Showing posts with label wisdom. Show all posts
Showing posts with label wisdom. Show all posts

Friday 25 August 2017

Sometimes we face trials

In life we encounter many difficulties. Even as an organisation we can have to face trials or having to look at people who tell lies about us and have people defending the false accuser.

Sometimes we lack this necessary wisdom to face trials and persevere faithfully. These are the times when our suffering is so overwhelming that we are tempted to question whether God is either sovereign or good or to come to question if the organisation we are with might be the right one.

In such circumstances we may not forget that the adversary of God may be everywhere and in all sorts of disguises. There are enough people who shall try to get you away from your church or from your faith group. Their aim shall be to discourage you and to destroy your faith in that group you where doing so much for.

Though when we look at the matter, take distance form it we shall see some good things in it as well. It shall give us an opportunity to check if we are connected  with the right persons. Also it shall remind us that if we lack the wisdom needed to face such trials with faith and steadfastness, we can ask God.
We should ask God.

We must ask God.

In the very first chapter of his letter, James reminds us that the God we are to ask is not only sovereign, He is also faithful.

Many people may try to annoy us and get us so far that we start doing the wrong things; They may tempt us or want us to lure in saying things which can harm us more.

Many may use many ways to tempt us or to get us so far that we might react in the way they would love us to see, bringing damage to us. God does not tempt us to sin; He is good. He doesn’t make fun of us when we ask for wisdom; He is the God who gives generously.
James 1:5 The Scriptures 1998+  (5)  If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of Elohim, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it shall be given to him.
When tempted by evil doers, we should not be afraid to ask God for advice. At moments we may feel left abandoned. We may feel as if so many are turning against us. We also may feel like we once more failed.

When daring to talk to God and asking His advice, He shall come to us and by our guide. Our good and sovereign God will grant to us the very thing we are lacking, the very thing we need to face suffering well.

So, let us ask God for wisdom, believing that He is sovereign, faithful, and good, and that God uses our suffering to make us look more like Jesus.
James 1:4 The Scriptures 1998+  (4)  And let endurance have a perfect work, so that you be perfect and complete, lacking in naught.
Life might not always be easy and may demand a lot of us. Often we have to show a lot of patience.

When believing in God, trusting Him, we might find out that everything comes all right in due time.

Do you believe? Ask Him! He is a generous God who delights in giving good gifts to His children in order that we may patiently and faithfully endure to the end.

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Additional reading
  1. An other look at the events of today by one of our magazines
  2. Today’s thought “Be aware of what went on” (August 15) He that answers a matter before he hears it, it is folly and shame unto him.
  3. The post-Christian world
  4. Through much tribulation
  5. About transgression, law and punishments
  6. The ecclesia Facebook account from now on restricted access 
  7. Golden rule for understanding in spiritual matters obedience
  8. The Golden rule not always as easy as its sounds
  9. Gates to different belief systems in this world
  10. Matthew 6:1-34 – The Nazarene’s Commentary on Leviticus 19:18 Continued 1 Charity and neighbour love
  11. Matthew 6:1-34 – The Nazarene’s Commentary on Leviticus 19:18 Continued 2 Prayer and neighbour love
  12. Matthew 6:1-34 – The Nazarene’s Commentary on Leviticus 19:18 Continued 3 Forgiveness and neighbour love
  13. Matthew 6:1-34 – The Nazarene’s Commentary on Leviticus 19:18 Continued 4 Treasures’ and neighbour love
  14. Matthew 6:1-34 – The Nazarene’s Commentary on Leviticus 19:18 Continued 5 Matthew 6: 24-34: e) Anxiety and neighbor love
  15. Matthew 7:1-11 – The Nazarene’s Commentary on Neighbor Love Continued 6: Matthew 7:1-5 Judgment and neighbor love
  16. Matthew 7:1-11 – The Nazarene’s Commentary on Neighbor Love Continued 8: Matthew 7:6-11 Giving and neighbor love
  17. Matthew 7:12 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Summary on the Torah’s Fulfillment
  18. Matthew 7:13-14 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: The True Disciple #1 The Narrow Gate and the way to destruction 
  19. Religious Theology – The wide gate!

