Maybe "affirmation" isn't exactly the right term - we'll call it food for thought.

just for the record - some affirmations 4/4

Here's one more story about a wise man named Gamaliel. Today, we know he's wise. At the time he took a chance. He said, "Let's wait and see what happens."

[You can back up and start reading this in Acts 4 if you want]

Acts 5:34- 42 (NAS)

34 But a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the Law, respected by all the people, stood up in the Council and gave orders to put the men outside for a short time.

35 And he said to them, "Men of Israel, take care what you propose to do with these men. 36 For some time ago Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody, and a group of about four hundred men joined up with him. But he was killed, and all who followed him were dispersed and came to nothing. 37 After this man, Judas of Galilee rose up in the days of the census and drew away some people after him; he too perished, and all those who followed him were scattered. 38"So in the present case, I say to you, stay away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or action is of men, it will be overthrow, but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them; or else you may even be found fighting against God."

40They took his advice; and after calling the apostles in, they flogged them and ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and then released them. 41 So they went on their way from the presence of the Council, rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer shame for His name. 42 And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they kept right on teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ."

I'm not a teacher - I'm thinking on paper. Frankly, I'm not even claiming to be post-modern, lol! Not sure that I'm claiming to be anything at this point in time besides an annoying child of God full of questions. No one has to come here.

But just for the record, if I haven't said it clearly enough, "Jesus is the Christ!" "Jesus is Lord!"

just for the record - some affirmations 3/4

From Luke 5:36 [NIV]

Jesus said this, too: "No one tears a patch from a new garment and sews it on an old one. If he does, he will have torn the new garment, and the patch from the new will not match the old. 37 And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the new wine will burst the skins, the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. 38 No, new wine must be poured into new wineskins. 39 And no one after drinking old wine wants the new, for he says, 'The old is better.' "

New wine takes time to age but if I'm not mistaken, every old wineskin full of old wine was once a new wineskin full of new wine but to reach it's full potential, under the eye of experienced wine-makers (or at least those willing to learn), it needs time to age.

just for the record - some affirmations 2/4

from John 14 (NIV):

Jesus said,

1 "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. 2 In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. 4 You know the way to the place where I am going."

5 Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?"

6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him."

8 Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us." Jesus goes on to tell them about the Holy Spirit.

Jesus' disciples are full of questions. Jesus is right in front of their eyes, walking with them, talking with them, living with them but they keep wanting more. They keep wanting to understand. It's not often that Jesus tells them, "you're not allowed to ask me questions." Jesus is a very patient teacher.

Jesus does tell them they already have what they're seeking. They have Him. He's showing them the Father. He'll give them His Holy Spirit. He's the Living Word living with them every day. But there's only so much they can see and only so much they can understand. They're men.

Jesus has more to teach them. They have more to learn. All through scripture, generation after generation, God keeps teaching us - mere men and women. Jesus told his disciples eternal life was to know Him. If you know someone all of your life do you know everything there is to know about him? This is God we're talking about-Alpha and Omega . And, as I say, God- [Father, Son, Holy Spirit} - is a very patient teacher. He's promised if we seek Him with our whole heart, He'll let us find Him. Is it a one time event or ongoing? When you're following do you always have him in full view or are there times when you lose sight of Him?

just for the record - some affirmations 1/4

I decided to break this up into 4 small posts instead of one long post. It's mostly scripture. By all means go back and read these in context. Some of these passages appear in more than one gospel.

John 1:1-5 (NIV)

"1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning.

3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it."