My Weekly Devotional

[Luce NDs]

I guess I am just a bit surprised though, because of all the UCC folk that have ever been on WC and WC2, I think that you have the best grasp of what the gospel is. We cannot place today's world values on OT scripture.

Back then, everybody had only destruction to look forward to and salvation was only going to come from the line of Abraham. It was God's will to obliterate the inhabitants of the land promised. Nobody deserves God's grace, and he can do with us as he chooses, and unless you have entered in a covenant with him that guarantees your safety, you are not safe from the wrath of God.

You mean time screws up virtues?

No wonder the eternal power periodically erases life on the spot ...

 

[Luce NDs]

The gospel is the gospel of grace. It is the call for us to participate in Christ's ministry of reconciliation. It is freedom from the tyranny of the law. It is assurance and peace. It is a call to love God and to love neighbour.

Where a passage of the Bible seems to contradict that gospel then one must determine how that passage reveals God or God's will to us.

In the case of Caleb - and really all of Israel's conquests - I do not believe that the image of a God who commands genocide (because that's what it is) is a revelation of God's nature. How then - given that all Scripture is true and profitable and useful - do such passages work?

In my view they are a mirror on or reflection of the human condition. This is the author reflecting back on Israel's actions and justifying them by saying that God commanded it. Inspiration is found in many ways - authorship, preservation and usage. This is a reminder to us of how easily we can use God for our own purposes, and sometimes for evil purposes.

I doubt you will agree with me on that and I'm fine with it if you don't.

Yet to those of blind faith the mire is dark ... sort of like Icelandic soil ... due to the basalt and granite? Good lord a dark spot in the ice field for the Keltic brethren out hunting Arctic Scrod ... future deficient cod stocks to add more fishy Ide'rs to the commentary and literature ... said to be unchangeable ... but we know differing perspectives ...

People wouldn't remember the humous part without sad chuckle of how the industrialists contributed to the fall in Trump Hei ante mode ...

Life really is gross making old folk wish ... (ineffable) things!

 

[unsafe]

unsafe says ----Interesting Read

Why did God send the Israelites to Egypt for 400 years (Genesis 15:13)?

Why did God send the Israelites to Egypt for 400 years (Genesis 15:13)?

Answer: In Genesis 15:13, the Lord tells Abraham, “Know for certain that your offspring will be sojourners in a land that is not theirs and will be servants there, and they will be afflicted for four hundred years.” God knows everything that will happen, and He revealed part of the future to Abraham. God’s plan included sending the Jews to Egypt for four hundred years.

As for why, some information is provided in the context of this verse. Verses 14-16 read, “But I will bring judgment on the nation that they serve, and afterward they shall come out with great possessions. . . . And they shall come back here in the fourth generation, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.” Two major predictions help explain this 400-year waiting period.

First, one result of the Israelites’ leaving Egypt would be “great possessions.” Of course, in order to leave Egypt, they had to be there. God promised that their exit would mean great abundance for Israel. This was fulfilled in Exodus 12. When the Israelites left Egypt following the tenth plague, they were told to ask the Egyptians for items of value for their journey. “The people of Israel . . . asked the Egyptians for silver and gold jewelry and for clothing. And the LORD had given the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they let them have what they asked. Thus they plundered the Egyptians” (verses 35-36).

Second, the Lord wanted to wait before giving the Promised Land to Israel because “the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.” The Amorites worshiped other gods and participated in numerous other sins. God promised to remove them from the land where Israel would one day live. However, God had a certain time period in mind that included 400 years for Israel in Egypt. He is surely “slow to anger, and abounding in mercy” (Psalm 103:8). Once the Israelites did return to the land promised to them, the Amorites were destroyed as the Lord predicted (Numbers 21:31-32; Joshua 10:10; 11:8).

God certainly could have chosen a different way or a different time frame for placing the Israelites in their Promised Land, but He chose a particular way to bring glory to Himself. The 400-year sojourn in Egypt included many examples of God’s wisdom and might. Joseph’s preservation of the Israelites during a famine, Moses’ rise to leadership, and God’s great miracles such as the crossing of the Red Sea were all part of Israel’s time in Egypt.


Did God Command Genocide In the Bible?

 

[airclean33]

In my view

Caleb had faith in God and knew God would provide the way to get His land back -----I believe Caleb and Joshua were positive in their view ----they gave a good report ----the others were full of fear gave a bad report and were negative in their report ---

So which attitude should we have positive and faith filled or negative and fear filled

Caleb had faith in God and knew God -----Numbers 14 tells us this ----

24 But because my servant Caleb has a different attitude and has wholeheartedly followed me, I’ll bring him to the land he already explored. His descendants will possess it.

