How Do You Read? (Luke 10:26) [New Church, Open]

Spirit and Life Bible Study ^ | Thu Nov 14, 2012 | Rev Dr Johnathon Rose

[DaveMSmith]

The core topic is whether we are expected to understand Scripture or not, and how each of us is affected by the particular lens through which we view Scripture.

[DaveMSmith]

I believe all of this is taken from the New Testament - Gospels and Epistles. Very entertaining at the end but an important lesson and outline on the easel.

Last night before seeing this live stream, I went to Church to take Holy Supper to coincide with our Cathedral's last Sunday. It's an informal service and was very intimate to me, my wife, one other and Mother Betty. I explained to her that I was ready to launch my healing and teaching lay ministry and talked about offering our Path To Integrity journey program locally using Church facilities - they have the workbook for review. (Joy To The World is now playing on TV).

The story was about the first Episcopal Bishop of CT. The names William and Smith were mentioned. William is my father in law's name. Concord was mentioned... grapes. I was smiling the whole time (which I don't do often in Church). We took turns discussing how we related to the story. We took Communion and I received a prayer and Anointing for my path.

Ten minuted after I got home, Rev Rose began speaking on the stream... I had forgotten. I settled in and the Lord showed me such miracles, joys and delights! When 'let him hear!' was read, my cell phone rang and there was music playing on the other end! Then as soon I heard about sowing seed in good ground from the parable of the sower, my computer started playing Glenn Miller's AAF Band's radio intro - the Air Force theme - Off we go into the wild blue yonder - BY ITSELF! Never happened before. (My computer's name is Arcana) And the house phone started to ring the same second! Needless to say, this is a very important message for all of us here on the RF.

90 minute video enjoy!

[DaveMSmith]

2 Tim:16 The Lord give mercy unto the house of Onesiphorus; for he oft refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain:

Where Can We Find a Breath of Fresh Air?

The apostle Paul, who regularly endured hostility and persecution, had reason to be in the doldrums. His life as an evangelist was far from easy. So in the midst of life’s storms and unending obligations, how did Paul find an environment that was both life-giving and life-changing?

In a little-known passage, Paul described one friend in particular as one who “refreshed” him. His name was Onesiphorus, and he was one of those obscure, behind-the-scenes guys you may never have heard of. The Greek word Paul used to describe this friend literally means “to put breath back in, to recover breath.” It’s as if Onesiphorus gave Paul emotional CPR, breathing encouragement and inspiration into his Christian brother.

Maybe you have a friend like that, someone who always manages to cheer you up and cheer you on, to offer support and friendship in tangible ways. Or you’ve sensed the difference between a place with fresh air and a place without it. There’s something, some quality in certain people and their attitudes, that can transform any environment into a magnetic, life-giving, enjoyable place to be.

At the office, it’s the difference between an environment where everyone watches the clock and one where the time flies by and everyone enjoys what they do and feels committed to working together as a team. In a life-giving home, you feel special, like you belong. The people seem genuine and down to earth, glad that you’re there and eager to offer you their hospitality.

And when a church has this life-giving factor, you sense it within the first visit. You sing the same songs, read the same Bible as in any other church, but there’s something different about the atmosphere of the place. The people enjoy serving one another. There’s a healthy sense of love and mutual admiration, a shared commitment to similar values, and an anchor of confident security in their faith. You want some of what they have!

When did you most recently notice a person or place that brought you a “breath of fresh air”? What were the circumstances? How did this person or location refresh you? If you long for your own Onesiphorous, begin to pay close attention to the source of any cool, refreshing breezes that are currently blowing in your life. Once you are able to recognize the intangible qualities that invigorate you, you will find it easier to pursue their sources.

From today's 14 day devotional taken from 14 Days Of Fresh Air - Good stuff.

I don't believe using His Word as a weapon is effective in spreading His Good News.

[Louis Foxwell]

Scripture is a conversation between God and the reader’s soul. An unbeliever is not capable of understanding anything in scripture. God can, however, open a window to the nonbeliever’s soul through scripture. The light of scripture can penetrate the darkest soul.

