Growing in Christ

[Count]

We've been taught, by word and example, that we should set aside time for God and have devotions. Do a little Bible, do a little pray, do a little I'm sorry. Do this, do that. Vitamins. That pays our dues and the rest of our day is ours to spend anyway we want, hopefully vaccinated against being bad because we did our devotions. If we get through the day having lived OK then we're doing good. We've hit the mark. It was a fulfilling of a long standing spiritual formula so we're all set. I did this two years ago when I was so hot for God and it didn't sustain me. I fell right through that cloud called "Nine". John Hagee defines idolatry as that which we put ahead of God and I'm OK with that. Who owns our minds?

How true are these words! We christians have been taught to do things for God as if God need our deeds. We often go to Him because we feel that this is right for a Christian to do so, we do not go to Him out of love for Him. How many times I have done my duty before God reading the Bible or praying a particular time and I have felt as if I did my duty before Him and was free to do anything else. Like the child coming back from school and doing in a rush his excercises and after finishing them feeling free to go out with friends and have a good time.

But now I want only one thing. Being with Him the most part of the day. Whenever I think of Him, whenever I feel His Presence it's like I lack nothing in my life. He is for me everything that I need in this world. The wordly things are nothing bu a shadow of Him. Every thing in my life can remind Him. The food that we eat is but a shadow of the Real Food, the water we drink is but a shadow of Him, the air we breathe is but Him. All these things and others in our everyday life have not only the purpose of keeping our body alive, but especially for reminding us of Him.

 

[favoritetoyisjoy]

Here's another one. Parris is another one of my brothers. I do realize that the word "apples" is not actually mentioned in connection with Adam and Eve in the Bible. Thank you Court and brinny, I am so pleased to make your aquaintance.



Hi Rick,
Thanks for the reply, I find the dialog very encouraging.

I wrote yesterday about Adam and Eve, how they must have come to regard walking with God in the cool of the day as a routine. While I was writing in my journal this morning it struck me that my comparison of myself to them was more appropriate then I had even recognized at the time. Two years ago, the high that I had on God became routine. I sorta said that by mentioning the "Candy Man" attitude I had toward God but now I think I know just how appropriate that comment was. I got complacent. Parris saw it. He kept reminding me to take my vitamins, to keep searching, to stay warm, but I didn't. I drifted away. It was too easy for me. That is, I let it be easy when I should have kept right on worshipping and trusting. We keep reminding ourselves that God never leaves us or forsakes us and that is so true. We do the forsaking and leaving, not Him. "Ho hum, God blessed me again, delivered me, manifested Himself to me, just look at those apples."

I have a little theory. When we are mad at God, is it that we are really mad at ourselves? When we feel God has forsaken us, is it really that we have forsaken Him? "Well, this woman you gave me offered me an apple and I ate it." Perhaps this idea can become a tool, maybe we can remind ourselves to stop doing that when we catch ourselves attempting it. Maybe we're just turning our guilt around and trying to make it God's responsibility.

Recently when I was dreading something at work, a possible no-win situation, and I was quite on edge about it, I remembered Paul rejoicing in prison, and I said to myself, "Well, I guess this is one of those times when I should be rejoicing". I immediately saw some humor in that, I started smiling to myself, and I found the anxiety dissolve. The outcome of the situation was a good one, I was delivered again. As pat as it sounds, there is no substitute for trust and the refusal to allow negative thoughts to take root in our minds. It seems too simple but it's not. Instead, we stubbornly try to get to the bottom of it rather than let go. Trust, rejoice, worship. God is in charge, whether by death or by life, He directs our path. His will is perfect and so will the outcome be perfect, always. If I'm on God's agenda it's all good.

Sigh. I think I need to burn my ship on the beach every day. A new one seems to appear each morning. I love you.

Scott

 

[RainDrop864]

wow.

 

[RainDrop864]

interesting.

