Weekly Bible Study - April 28, 2014

Knowing how to glorify God, or how believers resist the will of God.

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:

Knowing how to glorify God, or how believers resist the will of God.

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

Knowing how to glorify God, or how believers resist the will of God.


In relationship to our main study of ROM 9:19, we have been noting the will of God that most individuals choose to resist. Our next subject: “Knowing how to glorify God or knowing the glorification of God.”

Point 1. How the Believer Glorifies God.
The glorification of God by means of the Church (in EPH 3:21) occurs when the believer attains spiritual adulthood and moves on to spiritual maturity.

Now to Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen. (EPH 3:20-21)

Knowing how to glorify God, or knowing the glorification of God, is to take place in the Church. Glory to God also is to come down through all the generations through knowing how to glorify God. This means through the Church-age, the Tribulation period, all the way through the Millennial reign and eventually the eternal state.

For this reason, I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man; This means to be strengthen by His Spirit, not a worldly fleshly strength, but a glorious inner strength, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God. (EPH 3:14-19)

Knowing how to glorify God will cause you to reach out and experience the breadth, test its length, rise to the heights, and dig out and experience the depths! You'll be able to take in the extravagant dimensions of the love of Christ. Knowing how to glorify God will cause you to live full lives in the fullness of God.

There are different manifestations of knowing how to glorify God: 1) At spiritual self-esteem the believer has knowledge and self-confidence. 2) At spiritual autonomy (spiritually self-sustained) he does not depend on man. 3) Then at spiritual maturity, the believer has cognitive invincibility, and can be manufactured into an invisible hero. This happens when the believer glorifies God as he parlays the life beyond gnosis (EPH 3:19) into the life beyond dreams (EPH 3:20).

And to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge [gnosis], that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly beyond all that we ask or think [the life beyond our fondest dreams], according to the power that works within us, I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, entreat you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, (EPH 3:19-4:1)

Paul is saying, “Here’s what I want you to do: While I'm locked up here, a prisoner for the Master, I want you to get out there and walk, better yet, run on the road God called you to travel. I don't want any of you sitting around. I don't want anyone strolling off, down some path that goes nowhere.”

With all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing forbearance to one another in love, (EPH 4:2)

Believers do this with humility and discipline, in acts of love for each other.

Being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. (EPH 4:3)

Knowing how to glorify God causes the believer to be alert at noticing differences and quick at mending fences.

There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; (EPH 4:4)

You were all called to travel on the same road and in the same direction, so stay together, both outwardly and inwardly.

One Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all. (EPH 4:5-6)

You have one Master, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who rules over all, works through all, and is present in all. Knowing how to glorify God causes us to recognize that everything we are, think and do is infiltrated with Oneness. But that doesn't mean you should all look, speak and act the same. Out of the generosity of Christ, each of us is given his own gift.

But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ's gift. (EPH 4:7)

The PPOG is divided into two categories: 1) The life beyond gnosis (EPH 3:19). 2) The life beyond dreams (EPH 3:20). The life beyond gnosis is epignosis which is the consistent function of perception, metabolization and application of Bible doctrine. Learning doctrine in the O.T. won't advance you in the life beyond gnosis. You must understand the mystery doctrine of the Church-age which is found in the N.T. Epistles, for they contain all the mechanics for the PPOG in this dispensation. The result is the attainment of spiritual adulthood. Then you begin to gather fantastic and dynamic momentum. Spiritual maturity parlays the life beyond gnosis into the life beyond dreams, which becomes the basis for glorifying God.

Point 2. What Does Not Glorify God.

Notice that left out of our first point is all your Christian service, sacrifice, and works. All this is wood, hay, and straw and it will all be burned at the Judgment Seat of Christ (1CO 3:11-15; 2CO 5:10). The only Christian service and production that counts is the production that results from the filling of the Holy Spirit and the perception of Bible doctrine. Therefore, Christian service and Christian works are not the means of attaining spiritual adulthood or of glorifying God. Spiritual growth is not measured in works; spiritual growth is measured in momentum. When there is momentum, there will be production. That production will be gold, silver, and precious stones and it will be rewardable at the Judgment Seat of Christ.

Point 3. The Pattern for Glorifying God in the Church-age.

