Spiritual Training

Spiritual Training X2

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November 16 - Evening

"You who are trying to be justified by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. For through the Spirit we eagerly await by faith the righteousness for which we hope...The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.You were running a good race. Who cut in on you to keep you from obeying the truth?"
- Galatians 5:4-7

Fallen from Grace and Running the Race


To understand Galatians 5:4-7 means to understand Christianity.
When a Christian who has been born again by faith in Christ begins to use a religious system (or, any other means such as rules, fake Christian character, good deeds because of guilt, pseudo-application of sermon points) they "have been alienated from Christ." This does not mean they are no longer saved, but it means they have been cut off from the power source. They have been severed from the vine and their spiritual growth and production is powerless.
"I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing...If you remain in me and MY WORDS REMAIN IN YOU, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples." -John 15:5-8

The word "alienated" in Galatians 5:4 is the Greek word katergethete and it means "you are made impotent." So, instead of continuing to grow in grace through an understanding of the apostolic doctrine (the Word), the Galatians have cut off the message and made themselves spiritually impotent. They are now living imitation Christian lives which were spiritually powerless.
So, actually the phrase, "you have fallen away from grace," is NOT a reference to people falling into a lifestyle of non-religious lives of pagan immorality. Instead, "fallen from grace" refers to believers in Jesus Christ who have fallen into a life of religious bondage to rules, codes which merely imitate true spiritual transformation. The true transformation is the production of righteousness in the life of the Christian who is maturing and producing the fruits of righteousness because of their growth in the Word of Jesus.
Paul understands that his Galatian believers are already saved and secure in their salvation, so Paul is encouraging them to continue in the Word, grow in their faith, produce righteousness, and so, run "a good race." Paul's goal for them was to produce righteousness in their daily lives by faith through the power of the Holy Spirit. While Paul was preparing the Galatians for their eternal rewards, the Judaizers were still trying to secure eternal salvation for the Galatians through works of the flesh.
The only thing left when the Word of God is rejected is to imitate righteousness and spiritual growth through rules, regulations and motivational sermons that teach an emotional, but impotent, practice of endless points of application in imitate the Christian life.
"The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love. You were running a good race. Who cut in on you to keep you from obeying the truth?" - Galatians 5:6-7
Katoikeo (Gr) - Dwell (Eng) - the Greek word katoikeo is a compound word made up of kata meaning "down," and oikeo meaning "to inhabit a house." The word katoikeo means to dwell and be at home.
"I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell (katoikeo) in your hearts through faith." - Ephesians 3:16-17
Do I settle for religious imitation of what people say Christians should be? Is the power of the Word, the power of Faith and the power of the Holy Spirit changing me? I will continue in the Word of Jesus that brought me salvation so that I can mature and produce the fruit of the Spirit in my life.



Bible Reading Descriptions Here

Narrative

(morning only)

Complete Text

General Text




Personal

Contacts with people and network building

Church

Discovery of true Spiritual gifting
Foreign conflicts
Tanzania



Mud bricks that remain from the homes that were attached to the wall of Jericho. The stone retaining wall of Jericho is seen in the back ground. Mud bricks would have stood on top this stone retaining wall, but they fell when Joshua and Israel showed up.
(Short Video of these walls below)
Fit My Video Tag
Daniel's 70th week with details.




Someone to Quote

"Aim at heaven and you will get earth thrown in. Aim at earth and you get neither." - C.S. Lewis

Something to Ponder

33,000,000 U.S. residents have switched religious affiliation at least once in their lifetime.

Here’s a Fact

Herod the Great's tomb (royal sarcophagus) was found at the Herodium in 2007 about half way up the mountain.
(Hebrew U Press Release)

(Carl Rasmussen Photos)

Proverb

"Understanding is a fountain of life to those who have it, but folly brings punishment to fools."
Proverbs 16:22

Coach’s Corner

Look at what you do and listen to what you say. Ultimately, what you do is who you are and what you speak is how you think.

Romans 14
New International Version (NIV)
The Weak and the Strong
14 Accept the one whose faith is weak, without quarreling over disputable matters. One person’s faith allows them to eat anything, but another, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables. The one who eats everything must not treat with contempt the one who does not, and the one who does not eat everything must not judge the one who does, for God has accepted them. Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To their own master, servants stand or fall. And they will stand, for the Lord is able to make them stand.
One person considers one day more sacred than another; another considers every day alike. Each of them should be fully convinced in their own mind. Whoever regards one day as special does so to the Lord. Whoever eats meat does so to the Lord, for they give thanks to God; and whoever abstains does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God. For none of us lives for ourselves alone, and none of us dies for ourselves alone. If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living.
10 You, then, why do you judge your brother or sister? Or why do you treat them with contempt? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat. 11 It is written:
“‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord, ‘every knee will bow before me;     every tongue will acknowledge God.’”
12 So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God.
13 Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister. 14 I am convinced, being fully persuaded in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for that person it is unclean. 15 If your brother or sister is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy someone for whom Christ died. 16 Therefore do not let what you know is good be spoken of as evil. 17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, 18 because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and receives human approval.
19 Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification. 20 Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a person to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble. 21 It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother or sister to fall.
22 So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who does not condemn himself by what he approves. 23 But whoever has doubts is condemned if they eat, because their eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin.
Acts 3
New International Version (NIV)
Peter Heals a Lame Beggar
One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer—at three in the afternoon. Now a man who was lame from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts. When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, “Look at us!” So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them.
Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong. He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God. When all the people saw him walking and praising God, 10 they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.
Peter Speaks to the Onlookers
11 While the man held on to Peter and John, all the people were astonished and came running to them in the place called Solomon’s Colonnade. 12 When Peter saw this, he said to them: “Fellow Israelites, why does this surprise you? Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? 13 The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus. You handed him over to be killed, and you disowned him before Pilate, though he had decided to let him go. 14 You disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you. 15 You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of this. 16 By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through him that has completely healed him, as you can all see.
17 “Now, fellow Israelites, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did your leaders. 18 But this is how God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, saying that his Messiah would suffer. 19 Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, 20 and that he may send the Messiah, who has been appointed for you—even Jesus. 21 Heaven must receive him until the time comes for God to restore everything, as he promised long ago through his holy prophets. 22 For Moses said, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own people; you must listen to everything he tells you. 23 Anyone who does not listen to him will be completely cut off from their people.’
24 “Indeed, beginning with Samuel, all the prophets who have spoken have foretold these days. 25 And you are heirs of the prophets and of the covenant God made with your fathers. He said to Abraham, ‘Through your offspring all peoples on earth will be blessed.’ 26 When God raised up his servant, he sent him first to you to bless you by turning each of you from your wicked ways.”


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