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Monday 11 May 2015

Bible, helmet of health, salvation and sword of the spirit



“((To the Chanter, a Psalm of David.)) The very heavens declare the glory of God, and the very firmament sheweth his handiwork.” (Psalms 19:1 TRC)

 “1  And God spake all these words and said: 2 I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt and out of the house of bondage. 3 Thou shalt have none other gods in my sight.” (Exodus 20:1-3 TRC)

 “For thus sayeth the Lord GOD {|LORDE God|} there to; It shall not so go forth, neither come so to pass:” (Isaiah 7:7 TRC)

 “And with that, the LORD stretched out his hand, and touched my mouth, and said moreover unto me. Behold I put my words in thy mouth,” (Jeremiah 1:9 TRC)

 “Believest thou not that I am in the father, and the father in me? The words that I speak unto you, I speak not of myself: but the father dwelling {that dwelleth} in me is he that doeth the works.” (John 14:10 TRC)

 “And take the helmet of health, {salvation} and the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God,” (Ephesians 6:17 TRC)

 “And he said: I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look upon God.” (Exodus 3:6 TRC)

 “We know that the son of God is come, and hath given us a mind {understanding} to know him which {that} is true: and we are in him that is true, {be in the truth} through {thorow} his son Jesu Christ. This same {He} is very God, and eternal {|everlasting|} life.” (1 John 5:20 TRC)

 “thou art worthy ([O]) Lord ([our God]) to receive glory, and honour, and power, for thou hast created all things, and for thy will’s sake they are, and were created.” (Revelation 4:11 TRC)

 “2 And God spake unto Moses saying unto him: I am the LORD, 3 and I appeared unto Abraham, Isaac and Jacob an Almighty God: but in my name Jehovah {Iehouah} was I not known unto them.” (Exodus 6:2-3 TRC)

 “13 wilt thou therefore say: Tush, how should God know? Doth his dominion reach beyond the clouds? 14 Tush, the clouds cover him that he may not see, for he dwelleth in heaven.” (Job 22:13-14 TRC)

 “5 And the Levites, Jeshua, and Cadmiel, Bani, Hasabniah, Serebiah, Hodjah, Sebaniah, and Pathahiah, said: Stand up praise the LORD your God forever: and let thanks be given unto the name of thy glory, which exceedeth all thanksgiving and praise. 6 LORD, {|<thou art>|} thou alone hast made heaven, and the heaven of all heavens, with all their host, the earth and all that is therein, the sea and all that is therein: thou givest life unto all, and the host of heaven bow themselves unto thee. 7 Thou art, the LORD, the God that hast chosen Abram, and broughtest him out of Ur in Chaldea, and called him Abraham” (Nehemiah 9:5-7 TRC)

 “7  Hear, O my people: let me speak, let me testify among you, O Israel: I am God, even thy God. 8 I reprove thee not because of thy sacrifice, thy burntofferings are alway before me. 9 I will take no bullocks out of thy house, nor goats out of thy folds. 10 For all the beasts of the field are mine, and thousands of cattle upon the hills. 11 I know all the fowls upon the mountains, and the wild beasts of the field are in my sight. 12 If I be hungry, I will not tell thee: for the whole world is mine, and all that therein is. 13 Thinkest thou, that I will eat the flesh of oxen, or drink the blood of goats? 14 Offer unto God praise and thanksgiving, and pay thy vows unto the most highest. 15 And call upon me in the time of trouble, so will I hear thee, that thou shalt thank me. 16  But unto the ungodly sayeth God: Why doest thou preach my laws, and takest my covenant in thy mouth? 17 Where as thou hatest to be reformed, and castest my words behind thee?” (Psalms 50:7-17 TRC)

 “11 And the very same, made some Apostles, some Prophets, some Evangelists, some Shepherds, some Teachers: 12 that the saints might have all things necessary to work and minister withal, to the edifying of the body of Christ, 13 till we everyeachone (in the unity of faith, {|we all come unto one manner of faith|} and knowledge of the son of God) grow up unto a perfect man, after the measure of age which is in {of} the fullness of Christ: {|and become a perfect man in to the measure of the perfect age of Christ|} 14 That we henceforth be no more children wavering and carried with every wind of doctrine, by the wiliness {|wickedness|} of men and craftiness, whereby they lay a wait for us to deceive us.” (Ephesians 4:11-14 TRC)

 “And I brethren when I came to you, came not in gloriousness of {|in hye words|} words or of wisdom, shewing unto you the testimony of God. {|preaching of Christ|}” (1 Corinthians 2:1 TRC)

 “9 but as it is written: The eye hath not seen, and the ear hath not heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. 10 But God hath opened them unto us by his spirit. For the spirit searcheth all things, yea the bottom of God’s {Goddes} secrets. {|even the deepness of the God head|}” (1 Corinthians 2:9-10 TRC)

