The Narrow Path 7/7

Welcome to Arafat's radio broadcast.

My name is Steve Greg and were live for an hour each week.

The afternoon we take your phone calls for an hour and if you have questions about the Bible you want to bring up will talk about those. If you see things differently than the host have a different viewpoint. Feel free to call to balance comet glad to talk to about that to the number to call is 844-484-5737 that's 844-484-5737 and our first color today is Jim from Monterey and if it's the gym I think it is. He's been calling me for almost 20 years. I think hey Jim, luckily, now that he had that little bit of the disaster happen on my end here when you are already living in a care facility which yet and that really got hit with the coded on the okay so are you well know that the beginning and you almost 2 weeks ago and dad a bunch of my personal papers and my personal telephone directory got destroyed on Saturday. We can hear the whole story because we have a calls waiting that's I'm glad you're well and I know there's a lot of people who listened been listening long term who pray for you so sure the pray for about that gender question say that anybody that has my contact information I need them to contact me so that I can get back in touch with them all right okay and what's your question into the gym when I wanted dead at about is the millennial understanding of Revelation dead. The second coming immediately ended that what called the great white throne judgment exactly at how do things play out and the parties. The second coming of our Lord plaintiff Ararat okay now okay well the millennial view of course holds that the thousand year reign of Christ mentioned in Revelation 20 is symbolic for the present age now Satan being bound at the beginning is slots core sponsors. Christ, having bound Satan and his first coming as he said he did.

He said he had found strong and as it says in Colossians that he disarmed the principalities and powers diminish over them openly triumphing over them in his cross in Colossians 215. And of course in Hebrews 214. It says a Christ partook of flesh and blood so that he through death could destroy him have the power of the devil. The power of death, that is, the devil, so the Bible does say that Jesus destroyed Satan disarmed the Prince house and powers and bound Satan at his first coming. Now I realize that people have trouble picturing how that could be since the devil is still active in his Jesus never denied that he was, by the way, you know, it was after it was after Jesus said that he had found the strongman that Satan in fact inhabited the Judas Iscariot, and so forth. So to say that he had bound him or that he defeated him or that he disarmed does not mean that Satan is no longer, or that Satan has nothing to do but these are figures of speech, and I don't have time right now to explore what those figures of speech means I do in my lectures.

If you're interested listening to them, but I would just say that it's it's equally a figure of speech. In Revelation 21 it says the Dragon has a chain and is thrown into a pit and a lid on and so forth. It's the same kind of image coming different images for the same thing.

So the idea is that when Jesus was here he defeated Satan, and for the past couple thousand years, which is represented by the thousand year reign thousand years Manchester emblem for a long time without any suggestion of actual length of time it ends. You say when is the parody of the pair is the comes after the little season at the end we read in chapter 7 and chapter 20 verse seven that Satan is loosed for a little while, at the end and he goes out and wreaks havoc and at the end of that time light our fire from heaven comes down and destroys segments in chapter 20 verse nine so the fire from heaven to destroy Satan and the wicked, millennial's would identify with the fire. Paul said were to come to Jesus second coming in second Thessalonians, 18 it said that Jesus will come in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who don't know God and who disobey the gospel so we have the binding of Satan. At the beginning of the thousand years with a little while, at the end 20s loosed and then the fire from heaven, which is the second coming and that the great white throne judgment happens at that time in the next chronological thing after that would be the new heavens and the new earth. So on the millennial view we are in the midst of that. It is symbolically described there in those terms. Or we might even be in the little while that Satan is loose.

Some people think that we are not sure how we would know me and Satan seems to be very active now but he's been active throughout history week. I guess time will tell but at the end of the present time is when the fire from heaven comes down and consume Satan and those who are with him that I believe probably is the second coming of Christ. Sikora sponsor perfectly with Paul's language about the second coming and then we have the great white throne judgment occur at at that time. Okay, I appreciate your call. Jim Lynn from Kenmore, Washington.

Welcome to the narrow path extra calling. I maybe under you yesterday or the day before someone had called Dan and asked about the commandment and I thought you had said something about them not applying now in the New Testament. And I was confused about that because I thought it had said in the New Testament that if you love God you would obey his commandments. Just let me that she said you love me you keep my commandments.

