Category Archives: Children’s Ministry

Parenting Seminar

Everyday Parents

 

Who:

Dr. Scott Turansky and Joanne Miller, RN, BSN

authors of The Christian Parenting Handbook

founders of the National Center of Biblical Parenting

 

What:

Parenting Solutions Seminar

 

When:

Saturday, June 1st

             8:45am – 12pm

Where:

Shiloh Baptist Church

             3941 Hwy 36 East

              Somerville AL 35670

 

Why:

You’ll receive practical, biblical advice for your parenting in a fun and uplifting environment. Although all children are different, a few new ideas will help you tailor solutions to meet the needs of your family. You’ll leave with ideas you can put into practice right away.

Using stories, humor and plenty of illustrations, Dr. Turansky and Mrs. Miller will help you touch the hearts of your kids. Strategies directed to the heart help children make lasting changes, but often require that parents think differently about the way they work with their kids. When parents change the way they parent, kids change the way they live. Having the right tools makes all the difference.

Teach your children how to be internally motivated using the God-given conscience resident in their hearts. The conscience prompts children to do what’s right, deal with wrongs, be honest, and care about others. This seminar will teach you practical tools for changing everyday problems into learning experiences to help children develop the skills they’ll need for the rest of their lives.

This parenting seminar offers you hope and encouragement by helping you…
Identify the four parts of the conscience.
Learn how to adjust the words you say to strengthen the conscience of a child.
Take home a script that helps your child process correction wisely and powerfully.
Know how to approach difficult problems like defiance, lying, rebellion, and meanness.
Teach your children to take initiative to show kindness, help out, and add energy to your family instead of draining it.
Help your children listen to the voice of God in their own hearts.
Work with kids ages 2-18 in ways that will prepare them for a strong future.
Raise children who are internally-motivated and want to do what’s right.

Question and answer times provide parents with opportunities to present real problems they’re facing and hear suggestions.

 

How:

 

By clicking here: Register Today

Or email:nvaughn@shilohchurch.info

 

 

Parenting seminar

 

Cost is $25 per individual and $35 per couple

Child care is available.

As well as classes for children up to 12 years old.

 

***Please share this information with friends and families!

Romans Study For Kids (Romans 3:10-20)

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And here is the handouts for digging into Romans 3:10-20 with your kids…

Romans 3:10-18

10 as it is written,

“There is none righteous, not even one;

11 There is none who understands,

There is none who seeks for God;

12 All have turned aside, together they have become useless;

There is none who does good,
There is not even one.”

13 “Their throat is an open grave,

With their tongues they keep deceiving,”
“The poison of asps is under their lips”;

14 “Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness”;

15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood,

16 Destruction and misery are in their paths,

17 And the path of peace they have not known.”

18 “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”

19 Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are under the Law, so that every mouth may be closed and all the world may become accountable to God; 

20 because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin.

 

Below is the outline of a person. Read Romans 3:10-18 and draw or write what you learn on it.

 

man outline

 

Look up and read Matthew 7:17-20. How does Jesus say we will know people?

 

by their __ __ __ __ __ __

 

 

Look up and read Matthew 12:33-37. From where does the mouth speak?

 

the  __ __ __ __ __

 

 

Where is your heart? Is it inside or outside your body? Circle your answer.

 

   Inside              Outside

 

THINK ABOUT IT…

Jesus is teaching us that the things we say and the things we do come from what is inside of us… they do not come from what is outside of us. 

Think about the last time you were in trouble because you said or did something mean to someone. Did you try to get out of trouble by blaming them for what they did to you first?

If you were to try to tell that excuse to Jesus what do you think He would say to you?

Where would He say the mean thing you said or did came from?

 

Read Romans 3:10-12 and answer the questions below. Look over your person outline as you answer the following questions.

 

How many are righteous?

 

___________

 

How many understands? (their minds are dark)

 

____________

 

How many seek for God? (their eyes are closed)

 

____________

 

How many have turned aside?

 

____________

 

How many do good?

 

____________

 

 

According to Romans 3:10-12 is anyone righteous and good enough to be okay before God? Circle your answer.

 

Yes                    No

 

Does this include you? Circle your answer.

 

Yes                    No

According to Romans 3:13 what is their throat?

 

an  __ __ __ __    __ __ __ __ __

 

 

What is in a grave?

 

______________________________

 

THINK ABOUT IT…

As we broke down this part of Romans 3:10-13 we were able to see what was inside this person. Now as we begin looking at the rest of Romans 3:13 and Romans 3:14 we are going to see what is coming out of this person. We see that it first comes out of their throat. 

This is going to be kind of gross, but I want you to think about when you get a sick bug in your tummy and it makes your insides all yucky… What happens? 

That’s right! You throw up and that throw up comes out of your throat. 

This is kind of like what we are going see in Romans 3:13-14. This persons insides are bad and yucky, their heart is bad. So what comes out of them is going to be yucky and bad too. This is their “fruit”.

 

Read Romans 3:13. 

 

What do they do with their tongues?

 

they keep  __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

 

What is under their lips?

 

__ __ __ __ __ __  of asps

 

What is their mouth full of?

 

__ __ __ __ __ __ __

and

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

You might be wondering what an asp is… An asp is a small and most venomous serpent or snake. Its bite is fatal unless the bitten part is immediately cut away from your body.

 

THINK ABOUT IT…

Knowing this about the asp, look up and read Matthew 18:8-9. Jesus wants us to know how serious sin is in our lives. It is just like a bite from this asp. 

 

Romans 3:10-14 shows us what is inside of this person and also shows us what comes out this person through their throat and their mouth. We see how they speak.

Now we are going to look at how they act. We are going to see what they do and where they go.

 

Read Romans 3:15-17 and answer the following the questions. 

 

What are their feet swift to do?

 

shed __ __ __ __ __

 

 

What is in their path?

 

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

 

and

 

__ __ __ __ __ __

 

 

What have they not know?

 

the path of  __ __ __ __ __

 

 

Read Romans 3:18 to find out why they do the the things they do and say the things they say.

 

There is no __ __ __ __  of  __ __ __ before their eyes.

 

 

As we look at this person we may think they are very, very, very bad. We may even be comparing ourselves to them right now and thinking we are okay because we are not that bad. However, we have to remember what we have learned in all of Romans. We have to remember that God does not compare us with each other. He compares us to Himself and His Law.

 

Read Romans 3:19 and answer the questions below.

 

How many mouths are closed?

 

__ __ __ __ __  mouth

 

Who is accountable to God?

 

__ __ __  the  __ __ __ __ __

 

 

 

Read Romans 3:20 and answer the questions below.

