Bible Discussion Replies PAGE 330

Hello again Michael,

I had written a reply but it somehow got lost so I will write it again.

I am so glad you have been helped in your reading and learning of Scripture.

When I was a young girl I read the Gospels again and again because I loved reading about my Savior. By the time I was 12 I had read the Epistles several times. I was helped in understanding what it means to be a believer and how to follow after Jesus better.

As I grew to maturity I read more of the OT. I loved Psalms.

Reading the Scriptures has been part of my lifestyle for 60 years. As a result, many times in conversations or interactions a verse will come to mind that applies to the circumstance and I will go to the Bible to find it and read the chapter it is in. The Holy Spirit causes this to occur, so hiding the Word in your heart by reading it regularly is good practice and is one of the ways the Holy Spirit guides us in our day to day life.

I hope and pray that you will grow in leaps and bounds in your knowledge of God and the riches and joy we receive from Him.

What a wonderful Savior He is!

Ge.1:14-18 "Sign" (1 of 2)

God set the sign in the everlasting covenant. "And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs,". The light as signs should be read in the context of the separation of light from darkness.In v.3-4 God expresses His will, 'Let there be light' and the Son fulfills it, and it is made clear by the latter part of the verse. There was light."And God said, Let there be light: and there was light." In v.4 we read that both parties approved. "It was good." So God divided light from darkness. This provision in the everlasting covenant therefore shall never change. So the Spirit in organising the Scripture uses 'forever' in the direct frame of reference to the Son. Creation of sun, moon and the stars came further in the covenant. It is thus we have God as the Father of light while the Son is qualified as the true light. "And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness". Significance and relevance of any sign can only be derivative from this covenant. The difference between the covenant and the Law of Moses can be explained from the following passage. Jesus explains what is the work of God. "They said therefore unto him, What sign shewest thou then, that we may see, and believe thee? what dost thou work?"( John 6:30)

Hello Michael,

Hermeneutics is the formal word used for the method used to interpret the Scriptures.

Greetings, David Allen,

I will be praying for your co-workers and your family. Thanks for sharing the requests here.

Michael.

The Sabbath day is the only commandment that the Seventh-day Adventists put great emphasis on.

The question is, do they tie it to salvation in any way.

Some seems to do so but indirectly.

But why just that commandment and not the rest? Again, James said "For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.

One would have to go to a Seventh-day Adventists church and ask them can you join their church and not hold to that doctrine.

Why the law was given in the old testament and its purpose is an whole study of its own with great importance.

This is why I recommend reading the Torah in your particular case, followed by the Gospels and on to Galatians. Then go to acts and sweep the rest of the New Testament. (Do this without commentary help if you can.)

Find the best time to read and develop a program that suits you in terms of how much you are going to read.

Focus but don't get discouraged if you can't grasp everything at once. No one can! Read on, perhaps answers lay ahead.

Then start over again from Genesis to Revelation.

I say this because of what you have shared in all your posts previously.

God bless you.

Hi Michael.

Thanks for responding.

I'm glad you are able to have some relief and comfort.

Seventh-day Adventists is a denomination that differ in a few areas than most other denominations, the most notable is the Sabbath day.

Example.

They are distinguished by their observance of Saturday/Sabbath "Day"

The commandment for the Sabbath is found in Exodus 20"8-11.

Notice here in Exodus 31:13-18.

who it was written to.

"Speak thou also unto the CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, saying, Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout YOUR GENERATIONS; that ye may know that I am the LORD that doth sanctify you.

Ye shall keep the sabbath therefore; for it is holy unto you: every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death: for whosoever doeth any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people.

Six days may work be done; but in the seventh is the sabbath of rest, holy to the LORD: whosoever doeth any work in the sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death.

Wherefore the CHILDREN OF ISRAEL shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant.

IT IS A SIGN BETWEEN ME AND THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL for ever: for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed. And he gave unto Moses, when he had made an end of communing with him upon mount Sinai, two tables of testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God.

If we're applying sound hermeneutics we must consider who this is written to and coordinate this with other scriptures.

Example.

James 2:10. "For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.

Also, Colossians 2:16-17.

"Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:

Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.

See part 2.

