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Hello to all, I have read somewhere the following:
Trust in God is not an abstract concept. It translates into specific practical behaviors and inner states that affect the way we live, think, and face challenges.
1. In Dealing with Anxiety and Fear
"Trust turns fear into peace"
Practical Translation: Instead of being paralyzed by worry about the future (job, health, finances), you do what you can and then leave the outcome in God's hands.
Inner State: You adopt the mindset: "I have done what is humanly possible. Now, I trust that God, who sees the big picture, will provide the best for me, according to His will." This brings inner peace ( Psalm 46:1).
2. In Decision Making
"Trust provides guidance and removes uncertainty"
Practical Translation: Before making a big decision (career change, moving), you pray for guidance and wisdom, rather than relying solely on your own logical abilities.
Inner State: You recognize that God's wisdom surpasses your own. You trust that if you commit the decision to God, He will "He shall direct thy paths." ( Proverbs 3:5-6), even if the path seems unclear at first.
3. In Interpersonal Relationships
"Trust in God affects how we view others and ourselves".
Practical Translation: When you feel wronged or hurt, instead of holding a grudge or seeking revenge, you trust God to bring justice or comfort. You focus on forgiveness.
Inner State: You rely on God's Love for your worth, rather than seeking constant validation from people. This makes you freer and less demanding in your relationships.
4. In Trials and Difficulties
"Trust turns pain into opportunity"
Practical Translation: When you face an illness or loss, you don't see the situation as a dead end, but as part of a larger plan.
Inner State: You believe that "all things work together for good to those who love God" ( Romans 8:28). This faith allows you to look for the lesson or empowerment hidden within the trial, keeping hope alive.
Proverbs 30:11
How's your Father? Glad he's in a safe place. His needs are bring met. That he has you to keep up with him. God bless and keep you strong
in the Lord. Thank God you are not named among these generations.
11There is a generation that curseth their father, and doth not bless their mother. 12There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness. 13There is a generation, O how lofty are their eyes! and their eyelids are lifted up. 14There is a generation, whose teeth are as swords, and their jaw teeth as knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, and the needy from among men.
Your post brought out some important points.
Kindness, love and compassion leads us to dwell more on justification and redemption and less on Rites and Judging.
Thanks for sharing.
Be blessed.
In Matthew 23:25-26 "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess.
Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.
The only way for Israel to cleanse out the inside of the cup is to come to Christ then the outside of them may be clean also!
Jesus told Nicodemus in John 3:5-6 "Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
This is a spiritual heart transplant!
The stoney heart is removed and replaced with a heart of flesh.
A heart that is moved by the Holyspirit!
This is necessary for EVERYONE that seeks salvation.
There has to be an acknowledgement of brokenness, insufficiency and inability to right yourself.
This cause for repentance, (A turning to Christ) for Justification, Sanctification and then Glorification .
In John 6:35-37- Jesus says "I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.
But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and believe not.
All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and HIM THAT COMETH TO ME I WILL IN NO WISE CAST OUT.
(This means he will reject no-one.)
When a person comes to one for prayer, admitting he's a sinner desiring salvation, he's on the right track!
Their heart is right and a door has opened for you to deliver the good news. (The Gospel of Christ!)
That's where we all have started as we continue to be sanctified by the Spirit that dwells in us!
What is that Gospel and how might it be presented to the broken hearted?
Blessings
A brother in Christ told me an incident that happened to him in the past. He had a very bad time at work. He had a fight with some of his colleagues. He got very angry and shouted a lot. He was thinking about it all day long and couldn't get it out of his mind. He couldn't forgive hmself. He thought, how could he behave like that? He couldn't believe that he was the one who behaved like that. And he fell into some sort of depression.
