Test All Things In The Spirit

[Neighbor]

Hi all, very interesting trends of thought from all  to date. 

Let me risk spoiling it by suggesting that  "study" and "study groups" is not an answer. It is a process but not an answer. That is; one can study  error in a group, and just become expert in making error. So what to do?

How does one ensure study is profitable for the cause of Christ and glorifies God?

Prayer?

Reading scripture?

Thinking?

Getting high on the spirit?

Reading without prayer is atheism, prayer without reading is presumption- ( part of an old quote)

Knowing God is hard work! It does come from reading  of His word the Bible, but it also comes from much prayer about what is read, and from being in th Spirit so that the word is made clear via the Holy Spirit especially so that application can be made of it. There are study methods and fine sounding names for those methods. Most anyone might want to learn of them and how they work. In part  it is important to do a chain bible study of the word that is read, see the near context and other eamples, do they confirm or conflict? Keep studying; and ask God, show me,  show me, please.

 It helps to be a scholar; to read Hebrew and read Greek, but how many here are scholars? Not me!

So, I must rely upon my best use of Strong's exhaustive concordance, of Matthew Henry's commentaries OT andNT, Of Criswell Study Bible notes ,of Ryrie, of Spurgeon, Of Wesley, of Zola Levitt, of Vallowe, of Larkin, and take time to compare these workers efforts against the word as the Holy Spirit has me read the word and then make application for my use  for today.

Do all resources concur? No, and hopefully not as then they would be quite redundant. But combined with prayer I believe God will honor the effort of the saint in Christ Jesus, and will make all things work together for good for those that believe on Jesus.

AND; BECAUSE MOST PASTORS HAVE TIME AND EXPERIENCE IN THEIR STUDY GIVE THEIR WORK MUCH CREDIT. PLUS GIVE THEM SOME APPRECIATION, CERTAINLY MORE CREDIT THAN A SMALL BIBLE STUDY GROUP  SPENDING MOST OF THEIR TIME PARROTING WHAT SOMEONE ELSE TOLD THEM WAS SO. AND QUOTING "GOT ANSWERS" OR OTHER SUMMARIES OF THOUGHTS.

 Now I do find I have trouble reading John MacArthur,  I do like James Boyce, And yes though I disagree with him often enough I like the works gathered as Desiring God under John Piper. Really there are a lot of excellent gatherings of work out there. One's that make one think and then go read the word of God.

 Though very sharp witted and often  funny, I don't necessarily appreciate a  Phil Johnson, nor James White, nor any of the men of the debate circles for study. They all tend to just get nasty and egotistical. Doesn't seem Christlike to me. Therefore I don't see it honoring nor glorifying of our creator. Somehow I miss any sense of iron sharpening iron  in those debates.

There are many solid aids to the real study, prayer, thinking, and application under the guidance of the Holy Spirit  as individual saints read the Bible and live it to the best of their abilities and gifts.

Edited November 22, 2017 by Neighbor

[existential mabel]

On 21/11/2017 at 4:57 PM, existential mabel said:

http://www.wordofhisgrace.org/wp/

challenge is for you to re-examine your beliefs in light of God’s Word alone and see if they are truly biblical. Using the Bible alone to interpret itself, find out whether the beliefs you hold dear are really from God. Or are they just from some creed or the fabrications of a sixteenth or seventeenth century European or New England theologian in the pocket of the local politicians. During the course of your study, try using some of our resources. They are sure to challenge you. And, yes, please search the Scriptures to see whether what we say is from the Bible (Acts 17:11).

ah at last a site that also is believing in bible first and scriptual text and contextual understanding. interesting site. plus it has audio

ah ha i was coming back to this thread to say that i am now not sure of the wordofgrace ministry. but got distracted! there's a lesson for ya. gee just cos it sounds g00d. i was really quite looking forward to listening to these and also kept half an eye on what i couldnt find initially the root of who they are

 

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Edited November 22, 2017 by existential mabel

[existential mabel]

Quote

Most anyone might want to learn of them and how they work. In part  it is important to do a chain bible study of the word that is read, see the near context and other eamples, do they confirm or conflict? Keep studying; and ask God, show me,  show me, please.

i would so like to be able to do this. the church has let me down and i have been reading/studying the bible for several years now and feel the need to do some study to get an understanding of the main themes and i thought i had found it.
 

Quote

 

Let me risk spoiling it by suggesting that  "study" and "study groups" is not an answer. It is a process but not an answer. That is; one can study  error in a group, and just become expert in making error. So what to do?

How does one ensure study is profitable for the cause of Christ and glorifies God?

Prayer?

Reading scripture?

Thinking?

Getting high on the spirit?

Reading without prayer is atheism, prayer without reading is presumption- ( part of an old quote)

 

but yes neighbour you are right. when you are so hungry to learn you can be decieved and then the next snare is that you identify with it and make it yours ie argue against folk that try to give guidence cos you take it all personally. ah the folly of it.

