Spiritual Abuse Study I

 

 

The church is probably the best place to successfully hide abuses...not only because many people can't believe that abuse could ever happen there (especially their own church), but because when we do something in the name of God...especially when there is enough truth added...people listen and submit.

 

 

It starts slowly, undetected. It could start with almost any doctrine...and then slowly it begins to distort that doctrine and then spreads like leaven in a lump of dough. Then it ultimately tears at the pure message of the Gospel. 

 

 

The biggest hold SA (spiritual abuse) has is that people have not been grounded in even the basic truths of the gospel. For instance, if someone asked you if you like or have ever seen Foyo Persimmons before...and you answer that you've never had one before and don't even know what they look like. They got ya!! Because it would be pretty easy to fo-yo now, wouldn't it?

 

 

 

They could fool you fairly easily. They could tell you about anything if enough of it sounded like the truth...or is mixed with truth. So, they go on and tell you that they only grow in China during the winter months so it is hard to find them at any stores around you. They could make jams and pies out of something else and tell you they were Foyo jams and pies...and you would probably believe anything about them UNLESS you decided to get to know Foyo Persimmons for yourself.

 

 

So you go out and find some, eat them, learn about them and make some desserts from them...and learn that almost everything they said was false. But you would have never known it unless you found out the complete truth for yourself. (I hope you do, they are yummy when still crunchy!) 

Eph. 5: 15 See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,

 

Circumspectly: taking into consideration all possible circumstances and consequences before acting. Looking at all possible angles and perspectives. (Not just believing because it sounds good.) 

 

 

So, what are the very basics of the gospel?? The word 'gospel' means Good News. Many people are preaching vehemently against sin...especially certain sins...with those sinners and their sins spread across a marque - while loudly lamenting how our country is going to hell for allowing these sins to go on...and call it the gospel. But I dare say that it is not.

 

 

Why is it not? Because Jesus was and is not fragmented. Meaning He is not going to say that He did not come to condemn the world, then turn around in another instance and act towards sinners as tho that is exactly why He came! His intents and His congruent actions were always directed at seeking people out for the purpose of showing God's profound love and salvation. Period. This IS why it was called the 'Good News'...because it WAS and is good news!

 

Luke 19:10
Indeed, the Son of Man has come to seek and to save people who are lost."

 

 

John 3:17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 

 

This is also why His ministry included confronting the spiritual abusers of the day - the Pharisees, to name one group. They worked hard at promoting themselves and making God appear to be a burdensome God that is very hard to please.

Pls see - http://nlt.scripturetext.com/matthew/16.htm

 

 

Then Jesus also dealt with anyone else that sought to distort and get in the way of the pure and simple truth of the Gospel.

 

1 John 5:3

This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome.

 

Please click here for - Spiritual Abuse Study II  

The Nature Of Leaven - A Study

 

The writers of scripture have used the image of yeast many times to explain a very important premise in scripture...

 

 

 

 

 

 Leaven, or yeast as we call it, is actually a composition of tiny individual plants, each one so small that it can only be seen through the eye of  a very powerful microscope.  Like all other plants they require food, and they find this in the dough they are placed in. The dough is made up of various kinds of substances and the yeast takes one of them as food, and in doing so sets free another substance called carbonic acid gas. This gas bubbles up and makes the heavy dough spongy and light. If it were not for these tiny bubbles of gas your bread would be as heavy and dense as a soft brick.

 

 

 

 

 

This is the reason why yeast is put into dough for making bread or cake. One of the most remarkable things about this yeast is, that when it gets into any substance that contains it's food, it begins to grow buds like most all plants do, however within just moments yeast does this and breaks away. So rapid is this increase, that if a single yeast-plant were to be put into a great mass of dough it would very quickly leaven the whole mass.

 

 

 

 

 

After understanding what yeast does it really helps us understand better what God wants us to know...that no matter what it is that leaven is being used to describe, the result is quicker than we can imagine, as well as thorough!  

 

 

 

 

 

Matthew 13:33 Jesus also used this illustration: "The Kingdom of Heaven is like the yeast a woman used in making bread. Even though she put only a little yeast in three measures of flour, it permeated every part of the dough."

 

 

 

 

 

The above scripture tells us, especially after understanding what yeast does...is that the Kingdom of Heaven is made to permeate our whole lives. Not just our church life, or our plans, or how we treat those we love...but every single area including those areas we would rather be in charge of -- our words (tongue) for instance, or our carnal attitudes as listed in Galatians 5: 19. 