In the afternoon, while he was driving, he stopped at a traffic light. A woman started to cross the road. She was carrying many books in her hands. Suddenly she fell down and the books flew all over the ground. But she immediately got up, shook the dust off her dress, picked up the books, and quickly crossed the road. The brother felt the voice of God within him. "Did you see what that woman did? Do exactly the same. Get up quickly, shake the dust (sin) off of you, and keep going your way. (What are you doing staying down on the street? Get up quickly.)"
Often God allows incidents like that to occur in our lives. Not for humiliating us. But for us to realize that we all have limits. And we are not as capable as we think we are. And so to go to Him and ask for help. For His grace. Because without his grace we will not go far. This is how we become humble.
Blessings.
The greek for "forgive" is "sygchoro". It comes from the words "syn" (plus, together, more) and "choros" (space). It actually means "together in a place". Or "to fit together in a place". Or "to give space to someone or something". Space where? In my heart. I make room in my heart so that my brother can fit there too. To broaden my heart so that there is always room for other people there.
To accept that they are people like me. And people make mistakes, just like I do. Nobody is perfect. Only God is.
When we are strict judges of our brothers, then God allows us to walk the same path that our brothers had gone through. And then we see how it really feels like. And we see how we ourselves behave. And we wouldn't want others to be strict judges of us, would we? That's how we become more merciful.
Psychologists say that love and forgiveness are medicine for our soul. They say that love and forgiveness drive away all the negative emotions (anger, bitterness, hate, etc) that destroy the heart and mental health of people. This is true. When we follow God's commandments, to love and forgive, the main effect is on ourselves. We are the ones who are healed, not the others.
(Moreover, we come to church to heal ourselves, not our brothers. The latter is God's job, not ours.)
And let's think. Shouldn't we first forgive ourselves? When we make a mistake, it's not the end of the world. We are not perfect, we make mistakes. Many people suffer because they cannot forgive themselves. This is called pride. And it is due to a lack of awareness of our true nature. We are human. We have our limits. And day after day we find our limits in front of us. In the workplace with our colleagues, at home with our families, with our friends, with our brothers. Let's not condemn ourselves, but let's give ourselves opportunities to change. We will never be perfect, but we can produce more and more fruit in our lives. And so the grace of God will be upon us.
... see pt 2
Nowadays people live so wealthy that they have never ever lived in all human history. Nowadays we have things that people in other ages couldn't even dream of. Having a car, a house, a proper job, living in countries with a welfare state, with a social net protecting people from povetry is the norm in the so called Western countries.
But the question is, why are people so unpleased from their lives? Why do we hear so often the word "depression"? Why do we hear so often the word "anxiety"? Why do we hear so often the word "pressure"? Why do we hear so often the words "autoimmune disease"? Few decades ago those words didn't exist in people's vocabularly. People were happier although they were poorer. Why is this?
People nowadays have problems with their mental health. Their souls are suffering, they are not healthy. People often turn to psycologists and psychiatrists to find some comfort. And it is true that science has achieved many great things in this modern era. It provides people with medicine and other treatments for their mental health. And it does a lot of good. And it is not the church's job to interfere with science.
But we, the christians, can offer to people an alternative proposal. "Do you want to be healthy? Do you want to see your soul to be healthy? Do you want to see your body to be healthy?"
If you do then go to Jesus. "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." Matt 11:28-30
God made us in His image and in His likeness. Which means that we have inside us the characteristics of God. God created us not to live in sin, but to live in sanctification. It is only then that we find happiness in our lives. Living in sin leads us to distruction.
Psalms 118:26
"Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the LORD: we have blessed you out of the house of the LORD."King James Version (KJV)
God loves us all the time. I fell from Grace at 21 years old and God picked me up and forgave me for my transgression. He graciously restored me to the right relationship with him.
My story is that I had a relationship with a married man.I got pregnant.
I Had a healthy baby.
That was a turning point for me.
I began to get closer to the Lord because of all his goodness and his kindness, all his blessings he continued to shower upon us, me and my son. Sometimes when we fall, we look so dirty and unclean that the Church don't recognize us. To God be the Glory, He knows our heart. Praise the Lord.
