Points to Ponder

NetChaplain

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In a dispensation where God’s mind is completely revealed we often find there is much fervor lacking in the knowledge and joy of the Lord Jesus (2Pe 2:20), and spiritual fondness of it all is at low ebb! But there will always be those believers whom God uses to increase the interest and involvement in the service and work of encouragement of the saints; but even this will not move most to a spiritual zeal.

It has been obvious within that last century or so that many saints are lacking in the fervency of the Word, which I believe will probably be the state of the majority of the Body of Christ until His final advent!

Reading, rereading and studying the Word of God, especially within the Pauline Epistles (Romans—Philemon), is the best and most sure means of receiving the much needed exhortation from God. I found that the most consistent way to read the Word is to mark where you leave of, and restart there; you also get all the Word this way.
NC




Points to Ponder


The difference between human and divine knowledge is that the former is merely information, the latter is formative. Human knowledge does not alter me, but develops my natural state. The Word of God forms me anew. I am born again of incorruptible seed, even the Word of God. It is a new existence, entirely superior to the old existence; and receiving no help or countenance from the old. On the contrary, it is hindered and checked by it, and from the very start the new assumes an independent course and derives its strength from the Spirit of God.

Never was there a day since the Apostle’s time (Paul—NC) when so much truth was in circulation, and yet never a day when conversions were of so feeble a type, and true spiritual growth, so little manifested. When there was less truth, every convert impressed his companions with at least the deep work in his soul by his retirement from worldly ways and his strict observance of the Word; but now, with the clearer knowledge of grace, there seems to be little appreciation of higher responsibilities, and the idea is that as it is all of grace, there need be no works at all.

Think, for example, of those who have accepted the truth that we are seated in heavenly places in Christ (all reborn are now eternally positioned in heaven with the Lord Jesus, as good as if there now - Eph 2:6—NC). In this class there are four varieties. The first, which are the least enlightened, meet you with this difficulty: “I see what is presented in Scripture, that heaven is our present portion, but I do not feel that it imparts anything to me; I wish it did. On the contrary, while I admit the truth, I find I can enjoy the things of the earth in many ways (though God “gives us richly all things to enjoy,” we are not to abuse them—NC).

The second accept the truth as orthodox, and are not diverted from it by unwillingness to give up worldly enjoyments here (i.e. enjoyments that are wrong to engage—NC). On the contrary they maintain, and that with great truthfulness, that all real solace must come from the Lord. But instead of taking the actual position of being a dweller in heaven, and coming from There to the earth, they only look up to heaven for help as to their walk on earth; and their thoughts and labors are always influenced and dictated by the state and order of things on earth. Instead of pressing upon man the mind of the Lord as learned in heaven, they are occupied with the blessing of man on earth.

The difficulty of exposing this state is great, because with the acceptance of heavenly truth, there is genuine zeal and devoted service for man’s blessing on earth, but only as a pilgrim going on to heaven, and no real practical consciousness of being, as a heavenly man, at home in heaven now (Eph 2:6).

The third variety are those who have seen and admired heavenly truth, but fearing the narrow path, circumscribed service and fellowship in labor to which it would reduce them, they veered away in order to be more visibly and extensively useful, and with a larger circle of companions; but they do not progress, and they suffer to their souls (minimal spiritual growth—NC) as well as hinder their testimony.

The fourth are those who not only accept the truth and adhere to it, but study to be practically in it; and as they do so, every difficulty is solved, and the path, because divine, becomes clearer every day. They go from strength to strength, empowered for still greater advance, because of their life in Christ which has enabled them to make so much progress. These are they who “grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. To Him be glory both now and forever. Amen” (2Pe 3:18).


—James Butler Stoney (1814-1897).









MJS daily devotional for September 28, 2023

“There will be no standing against the enemy’s accusations until we are firmly assured of, and settled on, the fact that our Father is at peace with us because of our living union with His Beloved Son. And this alone will give us peace with our Father.” -MJS

"We thought we were being more Christian by striving more, praying more, reading our Bible more, and confessing our sins more. But all that brought no relief. The awful gnawing in our vitals continues. The sense of guilt increases. We need not a Nathan to say, ‘Thou art the man!’ A thousand voices are forever ringing in our ears giving the lie to what we long with infinite yearning might be an altogether convincing testimony of a truly Christian walk.

