TheosGuy

Prayer to start reading the Word with: Psa 136
Prayer to start the morning: 1 Chronicles 4:10

Tags: Bibliology, Prayer

There is a common question of whether or not it is right to also pray to Jesus, rather than just to the Father. Here is a passage from the New Testament that would indicate that it is appropriate to pray to Jesus.

“Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.”—John 14:13-14 (NASB)

In addition, the following thoughts are from Wayne Grudem’s audio message, “Jesus as Prophet and Priest” at approximately 26 minutes into the message.

Best to look to to Epistles of the New Testament.

1. In Acts 7:59, where Stephen prayed “Lord Jesus receive my spirit.” The word “Lord” (kurios) most often refers in the New Testament to Christ, while “God” refers most often, in context, to the Father.
2. In Acts 1, when choosing the the apostolic replacement for Judas: “Lord show us which one to choose.” Prayer to Christ (see 1 above re: “Lord”).
3. “Maranatha (Lord Come)” is a prayer to Jesus Christ (see 1 above re: “Lord”). See Rev 22:20 NASB and 1 Cor 16:22 NASB
4. Paul prays to the Lord in 2 Cor 12 (see 1 above re: “Lord”).
5. The epistle of Hebrews generally denotes Jesus as our mediator and high priest (e.g., Hebr 8:1, 6), and therefore it would seem appropriate for Him to receive our requests.
6. Anytime during the Gospels where someone made a request to Jesus to heal, raise from the dead, to save, etc. was the same as we consider of prayer requests (e.g., Mat 8:1-10).

Tags: Christ, Prayer

Following is some information on the Book of Psalms. These were in my notes on Psalms; I am not sure of the source of the information.

1. Attributed to David
• David’s Early Life (14)
  Psa 7; 11; 12; 13; 17; 22; 23; 34; 35; 52; 54; 56; 57; 59
• David’s Early Reign (19)
  Psa 8; 9; 10; 15; 16; 18; 19; 20; 21; 24; 26; 29; 36; 58; 60; 68; 101; 108; 110
• From time of his great sin to his flight from Jerusalem (10)
  Psa 5; 6; 32; 38; 39; 40; 41; 51; 55; 64
• Of the Exile (10)
  Psa 3; 4; 27; 28; 31; 61; 63; 69; 70; 143
• David’s Later Reign (3)
  Psa 37; 103; 139
2. Groupings
• Shepherd Psalms: Psa 22-24
• Kingdom Psalms: Psa 46-48
• Hallelujah Psalms – begin with “Halal Yahh”: Psa 111-113; 146-150
• Songs of Ascent – sung on pilgrimages to Jerusalem for the feasts: Psa 120-134
• Royal Psalms: Psa 2; 18; 20; 21; 45; 72; 101; 110; 132; 144
• “Pauline” Psalms – forgiveness by faith not works: Psa 32; 51; 130; 143
3. Special Psalms
• 1st singular from the Cross: Psa 22
• Discussion amongst the Trinity: Psa 2
• Shortest chapter in the Bible: Psa 117
• Written by Moses: Psa 90
• Three MOST often quoted in the NT: Psa 22; 69; 110
• Implies Judas was married and had children: Psa 109
• Yields a glimpse of Jesus’ early childhood: Psa 69
• The darkest “doleful” of all: Psa 88
• The “only” psalm: Psa 62
• Martin Luther’s favorite psalm / hymn: Psa 46
• Longest chapter in the Bible: Psa 150
• Refrains “His mercy endureth forever”: Psa 136
• Heralds the attributes of God: Psa 139
• David’s repentance of sin with Bathsheba: Psa 51
• Suggestive of the “Marriage Supper of the Lamb”: Psa 45

Tags: Bible

Following are several arguments for the pretribulational rapture of the Church. They are my notes from J. Dwight Pentecost’s Things to Come.

