Tag: CORINTHIANS
YOU MIGHT HAVE TO TAKE THE TEST OVER
I HAVE BEEN TOLD, WHEN WE ARE TRIED, AND DON’T PASS THE TEST OF ENDURANCE, AND TRUST GOD TO FIGHT OUR BATTLE —- BY THIS, I MEAN, WE TAKE IT IN OUR OWN HANDS —-WE WILL AT SOME POINT IN LIFE, HAVE TO TAKE THE SAME TEST OVER AGAIN.
IT IS MUCH BETTER FOR US TO GO AHEAD AND WATCH GOD MOVE ON OUR BEHALF, AND WAIT IT OUT, AND LET GOD GET THE VICTORY FOR US, THAN TO HAVE TO FACE THIS AGAIN.
YOU WHO HAVE NEVER BEEN THROUGH A TRAIL, DON’T KNOW WHAT I’M TALKING ABOUT; BUT YOU WILL FACE ONE AT SOME POINT AND TIME AS YOU SERVE THE LORD.
II CORINTHAINS 8:2 – HOW THAT IN A GREAT TRAIL OF AFFLICTION (OR IN A TIME OF MUCH TROUBLE) THE ABUNDANCE OF THEIR JOY AND THEIR DEEP POVERTY ABOUNDED UNTO THEIR RICHES OF THEIR GREAT LIBERALITY. PAUL IS WRITING A LETTER TO THE CORINTHIANS TO INFORM THEM OF HOW THE MACEDONIAN CHURCHES WHO WERE GOING THROUGH A TIME OF GREAT TROUBLE, WERE STILL FILLED WITH JOY THAT THEY COULD BE IN AN OVERFLOW OF GIVING TO THE CHURCHES IN JERUSALEM.
MANY OF US WHO ARE GOING THROUGH A GREAT TRIAL, WHETHER IT BE PHYSICAL OR FINANCIAL, WHATEVER IT IS, COULD LEARN FROM THESE MACEDONIANS. THEY WERE ONLY ACTING ON THE PRINCIPLES OF THE PROMISES OF GOD.
THEY DIDN’T ALLOW SATAN TO STEAL THEIR JOY, AND THEY WERE SOWING AN OFFERING AGAINST THEIR OWN POVERTY TO MINISTER TO THE NEEDS OF THE SAINTS. WHAT A WONDERFUL EXAMPLE TO US.
IF WE ARE BEING TRIED, WE SHOULD FIRST, PRAISE GOD THROUGH IT, AND THEN, TRUST HIM FOR THE OUTCOME.
ALSO, WE SHOULD ASK HIM, “LORD,WHAT CAN I LEARN THROUGH THIS?”
I PROMISE YOU, HE WILL SHOW YOU, AND BRING YOU TO A GREATER UNDERSTANDING OF HOW HE WORKS.
JAMES 1:2-4 – MY BRETHREN, COUNT IT ALL JOY WHEN YE FALL INTO DIVERS TEMPTATIONS (OR VARIOUS TRIALS):
KNOWING THIS, THAT THE TRYING OF YOUR FAITH WORKETH (DEVELOPS) PATIENCE.
BUT LET PATIENCE HAVE HER PERFECT (COMPLETE) WORK, THAT YE MAY BE PERFECT (MATURE) AND ENTIRE, WANTING NOTHING (OR LACKING NOTHING).
THERE IS A DIFFERENCE IN GOING THROUGH TRIALS THAT DEVELOPE PATIENCE, AND BEING TEMPTED TO DO EVIL. BEING TEMPTED TO DO EVIL , IS BEING DRAWN AND ENTICED BY YOUR OWN LUST.
GOD DOES NOT TEMPT MAN TO DO EVIL (JAMES 1:13-18).
JAMES 1:12 – BLESSED IS THE MAN THAT ENDURETH TEMPTATION: FOR WHEN HE IS TRIED, HE SHALL RECEIVE THE CROWN OF LIFE, WHICH THE LORD HATH PROMISED TO THEM THAT LOVE HIM.
