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[mharrell08]

Excerpt from Mobile Conference 2009 (http://forums.bible-truths.com/index.php/topic,11521.msg99633.html#msg99633):

What Paul has to say about QUALIFYING:

Paul said I bring anything that is sinful or wrong under “subjection” in my body, unless I speak to you on how to do all this stuff and “I myself should be a castaway.”

1 Corinthians 9:27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

So yes, he was aware of that and he kept that prod on himself, but was he negative about it? Did he said, ‘Boy, I hope I make it. But He put me through some stuff. I don’t know if I’ll make it to the end. I don’t know if I can endure all this stuff God put me through. I got this demon smacking me up side the head (spiritually speaking), every day of my life. I’m in hunger and thirst, nakedness and problems, troubles, threats of robbers and killers and shipwrecked, in the swamp…  I don’t know if I can make it.’ No!

He says, I KNOW there’s a wreath of righteousness waiting for me (2 Timothy 4:08). “I KNOW.”  So what do we learn from that? We can KNOW!

Paul talks about qualifying. It doesn’t use ‘qualifying’ but one time in the King James, it uses the word ‘approved.’
 
2 Tim. 2:15 Study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. (KJV)

The Concordant uses the word “qualified,” that’s a little closer to the Greek.

2 Tim. 2:15 Endeavor to present yourself to God qualified, an unashamed worker, correctly cutting the word of truth. (CLV)

1 Corinthians 11:19 …that those also who are qualified may become apparent among you.

James 1:12 happy is the man that is enduring trial: for becoming qualified, he will be obtaining the wreath of life, which the Lord promises those loving Him.


Mark,

We can know, we don't have to live a life of uncertainty. But we do still have to live our lives, and as you've stated, endure to the end. But we can know.

But few have the spiritual maturity to not let pride seep in by acknowledging this truth, that's where the problem lies.

[judith collier]

You get used to it! After so long you wouldn't trade it for any highs. You can't trust feelings anyway.
Another thing if you are so discouraged God usually sends in the troops to help you get over yourself/ We are a forgiven people but sometimes it takes others to help us see that.
When you are in the dark remember what you saw in the light! A thousand times I have done this. Just make up your mind to keep moving forward, God will be there just like in the past. Our will is being made stronger in accordance with God's will. Feelings eventually fall by the wayside more and more.
If you get a personal touch from God, all the more reason to remember later.
love, judy

[lilitalienboi16]

You know, I used to be super concerned about overcoming. I wanted to sit on a throne, I wanted all that... Then it started to feel like vanity. Like I wanted it because I wanted a prize and it almost felt like it was the movitation behind me doing anything right or me loving our Father. Than I just came to realize, I don't care anymore if I finish first, last or somewhere in the middle. I don't care about the "prize." I don't care about the throne and the fancy title... I just realized I wanted to follow my Father because I love Him and if I'm not to overcome in this lifetime, it don't bother me one bit. I'm going to be happy and strive to be like my Father because I love Him, and He's the prize I want. I don't know.. might sound wierd. I Just kind of gave up I guess on going hardcore for that prize or overcoming or being an elect etc...I even hated that, I had to be tempted with a prize to be motivated to follow our Lord. That bothered me so much so and it felt so invigorating when I was able to see past that and forget it and just follow Him out of a loving desire and everything that He is.

Maybe I'm wierd, but screw the prize! Ill love Him and follow Him with or without a prize and do everything in this deathly, carnal, flawed beyond belief, body lacking any ability of my own to do whats good and keep pushing forward. I don't know.. I Just see God, love, as the ultimate prize, none of this throne stuff, elect etc.. Meh. Don't want it, The Lord thats what I want. Peace, thats what I want, to know love (God is love) that nothing on this earth could compare to, to know FAMILY, seeing as how i've never really known family as mine is broken beyond fixing.


Wierd? Probably, but so be it! I don't mind that I've always been a little wierd xD

1 John 4:19 "We love Him because He first loved us."  Aint that the truth?

[Kat]

No Alex, not weird at all, I think you get it. We are to seek God and His righteouness first and foremost.

Mat 6:33  But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness...

Mark 12:30  And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. This is the first commandment.

mercy, peace and love
Kat

[mharrell08]

Like I wanted it because I wanted a prize and it almost felt like it was the movitation behind me doing anything right or me loving our Father. Than I just came to realize, I don't care anymore if I finish first, last or somewhere in the middle. I don't care about the "prize."

Jesus and the Father dwelling in us is the prize, they are one in the same and can't be separated. Things such as prize, crown of righteousness, thrones, etc. are simply metaphors of Christ in us, our hope & glory [Col 1:27].

But you've got the right attitude Alex, no worries. 

[JohnMichael]

Wow, Alex. Truly, WOW! (if I can call you Alex)

You're right. Looking after a crown and a throne as the reason for following God is kind of counterproductive isn't it? Not kind of, actually, TOTALLY.