 “14 For the natural man perceiveth not the things of the spirit of God: For they are but foolishness unto him. Neither can he perceive them because he is spiritually examined: {|can not perceive it: for it must be spiritually discerned|} 15 but he that is spiritual discusseth all things: yet he himself is judged of no man. 16 For who knoweth the mind of the Lord, other who shall inform him? but we understand the mind of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 2:14-16 TRC)

 “Who hath reformed the mind of the LORD? Or who is of his counsel to teach him?” (Isaiah 40:13 TRC)

 “5 which mystery in times passed was not opened unto the sons of men as it is now declared unto his holy apostles and prophets by the spirit: 6 that the gentiles should be inheritors also, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise that is in Christ, by the means of the gospel, {gospell}” (Ephesians 3:5-6 TRC)

 “that their hearts might be comforted and knit together in love, and in all riches of full understanding, for to know the mystery of God the father and of Christ” (Colossians 2:2 TRC)

 “Tell nothing into the ears of a fool, for he will despise the wisdom of thy words.” (Proverbs 23:9 TRC)

 “1  These be the last sayings of David. David the son of Isai said: And the man is lifted up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob and pleasant Psalmist of Israel said: 2 the spirit of the LORD spake in me, and his words were on my tongue.” (2 Samuel 23:1-2 TRC)

 “Ye men and brethren, this scripture must {have} needs be {been} fulfilled which the holy ghost thorow the mouth of David spake before of Judas, which was guide to them that took Jesus.” (Acts 1:16 TRC)

 “When they agreed not among themselves, they departed, after that Paul had spoken one word: well spake the holy ghost by Esay the prophet unto our fathers,” (Acts 28:25 TRC)

 “searching when, or at what time the spirit of Christ which was in them should signify, which spirit testified before, the passions that should come unto Christ, and the glory that should follow after:” (1 Peter 1:11 TRC)

 “20 So that ye first know this, that no prophecy in the scripture hath {|is done of|} any private interpretation. 21 For the scripture {|prophecy|} came never by the will of man: but wholy men of God spake as they were moved by the wholy ghost.” (2 Peter 1:20-21 TRC)

 “But that comforter which is the holy ghost (whom my father will send in my name) {<he>} shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have told you.” (John 14:26 TRC)

 “16 For all scripture given by inspiration of God, is profitable to teach, to improve, to inform, {amend} and to instruct in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be perfect, and prepared unto all good works.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17 TRC)

 “For this cause thank we God without ceasing, because that when ye received of us the word, wherewith God was preached, ye received it not as the word of man: but even as it was in deed, {|is of a trueth|} the word of God, which worketh in you that believe.” (1 Thessalonians 2:13 TRC)

 “Whatsoever things are written aforetime, are written for our learning that we thorow patience and comfort of the scripture should {might} have hope.” (Romans 15:4 TRC)

 “All these things happened upon them for ensamples, and were written to put us in remembrance, {|to warn us|} whom the ends of the world are come upon.” (1 Corinthians 10:11 TRC)

 “49  ((Zain.)) O think upon thy servant as concerning thy word, wherein thou hast caused me to put my trust. 50  For it is my comfort in my trouble, yea thy word quickeneth me.” (Psalms 119:49-50 TRC)

 “7 The chief point of wisdom is, that thou be willing to obtain wisdom, and before all thy goods to get the understanding. 8 Make much of her and she shall promote thee: Yea if thou embracest her, she shall bring thee unto honour. 9 She shall make thee a gracious head, and garnish thee with a {|the|} crown of glory.” (Proverbs 4:7-9 TRC)

 “A wise heart will seek after knowledge, but the mouth of fools meddle with foolishness.” (Proverbs 15:14 TRC)

 “He which is sown in the good ground, is he, that heareth the word and understandeth it, which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundred fold, some fifty {sixty} fold, and some thirty fold.” (Matthew 13:23 TRC)

 “But strong meat belongeth to them that are perfect, which thorow custom have their wits exercised, to judge both good and evil also.” (Hebrews 5:14 TRC)

 “God gave now these four springalds cunning and learning in all scripture and wisdom: but unto Daniel specially, he gave understanding of all visions and dreams.” (Daniel 1:17 TRC)

 “There is no wisdom, there is no understanding, there is no counsel against the LORD.” (Proverbs 21:30 TRC)

 “O give ear unto good counsel, and be content to be reformed, that thou mayest be wise here after.” (Proverbs 19:20 TRC)

