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breytonhartge
26 Mar 06, 09:26

Put No Confidence in the Flesh

...and put no confidence or dependence [on what we are] in the flesh and on outward privileges and physical advantages and external appearances.
Â—Philippians 3:3

As the children of God, we have the privilege of trusting God for everything not just some things but everything! When we trust, we are joyful, peaceful, and free of pressure. On the other hand, when our confidence is in ourselves, we struggle and usually fail.

We need to set a goal for ourselves: to put no confidence in the flesh.

It requires determined effort not to trust in ourselves. It seems the "natural" flow of the flesh to trust in itself. Galatians teaches us that the flesh is opposed to the Spirit, and the Spirit is opposed to the flesh. (Galatians 5:17.) If we sow to the flesh, we will reap destruction. (Galatians 6:8.)

Our confidence (trust) belongs to us, and we must choose where and in whom to place it. We know that Jesus is the Rock everything else is like sinking sand. That means we are wise when we place our trust in Him the only true source of stability.

Seek to grow to the place where you can honestly say, "In Christ alone I place my trust." Then and only then comes the joy, the peace, the victory and He gets all the glory.

Place your confidence in God, surrender your will to His and receive His peace and Joy.
breytonhartge
28 Mar 06, 08:11

God is more interested in YOUR STABILITY than your tranquility.

But his delight and desire are in the law of the Lord,
and on His law (the precepts, the instructions,
the teachings of God) he habitually meditates
(ponders and studies) by day and by night.
And he shall be like a tree firmly planted [and tended] by
the streams of water, ready to bring forth its fruit
in its season; its leaf also shall not fade or wither;
and everything he does shall prosper
[and come to maturity].
PSALM 1:2, 3

A LIFE ROOTED in God and His Word is like a tree rooted in the eternal stream.As long as the river runs and the quality of the water is good the tree will grow slowly and solidly, unlike the flower that shoots up quickly and is ever so fragile. Although the branches of the tree may creak and bend in the storm the roots are held firmly in divine soil.
As regards your life in the Spirit there is never a famine but always an abundance of fruit in season. Because your faith is in Jesus Christ the solid growth of your character is followed by solid actions that lead to prosperity and maturity. It is better to grow solid slowly than fragile quickly.
babyys
30 Mar 06, 00:12

THE STRUGGLE WITH DOUBT???

A word of encouragement for brothers and sisters who feel weary! Smile!

Luke 11:1-13

1 And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.

2 And he said unto them, When ye pray, say,
Our Father which art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done,
as in heaven, so in earth.

3 Give us day by day our daily bread.

4 And forgive us our sins;
for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us.
And lead us not into temptation;
but deliver us from evil.

5 And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves;

6 for a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him?

7 And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee.

8 I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth.

9 And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.

10 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

11 If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent?

12 Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?

13 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children; how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?

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In addressing those times when our doubts weigh so heavily that we border on losing hope, Kay Arthur, Vice president and founder of Precept Ministries International offers encouraging words:

"What do you do when you become weary in prayer, despairing of ever seeing God answer? Do you give up? Write God off as being deaf, uncaring, or not true to His Word?

"Oh, Beloved, don't write God off. Don't quit. Don't lose hope. In Luke 11:1-13 Jesus tells us to persist until we see the answer. We are to keep on asking until it's given to us. We're to keep on seeking until we find it. We are to keep on knocking until the door is opened. Ask, seek, and knock are all present tense verbs here in the original Greek, which means that they speak of continuous or habitual action. Therefore, if we believe Jesus means what He says, we'll do what He tells us to do.

"One of the major keys to answered prayer is persistence...

"The problem is, we're an impatient people. We don't like to wait. When our prayers are not answered right away, then we're eager to take things into our own hands and try to do what, in reality, only God can do. And when we get impatient and do it our way, we mess up!

"If there is a delay in the answer, you can be sure it's because God has a purpose. His ways are not our ways. His timetable is not the same as ours."
breytonhartge
30 Mar 06, 09:23

Get Thee Behind Me, Satan!

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
Â—James 4:7 KJV

As believers living under the New Covenant, we are taught that we have authority over Satan and demonic spirits. (Luke 10:19.) Resisting the devil at his onset is vital to victory over the enemy. (1 Peter 5:8,9.)

The Bible teaches us how we can have dominion over the works of darkness. We can learn how to open the windows of heaven and close the gates of hell.

The mouth is either a door to blessing or to trouble. We may open a few wrong doors with our mouth; we should learn how to close them quickly. Repentance and application of the blood of Jesus by faith is the way to close doors that have been opened to Satan such as the doors of strife, anger, and unforgiveness. We must be quick to forgive; offense and strife are not emotional luxuries we can afford.

The door of compromise is Satan's favorite entrance by which to gradually draw us into a web of sin that is devastating for us in the end.

The Bible teaches us the importance of keeping a tender and clean conscience. Without proper respect for the conscience, we will never enjoy authority over the devil.

