The Importance of Learning to Play in Multiple Positions on the Guitar

July 11, 2014

Many guitarists learn to play the guitar only in first position (open strings and the notes on the first four frets). Learning to play in other positions, a guitarist benefits himself in a number of ways.

Closer Fret Spacing in Higher Positions

Playing in higher positions, such as fifth position or ninth position, is easier because the space between frets is closer in higher positions. For example, on my classical guitar, frets 1 and 2 are 1 1/4 inches apart; frets 6 and 7 are 1 inch apart; and, frets 9 and 10 are 13/16 of an inch apart.???????????????????????????????

The closer spacing in higher positions makes learning to play the guitar easier in those positions because even a guitarist with relatively short fingers is able to cover more frets in those positions without having to move his hand. What’s more, various fingerings of multiple notes played at the same time are very hard (or even impossible) in first position, but they are often much easier in higher positions.

Variety of Timbres for the Same Note

Playing only in first position, a guitarist limits himself to playing a given note on only one string. By learning to play the same note on multiple strings, he is able to play that note with several different timbres.

For example, the open string E on the first string can also be played at the 5th fret of the second string, the 9th fret of the 3rd string, and the 14th fret of the fourth string. Although the pitch remains the same, the timbre of the E played varies widely from the fourth string to the first string.

Knowing the different timbres available on the guitar, a guitarist can create striking variations for playing the same melodies and chords of songs. Using this technique, a guitarist can accompany singers or other instrumentalists with an appealingly different texture of his accompaniment for each stanza of a song.

Playing in Certain Keys is Much Easier in Certain Positions

Advanced guitarists who take the time to learn where all the notes are on the fretboard discover that playing in certain positions makes playing the melody of a song much easier than it is in other positions. For example, seventh position is excellent for playing many songs in the keys of C, G, and D that are more challenging to play in lower positions.

Playing in Multiple Keys and Transposing Using a Movable Major Scale

By learning to play a movable major scale that spans two octaves, a guitarist who knows his positions well can play the same melody in multiple keys. This skill is especially valuable for songs that feature modulations in them.

What’s more, many songbooks have music in flat keys that are difficult for many guitarists to play because they do not take the time to learn to play songs in flat keys. By understanding how to use a movable major scale in different positions, advanced guitarists are able to play these songs both in these keys and in other keys by transposing them.

Chord Melody Solos

Playing a song in chord melody style provides a guitarist with a vital skill that increases his playing ability greatly. A guitarist can play both the chords and the melody of a song at the same time by using this style!

For example, listen to My Country ‘Tis of Thee played as a chord melody solo. Because this song is in 3/4, the guitarist plays a chord on beat 1 of every measure while playing the melody throughout:

Knowing where the notes are in multiple positions is essential for playing this style. Learning various chord shapes also makes learning the short chords that are the heart of this style much easier.

Conclusion

Learning to play in multiple positions on the guitar is valuable for many reasons. I have been teaching myself this skill for some time now and have found it to be very helpful in enriching my guitar playing!

I am also in the process of teaching a number of my students these advanced techniques. It is rewarding to see the progress that they are making!

Copyright © 2011-2024 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

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A Study of Whom God Refers to by Saying, “My Servant”

July 6, 2014

Scripture has at least 60 references that relate when God speaks about or to various people by saying, “My servant.”1 Strikingly, God speaks this way of (or to) David far more than He does of (or to) anyone else.

The compilation below presents these verses in roughly chronological order. The name of the person(s) designated as God’s servant is followed by how many times that designation occurs in how many verses and books.

Studying all these verses brings out many truths that are worth meditating on for the believer. The last of these reveals a glorious truth that should be of encouragement to every true believer in Jesus Christ! 

Job (6x; 4 verses; 1 book)

Job 1:8 And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? 

Job 2:3 And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? and still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause.

Job 42:7 And it was so, that after the LORD had spoken these words unto Job, the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite, My wrath is kindled against thee, and against thy two friends: for ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job hath.

