(03/27/2017) Genuine Spiritual Discernment?

 

Today, points are shared on spiritual discernment among Christian believers.  Created beings and living creatures are to acknowledge and respond to the active presence who is Deity.  Operations of awareness and perception that are initiated by divinity will  appear, and are directed to divine purposes by spirit substance from the makeup of GOD.   Thus, discernment is a response to spirit matter (we also say, breath, life essence, word), not to data or events that are emotional, intellectual, psychological, or mental phenomena.  Such features as ESP, instinct, intuition, premonition, psychics and the occult are vain (empty; void; without divine spirit substance).  Inseparable aspects of the divine makeup must be foremost such as faith, holiness, lovingkindness, meekness, person, eternal purpose, and wisdom.  One of the fighters at “Yahoo! Answers (Philippines)” who uses the ID “Anonymous” (no profile information appears) posted the following:

 

Some Christians would say...?

People have disernment...how do you know if the person just isn't smart or knows psychology or common sense?

Psychology VS discernment tell me about it? I hear a lot of Christians say this person or that person has gods gift of discernment yet I know non Christians who have it.

 

THE GOLDEN ARROW:  For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.  (Hebrews 4:  12, King James Version, KJV)

 

THE DOUBLE DAGGER:  Someone Who Is Kidding? (03/24/2017); How Would We Understand? (03/17/2017); A Species of Animal? (01/31/2017); The Two-edged Sword (01/09/2017); Receiving The Holy Spirit (12/08/2016); Belief, Faith and Assumptions (11/24/2016); Half Empty, Half Full? (10/20/2016)

 

“Anonymous”, among Christian believers, discernment is the ability to correctly recognize spirit content from the makeup of GOD (we say, the imparted, indwelling Spirit; the Comforter; the Holy Spirit; the Holy Ghost; the Spirit of Prophecy; the Spirit of Truth) as it operates through and resides within events, holy writings, oneself, other persons, prophecy, etc.  Divine discernment is provided to establish recognition and conformity to sacred operations and eternal purposes such as forgiveness, rebirth, repentance, revelation, salvation, and sanctification.  Discernment is necessary for communication and continuing relationship with divinity that, like divine law, makes the will of GOD known.  Discernment is developed through sacred practice, service and suffering.  Finite skills derived from the flesh (e.g., carnal reason, instinct, intellect, intuition, and logic) pertain to survival, and the processes of animal nature and flesh such as appetite, awareness, sensation, and self-will that may become dominated by lust, sin, and wickedness.  In addition to counterfeits of divine gifts promoted by the Deceiver, believers are cautioned to be vigilant against covetousness, exaggerated pride, and secular knowledge that generate a false sense of accomplishment and approval with GOD, rather than humility, reverence, sacred knowledge, and sorrow for sin.  Consider again the following from the Bible:

(1.)  Romans 8:  5-9, King James Version (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.

(2.)  1st John 4:  1-3, KJV:  1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God:  because many false prophets are gone out into the world.  2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God:  Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:  3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God:  and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.

(3.)  1st Corinthians 2:  12-14, KJV:  12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.  13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.  14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God:  for they are foolishness unto him:  neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

There is far more to be said, correctly applied, and spiritually apprehended.  (For example, (4.)  Hebrews 5:  12-14, KJV:  12 For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.  13 For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness:  for he is a babe.  14 But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.)  Even so, I trust this fragment will be useful.  Be it unto you according to your faith.

THE BLACK PHOENIX
Washington, DC

(08/19/2016) Boasting In The Lord

Today, points are shared on Christian believers expressing attitudes of aggressiveness, self-confidence, and toughness.  Without knowing all the peculiar details of another believer’s experiences, all mature Christians are careful to show respect and support to others, because everyone within the body continues to be vulnerable to challenge, unwanted change, and heartbreak.  Spiritual strength achieved through suffering has a very different look and feel than that from combativeness, defensiveness, enmity, and hardening of one’s heart.  Those who come to Christ include many who have had to be fighters and survivors within homes, schools, workplace and other settings that were marked by abuse, conflict, cruelty, deceit, destructiveness, divisiveness, hate, exaggerated pride, selfishness, stupidity, and violence.  Among Christian believers, what may appear as bragging, conceit, self-promotion, showing off, and vainglory, often are carefully prepared preaching, proclamation, and prophetic demonstration.  Born-again believers should continually display balance, holy boldness (courage), composure, dependability, firmness, meekness, perseverance, poise, resilience, sobriety, and stability.  Properly understood, the Gospel of Jesus Christ is a form and presentation of sacred truth that can not be transmitted by finite carnal, material and social operations such as argument, logic, persuasion, and reason.  The Gospel may be imparted only as a holy seed having the fullness of GOD, and as an unfolding presence of divinity.  One of the many annoying fighters at “Yahoo! Answers” who uses the ID “Anonymous” (required profile information not shared) posted the following:

Religion- As surely as the truth of Christ is in me, nobody in the regions of Achaia will stop this boasting of mine" (2 Cor 11:10)??

^^As the good book says itself^^

I once served time in Leicester Prison on a vigilante rap, the same nick where Mad Frank Frazer and the Great Train Robbers was held before me, so that gives me braggin rights fer life..:)?

Who said christians weren't hard as nails? We got more about us than yer average atheist, not as gutless as them, amirite !!! ?

THE GOLDEN ARROW:  I say again, let no man think me a fool; if otherwise, yet as a fool receive me, that I may boast myself a little.  That which I speak, I speak it not after the Lord, but as it were foolishly, in this confidence of boasting.  Seeing that many glory after the flesh, I will glory also.  For ye suffer fools gladly, seeing ye yourselves are wise.  For ye suffer, if a man bring you into bondage, if a man devour you, if a man take of you, if a man exalt himself, if a man smite you on the face.  I speak as concerning reproach, as though we had been weak. Howbeit whereinsoever any is bold, (I speak foolishly,) I am bold also.  (2nd Corinthians 11:  16-21, King James Version, KJV)

THE DOUBLE DAGGER:  Use Spirit From GOD? (08/15/2016); The Testimony From Jesus (08/05/2016); What True Believers Do (07/14/2016); Knowing GOD For Yourself (07/13/2016); Humility and The Cross? (03/15/2016); Did Jesus Want Popularity? (06/11/2015); Humility Needed for Salvation? (08/15/2014); False Angels of Light? (08/16/2014)

“Anonymous”, what the apostle calls “boasting” in fact are exhortation, praise, proclamation, personal testimony, and thanksgiving shared to reveal the operations of divinity in the life of a sinner.  The sacred operations of GOD for extending and maintaining Creation also require the awakening of conscience, the proclamation of divine law, the imparting of sacred knowledge, and the nourishment of trust.  To properly “receive” this, a hearer or viewer must have discernment (divinely-given ability to use one’s own spirit content to correctly recognize and respond to sacred essence from the makeup of GOD within doctrines, life events, oneself, other persons, prophecy, Scriptures, etc.).  Through Jesus Christ sinners are to receive permanent change in the character, nature and substance of their own measure of divine spirit.  Thus, sinners become “born again” in  water baptism (death of one’s inborn spirit, rebirth from divine DNA, so to speak); and must “grow up again” maturing and meeting life challenges upon the earth.  Many of the carnal, material, and social skills and strengths once employed for success and survival gradually will be replaced by those for spreading the Gospel, or finally become weakened from disuse.  For example, hustling, lying, persuasion, scamming, stealth, and violence become obsolete; while decisiveness, insightfulness, leadership, quick-thinking, and resourcefulness continue to have great value.  As Christian believers endure affliction, hardship, suffering and testing, they also are being supplied for their transformation at the coming of Jesus to exist as immortal, incorruptible companions to GOD.  Consider how some of this is stated using language from the Bible:

(1.)   Romans 6:  16-18, King James Version (KJV):  16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?  17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.  18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.

(2.)  Ephesians 2:  1-6, KJV:  1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;  2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:  3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.  4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,  5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)  6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

(3.)  Romans 6:  20-23, KJV:  20 For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.  21 What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death.  22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.  23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

There is far more to be said, carefully examined, and spiritually understood.  (For example, (4.)  1st Corinthians 2:  12-14, KJV:  12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.  13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.  14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God:  for they are foolishness unto him:  neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.)  Even so, I trust this fragment will be useful.  Be it unto you according to your faith.

THE BLACK PHOENIX
Washington, DC