Real Bible Arrowheads: There is much truth in this article but it is not for the faint in heart.
http://1amimybrotherskeeper.blogspot.com/
Monday, December 06, 2010
There is much truth in this article but it is not for the faint in heart.
There is much truth in this article but it is not for the faint in heart.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The clergy is a highly overrated institution. Indeed, reports on the value and necessity of clergy have been greatly exaggerated. Many Christians assume, for example, that the most important thing in choosing a church is its minister, that a church cannot function effectively without a priest or pastor, that the first thing one must do in starting a church is to hire a minister to lead it, that Sunday morning should be judged by its sermon, and that the preeminent way to serve God is to go to seminary to be trained for Christian service.
But could it be that, on the contrary, clergy are neither necessary nor, in the long run, good for church? Is it possible that one of the best things that could happen to the church today is for all clergy to resign their posts and take jobs in the world? Might it be that church without clergy could be the best kind of church?
Certainly, for many we may as well ask whether we should shoot ourselves in the head. But upon closer inspection this perspective is not as lunatic as it first seems. The fact is, although our clergy-system is one of the dominant features of the church today, it has almost nothing to do with the New Testament, is fundamentally counter-productive, and is an inherent obstruction to healthy, biblical church life.
PLEASE NOTICE, FIRST of all, that when we talk about clergy we are most definitely not talking about the actual people who are clergy. The specific men and women who are priests, ministers, and pastors are, on the whole, wonderful people. They love God, want to serve God, and want to serve the people of God. They typically are sincere, compassionate, intelligent, self-giving, and long-suffering. Let it be clear, then, that the problem with clergy is not the people who are clergy but the profession that those people are a part of.
Furthermore, let it be clear that, despite serious problems of their profession, clergy do actually accomplish much good in the church. It's not that clergy don't help people significantly. They most certainly do-which is one reason why they are such a dominant feature of church life. But the good the people of the clergy are able to accomplish is despite their profession rather than because of it.
Without a doubt, the clergy is a profession and members of the clergy are professionals. Just as lawyers protect and interpret the law and doctors protect and administrate medicine, clergy protect, interpret, and administrate the truth of God. This profession, like any profession, dictates standards of conduct for how its members should dress, speak, and act, both on-duty and off-duty. And, like other professions, it dictates standards of education, preparation, admittance to the profession, procedures for job searches and applications, and retirement. Clearly, Catholic priests and Protestant ministers alike are expected-by their parishioners, friends, hierarchies, denominational authorities, and themselves-to have a distinct kind of training, be certain kinds of people, and perform certain kinds of duties.
Traditionally, the profession has demanded that clergy be male and, in some denominations, preferably married and, if so, happily married. The profession demands that its members possess a seminary degree and official ordination. The profession (unrealistically) requires that clergy be extraordinarily gifted: natural leaders, skilled orators, capable administrators, compassionate counselors, wise decision-makers, dispassionate conflict-resolvers, and astute theologians. Naturally, professional standards insist that clergy be morally upright and exemplary in every way. And, as an outward sign, clergy must dress respectably and speak with authority and conviction.
Clergy function essentially as professional church managers. Clergy are responsible for preparing teachings, homilies, and sermons, visiting the sick, conducting funerals and marriages, properly administering the sacraments, overseeing church social events, Sunday School, and catechism programs, preparing engaged couples for marriage, counseling those with problems, preparing denominational reports, attending denominational meetings, managing missionary and evangelistic programs, assembling and overseeing staff (such as assistant ministers, youth group leaders, administrative staffs, and evangelism teams), organizing fund-raising drives, attending to community relations, facilities use, and building maintenance, encouraging, disciplining, and edifying parishioners, and establishing the vision and direction of the church.
There exists, then, a definite set of tasks which everyone (even the non-Christian) knows is the rightful duty of a member of the clergy. Everyone knows it because it is an institutionalized profession, created and maintained by denominations, hierarchies, theological seminaries, the laity, and, finally, the clergy themselves.
THE FIRST PROBLEM with the clergy is that God doesn't intend such a profession to exist. There is simply and unequivocally no biblical mandate or justification for the profession of clergy as we know it. In fact, the New Testament points to a very different way of doing church and pastoral ministry.
Nevertheless, human societies throughout history have consistently created spiritual castes of people-shamans, priests, soothsayers, witch-doctors, wise-men, prophets, gurus-and the Christian church has been no exception. It didn't take long for the church to construct, based on a handful of ambiguous scripture verses ("upon this rock I will build my church," "you shall not muzzle an ox while it is threshing"), a massive, institutional, hierarchical superstructure. This, in effect, created a two-class, authoritarian system within the church in which clergy were considered more spiritual than laity.
Protestants broke with the Catholic church, of course. But Protestants are just as "catholic" as Roman Catholics when it comes to clergy. Though the Bible replaced the Sacraments as the center of God's revelation for Protestants, the profession they set up to protect and distribute this revelation is functionally identical to the Catholic priesthood. As the priest correctly administers the wafer, the minister correctly interprets the Word of God.
But when we go back to the Word of God and read it afresh, we see that the clergy profession is the result of our human culture and history and not of God's will for the church. It is simply impossible to construct a defensible biblical justification for the institution of clergy as we know it.
THE SECOND PROBLEM with the clergy profession is that it crushes "body life." We can see in the New Testament that God doesn't intend church to be a formal association to which a rank-and-file membership belongs by virtue of paying dues and attending meetings, an association which is organized, guided, and governed by a professional leader (and, in larger organizations, by an administrative bureaucracy). Yet that is exactly what most churches are.
By contrast, God intends church to be a community of believers in which each member contributes their special gift, talent, or ability to the whole, so that, through the active participation and contribution of all, the needs of the community are met. In other words, what we ought to see in our churches is "the ministry of the people," not "the ministry of the professional." In this way, the church is to act like a body, with each unique, necessary part working for the good of the whole body. And, Paul argues clearly that each member's gift is indispensable, that the body needs each part to contribute or else it will be lame (1Cor. 12:20-25).
The problem is that, regardless of what our theologies tell us about the purpose of clergy, the actual effect of the clergy profession is to make the body of Christ lame. This happens not because clergy intend it (they usually intend the opposite) but because the objective nature of the profession inevitably turns the laity into passive receivers.
The role of clergy is essentially the centralization and professionalization of the gifts of the whole body into one person. In this way, the clergy represents Christianity's capitulation to modern society's tendency toward specialization; clergy are spiritual specialists, church specialists. Everyone else in the church are merely "ordinary" believers who hold "secular" jobs where they specialize in "non-spiritual" activities such as plumbing, teaching, or marketing. So, in effect, what ought to be accomplished in an ordinary, decentralized, non-professional manner by all church members together is instead accomplished by a single, full-time professional-The Pastor.
Since the pastor is paid to be the specialist in church operations and management, it is only logical and natural that the laity begin to assume a passive role in church. Rather than contributing their part to edify the church, they go to church as passive receivers to be edified. Rather than actively spending the time and energy to exercise their gift for the good of the body, they sit back and let the pastor run the show.
Think about Sunday morning. Parishioners arrive on schedule, sit quietly in pews, and watch and listen to the minister who is up-front, center-stage, whose (usually elevated) presence dominates the service. They stand, sit, speak, and sing only when they are directed to by the minister or the program. Yet, in reality, what happens during these two hours on Sunday morning is only a micro-cosmic picture of the whole church reality.
If the people of a congregation began to get a vision that the church is not a formal association but a community, that gifts are distributed-apart from ordination-to each person, that everyone must actively participate and contribute for church to work, that no one's gift is more important than another's, and that everyone's participation will ensure a full, healthy church life-in short, a vision of a biblical view of church life- I suspect many would begin to ask themselves: "Then what are we paying our minister for?" And, that would be a reasonable question to ask.
Full-time, professional clergy are only needed when church members are not doing their part. On the other hand, when each church member is actively participating and contributing their part for the good of the body, a professional minister is unnecessary. That is a fact that is proven every day in tens of thousands of communities and home churches all around the world.
THE THIRD PROBLEM with the clergy profession is that it is fundamentally self-defeating. Its stated purpose is to nurture spiritual maturity in the church-a valuable goal. In actuality, however, it accomplishes the opposite by nurturing a permanent dependence of the laity on the clergy. Clergy become to their congregations like parents whose children never grow up, like therapists whose clients never become healed, like teachers whose students never graduate. The existence of a full-time, professional minister makes it too easy for church members not to take responsibility for the on-going life of the church. And why should they? That's the job of the pastor (so the thinking goes). But the result is that the laity remain in a state of passive dependence.
Imagine, however, a church whose pastor resigned and that could not find a replacement. Ideally, eventually, the members of that church would have to get off of their pews, come together, and figure out who would teach, who would counsel, who would settle disputes, who would visit the sick, who would lead worship, and so on. With a bit of insight, they would realize that the Bible calls the body as a whole to do these things together, prompting each to consider what gift they have to contribute, what role they could play to build up the body. And with a bit of courage, that church might actually take the painful steps in the direction of long-term change. Some might leave for other churches that have full-time ministers. would have with a pastor to do it all for them.But those who remained to participate in the work of building body life would mature faster and further than they ever thought.
THE FOURTH PROBLEM with the clergy profession is what it does to the people in that profession. Being a member of the clergy as we know it is difficult. Doing it very well is almost impossible. Yet good-hearted men and women, convinced that they are serving God in this way, admirably pour their lives into this task. What they encounter as professional clergy, however, is stress, frustration, and burn-out.
It's no wonder, of course, since clergy are trying to do the work of a whole congregation all by themselves!
How can a single person be a natural leader, a skilled orator, a visionary, a capable administrator, a compassionate counselor, a wise decision-maker, a dispassionate conflict-resolver, and an astute theologian all at once? Why do we make one person be all things to all parishioners?