 “7 Consider what I say. The Lord give thee understanding in all things. 8  Remember that Jesus Christ being of the seed of David, rose again from death according to my gospel, {gospell} 9 wherein I suffer trouble as an evil doer, even unto bonds. But the word of God was not bound. 10 Herefore I suffer all things, for the elects’ sakes, that they might also obtain that health {salvation} which is in Christ Jesu, with eternal glory.” (2 Timothy 2:7-10 TRC)

 “As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.” (John 17:2 TRC)

 “We know that the son of God is come, and hath given us a mind {understanding} to know him which {that} is true: and we are in him that is true, {be in the truth} through {thorow} his son Jesu Christ. This same {He} is very God, and eternal {|everlasting|} life.” (1 John 5:20 TRC)

 “2 for kings, and for all that are in preeminence, {authority} that we may live a quiet and a peaceable life, in all godliness and honesty. 3 For that is good and accepted in the sight of god our saviour, 4 which would {will} have all men saved, and {<to>} come unto the knowledge of the truth.” (1 Timothy 2:2-4 TRC)


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Preceding versions:

Bijbel, helm van de zaligheid en het zwaard van de Geest ter onderricht
La Bible, casque du salut, et l’épée de l’Esprit 
Bibel, Helm des Heils und das Schwert des Geistes
 

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  1. Fools despise wisdom and instruction
  2. Looking for wisdom not departing from God’s Word
  3. Words to inspire and to give wisdom
  4. Eternal Word that tells everything
  5. Hearing words to accept
  6. Genuine message of salvation
  7. God who knows the heart
  8. Bible, God speaking words profitable for doctrine, for reproof and for correction
  9. No prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation
  10. Bible, God’s Word to edify (ERV)
  11. Looking for wisdom not departing from God’s Word
  12. The holy spirit will bring back to your minds all the things told
  13. True God giving His Word for getting wisdom
  14. Bric-a-brac of the Bible
  15. We should use the Bible every day
  16. Feed Your Faith Daily
  17. May reading the Bible provoke us into action to set our feet on the narrow way
  18. Bible, helmet of salvation, God’s Words put in the mouth of prophets for perfecting, to reprove and correct
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Thursday 26 March 2015

Actions to be a reflection of openness of heart

The people of God heard the words Moses brought to them from the Adonai and they were willing to listen and to take them at heart.

Without a willing mind, costly offerings would be abhorred. With it, the smallest will be accepted. Our hearts are willing, when we cheerfully assist in promoting the truth both by giving our money and our time and our labour. It is up to each individual to decide what he is going to do for God and how much time and money he or she is willing to invest in this God's work. The command, and its fulfilment, was not based on wealth. Nor was the determination of the donation — be it of gold, fabrics or skills — based on what the mind thought would be “appropriate” charity. It was based on each person becoming aware of their spirit and their heart and acting on that awareness.  Thus anyone who attends to his work in the faith and fear of God, may be as wise, for his place, as anyone else, and be equally accepted of the Lord. Our wisdom and duty consist in giving God the glory and use of our talents, be they many or few:
 "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God" (1Corinthians 10:31).
Exo 35:20-29 MKJV  And all the congregation of the sons of Israel departed from the presence of Moses.  (21)  And they came, every one whose heart stirred him up, and every one whom His spirit made willing. They brought Jehovah's offering to the work of the tabernacle of the congregation, and for all His service, and for the holy garments.  (22)  And the men came in together with the women, as many as were willing-hearted, bringing bracelets and earrings, and rings and ornaments, all jewels of gold. And everyone who offered waved a wave offering of gold to Jehovah.  (23)  And everyone with whom was found blue, and purple, and scarlet, and bleached linen, and goats' hair, and red skins of rams, and badgers' skins, brought them.  (24)  Everyone lifting up an offering of silver and bronze brought Jehovah's offering. And everyone with whom was found acacia-wood for any work of the service, brought it.  (25)  And every wise-hearted woman spun with her hands. And they brought spun yarn, blue, and purple, scarlet, and bleached linen.  (26)  And all the women whose hearts were lifted up in wisdom spun goats' hair.  (27)  And the rulers brought onyx stones, and stones to be set, for the ephod and for the breast-pocket.  (28)  And they brought spice and oil, for the light and for the anointing oil and for the sweet incense.  (29)  The sons of Israel brought a willing offering to Jehovah, every man and woman whose heart made them willing to bring for all kinds of work which Jehovah had commanded to be made by the hand of Moses.
The inhabitants of this world have to choose which world they want to belong to. Each person also has to chose on whose side he or she wants to stand and where to look for wisdom and truth. To come to wisdom and insight there has to be an open mind, willing to look further then the length of the nose and looking beyond the man made dogmas and teachings. That last part is the most difficult. Most people are afraid to set aside the dogmatic teachings, like the teaching of the Holy Trinity.
Most often they want to silence themselves such a tri-une godhead is too difficult to understand for man so it shall only be understood when the Holy Spirit is on man.

