(11/13/2017) Confused By Spiritual Puzzles

Depicts a Jigsaw Puzzle Based on the Pac Man Computer Game

Today, points are shared on whether to avoid spiritual confusion developing believers should rely more on divine law or the imparted Spirit.  The operations of Christian belief present a pattern of waiting for hope, promises, and prophecies to be fulfilled, and so require such divine provisions as correction, discernment, longsuffering, patience, resilience, trust, and truth.  Even for those who become “born again,” all the elements of gradual growth, regeneration and ripening can appear.  Included are “growing pains,” indecisiveness, lapses of attention where a believer’s every effort seems to “draw a blank,” missteps, risk-taking, trial-and-error, and uncertainty.  The fighter at “Yahoo! Answers” who uses the ID “First” (Level 1 with 148 points, a member since October 01, 2017) posted the following:


Now I'm even more confused. Some Spirit-filled Christians who only obey God here say God instructs us to obey the Torah.?

Other Spirit-filled Christians who only obey God here say God instructs us to follow Christ and accept his grace only. Let's start there as it seems to be the most fundamental. Which is it and how do you know the spirit is leading you to a correct understanding of God's will?


THE GOLDEN ARROW:  In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the seed of the Medes, which was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans;  In the first year of his reign I Daniel understood by books the number of the years, whereof the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem.  And I set my face unto the Lord GOD, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes:  And I prayed unto the LORD my God, and made my confession, and said, O Lord, the great and dreadful God, keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love him, and to them that keep his commandments;  We have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from thy precepts and from thy judgments:  Neither have we hearkened unto thy servants the prophets, which spake in thy name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land.  O Lord, righteousness belongeth unto thee, but unto us confusion of faces, as at this day; to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and unto all Israel, that are near, and that are far off, through all the countries whither thou hast driven them, because of their trespass that they have trespassed against thee.  O Lord, to us belongeth confusion of face, to our kings, to our princes, and to our fathers, because we have sinned against thee.  To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses, though we have rebelled against him;  Neither have we obeyed the voice of the LORD our God, to walk in his laws, which he set before us by his servants the prophets.  (Daniel 9:  1-10, King James Version, KJV)


THE DOUBLE DAGGER:  Avoiding Confusion About Antichrist (11/08/2017); Detecting Counterfeit Human Nature (11/02/2017); The Word of GOD (09/05/2017); “Occupy Till I Come” (08/30/2017); Miracles Are Not Everlasting (07/18/2017); One Complete Divine Revelation (07/09/2017); Thoughts On The Commandments (06/27/2017); That GOD Is Immutable (05/04/2017); Working to Pay GOD? (02/23/2017)


“First”, grace does not cancel or contend against law from GOD.  It is sin that opposes the continued existence of divine law, the law giver, and all divine order that emerges by law.  Just as the work of learning our ABCs is one of recalling a set pattern or sequence of letters, acquiring sacred knowledge and internalizing the law from GOD is accomplished by listening, practice, and study to expand our knowledge base pertaining to Deity, and is not so much one of “doing the impossible,” performing miracles, applying psychic powers, or calling forth occult spirits.  Reciting the ABCs is not a matter of reading another person’s thoughts, or predicting future events, yet, once we know the full pattern, when shown a single letter we can say, HIJK…, LMNOP…, or whatever will be next.  What many like about jigsaw puzzles is that, when a piece is correct, it will fit in perfectly, and the person solving the puzzle has immediate feedback telling them, You are right!  This is not the case for the enigmas and puzzles of life, where we are to know by the operations of commitment, conviction, discernment, discovery, and faith.

