“…to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit…But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as [H]e will.”

 

Reader, there be different kinds of wounds. The human is a tripart being, s/he is spirit, soul, and body.  The physicians heals the physical, the counselor seeks to help the spirit or mindset of those that hurt in this area. However, it is a gift to help a hurting soul. For this article we will define the soul and the retainer or spiritual lining that “embodies” the spiritual mindset of an individual. Also for the purpose of this article we will speak to the spiritual mindedness as the spirit of the believer.  In other words, there exists a spirit or mindset in man.

The unsaved have a dead spirit or is incapable of exercising anything spiritual or eternal. The unsaved is completely depraved in this aspect, the unsaved have no possibility of exercising anything spiritual toward God, for the unsaved are spiritually dead. No unsaved person can exercise anything spiritual toward God. This is the death God promised Adam in the beginning, the death Adam experience is the death of the spirit. I trust this makes sense.

To sum up the above and to make things clear, the tripart human has a spirit (mindset) This spirit is within a soul, this soul is the invisible man that is within the body of man. For example, from Luke, the rich man and Lazarus both dies and their soul encased spirit went to paradise. In paradise there existed hell and a place the righteous would dwell for a period.

This is what Christ spoke of when He promised the repentant thief that He would see the thief in Paradise. The soul is visible in the spiritual realm, it has all the traits of the physical and reside with the human, when the human departs the physical body, the soul goes to one (1) place or another. Inside this soul resided the spirit or mind of the individual.

The unsaved have a dead spirit inside the soul, the redeemed has a spirit that is alive within the encasement or the soul and the soul is visible in the afterlife, the soul is the hidden person that can be seen in the afterlife and has all the physical traits of the temporal or terrestrial body and the spirit is the mind within the soul’s lining and it is also present and cognitive in the afterlife.  I trust this is at least clear as mud. This is my understanding or concept of spirit, soul, and body. Of course i cannot be dogmatic upon this “supposal,” as Lewis wd call it..this is merely my supposal, there can be no doctrine built upon this supposal or view…understand? Building doctrine upon supposals is the conception and birth of a cult. We are no cult, my ministry shall never be cultic….Christ-ianity is a cult, a cult or culture built from the teaching of One (1) Man…One Godman, Christ Jesus.

Having said all of that, the human physician deals with the physical body, the psychiatrist deals with the dead spirit of the human.  The Christ-ian encourager deals with the spiritual aspect of the mindset or the living spirit of the Christ-ian. I truly hope i am making sense. I am not dogmatic at all on this subject of the tripartite.  After defining our terms let us move on with our article on the Christ-ian as encourager.

Many a preacher can preach on sin and the unworthiness of the human…anyone can preach the depravity of the human, but God gifts some with the gift of healing the spirit or the mindset of the redeemed individual. We could use the word, edify as in edifice or building for encouragement. Anyone can destroy or deconstruct, but it is the Christ-ian who is gifted with healing that can edify or build up or to encourage the individual’s living spirit.

Encouragement works or should work in a three (3) fold manner. (2 Corinthians 1), We comfort you with the comfort wherewith we have been comforted. I acknowledge that encouragement and comfort are similar but different. However this passage lays before us a general principle, or rule that is golden, do unto others as you would have done unto you. I am comforted by God, I should therefore comfort others with the comfort God has given me and those that I comfort should then comfort others with the comfort I have comforted them. This is the principle.

I our case we are speaking on encouragement. Therefore, as God, Who is the Authour of all grace, God is the Authour of my encouragement. As I am so encouraged by God….”then David encouraged himself in the LORD,”  I should encourage others in the encouragement of the LORD wherewith I was encouraged by the Lord. Nothing encourages me more that a momentary thought of Christ, “Consider [H]im,” and it is my strength, reverently, what spinach does to my friend Popeye, a simple, but hope-filled thought upon Christ encourages or strengthens me greatly. I cannot explain how it works, it just does, “God is my strength,”  “I consider [H]im,” and all is well, it is a spiritual matter that only other divines can understand.

What is encouragement, by the way? We would be remiss if we did not spend time upon encouragement and what it means or how it works, this is something many pastors or ministers, especially those on radio and tv. Many of those on TV are false in every way…if you are one percent (1%) false you are false one hundred percent (100%), what someone says may have much truth to it but the admixture of any percent of false makes that someone all false, especially if there exists intent.

A woman who puts together a cocktail of ninety-nine percent (99%) something and one percent (1%) poison, poisons the entire cocktail (Most poisoners in history have been women, poison is the lady’s mean of murder). The tv preacher is speaking some truth into his or her otherwise lie and will then at the end will throw in a brief word of salvation but never explain salvation and what one (1) is to be saved from (Joel Osteen is prime example).  Many tv reachers (I call them reachers because they reach for money and stretch [a synonym of reach] the truth)  only give Christ and His Salvation/Lordship lip service. So I would be remiss if i wrote about encouragement and then did not define en-courage-ment.

When one (1) en-cour-ages another, one (1) is literally putting courage in or en-tering with courage into another person. We might think of ce-ment when we see ment in encourage-ment, so to encourage is ce-menting something into another. We might even think or see the word core in encourage. So, encouraging deals with the core of a person’s being (spirit/soul).

As one (1) continues thinking about the word courage, one (1) could think of court, as in, court-eous. Courteous speaks to the manner in which one (1) behaves in a court or a court of the king. A king can be very intimidating, the word of a king can be the messenger of death, says Scripture. Therefore one (1) is court-eous in the presence of, or in the court of a king. Therefore to encourage a person is to provide them with the fortification they will need (or to  to Ce-ment them) as they stand before a king or anything that intimidates or has power. Fortify is a synonym to encourage, and fortify means to strengthen or to build a fort or fort-wall for protection.

