence in God” (The Book of Psalms, p. 347).

    All things are in the hands of the God-man Jesus Christ.

    Blessings,
    Maru

  66. foreverblessed says:
    January 24, 2012 at 8:22 am

    Bubbles, I pray for you too.
    I was a teacher, and had the same experience as you were describing: the children wanted to be entertained, and asked that of you. But they themselves didn’t want to move a stone (so to speak). I quit teaching when we moved to the south of the Netherlands, and my husband’s job would take so much time, he was away a lot. And I chose to be with the children, to be at home for them.
    When my youngest would leave home for university, I was considering going back to teaching in high school. But then someone here posted about a dream he had had:
    He was walking in school, or college and it was full of snakes.
    He shared his dream here, and I do not remember him ever posting again.
    That made me think, and I asked God if I should go back to school. And as He didn’t answer, I did not go back.
    But thinking now about the school and Bubbles experience, and the snakes, and we now reading Psalm 91:13
    I pray for you Bubbles that you will see this Psalm coming true for you, that God will open this verse for you, that you will trample on the snakes. Not the children, but the snakes deceive children in behaving like they do as you describe.
    I pray that you see that you are in the shelter of Christ, through His blood. That all the criticism children have for you will not harm you, as you know that all your faults are covered by the blood, as Steve also mentioned just above.
    Stand there Bubbles, Christ is on your side, and all his angels are there with you in the school. Be blessed!

  67. oneg2dblu says:
    January 24, 2012 at 9:08 am

    Good morning, I totally agree with all that was just posted. I also believe that what we just learned as another school of thought was this: “We need discipline to pass the tests of faith.” It should also be needed in the schools today, where many no longer see the need for Prayer or any other God stuff, clogging up their politically correct Hallowed Halls! We all suffer for them… Gary

  68. oneg2dblu says:
    January 24, 2012 at 9:19 am

    Thinking we should now have much to glean upon in that one Psalm alone, even as each verse alone now stands for the whole. When we see Jesus everywhere and in everything, we know we are His, and He is with us!
    Bubbles, it breaks my heart to see yours being rent for the disillusioned and disobedient all around you. Why? Because you care for them and because you know in your heart, that what they do now and get away with is not right, and you are right in your thinking. But, where are they in theirs? That is the real reason for the disobedience, lack of accountability, and even defiance of all authority. It lies within their mindset and somehow the system you work with has not set their minds right either. They live as though there is no law, no condemnation, no needed accountability, and no real reason to live above anything other than their own way. It is as if they foolishly follow some self learned tenant that says, they are okay the way they are, their graduation is guaranteed them, and their is nothing they can do that will prevent it. They have been sold in their hearts a felicity of future success regardless of their current behavior, even caught up in the no work needed trap. Unfortunately, not only is your school caught up in it, as in being politically correct and not judging them for their trespasses, but the church as well. I grieve for all who fall prey to such mindsets, and for those around them who have learned from their authority differently, and really know better!
    Bubbles…Please take your suffering to the Lord, and He will direct your paths.
    If, I thought taking it to some place else would be of greater value, then in all love I would direct you there. I have already prayed for you and will continue to ask the Lord to open all our eyes to His Better Plan and Way of needed Obedience.
    He who knows all things, knows we need to be accountable. He who knows all things, knows we need to be law abiding. He who knows all things, knows we need a Saviour as well! Be Blessed, Gary

  69. yooperjack says:
    January 24, 2012 at 9:20 am

    Mart: I think like in so many other stories from the OT, preachers like finding Jesus comparisons, this one is a stretch. It’s like finding Jesus in a piece of toast. Other than the Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and Song of Solomon the OT is so full of violence, wrath of God and curses that if it where made into a movie I wouldn’t let my grandchildren watch it.

    I know the OT is a shadow of what was to come like Isaiah 53 but in my opinion we need to study the NT to find the formula of how Jesus and His disciples healed the sick, delivered the captives and set them free and even raised the dead. We need this more today than ever before with our drug problems and kids that are raised in horrible conditions. This world is lost and we can help them find the way. Jesus used healing and miracles to draw the crowds; today preachers deny the need for them. How can they get saved if they don’t hear the word?

    I feel so bad for teachers like Bubbles. Those acorns don’t fall far from the tree. This is what happens when they remove God from our schools, now they want to remove Him from our Government then our country.

    Like I told Bob the OT is a good read but let’s not stretch the scriptures to say or mean things that are no more than a stain on a window or a picture on a piece of toast. The OT is good for Jewish history, seeing the other side of God and poetry; please do not try to intertwine the OT and the NT they are not compatible. We *live* under the new covenant not the old it was a shadow of things to come, we live in the real world, today, this moment in time. God is not mad at us any more, Jesus took all the wrath of the Father for us; it is finished. Let us show people the love of God through our words and deeds.