8 Therefore take unto you now seven bullocks and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and my servant Job shall pray for you: for him will I accept: lest I deal with you after your folly, in that ye have not spoken of me the thing which is right, like my servant Job. 

Abraham (1x; 1 verse; 1 book)

Genesis 26:24 And the LORD appeared unto him the same night, and said, I am the God of Abraham thy father: fear not, for I am with thee, and will bless thee, and multiply thy seed for my servant Abraham’s sake. 

Jacob/Israel (the patriarch, the nation, or both; 13x; 13 verses; 3 books)

Isa 41:8 But thou, Israel, art my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend.

9 Thou whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, and called thee from the chief men thereof, and said unto thee, Thou art my servant; I have chosen thee, and not cast thee away.

Isa 42:19 Who is blind, but my servant? or deaf, as my messenger that I sent? who is blind as he that is perfect, and blind as the LORD’S servant?

Isa 43:10 Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me.

Isa 44:1 Yet now hear, O Jacob my servant; and Israel, whom I have chosen:

2 Thus saith the LORD that made thee, and formed thee from the womb, which will help thee; Fear not, O Jacob, my servant; and thou, Jesurun, whom I have chosen.

21 Remember these, O Jacob and Israel; for thou art my servant: I have formed thee; thou art my servant: O Israel, thou shalt not be forgotten of me.

Isa 49:3 And said unto me, Thou art my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified.

Jer 30:10 Therefore fear thou not, O my servant Jacob, saith the LORD; neither be dismayed, O Israel: for, lo, I will save thee from afar, and thy seed from the land of their captivity; and Jacob shall return, and shall be in rest, and be quiet, and none shall make him afraid.

Jer 46:27 But fear not thou, O my servant Jacob, and be not dismayed, O Israel: for, behold, I will save thee from afar off, and thy seed from the land of their captivity; and Jacob shall return, and be in rest and at ease, and none shall make him afraid.

28 Fear thou not, O Jacob my servant, saith the LORD: for I am with thee; for I will make a full end of all the nations whither I have driven thee: but I will not make a full end of thee, but correct thee in measure; yet will I not leave thee wholly unpunished.

Eze 28:25 Thus saith the Lord GOD; When I shall have gathered the house of Israel from the people among whom they are scattered, and shall be sanctified in them in the sight of the heathen, then shall they dwell in their land that I have given to my servant Jacob.

Eze 37:25 And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob my servant, wherein your fathers have dwelt; and they shall dwell therein, even they, and their children, and their children’s children for ever: and my servant David shall be their prince for ever.

Moses (6x; 6 verses; 4 books)

Num 12:7 My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all mine house.

8 With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the LORD shall he behold: wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?

Jos 1:2 Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel.

7 Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest.

2Ki 21:8 Neither will I make the feet of Israel move any more out of the land which I gave their fathers; only if they will observe to do according to all that I have commanded them, and according to all the law that my servant Moses commanded them.

Mal 4:4 Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments. 

Caleb (1x; 1 verse; 1 book)

Num 14:24 But my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and hath followed me fully, him will I bring into the land whereinto he went; and his seed shall possess it.

David (21x; 21 verses; 8 books)

2Sa 3:18 Now then do it: for the LORD hath spoken of David, saying, By the hand of my servant David I will save my people Israel out of the hand of the Philistines, and out of the hand of all their enemies.

2Sa 7:5 Go and tell my servant David, Thus saith the LORD, Shalt thou build me an house for me to dwell in?

2 Sa 7:8 Now therefore so shalt thou say unto my servant David, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, I took thee from the sheepcote, from following the sheep, to be ruler over my people, over Israel:

1Ki 11:32 (But he shall have one tribe for my servant David’s sake, and for Jerusalem’s sake, the city which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel:)

36 And unto his son will I give one tribe, that David my servant may have a light alway before me in Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen me to put my name there.

38 And it shall be, if thou wilt hearken unto all that I command thee, and wilt walk in my ways, and do that is right in my sight, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as David my servant did; that I will be with thee, and build thee a sure house, as I built for David, and will give Israel unto thee.

