God's Gift of Eternal Life Blog

The purpose of this blog is two fold: 1) to accurately describe how one may receive the free gift of eternal life--Jesus Himself said in John 6:47 "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life." NKJV and 2) to explore the Word of God in such a way that it will be supplementally edifying to what you're learning from your local church as well as contribute to the spiritual growth of believers in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Monday, November 26, 2012

Wkly Bible Study for Dial-Up/Broadband, 11-26-2012

What it means to be initiated into the secret of the mystery
(in short: The Mystery Doctrine of the Church Age). Part 57.
The mystery of the Christian Marriage - Part 2.

PLEASE READ FIRST

Scripture References, Word & Phrase descriptions: If available on the website you're viewing this on, a few links (i.e., those without an already written scripture quote or brief explanation) are hover pop-up active, meaning the scripture reference will just pop-up if you hover your cursor over it (don’t click on the link, just hover your cursor over it), they work best using the Firefox browser – pop-ups in Internet Explorer, Chrome & other browsers only appear for a few seconds at best. If you don’t have Firefox (or hover pop-ups aren’t available on the website you’re viewing this on), that’s OK, move your cursor off and on the link until it is read; or left click the link which will open the verse at the online bible; or you can always use your Bible to look up the verses.

Prepare yourself for learning the Word of God!

Before we begin, if you are a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ (that is; you have believed [trusted] in Him for His promised gift of eternal life), it is important to prepare yourself to learn God's Word so take a moment to name, cite or acknowledge (confess) your sins privately to God (i.e.; with your thoughts directed only to God the Father).

1 John 1:9 says: "If we confess our sins, He (God) is faithful and just to forgive us our sins (known sins) and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness [unknown or forgotten sins]." NKJV (New King James Version) [italics added]

If you have never personally believed in the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior (that is, believed in Him for eternal life), the issue for you is not to name your sins; the issue for you is to have faith alone in Jesus Christ alone for eternal life:

John 6:47 says: "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me (Jesus Christ) has everlasting life." NKJV [italics added]

Notice again what Jesus said in John 6:47: "…he who believes in Me (Jesus Christ) has everlasting life." It doesn't say, "will have"; it says, "has." Therefore, the very moment you believe in Jesus Christ for His promise of everlasting life, you have it (it's really just that simple; nothing more and nothing less), and it can never be taken away from you (John 10:28-29). Furthermore, the gift (Ephesians 2:8c) of everlasting life (also called eternal life in scripture) is available to every human being; there are absolutely no exceptions.

John 3:14-18 says: "¹⁴ And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, ¹⁵ that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. ¹⁶ For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. ¹⁷ For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. ¹⁸ He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." NKJV

Let us now bow our hearts and take a moment to prepare for worship and learning God's Word. If there is any known sin in your life, this is the time to just cite it privately to God the Father with your thoughts directed towards Him. With your head bowed and your eyes closed, you have total privacy in your mind and soul:

Study to show yourself approved to God!

Grace Bible Church
Robert R. McLaughlin Bible Ministries

The Tree of Life is a weekly teaching summary:
God’s Word is Wednesday, Friday and Sunday mornings

STUDY TITLE:

What it means to be initiated into the secret of the mystery
(in short: The Mystery Doctrine of the Church Age). Part 57.
The mystery of the Christian Marriage - Part 2.

OPTION: If you would prefer to go directly to the Grace Bible Church website to read this study message, all verse reference links are active there (but not hover active) and Enlarged Text is also an available option – right click the above link then left click “Open Link in New Window” or “New Tab”

Terms & Abbreviations used:

PPOG = Predesigned Plan of God
Human Good = Evil + Good Deeds while not in fellowship with God
OSN = Old Sin Nature
TLJC = The Lord Jesus Christ
SSE = Spiritual Self Esteem
PVTD = Positive Volition Towards Doctrine
+H - The Happiness of God
NVTD = Negative Volition Towards Doctrine
Doctrine = Bible Truth

To look up other “terms”, go to:

Alphabetical Listing

BEGIN BIBLE STUDY
Unless otherwise noted, all scripture quotes and references
are from the NASB – New American Standard Bible

We have noted that it is through Christian marriage that the great mystery is unfolding and revealed, and God is presenting a devastating blow to Satan's defense. Remember there are three witnesses being called to the stand before the Supreme Court of heaven and the angelic conflict: First, there is the star witness, the Lord Jesus Christ, who is called the faithful and true witness (REV 3:14). Secondly, there are the individual witnesses, born-again believers who fulfill the spiritual life and glorify God (ACT 1:8). Thirdly, there's the corporate witness of Christian marriage where two believers, a man and a woman, fulfill the three laws of marriage (EPH 4:31-32; EPH 5:1-33). The first law - the husband's love for the wife (EPH 5:25). The second law - the respect of the woman to the man (EPH 5:22). The third law - forgiveness (EPH 4:32). When these three laws are fulfilled, that is a corporate witness against Satan. The third witness, according to the jurisprudence system of God, is accepted by God, though not necessarily needed. DEU 19:15 tells us God's divine viewpoint concerning witnesses in a court case, “A single witness shall not rise up against a man on account of any iniquity or any sin which he has committed; on the evidence of two or three witnesses a matter shall be confirmed.”

The laws of evidence demand investigation of each accusation. Legitimate evidence is based on two or three witnesses being interrogated independently, and agreeing to their testimony. This principle was also brought out when our Lord was arraigned before the Sanhedrin on the charge of blasphemy. MAT 26:59-60, “Now the chief priests and the whole council [entire Sanhedrin] kept trying to obtain false testimony against Jesus, in order that they might put him to death; And they did not find any, even though many false witnesses came forward. But later on two came forward.” They couldn't get two witnesses to agree on one of the accusations. They had to have at least two who saw what they had accused him of. MAT 26:60-66, And they did not find any, even though many false witnesses came forward. But later on two came forward And [they] said, ‘This man stated, “I am able to destroy the temple of God and to rebuild it in three days.” And the High Priest stood up and said to him, ‘Do you make no answer? What is it that these men are testifying against you?’ But Jesus kept silent. And the High Priest said to him, `I charge you under oath by the living God, that you tell us whether you are the Christ, the Son of God.' Jesus said to him, ‘You have said it yourself; nevertheless I tell you, from now on you shall see the son of man sitting at the right hand of power, and coming on the clouds of heaven.’ Then the High Priest tore his robes, saying, ‘He has blasphemed! What further need do we have of witnesses? Behold, you have now heard the blasphemy; What do you think?’ They answered and said, ‘He is deserving of death!’”

Even if one person rose up against another in Israel and accused someone of murder, it was not to be received as evidence (NUM 35:30). Our Lord also taught this principle to the Jews concerning two individuals who are having a dispute between them. MAT 18:16 “But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every fact may be confirmed.” Paul taught this same principle to the Corinthian church also in 2CO 13:1 “This is the third time I am coming to you. Every fact is to be confirmed by the testimony of two or three witnesses.” Paul also mentioned the protection that the pastor-teacher is to receive in 1TI 5:19 “Do not receive an accusation against an elder except on the basis of two or three witnesses.” The Bible teaches that all that is needed are two witnesses according to the divine standards of jurisprudence. It is because of this reason that marriage between believers can become a part of the major witnesses against Satan and the fallen angels. So, marriage for the Church-age becomes a place of testing.

