Month: July 2013

2013-07-30 More – Reasoning together

Ben's Blog / By

ACH Study Groups

Ben & Fran Gilmore – Cofounders

7659 Gingerblossom Drive

Citrus Heights, CA 95621

916-722-2501 histbuff@garlic.com

www.ACHStudyGroups.com

July 30, 2013

This is a letter to our friends –

More – Reasoning together

Christ was asked, “What is the greatest commandment?”

He replied, “Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and all thy mind.”

He added – The second greatest commandment, “Love thy neighbor as thyself.”

He said everything else hangs upon these two commandments – Love God / Love others.

[MT 22:35-40; MK 12:18-31; LK 10:25-28]

I define “love” = Wanting the very best for the loved one. [John 3:16]

All the rest of the rules for life are wrapped up in these two simple commandments. Each of us, in our own special ways, has managed to make it seem a lot more complicated!

God created three human organizations to help us understand these rules of life: family, church and state. Example: Aaron was the high priest during the exodus. Moses was the civil leader. The society was organized upon families. (family, church, state). I find no other form of human organization, created and ordained by the God of the Bible.

Everything God creates has a purpose. His primary goal is to teach each of us how to love Him and to love one another. That is not an easy task (evidently!!). It took 1620 years to make a Pilgrim! Then it took another century and a half to build the Constitution!

Each of us has a free will. Each of us have different experiences and relate to the same things differently! Did you ever try to herd cats?

All that to say this – God is big enough and loving enough to deal with each of us as an individual. He will certainly use family, church and even state to help us learn – BUT – His primary goal for you is to help you learn to love Him and others.

When I was young, I thought I was right with God because I was American and went to church every week. That hardly qualifies for, “all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and all thy mind!”

God ordained family, church and state and works through them – but – reason tells me that membership in these groups, though useful, is not a substitute for an individual, personal, loving, relationship with Him.

I can joyously testify that such a living relationship is life changing!

2013-07-27 Come – Let us reason together

Ben's Blog / By

ACH Study Groups

Ben & Fran Gilmore – Cofounders

7659 Gingerblossom Drive

Citrus Heights, CA 95621

916-722-2501 histbuff@garlic.com

www.ACHStudyGroups.com

July 27, 2013

This is a letter to our friends –

“Come – Let us reason together”

The Prophet Isaiah [eighth century B.C.] was speaking what he believed were God’s words. (See Isaiah 1:18).

All creation SHOUTS of the being and personality of a Creator-God. If you do not choose to listen – choosing to deny His existence – His inspired word says you are a fool! [Psalm 14:1]

Everything that exists has a set of laws to govern it: humans, animals, plants, even dirt and atoms. Rules also exist for intangible things: thoughts, desires, lusts, words, even your conscience. James Madison [1792] said, “Conscience is the most sacred of all property.”

Why are such governing limits needed? Reason tells us there is peace and harmony within those “laws of Nature and of Nature’s God”, while outside those limits is chaos!

Truth is always fighting to come to the surface. If you deny God exists, you are holding under the truth. A struggle you will ultimately lose!

There are many reasons our human nature is prone to hold under the truth. (Read the first chapter of Romans carefully.) Let us reason together about a few of them.

We have a comfort zone. Applying reason to that with which we are comfortable may take us out of that zone.

We enjoy sinning! (i.e. Doing something that is legal in an illegal or excessive way.) Observation and reason tells us it is addictive. We will never be satisfied outside the limits.

We draw our identity from a relationship. — “I am Baptist.”, “I am Jewish”, “I am Catholic.” Thus, we fear losing our identity by applying reason to the relationship.

Reason tells us it is unwise to release something without replacing it with something better.

The Old Testament focuses upon the Messiah. We should never tell a Jew we want him to be a “Christian.” Most Jews believe that anyone not Jewish is either Moslem or Christian. Rather, encourage him to be the Jew God wants him to be! If he truly seeks his Messiah, he will discover He has come. Accepting the Lordship of Christ makes him no less Jewish!

Some Catholics identify with the Roman Catholic Church. They accept church doctrine as true, without confirming it with reason. Tradition and family relationships might be challenged. They fear losing their identity. Applying observation, reason and Revealed Law to church doctrine will make them no less a Catholic.

In the 17th century, the Puritans were the “Bible thumpers.” They compared the structure of the Church of England with what they discovered in the newly available Bible in the common language, and began seeking to improve the church structure.

In the same era, the Pilgrims were also discovering Biblical truths. They chose to form home-churches with the motto, “Reform now without tarrying for any.” They exchanged their various identities for an identity with Christ. Ultimately their Christ-centered lifestyle permeated New England and became the cornerstone of our nation.

