Jesus as a person to serve and obey above all others

[Groundskeeper]

I'm curious now, is there anyone here who reads the gospels in an actual Bible sometimes, to see if there's anything in them that they don't already know? Not just searching for proof texts or verses quoted by others, but to see if there's anything in them that they don't already know, or that's different from what they thought?

 

[oikonomia]

I'm curious now, is there anyone here who reads the gospels in an actual Bible sometimes, to see if there's anything in them that they don't already know?

Every time I open the Bible I open to the Lord to see something new and fresh which I did not know.
I look for His fresh up-to-date intimate speaking to me expressly.

Well, maybe not everytime. But each day sometime I seek His instant rhema speaking, not just the logos.
Well, let's say especially when I have a time in the word in the morning.

 

[Groundskeeper]

Every time I open the Bible I open to the Lord to see something new and fresh which I did not know.
I look for His fresh up-to-date intimate speaking to me expressly.

Well, maybe not everytime. But each day sometime I seek His instant rhema speaking, not just the logos.
Well, let's say especially when I have a time in the word in the morning.

Good. Thank you. But does it ever change your way of thinking about anything?

 

[oikonomia]

Good. Thank you. But does it ever change your way of thinking about anything?

Yes.
Would you like an example from as recent as this morning?

 

[Groundskeeper]

Yes.
Would you like an example from as recent as this morning?

Yes, thank you!

 

[oikonomia]

This morning I prayed and mused over these words from First Timothy.

I exhort therefore, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercessions, thanksgivings be made on behalf of all men;
On behalf of kings and all who are in high position, that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life in all godliness and gravity.
This is good and acceptable in the sight of our Savior God,

Who desires all men to be saved and to come to the full knowledge of the truth.
For there is one God and one Mediator of God and men, the man Christ Jesus,(1 Tim. 2:1-5)

Now I have read those verses many, many times. But as my practice is, I pray over the words
in a musing, repeating way, contemplating how God would freshly impress me.

And He is faithful. I had a change in my thinking about this . . . that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life in all godliness and gravity.
I realized that I did not adaquately appreciate the few words . . . "in all godliness and gravity."

Too often in my heart I stopped considering at . . . that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life . . .
In other words I thought we should pray for the government merely so that we may have a peaceful life.
This morning I saw deeper into the exhortation. We Christians should make petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings
for those in power for God's purpose that we . . . live in all godliness and gravity.

Godliness is God manifest in the flesh not only in Christ but in His church.
The reason for our prayers for kings and people in high positions is not just that we be hassle free.
These intercessions are needed that Christains may express God in their living according to His purpose - in all godliness.

Many attitudes of believers towards the government are not acceptable to God.
This attitude and prayer is acceptable in the sight of our Savior God.

I need a change in my thinking and speaking about those in high positions.
When I now find myself simply grumbling about how OFF they are or how much hassle they cause me,
I need to stop. I need to stop and remember the goal is that we believers may live expressing God in the flesh - "godliness and gravity."
For God . . . desires all men to be saved and to come to the full knowledge of the truth.

 

[oikonomia]

I would add that the Lord is will to speak something fresh and new to us all the time.
But we need to have a specific time to open to Him, turn our hearts from all distraction and HEAR His speaking.

The morning is the best time for this probably.
Yet any time the heart turns to the Lord the veil is taken away.

 

[Groundskeeper]

This morning I prayed and mused over these words from First Timothy.

I exhort therefore, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercessions, thanksgivings be made on behalf of all men;
On behalf of kings and all who are in high position, that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life in all godliness and gravity.
This is good and acceptable in the sight of our Savior God,

Who desires all men to be saved and to come to the full knowledge of the truth.
For there is one God and one Mediator of God and men, the man Christ Jesus,(1 Tim. 2:1-5)

Now I have read those verses many, many times. But as my practice is, I pray over the words
in a musing, repeating way, contemplating how God would freshly impress me.

And He is faithful. I had a change in my thinking about this . . . that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life in all godliness and gravity.
I realized that I did not adaquately appreciate the few words . . . "in all godliness and gravity."

Too often in my heart I stopped considering at . . . that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life . . .
In other words I thought we should pray for the government merely so that we may have a peaceful life.
This morning I saw deeper into the exhortation. We Christians should make petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings
for those in power for God's purpose that we . . . live in all godliness and gravity.

Godliness is God manifest in the flesh not only in Christ but in His church.
The reason for our prayers for kings and people in high positions is not just that we be hassle free.
These intercessions are needed that Christains may express God in their living according to His purpose - in all godliness.

Many attitudes of believers towards the government are not acceptable to God.
This attitude and prayer is acceptable in the sight of our Savior God.

I need a change in my thinking and speaking about those in high positions.
When I now find myself simply grumbling about how OFF they are or how much hassle they cause me,
I need to stop. I need to stop and remember the goal is that we believers may live expressing God in the flesh - "godliness and gravity."
For God . . . desires all men to be saved and to come to the full knowledge of the truth.

Wow. Thank you! That was a new and helpful idea for me also. Praying for those in authority helps us improve our attitudes and behavior in general. *If* we do it for Him.

 

[Groundskeeper]

When I now find myself simply grumbling about how OFF they are or how much hassle they cause me,
I need to stop. I need to stop and remember the goal is that we believers may live expressing God in the flesh - "godliness and gravity."

I'm having trouble finding words for what I'm thinking, but it's that the right kinds of prayers for people in authority can help improve our ways of thinking about social issues and about all people, in ways that benefit us and everyone around us.

 

[Groundskeeper]

I would add that the Lord is will to speak something fresh and new to us all the time.
But we need to have a specific time to open to Him, turn our hearts from all distraction and HEAR His speaking.

The morning is the best time for this probably.
Yet any time the heart turns to the Lord the veil is taken away.

Thank you for this conversation. It's even better than what I was hoping for.

 

[oikonomia]

I'm having trouble finding words for what I'm thinking, but it's that the right kinds of prayers for people in authority can help improve our ways of thinking about social issues and about all people, in ways that benefit us and everyone around us.

God knows that we lack utterance. We often do not even know what words to use.
So we can always groan like this "O Father! O Father, the president! O Lord, O Lord . . . the president! Lord the senators. Lord help them!"

This is a kind of groaning that the Holy Spirit helps us and knows what is the need.
Though we lack the words, our holy groaning is heard by God and understood.

Moreover, in like manner the Spirit also joins in to help us in our weakness, for we do not know for what we should pray as is fitting, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

But He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to God. (Rom. 8:26,27)