| Poster | Thread |
| | Re: | | HI Stever
You are right, its not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit says the Lord. We can do nothing until we have been endued with power, and in todays church, there is a desperate need for the power to speak into hearts, to boldly witness for the cause of Christ, to be unashamed of the gospel of Jesus in an effective way, not is a way that alienates us from the "world." There does not seem to be much of a desire nowadays to "become all things to all men," that some might be won. This is also the power of the Holy Spirit. ............Frank |
|  2006/4/16 21:48 | |
| | Re: Where are you in the Battle? | | Very good article! Too bad most believers dont make that decision to die for the faith that saved them! Reformers are rare, full of passion for the truth and souls! This article should be put on a wall and put in a frame! Here ye! |
| | 2006/4/18 13:58 | | IRONMAN
Member
Joined: 2004/6/15
Posts: 1924
IN HEAVENLY PLACES WITH JESUS
| | Re: | | bro Phillip
Quote:
Boy, I don't want to be like the Church in Acts. If you go to chapter 5 and 6 they became a very disarrayed worldly Church, with everything conceivable being done not of the Body of Christ.
well we're going back there in terms of community and awareness of one another and caring for one another. while this church had it's issues it seems to me they sought the Lord for their resolution and were a much more tight-knit group. Also they were much simpler and in all honesty they were a far better Church than we in regards to the things mentionioned above. Even without the revelation which came through Paul concerning the formation of Chirst in each member of the body, they experienced a oneness in Spirit which we have yet to. Now we will be like them but then have the benefit of the knowledge of the formation of Christ in each member so we will grow from the infancy stage of needing miracles (which aren't as prolific now as they were then) to a point where the life of Christ flows out of us. the stage where the tongues, miracles and all cease for they have served their purpose.
_________________
Farai Bamu
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| | 2006/4/18 22:09 | Profile | Logic
Member
Joined: 2005/7/17
Posts: 1791
| | Re: Where are you in the Battle? | | appolus wrote: Quote:
This battle has been raging from the very beginning, it is the battle between light and darkness.
I was wondering what you think the light is and what the darkness is? |
| | 2006/4/19 21:35 | Profile |
| | Re: | | Hi Logic, the light is the Christ Himself, He is the light of the world. The darkness is all forces that are not in the light and not of the light and the chief of darkness is that old serpent, Lucifer............Frank |
| | 2006/4/19 22:43 | | Logic
Member
Joined: 2005/7/17
Posts: 1791
| | Re: | | appolus wrote: Quote:
Hi Logic, the light is the Christ Himself, He is the light of the world. The darkness is all forces that are not in the light and not of the light and the chief of darkness is that old serpent, Lucifer............Frank
Amen!
The question then comes as; what was the light before the time of Christ?
I will say that it was the Law as we read in the following verses:
Proverbs 6:23 for the commandment is a lamp; and the [b]law is light[/b]; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life:
Psalm 119:105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
Psalm 119:130 the entrance of thy words gives light; it gives understanding unto the simple.
John 8:12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that follows me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have [b]the light of life[/b].
This darkness that He spoke of is a metaphor used for ignorance of the Law and of divine things and its associated wickedness, condemnation and the resultant misery in hell. The Light of life in us would be the Law written on our hearts.
Now that we know, the Law is the Light before Jesus and He is the light of the world when He came to Earth. As He is at the right hand of His Father, He appoints His Church to be the light of the world for this present time.
Matthew 5:14-16 "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. :15 neither do men light a candle, and put it under a basket , but on a candlestick; and it gives light unto all that are in the house. [b]:16[/b] let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."
Jesus tells us this right after He said in a few verses before it in Matthew 5:10, 11 "Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." [b]11:[/b] "Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake."
Therefore, this light that Jesus is talking about is our attitude and our reactions to this world when it comes against us in persecution. The correct responses are to contrast those of what the world might expect from such persecutions. When the world sees this contrast of ours to theirs, the world will then notice our good works. These good works are not what they would expect as a response to what they have done to us. These good works are how we conduct ourselves in employment and of business, or in that which any one is occupied. It also could be an act, or a deed, or the fruit of righteousness. In other words, a different way of life, a Christ centered view on life, and Godly motives for everything that we do and think. The idea of good works is emphasized in us for the world to see Christ in us. Here, we see the Church reflecting Christ as the Moon reflects the Sun. |
| | 2006/4/20 11:49 | Profile |
| | Re: | | Hi Logic
I love your last paragraph and wholeheartedly agree with you. As for the Law being the light prior to Jesus coming, we disagree. The Law , in my opinion, was never the light. A better metaphor for the Law would be "mirror." The Law was never designed to produce righteousnes,Holiness, or a right standing before God. The Law merely highlighted our need for a Saviour. Paul would be a perfect example of one who would have found favour and righteousness with God if it could be attained through the Law. Yet we have Romans 7 to see what happens to any man, Old Testement or New, who tried to produce light or righteousness through the Law.
