The Body

[amadeus]

Yes, I believe the mirrors were there to help everyone see himself.

The Scriptures may steer us, but as you say, they are not enough. The human mind also needs to be changed so we can see correctly. If we can't see ourselves correctly, is it safe to try to approach the holy? Is it even possible?

Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

It is possible to try to approach the holy with the wrong attitude as two sons of Aaron attempted. Too much effort along that line can be dangerous.

This thing of striving ourselves is good and expected... but it is NOT enough. The verses you quoted tell it if we can understand them. To me they mean for us to surrender completely to God, so that as we give it all we have, He will take up all necessary slack. The surrender is not a one time thing. Today I may surrender to God, but then come morning it is today again and I am back in the driver's seat. But... I cannot drive this vehicle along this route on my own. Surrender the seat again to Him. How many times? How often? When is it we will by doing this be transformed and when will we have proven the good, acceptable and perfect will of God? When can we say truthfully that which Paul said here?

"I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:" II Tim 4:7

 

[bbyrd009]

NO, "here a little, there a little" is a PUNISHMENT for not receiving IN FULL what GOD has for each of us. So if you want to be PUNISHED, then you're good to go. But for me, I'd like to receive...

future tense, huh. ok. I see you found colors, figgered maybe that was up your alley

 

[Bobby Jo]

... figgered maybe that was up your alley

Actually, what you cited was "up YOUR alley".

Have you considered MORE, or are you content with LESS?

Bobby Jo

 

[bbyrd009]

Actually, what you cited was "up YOUR alley".

Have you considered MORE, or are you content with LESS?

Bobby Jo

ok, ty

 

[Bobby Jo]

ok, ty

Some run the race, others watch. Trophies are awarded accordingly.

Bobby Jo

 

[bbyrd009]

Some run the race, others watch. Trophies are awarded accordingly.

Bobby Jo

ha, always struck me funny that Paul's run the race so as to win it actually probably xlates to "help one of your competitors if they are in need." I think that was the v got me started down the road to understanding the Naive Dialectic even. Anyway, best of luck in your quest ok.

 

[Nancy]

This thing of striving ourselves is good and expected... but it is NOT enough. The verses you quoted tell it if we can understand them. To me they mean for us to surrender completely to God, so that as we give it all we have, He will take up all necessary slack. The surrender is not a one time thing. Today I may surrender to God, but then come morning it is today again and I am back in the driver's seat. But... I cannot drive this vehicle along this route on my own. Surrender the seat again to Him. How many times? How often? When is it we will by doing this be transformed and when will we have proven the good, acceptable and perfect will of God? When can we say truthfully that which Paul said here?

"I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:" II Tim 4:7

Hi John!
Isn't is soooo ( ) comforting to know that His mercies are new EVERY day?
I love this:
"to surrender completely to God, so that as we give it all we have, He will take up all necessary slack."
Never understood this, or how to apply this thing called "surrender" until I DID! Whoa...experiencing it is so very freeing so, why then do we still feel we have to keep surrendering some of the same things we (thought?) we had already surrendered? Is it that we have not "really" surrendered? Or, could it be that God just wants us to continually surrender the sin that so besets us anew each day, as we run this race? We can do not a thing without Him ♥
Maybe it's time to call a cab named Jesus
Good post my brother!

 

[Nancy]

DISAGREE!

1 Cor. 14:26 is the model for church operation, and NOWHERE does it call for the congregation to be "lead" by any single man, -- who tells you what GOD expects of you, criticizes you when you don't perform as he expects, and directs you where he thinks you should be and what you should do.

Yep, I can't hear directly from GOD as Adam was called for. I need to have a "man" tell me, as Eve was relegated to. -- BECAUSE I'M OBVIOUSLY A WOMAN! NOT.

Bobby Jo

Agreed!
"But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him." 1 John 2:27

"However, when the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth. For He will not speak on His own, but He will speak what He hears, and He will declare to you what is to come." John 16:13

Nothing at all against true teachers of The Word...we need to be Bereans! Amen?

 

[Bobby Jo]

... Nothing at all against true teachers of The Word...we need to be Bereans! Amen?

We do not need ANY man to be over us, but along side us, -- for we are ALL men, subject to infirmities and failure. And so we esteem either other in a higher regard than ourselves, but not so high as for them to look down upon us. -- That's the tipping point where a different tact is needed. And boy do we need a LOT of that today.

Bobby Jo

 

[amadeus]

Hi John!
Isn't is soooo ( ) comforting to know that His mercies are new EVERY day?

While we are still working it is always "day" or "today". I worded it carefully to retain that today. When the "day" is done it is night:

"I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work." John 9:4

As long as we keep starting anew and surrendering anew it will be day for us. God won't cut us off timewise until the time is short and He knows we are quitting on Him. His mercy will always be there for us until we get so weary in well doing that we simply quit... not quit surrendering to God, but allowing ourselves to surrender to the weakness of the flesh and the lust or pride that pulls on us. God is always the stronger, if we call on Him, but the decisions are always ours.

I love this:
"to surrender completely to God, so that as we give it all we have, He will take up all necessary slack."

Never understood this, or how to apply this thing called "surrender" until I DID!

Always our "free will" remains, but it is limited to surrendering it all to Him, or NOT.

Whoa...experiencing it is so very freeing so, why then do we still feel we have to keep surrendering some of the same things we (thought?) we had already surrendered? Is it that we have not "really" surrendered? Or, could it be that God just wants us to continually surrender the sin that so besets us anew each day, as we run this race? We can do not a thing without Him ♥
Maybe it's time to call a cab named Jesus
Good post my brother!

