BIBLE STUDY LEADING TO INFLUENCE

BIBLE STUDY LEADING TO INFLUENCE

Tuesday, June 30, 2015

Psalm 119

Luke 9:62 Jesus said to him, "Whoever starts to plow and looks back is not fit for the kingdom of God."

2Timothy 2:15 Study earnestly to present yourself approved to God, a workman that does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth.

  Reading the Bible does not assure any serious influence in our life. This is especially so if we read, even faithful daily, using a dart board style method. (During Middle Ages some monasteries settled difficult issues by holding Bible page edges up and dropping on table. Then the blindfolded candidate, accused, perpetrator, or puzzled being would be led before the table with hand held high. Extending his/her finger they would bring their finger to the Bible. The monks then would determine appropriate definition and application.)

  Blindfolded, drop your Bible on the dining room table. If your finger lands on “workman” today’s point is made. But we’re not to depend on medieval methodology. Any hope for the Bible to influence our lives requires work, regular labor; something obvious in every other endeavor, but rarely considered applicable in Bible study.

  Using exercise as example: Does one start with walking a 10K or marathon to begin with? Is pressing 250 pounds a beginning exercise? Of course not! (Don’t think I pushing exercise. 1Tim.4:7-9)

  Several exercises that will benefit:

·         Keep in mind that Jehovah God is Sovereign.

·         Pray first, include your desire for godliness pleasing to Sovereign God.

·         Read with your mind and heart, not your eyes. Have yours a noble study beyond dependency on others. (Acts 17:10-11)

·         Keep in mind that reading the Bible is not a magic potion, only serious study accompanied by submissive attitude with thereafter application can accomplish this. (Ps.119)

·         Always keep important questions in mind while studying.

·         Don’t make the Scripture a time during your day. Make God’s Word your day. (Ps.119)

·          Read the passage more than once during the day.

·         Jot down a few notes, pocket or purse to reconsider during your day.

·         Don’t wait for Sunday sermons, engage someone of like mind that you can converse with. “Without counsel purposes are disappointed: but in the multitude of counsellors they are established.” (Pr.15:22)

·         Be an earnest workman with determination to continue plowing so long as the field is before us. (Heb.9:27)

  And don’t forget to tell others what you’ve learned and about the resultant improvement in your life. (This includes comments for Saturday DT FORUM.)  EBB4 

IF F

IF F

Monday, June 29, 2015

Hey ya’ll!

  I’m back! Some asked why I only said I wouldn’t be writing for a while but didn’t say I was going on vacation. In 20 years of going behind the walls, inmates taught me many things. One being “Never broadcast that you are vacating your home for a period of time!”

  For the curious I will later write a DT on my vacation experiences.

  Today, without a single Scripture reference to influence your response, I pose a scenario with question.

You may or may not be on Facebook. Whether you are or not is not here important.

For some the F word is now common language. I even read/hear professing Christians using it. I do not. Not simply because profane and rude, but mainly because of misuse; the act itself a wonderful gift from God within marriage.

The scene: Some individuals are unfriending (Facebook term and action.) and/or severing relationship with users of the F word.

The question: Do you think we should unfriend and/or severe relationship with users of the F word? Regardless of your position, please explain.

Sincerely,

Edwin Bennett Bullock 4^th (EBB4)

CAN WE AGREE?

CAN WE AGREE?

Sunday, June 14, 2015

John MKJV 16:33 [Jesus said] … In the world you shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer. I have overcome the world.

  Believe it or not, there are people that disagree with me! And there are people that I disagree with.   

  Due to our diversity, especially differences in beliefs, and this certainly at times involving our maturity or lack thereof in different areas, and definite conflicts over our wants and desires, it happens and will continue to do so . . . and sometimes as with this sentence goes on too long. (Though more mature than was, I confess I am still both man and child. Anyone that knows me personally will readily agree to this.)

  In my last years of employment for pay, we were compelled to experience in-house 40 hours a year of classroom time. I liking the provision, along with my SC’s approval, traded with didn’t-want-to-goes, taking 50-60 hours until our little arrangement was caught, reprimanded, and cancelled. When wrist patting discipline complete, we agreeably laughed.