So we see here what Moses told them to do ----Numbers 13

17 When Moses sent them to explore Canaan, he told them, “Go through the Negev and then into the mountain region. 18 See what the land is like and whether the people living there are strong or weak, few or many. 19 Is the land they live in good or bad? Do their cities have walls around them or not? 20 Is the soil rich or poor? Does the land have trees or not? Do your best to bring back some fruit from the land.” (It was the season when grapes were beginning to ripen.)

So according to scripture they did what they were told to do ----and then here is where the attitudes come in -----one group says ---we can't take the place the people are to strong for us and began to tell lies about what they had explored -----their attitude was fear based --doubt and negative ----

Caleb's attitude was ----lets go and take possession ----and he said we should be able to conquer it ----he had a positive outlook and I feel he knew God would provide a way for them to retrieve the land ----- Caleb was confident in his faith not in his ability but in God's ability to provide what they needed to do the job ---he spoke with confidence through his faith and assurance in God not himself ----

So I do not believe that Caleb was trying to gain power for himself or that he was taking others possessions without thought ----he was obeying God ----and today we who are in God should be having Caleb's attitude in my view----

--Hi unsafe I was going to say something to Rev Steven . But had not wanted to look like I was always correcting Ministers. Though I did learn more about Israel " count the Tribes number of Leaders taken from. Remember Sister, The Tribe of Levi did not fight as they are a Priesthood . airclean33--Gord.

 

[unsafe]

airclean33

You are so right in what you say Brother ----

Deuteronomy 10:6-9ERV
6 (The Israelites traveled from the wells of the people of Jaakan to Moserah. There Aaron died and was buried. Aaron’s son Eleazar served in Aaron’s place as priest. 7 Then the Israelites went from Moserah to Gudgodah. And they went from Gudgodah to Jotbathah, a land of rivers.
8 At that time the Lord separated the tribe of Levi from the other tribes for his special work. They had the work of carrying the Lord’s Box of the Agreement. They also served as priests before the Lord. And they had the work of blessing people in the Lord’s name. They still do this special work today.
9 That is why the people from the tribe of Levi did not get any share of land like the other tribes did. They have the Lord for their share. That is what the Lord your God promised them.)

 

[dreamerman]

-Hi unsafe I was going to say something to Rev Steven . But had not wanted to look like I was always correcting Ministers.

I don't think you have to worry about correcting anyone on this forum airclean, let alone ministers. You may think you are offering biblical wisdom to people on this site but I am not seeing it. It sounds like you might be a little mixed up.

 

[Luce NDs]

I don't think you have to worry about correcting anyone on this forum airclean, let alone ministers. You may think you are offering biblical wisdom to people on this site but I am not seeing it. It sounds like you might be a little mixed up.

Yet straight up Christians deny entanglement theory and chaos theology ... too close to science and observation for the blindly led ... Jesus on La Zairian motes of flash ... then it was buried for good ... the real tyrants would have nothing of moving illuminations ... like the Book of Kells ... it faded too ... under the heavy handed brits ... whom some are very loyalist about ...

Did you know the brits have no bill of rights? Thus they are irately wrong in the eyes of monarchs ... near to monads ... defining a point of busted bubbles ... and a life of haute Eire?

 

[airclean33]

I don't think you have to worry about correcting anyone on this forum airclean, let alone ministers. You may think you are offering biblical wisdom to people on this site but I am not seeing it. It sounds like you might be a little mixed up.

-- Your thoughts our yours . Would you like to explain your thoughts?

 

[airclean33]

It was an attitude like Caleb's (unquestioning obedience to a cultural vision of God) that led Christians to do terrible things to our indigenous neighbours, right up to and including the residential school fiasco, with the belief that God had willed White People to Bring Christianity to Our Savage Brethren.

--Airclean--post--
What we do to our indigenous neighbours". Here again you seem not to know what your talking about. Are you from the U.S.A. Or could you explain which Country your talking about?

 

[BetteTheRed]

AC, are you oblivious to the conditions under which our First Nations neighbours have lived, and continue to do so? How would you feel about NEVER being able to drink the water that emerged from your taps?

 

[unsafe]

BetteTheRed

Aare you blaming Christians for this what you quote here -----your quote ------are you oblivious to the conditions under which our First Nations neighbours have lived, and continue to do so? How would you feel about NEVER being able to drink the water that emerged from your taps?

How do Christians have anything to do with their contaminated water ????????

This is a first ----are you suggesting that Christians deliberated contaminated their water ------to me this is a far fetched idea -----

 

[Mendalla]

Aare you blaming Christians for this

Conquest of North America and natives treated as an impediment to progress rather than human beings - Christians

Residential schools designed to destroy indigenous cultures and rife with abuse of indigenous children - Christians

Allowing conditions on reserves to fester and degenerate while claiming to be a caring, loving people - Christians

Sure, there's been some corruption, abuse, and mismanagement by band councils and such, but they learned that from us.

