Psalm 55:1  Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me!  For my soul trusts in You; And in the shadow of Your wings I will take my refuge, until these calamities have passed by.  (NKJV)

The storms and troubles that beset us as humans can be many, and we might flounder and seek guidance from wrong sources.  When we are overwhelmed by the ‘stuff’ of our lives and we feel we have nowhere to run to, or anyone to turn to, let us remember that God can and does offer us complete spiritual and emotional safety and protection.  To receive this we need to welcome Him into our lives and trust Him.  We need to cover ourselves with His armour each and every day, giving thanks for all that we have – family, friends, homes and work. 

I am lax at times, in doing this – but as my day struggles to begin I quickly realize that I have allowed myself to become distracted with a myriad of  routines that quickly devour the peace of each day, if I allow them to.

I then quietly settle my thinking and focus on donning the helmet of salvation; the breastplate of righteousness and the belt of truth.  I ‘place’ the shoes of the gospel of peace on my feet and pick up the shield of faith and the sword of the spirit, take a deep breath and THEN begin my day again; this time with right thinking and with God’s purpose.  (Ephesians 6:10-20)

Prayer:  Father God, in our efforts to be good and faithful, we sometimes get caught in the deluge of lifes’ storms.  Help us to seek and find the right shelter; discern best help as well as, the safest place to be that we might be protected from all that is not of You.  In Jesus Name. Amen

Patricia Day

http://pepeprays.wordpress.com

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Devotional Christian

If I were to ask you, who said, “A house divided against itself cannot stand”, the vast majority of you would answer Abraham Lincoln, and you would be correct. In fact, those words came from a speech Lincoln made against slavery over 150 years ago.

What you may not realize is that Lincoln wasn’t the first person to utter those words. The thought actually came from Jesus who once said, “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and a house divided against a house falls.” (Luke 11:17)

While Lincoln was not particularly known as a religious man, he certainly recognized that biblical principles apply to everyday circumstances that life brings our way. They spoke truth to Lincoln then and they should speak truth to Christians today
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One of the greatest threats to Christianity is coming from within our own walls. Our own denominational beliefs, and more importantly the energy we devote to promoting those beliefs, are dividing Christians across the world. For example, the Baptists believe in eternal security. In other words, if you are truly saved, you cannot lose your salvation. The Methodists, however, do not believe in eternal security. To the Methodists, salvation depends upon continual repentance. Without it, salvation is not assured.

I’m not going to cast judgment on either point of view, although I share one of them. The real question is does it really matter which denomination is right? Live for Lord, pray for forgiveness and do your best to walk in his light, and you don’t have anything to worry about!

We spend a lot of time and energy defending our church doctrine rather than defending the Gospel that saved us. Why don’t we just hold all these thoughts and see what Jesus says about them when we get to heaven? What time we have left should be spent trying to make sure our family, friends and neighbors know Jesus!

If you go to church, someone is going to try to drag you in the argument. Don’t fall for it. Remember these biblical principles when others are trying to get you to take sides on issues that really don’t matter:

1. Love your neighbor as yourself: Jesus once told us that there were two (New Testament) commandments on which all the Law and Prophets hang. “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22:37-39)

2. Do not judge: The Scripture here is pretty clear. Frankly, it should scare us a little: “Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.” (Matthew 7:1-2)

3. Don’t Throw Stones: This is one of my favorite verses in the Bible. To those who were about to stone an adulterous woman, Jesus said, “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.” (John 8:7) It’s a reminder to me that the only way we should look at the sin in someone else’s life is through the sin (and forgiveness) in our own lives.

In my life, I’ve attended about every kind of church you can shake a stick at. I’ve loved them all, and in each one I’ve found and come to love God-fearing Christians that I will see again in heaven.
Regardless of what church you attend, remember, God isn’t as interested in style as he is in substance. Worship him, seek to learn more about him through his Holy Word, walk in close fellowship with him, and enjoy the light of his glory.

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Timetable

Normally, it takes within six to four weeks for a passport application to be processed. However, there are expedited services for those who need it urgently. For a stipulated fee, the US Department of State can reduce the processing days to two weeks.

Expedited Service

The cost of an expedited passport differs from the standard cost. The variation in the price depends on the speed at which you want the passport. There are independent agencies that provide this service. They have the passport available within a day to 12 days. However, if the passport is not needed urgently, the cost of this service is low.

Government Licensing

Online and offline expediting services are available. Both providers need to get a license from the government in order to operate. This license should be the yardstick used to make a decision. For those that opt for an online agency, provide a valid email address along with other data that you present. This will be used to convey essential information to you. The offline service providers will require a contact phone number.

Payment

There are varieties of payment options. These are also subject to the agency you select. Online agencies provide the following options; PayPal, bank wire, e-check and credit card. The offline agencies accept credit/debit cards, money order, bank deposits and checks. You can then select the most appropriate option that suits you best.