"Now the way out is to be found in a clear-cut recognition of the fact that, as Paul says in Romans 8:1, ‘There is, therefore, now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus.’ Let appearances, voices and feelings to the contrary be what they may, still this is a fact. The reason, of course, is found not in ourselves, but in Another." -F.J.H.
 
I’m pondering the assertion “God’s mind is completely revealed“.

That doesn’t ring true to me.
Colossians 2:16 says: we have the mind of Christ.
1 Corinthians 2:10 says: But it was to us that God revealed these things by his Spirit. For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God’s deep secrets.
Colossians 1:9 says: We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit
gives,
Philippians 1:9 says: And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight,

The Biblical truth above rings true to me and all those who believers in Christ.


hope this helps !!!
 
Jesus said “Have I been with you for so long a time, and you do not know Me yet, Philip, nor recognize clearly who I am? Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father?’ John 14:9

And as quoted above...Colossians 2:16 says: we have the mind of Christ.

We also have his word The Bible. And it also shows us the father. And on top of that Jesus left us the Holy Spirit And he leads us into all truth.

We know that God is love. So his thoughts and actions should be based on love.

Here is a wonderful quote:

Both these are from the Holy Ghost—namely, that we truly believe the Scripture to be the word of God, and that we understand savingly the mind of God therein.
JOHN OWEN
 
Despite suggestions to the contrary, there is incredible amount of the one God’s mind that hasn’t been revealed.
The phrase "his ways are higher than our ways" found in Isaiah 55:912 means that God's ways and thoughts are beyond human understanding and comprehension. The verse compares the difference between the heavens and the earth to the difference between God's ways and human ways. It emphasizes the vastness and incomprehensibility of God's wisdom and knowledge.

I would say the part of God's mind that's been revealed is what we need to know or what he wants us to know. But I think it's impossible for our finite minds to fully comprehend God's mind. We can't even figure each other out.
 
I’m also pondering this,

“Reading, reading and studying the Word of God, especially within the Pauline Epistles (Romans - Philemon), is the best and most sure means of receiving the much needed exhortation from God.”

Read and study the Pauline Epistles, certainly. Why especially within the Pauline Epistles?

“The best and most sure means of receiving the much needed exhortation from God”?

A good and sure means; yes. The best and sure means; I don’t think so.
 
I'm definitely a Paul guy. The first book in the Bible that I ever did it in-depth study on was Galatians. And Romans is my favorite book of the Bible. I also enjoy reading and studying all the Pauline Epistles.
 
Jesus said “Have I been with you for so long a time, and you do not know Me yet, Philip, nor recognize clearly who I am? Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father?’ John 14:9

And as quoted above...Colossians 2:16 says: we have the mind of Christ.

We also have his word The Bible. And it also shows us the father. And on top of that Jesus left us the Holy Spirit And he leads us into all truth.

We know that God is love. So his thoughts and actions should be based on love.

Here is a wonderful quote:

Both these are from the Holy Ghost—namely, that we truly believe the Scripture to be the word of God, and that we understand savingly the mind of God therein.
JOHN OWEN
Amazing how a person can study the Bible and miss our on Christ , who He is , in us ,for us and to us. It’s like missing the forest through the trees.
 
I'm definitely a Paul guy. The first book in the Bible that I ever did it in-depth study on was Galatians. And Romans is my favorite book of the Bible. I also enjoy reading and studying all the Pauline Epistles.

Paul is better then good; he’s great. But I don’t think he’s the best.
 
Amazing how a person can study the Bible and miss our on Christ , who He is , in us ,for us and to us. It’s like missing the forest through the trees.
Not so surprising if you apply Romans 1:20 to the end... sigh. This is the strength of our enslavement to sin that destroys our free will as sinful humans...yet some still believe in "free will for sinners". Anything except having to accept our existence and fall before the creation of this physical reality, eh? :)
 
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I'm definitely a Paul guy. The first book in the Bible that I ever did it in-depth study on was Galatians. And Romans is my favorite book of the Bible. I also enjoy reading and studying all the Pauline Epistles.
Paul was the only Apostle that God revealed to him many doctrines that others didn't know. He chose him for these teachings!
 
Both these are from the Holy Ghost—namely, that we truly believe the Scripture to be the word of God, and that we understand savingly the mind of God therein.
JOHN OWEN
Like what you said here, honoring the Holy Spirit! He is the Creator of our new birth, Author of the Word of God, and Teacher of which no man can teach (1Co 2:13)!
 
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