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Results from: Notes Author: jlhetrick Ordered by Date |
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Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
361 | Cont radiction??? | John 1:14 | jlhetrick | 184008 | ||
Absolutely! :) | ||||||
362 | Why isn't my church growing in numbers? | Mark 16:15 | jlhetrick | 183623 | ||
Hello rickck..., Doc's point is an excellent one. My opinion is that a good number of Christians who truly love the Lord and want to do His will and further His kingdom end up sitting on the side-lines willing, but waiting for the coach (pastor) to send them on the field. Truth is, the owner of the team has already assigned positions and called the plays. More of us need to be practicing obedience individually instead of waiting frustratingly for someone else to take the lead. I count myself among those so please don't be offended. I've heard it said that revival will not occur in the church until it occurs in individuals. I'm not one for cheap talk and slogans, but I believe there is some truth to that. Hope this is helpful, Jeff |
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363 | What do we focus on? | 1 Cor 12:13 | jlhetrick | 183542 | ||
Hello Mark and thanks for the feedback, I have put this issue to rest with justme but I will offer a response to your post. I am one who frequently preaches context so I appreciate your quoting a chunk of justme's post. I can also appreciate that your impression or understanding of what he wrote was different than mine. In this case, you do not fall among those for whom my concern prompted my response to justme. Your response easily represents the reason I opted out of the thread (which I can't seem to actually get out of). Splitting hairs, reading into and out of the very context of the statement, and an overall lack of personal responsibility for what one posts does not represent or support the intentions of the forum. In part, what I mean here is that if my understanding of justme's comment was wrong (which I am not convinced was) there should have been a responsible clarification (which I prompted for at least twice). I do appreciate your attempt at clarify his point for him though. Still, we are left with the statement as it was made and the only acceptable interpretation of it would have to come from the author. Acts 17:11 (ESV) "17:11 Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so. " God bless, Jeff |
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364 | What do we focus on? | 1 Cor 12:13 | jlhetrick | 183540 | ||
Justme, I said I wouldn't respond but I feel compelled to. I believe you misunderstood me again. I certainly did not intend to imply that I was cutting off any further communications with you. I look forward to further dialogue with you just wanted to extract myself from a thread that had taken on a wrong tone and become unproductive in my opinion. These types of discussions actually do not make me uncomfortable, perhaps to my discredit, but they do violate the terms of use of the forum. In any case, please do feel free to respond to any post of mine at any time. And if my feedback did help to smooth out some things for you then perhaps it was not as unproductive as I believed and I am grateful. God bless, Jeff |
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365 | Abiding in Christ | Bible general Archive 3 | jlhetrick | 183506 | ||
Dear sister Azure, Thank you for that feedback. Your answer does contribute to the biblical presentation of those in Christ being sanctified. The encouraging thing is that of His faithfulness. I can trust in that alone and witness my own faith grow and my own obedience become more consistent. There was a time of many years where I believed that my faith and obedience were solely dependent on my own efforts. You can imagine how frustrating the Christian life was or me. I do still struggle with my own efforts at times as though they are the primary work. Thankfully, the Lord convicts me more suddenly than was true in the past; or perhaps it's that I am more grown up in Him now and am more sensitive to His mercy and patience. Thanks for your insightful feedback, Philippians 2:12-13 (NASB95) 2:12 So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; 13 for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. Jeff |
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366 | Abiding in Christ | Bible general Archive 3 | jlhetrick | 183443 | ||
Very excellent John, Thank you brother. In my life as a Christian there has been very substantial, obvious evidence of growth. Yet there has also been more than one occasion where I have jumped over the edge like I never even knew Him. The one thing good that I know comes from these moments or events in life is that each time I have truly grown both in my understanding of my own inadequacy and my dependency on God. Thanks for your response, Jeff |
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367 | Abiding in Christ | Bible general Archive 3 | jlhetrick | 183440 | ||