JAMES TELLS US TO COUNT IT ALL JOY WHEN WE FALL INTO TRIALS (VERSE 2), BUT HE IS NOT TALKING ABOUT FALLING INTO SIN, HE IS TALKING ABOUT DISCOVERING THAT WE CAN FIND STRENGTH TO OVERCOME TEMPTATION AND ENDURE TRIALS, THROUGH THE LOVE OF GOD AND HIS POWER.
WITHOUT THE POWER OF GOD IN THE LIFE OF A BELIEVER, TRIALS CAN CAUSE HIM OR HER TO BECOME BITTER AND CRITICAL AND LOOSE THE CROWN OF LIFE.
VERSE 12 READS …WHEN HE IS TRIED… THIS SHOULD TELL US SOMETHING: WE WILL BE TRIED AT SOME POINT IN OUR LIVES.
LETS PASS THE TEST THE FIRST TIME, SO WE WON’T HAVE TO TAKE IT OVER AGAIN!!!
PART II – NEITHER FEARFUL NOR SELF-SUFFICIENT
I CORINTHIANS 1:26-29 – FOR YE SEE YOUR CALLING, BRETHERN, HOW THAT NOT MANY WISE MEN AFTER THE FLESH, NOT MANY MIGHTY, NOT MANY NOBLE, ARE CALLED:
BUT GOD HATH CHOSEN THE FOOLISH THINGS OF THE WORLD TO CONFOUND THE THINGS WHICH ARE MIGHTY;
AND BASE THINGS OF THE WORLD, AND THINGS WHICH ARE DESPISED, HATH GOD CHOSEN, YEA, AND THINGS WHICH ARE NOT, TO BRING TO NOUGHT THINGS WHICH ARE:
THAT NO FLESH SHOILD GLORY IN HIS PRESENCE.
WE ARE TO SPEAK WHAT GOD GIVES US, AND NOT BE WORRIED ABOUT OUR DELIVERY OR THE OUTCOME. HE KNOWS TO WHOM WE ARE MINISTERING, AND WHAT ARE THERE NEEDS.
HE KNOWS OUR ABILITIES AND HOW TO STRETCH THEM. HE DOESN’T SEND US TO THOSE WHO ARE NOT PREPARED TO HEAR HIS HEART. WHAT MIGHT BE THE RIGHT MESSAGE FOR ONE GROUP, MIGHT NOT BE THE MESSAGE FOR ANOTHER. HE ALSO KNOWS WHAT IS GOING ON IN THE LIVES OF THOSE AT YOUR DIVINE APPOINTMENT WITH THEM.
IT SHOULD BE OUR DESIRE TO FOLLOW THE CLOUD LIKE THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL IN THE BOOK OF EXODUS. WHEN HE MOVES, WE MOVE!
IT IS SO MUCH EASIER FOR ME NOW, FOR I CONTINUE TO FIND OUT WHAT HE WANTS, SAY WHAT HE GIVES ME, AND WAIT FOR THE DEMONSTRATION OF HIS POWER AND HIS SPIRIT.
IF GOD USED A DONKEY; AND THEN A ROOSTER WITH A THREE PART SERMON, HE WILL USE YOU AND ME!
PREPARATION, STUDY OF THE WORD, PRAYER, AND FASTING, IS SOMETHING WE CAN DO; BUT OUR MOST IMPORTANT PART IS FINDING A PLACE TO BE ALONE WITH, GOD AND SEEKING HIM, AND WORSHIPPING HIM. THEN, STEP OUT IN FAITH, BELIEVING. FOR WITHOUT HIM WE CAN DO NOTHING; AND WE ARE NOTHING WITHOUT HIM; BUT PHILIPPIANS 4:13 – SAYS, I CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST WHO STRENGTHENS ME.
II CHRONICLES 26:5b,16 – AND AS LONG AS HE SOUGHT THE LORD, GOD MADE HIM TO PROSPER.
