Apology

What is an apology? Recently we've heard a famous golfer's apology and also apologies of a thousand other celebrities who have gotten caught doing something dumb or immoral. The word 'apology' has changed it's meaning from earlier writings. At the time of the Apostle Paul it meant to make a defense in support of a system of belief. It meant standing up for what you believe in. Today the word tends toward being sorry, having pity or sympathy. Usually these celebrities are not standing up for a system of belief, they are usually explaining their regret and desire to change. God gave His Word for doctrine, reproof AND correction so that people could alter damaging pathways and get to the right solutions to life to stand on a system of belief that is secure.

The Corinthian church had some issues that  were holding them down.  The apostle Paul reproved them  in detail as to how to handle the difficult situations. In II Corinthians 7:8-10 he said, 

8 For though I made you sorry with a letter, I do not repent (regret, metamelomai), though I did repent: for I perceive that the same epistle hath made you sorry, though it were but for a season. 9 Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance (change the mind, metanoia): for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing. 10 For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation (wholeness) not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.  11 For behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness (diligent effort) it wrought in you, yea, what clearing (apologeia) of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear(respect), yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge (execution of right justice)! In all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear (pure) in this matter. 

To get clearing in a matter it involves the mind and reasoning. Paul was applauding their thinking things through and changing their system of beliefs in their actions. All of it involved the mechanics of the mind: reasoning, conscience, judgement, memory, believing, and perception. 

There are people in this world clearly looking for truth and an accurate knowledge of the things of God. God has set forth His Word and the benefits of the Word is not just in its being a good book, but as it sets forth true life. It takes all the mechanics of the mind to decide to  trust God and His Word. Believing God's Word starts with a hearing, it doesn't just fall on us. We must make the commitment to hear and think and not just let somebody else do that for us. The truth, when arrived at, sets people free. It does not bind us. We don't have to feel sorry about the truth!

One can spend hours and days and years finding answers to crucial questions in life. I get telephone calls all the time from political people who seem to know about all the solutions we need. The problem is they all seem to have different viewpoints. Just give me a good concordance and the time is negligible. Why? God has all the answers to life's biggest questions as well as the littlest ones.

II Timothy 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

The word study is the Greek word 'spoudazo' means to hasten, make haste to exert one's self, endeavour, give diligence.
God wants us to have answers as soon as we need them. I used to think it was just too tough to find the truth. Someone taught me that God gives answers freely.

James 1:5
If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

And that it does not take forever-

14Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.15See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,
16Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

We need answers daily, so we ask.

Philippians 4:6-7 
6Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
7And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Superbowl ads, health care, economy, ecology, the environment, global warming, politics, elections natural resources, and energy are topics totally occupying the airwaves these days. These are the culture and days I am familiar with, but I suspect topics like these have occupied men's hearts through the ages. Maybe it wasn't the exact same things, but each era has its own set of mindful things.
How do we really take care of our lives and do the stewardship thing and do it well?

There are a lot of people in the news who are trying to be some kind of steward of something. There is more to life is than just oiling the green, clean, political machine. :) The most important thing in our life to steward is the Word of God. We don't let anyone twist or slant even one little word of it. We take care of it and don't allow anyone to tread on it in our minds and rob us of the competency we have from God.

God has made us sufficient.

2 Corinthians 3:5-6
5Not that we are sufficient (ikanos -much, many, great, worthy, enough) of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God; 6 Who also hath made us able(ikanoo) ministers of the new testament;......

How has he made us sufficient? In our world today “sufficient” has the meaning of 'enough to get by'. In the Bible, "sufficient" means competency, fitness, and ability. Our competency, fitness, ability is in God. How fit is God? How competent?

The Word of God is important. I used to think it was a nice book with great thoughts. It IS a nice book, it IS full of great thoughts, but it IS so much more than that. Yes, there are a lot of translations. Yes there are no originals. Yes there has been a lot of commentaries and translations. Is God dumb? No, he foresaw all of it. He gave us His spirit and the Word and gave us wonderful keys to unlocking truth if you want it.

If there are things we need to steward, it is the things of God and the Word first! There are a lot of wonderful managers, accountants, savers, and detailed-minded people who are very successful. That's nice! But the most important thing to steward if we love God is His Word. We take care of the Word in our lives and help others to do that, not just in the big general concepts of God, but also in the smallest details and how they fit together.

In 2 Corinthians 4:1-2
1Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not;
2But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.

I Corinthian 4:1-2
1Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mystery of God.
2Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.

Our job is not squander the never-ending resources of the Word.

Luke 16:10 He that is faithful in that which is least (see my other blog about this Word ) is faithful also in much:

Don't underestimate the little things in your life and how they pertain to God. The Word applies to every fleeting thought. The little things of life are handled in the brain just as the big things are. A brain that is centered on God first will be very competent. That doesn't mean we hide away from life like monks in a monastery or deal with life as if we are living in 'lala land'. The more we learn about God and His heart, the more we are set free!!!! Don't allow anyone to block the wind in your sail. Become a bold, strong, loving person that has the competency to help others become the same.

A theocracy is a type of government that is ruled by a god or supreme being. The Judeans were at one time a theocracy. The synagogue was the center of all life in the Judean community. In the old testament it says:

Psalm 33:12
12Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance.

Our country is not a theocracy. In this country however more than half of the citizens profess Christianity as their system of belief. The people who came to this country came to find a place to worship the God of the Bible freely. Our founding fathers were very conscious of the value of freedom of religion when they constructed the Declaration of Independence, Articles of Confederation and the Constitution.

At the end of the Constitutional Convention someone asked Benjamin Franklin "What have you wrought?" He said in response, "….a Republic, if you can keep it."The word republic is from the Latin 'res public' which is translated "a public affair".

The United States of America's government is a representative democracy, which means that there is an election to select people to responsibly act in the people's best interests. It is a constitutional republic meaning that those duly elected representatives are governed by the constitution of the United States. There is a system of checks and balances to insure individual rights and that no one group or person has absolute power. Warren Burger, who has been a Chief Justice in the Supreme Court Said, "For 200 years this Constitutions's ordered liberty has unleashed the energies and talents of people…." 'Ordered liberty' is a great way to put it.

"We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."

Declaration of Independence
http://www.constitution.org/usdeclar.htm
Constitution
http://www.constitution.org/constit_.htm

Tuesday in Illinois! it is time to vote in the primary. You will have to select a ballot, either republican or democrat. You may be an independent, but you still have to select a ballot of one of the two parties.
There are many quizzes on the net to determine what party you lean to.Here's one:


http://typology.people-press.org/typology/

"Let each citizen remember at the moment he is offering his vote that he is not making a present or a compliment to please an individual -- or at least that he ought not so to do; but that he is executing one of the most solemn trusts in human society for which he is accountable to God and his country."
~Samuel Adams