Results 41 - 60 of 79
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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Author: Zsuzsi Ordered by Date |
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Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
41 | Can someone help me get to God? | Rom 10:9 | Zsuzsi | 122592 | ||
Hmm... Yes, our Good Shepherd would like the big sheep to protect the little sheep from bad food that will make them sick - but He would also have us give them something good which they can actually feed on! Mark 6:34 When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things. Sincerely yours in Christ, Zsuzsi |
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42 | what about a Bible study??? | Bible general Archive 2 | Zsuzsi | 122576 | ||
Hi Mike, I agree, the OT books are not easy to study!! In general, the books you mentioned contain prophecies about Jesus, and the destruction of Jerusalem, and the end of the times.. I believe we really need God's guidance for this; I usually tell Him I am 'scratching my head' and wait on Him to answer my questions... Which He lovingly does, always. :-) It usually helps to read them in light of the NT, for the OT and the NT are closely connected, and cannot really be studied separated from one another. Maybe start with Micah, it is not too long and I think it gives a really good overview of the general ideas in those books. It has helped me a lot, at least. Possibly the NIV will not be too difficult to read; http://biblegateway.com also gives explanations to some words you might not understand. Wishing you all the best... Blessings, Zsuzsi |
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43 | howshould start a bible study ? | Jonah | Zsuzsi | 122571 | ||
Hi reese67, This is my general 'procedure' for Bible study, which usually works: 1) Pray that God may open your eyes and help you understand what He is trying to communicate to you. 2) Read the passage you are studying carefully and consider everything exactly as it is written. Even research the original language if you are uncertain. Ask: what is being said in this passage? 3) Maybe research the history in which the passage was written. When was it written, where, who wrote it, and to whom, etc. This may give you an idea about the purposes of the author and God. 4) Look at the passage in its context - the other parts of the actual chapter, book, and the historical background. Ask: what was the purpose of God and the author with this AT THE TIME? 5) Then go further and ask: what is God's message to me and to others TODAY with this passage? What does it mean to ME and how can I apply it to my life? 6) Once you have arrived at a conclusion, check for supporting or opposing Bible passages, to make sure that you are not mistaken. But if you really listen to the teaching of the Holy Spirit I doubt that you ever will be. It is also interesting to research others' interpretations once you are in this stage, but personally I prefer not to do that before I have studied it myself. 7) And remember to thank God for teaching you... :-) For the book of Jonah specifically, hope this will help in your study: Its author is unknown, the book was possibly written in the 4th or 3rd century BC. This is the era in which Israel increasingly met peoples of different religions and started thinking about what it really meant to be chosen by God.(from my Hungarian Bible) It is actually a very thought-provoking book - but I will not share my own conclusions about it with you until you have arrived at your own. :-) Come back to us about it if you wish... God bless you, Zsuzsi |
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44 | Can somone help me figure out god? | Bible general Archive 2 | Zsuzsi | 122564 | ||
Dear cluelessbutlearning, I know there are online worhsip services here: http://home.christianity.com/ministries/moodychurchhour/ And I know about online Bibles here: http://biblegateway.com I suggest that you start with the NIV translation and the Gospel of Luke (type luke 1), that is the easiest to read, yet quite fathful to the original texts... (KJV is old English, NASB and AMP are constantly interrupted by explanations and cross-references.) I am 16, and had (still have some) similar problems in my family... Yet I can tell you one thing, once the Lord is your Shepherd, no-one can pluck you out of His hands! As for 'figuring God out', here is what Jesus said: "Only the Son knows the Father, and those whom He chooses to reveal Him." (Matt 11:27 and Luke 10:22) May God bless you and lead you to His safe waters. I will pray for you... Zsuzsi |
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45 | ye are gods? ps 82:6 | Ezek 28:9 | Zsuzsi | 122561 | ||
