Yes, God loves us. But is He pleased with us? And does that matter to us?

[Gideon]

 

Hey guys. This next scripture hit me especially hard when I read it in the Message Bible. I fully realize it is in no way an exact translation, but in instances such as the one here, the jist of God’s point of view comes crystal clear. See if you agree.

 

“Tell them this, God’s Message: 

 

Do people fall down and not get up? Or take the wrong road and then just keep going? So why does this people go backward, and just keep on going— backward! 

 

They stubbornly hold on to their illusions, refuse to change direction. I listened carefully but heard not so much as a whisper. 

 

No one expressed one word of regret. Not a single “I’m sorry” did I hear. They just kept at it, blindly and stupidly banging their heads against a brick wall. 

 

Cranes know when it’s time to move south for winter. And robins, warblers, and bluebirds know when it’s time to come back again. But my people? My people know nothing, not the first thing of God and his rule.

 

How can you say, “We know the score. We’re the proud owners of God’s revelation”? Look where it’s gotten you—stuck in illusion. Your religion experts have taken you for a ride! Your know-it-alls will be unmasked, caught and shown up for what they are. Look at them! They know everything but God ’s Word. Do you call that “knowing”?

 

Jeremiah 8:4-9 (The Message Bible)

 

The lies have been planted by the enemy of our souls and we now see them beginning to sprout and take root. The roaring lion whom we think is now toothless, convincing ourselves  that we have nothing to fear, is going to pull millions down with him, all because of lies. Clear warnings from the Lord have all been ignored or twisted to become "suggestions" for only the most zealous among us. 

 

Oh, dear saints, it is not too late. You can resist the lies of the enemy and believe the God who has given you everything you need to live a life acceptable to Him, holy and pure. This world and all who love it and the pleasures it offers are about to be measured and weighed and found wanting, but God is shaking things up so that we will come back to our senses. 

 

We are walking like zombies, assuming that movement must mean life, reciting what we have been taught because it makes us feel okay about ourselves. But deep inside, every true sheep innately knows we are missing ‘something’. 

 

We are assured in our churches that all is well, and try to play the part ourselves, but there is a feeling we cannot shake that something is badly amiss.  We long to bear real fruit but year after year, we wander in circles just as the Israelites did in the wilderness, the wilderness of unbelief, where we always are moving but never truly progressing. 

 

I beg you, turn before it is too late. God is merciful and takes no pleasure in taking away what has been entrusted to His own, but He will do just that unless we find it in our hearts to tell him we are sorry for our stubborn resistance to give ourselves fully into His hands, nothing held back. He longs to forgive us, and wash us in Hos mercy, and fill us with Hos power. There is a promised land to take. Shall we not rise up in these last days to take it and to discover our true destiny? 

 

The fullness of how powerful God’s grace goes is about to be revealed, grace that will teach each of us how to truly possess our vessels in sanctification and honor. Our eyes will be opened to see the reality of the promises of God, but the only ones who will see it are those who love light and hate the darkness, even if.... no, especially if... it is found inside their own hearts.

 

Do you truly hate your sin? Does a pang of conviction still go through you when you willfully do things you know are not God's will for you? Have you come to the point that you understand that if you are still walking in the old man, you CANNOT please your Father? You see, our hatred must grow past our badness to encompass ALL of us, our old carnal nature that cannot bow the knee to God in everything. 

 

Praise God, it is not too late! All who turn and look away from themselves to Jesus as their only hope will find themselves healed.... heart healed! He has brand new natures for us, natures that can hear God when we cry out. Natures that can stare down the devil when temptation comes. Natures that cannot only love God with ALL our hearts  but also our neighbors as we love ourselves. 

 

But I pray we get this. The warnings of God's word are not a joke. There will come a time when God will stop dealing with our hearts and then the terror comes for all those who knew to yield to God but instead chose self. At that time, it will be sealed and the dividing that occurs in the valley of decision will be complete.

 

I plead with all here. That time is not yet, but it is soon coming.  Rise up and believe your God, no matter what any whispers in your ear, no matter if all around you assure you that all is well. We have up till now been blinded to the truth that it is only by our believing the promises of God that our transformation takes place into fruit-laden children of God. 

