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Consolation

In 2 Corinthians which is filled with our comforting doctrine, in the midst of participation in the sufferings of Christ for conducting ones self in godliness, Paul explains how he received comfort from "God, that comforteth those that are cast down" (2 Cor. 7:6).  The God of all comfort did so one way by the "coming of Titus". 

It is this that produces my personal examination and provokes some probing questions:

Do I receive comfort simply by the coming of a beloved saint?

What grand mutualness, fellowship, communion, concord, part, and agreement they must of had with one another?

Do I fully know the depth of how God mechanically produces the refreshing of our spirit by others?

Who do we receive comfort from?  From believers or are we unequally yoked in this manner with unbelievers? 

If we are comforted from unbelievers is this godly comfort? 

Are we constrained in our bowels, thus not esteeming the value of other believers, and not benefitting from the godly comfort God provides through them?

Lastly, as a fellow believer have I enlarged my heart to function on Gods behalf as a vessel of comfort for the brethren.

Look Up,
Josh Strelecki, Pastor
Twin Cities Grace Fellowship

Rightly Dividing The Word of Truth

In this day in age, a Christian can go to a bookstore and find a mass of resources regarding, “how to study God’s Word”.  Without a doubt, many of these can provide insight in connection with many things regarding God’s Word, for instance: geography, measurements, cultural characteristics, and the like.  Yet, these are more study aids and resources about things in the Bible than books on “how to study” the Bible.  There are books that provide steps to study the Bible, steps designed to provide you, if followed, with an understanding of any given passage.  There are also systematic theology books that compartmentalize doctrines for you.  Commentaries are also a main source for many as they study God’s Word.  The question becomes with all these “how to’s” and resources to understanding the scriptures, is this how God tells you to study HIS WORD?

When a Christian, with honesty of heart, asks this question and desires a godly answer the very thing they are seeking, “how to study”, will be found in

Proving The Will of God

Knowing the will of God is a hard question for many.  Yet, we are not only to know the will of God, but to prove the will of God.  Romans 12:2, especially the latter half of the verse has been my musing the last few weeks, "...that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." The means by which you will "prove" the "will of God" will be by not being conformed to this world, but by being transformed by the

Thanksgiving

I expect everyone is preparing their favorite Thanksgiving meals, maybe trying a few or one new dish this year.  I am not sure how Thanksgiving's are for everyone, but they are commonly a time to reflect upon what we are thankful for.  As I have taken some time to think about what I am thankful for, it got me also thinking about the whole process.  When we think about what we are thankful for it is a time of reflection, a time or remembering, or calling to mind.  We remember things from the past year, we think about our current situation, and the possibilities in the future.  As I pondered the process

Things

If you received a penny for every time an English teacher or parent corrected: a paper, news article, magazine, book, or speech for the use of the word "thing" we all would be financially secure.  Vivid thoughts of our parents and various elders correcting the grammar of a politician or news broadcasters, as if they could be heard through the television, are plentiful in the recess of our memories.  The correction wasn't really intended for the person on the television, nor to declare their discernment of proper and improper grammar, but for us to hear and assure we hear their voices every time it drops from the mind and rolls off the tongue.  Comments to not-so-subtly have us

Judgment

Judgment may one of the most prized skills to obtain, at least it ought to be.  Judgments in the form of decisions are the energy of almost everything.  Judgments are the life and death of ideas, decisions, and the acting upon or ignoring of those ideas and decisions. 

Paul explains, "he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man" (1Cor.2:15). 

As In The Day

"Let us walk honestly, as in the day;"
~Romans 13:13a
It is quite amazing how our Father gets us to perceive what it is going to be like 'in the day', the time in which we will conduct ourselves in and when "the fulness of the Gentiles be come in" (Rom. 11:25). Now I know Paul, within verse 13, gives the counterpart of what it will be like 'in the day', but my focus is there is enough information in Romans 12:3-13:13, that gives detail of what it will be like 'in the day', therefore allowing us 'right now' to 'walk as in the day'. 

Hospitality

If the Apostle Paul, is the pattern for those who would believe after him, that Christ might continue to shew forth all longsuffering (1 Tim. 1:16), then not only is the revelation of Jesus Christ according to the revelation of the mystery important to doctrinally understand, as it was committed solely to Paul, but his life should set forth details of that doctrine effectually working in him.  Paul says this himself in 2 Timothy 3:10,
"But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience,"
Therefore, is should be easy to find the action or active process of the doctrine moving from the mind and come out of the body in specific ways, or to at least find a descriptions that this

Permission

As I was reading through the progressive edificational content for godliness, more and more connections are made. 
In Romans 12:2, Paul explains we will 'prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God'.  In other words, with the instruction to follow in the remaining content of Romans, we are going to try, test, and gain experience with the information as we by 'proving' see and learn the best fit and application for the instruction we receive is.  This 'proving' is fitting for 'the sons of God' (Rom. 8:14-15).  This 'proving'