service genset jogja
Psalm 119

Psalm 119

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
January 2, 1997

This psalm is too full of great stuff. “The Message” says so many wonderful things, I’m just going to throw a “stream of consciousness” at you for this psalm. You know it’s all about the
Bible. These are things I have learned about the Bible:

1. The Bible will keep you from making serious mistakes in life. “Oh, that my steps might be steady, keeping to the course you set; Then I’d never have any regrets.”TM

2. The Bible is God’s way of talking to us in a personal way. “I thank you for speaking straight from your heart.”TM

3. The Bible is God’s teaching on how to live a good life. “How can a young person live a clean life? By carefully reading the map of your Word.”TM

4. The Bible is God’s way of helping us make decisions. “Don’t let me miss the road signs you’ve posted….”TM They show me the way.

5. Memorizing the Bible will keep you from sinning & reaping the
consequences. “I’ve banked your promises in the vault of my heart so I won’t sin myself bankrupt.”TM

6. The Bible is God’s instruction manual for life. “Train me in your ways of wise living. I’ll transfer to my lips all the counsel that comes from your mouth.”TM

7. The Bible is the most fun in the world (Did you know this?) Listen to what the writer says: “I delight far more in what you tell me about living than in gathering a pile of riches.”TM

8. The Bible is more important than anything else. “I ponder every
morsel of wisdom from you, I attentively watch how you’ve done it. I relish everything you’ve told me of life, I won’t forget a word of it.”TM

9. The Bible will eliminate confusion in our lives, especially when we lose our way. “Not for a minute will I take my eyes off your road. I’m a stranger in these parts; give me clear directions.”TM

10. The Bible is food. Jesus said, “man cannot live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from God,” (MT 4:4 – (GN)). This psalmist writes: “My soul is starved and hungry, ravenous!—insatiable for your nourishing commands.”TM

11. The Bible helps us deal with conflict with others. “While bad
neighbors maliciously gossip about me, I’m absorbed in pondering your wise counsel. Yes, your sayings on life are what give me delight; I listen to them as to good neighbors!”TM

12. Really “happy are they who follow the Law of the Lord (the Bible).”TM

13. The Bible straightens out our lives: “My sad life’s dilapidated, a falling-down barn; build me up again by your Word.”TM

14. The Bible keeps me from wasting my life. “Barricade the road that goes Nowhere; grace me with your clear revelation. I choose the true road to Somewhere, I post your road signs at every curve and corner.”TM

15. The Bible keeps us on course: “God, teach me lessons for living so I can stay the course.”TM

16. The Bible guides us down the Highway to true satisfaction in life. “Guide me down the road of your commandments; I love traveling this freeway!”TM

17. The Bible and its wisdom is better than money. “Give me a bent for your words of wisdom, and not for piling up loot. Divert my eyes from toys and trinkets, invigorate me on the pilgrim way.”TM

18. The Bible again is food: “but what you say is always so good. See how hungry I am for your counsel; preserve my life through your righteous ways!”TM

19. The Bible gives strength when criticized. “Then I’ll be able to
stand up to mockery because I trusted your Word.”TM

20. The Bible gives freedom & courage. “I’ll stride freely through wide open spaces as I look for your truth and your wisdom; Then I’ll tell the world what I find, speak out boldly in public, unembarrassed.”TM

21. The Bible provides encouragement to the downhearted. “I hang on to these words for dear life! These words hold me up in bad times.”TM

22. The Bible energizes you. “Yes, your promises rejuvenate me.”TM

23. The Bible keeps us always on the right track in life. “I don’t budge from your revelation. I watch for your ancient landmark words, and know I’m on the right track.”TM

24. The Bible is music to my ears. “I set your instructions to music and sing them as I walk this pilgrim way.”TM

25. Even though it’s proven its worth, the Bible is not accepted by all. “I walk through a rain of derision because I live by your Word and counsel.”TM

26. The Bible gives us God’s plan for our lives. “When I took a long, careful look at your ways, I got my feet back on the trail you blazed.”TM

27. The Bible can show you God’s plan for your life and even though others will tempt you away from it, it will strengthen you. “The wicked hemmed me in—there was no way out—but not for a minute did I forget your plan for me.”TM

