"LIKE CHRIST," LUKE 6:38, (1-38)

"Give and it will be given to you, good mea-
sure and pressed down, shaken together and
running over will be put into your bosom.
  For with the same measure that you use, it
will be measured back to you."  Luke 6:38  

When  our Lord speaks, it is always principle.
He not  only  addresses  the  subject  at  hand,
but  the "Word" spoken, or written, has many
other obvious applications.  He deals in Luke  
6: 38 with  one's  action(s)  and  the  result of
such  action(s).  His Word has the power and
wisdom of God  within.  To  take a  "verse" of
Scripture  from the context within which it is
spoken/written, is risky, but we are safe when
we  read  the passage in context of  the whole,
before commenting on  it, so... Some Context...

In vs. 35, we find;  "But  love your enemies, do
good  and lend,  hoping  for nothing  in return,
and your reward will be great, and you will be
sons  of  the Most High.  For  He  is kind  to the
unthankful and evil."

       Everything in  the passages and comments
above flies in the face of the way "Christianity"
is "practiced" in established religion today.  If
there were one who lived according to the wis-
dom of Scripture today, he would be appalled,
confronted with our lifestyles. Considering our
lives  today,  there  are few  manifestations  of 
Jesus  Christ  in  those  lives.  One  purpose  of
Bible  study is for  followers of  Christ  to  find
just  how our  Lord  lived  and  taught,  and  to  
replicate  that  life and  message  in  fullness of
His  Spirit.  You and  I  are  incapable of living 
such a  life without the power and  wisdom one 
is given with Christ's  power and wisdom in his 
life.  We must have Jesus in us, His Holy Spirit,
if we are come near the place where  others see
him in  us,  and  not  the glaring  defects  of our
lives...
      In addition to giving, just what is the life of
of one who has given his life over to our Lord
to be like?  We are to be like him in every way.
lives... 

   Our text, vs. 38,  addresses the giving aspect
of a life filled with Jesus.  I will merely list and
comment briefly, if it is within me, on the other
aspects of his life.
   
   The qualities  our Lord  God exhibited while
on  this earth  cannot be  covered, but  we will 
attempt to list a  few:  He  was  kind,  merciful, 
humble,  considerate,  thoughtful, honest, gra-
cious and just.  In  other words, He put others
before himself,  always straight  forward  and
at the risk of personal harm, revealed  in him-
self, the Father.  The religious leaders did not
want their shabby attempts to live in a  Godly 
manner exposed, and showing God the Father
to them did just that.  Thankfully, he  paid the
cost,enduring a sacrificial death on the cross
at Mt. Calvary.  

There is also the reward part.  The reward of
which is spoken in Scripture is basically eter-
nal in nature, with earth applications.
  While  living Godly does not guarantee  an
 easy life on earth, there are certain rewards.  
The earthly rewards are not guaranteed, but
are the  natural result of  living  righteously,
treating  every  one  fairly, with  grace  and
moderation in  all  things.  This  will, I trust
serve  as  an  introduction  to  the  study  of
living Godly in  Christ Jesus, by  the  power
of  his  Holy Spirit with  the  commitment to
emulate Christ in all things.   

donporter,sr. 12.31.16   ed., 4.14.17...



  

IS "RACISM" SIN?

         Today I have finally  gotten around to begin
the  reading of  "The End of Racism,"  by Dinesh 
D'souza,  published,  1995 by Simon and Shuster.
Although he  is of  eastern Asian descent,  he has 
lived  around  the  world.  His  background  and 
experience is varied.

Having read only the information on the jacket of
the  book,  preface,  and  chapter  one, this is not 
about his book, as pertinent and deep as it is.
It  appears to be well worth reading and just may
be of assistance to anyone who is concerned with
this problem, racism, which infects every culture. 

     Here we do not offer an end  to racism, but an
offer to create an atmosphere,  for one  person at
a time, to  free himself  from the injustice he  may
perpetrate on others, period.  Although  we might
think this simplistic, the goal is to make plain, the 
fault everyone has, as part of their being. The sin, 
to which we refer is a self serving mindset,  or an
inability to prefer others before oneself, or even 
to look at a situation through the eyes of another.
(Certainly,  if we were to arrive at a place where 
we could settle those issues, within, we effectively
end racism on our part.  It's on us...  

