Paul the apostle wrote to the Corinthians, who were the most well educated people in the world at the time of his writing. Corinth was notorious for sexual perversion, fornication and adultery and all this was considered an act of worship.
In I Corinthians 5, Paul addresses the Corinthanizing of the church where sexual sins were going on without being condemned. Further there were doctrinal questions being asked of Paul resulting in his letter being sent to explain and correct doctrinal errors. When we get to chapter 12 and 14 he goes into detail about spiritual gifts and their use.
1Corinthians 12:1 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers, I don't want you to be ignorant.
Here in Corinth where the intellect is revered, Paul declares they are unlearned in the things of the Spirit and proceeds to explain the gifts individually.
There are nine specific gifts listed I Corinthians 12; each with their purpose for the edification of the body of Christ.
A note by Scofield on the gifts says in part; the gifts are diverse but ALL are equally honorable because they are bestowed by the same Spirit, administered under the same Lord, and energized by the same God.
These are gifts from the Holy Spirit are to the church through individuals in the body.
Scofield again; There is no room for self-choosing, but to each believer is given a spiritual enablement and capacity for specific service. No believer is destitute of such gifts. Everyone is included, no one is left out and it is the responsibility of each man to find his ministry gift and seek a place for it to be used by the Holy Spirit.
See this excellent study site: http://biblos.com/ search these scriptures, (1Corinthians_12:7) (Romans 12).
There may be unbelieving believers that deny the gifts by saying they have passed away, as if they rode off into the sunset after having locked up all the bad guys. But Paul never foresaw this in his revelation from GOD. While some may grant that there is the possibility that the Holy Spirit might exercise a gift should he want to, but it isn’t very likely. I fear that God has written these unbelieving believers, off like a bad debt.
Others have given worth and value to certain gifts saying this is better than this other one, and we like this one best and we will use this one but not this one.
The one gift most select to having the least value in their sight, is tongues, with or without the interpretation.
This gift is below their dignity, its use offends their sensitivities, they see it as untrustworthy because they can’t judge the message from God since it is a spiritual language they can’t understand.
These and other ministry gifts are from God, they are his gifts and I believe God is appalled at anyone who demotes and demeans His personal gifts to the church. What gift do I possess? How and where do I use it?
That is a question that must be answered by you and the Holy Spirit. May I suggest that it is good to get better acquainted with The Holy Spirit!
There is no greater blessing than when you realize that you have been made worthy enough to partner with God for his work, enabled with his gift.
Http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KqkvIhs7Ijg
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Friday, August 13, 2010
THE MYSTERY
I love mystery stories, especially detective stories the, who-dun-it type. As a kid, one of my favorite radio programs was “I Love a Mystery.” It included enough of the macabre in it to cause me to pull the covers over my head. The covers were a precursor to the Star Trek deflector shields. While some may pooh- pooh the protection the covers provided, all I can say is; I made it through every attack of the nether world without any harm.
There are several references the word mystery in the Bible, and when Jesus made a reference to it he said; in effect there are mysteries hidden in his words (parables) for us to understand.
It was a great mystery to the Jewish Christians that the Gentiles were included in the sacrifice of Christ. It was only after Peter and Paul had convinced them that God had accepted Gentiles that the Jewish Christians relented. The thing that was the clincher was the Holy Spirit fell upon the house of Cornelius while Peter was preaching Christ to them. The same thing happened when Paul preached to the Gentiles.
Paul spent a lot of his ministry explaining the scriptural basis for the Holy Spirit phenomena. Paul further dealt with the problem of spiritual gifts. Even today this remains a mystery to a greater part of the church.
1 Corinthians 2:9-12 by the Spirit of GOD we know the things freely given to us.
Paul first addresses the issue of ignorance; “I would not have you ignorant concerning spiritual gifts brethren.” While going through the list of gifts in both 1 Corinthians and Romans the one gift that gets the most criticism is the gift tongues.
Whether you ridicule tongues, make fun of it, or hate it to the point of damning it, you cannot not deny that the Holy Scripture declares it in no uncertain terms, - - to be a GIFT of GOD. The baptism in the HOLY SPIRIT is the most dynamic experience subsequent to salvation a person can ever receive and if the person cooperates with the HOLY SPIRIT it will be their introduction into the use of the gift of tongues.
