Walk With Me
Christian discussion of biblical topics, and a dose of daily application. Yes the Bible is still relevant, and we find out more and more each day how relevant it has always been.
Walk With Me
Thankful for Conviction: God's Word over Man's Doctrine
Unlock the transformative power of gratitude and discover how it transcends the Thanksgiving table to become a vital part of your everyday life. What if adhering to God's teachings could offer you unparalleled spiritual freedom, just as obeying workplace rules ensures a harmonious work environment? Join us on Walk With Me as we navigate the intricate relationship between personal convictions and biblical principles, urging you to grasp the full picture by reading scripture in its broader context. With the robust support of Straight Gate Ministries, we're just beginning our exploration of denominationalism and Christian living, setting the stage for many enlightening discussions ahead.
Through a captivating analogy involving hypothetical dress codes, we illustrate the unyielding authority of God's Word and its relevance in an ever-changing world. Imagine a scenario where God's command to wear blue shirts challenges both personal taste and societal trends, yet following it leads to a deeper sense of spiritual liberation. This episode underscores the importance of unwavering faithfulness to divine commandments and how such dedication can enrich your spiritual journey. Engage with us on social media, share your thoughts, and let's continue to cultivate a community grounded in gratitude and unwavering faith.
Hello everybody and welcome to today's episode of Walk With Me. I am your host, jj. It's so good to have each and every one of you here. I hope the audio sounds better. It certainly sounds better on this end.
Speaker 1:Thank you so much for taking the time to listen to this podcast. You could be listening to any other podcast, because there's so many of them. You could be doing any other thing or any other platform, but I thank you that you've taken just a few moments of your time to listen to this podcast. Thank you all to my sponsors. Thank you to Two Bars. Lyricist with the intro and outro. Thank you for Exquisite Creations.
Speaker 1:Who's going to be creating new swag, such as the Tumblr, and maybe even a t-shirt and a hat? I don't know, but I'm sort of excited. I'm kind of looking forward to still trying to push that. And yes, that unnamed sponsor is still out there. I'm just waiting for permission to be able to announce it. Also, this is the day after Thanksgiving, so I really hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving and I know it's going to date the podcast. They say don't date their episodes, but you know what?
Speaker 1:Thanksgiving is not just the last Thursday in November. It should be every day, every day, you should have something to be thankful for. Now, I get it if you don't want to have turkey every day, or ham or 19 different dishes that you're picking from every day and who's got time for that? But the core uh goal, the whole reason behind thanks, the holiday itself, is to be thankful. Keep all that other stuff out of it. It's about being thankful. Be thankful for the things you have been brought through, be thankful for things that are going to happen to you or with you, that God is going to help you with, and be thankful for those around you who made it through the last set of problems. Don't let any of that other stuff get into it. Stop letting the devil pollute the idea of the holiday. Right, it's the holiday, so, and we're going to talk about this one day maybe. As far as what the word holiday means, it means holy day, and I'm not saying you gotta walk around, sack off in ashes with your face turned upside down, but thanksgiving is a day of being thankful, and it should be. Every day you're thankful, but this day it should be a special layer of being thankful for everything that, uh, that you've been through, and I am thankful for each one of you who stuck with us through this journey that we're doing. Today we are.
Speaker 1:I'm finally going to answer a couple of you guys' questions. I kind of alluded to it last week what we're going to talk about, and I decided that it was just better to just wrap all this up to this Denominationalism series and to talk about some of the things that you know you guys are having questions about, like some people ask me. Well, jj, you mentioned you don't wear jewelry. Why don't you wear jewelry? Jj, how? How? My pastor says this how should a Christian dress? Or, if you're living for God, jj, you know what about this? Come as you are, and I've got all your questions, but we're going to wrap it up with this and this is not going to be a one episode thing. We're going to walk through it.