Therefore if one (1) is to encourage another with the encouragement s/he is given from the LORD, H/She would be building a fort around another or strengthening another or preparing another to be courteous in the court of a king. H/She would also be edifying, strengthening, encouraging the core of a person.

This is something we all should do for each other. If one (1) thinks about it; to share Christ with another is to encourage another or to prepare another to be courteous in the Presence or the Court of the King of kings.

Therefore, when one (1) shares the Gospel with the unsaved, one (1) is trying to encourage or edify or fortify, or cement or strength another so that they may stand in the Presence of Christ, Who is King to angels, other celestial entities and saints (and sinners and or reprobates). AND… And… and when a Christ-ian encourages another Christ-ian,  the former is simply telling the latter to go and see Christ.

Encourage, courage is a neat word, is it not? So, to encourage a person is to save a person.  David encouraged himself in the LORD, the Holy Spirit has done and does the likewise in/en us.

Godspeed (or be encouraged in God).

“In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.”                                                                                                                                  (2 Corinthians 13)

“Prove all things.”  (1 Thessalonians 5)

“Try the spirits…” (1 John)

“...charity….believeth all things…”  (1 Corinthians 13)

 

Discernment and drawing conclusions is a very important aspect of judgment, especially in Christ-ian judgment.  The Christ-ian is required to  “judge all things, ”  to  “Prove all things,”  and to,  “try the spirits…”  I say especially the Christ-ian because we are required to discern, to judge, to access, to inspect, to appraise all things in the natural AND…AND…AND…the SUPERnatural realm.

The same Paul tells us charity believes all things and he also tells us to prove or test or to put on trial all that is presented to our mind. At first (1st) glance one (1) might see a discrepancy in Paul’s words.  Is Paul writing one (1) thing to the Corinthians and another thing to the Thessalonians?  Does he want the Corinthians to believe or to fall for everything that is presented to them, but wants the Thessalonians to be more discerning? Of course not.

Charity is to believe all things but charity is also to prove them and to try them and then  base it’s conclusion upon the mouths of two (2) or three (3) persons or two (2) or three (3) pieces of evidence. This is Scripture’s standard of judgment; it is a very logical standard of judgment. Allow no one to suggest to you that y/our faith is illogical. Abide them not,  do not gladly suffer that fool.

I knew a guy that was hospitalized. This man had two (2) books with him, a book on Logicke (Puritan spelling) and the Book of books, the Bible, the Holy Book, the Word of God, Holy Writ, the Scriptures, etc. This man’s doctor entered the room saw both books and commented, “Aren’t those books opposed to each other?”  This “smart man,”  this  “wise guy,” could not put the two (2) together.

The high I.Q’d puny human, the quack (…oops, do not read what I just wrote) thought faith was illogical. The doctor thought Faith and Logicke were diametrically opposed. The patient checked the doctor quick and fast upon his pride and humanism. Reader, all persons are equal, it may be true that one (1) person may know more about a subject than another but that does not dictate that the former is smarter than the latter…no way, no how. One (1) should never feel inadequate or a lesser quality person than anyone else, lest they are, in truth, lower than another by their choice. The Christ-ian may see the (s)atanist, the atheist, the Muslim as being less than, due to their perspective or worldview or religion, but the person themselves should be respected by the Christ-ian.

I enjoy scary movies. I especially like the movies that deal with spiritual matters. “The Exorcist, parts 1,2, and 3.”  “Rosemary’s Baby”  “The Conjuring” franchise are on my mental list of favourites. I know some may balk at that, but their balking effects them and not me.  The Shield of Faith protects the saint from all things evil. Persons speak about my daughters as being raised so very well, right and good. My daughters watched horror flicks from the age of four (4). There is evil and it is spiritual abuse not to warn the little ones of the evil in this world. The shield of Faith, Christ-ian, the Shield of Faith, Christ-ian.  The Shield of Faith protects us from the world’s evil and the god of this world’s lust, his lust to corrupt us with it’s anti-christ-ian ways. The blind (foolish or willfully ignorant and those blinded by (s)atan)  that leads the blind (innocence or naivete) are not good, true, or right.

I write this article after watching a documentary about a haunted house. The documentary focused on a family of six (6). The elder boys of this family experience demonic activity. The parents will not believe them or take heed to them (That is a way to disobey Scripture and provoke a child to wrath.) It is notable that Paul’s words on provoking not a child to wrath is in the same chapter where he speaks of celestial and demonic entities and their influence and power. One way to to provoke a child to wrath is to disbelieve him or her when they speak of things they saw and experienced. The wrath of the child will build as the parent disbelieves and despises (discount) the child.

The disbelieving person or the disbelieving authourity figure that will not take the time, and will not condescend to the witness, due to the spirit or mindset of ignorance, gives birth to a very frustrating matter and it betrays the loveless-ness of him/herself. One (1) should always have the spirit of  “believeth all things,” at his or her side, but s/he also must have the balancing spirit of “proving all things” also.

The charitable Christ-ian is a person of belief and of proof or of evidence.  One (1) should have the desire to believe or want to give the benefit of the doubt to that which is spoken, said, or told. The Christ-ian should not be paranoid about all things; the Christ-ian must “prove all things,” this is the spirit of Charity. Also, “be slow to hear” and be Christ-like and “looketh upon all things,..” and see what is true, what is right, and what is good.
By seeking and finding and judging these entities, the Christ-ian will undoubtedly also learn to recognize the false, the wrong, and the bad.