White Christians did most of the damage that set up this situation.

I am guilty as charged by the way. I am not going let myself off the hook the way too many modern folks do.

 

[airclean33]

AC, are you oblivious to the conditions under which our First Nations neighbours have lived, and continue to do so? How would you feel about NEVER being able to drink the water that emerged from your taps?

--No BetteTheRed I don't know about all the Tribes. Wow didn't you know there are more than one. The Indians we have in southern Ont. Are not ours. They came from the good old U.S.A. They are Mohawk or six Nations. I had a daughter" of a Chief tell me why" they are here in Canada. They were on the British side in the war of the American independents. You see the British killed the men. Then after ward they went in an killed the children , and of course the Women when they were done using them. Them Americans were going to kill them. So they ran to the British . And they let them move here" . If the British had not protected them. The Canadian Indians would have kill them" that is The Huron Nation. So who were you taking about?--P-S I don't drink the water out of my taps .You do?

 

[unsafe]

Mendalla ----what does all what you posted above that have to do with not being able to drink water ------did Christian contaminate their water ?????that is what BetteTheRed is implying here with her comment is it not ------

Like I said ---anyone can call themselves a Christian ----the name sounds good ----easy to talk the talk ---and wear the T-Shirt ---what the name Christian first meant is now just a name people use -----it means nothing to most people ----they use it to just describe their Religion ---I am of the Christian religion ---it means squat ----there is a big difference in a fake Christian and a True Christ--ian ----you can tell it by the fruit they bear ----

 

[unsafe]

Majority of indigenous Canadians remain Christians despite residential schools
Majority of indigenous Canadians remain Christians despite residential schools

One of the 94 recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission into residential schools included the church's reconciliation with Canada's First Nations people. The church recently offered a commitment to reconciliation, one day shy of the March 31 deadline.

The National Indigenous Bishop for the Anglican Church of Canada, Mark MacDonald, delivered his church's so-called "commitment to reconcile" with Canada's First Nations people, March 30, 2016, confirming that the church will never partner with cultural genocide, affirming the UN declaration on rights of indigenous people. MacDonald highlighted the new relationship moving forward stating "the churches have said that they will be partners to us in life in a way that before they were partners with what brought so much pain and misery."



The church's commitment is an important one for many First Nations people. Not just because of the role Canadian churches played in the residential school system but because today, two-thirds of aboriginal Canadians identify as Christians.

"We don't have a church building. Our faith is built into our culture and our belief that God is with us is built into our traditions."- Jillian Harris, Indigenous Christian studying to become a priest
The Current wanted to explore the future of this relationship and where churches need to go from here to deliver on their promise to reconcile.

• Mark MacDonald, Canada's first National Indigenous Anglican Bishop.
• Cecile Smith, residential school survivor from the Fishing Lake First Nation.
• Jillian Harris, residential school survivor, and currently a master's student at the Vancouver School of Theology Native Ministries Program.

This segment was produced by The Current's Karin Marley.

 

[dreamerman]

-- Your thoughts our yours . Would you like to explain your thoughts?

Yes I agree my thoughts are my own. Whose else would they be? Are your thoughts not your own?

 

[unsafe]

dreamerman -----Food for thought ------

 

[airclean33]

Yes I agree my thoughts are my own. Whose else would they be? Are your thoughts not your own?

--My thoughts my own? Do you really think I been here telling others" only what my thoughts are. We have to shear , You see The thoughts of Mankind is well known to GOD". He hears them every day and I believe it make's Him feel" the only word is I get is Sick. That's why He" Said's confess them to me. Do you think your the only one" who knows" what your thinking? Your thoughts are what you think" true but we all shear with One other". And why not as we all come from One" . I also know those who listen to Him" will once more" be one with "Him". airclean33-Gord.

 

[airclean33]

Thank you --Unsafe
I know it is GODS Holy Spirit at work an as I give Him All The Glory".You do too.
But it is nice to see The Spirit at work. your Brother in Christ. airclean33-Gord.

 

[dreamerman]

--My thoughts my own? Do you really think I been here telling others" only what my thoughts are. We have to shear , You see The thoughts of Mankind is well known to GOD". He hears them every day and I believe it make's Him feel" the only word is I get is Sick. That's why He" Said's confess them to me. Do you think your the only one" who knows" what your thinking? Your thoughts are what you think" true but we all shear with One other". And why not as we all come from One" . I also know those who listen to Him" will once more" be one with "Him". airclean33-Gord.

So you don't think your thoughts are yours? Sounds nonsensical to me. Surely you are not giving someone else credit for your thoughts.