A WORD ON GUIDANCE

A WORD ON GUIDANCE

We talk a lot about "guidance" and our need of guidance from God in our daily walk of faith. You might be surprised if you look for this word in Strong's Concordance. You will find guide, guides, guiding, and guided, but no mention of guidance! This made me aware of how often we miss-quote the Bible in our daily expressions that we are sure is based on scripture.
It is very true that we need guidance, but this guidance comes from having a faithful guide, who will lead us in the right pathway. In the Gospels we see Jesus portrayed as the "Good Shepherd" who cares for His sheep (John 10 1-18) When these scriptures were written, shepherds were commonly seen leading their flock of sheep to and from their feeding ground, to the safety of a fold at nighttime. They never "drove" the sheep, but gently "guided" them From this we can see that although we need "guidance" in our lives, it only comes as we carefully follow the "Guide" provided by our loving Heavenly Father. This guide of course is none other than Jesus Christ!

Someone has pointed out that a "guide dog" that has been trained to lead a blind person on busy city sidewalks, is much preferable to someone shouting instructions to them from the other side of the street! They could tell the blind person to watch out for certain obstacles, but the guide dog would gently lead them around the obstacles. This is how Jesus guides us if we allow Him to. He knows all the obstacles that lie in our pathway, and how to avoid them! In other words, we need a Guide—not guidance, just as we need a Healer---not healing. We often seek after the experience that Jesus can provide, instead of seeking Him who is the source of that which we need! The Bible tells us that Jesus is seated at the right hand of God in heaven right now, but before He left this planet some 2000 years ago, to return to His Father's side, He promised to send the Holy Spirit to take His place. You can read all about this in the (John 14, 15, and 16) The first chapter of Acts continues His instructions to the disciples, and the second chapter covers the event of the promised Holy Spirit coming. So if you desire "guidance" in your life, I recommend you seek it from the only reliable "Guide" Jesus Christ. First ask Him to become your Lord and Savior, then your Baptizer in the Holy Spirit! This is certainly our Creator God's method of giving us the guidance we both desire and need as followers of Jesus today!!
Sincerely submitted
Dave Jamer                                                                        20/09/11

WORSHIPING IDOLS

WORSHIPING IDOLS

There is a very interesting passage in Paul's first letter to the church in Corinth from chapter 10 we read in (1 Cor 10:14) "So, my dear friends, flee from the worship of idols." I can hear you thinking, well that doesn't apply to us followers of Jesus living in Canada! Maybe it might apply to pagans over in Africa, or East Asia somewhere, but surely not here in our civilized Western culture. I suggest you read this chapter over again slowly and really hear Paul's heart, he covers a lot of important issues. First he reminds us about what we should learn from Israel's experiences recorded in the OT. Then he talks about eating meat offered to idols, that was offered at a discounted price in the markets. He also includes a discussion about how they celebrated the "Lord's Supper", and how behind every idol is a demon, and he warned them about the danger of worshiping demons.

I recently read somewhere "An idol is anything that takes the place of God". Think about that statement for a few minutes, and consider carefully if we haven't been guilty of doing that. That word "anything" could include some "stuff", like material possessions you have accumulated, or perhaps people like parents, children or best friends, special food you like, or an endless number of other things. You probably haven't considered the possibility of there being a demon behind some of these! If Paul is correct in this statement, we should give this matter our prayerful consideration. We know from scripture that Satan hates God because he got cast out of the third heaven where God dwells, when he rebelled against God's divine will. (Isa 14:12-17). Since he is powerless to do anything directly against God, he takes out his wrath against God's children. His kingdom of darkness includes millions of demons and fallen angels, which he employs against the members of God's family. The demons are earth bound creatures, while the fallen angels still have access to the heavenlies, or the second heaven, but not to the third heaven where God dwells. Paul gives us direction in (2 Cor 10:3-6), and also in (Eph 6:10-18) how to do battle against these forces of darkness. Let us take encouragement from God's Word!
Sincerely submitted.
Dave Jamer

A WORD ON GUIDANCE

A WORD ON GUIDANCE

We talk a lot about "guidance" and our need of guidance from God in our daily walk of faith. You might be surprised if you look for this word in Strong's Concordance. You will find guide, guides, guiding, and guided, but no mention of guidance! This made me aware of how often we miss-quote the Bible in our daily expressions that we are sure is based on scripture.
It is very true that we need guidance, but this guidance comes from having a faithful guide, who will lead us in the right pathway. In the Gospels we see Jesus portrayed as the "Good Shepherd" who cares for His sheep (John 10 1-18) When these scriptures were written, shepherds were commonly seen leading their flock of sheep to and from their feeding ground, to the safety of a fold at nighttime. They never "drove" the sheep, but gently "guided" them From this we can see that although we need "guidance" in our lives, it only comes as we carefully follow the "Guide" provided by our loving Heavenly Father. This guide of course is none other than Jesus Christ!

