Thursday, January 31, 2013
they that hate you shall reign over you
But, if you will not listen to me and carry out all these commands, and if you reject my decrees and abhor my laws and fail to carry out all my commands and so violate my covenant, then I will do this to you:
1. I will bring on you sudden terror, (terrorism?)
2. wasting diseases and fever that will destroy your sight and sap your strength. (AIDS? STDs? Bird/Asian/Swine Flu?)
3. You will plant seed in vain, because your enemies will eat it. (Taxes collected to pay interest on debt to foreign central banks?)
4. I will set my face against you so that you will be defeated by your enemies; (when was the last time we won a war?)
5. those who hate you will rule over you, (current administration...)
6. and you will flee even when no one is pursuing you.
Leviticus 26:14-17
Monday, January 28, 2013
The Kingdom of God
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Tuesday, January 15, 2013
new wine
New wine refers to fresh squeezed grape juice that is very sweet in the mouth due to sugar content.
Grape juice undergoes fermentation (corruption) of the sugar converting it to alcohol. Consider the words of Jesus concerning leaven and how it is typically representative of sin or corruption.
Does God "believe" in us?
I recently heard someone say "God believes in us".
Where is THAT in the Bible?
The only text they quoted to support this was "For God so loved the world that He gave...".
Basically they were saying that it was not just the motivation of love that Jesus endured the cross, but Jesus also believed in us, or had believed that we would receive the salvation He offered.
Now this is not a matter of difference of opinion or different interpretations. Hello... John 3:16 is "milk", how can you get more basic than that? By adding to that verse something that isn't there, no matter how cool it sounds, it still sours the milk. If the milk is sour, guarantee that the meat will be rancid.
Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. - 1 John 4:10
Why is it not sufficient that love was the motivation that Jesus went to the cross?
Taking into consideration the whole counsel of God and His nature, my understanding is that since God is love and expresses love perfectly, that Jesus went to the cross solely because of His love for us and would have done so even if nobody would repent and receive His completed payment for our sins.
This contrary doctrine contradicts not only John 3:16 but also Ephesians 2:4-5 and other verses...
But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),
Now why is "God believes in us" bad? Basically, instead of God being the only one who gets the glory for our salvation, we can get a share in it by doing something that God believes we will do. This is very appealing as it tickles our ears and appeals to our prideful flesh.
Unfortunately, some folks mistake having their flesh tickled for the "witness of the spirit". Regardless of how we feel, we still need to test all things against scripture and prove all things, holding fast to that which is true.
Of course the responses then become "well this is God doing something new", or "this is new revelation", or "Jesus told me this".
God reveals His nature in the Bible as being of order and not confusion. He does not contradict Himself, and neither should anything revealed to us by Him.
If I'm wrong on any point, I want someone to show me in scripture where I'm wrong. By two to three witnesses is something established (Deut 19:15) and it should not contradict any other scripture in context. If shown this, I quickly repent and conform to what the Word says. I want to get it right and be sure of what I teach my kids.
This verse reveals a very good reason to be sure of what you teach:
Matthew 18:6
But whoso shall offend [lead astray] one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.
Addendum:
Where is THAT in the Bible?
The only text they quoted to support this was "For God so loved the world that He gave...".
Basically they were saying that it was not just the motivation of love that Jesus endured the cross, but Jesus also believed in us, or had believed that we would receive the salvation He offered.
Now this is not a matter of difference of opinion or different interpretations. Hello... John 3:16 is "milk", how can you get more basic than that? By adding to that verse something that isn't there, no matter how cool it sounds, it still sours the milk. If the milk is sour, guarantee that the meat will be rancid.
Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. - 1 John 4:10
Taking into consideration the whole counsel of God and His nature, my understanding is that since God is love and expresses love perfectly, that Jesus went to the cross solely because of His love for us and would have done so even if nobody would repent and receive His completed payment for our sins.
This contrary doctrine contradicts not only John 3:16 but also Ephesians 2:4-5 and other verses...
But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),
Now why is "God believes in us" bad? Basically, instead of God being the only one who gets the glory for our salvation, we can get a share in it by doing something that God believes we will do. This is very appealing as it tickles our ears and appeals to our prideful flesh.