    I know this is out of the box. I didn’t dream this up I just stopped being Religious and got out of a Legalistic Church system.

  70. yooperjack says:
    January 24, 2012 at 9:56 am

    Mart: One other thing. So many Christians today don’t live in the real world; God gave us His Word and a brain to understand it. Some will mess up their lives really bad by doing stupid things then read nice verses in the Bible and expect God to bail them out. That don’t cut it we still reap what we sow. *We* can be our own worst enemy.

  71. poohpity says:
    January 24, 2012 at 10:06 am

    Jack here is just one reference for you read Mark 1:2-3 about how the OT told about the Messiah. There are many others which I think would be a good study for you to find on your own before accusing the OT of having no meaning for Christians in today’s time. If you are able find the verse from Jesus’ own words that says the the OT is what pointed people to Him and His work on earth and that Jesus is the fulfillment of the OT prophets and laws. That will show you the relevance of the OT rather taking something like stoning which is only mentioned around 15 time in the OT and 7 times in the NT to draw your conclusion.

  72. oneg2dblu says:
    January 24, 2012 at 10:16 am

    Yooperjacy, your opinion is of course your own. I don’t read tea leaves, or see faces in toast either. Although, I do see Him in you, even if you are still claiming to not be a Mormon. Now, can you see how anyone can take another’s words to the extreme, and have fun with them at the others expence. I’ll forgive you that. As you say, Let’s move on!
    Let’s get real here, and not read into another’s words what they have “not” said! Thank you for you post. Gary

  73. yooperjack says:
    January 24, 2012 at 10:20 am

    Pooh: Go back and read my post with an open mind; I said: “Isaiah 53 was a shadow of what was to come.” I will not argue about the Bible, I will make a post and that is it.

  74. oneg2dblu says:
    January 24, 2012 at 10:25 am

    Wow! Things do get testy rather quickly with the old tongue.Please excuse my radip response this morning. I’m glad all my posts did not go through, Praise God! I’m going outside now to work on my boat and cool off! Although, it is in the 70’s here and rising. :)

  75. yooperjack says:
    January 24, 2012 at 10:27 am

    I’ll say it again: “Jesus was talking to OT believers not Christians.”

  76. Bob in Cornwall England says:
    January 24, 2012 at 10:32 am

    Jack,

    I loved your comment:

    “I think like in so many other stories from the OT, preachers like finding Jesus comparisons, this one is a stretch. It’s like finding Jesus in a piece of toast.”

    Thank God I like eating Toast!!
    Now, whenever I am reading Scripture from the Old Testament I will chuckle to myself that I am eating Old Toast with lashings of Jesus spread on it.
    And when I read the New Testament I will also chuckle at the thought of New Toast, with even more of Jesus than before.

    Bob

  77. poohpity says:
    January 24, 2012 at 10:53 am

    Mart, I found this. It is not a comment on Pslams 91 but on how satan used it Matt 4:6.

    “Satan used Scripture to try to convince Jesus to sin! Sometimes friends will present attractive and convincing reasons why you should try something you know is wrong. They may even find Bible verses which seem to support their viewpoint. Study the Bible carefully, especially the broader contexts of specific verses, so that you will understand God’s principles for living and what He wants for your life. Only if you understand what the whole Bible says, can you recognize errors in interpretation when people take verses out of context and twist them to say what they want them to say.” LAB pg 1329 foot note for Matt 4:6

    Although Jesus had all power in heaven and on earth it seems it was never displayed in anyway that would bring Glory to anything other than the mission that He came to earth to fulfill. No grandstanding, as many who are called my His name do in today’s times.

  78. poohpity says:
    January 24, 2012 at 11:27 am

    The one thing in Psalm 91 that could not be applied to any other than Jesus was in verse 15 “I will deliver Him and “Honor Him”.” There is none other that God will honor than the Son. Amen!

  79. poohpity says:
    January 24, 2012 at 11:29 am

    ooops!! I did not just mean one thing. I should have said one of the many in Psalm 91.

  80. fadingman says:
    January 24, 2012 at 11:34 am

    Darlene Deibler Rose wrote of her experiences in a Japanese POW camp during WW2. I’ve read her book multiple times (Evidence Not Seen) and highly recommend it. She recounted one incident showing that sometimes God takes His own word out of context to speak to us.

    It happened one day that the Americans, not knowing it was a POW camp, flew over and bombed the camp. Darlene was afraid she was going to die. She wrote:

    “Our hearts were filled with terror, lest some of the planes drop their deadly shrapnel bombs before they had cleared the area. The ground shook; the stillness of the night was shattered by the reverberations from the exploding bombs. In the midst of the confusion, I could hear the Lord saying over and over to me, ‘It shall not come nigh thee. It shall not come nigh thee. It shall not come nigh thee.’ I knew that this was a portion of the ninety-first Psalm, but search my mind as I might, I couldn’t recall the rest of the verse.”

