So many times as a younger Christian believer I would fail, sin and fall into condemnation and self unforgivness. Wanting to be perfect and please the Lord so much it devastated me to stumble once again on my corpse.
Nahum 3:3 KJVS
The horseman lifteth up both the bright sword and the glittering spear: and there is a multitude of slain, and a great number of carcases; and there is none end of their corpses; they stumble upon their corpses:
God sees past. Far past the failures where often we camp and build our spiritual homes. He taught me that He saw our failures before we were born.
He does not want us to camp and build at our failures but to journey on to a land beyond. We fail Him and in our unlearned ignorant state of Christian childhood think this is our constant condition. As we really grow and mature in Him we begin to realize once again His love and grace extend far beyond our present failure. Our sin that is. When we pitch camp at our sin, our failure and through self condemnation resist God's grace we often tempt others to camp with us. We have ceased walking with God then and are courting our self pity. Realizing that we have failed, sinned and fallen short we must get up, ask sincerely for forgiveness, receive God's grace and walk on. Being small and relatively ignorant we place boundaries on the grace of God. As we grow in Him we see that we are not qualified to say where the pickets are to be placed. Like the universe He made it is boundless and has no end. A dimensional concept my poor brain can't grasp.
1 John 1:9 KJVS
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
As a young Christian I found it hard to believe that I could be forgiven by Him one more time seeing that I failed so often. I would beat myself up (a firm of useless dead works) As if some passage of time were required in addition to my sincere repentance. It was truly a form of dead works.
As the understanding writer said;
Hebrews 12:1 KJVS
Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us , and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
As another modern well known writer and cartoon strip character, Pogo, said so well "we has met de enemy and dey is us". It's true, we tend to be our own worst enemy.
Everyone is different, unique. In part our growth depends on how much we let our past influence our present. If you are from an accepting, gentle home and perhaps Christian background then your drawing closer to the Father in a shorter time frame will likely be assured as you follow the guidance and easy yokes of the Bible.
For those that come from a different upbringing, a harsher one, fraught with contention and condemnation it will most likely take longer. There are no hard and fast rules for the walk of a Christian who is attempting to grow in the Lord because each of us is so unique in our experiences and makeup. As the word says;
Philippians 2:12 KJVS
Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
His indescribable love and wisdom however knows that we desire with all that we are to please Him in every thing. Paul in chapter seven of Romans speaks to this in depth.
Romans 7:25 KJVS
I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.
Our spirit man is perfect before God since Jesus has caused us to be reconciled to Him through His blood and cross. Our fleshly man, that natural creature is forever connected to the dust of the earth from whence it is taken. The natural man is fraught with failure. Failing God at every turn. The wrestlings of Jacob and Esau continue throughout our lives.
Only through the ministry of the Holy Spirit can we, who have received the baptism in the Holy Spirit by the Lord Jesus, be brought to the place where we are constantly aware of His loving acceptance of us. Knowing He is with us us always keeps us from much sin.
Romans 8:1-2 KJVS
There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
[2] For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
With God as with men we only grow closer through time. A good relationship is not made in a day, month or even a year. Through the passage of time combined with doing all the things we should, we build our relationship with our Heavenly Father.
Prayer, worship, praise, Bible study and meditation, good works. All the things He expects of us combined with the passage of time, builds and clarifies to us that we are ever growing closer to Him.
Romans 8:16 KJVS
The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
For Him we realize that no passage of time is necessary seeing that He has known us before were knitted together in the womb of our mother.
1 Corinthians 13:12 KJVS
For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
As we grow, for our part, ever closer to Him through the passage of time and practice of His commands, we more easily hear His voice. As we grow we are more comfortable and cognizant of His constant presence. In the last year or two I have become increasingly sensitive to the presence of God, the Holy Spirit and this is going into my 41st year as a born again, Holy Spirit baptized believer. Whether we are making supper or composing sermon His wonderful help is ever present. Having both worked and played with graphics all my life He shows me pictures in a moment of time shoeing me an easy or best way to accomplish a task. Whether splitting the atom or baking a pie it's all a light thing to our Lord!
2 Kings 3:17-18 KJVS
For thus saith the Lord , Ye shall not see wind, neither shall ye see rain; yet that valley shall be filled with water, that ye may drink, both ye, and your cattle, and your beasts. [18] And this is but a light thing in the sight of the Lord : he will deliver the Moabites also into your hand.
I am amazed that it's taken so long for me to become this much closer to the Lord. I thought in early years that it was the same for all of us, not considering how He has to work on us according to our unique personalities.So don't become discouraged in your walk thinking that you are stunted in growth with no gain. He is ever calling you forward in your journey to the Heavenly city and from time to time you too will have to stop and rest, sitting upon a well as Jesus did. He will bring you closer by a special plan made just for you.
Once He gave me a dream where I was running in a marathon. I was chugging along at what seemed a slow speed while others sped by me. Several even laughed at me as the ran by mocking my pitiful progress against their speed. I recollect feeling condemned because I was so slow. Later in that race I passed some of those same mockers that had collapsed alongside the course and were panting for breath. I remember making eye contact with them as I chugged by them.
Don't compare yourself against others. A bad idea. We are all different and have different gifts and callings.
Webster's translation
2 Corinthians 10:12
For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.
It's significant that Jesus rested at the well. The well is the reservoir of the living, refreshing waters of life flowing from the Master's throne. We stop. We sit. We drink of the cool, sweet life giving water He has provided for us. Since it is ever bubbling, flowing and always reviving to us. After resting we can walk on.
Years ago He gave me a dream. In it I was in a river swimming with other men. We were all children of God. We were laughing, splashing and swimming around in those crystal clear waters flowing by us. As I splashed around some of that water went into my mouth and it was the sweetest, most refreshing and indescribably wonderful thing that I've ever drank. After decades the memory of that dream, that sweet sweet water is still fresh in my mind.
There is no limit to the water He has for us. As we journey, ever growing closer to the one who first loved us, we must do our resting at His well. Attempting to be refreshed at any other place is fruitless, rest-less we might say. Let me end here with this scripture;
2 Peter 3:18 KJVS
But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.
Nahum 3:3 KJVS
The horseman lifteth up both the bright sword and the glittering spear: and there is a multitude of slain, and a great number of carcases; and there is none end of their corpses; they stumble upon their corpses:
God sees past. Far past the failures where often we camp and build our spiritual homes. He taught me that He saw our failures before we were born.
He does not want us to camp and build at our failures but to journey on to a land beyond. We fail Him and in our unlearned ignorant state of Christian childhood think this is our constant condition. As we really grow and mature in Him we begin to realize once again His love and grace extend far beyond our present failure. Our sin that is. When we pitch camp at our sin, our failure and through self condemnation resist God's grace we often tempt others to camp with us. We have ceased walking with God then and are courting our self pity. Realizing that we have failed, sinned and fallen short we must get up, ask sincerely for forgiveness, receive God's grace and walk on. Being small and relatively ignorant we place boundaries on the grace of God. As we grow in Him we see that we are not qualified to say where the pickets are to be placed. Like the universe He made it is boundless and has no end. A dimensional concept my poor brain can't grasp.
1 John 1:9 KJVS
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
As a young Christian I found it hard to believe that I could be forgiven by Him one more time seeing that I failed so often. I would beat myself up (a firm of useless dead works) As if some passage of time were required in addition to my sincere repentance. It was truly a form of dead works.
As the understanding writer said;
Hebrews 12:1 KJVS
Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us , and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
As another modern well known writer and cartoon strip character, Pogo, said so well "we has met de enemy and dey is us". It's true, we tend to be our own worst enemy.
Everyone is different, unique. In part our growth depends on how much we let our past influence our present. If you are from an accepting, gentle home and perhaps Christian background then your drawing closer to the Father in a shorter time frame will likely be assured as you follow the guidance and easy yokes of the Bible.
