RETRACING CAMEL TRACKS

RETRACING CAMEL TRACKS

Thursday, August 10, 2017

Romans [MKJV] 12:1-5  I beseech you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, pleasing to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, in order to prove by you what is that good and pleasing and perfect will of God. For I say, through the grace given to me, to every one who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think. But set your mind to be right-minded, even as God has dealt to every man the measure of faith.

  I thought I was done sharing thoughts on the lack of authenticity in Nativity scenes. Then I received an e-note indicating it wouldn’t have an adverse effect on their faith. I agree. “in Christ” we may expect church stuff that is not in line with “We believe the Bible is the inerrant Word of God.” (Or some other such doctrinal statement.) Has anyone noticed doctrinally incorrect phrases in some of the contemporary Christian music? Such deviations should not alleviate our trust in God.

  Again summarizing why I see correctness as so important:

·         Authentic worship pleases God.

·         We are to worship according to His will.

·         God’s Word presents His will.

·         His will is not isolated to commandments. His will includes correctly presenting His record of history. This includes Jesus’ conception to death story.

·         Presenting God’s Word adulterated does not please God.

·         As with all such action contrary to God’s truth one thing commonly leads to another. Gal.5:7-9

·         Presenting God’s Word adulterated affects His peoples’ credibility in the unsaved public mind.

·         There are atheists and agnostics that know the Bible well. They thrive on Christians’ sentimental foibles in area of Bible knowledge and its application.

·         Christians knowing authenticity but living apart from Romans 12:1-3 repentant thinking and resultant application is risky business. Gen.3:1-24; Heb.10:31; Jam.4:15-17

EBB4

    

IDENTIFIED BY ROMANS 12:1-4

IDENTIFIED BY ROMANS 12:1-4

Wednesday, August 09, 2017

Romans [NLT] 12:1-4 And so, dear brothers and sisters,[a] I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.[b] 2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. 3 Because of the privilege and authority[c] God has given me [Apostle Paul], I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us.[d] 4 Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, 5 so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.

Philippians [ESV] 3:7-15 But whatever gain I [Saul/Paul] had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you.

   I see the implementation of Romans 12:1-4 as primary identifying His people as “in Christ”:

·         Working to not give place to ego in all things, but instead Christ-like godliness, especially in relationships. Mt.7:13-24; Rom.12:3; ICor.13:1-13

·         With our own superior philosophies cast aside to the trash heap (KJV dung pile), we “in Christ” first and foremost seek direction from the Word living and written. This is not to say we shouldn’t additionally read other helpful writings, but we must do so in the light of God’s Word. Sunday afternoon I read WHAT’S YOUR GOD LANGUAGE, by Dr. Myra Perrine, and STEPPING UP, A Call To Courageous Manhood, by Family Life. Desiring to please God, while doing so I continually compared the writers’ words to God’s Word. Act.17:11 One repeated phrase that stood out in comparison to the Word is “the Bible says”. I highly recommend both books as they provoked me to thought.

·         Put briefly, if truly “in Christ” we live thinking differently. We walk with repentant thoughts grounded in God’s Word producing acceptable good fruit that pleases Him. Thought and action that may or may not please others. Mt.10:32-42; 12:46-50

  This may surprise us in real-life application: A friend once shared with me that he had been a very egocentric competitive person. Placing winning above all else destroyed many of his treasured relationships. After trusting Christ he worked hard at replacing ego with support of others. This lead to people telling him their troubles. After some years he began hearing the same old stories and began feeling boredom. Arriving home one evening after one-of-those-days he realized he was allowing the puffery of vaunting self (1Cor.13) and therefore not worshipping God with his life.

EBB4

CHOOSING TRADITION OR TRUE WORSHIP

CHOOSING TRADITION  OR TRUE WORSHIP

Tuesday, August 08, 2017

Psalm [MKJV] 119:25-27 My soul clings to the dust; give me life according to Your Word. I have declared my ways, and You hear me; teach me Your Precepts. Make me to understand the way of Your Commandments, and I will speak of Your wonderful works.

Romans 12:1-3 I beseech you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, pleasing to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, in order to prove by you what is that good and pleasing and perfect will of God. For I say, through the grace given to me, to every one who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think. But set your mind to be right-minded, even as God has dealt to every man the measure of faith.

Please take time to look up and consider “tradition” in the NT.

“… reading is good, study is better, μετανοέω (repentance) resulting in life application is best for doing so is action of honest maturation that is true worship pleasing to God.” SNAKES IN THE GRASS, NOT 8/7/17

  True worship is that which pleases God. That which He presents through His Word is our provided guide as to what pleases Him. I for one have had to repent often according to God’s Word. The direction of Romans 12:1-3 continues as a central decree for me. One thing I’ve discovered in being challenged by His Word living and written is entrenched religious tradition is sometimes in conflict with authentic worship pleasing to God.

