(03/16/2018) Etiquette Within The Church?

Today, reply is on etiquette practiced among the saints, and the aspects of divine order and sacred process that are to be displayed within the House of GOD.  Life essence (we say, breath, spirit, Word) from the fullness of divinity is to be imparted to believers in the places set apart for sacred encounters.  The deliverance of pronouncements and revelation from GOD are not to be casually interrupted.  Included are the bestowal of blessings, proclamations of judgments, instructions by parables and sermons, as well as readings of the holy writings, and the sacred law.  One of the fighters in the “Yahoo! Answers” forum using the ID “Anonymous” (no profile information shared) posted the following:


Why wouldn’t the priest answer my question?

I went to a Catholic Church for the first time. While the Priest was giving his homily I wanted to ask him a question. Being polite as I always am I raised my hand. Sheesh I had my hand raised for over 10 minutes. He saw me and besides looking angrily at me he ignored me


THE GOLDEN ARROW:  Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools:  for they consider not that they do evil.  Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God:  for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth:  therefore let thy words be few.  (Ecclesiastes 5:  1-2, King James Version, KJV)


THE DOUBLE DAGGER:  What Is A Spirit? (03/06/2018); Proper Training For Belief? (01/10/2018); Free Speech in Church? (12/18/2017); What Young People Need? (06/26/2017); ...Gathered In My Name (05/29/2017); Tools For Knowing Divinity (05/12/2017); Divine Discipline? (12/24/2015); Rebuked, And Not Baptized? (10/22/2015)


“Anonymous”, the church of Jesus Christ does not promote lawlessness; and its members all must recognize and respond to discipline, order, process, and structure that impart sacred knowledge and spirit substance from the makeup of divinity.  You were treated like a true member of the flock, not a wolf in sheep’s clothing.  Here are some points developing Christian believers usually find useful:

1.  The primary reality of those who regularly assemble and continue as a church body (we say, congregation) focuses on inviting and acknowledging the active presence whom we speak of as GOD to appear within a location and collection of committed persons that have been specially cleansed and set apart (we say, sanctified). 

2.  Clergy serve as pastors, shepherds, and divine spokespersons appointed to oversee the sacred events and gatherings of Christian believers.  In addition to comforting, guiding, exhorting, nourishing, and protecting a congregation, they are to challenge, chasten, edify, “prod”, reassure, and reprove those who willingly become followers of Christ.  Admonition, cautions and warnings often are used openly before the full group that are gestures, and are nonverbal and silent.

3.  In addition to coming together to receive preaching, prophesying, and sermons that present covenants, doctrine, and instruction to its members, the community of faith will gather for communication, exchange, and interaction that includes baptisms (where there is death, burial, and rebirth of ones inborn spirit), funerals, weddings, and other events wherein sinners become joined or released from service to divinity that has carnal, material, and social consequences.

4.  Most of the ceremonies, ordinances, and practices seen during meetings for praise and worship have been carefully  modeled in accordance with commandments, divine law, proclamations from GOD, revelation, and sacred visions (we say, “the pattern of things in heaven”).  Christian believers are privileged to receive the same indwelling gifts and spirit content poured out for those who received the law written by the finger of GOD on tables of stone, those who heard the voice of GOD declaring the terms of covenant, those who came out of captivity to rebuild Jerusalem and heard the law proclaimed from the pulpit, and those who assembled at the last Passover where the Lord’s Supper first was introduced.  Consider again the following that uses language from the Bible:

(1.)  Hebrews 12:  1-10, King James Version (KJV):  1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,  2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.  3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.  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.  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.

(2.)  Revelation 3:  17-19, KJV:  17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:  18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.  19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten:  be zealous therefore, and repent.

(3.)  1st Corinthians 14:  26-33, KJV:  26 How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.  27 If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret.  28 But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God.  29 Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge.  30 If any thing be revealed to another that sitteth by, let the first hold his peace.  31 For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted.  32 And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets.  33 For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.

There is far more to be said, correctly examined, and spiritually apprehended.  (For example, (4.)  1st Corinthians 14:  36-40, KJV:  36 What? came the word of God out from you? or came it unto you only?  37 If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord.  38 But if any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant.  39 Wherefore, brethren, covet to prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues.  40 Let all things be done decently and in order.)  Even so, I trust this fragment will be useful.  Be it unto you according to your faith.