 

Who can be justified (be okay with God) by keeping the Law?

 

___ ___   flesh

 

Can anyone keep all of God’s Law and never break even one? Circle your answer.

 

Yes             No

 

Read Romans 3:20 again. If no one can be saved by keeping God’s Law then why did He give us the Law?

 

through the Law comes  the __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ of __ __ __

 

 

 

THINK ABOUT IT…

Read the Scripture verses printed below. 

Oh that they had such a heart in them, that they would fear Me and keep all My commandments always, that it may be well with them and with their sons forever!

(Deuteronomy 5:29)

“Now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require from you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways and love Him, and to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the Lord’s commandments and His statutes which I am commanding you today for your good?

(Deuteronomy 10:12-13)

 

What kind of heart does God want us to have?

 

______________________________________________

 

______________________________________________

 

Spend some time today thinking about your own heart. 

Romans Study For Kids (Romans 3:1-9)

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I am working on my handouts for the Romans Study for Kids today. I am dividing Romans 3 up into three sections. Remember this study is written to accommodate the NASB translation. If you use a different translation in your children ministry or with your children at home feel free to adapt this study guide to your translation 🙂

In this post we will be looking at Romans 3:1-9

Romans 3:1-9

 1 Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the benefit of circumcision? 

2 Great in every respect. First of all, that they were entrusted with the oracles of God. 

3 What then? If some did not believe, their unbelief will not nullify the faithfulness of God, will it? 

4 May it never be! Rather, let God be found true, though every man be found a liar, as it is written,

“That You may be justified in Your words,
And prevail when You are judged.”

 5 But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? The God who inflicts wrath is not unrighteous, is He? (I am speaking in human terms.) 

6 May it never be! For otherwise, how will God judge the world? 

7 But if through my lie the truth of God abounded to His glory, why am I also still being judged as a sinner? 

8 And why not say (as we are slanderously reported and as some claim that we say), “Let us do evil that good may come”? Their condemnation is just.

9 What then? Are we better than they? Not at all; for we have already charged that both Jews and Greeks are all under sin; 

 

As we dig into Romans 3:1-9 I want you to first read through these verses and count how many question marks you see.

How many question marks did you count?

_______________

 

As we learn about our God we will have questions. Questions are good because they mean we are thinking. So as we continue to study through the book of Romans don’t be afraid to ask your own questions. Today we are going to look at the questions and answers in Romans 3:1-9. 

 

First go now and find two different colored crayons or colored pencils. It doesn’t matter what two colors, just as long as they are different colors.

Read Romans 3:1-2 printed below. Underline the question in one color and circle the answer in the other.

1 Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the benefit of circumcision?

Great in every respect. First of all, that they were entrusted with the oracles of God.

 

What were the Jews entrusted with?

the  __ __ __ __ __ __ __  of God

 

Do you think that being trusted with the words and law of God would be important? Circle your answer.

Yes                      No

 

Read Romans 3:3-4 printed below. Underline the question in one color and circle the answer in the other.

What then? If some did not believe, their unbelief will not nullify the faithfulness of God, will it?

May it never be! Rather, let God be found true, though every man be found a liar, as it is written,

“That You may be justified in Your words,
And prevail when You are judged.”

 

 

Who is always true? Circle your answer.

 

Man                      God

 

 

Does everyone have to believe what God says to make what He says true? Circle your answer.

 

Yes                        No

 

Look at the last part of Romans 3:4, “That You may be justified in Your words and prevail when You are judged”. This part of Romans 3:4 is a quote from Psalm 51. David wrote this Psalm after he admitted his sin against God when he committed adultery with Bathsheba and had her husband Uriah killed. David and Bathsheba’s baby would die as a result of this sin, and David could have blamed God and been angry with God with for this judgment. Instead David recognized that God had to right in this judgment no matter how David felt, because God was always true, right, just, and good.

Read Romans 3:5-6 printed below. Underline the question in one color and circle the answer in the other.

But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? The God who inflicts wrath is not unrighteous, is He? (I am speaking in human terms.)

May it never be! For otherwise, how will God judge the world?

 

According to Romans 3:6 is the God who inflicts wrath unrighteous? Circle your answer.

Yes                          No

When we sin, we always receive consequences from that sin, even if we do not get caught or get in trouble because of it, we still have the feelings of guilt and shame that come from knowing we did it. Our unrighteousness (or sin) shows that God is righteous (or holy). If God did not judge sin then He would no longer be righteous. He proves His righteousness by His wrath.

 

Think About It….

If you went to your teacher and told them that someone in your class had taken your snack and would not give it back to you and that teacher did nothing about it… would you say that this was a good, fair, and right teacher?

 

 

 

Read Romans 3:7-8 printed below. Underline the question in one color and circle the answer in the other.

But if through my lie the truth of God abounded to His glory, why am I also still being judged as a sinner?

And why not say (as we are slanderously reported and as some claim that we say), “Let us do evil that good may come”? Their condemnation is just.

 

Remember the Antinomians? Paul is addressing them here with this question and answer. Remember the Antinomians believed that if their sin showed off God’s righteousness then they should be able to sin all they wanted because it just showed how great God was to forgive. 

According to Romans 3:8 how does God feel about this kind of thinking by the Antinomians?

Their  __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __  is just.

(The word “condemnation” in this verse is “krima” in the Greek and it means: the punishment with which one is sentenced)

 

Look up and read Proverbs 6:16-19. According to what you read how does God feel about a lying tongue and evil?

He  __ __ __ __ __  it.

Look up and read psalm 34:12-14 and Psalm 97:10. If we love the Lord how should we feel about sin?

We should __ __ __ __ it

 

Read Romans 3:9 printed below. Underline the question in one color and circle the answer in the other.

What then? Are we better than they? Not at all; for we have already charged that both Jews and Greeks are all under sin;

 

According to what you have studied in Romans 3:1-9 and also including Romans chapters 1 and 2 are the Jews better than the Greeks? Look at Romans 3:9 to find the answer and fill in the blanks.

__ __ __   at  __ __ __

What are the Jews and Greeks both under?

__ __ __

 

THINK ABOUT IT…

If the Jews and Greeks are both under sin, does this include you and me? 

Are we better than someone who does not go to church? 

Just because we have the Bible and read it and go to Sunday School and worship service and Awana’s and VBS does doing all this and knowing all this make us okay with God? 

 

 

The Giveaways Begin!

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Remember that Mayday I sent out?

Well now is the opportunity to get some tools in your hands for free!

The giveaway begins!

