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Phil, I just wanted to thank you!


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#1 Tkulp

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Posted 13 July 2018 - 06:02 AM

Thank you Phil!

 

I noticed that your name is on almost every forum and it made me curious enough to investigate what you had to say to such a vast variety of subjects. You drew my attention back to forums that I rarely ever look at. Reminders of the modern church society and its understanding of the Scriptures.

 

Sadly, as I reviewed, reread topics, some that I had commented to myself, I was reminded of the feeling of hopelessness in attempting to communicate the Spirit of Truth from within the Word of God to people that believe, with all their hearts, that they are living in the light, but are blind or living in double darkness. They will not even consider reading or studying the Bible at any length. Commentaries, devotionals and such are explaining and telling them what and who God is in much the same way as it was in the Jewish nation that Jesus Christ spoke to. "The LORD says, "The leaders of my people are sure to be judged. They were supposed to watch over my people like shepherds watch over their sheep. But they are causing my people to be destroyed and scattered." Jeremiah 23:1

 

I can write about things that I believe the Holy Spirit has given me. Others can write about ideas that they believe are true, but if we are not willing to sit down with the Holy Spirit and the Spirit of the Word as the final authority we have nothing and gain nothing. 

 

Most of these people, generally, do not want to read or write more than a few lines. If they quote Scripture it is so often taken out of context to what the author is wanting to communicate from the entire book or letter that it was taken from.

 

It is easiest to skim read rather than study anything. Our age is all about the easiest, quickest way to accomplish what needs to be done. The idea of this generation comes across as desiring everything quick, easy, painless and that it wasn't my fault, no accountability. "There is a way that seems right to a person, but its end is the way that leads to death." Proverbs 14:12

 

So many people are wrapped up in, and spreading, a Non-Biblical "do-nothing," "fruitless" 'faith' that they have no time or interest to sit quietly with the Word and the Holy Spirit to hear what the Holy Spirit might have to teach them. They do not know how or allow the influence of the Spirit to change the fruit of their lives and thus be a real, living, witness to the real Truth, experiencing real deliverance from self, the flesh and sin. Word (The sap of the vine 'Jesus Christ' that can and will  flow in and through us, when we are grafted and stay into Him. John 15)

 

Everyone is spreading something. Usually it is what is influencing their lives the most at the time.

 

Do you want to know what is inside your heart? Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal your heart to you. What are you talking about most of the time? Where do you spend your free time? Who or what do you live for? Do we want others to see the Christ of the Word of God within us? Do we have a deep hunger to intimately  "know" Him as Master and Lord? ...or  Do we want, as facebook'ers, people to see "me"; the wonderful things that "I" have to say; what I am doing? Maybe we are like many "You Tubers" just making money and/or wanting popularity; caring little about the truth or facts about what they are doing or saying? "All of a person's ways seem right in his own opinion, but the LORD evaluates the motives." Proverbs 21:2  

 

Take it one step deeper, what is on your mind? What do you mentally feed on, meditate on? We all need to hear from the Lord or ask the Lord to show us ourselves, as He sees us. "They profess to know God but with their deeds they deny him, since they are detestable, disobedient, and unfit for any good deed."  Titus 1:6-16

 

 

The darkness's of Humanism, Feminism, Psychology are such a part of the modern church life that most consider these worldly teaching's to be Biblical and do not even really know what each stands for, at the root, or desire to learn the truth about them. Satan, the Angel of Light, is coming into the height of His time of deception, if He is not already there.

 

Over the last 200 years certain words have totally changed in meaning. Intercourse is no longer meaningful "communication". Gay is no longer "merry; sportive; frolicksome". Saved no longer means "preserved from evil" or as the Strong's Dictionary defines the Greek word "deliver or protect".

 

Why anyone would be happy or content to live with 'pet' bondages, habits or sins controlling their lives, when they can be free from them is really beyond me. Only a blind, conformity to the world would successfully entice anyone to want to live with, or controlled by, anything of this world. The Bible says that it leads to death. "There is a generation who are pure in their own eyes and yet are not washed from their filthiness." Proverbs 30:12

 

There is nothing greater than to be truly born again without the bondage to serve myself and the evil spirits that want to control or influence my mind; which leads to death. Freedom to intimately know and serve a Holy Spirit, living inside this shell of clay, is truly "Life" and life more abundantly! Everyone serves one or the other, there is no real middle ground for any length of time.

 

I guess that the answer, as to why people are the way they are, is in the idea of the dog that returns to its vomit or the pig, that being cleaned, returns to wallow in the mud hole. It is the unregenerate, untransformed, nature. They have not been truly been "born again", "Transformed". 

 

Thanks again Phil for influencing me to share the burdens that are on my heart for the people who call themselves by the name of Christ, but fail to be a plant that produces Christ-like fruit. It is the only the fruit that really identifies the tree.

 

Jesus said,  "Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is known by its fruit....

 

....I tell you that on the day of judgment, people will give an account for every worthless word they speak.  For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."  Matthew 12:33-37 NET Bible
 

 

P.S. Here is the link to an audio book from a pastor that lived in the 1800's; if any are interested to see the contrast in beliefs and teachings from his day and the age we live in today.

 

https://librivox.org...-andrew-murray/


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#2 Phil

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Posted 13 July 2018 - 09:00 AM

Thank you Tkulp. I believe my spiritual gift is to encourage others, and that's what I'm trying to do. Praise Jesus! 



#3 Phil

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Posted 17 July 2018 - 12:58 AM

Tim (aka Tkulp),

 

I did not realize it at first, but now that I've received your email I see that you were really being sarcastic. Yes, I've been sincerely trying to encourage others. And no, I have not been leaving replies just to bring attention to myself. I have a serious health issue and just wanted to lift people's spirits before I run out of time. But don't worry, since you have a problem with me I won't post here anymore. I found another Christian message board where they don't keep score and encouragement is actually welcomed. And I never would have found it had it not been for this thread and your email. So thank you for that Tim. *It's ironic, my encouragement bothers you but my neighbor came by yesterday to thank me for it. The Lord truly does work in mysterious ways. <>< Amen!

 

Godspeed,

Phil

 

1 Thessalonians 5:11 Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.