Insight...

Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.


No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him as a soldier. (2 Timothy 2:3-4, NASB)

 The things we have to balance..




Love to all, praying for those lost in the dark cults, I know some of you have followed the sight saw it like  you to know there is hope in Christ, no frills here the truth narrowway is purely a relationship with our creator, simple, There is hope, freedom, in  pure grace, the condemnation can go away, and can sleep at night., again, praying for you as I do for all the others.
NW

Now a word was secretly brought to me,

And my ear received a whisper of it,

In disquieting thoughts from the visions of the night,

When deep sleep falls on men,

Fear came upon me, and trembling,

Which made all my bones shake.

Then a spirit passed before my face;

The hair on my body stood up.

It stood still.

But I could not discern it;s appearance.
A form was before my eyes; there was silence Job 4;12-16.


For God may speak in one way, or in another,

Yet man does not perceive it.

In a dream, in a vision of the night,

When deep sleep comes upon men,

While slumbering on their beds,

Then he opens the ears of men,

And seals their instruction.

In order to turn man from his deed,

And conceal pride from man,

he keeps back his soul from the pit,

And his life from perishing by the sword Job 33;14-18


I would like to encourage those asking seeking to really think deeply one word at a time, get alone and ponder these deep truths. Yes,, God can save his way, dreams to Muslims, why not?, We allow him to speak for himself, no filter grids needed

I like thank one man way back in my early years after conversion , here were his words, "Franz- Read it 10 times, it helps us stop reading into it, and than somewhere latter on we start to really hear or listen.
I agree being able to listen should supersede good speakers seeing it;s more important to know what it is to know follow a person for his good speech that was the case Paul had to warn the body of early on.

Read Acts.This is for you Tom, what a wonderful brother and how truth in your every word has holden fast in my life all these years later, it has all come forward to being so.


Thanks enjoy .

may take hundreds of more years to know the differences.

So entrenched is its authority

and so stable are the religious habits of its

members that God could withdraw Himself

completely from it and it could run on for years on

its own momentum.” - A.W. Tozer

getting back to truth here,...

"You cannot achieve tomorrow's results with

yesterday's methods."

learning how to walk by faith not by sight..

Only one thing counts.

It is doubtful whether God can bless a man greatly until He has hurt him deeply.” Tozar

Dear Ms
Thanks for the question, real refining takes real is found in testing.
The Hurt has often severed one from self, largley unable to find a place to escape to amidst surprise and struggle.

We're placed in positions to have to stand or go through the coasrse of action in which the blessing comes latter or directly in the testing. Love is something that grows in use, Like faith, God does not give it, till the impossible has it;s grip on you.“Any faith that must be supported by the evidence of the senses is not real faith.”

YES! deeply excited for the converted muslims by dreams or otherwise,God works despite the western religion's inability to grasp a miraculous God trapped in our doubt laden philosphies, or gain sake based organizations remain unable to lend themselves over for God to work in them due to external interests., in like manner.I pray that changes.why we went to ekklesia, it was the orgianal modle made by God.

“The reason why many are still troubled, still seeking, still making little forward progress is because they haven't yet come to the end of themselves. We're still trying to give orders, and interfering with God's work within us. ”
― A.W. Tozer

The Lord is showing us, he is able without our permision to do wonders, anytime he desires, I hope we get it....finally, love I know many are seeking, as was I .... it;s there have to get brave and do it.love to you.

“I want the presence of God Himself, or I don't want anything at all to do with religion... I want all that God has or I don't want any.”
― A.W. Tozer

NW

STEAD FAST

Believe!!!!

“I will sing of Your power;
Yes, I will sing aloud of Your mercy in the morning;
For You have been my defense
And refuge in the day of my trouble."

Psalm 59:16

"As your days, so shall your strength be…"

Deuteronomy 33:25 

 

Un relenting in going! 

 

NW

 

         

Where is the power?

Laodiceans today focus on everything but the pure truth of the Living Word. They are comfortable with Sunday morning churchianity. They appear to the world as “cool” with contemporary and carnal worship. 
 