  We have only to return to  Scripture and read the
the "Golden Rule."  "Therefore all  things whatso-
ever  ye would that  men should do  to you,  do  ye
even so  to them,  for this is  the law and  the  pro-
phets." (Matthew 7:12)  Since this is a Word  from
the Lord God, the follower of Jesus Christ has the
priviledge/responsibility to honor the great  com-
mand  from  his Lord.  This  is  the  one command
stated in  Scripture, to  fulfill  the Law of God.  If
we do not  honor this commandment, we  have all
missed  the mark  and  are  lost.  Racism  will  be
with us still.

    This leaves us with a mandate to be to everyone
with whom we  interact,  as we would they were to
us.  In  Romans 12: 9-10, 14: "Let love be without
dissimulation. (Hiding under a  false appearance)
rance)  Abhor  that  which is  evil;  cleave  to that  
which  is good.  Be kindly affectioned  one to ano-
ther with brotherly love, in honour preferring one 
another;  Bless  them which  persecute you:  Bless, 
and curse not."  This passage gives us opportunity  
to  build  personal relationships based on the way 
our Lord has dealt with us;  He is  always careful 
to relate  to his  children  with a love that  places 
the recipient of that love above himself.
Could we do less and still claim we are following
him?  This will require a  lot of introspection, or
soul searching, and  is certainly  not going  to be 
easy.  Is anything of worth ever "easy?"

God bless as we live in a way requiring the power 
and wisdom of God in you and me to succeed.


http://biblicalclarity-don.blogspot.com/2016/06/is-this-popular-painkiller-destroying.html

   

donporter,sr 12.26.16
   
  

     

SOME QUALITIES EXCLUSIVE TO OUR LORD

             (His qualities are unequaled, as is all of God.)

Eminent: Someone on the verge, cutting edge or well 
                 known.

Eminence: Someone who is highly regarded, happening 
                 now "His eminence."(Should only refer to the 
                God  of Abraham, Issac, Jacob and of the Uni-
                 verse, never to a man.)

Imminent:  Something on the verge.

Imminence: The quality of being about to happen

                 or happening now. 

Omni…Prefix from the Latin meaning, simply “all.”

      The church has historically ascribed to our Lord

      Omnipotence: Having all power. Rev. 19:6

      Omniscience:  Having all knowledge.

      Omnipresence:  (Positive) He exists everywhere.

        (Negative) There is no place where He is not., sic.
In Psalms 146:6: "Which made heaven and earth, the
sea and all that in them is: which keepeth truth forever."

He created all that exists and the place of It’s existstence.

Our Lord reveals himself to creation using Words.

There are other words that may be linked with the prefix,

“Omni,”  that might be used to reveal the Lord God…

 Benevolent, Merciful, Thoughtful, Just. “God is light…”  

In 1 John 1: 5-6, "This then is the message which we have

heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and 
in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellow-
ship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not
the truth..." 

  

Finally we cover the source and reason for it all:

1 John 4: 7-8, "Beloved, let us love one another, for love is 
of God; and every one that loveth is born of God and kno-
weth God.  He that loveth not, knoweth not God, for God 
is love."

     Is his essence love or light?  Neither, for qualities of
    our God cannot be codified, (reduced to a code,) or 
    systematized.  He does, however; know man, inside  
    and out, from top to  bottom..  

Psalm 139: 1-6,   O Lord, thou hast searched me, and,

known me.  Thou knowest my downsitting and mine

uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. Thou

compasseth my path and my lying down, and art 
acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word in 
my tongue, but lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether.

Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine

hand upon me. 6. Such knowledge is too wonderful for 
me.  It is high; I cannot attain unto it. (Also read 7-18)

Outline of Bible Study given on 12.21.16, donporter,sr.