Beginning today until the official Launch Week (April 29th – May 5th) of the The Christian Parenting Handbook you can enter to win one of these 5 prizes right here on my site:

parentingshifts5 (2)

 

Set of 5 Parenting Shifts eBooks by Dr Scott Turansky and Joanne Miller,  RN BSN

The Parenting Shifts Series gives specific parenting advice for that particular age group. A team of experts, working together with Dr. Scott Turansky and Joanne Miller, RN, BSN, have collaborated to bring you the best in a heart-based approach to parenting at any age. Wherever you are in your parenting journey these books will help you move forward with confidence and effectiveness.

Set Includes:

• The Baby Adventure (Birth to 12 Months)
• Toddlers on the Move (Ages 12-36 Months)
• Preschool Explorers (Ages 3-5 Years)
• Elementary Foundations (Ages 5-8 Years)
• Cultivating Responsibility (Ages 9-12 Years)

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Biblical Parenting University

This online class will give you the practical tools to develop more responsibility and cooperation in your home. Parents often comment that giving instructions to their children is the greatest source of conflict in family life. Nagging and angry episodes on the part of parents and kids result when children don’t cooperate. In this class you’ll learn how to adjust your own action point to teach your kids when you mean business. You’ll also learn a five step instruction routine that teaches children the skills they’ll need to follow instructions for the rest of their lives. This class is excellent for teachers as well as parents. You’ll learn how to use rules in your family to teach convictions and values. If you’re looking for a place to start, this is a great class that will help you change significant dynamics in your family using positive strategies.

Access to this class allows you to come and go at your convenience. It’s resident on the Internet so you can view segments whenever you’re online. The 4-hour class is broken into 4 lessons, each with 10-12 five-minute segments. View one segment at a time, or any number of them as you have time.

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Disciplemaking at Home eBook:

Parents have a job to do–pass the faith on to their kids. This book will show you how. Parents are the primary spiritual and moral trainers of their children and much of the everyday work of family life is the classroom where children learn. Here’s what you’ll learn in this book.

You will learn

•  Fun ways to pass the faith on to your kids.
•  How to use spontaneous moments to teach children what the faith is all about.
•  A biblical understanding of the conscience.
•  How to develop internal motivation in kids.
•  A plan to help children take responsibility for their part of an offense.
•  Ideas for teaching kids to take initiative instead of relying on parents to get things done.
•  Ways to move from behavior modification to a heart-based approach.
•  Tools to develop integrity in a child.
•  How to get kids to be others-focused instead of self-focused.

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Honor-CDs

Say Goodbye to Whining, Complaining, and Bad Attitudes, in You and Your Kids Lesson 1 Complete Package: 

Includes Lesson 1 on Video, as an MP3, includes Study Guide pages, and the Kids Honor Club Children’s Program.

Honor is a biblical concept that changes the way people think and the way they treat others. Honor is a relationship term and teaching honor in the family equips children with the relational tools they’ll need for the rest of their lives. This package gives you instructions for both parents and children so that honor can transform the culture in your home.
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bookandhandbook

The Christian Parenting Companion Guide

50 Heart-Based Strategies for All the Stages of Your Child’s Life

by Dr Scott Turansky and Joanne Miller,  RN BSN

The Companion Guide is a workbook of 50 lessons along with 50 audio tips to take you through The Christian Parenting Handbook step by step. Each lesson contains advice from Dr Scott Turansky and Joanne Miller in a 5 minute audio tip and then offers teaching, an assignment, a Bible verse, and a prayer to help you apply each idea or strategy in your family.

You will learn

• A practical tool to stop children’s arguing
• How to separate firmness from harshness
• A strategy to help children change their hearts
• Ways to teach kids to add energy to family life
• Solutions for sibling conflict
• The relational side of parenting
• What to do when parents don’t agree
• How to help kids who are blamers
• and much more.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Now here’s the thing… Click here:Launch Week to find out why you will want to wait until April 29th – May 5th to purchase the The Christian Parenting Handbook.

This is why you want to purchase this amazing heart based parenting guide.

It’s taking everything in me to not just blog away about the content in this book… but I am here to promote it and I really want you to have your own hands on it so that you can apply it to your own home.

*** This giveaway is open to Residents of the U.S. only.  Void where prohibited. Must be at least 18 years of age. 

MayDay! Have Kids. Need Help!

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I am currently reading through The Christian Parenting Handbook by Dr Scott Turansky and Dr Joanne Miller. These two are the founders of the National Center of Biblical Parenting. I have been following their ministry for over a year now. I have yet to come across any of their parenting tips and teachings that I have not found to be useful.

I am drawn to their heart approach to parenting.

biblical parenting philosophy

It seems the past few generations have been stuck somewhere between a behavior modification approach to parenting, an I just need to be their friend approach and allow them to express themselves, and a lack of parenting in general because they just don’t know what to do or have the time to figure it out.

nagging and yelling

 

My only hope in my battle against this sin is Jesus Christ, my Savior and Redeemer. As the Spirit continues to use my parenting to reveal to me my sin, I am reminded anew of my great need for a Savior.

~ Christina Fox

The one thing that parenting has taught me is that my God has a lot of work to do on me… and I need His help desperately as I try to raise these beautiful gifts He has allowed my husband and me to shepherd.

I need Him to work on my heart and guide me as I work with Him on the hearts of my children… the last thing I want to do is work against Him.

I don’t won’t my children to just comply to my demands while they are in my presence and just sweetly nod there agreement on the outside while on the inside they plot their escape and deception.

I want to help my children see the true condition of their heart and see the grace of our God. I don’t want to guilt trip them into submission or emotionally manipulate them into compliance. I do not want to provoke my children to anger (Ephesians 6:4) or exasperate them so that they lose heart (Colossians 3:21), but I so desire to bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

This takes parenting with purpose.

The National Center of Biblical Parenting is here to help equip us parents to do just that. God has given us everything we need to know in His Word. Everything that we need to raise our children in love and godliness… and I am thankful that God gifts His children with certain passions so that they might help His body.

God has blessed Dr Turansky and Dr Miller with insight into this thing called parenting and He has blessed them with the ability to get this information to all of us… I suggest we take advantage of it.

Buy The Christian Parenting Handbook between April 29 and May 5 and get a package of free resources valued at more than $400.00. You can learn more on our website about the 8 items contained in the Bonus Parenting Package. In addition, you can get The Christian Parenting Handbook Companion Guide (This is a workbook with audio clips that will help you apply the material in The Christian Parenting Handbook.) for free if you purchase 5 copies or more of the book. Simply make your purchase from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, BAM (Books A Million), CBD or Parable.

