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I noticed while going through all the discussion groups listed, that BC does not have a library of recommended reading material which, along with God's word "the Bible" might be of benefit to other believers. If I have missed something, please let me know.
If you have suggestions of Christian materials which might benefit another person on this site, please let us know the name of the book/publication, the author/publisher, and where this might be obtained.
Bibles come in numerous translations but are all the Word of God. What Bible do you use, and why is it meaningful to you?
In setting up this site, I would like to let everyone know that they would please stay to the topic intended for the use of others who may be in need of information.
God Bless all who respond, and thank you.
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The Ungodly and Prosperity
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Jun 27, 2009 5:18 pm
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Jeremiah 12:1
"Righteous art thou, O LORD, when I plead with thee: yet let me talk with thee of thy judgments: Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper? wherefore are all they happy that deal very treacherously?" KJB
I do not know about you but I have wondered on several occasions why the ungodly were prospering and the righteous were struggling and suffering. It did not make sense to me because my Bible tells me that my God would never leave us nor forsake us and He would always provide us with what we need. Why would the God that I so loved endorse such a system?
It has been this way for many many centuries. Job asked just about the same question some 2000 years before Christ came. Also notice that our text, through Jeremiah, asked the very same question. "....Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper? wherefore are all they happy that deal very treacherously?" Then we read in Job this: "Wherefore do the wicked live, become old, yea, are mighty in power?...They spend their days in wealth, and...say unto God... Depart from us; for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways" (Job 21 ,13-14) KJB. Then the Psalmist said: "I was envious...when I saw the prosperity of the wicked" (Psalm 73:3) KJB.
As a child of God and through the many times spending with my Bible open and studying the Word of God, I have come to the conclusion that it is not in the present world but rather in the time to come, where waits for the ungodly, and heaven awaits the righteous and redeemed of God through Christ, His Son. I want you to understand that just because the ungodly might prosper in this world, their prospering will end at the moment of death. But in comparison, the righteous might suffer now, because the Bible says that we will regardless of what the ungodly might do, and at the time of death we will receive all the riches of God through Christ because of our faith in Him. This nation, the United States has become, through God, one of the richest nations in the world and is the richest nation that there has ever been. There are more millionaires here than there are those who are starving because of the lack of funds to provide that food. But money does not make a nation rich, it was the faith in God that made this nation what it is today. However, that is falling by the wayside very quickly because of those who have rejected that very same God.
David said this about those whose money is ephemeral, which means that their money lasts a day, here is what David said: "I have seen the wicked, in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay tree. Yet he passed away, and, lo, he was not" (Psalm 37:35) KJB. If God does give a few believers great wealth, it is so that they might use it for the cause of Christ, and not to pamper themselves. Paul said to Timothy this: "Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to [share]" (1 Timothy 6:17-1 KJB. However, there are some who are believers who have made good and yet are not using what the Lord gave to them for His glory but rather for their own. I feel that they have been led astray by Satan and need to be brought down to the point where they are on their knees begging God for forgiveness. Remember, God gives to us so that we will use what He has given for His glory and not for our own and the riches He gives us is to be used for the benefit of those who can not do for themselves.
By Dr. Terry Cleaveland, Pastor (retired), Preacher, Teacher of God's Holy Word, Grand Junction, Co.Used with permission
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God's Guidance
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Jun 24, 2009 7:09 pm
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Psalm 32:8
"I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye." KJB
When we think about it, God's eyes see much better than our eyes. He can see into the past and He observes all things in the future with His eyes. Now, when our eyes our constantly on the Lord we can receive the guidance that He so dearly wants us to have. It is only through His guidance that we can get through each day as we serve Him in this world. A mother and father guides their children the best that they can and they fail, right? But when we are guided by the Lord that guidance is perfect and will never fail. When my children were growing up I was able to guide them by simply looking at them in a certain way, I did not have to say anything and yet they knew what Dad wanted them to do. Now, if my guidance was by simply looking at them, how much more can God's guidance take our children down the right path? There are a few things that I need to point out about God's guidance.
The first thing is that God's guidance is always perfect and always in the right direction. When we are led "...in the way which thou shalt go..." then we cannot fail and that is a promise from God. If we follow His words, which we have to guide us, then our paths are towards the right thing, HIM! This guidance comes directly from His instruction and His teachings, contained within His word, as the Holy Spirit urges us. "Howbeit when He, the Spirit of truth, the Holy Spirit, is come, He will guide you into all truth" (John 16:13). There is one thing that is definitely true, that when we have a true understanding of God's Word, that same Word will never lead us astray. Now, because of all the different translations that there is, and the many different meanings attributed to those translations, then it is no wonder that there are some who go on the wrong path. That is only one reason that I am a King James only person, because I have only one Bible to follow.