Okay okay pricing aren't aren't those commandment the 10 Commandments know there's hundreds of commandments in the Bible in the Old Testament.

There's like 12 612 of them and in the New Testament, Jesus gives his commandments. Also how Paul makes a distinction between the laws given through Moses and the laws given by Christ in first Corinthians 9 I think verse 21 he talks about the difference in how he's not under the law of Moses, but he is under the law of Christ. So the law for the Christian is under is Christ's commandments not not the commandments that came through Moses.

Now the 10 Commandments as a body of law was part of the old covenant and so that's why that's why they are not ever were never committed in the New Testament keep the 10 Commandments. Specifically, we are told, of course, that we are to follow the commands of Jesus and and if you do, you will be in line with many of the commandments and the 10 commands because they embody not simply an original law, the dog, it is rebutted out your standard of morality is universal. I mean if you if you follow the teachings of Christ and some point shall be you falling in line with some of the things in the Old Testament to because there are some things that are always true whether you live before or after the coming of Christ. Some things are always morally wrong, and in fact you find yourself in agreement with many secular laws to because many secular countries have it's illegal to murder, for example, or to steal and also if if Jesus says don't steal or don't murder. It's not strictly because it's in the 10 Commandments, but because that's a moral code that, of course, tomorrow the 10 commands agrees with it and so does Jesus and so do many other societies agree with everyone should morals. Then it can commandment our mayor one that no longer apply. Well the sadness is not a moral law, and it was to be a sign between God and Israel side of the covenant he made at Mount Sinai. Now we not under that covenant. So the Sabbath would not have the same relevance to same thing. Circumcision. Circumcision was a sign of Israel to is descended from Abraham whose first circumcising. It was a sign of their covenant that he made with them required to decide a Sabbath day either Saturday or Sunday.

Is that your understanding that is my understanding of the there's nothing nothing in the New Testament recommends that you set aside any given day for anything.

I okay okay thank you for clearing that up.

I appreciate that all right. Thank you for your call all right or next caller is Scott in Salt Lake City. Hi Scott, welcome to the two questions very quick standard version.

I've heard you recommended above and beyond even English.

That is good you think that is producer the new American Standard, for example, the new King James read a better like to ask is I have a problem with the new American Standard version of the Bible is not its accuracy. It can't be criticized in any way protect the most accurate versions that I would think we know, but I have a problem because it is too pedantic that is too many large words validated instead of made void instead of you have adversary very often stanch it all or has putrefaction. Why Lockman foundation in Southern California prepared it to be something about it. While I'm not sure I would find those to be the most good examples. I think the new American Standard is difficult to read for other reasons than that I think I think it's choppy. I think it's ever since. It was good ever since, was published in the complaint has been that it's choppy and that's that. It does follow so closely the Greek and Hebrew text. Whereas most translations deviate from the Greek and Hebrew is much as they need to have it in order to you know make make it more readable to an English translation, but I do not mean I'm not sure that the words you gave would be found to be difficult for most people. Some people perhaps are probably putrefaction is and is very commonly but I don't know that the word stanch issues very commonly in common speech jamming people would understand and prevent problems and both I can't tell you I do know that's but one thing I mean I like the ESV pretty well. One thing I have against it is that they don't use any italicized words. I think that's not very good because you traditionally Bible translations have put words in italics that are not found in the Greek or Hebrew text so that the reader will know that they've added that yeah so the DSP for some reason I am. I was very surprised when those that they don't use any italicized words so that's that's a defect in that translation is the worst thing that could happen, but not necessarily mean II read to me reading the new King James is pretty easy course I grew up in the King James. I don't find the King James R. Some people do. So my students sake. I moved to the new King James which is even easier to read. Yet you know why I like the new King James. I can't say it's better than the NASB course. One thing that people will have to debate is whether the New Testament manuscripts used by the King James version. The Texas receptors are are better or worse New Testament for men scriptures by the NASB's so that's that's can be an ongoing debate. I'm sure you because of those verses are also in the King James are not totally everyplace else contains right of the person dropped out when you because that is because of the Texas receptors. That is exactly appreciate your call. All right, Travis in San Diego. Welcome to the neuropathic circling I'm well thanks pastors talk about politics church but not have that talk about politics. Every Sunday now think about looking for another church politics and see is he talking about specific candidates and politicians are the target subjects that you think are more of a pull on a political side that I said about evidence, but a lot of bad debts, mostly well yeah I think that I think that churches can become to too wrapped up in political concerns to the point where they forget that we Christians have a unique response to matters in the world and now he's teaching specifically with the Scripture says that we should do. I don't think is going wrong at all with a patch pastor giving practical biblical instruction about what to do in something that's her current situation. For example, if we were in Nazi Germany. I would expect pastors to take teacher congregations and what the Bible says about you know treating people badly like it like the Nazis between the juicy running.