If you disagree with me you can call me at 1-800- I’m Right and You are Wrong!!! Wrong!!! Wrong !!!  It’s a joke, it’s a joke, Calm down and laugh a little, would ya’ A merry Heart…A Merry Heart………………………………………..

Godspeed.

 

“…[S]o that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of [H]is Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.”                                                                                                                                           (Galatians 4)

“…to them gave [H]e power to become the sons of God…”  (John 1)

 

 

“But thou [Abraham’s eldest servant] shalt go unto my country, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son Isaac.”

“And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that fallet to me…”

 

Let us suppose there is a ten (10) step math problem before us.  Let us say that we are correct on every step, save the first (1st) step, will the solution to this mathematical problem be correct?  Is it possible to get the solution right even if just one (1) part is wrong? It is not possible, there exists a purity and objectiveness to math.  Likewise, there exists a purity to God’s Word and the doctrines therein. This is why we must get the doctrine of adoption correct else all other doctrines will be skewed and distorted.

Before we demonstrate what the doctrine of Adoption is, allow us to show you what it is not and why ministers get it wrong almost all of the time…no offense to ministers meant. If you be a minister and you are offended, then you have betrayed yourself to be Solomon’s fool, having not accepted proper instruction. Apollos had to be shown a more perfect way, did he not?

What the doctrine of Adoption is not: When this doctrine, this most important doctrine is taught or mistaught it is taught according to a western mindset and not a Scriptural or Eastern mindset.  When the minister teaches this doctrine he presents it as being the simple adoption from (s)atan’s family into God’s family. When adoption is presented this way, the doctrine of election is destroyed of necessity. The doctrine of election demonstrates that the believer has always belonged to God, it demonstrates that God has owned the believer from eternity past, it demonstrates the absolute sovereignty of God in action and on display. Yet the minster insists that we were a part of the devil’s family, like the Pharisees, but God has adopted us, thus demonstrating that our souls were in danger and having belonged to the devil…this is wrong teaching.

Why ministers get this doctrine wrong: The minister that teaches this doctrine wrongly is guilty of teaching false doctrine, however it is done in ignorance and not with any evil motive, lest the minister understands the doctrine of adoption and election properly and then teaches it wrongly in order to keep listener happy.  If this be the case, a wicked and false prophet is this minister and in his spirit he hates the holiness and righteousness, and sovereignty of God.  Take heed, reader.

Many ministers are taught by other men and other men are fallible and get things wrong, this is the case with many that misteach the doctrine of Adoption. Another reason this doctrine is gotten wrong is the western mindset. When anyone in the west hears adoption, they think of taking another person’s child into their family. This is not what is meant in the doctrine of adoption.

Notice our quoted text from Genesis above.  Abraham sends his eldest servant to get a wife for his young son, Isaac.  In the culture of the Old Testament, the servants had more authority than did the son of the master.  This is a point many miss in the parable of the prodigal son.  The son was always a son, there be no doubt. The young son, who had nothing to his own name, no authority, no possessions, nothing demanded his father to give him what he would get when he was of age.  When the prodigal was of age, he would be given authority and an inheritance, this is the eastern view of adoption. When the child comes of age the child’s father by blood adopts him or grants him authority and wealth.

This adoption is what the prodigal demanded, this is why Isaac could not pick his own wife, but the eldest of Abraham’s servants was given that authourity.  Samson is portrayed as a spoiled and petulant person when he asks his father to go and get him a wife. Samson is not spoiled or petulant, Samson was young and had not received, his yet to come, authourity and inheritance. Therefore the parents reserved the authority to go and get Samson a wife.  We are never told of Christ’s youth, this is because of Jewish tradition, nothing is remarkable about a person, that is positionally, less than an elder servant…written with reverence.

Galatians 4:6 points this out. The most important word of this passage is because. Note carefully Reader, we are told the cause or reason of God sending the Spirit of Christ to us.  The cause is of the Spirit being sent is the PRE-EXISTING SONSHIP of the elect believer.  Notice in John 1:12, the one (1) that receives Christ is given “the power to become the sons of God.”  They were always elect sons of God but now they receive their adoption, their spiritual authority, their inheritance.

The law was our schoolmaster, you see, the law ruled and reigned over everyone, but when the elect, the heirs of God, the joint-heirs with Christ, receive the Holy Spirit or the adoption of sons, the law hath no more power over us, there exists no more penalty of broken law. The adopted now has power over the law, the elect and adopted children of God have freedom from the law, yet we use the law in order to glorify our Father.

The above, Reader,  is the doctrine of Adoption according to Scripture. This doctrine will keep all expositors of Scripture in line and will give them the liberty to proclaim the Scripture properly.

Godspeed.

“…the love of money is the root of all evil…”  (1 Timothy 6:10)

“Judge not, that ye be not judged [by that same standard of judgment, brackets added by writer]…”  (The Gospel of Matthew Chapter 7)

 

Reader, When quoting the Word(s) of God it is most important to be accurate. If you are not accurate you are not quoting the Word(s) of God.  Our quoted text about is a very fine example. Many, when attempting to quote this passage say money is the root of all evil. However, money is not the root of all evil or any evil at all. The love of many or the idoling is the root or cause of all that is evil.  Nothing is evil in itself, but how it is used and how one (1) views it is the evil. This is true of money, guns, and all other non-living objects or inanimate objects. The club of Cain, Samson’s jawbone of an ass, and anything else one (1) can think of.