 

Listen to your heart and to the Word of God that speaks to it. It is not too late, but time is running out, and then is the time each of us will reap what we have sown, joy unspeakable for some, weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth for others. 

 

I love all here and pray that hearts are opened to hear the warning cry. God has a blessing for us that if our eyes did not see it, we would not believe it. But if we stubbornly persist with business as usual, expecting God to bless our self driven lives, ignoring the call of the Spirit to hate our old nature and long for Him to live through us, as we abide in Him, the deception will only get deeper. 

 

Blessings,

 

Gideon

[Not me]

9 hours ago, Gideon said:

 

Hey guys. This next scripture hit me especially hard when I read it in the Message Bible. I fully realize it is in no way an exact translation, but in instances such as the one here, the jist of God’s point of view comes crystal clear. See if you agree.

 

“Tell them this, God’s Message: 

 

Do people fall down and not get up? Or take the wrong road and then just keep going? So why does this people go backward, and just keep on going— backward! 

 

They stubbornly hold on to their illusions, refuse to change direction. I listened carefully but heard not so much as a whisper. 

 

No one expressed one word of regret. Not a single “I’m sorry” did I hear. They just kept at it, blindly and stupidly banging their heads against a brick wall. 

 

Cranes know when it’s time to move south for winter. And robins, warblers, and bluebirds know when it’s time to come back again. But my people? My people know nothing, not the first thing of God and his rule.

 

How can you say, “We know the score. We’re the proud owners of God’s revelation”? Look where it’s gotten you—stuck in illusion. Your religion experts have taken you for a ride! Your know-it-alls will be unmasked, caught and shown up for what they are. Look at them! They know everything but God ’s Word. Do you call that “knowing”?

 

Jeremiah 8:4-9 (The Message Bible)

 

The lies have been planted by the enemy of our souls and we now see them beginning to sprout and take root. The roaring lion whom we think is now toothless, convincing ourselves  that we have nothing to fear, is going to pull millions down with him, all because of lies. Clear warnings from the Lord have all been ignored or twisted to become "suggestions" for only the most zealous among us. 

 

Oh, dear saints, it is not too late. You can resist the lies of the enemy and believe the God who has given you everything you need to live a life acceptable to Him, holy and pure. This world and all who love it and the pleasures it offers are about to be measured and weighed and found wanting, but God is shaking things up so that we will come back to our senses. 

 

We are walking like zombies, assuming that movement must mean life, reciting what we have been taught because it makes us feel okay about ourselves. But deep inside, every true sheep innately knows we are missing ‘something’. 

 

We are assured in our churches that all is well, and try to play the part ourselves, but there is a feeling we cannot shake that something is badly amiss.  We long to bear real fruit but year after year, we wander in circles just as the Israelites did in the wilderness, the wilderness of unbelief, where we always are moving but never truly progressing. 

 

I beg you, turn before it is too late. God is merciful and takes no pleasure in taking away what has been entrusted to His own, but He will do just that unless we find it in our hearts to tell him we are sorry for our stubborn resistance to give ourselves fully into His hands, nothing held back. He longs to forgive us, and wash us in Hos mercy, and fill us with Hos power. There is a promised land to take. Shall we not rise up in these last days to take it and to discover our true destiny? 

 

The fullness of how powerful God’s grace goes is about to be revealed, grace that will teach each of us how to truly possess our vessels in sanctification and honor. Our eyes will be opened to see the reality of the promises of God, but the only ones who will see it are those who love light and hate the darkness, even if.... no, especially if... it is found inside their own hearts.

 

Do you truly hate your sin? Does a pang of conviction still go through you when you willfully do things you know are not God's will for you? Have you come to the point that you understand that if you are still walking in the old man, you CANNOT please your Father? You see, our hatred must grow past our badness to encompass ALL of us, our old carnal nature that cannot bow the knee to God in everything. 