Excellent points Steve, Actually, it is John 15:6-7 that lead me to begin a personal study in the "abiding in Christ". I have only recently begun the study and haven't yet gotten too deep into it. I have been reading Murray's "Abide in Christ" and to this point was getting something different from what Christ said in John 15: 6. I'm certainly not judging Murray's doctrine as I have not yet begun to learn what he had to say on the subject. But where I'm at at this point of his writing he seems to be saying a failure to abide costs a believer much of the blessings that are possible through Christ. Christ clearly says that a failure to abide results in being cast into the fire and burned. Of course all of this and what's to come in the study has to be illumed by the truth that no effort on our part saves us, therefore, no effort or lack of can undo that work of Christ that we have been "guaranteed" completion of. Thanks for the feedback, Jeff |
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368 | Abiding in Christ | Bible general Archive 3 | jlhetrick | 183438 | ||
Good points kalos. And what of the man who has not yet reached this level of fellowship with the Lord? Would it be accurate to say that that man's abiding would be best described as a consistently improving situation that is ever drawing closer to the state which you have described? Would this understanding be consistent with that of being sanctified? Thanks for your feedback, Jeff |
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369 | Baptized before serving in choir | 1 Cor 12:13 | jlhetrick | 183342 | ||
Justme, We are certainly in agreement that a church choir should consist only of believers, but that was not the essence of Azure's question as I understood it. She specifically referred to baptism as I understood her question. Baptism certainly doesn't make a believer as we both know. Nor does the lack of baptism negate the power and work of the Holy Spirit that He has begun in any person. In any case, I believe that what you are responding to has more to do with my disagreeing with your guidance suggesting that Azure, or perhaps believers in general, should follow church imposed guidelines with a safe assumption that because it's the churches rule it is biblical. I felt and feel like a statement with such a potential for misguidance must be addressed. As for my comments about the stray nature of today's church, your response leads me to believe that I now have the responsibility to further clarify my statements. The Lord Jesus Christ is in charge and total control of His Church and no harm comes to It that He does not allow. I believe we will agree on that. For the sake of clarification let me acknowledge that I do not have researched evidence that the church is at a degraded state in these times nor did my earlier statements intend to qualify such an argument as you possibly believe they did. I will say, however, that the position is absolutely biblical. 2 Timothy 4:1-5 (ESV) 4:1 I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: 2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. 3 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, 4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. 5 As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. Many so-called Christian denominations today are very clearly rising to new levels of anti-biblical, antichrist teachings and practices such as accepting, approving of and even ordaining homosexuals for example. Let's not for a moment ignore the obvious. God's word says it will happen and it is happening whether we agree on it or not. We can at least be thankful for the new technologies in media that are able to clearly point it out. I hope this response helped to clarify as well as reiterate my concern. God bless you brother, Jeff |
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370 | Are visions/dreams of this sort demonic? | Bible general Archive 3 | jlhetrick | 183307 | ||
Brother Hank, You are right as always on these types of issues. I hope that you and other members will allow for my brief response to Buffy as these issues are everyday familiar to me in my work and I viewed this situation as a potential, immediate risk, and high risk situation for Buffy's young twelve year old granddaughter. While I respect the purpose and intent of the Forum as well as the potential dangers of unintended use of the forum, my professional ethics required some kind of response. Praying patients, Jeff |
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371 | Baptized before serving in choir | 1 Cor 12:13 | jlhetrick | 183293 | ||