BUT WHEN HE WAS STRONG, HIS HEART WAS LIFTED UP TO HIS DISTRUCTION:
IF WE KEEP OUR EYES FOCUSED ON GOD AND WHAT HE CAN DO THROUGH US; AND NOT ON OUR OWN ABILITIES, WE WILL CONTINUE ON THE PATH OF MINISTRY PROSPERITY.
OUR DESIRE SHOULD BE THAT WE FLOW CONSTANTLY IN THIS PRINCIPAL, BECAUSE FAILURE TO DO SO, WILL BRING US BACK TO OUR OWN UNDERSTANDING AND ULTIMATELY IN A FALL; OR EVEN INTO SATAN’S TRAP OF SELF-WORSHIP, WHICH LEADS TO DESTRUCTION.
WHEN UZZIAH BEGAN HIS REIGN, HE BEGAN A GODLY REIGN.
II CHRONICLES 26:4a,5 – AND HE DID THAT WHICH WAS RIGHT IN THE SIGHT OF THE LORD…
AND HE SOUGHT GODIN THE DAYS OF ZECHARIAH, WHO HAD UNDERSTANDING IN THE VISIONS OF GOD:
HE PROSPERED IN WAR AND FAME. THEN HE BAGAN TO THINK TOO HIGHLY OF HIMSELF; HE TRANSGRESSED AGAINST THE LORD, BY STEPPING OUT OF HIS PLACE OF AUTHORITY.
WHEN CORRECTED BY THE PRIEST, HE BECAME ANGRY.
V.19-21a – THEN UZZIAH WAS WROTH, AND HAD A CENSER IN HIS HAND TO BURN INCENSE:AND WHILE HE WAS WROTH WITH THE PRIESTS, THE LEPROSY EVEN ROSE UP IN HIS FOREHEAD BEFORE THE PRIESTS IN THE HOUSE OF THE LORD, FROM BESUDE THE INCENSE ALTER. AND AZARIAH THE CHIEF PRIEST, AND ALL THE PRIESTS, LOOKED UPON HIM, AND, BEHOLD, HE WAS LEPROUS IN HIS FOREHEAD, AND THEY THRUST HIM OUT FROM THENCE; YEA, HIMSELF HASTED ALSO TO GET OUT, BECAUSE THE LORD HAD SMITTEN HIM. AND UZZIAH THE KING, WAS A LEPER UNTO THE DAY OF HIS DEATH, AND DWELT IN A SEVERAL HOUSE (INFIRMARY), BEING A LEPER; FOR HE WAS CUT OFF FROM THE HOUSE OF THE LORD:
IT IS IMPORTANT TO START THE RACE, BUT MORE IMPORTANT THAT WE FINISH IT; AND REMEMBER: WE NEVER GET ABOVE CORRECTION.
PAUL WROTE TO TIMOTHY IN II TIMOTHY 4:5,7 – BUT WATCH THOU IN ALL THINGS, ENDURE AFFLICTIONS, DO THE WORK OF AN EVANGELIST, MAKE FULL PROOF OF THY MINISTRY.
I HAVE FOUGHT A GOOD FIGHT, I HAVE FINISHED MY COURSE, I HAVE KEPT THE FAITH;
ACTS 20:24 – BUT NONE OF THESE THINGS MOVE ME, NEITHER COUNT I MY LIFE DEAR UNTO MYSELF, SO THAT I MIGHT FINISH MY COURSE WITH JOY, AND THE MINISTRY, WHICH I HAVE RECEIVED OF THE LORD JESUS, TO TESTIFY THE GOSPEL OF THE GRACE OF GOD.
ALL WE DO IN THE KINGDOM, THE PRAISE AND GLORY MUST GO TO GOD. IF WE ALLOW OURSELVES TO RECIEVE ANY, WE REALLY ARE FAILURES IN THE END.
HOW TO STAY OUT OF TROUBLE WITH GOD
Most of us know we can’t hide from God, because He sees and knows all.
He continues to deal with those who run from Him, because it’s not His
will that any should perish. He will continually, draw them to Himself, but we do
have a will of our own. He will draw us but His desire is, that we come to Him freely. This is why
He gave us a choice.