If there's some kind of looming issue that everyone in the congregation is facing in and the pastor knows that they got concerns about it to apply biblical comfort biblical teaching to the congregation to the in terms that situation makes sense to me now. On the other hand, there may be times when Christians need to unitedly raise their voice in protest against something that someone might call a political question, but it might really be a matter of loving your neighbor as you love yourself because of course that is a Christian duty to let her near vision of yourself and see your neighbor is being deprived of his freedom letter saying or deprived of justice, love for your neighbor is certainly something that would make us concerned for that. And if there's something we have to do about it. Pastor might well you know mobilize Christians.

In doing so, however, I do think that there is a real danger of a pastor becoming so wrapped up in politics or some especially nowadays so many very emotional issues are on the table and thing it seems like something new every few weeks. I'm afraid if the pastor concerned himself with everything that's getting riled up in politics that he might never get around to no teaching the scriptures. But, of course, politics simply means governing and we are an unusual nation in history in before America was founded.

Most nations had kings and this the subject and really having to say about how the nation was governed. They just had to put up or shut up. Where is America was founded to make the populace. The main governing body that is we select congressmen and presidents and so forth are we and we replace them, and so forth as we wish mean this is an unusual's political situation and since were all governing in our votes you know are a form of government, and so forth that week. That is were deciding on policies and sulfur that other people live under. I know that a lot of people when they vote, they may think strictly of how will this affect me and they may be very selfish and development really a Christian is be thinking about not just how things will affect me, but how will affect my children, my grandchildren and my neighbor and you know if that for example if you were a if you are the president of the United States let's put it differently so you are the king and in a monarchy somewhere and you became us committed Christian well in the position of being the ruler being a committed committed Christian would involve some very specific duties to govern justly and righteously of self-worth and in seeing American citizens in a sensor in that position were not kings per se, but we do make policy. We do choose leaders. We do govern as a as a populace and now Christians can stay aloof from that if they want to put it on the other hand, it may be that we should see it as a stewardship just like if I inherited a fortune for inherited a lot of money that most people don't have. I would have more responsibility in stewarding that because it's God's money. Then somebody who doesn't have much.

Likewise, if I have more freedom than other people in other nations have. There's probably a stewardship responsibility that goes with that so I can see pastor saying you know we have responsibility to our fellow man enter the kingdom of God to promote righteousness to promote justice and in peace.

If possible you know and how to do what we would want done to us for our neighbors.

That's certainly the great commandment that Jesus gave so I'm saying that there are it is difficult to do one's duty in the pulpit without addressing the political questions that Christians are in some sense regarded be stewards in and respond to in a Christian way, but I think I seriously doubt that the early church. You know, in the pulpit that they talked about the persecution of time we got together about the Romans and the Romans were doing against them and so forth. They might might have, but I think they try to build up the church with the word of God primarily it's a hard balance. I'm sure I personally don't get into politics very much in my teaching on its there's plenty in the Bible to teach without it, but I don't*not silent on the subject of politics, either because frankly the Bible is silent on so whatever the Bible teaches. So I don't know about your pastor.

Maybe he he might be leaning a little too far in that direction. I don't know but some pastors maybe don't leave far enough some some may stay far away from addressing issues where there there congregations really have some duty before God to take some kind of action for the sake of their fellow man. Because remember Christian is not just for getting us to heaven.