Hello justme, I agree with your post up to the last sentence. you wrote: "I think it best to follow your churches requirements with confidence it is Biblical. ' I disagree with this as it is stated. I believe that the church in general today has been filled with corruption and false teaching in a way never before seen. My OPINION is that this can be clearly seen across denominations. The Bible clearly teaches that we are to test "everything" we hear (even from those who preach and teach it) with Scripture to see if it is true. I believe that much of where the church is missing the mark today is a direct result of lazy and uninterested believers not taking the time, energy, and effort to study and test what he/she hears and is taught by the local church. Brother, if I am wrong in my position please provide Scriptural support that teaches we as Christians should follow church requirements with confidence they are biblical. Not splitting hairs friend, just very concerned about the possible implication your statement may have on some readers. Sincerely and God bless, Jeff |
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372 | Baptized before serving in choir | 1 Cor 12:13 | jlhetrick | 183292 | ||
Hello sister, you have received several good responses and my own is simply an attempt to offer encouragement to you. Praise God sister. Your participation on the Forum has without doubt demonstrated you to be a responsible seeker of truth and God's will. Your focused efforts to draw biblical conclusions continue to be both encouraging and great examples for us all. No wonder that those in your church have called on you to take on such responsibility. You are right in not assuming that any church mandate is biblical just because the church has made it a rule. That is always the wrong answer. On issues like this my approach is this. After careful study and consideration, if Scripture doesn't specifically teach it, and the practice does not itself contradict Scriptures, I consider the point "non-essential". Then I am free to accept or reject it. A good example is that my own denomination requires baptism for church membership. We also believe and teach that water baptism does not save but is a symbolic, public confession of our position in Christ once He has saved us. I have no objections to being baptized into church membership as a like symbol of my commitment and standing with the church as a member. It is not required in any biblical teaching that I am aware of. Nor is it forsaken in any. If the church taught that baptism was necessary to be placed in the true church, the body of Christ, that would be unbiblical and unacceptable. I believe that a proper explanation should be given to each prospective choir member as to why baptism is required so each can decide for him/herself. If that "reason" is not in contradiction to Scripture, I personally would support the tradition of the church. Just my two cents worth. God bless you sister, Jeff |
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373 | Bible Study | John 7:17 | jlhetrick | 182793 | ||
Hello CDBJ, I have never used the WORDsearch 5 version so I don't know what the differences are in the version 7. email me questions if you'd like and I might be able to help with it. I'm assuming your using a PC and not a MAC. Jeff |
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374 | Bible Study | 2 Tim 2:15 | jlhetrick | 182760 | ||
Doc, It's interesting that you use different colors to highlight each person of the trinity. That's a great idea. I have a prophecy study bible that used the concept. Every passage that speaks of God is shaded a different color depending on the reference being to the Father, Son, or Holy Spirit. I've thumbed through it but actually haven't used it yet. I saw it in the bookstore and thought that it would eventually be very useful for future studies. Jeff |
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375 | CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP | Bible general Archive 3 | jlhetrick | 182712 | ||
Hello saved, Great question. Cuddle gave a very good response. I wanted to add some additional comment to your question. It sounds like you are bothered by the humanity that infects Christianity. That's good to hear and I share many of your same concerns. One thing that we should all stand for though is the soundness of doctrine. I agree with you that no one has the right nor the authority to judge the doctrine of another. Where one's doctrine is wrong, it is the Scriptures themselves that judges it wrong. While some issues are and should be open for discussion, it is my opinion that others are not. I will give you one example of the later. There have been many who have taught in the name of Christianity that have declared various doctrines that lead to salvation. But the Scriptures only teach one. A single way to salvation and absolutely no other, through faith in Jesus Christ (Acts 4:12, 1Tim 2:5, John 3:36, etc.) the fullness of which is clearly laid out in Scripture. As for different forms of worship and different standards of day to day living I see no problem as long as those forms and standards do not contradict the truth of Scripture. Allow an illustration. I remember once hearing a man who I consider a wonderful bible teacher answer a woman's question. She was complaining that the church fellowship she was attending required women to wear dresses or skirts and no pants in public. She was trying to decide if she should commit membership to the local