As long as those things: the lust of the eye, the lust of the flesh and the pride of life [I John 2:16]are still drawing us, we need to keep surrendering. Each battle we win [by surrendering to God] is an overcoming. Because we are drawn again toward that same old besetting sin, does not mean we did not overcome the last time. Is there a last temptation so that when we overcome [or not] there are no more?

For the children of Israel [less Joshua and Caleb] there were 10 failed opportunities. Ten times they rebelled and until that 10th one there was repentance and another chance given. For Moses, the man of God, who had so much, he went against God only once and was barred from the Promised Land:

"Because all those men which have seen my glory, and my miracles, which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have tempted me now these ten times, and have not hearkened to my voice;
Surely they shall not see the land which I sware unto their fathers, neither shall any of them that provoked me see it:" Num 14:22-23

"And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice: and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also.
And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them." Num 20:11-12

Much is given, much is required:

"But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more." Luke 12:48

How many times will God allow you and I to stumble and still repent one more time? When is there no more mercy for us?

How much has God given us? How well are we doing? Well as long as we have Light to work by and we have not quit on God, He won't quit on us.

Give God the glory!

 

[Nancy]

While we are still working it is always "day" or "today". I worded it carefully to retain that today. When the "day" is done it is night:

"I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work." John 9:4

As long as we keep starting anew and surrendering anew it will be day for us. God won't cut us off timewise until the time is short and He knows we are quitting on Him. His mercy will always be there for us until we get so weary in well doing that we simply quit... not quit surrendering to God, but allowing ourselves to surrender to the weakness of the flesh and the lust or pride that pulls on us. God is always the stronger, if we call on Him, but the decisions are always ours.


Always our "free will" remains, but it is limited to surrendering it all to Him, or NOT.


As long as those things: the lust of the eye, the lust of the flesh and the pride of life [I John 2:16]are still drawing us, we need to keep surrendering. Each battle we win [by surrendering to God] is an overcoming. Because we are drawn again toward that same old besetting sin, does not mean we did not overcome the last time. Is there a last temptation so that when we overcome [or not] there are no more?

For the children of Israel [less Joshua and Caleb] there were 10 failed opportunities. Ten times they rebelled and until that 10th one there was repentance and another chance given. For Moses, the man of God, who had so much, he went against God only once and was barred from the Promised Land:

"Because all those men which have seen my glory, and my miracles, which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have tempted me now these ten times, and have not hearkened to my voice;
Surely they shall not see the land which I sware unto their fathers, neither shall any of them that provoked me see it:" Num 14:22-23

"And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice: and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also.
And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them." Num 20:11-12

Much is given, much is required:

"But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more." Luke 12:48

How many times will God allow you and I to stumble and still repent one more time? When is there no more mercy for us?

How much has God given us? How well are we doing? Well as long as we have Light to work by and we have not quit on God, He won't quit on us.

Give God the glory!

"For Moses, the man of God, who had so much, he went against God only once and was barred from the Promised Land:..."

Well, He know's I'm thinking it so, I might as well say it: God is not always "fair" in our eyes yet, He is always "Just".

"Scarcely are the righteous saved..."
"And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?"

I say we simply continue to walk in the light...and, submit all, each day. ♥

 

[amadeus]

"For Moses, the man of God, who had so much, he went against God only once and was barred from the Promised Land:..."

Well, He know's I'm thinking it so, I might as well say it: God is not always "fair" in our eyes yet, He is always "Just".

"Scarcely are the righteous saved..."
"And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?"

I say we simply continue to walk in the light...and, submit all, each day. ♥

Perhaps as we can see it, it seem to not be "fair", but when we can see as God sees it, I believe that it would be also fair. But... if no face to face vision yet...?

As you, "continue to walk in the light...".

 

[Nancy]

We do not need ANY man to be over us, but along side us, -- for we are ALL men, subject to infirmities and failure. And so we esteem either other in a higher regard than ourselves, but not so high as for them to look down upon us. -- That's the tipping point where a different tact is needed. And boy do we need a LOT of that today.

Bobby Jo

"...but along side us..." <--- For sure!

"but not so high as for them to look down upon us. -- That's the tipping point where a different tact is needed. And boy do we need a LOT of that today. "

Lol, yeah, tact has really taken a back seat now a day's. But then, if there were a choice, I would always take truth over tact...don't kill the messenger, haha! Then again, there IS a way to answer any and all softly

 

[Nancy]

Perhaps as we can see it, it seem to not be "fair", but when we can see as God sees it, I believe that it would be also fair. But... if no face to face vision yet...?

As you, "continue to walk in the light...".

Yes...I do believe He IS fair

 

[farouk]

They had, had some drawing or something, some kind of game or contest and the Pastor told the congregation how much money they had made, and he shouted out like he was at some auction or rally, "we want to give you more money!!!" and the congregation started cheering him and clapping and I'm gathering it's money the congregation gave the church.

So I'm guessing he wanted them to donate more money, I don't know, all I know is that I didn't like the guy, he wasn't genuine at all, and I think he picked up on that with me.

It doesn't sound good, does it? for a preacher to be constantly talking about money...

 

[farouk]

I almost jumped out of my chair the first time at a Presbyterian Church, people starting raising their arms up and shouting out, and even had a band on their stage, I didn’t like it at all, it didn’t feel right.

Some of the more conservative Presbyterian churches would have been about reverent worship and Scripture exposition. I'm not Presbyterian, though.

 

[JohnPaul]

It doesn't sound good, does it? for a preacher to be constantly talking about money...

It raises red flags, If I want to try and win money, I'll go to a casino, not a Church.

 

[farouk]

It raises red flags, If I want to try and win money, I'll go to a casino, not a Church.

Well, exactly...