GUARDIAN ANGELS?

GUARDIAN ANGELS?

Friday, November 22, 2019

  Are their guardian angels in Jehovah God’s service? Definitely.

  Does each and every person have a 24/7 guardian angel assigned to them? (This would include Hitlers, Stalins, Roofs et al.)

  Does each and every follower of Christ have a 24/7 guardian angel assigned to them?

  Read on. Look up references and connected verses. Go beyond English, research the Hebrew and Greek.

EBB4

GotQuestions.org : "Do we have guardian angels?"

  Matthew 18:10 states, “See that you do not look down on one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.” In the context, “these little ones” could either apply to those who believe in Him (v. 6) or it could refer to the little children (vs. 3-5). This is the key passage regarding guardian angels. There is no doubt that good angels help protect (Daniel 6:20-23; 2 Kings 6:13-17), reveal information (Acts 7:52-53; Luke 1:11-20), guide (Matthew 1:20-21; Acts 8:26), provide for (Genesis 21:17-20; 1 Kings 19:5-7), and minister to believers in general (Hebrews 1:14).
  The question is whether each person—or each believer—has an angel assigned to him/her. In the Old Testament, the nation of Israel had the archangel (Michael) assigned to it (Daniel 10:21; 12:1), but Scripture nowhere states that an angel is “assigned” to an individual (angels were sometimes sent to individuals, but there is no mention of permanent assignment). The Jews fully developed the belief in guardian angels during the time between the Old and New Testament periods. Some early church fathers believed that each person had not only a good angel assigned to him/her, but a demon as well. The belief in guardian angels has been around for a long time, but there is no explicit scriptural basis for it. [When I was in the Boy Scouts they taught this in the Boy’s Life magazine. EBB4]
  To return to Matthew 18:10, the word “their” is a collective pronoun in the Greek and refers to the fact that believers are served by angels in general. These angels are pictured as “always” watching the face of God so as to hear His command to them to help a believer when it is needed. The angels in this passage do not seem to be guarding a person so much as being attentive to the Father in heaven. The active duty or oversight seems, then, to come more from God than from the angels, which makes perfect sense because God alone is omniscient. He sees every believer at every moment, and He alone knows when one of us needs the intervention of an angel. Because they are continually seeing His face, the angels are at His disposal to help one of His “little ones.”
  It cannot be emphatically answered from Scripture whether or not each believer has a guardian angel assigned to him/her. But, as stated earlier, God does use angels in ministering to us. It is scriptural to say that He uses them as He uses us; that is, He in no way needs us or them to accomplish His purposes, but chooses to use us and them nevertheless (Hebrews 1:7). In the end, whether or not we have an angel assigned to protect us, we have an even greater assurance from God: if we are His children through faith in Christ, He works all things together for good (Romans 8:28-30), and Jesus Christ will never leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5-6). If we have an omniscient, omnipotent, all-loving God with us, does it really matter whether or not there is a finite guardian angel protecting us?

Read more: http://www.gotquestions.org/guardian-angels.html#ixzz3fgRVYygs
http://www.gotquestions.org/guardian-angels.html

THE SPIRITUAL MAN

THE SPIRITUAL MAN IS UNNATURAL MAN

Thursday, November 21, 2019

  Proverbs [GW] 3:5-7 Trust the LORD with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths smooth. Do not consider yourself wise. Fear the LORD, and turn away from evil.

  Romans 12:1-2 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

  Galatians 5 … the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance …

  We call it the New Testament, but how much of what it says is new? The NT, including Jesus’ words recorded therein, refers to and explains the OT in new terms and/or illustration (parables et al). The initial chapters of Paul’s first letter to the assembly at Corinth is an example of this. Paul, using “natural man” and comparative “spiritual man” speaks of the same truth of Proverbs 3:5; truth he, as Saul, initially realized on the road to Damascus. (Act.9:1-6)

  Reading 1Corinthians chapters 1 & 2 we see that the natural man is a person blinded by measuring what God says by this world’s yardstick; familial, community cultural, prior secular philosophy and education. This natural man is the blind individual that Jesus refers to in John 3:3, Nicodemus being another exemplary before and after model.

  Both Nicodemus and persecutor Saul were highly educated and contemplative men, howbeit blind to true spiritual edification. One does not however have to be elite. We can be illiterate or somewhere in between on a literate knowledge scale, and still gain the blessed vision of a spiritual man. (Ps.1)

  Nicodemus and Paul especially exemplify the problem of religious education prior to confrontation by the Word. The same text they had head knowledge of, but as natural men obviously did not understand until trusting the word and gaining John 3:3 spiritual vision.

  Who, what, is a spiritual man? Am I?