To  claim your premium, simply forward your purchase confirmation to Gift@biblicalparenting.org and we will send you your special product code for the $400.00 package. If you purchased 5 or more copies of the book, we’ll send you the PDF version of the Companion Guide as well as the audio package.

Keep a watch on my blog… I will continue to post about this new book and will be offering some parenting tool free giveaways pretty soon… well as soon as I figure out how to do all that anyway… I have never done a giveaway campaign before, so bear with me 🙂

 

*** Disclaimer: I received a free advanced copy of this book as a member of their Launch Team. I am not required to share any information with you, and all comments and reviews are my honest opinion. You can trust me on this. 

Names of God Study: Archiereus

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It’s been a while since I wrote a Names of God study post. We have been on spring break at our co-op and last week was our first Monday back. I am in the process of getting back in the swing of things… well actually I don’t think I am ever in the swing of things. I just can’t seem to find a rhythm in life, but that’s okay… well at least I think I am learning that it is okay.

In the messiness of this life I am thankful that I know that I have an Archiereus…

Archiereus, is Greek for High Priest. This is the name/title of Christ that we will be focusing on today.

Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of a heavenly calling,

consider Jesus, the Apostle and High Priest of our confession;

Hebrews 3:1

What exactly does it mean that Jesus is our High Priest? Archiereus means chief priest. To dig deeper into the meaning of this word we must break it down.

The first part of this word is arche and it means beginning, origin, the person or thing that commences, the first person or thing in a series, the leader, that by which anything begins to be, the origin, the active cause, the extremity of a thing, of the corners of a sail, the first place, principality, rule, magistracy, of angels and demons. 

The second part of the word is hiereus and it means: a priest, one who offers sacrifices and in general in busied with sacred rites. Hiereus‘ word origin is hieros and it means sacred, consecrated to the deity, pertaining to God, sacred Scriptures, because inspired by God, treating of divine things and therefore to be devoutly revered

Now we know the definition of the word… but, still what exactly does it mean to be the High Priest?

The first high priest we meet in Scripture is in the book of Genesis. His name is Melchizedek.

And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine;

now he was a priest of God Most High.

Genesis 14:18

What we must note about this Melchizedek is that he was both a king and priest. The only time in Scripture when these two offices are held by the same person. Any other time in Scripture if a king tried to play priest… it never worked out. The office of priest was to be respected and it was sacred. We see Saul lose the throne for his entire family line when he chose to not wait on Samuel. We see Uzziah struck with leprosy when he takes upon himself to burn incense on the altar… God takes the position of priest very seriously.

So this Melchizedek is a small glimpse in the Scriptures of one who is both king and priest. One that I believe to be a theophany of Jesus Christ.

To learn more about the office of high priest we continue through the Old Testament. Aaron was the first high priest of the nation of Israel. As we study through the books of Exodus and Leviticus we discover what exactly was required of the high priest.

We see that he wore special garments:

Then bring near to yourself Aaron your brother, and his sons with him, from among the sons of Israel, to minister as priest to Me—Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron’s sons. You shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother, for glory and for beauty.

Exodus 28:1-2

We see that he wore a breastplate that carried the names of the tribes of Israel close to his heart:

Aaron shall carry the names of the sons of Israel in the breastpiece of judgment over his heart when he enters the holy place, for a memorial before the Lord continually. You shall put in the breastpiece of judgment the Urim and the Thummim, and they shall be over Aaron’s heart when he goes in before the Lord; and Aaron shall carry the judgment of the sons of Israel over his heart before the Lord continually.

Exodus 28:29-30

We see that he wore a turban on his said that had written across the front “Holy to the Lord”:

You shall also make a plate of pure gold and shall engrave on it, like the engravings of a seal, ‘Holy to theLord.’

Exodus 28:36

High Priest

We discover that the high priest had to be washed with water:

Then you shall bring Aaron and his sons to the doorway of the tent of meeting and wash them with water.

Exodus 40:12

The high priest had to be anointed with oil:

and you shall anoint them even as you have anointed their father, that they may minister as priests to Me; and their anointing will qualify them for a perpetual priesthood throughout their generations.

Exodus 40:15

The high priest was responsible for making the offerings:

He shall slay the young bull before the Lord; and Aaron’s sons the priests shall offer up the blood and sprinkle the blood around on the altar that is at the doorway of the tent of meeting.

Leviticus 1:5

The high priest was the only one allowed behind the veil:

When he goes in to make atonement in the holy place, no one shall be in the tent of meeting until he comes out, that he may make atonement for himself and for his household and for all the assembly of Israel.

Leviticus 16:17



temple-veil

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The high priest was taken from among then men of Israel. He was the one who would go into the presence of God on behalf of all the people of Israel. He was the one who was responsible for not only confessing his own sins but also all the sins of the people. He carried the weight of the sins of the people on his chest. Therefore this office  of priesthood was to be respected.

As we look at the Aaronic priesthood do you see the picture of our Archiereus being so clearly displayed before us? think of all that Christ experienced when He was here on earth among us… He put on this garment of flesh… He was washed with the water in the Jordan river… He was anointed with oil from a woman’s alabaster vial of perfume… He  carried the sins of the people on his heart… His mind, every thought, was Holy to the Lord… He not only made the offering  for the sins of the people of Israel and the world, but He was the offering.

However, our Archiereus is so much more!

For every high priest taken from among men is appointed on behalf of men in things pertaining to God, in order to offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins; he can deal gently with the ignorant and misguided, since he himself also is beset with weakness; and because of it he is obligated to offer sacrifices for sins, as for the people, so also for himself. And no one takes the honor to himself, but receives it when he is called by God, even as Aaron was. So also Christ did not glorify Himself so as to become a high priest, but He who said to Him, “You are My Son, Today I have begotten You”; just as He says also in another passage, “You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek.” In the days of His flesh, He offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His piety. Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered. And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation, being designated by God as a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.

Hebrews 5:1-10

Our High Priest is flesh and blood so that He might be able to sympathize with us, but He is not like the high priest of before, for He never had to make sacrifices for His own sin… The Scripture in Hebrews said that He had to be made perfect… but we know that Jesus was always perfect.

We know Scripture never contradicts Scripture so what we have to do is see what the word made actually means…

Made in the Greek is teleioo and it means: to make perfect, complete, to carry through completely, to accomplish, finish, bring to an end, to complete (perfect), add what is yet wanting in order to render a thing a full, to be found perfect, to bring to the end (goal) proposed, bring to a close or fulfillment by event of the prophecies of the Scriptures.

Therefore when Jesus had received the sour wine,

He said, “It is finished!” 

And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.

