Fellowshipping & Praise the Lord with Doc329 (23)

[doc329]

Our discomfort is due to our failure to understand the condition.
It is two fold.
First, the only people who desire God's direction are those who love and acknowledge Him.
The sinner does not want God's direction.
Self-rule is their desire.
Without acknowledging God in all our ways we are left to our own sense of direction which is ruled by our lusts and desires and leads to destruction.
God's will and direction are only of interest when they suit our fancy, improve our life (according to our standards of course), or we have come to an impasse and really don't know what to decide. Without total trust and surrender to His Sovereignty we are not able to be directed by Him.

 

[doc329]

We must be faithful, and stand fast in our liberty;

We must follow the rule which is given us in the Word of God, and not suffer our souls to be brought into slavery by new laws, forged by men.
For it is a hellish tyranny, which lessens God's authority and mixes the truth of the gospel with figures of the law; and pervertes and corrupts the true service of God, which ought to be spiritual.

Let us consider how precious a privilege it is to give thanks to God with quietness of conscience, being assured it is His will and pleasure that we should enjoy His blessings: and that we may do so, let us not entangle ourselves with the superstitions of men, but be content with what is contained in the pure simplicity of the gospel.

 

[doc329]

Have you trusted Jesus as your Savior?
Do you rest on His sacrifice on the cross for you?
Then by faith, you are God's adopted child! You belong to Him. And you can rest in confidence that no trial or testing will ever come into your life except that which He has designed for your good. "... All things," as the Bible tells us, "work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose" (Rom. 8:28). His "purpose" is to conform you to the image of His Son Jesus Christ.

Perhaps you're feeling the chastening hand of God in your life right now. Then please, dear brother or sister, submit to it. Let your loving Father do in you, through that suffering, what He knows best to do.
He will always and only discipline you because you are His, and because He loves you infinitely. He will always and only discipline you in great wisdom and perfection.
And He will always and only do so to make you more like Jesus.

 

[barb754]

Carry each other's burdens and in this way you will fulfill the
law of Christ.
-- Galatians 6:2


I feel so burdened myself, that sometimes I can't even see
others burdens. But Jesus reminds me that if I am to be like him, I
will be a burden carrier. This is why he came, why he died, and why
his resurrection is so important -- to lift from us the burdens of
sin, death, and depravity. He has blessed us by carrying our
heaviest burdens so that we might lighten the load of those around
us.


Compassionate Father, help me to see the burdens in the lives of
others around me and then respond to those burdens with help. I
want to be a blessing to the broken and discouraged, so please help
me find my place and my way of serving to your glory. In Jesus'

 

[doc329]

Psalms 37:21-22
The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again: but the righteous sheweth mercy, and giveth.
For such as be blessed of him shall inherit the earth; and they that be cursed of him shall be cut off.

A factory chaplain addressed a large crowd of workers as the gathered in their canteen; he then asked for questons or comments. One worker stood and said, ''we don't want religion'' We have everything we want. We have a lot of money. The company furnishes recreation. The food is free; and we don't even have to wash the dishes.
What do we need religion for?
For an answer the chaplain simply pointed to a poster displayed in the canteen. It read, During the past month 1,200 knives and forks have been stolen from this canteen.
In the future those using the canteen must bring their own cutlery.
What an overwhelming answer.

All over the world thousands of people are asking this question, if not by their words, their interest, their attitudes, their neglect.
Do we need religion?

We need religion to change the quality of our lives.

Wicked vs. righteous - the cotrast is obvious.
We need religion to change from wicked to righteous, from lost to saved, from unsaved to Christian. The Bible recognizes only two kinds of people; the righteous or the person whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and the wicked person who is, like chaff which the wind drives away.

We need religion to change our very natures. We need to be born again, to be made alive in Christ, to be made new creatures in Him.
How can a man look about him and doubt that man is a sinner.
Man's nature is a sinful one. Sin and evil and wickedness are the native quality of the human heart.
Man's heart, his nature, needs to be shanged

WE need religion to change the destiny of our lives

Psalms 37:22
For such as be blessed of him shall inherit the earth; and they that be cursed of him shall be cut off.

The wicked and the righteous contrast not only in nature and spirit, but also in their ultimate destiny. They are not going to the same place.
Those dressed in their sins will be damned to hell.
Those clothed in the righteousness of the Son of God will first inherit the earth (Matthew 5:5) and ultimately the kingdom of heaven.

