Nativity (Part 2)

Did you watch it yet??? Well, before you read on here is one last chance... Last week I encouraged you to watch "The Nativity Story" and read Matthew and Luke's versions of the story to compare them... I also suggested you make a list of the things the movie got wrong... How many did you get? Did you get some I didn't catch? Below is my list:

1. Luke 1:19: The angel Gabriel appeared to Zachariah at the right of the altar... In the movie Zachariah only heard a voice...

2. Luke 1:13 Zachariah's prayers were answered by Elizabeth bearing him a son. In the movie he acted like he had never heard tell of the idea...

3. Luke 1:20 Zachariah was told he would be able to speak the day it happened. In the movie this was not mentioned.

4. Luke 1:24 Fact: Elizabeth remained in seclusion for five months after becoming pregnant.

5. Luke 1:36 Fact: (goes with #7) Elizabeth was in her sixth month when Mary first saw Gabriel. Fact: It does not mention weather or not Mary already knew that Elizabeth was pregnant before the angel came to her...

6. Luke 1:40 Mary entered Zachariah's house and greeted Elizabeth. In the movie she was outside...

7. Luke 1:56 Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months. It does not say that Mary was or wasn't there; however, following the times that were written, it would seem that she was there when Elizabeth gave birth to John the Baptist...

8. Luke 1:62-64 When learning what John the Baptist's name was going to be the people asked/made signs to Zachariah to ask what the baby's name was to be. Zachariah wrote John and then he could speak.

9. Matthew 1:20-21 An angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. Fact: It does not specify who the angel was or what the dream was about. I think that whenever Gabriel was revealed to anyone he would have been mentioned by name...

10. Luke 2:6 "While they were there" the baby came. Fact: It doesn't say she was in labor and they got there in the nick of time... They could have been there for a week...

11. Luke 2:13 A "Company" or "Multitude" of heavenly hosts appeared with the angel praising God. In the movie you just see one angel. Fact: Once again it does not specify that the angel was Gabriel...

12. Luke 2:16 When the shepherds came the baby was "lying in the manger" just like the angel said. In the movie Mary is holding Jesus...

13. Matthew 2:1 The Bible does not specify the number of Magi. It has been assumed that there were three because of the three gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh... But I personally do not agree with that number...

14. Matthew 2:2, 7, 9-10 It was A star, not three joining together. It has been proven by planetarium that it wasn't some fluke phenomenon like the movie depicts...

15. Matthew 2:1-4 After the Magi arrived and announced they saw the star then Herod, the chief priests, and teachers of the law asked them where the Christ was to be born. (It says nothing of previous killings or inspections.) It appears (biblically Verse 3) that Herod had not considered the idea at all until the Magi came... The movie makes it appear as though Herod has been searching and doing everything in his power to prevent the predicted King from taking over his throne...

16. Matthew 2:7 Herod called in the Magi secretly to find out when they first saw the star. In the movie they talked around a very full table with little children present.

17. Matthew 2:11 The Magi came to a house and saw the child with his mother. It is almost certain that the Magi were not there when Jesus was born, but instead arrived when he was between 24 and 15 months old. Thus the Magi would not have been present when the shepherds were there, nor would they have seen Jesus lying in a manger...

18. Matthew 2: 16 (Continuing from 17...) The above statement also explains why Herod had children killed that were two and younger... The age has to do with how long the star had been visible to the Magi...

19. Matthew 2:12 The Magi were "warned in a dream" not to go back to Herod. In the movie they just play it as they thought Herod was creepy, and they were wise enough not to go back to him...

20. Matthew 2:13-14 Not long after the Magi left an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream (once again does not say if the angel was Gabriel) and told him to take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. So he got up in the night and left. In the movie they are still in the cave/stable, and they leave while the soldiers are knocking on other houses looking to kill the children. They would have been in a house, if Jesus was almost two years old, and most likely they would not have "just escaped" right before the soldiers opened the house door... They could have fled days before the episode or the night before...

So there you have it... My take on the incorrectness of "The Nativity Story". Do you agree? Did you find other things that didn't match up with what the Bible says? I also don't think the angel visits to Mary, Joseph, or the shepherds would have been in any way creepy or mysterious... Let me know what you think!

Blessings!
~ S*

Nativity (Part 1)

 Have you ever watched the "The Nativity Story" movie? Have you ever compared it to what the Bible tells us really happened?

I challenge you to watch the movie and make a list of all the things they got wrong in the movie… I will post a follow up entry with my list, but I want to see how many you can find on your own first... You can borrow the movie from the library, or watch it online: Click Here.

