Hungering And Thirsting After Righteousness... Are We Doing It???

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BarneyFife

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Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. (Matthew 5:6)

Let me be the first to confess:

I am not doing this to the extent that I believe I should be.

It troubles me greatly. I want Jesus to come back for His church as soon as possible. But I don't think He will until we all hunger and thirst for righteousness so much that the Gospel is preached to the entire world in one generation
(Matthew 24:14).

I think He will have to send tribulation in order for us to be compelled to grasp this promise.

This post and hopefully this thread will have nothing to do with national Israel, rapture, or millennial theology.

That's why I posted it in the Christian Spirituality Forum.

Does anyone else think our Lord's return is delayed because of our lack of devotion or consecration? Or disagree?
 
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David H.

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Does anyone else think our Lord's return is delayed because of our lack of devotion or consecration? Or disagree?

He is waiting for the Harvest to be ripe, and he will separate the wheat and the tares. We are very close, and all the tribulation which follows will consecrate those who are faithful. The tribulum is a term for the threshing floor on which the wheat is threshed and the chaff separated from the wheat. This is the Purpose of the Great tribulation.

All the persecution and heartache this world throws at the church will only ripen them quicker.

God Bless.
 
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Ferris Bueller

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I am not doing this to the extent that I believe I should be.

It troubles me greatly. I want Jesus to come back for His church as soon as possible. But I don't think He will until we all hunger and thirst for righteousness so much that the Gospel is preached to the entire world in one generation
(Matthew 24:14).
I personally don't see hungering and thirsting for righteousness as a longing for service to God, but rather as a longing for personal holiness.
 

Ferris Bueller

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Does anyone else think our Lord's return is delayed because of our lack of devotion or consecration? Or disagree?
I disagree. Mainly because a lack of devotion and consecration is a sign of the very end you're suggesting is delayed by that lack of devotion and consecration.
 

marks

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Does anyone else think our Lord's return is delayed because of our lack of devotion or consecration? Or disagree?
Not engaging in eschatology, I'll refrain my full answer, but there is something I can add,

2 Peter 3:11-12 KJV
11) Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,
12) Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?

This is to be our mindset in these days.

This "hasting unto the coming of the day of God." This is like urging it on.

I think of it like I'm standing on the platform, waiting for the train to come, excited for the train to come, leaning out to peer around the curve, OH! Is it coming yet?? Oh, come quickly!!

Our mind is to be desiring to see Him soon. If this occupies our minds, that's setting our minds on things above.

Much love!
 
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amadeus

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Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. (Matthew 5:6)

Let me be the first to confess:

I am not doing this to the extent that I believe I should be.

It troubles me greatly. I want Jesus to come back for His church as soon as possible. But I don't think He will until we all hunger and thirst for righteousness so much that the Gospel is preached to the entire world in one generation
(Matthew 24:14).

I think He will have to send tribulation in order for us to be compelled to grasp this promise.

This post and hopefully this thread will have nothing to do with national Israel, rapture, or millennial theology.

That's why I posted it in the Christian Spirituality Forum.

Does anyone else think our Lord's return is delayed because of our lack of devotion or consecration? Or disagree?
Delayed? Do we know when He is due... if He is?

"Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.
Of a truth I say unto you, that he will make him ruler over all that he hath.
But and if that servant say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to beat the menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken;
The lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers." Luke 12:43-46

Should we ask for a personal time extension?

"In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz came to him, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Set thine house in order; for thou shalt die, and not live.
Then he turned his face to the wall, and prayed unto the LORD, saying,
I beseech thee, O LORD, remember now how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore.
And it came to pass, afore Isaiah was gone out into the middle court, that the word of the LORD came to him, saying,
Turn again, and tell Hezekiah the captain of my people, Thus saith the LORD, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will heal thee: on the third day thou shalt go up unto the house of the LORD.
And I will add unto thy days fifteen years; and I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria; and I will defend this city for mine own sake, and for my servant David's sake." II Kings 12:1-6

Did Hezekiah, one of the better kings of Judah. then stub his toe after being granted that extension. Might is have been better to leave well enough alone?

"Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content." Phil 4:11

God delayed the end for Hezekiah. Is He doing that today so people can do what... stub their toes a few more times before their final end finally arrives?

What about today?

"Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof." Matt 6:34
 
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GodsBeloved11

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Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. (Matthew 5:6)

Let me be the first to confess:

I am not doing this to the extent that I believe I should be.

