Showing posts with label teach. Show all posts
Showing posts with label teach. Show all posts
Friday, March 1, 2013
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
The Three Truths I
The truth that sets you free!
Do you love truth? It is not up to us to decide what truth is...it is up to God, since He gives it. It is a powerful gift from above. So, I am not talking about reading something in a magazine that rings true for you and loving IT. NO. I am asking if you love truth so much that you won't accept any substitute.
So whatever it turns out to be you will accept it...and you have the humble attitude that even when you think you've found it you hold on to it with an open hand - and not inside a tight fist as though you've attained and now have all the light you need! NO. Because when the truth has done what it was sent to do, it is then you will have found the truth!
Because as you closely follow Jesus and what He taught...then the truth that you find there will do more than just sit in your head...Jesus said that it will set you free! So, essentially, you can be saved...and still not be free. However, Jesus wants to be more than your Savior, so He bids you come closer, follow His teachings and therefore be exposed to the truths you will not find out there trying to make sense of things on your own! He wants you to abide (live, cling, remain) in Him!
John 8:31-32 Jesus said to the people who believed in him, "You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
Isaiah 55:10-11 "For just as the rain and snow come down from heaven, and
do not return there without watering the earth, making it bring forth and
sprout, yielding seed for the sower and bread for eating, so will my message be that goes out of my mouth— it won't
return to me empty. Instead, it will accomplish what I desire, and achieve the
purpose for which I sent it."
Heb. 4:12 For the word of God is living, and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and quick to discern the thoughts and intents of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and the truth laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.
Barnes Notes on The Bible: That truth has power to show what man is, and is like a penetrating sword that lays open the whole man; compare Isaiah 49:2. The phrase "the Word of God" here may be applied as the "truth" of God, however made known to the mind. In some way it will bring out the real feelings, and show what man is.
1 Cor. 4: 1People should think of us as servants of Christ and managers who are entrusted with God's mysteries. 2Managers are required to be trustworthy. 3It means very little to me that you or any human court should cross-examine me. I don't even ask myself questions. 4I have a clear conscience, but that doesn't mean I have God's approval.
It is the Lord who cross-examines me. 5Therefore, don't judge anything before the appointed time. Wait until the Lord comes. He will also bring to light what is hidden in the dark and reveal people's motives. Then each person will receive praise from God.
6Brothers and sisters, I have applied this to Apollos and myself for your sake. You should learn from us not to go beyond what is written in Scripture. Then you won't arrogantly place one of us in opposition to the other. 7Who says that you are any better than other people? What do you have that wasn't given to you? If you were given what you have, why are you bragging as if it weren't a gift?
The truth that saves you!
A number of years ago some representatives of a cult came to our door, and during our conversation I asked them how they helped people know God. I actually asked this several times because each time their answer was pretty much the same...- they would do bible studies with them, invite them to church and give them literature about God and so on.
So, in their mind learning about God by trying to gain specific 'truths' would save them. Altho, years later I asked one of their followers if he knew he was going to heaven. His answer was slow in coming...but then he said, 'No, I guess I really don't'.
Because how would we know, that we know or practice enough 'truth' in order to be saved??? This is sad, because God made it pretty simple to find that one truth that saves us!
2 Thess. 2:10 He will use every kind of evil deception to fool those on their way to destruction, because they refuse to love the truth that would save them.
John 14:6 Jesus said to him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes to the Father, but by me.
Acts 4:12 There is no salvation by anyone else, for there is no other name under heaven given among people by which we must be saved."
The truth that IS you!
Everyone has a story. Yes, because everyone has a personal history of living and being. Your story is your truth. Only you and God fully know it. Your truth only belongs to you and God, no matter who you are. Your truth consists of ~ You! So, this means you and no one else has any right to your body but you and God. If I ever talk about rights, this is it! You and I have a right to be on earth just merely via the fact that we were born and we ARE here!
Therefore, we are also allowed to live and thrive, have a private life and make the decisions to follow God (or not) without manipulation, because God made it this way...and this is no matter the mistakes we have done, or what we believe, or what we look like...there is no one righteous, no not one...so, we are all in the same boat so to speak.
The only way someone else has a right to take any charge of my life is if I have deliberately #caused harm to someone else's rights...this includes gossip, slander, shunning, raging against, meddling and of course manipulation to just name a few.