Being a minister is, quite simply, unrealistic. It is as unrealistic as a corporation expecting a single employee to successfully fill or oversee all of the corporate roles, from mail-boy to secretary to middle-manager to president, while most of the other employees arrive at work one day a week to simply watch this super-human achievement (and sometimes do a chore they are asked by the super-employee to do). In this way, the clergy profession demands super-Christian, super-human accomplishment. Christians-with our realistic understanding of human limitations and weaknesses-should know better than that. God certainly did, which is why he gave the task of maintaining and building up the church as the shared responsibility of all believers, not the centralized, specialized, professionalized task of one person.
CLERGY ARE THE keepers-of-the-church; but the church really doesn't need to be kept in this way because God keeps it and asks all believers to participate in keeping it. The clergy, as a profession, are assigned to preserve, protect, and dispense Christian truth, correct teachings, the Bible, the sacraments, and authority. Yet the Christian truth does not need a professional class to protect it. Truth is not that fragile.
Christian truth is not some kind of classified or dangerous material which only card-carrying experts can handle. Nor is it like riches which need the protection of safe vaults and armed security guards. It is the Holy Spirit's and not the hierarchy or the denomination's job to preserve Christian truth in history; and the Holy Spirit has seen fit to do so by distributing it to all God's people so they can share it together.
The problem with clergy, we've seen, is not the actual people who are of the clergy-who are typically sincere and committed-but the social role of the profession to which they belong. Ministers often hope to re-shape that role in ways that are more realistic and biblical. But they eventually discover that, for the most part, they can't reshape the role at will because their congregations and denominations expect the standard things from them. Of course, that's the nature of social roles: they shape people more than people shape them.
A problem even more basic and serious than the clergy role, however, is that most Christians have completely redefined what a healthy church looks like in the first place. For most church-goers, a solid, healthy church is one which is growing numerically, has a fabulous pastor, and offers many activities and programs. That may be what a vibrant voluntary association-such as the YMCA-looks like. But if the Bible is our authority, those factors are irrelevant when it comes to church.
What's important in church, according to the Bible, is that each member actively contributes to the good of the whole body through responsible participation and the exercise of their gifts. What's important in church, according to the Bible, is that believers become strong and mature in their faith through the edification of one another. A biblical church is a "people's church" with a decentralized ministry.
Of course, when we speak of "church without clergy," we do not mean the elimination of full-time ministers. Indeed, the church needs more full-time ministers. The relevant question, however, is: what kinds of ministries ought these full-time people to be doing? According to the New Testament, full-time ministers ought to be ministering in and to the world, in such tasks as working with the poor, doing evangelism, and making peace where there is conflict and violence. Biblically speaking, it is the world, and not the church, which needs full-time Christian ministers.
WHAT WE NEED today is church without clergy. Pastors themselves need to be liberated from the demand to be ultra-versatile, multi-talented, super-human performers. And lay people need to be jarred from the pacifying illusion that it is enough to simply attend church on Sunday mornings and tithe ten percent of their income.
Church without clergy is not easy; it demands the full, active participation of everyone. But the rewards of church without clergy-the riches of participation, of solidarity, and of community-make the effort exceedingly worthwhile. And, those who make that effort will be well on their way to transforming church from something they simply go to, to something they, together, are.
Study with us. 6:30 Wed. dillmunsell@yahoo.com
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The clergy is a highly overrated institution. Indeed, reports on the value and necessity of clergy have been greatly exaggerated. Many Christians assume, for example, that the most important thing in choosing a church is its minister, that a church cannot function effectively without a priest or pastor, that the first thing one must do in starting a church is to hire a minister to lead it, that Sunday morning should be judged by its sermon, and that the preeminent way to serve God is to go to seminary to be trained for Christian service.
But could it be that, on the contrary, clergy are neither necessary nor, in the long run, good for church? Is it possible that one of the best things that could happen to the church today is for all clergy to resign their posts and take jobs in the world? Might it be that church without clergy could be the best kind of church?
Certainly, for many we may as well ask whether we should shoot ourselves in the head. But upon closer inspection this perspective is not as lunatic as it first seems. The fact is, although our clergy-system is one of the dominant features of the church today, it has almost nothing to do with the New Testament, is fundamentally counter-productive, and is an inherent obstruction to healthy, biblical church life.
PLEASE NOTICE, FIRST of all, that when we talk about clergy we are most definitely not talking about the actual people who are clergy. The specific men and women who are priests, ministers, and pastors are, on the whole, wonderful people. They love God, want to serve God, and want to serve the people of God. They typically are sincere, compassionate, intelligent, self-giving, and long-suffering. Let it be clear, then, that the problem with clergy is not the people who are clergy but the profession that those people are a part of.
Furthermore, let it be clear that, despite serious problems of their profession, clergy do actually accomplish much good in the church. It's not that clergy don't help people significantly. They most certainly do-which is one reason why they are such a dominant feature of church life. But the good the people of the clergy are able to accomplish is despite their profession rather than because of it.
Without a doubt, the clergy is a profession and members of the clergy are professionals. Just as lawyers protect and interpret the law and doctors protect and administrate medicine, clergy protect, interpret, and administrate the truth of God. This profession, like any profession, dictates standards of conduct for how its members should dress, speak, and act, both on-duty and off-duty. And, like other professions, it dictates standards of education, preparation, admittance to the profession, procedures for job searches and applications, and retirement. Clearly, Catholic priests and Protestant ministers alike are expected-by their parishioners, friends, hierarchies, denominational authorities, and themselves-to have a distinct kind of training, be certain kinds of people, and perform certain kinds of duties.
Traditionally, the profession has demanded that clergy be male and, in some denominations, preferably married and, if so, happily married. The profession demands that its members possess a seminary degree and official ordination. The profession (unrealistically) requires that clergy be extraordinarily gifted: natural leaders, skilled orators, capable administrators, compassionate counselors, wise decision-makers, dispassionate conflict-resolvers, and astute theologians. Naturally, professional standards insist that clergy be morally upright and exemplary in every way. And, as an outward sign, clergy must dress respectably and speak with authority and conviction.
Clergy function essentially as professional church managers. Clergy are responsible for preparing teachings, homilies, and sermons, visiting the sick, conducting funerals and marriages, properly administering the sacraments, overseeing church social events, Sunday School, and catechism programs, preparing engaged couples for marriage, counseling those with problems, preparing denominational reports, attending denominational meetings, managing missionary and evangelistic programs, assembling and overseeing staff (such as assistant ministers, youth group leaders, administrative staffs, and evangelism teams), organizing fund-raising drives, attending to community relations, facilities use, and building maintenance, encouraging, disciplining, and edifying parishioners, and establishing the vision and direction of the church.
There exists, then, a definite set of tasks which everyone (even the non-Christian) knows is the rightful duty of a member of the clergy. Everyone knows it because it is an institutionalized profession, created and maintained by denominations, hierarchies, theological seminaries, the laity, and, finally, the clergy themselves.
THE FIRST PROBLEM with the clergy is that God doesn't intend such a profession to exist. There is simply and unequivocally no biblical mandate or justification for the profession of clergy as we know it. In fact, the New Testament points to a very different way of doing church and pastoral ministry.
Nevertheless, human societies throughout history have consistently created spiritual castes of people-shamans, priests, soothsayers, witch-doctors, wise-men, prophets, gurus-and the Christian church has been no exception. It didn't take long for the church to construct, based on a handful of ambiguous scripture verses ("upon this rock I will build my church," "you shall not muzzle an ox while it is threshing"), a massive, institutional, hierarchical superstructure. This, in effect, created a two-class, authoritarian system within the church in which clergy were considered more spiritual than laity.
Protestants broke with the Catholic church, of course. But Protestants are just as "catholic" as Roman Catholics when it comes to clergy. Though the Bible replaced the Sacraments as the center of God's revelation for Protestants, the profession they set up to protect and distribute this revelation is functionally identical to the Catholic priesthood. As the priest correctly administers the wafer, the minister correctly interprets the Word of God.
But when we go back to the Word of God and read it afresh, we see that the clergy profession is the result of our human culture and history and not of God's will for the church. It is simply impossible to construct a defensible biblical justification for the institution of clergy as we know it.
THE SECOND PROBLEM with the clergy profession is that it crushes "body life." We can see in the New Testament that God doesn't intend church to be a formal association to which a rank-and-file membership belongs by virtue of paying dues and attending meetings, an association which is organized, guided, and governed by a professional leader (and, in larger organizations, by an administrative bureaucracy). Yet that is exactly what most churches are.
By contrast, God intends church to be a community of believers in which each member contributes their special gift, talent, or ability to the whole, so that, through the active participation and contribution of all, the needs of the community are met. In other words, what we ought to see in our churches is "the ministry of the people," not "the ministry of the professional." In this way, the church is to act like a body, with each unique, necessary part working for the good of the whole body. And, Paul argues clearly that each member's gift is indispensable, that the body needs each part to contribute or else it will be lame (1Cor. 12:20-25).
The problem is that, regardless of what our theologies tell us about the purpose of clergy, the actual effect of the clergy profession is to make the body of Christ lame. This happens not because clergy intend it (they usually intend the opposite) but because the objective nature of the profession inevitably turns the laity into passive receivers.
The role of clergy is essentially the centralization and professionalization of the gifts of the whole body into one person. In this way, the clergy represents Christianity's capitulation to modern society's tendency toward specialization; clergy are spiritual specialists, church specialists. Everyone else in the church are merely "ordinary" believers who hold "secular" jobs where they specialize in "non-spiritual" activities such as plumbing, teaching, or marketing. So, in effect, what ought to be accomplished in an ordinary, decentralized, non-professional manner by all church members together is instead accomplished by a single, full-time professional-The Pastor.
Since the pastor is paid to be the specialist in church operations and management, it is only logical and natural that the laity begin to assume a passive role in church. Rather than contributing their part to edify the church, they go to church as passive receivers to be edified. Rather than actively spending the time and energy to exercise their gift for the good of the body, they sit back and let the pastor run the show.