    “The planes, having released their bombs, circled and winged away into the east. All-clear was sounded, and we returned *unharmed* to our barracks. ‘It shall not come nigh thee.’ I could hardly wait for morning to read the rest of the verse. With first light I grabbed my Bible and read, ‘A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand hand; but it shall not come nigh thee’ (v. 7). What a precious promise to carry in my heart during the many long, terrifying nights to be spent in the open slit-trench. There were many occasions when I might have questions whether those words really meant what they said, but I steadfastly reminded myself that this was God’s promise to me…” (Evidence Not Seen, pg 106-107)

  81. poohpity says:
    January 24, 2012 at 11:42 am

    I do not understand that to be taken out of context but it may have been something the Lord wanted her to know that she would make it out. Now if she had placed herself in that situation of being a prisoner holding to that promise I think that may be how Mart was applying it as a misuse of words. I do not know if that makes sense but that is how I am understanding it.

  82. yooperjack says:
    January 24, 2012 at 1:18 pm

    Bob: That image in the toast idea came from TV news a while back. Someone was trying to sell a piece of toast that had an image of Jesus on it.

  83. Bob in Cornwall England says:
    January 24, 2012 at 3:00 pm

    Yes Jack, I got your drift.
    I know you are from the USA but I do credit you a bit of common sense. lol

    Bob

  84. bubbles says:
    January 24, 2012 at 7:11 pm

    Thank you. I should be thankful for a job and not focus so much on the aggrivations of every day. Having aggrivations is much better than not having a job. I am sorry for sharing. Just about every day is like the one described. Please forgive me for being unthankful.

    Psalm 91 is a precious Psalm. We may not understand all of it fully, “exactly” what it means.

    In July 2001, a close relative had a massive heart attack. Waiting in the hospital lobby for a doctor to come out is a desolate feeling. The “not knowing what would happen” is very frightening.

    Something was needed, and Psalm 91 was it. I memorized this Psalm that summer.

    This Psalm’s words brings comfort even if some of its meanings are difficult to understand.

  85. yooperjack says:
    January 24, 2012 at 9:21 pm

    bubbles: Try this, every morning before you go to class maybe in your car on the way to school. Pray a blessing over those children, ask God to bless each and every one of them by name if you can. Do this out loud not silently. Do it as long as it takes to remove this spirit of rebillion. Believe without doubting in the name of Jesus and it will happen.

    Maybe all you prayer warriers can help her out. This is no way to live that spirit has to go. “AMEN”

  86. Regina says:
    January 24, 2012 at 10:53 pm

    Good Evening All,

    Hope your day was good. I had a great day today. Bubbles, I want to speak to your comment, “Regina,
    just almost every morning, I am on the verge of tears walking into my school building because I go into a war zone EVERY single day. The disrespect of children is shocking. Students fail subjects because they choose not to pay attention. They choose not to work. They canot sit still for two seconds. I beg them to look at the board and they won’t. I am up to my eyeballs in positive reinforecement until I can’t take it any longer. I have “written up” students and called so many parents about behaivor that I have three sheets covered with documented phone calls to parents. NOTHING WORKS.
    Students get rewards and they don’t care. Then those above me promise rewards and don’t follow through.
    I dread going to school EVERY DAY. It’s exhausting. If I did not “need” this job, I would get in my car and disappear and never go back.”

    I always start my day with prayer before I enter the school building, and if I don’t have time to pray at home, I pray in the car. I ask our LORD to give me a fresh anointing for the day so I’ll be able to minister to the children as well as the adults. I’m working as a Sub-Teacher right now, so I’m in a different classroom almost everyday. When I first started working as a Sub-Teacher, I didn’t know any of the Perm-Teachers or the students, so I had my work cut out for me, to say the least. Long story short, I’ve built relationships with Teachers, Admin staff/Staff and students at several schools, but I don’t take that for granted. I still pray about the kind of day I desire to have and expect to have on a daily basis. Also want to say that I can totally relate to how you feel. I’ve encountered disrespectful children too…children who were unhappy, didn’t want to be at school, and were willing to do anything in their power to make everyone else’s day miserable. I know I could type the longest letter/comment to you bubbles regarding my ability to relate to how you feel when you go to school everyday, but I’ll share something with you instead. I was listening to a Christian radio station the other day, and a news reporter was talking about a football player named Tim Tebow. He (or she) said that Mr. Tebow had made a reputation for himself because he always thanked and gave honor to his LORD and Savior, Jesus Christ, no matter what kind of outcome he had on the football field. For the longest time, people were talking about the impact that Mr. Tebow’s actions were having on other people…his desire to give his LORD all the glory and honor, no matter what. I was also inspired by what Tim is doing on behalf of the body of Christ, and his actions brought to mind a favorite Bible verse; I want to share it with you: Col. 3:17. I’ll be praying with you, Bubbles, that our LORD will give you supernatural power to handle whatever situations arise in your classroom, and that He will give you the power to impart wisdom, love, compassion, understanding, respect, humility, patience and self-control and to your students (Gal. 5:22-23).

