But I keep under my body and bring it into subjection - daily practice

[biblelesson]

I want to suggest we join one another this week (starting today to next Wednesday) to help edify one other and encourage one other in Christ. We all go through our trials, but we are told to edify one another. 1 Thessalonians 5:11, "Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do."

This is a little hard to do when we are on a forum, but I would like to make a suggestion: For the rest of this week, going into next week, I want to suggest we practice "putting off the old man" by learning to keep our bodies under subjection, and learning to put on the new man. And for those more experience teachers on this forum, as I am not a teacher, please provide your suggestions.

1 Corinthians 9:27, "...but I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: least that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway."

Galatians 5:24, "And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts."

It is our responsibility to "put off the old man" and not grieve the Holy Spirit. When we follow the gospel message and do this work, we can then put on the new man by the Spirit, because the Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit..."

Although I don't follow Pastor Christ Oyakhilome, he provides a good example of the fight between the flesh and the spirit. Here is a quote from him: "The outward man (your body) has its senses, and your spirit has its senses as well. The outward man has a mind that holds the memory, and the human spirit also has memory. So, whichever one you train is what will determine the quality of your life. Those who live according to their senses are terribly limited; they're the ones that experience failures and defeat in life.

So, for those Christians who want to commit to working together this week with other Christins to put off the old man, for edification, spiritual strength, and to help each other understand what it means to put the old man off, and to walk by the new man, please join me!

I want to suggest that we set aside time to "bring our body under subjection" this week; to train our spirit to be master over our flesh. Ephesians 4:22-23, "that ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; and be renewed in the spirit of your mind; and that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

I'm not suggesting doing actions to make us righteousness. I'm suggesting what Paul suggested, put the old man off. To do this, sometimes we must fast, which is a form of humility. Sometimes we must commit ourselves to more time in prayer. Sometimes we must meditate and focus our minds on the word, and on Jesus.

Each person has a practice that they feel comfortable with, that they can commit to this week to get in the habit of devotion and prayer.

Here are some suggestions: one or more can be done each day, or your own daily devotion and prayer:
- Fast each day from morning to afternoon
- Pray at the same time each day for an hour in the same location
- Thank Jesus after each task, and ask for guidance for the next task - do this throughout the day
- Read scripture and pray three times a day
- Pray for your enemies throughout the day
- Meditate on the word and our Lord Jesus


Please give a daily praise report if you would like!

And for those teachers more experience, please give guidance and suggestions.


God bless you!

 

[SANTOSO]

Dear ones,
Are you concerned how you might put off the old nature which belongs to your former manner of life which is corrupt through deceitful desires ?

This is what we have heard:

“For those who identify with their old nature set their minds on the things of the old nature, but those who IDENTIFY with the Spirit set their MINDS on the things of the Spirit.”
‭‭Romans (Rom)‬ ‭8:5‬ ‭CJB‬‬

So dear ones, what we need to do daily or moments to moments is TO IDENTIFY with the Spirit of God and set our minds on the things of the Spirit.

Dear ones, are you concerned how you might identify with the Spirit of God and set your minds on the things of the Spirit?

This is what we have heard our Lord Himself said:
“It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are Spirit, and they are life.”
‭‭John‬ ‭6:63‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

So dear ones, have you considered the words that Christ speak to you are Spirit, and His words are life ? You should not only consider that but believe.

So dear ones, to identify with the Spirit of God is to identify with the words that Christ have spoken to us. To set our minds on the things of the Spirit is to set our minds on the things that Christ have spoken.

Dear ones, are we to disregard what Christ have spoken to us through His holy apostles? No, dear ones.

This is what we have heard:
“For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe.”
‭‭I Thessalonians‬ ‭2:13‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

So dear ones, we are to receive the word of God which we heard from our holy apostles as it is in truth, which also effectively works in us who believe. How are we to receive? That is, we set our minds on the words that Christ have spoken to us through His holy apostles.