The next thing that His word will do is to guide us through all difficult times. "Thus the LORD saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib the king of Assyria, and from the hand of all the other, and guided them on every side" (2 Chronicles 32:22) KJB. We also read elsewhere in God's Word this: "And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought...and thou shalt be like a watered garden" (Isaiah 58:11) KJB. This guidance can not be had in any means except the studying and reading of God's Word. How can someone be completely guided in all truth and be comforted in times of trouble when they refuse to open the Old Black Book, our Bible? Sure, we can get some help from others in the local church but it is in God's Word where we can get all help.
The next thing that we need to understand extends even unto and beyond death. We read this: "For this God is our God for ever and ever: He will be our guide even unto death" (Psalm 48:14) KJB. Then we read in one of the most memorized verses in the Bible this: "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me" (Psalm 23:4) KJB. Where in the words of man can we find such comfort and love? We cannot find it except through God and his word.
The last thing that I want to point out, and it is not actually the very last thing about God's guidance but it is important: we need to come to God with the right motive in order to seek after and request His guidance. We read: "For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name's sake lead me, and guide me" (Psalm 31:3) KJB. If we come to God and seek his guidance we need to be in the right frame of mind and with the right motives.
Now, as we journey on this path of life may we always so all things for His names sake and for His cause. His cause is to make sure that His creation, man, is set on the right path of righteousness and that path can only be found in the Word's of God. If we listen to that small voice within us, the Holy Spirit, we will never fail while struggling to keep on the path of righteousness. We read again these words: "Ye shall observe to do therefore as the LORD your God hath commanded you: ye shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left. Ye shall walk in all the ways which the LORD your God hath commanded you, that ye may live, and that it may be well with you, and that ye may prolong your days in the land which ye shall possess." (Deuteronomy 5:32-33) KJB. We are saved in order to learn of His path for us in this world. Each of us have the very same path, the path God sets before us in His word, and yet we each have different things to accomplish for His names sake. You cannot learn of what God's way for you is, without searching His word. It is impossible.
What about you, are you on the right path, are you seeking His guidance for your life? If not, why not?
By Dr. Terry Cleaveland, Pastor (retired), Preacher, Teacher of God's Holy Word, Grand Junction, Co.
Used with permission
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Why people come and go in our lives
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Jun 23, 2009 5:39 pm
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God doesn't give you the people you want, He gives you the people you NEED. To help you, to hurt you, to leave you, to love you and to make you into the person you were meant to be..
Thank God for the people who have been in and out of my life. The people HE sent have made me stronger, more patient, more faithful, more loving, more caring, more helpful, more compassionate, and HE taught me to like the person HE made me to be.
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Captain of Salvation
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Jun 22, 2009 3:44 pm
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Hebrews 2:9-10
"But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings." KJB
In our text for today we find that Jesus is our Captain of Salvation. What does the word "captain" mean in the Greek? In the language of the Greeks, "archegos" simply means that Jesus is the first in line, or the very beginning, or even the originator of our Salvation. So, Christ is the first in the long line of saints of all the ages who resurrected from the grave. He is truly, "...the first born among many brethren..." (Romans 8:29) KJB. Then Paul tells the church at Corinth this: "But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept" (1 Corinthians 15:20) KJB.
The word "archegos" is used only three other times in the New Testament, each within a resurrection and glorification context. The first one is when Peter, while addressing the people of Israel, tells us that they had "...killed the Prince (archegos or leader) of life, who God hath raised from the dead: whereof we are witnesses" (Acts 3:15) KJB. Then later Peter, once again, said: "The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree. Him hath God exalted with His right hand to be a Prince (archegos or leader) and a Savior" (Acts 5:30-31) KJB. Our Captain, Jesus Christ, had done all these. He rose from the dead and is the first one to do so and is still alive. Someone would argue that Jesus is not the only who rose from the dead. But the difference between those and Jesus is that He is still alive and they are dead.. Sure they arose from the dead to show God's power over death, but later on in their life, they died again. We should be "Looking unto Jesus the author (archegos) and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God" (Hebrews 12:2) KJB.
Now the only way that we can share in this resurrection unto life, is for the Lord to have suffered and died for us. We read also in the book of Hebrews this: "Both He that sanctified and they who are sanctified are all one: for which cause He is not ashamed to call them brethren" (Hebrews 2:11) KJB. We are not only saved by the Lord and sanctified, we are called His brothers and sisters. What a glorious position to be in. In the course of life, we are prompted by the Holy Spirit to receive Jesus. If we reject that prompting or nudging as though a small voice is speaking within us, we are not sanctified nor are we His brethren because we are not delivered from the wrath of God. One can only be removed from that wrath through Jesus Christ. There will be more who reject Him than there is those who receive Him as their Lord and that is a shame because, as Scriptures tell us, all have the God consciousness within them. They are seeking something they can worship. Most will worship "self" over God, as did their father Satan from the beginning of time and he has not changed.
What about you, have you made Him your "archegos" (captain or leader) of your life? If not, why not?
By Dr. Terry Cleaveland, Pastor (retired), Preacher, Teacher of God's Holy Word, Grand Junction, Co.