Ec.3:11 "Heart of man" (2 of 2)

The first part of this post was establishing where our heart ought to be set. " Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.". (Col.3:2) For this reason we die to the world and sin so we may deal with the world set in our heart by God. God formed all hearts alike and tries their works. So we shall attend to what the Preacher is instructing us. "also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end." From the beginning to the end for our intent and purpose is Jesus Christ, "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end."(Re.21:6). So our heart is to be elevated as Jerusalem was. This new Jerusalem and new creation match. In the same manner the Parable of Jesus teaches us.(Matt.9:16) We are made new by our faith in his Son. "He hath made every thing beautiful in his time." This is the work of God."This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent."( John 6:29) .

This being the case what we have to do with idols or for mammon? " Circumcise yourselves to the Lord, and take away the foreskins of your heart, ye men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem: lest my fury come forth like fire, and burn that none can quench it, because of the evil of your doings." Wrath of theLamb is one way of proving it. "And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake." (Re.6:12) Prophet Zechariah refers to it as his feet. Compare it with finger of God. Egyptian sooth sayers named what Moses could do was by the finger of God.(Ex.8:19) The Angel of His presence made Jerusalem move up so who are holy who are unholy was made clear. in their fear we know those (Re.6:15) "And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains" were same as in Is.2:21

Ec.3:11 "Heart of man" (1 of 2)

"He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end."

"It shall come to pas in that day," and it is the sword reaching even unto the soul of the nation of Israel.Jeremiah refers to the same terror mentioned in the Book of Isaiah. " (Je.4:9-10) Isaiah has to say thus, " For the day of the Lord of hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty, and upon every one that is lifted up; and he shall be brought low."(Is.2:12-17) "And the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day".

How does that work in reality? Prophet Zechariah gives us a clue."And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces." (Ze.12:3) Do we not hear how nations twist themselves into a moral knot by justifying their 'genocidal policies' pursued in Gaza? There is no moral equivalence they say. But God says,"the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day". To prove that we have Jerusalem lifted off its position by a violent action. "All the land shall be turned as a plain from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem: and it shall be lifted up, and inhabited in her place." (Ze.14:10). How high it must be lifted up to be considered a heavenly place. 'This feet of the Lord' causes where His throne shall be and where his footstool ought to be. Ps.110:1 says that it is the footstool for his Son. The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool." Note the expression,'thy footstool'. Isaiah quote tells the new position above the hills. nd it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it."(2:2)

"And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives." (Ze.14:4).

Re.5:6 "The Lamb slain" (2 of 2)

Only the one who is worthy to break open the seals is the heart of God which explains Jesus Christ having a position on the right hand of the most high God. Heart of God is also a spiritual place 'heavenly places" So St Paul refers to it,"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ."(Ep.1:3) This, to continue with the analogy of the GPS tracker, is the GNSS network where we have the body soul and spirit as memorial for our accuracy. The 24 elders are not merely for your amusement so one day you give them names to prove your cleverness but our own safety. By setting your position elsewhere as the misguided sects teach Sabbath as one day to be observed are you setting it in Christ by faith? It is a day settled by man who has no stomach for truth. What is soteriology for him? It is like casting pearls before swine. He is risen and "For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God." (Col3:1-3). St Paul says he has no excuse to persist in a lie by his literalism. "For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse." (Ro.1:20)

So Christ is our soul so our tracking system follows the mystery of God, " Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:/ That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him./In whom also we have obtained an inheritance."(Ep.1:9-11)

The day decreed for the Son is tagged 'unto this day' is the same as 'in that day" a tag for the Father. So Jesus said," My Father worketh hitherto, and I work."( John 5:17) What is the work of God? John 6:28 Ec.3:11) It is set in the heart of man.

A correction

"In the mind of God eternity is in the 'Now' so it is trying to literally date the breaking of each seal. The action is to be treated as by "the soul" or the heart of God."

it should be read as

"In the mind of God eternity is in the 'Now' so trying to literally date the breaking of each seal is foolishness. The action is to be treated as by "the soul" or the heart of God,

Re.5:6 "The Lamb slain" (1 of 2)