Dear ones, let me give an example what I did to remind myself time and time again and continue to do so that I pay attention to what I have heard, lest I drift away from what I have heard:

Romans 6:2
I died to sin; I cannot live any longer in sin.
Romans 6:3
I who was baptized into Christ Jesus was baptized into His death
Romans 6:4
I was therefore buried with Christ through baptism into death in order that,
just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, I too may live a new life.
Romans 6:5
I have been united with Christ like this in His death,
I will certainly also be united with Christ in His resurrection.
Romans 6:6
For I know that my old self was crucified with Christ
so that the body of sin might be done away with,
that I should no longer be slaves to sin–
Romans 6:7
because I who has died has been freed from sin.
Romans 6:8
I died with Christ,
I believe that I will also live with Him.
Amen

So dear ones, we need to consider what we have heard:
All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, -2 Timothy 3:16 ESV

Dear ones, didn’t God breathed out His Spirit, that gives us life ? Yes, He did. Likewise, all scripture.

Dear ones, for me then, it was not easy to accept this truth. I cried the whole night till I drenched my whole pillow through the night, that God is always right and I was always wrong. For I was afraid to be always blamed but in the morning, His steadfast love and mercy are new. I understood through His grace, that I received the forgiveness of sins. This I rejoiced. From then, I have believed the truth of His love in all His holy scripture.

So dear ones, when we identify the words that Christ have spoken, or through His holy apostles and prophets in the Holy Scripture, we identify with the Spirit of God.

Yes, dear ones, continue to set our minds on the words that Christ have spoken again and again.

Dear ones, don’t worry that you will forget.
You will not forget; that is why it is easier to absorb what the Spirit of Christ have spoken to you when you do it again.

Dear ones, don’t be frustrated that you tried to remember again and again. Dear ones, remember that you remember the One who loved you first. Won’t remembering the one we love again and again bring joy and peace in our hearts? The Lord will manifest His presence, when we remember His ways, and that He practices steadfast love, justice and righteousness in our lives.

Dear ones,
Just believe and continue to do what Christ have spoken to us.

When the Spirit of God have ruled our minds, when the words that Christ have spoken to us reign in our minds, that is, life and peace, as we heard:

“Having one’s mind controlled by the old nature is death, but having one’s mind controlled by the Spirit is life and shalom.”
‭‭Romans (Rom)‬ ‭8:6‬ ‭CJB‬‬

Dear ones, this is the manner, we live according to the Spirit; for we live according to the words that Christ have spoken to us. This is how we put off our old nature,by living in new nature, that is, to live according to the Spirit.

 

[dqhall]

I want to suggest we join one another this week (starting today to next Wednesday) to help edify one other and encourage one other in Christ. We all go through our trials, but we are told to edify one another. 1 Thessalonians 5:11, "Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do."

This is a little hard to do when we are on a forum, but I would like to make a suggestion: For the rest of this week, going into next week, I want to suggest we practice "putting off the old man" by learning to keep our bodies under subjection, and learning to put on the new man. And for those more experience teachers on this forum, as I am not a teacher, please provide your suggestions.

1 Corinthians 9:27, "...but I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: least that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway."

Galatians 5:24, "And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts."

It is our responsibility to "put off the old man" and not grieve the Holy Spirit. When we follow the gospel message and do this work, we can then put on the new man by the Spirit, because the Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit..."

Although I don't follow Pastor Christ Oyakhilome, he provides a good example of the fight between the flesh and the spirit. Here is a quote from him: "The outward man (your body) has its senses, and your spirit has its senses as well. The outward man has a mind that holds the memory, and the human spirit also has memory. So, whichever one you train is what will determine the quality of your life. Those who live according to their senses are terribly limited; they're the ones that experience failures and defeat in life.

So, for those Christians who want to commit to working together this week with other Christins to put off the old man, for edification, spiritual strength, and to help each other understand what it means to put the old man off, and to walk by the new man, please join me!

I want to suggest that we set aside time to "bring our body under subjection" this week; to train our spirit to be master over our flesh. Ephesians 4:22-23, "that ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; and be renewed in the spirit of your mind; and that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

I'm not suggesting doing actions to make us righteousness. I'm suggesting what Paul suggested, put the old man off. To do this, sometimes we must fast, which is a form of humility. Sometimes we must commit ourselves to more time in prayer. Sometimes we must meditate and focus our minds on the word, and on Jesus.

Each person has a practice that they feel comfortable with, that they can commit to this week to get in the habit of devotion and prayer.

Here are some suggestions: one or more can be done each day, or your own daily devotion and prayer:
- Fast each day from morning to afternoon
- Pray at the same time each day for an hour in the same location
- Thank Jesus after each task, and ask for guidance for the next task - do this throughout the day
- Read scripture and pray three times a day
- Pray for your enemies throughout the day
- Meditate on the word and our Lord Jesus


Please give a daily praise report if you would like!