Used with permission
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Gods Everlasting Covenant
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Jun 21, 2009 6:39 pm
252 Views
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Genesis 9:16-17
"And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth. And God said unto Noah, This is the token of the covenant, which I have established between me and all flesh that is upon the earth." KJB
The word "covenant" is the Hebrew word "beriyth" and literally gives us the sense of cutting and literally a compact (because made by passing between pieces of flesh). It reminds me of the covenant which the native Americans made between another making them blood brothers, they would cut themselves in some fashion, usually in the palms and then grasp each other in a hand shake, appearing to mingle the blood together, making them blood brothers. That is the sense in which the language gives us when He made the everlasting covenant with Noah but was intended for all mankind and "all flesh" because He said "...I have established between me and all flesh that is upon the earth." God gave to us the rainbow, which reminds us that the covenant or promise that He made to Noah, is that he would never destroy the earth again with water.
This everlasting covenant, which is first mentioned in Genesis 6:18, is for all generations from the time of Noah and is extended to all generations on the earth and is still in effect, and symbolizes God's continued use of the rainbow in the sky after a rain. I love to watch them, and they are especially wonderful when there are two rainbows and go in an arch from one point on earth to another and the gold which is in the rainbow is not at the end but in the rainbow itself because it reminds me of God's promise or covenant to all mankind.
We read this in another place in Genesis: "And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God." (Genesis 17- KJB. This time however, this covenant, was not about the rainbow, but it was in regards to circumcision, which is "...a token of the covenant betwixt me and you..." (Genesis 17:11) KJB. However, this covenant was in regards to the people of God, the nation of Israel.
There is another "everlasting Covenant" which is for all the redeemed of all the ages. For we read: "I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that i will not turn away from them, to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me" (Jeremiah 32:40).. God has made us a new covenant which should be applied to all those who are saved or redeemed. However, this covenant involves nothing less than the saving blood of Jesus Christ, which is shed for all mankind's sake but is only applied to those who receive him as their Savior. We read this: "Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, Make you perfect in every good work to do His will" (Hebrews 13:20-21) KJB.
Even though all of these "everlasting covenants" are important, the last one is the one in which man might have the privilege to be in the presence of the Father. For it is the blood of the Lamb of God which cleanses all sin and removes it completely from man but sin can only be removed if one accepts Jesus as Lord and Savior.
I do not know about you but the last "everlasting covenant" is the one I think about and praise God for every day.
By Dr. Terry Cleaveland, Pastor (retired), Preacher, Teacher of God's Holy Word, Grand Junction, Co.
Used with permission
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Our Umpire in Heaven
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Jun 21, 2009 6:33 pm
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Job 9:32-33
"For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him, and we should come together in judgment. Neither is there any daysman betwixt us, that might lay his hand upon us both." KJB
In the time before receiving Christ, I was an umpire for the Amateur Soft Ball Association and these verses reminded me of that time. Job, in his sufferings, did not understand why God was so silent, even though Job loved Him with all his being and tried desperately to serve Him all his life. However, he still tried to come before the great judge of heaven to plead his case, however, this was not possible because God was not a man as he was. "...neither is there any daysman..." that Job could go to in order to plead his case before God, or rather he did not have a mediator, which is what "daysman" means.
However, according to our Bible he did, and the great thing is, we also have an arbitrator or umpire to mediate our case before God. However, how can this person plead our case before God unless He was both God and man at the same time "...that might lay his hand upon us both"? This very important question is answered in our Bible in the person of Jesus Christ Himself because Paul said to Timothy this: "For there is one God, and one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time" (1 Timothy 2:5-6) KJB. This ransom He paid was His own precious blood which He shed on the cross and "He entered in once [for all] into the holy place, having obtained redemption for us" (Hebrews 9:12) KJB.
Therefore, the God/Man Christ Jesus, is the perfect one to bridge the large gap between us and the Father. I think the best word which can be applied to our Savior, is not that of "daysman" but rather that of "advocate" or "mediator", so, when the "Accuser" (Satan, Revelation 12:10) tries to bring havoc between us and the Father, Jesus stands in the gap and says to the Father, "NOT GUILTY because this one is mine, therefore, He is clean of all sin." Even though Job went through all that he did, God in the end gave to Job twice what he had before the trials started. Even though, for a season, Satan might do his worst with us, if we stand for the Lord, we will receive more than what we had before Satan did his thing. We read this: "If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous" (1 John 2:1) KJB and "He is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him,seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them" (Hebrews 7:25) KJB.
So, when Satan is accusing us before the Father, Christ says, (paraphrased), "This one is 'sssaaaffffeee' with me", as He is the Great Umpire. So if you are not already under His mighty hand, don't you think it is about time to get there in these unsettled times? Remember Jesus is due to come back soon so do not delay. Satan will have complete control at that time.
By Dr. Terry Cleaveland, Pastor (retired), Preacher, Teacher of God's Holy Word, Grand Junction, Co.