  All classes were designed to make one think, with disagreeing naturally being constant dynamic.

  One fun class would present us with an object, breaking us into 2-3 person teams with the assignment of limited time period to list alternative uses for the object. When the object was an old refrigerator, the winning team came up with over 70 alternative uses, including worm farm and coffin. Now that’s as green as it gets!

  Classes on self-expression included poetry writing. One inspired guy, when his turn, came forward, took the teacher’s hand, fell to his knees, and looking into her eyes read her a rather passionate love poem; moving her and some of us to tears and others to loud guffaws. Disagreement, unplanned, occurred.

  Other classes were extremely serious: In one, broken into 5-7 person diverse teams, we would be presented with an initial question. For example, once in a timed one hour we began with “There are 10 people trapped in a flooding cave. Because of conditions and the lack of equipment you will only be able to save one of them. You will have 5 minutes to decide which person it will be.” Then we were handed profile sheets of the makeup of the trapped group, they including medical doctor, priest, child, rapist, prostitute, and various other persona.

  A few teams immediately fell apart under the stress. The teams that were decisive reported in . . . only to be handed additional pages of persona files. Though I don’t recall the exact details, but it went developed something like this: The child was severely incurably handicapped. The doctor turned out to be a child molester. The prostitute was pregnant with twins. The priest was of different denomination than originally inferred. And so on the game went with its 5 minute segment timed limits.

  Believe me, it didn’t make for blood, but it did make for sweat and tears as emotions increased. By the end of the hour most of the finishers were exhausted, not all from despair though, a few were so from elation.

  These particular classes soon ceased as they, for some employees, made for disagreeable relationships afterward.

  Where am I going with this anyway this morning? I’m talking about forgiveness as attitude. I speak not of our clearly 10 Commandment trespassing against one another, I’m talking about when we disagree on priorities, positions, possibilities, potential, practicality, et al.  

  I like to believe that because we so commonly disagree that we’d agree wholeheartedly that attitude of forgiveness is necessary in the year, month, week, hour, moment we live in. Can we possibly overcome apart from the posture of pardoning? I think not.  EBB4 

PS. I’m taking a bit of a sabbatical to invest in another way. I’ll soon return.

PERFECT PEACE

PERFECT PEACE

Friday, June 12, 2015

Psalm [GW] 119:165  There is lasting peace for those who love your teachings. Nothing can make those         

        people stumble.

Matthew 6:34; John 14:27; 2Corinthians 12:9 [God Incarnate speaking]  “Take therefore no thought for

the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.  … Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. … My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.”

Galatians [MKJVl 5:22-23 … the fruit of the Spirit is: love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faith, meekness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

1Thessalonians [MKJV] 5:16-24 Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophesying. Prove all things, hold fast to the good. Abstain from every appearance of evil. And may the God of peace Himself sanctify you, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blamelessly at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is He who called you, who also will do it.

  God’s peace is exemplary and consummate. His peace is perfect. It is available to His John 1:12 empowered children. God does not deny us His serenity. We do. God’s provision of peace is readily had. Our lack of appropriation is not God’s problem. It is our acquisition issue

  Let us be clear on the distinction between world peace and His peace.

·          World peace is dependent upon comfortable ambience, non-threatening environment, compatibility, agreeability, lack of personal and/or political conflict.  It involves behavior pleasing to individual and group. Being well-fed and in good health according to personal standards. It includes satisfied appetites. It involves respect received. It requires actual or semblance of our being in control. Externals.

·         God’s peace is not at all dependent upon ambience, environment, compatibility, agreeability, lack of family, friend, workplace, national, or international conflict, respect versus disrespect, scarcity of deserved recognition or reward, personal appetites unfed, winning or losing. It is internal. Gal.5:22-23; 1Thes.5:16-24

  Appropriating God’s marvelous peace is had simply through trusting Him regardless of situation and circumstance. Hear the Word: “You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You; because he trusts in You. Trust in Jehovah forever; for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength.” (MKJV Isa.26:3-4)

EBB4

OFFENDED OR PEACEFUL?