The light of the Old Testement was faith. And the Lord chose whom He would so that there would always be a remnant, a witness. Whether it was Abraham or David or the thousand of "unknowns," the fact is that men have, and always have been saved through faith and not of works lest any man should boast. If you were Abraham, would you boast about denying your wife to save your own neck? If you were David would you boast about adultery or murder? No, the fact is these men were chosen of God. And the great truth is that after Christ came then the Holy Spirit of the living God was given to all who would call upon the Lord, the vail of the temple was torn, and that which was hidden was now revealed in all its true glory, the Love of God, forgiveness and reconcilliation. Glory to God the Father through jesus that this great light still shines and has overcome the darkness. Darkness took advatage of the Law, darkness is destoyed by the light..............In the beauty of Holiness........Frank
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| | 2006/4/20 12:18 | |
| | Re: | | Frank, appreciate your posts and the others who posted here.
If I might just add ... as your first post brought out clearly ... it will be [b]THE TRUTH[/b] that will keep us saved, set us free and also get us persecuted and/or killed.
That is where the "Battle" is.
Folks don't mind you saying, Jesus is the way and the life (unless you mean to live exactly as HE did)... But when you get into what HE 'meant' by "I AM THE TRUTH" .... that is where you lose people and stir up the forces of Hell itself against you.
Have you ever seen christians lips turn up in a snarl, if you say you must have sound doctrine {TRUTH} to stay saved ?
What IS splitting the Church and will eventually cause them to drag some into their places of worship to be persecuted and killed, will be TRUTH.
In the latter days, you can say, Jesus is the way or even the life ... but when the Last Global Religion is done forming .... which shouldn't be too very far in the future ... it will be TRUE TRUTH ... that will cause The Elect to be cursed, persecuted, lied against and killed and even now in this Apostasy we're already in.
Just a few verses found under Truth ....
"And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. [u]But he who does the truth comes to the light[/u], that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God." John 3:19-21
"You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it. But because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me. Which of you convicts Me of sin? And if I tell the truth, why do you not believe Me? He who is of God hears Gods words; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God." John 8:44-47
"For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them." Romans 1:18-19
"Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever." Romans 1:24-25
"And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber." 2 Peter 2:2-3
"God, who 'will render to each one according to his deeds': eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality; but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness -- indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish." Romans 2:5-8
"But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every mans conscience in the sight of God." 2 Corinthians 4:2
"...let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth." 1 Corinthians 5:7
"Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness...." Ephesians 6:14
"Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth." John 17:17-19
For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables." 2 Timothy 4:3-4
"Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins." James 5:19-20
"Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice" John 18:37
"...the coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the Love of The Truth, that they might be saved.2 Thessalonians 2:9
God Bless-Take Care.
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| | 2006/4/20 13:45 | | Logic
Member
Joined: 2005/7/17
Posts: 1791
| | Re: | | appolus wrote: Quote:
Hi Logic As for the Law being the light prior to Jesus coming, we disagree.
I would have to disagre to your dissagreement :-)Quote:
The Law , in my opinion, was never the light. A better metaphor for the Law would be "mirror." The Law was never designed to produce righteousnes,Holiness, or a right standing before God. The Law merely highlighted our need for a Saviour.
The light of the Old Testement was faith.
Then how do you explain the verses that I quoted in Proverbs & Psalms?
The was am mirror as Jamese 1:23 tells us.
Just as a mirror exposes you to yourself, the Law as light exposes the same.
Romans 3:20 B.....for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
How would "by faith is the knowledge of sin", make any sence?
If faith was the light, then why isn't it now?
I guess that I don't understand hor faith can be light.
Quote:
Darkness took advatage of the Law, darkness is destoyed by the light..............In the beauty of Holiness
If sin is darkness and light is law, then Darkness took advatage [b]of ME by the law(light)[/b] Romans 7:8.
Your faith being light would be:
Darkness took advatage of [b]ME by the faith(light)[/b] |
| | 2006/4/20 13:47 | Profile |
| | Re: | | Hi Logic,
Just a couple of things of note. You misquote me, in your quote you say I wrote this ......
"Hi Logic As for the Law being the light prior to Jesus coming, we disagree."
You obviously cut and pasted that together. Its an important point to me because I actually started out my post by pointing out that we were in complete agreement as far as your last paragraph was concerned. My point being, I am not striving to find something to disagree with, we all need to check our spirit from time to time so that we are not involved in clashes of ego, rather than a genuine striving for the truth. Having said that, let me quote you Logic ....
If sin is darkness and light is law, then Darkness took advatage of ME by the law(light) Romans 7:8.
Your faith being light would be:
Darkness took advatage of ME by the faith(light)
I have no idea what you just said :) The premise that the law is light is yours , not mine, so are you asking yourself the question?
PS logic, before you reply, if you would, could you study and tell me the difference between "transgressor," and "sinner" ...just a side note..........Frank
:-) |
| | 2006/4/20 15:13 | |
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