 

Praise God, it is not too late! All who turn and look away from themselves to Jesus as their only hope will find themselves healed.... heart healed! He has brand new natures for us, natures that can hear God when we cry out. Natures that can stare down the devil when temptation comes. Natures that cannot only love God with ALL our hearts  but also our neighbors as we love ourselves. 

 

But I pray we get this. The warnings of God's word are not a joke. There will come a time when God will stop dealing with our hearts and then the terror comes for all those who knew to yield to God but instead chose self. At that time, it will be sealed and the dividing that occurs in the valley of decision will be complete.

 

I plead with all here. That time is not yet, but it is soon coming.  Rise up and believe your God, no matter what any whispers in your ear, no matter if all around you assure you that all is well. We have up till now been blinded to the truth that it is only by our believing the promises of God that our transformation takes place into fruit-laden children of God. 

 

Listen to your heart and to the Word of God that speaks to it. It is not too late, but time is running out, and then is the time each of us will reap what we have sown, joy unspeakable for some, weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth for others. 

 

I love all here and pray that hearts are opened to hear the warning cry. God has a blessing for us that if our eyes did not see it, we would not believe it. But if we stubbornly persist with business as usual, expecting God to bless our self driven lives, ignoring the call of the Spirit to hate our old nature and long for Him to live through us, as we abide in Him, the deception will only get deeper. 

 

Blessings,

 

Gideon

So true, we are all called to be over-comers. If we are not, something is lacking somewhere. 

That,  like it says in scripture, we would all examine ourself to see if we are in constant faith and living by that faith.

“For the just shall  live by faith”

is more than just words on a page. It is the way of having a living relationship with Christ Jesus Himself. For all things, all learning, all growing in Him,  comes through one’s personal relationship with Him.

So the desire of the heart after such a relationship is the first step. For life will only eat of that which it desires.   

2 Corinthians 13:5 (NASB)
Test yourselves [to see] if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you unless indeed you fail the test?

For Christ is indeed “in us”. Let us, with humble hearts ask that we might know this One who has come to make His abode in us. This is not a fiction, for He is most assuredly in us. That we might know the voice of God in us, and be obedient to that voice. 

For God always directs toward righteousness. For righteousness, to all, for all, in all, is that which once tasted,  even our hearts crave after. 

For nothing is as sweet as walking before our Creator in righteousness. All things fail by comparison to walking in a manner that is pleasing to the One who loves us.

For what is love....

For what is righteousness....

For what is being a peace maker....

Let these be the hall marks we walk by. 

That each and every day, this walking before Him would increase and grow us closer to Him.  Oh let our hearts cry out for such a close personal relationship with Him that would settle for nothing less than 

“all of Him and nothing of us”

Blessings, 

Much love in Christ, Not me 

 

Edited January 14, 2019 by Not me

[JohnD]

I believe we underestimate Grace.

How can we evaluate what pleases God or displeases him in our lives?

We use our level of knowledge, understanding, parts of the Bible we've bothered to read, we go on the say-so of others.

I believe we also underestimate how much Jesus means to the Father and how much our faith in him means.

To grant you and me eternal pardon for every sin that cost his dear Son pain and death on the cross.

And to impute his righteousness (the righteousness of Jesus Christ) into our individual account...

Sure, God the Spirit is grieved by our actions, feelings, etc. And he is indeed active in our lives to

deal with our sin... even to the point of taking us out if need be (1 Corinthians 5:5).

But our standing with God cannot be improved upon, and thanks to the righteousness of Christ it cannot be diminished.

Our love and grateful appreciation in all that we do (to the best of our ability) should be our focus as we do

the two commandments Christ gave us once we are eternally saved:

1. Love one another

2. Make disciples of all nations

We go about it individually according to our calling, equipping, and ministry. 

Basketball players for Christ.

Victoria Secret models for Christ.

Postal Workers for Christ.

Actors and screen writers for Christ.

We are a kingdom of priests unto God every one.

[Guest In Him]

4 hours ago, Not me said:

For nothing is as sweet as walking before our Creator in righteousness. All things fail by comparison to walking in a manner that is pleasing to the One who loves us.

