How about some good ole fashioned Hermenutics folks ??

[Jim West Pa]

I have tried and tried with these 3 verses and it jist aint comin to me. Let's hear your hermenutic.
Matthew 12:43-45

 

[jr]

Good morning, Mr. West, Here is a commintary from one of my bibles; Jesus gives a striking parable of the precarious spiritual condition of the nation of Isreal. The parable is that of a house well swept but unoccupied. The demon having been driven out, but finding no place to rest, returns with seven other spirits, resulting in aneven greater degeneration. In using this illustration, Jesus clearly indicated thatthough the jews had been cleansed from their idolarty by the severity of the Babylonian exile, their unbelief and hardness of heart was in danger of producing an even worse condition than taken place after captivity should have prepared Isreal fo the ministries of John and Jesus. Unfortunately, in most cases it fell short in that Isreal's spiritual house was empty . Only by inviting Christ to occupy the position of Honored Guest and Head of the Home could Isreal know the full blessing of God. Jim, I thing this scriptue could also apply to not only Isreal, but to the whole world, in these last days. pslm. 126:3 jr

 

[Jim West Pa]

It certainly makes more sense to me now jr. With my youngest son just having left for our Military, that is all that has been on mind recently. After reading your writing here i see all too clear the corrilation between the scripture and the days current events..in particluar..iraq. This "war" that we are involved in has been going on without us for soo many years that it makes sense to me now that "if" we were to "sweep" that "house" and then unoccupy it , as we most certainly will.The evil spirits, "enemy" will return 7 fold and that land without Christ is DOOMED !!!!!!
A very sad thruth also is that this very country is flirting with such disaster with the way it is moving GOD out of itslef.
As for our household here, it is like you said...psalm 126:3 GOD is good.
Jim

 

[jr]

Yes, Our country is in desperate need of our prayers. Another perspective is, God is sovergin, and He allows or aranges everything, I think we are seeing the clear signs of the end times. I will pray for you and your son. jr

 

[Jim West Pa]

I truely do 'preciate the prayers,'specilay for my son. He has gone into this venture without even begining to think of accepting Jesus as his personal saviour,(that is a shortcoming on my part as a parent).He most certainly will see a "sandbox" deployment before this is all said and done and going into it without first accepting Christ frightens me more than anything ever before in my life.
My reason for initialy making this post was in hopes of stirring up some good scriptural discission. something i have yet to see in this forum,but it seems to no avail.Maybe another time huh?
Jim

 

[jr]

Good evening, Jim, thank you for your reply, there is one positative aspect of this form. I very much appreiciate the willingness of everyone to "pray one for another" I think the greatest offensive and defensive wepons we as believers have is two fold. One and first and formost id God"s holy word, it is absolute, realiable and truth. Plsm 119;105 ;Thy Word is alamp utp my feet, and a light unto my path. The original hebrew word :lamp: has the idea of a freshly plowed forrow, turned from the plow, as the moist groung glistens on top of the forrow, a man can see the direction God would have him go. The word :light: has the idea of a candle light, yeilding only enough for one step at a time, that scripture , I believe represents the Word of God gives man present and future guidence and direction. Two: Prayer: 1 peter 5:8 be sober be vigilant, because, your enemy, the devil goeth about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. this scripture depicts the enemy [the devil] as a fisical enemy, and without wepons, we are defeated [devoured] as we can neither out run him or out fight him. But as you I know, he is a spiritual enemy, and to fight a spiritusl enemy, we must have spirtual wepons. I believe prayer is the greatest spiritual wepon God has provided. He has preserved his Holy Word, so that man can know the truth, and have direction, and given us the priviliage and the power of prayer,[ as He can do the things we cannot] Therefore let us come boldly to the throne of grace, heb 4;16 jr

 

[Jim West Pa]

Hi jr, sorry it took a bit to git back.
It is a fact that Jesus has allready won the battle with satan, that is a battle that we no longer have to fight.SATAN HAS NO POWER !!!! He can however continue to tempt us and he will win us over thru temptaion ONLY IF YOU LET HIM.
I agree with you that the power of prayer that we have thru the help of the Holy Spirit is absolutley the greates weapon that our Lord has given us.Not to mention that it is by far one of the greatest blessings that God has given us so that we may go to him in it and recieve each and everyone of His magnificent blessings thru it. It is something that sadly the majority of mankind overlooks, refuses to use or flat out has just lost thier beliefe in. Far too many people today believe that the bullet is mightier than the prayer....sad.
Gittin back to this satan feller..to me.. he is NOTHING. A miniscule nobody. As i said before, he has power only if we allow him to. Oh, you are absolutley correct, he prowels and prowels like a hungry lion, a cowardly lion actualy, because he waits for a weak moment to pounce.When you BELIEVE that he is a nobody then he has not the strength to outright attack.He approaches me by trying to bring up my past and try to make me remember that it was a "fun" time. When he tries to remind me of my past, i simply remid him of his future.When he gits persistant and continues to "knock at my door" i simply turn to Jesus and say..."you answer the door".
If you apply the way i look at this and believe it, then all you have to do otherwise is...heed these words of Paul....."Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free,and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage." GAL 5:1
Jim