Jeaniam

Since I quoted Eyesopen and was clearly responding to her, once again you're reading something into one of my posts that wasn't there, and once again I'm going to suggest that you read my posts carefully so you understand what I'm trying to say.

For one, I disagree with the idea that renewing your mind to the Word is an habit pattern that needs to be peeled away to get back to correct and healthy thinking. I believe that thinking about the Bible IS correct and healthy thinking. And I disagree with John that Rascal can still get her point across with poor punctuation. Anyone who has sat through PFAL knows how a couple of misplaced commas can alter the intent of a sentence. And, finally, I don't see why all of you seem to think that Rascal is incapable of standing up and speaking for herself (including Rascal).

I would have prayed for you if I had been aware of the problem. I'm certainly glad you're feeling better. I'm back and ready to resume. BTW we had a great time in Washington D.C.

The first usage in James 1:25 even in the KJV uses the phrase 'perfect law of liberty'. Jesus seemed to recognize the freedom in the law/Torah in various places in the gospels when he pointed out that 'the sabbath was made for man and not man for the sabbath' and other places. Good point.

Do you and Bramble really enjoy being victims as much as you appear to. You were 'victims' in TWI and now here you are being 'victimized' again just because someone disagrees with you (despite the fact the you initiate the confrontation just as often as not).

Well, considering that in that one post she made 15 errors in spelling and punctuation, maybe it was justified. Unfortunately, poor spelling and punctuation detract from the points she is trying to make, and cause her to look like an uneducated, or overemotional buffoon.

I think the definition we were once given says it about as well as anything. I also believe that it really is true that in order to operate discerning of spirits correctly, you must operate with a great deal of love.

Why don't you take your own advice? And BTW, why don't you learn how to spell or at least install a spelling program on your computer?

I also apparently have overcome most brainwashing. Downright amazing since I never knew I was brainwashed or had anything to overcome.

I think your point is very clear and I agree 100%.

I have learned a great deal from the book of James because I come from a family and church that make TWI on its worst day look like a leisurely stroll in the park. My family (and church) were so legalistic that when my sixth grade teacher played 'Jesus Christ Superstar' for my class, and I made the terrible mistake of enjoying it (and admitting it at dinner); the dinnertable 'discussion' or browbeating lasted until midnight (we sat down to eat at 5:00); and the fallout lasted for several weeks (my parents went to the schoolboard and demanded he should be fired, etc., etc.,). So I have had to learn not to condemn myself for every little mistake. Danny; certainly the new birth is not a license to live like the devil as even Paul admits in Romans 6:1&2, 'What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?'

I agree with both Sunesis and JavaJane that discerning of spirits is a real manifestation of holy spirit and that it works both ways to discern both good and evil spirits. Where I think it became bogus in some people in TWI, was when people began to see 'devil spirits' under every rock. This man in his late thirties has never been married (mostly because he gave so much of his life to TWI), so he must have an homosexual spirit. Another woman leaves her cupboard doors standing slightly ajar on a regular basis, she must have a disorderly spirit. My son, who is autistic, has no medical cause for his disability (as far as they knew at the time), so his father and I must have a spirit of error, and passed it on to him. This is what I mean by five-senses discerning of spirits.

I'm in.

I had the great privilege of having a B.C., who was in the second Way Corps, for several years, and he was a remarkably wise individual. I remember a teaching he gave on Psalm 51:6-12. 'Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit'. I have prayed prayers remarkably like that in my life, with some allowances for the difference in administration. I find it interesting that David prayed for the restoration of the 'joy of thy salvation'. I believe that we can never lose salvation, but sometimes we lose sight of the sheer joy of it.

Thanks, Larry. BTW, did my overly serious attitude kill off the thread. I really did enjoy the comments about nuts and eggs.

I have heard it said that a believer needs great love to accurately manifest discerning of spirits, in order to be able to love the person and confront the spirit. I think most of the so-called 'discening of spirits' in TWI was bogus and nothing more than five-senses discernment that had nothing to do with God. I was involved with TWI for more than twenty years and was only directly confronted with an evil spirit once. While I do absolutely believe in the presence of an evil spirit on that one occasion, I also saw many people who were badly hurt by the bogus discerning of spirits by the representatives of TWI.

And worthy of consideration. I brought it up because of the verse that refers to many Jews as 'thousands of Jews there are which believe; and they are all zealous for the law:' (Acts 21:20). It occurred to me that Jews might have special circumstances that would necessitate the reference to a 'Law of Liberty'. I have very little (or none) Biblically to back that up with except that it seems odd that the only two usages occur in a book written specifically to Jews (or Jewish Christians).

Is it significant that the only place in the Bible that the phrase 'Law of Liberty' is used is in the epistle of James, which is addressed to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, not to the body of Christ?

Once again, there was plenty of liberty in the law of Moses. The law of Moses was never intended, imho, to be a straightjacket, which Jesus Christ recognised in Matthew 12:1-13, culminating in verse 12,' How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days', and in Mark 2:23-28, 'And he said unto them, " The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath":'

In Matthew 1:19: Joseph is referred to as Mary's husband. BTW, didn't Larry cover much of this in a previous post on Hebrew marriage customs at the time of Christ (page 5, post 92). Aside from Joseph's meekness in being willing to raise Mary's son as his own, there is also the record in which Joseph had to take Mary and Jesus to Egypt in the middle of the night to rescue them from Herod (Matthew 2:13-16).

The question is irrelevant. Jesus Christ made it possible to have the law of liberty by fulfilling the law of Moses and still being willing to die. BTW there was plenty of liberty in the Mosaic law. The Mosaic law was concerned with telling people in great detail how to worship God and how to treat your neighbor; hence it could be consolidated into two great commandments: 1). Love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength 2). Love your neighbor as yourself

Can we get back to the original point of the thread "holy thing"anytime soon. I'm back from taking care of some of my technical difficulties. Thanks, one and all.

A golden pot of manna, Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant.

Not to be too captious, but may I inquire as to what the yellow of an egg has to do with anything?

I have no intention of getting involved in a trinity debate, because, in addition to their length, they become somewhat acrimonious and usually nobody convinces anyone of anything. I'm not really interested in budging and I would guess ChattyKathy isn't either. I am still of the opinion that Christ had Mary's DNA. It seems to me that one fact that supports that position is that Jesus Christ, during his time on earth, grew older. It seems to me to be logical that if he had chosen to not die on the cross that it is at least possible that he would have experienced old age and died in the natural course of events; so it seems at least possible that he had corruptible flesh during his time on earth. Is death in the DNA? Off the top of my head, I would answer 'Yes".