Did God Really say That??

Did God Really say That?

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Relying on God's Word

Sept 13-14

2Tim3:16;
2Pet 1:20-21;
Luke 1:1-4
Hebrews 6:1;
Genesis 1:1;

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Relying on or trusting GOD's word, the Scripture, The Bible means taking the next step in your faith after really becoming a believer.In Hebrews we have the list of things to step over to pass from infancy as a believer. This picture is describing a person who is able to feed his own self spiritually, maybe with a little help, but able to sustain a personal discipline of Bible study; that is to say He is able to " stand alone " within a group of unbelievers. This second step is pivotal for a person to transition into the place of effectiveness. He has to truly step off of the " cliff " as that is really how it feels at first. Will God be there to catch him as he jumps off the precipice into the faith of God. This is where the first experience of the supernatural happens. Did God really say it, If I rely on it will he back it up? The old country boy said " Is you Is or Is you ain't my baby?

Most give tacit agreement with this precept of Faith. God's word is true. The challenge comes when we cross something that counters our personal wants and desires. Are we able to subordinate our will to the stated will of God. Did He really say it! Hebrews equates the faith in God with faith in the writhen word of God as does our next scripture in
2Timothy 3:16 (Another " 3:16 of note") Most people I have seen, need a little help to walk through this step, at least the first time. Typically there is an element of sin as well. Because this sin needs to be confessed; it is best to have a mentor who also believes the scripture is " breathed " of God Most are able to stand on the truth of Scripture when they have the " silent support " from the voice of someone that they can trust. It is like the silent supporter is lending Faith until the neubbie strengthens his own faith to the point that he is sure inside himself of the truth of scripture.Romans 12:3 says that each is given a measure. If it can be measured it can increase to a larger measure or number.

Hebrews 6:1


1. 1 ¶ Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; (completion)
   
   
   not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of
   faith toward God, {principles: or, word of the beginning of}
   

   2 Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.
   

The writer of Hebrews here thinks that believing in God is the second of the most basic primary beliefs. Belief cannot happen until repentance from dead works takes place. But then the next is to accept the truth of God's existence. Because that can only happen through the Grace that comes from Jesus, He is implied as well. Actually It is Jesus that gives the grace to see the need for repentance, & the need for forgiveness.
Faith in God works out to be Faith in God's Word!.

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3. 2Tim3:16;
   
   
   16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
   
   ALL ... the smallest most powerful word ALL of the Bible this is it simple word that brings to crisis all of the power of the scripture.
   
   
   
   Did God really say it? Will he back it up if I really lean on the scripture with all of my heart?
   
   Seems to me few of us really rely on the Scripture or any one else if we have any other remedy.
   
   I have found that people seldom trust, really trust another
   
   unless there abides a need greater than the loss foreseen by the trust.
   
   It is just too hard. That is why adults seldom Get Saved with out some major crisis.
   
   • Personal disaster
     
   • Near Death experience
     
   • Family trauma
     
     
   • Something has to jog their orderly world to cause them to inquire as to the truth of Christ's claims.
     
     
   • God however has placed a need in each of for fellowship. This need is only met by overcoming
     
     the natural resistance to Trust and Open the heart to the Lord. Seeing and believing that a person is trusting
     
     the Lord in a similar way to their own self will give confidence that the person may be trust worthy as well.
     
     
   
   
   
   Trust also works vertically as well. Trust in a person can give a person the hope that if that person trusts the
   
   Word of God maybe they themselves will be successful to trust in the Scriptures as well.
   
   In the same way that the trust in a person provided a " splint " to hold the faith steady for a period of time until the faith became firm,
   
   the faith in another person can stabilize the faith in the Lord until it is self sustaining.
   
   
   
   Practice in this process of trust makes the action of Faith easier in the same way any other muscle or skill is developed. .
   
   Practice in trust will prepare a person for the mysteries of Heaven as It is all based on trust.
   
   • As a person stands before the judgement seat of eternity, One is confronted with the reality of sin.
     
   • Based on this practice the response will either be
     
     does the blood of Jesus cover those misdeeds?
     
     
     does some other method of forgiveness cover the ever present sin?
     
