The Holy Spirit is and always has been there; from the day I accepted Jesus. He will never leave me. Many is the time I wish He wasn't there because God's way conflicts with mine often. They are the times I'm glad He will never leave me. Warren. :)
G'day Martha, It is impossible for me to be a Christian without the Holy Spirit I received at re-birth, turning to Christ (conversion if you will). Otherwise I'm still in my natural self and Spiritually dead. Eternally separated from God. So un-cool! :(
Romans 8:1-17; thanks to Our Bible Study led by our Rector Rev Bruce Morrison, is starting to make sense to me now.
Bruce is an authority and guest lecturer on Romans Acts and Galatians at Moore Theological College Sydney.
Luke is my favourite book; however at the moment I can't get my head out of Romans.
Thank you for your blog Martha; it's really cool as is Kimmi's :)
Thanks so much for sharing, Warren! I've heard it said that Romans is a miniature Gospel - it's an amazing book which your reminder today makes me want to go back and read it all over again. Love and blessings!
G'day Matha, Romans is much more than a miniature Gospel; it is pure Doctrine, and one of Paul's first Books and the Gospels weren't written until later
It is all about "Salvation by Grace"; as the great Church Reformer Jon Calvin said "By Grace Alone".
This is in conflict with some Churches who in the past and still do who think they are the authority with their Transubstantiation; and they bring God down to us.
There is a High C of E over here who removed Romans from all their church Bibles.
As a reformer; Thomas Cranmer said before being burnt at the stake "It is by Christ Alone*.
The cynical Pharisees are still alive and well; nothing's changed much.
Hi, Warren! Perhaps it was a remiss choice with words to "mini" anything about Romans. The book encapsulates all of what it means to live in God's presence, to understand the salvation Jesus offers, and to embrace the Holy Spirit fully and completely. Thank you for clearing up the matter that it is the Doctrine of the Early Church. There is no doubt in my mind that it is. I am beside myself to think that the Church of England has actually removed this precious gem from Bibles. Unthinkable and preposterous! Yes, the pharisees are alive and well in so many areas of Christianity, and it breaks my heart. One would think that once our Lord and Savior has broken our chains of sin and death, that we would be lining up in droves to spread His message of mercy and grace and forgiveness to everyone, not trying to keep the Good News to ourselves. What was it that Jesus told us? Not to hide our lamps beneath a basket? What good does that do? None! Humanity is fallen, on that I'm sure we agree. And, I will chime in with Paul that I am one of the chief sinners. If we fail to recognize that we all sin and fall short of the glory of God, we are doomed to a miserable life of deceit and self-righteousness. Again, Warren, I appreciate your thoughtful comments so much. I'm sure, too, that your thoughts will be inspirational to so many of my readers. Love and blessings!
G'day Martha, I didn't mean that the whole Church of England trashed Romans from their Church Bibles; just one that I know of.
That is my Church; or these days known as Anglican of Australia. The Sydney Diocese of the Anglican Church is the most Biblical based in Australia and possibly the world and the Archbishop is Dr Glenn Davies. Outside of that and its dear old Mother Church of England mainly Anglo Catholic
The Sydney Diocese has Moore Theological College and most Biblical based in Australia an respected in the world. Hated in Canada and Western Australia. Too fundamentally Calvinistic.
One of Moore's students was Dr Michael Youssef who obtained his Dr Divinity at Fuller Seminary in CA.
Our Rector Rev Bruce Morrison was in the same year as Michael; and leads our Bible Study.
We pray for Kim Jolly every week; everybody knows Kimmi and they'd love to meet her.
Thanks once again, Warren, for educating me about the church in Australia. If I'm not mistaken, Dr. Michael Youssef is still the pastor of an Anglican Evangelical church right here in Atlanta called Church of the Apostles. As they disagreed with the policies of the American Episcopal churches, they broke away from that diocese sometime in the '90s, I think, and affiliated themselves with the Sydney Diocese. Small world, isn't it? Blessings, Warren!
G'day Martha, Thank you Martha; I certainly didn't know that. I watch Michael's TV program "Leading the Way" on the ACC (Australian Christian Channel) on Pay TV; every Tuesday night when I return home from Bible Study.
That makes sense because Michael was doing Out Training at St. Thomas's Anglican Church North Sydney; right at the base of the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
Michael is my favourite on the ACC. I'll talk to Bruce about Michael next Tuesday night; as he went to Moore Theo College with him.
Bruce leads our Bible Study, which at the moment is Romans. :)
Beautiful!! :)
ReplyDeleteThank you, Aditi! Blessings!
DeleteThe Holy Spirit is and always has been there; from the day I accepted Jesus. He will never leave me. Many is the time I wish He wasn't there because God's way conflicts with mine often. They are the times I'm glad He will never leave me. Warren. :)
ReplyDeleteI think we've all felt that way, Warren, but I'm so glad He never gives up on me!
DeleteBlessings!
Beautiful Martha, simply beautiful!
ReplyDeleteThere's no way I could live a Christian life without the Holy Spirit's empowerment!
Love and blessings!
Thanks so much, Kim! Love and blessings!