Used with permission
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The different names of God
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Jun 21, 2009 8:24 am
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"What are the different names of God and what do they mean?"
Answer: Each of the many names of God describes a different aspect of His many-faceted character. Here are some of the better known names of God in the Bible:
EL, ELOAH: God "mighty, strong, prominent" (Genesis 7:1; Isaiah 9:6) – Etymologically, El appears to mean power, as in “I have the power to harm you” (Genesis 31:29). El is associated with other qualities, such as integrity (Numbers 23:19), jealousy (Deuteronomy 5:9), and compassion (Nehemiah 9:31), but the root idea of might remains.
ELOHIM: God “Creator, Mighty and Strong” (Genesis 17; Jeremiah 31:33) – The plural form of Eloah, which is accommodating of the doctrine of the Trinity. From the Bible’s first sentence, the superlative nature of God’s power is evident as God (Elohim) speaks the world into existence (Genesis 1:1).
EL SHADDAI: “God Almighty,” “The Mighty One of Jacob” (Genesis 49:24; Psalm 132:2,5) – Speaks to God’s ultimate power over all.
ADONAI: “Lord” (Genesis 15:2; Judges 6:15) – Used in place of YHWH, which was thought by the Jews to be too sacred to be uttered by sinful men. In the Old Testament, YHWH is more often used in God’s dealings with His people, while Adonai is used more when He deals with the Gentiles.
YHWH / YAHWEH / JEHOVAH: “LORD” (Deuteronomy 6:4; Daniel 9:14) – Strictly speaking, the only proper name for God. Translated in English Bibles “LORD” (all capitals) to distinguish it from Adonai “Lord.” The revelation of the name is first given to Moses “I Am who I Am” (Exodus 3:14). This name specifies an immediacy, a presence. Yahweh is present, accessible, near to those who call on Him for deliverance (Psalm 107:13), forgiveness (Psalm 25:11) and guidance (Psalm 31:3).
YAHWEH-JIREH: "The Lord will Provide" (Genesis 22:14) – The name memorialized by Abraham when God provided the ram to be sacrificed in place of Isaac.
YAHWEH-RAPHA: "The Lord Who Heals" (Exodus 15:26) – “I am Jehovah who heals you” both in body and soul. In body, by preserving from diseases, and by curing them when afflicted with them and in soul, by pardoning their iniquities.
YAHWEH-NISSI: "The Lord Our Banner" (Exodus 17:15), where banner is understood to be a rallying place. This name commemorates the desert victory over the Amalekites in Exodus 17.
YAHWEH-M'KADDESH: "The Lord Who Sanctifies, Makes Holy" (Leviticus 20:8; Ezekiel 37:2 – God makes it clear that He alone, not the law, could cleanse His people and make them holy.
YAHWEH-SHALOM: "The Lord Our Peace" (Judges 6:24) – The name given by Gideon to the altar he built after the Angel of the Lord assured him he would not die as he thought he would after seeing Him.
YAHWEH-ELOHIM: "LORD God" (Genesis 2:4; Psalm 59:5) – Combination of God’s unique name YHWH and the generic “Lord,” signifying that He is the Lord of Lords.
YAHWEH-TSIDKENU: "The Lord Our Righteousness” (Jeremiah 33:16) – As with YHWH-M’Kaddesh, it is God alone who provides righteousness to man, ultimately in the person of His Son, Jesus Christ, who became sin for us “that we might become the Righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21).
YAHWEH-ROHI: "The Lord Our Shepherd" (Psalm 23:1) – After David pondered his relationship as a shepherd to his sheep, he realized that was exactly the relationship God had with him, and so he declares “Yahweh-Rohi is my Shepherd. I shall not want” (Psalm 23:1).
YAHWEH-SHAMMAH: "The Lord is There” (Ezekiel 48:35) – The name ascribed to Jerusalem and the Temple there, indicating that the once departed glory of the Lord (Ezekiel 8—11) had returned (Ezekiel 44:1-4).
YAHWEH-SABAOTH: "The Lord of Hosts" (Isaiah 1:24; Psalm 46) – “Hosts” means hordes, both of angels and of men. He is Lord of the host of heaven, and of the inhabitants of the earth, of Jews and Gentiles, of rich and poor, master and slave. The name is expressive of the majesty, power, and authority of God and shows that he is able to accomplish what he determines to do.
EL ELYON: “Most High" (Deuteronomy 26:19) – Derived from the Hebrew root for “go up” or “ascend,” so the implication is of that which is the very highest. El Elyon denotes exaltation and speaks of absolute right to lordship.
EL ROI: "God of Seeing" (Genesis 16:13) – The name ascribed to God by Hagar, alone and desperate in the wilderness after being driven out by Sarah (Genesis 16:1-14), when she met the Angel of the Lord and realized she had seen God Himself in a theophany. She realized that El Roi saw her in her distress and testified that He is a God who lives and sees all.