Think about Sunday morning. Parishioners arrive on schedule, sit quietly in pews, and watch and listen to the minister who is up-front, center-stage, whose (usually elevated) presence dominates the service. They stand, sit, speak, and sing only when they are directed to by the minister or the program. Yet, in reality, what happens during these two hours on Sunday morning is only a micro-cosmic picture of the whole church reality.
If the people of a congregation began to get a vision that the church is not a formal association but a community, that gifts are distributed-apart from ordination-to each person, that everyone must actively participate and contribute for church to work, that no one's gift is more important than another's, and that everyone's participation will ensure a full, healthy church life-in short, a vision of a biblical view of church life- I suspect many would begin to ask themselves: "Then what are we paying our minister for?" And, that would be a reasonable question to ask.
Full-time, professional clergy are only needed when church members are not doing their part. On the other hand, when each church member is actively participating and contributing their part for the good of the body, a professional minister is unnecessary. That is a fact that is proven every day in tens of thousands of communities and home churches all around the world.
THE THIRD PROBLEM with the clergy profession is that it is fundamentally self-defeating. Its stated purpose is to nurture spiritual maturity in the church-a valuable goal. In actuality, however, it accomplishes the opposite by nurturing a permanent dependence of the laity on the clergy. Clergy become to their congregations like parents whose children never grow up, like therapists whose clients never become healed, like teachers whose students never graduate. The existence of a full-time, professional minister makes it too easy for church members not to take responsibility for the on-going life of the church. And why should they? That's the job of the pastor (so the thinking goes). But the result is that the laity remain in a state of passive dependence.
Imagine, however, a church whose pastor resigned and that could not find a replacement. Ideally, eventually, the members of that church would have to get off of their pews, come together, and figure out who would teach, who would counsel, who would settle disputes, who would visit the sick, who would lead worship, and so on. With a bit of insight, they would realize that the Bible calls the body as a whole to do these things together, prompting each to consider what gift they have to contribute, what role they could play to build up the body. And with a bit of courage, that church might actually take the painful steps in the direction of long-term change. Some might leave for other churches that have full-time ministers. would have with a pastor to do it all for them.But those who remained to participate in the work of building body life would mature faster and further than they ever thought.
THE FOURTH PROBLEM with the clergy profession is what it does to the people in that profession. Being a member of the clergy as we know it is difficult. Doing it very well is almost impossible. Yet good-hearted men and women, convinced that they are serving God in this way, admirably pour their lives into this task. What they encounter as professional clergy, however, is stress, frustration, and burn-out.
It's no wonder, of course, since clergy are trying to do the work of a whole congregation all by themselves!
How can a single person be a natural leader, a skilled orator, a visionary, a capable administrator, a compassionate counselor, a wise decision-maker, a dispassionate conflict-resolver, and an astute theologian all at once? Why do we make one person be all things to all parishioners?
Being a minister is, quite simply, unrealistic. It is as unrealistic as a corporation expecting a single employee to successfully fill or oversee all of the corporate roles, from mail-boy to secretary to middle-manager to president, while most of the other employees arrive at work one day a week to simply watch this super-human achievement (and sometimes do a chore they are asked by the super-employee to do). In this way, the clergy profession demands super-Christian, super-human accomplishment. Christians-with our realistic understanding of human limitations and weaknesses-should know better than that. God certainly did, which is why he gave the task of maintaining and building up the church as the shared responsibility of all believers, not the centralized, specialized, professionalized task of one person.
CLERGY ARE THE keepers-of-the-church; but the church really doesn't need to be kept in this way because God keeps it and asks all believers to participate in keeping it. The clergy, as a profession, are assigned to preserve, protect, and dispense Christian truth, correct teachings, the Bible, the sacraments, and authority. Yet the Christian truth does not need a professional class to protect it. Truth is not that fragile.
Christian truth is not some kind of classified or dangerous material which only card-carrying experts can handle. Nor is it like riches which need the protection of safe vaults and armed security guards. It is the Holy Spirit's and not the hierarchy or the denomination's job to preserve Christian truth in history; and the Holy Spirit has seen fit to do so by distributing it to all God's people so they can share it together.
The problem with clergy, we've seen, is not the actual people who are of the clergy-who are typically sincere and committed-but the social role of the profession to which they belong. Ministers often hope to re-shape that role in ways that are more realistic and biblical. But they eventually discover that, for the most part, they can't reshape the role at will because their congregations and denominations expect the standard things from them. Of course, that's the nature of social roles: they shape people more than people shape them.
A problem even more basic and serious than the clergy role, however, is that most Christians have completely redefined what a healthy church looks like in the first place. For most church-goers, a solid, healthy church is one which is growing numerically, has a fabulous pastor, and offers many activities and programs. That may be what a vibrant voluntary association-such as the YMCA-looks like. But if the Bible is our authority, those factors are irrelevant when it comes to church.
What's important in church, according to the Bible, is that each member actively contributes to the good of the whole body through responsible participation and the exercise of their gifts. What's important in church, according to the Bible, is that believers become strong and mature in their faith through the edification of one another. A biblical church is a "people's church" with a decentralized ministry.
Of course, when we speak of "church without clergy," we do not mean the elimination of full-time ministers. Indeed, the church needs more full-time ministers. The relevant question, however, is: what kinds of ministries ought these full-time people to be doing? According to the New Testament, full-time ministers ought to be ministering in and to the world, in such tasks as working with the poor, doing evangelism, and making peace where there is conflict and violence. Biblically speaking, it is the world, and not the church, which needs full-time Christian ministers.
WHAT WE NEED today is church without clergy. Pastors themselves need to be liberated from the demand to be ultra-versatile, multi-talented, super-human performers. And lay people need to be jarred from the pacifying illusion that it is enough to simply attend church on Sunday mornings and tithe ten percent of their income.
Church without clergy is not easy; it demands the full, active participation of everyone. But the rewards of church without clergy-the riches of participation, of solidarity, and of community-make the effort exceedingly worthwhile. And, those who make that effort will be well on their way to transforming church from something they simply go to, to something they, together, are.
Study with us. 6:30 Wed. dillmunsell@yahoo.com
Wednesday, November 03, 2010
Lies The Church Tells Women
FOR CENTURIES, A PATRIARCHAL SYSTEM OF CONTROL HAS KEPT WOMEN IN SPIRITUAL CAPTIVITY THROUGH DISTORTION OF THE SCRIPTURES. IT'S TIME TO DEBUNK THE MYTHS.
By J. Lee Grady
We live in the 21st century, but if we're honest we have to admit that in some ways the church is still in the Dark Ages--especially when we look at the way we treat women.Even though the Scriptures never portray women as secondary to men, our male-dominated religious system still promotes a warped view of female inferiority. Women are tired of this, and as a man, so am I--because such demeaning attitudes don't reflect God's heart.
Jesus challenged gender prejudice at its core when He directed so much of His ministry toward women. In a Middle Eastern culture that considered women mere property, He healed women, discipled them and commissioned them to minister. Yet today we spend much of our energy denying them opportunities--and using the Bible to defend our prohibitions.
I've identified 10 erroneous views about women that for too long have been circulated in the church, preached from pulpits and written in the study notes of popular Bible translations. I believe we must debunk these lies if we want to see the church fully released to fulfill the Great Commission.
LIE #1. GOD'S ULTIMATE PLAN FOR WOMEN IS THAT THEY SERVE THEIR HUSBANDS.How sad that so many Christian men view women from a selfish perspective. This view is often promoted by misreading the account of Eve's creation in Genesis 2:18-25, in which Adam is provided a "helpmate." The Hebrew word used here often is translated "companion," denoting intimacy and partnership. But through the centuries it has been used to imply that Eve was some type of domestic appendage.
We men have assumed that God gave Eve to fulfill Adam's sexual needs as well as to serve as his cook, laundress and maid. But the Genesis account does not say this.
After Eve's creation, God did not tell her: "You are Adam's helper; I command you to serve him well." She was not created for servitude; she was fashioned to be a co-laborer with Adam so that they might rule together over creation as God commissioned them to do (see Gen. 1:28).
LIE #2. WOMEN CAN'T BE FULFILLED OR SPIRITUALLY EFFECTIVE WITHOUT A HUSBAND.From the time she was released from a German death camp in 1944 until her death in 1983, Corrie Ten Boom taught the world about a Savior who could forgive the cruelest Nazi. Yet she never married. Did the fact that she did not have a husband make her less "complete"? Some Christians would say yes.
We have spent so much energy defending the concept of the biblical family that we are guilty of idolizing it. We've preached that a woman's primary responsibility is to find a godly husband, have lots of babies and stay home to raise them for Christ.
But marital status is not a qualifier for ministry. The Bible does not even state whether certain key followers of Jesus, such as the 12 disciples, were married or not.
The highest calling of all believers--married or unmarried--is to develop a relationship with Jesus. Any other earthly relationship is secondary, and Christ Himself warned us never to allow people we love to become idols that distract us from Him.
LIE #3. WOMEN SHOULDN'T WORK OUTSIDE THE HOME.Many evangelical churches have preached that women who work outside the home are breaking a scriptural commandment, but this conclusion can be reached only by distorting the biblical record. The woman described in Proverbs 31 is often used to bolster a traditional view of the June Cleaver-style matron who spends her day baking casseroles while her husband is at the office. But a careful reading reveals that the Proverbs 31 woman, in her ancient Middle Eastern context, functioned as a real estate agent and ran a textile business.
LIE #4. WOMEN MUST OBEDIENTLY SUBMIT TO THEIR HUSBANDS IN ALL SITUATIONS.A distraught Christian woman who was regularly beaten by her husband finally gained the courage to seek counsel from her pastor. After she told him about her husband's fits of rage, the pastor responded, "If your husband kills you, it will be to the glory of God."
