9 replies to this topic

[Kevin Blankenship]

The Tozer devotional for March 18. 2014 is absolutely AWESOME.  It just caught me at a time when I needed to hear/read those very words.  I just wanted to share that. 

    I simply want God to love me.  I know, it is written: "For God so loved the world....." and " even while we yet sinners, Christ died for us".   But how easy it is to read those words and NOT be moved. And sometimes I am like that. I can read those words, and not be moved. But sometimes, like today, I AM moved. But many times.....I'm NOT moved. Is anyone else like that? I mean.....and Christian's?

  You know, every one of us have different temperments. Different physches. (sp)  Different personalities.

  I feel this daily....unrelenting.....URGENCY.......to make all of this........the Word of God.....Jesus.....Christianity..............loving God........etc etc etc.........TOP PRIORITY!!!!

   But then, my stinking will gets in the way. I end up gardening or working, or tending to my new puppy (mixed breed hound female that I adopted) and the days pass. 

   The other night I was compelled to pray in this fashion: "Jesus, I give You, and only You, no other person, a key to my heart/will.  PLEASE Jesus, unlock the door and help me to become fully enthralled in all things Spiritual. And become detached from this world and it's offerings."  I have prayed it for about 4 nights now as I do my praying while walking the perimeter of the yard.  I can FULLY see that I have neither the power OR even the WILL to complete this by myself.  My "want to-er" is ALL MESSED UP!  I always do the things that I WANT to do. Now, if I could just get my "want to-er" aligned with God's Will, then God's Will is exactly what I would occupy my time doing. Make any sense?

    I am not really going through any valley right now. In ways, I am content. In ways, I am discontent. I STILL think MY problem is that I focus TOO MUCH on my own well being and not nearly enough on making the Father happy.  SELF is a VERY VERY difficult thing to break.  I have been that way all of my life, from childhood. It just will not go easily. I sometimes shudder with fear that I am somehow like the "rich young ruler"  who sadly turned, and walked away from Jesus. He just could NOT part with his toys, his land, his wealth. (Not that I believe that everyone should give away everything they own). But Jesus saw the area in man's life that was entrapping him and Jesus was offering to FREE him from those things. The young ruler couldn't or wouldn't......comply. It's SO SAD! I hope to see that young feller in heaven someday. Maybe he changed his mind. The Scriptures remain silent on the plight of the young ruler. Anyway.......May God Bless each one of you today in your goings and comings. I'm heading to the post office to mail something. With love...........Kevin

[chipped china]

Kevin, you are very good at describing what we all go through at least at times. In fact I'm having one of those days when I'm not feeling "moved" like I should be. Earlier today I listened to a couple hours of Chuck Missler's commentary on Isaiah 63, the Holy of Holies that prophesied Christ's death. I tried to humble my heart to see the fullness of what He did for us and ended up feeling some guilt and asked Jesus to help me because I can't do it myself. Sometimes "it" is everything.

I think the young ruler was being told by Jesus to believe in Him, not that He had to give up all his things but that what he needed to see is that it's Jesus who saves not getting rid of stuff. When you realize that it should draw you to Christ and want to please Him and put Him first. That's what I think it says. I'm not afraid of losing or not having salvation, I'm afraid of not doing His will and missing opportunities. When I finally see the Lord and must look at my life and answer for the lost chances I denied or missed. That will make me sad especially if some ones salvation could have be helped.

Time to sleep, I know I'll feel better tomorrow. with love to you all through Jesus Christ our only hope and true love, bets

[noah22x]

Yeah, I made a copy myself.

[ADVRider]

But how easy it is to read those words and NOT be moved. And sometimes I am like that. I can read those words, and not be moved. But sometimes, like today, I AM moved. But many times.....I'm NOT moved. Is anyone else like that? I mean.....and Christian's?