The entire breaking open seven seals are set in the vision which is set up by God. It has a back page as it were and Daniel sums it us as thus:"Judgment was set, and the books were opened." (Dan.7:10) The same multitude we have in both. "And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands;"(Re.5:11) In the mind of God eternity is in the 'Now' so it is trying to literally date the breaking of each seal. The action is to be treated as by "the soul" or the heart of God. Prophet Ezekiel referring to the pride of the King of Tyrus says,"though thou set thine heart as the heart of God."(Ez.28:2). Heart is not an anatomical part but it is a spiritual space where soul of man can track truth just as GPS system. Heart from God draws its own inferences for body spirit and soul just as trilateration does from the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) network; similarly heart can decipher the world without and its characteristics as the tracker can from the network determine latitude, longitude, elevation, and time. St Paul speaks of it,"Redeeming the time, because the days are evil," how we should conduct ourselves among the ungodly?(Ep.5:16). So man refusing to correct heresies fed to him by false shepherds may ever learn but never reach truth. For this reason God told Ezekiel how to deal with impudent stubborn Israel, " and speak unto them, and tell them, Thus saith the Lord God; whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear."(Ez.3:11). King of Tyrus set himself, "though thou set thine heart as the heart of God" it is set in hell. "He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me," (Re.22:11-12)

Is.2:2 "And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it."

Here we have the consequence of breaking the seven seals mentioned in Re.6:1 "And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see." The four beasts know it already where does that rider on the white horse go to; similarly the 24 elders know the outcome for the new song gives us where they learnt it. It is not what any man could have sung by his own. "and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth." The elders as a memorial in heaven learnt from God who set him as a token of the glorious body, of the church. The number 12x12x1000 is the Spirit's way of measuring the will of the Father in terms of the Son. A single measurement of the angel-man (Re.21:17)."And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads."(Ro.14:1).

The mount Sion is the mountain of the Lord's house waiting to be established and when the Alpha and Omega says, "it is done" (Re.21:6) it shall be called Zion. These 'virgins' bear the name of the Father before they are established as God put a mark on Cain before he could found a city. "And he builded a city, and called the name of the city, after the name of his son, Enoch."(Ge.4:17b). On the contrary God set His sign on the 144,000 and kept them on the mountain of God. Isaiah speaks of Zion similarly. "Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation."(Is.28:16)

These elders similarly kept as a memorial so this new song carries all the characteristics of God. His signature tune as it were.

Oases,

You know the truth, live accordingly, show your fruits; if you know you are planted by God be the branch with abundance of it; Leave me to do my tasks for the glory of my Savior.

Hello GiGi!! Please read my reply to S Spencer above.I thankyou for taking the time to reply to me it has help me greatly.My reply to him is meant for you too.I am following your direction and am a lot more settled.I have direction now.Again thankyou.May God be with you.Michael.

Good evening S. Spencer.

It seems that you would like to see more discussion concerning soteriology (study of salvation) on this forum. Perhaps you can start a discussion on this. I am sure there are people on here who may have some questions or would like to read posts that address this important topic. There are many important topics concerning our faith and doctrines that can be spoken of here. Soteriology is one such topic. And the Scriptures, especially the NT speaks to a variety of topics, not just soteriology. So should we here. I can see that the topic of soteriology is one you want to see more discussion on here, so I hope you will begin posts on this topic so people can respond to you.

Our purpose in this life as believers is to give glory to God in how we live and what we say, how we spend our time, and how we respond to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. Whether that be sharing the gospel with unbelievers, helping new believers to grow in their faith and knowledge of God, being supportive of those who request prayer by being an intercessor, contributing to the works of service needed in the body, or a wide number of other things the Holy Spirit desires for the church and for individuals.

I hope to remain open to whatever topics are brought up on this site. Some discussions I will enter into and others I will read and let the discussion continue among others without stepping in. But I usually pray over the topics brought up on here as I know that they speak to someone's need on here.

I hope you are doing well. I always am glad to read your posts. Thanks for sharing your concerns and I look forward to the discussions you will begin on soteriology.

Hello good sir.I am gratefull for your advice and directions.It has helped me to calm down and actually see where i'm going now.I have been consumed with my Bible study and thoughts on myself and my behaviour.It is a weight that i bear with a smile.Because i feel better it holds me accountable to myself and the Lord Jesus Christ i feel somewhat excited about this.You mentioned Biblical Hermenutics.A word i had never ever heard of.In saying that a bunch of videos from the Seventh Day Adventist Church just appeared in my Youtube feed.I listen and learn THANKYOU.To add to this i started to wonder if the Adventists were Users of the King James Bible.It follows that i was listening to an Adventist Women give a sermon and the first thing she said was i will just open my King James Bible and we will start.Question answered.Funny that!!.Saved me from asking the nice lady at an Adventist book shop where i had ordered a copy of Adventist Hermenutics for my reference.Might of embarresed my self and her.Again thank you very much.May God be with you.Michael.