Quote

Knowing God is hard work! It does come from reading  of His word the Bible, but it also comes from much prayer about what is read, and from being in th Spirit so that the word is made clear via the Holy Spirit especially so that application can be made of it

as i said earlier i have been reading/studying the bible for a few years now on my own and thats ok but i would like take a step ...i have joined a small bible study but alas i dont think i can continue with it after the initial study session....when i wonder will this desert wilderness end?

i am afraid that most, but not all, of the individuals you name- i have looked into before listening and reading any of their stuff and what i have read is somewhat disturbing. and so in conclusion i would say that God would have me stay in the bible!

 

Edited November 25, 2017 by existential mabel

[simplejeff]

4 minutes ago, existential mabel said:

as i said earlier i have been reading/studying the bible for a few years now on my own and thats ok but i would like take a step ...i have joined a small bible study but alas i dont think i can continue with it after the initial study session....when i wonder will this desert wilderness end?

Right now, today.  Here is over a year or even 3 years right now  to study and read without distraction and without argument:

a wonderful, tested, proven resource/ lessons/ sermons by faithful ones called by YAHWEH, their lives and testimonies bearing witness of HIS WORD, and JESUS bearing witness in SPIRIT of their lives ! >

>>> http://www.worthychristianlibrary.com/

A.W. Tozer

Knowledge of the Holy
Man: The Dwelling Place of God
The Pursuit of God

Andrew Murray

Abide in Christ
Absolute Surrender
Be Perfect
Daily Fellowship with God
Divine Healing
Helps to Intercession
Humility
Like Christ
The Children for Christ
The Deeper Christian Life
The Lord’s Table
The Master’s Indwelling
The School of Obedience
The Secret of the Cross
The Prayer Life
Thy Will Be Done
Why Do You Not Believe?
Two Covenants
Waiting on God
With Christ in the School of Prayer
Working for God

Albertus Magnus

On Cleaving to God

Alfred Edersheim

Sketches of Jewish Social Life

C.H. Spurgeon

All of Grace

Charles Finney

Power from on High

D.L. Moody

Heaven
Prevailing Prayer
Secret Power
The Life and Work of D.L. Moody

E.M. Bounds

Essentials of Prayer
Weapon of Prayer

Flavius Josephus

F.B. Meyer

Elijah and the Secret of His Power
The Secret of Guidance

J.A. MacMillan

The Authority of the Believer
The Authority of the Intercessor

Jesse Penn-Lewis

Soul and Spirit
The Centrality of the Cross
War on the Saints

John Bunyan

Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners

John Foxe

Foxe’s Book of Martyrs

John Wesley

A Plain Account of Christian Perfection

Reuben Archer Torrey

How to Pray
How to Pray So As to Get What You Ask!
Why God Used D.L. Moody

Watchman Nee

Changed into His Likeness
The Normal Christian Life

Worthy Christian Library: http://www.worthychristianlibrary.com/

 

 

[frienduff thaylorde]

25 minutes ago, simplejeff said:

Right now, today.  Here is over a year or even 3 years right now  to study and read without distraction and without argument:

a wonderful, tested, proven resource/ lessons/ sermons by faithful ones called by YAHWEH, their lives and testimonies bearing witness of HIS WORD, and JESUS bearing witness in SPIRIT of their lives ! >

>>> http://www.worthychristianlibrary.com/

A.W. Tozer

Knowledge of the Holy
Man: The Dwelling Place of God
The Pursuit of God

Andrew Murray

Abide in Christ
Absolute Surrender
Be Perfect
Daily Fellowship with God
Divine Healing
Helps to Intercession
Humility
Like Christ
The Children for Christ
The Deeper Christian Life
The Lord’s Table
The Master’s Indwelling
The School of Obedience
The Secret of the Cross
The Prayer Life
Thy Will Be Done
Why Do You Not Believe?
Two Covenants
Waiting on God
With Christ in the School of Prayer
Working for God

Albertus Magnus

On Cleaving to God

Alfred Edersheim

Sketches of Jewish Social Life

C.H. Spurgeon

All of Grace

Charles Finney

Power from on High

D.L. Moody

Heaven
Prevailing Prayer
Secret Power
The Life and Work of D.L. Moody

E.M. Bounds

Essentials of Prayer
Weapon of Prayer

Flavius Josephus

F.B. Meyer

Elijah and the Secret of His Power
The Secret of Guidance

J.A. MacMillan

The Authority of the Believer
The Authority of the Intercessor

Jesse Penn-Lewis

Soul and Spirit
The Centrality of the Cross
War on the Saints

John Bunyan

Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners

John Foxe

Foxe’s Book of Martyrs

John Wesley

A Plain Account of Christian Perfection

Reuben Archer Torrey

How to Pray
How to Pray So As to Get What You Ask!
Why God Used D.L. Moody

Watchman Nee

Changed into His Likeness
The Normal Christian Life

Worthy Christian Library: http://www.worthychristianlibrary.com/

 

 

The title of that one grace abounding to chief o sinners sounds like a tale about me jeff.   I was the upmost of wicked things.  far worse than anyone I have ever personally met

and most I have even read about.   Yeah that bad.  But GODS grace sure does change a person and sure makes them so grave to warn out against sin at all times too.