EL-OLAM: "Everlasting God" (Psalm 90:1-3) – God’s nature is without beginning or end, free from all constraints of time and contains within Himself the very cause of time itself. “From everlasting to everlasting, You are God.”
EL-GIBHOR: “Mighty God” (Isaiah 9:6) – The name describing the Messiah, Christ Jesus, in this prophetic portion of Isaiah. As a powerful and mighty warrior, the Messiah, the Mighty God, will accomplish the destruction of God’s enemies and rule with a rod of iron (Revelation 19:15).
Recommended Resource: The Names of God by Ken Hemphill.
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The Law and Keeping it
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Jun 19, 2009 7:37 pm
277 Views
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James 2:10
"For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all." KJB
There is more to the "law" than just the Ten Commandments, but the whole law is centered in it. The Ten Commandments are "...holy, just, and good..." (Romans 7:12) KJB. This "law" literally expresses the will of God for man and is there to help us have holy living. Paul said this: "The man that doeth them shall live in them" (Galatians 3:12) KJB. However, like I said from the beginning, there is more to the "law" than just the Ten Commandments. There are not just "ten" but there are six hundred and thirteen contained within the pages of our Bible. Now, even if someone was able to keep the Ten Commandments, there are still six hundred and three to contend with. But, man cannot keep those ten. Now, as our text says, "...whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all." In other terms, if you break only one, you are guilty of breaking them all, because even one will send you to hell.
But, there is more than just the keeping of the law to keep us from heaven. There are the sins of omission, the sins of commission and then there is the sin which we get from our parents and they from theirs and theirs from theirs, so on down through the thousands of years, back to Adam and Eve. We receive this sin because Adam sinned and as Paul said to the church at Rome: "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come." (Romans 5:12-14) KJB.
Now, the problem is, man cannot keep the law no matter what they try to tell you. You have heard the phrase, "This man or woman was a good person and did no evil." WRONG! Our Bible tells us, that there are none that are good or rather "do good". (Psalm 14:1, 3; 53:1, 3; Romans 3:12) KJB. If we break the law we are guilty and are under the curse of death which was given to man through Adam. Therefore, if there is not one person in this world that is good, then have we "ALL" broken the law? YES! Our Bible tells us: "Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them" (Galatians 3:10) And then we read: "Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in His sight" (Romans 3:20) KJB.
ALL MEN, WOMEN AND CHILDREN, having sinned against God's law, are lost and are simply waiting to be judged of that sin. Paul says: "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23) Now, we learn from Paul also this: "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." KJB Now, at this point, God's grace comes in. "But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested...Even the righteousness...which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe" (Romans 3:21-22). Paul also said to the church at Galatia this: "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us" (Galatians 3:13) KJB. Jesus kept the law for us and it was Jesus who bore the sin and the curse upon the cross of Calvary. Therefore, all those who accept Him are saved because you have accepted the free gift which is given to each who receive Him as their Lord and Savior. It does not matter that we are sinners, Jesus died for us anyway. "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5: KJB.
There are some who say that we take Jesus into our hearts so that we can continue to sin, but I do not know about you, I do not want to sin anymore because He created in me a new creature. Paul said: "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid" (Romans 6:1-2) KJB. All those who truly have accepted Jesus as their Savior no longer have the desire to sin and want to keep His commandments. Are we therefore perfect? NO, not by a long shot! We are simply sinners who are saved by His grace, no more and no less. WE try to keep His commandments because of one reason and one reason only, because we love Him. "For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments: and His commandments are not grievous" (1 John 5:3) KJB. We are now able to keep them because we have someone within us to remind us when we are going against the will of God and failing. That person is none other than the Holy Spirit and we are "...strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man" (Ephesians 3:16) KJB. Have you been about to do something which you know is against the Law of God and had this urge which tells you that you are sinning? That is the Holy Spirit, doing His job.
If it was not for the Holy Spirit who is still in the world, this world would be much, much worse than it is now and it is terrible. However, there will come a time when the Holy Spirit will no longer dwell with man and that will be a Godless time indeed. That time is just around the corner, but those who are saved will not see that day because we will not be here. When the Holy Spirit is lifted, the children of God will be lifted up at the same time. We will be snatched from this wicked world and Satan will have free reign for seven years: seven years of hell on earth. I do not know about you but when God removes His Spirit from the World, I want to go with Him!
What about you, do you want to be snatched out before the world goes to hell? Then you need to accept Jesus while this time of grace is still here and that needs to be done NOW, for now is the accepted time for salvation. (2 Corinthians 6:2) KJB. The time to receive the Lord as Savior has been in this world over two thousand years. The time of the Old Testament was to show us that we are nothing but sinners and given enough time we will fail. The nation of Israel did over and over again and yet God says that they are His chosen people.
By Dr. Terry Cleaveland, Pastor (retired), Preacher, Teacher of God's Holy Word, Grand Junction, Co.
