Too spiritual for earthly good...

[ABlessedAnomaly]

Just some food for thought, if I may share

Absolutely right on target!! Thanks for sharing!!!

 

[ABlessedAnomaly]

Last year God really challenged me about my motives...

Why do you do the things you do... because you are expecting something in return or just because it is right?

example...

Do you feed the poor because you want them to come to church or just because they are hungry?

We should feed them because they are hungry and let God give the increase...

Motives are major factor, indeed. And it should be remembered that God will sometimes lead us to such situations not so much to feed the hungry and possibly change them....

....but to change us as we humble ourselves and do His will, not for return (emotional or otherwise), but simply to see His will be done. God leaves no stone unturned: you will be changed.

 

[Gxg (G²)]

Absolutely right on target!! Thanks for sharing!!!

Cool to know. Thanks for always giving real things for people to think about in fellowship/dialouge...especially as it concerns putting your faith into action in a manner worthy of being seen as right action

 

[now faith]

There is a difference between being indwelled of the Holy Spirit (which every believer is) and being baptized in the Holy Spirit (which every believer is not). When one becomes born again, the Holy Spirit comes in and lives within him. Being baptized in the Holy Spirit is a choice to allow the Holy Spirit to lead (which doesn't mean that at times we won'd push Him back and get proud in our own ability). I'd like you to consider two events:

John 20:21-22
21 So Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” 22 And when He had said this, He breathed on them and *said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.
​

...and...

Acts 2:1-4
When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance.
​

The first, when we obtain salvation, we are indwelled with the Holy Spirit. The second is the baptism of the Holy Spirit, as Jesus said in Acts 1 just before He ascended to His Father....

Acts 1:5
5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”
​

So, yes and no: not baptized, but all believers are indwelled of the Holy Spirit and are under His helps (He is our helper).


This is absolutely true. And it is why in my last couple of posts I began to put quotes around the "spiritually" religious.

Oh I realize the difference, but even though the Holy Spirit dwells in the saved,they may not want to believe God can speak to their heart. What they have is fire insurance .

 

[now faith]

The 'war on poverty' was declared a few presidents ago. Is that national faith in action?
How has helped the poor? They sure have multiplied since the war started.
Work your faith, and you will see faith with works.

No it was LBJ in action, he did a lot of good for poor Texans. But when he became president he found out that life was very different at the top. I believe he set a record in signing bills for many causes. He was the inventor of the war on poverty. It did more harm than good, the results were loss of enterprise zones with small business thriving ,that were replaced with ghettos .

 

[Gxg (G²)]

Motives are major factor, indeed. And it should be remembered that God will sometimes lead us to such situations not so much to feed the hungry and possibly change them....

....but to change us as we humble ourselves and do His will, not for return (emotional or otherwise), but simply to see His will be done. God leaves no stone unturned: you will be changed.

Do you think it's possible for the Lord to bring people to us and yet others in the very act of helping them don't change? In line with the concept of the Lord allowing us to make decisions and not forcing anyone to change even when He brings the opportunity to allow for hearts to be changed to be more like Him? Personally, I can think of several examples where others noted that they took care of others the Lord sent and yet for years did so with the wrong kind of mindsets because they didn't see what the Lord wanted to do inside of them. Mabye it could be chalked up to some things happening in their own time...but I do wonder.

 

[PastorMike]

I believe the Lord sets a bar for us to reach and it is up to us to reach for it...

For example Judas was called to be an apostle, most likely he operated in miracles but he chose to betray Jesus instead... God set the bar, Judas didn't reach for it...

 

[Norah63]

Good one Pastor Mike. That's where we can agree or disagree with what we know to
be truth. Writing our own book of acts with the life we have been given.

 

[hislegacy]

So, can you be so spiritual that you are no earthly good? Who cares if we are? And is that bad? What if we simply focused 100% of our being on our spiritual side and ignored this earth and what is in it? Would that please God? Perhaps that's how we got to where we are today. Hmm?

It is a polite way of saying someone is a flake.

 

[pdudgeon]

Q:"So, can you be so spiritual that you are no earthly good? Who cares if we are? And is that bad? What if we simply focused 100% of our being on our spiritual side and ignored this earth and what is in it? Would that please God? Perhaps that's how we got to where we are today. Hmm? "

A.this could be a failing of newbie Christians, but it's only a temporary one. The good thing is that this 'failing' is not just confined to newbie Christians, but to all of mankind whenever they discover something that they never knew before.

It's called an "A-HA" moment, and is followed closely ( and perhaps incessently) by raptureous statements extolling the wonderfullness of their discovery while they dive in, head over heals, into this new thing.

Could be a girl, could be a car, could be a career, could even be God. But, yes, eventually this new thing has to be integrated into their existing life. Not to do so would be to risk their future.

Want an example? Let's start with Jesus and go from there.

So right off the bat Jesus is baptized by John and then compelled by the Holy Spirit to go into the wilderness on a 40 day fast. Some people could probably be excused for observing that at the time of His fast that Jesus was of no earthly good.
But the results of that fast did have definite earthly and heavenly purpose, and was subsequently revealed in His testing/tempting by satan, when Jesus successfully resisted and responded correctly to all three od his tests.