Admittedly there is a proper use, and a proper time for tongues. I will only address one aspect of this GOD given gift and that is tongues used as a prayer to GOD.
The scripture encourages us to pray with our understanding; to think about needs, and at the conclusion pray for the answer. It also tells to pray with our spirit (praying in tongues).
I Corinthians 14:2 when you speak (exercise the gift of tongues) in a tongue you are speaking to GOD. You are as far as the world is concerned speaking mysteries or that which cannot be understood by man.
This is an offence to some, for he cannot practice his gift of criticism, for without understanding the content he must settle for his disdain of the gift that denies his criticism of the content of tongues.
This gift bypasses the mind of the speaker and originates from his spirit. The intellect plays no part, for then it would be profaned by the imperfect thinking process. It comes from the spirit where all is open and nothing is hid from GOD.
The cry of the spirit is unfeigned and regardless of the souls condition the communication of tongues pleads your case for mercy and help. In the same vein the gift can and is used as praise emanating from the spirit of man.
One of the most fruitful realities of speaking in tongues is. “It edifies the one speaking,” and one of the effective use of tongues is, when I pray with the spirit (in tongues) I am praying out of my spirit and do not know what I am praying for. (It is a mystery.) In some cases it will reflect on current situations but my understanding is uninformed.
Speaking in tongues is varied and has many uses, the one thing you must do and that is to trust the gift, for it is an exercise of faith in the GOD who gives the gift.
This gift from GOD is given as a ministry aid, for edification, for communication to GOD, for building up the body of Christ. The gift of tongues is often used in conjunction with the gift of interpretation, and as a witness to the unsaved. All it requires is a believer that is open to receiving and exercising this “gift” of GOD.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PK7sLwU15RQ
There are several references the word mystery in the Bible, and when Jesus made a reference to it he said; in effect there are mysteries hidden in his words (parables) for us to understand.
It was a great mystery to the Jewish Christians that the Gentiles were included in the sacrifice of Christ. It was only after Peter and Paul had convinced them that God had accepted Gentiles that the Jewish Christians relented. The thing that was the clincher was the Holy Spirit fell upon the house of Cornelius while Peter was preaching Christ to them. The same thing happened when Paul preached to the Gentiles.
Paul spent a lot of his ministry explaining the scriptural basis for the Holy Spirit phenomena. Paul further dealt with the problem of spiritual gifts. Even today this remains a mystery to a greater part of the church.
1 Corinthians 2:9-12 by the Spirit of GOD we know the things freely given to us.
Paul first addresses the issue of ignorance; “I would not have you ignorant concerning spiritual gifts brethren.” While going through the list of gifts in both 1 Corinthians and Romans the one gift that gets the most criticism is the gift tongues.
Whether you ridicule tongues, make fun of it, or hate it to the point of damning it, you cannot not deny that the Holy Scripture declares it in no uncertain terms, - - to be a GIFT of GOD. The baptism in the HOLY SPIRIT is the most dynamic experience subsequent to salvation a person can ever receive and if the person cooperates with the HOLY SPIRIT it will be their introduction into the use of the gift of tongues.
Admittedly there is a proper use, and a proper time for tongues. I will only address one aspect of this GOD given gift and that is tongues used as a prayer to GOD.
The scripture encourages us to pray with our understanding; to think about needs, and at the conclusion pray for the answer. It also tells to pray with our spirit (praying in tongues).
I Corinthians 14:2 when you speak (exercise the gift of tongues) in a tongue you are speaking to GOD. You are as far as the world is concerned speaking mysteries or that which cannot be understood by man.
This is an offence to some, for he cannot practice his gift of criticism, for without understanding the content he must settle for his disdain of the gift that denies his criticism of the content of tongues.
This gift bypasses the mind of the speaker and originates from his spirit. The intellect plays no part, for then it would be profaned by the imperfect thinking process. It comes from the spirit where all is open and nothing is hid from GOD.
The cry of the spirit is unfeigned and regardless of the souls condition the communication of tongues pleads your case for mercy and help. In the same vein the gift can and is used as praise emanating from the spirit of man.
One of the most fruitful realities of speaking in tongues is. “It edifies the one speaking,” and one of the effective use of tongues is, when I pray with the spirit (in tongues) I am praying out of my spirit and do not know what I am praying for. (It is a mystery.) In some cases it will reflect on current situations but my understanding is uninformed.