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What does the Bible say about doubt?
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Jun 17, 2009 11:08 am
250 Views
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Every human being has experienced doubt at some point in their lives. The "old" saying of "when in doubt - don't" has been around for a long time. So, what does the Bible say about doubt. The following is from "Christ in You Ministries".
I. Bibilical references to "doubt."
A. Greek word distazo - from dis meaning twice or double.
Matt. 14:31 - (to Peter) "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?"
Matt. 28:17 - (disciples) "they worshipped Him, but some were doubtful."
B. Greek word diakrino - dia = through; krino = to judge, determine
Matt. 21:21 - "if you have faith, and do not doubt"
Mark 11:23 - "does not doubt, but believes..."
Rom. 14:23 - "he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because not from faith"
James 1:6 - "ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the
sea driven and tossed by the wind."
Jude 1:22 - "have mercy on some, who are doubting."
C. Greek word dialogismos - dia = through; logizomai = to reckon, consider
Luke 24:38 - "why do doubts arise in your minds?"
D. Greek word diaporeo - dia = through; aporeo = perplexed (KJV)
Acts 2:12 - "they continued in amazement and great perplexity"
Acts 10:17 - "Peter was greatly perplexed in mind"
Acts 10:20 - "accompany them without misgivings"
II. Defining "doubt."
A. English word derived from Latin dubitare or dubius from which we get "dubious."
B. Two different concepts of "doubt."
1. Unbelief, disbelief, rejection, denial, agnosticism, faithlessness.
a. "Cartesian doubt" begins by doubting all things, but refuses to doubt its doubts.
b. Skeptics and scoffers begin with contempt and derision to prove their preconceived
unbelief.
2. Uncertainty, lack of confidence, reservation, problematic, misgivings, skeptical, questioning,
wavering, indeterminate.
III. Faith and doubt.
A. Differentiating between belief and faith. Greek word pistis.
1. Belief Mental assent, cognitive acceptance, dogmatic assertion comprising intellectual
certainty. (static)
2. Faith Volitional receptivity and availability allowing for functional certainty of God's
activity. (dynamic)
B. Relating doubt to belief and faith.
1. Belief and doubt.
a. The intellectual certainty of mental belief does not allow for unbelief, rejection or denial.
b. The intellectual certainty of mental belief does not allow for the uncertainty of
questioning, reservations or misgivings.
(1) This is the basis of fundamentalism, fideism, credulity and "blind faith."
2. Faith and doubt.
a. The functional certainty of receptive faith is founded upon belief in God, and therefore
not functional when there is unbelief and rejection of God.
b. The functional certainty of receptive faith is not functional if we consider it impossible,
unlikely or doubtful that God will function faithfully and sufficiently in accord with who
He is.
(1) The divided mind or double-mindedness of doubt affirms belief in God (a), but
questions God's character or ability (b).
(2) Most of the New Testament references pertain to such double-mindedness.
c. The functional certainty of receptive faith allows for mental and emotional questioning,
reservations and uncertainty.
(1) When we are living by faith that is receptive and available to God's function in our
lives:
We don't know where God is taking us into the unknown and uncharted territory.
We don't know where this adventure will end.
We don't know what God will do next.
We don't know how God is going to work this out.
We don't know when this situation will be settled.
We don't know why God is allowing this circumstance or why God is acting as He
does.
(2) The situation where we find ourselves is indeterminate and problematic. We are
questioning, uncertain and perplexed. We are forced to recognize our inadequacy,
inability and our own lack of faith as we remain receptive to God's activity.
Mk. 9:24 - "I believe; help my unbelief."
Jude 1:22 -"have mercy on some who are doubting"
(3) God is big enough and understanding enough to accept our doubts, to convince us
and assure us of His character and sufficiency, and to bring us along to increased
faith.
IV. Quotations about "doubt."
A. Chinese proverb - "With great doubts come great understanding; with little doubts come little
understanding."
B. French proverb - "Only the one who knows nothing doubts nothing."
C. Blaise Pascal - "One must know when it is right to doubt, to affirm, to submit. Anyone who
does otherwise does not understand the force of reason."
D. Francis Bacon - "If a man will begin with certainties, he shall end in doubts; but if he will be
content to begin with doubts, he shall end in certainties."
E. Martin Luther - "Knowledge and doubt are inseparable to man. The sole alternative to
"knowledge-with-doubt" is no knowledge at all. Only God and certain madmen have no
doubts!"
F. Alfred Lord Tennyson - "There lives more faith in honest doubt, Believe me, than in half the
creeds."
G. George MacDonald - "Doubt can be a tool in God's hand weilded, in the lives of those who
allow it, for the strengthening, not the destruction of faith."
H. C. S. Lewis - "If ours is an examined faith, we should be unafraid to doubt. If doubt is
eventually justified, we were believing what clearly was not worth believing. But if doubt is
answered, our faith has grown stronger. It knows God more certainly and it can enjoy God
more deeply."