John 19:30

 

The word finished here is the same word as made in Hebrews

Now the main point in what has been said is this: we have such a high priest, who has taken His seat at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, a minister in the sanctuary and in the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, not man. For every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices; so it is necessary that this high priest also have something to offer. Now if He were on earth, He would not be a priest at all, since there are those who offer the gifts according to the Law; who serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things, just as Moses was warned by God when he was about to erect the tabernacle; for, “See,” He says, “that you make all things according to the pattern which was shown you on the mountain.” But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, by as much as He is also the mediator of a better covenant, which has been enacted on better promises.

Hebrews 8:1-6

Jesus is our High Priest, our Archiereus. He not only made the sacrifice, He became the sacrifice. He not only became the sacrifice, but He now ever lives to make intercession for us. He remains at the right hand of God interceding on our behalf, serving as our Archiereus. The one sacrifice made for all time, but knowing that we remain in this body of flesh and that we will still struggle with the nature it contains… he stays constantly making making prayer offerings on our behalf. He has our back.

We were justified by His sacrifice and we are being made into His likeness and as we go and as we are molded He is there along side of us all the way… By His grace we are saved and by His grace He keeps us saved until one day we step out of this corruptible flesh.

Oh how I thank my Jesus that He is willing to serve us in this way…

The One who is both King and Priest.

Our All in All.

 

 

Ten Reasons Kids Leave The Church

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Sharing some information from Focus on the Family. Here is their list of the top ten reasons kids leave the church, when momma and daddy are no longer dragging them there.

10. The church is “relevant.”

Normally, “relevant” is a positive term. In this case, it labels the problem. We’ve couched our faith in modern trappings to the point that 2,000 years of history and rich tradition have been diminished. As the article suggests: “What we’re packaging is a cheap knockoff of the world we’re called to evangelize to. In our effort to be ‘like them,’ we’ve become less of who we actually are.”

9. They got into church, but the church never got into them.

Many young adults may have been taken to church by their parents, but the church wasn’t integrated into the fabric of their lives. Church was a Sunday event, not something that impacted the everyday realities of their lives.

8. They were treated as smart by others.

Many students interviewed felt they were spoon-fed a Christian worldview, while professors and others who held atheist viewpoints challenged their intellect and inspired them to ask questions and to use their mind.

7. They were sent out unarmed.

Many youth have mastered Christian lingo – the pithy catchphrases spoken regularly in churches and marketed through popular evangelical campaigns – but they’re ignorant of deeper theological truths. They know what “WWJD?” means, and they’re familiar with how to “invite Jesus into your heart,” but they can’t explain what atonement or justification means or its relevance to life’s realities.

6. They’ve been given a “hand-me-down” religion.

Many kids leave the church feeling like they’ve been asked to accept their parents’ faith, instead of encouraged to ask tough questions, so they can incorporate Christianity into their lives and make it their own.

5. They exchange one community for another.

Our modern faith sometimes places a greater emphasis on community than on God. As a result, many of today’s youth see other people as the answer to their problems instead of God. When they leave home, they often seek out a community of people of any belief system rather than one committed to the God of the Bible.

4. They seek opportunities to “feel” better.

Much of modern Christianity is based on “feeling,” rather than on objective, eternal truth. It reduces the Christian faith to a search for good feelings rather than exhortation to conform our human nature to God’s standard of righteousness.

3. They got tired of pretending.

Some segments of Christianity suggest that being a Christian removes all struggle from life. But that message rings hollow for many kids who try to serve God and continue to face difficult challenges … or who see their parents teach a similar message while succumbing to anger or depression themselves. Many youth feel Christianity leaves no room for authenticity.

2. Christianity is reduced to “do/don’t do” instead of “be.”

Many church kids were taught it’s all about what they do, not who they are. The Christian faith was reduced to a long list of do’s and don’ts. They felt trapped beneath the weight of their own abilities, instead of freed by the work only God can do in their hearts and lives.

1. They don’t need it.

When church is perceived as nothing more than a place to learn good principles for living, or to have a happy marriage, or well-behaved kids… Well, you can find that in most any self-help book. You don’t need a crucified Jesus for that. What kids need is the gospel; what they’re sometimes given is “a cheap knockoff of the entertainment venue they went to the night before.”

Jim Daly

 

Take a long hard look at the ministries in your church… Are you teaching cliches? Are you teaching cute, fun, catch phrases that have no depth or biblical substances? When Jesus stood against Satan, He didn’t quote the latest rabbi rhyme… He quoted the Word of God.

Take a long hard look at the ministries in your church… Are you copycatting the world to entertain and draw a crowd? Do you spend more time planning a fun event or more time studying the Word so that you might teach it?

Take a long hard look at the ministries in your church…

Let me assure you that yes it is hard to keep attention and attendance when what you teach is real. Satan and all the powers of hell are fighting against you. They don’t want kids, students, or adults to learn truth. They want to keep us all treading in shallow waters… If we stay in the shallow waters there is never any chance we will ever even attempt to get in the boat, much less get out of it and walk on water.

I have taught alongside my Pastor for about the past four years. I teach the children the same Scriptures he is teaching their parents. Currently we are teaching through the book of Romans. Thus far Romans has been the hardest book I have ever had to break down in such a way as to explain it to Pre-K through 5th graders, but just because it’s hard doesn’t mean it is impossible. I believe they can get it. With everything that is within me, I believe they can get it. They can handle the meat of the Word.

We start feeding them from the table when they are Toddlers… let us feed them equally spiritually.

I want kids to think and ask questions… and believe me they will. I fear many parents don’t teach their kids the Word at home because they feel inept to answer their questions. Parents, its okay to say, I don’t know, but let’s go dig a little and see if we can find out… 

I believe one of the biggest lies in our modern church is, “If they are not having fun they won’t come

I think we forget that God does the drawing of the crowds… we are to lift up Christ and exalt Him… and trust the crowd drawing to God. Our focus should not be the entertainment of the crowds, but the exaltation of the Son of God.

I led them with cords of a man, with bonds of love,
And I became to them as one who lifts the yoke from their jaws;
And I bent down and fed them.

(Hosea 11:4)

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No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him

(John 6:44)

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And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself.”

(John 12:32)

 

The simple fact is, that if they really belong to Christ… then they may leave for a time… but absolutely nothing on this earth could keep them away for long. Once you are a part of the Body. You are always a part of the Body. Most amputees will tell you that even though that part of their body has been removed… they still “feel” it. Their brain (the Head, Ephesians 4:14-16) still recognizes it as being there.

Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, orperil, or sword? Just as it is written,

“For Your sake we are being put to death all day long;
We were considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”

But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8:35-39

So church let us exalt and lift up Christ. Let us love the Lord our God with all our heart, and mind, and soul, and strength. Let us preach the gospel, and teach the Word, and love others as ourselves… and leave all the rest to God.

 

 

 

What’s Your Definition of Love

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In about two weeks I will be going through a Family Life program based for preteens with my preteen daughter and also other mom’s and dad’s with their preteen sons and daughters. The program is designed for a one on one weekend, but I have decided to tweek it to make it work for a parent/preteen lock-in weekend. Sometimes its easier for parents to discuss the “hard” issues with their kids when they see it being addressed by other parents…

In order to set a schedule for the weekend I had to scan through the all the material. Let me share with you that I am so excited about what I heard. I truly recommend this curriculum getaway for parents to experience with their kids. I recommend you begin it with them at the first sign of a pimple or the first question about sex… believe me if they have finally gotten curious enough to ask about it out loud, then it’s already been on their mind for a while.

The weekend will close on a session about dating. Too many times “dating” just sneaks up on a parent. There has been no plan made, no boundaries established, and then all of a sudden that first school dance shows up…

What?

In elementary school now?

Yes, in elementary school…

So is your child ready? Do they know what is appropriate where? Do they know how far is too far? Do they have firm, assured, united boundaries in place so that they will know how to respond… not just react.

The question really is, what is your child’s definition of love?

In the curriculum’s dating session a young man shares his story. He shares how he and his sixteen year old best friend, the best friend that went to church with him all their lives, the best friend that experienced the silver ring thing, the true love waits stuff, and the youth pastors messages on sex outside of the marriage covenant. The best friend that the two of them made a pact together that they would remain pure for their wives… yes that one.

He shared how they were out one night and the best friend told him how he and his girlfriend had actually rented a hotel room and had sex. The sixteen year old best friend shared the news and expected the young man to slap him on the back with a locker room “way to go” but that’s not what he got. The young man was angry and he let his best friend know that he was angry.

The best friend responded that he and his girlfriend loved each other and they had decided this was the right time for them to express their love to one another and if he ever really fell in love he would understand and he was sorry that “his morals” didn’t agree with him. The young man looked at his friend and asked, “my morals? my morals? these were OUR morals!” 

Several years later… and several girlfriends later, now in college, the best friend called the young man to announce his engagement to the latest girlfriend and how in love he was with her… but the young man said he gave his congratulations with halfheartedness because his mind was still on their friend from high school… the girl his best friend supposedly so loved then.

The young man then shared about a newlywed couple that he had met at church… they had picked him up and they were on their way somewhere, both men up front, the young bride in the back… and the young man shared how they couldn’t keep their hands or glances of each other. The driver reaching in the back, the bride reaching up front, so they could hold hands from front seat to back… and the young man asked the question… did they wait?

This couple had waited. They had waited on each other. Then when they were together and in love they waited for each other. The young man asked if it was hard to wait? And the couple exclaimed, Well yes the desire was there, but no it wasn’t a struggle. They loved each other and the best way they knew to show their love for one another was to protect one another. Their first kiss was at the altar, the most they did was hold hands…

This young man had known two couples who both used the same word love, to explain what motivated them to act in completely opposite ways. One couple used the word love to justify taking advantage of each others bodies before marriage, the other used it to justify protecting one another’s bodies until marriage. For one, love was impatient and demanded compromise, for the other love built integrity and gave them the patience they needed to wait.

So the question again… what is your definition of love? How do you display love to your child? Do you give in and compromise with them? Or do you show them love through standing firm on the boundaries set for them?

What is your child’s definition of love?

Let me encourage you today to sit down with your child and find out…

 

Romans Study for Kids (Rom 2:11-29)

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We continue in our study in Romans… Here is the study for Romans 2:11-29.

Romans 2:11-29

11 For there is no partiality with God.

12 For all who have sinned without the Law will also perish without the Law, and all who have sinned under the Law will be judged by the Law;

13 for it is not the hearers of the Law who are just before God, but the doers of the Law will be justified.

14 For when Gentiles who do not have the Law do instinctively the things of the Law, these, not having the Law, are a law to themselves,

15 in that they show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them,

16 on the day when, according to my gospel, God will judge the secrets of men through Christ Jesus.

17 But if you bear the name “Jew” and rely upon the Law and boast in God,

18 and know His will and approve the things that are essential, being instructed out of the Law,

19 and are confident that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness,

20 a corrector of the foolish, a teacher of the immature, having in the Law the embodiment of knowledge and of the truth,

21 you, therefore, who teach another, do you not teach yourself? You who preach that one shall not steal, do you steal?

22 You who say that one should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples?

23 You who boast in the Law, through your breaking the Law, do you dishonor God?

24 For “the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you,” just as it is written.

25 For indeed circumcision is of value if you practice the Law; but if you are a transgressor of the Law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision.

26 So if the uncircumcised man keeps the requirements of the Law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision?

27 And he who is physically uncircumcised, if he keeps the Law, will he not judge you who though having the letter of the Law and circumcision are a transgressor of the Law?

28 For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh.

29 But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that which is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter; and his praise is not from men, but from God.

 

Read Romans 2:11. What does it mean to you to know that God treats all people the same?

______________________________________

______________________________________

 

Read Romans 2:12. Now fill in the blanks with the word “Bible”.

For all who have sinned without the __ __ __ __ __ will also perish without the __ __ __ __ __, and all who have sinned under the __ __ __ __ __ will be judged by the  __ __ __ __ __;

According to this verse can a person use NOT having a Bible as an excuse to not receive the wrath of God? Circle your answer.

Yes            No

 

Read Romand 2:13. Once again fill in the blanks with the word “Bible”. 

for it is not the hearers of the __ __ __ __ __ who are just before God, but the doers of

the __ __ __ __ __ will be justified.

 

Look up and read Matthew 5:20. 

Whose righteousness must you surpass in order to get into heaven?

the __ __ __ __ __ __ __

and __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

 

Read Romans 2:13 again. 

According to this verse if a person can keep all of the Law and Word and will of God perfectly and never break any of it then they can be saved by the Law. Can you do that? 

Circle your answer.

Yes              No

Do you know anyone who can or did do this? 

Circle your answer.

Yes              No              Jesus

 

Read Romans 2:14-15. Then once again fill in the blanks with the word “Bible”

For when Gentiles who do not have the __ __ __ __ __ do instinctively the things of the __ __ __ __ __, these, not having the __ __ __ __ __, are a law to themselves, in that they show the work of the __ __ __ __ __ written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them

 

Read Romans 2:15 again. 

