The daily thread.

[Joey Brown]

Amen!!!

Praise God!!! He is GOOD!!!!

wowwww, i love your comment ))

 

[Joey Brown]

mhm amen, we all need to be better brothers/sisters for fellow believers out there. whether in hardships or good times lets always remember to stay in prayer and seek after truth

 

[Jewel4Christ]

I would like to see deeper fellowship get more traffic than it usually does. This is a great forum that we can all enjoy. The Church in acts met daily for fellowship. Would you join me every day, in this thread, to fellowship together? You could share a psalm, song, scripture, or whatever seems edifying.

I would like to see deeper fellowship get more traffic than it usually does. This is a great forum that we can all enjoy. The Church in acts met daily for fellowship. Would you join me every day, in this thread, to fellowship together? You could share a psalm, song, scripture, or whatever seems edifying.

 

[brinny]

wowwww, i love your comment ))

Thank you! I love this thread and i've missed it. May God bless this thread, and all who post/posted in it, and the author of this thread.

 

[Hoping]

Hi! Has this thread been moved to somewhere else or has it just become inactive? I'd like a daily check-in. I just started rereading the Bible, one chapter a day, and could post a line from each day.

 

[SANTOSO]

IT IS NOT ENOUGH JUST TO RECEIVE THE WORD OF THE KINGDOM ?

Beloved ones, if we carefully consider the parable of the sower that Jesus have spoken, many hear the word of the kingdom.

This is what we have heard:

““Therefore hear the parable of the sower:”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭13:18‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

“When anyone HEARS the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who RECEIVED seed by the wayside.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭13:19‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

So those who heard the parable of the sower, did receive seed or did hear the word of the kingdom.

But those who received seed by the wayside, they DO NOT UNDERSTAND the word of the kingdom. Then we heard, THEN the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart.

Beloved ones, let us not be who just hear the word of the kingdom and do not understand but let us be those who UNDERSTAND.

For if we UNDERSTAND the word of the kingdom, the wicked would not then come and snatched away what was sown in our hearts.

Selah

 

[Hoping]

I read the above. There's a lot I don't understand in the Bible, but the above parable is explained, and I understand the explanation. So maybe that's a way to understand the parables, just be there, reading. The other parts, I pray for understanding. For now, I'm not analyzing very much, just letting the words into my mind.

I recently started reading the Bible (again; I was raised in the Christian tradition, and have probably read or heard most if not all of the Bible at one time or another.)

Since I started on the first of March, today I read Genesis 15 and Matthew 15. The part that I made a note of was Matthew 15:4-9. In it I think Jesus is talking about the basic rules laid down by God, versus the additional rules people develop that sometimes stray from that. The Commandments, I think He is saying, are what we should go to first.

I'm uncertain about quoting much of a Bible translation, about plagiarism and controversy about translations and posts being so long that people won't read them, but I want to put one verse from my NIV version (chosen largely because it's small enough, about 4 inches by 6, to be easy to use anywhere and at any time),

Matthew 15:9--"They worship me in vain;
their teachings are but rules taught by men."

I needed to hear this because I'm trying (with some success) to get back to faith, especially the simple, joyful faith that I once had--"like a little child." I get confused by a lot of intellectual arguments, especially when they're saying different things.

 

[SANTOSO]

I read the above. There's a lot I don't understand in the Bible, but the above parable is explained, and I understand the explanation. So maybe that's a way to understand the parables, just be there, reading. The other parts, I pray for understanding. For now, I'm not analyzing very much, just letting the words into my mind.

I recently started reading the Bible (again; I was raised in the Christian tradition, and have probably read or heard most if not all of the Bible at one time or another.)

Since I started on the first of March, today I read Genesis 15 and Matthew 15. The part that I made a note of was Matthew 15:4-9. In it I think Jesus is talking about the basic rules laid down by God, versus the additional rules people develop that sometimes stray from that. The Commandments, I think He is saying, are what we should go to first.

I'm uncertain about quoting much of a Bible translation, about plagiarism and controversy about translations and posts being so long that people won't read them, but I want to put one verse from my NIV version (chosen largely because it's small enough, about 4 inches by 6, to be easy to use anywhere and at any time),

Matthew 15:9--"They worship me in vain;
their teachings are but rules taught by men."