We need religion because we need to be changed. Nothing except the blood of Christ shed for our sake can do that.

 

[doc329]

Matthew 6:25-34

“For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?

Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? And who of you be being worried can add a single hour to his life?

And why are your worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you?

You of little faith! Do not worry then, saying ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’ For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

So, do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own”

 

[doc329]

A couple had an argument, and now they were driving down a country road, not saying a word. As they passed a barnyard of mules, the wife sarcastically asked, "Relatives of yours?"

 

[doc329]

The writer Luke records that because of his transgression, the traitor Judas, “fell, that he might go to his own place” There was no one to force him into it — he went to his own “place” of his own volition.

If we capture a worm, a beaver, or a bird and let them all go at the same time, they will each go to his own sphere or “place” — the earth, the water, and the upper atmosphere. We do not need to force them in order for them to go to their own “place.”

If we hold a stone and an inflated helium balloon in our hand, letting them go at the same time, one will descend, while the other will ascend. They will only rest when they find their true “place.”

Similarly, God will force no one to descend downward to hell, because He is not willing that any should perish. Thus, if we find ourselves descending downward to that “place,“ it will be because that is the natural course for such a character as we have willingly built for ourselves while here on earth.

Let’s remember that on that golden shore, there stands a loving Lord who delights in seeing men ascend in thought and in deed to forevermore dwell with him in a “place” He has prepared

On that great judgment day, we will ascend to our own “place” the Lord has prepared for us, only if we (through our own volition) have been obedient to the will of the Father.

 

[doc329]

How many of us sin? Rom. 3:23 says we all do.
The Bible records that some great men unfortunately experienced this very thing; Moses, David, and Peter just to name a few.
How often do you find in your own daily routine that you sin against a Holy and Righteous God, only to fall into remorse and guilt in the end?
Remember Christian, we all falter, yet God pours His grace on us as a demonstration of how we should act toward others.
Do so to others, the Bible states, in the spirit of gentleness.

 

[doc329]

It happens all the time - in the normal bustle of daily living when we are moving too fast, or feeling in need of help.
we fail to recognize what is happening around us.
we forget what it is that we should be about.

Sometimes we load up other people with our burdens and pains, we pour out all our complaints and troubles, only to discover later on that the person is dealing with their own emotional burden, a burden far heavier than our own..

Sometimes we ask someone to do this or that thing without considering their work load. We just assume that the other person is, our should be, willing to assist us, only to discover later on that they have just put in a double shift at work, or that a relative of theirs' has just be in accident.

Other times we may, in good humor, tease someone about something, thinking that we know them well enough to have a bit of fun with them, only to discover later on that he or she is very sensitive about the very thing we thought was safe to tease them about.
And we realize that we have blown it - that we have acted inappropriately, and we seek out the person concerned and in almost every case we say something like:

if I had known, I would not have asked you that,
if I had known, I would not have said that,
if I had known, I would not have bothered you.

If only I had known....
​

 

[doc329]

Our growth in spiritual life is Christ increasing within us.
​

It is as impossible to cherish a holy desire, to conceive a heavenly thought, to perform a good action, to conquer a single infirmity, or to baffle a solitary temptation, apart from a direct communication with Christ;

Christ is precious to the believer. The absence from His presence distance - from His blest abode - the vicissitudes of life - the fluctuations of time - the advance of infirmities - the increase of anxieties and cares - and the formation of new friendships, do not render the Savior less precious to the believing soul.

Other objects often lose their attraction, their desire to interest, or their power to charm us, by the lapse of years; but JESUS is that glorious object who grows more precious to the heart in time, as His capacity unfolds of making us supremely happy; and in eternity will become increasingly the object of our love, and the theme of our song, and the source of our bliss, as growing ages unveil His loveliness His glory, and His grace!

 

[doc329]

Of course the most important thing for us all is to enter the pathway through the door, JESUS. But I suspect that many of us just mill around the door way and never venture too far along the pathways of God.

Proverbs 4:18-19 18But the path of the just is like the shining sun, that shines ever brighter unto the perfect day. 19 The way of the wicked is like darkness, they do not know what makes them stumble

Psalm 23 The LORD is my shepherd; I have everything I need. 2 He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. 3 He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name.