It's about doing to others as we want done to ourselves as well. So what we do our fellow man is going to be what were judged by Jesus, that is, inasmuch as you do it to the least of these my brethren, you do it to me and in the parable of the sheep and the goats. Those who did poorly or even neglected to do good to their fellow man were the goats and they went into eternal punishment, assessment, those who ministered to those in need and cared for their fellow man. They were doing it under Christ, and he said no, inherit the kingdom prepared for you so you know we we are in a different situation than people in the Bible times were or through most of history that we actually do have some governing power as voters and out in a free voice to speak, even against the establishment.

If we need to most Christians didn't have a lot of freedom in that area, but we do and so we have some response website like I'm kind of sympathetic to a pastor who understands that and who seeks to disciple his people into the proper response in the proper and in the present political millions but on the other hand, I certainly can go over if you don't want to hear the kind of preaching.

Maybe this maybe you should find another church because I mean some people just don't be bothered with it. I don't wear again and that's very possible. People walked out and evaluate whether every week. He may be going too far.

Is anyone talking to him about no someone should some should say you know and whatever you feel you need to say about politics. It was a church really need to be fed with the word of God and Hitler feeling malnourished here and think of going somewhere else he may, it may be a blind spot or maybe he's doing it deliberately maybe say well you go somewhere else. I don't know.

I don't know your pastor did nobody go to church. But the point is you don't have to stay in that church.

If it's not can it be feeding the correct other governorship. Thanks for your call to find all right see David Farber, can you take your call if necessary, can hold you over through the brick welcome paper and it didn't look anything on your website. It would help me out. I came out of Spokane Washington. I was raised in the Catholic Church in a Catholic school with holy water height discipline Alana Nasser sufficiently. I left their lever and then they ended up in the shepherding movements: Fort Lauderdale 570s yes it was like 1982 that have. I was there, what indicating they came to Spokane asserted Calvary Chapel. I really liked it and he left I left and I've had a hard time pledging my roots anymore. I got it. Some people my life is different.

She pleases God's loving and kind, and every I think you notepad taken down my balance. So there's anything I can look at maybe did you just recently moved from Spokane to Fallbrook, California get it… Yeah right yeah for free before know what are you looking for churches that the fingering arm well I like to find a church of the Calvary Chapel but to the virus openly know area where I live so I try to Bible study.

I actually know a really good home fellowship in Fallbrook but I can't. I wouldn't be giving out the information over the air you want to email me if you email me before you have I not know. Okay steve@thenarrowpath.com is is one place that you might want to go to and an email me and ask about your churches in the area as far as my lectures, but I do know I don't know which ones will be the better ones for you at all. As you listen to my series called some assembly required.

I have churches yes loving and kind and I know you. Sorry for the right of the bad, and I keep taking brief Jeff Bogart. Elder got it to take notes in mind going well. I'm not sure which of my lectures would address that most are you still thinking too much and Roman Catholic categories in your mind. Unfortunately, I think I am okay with others. I have some debates with Roman Catholic leaders at the website say just to search through just through the debates on my website and the lectures and then email me if I getting more for you to take a break. Thanks for your call listening to the narrow path radio broadcast. When you take a break, but we have another half-hour ahead so don't go away. We are listener supported. If you go to our website.

It's the narrow.com. You can donate from there. But everything's free@thenarrow.com is the gate and narrow is the path that leads to life continued everything in today's media show is over and enjoyed my visit in the narrow path.com find free topical audio teaching blog article writers teachings and narrow path rethinking for supporting the listeners. Now, Pat, Steve, Greg, remember the narrow.com narrow path radio broadcast Steve Greg were alive for another half hour taking your calls. Our lines are full but if you want to take this number down a call later in the half-hour you may be up to get through the numbers 844-484-5737 that's 844-484-5737 Rodney in Detroit, Michigan. Welcome to the narrow path. Thanks for calling all three quick questions and responses, and understand and listen to you. I know that debating is that the first question is question is Genesis 11 it says in the beginning God created the heaven and the nightly. I'm getting the King James Bible and in the beginning God created the heaven and the earth and I have asked my first question. My first question is why do people say heaven when I read it in the King James it says heaven singular. So I'm wondering why people say heaven again in my mind.

Thank God created the heaven they like maybe the place where he plow. That's my first question.

