Romans Study XLI - Wrapping it up & The Mystery

Finishing up the letter in Romans 16:

 ¹⁷Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.

 ¹⁸For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.

Paul here is warning the believers to stay united in faith and avoid people who teach other doctrine. That seems simple enough. But what IS the doctrine they have learned? To highlight the main points of this epistle at least:

• All have sinned - Jew and Greek, everyone is guilty, whether having the law or not, everyone has morality written on their conscience.
• Salvation is a free gift given apart from the Law. Paul uses the example that before even circumcision, Abraham was justified by faith.
• As is Adam all die, so in Christ shall all be made alive. 
• We are now dead to sin and alive unto God. Sin is not to rule us any longer.
• The Law tells us what sin is and what God's character is like.
• All things work for the good to those who love God.
• God is Sovereign and works everything is history and into the future in accordance to His plan.
• The nation of Israel was predetermined to fall, but will be restored at a future time to receive the promises that God made to them.
• The Body of Christ is diverse, yet unified just as a human body needs different parts but is a whole.
• God is in control of the world's governments.
• We are to be at peace with one another in the area of Christian liberty.

 ¹⁹For your obedience is come abroad unto all men. I am glad therefore on your behalf: but yet I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple concerning evil.

 ²⁰And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.

 That's an odd thing to say:

It immediately reminds me of this:

And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. Genesis 3:15

Thy seed (the seed of Satan) and The woman's seed, Christ. Paul says God will bruise Satan under the believer's feet shortly...hmmm. There's got to be something there.  I'm leaving it for now.

 ²¹Timotheus my workfellow, and Lucius, and Jason, and Sosipater, my kinsmen, salute you.

 ²²I Tertius, who wrote this epistle, salute you in the Lord.

 ²³Gaius mine host, and of the whole church, saluteth you. Erastus the chamberlain of the city saluteth you, and Quartus a brother.

 ²⁴The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

More names.

 ²⁵Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,
 ²⁶But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:

The revelation of the mystery. I've been trying to find out what Paul is talking about here, but it isn't very clear to me at this time. What was kept secret since the world began?  I'm leaning toward it being the death and resurrection of Jesus, due to this:

1Corinthains 2:7-8  But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, [even] the hidden [wisdom], which God ordained before the world unto our glory: Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known [it], they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

From the (brief) research I've done in this matter, 1Corinthians and Romans were written within a year or two of each other, so this fits. Any other ideas are welcome.

 ²⁷To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ for ever. Amen.

Well, that's it for Romans. This was a great exercise and wonderful way to verse by verse it for me. I hope some of you got something out of it too.


I would love to do this again, but not sure where I want to go. I think I'll take the summer off from this and then perhaps direction will come as to where to go next. Thanks everyone who has been reading and commenting during this study.

Hello... I'm a Pharisee

Of all the admonishments Jesus gave out,  the harshest were against those religious or outwardly righteous or "elect" of the day.




Over the last several months, the Lord has been working on me in the area of love. This isn't easy do when everything is all peachy and every relationship is good, so He's made sure to mix things up a bit-which is a necessary, but certainly painful thing.

Proverbs 9:10 The fear of the LORD [is] the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy [is] understanding.

The beginning of wisdom...that would indicate to me that there is so much more.

My salvation experience was out of fear (of which I'm extremely thankful for and I don't know how it could've been any other way, so God knows what He's doing) and since then I have been scared to death of Him for many years, in between times of feeling that He really does love me, which I do know unquestionably but often wondering what exactly it is that He wants from me.




Lately, though, all the love scriptures have been popping out like never before.

1John 4:18  There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

I've been guilty of the I'm saved and good with God, but you'd better get it together or He's gonna get you attitude.  While we must speak the truth and not compromise God's standards, it is not our place to condemn. I fear that in my zealousness I have kicked some people when they were down.  I think of what God said to Jonah about the people of Nineveh not knowing their right hand from their left.



God is Love and God WILL judge. I have been pondering on what Jesus said is what the Law and Prophets were all about.