As such many Christians keep blinding themselves, not willing to accept the words like they are written down in the Bible. They forget that God commanded each person to search for the truth and to seriously study His Word, being prepared to put aside man's word. Each person has to become aware of their spirit and their heart and acting on that awareness, and God shall consider each person himself or herself responsible for the (man)made choices.

Rabbi Michael Barclay reminds us that in the past each gift was not judged by its financial value, but valued because it was a gift of the heart, a unique expression of that person. According to Rabbi Avraham Greenbaum:
 “The various different physical materials that different men and women had in their possession and contributed for the construction of the Sanctuary correspond to the unique personal attributes and powers possessed by each and every individual.
These days we look at the Book Exodus and at the Book of Proverbs trying to see how God's Wisdom is given free to share with many and enabling to free our minds and souls. coming closer to 14 Nisan we remember the Exodus of God's People. With them we find the story of a journey into freedom, but with freedom comes responsibilities.

We can not ignore how even the People of God once liberated form slavery by Him, dared to doubt Him and even went astray at several moments in their life. From the book Exodus we should hear the clear teaching:
 Each individual must choose to give from the deepest part within themselves in order to achieve God’s goals and obey God’s instructions. There are no statements that one person’s gift is better than another’s, just an instruction that the gifts must be heartfelt. {Building a community on individual effort}
When we look at what happened in Ancient Egypt and later in Jerusalem when the Nazarene Jew Jeshua offered himself as a lamb for the liberation of many,we can see the generosity of two people, one the Most High Divine creator, the Elohim Hashem Jehovah, and second His only begotten son, who is called son of man but also son of God.
That man only did what his heavenly Father wanted. He managed to keep doing the Wishes of the Most High. He told people he could do not anything without that God Who is much higher than him.

Joh 14:27-31 MKJV  Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.  (28)  You have heard how I said to you, I go away and I am coming to you again. If you loved Me, you would rejoice because I said, I go to the Father, for My Father is greater than I.  (29)  And now I have told you before it happens, so that when it happens you might believe.  (30)  I shall no longer speak many things with you, for the ruler of this world comes, and he has nothing in Me.  (31)  But that the world may know that I love the Father, and as the Father has given Me commandment, even so I do. Arise, let us go away from here.
Today there are still lots of Christians who do not want to believe the words of Christ Jesus and his heavenly Father, what they say about each other, but prefer to keep to the idea of a tri-une god.
They should come to understand that this Jew who said he can do nothing on his own initiative, but only what he sees the Father doing is the one promised in the Garden of Eden and the one who was tempted, though God can not be tempted, and really died, whilst God can not die.

It is that period of the last hours we are going to 'celebrate' these days and in particular next Friday and Saturday. We do believe that the Nazarene Jeshua, is the one provided by the Elohim to bring a solution against the curse of death. The son of man who is also the son of David and son of Abraham could do only the things he did because God allowed him to do it and gave him the power to do it. For those around Jeshua and for us it should be the sign that God the Father loves this son and shows him everything he does, and will show him greater deeds than these, so that we will be amazed.

We shall read the coming days in the books of the New Testament how Jesus prepared himself to the agony and death he was expecting. We also shall read how he ended up in hell for three days and afterwards was taken up from the dead by his heavenly Father, who made him higher than angels. In that action taken place some 1985 years ago we can see how God raises the dead and gives them life and how in the same manner now life has come over us who want to accept Jesus as the son of God.

