Bible Discussion Thread

Continued..

How this placement of the Levites among the people typifies Christ who resides with His people and ever makes intercession for us to the Father. How dependable He is and how intimate is His priestly work for us. He knows what is going on in each of our lives, being ever-present and everywhere present. His ministry far exceeds that of the priest of Israel. They, being sinful, became corrupted with greed, pride, and puffed up. They became self-righteous and did not want to "mingle" with the unclean common folk. They added requirements to the law, amending what God decreed, and inserted traditions that led people further away for God rather than helping them draw near to God and practice service and worship to God that is according to what God has stated to be righteous. They became burdensome to the people rather than Jesus, who said to take His yoke upon us, which is easy and light. Jesus does not yoke us to enslave us, rather, He calls us to cleave to Him and live in freedom to worship God in Spirit and in Truth. He takes upon Himself our burdens and makes our hearts glad.

20 days in the hospital

After appendicitis and subseauent antibiotic for infection and inflammation of my intestines for 12 days; I had to go back less than 48 hours later and after another week just got back home; this time on a liquid diet much longer to make sure I can handle things.

I probably already mentioned my appreciation for several believers with the Chaplain staff and one intern in particular who stated that he was a Christian and likely would pray for me. I also found the people in my church who called me multiple times very faithful; as they are with prayer and visiting many members who are confined (and with their own volition not being prompted by the Pastor to do such things). I am thankful after 2 years in this city (Philly suburb) to have found such a church and become a member.

Also of course the serving of the staff day and night on 12 hour shifts helped me to be grateful for the work involved for patient care. The hospital was a local one; fortunately one of the better. They helped me be as independant as I could; learning to navigate an IV or TPN line (food line) around to the bathroom by myself after "graduating" from the port o potty. I don't recommend the stomach pump that goes down you nose for fun entertainment; but it had to be done and I put them through a hard time more than once. If the tube was out I could have serious issues but you cough up flem all night long.

God was with me no doubt; it allowed my parents to become friends with a couple in church to help them; and thankfully my employers will give me leave the next couple weeks until I can get back and my parents will help me with what my insurance didn't cover; the operation. It did cover all but 50 dollars a day for the stay which is a game changer!

I quoted "this is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it" to one of the nurses today. No great response but I know I was there to be a witness. I appreciate your prayers.

Rich P

Dear Richard,

I have remembered you in my prayers. I noticed that you hadn't posted or a week or so since you got home from the hospital and I was thinking that maybe you needed to be readmitted. Oh, how wonderfully the Holy Spirit works in us, right!

I am so very sorry that you developed such a serious infection following your surgery and needed another hospital stay. But that is what was needed to get the infection cleared up and assist your gastrointestinal system during this time. Thankful for the care you received and that you are now back home. I will continue to pray for you and the recovery period you are facing. And know that we notice when you are not posting here! This is a BIG ordeal for you to go through and the outcome could have been so very different. God has preserved you through this illness. May the Lord strengthen your body, heal your immune system, allow you to get the nutrition your body needs, and help you get back to some normal routine activities soon.

My heart goes out to you as you have been through the ringer! There is a praise report somewhere in this, I am confident, but today, just getting through the moment is pretty much where you are at. Be built up in your spirit as you wait to return to normal as you reach the complete healing that God will provide for you.

Thanks. You seem to be my biggest prayer partner here. Surely have and still have many praying for me. It is the detailed prayers that I hope to see in my own church more often. We have one hour online prayer; mainly due to those few that are indisposed and shut in unable to attend live prayer or church.

So I ask that Lord willing as I attend church Sunday that somehow the message can be brought home even perhaps with the prayers for me for more in the church to involve themselves in prayer and not just in set apart times. I may have mentioned that there is scant prayer for women among themselves; I think some are in a side function of seniors. We have some younger women in particular that need; in my opinion to be more impromptu in prayer. Focus should be on praying BEFORE the sermon; those that DON'T attend Sunday school have more time that they could set apart to pray for new people attending which is one thing I am concerned about. Such activity after the service is good as well; we really need prayer by the elders offered for the sick which NEVER seems to be a part of the service such as anointing with oil or perhaps requesting anyone needing prayer to talk to the Pastor; elders or other parisioners after the service. Finally there is a plan called "operation saturation" where the Pastor and a few others are targeting every home in my community. Last time I was late getting there after work but asked the Pastor that next time we could pray before handing out the literature for our church.

As you can see prayer is something on my heart here. I have a feeling the suicide of one of the Pastor's sons decades ago has caused him to have some trepidation especially with instigating some sort of teen group in our church. One of the ladies holding our small group has the idea of getting a youth Pastor in training to help things get started.