Speaking in tongues is varied and has many uses, the one thing you must do and that is to trust the gift, for it is an exercise of faith in the GOD who gives the gift.
This gift from GOD is given as a ministry aid, for edification, for communication to GOD, for building up the body of Christ. The gift of tongues is often used in conjunction with the gift of interpretation, and as a witness to the unsaved. All it requires is a believer that is open to receiving and exercising this “gift” of GOD.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PK7sLwU15RQ
Thursday, August 12, 2010
ARROGANCE
J. William Fulbright on the arrogance of power in 1968; says - - -
"Power tends to confuse itself with virtue and a great nation is particularly susceptible to the idea that its power is a sign of God's favor, conferring upon it a special responsibility for other nations - to make them richer and happier and wiser, to remake them, that is, in its own shining image. Power confuses itself with virtue and tends also to take itself for omnipotence. Once imbued with the idea of a mission, a great nation easily assumes that it has the means as well as the duty to do God's work."
Anytime arrogant power is in play the peoples rights are not enforceable, and are ignored. Today we are at war with two nations, and are paying for it with money and lives. We have coerced other nations to join us in these costly ventures. We are well on our way to alienate what few friends our nation has. The act of arrogance is the child of an arrogant mentality.
Everyone alive has the potential of manifesting this flaw in the personality.
One can only assume with good reason that Lucifer gave birth to this anti-GOD spirit, and it was part and parcel of his rebellion in heaven. Inflated with his own position and power he became the soul of arrogance and so remains until today and beyond.
The refining process of the believer is for the benefit of the believer.
“The circumcision of the heart is, a right state of soul: ‘a mind and spirit renewed after the image that created it,’ is one of those important truths that can be ‘spiritually discerned”. Wesley.
This speaks of a cutting away of fleshly (carnal) parts and thus purifying the soul.
Arrogance in the church produces elitisms that in turn produce a caste system where there are different levels of beings.
In the early church all things were in common; but now in some cases, vestment separates the body into classes of Christians far removed from the early distinctions of apostle, prophet and so forth. It is the responsibility of each Christian to deny the spirit of arrogance to be manifested in their lives for it profits not the kingdom of GOD.
Suppose GOD was arrogant toward you when you went to the throne of grace, how would you feel? This of course this is unthinkable for ours is a loving GOD at all times.
We are made in HIS image and one of the weights and sins we must set aside for all time, is the spirit of arrogance.
"Power tends to confuse itself with virtue and a great nation is particularly susceptible to the idea that its power is a sign of God's favor, conferring upon it a special responsibility for other nations - to make them richer and happier and wiser, to remake them, that is, in its own shining image. Power confuses itself with virtue and tends also to take itself for omnipotence. Once imbued with the idea of a mission, a great nation easily assumes that it has the means as well as the duty to do God's work."
Anytime arrogant power is in play the peoples rights are not enforceable, and are ignored. Today we are at war with two nations, and are paying for it with money and lives. We have coerced other nations to join us in these costly ventures. We are well on our way to alienate what few friends our nation has. The act of arrogance is the child of an arrogant mentality.
Everyone alive has the potential of manifesting this flaw in the personality.
One can only assume with good reason that Lucifer gave birth to this anti-GOD spirit, and it was part and parcel of his rebellion in heaven. Inflated with his own position and power he became the soul of arrogance and so remains until today and beyond.
The refining process of the believer is for the benefit of the believer.
“The circumcision of the heart is, a right state of soul: ‘a mind and spirit renewed after the image that created it,’ is one of those important truths that can be ‘spiritually discerned”. Wesley.
This speaks of a cutting away of fleshly (carnal) parts and thus purifying the soul.
Arrogance in the church produces elitisms that in turn produce a caste system where there are different levels of beings.
In the early church all things were in common; but now in some cases, vestment separates the body into classes of Christians far removed from the early distinctions of apostle, prophet and so forth. It is the responsibility of each Christian to deny the spirit of arrogance to be manifested in their lives for it profits not the kingdom of GOD.
Suppose GOD was arrogant toward you when you went to the throne of grace, how would you feel? This of course this is unthinkable for ours is a loving GOD at all times.