   All of the qualities of the Lord God must be understood in
the light of his "Holiness."  God's Word states, "The Lord is
Holy in all his works..."  Psalm 145: 17.  He has also said, 
be holy, throughout Scripture, "Follow peace with all men,
and Holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord." 
                                                                        Hebrews 12: 14... 

 donporter, sr.  12.25.16 

A DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC!!!

This political season, for the past two years, has brought 
one error to my attention. It is repeated over and over by 
our "leaders," and  news people, and is falsehood.  "Our 
form of government is  democracy."  It is consistent whe-
ther a democrat or republican is speaking.  It is certainly 
"half-truth," and  half-truth is a lie, and must be exposed 
as such. 

      Our form of governance in these United States of  
America  is  purposely designated to be a democratic 
republic.  The  wisdom of  that may  be  known  when 
we consider  the  definition of  words and know some 
history associated  with the  founding of  this nation...
Here,  we  will see  the definitions  with  explanations.
Seek out the history on your own; it's available.

    "democracy:"  Relating to, or favoring rule  of the
people,  directly or through a representative  govern-
ment. (adj.)

   "republic:"   A  number  of  separate  states  bound by
treaty, (ie. constitution) so as to present the aspect of  a
single state with a  central government, without  wholly 
renouncing their  individual powers of self governance.
     (In our  political community,  is  the supreme power  
vested in a few privileged individuals, or in the whole?
(a choice.)

        Commentary:  Pure democracy or a pure republic 
has been proven to be unworkable.  President Abraham 
Lincoln said it best:
     "...a government of the people. for the people, and
      by the people..."   It is a democratic-republic.

A "pure" democracy or a "pure"  republic always turns 
into an  autocratic oligarchy  or despotic  dictatorship.  
Our  current  federal  government  has  largely  turned 
socialistic with  career politicians and bureaucrats who 
are  very difficult  or impossible  to  unseat.  Without  a 
"shakeup," which is likely now with  the election of and 
appointment of  capable  persons  who  are  not  career  
politicians, it has a chance.  These men are without ties  
to special interests, and may be able;  willing, to divest 
government of illegal controls.  This  is  why the career 
politicians who cling to power,  feeding  from the public 
coffers are having "hissie fits" about the turn of  events.  
Many men in office now, have  never had to earn a live-
lyhood  for any  extended  period of  time and some are  
vested in their pensions/retirement programs after four-
six years.  That  is a bad joke, and we are  paying  for it.  
Pray for our newer leaders, and support their efforts on  
behalf of  freedom, "of the people, for the people and by 
the people.

     There is another consideration as first time congress-
"men" are elected to office, we find some who have not a
clue about service within a democratic-republic.  As you
are aware, there have been a number elected who do not
have our bill of  rights fixed in their DNA,  nor are  they
on board with our constitution.  The changes they are in
the middle of promoting will, if enacted, destroy what is
left of our personal freedoms and are socialistic at core.
Recently, ther has been circulated a very reasonable and
succinct proposal we must keep in mind...
      
        "You came from there because you did not like
          it there, and now you want to change here to
          be like there.  We are not racist, phobic, nor
        whatever you are.  We simply like here the way
         it is and most of us actually live here because
           it is not like there, wherever there was.

         You are welcome here but please stop trying to
          make  here like there.  If you want here to be 
        like there, you should not have left there to come
        here, and you are invited to leave here and to go
         back there at your earliest convenience."  

The author of this piece is unknown to me, but if it is in
ayway protected, copyright, etc.  Let me know.  

   God bless you and yours and keep you in His care...
  
donporter,sr 12.15.16, ed.8.15.17 & 3.15.19

THE BIRTH OF MESSIAH

                            THE WORD MADE FLESH
                 
(some) Prophecy concerning the Christ:

Isaiah 7: 14, “Therefore, the Lord himself shall 

give you a sign, behold a  virgin shall conceive,  

and bear  a son,  and call his name Immanuel.”  

(God with us.)

Isaiah 9: 2, 6, “The people who walked in dark-

ness have seen a great light:  Those who dwelt  

in the land of  the shadow of  death,  upon them

a light  has shined.