My second question is got a call yesterday that we I think he was surprised that Mary or John could be 12 or 13 years old and I know I can second Kings 22. It said that Manasseh when he rang that he said that he started his rain at 12 years old and I like to 12 years old. I like were thinking like today like a little 12-year-old and then the last question is my last question, I just listen to about my last question is Revelation 20. Talk about the binding of Satan and it says that when he found he is not able to deceive the nations how could that relate to the what you would say that present binding is when obviously you can read deceive the nations today and I just listened all your answers okay signal okay now is Genesis 11. The Hebrew actually says in the beginning God created the heavens plural and the earth.

The King James might've no matter know why they would change that to just heaven but the heavens is an expression that is used of the starry heavens, generally speaking, in Scripture. And so the what we might call the universe so that's why most translations have rendered heavens as far as whether Manasseh was literally 12 years old when he began during yes, he was his father Hezekiah was dying and God was going take his life and Hezekiah prayed for more time or more extensions. Life and God gave him 15 more years of life and 20 when he was into the third of those years he had a son Manasseh. So 12 years later Hezekiah died and his son became king size literally 12 years old there actually Kings and Josiah phone #is eight years old when he became king.

At least I know there are things that became king when their very young. That's not normal, but if they were in line for the kingdom they would be officially the King and then they would be counseled by adults at least until they were mature enough to make wise decisions themselves is Revelation 20 say that Satan is bound so that he cannot deceive the nations anymore.

Well that is in fact the change that took place when Jesus rose from the dead, and commanded his disciples to go and make disciples of all nations. Prior to that all the nations were totally ignorant of that is they didn't have any Revelation from God.

They were in the darkness they lay in the lap of the wicked when it said in first John and so in the nations where the devils territory. They were his new limited marriage is his and and only Israel was the Lord. So God gave revelation of himself to Israel through the prophets of the law and so forth. And he sent Christ to Israel, but the nations that meets the Gentiles.

They were not God's people.

They were the devil's people and he had dominion over them to keep them in total deception because they were not visited by divine revelation.

Now when Jesus rose from the grave, having conquered Satan and said to the disciples all authority in heaven and earth has been given dominion over the whole planet not just Israel and the whole universe is his. He said now go and make disciples of all the nations, and hundreds the nations are no longer the devils dominion.

He can't deceive them like you did before he he. They are now going to be invaded by the truth by the light by the gospel and they are to be discipled. So this is the change that took place. The devils prevented from stopping the nations from hearing the truth.

That's the binding that I think is referred to now if you say, but aren't the nation still deceit well. People are deceived. There are people there always people even in Israel who were deceived, Israel and the nations all had individuals would say, but the nations as a block that is the Gentiles is in contrast Israel.

They were totally in the darkness they are not anymore. The truth is come to all the nations now through the gospel and that's as a result of Christ's commission is disciples after his resurrection to go out and take from Satan. Those that had been his captives now of course anyone who wants to can reject the truth and remain in deception. Anyone can deceive themselves or allow Satan to deceive them because they prefer to be deceived. That's it. That's a different issue.

What's been stated here's a global thing is not real. Revelation 20 is not talking about individual people's talking about nations as a block of the global population. The Gentile world and Satan doesn't have the hegemony over those nations. Now he doesn't have the ability to keep them all in deception because Christ is claim them has authority over them, and he's commissioned his church to go and enlighten them so that's what it's talking about about his not being able to deceive the nations anymore.

All right, let's talk to Richard from San Diego Richard. Welcome to the narrow path lexicon this morning to McGee and that he was talking about the ark and he was describing it, how we built and what it look like you know the current status of the as far as location is anyone do we have a Indiana Jones who still looking forward to it. It just been laid to rest well this series about it though. No one knows for sure where it is. There's a church in Ethiopia that has claimed to have the ark of the covenant within it for centuries and you know that no one is allowed to going it's too sacred so there are I think armed guards their guards anyway.

Around the place of the coin and see if it's there or not. They claim it's there. I have no reason to believe that it is. Although I can't say that I have excellent reasons to insist that it isn't. It might be, there might not be but Jeremiah according to Jewish tradition, took the ark down into Egypt. When he escaped from Jerusalem before June before Nebuchadnezzar came and destroyed the temple.