The pattern of perception, metabolization and application of Bible doctrine is the pattern of the three R’s. Reception of Bible doctrine is the #1 priority. Retention refers to the metabolization of Bible doctrine, epignosis doctrine in the right lobe is the basis of momentum in the PPOG. Recall is comparable to the concept of wisdom; it refers to the application of doctrine. This results in understanding the ten unique characteristics of the Church-age:

1. The Baptism of the Holy Spirit.

2. The dispensation of the unique PPOG.

3. Unique equality in the PPOG.

4. The unique portfolio of invisible assets.

5. Two unique royal commissions for every Church-age believer.

6. The doctrine of the Church-age is the unique mystery doctrine.

7. The body of the Church-age believer is indwelt by each person of the Trinity.

8. The unique availability of Divine power.

9. The age of no prophecy.

10. The Church Age is the dispensation of invisible heroes.

Those ten characteristics are the basis for your standard operating procedure. This also results in the understanding of the ten problem solving devices for the Christian ay of life.

Momentum is based on solving problems, problems like handling suffering. There is X-amount of suffering for blessing involved in momentum, because this is the way you apply doctrine to your experience.

Glorification of God is the execution of the PPOG through the advance to spiritual maturity. This means advance through the three stages of spiritual adulthood. The pattern for glorifying God includes suffering for blessing, not divine discipline or self-induced misery under the law of volitional responsibility. Self-induced misery results in divine discipline, which is designed to cause us to rebound and recover life in the PPOG. However, only suffering for blessing has momentum. Therefore, when you pass these different tests you are qualified for blessing and therefore glorification.

Point 4. Glorification of God is related to the distribution of your escrow blessings for time.

That is when the life beyond dreams begins. Remember EPH 1:3 says, not blessed, but “eulogetos” means “worthy of praise and glorification.”

Worthy of praise and glorification be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, says just as He (God the Father) elected us in Him before the foundation of the world (EPH 1:3-4).

Eph 1 teaches that the first thing God ever did for us is the means of glorifying Him, which is to receive the blessings He has provided for us. Billions of years ago, God the Father deposited into escrow, the greatest blessings that you and I can't even imagine.

And these fantastic blessings are tailored perfectly for you. Under the doctrine of election, God wills the highest and the best for you as a believer, only when you receive that highest and best do you glorify God. This is why every believer has a tremendous escrow account in heaven. People often ask what is God's will for my life? The answer is very simple: God's will is for you to glorify Him. God's will is for you to withdraw from your escrow account as much as you can. God has the highest and the best for you.

He has the greatest blessings, blessings that stagger the imagination. God's will for your life is for you to have the most phenomenal blessings. The very fact that some of you don't believe, and in reality you think God is fighting against you because of some area in your life, reveals that you have bought a lie from Satan. The fact that you do not have the most phenomenal blessings in time and eternity simply means that you're choosing to be a loser. It is making choices that makes us either losers or winners.

God not only wills the highest and best for each believer but, at the same time He provides equal privilege and equal opportunity to attain these blessings. Equal privilege means that you are in union with Christ and His church. Equal opportunity means that you have logistical grace support. There is no excuse for any believer in all of the history of the Church-age for not receiving phenomenal blessings. The reason is just plain old negative volition toward doctrine. It takes perseverance and positive volition toward doctrine. You can't be positive if you submit to negative feelings and depressions, or if you allow someone's personality to get in the way of your momentum. When you think doctrine doesn't work and you start to peel off and begin to miss vital doctrines, you've had it. All you do is cut yourself off from being able to withdraw from your escrow account in heavenly places.

So why are you here? You are here to glorify God!

“Worthy art Thou, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for Thou didst create all things, and because of Thy will they existed, and were created.” (REV 4:11)

“The people whom I formed for Myself, Will declare My glory.” (ISA 43:21)

Glorifying God demands understanding, and you will be kept alive by God long enough to have the opportunity to understand. You will be kept alive by God to fulfill His plan, unless you're a cosmic believer and you reach the point of divine discipline and become a loser.

Point 5. God's will for your life as a member of the royal family of God is to bless you.

In eternity past, God provided a fantastic plan which included His highest and best just for you. You glorify Him when you live in that plan and receive all the blessings he has designed for you!

EPH 1:3-6 says, Worthy of praise and glorification be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He (God the Father) elected us in Him before the foundation of the world, In love, He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.

