I attend a Spirit-filled non-denominational prayer meeting on Thursdays. The teaching is more ‘rhema’ than dogma. Rhema is a Greek word to describe the NOW works of the Holy Spirit. According to the dictionary: "Greek for 'what is said, word, saying'." This particular Rhema is one of teaching believers to live in the Spirit, by the Spirit. Not to rely on the
rules of religion to guide them. This is a Pharisaical attitude that makes the religion more important than Jesus Christ, crucified & risen. (the Pharisees were the Jewish leaders who were extremists in regard to legalism, that is, following the letter of the law while ignoring the spirit of the law.) Following the still silent voice of the Living God is an art that is cultivated.
A few weeks ago, I went to help Robin, my friend who has the Thursday meetings, to spray paint some patio furniture. As I was paying attention to the breeze, the Spirit of the Lord spoke to me & said, “I want you to pay attention to me as you are to the winds I send. My breath is like this….Close your eyes, clear your mind & listen to my small still voice.” In that moment, I GOT it!! It was glorious! This is the walk with the Lord I am endeavoring to follow.
A few weeks ago, I went to help Robin, my friend who has the Thursday meetings, to spray paint some patio furniture. As I was paying attention to the breeze, the Spirit of the Lord spoke to me & said, “I want you to pay attention to me as you are to the winds I send. My breath is like this….Close your eyes, clear your mind & listen to my small still voice.” In that moment, I GOT it!! It was glorious! This is the walk with the Lord I am endeavoring to follow.
Philip is the leader of this group and he referred to some Apocryphal readings recently. This is from Dictionary.com:
Apocrypha --late 14c., --from L.L. apocryphus "secret, not approved for publicreading," from Gk. apokryphos "hidden, obscure," thus "(books) ofunknown authorship" (especially those included in the Septuagintand Vulgate but not originally written in Hebrew and not counted as genuine by the Jews), from apo- "away"
As an amateur student of the bible for many years, I was touched that he was open to the leading of the Spirit in this arena. Nothing is thought of Christians who seek counsel in good books written by other believers. Look at the powerful influence of "The Purpose Driven Life" by Rick Warren! Yet, these same believers treat the Apocrypha like it was poison!
Have you ever read the praises of the 3 Hebrew children in the 3rd chapter of Daniel.... This text is not in Protestant bibles. The 3 boys were named Shadrach, Meshach & Abednego (My-Shack, Your-Shack & A-Bungalow) ßyou should know that I *never* miss an opportunity to be goofy!! Snort!!
If you have never heard of this story, let me give you the short version. There was an arrogant king named Nebuchanezzar who did not want any other allegiance in his kingdom. There were 3 young men who were totally sold out to God & would not yield to this nonsense of bowing down to a mere man! they knew who God was & would not ever commit idolatry. So the wicked king had his men throw them into a furnace....he actually commanded that they make it 'white hot'!! They were bound up so that they would not be able to fight or escape & then thrown into the fire. The praises of "Azariah" who is also named Abenego are uttered then in verses 24-90.
The wicked king wonders why they have not been consumed in this fire....for it burned his servants who threw them into the furnace. So he asks his servant & essentially says "what the heck?" or in modern text messaging lexicon, "WTH??" The servant says to the king in verse 92, "But," he replied, "I see four men unbound and unhurt, walking in the fire, and the fourth looks like a son of God!"
Following this in verse 94, King Nebuchanezzar goes to the furnace himself to see the 3 Hebrew children walk out before him. "...the fire had had no power over the bodies of these men; not a hair of their heads had been singed, nor were their garments altered; there was not even a smell of fire about them". An amazing miracle!
So here are the 'apocryphal' passages:
24They walked about in the flames, singing to God and blessing the Lord.25Azariah* stood up in the midst of the fire and prayed aloud:
Apocrypha --late 14c., --from L.L. apocryphus "secret, not approved for publicreading," from Gk. apokryphos "hidden, obscure," thus "(books) ofunknown authorship" (especially those included in the Septuagintand Vulgate but not originally written in Hebrew and not counted as genuine by the Jews), from apo- "away"
As an amateur student of the bible for many years, I was touched that he was open to the leading of the Spirit in this arena. Nothing is thought of Christians who seek counsel in good books written by other believers. Look at the powerful influence of "The Purpose Driven Life" by Rick Warren! Yet, these same believers treat the Apocrypha like it was poison!