And they are clearly deceived as they practice their idolatrous embrace of all things tangible rather than obedience to intangible Spirit and Truth. Man and all his works are glorified in Laodicean fellowships. But glorying in God’s work on the Cross provides true fellowship (1 Cor 1:31 and Jer 9:23). Laodiceans are focused on improving self rather than dying to self.

We felt it's great to come back to Jesus central, ecclesia only jess is undivided and allows the spiritual wonders of his presence to come through his people.

  The ideas that led to the demise of the spirit gifts was created by the Greek philosophies when the choice was made to replace the revelatory with gnosis,  or human wisdom and system replaced the personal presence of God with man made ideas, theology is not bad it just depends where it ends up ? man centered, or is the knowledge deriv3ed from God or from the past teachings and methods of the platonic schools of thought. that was the case with clement and oreigin's writings which  merged their ideas with faith.

Free!

LOST  IN THE DARKNESS/?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZ-Rak9DjOY/  Hope?  ready , no need to wait,  hope it grabs you into life... No need to hide in the night,  you can  be  free. Praying for you! have not for gotten, never will. JESUS  sets free.....


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bld2gd0X78U

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikRiJFuh4D0   takes away the pain, a world of shadows and silence ,  enjoy, get free, no let up  let go and take his hand , only way.

NW 

Question in the making

 Discussing the man made dicodomey and facts surrounding the origins of  truth in answering the man made traditions to what was the real order like? when it it was spirit controlled? before it got added onto, thanking author Jon zens for his discussion and input on going finding our way back to the ecclesia  with personal awareness and likeness to  1 Corinthians 1-4. 

As rule  for the most part when it comes to truth and tradition, the latter  will win out most of the time. 

A Help or a Hindrance to the Body of Christ?

by Jon Zens

In February 1996, several well-known Christian leaders hosted a "Clergy Conference" in Atlanta. These kinds of events, though undoubtedly well-intended, nevertheless serve to perpetuate what I believe to be an unhealthy division of God's people into two classes: the "clergy" and the "laity" - a distinction that is totally without biblical justification. We have reproduced below the letter that I sent to the sponsors of this Atlanta conference.
To: The sponsors of the Atlanta "Clergy Conference"
Re: Undermining the authority of God's Word by your promotion of the unscriptural "Clergy/Laity" distinction
In several weeks you will be having a "Clergy Conference" in Atlanta. I know you are well-meaning in your desire to support and affirm the "clergy". However, in assuming this category of the "ordained", you are overlooking a more basic and pressing question that must be addressed: "Does the New Testament teach that there is a separate caste of church leaders designated as 'clergy' who are over the 'laity' ?" It does not. I have prepared a paper on this question that is enclosed for you perusal.
By gathering "clergymen" together you are just assenting to the status quo and, in effect, putting band aids on it. What really needs to be done is to hold a conference where the New Testament's teaching on leadership is unfolded. If this were done, of course, then the traditional "clergy/laity" practice would have to be jettisoned in favor of the New Testament patterns.

Looking at the big picture, you are really doing harm to the very class of persons you are trying to help. By not challenging the "clergy" system, which has brought untold hurt to those within its pale, you end up giving pep-talks and encouragement to people who are functioning in an office Christ has nowhere revealed in His Word. You admit in Men of Action (Nov. 1995, p. 4), "Pastors are worn out, discouraged, and in need of affirmation. In fact, poll after poll reveals that most pastors are battling isolation, depression, and loneliness. They are so beaten up by the ministry . . ." Actually, the situation among the "clergy" is much worse than this brief statement. But should this be surprising when people are forced to fill a job description found nowhere in the New Testament? The most Christ-honoring and caring thing you could do is to tell the 70,000 men that come to Atlanta to stop being "clergy", because God's Word teaches nothing about "clergy".
I guess I have to honestly wonder: Do you leaders care at all that the New Testament is, in fact, against the "clergy" system?