And for those teachers more experience, please give guidance and suggestions.


God bless you!

Once I fasted seven days taking water and a little salt. Anymore it is difficult to skip a meal or not snack between meals. My weight is normal, but I need to try to lower my blood pressure. It was normal a few years ago, not today. Fasting may help. A no added salt diet might help. I rode my bicycle a total of six miles today.

I do not have prayer times, I prayed as needed and not in public.

I used to read a Gospel a day as I am retired. Now I may not read as much as a chapter some days. I stopped in John. May start again. Bye.

 

[SANTOSO]

Dear ones,
Are you concerned how you might discipline your body and bring it to subjection ?

This is what we have heard:
“And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭6:13‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Dear ones, to discipline our bodies and bring it to subjection is to present ourselves to God.

So dear ones,
are you concerned how you might present yourself to God?

This is what we have heard:
“knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more.
Death no longer has dominion over Him.
For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all;
but the life that He lives, He lives to God.
Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin,
but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭6:9-11‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

So dear ones, let us identify with words that Christ have spoken through His holy apostle and set our minds on Christ’s words that we heard in Romans 6:9-11.

“For I know that since Christ was raised from the dead,
He cannot die again;
death no longer has mastery over Him.
The death Christ died,
He died to sin once for all;
but the life Christ lives, He lives to God.
In the same manner, I consider myself dead to sin
but alive to God in Christ Jesus.”

Dear ones, when we said with our mouth and believe in our hearts what Christ have spoken through His holy apostle, we present ourselves to God.

In this manner, we identify with words that Christ have spoken through His holy apostle, we set our minds on the words that Christ have spoken through His holy apostle.

When we identify ourselves with words that Christ have spoken through His holy apostle, we identify ourselves with the Spirit of God.

When we set our minds on the words that Christ have spoken through His holy apostle,
we set our minds on the things of the Spirit.

For we heard our Lord Himself said:
“God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.””
‭‭John‬ ‭4:24‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Since God is Spirit, we are to present ourselves to God in spirit.

The question is how we present ourselves in truth to God ? This is what we have heard:

“Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”
‭‭John‬ ‭14:6‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

So dear ones, to present ourselves to God in truth, we have to be in union with the truth, that is, Christ.

Dear ones,
Are not words that Christ have spoken is the truth ? Yes, they are.

So when we present “words that Christ have spoken” to God ! we present the truth to God by faith in union with Christ.

Dear ones,
are you concerned to be union with Christ ? This is what we have heard:

“Therefore, there is no longer any condemnation awaiting those who are in union with the Messiah Yeshua. Why? Because the Torah of the Spirit, which produces this life in union with Messiah Yeshua, has set me free from the “Torah” of sin and death.”
‭‭Romans (Rom)‬ ‭8:1-2‬ ‭CJB‬‬

So dear ones, when we identify with the words that Christ has spoken through His holy apostle, we identify with the Spirit of God, that gives this new life in union with Christ.
This is how we present ourselves to God through Christ Jesus by faith.

When we present ourselves to God ! Are we presenting to God only our mind ? No, dear ones but also members of our bodies and our hearts to God.

For this is what we have heard:
“May the God of shalom make you completely holy — may your entire spirit, soul and body be kept blameless for the coming of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah.”
‭‭1 Thessalonians (1 Th)‬ ‭5:23‬ ‭CJB‬‬

So dear ones, when we identify with words that Christ have spoken through the apostles, we identify with the Spirit of God through our spirits (hearts).

When we set our minds with words that Christ have spoken through the apostles,
we set our souls with the things of the Spirit.

When we consider our old nature to dead to sin through the cross, we present members of our bodies through Christ to God.

In this manners, we present ourselves to God as those being made alive through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Dear ones, when we present ourselves to God, we are saying that sin shall not be our master but God.

Dear ones, when we present ourselves to God, we are no longer under the law but under grace.

Dear ones, when we present ourselves to God, we live under the grace of God that strengthen us.

Dear ones,
The words that Christ have spoken to us through His holy apostles is the grace of God that strengthen us not to sin.

Yes, the words that Christ have spoken through His holy apostles is the grace of God that strengthen us not to present the members of our bodies as instruments of unrighteousness, but through His grace that strengthen us to present our bodies as instruments of righteousness to God.

