Today, points are shared on fellowship and quality conversations within the church. For the followers of Jesus Christ, fellowship may be described as inclusive (i.e., without restrictions to membership such as social and economic status, ethnicity, national origin, race), promissory (appears and continues on the basis of promises), and sacrificial (requires freely giving, willingness to answer every demand without regard to cost, and full surrender to divinity). One of the fighters at “Yahoo! Answers (Canada)” using the ID “Anonymous” (no profile information shared) posted the following:
As a Christian, how do you have conversations and not sin?
As a Christian, how do you have conversations and not be boring, because you can get to gossiping or judging people eventually if you talk too much. After a while you might run out things to talk about such as the weather, sports, etc. So as a Christian are we to be quiet most of the time?
THE GOLDEN ARROW: Therefore, my brothers and sisters, be eager to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues. But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way. (1st Corinthians 14: 39-40, New International Version, NIV)
THE DOUBLE DAGGER: The Quality of Life? (03/29/2017); Family Likeness and Traits? (11/08/2016); Presumption, Pride and Sin? (11/24/2015); An Eternity of Worshipping? (07/22/2014); Grace is Not Against Law (07/23/2014); Miracles and Visitations? (03/03/2014); All Lying Forbidden? (03/04/2014)
“Anonymous”, the same oneness without sameness that appears among the persons of the GODhead, also should appear among those who are members of the body of Christ (we say, the church). What Christian believers are to say to one another should appear as expressions of their faith, discovery, duty, prophecy, sacred purpose, divine truth, and shared understanding. Believers all begin as sinners who willingly acknowledge need for GOD to make permanent changes to the process and workings of their own consciousness and self-will. There must be a death, burial, and resurrection (so to speak), of their inborn spirit, whereby they become sons and daughters of GOD by having divine DNA. Once born again, the sinner is an offspring of divinity, an heir with Christ, and a new creation. Even so, those “born again” must “grow up again” on the earth, and mature as vessels displaying aspects from the makeup of Deity. Included are faith, forbearance, holiness, longsuffering, lovingkindness, wisdom, and wrath against sin. There are many wonderful topics for discussion and exchange among believers. Because everyone can pursue study of the holy writings, there are many exciting lessons and thoughtful questions that provide focus for exchange and interaction with other believers. Consider again the following counsels from the holy writings (Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.®):
(1.) Colossians 4: 5-6, New International Version (NIV): 5 Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. 6 Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.
(2.) Jeremiah 9: 23-24, NIV: 23 This is what the Lord says: “Let not the wise boast of their wisdom or the strong boast of their strength or the rich boast of their riches, 24 but let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,” declares the Lord.
(3.) 1st Corinthians 14: 18-20, NIV: 18 I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. 19 But in the church I would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue. 20 Brothers and sisters, stop thinking like children. In regard to evil be infants, but in your thinking be adults.
(4.) Matthew 20: 27-28, NIV: 27 and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— 28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Of course there is far more to be said, carefully considered, and fully embraced. (For example (5.) Colossians 3: 1-10, NIV: 1 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. 5 Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. 7 You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. 8 But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. 9 Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.) Even so, I trust this fragment will be useful. Be it unto you according to your faith.
THE BLACK PHOENIX
Washington, DC
Children, church attendance, and spiritual growth are topics, today. A “Yahoo! Answers” fighter using the ID “Chad” (Level 1 with 77 points, a member since August 17, 2014) posted the following:
Sunday so that means Church?
when I was a kid I found church to be boring and too long. I did not wanted to disrespect God/Jesus * the Church in anyway shape nor form, but I have to admit it was pretty boring....what about you?
THE GOLDEN ARROW: Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes. And ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt write them upon the door posts of thine house, and upon thy gates: (Deuteronomy 11: 18-20, KJV)
THE DOUBLE DAGGER: Church is Good? (06/15/2013); Feeling Loved By GOD? (06/16/2013); Issues for Children’s Church (04/06/2013); Outgrowing Childhood Prayers? (04/07/2013); Confessing Only to GOD? (04/08/2013); Unexceptional Beginnings (11/22/2012); Believing Everything? (11/23/2012); The Faith of Ones Parents? (11/18/2012); Reading Only The Red Part (11/19/2012); Attending Church? (11/12/2012)
“Chad”, here are a few points from GOD to consider that help Christian believers avoid confusion and error:
(1.) Children first embrace the things of GOD as an aspect of shared relationship with their parents. Where parents are biased, conflicted, indifferent, or uncertain, their children usually become apathetic, disinterested, and unresponsive.