We are made in HIS image and one of the weights and sins we must set aside for all time, is the spirit of arrogance.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
HUBRIS, TO BE OR NOT
“Seest thou how God with his lightning smites always the bigger animals, and will not suffer them to wax insolent, while those of a lesser bulk chafe him not? How likewise his bolts fall ever on the highest houses and the tallest trees? So plainly does He love to bring down everything that exalts itself? Thus oft times a mighty host is discomfited by a few men, when God in his jealousy sends fear or storm from heaven, and they perish in a way unworthy of them. For God allows no one to have high thoughts but Him self”
(Quote from Herodotus)
Hubris Definition - - Means extreme haughtiness or arrogance. Hubris often indicates being out of touch with reality and overestimating one's own competence or capabilities, especially for people in positions of power.
The word hubris is being used more often describing people in power such as politicians like Charles Rangel of New York.
Hubris is an unwarranted attitude that has no place within the Christian community, but does it exist? Are there those in the church who qualify as being “stuck up?”
Paul seemed to think it to be so, and wrote in Romans 12:3 “Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don't think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us.”
Honest evaluation doesn’t diminish you in any way; it only changes an exaggeration of a dishonest opinion of yourself.
1 Corinthians 4:7 “What do you have that God hasn't given you? And if everything you have is from God, why boast as though it were not a gift?”
Unquestionably there are those who have been given talent superior to others and have maximized it, and have a right to the success it brings to them but it stops there. You must not invoke the “Zero sum law,” which causes someone to be diminished to the extent of another’s gain.
Like winning at poker; what you win causes the other to lose the same amount or when you get uppity then it demeans another to the extent of your uppity-ness.
If you look to GOD for reward and pleasure, his approval will be sufficient for your self esteem, and you will not need to diminish others.
No matter how you homogenize it, egotism and Christianity doesn’t mix and pride always goes before the fall.
(Quote from Herodotus)
Hubris Definition - - Means extreme haughtiness or arrogance. Hubris often indicates being out of touch with reality and overestimating one's own competence or capabilities, especially for people in positions of power.
The word hubris is being used more often describing people in power such as politicians like Charles Rangel of New York.
Hubris is an unwarranted attitude that has no place within the Christian community, but does it exist? Are there those in the church who qualify as being “stuck up?”
Paul seemed to think it to be so, and wrote in Romans 12:3 “Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don't think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us.”
Honest evaluation doesn’t diminish you in any way; it only changes an exaggeration of a dishonest opinion of yourself.
1 Corinthians 4:7 “What do you have that God hasn't given you? And if everything you have is from God, why boast as though it were not a gift?”
Unquestionably there are those who have been given talent superior to others and have maximized it, and have a right to the success it brings to them but it stops there. You must not invoke the “Zero sum law,” which causes someone to be diminished to the extent of another’s gain.
Like winning at poker; what you win causes the other to lose the same amount or when you get uppity then it demeans another to the extent of your uppity-ness.
If you look to GOD for reward and pleasure, his approval will be sufficient for your self esteem, and you will not need to diminish others.
No matter how you homogenize it, egotism and Christianity doesn’t mix and pride always goes before the fall.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
ALL IN THE FAMILY
In the mid thirties to the forties I often entered into radio-land where I would spend time listened to my favorite programs. After school I would gather up my brother, and run home just in time to hear “Jack Armstrong the all American boy.” Then until four thirty I enjoyed the fantasy world via the radio.
When my dad came home he would listen to the news programs until about six o’clock, and I would wait until seven when the popular stars; Jack Benny, Red Skeleton along with others would make me laugh and the mystery programs would cause me to pull the covers over my head.
I knew the weekly schedule of all the shows and which were the best nights.
While sitting one evening I heard King Edward III speak. He said he was abdicating the throne and would marry twice divorced Bessie Wallis Warfield.
For about six years they had been having an affair, at the same time she was also having an affair with another man which Edward found out about after he abdicated.
They were married and quickly ran through his fortune. His brother George V1 became king and his daughter Elizabeth in 1952 became queen. When Edward said he was quitting his job as king so I can marry the woman I love, I didn’t understand what a big deal that was; nevertheless it has remained in my memory since 1936.
It seems Prince Charles did a similar thing with a married woman while married to Princess Diana.
When love (AKA lust) kicks in all sanity goes out the window whether king or peasant, the affair of the heart is a mighty force to be reckoned with.