So dear ones, we present yourself to God, in that manner, we discipline our bodies and bring the bodies to subjection, in accord with His words.

For this is what we have heard:
“Hold fast the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me, in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus.
That good thing which was committed to you, keep by the Holy Spirit who dwells in us.”
‭‭II Timothy‬ ‭1:13-14‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Dear ones,
What is the good thing that was committed to us ? That is the faith and love in Christ, which is the pattern of sounds words from apostle Paul — the words that Christ have spoken to us through His holy apostles.

Dear ones, hold fast to the words that Christ have spoken to us through His holy apostles; when we hold that, we hold onto the faith and love that is in Christ Jesus; that good thing. So when we present the words that Christ have spoken through His holy apostles, we present that good thing to God; That is we present our faith and love in union with Christ Jesus to our Heavenly Father.

When we so in love with God, we won’t dare to offend the One we love.

So dear ones, let us present ourselves to God, because He first loved us, we love Him.

May the Grace of God be with your spirits. Amen.

 

[biblelesson]

Dear ones,
Are you concerned how you might discipline your body and bring it to subjection ?

This is what we have heard:
“And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭6:13‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Dear ones, to discipline our bodies and bring it to subjection is to present ourselves to God.

So dear ones,
are you concerned how you might present yourself to God?

This is what we have heard:
“knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more.
Death no longer has dominion over Him.
For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all;
but the life that He lives, He lives to God.
Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin,
but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭6:9-11‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

So dear ones, let us identify with words that Christ have spoken through His holy apostle and set our minds on Christ’s words that we heard in Romans 6:9-11.

“For I know that since Christ was raised from the dead,
He cannot die again;
death no longer has mastery over Him.
The death Christ died,
He died to sin once for all;
but the life Christ lives, He lives to God.
In the same manner, I consider myself dead to sin
but alive to God in Christ Jesus.”

Dear ones, when we said with our mouth and believe in our hearts what Christ have spoken through His holy apostle, we present ourselves to God.

In this manner, we identify with words that Christ have spoken through His holy apostle, we set our minds on the words that Christ have spoken through His holy apostle.

When we identify ourselves with words that Christ have spoken through His holy apostle, we identify ourselves with the Spirit of God.

When we set our minds on the words that Christ have spoken through His holy apostle,
we set our minds on the things of the Spirit.

For we heard our Lord Himself said:
“God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.””
‭‭John‬ ‭4:24‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Since God is Spirit, we are to present ourselves to God in spirit.

The question is how we present ourselves in truth to God ? This is what we have heard:

“Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”
‭‭John‬ ‭14:6‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

So dear ones, to present ourselves to God in truth, we have to be in union with the truth, that is, Christ.

Dear ones,
Are not words that Christ have spoken is the truth ? Yes, they are.

So when we present “words that Christ have spoken” to God ! we present the truth to God by faith in union with Christ.

Dear ones,
are you concerned to be union with Christ ? This is what we have heard:

“Therefore, there is no longer any condemnation awaiting those who are in union with the Messiah Yeshua. Why? Because the Torah of the Spirit, which produces this life in union with Messiah Yeshua, has set me free from the “Torah” of sin and death.”
‭‭Romans (Rom)‬ ‭8:1-2‬ ‭CJB‬‬

So dear ones, when we identify with the words that Christ has spoken through His holy apostle, we identify with the Spirit of God, that gives this new life in union with Christ.
This is how we present ourselves to God through Christ Jesus by faith.

When we present ourselves to God ! Are we presenting to God only our mind ? No, dear ones but also members of our bodies and our hearts to God.

For this is what we have heard:
“May the God of shalom make you completely holy — may your entire spirit, soul and body be kept blameless for the coming of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah.”
‭‭1 Thessalonians (1 Th)‬ ‭5:23‬ ‭CJB‬‬

So dear ones, when we identify with words that Christ have spoken through the apostles, we identify with the Spirit of God through our spirits (hearts).

When we set our minds with words that Christ have spoken through the apostles,
we set our souls with the things of the Spirit.

When we consider our old nature to dead to sin through the cross, we present members of our bodies through Christ to God.

In this manners, we present ourselves to God as those being made alive through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Dear ones, when we present ourselves to God, we are saying that sin shall not be our master but God.

Dear ones, when we present ourselves to God, we are no longer under the law but under grace.

Dear ones, when we present ourselves to God, we live under the grace of God that strengthen us.