(2.) In their efforts to be protective, parents often “condemn” those anointed and sent by GOD who approach their children as fellow-believers, friends, peers, and experienced teachers. Many envy, and deny that their own children may be blessed as sons and daughters of GOD, or receive the imparted Spirit from GOD. Such parents may refuse to acknowledge, support, or work to fulfill their child’s desire to learn and grow spiritually. In effect, they become an enemy to their own child, and “quench the spirit” at every opportunity. Not only is this sometimes done unconsciously and unintentionally, this often occurs by parents encouraging childish and silly behavior from their offspring, rather than promoting disciplined listening, engaging in discourse regarding their lessons, inviting their questions, and reading the Bible together at home.
(3.) For children, the learning process for behavior and speech, is heavily non-verbal, at first. As they develop, discovery and imitation are relied upon as well as trial-and-error. In acquiring the things of GOD through the ministry of Jesus Christ, their growth is little different than that for born-again adults. In the church setting, they may appear to be like little lambs who only gambol, graze and play under the watch of the ewes, rams, and shepherds. Even so, they too are being provided with unseen nourishment and refreshment that come only by operations of the Holy Spirit.
There is far more to be said, correctly understood, and spiritually apprehended. (For example, (4.) Parents who deny their own accountability and duty in salvation, yet, attend church, may be unknowingly encouraging their child’s disobedience, rebellion, rejection, and separation, instead of the genuine independence that expresses integrity of ones person. Thus, as adults, our issue is not was church boring, the issue has to be did I get what GOD intended; and if not, what shall I do now?) Even so, I trust this fragment will be useful. Be it unto you according to your faith.
THE BLACK PHOENIX
Washington, DC
Duty, family, human nature, and worship in heaven come into view, today. A “Yahoo! Answers” fighter using the ID “The Green Machine” (Level 5 with 6,162 points, a member since November 09, 2013) posted the following:
How would Christians like to spend eternity worshipping God?
Because that's what heaven is like. Its not a place where you meet your family and friends and be free. Its a place of worship.
THE BATTLE AXE: Why Were We Sent Here? (07/20/2014)—(5.) Mankind was not “sent” to earth as an accident or an experiment; and the earth was not created to serve as a battlefield, a hospital, a practice area, a “proving ground,” a test lab, or a form of punishment by separation from GOD (such as was brought against those who lost their first estate in heaven). The earth was specifically created as the sphere of life having conditions that would support the continued existence of mankind. Because many conceive their existence as independent both from GOD and from the earth, the world has been created by mankind to maintain communication, exchange, and survival. The world system provides beliefs, meanings and values for the living, and deals with the earth as a disposable object, not as ones origin, ones home, or any organic aspect of oneself. Through the operations of sin, mankind now abuses and misapplies the devices and mechanisms that were intended by divinity as benefit. Included are authority, divine law, dominion, hierarchy, judgment, the Tree of Life, and truth. Apart from GOD, created beings and living creatures must be deprived of various blessings, gifts, possibilities, and tools. As a result, mankind is often challenged, confused, destroyed, and frustrated. The many sacred purposes of salvation include preparing mankind to be immortal and incorruptible, and to live forever upon the earth. See Isaiah 45: 18, Jude 1: 6, 1st Timothy 2: 13-15, Galatians 6: 7-8, Psalms 37: 8-10, Jeremiah 27: 4-5 and Isaiah 65: 17-23, KJV.
THE GOLDEN ARROW: And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever. And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever. (Revelation 5: 13-14, KJV)
THE DOUBLE DAGGER: The Meaning of Worship? (07/09/2014); To Serve GOD Acceptably (07/10/2014); Attending Church? (11/12/2012); Unwelcome Gifts? (09/17/2012); Does Believing Make It Happen? (09/18/2012); What is Worship? (10/18/2010); No Free Will (10/19/2010)
“The Green Machine”, here are a few points to consider that you may have overlooked:
(1.) Worship and operating in accordance with ones own spirit content from GOD are contrary to dependence upon ones animal nature and regularly operating after the flesh. Human awareness and self-will may be dominated and driven by such aspects as appetite (e.g., hunger, sexual cravings, thirst), sensation (e.g., hearing, seeing, tasting, touching), emotional/mental functioning (e.g., anxiety, desire, fear, imagination, recall) as well as by contact, exchange and social process.
(2.) Sin does not appear as contrary and foreign to ones own spirit content. Yet, sin opposes the continued existence of divine law, of GOD as Law Giver, and of all Creation that operates on the basis of divine order. Sin may control and generate attitudes, behavior and conduct. Lacking the various provisions of GOD, created beings and living creatures do not detect, recognize or correctly resist the action and presence of sin within their consciousness, and upon their self-will.