1Ki 14:8 And rent the kingdom away from the house of David, and gave it thee: and yet thou hast not been as my servant David, who kept my commandments, and who followed me with all his heart, to do that only which was right in mine eyes;

2Ki 19:34 For I will defend this city, to save it, for mine own sake, and for my servant David’s sake.

2Ki 20:6 And I will add unto thy days fifteen years; and I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria; and I will defend this city for mine own sake, and for my servant David’s sake.

1Ch 17:4 Go and tell David my servant, Thus saith the LORD, Thou shalt not build me an house to dwell in:

1Ch 17:7 Now therefore thus shalt thou say unto my servant David, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, I took thee from the sheepcote, even from following the sheep, that thou shouldest be ruler over my people Israel:

Psa 89:3 I have made a covenant with my chosen, I have sworn unto David my servant,

20 I have found David my servant; with my holy oil have I anointed him:

Isa 37:35 For I will defend this city to save it for mine own sake, and for my servant David’s sake.

Jer 33:21 Then may also my covenant be broken with David my servant, that he should not have a son to reign upon his throne; and with the Levites the priests, my ministers.

22 As the host of heaven cannot be numbered, neither the sand of the sea measured: so will I multiply the seed of David my servant, and the Levites that minister unto me.

26 Then will I cast away the seed of Jacob, and David my servant, so that I will not take any of his seed to be rulers over the seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob: for I will cause their captivity to return, and have mercy on them.

Eze 34:23 And I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd.

24 And I the LORD will be their God, and my servant David a prince among them; I the LORD have spoken it.

Eze 37:24 And David my servant shall be king over them; and they all shall have one shepherd: they shall also walk in my judgments, and observe my statutes, and do them.

25 And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob my servant, wherein your fathers have dwelt; and they shall dwell therein, even they, and their children, and their children’s children for ever: and my servant David shall be their prince for ever.

Isaiah (1x; 1 verse; 1 book)

Isa 20:3 And the LORD said, Like as my servant Isaiah hath walked naked and barefoot three years for a sign and wonder upon Egypt and upon Ethiopia; 

Eliakim (1x; 1 verse; 1 book)

Isa 22:20 And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will call my servant Eliakim the son of Hilkiah:

Nebuchadnezzar (3x; 3 verses; 1 book)

Jer 25:9 Behold, I will send and take all the families of the north, saith the LORD, and Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and will bring them against this land, and against the inhabitants thereof, and against all these nations round about, and will utterly destroy them, and make them an astonishment, and an hissing, and perpetual desolations.

Jer 27:6 And now have I given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, my servant; and the beasts of the field have I given him also to serve him.

Jer 43:10 And say unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will send and take Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and will set his throne upon these stones that I have hid; and he shall spread his royal pavilion over them.

Zerubbabel (1x; 1 verse; 1 book)

Hag 2:23 In that day, saith the LORD of hosts, will I take thee, O Zerubbabel, my servant, the son of Shealtiel, saith the LORD, and will make thee as a signet: for I have chosen thee, saith the LORD of hosts.

MESSIAH (5x; 5 verses; 3 books)

Isa 42:1 Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.

Isa. 49:6 And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth.

Isa 52:13 Behold, my servant shall deal prudently, he shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high.

Zec 3:8 Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, thou, and thy fellows that sit before thee: for they are men wondered at: for, behold, I will bring forth my servant the BRANCH.

Mat 12:18 Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall shew judgment to the Gentiles. 

True Disciples of Jesus (1x; 1 verse; 1 book)

Joh 12:26 If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.

This final occurrence of “my servant” in Scripture shows that Jesus speaks of the great honor that every true disciple of Jesus has of being His servant!

 

 

 

[1] Job (6x); Abraham (1x); Moses (6x); Caleb (1x); David (21x); Isaiah (1x); Eliakim (1x); Jacob/Israel (the patriarch, the nation, or both [11x]); Nebuchadnezzar (3x); Zerubbabel (1x); MESSIAH (7X); true disciples of Jesus (1x)

Copyright © 2011-2024 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

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What Genuine Salvation Is According to Scripture!

