Today, reply is to a young person on church attendance, discernment, and having godly goals. What appears to be a problem from the meanness, pride or unfriendliness of others in the church, in fact, can be a true provision from GOD. Where we deny the authority and correctness residing within our parents and the elders because, like us, they are flesh and bone, it becomes crucial that we rely upon divine law, and the things that are written from GOD. When the mom, the dad, or the grandparents are not there with us, we will have to stand alone in the faith they were willing to help us receive. Thus, Jacob knew about the GOD of Adam, Abraham, and Isaac, yet, counted himself as having no “god”. It was only after receiving the divine blessings and inheritance from Isaac, and when fleeing the death threats of Esau to kill him once their father was dead, that Jacob realized his need for the protection of GOD, and offered himself in covenant, agreeing that—on condition—he would acknowledge his father’s GOD as his own GOD also. One of the fighters at “Yahoo! Answers” using the ID “Anonymous” (no profile information appears) posted the following:
My granddad nags me to go to church but people in churches are judgmental and have cliques. Why can't he understand?
I am 23. He says going to church is good for my mental health.
THE GOLDEN ARROW: Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word. With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments. Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. Blessed art thou, O LORD: teach me thy statutes. With my lips have I declared all the judgments of thy mouth. I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches. I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways. I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word. Deal bountifully with thy servant, that I may live, and keep thy word. (Psalms 119: 9-17, King James Version, KJV)
THE DOUBLE DAGGER: Growth Is Through Edification (06/20/2017); Conforming to Divine Standards (06/18/2017); David, Goliath and GOD (05/26/2017); Becoming A Full Person (02/12/2017); In Her father's House? (02/08/2017); Benefiting From Your Childhood? (11/18/2016); Good Christians and Church? (10/19/2016)
“Anonymous”, young people often need what they do not want. Youth is a period that should allow gradual growth, sampling a broad range of new experiences, and completion of protected explorations. Where sacred events (we say, miracles), sacred knowledge (the truth from GOD), and sacred practice (we say, sacraments) are concerned young people must master framing their feelings and thoughts to agree with a different set of understandings than those offered through “ordinary” carnal, material, secular, and social settings. Many important points of truth become hidden and unseen. For example: (1) the GOD we serve is a GOD of judgment; (2) judgment is not a one-time event; (3) more than simply punishment, judgment entails admonition, caution, correction, forgiveness, divine love, reminders, and warnings as genuine aspects of holy deliverance from sin; (4) judgment is a single aspect of the ongoing divine operation to reveal divinity to created beings and living creatures; and (5) the members of the church (including themselves) are to embody and express the law, and Spirit of divinity. When exercising discernment (i.e., using ones own spirit content imparted from the makeup of GOD as a standard to recognize and respond to the same spirit substance residing in actions, events, other persons, the holy writings, etc.) young believers often discover such features as prophecy are in effect (comfort; edification to build up the full body; exhortation encouraging and urging immediate action). Where they have no personal goals and spiritual objectives that establish direction for their participation in the body, youth often leave the church having only a preparation for childhood, not one to meet and overcome the adult challenges and demands they soon will have to answer. Consider again the following from the Bible:
(1.) Ecclesiastes 12: 1-3, King James Version (KJV): 1 Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them; 2 While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, be not darkened, nor the clouds return after the rain: 3 In the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look out of the windows be darkened,
(2.) Matthew 18: 19-20, KJV: 19 Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
(3.) Hebrews 10: 24-26, KJV: 24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: 25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. 26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,
(4.) Hebrews 12: 6-10, KJV: 6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. 7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? 8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. 9 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? 10 For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.
There is far more to be said, correctly applied, and spiritually apprehended. (For example, (5.) Romans 8: 5-9, KJV: 5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. 6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. 8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. 9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.) Even so, I trust this fragment will be useful. Be it unto you according to your faith.
THE BLACK PHOENIX
Washington, DC
No comments:
Post a Comment