Isaiah 59: 20, “And the Redeemer shall come to 

Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression 

in Jacob, saith the Lord.”

Luke 1:26,30-33, “And in the sixth month the 

angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of 

Galilee, named Nazareth, to a virgin espoused 

to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house 

of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary. And 

the angel said unto her, fear not, Mary: for thou 

hast found favor with God. And behold, thou 

shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a 

son, and shalt call his name Jesus. He shall be 

great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest;

And the Lord God shall give unto him the throne

of his father David.  And He shall reign over the

house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom 

there shall be no end.

Luke 2: 1-7,  "And it came to pass in those days
that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus,
that all the world should be taxed. (And this
taxing was first made when Cyrenius was 
governor of Syria.)  And all went to be taxed,
everyone to his own city.  And Joseph also went    

up from Galilee, out of the city of David, which
was Bethlehem, because he was of the house

and lineage of  David.  To be  taxed  with Mary,  

his espoused wife, being great with child. 

And so it was that while they were there, the days

were  accomplished that she should be delivered.  

And she brought her first born son, and wrapped 

him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a man-
ger, because there was no room for them in the
inn.

Luke 2:8-14,16, “And there were in the same 

country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping 

watch over their flock by night.

And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, 

and the glory of the Lord shone round about 

them, and they were sore afraid.  And the angel 

said unto them, Fear not; for behold I bring you

good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all

people. For unto you is born this day, in the city  

of David,  a Savior,  which is Christ the Lord.  

And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find

the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in 

a manger.  

And suddenly there was with  the angel a multi-

tude of  the Heavenly Host, praising God and 

saying; Glory to God in the Highest, and on 

earth, peace, good will to men.  And they came 

with haste,and found Mary, and Joseph, and the 

babe lying in a manger. 

Matthew 2:1-10, 11-12“Now when Jesus was 

born in Bethlehem of Judaea, in the days of 

Herod the king, behold there came wise men 

from the east to Jerusalem, Saying, Where is 

he that is born King of the Jews?

For we have seen his star in the east and are 

come to worship him.  When Herod the king 

had heard these things, he was troubled and 

all Jerusalem with him.  And when he had 

gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the 

people together, he demanded of them where 

Christ should be born.  And they said unto him,

In Bethlehem, in the land of Judaea, for thus it 

is written by the prophet.  And thou, Bethlehem, 

in the land of Juda art not the least of the prin-

ces of Juda, for out of thee shall come a Gover-

nor, that shall rule my people, Israel. Then 

Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, 
enquired of them diligently what time the star 

appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem, and 

said, Go and search diligently for the young 

child, and when ye have found him, bring me 

word again that I may come and worship him 

also. 

 Matthew 2:9-12, “When they had heard the 

king, they departed, and; and lo, the star, 

which they saw in the east, went before them, 

till it came and stood over where the young 

child was. 

When they saw the star, they rejoiced with 

exceeding great joy. And when they were 

come into the house, they saw the young

child with Mary his mother, and fell down 

and worshipped him;

And when they had opened their treasures, 

they presented him gifts, gold, and frankin-

cense, and myrrh.  And being warned of

In a dream that they should not return to 

Herod, they departed unto their own country 

another  way.

Matthew2:13-15, and when they were depar-
ted, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared
unto Joseph in a dream, saying,  arise, and
take the young child and his mother,and flee
unto  Egypt and be  there until  I bring thee
word, for Herod shall seek the young child
to destroy him. When he arose, he took the
young  child and his mother by  night, and
departed  into Egypt.  And was there  until
dthe death of  Herod; that it  might be  ful-
filled which was spoken of the Lord  by the
prophet saying, Out of Egypt have I called
my Son.

AT  SOME TIME  DURING THIS  BUSY  SEASON,  IT 
WILL BE  OF GREAT BENEFIT, TO READ  CHAPTER 

53  OF ISAIAH,  KEEPING IN  MIND IT IS  WHOLLY 
ABOUT THE SAVIOR’S LIFE,  DEATH,  RESURREC-
TION AND  INTERCESSION FOR US ALL.