The important part of my story is that "God can take your "Mess" and turn it into something "Good."
Thirty six years later I was in Atlanta Georgia to see my grand daughter graduate from College after receiving a four year scholarship. She was the daughter of that illegitimate son of mine.
Hallelujah!!!
That how good God is to us. So, Woundedwool, read your bible,
daily pray to get closer to him. God loves us when we are pretty and even when we pretty ugly.
He will never stop loving us.
Psalms 139:7-9
7Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? 8If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there:
if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.
. 9If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;."
Be blessed.
Much scripture can be surveyed; hundreds of verses actually which can make us question the other ones that indicate we cannot lose our salvation. I probably covered that before; for now I want to back up and examine salvation itself as many look at it as merely us being saved from hell and now identifying as a Christian and hence destined for heaven.
The concept of redemption has been stated as a concept in Catholicism who prefers that term to salvation. In one sense that is true; as we have been redeemed by Christ; as Ruth was in the O.T. by the "kinsman redeemer" Boaz. Our spiritual salvation is already established as we are "seated in heavenly places" (Hebrews). (I should say now with this unintended AI intrusion I can't search other tabs for verses-sorry; it seems to go here after a certain time).
This establishes the first point; the salvation of the soul comes first; the rebirth of the body later at the Rapture/Resurrection.
The next point is that we were saved FOR something. Our salvation is ultimately to glorify the Son and we are saved to be a demonstration of His goodness to all generations henceforth. The Millennium will allow us to coinhabit earth with mortal men; and eternity future who knows all that entails? For the unregenerate that seems like a punishment; or a narcissistic deity forcing himself on us. This is the first indication we often see of those who are in reality tares; or faking the part of faith. They have no real fear of the Lord (a requirement); repentance in their lives (going beyond an initial proclamation upon salvation); and are still enamored with their old selves; the world; flesh and the Devil. We TRULY are dead to sin if saved; He chastises His own as I have pointed out often. A child may run but they will run back when they sense danger up to a certain point when their heart is hardened at a certain age. The lost God allows for now to do what they want
TWICE now it appears a new horizontal tab in AI is retaining my postings on a separate page which remains after the original one times out. Thankfully my tiny brain of computer and Word Processing skills allowed me to copy and paste back to the original one.
At some point that I recall this stupid option came up with one of endless updates on my computer.
Just thought it was a bit ironic while on this topic.
"Ya think?"
Agape; RP
As someone like me whose age I won't disclose (suffice to say over the hill and a half); I can say that as overwhelming as today's internet has become that the stage was set a long time ago. Nothing new is under the sun; as Solomon said in Ecclesiastes.
Surely the image of the Beast the world adores is coming soon; if not the immediate next phase of today's technology about to come crashing into our homes.
Given such information should we create or watch an AI of the events of the book of Revelation to emphasize this point? I'll leave that up to the viewers as I have the convenient excuse of not being to technologically "savvy". This idea goes back to all the movies and videos about the momentous events of the life of Christ and other Biblical stories which started with the life of Moses in the 1950's black and white rendition to the Rapture craze of "Left Behind" and related 1980s flicks to today's simulations of these and other events. I for one pray that no one tries to memorialize me after I'm gone with some AI message. I thought my fears of being praised and lauded ignoring the fact that I'm a sinner saved by grace at my funeral was a concern; now this.
Of course fallacy in historical accounts as well as videos comes from years of books which were penned through some bias of the author or deliberate lies to promote an agenda. This goes back to the Gnostic Gospels and other things which were never said by the true Apostles; or even further back to what is said to be the book of Enoch contrasted with whatever the true section of the original is quoted in Scripture. It goes back to Babylon and all other source materials of mystery and false religions through Millennia of time. The same principles apply; of course to today's challenges but of course finding the truth takes more work than ever. Having the proper foundation; of course keeps us rooted in His Word and prayer. That and our good works are all that matters.