OFFENDED OR PEACEFUL?

Thursday, June 11, 2015

Psalms 119:165  Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.

James 2:10; 3:2  For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. … For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.

  Yesterday I wrote about studying and discovering that “offend/offended” in Bible context is not simply emotional reaction. Though it involves a variety of emotions, it means to stumble over; hindrance to healthy maturation interfering with our relationship with God and people. In the DT I included there is the circulating benefit of “There is lasting peace for those who love your (Jehovah’s) teachings. Nothing can make those people stumble.” (GW Ps.119:165. Note more translations below.)

  The need to illustrate this truth for some was revealed.

·         The Ten Commandments are God’s teachings. If we do not love them as His protective fencing for us, we stumble over the emotions of guilt and fear.

·         If we do not love His teachings on deliverance and victory in and over life’s trials and tribulations we stumble over distracting fears and drama of ego.

·         If we don’t affect 1Peter 5:6-7 we stumble over anxiety and all its companion emotionalisms . . . plus the dread of Apollyon overtaking us.

·         If we don’t affect God’s truth on eternal life realized only through and by trusting His “only begotten son” we stumble in and over the darkness of our soul and the uncertainties of untimely death. John 3:1-21.

·         If we as His John 1:12 children don’t affect His John 1:9 teaching during our remaining life this side of heaven, we stumble over guilt . . . or even callousness of conscience.

  Any further questions? Or have I offended you by sharing His teachings that are in opposition to man’s ungodly philosophies and remedies? (1Cor.3:1-23)

EBB4 

(ASV)  Great peace have they that love thy law; And they have no occasion of stumbling.

(CEV)  You give peace of mind to all who love your Law. Nothing can make them fall.

(ESV)  Great peace have those who love your law; nothing can make them stumble.

(GW)  There is lasting peace for those who love your teachings. Nothing can make those people stumble.

(ISV)  Great peace belongs to those who love your instruction, and nothing makes them stumble.

(LITV)  Great peace is to those who love Your Law, and there is no stumblingblock to them.

(MKJV)  Great peace is to those who love Your Law, and there is no stumbling block for them.

(Webster)  Great peace have they who love thy law: and nothing shall cause them to stumble.

(YLT)  Abundant peace have those loving Thy law, And they have no stumbling-block.

A MATTER OF BALANCE

OFFENDED?

Wednesday, June 10, 2015

Psalms 119:165  Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.

James 2:10; 3:2  For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. … For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.

  Understanding original Hebrew and/or Greek meaning of words goes beyond knowledge in education. It can open eyes and heart to edification unto maturation. It has for me, and is the reason I emphasize the 2Timothy 2:15 diligence.

  This morning I’ve selected the above KJV verses to illustrate.

  For me, offense largely was emotional; feelings of rejection, wounding, resentment, et al . . . for this was my familial and formal (English) education and human examples observed . . . and which of course wanting to act grownup I emulated.

  Encouraged by my mentoring older brother in Christ, Bud Bond, to always do 2Timothy 2:15 exercise, including making good use of Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance with Hebrew and Greek word meanings – I did and do so with result of life changing enlightenment.

  Discovering that offense is Biblically something that we stumble over, a hindrance to maturation interfering with our relationship with God and people altered my thinking and vision; another Romans 12:1-3 revision moving away from ego-centered all-about-me to reasonableness pleasing to the Lord.

  And then there’s the circulating benefit of “There is lasting peace for those who love your (Jehovah’s) teachings. Nothing can make those people stumble.” (GW Ps.119:165)

EBB4

PS. Is there a humorous aspect to improving spiritual balance while physical symmetry goes south? I think so. Is there a great lesson in the experience? If listening, absolutely!

STILL TRAVELING

STILL TRAVELING

Tuesday, June 09, 2015

[God Incarnate speaking]  “Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.  … Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. … My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.” Matthew 6:34; John 14:27; 2Corinthians 12:9 

  After a few days ago episodes followed by hospitalization including 12 doctors examining with questions and tests I’ve moved on with a few pharmaceutical changes and wise advice to no longer drive long trips to the Atlantic coast. In willing compliance I’m now a flier.

