GOD GAVE YOU A MIND, USE IT!

Newsletter 164
November 1, 2009

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“Think on these things” and “These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether these things were so,” (Acts 17:11) come to mind when we read our text for today. God gave us a mind, and he has every desire that we make use of it to determine if what we hear is really in His Word. Just because something is published on line, or printed in a book or leaflet, or we hear it from our Bible teacher, or from the pulpit, does not mean that it is accurate. Take notes if your memory is not so reliable; look it up in your Bible, and check it in its context. Read more than just the one verse. The Bereans were thinking about what they were being taught, and they are remembered for that yet today. They were wise. Those two immaculately dressed young men at your door, may be the bearers of a false doctrine, as may be the two witnesses at your door on a Sunday morning. Try the spirit that sent them with the Word. Ask them if they believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God, and see how quickly they either answer saying “a son of a god” or suddenly remember that they are late for an appointment elsewhere.

JOHN, THE BELOVED APOSTLE WROTE:

1 John 4:1-6 (King James Version)

1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. (3 John11, Jeremiah 29:8, 1 Corinthians 12:10, 1 Thessalonians 5:20.2 Thessalonians 2:2, Jeremiah 14:14, 2 Peter 2:1, 1 John 2:18)

2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: (1 Corinthians 12:3, 1 John 2:23, John 1:14, 1 John 1:2)

3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. (1 John 2:22, 2 John 7, 1 John 2:18, 1 John 2:22, 2 Thessalonians 2:3-7, 1 John 2:18)

4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. (1 John 2:1, 1 John 2:13, Romans 8:31, 1 John 3:20, John 12:31)

5 They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them. (John 15:19, John 17:14, John 17:16)

6 We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error. (John 8:23, 1 John 4:4, John 8:47, John 10:3, John 18:37, 1 Corinthians 14:37, John 14:17, 1 Timothy 4:1)

JOHN GIVES US TWO RULES TO USE AS A TEST

Just as all the world is either “saved” or “lost,” all are either still sinners, and therefore can not enter Heaven, or their sins are forgiven, and they can look forward to being in Heaven for ever. There are also teachers inspired by the Spirit of God, and there are those who are inspired by the Demonic spirit of Satan.

THE SPIRIT OF GOD

1. “Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:” (1 John 4:2)

THE SPIRIT OF ANTICHRIST

2. “And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.” (1 John 4:3)

“Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.” (1 John 4:6).

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READ THE BIBLE THROUGH AGAIN IN 2009

NOVEMBER

1st. Sunday – Lamentations 1, 2, Hebrews 1, Psalm 119:137-144
2nd. Monday – Lamentations 3, Hebrews 2, Psalm 119:145-152
3rd. Tuesday – Lamentations 4, 5, Hebrews 3, Psalm 119:153-160
4th. Wednesday – Ezekiel 1, 2, 3, Hebrews 4, Proverbs 26:21-28
5th.. Thursday - Ezekiel 4, 5, 6, Hebrews 5, Psalm 119:161-168
6th. Friday – Ezekiel 7, 8, Hebrews 6, Psalm 119:169-178
7th. Saturday – Ezekiel 9, 10, 11, Hebrews 7, Psalm 120

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OUR CHRISTIAN BLOG SEARCHES
(With links to 596 titles)

GOOGLE TRANSLATOR: The Translator is available only to e-mail blog readers and needs to be activated by scrolling to the very bottom of the monitor screen. With it you may have this and all blogs on the screen translated into one of many languages and then you can copy and forward them to anyone on earth who uses that language. “Go ye unto all the world.”


http://searchingthescriptureswithbob.blogspot.com
Our weekly Bible Letter
http://47yearsinafrica.blogspot.com
Biographical, with photos
http://scripturegems.blogspot.com
Favorite Scripture Quotation
http://salvationtracts.blogspot.com
Representing 70 world languages
http://searchthescriptureswithbob.blogspot.com
Short Bible studies
http://bookletbiblestudies.blogspot.com
Several pages in length
http://phyllistheauthor.blogspot.com
Portions of Phyllis’ 3 published books & more to come



