Currently, the plan is to make it over to the "Stephanie's Day" event at Northpark mall. It's an event primarily hosted by Jerry Jones and his wife, in support of people with autism.
President Obama�s meeting with President Lee of South Korea. The President will meet with Mr. Lee at the White House on Tuesday, June 16. The leaders plan to examine ways the two nations can strengthen cooperation on the regional and global challenges of the 21st century. They will confer on North Korea and will consult on a range of bilateral and other issues.
22 Let their supper be bait in a trap that snaps shut;
May their best friends be trappers who'll skin them alive.
23 Make them become blind as bats,
Give them the shakes from morning to night.
24 Let them know what you think of them,
Blast them with your red-hot anger.
25 Burn down their houses,
Leave them desolate with nobody at home.
26 They gossiped about the one you disciplined,
Made up stories about anyone wounded by God.
27 Pile on the guilt,
Don't let them off the hook.
28 Strike their names from the list of the living;
No rock-carved honor for them among the righteous.
29 I'm hurt and in pain;
Give me space for healing, and mountain air.
30 Let me shout God's name with a praising song,
Let me tell his greatness in a prayer of thanks.
31 For God, this is better than oxen on the altar,
Far better than blue-ribbon bulls.
32 The poor in spirit see and are glad�
Oh, you God-seekers, take heart!
33 For God listens to the poor,
He doesn't walk out on the wretched.
34 You heavens, praise him; praise him, earth;
Also ocean and all things that swim in it.
35 For God is out to help Zion,
Rebuilding the wrecked towns of Judah.
Guess who will live there�
The proud owners of the land?
36 No, the children of his servants will get it,
The lovers of his name will live in it. (The Message)
David continues his rant from yesterday, calling for vengeance from the Lord on those who defile His name. I highlighted the verse that speaks most to me in this passage.
"Since, then, the Spirit of wisdom, uprightness, and moderation, put these imprecations into the mouth of David, his example cannot justly be pleaded in self-vindication by those who pour forth their wrath and spite upon every one that come their way, or who are carried away by a foolish impatience to take revenge; never allowing themselves to reflect for a moment what good purpose this can serve, nor making any efforts to keep their passion within due bounds. We need wisdom by which to distinguish between those who are wholly reprobate and those of whose amendment there is still some hope; we have also need of uprightness, that none may devote himself exclusively to his own private interests; and of moderation too, to dispose our minds to calm endurance."
(Commentary from Heart Aflame: Daily Readings from Calvin on the Psalms)
"Qualifications for Deacons"
1 Timothy 3:8
Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for dishonest gain. (ESV)
Paul moves on from elders to deacons, which first appeared in Acts 6:1-7, even though those men were never officially called "deacons." "Deacons are to focus mainly on mercy ministries, such as the assistance of widows, while elders are tasked primarily with 'prayer' and 'the ministry of the word.'" The Bible never, ever tasks deacons with the kind of authority that I grew up seeing in Southern Baptist churches. This was a gross misinterpretation of what "deaconage" should be about, and resulted in massive amounts of stress and conflict between deacons and pastors, and even wound up splitting many local church groups.
Deacons are not excluded from teaching, necessarily, but it is not listed as a qualification. "...they are to allocate wisely the church's resources, feeding and sheltering the needy in the congregation, helping them to get back on their feet and making sure the local assembly never neglects the pur and undefiled religion of visiting widows and orphans (James 1:27)."
The specific qualifications listed today included not being "double-tongued." This means he cannot promise something that the church has not approved (or doesn't have available). This keeps the needy from not receiving what is promised from the church and, thereby distrusting the church. Not being double-tongued also means that what happens between the needy and the deacon is confidential! These situations are not to be shared with everyone else, in order to not embarrass brothers and sisters who are facing difficult times. Now, frankly, if I'm needing something, and my pride keeps me from bringing it before the church...I believe that pride needs to be shucked. However, deacons need to hold their tongues. If a needy brother wants the whole group to know something, he will bring it up himself. And we must be careful not to disguise gossip as "prayer requests!"
The other thing focused on today is that deacons must not be "greedy for dishonest gain." If a person cannot be trusted with money, he cannot be allowed to be a deacon. This also includes the unthinkable act of taking "bribes" for rendering service.
"Our Perfect Life"
Romans 5:19
For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous. (ESV)
Just as Adam was our "federal head" (this was discussed in a previous entry), and we all suffered the consequences of his actions, Christ is our legal representative (for all who would trust in him). "His work brings us benefit only because He lived and died as our representative."
"Paul used again and again the expressions in Christ, in Him, and in the Lord, referring to our union with Christ. In a spiritual but nevertheless real way we're united to Him, both legally and vitally. This 'legal union' is the basis on which we can say Christ lived and died as our representative and substitute."
"All that Christ did in His life and death is effective for us because we're legally united to Him."
So we can say that, in Christ, we lived a perfect life, because Christ lived a perfect life. When he died on the cross, we died on the cross.
Great wisdom is necessary in handling these truths, though, because, obviously, I am far from perfect. The life that I am living right now is most definitely not a perfect life. However, Christ's perfect life has been counted to me, and all of my sins are forgiven and dealt with.
I ask, Father, that, even though I seek not the office of deacon, that I would be a servant anyway. I pray that I would fulfill the qualifications listed today of not being double-tongued, nor eager for dishonest gain. The monetary temptation is not so real for me. However, my tongue is sometimes a raging forest fire of iniquity. So bless my tongue, Lord Jesus, and help me keep it reined in.
I also ask for the wisdom, uprightness, and moderation of David, so that, if the need ever arises to pray for vengeance, I do it without any interest in myself. Anytime we pray for vengeance, I believe it should be in response to those who have defiled your holy name. Let my prayers not be flashed out in anger.
Grace and peace, friends!