Money in and of itself is innocent. Money can be used for that which is good and that which is evil. However, the act performed in not relegate to the money itself but the one (1) who used it. If one (1) uses filthy lucre to pay someone to kill another, the money is not put in jail or blamed but the one (1) who used the money to pay the killer and the killer.  God did not blame Cain’s club but Cain…God did not put a mark upon the club but upon Cain. This makes sense to all right thinking person but is completely lost upon left minded person.

Therefore, it is the evil user and the worshiper and even the worry that is wrong. The person that has money at the center of his or her lust, the person that acts out of the love or greed of money is evil or uses it to spread evil and even the person that worries about money is wrong thinking. The money of George Soros is not evil, but George Soros.  Capitalism is not evil, capitalism is merely a system, but how one (1) acts out of the wealth capitalism provides.

If one (1) use Christ-ianity to perpetrate evil, is Christ-ianity to be blamed? The wicked blame the catholic inquisition upon Christ-ianity, but Christ-ianity is not to be blamed, Capitalism is the same. The same is true of socialism…Socialism is not evil. The forced aspect is, the governmental agency or those behind the governmental agency is evil.  In Scripture the early church shared their means, but it was not forced it was willing. Christ-ianity, Capitalism, Socialism, Communism and other institutions are not evil in themselves is not evil but the human agency that misuses them.

Another misuse of Scripture is, “Judge not lest ye be judged.” The Christ-ian is to, “Judge all things.” the Christ-ian is to use “righteous judgment.”  The Christ-ian is not to be judgmental however.  The Christ-ian is not to look down the nose or to view anything with a proud look.  Whatever judgment uses against others shall be used by God in His judgment upon him or her. Whatever measure of judgment a believer uses against other, God will hold them to.

In Christ’s parable, a rich man forgives a man in debt to him of all that was owed and it was a great deal. The debtor begged the loaner and the loaner forgave in an act of mercy.  The forgiven debtor then goes out and finds a man that owns him a much, much smaller amount.  The man in debt to the just forgiven man begs him for mercy, but this wicked man would not forgive the man of the far, far lesser debt owed to him….what incredible and hypocritical wickedness…it passes understanding.

When the wealthy man heard of this he recalled the man he forgave and had him thrown into debtors prison…a just judgment.  The first (1st) man forgiven should have been quick to forgive the man in debt to him because of the judgment and forgiveness he received but he was not, therefore the judgment he used was used against him.

The Christ-ian is told in Scripture to “judge all things.”  The Christ-ian is to use “righteous judgment.” The Christ-ian is to never “respect persons in judgment” or to make judgment based upon the person and not the deed.  Identity politics is an unrighteous judgment as foolish person vote for the person and not the policy.  The Christ-ian is to use the objectivity of God’s Word should be the only source of judgment used. The Christ-ians opinion, or the person being judged cannot figure into the equation at all.

If my Christ-ian brother who I have a special love for crosses a line I cannot bias my judgment, that is wickedness.  If I use my opinion and feelings to judge an innocent (s)atanist in a matter, i am acting wickedly.  If there is a Christ-ian and an atheist (or (s)atanist) at odds with one (1) another, the righteous judge must judge based upon his love for the believer, or his view upon the foolishness of the atheist.  If the atheist is right and the Christ-ian be wrong, the righteous minded judge must judge for the atheist.

For example or in different word, let us say you have a best friend a d an arch-enemy. Your friend and your arch-enemy are at odds over an issue. The arch-enemy is correct upon this particular issue and your friend is absolutely wrong upon the issue. You may be loathe to judge righteously but you must judge your enemy to be right on this specific issue and your best friend wrong. If you were to do otherwise God would not be pleased and truth would not be held high.

If your friend be a wise man s/he will understand and accept this judgment, if not your friend is acting as Solomon’s fool.  Objective righteousness can be difficult, rough and very straightening, but Righteousness is righteousness or in today’s vernacular, it is what it is, Dude. When one (1) uses “righteous judgment” to “judge all things” and does not give into the temptation to the “respect of person” one will have a sense of purity or holiness. The flesh may “Feel” bad or guilty, but the spirit is justified.  Did God not judge David when David sinned?  Did God lower the bar of judgment?

God used the same righteous judgment upon David that He used against Pharoah, even though David was a man after God’s Own Heart and Pharaoh’s heart was hardened against God. God used His holiness upon David but God’s holiness was used against Pharaoh, do you note the difference? God’s righteous judgment was to make David a better king but God used His righteous judgment to destroy Pharaoh and to demonstrate His Power and Authority.

God’s Righteous judgment is the same yet it brigs about different result….[O’ The sovereignty of God is something to behold and to be Awed by.] God’s judgment against Pharaoh was to make a Name for Himself, God’s Judgment upon David was to make a name for David and to demonstrate, before all nations, that He was behind David’s reign and rule and to make David’s throne a throne of Righteous judgment that Christ would/will someday take for Himself.

Our God is an Aweful and Terrible God!!! His Awe and Terror goes before Him!!! Behold His Greatness and Great Glory, there be no god like our God. Our God is above all gods…Praise Him….Praise Him all ye that hath breathe… Praise our God, Who Reigneth over all that is in Heaven and under Heaven…Praise Him now in the Beauty of His Transcendence and Holiness.

“And hope maketh not ashamed.”  (Romans 5)

After being exiled for three and a half (3 1/2) years from Geneva Switzerland, John Calvin was called back. On September 13, 1541, Calvin arrived back from his exile. Because of his loyalty to Scripture and it’s exposition, Calvin began on the same verse he had been preaching from when he right before his exile. This tells us of his belief in the rightness of expositional preaching and teaching.

The honest preacher uses expositional preaching as his instrument to mine for the gold of God’s Word. Expositional preaching/teaching exposes the fallacies of false teachers. It is false teachers that shy away from exposition. Exposition holds a man to the truth and purity of Scripture, it disallows the twisting and wresting of Scripture. In our last article we began  expositing the meaning of Peter’s first (1st) epistle, chapter three (3) and verse thirteen and fourteen (13 & 14). We wrote upon hope, we sought to define the Biblical meaning of hope.

In verse 15 we are directed by Peter to have an answer for the reason we have hope during times of tribulation and trouble. We are told we should answer this question of our hope that is in us with meekness and fear. Meekness is a strength that is hidden from others. The Christ-ian has a position and an authourity that we keep hidden or under control, that we boast not about. Fear is the reverence and respect we hold God in. The Christ-ian should do all things under the fear of God and with the fear of God. When the saint acts in and under the fear of God, a magnification goes before him or her.

The wise man of Proverbs teaches the reader: there is strong confidence available to one (1) when one (1) walks under and in the fear of the LORD; when one (1) has the Fear of God inhabiting him or her. Reader, i know where of i speak. God has put a boldness inside of me, there was a definite day and time this was done. Don’t think me sensationalistic or charismatic.

Reader, it is what it is, you can believe it or you can dismiss it. Those who know me recognize the difference. One (1) minute I was reserved and fearful or shy and easily intimidated, a few minutes later, I was: bold, confident, forward and without intimidation.

I used to fear barking dog and the very thought of Great White Sharks, today I know, the fear of the LORD wd allow me to survive an attack by either of God’s creations. Like i said, believe it or not; it matters none to me. I will say, i prayed for this filling; this baptism by fire, by Christ.

I prayed for fifteen years (15) and God inclined and hearkened unto mt cries and petitions. This is how it should be for all of God’s persons and people. God chose to answer my request, but my request came with a price. The price I paid is a total possession by God’s Holy Spirit. This causes trouble and difficulty in this world. Again, you can believe this testimony or dismiss it; your choice matters not to me, but it could matter to you.

Before we are enabled by the the Spirit to give this answer we are given a condition. Before we can give an answer to the inquirer and before we can actually have this hope; this hope that passeth the understanding of others, there is something God calls us to do. In verse fifteen (15) we are told to sanctify God in our heart, “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts. After one (1) has Sanctified God in one’s heart, one (1) is able to answer the inquiring world with our meekness and fear…But…

But how does one (1) sanctify God in their heart? What is sanctity or sanctification? There are different shades of meaning to sanctification. Sanctification is a position or placement, a principle and a practicality. There are even different times of sanctification.

*Positional Sanctification: In Christ the elect has been sanctified or set aside for God’s pleasure and purpose.
*Principle Sanctification: In our principles we are holy, we live by holy principle or should.
*Practical Sanctification: In our practices, in our lifestyle we exhibit and demonstrate our sanctification or holiness.

In terms of the timings of the elect’s sanctification or holiness:
*Before the foundations of the world God chose us to be sanctified; set apart, to be put in Christ for our keeping and protection (Jude)
*In time God has saved us and has sanctified us or placed us aside for His pleasure and purpose; for a demonstration and the observation of others (Matthew 5).

With the definitions of sanctification, which one (1) do you suppose Paul is talking about?  I would say Paul speaks to all of the above, save the before the foundation of the world and even that definition wd speak to God’s purpose, pleasure, and plans. The Christ-ian, before s/he can give answer for hope, must first have or acknowledge God as being Positioned as Lord in the heart; God must define what His righteous principles are and His vessel must act them out, in our practice or life practices, holiness or sanctification must be exhibited. I’m not talking legalism but the fruits of the Spirit; God having His way in the regulation of our lives, our lives given over to Him. This is how one (1) can sanctify God in one’s heart. This sanctifying of God is a condition, a qualification, a demand that must be met before one (1) can give an answer to others and more importantly, experience the hope and peace that God offers.

We will, DV, continue this exposition in the next article.

Godspeed.

“…But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give answer to every man that asketh you a reason for the hope that is in you with meekness and fear.”                                                                                                                                               (1 Peter 3)

 

When providing an exposition of a passage from Scripture one  (1) must follow rules. Before I provide you with the rules and then an exposition of the passage above let me explain a bit about exposition and the spirit of exposition. Expositional preaching and teaching means unpacking a passage or examining or expositing or removing or mining the gold from the passage of Scripture. This expositing differs from topical preaching or teaching as topical means providing a topic and expanding on that topic from many passages. This type of preaching is valuable and has it’s place no doubt. Expositing from Scriptures is sticking to a passage of Scripture and examining that specific passage line by line, word by word, chapter by chapter verse by verse.

Exposition of Scripture requires more labour over the Word, it requires purity and honesty, it does not allow the minister to teach opinion or what he wants to or to preach from a hobby horse. Exposition requires the Text to speak for Himself. An analogy would be the difference between reporting the news and opining upon the news. The reporting of the news of the news and commentating or providing opinion upon that news.

To provide exposition the expositioner must look at the verse, the chapter, the context, and all things regarding the passage being exposed or mined, or exposed. False teaching avoid this type of preaching, an exposition of Scripture should limit one’s ulterior motives, in other words, the refusal to exposit a passage exposes the minister and his intentions.

Now onto our passage of Scripture:  The first word of our passage is But.  When one comes to a verse and one reads the word, but or therefore, wherefore, and, thence, or hence or and or if, one is required to look in the verse(s) prior to the one at hand. The words listed tell the reader or examiner or expositer that s/he must look to the verse(s) prior to the one in hand. In our text the word But is written and requires us to look at the verses prior to obtain the context.