July 4, 2014

Scripture teaches that every human being (other than Jesus of Nazareth) has sinned and come short of the glory of God (Rom. 3:23). Because of our sin, we have all earned death as our wages (Rom. 6:23).

When we repent toward God, confess Jesus as Lord with our mouths, and believe in our hearts that God has raised Him from the dead, we are saved (Acts 20:21; Rom. 10:9). Calling on the name of the Lord, we receive forgiveness of sins and the gift of eternal life because we honor Jesus as we honor the Father who has given all judgment to Him by appointing Him as the Judge of the living and the dead (John 5:22-24; Acts 10:42-43; Rom. 6:23; 10:13).

According to Scripture, however, genuine salvation is much more than just having one’s sins forgiven and going to heaven when we die. When a person is genuinely saved, he is delivered from the power of Satan and darkness and translated into the kingdom of God’s dear Son (Acts 26:18; Col. 1:12-13) so that he would walk in newness of life (Rom. 6:4)!

Praise God for so great a salvation!Salvation - The Kingdom of God

Copyright © 2011-2024 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

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On Fasting and Praying

June 29, 2014

A search in BibleWorks 7 for verses about both fasting and praying shows that combination occurs at least 11 times in the Bible: 

Neh 1:4 And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven,

Psa 35:13 But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into mine own bosom.

Dan 9:3 And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes:

Mat 17:21 Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.

Mar 9:29 And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.

Luk 2:37 And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day.

Luk 5:33 And they said unto him, Why do the disciples of John fast often, and make prayers, and likewise the disciples of the Pharisees; but thine eat and drink?

Act 10:30 And Cornelius said, Four days ago I was fasting until this hour; and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house, and, behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing,

Act 13:3 And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.

Act 14:23 And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed.

1Co 7:5 Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency.

A quick scanning of these verses makes me think that we as believers today probably need to give more attention to this subject, especially given these references (Neh. 1:4; Dan. 9:3; Acts 13:3; 14:23; 1 Cor. 7:5).

Copyright © 2011-2024 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

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A Grace Story: Stephanie Heimann’s Testimony for Baptism

June 24, 2014

Stephanie Heimann, a friend from my church, recently gave her testimony to be baptized. God blessed me greatly through her testimony. With her permission, I am sharing her testimony so that He can bless many others through it.

A Grace Story

Stephanie Heimann’s testimony for baptism

“Give thanks to the Lord . . .  for He satisfies the thirsty soul . . .” ~Psalm 107

I spent years of my life looking for something to satisfy my soul . . . and I never would have found the One who can (on my own) . . . so He came and found me.

When I was a child, I believed that Jesus died and rose again. So, I thought I was a Christian. I was baptized. There were times when I wanted to read my Bible and pray, but those seasons of devotion did not last. I had a long season of rebellion.

But, God granted me repentance and after He did, I wondered, “Was I really a Christian when I was a child or did God save me when I was an adult?” The latter seemed true, but I could not understand how I could have had affection for God when I was a child if I was not a child of God.

I have been trying to understand this for many years, and recently, the Lord used the testimony of Jonathan Edwards to help me to understand my own.

When Edwards was a child, there were times when he spent a lot of time praying and reading his Bible, but those seasons of devotion did not last. After he became a true Christian, he looked back at his childhood affections for God and said, “I am ready to think [that] many are deceived . . . [by] such affections . . . and mistake it for grace.” That one sentence explained my experience.

I had mistaken my childhood affection for God . . . for grace. And, for a time it may have seemed like I was a Christian, but difficulty was coming and that difficulty would reveal the true condition of my heart.

When I was in 7th grade, my church and Christian school fell apart. One of the pastors was sent to prison. After this, my faith was tested and I failed the test. The testing revealed that my faith was superficial.

I claimed to be a Christian, but I didn’t want to be like Christ. I wanted to be like the world (I John 2:15-16, James 4:4).

