Knowing the Bible

Knowing the Bible; what it can do and can't do.

Knowing the Bible is not salvation.

Knowing the Bible can help make you cult proof. Keep you from error.

Jesus answered the Sadducees one time with, "You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God."

Our Savior Jesus Christ is the Word incarnate and if we want to know Him we ought to know our Bibles.

Owning a Bible will not get you into heaven.

Underlining passages will not help you with the penality of sin.

Good, honest, prayerful Bible study does lead to true knowledge.

Our Lord does not lie. His Words are true and what He says comes to pass.

Knowing the Bible leads you to the truth and to Jesus.

This is the way to salvation: Following Jesus Christ. Your sins will be put on Jesus Christ and His death will take THE place of YOUR death. You will never partake in the second death.

The Bible is a vehicle, not the final destination. Let's not neglect it. Let's obey it, know it and preach it.

II Timothy 4 :2-5 Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

Isaiah Chapter 48~~ “Hear this, O house of Jacob, Who are called by the name of Israel, And have come forth from the wellsprings of Judah; Who swear by the name of the LORD, And make mention of the God of Israel, But not in truth or in righteousness; For they call themselves after the holy city, And lean on the God of Israel; The LORD of hosts is His name: “ I have declared the former things from the beginning; They went forth from My mouth, and I caused them to hear it. Suddenly I did them, and they came to pass.

Because I knew that you were obstinate, And your neck was an iron sinew, And your brow bronze, Even from the beginning I have declared it to you; Before it came to pass I proclaimed it to you, Lest you should say, ‘My idol has done them, And my carved image and my molded image Have commanded them.’

“ You have heard; See all this. And will you not declare it? I have made you hear new things from this time, Even hidden things, and you did not know them. They are created now and not from the beginning; And before this day you have not heard them, Lest you should say, ‘Of course I knew them.’ Surely you did not hear, Surely you did not know; Surely from long ago your ear was not opened. For I knew that you would deal very treacherously, And were called a transgressor from the womb.

“ For My name’s sake I will defer My anger, And for My praise I will restrain it from you, So that I do not cut you off. Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction. For My own sake, for My own sake, I will do it; For how should My name be profaned? And I will not give My glory to another.

“ Listen to Me, O Jacob, And Israel, My called: I am He, I am the First, I am also the Last. Indeed My hand has laid the foundation of the earth, And My right hand has stretched out the heavens; When I call to them, They stand up together.

“ All of you, assemble yourselves, and hear! Who among them has declared these things? The LORD loves him; He shall do His pleasure on Babylon, And His arm shall be against the Chaldeans. I, even I, have spoken; Yes, I have called him, I have brought him, and his way will prosper.

“ Come near to Me, hear this: I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; From the time that it was, I was there. And now the Lord GOD and His Spirit Have sent Me.” Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, The Holy One of Israel: “ I am the LORD your God, Who teaches you to profit, Who leads you by the way you should go.

Oh, that you had heeded My commandments! Then your peace would have been like a river, And your righteousness like the waves of the sea. Your descendants also would have been like the sand, And the offspring of your body like the grains of sand; His name would not have been cut off Nor destroyed from before Me.”

Go forth from Babylon! Flee from the Chaldeans! With a voice of singing, Declare, proclaim this, Utter it to the end of the earth; Say, “The LORD has redeemed His servant Jacob!” And they did not thirst When He led them through the deserts; He caused the waters to flow from the rock for them; He also split the rock, and the waters gushed out.

“ There is no peace,” says the LORD, “for the wicked.”

The Hair is not "the" covering

You probably know that I've answered this before but only just today the issue of "hair" as covering has come up once again. This time with the twist found in the word "instead" found in v 15 -- the entire teaching is I Corinthians 11:1-16.

Many smart women read the I Cor 11 passage and are led astray by commentaries and the confusion of the translation using the word "covering" for both the covering and for the hair. Really smart women check it out in Greek and some of those stumble over the word "instead" thinking they have Found something that lesser Christians have missed. They read the passage in a transliteration and think that their hair is their covering. Let me explain why it is not.