The Bible limits the reasons for dissolving a marriage and even fewer reasons for the right of remarriage. First, we note that divorce was permitted under the Mosaic Law. Secondly, pre-salvation marriage, divorce, and remarriage is not an issue (ISA 44:22; ISA 43:25). Thirdly, marriage is dissolved by the death of a spouse. Adultery is a legitimate basis for divorce and remarriage by the innocent party. If the guilty party remarries that is adultery, and causes the second spouse to be living in adultery. Desertion is a legitimate basis for divorce and remarriage.

1CO 7:15 “But to the rest I say, not the Lord, that if any brother has a wife who is an unbeliever, and she consents to live with him, let him not send her away.” If you are a man with a wife who is not a believer, but who still wants to live with you, you are to stay in that marriage, and the same goes for the woman, 1CO 7:13-15, “And a woman who has an unbelieving husband, and he consents to live with her, let her not send her husband away. For the unbelieving husband is sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified through her believing husband; for otherwise your children are unclean, but now they are holy. Yet if the unbelieving one leaves, let him leave; the brother or the sister is not under bondage in such cases, but God has called us to peace.” If the unbelieving spouse walks out, you are free to let him or her go. God has called us to make the best of it, as peacefully as we can. In cases where divorce is legal and gives the right of remarriage, two things must be remembered: First, it is always the innocent victim in the adultery case or desertion case who has the right of remarriage, not the guilty person. Secondly, if the guilty person remarries, he or she is living in adultery. However, there is a solution to that as well.

The Scripture is silent on other reasons for divorce such as brutality, drunkenness, drug addiction, sexual molestation especially of children, violence, insanity, criminality, suicidal tendencies. The Bible is silent because the right of divorce in these cases has no right of remarriage; the exception is if the guilty party remarries or dies. Any time the person is in a life-threatening situation they have the right of divorce. Legitimate Biblical divorce is analogous to the death of one partner in the marriage. This category gives the surviving mate the right of remarriage (ROM 7:1-4; 1CO 7:39). However, if you have sinned, and have been the guilty party, remember that any sin or failure regarding marriage or divorce on your part before you became a believer was blotted out at the moment of salvation (ISA 43:25; PSA 103:12; 1JO 1:7). Every sin including those of marriage, divorce, and remarriage were all judged on the cross by God the Father. If you are now divorced and remarried contrary to Biblical mandate, do not try to resolve the problem no matter how many sins and failures have gone into your marriage. Do not seek divorce as your first option; don't use this doctrine as an excuse to get out of the marriage. Two wrongs do not make a right. Under many circumstances divorce becomes a second wrong. Carry on with your Christian life inside the PPOG. If you are living in adultery in your marital status, do not change your status quo; you cannot rectify past failure in marriage and divorce by leaving your present spouse in a second, third, or fourth marriage and go back to a former spouse. The solution to living in an adulterous marriage is the grace of God, which begins with rebound and logistical grace, and continues through spiritual growth and the attainment of spiritual adulthood. Remain as you are until the Bible clarifies your present status from the standpoint of Bible doctrine and your next move from the standpoint of Bible doctrine. If you are still alive after any failure in the sphere of marriage, divorce, and remarriage, then remember that God still has a purpose for your life - to glorify Him. Finding God's purpose requires learning Bible doctrine, not jumping from the frying pan into the fire.

Remember these principles: 1) People are no better in marriage than they are as people. 2) People who are losers in single status are losers in marriage. 3) People who are winners in single status are winners in marriage. 4) It takes two winners to make a successful marriage, because each is responsible for his own decisions and modus operandi. 5) A good marriage is not designed for happiness, but for virtue. Virtue in marriage means happiness in marriage. 6) Marriage is not designed for happiness, because happiness comes from sharing the perfect happiness of God (+H). 7) Marriage is not designed for happiness, but for winners, because winners have both understanding and use of the problem-solving devices. Before marriage you should also consider the compatibility checklist. There must be spiritual compatibility: Understanding that your partner is a believer, and agreement as to what constitutes the Christian way of life, and general compatibility in the field of Bible doctrine. This includes understanding and agreement as to your local church preference. You must have soul compatibility, similar priorities in life. Physical compatibility. Economic compatibility, agreement on how money is going to be administered. There should be a pre-marital agreement so a man cannot touch a woman's money after marriage. There should be agreement on whether or not the wife should work. Family compatibility, agreement on the desirability of children. There should be agreement on the rearing and training of children. Stability compatibility. Avoid marriage where there is substance dependence such as alcohol or drugs, a compulsive gambler, or a neurotic and emotional person.

The battle in this relationship is not really between husband and wife. Marriage is a place of testing, but if husbands and wives apply the standards of the three laws of marriage the testing is passed. Then marriage becomes a place of the glorification of the Lord Jesus Christ and phenomenal contentment. Marriage was not designed for happiness. Doctrine in the soul is designed for happiness. Marriage is an arena and a forum for the expression of virtue. And as much as marriage becomes an expression of virtue, marriage becomes a wonderful experience for both parties. If they refuse the divine standards, the problem-solving devices for believers, they enter into bitterness, especially on the part of the man. Therefore, when the husband follows the prescription of loving his wife as Christ loved the Church, the wife feels safe and secure and can respond with respect towards her man. Now both parties of marriage fulfill the law of forgiveness and that marriage has the potential to become a corporate witness for the prosecution of Satan and his appeal trial. Husbands are to love their wives as Christ loved the Church, and that does not involve bringing her past the dictates of her conscience in the Holy Spirit; that's arrogance. The false doctrine that says the wife should submit to her husband in anything is a false doctrine, and it is satanic through and through. The head of every man is Christ and the husband is to love his wife as Christ loved the church, and part Christ's love is not summoning the Church past the dictates of their conscience in the Holy Spirit. Let's take a look at the man's responsibility in the first law of marriage. EPH 5:25-29, “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her; that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she should be holy and blameless. So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself; for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church,”

There are basically two directions in which God's love or virtue love should focus on: 1) Love toward God. 2) Love toward man. Love toward God is to be directed toward God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Love toward man can be directed toward others or toward self. Love toward others = Spiritual Autonomy (SA). Love toward self = Spiritual Self-Esteem (SSE). True Biblical love called agape is a virtue; it is not an emotion, not a feeling, but a virtue, character and integrity. In fact, agape love is the greatest virtue of all says 1CO 13:13 "And now abides faith [faith-rest drill], hope [SSE and the resultant confidence about the future], and virtue-love, these three; but the greatest of these is virtue-love." This virtue-love (agape) is a system of thinking (1CO 13:5), which proceeds from the mind (PHI 2:2). Now, when love is directed toward God it serves as motivation in the spiritual life, 2CO 5:14 For the love for Christ motivates us. Personal love for God motivates the believer; it is a motivational virtue. When love is directed toward mankind then love is a functional virtue. We need the functional virtue of impersonal unconditional love to learn how to function in Christian marriage, and we need the motivational virtue of love toward God for personal motivation. Personal love for God gives the believer confidence toward God and courage toward man. Impersonal unconditional love gives the believer confidence on the one hand, and courage on the other.

