Spirit Edification Order

The Spirit brings Edification & Order – Part 1

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In this session we are continuing to learn more about our relationship/partnetship with the Holy Spirit in ministry.

The Corinthian church fell sort in no gift, but were very immarture Christians. Paul addresses all manner of disciplinary issues to this church before addressing their zeal for Spiritual Gifts which they excercised with little to no guidance or maturity – seeking to be seen more than to edify the church.

In Chapter 14 Paul bears down on this expression of immaturity and explains that if one is truly being led by the Spirit of God, there will be order in their assemblies. Paul presses limits on the expression of the gifts and the need to each be used IN TURN rather than all at once. Again the major focus being edification rather than confusion.

I truly hope this lession will aid you not only in better understanding order in the church in the expression of the gifts, but even more importantly in coming to better know the Spirit of God with Whom we partner in the work of the ministry of the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ!

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Psalm 27 New Covenant

Psalm 27 & the New Covenant

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This beautiful Davidic Psalm is both a lament and a praise for God’s faithful, dependable intervention against his enemies.

In this teaching we learn how to better understand the Psalms and their statements in keeping with the promises of the New Covenant which are often at variance with those of the Old.

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Psalm creation

He established the earth upon the waters

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Genesis speaks of the waters being divided in the creation week. One part above the sky and one part below the sky. The portion below the sky was gathered together into one place which “can mean” that they were interconnected.

At the global flood, the scriptures say that God opened fountains or underground springs of the ocean and the windows of the sky were opened.

The idea seems to be that underneath the ocean floor are vents or fountains from which jettison water from chambers below the ocean floor. This God is said to have opened. This seems evidenced by the huge ridges and fault lines both above and below the oceans. They run around the earth like the seams on a baseball. They correspond to the mountain ridges on land.

It seems that it is regarding these vents that the psalmist is here referring.

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Psalm 23 Shepherd

Psalm 23

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Psalm 23 is perhaps the most comforting and well-beloved Psalms ever and is arugably the best known passage from the entire Bible. It is quoted and referenced even by the lost. It appears on keychains, in movies, in songs and often is part of funeral services. Interestingly enough, even though we are in the 21st century, the most quoted version of this popular Psalm is from the King James Version.

Tonight we will begin with an introduction to how to understand the imagry in the Psalm. Then we will work through the Psalm by comparing two very different translations – the King James Version and the New English Translation.

Both are excellent translations which are faithful to the Hebrew but which approach translation from two different angles. The KJV surprisingly includes more nuances of the Hebrew allowing shades of meaning from word roots to impact the words used in the translation. The NET takes a more literal approach. THis makes for a more sterile version of the Psalm in my opinion, but it offers clarity and depth when taken together with the KJV.

After noting the differences between these versions we work through the Psalm – key phrase by key phrase until we reach the end. The result I hope, is a better understanding of this wonderful Psalm as well as a better picture of our relationship with our Shepherd.

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