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Bible lays smack down. New Testament Mathew 1-5 vs Old Testament
Reading through Mathew, its not hard to see some pretty significant writings, that make you think WHAT THE, thats HUGE!
Mathew is the first book of the new testament in the bible, the first book of the gospels, which is an eye witness account of Gods son Jesus living with us, on earth.
After the old testament was written, there was a whole 400 years (know as the intertesamenal period 433bc – 5bc) till Jesus came, and the 70 years after that till the new testament books started to be written. (so nearly 500 years apart)
Reading through the first 5 books of Mathew (1-5) you get prophesies fulfilled, that were written over 500 years ago! If the bible is made up and Jesus didn’t actually come, how does this happen??!
Lets dig into it and have a look.
The first chapter of Mathew is a genealogy of Jesus, very significant. You know how in some tv shows, you get a flash back of the previous episodes and what has happened so far? It’s kind of like that, its giving a recap of the family and historical line of whats happened so far in the Old Testament… and its now getting to the climax, Jesus is born.! The whole old testament points to Jesus and now he has come!
“17 Thus there were fourteen generations in all from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the exile to Babylon, and fourteen from the exile to the Christ.”Then just before chapter 2 of Matthew, you are told that Jesus was born to mary, who was a virgin. Take note that Matthew who is giving the account makes note that she definitely was a virgin by noting it a second time in verse 25.
“25 But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.” Now aprox 700 years before this, check out what Isiah, a major prophet said. “14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.” – Immanuel means God with us.This is HUGE! How could of this been predicted?? It could not of been a fluke…
Now moving on to chapter 2, Matthew tells us that Jesus was born in Bethlehem. Now looking at what God told Micah in Chapter 5, thats exactly what was said would happen! Boooom.
2 “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,though you are small among the clans of Judah,
out of you will come for me
one who will be ruler over Israel,
whose origins are from of old,
from ancient times.” 3 Therefore Israel will be abandoned
until the time when she who is in labor gives birth
and the rest of his brothers return
to join the Israelites. 4 He will stand and shepherd his flock
in the strength of the Lord,
in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.
And they will live securely, for then his greatness
will reach to the ends of the earth.
Now further on in Mathew, Joseph is warned by an angel to goto Egypt as King Herrod was after Jesus. (Mathew 2:13) – Check out what Hosea 11 says.
“When Israel was a child, I loved him,and out of Egypt I called my son.”
There it is again! So many references to Jesus and its all coming together. You can see how this book (and the rest of the BIBLE!, is such a huge deal!
Further on, digging deeper you can see more big verses that link back into the old testament such as Mathew 2:18, 23, 3:3 – You also have verses in Matthew that talk about events that are yet to come at the end of Jesus’ life.
Check out Mathew 3:11
“11 “I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me will come one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.” Then later in Acts 2, thats what happens!“2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.”
HECTIC!
These prophesies continue to be fulfilled all over the place! I will post more soon :)
Questions:
- Have i missed any other HUGE references to old testament or significant parts in Mathew 1-5?
- Why does Islam take Muhammad as more important than Jesus? The old testament is one of their holy books as well, but i see no mention of Muhammad being spoken or prophesied about. (maybe i could be wrong?)
- Could it of been possible to read the old testament and then make up Matthew, fulfilling those prophesies? (I don’t think so! But maybe you have some thoughts?
First time Gmail User? Check out these Tips & Tricks
Gmail is one of the best email systems , far superior in features and maintenance than an exchange server or other mail provider.
You can set up a free gmail account, or you can use it for your business and have a personalised email account such as [email protected] – For more information on this, please visit Phaser Computers
Here is some of the best tips i can reccomend you from my experiences from using Gmail in the past 7 years.
1. Consolidate Your Email Accounts
One of the best things about Gmail is that it can be your only login for all your email! You can import all your other email accounts, and send from multiple email addresses from the one system.
Goto Settings. Then select the Accounts & Import Tool, and follow the instructions.
2. Use the Search
I can not plug this enough. Gmail has instant search. This has some great advantages. Treat your gmail inbox as a todo list. If an email is information, and does not need attending to, ARCHIVE it. If it needs a reply or research before you reply, keep it there, when you reply and it is “finished”, archive it.
When you need some of those “information” emails that you archived, simply search by subject, sender or keywords… its so fast! Its all you need.
3. Gets Your labels & Filters Cranking.
Just like outlook, Gmail has folders, and auto filtering. Folders can be also good for colouring different mail for todo lists or organisation. Labels = Folders. Filters = Mail Rules
Some examples of how you would use labels and filters:
EG1. You want to get facebook emails, because some people just delete those comments and you never see them again, but you dont want it cluttering your inbox. Set a Filter to tag all emails to a folder called facebook, but archive it (skip the inbox) – Then when you want to check, just click the folder.
EG2. You run multiple business’s from the one gmail system. Set a filter to make all incoming email [email protected] to be labelled Business 1, and one for [email protected]. Then set 2 different colours for the labels. Now you can distinguish between emails from different business’s
EG3. Your a freelance Designer. You can label different emails as different jobs and keep track of where your up to.
4. Turn on Gmail labs.
Not many people know about Gmail labs. But there’s heaps of extra features in there!
- Goto Settings.
- Click the Labs Tab.
- Go through the list, and click enable to the labs you want and then save settings. (Gmail will restart)
The top 5 Gmail labs in my opinion –
1. Background Send – Gmail send your mail while you move on to more important things. Just be sure to stay logged in until it’s all sent!
2. Send & Archive – Adds a button to the compose form that lets you send a reply message and archive the email conversation in a single action.
3. Undo Send – Oops, hit “Send” too soon? Stop messages from being sent for a few seconds after hitting the send button.
4. Right-side chat – Move the chat box to the right side of the inbox so you can actually see your contact list better!
5. Message Sneak Peek – Sneak into a conversation without opening it by right-clicking on a message in your inbox.
5. Get a Theme
Plain old gmail is fine, but spice it up a little with a background! Goto settings, then themes, and select one.
6. Random Tips.
- How to invite all gmail addresses to google talk/chat – http://marketingconversation.com/2011/04/15/how-to-invite-multiple-contacts-to-your-google-chat/
The Most Useful Best Android Apps 2011
Last year i posted a list of great Android apps since i changed over from an iPhone.
Here’s an updated list of my current apps. I haven’t compiled a top 10 list, but have a look at the top 10 apps from the previous article here.
Amazon Kindle – Digital Books
Angry Birds – Awesome game
Angry Birds – Awesome game
Angry Birds – Awesome game
Backup to Gmail – Backs up all your SMS/mms/calls to your gmail
Beautiful Widgets – Good looking time and weather widget
Bible – Best Bible App resource
Chrome to Phone – Send links or a page from your chrome browser straight to your phone
Docs – Google document on your phone
ESV Bible – Fastest Bible app
Facebook – Facebook…
FireFlies Live Wallpaper – Sweet wallpaper
Fruit Ninja – Awesome game
Handcent SMS – Best SMS application ever. Disable your default one and use this
LauncherPro – This is the best android launcher in my opinion
Lookout – Locate your phone via GPS coordinates or make it ‘scream’ if you have lost it in the couch
Paper Toss – Awesome Game
Pure calendar widget – The best calendar widget
Quota – Good app for seeing how much usage you have used on your ISP or mobile. supports nearly every provider
RunKeeper – Awesome fitness app to see how far you have run
Schedalls – schedule SMS to automatically send at a specific time and repeat
Screen Filter – Makes your phone go dimmer to extreme levels to save battery
ShareMyApps – This app collates all your apps and helps share/email them all to your friends
Shazam – Can tell you what songs on the radio are
Skype – Great for calling on data or chatting on skype
Skyrocket Live Wallpaper – Awesome wallpaper that has realistic fireworks show!
