Popular Post Jostler Posted April 22, 2020 Group: Mars Hill Followers: 24 Topic Count: 6 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 2,679 Content Per Day: 1.36 Reputation: 3 Days Won: 16 Joined: 01/19/2019 Status: Offline Popular Post Share Posted April 22, 2020 Without entertaining any more of this slicing and dicing, the point is He HAS warned His people to come out of, separate from and cease being entangled with this idolatrous world system which He is going to judge. If we consider ourselves to be His people, and I certainly do, He bought me with a horrifically high price, which He deemed worth suffering to pay to have me as His own. However else I want to slice anything, that warning is an exhortation to ME to check up, find out just what it is I am NOT to be giving myself to and come out.....or suffer the inevitable consequences. And the consequences of failing to heed His call to come out, will eventually be suffering judgements that were never meant for me...but will be experienced by me due to disobedience. If we believe we are in Him, well and good. Those in Him can still be walking in a manner He does not approve of, has warned against, and warned of consequences if we don't heed the warning. Laodicea cannot HEAR this warning because those who are His, but lukewarm about the sin in their lives, BELIEVING they are wealthy, fat, full, having need of nothing will assume that warning applies to "others"....and will not heed it themselves. Quote Rev 3:16-17 “So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. “Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked— Those of us who are certain we are in good stead are the ones who most urgently need to check up...and make sure they understand exactly what that warning means...and how to obey it. His people....who are walking in places of danger.... The Church at Laodicea is HIS Church....His people. Are we Laodicea? 2 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gideon Posted April 22, 2020 Group: Diamond Member Followers: 14 Topic Count: 79 Topics Per Day: 0.02 Content Count: 1,177 Content Per Day: 0.30 Reputation: 826 Days Won: 1 Joined: 10/04/2013 Status: Offline Author Share Posted April 22, 2020 (edited) Here is what God tells us about deception in the last days. They are not my words but God's spoken through the apostle John. " Little children, let no man deceive you. He that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as He is righteous. By this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither is he that loveth not his brother. 1 John 3:7,10 This is not telling us to work for our salvation, but simply the truth that the salvation designed by the Lord WILL bring forth spiritual fruits of love, joy, patience kindness, gentleness, meekness and self control in our lives. It is simply another way of saying what James said, when he told us that faith without works is dead. Many have made this a James vs. Paul argument and that is ridiculous. James is not in disagreement with Paul at all for if that is the case, we are all in deep doo doo. LOL. James is simply saying that abiding in the vine WILL bring forth fruits proving we are His. Look guys, God has told us clearly that if we abide in Him, we will bring forth much fruit. But what if we have followed after the Lord for years.... some of us even decades..... and we still are found biting one another, belittling one another, impatient with those who may have differing opinions than ours, unkind in how we treat those we see as our enemies? Does this not tell us something is wrong? God does not need defenders of the truth. He is looking for those longing to be displayers of it. And if for whatever reason, we truly love the Lord, but still fall to our Achilles heel sin at times, or perhaps have been changed a little but have hit a place where we see no new growth of Christ in us, again, something is wrong. It is not time for condemnation but for seeking God's face as to how to be FULLY set free We are told that a good tree WILL brings forth good fruit. If Godly character is not discernible in us, and increasing, something is amiss. It does not mean we are not saved, but that we are missing something that activates the transformation and being robbed of the joyful peace and closeness with Jesus that comes with abiding in Him. This post made a simple observation about love and the great need in the body of Christ for it to be displayed so that the lost will be drawn to our Jesus. I think it is pretty obvious that what has been written since my OP pretty much demonstrates exactly what I am putting forth. ? The Bible tells us that if we are abiding in Him, two things WILL happen. 1) We will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh. 2) We will bear much fruit. If we see neither one of these in our lives, is it not time to seek the face of the God who loves us and ask Him to show us where we have gotten off track and see that it is corrected, so that oir loves can draw all men into Him? Living in Romans 7 is not our real sin. We all are destined to pass through the trying and failing of Chapter 7 to get to chapter 8. It is our wilderness, but it was never meant to take 40 years to get to the other side. LOL. I pray those with ears hear me. What IS our sin? Living in Romans 7, quite content there, with no desire to see grace teach us HOW to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts or HOW to walk as living sacrifices. This spirit of contentment with grace for forgiveness alone without a hunger for grace to make is holy and free indeed is the deep deception that John was alluding to in the first scripture quoted above. As saved children, God instructs us clearly to DO certain things. We are not earning our salvation. That is simply ludicrous. Do I believe that as some suggest? Absolutely not. A child of God should want to do those things, amen? And if he does not, trust me, the Spirit should