Have you ever read the praises of the 3 Hebrew children in the 3rd chapter of Daniel.... This text is not in Protestant bibles. The 3 boys were named Shadrach, Meshach & Abednego (My-Shack, Your-Shack & A-Bungalow) ßyou should know that I *never* miss an opportunity to be goofy!! Snort!!
If you have never heard of this story, let me give you the short version. There was an arrogant king named Nebuchanezzar who did not want any other allegiance in his kingdom. There were 3 young men who were totally sold out to God & would not yield to this nonsense of bowing down to a mere man! they knew who God was & would not ever commit idolatry. So the wicked king had his men throw them into a furnace....he actually commanded that they make it 'white hot'!! They were bound up so that they would not be able to fight or escape & then thrown into the fire. The praises of "Azariah" who is also named Abenego are uttered then in verses 24-90.
The wicked king wonders why they have not been consumed in this fire....for it burned his servants who threw them into the furnace. So he asks his servant & essentially says "what the heck?" or in modern text messaging lexicon, "WTH??" The servant says to the king in verse 92, "But," he replied, "I see four men unbound and unhurt, walking in the fire, and the fourth looks like a son of God!"
Following this in verse 94, King Nebuchanezzar goes to the furnace himself to see the 3 Hebrew children walk out before him. "...the fire had had no power over the bodies of these men; not a hair of their heads had been singed, nor were their garments altered; there was not even a smell of fire about them". An amazing miracle!
So here are the 'apocryphal' passages:
24They walked about in the flames, singing to God and blessing the Lord.25Azariah* stood up in the midst of the fire and prayed aloud:
26“Blessed are you, and praiseworthy,
O Lord, the God of our ancestors,
and glorious forever is your name.
27For you are just in all you have done;
all your deeds are faultless, all your ways right,
and all your judgments proper.
28You have executed proper judgments
in all that you have brought upon us
and upon Jerusalem, the holy city of our ancestors.
By a proper judgment you have done all this
because of our sins;
29For we have sinned and transgressed
by departing from you,
and we have done every kind of evil.
30Your commandments we have not heeded or observed,
nor have we done as you ordered us for our good.
31Therefore all you have brought upon us,
all you have done to us,
in all that you have brought upon us
and upon Jerusalem, the holy city of our ancestors.
By a proper judgment you have done all this
because of our sins;
29For we have sinned and transgressed
by departing from you,
and we have done every kind of evil.
30Your commandments we have not heeded or observed,
nor have we done as you ordered us for our good.
31Therefore all you have brought upon us,
all you have done to us,
you have done by a proper judgment.
32You have handed us over to our enemies,
lawless and hateful rebels;
to an unjust king, the worst in all the world.
33Now we cannot open our mouths;
shame and reproach have come upon us,
your servants, who revere you.
34For your name’s sake, do not deliver us up forever,
or make void your covenant.
35Do not take away your mercy from us,
for the sake of Abraham, your beloved,
Isaac your servant, and Israel your holy one,
36To whom you promised to multiply their offspring
like the stars of heaven,
or the sand on the shore of the sea.
37For we are reduced, O Lord, beyond any other nation,
brought low everywhere in the world this day
because of our sins.
38We have in our day no prince, prophet, or leader,
no burnt offering, sacrifice, oblation, or incense,
no place to offer first fruits, to find favor with you.
39But with contrite heart and humble spirit
let us be received;
As though it were burnt offerings of rams and bulls,
or tens of thousands of fat lambs,
40So let our sacrifice be in your presence today
and find favor before you;
for those who trust in you cannot be put to shame.
41And now we follow you with our whole heart,
we fear you and we seek your face.
Do not put us to shame,
42but deal with us in your kindness and great mercy.
43Deliver us in accord with your wonders,
and bring glory to your name, O Lord:
44Let all those be put to shame
who inflict evils on your servants;
Let them be shamed and powerless,
and their strength broken;
45Let them know that you alone are the Lord God,
glorious over the whole world.”
