08-09-2007, 06:15 PM
My people have been lost sheep; the shepherds have led them astray ......... they have forgotten their fold.
Many of us have refused to love the truth and also to be saving guides. For this reason, God has let us follow a powerful delusion which has led us to believe in what is false. Those of us who have not believed the truth and take pleasure in unrighteousness will be condemned. This is a hard teaching but one we must all take to heart.
Now I know we may instruct certain people not to teach different doctrines and not to occupy themselves with myths and endless genealogies that promote speculations, but they will not listen.
We must know that we should all teach and follow the divine training that is known by faith. We must remember that the aim of divine instruction is Love that comes from a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere faith. Many of us have deviated from this and have turned to meaningless talk, desiring to be teachers of the law, without understanding either what we are saying or the things about which we make assertions. We must know and remember that the law is good only if one uses it legitimately. We must know and remember that we may use whatever is not contrary to the sound teachings that conform to the glorious gospel of the One God, which He has entrusted to us.
We are not to be ashamed of our teachings or our faith.
I, for one, am grateful to God -- whom I worship with a clear conscience.
For this reason, I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is within you. I remind you that God did not give us a spirit of cowardice, but rather a spirit of power and of Love and of self-discipline. Do not be ashamed of relying on the power of God, who has saved us from ignorance and called us with a holy calling. He has called us not because of our past works but according to his own purpose and grace.
We must be able to say:
"I am not ashamed, for I know the One in whom I have put my trust."
"I will hold to the standard of sound teaching, in faith and in love."
"I will do my best to guard the good treasure entrusted to me, with the help of the Holy
Spirit living in me."
Let us remember always, that God's firm foundation stands, bearing this inscription:
"The Lord God knows those who are His."
Now, this I will admit to you, that according to The Way, which many call a sect, I worship the God of our ancestors. I have a hope in God -- a hope that our ancestors also accepted -- that there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous. Therefor I do my best always to have a clear conscience toward God and all people.
I ask you to rejoice in the Lord God: again I will say, rejoice in the Lord God. Let your gentleness be known to everyone, for the Lord God is always near.
I ask you not to worry about anything, but in everything you do, let your requests be made known to God by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving. If you follow this instruction, the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds.
Finally, I ask you to consider, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, and whatever is commendable regardless of the source in which you find them. If there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about and take account of these things.
Keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen which are true and commendable for in doing so the God of Peace will be with you.
I, for one, have learned to be content with whatever I have. I know what it is to have little, and I know what it is to have plenty. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being: "I do all things through Him who strengthens me."
To our God and Father, be the Glory, forever and ever.
Submitted with Love,
Rev Dorris
Verses from Jeremiah, 2 Thessalonians, 1st Timothy, 2nd Timothy, Acts, and Philippeans.
Many of us have refused to love the truth and also to be saving guides. For this reason, God has let us follow a powerful delusion which has led us to believe in what is false. Those of us who have not believed the truth and take pleasure in unrighteousness will be condemned. This is a hard teaching but one we must all take to heart.
Now I know we may instruct certain people not to teach different doctrines and not to occupy themselves with myths and endless genealogies that promote speculations, but they will not listen.
We must know that we should all teach and follow the divine training that is known by faith. We must remember that the aim of divine instruction is Love that comes from a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere faith. Many of us have deviated from this and have turned to meaningless talk, desiring to be teachers of the law, without understanding either what we are saying or the things about which we make assertions. We must know and remember that the law is good only if one uses it legitimately. We must know and remember that we may use whatever is not contrary to the sound teachings that conform to the glorious gospel of the One God, which He has entrusted to us.
We are not to be ashamed of our teachings or our faith.
I, for one, am grateful to God -- whom I worship with a clear conscience.
For this reason, I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is within you. I remind you that God did not give us a spirit of cowardice, but rather a spirit of power and of Love and of self-discipline. Do not be ashamed of relying on the power of God, who has saved us from ignorance and called us with a holy calling. He has called us not because of our past works but according to his own purpose and grace.
We must be able to say:
"I am not ashamed, for I know the One in whom I have put my trust."
"I will hold to the standard of sound teaching, in faith and in love."
"I will do my best to guard the good treasure entrusted to me, with the help of the Holy
Spirit living in me."
Let us remember always, that God's firm foundation stands, bearing this inscription:
"The Lord God knows those who are His."
Now, this I will admit to you, that according to The Way, which many call a sect, I worship the God of our ancestors. I have a hope in God -- a hope that our ancestors also accepted -- that there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous. Therefor I do my best always to have a clear conscience toward God and all people.
I ask you to rejoice in the Lord God: again I will say, rejoice in the Lord God. Let your gentleness be known to everyone, for the Lord God is always near.
I ask you not to worry about anything, but in everything you do, let your requests be made known to God by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving. If you follow this instruction, the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds.
Finally, I ask you to consider, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, and whatever is commendable regardless of the source in which you find them. If there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about and take account of these things.
Keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen which are true and commendable for in doing so the God of Peace will be with you.
I, for one, have learned to be content with whatever I have. I know what it is to have little, and I know what it is to have plenty. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being: "I do all things through Him who strengthens me."
To our God and Father, be the Glory, forever and ever.
Submitted with Love,
Rev Dorris
Verses from Jeremiah, 2 Thessalonians, 1st Timothy, 2nd Timothy, Acts, and Philippeans.