Hi Ray, Thank you for your message. I think I agree with you! We are actually 'gods' in the sense that we do have power over most creatures on earth (Gen 1:26-29), and we also have much dignity since we ARE indeed the children of God, and heirs of Him, even co-heirs with Christ (Rom 8:16-17). This is really something we should know and live up to! We have our new 'birthrights', to put it that way: we can call God our Father (Rom 8:15), we are His personal concern (1Pet 5:7), we are not under the law any more (Gal 5:18), we are told that we will even judge angels (1Cor 6:3)! But with this comes much responsibility: "Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children."(Eph 5:1) We must follow the Spirit of God living in us, because we are only His children if we are led by Him (Rom 8:14); we must be careful not to grieve the Holy Spirit in us (Eph 4:30). We also must know that we never deserved this privilege; we should be very thankful for salvation and instead of boasting, exercise humility. Phil 2:5-14 is one of my favorite passages: "Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death-- even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name,that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." Amen! Even though we are 'gods' in some sense, I think we must be aware of the great dangers of calling ourselves 'gods'; in the body we are still limited, and it is only by God's grace that we can be called His children! Our good self-awareness must not develop into pride... Jesus died so that we might become part of His family, which we are, and He is not ashamed to call us His brothers (Heb 2:11) - but also we have to remember: "What is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?" (Heb 2:6) ...The thought of His Grace never ceases to touch me... Psalm 30:4: Sing to the LORD , you saints of his; praise his holy name! God bless you, Zsuzsi |
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46 | ye are gods? ps 82:6 | Ezek 28:9 | Zsuzsi | 122482 | ||
Hi LisaT, I believe the word "god" in Psalm 82:6 refers to the earthly power that certain rulers possessed. The original Hebrew uses 'elohim', both in verse 1 and 6, which means 'mighty ones', that is, judges. Otherwise, we are all created humans, only adopted children of the Most High. If we do have any earthly power, it is from God Himself (Romans 13:1); without Him we are nothing. (John 15:5). We come from dust, and return to dust; there are things in life about which we have no choice, for example death. "But our God is in heaven; He does whatever He pleases." (Psalm 115:3). The fact that we are His children means that He will "think good thoughts" towards us ("For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope." Jer 29:11), so that He can forgive when we sincerely repent of our sin, for Jesus' sake. Actually God has a very definite opinion about this: see Ezekiel 28:9, the passage I chose to support this answer. We were bought at a price, we are God's property... It is a dfferent question that He is good, loves us and shows grace and mercy rather than abusing His authority. "For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's." (1Cor 6:20) So we become His adopted children when we are reborn, thanks to His amazing Grace in the sacrifice of Jesus - but He still remains the only God of heaven and earth; the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, Who is, Who was and Who is to come, the Almighty. (Rev 1:8) Hope this helps. God bless you, Zsuzsi |
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47 | Right purposes for miracles | NT general Archive 1 | Zsuzsi | 122403 | ||
Hi Rowdy, Thank you for your fast reply! As a matter of fact, I deliberately linked my message to your statement.. The question was meant to be whether you agreed or not. :-) The points I was trying to make are basically my answers to your questions: 1) If we see no miracles today done by Christians, it is the sad result of our corruption, not the 'end' of the Holy Spirit giving His gifts. As I was trying to point out, Jesus said ALL people who believed ('pisteuwn', to have confidence in, trust, be persuaded of etc.) in Him would be able to work miracles; not just the apostles. I have now researched John 14:12 again to see if my interpretation of this verse was right; still, to me the Greek 'o' definitely suggests 'whoever' instead of 'you' or 'the apostles' or such. Also, John 14:13 reads: "Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son." That made me think that it was His promise to give us power to work miracles so that the Father may be glorified... Which leads on to my answer to your second and third questions: 2-3) If miracles are done, the way to find out if they really come from God is to look at the effects they have on people: who is glorified, God or the supposed magician? 'Testing the spirits' does refer to judging their teachings; we have to look for their purposes behind the 'miracles'. As I understand from your posts you do not believe in modern miracles, and sadly, I must agree with you to some extent... I am also rather skeptical about people who claim to be using their 'bioenergies' to heal on TV etc. Yet I believe we cannot say that the Holy Spirit does not want to exhibit His power in our age any more; it is our fault that we (Christianity) are not working miracles, not His. If we only had faith in the promises of Jesus and the purposes which the apostles had in the early church, we would safely tell a mountain to move and it would obey us - for God's glory, not for ours. Of course you do not have to agree with me. But in any case, I believe we can trust the Holy Spirit to let us know in any given situation whether the 'miracle' performed is mere deception, the work of false prophets or a true wonder of God which we should be thankful for. As for me, until I have personally witnessed a miracle like those described in the Bible, I cannot say they do exist today. But until I find definite Scriptual references which clearly suggest that miracles could only be done in the apostles' age, I do not deny their existence either. God bless you, Zsuzsi |
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48 | Right purposes for miracles | NT general Archive 1 | Zsuzsi | 122336 | ||