God had a reason for all He has done for you in your and this reason gives purpose to your life. Remember that anything God does results in His glorification. God does not depend on us for His pleasure or His glory. He enjoyed these things in eternity past when no one else existed. God doesn't depend on us for His pleasure and glory but instead He expresses His pleasure and glory toward us. Therefore, because God is to be glorified you and I are the beneficiaries of His blessings and divine provisions. God is not glorified by our system of human works, but is glorified by meeting our every need.

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.

Internet Church Service, Sunday, April 27, 2014

This week’s sermon title:
What it means to live in the Royal Family Honor Code
as you put on the Breastplate of Righteousness, Part 4.

Today’s Sermon Message:
What it means to live in the Royal Family Honor Code
as you put on the Breastplate of Righteousness, Part 4.
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

Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus – Lyrics in video
(You can skip the commercial if there is one)

Hymn #2

To God Be The Glory – No Lyrics
(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 What it means to live in the Royal Family Honor Code
as you put on the Breastplate of Righteousness, Part 4.

TO VIEW THE SERMON: Right click the link above, a small window will open then left click either “Open in New Window” or “Open in New Tab” and the church service notes page will open, it has three options in the upper right side of the page, right click the link titled “download mp3” and just like before, select either Open New Window or Open New Tab to open the MP3 player, this will leave the notes page open so you can move back to it, so go back to the notes page to follow along in the notes, the streaming audio should begin automatically in your default audio/video player (like, Windows Media Player).

If you need to leave the service, when you come back, to move the MP3 player forward, press and hold the left click down on the player progress bar where you see the little arrow under the time on progress bar and move your mouse forward

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

Wayfaring Stranger – 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.

Weekly Bible Study - April 20, 2014

Why God made us like He did; Why Chaos and Sin. Part 3

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:

Why God made us like He did; Why Chaos and Sin. Part 3



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

Why God made us like He did; Why Chaos and Sin. Part 3


In relationship to our main study of ROM 9:19, we have been noting the will of God that most individuals choose to resist. We are now ready to look at why God allows system testing. Paul gave us this principle in: 2CO 12:10, Therefore I am well content with weaknesses [preventative suffering], with insults [slander and people testing], with distresses [pressure and thought testing], with persecutions [system testing].

By now you’re aware that the world is filled with organizations. Everywhere that you turn in life it is inevitable that you become a part of a system or an organization. When you become a part of any organization, one of the first things that you discover is that every organization has a command structure, a chain of command, and you will experience the feet of clay syndrome and see the organization’s flaws. Some systems are good and some are bad, however, the issue is whether or not you enter into the system or an organization with the power of God. It all has to do with the power we operate under (2CO 4:7; 2CO 10:4).

Without the power of God, system testing is very difficult to handle. However, if you enter into a system with the power of God, you will not only be good for the organization but you will do well in representing the Lord as an ambassador. You may be the low person on the totem pole, but with the power of God you will advance in the spiritual life and prosper. It was said of Hezekiah in 2CH 31:21, And every work which he began in the service of the house of God in doctrine and in command, seeking his God, he did with all his heart and prospered.

The characteristics of a system are three-fold:

(1) Authority.

(2) Policy.

(3) Objective.

The personnel under the authority can face system testing. The policy of management and the objective of the organization can cause system testing as well.

There are at least seven general categories of different systems:

(1) Business organizations, large or small.

(2) Military services.

(3) Professional organizations, such as medical organizations, law firms, engineering companies, law enforcement.

(4) Ecclesiastical organizations, such as local churches, denominations, cults, theological seminaries, Christian service organizations.

(5) Athletic organizations, such as professional, college, high school teams.

(6) Divine institutions, like marriage and family.

(7) Government: National, state, or local.

There are good and bad organizations, systems, leadership, policies, and objectives. Your system testing may be from either category, good or bad. Because no one is perfect and everyone has an old sin nature, personality, policy, and purpose conflicts will inevitably exist.

Generally, there are three areas of system testing:

(1) The authority may give unfair and unjust treatment, as from management, the boss, supervisor, senior officer, coach, professor, government bureaucrat, husband, parents, etc. Favoritism on the part of management can inevitably lead to personality conflict in an office.