I rebelled against my parents. I was a fool (Prov. 15:5). My life would have been so much better had I obeyed them, but I didn’t. I wanted to live the way I wanted to live, and I thought that I would be able to go to heaven no matter what I did (1 Cor.6:9-10, Gal 5:19-21, Rev. 22:15) as long as I believed that Jesus died and rose again (James 2:19). But, I didn’t know that Christianity is a commitment of submission to the King, and becoming a Christian is supernatural act where God changes a person’s heart and gives them a desire to know God and obey Him.

I didn’t want to know God and obey Him. I just wanted to be able to go to heaven. I missed the whole point of the gospel (2 Cor. 5:17-19). I didn’t want to be reconciled to God because I didn’t want Him to tell me how to live.

I thought I would be happy if I went my own way (Isaiah 53:6). But, I was wrong. I pursed emptiness and became empty (Jer. 2:5). I started drinking and going to parties . .  .

I was searching for something to satisfy my restless soul. But nothing in this world could. I felt like something was missing in my life . . . I didn’t know that the thing that was missing was God.

One night I went to the bar with my friends. The next morning I was in an unfamiliar place with unfamiliar people. I was sitting in darkness (Psalm 107:10-11, Is. 9:2). I wasn’t seeking God . . . but He was seeking me.

And, suddenly, I became aware of His presence. He opened my eyes and made me see reality. And, I thought, “What am I doing here?”

Then I had a horrible experience. I realized, “I am here because this is who I am. I am a sinner”. I could see that I was throwing my life away and I knew I was going to die if I kept going my own way . . . and I could see that the pleasures of sin could not satisfy my soul.

I thought, “What is the point of life? There has to be more to life than this.”

Then it was as if God said, “There is . . . there is so much more to life than this . . . if you will follow Me.” Then God gave me a glimpse of hope that the soul-satisfying happiness I was looking for would be found in Him (Psalm 16:11). It was as if Jesus was saying, “Come to me . . ., and I will satisfy your soul” (John 7:37; 6:35; 4:14)  . . .  and I did.

I believed Him because He gave me grace—He delighted in me and gave me a heart that was capable of delighting in Him. I didn’t want my sin anymore. I wanted God.

I started to read the Bible, and I started to know the One who satisfies restless souls—and nothing compares to the joy of knowing Him. He has completely changed my life.

He answered the prayers of my parents.

Tonight, I can say, “Jesus has done everything for me, and I want to follow Him.”

 

Copyright © 2011-2024 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

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Mere Coincidence or Answered Prayer?

June 23, 2014

This evening, I had the very unpleasant experience of learning that I had failed to do what I should have in helping a friend with a simple but vital task—remembering the restrictions passcode for his iphone 4. When he asked me to enter the passcode so that he could add some more restrictions to his use of the phone, I realized that I had not written down the numbers that I had entered a few weeks ago as the passcode.

I frantically tried various number combinations that I thought might work, but none of them would work. I then went online to see if there might be some way to reset the phone even though we did not know the passcode.

My internet search proved to be useless, and I became more disturbed at my carelessness. Finally, I decided to pray and ask God for mercy on me in spite of my irresponsibility.

As soon as I finished praying, the thought came into my mind to try a certain number combination that I had not yet tried. I praise and thank God that He put in my mind the right combination, which I had previously been unable to remember at all for the past 15-20 minutes or more!

For the unbeliever, what I experienced was just mere co-incidence of two unrelated events—my praying and my trying a certain number combination. I, however, have no doubt that what happened was not mere coincidence, but rather it was answered prayer by a living God who chose to have mercy on my friend and me!

Praise God!

Copyright © 2011-2024 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

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Beware the Temporary Pleasures of Sin!

June 20, 2014

We as humans often make sinful choices because we wrongly value the temporary pleasures of sin. Scripture warns us against doing so through both negative examples and positive examples.

Negative Examples

1. Adam and Eve

In spite of their knowing the penalty that they would receive, Adam and Eve violated God’s command not to eat of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Gen. 2:16-17). They did so because they valued the immediate pleasures that would be theirs more than their having a right relationship with God (Gen. 3:6).