Additional Charges

The agency helping you with the expedited passport will charge you for the standard government’s passport fee. They will also charge you for their service. If they are the traveling agency in charge of your traveling arrangements, the charges might be included with other services.

Parental Involvement

Notwithstanding the agency you use, the parental/guardian role cannot be bypassed. The present law stipulates that parents/guardians should be available for the application submission. This law applies to all minors who are age 15 and below. The parents/guardian is also responsible for all financial involvement that accompanies the process. They will be needed all through the application process.

Book or Card

There are two types of infant American passport available for children. These are the passport book and passport card. You will have to indicate which you are applying for. The passport card provides the minor with rights to travel by land or sea. This restricts the options to Mexico, Canada, Bermuda and Caribbean. The passport card offers the privilege of traveling via any means of transportation. The amount you will be required to pay will depend on your passport.

The Andrew Fuller Center

“Blessed is the one who always trembles before God, but whoever hardens their heart falls into trouble.”  (Proverbs 28:14)

Did you know that the month of February is “American Heart Month”? Cardiovascular disease claims the lives of nearly 500,000 American women a year. In an effort to raise awareness, the American Heart Association created a campaign to dismiss myths pertaining to heart disease. Prior, many believed heart disease was an “old man’s” disease. However, it is actually a number one killer amongst women.  Unfortunately, even with all this awareness, many women remain in the dark regarding vital facts pertaining to heart disease.

Likewise, our spiritual hearts are in need of assessment and attention as well. In Jeremiah 17: 9-10 we read, “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure…I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind, to reward a man according to his conduct, according to what his deeds deserve.” It is crucial that we seek God on a regular basis regarding the condition of our hearts. It is unwise for us to lean on our own assessment. We must rely upon His Holy Spirit to probe, guide, and lead us into truth, knowledge, and revelation, which then will reveal the true condition of our hearts.

Several characteristics of an unregenerate heart is evil (Genesis 6:5) rebellious (Jeremiah 5:23), perverse (Proverbs 11:20), wicked (Proverbs 6:18), callous (Psalm 119:70), hard (Ephesians 4:18), dark (Romans 1:21), unrepentant (Romans 2:5), and far from God (Mark 7:6).

A regenerate heart is one that: cries out to God (Psalm 84:2), seeks God (Psalm 119:2, 10), loves the Lord (Deuteronomy 6:5, Mathew 22:37), praises the Lord (Psalm 9:1), rejoices in salvation (Psalm 13:5), is grateful to God (Colossians 3:16), obeys God’s law (Psalm 119:34), is pure (Mathew 5:8), is sincere (Hebrews 10:22), loves others (1 Peter 1:22).

Thankfully, God, our Great Physician, knows the condition of our hearts and offers a great exchange. In Ezekiel 11:19 we read, “I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh.” Through conviction, repentance, and correction our hearts become pleasing to God. As we seek to maintain a pure heart, live in obedience and uprightness, then we reap a healthier life in Christ, which brings honor and glory to God.

Heavenly Father, I pray that you would search my heart. I do not desire a stubborn unreceptive heart. Holy Spirit, guide me into truth so I can dispel any falsehood. In Jesus name, Amen

Question: When was the last time you went to God for a heart checkup?

Power to Change » Devotional For Women

24-Hour Time Frame

The main benefit of this is being able to complete the process at short notice. Often when you are travelling, there is a lot of preparation and even important details can be forgotten until the last minute. Applying for a 24-hour passport for your child is a real time saver. However in order to make sure the process is successful, you need to provide the right information and have the right forms.

Parental Consent

The next step is to make sure you have the proper identification for your child. A birth certificate is the preferred document to be used for this purpose. If you have an expired passport for your child, you can also use it as a form of identification if it is in good condition. Another important requirement is that both parents or guardians must be present or must provide a notarized letter providing permission for the child’s travel.

Identification

The best form of identification is a birth certificate. The agency will copy your original document and return it to you. If the birth certificate is not available or cannot be found, you can use an expired passport as an alternative as long as it is in good condition. Both parents or guardians must provide acceptable identification during this process and if one parent can’t be present, a notarized authorization letter must be presented giving permission for the child’s travel.

Photos and Departure Date

The problem of an absentee parent is easily overcome by providing written consent allowing the child to travel. Remember that this letter must be notarized. It is also vital to have two passport photos. These must be taken in accordance with all government rules and regulations for passport photos. You also need to present proof of the departure date. This can be in the form of a ticket or travel itinerary.

Children and Business Trips

If you are travelling for business purposes but need to take your children with you, you may need to have a letter from your employer to verify the urgency of your departure. With the proper documentation, you will have no problem receiving your child’s travel documents in time for your departure.

Processing Assistance

This expedited US pasport package is then submitted to the company handling the application process for you. It is very important to ensure that the company you use has been approved by the federal government as a passport agency. You do not want to risk your identification or the identification of your children to a company without this certification.