A neighbor woman about age 60 was telling me about her husband who was divorcing her for his secretary. I asked her if the woman was much younger than her, and she said, no she is quite a bit older. I thought that is a twist on a getting dumped story. Usually the new woman is years younger than the wife.
Secret affairs cause people to do strange things. David, the king of Israel had an illicit affair with Bathsheba and when she was found to be pregnant, he had her husband murdered. Uriah was a loyal and honorable man, but he was killed for his wife.
The whole series of events boggles my mind that GOD would have the genealogical line of Jesus to come through David and Bathsheba.
All I can say is “Go figure”. Perhaps exercising control over those things that have a strong attraction to us might help.
Jeremiah 17:9 the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked who can know it?
After his affair was made known, David thought it was time to repent and ask for forgiveness from GOD.
This only happened after Nathan the prophet exposed David and told him how dastardly his deed was.
David prayed to the Lord saying, “Create in me a clean heart.”
If he had prayed this way prior to the Bathsheba incident it may never have happened.
Where women and men are gathered, temptation shows up. It often is another case of how Satan has taken desire and perverted it from joining A man and a woman in a lifelong relationship to a series of illicit affairs which is only a lust reliever.
He who finds a wife finds a good thing; he who has an affair is disgusting in GODS sight.
It takes two to tango, and it is time to get the tango-ing out of the church.
Http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pv47YD7g-0o
When my dad came home he would listen to the news programs until about six o’clock, and I would wait until seven when the popular stars; Jack Benny, Red Skeleton along with others would make me laugh and the mystery programs would cause me to pull the covers over my head.
I knew the weekly schedule of all the shows and which were the best nights.
While sitting one evening I heard King Edward III speak. He said he was abdicating the throne and would marry twice divorced Bessie Wallis Warfield.
For about six years they had been having an affair, at the same time she was also having an affair with another man which Edward found out about after he abdicated.
They were married and quickly ran through his fortune. His brother George V1 became king and his daughter Elizabeth in 1952 became queen. When Edward said he was quitting his job as king so I can marry the woman I love, I didn’t understand what a big deal that was; nevertheless it has remained in my memory since 1936.
It seems Prince Charles did a similar thing with a married woman while married to Princess Diana.
When love (AKA lust) kicks in all sanity goes out the window whether king or peasant, the affair of the heart is a mighty force to be reckoned with.
A neighbor woman about age 60 was telling me about her husband who was divorcing her for his secretary. I asked her if the woman was much younger than her, and she said, no she is quite a bit older. I thought that is a twist on a getting dumped story. Usually the new woman is years younger than the wife.
Secret affairs cause people to do strange things. David, the king of Israel had an illicit affair with Bathsheba and when she was found to be pregnant, he had her husband murdered. Uriah was a loyal and honorable man, but he was killed for his wife.
The whole series of events boggles my mind that GOD would have the genealogical line of Jesus to come through David and Bathsheba.
All I can say is “Go figure”. Perhaps exercising control over those things that have a strong attraction to us might help.
Jeremiah 17:9 the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked who can know it?
After his affair was made known, David thought it was time to repent and ask for forgiveness from GOD.
This only happened after Nathan the prophet exposed David and told him how dastardly his deed was.
David prayed to the Lord saying, “Create in me a clean heart.”
If he had prayed this way prior to the Bathsheba incident it may never have happened.
Where women and men are gathered, temptation shows up. It often is another case of how Satan has taken desire and perverted it from joining A man and a woman in a lifelong relationship to a series of illicit affairs which is only a lust reliever.
He who finds a wife finds a good thing; he who has an affair is disgusting in GODS sight.
It takes two to tango, and it is time to get the tango-ing out of the church.
Http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pv47YD7g-0o
Monday, August 9, 2010
TROUBLE IN RIVER CITY
Let me tell you a story of an incident that happened when I was still a young Christian; we had a close knit group in the church I attended. The people in this story are dead and gone so it cannot reflect back on them.
Let me preface by saying that when you are born again it is a rebirth of the spirit, the body is the same unless a healing or a miracle also takes place. The soul is in the same condition as before except for the impact of the knowledge of the new birth makes on it. James calls it saving your soul; your mind, will, and emotions. Most everyone who has been saved for awhile has seen many evidences of a soul that needs saving. This is acted out in human experience and can cause great damage to the cause of Christ.