Remember: Knowing what to do will not do you any good unless you do it!

Master sin by doing the Word on a daily basis. Obey the promptings of the Spirit and keep a clear conscience.
breytonhartge
30 Mar 06, 09:25

The fear of the Lord is to KNOW GOD as a just God.

The reverent, worshipful fear of the Lord leads to life,
and he who has it rests satisfied;
he cannot be visited with [actual] evil.
PROVERBS 19:23

"THE FEAR OF the Lord" is not the fear of someone crouching in a corner hoping that a tyrant won't see and punish them. The fear of the Lord Solomon describes is a sense of awe and reverence that comes from being exposed to the majesty and grandeur of God. The person who fears the Lord has moved beyond the intellectual acknowledgment of the attributes of God and recognizes that God in His Person stands for truth, purity, holiness, and justice.

To know in the depths of your heart that God is ultimate justice is to find life and hope and confidence. It is to know that God will reveal Himself and His will to you so clearly that you will know it is the true way. It is to know He is always doing the right thing in your life despite whatever adversity or twists and turns come into your life.What a blessing to know that your life is in God and that He is your refuge when the storms of life howl around you!
breytonhartge
30 Mar 06, 09:46

Dig Into Your Covenant

This cup is the new covenant [ratified and established] in My blood.
Â–(1 Corinthians 11:25)

New Covenant. It's a familiar phrase to most of us. But do we really know what it means?

If we did, every one of us would be faith giants. Instead of struggling, "trying" to believe the promises of God, we'd be like Abraham. "Strong in faith...fully persuaded that, what God has promised, he is able to perform!" (Rom. 4:20-21).

That's the kind of confidence that welled up in Abraham when God cut the covenant with him. It was an inferior covenant to ours, made with the blood of animals. Yet it transformed a doubting Abraham into the very father of faith. Why? Because, Abraham understood the significance of it.

He knew that entering into the Covenant of Blood meant you were totally and forever giving yourself away to someone else. Once you did it, nothing would ever be exclusively yours again. All that you were, all that you had or ever would have became the equal property of your covenant partner.

During the covenant ceremony in Abraham's day, the partners exchanged coats, each one giving their authority to the other. They exchanged weapons as a way of saying, "Your enemies are now my enemies. I'll fight your fights as if they were my own." They walked through the blood of slain animals, pronouncing their loyalty to one another, even to the death.

When God made covenant with him, Abraham knew there was no longer any room for doubt. God had proven how intensely He desired to be God to him. He'd given him every thing He had and bound Himself to Abraham in a relationship that could not be dissolved. Abraham comprehended the gravity of a covenant agreement. It convinced him once and for all that God's promises could be trusted. It became an anchor to his soul.

Do you want to be a faith giant like Father Abraham? Then dig into the covenant you have with God. Study it in the Word. Let the Holy Spirit show you what really happened when Jesus became the sacrifice that ratified your covenant with God. Let Him show you what it meant when He gave you His Name (John 16:23), His authority (Matt. 28:18-20), His armor and weapons (Eph. 6:10-17).

Once you realize what Jesus actually meant when He said, "This is the New Covenant established in My blood," your life will never be the same again.
Ironside
30 Mar 06, 21:49

The Trinity

[Sorry its quite long. Necessary points need to be stressed. So hard to make a very important doctrine short]

The God revealed in the Bible is a God that is triune. That is, God is three persons yet only one. Remember that. God is not three persons and three gods. No. That is tritheism or polytheism. That is heretical and scripturally unsound. If you seem puzzled and find it enigmatic. If it seems logically irreconcilable to you. You got it. The Trinity is a mystery to us finite and limited human beings. But thatÂ’s who God is as revealed in the Bible. John Wesley, the founder of Methodism once said: Â“Bring me a worm that can comprehend a man and I will show you a man that can comprehend the Trinity.Â”

God is infinite. Our minds are not. This is where our humility is called. We know, as a Christian, that the Bible is GodÂ’s revelation to us. Everything in it is inspired down to the last jot and title. We know that in it God is speaking to us in written form. Whenever logic and GodÂ’s revelation seems to collide. It is GodÂ’s revelation that should prevail in our hearts and minds.

Now, the Trinity. Some contend that this is not found in the Bible. So they say that this doctrine is unbiblical [as if to say that everything must appear in word in the Bible for it to be biblical]. The word is not found in the Bible but the idea is there. Â“IronsideÂ” does not appear in word in the Bible but Ironside was in the mind of God when He said that He wants all men to be saved.

Those who are in the oneness group could easily write off the Tri-unity of God in the episode of the baptism of our Lord by appealing to GodÂ’s omnipresence by saying: Â“There is not three distinct persons here but only one in three manifestations. God can be everywhere, He is the same person who is in the water, yet because He can be everywhere, He is also the same person speaking from heaven and descending like a dove. No Trinity.Â”

But they cannot circumvent the doctrine of the Trinity so clearly laid out in Matthew 28:19:

"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,Â”

Here we see the distinctiveness of persons. The verse has the definite article Â‘THEÂ’ before every person named. Â‘THE Father, THE Son, THE Holy SpiritÂ’ This means the Father is not the Son, the Son is not the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit is not the Father.