Hello Momsage,

No baby yet. Her due date is Friday, but she may go late unless the full moon on Thursday makes for busy maternity wards (as often happens). The redo on their room was completed today so they moved back into their room and next is putting in the baseboards and closet doors in the room across the hall for the baby's future needs.

in a few weeks the contractor will begin the kitchen demo which involves a gut job and taking out walls to open it up to the rest of the living area. So we are pretty much knee deep in this remodel. It will be so wonderful when complete. I've waited 30 years to do this (that is when we moved in here) so I feel very blessed to get this done in the way I have envisioned it to be done for so long.

I have raised beds at a local community garden that I grow vegetables in. I finally got the soil turned and weeded and planted. Wanted to get this done before baby arrives and I did it! My hands are really sore as I have arthritis in hands. This church also grows a big field of vegetables for the local food bank. Those of us who have raised beds help in the big garden with weeding, harvesting over the garden season. It is less than a mile from our house so it is very close and a good place for me to get away by myself and enjoy the growing all around.

At my house I grow flowers in pots. I converted most of my flowerbeds to gravel so the pots have a good place to grow and have the water drain. It is so easy to weed these pots! I have a big strawberry patch here at the house. Should have a good crop this year. It has taken a few years to build it up and fill with plants.

I will certainly pray for your daughter and others involved in this marriage troubles. How hard it must be for her.

I am so glad we have each other to support one another and pray for the needs we have. Thanks for such a cheerful post. It really touched my heart.

GOD created the Universe, but He sat upon the circle of the Earth, yes, GOD created four heavens by His Word( Isaiah 51:16), i.e. the 1st, 2nd and 3rd heavens, and the heaven of the heavens, but He sat upon the circle of the Earth - Isaiah 40:22KJV also Nevi'im (Prophets) Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 40:22 - Hebrew Bible - :

22 It is He Who sits above the circle of the earth, and whose inhabitants are like grasshoppers, who stretches out the heaven like a curtain, and He spread them out like a tent to dwell in - Ephesians 1:3-8KJV: 3 Blessed be the GOD and Father of our Lord JESUS Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.

Now, in this current millennnium, two of the four heavens created by GOD through JESUS will be DISSOLVED(without JESUS was not any thing made that was made). In fact both heavens -the first and second heavens- will be BURNED with everlasting fire from now on- 2Peter 3:7 combined with Isaiah 33:14-15- , the Word is GOD- and the 3rd heaven will be established in this current millennium, that is the seventh and last millennium. And this 3rd heaven whose heavenly environment is described in Revelation 4 and 5 combined with Luke 20:35-36, among many other biblical references -come up hither-, the 3rd heaven, third heavenly spiritual place in Christ, the Kingdom of GOD- Revelation 11:15-18, it will last 1000 years. After this, I mean, ending this millennium, then will be established the heaven of the heavens for all Eternity - Revelation 20:7-15.Take a look.

Get ready

May our Lord GOD bless and keep us, and give us His protection

Amen

Hi GiGi: How is your daughter-in-law? Has she had the baby yet? If so, I'd love to hear the details.

My son, Joshua, the one who is my caretaker, and I have been enjoying a beautiful winter and spring here in Savannah Tennessee. Josh planted flowers around our little yard and we've put up 2 bird feeders, a birdbath, a hummingbird feeder and two bright red cardinal wind chimes. One is solar and lights up at night. It's like a cozy little garden. We live at the end of the complex on the bottom floor with a patio so in a way it's kind of secluded. The weather here is starting to get hot now but most of the winter ( except for one bad snow storm) was very mild and spring has been beautiful. We've had our patio door open almost the whole time up until about a week ago when it started to get to hot.

I do have a prayer request. My daughter is getting a divorce. Evidently her husband, who worked out of town a lot, hasn't been faithful to her. Even though she has always been a stay at home mom she is already working as the supervisor of the children's department at her church, a real blessing. Her children are all grown so that is no worry for her although she does have a daughter still with her with special needs. Please pray for her and her unsaved husband and 2 sons.