28. The Bible will give you real joy and enthusiasm for life. “I get up in the middle of the night to thank you; your decisions are so right, so true—I can’t wait till morning!”TM

29. The Bible is God’s common sense. “Train me in good common sense; I’m thoroughly committed to living your way.”TM

30. The Bible gives you direction & purpose in life. “Before I learned to answer you, I wandered all over the place, but now I’m in step with your Word.”TM

31. The Bible is good! “You are good, and the source of good; train me in your goodness.”TM

32. The Bible makes your life worthwhile and happy. “I focus my attention on what you are saying.”TM But those who don’t love the Bible are “bland as a bucket of lard, while I dance to the tune of your revelation.”TM

33. The Bible makes every bad experience work out for good. “My troubles turned out all for the best—they forced me to learn from your textbook.”TM

34. The Bible will satisfy you more than all the money in the world. “Truth from your mouth means more to me than striking it rich in a gold mine.”TM

35. The Bible is the wisdom that comes from the manufacturer himself. “With your very own hands you formed me; now breathe your wisdom over me so I can understand you.”TM

36. The Bible binds believers together. “When they see me waiting, expecting your Word, those who fear you will take heart and be glad.”TM

37. The Bible will eventually prove true in everyone’s life. “I can see now, God, that your decisions are right; your testing has taught me what’s true and right.”TM

38. The Bible makes life worth living. “Now comfort me so I can live, really live; your revelation is the tune I dance to.”TM

39. The Bible will keep you from falling for Jim Jones or “Heaven’s gate” or any other cult: “Let the fast-talking tricksters be exposed as frauds; they tried to sell me a bill of goods, but I kept my mind fixed on your counsel.”TM

40. The Bible will make you an example for others to follow. “Let those who fear you turn to me for evidence of your wise guidance.”TM

41. The Bible will give you life to its fullest and keep you from being ashamed of yourself. “And let me live whole and holy, soul and body, so I can always walk with my head held high.”TM

42. The Bible will heal your hurts. “I’m homesick. I’m waiting for your word of hope. My eyes grow heavy. There’s smoke in my eyes—they burn and water, but I keep a steady gaze on the instructions you post.”TM
43. The Bible is irrevocable. “What you say goes, God, and stays, as permanent as the heavens.”TM

44. The Bible is always relevant. “Your truth never goes out of fashion; it’s as up-to-date as the earth when the sun comes up.”TM

45. The Bible will never let you down. “Your Word and truth are dependable as ever; that’s what you ordered—you set the earth going.”TM

46. The Bible really does give you power over your problems. “If your revelation hadn’t delighted me so, I would have given up when the hard times came. But I’ll never forget the advice you gave me; you saved my life with those wise words.”TM

47. The Bible gives us God’s plan for our lives which is far more than we can even see or imagine. I have problems of all kinds, “but I’m only concerned with your plans for me. I see the limits to everything human, but the horizons can’t contain your commands!”TM

48. The Bible is worthy of our complete devotion. “Oh, how I love all you’ve revealed; I reverently ponder it all the day long.”TM

49. The Bible is the best current affairs book in the world. “Your commands give me an edge on my enemies; they never become obsolete.”TM

50. The Bible is the best education anyone can ever have. Someone once said that an education without the Bible is worthless, whereas the Bible without education is priceless. “I’ve even become smarter than my teachers since I’ve pondered and absorbed your counsel. I’ve become wiser than the wise old sages simply by doing what you tell me.”TM

51. The Bible will keep you out of trouble of all kinds. “I watch my step, avoiding the ditches and ruts of evil. I never make detours from the route you laid out; you gave me such good directions.”TM

52. The Bible is great food. Remember Matthew 4:4 “man cannot live by bread alone but on every word that God speaks.” This Psalmist writes, “Your words are so choice, so tasty; I prefer them to the best home cooking.”TM

53. The Bible makes sense out of everything else. “With your instruction, I understand life…”TM

54. The Bible will always show you the right way to go. “By your words I can see where I’m going; they throw a beam of light on my dark path.”TM

