Monthly Archives: November 2015

Pastor Wrinkles: A Road Through Romans 1:1:4

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This is installment four of our verse by verse study through the book of Romans. At this rate I calculate we will finish the study sometime in the course of eternity. If you have missed the previous portions of our study on verse 1, they can be found on the “Road Through Romans Page”

Today we are talking about the word “apostle”

Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God— Romans 1:1

We have learned quite a bit about this man named Paul in only seven words!

Today we learn that Paul is an apostle. The Greek word means Paul considers himself-a delegate, a messenger, one sent forth with orders.

The classical Christian definition of an apostle refers to the twelve apostles of Christ but in a broader sense it applied to other eminent Christian teachers such as Barnabas, Timothy or Silvanus.

There were four biblical qualifications for apostleship: (From WebBible Encyclopedia)

  1. that they should have seen the Lord, and been able to testify of him and of his resurrection from personal knowledge (John 15:27; Acts 1:21-22; 1 Cor. 9:1; Acts 22:14-15)
  2. They must have been immediately called to that office by Christ (Luke 6:13; Gal. 1:1).
  3. It was essential that they should be infallibly inspired, and thus protected against error and mistake in their public teaching, whether by word or by writing (John 14:26; 16:13; 1 Thess. 2:13).
  4. Another qualification was the power of working miracles (Mark 16:20; Acts 2:43; 1 Cor. 12:8-11). The apostles therefore could have had no successors. They are the only authoritative teachers of the Christian doctrines. The office of an apostle ceased with its first holders.
Some would argue the last point made in item number four by turning to Ephesians Chapter 4 and noting that “apostle” is listed as one of the enduring offices of the church. They would say that the office of apostle today is different from the office of the Biblical apostles. To me the point isn’t really worth arguing. The answer isn’t going to directly effect 99.999% of the church, because even if the office still exists most of us will never ever be called to it.
That said there is a part of apostleship every Christian does bear in their spiritual DNA. We might not bear the authority of the office but we do bear the authority of the message. All Christians are delegates of the Kingdom of Heaven here on Earth and we have a message to bring to the nations. Further we have been given orders that whoever we are and wherever we go we are to share the message. We are called to remember, the order to share the message is not a suggestion but a commission!

Travel Theme: Frames

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This week I am taking some time to tag along with Ailsa across the world to FRAME THE WORLD in my camera lens. To see how others have framed the world click the underlined link and rocket over to “Where’s My Backpack?”

Here are my frames:

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These folks are framed in flowers at Longwood Gardens

This wisteria makes an elegant frame on a rainy day.

This wisteria makes an elegant frame on a rainy day.

A steeple tower framed in the ruins of the Rock of Cashel

A steeple tower framed in the ruins of the Rock of Cashel

Pastor Wrinkles: A Road Through Romans 1:1:3

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We have begun our verse by verse study through the book of Romans. Today we mark our third installment of our time together. If you have missed any of our previous discussions they can be found on the Road Through Romans Page.

Now on to today’s thought

“Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God— ” Romans 1:1

Today I simply want to focus on the word “called”. Paul declared himself to be a servant, a slave of God, and the scope of that was explained in yesterday’s post, but this word “called” defines the boundaries of that slavery.

The word “called” which Paul uses here in Romans 1:1 is the word kletos. It means to be invited.

You see Paul was a slave of Christ but he was not forced into slavery. He was invited into it. God’s servants are not servants by force. They are servants by free will. I do not serve God because he has made me serve Him. I serve Him because I have chosen to do so.

Slavery to God comes with its consequences. It has its price to pay. But I don’t serve God in spite of the price. The price is not my focus. The blessings are what I set my eyes on. I serve God because of the love that serving Him releases into my life and because of the incredible blessing walking in that love creates in the present and will create in eternity.

We are invited into this slavery not forced to it. Answering the invitation may remove certain “rights” from my life but I have to say you cannot beat the benefit package. I may endure a cross now and even more so in the future but there is a joy that is set before me that makes any cross worth it all.

Friday Fictioneers: All These Dusty Miles

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It is time for Friday Fictioneers again. This week my story is going out ahead of time! Even I cannot believe it.

Let me encourage you to read my story and then to hop on over to Rochelle’s page and follow the little blue frog to lots of other stories. Here is our prompt for the week

PHOTO PROMPT - © Connie Gayer (Mrs. Russell)

PHOTO PROMPT – © Connie Gayer …(Mrs. Russell)

All These Dusty Miles

by JE Lillie

“Just a little further.” Momma says.

Those words are her mantra. I know she is frightened, so I will not complain even though my feet bleed and my shoulders ache with the weight of the pack.

“She knows the way” I say under my breath. Still she has never walked the distance. We were city dwellers. Then the bombs fell, the soldiers came and we ran with nothing but these bags slung from our shoulders and the clothes on our backs.

