"First, I thank God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.
For God is my witness, Whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of His Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers,"
We are living in extraordinary times---this "dispensation of grace" and we should be ever thankful to God our Father for this opportunity we have been given...that is, "IF" you truly know and believe that we are saved by God's grace through faith in Christ's perfect, finished work. We are "accepted in the Beloved". We are NOW members of the body of Christ Which He is the Head of ["the church of God"].
"IF" you are a member of His body, then you should desire to know Him more---how can we know Him more? By studying His word of truth"..."the holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus."
For me personally, when God saved me from eternal seperation from Him, He made me "a new creature" and "the love of God is shed abroad" in my heart. With faith, hope, and love in Christ, my life on earth has never been the same. When I was a babe in Christ, I hoped and prayed that I would be led by God the Holy Spirit to go where He wanted me to go and to do what He wanted me to do.
After visiting many so-called churches, I was very disappointed because NONE satisfied my desire or need for "spiritual" growth. Not one preached or taught the "grace" message---not one even mentioned "the mystery"/body of Christ message. Week after week, for almost a year, I was still unsatisfied with the lack of knowledge I had of God. So, I called my brother on the telephone and asked him for some direction, because he had been "saved" some years before me. He said that he had a Bible study, twice a week, at his house---I then asked, "can me and my husband attend it?" He said, "sure".
During our study of Scripture, my brother Paul (which just so happens to be his name) I learned of "the mystery" and "rightly dividing the word of truth". Once I grasped these revealed truths, it was like I was walking on a different plane altogether...I thank God always for all that He has taught me and is still teaching me. I can't go back to where I once was---BLIND, DEAF, and IGNORANT. And I will not pretend that I don't know or believe what He has revealed to me in His written word. Also, while attending Bible study at Paul's house, our small humble group studied the entire Bible, from "Genesis" to "The Revelation"; and always thankful to God the Holy Spirit for His guidance, teaching, and leading. Another thing that was said over and over again was "you don't have to believe a word that I say...search and study Scripture for yourself."
That is what we should all do too, as individual members of the body of Christ, and we should never be afraid to say "I don't know" if we don't know an answer concerning "the holy Scriptures". Let us always diligently "search the scriptures" and "study to shew thyself approved unto God"..."ALL SCRIPTURE".
Since joining this forum, I thank God for blessing me with the fellowship of other members of Christ's body, "the church". I have searched for years and my heart rejoiced when I found this forum on the w.w.w. because our Bible study group stopped meeting a few years ago, due to some moving away to other states and for some, due to illnesses. I was also off-line for about 4 years, so imagine the shock I got when I came across other forums that taught that "the church" is 'spiritual Israel' or that we have to be "saved" or "regenerated" first, before we can "hear" and "believe" or the different understandings of what predestination is or that God created some ONLY chosen according to His Divine Plan, to receive eternal life, and created some ONLY chosen to receive His wrath and condemnation. And don't even get me started on all the hate, power-hunger, greed, and lies/deception of false teachings I've came across on the w.w.w. in the short time since returning on-line.
Some just don't seem to understand what it is to be "holding fast" to the "Head" of the body. There is much posted here to help with understanding what the body of Christ message is, which is specifically for us to-day. There would not be all these arguments or strife or division between brothers and sisters in Christ "IF" this message was truly understood. Next time, before you post, ask yourself this question "Will this or does this glorify Christ?"
We can never look for or to Christ too much!!! Even if we don't understand everything that God says---still we should "hear" and "believe"---and when we are given understanding, we will obey (i.e., faith obedience) and desire to do God's will for us in all we think, say, and do. All thanks, praise, and glory are His!!! Amen.
I love you all...God loves you more.
your sister in Christ,
"found in Him"
p.s.---thanks be to God for "biblebeliever123" and "eph3Nine" for their help in locating the Grace Bible Church that my family has been attending recently. It is a small congregation but it's growing in grace and knowledge of Him, "rightly" divided. God bless you richly, my sisters in Christ.
