God's_Child

Me too

__________________
"For God ... giveth grace to the humble".
(1Pe.5:5)
"Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen".
(Eph.6:24)

Bondman

Thankyou so very much Jeff and Tania!

I've had a restful and quite interesting day. God has been showing me a number of really good things (one I didn't like very much because it was a failing... *thankyou, Lord, for showing this to me!*)

That all the above happened is perfectly simple: always does when God's people pray. (Man, I love you guys!!!)

- BM

__________________

Bondman

Message #94

HOW TO READ THE SCRIPTURES (AND HOW NOT!) - Part 1

Those who've read my Messages here will know how very strong I am that every DOCTRINE (belief) and PRACTICE (living out the doctrine) BOTH in our LIVES AND in the CHURCH must be solidly based on the SCRIPTURES! Because of this some may want to call me a 'literalist', but I'm not. I simply wish to read the Word of God that's THERE! - and after I have, to be able to see and understand WHAT GOD IS SAYING!!! That's it. THAT'S the bottom line!

The only way to know what God is saying is by the Holy Spirit, who helps and enables you to SEE and to UNDERSTAND. What happens is that as you read and as you study, the Spirit of God shines His light onto the Word like a torch, to enable you to SEE what otherwise you cannot! If you read the Scriptures without Him then you'll NEVER understand what they say!! When He REVEALS - and that's certainly what He does! - then you can read the words that are there - and you UNDERSTAND, they become CLEAR! You "SEE" THEM!

There's nothing magical about this, it's just GOD! He is my Revelator by His Spirit. It astonishes me how clear the New Testament has become to me as I read the black writing on those white pages! And here's the next thing: UNLESS A BELIEF, A TEACHING, A DOCTRINE, A PRACTICE IS CLEARLY IN THE NEW TESTAMENT, THEN I AM NOT INTERESTED IN IT!! - BECAUSE IT IS NOT GOD'S WORD TO US!!!

Not for many hundreds of years in Christendom has there been such widespread MAKING UP AND MANUFACTURING OF BELIEFS in so many churches as we are seeing today. So much so that I'm utterly sorry to have to say that it's highly likely your church is doing this. Some of these false beliefs may seem unimportant. Here's an example taken from a post on this forum. The person has the gift of speaking in tongues and stated that when you do this the devil doesn't know what you're saying.

Clearly the person had been TAUGHT this by her church. Does the Bible say this anywhere? NO! So CAN the devil understand what I say when I speak in an unknown language? I've no idea - because the Bible doesn't tell us one way or the other! PLEASE NOTE: just because the New Testament DOES say that a tongue speaker is speaking to God is NOT the same as saying that the devil can't understand what you're saying. Maybe he can... THE TRUTH: "speaking to God" means exactly "speaking to God". Nothing more, nothing less. That's the SOLE information God has given us! AND WE CERTAINLY MUST NOT MAKE UP NOR ASSUME THINGS THAT THE BIBLE DOESN'T SAY!!

So is this error really UNimportant? NOT IT'S NOT, AND HERE'S WHY. What I observe in particular churches around the world is that once you find one error like this, there will virtually ALWAYS be others! That is, I have to wonder how many OTHER Scriptural errors this person has been taught, probably more serious than this one. I'll share more of these in following Parts. And then after that, there's much worse to come!!

continued in Part 2...

- BM, with his Lady

__________________

Fluffy

Hey, Bondman! Did you realize that the Inner Room has almost reached 1000 posts?!?!

Now, in the other forums we have been in, 1000 posts meant that thread was done, and had to make a new one. Such as The Inner Room II. Does that apply here, too?

__________________
Be transparent before God, He sees right thru you, anyway!
http://www.likepreciousfaith.org/testimony_val.htm
Please pray for your local emergency responders, daily.

Bondman

I didn't realise and have no idea what happens, hon. Guess we'll have to get Bo or someone to tell us! *cups his hands; calls loudly to the nearest Mod!!*

Just as a matter of interest, Father's Day here in Oz is not till September!

I don't think she'll mind me telling this here, but when my daughter and family were church-planting in Japan for many years, sometimes I'd get a card from her now (Japan is the same as you guys) or maybe she'd remember NOT to send one - but then quite understandably forget in September. Bit of a silly world, hey!

__________________

Bondman

Message #95

I WAS STRUGGLING...

It can be so easy for things to go WRONG in our Christian walk! *maybe you've noticed, hee!* Sometimes we don't realise they have. Other times we do realise, but can't see what to do about it. And this can just happen! Don't let it 'throw' you - it's part of the Christian experience! For example, I've written many times how we should not struggle in our life as Believers, but instead rely upon the Holy Spirit to make our lives work.

Quite recently I went through a period where I was strugging - but apparently was NOT 'SEEING' that I was!! The problem I had was an important matter of faith... and I knew I should have faith... I'm a man of faith... but I sure was having trouble with faith on this particular Christian matter! I believe the more important a thing is, the MORE LIKELY we are to be tempted to struggle.

So I strugged on - and of course the more I struggled the WORSE things got for me!! (a great lesson there!) At last I got desperate - which is a really, really IMPORTANT WORD for us fair dinkum Christians - and spent a serious time with the Lord, something I should have done piles earlier, and lo and behold the Lord got through to me that: I WAS STRUGGLING!! EEERP!!...

