ActionCloser

08/09/2024

The one who is victorious I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will they leave it. I will write on them the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on them my new name. -Revelation 3:12

Make you a pillar

Piller: Greek. στύλον (stulos) pillar.
From stuo (to stiffen; properly akin to the base of histemi); a post ("style"), i.e. (figuratively) support -- pillar.
..the word is perfectly translatable from the original Greek to English.

In roman culture at the time, when temples or churches were built, the pillars would be donated by the rich. They would inscribe the name of the donor on the pillar.

Using pillars as an example would’ve made perfect sense to the audience.

The city of Philadelphia area (modern-day Turkey) was plagued by earthquakes. At the time,the huge pillars were often the only structures left standing.

Many of those pillars remain to this day.

This interesting tie in between Roman culture and scripture is a simple example of why contextual information is so important in the study of scripture.

One thing a pastor taught me years ago is to do two things when you need better understanding:

1. Pick a key word and define it
Look up the greek or hebrew, check a couple different translations. Study the key word first.

2. Ask the five Ws: Who, What, When, Where, Why.
Who is it talking to?
What is it saying?
When was it written?
What region or culture was it intended for?
Why was it being said?

07/11/2024

07/06/2024

07/02/2024

CRUCIAL!!! WHAT I SAY TO MYSELF AND OTHERS IS OF THE UTMOST IMPORTANCE!!!!

A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.
-Luke 6:45

We all stumble in many ways. Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check.

When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. Or take ships as an example.

Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. -James 3:2-4

Listen to me as I say this. If your heart is filled with failure, fear, and loss, and you allow it to speak these things, just remember, your tongue is like a rudder, steering the ship in whatever direction the pilot wants to go!

What we say to ourselves fills our heart, and we say what is in our heart to others. It's not random, that it is a choice. We must speak life into our hearts, and steer our ship in the way it should go. If we want to right the ship, it's simple: tell ourselves, first, where we are going, then speak it from the heart (according to God's will) to the those around us.

That said, I am going to keep myself off the path of fear, failure, and anger. I will do what it takes to run the best race, and I will do it, not by drifting in the wind wherever the sea takes me, but by taking control of my ship. By choosing my words carefully, I will guide my ship into the most beautiful harbor. By filling my heart with words of love and creation, in the image of the God I serve, I will be a city on a hill that cannot be hidden.

06/26/2024

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Jason Howland takes a deep dive into the world of professional selling, from how he came up from a criminal drug-addict, to a thought leader in the world's highest paid profession. Take this fun, challenging and at times hilarious ride, as you become a top closer… an ActionCloser!