In doing so Jesusleft us a legacy and served as our example of how to successfully resist temptation here on earth, how to honor God, and He secured the first victory over satan on our behalf.

So perhaps it would be to our benefit not to draw hasty conclusions about either the benefits or the drawbacks of how other new Christians focus on God while they are just beginning to learn of Him. We just might be the beneficiaries of their learning and their prayers and their enthusiasm some day.

 

[Gunny]

I have never agreed with that statement, I believe the more spiritual we are (not obnoxious with it) it will be attractive to people and they will be drawn to us and we will be of more earthly good...

I sometimes think this statement is a cop out for carnality, I need to be a little carnal or I am no earthly good...

Amen and Amen.

 

[Optimus Fortis]

We've all heard the saying: "So spiritual that you are no earthly good."

Any truth to this?

It is a contradiction in terms for those operating in WoF principles.

Through the renewing of the mind and with the measure of faith, anything of spiritual good which is provided by God's grace and be physically manifested through faith.

 

[Norah63]

This topic reminds me of another way some put it. A friend was called a "goody two shoes".
Take it as a compliment I say. Better than being a baddy two shoes.
How much better this world would be if we are were more heavenly minded. It would effect our walk in this world, not of it.

 

[now faith]

What is our righteousness in comparison to God's grace?
To spiritual for earthly good can not exist,because when we become so self righteous no earthly good is done,then we are no longer spiritual we are carnal.

 

[OldDogDiver]

Dr. Martin Luther King was an adulterer and a wife abuser. I never have understood those, especially Christians, who praise him.

 

[OldDogDiver]

This topic reminds me of another way some put it. A friend was called a "goody two shoes".
Take it as a compliment I say. Better than being a baddy two shoes.
How much better this world would be if we are were more heavenly minded. It would effect our walk in this world, not of it.

Good post!

 

[ABlessedAnomaly]

Dr. Martin Luther King was an adulterer and a wife abuser. I never have understood those, especially Christians, who praise him.

Excuse me? Perhaps you mean like David in the Old Testament, who despite his faults was chosen by God.

Dr. King was an extraordinary man. Did Easy G not tell truth in his post/questions?

And what of your past? Should we point at your sins? Or should we point at you through the Blood of Christ? For God SHALL measure you in the manner you measure others. I'd be careful of that.

 

[now faith]

Do you think it's possible for the Lord to bring people to us and yet others in the very act of helping them don't change? In line with the concept of the Lord allowing us to make decisions and not forcing anyone to change even when He brings the opportunity to allow for hearts to be changed to be more like Him? Personally, I can think of several examples where others noted that they took care of others the Lord sent and yet for years did so with the wrong kind of mindsets because they didn't see what the Lord wanted to do inside of them. Mabye it could be chalked up to some things happening in their own time...but I do wonder.

I wonder myself,I have been trying to reach a minister of Uranchia miss spelled but it is a religion based solely on man's revelation.
It mixes some Bible but the teaching is madness.
As he was miss quoting John and adding to the Bible ,I stepped hard and asked him if he believed in the atonement of Christ.
Well he had a rant said blood sacrifice was of Lucifer.
When leaving I thought well it's over he is a reprobate,but that was my thought not God's
It's hard but he is going to have to know he will suffer Hell.
It's not hard for God it's hard for me because he is a proclaimed minister of this junk.
Thus he will not consider anything I say because he thinks I'm blind.
This I know The Holy Spirit will give me the word on God's time,to walk away or have him fall to his knees and receive Salvation in Christ by the blood!

 

[OldDogDiver]

Excuse me? Perhaps you mean like David in the Old Testament, who despite his faults was chosen by God.

Dr. King was an extraordinary man. Did Easy G not tell truth in his post/questions?

And what of your past? Should we point at your sins? Or should we point at you through the Blood of Christ? For God SHALL measure you in the manner you measure others. I'd be careful of that.

If you read my post thoroughly you would see I was talking about Christians who PRAISE King.

It's one thing to accept him - and me and you - as a human being with failures and successes. It's another to worship and praise him, which is what is done.

Galatians 2:6 MSG
As for those who were considered important in the church, their reputation doesn’t concern me. God isn’t impressed with mere appearances, and neither am I.

NKJV
But from those who seemed to be something—whatever they were, it makes no difference to me; God shows personal favoritism to no man.

 

[ABlessedAnomaly]

If you read my post thoroughly you would see I was talking about Christians who PRAISE King.

It's one thing to accept him - and me and you - as a human being with failures and successes. It's another to worship and praise him, which is what is done.

Galatians 2:6 MSG
As for those who were considered important in the church, their reputation doesn’t concern me. God isn’t impressed with mere appearances, and neither am I.

NKJV
But from those who seemed to be something—whatever they were, it makes no difference to me; God shows personal favoritism to no man.

No need to dredge up his sin if your point is the misdirected praise of Christians. In fact it doesn't fit the thread very well without the disparagement of Dr. King.

All I'm saying is to be careful, for God knows the heart; you set the measuring cup. I've read some of your other posts and this one came out of left field.