[editor-surveyor]

Scripture is for the most part ‘plain language’ and easily understood.

In the places where allegory is presented, the explanation of that allegory is also plainly rendered, as is the reason why allegory was used.

Those that declare that scripture has hidden (occult) meanings that need to be delved, are the messengers of Satan.

[Nifster]

Oh noes.....did He fill your gas tank too??? We are to rightly divide the word not play silly games....I sometimes wonder how God views comments such as ‘and my father-in-law’s name was William.

Too much of the church is spent on theatrics and too little in teaching what God would have us learn. have you studied the original languages? Have you studied the context and all there is to understand God’s word to his people? Because if you haven’t then the only thing you have to share is that human isunderstanding that we so often indulge in because we think it is what should be.

[DaveMSmith]

John 1:14 NKJV And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

The Word of the Lord is infinite as God is. The video has other examples. Sorry, Satan was not in my life yesterday... other than a few posts here...

[SENTINEL]

Dave, you tread dangerous water when you consider poltergeist type activity as Godly validation of a man's message. This type of thing is NOT common in Christian circles, but VERY common with those whose delve into the occult. I saw and heard of it much during my upbringing in mormonism. These people are people of VERY strong faith, unnaturally strong, faith in the wrong things. Satan uses this against them with little parlor tricks.

I have observed God working miracles of the heart, miracles of the courtroom, miracles of physical protection etc.

Any demon (or man for that matter) could mess with your cell phone....

Whatever this man was teaching needs to be help up against the Bible and the Bible alone. God's words do not need a "looking glass" to be read and understood by the honestly seeking. He gave us his Spirit for that.

[editor-surveyor]

Looks to me like he is channeling your material today

[raygunfan]

“Whatever this man was teaching needs to be help up against the Bible and the Bible alone. God’s words do not need a “looking glass” to be read and understood by the honestly seeking. He gave us his Spirit for that.”

Since he gave us the Spirit for that, why are there thousands of bible only churches, ALL SAYING THE SPIRIT is guiding them, yet they have many wildly divergent teachings on many essential christian doctrines?

[Dutchboy88]

"Since he gave us the Spirit for that, why are there thousands of bible only churches, ALL SAYING THE SPIRIT is guiding them, yet they have many wildly divergent teachings on many essential christian doctrines?"

Because the Spirit is leading many into a "deluding influence".

[unlearner]

Thanks for the link. This Bible study video contains some excellent content.

[marshmallow]

Scripture is for the most part ‘plain language’ and easily understood.Those that declare that scripture has hidden (occult) meanings that need to be delved, are the messengers of Satan.

"And account the long suffering of our Lord, salvation; as also our most dear brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, hath written to you: As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are certain things hard to be understood, which the unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, to their own destruction."

2Peter 3: 15-16.

[Rashputin]

"Because the Spirit is leading many into a "deluding influence". "

So the Holy Spirit is leading people into error? I see, an evil Holy Spirit and a good Holy Spirit sort of like the Gnostic heresy that there was an evil god in the Old Testament and a new good god in the New Testament. People who claim the Holy Spirit would lead people away from Christ are themselves listening to whatever spirit is hanging in a nearby tree, not to the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit doesn't lead people into error. Anyone who thinks that's possible is in essence denying that the Holy Spirit is part of the Trinity and therefore by definition is not Christian.

[raygunfan]

you got that right rash....

ive not ever gotten a reasonable answer to my question....if the bible alone is all that is needed, and the holy spirit is guiding us in understanding the word of God...why so many divergent views on essential christian doctrine?

anyone?

bueller? bueller?

[Dutchboy88]

"The Holy Spirit doesn't lead people into error. Anyone who thinks that's possible is in essence denying that the Holy Spirit is part of the Trinity and therefore by definition is not Christian."

Or they know what the Scriptures teach.