Thinkin' about Jonah and 1Corinthains 13

I was thinking about Jonah this morning, how he is much like us.

For whatever reason he didn't want God to save those in Nineveh. They were REALLY bad sinners, unlike himself of course.

He was angry enough to die!

But they repented and at this Jonah was not joyful, but instead waited around for the hammer to fall on them. He was ready to rejoice over their destruction.

The kids had to memorize part of 1Corinthians 13 for Sunday school recently:

Charity (agape)* suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,

Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;

Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;

Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

Charity never faileth:

Heavenly Father, let me not rejoice in iniquity.

* I really do prefer the KJV, but it does have a tendency to translate the same word different ways in different places..the same word "agape" translated "charity" here is translated as "love" in other passages..go figure.

Matthew 24:5

    For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.

When reading this, I have always assumed (or was it taught to me?) that what Jesus is saying here is that many will come saying "I am the Christ" and will deceive many.  In other words, people will rise up and say "I (a person saying me myself ) am the Christ" and many will believe them and be deceived.

It could say that OR:

(I heard a different take on this yesterday.)

Could Jesus have possibly be saying that many will come in His name saying He (Jesus) is the Christ...and deceive many?   The gist of it being that the many that will come will be all manner of teachers, preachers, priests, and the like saying that Jesus IS the Messiah, but will deceive many because of their wrong teaching. 

The point made was that the handful of people that have actually claimed to BE Jesus aren't really deceiving "many".

I can see how this can be read this way, but I'm not a Greek scholar, so Strong's isn't helping much. Anyone out there a Greek scholar?

Anyway, I just thought it was interesting.

TBN's Holy Land Experience Theme Park for instance

What was up with that Tree?

I've been in silence mode recently (except for now of course).

I ask Him all the time to give me wisdom, help me to understand His word, Him. He's giving me some things to chew on.  I can't put them into words just yet, but this morning was thinking about the tree.

more gorgeous photography here

If God's world was perfect and all was "very good" why put a tree in creation...in the midst of the garden no less, that was forbidden for men to eat?  A tree in which was desirable to man's senses and could do nothing but provoke curiosity in them? A tree in which the knowledge it would give man would ultimately bring sorrow and pain and hard labor and death.

I think most theologians would agree that if God had not intended for man to fall, then what was up with that tree?  Could God NOT have prevented it? Of course He could have but instead He placed the temptation and even the tempter there.

So The man and his wife were told that in the day they ate of the fruit of the tree they would die  Apparently, death was not in the mix yet and was unknown. They of course didn't die physically that very day, many would say they died spiritually, but that's really not the point here I guess.

They were banished from the Tree of Life (the other tree which doesn't get much press)...in which they could have lived forever, and the way to this tree was now guarded from them.  The way of immortality was lost and the introduction of sorrow and sin became mankind's lot.

Every Once in a While...

The Father drops some heavy stuff on me...theologically.

I start looking at the scriptures again thinking..why didn't I see that before?

Sometimes these are dead ends, causing me to turn back and renew me in previously held doctrines.

Sometimes they are new, but not really, truth is always truth whether we yet see it or not.

Sometimes they are of my own imagining, and once it is over, I am again comforted by my Savior who is there through it all.

I'm in a season again, but wherever it leads I know for sure that:

HE is awesome!

The First Day of Summer Vacation

Just before the downpour.

We really do need the rain, so yay!

The kids are already bored, so boo!

I think they will find something to do if I suggest going back to doing school, though.

Romans Study XL- A Bunch of Names

That's 40 not extra large.

Romans 16

I toyed with the idea of trying to look for historical sources of these people mentioned in the following verses and researching them out here, but I don't think I will.

I'm not a fan of early church history or writings as they are not inspired and can run one into bad theology or trying to read back into the scripture what the so-called practices of the early church were (which can change easily depending on what one is trying to prove).

So, I'll just try to reference back to any info that is found elsewhere in the bible about them.

 ¹I commend unto you Phebe our sister, which is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea:

 ²That ye receive her in the Lord, as becometh saints, and that ye assist her in whatsoever business she hath need of you: for she hath been a succourer of many, and of myself also.

It looks as though Paul sent this letter to Rome by Phebe who was a member of a group at Cenchrea...that is pretty close to Corinth.

 ³Greet Priscilla and Aquila my helpers in Christ Jesus:

 ⁴Who have for my life laid down their own necks: unto whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles.  ⁵Likewise greet the church that is in their house.

Biblical Art on the www

We've seen these two before in Acts chapter 18. Paul also mentions them by name in 1Corinthains and 2Timothy.

Salute my well-beloved Epaenetus, who is the firstfruits of Achaia unto Christ.

Epaenetus is not named by name again, but Achaia is talked about in Acts. Paul swung through there before going to Jerusalem and then onto Rome.

 ⁶Greet Mary, who bestowed much labour on us. 

..don't know which Mary. 

 ⁷Salute Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen, and my fellow-prisoners, who are of note among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me.

By kinsmen, I figure he means fellow Jews. These guys had apparently been in prison with Paul at some point.
and according to Paul, were believers in Christ before he came to faith.

 ⁸Greet Amplias my beloved in the Lord.

 ⁹Salute Urbane, our helper in Christ, and Stachys my beloved.

 ¹⁰Salute Apelles approved in Christ. Salute them which are of Aristobulus' household.

 ¹¹Salute Herodion my kinsman. Greet them that be of the household of Narcissus, which are in the Lord.

 ¹²Salute Tryphena and Tryphosa, who labour in the Lord. Salute the beloved Persis, which laboured much in the Lord. 

All of these people are only mentioned here in this epistle.

 ¹³Salute Rufus chosen in the Lord, and his mother and mine. 

 The name Rufus is mentioned one other time in the book of Mark:

And they compel one Simon a Cyrenian, who passed by, coming out of the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to bear his cross. (Mark 15:21)

This may or may not be the same Rufus, I really don't know.

I heard one teacher suggest that perhaps this Rufus and Paul had the same actual mother, while other commentaries tend to think Paul is talking figuratively as in that Rufus's mother was like a mother to him.

Looking at the different versions that are listed on the blue letter bible site, I can't really tell what this means.

 ¹⁴Salute Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermas, Patrobas, Hermes, and the brethren which are with them.

 ¹⁵Salute Philologus, and Julia, Nereus, and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints which are with them.

 ¹⁶Salute one another with an holy kiss. The churches of Christ salute you.

All the above are also only mentioned here. Some of these people, according to the notes I read, may have been part of the 70 that Jesus sent out. It doesn't say here, so I won't.

Rethinking Recycling

We started recycling several years ago. I mean everyone's doing it. One of our local grocery stores has a collection area and since I frequent that particular store, it really isn't that big of a deal.

There was an incident recently with a very clogged kitchen sink, and during that time, I couldn't see trying to rinse my cans in put in the recycle bin and just tossed them in the trash gasp! un-rinsed at all!  I was strangely NOT overcome with guilt as one would expect.

Shortly thereafter, I was listenening to Brannon Howse's radio show and he brought up this very topic:

 Worldview Weekend Radio June 7, 2011

From the show notes:

Brannon continues the discussion from yesterday’s program and reveals why recycling household trash is not only foolish but can actually be worse for the environment.   more

And then there is this story that was posted on Suze Blog:

Pope: There will only be peace if we take care of the environment

That's an odd thing to say. He even uses the term "mother nature."

There is nothing wrong and everything right with being good stewards of our planet, but there is a point where is goes too far, verging on "worshiping the creation more than the creator".





Do you all out there recycle everything, some things, nothing?

Arriving at the Truth

I visit and sometimes, not as much as I used to, comment or get involved with discussions on message boards.(Check out my faves on the sidebar-wink).  I have found lately, though, the need to argue discuss with people over non-essentials and I guess even essentials may not be the best use of my time...although it is fun.

