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Knowing where your coming from

S

starlit

New Member
So i didn't really know where else to put this comment, so i figured other biblical comments would be the best.

I have just noticed that since i started dwelving deeper into my scripture studies my life has taken a few pleasant turns (more than normal). Not to say that there is no conflict or cloudy days. But i can discern a difference. I have been studying Isaiah in depth. I think there is definitely a need to find out where you come from before you can progress.

I think alot of my enjoyment of studying the scriptures stems from the fact that the church i had been going to didn't really focus on the Bible. This was something i had been yearning for quite a long time. By chance the first church i joined didn't provide that (just a lot of noise). I'm learning that i don't need someone to tell me what to know...that i can find that out on my own.
 
I get you! I think...

Do you mean that good things are happening more often to you? I've recently noticed a similar thing if so. I wonder about it sometimes. Is God blessing me more because I am taking Him more seriously than I used to? Or am I just now noticing the blessings He is always pouring out? I feel kind of uncomfortable with both explainations, because even trying to mark my own 'progress' seems like it would actually hinder my walk with the Lord.

It is amazing. Jesus sends the Holy Spirit to lead us into all truth, and in general people are satisfied to show up to an hour lecture where they take notes by filling in the blanks in a half sheet provided to them by the lecturer. Gag me with a dinette set and no offense intended to anyone who has done this...

A bible teacher that I follow has taught me to read the scripture with a sense of "no such thing as trivia". Every letter of every word was placed with infinite care by an infinite mind. There is no 'mere history' or 'extra details'. If anything seems easy to understand, there are layers of meaning still to uncover through meditating on the Word. It has made such a difference and I can't remember any church I've attended being as useful as just studying the bible myself with a reverent, seeking attitude.

As often as the Lord blows me away with scripture, you'd think I would prioritize study more highly.

ALSO: Your use of the word 'dwelving' is obviously a typo, but as a LotR nerd who has wasted most of his life playing D&D; it gave me the imagery of dwarves delving greedily and deeply into the earth for precious gems. It seemed apropos to me.
 
Starlit!

This is such a great topic! I can remember looking at things that "biblical scholars" taught and going. I just don't know how that got this. They must be so much smarter than me....then there was the day when I realized that Scripture was written to slaves from Egypt, who were simple down to the earth people. I even got more excited when I realized the only command about them hearing the Scriptures (up to that point) was that they should read it at the feast of Tabernacles every 7 years. That made me relax and realize that the Scripture was written to be taken at face value...There were so many realizations during that time.

If you ever want to share things about your studies I would love to hear about it. :)
 
Indeed! Indeed!

Studying the Word brings great pleasure and peace to me as well. In fact, my habit is to wake about an hour before my family, fix myself coffee, and study the Word. When my family get up and the children are fed, we then conduct a family worship. Our order of worship is 1) open in prayer, 2) sing hymns (usually three), 3) read a bible story, 4) recall and recite the catechism, 5) recall and recite memory verses, 6) close in prayer, and 7) sing the doxology.

I developed this habit after reading the book Family Shepherds: Calling and Equipping Men to Lead Their Homes (which I highly recommend), and noticed after some time that on mornings where I fail in doing this I become miserable throughout the day and can hardly wait for the day to end; I think I'm grieving His Spirit by so doing. Days where I do not fail are so very much better; I feel a peace that stays with me most of the day.

I also find that my weaknesses are less likely to trip me up on my faithful days. I've learned that I have a new-found comfort in striving to obey, and find myself loving His commands and decrees more and more each day. Even more amazing, my heart has turned more toward a longing for my children to know Him from the earliest age. I find myself thanking and petitioning Him in prayer for them and for our family much more when I'm faithful to this new calling.

My son is four, and it gives me great joy that he's been able to memorize eight catechism questions and six memory verses. Our memory verses for him are Gen 1:1, Psalm 53:3b, Matthew 1:23b, Luke 1:37, Ephesians 6:1, and Philippians 2:14. I find that I'm able to refer back to these when he needs a reminder, encouragement, or discipline; to remind him of God's sovereignty over his life and the life of all others, and to remind him of his duties to his Lord (who alone has the power to save him).

In any case, I just wanted to add to the praise. Praise God from whom all blessings flow!!
 
Wow Oreslag.