Speaker 1:The first thing that we always have to do is we have to settle the authority of who speaks. This is not JJ's doctrine. This is not something I just created, and let me just also say that, even if and I think I've said this before, but it's okay saying it again If God is giving you a conviction about something that goes above and beyond what is being taught to you at this point, as long as it doesn't contradict the word of God. So let's say, for example I'm just going to pull one out there let's just say you got a conviction about eating meat and it sounds good, and it sounds like it's above and beyond you know what you're probably being taught, but then it'll contradict some parts of the Bible where people ate meat. So you really have to be careful. On the other hand, if God tells you you know what I think I need to be more holy as far as getting closer to him, and I'm convicted in that I need to pray an hour a day. The Bible doesn't exactly say to pray an hour a day. The Bible doesn't exactly say to pray an hour a day, but it doesn't tell you not to. It doesn't contradict it. So when you have a conviction that is drawing you towards God, you should embrace it. Now, all of your convictions or thoughts, you should always weigh them against the Word of God, because that is the authority. It's not JJ, it's not Bishop Deacon, apostle Smith, it's the Word of God.
Speaker 1:So, with that being said, we do have a rule on this podcast. We're going to talk a lot about Scripture, because this Bible study. This podcast is all about the Word of God, about being able to read the Word of God and understand the Word of God and apply it, because every day we should be applying something right. So here's the rule you always want to read a verse or two above the scripture that we're talking about, a verse or two below the scripture that we're talking about, but preferably the whole chapter. Why? Because context is key. Context is key. Oh, you know what I forgot? I almost forgot to mention you. We are now officially a part of Straight Gate Ministries. I don't know what that means yet, but we are officially a part of Straight Gate Ministriesries and we're going to see where God takes us. So thank you all so much for your love and support and helping us get that started.
Speaker 1:So the initial question that came in regards to this denominational uh bible study series is really what end up? What we're going to end up wrapping this entire section? And it was how does god want us to look? And another person asked you know, does god really care what we wear? Now I I thought about the name of the episode Does he Care what you Wear? And I might end up doing that, but what we're going to do is we're going to ask the Word of God because that is our resource on what he wants us to do, how he wants us to dress on such a dress, and for me, I can just say that, personally, my conviction of the no-jurvy came before I found out about the scripture, and we're going to talk about it. I'm going to point your attention to it when we get there. But does God really care how you wear?
Speaker 1:Now, here's the issue. This is where a lot of people, whether they are mean-spirited or just trying to do the right thing, end up kind of putting this in the wrong context and they end up sort of appearing to be scornful when talking about this question. So let's take it step by step. The first thing we have to do is establish the authority of the Word of God, because I know it's my legal mind and this is what we're going to be judged by, which implies a legal setting. So the first thing we're going to be judged by, which implies a legal setting, all right, so the first thing we're going to do is go to Galatians 1, chapter sorry, galatians 1, chapter 1, and that's going to be verse 6 through 10. If you don't want to sleep on me and it's going to be Galatians, chapter 1, 6 through 10. Now, the first thing I'm going to do is read this through the King James version and then I'm going to read it again through the New Living Translation.
Speaker 1:Now, if you haven't noticed, I've started to warm up to the New Living Translation Because it sort of out of all the other newer translations. It maintains most of the impactful words that the King James does, but puts it in a more relatable way. So let's start. 6 through 10. I marvel this is in the King James Version I marvel that you are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ, unto another gospel, which is not another, but there be some that trouble you and would pervert the gospel of Christ. This, right here, is where we're starting to talk about denomination. Well, let's continue. But though we or an angel from heaven preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be a person. Now, that verse right there. That verse right there, is a very serious verse, and we're going to read it in a New Living Translation. You're going to see what happens.
Speaker 1:And, as we said before, this is verse 9, though I say now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you and that you have received, let him be accursed 10. For do I now persuade men or God? Do I seek to please men? For if I yet please men, I should not be the servant of Christ. Now let's read this same passage in the New Living Translation and you'll see why I'm starting to really warm up to this.