 

 

This means that it will do what it was created to do unless we have not become a part of the Kingdom of God yet. Some might say that we can halt the process by our stubbornness, however, God's love toward us is even more stubborn and therefore He disciplines us until we give in. We have this life in mind when we are stubborn...but God has all of eternity in mind, therefore He loves us too much to leave us behind!

 

 

Usually however yeast or leaven is used to describe sin and the effects sin has...this is why God had literal laws about the use and disuse of yeast at certain times in the OT, as it gave them and us a perfect type of what kind of relationship we should have with sin. Understanding this helps us get much more out of scriptures such as the ones in the following url.

 

 

One thing I notice in this segment of scripture is that it helps us see how leaven is used in relation to those in the church that we are to judge...those who have allowed the leaven of sin to permeate their lives to the point where they need to be dealt with. Then in contrast, in many other parts of scripture it is obvious that we are to do the opposite, as we are being reminded in those instances to be patient with the faults of others and before we try to judge the speck in their eye, we are to deal with the log in our own. (although I believe this is what we are to do before any and all evaluating of others) So we are to make sure we understand that some people are growing and the sin in their lives is on it's way out...and then there are some people who's sin is becoming more entrenched in their lives.  

 

http://worldebible.com/1_corinthians/5.htm

 

 

In the following url is where we can find the heart of the story of when the Israelites left Egypt. You will notice one of the central themes is what to do and what not to do with leaven...to the point of not leavening the dough before the exodus because they would not have time to let the dough rise because they would be leaving so quickly. Therefore, one thing it communicates to us is that we enter our new life completely clean! No leaven at all. Not even a speck. Then there was something else that happened to them that sealed the beginning of this new life. This 'happening' is a type of Christ's work on the cross...can you find it?

 

 I would highly encourage you to dig in to this story and relish in the 'types' it gives as another way of pointing to what Christ was destined to do...and well, has done!  

 

 http://nlt.scripturetext.com/exodus/12.htm

 

 

Exodus 12: 9 For seven days no yeast is to be found in your houses. And whoever eats anything with yeast in it must be cut off from the community of Israel, whether he is an alien or native-born.

 

Even the Jews of today that keep the law as closely as they can, keep busy in their endeavors to keep it

I had the opportunity to visit a family’s home such as this once. I had taken a Nanny job with a Jewish family a number of years ago for about 10 days. They were not Orthodox Jews, but their children went to an Orthodox school and went by their many rules. While I was caring for them, they were invited to another family’s home for a Jewish celebration. So, I was given very strict written instructions on when and how to drop them off on Friday, and then when and how to pick them up on Saturday eve. I was not to knock on the door before or after very specific times, and was warned about what I could and could not send with them to eat and etc. 

 

 

It took a lot of preparation and work to make sure everything was adhered to. Their mother said that she came from a home like this…where (during Passover) they had to clean the whole house several times to make sure it was completely void of leaven.  The dishes were put through the dish washer more then once…and then the dishes that were used for certain foods on a normal basis, could not be used for Passover.  

It is plain to me that Jesus came to show us that the whole reason the law was given was so that we could have a good solid picture of what was to come ~ that more than wonderful act He did for us on the cross!!

 

God's Character I

 

 

I've learned that God's love has some amazing attributes. Everything God does stems from His love. God's pure love softens hearts and gives sacrificially. Because He has no darkness in Him, His intentions are never-ever evil...or never even near it for that matter. He would not inspire anything that is not of the light. 

 

 

 

 

 God's love has no darkness, yet He can still be with, and love people in darkness  - because love will set the limit of not participating in the things of darkness. In fact, His love has the profound capability to loosen the hold darkness has on sinners...because light expels darkness just by it's mere presence.

 

 

 

 

 

 He would rather never have to dole out judgment...however, because He has no darkness in Him at all, He wants the same for His children. The things that reside in darkness are destructive, which is why He rejects them, and wants us to do the same.

 

 

 

 

Everything God does has strong intentions and purposes behind them...so when looking into God's written word this is the reason to never intentionally cut corners, but to take every word, every verse and every chapter in scripture seriously...and be diligent to understand what God is truly saying by making sure you know who is speaking to who, and about what, and why, so that your study and outcome can be approved by God.

 

 

 



 

Also, when He inspired the writers of scripture He would never have had them write something that would be out of His character. Therefore, we first must make sure we keep in mind that the actual author was not human, but God Himself. So when we are looking for answers it is important to realize they  may not sound logical to what our human brain is used to!