(2) The policy may be unreasonable, or may conflict with normal living or with your own personal norms and standards, or it may be a stupid though still enforceable policy.

(3) The objectives may be unreasonable or even impossible because of lack of ability in the personnel trying to fulfill them.

The greatest enemy to any organization is arrogance in its personnel. Arrogance is the great enemy wherever there are people. A second enemy is incapability; a third is laziness and procrastination. Other enemies include distraction from having the wrong priorities and ignorance.

So, there are three areas of system testing:

(1) Personality conflict in the organization. Someone may not like your personality and therefore you become a victim of unjust treatment!

(2) Policy pressure upon the individual believer. However, this does not mean that if you read your Bible on company time and get rebuked for it that you're going through system testing. When you are working for a company, they have the right to dictate to you certain rules including one that prohibits reading your Bible on company time.

(3) The objective or purpose of the organization. If you disagree with the system you're under then leave the system. However, leave it with no judging, criticism, murmuring or complaining. The motivation for the believer who has the divine power of God is always his personal love for God, occupation with Christ and his impersonal love for all mankind. Therefore we do not do our job to please men, but we do our job as unto the Lord.

Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right. (1PE 2:13-14)

This passage is literally saying, For the sake of the Lord submit yourselves to every human authority: For God wants you to silence the ignorant talk of foolish people by the good things you do.

Servants or labor, be submissive to your masters or employers 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 [and that is people testing and system testing.] (2PE 2:18-19).

You are to exercise your freedom by serving God, not by breaking the rules. You are to treat everyone you meet with dignity. You are to love your spiritual family, revere God, and respect the government. What counts is that you put up with it for God's sake when you're treated badly for no good reason (1PE 2:20). There's no particular virtue in accepting punishment that you well deserve.

The Lord never did one thing wrong and not once said anything improper. They called him every name in the book and he said nothing back. He suffered in silence, content to let God set things right. A person who uses the problem solving devices functioning under the power of God with the attitude of doing his job as unto the Lord, will do a good job regardless of any unfair treatment or injustice in the system. With the motivation which comes from the power of God, the believer can do his job under an unfair policy regarding his hours or work, under unjust treatment from management, and under unfair bullying regarding the objectives.

When a believer operates under the divine power of God, he always does the best possible job regardless of unfair treatment, unjust criticism, or even any form of job discrimination. When a believer operates under the divine power of God, he does not complain or become involved in organizational conspiracy. When a believer operates under the divine power of God, he can be a victim of unfair leadership or unjust management or a rotten system, and he deals with all the personality conflicts from his impersonal love. We must always remember, regardless of our stage of spiritual growth, that while God is always fair, it is inevitable that man will be unfair. It is true that sometimes we become shocked at the way certain people have treated us, however, we should never ever be shocked at the wickedness of man.

We are ready to continue our study by looking at why God allows disasters to take place in the believer's life, or why disaster testing. Many of us need a disaster or tragedy to wake us. Before the believer reaches maturity, there will be some major disasters in the life. How the believer handles these determines whether he accelerates his spiritual growth or retreats and goes backward.

“Be gracious to me, O God, be gracious to me, For my soul takes refuge in Thee; And in the shadow of Thy wings I will take refuge, Until destruction passes by.” (PSA 57:1)

There are two categories of disaster testing:
(1) Personal disaster testing is designed as suffering for blessing for acceleration of momentum, or warning of cosmic involvement, in which case divine discipline becomes involved.

(2) Historical disaster, collective disaster, or national disaster testing is related to the bad decisions of others in which you are involved by association. For example, a lot of people may suffer unfairly when the President decides to go to war or the congress passes laws that take away freedom.

There are at least six characteristics of disaster testing:

(a) Pain, e.g., physical or mental pain and anguish.

(b) Crime, where you are the victim

(c) Persecution (not paranoia).

(d) Privation, meaning hunger, thirst, exposure, fatigue.

(e) Loss of loved ones, property, success, money, etc.

(f) Disease and handicaps.

There are four characteristics of national disaster.

(1)Violence, crime, terrorism, dope, murder.

(2) Warfare.

(3) Weather disaster includes heat, cold, storm, blizzards, hurricanes, tornadoes.

(4) Cycles of discipline.