 

4 hours ago, Not me said:

That each and every day, this walking before Him would increase and grow us closer to Him.  Oh let our hearts cry out for such a close personal relationship with Him that would settle for nothing less than 

“all of Him and nothing of us”

 

Such Wisdom, exhortation and Spirit of love and prayer.

 

But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy. James 3:17
 

And many other things in his exhortation preached he unto the people. Luke 3:18

Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies...

 

Side note: I’ve noticed He says that He grants or gives to us after we overcome.

How much do we want Him? They loved not their lives even unto death...

He puts the cry of our heart in us, draws us, and we even live by the faith of the Son of God...

 

I love my friends, and those who seek Me will find Me. Proverbs 8:17 Aramaic Bible

Draw me and we will run after Thee! SoS 1:4

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses,

let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles.

And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Hebrew 12:1

Fight the good fight of faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called…1 Tim 6:12

 

But thou, O Lord, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head.

I cried unto the Lord with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill. Selah. Psalm 3:3-4

 

Blessings...There are two Greek words in the New Testament which are translated as "blessing."

The first is makarios, which carries the same meaning as the Hebrew word esher.

The other is eulogeo, which is used to give a good report or say a good word.

[Not me]

4 hours ago, JohnD said:

I believe we underestimate Grace.

How can we evaluate what pleases God or displeases him in our lives?

We use our level of knowledge, understanding, parts of the Bible we've bothered to read, we go on the say-so of others.

I believe we also underestimate how much Jesus means to the Father and how much our faith in him means.

To grant you and me eternal pardon for every sin that cost his dear Son pain and death on the cross.

And to impute his righteousness (the righteousness of Jesus Christ) into our individual account...

Sure, God the Spirit is grieved by our actions, feelings, etc. And he is indeed active in our lives to

deal with our sin... even to the point of taking us out if need be (1 Corinthians 5:5).

But our standing with God cannot be improved upon, and thanks to the righteousness of Christ it cannot be diminished.

Our love and grateful appreciation in all that we do (to the best of our ability) should be our focus as we do

the two commandments Christ gave us once we are eternally saved:

1. Love one another

2. Make disciples of all nations

We go about it individually according to our calling, equipping, and ministry. 

Basketball players for Christ.

Victoria Secret models for Christ.

Postal Workers for Christ.

Actors and screen writers for Christ.

We are a kingdom of priests unto God every one.

I sense a softness in your heart towards God that is most refreshing, If you would give me leave to be bold? 

It is true our standing before God doesn’t change, but that is just the beginning of the story.  

If we are “born again”, we are born into His family, that can never change.

Knowing that all birthed life comes in existence for the expressed purpose of growing. No life is birthed, so it can remain in the state it’s in, it has to grow or die. God has told us the purpose of the new birth. It is so we can, and would stop sinning. 

Scripture says

1 John 3:9 (NASB)
No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.

“he can not sin, because he is born of God”

The only part of the believer that is “born of God” is the new birth. It is the new birth that “can not sin”.

It is to the degree this new life/birth has grown in the believer, it is to this degree can the believer walk in newness of life. Whereby he can walk free from all “sins unto death”. 

Christ came to free us from the body of this death. Anything other than this, is settling for something less. 

For scripture says;

”shall we sin that Grace may abound?”   

Understanding what our salvation in Christ consists of,  is of most importance, for it has eternal consequences.  For God has given Christ to mankind, he can have as much or as little as he would have.

for; 

Romans 6:16 (KJV)
Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?

We all have been given a choice. We can listen to self and why we can’t and all the excuses self can come up with, or we can do as we are instructed in scripture to do. 

By faith, “reckoning ourselfs dead onto sin, and alive unto God”  as a moment by moment faith. 

Our decision, manifesting itself in either, righteous or unrighteous behavior. 

Blessings, 

Much love in Christ, Not me 

Edited January 14, 2019 by Not me

[Not me]

2 hours ago, In Him said:

 

Such Wisdom, exhortation and Spirit of love and prayer.

 

But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy. James 3:17
 

And many other things in his exhortation preached he unto the people. Luke 3:18

Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies...