This past Christmas I read the first two chapters of Matthew and Luke. As I was reading I began to wonder what it would have really been like... What did Mary really think of Joseph? How old was she really? Did she just get up in the middle of the night and listen to her husband when he said they needed to flee to Egypt, or was she second guessing him, asking him why, hating every step in the opposite direction of their previous home? How much say did the woman really have? How did Joseph treat her? Was he the one to deliver the baby? Did she do it on her own? Did she really walk all the way to Bethlehem? 

As you can tell, I am somewhat of a romantic, so that is kinda how my questions are leaning. I know there are supposed answers, but the Bible doesn't say she road on a donkey... The Bible doesn't say she was in labor when they got there almost ready to give birth... The Bible doesn't say there were only three kings/wise-men or that Mary was or wasn't there when Elizabeth gave birth... A lot of the things we have been taught or have seen while growing up are just assumptions... What do we really know about the birth of Jesus?

Read Matthew 1:16-2:23 and Luke 1:1-45, 56-66, 80-2:21 to find out.

Let me know what differences you've found. I'm eager to hear them.

Blessings! 

~ S*

Cold Turkey

"'Everything is permissible'--but not everything is beneficial. 'Everything is permissible'--but not everything is constructive." -- 1 Corinthians 10:23 (NIV)

Have you ever had to quit doing something because God told you to?  Did you quit "cold turkey", or did you ease yourself out of it? Did you fight with God and say, "I don't want to give that up, or I don't want to stop doing such and such... Why God why???"  

A couple days ago my family decided to stop watching all of the crime shows on TV that we have been watching for multiple seasons...  This list, for me, was 8-10 shows long... 

What would be the hardest thing for you to give up right now? Facebook, sweets, You Tube, dating, smoking, drinking, watching sports, video games, __(you fill in the blank)__...  That's what it's like to give up these shows I have been watching.  I have had time to fall in love with the characters, I want to know how their stories are going to end, what am I going to do now that I don't have all this TV to watch, I've always used the evening's TV time as a way to relax and just forget about what is going on around me...  But God showed me last night in a dream that I was to stop...  Yesterday, when my family approached me with the idea, I was trying to decide how I was going to go about watching the shows I like with out them; now I am probably more on board than they are.

The verse at the top of the post has been one I have quoted to myself quite a few times the last few months... Aside from TV, I have also given up a few other things that I had been doing for many years... Every time I am tempted to do them this verse pops into my head, 1 Corinthians 10:23: "You say, "I am allowed to do anything"--but not everything is good for you. You say, "I am allowed to do anything"--but not everything is beneficial." (NLT)  "“All things are lawful,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful,” but not all things build up."(ESV)  "All things are lawful, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful, but not all things edify." (NAS)

It can be hard to keep popular things from becoming idols or front runners in our lives.  Being willing to lay some of your favorite things down, when God asks you to, is a great way to tell if you are making an idol out of them or not.

Click Here to visit my post on Idols.

What can we do to make better use of our time?  Have you given up something and found a ton of extra time that you didn't use to have?  What did you do with that extra time?  Let's try to use our extra time the way God wants us to. 

Blessings!

~ S*
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Self-Control

"But the Fruit of the Spirit is... Self-Control." Galatians 5:22-23

Do you have good self-control?  In what areas of your life do you practice good self-control, and in what areas do you need more?  Do you spend money uncontrollably, blow up when a little thing upsets you, check out every guy/girl that walks by... Do you over indulge yourself at meal times, keep a nice fit body, keep a budget, or have a major fascination with eBay?  How do you measure out?  Do you have a lot of self control, or do you really need to work on this area?

This week's scriptures:

Proverbs 25:28, "A person without self-control is like a city with broken-down walls." (NLT)

1 Timothy 3:2,"So an elder must be a man whose life is above reproach. He must be faithful to his wife. He must exercise self-control, live wisely, and have a good reputation. He must enjoy having guests in his home, and he must be able to teach." (NLT)

Titus 1:8, "Rather he must be hospitable, one who loves what is good, who is self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined." (NIV) Both of these verses are referring to elders.

1 Peter 1:13, "So think clearly and exercise self-control. Look forward to the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world." (NLT)

Other Scriptures to check out:

1 Corinthians 7:5

1 Thessalonians 5:6-8

2 Timothy 3:3

Titus 2:2-12

1 Peter 4:7

2 Peter 1:5-6

What are some of your favorite scriptures on self-control?  Which Old Testament character showed the most self-control? Which New Testament character (not including Jesus)?  I look forward to hearing from you.