  If I read and contemplate God’s Word, living (Jn.1:1, 14; 2Pet.3:5-7) and written (Ps.119; Jn.17:17; 2Tim.3:16-17) . . . and compare, measure the Word by what I know previous to my John 3:3 redemption . . . I am not a spiritual person, I am a natural man unregenerate in contemplation . . . and consequently in  deed.

  Writing to the assembled saints at Corinth Paul explains clearly that the spiritual person has the mind of Christ; evaluating all things having to do with life and death accordingly. He explained just as clearly that the natural person evaluates everything according to philosophy and values contrary to the mind of Christ.

  One respondent believes the “fruit of the Spirit” is the better way to evaluate whether spiritual or not. I agree that the spiritual person will manifest the fruit of the Spirit. However, this is not the prime evidence of being a spiritual person.

  I have known, do know, non-Christians, atheists, agnostics -- those that reject the mind of Christ – that believe in and exhibit love, joy, serenity, forgiveness, gentleness, goodness, devotion, humbleness, and self-control . . . and do so manifestly more than some professing Christians I have and/or do know.

  Whether spiritual or natural, the order is always beliefs > attitude > actions in word and deed.

EBB4

PS. If as a professing Christian we are amiss in word and deed, we need to examine our belief.

COMPLIMENTARY WORDS

COMPLIMENTARY WORDS

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

  Every day with Grandmother McGee was training day. For one thing she was a stickler for hygiene: “Always wash your hands. Soap and water are cheap. Sickness is not. Don’t just wash your fingertips. Wash above your wrists.” and there were many more life-items on her training list.

  The wash-your-hands took hold early on, but a number of her other repeated urgings did not. Some in particular did not make proper sense until at age 27 I did more than read the Bible as an interesting book.

  Grandmother constantly schooled “Don’t lie about or manipulate, but compliment people when you can truly do so.”

  Like hand washing, the habit took.

  I still enjoy complimenting; warming receivers personal esteem; and especially when it results in people awakening about something about themselves and/or relationship(s).

  So, what important point of light about complimenting did I discover in Scripture one day?

  Christ often answered questions with yet another question. Wanting to be Christ-like, I do so: What do you think is the greatest compliment that we can give someone? 

EBB4

MARKED

MARKED

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Genesis [ESV] 4:1-15 And Adam knew Eve his wife. And she conceived and bore Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from Jehovah. And she bore again, his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. And in the end of days, it happened, Cain brought to Jehovah an offering of the fruit of the ground. And Abel also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat of it. And Jehovah had respect to Abel and to his offering, but He did not have respect to Cain and to his offering. And Cain glowed with anger, and his face fell. And Jehovah said to Cain, Why have you angrily glowed? And why did your face fall? If you do well, shall you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin crouches at the door; and its desire is for you, and you shall rule over it. And Cain talked with his brother Abel. And it happened when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him.

And Jehovah said unto Cain, Where is your brother Abel? And he said, I do not know. Am I my brother's keeper? And He said, What have you done? The voice of your brother's blood cries to Me from the ground. And now you are cursed more than the ground which opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand. When you till the ground, it will not again give its strength to you. And you shall be a vagabond and a fugitive in the earth. And Cain said to Jehovah, My punishment is greater than I can bear. Behold! You have driven me out from the face of the earth today, and I shall be hidden from Your face. And I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth, and it shall be that anyone who finds me shall kill me. And Jehovah said to him, Therefore whoever kills Cain shall be avenged seven times. And Jehovah set a mark upon Cain so that anyone who found him should not kill him.

  Variations of “Now you’re a marked man!” are traceable to the first marked man. Being a marked man meant protection, then as time passed vulnerability as a target. At any rate it’s not a happy status.

  We may wonder why God spared unthankful Cain’s life after he murdered his brother Abel. Sadly I have dealt with inmates with the same mindset. Some openly telling me they don’t have a crime problem, they have a “Getting caught problem.”

  Other than historical account and produced maxim, what is the value of the record in Genesis 4:1-15? We know it definitely has value for God says so: “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” (ESV 2Tim.3:16-17)

  What is the value for you? How has considering the account contributed to your maturation and the effectiveness of your witness?

EBB4

CHOOSING HIS PATH

CHOOSING HIS PATH

Monday, November 18, 2019

Psalm [MKJV] 1

Blessed is the man who has not walked in the counsel of the ungodly, and has not stood in the way of sinners, and has not sat in the seat of the scornful.

But his delight is only in the Law of Jehovah; and in His Law he meditates day and night.

And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivulets of water that brings forth its fruit in its seasons, and its leaf shall not wither, and all which he does shall be blessed.

The wicked are not so, but are like chaff which the wind drives away.

herefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.

For Jehovah knows the way of the righteous; but the way of the ungodly shall perish.

Psalm [ESV] 16

Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge.

I say to the LORD, "You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you."

As for the saints in the land, they are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight.