As a sort of opposite insight in regard to today's purported "signs and wonders" can it be true that the overwhelming number of videos of such supposed events online hide us from the few that may be true? Jesus told many that He healed to tell no one.
That was in my estimation to keep Him from being recognized and having throngs trying to make Him King thus distracting the focus of His ministry as it wasn't the time for that. I would also propose that it is a warning to us today not to make such events a sideshow. The world always seeks after a sign; and if anything the Pharisees among us would be adding to their judgment and condemnation; and also with a TRUE miracle no doubt believers would face more persecution when REPENTANCE is presented. Food for thought...
This fits into the whole concept of marketing a Christian agenda in a political framework. The results of any "revival" apart from scriptural foundations seeking true repentance ends up being a sort of "self fulfilling" prophecy. God isn't interested in clever marketing ntools; and a set number will believe; only a few will be saved and that is basically the end of the matter if we seek scriptural counsel on this matter.
Nefarious techniques can produce what is marketed as persecution (a problem) and whatever "solution" is offered. I am not here to focus on conspiracy theories; patriotism; politics etc. There are enough sites to read up on that subject (along with AI ones as well; no doubt).
The body of Christ is the sum of God's parts; as it were as He has divided us according to His purposes to fit together as a whole through corporate fellowship. HE is the head; of course and certainly when He comes won't need a computer to show the world. I would say it is likely such things will all be fried at Armageddon; and even if theoretically not in the Millennium there will be sufficient time as in eternity for personal relationships to find full life.
The first thing I'll say is WHY such lame presentations have to exist. Are there not enough messages from REAL people (for instance on NDI) that one could spend endless hours reading such accounts and of course accumulate the predictable collateral damage from such exposure over time?
Before we whitewash this whole topic; let us examine the idea of images. Artists ALL have; more or less represented images that are artificial replicas of real world events; persons; nature; etc. No one of a sane mind; of course would put the same level of value on such an object as compared to the counterpart in the real world. Of course idolatry does that and creates an unhealthy obsession with our own fantasies rather than reality and more importantly the Triune God that created all things.
Having to chase down truth and constantly go into rabbit holes lest some artificially produced image or worse quotation arises is time consuming. It is bound to happen on occasion; and if truth is our overall message it may be an unintended transgression.
It PERHAPS is helpful for an overall summary of society at large to put together some of this material; as no doubt whether something is real or even deliberately manufactured it shows the mindset of the world and influences particularly on the youth today. It is personal testimonies which I find the most disturbing; and specifically when much scriptural truth is in them. That has maximum effect as it were to promulgate some sort of agenda. There may be a significant amount of truth to the summation but whatever isn't true is lost in the sea of information. At best the creator may be trying to summarize a particular event or testimony to reflect a basically true biography. The obvious thing is unless it is approved by the person referred to it is a violation of their personal story and individual freedom-something we should consider before glibly listening.
MOre to come...
"And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham,"
The Spirit uses the word 'tempt' in the same restricted sense as 'remember' as in the case God set the bow in heaven. "And I will remember my covenant" which is in restricted sense since the Covenant everlasting is already in operation so establishing it anew is impossible. God cannot deny his holiness. He remebers the specific token which he is setting after the flood. In this case why should God tempt Isaac when the emblem of the Lamb slain before the foundation of the world is ever in the divine Will?(Rev.13.8;Gen.9.15)
The Spirit compares the state of mind of the father of whom God demands that he sacrifice 'thine only son.'. In vv.6-8 we can sense the pathos of the patriarch wrestling with the knowledge he dare not divulge and the son asks, " And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?" The Spirit parallels the Father Son relationship on the mount which doubles for Golgotha.So 'temptation' as a word refers to reduce the Father of heaven and earth to a human parent and seeking a resolution to the problem in human terms.