I needed to hear this because I'm trying (with some success) to get back to faith, especially the simple, joyful faith that I once had--"like a little child." I get confused by a lot of intellectual arguments, especially when they're saying different things.

Beloved one, this is what we have heard:

“The Lord looks down from heaven upon the children of men, To see if there are any WHO UNDERSTAND, WHO SEEK GOD.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭14:2‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Beloved one, if you want to UNDERSTAND the word of the kingdom, SEEK GOD. For those seek God, are those who understand.

Let us consider again what we have heard, seek God, that we may understand:

“The Lord looks down from heaven upon the children of men, To see if there are any who understand, who SEEK GOD.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭14:2‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

So when our Lord Jesus looks down from heaven upon the children of men, our Lord is looking for those who seek GOD; for those who seek God, UNDERSTAND.

What UNDERSTANDING do those who SEEK God have ? This is what we have heard:

They have all turned aside,
They have together become corrupt;
There is none who does good,
No, not one. -Psalms‬ ‭14:3 NKJV‬‬

Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge,
Who eat up my people as they eat bread,
And do not call on the Lord? -Psalms‬ ‭14:4 NKJV‬‬

There they are in great fear,
For God is with the generation of the righteous. -Psalms‬ ‭14:5 ‭NKJV‬‬

You shame the counsel of the poor,
But the Lord is his refuge.
‭-Psalms‬ ‭14:6‬ NKJV‬‬

We heard the children of men, that they have all turned aside,
they have together become corrupt; There is none who does good, No, not one.

So the children of men, are all the workers of iniquity who have no knowledge of God.

And all the workers of iniquity who eat up the Lord’s people as they eat bread?So all the workers of iniquity who are in bitter enmity with the Lord’s people.

and all the workers of iniquity should call on the Lord, that they may be saved but they do not call on the Lord.

There they, all the workers of iniquity are in great fear,
For God is with the generation of the righteous.

All the workers of iniquity
shame the counsel of the poor or afflicted,who is Christ but the Lord is his refuge.

So those who SEEK God, have understanding, we who have not all turned aside from God, are the children of God, that we have together become incorruptible through Christ, the one who does good; all the workers of goodness have the knowledge of God and are the Lord’s people who eat the bread of life and have called on the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved.

There we, all the workers of goodness are in great love of Christ, for God is with the generation of the righteous.

All the workers of goodness honor
the counsel of the afflicted, who is Christ, for the Lord is our refuge.

Christ, our salvation will come out of Zion! When the Lord brings back the captivity of His people, we rejoice and we be glad in Christ our Lord and Savior.
Selah

 

[Hoping]

I've continued reading, the 16th chapters yesterday and the 17th today (Genesis and Matthew.) I got sidetracked yesterday reading about Jesus saying that there would be no sign but the sign of Jonah. I didn't remember much about the book of Jonah so I read it, and wasn't sure which thing He was talking about. So I went online to look it up and found somewhat different opinions. It renewed my resolve to just read through the Bible first. Somewhere later this might become clearer. When I've read it through, I'll read it again, maybe a study Bible, or maybe just a different translation with a companion book from some widely-respected source.

From today's reading, one thing that stood out was Matthew 17:24-27. This is the passage about the temple tax. Jesus told Peter to pay it, "so that we may not offend them." I thought that was a very mild-mannered way to speak about it--which was usually Jesus' way. He doesn't fight over small stuff or want to cause trouble. This even when He knows He is about to be killed.

 

[Hoping]

Today I read the 18th chapters of Genesis and Matthew. These were about God and Abraham and the prelude to the visit to Sodom and Gomorrah; and Jesus' teachings about little children, lost sheep, brothers who sin against you, and the instruction to forgive each other. Matthew 18 contains the beautiful line, "For where two or three of you come together in my name, there I am with them." (NIV)

One thing that caught my attention especially was the part where Abraham was asking God to not destroy Sodom and Gomorrah if there were a few righteous people in them. In the end God said that he wouldn't destroy them if there were even 10 righteous people. This reminds me of the New Testament, "I desire mercy, not sacrifice" which I've already seen two times in Matthew. I wonder if that refers to what He plans to do or what He wants us to do. It could be both. Maybe further reading will make it clearer to me.