 

[Dee235]

Leastone, I agree with saveveryone that your choice of name is strange and maybe not appropriate. Then again each to his own, and you probably have your reasons. I have not had an opportunity to read the whole post, but have skimmed over and feel blessed with what you have shared. I copied it so I could read it later. If you don't mind I would like to share it with some of my friends.

May the Lord bless you abundantly and continue you to prompt you and may you continue in obedience.

Thank you
Dee

 

[Maharg]

I don't actually know what I am going to write in this post.

Yes, that's right. I have started writing with absolutely no idea about what words are going to follow.

I was reading this thread and felt moved to add to it. I wanted to share something of me here, and my walk with Christ.

The thing is, I don't really know whether or not I am walking with Christ at the moment. I hear people tell me of this wonderful experience they have of Jesus. He has cured them of depression. He has shown them new ways to live their lives: even how to be more organised at work. Sometimes, when I listen to them I feel so ashamed. Because, you see, I still am very depressed a lot of the time. I still feel suicidal - as recently as a week and a half ago I begged the Lord to take my life because I could not tolerate any more pain. I still have problems in relationships . . . and all this seems to have got worse in the last year, when I have been seeking God more than ever before.

Some days, though, things are totally different. I understand the scriptures exceedingly well, and everything I read seems to be connected with the stuff I have been asking God to help me with. I trust God completely and I begin to see myself in a postive way. I think of work I could do for Christ. I have hope the future. I feel love for those who have hurt me. And then I tell myself it's all a mood swing - it's manic depression, and this is just a manic episode, I'm convincing myself things are of God because I do not want to admit that there is something dreadfully wrong with me. And then things get really bad. I have nightmares about people being angry with me, I feel alone and rejected, I feel terrible about myself, and don't trust my judgement. Everything becomes hopeless and I sink down and down and down . . .

Things have got better lately in that I haven't sunk into a very depressed state for a long period of time, and I have had whole days without crying. I know that my mental health, though, is the last thing I am prepared to let go of and let God handle. Surely psychologists and psychiatrists and counsellors are the people I should take these worries to (aren't they?). God, after all, is a projection or a psychological defence and all these experiences that this poor ill woman has are just signs of her illness. And these people that this woman hangs around with; all these so-called Christians. Aren't they just people who have a desperate need to be loved and have created this God to explain why they feel lonely sometimes when around non-Christians and why they believe such bizarre things that the rest of us know to be ridiculous?

So, my revelations of my Lord are reduced to the imaginings of a crazy woman - by myself mainly. I don't trust what I see because I don't trust myself. Not necessarily becuse I don't trust God. But then, if I remember back to when I had the experiences, I know that the world would have seen me as mad but that another Christian may have seen me as having an experience of God. And who am I going to choose to trust? A world that has abused me and used me to meet its own needs at my expense or the Christ who fills the hearts and minds of the Christians I know?

I choose to trust Christ, and to trust the experiences I have had. If I am mad, then I am mad for Christ, and none of the other stuff matters.

 

[KleinerApfel]

I choose to trust Christ, and to trust the experiences I have had. If I am mad, then I am mad for Christ, and none of the other stuff matters.

God bless you, Susana

 

[Lycana]

Leastone, you are such a blessing! I needed what you posted so badly today! God bless you forever and ever for helping us!

 

[woman.at.the.well]

I just got done studying the Fruit of The Spirit - acquiring more Christlike character. Practicing listening will be next!

 

[skywalker42]

Leastone, I thank you for being obedient to what the Spirit was saying to you so the rest of us can be blessed because of your obedience.
Skywalker42

 

[brinny]

It's been a while. I can't even BEGIN to say all that God is helping me with. I just thank all of you in this thread. It's planting so many seeds, and it shines like the noon day sun.

Keep shining!

