05 January 2025

Good Works Not Bearing Fruit? Part 2 (TMF:2525)

Friday, January 10, 2025

Peace to Live By: Good Works Not Bearing Fruit? Part 2 (TMF:2525) - Daniel Litton
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But if a person tries it, getting past that dread, they should then evaluate how they feel once they are into it or afterward. If God is leading the person do it, at some point the desire should spark up and lead the way. It seems contradicting, however, that Paul again brings up “increasing in the knowledge of God.” This is because he just began this whole section talking about the knowledge of God. Remember, he prayed that the Colossians would be “filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding.” So, in this second mention, it seems to be that the desire behind Paul’s prayer is that this “knowledge” would in fact “increase.” So, when he first mentions knowledge at the beginning, he is talking about having knowledge in the first place. Now he is talking about have this knowledge “increase.” And it is interesting that the increasing of the knowledge is coupled with what was just examined regarding good works. It’s almost as if the good works create an ‘experiential’ knowledge.

Good Works Not Bearing Fruit? Part 1 (TMF:2524)

Thursday, January 09, 2025

Peace to Live By: Good Works Not Bearing Fruit? Part 1 (TMF:2524) - Daniel Litton
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A vast variety of reasons could be listed as examples of good works not bearing fruit as the result of a church not walking in a manner that is worthy of the Lord. Rather than focus on specific actions, let us zoom out a bit and consider a bigger view of the matter. We know that God looks on the heart, and therefore, we could contend that works done without the proper heart attitude may not bear good fruit. This being the case whatever the works are. So, anything done because one believes he or she has to do it, and let’s assume for a moment the person isn’t gifted to do it (by the Holy Spirit), then that is a work done through the flesh—from a command—and not from the heart. It’s not coming from a person’s heart welling up inside themselves with the desire bursting forth in wanting to accomplish whatever it is for the kingdom. And sometimes this has to be tested. What is meant is that there could be an initial dread present in doing something beforehand.

Fruitful Results of Paul & Timothy's Prayer (TMF:2523)

Wednesday, January 08, 2025

Peace to Live By: Fruitful Results of Paul & Timothy's Prayer (TMF:2523) - Daniel Litton
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What then are some results Paul hopes to beget from he and Timothy’s prayer? He talks about the church “bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.” It is interesting to note that Paul doesn’t talk about the church actually doing good works. What is meant is that he doesn’t list that the church should be doing good works, as if they had to be instructed in that. Rather, he prays that he hopes these good works will bear fruit. That seems to imply that works could be done by the church which do not bear fruit. And let us consider some reasons as to why this may be the case. The most obvious one, first and foremost, would be due to a lack of prayer. Since we are discussing prayer as the subject, that comes to mind. And if it is believed that prayer actually does make a difference, then it’s a no brainer that a lack of prayer would yield negative consequences in the church’s “good works” by them not “bearing fruit.” And, another reason a good work by the church would not bear fruit could be what Paul mentioned in the previous verse, that the people conducting the work are not walking in a good manner.

Deception in the Pride of Being Right, Part 2 (TMF:2522)

Tuesday, January 07, 2025

Peace to Live By: Deception in the Pride of Being Right, Part 2 (TMF:2522) - Daniel Litton
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It is not doubted that God did in fact use the voice (whether his own or an angel’s) to lead him. It is good that he found a way that satisfies his soul, one in which he can practice his relationship to God in a full, filling way. The problem becomes, when, as a result of the voice, he thinks he has found the correct way (the correct sect). The problem becomes, when, as a result of the voice, he thinks he has found the correct way (the correct sect), and then turns to persecute (to use a strong word) those who do not follow that way. The voice led him to the false belief that his way is the correct way, and not because the voice was wrong, but because his conclusion about the meaning thereafter of hearing the voice was wrong). In contrast, a man was known at one time who had a similar type of encounter with a voice. The voice told him to go and start a church in a certain area, and this was the Church of the Nazarene, a body of believers of that particular denomination let’s call it. So, was this man wrong in hearing the voice? No. Would he be wrong if he said it’s the only true way? Yes.

Deception in the Pride of Being Right, Part 1 (TMF:2521)

Monday, January 06, 2025

Peace to Live By: Deception in the Pride of Being Right, Part 1 (TMF:2521) - Daniel Litton
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The problem becomes, and this has been witnessed in more than one denomination or sect, is when a group, or person for that matter, believes they have discovered the true truth, the true way, the correct denomination or sect, and that everyone else is in the wrong, or at least lacking significantly. This is the prideful stance—the self-righteous stance. In illustration of this point, a book was being read recently in which an Orthodoxy Christian (Eastern Orthodoxy to be specific) was stating how God had led him to the correct-ist, purist way of Christianity (you guessed it, Orthodoxy), and even used an audible voice to do so. It is not doubted that God did in fact use the voice (whether his own or an angel’s) to lead him. It is good that he found a way that satisfies his soul, one in which he can practice his relationship to God in a full, filling way. The problem becomes, when, as a result of the voice, he thinks he has found the correct way (the correct sect).