I think I should state again that I am no Bible expert (could you tell?); I am someone who is reading it all the way through for the first time, and not doing research or analysis (much), but waiting to get the full effect of just reading it.

 

[Hoping]

Today I ran into my old sticking point, the one that most makes me question whether I have enough faith--Matthew 19:16-26, about the rich man. I have a lot of resistance to selling everything and giving the money to the poor. I assume that means all of your money too, not just the proceeds of the sale of all possessions.

If I were 100% sure that God was there and wanted me to do it, it would be done immediately. But I'm not. I have some faith in God, and it means a lot to me. But I don't see God micromanaging my life and making everything always go well for me, although mostly it does, and I have everything I need. I' like comfort, though; I don't want to live in poverty if God doesn't really want for me to. Being cold and hungry and dirty--I'd hate that. Not having my nice soft bed to sleep in.... (This reminds me of the homeless.)

I can find loopholes: I'm not what most people in the US would call "rich." Also the disciples also thought it would be difficult to do this, and they really were holier than I. And Jesus said that with God all things are possible, so maybe I'll be excused for my fear of this level of commitment. And he told the rich man to do this if he wanted to be perfect and I already know I'm not; for one thing, I don't always love my neighbor as myself (a lot of the commandments refer to things I'm NOT tempted to do, but that one....) And there are other ways out.

Still, this troubles me. I've increased my giving, but it's far, far from everything. I pray for guidance and/or peace with this, and mostly I am at peace with it, but reading Matthew 19 reminds me.

 

[SANTOSO]

Today I ran into my old sticking point, the one that most makes me question whether I have enough faith--Matthew 19:16-26, about the rich man. I have a lot of resistance to selling everything and giving the money to the poor. I assume that means all of your money too, not just the proceeds of the sale of all possessions.

If I were 100% sure that God was there and wanted me to do it, it would be done immediately. But I'm not. I have some faith in God, and it means a lot to me. But I don't see God micromanaging my life and making everything always go well for me, although mostly it does, and I have everything I need. I' like comfort, though; I don't want to live in poverty if God doesn't really want for me to. Being cold and hungry and dirty--I'd hate that. Not having my nice soft bed to sleep in.... (This reminds me of the homeless.)

I can find loopholes: I'm not what most people in the US would call "rich." Also the disciples also thought it would be difficult to do this, and they really were holier than I. And Jesus said that with God all things are possible, so maybe I'll be excused for my fear of this level of commitment. And he told the rich man to do this if he wanted to be perfect and I already know I'm not; for one thing, I don't always love my neighbor as myself (a lot of the commandments refer to things I'm NOT tempted to do, but that one....) And there are other ways out.

Still, this troubles me. I've increased my giving, but it's far, far from everything. I pray for guidance and/or peace with this, and mostly I am at peace with it, but reading Matthew 19 reminds me.

Beloved one, have you consider what apostle Paul have said :

“And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.”
‭‭I Corinthians‬ ‭13:3‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

So if you give all your money to feed the poor, but have not love, it profits you nothing.

Have you had love ? Or the Love of God ? Or the love of Christ?

If you have the love of Christ, it profits you everything.

To God the Father be thanksgiving through Christ. Amen

 

[Hoping]

Beloved one, have you consider what apostle Paul have said :

“And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.”
‭‭I Corinthians‬ ‭13:3‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

So if you give all your money to feed the poor, but have not love, it profits you nothing.

Have you had love ? Or the Love of God ? Or the love of Christ?

If you have the love of Christ, it profits you everything.

To God the Father be thanksgiving through Christ. Amen

Santoso,

Thank you again for considering my searching and taking the time to reply.

What I get from what you say is, first of all, that I should pay more attention to my problems loving my neighbor as myself before I get tangled up in the money question.

Perfect love, I don't have. Doing more to close in on that goal, I can do. I don't know if we're expected to be perfect, but I don't think we're supposed to not try. There are plenty of opportunities to help other people, even in these times of fear of contagion.