 

 

 

-Click on images to enlarge-

 

 

 

 

God has high ideals, so we are to humbly study, seek and learn to be good at hearing from God, so that we are never allowing our human nature to be in charge so as to try and bring God down to our level...but instead we are always reaching upward...higher and higher...to His!

 

 

 

 

 

God showed us His character when He came down and dwelt among us in bodily form. Jesus was the exact representation of the Father. He walked among sinners and ate with them...in fact He went out of His way to be with those who were hated, and His love softened their hearts and disarmed them.

 

 

 

 

So any rebuking of sinners was either after they had rejected Christ's determined show of God's love for them...or because they were abusers, who were in the way of people coming to know God's love and plan for them. Time after time after time Christ showed God's amazing love....which was why people followed Him in droves. Then later on, St. Paul explained in words what Christ had already exemplified...so that we can walk as He walked.

                  

 

                  

Yes, He rebuked others. He rebuked those that tried to keep children away from Him. He rebuked demons and the devil when he tried to tempt Him. He also rebuked His disciples for their lack of faith, or if they said things that those who actually spent as much time with Jesus as they did should never say, then He would.

 

 

 

 

God wants so much for everyone to be saved. Therefore He wants us to learn to live in the world without being of it...therefore to be as patient as we can with unbelievers before we decide to brush the dust off our feet. To treat them the way we would have wanted to be treated if we were in their shoes. They do not have the new nature and the power of the Holy Spirit to help them deal with sin.  Please click on this URL to read 1 Cor. 5 -http://niv.scripturetext.com/1_corinthians/5.htm

 

 

 

I just recently wrote a post about walking with Christ...becoming yoked with Him. When we decide to do this, we also have to be willing to walk in the light. SO, what is IN the light anyway?

More to come....

Dear God, When Can I Just BE?

 

 

 

 

Everything has been met in Christ. Every requirement. Yes. Above are just some of the scriptures that tell us how Christ has satisfied and met the demands of each of the important areas of the Christian's life... 

 

 

 

 

Then because this is true, there is only one requirement...one thing God wants from Christians such as you and I. Because everything is already satisfied in Jesus, then wouldn't it make sense to begin following Him? Yes, I know that you have already accepted Christ as your Savior and even your Lord as far as trying to trust Him with the various areas of your life. But have you begun following Him in the true sense? Have you begun this journey of walking with Him? 

 

 

 

 

Following and walking with Him, and then after time you're walking like Him...and then in time you begin feeling right at home and find that you are not 'doing' anymore...no, you are being! You begin growing again, and even in how you see God. He has not only made His home in you, but you have in Him. 

 

 

Matthew 11:29
Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

 

 

 

He wants you to have an abundant life. He wants to teach you how to be a true "be-er" Christian...which is much much better than being a doer Christian.

 

 

1 John 2:6
Whoever claims to live in Him ought walk as Jesus did.

 

 

 

 

Ephesians 3:14-19

"14When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, 15the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. 16I pray that from His glorious, unlimited resources He will empower you with inner strength through His Spirit. 17Then Christ will make His home in your hearts as you trust in Him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. 18And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. 19May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God."

 

 

 

Can you understand how much God wants to be not just a part of your life...but to BE your life? Spiritually it has already happened if Christ is in you...but has it happened in how you live? You were created in His image, and this is why God wants you to mature in your walk...as you begin walking closely with Christ Who will help you to become much closer to who you were originally created to BE!!

 

 

 

 

1 Cor. 6:17
But the person who unites himself with the Lord becomes one spirit with Him.

 

 

 

If you notice up in the picture, under Gifts...that scripture tells us that the gifts and callings He has given each person cannot be withdrawn...or your bible might say, "without repentance". The gifts He has bestowed on you, you can't walk away from and then later ask forgiveness for doing something else instead. Why?

 

 

 

 

Because, when God created you He had a specific plan for your life that would fulfill you and make you you and make you whole...so you feel good in your own skin, and are vital and productive! But you will not "be made complete with all the fullness of life and power" until you make it your goal to actually begin taking steps to follow...putting His yoke upon you...and begin walking with Christ in all you do.

 

 

 

When you decide to walk closely along side Him, Jesus said in Matt. 11:30 that His yoke will be easy and His burden is light.  