Disaster testing always tests our emotions. For example, in emotionalism you may seek to sue someone who is negligent, which is only revenge, and you become a loser, so you can actually lose by gaining, and gain by losing. The only wealth worth having is the wealth that God provides in escrow blessing. There is always the disaster that will make you prosperous if you rely on the power of God to pull you through.

Historical downtrend happens when a maximum number of people in a given area are living in the cosmic system. There must be maximum faith, maximum spiritual self-esteem, maximum spiritual maturity if you are going to have your escrow blessing and pass the disaster test.

As Jeremiah said, O Lord, the hope of Israel, All who forsake Thee will be put to shame. Those who turn away on earth will be written down, Because they have forsaken the fountain of living water, even the Lord (JER 17:13).

All who leave God end up as fools. Deserters or believers who go AWOL end up with nothing to show for their lives, and wind up in disaster and even dead! In disaster testing, it can be very difficult to trust in the Lord and not fight back or seek revenge and self survival and that's why PSA 4:5 says to offer the sacrifices of righteousness, And trust in the Lord. Trust in the Lord is called a sacrifice of righteousness because in time of disaster the tendency is to trust in yourself.

Disaster testing is the most obvious of all the tests. People testing, thought testing, and system testing may exert an insidious pressure on the believer. He must be alert to recognize these challenges to his advance. When he has identified the nature of the test, he then can apply the appropriate problem-solving devices and pass the test. Disaster testing, however, is anything but subtle. The problem is not to identify the threat but to endure the shock and to maintain poise for decision making under extreme duress.

The proper attitude in times of disaster is described by Peter.

In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ; and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, (1PE 1:6-8)

In disaster testing, the spiritually adult believer uses the greatest of all problem-solving devices, the happiness of God, which is described here as “inexpressible and full of glory.” The believer inculcated with the thinking of God is happy or content in whatever circumstances he finds himself and can therefore cope with any pressure in life.

Knowledge of Bible doctrine gives the believer a sense for historical trends so that he is alert to pending disasters. God protects the growing believer in disaster testing. In this divine test, the believer has the privilege of understanding these doctrines and of appreciating the One who protects and delivers him. He understands and believes JOB 5:20, In economic depression He [God] will ransom you from death, and in battle from the power of the sword. He understands and believes ROM 8:35-39, Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or akedness, or peril, or sword? Just as it is written, “For Thy sake we are being put to death all day long; We were considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

When a believer suffers disaster testing, he is closing in on the objective of the Christian way of life. Spiritual maturity is the next step. In people testing, thought testing, system testing, or disaster testing, the Christian's mental attitude can be characterized by eager anticipation and stimulation despite the pain he suffers. Metabolized Bible doctrine enables him to see how close he is to achieving maturity.

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.

Internet Church Service, Sunday, April 20, 2014

This week’s sermon title:
What it means to live in the Royal Family Honor Code
as you put on the Breastplate of Righteousness, Part 3.

Today’s Sermon Message:
What it means to live in the Royal Family Honor Code
as you put on the Breastplate of Righteousness, Part 3.
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

Were You There – Lyrics in video
(You can skip the commercial if there is one)

Hymn #2

He’s Alive – No Lyrics
(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 What it means to live in the Royal Family Honor Code
as you put on the Breastplate of Righteousness, Part 3.

TO VIEW THE SERMON: Right click the link above, a small window will open then left click either “Open in New Window” or “Open in New Tab” and the church service notes page will open, it has three options in the upper right side of the page, right click the link titled “download mp3” and just like before, select either Open New Window or Open New Tab to open the MP3 player, this will leave the notes page open so you can move back to it, so go back to the notes page to follow along in the notes, the streaming audio should begin automatically in your default audio/video player (like, Windows Media Player).

If you need to leave the service, when you come back, to move the MP3 player forward, press and hold the left click down on the player progress bar where you see the little arrow under the time on progress bar and move your mouse forward

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

All My Tears – 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.

Weekly Bible Study - April 14, 2014

Why God made us like He did; Why Chaos and Sin. 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:

Why God made us like He did; Why Chaos and Sin. 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

Why God made us like He did; Why Chaos and Sin.


In relationship to our main study of ROM 9:19, You will say to me then, “Why does He still find fault? For who resists His will?”