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THIS WEEK'S SCRIPTURE

"God is light, and in him is no darkness at all”

1 John 1:5

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SEND FREE CHRISTIAN GREETINGS FROM:

ecards@dayspring.com

3-movies@dayspring.com

________________

DIFFERENCE
A lady bought two horses, and could never remember which was which. A neighbor suggested that she cut the tail of one horse and that worked great until the other horse got his tail caught in a bush. It tore just right and looked exactly like the other horse’s tail and our friend was stuck again. The neighbor suggested she notch the ear of one horse. That worked fine until the other horse caught his ear on a barbed wire fence. Once again our friend couldn’t tell them apart. The neighbor suggested she measure them for height. When she did, she was very pleased to find that the white horse was two inches taller than the black one

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PERSONAL FAMILY NOTES

Need a Christmas present? Phyllis’ first missionary novel has been published, You can order a copy now. Go to and search for (Feet of Clay – P J Mills) This is the first volume of a series based in Guatemala, Central America. If this one pays the cost, she has 5 more volumes waiting in line. Her book “The Call to Africa” is also still available from Amazon.com.

HOW WE OUGHT TO PRAY

Newsletter 163
October 25, 2009

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Judging strictly by the title, you might expect this to be the answer to the apostle’s question to Jesus, “Lord, teach us to pray.” But, it is not.

It is God speaking through Paul, a letter from prison to his beloved brothers to encourage them in the times of stress they were, and would continue to experience. The answer to their needs is prayer.

Like all mankind, their master had once been of the world, worldly. In other words, they were under Satan. We are all under someone, and Paul is reminding them that some of them had been in slavery to sin. Then it was their Roman conquerors, but today it may be alcohol, drugs, prescribed or other. It may be greed, anger, or pleasure. There are so many fronts, but back of them all hovers the ruler of this world, Satan. Remember that Satan said to Jesus, I will give you the world if you will just worship me. That was, of course, an empty promise if there ever was one. If Jesus had fallen for that, he would have just been falling under Satan’s power and have accomplished nothing at all.

The alternate is to make Christ our master, and thus be born into the family of God. We are still answerable to someone, but this is one who so loved us that He sent His own son to offer us salvation through his own life blood. He alone is completely just. John 3:16-17.
The master of all Christians is Jesus Christ. There are only two masters, one totally good, and one totally evil.

Colossians 4:1-6 (King James Version)

1 Masters, give unto your servants that which is just and equal; knowing that ye also have a Master in heaven. (Ephesians 6:9)

2 Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving; (Acts 1:14, Ephesians 6:18, Romans 12:12, 1 Timothy 5:17, Luke 11:5-10, Luke 18:1-8, Matthew 26:41, Mark 14:38, Luke 21:36)

3 Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds: (Ephesians 6:19, Acts 14:27, 2 Timothy 4:2, Ephesians 3:3-4, Ephesians 6:19, Ephesians 6:20, 1 Corinthians 16:8-9, 2 Corinthians 2:12)

4 That I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak. (Ephesians 6:20)

5 Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time. (Ephesians 5:15, Mark 4:11, Ephesians 5:16, Ephesians 5:15-16)

6 Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man. (Ephesians 4:29, Mark 9:50, 1 Peter 3:15)

But, what does God expect of his servants? Most of all, he wants us to keep in contact. He wants to hear the voice of his children. He wants us to read his letters to us over and over again. He wants us to be someone he can look to with pride. He wants us to meet with him around his table every week. If we are not there, it will grieve him. Remember that David had a place at Saul’s table, and when he was not there, Saul knew it. God knows it, and is grieved when we are not there. Jesus, who is even now at God’s right hand, promised, “I go to prepare a place for you.” He is making ready a very special place where all his children can be near him forever.