 

 

 

Enjoy your relationship with Him as you spend time getting to know Him in a closer way...as you open up your heart to scripture and Christ's words in the gospels, and allow yourself unceasing communication (prayer throughout the day that should come more naturally then planned) and letting Christ guide your days...keeping in step with His Spirit. (Gal. 5:22-23) 

 

 

1 Thess. 5:17-18
Pray without ceasing. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.

 

 

 

Col. 2:3

Christ, In whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

 

 

 

He wants to spend time with you and teach you what it truly means to "be crucified with Christ and it is no longer you who live, but Christ that lives in you" (Gal. 2:20)...then in so doing you end up finding you! 

 

 

 

 

Eph. 5:2
Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.

 

 

 

 

1 Peter 4:2
As a result you may spend the rest of your earthly lives, governed not by human passions (Gal. 5:19-21), but by the will of God.

 

 

Blessings!!!

(If you have questions, let me know:) 

The One Thing Worse Than ANY Sin! -- 3 Page Study

 

 

If you could think of the worst thing  you could ever do in your lifetime...or anyone else could do in their's, what would it be? What would be that one dire error? Now, the thing I am thinking about would be a, I mean this IS like, missing the mark BIG time! This thing would be, well, the grand-daddy of all mark missing! This particular transgression is SO TeRrIbLe that you would be in a horrible fix for all of eternity! Here's a hint -- Jesus gave His life so you and I wouldn't have to go through this! Now remember, this one issue is worse than any and all sin. THE WORST! In fact this is the only maneuver worse than any sin, that in itself can keep us from a relationship with God, and from living for eternity in His heaven. We don't work our way to heaven, right? We can't be good enough for heaven...ever! We could get medal after medal for being the best at keeping the law so perfectly...but if we slipped up in just this one we'd be sunk! In fact, if we messed up by doing just this one thing we would still be sunk even if we were as righteous as Job. Notwithstanding, even if you or I were the worst sinners in existence this would still not keep us out of heaven if we ended up with at least not doing this one other thing. Moreover, even if we were 10x more charitable than Mother Theresa and got on our knees everyday to ask forgiveness for every sin we ever had, but still did not deal with this one thing...there would still be no heaven! YES, in fact you could get on your knees and plead with God to forgive you of everything, but if you didn't also get this one issue right with God...then the other sins would always have the power to condemn you...forever!  This one issue is above all others and all things eternal hang on it. If you or I committed 1000 atrocities we could still get to heaven if we didn't end up making this particular one. Therefore, this one huge atrocitiy can completely do you in! I mean, way IN!   

 

 

                                            So, what is it?

Please click on URL to see--

http://hearawhisperat.blogspot.com/p/whatever-consequences-are-such-as.html

 

There Is No In Between

It has been impressed upon my heart very recently to post something that I believe God wants to bring home to His people...which is, how important it is that we desire to learn what it means to live and walk in the light, vs what it is to walk in darkness..

 

 

I would HIGHLY encourage you to do a bible study on what I am about to talk about...as the scriptures that back up this topic are MANY.  

 

 

 

Grace has a lot of wiggle room, vs the old law which hardly had any...

 

 

What God says about this is - where we used to work for our salvation by having to mind our actions so closely due to the strict demands of the law...grace has now given us the total freedom to do the complete opposite.

 

 

The law meant having to mind our P's and Q's so closely that our eyes had to stay on our own behavior most all of the time.

 

 

However now that we have been set free...similar to a person being freed from prison...we may just want to take advantage of the freedom and let 'er rip! But God says that we have been freed for a reason. To serve one another. To be truly concerned what is going on in other's lives...when we used to only be concerned what was going on in our own lives. Therefore our focus does an about-face.

 

 

 

If you look honestly through scripture, you will see that God's character and ways are not just a little bit different from ours....or mostly different...or usually different...no, His ways are always 100% different than our carnal nature. His ways are NOT our ways. His thoughts are NOT our thoughts.

 

 

 

Now, when we are acting-out...being absolutely monstrous...does He veer into acting carnally even just a wee bit?  I think, well if we are acting this way then He has every right to 'flesh-out'!!! Yes? Well, maybe a right...but He will not stoop to acting like us just because we are acting like us!

 

 

God even showed this in Christ. Even though He was God and could show His power against sinful man as He did in the OT, He decided not to present Himself as God, but to humble Himself and come as a man.

 

 

 

 He decided to come not only to die for us, but also to show us how to live for Him.

 

 

 

Christ showed and taught that God's ways are opposite of the carnal man's ways. We are not to keep our eyes on what people are doing to us and then react to them in kind. No. We are to fix our eyes on Jesus! We are not to stoop to the ways of the carnal nature, and then miss the wonderful grace of God.                  