So there is not one person but three. But notice this distinct persons take up one name.

"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,Â”

Â‘NameÂ’ is in the singular. Name in the Bible is the expression of what the person named is in being. His name describes His nature or essence and character. These distinct persons take up one nature or essence and character. So if the Father is God, the Son is also God and also the Holy Spirit. If the Father is Lord, the Son is also Lord and also the Holy Spirit. If the Father is Holy, the Son is also Holy as well as the Spirit and etc.

Everything seems logical right at this point. But wait till you see another revelation from the Bible:

De 6:4 "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one!

ThatÂ’s the Â“NiceanÂ” Creed of the Israelites. Â“LordÂ” here is the name of God given to Moses: YHWH. Â“YHWH is oneÂ” the text saysÂ…Â…. one yet three [Matthew 28:19]. DonÂ’t try to figure it out youÂ’ll lose your mind. Accept it by faith. St. Augustine once said: Â“to not believe in the Trinity is in danger of losing his salvation. To those who try to understand completely the Trinity is in danger of losing his mind.Â”
Ironside
30 Mar 06, 21:50

Practical ideas of Application

1) God is a God of revelation. Everything that can be known about God depends on what He reveals about Himself either in creation or in divine revelation [the Bible]. We could have not known by any chance that God exist as a Trinity if God did not reveal this to us in His Word. You want to know GodÂ…..read your Bible. Every Christian is called to be a theologian. We are called to study and know God as what He reveals in the Bible.

2) Ideas may abound that the reason why God created man is because He wants the love and fellowship of man because He needs it. ThatÂ’s wrong. God is self-satisfied in Himself. He is in perfect fellowship with Himself. He receives perfect love in Himself. The reason why He created man is because He wants to share the perfect fellowship He already has in Himself to man [but man must want this fellowship, so He gave Adam free will].

3) Â“No man is an islandÂ” how true. We are created in the image and likeness of God. A God of fellowship. We have an inbuilt inclination for fellowship. Any man who isolates himself from having fellowship with God and with his fellowman must be a very lonely man deep down inside. He is going against what he is. A being created for fellowship. Genuine fellowship with our fellowman is possible only if we have genuine fellowship with God.

Are you seeking to have genuine and real fellowship? The Church, people redeemed by Christ who has found fellowship with God is where you can find it. But even in Church genuine fellowship does not happen automatically. You must be a person who is fellowshippable. Who is a fellowshippable person? He is the one who has love for others. The love that creates an atmosphere of unity. The same kind of love the persons of the Trinity had for each other.
Ironside
5 Apr 06, 00:40

Â“The Lord Jesus Christ died for the sins of sinners for their salvationÂ” Anyone who believes that good news of a message will be saved. The moment he believes that, he or she will be justified, he will be born again and sanctified positionally, separated forever unto God.

To experience personal victory from the clutches of sin, one however must know, believe and act on a certain truth. What truth is this? ItÂ’s the truth the you as a believer died with Christ and was raised together with Him when He resurrected. Yes, you [your old man enslaved by sin] died together with Christ on the cross so that that old man enslaved by sin is now positionally gone and rendered inoperative. And that you together with Christ was raised unto a new man [the new man now capable of living righteousness and holiness to God].

This is the truth written in heaven about every single Christian in the world. What we must do however is that we must put this truth in practice. We must make this truth experiential.

In heaven the truth about the Canaanites was that they were already a defeated bunch by the Israelites. God told the Israelites this. What they must now do is to put this truth in experience by attacking the Canaanites. They may be giants and men of skill in war. Yes, the Israelites feelings may shout: Â“no we canÂ’t defeat them!!!!Â” But they are not to listen and act on what they feel and see. They must believe on what God has declared. The Canaanites were a defeated bunch, what they [Israel]must do is to put that truth in reality and experience. ItÂ’s the same with sin brother or sister. Our old man [the old man enslaved by sin] died when Christ died, we have our new man now when we rose together with Christ. What we must do is put that in practice, make the truth experiential.

Need proof of what IÂ’m saying? Read Romans 6:1-14

May God write this truth into our hearts.
breytonhartge
8 Apr 06, 11:47

The Right Road

I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live.
Â–(Deuteronomy 30:19)

God's going to get you for that! People have said that kind of thing jokingly for years. They've somehow believed that God slaps us down with pain and punishment every time we sin. But that's just not true. There are deadly wages for sin, but God is not the one who's doling them out.

You see, the Bible tells us there's been a curse in effect for thousands of years. And the devil is the cause of it, not the Lord God. God gave warning of it in Deuteronomy 30:19. After describing in detail the blessings that fall upon those who followed God and the terrible suffering that would befall those who separated themselves from Him, He said, "I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live."