SMS2PC – My most used app. if your in front of your computer alot, this makes your phone like a chat client. you can reply to SMS from.a chat screen on your computer.
SMSBomber – Can spam your friends with sms
Titanium Backup – Backs up your whole phone
TripView – Shows all the bus/train timetables
Unblock Me Free – Awesome game
Virgin Usage Meter – Shows virgin mobile usage
Wunderlist – Great to do list
Zedge – Download free ringtones and wallpapers
Myth: Christians Can’t Do Anything Wrong
Context: The Church I attend, EV Church, speaks at lunchtime groups around high schools on the central coast. Recently we have been telling kids, as Christians, what we arn’t saying, and trying to show them that there is alot of stuff that gives Christians bad raps, that isn’t true, or has been twisted.
I gave this talk one afternoon, (has slightly been altered) on the subject of “What we’re not saying – Christians cant do anything wrong”
G’day guys!
Who surfs here?? Alot of Mum’s attempt to surf, maybe your mum has tried. Most mum’s however, keep trying, but they keep falling down. Theres these things in life, that seem impossible, and you think why bother?
I was having a conversation with my sister a while back, and I asked her why she didnt come to church anymore. Her response was something along the lines of “I don’t want to do all those good things Christians do, it is to hard to do everything right.”
Alot of people think this. They don’t want to become a Christian because they know they are not going to stop doing bad stuff and they don’t want to be a hypocrite. That’s exactly what my sister thought.
That’s why you need to understand what we’re not saying. We’re not saying Christians can’t do anything wrong.
We ALL have fallen down. We ALL do bad stuff, and we WILL keep doing it. EVERYONE knows that.
That’s why we need a saviour, we need Jesus to save us.
If you want to go to heaven without Jesus, all you need to do is live a perfect life, never do anything wrong.
But see this fat part of the bible. “Show OLD TESTEMENT” – This whole part, before Jesus came, is about people trying to just that. Trying to obey Gods law perfectly. And you know what? EVERY single person, failed.
Thats why Jesus came!
If you trust in Jesus to save you, he brings you back to God, like you’ve never stuffed up, or fallen down.
I was at Wamberal beach with my mate Andy when the surf was MASSIVE. The sign said no swimming, but we decided to go out anyway. Huge waves crashing on us, we got straight in a rip, honestly, we both thought we were going to die.
Now imagine a lifeguard had come out, and dragged me back into shore. Threw me on the sand. Then he collapsed from exhaustion, and before my eyes, was dragged back into the water and drowned – His last breath, he says “don’t do that again”.
Would you want to do it again? OF COURSE NOT!
When Jesus saves you, you want to do what he says. You will try to do what he says. That’s what the piece of paper in front of you says. 1 John 2:1 “My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin”. When Jesus saves you, you will want to try to do what he says.
But you will stuff it. Your not perfect. I know from experience – but it also says in that next sentence on the piece of paper. “But if anyone does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense, Jesus Christ, the righteous one.”
Jesus says to God, it’s ok. I died to save that person. He’s forgiven.
Your stoked that Jesus would love you, even though you stuff it, so you get back up, and try to follow him again. And you stuff it again. And he forgives you. And you try again. And you stuff it again. And he forgives you.
Your sooooooo stoked. Because he keeps forgiving you.
Being a Christian doesn’t mean you can’t do anything wrong. It means you KNOW you HAVE done stuff wrong, but you know you’re saved by Jesus, and so you try to follow him, and you know that if you do the wrong thing, he forgives you, and it’s ok.
Questions for Discussion:
- Why do you think people think Christians cant do anything wrong.
- Whats so special about Jesus dying for us, why couldn’t Jo blog die to save my sins?
The Holy Trinity
I didn’t write this, a dude called Faf Driscoll did. Heres the link to the article. I just summarized it for reference for myself. Thanks Driscoll!
Before the Trinity: Why Can’t There Be Three Different Gods?
Deuteronomy 6:4 = “Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one”
Exodus 20:3 = “You shall have no other gods before me.”