Someone has pointed out that a "guide dog" that has been trained to lead a blind person on busy city sidewalks, is much preferable to someone shouting instructions to them from the other side of the street! They could tell the blind person to watch out for certain obstacles, but the guide dog would gently lead them around the obstacles. This is how Jesus guides us if we allow Him to. He knows all the obstacles that lie in our pathway, and how to avoid them! In other words, we need a Guide—not guidance, just as we need a Healer---not healing. We often seek after the experience that Jesus can provide, instead of seeking Him who is the source of that which we need! The Bible tells us that Jesus is seated at the right hand of God in heaven right now, but before He left this planet some 2000 years ago, to return to His Father's side, He promised to send the Holy Spirit to take His place. You can read all about this in the (John 14, 15, and 16) The first chapter of Acts continues His instructions to the disciples, and the second chapter covers the event of the promised Holy Spirit coming. So if you desire "guidance" in your life, I recommend you seek it from the only reliable "Guide" Jesus Christ. First ask Him to become your Lord and Savior, then your Baptizer in the Holy Spirit! This is certainly our Creator God's method of giving us the guidance we both desire and need as followers of Jesus today!!
Sincerely submitted
Dave Jamer                                                                        20/09/11

WORSHIPING IDOLS

CORE VALUES

By core values we mean Biblical values that form our belief system.

1/ God's written word, the Holy Bible, is infallible as written in the original languages used by the many authors involved. All our core values are based on scripture and must line up with the proper interpretation of this "Word".

2/ Jesus is the "Living Word" sent by the Father to show us Himself, and demonstrate how to interpret the Words that He spoke. Jesus came to call out from the world a group of people He referred to as the "Church". This word comes from the Greek [ecklesia] meaning "called out ones". This Church was to be His body on earth to carry out His will and instructions given from His present location in heaven at His Father's side.

3/ A proper understanding of the Kingdom of God is absolutely essential for this Church that Jesus is in the process of building from regenerated humans. This Church must have a proper understanding of the "church in a locality", and also of the "Church Universal" which is the world wide expression of the Kingdom of God. The church in a locality concept helps to foster unity in the body of Christ, and prevents competition between local churches.

4/ Every local expression of this Church must be based on the following list of Biblical qualifications 1/ salvation by grace alone. 2/ believer's baptism by immersion. 3/ the baptism with the Holy Spirit. 4/ the priesthood of all believers where everyone has access to Christ as head of His Church. 5/ servant leadership who have been set in place by the Lord as per (Eph 4:11-16, and 2 Cor 1:24). 6/ freedom of worship based on definite scriptural activities, such as singing in the Spirit, dancing in the Spirit, allowing the gifts of the Spirit to operate etc. 7/ have a definite form of discipleship training to raise up future leaders. 8/ have small home groups available to all believers to help develop proper relationships and encourage the use of the gifts of the Spirit. 9/ a priority should be given to oureach and missions, both local and worldwide. This should include teaching on returning the thithe to the Lord, and giving generous offerings as directed by Him.

Sincerely submitted.

Dave Jamer

(this is only a rough draft copy, subject to changes and additions)

A COMMUNITY CHURCH

WORSHIPING IDOLS

There is a very interesting passage in Paul's first letter to the church in Corinth from chapter 10 we read in (1 Cor 10:14) "So, my dear friends, flee from the worship of idols." I can hear you thinking, well that doesn't apply to us followers of Jesus living in Canada! Maybe it might apply to pagans over in Africa, or East Asia somewhere, but surely not here in our civilized Western culture. I suggest you read this chapter over again slowly and really hear Paul's heart, he covers a lot of important issues. First he reminds us about what we should learn from Israel's experiences recorded in the OT. Then he talks about eating meat offered to idols, that was offered at a discounted price in the markets. He also includes a discussion about how they celebrated the "Lord's Supper", and how behind every idol is a demon, and he warned them about the danger of worshiping demons.

I recently read somewhere "An idol is anything that takes the place of God". Think about that statement for a few minutes, and consider carefully if we haven't been guilty of doing that. That word "anything" could include some "stuff", like material possessions you have accumulated, or perhaps people like parents, children or best friends, special food you like, or an endless number of other things. You probably haven't considered the possibility of there being a demon behind some of these! If Paul is correct in this statement, we should give this matter our prayerful consideration. We know from scripture that Satan hates God because he got cast out of the third heaven where God dwells, when he rebelled against God's divine will. (Isa 14:12-17). Since he is powerless to do anything directly against God, he takes out his wrath against God's children. His kingdom of darkness includes millions of demons and fallen angels, which he employs against the members of God's family. The demons are earth bound creatures, while the fallen angels still have access to the heavenlies, or the second heaven, but not to the third heaven where God dwells. Paul gives us direction in (2 Cor 10:3-6), and also in (Eph 6:10-18) how to do battle against these forces of darkness. Let us take encouragement from God's Word!

Sincerely submitted.

Dave Jamer