Giving money to a well-researched worldwide charity is one of the safest. I plan to give as much as I can CHEERFULLY give; we'll see how much that is. If I can stop eating more than I need, a big temptation here in the USA, that will leave more money for others plus being better for me. If I can stop buying things when I already have a houseful, that will leave more money for others and reduce the frustration of not being able to find a thing I need because it's behind or under a bunch more things.

Even on this website, we can respond to the prayer requests and greet the new people.

Thank you again, for giving me things to think about.

 

[Hoping]

Today I read Chapter 20 of Genesis and Matthew. Genesis was about Abimelech not thinking that Sarah was Abrahams wife, and all the trouble that caused. Matthew was about the parable of the vineyard workers, the ones who worked all day and the ones who came at the last hour; then Jesus refusing a request to favor some disciples over others in Heaven; then two blind men asking for sight and receiving it.

Instead of writing about those, I want to tell about my new project. It is to copy down every direct command or strong suggestion that Jesus gives in the Gospels. I went back to the beginning and started to catch up to where I'm reading, and I did the first ten chapters of Matthew. I found 41! And this was not even including instructions that seemed specific to the disciples.

I really do think there will be enough in the Bible to last me the rest of my life (I'm 67) without reading any other religious books. That's especially since I plan to read it again in another translation if/when I finish. At one chapter a day it will take a while, but I think if I read any more I wouldn't be able to think it over thoroughly. It's not a book to be rushed through.

 

[SANTOSO]

Santoso,

Thank you again for considering my searching and taking the time to reply.

What I get from what you say is, first of all, that I should pay more attention to my problems loving my neighbor as myself before I get tangled up in the money question.

Perfect love, I don't have. Doing more to close in on that goal, I can do. I don't know if we're expected to be perfect, but I don't think we're supposed to not try. There are plenty of opportunities to help other people, even in these times of fear of contagion.

Giving money to a well-researched worldwide charity is one of the safest. I plan to give as much as I can CHEERFULLY give; we'll see how much that is. If I can stop eating more than I need, a big temptation here in the USA, that will leave more money for others plus being better for me. If I can stop buying things when I already have a houseful, that will leave more money for others and reduce the frustration of not being able to find a thing I need because it's behind or under a bunch more things.

Even on this website, we can respond to the prayer requests and greet the new people.

Thank you again, for giving me things to think about.

Beloved one, consider what our Lord said:

You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. -Matthew 5:48

So don’t believe, the world said that you can’t be perfect but believe what our Lord said.

How to discern what our Lord said ?

This is what we have heard :

“the Holy Spirit indicating this, that the way into the Holiest of All was not yet made manifest while the first tabernacle was still standing. It was symbolic for the present time in which both gifts and sacrifices are offered which cannot make him who performed the service perfect in regard to the conscience— concerned only with foods and drinks, various washings, and fleshly ordinances imposed until the time of reformation.”
‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭9:8-10‬ ‭NKJV

“For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.”
‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭10:14‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Are we not those who are being sanctified ? We are.

So by one offering He has perfected forever us who are being sanctified.

Beloved one, we must consider not only our Lord has put away our sin but we must perceive His works in us, that we may gain counsel, that apart from sin, He is our High Priest who perform the service in regard to conscience, that we should no longer have consciousness of sin, and reflect the glory of God in the image of His Son.

For we heard:

“To them God WILLED to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.”
‭‭Colossians‬ ‭1:27‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

To God the Father be thanksgiving through Christ. Amen

 

[Hoping]

SANTOS, thank you again for reading what I write and taking the time to give your perspectives on it. Perfect, me? Only if "with God, all things are possible." But I should consider the possibility and not just dismiss it as impossible.

I've continued my daily 2 chapters of the Bible but don't have much to say today, or more accurately, I'm tired and it's late. I need to get a grip on managing my time.

 

[SANTOSO]

SANTOS, thank you again for reading what I write and taking the time to give your perspectives on it. Perfect, me? Only if "with God, all things are possible." But I should consider the possibility and not just dismiss it as impossible.

I've continued my daily 2 chapters of the Bible but don't have much to say today, or more accurately, I'm tired and it's late. I need to get a grip on managing my time.

Beloved one, I am pleased that you seek the Lord’s word, and may you understand.