However, not all love has virtue. A virtue is a particular moral quality regarded as good or meritorious. God's love (agape love) gives the believer virtue or graciousness and power. Personal love is only a virtue when it is directed toward God, or when it is rooted in God's love. Agape love is a certain type of love, a certain way to love. For example, when God's love is in view, agape love is a mental attitude love; it is a way in which God loves and a way in which we are to love. Agape love has virtue when it is the love of God or from God. Agape love has power, and is graceful as God's love, but agape love is not automatically the love of God. Let's look at some passages where agape love is used, but not as a reference to divine love or God's love. JOH 3:19 “And this is the judgment, that the light is come into the world, and men [agape'd - they loved] the darkness rather than the light; for their deeds were evil.” God's light streamed into the world, but men and women everywhere ran for the darkness because they were not really interested in pleasing God. In JOH 12:43 “for they agape'd [they loved] the approval of men rather than the approval of God.” They cared more for human approval than for God's glory. So agape love, when it's personal, is only a virtue when it is directed toward God. Toward God, personal love will give you power and grace in your life. Agape love is only a virtue when it is the love of God. The point is that agape love is a certain way of loving, and it all has to do with thought, not feelings or emotions. When someone says they don't love someone anymore, they should be talking about phileo or personal love not agape love. Impersonal unconditional love has nothing to do with what you are expecting to get; it's what you are expected to give, which is everything. Virtue-love is, above all, the gift of oneself. Love then becomes a major issue. Not love for people, but love for God first, and then impersonal unconditional agape love for all, especially for the man in Christian marriage. The man is to love his wife by giving her freedom, the freedom to respond and at times, even to react. Love does not consist in gazing at each other, but in looking together in the same direction, for Christian marriage it is love toward God. When the satisfaction or the security of another person becomes as significant to one as one's own satisfaction or security, then the state of love exists. Under no other circumstances is a state of love present, regardless of the popular usage of the term. In LUK 10:25-27, And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and put Him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” And He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How does it read to you?” And he answered and said, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.” The word for love is agapao which refers to a mental attitude love based upon a maximum amount of doctrine resident in your soul. There has to be something in you that causes you to love God and that something is Bible doctrine.

So the Lord said, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart,” The heart is the Greek word kardia which refers to the frame of reference, memory center, categorical doctrinal storage, conscience, momentum department or department of spiritual growth, the wisdom department or the launching pad, the subconscious mind. You are to love the Lord your God in these areas and from these areas. “You shall love the Lord your God with all your soul,” The word for soul is psuche and refers to: Self-consciousness (ACT 20:10), volition (ACT 3:23), emotion (LUK 12:19), conscience (TIT 1:15). You are to love the Lord your God in all these areas from your soul. “You shall love the Lord your God with all your strength,” The word for strength is ischus which means all your physical strength in the sense of you making the maximum effort to get to know God and His plan for your life. It means putting great exertion into getting to know and love God! “You shall love the Lord your God with all your mind;” The Greek word for mind is dianoia which refers to the left lobe of the soul and the place where you first perceive and understand knowledge. After you do that, you will be able to do the last part, agape-love your neighbor as yourself [SSE].” You cannot have impersonal love for all mankind until you first have personal love for God. You cannot have the functional virtue of impersonal unconditional love in Christian marriage until you first have personal love for God.

Love for God is extremely important in our lives, 1CO 16:22 “If anyone does not love the Lord, let him be accursed. Maranatha [under a curse until the Lord comes back].” Look at 1CO 2:9 but just as it is written, “Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, And which have not entered the heart of man, All that God has prepared for those who love Him.” There is no love for God until there is a certain amount of metabolized doctrine, and that can only come when you accept God's priorities over your personal priorities. There is no real impersonal unconditional agape love toward people until there is first of all personal love toward God. 1PE 1:8 “Even though you have not seen Him, you love Him; in fact, though you do not see Him now but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with happiness inexpressible and full of glory.” The phrase full of glory is a reference to the spiritually sustained believer who is reflecting the glory of God. This love then comes from believing the word of God and then falling in love with TLJC. Everything for the believer begins when there is love for God, and when there is love for God, it results in love for people. Personal love for God therefore is a virtuous love, and you must have virtuous love in order to make personal love succeed. The strength of personal love toward people comes from your personal love for God, and when people have no virtue they have no ability to love. So, virtue means graciousness and power. To love people personally demands more ability, character, integrity, grace and more power than anything in life. It demands doctrine, divine viewpoint. People are basically unstable, having wide emotional swings. One day it's “I love you!” The next day it's “I can't stand you” (if not verbally, mentally). This is why this subject of virtue-love becomes so important. Unless you understand the importance of personal love toward God resulting in agape love or impersonal unconditional love for all mankind, you will never be a good lover, personally.

1JO 4:16 says, And we have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. The more doctrine you learn the more you will realize how much God loves you. There is no reality in your life until it is reality from thinking or what is in the right lobe of the soul called the heart in the Bible. Otherwise your life is nothing more than emotion and instinct. Thinking is what separates humans from the animal kingdom. Thinking doctrine is what separates winner believers from the emotional apostates or the self-righteous legalists. So until you have divine viewpoint and metabolized doctrine in your soul you will have no capacity to love and no virtue, and the command for the Christian way of life is virtue first. It is not witnessing, serving, praying, or doing great things for God; it is virtue first. Virtue is the first objective. And remember that virtue is right thinking resulting in right action. Virtue means graciousness and power, and it requires thought. That's why 1JO 4:16 says And we have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. Not only do we learn, or come to know, but then we need to believe or metabolize that doctrine. What is it that we have come to know and have believed? “the love [or the agape] which God has for us.” Agape is used here in the sense of virtue love and divine love. This is the love which God has from His own virtue or perfect righteousness. It is from His own perfect character, His own perfect integrity, from His own perfect virtue. This introduces the love that God used to solve our problems in JOH 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.” God has virtue love or impersonal unconditional love from His own perfect righteousness. So John says And we have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. Everything begins with understanding the fact that God loves you. We don't start by loving God, God starts by loving us. We didn't find God, God found us, JOH 15:16 “You did not choose Me, but I chose you,”

The following link is to a good news message describing how one can receive eternal life: Ticket to Heaven, it was written for anyone not absolutely certain about their eternal future.

Saturday, November 24, 2012

Internet Church Service, Sunday, Nov 25, 2012

This week’s sermon title:
The New Testament analogy of the Old Testament Fish Gate.
Filling of the Spirit and the Fruit of the Spirit. Part 8.

Today’s Sermon Message:

“The New Testament analogy of the Old Testament Fish Gate.
Filling of the Spirit and the Fruit of the Spirit. Part 8.”

Video & Audio

Please join us as we fellowship in the Word of God, listen to
Christian Music, Pray in Christ’s Name and Praise the Lord
in our Hearts and Minds.

ALL ARE WELCOME!!

# # # # # # # #

from - Romans 8:38-39

Thank you for joining us for today’s worship service. Please enjoy the music before you watch and|or listen to today’s message.

TIP to enlarge the print hold down the “Ctrl” key on your key board, while it is being held down, move your mouse forward until the desired print size is just right for you. To return to normal screen size, reverse the process (some will see a % in the lower right corner of your screen, normal is 100%)

The lyrics have been provided so you can sing along with the artist in your mind and soul; imagine that the artist’s voice is your voice. I’m not a very good singer myself so I often get the lyrics for some of my favorites and sing along in my mind and soul, this way it’s as if I’m doing the singing to the Lord; try it.

Hymn #1

Amazing Grace by IL DIVO - No English Lyrics in video
(You can skip the commercial if there is one)

Hymn #2

Change My Heart, Oh God - Lyrics in video
(You can skip the commercial if there is one)

Preparing yourself for the study of God’s Word

Before we begin, if you are a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ (that is— you have trusted in Him for eternal life), it is important to prepare yourself to take-in God’s Word so take a moment to name, cite or acknowledge your sins privately to God the Father.

1 John 1:9 says—“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” NKJV (New King James Version)

If you have never personally believed in the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior (that is, believed in Him for eternal life), the issue for you is not to name your sins; the issue for you is faith alone in Jesus Christ alone:

John 6:47 says: “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me (Jesus Christ) has everlasting life.” NKJV

Notice again what John 6:47 says, “he who believes in Me (Jesus Christ) has everlasting life.” It doesn’t say, “will have”; it says, “has.” Therefore, the very moment you believe Jesus Christ’s promise of everlasting life, you have it (it’s really just that simple), and it can never be lost or taken away from you (John 10:28-29). Furthermore, the gift of everlasting life (also called eternal life in scripture) is available to every human being; there are absolutely no exceptions.