Where is the Law written?

in their __ __ __ __ __ __

What bears witness to them?

their __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

 

The word conscience in this verse is Suneidesis 

and it means: 

the soul as distinguishing between what is morally good and bad, encouraging to do the good and not do the bad

 

Look up and read Romans 1:19-20. 

How do we know about God? 

That which is known about God is evident  __ __ __ __ __ __  them

What does that mean about us?

What are we all without __ __ __ __ __ __

 

Look up and read Acts 17:24-31.

What do we learn about God in Acts 17:27?

He is not __ __ __ from __ __ __ __  one of us

 

Check out this to illustrate Romans 2:14-15  and help it stick.

 

THINK ABOUT IT…

When you are faced with an opportunity to do something, how long does it take you to decide if it is okay to do it? What do you use to decide if it is okay?

Ask your parents or grandparents or teacher to tell you a story about a time they let their conscience be their guide. Then ask them if their is a difference in their conscience since they asked Jesus to be their Savior and the Holy Spirit moved inside of them.

Spend the next couple of days trying really hard to listen to your conscience and see how it leads you. 

 

Read Romans 2:16. What will judge all men by? 

Unscramble the words to find the answer.

GSPLOE     the __ __ __ __ __ __

What will God judge? Fill in the blanks.

the __ __ __ __ __ __ __ of men

Who will He judge them through?

__ __ __ __ __   __ __ __ __ __ __

 

Read Romans 2:17. What does this verse begin with?

__ __ __  (remember this is one of our important words)

 

Read Romans 2:17. 

Now replace the word “Jew” with “Christian”. Replace the word “Law” with “Bible”. 

In the blank following the word “you” write your own name.

But if you, _______________________________ bear the name “__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __” and rely upon the __ __ __ __ __ and boast in God,

and know His will and approve the things that are essential, being instructed out of the __ __ __ __ __,

and are confident that you, _____________  yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness,

a corrector of the foolish, a teacher of the immature, having in the __ __ __ __ __ the embodiment of knowledge and of the truth,

you, therefore, who teach another, do you, ________________ not teach yourself? You, ___________ who preach that one shall not steal, do you steal?

You who say that one should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples?

 

Look up and read Matthew 5:20-22. 

What commandment is Jesus talking about?

You shall not commit __ __ __ __ __ __.

 

What did Jesus say made you guilty enough before the court to send you to the fiery hell?

everyone who is __ __ __ __ __

and whoever says to his brother “__ __ __   __ __ __ __-__ __ __- __ __ __ __ __ __ __”

whoever says “__ __ __      __ __ __ __”

 

Look up and read and Matthew 7:1-5. 

Whose sins do we need to point out first?

Your own            Your brothers             A strangers          

 

THINK ABOUT IT….

When we grow up in church we learn a lot about the Bible and God’s Law. We hear what He says is good and bad. Sometimes we use what we know as a tool to point out other people’s sin just to keep people from seeing our sin. Have you ever told on someone else to get your mom or dad’s eyes off of you hoping you would not get in trouble for what you did wrong?

 

Read Romans 2:23-24. Once again replace the word “Law” with “Bible”. Also replace the word “Gentiles” with “world”

You who boast in the __ __ __ __ __, through your breaking the __ __ __ __ __, do you dishonor God?  

For “the name of God is blasphemed among the  __ __ __ __ __ because of you,” just as it is written.

 

THINK ABOUT IT…

Many times a person calls themselves a Christian, they even claim they know the Bible, but they live their lives the exact opposite that God says to in the Bible. When we do this we blaspheme the name of God to those who do not know Him yet. 

How important is it that our words and our lives match? Is it more important to your parents that you say that you love them or that you show that you love them by respecting them, obeying them, and wanting to spend time with them?  

 

Read Romans 2:25. Do you know why Paul is talking to the Jews about circumcision? 

 

Let’s do some background research. Sit down with your mom or dad and read Genesis 17:1-14.

 

Now look back at Genesis 17:11. What was circumcision meant to be?

 

a __ __ __ __ of the __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

 

Read Exodus 20:1-17. 

This is the Ten Commandments. Usually when we think of the Law of God we think of these, but the Law also included God’s ordinances and the rules for worship and sacrifices in the tabernacle. 

 

Read Exodus 24:3-8. What was the “words of the LORD and all the ordinances”?

Circle your answer.

a sign               the covenant

 

Read Romans 2:25 again. Now that you know more about circumcision and the Law, according to Romans 2:25 which is more important to God? Circle your answer.

Be circumcised.            Obey the Law

 

Hang on to all this information about circumcision, signs, Law, and covenants. We will come back to it later as we go farther into the book of Romans. I am so proud of you for studying all this!!! Keep going! You are doing great! It doesn’t have to all make sense to you yet… just keep praying and studying!

 

Read Romans 2:25-29. 

If you are not a Jew, then circumcision is not a sign that you might connect to being a Christian. 

To help us understand these verses we are going to replace the word “circumcision” with “baptism” and replace the word “Jew” with “Christian”

For indeed __ __ __ __ __ __ __ is of value if you practice the Law; but if you are a transgressor of the Law, your __ __ __ __ __ __ __ has become un__ __ __ __ __ __ __

So if the unbaptized man keeps the requirements of the Law, will not his un__ __ __ __ __ __ __ be regarded as __ __ __ __ __ __ __?

And he who is physically unbaptized if he keeps the Law, will he not judge you who though having the letter of the Law and circumcision are a transgressor of the Law?

For he is not a __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __  who is one outwardly, nor is __ __ __ __ __ __ __ that which is outward in the flesh.

But he is a  __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __  who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that which is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter; and his praise is not from men, but from God.

 

Look up and read Deuteronomy 10:16. Moses wrote the book of Deuteronomy. What does he say we need to circumcise?

Draw a picture of your answer.

______________________________________________________

 

 

 

 

_______________________________________________________

Do you think you can circumcise your own heart? Circle your answer.

Yes                No

 

Look up and read Deuteronomy 30:6 and see who it is that can circumcise your heart. Fill in the blanks with your answer.

The __ __ __ __  your  __ __ __

 

According to Deuteronomy 30:6 what is a circumcised heart able to do?

Fill in the blanks.

To __ __ __ __ the Lord your God with all your __ __ __ __ __ and with all

your __ __ __ __, so that you may __ __ __ __.

 

Read Luke 10:25-28. 

Who is speaking?

a lawyer and  __ __ __ __ __

What does Jesus say one must do to inherit eternal life?

“You shall __ __ __ __ the Lord your God with all your    __ __ __ __ __, and with all your __ __ __ __, and with all your __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __, and with all your      __ __ __ __; and your  __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __  as yourself.”