It troubles me greatly. I want Jesus to come back for His church as soon as possible. But I don't think He will until we all hunger and thirst for righteousness so much that the Gospel is preached to the entire world in one generation
(Matthew 24:14).

I think He will have to send tribulation in order for us to be compelled to grasp this promise.

This post and hopefully this thread will have nothing to do with national Israel, rapture, or millennial theology.

That's why I posted it in the Christian Spirituality Forum.

Does anyone else think our Lord's return is delayed because of our lack of devotion or consecration? Or disagree?


I don't know about whether we are causing the delay of God's return by this or not, but the rest of your post resonates with me

How I wish to hunger after rightwousness!

I ma considering what kind of steps to take to increase my thirst ?

Possibly step number one spending more time with Him
 

marks

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It is with the knowledge that it creates the most profound paradox that I say:

Yes, we should, at least to the point where the most souls can be saved!

I'm perfectly happy to remain here as long as I can. We have one opportunity to attain to whatever we may attain to here, this is it!

Paul wrote, You are the crown of my rejoicing in the presence of Jesus at His coming.

I think the greater joy will be in all the more people who will know Christ, and who will know Him more intimately because of our ministry.

How much rejoicing would we like to have throughout eternity?

Not that I know about such things, but I know what is written.

Much love!
 
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marks

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I don't know about whether we are causing the delay of God's return by this or not, but the rest of your post resonates with me

How I wish to hunger after rightwousness!

I ma considering what kind of steps to take to increase my thirst ?

Possibly step number one spending more time with Him
More time with Him, more time in His Word, and more time doing what His Word, and what your heart tell you to do. And believing that He is doing the heavy lifting.

Much love!
 
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BarneyFife

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More time with Him, more time in His Word, and more time doing what His Word, and what your heart tell you to do. And believing that He is doing the heavy lifting.

Much love!
Renewed heart, that is. No? :)
 

marks

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You're just the cat's pajamas, you are! :D
We have a cat that likes to spend hours under the sheet. She'll sleep, play, bath, all under the sheet. We'll see the lump moving around the bed, the two points of ears. We'll say her name, those two little points turn, point to us, so cute!!

Much love!
 
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BarneyFife

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We have a cat that likes to spend hours under the sheet. She'll sleep, play, bath, all under the sheet. We'll see the lump moving around the bed, the two points of ears. We'll say her name, those two little points turn, point to us, so cute!!

Much love!
Our cat is feral and just plain crazy. :eek:
 
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marks

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Let me be the first to confess:

I am not doing this to the extent that I believe I should be.

It troubles me greatly. I want Jesus to come back for His church as soon as possible. But I don't think He will until we all hunger and thirst for righteousness so much that the Gospel is preached to the entire world in one generation
(Matthew 24:14).

I think He will have to send tribulation in order for us to be compelled to grasp this promise.

1 John 3:1-3 KJV
1) Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.
2) Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
3) And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.

When we know this is true, then we purify ourselves.

The hope of the resurrection, the expected end of our faith.

Much love!
 
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amadeus

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Don't make me quote John 14, John. lol :);):cool::p:D
Are you speaking of when He is due finally for all of mankind or for me? If planet Earth and its inhabitants endure for another 100 or 1000 years, what is that to me if I die before the sun goes down this evening?

Again, today!

"This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it." Psalm 118:24

Will God stretch out the day in order to complete the unfinished work in a people or in me?

"Then spake Joshua to the LORD in the day when the LORD delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel, Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon; and thou, Moon, in the valley of Ajalon.
And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies. Is not this written in the book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day." Joshua 10:12-13

Time may seem to be important to you and to me, but, What is time to God?
 

amadeus

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It is with the knowledge that it creates the most profound paradox that I say:

Yes, we should, at least to the point where the most souls can be saved!
Ah, but I was speaking of a personal time extension... me asking for me, you for you, or that guy for that guy.

What do I know about the multitudes? God knows about them better than I ever could. Only He has enough information to know when it is time to confuse the languages as at Babel or to destroy the cities as with Sodom and Gomorrah or to destroy all of it as in the time of Noah.

Abraham spoke up for Sodom and Gomorrah. Did he gain an extension for them? Not even ten were there... and so the destruction proceeded. God listened to Abraham, but Abraham did not ever know what God knew. Do we? God will know when it is time!