We have begun to answer our fourth important principle concerning the will of God which is: Why God allows human suffering. The most obvious reason why we suffer is because we have a free will and God allows us to make our own decisions and allow the consequences of those decisions to prevail. We commit certain sins, and make bad decisions that cause us suffering. This suffering comes from our own volition even if done in ignorance. We make bad decisions and if we are humble enough we will learn from them (PSA 25:9)

On the other hand, there is a category of suffering that glorifies God. This is the category of undeserved suffering, or suffering for blessing. Here the believer is challenged to use the problem solving devices, and the different forms of rationales. The doctrinal rationales include: the essence of God rationale, the plan of God rationale, the policy of God rationale, the a fortiori rationale.

We are going to approach this subject of undeserved suffering from different stages: First, there is preventative suffering which is added to the first stage of spiritual adulthood, to strengthen it to greater spiritual growth. It is defined as short-termed suffering from the sovereignty of God for the benefit of the believer. There are times that we go through certain forms of suffering that come from God for our own benefit. Often the purpose of preventative suffering is to learn obedience, self-discipline, and therefore enforced and genuine humility. Because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations or the advance doctrinal understanding of the believer, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to buffet me to keep me from exalting myself! (2CO 12:7).

Paul was given some sort of handicap to keep him in constant touch with his limitations. The Greek word for “given” is “edothe” in the passive voice it means that this was given for a blessing and benefit. You may not think it is when you're going through it, but it is. It may not feel good for you, but it is. The thorn in the flesh was an angel from Satan who was assigned to torment the apostle Paul and this keeps him from becoming arrogant. The thorn in the flesh tormented Paul by using members of the human race to persecute and harass Paul. When a believer has a lot of doctrine, he needs to stay away from arrogance, and therefore there are times when God allows the kingdom of darkness to torment one of God's children, but in fact it is for their own benefit.

Concerning this [thorn in the flesh] I entreated or appealed to the Lord three times that it might depart from me. (2CO 12:8)

Preventative suffering, like all suffering for blessing, is not designed to be removed by prayer. It is administered by God, and what God does not remove He intends for us to bear. You do not pray for the removal of suffering for blessing, for without suffering the believer cannot fulfill the spiritual life or the PPOG for his life. Paul prayed three times for the removal of this suffering and he never received an answer.

And He had said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power [the power of God given to the believer in spiritual adulthood] is perfected in weakness [or when you are unable to rely on your human strength or your human assets]. Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may dwell in me.” (2CO 12:9)

The Greek verb for “to say” is “eireken” it means that Paul remembered something that the Lord had taught him. This was not an answer to prayer, but a recall of Bible doctrine which he had learned. Many believers don't understand that the fear of suffering is worse than the suffering itself. A person who fears suffering is already suffering from what he fears. Only through experiences of trials and sufferings can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved. Everything necessary to fulfill the spiritual life in PPOG was provided in eternity past by way of our assets in the Portfolio of Invisible Assets. Then God provides doctrine and suffering in time. What a marvelous combination!

Suffering becomes a spotlight to the angels in the angelic conflict focusing on God's power and our simultaneous weakness, weakness brought about by suffering for blessing. Suffering for blessing focuses on God's grace, and turns boasting away from self-glorification into worship, love, and appreciation for God. Paul is boasting because this is suffering for blessing through which God is glorified. This is boasting in a good sense, which looks away from Paul and toward the grace provision of God. It is not boasting to glorify self, but the dynamic mental attitude of spiritual self-esteem facing preventative suffering.

Therefore I am well content with weaknesses [when I go through preventative suffering], with insults [a reference to slander and people testing] with distresses [a reference to pressure and thought testing], with persecutions [a reference to system testing], with difficulties [a reference to stress and disaster testing], for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong. (2CO 12:10)

Spiritual growth develops spiritual muscle from passing these four warmup tests with the result of the believer becoming spiritually self-sustained. these tests are: 1) Insults, a reference to slander and people testing. 2) Distresses, a reference to pressure and thought testing. 3) Persecutions , a reference to system testing. 4) Difficulties, a reference to stress and disaster testing.

