By the Word of God that the Spirit of God gives us, we know the will of God in the issues of this present life.
The Spirit of God searches the heart of God to show us the will of God. (I Corinthians 2:10-13)
I've had the "Word of God" brought in scripture, in dreams, and in concepts which were brought to my mind by the Spirit of God. In each case, these were "the Word of God." And they came to pass. And I rejoiced in those words and followed those instructions.
It is not the letter of the law that we follow but the Spirit.
God gives each of HIS children HIS Spirit that we can know what God wants us to do as we live on this earth!
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Pearl of great price:
Matthew 13
44 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.
45 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls:
46 Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.
To us, that Word of God, brought to our mind by the Spirit of God is everything and really all that matters as we go forward, doing that Word.
We read the Bible so we can see that which is approved by God and know the way of God, but it is the Spirit of God in us who leads us in those scriptures.
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We read the Bible so we can see that which is approved by God and know the way of God, but it is the Spirit of God in us who leads us in those scriptures.
But some church people see scriptures by their own natural mind. And they are always a little off, like a radio station that is not tuned in properly.
II Corinthians 3:6 (God) hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.
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Fleshly men often take the scriptures and read them by their own fleshly thinking, having not the Spirit, and set up doctrines by their own thinking for the church to follow.
A primary example of this is in setting up crackers and grape juice as being "communion" (or the Lord's supper), while the communion, the Lord's supper is the correct eating and correct drinking of the Word of God.
The apostle Paul says: But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. I Corinthians 11:28
We examine ourselves as we eat and drink the Holy Bible, doing that word, conforming ourselves to that Word. This is the Lord's supper. The Word is power.
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The Church of Christ group forbids the use of instrumental music in the church because of the following scripture.
Ephesians 5:19 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;
But you can sing in your heart without making any sound at all with your voice!
I do not believe Ephesians 5:19 forbids instrumental music in the church but rather this verse exhorts us to sing "by our heart" to God, in gratitude to God as we make music.
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There have been church groups in the past that required women to wear head coverings (a hat or scarf) as they enter the church building.
And some religious groups think men must wear some type of covering on their heads.
Here is what the Bible shows us for the New Testament church:
I Corinthians 11
5 But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head: for that is even all one as if she were shaven.
6 For if the woman be not covered, let her also be shorn: but if it be a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be covered.
7 For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, forasmuch as he is the image and glory of God: but the woman is the glory of the man.
8 For the man is not of the woman: but the woman of the man.
13 Judge in yourselves: is it comely that a woman pray unto God uncovered?
14 Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him?
15 But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering.
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The apostle Paul said:
I Corinthians 14
35 And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church.
The Holy Spirit once said to me: "Look at what these women were doing in the church."
When I looked, I saw they were asking questions. (verse 35)
Further the Holy Spirit reminded me of Philip the evangelist who had 4 daughters "who did prophesy." (Acts 21) Prophesy is for the church. To bring prophecy, you would have to speak in the church, said the Spirit of God to me.
I believe it is wrong for a woman to be asking questions in the gathering of the church, but if she has a word from the Lord she is free to present that word in the assembly of the church when the appropriate time presents itself in the gathering. I do not believe she would interrupt the teaching to present a word. That would be "out of order".
I Corinthians 14:40 Let all things be done decently and in order.
At one church I attended, our Bible teacher at each meeting would say to us: "Does anyone have a word from the Lord?"
We were then free to give that word of knowledge or word of wisdom or prophecy.
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Some things are sins and are never right for the Christian to do:
I Corinthians 6
10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
Before we were born again we did some of these things, but not after God revealed HIMSELF to us. Before we were born again we served sin. Now we serve God, not these sins.
Thus Jesus said to the woman taken in adultery, "Go, and sin no more." John 8
She could not continue in that previous sin after Jesus forgave her. Neither can we. Nor do we want to do such sins after we have been given the Holy Spirit to live in us!
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People who were committing adultery and fornication used to hide. But today many seem proud to tell others they are doing such. They have no shame.
Paul said: Abstain from all appearance of evil. I Thessalonians 5:22
This lack of shame over sins shows us we are drawing nearer to the return of Jesus and the wrath of God upon the disobedient.
I Corinthians 5
It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father's wife.
2 And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you.
3 For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed,
4 In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,
5 To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
6 Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?
7 Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:
8 Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
9 I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators:
10 Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world.
11 But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolator, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.
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I Corinthians 5
It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father's wife.
2 And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you.
3 For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed,
4 In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,
5 To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
6 Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?
7 Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:
8 Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
9 I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators:
10 Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world.
11 But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolator, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.
13 But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.
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Concerning homosexuals and lesbians:
Romans 1
27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.
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