The Lamb slain already exists in the divine Will of the Father. There is also the Lamb of God who shall manifest in fulness of time. " So we have the problem resolved by producing a ram,"And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son."
v.14 "And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the Lord it shall be seen."
The tag 'to this day' refers to the day of Lamb which began in Egypt on the ever of deliverance for the Israelites their first Passover. "And this day shall be unto you for a memorial;... ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever." 'Forever' is a tag for Jesus Christ.
"And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come."
Matthew 24
Mark 13
1 Peter 4:17-18 " For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?"
Read the Book of Jeremiah. It is TODAY'S NEWSPAPER.
Mark 4:33-34
"33 And with many such parables spake he the word unto them, as they were able to hear it.
34 But without a parable spake he not unto them: and when they were alone, he expounded all things to his disciples."
"for in Isaac shall thy seed be called./ And also of the son of the bondwoman will I make a nation, because he is thy seed."
Calling and gifts whenever God has given are without repentance. Here God called Abraham for a purpose."Walk thou before me and be perfect."Perfection is his gift in his Son. It is called grace. God showed grace to Lot in his calamity. He sent two angels to deliver him out of Sodom. His heart was not right before him. Therein lay the problem. God fashioned his heart same as of Abraham. There was nothing for him to respond. It is thus predestination works. God searches all hearts alike but in some fear of God is zero. "Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified."(Rom.8.30) We see how Abraham was glorified. Even though he died he was gathered to his people who are in the land of the living. God is the God of the living. Another glory we find where he has become a sign and wonder.In the Parable we read, "the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom" (Lk.16.22-23)
Here God tells "In Issac shall thy seed be called." Nevertheless seed of Ishamel shall be a great nation because Abraham was called. Not all of Isaac seed are called for which we have a citation from Jesus Christ."There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out./And they shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God." (Lk.13.28-29) What went wrong? The nation was thrust out for their disbelief. Their heart was not right before God.
Abraham made his calling and election sure. So the church of the firstborn for which we are called, shall be signs and wonders. Heb.2.4;Isa.8.18
God Bless!
Proverbs 1:7 "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction."
Exodus 20:10 "But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:"
John 14:21 "He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him."
John 15:10 "If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love."
Matthew 19:17 "And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments."
Blessings
"And God heard the voice of the lad; and the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said unto her, What aileth thee, Hagar? fear not; for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is."
Here the angel calls to Hagar out of heaven while we have the angel of the Lord at hand to comfort Hagar, who "she fled from her face./And the angel of the Lord found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain in the way to Shur."(16.6-7)
It is inn this context we are to look at the three men who announced to Abraham in the plains of Mamre, "And he said, I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life; and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son." The Word circular has two aspects for which the angel is the medium so the word of God shall certaintly comes to pass. It is like the name of the Father. It is a sign marked in heaven and it shall have its corresponding body on earth. For example we have the verse,"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." (Rev.14.1) A Lamb stood on mount Sion. This lamb in the Will of God shall never change till the Son shall fulfil his Father's will completely. As the Word become flesh Jesus said,"For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me"( Jn 6.38). This lamb on the mount has its reality which John the Baptist testified. "Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world."( Jn 1.29) Thus the Word was God sets a sign: These 144,000 refers to the first fruits, heirs of salvation separated by God before the worlds began. The angels are a sign bridging the time element. So the set time is fulfilment. "Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?" (Heb.14.1)
Space and time holds no meaning to God but there is a time set for man, "and a time to every purpose under the heaven:"
"And Abraham planted a grove in Beersheba, and called there on the name of the Lord, the everlasting God./ And Abraham sojourned in the Philistines' land many days."
Abraham made piece with the king of Gerrar and sojourned there many days, and believed that his time of life shall be as appointed, "And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace; thou shalt be buried in a good old age." (15.15) The Spirit gives us his inner growth and we read of an altar set up 'in the plain of Mamre, which is in Hebron, and built there an altar unto the Lord."(13.4, 18).