Jeremiah rescued the ark from the temple. According to Jewish tradition, took it with him down to Egypt so it may just you know eventually just succumbed to the elements. It may have been buried in sand dunes from sandstorms or whatever it may have been dismantled or it might be in that place and in the church in Ethiopia for all I know now there's other people make different claims about it, but apparently it's not important for us to know where it is and it would be something very excited about the possibility that could be found. But the Bible indicates it's it's irrelevant because it's the ark of the covenant. That means the old covenant and there's now a new covenant, so there's no need for the ark of the covenant anymore and in Jeremiah. It actually said in verse 16 that it shall come to pass. Jeremiah 316. Then he shall come to pass, when you're multiplied an increase in the land that in those days, says the Lord, that they will know more say the ark of the covenant of the Lord, it shall not come to mind, nor shall they remember it, nor shall they visited, nor shall it be made anymore so basically saying the ark of the covenant will be pretty much obsolete in this. The passage that's about the new covenant, the coming of the new covenant so if they found it would be an artifact of interest, but wouldn't have any religious significance, and it never had never had the supernatural powers that were claim for Indiana Jones. It would appear to me that it would just rock the world. This was found in the contents will be revealed, and it would still be nonbelievers and all, but it still would just I can see the television shows and everybody will just rock everybody in it would just be fascinating that it would be one of the most fascinating archaeological discoveries probably ever will.

Thank you very much for that. Okay Richard thanks you call okay TJ from Oceanside California lotto California calls today hi TJ, welcome. I got a question they wanted desperately to talk about in chapter 2 laid aside his ability or the power of God being in very nature God laid it aside when he was here on earth but then walked around doing miracles and great walking on water. My question is how to be doing miracles with God laid aside, then with that like one of the implication for what we believe about miracles today because he wasn't widely believed, like, walk around not proving that he could do miracles all the time. She wasn't God… But you want to know how you did it with okay now we're talking slickest chapter to begin in verse five it says let this mind be in you which also is in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God did not count equality with God thing to be grassed, but says he emptied himself and took on himself the form of a servant, and came in the likeness of men. So he emptied himself, sometimes people understand that to mean he emptied himself of his divine powers. There are some who believe it means he emptied himself simply of his glory that he came down and basically lived in an un-glorious human form and he of course at the end of his life or that he would be returned to the glory that he once had with the father. Some people do not agree that he laid aside his his divine powers when he can I do the that's called the connotative theory. The work analysis is the wording the original.

It means emptied.

He emptied himself. Now the question is what to the empty himself of well one thing we can see is that there are divine traits that the father has in it which we have to some Jesus had winners in the form of God, which he did not possess.

When he was on earth now one of those great invisibility. He was invisible before. But Jesus was a visible man. Another one is that the omnipresence Jesus was not everywhere he was only one place at the time he had to move around on foot like anyone else from one place to another.

Another is that he wasn't omniscient. The Bible says he had to learn as a child he increased in wisdom and stature, so forgive the educated learn to read and so forth, like anyone else. It was not omniscient.

In fact, himself, said when he was asked for when he would come. He said well I don't without the Angels don't know and I don't.

Note that the father so clearly, Jesus said he was not omniscient and he was not omnipotent. He said I can do nothing except what the father in shows me to do and so also he is not immortal. He could die. God cannot die.

So there's a lot of things about Jesus. I got that were different and say he laid aside his privileges as God seems to mean that he did lay aside what we might call the divine attributes of of Majesty and an trimmed himself down to human size so that he shared in our handicaps and weaknesses and that means he didn't. I carry with him the innate ability to to do miraculous things. So how did he do them all the same way the apostles did later, through the Holy Spirit. Jesus said if I cast out demons through the Holy Spirit, then the kingdom of God is come upon you and Matthew 1228 so we know that he was saying that that is so I'm testing out is through the Holy Spirit. It says, and after his baptism in Luke chapter 4 that he returned to Galilee in the power of the Holy Spirit and it says in acts chapter 1 that Jesus after his resurrection even know Ashley before his resurrection. Think it says after he'd given instructions to his disciples through the Holy Spirit. So Jesus acted through the Holy Spirit. He came as a man with human handicaps and human weaknesses and even mortality.