  And since I’m now progressing into a physically altered life station, at follow up visit yesterday my personal care physician additionally informed me that his responsible goals for me have changed:

·         No longer longevity, but maximum life so long as I live.

·         Mental and emotional well-being.

  This is not to say demise is imminent, though it shall visit unavoidably sooner or later. (Heb.9:27) It is sensible practicality of my doctor’s candid wisdom. And I’m pleased he expressed conclusions I Biblically arrived at many years ago. (And dear Ann lived and died by all her life.)

  While planting portion of garden yesterday with dear younger friends helping, we enjoyed chatting about this and that as I silently pondered review of this godly perspective spelled out in God’s Word.

  A final thought: How may we properly age gracefully? Only in and by God’s grace.

EBB4

LEXOPHILIC GOD IS NOT

LEXOPHILIC GOD IS NOT

Monday, June 08, 2015

John 7:16-53

  Our English language can be very confusing even for those schooled carefully to speak it. Our family saw this humorous puzzle with foreign exchange students that spoke precise English that at times contextually carried different intent outside of their understanding. And then we have USA witticisms meant for fun but confusing to those unfamiliar with hearing such humor.

  " LEXOPHILIA " is just such an area:

You can tune a piano, but you can't tuna a fish.

To write with a broken pencil is pointless.

When fish are in schools, they sometimes take debate.

A thief who stole a calendar got twelve months

When the smog lifts in Los Angeles U.C.L.A.

The batteries were given out free of charge.

A dentist and a manicurist married. They fought tooth and nail.

A will is a dead giveaway.

With her marriage, she got a new name and a dress.

A boiled egg is hard to beat.

When you've seen one shopping center you've seen a mall.

Police were summoned to a daycare center where a three-year-old was resisting a rest.

Did you hear about the fellow whose entire left side was cut off? He's all right now.

A bicycle can't stand alone; it's just two tired.

When a clock is hungry it goes back four seconds.

The guy who fell onto an upholstery machine is now fully recovered.

He had a photographic memory which was never developed.

When she saw her first strands of grey hair she thought she'd dye.

Acupuncture is a jab well done. That's the point of it.

WORSHIP IN HARD TIMES

WORSHIP IN HARD TIMES

Sunday, June 07, 2015

  How can I trust God when I am facing unemployment, foreclosure, or bankruptcy?

  The loss of employment and/or income is one of the most distressing events in life, especially for those supporting a family. Foreclosure on the family home or having to declare bankruptcy due to unemployment adds additional fear, uncertainty, and emotional turmoil. For the Christian man or woman facing unemployment, foreclosure or bankruptcy, there can be additional doubts about God’s goodness and His promises to provide for His children. How is the Christian to react to these catastrophic life events? What biblical principles can we apply to the loss of a home or a job and benefits (health/life insurance, retirement)?

  First, it’s important to understand that God has ordained work for mankind. Work is described in the Bible as beneficial in that it provides for our needs (Proverbs 14:23; Ecclesiastes 2:24, 3:13, 5:18-19) and gives us the resources to share with others in need (Ephesians 4:28). Paul reminded the believers in Thessalonica that anyone who was not willing to work should not eat (2 Thessalonians 3:10) and that he himself worked at tent making so as not to be a burden on anyone (Acts 18:3; 2 Corinthians 11:9). So loss of employment should not be an excuse for laziness, and all due diligence should be exercised to find other employment as quickly as possible (Proverbs 6:9-11).

  At the same time, it may not be possible to find a position equal in pay and status to the one that was lost. In these cases, Christians should not allow pride to keep them from taking jobs in other fields, even if it means lowered status or less pay, at least temporarily. We should also be willing to accept help from other believers and our churches, perhaps in exchange for work that needs to be done in homes, yards, and church facilities. Extending and accepting a ‘helping hand’ in these times is a blessing to those who give and to those who receive and exhibits the ‘law of Christ’ which is love for one another (Galatians 6:2; John 13:34).