I hope to hear from you soon. Ann God Bless :)

That is true Brother Ronald but finding having the truth doesn't necessarily eliminate pride.

To quarrel about a secondary topic and neglect what's most important is a show of pride.

You see we set Christ commission aside to do our own thing.

Winning a debate doesn't out weigh Winning souls.

Here's an example of what I noticed.

A person posted questions on their fear of coming to Christ. That message lingered for hours before there was an response while posts of several topics went on.

When one or two offered their help on the subject the thread was flooded but not many of those replies went to the lady posting.

Several sent their replies to the two that tried to help.

And there was a few contradictions on the thread and the lady never responded back.

As ambassadors for Christ We should be about his business.

So the truth in Eschatology doesn't save.

Israelology doesn't save.

Angelology doesn't save.

The study of the Diety of Christ doesn't save.

Ecclesiology. ( The study of the church ) doesn't even save.

You can have the truth in all these but that truth doesn't save!

A mature knowledge of those topics may require salvation being that it takes the teaching of the Holyspirit spirit to reveal such things while we grow but Salvation comes first chronologically and in importance.

Believing in and holding the truth in Christ work on the cross saves. Every area of Sanctification comes second Chronologically.

Soteriology is what's being neglected. There is no fascination in it.

We're distracted.

God bless.

Distractions.

Part 3.

4) The Distraction of Political Opinion

I don't think it's any secret that there is a wide political divide among people in the United States. No matter where we stand politically.

it's important for us to remember that being American and being Christian are two different things.

As a believer, not only do you represent your own opinions, but you also represent the church and our Savior.

Does the Gospel have political implications? Absolutely. But as soon as our political convictions become more important than the humanity of the person we're speaking with (or speaking about), we are no longer able to interact in a way that reflects Christ.

5) The Distraction of Personalities.

For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.

Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ.

Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?

1 Corinthians 1:11-13.

Believers, it is our job to ensure that people in our midst don't love us more than they love their Savior. That they don't identify with us or our beliefs more than they identify with Jesus.

I love Paul's question in that 1 Corinthians.

( Is Christ divided?)

6) Pride and a fascination in a particular area of scripture.

We can be so fixed on a particular area of scripture or doctrine that we put it ahead of our great commission. Eschatology is probably the leading area in this.

We love to tell you when and how Jesus is coming back to destroy the world but neglect to give the listener the message of the Gospel.

These distractions and many more hinders us from being unprofitable in winning people to Christ.

Christianity is not just sharing and comparing our thoughts.

Everything we do should be for the purpose Christ died for and made you his Desciples.

Blessings.

Hey Spencer,

Well said brother, when our understanding if different, if we are not willing to clear our mind and study in prayer for the truth we loose in pride. We are to be humble if not we will never find the truth.

God bless,

RLW

GOD had planned to make man in His image,but how,once He is Spirit,as whether He was alone?

GOD revealed this to Moses about 2500 years after Adam-Gen.1:26.How could man see an image of the Spirit?What is its image?It would be impossible to describe,unless it be materialized physically.This explains why Israel always was tempted by the Devil since the OT to make an image of GOD to worship,and they made even a golden calf.

According the Word,first GOD needed to show the IMAGE of He Himself,that's what GOD did,thus JESUS was born in the turn of the fourth to the fifth Day or fifth millennium,Aleluia!!! JESUS was no longer in the bosom of the Father,the Word.GOD sent JESUS about 4000 years after Adam,on GOD's clock it was midnight,so a new Day,the fifth Day was rising when JESUS was born. JESUS said: My Father works hitherto,and I work-Jo.5:17,actually still very recently JESUS still was in the bosom of the Word,i.e.GOD,but now He already was in person working together with GOD Father,at the age 30,then He revealed His Father was still working,although was still the beginning of the fifth Day.But Jesus knew what He was talking about,He said:I and my Father are One.

GOD-the Word-sent His only begotten,"He loved the world,He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish,but have everlasting life.GOD sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world;but that the world through Him might be saved.He that believeth on Him is not condemned:but he that believeth not is condemned already,because he hath not believed in the NAME of the only begotten Son of GOD,i.e.JESUS.And this is the condemnation,that light is come into the world(in the fourth GOD's Day- Genesis 1:16),and men loved darkness rather than light,because their deeds were evil"- John 3:16-19.