That is pretty awesome. I would love to be that disciplined. I'd have to do something like that in the evening, since I go to work super early. I really feel challenged by your post. Thank you!
 
I've only recently really enjoyed the Word myself. Before I considered it kind of like working out, something I knew I should do to stay healthy, but not something I actually enjoyed.

This is a good topic. It does seem that the more thankful you are, the more you will have to be thankful for! Like many things with God though, I learn from my kids. If my kids are ungrateful and full of complaints, my heart is not moved to give them things over and above what they need. But when they are gracious, and want to spend time with me, and excited about what I give them, I find myself doing things like buying a Wii-U to play with them more! Why would our heavenly father be any different? Wouldn't he be more inclined to pour out blessings when our eyes are fixed on him in love and gratitude?
 
background for wanting scriptures

I agree with alot of the comments. I grew up in a home that was not religious. There were never scriptures around. I really wanted to read the Bible and was often jealous of kids that grew up in families that went to church every week. I would get up early to watch the preachers on Sunday morning preach to their congregations. I remember being so happy when volunteers would hand out free bibles around my high school. I would sit up late at nite reading. But part of me always felt like my understanding wasnt good enough. As an adult i was leary of joining various churchs because i didnt know which one was the right one. Well lo and behold i joined one...lol...except it wasnt really a bible based church. They had alot of nonsense i no longer believe in and have shyed away from. I had been wanting someone to tell me what to think and understand. What i have found as i study my scriptures in depth is that sometimes you have to read something you dont understand at the moment, but as you become familiar with the context and wording, eventually it will come. I have found alot of resources online too that have helped sometimes if im wondering there is a historical context or maybe to discern the hebrew or greek root of something or wording.
 
about learning

Slumberfreeze said:
I get you! I think...

Do you mean that good things are happening more often to you? I've recently noticed a similar thing if so. I wonder about it sometimes. Is God blessing me more because I am taking Him more seriously than I used to? Or am I just now noticing the blessings He is always pouring out? I feel kind of uncomfortable with both explainations, because even trying to mark my own 'progress' seems like it would actually hinder my walk with the Lord.

It is amazing. Jesus sends the Holy Spirit to lead us into all truth, and in general people are satisfied to show up to an hour lecture where they take notes by filling in the blanks in a half sheet provided to them by the lecturer. Gag me with a dinette set and no offense intended to anyone who has done this...

A bible teacher that I follow has taught me to read the scripture with a sense of "no such thing as trivia". Every letter of every word was placed with infinite care by an infinite mind. There is no 'mere history' or 'extra details'. If anything seems easy to understand, there are layers of meaning still to uncover through meditating on the Word. It has made such a difference and I can't remember any church I've attended being as useful as just studying the bible myself with a reverent, seeking attitude.
Click to expand...

I guess slumber freeze to answer your question i feel like i am now in a more grateful place than i was before. Im noticing more of what God has blessed me with. Despite my aches and pains, trials, headaches, family, work, etc...there is always something i can be grateful for. Even if its just the freedom to believe and practice what i want, or the ability to snuggle up in bed at night and read my scriptures in comfort.
Secondly, i used to be one of those people that took notes at church. Ughh. Can't believe i did that. Yes it can be useful, but really i think we receive our personal insight and reveleation when we commune with God. We can't "borrow" someone else revelation when they talk about it at church and use it. Kinda hard to explain but that is how my old church operated. Yes reading the Bible and learning and developing your own relationship with God...there is no substitute.
 
Ha! I won't hold your note taking against you!

I was never able to learn that way, even in school. I either got it right away, or I didn't. Writing down someone else's thoughts never seemed to do anything but tire my wrist out. But it must work for some people.

Also I have to confess that the majority of my doctrinal understanding did not come from self-study. I must have listened to a thousand hours or more of teaching tapes and radio programs by people I respect.

Still there's something about reading yourself, and studying yourself that develops a sense of closeness with the Lord. I feel like I am learning what God Himself wants me to learn at this moment in time, as opposed to what is being served up for the flock this Sunday...

