Psalms 88:8 (6/5/24)

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Psalms 88:8 (6/5/24)

Staying Connected

June 5, 2024

- We are hardwired for connection.

- In the Garden, it was not good for man to be alone.

- God + Adam = not good.

- God is not all you need - you need others!

- When we’re not connected to others, we die!

- Isolation destroys what makes us human without killing the body.

- This is why prison camps employ isolation for severe psychological punishment.

- We are socially dependent creatures.

- According to the biblical worldview, we exist only in communal relationship—with spouse, with children, with tribe, with God.

- Remove our connections—remove our humanity.

- David experienced this:

- vs 8 - “You have removed my acquaintances far from me; You have made me an object of loathing to them; I am shut up and cannot go out.”

- “An object of loathing” is the Hebrew tôʿēbot.

- The word doesn’t mean just “separated” - It means, “to be made an abomination.”

- Abhorrent! Detestable! Something to run from, to avoid at all costs, to be ritually and culturally impure.

- Sort of like the current attempt to vilify all those who have not been vaccinated as the pariahs of society.

- “Be afraid of them! Stay away! They are evil.

- Satan wants us isolated and operating in fear so he can wreak havoc on society.

- He wants to stir up fear and keep you from others.

- Satan doesn’t want you to be in covenant with others.

- Why? Because he can’t defeat the “church.”

- Church is where two or more are gathered in God’s name.

- Jeremiah 17:5-6 - “Cursed is the one who trusts in man…whose heart turns away from the Lord…they will dwell in the parched places of the desert, in a salt land where no one lives.”

- “Cursed is the man” means “isolated from God.”

- Tony Evans says community brings special rewards from God.

- Like the HOV Lane - when you go with someone else, you get special privileges

Luke 8:45 (11/6/24)

November 6, 2024 • Benham Brothers • Luke 8:45

* My wife is reading this great book, Your Body Keeps Score. * It’s about how your body speaks to you. * What happens to you in life will affect your physical body. * The thoughts you think and the experiences you’ve had all take a toll on your body. * So when you feel something physically, you should pay attention to what it is because your body is talking to you. * Jesus paid attention to what His body told Him. * He was on His way to heal a 12-year-old girl. * A woman with a 12-year sickness touched His cloak in faith. * Jesus responded: * vs 45 - “And Jesus said, “Who is the one who touched Me?” And while they were all denying it, Peter said, “Master, the people are crowding and pressing in on You.” But Jesus said, “Someone did touch Me, for I was aware that power had gone out of Me.” * Jesus was so in touch with the Holy Spirit that He felt power come out of His body. * And, because He was so in tune with His own spirit, He knew it had to do with His healing power. * KEY - the same Spirit that lived in Jesus while He was on the earth lives in us. * And we can listen to our bodies just as He did. * EX: B&B book story. * I felt a pit in my stomach having someone help us on this book. * Until I decided to write it myself - the pit went away. * Now, when that old familiar feeling comes around, I ask myself, “What am I NOT doing that I should be doing?” * When I discover what it is, my simple action toward the thing is what removes it. * Our bodies keep score. * It’s time to start paying attention.

Luke 16:1-9 (11/6/24)

November 6, 2024 • Benham Brothers • Luke 16:1–9

* God wants us to use the things of the world to influence others. * He wants people to have a relationship with Him. * Wealth is one such worldly thing we can use to accomplish it. * Jesus told a story to make His point. * vs 1-8 - read all verses in NAS. * The verb for “shrewdly is epoiesen. * It means “creative activity.” * This is not just performing a routine task, completing an assignment, or getting the job done. * This is brilliance manifested. * Skip Moen - “Christ’s point is that men who are savvy about the ways of the world often show greater imaginative execution than those concerned about following God. Yeshua uses this man’s unconventional action to highlight the necessity for thinking outside the box regarding Kingdom work.” * vs 9 - “And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by means of the wealth of unrighteousness, so that when it fails, they will receive you into the eternal dwellings.” * Bible Knowledge Commentary - “The disciples’ wise use of wealth would help lead others to believe the message of the kingdom and bring them to accept that message.” * Henry Fielding wrote, “Make money your god and it will plague you like the devil!” Jesus said, “Make money your servant and use today’s opportunities as investments in tomorrow’s dividends.” Be a wise steward! There are souls to win to the Saviour, and our money can help get the job done.” * Here are three ways we can use money to make friends (bless others): * 1) Generate it - you cannot bless others if you have nothing to bless them with. * Yes, you can give of your time, but in this instance, Jesus specifically talks about blessing people financially. * You need to get good at something, making yourself valuable in a particular niche, so you can generate money! * 2) Give it - you must have a heart to help others. * When you're willing to give to those who can't give back, it reflects the heart of God to those people, and He will richly reward you for it. * Maybe not financially, but certainly with peace. * 3) Grow it - Once you’ve generated money and given money (tithe first) you can grow your money so that you have more to give. * Three ways to grow your money: * Work for it - you become valuable and make money through your work. * Other people work for you - create a business and hire employees (this gives them an opportunity to make money). * Put your money to work - actively invest your money so that it grows. * When you generate money, give it, and grow it, God will reward you for using it for kingdom impact.

Luke 6:1-5 (10/30/24)

October 30, 2024 • Benham Brothers • Luke 6:1–5

* In the OT, the Sabbath was a day. * It set the stage for people to find their “rest” in God. * In the NT, the Sabbath is a Man - Jesus. * In Him, we find our rest. * The Hebrew word “sabat” means “rest.” * In Christ, we find our rest. * The OT Sabbath was a symbol pointing to the upcoming NT Sabbath. * Honoring the Sabbath “day” prepared you to honor the Sabbath “man.” * Jesus came to change the way people saw the Sabbath. * On several occasions, He deliberately broke the Sabbath traditions. * This ticked the religious leaders off. * vs 1-2 - “On a Sabbath, while he was going through the grainfields, his disciples plucked and ate some heads of grain, rubbing them in their hands. 2 But some of the Pharisees said, “Why are you doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath?” * Jesus broke the rules to point to a relationship. * The religious leaders questioned Him for it. * Notice the two examples He uses in His response: * vs 3-5 - “And Jesus answered them, “Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him: 4 how he entered the house of God and took and ate the bread of the Presence, which is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and also gave it to those with him?” 5 And he said to them, “The Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.” * He talked about David eating the consecrated bread on the Sabbath day "in the temple" and the priests doing their Sabbath duties "in the temple." * In the OT, the temple was where God's presence was, so being "in the temple" on the Sabbath signified being in God's presence. * Christ’s disciples were “in His presence” when they did these things. * Jesus redefined how to honor the Sabbath—if you walk in His presence, you will honor God no matter what you do. * Christ was more important than the day. * Being in His presence made everything they did holy. * Jesus is our Sabbath rest. * When we live a life of honor to Jesus by doing our work with a heart of gratitude to Him, we will experience His rest. * When we honor Him with our work, He honors us with His rest. * This is honoring the Sabbath.