The pastor reached this irresponsible conclusion because of a distorted view of "male headship." We often portray marriage as a hierarchy, with husbands on the throne and wives at the footstool, and we use Scripture to justify this view: "Wives...submit to your husbands as you do to the Lord" (Eph. 5:22).
We assume this verse means women have no say in family matters or that their opinion is second-rate. In extreme cases, women have been told to submit to abuse in order to honor male headship. But this is not a Christian view.
Paul also told the Ephesians, "submit to one another" (5:21, emphasis added). I have heard teachings by male clergy on the subject of male headship, but I've never heard a pastor encourage men to submit to their wives! Yet in a loving marriage, a man and woman will defer to one another as they make decisions.
In my 16 years of marriage, my wife and I have had plenty of disagreements. But when we reach an impasse, I don't announce, "I am the head of this house, so what I say goes." Rather, Deborah and I either agree to pray about the matter, or we choose to defer to one another.
The point is never who is in charge. I view my wife as an equal. I am not "over her." We function as one.
LIE #5. A MAN NEEDS TO "COVER" A WOMAN IN HER MINISTRY ACTIVITIES.This idea came from a distorted interpretation of the apostle Paul's words in 1 Corinthians 11:3, "the head of woman is man" (NKJV). People have used these words to bolster the idea that women are subservient to men or that they cannot approach God without a male authority figure in their lives.
Paul's teaching in 1 Corinthians 11 about head coverings is a difficult passage, and Bible scholars don't agree on its meaning. However, most teach that Paul is addressing specific cultural concerns in first-century Corinth and that he is calling for propriety and order in a society where immorality and paganism had blurred gender distinctions.
Paul was not placing men in a position of generic rulership over women. Because there is "no male or female in Christ" (see Gal. 3:28), women can pray, worship, study the Bible or minister without a man present. How silly to think that a man, because of his gender, could add credibility to prayer or Spirit-empowered ministry! To believe this would be to trust in the flesh.
LIE #6. A WOMAN SHOULD VIEW HER HUSBAND AS THE "PRIEST OF THE HOME."Search your concordance. Scripture never describes men as "priests of the home." This man-made concept was popularized in evangelical churches in the last century. We have one priest, Jesus Christ, whose blood atoned for our sins. It is a mockery of the gospel to suggest that any human being needs an additional priest apart from the Son of God.
The Bible says all believers are priests (see 1 Pet. 2:9, Rev. 1:6); there is no gender restriction. Husbands function as priests when they pray for their families or when they minister the Word of God to them, and wives also function in this role.
My experience in marriage has been that God speaks both to me and to my wife. He doesn't say to me, "Since you are the head of this house, I'll tell you my plans for your family, and you can tell the others what I said." Often God has revealed His plans to my wife before I heard anything!
Christian men need to stop being defensive and recognize that God has called us to function in unity with our wives. We need to listen to their counsel, consider their opinions, and pray together for the mind of the Lord rather than putting our foot down and shouting, "I am the leader of this family, and what I say goes!"
LIE #7. WOMEN ARE NOT EQUIPPED TO ASSUME LEADERSHIP ROLES.The most common mistake we make in biblical interpretation occurs when we take one isolated verse and build a doctrine around it--even if the verse seems to contradict other passages. This is often what we do with 1 Tim. 2:12, "I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man" (NASB).
Most theologians believe that this passage was addressing an isolated situation in Ephesus. They came to this conclusion after studying the myriad of references in the Bible to women in spiritual authority. The Old Testament records that Deborah was a judge over Israel--and God blessed her leadership in battle (see Judg. 4-5). Other women who held authority over men include Miriam, Huldah and Noadiah.
Jesus issued His first gospel commission to women (see Matt. 28:1-10), and both men and women were empowered to preach on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4). Priscilla, Chloe and Phoebe were leaders in the early church, and one woman, Junia, is called an apostle by Paul (Rom. 16:7).
The promise of the prophet Joel was that "sons and daughters" would prophesy after the Holy Spirit was given to the church (Joel 2:28, emphasis added). Yet we have taken one misunderstood verse from Paul's writings and used it to negate hundreds of other passages that support the full release of women into ministry.
LIE #8: WOMEN MUST NOT TEACH OR PREACH TO MEN IN A CHURCH SETTING.Since 1 Timothy 2:12 obviously contradicts the overall biblical endorsement of women in authority, how are we to understand it? What is Paul actually saying in this passage?
In their book I Suffer Not a Woman, Richard and Catherine Clark Kroeger explain that certain cultic worship practices involving female priestesses of Diana had invaded the first-century church. These priestesses promoted blasphemous ideas about sex and spirituality, and they sometimes performed rituals in which they pronounced curses on men and declared female superiority.
What Paul was most likely saying to the Ephesians was this: "I do not allow a woman to teach these cultic heresies, nor do I allow them to usurp authority from men by performing pagan rituals." He was not saying, as some Christians have assumed, "I do not allow godly Christian women to teach the Bible." In his day, Paul would have been thrilled to have had more skilled women who could teach the truth!
LIE #9. WOMEN ARE MORE EASILY DECEIVED THAN MEN.This idea has been taught by twisting the meaning of 1 Timothy 2:14, which says, "It was not Adam who was deceived, but the woman being quite deceived, fell into transgression" (NLT). Some have suggested that because Eve was tricked by the devil, women have a stronger propensity toward deception. Others have gone so far as to insist that women are to blame for all the evil in the world and are therefore under a greater curse than men.
No respectable Bible scholar in the church today would promote such a view. The Bible clearly states that Adam and Eve were both held guilty by God for their disobedience, and they were both punished. In 1 Timothy, Paul cited the creation account not to place extra blame on Eve but to refute a bizarre teaching that was circulating in Asia Minor.
In the first century, Gnostic heretics were mixing Christianity with paganism. One of their teachings stated that Eve actually liberated the world when she disobeyed God and gained secret knowledge from the devil.
Paul was not teaching that women are more prone to deception. He was explaining that what Eve did was not right, and that the Christian view of the creation was that Adam and Eve sinned when they listened to the serpent.
Women are certainly capable of spreading deception because they have a fallen nature as men do, but there is no evidence that they have greater gullibility. That view is rooted in demeaning stereotypes and prejudice.
LIE #10: WOMEN WHO EXHIBIT STRONG LEADERSHIP QUALITIES HAVE A "SPIRIT OF JEZEBEL."
"Lord, we bind the power of the devil from bewitching this audience," one man said, adding, "We bind the power of Jezebel in the name of Jesus." These men believed that the crowd would automatically come under a spirit of deception when Jacobs taught them--simply because she was a woman.
How absurd! Was Barak "deceived" when he took orders from Deborah? (See Judg. 4:14.) Did baby Jesus come under a harmful influence when Anna prophesied over Him? (See Luke 2:36-38.) Was Apollos spiritually emasculated when he submitted to the teaching of Priscilla? (See Acts 18:26.) Of course not!
To associate godly women with Jezebel, a wicked Old Testament despot, is unfair and offensive, yet men in the church today often pin Jezebel's label on strong, anointed women because they feel threatened by them.
Let's stop the insults. If a woman is using manipulation to usurp authority or if she is spreading heresies, then she certainly deserves the Jezebel label--as do men who do such things. But women who walk in spiritual integrity and preach the Word of God with power deserve our respect.
J. Lee Grady, editor of Charisma magazine, has enlarged on this topic in his book, Ten Lies the Church Tells Women. It is excellent.
Study with us 6:30 dillmunsell@yahoo.com
Ten Lies The Church Tells Women
Saturday, May 03, 2008
Linda number 4 on right bottom age 2008 62Her experience with God. 4/8/2008
I always believed in Jesus and I have prayed all my life, My parents believed. They taught us about Jesus. In my younger years, I remember me having bad dreams that something bad was after me trying to catch me and it would scare me and would wake up crying, and couldn't go back to sleep. My sister Jane would tell me to say the Lords prayer out loud so the devil could hear, she said that God could hear my prayer, but you had to pray out loud for the Devil to hear, of course she was 3 years older than me. I listen to her, Our father who our in heaven Hallow be thy name, And I would pray the prayer out loud, and I found that the devil didn't like Gods name "JESUS" he would run from Gods name. And my Jesus could hear to. I would fall right of to sleep, so I would say the Lords prayer every night after that, and really still do and a little more now.
We all have Sin, we were born in sin, and have sin in some way or other. We are human, but we are in his likeness. I didn't know that you had to pray for repentance. Maybe I had heard it before, but didn't really know what it meant untill I was older. I read the Bible, but I didn't really understand it. I tried to, but it was hard to understand, until I started to pray for the understanding of Gods word. Then a little at a time I started understanding what God was saying in his word. I started to understand that if you don't repent of your sins and ask God for forgiveness, "that God can't". You have to ask, if you don't ask and have the faith in your heart. How can he forgive? If you had enough faith that he would forgive you, you would ask, "Yes", God knows all but he wants you to love him enough to ask. Off course not for stuff that you don't really need, but forgiveness and His Love And Health.