In my opinion, as long as our inner purpose is to get renowned for working miracles, we can wait forever for the Holy Spirit to give us the power to carry them out...! Even Jesus had the sole purpose of glorifying the Father, not gaining personal glory: John 10:38: But if I do it, even though you do not believe me, believe the miracles, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father." Notice that even He did not do any miracles for Herod - probably He could have saved His life - His mission was far more important to Him than personal fame: LUke 23:8: "When Herod saw Jesus, he was greatly pleased, because for a long time he had been wanting to see him. From what he had heard about him, he hoped to see him perform some miracle." The working of miracles is not supposed to be anything special for Christians who truly live in God - in fact, it is mentioned as a gift of the Holy Spirit at least as common as the ability to teach! 1Cor 12:28: "And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues." Jesus clearly stated that faith would work greater miracles than what He did... He said "anyone"; to me that is not just the apostles. John 14:12: "I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father." I would like to draw your attention to the fact that the Bible does mention that God did refuse to work miracles or answer the prayers of people, for His purposes. A few well-known examples: - David did not get to build the temple even though he wanted to (1Kings 8:18; also see 2Samuel 7) - The Father 'refused' to save Jesus Himself (even though He did pray, sweating blood in agony, for His 'cup' to be taken from Him (eg. Luke 22:42)! - compare with Matthew 26:53: "Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels?") - The Lord refused to heal Paul's "thorn in the flesh", even though he asked Him 3 times "lest I should be exalted above measure" (2Cor 12:7) - please read the whole chapter of 2Corinthians 12... Looking at the examples of miracles in the Bible, I conclude that God will only work miracles for us (it is Him who does it, not the actual person; John 10:32, Acts 19:11, Gal 3:5 etc) if the effect of the miracle will be glory to His Name rather than a top story on the front page of tabloid papers... Do we want our problmems solved more than we want His will to be done? Do we want to easily impress others by healing them in the mortal body more than we want to work hard to heal them in the immortal soul? Do we want glory for ourselves more than we want His Name to be glorified? If the honest answer to either of those questions is "yes", then our prayer really should not be "Let me work this miracle", but "Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me." Psalm 51:10 God bless you, Zsuzsi |
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49 | Peace...? | 2 Tim 2:15 | Zsuzsi | 122243 | ||
Yes I know... :) I actually love the sciences too; I do see God's design behind them. But I like studying directly about God more than studying indirectly about Him through the sciences... The impressive people you talked about went from God to the sciences; you see, I would rather like to go from the sciences to Him... ;) But it should not be about what I would personally like but what He calls me to do. I am looking forward to walking the path He is showing me! Blessings, Zsuzsi |
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50 | Peace...? | 2 Tim 2:15 | Zsuzsi | 122241 | ||
Thank you for all three of your messages, Kalos. I apologize for not having replied to you personally before, but I thought I answered your earlier comment in my response to Justme. Yes, I absolutely agree, "the church" is the body of Christ - and I also agree that "the church" is never separated from or in conflict with Him. But I think the major question is what we actually mean by "the church"... Is "the church" merely a financial institution to pay the salaries of "ordained" pastors? Is it some political or social authority to enforce certain rules on people? Is "the church" really the legal organization which calls itself "the true church of Christ", condemning to hell all those who do not belong to it? Or is Christ's Church rather the living community of ALL worshippers who belong to the Lord, united in the Spirit of Love, co-operating with one another to build the kingdom of God? Getting a bit more personal about this, do you believe that "the church" or Jesus Himself should forbid me to spread the Gospel to my non-Christian classmates and friends, both in words and actions, just because I am only 16 and have not been 'authorized' by a church in a formal 'ordination' ceremony to do so? I have no certificate in theology (yet) and I possess no legal right whatsoever to claim that I am a 'missionary' or a 'preacher' - but has the Lord not given me authority, or even an obligation, to do my best to make good use of the spiritual gifts He has blessed me with? I do study, to make my service to Him more efficient. But I do not believe it is His will that I (or anyone) should stop 'preaching' just because I am not formally ordained. "So in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully." Romans 12:5-8 "There is one body and one Spirit--just as you were called to one hope when you were called-- one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it." Ephesians 4:4-7 As I said in my reply to Justme, I believe the question is not whether we are called but what we are called to do. I do disapprove of 'Christians' who go about