We all should also be fully aware how God now has assigned all judgement to the Son, so that all people will honour the son just as they honour the Father. We also should know that the one who does not honour the son does not honour the Father who sent him.
 Joh 5:18-27 MKJV  Then, because of this, the Jews sought the more to kill Him, because He not only had broken the sabbath, but also said that God was His father, making Himself equal with God.  (19)  Then Jesus answered and said to them, Truly, truly, I say to you, The Son can do nothing of Himself but what He sees the Father do. For whatever things He does, these also the Son does likewise.  (20)  For the Father loves the Son and shows Him all the things that He Himself does. And He will show Him greater works than these, so that you may marvel.  (21)  For as the Father raises the dead and makes alive, even so the Son of Man makes alive whomever He wills.  (22)  For the Father judges no man, but has committed all judgment to the Son,  (23)  so that all should honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.  (24)  Truly, truly, I say to you, He who hears My Word and believes on Him who sent Me has everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation, but has passed from death to life.  (25)  Truly, truly, I say to you, The hour is coming and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and they who hear shall live.  (26)  For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has given to the Son to have life within Himself,  (27)  and has given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man.
Jesus honoured his Father and honoured God His commandments, asking us to do likewise.
Our generosity, especially toward honouring God’s commands, must be determined by what our hearts say, not our minds (which are often concerned with growing assets and eliminating financial debts). All too often, we think about and even “want to” donate something but hesitate because we are scared that ultimately we will “not have enough.” Our minds, busy worrying about the future, often get in the way of what our hearts know is truly righteous. {Building a community on individual effort}
We can hear the words of Jesus and prefer them to place them in the tri-une god dogmatic teaching or can place them like God wants us to see them in the light of the Only One Godship. Having to make the choice to stay popular by man or to become popular by God, honouring the right people in the right concept, worshipping only One True God.

The people who got guided out of Egypt also had to make the right choices and many of them had difficulties to worship the true God all the time.  They who felt the Hand of Salvation by God, even had a moment they came to worship a golden calf.

We, in our generation have not felt the Hand of God like the Jews had felt it. This perhaps makes it more difficult for many to see that Hand of God. Though god has given His Word where in wisdom can be found. We only have to take it up and study it. Reading the words we should come to hear the words and  then we shall have to make the right choices.
In reality, every choice is one between faith and fear, and while our hearts may know that it is right to give of ourselves, our minds sometimes get caught in that fear, and so we don’t follow the deeper parts of ourselves. The teaching in our portion (Exodus 35:21) reminds us to follow our hearts and to give fully … knowing in faith that we are in partnership with God and that our well-being is always in God’s hands. {Building a community on individual effort}
Ben Azzai in Pirkei Avot 4:3 says:
“Do not regard anyone with contempt, and do not reject anything, for there is no man who does not have his hour and nothing which does not have its place.”
The portion, as well as the words of Ben Azzai, also reminds us to honour the honest gift of each person.
Wouldn’t it be nice if we all judged each other with the same standards that God demonstrates in this part of the Torah? If, rather than glorifying someone who gives a lot of money to their temple and degrading someone who gives less — or worse, trying to shame them into giving more — we chose to look at whether the gift was a reflection of the person’s spirit and heart. If we valued the volunteer who helps set up and take down services and does it from their heart, as highly as we valued the financial donor? If we followed this simple instruction of respecting and treasuring each person and their individual gifts, how much more full would our communities be?  {Building a community on individual effort}
The month Nisan is the first of the Judaic religious year and should also be our first month of the year were we think to start a new or make some good intentions again. It is a point were we should reconsider how we treated everybody last year and how we should treat everybody in the future.
How much more welcoming and healthy would our communities be if we truly honoured each person for their own uniqueness, special qualities and expressions? {Building a community on individual effort}
Freedom itself is a Divine gift. This week’s portion reminds us to truly open our hearts and let our actions be a reflection of that openness — to respect each individual for their unique gifts and to embrace the results of more participation in all ways. {Building a community on individual effort}
Open hearts, action and true respect. Isn’t that what defines a healthy community?
May we all be blessed to build our own communities with the same integrity and passion as our ancestors, and to reap the blessings God provides as a result. {Building a community on individual effort}
Jesus asked us to become part of his body. With him we should all gather in unity trying to exhort each other and helping each-other to get more insight and wisdom.

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Find also to read:
  1. Hearing words to accept
  2. Looking for wisdom not departing from God’s Word
  3. Increased in wisdom in favour with God
  4. Fools despise wisdom and instruction
  5. We may not be ignorant to get wisdom
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Thursday 10 July 2014

Looking for something or for the Truth and what it might be and self-awareness

What can be the truth and what do we understand under ‘the truth’? Are we speaking of man made sets of concepts and beliefs, or the accumulation of scientific knowledge, or mathematical certainties?

How can we find the truth and do we need to examine only all the NT writings or do we have to look at the OT writings also?

How can we get the full story of early Christianity and how much interest do we have to have for theological writings or to church letters and books written after the gospels and epistles?

Are you not curious what those Christians in the Old Times believed and how believes changed and churches found ways to grow? But those growing churches did they keep to the Truth? Did they not bring in teachings to become more popular and to have more people who could find their traditional events integrated in the church?