All he wants is your Love. Will not do any good if you don't Love him and ask for his forgiveness, and he knows in your heart when you really don't mean it. You have to keep praying until there is no doubt in your mind and heart that you love him. I really believe that. Some people might say, but I have prayed all my life and he hadn't done any thing for me. Was your heart true when you prayed, did you really believe that he loves you, did your give him your heart & soul, did you tell him God do with me as your will would want of me? Did you tell him that you would never forsake him, that you are his soldier for his word, would you die for him? That is true love! I think God understands that you make mistakes in life/
Like I said we are only human, but you fix those mistakes and ask Gods forgiveness, and don't do them again. God forgives and he loves you, but it takes a part from you to do the right thing. He knows everything in your mind when you think bad things and you say things that are not true, "GOD KNOWS ALL." Don't ever kid yourself in believing that he dosen't. Its not only the big things you do, but all things, all the little things in your heart that you think no one knows about, but God knows all things. My heart hurts about things that I thought didn't mean anything to most people, but to God they were big things. I notice when I ask God for forgiveness of my sins that things later would pop into my head. Did you ask forgiveness for this, "that I hadn't thought of in years". When you start he won't let you forget them. Then you should ask forgiveness for that. Some of these things wouldn't mean any thing to most people. But I ask for forgiveness. It must have been things that would keep me from going forward in what he wanted of me.Well, enough about that, I have been sick since about 40 years old with arthritis, in time it progressed down my spine and in my knees and shoulders. It was just moving all over, as anyone knows who has arthritis. I was having to get shots in my spine for pain. It would move from place to place. So each time I would have to put it in a different spot beside my spine. Sometimes in my lower back, others in my upper back. I was having a lot of pain. It was very hard to keep from showing it. I would try to hide it from John, my husband, but he could tell.Seems like I couldn't get away from the pain. The Dr. gave me pain med.'s, but it didn't help much. The shots; help for a little while, but not for long. Then I found out I had Sleep apnea. They said I stopped breathing 27 times in an hour for 45 seconds at a time. When I went to the Dr. after the sleep test, he said that it could have been sudden death. I was very weak and couldn't think, my memory was very bad. It really scared me, I thought I was losing my mind. I knew things but couldn't express myself. I would sleep all the time. My husband would try to wake me, I could hear him and I would scream at him in my mind, wake me up I can't breath! But I couldn't move. Finally he would wake me. I told him that I heard him but I couldn't move or talk.Any time I did that again, I told him to shake me or anything to wake me up. I told my Dr. that I felt I was dying a little at a time. Then I found out I had Diabetes type 2, then my sugar level got to "450" and I was so weak, I looked like a whale! I thought I was really fat. The Dr. put me on a breather for my sleep apnea and my memory started coming back and lost 15 pounds, but look like I lost 50 pounds. Most of it was swelling. I really thought I wasn't going to be here much longer. I felt bad all the time.I was praying all this time, praying for my children, praying for my sister, and brothers, my dad, husband Uncles & aunts everyone I thought needed help from God, but didn't never think to pray for myself. I didn't think I deserved prayer or something, I don't really know why?I always watched preaching on TV every morning, Joyce Myers, Cerfo Dollar, and John Hagee. They are very good. But that day, it wasn't on so I change the station, and this lady preacher and it was my time that God had for me. Cause she was praying to straighten what was crooked in the spine, I was sitting on my love seat at the edge, I had been hurting that morning a lot and couldn't get any peace from it.
I felt God told me to pray with her. I did and God came upon me and I felt fingers pressing on the lower part of my spine moving up on each side of my spine. I was surprised and sat there with my mouth open "Oh My God"!! what's happening, but the fingers went all the way up my back. Here I am sitting all alone and fingers going up my back. After that I didn't say any thing, because I thought everyone would think I was crazy for sure. But later I notice my back wasn't hurting. Two weeks later I went to the Dr. He was going to put the shot cortisone into my shoulders, because they had frozen up and was hurting me pretty bad. He ask me how my back was doing, and told him it hasn't been hurting and he said, "thank God for that, and it went all though me," what he didn't know it was God that did it. and I thank GOD every day for God healing my pain.
Then I was sitting in my recliner one day about a month after all this. I fell asleep watching TV, it seem so real, that I was on the ground all of a sudden. I was being lifted up floating, my feet was coming "off" the ground. I remember trying to keep my toes to stay down to touch the ground, but I couldn't. I kept going up "floating up," then I could see blue skies I floated up in the sky and there I floated in front of a being, that looked like an angel, but not like in books are pictures that I have seen. I remember it was like it was speaking though my mind, that it wasn't male or female. I must have been thinking what is this? It was a bright light, but it didn't blind me. I couldn't see a face it was all light. It would have blinded me if it been on earth. It was so peaceful and like a love there that I didn't want to leave. It was blue all around the angel, It didn't say anything and neither did I. I floated right in front of it, seem to be about a foot away from it. I felt it gave me something, but don't no what maybe a blessing and all of a sudden I started floating back down. I didn't want to! I came down and my toes touched the ground and I woke up. Like a dream, but it was real to me.And a little at a time my shoulder pain eased up and now don't hurt at all, I have so much more peace sense then. I don't hurt like before I didn't touch a cigarette for 30 days am a different person today, I think God has touched my life & soul. And he has a place for me in heaven. We all have the destiny to make and only we can do it. All we have to do is ask, until we ask and mean it in our hearts he will give, but until you ask. What does it say in his words? Ask and you shall receive. GOD BLESS YOU ALL
Linda Selman Smile, Jesus Loves YouLinda Selman dillmunsell@yahoo.com
Friday, November 30, 2007
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2 Timothy 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
8 Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;
9 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,
10 But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:
11 Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.
2 Timothy 2:10 Therefore I endure all things for the elect's sakes,> (Israel) that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.
23 But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes.
2 Timothy 3:1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
6 For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,
7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
8 Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.
9 But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as their's also was.
10 But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience,
11 Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me.
12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.
14 But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;
15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
17 That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.
Note on Repentance: The fact that people are called "to turn" either "to" or "away from" implies that sin is not an ineradicable stain, but by turning (repentance), a God given power, a sinner can redirect his destiny. There is with conversion, the free sovereign act of God's mercy and man's going beyond contrition and sorrow to a conscience decision of turning to God. God has done His part, says faith, so we do our human part showing forth His work of grace on our heart through our walk. Turning to God includes acceptance of all God's total will for one's life.
Strong's 3341 metanoia = Change of mind, remorse, regret, repentance from evil to good or from good to better repentance is expected to manifest itself in conduct.
Acts 26.20 The kindness of God leads to repentance.
Acts 26:20 20 But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.Belive for the very works sake jesus said.What work = the Kingdom coming to earth.
Romans 2:4 Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?
Eze 36:29
Repentance toward God based on the death of Christ is permanent. The new birth brings this about. It cannot fail so cannot be repeated. The Death of Christ is central in our salvation and not any action (work) of ours. Salvation is of the Lord. He has purchased for us eternal salvation from death.
The word proverb, parable, Allegory? ( taunt ?) (I am going to put an end to this proverb, and they will no longer quote it in Israel.') NIV
Encarta® World English Dictionary, North American Edition
Definition: (proverb) short well-known saying: a short well-known saying that expresses an obvious truth and often offers advice.
The proverb is a literary form whose origins are lost in the mists of time, and which, according to most scholars, preceded the invention of writing. It is also prevalent among peoples who are illiterate. Existing from the dawn of humanity and not confined to any specific country, proverbs transcend all frontiers. Known to the ancient Egyptians, the Chinese, the Indians and the Persians, they are also found in the Grco-Roman civilization and they left a particular imprint on the Arab and Hebrew cultures. They might be described as oral literature, the progenitor of written cultural traditions. Before man was able to express himself in writing, he was able to encapsulate the essence of his wisdom in elliptical form. The proverb, handed down from father to son, spread regardless of borders and ethnic groups. Scholars are agreed that many proverbs found among one people can be traced in others.
This is why we need the Spirit of truth after God built his church on the rock Jesus.
Matthew 13:34 All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them: KJV (Hearing but they shall not understand!! (With out the Gift of the Holy Spirit!!) Don't fight it!!
Mark 4:11 And he said unto them, Unto you His (disciples) it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables: (Notice you must be within the kingdom.) To get in the Kingdom you must be born again. (Some were chosen some were not.) I have you and not you me.
Mark 4:34 But without a parable spake he not unto them: and when they were alone, he expounded all things to his disciples. You must be a disciple.
Parable, the term translates the Hebrew word "mashal"—a term denoting a metaphor, or an enigmatic saying or an analogy. In the Greco-Roman rhetorical tradition, however, "parables" were illustrative narrative examples. Jewish teachers of the 1st cent. A.D. made use of comparisons in narrative form to clarify scripture. As used in the Gospels, the "parable" not only denotes metaphors, analogies, and enigmatic statements, but also short illustrative narratives. In Jesus' parables, the speaker compares an observable, natural, or human phenomenon to the Kingdom (i.e. the rule) of God.
So does John in Revelation:speak not only denotes metaphors, analogies, and enigmatic statements.
Some of these challenge and mystify or even attack the hearer. Other parables are allegories. The major themes of the parables of Jesus include the contrast between the old and new age now dawning in the ministry of Jesus; the necessity of radical decisions; the gradual but sure growth of the Kingdom of God on earth; Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.) God's way of relating to people; and God's invitation for people to enter his Kingdom. = A new birth in their Spirit.
Isaiah 14:1 Below are Plain Words and not an allegorie.
Isaiah 14:1 The LORD will have compassion on Jacob; once again he will choose Israel and will settle them in their own land. (Aliens = Gentiles) The Kingdon shall not be left to other people. Dan, 244
( Read Eph. chapter 2) (We are now in the commonwealth of Isreal) will join them and unite with the house of Jacob. 2 Nations will take them and bring them to their own place. And the house of Israel will possess the nations as menservants and maidservants in the LORD's land. They will make captives of their captors and rule over their oppressors. 3 On the day the LORD gives you relief from suffering and turmoil and cruel bondage, 4 you will take up this taunt against the king of Babylon: NIV
God wants men to see this here in Isaiah 14:1 as a reality in Cyrus day and soon our day.
Isaiah 14:1 The LORD will have compassion on Jacob; once again he will choose Israel and will settle them in their own land. (Aliens = Gentiles) ( Read Eph. chapter 3) (We are now in the commonwealth of Israel) will join them and unite with the house of Jacob. 2 Nations will take them and bring them to their own place. And the house of Israel will possess the nations as menservants and maidservants in the LORD's land. They will make captives of their captors and rule over their oppressors. 3 On the day the LORD gives you relief from suffering and turmoil and cruel bondage, 4 you will take up this taunt against the king of Babylon: NIV (God wants men to see this here in Isaiah 14:1 as a reality in this Verse.