body. The churches position was that this rule represented what the church believed to be scriptural teaching of a woman's responsibility to present modestly. Having listened to this teacher on radio for years I couldn't wait to hear how he would respond. I must say his response was unexpected but appropriate. He asked her if the church taught that a woman's salvation depended on whether she did or didn't obey the no pants rule. Her response was "NO". So then, what is the problem. This teacher went on to say something along the lines that if wearing pants is that important and you do not feel convicted by Scripture that it is sinful then look for another church. The point seemed to be that she was totally focused on the wrong thing. She was fixed on her pants (probably designer) and was allowing that issue to be the highest priority in her decision to fellowship or not. At the time I expected the teacher to answer with a firm announcement that the church's rule on pants was unscriptural. But he didn't bite. Didn't even nibble. He simply refocused her attention on what was important. Most of us would likely benefit from more of that. don't be discouraged by the imperfections of the church. The Lord is, what did we say, "the Lord of lords and the King of kings." He, and only He will make His church perfect according to His plan. Eph 4:11-16 11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. 15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love. ESV God bless, Jeff |
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376 | DEPRESSION AND CHURCH ATTENDANCE | Bible general Archive 3 | jlhetrick | 182700 | ||
Hello again saved. The post by kalos was very informative. Allow me to comment further. It's not the plane that takes God's message to the lost that is the issue. It's the multiple planes and homes and cars and boats, most expensive clothing and jewelry, etc., etc., etc. that is the concern. furthermore, it is the way in which they obtain their wealth that is the most sinful. Selling prayer and even salvation if that were possible. As for the taxes for the bombs, I'm thankful to be safe in a cruel and hateful world. I do want to address something very specific that you wrote. I will quote you. "I believe if a minister's Material blessings stem from His or Her "GIVING" it is scriptual for them to be blessed for the "KINGDOM'S SAKE". In other words, being too poor can not represent the KING OF KINGS very well. " I respectfully say that your theology needs correcting from Scripture. What best represents the Christian life lived out here on earth is exemplified in the recorded lives of Jesus Christ, Paul, and others. I'll leave you to study that on your own, but I will say that material poverty was certainly the case. "in other words" my friend, being poor or rich has little or nothing to do with representing the Kingdom of God. It is in what we do with the little we have or the abundance we might be blessed with that will demonstrate the work of Christ in us. Of course it is also true that many who "name it and claim it" in the name of the Lord might be said to best represent what the Kingdom is not. In the love of Christ I urge you to find a bible teaching church. Know for sure that faith is a gift of God and nothing we are capable of producing ourselves (Romans 13:3, Eph 2:8) It is not a magical thing set in motion by the intensity of our thoughts, words, and efforts resulting in our prosper. I hope this helps, Jeff |
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377 | I NEED A TRUE FRIEND THAT IS A CHRISTIAN | Bible general Archive 3 | jlhetrick | 182123 | ||
Hello brother Mark, No problem with the delay, it was actually right on time. My participation on the forum has been very light in recent weeks as I too have been busy with personal stuff. I can certainly appreciate and agree with much of what you have said in this recent post. I also believe that we are closer to agreement the more we come to understand each other. As I believe I have said, some things that might be appropriately said and further explained and explored face to face are not as convenient in the forum setting. Things such as "this is an indication of..." just hang out there on the screen and where there is not scripture supporting the statement it begs to be addressed and clarified. I believe that it is often that the author being called to account didn't mean, or even intend to imply the point that is being debunked. Still, for the sake of integrity, clarification should be required. As forum members, we have agreed to uphold that. As Christians, we have a responsibility to the same. Some quick points regarding your recent statements. You wrote: "If an expositer, standing at the podium preaching the Sermon, is being true to his/her calling then the words being spoken are true and are intermingled with scripture from the bible. " I see your point but still emphasis; the only "words being spoken" by the preacher that can be qualified as teaching the truth are those that are consistent with the truth of Scripture. I take