All that to say this — God is real! He created you to have a wonderful, loving relationship with Him by staying within “the laws of Nature and of Nature’s God.” Your human nature does not want to stay within the lines! He is doing all He can do to help you understand His “Law of Liberty” and forsake your stubborn pride and seek truth where ever it leads!

It is an INDIVIDUAL quest, each of us must make. None of us has all truth. I encourage each reader to submit his will and appetite to his reason, and his reason to God.

2013-07-12 Rejoice with us

Ben's Blog / By

ACH Study Groups

Ben & Fran Gilmore – Cofounders

7659 Gingerblossom Drive

Citrus Heights, CA 95621

916-722-2501 histbuff@garlic.com

www.ACHStudyGroups.com

July 12, 2013

This is a letter to our friends –

Rejoice with us

The Lord has provided the means for Fran and I to enjoy our first vacation road-trip in decades. We will be driving a new Prius hybrid to see if the mileage claims are true. We plan being away from home for two weeks and have few “hard” date commitments!

Several thoughts come to mind as Teryn, our guest / home-sitter prepares breakfast before we leave.

I have dabbled in the social network apps and always seem to get lost. Thus – I avoid them as much as I can. This should explain why I have not responded to the many comments and invitations from our friends. E-Mail works for me – please.

I am concerned for our friends around the world, in America and for our neighborhood. Many of you appear to have decided to ignore the news, because it is so discouraging. Isn’t that exactly what your enemy would want you to do? Evil does not want righteousness to have any awareness or influence in public affairs! He wants it for himself! (POWER CORRUPTS)

The result – We hear nothing about the wonderful things God is doing around the world and nation. I see only two alternatives. – One is pretty dark – as evil divides our society to fight against ourselves and bring this experiment in civil-self-government crashing down around our ears. The other is encouraging – As the humble prayers of God-fearing people, confessing our personal and national sins, ask for mercy rather than the justice we deserve for having turned God out of our society.

Human history is full of examples of national redemption in response to prayer. I choose to pray for it!! — Prius is here – Bye…..

2013-07-09 Law and Liberty

Ben's Blog / By

ACH Study Groups

Ben & Fran Gilmore – Cofounders

7659 Gingerblossom Drive

Citrus Heights, CA 95621

916-722-2501 histbuff@garlic.com

www.ACHStudyGroups.com

July 9, 2013

This is a letter to our friends –

“Law … a rule of action …

“… And it is that rule of action, which is prescribed by some superior, and which the inferior is bound to obey.” [Sir William Blackstone, 1723 – 1780, “Commentaries”]

Blackstone is known as, “The father of the legal profession”. He speaks of “Natural Law” and “Revealed Law”.

Natural law is discovered by observation and reason. “Man, considered as a creature, must necessarily be subject to the laws of his Creator, for he is entirely a dependent being. … And consequently, as man depends absolutely upon his Maker for everything, it is necessary that he should in all points conform to his Maker’s will.”

Revealed law is given by direct revelation. “The doctrines thus discovered are to be found only in the Holy Scriptures. …

“These precepts, when revealed, are found upon comparison to be really a part of the original law of nature. … Yet undoubtedly the revealed law is of infinitely more authenticity than [natural law].” The one being direct divine revelation. The other being discovered by observation and human reason.

There is power in the simplicity and truth of these words.

For the one who is choosing to deny that, “man depends absolutely upon his Maker for everything,” – revealed law (the Holy Bible) says you are a fool.

Natural law, discovered by your own observation and reason, will lead you to the same conclusions – IF you will be honest with yourself. “Intelligent design” all around you shouts the existence of something greater than time and chance! Your dependence upon such a “First Cause” obliges you to submit. Likewise, your relationship with others, obliges you to treat them as you would be treated – IF you hope to enjoy peace and prosperity.

I know of nothing that does not have a set of laws (rules of action) to govern (i.e. direct, regulate, control, restrain). “The laws of nature and of nature’s God” will reveal them.

Just laws come with blessings and penalties. Live within them and prosper. Step outside them into chaos! “Even a dumb dog don’t kiss a hot stove twice!”

American society has become so passive about their God endowed liberty that the great majority are unaware we are on the brink of chaos and totalitarianism. I will agree in advance to accept a better set of laws than those set forth in “Revealed Law”. Not to do so would be foolish.

Today we have set aside the Bible as a law standard. What have we to measure right and wrong, if it is not “the laws of nature and of nature’s God”? You, like everything that exists, will be governed by something.

Live under God’s law of liberty – or – You will be a slave under another man’s law.

CHOOSE YOU THIS DAY WHOM YOU WILL SERVE!

[Joshua 24:15]

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