NOW COMES THE ALLEGORIES
KJV Isaiah 14:4 That thou shalt take up this proverb against the king of Babylon, and say, How hath the oppressor ceased! the golden city ceased! (NIV says taunt )
Ouestion> is a taunt and a proverb the same thing?
This Proverb or parable happened to The last King over Babylon. Cyrus the Medo-Persia let Israel go home and let the Babylon people stay in their own land. He took no slaves with him. History bears this out. 606 B.C. Daniel 2,7 Babylon Kings: were Nebuchadnezzar, Beltshazzar
Isaiah 14:1 For the LORD will have mercy on Jacob, and will yet choose Israel, and set them in their own land: and the strangers shall be joined with them, and they shall cleave to the house of Jacob.
2 And the people shall take them, and bring them to their place: and the house of Israel shall possess them in the land of the LORD for servants and handmaids: and they shall take them captives, whose captives they were; and they shall rule over their oppressors.
3 And it shall come to pass in the day that the LORD shall give thee rest from thy sorrow, and from thy fear, and from the hard bondage wherein thou wast made to serve,
4 That thou shalt take up this proverb against the king of Babylon, and say, How hath the oppressor ceased! the golden city ceased!
5 The LORD hath broken the staff of the wicked, and the sceptre of the rulers.
6 He who smote the people in wrath with a continual stroke, he that ruled the nations in anger, is persecuted, and none hindereth.
7 The whole earth is at rest, and is quiet: they break forth into singing.
8Yea, the fir trees (Menin other parts of the world)) rejoice at thee, and the cedars of Lebanon, saying, Since thou art laid down, no feller (Man not angels) is come up against us. Kings
9 Hell " (The Grave) from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming: it stirreth up the dead (Not the living somewhere) for thee, even all the chief ones of the earth; it hath raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations. Isa. v.12-14 Lucifer's five "I will's"-the beginning of sin and rebellion in the earth against Israel as he opposed to God's will.
10 All they shall speak (The Kings in Babylons day) and say unto thee, Art thou also become weak as we? art thou become like unto us? (Yes they did.) 11 Thy pomp is brought down to the grave, and the noise of thy viols: the worm is spread under thee, and the worms cover thee. (Death)12 How art thou fallen from heaven, (The Hebrew land) O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! (King of Babylon on earth)>> O Lucifer, son of the morning! Every nation that turns against Isreal
13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: ( Eph 2:6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:) 7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. 15 Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit. 16 They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms; (Just like Hilter).17 That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; that opened not the house of his prisoners? 18 All the kings of the nations, even all of them, lie in glory, every one in his own house. 19 But thou art cast out of thy grave like an abominable branch, and as the raiment of those that are slain, thrust through with a sword, that go down to the stones of the pit; as a carcase trodden under feet.
20 Thou shalt not be joined with them in burial, because thou hast destroyed thy land, and slain thy people: the seed of evildoers shall never be renowned. Thie often man called Lucifer was not a fallen angel was no more than the King of Babylon.
2 Timothy 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
8 Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;
9 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,
10 But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:
11 Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.
2 Timothy 2:10 Therefore I endure all things for the elect's sakes,> (Israel) that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.
23 But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes.
2 Timothy 3:1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
6 For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,
7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
8 Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.
9 But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as their's also was.
10 But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience,
11 Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me.
12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.
14 But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;
15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
17 That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.
Note on Repentance: The fact that people are called "to turn" either "to" or "away from" implies that sin is not an ineradicable stain, but by turning (repentance), a God given power, a sinner can redirect his destiny. There is with conversion, the free sovereign act of God's mercy and man's going beyond contrition and sorrow to a conscience decision of turning to God. God has done His part, says faith, so we do our human part showing forth His work of grace on our heart through our walk. Turning to God includes acceptance of all God's total will for one's life.
Strong's 3341 metanoia = Change of mind, remorse, regret, repentance from evil to good or from good to better repentance is expected to manifest itself in conduct.
Acts 26.20 The kindness of God leads to repentance.
Acts 26:20 20 But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.Belive for the very works sake jesus said.What work = the Kingdom coming to earth.
Romans 2:4 Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?
Eze 36:29
Repentance toward God based on the death of Christ is permanent. The new birth brings this about. It cannot fail so cannot be repeated. The Death of Christ is central in our salvation and not any action (work) of ours. Salvation is of the Lord. He has purchased for us eternal salvation from death.
The word proverb, parable, Allegory? ( taunt ?) (I am going to put an end to this proverb, and they will no longer quote it in Israel.') NIV
Encarta® World English Dictionary, North American Edition
Definition: (proverb) short well-known saying: a short well-known saying that expresses an obvious truth and often offers advice.
The proverb is a literary form whose origins are lost in the mists of time, and which, according to most scholars, preceded the invention of writing. It is also prevalent among peoples who are illiterate. Existing from the dawn of humanity and not confined to any specific country, proverbs transcend all frontiers. Known to the ancient Egyptians, the Chinese, the Indians and the Persians, they are also found in the Grco-Roman civilization and they left a particular imprint on the Arab and Hebrew cultures. They might be described as oral literature, the progenitor of written cultural traditions. Before man was able to express himself in writing, he was able to encapsulate the essence of his wisdom in elliptical form. The proverb, handed down from father to son, spread regardless of borders and ethnic groups. Scholars are agreed that many proverbs found among one people can be traced in others.
This is why we need the Spirit of truth after God built his church on the rock Jesus.
Matthew 13:34 All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them: KJV (Hearing but they shall not understand!! (With out the Gift of the Holy Spirit!!) Don't fight it!!
Mark 4:11 And he said unto them, Unto you His (disciples) it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables: (Notice you must be within the kingdom.) To get in the Kingdom you must be born again. (Some were chosen some were not.) I have you and not you me.
Mark 4:34 But without a parable spake he not unto them: and when they were alone, he expounded all things to his disciples. You must be a disciple.
Parable, the term translates the Hebrew word "mashal"—a term denoting a metaphor, or an enigmatic saying or an analogy. In the Greco-Roman rhetorical tradition, however, "parables" were illustrative narrative examples. Jewish teachers of the 1st cent. A.D. made use of comparisons in narrative form to clarify scripture. As used in the Gospels, the "parable" not only denotes metaphors, analogies, and enigmatic statements, but also short illustrative narratives. In Jesus' parables, the speaker compares an observable, natural, or human phenomenon to the Kingdom (i.e. the rule) of God.
So does John in Revelation:speak not only denotes metaphors, analogies, and enigmatic statements.
Some of these challenge and mystify or even attack the hearer. Other parables are allegories. The major themes of the parables of Jesus include the contrast between the old and new age now dawning in the ministry of Jesus; the necessity of radical decisions; the gradual but sure growth of the Kingdom of God on earth; Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.) God's way of relating to people; and God's invitation for people to enter his Kingdom. = A new birth in their Spirit.
Isaiah 14:1 Below are Plain Words and not an allegorie.
Isaiah 14:1 The LORD will have compassion on Jacob; once again he will choose Israel and will settle them in their own land. (Aliens = Gentiles) The Kingdon shall not be left to other people. Dan, 244
( Read Eph. chapter 2) (We are now in the commonwealth of Isreal) will join them and unite with the house of Jacob. 2 Nations will take them and bring them to their own place. And the house of Israel will possess the nations as menservants and maidservants in the LORD's land. They will make captives of their captors and rule over their oppressors. 3 On the day the LORD gives you relief from suffering and turmoil and cruel bondage, 4 you will take up this taunt against the king of Babylon: NIV
God wants men to see this here in Isaiah 14:1 as a reality in Cyrus day and soon our day.
Isaiah 14:1 The LORD will have compassion on Jacob; once again he will choose Israel and will settle them in their own land. (Aliens = Gentiles) ( Read Eph. chapter 3) (We are now in the commonwealth of Israel) will join them and unite with the house of Jacob. 2 Nations will take them and bring them to their own place. And the house of Israel will possess the nations as menservants and maidservants in the LORD's land. They will make captives of their captors and rule over their oppressors. 3 On the day the LORD gives you relief from suffering and turmoil and cruel bondage, 4 you will take up this taunt against the king of Babylon: NIV (God wants men to see this here in Isaiah 14:1 as a reality in this Verse.
NOW COMES THE ALLEGORIES
KJV Isaiah 14:4 That thou shalt take up this proverb against the king of Babylon, and say, How hath the oppressor ceased! the golden city ceased! (NIV says taunt )
Ouestion> is a taunt and a proverb the same thing?
This Proverb or parable happened to The last King over Babylon. Cyrus the Medo-Persia let Israel go home and let the Babylon people stay in their own land. He took no slaves with him. History bears this out. 606 B.C. Daniel 2,7 Babylon Kings: were Nebuchadnezzar, Beltshazzar
Isaiah 14:1 For the LORD will have mercy on Jacob, and will yet choose Israel, and set them in their own land: and the strangers shall be joined with them, and they shall cleave to the house of Jacob.
2 And the people shall take them, and bring them to their place: and the house of Israel shall possess them in the land of the LORD for servants and handmaids: and they shall take them captives, whose captives they were; and they shall rule over their oppressors.
3 And it shall come to pass in the day that the LORD shall give thee rest from thy sorrow, and from thy fear, and from the hard bondage wherein thou wast made to serve,
4 That thou shalt take up this proverb against the king of Babylon, and say, How hath the oppressor ceased! the golden city ceased!
5 The LORD hath broken the staff of the wicked, and the sceptre of the rulers.
6 He who smote the people in wrath with a continual stroke, he that ruled the nations in anger, is persecuted, and none hindereth.
7 The whole earth is at rest, and is quiet: they break forth into singing.
8Yea, the fir trees (Menin other parts of the world)) rejoice at thee, and the cedars of Lebanon, saying, Since thou art laid down, no feller (Man not angels) is come up against us. Kings
9 Hell " (The Grave) from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming: it stirreth up the dead (Not the living somewhere) for thee, even all the chief ones of the earth; it hath raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations. Isa. v.12-14 Lucifer's five "I will's"-the beginning of sin and rebellion in the earth against Israel as he opposed to God's will.