Beloved one, let us consider what we have heard:

“the Holy Spirit indicating this, that the way into the Holiest of All was not yet made manifest while the first tabernacle was still standing.
It was symbolic for the present time in which both gifts and sacrifices are offered which cannot make him who performed the service perfect in regard to the conscience— concerned only with foods and drinks, various washings, and fleshly ordinances imposed until the time of reformation.”
‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭9:8-10‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

So beloved one, we should perceive perfect or perfection in regard to conscience.

How we may understand conscience?
What is conscience ?

Conscience is described as an aspect of self awareness!

Conscience is considered as that faculty of the mind, or inborn sense of right and wrong, by which we judge of the moral character of human conduct.

In sum, conscience is defined as an aspect of self-awareness that produces the pain and/or pleasure we "feel" as we reflect on the norms and valueswe recognize and apply.

Do our norms and values conform to God’s norms and values ? Do our conscience always good ?

This is what we have heard:
To the pure, all things are pure, but to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both their minds and their consciences are defiled. -Titus 1:15

So we can consider there are those whose consciences are defiled because their minds do not conform to the norms and values that are from God. And there are those who whose conscience is pure because their mind conform to the norms and values that are from God.

As we have heard: How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word. -Psalms 119:9

Yes, the man is able to keep his way pure by guarding his way according to God’s Word.

Likewise, we have heard the Lord said :
And he said, "What comes out of a person is what defiles him. -Mark 7:20
For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, -Mark 7:21
coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. -Mark 7:22
All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person." -Mark 7:23

So we consider what the Lord have said about those who are defiled, that their consciences and minds are defiled.

Can those whose consciences are defiled BE MADE CLEAN ?

This is what we have heard:
let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. -Hebrews 10:22

How do our hearts sprinkle clean from evil consciences?
This is what we have heard:

how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God. -Hebrews 9:14

Yes, our Lord Jesus Christ have offered His own blood through the eternal Spirit without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.
That is His grace toward us. We need to stand by this truth and speak this what we believe.

Then how about our bodies get washed with pure water ? This is what we have heard:

that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, -Ephesians 5:26
so that He might present the church to Himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. -Ephesians 5:27

Likewise, we heard:
So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, "If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, -John 8:31
and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." -John 8:32

So let us abide in His word, that He might sanctify us, having cleansed us by the washing of water with the word, so that we might be presented to Him as church in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that we might be holy and without blemish.

In this manners, our consciences are considered undefiled because we have abandoned our wicked ways and unrighteous thoughts, — and wholeheartedly abide in His word, having been cleansed by His blood.

Let us hear what apostle Paul and Timothy spoke of their consciences:

For our boast is this, the testimony of our conscience, that we behaved in the world with simplicity and godly sincerity, not by earthly wisdom but by the grace of God, and supremely so toward you. -2 Corinthians 1:12

This we understand and perceive that we should behave in the world with simplicity and godly sincerity, not by earthly wisdom but by the grace of God.

Let us understand that by His grace that He makes our conscience good. Let us submit to His truth. To God be the glory. Hallelujah. Amen

 

[Hoping]

SANTOSO, thank you again for your attention to my concerns.
The above is a lot to take in! I read it twice, and will probably read it again.

I have continued with my daily Bible reading. Since I last wrote about it, I've read several more chapters of Genesis and Matthew. As I get farther into it, I see more and more connections. Maybe it's very good to read in both the Old and New Testament.

An example. In some previous year, I was disturbed to hear about Jesus at first refusing to help the non-Jewish woman, saying that He had come for the lost sheep of Israel, saying that one doesn't give the children's food to the dogs. I wondered if that meant that He doesn't really care about us (Gentiles, from a country far away). This is what comes from an incomplete and narrow reading of the Bible.

In Genesis 22:18 God himself said to Abraham, after he had been willing to sacrifice his son Isaac but God stopped him at the last moment, "..through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me." I wondered if that meant through Jesus, and remembered recently seeing the list of the ancestors of Jesus in Matthew 1 . So I went back to read that. The list starts "Abraham was the father of Isaac...." So yes, it very much seems that God was saying that because of Abraham, all nations on earth would be blessed by the coming of Jesus. ALL NATIONS ON EARTH surely includes us, not just Israel.