    Very, very rainy day in Texas today (61 degrees-High/52 degrees right now). Raining right now. Love it.

    Love to all…

  87. remarutho says:
    January 25, 2012 at 7:08 am

    Good Morning Mart & Friends –

    As I read about the plagues – culminating in the plague of death of the firstborn in Egypt this morning, our discussion of the exercise of faith came to mind again. I thought of those Israelites not knowing what would come to pass when the angel of death came to the countryside. Yet, they obeyed the commands Moses gave from God, saying:

    “Though he slay me, I will hope in him…” (Job 13:15)

    “None of you shall go out of the door of his house until the morning. For the LORD will pass through to strike the Egyptians, and when he sees the blood on the lintel and on the two doorposts, the LORD will pass over the door and will not allow the destroyer to enter your houses to strike you.” (Ex 12:22-23)

    That blood is a foreshadowing of the blood of the Worthy Lamb, Messiah Jesus. In him the prophecy of Psalm 91:5-6 is fulfilled: “You will not fear the terror of the night… nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness…”

    John of Patmos wrote down the heavenly hymn: “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come…And they have conquered him (the accuser) by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death. (Rev 12:10-11)

    Surely the presence of the Son of God is seen throughout Scripture, and God’s promises are fulilled in him.

    Maru

  88. SFDBWV says:
    January 25, 2012 at 7:47 am

    This web site affords an excellent opportunity for we its readers and participants to take a subject and then share how we understand it as well as how it may be reflected in our lives.

    In spite of the fact many of us may be well read or may have a good memory of scripture, what makes this conversation the most interesting and most profitable to others is how we actually live our faith as we have peace or struggle through it.

    As always I can only speak for myself, not others here and would never want to insist any accept my view of everything, even if I consider what I think to be correct doctrine. All I can ever hope to do is share my life and my beliefs in hopes others may be encouraged or enlightened by it.

    The writings of other authors may help me shape my thoughts but there is always a little difference between each of our struggles with our faith and how another deals with it. So there is never a final word on any subject.

    This subject of the 91st Psalm disturbs me. It disturbs me because if I were to think all I have to do is recite this Psalm and “claim” it, that everything is just going to be fine for *me*.

    A problem arises when we love others more than ourselves. I know of a believer who “claims” this Psalm over her family and so then expects there to be no problems for them either.

    Suppose you ask for the same protection from God everyday but use your own words to do so?

    In your heart you believe that God hears your prayers, and in your heart you believe that the safety of living can be found in God alone.

    In your heart you believe that if you are to have any hope of being protected from the dangers and evil of this world it is under the control of God.

    In your heart you trust God to protect you and your family, believe He can and ask Him to, will it work as well as reciting the 91st psalm?

    What happens then to what you believe when some disaster befalls you? Why didn’t the 91st Psalm cover me? Did I do something wrong? Was I not sincere enough?

    There were 6 firefighters injured this week as they tried desperately to save those two little girls from a row house fire. They were able to get to the oldest little girl but she was already in cardiac arrest when they recovered her, she died of her injuries at the scene.

    Am I to believe that these two little girls died a horrible death because they hadn’t recited the 91st Psalm or that someone else had not for them?
    When we are in Christ, our eternal being is safe there; if you will, our eternal salvation is safe there.

    But we live in a world froth with dangers and disasters and broken hearts and sickness and suffering and death, Christ affords us a place of comfort to go to when these events befall us.

    Please trust in Jesus in spite of the events of life here in this world, look beyond this world to that paradise He has built for us, do the best we can to comfort each other while we are here.

    There are no *magic* incantations found in the scripture, only *Truth* is found there.

    Steve

  89. yooperjack says:
    January 25, 2012 at 8:02 am

    bubbles: Read Matthew 5:44 and Romans 12:14.

  90. oneg2dblu says:
    January 25, 2012 at 8:58 am

    Steve… you are right on when you say no magic incantations.
    No exact recipe for telling God how to act, when to act, and where to act. Just like the rest of us who are made in His Image, we are our own bosses while we live in these corruptable bodies, and conduct our own business. But, In Christ, do we then get to act upon the Faith we now possess. We can pray for ourselves and others knowing that we have what we ask for as if it is… if it is, within the Will of God. Knowing the Will of God puts us in His territory, and in His Territory can we survive the daily grind.
    We can realize every defiant individual we encounter is also His Creation, needs a Saviour, and is hungrey, deaf, dumb, and blind to Him if they don’t. We need to pray as yooperjack pointed out in those verses he posted. It sometimes is our “only weapon” if we are fighting the spiritual battles contained within ourselvwes and others.
    Then, the Battle is the Lords, but we must turn it over to Him, or we remain burdened beyond ourselves at times.
    Praise God, who hears our prayers! Gary

  91. yooperjack says:
    January 25, 2012 at 9:00 am

    bubbles: Ephesians 2:2 shows us that there are spirits that are at work through people to make others miserable. Pray that God will put a hedge around your class room to keep all those unclean spirits from entering.