55. The Bible is God’s best counselor. “Everything’s falling apart on me, God; put me together again with your Word.”TM

56. The Bible decorates my life. “Festoon me with your finest sayings, God; teach me your holy rules.”TM

57. The Bible is (again!) the source of true happiness. “The wicked do their best to throw me off track, but I don’t swerve an inch from your course. I inherited your book on living; it’s mine forever.
What a gift! And how happy it makes me!”TM

58. The Bible is God’s way of re-energizing and building up. “You’re my place of quiet retreat; I wait for your Word to renew me.”TM

59. The Bible demands our total allegiance! Anything less than that is dangerous. “I’ll give total allegiance to your definitions of life. Expose all who drift away from your sayings; their casual idolatry is lethal.”TM

60. The Bible will protect us from God’s judgment. This is such a hard verse, I will give it to you from three translations:
“You reject earth’s wicked as so much rubbish; therefore I lovingly embrace everything you say. I shiver in awe before you; your decisions leave me speechless with reverence.”TM
“You treat all the wicked like rubbish, and so I love your instructions. Because of you I am afraid; I am filled with fear because of your judgments.”GN
“”The wicked are the scum you skim off and throw away; no wonder I love to obey your laws. “I tremble in fear of you; I fear your punishments.” LB

61. The Bible is my textbook for all of life. “Let your love dictate how you deal with me; teach me from your textbook on life.”TM

62. The Bible is consistent within and without. It says the same thing every time and says the same thing to everyone. “I hate the two faced, but I love your clear-cut revelation. I despise every deceitful detour.”TM

63. The Bible is my strength restorer. “You’re my place of quiet retreat. I wait for your word to renew me.”TM This is repeated (see # 58 above). Whenever something occurs twice special emphasis should be given to it.

64. The Bible is the most precious thing I have. “Yea-Saying God, I love what you command, I love it better than gold and gemstones.”TM

65. The Bible is worthy of my complete allegiance. “I’ll give total allegiance to your definitions of life.”TM

66. The Bible is God’s power that works wonders in the lives of people who will believe Him. “Every word you give me is a miracle word.”TM

67. The Bible is not for just a few religious people. God gave it so everyone can get to know Him in a personal way. It is for everybody. “Break open your words, let the light shine out, let ordinary people see the meaning.”TM

68. The Bible is refreshing when I grow tired and weary. “Mouth open and panting, I wanted your commands more than anything.”TM

69. The Bible is able to sustain me through times of trouble. “Steady my steps with your Word of promise so nothing malign (bad) gets the better of me.”TM

70. The Bible is rejected by society at large, like those who want the 10 commandments removed from a believer’s courtroom. When we see people who do not live by God’s word, though, it grieves us. “I cry rivers of tears because nobody’s living by your book!”TM

71. The Bible is God’s basis for helping us. “Take a good look at my trouble and help me – (because) I haven’t forgotten your revelation (Bible).”TM

72. The Bible is God’s promise to help us. “Take my side and get me out of this; give me back my life, just as you promised (in the Bible).”TM

73. The Bible is the source for learning how God saves us through trials in life. “Salvation is only gibberish to the wicked because they’ve never looked it up in your dictionary (ie, the Bible).”TM

74. The Bible will never run out of great truths that revive our lives in times of need. “Your mercies God, run into the billions. Following your guidelines (The Bible), revives me.”TM

75. The Bible must be taken seriously and we must never give up on God’s promises concerning the wonderful plan He has for our lives as revealed in the Bible. “I took one look at the quitters and was filled with loathing; they walked away from your promises so casually.”TM

76. The Bible is the basis upon which we can appeal to God. “Take note (God) how I love what you tell me (in the Bible.)” Also “Put your hand out (Lord) and steady me, since I’ve chosen to live by your counsel (The Bible.)”TM

77. The Bible contains all the answers to the Math test of life. “Your Words (The Bible) all add up to the sum total: Truth!”TM

78. The Bible is our source of stability when unjustly abused by those in authority. “I’ve been slandered unmercifully by the politicians, but my awe at your words keeps me stable.”TM

79. The Bible is our remedy for sorrow. “Your law (The Bible) makes me happy.”CEV

80. The Bible is the source of the best counsel ever. “Let me find
help in your teachings (The Bible).”CEV

81. The Bible is the source of the greatest joy (like #9 above). “I’m
ecstatic over what you say (i.e., in the Bible), like one who strikes it rich.”TM

82. The Bible is the source of true confidence in life. “For those who love what you reveal (i.e., in the Bible), everything fits – no stumbling around in the dark for them.”TM

83. The Bible destroys insecurities, guilt, and impure motives. “My life’s an open book before you.”TM We can sing, “Look, look, my heart is an open book….. I love nobody but you…. doobedy doobedy doobedy doo!” (I know you’re all too young!)