Are you concerned that the "clergy" system, as James D. G. Dunn points out, does more to undermine the canonical authority of the New Testament than other heresies? You claim that God's Word must be our authority in all matters of faith and practice. But you undermine and nullify this confession by promoting a "clergy" system that is claiming the lives of men and their families every moment. By assuming that the "clergy" category is correct, your conference actually is perpetuating an unbiblical system that is to the detriment of those who attend. Does this concern you? Is your conscience pricked because you are promoting and cultivating that which the New Testament is against?
I do not think that I am beating in the air, or making a mountain out of a molehill. There is substance to my concerns. Do you care enough to give real answers to your constituents, or are you satisfied to go on encouraging a human tradition that has deeply wounded untold thousands of men?
Thank you for considering my thoughts and article.
Jon

My letter to the sponsors of the recent "Clergy Conference" in Atlanta reflects my deep concern over the biblically unjustified practice of dividing God's people into two classes - pulpiteers and pew-sitters. It is a pattern that certainly reflects the hierarchical patterns of the world, but which does not square with New Testament teaching.
This baseless "clergy/laity" distinction has become such an assumed given that it permeates nearly all of our evangelical literature. The excerpts provided at the end of this article * have been gleaned from magazines, books, catalogues and advertisements and are typical of the extent to which the "clergy/laity" division has become a part of our evangelical language and environment.

The following material has been adapted from the article I submitted with my letter to the conference sponsors. I have no desire to stir up unnecessary dissension, but I believe that if the Church is to attain her full potential as the visible body of Christ, she must divest herself of such unscriptural hierarchical structures and return to her intended "one-another" relationships and ministries.
Before we examine the historical and biblical evidence, consider the following three examples of the kind of teaching that has influenced this "clergy/laity" thinking:

On this office [of Pastor] and the discharge of it He has laid the whole weight of the order, rule, and edification of His Church.¹

[The Pastor] is like the cerebellum, the center for communicating messages, coordinating functions, and conducting responses between the head and body . . .The pastor is not only the authoritative communicator of the truth from the Head to the body, but he is also the accurate communicator of the needs from the Body to the Head. ²

[Pastor Hamman] likened the total church to an army. The army has only one Commander-in-Chief, Jesus Christ. The local church is like a company with one company commander, the pastor, who gets his orders from the Commander-in-Chief. The company commander has lieutenants and sergeants under him for consultation and implementation, but the final responsibility for decisions is that of the company commander, and he must answer to the Commander-in-Chief . . . The Pastor has the power in a growing church . . . The pastor of a growing church may appear to outsiders as a dictator. But to the people of the church, his decisions are their decisions. ³

A recent ad in an evangelical magazine, had the heading, "Not Every Question Gets Answered On Sunday Morning". The truth is that probably no one's questions are answered because no inquiries are allowed. The pulpit monologue precludes dialogue.

