“… just as He picked us out to be part of Hashem's Bechirim (Chosen Ones) before the hivvased tevel (foundation of the world), that we should be Kadoshim and without mum (defect, VAYIKRA 22:20) before Him in ahavah [VAYIKRA 11:44; 20:7; SHMUEL BAIS 22:24; TEHILLIM 15:2] Having provided the yi'ud merosh (predestination) for us to be chosen as adopted bnei brit through Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach Yehoshua to Himself, according to the chafetz (good pleasure) of His ratzon (will) …” [Bible:OJB:B’rC:Eph1]
I am of gentile descent.
Is this adoption available to me?
Who are the host family that I am ‘adopted’ into?
1. My local group of believers
2. Jews
3. Christians
4. Messianic Jews
Should my behaviour reflect that of my host family?
[876:3200]
Saturday 28 March 2009
Tuesday 24 March 2009
£25000 Down The Drain
"... he was in Beit-Anyah at the bais of Shimon the leper, reclining at tish, and an isha (woman) came, having an alabaster flask of costly perfume, pure nard, and having broken open the alabaster flask, she poured [it on] the head of Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach. Now some were there who in ka’as (anger) said to one another, for what reason has this waste of ointment taken place? For this was able to be sold for more than three hundred denarii and to be given to the aniyim ..." [Bible:OJB:B’rit Chadasha:Mark14]
300 denarii was considered to be over a year’s income. Today, the equivalent might buy a 20 second commercial advertisement on prime-time TV. Or it might make a significant contribution to a charity for the homeless.
What would you spend it on?
[Thread courtesy of Nemo, thanks.]
[863:3177]
300 denarii was considered to be over a year’s income. Today, the equivalent might buy a 20 second commercial advertisement on prime-time TV. Or it might make a significant contribution to a charity for the homeless.
What would you spend it on?
[Thread courtesy of Nemo, thanks.]
[863:3177]
Thursday 12 March 2009
No Net Burden. Really?
Paul wrote to followers in Thessalonica “…Surely you remember, brothers, our toil and hardship; we worked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone while we preached the gospel of God to you …” [bible:niv:nt:1thess2]
If he really worked both day and night, when did Paul find time to ‘preach’? Did he have any time to ‘prepare’? Or was this a different kind of ‘preaching’ to that which is familiar to western middle class Christianity?
If he was a ‘self-sufficient’ visitor, how did Paul abstain from receiving hospitality without robbing his host of the ‘gifts’ of giving and of community?
Did he work for money, and if so, what was the hourly rate of a tent-maker relative to that earned by his hosts, in the services that they provided? Or did he trade his services directly with his hosts, and if so, was a day of Paul’s labour equal to a day of their labour?
If he did tent making for the Roman military then was Paul actually contributing to the tax burden on the people?
After fending for the needs of my dependants, and for myself, and after contributing my tax obligation, how hard exactly do I need to work in order to ‘not be a burden’ to my community?
[835:3117]
If he really worked both day and night, when did Paul find time to ‘preach’? Did he have any time to ‘prepare’? Or was this a different kind of ‘preaching’ to that which is familiar to western middle class Christianity?
If he was a ‘self-sufficient’ visitor, how did Paul abstain from receiving hospitality without robbing his host of the ‘gifts’ of giving and of community?
Did he work for money, and if so, what was the hourly rate of a tent-maker relative to that earned by his hosts, in the services that they provided? Or did he trade his services directly with his hosts, and if so, was a day of Paul’s labour equal to a day of their labour?
If he did tent making for the Roman military then was Paul actually contributing to the tax burden on the people?
After fending for the needs of my dependants, and for myself, and after contributing my tax obligation, how hard exactly do I need to work in order to ‘not be a burden’ to my community?
[835:3117]
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