 

Side note: I’ve noticed He says that He grants or gives to us after we overcome.

How much do we want Him? They loved not their lives even unto death...

He puts the cry of our heart in us, draws us, and we even live by the faith of the Son of God...

 

I love my friends, and those who seek Me will find Me. Proverbs 8:17 Aramaic Bible

Draw me and we will run after Thee! SoS 1:4

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses,

let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles.

And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Hebrew 12:1

Fight the good fight of faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called…1 Tim 6:12

 

But thou, O Lord, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head.

I cried unto the Lord with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill. Selah. Psalm 3:3-4

 

Blessings...There are two Greek words in the New Testament which are translated as "blessing."

The first is makarios, which carries the same meaning as the Hebrew word esher.

The other is eulogeo, which is used to give a good report or say a good word.

Hello, my fellow laborer in Christ! A heart that would know Christ, and rightfully divide the Words of Scripture, such a treasure indeed!

“Side note: I’ve noticed He says that He grants or gives to us after we overcome.”

This “side note”  was most interesting and thought provoking (and true). So I pulled the thread to see where it would lead. 

Knowing that God is good and His heart toward us is always, increase. So was thinking the issue would be our capacity to house the increase. 

As we read in scripture;

”I have much more to tell you but you can not bare it now”

Was thinking the same principle would apply?

Seeing how God is more interested in our salvation and increase than we are. 

(My thinks,)  blessings, 

Much love in Christ, Not me 

[Heleadethme]

9 hours ago, JohnD said:

Victoria Secret models for Christ.

Please tell me you are joking brother.

[Heleadethme]

Victory comes through the cross as we carry a cross for Jesus and follow (obey) Him....healing, deliverance, revelation, holiness all come through that cross which doesn't seem to get preached any more.  One of the best kept secrets in Christendom now.   It's very practical in a spiritual way.  And learning to be specific in our prayers, and believing that we will receive.  When something comes to our awareness, a shortcoming, a fault, a need for victory in some area......seek the Lord very specifically and persistently for what we have need of.  Acknowledge/confess/repent our faults and sins to Him and He will be faithful and just to forgive and cleanse us from the unrighteousness......is a true word that we can take to the bank (heaven's vaults).  He is leading us from glory to glory, from victory to victory as we take up our crosses and follow Him.  No cross, no victory.

[Heleadethme]

13 hours ago, Heleadethme said:

Victory comes through the cross as we carry a cross for Jesus and follow (obey) Him....healing, deliverance, revelation, holiness all come through that cross which doesn't seem to get preached any more.  One of the best kept secrets in Christendom now.   It's very practical in a spiritual way.  And learning to be specific in our prayers, and believing that we will receive.  When something comes to our awareness, a shortcoming, a fault, a need for victory in some area......seek the Lord very specifically and persistently for what we have need of.  Acknowledge/confess/repent our faults and sins to Him and He will be faithful and just to forgive and cleanse us from the unrighteousness......is a true word that we can take to the bank (heaven's vaults).  He is leading us from glory to glory, from victory to victory as we take up our crosses and follow Him.  No cross, no victory.

And this is what these verses are talking about (victory/overcoming through the cross that we carry....what the devil means for evil, God means for our spiritual good):

Rom 8:17

And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

2Ti 2:12

If we suffer, we shall also reign with him

Paul alludes to the apostles' cross in these passages.  It seems that everyone's cross may differ in weight according to their gifts and calling, and Paul had a particularly heavy cross to carry for the sake of the church, though the principles apply to all of us....filling up that which is behind of the sufferings of Christ, and that as the sufferings of Christ abound in us so also will His comfort:

Col 1:24

Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church

2Co 1:3-5

Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;

Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.

For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.

 

[frienduff thaylorde]

17 hours ago, Heleadethme said:

Please tell me you are joking brother.

He aint .     Solid proof of why I have so often warned out against a senual love .   This kind of love holds no honor to GOD .

They got strippers for GOD too .    They got about anything these days for GOD .  yet if its sin , HOW ON earth can it BE FOR GOD .

I truly wish folks would just start over IN the LORD and learn Him well .