prophesying and teaching things that never came from God, for their own selfish purposes (eg. earning money for their online 'service')... But will their teachings not be futile and controversial because of the absence of God? (1Tim 1:3-7) Additionally, do we not need to be empowered by the Holy Spirit to perservere in doing what God has called us to do? (Isaiah 40:30-31) If someone is not a Christian, he will obviously not go around preaching things about the Bible and Jesus (Mark 9:40). If nevertheless someone is a Christian (by which I mean "born of water and the Spirit" - John 3:5), I trust in the guiding power of the Holy Spirit to convince him of his calling (eg. Philippians 2:13; see also Romans 8). Possessing the gifts of the Holy Ghost is NOT the same as possessing a manmade certificate about it... Being Christian, whether a pastor or a toilet cleaner, is 24-hour service, 365 days a year. Concentrating too much on church formalities and far too little on the Lord Himself has resulted in the painful wounds in Christ's Body... Only when ALL members, not just the ordained pastors, are individually in but not of the world, ALL being made one in the Spirit, will "the" church of Christ function to His good pleasure. Or at least that's what I believe. May God bless you, Zsuzsi |
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51 | Peace...? | 2 Tim 2:15 | Zsuzsi | 121935 | ||
Thank you so much for this, Justme. I DO love the Lord, very-very much, but I think my parents would be more proud of me if I became a scientist instead of a theologian (both of them are physicists). They actually stated that I am only allowed to study theology afterwards if I also earn a degree in a natural science. But if that's the price, I will pay it... They got divorced when I was 4, since then I have lived with my mother. Right now I see my dad twice a year... We don't go to church and don't pray together; my own family is a mission field for me! But I cannot be proud of my wisdom or knowledge; God freely gave to me everything that I have. "For the LORD gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding." (Prov 2:6) "Freely you have received, freely give." (Matt 10:8) For me, learning from Him is actually the sweetest thing in the world. :-) "His mouth is sweetness itself; he is altogether lovely." (Song 5:16) I usually start praying and reading the Bible when I go to bed (as a high school student I have very little time for that during the day), and I can be so absorbed in it that sometimes I find myself still awake at half past 3 in the night... Often the Lord Himself needs to remind me that even He slept! But the more I learn about Him, the more I see how little I know. "You have filled my heart with greater joy than when their grain and new wine abound. I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety." (Psalm 4:7-8) Thank you again for your encouragement and blessings; may God bless you richly too. Your little sister in Christ, Zsuzsi |
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52 | 'Lone rangers' and spiritual discernment | Not Specified | Zsuzsi | 121884 | ||
It happens sometimes that believers are 'left alone' and have to become 'lone rangers'. The Bible actually mentions that most servants of God were 'lone rangers', at least for a period in their lives: - Noah was left alone (with his family). Genesis 6 - Lot and his family escaped alone. Genesis 19 - Jacob was left alone to wrestle with God. Genesis 32:24 - Joseph (alone) was even sold by his brothers. Genesis 37 - Elijah complained about feeling alone several times (though God confirmed later that he wasn't) 1Kings 18:22, 1Kings 19:10,14 There are many more examples in the OT... Also in the NT, we see: - John the Baptist was alone the voice of crying in the wilderness. Mt 3:3 - Jesus Himself felt alone and forsaken by His disciples. Jn 16:32. On the cross He even felt forsaken by His Father. Mk 15:34 - Paul and the apostles also had to be alone at times. eg. Acts 28 In my opinion, being a 'lone ranger' is not the same thing as rejecting universal church teachings... Would you consider non-denominational believers 'lone rangers', for example? I actually believe it is important for a person's spiritual development that God seperates him from solid earthly support for a while; only this way can his faith be tested and strenghtened. See for example 2Chronicles 32:31: "God left him alone only to test him, that He might know all that was in his heart." Of course the Bible emphasizes the need for co-operation within the church, eg. Eph 4:1-16, but I believe it also urges each person to find out and work individually the will of God. ("You gladly put up with fools since you are so wise!" 2Cor 11:19) 'Individuality' does not mean 'in complete separation from the church'-all eyes must remember that they belong to a body-, but I believe God does not want a blind eye to follow a blind ear. Some churches do teach doctrines that I find unacceptable, for example. Shall I submit just because they claim to be 'THE Church of Christ', or shall I rather withdraw and seek God elsewhere? I believe each person in the universal church of Christ should feel a personal responsiblity for discerning what in the teachings of a particular church comes from God and what doesn't. I study the Bible and pray for discernment from the Spirit if I hear or read any 'Christian' teaching that I find difficult to accept. As Christians, shouldn't our purpose be to find and follow the Truth, rather than