  92. poohpity says:
    January 25, 2012 at 10:50 am

    Jack, you may find “Our Daily Bread” for today interesting, titled “Worth The Effort?”.

  93. Rocky says:
    January 25, 2012 at 11:00 am

    yooperjack, Thanks for such great insight.

    I found that leaning on my own underrating often I don’t get very far.

    I believe that is one of the main reasons When Jesus left this world He sent us a comforter, to help us understand the mysteries of God. But only with the power of the Holy Spirit will it make sense.

    PS Mart I met some people last night that are from Michigan, I told them I I was involved with a Blog/small group on line where the host lives in Michigan, of course they asked who you, So I gladly shared.

    They were blown away, apparently he used to be part of RBC and the Day of Discovery Singers & his wife as a child used to play with your nephews Mark & Chuck.

    Their names are Mark & Lori Welch, they send their love.

    Have a great day

    Rocky

  94. oneg2dblu says:
    January 25, 2012 at 11:23 am

    I feel that the very verses in that Psalm 19 cited today in the ODJ just referenced, are also worth our every effort of staying well within today. As long as we are in these corruptible bodies, we are not Under the Law like the Jew was, but under its conviction as we who are in Christ today. We find today a cohesive application for us, binding us to them because they are always profitable and well worth giving every effort to. They help us today, to remain steadfast in our daily resolve to be ever more Christ-like. Gary

  95. yooperjack says:
    January 25, 2012 at 11:28 am

    Pooh: I read it and what Philp said was nice. I read some of the OT but stay away from all that bad stuff. In other words pick the roses and leave the thorns. And I don’t confuse it with the NT teaching.

    I wander if you and I inspired Philp to write that? LOL

    Pray for bubbles that is one bad situation,I always tell young people; “love your job because you will spend one third of your life there”. There isn’t anything much worse than getting up every morning and dreading to have to go to your job. We either choose the job or the job chooses us.

  96. yooperjack says:
    January 25, 2012 at 11:37 am

    Gary: We’re no longer even under the conviction of the law. Romans 6:14. Keep studying Romans with an open mind.

  97. poohpity says:
    January 25, 2012 at 12:14 pm

    No, Mr Yancy has had a book out for a long time called “The Bible Jesus Read”. Watch out for those ego’s, it is not about us, it is about the Lord, I guess he just wanted someone to know that today.

  98. poohpity says:
    January 25, 2012 at 12:51 pm

    I seems at one time Mr Yancy had the same opinion as you, Jack, about the OT until the Lord opened his eyes to view it differently.

  99. yooperjack says:
    January 25, 2012 at 12:52 pm

    pooh: No ego just a thought. Did Philp speak to you and say we didn’t inspire him to write that now at this time in history in the time of this topic hot on this blog?

  100. yooperjack says:
    January 25, 2012 at 12:53 pm

    hot topic

  101. yooperjack says:
    January 25, 2012 at 1:14 pm

    Pooh: Are you sure it was the Lord that opened the eyes of Philp and not Religion. Because I know the Lord opened my eyes to believe as in my post.

  102. poohpity says:
    January 25, 2012 at 1:14 pm

    No he did not speak to me, I just looked at the date ODB was published and it was delivered to my home last month but God probably knew in advance when someone would slander His Word by telling others to not bother with reading the OT. I also read the book mentioned above by Mr Yancey.

  103. poohpity says:
    January 25, 2012 at 1:17 pm

    So maybe you may consider who it is your are listening to. I have never heard of the Lord not directing people to read His Word not just part but in whole.

  104. yooperjack says:
    January 25, 2012 at 1:19 pm

    Pooh: I would never tell someone not to read any book that is not my business. My whole point was to point out that we should not be confused by intertwining (your words) the OT and the NT. That was it.

  105. yooperjack says:
    January 25, 2012 at 1:40 pm

    Bottom line, if we never had the Old Testiment we could still be saved, filled with the Holy Spirit and all the other gifts and blessings the Gosples and the New Testiment provide.

    I gave my honest assestment of the OT and just knew someone would get all bent out of shape, but I speak “Straight Talk no Bull”. That’s who I am, I want to please God not man.

    Most of the time people that are affended are under convition about something.

  106. yooperjack says:
    January 25, 2012 at 1:42 pm

    offended

  107. yooperjack says:
    January 25, 2012 at 2:28 pm

    By the same logic if we just had the OT we would all be lost sinners and out of fellowship with God.

    So no one should say if you haven’t read the whole Bible you have no right to comment on it that is just pride in overdrive.