Speaker 1:I am shocked. This is Galatians 1, 6-10, new Living Translation. I am shocked that you are turning away so soon from God, who called you to himself through the loving mercy of Christ. You are following a different way that pretends to be the good news but is not good news at all. You are being fooled by those who deliberately twist the truth concerning Christ. You see, there's no patty cake language in this New Living Translation. It delivers the same well, maybe a little bit lighter touch than the King James Version, verse 8.
Speaker 1:Let God's curse fall on anyone, including us, or an angel, or even an angel from heaven, who speaks a different kind of good news than the one we've preached unto you. I say again what have we said before? If anyone preaches any other good news than the one you've welcomed. Let that person be cursed. Obviously, I am not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ's servant.
Speaker 1:Now there's some things I want to point out to you Now. This word, a person. In the King James Version, the New Living Translation, it just says let God curse. Now you have no idea and I have no idea what that really means. But what we don't want to do is find out.
Speaker 1:If you look up the definition of a curse, it's called anathema maranatha and I'm sure if you've been trying to be a Christian and living for God for any length of time, you've seen that word maranatha and living for God for any length of time, you've seen that word Maranatha. Anathema Maranatha means a gift that is offered up but rejected and consigned to eternal destruction. So that is a huge deal. That is a huge deal, folks, and by the gift that is offered up, that is your repentance, that is your soul, that is your praise, everything that you offered up. If you are anathema maranatha, you are a curse and consigned to eternal destruction. Now, what is eternal destruction? We talked about it a few weeks ago. It's hell and, yes, that is not the way you want to go, all right. So another thing I want to point out to you is verse 10.
Speaker 1:Obviously, I'm not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. You know, and I think what generally started to happen and this is why I don't really people may think I'm trying to crash down on denominationalism, but I think that's what happened People were trying to walk a fine line between getting approval of people and maintaining the approval of God at the same time. These things can't work. It's like trying to mix oil and water. You can stir as long as you want to, but as soon as you stop stirring, that oil and water is going to separate and it's just not going to work. And even Jesus said you have to choose who. You not going to work so, and you can. Even Jesus said you have to choose who you're going to serve. Are you going to serve God? Are you going to serve man? But no man can serve two men. So we started walking this fine line and what people are finding out through Bible studies such as this is that we have to get back to what God told us to do.
Speaker 1:And I also found it very interesting that Paul in this session, here, in this scripture setting, used the word gospel and I said well, you know what? We only have one gospel, so why would there be other gospels? Not okay, if any other man preaches a doctrine unto you, then let him be a person, and then it sort of distinguishes it between something a guy made up and what was given to all the apostles. But when you use the word gospel, it's because people are going to present this new doctrine or these wayward doctrines as gospel. And so, knowing that scripture in the way that it is, even in the New Living Translation, the good news if I wanted to, you know, deceive you, whether intentionally or unintentionally, I would also present it to you as if it was good news. You can do whatever you like, and God is still going to love you. You can dress however you want, and God is still going to love you. You can live any old kind of way and God is still going to love you. You can live any old kind of way and God is still going to love you. When the true good news, the true gospel, is if you repent of your sin and you turn away from this way you were living and you get baptized in Jesus name, then you can get the Holy Ghost and you shall receive to get the Holy Ghost. That is the actual good news. But we've started to create alternative good news, a fake good news.
Speaker 1:If you're so inclined to tell people that they can do this and do that because maybe they didn't agree with it, for instance and I'm just using, I'm just throwing this out here let's just say the Bible says that you have to wear a blue shirt on Wednesday. I don't agree with wearing a blue shirt because I don't really like the color blue. So I'm going to say well, you know what? I don't really mind if you don't wear a blue shirt on Wednesday. But you can't find that scripture in the verse. But you can see the scripture in the verse where it says thou shalt not wear blue shirts on Wednesday, or thou shalt only wear blue shirts on Wednesday, whatever that is. I'm drawing this to all of our attention, the same way it was given to me. We cannot deviate from the Word of God. On the other hand, the Word of God is not honorable, it's not overly cumbersome, because once you start to do it, you will find out that there is a spiritual freedom that comes with it. Okay so, and I know I know I'm going to get a couple people in the email box that says, oh yeah, but you know Jesus didn't preach, you know what to wear when he was in the Gospels and Jesus didn't say any of this in Matthew, mark, luke and John, where, when he was in the gospels and jesus didn't say any of this in in the matthew, mark, lutheran, johns, and jesus didn't say he used to say come on to me.