  Similarly, loss of the family home through foreclosure or bankruptcy can even be a time of blessing for the family, a time when parents and children “close ranks” and become more keenly aware of their love for one another and the important things in life—faith, family and community—and less focused on material things that have no eternal value and can disappear in a moment. God can also use these circumstances to remind us of the truth spoken by Jesus in Matthew 6:19-20, and refocus our hearts on heavenly treasure.

  Above all, renewing our faith and trust in God’s promises is of utmost importance during times of financial stress. Revisiting passages that speak of God’s faithfulness to His children will strengthen and encourage us when the future looks bleak. First Corinthians 10:13 reminds us that God is faithful and will not test us beyond our ability to bear it and will provide a way out of the trial. This ‘way out’ may mean a new and better job that comes up right away. It may also mean a lengthy period of unemployment during which God’s faithfulness in providing our daily bread is shown to us. It may mean a new home or it may mean living in reduced circumstances with relatives for a period of time. In each case, the way out is really the ‘way through’ the trial, in which we learn of God’s faithful provision as He walks by our side through the entire ordeal. When the time of testing is over, our faith will be strengthened and we will be able to strengthen others by bearing strong testimony to the faithfulness of our God. 

GotQuestions.org

Recommended Resource: When God Doesn't Make Sense by James Dobson.

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IT'S GREEK TO ME!

6:12 IS GREEK TO ME!

Friday, June 05, 2015

Ephesians 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

  I still hear the old explanation of not comprehending, “It’s Greek to me!” This for me being a truth about calculus, jazz, and more. Once upon a time true about Scripture, but that changed when I was introduced to Strong’s Hebrew and Greek Dictionaries and Thayer’s Greek Definitions in hard copy volumes. Then a few years ago friend and brother in Christ Mark Welch introduced me to free wonderful e-Sword software (http://www.e-sword.net/downloads.html ), it containing Strong’s and Thayer’s with quick ease of cursor.

  A bit of prudent advice: If you’ve been using regular dictionaries to define words in Scripture, please stop doing so. Such definitions may be strictly English and have little or nothing in common with true meaning. Also consider that English word meanings change over time. Have some not done so in your lifetime? (For you KJV fellows, consider the “gay” of James 2:3.)

  We elders well know of this issue as we speak English to English and at times due to vocabulary changes or lacks we are not understood by those younger or culturally different.

  Why am I writing on this topic today? In the past few weeks I’ve discovered individuals misinterpreting or confused about some Scripture, the underlying reason being they used current English dictionaries to define words in verses.

  For those interested I share several words from recent study of Ephesians 6:12.

“For^G3754 we^G2254 wrestle^{G2076 G3823} not^G3756 against^G4314 flesh^G4561 and^G2532 blood,^G129 but^G235 against^G4314 principalities,^G746 against^G4314 powers,^G1849 against^G4314 the^G3588 rulers^G2888 of the^G3588 darkness^G4655 of this^G5127 world,^G165 against^G4314 spiritual^G4152 wickedness^G4189 in^G1722 high^G2032 places.”

wrestle: G2076 ἐστί; esti; es-tee'   Third person singular present indicative of G1510; he (she or it) is; also (with neuter plural) they are: - are, be (-long), call, X can [-not], come, consisteth, X dure for awhile, + follow, X have, (that) is (to say), make, meaneth, X must needs, + profit, + remaineth, + wrestle.

principalities: G746 ἀρχή; archē; ar-khay'  From G756; (properly abstract) a commencement, or (concrete) chief (in various applications of order, time, place or rank): - beginning, corner, (at the, the) first (estate), magistrate, power, principality, principle, rule. 

powers: G1849 ἐξουσία; exousia; ex-oo-see'-ah  From G1832 (in the sense of ability); privilege, that is, (subjectively) force, capacity, competency, freedom, or (objectively) mastery (concretely magistrate, superhuman, potentate, token of control), delegated influence: - authority, jurisdiction, liberty, power, right, strength.

rulers: G2888 κοσμοκράτωρ; kosmokratōr; kos-mok-rat'-ore  From G2889 and G2902; a world ruler, an epithet of Satan: - ruler.

