Being separate
Purity Purification
"THE UNCLEAN THING"
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
SINFULNESS
THE DYNAMIC
THE DESIRE
THE DEED
Aging = older
folk relearning
Who are your mentors?
people alive today who
YOU ALLOW
to speak to YOU and into YOU ON
A daily / weekly (REGULAR) BASIS?
people who see in YOU and show YOU things about yourself that YOU have not seen?
people who YOU allow to influence YOU by holding YOU accountable to fixed standards?
1st THE STANDARDS
THEN THE RESULTS
Hebrews 13:7, KJV: "Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God:
whose faith follow,
considering the end of their conversation." ... As you carefully observe the outcome of their lives, imitate their faith."
Always
Always
Always
Have the mindset to work by the standard not the outcome
You may not loose the weight
But you will definitely be healthier.
THE STANDARD: always walk
MINDSET: integrity with self 1st
"One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind". - BIBLE
"This above all: to thine own self be true And it must follow, as the night the day Thou canst not then be false to any man"
WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE
Paradox of faith
HEALTHY SKEPTICISM
"Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world."
HONEST DOUBT
"Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?"
John's Inquiry
"Go and shew John again those
things which ye do hear and see"
Have the experiences of the past 18 months rocked your world so that you hardly know who or what to believe anymore?
"Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: but I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren."
AVOIDING DECEPTION
The Reality Testing Process
TRUST ISSUES - when your believing is broken.
Learning to trust again.
What happens when after going through the process of reality testing, one still comes short of believing ?
Chronic Skepticism
Chronic Unbelief
Chronic Doubt
PROOF?
TRUSTING THE CONCLUSIONS?
==========
Paradox of faith
HEALTHY SKEPTICISM
"Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world."
HONEST DOUBT
"Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?"
John's Inquiry
"Go and shew John again those
things which ye do hear and see"
Have the experiences of the past 18 months rocked your world so that you hardly know who or what to believe anymore?
"Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: but I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren."
AVOIDING DECEPTION
The Reality Testing Process
TRUST ISSUES - when your believing is broken.
Learning to trust again.
What happens when after going through the process of reality testing, one still comes short of believing ?
Chronic Skepticism
Chronic Unbelief
Chronic Doubt
PROOF?
TRUSTING THE CONCLUSIONS?
==========
#DOTHERESEARCH
#lackofknowledge
#CityFathers
https://www.bitchute.com/video/Dccv1kgGBBLl/
https://vaxxter.com/faith-trust-or-science-the-covid-vaccine-part-1/
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/emotional-nourishment/201809/fear-appeals
https://youtube.com/user/drpamsnewschannel
Modern Medicine?
https://www.bitchute.com/video/Dccv1kgGBBLl/
https://vaxxter.com/faith-trust-or-science-the-covid-vaccine-part-1/
MENTAL HEALTH MINISTRY
COVID - A blessing in disguise?
How common are mental illnesses?
Mental illnesses are among the most common health conditions in the United States.
• More than 50% will be diagnosed with a mental illness or disorder at some point in their lifetime.3
• 1 in 5 Americans will experience a mental illness in a given year.4
• 1 in 5 children, either currently or at some point during their life, have had a seriously debilitating mental illness.5
• 1 in 25 Americans lives with a serious mental illness, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or major depression.6
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a major effect on our lives. Many of us are facing challenges that can be stressful, overwhelming, and cause strong emotions in adults and children. Public health actions, such as social distancing, are necessary to reduce the spread of COVID-19, but they can make us feel isolated and lonely and can increase stress and anxiety.
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/managing-stress-anxiety.html
Would you show from the Bible . . . what is the difference between what the church does and social work or mental health?
Spiritual health is mental health?
Mental health, defined by the World Health Organization, is "a state of well-being in which the individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community".Wikipedia
Positive mental health allows people to:
https://www.mentalhealth.gov/basics/what-is-mental-health
TO KNOW TO PERCEIVE
What is reality
What is Truth
What are Facts
Opinions
Beliefs
Right
Wrong
Valid
Invalid
Proved
Good
Any statement
Wether reasonable or
right or true or good or not
a choice must be made TO BELIEVE
The jury hears the "evidence"
The verdict is yours
Let us give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. - PSALM 107
On this thanksgiving week let us also continue to remember our ministries to the poor . . .
HISTORICALLY A PRIMARY MINISTRY OF THE CHURCH
WAS HELPING THE POOR.
Could one argue biblically that the degree to which a society is plagued by problems of poverty is a direct reflection on Christian congregations?
Have we erroneously 'outsourced' this christian duty to 'the state'?
Is addressing poverty an
essential part of 'the gospel'?