The pulpit can only be occupied by certain people - the "clergy". The rest - the "laity" - sit in pews. In this dichotomy you have the essence of our religion - Catholic, Protestant, or otherwise - in a nutshell: the "clergy" are paid to give and the "laymen" pay in order to receive. This distinction permeates our religious vocabulary, and unfortunately captures the heart of our practice: we pay the "clergy" to do the necessary religious activities. It is wearying to hear refrains like these repeated in so many evangelical advertisements: "Finally, a commentary that both pastors and laymen can understand" . . . "this video is equally profitable for clergy and laity".
While the "clergy/laity" distinction is embedded and assumed in religious circles, it cannot be found in the New Testament. It reared up its ugly head in the third century, long after Christ's apostles died. We should be pointedly reminded of the utter deceitfulness of sin when we realize how deeply such an unscriptural and damaging concept has taken root in visible Christianity.
The New Testament teaches leadership among the people of God, but not in a way that leads to the "clergy/laity" conclusion. The root words from which we derive the English words "clergy" and "laity" are found in the New Testament, but our usage of "clergy/laity" is far removed from the New Testament concepts.
Clergy . . .
The English word "clergy" is related to the Greek word "cleros". It means "a lot or inheritance". For example, in 1 Peter 5:3 the elders are exhorted not to lord it over "the lots" (Greek: ton cleron), which refers to the entire flock of God's people. Nowhere in the New Testament is any form of "cleros" used to designate a separate class of "ordained" leaders. Instead, it refers to the "inheritance" (Greek: clerou) laid up for all the saints (Col. 1:12; Acts 26:18). The saints as a collective whole are conceived of in the New Testament as God's "inheritance". We have utterly perverted and turned upside-down the New Testament teaching by using the term "clergy: to refer to a special elite group of church leaders.
Laity . . .
This English word is related to the Greek word "laos", which means "people". The Greek word "laikos", which means "laity", is not found in the New Testament. All in the body of Christ, whether "saints, bishops, or deacons" (Phil. 1:1), are the "people" ("laos") of God. "People of God" is a title of honor bestowed upon all who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 6:16; 1 Pet. 2:9-10).
It was not until the third century that "clergy" was employed to designate a limited number of persons who functioned in the Christian assemblies. One of the worst outcomes of the "clergy" doctrine was that it communicated the notion that without the "clergy" present there simply was no church. Baptism, the Lord's Supper, and many other church practices, could not happen unless a "clergyman" was present. This idea persists to our day even in the workplace, as James D. G. Dunn notes, when "some of the early statements regarding industrial chaplaincies . . . seemed to imply that the church was not present in industry unless and until an ordained clergyman became involved on the factory floor". ⁴
Because the New Testament knows nothing of "clergy" the fact that a separate caste of the "ordained" permeated our vocabulary and practice illustrates rather forcefully that we do not yet take the New Testament very seriously. The "clergy" practice is a heresy that must be renounced. It strikes at the heart of the priesthood of all believers that Jesus purchased on the cross. It contradicts the shape Jesus' kingdom was to take when He said, "You are all brethren". Since it is a tradition of men, it nullifies the Word of God (Mark 7:13). Dunn sees the emergence of "clergy" as a very negative historical fact:
When Clement resorted once again to the distinction between "priest" and "laity" (1 Clem. 40:5), he was pointing down a road which would fundamentally compromise if not make a mere cipher of a very basic element in earliest Christianity's self-understanding . . . It is the apparent disregard for something quite so fundamental by subsequent Christian history that does more to undermine the canonical authority of the New Testament than most heresies . . . The major authority acknowledged by all Christians [the New Testament] has been effectively discounted and ignored. ⁵
Every Christian tradition has its insights and blind spots. But the "clergy" system is practiced across the board and is thus a universal blind spot. Seminaries and Bible Schools have multiplied to produce people for the "clergy" profession; ministerial conferences abound to supply support and encouragement that the "laity" cannot give; magazines are published to provide ministerial tips; pastoral search committees must be formed every time a minister moves on; clergy counseling must be provided for those who burnout and have nervous breakdowns; etc., etc. A whole intricate system is in place to perpetuate and preserve a role which the New Testament knows nothing about.
Like it or not, this "clergy" role ends up requiring a virtual omni-competence from those behind the pulpit. "Clergy" are paid to perform whatever is necessary to keep the religious machinery going, and the expectations are very high for those who wear the many hats this profession demands.
The deadly problem with this unscriptural system is that it eats up those within its pale. Burnout, moral lapse, divorce, and suicide are very high among the "clergy". Is it any wonder such repeated tragedies occur in light of what is expected of one person? Christ never intended anyone to fill such an ecclesiastical role. In light of Paul's remark in 1 Cor. 12:14 that "the body is not one part but many", we should be able to discern that the "clergy" position is neither healthy for those in it, nor is it beneficial for the body of Christ.
Scholars have debated the propriety of ordaining women as "clergy". However, a larger, more fundamental question has been passed over in the process: should anyone, male or female, be ordained as "clergy", since the Bible does not know of such an office? ⁶
The terms "Reformation" and "Renewal" are buzzwords in religious publications. Sadly, most periodicals of this sort approach the "clergy" system as sacrosanct, thereby reinforcing its stronghold in contemporary churches. I submit that to seek the renewal of the "laity" while perpetuating the "clergy" system is like mixing oil and water. Deep renewal (a healthy body) will come only as every member contributes his/her gifts and graces, which includes a leadership that practices the servant model revealed by Jesus in Mark 10:42-45. The "clergy" system stands as a monumental obstacle to genuine reformation and renewal. The church must jettison this system in order for the Word of God to have free course.
If those who function as "clergy" come to conviction that this role originates from unscriptural traditions and not from New Testament patterns, there are some practical steps that must be taken:
* Stop using "Reverend" and other religious titles in connection with your names (and encourage others to cease using language that reflects the "clergy/laity" distinction).
* Renounce your "clergy" status and see yourself as part of the "laos" of God who has manifestations of the Spirit, along with everyone else, for the good of the body (1 Cor. 12:7).
* Teach the body that your "clergy" roles and all the expectations that go with them are based on human traditions and not the gospel.
* Instruct the brethren that all aspects of caring for one another rest with the body, not on some spiritual elite.
* Begin a new methodology of truth-seeking and truth-speaking. Instead of the "clergy" spoon-feeding the "laity", study important issues together from the Word with a view to finding Christ's will and acting upon it.

