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ROMANS 12:2
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
On October 1, 2015 I began studying the New King James version of the Bible, I do not just read the Bible in a year. I finished the Old Testament January 28, 2018. (Note to the super-Christians: I have read the Bible numerous times which would include the King James version more times than I can recall.) As I read I was reminded that there is more to Scripture than what is often presented from the pulpit.
Where did we get the idea that Eve ata an apple? Or Jonah was swallowed by a whale? Eve ate fruit and Jonah was swallowed by a big fish. Many of us have been focused on the words of man out of trust and convenience without studying the word of God. Believers have a personal relationship with God which means each person can go to Him and seek understanding.
You cannot develop what you believe to be true if you are focused on what you have been told. I had to make some adjustments, mentally, in my approach to reading the books of the Bible. I have read some books of the Bible, like Job, more than others, definately more than the book of Numbers. When I wrote THE TRUTH ABOUT VASHTAI (published 2012) I was learning to approach Scripture as it was written not as people wanted it to be; I began to see every word as important.
2 TIMOTHY 3:16-17
All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.
When you read the Bible, what are you looking at? What do you see? Read 1 Peter 2:24, what are the first words your mind captures?
1 PETER 2:24
who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed.
If you are like most people, myself inculded, you think - stripes and healed. We focus on the 39 stripes which are associated with healing. I am renewing my mind and training it to focus on the subject- Jesus. By looking at “Jesus” healing becomes incidental, an after thought to the writer. It was Jesus who bore our sins which is more important and more challenging a task than being healed. If you can understand that before you were born Jesus took upon Himself ALL of the sins you would commit from birth to death so that you would be perceived as sinless then your life problems are not as complex as you thought. Jesus bore the sins of us all in His body- that is a lot of sin!
The more you focus on Jesus the more truths will be revealed as your read the Bible.
Daniel was able to go into the lions den because He knew God. How did he know if the lions would devour him or not? Daniel trusted God
ISAIAH 26:3
You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.
Our minds are cluttered by the opinions of others, which includes doctors, close relatives and friends. I find that even well meaning Christians can be a distraction when I am trying to hear what Father God is saying to me.
DANIEL 1:12-15
“Please test your servants for ten days, and let them give us vegetables to eat and water to drink. Then let our appearance be examined before you, and the appearance of the young men who eat the portion of the king’s delicacies; and as you see fit, so deal with your servants.” So he consented with them in this matter, and tested them ten days.
And at the end of ten days their features appeared better and fatter in flesh than all the young men who ate the portion of the king’s delicacies.
As many times as I read the book of Daniel I never focused on the ten days because my church leaders and even Bible study friends talked about the 21 day fast (based on Daniel 10). After ten days Daniel was healthier than the others. It is also written that there was a three year preparation period (1:5). Even Esther, was prepped for one year prior to being presented to the king.
Fasting and even tithing are encouraged in many churches because of the results BUT what many fail to focus on is the perparations before and the circumstances which lead up to the fast. Daniel achieved success because God was with him and his motivation was not to get God to do something but to do something for God. Esther prepared to be the wife of the king but when a crisis occured that would result in the death herself and all the children of Israel everyone turned to God for three days.
Corporate fasting or corporate foolishness, many churches particpate in what such activities. But, not everyone participates in the fasting or there is a compromise, fasting alternatives. What is the focus?
I do not participate in corporate fast,I stepped down from the intercessory prayer team, and I do not read my Bible in a year every year.
MATTHEW 6:33 THE EXPANDED BIBLE
·Seek first [Be concerned above all else with] God’s kingdom and ·what God wants [L- his righteousness]. Then all ·your other needs will be met as well [L- these things will be given to you].
I have come to the conclusion that I must be faithful to God and not “church”.
HEBREWS 12:2 THE EXPANDED BIBLE
Let us ·look only to [keep our eyes on] Jesus, the ·One who began [Pioneer/Founder of; or Leader/Prince of] our faith and who ·makes it perfect [completes it]. He ·suffered death on [L- endured] the cross, ·accepting the shame as if it were nothing [L- disregarding/despising the shame] because of the joy that ·God put before [lay ahead for] him. And now he is sitting at the right ·side [L hand] of God’s throne [1:3; 13; Ps. 110:1].
Jesus is the “author and finisher of our faith” (KJV) therefor He should be the One we go to for wisdom. A church leader should proclaim God’s word and not his opinion. When a churh leader gives an opinion she should state it as such. Each of us are responisble for the knowledge we accept or reject therefor it is important that you don’t quote your church leader but you quote Scripture. - - - written by Marsha L F Randolph
A MATTER OF FAITH reflects the opinions and property of the author MARSHA L F RANDOLPH. All rights reserved- do not use without permission. All Scriptures quoted are from the New King James Version of the Bible unless otherwise stated. Don’t miss weekly faith based post FOLLOW THIS BLOG and receive notifications when a new article is posted.
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