What a work of beauty the Lord does to the vilest of men .  I mean the vilest like me.  

[existential mabel]

http://www.answers2prayer.org/bible_questions/Answers/testing/test.html

 

However the testing of spirits is not limited to prophets, but to anything that is spiritual.

 

The first test is to make sure the spirit acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh.

Test 2: Matt 7:16-20 "By their fruit you will recognize them.

Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them." NIV

Test the lives of those pretending to be send by God. Are there inconsistencies in their lives?

Test 3: 2 Peter 3:3-7 "First of all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. They will say, "Where is this 'coming' he promised?

1 John 4:4-6 "You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood. " NIV

 

[notsolostsoul]

On Thursday, November 02, 2017 at 4:41 PM, simplejeff said:

if you are able to read the Bible enough, the discrepancies become more clear, Yahweh willing.

Perfectly worded. Yahweh willing.

John 5:39-40

39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.

40 And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.

On Thursday, November 02, 2017 at 4:41 PM, simplejeff said:

The more someone gets understanding of the Bible from Yahweh,  the more clear the discrepancies are.

Thank you!!!

[Jaydog1976]

On 11/2/2017 at 1:01 AM, existential mabel said:

 how do you examine the scriptures if  you are not well versed in the bible and therefore vulnerable to being decieved?

The answer to your question is a very easy one. One has to get into the Word to know it. They have to study it and learn it and even memorize it. That is how I can tell a counterfeit from the truth. To be well versed in the Scriptures one has to read it and be in it on a daily basis. 

The issue is that many Christians leave their Bibles on their shelf at home and don't even crack it open except for church on Sunday morning. 

[existential mabel]

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/warrenthrockmorton/2014/11/25/soma-church-clarifies-relationship-with-mars-hill-bellevue/
Amid questions about how Mars Hill Church is going to dissolve, Mars Hill Bellevue (now doing business as Bellevue Church) has announced that it will affiliate with Soma Tacoma.
Read more at http://www.patheos.com/blogs/warrenthrockmorton/2014/11/25/soma-church-clarifies-relationship-with-mars-hill-bellevue/#qYBpC5qydo92jidf.99

what is mars hill? take a look at this
Former Mars Hill pastor Rob Bell, who now has his own TV show on the Oprah channel, brought his “Everything is Spiritual” tour to Grand Rapids. During his one man show, Bell offered his convoluted version of the creation story, which of course has nothing to do with what the Bible teaches on creation. No surprise there, as long ago Bell rejected the inerrancy of Scripture and embraced the view of Christianity taught by Emergent Church apostates.

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today i have been reading a book called the life 0f st Paul-by rev James Stalker (yes unfortunate surname lol) and i happened to read about the Mars Hill. the book is about Pauls life journeys. 3 in fact. i have gotten to the second journey which was Athens where philosopy was (birthed i believe) the culture there. but the golden age was over by the time Paul (400 years later) got there a sad decline.. . philosophy had degenerated into sophistry...the appeptite for truth had been replaced with an insatiable intellectual curiosity... and this made them willing enough to tolerate the advances of any one bringing before them a new doctrine. everything was ok as long as it was speculative= ears being tickled.

to begin with they listened to Paul with great interest these very intellectual people and they conveyed him to Mars' Hill and requested a full statement of his faith which iniatially gratified their tastes..but when Paul elaborated on the foundation of Christianity these intellectual people  departed! these folk were neither hot nor cold. they simply did not care.

to me this seems like these folk had chased worldly wisdom..  is this what  the lukewarm  reception that Paul warns about. they have become bloated on indigestion

when i came across this today in this book i thought gee isnt there a church called Mars Hill that has been going through a lot of scandal.

Edited November 26, 2017 by existential mabel

[4LdKHVCzRDj2]

On 11/1/2017 at 11:16 PM, missmuffet said:

A person needs to read the Holy Bible literally and study the words. If you have a problem with understanding the words of the Bible then go to an on-line Bible study. One that can be trusted.

Sometimes people forget that we have the author of the Truth here to teach and guide us in all truth: the Holy Spirit.

 

It is not about a carnal study of the bible, without the Spirit to guide us our flesh will start suggesting workarounds.

I am not against using already existing third party information to learn, as long as you have the ability to test if that is true or not and if the Word fully agrees.

 

And I would like to remind you, without faith it is impossible to please God. And you are not reading any book.

Then if you are serious about reading the Bible then I strongly suggest you pray before you do it, so that He will give you the ability to understand it.

"If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children,
how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!" - Matthew 7:11