  108. poohpity says:
    January 25, 2012 at 2:57 pm

    I know that reminds me of the teachers in school who told me not to read the book I was doing a book report on. Go, Jackie!!

  109. yooperjack says:
    January 25, 2012 at 3:23 pm

    Guess I have to say it again, there are people that cannot read that know more about the Word than the most educated people in the world because they go to church and listen very close to the teacher because that is how they learn.

    Most men that worked in the copper mines all their lives had an 8th grade education would laught at those Minning Collage students when they would try to tell the miners about minning and never been underground even once in their entire life.

    Reading a book does not make one an expert; which is a former drip.

  110. yooperjack says:
    January 25, 2012 at 3:46 pm

    For those that don’t get it. *ex-spert* = a *former drip* like in water dip.

  111. SFDBWV says:
    January 25, 2012 at 3:48 pm

    What an interesting day; there is a planned electrical outage tomorrow between 10 am and 12 pm, however this afternoon about 1:15 pm the power went off.

    When the power accidentally trips off line it will try and set back up right away, but this afternoon it just went off and stayed that way, so I figured it was disconnected on purpose.

    A quick call to Allegheny Power and the automated voice immediately stated that there were work crews in our area, so my guess was right.

    Now bear in mind this is the 25th of January, but it is a bright sunny day and 52 degrees so if the power had to be off they picked a very good day to do so.

    I have a generator set up and it is good to run it every now and then so I just went ahead and reintroduced power to my house with it so my freezer and refrigerators could stay on as well as my forced air gas furnace. Matt also was listening to his CD’s at the time so he was able to continue it.

    I don’t use my electric oven when running the generator and I had baked potatoes in when the power knocked, so I just went ahead and fired up the gas grill and finished off the potatoes there, grilled steak was already on the menu so every thing worked out just splendidly.

    Power has been restored and I have put every thing back to normal, it was a nice for it not to feel like it was a serious emergency.

    Jackie, you speak of copper mining, was that the type of work you did before retiring? I hold a special place in my heart for miners.

    Steve

  112. yooperjack says:
    January 25, 2012 at 3:48 pm

    drip

  113. oneg2dblu says:
    January 25, 2012 at 3:58 pm

    yooperjack… I’ll second that pride in overdrive. Nothing in the word that I’ve read so far, requires us to read the whole of it, or else be silent. For those who feel so inclinded or convicted that is certainly a great endeavor, and you should be proud, or should you? Now, how much do you retain, and how much do you really understand, that is another whole issue, possibly for another blog topic.
    But, I was speaking to conviction only, not the dominion of sin in our lives. That is for the lawless among us, who choose to live lawlessly. Not perfection while we have to live in these corruptible bodies, I get that part, but defiant disobedience as a choice that goes against His Conviction? I’m speaking to Believers in Christ I hope, and in that hope those believers also have the daily conviction of the Holy Spirit within them. That Spirit is following the very letter of the LAW in every prompting it makes. The very same Law, the only Law that God has given us. That law still stands as the Spirits very conviction is God’s testimony to it.
    You can ignore it at your own peril; I choose to obey it as His Voice and Law. Just as I pay taxes, tithe, and put away foolish desires that go against His Law or Spirit if you will. I believe when the Spirit says no, it means no! But, I am a legalist at heart, so bear with me.
    Now, if you have a spirit inside you that says you can go against His Law saying it is of no account, then, I would question who that spirit is, and where it came from. Just a thought…
    Have you physically cut the book apart yet? I mean your personal bible as to totally separate the Old and New, and not confuse yourself as to which one speaks directly to you in your human condition, or how it reacts to an Almighty God today? Or, do you believe they are bound together as one volume, and they should be and for a reason?
    Let the spirit inside you… not the law abiding one but the other one, the one that has no conviction, let that one speak out, that already forgiven free spirit that reigns in the heart of those who feel they are not under any law as you say. Please keep all lying and swear words to a minimum as they are not tolerated well by that Old Testament, or the New Testament Spirit that lives Eternally Entwined in me. Gary

  114. yooperjack says:
    January 25, 2012 at 4:04 pm

    Steve: No but my two dads and most of my uncles in that generation worked in the mines for about three to four thousand dollars a year. It was a whole different world then. Better in many ways but very hard life in other ways.

    I’m blessed to have lived in both worlds, but I’m thirsting for Jesus to return. I’m getting tired of what I see happening to our world today. “Come quickly Lord Jesus!!!!”

  115. yooperjack says:
    January 25, 2012 at 4:20 pm

    Oh boy! I’m getting tired of saying: “Read the OT but don’t intertwine it with the NT.” “One coin two different sides.” “Gods Word but different purpose.” Please read my post with an open mind then respond. But don’t open your minds so far that your brains fall out. LOL

  116. SFDBWV says:
    January 25, 2012 at 4:46 pm

    Gary we are indeed to live a holy life and strive all of our days to do so all the while knowing we will never be able to, but that not keeping us from trying to or being a worry, as knowing we are presented holy before God because we are covered by the atonement offered by He Himself through the life death and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth, not by our works lest any man brag.