IIThess. 2:7ff

"For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. And then that lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to and end by the appearance of His coming; that is, the one who is coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders, and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. And for this reason GOD WILL SEND UPON THEM A DELUDING INFLUENCE SO THAT THEY MIGHT BELIEVE WHAT IS FALSE, in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness."

May want to put the remote down and dust off that Bible.

[Rashputin]

"A DELUDING INFLUENCE"

Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzt . Ahhhh, the judges are laughing their butts off so it's clear that bogus noise is totally and completely stupid.

No one in their right mind would ever equate the Holy Spirit with a "deluding influence" much less spew a bit of inane snark along with their perfect example of ignorance, misinterpretation, and absolute stupidity.

Don't worry, everyone walks away a winner when they play the "Ignorance Accompanied by Snark" game. After such a wonderful example of idiotic personal interpretation, that post wins this lovely portrait of Snarko the Idiot !!!!!!!

[Rashputin]

Well, you have to understand something that I think is clear from watching this forum for a while. There are non-Catholic Christians who have the basics but not the fullness of the Truth. There are also those who are not really Christian but claim to be and the only trace of the non-Catholic Christian views they've retained is the spirit of Protest from which the name "Protestant" was derived from.

That crowd protests all Christian doctrine whether espoused by a Catholic or non-Catholic Christian. They prefer to attack Catholics because being anti-Catholic is the only thing all the Self Worshipers agree on and will participate in without arguing with one another. After being on the RF a while you notice that very few of the non-Catholic Christians ever participate in the anti-Catholic attacks and are themselves often attacked for daring to disagree with the flakes like the JW crowd or others.

As in the case of this thread, non-Catholic Christians are often told they're in error by people who deny the fundamentals Christian teaching. The reason for all those divergent views is that a significant percentage of the people who accept the doctrine of Scripture Alone will sooner or later follow Eve. In doing so, they will build their own religion that in reality boils down to the worship of their own, Most High and Holy Self. All the while, though, they'll still claim to be Christian.

The majority of those who are going astray by believing in Scripture Alone end up sticking to the same basic doctrines as the Catholic Church. While they may believe we're to live our lives as a Christian witness, the don't accept that we're required to live as a witness for Christ. Nor do they accept that the Church is a visible city on a hill which is an integral part of His plan to shepherd us along and through fellowship and worship dispense additional Graces to help us. There are more differences and more things that those who are non-Catholic Christians don't accept, but they at least understand that we are saved by Grace, through Faith which is itself a gift of Grace, in Jesus Christ who is our only Savior.

The group who protest everything deny the deity of Christ in one way or another but still claim to be Christian. They basically don't agree with anything in the Scripture that they can't twist to suit their own preconceptions. They're every bit as anti-Christ as those churches that claim to be Christian but teach that Scripture isn't inspired and Christ was just a wise man of some sort, but deny that He is God.

That's why you end up with the JW clique putting out their own Bible, the Mormon crowd adding their own additional "inspired" book, or the Adventists claiming that Ellen G White is as much a prophet as Daniel, and tens of thousands of groups each claiming they are the real Christians in spite of denying Christ.

You can't really expect an answer from such folks. They have slurs and slanders at the ready along with a pile of associated rote arguments. What doesn't fit into their prepared or memorized responses they ignore. They won't ever actually think through what anyone says to them. They'll ignore it or just focus on a portion of what others say as if the rest of what they say doesn't exist.

[Dutchboy88]

Did you look up the passage in your Bible? Do you own one? You may wish to do a fact check here before you embarass yourself.

[Rashputin]

Knowing what is withheld is knowing the Holy Spirit is withheld and furthermore the following verses make it clear that this will be a delusion according to the working of Satan.

I’m not the least bit embarrassed at reading an entire passage rather than accepting what one ignorant person chooses to pretend is the meaning of a single out of context verse.

[editor-surveyor]

So am I to understand you correctly, you are of the unlearned and unstable?

Have you wrested with the scriptures to your own destruction?

He is speaking of the non-elect, that wrest with God’s word.