There are many issues hidden by the translation from Greek into English. The biggest one is that from v 5 through v 13 the Greek is using the word Katakalupto and akatakalupto. The "a" in front of the word means "not" the same as when "a" is put in front of the word moral.

Then, at the very end of the teaching a whole different word is used and that is about the hair. That word is peribolaion which is only used one other time in the Bible. The BEST translation of peribolaion is Vest or mantle.

Long hair is like a vest or mantle. Peribolaion also means something you can throw around oneself like a shawl.

At the close of the passage the teaching is totally different than putting a covering, a katakalupto, on your head. The passage in Greek teaches women to do that and in addition it teaches that your long hair is like a vest. When the passage says, "instead" the hair is given instead of a covering the Greek is saying that the hair is given instead of a vest, not instead of the head covering katakalupto.

I know it's difficult. I know it would have "popped" out so much more clearly if the translators had simply translated the close of the passage the way the Greek does ...

"A woman/wife is have long hair, glory to her it is; for the long hair instead of a vest is given to her."

That is the exact teaching in Greek.

There is no way the Bible is saying wear your hair instead of your vest. It's saying that your long hair could be vest-like, mantle-like it covers that well. But the passage does not say that your hair/vest is THE covering, the katakalupto, so painstakingly taught above.

If the hair is THE covering then men need to take their hair off to pray or prophesy and it makes the passage silly because people don't put on hair and take off hair. The verb tense is in the "putting" on. An action; that's the tense when teaching the katakalupto covering.

I too looked for any way to get out of covering. Any way to get out of it would have worked for me. I too noticed that with 3 strong reasons given in the passage to cover I could not find an excuse.

The headship order = God, Jesus, Man, Woman
The order of creation = man, then woman
The Angels = which have been around a long time

No cultural reason is given, only "long-term" reasons are given.

This is why Christians obeyed I Cor 11 for 2000 years and only stopped around 40 or 50 years ago. Coverers are outnumbered now, but that was not the case for 2000 years. This "not" covering situation is new in church history.

Sit Alone and Keep Quiet

I asked for a verse to teach me this morning and I turned to this in Lamentations of all places:

The Lord is good to those who wait for Him,

to the soul who seeks Him.

It is good that one should hope and wait quietly

for the salvation of the Lord.

Let him sit alone and keep silent

What's Clevsea reading?

I'm glad you asked.

Usually the Bible of course, almost exclusively, but I make exceptions.

I finished "Amish Grace" which is very well-known now. I have read more Amish books than average but this one was worth the time because it is a healthy look at Biblical Forgiveness.

I'm not Amish or Mennonite but I have similarities with them.

Today I picked up, "Pagan Christianity?" copyright 2002, by Viola & Barna.

I don't know if I agree with it or not because I'm still in the introduction. But I have found sentences that I like:

"An organic church is simply a church that is born out of spiritual life instead of constructed by human institutions and held together by religious programs."

and........

"[some Christians] are weary of being sent off to complete assignments, memorise facts and passages, and engage in simplistic practices that do not draw them into God's presence."

the back cover says:

"...the problems that emerge when the church functions more like a business organization than the living organism it was created to be."

Sounds good doesn't it?

We will see. I have high hopes that I will like it enough to recommend it to others and then I can shut up and just point at their work. It will save me time and words.

It's bright RED cover already caused the pagan at the health food store to ask me what it was about. I was able to say, "It's about how the Christian church doesn't do much of what the Bible actually said to do and instead picked up ideas from the culture around them."

He said, "Hmmm, sounds really, really good."

Okay then, I can use this book as a conversation starter in public, Good to know.

Allow me to raise my voice a little. Ready?

I WANT TO BE DRAWN INTO THE PRESENSE OF GOD.

Clear?

I don't want to be entertained, pampered, lied to and distracted to death.

As I said recently church is too loud and distracts from the Lord in my opinion. I can hardly find a church that I can pray in for the PA system, they may as well beat on marching drums up and down the aisles.