#Side note here. I am not talking about experiencing inconveniences, or the ofttimes need to be flexible and getting toes stepped on, no...because this happens merely by living around other people.
2 Tim. 1:12 For this reason I suffer as I do. However, I'm not ashamed. I know whom I trust. I'm convinced that he is able to protect what I have entrusted to Him until that day.
1 Thess. 5:23 May the God who gives peace make you holy in every way. May he keep your whole being-spirit, soul, and body-blameless when our Lord Jesus Christ comes.
1 Pet. 4: 19 Therefore let them also who suffer according to the will of God in doing good, entrust their souls to him, as to a faithful Creator.
*That which I have entrust unto him-Greek, "my deposit"; the body, soul, and spirit, which I have deposited in God's safe keeping (1Th 5:23; 1Pe 4:19). So Christ Himself in dying (Lu 23:46). "God deposits with us His word; we deposit with God our spirit" [Grotius]. There is one deposit (His revelation) committed by God to us, which we ought to keep (2Ti 1:13, 14) and transmit to others (2Ti 2:2); there is another committed by God to us, which we should commit to His keeping, namely, ourselves and our heavenly portion.
Acts 17:28 For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain even of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.
SO, what do we do with these three truths?? I submit these truths in your life and my life are so immensely valuable that we must treasure them...and to the point where we must be careful with whom we share them with and how. But this will be for next time...
The Three Truths II coming soon....
Sunday, February 17, 2013
Spiritual Abuse Study III - Also With Children
Below in 3 John 1:5-12 John writes Gaius about the abuse that is going on within the church. Can you pick out the things that are abusive or can easily lead to abuse?
5Dear friend, you are being faithful to God when you care for the traveling teachers who pass through, even though they are strangers to you. 6They have told the church here of your loving friendship. Please continue providing for such teachers in a manner that pleases God. 7For they are traveling for the Lord,c and they accept nothing from people who are not believers.d 8So we ourselves should support them so that we can be their partners as they teach the truth.
9I wrote to the church about this, but Diotrephes, who loves to be the leader, refuses to have anything to do with us. 10When I come, I will report some of the things he is doing and the evil accusations he is making against us. Not only does he refuse to welcome the traveling teachers, he also tells others not to help them. And when they do help, he puts them out of the church.
11Dear friend, don’t let this bad example influence you. Follow only what is good. Remember that those who do good prove that they are God’s children, and those who do evil prove that they do not know God.e 12Everyone speaks highly of Demetrius, as does the truth itself. We ourselves can say the same for him, and you know we speak the truth.
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As you standby watching your children safely play, I would guess that you think about all the things you want most for them. Along with this you probably think about the things you can do to ensure...well, at least to the best of your ability...that their future is bright.
As you think about that, I submit that the one thing they need most is to see and experience integrity in you. I am not talking about perfection. No. As integrity doesn't mean that. It is simply respecting your child's personhood and being honest in your dealings with them and in life. ~ Saying what you mean, and then backing it up...so your kids learn what integrity truly is.
Most of us retain a strong sense of integrity that tells us not to steal or kill or set out to deliberately hurt people. However, the integrity that is being discussed here is perhaps an expanded view, and comes from a little bit different perspective. It is the integrity that your children need to see so as to know where to place their trust...and subsequently their lives!
To be more specific, when many of us were kids, we were emphatically reminded that we could trust people with uniforms, all adults, doctors, nurses, teachers, grandparents and of course one's own parents. Additionally, we were taught never to say no to an adult. No matter how we felt, we were also taught to finish everything on our plates because there were people starving in China!
So, a child was not taught to listen to their inside feelings of fullness, or their discomfort from eating too much. They were instead taught to listen primarily to an outside source - their parents.
Additionally, it was expected that we would hug visiting relatives and to sit on their laps whether we wanted to or not. We were also lead to believe that a smile, or being given candy meant the person was friendly...no matter what we felt about it.
Many children were often potty-trained quickly, as who wanted to put up with those cloth diapers! Therefore, the only control (personal boundaries) a child had over their own bodies was taken away at a very early age. (I was potty trained at the age of one year. My Aunt told my mother that it was silly to have to put up with it, so she put me on the potty chair and would not let me get up till I went)
However, the times we live in today are different in many ways. Whereas children were taught essentially not to listen to their own bodies/tummies and not to have much control over their own lives, children now need to be taught the opposite. They need to be encouraged to be very aware of themselves and how they are feeling in any given situation - and to be given some control and say over their own bodies.