either to blindly follow earthly leaders who might as well be blind guides, or to bigotedly hold on to our personal beliefs which are clearly proven wrong? Being a 'lone ranger' is wrong if it means teaching false doctrines to people, claiming to be Christian - that is being a blind guide. But in my opinion, it is not wrong to separate ourselves to God and rely solely on the Scriptures and the guidance of the Holy Spirit, when we are in a learning period and seeking Truth. "It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man." Psalm 118:8 The future 'rangers' must go out alone for a while and see for themselves what the battlefield is like; the battle we are to fight is not an easy one! We can only succeed if we are backed up by the Almighty God Himself. If we do not have His support in a certain mission we feel called to, we will certainly fail anyway. We could put it this way: the eye must find the way to see by himself. He is designed for seeing, that is the only thing he has the support of the Spirit for. He might attempt to hear, but will surely fail. The ears cannot teach the eye how to see, even though they function very well in other ways: only the Spirit, who dwells in the body and holds it together, that can teach the individual parts their jobs. In the discernment period, the task of the church, I believe, is exactly to send out the believers into the hard part of the service: trying to protect them from the fight would prevent them from knowing their own abilities and limitations. Let the eye find out for himself if he can hear; he will soon realize that it is not what he is called to do. He does not need 'recipes' from any other part of the body for how to hear (there is a sad tendency that people want recipes for everything: 'How do I receive the Holy Spirit?' is a FAQ); he cannot, and will not, because he is not gifted to do that. As he turns to his Creator, he will eventually find the purpose for his existence, and be able to please God and be satisfied. It is only when we know our calling for sure and have tested our faith for ourselves (in Paul's words, know the 'fullness of Christ') that we can fully join the work in the body of Christ and function to its advantage. But then we must do so... Do you agree? Blessings, Zsuzsi |
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53 | 'Lone rangers' and spiritual discernment | 1 Cor 12:12 | Zsuzsi | 121911 | ||
It happens sometimes that believers are 'left alone' and have to become 'lone rangers'. The Bible actually mentions that most servants of God were 'lone rangers', at least for a period in their lives: - Noah was left alone (with his family). Genesis 6 - Lot and his family escaped alone. Genesis 19 - Jacob was left alone to wrestle with God. Genesis 32:24 - Joseph (alone) was even sold by his brothers. Genesis 37 - Elijah complained about feeling alone several times (though God confirmed later that he wasn't) 1Kings 18:22, 1Kings 19:10,14 There are many more examples in the OT... Also in the NT, we see: - John the Baptist was alone the voice of crying in the wilderness. Mt 3:3 - Jesus Himself felt alone and forsaken by His disciples. Jn 16:32. On the cross He even felt forsaken by His Father. Mk 15:34 - Paul and the apostles also had to be alone at times. eg. Acts 28 In my opinion, being a 'lone ranger' is not the same thing as rejecting universal church teachings... Would you consider non-denominational believers 'lone rangers', for example? I actually believe it is important for a person's spiritual development that God seperates him from solid earthly support for a while; only this way can his faith be tested and strenghtened. See for example 2Chronicles 32:31: "God left him alone only to test him, that He might know all that was in his heart." Of course the Bible emphasizes the need for co-operation within the church, eg. Eph 4:1-16, but I believe it also urges each person to find out and work individually the will of God. ("You gladly put up with fools since you are so wise!" 2Cor 11:19) 'Individuality' does not mean 'in complete separation from the church'-all eyes must remember that they belong to a body-, but I believe God does not want a blind eye to follow a blind ear. Some churches do teach doctrines that I find unacceptable, for example. Shall I submit just because they claim to be 'THE Church of Christ', or shall I rather withdraw and seek God elsewhere? I believe each person in the universal church of Christ should feel a personal responsiblity for discerning what in the teachings of a particular church comes from God and what doesn't. I study the Bible and pray for discernment from the Spirit if I hear or read any 'Christian' teaching that I find difficult to accept. As Christians, shouldn't our purpose be to find and follow the Truth, rather than either to blindly follow earthly leaders who might as well be blind guides, or to bigotedly hold on to our personal beliefs which are clearly proven wrong? Being a 'lone ranger' is wrong if it means teaching false doctrines to people, claiming to be Christian - that is being a blind guide. But in my opinion, it is not wrong to separate ourselves to God and rely solely on the Scriptures and the guidance of the Holy Spirit, when we are in a learning period and seeking Truth. "It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man." Psalm 118:8 The future 'rangers' must go out alone for a while and see for themselves what the battlefield is like; the battle we are to fight is not an easy one! We