John 3:14-18 says: “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” NKJV

Let us now bow our hearts and take a moment to prepare for worship and learning God’s Word, if there is any known sin in your life, this is the time to just cite it privately to God the Father with your thoughts directed towards Him. With your head bowed and your eyes closed, you have total privacy in your mind and soul:

Lectionary

The word of God is alive and active, sharper than any double-edged sword. It cuts all the way through, to where soul and spirit meet, to where joints and marrow come together. It judges the desires and thoughts of the heart. (Heb. 4:12) GNB-UK

All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching the truth, rebuking error, correcting faults, and giving instruction for right living, so that the person who serves God may be fully qualified and equipped to do every kind of good deed. (2 Tim. 3:16-17) GNB-UK

Do your best to win full approval in God's sight, as a worker who is not ashamed of his work, one who correctly teaches the message of God's truth. (2 Tim. 2:15) GNB-UK

Study to show yourself approved to God!

Opening Prayer
(Do your best to make it your own – below is a sample prayer)

Heavenly Father, we pray that we will all be richly edified by Your Word today and that You will make what we study today clear to us. We pray that all participants in this service as well as those who review it at a later date will be edified and blessed by today’s message. We pray this in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen

Our guest Pastor-Teacher is:

Robert McLaughlin - Grace Bible Church
and Robert McLaughlin Bible Ministries

Doctrinal Statement

This ministry is non-denominational and is dedicated to teaching the Word of God from the original languages and making it available at no charge throughout the world.

Today's Sermon

The New Testament analogy of the Old Testament Fish Gate.
Filling of the Spirit and the Fruit of the Spirit. Part 8.

(To view the sermon right click the above link then click on open in “new window” or “new tab” and 3 windows will open – 1) audio or video player which should start automatically, 2) slide show, 3) note pad. When finished return to previous window or tab to finish the service with Hymn and Prayer.)

OPTIONAL: On-line Bible – NASB95

If you wish to use it, right click the link and in the drop-down box, left click the "Open Link in New Window"; when the new window opens, reduce the window size of both the on-line bible and the slideshow and configure them to be side-by-side. Also, the window opens to John 3:16, click the word “more” below the verse, you will then see two online bible columns, Use the column on the left as it is set for the NASB95, at the top of the column where you see John 3:16 in the search box, type the book and verse the Pastor asks you to go to a particular Bible verse, e.g., 1tim 5:21, or eph 3:10, etc., then click “Enter” on your key board. You can use the “right column” if you wish for a different bible version but you’ll need to type in the verse you want each time as I directed you for the column on the left side.

Hymn #3

Softly and Tenderly – Lyrics in video
(You can skip the commercial if there is one)

CLOSING PRAYER:
(Again, below is a sample prayer, do your best to make it your own)

Heavenly Father, we pray that the Holy Spirit will make what I’ve learned today clear to me, for I pray this in my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ’s name. Amen

If you have any questions that are pertinent about today’s message, please don’t hesitate to ask, you are welcome to ask them via a private message or by a reply in today’s post. However, sometimes questions can be real short but require a much longer answer in order to give an adequate answer. If I don’t think that the question is able to be answered quickly I’ll reply back telling you that I’ll research it and get to you with the answer (it may even be a few days as I’m a little slower than I used to be). Please don’t let what I’ve just said make you hesitate to ask questions.

I want to thank all of you who have attended this Sunday service as well as those who will view it at a later time or date.

The following link is to a good news message describing how one can instantly receive eternal life: Ticket to Heaven, it was written for anyone not absolutely certain about their eternal future.

Monday, November 19, 2012

Wkly Bible Study for Dial-Up/Broadband, 11-19-2012

What it means to be initiated into the secret of the mystery
(in short: The Mystery Doctrine of the Church Age). Part 56.
The mystery of the Christian Marriage.

PLEASE READ FIRST

Prepare yourself for learning the Word of God!

John 6:47 says: "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me (Jesus Christ) has everlasting life." NKJV [italics added]

Study to show yourself approved to God!

Grace Bible Church
Robert R. McLaughlin Bible Ministries

The Tree of Life is a weekly teaching summary:
God’s Word is Wednesday, Friday and Sunday mornings

STUDY TITLE:

What it means to be initiated into the secret of the mystery
(in short: The Mystery Doctrine of the Church Age). Part 55.
The mystery of the Christian Marriage.

OPTION: If you would prefer to go directly to the Grace Bible Church website to read this study message, all verse reference links are active there (but not hover active) and Enlarged Text is also an available option – right click the above link then left click “Open Link in New Window” or “New Tab”

Terms & Abbreviations used:

To look up other “terms”, go to:

Alphabetical Listing

BEGIN BIBLE STUDY
Unless otherwise noted, all scripture quotes and references
are from the NASB – New American Standard Bible

Our final form of mystery doctrine is Christian marriage. Remember that according to the Bible, there is a tremendous difference between marriage and Christian marriage. EPH 5:22-33, “Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body. But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her; that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she should be holy and blameless. So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself; for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church, because we are members of His body. For this cause a man shall leave his father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife; and the two shall become one flesh. This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church. Nevertheless let each individual among you also love his own wife even as himself; and let the wife see to it that she respect her husband.” Notice that the relationship between Christian husbands and Christian wives mentioned in this passage as well as the relationship between Church and TLJC is called a musterion, a mystery.

So, we begin a sensitive, but important, subject concerning relationships in the Church, the body of Christ, and what this mystery of Christian marriage is all about. One of the many blessings that we have because of the cross is that our Lord not only restored all that Adam lost in the Garden, but He also gained back for us all of the things that the first Adam lost. Some of these things we experience in the spiritual realm now, but we will experience them in all realms in eternity. For example, the perfect environment in the Garden of Eden is duplicated in the spiritual realm by the PPOG for the Church-age but will be experienced in totality in the eternal state. There are many overlooked similarities from the Garden of Eden and the first Adam and the last Adam, our Lord Jesus Christ. For example, in 1CO 15:20-22, “But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep. For since by a man [the first Adam] came death [spiritual death resulting in separation from God], by a man [TLJC, the last Adam] also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all shall be made alive.” In 1CO 15:45-46, So also it is written, “The first man, Adam, became a living soul.” The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural; then the spiritual.

Physical life comes first, then spiritual - that's why we have JOH 3:3 “unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 1CO 15:47-49, “The first man is from the earth, earthy; the second man is from heaven. As is the earthy, so also are those who are earthy; and as is the heavenly, so also are those who are heavenly. And just as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.”

Once believers recognize this particular fact, and the analogies of the first Adam in the garden and the Last Adam, our Lord Jesus Christ, then they will see the importance of God's word as far as relationships are concerned. These relationships are between friends, fellow believers, members of the congregation, but most of all, husbands and wives, and in some cases right man and right woman, even if not yet married. There are two major problems in this area between the man and the woman. The predominant problem with the woman toward the man is lack of respect. This is why we have EPH 5:22 “Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord.” Wives should understand and support their husbands in ways that show their support for Christ. While the predominant problem with the woman toward the man is lack of respect, the man's predominant problem is bitterness and hypersensitivity. So we have COL 3:19 “Husbands, love your wives, and do not be bitter against them.” EPH 5:25 “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her;” How did Christ love the church? He loved her with an impersonal unconditional love, and He gave Himself up for her. Therefore, EPH 5:28-29, “So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself;” for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church,” So the husband is to love his wife as Christ loved the Church, so as a man of God, he better have confidence and spiritual self-esteem because EPH 5:28 says He who loves his own wife loves himself [that's SSE]; In fact, both men and women should have confidence and spiritual self-esteem.