You can pray the coffee house and bands coming will bring people to church Sunday as well.

Agape RP

Richard, thank you for the update on the prayer needs of your fellowship and of the need for more prayer there. We all could work on Paul's exhortation to pray without ceasing and making our petitions known to God when they arise.

Dear Heavenly Father, I pray today for Richard asking you to continue to heal his body and make him strong physically. I also lay before you the requests Richard has brought up concerning his church fellowship. Bring to this fellowship an urgency to pray for one another, for the spiritual work that is being done by the pastor, teachers, and elders. Make this fellowship a house of prayer, Lord, for it is needed that we be diligent in bringing to you all things that are done in your name as well as the needs of the people who attend this fellowship. Lord, in Your mercy, grant these prayers in marvelous ways so as to turn many to You wholeheartedly with open hearts and empty hands to make their requests to You and receive the amazing answers to their prayers. All of this we ask of You, Father, in the name of Your Son, Jesus. Amen.

I again appreciate your prayer. One of our deacons (the only one who preaches formally) in his sermon today mentioned from Mark 2 the importance of the Word but also taking action. He mentioned that people that have ideas for things can take action and they will get support. He probably should have stated that anything spurious will be guarded against although thankfully things are pretty doctrinally sound among the congregation. He also mentioned persevering in prayer; whether or not we see answers as we expect or not. Generally it seems some more prayer is gradually working into the service.

I met yesterday with a young lady who attends our church at her workplace; and she prayed with me at the store; no less. I mentioned some of this stuff; along with the fact that although the online prayer only has men; it is not meant to be limited to men only. It is the demographic issue which I discussed with her as well; she enjoys another church fellowship that shares the building for further involvement as well.

As for the activities; one is a fundraiser for kids who are abused; including sexual trafficking. (These are coffee house Saturday night events). That may be one and the same as something called "battle for the bands" where a producer is supposed to take on the winner of the show; there is also fund raising there; 2 concerts back to back Sept 9 then the 16th.

A member of my church who just met my parents a couple weeks ago got my dad "The case for Christ" by Lee Stroebel. My dad says he isn't interested but you can pray he looks at it; he saw where I left it in his study when he was sleeping. I am sure you have prayed for their salvation.

I suppose I should ask what to pray for you. It shouldn't have to be said after all you have done in my behalf that I will pray for you also.

I can only hope there are others who are actively praying for one another here; hopefully if there is no response to a serious request someone fills in on this site

Richard, I am sure that God is working these prayers out in your congregation as we speak. It is His will for us to be prayerful and to expect His answers to come to all that is asked within His holy will.

As for praying for me, I would say that I always need prayer that I do and say what the Spirit would desire. That I continue to resist the devil and deny the sinful nature within me. That I maintain a repentant lifestyle that keeps me turned to God and His ways and turned away from sin. This is the life I was called to live from childhood and I do not grow weary of living it at all, but we can still fall into sin so easily. You can pray that my sons and their wives come to Jesus for salvation and live for Him. And you can pray for me to continue in better health. I have improved so much since retiring, but still have things to work on such as losing weight, bringing down my blood pressure and A1C and not reacting to triggers that kick up my asthma.

Thank you for your love and concern for me. Talk later.

Not sure where to intersect this; I am back after SECOND stint in hospital; out on full liquid diet. Seems my colon was infected the first time they are taking their time since I have had a tendency for inflammation. Anyway my church family has been faithful.

Since this is for commentary on your comment on the Levites I suppose I should say something related to that. It reminds me of the sons of Eli when they did the opposite; in molesting the young women and eating raw meat which was the extreme of lawlessness. The example you gave shows the Pharisitical behaviors; and also shows how things such as the Talmud and human tradition take away any real mercy as the Torah was also supposed to have; along with the Temple destined to be a place of prayer for all nations. The fact that they used the law to justify their actions of greed such a with their "Corbin" behavior which Christ excoriated them over makes it worse in some ways from those who just want to live licensiously.

What we CAN learn from the Levites and ordinances is we need to approach God on HIS terms; the consequences for any other way are clear in scripture (Ananias and Sapphira). God sees all and we must approach Him with fear and awe with the New Covenant as much as with the Old. God is the same yesterday today; Alpha and Omega.

Such an example could fit in with today's churches in some ways as well. Traditions of men such as styles of worship; attire; restrictions on dancing; movies; etc.; legalistic tithing and many other practices in themselves are useless; we should; however not go so casual as to disrespect God and make the Spirit decide to take the train to the coast so to speak as Don McLean's famous song would mention so poetically. Such a song as American Pie also makes us soberly think about America falling possibly in a day like Babylon. We could also extrapolate how music in the Christian music industry has "died" in some respect also although that may be a stretch.