Let’s look at people testing. In personal love or admiration, the recipient of your love often controls your life or causes you unhappiness, unless you have attained some stage of spiritual adulthood. In wanting to please the object of your personal love, you find yourself being a different person and not following your normal function. In personal hatred or animosity, the object of your antagonism or irritation often has control of your life or happiness, unless you have advanced to spiritual adulthood. Under the PPOG, God designed His plan so that your happiness will always reside in you, and you do not depend on people or things for your happiness. As a function of your royal priesthood it all comes from within.

You are to have personal control of your life, a personal sense of destiny, self-confidence from metabolized doctrine, and therefore, poise and command of self. Therefore, you bring your happiness to others, but do not lean on others or circumstances for your happiness. Many believers are easily led away from the spiritual life and the PPOG by their friendships, love life, and even hatred. This is why PRO 13:20 tells us, He who walks with wise men will be wise,But the companion of fools will suffer harm. You become wise by walking with the wise; you hang out with fools, watch your life fall to pieces. 1CO 15:33 tells us, Do not be deceived: Bad company corrupts good morals.

Unless you attain spiritual adulthood, every time you fall in love or acquire a friend, the object controls your life and your happiness. Without impersonal unconditional love, you become a slave to people. The solution to people testing is found in the combination of personal love for God and impersonal love for all mankind. Believers can talk about love all they want. They can brag about how much they love; how much love they have in their church or in their little fellowship groups, but every time when you hear them become critical and judgmental of another believer, you are in the presence of phonies.

“I tell you the truth, whatever you did to one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did to Me.” (MAT 25:40)

When you have impersonal unconditional love you have the divine power to cover others and be trustworthy and virtuous. (PRO 11:22; PRO 12:1; PRO 12:15; PRO 12:17; PRO 15:32; PRO 19:3). You do not blame anyone for your decisions when you are spiritually self-sustained. However when you become jealous, angry, bitter, vindictive, or implacable; when you are dissatisfied, antagonistic toward someone else, friend or stranger, lover or enemy; you surrender the control of your life to that person. You become a slave to the object of your antagonism or love. At the same time, you have no control over your life, canceling all the characteristics of spiritual self-esteem and your spiritual growth.

Virtue-love as a problem solving device is the secret of your relationship with God, mankind, and in personal love. For God has not given us a spirit of timidity or fear, but of power and love and discipline (2TI 1:7). There is no built-in virtue in personal love, which only requires that another meet your standards of beauty, attractiveness, and rapport. Therefore, to make a personal love relationship work, the believer must use a virtue base totally outside himself. Otherwise, people will make him miserable all his life. Personal love is only a virtue when directed toward God. Impersonal love is only a virtue when directed toward all mankind. This means that through impersonal love, the believer has control of his own life and he maintains control of his own happiness. Therefore, disappointment, disillusion, frustration, dissatisfaction with others cannot damage his happiness under the principle of misery derived from getting your eyes on people. Furthermore, once you attain spiritual adulthood, and you begin to function under the different categories of suffering for blessing, God becomes the source of your happiness.

People can only become a distraction to the fulfillment of the God's plan for your life when human relationship becomes more important to you than Bible doctrine.
False priorities exist when social life, business life, sexual life take precedence over your residence, function, and momentum inside the PPOG. When personal ambition is stronger than Bible doctrine, then the believer has lost his scale of values, his priorities. So whether it's love or hatred, attraction or animosity, romance or disenchantment, friendship or disillusion, these can distract you from the fulfillment of the PPOG and the glorification of our Lord Jesus Christ; unless you have passed momentum suffering. This means that through impersonal love, the believer has control of his own life and he maintains control of his own happiness.

For this is the message which you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another; not as Cain, who was of the evil one, and slew his brother. And for what reason did he slay him? Because his deeds were evil, and his brother's were righteous. Do not marvel, brethren, if the world hates you. We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love abides in death. Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer; and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. (1JO 3:11-16)

If we don't love people we can see, how can we love God whom we cannot see?