be correcting us so that we will see things His way, lol. Neither are we doing things to stay saved as some are declaring that I am teaching. Look. If God has not asked us to do things as believers, the vast majority of the New Testament can be thrown out. LOL. That is what instructions are. That is why Peter himself exhorts us..... And besides this, using all diligence, add to your faith virtue, and to virtue knowledge, and to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness, love. For if these things be in you and abound, they make you that ye shall be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. Therefore brethren, give diligence all the more to make your calling and election sure, for if ye do these things ye shall never fall. 2 Peter 1:4-5,8-10 We are all called to DO. Not to earn salvation. Not to keep our salvation. We are urged to DO simply so that we can grow closer to our God! Glory! And the question needing to be asked is not "Will I lose my salvation if I do not?" Wrong question. The real question that needs to be addressed here is "Why would I not want to do what I am asked to do by the one who died for me?" All these other attempts at twisting of words are simply an avoidance of having to answer this exact very critical question. blessings, Gids Next: What do we do so that we can escape Romans 7? There is an answer... yippee! ? Edited April 22, 2020 by Gideon 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alive Posted April 22, 2020 Group: Worthy Ministers Followers: 22 Topic Count: 194 Topics Per Day: 0.11 Content Count: 11,054 Content Per Day: 6.38 Reputation: 9,018 Days Won: 36 Joined: 09/12/2019 Status: Offline Birthday: 01/09/1956 Share Posted April 22, 2020 One thing is very certain. The Lord is paying very close attention to all of this. Nothing is hidden from Him. The important thing is an echo of Truth back to the Lord. He speaks and that voice resounds back to Him. The Source. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Gideon Posted April 22, 2020 Group: Diamond Member Followers: 14 Topic Count: 79 Topics Per Day: 0.02 Content Count: 1,177 Content Per Day: 0.30 Reputation: 826 Days Won: 1 Joined: 10/04/2013 Status: Offline Author Popular Post Share Posted April 22, 2020 So what can we DO so that we can abide in the Lord, not fulfill the lusts of the flesh, and become filled with love and the other fruits of the Spirit? I pray all open their hearts to receive, for it is truly wonderful. Why are so many of us stuck in Romans 7, unable to see God's character shine forth brightly? There is a reason why, but up til now we have been blinded to it. The blinders are now coming off, praise God. You see, our old nature has never been forced off the throne of our hearts by a declaration of faith, which Paul calls 'reckoning'. Yes, praise God, it is true that our old nature died when Christ died. But until we come to the point we HATE our old nature and ask God to really deliver us from evil itself, not just its penalty, we cannot believe the amazing truth that we have brand new natures. And faith is what activates it! Until we cry out like Paul did, trapped on Romans 7, we will continue to walk unable to either love God with all of our hearts or to actually love each other as we love ourselves. And with that, the world will continue to say 'no thank you' when we approach them about Jesus. We are the only Bibles that millions will ever read. Until that bothers us, nothing at all will change. Ahhh, but when we seek God with all of our hearts to change us, deliver us, set us free indeed as He has clearly promised, we will discover that grace not only offers forgiveness to us, it also has the answer to that prayer covered as well..... abundantly! Yes, saints, it is wonderful that we are forgiven, that we are the righteousness of God in Christ. But at the end of the day, if Christ in us is not growing up in us as spiritual fruit, then Paul tells us we are but a clanging cymbal without God's love manifested through us. God is beginning to awaken His own, implanting in us all a deep desire to grow up into Him, to abide in the vine, to bear MUCH fruit. And it is this hunger, this longing, this desire that will see us rewarded. God's amazing salvation asks for one thing from us, a yielded hungry heart, where we long to obey Him in all things and yes, glow with His presence. It will be asked by some "Are you saying that this is something we must do.... or else?" That is a trap, a trick question, the ultimate straw man. LOL. The real question is.... Why would any child of God with Jesus living inside him, leading him into all truth, not want that? Ask and you shall receive. Ask of the Lord rain in the time of the latter rain. Just ASK! ? blessings, Gideon 2 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dhchristian Posted April 22, 2020 Group: Diamond Member Followers: 9 Topic Count: 136 Topics Per Day: 0.08 Content Count: 2,488 Content Per Day: 1.38 Reputation: 1,325 Days Won: 0 Joined: 06/29/2019 Status: Offline Share Posted April 22, 2020 5 hours ago, Behold said: Show us a verse in the New Testament that tells or directs or requires that a born again Christian HAVE FAITH in " God's Providence". READ Hebrews 3:7-4:16 and you will see this. Read the Letter to the Laodiceans in Revelation. Read the epistle to the Ephesians and the Colossians, Read Romans 8, Read 1 John 3, Read 2 Peter 2-3, Read Jude, Read James... they all agree and are on. one LORD, One faith, one baptism. Read the Upper room discourse (John 13-17) including the High Priestly prayer.... This is all there when you stop picking and choosing and see the whole new covenant as One in Christ Jesus.... You can start with the following which you have yet to address from the previous post. Let us see "If so be ye have heard Him?" Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. But ye have not so learned Christ; If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness......(Ephesians 4; 13-24) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Not me Posted April 22, 2020 Group: Royal Member Followers: 14 Topic Count: 516 Topics Per Day: 0.23 Content Count: 3,205 Content Per Day: 1.42 Reputation: 3,365 Days Won: 1 Joined: 04/06/2018 Status: Offline Share Posted April 22, 2020 (edited) 5 hours ago, Heleadethme said: Amen. For most believers it's a battle to get there though, with the Lord's help. Battling through the veil of flesh, battling through the lies of the enemy, battling through the unbelief...etc. Labouring to enter into that rest of God. Like the labour of childbirth. I believe your right, it’s the same battle in us all...But I’m convinced that as long as we don’t remove our hands from the plow, God in His time will bring us all to this rest. That I’m convinced, He would have us in, more then we ourselves would be there... Be blessed as He becomes more and we less, Not me Edited April 22, 2020 by Not me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gideon Posted April 22, 2020 Group: Diamond Member Followers: 14 Topic Count: 79 Topics Per Day: 0.02 Content Count: 1,177 Content Per Day: 0.30 Reputation: 826 Days Won: 1 Joined: 10/04/2013 Status: Offline Author Share Posted April 22, 2020 11 minutes ago, Not me said: I believe your right, it’s the same battle in us all...But I’m convinced that as long as we don’t remove our hands from the plow, God in His time will bring us all to this rest. That I’m convinced, He would have us in, more then we ourselves would be there... Be blessed as He becomes more and we less, Not me Brother, you say things far more eloquently than myself, but I want to second what you have stated here. What God asks of us is to hunger and thirst after righteousness. To want to be free indeed. And then to ask, believing He longs for that for more than we do, as you have stated. That is it! His job is to rescue us, to teach us, to change us and to set us free indeed. "Faithful is He who calleth you who also will do it!". Glory! blessings, Gids 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Not me Posted April 22, 2020 Group: Royal Member Followers: 14 Topic Count: 516 Topics Per Day: 0.23 Content Count: 3,205 Content Per Day: 1.42 Reputation: 3,365 Days Won: 1 Joined: 04/06/2018 Status: Offline Share Posted April 22, 2020 7 minutes ago, Gideon said: Brother, you say things far more eloquently than myself, but I want to second what you have stated here. What God asks of us is to hunger and thirst after righteousness. To want to be free indeed. And then to ask, believing He longs for that for more than we do, as you have stated. That is it! His job is to rescue us, to teach us, to change us and to set us free indeed. "Faithful is He who calleth you who also will do it!". Glory! blessings, Gids Be blessed as our eyes stay on Him... A friend and brother in Christ, Not me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gideon Posted April 23, 2020 Group: Diamond Member Followers: 14 Topic Count: 79 Topics Per Day: 0.02 Content Count: 1,177 Content Per Day: 0.30 Reputation: 826 Days Won: 1 Joined: 10/04/2013 Status: Offline Author Share Posted April 23, 2020 (edited) Addy, the topic under discussion here is love, not the OSAS debate. However, since you bring up the subject, please allow me to say that I am thrilled in the joy you have in the Lord and the security your faith in Him brings you. I would do nothing to take that away from you. Your connection to the Father is a faith connection. It is the 'umbilical cord' whereby the life of Christ becomes yours. Continue in that love affair with the Lord, growing up into Him in all things, and you can be assured you will hear that blessed "Well done, thou good and faithful servant.". blessings, Gideon Edited April 23, 2020 by Gideon 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Not me Posted April 23, 2020 Group: Royal Member Followers: 14 Topic Count: 516 Topics Per Day: 0.23 Content Count: 3,205 Content Per Day: 1.42 Reputation: 3,365 Days Won: 1 Joined: 04/06/2018 Status: Offline Share Posted April 23, 2020 (edited) 2 hours ago, Flowersun said: Can someone explain,what they mean when they say "Works"...? it doesn't take much to confuse me.....thank God I am not a new babe...from my own perspective ,it's like everyone is going round in circles....no one seems to be listening.or maybe I have got that wrong. i am not the brightest spark on this forum.....but surely we don't sit on our laurels and do nothing...therefore letting God do everything.....?.... can someone explain this in a simple way please...thank you. Hi, Works I believe means anything that self does....i.e. a work of self... This is a lesson that I believe only God can teach the heart...What is a work of self and what is a work of the life of Christ in a believer... As believers I think we have all ran across times in our lives where we were dry, had nothing to give the other person we were than dealing with... Yet we thought we had to... So we tried and our words fell down dead....There was no life in them...They, I believe were a work of self....Than at other times we spoke and we knew inwardly that our words were life and truth... I believe anything the old nature does is a work of self... This can be talking, preaching, giving alms anything that outwardly looks Christian, but it’s the source that matters.. Where something comes from,, Christ in a believer or self in a believer... Knowing the difference I believe once again can only come through knowing and having a close personal relationship with Christ.. (as I see in your writings) Keep that heart and life growing in you and your well done will be an abundant one.. Hope this helps confirm that which inwardly you already see.. A fellow servant of His, Not me Edited April 23, 2020 by Not me 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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