    Just as an abstract point, when confronted by cults they like to quote the bible to prove their points. One infamous such cult denies the Trinity another that Jesus is God. They present a twisted presentation of scripture to people who do not know what it is that the Bible actually says and are successful in winning away many people to their false doctrines.

    The only defense is that full armor of God as mentioned by Paul in Ephesians 6: 11-17 our offensive weapon being the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God (Ephesians 6: 17).

    Whereas it is certainly true that Jesus mostly spoke to readers and followers of the OT, and so taught them only from there. Once the Holy Spirit came to the Disciples as they taught and wrote inspired from that same Holy Spirit they often referred to the OT in explanation and instruction to new believers.

    Whereas it is very true that one does not even need to ever have seen a Bible or read a single word in order to make the decision for Christ and so be saved, there is a great deal missing in the life of a believer who has not taken the opportunity to read the OT and be better informed as to the full nature of God and see the Christ present time after time in prophesy. Not to mention being able to relate any of the symbolism found in the Book of Revelation.

    In modern terms it is like seeing the “trailer” to a movie and not the movie itself and so then be only able to relate to the trailer not the full movie.

    Jackie at another time perhaps I will share some of my own mining experience stories and those of my grandfather and his generation, Tennessee Ernie Ford said it well in his old song “16 Tons”.

    Steve

  117. yooperjack says:
    January 25, 2012 at 5:15 pm

    Steve: That is the way I feel about Christians that say the gifts of the Spirit are not for today. 1 corinthians 12:7-11. I say, stay sick, die before your time and don’t live the abundent life. They’re gifts one can reject them or accept them. We still have our free will but now it’s controled by the Spirit, if we walk in the Spirit and that is walking by faith and not by sight.

  118. oneg2dblu says:
    January 25, 2012 at 7:48 pm

    Steve… I agree reading scripture is how we hear the voice of God today. So, the more we read, the more we can get. I’m not an advocate of not reading it, just the opposite. It is a daily opened love letter to us all, and reading it is a great joy, and a constant eye opener. It is second only to prayer, which is my primary communication method with the Lord. I do not see the great divide between the old and new. To me they are a complete story and lack fullness, if only one is represented. I am sure I probably have read it all, every word, just not in a year or not to achieve some challenge created by others. I read as directed by the spirit in me. Sometimes just a verse and I spend days with it. Sometimes I read a chapter, and sometimes a book at one sitting. There is no real plan other than being in it every day, searching what God has for me in it and giving Him the Glory as He reveals.
    I feel this way, being a wretched legalist, that if I am engaging in a profoundly illegal lifestyle, it is probably not in accord with the Holy Spirit’s leading.
    There would have to be some other spirit being in control of me at that point. If that represents a lack of living in the freedom of our salvation to some, then let it be. I can’t serve to masters at the same time, whether I’m forgiven or not is not the issue to me, it is where I am now and what am I doing now to be more Christ-like. If that is seen as works to some, so be it!
    Even if man has changed a particular law to serve the political climate of today, if it goes against God’s Word, than that law of man I do not approve of either. I rather be held captive to God’s Law and fail, then to be sinnig like an wrecklessly abandoned child with no rules, no authority, only to be later forgiven.
    Christ knows my heart on this issue, and He has given me a place at His table, also. Gary

  119. yooperjack says:
    January 25, 2012 at 8:37 pm

    Gary: You asked if I cut the book apart yet? Depending where you go to church, take your sissors and cut all the verses in the NT out your pastor says are not for today.

    Here is a place to start, 1 corinthians chapters 12-13-14. Last part of Mark. First 5 chapters in acts. Some don’t even preach the book of Revelation.

    I was tempted to take my sissors to church many years ago but the Lord told me it will do no good they have been brain washed in seminary not to depart one jot or tidel from what they are taught in their denominational school.

    Think about that, then ask yourself, should anyone be cutting anything out of the Bible? Revelation 22:18-19, Deuteronomy 4:2 and 12:32,

    I was pointing out the parts I did not like to read because of the violents and not to intertwine the two books. I did not say to cut it up like a cutout paper doll, or not to read it. Many pastors cut out many portions of the Bible and people still go to their churches.

  120. bubbles says:
    January 25, 2012 at 9:18 pm

    Of course I pray. Some of you have talked like I do not pray.

  121. yooperjack says:
    January 25, 2012 at 9:25 pm

    No,No,No bubbles I was giving you a certain way to pray, a fomula that works for me. That is why I said: “Try this”. And gave you the scripure to back it up. I’m on your side trust me.