JESUS talked about the rich man and Lazarus and about the Good Samaritan and He quotes Isaiah:
"The Spirit of the Lord GOD is on Me, because the LORD has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent Me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and release from darkness to the prisoners - ISAIAH
Matthew 19:16-24 JESUS ASLO made this troubling comment during a conversation with a rich man who was a pretty good person
"I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God."
It challenges our faith when we see the scale to which poverty exists.
We hear the talk about 'systemic injustice'. We are drawn into discussions about equity.
We see affluence in our christian communities and we sometimes wonder does our God care?
We have to trust that God is just . . . yet we see the many scripture references and wonder if we are missing something in our biblical understanding
JESUS MAKES THIS SO CLEAR
"When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:
And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:
And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.
Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."
FOR THE PEOPLE?
Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?
The LORD is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him
The LORD frustrates the plans of the nations; He thwarts the devices of the peoples.
God is jealous, and the LORD revengeth; the LORD revengeth, and is furious; the LORD will take vengeance on his adversaries, and he reserveth wrath for his enemies.
There is one come out of thee, that imagineth evil against the LORD, a wicked counseller.
I know the things that come into your mind, every one of them. You have multiplied your slain in this city, and ye have filled the streets thereof with the slain.
They imagined a mischievous device, which they are not able to perform.
Son of man, these are the men who plot evil and give wicked counsel in this city.
You shall know that I am the LORD: for ye have not walked in my statutes, neither executed my judgments, but have done after the manners of the heathen that are round about you.
I spake unto them of the captivity all the things that the LORD had shewed me
The LORD is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked
Who can stand before his indignation? and who can abide in the fierceness of his anger? his fury is poured out like fire
ACCEPTANCE
UNBELIEF
TRUST
"He did not many mighty works
there because of their unbelief"
"sin duda"
Without evidence
Without doubt
ACCEPTANCE with
or without evidence
Belief w/o Evidence of the unseen
Unbelief w Clearly seen evidence
He was amazed at the choices
"the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth"
NO CABE DUDA
While we are protesting,
IS THIS also A GOOD TIME TO REMIND THE KIDS THAT CRIME DOES NOT PAY? Or would that be flat out 'insensitive'?
Derek Chauvin & George Floyd's
https://www.facebook.com/BlazeMedia/videos/256114778792416/?vh=e&d=n
#noFearCOVID19
THE CHOICE TO BELIEVE
"This is the work of God, that you believe on him whom he hath sent."
When facts become scarce our mind must default to biblical beliefs.
It is Biblical Belief, not mere scientific fact that forms the bedrock of mental/spiritual stability.
Some say 'we will live until we die' JESUS SAYS: "whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die"
"if you had known me, you should have known my Father also. I am from above: you are of this world; I am not of this world. I said therefore unto you, that you shall die in your sins: for if you believe not that I am He, you shall die in your sins".
"All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God"
Facts are provable
Beliefs are not
I cannot prove it but I believe it
Facts are evident
Beliefs are not
I have no concrete evidence
Facts are empirically verifiable
Beliefs are not
I have no scientific support
Facts are rationally defensible
Beliefs are not
It's supernatural, defies logic
NOT ALL FACTS ARE BELIEVED !!
JESUS: "If I have told you earthly things, and you believe not, how shall you believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?"
The only choice?
to believe or not to believe!!
JESUS: "How can you believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only?"
"Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. And
we believe
and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God."
JESUS: "He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water•this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive"
"You believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you.
My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish"
If thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God
"While you have light, believe in the light, that you may be the children of light"
"Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me."
"He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do"
"blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed."
"these are written, that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you might have life through his name"
AMEN
#ebcnewington
Involved or uninvolved?
"He saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.
And they straightway left their nets, and followed him."
"Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest."
A brother offended - Pr 18:19
A bother taken in a fault - Gal 6:1
A trespassing - Mt 18:15
The lost sheep - Mt 18:12
The Good Samaritan - Lk 10:33
The woman at the well - Jn 4:7
=========
"they come unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy, which was
borne of four.
And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press, they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay."
#EBCgroupsANDteams
#ebcnewington
#borne_of_four
#Mark_2v3
ACQUITTED??
"when thou art converted,
strengthen thy brethren."
AM I IMPEACHABLE?
Is my behavior 'above reproach'?
The recent impeachment of the President of the US, made me realize that I am constantly on 'trial'.
Not unlike President Trump, many of us today stand accused; some in our circle of acquaintances would vote to have us 'removed', others, maybe not.
If I would be of value in service to the community , then I must be constantly 'examined'.
In the role of a father I must allow the articles of impeachment that have been brought against me to go forward. As a husband I must 'stand trial'. As a parent, what are the 'high crimes and misdemeanors' of which I have been accused?
Although it may be true that I may not be 'removed' from these roles I must nonetheless allow at least a serious ongoing self-examination to see wether I am living up to the highest expectations of those that I am called to serve.