In the couple of years I have frequented these sites, the most common page-after-page-going-in-circle threads include:

• Pre/mid/post/no rapture  
• Eternal security vs. conditional salvation
• Legalism/grace
• The holidays-are-pagan warning threads at the appropriate time of year (Easter/Halloween/Christmas)
• Sovereignty/free will

While I have learned from some of these things, I find that for the most part, no one changes their minds about anything and I will admit, I never have. We (myself included) just love to show off how much "knowledge" we have. Some of my favorite phrases and some I'm sure I've clacked away are things like:

• I used to believe that too.
• The Lord showed me.
• Scripture clearly says....
• The Early Church believed
• I only follow the Bible

So I was delighted to see these posts from Linda at Wake Up People! and Kim at The Mystery of the Ages:

Twilight Zone

Hey Jude

While I'm sure that these sisters and I would certainly disagree on some points (don't we all?) I enjoyed these posts very much. Their humility and eagerness to learn is something I would like to do as well. 




This verse has been coming to mind lately:

 Note: I am not advocating a let's all just get along at any cost ecumenism. I am just finding out that there are things that are not essential essentials. It is when we (I) think we (I) have all the answers, have it all figured out, have the right hermeneutic system, that pride and unwillingness to learn creep in, at least for me.

Jehovah Jireh 3

As excited as I am about my tea garden, things just aren't a happenin' as quickly as I would like them to.


P a t i e n c e now, I tell myself.  It'll happen. You see, I order my teas online (if you look over at my side bar you will see the only affiliate link I have as I really do love that website) and I was hoping to be completely tea self-sufficient sooner than later.

The seeds we planted for the teas are looking like they are not going to sprout and now the Mr. thinks it may be best to plant them in the fall.....

THE FALL?!?  What am I going to do till then? (easy....patience).

He did mention that one of our neighbors had some mint growing in her backyard. Knowing this neighbor and that she probably wasn't using it or cares if I do, I called and asked if I could snip me some. She graciously allowed me to and so I was off skulking around in her yard early this morning.

Yes, that is duct tape on my salad spinner bowl

I am drying it in my food dehydrator that was also given to me.

I know it seems a little thing, but HE is in the little things.

Thank you Father for these little gifts!

How to Bake Bread When it's 90 Degrees...

Sunrise today....Now that sun looks like it means business!

...Don't.

It is HOT..and we are currently without the air conditioning..(I figure people lived for thousands of years without it so I'm not complaining, just learning to adjust).

I started my daily bread baking and came to the decision that it probably wasn't the best idea to turn the oven on for an hour, so what to do with the dough?

I haven't yet with the method of wild yeast baking that I do, but am experimenting with freezing it to use later and then maybe doing a whole buncha baking on a cooler day.

Any advice?

No Cable and a Drum Update

After months of talking about it, we finally took the plunge.

The service stopped at midnight Sunday.

He did it...he cancelled the cable! Well, actually the satellite dish and service, we've had both over the years.

The satellite was the worst-freezing up at the slightest cloudiness or gentle breeze whilst our beef with the cable was the constant nickel-and-dime-you-to-death rate increases.

We got to wondering back a few months ago why in the world we (he) are shelling out the big bucks for this thing. We hardly ever use it, 99.9% of the programming is completely unwatchable and with what's left you get barraged with commercials.


We have found ourselves opting for videos and DVDs when the box is on, or at the very least just using the DVR (the dvr was pretty rockin') to watch the half a dozen or so shows that the kids actually watched.

So that's it, besides the holes in the side of our house and roof from the equipment, we shall soon be free of it.

I realize I'm late to the party on this move, but it's good to be part of the club:)

Now there will be more time for this kind of thing:

That is a castle "toy box" that was in our garage under the drums here.

Mr. Invention took his set and it them into shelter last week due to the heat.  It's not any cooler in the garage, but it made him happy.

Dish Lovin'

I always always wanted a dishwasher.