1. The literal method of hermeneutics.
2. The nature of the 70th Week of Daniel.
3. The scope of the 70th Week of Daniel.
4. The purpose of the 70th Week of Daniel.
1. To keep the Church from the hour of temptation, as opposed to keeping her through it.
2. To prepare Israel for the return of their King.
5. The unity of the 70th Week of Daniel.
6. The nature of the Church.
7. The Church as a mystery.
8. The distinctions between Israel and the Church.
9. The doctrine of imminence.
10. The work of the Restrainer in 2 Thessalonians 2.
11. The necessity of an interval.
12. The distinction between the rapture and the Second Coming.
13. The twenty-four elders in Revelation.
14. The problem behind 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18.
15. The announcement of peace and safety.
16. The relation of the Church to governments.
17. The silence concerning the Tribulation in the Epistles.
18. The message of the Two Witnesses.
19. The destiny of the Church.
20. The message to Laodicea.
21. The times of the Gentiles.
22. The sealed 144,000 from Israel.
23. The chronology of the Book of Revelation.
24. The great object of Satanic attack.
25. The apostacy of the period.

Tags: Rapture

Here are some thoughts on God’s grace towards us. I had these written down from somewhere and do not remember their source. They do not originate with me.

• Believe and expect to be graciously loved and blessed by God. We should expect to be blessed by God though we do not deserve in any way to be blessed by God. No one deserves God’s grace; but everyone can expect God’s grace (Psa. 56:9; 84:11-12; 103:9-10).
• Grace is God working in you for His pleasure, not you working to gain God’s pleasure (Zechariah 12:10; 1 Corinthians 15:10; Ephesians 2:10; Philippians 2:13). Receive His grace in you.
• See trials not as God’s judgment, but as God’s gracious loving means to build Godly character and spiritual maturity in you (Romans 5:3-5; 8:28-29; Hebrews 12:3-11)
• The hope to be better is a failure to see yourself as complete in christ (Romans 6:14; Colossians 2:10; Philippians 1:6; 2:13; 2 Peter 3:18). Disappointment in myself means I am trusting in myself, my flesh, not God.
• Discouragement is the product of unbelief (Num. 13 and 14; Acts 18:27; 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17). Discouragement means I don’t believe God will fulfill His word and promise.
• To be proud is to be blind (Proverbs 16:18; 1 Peter 5:5-6). The proud think they are the reason for their blessing, that is spiritual blindness.
• The lack of blessing comes from unbelief (Joshua 1; Romans 4). We to simply believe and receive God’s grace, not trust in ourselves.
• God’s blessings are not contingent on our devotions. The reverse is true – God’s blessings produce our devotions (Romans 2:4; 3:24; 4:4; 11:6).
• True praise rises spontaneously from my recognition of God’s grace in my life (Romans 11:34-35;Hebrews 13:15).
• God’s grace produces loving appreciation. Effort/work for God should be motivated purely by loving appreciation for His gracious provisions (2 Corinthians 5:14-15; Romans 5:5; 12:1-2; 1 John 3 and 4).

Pray it deep down into your heart. And then receive from the Lord. God’s grace is something we need to receive and it is something we need to share (Ephesians 4:29). We need to be agents of God’s grace (Colossians 4:1-6).

Here are some things we will do in heaven.

• Worship God
• Please God
• Be happy and content
• Have sinless FUN!
• Rest – not “doing nothing” but doing all that God has for us without growing weary
• Serve God
• Reign with God
• Enjoy our heavenly inheritance
• Receive at least one praise reward from God. . .”Well done, good and faithful servant.” And we will know that it is only because of Him that we did anything good.

Here’s a list of some of the things we won’t do in heaven!

• Confess our sin, because we cannot sin.
• Say we are sorry, because we will not offend anyone.
• Have to admit we are wrong.
• Ask for directions.
• Go to the dentist!
• Call Tech Support.
• Worry about calories!
• Find clothes that make us look thinner!
• Struggle with our flesh (literally or metaphorically)
• Feel guilty
• Repair something
• Be late!
• Cry, be sad, be lonely
• Defend ourselves against unrighteousness
• Be cured . . . since we’ll never be sick
• Miss earthly pleasures
• Be God. . . for there is only ONE God, and we are not Him