As Satan did to Eve, he continually seeks to beguile us “through his subtlety, so [that our] minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ” (2 Cor. 11:3). The disastrous choice of Adam and Eve and its horrific consequences warn us all against wrongly valuing the temporary pleasures of sin at the expense of our pleasing God.

2. Amnon

Amnon had a perverse desire to be immoral with his half-sister (2 Sam. 13:1-2). Seeking the temporary pleasures that immorality would bring him, he forced himself upon her (2 Sam. 13:8-14).

As soon as his wicked desire for immediate sensual pleasure had been fulfilled, his “love” for her turned into hatred (2 Sam. 13:15). Through his wicked actions, he not only defiled her (2 Sam. 13:16; 19-20) but also brought ultimate ruin upon himself (2 Sam. 13:22-29; 32).

Positive Examples

1. Joseph

Potiphar’s wife repeatedly attempted to seduce Joseph into enjoying the temporary pleasures that committing adultery would bring him (Gen. 39:7; 10-12a), but Joseph steadfastly refused her wicked attempts (Gen. 39:8-10; 12b). Joseph testified that he valued his relationship with God more than the short-lived sinful pleasures that she was offering him (Gen. 39:9).

For his refusal to choose to enjoy the temporary pleasures of sin, Joseph suffered greatly (Gen. 39:20).

2. Moses

The writer of Hebrews extols Moses for making the right choice to refuse the temporary pleasures of sin:

Heb 11:24 By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter; 25 Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; 26 Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.

Like Joseph before him, Moses suffered affliction for making the right choice not “to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season” (Heb. 11:25). Moreover, like Joseph, Moses’ right choice stemmed from his valuing his relationship with God more than any pleasures sinful choices would bring him (Heb. 11:26).

3. Jesus

For forty days, Satan personally assaulted Jesus with numerous temptations (Mark 1:13; Luke 4:2), including the prospect of His immediately enjoying having power over all the kingdoms of the world and having all their glory as His (Matt. 4:8-9; Luke 4:5-6). Jesus rebuked the devil and refused his offer (Matt. 4:10; Luke 4:8).

Like Joseph and Moses, Jesus suffered greatly in His lifetime for refusing the temporary sinful pleasures that Satan offered Him (cf. Heb. 12:2). Furthermore, like Joseph and Moses, Jesus chose suffering rather than enjoying such sinful pleasures because He valued His relationship with God more than anything else (Matt. 4:10; Luke 4:8).

Conclusion

From both the negative and the positive examples that we have in Scripture of those who made choices concerning enjoying the temporary pleasures of sin versus valuing a right relationship with God more than such pleasures, we should beware making sinful choices because we wrongly value the temporary pleasures of sin. We should also be prepared to suffer for choosing to refuse such pleasures.

Through Jesus’ victory over all such temptations, we who are united with Him can be victorious over similar temptations to choose the temporary pleasures of sinful actions. Jesus is fully willing and able to grant us all the grace and mercy that we need in such times (Heb. 4:15-16) so that we will supremely value our relationship with God and not sin against Him by choosing “to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season”!

Let us beware the temporary pleasures of sin!

 

Copyright © 2011-2024 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

In Discipleship, Exhortation, Theology
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Pray for a Righteous Ruling in the Case Concerning Hobby Lobby and Other Christian Companies

June 18, 2014

God wants all those who are in authority to rule righteously in His fear (Ps. 2, Romans 13, etc.). Believers everywhere should pray for a righteous ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court in the case involving the religious rights of Hobby Lobby and other Christian companies. How this case is decided will have major ramifications for religious freedom in our country as well as elsewhere because of the widespread influence that American political and religious developments have in the world.

Copyright © 2011-2024 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

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The Evangelistic Importance of Testimony about Jesus’ Exorcisms

June 14, 2014

In many ways, the NT highlights the evangelistic importance of testimony about Jesus’ exorcisms. This evidence calls for adjusting our evangelistic strategies so that they properly account for this importance.