I think I've made my point---thanks for listening.

Wait Silently for God

My soul, wait silently for God alone,
For my expectation is from Him.
He only is my rock and my salvation;
He is my defense;
I shall not be moved.
In God is my salvation and my glory;
The rock of my strenght,
And my refuge, is in God.

Trust in Him at all times, you people;
Pour out your heart before Him;
God is a refuge for us.

Psalm 62

Another covering question

Essentially, a new coverer was sharing that she has already received some negativity about her new choice.

I attempted to help by writing this:


You've come to the right place [a covering support group].

All of us here have had experiences like yours. We can support each other when no one else understands.

I felt like an outsider within Christianity due to my differences too. I homeschooled before it was acceptable, wore dresses even when camping, held "funny" end-times doctrines, and then I added covering 20 years ago. There was NO internet for me to check with either.

So I just followed the Lord as His sheep and kept studying through hard times and good times.

I have lost friends over it. I have had pastors knock me around (emotionally, I mean), I have had people write me off with one glance. I've even had other coverers give me grief in person and on-line.

Good thing WE are loved by an Almighty Lord, eh? What would it be like to not have His love? This world is unloving enough. Let's all be the loving Christian that we wish the others would be toward us.

Jesus is Interdenominational

Jesus is Interdenominational

or better yet--

non-denominational.

Jesus appeared to Paul and taught Paul. Paul is ultra clear when he teaches us that Christ is not divided into groups~~~


"For it has been declared to me concerning you, my brethren, by those of Chloe’s household, that there are contentions among you. Now I say this, that each of you says, “I am of Paul,” or “I am of Apollos,” or “I am of Cephas,” or “I am of Christ.” Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?" I Cor 1:11-13

and to divide into groups is fleshly, aka carnal~~~

"And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men? For when one says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “I am of Apollos,” are you not carnal?" I Cor 3:1-4

and there is only one body of Christ, aka one bride, one church~~~

"I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all." Eph 4:1-6

Sell What you Have

How's your Bible reading?

#1) Going Good !!!

#2) I'm plugging along.

#3) What Bible? Haven't seen it all week.

If you're in a reading "plan" how is that going for you?

#1) Couldn't be better !!!

#2) It's okay, thanks for asking.

#3) What's a reading plan?

Personally, I'm doing pretty good. I read from Luke today and came across the part about selling your stuff.


"Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell what you have and give alms; provide yourselves money bags which do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches nor moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Luke 12:32-34 ~~Jesus

"Sell what you have....." Wow.

I think that we mainly think of that passage about the Rich Young Ruler who was told to sell his stuff. Then we tell ourselves we're not rich.

Common Question -- My husband doesn't want me to cover

Such a common question for the new covering woman. After studying, praying and coming under the conviction to cover she finds out her husband disapproves to a big extent. In fact he even asks her not to cover. Many times this is a non-believer in Christ Jesus and someone who doesn't know the Bible or will not obey the Bible.

Recently this question was asked on a Yahoo group. In this case the husband said he wanted to see his wife's hair and not to have it covered.

I have answered this at other times but these are today's answers to this question.



Here is my input.............



A few ideas:

#1) Cover secretly when you pray at home. No one needs to know what is on your head during your private prayer time.

#2) Wear a beret with your hair down. That is how I cover. Details below.

#3) Collect some hoodies. They come in shirts and in sweat shirts. You can use the hood as a covering when needed.

#4) If he works in the day time you can probably wear whatever you want to while he is away and then go bare-headed when he's home.

As to the theology of what to do I lean this way: When and if I have to choose between obeying my husband and obeying the Lord God concerning any CLEAR teaching found in the Bible then I choose God over my husband. Some say, "Hey, that's not submission to your husband."

Yes, I'm aware of that. But that very teaching comes from the Bible, doesn't it? The Bible is the source of the teaching on wifely submission.

With some things it's EASY to know "when" to choose the Bible over the husband who does not believe in the Bible. There are many, many things you would not do just because he told you to.

I do teach others to follow their husbands. I obey mine. It's Biblical. However, on this topic I would cover regardless of what my husband said if he was trying to get me not to. But I would be nice. I would not flaunt it. I would try to find a covering that he could stand.

I wear a "sur la tete Beret 11 1/2 inch diameter beret" available for $13.95 at the Villiage Hat Shop which is a large on-line store. They don't wear out and come in many colors. It's not my only covering but it is my main covering. When covering I don't put my hair up. This is an option for women who have disapproving husbands.

Lastly, there are some husbands who object to head covering and/or modesty, it happens. But SOME of these men change their minds and approve of it in short time.

You'll start to look normal with some kind of covering on and look "funny" when you're not covered.

You are going to find that at least 50% of covering women will think differently than what I just shared. At least half think that covering is wrapped up in submission and ought to not be done if the husband says "no." That's okay that they don't agree with me. I'm not asserting myself as a "know-it-all" I am only sharing what I do and what I think.

Callings from the Lord

How does the Lord "call" His followers?

I'm not referring to the original call to follow but to what is sometimes known as a prompting, a leading, or hearing from the Lord. Another common term is nudge.


This is on my mind because it seems different for different people.


What are all the possibilities?


Verbal communication from the Lord God Almighty

Visual communication, as in "visions"

A sign

A dream

A feeling

A verse from the Bible

A teaching from another person

- - - - - -


Do we trust other people's visions and auditory messages from the Lord?

Do we trust our own?

I've heard of callings to move to different countries. To follow the Lord in a new way. To dress in different clothing or certain colors. I think we've all heard of callings to ministry and evangelic work and to becoming a professional Christian, such as Pastor or Monk.

Here are some ways I have felt "called" to make a change or go in a certain direction.

Sometimes I will have a feeling to do something like teaching a Bible class for example. Then an opportunity will soon come to me to do just that. I would say this is a common thing for me.

Another is turning to the same teaching in the Bible nearly every time I pick one up. When this happens constantly I pay attention. This has happened to me when I picked up new Bibles and worn ones. It becomes clear that the Lord is showing me something with "repetition" until I understand.

Another is to hear from other human beings. I have found on rare occasions that people will verbalize something and I hear it so very intensely that I know the words were for me even if they were spoken to another. You might think that the person would announce that they had a "word" from the Lord for me. That's not what happens. It's ordinary words spoken in an ordinary manner but they strike me with great importance.

Seeking the Lord's will seems to take a great deal of time and effort and I am wondering what other Christians perceive as a calling on their life.

We certainly hear the term "calling" often and I do hope we are not using it too lightly or making mistakes and coming to wrong conclusions. I write this because of how many Christian ladies that say they have a calling to modesty, for example, and yet they fret about it. They constantly ask other people about it. Clearly it was "their" calling--it ought to be clear to them, right?

How can we know and proceed with firm assurance that we have been called to something by the Lord and not our own imaginations?

Quiet & Simple & Real

Quiet and Simple and Real

is the opposite of .......

Loud, Complicated and Fake.

I want my walk with the Lord Jesus to be Quiet, Real, and without complexities and distractions.

Personally I find today's church experiences to be far too loud, fake and complicated. It's as though they want to awaken the flesh and not the Spirit with the noise and distractions. The current church experience gives zero time to quiet prayer. The public address systems are obnoxious and unnecessary.

Servanthood begins with a quiet walk with the Lord of lords.

"If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also." John 12;26

"The words of the Lord are pure words, like silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. You shall keep them, O Lord, You shall perserve them from this generation forever." Ps 12:6-7

The Lord's Servant

I have "servanthood" on my mind today.

I don't participate in Lent but I think about it every year when it comes around.

I have never attended "high church" and that's probably the main reason.

I have considered fasting off of something but it just keeps coming back to me to be His servant. Just serve. Just humbly serve the Lord Jesus Christ.

Perhaps 40 days of focusing on servanthood would be exactly what the Lord would have me do.