Image via Wikipedia

The Christian Classics Ethereal Library, developed by Calvin College, again has very nicely formatted, searchable PDFs for the 38-volume Church Fathers set available for free, but donations are appreciated. The PDF for ANF, vol. 10, includes scanned page images. The other PDFs flow their text independently of the formatting and pagination of the original set, but the print set’s page numbers are included in marginal notations that are linked back to scanned page images on the CCEL website. A direct link to each volume’s information page is accessible from the A (ANF) and N (NPNF1, NPNF2) title browsing pages respectively.

Filed under: Bibliography, Early Christianity, History of Interpretation
New Testament Interpretation

Simon von Cyrene (Bamberger Kreuzweg; Image via Wikipedia)

Mark 15:21 describes Simon of Cyrene as having been “pressed into service” (ἀγγαρεύουσιν . . . Σίμωνα Κυρηναῖον) to carry Jesus’ cross, and Matt 27:32 uses the same language (ἄνθρωπον Κυρηναῖον ὀνόματι Σίμωνα . . . ἠγγάρευσαν). Only Matthew’s narrative, however, has Jesus previously instructing his disciples, saying, ὅστις σε ἀγγαρεύσει μίλιον ἕν, ὕπαγε μετʼ αὐτοῦ δύο (Matt 5:41; whoever will press you into service for one mile, go with him for two; cf. Bruce, “Synoptic Gospels,” 328; Gundry, Matthew, 94; Keener, Matthew, 199). Matthew does not identify how far Simon of Cyrene carried Jesus’ cross, but the accompanying soldiers at least press him into service not to carry his own cross, as would have been anticipated, but someone else’s (Matt 27:27–32; France, Matthew, 221–22, 1064–65; cf. Keener, Matthew, 199–200; Lightfoot, Commentary, 2:132–33; Schürer, Jewish People, 2.2.231). At this juncture, Jesus’ own disciples are not to be “found,” and in their stead is only one Cyrenean who appears only here in the synoptic tradition (Matt 27:32; Mark 15:21; Luke 23:26). Although certainly not explicitly included among the audience for Jesus’ earlier instruction in Matt 5:41, Simon here serves, where others fail to do so, as a model of the kind of discipleship that Jesus has described. In this way, Simon has a share in Jesus’ cross, albeit still only to a limited extent (Allison, “Anticipating the Passion,” CBQ 56.4 [1994]: 704–5; cf. Luke 9:23; 14:27; 23:26; Rom 6:5; Phil 3:8–11; Augustine, Cons., 3.37 [NPNF1 6:196]; Origen, Comm. Matt., 12.24 [ANF 9:464]; [Pseudo-]Tertullian, Haer., 9.1 [ANF 3:650]*; Bonhoeffer, Discipleship, 95–104, 161; Keener, Matthew, 673).

* In his introduction to this volume, Cleveland Coxe argues against Tertullian’s authorship of this document. Instead, relying particularly on Jerome’s testimony, Coxe suggests that Victorinus (d. ca. AD 303) may be responsible for this text (14).

Filed under: Theological Interpretation Tagged: Biblical-theological Reflections, The Christian Institute for the Study of Liberal Arts
New Testament Interpretation

New Testament and Cognate Studies

• Craig L. Blomberg, with Jennifer Foutz Markley, A Handbook of New Testament Exegesis, reviewed by Jan G. van der Watt
• Gregg Gardner and Kevin L. Osterloh, eds., Antiquity in Antiquity: Jewish and Christian Pasts in the Greco-Roman World, reviewed by Douglas Estes
• Kevin B. McCruden, Solidarity Perfected: Beneficent Christology in the Epistle to the Hebrews, reviewed by Craig R. Koester
• Gert J. Steyn and Dirk J. Human, eds., Psalms and Hebrews: Studies in Reception, reviewed by Scott D. Mackie

• John Drane, Introducing the Old Testament, reviewed by Jordan M. Scheetz
• Joze Krasovec, The Transformation of Biblical Proper Names, reviewed by Jeremy Hutton
• Daniel O’Hare, “Have You Seen, Son of Man?”: A Study of the Translation and Vorlage of LXX Ezekiel 40–48, reviewed by William Tooman
• Anthony C. Swindell, Reworking the Bible: The Literary Reception-History of Fourteen Biblical Stories, reviewed by Frank H. Polak

• Michael C. Legaspi, The Death of Scripture and the Rise of Biblical Studies, reviewed by Teresa Okure
• Naomi Tadmor, The Social Universe of the English Bible: Scripture, Society, and Culture in Early Modern England, reviewed by Lena-Sofia Tiemeyer

Filed under: Bibliography Tagged: New in RBL
New Testament Interpretation

Filed under: Bibliography
New Testament Interpretation