Think of it this way. Curseville is out there. God warned us about it and urged us not to travel the road that leads there. But He has promised to give us freedom, and He'll allow us to choose our own way. If we get on the road to Curseville and don't get off of it, we're going to wind up there. Is that because God sent us there? No! He urged us not to go.

The vital thing to realize is this: At any point of the journey whether you're on the road to Curseville or living right in the middle of it - God will save you from it. He'll take you out of there and deliver you. He'll deliver you from diseases, addictions, or anything else that's been holding you captive.

Today if you find yourself on the wrong road and see destruction ahead, just repent and get on the right road. Just commit your way to Jesus and He'll deliver you from whatever may be holding you captive. You can begin by praying, "Lord Jesus, I've chosen the wrong road and right now I ask You to forgive me. Today I choose life by choosing Your way. Please deliver me from this bondage and fill me with Your Holy Spirit. Thank You, Lord!"

Remember this: No matter what you've done, God doesn't want to get you for it, He wants to forgive you of it. He doesn't want to slap you down, He wants to save you and lift you up. Trust Him and let Him put you on the road of life today!
breytonhartge
11 Apr 06, 10:01

Complete and Effective Decision About Sin

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. . . our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin
Â—Romans 6:6

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Co-Crucifixion. Have you made the following decision about sinÂ— that it must be completely killed in you? It takes a long time to come to the point of making this complete and effective decision about sin. It is, however, the greatest moment in your life once you decide that sin must die in you-not simply be restrained, suppressed, or counteracted, but crucifiedÂ— just as Jesus Christ died for the sin of the world. No one can bring anyone else to this decision. We may be mentally and spiritually convinced, but what we need to do is actually make the decision that Paul urged us to do in this passage.

Pull yourself up, take some time alone with God, and make this important decision, saying, "Lord, identify me with Your death until I know that sin is dead in me." Make the moral decision that sin in you must be put to death.

This was not some divine future expectation on the part of Paul, but was a very radical and definite experience in his life. Are you prepared to let the Spirit of God search you until you know what the level and nature of sin is in your lifeÂ— to see the very things that struggle against GodÂ’s Spirit in you? If so, will you then agree with GodÂ’s verdict on the nature of sinÂ— that it should be identified with the death of Jesus? You cannot "reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin" ( Romans 6:11 ) unless you have radically dealt with the issue of your will before God.

Have you entered into the glorious privilege of being crucified with Christ, until all that remains in your flesh and blood is His life? "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me . . ." ( Galatians 2:20 ).
breytonhartge
14 Apr 06, 11:56

Inner Invincibility

Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me . . .
Â—Matthew 11:29

Whom the Lord loves He chastens . . ." ( Hebrews 12:6 ). How petty our complaining is! Our Lord begins to bring us to the point where we can have fellowship with Him, only to hear us moan and groan, saying, "Oh Lord, just let me be like other people!" Jesus is asking us to get beside Him and take one end of the yoke, so that we can pull together. ThatÂ’s why Jesus says to us, "My yoke is easy and My burden is light" ( Matthew 11:30 ). Are you closely identified with the Lord Jesus like that? If so, you will thank God when you feel the pressure of His hand upon you.
". . . to those who have no might He increases strength" ( Isaiah 40:29 ). God comes and takes us out of our emotionalism, and then our complaining turns into a hymn of praise. The only way to know the strength of God is to take the yoke of Jesus upon us and to learn from Him.
". . . the joy of the Lord is your strength" ( Nehemiah 8:10 ). Where do the saints get their joy? If we did not know some Christians well, we might think from just observing them that they have no burdens at all to bear. But we must lift the veil from our eyes. The fact that the peace, light, and joy of God is in them is proof that a burden is there as well. The burden that God places on us squeezes the grapes in our lives and produces the wine, but most of us see only the wine and not the burden. No power on earth or in hell can conquer the Spirit of God living within the human spirit; it creates an inner invincibility.
If your life is producing only a whine, instead of the wine, then ruthlessly kick it out. It is definitely a crime for a Christian to be weak in GodÂ’s strength.
breytonhartge
15 Apr 06, 11:23

The Failure To Pay Close Attention

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The high places were not removed from Israel. Nevertheless the heart of Asa was loyal all his days
Â—2 Chronicles 15:17

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Asa was not completely obedient in the outward, visible areas of his life. He was obedient in what he considered the most important areas, but he was not entirely right. Beware of ever thinking, "Oh, that thing in my life doesnÂ’t matter much." The fact that it doesnÂ’t matter much to you may mean that it matters a great deal to God. Nothing should be considered a trivial matter by a child of God. How much longer are we going to prevent God from teaching us even one thing? But He keeps trying to teach us and He never loses patience. You say, "I know I am right with God"Â— yet the "high places" still remain in your life. There is still an area of disobedience. Do you protest that your heart is right with God, and yet there is something in your life He causes you to doubt? Whenever God causes a doubt about something, stop it immediately, no matter what it may be. Nothing in our lives is a mere insignificant detail to God.