  Recently I became aware that Christmas pageantry, the dramatized plays that I dearly love is case in point: Reading Matthew chapter 2 we see that there were not 3 wise men in attendance. The number is not given. Also note that Jesus was not a newborn. He was up to 2 years old. And the site was not a stable. It was a house, a family residence.

  When did the false nativity drama that I and others feel so sentimental about begin? I don’t know. Do you? The far more important question is when will it no longer be fictitiously presented and supported? Will tradition continue to reign supreme in place of what the Supreme One tells us? Is it not ours to intend to do what is right, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of people. (2Cor.8:21)

EBB4

SNAKES IN THE GRASS, NOT

SNAKES IN THE GRASS, NOT

Monday, August 07, 2017

Romans [NLT] 12:1-3 And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us.

Matthew [NLT] 3:1-10 In those days John the Baptist came to the Judean wilderness and began preaching. His message was, “Repent [G3340 μετανοέω; metanoeō; met-an-o-eh'-o From G3326 and G3539; to think differently or afterwards, that is, reconsider (morally to feel compunction): - repent. ] of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near. The prophet Isaiah was speaking about John when he said, “He is a voice shouting in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord’s coming! Clear the road for him!’” John’s clothes were woven from coarse camel hair, and he wore a leather belt around his waist. For food he ate locusts and wild honey. People from Jerusalem and from all of Judea and all over the Jordan Valley went out to see and hear John. ⁶ And when they confessed their sins, he baptized them in the Jordan River. But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming to watch him baptize, he denounced them. “You brood [progeny]of snakes!” he exclaimed. “Who warned you to flee the coming wrath? Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God. Don’t just say to each other, ‘We’re safe, for we are descendants of Abraham.’ That means nothing, for I tell you, God can create children of Abraham from these very stones. Even now the ax of God’s judgment is poised, ready to sever the roots of the trees. Yes, every tree that does not produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into the fire.

  In Sunday School class yesterday I was once again reminded of the important distinction between reading and studying God’s Word.

  Reading “O generation of vipers” (KJV) I always imagined snakes in the grass or a frightening snake pit as dramatically pictured in movie or video. This idea is far from what John was actually identifying the Pharisees and Sadducees as.

  Ryan, our rotation teacher for the day, had studied the real meaning of the phrase. The meaning the native Pharisees and Sadducees very much understood. Ryan explained in detail the lifecycle of vipers native to that land: After breeding the female kills the male and later the offspring kills their mother and so on repeating the sequence.

  Intrigued I thought “devour” and using e-Sword did a search resulting in pondering the exhortation from Paul recorded in Galatians chapter 5 “… you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love. For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”But if you are always biting and devouring one another, watch out! Beware of destroying one another. …”

  Again, reading is good, study is better, μετανοέω resulting in life application is best for doing so is action of honest maturation that is true worship pleasing to God.

EBB4

PS. One of my MBI teachers always referred to “John the identifier.”, not “the Baptist.

BELONGING VERSUS BELONGING

BELONGING VERSUS BELONGING

Sunday, August 06, 2017

John [GW] 1:11-13 He went to his own people, and his own people didn't accept him. However, he gave the right to become God's children to everyone who believed in him. These people didn't become God's children in a physical way-from a human impulse or from a husband's desire to have a child. They were born from God. [Note John chapter 3:1-21]

1Peter [GW] 2:2-10 Desire God's pure word as newborn babies desire milk. Then you will grow in your salvation. Certainly you have tasted that the Lord is good! You are coming to Christ, the living stone who was rejected by humans but was chosen as precious by God. You come to him as living stones, a spiritual house that is being built into a holy priesthood. So offer spiritual sacrifices that God accepts through Jesus Christ. That is why Scripture says, "I am laying a chosen and precious cornerstone in Zion, and the person who believes in him will never be ashamed." This honor belongs to those who believe. But to those who don't believe: "The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone, a stone that people trip over, a large rock that people find offensive." The people tripped over the word because they refused to believe it. Therefore, this is how they ended up. However, you are chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, people who belong to God. You were chosen to tell about the excellent qualities of God, who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not God's people, but now you are. Once you were not shown mercy, but now you have been shown mercy.

  This morning the refrain from dear old hymn repeatedly playing in the studio of my mind, and judging from emotional reaction, in my heart.

