Bible Discussion Thread

 
  • Matt H. on Isaiah 18 - 2 years ago
    Does a life of studying God's Word in Faith enable one to articulate obscure assessments of it, and to deny clarity?

    Apparently so. Clarity is rare. Professional church talk abounds.
  • GiGi - In Reply on Isaiah 18 - 2 years ago
    Matt,

    I do understand what you say about church talk. People in fellowship with each other tend to have somewhat of an internal language, phrases, etc. Same is true of believers. We often forget that not everyone gets what we say we we speak this internal language. Please forgive us when we do and you just want plain speaking. I would like to know of some things you would like more clarity on.
  • T. Levis - In Reply on Isaiah 18 - 2 years ago
    1 John 2:27-29
  • David - In Reply on Isaiah 18 - 2 years ago
    Hi Matt H. Please explain the clarity is rare, are you saying explanations of things scripturally?
  • Matt H. - In Reply on Isaiah 18 - 2 years ago
    Christ spoke with clarity in economy of words, according to Prov. 10:19. The pro forma speaking of all facets upon a Truth from God is not economy. Christ did not speak winded sales pitches.
  • GiGi again - In Reply on Isaiah 18 - 2 years ago
    Matt H.

    It seems that you may have been wounded, confused, or bothered by someone's (or many people's) expansive explanations of Scriptural matters or Christian topics. Being succinct and to the point is important and often forgotten. I am one to be guilty of long-speaking. Different personalities prefer different approaches. I think that realizing that may help you to see that people on this site mean well and hope to encourage and help others in spiritual growth and understanding. Glad you brought this topic up.
  • Rick - In Reply on Isaiah 18 - 2 years ago
    Hello Matt If what your stating a lot of what you hear being taught have no clarity and appear to be salespitches that's because for most its a head trip of knowledge Jesus Christ spoke the wisdom of God by Spirit inspired sayings not head knowledge with no heart, that's what the pharisees and sadducees and politicians did and somethings haven't changed much.
  • GiGi again - In Reply on Isaiah 18 - 2 years ago
    Agreed, Paul said that "knowledge puffs up." We should be careful about having the best motives for sharing any knowledge we have been blessed to learn with others. We should not seek to become knowledgeable to be smart or smarter than others. This is prideful. Our purpose for pursuing knowledge should be to grow in faith and to help others grow as well as to be ready to have an answer for anyone who asks us about the hope we have within us in Jesus Christ.
  • Matt H. - In Reply on Isaiah 18 - 2 years ago
    As you just spoke of head knowledge bng far inferior to "heart" comprehension, I then see you cannot define or characterize "heart."

    In fact, accepting Christ's Divinity and Completed Work is entirely about head knowledge from either hearing or reading the Gospel. You cannot refute this in any manner.
  • Rick - In Reply on Isaiah 18 - 2 years ago
    Matt H. P.S. I know a lot of individuals who know a lot of bible and have tremendous knowledge but no change in heart to do, but your correct you've got to read or hear to believe.
  • Matt H. - In Reply on Isaiah 18 - 2 years ago
    It is not possible for anyone other than The Lord to "see" another person's heart. Do you agree? Hopefully.

    It is a cancerous error to presume to either see another person's heart, even to be able to "check their fruit." Discipleship and Lordship are not required for Salvation, regardless of how spiritual such things may sound.
  • GiGi again - In Reply on Isaiah 18 - 2 years ago
    Matt H.

    I think you are right that many times we assume to know more about another person than we actually do, especially matters of the heart. This is damaging, because we treat the other person according to our assumptions and wound them. I think we can see the fruits of other people's faith in how they act, perhaps not 100% accurately, but, with experience, we do learn to evaluate if someone's character is trustworthy or not. It takes discernment and all believers should pray to have this, and prayerfully use it as God would will us to use it.
  • English Sacha - In Reply on Isaiah 18 - 2 years ago
    Hi Matt , this is why we should never ever judge each other . We have no idea what other people have been through in their lives . All of our experiences in this life affect the way we view this world and every thing in it and everything leaves its mark on us . Half the time I don't know why I do and say the things I do so how the heck can I ever judge some one else . God knows us better than we can ever know our own selves . He remembers everything about us . All of our fears and insecurities are open books to Him . He is infinite in His knowledge of all of His creation . I believe this site is very important , it's helping all of us to learn and grow together and it's no bad thing that we don't all agree all the time . We feed each other and provoke each other , if we all agreed all the time this site wouldn't be as interesting or as helpful as it is . Matthew Ch 18 , V 20 .
  • GiGi again - In Reply on Isaiah 18 - 2 years ago
    Well stated. Unless you have walked a long time with a friend or family member, it is hard to understand them well. On this site, it is hard to know much about one another. We hope that people are being honest and straight-forward in our posts, without wrong motives. I think forbearance is a good term to describe how we should react to one another.
  • Matt - In Reply on Isaiah 18 - 2 years ago
    If you do not know "what the heck why you do or say the things you do," what then does that say about whether or not you walk in the light of The Spirit and Word?