I had been elected to the deacon board even though I really wasn’t qualified, but because there were just a few men available, and some refused to serve again; so now I was a deacon!
There were many of us who were close, going out to dinner, evenings spent together and the like. There was one couple; Perry and Mabel McDaniel that were good friends to us. Mabel was several years older than Perry and they were not always kind to each other, saying little digs in front of other people. In spite of that they were part of our social group.
There was a single lady, Lorene page who was about age thirty, and who had been our church secretary for several years. She became friendlier with Perry and he would confide in her, his home problems. And again no one paid any attention to this because we were a close knit church group.
Perry drove a delivery truck around town for a living, until one day he announced he was going to take a line job driving from Portland Oregon, to Oakland. About this time Lorene announced she could no longer keep the church books for she was moving. If anyone hasn’t figured out where she was moving then I will tell you, “Portland, Oregon”.
Then one day Perry wanted to meet with the church board and a time was set. I and the othere really weren’t prepared for what happened next. Perry confessed that he and Mabel were not married, and they had only “lived together” for over twenty years.
This was a shock back in the fifties. I and others thought well, we need to straighten this out, we could have a wedding ceremony, and that would fix everything. Whereupon Perry announced that he and Mabel were separating, but he would still support her.
Perry and Lorene had planned this all out, and played it out accordingly. Lorene would become indignant and defended their actions by saying Perry had every right to leave Mabel and marry her, because he and Mabel had never married.
Time passed and we heard that he and Lorene had gotten married and they now were the parents of a child. Mabel continued to attend our church but she died a few years later.
Every day a similar situation occurs in the Christian church somewhere, doing despite to the cause of Christ. The people involved move on and leave the local body to bear the brunt of their despicable deed.
James 1:21:
Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.
http://www.miraclepower.org/Evangelistbrevet/Articles%20English/the_word_of_God.htm
The above hyperlink to a good article I ran across.
Let me preface by saying that when you are born again it is a rebirth of the spirit, the body is the same unless a healing or a miracle also takes place. The soul is in the same condition as before except for the impact of the knowledge of the new birth makes on it. James calls it saving your soul; your mind, will, and emotions. Most everyone who has been saved for awhile has seen many evidences of a soul that needs saving. This is acted out in human experience and can cause great damage to the cause of Christ.
I had been elected to the deacon board even though I really wasn’t qualified, but because there were just a few men available, and some refused to serve again; so now I was a deacon!
There were many of us who were close, going out to dinner, evenings spent together and the like. There was one couple; Perry and Mabel McDaniel that were good friends to us. Mabel was several years older than Perry and they were not always kind to each other, saying little digs in front of other people. In spite of that they were part of our social group.
There was a single lady, Lorene page who was about age thirty, and who had been our church secretary for several years. She became friendlier with Perry and he would confide in her, his home problems. And again no one paid any attention to this because we were a close knit church group.
Perry drove a delivery truck around town for a living, until one day he announced he was going to take a line job driving from Portland Oregon, to Oakland. About this time Lorene announced she could no longer keep the church books for she was moving. If anyone hasn’t figured out where she was moving then I will tell you, “Portland, Oregon”.
Then one day Perry wanted to meet with the church board and a time was set. I and the othere really weren’t prepared for what happened next. Perry confessed that he and Mabel were not married, and they had only “lived together” for over twenty years.
This was a shock back in the fifties. I and others thought well, we need to straighten this out, we could have a wedding ceremony, and that would fix everything. Whereupon Perry announced that he and Mabel were separating, but he would still support her.
Perry and Lorene had planned this all out, and played it out accordingly. Lorene would become indignant and defended their actions by saying Perry had every right to leave Mabel and marry her, because he and Mabel had never married.
Time passed and we heard that he and Lorene had gotten married and they now were the parents of a child. Mabel continued to attend our church but she died a few years later.
Every day a similar situation occurs in the Christian church somewhere, doing despite to the cause of Christ. The people involved move on and leave the local body to bear the brunt of their despicable deed.
James 1:21:
Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.
http://www.miraclepower.org/Evangelistbrevet/Articles%20English/the_word_of_God.htm
The above hyperlink to a good article I ran across.