When we do come to Him, and receive Him as our personal Savior, He then, deals with
us: first, as babies, on milk; and then expects us to grow-up.
When we raise our children, we expect things out of them, but we do have to teach them. If they don’t grow up properly, we begin to have trouble with them and they can cause us much heart ache.
Well, God has guidelines and rules, similar to the rules we enforce on our children.
We offer our children many advantages. Most of the time they don’t see that until they grow-up. This is the samewith God and His children.
Some of our advantages of being God’s children are:
1-
His giving of His only begotten Son’s life for our Eternal life
2-
A personal relationship with Him where we can communicate through prayer, and see our prayers answered
3-
The precious promises in His Word
4-
The way to live a victorious life here
5-
Healing and deliverance
6-
The fruit of the Spirit
7-
We can operate in His gifts
8-
Heaven, when we leave here
9-
We will rule and reign with Him in the future Millennial Reign of Christ
And much, much more.
But, we have a part to play in this, which is the difference in having the favor of God, that
we all want, or we could receive the judgment side of God which brings with it much trouble.
We are always telling our children, when we send them out to play, “Stay out of trouble.” You got it! —– With God It’s the same. We know if we break the rules, we are in trouble.
Today we are going to learn:
How to stay out of trouble with God:
Many of us have tried to make a deal with God. We say “If You will do this, I will do that.”
This is not how God operates. We have His Word: if we will do this, He will do that. We’re always trying to ‘get the cart before the horse’ (so to speak).
WE CAN STAY OUT OF TROUBLE WITH GOD BY BEING OBEDIENT: Our relationship with
God, and our anointing has much to do with our obedience to Him.
Acts 5:29,32
– Then Peter and the other Apostles answered and said, We ought to obey
God rather than men.
And we are His witnesses of these things; and so also is the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey Him.
John 15:10 —- If ye keep My commandments, ye shall abide in My love; even as I have kept My Father’s commandments, and abide in His love.
And
1 John 3:22 —- And whatsoever we ask, we receive of Him, because we keep His commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.
Matthew 7:21 —- Not everyone that saith unto Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of My Father which is in heaven.
God Word is very clear about how to follow His will—we must trust and obey.
One of my most quoted Scriptures is found in Proverbs 3:5,6 —-
Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not to thine own
understanding.
In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He
shall direct thy paths.
We are instructed to trust and obey and leave the rest to Him.
He can cause circumstances around us to change. All He wants usto do, after trusting and being obedient, is to do good when it is in our power to do so; but the most important of all requirements, is to spend
time with Him each day.
SEEKING THE LORD CAN KEEP US OUT OF TROUBLE WITH GOD:
This is where we get direction, and are refreshed by His presence.
How can we know what He desires of us, unless we have a relationship with Him?
Seeking Him, by spending time with Him, and praising and worshipping Him, brings relationship.
It can keep us out of trouble, even though, most of our trouble, is brought-on by our decision
to ‘do it our way’.
Acts 17:27 — That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after Him, and find Him, though He be not far away from every one of us.
2 Chronicles 15:2 — The Lord is with you, while ye be with Him; and if ye seek Him, He will be found of you; but if ye forsake Him, He will forsake you.
Lamentations 3:25 — The Lord is good unto them that wait for Him, to the soul that seeketh Him.
And
Ezra 8:22 — The hand of our God is upon all them for good that seek Him; but His power and His wrath is against all that forsake Him.
WE CAN STAY OUT OF TROUBLE WITH GOD IF WE LIVE IN THE SPIRIT AND NOT THE FLESH:
Romans 8:12,13 —- Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.
Or we could say, we are not obligated to our carnal or old sinful nature, to do what it begs us to do.
Verse 13 — For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify
the deeds of the body (that is die to self), ye shall live.
Let’s explain it this way. If you keep on following theold sinful nature, you are lost and you will perish, but
if through the power of the Holy Spirit you crush it and it’s evil deeds, you shall live.
You might say, ”This is hard to do”. Well, — I can tell you, it can be done, with the help of Jesus Christ. Ask the Lord to help you.