    Have you been born again by God thru Christ?
  • English Sacha - In Reply on Isaiah 18 - 2 years ago
    Hi Matt , I am sorry , I think you may have taken me too literally and that would be my fault . When I said I don't know why I do and say what I do some times : I don't know how old you are , I'm in my mid fifties . When I look back on my life and the choices I made and the paths I took , I often think to my self 'why did I do that ' , sometimes in a good way and some times in a regretfull way . As for wether the Spirit is working in me to guide me , what makes you think we always know when that happens to us ? God doesn't have to tell us anything . His purpose will be fulfilled no matter what we do . He will put me where He wants me to be , I may be rebellious and stray off His path for me , but He will bring me back to where He wants me by whatever means He sees fit and I may never know that He did that . He doesn't have to tell me or you what He's doing . All we need to do is trust Him . Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him as righteousness . I sometimes forget that when I type and some one else reads , that they don't get my tone of voice or facial expressions or my sense of humour and my words can be taken literally . Sorry about that .
  • Taking a Leap of FAITH. - In Reply on Isaiah 18 - 2 years ago
    Jeremiah 17:9

    The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

    Ezekiel 33:8

    When I say unto the wicked, O wicked man, thou shalt surely die; if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.

    That other verse: the Tree is known by its fruit.

    It means that Jesus is that tree, and we are grafted into His Life. How we conduct ourselves in all ways; looks like Jesus, sounds like Him, prays to Our Father; in Jesus's Name.

    By reading all of the Bible, we come to understand what the Godhead (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) is like. ROMANS 1. They made this world that we should respect and love, every day.

    Scriptures light us up on the inside. That light flows outward on a hurting world that needs Him.

    Peter walked by a blind beggar on the street and his heart was overcome by his need. He said, silver and gold I do not have; but what I have, I give to you. The man was healed.

    I was healed the day I met Jesus. I had been a very sinful person. I didn't deserve to be saved. But he pulled me out of the mouth of the hell I lived in. That was 36 yrs ago. Every day with Jesus is JOY. I am loved completely. No one has ever loved me so.

    Your walk with God can be shallow or deep. I took a leap off my painful reality right into His arms. No matter what happens He has never let go of me.

    Open your heart and live on full display. His life Light, will shine through you. Take that leap.

    Mishael
  • Matt H. - In Reply on Isaiah 18 - 2 years ago
    No Scripture gives that we should "love and respect the world every day."

    Perhaps more reading of the Bible would correctly redirect your love and respect unto God.
  • Mishael - In Reply on Isaiah 18 - 2 years ago
    Do you walk by and comment on trash someone else threw down on ground?

    I actually "humble myself" and pick it up.

    We are all called to be good stewards. That's what I was talking about. Have a blessed day.
  • David - In Reply on Isaiah 18 - 2 years ago
    Hi Mishael Since the world is going to become one big lemon sour I figure we're lemonade makers!
  • Mishael - In Reply on Isaiah 18 - 2 years ago
    I miss my moms lemon cakes. No one can make them like she did. Now I do love lemonade or Texas style tea. :D Right now I'm weaning myself off coffee by drinking ice cold water instead. It's kinda working.

    Wow did anyone go on YouTube today? I had to exit. Every news desk is reporting Trumps Lie. Sometimes I wonder what Jesus thinks?

    Let's go fishing and cook em right on the bank!!
  • David - In Reply on Isaiah 18 - 2 years ago
    Hi Mishael Fished in south florida a lot red fish snapper and my favorite pompano, of course with sweet tea and corn bread its a southern thing. Reminds me of Jesus Christ after the resurrection serving fish to peter and the disciples in Gospel of John Chapter 21 can't wait to break bread with the brothers and sisters in paradise.
  • Mishael - In Reply on Isaiah 18 - 2 years ago
    I feel pretty sure Heaven is going mean smiling a lot. I've been practicing.
  • English Sacha - In Reply on Isaiah 18 - 2 years ago
    You make me smile pretty much every day .
  • Rick - In Reply on Isaiah 18 - 2 years ago
    Matt H. Absolutely correct.
  • Rick - In Reply on Isaiah 18 - 2 years ago
    Hi Matt H. On the contrary We confess with our mouth then believe in the heart which is biblically the seat of any persons personal life and only God knows whats in the heart of any man. in proverbs it says to guard your heart with all diligence for out of it are the issues of life. Then you have the great commandment also known as the royal law , to love God with all your HEART[innermost part of your being] soul mind and strength. You can love with your mind and body phileo but to include your heart innermost part of you requires giving yourself entirely. That is what Our master Jesus Christ did with his whole being. You cannnot Love God unless you are born again, which is Gods job and our job is to put that to heart and change our life accordingly put on It Is Written.
  • Matt H. - In Reply on Isaiah 18 - 2 years ago
    Praise God for His provision of mercy and justification through Christ to satisfy His otherwise unattainable requirement to Love Him With All Our Heart, Mind and Strength.