Dear ones,
The words that Christ have spoken to us through His holy apostles is the grace of God that strengthen us not to sin.

Yes, the words that Christ have spoken through His holy apostles is the grace of God that strengthen us not to present the members of our bodies as instruments of unrighteousness, but through His grace that strengthen us to present our bodies as instruments of righteousness to God.

So dear ones, we present yourself to God, in that manner, we discipline our bodies and bring the bodies to subjection, in accord with His words.

For this is what we have heard:
“Hold fast the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me, in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus.
That good thing which was committed to you, keep by the Holy Spirit who dwells in us.”
‭‭II Timothy‬ ‭1:13-14‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Dear ones,
What is the good thing that was committed to us ? That is the faith and love in Christ, which is the pattern of sounds words from apostle Paul — the words that Christ have spoken to us through His holy apostles.

Dear ones, hold fast to the words that Christ have spoken to us through His holy apostles; when we hold that, we hold onto the faith and love that is in Christ Jesus; that good thing. So when we present the words that Christ have spoken through His holy apostles, we present that good thing to God; That is we present our faith and love in union with Christ Jesus to our Heavenly Father.

When we so in love with God, we won’t dare to offend the One we love.

So dear ones, let us present ourselves to God, because He first loved us, we love Him.

May the Grace of God be with your spirits. Amen.

Thank you for the scriptures and your comments!

God bless you!

 

[SANTOSO]

Dear ones,
We heard :

“But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭6:17‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Dear ones,
Let us thank God wholeheartedly, that we obeyed the form of teaching to which we are entrusted.

Dear ones,
Let us be concern about the teaching which we are entrusted, that we heard before Romans 6:17, that is found in Romans 6:16, that we heard :

“Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭6:16‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Dear ones, let us consider how we might apply what we have heard that has been said in Romans 6:16.

Let us identify with the words of Christ that has spoken through apostle Paul, that works effectively in us who believe.

Let us speak and believe in our hearts, the word of faith that apostle Paul proclaimed:

I offer myself to God to obey Him as slave,
I am slave to God to obedience, which leads to righteousness.

Dear ones, when we willingly present ourselves to God as slaves of God, we present members of our body to Christ as instruments of righteousness.

Dear ones, I understand the word “slaves” is sensitive to some people. Dear ones, let us understand this form of teaching that holy apostle of God entrusted to us. Apostle Paul not asking us to offer ourselves to him or me, or pastor or prophet or teacher or a different Jesus or different gods, but to offer ourselves to God, the Father of our dear Lord Jesus Christ.

Also, it is very clear that we are slaves of God to obedience leading to His righteousness, not our righteousness.

The same righteousness, that we heard when apostle Paul said:
“and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith;”
‭‭Philippians‬ ‭3:9‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Likewise, apostle Peter said:
“Simon Peter, a bondservant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ:”
‭‭II Peter‬ ‭1:1‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Dear ones,
When we are slaves of God to obedience leading to His righteousness, that is, the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ, we have obtained precious faith with apostles.

As apostle Paul continue to say:
“And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.
I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness, and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭6:18-19‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

“For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness.
What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭6:20-23‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Dear ones,
This is what we should say and believe in our hearts, that is, the word of faith that we heard apostle Paul proclaimed:

I have been set free from sin and have become slave to righteousness.
so now I offer members of my body in slavery to righteousness leading to holiness.
When I am slave to righteousness,
I am free from the control of sin.
But now that I have been set free from sin and have become slave to God,
the fruit I reap leads to holiness,
and the end result is eternal life.
the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Amen

Dear ones,
When we have spoken and believed in our hearts daily, that is, the word of faith that apostles of God proclaimed, we are established in the righteousness of God by faith.

That is why apostle said this:
“But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭6:17‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Dear ones,
When we obeyed from the heart by speaking and believing in our hearts to the doctrine that apostle Paul delivered to us, we will be delivered from sin.

Dear ones,
Though we were slaves of sin, let us believe and speak wholeheartedly, that we believe the form of doctrine that apostle Paul told us, that we will be delivered.

To God be all glory and thanksgiving. Amen.

 

[SANTOSO]

Dear ones,
This is what we have heard:

assuming that you have heard about Him and were taught in Him, as the TRUTH is in Jesus,
to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, -Ephesians 4:21-22 ESV

So dear ones, what have we heard about Christ and were taught in Christ, as the TRUTH is in Jesus, to put off our old selves , which belongs to our former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires ?

