Month: January 2021

Episode 196

by

Tales From the Scrypt # 196
50 Most Dangerous Countries to Follow Jesus In 2021
By Louie Marsh, 1-27-2021

Links to articles read from in show:

https://www.christianitytoday.com/news/2021/january/christian-persecution-2021-countries-open-doors-watch-list.html

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jan/13/christian-persecution-rises-as-people-refused-aid-in-covid-crisis-report

Next Week – Stay Hungry, Disciple’s Identity

 “18“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. 19If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 20Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. 21But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me. 22If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have been guilty of sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. 23Whoever hates me hates my Father also. 24If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin, but now they have seen and hated both me and my Father. 25But the word that is written in their Law must be fulfilled: ‘They hated me without a cause.’” (John 15:18–25, ESV)

 
Please Get In Touch!

Email – louie@discipleup.org

 


Check out the Disciple Up Facebook page:

My books – 

Episode 195

by

Disciple Up # 195
Dealing with Failure
By Louie Marsh, 1-20-2021

Websites I found helpful for this episode:

http://www.bridgetothebible.com/What%20does%20Bible%20say/11%20Coping%20with%20Failure.htm

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/widows-guide-healing/201606/5-ways-cope-failure

https://www.biblesprout.com/articles/christian-life/overcome-failure/

“2For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body.” (James 3:2, ESV)

“16for the righteous falls seven times and rises again, but the wicked stumble in times of calamity. 17Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles, 18lest the Lord see it and be displeased, and turn away his anger from him.” (Proverbs 24:16–18, ESV)

“14The Lord upholds all who are falling and raises up all who are bowed down.” (Psalm 145:14, ESV)

How to respond to failure?

  1. Examine the truth. This burns and isn’t fun; yet, healing and recovery generally start when the truth is exposed. Lies keep you in the dark and however you try to spin your situation the bottom line is that the truth matters. Too often people attempt to dilute the situation with fancy words or a cute story, but this only delays the pain. And delaying the pain can cause more conflict.

For example, if you see your recent financial decision causes a decrease in the weekly household income, be truthful about this.

  1. Become transparent with yourself. Transparency is necessary. When mistake occur, there is emphasis on forgiving others, including yourself. However, you can’t forgive yourself for that which you are not transparent with. And you can’t fully forgive yourself as long as you minimize the error. This doesn’t mean that you are overly critical of yourself, but it means being honest. Instead of telling yourself that your business is closing because one manager made poor decisions, be truthful and examine your role in this situation. Ask yourself: Did you look the other way when there was business conflict? Were you overly harsh in meetings so that it made communication difficult?

 

  1. Give yourself permission to feel the pain. After a failure occurs, the immediate mode for many is moving onward because very few desire to be present with pain. This is why when pain exists people often use a substance to dilute the intensity of the hurt. Some people use work to avoid the pain. However, learning to be present with the pain is critical in healing. This is not a sign of weakness.

 

  1. Commit to being open to the bigger lessons. This is when being willing to be a student of life is so important. When you think you are certain of everything and that life has nothing to teach you, then you will repeat your mistakes. Learning a new way to see situations can be the very key to your next success.

Learning is a humbling experience. You become aware of all that you didn’t know. When you see the deficits in your knowledge base, use this as an opportunity to grow and change.

“12Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. 13No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.” (1 Corinthians 10:12–13, ESV)

“9Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. 10For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!” (Ecclesiastes 4:9–10, ESV)

Please Get In Touch!

Email – louie@discipleup.org

 


Check out the Disciple Up Facebook page:

My books – 

 

Episode 194

by

Disciple Up #194
Tradition & Change
By Louie Marsh, 1-13-2021

 Intro. Tradition and me

Let’s begin with this…

 We stay because Anatevka is our home… And how do we keep our balance?

That I can tell you in one word… Tradition.”

(Chorus)

Tradition, tradition… tradition

(Tevye)

“Because of our traditions, we’ve kept our balance for many, many years.

Here in Anatevka we have traditions for everything…

how to eat, how to sleep, even, how to wear clothes.

For instance, we always keep our heads covered and always wear a little prayer shawl…

This shows our constant devotion to God. You may ask, how did this tradition start?

I’ll tell you – I don’t know. But it’s a tradition…

Because of our traditions, everyone knows who he is and what God expects him to do.”

– -By Joseph Stein

My history with Tradition: High School and College days, early ministry and gradual changes, probably brought about by finally winning some and making some progress.

Great Historical Example:

The year was 1492, a mere 37 years after Johannes Gutenberg invented movable type. Already, the new technology of printing books was threatening old ways. The Benedictine abbot Johannes Trithemius published a book entitled In Praise of Scribes, in which he defended the use of pen, ink, and vellum. “Printed books will never be the equivalent of handwritten codices,” he argued. Ironically, Trithemius took his book to a printer in Mainz and had it published for wider distribution.

Like Trithemius, evangelical Christians have been both media conservationists and media innovators. We love our leather-bound Bibles, yet eagerly use Biblegateway.com‘s full text-search capabilities to compare 20 English translations.