If your old Church operated off of other people's revelations, I can say that so did mine, often enough. It took the form of workbooks and lesson plans. The sunday school teachers (I was one for a few years) were all ordered weekly lesson plan curriculum thingies that I hardly ever used. Mostly because sunday school materials are so sanitized that they fail to be useful and sometimes convey the opposite meanings of the actual bible. Samson, for instance, is held up to be an example of the faithful when as far as I can tell he only ever did something right when it was by accident or literally his only option. He belongs in the same category as Jonah, as far as I can tell.

My church split soon after I left because the pastor had decided to survey Rick Warren's Purpose Driven Life book, which a faction of the church took exception to. Given the kind of things that Rick Warren is up to nowadays, i can't say they were wrong.
 
Thanks for drawing our attention to this Slumberfreeze. It is a serious concern. But I must differ with some of the details.

One major theme of the opposition to "Chrislam" is that Allah is not God. I can't agree with that. Allah is simply Arabic for God, and the name was used by Christians before Islam started and is still used by Arabic speaking Christians around the world. Furthermore, Muslims claim to worship the "God of Abraham", and the Creator. Who is that? There is only one God of Abraham, there is only one Creator. So Muslims at least TRY to worship the same God that Christians and Jews do.

Their error is not worshipping a different God. Their error is that what they teach about Him is WRONG! Very, very, very wrong... And anyone who attempts to water down the message of Christ to not offend Islam, or to paper over these differences and think that Islam and Christianity can be combined in some way, is seriously and very dangerously misguided.

A key focus of the whole "purpose-driven church" movement and mega-churches seems to be to try and engineer church growth using modern marketing techniques, and make the church appeal to the world, not conflict with it. It would be natural to then try to not conflict with anyone in society. As Islam is undoubtably one of the more vocal and dangerous sectors of society that such a church would want to be friends with to avoid conflict, it is not surprising that at least some leaders in this style of Christianity would be tempted to water down the message when it comes to Islam.
 
FollowingHim said:
Their error is not worshipping a different God. Their error is that what they teach about Him is WRONG! Very, very, very wrong... And anyone who attempts to water down the message of Christ to not offend Islam, or to paper over these differences and think that Islam and Christianity can be combined in some way, is seriously and very dangerously misguided.
Click to expand...

Whatever it is, it is not from the Holy Spirit.

The Apostle Paul said:
1 Timothy 5:8 NIV
8 Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
Click to expand...

Given the "the epidemic of honor killings", and it is an epidemic (1000 women die annually in Pakistan alone) they do not seem to be concerned about the communicated desires of the Holy Spirit.

Killing our family members cannot be described as providing for them therefore anyone who kills their family members for the purposes of honor "has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever."

So whatever name we call it by, or however we define the wrongness of their beliefs and actions, the teachings are heresies.
 
I don't think either of us are in a hurry to embrace Chrislam, and I'll cede your point about the syllables that make up the word Allah as a functional word for Arabic speaking Christians to use. Our word "God" is without doubt hopelessly pagan in it's origin, but I believe the Father receives praise even in our chattering barbarian tongue.

However the word Allah when used by an English speaker, to reference the deity of the Koran (that's how I choose to spell it) has truly stopped referencing the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob. I've read that dirty little book, and it is nothing more than a systematic, purposeful rejection of every promise that YHVH made. Mohammed did indeed receive spiritual revelation, but from Satan himself (as Mohammed often suspected).

I say that to draw the distinction that while most english speakers are not likely referencing Sanskrit veneration rites when we mouth the word "God", our concept of what we are referring to is bound to be dangerously errant when we pronounce "Allah".

I'm not sure that I would find the word at all useful unless I was attempting to share the gospel with an Arab in Arabic, in which case (as you underline), I'm not aware of any other words that would suffice for the occasion.

I believe that any Pastor who tries to "meet Islam halfway" is courting judgement. I also believe that the current pope is a fly strip that will draw in those whom God intends to judge.

annnnnd I think I shouldn't post any more about this, because this is truly not the subject of the original post.
 
Yes, certainly not jumping to embrace "Chrislam" here! I just have major problems with the logic of jumping from "their teaching is wrong" to "they worship a different God". If I tell my two eldest children to each go to some others and say it's time to eat, and one tells them Dad said it's time to eat and the other tells them Dad said it's time to play, are the ones that are playing obeying a different Dad? Certainly not, someone just lied to them about what their Dad said, they're still trying to obey the same Dad. But this is getting off-track a bit!
 
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