When we investigate the prior  verses we find the passage is set forth in the context of evil, persecution, and troubles in the world. The verses prior to our text speak to how the believer should live in this world as this world is an evil word., the verses prior to our text speak to unity in the family and how the believer should converse or walk or live or compose himself or herself in this evil world. In the verse just before our text we find that Peter is writing about suffer or enduring terrors or troubles in this world for the sake of living the righteous life Christ spoke of in the sermon on the mount. In verse fourteen (14) Peter, a man that was with Christ from the beginning, tells us, “…be not afraid of their [the world’s] terror, neither be troubled.

Notice now, if we did not explain the context of our specific verse, we could define the word, “their” in anyway we desired.  If we were blasphemers like those on TBN or other (s)atanic ministries that exploit the ignorance and Biblical illiteracy of their hearers, we might define “their,” as being theologically sound expositers of Scripture or persons who picket outside their theatres of cultic and false teaching and preaching as the false teachers do.

Joel Osteen could pervert our text and use the word “their” for the men and women who stand outside his temple of deception warning the fifty-two thousand (52,000) persons that file in for their own spiritual slaughter in anyway he wanted. If we were like Farrakhan, Sharp (formerly two) ton, or J. Jackson, we could define “their” as being racist and bigoted. But being true expositors of Scripture we define, “their” as the world or those who are persecuting the Christ-like persons and people of God. The Christ-ian should not be afraid of their (The world of persecutors or persecutor in, of, and from the world) terrors or the troubles caused by them.

Therefore, the context of our chosen passage is Christ-ian persecution or the troubles Christ-ian face and will face in their time upon this earth. In expositing this verse we could then point out how Christ and His prophets and saints have foretold of this persecution as fact. How those before us have proclaimed, promised, prophesied, predicted, and pronounced a time of troubles, tribulations, and persecutions; the like this world has never and will ever experience again. These hours, these days, these times were foretold before they come so that we would understand the times and so that we would be comforted, and have confirmation from God in these times. The saints will not be confounded or troubled as the worldlings will be confounded and troubled when the foretold tribulation and troubles come upon them and for them and because of them.

These times of tribulation are yet to come, I believe the signs that these times are coming have been and are being observed and experienced in our/their world today. The Christ-ians, during this time, will demonstrate graces from God: hope, peace, knowledge, and understanding. The knowledge or Hope we have from Scripture will beget our understandings and expectations of the times and that  begets a peacefulness within us. This peace will pass the understanding of those without that peace; this peace will be peculiar and particular to those with the Christ-likeness…

In this setting, in this context, under these circumstance, the world without peace will look at and will look to the persons with hope and these hopeless persons will ask the Christ-ians about the hope and peace that is beyond the understanding of the inquirer’s natural mind and worldview. Some will look to the hopeful as having answers, yet others will look at them with hatred and great envy. These envious and hate-filled persons are envious because God did not choose them as He had chosen us; God has chosen His people out of this world (John 15). Of course the hate-filled and envious know not the why of the why they hate the elect as they do and why they hate us so much as they do.

What is hope? Is hope a wish for what is possible or a hope in what may be? “I hope it does not rain on the parade,” This is one (1) way hope is used. It is used as a wish, wishing for something that cannot be controlled. This is not the hope as is defined in Scripture. Hope is defined as an expectation that is well founded and is grounded in something that is substantial.  Paul tells us we are saved by hope. How then does hope save us when we have been told we are saved by faith?

Faith begets hope. Romans five (5): “By [our Lord Jesus Christ: …we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only so, but we glory in tribulations (plural; this does not speak of the tribulation of the end times) also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience (endurance, perseverance); And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed. because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit which is given us.”

We rejoice in hope of the glory of God. We are saved by God’s grace, in that He hath gifted us with faith, allowing us to believe, and this faith grants us an expectation, an expectation that is well founded and grounded in the truth of Scripture. The Christ-ian has a hope that drives, that inspires the Christ-ian into patience and endurance and perseverance in times of trouble and tribulation. Troubles today and the tribulations that are to come. Thusly is hope defined by Scripture.

Christ is called, “the [B]lessed [H]ope.” Therefore, Christ is our Blessed Expectation and this expectation is warranted by the Foundation and well grounded-ness of Scripture.

As this article has grown quite long, let us to end here, having defined hope.

Godspeed.

“Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre’s sake.”

 

I have written on the annual awards seasons for a number of years now. We have pointed out their refusal to acknowledge God as the Giver and Gifter of their talents or gifts. These awards are glamorous and full of glory (Humanly speaking). They compare themselves among themselves and by themselves, such are not wise, or in other words, they are stupid, so says Paul. To be fair there are some celebrated persons that do acknowledge God when they receive their award. When this happens every other celebrated, glorified and idolized person is condemned as those around Noah were condemned by his walk with God.

This year’s self-worship and self glorifying ceremonies had a very notable exhibition and a sacrifice of the lips unto (s)atan.   (By the way, i do not watch these self-glorifying exhibitions, not due to any religious standard, but because my head would spin like the little girl in the Exorcist. “The Exorcist” is a great movie by the way…the censored version, and “Exorcist 3,” with George C. Scott is very good).

Christian Bale, who depicted Vice-President Dick Cheney, in the movie, “Vice” actually thanked (s)atan for inspiring Dick Cheney so he, Bale, could play him. I understand he may have said it with “tongue in cheek,” but in truth whether he knows it or not, he really was thanking (s)atan.  So not only do these movie [fallen] stars not acknowledge God for all they have, one invokes the name of (s)atan!!!  Paul asks the question, what do you have that you did not receive? These glory robbers and self-worshippers are like their father, the devil.