He could even die. But he but he was filled with the spirit from his baptism to and being filled with the spirit, the gifts the Holy Spirit apparently operated through him.

Now the straws of the apostles. Yes, I mean the fact that Jesus did miracles does not prove that he had not laid aside his divine powers because the apostle did miracles to and they didn't have innate divine powers.

They have the Holy Spirit, just like Jesus did. So that's what I am standing that is true of us to every Christian is supposed to be filled with the Holy Spirit but not every Christian is to do miracles. Not every Christian in the early church did miracles, the apostles did miracles and a few others.

Stephen and Philip are said to miracles, but apart from them and maybe Ananias laid his hands on Saul.

We only find in the book of acts. Miracles being done by apostles. So we don't see all the Christians doing miracles. But we do see as Paul put it that every Christian has a gift. Every Christian is part of the body of Christ.

Some have as Paul put the gift of working miracles. Jesus obviously did Paul did to them so that the apostles generally, but not anyone has a get to work a miracle. Some people have the gift of giving some of the gift of help. Some have the gift of leading cement gifted teaching some of the gift of prophecy.

Some have other gifts. There's plenty of gifts miracles is only one of them. So how this applies to us.

Jesus operated through the Holy Spirit's power when he was filled with the spirit and under the guidance of his father.

So to the apostles. They offered through the Holy Spirit's power under the guidance of Christ, the head of the body, and that's what were supposed to do to so you know Jesus did take on human weakness and although God the father never lacked any of his powers will Jesus on earth.

Jesus himself had taken on human weakness and I think it's fair to say that he laid aside some of those divine attributes of of of magnitude like omnipresence and omniscience. And on nip at Simpson terminology and suffer immortality.

He didn't even possess the he didn't have all power because he became weary and slept in a boat and it was hard to wake him up because he was exhausted so he what we have to say that when Jesus knew people's thoughts or when he prophesied her when he did a miracle or healing or cast out demons. He was doing that by the power of the Holy Spirit and he himself said so. So that's how I understand not only the situation of Jesus laid aside his privileges, but also of how that impacts us because we also to be filled with the same spirit that he was all right appreciate your call.

Let's try to get some more calls and before you run out of time here Michael from Texas.

Welcome to the narrow Recalling a lot of topics that you have here came to be the highly theoretical proposition on side look up and get something practical working in my readings of the New Testament.

I sense that this idea of going in is something that's very important for the local recently and I have not really witnessed this in any great measure in any of the churches that I've been to of been terrible idea of the denominations and sizes. The church I found that most churches that are smaller seem to approach a handsome, clean, and yet better than the bigger churches, but I wonder if you could just comment about how important you think that is an somebody work trying to foster an environment church work will Based basic principles would you want to apply to see that actually fleshed out and no I'm thinking of the things that that the monastics seem to have a certain amount of that. I know they had their problems that they had some very strict rules about their community and the possessions that the monks could have and you know I'm sure that would open up the criticism of legalism and I know a lot of evangelicals would like to criticize him movement, but I think there were some things that were admirable about it, especially with respect to corner near and also the modern church seems to have tried to address this through cell groups or small groups, and I think that it's really artificial and that's what I'd experienced with the church that I've been to so anyway comment about that yellow cleaning of course is the ordinary Greek word for common or having something in common that coin a Greek is from the same root coin, a Greek means common Greek and Cornelia refers to having something in common.

If we have, according any of the spirit that we have the spirit and, I think the idea in the New Testament is that we have the life of Christ in common and therefore its manifest in the body and community life as a body in the sense of the body of Christ which have different gifts and service into previous caller and and also those expressed in community not in church meetings per se.

Now some people say well you know the problem I have with the church meetings is that only a few people's gifts or showcase the preacher and maybe scarce things are some like that and nobody else. Gift is Memphis well I can see the complaint and that, except that most gifts are not manifest specifically in the church meeting Anita prophecy is teaching is maybe a word of wisdom, word of knowledge might be or might be outside the meeting. The idea of the church in the early church is that the people our community when they have meetings together. That's just one tiny tiny part of their life together.