With education, we are able to discern between right and wrong, good and evil, and make what we might term moral choices. The human being is privileged that it has a brain which can be used to get such an insight. We as human beings can have a level of awareness and with it an ability to come to a natural expression of our physical organisation or being, and that it is an innate capacity or potential that we are uniquely born with.

The 21st century has brought us to an age of increasing complexity and sophistication, which is being driven by scientific advancements on a scale never seen before. These advancements are coupled in a strange way with a veneer of rationality that is difficult to reconcile with the advances in science. As science seeks to explain and explore every detail of the material world, the media and entertainment industries bombard us with increasingly puerile levels of information, often delivered in oversimplified sound-bites backed by expertly crafted graphic imagery for easy acceptance. The outcome is a society which has generally lost the ability to think and reason critically on the deeper questions of life.
On the net you shall be able to find a new website which shall look at the way how we can look and interpret the Bible. There are numerous teachings in the Bible, but it can be good to now and then just to look at some basic elements which are not so hidden in that book that it would be to difficult to find.

In any case are there 5 teachings in the Bible which stand out and upon which all the others are based. Each of these are intimately connected, and none stands fully alone or independent. Other important teachings such as Law, sin, righteousness, faith, grace and salvation are all connected to these central themes and in some measure they are built upon them. These core teachings stand therefore in some measure as a foundation, and upon them and around them can be built a fuller understanding of the ways of God.

At the new website you may find core concepts for your investigation.

  1. God’s revealed purpose with both mankind and with the earth: God's Plan
  2. The revealed Creator of heaven and earth: the Elohim Allah God: Jehovah
  3. God His Revelation – God has spoken and revealed Himself and His ways. This is in His Word, in the book we commonly call the Bible.
  4. Human being, animals and plants, the elements in the universe.
  5. Jesus Christ – God’s son, whom God raised up to be a saviour. He is the completion of God’s purpose, the very image of the invisible God.  The Nazarene man whom was called Jeshua, but of whom people changed his name in Jesus 'Hail Zeus' and made him a god of a threesome.
  6. Self-Awareness – and the Choices this Awareness Brings?
 Most of us don’t really seek for answers but are somewhat satisfied by the consensus of opinions advanced by the experts and thought leaders we follow, whether consciously or subconsciously. The added complexity to the question of existence is the self-evident fact that total objectivity is rarely possible, since every one of us has prejudices that colour our reasoning and conclusions. This often works in ways that we are not even aware of. This is a peculiar quirk of the human condition. Our ability to be totally objective is often challenged by our education, culture, peer group or simply our preferred group’s prejudices. Most of us have an innate bias or need to conform to the consensus position of the particular group that we most closely identify with. This causes most people to rely upon the conclusions of those they respect and identify with, and who are often experts at articulating their positions. We rationalise, that if they cannot get it right and tell us the answers, who really can? 
Many may be looking for a long time in their life for true knowledge and wisdom. Do you have any idea where you or others can find it?
Where is the source of true meaning? Is it found in the world; in its philosophy, science, education, religions, or worldly wisdom?

While all of these fields are capable of helping us in our day to day struggles, they are not able to give us an answer to the larger question of purpose. They certainly may be treasured, but they are not that which really counts, which is more valuable than the sum total of all else. The Bible informs us many times that this treasure can only come from above, i.e. from God.  
 


Find more about it in:

  1. Chapter 1 - General Introduction to the Blog Basic Bible Teaching: The Core Teachings of the Bible.
  2. 1.The Core Teachings of the Bible 1.      TheCore Teachings of the Bible
  3. The Core Teachings of the Bible Chapter 2 - Self-Awareness – and the Choices this Awareness Brings?
  4. The Truth, the Whole Truth and Nothing but the Truth
  5. The Core Teachings of the Bible Chapter 2 - The Common Human Experience: 1.      The Common Human Experience
  6. Is There a Greater Purpose to Life?
  7. Yes – Purpose and Wisdom can be found.

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Tuesday 5 January 2010

A Bible Falling Apart Belongs to Someone who isn't


"A Bible Falling Apart Belongs to Someone who isn't".
- Unknown

"The Bible shows how the world goes forward.
It begins with a garden and ends with a Holy City."
- Phillips Brooks

God writes the gospel not in the Bible alone,
but on trees and flowers and clouds and stars.
- Martin Luther


If we get our information from the biblical material
there is no doubt
that the Christian life is a dancing, leaping, daring life.
- Eugene Peterson

"One can study because the brain is hungry for knowledge,
even Bible knowledge.
But we pray as the soul yearns for God."
- Leonard Ravenhill

"… that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures,
which are able to make you wise for salvation
through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
All Scripture is given by inspiration of God,
and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction,
for instruction in righteousness,
that the man of God may be complete,
thoroughly equipped for every good work."
2 Timothy 3:15, 16, 17

Jehovah, I ask you for my mind to grow.
that I may get more wisdom out of Your Word.
Let Your Words inspire me and transform me
to a full and good Christian man.