46Now the king’s servants who had thrown them in continued to stoke the furnace with naptha, pitch, tow, and brush.47The flames rose forty-nine cubits above the furnace,48and spread out, burning the Chaldeans that it caught around the furnace.49But the angel of the Lord went down into the furnace with Azariah and his companions, drove the fiery flames out of the furnace,50and made the inside of the furnace as though a dew-laden breeze were blowing through it. The fire in no way touched them or caused them pain or harm.51Then these three in the furnace with one voice sang, glorifying and blessing God:
52“Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of our ancestors,
praiseworthy and exalted above all forever;
And blessed is your holy and glorious name,
praiseworthy and exalted above all for all ages.
53Blessed are you in the temple of your holy glory,
praiseworthy and glorious above all forever.
54Blessed are you on the throne of your kingdom,
praiseworthy and exalted above all forever.
55Blessed are you who look into the depths
from your throne upon the cherubim,
praiseworthy and exalted above all forever.
56Blessed are you in the firmament of heaven,
praiseworthy and glorious forever.
57Bless the Lord, all you works of the Lord,
praise and exalt him above all forever.
58Angels of the Lord, bless the Lord,
praise and exalt him above all forever.
59You heavens, bless the Lord,
praise and exalt him above all forever.
60All you waters above the heavens, bless the Lord,
praise and exalt him above all forever.
61All you powers, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.
62Sun and moon, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.
63Stars of heaven, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.
64Every shower and dew, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.
65All you winds, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.
66Fire and heat, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.
67Cold and chill, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.
68Dew and rain, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.
69Frost and chill, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.
70Hoarfrost and snow, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.
71Nights and days, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.
72Light and darkness, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.
32You have handed us over to our enemies,
lawless and hateful rebels;
to an unjust king, the worst in all the world.
33Now we cannot open our mouths;
shame and reproach have come upon us,
your servants, who revere you.
34For your name’s sake, do not deliver us up forever,
or make void your covenant.
35Do not take away your mercy from us,
for the sake of Abraham, your beloved,
Isaac your servant, and Israel your holy one,
36To whom you promised to multiply their offspring
like the stars of heaven,
or the sand on the shore of the sea.
37For we are reduced, O Lord, beyond any other nation,
brought low everywhere in the world this day
because of our sins.
38We have in our day no prince, prophet, or leader,
no burnt offering, sacrifice, oblation, or incense,
no place to offer first fruits, to find favor with you.
39But with contrite heart and humble spirit
let us be received;
As though it were burnt offerings of rams and bulls,
or tens of thousands of fat lambs,
40So let our sacrifice be in your presence today
and find favor before you;
for those who trust in you cannot be put to shame.
41And now we follow you with our whole heart,
we fear you and we seek your face.
Do not put us to shame,
42but deal with us in your kindness and great mercy.
43Deliver us in accord with your wonders,
and bring glory to your name, O Lord:
44Let all those be put to shame
who inflict evils on your servants;
Let them be shamed and powerless,
and their strength broken;
45Let them know that you alone are the Lord God,
glorious over the whole world.”
46Now the king’s servants who had thrown them in continued to stoke the furnace with naptha, pitch, tow, and brush.47The flames rose forty-nine cubits above the furnace,48and spread out, burning the Chaldeans that it caught around the furnace.49But the angel of the Lord went down into the furnace with Azariah and his companions, drove the fiery flames out of the furnace,50and made the inside of the furnace as though a dew-laden breeze were blowing through it. The fire in no way touched them or caused them pain or harm.51Then these three in the furnace with one voice sang, glorifying and blessing God:
52“Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of our ancestors,
praiseworthy and exalted above all forever;
And blessed is your holy and glorious name,
praiseworthy and exalted above all for all ages.
53Blessed are you in the temple of your holy glory,
praiseworthy and glorious above all forever.
54Blessed are you on the throne of your kingdom,
praiseworthy and exalted above all forever.
55Blessed are you who look into the depths
from your throne upon the cherubim,
praiseworthy and exalted above all forever.
56Blessed are you in the firmament of heaven,
praiseworthy and glorious forever.
57Bless the Lord, all you works of the Lord,
praise and exalt him above all forever.
58Angels of the Lord, bless the Lord,
praise and exalt him above all forever.