84. The Bible is the only true resource for gaining perfect
understanding about life. “(Lord) provide me with the insight that only comes from your Word (i.e., the Bible).”TM “You’ve taught me the truth about life.”TM

85. The Bible will build your spiritual strength like exercise will
build your bodily strength. “Use your decrees (i.e., the teachings of the Bible) to put iron in my soul.”TM

Tags:
Permalink

1994 – Vacation Bible School

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
October 14, 1994
These are old vcr recordings converted to video. They are not the best quality but hopefully you will be able to view them.

Various Video Clips
Click a link below to watch the video. Click the same link again to close.

Libby Crum visits the various classes

Permalink

1991 Halloween Party

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
July 29, 1994
These are old vcr recordings converted to video. They are not the best quality but hopefully you will be able to view them.

 

Halloween Costume & Fun Party
Click a link below to watch the video. Click the same link again to close.

Costume Party & fun on Halloween 1991

 
Permalink

1991 CBC Videos

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
July 26, 1991
Permalink

Miscellaneous Sermons

Filed Under: Sermons by Chuck
July 2, 1990
This is a collection of various sermons that were not part of a series.

 

Sermon Videos
Click a link below to watch the video. Click the same link again to close.

Thanksgiving Message November 22, 2009

New Years 2010 – Expecting The Best, December 27, 2009

 

Sermon Audios
Click a link below to listen to the audio. Click the same link again to close.

Thanksgiving Message November 22, 2009(audio)

New Years 2010 – Expecting The Best, December 27, 2009(audio)

 

Sermon Outlines
Click a link below to view the outline.

Thanksgiving Message November 22, 2009(outline)

New Years 2010 – Expecting The Best, December 27, 2009(outline)

Permalink
Genesis 1:1

Genesis 1:1

Filed Under: Genesis by Chuck
January 1, 1970

VERSE 1

BHS (Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia): בְּרֵאשִׁ֖ית בָּרָ֣א אֱלֹהִ֑ים אֵ֥ת הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם וְאֵ֥ת הָאָֽרֶץ

ESV (English Standard Version): In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.

NLT (New Living Translation): In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

 

LXX (Septuagint): ἘΝ ἀρχῇ ἐποίησεν ὁ Θεὸς τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν

BETS (Brenton English translation Septuagint):IN the beginning God made the heaven and the earth.

NETS (New English Translation Septuagint): In the beginning God made the sky and the earth.

OSB (Orthodox Study Bible): In the beginning God made heaven and earth.

 

VUL(Latin Vulgate): in principio creavit Deus caelum et terram

DRB (Douay Rheims Bible): IN the beginning God created heaven, and earth.

NAB (New American Bible): In the beginning, when God created the heavens and the earth

 

Other English translations with variant readings:

GNB (Good News Bible): In the beginning, when God created the universe…

LB (The Living Bible): When God began creating the heavens and the earth…

TM (The Message): First this: God created the Heavens and the Earth—all you see, all you don’t see.

YLT (Young’s Literal Translation): In the beginning of God’s preparing the heavens and the earth…

 

Observations:

  1. The Hebrew Text has the plural form for the “heavens.” The LXX uses the singular.
  2. All LXX translations use “made” instead of “created.” Significance? The MT and the VUL seem to use better words than the LXX, yet the Greek word for “do or make” can also be translated “create.”
  3. The Catholic New American Bible (NAB) actually inserts a temporal pronoun “When” into the verse which doesn’t seem to be there in the Greek, Latin or Hebrew. They are attempting to make a more modern connection between verse 1 and verse 2. I don’t think it’s necessary. Other translations have this idea as well and it implies that when God started his creative efforts which culminated in life on earth and man created in his own image things were a mess as we see in later verses. It’s an interesting approach because if the bible is the story of God’s redemption of the world through His Son it would make sense to start when things were at their darkest. And it appears that’s what we get in the following verses. Now according to the Translator’s Handbook on Genesis (THG) the difference is significant, “If the traditional interpretation is followed, then the beginning refers to the time when the universe came into existence, rather than the beginning or opening of the story of creation.[1]
  4. Eugene Peterson’s translation attempts to salvage the idea of the visible and invisible in his translation and we see in the original languages there is some validity to that.
  5. Young’s Literal translation incorporates the idea of “preparing” instead of ex-nihilo creation to include the idea that something was there before God started His redemptive plan.
  6. Many commentators and bible scholars will argue that the Hebrew phrase for “heavens and earth” is a figure of speech. The writers of THG hold this to be true. They say, “The heavens and the earth is the Hebrew way of speaking of all that existed. It is an idiom made up of two opposites, like the expression ‘good and evil,’ and in this context it means the universe, or everything in the universe, and not just the earth and the sky.[2] If it is a figure of speech we might translate the phrase to say God created “all that is, both here and there.” The demonstratives are referring to the heavens (there) and the earth (here). Maybe “God created everything that exists” is a more appropriate rendering.

 

CLV (Chuck Larsen Version): In the beginning  (when) God created heaven and all it contains and earth and everything on it,

[1] William David Reyburn and Euan McG. Fry, A Handbook on Genesis, UBS Handbook Series (New York: United Bible Societies, 1998), 28.

[2] William David Reyburn and Euan McG. Fry, A Handbook on Genesis, UBS Handbook Series (New York: United Bible Societies, 1998), 29.

Tags:
Permalink
Genesis 1:2

Genesis 1:2a

Filed Under: Genesis by Chuck
January 1, 1970

BHS (Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia): וְהָאָ֗רֶץ הָיְתָ֥ה תֹ֙הוּ֙ וָבֹ֔הוּ

ESV (English Standard Version): The earth was without form and void

NLT (New Living Translation): The earth was formless and empty

 

LXX (Septuagint): Ἡ δὲ γῆ ἦν ἀόρατος καὶ ἀκατασκεύαστος

BETS (Brenton English translation Septuagint): But the earth was unsightly and unfurnished

NETS (New English Translation Septuagint): Yet the earth was invisible and unformed

OSB (Orthodox Study Bible): The earth was invisible and unfinished

 

VUL (Latin Vulgate): terra autem erat inanis et vacua

DRB (Douay Rheims Bible): And the earth was void and empty

NAB: (New American Bible): the earth was a formless wasteland,

 

English Translations with variant readings:

NASB (New American Standard Bible): The Earth was formless and void

Darby: And the earth was waste and empty

CJB (Complete Jewish Bible): The earth was unformed and void

CEV (Contemporary English Version): The earth was barren with no form of life

AMP (Amplified version): Now the earth had become waste and wild

GNB: The earth was formless and desolate

ISV (International Standard Version): When the earth was as yet unformed and desolate

LB: the earth was a shapeless, chaotic mass

TM: Earth was a soup of nothingness, a bottomless emptiness

NIRV (New International Readers Version): The earth didn’t have any shape. And it was empty.

 