from your statement that you believe that. The important thing is though, that we have absolutely no way of knowing for sure that, as you put it, the expositor "standing at the podium preaching the Sermon, is being true to his/her calling..." And yes brother, Mel Gibson's The Passion of The Christ was a very touching and emotional. I've seen it through three times and been teared up each time. While appreciating it for what it was/is, I still have to be careful not to base my doctrine on it and recognize the liberties the movie takes in presenting the gospel. This was especially important in the discussions I have had with my family about the film. So our task continues to be the study of God's word and to teach the truth found therein. God bless, Jeff |
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378 | Could Jesus sin? | Col 2:9 | jlhetrick | 181488 | ||
Hello Kalos and all involved. Not jumping in to the debate, just throwing out a comment as one who has followed and read every post. Kalos, your post here really does sum it up, thank you. 'Jesus said the Father was greater than He not because Jesus is not God, but because Jesus was also a man and as a man he was in a lower position. He was ". . . made for a little while lower than the angels . . ." (Heb 2:9). Also in Phil. 2:5-8, it says that Jesus "emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men . . ." Isn't that what orthodox Christianity has always believed and taught? Thank you for clearing that up. It's one thing to quote a lot of verses that seem to support a position (as some do); but the task is in allowing the context of Scripture to establish the position. Otherwise, we end up teaching what the Scripture do not. When considering Heb. 2:9 and Phil 2: 5-8 we shouldn't be surprised that our Lord was napping in the back of the boat (Matt. 8:24) :) Thanks again for you post. And doesn't that make this special day all the more special? Our Lord and God, Creator and Sustainer God; humbled Himself so that He might deliver us. Merry Christmas and praise the Lord God Jesus for coming in the flesh. Jeff |
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379 | I NEED A TRUE FRIEND THAT IS A CHRISTIAN | Bible general Archive 3 | jlhetrick | 181367 | ||
Hello MWLaine, This post is an attempt to prevent the course of this thread from continuing in the negative tone that it seems to be going. I will try once again to address the issue that has raised some concern. You posted to Doc, "I am clueless as to what you mean "to teach that experiences can lead us to right conclusions about the work of God." I don't think I alluded to that at all in my encouragment of MommieSadie but you must think so." This is the original statement that you made that we have attempted to address. "If you have ever listened to a Sermon that caused the hairs on the back of your neck to raise then it is an indication that the Holy Spirit is bearing witness with your consience that the words you are hearing are true." What I have tried to say (along with others) is that no, this absolutely is not any indication that the words you are hearing are true. Only testing what we hear against the truth of Scripture can validate what you have heard is true. As I said before, I believe your intentions toward MOMMIESAIDIE were sincere. But what we teach doesn't stand on our good intentions. Please accept this as sincere, caring concern. God bless, Jeff |
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380 | I NEED A TRUE FRIEND THAT IS A CHRISTIAN | Bible general Archive 3 | jlhetrick | 181365 | ||
Hello MWLaine, sorry to take so long to respond, I didn't even turn on my computer last night, my wife had me baking cookies. I appreciate that you are not a theology major; nether am I. The concern that I expressed regarding your post was sincere and most definitely in the spirit of encouraging bible study. But more importantly, I was concerned that we don't allow unbiblical teachings to hang out there on the forum unaddressed. I might use even your last post that I am responding to as an example. You wrote: "PS: Jeff the Holy Spirit was bearing witness with your spirit that you should not have been watching whatever scary movie you were watching." Really? Why would you make such a statement? "the Holy Spirit was bearing witness..." It is these kinds of unfounded statements that stray far from bible study and deep into speculation based on a whole lot of assumption. So the point that needs to be made here is this. Absolutely God gave us emotion. We are mistaken, however, if we believe that those emotions are in any way intended to validate what is true and what is not. Once again, and referring back to your original post, it is only by God's word, the Holy Bible, that we are to test what we here to see if it is true. Acts 17:10-11 (NASB95) 17:10 The brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. 11 Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so. Please also see 2Tim 2:15. Hope this is helpful, Jeff |
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