Blessings,

~ S*

Giving Thanks on Thanksgiving!

A lot of people this year are counting down the days to Thanksgiving by posting a new status on Facebook each day stating a new thing they are thankful for.  This is a nice way to stay in the thankful mood when it comes to the November holiday.

I just spent the last twenty minutes writing a "letter" to God, in which I thanked Him for a few of the blessings in my life.

What are some of the ways you show your thankfulness this time of year? Do you only show God your thankfulness on Thanksgiving or in the month of November?

A recent status I saw on Facebook was as follows: "What if you only had today what you thanked God for yesterday?" Pretty powerful quote.  What would you have?  I know I wouldn't have very much. We all need to get in the habit of being thankful.  And I don't only mean to God, but to others as well.

Let's be thankful to the men and women who serve our country, to the person who stops to let us out in the middle of a traffic jam, to the maintenance worker who finally comes by to empty your trash can at work, or to your family for everything they do for you each day... And the list goes on...

Verses on Thanks:

Psalms 100:4, "Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and praise his name." (NLT)

Psalms 107:1 & 136:1, "Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever." (NIV)

1 Corinthians 15:57, "But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ." (NLT)

Philippians 4:6, "Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done." (NLT)

Colossians 3:15, "And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful." (NLT)

1 Thessalonians 5:18, "Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus." (NLT)

Extra verses to look up:

Psalms 7:17

Psalms 28:7

Psalms 30:12

Psalms 75:1

Psalms 95:2

Psalms 118:28

1 Corinthians 11:24

2 Corinthians 2:14

2 Corinthians 9:15

Hebrews 12:28

Revelations 4:9

What are some of your favorite verses on Thanks?  Let's all try to thank God more often for the wonderful blessings He has bestowed on our lives!

Blessings!

~ S*

Gentleness (Part 2)

But the Fruit of the Spirit is... GENTLENESS..." Galatians 5:22-23

 

Proverbs 15:1, “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”

How many of you have experienced this verse first hand in one or both instances?  Unfortunately, if I answer harshly, I tend to be around family/those who know me best. However, if I am at work or with people who don’t know me very well, I usually have a gentler answer.  Pretty sad isn’t it?  This proves that if I want to, I can control what comes out of my mouth (even if it isn’t what I might be thinking). At work I know that it is my job to be kind, gentle, and overly considerate to the customers (and fellow associates) that I encounter.  If I don’t, I could be fired, or I may be on the receiving end of a long lecture about customer service.  Meanwhile, at home, your family can’t fire you… They (usually) love you no matter what.  This should make us want to be gentlest to them, but instead we usually take advantage of the fact that they are family and will love us anyway…  I want to try to have a soft/gentle answer when it comes to everyone.  I am striving to be someone who serves God whole-heartedly and not just when others are watching.  I want to be a doer of the Word and not just a hearer…(James 1:22)

What are some instances where you have gently answered someone and it has turned out for the better?  Who do you need to be gentler to?

As always I look forward to you input!

Blessings!

~ S*

Gentleness (Part 1)

"But the Fruit of the Spirit is... GENTLENESS..." Galatians 5:22-23

Definitions:

gen·tle  (jntl)adj. gen·tler, gen·tlest

1. Considerate or kindly in disposition; amiable and tender.

2. Not harsh or severe; mild and soft: a gentle scolding; a gentle tapping at the window.

3. Easily managed or handled; docile: a gentle horse.

4. Not steep or sudden; gradual: a gentle incline.

gentleness [ˈdʒɛnt^əlnɪs]n

1. the quality of being gentle

Scriptures for this week:

Proverbs 25:15, "Through patience a ruler can be persuaded, and a gentle tongue can break a bone." (NIV)

Ephesians 4:2, "Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each others faults because of your love." (NLT)

Philippians 4:5, "Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near." (NIV)

Colossians 3:12, "Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience." (NLT)

1 Timothy 3:3, "He must not be a heavy drinker or be violent. He must be gentle, not quarrelsome, and not love money." (NLT)  This scripture is talking about what is required in a  man if he is to become an Elder or Deacon in the church.

1 Timothy 6:11, " But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness." (NIV)

1 Peter 3:4, "You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God." (NLT)  This scripture is telling wives how to treat their husbands.

1 Peter 3:15, "But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect," (NIV)

More scriptures to check out:

Jeremiah 11:19

Zechariah 9:9 goes with Matthew 21:5

Matthew 11:29

1 Corinthians 4:21

1 Thessalonians 2:6-7

What are some of your favorite scriptures on Gentleness?  I would love to hear your testimonies relating to gentleness below!

Blessings! 

~ S*