The well of water was a sign for him. Here he planted a grove and called on the name of the everlasting God. This revelation did not come by itself but the Father who as with Simon Peter instilled or fortified his heart to the everlasting Covenant. The tamarisk tree works as the pillar at Bethel in the case of Jacob. "(28.17)The river of God opened up his eye with awe,"Surely the Lord is in this place; and I knew it not.". Hagar the bond-maid had sensed it herself. (16.13) Now he could get a clear picture as to why heas called out. He had to make his election sure.. Here onwards we see Abraham settling down his life as a pilgrim and sojourner. "And even to your old age I am he; and even to hoar hairs will I carry you: I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you." He enters into the God's rest from this point onwards.(Isa.46.4)
Out of the belly shall flow living waters, streams of which connect believers to the holy city of God. "There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High."(Ps.46.4) Sons of Belial confuse it for Jerusalem destined to be cast into outer darkness.
"Thus saith the Lord, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest?"(Isa.66.1)
And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What mean these seven ewe lambs which thou hast set by themselves? And he said, For these seven ewe lambs shalt thou take of my hand, that they may be a witness unto me, that I have digged this well."
Jesus promised " He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water." Principle of Similitude sets the Spirit of God moving upon the waters. God creates man and sets him in a garden prepared by God. He sends thereafter rain from his storehouse. This is what we read in Gen.1.6 "And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters." The river goes out from Eden while the rain flows from above. My Father worketh hitherto, and I work". Commandment of God and of the testimony of the Son work at tandem. It is how the Word circular holds heaven and the earth as one. Servants of Abraham dug the well and the king claims it as his own. So the Covenant binds Abimelech to the Covenant of seven days. The Spirit sets seven lambs, receipt of which made the king bound to his oath. We shall see later on how it fared at the time of Isaac.
The advent of the Son is in the fulness of time but he was the Word which was God. So eternnally he coexisted with the Word. Water was a proof. Jesus refers to rivers of living water which serves as a token same as the bow in heaven. It is in this context Jesus tells the Samaritan woman, "Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again:/ But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life."( Jn 4.13-14)
Claims of the king without the Son were hollow.
31 Wherefore he called that place Beersheba; because there they sware both of them.
32 Thus they made a covenant at Beersheba:
"For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him".
The Covenant in seven days covers the full circle so the Law establishes the Fellowship of God with man on the basis of what exists in heaven. The Word was with God, we have taking a full circuit. God made angel spirits and in the vision of Zechariah we see the result of four chariots of horses . The angels explains,"And the angel answered and said unto me, These are the four spirits of the heavens, which go forth from standing before the Lord of all the earth."(Zec.6.1-5) With this context what does this verse indicate? "And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters."
Law of the Spirit ties the Word circular and the world made to appear is thus framed by the word of God. It is what the house of God means. Every soul shall give an account of it. God fashioned all hearts alike. Heart of Abimelech has same integrity as that of Abraham." The Lord looketh from heaven; he beholdeth all the sons of men." The Psalm quote hovever adds, "he considereth all their works."(Ps.33.13-15) Here we see the coflict arising between the king of Gerar and the patriarch. "And Abraham reproved Abimelech because of a well of water, which Abimelech's servants had violently taken away." (21.25)
Here who owned the well? The earth and the fulness thereof belongs to God. So the Covenant holds statues and commandments. It is what Jesus promised on the last day of the great feast, "In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink./ He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water./(But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified."( Jn 7.37-39)
The Holy Spirit sets Abimelech as a foil to Abraham who was still not perfect. As soon as God spoke to him in a dream he takes remedial action and also confronts him. " And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What sawest thou, that thou hast done this thing? And Abraham said, Because I thought, Surely the fear of God is not in this place; and they will slay me for my wife's sake."