Sunday, August 8, 2010
THE GAME GOES ON
A strange phenomena in life is when it’s over it ain’t over. What I mean is something is hopeless and it continues on. An example of this is when a team scores so many points in the beginning of the game it would take the other team a dozen games to score as many.
No matter how far they are behind the game goes on. When the outcome is obvious, people lose interest, and leave the stadium to the extent that the players are about the only ones left toward the end of the game.
In today’s world there are many struggles going on, the outcome is not in doubt yet the struggle goes on.
The framers of the constitution never dreamed of the issues faced in this country today. The church is threatened as never before and is addicted to laxity. There are people who avow they will exterminate every Christian and the church yawns and says Ho-hum.
What happens when Islam is in charge? Ask the recent CHRISTIAN MEDICAL MISSION people in Afghanistan. Oh, I forgot the Islamic believers murdered them so they won’t be able to tell you. Anyone who preaches the gospel of Christ is seen as an infidel and worthy to be killed. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100807/ap_on_re_as/as_afghanistan
There are so called Christian groups in America that have a convoluted sense of fairness and as a result of fear of being seen as biased, are supporting the expansion of Islam.
From the New York Times: “But they have not gone unanswered. In each community, interfaith groups led by Protestant ministers, Catholic priests, Rabbis and Clergy members of other faiths have defended the (building of) mosques. Often, they have been slower to organize than the mosque opponents, but their numbers have usually been larger.”
I may be wrong but I don’t think anyone who can’t live uprightly for Christ will be willing to die for his cause.
In some African nations today there is a separation of the sheep and the goats going on, where Christians are called upon to recant or die. Not an easy choice unless the commitment is real and nonnegotiable. The church is suffering from malaise that has all but paralyzed it.
The enemies of Christ are scoring all the points and the game is over, yet it still goes on.
From the New York Times: “Feeding the resistance (to Islam) is a growing cottage industry of authors and bloggers — some of them former Muslims, who are invited to speak at rallies, sell their books and testify in churches. Their message is that Islam is inherently violent and incompatible with America, and; Islam is invading, (all countries) and that civilization is being undermined by Muslims.”
Fragmentation of the church at one time was needful in order to keep one group from dominating and controlling the church as prior to the reformation. Currently it is a weakness for it doesn’t provide a strong front to stand against the present adversaries.
No matter how far they are behind the game goes on. When the outcome is obvious, people lose interest, and leave the stadium to the extent that the players are about the only ones left toward the end of the game.
In today’s world there are many struggles going on, the outcome is not in doubt yet the struggle goes on.
The framers of the constitution never dreamed of the issues faced in this country today. The church is threatened as never before and is addicted to laxity. There are people who avow they will exterminate every Christian and the church yawns and says Ho-hum.
What happens when Islam is in charge? Ask the recent CHRISTIAN MEDICAL MISSION people in Afghanistan. Oh, I forgot the Islamic believers murdered them so they won’t be able to tell you. Anyone who preaches the gospel of Christ is seen as an infidel and worthy to be killed. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100807/ap_on_re_as/as_afghanistan
There are so called Christian groups in America that have a convoluted sense of fairness and as a result of fear of being seen as biased, are supporting the expansion of Islam.
From the New York Times: “But they have not gone unanswered. In each community, interfaith groups led by Protestant ministers, Catholic priests, Rabbis and Clergy members of other faiths have defended the (building of) mosques. Often, they have been slower to organize than the mosque opponents, but their numbers have usually been larger.”
I may be wrong but I don’t think anyone who can’t live uprightly for Christ will be willing to die for his cause.
In some African nations today there is a separation of the sheep and the goats going on, where Christians are called upon to recant or die. Not an easy choice unless the commitment is real and nonnegotiable. The church is suffering from malaise that has all but paralyzed it.
The enemies of Christ are scoring all the points and the game is over, yet it still goes on.
From the New York Times: “Feeding the resistance (to Islam) is a growing cottage industry of authors and bloggers — some of them former Muslims, who are invited to speak at rallies, sell their books and testify in churches. Their message is that Islam is inherently violent and incompatible with America, and; Islam is invading, (all countries) and that civilization is being undermined by Muslims.”
Fragmentation of the church at one time was needful in order to keep one group from dominating and controlling the church as prior to the reformation. Currently it is a weakness for it doesn’t provide a strong front to stand against the present adversaries.
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