Hypocrites are they in another area.  Many of these celebrated and idolized persons make their living in films where guns are used and then they go out and cry about too many guns.  Have you ever noticed most movie characters are conservative minded than liberal minded….in other words, the characters they play have traits of conservatives and not progressives or leftists.

Does Indiana Jones seem like a deluded leftist professor?  Christian Bale Batman is not a liberal. Angelina Jolie, does her movie characters seem liberal? Would Lara Croft vote liberal? Ben Affleck, do his characters seem progressive or leftist? George Clooney,  Tom Hanks  (a descendant of Abraham Lincoln), Brad Pitt, Robert De Niro, Dicaprio, Chris Evans (Capt. America!? ), Sally Fields, etc. etc. etc.

These left minded persons play conservative minded characters, why?  Conservatism sells and liberalism doesn’t. Therefore, the left mindset make their fortunes on conservatism and capitalism.The Celebrated and idolized are hypocrites in the literal sense because  hypocrite means actor. Did you ever notice there are far more conservative radio shows than leftist shows?  Why?

Conservatism sells and leftist tripe and propaganda does not. Broadway is peculiar to celebrities.  Broadway is their Jerusalem.  Remember what the Master told us about the broadway? The broadway leads to destruction and many are they that are on that broadway.

 

“And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.”

Messengers from the king or a king’s representative could compel or force or command another to walk with him for a mile as this representative started his way home. Christ says to His listeners to willingly go a second mile with him. I doubt anyone would do this today but the Word of Christ still stands as Heaven and Earth shall fall before His Word will.

Today we might call it going out of one’s way for another…especially when it is not convenient. If it is convenient, it isn’t going out of your way is it? The Christ-ian should go out of his way to please and help others…this is basic Christ-ianity. I have taught my daughters to leave persons and places better than they found it. This can be as simple as picking up a piece of debris in a parking lot or telling someone they look nice.

Paul said that he endured all that suffered for the elect’s sake. These are listed in his second epistle to the Corinthians. They are as follows:
*In labours more abundant.
*In stripes above measure.
*In prison more frequent.
*In deaths oft.
*Of the Jews five times I received stripes save one.
*Thrice was I beaten with rods.
*Once was I stoned.
*Thrice I suffered shipwreck.
*A night and a day I have been in the deep.
*In journeyings often.
*In perils of water.
*In perils of Robbers, of mine own countrymen, of the heathen, in the city, in the wilderness, in the seas, of false brethren…
*In weariness and painfulness.
*In watchings often.
*In hunger and thirst.
*In fastings often.
*In cold and nakedness.
*The care of all the churches.

Our Apostle knows how to go out of his way for you. Do you know how to go out of your way for others?  Do you go out of your way for others?  Did not the Lord Jesus go out of His way for you? Christ-likeness is doing likewise.

Godspeed.

“There is none other [N]ame under [H]eaven… ”

 

“Jesus, Buddha, Gandhi, Mother Teresa, Dalai Lama…..”  I was reading “inside the Book” on Amazon and this was written in the book. Reader, What is wrong with this or what Name doth not belong among other Names?  If you said, “Jesus” you are correct. The author of this book i was looking into shows himself to be among the lost of this world. No Christ-ian would ever put Lord Jesus amongst others nor would a Christ-ian abide it, if it were said aloud.

A few words on the others named. Buddha and his -ism is probably closest to our faith than other religions, humanly speaking. The Christ-ian and the Buddhist could get along well in everyday life. Of course when it comes time to worship, they would part company.

Gandhi, This writer, barring faith issues, has nothing but deep respect for this man. If i were to pick a man for the lost to follow, save Christ of course, it would be Gandhi. This man was a great man, again humanly speaking. This man was (c)hrist-like without being Christ-like…you understand. O’ how i wish this man was one (1) of our’s. The movie on Gandhi’s life is worth your time.

Mother Teresa is more of an idea or an idol than she was a person in real life.

Dalai Lama has worldly wisdom, he’s a faith leader than can be helpful to some here and now. Otherwise, his books would not sell.

HOWEVER, none of the four (4) persons i wrote of can help anyone into the next phase of the soul’s everlasting existence. Gandhi made it better for his people while on this earth, but Gandhi did not, could not help anyone into the next phase of existence, in fact as great a man as he was, he could not help himself. The same is true of all the four (4) mentioned, Mother Teresa could help here on earth, but she could not help anyone…even herself into Heaven. Her’s was a false gospel, she helped others into Hell. BUT…..

                                                                         

 

                                                                   Christ!!!

 

 

But Christ…On the other hand can and does help His own into the next phase of existence…And a Glorious existence it shall be.  None of the other four (4) bled and died upon a cross for others….no those four were catered to.  Christ came not to be served but to serve, so said He. Remember Christ-ians, it was Only Christ Who lived and died and ROSE again for you. Remember it was Only Christ that sent His Spirit to you. Remember Christ-ian, it is Only Christ that holds all things together by the Word of His power….Remember it is Christ Who is coming for you and no other. Let the rest fall into Hell where they will.    Remember Christ!!! Christ Alone!!!

Godspeed.

 

 

 

“Thou shalt not bear false witness.”

 

Bearing false witness is more than lying. In past article we have written about lying and how it could be the right thing to do and what the standards or rightness are. We gave examples from Exodus and 1 Samuel and Luke.