Subsequently, we need to train them to trust only those who have modeled integrity and have earned their trust. This is different then teaching them to be afraid...this is teaching them to trust and not ignore that something is going on inside. It is teaching them to be OK with expressing their discomforts and their God given personal boundaries...which also begins to prepare them for a life of being able to discern between good and evil.
Please contact me for more information at com4tea@yahoo.com
Spiritual Abuse Study II
Wanting to stop murder and other actions that directly cause harm to others should be dealt with...and any good citizen would want some kind of involvement in trying to make this happen, along with creating a more peaceful society. However, God says that we are all sinners...and likewise. we are all equally free and responsible to make our own decisions between ourselves and God...which should give us perspective and make us humble.
But, many times zeal takes over, mixed with immaturity and lack of understanding -- which can be a dangerous combo because then these zealots often times begin to think their job is to police everyone else's lives. So, if this is not already happening by a Pastor or within a church body, then it usually will create some kind of a following without.
Romans 10:1Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved. 2For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge. 3Since they did not know the righteousness that comes from God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. 4Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.
Proverbs 19:2
Even zeal is not good without knowledge, and the one
who acts hastily sins.
If you think about it every single sin has a ripple effect. However, the majority of sin is deliberately aimed at affecting another person - gossip, rape, murder, hate, abuse, adultery, slander, incest, pedophilia, and etc. But, as it says in the following verse, sexual sin is aimed at oneself. (meaning; within consenting adults).
However, much of Christian society today give little attention to all these sins that are profoundly affecting others, and then in comparison are zealous in going after the sexual sins that mainly affects the persons engaged in them. - namely, homosexuality.
1 Cor. 6:18
Run from sexual immorality! "Every sin a person can commit is outside the body." On the contrary, the person who is sexually immoral sins against his own body.
Then this zeal often goes further and begins to create meddlers. Kind of like a 'Christian Police' of sorts...altho they may use titles that come from the OT and say that they are called by God to take that position. Once I said something in a comment made on a site such as this...a comment that they did not agree with, so their public response was that I was on 'thin ice' with God and that they did their job of telling me the truth so their hands are clean! Then their woeful exclamation at the end was how hard it is to be what they are!
1 Peter 4:15 None of you, however, should suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or a meddler.
Meddler- A busybody in other men's matters (ἀλλοτριοεπίσκοπος)
Only used once in the New Testament. Literally, the overseer of another's matters. One who usurps authority in matters not within his province - a meddler. It is placed in the same verse with very destructive sins. Compare Luke 12:13, Luke 12:14; 1 Thessalonians 4:11; 2 Thessalonians 3:11. It may refer to the officious interference of Christians in the affairs of their Gentile neighbors, through excess of zeal to conform them to what they considered to be the Christian standard. They felt like they had the authority to basically go behind the closed doors of certain sinners and point out their behaviors.
The OT law was very much like the police, as it's nose was everywhere, policing every move people made. However, it could only police behaviors...and did so without mercy. Yes, it's job was only punitive and to oversee the sinner, but without ever giving the hope of being able to live up to it! It was just like carrying around a curse!
Gal. 3:10
But those who depend on the law to make them right with God are under his curse, for the Scriptures say, "Cursed is everyone who does not observe and obey all the commands that are written in God's Book of the Law."
But now because of Christ's death and resurrection, we have the Holy Spirit that goes where the law could never go...right to the heart and the motives...then convicts, and very differently, and very personally! Why differently? Well, simply, how can we even compare a list of rules that can only be impersonal, with God's Spirit which is more than personal...and offers hope for a solid and lasting redemption no matter the sin! Now, this IS good news!
Yes, the gospel is simply the good news that Jesus came to seek and to save all sinners, and gave His life as solid proof...instead of seeking out reasons to condemn any of us!
Along with meddling, another overlooked sin is manipulation...because it can be the most subtle. This has become such a common practice that it has become socially acceptable, and most people do not even realize it's happening. No one can accept Christ for me, for instance...NO, I must choose.