We have available to us the four spiritual mechanics: 1) The filling of the Holy Spirit. 2) Metabolized Bible doctrine circulating in the soul. 3) The ten problem-solving devices. 4) The power for the execution of the PPOG. These will solve your problems in any type of relationship including marriage, not marriage counseling, but the four spiritual mechanics. Each one of us as a believer priest, should use his own soul as the base of operation for his spiritual life. This is the dispensation in which every believer is a priest, and it is important to see the significance of the importance of the privacy of your priesthood, the importance of self-counseling from Bible doctrine accumulated in your soul, and the consistent use of those four spiritual mechanics. There is something special about the time in which you live, the dispensation of the Church, something that is far more important than at any time in all of human history. To have the responsibility that you have as an individual is by far the greatest responsibility ever given to the ordinary believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. It is also important to understand, that what is written on the pages of the infallible word of God is never going to be clarified with regard to the PPOG for the Church-age, without the spiritual gift of pastor-teacher. Never before in history has there been such an emphasis in the word of God on the pre-historic angelic conflict. We have a responsibility to God through the magnificent and fantastic assets, the spiritual assets given to us. Above all, there is assembled in the heavens, in the universe, the entire angelic host who are observers in this stage of history.

Angelic observation is an interesting subject in the Word of God. Elect angels observe human history, while fallen angels are designed to oppose human history. In the Church-age, mature believers and those who are willing to be dedicated and devoted the plan of God are on the front lines, and Satan is against these believers with all his principalities and powers. Look at the following verse in the context of marriage which is the ultimate human relationship in life, EPH 5:31-33, “For this cause a man shall leave his father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife; and the two shall become one flesh. This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church. Nevertheless let each individual among you also love his own wife even as himself; and let the wife see to it that she respect her husband. ” We have three words, mystery, Christ, church. Christian marriage in the dispensation of the Church is a part of the testimony that once and for all condemns Satan and all fallen angels to the eternal lake of fire. The marriage of a born again man to a born again woman is something special and has the highest standards ever assigned to marriage on the part of those who possess a sin nature. If you recognize where the attack is truly coming from, you should be able to solve those sensitive problems objectively rather than being subjective. The battle is not really between or against husband and wife, EPH 6:12 “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.” Look at EPH 4:22-25, “that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth. Therefore, laying aside falsehood, speak truth, each one of you, with his neighbor, for we are members of one another, and do not give the devil an opportunity.” (See also EPH 4:29-5:2). What God does, He does in love, including divine discipline. Christ’s love for us was not cautious but extravagant; He didn't love in order to get something from us, but to give everything of Himself to us; that’s how we are to love.

In EPH 5:22-33, we have the dissertation on marriage and the marital relationship. In EPH 6:1-4, a dissertation on the family, Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Honor your father and mother (which is the first commandment with a promise), that it may be well with you, and that you may live long on the earth. And, fathers, do not provoke your children to anger; but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.” In EPH 6:5-12, a dissertation on the employee and employer relationship, “Slaves, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in the sincerity of your heart, as to Christ; not by way of eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart. With good will render service, as to the Lord, and not to men, knowing that whatever good thing each one does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether slave or free. And, masters, do the same things to them, and give up threatening, knowing that both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no partiality with Him. Finally, be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, that you may be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. Because our struggle is not against blood [people's souls] and flesh [their old sin nature], but against the rulers [archons like Abaddon and Beelzebub], against the powers [demon officers who have phenomenal authority], against the world forces of this darkness [kosmokratoras - demons who specialize in possessing or influencing the cosmos or world rulers] against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places or against the spiritual forces of evil in the atmosphere around the earth, the stellar universe and in the presence of God.”

Back in EPH 5:32 “This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church.” We have that same analogy in the O.T., where Israel is said to be the bride and the Lord is said to be the husband (ISA 54:5). So what is this mystery? It cannot be about the relationship between the Lord and His relationship with His people, because that also existed in the O. T. and mystery doctrine was not yet given. You must recognize that marriage and spiritual conflict are back-to-back and very intensive. This is because marriage, Christian marriage as a divine organization, has the greatest influential power in the Church-age against principalities and powers that have fallen, and that are making their case now before God. The real battle in Christian marriage is not being fought between the partners in a marriage; it's being fought between the kingdom of darkness and the marital partners. That is why God has put the law of forgiveness in there in EPH 4:31, because Satan wants the battle to be turned to the couple against each other. When Satan can convince us that the battle is with flesh and blood, and not with the rulers, the powers, the world forces of this darkness, and the spiritual forces of wickedness, he succeeds in destroying the spiritual energy and potency that could blow him away, 1JO 4:4 “because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.”

Directed attacks will happen more to a congregation that's learning doctrine than in any other place. Satan's greatest bid happened when the twelve were gathered together personally with the Lord Jesus Christ in the upper room. Diaboloi, a title for the devil, means to "rip apart" and Satan tries to tear apart the mind. Satan does three things to the mind and the emotions and the physical bodies of men and women. He creates discord. He breaks up unity. He destroys patterns. Anything that causes confusion and division and splits your thinking up is cosmos diabolicus, of the devil's world system. Satan is a master of twisting the scriptures, distorting them, therefore he hates when passages of scripture like this is fulfilled: In 1CO 11:8-10, “For man does not originate from woman, but woman from man; for indeed man was not created for the woman's sake, but woman for the man's sake. Therefore the woman ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels.” This means that angels are observing how the woman treats her man. The fallen angels do not want the man and the woman to be restored to the original design of God. Remember that one is not better than the other; it is just a reference to divine order, and both the elect and fallen angels are observing to see whether or not it is happening. 1CO 11:11-12, “However, in the Lord, neither is woman independent of man, nor is man independent of woman. For as the woman originates from the man, so also the man has his birth through the woman; and all things originate from God.” This is one of the reasons why God the Holy Spirit told Peter to write 1PE 3:1 “In the same way, you wives, be submissive to your own husbands so that even if any of them are disobedient to the word, they may be won without a word by the behavior of their wives,” This means for the woman to be a good wife to their husbands, responsive to their needs. Because there are husbands who, indifferent as they are to any words about God, will be captivated. Submissive is the verb hupotassoo which means to be in subjection (not subjectivity), to obey, to submit yourself unto your husbands. TLJC says to do it; Satan says don't. Now again, notice the context. In 1PE 2:18-20, “Servants, be submissive to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and gentle, but also to those who are unreasonable. For this finds favor, if for the sake of conscience toward God a man bears up under sorrows when suffering unjustly. For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God.” There's no particular virtue in accepting punishment that you well deserve. But if you're treated badly for good behavior and continue in spite of it to be a good servant, that is what counts with God. 1PE 2:21 “For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps,” This is the kind of life you've been invited into, the kind of life Christ lived. He suffered everything that came His way so you would know that it could be done, and also know how to do it. 1PE 2:22-3:1, “who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth; and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed. For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls. In the same way, you wives, be submissive [or obedient] to your own husbands.” Just as servants should be submissive to their masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and gentle, but also to those who are unreasonable, In the same way, you wives, be obedient to your own husbands. 1PE 3:2 as they observe your chaste and respectful behavior. Notice the word respectful; it is the Greek noun phobo meaning reverence, respect for authority, rank, dignity. What should be the woman's motivation for respect for authority, especially if they are married? 1CO 11:9-10, “for indeed man was not created for the woman's sake, but woman for the man's sake. Therefore the woman ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels.”