can only succeed if we are backed up by the Almighty God Himself. If we do not have His support in a certain mission we feel called to, we will certainly fail anyway. We could put it this way: the eye must find the way to see by himself. He is designed for seeing, that is the only thing he has the support of the Spirit for. He might attempt to hear, but will surely fail. The ears cannot teach the eye how to see, even though they function very well in other ways: only the Spirit, who dwells in the body and holds it together, that can teach the individual parts their jobs. In the discernment period, the task of the church, I believe, is exactly to send out the believers into the hard part of the service: trying to protect them from the fight would prevent them from knowing their own abilities and limitations. Let the eye find out for himself if he can hear; he will soon realize that it is not what he is called to do. He does not need 'recipes' from any other part of the body for how to hear (there is a sad tendency that people want recipes for everything: 'How do I receive the Holy Spirit?' is a FAQ); he cannot, and will not, because he is not gifted to do that. As he turns to his Creator, he will eventually find the purpose for his existence, and be able to please God and be satisfied. It is only when we know our calling for sure and have tested our faith for ourselves (in Paul's words, know the 'fullness of Christ') that we can fully join the work in the body of Christ and function to its advantage. But then we must do so... Do you agree? Blessings, Zsuzsi |
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54 | Peace...? | 2 Tim 2:15 | Zsuzsi | 121860 | ||
Thank you Tim Moran, I certainly agree! One thing I'd like to add: I believe everyone is called by God - ministry service is just one form of being called. When God chooses a person for His service (that is, 'calls' him), it is Him who first 'ordains'; that happens when the individual accepts God's calling, which can be before the church formally ordains the person. I would liken this to the baptism by the Holy Spirit, which can happen before batism by water (see Acts 10:47). The church cannot substitute God in this ordination, but can only confirm it later on. I.e.: ministry service does not start when the person has the papers but when he has the gifts of the Spirit for it. The significance of ordination by the church is not to 'help' the Holy Spirit give His gifts but as you said, it is 'the Church's recognition and authentication of one's call.' God bless you, Zsuzsi |
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55 | Peace...? | 2 Tim 2:15 | Zsuzsi | 121859 | ||
Thank you, Emmaus. To me it seems these passages are expressing the importance of accepting the need for all parts of the body to do their own job. Eg. all parts must recognize that the body does not function without all of them being co-ordinated with the other parts. But the eye has to do its job by itself; the ear cannot substitute for the eye, and cannot tell from another place, 'you are not needed here'. Speaking in 'church-terms', an evangelist, for example, has to do his job by himself, a prophet has to allow him, support him and cannot substitute him, because he himself lacks the necessary gift of the Spirit. And of course it works vice versa... We are individually members of Christ's body. As long as there is good co-operation between the different parts, the body will function. If the eye is weak, it is the task of the other parts to support him. But the system definitely breaks down when an ear tries to teach an eye how to see: the eye has to learn it by himself from the Spirit that holds the Body together. The ear might give advice on how to listen, where to look or study, but it cannot teach the eye his task. Although the eye must acknowledge that he is also a member of the Body, in this learning process (spiritual discernment) he is necessarily a 'lone ranger'. That's my thoughts for this now.. Blessings, Zsuzsi |
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56 | Peace...? | 2 Tim 2:15 | Zsuzsi | 121855 | ||
Hi Justme, Thank you for your response, it was respectful and kind indeed. Thank you for your blessing as well! I also think there are differences between your theology and mine... But as a 16-year-old I am really no-one to argue with someone as knowledgeable as you about such issues. I was so concerned with this issue since it is something very close to me. I have updated my personal profile, have a look if you are interested in knowing where I come from etc. For many years I myself felt invited by the Lord to get closer to Him, to live for/in/by/with Him. It's been a great struggle for me to discern if indeed it was His calling... I actually believe the question is not whether we are called but what we are called to do: "to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it." (Eph 4:7) In other words, God does not call the equipped, but equips the called. (Hebrews 13:20-21) According to my theology, being called and ordained by God does not require anything; being a 'minister' and legally ordained does require study and the approval of the church. I am young but my belief that I am called comes from many hundreds of hours of prayer, service and study, by now I know it is definitely not a temporary feeling or mere interest! Many Christians I have met from different denominations confirmed this... Thanks to a few supportive friends of mine, now I am learning Hebrew and