For God is my witness, Whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of His Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers,"
We are living in extraordinary times---this "dispensation of grace" and we should be ever thankful to God our Father for this opportunity we have been given...that is, "IF" you truly know and believe that we are saved by God's grace through faith in Christ's perfect, finished work. We are "accepted in the Beloved". We are NOW members of the body of Christ Which He is the Head of ["the church of God"].
"IF" you are a member of His body, then you should desire to know Him more---how can we know Him more? By studying His word of truth"..."the holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus."
For me personally, when God saved me from eternal seperation from Him, He made me "a new creature" and "the love of God is shed abroad" in my heart. With faith, hope, and love in Christ, my life on earth has never been the same. When I was a babe in Christ, I hoped and prayed that I would be led by God the Holy Spirit to go where He wanted me to go and to do what He wanted me to do.
After visiting many so-called churches, I was very disappointed because NONE satisfied my desire or need for "spiritual" growth. Not one preached or taught the "grace" message---not one even mentioned "the mystery"/body of Christ message. Week after week, for almost a year, I was still unsatisfied with the lack of knowledge I had of God. So, I called my brother on the telephone and asked him for some direction, because he had been "saved" some years before me. He said that he had a Bible study, twice a week, at his house---I then asked, "can me and my husband attend it?" He said, "sure".
During our study of Scripture, my brother Paul (which just so happens to be his name) I learned of "the mystery" and "rightly dividing the word of truth". Once I grasped these revealed truths, it was like I was walking on a different plane altogether...I thank God always for all that He has taught me and is still teaching me. I can't go back to where I once was---BLIND, DEAF, and IGNORANT. And I will not pretend that I don't know or believe what He has revealed to me in His written word. Also, while attending Bible study at Paul's house, our small humble group studied the entire Bible, from "Genesis" to "The Revelation"; and always thankful to God the Holy Spirit for His guidance, teaching, and leading. Another thing that was said over and over again was "you don't have to believe a word that I say...search and study Scripture for yourself."
That is what we should all do too, as individual members of the body of Christ, and we should never be afraid to say "I don't know" if we don't know an answer concerning "the holy Scriptures". Let us always diligently "search the scriptures" and "study to shew thyself approved unto God"..."ALL SCRIPTURE".
Since joining this forum, I thank God for blessing me with the fellowship of other members of Christ's body, "the church". I have searched for years and my heart rejoiced when I found this forum on the w.w.w. because our Bible study group stopped meeting a few years ago, due to some moving away to other states and for some, due to illnesses. I was also off-line for about 4 years, so imagine the shock I got when I came across other forums that taught that "the church" is 'spiritual Israel' or that we have to be "saved" or "regenerated" first, before we can "hear" and "believe" or the different understandings of what predestination is or that God created some ONLY chosen according to His Divine Plan, to receive eternal life, and created some ONLY chosen to receive His wrath and condemnation. And don't even get me started on all the hate, power-hunger, greed, and lies/deception of false teachings I've came across on the w.w.w. in the short time since returning on-line.
Some just don't seem to understand what it is to be "holding fast" to the "Head" of the body. There is much posted here to help with understanding what the body of Christ message is, which is specifically for us to-day. There would not be all these arguments or strife or division between brothers and sisters in Christ "IF" this message was truly understood. Next time, before you post, ask yourself this question "Will this or does this glorify Christ?"
We can never look for or to Christ too much!!! Even if we don't understand everything that God says---still we should "hear" and "believe"---and when we are given understanding, we will obey (i.e., faith obedience) and desire to do God's will for us in all we think, say, and do. All thanks, praise, and glory are His!!! Amen.
I love you all...God loves you more.
your sister in Christ,
"found in Him"
p.s.---thanks be to God for "biblebeliever123" and "eph3Nine" for their help in locating the Grace Bible Church that my family has been attending recently. It is a small congregation but it's growing in grace and knowledge of Him, "rightly" divided. God bless you richly, my sisters in Christ.