Psalm 25:10 All the paths of the LORD are mercy and truth,

The revelation of the pathway is also found in Jesus! He is the door, but he is also the way.
So why don’t we venture past the door and into the way?
A lot of it has to do with fear. Fear of the unknown, fear of deception and so on.
The Lord will not lead us up the Garden path! He will lead us into the "Right Paths"

The key is being abandoned to the purpose of God as found in Jesus. Putting aside our desire for power and gifting and walking in His!
The Lord will never lead us away from the Ancient paths, only our self nature which seeks power for the wrong reason will do that. But a humble abandonment to the master and His purpose will release the supernatural pathways of God.

 

[doc329]

Tell everyone there are gardens of joy, full of radiant light where the laughter of Children and the worship of God by Angels and saints fill the air.
Where the Glory of His presence and the splendor of His majesty overwhelm the soul. Where the thunders of God maintain the rhythm of Glory.
Tell them of the bridge to Eden and the pathways of old, where the delight of the saints is his embrace.
Tell them to enter the door and become abandoned to His purpose, to follow the way

 

[doc329]

There is the importance of Bible study for us as Christian workers.

Would you work without friction, without worrying, without strain, and without anxiety?
I know there are some here who want to learn that secret. The wheels must be oiled by these words in the heart and in the life.
Would you be kept from becoming mechanical?

It may be that this is our greatest need in our associations, and therefore there is great need of our having the realities of this Bible constantly in our thoughts and minds, and of having the fullest experience, the richest experience day by day, otherwise our work may become unsuccessful and purely mechanical;

We may work from a sense of duty, with no life in it.
If you would make the environment around you and shape the work with a strong hand, and not simply be shaped and driven by it, build up a rich, full inner life.
Then if a man is to have fruits in his work, it is necessary that in his thought and plan of study he put his spiritual life first. By our fruits we are known. The condition of fruitfulness is abiding in Christ, and one of the fundamental conditions is abiding in His Word.

 

[doc329]

The Bible teaches us the importance of practicing self-control.

It is listed as the "fruit of the Spirit" in Galatians 5:22-23, and among what we sometimes refer to as the "seven Christian graces" in II Peter 1:6.

Self-control is one of the Christian's weapons against the world. And practicing self-control involves controlling our temper.
We must follow after Christ's example - "Who, did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously" (I Peter 2:22-23).

The person who continually loses his temper is like an undefended city or one in ruins. The wise man Solomon said, "He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls" (Proverbs 25:28).

What a sign of weakness when we constantly lose our temper! And it is certainly a poor reflection of Christ in our lives when we "fly off the handle."
Christians must learn to be calm and serious. James said, "Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath" (James 1:19).

This brings to mind the motto: "Think twice before you speak. Losing your temper, blurting out angry words, and speaking your mind excites strife.
"A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger" (Proverbs 15:1).

 

[doc329]

Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me, for my soul trusteth in Thee.
Yea, in the shadow of Thy wings will I make my refuge until these calamities pass by.
I will cry unto God Most High, unto God that performeth all things for me.
He shall send from heaven and save me from the reproach of him that would swallow me up; God shall send forth His mercy and His truth.
My soul is among lions, and I lie even among them that are set on fire, the sons of men whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword.
Be Thou exalted, O God, above the heavens; let Thy glory be above all the earth.
They have prepared a net for my steps; my soul is bowed down.
They have dug a pit before me, into the midst whereof they themselves are fallen.
My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed; I will sing and give praise.
Awake, my glory! Awake, psaltery and harp!
I myself will awaken early.
I will praise Thee, O Lord, among the people; I will sing unto Thee among the nations.
For Thy mercy is great unto the heavens, and Thy truth unto the clouds.
Be Thou exalted, O God, above the heavens; let Thy glory be above all the earth.

 

[doc329]

Paul wrote “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.”

That one little verse told us that we as Christians must be devoted to a constant life of one-on-one prayer with our heavenly Father, that maintaining a life of prayer is vital for us to continue growing in relationship with God so that we will know His perfect will.

Paul was telling the Colossians and us that we must stick to prayer and never give up praying to God. An individual devotion to prayer where we talk with God and bring Him our requests and He talks to us is necessary in our Christian walks.
But the first thing Paul tells us is, ''that, while we must have that special, personal, one-on-one prayer relationship with God, our focus in prayer also needs to expand beyond ourselves.'' Simply put, prayer is not only about us.