Greek, systematic theology, counselling, missions theory, practical theology and church history. I am not yet qualified for earning a degree in theology,however, because as I said, I am only 16 and I have one more year of high school before I graduate. Although it is against the will of most people who have 'authority' over me, I will go through all that is needed to be properly 'ordained', for it is neither God's will nor mine to try to do it in any 'easy way'. I will pray, wait and study: right now I am too young and know little. But I am convinced of the calling and I know that I am already 'ordained' by God, who -I believe- possesses all authority to so 'ordain' anyone of His choice at any age. I have hope, faith and trust that the Holy Spirit is leading me; for the rest, "I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself. My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me." 1Cor 4:3-4 You wrote I was 'standing behind' and 'defending' ourfathersheart - but please have a look at my first response to him: I did not approve of him ordaining or giving degrees to others either; I actually said he had no authority to do so. I also suggested learning as a solution to his problem. (See the supporting passage I chose, and 2Tim 3:16-18) Could you please specify what 'serious errors' I approved of? Nevertheless I believe any Christian can intercede for others and to bless them, it cannot be against God's will. This person claimed to love the Lord, and I do not believe it is anyone else's job to decide if he was honest or not. What is our job is rather to help him into seeing what is good in God's sight and what is not... We are allowed to tell him that it is not biblical to ordain or give degrees to anyone without being authorized; we are allowed to warn against sin, pride or bigotry, and to make him understand the meaning of being called; but I do not think we can question the existence of a calling for a person who says 'I live only for Him'. Yes, maybe he is lying; but even so, it is not our job to execute judgment. Maybe I am wrong, but I believe certain gifts of the Holy Spirit are necessary for ministry; those who do not have them fail and get weary of it very quickly. My sincere belief is that only fulfilling our calling will please God and satisfy our soul; trying to do things which we are not called to do, or refusing to do things which we are called to do, may give a feeling of temporary pleasure, but in the long run, will make us dissatisfied with ourselves and with the world. Only when we are following our calling can we say: "I delight to do Your will, O my God; Your Law is within my heart." Psalm 40:8 Jesus said we would know the false prophets by their fruit (Mt 7:15-20); but false doctrines "promote controversies rather than God's work" (1Tim 1:4). Jesus clearly stated, though: "whoever is not against us is for us." (Mk 9:40) I also believe that whatever position we take up in church, we should remain servants of Christ, and not try to become lords of men. "For he who is least among [us] all – he is the greatest" Luke 9:48. Of course you do not have to agree with me. If you are interested, I can tell you more about my theology, and we can discuss our beliefs on different issues. I will post my views about 'lone rangers' in another thread. God bless you, and thanks again for your reply, Zsuzsi |
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57 | Peace...? | 2 Tim 2:15 | Zsuzsi | 121801 | ||
Hi everyone, I have been reading your posts and this is my general answer to all of you: I agree that you need humility and subjection and patience and long-suffering when you are called by God... I also agree with the need for spiritual preparation before we get to His service. But I do think that sometimes 'staying under leadership' can do a person bad! If I had 'stayed under leadership' in submission, as you said, I would still be walking around kissing statues of saints, for example.. Mt 23:9: Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven. 1Jn 2:27: As for you, the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you abide in Him. Yes, learning is important, and listening to other people's opinion is also very important; it is true that only this way can we 'test our faith' (2Cor 13:5) - but nothing is worse than quenching the voice of the Holy Ghost for the sake of accepting some earthly teaching! We have to be careful not to judge the work of the Holy Spirit in another man, it is dangerous. We try to take out a mote from someone else's eye, but aren't we having a beam in our own? (Mt 7:3-5) I do realize the responsibility of being a 'minister' or 'ordained' and thorough study of God's Word is definitely required for His service. But in my opinion, no man has the authority to decide if God is calling another or not: it is a very personal issue, and it does happen at different times with different people. Maybe the called does not have the spiritual maturity right away, maybe he is even a 'blasphemer and persecutor' at the time he is called (1Tim 1:13), but I have no doubt that God's grace is enough to sustain anyone on his way... God teaches us humility and subjection in many different ways. One is actually to surrender to Him and forsake the opinion or approval of the world for His truth! If you are called, you are called and you must go... Even if it happens in your youth: "Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe." 1Tim 4:12 There are false teachers in the world whom we should keep away from. We are not to 'tolerate fools gladly'! (2Cor 11:19) "No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light." 