(Christ in You Ministries)
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Stepping out in Faith
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Jun 17, 2009 8:21 am
230 Views
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God’s word is filled with many wonderful promises. We are promised that God will direct our steps, work all things to our good, give us of His goodness and the list goes on and on. Look at Exodus 19:4-5:
You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself. Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine.
One thing that is critical to understand is that God’s promises are only to those who obey and follow Him. If you look, you will notice that God’s promises always follow a command. The reason is simple, if you do not abide with God, you can’t enjoy the benefits that are a part of that relationship. We are the only barriers to experiencing God’s goodness. God will never force Himself on you. He calls and reaches out to us, but unless there is a response of love on our part, that call goes unanswered. The secret to experiencing God is to make Him the object of our affection. If we love God’s blessings more than God, our relationship with God will suffer. Our focus should be outside of our own desires. A selfish relationship never works. Both sides must be giving. God has given of Himself to us, we need to give our hearts and actions to God or we will have a one-sided relationship and can never experience true intimacy. I believe we must focus on learning how to love God. As our love for God grows, He will call us into a deeper relationship.
God only reveals to us a little at a time. If we are faithful, He will show more of His will to us. The more we align ourselves to God’s will, the more we will experience Him. One principle the bible clearly shows is that God will test our faithfulness before He increases us. A good example of this is illustrated in Matthew 25:14-30:
For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them.
And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey.
Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents.
And likewise he who had received two gained two more also.
But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord’s money.
After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them.
So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, ‘Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.’
His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’
He also who had received two talents came and said, ‘Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.’
His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’
Then he who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed.
And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.’
But his lord answered and said to him, ‘You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed.
So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest.
So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents.
‘For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away.
And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
The point I believe this passage teaches is that God knows what our abilities are. He tests us based on our ability in order to prove who is faithful and who is not. Talent refers to a considerable sum of money in this passage. The first two servants were faithful with what they were given. They were not self-focused but rather were focused on their Lord. They did not cling to what was given to them because the money was not the objects of their affection. Their Lord was. Their focus was not on looking out for themselves but working to increase the kingdom of their Lord.
The lazy servant was quite the opposite. His focus was solely on himself. He was more concerned about what cost might required of him and he did not have the love for his Lord that gave a desire to work for his Lord’s benefit. The object of his affection was himself and his possessions. The risk of personal cost was more than he was willing to sacrifice. I believe we all start off as a spiritually weak person who has the self-focus. Many will remain lazy out of fear of what personal cost might be incurred. Until we leave behind the idea of fulfilling our own desires, we will never see anything but fear of missing out or loosing out on our lives. In Luke 9:23-24 Jesus says, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it".
God does not think like we do. We cling to our need to look out for number one. God requires getting outside of a self-centered way of thinking and to follow Him. If you live for yourself, that is what you will get. However, you can’t fill that emptiness inside, you can’t overcome in this life, and nothing done for yourself can be carried into eternity. If you live for Jesus, seek His will and trust in God to meet your needs, He promises to fill you to overflowing. You can’t even fill your own emptiness, but God can fill you to overflow.
We must get outside of ourselves. We must first become Christ centered and Christ focused. Then we must continue to get outside of ourselves by reaching out to others. God will fill you, but you can’t rest content with the idea that God’s love shown to you is for you alone. In Matthew 10:8, Jesus instructed His disciples to reach out and meet the needs of those around them, not to use their outreach for gaining money, but to freely give as God has given to them. That verse still holds true. A pond is filled and becomes stagnate. A river becomes filled and flows outward looking for outlets for the water that continues to feed it. I believe that is how God works. If you refuse to reach out, you will become stagnate and polluted. But if you are focused beyond yourself, as you reach out to others, God will continue to fill you and you will continue to grow. We are to be conduits of God’s love, not self-centered puddles that never serve a purpose. As I minister to others, God ministers to me. As I pray for and become a healing hand to the many needs around me, God heals me.
Learning to trust and depend on God is essential. As we grow, we need to learn to follow God wherever He leads. God never promised this would be easy. In fact, the God will put us in a position that requires us to either turn from following Him, or depend on Him. If you look at the great men of the bible, God always tests them before exalting them. Joseph was exalted above everyone in Egypt during the great 7-year famine and only had to answer to pharaoh. God tested Joseph by allowing him to get to the lowest point of his life. He was forgotten in a dungeon for years and years. I believe this test had a two-fold purpose. First it tested Joseph’s faith. Because Joseph did not give up on God, his faith was strengthened and God blessed him far above what he ever dreamed would be possible. The second purpose was to show Joseph that alone he could do nothing. If God had exalted Joseph immediately, he would have likely been lifted up in pride. He was always known as a godly man, but it is so easy to feel self-righteous. Joseph might have thought it was his own greatness that exalted him. But because all hope was lost, his dream was only to get out of the dungeon. It would take God to restore his freedom and becoming a ruler was not even an idea. Joseph was unaware that God was shaping him to be salvation to his own people, but because he hoped in God even in trouble, God was able to prepare him.