GOD Father could fulfill His promise to make man in His image,as He planned-Let US make man in our image,after our likeness:GOD calls those things which be not as though they were- Romans 4:17.

Distractions.

Part 2.

2) The Distraction of Being Right

A friend of ours in ministry likes to call this "rightolatry" - the idolatry of being right. Whew!

Paul communicates this when he tells Timothy, "Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels" ( 2 Tim. 2:23). How much should we have to do with controversies? Literally nothing. Stay out of them. Walk away. Exit the browser. Leave.

Let me just say this: There are times when we will disagree with people. And that's okay! It's okay to disagree without feeling like you have to break ties.

Jesus sums up Scripture with two commands: love God and love people. A lot of church leaders feel like they have a justifiable reason to separate from people within their church or outside their church because of differences. But does that typically reflect Jesus' command to love?

Let's strive not to be right in all the wrong ways.

3) The Distraction of Doctrine

Some of you just let out an audible gasp when you read this. If that was you, let's walk through this point together.

GOOD DOCTRINE IS ABSOLUTELY IMPORTANT.

So don't read this as me saying that what we believe doesn't matter.

But sometimes we get bogged down in the details outside of what's most important to our faith. Sometimes we start to identify more with the theological group we associate with than the One who saved us. Sometimes our denomination starts to take precedence over our faith.

And when that happens, we quickly work our way down the slope away from Jesus' prayer in John 17. That's when arguments start. That's when division takes its foothold. And that's when we waste our efforts arguing amongst each other, rather than wholly pursuing the mission Jesus laid out for us.

See part 3.

An article on distractions.

Part 1

Remembering Jesus' Prayer for Unity

We all know the narrative in John 17. But let's revisit it.

John 17:11

"And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, THAT THEY MAY BE ONE, AS WE ARE.

This was the last thing on Jesus' mind before he went to the cross. He could have been praying about anything, but he chose to pray about unity.

What does that mean for us? It means we have to be willing to break down barriers that exist among us.

Because if we don't, here's what happens:

The separation becomes more important than the story. The conflict becomes more important than the command. And the division keeps us distracted from accomplishing anything that actually matters.

Before we jump to some specific sources of division, I want to also remind us of the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control ( Gal. 5:22-23). There's one thing that each of these things require: unified community.

The essence of the evidence of the Spirit working in our lives requires us to live in unity.

So let's get specific. Here are 6 of many distractions plaguing the Church today:

1) The Distraction of Preference

We all like things done a certain way. It's part of our nature.

We like the service to be in a particular order. We like the music to be a particular style (and as we all know, some people are very particular about the volume of that music). We like our schedules to look like they're supposed to. We like our community to feel a certain way.

It's okay for us to have preferences. But the moment HOW we do ministry becomes more important than WHY we do ministry, we're in big trouble.

Methods should never guide our ministry or our interactions with others. Mission should.

See part 2.

Amen,

God bless,

RLW

All Praises To The MOST HIGH YAH In HaMashiac! I just read a comment that said, "Mashiac said keep the Commandments not the Statutes." I guess that person never looked up the definition of Commandment, Laws, Statutes, Ordinances, Mandate, Decree, Dictum, Mitzvah, Order, Canon or Precepts. If that person was right in their understanding, then Mashiac would've quoted Exodus 20:3

"Thou shalt have no other gods before me." But Mashiac said Mark 12:29

"And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:

" Mark 12:30

"And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment."

Clearly this is a Law given by Moses in Deuteronomy 6:4

"Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:

" Deuteronomy 6:5

"And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might."

If you believe that Mashiac only gave the 10 Commandments, what Commandment is Mark 12:29-30 cause He said its the first.

Momsage,

Amen. Let s be at peace with each other.

PS: yes, you are in my prayers. :)

Hi GiGi: I apologize. I thought I did want to continue with this discussion but I know, as you said, we'll never agree so what is the point of continuing. Despite our differences in what we believe I know our foundation is in Jesus. I know we both love Him dearly and when we see each other in our heavenly home there will be no division of thought there. We can just hug each other and be glad. God Bless :)