There are instances in the NT

where certain individuals were used in a prominent way (like James in Acts) but it was fluid, and not an official position, like “chief elder” or “senior pastor”. Anytime you make a heirachy, a pecking order, and put someone at “the top”, then you face the problem that no one is “over” them.

If God uses a particular individual greatly, AND he is truly submitted to his brothers, then he’s not at the top. The only way a person could be “at the top” is if there were not equal submission.

It’s the classic conundrum and contradiction for the “senior pastor” who preaches submitting to authority : we say to him, YOU show the way, YOU show us how to submit to authority! He can’t, if he’s at the top. He can’t lead by example.

From here

To live is Christ, and to die is gain

According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. Philippians 1:20-21

PAUL could say that and be telling the truth. But for us it would be more honest to say that we DESIRE to have a life like that, where we COULD say, For me to live is Christ and to die is gain, and that Christ is magnified in my body ALWAYS, with all boldness.

Not beating yourself up, but looking at the reality of what Paul is saying here, and taking heed to what he is saying, and putting on Jesus Christ, and putting off the old man.

To live is Christ means to live by His Life. What occupies your thoughts and is the subject of most of your deepest thoughts? Whatever it is, THAT is your life, for better or worse.

To be condemned by a God of perfect love…

Mark Driscoll said:

Or, to say it another way, Jesus suffered and died for mean people. A God who will suffer and die for mean people is not mean. In fact, such a God alone is altogether loving; to be condemned by a God of perfect love shows how damnable our sin truly is.

…and shows how Holy He is.

From here

Manifesting

My comments in the comments

When Joshua met the actual leader of Israel

And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man opposite him with His sword drawn in His hand: and Joshua went unto Him, and said unto Him, Are you for us, or for our adversaries? And He said, No! [meaning: neither] ; but as captain of the army of the LORD am I now come.

And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto Him, What says my Lord unto his servant? And the captain of the LORD’S army said unto Joshua, Loose your shoes from off your feet; for the place on which you stand is holy. And Joshua did so. Joshua 5:13-15

Are you for us, or for our adversaries? And He said, No!

Gonna change your way of thinking about this, Joshua.

Only by meeting and yielding to this same Captain can we learn what Joshua learned that day : that God is on no one’s side. It is WE who must get on HIS side and submit to Him.

And when God straightened Joshua out about just WHO is the actual LEADER of Israel, then great victories followed, on the basis of this truth. It’s no different with us.

He has given food unto them that fear Him

: He will be ever mindful of His covenant. Psalm 111:5

O, that WE would be ever mindful of His covenant! But i’m so glad that He is.

Dylan in Israel

Letter to a Christian couple

As i was praying for you both this morning i felt to say, if i was there with you both, i would say to you both: Do you both love the LORD Jesus? If so, then it’s not impossible to love each other as husband and wife, within the bounds of the marriage covenant : that is, respecting and recognizing the One with whom you have both forged a marriage covenant, and who upholds and respects that covenant (The LORD).

Whom God has joined together… Meaning: the nature of the love between spouses is directly related to their understanding of who God is, and their relationship to God. If both spouses love the LORD, then there is no basis for anything to come between you, or any matter to remain unforgiven and unresolved.

At the very least, love each other with a covenantal love, out of honor for the One with whom you have both come into covenant with.

You have our continued prayers and love

ian

Asteroid to pass within 12,000km of Earth

An asteroid which is set to pass within 12,000 kilometres of Earth tonight is a timely reminder there is more to our environment than meets the eye, astronomers say.

Now that’s a near miss!

Prophetic warning regarding Israel

A good testimony and fearless witness to the promises of God, by our sister Shira. (She appears to have a better grasp of the truth than Sid Roth has)

The Hebrides Revival

First, let me tell you what I mean by revival. An evangelistic campaign or special meeting is not revival. In a successful evangelistic campaign or crusade, there will be hundreds or even thousands of people making decisions for Jesus Christ, but the community remains untouched, and the churches continue much the same as before the outreach. In revival, God moves in the district. Suddenly, the community becomes God conscious. The Spirit of God grips men and women in such a way that even work is given up as people give themselves to waiting upon God. In the midst of the Lewis Awakening, the parish minister at Barvas wrote, “The Spirit of the Lord was resting wonderfully on the different townships of the region. His Presence was in the homes of the people, on meadow and moorland, and even on the public roads.” This presence of God is the supreme characteristic of a God-sent revival. Of the hundreds who found Jesus Christ during this time fully seventy-five per cent were saved before they came near a meeting or heard a sermon by myself or any other ministers in the parish. The power of God, the Spirit of God, was moving in operation, and the fear of God gripped the souls of men – this is God-sent revival as distinct from special efforts in the field of evangelism.

– Duncan Campbell

Continued in comments (full article)

If someone were to come before the Throne of God and tell God, Look at me God, I’m sinless!

I’m without sin! The LORD may say to them, Go check out the two greatest commandments.

I think only people with religious demons think of themselves as sinless. It means that person is totally blind to their own sin.

My comment from here

The brilliance of God’s wisdom

was in making His authority inherent in the written word, the written truth, and then preserving the texts.

That way, no truth hinged upon or stood upon any doubtful, shaky ground of Apostolic succession, or personal association with the Apostles, or on an aural tradition passed down, and neither does it today.

My comments from here

Our fathers trusted in you

: they trusted, and you did deliver them. They cried unto you, and were delivered: they trusted in you, and were not disappointed. Psalm 22:4-5

Red-faced angels

For this cause ought the woman to have authority on her head because of the angels. 1 Corinthians 11:18

Paul is implying that angels are offended if women do not have a sign of authority on their head.

How many things today in the lives of Christians and Churches offend the angels and make them blush and leave them red-faced? Things that are embarassing for them to watch or hear?

Just a note, that generally people think of the presence of angels as being some special event that happens, but the reality is they accompany us everywhere we go.

I will sing unto the LORD

because He has dealt bountifully with me. Psalm 13:6

Prayer is a vote of confidence in the power of God

Prayerlessness is a vote of confidence in the power of man.

Love will lead the way

Sounds like some corny, syrupy platitude, but it’s true. So many times the LORD gives the solution from heaven for the way forward, and it is simply to proceed with love and let love rule and take care of the matter.

Endued with power from on high

And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry you in the city of Jerusalem, until you are endued with power from on high. Luke 24:49

How many of us have been, and are now, endued?

The forgiveness of sins

And that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be preached in His name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. Luke 24:47

Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this Man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: And by Him all that believe are justified from all things, from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses. Acts 13:38-39

Just a reminder to preach the forgiveness of sins, as well as repentance. We need to PREACH THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS. To reveal how wonderful and great the forgiveness is that Christ extends to the repentant believer.

There may be some people who WANT God’s forgiveness of their sins, and are willing to repent.