Positive Uses of Tradition in Scripture:

“2Now I commend you because you remember me in everything and maintain the traditions even as I delivered them to you.” (1 Corinthians 11:2, ESV)

“6Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from any brother who is walking in idleness and not in accord with the tradition that you received from us.” (2 Thessalonians 3:6, ESV)

Negative Uses of Tradition in Scripture:

“13thus making void the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And many such things you do.”” (Mark 7:13, ESV)

“2“Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat.” 3He answered them, “And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? 4For God commanded, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’ 5But you say, ‘If anyone tells his father or his mother, “What you would have gained from me is given to God,” 6he need not honor his father.’ So for the sake of your tradition you have made void the word of God.” (Matthew 15:2–6, ESV)

“14And I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people, so extremely zealous was I for the traditions of my fathers.” (Galatians 1:14, ESV)

“8See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.” (Colossians 2:8, ESV)

Biggest change in my life – I’m able today to view tradition from a much more balanced and mature and objective position.

Please Get In Touch!

Email – louie@discipleup.org

 


Check out the Disciple Up Facebook page:

My books – 

Episode 193

by

Disciple Up #193
The Disciple’s Identity Part 3: The Mighty Meek
By Louie Marsh, 1-6-2021

 INTRO: What’s happening, where from here? Etc. 200th episode coming up! I am on Parlor – @discipleup.   Previous Disciple’s Identity – Episodes 185, 188.

 “5“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.” (Matthew 5:5, ESV)

 Meek Not Weak

The meek (οἱ πραεις [hoi praeis]). Wycliff has it “Blessed be mild men.”

The ancients used the word for outward conduct and towards men. They did not rank it as a virtue anyhow. It was a mild equanimity that was sometimes negative and sometimes positively kind.

But Jesus lifted the word to a nobility never attained before. In fact, the Beatitudes assume a new heart, for the natural man does not find in happiness the qualities mentioned here by Christ.

The English word “meek” has largely lost the fine blend of spiritual poise and strength meant by the Master.

It is the gentleness of strength.  –  Real tough guys don’t act tough, they don’t have too. Special Forces guys I know – Marine Raiders!

Robertson, A. T. (1933). Word Pictures in the New Testament (Mt 5:5). Nashville, TN: Broadman Press.

My strengths are my weaknesses.

The Christian word, on the contrary, describes an inward quality, and that as related primarily to God. The equanimity, mildness, kindness, represented by the classical word, are founded in self-control or in natural disposition. The Christian meekness is based on humility, which is not a natural quality but an outgrowth of a renewed nature. To the pagan the word often implied condescension, to the Christian it implies submission. The Christian quality in its manifestation, reveals all that was best in the heathen virtue—mildness, gentleness, equanimity—but these manifestations toward men are emphasized as outgrowths of a spiritual relation to God. – Vincent, M. R. (1887). Word studies in the New Testament (Vol. 1, p. 37). New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons.

1) Meekness is great strength under the total control of another.

“29Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” (Matthew 11:29, ESV)

“3Now the man Moses was very meek, more than all people who were on the face of the earth.” (Numbers 12:3, ESV)

All of His great strength – the power of God – was under the control of another – the Father!

2) Meekness is the result of confessing our spiritual poverty, mourning it, and receiving in power God’s Kingdom and Comfort.

a, Remember the Spirit is the Comforter.

3) The Meek – I RELY on & LIVE THRU God’s Power alone.

5  “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Matthew 5:5 (ESV)

11  But the meek shall inherit the land and delight themselves in abundant peace. Psalm 37:11 (ESV)

  • I find God’s Power in the HOLY SPIRIT ALONE.

4  And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me; 5  for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”…8  But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Acts 1:4-5; 8 (ESV)

14  And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and a report about him went out through all the surrounding country. Luke 4:14 (ESV)

Inherit the Earth:

By “the earth” (την γην [tēn gēn]) Jesus seems to mean the Land of Promise (Psa. 37:11) though Bruce thinks that it is the whole earth. Can it be the solid earth as opposed to the sea or the air? –

Which brings us to the promise of verse 5 – inherit the earth.

  • Meek get it because we’ll still be here after all those not in the Kingdom are long gone!
  • Meek have the earth now, because they’re the only ones who really know how to enjoy it.

These pre-Christian meanings of the word exhibit two general characteristics:

  1. They express outward conduct merely.
  2. They contemplate relations to men only.

 A huge Theme of the Sermon on the Mount and Jesus Ministry and Christianity in general is going below the surface.

We are always tempted to use only measurable items -outward, things that can be seen – to gauge growth.

Jesus drives straight into the heart.

“21“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ 22But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire.” (Matthew 5:21–22, ESV)

“27“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

 Keep the Context of heart in mind

  29If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. 30And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell.” (Matthew 5:27–30, ESV)

“34And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt. 35So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.”” (Matthew 18:34–35, ESV)

Please Get In Touch!

Email – louie@discipleup.org

 


Check out the Disciple Up Facebook page:

My books –