Reflection Of Your Life

[mlepfitjw]

James 1 22Be doers of the word, and not hearers only. Otherwise, you are deceiving yourselves. 23For anyone who hears the word but does not carry it out is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror, 24and after observing himself goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25But the one who looks intently into the perfect law of freedom, and continues to do so—not being a forgetful hearer, but an effective doer—he will be blessed in what he does.


Hello you and welcome.

You know when we look into a mirror the reflection of ourselves looks back. All past experiences, good and bad are all part of that reflection.

What do you do when you remind yourself of all those things you did before?

What do you feel? Good about yourself? Guilt, Shame? We have all made mistakes in our life.

What would you do if you see Jesus Christ in that reflection?

You realize he lives inside of you ?

Galatians 2:20 My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Do you walk away, and forget the person who you once were?

Did you know how dangerous that is to forget who you once were, it was like you did not care. Even after knowing that Jesus Christ died, so we all could be forgiven of that old person you see in the mirror, and renewed from the inside with a changed heart.

 

[Maria Billingsley]

James 1 22Be doers of the word, and not hearers only. Otherwise, you are deceiving yourselves. 23For anyone who hears the word but does not carry it out is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror, 24and after observing himself goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25But the one who looks intently into the perfect law of freedom, and continues to do so—not being a forgetful hearer, but an effective doer—he will be blessed in what he does.


Hello you and welcome.

You know when we look into a mirror the reflection of ourselves looks back. All past experiences, good and bad are all part of that reflection.

What do you do when you remind yourself of all those things you did before?

What do you feel? Good about yourself? Guilt, Shame? We have all made mistakes in our life.

What would you do if you see Jesus Christ in that reflection?

You realize he lives inside of you ?

Galatians 2:20 My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Do you walk away, and forget the person who you once were?

Did you know how dangerous that is to forget who you once were, it was like you did not care. Even after knowing that Jesus Christ died, so we all could be forgiven of that old person you see in the mirror, and renewed from the inside with a changed heart.

I had an abortion in the 80's. I carry that thorn in my side knowing very well I have been forgiven. God will not let me forget.
Blessings.

 

[Jeshu]

On reflection i see that at first i imprisoned, oppressed and alienated myself in my old nature as i saw fit the religious person i was. Constantly trying to subdue my flesh.

What a mistake!

Paul told me i had died to my old nature what was i doing walking in it the religious person i had been?

Salvation is for all that lives in us but we need to be washed of our old nature first before we can attain it. This means dying to our old nature not walking in it any longer to obey its ways.

Now i understand salvation to be an gathering of myself within myself, one after the other. For wherever i willingly lay down my life for Him He raises me back up down the line in newness of life.

So i see salvation as a daily gathering/harvesting of my soul and walking in the Spirit means that we really do the loving.

i can care for the sick, imprisoned, hurting and lost all i want but if i don't do the loving from the heart it means nothing at all. 1 Corinthians 13:1-3

So walking in God's way is doing the loving, actively loving God and neighbour from the heart.

The more of myself in old i grow in God's love this way the more redeemed my life is.

Isaiah 27:12 "In that day the Lord will thresh from the flowing Euphrates to the Wadi of Egypt, and you, Israel, will be gathered up one by one."

 

[mlepfitjw]

Sister Maria, Though it seems like we can remind ourselves the things we have done, but also forgive ourselves. Maybe some situations are harder than others to kind of just let go of, @Maria Billingsley . Keeping our mind on heavenly things, knowing this life will come to pass at the hour and day that unknown, passing onward to the Father.

There are probably other traumatic experiences others have had in their life they have find difficulty to cope with as well. It is very unfortunate, though do believe God is a comforting God, who desires us to have peace in this life while we live here on earth, and endure sufferings.

 

[Gregory Thompson]

James 1 22Be doers of the word, and not hearers only. Otherwise, you are deceiving yourselves. 23For anyone who hears the word but does not carry it out is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror, 24and after observing himself goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25But the one who looks intently into the perfect law of freedom, and continues to do so—not being a forgetful hearer, but an effective doer—he will be blessed in what he does.


Hello you and welcome.

You know when we look into a mirror the reflection of ourselves looks back. All past experiences, good and bad are all part of that reflection.

What do you do when you remind yourself of all those things you did before?

What do you feel? Good about yourself? Guilt, Shame? We have all made mistakes in our life.

What would you do if you see Jesus Christ in that reflection?