    If we could by our oen intent and works so obediently love God, Christ would not have needed to die and resurrect. Praise God for His revealed Word and Granted Wisdom.

    I am praying for you, Rick.
  • GiGi again - In Reply on Isaiah 18 - 2 years ago
    Matt H.

    You are right again. We cannot come to Christ on our own will. It takes a work of the Holy Spirit in us to desire God and turn to him in faith. We believe because the holy Spirit has planted faith in us to trust the veracity of the gospel. We cannot initiate a love for God on our own. We love Him because He first loved us and gave Himself for us. This is what grace does in us. it is the power of God to us for salvation, so that we can say no to wickedness and yes to godliness.

    It is a work of God from start to finish. We are in the in-between time now, walking by Spirit, exhibiting the fruits of the Holy Spirit inn our lives.
  • S Spencer - In Reply on Isaiah 18 - 2 years ago
    Hi Matt.

    Amen on we couldn't do that on our own strength.

    Praise God.
  • Rick - In Reply on Isaiah 18 - 2 years ago
    Matt H. I believe we have an error in communication here, the goal is to put God first in everything through Christ.
  • Matt H. - In Reply on Isaiah 18 - 2 years ago
    Give 5 specific things you personally have done this week to put God first thru Christ.

    "Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works, and praise your father which is in heaven." Matt. 5:16

    This is not an option, it is a command from Christ to true Believers.
  • Matt H. - In Reply on Isaiah 18 - 2 years ago
    Go ahead and give the observed features of that communication error.

    If you do not, then we can only conclude the error is nothing more than churchy sounding aphorisms being mindlessly put forth "in faith," for some reason. Remember, citing insufficient "service to God" is itself a mindless accusation made by those trained to be Professional Church Talkers. Make sense, Pastor?
  • English Sacha - In Reply on Isaiah 18 - 2 years ago
    Hi Matt H . I hope you are ok . I've been enjoying your posts lately . You sound a bit angry at the moment . I hope none of us have upset you . Please let us know if we have so we can sort it out .
  • Matt. - In Reply on Isaiah 18 - 2 years ago
    Was Jesus angry? Does The Father get angry, such that you want to help Him sort it out?

    Lol. Regards, Matt.

    PS - Might we chat about how "anger" is not necessarily the only option apart from nice agreement? I confess I do already know the scope of that discussion. Praise God.

    My advice to you, as a Very Specially Loved Heart, is that rather than reading in between the linesyou might try to read the lines themselves. Go back to the original comments here.
  • English Sacha - In Reply on Isaiah 18 - 2 years ago
    Thank you for replying to me Matt H . I'm a middle aged woman , there's no one more angry than a middle aged woman lol . I have to be careful with anger because if I don't get a grip on it it turns into sorrow for me . I can give you list of all the things I see that make me angry but it would take me a week to write it . I believe Jesus got angry , how could he not with all the hardheartedness around him . I've been reading the Bible for 27 years so I'm quite familiar with it . Reading between the lines is some thing I do when I can't quite understand some thing . I try to imagine why some one said or did some thing . When I was young I loved 'whodunnit' novels so my instinct is to look for clues , even in the Bible . The Bible never stops giving , never stops revealing , even after 27 years . That's part of its appeal , it's never dull because it's a slow reveal , the more times you read it the more things fall into place . This world doesn't often get a rise out of me any more , I feel the anger nip my brain occasionally but I'm very sad to say that the evilness of people no longer surprises me . It still saddens me though . Only God and His love and His mercy and His promises and His son Jesus Christ the Righteous oh and this site and the people on it , cheer me up every day . That includes you Matt , so if you sound a bit annoyed I'm gonna ask you 'whats up ' . Be joyfull , Christ is coming and he loves you !
  • David - In Reply on Isaiah 18 - 2 years ago
    Hello Matt H. and Rick James 3:13-18, God Bless
  • GiGi again - In Reply on Isaiah 18 - 2 years ago
    Matt H.

    Those of us on this thread are trying to understand you and what you desire from this communication. In reading through, it appears to me that you may be looking for an argument or want to grind an ax with someone. Or, maybe you think you are exhorting others here. The word says to do everything in love, for love covers a multitude of sin. So, we come to you in the love of Christ. We do want to come to a meeting of the minds about your concerns.



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