Now someone might be wondering why we need to pray for open Gospel doors if we were commanded by Jesus in Mark 16:15 to “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.”

And didn’t Jesus command in Matthew 28:19 - 20a, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.”
Those are definitely two clear and specific commands of the Lord to all
Christians, to spread the Gospel world-wide.

We need to pray for God to open doors to all unbelieving people across the world, whether they are unbelieving terrorists who would do us harm or unbelieving politicians who pass ungodly laws or any unbeliever in
between…and we must also pray for the people who will teach the Gospel clearly to them.
To be sure, we must grow in our individual relationships
with God through prayer and He does want us to pray for ourselves and those we love.

But we as Christians are also to pray with a kingdom focus that shows our
loving concern for the eternal destiny of all people everywhere.

The kingdom of God is more than just about us.
So let us pray for open Gospel doors and walk through them when God opens them; and let us pray for clear Gospel teaching so that people will accept Jesus alone in faith.
Then we will be praying with a true kingdom prayer focus to God’s glory.

 

[doc329]

When teaching about prayer Jesus instructed His disciples, "do not to keep on babbling like pagans do, for they think they will be heard because of their many words." (Matthew 6:7)

How many times have we approached our Heavenly Father with the same attitude. We come before God babbling on and on. We ask the same thing in twelve different ways. Our verbosity suggests that He's not listening.
Our prayers rabble on in an attempt to appease Him into giving us want we want or to impress Him with our great Spirituality, thereby getting Him to give into our whims. God is neither appeased or impressed.

It really is not a matter of long prayers verses shorts prayers.
It is a matter of approaching prayer with the a proper understanding. Jesus points out two misunderstandings.
The first is that many words gets God's attention.
The second is that the Father doesn't know what we need.
When prayer is viewed as a means to get what we want, we believe we must bombard Him with our request, otherwise He won't listen to us.

When we forget that He already knows our needs, we pray as if we have to explain our request so He will understand and give us what we ask.
In reality, prayer is not a means to get what we want. Prayer is a means of learning what God wants and our bringing all things into alignment with His will.
We do not need to coerce Him into meeting our needs. He promised He would. Our petitions flow out of our dependence and trust in Him, not out of our wants and whims.

There was a men's group in a church that was facing some real difficulties that decided they needed to have an all night prayer meeting about the issues. They gathered in the church one night around 7:30 p.m. and began praying. After about two hours one older saint stood up and began to leave.
The other men called out to him, "Brother, this is an all night prayer meeting. Don't leave now." He responded, "gentlemen, I have prayed through on this matter. I have entrusted the problems to the Lord our God. He has given me peace of heart. To continue to prayer would be an act of mistrust. You pray until you have peace. I'm going home to sleep."

 

[doc329]

Christians are always talking about heaven, and looking forward to seeing Jesus, and wondering (out loud) just how much better things will be when they die. It must seem a little strange to someone whose reality is tied to earth and mortality.

It must also seem strange when Christians say that so and so has passed on to a better place, or that their suffering is now ended, or that now that they are dead, they are happy. Non-Christians say some things like this, but Christians actually mean it. It must seem strange to unbelievers, who have yet to experience the joys, peace, and comforts that a relationship with Christ brings to our hearts, when we speak of longing to be with Christ in heaven.

It must seem strange, but it shouldn't. We Christians are a group who long to be with Christ, who look forward to eternity in heaven and living forever. We are those who will take suffering now, often with a smile, because we know that there is more to life that simply living for today.

Heaven is home! Christians set their affections on the things that are above. This influences everything we do. Heaven is a place that is pure, majestic, and holy. Heaven is where every Christian holds his/her citizenship. (Philippians 3:20) Living forever is something that we not only should do, but will do.
It is the joy of the Christian that fellowship with God has been restored in Christ and that heaven is where we shall dwell with Him.

 

[doc329]

Rom. 3:23 says we all do.
The Bible records that some great men unfortunately experienced this very thing; Moses, David, and Peter just to name a few. How often do you find in your own daily routine that you sin against a Holy and Righteous God, only to fall into remorse and guilt in the end?

Remember Christian, we all falter, yet God pours His grace on us as a demonstration of how we should act toward others.
Do so to others, the Bible states, in the spirit of gentleness.