  

Please click on this link:               

               http://nlt.scripturetext.com/hebrews/12.htm

 

 

 

God makes it plain to us that we cannot dabble in the ways of the carnal nature....no matter what we are feeling. Light is opposite from darkness...and there is no in between. No matter what anyone is doing...anyone! Or what is going on around us...it does not give us permission to take up even ONE of the carnal nature's attributes as a way to respond to what is going on. Even when we are angry, we are not given the permission to sin in the process.

 

 

If we say we have the Holy Spirit inside us. If we say we are lead by the Spirit...then we slander, get involved in factions and conflict...then we had better realize that there is NO darkness at all in the Holy Spirit and then turn from this and get things right with God. He wants to bless us abundantly and answer our prayers, however,  if we are stubbornly participating in darkness,  He can never-ever be a part of it. 

 

 

 

Gal. 5: "16Let me explain further. Live your life as your spiritual nature directs you. Then you will never follow through on what your corrupt nature wants. 17What your corrupt nature wants is contrary to what your spiritual nature wants, and what your spiritual nature wants is contrary to what your corrupt nature wants. They are opposed to each other. As a result, you don't always do what you intend to do. 18If your spiritual nature is your guide, you are not subject to Moses' laws.

 

 

19Now, the effects of the corrupt nature are obvious: illicit sex, perversion, promiscuity, 20idolatry, drug use, hatred, rivalry, jealousy, angry outbursts, selfish ambition, conflict, factions, 21envy, drunkenness, wild partying, and similar things. I've told you in the past and I'm telling you again that people who do these kinds of things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

 

 

22But the spiritual nature produces love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness, and self-control. There are no laws against things like that. 24Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified their corrupt nature along with its passions and desires. 25If we live by our spiritual nature, then our lives need to conform to our spiritual nature. 26We can't allow ourselves to act arrogantly and to provoke or envy each other."

 

 

 

Darkness will never affect darkness for the good. Satan cannot drive out Satan. The dark strong holds of the enemy can only be bound up and driven out by the light. The more we dabble in the things of the carnal nature, then the weaker, and more ineffectual we become. God is light and there is no darkness in Him at all..

 

 

 

We have to get to the point of loving...absolutely loving...God's commands.

 

 

We have to get to the point of believing...strongly believing...God's promises.

 

 

Then when we finally believe God's words above all other voices...is when we will begin seeing victory in and around us.

 

 

 

Did you notice the quote above...in the three different designs? It's in my heart to help all of us remember this quote as we pray. > To ask God to implant: a strong love for His new commandent, and a growing faith in His promises in our hearts. Therefore, if you would like a print of the quote, please click on them to enlarge, then choose which one you want, and write me at com4tea@yahoo.com . Then I will send you an attachment that you can have a print made from. From left to right #1 - #2 - #3  Bless you!!

If We Are The Body of Christ

Who would you be willing...or better yet 'glad to'...have a cup of coffee with?

 

         1 Corinthians 12:20-27

 

 20"So there are many parts but one body. 21An eye can't say to a hand, "I don't need you!" Or again, the head can't say to the feet, "I don't need you!" 22The opposite is true. The parts of the body that we think are weaker are the ones we really need. 23The parts of the body that we think are less honorable are the ones we give special honor. So our unpresentable parts are made more presentable. 24However, our presentable parts don't need this kind of treatment. God has put the body together and given special honor to the part that doesn't have it. 25God's purpose was that the body should not be divided but rather that all of its parts should feel the same concern for each other. 26If one part of the body suffers, all the other parts share its suffering. If one part is praised, all the others share in its happiness. 27You are Christ's body and each of you is an individual part of it."

 

 

 

What are the parts of our body that need more care, but many times don't receive it? Well...then what are the parts that we give lots of care to? I am thinking they are the parts that the world sees, so we primp and keep them in good shape...yet these are the parts that don't need as much care...as compared to the parts that do need the extra attention. Yet many times these parts that need more attention don't get it, because the body normally keeps them hidden.

 

 

 

Our hearts need a lot more care than our fingernails....but it is our fingernails that usually get the most care. I suspect it is because they are what people see. They are what gives us a reputation. They are what adds to our appearance.

 

 

 

Our bladder is something we only think about at certain times...and our stomach as well, yet it needs lots of care, as it is what holds our body fuel -- our food, yet most of us ignore it's real needs so it works properly. Then the intestines....which are also needed to provide our body with the fuel it needs. But do these parts get as much attention as our eye lashes, or toe nails...or our hair? I don't think so...well, I'm convicted anyway!

 

 

The lungs, intestines, stomach, and bladder are not pretty, but they are a part of the body, and considered vital parts of the body...so, in light of what God wants to teach us, do we treat those at church who are not very pretty as important as the attendees that are?  The ones who come in with body odor and not dressed very nicely, do we snub them 'just a bit'? Or how about the believers that are still struggling with various sins in their lives? Do the thoughts in our mind immediately begin evaluating them....comparing them to ourselves and having the attitude that some how we are above ever being that vulnerable to this fallen world, so we think, "I don't know how they could let things get this bad! I would never let that happen!"

 

 

*When people think this way, then I wonder sometimes if this stems from a mindset that they are somehow above the human condition...and maybe even think that they could never do what Adam and Eve did to cause the fall!

 

Jesus tells us here the reason why the less desired among us are the ones that deserve the most esteem. The ones who have struggled the most are normally the ones who become the most productive, as they love and show mercy towards others much more. They have experienced and therefore understand what it feels like to be so miserable, and then what it truly feels like to be forgiven! It is likened to a person who has been in utter darkness for many years and then is given the chance to be out in the light vs a person who has never experienced total darkness and so when given the chance to be in the light does not appreciate it as much.

 

Luke 7:47 Jesus said, "I tell you, her sins--and they are many--have been forgiven, so she has shown me much love. But a person who is forgiven little shows only little love."

 

 

As the body of Christ...where Christ is our Head, we as Christians have to begin listening better and learning from the Head...and cultivating the mind of Christ that is already in us. The humble attitude that Christ had...as He humbled Himself and became a man, and died a horrible and humiliating death on the cross for us. Therefore we, out of deep love and reverence can do no less, but carry with us a humble attitude in how we see ~ and serve those around us...as our reasonable service

 

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Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.

 

 

We must begin realizing and never forgetting our own vulnerability and humanity in order to be the kind of people that produce the fruit that is pleasing to God.

 

James 4:6 But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble."

 

 

How Do People See Us??

Truly, how do people see Christians? Isn't this THE question to be asking ourselves? If I look in the face of Christ and realize that I am not reflecting Him to the world...then should I feel condemned? NO. That response is not based on grace and truth. However, if evangelism is a top priority....meaning, reproducing...making more brothers and sisters...then it is a good question we are bringing up to our Father when in prayer - then he helps us grow in this area.

 

 

Isn't reproducing what God is after? If this is so, then are we a repellent (*one that operates in the ways of the flesh) or a light that draws people to Him? (*one that operates and keeps in step with the Holy Spirit). After we become His, then the next thing we do is pass on what was passed to us. When that wonderful seed was implanted in us, then we grow and reproduce. Would it be in God's plan that He implant the seed in us, and then we  grow...but then that's it? I don't think so.

 

 

So, why did God save you?? I believe the answer is three fold. He saved you for Himself, for you, and then for those around you. He desires to create a body of people...the body of Christ. Christ was not self-centered...then of course His desire is that His body not be self-centered either.

 

 

If I am reading scripture with an open heart...with eyes to see and ears to hear...then I'll see the extreme importance of this. That God did not save me just for me, or you just for you. Now, IF you were the only person that needed redemption, then yes, He would have saved you just for you and Him.

 

 

However, it is important to God that we conduct our Christian life remembering that we are not here...as loved and saved people...just for ourselves and God. As it is God that added that 3rd element -- our neighbor/those around us.

 

 

 

How do I know this? Well, for one, it is because the command....THE command that satisfies all other commands, as well as all that the OT prophets taught and proclaimed....says to love God 1st, but then to also love our neighbor as ourselves.

 

 

And how much are we to love God? With our whole heart, and our whole soul, mind and strength. This is very explanatory...it says it all.

 

 

Oh, it is interesting too, that God says to love Him with those things we can't see...the heart, soul and mind. But then He also adds to this strength....which is something we can see. I can stand here without moving a muscle or speaking a word, and love Him with all my heart, soul and mind...but it takes movement and action to love with all one's strength, yes?

 

 

I often will commune with God by merely closing my eyes...and I'm there! Since He is Spirit, I can do this. Sure, I could begin to dance or sing with everything that is within me...and that would be using my strength. (BTW, The piece of artwork above is one I did that depicts a mother and daughter {in stained glass} worshipping together) But, God says with ALL my strength...therefore, not just in worship.

 

 

 

So, even though personally He is self-sufficient and doesn't need anything at all, then it is apparent that in God's mind a part of loving Him means loving one another. He doesn't need water, but He said that when we offer a glass of water to someone we are doing it to Him.

 

 

So, even if He hadn't added the 2nd part...which is loving our neighbors as ourselves...He would still desire we love those around us whom He also loves. Therefore, it is obviously in His very character and in how He desires love to be shown to Him, for us to be mindful and proactive. To remember that we did not become Christians just for our own sake....but, for others as well...as Christ showed us by example. 

 

 

 

Romans 15: 1"We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. 2Each of us should please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. 3For even Christ did not please himself but, as it is written: “The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.”a 4For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.

 

 

5May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, 6so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

 

7Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God. 8For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the Jews on behalf of God’s truth, to confirm the promises made to the patriarchs." 

 

                                So, how do people see us? 

 

  

*In Galatians 5 it tells us what is of the flesh, and what is of the Spirit.* 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

oOps!! My Only Guarantees III

I apologize, for some reason I posted this without meaning to, as it was not completed....this is how 'kinda coo-coo' it's been around here lately! Ha!

                             *********

 God has told us in various places in scripture that we do not have much control over our flesh...therefore I have no guarantees that I will always do things right.  So, this is where I got my title for this 3 part study.

 

 

Let me clarify, our human nature (all by itself) does not have control over sin. If one has had a good and loving upbringing then that foundation that was laid could very well have given them the ability to have more self-control over sin. But generally and in the long run, in order to have control and victory over it we MUST allow the Spirit of God to take control. This also means that the unsaved...and even more so...have little control over the human nature.

 

 

So, this means we must be doing things GOD's way in how sin is dealt with...in how anything is dealt with! Not the way that necessarily makes sense to us.....but then we will have already known that! Especially since you and I know that His ways are not our ways...and His ways will naturally sound strange to our human nature.

 

 

1 Cor. 1 : 25 "For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men."

 

 

This being said I am going to bring up what I believe is the 2nd most important thing in all of scripture...the 1st being that God loved us so much that He gave us His Son to die and rise again on our behalf so as to bring us back to God.

 

 

Love....what it is and what is it for?

 

 

For God so loved the world...to me this means what it says, that God loved us all. John 3:16

 

 

Romans 5:6-8 "When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

 

 

Think about what love is made up of...patience, kindness, long-suffering. If you and I were perfect like a robot or inanimate  object that rarely if ever make mistakes....would we need patience or long-suffering? Would we need for someone to be kind to us? Would we need or want love? Would we even care?

 

 

I believe that the whole reason for love was to bridge the gap between perfection and imperfection...and between the mature and immature...otherwise, how could there ever be any way to relate or connect??

 

 

This is why, as a good parent will go through SO much for an immature, wayward or troubled child, why I believe God went through so much for us...because it is just what love does.  He showed this in so many instances. By 1st creating us. Then giving us another chance after the flood. Then giving us the law to show us our need for Christ and then of course the final and ultimate, Christ and the cross.

 

 

The love of God is amazing. It is something that God wants everyone to experience...no matter how deep into sin they have fallen. In fact, it is the only reason why someone would not want to stay in sin! Think about it...if all you've known is sin...or merely the world....then it would only be the love of God that is so different from the world that could possibly ever get your attention and sway you.

 

 

This is precisely what love is for. This is why we have to be Christ and show His love to every person, no matter their sin or station in life...as this is the primary way for them to see God and be drawn to Him...and why I believe there are so many that are not coming to Christ, as we are not being Christ to them. We have the human mind set that there are only certain people that deserve love...yet this is not God's mind set. So, who's mindset sets the standard for who deserves love?

I am thankful that the church I was saved at was patient and kind and did not endeavor to alienate me by pointing out my sin soon after walking through the church door....no, I was drawn to Christ by the love I was shown. That love that caused Christ to die for me while I was yet a sinner. Yes, I was embraced...or I would have been long gone.

So, who's mindset sets the standard for you?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Three Post Study: My Only Guarantees I

 

*I believe one of the big reasons God introduced the Old Testament laws to His people was to show them, and us, that we would never be able to live up to them. As the law was perfect and we...well, we weren't! 

 

 

 So, in the human - small picture of things, the perfect law was a guide on how to live God's way...which is why many people memorize the 10 Commandments or have them on a plaque on their wall. But in the big picture of things the law's perfection was meant to highlight our imperfection and our huge need for a perfect Savior!  Then, since this perfect Savior was able to save perfectly, this granted us the ability to be able to fulfill every single one of those laws by obeying just ONE...the New Commandment! Yes, I am still mindful of the 10 Commandments, but it is the one New Commandment that has become my focus, as it fulfills every one of those 10.