Are there some things regarding your physical or intellectual life to which you have been paying no attention at all? If so, you may think you are all correct in the important areas, but you are carelessÂ— you are failing to concentrate or to focus properly. You no more need a day off from spiritual concentration on matters in your life than your heart needs a day off from beating. As you cannot take a day off morally and remain moral, neither can you take a day off spiritually and remain spiritual. God wants you to be entirely His, and it requires paying close attention to keep yourself fit. It also takes a tremendous amount of time. Yet some of us expect to rise above all of our problems, going from one mountaintop experience to another, with only a few minutesÂ’ effort.
breytonhartge
18 Apr 06, 11:43

Readiness

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God called to him . . . . And he said, Â’Here I amÂ’
Â—Exodus 3:4

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When God speaks, many of us are like people in a fog, and we give no answer. MosesÂ’ reply to God revealed that he knew where he was and that he was ready. Readiness means having a right relationship to God and having the knowledge of where we are. We are so busy telling God where we would like to go. Yet the man or woman who is ready for God and His work is the one who receives the prize when the summons comes. We wait with the idea that some great opportunity or something sensational will be coming our way, and when it does come we are quick to cry out, "Here I am." Whenever we sense that Jesus Christ is rising up to take authority over some great task, we are there, but we are not ready for some obscure duty.

Readiness for God means that we are prepared to do the smallest thing or the largest thingÂ— it makes no difference. It means we have no choice in what we want to do, but that whatever GodÂ’s plans may be, we are there and ready. Whenever any duty presents itself, we hear GodÂ’s voice as our Lord heard His FatherÂ’s voice, and we are ready for it with the total readiness of our love for Him. Jesus Christ expects to do with us just as His Father did with Him. He can put us wherever He wants, in pleasant duties or in menial ones, because our union with Him is the same as His union with the Father. ". . . that they may be one just as We are one . . ." ( John 17:22 ).

Be ready for the sudden surprise visits of God. A ready person never needs to get readyÂ— he is ready. Think of the time we waste trying to get ready once God has called! The burning bush is a symbol of everything that surrounds the person who is ready, and it is on fire with the presence of God Himself.
breytonhartge
19 Apr 06, 11:38

Beware of the Least Likely Temptation

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Joab had defected to Adonijah, though he had not defected to Absalom
Â—1 Kings 2:28

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Joab withstood the greatest test of his life, remaining absolutely loyal to David by not turning to follow after the fascinating and ambitious Absalom. Yet toward the end of his life he turned to follow after the weak and cowardly Adonijah. Always remain alert to the fact that where one person has turned back is exactly where anyone may be tempted to turn back (see 1 Corinthians 10:11-13 ). You may have just victoriously gone through a great crisis, but now be alert about the things that may appear to be the least likely to tempt you. Beware of thinking that the areas of your life where you have experienced victory in the past are now the least likely to cause you to stumble and fall.

We are apt to say, "It is not at all likely that having been through the greatest crisis of my life I would now turn back to the things of the world." Do not try to predict where the temptation will come; it is the least likely thing that is the real danger. It is in the aftermath of a great spiritual event that the least likely things begin to have an effect. They may not be forceful and dominant, but they are there. And if you are not careful to be forewarned, they will trip you. You have remained true to God under great and intense trialsÂ— now beware of the undercurrent. Do not be abnormally examining your inner self, looking forward with dread, but stay alert; keep your memory sharp before God. Unguarded strength is actually a double weakness, because that is where the least likely temptations will be effective in sapping strength. The Bible characters stumbled over their strong points, never their weak ones.

". . . kept by the power of God . . ."Â— that is the only safety. ( 1 Peter 1:5 ).
breytonhartge
20 Apr 06, 13:37

Can a Saint Falsely Accuse God?

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All the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen . . .
Â—2 Corinthians 1:20

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JesusÂ’ parable of the talents recorded in Matthew 25:14-30 was a warning that it is possible for us to misjudge our capacities. This parable has nothing to do with natural gifts and abilities, but relates to the gift of the Holy Spirit as He was first given at Pentecost. We must never measure our spiritual capacity on the basis of our education or our intellect; our capacity in spiritual things is measured on the basis of the promises of God. If we get less than God wants us to have, we will falsely accuse Him as the servant falsely accused his master when he said, "You expect more of me than you gave me the power to do. You demand too much of me, and I cannot stand true to you here where you have placed me." When it is a question of GodÂ’s Almighty Spirit, never say, "I canÂ’t." Never allow the limitation of your own natural ability to enter into the matter. If we have received the Holy Spirit, God expects the work of the Holy Spirit to be exhibited in us.

The servant justified himself, while condemning his lord on every point, as if to say, "Your demand on me is way out of proportion to what you gave to me." Have we been falsely accusing God by daring to worry after He has said, "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you"? ( Matthew 6:33 ). Worrying means exactly what this servant impliedÂ— "I know your intent is to leave me unprotected and vulnerable." A person who is lazy in the natural realm is always critical, saying, "I havenÂ’t had a decent chance," and someone who is lazy in the spiritual realm is critical of God. Lazy people always strike out at others in an independent way.