This is what we have heard our Lord said:

So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed Him, "If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, -John 8:31 ESV

and you will know the TRUTH , and the TRUTH will set you free."-John 8:32 ESV

Dear ones, have we believe in Christ? Dear ones, if we have believed in Christ as the Jews who believed in Him, we should abide in His words. Dear ones, when we abide in His words, then we will know the TRUTH, and the TRUTH that will set us free. Truly then, we are the Lord’s disciples.

So dear ones, let us identify ourselves with words Christ have spoken that are Spirit and life.

Let us set our minds on the words Christ have spoken that are the things of the Spirit.

Dear ones,
Let us present ourselves to God.

Lord, I abide in Your word, I am truly Your disciple,
and I will know the TRUTH , and the TRUTH will set me free.
Amen

Dear ones, let us delight ourselves in abiding in His words.

To God be all glory and thanksgiving. Amen.

 

[biblelesson]

Dear ones,
This is what we have heard:

assuming that you have heard about Him and were taught in Him, as the TRUTH is in Jesus,
to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, -Ephesians 4:21-22 ESV

So dear ones, what have we heard about Christ and were taught in Christ, as the TRUTH is in Jesus, to put off our old selves , which belongs to our former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires ?

This is what we have heard our Lord said:

So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed Him, "If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, -John 8:31 ESV

and you will know the TRUTH , and the TRUTH will set you free."-John 8:32 ESV

Dear ones, have we believe in Christ? Dear ones, if we have believed in Christ as the Jews who believed in Him, we should abide in His words. Dear ones, when we abide in His words, then we will know the TRUTH, and the TRUTH that will set us free. Truly then, we are the Lord’s disciples.

So dear ones, let us identify ourselves with words Christ have spoken that are Spirit and life.

Let us set our minds on the words Christ have spoken that are the things of the Spirit.

Dear ones,
Let us present ourselves to God.

Lord, I abide in Your word, I am truly Your disciple,
and I will know the TRUTH , and the TRUTH will set me free.
Amen

Dear ones, let us delight ourselves in abiding in His words.

To God be all glory and thanksgiving. Amen.

Thank you for your posts which helped me through my fasting!

 

[SANTOSO]

Dear one,
This is what we have heard:

break up your fallow ground, for it is the time to seek the LORD, that He may come and rain righteousness upon you. -Hosea 10:12

Don’t we consider FALLOW GROUND, as ground that are UNUSED and UNUSABLE ?

Don’t the Son of Man sow seed on the ground of our hearts?

Are the ground of our hearts unused ? Shouldn’t the ground be used for planting ? Or are the ground of our hearts READY to be planted with the word of the kingdom?

When ground are declared to be UNUSABLE? Do farmers only plow the ground, that is UNUSED ? or Do they also plow the UNUSABLE ground ? They do !

Why break up the ground? Why plowed ? Why tilled ? Is it not because the ground is HARDENED and filled with thorns and weeds ?

Are hearts hardened? Because of those who hurt, wrong, offend, scorn, humiliate, reject, abandon, sinned against us ?

Is it unbelief ? Because of unanswered prayers.

Or is it because the worries of this life, wealth and other pleasures ?

Are hearts hardened that it become insensitive to the needs of others ?

Can these hardened hearts be plowed or tilled ? Yes, they can be plowed or tilled.

Are the unused and unusable ground OFFERED to be plowed or tilled ? So, have we offered the grounds of hearts to be plowed by God ? So, have we OFFERED our hearts daily to God ?

Yes, we have ‘sin’, but we no longer want our hearts hardened by deceitfulness of sin. For we have confessed our sins, and our Lord who is faithful and just have shown us grace by forgiving our sins and cleanse our unrighteous thoughts. Yes, we have sinned but we don’t make our Lord a liar, and that His word is in us. And we are clean because of His word, that is in us.

So we offer ourselves to His words of truth. Putting hope in His words— for with the Lord is steadfast love and plentiful redemption. When He redeem our iniquities ! We are no longer separated from God. When He forgives our sins ! God don’t hide His face from us. He makes us alive by the Spirit of His words. When we live by His Spirit, we have His strength to put to death the practices of the body.

When we set our mind on the things of the Spirit! His Spirit strengthen our mind to make all thoughts captive to obey Christ.

