Grace Bible Church
Pastor-Teacher
Robert R. McLaughlin
Wednesday,
August 21, 2019
If we desire to glorify the Lord, we must begin with the glass being half-full rather than half empty.
Now, most modern versions of the Bible contain 66 books, 39 in the Old Testament; 27 in the New Testament.
The entire Bible had 1,189 chapters, (Old Testament 929; New Testament 260).
This is just an introduction to the greatness that is about to come to us that we call the Bible, a book that we should never throw away because it is literally “words from Above” or the “Word of God.”
Now, there are some very important principles that I mentioned on Sunday morning that we all need to see and understand concerning looking at things in the positive way not the negative way.
This means that there comes a time in every believer’s life where if we desire to glorify the Lord, we must begin with the glass being half-full rather than half empty.
The main issue here is the viewpoint of the individual, is it positive or negative?
Is it filled with joy and happiness as PRO 17:22 says that, “A joyful heart is good medicine, But a broken spirit dries up the bones.”
One of the greatest illustrations of this principle concerning the freedom of the Jewish people came from the Jewish people who had been in bondage as slaves for 400 years at this time.
Now, when they were free, they really had a tough time handling their freedom.
The reason why they mention idolaters is because they did not worship our Lord and Savior and they also were being used to mislead people into false doctrines in false gods.
These were some of the reasons that when he says the people sat down to drink and stood up to play it simply means they were lovers of self more than lovers of God.
Carnal believers are willing to do whatever they want in the realm of pleasure and forget their responsibility they have in the realm of living the spiritual life.
Being carnal they enjoy anything that’s of the flesh including those things which are erotic and might even have an animal instinct attached to it.
They also become voluptuous and lascivious as they want more and more pleasure for themselves even though they can never quench their thirst for the truth without the doctrine that is the truth.
For in NUM 25:9 And those who died by the plague were 24,000.
The Lord is saying through Moses that we should not commit sexual immorality as 24,000 of them did and died.
The plague in verse 8 is described as being punishment for sexual immorality in particular, which played a greater part in the Shittim incident than the golden calf incident.
They went from bondage to faith; {Egypt}
From faith to great courage; {Red Sea}
From courage to liberty; {Joshua}
From liberty to abundance; {David’s Military Victories}
From abundance to complacency; {Solomon’s Riches}
From complacency to apathy; {Isaiah and Jeremiah’s ministry}
From apathy to dependence refers to the Jews rejecting their Lord and Savior and then they fell into dependence back into bondage once again and on and on it goes, where it stops, nobody knows.”
Then your name will be in “The Obituary in Heaven” which will reveal if you are a winner believer and if you are, you will be rewarded for being so.
So, if we desire to glorify the Lord, we must begin with the glass being half-full rather than half empty.
Now, the apostle Paul also wrote that the athlete had to undergo ten months of strict training just to qualify and to participate in the Games.
- First of all, you had to enter a registered state gymnasium, analogous to living in the predesigned plan of God.
- Secondly, every athlete went through identical training no matter what his event. This also represents the fact that every believer has equal privilege and equal opportunity to fulfill the calling of God upon their life.
- Only the protocol Christian is living the Christian way of life, therefore, they can compete in the spiritual games found as long as they understand the rules of the Angelic conflict.
- The athlete or the athletai as they were known, were the ones who trained under the rules of the national gymnasium for ten months.
- You were not allowed to leave the large walled area of the gymnasium for ten months, and you had to exercise under the authority of the gumnasiarch, the ruler of the gym.
LUK 6:40 “A pupil is not above his teacher; but everyone, after he has been fully trained, will be like his teacher.
This required extreme training to make it either in the military or in the “Games” of the ancient world as athletes, or the ultimate motivation for all of us who desire to become winners.
The gumnasiarch or the pastor-teacher had marshals under him who watched the athletes which is analogous to the deacons under the authority of the pastor-teachers.
The gumnasiarch also wore a purple robe with white sandals which is analogous to the pastor or the evangelist bringing forth the good news; ROM 10:15 “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring glad tidings of good things!”
- After the completion of the ten month course, then the athlete was allowed to compete.
- The athlete followed a set of very strict rules which constantly tested his motivation, decisions, and momentum.
This is a reference to passages like 1CO 3:13 each man’s work will become evident; for the day will show it, because it is {to be} revealed with fire; and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work.