However, manipulation goes about as though it can override this...as it differs from persuasion in that it tries to override a person’s God given right to choose. Manipulation causes someone to do something that they would not do under normal circumstances...therefore it is rebelling against God because it attempts to usurp not only a person's will, but also God's authority over that person(s).
When guilt, fear, embarrassment, sympathy, and etc. are used to get people to do what they would not otherwise do, it is manipulation. "They made me feel guilty so I did what the other person wanted."
Even when someone deliberately uses another person’s compassionate heart as a means to manipulate them into complying with their will, it is manipulation...which in itself is also rebellious just like the sin of witchcraft, because it attempts to override God just like overt rebellion would.
1 Samuel 15:23
For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and presumption
is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, he
has also rejected you from being king.”
Even fear can be used to manipulate. This happens all too often in churches when ministers intentionally instill fear of hell or the tribulation into their congregation in order to manipulate them into reciting the sinners prayer, following church doctrine or attending church more regularly. Of course, hell and the tribulation are terrible things but the truth of these things should never be presented as the means to manipulate people.
Click here for - Spiritual Abuse Study III
Thursday, February 14, 2013
Pull Up A Chair For Storytime!
Once upon a time...
An atheist professor of philosophy pauses before his class and then asks one of his new students to stand.
'You're a Christian, aren't you, son?'
'Yes sir,' the student says.
'So you believe in God?'
'Absolutely. '
'Is God good?'
'Sure! God's good.'
'Is God all-powerful? Can God do anything?'
'Yes'
'Are you good or evil?'
'The Bible says I'm evil.'
The professor grins knowingly. 'Aha! The Bible! He considers for a moment. 'Here's one for you. Let's say there's a sick person over here and you can cure him. You can do it. Would you help him? Would you try?'
'Yes sir, I would.'
'So you're good...!'
'I wouldn't say that.'
'But why not say that? You'd help a sick and maimed person if you could. Most of us would if we could. But God doesn't.'
The student does not answer, so the professor continues. 'He doesn't, does he? My brother was a Christian who died of cancer, even though he prayed to Jesus to heal him. How is this Jesus good? Can you answer that one?'
The student remains silent. 'No, you can't, can you?' the professor says. He takes a sip of water from a glass on his desk to give the student time to relax. 'Let's start again, young fella. Is God good?'
'Er..yes,' the student says.
'Is Satan good?'
The student doesn't hesitate on this one. 'No.'
'Then where does Satan come from?'
The student falters. 'From God'
'That's right. God made Satan, didn't he? Tell me, son. Is there evil in this world?'
'Yes, sir..'
'Evil's everywhere, isn't it? And God did make everything, correct?'
'Yes'
'So who created evil?' The professor continued, 'If God created everything, then God created evil, since evil exists, and according to the principle that our works define who we are, then God is evil.'
Again, the student has no answer. 'Is there sickness? Immorality? Hatred? Ugliness? All these terrible things, do they exist in this world?'
The student squirms on his feet. 'Yes.'
'So who created them?'
The student does not answer again, so the professor repeats his question. 'Who created them?' There is still no answer. Suddenly the lecturer breaks away to pace in front of the classroom. The class is mesmerized. 'Tell me,' he continues onto another student. 'Do you believe in Jesus Christ, son?'
The student's voice betrays him and cracks. 'Yes, professor, I do.'
The old man stops pacing. 'Science says you have five senses you use to identify and observe the world around you. Have you ever seen Jesus?'
'No sir. I've never seen Him.'
'Then tell us if you've ever heard your Jesus?'
'No, sir, I have not..'
'Have you ever felt your Jesus, tasted your Jesus or smelt your Jesus? Have you ever had any sensory perception of Jesus Christ, or God for that matter?'
'No, sir, I'm afraid I haven't.'
'Yet you still believe in him?'
'Yes'
'According to the rules of empirical, testable, demonstrable protocol, science says your God doesn't exist... What do you say to that, son?'
'Nothing,' the student replies.. 'I only have my faith.'
'Yes, faith,' the professor repeats. 'And that is the problem science has with God. There is no evidence, only faith.'
The student stands quietly for a moment, before asking a question of His own. 'Professor, is there such thing as heat? '
' Yes.
'And is there such a thing as cold?'
'Yes, son, there's cold too.'
'No sir, there isn't.'