Those who seek an intimate and personal relationship with divinity, wherein GOD is no longer an abstraction or remote figure, must be anchored by fixed truth and standards that keeps a seeker from losing their way, and maintains their knowledge of the way back home, so to speak.  Part of beginning is making the decision that—whatever disappointments or surprises might occur—you will wait, you will not quit, and you will not “turn back.”  One must begin with a “made up” mind.  Also, there must be the understanding, that Father, Son and Holy Spirit will do much of the most difficult work.  Those who are “born again” receive aspects of inseparable spirit content from the makeup of GOD that include “boldness”, “certainty”, faith, holiness, longsuffering, lovingkindness, person, wisdom, and wrath against sin.  Divine law is as necessary to becoming mature Christians who will construct and determine their own lifestyle and daily routines as rebirth, and a sinner becoming a new creation through operations of the imparted Spirit, for sacred law expresses the heart, mind and sovereign will of GOD.

When people begin to fit a jigsaw puzzle together, they usually start with a mix of disconnected pieces, however, they also should have some picture of what the puzzle will look like once they finish.  Most who want to solve jigsaw puzzles rely on finite human tools such as emotion, intellect, intuition, and carnal reason.  In the same way, a solver must test and try the fitness for every piece he takes up, a developing Christian believer must test and try many different claims, events, messages, and statements.  That something is unfamiliar, or fails to fit, does not mean the solver is inept, unskilled, wrong, or that important missing pieces do not exist.  It only means a single, possible solution was not correct; and the solver is to continue examining patiently other possibilities.  Consider the following that uses language from the holy writings:

(1.)  Habakkuk 2:  2-4, King James Version (KJV):  2 And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it.  3 For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie:  though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.  4 Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him:  but the just shall live by his faith.

(2.)  John 4:  23-24, KJV:  23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth:  for the Father seeketh such to worship him.  24 God is a Spirit:  and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

(3.)  Hebrews 11:  6, KJV:  6 But without faith it is impossible to please him:  for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Of course, there is far more to be said, correctly examined, and spiritually apprehended.  (For example, (4.)  2nd Peter 1:  2-11, KJV:  2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,  3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:  4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises:  that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.  5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;  6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;  7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.  8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.  9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.  10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure:  for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:  11 For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.)  Even so, I trust this fragment will be useful.  Be it unto you according to your faith.

THE BLACK PHOENIX
Washington, DC

(12/18/2016) Saying "GOD is Love"

Today, what Christian believers mean when saying “GOD is love” is in view.  The multiple facets of love are revealed in relationships, and go beyond mere affection and emotion.  Included are acceptance, access, accountability, acknowledgment, affirmation, approval, and nurture.  A writer at “Yahoo! Answers” using the ID “Anonymous” (no profile information appears) posted the following:

IS GOD LOVE?

THE GOLDEN ARROW:  Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you.  We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.  Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer:  and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.  Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us:  and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.  But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?  My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.  (1st John 3:  13-18, King James Version, KJV)

THE DOUBLE DAGGER:  Believers Are To Love (12/07/2016); The Relationships With GOD? (11/30/2016); Herein Is True Love (10/21/2016);  The GOD Who Loves? (10/02/2016); Divine and Unconditional Love (09/18/2016); Love That Is Spirit? (01/28/2016); Punishment To Show Love? (11/29/2015)

“Anonymous”, in the same way you could say, “football is a game,” be correct, yet, still not have said what makes it different and special from the many other games (e.g., baseball, cricket, ice hockey, soccer), many say, “GOD is love” without also indicating in what way GOD is different from affection and emotion within relationships that are platonic, romantic, professional, or sexual.  Divine love is not best described by using ideas and language for carnal, material, and social relationships, for GOD is a spirit.  Love to GOD is shown by such things as kindness to others, obedience, practice of sacraments, praise, prayer, respect, trust, and speaking truth.  Divinity appears as an array of inseparable spirit substances such as faith, holiness, joy, longsuffering, immortality, immutability, incorruption, eternal purpose, purity, wisdom, and wrath against sin.  Multiple sacred operations are carried out and performed by divinity including atonement, cleansing, covenant, forbearance, forgiveness, judgment, rebirth, reconciliation, redemption, revelation, salvation, and sanctification.  The perfection and righteousness of GOD makes it that divine love is even expressed through such diverse and challenging elements for finite beings as birth, death, mercy, punishment, sacred law, and suffering.  Consider the following:

(1.)  Deuteronomy 6:  4-5, King James Version (KJV):  4 Hear, O Israel:  The LORD our God is one LORD:  5 And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.