Growing up we never had one, I wondered at how fabulous it would be to just put the dishes in a relax away whilst the washer did all the work.

When the Mr. and I moved into our house there wasn't one. After four of our kids were born and sufficient nagging* hinting on my part, he did spring for the appliance.  Logistically, there isn't room in our outdated retro (and by retro I mean exactly the way his grandmother left it more or less...luckily it is back in style-sort of) kitchen. So...we got one a' those portable deals. There is a nice cubby for it and I can wheel it over to the sink.

Ain't she a beaut?

Well, I have never been completely happy with the performance of it. I've tried different things, and wanted to post my newest idea-er here, but of course I had to check if anyone in the www was doing it and had written about it. I found some kindred dishwashers here and here.

From the second link...he nailed my thoughts exactly:

My main gripe with a dishwasher is that it doesn’t wash dishes. Sometimes it just redistributes gunk and hardens it onto the dishes with the aid of hot water – often on dishes that didn’t have gunk on them to begin with. Glasses are also hard to get spot free, and anything with a food film can be left with the film long after the dishwasher has finished doing its job.
The main problem is that some food residue needs mechanical action to ensure that it’s removed. Splashing water inside the dishwasher just doesn’t cut it....continue reading

 It doesn't cut it and I'm really tired of living in dish denial..

That glass isn't THAT filmy..

No, I don't feel any grit on that bowl.

Just fling that dried up whatever off, it's fine....it's sanitized.

So here's my current method:

1. I basically wash all the dishes first using one sink full of water.

2. I DO NOT rinse (that is where the water-saving comes in)

3. Load the clean, but soapish dishes and run the rinse only or perhaps the light cycle.

So far so good.

The dishes are actually clean and I get to use the dishwasher AND I don't have to run the faucet constantly to rinse the dozens of cups and glasses we go through every day. I really don't mind the washing, it's the rinsing I tell ya!

So how about you guys...any tips?

*I once was a colossal nag. Due to the grace of God in our marriage, I no longer am...or at least try my best not to be. It doesn't work, and it is not becoming of a godly wife...see Proverbs 27:15.

Romans Study XXXIX - Plans and Prayer Requests

 ^{Continuing in Romans 15:}

²⁷It hath pleased them verily; and their debtors they are. For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister unto them in carnal things.

The believers in  Macedonia and Acacia, apparently Gentile believers, were willing to give financial support to those Jewish believers in Jerusalem. Paul even goes so far as to say that the Gentiles owe it to these believers to help, being that now they are included in the plan of salvation that was at one time given only to the Jews.

Eph 2:11-13 Wherefore remember, that ye [being] in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.

 ²⁸When therefore I have performed this, and have sealed to them this fruit, I will come by you into Spain.

After he brings this help to Jerusalem, Paul plans to head to Spain after stopping through Rome.

 ²⁹And I am sure that, when I come unto you, I shall come in the fulness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ

 This kind of reminds me of a problem (for me anyway) that showed up at the beginning of the epistle here:

Romans 1:15 So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also.

I wrote then:

This is interesting....he is ready to preach the gospel. What does that mean I wonder? They must have known it. Perhaps he means that he wants to preach to them personally.  I guess like a good pastor would preach the gospel continually and not just to those who were yet unsaved.

I still don't really have a terribly satisfying explanation for this, but will leave it for the time being.  A bible teacher I listen to says that when one comes to a difficult passage, sometimes it's best to pray about it and then leave it...I find this works very well. I have almost always gotten some kind of answer this way, and for those place which I haven't, I realize He will open it in His own time.

 ³⁰Now I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ's sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me;

 ³¹That I may be delivered from them that do not believe in Judaea; and that my service which I have for Jerusalem may be accepted of the saints;

 ³²That I may come unto you with joy by the will of God, and may with you be refreshed.

 ³³Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen.

He asks for prayers and protection from those in Judea who would not be keen on him or his message. We know from Acts that in fact he was not delivered and was sent to Rome to Caesar. So he DID make it there, just not how he had planned.

Biblical Art on the WWW