The professor turns to face the student, obviously interested. The room suddenly become s very quiet. The student begins to explain. 'You can have lots of heat, even more heat, super-heat, mega-heat, unlimited heat, white heat, a little heat or no heat, but we don't have anything called 'cold'. We can hit down to 458 degrees below zero, which is no heat, but we can't go any further after that.
There is no such thing as cold; otherwise we would be able to go colder than the lowest -458 degrees. Every body or object is susceptible to study when it has or transmits energy, and heat is what makes a body or matter have or transmit energy.
Absolute zero (-458 F) is the total absence of heat. You see, sir, cold is only a word we use to describe the absence of heat. We cannot measure cold. Heat we can measure in thermal units because heat is energy. Cold is not the opposite of heat, sir, just the absence of it.'
Silence across the room. A pen drops somewhere in the classroom, sounding like a hammer.
'What about darkness, professor. Is there such a thing as darkness?'
'Yes,' the professor replies without hesitation.. 'What is night if it isn't darkness?'
'You're wrong again, sir. Darkness is not something; it is the absence of something. You can have low light, normal light, bright light, flashing light, but if you have no light constantly you have nothing and it's called darkness, isn't it? That's the meaning we use to define the word. In reality, darkness isn't. If it were, you would be able to make darkness darker, wouldn't you?'
1 John 1: 5 'This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in Him at all'. In darkness there is (in Gal. 5:20) 'the worship of idols, witchcraft, anger of man, hateds, contention, rivalry, rage, insolence, man instigated conflict, divisions and quarrels'.
The professor begins to smile at the student in front of him. This will be a good semester. 'So what point are you making, young man?'
'Yes, professor. My point is, your philosophical premise is flawed to start with, and so your conclusion must also be flawed.'
The professor's face cannot hide his surprise this time. 'Flawed? Can you explain how?'
'You are working on the premise of duality,' the student explains.. 'You argue that there is life and then there's death; a good God and a bad God. You are viewing the concept of God as something finite, something we can measure. Sir, science can't even explain a thought.'
'It uses electricity and magnetism, but has never seen, much less fully understood either one. To view death as the opposite of life is to be ignorant of the fact that death cannot exist as a substantive thing. Death is not the opposite of life, just the absence of it.' 'Now tell me, professor.. Do you teach your students that they evolved from a monkey?'
'If you are referring to the natural evolutionary process, young man, yes, of course I do.'
'Have you ever observed evolution with your own eyes, sir?'
The professor begins to shake his head, still smiling, as he realizes where the argument is going. A very good semester, indeed.
'Since no one has ever observed the process of evolution at work and cannot even prove that this process is an on-going endeavor, are you not teaching your opinion, sir? Are you now not a scientist, but a preacher?'
The class is in uproar. The student remains silent until the commotion has subsided. 'To continue the point you were making earlier to the other student, let me give you an example of what I mean.' The student looks around the room. 'Is there anyone in the class who has ever seen the professor's brain?' The class breaks out into laughter.
'Is there anyone here who has ever heard the professor's brain, felt the professor's brain, touched or smelt the professor's brain? No one appears to have done so. So, according to the established rules of empirical, stable, demonstrable protocol, science says that you have no brain, with all due respect, sir.' 'So if science says you have no brain, how can we trust your lectures, sir?'
Now the room is silent. The professor just stares at the student, his face unreadable. Finally, after what seems an eternity, the old man answers. 'I Guess you'll have to take them on faith.'
'Now, you accept that there is faith, and, in fact, faith exists with life,' the student continues. 'Now, sir, is there such a thing as evil?'
Now uncertain, the professor responds, 'Of course, there is. We see it Everyday. It is in the daily example of man's inhumanity to man. It is in The multitude of crime and violence everywhere in the world. These manifestations are nothing else but evil.'
To this the student replied, 'Evil does not exist sir, or at least it does not exist unto itself. Evil is simply the absence of God. It is just like darkness and cold, a word that man has created to describe the absence of God. God did not create evil. Evil is the result of what happens when man does not have God's love present in his heart. It's like the cold that comes when there is no heat or the darkness that comes when there is no light.'
The professor sat down.
The student was Albert Einstein
Albert Einstein wrote a book titled God vs. Science in 1921.
Everything that can be counted does not necessarily count; everything that counts cannot necessarily be counted. (Law -vs- Law of Love)
Albert Einstein
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