In Exodus we saw the Hebrew midwives and Rahab, both were honoured by God. In 1 Samuel, God gives Samuel a cover story to keep Samuel from coming to harm. In Luke, Christ “made as though [H]e would…”  In another Gospel, John I think, The Lord Jesus’ brethren teasing Him told Him to come with them to a celebration. Lord Jesus declined, but then after they departed, He put on a cloak, in order to hide His Person.

Lying to cover for self or for a mistake one has made is unacceptable…lying to save or help another, in some cases, and based on the circumstances is acceptable.  It was acceptable to lie to the SS  when they went searching for Jews.  It will be acceptable to lie to Christ-ian hunters when the time comes.

Bearing false witness is an action and a thing of the heart. Men bore false witness to Christ. Potiphar’s wife bore false witness against Joseph. Peter bore false witness against his Lord. Daniel’s enemies set him up so they could bare false witness. In the Apocrypha, two wicked old men bore false witness against a young woman, if not for Daniel, she would have been executed. If you enjoy mysteries, “Daniel and Bel the Dragon” in the Apocrypha is the first (1st) closed room mystery.

A word on the Apocrypha, this is not an evil book, neither is it a Catholic book.  Just as the Catechism is not Catholic, the Apocrypha is not Catholic.  The Apocrypha IS NOT inspired  ans is not canon with Scripture. It is historical, however, in some instances. The Maccabees is historical and exciting.  Already stated, the additions to Daniel are mysteries and are very enjoyable. If you can trust me, you can trust me analysis. I’ve not read much more than the above but i intend to. (DV)

Back to our point on Bearing false witness.  The past tense of bearing is bore, “bore” false witness. Those that have bore children; their minds might go there when they hear the words bore witness.  I trust this will make sense. When a person bears false witness, they are, in a way, bearing a life, bringing a life forward. The person that bears false testimony is pregnant with slander and a false witness. When that person then gives birth, they give birth to a false witness that takes on a life of it’s own. That which comes forth cannot be taken back.

When i worked in landscaping, i had to deal with all sorts of persons.  It was a lesson in human behaviour. i learned well. I will provide the reader with a few examples. I had this one (1) guy who videotaped a small piece of dirt on a sidewalk.  This person brought video to a H.O.A. (Home Owners Assoc.) meeting and said that his video was representative of the work, i and my crew performed.

He was bearing false witness. He was a person that liked to be angry and others knew this, other members of the H.O.A. so he was not taken very seriously.  The persons that like to be angry are a kin the the little boy who  cried wolf.  When angry persons have a real reason to be angry, no one will pay much attention. Don’t find pleasure in anger, this is not God’s purpose for anger. Anger is an emotion that God has given us. We are to use anger to make things better, anger is a spark…be ye angry and sin not.

We had another client that would lie and bear false witness against me.  This person would call my bosses boss and tell him i am not calling her back. I think she had a thing for him and she was happy to ruin me to get to him. Reader, your writer is not one (1) to get got so easily…..for God is on his side. Every time this person would call and leave a message, i would call her back and write down the day and time upon the call back note. I would also write down what we talked about. This went on for a while and when she got the itch, she called the bosses boss complaining that i didn’t call her back. She would do this to stall her invoice too.

My boss called me into his office (a great boss was he, one of the best.) to discuss my failure to call this person back. He told me she was withholding payment because I would not call her back.  I smiled ear to ear, she fell into my trap…the old she-fox has fallen into my trap, if you will. I jumped up from my chair with a brightness in my eyes and a hop in my step. i went to my office, pulled our my folder…almost a novel and presented it to my boss just like Luther presented the N.T to his king…with excitement and gladness.

AH HAH! my boss loved it…he was even happier than i.  My good boss forwarded the info to his boss…what happened next was great….The bosses boss with a landscape construction or rather a destruction crew  pulled in front of this person’s home….house rather, if you get my drift. The Big boss and the crew  emptied the truck and began to remove, to pull up and out all the plant materials that she would not pay for and they left.  Some persons like to cause trouble, some like to be angry, some will bear false witness against others, but as there is God, there are God’s ways of avenging His own. Sometimes we get to see God act on our behalf and other times we do not.

I think, maybe, I saw once. I was verbally threatened once at a 7-11. It went on for minutes. The man was dead with in minutes of our verbal sparring. I told him i was a preacher, i made myself known like police do. I confess, i was pushing his buttons, spectators were present. One (1) girl called play by play on her phone for her friend. My daughters describe him as a miniature Hulk Hogan.

This guy was inebriated to say the least. Mini Hulk was flexing his muscles and telling me he was going to %#@& me up, i said he would not and could not. He was too inebriated, i also had my brass knuckles paperweight with me and i’m skilled in Jujitsu. I had no intentions of fighting.

Mini Hulk began speaking to my daughters and that heightened things a bit. He said to them, “Your Dad is a female dog.” To which i replied, “Girl’s, this is a guy who cannot hold his liquor.”  The clerk wanted to call the police, but i insisted he didn’t…he was on foot, then.  I found out afterward, he walked home, got his car and drove to the gas station and died there and then.

It is a great regret that i did not handle his verbal assaults and threats differently. We could have taken him outside and spoke to him of Christ. i did take advantage of the situation and spoke of Christ to the onlookers. I know not why this individual picked me out but picked me out he did and with purpose. This guy tried to bump shoulders with me like in High School. This happens to me, not at this level, but we have noticed men throwing aggression towards us. My family can vouch for that. They notice it when i don’t.  Do you ever get this aggression from others?  Is it a Christ-ian thing? or do i look like a guy someone would want to punch?