In 1PE 3:3-7, “And [ladies] let not your adornment be merely external braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on dresses; but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which [notice this] is precious in the sight of God. For in this way [women adorning themselves with the beauty of honor and respect for their husbands] in former times the holy women also, who hoped in God, used to adorn themselves, being submissive to their own husbands. Thus Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord [kurion], and you have become her children [tekna - students] if you do what is right without being frightened by any fear. You husbands likewise, live with your wives in an understanding way, as with a weaker vessel, since she is a woman; and grant her honor as a fellow heir of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.”

The same goes for you husbands: Be good husbands to your wives. Honor them, delight in them. Treat your wives as equals so your prayers are answered. The weaker vessel does not mean that she is weaker mentally, physically, or spiritually; it means that she is the responder in the marriage and you are responsible for filling up her vessel (1CO 11:3; 1CO 11:7). When a man invests nothing in his relationship or marriage, he can expect nothing in return. The man needs to understand that the woman's desire is for him and that she desires to feel wanted and protected (GEN 3:16). Her security is in the love of her husband, not in the money he earns or his social prestige. Therefore, every woman needs and wants attention. She wants to feel as though she belongs and she is needed, and she should be protected rather than maligned. A woman truly desires to respect her man. She does not want to look at him as just another child to rear and handle. The man needs to understand the female mind and the female body. God has made the female mind and the female body to respond and when she responds mentally or physically to the man, she is the glory of the man.

The husband is also commanded as a part of his responsibility to please his wife and to do his best to make the marriage a success (1CO 7:32-33). The woman must have freedom to respond to the man's love for without freedom she will not have a desire to do so. In other words, no man should lord it over the woman. He should treat her like a lady, and he should allow her the freedom to grow at her own pace and desire. The husband has the following responsibilities:

- Rule his wife (GEN 3:18).
- Support the family (1TI 5:8).
- Protect the family (EPH 5:23; 1PE 3:7).
- Administrate the family (EPH 5:23).
- Set the spiritual pace for the family (EPH 5:23-25).

The following link is to a good news message describing how one can receive eternal life: Ticket to Heaven, it was written for anyone not absolutely certain about their eternal future.

Sunday, November 18, 2012

Internet Church Service, Sunday, Nov 18, 2012

This week’s sermon title:
The New Testament analogy of the Old Testament Fish Gate.
Filling of the Spirit and the Fruit of the Spirit. Part 7.

Today’s Sermon Message:

“The New Testament analogy of the Old Testament Fish Gate.
Filling of the Spirit and the Fruit of the Spirit. Part 7.”

Video & Audio

Please join us as we fellowship in the Word of God, listen to
Christian Music, Pray in Christ’s Name and Praise the Lord
in our Hearts and Minds.

ALL ARE WELCOME!!

# # # # # # # #

from - Romans 8:38-39

Hymn #1

I Cast All My Cares Upon You - Lyrics in video
(You can skip the commercial if there is one)

Hymn #2

Because He Lives - Lyrics in video
(You can skip the commercial if there is one)

Preparing yourself for the study of God’s Word

Lectionary

Study to show yourself approved to God!

Opening Prayer
(Do your best to make it your own – below is a sample prayer)

Our guest Pastor-Teacher is:

Robert McLaughlin - Grace Bible Church
and Robert McLaughlin Bible Ministries

Doctrinal Statement

This ministry is non-denominational and is dedicated to teaching the Word of God from the original languages and making it available at no charge throughout the world.

Today's Sermon

The New Testament analogy of the Old Testament Fish Gate.
Filling of the Spirit and the Fruit of the Spirit. Part 7.

(To view the sermon right click the above link then click on open in “new window” or “new tab” and 3 windows will open – 1) audio or video player which should start automatically, 2) slide show, 3) note pad. When finished return to previous window or tab to finish the service with Hymn and Prayer.)

OPTIONAL: On-line Bible – NASB95

Hymn #3

What A Day That Will Be – Lyrics in video
(You can skip the commercial if there is one)

CLOSING PRAYER:
(Again, below is a sample prayer, do your best to make it your own)

The following link is to a good news message describing how one can instantly receive eternal life: Ticket to Heaven, it was written for anyone not absolutely certain about their eternal future.

Sunday, November 11, 2012

Wkly Bible Study for Dial-Up/Broadband, 11-12-2012

What it means to be initiated into the secret of the mystery
(in short: The Mystery Doctrine of the Church Age). Part 55.
The Rapture will be the end of the age of no prophecy. Part 2

PLEASE READ FIRST

Prepare yourself for learning the Word of God!

John 6:47 says: "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me (Jesus Christ) has everlasting life." NKJV [italics added]

Study to show yourself approved to God!

Grace Bible Church
Robert R. McLaughlin Bible Ministries

The Tree of Life is a weekly teaching summary:
God’s Word is Wednesday, Friday and Sunday mornings

STUDY TITLE:

What it means to be initiated into the secret of the mystery
(in short: The Mystery Doctrine of the Church Age). Part 55.
The mystery of invisible heroes.~ Nov 12, 2012

OPTION: If you would prefer to go directly to the Grace Bible Church website to read this study message, all verse reference links are active there (but not hover active) and Enlarged Text is also an available option – right click the above link then left click “Open Link in New Window” or “New Tab”

Terms & Abbreviations used:

To look up other “terms”, go to:

Alphabetical Listing

BEGIN BIBLE STUDY
Unless otherwise noted, all scripture quotes and references
are from the NASB – New American Standard Bible

In our study of the doctrine of the invisible hero, our next Point is: The danger of using self-justification for not becoming an invisible hero. Self-justification is connected with the cosmic viewpoint of being in harmony with Satan's system of thinking. ROM 12:1 “I urge you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.” Taking your everyday, ordinary life and placing it before God as an offering, and embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for Him. ROM 12:2 “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.” Don't become so involved with the details of life that you forget the calling of God. Instead, fix your attention on God, and you'll be changed from the inside out. Recognize what He wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Many believers live under cosmic thinking or what JAM 3:14-15 calls bitter jealousy, selfish ambition, and arrogance in their heart, and so they lie against the truth. They judge others criticize, gossip, malign, excusing themselves of any wrong thinking. JAM 3:15 goes on to say that this wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic. If you have been a victim of this, and their own self-justification, remember ISA 54:17 “No weapon that is formed against you shall prosper; And every tongue that accuses you in judgment you will condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, And their vindication is from Me, declares the Lord.” 2CO 13:8 says “For we can do nothing against the truth, but only for the truth.”

Self-justification includes the condemnation of others, even God in some way, either directly or indirectly by calling attention to environment, circumstances, or social injustice. JOB 40:8 “Will you really annul My judgment? Will you condemn Me that you may be justified? Do you presume to tell me what I'm doing wrong?” Most often the attempt to justify one's self includes the accusation that God is not really in control of His people. In ROM 3:3-4 “What then? If some did not believe, their unbelief will not nullify the faithfulness of God, will it? May it never be! Rather, let God be found true, though every man be found a liar, as it is written, ‘That Thou mightest be justified in Thy words, And mightest prevail when Thou art judged.’” Justification of one's actions, for example self-serving actions which may be hurtful to others, are often traceable to some early abuse or unfairness. But all these claims and excuses are, in reality, the condemnation of others, of God, or the accusation of His provisions. Many times, it's simply because they are listening to the wrong viewpoint. There's a warning given in ISA 59:1-2, “Behold, the Lord's hand is not so short That it cannot save; Neither is His ear so dull That it cannot hear. But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, And your sins have hidden {His} face from you, so that He does not hear.” There's nothing wrong with God; the wrong is with you, and for those who live in self-justification, remember MAT 7:3-4, “And why do you look at the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' and behold, the log is in your own eye?” ISA 59:3-5, “For your hands are defiled with blood, And your fingers with iniquity; Your lips have spoken falsehood, Your tongue mutters wickedness. No one sues righteously and no one pleads honestly. They trust in confusion, and speak lies; They conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity. They hatch adders' eggs and weave the spider's web; He who eats of their eggs dies, And {from} that which is crushed a snake breaks forth.”