We see the opposite when those same people were delivered by the hand of Moses and lead to inherit the promised land. Israel had become enslaved. Against all odds, God called Moses out of hiding to lead his people out of slavery. The people watched the wondrous signs of God as He plagued the Egyptians into obedience, saved Israel from pharaoh’s pursuing army, fed them in the desert, gave them water, sheltered them from the sun in the day and gave them light at night, and the list of amazing proof that God was leading them goes on. God led them to the banks of the Jordan River. All they had to do was cross into their homeland. God’s tested the people before handing them His many blessings. Look at Numbers 13:1-3
And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
Send men to spy out the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the children of Israel; from each tribe of their fathers you shall send a man, every one a leader among them.
So Moses sent them from the Wilderness of Paran according to the command of the LORD, all of them men who were heads of the children of Israel.
Numbers 13:26-14:3
Now they departed and came back to Moses and Aaron and all the congregation of the children of Israel in the Wilderness of Paran, at Kadesh; they brought back word to them and to all the congregation, and showed them the fruit of the land.
Then they told him, and said: We went to the land where you sent us. It truly flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit.
Nevertheless the people who dwell in the land are strong; the cities are fortified and very large; moreover we saw the descendants of Anak there.
The Amalekites dwell in the land of the South; the Hittites, the Jebusites, and the Amorites dwell in the mountains; and the Canaanites dwell by the sea and along the banks of the Jordan.
Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it.
But the men who had gone up with him said, We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we.
And they gave the children of Israel a bad report of the land which they had spied out, saying, The land through which we have gone as spies is a land that devours its inhabitants, and all the people whom we saw in it are men of great stature.
There we saw the giants (the descendants of Anak came from the giants); and we were like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight.
So all the congregation lifted up their voices and cried, and the people wept that night.
And all the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron, and the whole congregation said to them, If only we had died in the land of Egypt! Or if only we had died in this wilderness!
Why has the LORD brought us to this land to fall by the sword, that our wives and children should become victims? Would it not be better for us to return to Egypt?
Their reaction to this crisis really hits home. How many times do we do the same thing? God builds our faith by rescuing us from our troubles, strengthening us, making us strong in Him and tries to teach us to look to Him as our deliverer. God has proven Himself by His many wonders that are clearly seen when we reflect upon our lives. But a time will come when God will ask you to prove your faith. Faith is belief and trust in action. Believing in God is not enough, faith is placing our complete trust in the God in whom we believe even when the odds are against us. The negative odds are the whole point. God wants us to see that the odds are against us so that we know He is God and that we are not sufficient in ourselves.
What became of the promise? Look at Deuteronomy 1:30-36:
The LORD your God, who goes before you, He will fight for you, according to all He did for you in Egypt before your eyes,
and in the wilderness where you saw how the LORD your God carried you, as a man carries his son, in all the way that you went until you came to this place.’
Yet, for all that, you did not believe the LORD your God, who went in the way before you to search out a place for you to pitch your tents, to show you the way you should go, in the fire by night and in the cloud by day.
And the LORD heard the sound of your words, and was angry, and took an oath, saying,
‘Surely not one of these men of this evil generation shall see that good land of which I swore to give to your fathers,
except Caleb the son of Jephunneh; he shall see it, and to him and his children I am giving the land on which he walked, because he wholly followed the LORD.’
The promise was denied to all except the two who stood strong and believed God. Verse 38 says that Joshua led the next generation into the promise land and Caleb was the only other one allowed to claim the promise because only they believed in God’s deliverance. The power of God is great, but our faith is required. God will not force you to obey and without obedience, you can’t claim the promises of God. God will stretch your faith. God doesn’t care about lip service. Some believe that the words you speak are how the promises of God are claimed. The bible doesn’t support this idea. The bible says that God’s people honor Him with their lips, but their heart is far from Him. God doesn’t honor lip service. God honors those who trust in Him from the heart and place the hope of their lives in His hands. Those who are willing to step out in faith at God’s calling even when they know success is impossible will find God’s power enables them to succeed. I believe this is the only way to be exalted by God. Otherwise we will be lifted up with pride thinking that we have done a great work. Of course it must be God’s calling. God calls us to stretch ourselves beyond our own strength so that we will know that He is God.
The first step is to make God the object of our affection so that we can get outside of ourselves. As we grow, it is equally important to follow where God leads. If we try to be our own master and filling ourselves is our god, we can’t experience Him. If fear is our master and we back away from God’s lead, we can’t experience the fullness of God and the fullness of God’s promises. The way to overcome our self-centered way of thinking is found in Proverbs 16:3, "Commit your works to the Lord, and your thoughts will be established." God honors commitment based on our step of faith. Commitment is to remain faithful even when we are challenged and don’t feel like continuing.
Eddie Snipes
Exchanged Life Outreach
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