2Cor 11:14. But by studying God's Word, that becomes quite clear as well... We know the good tree from its good fruit. (Lk 6:43) Please do not misunderstand me, I am not questioning the authority of the church; but the authority of the church is not above the authority of Christ in any way! (Eph 5:23-24) Additionally, 'humbleness' (or 'humility') is the opposite of pride, it means believing you are not important (dictionary definition); 'submittance' and 'patience' are accepting other's decisions over you without grudging. None of those words reflect an attitude of mistrust towards the Holy Spirit within us... Paul says he 'humbled himself' so others may be exalted (2Cor 11:7).. Although he did accept persecution and suffering (humbleness, patience and submittance), never once did he say 'no' to his calling for the sake of obeying others (faith, trust, hope)! And we are to be imitators of him, according to 1Cor 4:16. In my opinion, we must 'allow' God to choose any man at any time for His service, no matter their age or academic background whatsoever! And the task of the church is to "Now accept the one who is weak in faith, but not for the purpose of passing judgment on his opinions." (Romans 14:1). Yes, there is certainly a lot of pride in saying things like 'I am accountable to only God', but the task of the church or any group of believers is to teach God's Word and not to scare people away from it... Is trying to convince someone that he is not called -without Biblical reference- a proof of Christ dwelling in us? Constructive criticism would help a lot more! If anyone is unsure about ourfathersheart's calling, let us pray for him instead of judging a person we know nothing about! This dialogue seems to be going just wrong... Where is the peace Jesus left to us? (Jn 14:27) Also, may I ask: where does the Bible warn against being a 'lone ranger'? God bless you all, Zsuzsi |
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58 | speaking in tongues | Mark 16:17 | Zsuzsi | 121762 | ||
Dear Godsgrl52, There are several references to speaking in tongues in the NT: Jesus foretold that the disciples would speak in tongues in Mk:16:17. In Acts we are told how His prophecies came true: see Acts chapter 2, Acts 10:46, Acts 19:6... In the Pauline Epistles speaking in tongues is a great gift of the Holy Spirit. 1Cor 12:10,28. Yet Paul teaches that nobody should boast just because he is speaking in tongues; without charity, for example, miracles are nothing. (1Cor 13:1). He also mentions that speaking in tongues does not benefit other beilevers, unless someone interprets what is being said. (1Cor 14:5) Paul gives a definition of praying in tongues: if someone prays in tongues, his spirit prays but his mind does not; he encourages people to pray with their spirit and their mind too. (1Cor 14:14-15). Paul says that speaking in tongues is a sign for the unbelievers, not for the bevievers (1Cor 14:22). Personally I would connect speaking in tongues to the OT story of the Tower of Babel (Gen 11): what men destroyed with their pride, the Holy Spirit rebuilds. See Isaiah 28:11 for the OT promise of this gift. Hope this helps. Ask if you have any more questions. God bless you, Zsuzsi |
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59 | I Timothy 1:4 - what does it mean? | 1 Tim 1:5 | Zsuzsi | 121534 | ||
Hmmm... Timothy was the delegate who administered Paul's teaching to the community (in Ephesus); he was to be regarded as an 'extension' of the apostle himself. The early, fast-growing and very new Christian communities were rather disorganized, and through his epistles, Paul wanted to 'sort them out': he tried to clarify doctrines, eliminate false teachings, encourage Christian love and give guidelines for Christian lifestyle. In 1Timothy 1:3-7 Paul warned the community against false teachings and 'meaningless talks'. These are teachings which do not come from God: they are based on myths or genealogies and therefore even end in contradictions. Paul confirms that "faith and a good consience" (1:5,19) will lead people towards the goal, which is teaching in, by and with God's love (1:5). He says to Timothy: "...remain on at Ephesus so that you may instruct certain men not to teach strange doctrines" 1Tim 1:3 If Christians disobey this only commandment of love, they 'shipwreck' the faith (i.e. believe and teach false doctrines; Paul calls this blasphemy). In 1Tim 1:20 Paul names two Christians, Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom he 'handed over to Satan' so that they may learn not to blashpheme. (Being 'handed over to Satan' means being exposed to him without God's protection; this is equivalent to the removal of consolation and/or support coming from God. See also 1Cor 5:5.) The two people he referred to were probably just two examples of disloyalty to the Gospel. In the fast-growing Christian community there were many problems of this kind. Hope this helps. God bless you, Zsuzsi |
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60 | Ordaining Others... | 2 Tim 2:15 | Zsuzsi | 121497 | ||
You are very welcome. I am glad to know that God spoke the same thing to your heart and mine. :) "And He was saying to them, 'The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.'" Luke 10:2 I will pray for them tonight.. And for you too. God bless, Zsuzsi |
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