Self-justification is not an attitude or a practice which is isolated, but is always expressive of either passive or active hostility against people and God. MAT 25:40 “And the King will answer and say to them, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, {even} the least {of them,} you did it to Me.’” Self-justification as a skill of arrogance is connected with the defense mechanism called rationalization which is the formulation of excuses for one's actions or decisions. LUK 14:18 But they all alike began to make excuses. The first one said to him, “I have bought a piece of land and I need to go out and look at it; please consider me excused.” This seems plausible to a person who shares their self-deception and to the rationalizer, but the Word of God rejects excuses as totally unacceptable. These clever rationalizers are not only self-deceived, but masterful in deceiving others. 2TI 3:13 “But evil men and impostors will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.” EPH 4:14 says, “As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves, and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming;” The weakness of self-justification is that it continually seeks support from others, as with the interpreter of the Mosaic Law in LUK 10:29. LUK 10:25-29, And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and put Him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” And He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How does it read to you?” And he answered and said, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.” And He said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.” But wishing to justify himself, he said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” This man sought support from the wrong party, our Lord Jesus Christ, who proceeded to brilliantly demolish his clever bid for approval of his prejudices by the parable of the good Samaritan.

Self-justification is also related to man's frustrated attempt to establish his own righteousness, and is therefore in direct opposition to grace-orientation. JAM 2:13 “For judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment.” In JAM 4:11-12, “Do not speak against one another, brethren. He who speaks against a brother, or judges his brother, speaks against the law, and judges the law; but if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law, but a judge of it. There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the One who is able to save and to destroy; but who are you who judge your neighbor?” Self-justification precludes rebound and is compatible with self-deception. This type of person forgets 1JO 1:8-9, “If we say [assert] that we have no sin nature, we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth or doctrine is not in us. If we acknowledge [name and cite] our sins, He is faithful and righteous, with the result that He forgives us our sins [known sins] and purifies us from all unrighteousness [unknown sins]. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word [Bible doctrine] does not reside in us.” Self-justification also is in agreement with self-absorption, ROM 7:19-24. They are all absorbed with themselves. This is why the apostle said in ROM 7:19-24, “For the good that I wish, I do not do; but I practice the very evil that I do not wish. But if I am doing the very thing I do not wish, I am no longer the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me. I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wishes to do good. For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man, but I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind, and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death?” The ones who usually point the finger make assertion and accusations without knowing whether they are true or false, which is not really the issue anyway. The individual who has to justify his own life is in eternal bondage to himself, but just as God cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance, as we become more like Him, neither can we. The Lord gives us a plan to follow, outlined in His doctrines, and all those doctrines are designed to build stability within us. We are not to excuse our failures and weaknesses; the Lord expects us to rise above our weakness, become strong, and pattern ourselves after Him.

One of the many benefits of living the spiritual life that God has provided just for you is to rid your soul of the garbage it has stored up throughout the years. This garbage causes doubt, fear, worry, and anxiety; it begins with no mental strength or a loss of mental strength which could be caused by stress or a traumatic experience such as child abuse! Believers who live in self-justification will end up in denial, a defense mechanism in which a person fails to acknowledge some aspect of external reality that is obvious and apparent to others. Denial is a false perception of reality. This false perception of reality is necessary for some people because they must be good, they must be self-righteous, they can never be wrong, they must always be right.

The Pattern for Invisible Heroship in the Church-age is the Apostle Paul. Beginning in EPH 3:8, Paul makes an interesting statement regarding the invisible hero, “To me, the very least of all saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ,” In other words, when it came to presenting the Message to people who had no background in God's way, the Gentiles, Paul says he was the least qualified to do so in his own eyes. This seems to be an occasional hazard among some spiritual leaders, for example, when the Lord asked Moses to see Pharaoh, Moses said EXO 3:11 “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the sons of Israel out of Egypt?” Then he said EXO 4:10 “Please, Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither recently nor in time past, nor since Thou hast spoken to Thy servant; for I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.” Paul said in 1CO 2:1 “And when I came to you, brethren, I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God.” 1CO 2:4 “And my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power,” 2CO 10:10 For they say “His letters are weighty and strong, but his personal presence is unimpressive, and his speech contemptible.” However, never let your feelings of inadequacies keep you from the calling of God upon your life.

So, Paul says in EPH 3:8 “To me, the very least of all saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ,” God saw to it that Paul was equipped, and it had nothing to do with his natural abilities. So, Paul was preaching and writing about things that were even way over his head, called the inexhaustible riches and generosity of Christ. EPH 3:9 “and to bring to light what is the administration or dispensation of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God, who created all things;” Paul was to make plain what God, who created all this in the first place, has been doing behind the scenes. EPH 3:10 “in order that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places.” Think of it, through Christians like yourselves gathered in churches, who know the mystery dispensation of the Church-age, this extraordinary plan of God is becoming known and talked about even among the angels. EPH 3:11-12, “This was in accordance with the eternal purpose which He carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and confident access through faith in Him.” When we trust in him, we're free to say whatever needs to be said, bold to go wherever we need to go. EPH 3:13 “Therefore I ask you not to lose heart at my tribulations on your behalf, for they are your glory.” Paul received both momentum testing and evidence testing while in prison, just like many of us will in our prison situations. While incarcerated, or in some dungeon or prison situation, Paul was able to advance to spiritual autonomy and then to spiritual maturity. This system of suffering for blessing is unique to the Church-age, and it is designed to manufacture invisible heroes, and all of you have the equal privilege and equal opportunity to become one. So instead of being discouraged by his sufferings for blessing, the recipients of the prison epistles should benefit from perception and metabolization of the mystery doctrine of the Church-age.

God has provided prosperity and adversity for you to execute His plan and will for your life, and prosperity can be a real test. This is because in prosperity, our friends know us; however, in adversity, we know our friends. Prosperity is not without many fears and disasters; adversity is not without comforts and hopes. In fact, prosperity is the blessing of the O.T., whereas adversity is the blessing of the N.T. Great men and women of God are unchanged regardless of prosperity or adversity. This is why the apostle Paul said PHI 4:12 “I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need.” Real prosperity is living easily and happily in the real world, whether you have money or not. On the other hand there's adversity. Satan is ever trying to destroy our glory and remove our crown, and one of his most powerful tools is discouragement. We get very little wisdom from success, but much from adversity. You don't develop courage by being happy in your relationships everyday, but by surviving difficult times and adversity. Adversity is the state in which man becomes really acquainted with himself, being especially free of admirers. Every defeat, every heartbreak, every loss, contains its own lesson on how to improve your performance the next time. Adversity causes some men to break; others to break records.

So, the benefit of metabolization and application is what Paul calls in EPH 3:13 “which will be for your glory.” There are two stages of this glory or of glorifying God. The first is the advance to spiritual maturity through momentum testing and receiving the distribution of your escrow blessings for time. The second is spiritual maturity plus evidence testing equals the glorification of God to the maximum: the reason why invisible heroes are kept alive.