The sorrows of those who run after another god shall multiply; their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out or take their names on my lips.

The LORD is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot.

The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.

I bless the LORD who gives me counsel; in the night also my heart instructs me.

I have set the LORD always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.

Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices; my flesh also dwells secure.

For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption.

You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Jesus said, I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life; no one comes to the Father but by Me. (Jn.14:6)

WORKING WITHIN AND BECAUSE OF GUARANTEED STATUS

WORKING WITHIN AND BECAUSE OF GUARANTEED STATUS

Sunday, November 17, 2019

   Paul’s first letter to the church at Corinth [ESV chapter 3]… we are God's fellow workers. You are God's field, God's building. According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw—each one's work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire. Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you. …

   To the church at Philippi [chapter 2] So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain. …

  In the 2 passages above it is obvious Paul is addressing believers and their assurance. With that established what do we see he is telling them then and us today?

  Once we trust Jesus, becoming born again John 1:12 family, we are not to laze awaiting deliverance from this life via death or the rapture. We are to be like Jesus, sans selfish ambition, working at serving our Heavenly Father and all others all our days in authentic Romans 12:1-3 worship pleasing to Him.

  Due to the deplorable condition of the Corinthian church Paul emphasizes exactly who and what Jesus is and precisely who believers are and what they are to do and not do; truth as appropriate now as was then and ever will be.

  Let us not run frantically willy nilly according to the 1John 2:16 standards of this world, for we have the “mind of Christ” (1Cor.2:16; Phil.2:5; 1Pet.4:1).

EBB4

For the diggers: “reward” is 36 times in KJV NT. Check it the Greek usage in contexts.

ARMOR UP!

www.GotQuestions.org "What is the full armor of God?"
  The phrase "full armor of God" comes from Ephesians 6:13-17: "Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God."
  Ephesians 6:12 clearly indicates that the conflict with Satan is spiritual, and therefore no tangible weapons can be effectively employed against him and his minions. We are not given a list of specific tactics Satan will use. However, the passage is quite clear that when we follow all the instructions faithfully, we will be able to stand, and we will have victory regardless of Satan's strategy.
  The first element of our armor is truth (verse 14). This is easy to understand, since Satan is said to be the "father of lies" (John 8:44). Deception is high on the list of things God considers to be an abomination. A "lying tongue" is one of the things He describes as "detestable to Him" (Proverbs 6:16-17). We are therefore exhorted to put on truth for our own sanctification and deliverance, as well as for the benefit of those to whom we witness.
  Also in verse 14, we are told to put on the breastplate of righteousness. A breastplate shielded a warrior's vital organs from blows that would otherwise be fatal. This righteousness is not works of righteousness done by men. Rather, this is the righteousness of Christ, imputed by God and received by faith, which guards our hearts against the accusations and charges of Satan and secures our innermost being from his attacks.
  Verse 15 speaks of the preparation of the feet for spiritual conflict. In warfare, sometimes an enemy places dangerous obstacles in the path of advancing soldiers. The idea of the preparation of the gospel of peace as footwear suggests what we need to advance into Satan's territory, aware that there will be traps, with the message of grace so essential to winning souls to Christ. Satan has many obstacles placed in the path to halt the propagation of the gospel.
  The shield of faith spoken of in verse 16 makes Satan's sowing of doubt about the faithfulness of God and His Word ineffective. Our faith of which Christ is "the author and perfecter" (Hebrews 12:2)" is like a golden shield, precious, solid, and substantial.
  The helmet of salvation in verse 17 is protection for the head, keeping viable a critical part of the body. We could say that our way of thinking needs preservation. The head is the seat of the mind, which, when it has laid hold of the sure gospel hope of eternal life, will not receive false doctrine or give way to Satan's temptations. The unsaved person has no hope of warding off the blows of false doctrine because he is without the helmet of salvation and his mind is incapable of discerning between spiritual truth and spiritual deception.
  Verse 17 interprets itself as to the meaning of the sword of the Spirit" it is the Word of God. While all the other pieces of spiritual armor are defensive in nature, the sword of the Spirit is the only offensive weapon in the armor of God. It speaks of the holiness and power of the Word of God. A greater spiritual weapon is not conceivable. In Jesus' temptations in the desert, the Word of God was always His overpowering response to Satan. What a blessing that the same Word is available to us!
  In verse 18, we are told to pray in the Spirit (that is, with the mind of Christ, with His heart and His priorities) in addition to wearing the full armor of God. We cannot neglect prayer, as it is the means by which we draw spiritual strength from God. Without prayer, without reliance upon God, our efforts at spiritual warfare are empty and futile. The full armor of God" truth, righteousness, the gospel, faith, salvation, the Word of God, and prayer" are the tools God has given us, through which we can be spiritually victorious, overcoming Satan's attacks and temptations.