Look at Titus 2:11,12 —- For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
WE CAN STAY OUT OF TROUBLE WITH GOD IF WE TAKE THE WALK OF LOVE:
1-
Brotherly love
2-
Loving God
Let’s start with brotherly love:
There are probably many words that are the opposite to the word love, but the most prominent is hate.
There are others that could describe the lack of brotherly love, like despise, judgmental, unforgiveness,
and the list goes on. I ‘m sure you could think of others right-off, and you would be right, but this will do for
now.
1 John 2:10, describes those
who love their brother (talking about other believers), as abiding in the
light. — He that loveth his brother
abith in the light, and there is no occasion of stumbling (or error) in him.
1 John 4: 7,8 —- Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and everyone that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.
He that loveth not knoweth not God: for God is love.
E M Bounds, on prayer, says,
“By prayer, the ability is secured to feel the law of love, to speak according to the law of love, and to do everything in harmony with the law of love.”
We need divine aid to act brotherly.
Jesus, our perfect example, was and is a devoted friend. He gave His life willingly that we might live. He
gave us Eternal life.
We need to judge our love walk.
JUDGING OURSELVES CAN KEEP US OUT OF TROUBLE WITH GOD:
Corinthians 11:30,31,32 —- For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep (or are dead).
For if we judge ourselves, we should not be judged.
But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be
condemned with the world.
To judge self, is when the believer sees self as God sees him. He will renounce or forsake self.
It is replacing the self life with the Christ life.
To judge self is to deny self. This is more than self-denial. Self-denial is denying one’s self of the gratification or enjoyment of the flesh. If we practice self-denial only, it is treating the symptom and not the cause.
But when we judge self, we are attacking the cause.
*To judge self, is to lose the self-life and find the Christ-life:
Galatians 2:20 — I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me.
*To judge self, is to no longer be self-conscious, but to become Christ conscious:
Matthew 28:20 — Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you:and, lo, I am with you alway, even to the end of the world. Amen.
*To judge self, is to no longer be self controlled, but become Christ controlled:
Acts 9:6 — And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me do?
And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told
thee what thou must do.
*To judge self, is to no longer practice self-esteem, but to esteem others better than self:
Philippians 2:3 — Let nothing be done through strife or vain glory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.
*To judge self, is to become selfless or unselfish.
We are to search-out our lives, to see if there be any wicked way in us, and get rid of it, by askingGod to cleanse or take it out of us, so we can stay out of trouble with God and be a part of that Church without spot or wrinkle.
The Tried
The subject of today’s message is: THE TRIED.
Our Scripture reading is found in Psalm 66. We will start with verse 8.
How can anyone who has not been tried speak of such a thing?
Well, no one who has not been tried can even understand this message until they have had this experience.
Being tried is not the easiest part of being a child of God.
We are tried by the use of family, friends, Church members, and by enemies to the Gospel.
We are tried by our own imaginations going wild.
We are tried by our reactions to situations.
We are always on the battlefield as we serve the Lord. But all we have to remember is, 1 Samuel 17:47b —-the battle is the Lord’s.
We don’t have to fight our battles.
Trials come, my friend; they come, but we should remember trials are like a tunnel. They have a beginning and an end. We can see light at the end of a tunnel. When we are going through them, we see nothing but darkness, but we as Christians, still have the sense that we are still moving: we are in place, moving forward.
It’s like the times when we are in the middle of being tried, that we realize how powerful the grace of God really is: how He is in charge, because we have no strength on our own, our trust cannot be in the flesh.
Flesh won’t help, it has to be God who is carrying us through.
Look at Psalm 66:8-12 —-O bless our God, ye His people, and make the voice of His praise be heard:
which holdeth our soul in life (which implies a previous condition of great danger), and suffereth not our feet to be moved.
For Thou, O God, hast proved (or tested) us; hast tried us as silver is tried.
Silver, according to ancient methods, required a prolonged process of refining before it could be pronounced pure, so you could say it this way, “You, through a long process, have purified us with fire.”