THE BLACK PHOENIX
Washington, DC

(08/12/2015) The Ordinance of Humility?

Discernment, humility, and acknowledging divinity that resides within others by providing sacrificial service are themes, today.  No one desires the role as a menial who must clean up after the unpleasantness and vomit of a drunken master.  Yet, by completing their work efficiently, patiently and without complaint, a servant becomes distinguished and set apart as exceptional, indispensable, and priceless.  In the same way every parent becomes further bound emotionally and psychologically to their child by enduring the discomfort, embarrassment, shame and uncleanness of repeatedly having to be in contact with the child’s feces and urine by changing their diapers, Christian believers are further bound spiritually to one another through various ceremonies, patterns and rituals of the church for cleansing, exchange, fellowship, work and shared worship.  The child’s need is for more than simply adornment to hide its nakedness.  The soiled diaper becomes a sack of acid bound to its flesh; and their cries are to be heard as genuine calls for comfort, deliverance, life, relief, and salvation.  A fighter at “Yahoo! Answers” using the ID Kelly (Level 1 with 100 points, a member since March 03, 2013) posted the following:


Why would someone want to wash my feet - foot washing?

I took care of my mother when she passed, both the leading up to and the moments until her death. After she passed my brother asked to wash my feet. (hes a 7 days Adventist)
What does this actually mean? What was he reasons and what was he thinking?
Was he washing my sins away? should i be offended because he felt i did something wrong? and if not why shouldn't i be worried?


THE GOLDEN ARROW:  Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;  Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.  And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.  Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility:  for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.  Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:  Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.  Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:  Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.  But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.  To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.  (1st Peter 5:  2-11, KJV)


THE DOUBLE DAGGER:  Prayer Behavior? (04/07/2015); Humility Needed for Salvation? (08/15/2014); False Angels of Light? (08/16/2014); Origin of Baptism? (06/22/2013); Money-changers in The Temple? (06/23/2013); Naaman the Leper (12/21/2012); Did Jesus Know? (12/22/2012)


“Kelly”, foot-washing (called the Ordinance of Humility) is a simple practice among Christian believers having exalted spirit content and focus because it continues the offering of Abraham to divinity in visitation, and is completed through operations of the Holy Spirit like baptism and the Lord’s Supper (some say, Communion).  Foot-washing (1) further reveals and imparts to believers the character and nature within the persons of GODhead; (2) makes visible the elements for eternal relationship with divinity that go beyond obedience to sacred law (e.g., compassion, faith, forbearance, gentleness, humility, longsuffering, love, respect, and righteousness); and (3) establishes the active presence of Christ within the body as well as within the individual awareness and self-will of believers.  Fruitfulness and unity for the body turns upon how we acknowledge and respond to one another as co-laborers under GOD.  Here are a few points from the holy writings that usually help believers understand these ideas:

(1.)  Proverbs 15:  32-33, King James Version (KJV):  32 He that refuseth instruction despiseth his own soul:  but he that heareth reproof getteth understanding.  33 The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom; and before honour is humility.

(2.)  Genesis 18:  1-4, KJV:  1 And the LORD appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre:  and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day;  2 And he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him:  and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground,  3 And said, My Lord, if now I have found favour in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant:  4 Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree:

(3.)  Psalms 19:  12-14, KJV:  12 Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults.  13 Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me:  then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression.  14 Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.

(4.)  Colossians 3:  9-15, KJV:  9 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;  10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:  11 Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free:  but Christ is all, and in all.  12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;  13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any:  even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.  14 And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.  15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.

(5.)  John 13:  1-6, KJV:  1 Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.  2 And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him;  3 Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God;  4 He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself.  5 After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded.

(6.)  John 13:  6-10, KJV:  6 Then cometh he to Simon Peter:  and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet?  7 Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter.  8 Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet.  Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.  9 Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head.  10 Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit:  and ye are clean, but not all.

There is far more that should be said, correctly understood, and spiritually taken into account.  (For example (7.)  John 13:  12-17, KJV:  12 So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you?  13 Ye call me Master and Lord:  and ye say well; for so I am.  14 If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet.  15 For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.  16 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.  17 If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.)  Even so, I trust this fragment will be useful.  Be it unto you according to your faith.

THE BLACK PHOENIX
Washington, DC