Until the time comes when he returns for us, let us be joyfully praising him with thanksgiving in our hearts and on our lips. Let us give thanks for our leaders to whom he has given authority over us.

Let us pray that we may speak as we ought to speak, and able to answer the questions, of those about us. His word tells us how, and His holy spirit is here to act as our individual personal We are promised this gift at the time of our baptism, not before, and if we are not baptized, we shall not receive it. Acts 2:38. “…and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” God keeps His promises.
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READ THE BIBLE THROUGH AGAIN IN 2009

OCTOBER

25th. Sunday – Ecclesiastes 4, 5, 6, 1 John 2:15-29, Psalm 119:97-104
26th. Monday – Ecclesiastes 7, 8, 9, 1 John 3, Psalm 119:105-112
27th. Tuesday – Ecclesiastes 10, 11, 12, 1 John 4, Proverbs 26:1-10
28th. Wednesday – Song of Solomon 1, 2, 1 John 5, Psalm 119:113-120
29th. Thursday – Song of Solomon 2, 4, 2 John, Psalm 119:121-128
30th. Friday – Song of Solomon 5, 6, 3 John, Psalm 119:129-136
31st. Saturday – Song of Solomon 7, 8, Jude, Proverbs 26:11-20

_________



OUR CHRISTIAN BLOG SEARCHES
(With links to 595 titles)

GOOGLE TRANSLATOR: The Translator is available only to e-mail blog readers and needs to be activated by scrolling to the very bottom of the monitor screen. With it you may have this and all blogs on the screen translated into one of many languages and then you can forward them to anyone on earth who uses that language. “Go ye unto all the world.”


http://searchingthescriptureswithbob.blogspot.com
Our weekly Bible Letter
http://47yearsinafrica.blogspot.com
Biographical, with photos
http://scripturegems.blogspot.com
Favorite Scripture Quotation
http://salvationtracts.blogspot.com
Representing 70 world languages
http://searchthescriptureswithbob.blogspot.com
Short Bible studies
http://bookletbiblestudies.blogspot.com
Several pages in length
http://phyllistheauthor.blogspot.com
Portions of Phyllis’ 3 published books & more to come




____________


THIS WEEK'S SCRIPTURE

"For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.”

1 Timothy 6:10

_____________


SEND FREE CHRISTIAN GREETINGS FROM:

ecards@dayspring.com

3-movies@dayspring.com

Silly Sermons...

A minister decided that a visual demonstration would add emphasis to his Sunday sermon.

Four worms were placed into four separate jars:

The first worm was put into a container of alcohol.
The second worm was put into a container of cigarette smoke.
The third worm was put into a container of chocolate syrup.
The fourth worm was put into a container of good clean soil.


At the conclusion of the sermon, the Minister reported the following results:

The first worm in alcohol - Dead.
The second worm in cigarette smoke - Dead
Third worm in chocolate syrup - Dead?
Fourth worm in good clean soil - Alive.

So the Minister asked the congregation -

What can you learn from this demonstration?

Maxine was sitting in the back, quickly raised her hand and said,

"As long as you drink, smoke and eat chocolate, you won't have worms!"

That pretty much ended the service.
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PERSONAL FAMILY NOTES

The blue scriptures can also be displayed simply by “hovering” over them with the cursor, also only on the computer.
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Need a Christmas present? Phyllis’ first missionary novel has been published, You can order a copy now. Go to and search for (Feet of Clay – P J Mills) This is the first volume of a series based in Guatemala, Central America. If this one pays the cost, she has 5 more volumes waiting in line. Her book “The Call to Africa” is also still available from Amazon.com.

We were amazed yesterday when we were told that a Bob Cat has been spotted sunning itself by the stream back of our building here in Plano. Wow! Our assigned car port is just this side of the stream.


Bob and Phyllis