Speaker 1:Well, let me ask you something, folks. If, if you were to believe on something, you were to believe, uh, let's say, if you believed your boss on your job and your boss said you have to do this, this, this, this and this. You have to come to work on time, you have to do your job, you have to maintain peace with your coworkers, you have to be honest, you have to clock out. When you're told to clock out, you do those five things. You have a long career here. Just five things. And if you don't believe your boss, then you'll start coming to work late, you'll start blocking out early and you'll cause trouble with your co-workers and you'll steal. What will happen to you? You're fired. Why you didn't believe your boss. You thought you could do what you wanted to. This is the same concept. Does not nature teach itself to teach you some things? This is the same concept.
Speaker 1:On the other hand, if you come to work and just to kind of make the point I was making earlier about you know, above and beyond conviction let's say if you come to work and you do your job, you clock in, you're honest and you clock. Let's say you come to work and you do your job, you clock in, you're honest and you clock out when they tell you to clock out, and you keep peace within your coworkers but you're also willing to work as much overtime as they need. That's above and beyond right. If you, let's just say, if you happen to notice something that can improve the process, you can bring it to your supervisor's attention and they say Wow, jimmy, that's a great idea, diane, that's above and beyond. You get rewarded for that, but you still have to follow the basic rules that the boss laid out, right, okay. You still have to follow the basic rules that the boss laid out, right, okay. So there is no, there isn't. This is the same thing.
Speaker 1:Living believing in the Lord, jesus Christ, is going to be believing on what he said and what he told others to say and that other thing that he he's never going to contradict himself. So the thing that he tells someone else to say will not contradict anything in that Bible. It will not, even if we can come along and try to make a whole Bible study, try to explain it 440 pages of convictions. This is God's heaven, not our heaven, so we can't make up our own rules on how to get in there. Again, this thing is not like it's a past gospel or old, worn out. This is for us now, today, every day, now, until the rapture, if it's 2025 or 2025. It's whenever. That is.
Speaker 1:And what Paul? The last thing that Paul said in this is we cannot follow men and we cannot bend the gospel to men. I don't care if you agree with it or not, and I don't care if you yeah, I don't care if you agree with it. This is the word of God and we have to follow. I don't, I don't like going 20 miles an hour, but guess what? If I go 50 miles an hour in that 20 mile an hour zone, there will be consequences and repercussions. Same thing with the Bible.
Speaker 1:Now, unfortunately we don't have time right now to get into the first. You know standard, as it were. But we're going to talk about that and we're going to talk about that and we're going to talk about how more about how the word of God is the authority. Alright, we're going to cut it loose today because I don't want to start something and run out of time. I know you all have a lot of things to do. I do love you and appreciate you. I love having each one of you. I love the comments. I love the emails. We are now on X.
Speaker 1:I forgot to mention that in the beginning it's on the Straight Ministry because I couldn't put Straight Ministry in the tag. So it's at Straight Ministry and it's S-T-R-A-I-T ministry. Thank you all so much for giving me a like and a follow. Thank you so much for your comment and love. I appreciate you all. I see you all in the next one, oh and by the way. By the way, this is the holiday season. I almost forgot to say this. This is the holiday season. I almost forgot to say this. It's just a holiday season and the devil is out there telling people that you have to spend money to be loved, and you have to, and no one loves you. The devil is out there telling people this, so make sure you tell somebody that Jesus loves them, that you love them, and you know, let them know that they are meant to be man. Okay, love each and every one of you. See you all next week.