God's Fruit Trees

 

Most of us have asked God for wisdom and knowledge at one time or another. We have also been asked for them by someone needing help. Whatever the circumstances, God's  wisdom & knowledge...never deviates from Christ's character and His actions when He was here on earth. Like anything else...anything...God wants our faith and gaze to always end up back on Christ Jesus. Why? 

 

 

 

 

 

Col. 2: 1I want you to know how much I have agonized for you and for the church at Laodicea, and for many other believers who have never met me personally. 2I want them to be encouraged and knit together by strong ties of love. I want them to have complete confidence that they understand God’s mysterious plan, which is Christ  Himself. 3In Him lie hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

 

 

4I am telling you this so no one will deceive you with well-crafted arguments. 5For though I am far away from you, my heart is with you. And I rejoice that you are living as you should and that your faith in Christ is strong.6And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow Him. 7Let your roots grow down into Him, and let your lives be built on Him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.

 

8Don’t let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powersa of this world, rather than from Christ. 9For in Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body.b 10So you also are complete through your union with Christ, who is the Head over every ruler and authority.

 

 

 

We want to obey God...to emulate Christ...yet, we'll fail...or we'll be trying and trying in our own flesh...unless we learn to do it a different way. Not too long ago in our recent history the WWJD movement began. However, it faded, but why?  This article has an idea about that....

http://www.drurywriting.com/keith/wwjd.htm 

 

 

 

 

We cannot do anything 'God derived' in our flesh, so as to bear the kind of fruit that accomplishes His purposes. This is why it behooves us to stand back for a time and ask God to teach us to be fruit bearers, instead of 'trying' and exerting ourselves to bear fruit.

 

 

 

Then even when we do bear fruit by own efforts, what comes of it? Is it lasting fruit? This is the question that the believers before us perhaps did not understand...which is why the movement that had good intentions, sunk into near nothingness ~ like a house built on sand...or wine skin that burst ~ because it had old wine put into it.

 

 

 

Evil wars against the human body that is already weak, then fights to sway our mind away from Christ so it can't cooperate with the things of the Spirit. ~ Who will give us the victory over these things...so our body and mind can be used for God, instead of against Him?  

 

 

 1 John 5:4 For everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.

 

 

Faith in what or whom? In ourselves? In our own abilities? In our own actions? In our own common sense? In our own knowledge and wisdom? In our own feelings? In our own ways? In our own talents? In our own intellect? In our own interpersonal skills?

 

 

 

OR

 

 

 

Faith in Christ Jesus? In His abilities? In His actions? In His common sense? In His knowledge and wisdom? In His feelings? In His ways? In His talents? In His intellect? and In His interpersonal skills?

 

 

 

Which source do you have faith in so as to be a  'happy tree'? A fruit bearer who is living it's purpose and shares in the blessings??

 

 

 

 

You who have been born of God...so you have been planted IN Him...and your roots have complete access to the Source...to Christ Jesus. He has given you a new nature, He is inside and with and around you....as well as His written word is before you...He has hemed you in on everyside!  Psalm 139:5 "You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand of blessing upon me". Jesus is your everything...including your teacher.

 

 

John 13: 12When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. 13“You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am.

 

 

 

14Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. 15I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 16I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.

 

 

 

He wants to be our example. He desires to teach us, and then His Holy Spirit remind us, how to live. Our spirit, which has been made new, is very willing, ready and able! However, our body is weak, and is used to doing things the old way. Jesus said in Matt. 26:41 "Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak."

 

 

Then Paul, who emulated Christ, is saying the same thing Jesus said here in  Rom. 7: "21So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; 23but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. 24What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? 25Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!"

 

 

The disciples walked with Jesus and learned from Him...so we can also walk with Christ through the gospels and learn from Him there as well. John 2: 20“What!” they exclaimed. “It has taken forty-six years to build this Temple, and you can rebuild it in three days?” 21But when Jesus said “this temple,” he meant his own body. 22After he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered he had said this, and they believed both the Scriptures and what Jesus had said.

 

Paul also learned from and emulated Jesus (1 Cor. 11:1), and so when we go there and read his letters and learn from him...this is also learning from Christ.  Phil. 4:9 'Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me--everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you."

 

 

We must remember as we are in this process, that God has not left us clueless at all!! He has shown us in His written word all the specifics...so you and I can become more familiar with what comes from His Spirit and what doesn't. Perhaps the WWJD movement didn't last because the fruit trees were expected to keep on growing and producing God's fruit even when the things not of God began coming out of the same trees?

 

 

 

James 3: 9-18 "With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness. 10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. 11Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? 12My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.

 

 

Light and dark can not exist together...and even a little leaven leavens the whole lump. Or perhaps Christ grew into a mere idea, instead of a real Person who was God in the flesh and Who's every word and every action represented God exactly.

 

 

 

13Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. 14But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. 15Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. 16For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.

 

17But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peaceable, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of impartiality and hypocrisy. 18Peacemakers who sow seeds of peace raise a harvest of righteousness."

 

 

 

 

 

Gal. 5: 22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. 25Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.

 

Creating Memories and Joy!

 

I think it gets hard for Christians because we are living in two worlds - two Kingdoms. We are used to living in one of the worlds...namely this one...so we are pretty sure about how things work here for most people.  For instance...what kinds of things do human beings like to do and what gives us joy and creates memories?

 

 

OK, better yet, what in your life have given you great memories and real joy in this world? While you are thinking about it, here are some of mine --

 

 

*Teaching and helping children

*Creating various kinds of fine art

*When my book was published

*Making a difference

   somewhere, anywhere

*Going to the mountains

*When I know I've helped

    someone grow in Christ

*Going to an Emmaus weekend

*Having and caring for animals

*When I've had very close friends

*Antiquing in a little town unhurriedly

*When I recieve good news

   and surprises

*When someone gives me

     something from their heart

 

 

 

I am confident that God also wants us to begin having many joyful experiences in God's world too. But, how does this happen? We can see and touch this human kingdom,  but God's kingdom is not so easily seen or touched. Yes, there is a way!  But how?

 

 

 

Well, as you know, there were obstacles that kept us out of the Kingdom of God before Christ. The law made it about impossible to experience the joys of living in God's kingdom, because of our own inabilities to meet the requirements of the law.

 

 

But now, because of Christ we have a clear path to God and full access to His kingdom...even tho we have not experienced the physical heaven yet, the kingdom of God is within us.

 

 

 

So, now isn't it time to begin thinking about what memorable and joyful things there are to do here in God's kingdom? It IS as real as this world, yes!? God wants to help us add many experiences to our list!

 

 

 

Ok, then....how does this happen?

 

 

Romans 1 :17 "This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, "The righteous shall live by faith"

 

 

 

 

In God's kingdom anything and everything is done by faith...

 

 Here in the USA at least, it is quite normal to say excuse me when we bump into someone, as we have come to expect it will makes things ok. However, I know for me anyway, I do it by faith as well, especially if I don't know the person and how they would react to being bumped!

 

 

 

There are many things we automatically do at home or in our society because they are just things one does! My sister-in-law came from a country that hugging was not done very often...it is something she said that she had to get used to doing and it being done to her...and at the beginning she merely did it by faith after learning it was a typical thing to do here. Then in time it became much more natural to her...

 

 

 

To us, doing the things in God's Kingdom is like this...we are in a Kingdom that does things differently...so we start out at least doing things that God wants us to do merely out of faith. Out of believing that God knows what He is doing and knows how things work in His invisable Kingdom.

 

 

 

For instance, the primary thing God wants us to do is love. To believe what God has said about his love, and then be a part of expressing it. In whatever measure...in whatever way...where ever we are...to imitate God in this world that needs Him...and in so doing be blessed ourselves! Like a sweet perfume...when sharing it with others, one can't help but getting it on yourselves!

 

 

 

 

Galatians 5:6 "For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love."

 

 

1 Corinthians 9:23 "I do everything to spread the Good News and share in its blessings."

 

 

 

God is love. He is not just a God who loves...He IS love. Love is to Him an essential part of being. This is why He commands that we love...and likewise that we emulate Him as His dear children...because He wants us to identify with Him and participate in His likeness.

 

 

 

He does not do this so as to put another law on us...He does so because He knows what will make us complete and give us joy!! We already know what gives us joy in this earthly world...now God wants to teach us what will bring us joy in His world. Can you trust Him?

 

 

Love is not hard or burdensome...which is why it is more than compatable with grace. It is a joy and a blessing! The Pharisees and Experts in the Law of long ago and those of today want to have some religious control and in so doing are keeping many from the knowledge of God's love and grace that would set us free -- therefore, they are misrepresenting God!

 

 

 

Luke 11:46 "Yes," said Jesus, "what sorrow also awaits you experts in religious law! For you crush people with unbearable religious demands, and you never lift a finger to ease the burden."

 

Luke 11:52 "How terrible it will be for you experts in the Law! You have taken away the key to knowledge. You didn't go in yourselves, and you kept out those who were trying to go in."

 

 

The command to love can be likened to a loving Father who brings home some very precious and personal gifts for each of his beloved children...then commands that they not just hold onto them....but open and experience them! Live them, share them and enjoy them. Now, how would this be burdensome or difficult?? This is just like God insisting that I be blessed!

 

Luke 12; 32“Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. 33 Now, sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. 34For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

 

 

 

Acts 20:35 “And I have shown you everything, that it is necessary to labor and to take care of those who are weak and to remember the words of our Lord Jesus, who said, 'He who gives is more blessed than he who receives.'”

 

 

1 Cor. 9:23 "I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings."

 

 

 

1 John 5:3 "Loving God means keeping his commandments, and his commandments are not burdensome".

 

Matthew 11:30 'Jesus said, "For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

 

 

The command to love in not under the law. A law can be measured, therefore we can tell when a law hasn't been obeyed. But love is not and cannot be under the law -- since love cannot be measured like a rule can!

 

 

So, where ever you are in your loving efforts, is wonderful and acceptable to God!! Because when we share God's love in any measure, it has the same power to perfect God's love in us, as well as rid us of any fears we still have of condemnation. A little leaven (or love), leavens the whole lump!

 

 

 

Col. 1 "10This is love: not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the payment for our sins. 11Dear friends, if this is the way God loved us, we must also love each other. 12No one has ever seen God. If we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is perfected in us. 13We know that we live in him and he lives in us because he has given us his Spirit.

 

 

 

14We have seen and testify to the fact that the Father sent his Son as the Savior of the world. 15God lives in those who declare that Jesus is the Son of God, and they live in God. 16We have known and believed that God loves us. God is love. Those who live in God's love live in God, and God lives in them.

 

 

 

17God's love has reached its goal in us. So we look ahead with confidence to the day of judgment. While we are in this world, we are exactly like him [with regard to love]. 18No fear exists where his love is. Rather, perfect love gets rid of fear, because fear involves punishment. The person who lives in fear doesn't have perfect love. 19We love because God loved us first.

 

 

 

 

20Whoever says, "I love God," but hates another believer is a liar. People who don't love other believers, whom they have seen, can't love God, whom they have not seen. 21Christ has given us this commandment: The person who loves God must also love other believers."

 

 

Living in love does so much...and most of all creates intimacy with God.

 

 

John 14:21 "Whoever knows and obeys my commandments is the person who loves me. Those who love me will have my Father's love, and I, too, will love them and show myself to them."

 

God's Faithfulness & Our Salvation

Our Salvation-

 

 

When God saves someone...they are saved. They are not halfway saved...no, completely saved! It would take very specific and rare circumstances for someone to lose their salvation! Yes, rare. God invested so much into our salvation...so do you think He would change His mind or let someone go so easily?? NO! We get shaken by happenstance, He does not. We change our mind on a whim, He does not. His mercies are new every morning...and this was spoken even before the New Covenant! 

 

Lamentations 3:22-24

22 The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;b

his mercies never come to an end;

23 they are new every morning;

great is your faithfulness.

24 “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,

“therefore I will hope in him.”

 

 

Rom. 8: 1 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,

 

2 Cor. 3:9 If the old way, which brings condemnation, was glorious, how much more glorious is the new way, which makes us right with God!

 

Romans 3:21 But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify.

 

 

2 Corinthians 5:21 God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.

 

 

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New converts-

 

 

Some people however will either come forward at an alter call or pray a prayer to be saved under very emotional circumstances, and not truly receive Christ...not unlike someone who would say almost anything under feelings of compulsion or hopelessness.  So, in the following verses, when he was giving instructions about choosing Overseers, this is what he had in mind concerning new converts.  

 

 

As God knows if someone has truly accepted Him, but we do not, so it is important for us to take these precautions. Then the scriptures after that is the parable Jesus told about the same issue....that there will be some that have not received Christ even though they appeared to have done so at the beginning.

 

 

 

This is my personal belief -- since I believe God meets us where we are, I also think some people are still teetering when they pray...meaning they are still in the process of being saved...and any slight wind can cause them to be swept away.

 

 

1 Tim.3: 6Must not be a new convert, so that he will not become conceited and fall into the condemnation incurred by the devil. 7And he must have a good reputation with those outside the church, so that he will not fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.

 

 

 

 

Luke 8: 4While a large crowd was gathering and people were coming to Jesus from town after town, he told this parable: 5“A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds of the air ate it up.

 

 

 

6Some fell on rock, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture. 7Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants. 8Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown.”

 

 

  

11“This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God. 12Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. 13Those on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away.

 

 

 

14The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature. 15But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.

 

 

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The one unforgivable sin-

 

 

 

Luke 12: 8"I tell you, everyone who confesses me before men, him will the Son of Man also confess before the angels of God; 9but he who denies me in the presence of men will be denied in the presence of the angels of God.

 

10Everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but those who blaspheme against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. 11When they bring you before the synagogues, the rulers, and the authorities, don't be anxious how or what you will answer, or what you will say; 12for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that same hour what you must say."

 

 

Against - eis (a preposition) – properly, into (unto) – literally, "motion into which" implying penetration ("unto," "union") to a particular purpose or result.

 

 

 

 

God in the flesh died for us and therefore paid an extremely heavy price...therefore He does not take it lightly when His Holy Spirit makes His home inside our heart and life. It would be compared to setting something priceless and sacred inside the finest gold...therefore a union He never, ever planned would ever be touched or removed!! Can you picture it?!  

 

 

 

 

 

We can get mad at God and even allow our human nature to run at the mouth or have temper tantrums! However, blaspheming against the Holy Spirit is very different...it is essentially tampering with that one union that God deems as the most sacred....because it is that one thing...the union between God and man...that He died for!!  It is deliberately taking action against the Holy Spirit...like, trying to extract something highly sacred and priceless from pure and fine gold -- and in so doing causing irrepairable damage.  

 

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We are saved, and God is faithful to keep us that way. If we ever get even close (which is still far) to being close to the edge of losing our salvation...God is more than faithful then too.

 

1 Cor. 11:32 When we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned with the world.

 

Hebrews 12:7 Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?

 

 

Rejoice!!

 

The Three Truths II

• Truth is precious and priceless...it is your treasure. Handing truth over to just anyone is more than unwise...it is foolish. Well, it could be God's truths that He has shared with you...you know, as you go about your day, or inside your prayer closet...those mysteries and that hearty meat of the word that is only for the mature! Oh...or a nugget of truth that falls from the sky and hits you squarely in the middle of your noggin! (Well, it feels like it anyway!:)

• Then you walk around for a few hours thinking, "Wow, God has really shared something with ME! AND I actually was able to hear it this time! Then I was reading scripture, and a WHOLE chapter about jumped off the page...and I knew it was a message for me!! Hurray!!"

• Or while you are visiting a friend they say something, and maybe just casually...yet, you know it is for you!

• God can tell you anything, anywhere, by any means!

 

 

In this chapter in Acts 11, notice the many ways God shares His truth with people: http://nlt.scripturetext.com/acts/11.htm

 

 

Truth is the most precious thing in the world...which is why God at times would block some people from knowing it! I think of it as a vase that you inherited. What would you do with it? You never even knew the relative...or the person that passed it to you. But you were told it was a priceless antique...so before you make room for it in your life and handle it which such value so it can be passed to your children, would you go and have it appraised to make sure it is the real thing?

 

 

Then, how would you handle it? Give it to your young children to play with? Put water in it with a bouquet of daisies...then place it in the middle of your kitchen table? Or safely put it up on the top shelf in your locking china cabinet for all to see? Handling it with the care it deserves still means it can be a blessing for anyone who visits...that is, anyone who values exceptional pieces such as that!

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• The truth of the gospel and the Person of Christ are the most wonderful of truths...and one that not all would comprehend. Think about it! Why would God send a King? Wouldn't it be to sit on a throne and rule...and pronounce death on wretched wrong doers?? BUT sending a Ruler to DIE on a CROSS FOR wretched wrong doers?? Yeah, right!!

 

Luke 18: 31Jesus took the twelve apostles aside and said to them, "We're going to Jerusalem. Everything that the prophets wrote about the Son of Man will come true. 32He will be handed over to foreigners. They will make fun of him, insult him, spit on him, 33whip him, and kill him. But on the third day he will come back to life." 34But they didn't understand any of this. What he said was a mystery to them, and they didn't know what he meant.

 

 The Spirit of Christ, in the Old Testament prophets, testified beforehand his sufferings, and the glory that should follow, (1Pe 1:11). The disciples' prejudices were so strong, that they would not understand these things literally. They were so intent upon the prophecies which spake of Christ's glory, that they overlooked those which spake of his sufferings...human thinking, self-focus, and a desire of worldly objects, close our understandings. http://mhc.biblecommenter.com/luke/18.htm

 

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Luke 8:10 He said, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God, but for others they are in parables, so that ‘seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.’

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However, those in Berea, were treating truth as valuable...which is why they made sure that it was the real thing they were taking for themselves!

Acts 17:11 And the people of Berea were more open-minded than those in Thessalonica, and they listened eagerly to Paul's message. They searched the Scriptures day after day to see if Paul and Silas were teaching the truth.

 

 

Once, as a young Christian, when I was with a group of others from church...we went downtown Mpls to do street witnessing. One person we came upon was a man that literally had a large cockroach crawling in and out of his shirt. We, of course were taken back by it, but we persisted. The man had a lot of demonic influence and not loudly, but nevertheless did heckle us and our message...so, needless to say, we were kind, but we didn't stay very long. This, we felt, was not because we were afraid of him...but because he was not ready at all to handle  even a portion of the truth. Moreover, we didn't want the enemy to keep us there, which would keep us from those who would be open and ready.

 

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Your own story...your truth. Be careful, as you would with any truth!

 

Quite a while ago I got a chance to hear Jan Frank, who had written quite extensively about incest and sexual abuse. When she was growing up she was regularly molested by family members. Then as an adult when she was able to get enough healing under her belt, she decided to confront some of them. Well, as you can imagine, they totally rejected her accusations and became angry whenever she brought it up.

 

 

She knew that she never wanted to live apart from the truth again, as it was too important...and she didn't want to live as tho it never happened either, yet she also didn't want to be confronted with how her family handled it! So what she shared about this is that she learned that even tho she did not usually talk about it with her family, or even with others, however, she said that 'whatever she does, no matter where she goes, she will always carry at least a measure of truth with her.' I like this!

 

 

• Matthew 7: 6 "Don't waste what is holy on people who are unholy. Don't throw your pearls to pigs! They will trample the pearls, then turn and attack you".

 

Give not that which is holy - Το αγιον, the holy or sacred thing; i.e. any thing, especially, of the sacrificial kind, which had been consecrated to God. The members of this sentence should be transposed thus: - http://clarke.biblecommenter.com/matthew/7.htm

 

 

 

 

• On the other hand, God does not want you to be so apprehensive that you don't share it, as it can do wondrous things! Furthermore, we need to keep in mind that God entrusted you with it, so you would use it...to further His Kingdom!  Matthew 25: 14-29 -- http://nasb.scripturetext.com/matthew/25.htm

 

 

This is the story of Shirley Anne...this is her truth. I am sharing it with her permission. It is lengthy, and does contain content that may be too sensitive or difficult for some people to take-in:  http://minkyweasel.com/d-my-journey/

 

Those of us that are very open-hearted may need to be careful IF we share certain truths...as there are some things that the other would treat as trivial. Not because they are a stranger to you...however, they would be a stranger to how much they know what is in your soul...as compared to you and God.  Therefore, as the following verse states:

Proverbs 14:10 The heart knows its own bitterness and joy; he will not share these with a stranger.

 

 

• The heart knoweth his own bitterness - מרת נפשו morrath naphsho, "The bitterness of its soul."  The stranger does not understand them: indeed they may be even foolishness to him...so there are some things we ought not share with anyone but God. http://clarke.biblecommenter.com/proverbs/14.htm

Blessings to you....

 

  

Any Volunteers??

 

 Once there was a very strong bridge builder who told all the people of his town to be at the mighty gorge promptly at 5pm, because he was going to show them something they would not want to miss! They all were excited because they thought they would be seeing the new bridge almost completed, which they needed for emergencies since they had only one other way in and out of town. When everyone arrived however, they saw only the first line that he stretches across when beginning to build a new bridge.

 

 

The man asked everyone if they believed he could walk it to the otherside of the gorge and back safely? Everyone cheered, "Yes, we have confidence in you and in the strength of that line, so of course we do!" So, he walked across and back safely. Then he asked, "Now, do you think I can carry this very heavy log with me as I do the very same thing once more?" Then again, everyone cheered...but with even more gusto!!! So, he picked up the large log and did it. Then as he stepped off the end he asked, "Now, do you also have faith that I can carry a person over and back with me like I did the log?" Everyone cheered loudly!!!! Then, he asked, "Any volunteers??"

 

 

 

 

James 2:18 Another person might say, "You have faith, but I do good things." Show me your faith apart from the good things you do. I will show you my faith by the good things I do.

 

 

 

Every 'faith'...true faith....has an action that follows. It might not be something you or I can see...but God can.When Jesus told certain people to do certain things in order to gain eternal life, it was not the 'doing' that saved them. It was not the selling of the rich man's possessions that would have saved him. It would have been the attempt and the doing that would have made it evident the condition of his heart towards God...as he would have been willing to remove the one thing that was the most important thing in his life that he believed sustained and fulfilled him, and therefore his willingness to believe would have been very evident, and significant!

 

 

 

 

Matthew 19: 16And someone came to Him and said, “Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may obtain eternal life?” 17And He said to him, “Why are you asking Me about what is good? There is only One who is good; but if you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.” 18Then he said to Him, “Which ones?” And Jesus said, “YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT MURDER; YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY; YOU SHALL NOT STEAL; YOU SHALL NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS; 19HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER; and YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.” 20The young man said to Him, “All these things I have kept; what am I still lacking?” 21Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” 22But when the young man heard this statement, he went away grieving; for he was one who owned much property

 

 

 

 

 

 So, if God asked you to give-up something, then your reaction to God uncovers and hi-lights the spot in your heart that has been taken-up by that thing you've been holding on to, and perhaps that thing that is hindering your very salvation. However, it may show your spiritual maturity and willingness to believe God when you will take the steps to allow God to take that thing and then replace it with something that is truly of God's Spirit.

 

Heb. 12:2 We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God's throne.

 

 

Romans 10:17 Therefore faith is from the hearing ear, and the hearing ear is from the word of God.

 

 

 

As we closely abide in God and His written word we get to know Him and subsequently His voice because we have come to know what He would say and what He wouldn't, and what He would do and what He wouldn't...so when He calls we can recognize it. Then each time God speaks to us concerning something He wants us to do, our response shows confident faith in God (or the lack of it).

 

 

 

Why do you trust the people that you trust? Doesn't it all have to do with the kind of relationship you have with them? I'm not talking about the label...mother, father, brother, friend, teacher or....

 

 

 

I am talking about the kind of closeness you have that has allowed you to get to know them so well that you know how much you can trust them. This is the kind of relationship God wants you to have with Him. This is what creates and grows faith. The faith that says to God, "I volunteer!"

Become As A Child - 2nd posting

Continue to click on video if it won't start...it is not a Christian made video, but I love the pics.

Luke 18:17 - "I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it."

 

Matthew 18:1 - "At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"

 

Matthew 18: - "I assure you," He said, "unless you are converted and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven".

 

The above scripture in Luke is speaking about eagerly accepting and trusting Christ as an innocent child would. An adult would worry about words, about the theology and if they 'did it right'...when a child just opens their heart to God.

 

 

 

 

Then in Matthew it is fairly obvious that God does desire that those who are converted be encouraged to keep the attitude of a child afterward. This verse is very similar in all translations "unless a person is converted and become like children". Therefore, if one looks at the whole picture, God wants for us to come to Him as a child (In Luke)...stay that way for a time and then desire the pure milk of the word to grow on! (Not the heavy theology...but instead the very basics. Steeping them in the gospel and learning about taking Christ's yoke upon them and walking with Him...obeying the New Commandment...prayer and fellowship, and etc)

 

 



 

 

 

 

Click on the following URL to see the whole chapter of Mark 4, which shows the importance of helping the 'soil' of the people we are sharing with to be receptive. > When the unsaved person is shown the love of Christ while they are yet sinners softens and prepares the soil to receive Him. And then new converts stay receptive when caring and adequate discipleship is given...then what happens when the soil has not been cultivated. Sadly I've seen this happen all too often, especially at an alter-call where people are going up to the alter alone, and then there is no sincere follow-up afterwards.

 http://niv.scripturetext.com/mark/4.htm

 

 

 

 

 

 

Baby Christians need to be encouraged to not rush through the process by those who are discipling them and are familiar with what the bible says...as this stage of Christian growth must be important or God would not have included it. Successfully walking through this process with a baby Christian will help their walk with Christ and their productivity immeasurably!

 

Having taught for close to 35 years in early childhood education I can tell you a few important general characteristics that uniquely separate how young children typically act and think as compared to any other age. Please read through them (below in red) and even though I will make some comparisons to the newly saved, I am not going to comment or leave scriptures (in black) on all of them, leaving some for you to fill in.

 

 

 

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**Young children are concrete thinkers. Whatever they see, feel, hear and.experience is real to them. There are no layers to anything... what you see is what you get.

 

 This is a great attribute for a young Christian! To be encouraged to 'just believe' what the scriptures say! To not analyze so much, which is our problem! We only know the world and how the carnal nature thinks and acts...so these ways are so familiar to us that many of the precepts in scripture that may not seem logical are pushed aside because we have not nurtured this vital characteristic -- to 'just believe' God over our own thinking! What's interesting is that this important characteristic is what helps us to mature...because those that believe God's thinking even over one's own, grow quicker because they don't just give intellectual assent to the words of scripture, but actually believe them because they know that God's ways and thoughts will often be much different than our own!

 

James 1:22Do what God's word says. Don't merely listen to it, or you will fool yourselves.

Romans 11:33Oh, how great are God's riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways!

 

 

**They are egocentric. Everything is about them. So, if their family is having problems they figure they must have done something wrong, and if they are happy they figured they must have done something to help that happen too.

 

 

**If they see something and want it, even if someone else has it, they figure it's theirs just because they want it.

 

 

**Toddlers love to explore and touch everything...which is something that helps them grow in their sensory development rapidly, which in turn helps their brain grow...and so this is really good if they are allowed to do this, but it also means they will end up touching things they ought not.

 

 

**They do not understand, or even think about yet how their actions affect others.

This is a very important one to grow out of...at least that's what scripture says! However, it is one that much of the church still has not matured in...though God even made a command that we do! This is one of the strong residual characteristics that was passed to us at the fall -- self-centeredness. Where the world revolves around you and you can only go so far in being able to feel and empathize with someone else's pain. Christians will tout the extreme importance of doing the first part of loving God, but stop there...when God commanded that we do both - love God and our neighbor AS we love ourselves! In fact this one thing impedes so much of our productivity... 

 

2 Cor. 5:15He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them.

 

 John 13:34So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other.

 

**They are usually risk takers, because they don't understand consequences yet, and also spacial differences. They can't tell whether something is 2 feet high, or 4 feet.

 

 

**They are wide open to love and be loved.

 

 

**They are easily moved when someone else is hurting...and feel very guilty if they think they caused it.

 

 

 **They can be very stubborn, 2 yr olds have been known to hold their breath till they actually pass out!

 

Mark 16:14Still later Jesus appeared to the eleven apostles while they were eating. He put them to shame for their unbelief and because they were too stubborn to believe those who had seen him alive.

 

1 Sam. 15:23Rebellion is as sinful as witchcraft, and stubbornness as bad as worshiping idols. So because you have rejected the command of the LORD, he has rejected you..."

 

John 14:23  Jesus replied, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.

 

**They easily trust...and believe what is told to them...however, if the caretaker's behavior is contrary to their words it can cause one or more arrests in a child's development...BUT if the caretaker's words and actions are congruent the outcome is and can be solid! They also learn the importance of imitating Christ.

 

1 Thess. 1:6 -
You became imitators of us and of the Lord. In spite of a great deal of suffering, you welcomed the word with the joy that the Holy Spirit produces.

 

 

**Their roots are very susceptible, so they readily soak up their experiences

 

 

**They have an exuberance to life. Everything is exciting.

 

 

**They are uninhibited, and they don't care what others think.

 

Matthew 18:4 - Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

 

 

**They are not yet tainted, so they don't have the fears and hurts that hold us back.

 

 

 

**They don't mind getting their hands dirty.

 

 

**When they were told God is real they will believe it, so their faith is strong and their heart open. I've seen young children accept Christ and it is very apparent they truly did! Christianity is actually simple enough for a child to understand the very basics...it is adults that make it seem more complicated.

 

 **Therefore they usually are very open to spiritual things. Many people have said that it was when they were children that they saw an angel.

 

 

 

**They bond with their first caretakers unless those caretakers do something to deliberately cause harm, which can cause children to resist bonding later on.

 

 

 

**They need care, because they can easily be deceived. However, they can easily get discouraged too if the caretaker is not gracious with their mistakes and child-like thinking.

 

 

 

 

**Their senses are more acute and reactions more dramatic.

 

 

 

 

*They naturally know when they are full. It is the adults that teach them to not 'listen' to their body's senses and to finish their plate or to over eat. However, they naturally will be hungry...although it ebs and flows according to how fast they are growing and other factors. Therefore, they should not be pushed too hard to eat so it stays a natural thing and not forced...which can cause problems later.

 

1 Peter 2:2- Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation,

 

 

**They can usually tolerate cold much easier...in fact the kids that live in colder climates are typically healthier. We are the ones that insist on them wearing even more heavier clothing than necessary.

 

 

 

Please feel free to copy this if you want to write in your own answers.