Never forget that our capacity and capability in spiritual matters is measured by, and based on, the promises of God. Is God able to fulfill His promises? Our answer depends on whether or not we have received the Holy Spirit.
breytonhartge
21 Apr 06, 09:21

DonÂ’t Hurt the Lord

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Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip?
Â—John 14:9

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Our Lord must be repeatedly astounded at us-astounded at how "un-simple" we are. It is our own opinions that make us dense and slow to understand, but when we are simple we are never dense; we have discernment all the time. Philip expected the future revelation of a tremendous mystery, but not in Jesus, the Person he thought he already knew. The mystery of God is not in what is going to be-it is now, though we look for it to be revealed in the future in some overwhelming, momentous event. We have no reluctance to obey Jesus, but it is highly probable that we are hurting Him by what we ask-"Lord, show us the Father . . ." ( John 14:8 ). His response immediately comes back to us as He says, "CanÂ’t you see Him? He is always right here or He is nowhere to be found." We look for God to exhibit Himself to His children, but God only exhibits Himself in His children. And while others see the evidence, the child of God does not. We want to be fully aware of what God is doing in us, but we cannot have complete awareness and expect to remain reasonable or balanced in our expectations of Him. If all we are asking God to give us is experiences, and the awareness of those experiences is blocking our way, we hurt the Lord. The very questions we ask hurt Jesus, because they are not the questions of a child.

"Let not your heart be troubled . . ." ( 14:1, 27 ). Am I then hurting Jesus by allowing my heart to be troubled? . If I believe in Jesus and His attributes, am I living up to my belief? Am I allowing anything to disturb my heart, or am I allowing any questions to come in which are unsound or unbalanced? I have to get to the point of the absolute and unquestionable relationship that takes everything exactly as it comes from Him. God never guides us at some time in the future, but always here and now. Realize that the Lord is here now, and the freedom you receive is immediate.
breytonhartge
24 Apr 06, 10:44

Do You Worship The Work?

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We are GodÂ’s fellow workers . . .
Â—1 Corinthians 3:9

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Beware of any work for God that causes or allows you to avoid concentrating on Him. A great number of Christian workers worship their work. The only concern of Christian workers should be their concentration on God. This will mean that all the other boundaries of life, whether they are mental, moral, or spiritual limits, are completely free with the freedom God gives His child; that is, a worshiping child, not a wayward one. A worker who lacks this serious controlling emphasis of concentration on God is apt to become overly burdened by his work. He is a slave to his own limits, having no freedom of his body, mind, or spirit. Consequently, he becomes burned out and defeated. There is no freedom and no delight in life at all. His nerves, mind, and heart are so overwhelmed that GodÂ’s blessing cannot rest on him.

But the opposite case is equally true--once our concentration is on God, all the limits of our life are free and under the control and mastery of God alone. There is no longer any responsibility on you for the work. The only responsibility you have is to stay in living constant touch with God, and to see that you allow nothing to hinder your cooperation with Him. The freedom that comes after sanctification is the freedom of a child, and the things that used to hold your life down are gone. But be careful to remember that you have been freed for only one thing--to be absolutely devoted to your co-Worker.

We have no right to decide where we should be placed, or to have preconceived ideas as to what God is preparing us to do. God engineers everything; and wherever He places us, our one supreme goal should be to pour out our lives in wholehearted devotion to Him in that particular work. "Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might . . ." ( Ecclesiastes 9:10 ).
breytonhartge
27 Apr 06, 10:45

What Do You Want?

Do you seek great things for yourself? Â—Jeremiah 45:5

Are you seeking great things for yourself, instead of seeking to be a great person? God wants you to be in a much closer relationship with Himself than simply receiving His giftsÂ— He wants you to get to know Him. Even some large thing we want is only incidental; it comes and it goes. But God never gives us anything incidental. There is nothing easier than getting into the right relationship with God, unless it is not God you seek, but only what He can give you.

If you have only come as far as asking God for things, you have never come to the point of understanding the least bit of what surrender really means. You have become a Christian based on your own terms. You protest, saying, "I asked God for the Holy Spirit, but He didnÂ’t give me the rest and the peace I expected." And instantly God puts His finger on the reason-you are not seeking the Lord at all; you are seeking something for yourself. Jesus said, "Ask, and it will be given to you . . ." ( Matthew 7:7 ). Ask God for what you want and do not be concerned about asking for the wrong thing, because as you draw ever closer to Him, you will cease asking for things altogether. "Your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him" ( Matthew 6:8 ). Then why should you ask? So that you may get to know Him.