1 Kings = Elijah and the prophets of Baal have the ‘God-off’ and Elijah shows his God is the REAL God = shows false Gods to be false and the true God to be TRUE.
Romans 1:22-23 = “Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles” + Romans 1:25 = “because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.”
John 1:18 = “No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.”
1 Timothy 1:17 = “To the King of ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.”
1 Timothy 2:5 = “For there is one God…”
John 17:3 = “And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.”
Isaiah 45:5, Deuteronomy 4:28,35+39, 1 Kings 8:60, Isaiah 40:18, Isaiah 46:9 – The doxology to end ALL doxologies (BOOM!)
Conclusion – There’s only one God.
”You believe that God is one: you do well. Even the demons believe that, and shudder. – James 2:19
God is ONE, the only, living, true God.
What about Jesus and the Holy Spirit? How CAN there be three personas, ONE God, in perfect unity?
THE SECOND PERSONA: JESUS
What DOES the Bible have to say confirming the deity of Jesus as God the man, THE GOD MAN.
Colossians 1 = Jesus is THE image of the invisible God. By, through and in Him all things hold together.
Philippians 2:5-11 = Being in very nature God, didn’t consider equality with God something to be grasped, but humbled himself. Now he has the name above all names…BOOM!
John 1 = The Word is Jesus
John 8 = Jesus says “Before God was, I AM”…digging straight from God’s words way back in Exodus 3:14, Jesus commits MASSIVE blaspheme here if He’s not completely God.
John 10:30-31 = Jesus says; “I and the Father are One”…that would seem to show that He is God!
John 20:28 = doubting Thomas puts his fingers in Jesus’ side and hands = “My Lord and my God!”
John 14:10 = Jesus speaks clearly of himself being God here; I am in the Father, and the Father in me!
ALL OF REVELATION = All the angels say GET UP when ppl fall down to them, and they say; “Only worship God!” but they are ok with everyone bowing to Jesus!.
Hebrews 1:3 = “Jesus is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high…”
Hebrews 1:8, which sees God Himself even calling Jesus God, as it reads; “of the Son (Jesus), God says, “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom.”
Revelation 22:13 and 1:8 = Alpha and Omega. Jesus is literally the first and last of the Greek alphabet, He. Is. All.
THE THIRD PERSONA: THE HOLY SPIRIT:
Genesis 1 = the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. Could just be the essence of God? So we kept digging…
Matthew 28 = The Great Commission = “Baptize in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit” = Jesus here DEFINATELY connects the Holy Spirit to God the Father and God the Son, so that’s a HUGE reason why!
Acts 28:25-36 = Sees the apostles arguing that the Holy Spirit himself spoke to the forefathers of Israel through the prophets! In the OT, when the Holy Spirit speaks, GOD speaks.
Romans 8, Hebrews 3:7 + 4:7, Acts 5:3-4 and Revelation 1:4-5 is helpful for investigating the God that is the Holy Spirit…a distinct persona from the Father and Son, as each play a distinctly different role, but all in perfect unity together.The most helpful was investigating the characteristics of the Holy Spirit that point to Him being God.
The Holy Spirit is Eternal: Hebrews 9:14
The Holy Spirit is Omnipresent (always present): Psalm 139:7-10
The Holy Spirit is Omniscient (all knowing): 1 Corinthians 2:10-11
The Holy Spirit is Omnipotent (all powerful): Luke 1:35-37
The Holy Spirit is HOLY: Romans 1:4
Conclusion:
If the Father isn’t God, then He isn’t the ONE true God as He claims.
If Jesus didn’t come as fully God and fully man, fully crucified and resurrected, we can’t be regenerated. We are saved by the blood of the Son.
If the Holy Spirit didn’t exist as His own persona but still completely God, we can’t be reconciled to God.
Salvation comes BY the regenerative work of the Spirit, THROUGH the blood of Jesus, TO the glory of God the Father.
There is One God, three personas, each serving a distinctly different role, but each in very nature, and equally to its others, God.