“We are here!” Momma says.

The ocean opens before me. Suddenly I wish to go back to the desert.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Treat

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In response to The Daily Post’s weekly photo challenge: “Treat.”

Well Trick or Treat has come and gone. While I don’t celebrate Halloween I do have to say it’s never the wrong time for a treat!

A whole table of seasonal treats!

A whole table of seasonal treats!

I am looking forward to the treat of Thanksgiving. It's not just the food but the family and the quiet that settles on us after a good dinner.

I am looking forward to the treat of Thanksgiving. It’s not just the food but the family and the quiet that settles on us after a good dinner.

Until then I imagine I will treat myself daily to my favorite treat of all...good coffee.

Until then I imagine I will treat myself daily to my favorite treat of all…good coffee.

Pastor Wrinkles: A Road Through Romans 1:1:2

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Today we continue our study, verse by verse, through the Book of Romans. If you missed yesterday’s edition you can find it on

THE ROAD THROUGH ROMANS PAGE

Today we are working through the second phrase of Romans 1:1

“Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus.”

The first bit of identification Paul gives his readers among the Romans is that he is a “servant”. The Greek word is Dulos and its connotation is a little different from the modern definition of “servant”.

 Here is what Paul really means when he says he is a servant-

” I Paul am …a slave, a bondman, a man of servile condition.

 I Paul am…one who gives himself up to Christ… whose service is used by Christ in extending and advancing his cause among men.

I Paul am…devoted to Christ to the disregard of my own interests.

You see, Christianity is not an episode of Downton Abbey. Paul’s not talking about polishing Jesus’ silver or shining Jesus’ sandals.

Christianity is about falling so desperately in love with the Lover of our souls that we will do anything to live for Him even if that means dying.

Jim Elliot a Christian missionary and martyr wrote these fateful words shortly before his death at the hands of the very people he was ministering to. “He is no fool who gives up those things which he cannot keep to gain those things which he cannot lose.”

That in a nutshell is being a servant of Christ.

Sure it’s a lot scarier.This is the Christianity which has drawn billions to the throne of God. Come and join Paul. Be a servant of Christ. The cost is never higher than the return.

“I assure you that when the world is made newi and the Son of Manj sits upon his glorious throne, you who have been my followers will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or property, for my sake, will receive a hundred times as much in return and will inherit eternal life. 30But many who are the greatest now will be least important then, and those who seem least important now will be the greatest then. “

Matthew 19:28-30

Pastor Wrinkles: A Road Through Romans 1:1:1

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I have been toying with the idea of a verse by verse study for the last several weeks. My only hesitation has been that my schedule for the last several months has left me little time for blogging. I sense that is all changing now. I feel like I will have more time to give to the writing (which is a good thing because this art has been too long neglected to the detriment of my heart).

So today we begin a verse by verse devotional study through the Book of Romans. We are going to go slow and I am going to set up a page under the Pastor Wrinkles Heading so people can catch up if they fall behind.

So Here we go:

“Paul…” Romans 1:1:1

I told you we were going to go slow. Before we go any further we have to look at the first word of this letter. It is a name. It is the author’s name. We know a lot about this man. His name alone has the power to draw us closer to God.

We know he was a servant of Christ (more on that tomorrow).

We know he was an apostle (more on that on Thursday).

We know he was a Jew.

We know he was a Pharisee (one of the bad guys sort of).

We know by his own admission he started out as a persecutor of the church.

We know he considered himself one of the worst sinners in history because of that.

We know his name really wasn’t Paul. You see God changed his name from Saul to Paul. When this man met God his whole identity was changed. He went from persecutor to pastor. He went from enemy of the faith to apostle of the faith. He went from sinner to saint.

THAT’S HOW IT SHOULD BE FOR US!

In another letter Paul wrote, “This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” 2 Cor. 5:17

This is what it means to be born again. Maybe we won’t get a new name like Paul did but we will get a new identity in Christ. Anything less is less than Christianity.

Have you met the new you? If not ask Jesus to introduce you. He knows the new you very well.

Pastor Wrinkles Sunday Quips & Quotes 11-1-15

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Hey there folks! Here is a new challenge for all my Sunday readers. Every Sunday I will post one quip or quote that struck me during the week. You can join along in the quipping and quoting. Here is what to do.

Publish a post of your own using one quip or quote that grabbed you during the week. You can add a picture to it if you like or even photograph the quote from it’s source.

Link back to my post

You can include the Pastor Wrinkle’s Q& Q photo in your post if you think my mug worthy of your blog.

Q&Q

My quote for this week came from a portion of my devotional reading…

“…We regard falling from God’s friendship as the only thing dreadful and we consider becoming God’s friend the only thing worthy of honor and desire.” Gregory of Nyssa