In 1CO 4:5 Therefore do not go on passing judgment before the time, {but wait} until the Lord comes who will both bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and disclose the motives of {men’s} hearts; and then each man’s praise will come to him from God.
PRO 16:2 All the ways of a man are clean in his own sight, But the Lord weighs the motives.
This is analogous to the concept of daily perception of doctrine and momentum testing to reveal what your true desire is.
- You could not leave for any reason or you would be disqualified either from the games or from the military.
Everyone did the same exercise under the same authority which was analogous to us as believers under the authority of the pastor-teach they have been assigned to; 1PE 5:3.
1PE 5:3, pastor-teachers are commanded not to lord it over those allotted to your charge,
- Please notice that you are either a pastor-teacher or an evangelist, or you have been allotted to submit to their authority when needed.
This means that you all have been appointed by God to a pastor-teacher who has been elected or chosen by God to teach you the mystery doctrine of the Church-age.
I am responsible to teach you the mystery doctrine of the Church-age and you are responsible to learn it.
- There were eight to ten exercise periods during the day which demanded that everyone would be prepared and ready to exercise at all times.
Everyone participated in group exercise naked, regardless of the weather which is analogous to everyone getting the same doctrinal teaching under the filling of the Spirit which reveals our nakedness before God; Heb 4:12-13.
- There were also Daily trumpet calls which had to be met at various times and if you missed one you were disqualified.
Everyone had equal privilege and opportunity to compete.
- Each class was preceded by a warning trumpet during which time the athlete reported to his trainer, the aleiptei, who rubbed him down with olive oil.
- The athlete also wore no clothes, analogous to the filling of the Holy Spirit that causes us to be clothe naked before the Lord and be honest with yourself and with Him.
For in JOB 1:21 And he said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, And naked I shall return there. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.”
ECC 5:15 As he had come naked from his mother’s womb, so will he return as he came. He will take nothing from the fruit of his labor that he can carry in his hand.
However, it does not say “He will take nothing from the fruit of his labor that he can carry in his SOUL and Human spirit, because we can especially if we desire to.
ISA 20:2 At that time the Lord spoke through Isaiah the son of Amoz, saying, “Go and loosen the sackcloth from your hips, and take your shoes off your feet.” And he did so, going naked and barefoot.
ISA 20:3 And the Lord said, “Even as My servant Isaiah has gone naked and barefoot three years as a sign and token against Egypt and Cush,
- All the athletes ate the same food: wheat, cheese, figs, no wine, no sweets. This relates perception of doctrine to strict academic discipline.
You were on a strict diet, which everyone ate (other foods being analogous to distractions of the cosmic system).
- All earthly distractions were prohibited during the ten months, including contact with family, friends, no sex, no social life.
The agonistai were people who just worked out to stay in shape, which is just sheer agony; analogous to the believer in the cosmic system and is analogous to arrogance in the cosmic system, which is sheer agony.
1Co 9:24‑27, illustrates how we compete to reach a reward which is imperishable.
adokimos (ad-ok’-ee–mos); means to be unapproved, rejected; worthless; reprobate; castaway, rejected, as well as having a negative attitude toward others at times.
Negative thinking is also related to pessimism, which is the tendency to take the most unfavorable view of situations, or to expect the worst outcome in any circumstances; it is the lifestyle of looking on the gloomy and dark side of things.
Positiveness is optimism; which is the tendency or habit of seeing and expecting the good in things; looking on the bright side; anticipating favorable results; hopefulness.
As Pro 23:7 says that if you give place to negative thoughts in your heart, you will become a negative person. For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he.
Pro 15:13b [Sad and negative thoughts weaken our spirits and lead to discouragement.] By sorrow of the heart, the spirit is broken.
Luke 6:45 [Those whose hearts and minds are filled with negative thoughts usually spread them by voicing them.]
Luk 6:45, A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good: and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.
Rom 8:6-7, [Negative thinking is not walking in “newness of life,” but in the old carnal nature which is against God.] For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
Because the carnal mind is enmity [hostile] against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
1Co 13:5 says [If we’re walking in love, we don’t think negatively towards others. and.] we will not behave unseemly, seek not our own and thinks no evil.
Hebrews 12:15 [Harboring negative, critical thoughts can lead to bitterness.] Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God, lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled.