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Topic: Love the Lord Your God - with all your being
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helpforhomeschoolers
Advanced Member
Member # 15
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posted
Wow, this is one had forgotten about. Thank you Drew, this was an awesome thread. It is so good to again read the wisdom of our brothers Greg and John also. I miss them both a lot. I dont even keep in touch with John via email as we did in the past. His work is changed and our lives are busy, but I love him so much. I loved what Born Again posted in this thread as well. I know that Born Again has read of Nee's works and Nee spoke much about dead men. I apprecate that so much as well.
Wow, just good stuff here. Thanks for dragging it down from the attic. ![[hug]](graemlins/hug.gif)
Posts: 4684 | From: Southern Black Hills of South Dakota | Registered: Jun 2002
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Caretaker
Advanced Member
Member # 36
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posted
In my bump of this thread I wish to honor great teaching and spiritual insight. May God bless those who posted.
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A Servant of Christ,
Drew
1 Tim. 3:
16: And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh..
Posts: 3978 | From: Council Grove, KS USA | Registered: Jun 2002
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ISITjhn423
unregistered
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posted
quote:
Have I told you guys lately how much I love you
Isn't that a Michael Bolton song?
Your a good person H4HS - don't let any tell you otherwise. I have taken to heart some of the things you have said, and it has changed me. You planted, The Holy spirit watered, and God gave the increase.
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helpforhomeschoolers
Advanced Member
Member # 15
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posted
Have I told you guys lately how much I love you all and how much you all bless me on a daily Basis? ![[Kiss]](graemlins/Kiss.gif) ![[clap2]](graemlins/clap2.gif) ![[youpi]](graemlins/youpi.gif)
God is Good! Evvvery Day! New Mercies Every morning! I love you all!
Posts: 4684 | From: Southern Black Hills of South Dakota | Registered: Jun 2002
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ISITjhn423
unregistered
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posted
H4HS - you didn't offend me, i kind of figured thats what you were saying. As Weshoes put it, a vaction adds to my joy in God, and my friends add to my joy in God, and seeing my friends play in a band adds to my joy in God, but God is my first joy, and it becomes a problem as wetshoes was saying is when these things becomes our focus and center of our joy. These things are temporal and is nothing but treasures that moths corrupt, but the treasures of heaven are eternal, and it where our heart should be. Our joy and hope is that Christ is raised. If we beleive not that Christ is raised than we are still in our sins and our faith is in vain. If we don't beleive in the ressurection, than what hope do we have? Christ is our hope. he is the blessed hope.
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Wetshoes
Advanced Member
Member # 48
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posted
Greg,
I think that Linda will understand that I use her thread to interact with you in a few posts!
Somehow I know all of this about you! I am not sure if you had posted this or if I know another way, but it is why I added to you in my encouragement – The difficulty to share in congregational setting.
For the last several days the Lord has laid you on my heart! Even now as I write this to you, I cannot humanly explain the emotion that envelopes me except to say that I am familiar with the times that this happens. Greg – read Ezekiel 34. I know that you are familiar with the chapter but I believe that our Lord would like to infuse you with something from His Spirit by way of resolve of your calling!
There is a fault on the part of the Shepherds but there is also a fault on the part of those who choose to follow them. Not all are misguided in their deception; many choose to be deceived because they are offered a price they can pay in their flesh. Churches contain a precious rarity! They are those soles of those who are looking and know no where else to go! They are the grains of gold caught in a spiritual sluice that are trapped by the debris that surrounds them and washes over them! I admire your calling and willingness to venture into this place; suffer rejection and never really are able to fully measure the impact before your led away!
Thank you for sharing your heart brother! There is a kind of prophetic calling that is more subtle than one who stands up and speaks a few lines in the first person of the Lord! There is the calling where our Lord sends one with the simple truth, not that it will be accepted but ‘because’ it will be rejected! It is necessary because it is the last attempt our Lord uses at changing the mind of the rebellious and functions as an indictment for the next steps our Lord takes! From that point, the Lord begins the painful process of changing their heart!
Please don’t apologize for sharing your heart. This is the place to unburden! The Lord continue to bless you and use you!
Love john
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WoodStoneSteel@hotmail.com
Posts: 279 | From: San Diego County California | Registered: Jun 2002
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Bro. Greg
Advanced Member
Member # 2943
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posted
Wetshoes,
Thank you for that bit of encouragement! I would like to say that I can see the Grace of Our Lord shining from within your posts as well. I see you are man held in great esteem by many here on this board and I respect your insite. I agree very much with your thoughts on how it is easier for folks to let the Grace bestowed upon them on boards like this one. I am a minister and I have found, and it greatly saddens my heart, that often churches do not want to hear about the Grace on peoples hearts. It is sometimes hard for me as a preacher to speak about some of the things I speak about on here because when I do I find myself not being invited back to speak! (If that makes sense) But never the less the Lord is my Sheppard! I will go where He sends me and preach what He gives me! My hearts desire is to accually be able to go into a local church and teach these things the Lord has shown me and see lives change in and by His Grace. For that is for me the greatest reward of preaching the Gospel. Seeing the results! Often, when I refuse payment(an offering) people do not understand why I do. For me my payment is to see the lightbulbs go off in the congregations eyes and the tears as their eyes are opened by the Lord. That to me is worth more than all the gold and silver in the world.
The Lord sent me to a church once that had no pastor and were looking for one. He layed it on my heart to offer to pastor it without salary and I had to go through the interview process of preaching a few times. But the church decided that because I had no formal schooling or colledge that I was not what they were looking for so turned down my offer. As a footnote they added that my sermons were too long! ![[Smile]](smile.gif) My thoughts were if I had more time then I could teach the Grace that the Lord has shown me better over time. But like most churches today, they had a "get rich quick" view of what they wanted. The church still doesn't have a pastor and that was over a year ago now. They just meet together with guest speakers for their alloted time of 45 minutes or so and go home. There is no growth there. The church seems to be falling apart from within. It greives my heart to see that because the Lord has given me a heart of a pastor. They squabble amongst themselves and it is tearing them apart but if a paster does not meet up to their standards then they reject him.
They actually brought a pastor all the way from South America up here and rejected him as well I believe or he rejected them. I was not involved in the process so do not know exactly what happened.
Anyway, I appologize for unloading like this but it is just an area that weights heavy on my heart at times. I don't know why I unloaded it today but I did. I thank the Lord that I can come here on this board amoungst brothers and sisters in Christ and discuss the Grace of our Lord for that is my heart and calling.
Again, thanks for your kind words and encouragement. Grace be unto you and yours!
Greg
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Isaiah 5:20(KJV) 20Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
Bro. Greg
In and By His Grace
http://www.mychristiansite.com/ministries/pass_it_on
Posts: 527 | From: Montana, USA | Registered: Mar 2004
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Wetshoes
Advanced Member
Member # 48
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posted
Greg
I thought I would just take a moment here and tell you what a blessing you are to this site! Actually, I have only really recently come to understand how important people’s interaction on these web boards really is! For many, this is the only place they “discuss” and share the grace they have been given. I believe you know how difficult it is to express some things in a church setting and many here are sparked with their first awareness that they have something to contribute to their brothers and sisters. Your posts go a long way toward drawing this grace out of people. In a gentle way – you challenge and in so doing, you cause many to really search out what they believe and why they believe it! You’re pressing causes and sometimes ‘drives’ people to scripture and their Lord for the interpretation.
Our Lord speaks to us in such a profound way that we often understand something un-worded! When we find ourselves trying to share this understanding here, we have the difficulty of translating Grace that came to us easily, into a written form that is not easily expressed and even more difficult to understand. Maybe this could be compared to trying to share a great literary classic by miming! What we understand in an eloquent way becomes almost tedious and frustrating through the keyboard. But you persist – and in the end one is left with the task of seeking God for the credible translation of thought. Essentially, you direct people to the author of the word you are sharing! Scripture speaks much of anointed hearing and little of anointed speaking – (or writing!) I believe that the reason for this is because unlike any literary work of men, the living word of God finds its life and validity in hearing from its author. I believe this is true not only of scripture but every communicated revelation from God!
You say of yourself and really speak of us all – that we understand in part! Praise God that this dark glass we peer through is sufficient! If it were necessary that we understood in totality we would be given complete understanding. But alas we do not, though we feel it necessary and in fact we feel negligent on our part – to not understand or even to communicate that which we do understand! But we are wonderfully equipped to completely understand the single thrust of all scripture – our love of our God and each other!
Love john
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WoodStoneSteel@hotmail.com
Posts: 279 | From: San Diego County California | Registered: Jun 2002
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helpforhomeschoolers
Advanced Member
Member # 15
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posted
quote:
there are some things in God's Word that I do not quite see clearly still.
This is true for every one of us! Everything we see, we see in part right now. There is not one of us that sees and understands all.
But one day... one day soon, there will be nothing that is hidden, nothing we do not understand... when perfect comes! Praise HIM!!
Posts: 4684 | From: Southern Black Hills of South Dakota | Registered: Jun 2002
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Bro. Greg
Advanced Member
Member # 2943
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posted
I agree Wetshoes, Linda is speaking of spiritual things that the world finds hard to understand. Brothers and sisters find it hard to understand as well sometimes but it does not mean they are not brothers and sisters in Christ. If it did, then I too would be in a world of hurt because though I understand what Linda is saying in her post concerning spiritual things there are some things in God's Word that I do not quite see clearly still. But an apple tree doesn't sprout from the seed with an apple hanging from it...it must grow! For you plant, I water, but God gives the increase!
Thanks for your post and wisdom!
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Isaiah 5:20(KJV) 20Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
Bro. Greg
In and By His Grace
http://www.mychristiansite.com/ministries/pass_it_on
Posts: 527 | From: Montana, USA | Registered: Mar 2004
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helpforhomeschoolers
Advanced Member
Member # 15
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posted
Whoa! Now we are all preachin' good! Amen and Amen!
![[wiggle7]](graemlins/wiggle7.gif) Amen to you BA, yes indeed dead men can do nothing!
quote:
The trouble with many of us is that we think that our "bad part" has died, but secretly we think that we still have a little bit of "good" left in us with which we can help the Lord.
Yes, yes, yes! He wants us to get out of the way and let HIM live in us!
![[hyper]](graemlins/hyper.gif) Amen Bro Greg:
quote:
"I" die daily but am unable to live again. But Praise GOD, Praise GOD, Praise HIS HOLY NAME.. HE IS RISEN! I couldn't rise and live again but HE DID! So because HE lives, I LIVE IN HIM! For this is our only HOPE! Because HE LIVES! If I put my trust in the Law I find death because of SIN, but if I put my trust in BECAUSE HE LIVES... I SHALL NEVER DIE!
Yes, He who finds his life (is in Christ) shall lose it (this one!) and he who loses his life (this one) for my sake shall find it!!! Amen, our life IS IN HIM!!!
![[dance]](graemlins/dance1.gif) Oh John! Amen and Amen!
quote:
Even our own salvation can become a vanity! Salvation is the happy consequence to our relationship with the Lord, but even if Salvation were not offered and man had no hope of anything better than to live a natural life and then cease to exist, man would not be complete without his relationship with God being the center of his life.
And Amen!!!
quote:
Righteousness is not found by pursuing it! Ambitious attempts at becoming righteous – noble as they may be – still pit the flesh against the flesh.
Amen, Amen, Amen!
quote:
Our love for our God is our law! Our close association – not with the principles of righteousness, but with the “person” of righteousness is our means to obtain and live the principles of the law.
And ISIT:
Who is accusing you? Not I! Either the devil is accusing you or God is chastening. Only you know which. Do be defensive, if it is the devil tell him to take a hike! If it is God chastening take heed.
Can you go to the bar where the heathen are and be light? Jesus did! But he did'nt do the things the heathen did while he was there!
quote:
God has made me a great worker, by using work as a way to practicing being a servant and being obedient, people see this.
EAXACTLY! AMEN!!!! If this is so, dont hate work! Enjoy work for you work as unto HIM!!!! If God has given you a job, love your job because it is from HIM. Magnify HIM in your work and that will be something you cannot hate doing if you are his. We find happiness in magnifying HIM!
Tristanic: Amen to you too!
quote:
how i live my life is the biggest witness i can be. if i'm not in that setting, if i'm walking w/ god and living my life to glorify him only, people are gonna see that and want that too.
God has called some to minister in the bars and in the streets. If this is your calling you can go into the bars and shine as bright as any Southern Baptist Preacher in the pulpit wearing a three piece suit on Sunday morning and singing There is Power in the Blood!
His annointing will allow you to do this. But you are right, if you dont have that annointing and the bar for you is a temptation; and you find yourself glorifying Anheiser Bush and not HIM, then you best stay out of the bar!
Posts: 4684 | From: Southern Black Hills of South Dakota | Registered: Jun 2002
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Wetshoes
Advanced Member
Member # 48
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posted
I think – ISIT and Tristanic – that Linda is speaking to something more than what you do or where you are! Actually this isn’t Linda at all and her post really needs to be read as such. From time to time Linda pours out her prophetic gifting here and this is one of those times. If I am wrong, then I am sure she will correct me, but if I am reading her post correctly what is being spoken to here is the “strife” that follows mans ambitions, or more appropriately stated – drives mans ambitions!
The idea that it is possible to “make yourself” content through employment, vacations or the validation of a group of friends who think your really cool – or even make yourself acceptable to God, is a vanity of our flesh! Though we are employed, may take vacations and have friends, these things are not the satisfying substance of our lives. At best – they may be additions that could be enjoyed, at worst they could be replacements for God Himself, even in the lives of Christians.
Even our own salvation can become a vanity! Salvation is the happy consequence to our relationship with the Lord, but even if Salvation were not offered and man had no hope of anything better than to live a natural life and then cease to exist, man would not be complete without his relationship with God being the center of his life. The scripture Linda quoted, ‘does not’ begin with the words, “in order to obtain salvation …” Rather loving the Lord your God with all your being and loving your neighbor – is a complete thought in and of itself!
Man strives to find happiness either trying not to offend God or casts the thought aside completely. But our Lord would have us love Him completely and in totality and when we find these things added, they are shared with joy in the communion of His presence. And then there is never a need of continuing repentance!
But there is a deeper message in this that is more profound and subtle. Righteousness is not found by pursuing it! Ambitious attempts at becoming righteous – noble as they may be – still pit the flesh against the flesh. At best this conflict can only end in a draw. Even if the flesh were defeated, flesh would still be the victor! But the law taught us the futility of the effort. Our love for our God is our law! Our close association – not with the principles of righteousness, but with the “person” of righteousness is our means to obtain and live the principles of the law. The way to put our flesh to death is confusing to many, but in effect our flesh is continually bit by bit “displaced” by our Lord and this occurs only through close and continuous association with Him. We love Him with all our heart, all our soul and all our mind – ALL THE TIME!
Essentially our flesh dies of atrophy. It dies of neglect! Preferring the benefits of the loving camaraderie of our Lord and each other, our flesh fails but our spirit abounds. Dying to the flesh is the “result” of living in the spirit! The world does not understand this, thinking we are bound to a system of belief, they cannot understand or measure joy because they have no gauge! Physical death to the natural man means that his “means” to acquire and experience the pleasures he has known ceases. The great gift of salvation for us, is that at that point we slough off the shell we long ago discovered we no longer needed and continue unfettered in what we have already known!
I watched an insecure child stand terrified when he thought he had lost his father, it was not until he had slipped his small hand in his fathers grip and exchange the interaction of facial acknowledgment did the fear leave his face and security replace it. For the rest of time I watched them, neither would let go of the other – may I live as this in my fathers hand!
Love john
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WoodStoneSteel@hotmail.com
Posts: 279 | From: San Diego County California | Registered: Jun 2002
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Bro. Greg
Advanced Member
Member # 2943
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posted
AMEN Born Again! ![[thumbsup2]](graemlins/thumbsup2.gif) Now we are getting to the bottem of things! Just another truth that it is not "I" but HE that is within me!
Jesus said,
quote:
The Holy Bible, King James Version
John 14:18 - John 14:20 (KJV) 18I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. 19Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also. 20At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.
"I" die daily but am unable to live again. But Praise GOD, Praise GOD, Praise HIS HOLY NAME.. HE IS RISEN! I couldn't rise and live again but HE DID! So because HE lives, I LIVE IN HIM! For this is our only HOPE! Because HE LIVES! If I put my trust in the Law I find death because of SIN, but if I put my trust in BECAUSE HE LIVES... I SHALL NEVER DIE!
Jesus said:
quote:
The Holy Bible, King James Version
John 11:25 - John 11:26 (KJV) 25Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: 26And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?
Whosoever liveth, HOW DOES HE LIVE? By the HOLY GHOST! BORN AGAIN! What do we believe? THAT HE LIVES! That HE IS ABLE! That he has conquered DEATH! How? By the CROSS!
Praise GOD, Praise GOD, JESUS said, I AM THE RESURRECTION MARTHA! Somebody help me SHOUT AMEN!
Thank you JESUS! Let's preach the GOSPEL people!
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Isaiah 5:20(KJV) 20Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
Bro. Greg
In and By His Grace
http://www.mychristiansite.com/ministries/pass_it_on
Posts: 527 | From: Montana, USA | Registered: Mar 2004
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BORN AGAIN
unregistered
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posted
helpforhomeschoolers says quote:
If part of you is still working, still striving, still focused on something other than Christ... then you are not all dead and if you are not all dead, then he is not all alive in you.
I think we need to recognize that eventhough Jesus paid the penalty for my sins 100%, in God's book I'M THE ONE WHO PAID THE PENALTY, namely, in God's book, I AM DEAD.
Now, it so happens that the only reason why I'm still alive on earth is because Jesus was willing to be my SUBSTITUTE, but what He did for me is NOT written IN HIS ACCOUNT, but is written IN MY ACCOUNT.
And what does it say in my account? BORN AGAIN is DEAD. And why is he dead? Because he has paid his debt in full. How did he pay his debt in full? Well, he had a good friend who was willing to die in his place, but that does not matter to us, as long as the penalty is paid in full. As far as God is concerned, I AM THE ONE who is dead.
And what can God expect from a dead man? Nothing. He can expect nothing from me:
Galatians 2
20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
Dead men don't talk and don't do anything. The trouble with many of us is that we think that our "bad part" has died, but secretly we think that we still have a little bit of "good" left in us with which we can help the Lord.
God is not interested in Adam's badness, but God is also not interested in Adam's (alleged) goodness. Both of them must die. They're both filthy rags to Him.
God bless, ![[Cross]](graemlins/cross.gif) BORN AGAIN
"Gotta be completely dead before I can be made alive"
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tristanic316
Community Member
Member # 3333
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posted
good morning everybody! how are ya'll? i'm great!
i came across this topic and warning: i have all these thoughts running thru my head so it may be really random and off the wall. yikes!
this subject is one thing i've kinda been confused about before. a part of me thinks: how DO you witness to the lost in say, the bar scenes and places like that, if we're not there. but more of me thinks: how i live my life is the biggest witness i can be. if i'm not in that setting, if i'm walking w/ god and living my life to glorify him only, people are gonna see that and want that too. so i think i'm more for just living a christ-like life, then putting myself into situations where i could possibly fall. i don't think being at the bar and drinking a few beers is a good witness. cuz then it goes back to the whole thing about non-believers seeing you do that and think 'well, he's a christian and he's doing that, so it's okay if i do'it's about taking a stand in what you believe and what you know to be right. but i guess everyone's views of being a light, is different. but that's just me and how i'm doing it! god bless you guys!
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Knowing what you stand for limits what you will fall for.
Have a splendid day!
Posts: 19 | From: tx | Registered: May 2004
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ISITjhn423
unregistered
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posted
I don't know if i agree with some of the things you said.
From what your saying it sounds like i am still carnal, because i still like to spend time with my friends and talk about life, and make jokes, and have fun in life and i let my light and joy shine in the world for the whole world to see, and i don't hide my light.
I have had moments of being taken up into heaven, and seeing visions for the future, and these visions are glorious and bright indeed, but i can't spend my whole time up in these visions. For one these visions captures me when i least expect them, and these visions take me back to earth when i see what i have seen. I am indeed reborn of the Spirit, God has told me and shown to me that i am reborn in the spirit, and called by him. Jesus indeed did live a holy life, but i beleive there is such a thing of still being Holy and still having fun and still being yourself. I think you run into a problem, when you try to change yourself, and conform to the world.
I look worldy, but i am not worldly, i wear the clothes i wear and listen to the music i listen to because i like them, on the outside i may appear carnal and worldly, but on the inside i am indeed born of the spirit. I'm actually going to the Bar to support my friend's band in a couple of minutes, and will probably drink a couple of beers as well, and let my light shine and talk to random people and give everyone a holy hug. It's what comes out of the mouth that defiles the person.
I am a sinner and a publican, and it would not be right for me to abandon my kind, because i am reborn in the spirit. It would be better for me to be with my kind, and help them and give my lending hand. I beleive this is what the scriptures means by Jesus humbled himself to man. If i have the love of God in me, and i hide my love of God, how is the world going to see his love, if all those who have the love of God hides God's love? I beleive now is the time to show the world Christ, who dwells in those who beleive in him and are called of him
I can't stand work, but i have to do it. God has made me a great worker, by using work as a way to practicing being a servant and being obedient, people see this. I have been practicing obedience at work and i have been praised and complimented in ways i can't say. Just by being obedient to everyone aropund me at work and being a servant God has blessed me with a permanent job, respect, and one to look up to and go to
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helpforhomeschoolers
Advanced Member
Member # 15
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posted
Matthew 22:36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
38 This is the first and great commandment.
39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
This is a powerful statement made by Jesus. On these two hang all the law and the prophets. Everything that has been written to you in the books of the law and the prophets hang or are summed up in these two precepts.
But do we understand what Jesus is saying?
How do we live and love the Lord God with all our heart, soul, mind or as said in another Gospel heart, soul, mind and strength?
These words speak to the being or composition of man who was first created as a triune being...
Heart/Spirit soul/mind strength/flesh
To love God the way Jesus says we are commanded to love God involves the triunity of man being focused on loving God.
In the carnal man this is impossible. In the carnal man, some part of his being is always focused on the world.
Carnal man is consumed with his own salvation, which is wholeness, completeness, nothing missing, or needed or broken. Carnal man works to sustain his own life, to eat and have shelter, he works to provide for himself the things he needs and desires to exisit in this life... food, shelter, companionship, entertainment. Carnal man even works to provide himself with the things that are needed but not tangible... things like security, love, acceptance, approval, self worth. Part of the being of carnal man is always focused on these things.
When the carnal man goes to work, his mind is focused on the job and the paycheck at the end of the week and his spirit on the vaction that is still too far away.