Verse 11,12 —-Thou broughtest us into the net (or into a dungeon or stronghold); Thou laidest affliction upon our loins (The meaning is, You crushed us down under a heavy weight of oppression, or laid great burdens on our backs).
Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads; we went through the fire and through water: but Thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place.
Men came against us to harm us, but in the end, You brought us out into wealth and great abundance, a place of refreshment, a place of liberty.
Look at verse 16-20 —- Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what He hath done for my soul.
I cried unto Him with my mouth, and He was extolled (or celebrated) with my tongue.
In all these verses, it seems the Psalmist has been through a terrible trial. He began to praise God with His mouth and tell others how God brought him out but. But God did more than just bring him out of this trial, He moved Him into a place of refreshment, a place of liberty, a place of blessing. He was elevated into another level with God by the passing of this great trial.
I have been told when we are tried, and don’t pass the test of endurance, and trust God to fight our battle: by this, I mean, we take it into our own hands —- we will at some point in life, have to take this same test over again.
It is much better for us to go ahead and watch God move on our behalf, and wait it out, and let God get the victory for us, than to have to face this again.
You who have never been through a trial, don’t know what I’m talking about, but you will face one at some point and time as you serve the Lord.
2 Corinthians 8:2 —- How that in a great trial of affliction (or in a time of much trouble) the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto their riches of their great liberality.
Paul is writing a letter to the Corinthians to inform them of how the Macedonian Churches who were going through a time of great trouble, were still filled with joy that they could be in an overflow of giving to the Churches in Jerusalem.
Many of us who are going through a great trial, whether it be physical or financial, whatever it is, could learn from these Macedonians. They were only acting on the principles of the promises of God.
They didn’t allow Satan to steal their joy, and they were sowing an offering against their own poverty to minister to the needs of the saints.
What a wonderful example to us.
If we are being tried, we should first praise God through it, and then trust Him for the outcome. Also we should ask Him, “Lord, what can I learn through this?”
I promise, He will show you, and bring you to a greater understanding of how He works.
Let’s go to James 1:2-4 —-My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations (or various trials):
Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh (or develops) patience.
But let patience have her perfect (or complete) work, that ye may be perfect (or mature) and entire (or finished), wanting nothing (or lacking nothing).
There is a difference in going through trials that develops patience, and being tempted to do evil. Being tempted to do evil, is being drawn and enticed by your own lust. God does not tempt man to do evil (James 1:13-18), but look at Verse 12 —-Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love Him.
James tells us to count it all joy when we fall into trials (Verse 2), but he is not talking about falling into sin, He is talking about discovering that we can find strength to overcome temptation and endure trials, through the love of God and His power. Without the power of God in the life of a believer, trials can cause him to become bitter and critical and lose the crown of life.
Verse 12 reads, …for when he is tried… This should tell us something, we will be tried at some point in our lives.
God knows men’s ways
In Job 23:10, Job is talking —- but He knoweth the way that I take: when He hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.
Job is saying He knows every detail of what is happening to me, and when He hath tried me: when He has examined me, I will come forth as gold: He will pronounce me completely innocent.
God does reprove Job and humble him through this trial, but Job comes out the better for it.
Look at Job 42:12a —-So the Lord blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning: and Verse 10 says …the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before…Which brings us back to Psalm 66:12 again —- Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water: but Thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place. And Verse 10 —-For Thou, O God, hast proved us: Thou hast tried us as silver is tried.
The trying of our faith is of great value to us in our relationship with God. It brings us to a place of humility and trust that we as humans can’t seem to learn and grow without.
We will finish this message with Revelation 3:18 —-Jesus is talking here—-I counsel thee (or advise you) to buy of Me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
What is He talking about here? Is he telling us to buy something material from Him? No. He is telling us we are to learn as much as we can through the trials we go through in life, and consider them as gold for our growth in righteousness.
Jesus tells us that those He dearly and tenderly loves, He tells them their faults and convicts and convinces and reproves and chastens them. He disciplines and instructs them. So we are to be enthusiastic and in earnest and burning with zeal and repent: changing our minds and attitudes (From Verse 19).