Are you seeking great things for yourself? Have you said, "Oh, Lord, completely fill me with your Holy Spirit"? If God does not, it is because you are not totally surrendered to Him; there is something you still refuse to do. Are you prepared to ask yourself what it is you want from God and why you want it? God always ignores your present level of completeness in favor of your ultimate future completeness. He is not concerned about making you blessed and happy right now, but HeÂ’s continually working out His ultimate perfection for youÂ— ". . . that they may be one just as We are one . . ." ( John 17:22 ).
Ironside
5 May 06, 04:04

Eph 4:11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers,

12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,

I love this verse:

I. Christ gifts to the church verse 11:

Christ gifts to church are men: Apostles, prophets, evangelist, pastors and teachers.

II. Christ purpose of these gifts He gave verse 12a:

That the saints [christians] will be furnished or prepared: "for the equipping of the saints"

The word 'equipping' in Greek means to be furnished or prepared for some task or duty. The duty of apostles, evangelist, pastors and teachers is to prepare, furnish or equip christians. For What?

A. verse 12 gives us two answers:

1) for the work of ministry

2) for the edifying of the body of Christ

Christians are saved to minister. Saved to serve. Serve what? Serve the body of Christ [see verse 12b]. That is, to serve with their gifts the rest of the body of Christians as furnished from the Word of God by these teaching and preaching ministers.

The duty of the teaching and preaching minister is to teach Christians how to minister their gifts, so that the church will be edified.

according to Ephesians 4:11-12, you are a minister.

ARe you doing it full time?

Or are you not even aware that you are a minister?

it's sad to say that the present organizational structure of most churches today hinders the gifts and the potentials of each individual christian.

Churches have created a great divide: laity and clergy.

The clergy does all the ministries. And the laity just attends 'church' every sunday morning reduced to listening. The church for some has become a spectator sport. As a result many gifts of Christians lay latent and dormant. Some even are bored.

No wonder many pastors get burned out and weary after doing all the ministries which should have been done by individual members. He is like a doing all the functions of body. a mouth doing the function of a hand, feet, eyes, ears, nose and etc. We need to go back to the first century way of doing church.

What's ur gift brother or sister? maybe ur ministry is not 1 to many like the preacher or teacher. maybe ur ministry is one to one. why not be sensitive to your brother or sister in church. Listen to her or him [gift of listening], emphathize, symphathize, show care and love. you will never know how much this is to her or him.
laoda99
5 May 06, 04:15

which is why we need pastors, who are clergy,
and elders and deacons, who are laymen to help....
breytonhartge
5 May 06, 11:52

Take Time to Listen
If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
Â–(James 1:5)

When you're facing a problem, the very first thing you should ask God for is wisdom. Not money. Not power. Not even healing. But wisdom.

God's wisdom is the key that will unlock every door in your life. It will turn your every failure into success. So, stop wasting your prayer power begging God for things you think you need and spend some time instead listening to what He has to say about your situation.

If you've never tried that before, practically speaking, here's what you need to do.

First: Lay out the entire problem before the Lord, not because He doesn't know what you're going through, but because laying it out helps you. It helps you see things from a more objective point of view.

I remember when I used to take my problems to my father. Somehow, when I was explaining them to him, they began to look different to me. I'd get a new perspective, and as I talked, he'd point out areas I hadn't considered yet. Explaining your problems to God, point by point, will help you accomplish the same thing.

Second: Listen for the Spirit of God to advise you. Pay particular attention to what He says through the written Word. Most likely, the care of your problem has choked the Word of God right out of your heart (Mark 4:18-19). If so, you need to get the Bible and begin to put that Word back in again. Then the Holy Spirit will begin to speak to you through it.

As you're listening, be sure to remain teachable. Be ready to accept rebuke if necessary. Be very honest with God. Look for ways in which you've been wrong and confess them to Him. It's all right. Those sins won't come as any surprise to Him. He already knows about them. Confession just gives you the opportunity to get rid of them.

Third: Act on the wisdom God gives you. Let go of your own methods and put His methods into operation. Be obedient. If you don't, that wonderful wisdom won't do you any good at all.

As you pray today, set aside your own ideas and start seeking the wisdom of God. It's the only thing that can permanently solve the problems you've been facing. It's truly the most precious gift God has to give.

Seek wisdom.
breytonhartge
5 May 06, 11:58

Judgment and the Love of God

The time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God . . . Â—1 Peter 4:17

The Christian servant must never forget that salvation is GodÂ’s idea, not manÂ’s; therefore, it has an unfathomable depth. Salvation is the great thought of God, not an experience. Experience is simply the door through which salvation comes into the conscious level of our life so that we are aware of what has taken place on a much deeper level. Never preach the experienceÂ— preach the great thought of God behind the experience. When we preach, we are not simply proclaiming how people can be saved from hell and be made moral and pure; we are conveying good news about God.
In the teachings of Jesus Christ the element of judgment is always brought outÂ— it is the sign of the love of God. Never sympathize with someone who finds it difficult to get to God; God is not to blame. It is not for us to figure out the reason for the difficulty, but only to present the truth of God so that the Spirit of God will reveal what is wrong. The greatest test of the quality of our preaching is whether or not it brings everyone to judgment. When the truth is preached, the Spirit of God brings each person face to face with God Himself.
If Jesus ever commanded us to do something that He was unable to equip us to accomplish, He would be a liar. And if we make our own inability a stumbling block or an excuse not to be obedient, it means that we are telling God that there is something which He has not yet taken into account. Every element of our own self-reliance must be put to death by the power of God. The moment we recognize our complete weakness and our dependence upon Him will be the very moment that the Spirit of God will exhibit His power.
breytonhartge
8 May 06, 12:09