The Synoptic Gospels Provide Much Testimony about Jesus’ Exorcisms

The Synoptic Gospels underscore the evangelistic importance of Jesus’ exorcisms by providing multiple accounts of his casting demons out of people. The following list provides in chronological order[1] the passages that record Jesus’ performing exorcisms (parallel passages among the Gospels are indicated by the use of “/” between references):

1. Mk. 1:21-28/ Luke 4:31b-37;

2. Matt. 8:16/ Mk 1:34;

3. Matt. 4:24/ Mk 1:39/ Luke 4:41;

4. Matt. 12:22-37/ Mk. 3:20-30;

5. Matt. 8:28-34/ Mk. 5:1-20/ Luke 8:26-39;

6. Matt. 9:27-34

7. Matt. 15:21-28/ Mk. 7:24-30;

8. Matt. 17:14-21/ Mk. 9:14-29/ Luke 9:37-43a.

9. Luke 11:14-36

The Synoptic Gospels also underscore the evangelistic importance of Jesus’ exorcisms by providing information about other exorcisms that Jesus performed for which the writers of the Synoptic Gospels chose not to give an actual account of His doing so (seven demons cast out from Mary Magdalene [Mk. 16:9]).

This data makes clear that the Holy Spirit viewed including testimony about Jesus’ exorcisms as vital in the writing of these Gospels. Because the Gospels were written to evangelize people, the inclusion of these accounts shows us the importance of evangelistic testimony to Jesus’ exorcisms.

The Synoptic Gospels Record Jesus’ Commands to Testify about His Exorcisms

The Synoptic Gospels further emphasize the evangelistic importance of testimony to Jesus’ exorcisms by recording on at least two occasions that Jesus commanded people to give testimony about His exorcisms:

 Luk 8:38 Now the man out of whom the devils were departed besought him that he might be with him: but Jesus sent him away, saying, 39 Return to thine own house, and shew how great things God hath done unto thee. And he went his way, and published throughout the whole city how great things Jesus had done unto him.

Luk 13:32 And he said unto them, Go ye, and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures to day and to morrow, and the third day I shall be perfected. 

Because the Synoptic Gospels not only provide testimony about Jesus’ exorcisms but also make known that He commanded some people to testify about them, we learn that such testimony has great evangelistic importance.

Acts Records Apostolic Gospel Testimony about Jesus’ Exorcisms

Like the Synoptic Gospels, Acts also shows the evangelistic importance of testimony about Jesus’ exorcisms, but it does so in different ways than the Gospels do. Acts emphasizes such testimony by recording a seminal statement in Peter’s gospel message in Caesarea:

Act 10:38 How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.

Luke highlighted testimony to Jesus’ exorcisms in a profound way with this statement because that testimony is the only explicitly recorded information that we have about how Peter testified on this occasion to the miraculous works of Jesus.

Through directing Luke to record this gospel testimony for us, the Holy Spirit also has provided us with a superb model of how we should evangelize people concerning their understanding of the term Christ (for more information about this point, see the brief discussion of Acts 10:38 here).

Acts Highlights the Evangelistic Importance of Testimony to Jesus’ Exorcisms through a Striking Account of Jewish Failure in Exorcism

Acts further emphasizes the evangelistic importance of testimony to Jesus’ exorcisms through a striking account that contrasts apostolic success in exorcising people possessed by demons versus Jewish failure to do so (Acts 19:11-17). While Paul was in Ephesus, God worked special miracles through him, including even the casting out of demons from people through their coming into contact with handkerchiefs or aprons from his body (Acts 19:11-12).

Some Jewish exorcists then attempted to perform an exorcism by invoking the name of Jesus whom Paul preached (Acts 19:13-14). Not only did these men fail to drive out the demon, but also the man who had the demon overpowered them and drove them out “naked and wounded” from the house where they were (Acts 19:15-16).

Through the spreading of news about their striking failure, the name of the Lord Jesus was greatly magnified among all who were in Ephesus (Acts 19:17). Hence, through testimony that dramatically contrasted the successful apostolic exorcisms with the unsuccessful attempt of these Jewish exorcists, many lost people received a powerful evangelistic witness of the power of Jesus’ name.