When the carnal man seeks entertainment, his flesh is focused on pleasure and the desire for rest or relief from his toil, his mind is foucused on that which brings relief quickly to his flesh and his spirit is longing for relief that lasts.
When the carnal man seeks sustenance his flesh is focused on his hunger and desire and his mind on provision and his spirit again is longing for meat that satisfies beyond the next meal.
When the carnal man seeks fellowship his flesh seeks companionship, his mind seeks approval and gratification and again the spirit is longing for something that lasts past the next round of beers or the next one night stand.
In each of these cases man is unable to love God with all his being because some part of his being is consumed by the desires of the flesh and the preoccupation of the mind to fulfil the desires of the flesh and in each case the Spirit is left wanting something more.
But when a man is born again, something happens to his person. The Spirit is now the leader, the spirit that is in communion with God now directs the mind/soul and where the mind goes the body follows.
But how? How is it possible that the Spirit becomes the leader? There is only one way and this is for the man to be born again of Spirit. But this is only possible when the man realizes that he no longer has to be concerned with the needs and desires of the flesh because God is the provider.
When we come to realize that we dont have to work to save ourselves, to make ourselves whole or complete, to have security, value, worth, love or even food, shelter, clothing, and companionship.... when we realize that all these things are added to us when we seek first his kingdom and that all these things are met for us in a Person who is Christ Jesus, then and only then can our Spirit become the leader and our being be wholy focused on loving God.
When HE becomes ALL that we are and ALL that we have, and ALL that we ever hope to BE and to HAVE... then and only then can we love him with all our triune being.
If HE is to become ALL in us, then all else in us must die.
I dont work for XYZ company any more, it is not Christ who works there. I am not focused on the paycheck, but on Christ. I dont long for the vaction, Christ is my vacation. I dont toil for a paycheck, I toil for him and it is not toil... because it really isnt I who toils at all but HE.
I dont worry about my next meal because I eat bread that satisfies and drink water that I never need thirst again, and in HIM who is my bread and my water I have no worries because he knows my needs for earthly bread and water and he provides when I stop striving for life and start living for him.
I have no need for companionship because I am full of companionship and am never alone, as he walks and talks with me and because I have stopped striving and started living for him, I am surrounded by a comunity of brothers and sisters who love me and desire to share time with me . I no longer seek relationships to validate me as I am validated by who is in me that is HE! My worth and my value and my esteem are no more self-value, esteem and worth... but Christ-esteem, value and worth.
Even my needs for entertainment have changed as I no longer have the same stress in my flesh and in my mind, as I have stopped striving for life and have begun living in the ONE who is LIFE. He is become my rest and my re-charging and the fuel that fuels me.
ALL that I am is Christ; ALL that I have is Christ; ALL that I ever hope to be and have is in Christ.
Only then can we dedicated every part of our being to loving God... Only when we have died and now rest in Christ... Only when we no longer live, but HE is alive in us.... only then can we love God with all our heart/spirit mind/soul body/strength.
If part of you is still working, still striving, still focused on something other than Christ... then you are not all dead and if you are not all dead, then he is not all alive in you.
Seek first the kingdom of God and all these other things will be added unto you. Seeking first the kingdom means nailing your self to the cross and dieing with him there that you may raise you again with him first in spirit and soul and later in body. It means taking of the yoke of bondage to sin and death and putting on HIS yoke that is not burdensome.
There is freedom in the cross! There is freedom for your whole being.... body, spirit and soul. Freedom that allows you to love the Lord your God with ALL your being. But you have to kill the old man first. The old man will aways be working his own works trying to save his own self. The new man has ceased from his own works as God did and has rested in Christ. He no longer works, but Christ lives and works in him an he is free to love God with all that he is, because all that he is is in Christ.
Posts: 4684 | From: Southern Black Hills of South Dakota | Registered: Jun 2002
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