DeleteG'day Kim,
DeleteYou're no different to me and you're so correct; in our natural state are spiritually dead and "objects of wrath by nature".
Jesus told Nicodemus; we won't spend our eternity with GOD in our natural self, John 3:3. Something must be done with us and again in John 3:4-6.
You ain't unique Kimmi; just like me and everybody else, we're all in the same bout.
Therefore; we haven't taken GOD by surprise, He knew we needed His intervention and Romans 8:5-17 tells us all about this hope in the Spirit. :)
Blessings Kimmi my Friend.
Wazza. :)
G'day Martha,
ReplyDeleteIt is impossible for me to be a Christian without the Holy Spirit I received at re-birth, turning to Christ (conversion if you will). Otherwise I'm still in my natural self and Spiritually dead. Eternally separated from God. So un-cool! :(
Romans 8:1-17; thanks to Our Bible Study led by our Rector Rev Bruce Morrison, is starting to make sense to me now.
Bruce is an authority and guest lecturer on Romans Acts and Galatians at Moore Theological College Sydney.
Luke is my favourite book; however at the moment I can't get my head out of Romans.
Thank you for your blog Martha; it's really cool as is Kimmi's :)
Warren.
Thanks so much for sharing, Warren! I've heard it said that Romans is a miniature Gospel - it's an amazing book which your reminder today makes me want to go back and read it all over again.
DeleteLove and blessings!
G'day Matha,
ReplyDeleteRomans is much more than a miniature Gospel; it is pure Doctrine, and one of Paul's first Books and the Gospels weren't written until later
It is all about "Salvation by Grace"; as the great Church Reformer Jon Calvin said "By Grace Alone".
This is in conflict with some Churches who in the past and still do who think they are the authority with their Transubstantiation; and they bring God down to us.
There is a High C of E over here who removed Romans from all their church Bibles.
As a reformer; Thomas Cranmer said before being burnt at the stake "It is by Christ Alone*.
The cynical Pharisees are still alive and well; nothing's changed much.
Regards Warren.
Hi, Warren!
ReplyDeletePerhaps it was a remiss choice with words to "mini" anything about Romans. The book encapsulates all of what it means to live in God's presence, to understand the salvation Jesus offers, and to embrace the Holy Spirit fully and completely. Thank you for clearing up the matter that it is the Doctrine of the Early Church. There is no doubt in my mind that it is.
I am beside myself to think that the Church of England has actually removed this precious gem from Bibles. Unthinkable and preposterous! Yes, the pharisees are alive and well in so many areas of Christianity, and it breaks my heart. One would think that once our Lord and Savior has broken our chains of sin and death, that we would be lining up in droves to spread His message of mercy and grace and forgiveness to everyone, not trying to keep the Good News to ourselves. What was it that Jesus told us? Not to hide our lamps beneath a basket? What good does that do?
None!
Humanity is fallen, on that I'm sure we agree. And, I will chime in with Paul that I am one of the chief sinners. If we fail to recognize that we all sin and fall short of the glory of God, we are doomed to a miserable life of deceit and self-righteousness.
Again, Warren, I appreciate your thoughtful comments so much. I'm sure, too, that your thoughts will be inspirational to so many of my readers.
Love and blessings!
G'day Martha,
DeleteI didn't mean that the whole Church of England trashed Romans from their Church Bibles; just one that I know of.
That is my Church; or these days known as Anglican of Australia. The Sydney Diocese of the Anglican Church is the most Biblical based in Australia and possibly the world and the Archbishop is Dr Glenn Davies. Outside of that and its dear old Mother Church of England mainly Anglo Catholic
The Sydney Diocese has Moore Theological College and most Biblical based in Australia an respected in the world. Hated in Canada and Western Australia. Too fundamentally Calvinistic.
One of Moore's students was Dr Michael Youssef who obtained his Dr Divinity at Fuller Seminary in CA.
Our Rector Rev Bruce Morrison was in the same year as Michael; and leads our Bible Study.
We pray for Kim Jolly every week; everybody knows Kimmi and they'd love to meet her.
Blessing Martha.
Thanks once again, Warren, for educating me about the church in Australia. If I'm not mistaken, Dr. Michael Youssef is still the pastor of an Anglican Evangelical church right here in Atlanta called Church of the Apostles. As they disagreed with the policies of the American Episcopal churches, they broke away from that diocese sometime in the '90s, I think, and affiliated themselves with the Sydney Diocese. Small world, isn't it?
DeleteBlessings, Warren!
G'day Martha,
DeleteThank you Martha; I certainly didn't know that. I watch Michael's TV program "Leading the Way" on the ACC (Australian Christian Channel) on Pay TV; every Tuesday night when I return home from Bible Study.
That makes sense because Michael was doing Out Training at St. Thomas's Anglican Church North Sydney; right at the base of the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
Michael is my favourite on the ACC. I'll talk to Bruce about Michael next Tuesday night; as he went to Moore Theo College with him.
Bruce leads our Bible Study, which at the moment is Romans. :)
Blessings to you Martha and Kimmi.
Warren.