  

It's a mistake to think that words alone will move us. Even God's word as written in the Bible. It's because it's only the Spirit of God that can move us. Sometimes He uses the written word to do that, but not always. It's good to remember that while we have a part in responding to God, it is His work in us that causes the change. We respond to His prompting or activity, not our own. Merely reading the word does not, in itself, produce change. The word has to be combined with the Spirit's work in our heart. So don't be down on yourself because you think you often don't respond to something you read. You couldn't anyway, if God hasn't stirred or prepared your heart. Jesus said His words "were Spirit and Life." Without the Spirit, there is no life, or fruit. That is why a sermon or a teaching can fall flat sometimes. We can expect too much from "the word" when we put emphasis on a steady stream of preaching and teaching, that we think, by itself, always produces a result. It does not always, IMO. That is why someone in a meeting can be brought to tears while you are yawning next to them. God is doing something in their heart at that moment, but not yours. In that scenario, it does not mean there is something wrong with you or me because we are not "moved" like our neighbor. The other problem with thinking we should always be moved is that it is really a way of saying I should be able to be spiritual at will, be in charge of my growth, etc. But God is in charge and nothing will happen without His activity. Otherwise, we could do it ourselves, eh? We need to learn as Christians, we mainly need to respond to those things God is speaking, asking, commanding of us by His Spirit. Meaning, an actual dealing of God, not just "I read it in the word so I must improve myself." There are things God hasn't gotten to yet in each of us, but the Bible is not a self-help, 12-step improvement manual. The Spirit will convict us when we need it; outside of that, we can walk in the rest. Not sure this makes sense Kevin, but just trying to say to let the Spirit of God quicken His own words. That cannot happen unless our heart has been prepared to receive it. Not saying you should live sloppy, just that there is a balance and we don't need to beat ourselves up.

[Ginger]

Thinking of how each person posting and liking has come to mind.... and giving thanks.....
 
Seems that I hope to love the Lord.... know how thoughts come to mind that show self-centeredness more than love and have to at least pause and shift gears mentally....
 
It came to mind to question how I'm like the rich young ruler even as an old or older person.... Well, thinking of what I ain't and letting that be a rule of thumb surely seems to forget to come to Jesus and seek to learn of Him.... What does Jesus, the Word say? 
 
Well the Scripture that came to mind was about though my outward is growing old, my inward is being renewed daily, looked it up........2Co 4:16 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.

 

Chuck Missler's tapes are a blessing... so is the podcast in iTunes... Listening to Chuck speak on Genesis and doing repeated listening is helping me to easy does it as an old slogan puts it.... 

 

.... in gratitude for God's tender mercies and grace,......

 

God bless everyone!

 

Ginger

[Charles Miles]

John,  You bring up very, very good thins to keep in mind when we read the Word or speak to others about the saving grace of our Lord.  It is and always has been the Holy Spirit who convicts and teaches....not us or what we say.  We have the responsibility to present Him to others but after that, is is totally up to Him.  Some of us have lived long enough to see people who were presented the gospel years and years ago, with seemimngly no results, but one day years later, a precious brother or sister blooms from the person to whom we spoke!  Again, our job is to simply present the message of the gospel as best we can, and then allow Holy Spirit to complete His work.  The second part of that is something we cannot do, no matter what!

 

Ginger,  I dearly love Chuck Missler`s teachings and several years ago I ordered his complete Old Testiment study.  What a blessing it has been.  I`m sure everyone has their own way of Bible study using a commentary, but with his, I read the book, listen to Missler`s commentary on the book, and then read the book again.  I know Missler is not 100% correct on all the things(and he says that up front), but his little asides and historical insights are simply great.  I think we miss so much in the Bible because we don`t always understand the history happening in the world at the same time the passages were written.  Missler is a master at explaining in the Middle East and Asia Minor during those times.  He also does a great job with Hebrews and Romans in the same manner.  Missler always tells the listener not to believe anything he says..".just look it up in the Bible", because he understands that he is not the final authority on the subjects. 

 

This so goes along with what John Albert said in the above post when discussing Kevin`s post.  Sometimes we can read a passage and it is just a story, then a few days later read the same passage and the enormity and power of the meaning hits us like a sledgehammer.  The words are the same, the page number is the same, and our reading skills are the same....BUT, when Holy Spirit decides it is time for a lesson, we get a LESSON!!