Tuesday 8 December 2009

How should we preach?

Jesus Christ has instructed us "to go and teach" to proclaim the "Good News" and to distribute it around the world.
How should we preach?

We should:

• preach to all who will listen (Acts 28:30)

• preach with confidence (v. 31)

• not preach with “wisdom of words” (1 Cor. 1:17)

• only preach the true gospel (Gal. 1:8)

• preach with sincerity and goodwill (Phil. 1:15)

• be “blameless and harmless” and “shine as lights in the world” (2:15)

• preach with warning and teaching (Col. 1:28).

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From - Preaching the Gospel
Basic Bible Principles
http://www.testimony-magazine.org/back/PreachingTheGospel.pdf

Dutch translation / Nederlandse vertaling > Hoe moeten we prediken?

Friday 4 December 2009

Wisdom lies deep


"Wisdom lies deep.
You have to dig for it:
sweet when found."
- Robert Roberts

"But from there you will seek the LORD your God,
and you will find Him if you search for Him
with all your heart and all your soul."
Deuteronomy 4:29

“And it shall come to pass, when all these things are come upon you, the blessing and the curse, which I have set before you, and you shall call them to mind among all the nations, whither Jehovah your God has driven you, and shall return unto Jehovah your God, and shall obey his voice according to all that I command you this day, you and your children, with all your heart, and with all your soul; that then Jehovah your God will turn your captivity, and have compassion upon you, and will return and gather you from all the peoples, whither Jehovah your God hath scattered you.”
Deuteronomy 30:1-3

Everyday I look to you my God
and hope to find you
and to receive wisdom and advice.
Bless me in Christ Jesus name.
Dutch version / Nederlandse versie > Wijsheid ligt diep

Thursday 12 November 2009

A tongue to speak slowly and well-considered


God has given us two ears, but one tongue,
to show that we should be swift to hear, but slow to speak.
God has set a double fence before the tongue, the teeth and the lips,
to teach us to be wary that we offend not with our tongue.
- Thomas Watson

The very best and highest attainment in this life is to remain still
and let God act and speak in you.
- Meister Eckhart

What is more pleasing than a psalm?
A psalm is a blessing on the lips of the people,
praise of God, the assembly's homage, a general acclamation,
a word that speaks for all, the voice of the Church,
a confession of faith in song.
- Ambrose


Thoughts from Proverbs:

"For my mouth will speak truth; wickedness is an abomination to my lips" 8:7

"Whoever hides hatred has lying lips, and whoever spreads slander is a fool" 10:18

"Dishonest scales are an abomination to the Lord, but a just weight is His delight" 11:1

"The integrity of the upright will guide them, but the perversity of the unfaithful will destroy them" 11:3

"The truthful lip shall be established forever, but a lying tongue is but for a moment" 12:19

"Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, but those who deal truthfully are His delight" 12:22

"Better is the poor who walks in his integrity than one who is perverse in his lips, and is a fool" 19:1

"'It is good for nothing,' cries the buyer; but when he has gone his way, then he boasts" 20:14

He that loveth pureness of heart, For the grace of his lips the king will be his friend.” 22:11

"Buy the truth, and do not sell it, also wisdom and instruction and understanding" 23:23
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The Bible

And when they lead you to judgment, and deliver you up,
be not anxious beforehand what ye shall speak:
but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye;
for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Spirit.
Marcus 13:11

”a time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak”

Ecclesiasts 3:7

”For wisdom is expressed by the word, and in speaking of your tongue is the day you've learned.”
Syriach 4:24

”The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity, nor speak lies;

neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth;
for they shall feed and lie down, and none shall make them afraid”
Zephania 3:13

God speak to me and give me spiritual wisdom and a good voice
that speaks the truth and dares to come out for You and your son.
I want to talk about Your awesome strength, Your righteousness,
Your generosity and loving indulgence.
Give me elocution
because I do not want to be like the many who make of the Word of God merchandise,
but I want to proclaim your Word in sincerity,
before You face to face, in Christ Jesus.

Dutch version / Nederlandse versie > Eén tong om langzaam en doordacht te spreken

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2016 May 26 update for links