So remember, spiritual growth develops spiritual muscle from passing those four warmup tests with the result of the believer becoming spiritually self-sustained. These tests are: 1) Insults, a reference to slander and people testing. 2) Distresses, a reference to pressure and thought testing. 3) Persecutions , a reference to system testing. 4) Difficulties, a reference to stress and disaster testing. Next we look at thought testing. This is the principle that Paul also gave us in 2CO 12:10, Therefore I am well content with weaknesses [preventative suffering], with insults [slander and people testing], with distresses [a reference to pressure and 5thought testing], with persecutions [a reference to system testing], with difficulties [a reference to stress and disaster testing], for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong. Thought has such a powerful effect on the believer's success or failure in the Christian life that thinking must be considered a major spiritual test. In all stages of the spiritual life and Christian growth, the believer will face the pressure of thought conflicts in his soul. Human viewpoint will conflict with divine viewpoint. False concepts will challenge Bible doctrine. Arrogance will intrude upon humility. Prosperity will compete with the PPOG. Fear will paralyze reason. These are essentially private conflicts which the believer must resolve in his own soul. Dilemmas, confusions, and unanswered questions motivate the positive believer to apply the resources of Bible doctrine he has learned. Concentration on doctrine accelerates his spiritual growth.

Thought testing may also exist when circumstances are overtly prosperous and tranquil. (DEU 6:10; DEU 8:1-14). When it comes to distresses or pressure and thought testing, a person is not always what he appears to be on the surface; the real person is the thought content of his soul. What you really are as a person is what you really think, not what you appear to be on the surface, not the way you are dressed or groomed, but what goes on inside your soul. You are not always what you appear to be on the surface. Some people can hide their thoughts and some cannot. People can hide their thoughts and become masterful at the practice of hypocrisy. The real you is the thought content of your soul. Your thoughts determine your true character. People use thoughts to justify their wrong doings, and speech to conceal their thoughts. People use thoughts to justify their wrong doings, and they use speech to conceal their thoughts. Learn to have more respect for honest arrogance than hypocritical humility. This is why courage and genuine humility are straightforward virtues, for they are virtues that hypocrisy cannot imitate. Hypocrisy is the ultimate form of wickedness and evil. Therefore, the mentality of the soul is the battlefield of the angelic conflict.

When the believer thinks evil, he is evil. He or she resides in Satan's cosmic system. From evil thinking comes evil motivation; from evil motivation, evil actions. And Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, “Why are you thinking evil in your hearts?” (MAT 9:4). In contrast, thinking that is consistent with the truth has enormous repercussions for good. Salvation itself is appropriated by a right thought, by non-meritorious positive volition toward the Gospel of Jesus Christ (MAT 22:42). Mankind's great enemy is a thought called arrogance. Arrogance can inflate or deflate man's opinion of himself. He thinks he is better or worse than he actually is. Both self-promotion and self-depreciating distort and deny reality, which is the realm in which God's plan is effective.

God's grace deals with us as we are, but an egocentric believer who does not live in objective reality will never use God's grace provisions to advance in the PPOG. For if anyone thinks he is something [arrogance] when he is nothing, he deceives himself (GAL 6:3). There is a grim irony in arrogance. A person who thinks more of himself than he has a right to think is actually depriving himself of his greatest advantages, the benefits that come with the fulfillment of God's plan for his life.

For I say through the grace of God which has been given to me, to everyone who is among you, stop thinking of self in terms of arrogance beyond what you ought to think, but think in terms of sanity [for the purpose of being rational without illusion, as God has assigned to each one a standard [of thinking] from doctrine. (ROM 12:3)

Arrogance is illusion, unreality, and when perpetuated, arrogance becomes insanity. Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. (1CO 10:12). The divine commands that the believer must obey in order to consistently pass thought testing are summed up in Romans 12:2, Stop being conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renovation of your thought, that you may prove what the will of God is, [namely] the good, the well-pleasing, and the complete.

"The renovation of [one's] thought is accomplished over a period of time by giving Bible doctrine number one priority, by organizing one's life around the daily perception of the Word of God. The good, the well-pleasing, and the complete is the PPOG being executed. Only in the PPOG can the believer receive all the blessings God has prepared for him in prosperity or adversity. The pattern of right thinking is the humanity of Jesus Christ, who constantly lived and functioned inside the PPOG for His life. Therefore, we are told in PHI 2:5 Keep on having this mental attitude in you, which was also in Christ Jesus. Our Lord's mental attitude of humility was manifested by His total conformity and obedience to the plan of God the Father. Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered (HEB 5:8).

Humility, which is obedience to divine authority and orientation to God's grace, should be the attitude of every member of the royal family of God. Humility excludes false solutions to thought testing.

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.