 

May God bless all who seek Him in earnest,

 

Charlie

[Kevin Blankenship]

Wow!!! Awesome replies and very good words from all of my sisters and brothers!!!! Thanks!!!!  Duly noted. And it is no small amount of relief that "words alone cannot move us, but rather, the Spirit."  I paraphrased a bit, but that's good stuff.  Kevin

[Ginger]

So very grateful to have your posts. 
 
Charles, and John, I truly appreciate your posts and can only speak for myself but sort of reminds me of having a true elder speak... and address what is being written about .... some folks just get old and some become elders.  Know what I mean and just lack the ability to convey it well. 
 
God with us and us sitting at His feet....
 
I'm  listening .... and doing my best to have ears to hear...
 
Thank you.
 
Ginger
 
PS: sorry to not communicate very clearly.... Charlie, bless your heart and the rest of you too.  I pay attention to the admonition to keep in mind that Chuck Missler says to study it for yourselves and that Acts 17:11 is there to remind you not to believe anything he says....
           The way I check is to use e-Sword and click on the "pause" button a lot and go read and then back up the recording and re-listen... I'm just slow in hearing and slow in most other things too...  The individual recordings on OT and NT can be listened to or downloaded... I've been able to get most of them downloaded....  http://www.freewebs....diesmp3file.htm
 
Thank you so very much for sharing.... I stop wording and let this be more than enough words from my methinks...
 
God bless.

Edited by Ginger, 19 March 2014 - 03:37 PM.

[Kevin Blankenship]

All good stuff from great hearts. God bless all of you today.

[Onlyloveremains]

The Tozer devotional for March 18. 2014 is absolutely AWESOME.  It just caught me at a time when I needed to hear/read those very words.  I just wanted to share that. 
    I simply want God to love me.  I know, it is written: "For God so loved the world....." and " even while we yet sinners, Christ died for us".   But how easy it is to read those words and NOT be moved. And sometimes I am like that. I can read those words, and not be moved. But sometimes, like today, I AM moved. But many times.....I'm NOT moved. Is anyone else like that? I mean.....and Christian's?
  You know, every one of us have different temperments. Different physches. (sp)  Different personalities.
  I feel this daily....unrelenting.....URGENCY.......to make all of this........the Word of God.....Jesus.....Christianity..............loving God........etc etc etc.........TOP PRIORITY!!!!
   But then, my stinking will gets in the way. I end up gardening or working, or tending to my new puppy (mixed breed hound female that I adopted) and the days pass. 
   The other night I was compelled to pray in this fashion: "Jesus, I give You, and only You, no other person, a key to my heart/will.  PLEASE Jesus, unlock the door and help me to become fully enthralled in all things Spiritual. And become detached from this world and it's offerings."  I have prayed it for about 4 nights now as I do my praying while walking the perimeter of the yard.  I can FULLY see that I have neither the power OR even the WILL to complete this by myself.  My "want to-er" is ALL MESSED UP!  I always do the things that I WANT to do. Now, if I could just get my "want to-er" aligned with God's Will, then God's Will is exactly what I would occupy my time doing. Make any sense?
    I am not really going through any valley right now. In ways, I am content. In ways, I am discontent. I STILL think MY problem is that I focus TOO MUCH on my own well being and not nearly enough on making the Father happy.  SELF is a VERY VERY difficult thing to break.  I have been that way all of my life, from childhood. It just will not go easily. I sometimes shudder with fear that I am somehow like the "rich young ruler"  who sadly turned, and walked away from Jesus. He just could NOT part with his toys, his land, his wealth. (Not that I believe that everyone should give away everything they own). But Jesus saw the area in man's life that was entrapping him and Jesus was offering to FREE him from those things. The young ruler couldn't or wouldn't......comply. It's SO SAD! I hope to see that young feller in heaven someday. Maybe he changed his mind. The Scriptures remain silent on the plight of the young ruler. Anyway.......May God Bless each one of you today in your goings and comings. I'm heading to the post office to mail something. With love...........Kevin

Something I learned last night as I too have this weakness, the Word is alive.... When we read it, we then meditate on it. By asking the "author" Holy Spirit, what the thought is behind the word. Carnal wisdom of man will never unlock the mystery behind it. Only by the divine Holy Spirit will we truly understand what He is telling us. It's all spiritual.... Remember life, "living".....the Word is living......
God bless