The Faith to Persevere

Because you have kept My command to persevere . . . Â—Revelation 3:10
Perseverance means more than enduranceÂ— more than simply holding on until the end. A saintÂ’s life is in the hands of God like a bow and arrow in the hands of an archer. God is aiming at something the saint cannot see, but our Lord continues to stretch and strain, and every once in a while the saint says, "I canÂ’t take any more." Yet God pays no attention; He goes on stretching until His purpose is in sight, and then He lets the arrow fly. Entrust yourself to GodÂ’s hands. Is there something in your life for which you need perseverance right now? Maintain your intimate relationship with Jesus Christ through the perseverance of faith. Proclaim as Job did, "Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him" ( Job 13:15 ).

Faith is not some weak and pitiful emotion, but is strong and vigorous confidence built on the fact that God is holy love. And even though you cannot see Him right now and cannot understand what He is doing, you know Him. Disaster occurs in your life when you lack the mental composure that comes from establishing yourself on the eternal truth that God is holy love. Faith is the supreme effort of your lifeÂ— throwing yourself with abandon and total confidence upon God.

God ventured His all in Jesus Christ to save us, and now He wants us to venture our all with total abandoned confidence in Him. There are areas in our lives where that faith has not worked in us as yetÂ— places still untouched by the life of God. There were none of those places in Jesus ChristÂ’s life, and there are to be none in ours. Jesus prayed, "This is eternal life, that they may know You . . ." ( John 17:3 ). The real meaning of eternal life is a life that can face anything it has to face without wavering. If we will take this view, life will become one great romanceÂ— a glorious opportunity of seeing wonderful things all the time. God is disciplining us to get us into this central place of power.
Ironside
12 May 06, 03:03

Your spiritual gift determines your ministry in the Body of Christ

Every genuine Christian is endowed by God with some special ability/abilities to serve the body of Christ. Every Christian has at least one gift. Your gift determines your ministry in the body. There are at least sixteen gifts listed in the Bible. These gifts taken as a whole and practiced by each individividual member in the church is Christ ministering through us for us.

Christ is a teacher, encourager, leader, comforter, exhorter and etc. [see Romans 12 list]. According to His sovereign will He distributes these qualities to each individual Christian. Christians who are gifted in teaching are usually the ones who are preachers and teachers [obviously]. Usually these guys are gifted with the word of knowledge and wisdom [see 1 Cor. 12].

some like George Mueller are gifted with faith [faith here is not saving faith. all genuine Christians have it. the gift of faith referred here is the faith of miracles and the ability to 'see' things that are in the will of God, pursue it and success......many seminaries and missionary endeavors were established because of this gift from God...........you know the ones that move mountains....not all Christians are given this gift. Judson Taylor believed that he was called by God to do missionary work in China. Pursued it and proved it to be true.

Some are gifted with the gift of admnistration. They are given special ability to organize the Church. Others are gifted with counselling [note: counselling is not just exclusive for pastors] There are so many others. What's ur gift? If you find the answer to that you have found your place in the body of Christ. Use it to edify your brethren. How do you recognize an unhealth body? The body whose body parts are not functioning well or are not functioning at all is the body who is unhealty.

Who's doing all the ministry in your church? your pastor only? To be sure, your pastor doesn't have all the gifts for ministry. There are gift/s that you have that your pastor doesn't have. God designed it that way. A church member might say: "Ah our pastor is a bad pastor our pastor is a good teacher and preacher.....a good expositor of the Word of God but when it comes to comforting one on one i find brother so and so better than him.....he's a bad pastor." Why, maybe brother so and so might have the gift of comforting and pastor might not have this gift. it doesn't mean that pastor is a bad pastor.

God has distributed various gifts to every individual member. One has a speical divine ability that the other does not have. Just like the body. You don't say: " ah hand is only a good helper.......but when it comes to walking feet does much better." Why of course. God did not designed the hands to do the walking. Each has his own special 'ministry' in the body. find your gift my friend and you have found your ministry.

P.S. imagine a church with it's members functioning and sharing their individual gifts to each other in the atmosphere of love and peace. Waw!!! everyone would feel the ministry of Christ through each individiual member ministering Christ's abilities and qualities to each other. Everyone would be blessed and edified. And we would say: "Waw , Christ is surely in this church!!!!"

New Century Version Bible

Ephesians 4:16

"The whole body depends on Christ, and all the parts of the body are joined and held together. [b]EACH PART DOES IT'S OWN WORK TO MAKE THE WHOLE BODY GROW AND BE STRONG WITH LOVE." [/b]