You know get together and maybe maybe sing a song in here a sermon and have a meal together and maybe leaving to that every day but they were they had life together they they shared the goods the you know they had all things common. Now having all things common.

As we read of it in the New Testament might sound like a monastic kind of a situation where no one owned anything but we do find throughout the book of acts of people had houses and people had you know things tools.

Paul had tools and suffer first-rate but what they had was a common hard I think I think the Cornelia was that in their own minds. They didn't own anything it says in acts chapter 4 that no one said that the things he possessed was his own and is there were people would need they would sell stuff that even extra properties they had to bring it to be distributed to the poor.

This is there there bearing a common burden and a common heart with the whole community because they saw themselves as a family and as a body, or one member suffers, all suffer where one is exalted all rejoice. Paul said, and so in a church community where he witnessed that actually lives out as I certainly will. I have but it's rare I have on me will back in the Jesus movement in the 70s I lived almost my entire single life in Christian community houses. They weren't so common per situations, but they were Christians sharing housing in life together held meals together and had meetings together outside. In some ways to a monastic type right I mean right that we didn't have any requirement to the return and other goods are in thing like that ever was right for their own things. Yeah, I lived in community like that many much of my single life and even some amongst my married life, but but actually there was a church in Idaho. I was in wants that that was very much. I think what church are to be in terms of corn near me and everybody was pitched in together to build a house for one of the members who didn't have money and so forth and we paid each other's rent and we met each other's needs and so forth mean, you do find that nearly very rarely. Some of the Mennonite and Amish groups. I think they have extra certain sense of bed. So that's my concern is that I don't I don't see that in in any of the churches that I've been in. I look around at different churches that I could go to work. I should not use the word church I should say local assembly and Annie. I don't see that happening and you know like you said you lived in a house so one principal there would be just geographic proximity and I certainly don't see that in any of these churches that I've been helping anything they drive and we got a problem in in modern society and that is we live very far from each other because we can drive him go. We could got a half-hour to church or longer if it's it's it's a meeting we like that we don't were not very close to the people who are in the church. They live on, over and over. Maybe 100 mile diameter spread and they're not in close proximity, and for that reason, maybe for other reasons.

It's very hard to find a sense of community in modern Western society.

I mean, for one thing people move all the time mean something looks for a decade or so but but there's a lot of people move around every few years and so you don't really become attached to people they and you know they don't become dependent on each other and so intent to treat the first century church spread out it was possible for them right on the Internet that a cultural thing that we can expect to have church leadership should be concentrating more on that thing you know we have 10 families here and there together pretty close, and it family that wants to join at least 30 minutes away. Let's start another assembly that people are more closely I think it's a great idea. That's a great idea and and then the people who go this and we would live near each other and could go have meals together and get into each other's lives somewhat. A lot of people are so accustomed to not having sensitive and become such loners that they almost reared reason resent somebody getting too close to me they would they like to have somebody to go out for a cup of coffee with, but they don't want someone you know examining how well they're doing in their marriage, in which a Christian should be able to do.

You know – it should be involved in each other's eyes the point where they can encourage each other and counsel each other and each other's Saturdays are right, exactly. So I mean that that should be an and yet there's a mentality in the modern West and it's it's it's a very radical independent spirit and some of it become necessary because families don't stay together and friends move on and so forth.

And churches are you you go to church with people who live 30 miles in the other direction from where you live, and so forth and I think it's just one of bad things about our mother's I met seems inevitable. I don't know how to fix it artificially, but like you set up for pastor to say hey we got 10 of our families live over 20 miles over to the South. Here in roughly the same. Everyone we just have you people start meeting down there together so you can get into each other's chest, the great idea and I've seen implemented start another church and try to build it on the church growth model and you know have 2000 members at the church and then everybody had to disconnect the same problem though problem I have to go. Michael is good to hear from you. I'm sorry we can't solve that problem right now think I'd like to be in listening to the narrow path radio broadcast my name Steve Greg and we are live Monday through Friday at the same time. If you've never heard before. Just mark it on your clock set your alarm and listening at this time and we are also online. You can hear from the website or from our free because our website is the narrow path.com. We are listener supported.

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