The Source of Invisible Heroes. We all have the opportunity after believing in Jesus Christ of becoming invisible heroes. This plan is not manmade, but was decided billions of years ago in eternity past. The source of this plan, of course, is God. The sovereignty of God is infinitely and eternally superior to the free will of man. Man from his own volition comes up with many plans, but the plan from the sovereignty of God is the only plan God recognizes in this Church-age. In eternity past, the sovereignty of God made policy decisions with regard to mankind. He decided to permit the free will of man to coexist with His sovereignty in human history. Therefore, man makes either good decisions from the position of strength or bad decisions from the position of weakness. Good decisions from a position of strength are non-meritorious, compatible with God's grace policy. Bad decisions from a position of weakness are related to human merit and ability and even human heroship, and so are incompatible with God's grace policy. Since during the course of human history, the sovereignty of God permits the coexistence of our human volition with His sovereignty, He has provided protection so that we can choose for something far greater than anything man can contrive: Truth. Truth or Bible doctrine is the design of God billions of years ago so that we can make good decisions from a position of strength. All of us in the flesh have weaknesses and are weak. We are dependent upon the grace of God for the manufacture of heroes; i.e., invisible heroes. Part of this system of truth is the Gospel, which gives us our first opportunity to make a good decision rather than a bad one. Our good decision: Personal faith in Jesus Christ. The bad decision: To reject Jesus Christ as Savior. “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life; but he that believeth not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him.”

Invisible heroes in the Church-age are a testimony to angels. The angelic conflict is divided into two categories: Visible and invisible warfare. In O.T. dispensations, the angelic conflict was a combination of both visible and invisible warfare, both in heaven and on earth. Sometimes the warfare was in heaven and therefore invisible. Sometimes it was on earth and therefore visible, as noted in Gen 6. The only exception to this is during the Church-age, when it is strictly invisible warfare. Therefore, the objective for the Church-age believer under the PPOG is to become an invisible hero. Whatever your function or station in life, as a believer in Jesus Christ you have only one objective which should be placed above everything else: to become an invisible hero. Invisible heroes are manufactured by the execution of the PPOG. During the Church-age, there are no visible angels, elect or fallen, yet angels are watching your every move. In the dispensation of the Church-age, angels observe members of the Royal Family of God in their failure or success to execute and fulfill the PPOG (1CO 4:9; EPH 3:10; 1TI 5:21; 1PE 1:12).

In 1CO 4:9, the apostle Paul said “For, I think, God has exhibited us apostles last of all, as men condemned to death; because we have become a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men.” The word spectacle is the Greek word theatron which is where we get the word theater from and it means a theater, a place for public shows. In EPH 3:10 we read “in order that the multi-faceted or many-sides of the wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places.” Angels observe the believers in the Church-age receiving commands from headquarters in 1TI 5:21 “I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of His chosen angels, to maintain these principles without bias, doing nothing in a spirit of partiality.” Angels also desire and long to look into the things that so many of God's people take for granted, 1PE 1:12 “It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves, but you, in these things which now have been announced to you through those who preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look.” The Greek word for long is epithumeo which means to have a desire for something, to long for, to set the heart upon. You are in an arena being watched by angels, since the Church-age is the center of the invisible angelic conflict. Not only that, but the Church-age is the focal point of the invisible angelic conflict (1CO 4:9; EPH 3:10; 1TI 5:21; 1PE 1:12). The life of every Church-age believer is related to a higher and greater invisible conflict. We have a tendency to be people-oriented because we see people every day. But what is most important is our testimony to angels. That is a part of our invisible conflict, and a part of your execution of the PPOG. When you execute the PPOG, you have a much higher testimony, and the reflection of that testimony is that God blesses your client nation. But when Christians fail to execute the PPOG in this dispensation, then cursing comes upon their client nation. Those who execute the PPOG are winners and invisible heroes. Those who fail to execute the PPOG are losers, described in EPH 4:17-32.

EPH 4:17 “This I say therefore, and affirm together with the Lord, that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind, Don't go along with the crowd, the empty-headed, mindless crowd. EPH 4:18 being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart; They've refused for so long to deal with God that they've lost touch not only with God but with reality itself. EPH 4:19 and they, having become callous, have given themselves over to sensuality, for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness. They can't think straight anymore; they let themselves go in sexual obsession, addicted to every sort of perversion. EPH 4:20 But you did not learn Christ in this way, That's no life for you because you've learned about Christ! EPH 4:21 if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus, His assumption is that they have paid careful attention to him, been well instructed in the truth precisely as we have it in Jesus. EPH 4:22 that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, Everything connected with that old way of life has to go. It's rotten through and through, God wants you to get rid of it, and then take on an entirely new way of life, a God-fashioned life, EPH 4:23-25, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, or by the breathing of your soul. And put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth. Therefore, laying aside falsehood, speak truth, each one of you, with his neighbor, for we are members of one another. What this adds up to, then, is this: no more lies, no more pretense. Tell your neighbor the truth. In Christ's body we're all connected to each other, after all, when you lie to others, you end up lying to yourself. EPH 4:26 Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, Go ahead and be angry at times but don't use your anger as fuel for revenge, and don't stay angry, don't go to bed angry. EPH 4:27-29, and do not give the devil an opportunity. A room in your soul. Let him who steals steal no longer; but rather let him labor, performing with his own hands what is good, in order that he may have something to share with him who has need. Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, that it may give grace to those who hear. Watch the way you talk, let nothing foul or dirty come out of your mouth. Say only what helps, make each word a gift. Remember PRO 18:21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue. EPH 4:30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Don't grieve God. His Holy Spirit, moving and breathing in you, is the most intimate part of your life, making you fit for himself. Don't take such a gift for granted. EPH 4:31-32, Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. And be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you. Be gentle with one another, sensitive, forgive one another as quickly and thoroughly as God in Christ forgave you.

The winner or the invisible hero receives distribution of his escrow blessings for time. In EPH 1:3 possibly billions of years ago in eternity past God the Father, as the grantor, deposited greater blessings into escrow for every believer, i.e., greater blessings for both time and the eternal state. Our Lord Jesus Christ as the escrow officer makes the distribution of escrow blessings in time and in eternity at the Judgment Seat of Christ.

Therefore, the winner has phenomenal impact and blessing in time as well as reward in eternity. The invisible hero has a dynamic impact on history; during the times of the Gentiles, the greatest historical impact is not recorded in man's history books, but is directly related to mature believers. Invisible heroes have a tremendous influence on every facet of our life. (1) They have an influence on the establishment principle of freedom through military victory. (2) They have an influence on law enforcement, from the judge on the bench to the police officer on patrol. (3) They have an influence on the economy. (4) They have an influence on the general life and culture. (5) They have an influence in Christianity, e.g., in evangelism, Bible teaching, and missionary activity.

The following link is to a good news message describing how one can receive eternal life: Ticket to Heaven, it was written for anyone not absolutely certain about their eternal future.

Wkly Bible Study for Dial-Up/Broadband, 11-19-2012

Sunday, November 18, 2012

Internet Church Service, Sunday, Nov 18, 2012

Sunday, November 11, 2012

Wkly Bible Study for Dial-Up/Broadband, 11-12-2012

God's Gift of Eternal Life Blog

Monday, November 26, 2012

Wkly Bible Study for Dial-Up/Broadband, 11-26-2012

Saturday, November 24, 2012

Internet Church Service, Sunday, Nov 25, 2012

Monday, November 19, 2012

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