I relinquished control of the whole thing, gave it back to Him. I said to Him: "YOUR will be done, Lord! THAT'S ALL I WANT!! Nothing else! I don't have to be this or that, or try to be this or that, but just put myself TOTALLY INTO YOUR HANDS, and trust YOU with this whole thing." I stopped struggling, and relief came to me fairly quickly. But man, this sure goes to show how hard it can be to live the Christian life, and how incredibly easy it is to get tricked, trapped, and tripped up - without even realising. I'm now quite relaxed about this matter, just quietly trusting HIM, knowing that His will will be done, and so that is all ABSOLUTELY a-okay!!

I hope this may be something of an encouragement to you. It seems that no matter who we are it can be sooo easy to be... well, pretty Spiritually dumb!!

Much love!

- BM, with his Mrs

__________________

Fluffy

Thank you for that, Bondman! I have been struggling with something myself these days. I needed a reminder that even when we are not sure what it is we are struggling with, we need to be quick to give it Him, and let Him take care of it. Whatever it is! ha!

__________________
Be transparent before God, He sees right thru you, anyway!
http://www.likepreciousfaith.org/testimony_val.htm
Please pray for your local emergency responders, daily.

Bondman

Indeed! (I was stunned at how "thick" I was being! )

I love your point that even if we're unsure what the stuggle is actually about - give the whole she-bang to Him anyway!! Hey, THAT'S GOOD!!!

__________________

Bondman

Message #96

WHAT GOD HIMSELF SAYS ABOUT THE SCRIPTURES - Part 2

... continued from Part 1 ("How to Read the Scriptures (and How Not)!")

I understand that this series of Messages may make some uncomfortable or even upset, if what I'm writing seems to be striking at the heart of what your church teaches and what you personally believe. I am NOT speaking lightly here, but advisedly and very deliberately. Before God Who I love and serve, this is something I MUST do.

I am a man of PEACE and LOVE. I've endeavoured to here teach those things that can bring you close to God and His love for you, and to the peace that truly does pass all understanding! However the time has come when I must speak up, no matter the consequences, regarding where God's truth is being trampled on and countless numbers of people lead away from His truth. Should the result of this series I'm writing be that I am asked to leave, or be misunderstood, or rejected, or worse, this will not ever distract me for one second from the work God has called me to do.

I TOTALLY and IRREVOCABLY stand for the following:

1. GOD HIMSELF SAYS THAT all of Scripture is the inerrant Word of the Living God. The Verses below say the Scriptures are INSPIRED by God, and good and profitable in our Christioan lives for an amazing 4 things:

2 Timothy 3:16 Every Scripture is God-breathed (given by His inspiration) and profitable (1) for instruction, (2) for reproof and conviction of sin, (3) for correction of error and discipline in obedience, [and] for (4) training in righteousness (in holy living, in conformity to God's will in thought, purpose, and action),

and as a direct result of these 4 things we get 2 great RESULTS or EFFECTS flowing from them (I hope you can handle these, cos I sure CAN!!):

17 So that the man of God may be (1) complete and proficient, (2) well fitted and thoroughly equipped for every good work.

"Complete and equipped for every good work" surely works for me!!!

2. Effectively God also directly and specifically says that all of Scripture MUST NOT BE MESSED WITH in any way!! His dire warnings are 2 in number:

Revelation 22:18 I [personally solemnly] warn everyone who listens to the statements of the prophecy [the predictions and the consolations and admonitions pertaining to them] in this book: If anyone shall (1) add anything to them, God will add and lay upon him the plagues (the afflictions and the calamities) that are recorded and described in this book.
19 And if anyone (2) cancels or takes away from the statements of the book of this prophecy [these predictions relating to Christ's kingdom and its speedy triumph, together with the consolations and admonitions or warnings pertaining to them], God will cancel and take away from him his share in the tree of life and in the city of holiness (purity and hallowedness), which are described and promised in this book.

So, DARE to ADD anything to the Bible, and you get (all) the afflictions and calamities recorded in the Bible!

Or DARE to TAKE AWAY ANYTHING from the Bible and you lose life (lose heaven - therefore end up in hell).

Coming are actual and common examples of doing THOSE TWO DIRE THINGS!!!

... continued in Part 3 "What the Bible Does NOT Say (and DOES!)

- BM, with his lady-love

No man can ever know all the truth - only GOD can!
All I can do is constantly depend on the Holy Spirit to show me
THE Truth from His Holy Word. If you ever see what
looks like wrong Scripture please tell me.

__________________

SweetSurrender

So, does that mean not to add or subtract from the book of Revelations? I thought it meant the Book of the Bible, but it sounds like it is talking about the Book of Revelations.

Also, does this mean in the Mormon Church, that only Joseph Smith, who wrote the Bom (Book of Mormon), will be punished for changing God's word, or will any Mormon who believes in the Bom be doomed. What say ye? That's kinda scary beings I once was one. Of course I never believed that Joe Smith was truly a prophet. I knew something was fishy.

__________________