Just as the fallow ground, that is unused and unusable, being OFFERED to be broken up, plowed and tilled by farmers.

So we OFFER the ground of our hearts to God.

Just as the fallow ground is CLEARED from thorns and weeds.

So the ground of our hearts is CLEARED from sins.

When we offer ourselves to God ! or when we submit ourselves to God !

The ground of our hearts will be plowed or tilled ! And ready for planting ! Ready to receive the word of the kingdom.

To God be all glory and thanksgiving. Amen.

 

[SANTOSO]

Dear one,
This is what we have heard:

For thus says the LORD to the men of Judah and Jerusalem: "Break up your fallow ground, and sow not among thorns. -Jeremiah 4:3
Circumcise yourselves to the LORD; remove the foreskin of your hearts, O men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem; lest my wrath go forth like fire, and burn with none to quench it, because of the evil of your deeds." -Jeremiah 4:4 ESV

Dear ones, it is true that our Lord spoke to the the men of Judah and Jerusalem.

Dear ones,
are not the men of Judah and Jerusalem considered Jews ? They are.

Dear ones, aren’t we Gentiles whom the Lord saved is Jews by nature ? Yes, we are.

For we heard:
“For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh;
but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭2:28-29‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

So dear ones, though we are outwardly Gentiles, but we are also the ones who are Jews inwardly.

Dear ones, since we are told by our Lord to circumcised ourselves to Him, He meant for us to have the circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in letter.

And this is what we have heard apostle Paul have spoken to us:

“In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ,
buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.
And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh,
He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses,
having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us.
And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.
Having disarmed principalities and powers,
He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.”
‭‭Colossians‬ ‭2:11-15‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

So dear ones, let us identify what Christ have spoken through apostle Paul, that we may set our minds on the things of the Spirit. For we have heard the circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit.

Also, this is what we have heard:
“But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach):
that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭10:8-10‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Dear ones,
Have we not heard the word of faith that apostle Paul preached to us in Colossians 2:11-15? Yes, apostle Paul preached the word of faith. So the word of faith is near us in our mouths and in our hearts. For with the heart we believe unto righteousness of God, that we heard what Christ has done for us, that is :

we, being dead in our trespasses and the uncircumcision of our flesh,
He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven us all trespasses,
having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us,
which was contrary to us.
And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.
Having disarmed principalities and powers,
He made a public spectacle of them,
triumphing over them in the cross of Christ.

And with our mouths, we made confession is made unto salvation from the wrath of God.

So dear ones, let us present ourselves to the Lord, in true contrition and repentance. Seek the Lord wholeheartedly. And said with our mouths and believe with our hearts :

In Him I was also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ,
buried with Him in baptism,
in which I also was raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.
And I, being dead in my trespasses and the uncircumcision of my flesh,
He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven me all trespasses,
having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against me, which was contrary to me.
And He has taken it out of the way, having
nailed it to the cross.
Having disarmed principalities and powers,
He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in the cross of Christ.
Amen

Dear ones, we identify with the Spirit of God,
when we identify with the words that Christ have spoken through his holy apostles.
When we set our minds on the words that Christ have spoken through His holy apostles, we have set our minds on the things of the Spirit.

So when we believe in our hearts that we have spoken from what we have heard from Colossians 2:11-15, we believe that we have circumcised ourselves to the Lord, that is, the circumcision that is of the heart, in the Spirit.

Dear ones, this is what we have heard:

“For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe.”
‭‭I Thessalonians‬ ‭2:13‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

so dear ones, believe the word of God, also effectively works in us who believe when we spoke and believe the words of faith proclaimed to us, when we heard what is written in Colossians 2:11-15

Also, we have heard:
“For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance, as you know what kind of men we were among you for your sake.”
‭‭I Thessalonians‬ ‭1:5‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Dear one, believe the words of faith, that we proclaimed and believed in our hearts from Colossians 2:11-15 ; it didn’t come to us in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance.

Dear ones, if you are looking for much assurance not only from what apostle Paul preach to the church at Thessalonia, this is what we have heard what he spoke to the church in Colossae:

“Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. To this end I also labor, striving according to His working which works in me mightily.”
‭‭Colossians‬ ‭1:28-29‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Dear ones, let us circumcised ourselves to the Lord, lest His wrath go forth like fire, and burn with none to quench it, because of the evil of our deeds.

To God be all glory and thanksgiving. Hallelujah.Amen.