As the readers of Acts, we thus see that Acts accords with the Synoptic Gospels in emphasizing the evangelistic importance of testimony about Jesus’ exorcisms.

Discussion

Both the Synoptic Gospels and Acts instruct us in various ways about the evangelistic importance of testifying to Jesus’ exorcisms. This evidence is more than sufficient to teach us that we should include such testimony in our evangelism whenever possible.

Some may object to this conclusion by pointing out that explicit testimony to Jesus’ exorcisms is strikingly lacking in the Gospel of John, which has an explicit statement about its evangelistic purpose (John 20:31). Does this seemingly major difference between the Synoptics and the Gospel of John mean that testimony to Jesus’ exorcisms is not an important aspect of proper evangelism?

For several reasons, attaching such determinative significance to this lack of testimony in the Gospel of John is invalid. First, as noted above, the Synoptic Gospels and Acts provide abundant evidence that such testimony is important.

Second, because the Gospel of John was almost certainly written after all the other Gospels and Acts were written, any reader of the Fourth Gospel would need to interpret it in conjunction with all that God had revealed prior to giving this final Gospel.

Third, at the point that John was written, the apostles and other believers had already been evangelizing people for several decades and thus already knew well what was important to include in evangelistic testimony. For that reason, the lack of explicit testimony to Jesus’ exorcisms in John would not have played any important role in changing the thinking of believers about what they should say when they evangelize people.

Finally, although John lacks any explicit accounts of Jesus’ exorcisms, John has implicit teaching that fully accords with that vital aspect of Jesus’ ministry. John writes that Jesus interpreted a voice that thundered from heaven (John 12:28-29) by giving vital testimony concerning what His upcoming death would mean for the devil:

 Joh 12:30 Jesus answered and said, This voice came not because of me, but for your sakes.

 31 Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out (Gk. ekballw).

 32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.

 33 This he said, signifying what death he should die. 

Jesus’ statement that the devil would be cast out (John 12:31) ties at least implicitly to many passages in the Synoptic Gospels about His casting out demons from people because the same verb ekballw is used both in John and in those passages in the Synoptic Gospels.[2] This strong link between John and the Synoptic Gospels further supports the conclusion that lack of explicit testimony in John to Jesus’ exorcisms does not negate the vast evidence in the Synoptic Gospels and Acts about the importance of such testimony.

Conclusion

Profuse testimony in the Synoptic Gospels about Jesus’ exorcisms makes clear that such testimony is of great importance in proper evangelism. Additional evidence in Acts further supports this conclusion.

We should include testimony about Jesus’ exorcisms in our witnessing whenever it is possible to do so. We can provide such testimony by sharing Acts 10:38 with everyone we witness to and explaining that statement to them thoroughly.

 

[1] This chronological listing is based in part on information provided in “An Outline For a Harmony of the Gospels” (Thomas and Gundry, A Harmony of the Gospels, 7-14).

[2] Matt. 8:16, 31; 9:33, 34; 12:24, 26, 27, 28; 17:19; Mk. 1:34, 39; 3:22, 23; 7:26; 16:9; Lk. 11:14, 15, 18, 19, 20; 13:32

Copyright © 2011-2024 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

In Evangelism, Exposition, Gospel, Interpretation
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Spanish Bible Reading Report 6.13.14

June 13, 2014

By day 164 of 2014, I have read 493 total chapters in the Reina Valera this year!

6.13.14 sbrr

  • Books completed – Genesis; Exodus; Psalms; Proverbs; Ecclesiastes; Isaiah; Matthew; John; Galatians; 1 & 2 Thessalonians; James; 1 & 2 & 3 John; Jude (426 total chapters)
  • Other reading – Leviticus 1-7; Job 1-25; Jeremiah 1-5; Mark 1-8; Acts 1-19; 1 Cor. 13-15 (67 total chapters)
  • Chapters read – OT – 386; NT – 107; Total – 493

I praise God for my continuing progress with this project!

Copyright © 2011-2024 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

In Bible reading, Spanish
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