The patriarch was presumptuous to use Sarah as the means to wriggle out of a difficult situation. He used it once too often. Sarah's soul was complete as was of Abraham. This is established in the manner she put her foot down in the matter of Ishmael. We read how the patriarch took it,"And the thing was very grievous in Abraham's sight because of his son." God however sides with her. "in all that Sarah hath said unto thee, hearken unto her voice." (21.10-12)
Let us look at the spiritual principle behind it. Eve was created out of Adam but God deals with the mother of all living and of Adam how does God respond? "Cursed is the ground for 'thy sake' ".(3.15) The Covenant set by the Law of the Spirit created man 'in our image and after our likeness." The Word was with God so it cannot go wrong because of Adam's disobedience. On the other hand God stipulated 'thy seed' meaning Seth who is the Branch. He is with Jesus Christ are designated as the Word was with God. God a Spirit holds the last Adam as the Word which was with God. When God sends his only begotten Son to the world Jesus Christ represents the Son in his flesh. The same was in the beginning with God refers to him and not Adam. In the specific case of Sarah she was with the Word which was God. Her faith was such "Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised"(Heb.11.11). The Word of God established her role in the house as independent of her Lord and master.
Abimelech make amends to her equally.
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Every house is built by some man." For every house is builded by some man; but he that built all things is God." We shall consider how God has done it. "He fashioneth their hearts alike; he considereth all their works." (Ps.33.15) Heart of Abraham and of Abimelech, consequently has same quality with which they may work with. How shall they do the works of God? They only need believe in the one He sent.( Jn 6.28-29). So Good is just a call away and it is non-verbal speech and it is called faith.The same speech and same language holding the two worlds .(Heb.11.3) It is of this house the writer to the Hebrews write about, "But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end."(Heb.3.5).
The Spirit is repeating the same event occured before and after his name was changed. What happened to him in the house of Pharaoh on account of Sarai is given another run. So we are looking at two worthies from inside out. Abimelch justifies his royal authority but God does not reckon such arbitrary laws or traditions man may impose. In order to instruct us correctly God visits the king of Gerar and warns of dire consequences if he did violate Sarah's chastity. " Behold, thou art but a dead man".
The king pleads integrity of his heart, " Said he not unto me, She is my sister? and she, even she herself said, He is my brother: in the integrity of my heart and innocency of my hands have I done this" God's answer, " for I also withheld thee from sinning against me: therefore suffered I thee not to touch her." God searches the hearts, Does not his answer..contradict the heresy of 'total deparavity'?
The witches trial at Salem in 1692 was one way these misbegotten heretics made their new Canaan a charnel house.' Like Cain these vagabonds whereever they went sowed their heresies and only one need look at their tree of liberty to know the truth.
Whernce did the daughters of Lot bring the wine to drug their father? "For their vine is of the vine of Sodom, and of the fields of Gomorrah: their grapes are grapes of gall, their clusters are bitter:" (Deut.32.32)
Noah began to be a husbandman and it was an earth purged of the filth of the old world.The Spirit is tracing the corruption following man since he disobeyed God and fell short of the glory of God. Sin creates enemity between 'thy seed and her seed. Here onwards we shall see a house divided. "And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand"( Mk 3.25) The birth of Moab and Amman is set forth in the narrative for our instruction in righteousness.
God blessed man so his seed within itself and after his kinfh .shall be righteous. This is the spiritual truth incorporated in day Three of the Covenant.(Gen.1.11-13)
The Spirit specifies Noah's vineyard in order to specify a righteous nation yielding goodly fruits from the branches of the true Vine.(Gen.9.20-21) Later God blesses Abraham 'and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed."(12.3) Not nations but families as was in heaven. The Spirit is fleshing out the fellowship of God with Man and chooses 'another seed' from Seth onwards. Here it is Isaac who shall be the heir of promise. All their heirs are to be as a double for his Son who is called the Branch. Spiritually the last Adam in heaven and Jesus Christ, the word become flesh are of a single measurement.(Rev.21.17)
In roder to remind us the Spirit uses this phrase,'unto this day'. Our fellowship with God is in his son. He who has the Son has the Father as well.