Unfortunately, some folks mistake having their flesh tickled for the "witness of the spirit". Regardless of how we feel, we still need to test all things against scripture and prove all things, holding fast to that which is true.
Of course the responses then become "well this is God doing something new", or "this is new revelation", or "Jesus told me this".
God reveals His nature in the Bible as being of order and not confusion. He does not contradict Himself, and neither should anything revealed to us by Him.
If I'm wrong on any point, I want someone to show me in scripture where I'm wrong. By two to three witnesses is something established (Deut 19:15) and it should not contradict any other scripture in context. If shown this, I quickly repent and conform to what the Word says. I want to get it right and be sure of what I teach my kids.
This verse reveals a very good reason to be sure of what you teach:
Matthew 18:6
But whoso shall offend [lead astray] one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.
Addendum:
This "God believes in us" line of thought is likely because of the contrary doctrine that God needs to use faith to do things... This is a popular contrary doctrine because if God needed faith, and we can use faith, then that puts us in the place of being a god (Gen 3:5), appealing to the pride of life (1John 2:16)
Of course, being that God is All-powerful and All-knowing, and that He knows the end from the beginning (Isa 46:12), He accomplishes His will by His own power as Creator.
We have no power in and of ourselves, and that is where faith comes in. The only way we can participate in things spiritually is through the power of the Holy Spirit, and we put our trust (faith) in God's Word that He will accomplish everything He has said. The power is not in faith, or to say, we don't put our faith in faith. Faith is only effective when we put our trust in something that is truly powerful. The power is in God, and our trust needs to be in God and His Word.
gifts
1Cor12:11 But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as He will.
Folks have a bad misunderstanding about gifts. The gift is for the person that needs it, not the person through whom the Holy Sprit may choose to work at that point in time.
Gifts are dispensed according to the will of the Holy Sprit and are for His glory and not our convenience.
If I encounter someone who needs healing, my hope is that the Lord will give them a gift of healing according to His will, timing, and for His glory. Should God will that I be an instrument in that process, my hope is that I'm sufficiently filled with and led by the Holy Spirit to play my part. Through the whole process God gets the glory and someone is blessed.
gifting and titles
I've been asked, "What's your gifting?"
Seems the assumption is that everyone must know what their special gifting is and be operating in it and all that jazz...
Where is that in the Bible?
Some folks love to pridefully walk around with a title and authority to look over their nose at others.
That IS in the Bible, but is a description of what NOT to do.
Seems the assumption is that everyone must know what their special gifting is and be operating in it and all that jazz...
Where is that in the Bible?
Some folks love to pridefully walk around with a title and authority to look over their nose at others.
That IS in the Bible, but is a description of what NOT to do.
Personally, the only title I hope to someday be called is "servant".
contrary doctrine
I've had folks tell me that I'm causing division when I question certain teachings. They often quote that the Bible says "mark them that cause divisions", as if any challenge to the teaching is a form of division...
The thing is, they are quoting out of context and not even quoting the entire verse...
Romans 16:17
Now I beseech you, brothers, mark them which cause divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine which you have learned; and avoid them.
Notice, it is the folks who are espousing the contrary doctrine that are causing division.
It is NOT the berean who is searching his scriptures daily to see that something is true that is causing division.
Nowhere in scripture are we told to tolerate false doctrines for the sake of "unity".
Instead, we are told to prove all things and hold fast to that which is true. We should always expect that a teaching be established by at least two to three witnesses in scripture.
Also, God's nature is order and not chaos. There should not just be a few verses to support a teaching, but the teaching should also not contradict any other scripture.
If we unite around anything, let it be the truth as presented in the scripture.
If my question is answered from the authority of scripture, then I'm perfectly happy to conform to what God has revealed He wants and expects.
Thursday, January 10, 2013
Doormat
Unfortunately, some folks think that humility and being humble means your supposed to be everyone's doormat.
Keep in mind Jesus washed the feet of others, not allowed others to wipe their feet on Him. At no point was He not in control in how He served others. At no point in His service to others was He enabling someone in their sin.
Keep in mind Jesus washed the feet of others, not allowed others to wipe their feet on Him. At no point was He not in control in how He served others. At no point in His service to others was He enabling someone in their sin.
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