And I think there are other places where that is expressed, but right now I'm mostly going by what I'm reading as I go through chapter by chapter, seeing what the Bible really says. The connections are very interesting. It feels like mental overload sometimes though, so please forgive me if I don't give full attention to long commentaries. I'm on a project of going through the Bible very attentively bit by bit.

 

[SANTOSO]

SANTOSO, thank you again for your attention to my concerns.
The above is a lot to take in! I read it twice, and will probably read it again.

I have continued with my daily Bible reading. Since I last wrote about it, I've read several more chapters of Genesis and Matthew. As I get farther into it, I see more and more connections. Maybe it's very good to read in both the Old and New Testament.

An example. In some previous year, I was disturbed to hear about Jesus at first refusing to help the non-Jewish woman, saying that He had come for the lost sheep of Israel, saying that one doesn't give the children's food to the dogs. I wondered if that meant that He doesn't really care about us (Gentiles, from a country far away). This is what comes from an incomplete and narrow reading of the Bible.

In Genesis 22:18 God himself said to Abraham, after he had been willing to sacrifice his son Isaac but God stopped him at the last moment, "..through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me." I wondered if that meant through Jesus, and remembered recently seeing the list of the ancestors of Jesus in Matthew 1 . So I went back to read that. The list starts "Abraham was the father of Isaac...." So yes, it very much seems that God was saying that because of Abraham, all nations on earth would be blessed by the coming of Jesus. ALL NATIONS ON EARTH surely includes us, not just Israel.

And I think there are other places where that is expressed, but right now I'm mostly going by what I'm reading as I go through chapter by chapter, seeing what the Bible really says. The connections are very interesting. It feels like mental overload sometimes though, so please forgive me if I don't give full attention to long commentaries. I'm on a project of going through the Bible very attentively bit by bit.

Beloved one, I am glad that you take time to digest what I share with you.

I also took time again and again to read what I have written to you and others many times. ( I usually made copy in my phone note and l I reread or meditate again what Holy Spirit has taught me and others). So I considered what I have written to you, that I also wrote for myself.

Beloved one, I would like to share something with you. That is close to my heart, that I often share with others in this forum.

This is what we have heard our Lord Jesus Himself said:

It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. -John 6:63

Beloved one, when we read the bible, we should abide in the Spirit of the words that Jesus have spoken us and the life that the words that Jesus have spoken to us.

Why ? That we may abide in His words. Why ?
This is what we have heard:

So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, "If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, -John 8:31
and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." -John 8:32

Though we are Gentiles in the flesh but spiritually we are Jews — we had believed Jesus so we should abide in His words, that we may be His disciples, that we may learn directly from the Spirit of our teacher Jesus. And we will know the Spirit of truth and the Spirit of truth shall set us free.

Beloved ones, read His words, that you abide in the Spirit of truth, that you may be filled with the truth of His words, the truth of His love, that you may receive His grace daily.

To God the Father be all glory and thanksgiving through Christ. Amen.

 

[Hoping]

Hello, anyone reading here about my slow progression through the Bible.

SANTOSO, thank you again. I see that you really do read what I write, and are not judgmental about my lack of knowledge and sometimes of understanding. I haven't gotten to John yet in my slow progression through the Bible, but that's interesting, calling anyone who follows Jesus' teaching His disciples. I had been wondering whether the instructions to the disciples apply to us, the ordinary people. Now I'll pay more attention to those.

From today's reading of Genesis and Matthew 24, I most thought about Matthew 24:15, which addresses a concern of mine. It talks about the end of days and says not to believe just anything you hear. "If anyone tells you 'There He out in the desert,' do not go out."
So what do we do? Who do we believe? I'm thinking that we're to keep relying on what we've believed all along, and wait for the final signs. "The sign of Jesus in the sky" and His actual return.
But I'm no expert, just reading along trying to understand what I can, and having what I can't understand at least in my mind, awaiting more clarity. It's happening. I'm understanding more, or at least I think I am, especially as connections keep appearing with what I've read before in this detailed encounter with the Bible, one book at a time.
I now read the Bible not as a critic, but as a student who is, so far, very much beneath the level of her teacher.