 

Read 1 John 4:20-21 and 1 John 5:1-3. 

How do we know that we love God?

__ __ __ __  others

__ __ __ __   God and __ __ __ __ His commandment

 

THINK ABOUT IT…

Draw a heart below. Spend some quiet time today and ask God to show you what is in your heart. Draw pictures inside the heart of what you find. 

 

 

Names of God: Soter

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We continue in our names of God study. This may be the first time you have read about our names of God study. If it is, go ahead and jump in with us! You can dig into all the other names we have studied at Names of God Study.

Today we will be looking at the name/title Soter.

for today in the city of David

there has been born for you a Savior,

who is Christ the Lord.

 Luke 2:11

 

Soter is the Greek word for Savior and it means savior, deliverer, preserver. 

Jesus, the Logos made flesh, is not only our Parakletos, but He is our Savior.

This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior,

1 Timothy 2:3

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whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ

our Savior

Titus 3:6

 

The root word of Soter is Sozo and it means to save, keep safe and sound, to rescue from danger or destruction, save one (from injury or peril) to save a suffering one (from perishing), i.e. one suffering from disease, to make well, heal, restore to health, to preserve one who is in danger of destruction, to save or rescue.

As we look at this root word definition we see a little deeper the despair of our situation. We see that Jesus is our Savior, but we also see why we need a Savior. We need rescued from danger. We need rescued from the destruction that we are headed to because of our sin. We need someone to save us from our peril. We are suffering from the effects of our sin, from our own choices, and from the choices of others. We are sick in our sin, spreading it on to our children and our children’s children. We need to be healed. We need to be restored. We need to be saved. Then in our salvation, in our restoration, we need someone to preserve us in it because we can’t preserve ourselves.

We are all in the same state. We all, every one of us, need a Savior. If we stop long enough to be honest with ourselves we can’t help but see this need. Even the Disney Channel recognizes that it is not the goodness of man that we all have in common… but it is indeed sin.

for all have sinned

and fall short

of the glory of God

Romans 3:23

 

We all need a Savior and there is only ONE who is able to do the kind of saving that we need.

 

Therefore He is able also to save forever

those who draw near to God through Him,

since He always lives to make intercession for them

Hebrews 7:25

 

Many times throughout history and even throughout our own lives we find ourselves needing help. We will cry out for help. In that time of need, someone may come. They may come and they may save us at that time, in that moment, from that danger… but then they are gone.  Sometimes God allows times of distress in our lives just so that we will call out for help…

Therefore You delivered them into the hand of their oppressors who oppressed them,

But when they cried to You in the time of their distress,

You heard from heaven, and according to Your great compassion

You gave them deliverers who delivered them from the hand of their oppressors.

Nehemiah 9:27

 

Nehemiah is reminding us of the time of the judges in Israel. As long as the judge lived and led them, then the people obeyed God, but as soon as the judge died, they went right back to living however they pleased.

Then the sons of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord and served the Baals, and they forsook the Lord, the God of their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt, and followed other gods from among the gods of the peoples who were around them, and bowed themselves down to them; thus they provoked the Lord to anger. So they forsook the Lord and served Baal and the Ashtaroth. The anger of the Lord burned against Israel, and He gave them into the hands of plunderers who plundered them; and He sold them into the hands of their enemies around them, so that they could no longer stand before their enemies. Wherever they went, the hand of the Lord was against them for evil, as the Lord had spoken and as the Lord had sworn to them, so that they were severely distressed. Then the Lord raised up judges who delivered them from the hands of those who plundered them. Yet they did not listen to their judges, for they played the harlot after other gods and bowed themselves down to them. They turned aside quickly from the way in which their fathers had walked in obeying the commandments of theLord; they did not do as their fathers. When the Lord raised up judges for them, the Lord was with the judge and delivered them from the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge; for the Lord was moved to pity by their groaning because of those who oppressed and afflicted them. But it came about when the judge died, that they would turn back and act more corruptly than their fathers, in following other gods to serve them and bow down to them; they did not abandon their practices or their stubborn ways.

Judges 2:11-19

 

Yes, God will even allow distress in our lives to lead us to look for a savior, but He never wants us to get satisfied in a temporary salvation. He wants our cry for THE SAVIOR.

He wants our cry for the One who delivers not from a sin, but from the sin. The One who is able to lead us for all time because He doesn’t die. The One who is able to save forever.

The One who is able to save because he was born to save…

for today in the city of David

there has been born for you a Savior,

who is Christ the Lord.

Luke 2:11

 

The One who is able to save because he died to save…

For while we were still helpless,

at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.

For one will hardly die for a righteous man;

though perhaps for the good man

someone would dare even to die.

But God demonstrates His own love toward us,

in that while we were yet sinners,

Christ died for us.

Romans 5:6-8

The One who is able to save because He didn’t come to save one nation, one people, for just a small amount of time… but He came to save the world for all time.

and they were saying to the woman,

“It is no longer because of what you said that we believe,

for we have heard for ourselves

and know that this One

is indeed the Savior of the world.”

John 4:42

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We have seen and testify

that the Father has sent the Son

to be the Savior of the world.

1 John 4:14

 

The One who is able to save because He came to destroy not that one sin, that one bondage, at that one time of the cry… but He came to destroy the works of the devil!

the one who practices sin is of the devil;

for the devil has sinned from the beginning.

The Son of God appeared for this purpose,

to destroy the works of the devil.

1 John 3:8

The word destroy in this verse is Luo and it means to loose any person (or thing) tied or fastened bandages of the feet, the shoes, to loose one bound, i.e. to unbind, release from bonds, set free, of one bound up (swathed in bandages), bound with chains (a prisoner), discharge from prison, let go, to loosen, undo, dissolve, anything bound, tied, or compacted together, an assembly, i.e. to dismiss, break up, laws, as having a binding force, are likened to bonds, to annul, subvert, to do away with, to deprive of authority, whether by precept or act

Let this definition just soak in for a moment… take the time to apply it to what you think binds you today.

The authority, binding force, chains of the works of the devil in which he bound you because of your sin… Jesus came to loose you, to make them let go of you, to set you free from them and from Satan himself.

Let’s look at Hebrews 7:25 again… this time in the KJV.

Wherefore he is able also to save them

to the uttermost

that come unto God by him,

seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

Hebrews 7:25 (KJV)

 

The word uttermost in this verse is Panteles and it means all complete, perfect, completely, perfectly, utterly

Jesus, our Soter, our Savior. The One who is able to save… not for just yesterday, not for just today, not for just tomorrow… but forever and to the uttermost.