You realize he lives inside of you ?

Galatians 2:20 My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Do you walk away, and forget the person who you once were?

Did you know how dangerous that is to forget who you once were, it was like you did not care. Even after knowing that Jesus Christ died, so we all could be forgiven of that old person you see in the mirror, and renewed from the inside with a changed heart.

If God has tossed my sin as far as east is from the west, it's not a sin if I can't remember the person I was before.

The mind and heart transformation sometimes results in replacement of internal parts, so memories aren't triggered so easily anymore.

If there's a vague recollection, I might think of it where Paul speaks of himself in the third person "I once knew a man"

 

[mlepfitjw]

On reflection i see that at first i imprisoned, oppressed and alienated myself in my old nature as i saw fit the religious person i was. Constantly trying to subdue my flesh.

What a mistake!

Paul told me i had died to my old nature what was i doing walking in it the religious person i had been?

Salvation is for all that lives in us but we need to be washed of our old nature first before we can attain it. This means dying to our old nature not walking in it any longer to obey its ways.

Now i understand salvation to be an gathering of myself within myself, one after the other. For wherever i willingly lay down my life for Him He raises me back up down the line in newness of life.

So i see salvation as a daily gathering/harvesting of my soul and walking in the Spirit means that we really do the loving.

i can care for the sick, imprisoned, hurting and lost all i want but if i don't do the loving from the heart it means nothing at all. 1 Corinthians 13:1-3

So walking in God's way is doing the loving, actively loving God and neighbour from the heart.

The more of myself in old i grow in God's love this way the more redeemed my life is.

Isaiah 27:12 "In that day the Lord will thresh from the flowing Euphrates to the Wadi of Egypt, and you, Israel, will be gathered up one by one."

Jeshu, you remind me of this anaolgy.

You have your natural self, which can be prideful, lustful, haughty, and judgemental. Then you have the acceptance of God, then the Lord Jesus Christ, the holy spirit, and the spiritual body are obtained, and the forgiveness provided.

Those prideful, lustful, haughty eyes, and judgementalness die downward, and God is allowed by the spirit to start working on peoples hearts to love like you had mentioned in 1 Corinthians 13:1-7.

 

[mlepfitjw]

If God has tossed my sin as far as east is from the west, it's not a sin if I can't remember the person I was before.

The mind and heart transformation sometimes results in replacement of internal parts, so memories aren't triggered so easily anymore.

If there's a vague recollection, I might think of it where Paul speaks of himself in the third person "I once knew a man"

Michael, you are right about what God has done. You said he cast them away far as east is from the west and He will remember them no more. For his forgiveness is great! You are right God works on the heart as a person starts to believe in God and they are changed also in their mind. God is a great healer! Those things we did we can remember, but we can also be able to forgive ourselves, along with others! Also understanding God has forgiven us.

Reminded of this scripture: Colossians 3:13 Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.

Thank you all for you comments.

Remember you are important, you matter, and most certainly loved by God!

 

[Gregory Thompson]

Michael, you are right about what God has done. You said he cast them away far as east is from the west and He will remember them no more. For his forgiveness is great! You are right God works on the heart as a person starts to believe in God and they are changed also in their mind. God is a great healer! Those things we did we can remember, but we can also be able to forgive ourselves, along with others! Also understanding God has forgiven us.

Reminded of this scripture: Colossians 3:13 Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.

Thank you all for you comments.

Remember you are important, you matter, and most certainly loved by God!

Thank you for the word of encouragement, I thank God for you.

Bless.

 

[Maria Billingsley]

Sister Maria, Though it seems like we can remind ourselves the things we have done, but also forgive ourselves. Maybe some situations are harder than others to kind of just let go of, @Maria Billingsley . Keeping our mind on heavenly things, knowing this life will come to pass at the hour and day that unknown, passing onward to the Father.

There are probably other traumatic experiences others have had in their life they have find difficulty to cope with as well. It is very unfortunate, though do believe God is a comforting God, who desires us to have peace in this life while we live here on earth, and endure sufferings.

Can't forget my baby in heaven.

 

[Jeshu]

Jeshu, you remind me of this anaolgy.

You have your natural self, which can be prideful, lustful, haughty, and judgemental. Then you have the acceptance of God, then the Lord Jesus Christ, the holy spirit, and the spiritual body are obtained, and the forgiveness provided.