GK,

I'll admit it. There are days, as I said in my Testimony-Work in Progress post, that I say, "God, you said you'd never put more on me than I can bear, but sometimes, I really REALLY wish you didn't have so much faith in me." I've said it, even in anger (and with a lot more offensive language). Then, this little voice reminds me that it's done because He loves me. If He didn't love me, He wouldn't care. It might be a weird way of looking at it, but that's my thinking.

As I said in that post, I've been raped. I've been beaten (physically and emotionally). I've been called an embarrassment by my own parents. I've been betrayed by family and friends; I've been abandoned by those closest to me. I've been publicly humiliated by people who were supposed to be friends. I've been called everything under the sun by those who were supposed to be friends and family. I have a debilitating illness that doesn't have a cure that I live with every day of my life. I don't have a job; I'm a college dropout; I'm a failure in the eyes of society.

But I still see God's love. I may be getting the everliving cr*p kicked out of me (and it could be a WHOLE lot worse), but I still see and feel His love, and I know it's for something far better than I can currently see. As Alex put it, so what which resurrection I'm in, as long as I get to be with Him, I'll be happy. I'm not saying any of this from a position of, "OOOO look at me" or "Oh, feel sorry for poor old me." Never. I know I'm dirt. I'm worthless. I'm scum of the earth, but that mighty, awesome, powerful God that created the Stars, the Planets, Comets, Galaxies, everything LOVES me - a miserable, broken, weak, wretch of a human being like me. Just knowing that gets me through sometimes when I know I've fallen, I've messed up, and I've sinned. I want to truly be able to say that I love Him with everything in me... God's still working on that in me because I feel so lost sometimes, so far away that how could He ever reach me, but I keep hope, and I keep pressing forward inch by inch, centimeter by centimeter sometimes. Hope springs eternal as the saying goes.

And there are lots of people out there that have it a whole lot worse than me. I cry when I watch the news and hear of people going through the absolute scum of life's experience, but just think... if Life can be this bad, this horrible, this corrupt, this disgusting... how much greater and grander will it be with Him? The joy of the Lord, the love like we've never known love before, the peace that passes all understanding, and just to be with Him... makes it all worth it to me.

Hope that didn't come across as preachy or "Bad, GK, Bad!" I didn't mean it that way. I am speaking from the heart. Please, forgive me if it came across as anything other than that.

[acomplishedartis]

God does not beat us and immediately comfort/hug us.

Everyone who goes through the lake of fire in this life will feel forsaken at some point.

I used that example because God likens us to little children.

Heb 12:5 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:

Heb 12:6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

Heb 12:7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?

Heb 12:8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye ********, and not sons.

It's not hard to feel God's love when things are going fairly well. But when God decides it's time for you to learn a lesson, you will not be happy with God or what He is putting you through.

I know there are members here going through very hard times and could use just a little joy. But they are not getting it, at least not yet.

And there are some here who have endured chastisement and would not sell their hard fought wisdom for all the money in the world.

God comforts you when it's time and in your best interest.

thanks for that words.

I have seen that many of the hard times come from not getting what we expect from others or from our own selves. I often put it on this way; if I don't expect anything from... ''the government, institutions, the church, etc...'' -they will never disappoint me.
 
I would like to say that there is way many many things that I would not do for money (still, we are all victims of our circumstances and we are standing just where we are supposed to be at the moment).

About we dealing with our constantly changing emotions. I find incredible, how can a human will that works according to the deepest emotions and motivations of his weak heart (-by emotions or feelings that become thoughts,-thoughts that give birth to actions if something bigger or stronger doesn't stop them) can be able to little by little change his carnal nature (by Gods inflence) by the renovation of his mind/intellect that need to overcome the great influence of his weak heart. -What a miracle from above.

[GaryK]

GK,

Hope that didn't come across as preachy or "Bad, GK, Bad!" I didn't mean it that way. I am speaking from the heart. Please, forgive me if it came across as anything other than that.

Hi JM,

Just saw your posting.   You came across as you wanted so forgiveness is not necessary, not to worry.  Just keep on doing what you're doing.

As for me and my tantrums and peep-squeak puny fist shaking (HI LOST AND FOUND AND KAT!!...(me again)),  me and the big guy in the sky (... ...) have an understanding right now.  He knows that I think he has some weird ways of showing his love to fit  my past and current understanding of love.......... and since he hasn't given me understanding to understand what should be understood........then he knows I'll keep on not liking him very much until he gives me that understanding that I need to understand.

Pretty simple actually.
 


Meanwhile, after 3 years of continuing to read Ray's material the big guy ( ) has shown me I still don't know very much, to keep reading Ray's material, and to keep my mouth shut most of time.  I'm not very good at it, but that's his problem.   He made me the misfit I am, so I figure and trust he knows what he's doing while he drags me around like a whipped pup.  Since we're both highly stubborn, I don't see this square-off ending until he says it' ending and he's taught me the lesson that he knows I need most.   Which probably means there's another fist-shaking coming his way since he's being entirely too stubborn about the matter.

  

Make sense?

gk

This is intended to be a humorous post, see:    and no animals or humans were harmed in the making.