  122. oneg2dblu says:
    January 26, 2012 at 8:57 am

    Bubbles, those who pray for you also pray with you, for
    Our Only Hope is in the Lord! Gary

  123. bubbles says:
    January 28, 2012 at 12:42 pm

    Please know I am not trying to complain, but why is it when I pray more that the situations become even more difficult? Things keep getting worse and worse. I am making mistakes all the time, I almost cried in front of my class yesterday. Other things are happening and it’s not just one thing, it’s several that happen at the same time. And every day there is something else. . . it will not stop and there is NO peace.

  124. poohpity says:
    January 28, 2012 at 1:52 pm

    It sounds as if the things in your life are dependent on your performance and the things that are seen rather than hope and trust in God and praising God for who He is not what He can do for us. Joy comes from our merciful relationship with Him not the things that happen in our lives. Peace comes from trust and hope comes from knowing all things are in His hands.

  125. saled says:
    January 28, 2012 at 5:40 pm

    Bubbles, I also see a lot of disrespect and apathy in the students at my school. Our classrooms are multi-grade and there is often a lot of what I call chaos around me. Like you, I pray and when I do, I ask God to help me create a little order in the chaos. Recently He has been reminding me that I can’t do anything in my own strength. I hope for better things for myself and you and the students we both serve.

  126. saled says:
    January 28, 2012 at 5:58 pm

    Something that amazes me is how students interrupt while the teacher is talking. In my school, I think this may be because of our emphasis on the teacher becoming more of a facilitator rather than a lecturer. But when the students are working with some of the interactive online teaching tools, they sit very quiet and pay attention. I wonder what kind of minds we are shaping. What grade do you teach, bubbles? I am a remedial Ed Tech working with grades PK through 8. Most of my work is one-on-one or small group, but I often will be asked to substitute for a classroom teacher. I so wish for the kinds of classrooms that existed when I was an elementary student.

  127. bubbles says:
    January 28, 2012 at 9:23 pm

    No, the interruptions occur not when I’m facilitating. No matter what I say, they either interrupt with words or by making noises. Rules are not for them. They do whatever they want and then lie that they did the action. Any time they are told to stop something, they will either lie or backtalk. And when one is told to stop, three will do the same thing the first one was told to stop doing. In 21 years I have never seen anything like it. They are told to line up for lunch, and they will not line up. They just stand around talking. They get in trouble before they get to class in the morning.

  128. poohpity says:
    January 28, 2012 at 11:07 pm

    They do whatever they do because they know it bothers you. Kids know how to push every button the teachers has and the more they see your reactions the more they will act up.

  129. saled says:
    January 29, 2012 at 2:57 pm

    In my school, they do not go to lunch until they are in a number 10 line. (1 line-0 talking), and they do not want to miss lunch. They also line up alphabetically so there is no pushing and shoving to be first. These procedures help maintain order even when a sub is present. For some of our kids, school provides the only order in their life.
    My school is very small, less than 100 students in grades PK-8, so our problems tend to be smaller. And I know some groups of kids are just tougher to deal with than others. I hope you get a good group next year, bubbles, to make up for this one. School year is half over, yay!

  130. bubbles says:
    January 29, 2012 at 3:24 pm

    Saled,
    The school here does this also. It might take 5-7 minutes for them to get quiet. They don’t care if they are late and the head lunch lady gets mad if we are late. We have assigned places in line, but when we begin to move, they will change places every day. The same ones do it, if I am not directly looking at them, they will sneak and jump out of line, or they fall down the stairs on purpose or the ones in the front step on the other one’s feet and say filthy things or something else. If they are told to be quiet, they lie and say they were not talking and then backtalk. I will get in trouble if they are loud in the hallway. they lose recess, they don’t care. They stay after school, they don’t care. They will continue the same behavior. Next year’s group is worse than this one. The grade level teachers below me are just as frustrated. I have all of these management things in place, and until this year they have always worked. This year nothing works.
    I do not know what to do.

  131. saled says:
    January 30, 2012 at 5:20 pm

    Bubbles, does the administration in your school offer any help? In my district there are problems like yours and last year some behavioral professionals were brought in to offer training for the teachers. Students like you are describing need an intervention and that is done one child at a time. You have been a classroom teacher for more than 20 years, and I have been an ed-tech for 15, so I know that you have probably seen this all before. But if you should be interested in what I have seen done, I would share that with you. I will be thinking of you. I subbed in a Pk-grade 1 classroom this afternoon, and my head is still spinning!

  132. bubbles says:
    January 30, 2012 at 5:56 pm

    Saled, thank you.
    poohpity has my email address if you would like to share info. Mart is probably not happy with what is going on here. . . let’s jump off his site and communicate elsewhere, okay? I believe you communicate w/ pooh, don’t you?

  133. saled says:
    January 30, 2012 at 6:14 pm

    Sound good, bubbles. I’ll connect with you through pooh.

Leave a Comment

You must be logged in to post a comment.