From chapter 20 onwards the watchword if the house, "Cast out this bondwoman and her son: for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac"(21.11) The same house cannot hold both Isaac and Ishmael..
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"Then the Lord rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven." Here we have God's counsel for the surviving members of the family of Lot. Cursed is the man who makes flesh is his arm. for the consequence of wickedness God makes the city as the house nothingness, Beth Aven presented here is how the Holy Spirit is leading us to a similar flight and it is Jacob and not Lot and under different circumstances. "And Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put for his pillows, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil upon the top of it./nd he called the name of that place Bethel." The pillar of Jacob is a covenant, a foundation stone to establish who is the maker and builder of the house.(28.18-19) Bethel, El Bethel or Luz carry as with Zoar, three differing POV for the heir of promise. Thus the Lot episode serves as a foil to the Church of the first begotten. It is promised by Jesus Christ, "Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name."(Rev.3.12)
The new name is yet in future but in the case of Jacob the name Israel is to indicate his testimony. " And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob./ And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed."(32.28-29)
On the otherhand what is the testimony of Lot's wife? Nothing. Pillar of the house, of Beth Aven is just salt that ha s lost its savour.
vv.25-26 "And he overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground./But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt".
The focus of this and much of Proverbs 16 goes beyond a mere economic standard of fairness and one's overall character.
To favor a certain agenda should allow the promotion of truth; not a blanket statement of bias for or against a certain party.
We also see these admonitions in verses 3-6
3Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established.
4 The Lord hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.
5 Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord: though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished.
6 By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the Lord men depart from evil.
We are told here repeated themes in this Proverb; namely how to trust God and how not to act with our affiliations and how to make for a better society as it were (v. 6).
Therefore; the strength of those in unity is the sum of its parts; and the weakest link can affect its strength. God must be front and center and not at the periphery with scriptures used as a means to justify another end that is man centered. Exaltation of any man easily becomes idolatry. Think about it; a family member known to love the Lord dies; are we going to run a national memorial service at our own expense? Meanwhile; of course there are endless martyrs today who won't be recognized until they receive their martyr's crown in heaven.
For Satan's schemes to work; of course there has to be a deceiver and those ready to be deceived. We need to take care that our churches are kept separate from the world; those few who haven't already succumbed to certain agendas. The world system often tries to curry favor among leadership tempting them with influence through associations leading to compromise.
Rather than looking for what we want to hear we should focus as sheep on hearing HIS voice and the counsel of His Word.
Agape.
"Haste thee, escape thither; for I cannot do anything till thou be come thither. Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar."
The Spirit cites this city from three points of view. While Lot followed Abraham their combined wealth was too much for the land to bear. So they come to the parting of ways. The Spirit gives a hint as the significance of Zoar. It was the farthest and of the least consequential city of habitation. So 'before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah' sets Sodom as the most sought after city where life put him at an advantage over others. 'And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where,"(13.20) It is was foolish dream and the angels sets Zoar as a place of refuge. Later we have God setting three place of refuge on this side of Jordan and three on the other side of the river. The spiritual significance of crossing the river Jordan helps us place the significance of Zoar. "So that my soul may live" is how Lot views it.
The angels warned," Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed." Lot would not take the mountain but as a city-dweller all his life in his POV now shifts: Zoar hitherto the second best, now is shown to his advantage. What he failed to understand was this spiritual truth. "And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:"(Heb.9.27) Zoar is on the other side is the outer darkness. In the case of Abraham who by faith endured living in tents since the city of habitation was holy Jerusalem in heaven. The same was in the beginning with God. In that case what is this great city where our Lord was crucified? It is same as Sodom or Egypt, is it not? Zoar is the outer darkness reserved "For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie."(Rev.22.15)