For those that come from a different upbringing, a harsher one, fraught with contention and condemnation it will most likely take longer. There are no hard and fast rules for the walk of a Christian who is attempting to grow in the Lord because each of us is so unique in our experiences and makeup. As the word says;
Philippians 2:12 KJVS
Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
His indescribable love and wisdom however knows that we desire with all that we are to please Him in every thing. Paul in chapter seven of Romans speaks to this in depth.
Romans 7:25 KJVS
I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.
Our spirit man is perfect before God since Jesus has caused us to be reconciled to Him through His blood and cross. Our fleshly man, that natural creature is forever connected to the dust of the earth from whence it is taken. The natural man is fraught with failure. Failing God at every turn. The wrestlings of Jacob and Esau continue throughout our lives.
Only through the ministry of the Holy Spirit can we, who have received the baptism in the Holy Spirit by the Lord Jesus, be brought to the place where we are constantly aware of His loving acceptance of us. Knowing He is with us us always keeps us from much sin.
Romans 8:1-2 KJVS
There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
[2] For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
With God as with men we only grow closer through time. A good relationship is not made in a day, month or even a year. Through the passage of time combined with doing all the things we should, we build our relationship with our Heavenly Father.
Prayer, worship, praise, Bible study and meditation, good works. All the things He expects of us combined with the passage of time, builds and clarifies to us that we are ever growing closer to Him.
Romans 8:16 KJVS
The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
For Him we realize that no passage of time is necessary seeing that He has known us before were knitted together in the womb of our mother.
1 Corinthians 13:12 KJVS
For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
As we grow, for our part, ever closer to Him through the passage of time and practice of His commands, we more easily hear His voice. As we grow we are more comfortable and cognizant of His constant presence. In the last year or two I have become increasingly sensitive to the presence of God, the Holy Spirit and this is going into my 41st year as a born again, Holy Spirit baptized believer. Whether we are making supper or composing sermon His wonderful help is ever present. Having both worked and played with graphics all my life He shows me pictures in a moment of time shoeing me an easy or best way to accomplish a task. Whether splitting the atom or baking a pie it's all a light thing to our Lord!
2 Kings 3:17-18 KJVS
For thus saith the Lord , Ye shall not see wind, neither shall ye see rain; yet that valley shall be filled with water, that ye may drink, both ye, and your cattle, and your beasts. [18] And this is but a light thing in the sight of the Lord : he will deliver the Moabites also into your hand.
I am amazed that it's taken so long for me to become this much closer to the Lord. I thought in early years that it was the same for all of us, not considering how He has to work on us according to our unique personalities.So don't become discouraged in your walk thinking that you are stunted in growth with no gain. He is ever calling you forward in your journey to the Heavenly city and from time to time you too will have to stop and rest, sitting upon a well as Jesus did. He will bring you closer by a special plan made just for you.
Once He gave me a dream where I was running in a marathon. I was chugging along at what seemed a slow speed while others sped by me. Several even laughed at me as the ran by mocking my pitiful progress against their speed. I recollect feeling condemned because I was so slow. Later in that race I passed some of those same mockers that had collapsed alongside the course and were panting for breath. I remember making eye contact with them as I chugged by them.
Don't compare yourself against others. A bad idea. We are all different and have different gifts and callings.
Webster's translation
2 Corinthians 10:12
For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.
It's significant that Jesus rested at the well. The well is the reservoir of the living, refreshing waters of life flowing from the Master's throne. We stop. We sit. We drink of the cool, sweet life giving water He has provided for us. Since it is ever bubbling, flowing and always reviving to us. After resting we can walk on.
Years ago He gave me a dream. In it I was in a river swimming with other men. We were all children of God. We were laughing, splashing and swimming around in those crystal clear waters flowing by us. As I splashed around some of that water went into my mouth and it was the sweetest, most refreshing and indescribably wonderful thing that I've ever drank. After decades the memory of that dream, that sweet sweet water is still fresh in my mind.
There is no limit to the water He has for us. As we journey, ever growing closer to the one who first loved us, we must do our resting at His well. Attempting to be refreshed at any other place is fruitless, rest-less we might say. Let me end here with this scripture;
2 Peter 3:18 KJVS
But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.
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