  “Now I belong to Jesus, Jesus belongs to me – Not for the years of time alone, But for eternity.” (Now I Belong To Jesus, by Norman J. Clayton. Hebrews 1:13 "In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise.": http://www.my.homewithgod.com/heavenlymidis2/belong.html )

  No miracle in the words and music replays; it is how The Word works when consideration is given. In this case the thread from pondering that Jesus died not just to redeem unto eternal life those that trust Him. He also sacrificed to redeem us from self; that we no longer need to live for ourselves struggling to maintain a fragile semblance of sanity, success, or survival. (2Cor.5:15)

  How wonderful is God’s Holy Spirit within as He renews our thinking, setting us free in Christ! (Jn.14:16-17; Rom.12:1-3;1Cor.6:19; 1Thes.5:19; Heb.1:13)

  A basic human need is to belong. In Eden, this fully was had until Eve, then Adam, granting audition to the wily old serpent. Once that seal of belonging was broken by man’s distrust of his Creator, the emotional need to belong became a dominant factor resulting in our sinful striving to fill the vacuum with prideful things that cannot satisfy. The list is long and various, including clubs, associations, fraternities, clans, tribes, corporations, charitable organizations, ministries, religions, churches, marriage, having children; all of which can never fully sate our hunger to actually belong.

  Take a moment and contemplate a few questions: How much effort do I invest in trying to gain and maintain the impression of belonging? How effective are my efforts? Do I feel that I’m continually against the wall in such endeavor? Has the investment ever become frustrating to the point that I withdrew in disappointment, even despairing, going hermit, or possibly to the point of considering suicide?

  There is but one true belonging, it being in living within Christ’s redemptive work.

  Individuals without will never truly enjoy belonging and its release (Jn.8:32-36), for they are not His (Mt.7:21-23; Jn.3:18; 8:23-47) though they certainly can be (John 3:1-36; 5:24; 10:28)

  And then there are those trusting Him for eternal salvation but living in conflict with who they are as redeemed people (Jn.1:12; 2Cor.5:17; 1Pet.1:18); belonging to God, yet struggling by worldly methods to fill their need to belong; thereby thwarting the fruit of the Spirit.

  Come, let us sing the joyous song: “Redeemed, how I love to proclaim it! Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb; Redeemed through His infinite mercy, His child and forever I am. … Redeemed, and so happy in Jesus, No language my rapture can tell; I know that the light of His presence. With me doth continually dwell.” (Redeemed, by Fanny J. Crosby & William J. Kirkpatrick. http://www.my.homewithgod.com/heavenlymidis2/redeemed.html )

EBB4 (Reviewed and rethought this morning. Originally pondered and penned 9/7/14)

ETERNAL SECURITY: THE SECURITY PART

ETERNAL SECURITY: THE SECURITY PART

Friday, August 4, 2017

How is the Christian saved and secured? By Lord Jesus Christ alone! We contribute nothing to our salvation or eternal security. In trusting obedient discipleship, or the lack thereof, we do however play the major part in our sense (emotions) of eternal security. As ever, being secure and feeling secure are two distinctly different life areas.

·         MADE ALIVE

Ephesians 2:1-10 And you hath he quickened [made alive], who were dead in trespasses and sins;

Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

Colossians 2:13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;

1Peter 3:18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:

·         SEALED; PRESERVED; KEPT ALIVE

2Corinthians [GW] 1:20-22 Certainly, Christ made God's many promises come true. For that reason, because of our message, people also honor God by saying, "Amen!" God establishes us, together with you, in a relationship with Christ. He has also anointed us. In addition, he has put his seal of ownership on us and has given us the Spirit as his guarantee.

Ephesians [GW] 1:1-14 From Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by God's will. To God's holy and faithful people who are united with Christ in the city of Ephesus. Good will and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ are yours! Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! Through Christ, God has blessed us with every spiritual blessing that heaven has to offer. Before the creation of the world, he chose us through Christ to be holy and perfect in his presence. Because of his love he had already decided to adopt us through Jesus Christ. He freely chose to do this so that the kindness he had given us in his dear Son would be praised and given glory. Through the blood of his Son, we are set free from our sins. God forgives our failures because of his overflowing kindness. He poured out his kindness by giving us every kind of wisdom and insight when he revealed the mystery of his plan to us. He had decided to do this through Christ. He planned to bring all of history to its goal in Christ. Then Christ would be the head of everything in heaven and on earth. God also decided ahead of time to choose us through Christ according to his plan, which makes everything work the way he intends. He planned all of this so that we who had already focused our hope on Christ would praise him and give him glory. You heard and believed the message of truth, the Good News that he has saved you. In him you were sealed with the Holy Spirit whom he promised. This Holy Spirit is the guarantee that we will receive our inheritance. We have this guarantee until we are set free to belong to him. God receives praise and glory for this.