(3.) Those who will worship in heaven first will have undergone a transformation that fits and suits them for an environment of spiritual purity. They will have been born again, and will have received an endowment of divinity that includes such inseparable features as faith, holiness, joy, longsuffering, peace, wisdom, and wrath against sin. They will have been nourished upon the earth through fellowship with other believers, sacred knowledge by study of the holy writings, and discipline through practice of holy sacraments.
There is far more to be said, correctly understood, and spiritually apprehended. (For example, (4.) At the appearing of Jesus Christ, the transformation that has already begun, and is continuing to happen right now, whereby believers become immortal and incorruptible will be completed. Such beggarly elements as ambition, contradiction, dullness, human error, idleness, indecision, misery, monotony, and mortality will all become a “thing of the past” that will never exist again.) Even so, I trust this fragment will be useful. Be it unto you according to your faith.
THE BLACK PHOENIX
Washington, DC
Reply is made to a writer who expresses fear that eternal life will be static, lacking change and having no excitement. The “Yahoo! Answers” writer using ID “Alice” (Level 1 with 155 points, a member since September 15, 2012) posted the following:
Am I the only Christian who is afraid of eternal life?
Hi everyone:)
I am a born again Christian and strive to spread the word of God with others so that they too can feel the happiness that I feel. I know I am saved and I love my savior Jesus Christ more than anything. I am proud to call myself a child of God and a Christian. But...I'm terrified of eternal life? Just the thought of living forever and forever and forever scares me. Maybe eternity will only seem like a day, I don't know! I can't wait to meet my Heavenly Father in Heaven, but, please tell me I'm not a bad Christian for being scared. I really hope I am not the only one.
THE GOLDEN ARROW: For brass I will bring gold, and for iron I will bring silver, and for wood brass, and for stones iron: I will also make thy officers peace, and thine exactors righteousness. Violence shall no more be heard in thy land, wasting nor destruction within thy borders; but thou shalt call thy walls Salvation, and thy gates Praise. The sun shall be no more thy light by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee: but the LORD shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory. Thy sun shall no more go down; neither shall thy moon withdraw itself: for the LORD shall be thine everlasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall be ended. Thy people also shall be all righteous: they shall inherit the land for ever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I may be glorified. A little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation: I the LORD will hasten it in his time. (Isaiah 60: 17-22, KJV)
THE DOUBLE DAGGER: Embodied Afterlife? (10/11/2013); Commandments in the Light of Christ? (10/12/2013); Can One Escape? (09/18/2013); Gentiles and the Law? (09/19/2013); A Relationship not Just Knowledge? (06/25/2013); Lost Without GOD? (06/26/2013); When Does Judgment Begin? (06/27/2013); The Fear of GOD (10/30/2012); Saved in Childbearing? (10/31/2012); Love in Christ? (10/23/2012); Escape from Racism (10/24/2012); Unwelcome Gifts? (09/17/2012); Does Believing Make It Happen? (09/18/2012)
Alice, here are a few points about fear and about life that may be shared among Christian believers:
(1.) Fears that arise by focusing on the bad things that are possible and that may occur without warning are always overcome by (a) acknowledging the certain truth that divine promises will be fulfilled, (b) that divine intent and sacred purpose is to bestow good upon created beings and living creatures, and (c )that our “happiness” no longer depends only upon what we do for ourselves as if GOD has no care for us, and will not answer all our need.
(2.) The human idea of what “life” is must be replaced by divine concepts of being, existence, and interrelationship. As believers in Jesus Christ, we are born again from divine DNA, so to speak. We are now in a godly process of growth wherein we gradually acquire a permanent awareness of spirit being and sacred substance in the place of things that are carnal, material, and secular.
(3.) The special blessing of GOD through Jesus Christ is not simply longevity. The purpose of eternal life is eternal relationship, and unlimited interaction with he who is sovereign above all that is in the universe.
There is far more to be said, correctly applied, and spiritually understood. (For example, (4.) Once judgment of the wicked is completed, mortality will be ended. All mankind will be made immortal and incorruptible. Alienation, decay, enmity, hostility, loneliness, and all forms of violence will be banished. There can be no boredom, pain without healing, unwanted isolation, or lack of understanding to make believers feel that they are prisoners, victims, or unwelcome guests.) I trust this fragment will be useful. Even so, be it unto you according to your faith. The time of our Savior’s coming is nearer than before. Grow in grace rejoicing!
THE BLACK PHOENIX
Washington, DC