* Adopt a teaching style where dialogue occurs and questions/insight from others are encouraged.
* As the body makes concrete changes in the way "church" is done the emphasis shifts from dependency on one person to edifying multiple participation.
* Your financial support as a clergy person is admittedly a difficult issue, but needs to be creatively evaluated. The traditional view that it is necessary to pay the "clergy" to preach, visit parishioners, do various administrative duties, etc., is without New Testament foundation. As long as "clergy" are paid to do religious duties why should the body develop its "one-another" ministries? Paul testified to the elders at Ephesus: "I coveted no one's silver, gold, or costly garments.

You yourselves know personally that these hands ministered to my own needs and those of others with me. In everything I have pointed out to you that, by working in this way diligently, we ought to support the weak, being mindful of Jesus' words, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive' (Acts 20: 33-35)".

As ministry becomes increasingly shared in the body, it takes the load off one person and frees the congregation to evaluate how its financial resources can be maximized for edification and meeting people's needs.

Obviously, the "clergy" system has become a mammoth institution. When you touch this nerve the whole body quivers. This long-standing system will not disappear overnight. Not every "clergy" person takes the New Testament seriously, but those who do need to lead the way by personal example to a paradigm shift which will better reflect the New Testament revelation of church life. People who withdraw from the traditional "clergy" model out of faithfulness to Christ will have a heavy price to pay. Nevertheless, the question still remains: Is our confession that the New Testament is sufficient for faith and practice a reality or a sham? If we are serious about following Christ, how can we remain party in perpetuating a "clergy" system which contradicts the very essence of the ecclesia our Savior purposed to build? When is enough, enough?


There are at least 58 commands in the New Testament unfolding our "one-another" responsibilities, and zero in the New Testament about "the pastor" being the cerebellum . . . the one company commander in the local church . . . the one who has the power . . . upon whose shoulders rests the whole weight of the order, rule, and edification of His church.

When are we going to wake up and realize that the evil one has tricked us into squandering resources for a "clergy" system that is unknown in and opposed to the New Testament, and thereby diverted us from spending ourselves for all the implications of loving one another, for which there is abundant New Testament warrant? Larry Crabb summarizes a crucial goal that believers should have in their life together:
Change takes place when truth is presented in relationships. Perhaps a relationship of deep regard and empathetic concern is the context for change, creating an atmosphere in which the truth of God can be heard non defensively and thus penetrate more deeply . . . To be healthy, a church must present truth in the context of encouraging relationships.

⁷
The reality in local church life is that nothing hinders the fostering and cultivating of encouraging relationships more than the "clergy/laity" distinction. It stands as a huge road block to the very atmosphere we desperately need in our assemblies. The time has come for each of us to personally take the responsibility to live a life that refuses to knuckle under to the stifling "clergy/laity" tradition, and to begin fresh new paths of obedience where the body of Christ functions as vital parts contributing to the growth of the whole (Eph. 4:11-16).

We agree with the full restoration of the Nt Priesthood of the believers as being spirit led, and   the elimination institutionalism.