Love,
Brenda

 

[lonnienord]

Hi Everyone:



9) Confess your sins; get cleansed in the Blood of Jesus. The enemy gains influence over us through sin in our lives. No matter how great or small the sin, we are left exposed when that sin goes unforgiven. It does not matter if you have to bring the same sin before the Father day after day, do it. Never run from the Lord when you sin, rather turn to Him. And if you do not think you have anything to confess, ask the Holy Spirit to bring to your remembrance any sin you have unknowingly done. Then confess what comes to mind. So much of the time we say and think and do things that we never realize are sin. But what a difference in our relationship with the Lord it makes when we are honest with Him.

10) Fall in love with Jesus. If you base your walk with the Lord on your feelings, it will fail. If you base it on your understanding of His Word, it will fail. If you base it on your faith, it will fail. But if you base your walk with the Lord on love, it will succeed. Love never fails. Love establishes a foundation for everything else: trust, confidence, peace, faith, courage, joy. More than anything else, receive His love in your deepest parts and make everything you do a response to that love.

LeastOne

excellent advice. Remember that you can talk with JESUS anytime. HE is always with you and he loves to talk with you. Practice HIS presence. Be aware that HE is with you all the time; tell HIM everything and listen to HIS responses!!

all for JESUS!! (My very very best friend!!)
lonnie

 

[lonnienord]

Being with Him the most part of the day. Whenever I think of Him, whenever I feel His Presence it's like I lack nothing in my life. He is for me everything that I need in this world. The wordly things are nothing bu a shadow of Him. Every thing in my life can remind Him. The food that we eat is but a shadow of the Real Food, the water we drink is but a shadow of Him, the air we breathe is but Him. All these things and others in our everyday life have not only the purpose of keeping our body alive, but especially for reminding us of Him.

yes practice HIS presence!!

Have you all read The Purpose Driven Life?

all for JESUS!!
lonnie

 

[asjs1206]

Wow-
What a great post leastone-I found it very helpful since I myself am a new christian-I will definitely be using some of your guidelines....

 

[melissa18_05]

This really puts things in Prospective for me. I have been trying to understand why other people say God told me this and God told me that... when they ask me what God told me to do, i don't know what to say because i really don't know. I am going to try to a hour or so just for Him to talk with me.. I hope that it will work..

 

[Maharg]

Praying for you Melissa, that your talk with God goes well.

Love,

maharg

 

[JesseRaymondBassett]

I needed to read what leastone wrote. May God bless you Leastone!

 

[Tandiwe]

LeastOne

I appreciate very much this timely and practical message. It has helped me to be more practical and focused. I was greatly assisted by the message on practice listening, as it is an area I know I need most help. Important as it is that my Lord hears my voice in prayer, it is even more important I believe that I HEAR what the Lord is saying to me, as according to John, Jesus said my sheep hear my voice. As His children we truly need this ability to hear Him.

Thank you very much.

May the Lord continue to talk to you and through you.

 

[MaddiesDad]

Wow-
What a great post leastone-I found it very helpful since I myself am a new christian-I will definitely be using some of your guidelines....

you're in my prayers right now wherever you are ASJS.prayer and alone time with Jesus is like nothing else.He sets a new path daily.Power in prayer.

 

[mrs.wilde]

hello every one, obviously every one here are in love with Jesus. i am very simple person. please forgive me if i offend any one. i am not good at find the way not to offend anybody since i go straight to the point. anyway, i believe the key to grow closer to Him is wholehearted commitment. without commitment there is no growing. i have been christian for 6 years and what helped me first as new christian was read New Testament thoroghly and change my life according to His teaching. Some takes time but so many i could change right away and i did it without any excuse. i guess i can change easily because i dont have much like most americans. i am not rich, not talented not so smart(it was smart of me to become christian though) i am not much of anything. i think thats why i can love Him so much. most early followers are poor and needy. poor and needy country's christians are wholehearted ones. in wealthy country people have to give up so much . i believe thats their stumbling block. again please forgive me if i sound gudgemental sincerly mrs wilde