Those prideful, lustful, haughty eyes, and judgementalness die downward, and God is allowed by the spirit to start working on peoples hearts to love like you had mentioned in 1 Corinthians 13:1-7.

You summed me up quite accurately. Jesus wiped me out in my prideful, arrogantly judgemental spirit, the lawless sinner i had been doing that. Unbelievable am i happy Christ has saved me from such bad life, i couldn't bear the thought that i would have stayed like that for eternity. Still i burn a nice flame a sinner in His presences, at least because of Christ my sins can teach me to reject bad life instead of exult in it, like i once did, my sin a real light to be.

That is the best part of Christ He has a place for everything, a place of honour for that which is build in Him and a place of destruction for the wicked and their brood. i praise Jesus' Holy Name for creating a place for the wicked and their works which can no longer harm our lives, but will have the whole of Heaven rejoicing in God's justice forever more.

Revelation 18:20 "Rejoice over her, you heavens! Rejoice, you people of God! Rejoice, apostles and prophets! For God has judged her with the judgment she imposed on you.”

 

[bèlla]

I employ Paul’s words: Forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead.

I don’t dwell on the past or replay mistakes. When I recall former times I relish happy events and important milestones in my life.

I wasn’t guilt or shame ridden before my return to God or afterward. I don’t feel bad about the things I’ve done. I did it with a clear conscience. Owning my mishaps made me a better person and servant.

It happened. One line in a story doesn’t define the ending. What I do with the knowledge affects the outcome. I keep my eyes on God and thank Him for His blessings great and small.

Yours in His Service,

~bella

 

[com7fy8]

What do you do when you remind yourself of all those things you did before?

When I think of how I bullied unpopular boys and girls, now I am motivated to make sure I love each and every person, and do not look down on anyone. And I need to trust God to have me discover how He wants me to love.

God is a comforting God, who desires us to have peace in this life

amen . . . thank you . . . God bless you, too

 

[Jesse Dornfeld]

I think it means there should be a categorical difference you can see in your life tangibly through sanctification. And I personally believe sanctification can only be done through suffering. When we suffer, we have to decide if we are still going to be reliant on God as our source of strength or not. When we go through suffering and we stand firm in our faith, that is when we come out on the other side with a renewed appreciation for God and keeping to His Ways. For example, if someone gets cancer at 40 years old and are otherwise completely healthy and they previously felt they had a good relationship with God, they can react in one of two ways. They can say, "God why did you do this to me! This is so unfair!" This is Job's response to the tragedy in his life. Job didn't see God as the means in itself for his righteousness, but rather blamed God for his tragedy calling God unfair. This is NOT the response God wants from us. We see that God corrects Job in his error of putting the blame squarely on God. Now, Job's response is actually very very natural to the human condition and it is what most people do with their suffering. But Job's suffering was quite extreme. That is why God chose to speak to Job directly. If it was not for Job's previous righteousness, he would not have a repentant heart when God spoke to him. So the lesson here is that God sometimes gives a special grace to people even when they don't have the right response to God. The other way people can respond to suffering is to say, "God this is hard, but I trust You." That is the response God wants from us. God wants complete submission to Him in whatever happens to us in this life. It is why it says in the Bible to give thanks to God even in suffering because through that suffering there are Good things waiting on the other side of that.

So is it easy to see a categorical difference for yourself before and after tragedy? I think there should be and that is what sanctification is. This ALSO happens in salvation where the tragedy is seeing that you are a sinner and in need of God's grace.

 

[Jeshu]

And I personally believe sanctification can only be done through suffering.

Brother i like what you say and i come a long way but i disagree that sanctification always follows the path of suffering, though in my life suffering has surely helped my sanctification a lot, rather God test each one of us in accordance to who we are and what we do.

i believe sanctification works primarily through the word. It is the word - the truth of God - that cuts us in two and divides sheep from goats within our hearts. This is why preaching is so very important.

God says that His word never goes out empty but always accomplishes what He send it out to do. Isaiah 55:11. So we can trust God's word to do what He set it out to do.

We could suffer deeply and not know the truth of God's word but it would not sanctify us nor would it harvest us anything but more misery.

Than many mouths may confess the works of Jesus Christ in their lives.

Peace.

 

[mlepfitjw]

I employ Paul’s words: Forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead.

I don’t dwell on the past or replay mistakes. When I recall former times I relish happy events and important milestones in my life.

I wasn’t guilt or shame ridden before my return to God or afterward. I don’t feel bad about the things I’ve done. I did it with a clear conscience. Owning my mishaps made me a better person and servant.

It happened. One line in a story doesn’t define the ending. What I do with the knowledge affects the outcome. I keep my eyes on God and thank Him for His blessings great and small.

Yours in His Service,

~bella

Hello Bella, you are right on not dwelling on the past for if you allow your mind to do so those mistakes create a depressive state of mine; along with questioning what ifs, and in the end is disappointing for you are dwelling on things that are already done. The time of the present would be to move forward to dust your shoes off and try again.

This is where I personally believe God and scriptures become so useful; especially in renewing the mind to no longer dwell on the the mistakes made but to go forward in a loving relationship with God, and His Son Jesus Christ. To forgive yourself and as the spirit builds up, you will understand that you are forgiven, and that you aren't useless and some people come in and out of your life.

The world is what really takes a lot from us if we let it... seeking things of the world rather than what is heavenly and thinking on heavenly things that allows forgiveness, mercy, love, peace, joy in the Lord... There is no where else to find it but in Him.

I think it means there should be a categorical difference you can see in your life tangibly through sanctification. And I personally believe sanctification can only be done through suffering. When we suffer, we have to decide if we are still going to be reliant on God as our source of strength or not. When we go through suffering and we stand firm in our faith, that is when we come out on the other side with a renewed appreciation for God and keeping to His Ways. For example, if someone gets cancer at 40 years old and are otherwise completely healthy and they previously felt they had a good relationship with God, they can react in one of two ways. They can say, "God why did you do this to me! This is so unfair!" This is Job's response to the tragedy in his life. Job didn't see God as the means in itself for his righteousness, but rather blamed God for his tragedy calling God unfair. This is NOT the response God wants from us. We see that God corrects Job in his error of putting the blame squarely on God. Now, Job's response is actually very very natural to the human condition and it is what most people do with their suffering. But Job's suffering was quite extreme. That is why God chose to speak to Job directly. If it was not for Job's previous righteousness, he would not have a repentant heart when God spoke to him. So the lesson here is that God sometimes gives a special grace to people even when they don't have the right response to God. The other way people can respond to suffering is to say, "God this is hard, but I trust You." That is the response God wants from us. God wants complete submission to Him in whatever happens to us in this life. It is why it says in the Bible to give thanks to God even in suffering because through that suffering there are Good things waiting on the other side of that.

So is it easy to see a categorical difference for yourself before and after tragedy? I think there should be and that is what sanctification is. This ALSO happens in salvation where the tragedy is seeing that you are a sinner and in need of God's grace.

Hello Counterphobia, you are mentioning about Job. When looking at Job what you can see is friends who are belittling him, even his wife, while the world (in this case Satan) was taking everything away from him. He did not lose faith in God. God restored Him for not losing that faith while the world was punching in around every edge of his body, plaguing him on the outside, and losing all of his family members. This suffering is a type of worldly suffering of loss.

Sometimes this happens when you fully trust God, people will detach from you, and this is the type of suffering that I believe is being mentioned in Job though it is known for me to make mistakes and be wrong but this my viewing at this moment and time on all of the things Job went through. He never lost faith in God, and was rewarded all he has lost back, with another family and children along with land. God has plans not to harm us but to allow us to prosper not just for the worldly things but inward spiritually.

When I think of how I bullied unpopular boys and girls, now I am motivated to make sure I love each and every person, and do not look down on anyone. And I need to trust God to have me discover how He wants me to love.

amen . . . thank you . . . God bless you, too

Hey thank you for sharing brother com7fy8. We have all done bad things in our life is it not true? My own testimony speaks for me as the person who once was. Thank God his wonders works of renewing our minds, and attuning our heart to his frequency. Thank you brother.

You all have a wonderful day thank you for all of your comments. (Im known to be wrong in my own thinking, but that is okay we are all imperfect!)

What is good please keep it, what is rubbish throw it away.

 

[bling]

James 1 22Be doers of the word, and not hearers only. Otherwise, you are deceiving yourselves. 23For anyone who hears the word but does not carry it out is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror, 24and after observing himself goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25But the one who looks intently into the perfect law of freedom, and continues to do so—not being a forgetful hearer, but an effective doer—he will be blessed in what he does.


Hello you and welcome.

You know when we look into a mirror the reflection of ourselves looks back. All past experiences, good and bad are all part of that reflection.

What do you do when you remind yourself of all those things you did before?

What do you feel? Good about yourself? Guilt, Shame? We have all made mistakes in our life.

What would you do if you see Jesus Christ in that reflection?

You realize he lives inside of you ?

Galatians 2:20 My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Do you walk away, and forget the person who you once were?

Did you know how dangerous that is to forget who you once were, it was like you did not care. Even after knowing that Jesus Christ died, so we all could be forgiven of that old person you see in the mirror, and renewed from the inside with a changed heart.

How I was, becomes part of my witness. It goes from being a very hurtful experience, to an asset in my presenting the huge change Christ has made in my life.

 

[Jesse Dornfeld]

Hello Counterphobia, you are mentioning about Job. When looking at Job what you can see is friends who are belittling him, even his wife, while the world (in this case Satan) was taking everything away from him. He did not lose faith in God. God restored Him for not losing that faith while the world was punching in around every edge of his body, plaguing him on the outside, and losing all of his family members. This suffering is a type of worldly suffering of loss.

Sometimes this happens when you fully trust God, people will detach from you, and this is the type of suffering that I believe is being mentioned in Job though it is known for me to make mistakes and be wrong but this my viewing at this moment and time on all of the things Job went through. He never lost faith in God, and was rewarded all he has lost back, with another family and children along with land. God has plans not to harm us but to allow us to prosper not just for the worldly things but inward spiritually.

Job never lost his belief in God, but that doesn't mean he never sinned. That was the point I was trying to make.

 

[Jesse Dornfeld]

Brother i like what you say and i come a long way but i disagree that sanctification always follows the path of suffering, though in my life suffering has surely helped my sanctification a lot, rather God test each one of us in accordance to who we are and what we do.

i believe sanctification works primarily through the word. It is the word - the truth of God - that cuts us in two and divides sheep from goats within our hearts. This is why preaching is so very important.

God says that His word never goes out empty but always accomplishes what He send it out to do. Isaiah 55:11. So we can trust God's word to do what He set it out to do.

We could suffer deeply and not know the truth of God's word but it would not sanctify us nor would it harvest us anything but more misery.

Than many mouths may confess the works of Jesus Christ in their lives.

Peace.

I think you are right about some things here. We have to know the Word in order to be sanctified. But does reading the Word itself sanctify us, or is there more to it than that?

 

[mlepfitjw]

Job never lost his belief in God, but that doesn't mean he never sinned. That was the point I was trying to make.

Truecounter, You are right about that. Is there scriptures about job in the hall of fame of faith, written in Hebrews? It’s been so long since I have read it. I understand what you are saying now, hopefully my thoughts on the book helped to add to your perspective because I never read that book completely.

I think you are right about some things here. We have to know the Word in order to be sanctified. But does reading the Word itself sanctify us, or is there more to it than that?

Truecounter, That is a great question and I believe reading the word builds our spiritual body inside, when we feed on the word of God, (of course not for selfish gain or anything), but to help the Holy Spirit inside of us as well as help Jesus Christ who also lives inside of us too.

Thank you for your comments and question.

Hope you are all having a great day so far!

 

[Jesse Dornfeld]

Truecounter, You are right about that. Is there scriptures about job in the hall of fame of faith, written in Hebrews? It’s been so long since I have read it. I understand what you are saying now, hopefully my thoughts on the book helped to add to your perspective because I never read that book completely.

Yes, you added a different perspective I wasn't looking at.

Truecounter, That is a great question and I believe reading the word builds our spiritual body inside, when we feed on the word of God, (of course not for selfish gain or anything), but to help the Holy Spirit inside of us as well as help Jesus Christ who also lives inside of us too.

Thank you for your comments and question.

Hope you are all having a great day so far!

I agree with this. John Piper says something like "never stop drinking Christ, never stop eating Christ". In other words, focus on the word does change our being to be more Holy if even in some sense doing this in intangible ways. But I believe both knowing the word AND suffering are necessary for sanctification. Jesus was tempted in the desert by Satan, but then immediately after he goes into ministry and I would view that as a kind of sanctification Christ went through. Now, maybe you say, "Christ is perfect, he doesn't need sanctification" to which I would reply He didn't need to be baptised either.

 

[Jesse Dornfeld]

And I don't believe Job is in the faith chapter, but not 100% sure on this. I think the point of Hebrews is to talk to the Hebrews and Job wasn't a Hebrew.