A healthy dicussion for healty Spiritual minds. 1 Corinthian -14 kj3 and young's literal,,,

 NW THANKS

FAITH-WARD

 Freeing one enslaved mind at a time,

Let’s look at the matter a bit more closely. Faith never means gullibility. The man who believes everything is as far from God as the man who refuses to believe anything. Faith engages the Person and promises of God and rests upon them with perfect assurance.

 Whatever has behind it the character and word of the living God is accepted by faith as the last and final truth from which there must never be any appeal. Faith never asks questions when it has been established that God has spoken. “Yea, let God he true, but every man a liar” (Rom. 3:4). Thus faith honors God by counting Him righteous and accepts His testimony against the very evidence of its own senses. That is faith, and of such we can never have too much.

Free me from the chains of Satan



Oh Jesus I am lost

I am confused and feel like a prisoner

Caught in a web I cannot escape from

I trust You Jesus to come to my aid

And free me from the chains of Satan and his demons



Help me for I am lost

I need Your love to give me the strength

To believe in You and trust in You

So that I can be saved from this evil and be

Shown the light so I can find peace, love and happiness

At last.

AMEN.

NEXT:  And not only have we made up rules, but we've attributed them to Jesus. And not only have we made up rules and attributed them to Jesus, but we've often elevated our made-up rules above the things Jesus actually did ask us to do. Whoa. I, personally, have internalized so many Churchian rules and concepts that I feel like I need a 12-Step Program to recover from Churchianity and become the Christian that Jesus wants me to be.

 The whole of the faith is  relationship  a life  of faith 1 Corinth 1-4,  enjoy the venture in  knowing him...

fs

Light over darkness.

All of us have become like one who is unclean,and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; Isaiah 64:6 (NIV)

one race all have sinned, no matter what color we are or where we come from is all distraction to all mankind we need Christ in order to stop the madness of greed, power, and mass murder, abuse the dark occult and it;s distorted ideas, get free , do not have to do perverted things to live  a life that means something.

The Lord tells them to “remember how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent.” Sardis is close to Laodicea in that they have received and heard the truth and have a name that says they are alive, but they are dead. Above all, they need to rekindle that living relationship with the Lord that they had when they first got saved. I experienced this and I know that many of you have also. The difference between death and life is the difference between “head knowledge” and “heart knowledge and relationship”. 

notice what I said about epignosis and gnosis they are nothe same often confused in shallow understanding of relational  presence- verses starring in the sky and pretending to know. He touches on the two word, differncess in a living way...


 We study about the cross but don’t experience it. We study about dying to self, but it doesn’t happen. We study about sanctification and think we are, but we aren’t.  Somebody missing???

The world intrudes on our lives and defiles us as we get caught up in day to day humdrum survival. Going to church is just one of the motions we go through. We have a name, a reputation that we are alive, but we are dead inside. I need to experience Jesus myself, “body life” and a loving community, that;s what narrowway is all about. the congrationare people not buildingsand unholy unions with  it;s forms or  the compromise.

For those who think God is all love, let’s review what He does with the five churches he isn’t too happy with:

1. Ephesus – “Repent or He takes away their lampstand.” (Rev. 2:5)

2. Pergamos – “Repent or He will come and fight against them with the sword of my mouth.” (Rev. 2:16)

3. Thyatira – “Repent … or I will cast you into tribulation and kill your children” (Rev. 2:22-23)

4. Sardis – “Repent or I will come upon you as a thief…” (Rev. 3:3)

5. Laodicea – “Repent or I will vomit you out of my mouth.” (Rev 3:16)  lot of that going on isn;t it? loads of it, luke warm no depth compromised.

 

¹⁴For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, ¹⁵from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, ¹⁶that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, ¹⁷that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, ¹⁸may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height-- ¹⁹to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

²⁰Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, ²¹to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever.” (Eph. 2:14-20

 

Satan is the one who hates and destroys. God is the one who loves and nurtures His people. JESUS SAVES.

 

Wisdom eat well

http://www.thedoctorwithin.com/sugar/sugar-the-sweet-thief-of-life/

A litte truth on the white rat posion we eat.

Figtht suger diabiates, healing isd for free, stop eating the posion, geting the monkey of your back!

NW