59You heavens, bless the Lord,
praise and exalt him above all forever.
60All you waters above the heavens, bless the Lord,
praise and exalt him above all forever.
61All you powers, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.
62Sun and moon, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.
63Stars of heaven, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.
64Every shower and dew, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.
65All you winds, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.
66Fire and heat, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.
67Cold and chill, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.
68Dew and rain, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.
69Frost and chill, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.
70Hoarfrost and snow, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.
71Nights and days, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.
72Light and darkness, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.
73Lightnings and clouds, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.
74Let the earth bless the Lord,
praise and exalt him above all forever.
75Mountains and hills, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.
76Everything growing on earth, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.
77You springs, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.
78Seas and rivers, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.
79You sea monsters and all water creatures, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.
80All you birds of the air, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.
81All you beasts, wild and tame, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.
82All you mortals, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.
83O Israel, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.
84Priests of the Lord, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.
85Servants of the Lord, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.
86Spirits and souls of the just, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.
87Holy and humble of heart, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.
88Hananiah, Azariah, Mishael, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.
For he has delivered us from Sheol,
and saved us from the power of death;
He has freed us from the raging flame
and delivered us from the fire.
89Give thanks to the Lord, who is good,
whose mercy endures forever.
90Bless the God of gods, all you who fear the Lord;praise and give thanks,
praise and exalt him above all forever.
74Let the earth bless the Lord,
praise and exalt him above all forever.
75Mountains and hills, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.
76Everything growing on earth, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.
77You springs, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.
78Seas and rivers, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.
79You sea monsters and all water creatures, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.
80All you birds of the air, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.
81All you beasts, wild and tame, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.
82All you mortals, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.
83O Israel, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.
84Priests of the Lord, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.
85Servants of the Lord, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.
86Spirits and souls of the just, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.
87Holy and humble of heart, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.
88Hananiah, Azariah, Mishael, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.
For he has delivered us from Sheol,
and saved us from the power of death;
He has freed us from the raging flame
and delivered us from the fire.
89Give thanks to the Lord, who is good,
whose mercy endures forever.
90Bless the God of gods, all you who fear the Lord;praise and give thanks,
for his mercy endures forever.”
~~~ ~~~ ~~~
HOW IS THAT FOR PRAISING AND GLORIFYING GOD!!!!??? Doesn't this read like the psalms? Apart from the information and background on the Apocrypha, would you have any reservations about this not being part of the bible? Me neither, therefore, I am all for it!! Count me in!
And the following is in the commentary of the bible on the website from the US Conference of Catholic Bishops. It is where I snag my daily mass readings from…here is the link: http://www.usccb.org/bible/index.cfm
* [3:24–90] These verses are additions to the Aramaic text of Daniel, translated from the Greek form of the book. They were probably first composed in Hebrew or Aramaic, but are no longer extant in the original language. The Roman Catholic Church has always regarded them as part of the canonical Scriptures.
So then, I see nothing but GLORY in these writings! And as I recall, the scriptures say that if we, who are filled with His Holy Spirit, do not worship & glorify the one true God, the rocks will cry out to glorify Him!!! Don’t know about you, but I do not want to be outdone by a ROCK!! Geez!!! ***This I know!
~~~ ~~~ ~~~
HOW IS THAT FOR PRAISING AND GLORIFYING GOD!!!!??? Doesn't this read like the psalms? Apart from the information and background on the Apocrypha, would you have any reservations about this not being part of the bible? Me neither, therefore, I am all for it!! Count me in!
And the following is in the commentary of the bible on the website from the US Conference of Catholic Bishops. It is where I snag my daily mass readings from…here is the link: http://www.usccb.org/bible/index.cfm
* [3:24–90] These verses are additions to the Aramaic text of Daniel, translated from the Greek form of the book. They were probably first composed in Hebrew or Aramaic, but are no longer extant in the original language. The Roman Catholic Church has always regarded them as part of the canonical Scriptures.
So then, I see nothing but GLORY in these writings! And as I recall, the scriptures say that if we, who are filled with His Holy Spirit, do not worship & glorify the one true God, the rocks will cry out to glorify Him!!! Don’t know about you, but I do not want to be outdone by a ROCK!! Geez!!! ***This I know!