 

 

 

Please follow this link, as it not only shows this wonderful Galatians 5 verse that we will talk about, but many of the other verses (in the right-hand column) that tell us how important this New Commandment truly is and what it covers.

 

http://bible.cc/galatians/5-14.htm

 

 

 

 Wow, how perfect for us, huh!? And we are even empowered to do that ONE command by the Holy Spirit who has been given to each person who asks the perfect Savior to do for them what they could never, ever do for themselves!

 

 

So, why am I using the word perfect so often? Well, it's because we humans use it so often. "Well, no one's perfect"! Like, somehow, deep down, we think we ARE supposed to be perfect and so we are trying to talk ourselves and others into being OK with not being that way! I dunno...I just know we are not perfect...and it's OK not to be that way. God never made us to be robots that act perfectly...as God wants us to deeply understand!!

 

 

 

Trying to perfect our behaviors only keeps our eyes on ourselves and hinders our ability to love others. Think about how it was for God's people in the times before Christ. There were over 600 laws and commandments to follow exactly...so, no way was there time to do much else. There was very little time to serve and be available to those around you. Take some time in Leviticus and Deuteronomy. The law was perfect, and perfectly good! However, an imperfect people cannot obey a perfect law so as to satisfy it...as the human nature is too prone to satisfying self. And God says that if we fail one of them, then we fail them all.

James 2:10

"If someone obeys all of God's laws except one, that person is guilty of breaking all of them."

 

Come, sit among the roses,

Let's chit and chatter

About what life supposes

Come, sit among the flowers

Lets wonder about the times

As we while away the hours

Come, sit, relax in my garden

The thorns will be few here.

The welcome will not harden.

Come, sit ’n sip some tea.

In this ofttimes scary world

You’ll find a safe place to be.

Come, sit, please be at ease

Patience and kindness reside here

Though, they’re my only guarantees

 

If you read my poem, (As you can see I really enjoy writing poetry) you will have noticed the last stanza (the last 3 lines). I share this because I truly believe that this is essentially what God wants from us. He wants us to get to the place where we absolutely stop trying to be perfect. Where we can sit with one another and be OK with being imperfect...because God does not expect or ask that we have perfect behavior. What He asks or commands is that something else gets perfected. Our love. To the point where He commands it. So, we need to change our focus.

 

 

Change our focus?? Yes. From law to love...then, in so doing, you better believe that our behavior will follow, as it says in Galatians 5: 16-18... 

 

 

"Let me explain further. Live your life as your spiritual nature directs you. Then you will never follow through on what your corrupt nature wants. What your corrupt nature wants is contrary to what your spiritual nature wants, and what your spiritual nature wants is contrary to what your corrupt nature wants. They are opposed to each other. As a result, you don't always do what you intend to do. If your spiritual nature (love) is your guide, you are not subject to Moses' laws."

 

 

   If I am focusing on loving God and the people He created, then my urges to harm them become less and less.

 

 

If my heart is directed at what God values, then my behavior is much more appt to follow in kind.

 

 

 

If I am living my life learning to obey this one command, then I begin to sin less and less, and become helpful and have good behaviors more and more...which begins to satisfy the reason for the law.  

 

Romans 13:10
"Love never does anything that is harmful to its neighbor. Therefore, love is the fulfillment of the Law."

  

 

When you are endeavoring to follow a law...then you are keeping your focus on yourself. You are making sure you do this right and do that right so as to stay within the parameters of the law. Just like when you are driving your car and the police, who make sure the law is obeyed,  are out watching: You watch your speed very closely. You keep your eyes on the road and your hands on the wheel. You cannot have your eyes or mind on the conversation going on with the people riding with you. No, your job is to drive within the law.

 

 

However now, God said in Galatians 5:13-14 that the freedom we now have from having to focus on obeying the law doesn't mean we can now put our focus on anything we want. No. God says to use our freedom for focusing on love....because in doing this, we ARE fulfilling the law. We are now driving carefully, but even more so, because of the love we have for the people (which includes ourselves) in our car, as well as the people in the cars around us.

 

 

"For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don't use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love. The entire law is summed up in a single command: "Love your neighbor as yourself."

 

*Please take time and get into the written word yourself. Seek God and follow His Son's life as your example. It's important that you also do your own study and never just rely on what others say, teach or preach.

2 Timothy 2:15
Study to show yourself approved to God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.