(2.)  1st John 4:  7-9, KJV:  7 Beloved, let us love one another:  for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.  8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.  9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.     

(3.)  Hebrews 12:  4-8, KJV:  4 Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.  5 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:  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.

There is far more to be said, correctly applied, and spiritually apprehended.  (For example, (4.)  1st John 3:  1-3, KJV:  1 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God:  therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.  2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be:  but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.  3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.)  Even so, I trust this fragment will be useful.  Be it unto you according to your faith.

THE BLACK PHOENIX
Washington, DC

(04/12/2014) Kill the Blog Writer!

Today, I continue using spring training, and other ideas from baseball to spark insights on how to behave in the public forum as an educated person who brings value to the conversation on Christian belief.


THE BATTLE AXE:  Spring-training (04/11/2014)—For full Christian belief, there is only one message; and so, the process of acquiring perfected belief is simple, yet, profound (we say, deep; far-reaching in application, consequences, and effect).  Using familiar language, that of baseball, we can make an analogy to the Christian work of salvation, and to generate parables to convey various points.  For example, just as everyone who is fit to own a season ticket, or watch the game from the bleachers is not fit to play shortstop or center field, everyone who reads a book or has an opinion in a public forum is not fit to speak as a person having correct knowledge and a right relationship with GOD, or is a believer having place in the church of Jesus Christ.  There will always be those who neither “know the game,” nor play it, yet, who show no respect to those who can, and do.  Also, making the roster for a Series-bound team will require more than athleticism, physical strength, and stamina; there must be “chemistry”, and a good fit.  While homerun hitters and sluggers are important, those who master the automatic outs—laying down a bunt to advance the men on base, countless foul balls to work a pitcher’s arm before granting him the strike, and willingness to deliver the in-field fly (some say, a pop-up, a sacrifice) that allows a runner to sprint to the next base—are often the true heroes of a game.  To reach ones highest level of value, repetition of the fundamentals such as control of power, stance, and timing can never be regarded as “boring.”  The player who insists upon breaking bats, destroying the dugout, having locker-room hissy fits, throwing the punch that causes a brawl, and going nuke in anger or frustration, is quickly understood to be a distraction from the mission, a candidate for trade or release from contract, a liability to the owner and his teammates.  Just as the box scores, standings, overall stats and win/loss record all must be used together to describe a team’s performance, believers must master using the language, precepts, principles, proclamations, and prophecies contained within the Scriptures for the most correct appreciation of salvation for mankind through the operations of GOD, of Christ, and of the Holy Spirit.


THE GOLDEN ARROW:  Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.  The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth:  so is every one that is born of the Spirit.  Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?  Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?  Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness.  If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?  (John 3:  7-12, KJV)


There is a lot more to be said, correctly applied, and spiritually apprehended.  (For example, there are many rules that govern play in baseball, and disputes frequently arise regarding their correct application.  In addition, there are recurring situations that demand input by a neutral, third-party having a privileged and intimate view of all action and exchange on the field (we say, umpires).  Unlike team coaches and managers, the officials tend to remain unknown, having no trading cards, celebrity or popularity among baseball fans.  Despite the continuing malice toward officials (Kill the ump!) with accusations of incompetence and cheating, umpires must fearlessly hold to their commission as guardians for the game, and as the caretakers who further establish its full integrity, and value.)  Even so, I trust this fragment will be useful.  Be it unto you according to the measure of divine faith that resides in you.


THE BLACK PHOENIX
Washington, DC