     
   • A regular practice of forgiving others makes this prospect (God forgiving Sin) more plausible.
     
   • A regular practice of receiving the forgives of others for his own sin in his own life is just as effective.
     
   • In either case practice makes perfect!
     
   
   
   
   Over and over again we are emphasizing that practice in this process of Faith and Trust is helpful in the parallel
   Faith and Trust one places in The Scriptures as being real and true.
   
   I have found that this process is best worked out in the Fellowship of the Saints. (found in small groups of believers)
   
   This is why the small groups are so very important in the developing of the faith of a new believer.
   
   The first developments of the church in Acts met in the temple and house to house
   
   It was in this small group setting that the folk who were not actually fortunate to walk with Jesus
   learned the reality of Faith first hand and began to practice this Faith in every day situations.
   
   Eternal Life is this " to know you the One true God and Jesus Christ you have sent " (John 17:3)
   
   It is a plain fact that no one knows another with out an introduction.
   No one trusts another with out walking side by side for a while.
   This trust has to grow over time. and with positive experience.
   
   
   
   
   

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4. 2Pet 1:20-21;
   
   
   
   20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.
   
   21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God
   
   spoke as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
   
   
   

   Much confusion concerning the subject of Believing God's word at face value stems from this important fact about How the scripture works in life. 2Timothy 3:16 notes that scripture is intended to be applied to a person's life! The confusion comes from the fact that The Word is translated the same way from two different Greek ideas. The first and more general is the Greek word Logos . This means the "Word" but implies that it is not specific in time place or person. The other is the Rhema a word indicating the Word of God is specific in time person and place. For example there is a scripture where "Judas went and hanged himself" and another that Jesus says "Go and do likewise!" Adding these two verses together in a specific way leads to great error. This is where our idea from last week "The Trinity" and specifically the "Holy Spirit " makes an appearance. The Holy Spirit gives a certain emphasis to the scripture for a given person that yeilds the specificity of person, place, and time! Only when this third person of the Trinity gives special life to a verse of scripture that Faith
   Comes(Romans 10:17)
   

   
   
   

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5. Luke 1:1-4
   
   
   
   
   1 ¶ Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set down in order; a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us,
   
   2 Even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning there were eyewitnesses,
   
   and ministers of the word;
   
   3 It seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first,
   
   to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus,
   
   4 That you might know the certainty of those things, wherein you have been instructed.
   
   
   

   
   Certainty, Surety These are the questions of the day. It is said that the average person tells many lies every day. Often they are little things, of no consequence: Answers to questions like "How are You?" often are answered in a word quite different from the "true" feelings! Actually if a person were to give an honest answer the questioner would react negatively revealing the premise of the question "that I care for a true answer" is itself a lie! Once the first lie is pronounced the next one is a little easier. The third and following become so much easier that at a point truth is compromised. In order to get back to a place of truth in daily life one must come to a point that it is the truth or it is DEATH! When this place is really reached , the truth will come freely once again.Like any other Sin the only way to stop is to say death to the sin! That is what dying to the flesh is about in day by day walk.
   

   
   

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Other Scripture references

Genesis 1:1;

1 ¶ In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

It seems to me that the most profound question that man ever asks is answered in Genesis 1:1
As we have no independent proof one way or the other the acceptance or rejection of this precept becomes the first pivot point in the progression of a person's belief structure. Because anyone can see that the world and the sky did not create themselves, one who rejects Genesis 1;1 must come up with some other explanation. The contrary position of accepting the reality of this verse, places the person in the chute of a ball falling down into the final position of accepting the Word as being God's inspired (God Breathed) thoughts on the subjects about which HE speaks. The problem in final is where in the "L" do you come out on? Word or World? I suggest you take your "L" out of world and end up with the word!

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Romans 10:17

So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God..

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"Stand Alone" +++ this phrase describes a process where a person who maintains confession unto salvation through out a contest from an unbeliever.

Jesus said: "Mt 10:32 "Every man who acknowledges me before men I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in Heaven,

(33) But whoever disowns (denies) me before men I also will disown (denies) before my Father who is in Heaven


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Romans 12:3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. {soberly: Gr. to sobriety}