  Okay, no great surprises on “principalities” or “powers”, but aha! on “rulers” as Greek soubriquet for Satan. Also liked seeing that to “wrestle” is constant in this life, and can be profitable instead of weakening and destructive.

  Hopefully my English today is not Greek to you. Sometimes notes in response to Dts tell me I am.

EBB4

For further study on topic, go to: http://www.gotquestions.org/Greek-Hebrew-Bible.html  

BREAKOUT!

BREAKOUT!

Thursday, June 04, 2015

1Corinthians [MKJV] 10:13-14 No temptation has taken you but what is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted above what you are able, but with the temptation also will make a way to escape, so that you may be able to bear it. Therefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry.

Ephesians [Please have open before you in order to see verses referred to today.]

  We all are tempted. Being tempted is not a sin. Entertaining and following, being led by, temptation is and has been sin from the original tree side encounter. God’s people are not however without ever available help, “a way of escape” provided by Sovereign God Almighty in one of two main forms.

  Miraculous deliverance of Red Sea (Deut.11:4), fiery furnace (Dan.3:26-28), lion’s den (Dan.6:16-27) sort; such delivery being dearest to our heart though such miraculous occasions are not typical of God.

  God’s deliverance most universal, often, and obtainable involves His provision ours to choose or not. The letter to the Ephesians addresses this option.

  Both paths of deliverance have same Author, and means of appropriation: submissive trust. Stepping between the Red Sea walls of water required submissive trust. (Though we don’t know, I suspect there were some Hebrews that left not the Red Sea shore and returned to Egypt.) Refusing to bow to other than Jehovah God requires submissive trust. God’s provision for we latter day saints listed in Ephesians 6 requires the same submissive trust.

  The epistle is addressed to the redeemed, 2:1 “quickened”, 4:30 “sealed by the holy Spirit of God” at Ephesus . . . but is nonetheless a letter to believers thereafter and hereafter.

  We are to walk and work in this life as His forgiven people, compassionate to brethren and enemy in likeness. (4:30-32)

  Paul then spells out several areas that are particularly problematic in our “inner man” (3:16):

·         Personal sacrifice.

·         Foolishness.

·         Excess.

·         Neglect.

·         Sloth.

·         The inner life.

·         Drunken escapism.

·         Marital. Wives and husbands!)

·         Childhood rebellion.

·         Service attitude for boss and worker.

  Then in 6:10-11 Paul begins to address provision for victory “against the wiles [Gr. Methodical trickery] of the devil [Gr. Diabolos; Satan; false accuser, slanderer].” In 6:12 (GW) the Apostle lists Christian warriors’ external foes: “… not a wrestling match against a human opponent. We are wrestling with rulers, authorities, the powers who govern this world of darkness, and spiritual forces that control evil in the heavenly world.” (Note 2:2.)

  Though Paul lists our enemies, it is not his emphasis. His emphasis is God’s provision for victory as opposed to remaining self-reliantly naked and vulnerable. (1Pet.5:6-9) The equipment is readily available, ours for the taking. But let us not forget, though God permanently dressed us for heaven, He does not dress us for life’s battle. God does provide the full wardrobe of armor and weapon for heart, mind, and hand. Donning this armor is our responsibility. (Note 5:27 result of submission to His will.)

  How now shall we dress his and every day?

EBB4

  

EPHESIANS 6:12

EPHESIANS 6:12

Wednesday, June 03, 2015

  Philippians 4:13 is not the only verse that is sometimes applied out of context. (Paul speaking of his conclusion, not mystical mantra.) Ephesians 6:12 is another that I’ve heard with degree of personal excusably applied in a “You can’t fight City Hall.” way. Which is not at all what it is saying or implying.

