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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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God the Gardener
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Nov 2, 2009 5:32 pm
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Genesis 2:8-9
"And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed. And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil." KJB
This is the very first account of our Bible as God being the Gardener which planted the Garden of Eden. Notice something, He did not create it, but He planted it. Notice also, "...every tree that is pleasant to the sight..." and that every tree was "...good for food..." and that there was a tree which is called the "...tree of life..." which was the very same tree in which Eve ate from when she and Adam sinned against their God and creator. There was also a great river in the midst of the Garden which was used "...to water the garden...". (vs. 10).
Notice the picture if you will of what John the Revelator said about the throne of God and the river which flowed from it. For we read; "And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river , was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations." (Revelation 22:1-2) KJB. Because of the wording, one cannot help but think that when He kicked Adam and Eve from the Garden, He removed it and placed it in heaven, because what John is describing seems to be what God said about the Garden in Genesis.
All of the heavenly pictures of God in His garden with Adam and Eve was halted when man sinned, breaking the sweet fellowship that man once had with His creator. We read about this and the story picks up: "And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden." (Genesis 3: KJB. They both knew that they had sinned against God and they both tried to hide from Him but I know that our God knew exactly where they were and He only wanted them to come forth and confess their sin but what did they do? They blamed someone else for their sin. Adam blamed Eve and said: "...the woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat." (vs 12) and then Eve said: "...The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat." (vs. 13). Then the culmination of what they did came down to only recourse for the Father to do: He kicked them out of the Garden cursed the ground because of it. (vs. 23).
Now, many years later in yet another Garden, seems that Jesus the Creator loved gardens, we read this account. "He went forth with his disciples over the brook Cedron, where was a garden, into the which he entered, and his disciples" (John 18:1). This is none other than the Garden Gethsemane. While our Lord went to pray, Jesus told them to wait but they soon fell asleep, once again, as did Adam and Eve, leaving Him alone in a garden. He had "...withdrawn from them about a stone's cast..." (Luke 22:41) and it was there that He "...offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears..." (Hebrews 5 ). It was there, alone, because the disciples fell asleep, that He was in such agony that we read this: "...and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground." (Luke 22:44b) KJB.
But I want you to notice something about Luke's words here. There is a teaching that says Jesus shed blood in the garden because His stress was so great but is that what Luke saying? Most skim over the words he said, but notice the short phrase "...like as it were...". Now, does that phrase say He shed blood? NO, it doesn't, but what it does say, is that the sweat He shed was so thick that it looked like blood not blood itself. Just a side note to peak your thinking a tad.
It was in this garden He was brought face to face with what He was sent to do, to die for man so that man could once again, walk with Him in the garden or be in fellowship with the Father/Creator. He asked the Father three times to take away the cup but He also said, "...not my will, but thine be done...".
There was yet another garden which the Creator would be alone for we read: "Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden; and in the garden a new sepulchre, wherein was never man yet laid. There laid they Jesus therefore because of the Jews' preparation day; for the sepulchre was nigh at hand." (John 19:41-42) KJB. Our Creator had walked alone in the first garden (seeking Adam and Eve), He prayed alone in the second garden (before He was taken to die) and He was buried alone in the third garden (dying for His own). However, we have read earlier that there will be another Garden and it will be in the new "paradise of God" where the pure river flows and the same tree of life from the first Garden grows for all eternity, (which I feel He transplanted there, taking it from the first garden). It is there that "...His servants shall serve Him..." and even reign with Him "...for ever and ever..." (Revelation 2; 22:1-3, 5). What a glorious day that will be as we "walk with Him in the Garden" which He planted originally for Adam and Eve. AMEN.
What about you, will you be there, and walk with Him? 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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Spiritually Hygienic
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Nov 2, 2009 5:27 pm
94 Views
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1 Timothy 4-8
"But refuse profane and old wives' fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness. For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come." KJB
Have you ever noticed that there seems to be more commercials on TV for dieting than there is any other type of commercial? The bombardment of diet plans, exercise programs, different types of machines all guaranteed to help one have that body only athletes seem to have. All of these are given to help you change our lifestyles or to simply improve our lives. These types of things might improve the outward person or the physical insides but nothing is ever given to help our spiritual lives. But from the standpoint of being right with God is the most important thing that we need to do. Our text for today gives us some great directions in order to help improve our spiritual lives.
Cleaning up our spiritual lives is definitely more important than cleaning up our physical lives. As a child or newborn babe in Christ, we need to "...desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby" (1 Peter 2:2) KJB. And for adults or mature Christians, "..strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age" (Hebrews 5:14) KJB. Now, mature Christians are those who are "...unskillful in the word of righteousness" (vs. 13). In other words, the more we study the word of God, as newborn babes in Christ, the closer we become to becoming mature Christians and it takes the deeper things of God's word. The more we learn about Him, the more we want to know, at least that is what I find in my own desire to serve Him in the things He has me doing.
Now, our nourishment should come from the Word of God, when it comes to our Spiritual maturity, therefore, we are to be "...nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine". (1 Timothy 4:6) Unfortunately, sound doctrine seems to be falling by the wayside and more so as we see the day of His second coming drawing nearer, and it is, everyday. We are admonished to profess and use "...sound doctrine..." (which literally means "healthy doctrine", and we are also admonished to be in "healthy faith" (1:13, 2:2). We are also admonished or told to have healthy "charity" (love) as well as "patience" (2:2). The last thing that we need to use is "healthy speech" (2:.
Our exercise needs to be both physical and spiritual but the spiritual is the most important of the two. If you are taking any substance into your body and you know that it harmful to that body are you helping your self to have a healthy body? Well, the same thing happens when you take something into your spiritual side and it is harmful to that spiritual nature. We all have both physical and spiritual sides of our being, however, some seem to think that the spiritual is not important. Exercise for both psychical and spiritual should never be ignored. If you are not taking care of the physical being, then the chances of not taking care of the spiritual being might not be present either. Not to say that a person who does not take care of the psychical body will naturally not take care of the spiritual, but the chances are better/worse for that not happening. We should "...exercise...unto godliness..." (1 Timothy 4), which enables us to "...discern both good and evil..." (Hebrews 5:14) KJB. In other words, the more we feed the spiritual nature the more we will be able to discern the difference between what is good and what is evil, and there are many evil things out there which seem to not be but are for Satan is very cunning and deceitful, for those are his natural desires. But, this admonishment might be in the form of "chastisement" from the Lord, because our Bible tells us that a good father always chastises or corrects his children, and God the Father of us, is no different. This chastisement is sometimes in the form which "...yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness..." (12:11). In other words this chastisement might be there to guide us into the right path in which we are to walk. Do not ever despise any form of chastisement or correction, from our earthly fathers and especially from our heavenly Father.
Now, cleanliness is also important because we read: "Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word" (Psalm 119:9) KJB. We learn as we study our Bibles that Christ gave Himself "...that He might sanctify and cleanse [the church] with the washing of water by the word, That He might present it to Himself a glorious church. Not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing, but it should be holy and without blemish..." (Ephesians 5:26-27) KJB. What better way to cleans ourselves. If we clean the inside the outside soon falls into place. We cannot expect to clean the outside and expect the inside to be cleansed also, it does not work that way, but if we clean the inside the outside is soon to follow. At least that is what I have found out over the years being saved.
By Dr. Terry Cleaveland, Pastor (retired), Preacher, Teacher of God's Holy Word, Grand Junction, Co.
Used with permission
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