Ephesians [GW] 4:17-32 So I tell you and encourage you in the Lord's name not to live any longer like other people in the world. Their minds are set on worthless things. They can't understand because they are in the dark. They are excluded from the life that God approves of because of their ignorance and stubbornness. Since they no longer have any sense of shame, they have become promiscuous. They practice every kind of sexual perversion with a constant desire for more. But that is not what you learned from Christ's teachings. You have certainly heard his message and have been taught his ways. The truth is in Jesus. You were taught to change the way you were living. The person you used to be will ruin you through desires that deceive you. However, you were taught to have a new attitude. You were also taught to become a new person created to be like God, truly righteous and holy. So then, get rid of lies. Speak the truth to each other, because we are all members of the same body. Be angry without sinning. Don't go to bed angry. Don't give the devil any opportunity to work. Thieves must quit stealing and, instead, they must work hard. They should do something good with their hands so that they'll have something to share with those in need. Don't say anything that would hurt another person. Instead, speak only what is good so that you can give help wherever it is needed. That way, what you say will help those who hear you. Don't give God's Holy Spirit any reason to be upset with you. He has put his seal on you for the day you will be set free from the world of sin. Get rid of your bitterness, hot tempers, anger, loud quarreling, cursing, and hatred. Be kind to each other, sympathetic, forgiving each other as God has forgiven you through Christ.

·         THE HAND OF THE ALMIGHTY; HE HOLDS YOU; YOU DON”T HOLD HIM

John [MKJV] 10:27-30 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give to them eternal life, and they shall never ever perish, and not anyone shall pluck them out of My hand. My Father who gave them to me is greater than all, and no one is able to pluck them out of My Father's hand. I and the Father are one!

·         UNCONFESSED SIN THWARTS PERFECT LOVE; RESULTING IN FEELING INSECURE

2Corinthians [MKJV] 13:11 Finally, brothers, rejoice. Perfect yourselves; encourage yourselves; mind the same thing; be at peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you.

1John [GW] 1:4-10 We are writing this so that we can be completely filled with joy. This is the message we heard from Christ and are reporting to you: God is light, and there isn't any darkness in him. If we say, "We have a relationship with God" and yet live in the dark, we're lying. We aren't being truthful. But if we live in the light in the same way that God is in the light, we have a relationship with each other. And the blood of his Son Jesus cleanses us from every sin. If we say, "We aren't sinful" we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 God is faithful and reliable. If we confess our sins, he forgives them and cleanses us from everything we've done wrong. If we say, "We have never sinned," we turn God into a liar and his Word is not in us.

  1John [MKJV 4:1-18 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but try the spirits to see if they are of God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God; and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the antichrist you heard is coming, and even now is already in the world. You are of God, little children, and you have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. They are of the world, therefore they speak of the world, and the world hears them. We are of God. He who knows God hears us. The one who is not of God does not hear us. From this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error. Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God, and everyone who loves has been born of God, and knows God. The one who does not love has not known God. For God is love. In this the love of God was revealed in us, because God sent His only begotten Son into the world that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation concerning our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwells in us, and His love is perfected in us. By this we know that we dwell in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world. Whoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwells in him and he in God. And we have known and believed the love that God has in us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him. In this is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment, that as He is, so also we are in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear, because fear has torment. He who fears has not been perfected in love.

EBB4

DISTANCING

DISTANCING

Thursday, August 03, 2017

Psalm 119:105, 133 [NLT] Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path. … Guide my   

       steps by your word, so I will not be overcome by evil.

Mark 13:31 [Jesus declared] Heaven and earth will disappear, but my words will never disappear.

2Timothy3:16-17 All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us    

       realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is  

       right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.

1Peter1:2-21 Above all, you must realize that no prophecy in Scripture ever came from the prophet’s

       own understanding, or from human initiative. No, those prophets were moved by the Holy Spirit,

       and they spoke from God.

  “Yea, hath God said”? (Gen.3:1)

  Once again today I read “The Bible teaches us …” This practice troubles my heart as doing so distances from the author, Jehovah God Almighty, consigning His Word to the shelf of books on guidance. Actually it’s an odd practice. When citing, isn’t credit typically given to the author? Why then “The Bible says …”?

  At 176 verses Psalm 119 is the longest book in God’s Word. Imagine quoting Psalm 119 citing “Bible” instead of “the Law of Jehovah.”, “His testimonies”, “His ways.”, “Your Commandments”, “Your Precepts!”, “Your righteous judgments.”,  “Your Word.”, “Your mouth.”,  “Your testimonies,”, “Your ways.”, “Your Law.”, “Your judgments”, “Your wonderful works.”, “Your way”, “the Word of truth”, “the Word of Your righteousness.”

EBB4