We can learn by living every thing the Word tells us, or we will have to learn by experience through trials by fire.
Which-ever way we choose, we still have to learn one way or the other. It seems to me most people have to learn the hard way.
Then we can call ourselves, THE TRIED.
Pray this prayer with me:
Lord, forgive me for doing it my way. Help me to learn what Your Word says and do it, so I won’t have to learn everything through being tried. Show me what you want me to learn from the trials I have already been through and the one I’m in now. I submit to you and humble myself before You. I repent of self-dependence. I now depend on You.
Use me and help me grow so I can be what You intended me to be in Your kingdom. Thank You, Father.
LYING THOUGHTS
THIS MESSAGE TODAY INVOLVES EVERY PERSON ON THE PLANET EARTH.
AS THIS MESSAGE UNFOLDS, YOU WILL BEGIN TO UNDERSTAND THAT GOD’S THOUGHTS ARE NOT OURS, BUT THEY SHOULD BE.
THE WORD THOUGHT IS DEFINED AS THE REASONING OF THE MIND; LYING, AS THE MANIFESTATION OF UNTRUTH.
SO, LYING THOUGHTS COULD BE EXPLAINED THIS WAY: MANIFESTATIONS OF UNTRUTHS BY THE REASONING OF THE MIND. OUR MINDS SEEM TO BE INVOLVED IN EVERYTHING WE SAY OR DO.
IN ROMANS 12:1,2 WE ARE TOLD TO PRESENT OUR BODIES A LIVING SACRIFICE, HOLY, ACCEPTABLE UNTO GOD, AND NOT TO BE CONFORMED TO THIS WORLDS WAY OF THINKING, BUT TO BE TRANSFORMED BY THE RENEWING OF OUR MINDS: THAT WE MAY DEMONSTRATE WHAT IS …THAT GOOD, AND ACCEPTABLE, AND PERFECT WILL OF GOD.
SO TO STOP THINKING LYING THOUGHTS, WE HAVE TO RENEW OUR MINDS TO THE WORD OF GOD, AND NOT HOW THE WORLD THINKS.
II CORINTHIANS 10:4,5 – (FOR THE WEAPONS OF OUR WARFARE ARE NOT CARNAL, BUT MIGHTY THROUGH GOD TO THE PULLING DOWN OF STRONGHOLDS;)
CASTING DOWN EVERY IMAGINATION, AND EVERY HIGH THING (OR PROUD THING) THAT EXALTETH ITSELF AGAINST THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD, AND BRINGING INTO CAPTIVITY EVERY THOUGHT TO THE OBEDIENCE OF CHRIST.
A THOUGHT STARTS OUT AS A SEED, AND BECOMES IMAGINATION; AND THEN A STRONGHOLD OF THE MIND. THIS NEGATIVE SEED IS PLANTED BY THE ENEMY, SATAN.
IF WE CAN CONTROL THE SEED STAGE, HE CAN CONTROL THE HARVEST.
WE HAVE A CHOICE IN THE MATTER: WE CAN ALLOW THE THOUGHTS TO STAY, OR FIND OUT WHAT THE WORD SAYS, AND THINK ON THOSE THINGS.
PHILIPPIANS 4:9 – THOSE THINGS, WHICH YE HAVE BOTH LEARNED, AND RECEIVED, AND HEARD AND SEEN IN ME (PAUL) DO: AND THE GOD OF PEACE SHALL BE WITH YOU.
WHAT WE ALL NEED IS PEACE.
WE ARE TOLD TO THINK ON THESE THINGS IN PHILIPPIANS 4:6-8: WHATSOEVER THINGS ARE TRUE, HONEST, JUST, PURE, LOVELY, OF GOOD REPORT; AND IF THERE BE ANY VIRTURE OR PRAISE …AND THE GOD OF PEACE SHALL BE WITH YOU.
SO, ANY THOUGHT THAT DOESN’T MEASURE-UP TO THESE VERSES, HAVE TO BE LYING THOUGHTS.