10 All they shall speak (The Kings in Babylons day) and say unto thee, Art thou also become weak as we? art thou become like unto us? (Yes they did.) 11 Thy pomp is brought down to the grave, and the noise of thy viols: the worm is spread under thee, and the worms cover thee. (Death)12 How art thou fallen from heaven, (The Hebrew land) O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! (King of Babylon on earth)>> O Lucifer, son of the morning! Every nation that turns against Isreal
13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: ( Eph 2:6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:) 7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. 15 Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit. 16 They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms; (Just like Hilter).17 That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; that opened not the house of his prisoners? 18 All the kings of the nations, even all of them, lie in glory, every one in his own house. 19 But thou art cast out of thy grave like an abominable branch, and as the raiment of those that are slain, thrust through with a sword, that go down to the stones of the pit; as a carcase trodden under feet.
20 Thou shalt not be joined with them in burial, because thou hast destroyed thy land, and slain thy people: the seed of evildoers shall never be renowned. Thie often man called Lucifer was not a fallen angel was no more than the King of Babylon.
JESUS CAME TO SAVE PEOPLE FROM THEIR SINS And death from the Grave!!
To the Saints in Jesus and all the family of the Kingdom
JESUS CAME TO SAVE PEOPLE FROM THEIR SINS. And death from the Grave!!
ROMANS 6:12-14 (KJV)
12. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should
obey it in the lusts thereof. 13. Neither yield ye your members as
instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto
God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as
instruments of righteousness unto God. 14. For sin shall not have
dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
Question: "If I am saved and all of my sins are forgiven, why not continue to sin?"
Answer: The Apostle Paul answered a very similar question in Romans 6:1-2, "What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? (Abound) By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?" The idea that a person could trust in Jesus Christ for salvation and then go on living just as he/she lived before - is absolutely foreign to the Bible. Believers in Christ are new creations (2 Corinthians 5:17). The Holy Spirit changes us from producing the acts of the flesh (Galatians 5:19-21), to producing the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). The Christian life is a changed life.
Galatians 5:19-21 19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
What differentiates Christianity from every other world religion is this > Christianity is based on what God has done for us through Jesus Christ. Every other world religion is based on what we must do to earn God's favor and forgiveness.
Other world religion's teaches that we must do certain things, and stop doing certain things - in order to earn God's love and mercy. Christianity, faith in Christ, teaches that we do certain things and stop doing certain things BECAUSE of what Christ has done for us.
How could anyone, having been delivered from sin's penalty, death, go back to living the same life that had them on the path to death?
How could anyone, having been cleansed from the defilement of sin, desire to go back to the same cesspool of depravity?
How could anyone, knowing what Jesus Christ did on our behalf, go on living as if Jesus Christ is not important?
How could anyone, realizing how much Christ suffered for our sins, continue sinning as if Jesus' sufferings were meaningless?
Romans 6:11-18 declares, "In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness. For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace. What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! Don't you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey — whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were entrusted. You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness."
ROMANS 6:22-23 (NIV)
22. But now that you have been set free from sin and have become
slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result
is eternal life. 23. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God
is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 3:20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.31 Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.
Romans 4:15 Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression.
Romans 6:4 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
Romans 7:6 But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter. 7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.
8 But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead. 9 For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died. 10 And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death. 11 For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me.
ROMANS 6:22-23 (NASB)
22. But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you
derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome,
eternal life. 23. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of
God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
ROMANS 6:22-23 (KJV)
22. But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God,
ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. 23. For
the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through
Jesus Christ our Lord.
1 JOHN 3:7-9 (NIV)
7. Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. He who does
what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous. 8. He who does
what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from
the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy
the devil's work (SIN AND THAT WHICH CAUSES SIN =THE LAW!). 9. No one who is born of God will continue to sin,
because God's seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning,
because he has been born of God.
1 JOHN 3:7-9 (NASB)
7. Little children, make sure no one deceives you; the one who
practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous; 8. the one who practices sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning. (Was this a sinning angel?) The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil.(WHICH IS SIN) 9. No one who is born of God practices sin, because His (Gods) seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. (Matthew 4:4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
1 JOHN 3:7-9 (KJV)
7 Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth
righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. 8. He that
committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the
beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he
might destroy the works of the devil.(SIN) 9. Whosoever is born of God
doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot
sin, because he is born of God.
Bible study Wed. 6:30 dillmunsell@yahoo.com God loves you and you can see there is only one Body of Christ.
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Going On in The Lord 11/21/2007
John 8:30-32 30 As he spake these words, many believed on him. 31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; 32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
The following is a list of the characteristics of people who profess to be Christians. The list #1 is characteristics of one who goes on in the Lord (True Christian). The 2 list is characteristics of one who goes backward and eventually will fall away from the Lord (False Christian). Use this list on a regular basis to evaluate your life in light of the scriptures.
1 HE WHO GOES ON IN THE LORD 2 HE WHO GOES BACK
1 Has a reverential fear of God. (Prov.28:14, Psl.147:11)
2 Has NO fear of God.
1 Values his deep personal relationship with God.
2 Does not have a real personal relationship to God.
1 Has a long term vision of his life in the lord.
2 Has No vision. or little vision.
1 Practices what he learns.
2 Hears, sees, doesn't really learn, take no Acton.
1 Listens to and responds to the Holy Spirit.
2 Listens to and responds to his own spirit flesh
1 Strives in all things to please God.
2 Cares only about pleasing himself.
1 Puts others first.
2 Puts self first.
1 God is center of his life.
2 He is center of his life.
1 Attitude is "I love you". (Jn.13:34)
2 Listens to and heeds most or all spirits.
1 Is free in the Lord. (Gal.5:13)
2 Is in bondage to this world.
1 Lives a Holy Spirit led life.
2 Is free wheeling, out of control.
1 Works with conviction.
2 Works with condemnation.
1Is morally pure.
2 Has variable morality.
1 Is constantly changing, becoming holy.
2/Unchanging, staying carnal.
1Walks in and brings peace.
2 Walks in and brings strife.
1 Crucifies (kills) his flesh daily.Gal.5:24
2 Exhalts (satisfies) his flesh daily.
1 Is a redemptive person.
2 Is a condemnative person.
1 Restores.
2 Destroys.
1 Examines self daily in light of Scripture.
2 Has no need to examine self,I'ok
1 Prays regularly.
2 Seldom prays.
1 Studies Scripture regularly.
2 Seldom or never studies Scripture.
1 Is righteous through the Blood of Jesus.
2 Is self righteous.
2 Sows to the Spirit. (Gal.6:8)
2 Sows to the flesh.
1 Wants to be a blessing to others.
2 Wants others to bless him.
1 Is concerned about inner change.
2 Is concerned about outer appearances.
1 Is a giver. (Gal.6:10)
2 Is a taker.
1 Knows God is his source for all.
2 I can do it all.
1 Has a circumsized heart.
2 Has an uncircumsized heart.
1 Is longsuffering.
2 Is impatient.
1 Understands need for authority.
2 Hates authority.
1 Desires proper leadership.
2 Detests all leadership.
1 Submits to proper authority.
2 Usurps authority.
1 Is fruitful, produces good fruit.
2 Fruitless or produces bad fruit. (Gal.5:19-21)
1 Is humble. (Prov.29:23)
2 Is proud.
1 Is just. (Prov.29:27)
2 Is unjust.
1 Is satisfied with God's provision.
2 Is never satisfied. Is greedy.
(Prov.28:25)
This is only a short partial list, you can add much to this list.
Come study with us. Dillard&Iris Munsell Wed. 6:30 PM dillmunsell@yahoo.com
Thursday, August 30, 2007
God moves when we pray!!
A prayer
O Lord, we stand in awe of your great wisdom in authoring the Bible to reflect not only Your infinite qualities of love and truth, but also our individual character in relation to You, whether we are in harmony with you or in opposition. Give us the courage to look deeply into this divinely inspired mirror of identity. Open our minds and hearts to the perfect reflection of our own nature - and Yours - that you have placed in your word for those who have eyes to see and ears to hear what the Spirit is saying to the Church. Amen.
From Suzie (Gunn) Ingham
Dear Dillard and Iris,
Well, I'm trying to get better about contact. Thought I would write a few lines to you guys.
It was glad to see you all at Uncle David's house. Hope everything is going good for all. We are doing good to. I wanted to share maybe a few things God has been showing Me.
Me and a couple of friends were in prayer this week and I saw a full length mirror and I felt impress by the Spirit of God that He was saying to me.... you don't have to fear looking into the mirror (God's mirror...God's TRUTH!) or be afraid of what you'll see, (seeing ourselves in the natural compared to God and His Holiness)
Your imperfections anymore because my Spirit is there to help you be what I have already said you are to be. Don't be afraid of what you see I am well able to take care of it. You are not alone..My Spirit is there and will not leave you don't have to face anything alone...I am with you. Not fearing the future or what may come my way...Teaching me to rely on His Spirit.
We all need to be reminded of what a really powerful, loving, merciful, all capable God we serve..... The word of God is GOOD NEWS!!!!
Do you get the God channel on tv? There is a man by the name of Mike Brickle that has prayer on Tue-Friday at 10:00 am He has a ministry in Kansas City that is all about prayer and intimacy with Jesus...Matter of fact he wrote a book that I've read called Passion for Jesus (wonderful book) and it tells about how he came to be where he is now. He's a very humble man with a fire for God and a Passion that causes you to see God in a whole new light...Well I guess that all for now..Hope to hear from you soon....Suzie Ingham (GUNN) Below Mikes Book
http://www.amazon.com/Passion-Jesus-Growing-Extravagant-Love/dp/088419258X
Friday, August 03, 2007
WHOEVER LIVES IN LOVE LIVES IN GOD, AND GOD IN HIM.
“Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him.”
John says Gods love is made complete in us “because in this world we are like him”! Fashion that! In the previous chapter John made the point that we live a different kind of lifestyle (we no longer continue in a lifestyle of sin) because God’s seed remains in us. If we listen to what John is telling us, as opposed to a preconceived template of what we might expect to find as we read our Bibles, John is not telling us to love to be good Christians – he is telling us we love because we are Christians. God is love, therefore, because we are like God in this world we love too!
“In this world we are like him.” Such an incredible thing! Paul tells us in Romans 8:29, “For those God foreknew [Christians] he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.” Not just “in the sweet bye and bye” but right here in the now! In this world we are like him!
My thought I have this morning is that since “in this world we are like him” and we love because he is love, Christians are the most interesting and fascinating people in the world. Our God certainly is interesting and fascinating and if we are like him in this life it stands to reason. I’m not saying we take on deity as Christians, neither does John or Paul. What they say is that our character and nature conforms over a period of spiritual growth to that which is like God. It is his seed that remains in us and because God has foreordained we be conformed to the likeness of Jesus Christ we do just that.
John talks of the confidence we have in this verse. We have confidence as we look ahead to judgment day. Why? Because we know what lays ahead for us as believers. In this life we are the most confident of people. Because God knows the end from the beginning and has revealed some of that to us we are confident. Our God we serve is a transcendent, sovereign, omniscient and all powerful God. He has no wrinkle of insecurity and as we mature in him, we grow in our confidence as well. Not because we are transcendent, sovereign, omniscient and all powerful, but because he is and we are his. We reflect the confidence our faith in God brings us.
In my mind there are so many other aspects of God that are reflected in his people here on earth today. Our God is a joyful and happy God, and so are his people. Our God is a kind, caring and merciful God and so are his people. Our God is an honest and fair God and so are his people. I challenge any believer to take a hard look in the mirror and honestly answer the question, “Since I have become a follower of Jesus Christ and now indwelt with the Holy Spirit do I not see these changes within me?”
As I say, I think Christians are the most interesting and fascinating people in the world because our God is interesting, fascinating and beautiful in character and nature.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share your theme of worship with us from your Bible reading today. We’d love to hear from you!
(If you want to be on Trevor's email list email him. He is a blessed brother with a gift.)
Trevor V. Fisk trevorf@gracehill.org
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Gods Kingdom is larger than we can ever dream.
What a promise to sick Nations. "Healing"? Yes.
A war is raging today over the word of God. The majority does not believe that we have the word of God in our language; still others do not even believe that the word of God was inspired in the originals. Why such a battle? Satan realizes that the word of God is life. He also realizes that if people get to God’s perfect word and eat of it they will have eternal life. God’s word tells of a tree that appears in the Garden of Eden and then reappears in the last chapter of Revelation. A close look at this tree will show you characteristics of the word of God.
Matthew 16:6 Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees. KJV
It pays to know the written word and be born again.
Revelation 22:2 2 down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.
Revelation 2:7 7 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.
We Need a passion to see the Gospel of the Kingdom preached to all Nations with Signs, Wonders and Miracles.
Revelation 22:1 And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. 2 In the midst of the street of it, (Holy city and New Jerusalem >are the Same.) and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. KJV (Remember the tree of life was in the Garden of Eden.)
On the Day of Pentecost, the disciples experienced something new and powerful in their lives. It was something which took them from being a group of scared believers cowering behind locked doors because of their fear of the Jews to being some of the boldest witnesses for Christ in all history. What was it that changed their lives so dramatically? It was the fulfillment of the promise that Jesus had reminded them of just days prior. (Acts 1:4-5) In fact, Jesus saw this promise of the Holy Spirit as so significant that He commanded that the disciples not attempt anything until they had received it. (OH MY) Acts 1:4-5 And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. 5 For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.
The exciting thing about what happened to the disciples in that upper room is that the same thing can and will happen to us today. In his sermon in which Peter explained what had happened that day, he said that the promise wasn’t just for the particular individuals who experienced it that day, but it was for everyone that the Lord would call. (Acts 2:39) If you have been called by God, this promise is yours! (Acts 2;39) Or and to people far in the future; Greek reads and to those far away.) (Unless we have the same Spirit the Nations will not be healed. What a promise to us and the sick Nations.)
It is up to us who received Jesus.
(Luke 11:11-13) Ask in simple faith. Jesus said that we should ask the Heavenly Father for the Holy Spirit with the same attitude in which we would ask our earthly father for a fish expecting to get a fish and not a serpent.
Romans 8:26-28 26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. 27 And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. 28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
There will a separation of Sheep nations and Goat Nations
Matthew 25:31 "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, (JESUS) and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
34 "Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. (Wow for US Gentiles also) 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.' (Note this is talking about those who gave us the BIBLE!!! The writers of the word of GOD. NIV
God is Going to make Israel a strong nation and then save her.
Isaiah 66:8 Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? or shall a nation be born at once? for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children. KJV
Romans 11:13 I am talking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch as I am the apostle to the Gentiles, I make much of my ministry 14 in the hope that I may somehow arouse my own people to envy and save some of them. 15 For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? 16 If the part of the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, then the whole batch is holy; if the root is holy, so are the branches. NIV
Micah 4:7 And I will make her that halted a remnant, and her that was cast far off a strong nation: and the LORD shall reign over them in mount Zion from henceforth, even for ever.
Isaiah 60:22 A little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation: I the LORD will hasten it in his time.
Zechariah 8:22 Yea, many people and strong nations shall come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem, and to pray before the LORD.
(THANK GOD FOR THE LEAVES OF THE TREE OF LIFE!!!)
All Israel Will Be Saved after the times of the Gentiles
Luke 21:20 "When you see Jerusalem being surrounded by (Roman AD 70) armies, you will know that its desolation is near. 21 Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those in the city get out, and let those in the country not enter the city. 22 For this is the time of punishment in fulfillment of all that has been written. 23 How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! There will be great distress in the land and wrath against this people. 24 They will fall by the sword and will be taken as prisoners to all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. NIV
Romans 11:25 25 I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in. 26 And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: "The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob. 27 And this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins NIV
Ezekiel 39:7 'I will make known my holy name among my people Israel. I will no longer let my holy name be profaned, and the nations will know that I the LORD am the Holy One in Israel. 8 It is coming! It will surely take place, declares the Sovereign LORD. This is the day I have spoken of. NIV
Micah 4:3 And he shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. KJV What King will fufill this? From the bible.
http://1amimybrotherskeeper.blogspot.com/
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http://indianstufffamily.blogspot.com/
Dillard Munsell Bible study wed. 6:30 dillmunsell@yahoo.com
Thursday, February 08, 2007
JESUS THE GOOD SHEPHERD BY DAVID GUNN 2007
The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. (JOH 10:10-11).
Now, our blessed Saviour came to fulfill all that was prophesied of Him. He said in LUKE 24:44, "And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me."
What we need to see and to understand that all of the things that came upon our blessed Saviour-all of these things where He was called Beelezebub, despised and rejected of men-were things written of Him.
John 10:11 Jesus the good Shepherd, A good Shepherd smells like his sheep!!
The Good Shepherd gives his life for the sheep.
The Blood of the Shepherd- The Cross of the Shepherd -is Our Salvation.
Romans Chapters 1-8 deals with two aspects of our Salvation
The value of Christ Blood - The greatness of the Cross
#1- Blood
Rom 3:25 the Blood gives remission of (sins / Plural) 1st John 1:9 it cleanses from all sins.
Rom 5:10 we are reconciled to God by his blood but we are saved by his life.
The Blood deals with the work of Christ in our justification through the remission of sins.
#2- Cross
The Cross gives deliverance from the Sin that made us sin = (the old man / sin nature)
Rom 6:6 Knowing this, that our (old man is crucified) with him, that the body of sin. might be destroyed. The work of Christ that is represented by the cross is our union with Christ’s suffering, the death, we died, was burial, and rose, and set with him that identifies us with him.
A- The Blood deals with what we have done. (Sinned) and come short of the glory of God. Rom3:23
a - So the Blood gets rid of our sins. Washes, cleanses white as snow.
b- Heb 9:15 Jesus by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions.
B- The cross deals with what we are. (Sinners by nature)
b - The Cross strakes a death blow to what makes us Sin. (Our nature). Now dead!!!!!
C- To know the true value of the Blood of Christ I must understand the value that God puts on it.
a- The Blood is for atonement and has to do with our Standing and Justification before God. We need forgiveness for sins or we will come into Judgment, so they are forgiven not because God overlooks them, but because he sees (The Blood).
D- Lev.16: Day of Atonement - The Blood benefitted man but it satisfied God.
a- The Blood was first and foremost for God. Exodus 12:23 When I see the blood.
b- The sin offering was offered publicly in the court of the Tabernacle for all to see, but the High priest alone was the only one that could go into the most Holy place with the Blood and sprinkle it upon the Mercy seat to atone for the sins of Himself and also for the people. He did the work! He was a type of Christ Jesus.
c- The going into the Most Holy Place was to present the blood to God!!
d- The Blood was what God required, the only thing acceptable, and something he was satisfied with.
e - Value # 1 Blood (satisfied God) AMEN
Value # 2 (benefitted man)
Value #3 (overcomes the accuser)
Heb 9:12 Jesus offered his own blood (Peter says precious blood) (one time) for (all time), He offered it to God to redeem us, to sprinkled our conscience from evil, He forgave us, He cleanses us, it satisfies us. Do you feel Clean by the word of God? It washes.
David Gunn dgunn@brtc.net Email him.
Three Blogs for us, study them all and you will learn about life forever.
http://keepinminddavedill.blogspot.com
http://1amimybrotherskeeper.blogspot.com
http://indianstufffamily.blogspot.com Dillard Munsell dillmunsell@yahoo.com
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