Observations & Discussions

  1. The Greek word “ἀόρατος” is defined in the Greek English Lexicon of the New Testament based on semantic domains (Luow – Nida) as “…pertaining to that which cannot be seen—‘what cannot be seen, invisible.” According to the Intermediate Greek-English Lexicon (Liddell) it means, “unseen, not to be seen, invisible.”
  2. The Greek word “ἀκατασκεύαστος” is defined in The Greek-English Lexicon of the Septuagint by Lust, Eynikel, and Hauspie (LEH) as “unwrought, unformed, unorganized.” The Lexham Analytical Lexicon of the Septuagint (LAL) says it means “unprepared.” According to the Greek Lexicon of the Roman and Byzantine Periods (GLRB) It means “unformed, unfinished.”
  3. The Latin word “autem” means “on the other hand, but, yet, however, nevertheless” according to Lewis and Short’s Latin Dictionary (LSLD). This is interesting because the Greek δὲ can sometimes mean “but” also.
  4. The Latin word “Inanis” is defined by LSLD as “empty, void.”
  5. The feminine singular adjective “Vacua” means “vacuous, vacant, empty, blank.” The word does not show up in the Logos search because it’s in the Feminine Gender in the text (I’m assuming). Vacuos, the masculine form, does show up in LSLD with the same meaning. If the two latin adjectives, inanis and vacua mean the same things (close to it) you can see the DRB translation using “void and empty” in their translation. But the LXX uses two very different adjectives; one meaning “invisible” and the other meaning “incomplete” or “unfinished.”
  6. I like the idea of “invisible” because the context talks about light and darkness and how God said let there be light and there was light. That made it visible? Since “darkness” was over the face of the deep that might explain the invisibility. Also the LXX word and the English translations of that word all point to the idea of invisibility.

 

CLV (Chuck Larsen Version): But the earth was invisible and incomplete.

CLV In the beginning God created heaven and earth but the earth was invisible and incomplete.

Or: In the beginning when God created heaven and earth the earth was invisible and incomplete.

Tags:
Permalink
Genesis 1:2

Genesis 1:2b

Filed Under: Bible Translation, Genesis by Chuck
December 31, 1969

BHS (Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia): וְחֹ֖שֶׁךְ עַל־פְּנֵ֣י תְה֑וֹם

ESV (English Standard Version): and darkness was over the face of the deep

NLT (New Living Translation): and darkness covered the deep waters

 

LXX (Septuagint): καὶ σκότος ἐπάνω τῆς ἀβύσσου

BETS (Brenton English translation Septuagint): and darkness was over the deep

NETS (New English Translation Septuagint): and darkness was over the abyss

OSB (Orthodox Study Bible): and darkness was over the deep

 

VUL (Latin Vulgate): et tenebrae super faciem abyssi

DRB (Douay Rheims Bible): and darkness was upon the face of the deep

NAB: (New American Bible): and darkness covered the abyss

 

English Translations with variant readings:

AMP: and darkness was upon the face of the very great deep

CEV: it was under a roaring ocean covered with darkness

EMPH: and darkness was on the face of the roaring deep

GNB: The raging ocean that covered everything was engulfed in total darkness

HCSB (Holman Christian Standard Bible): darkness covered the surface of the watery depths

ISV: with the surface of the ocean depths shrouded in darkness

LB: with the Spirit of God brooding over the dark vapors

TM: a bottomless emptiness, an inky blackness

NCV (New Century Version): Darkness covered the ocean

 

Observations & Discussions

  1. Our English word for Abyss is a simple transliteration without the vowel ending of the Greek word “ἀβύσσου.” It also comes from the Latin abyssi which sounds like a transliteration as well. In Latin it appears to have several definitions: bowels of the earth, deep, sea, hell, infernal pit, and primal chaos. Since Abyss is an English word with a clear meaning it might be best to stick with it. According to Nelsons New Christian Dictionary (NNCD) the English word “Abyss” has a very specific Christian meaning. It says that the Abyss, “In the New Testament, (is) the abode of Satan and his demons.” The Merriam Webster Collegiate Dictionary (MWCD) says it’s “the bottomless gulf, pit, or chaos of the old cosmogonies.” Could there be a connection with this word here and connection between Satan and darkness in the Bible? Is there a clue to the timing of Satan’s fall from Heaven?
  2. 2. The Latin word “Tenebrae” according to LSLD’s first definition means “The darkness of night” Tenebrae is in MWCD and is defined by “a church service observed during the final part of Holy Week commemorating the sufferings and death of Christ.” I think many high church denominations still observe a Tenebrae service today.
  3. The idea of “the face” of the deep seems to be included in the BHS and in the VUL but appears to be absent in the LXX and its English translations.
  4. Some translations seem to suggest that the “deep” is simply another term for the oceans.

 

CLV (Chuck Larsen Version): And darkness covered the abyss.

CLV In the beginning God created heaven and earth but the earth was invisible and incomplete. And darkness covered the abyss.

Tags:
Permalink
sewa motor jogja
© Chuck Larsen 2019. Powered by WordPress.