* Spiritual Outpost

This is normally my Prayer Blog, but I've decided to add a page where I can tack on other things, which (of course) is the page you are reading now :) For instance, the first section of this page is an outline of the Bible Study that Erik has been challenging everyone with.

Oneness with God Study Outline

This is for reference purposes only, so that we can all see the texts that have been studied. Because this is my first time through a summarized version of this study on Oneness with God, I will be adding new texts to this week by week, and I'm considering doing this study twice (we'll see about that). If I do take it a second time, I will add even more texts as the weeks go by. For those of you who have never been through the study, be prepared to be confused, even upset at times, but be sure that God is with you and He will guide you. Please email Erik with any questions you may have (if you email me, I'll just confuse you more)... Also, trust me, it takes a whole week just to digest everything, and to rest up from the experience of reading these passages (hmmm.... sounds a bit like Thanksgiving!). So, loosen those buckles, and, week by week, chow down on some good Spiritual food:

Week 1: John 15:1-17
Week 2: 1 John 3:1-12
Week 3: Galatians 3:26 to 4:7
Week 4: 1 Cor 2:6-16

Better yet, why not just show up to the Bible studies at Erik's? That's where the real fun (and sometimes even yummy treats!) is at! If you do come, be prepared to have your soul thoroughly searched.

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In The Beginning...
A Meditation on God's Word

In the Beginning was the Word Who Created Heaven and Earth, and we were without form and void and darkness was in the depths of our hearts, and God said "Let there be light" and the light shown forth in the darkness, and the world did not know Him, but the children of the light have known Him and seen His Father, who is in Heaven, and we are a New Creation, walking in His light which is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path as we walk through the Valley of the Shadow of death, we can fear no evil, for evil has no power over Him and He has overcome the world. Amen.

- From God to Me, July 7, 2005

(I want that on my tombstone, he he!)

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Why Do We Keep The Law?

There are several reasons that some religious people keep the Laws of God to the best of their knowledge. Please check all that apply to you personally, or mentally take notes.

1. Fear of Hell (fear of satan)
___ A. Fear of not being Savable if law is broken
___ B. Fear of losing Salvation if law is broken after baptism

2. Fear of God
___ A. Fear of losing privileges (good life & Heaven)
___ B. Desire of gaining privileges (same)

3. Fear of Man
___ A. Fear of being ridiculed by others who know the law
___ B. Desire to impress others who know the law

4. Love of Law
___ A. Recognition that it is for your own good
___ B. Belief that the Law will Save you
___ C. Reverence for the nation of Israel as God’s chosen people and therefore the Laws that God gave Israel

5. Love of God and Man
___ A. Desire to allow Holy Spirit to use the Law to teach you how to love God and man in every detail, every waking moment.

In the beginning chapters of Acts, and throughout the book of Romans, we learn that the Law is very important to God, but that we can not keep it perfectly while using our own human wisdom, which, while it may include severe devotion to trying to keep the law, it lacks true Love for God and others, as well as for ourselves. When we allow others in our religion or in the world to define how we should keep God’s laws, rather than allowing the Holy Spirit to teach us how to keep them more fully, we are legalists, because we are keeping the dead traditions of man as he has interpreted how the Law should be kept.

In short, we need to ask God to use His Holy Spirit to write the laws on our hearts, creating a new covenant of Love with us, so that we may always keep them in that Love and not be deceived into breaking them because of our lack of Love. This is the difference between religion and Spirituality. Religions always make up their own definitions of “the rules” (how we are supposed to keep God’s laws). Often, these rules are loosely based on scripture, but much “human wisdom” is sprinkled in for the sake of interpretation, and rarely does anyone directly ask God for answers. We depend too much on ourselves for knowing how to keep the Laws of God’s Love (all of His commandments). We need to depend more fully and directly on the Holy Spirit.
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General Texts For Study

This is just a textual musing section. If I find some text that helps me in this life, I'll post it here.

Romans 5:10-11. (We are justified in this lifetime and can praise God for this!)

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