  Reading 6:12 in surrounding context we see that we are responsible for attitude and action . . . and that God provides equipping to fulfill said accountability in the way pleasing, honoring and glorify, to Him; Kingdom service this side of heaven that is in accord with our John 1:12 privilege as His adopted children – “… with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as to Christ; not with eye-service, as men-pleasers, but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, with good will doing service as to the Lord and not to men (knowing that whatever good thing he does, he shall receive the same from the Lord, whether he is a slave or a freeman). And masters, do the same things to them, forbearing threatening, knowing that your Master also is in Heaven. There is no respect of persons with Him. Finally, my brothers, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” (MKJV 6:5-11. Encourage reading and pondering entire context.)

EBB4

NOW THAT WE ARE OLDER

NOW THAT WE ARE OLDER

Tuesday, June 02, 2015

John [GW] 21:13-19 Jesus took the bread, gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. This was the third time that Jesus showed himself to the disciples after he had come back to life. After they had eaten breakfast, Jesus asked Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you love me more than the other disciples do?" Peter answered him, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you." Jesus told him, "Feed my lambs." Jesus asked him again, a second time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" Peter answered him, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you." Jesus told him, "Take care of my sheep." Jesus asked him a third time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" Peter felt sad because Jesus had asked him a third time, "Do you love me?" So Peter said to him, "Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you." Jesus told him, "Feed my sheep. I can guarantee this truth: When you were young, you would get ready to go where you wanted. But when you're old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will get you ready to take you where you don't want to go." Jesus said this to show by what kind of death Peter would bring glory to God. After saying this, Jesus told Peter, "Follow me!"

  Does anyone remember juvenile excitement over a material item(s), you “First new used car”, first house, etc.?

  But now many decades later your VALUE LIST has changed considerably?

EBB4

ROMANS REVERSAL

ROMANS REVERSAL

Monday, June 01, 2015

Romans [GW] 12:1-3 Brothers and sisters, in view of all we have just shared about God's compassion, I encourage you to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, dedicated to God and pleasing to him. This kind of worship is appropriate for you. Don't become like the people of this world. Instead, change the way you think. Then you will always be able to determine what God really wants-what is good, pleasing, and perfect. Because of the kindness that God has shown me, I ask you not to think of yourselves more highly than you should. Instead, your thoughts should lead you to use good judgment based on what God has given each of you as believers.

  On Saturday, June 30, I offered an interesting video (http://viewpure.com/MFzDaBzBlL0?ref=bkmk ) showing a reversed steering bicycle for your review and input on answering the question “How does the following contained info relate to Biblical education/edification?” Several responded:

·         Wayne - “????”

·         Srf - “Once we've learned Biblical principles they are with us until we focus on learning something that contradicts them.  Since we as believers live in a sinful world and are constantly bombarded by things that are an abomination to God, we must focus on God's Word and apply it to our daily lives.”

·         Al - “Good question…maybe I sent the wrong thing…I have been known to make a mistake…I think … I thought of you last night the day we were giving blood!”

·         Tom - “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he'll have to re-learn how to ride a backwards bike.”

·         Jacque - “Knowledge does not equal understanding!!  This statement is very true!

This really hit home with me. Trying to re-train my brain, oh my goodness! My stubborn brain and negative thoughts. Truth is Truth....His Word is Truth!!  No arguments! 

·         Jim - “It's the devil's bicycle.  What's right is now left and what's left is now right. He, the devil, got the idea from how he runs/influences the world ... What was right is now wrong  and what was wrong is now right!   As the guy with the devil's bike ... People in the world learn to go with the flow.    "There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death."  Proverbs 14: 12  KJV    If you don't like "falling off your bike," you better start paying attention and obeying God's Word.  Just my thoughts.”

·         Ed - Undoing old ways takes practice. As in the video, change takes lots of practice when older, and as it shows, is easily reverted. To illustrate: I was a passive aggressive impatient person for many years. At age 27, trusting God’s Word, reeducation began. 1Corinthians13:1-13 revealed to me that my impatient attitude was not caused by circumstance or excusable thereby. It is about my pride! Only by years of exercise, remembering and practicing godly thinking and reverse steering as the Apostle Paul urges and explains, did edification (rebuilding) followed by being “able to determine what God really wants-what is good, pleasing, and perfect.” result.

EBB4