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[loretta]

I need to change my byline.  It is NOT easy to show grace to others when you know that they will have their time in the lake of fire!

I thought that I was past this, that I was beyond offense.  This Christian walk seems more like a race in which you take 3 steps forward and 2 steps back.  This past week has left me feeling resentful at trifling issues - a neighbor does not reply to my sms, a cousin ignores my fb comment, a niece has become haughty, the husband came home late last night.  OK, maybe the issues are more than just trivial, with layers upon layers. I know I will feel better for the moment if I address these issues, but they are so inconsequential that I'd rather not.  But I don't want to feel this way either.  I want to be able to really extend grace.  Earlier, in babylon, I use to think that it had to do with my prayer life, that was causing me to slip up, a sure sign that I wasn't dying to my flesh every day(works?).  Now I'm not so sure.

[Rhys 🕊]

It can be a trial to do what is right. To extend your hand to people who want to slap you in the face is hard to do. His truth shines through us even without words at times and it hits deep. I say something of God's truth and they step back and we seemed good friends but something hit them that challenge them and inside they start asking questions. You have to let them ask and they may open up to you or not. We know in all this that God is doing His will.

As He leads us into more of His truth you will find you are more empowered by His spirit and you become what you thought you couldn't become. Sometimes we have to feel certain ways to see what we need to see. Some days it's terrible and you wonder how things will improve but we need to remember He is in charge of every little detail and will not fail us. Sometimes you feel you can't go on anymore and that's when God says off we go. He knows what He is doing and all is of Him. So be encouraged your in His hands and He won't let you go.

You already make a difference. I read your posts and you come across as very genuine and open and love shines through you and you make people like me feel like I'm not alone in my similar issues too.

Bless you

Rhys

[Dave in Tenn]

I absolutely LOVE this scripture:

Heb 4:11  Therefore, let us exert ourselves to enter into that rest, that not anyone fall in the same example of disobedience.
Heb 4:12  For the Word of God is living, and powerfully working, and sharper than every two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of both soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge of the thoughts and intentions of the heart;
Heb 4:13  and there is no creature unrevealed before Him; but all things are naked and laid open to His eyes, with whom is our account.

I could post the entire chapter--even the entire epistle...but the part that really strikes me is verse 11:  Let us EXERT OURSELVES (KJV: LABOR) to enter into that rest.

What a thought!  LABOR to ENTER REST.

Now surely, the full fruit of the "entering this rest" is in resurrection.  But that isn't to say that we also do not now EXERT OURSELVES to "enter it" now, with what grace through faith He has given/is giving us.

There isn't anything easy about COMING to the point you are talking about.  Not only does it not seem like it is three steps forward, two back...sometimes it seems to me like it is one step forward and three back.  It's not NATURAL to extend grace and forgiveness to everybody all the time.  It must be learned.  And how it is learned is through EXERTION, which must in most of our cases include failure.  The Lord is not up in heaven looking to strike us down for these failures.  We FAIL in order to learn.  It is US who needs to be "able to judge of the thoughts and intentions of the heart" and see the "creature revealed".  He already knows, understands, and has prepared a place for us. 

Lord Jesus is our example.  Follow Him.  He didn't have an easy time of it either, to say the least.  But He endured, and with His life in you, so will you.  It's settled already, we just need to catch up.     These 'small' issues are dealt with before we are fit to deal with the larger ones.  And the ones closer to 'home' are to be dealt with before we are fit to extend them in any meaningful way to the whole world.  Hang in there...of the INCREASE of His Government, there shall be no end.

End of sermon.      

[Rene]

I thought that I was past this, that I was beyond offense. 

If you were past feeling offended by others, you would be close to PERFECT.   As it is, we are NOT perfect, however, we are being perfected, i.e. if Christ is working in us.  This process is a humbling experience that will show us up for who we truly are at heart.  It is a good thing when we experience and recognize our shortcomings.  It keeps us from thinking too highly of ourselves.

René 

[Dennis Vogel]

It's relatively easy to give up excessive sins of the flesh, drugs, sex, food, smoking, etc. compared to our ego's. At least in my experience.

[onelovedread]

Whenever I read "Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God" I feel like I'll never make it. Reading some of the posts and threads of my forum members, I wonder why it seems like nothing is happening and I'm making no progress.
Loretta, your post tugs at my heart and reminds me of how badly I keep missing the mark. I really want to produce good fruit and be pleasing to God, but my heart seems so rotten and I seem so lacking and hopeless. No way I could be chosen.
Only God can do anything to make a change... I can't, Dave and often don't seem to want to even 'exert' myself. Lord, Help!!!

[Dave in Tenn]

It's not the 'exertion', John.  It's the GOAL of the exertion.  REST.  That's what we don't want to do.

[jingle52]

An inspiring reply Dave, thanks.
Jingle

[loretta]

Tks guys, I'm keeping my byline, at least for the moment!

Just being able to share my heart and reading your replies has been so encouraging.

Now I will TRY to Rest.

It is US who needs to be "able to judge of the thoughts and intentions of the heart" and see the "creature revealed".  He already knows, understands, and has prepared a place for us. 

Ah, see the "creature revealed" in us.  I didn't see that before. Tks Dave

[Kat]

Loretta, I think God intends to make us recognize what this flesh really is - nothing good and to learn to totally hate/despise it and the lusts that it brings. And we will have this stinking flesh and it's lusts till the day we die and are released from this tomb of death we live in...

mercy, peace and love
Kat

[loretta]

True Kat, very true.

I was reading Ray's teaching on Repentance.  http://forums.bible-truths.com/index.php/topic,3709.0.html

Rom. 2:1 Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things.


Whatever "O man" is. That’s what we are, because "O man" is Adam. "O man" came out of Adam.  Where did you come from, some place else? We’re all out of Adam. What does Adam do? "Being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness, full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness, backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters" and on and on (Rom 1:29-31). Wow! This is "O man" out of Adam. This is what he does and only by the grace of God, some of us didn’t have to go that route.

Now that I understand that God addresses me as "O man", I know how fallen I am.  As Ray pointed out, if I break one law, I'm guilty of all.

Which begs the question, how does Christendom teach that if we trust Jesus as our Savior, he takes away our sin and guilt. I understand the remission of sin under the new covenant, but is it true for guilt?  But they teach NOT GUILTY- Is there a scripture for it?  They have an analogy though; a criminal brought before a judge who pronounces him not guilty because his fine has been paid in full.  Which judge in his mind would do that? Turn out an unrepentant thief or murderer to commit more crimes.  Even if the sentence was commuted, the judge would at least prescribe some correction/probation till he was assured that the criminal was sufficiently regenerated to live in civil society. Although we are forgiven from the foundation of the world, we continue to sin until, we truly repent and are cleansed, which is the purpose of the Lake of fire.  So there is hope, for the worst of us.

Ray goes on to say,

So I was wanting to repent of everything. EVERYTHING! I didn’t want to hold on to anything. Give it all up and in my heart and mind and I was able to do it! I didn’t have to struggle. I mean, I struggled all my life against these sins and now I didn’t have to struggle anymore. The temptations would come up, but I would just put a stop on it. That was it, God put me in control and I didn’t have to fight it night and day. It just started to take care of itself. Because there was a power working in my mind that I didn’t have before. It was now God’s time to do that. 

When I had nothing more to repent of, that I knew of, then the scriptures started opening up and I started understanding the scriptures that I never understood before. I would learn something every month... every week... and then almost every day! New things, spiritual things, lofty things. 

So when scriptures become spirit and life to us, we can safely conclude that God is giving us  control of many things in life.  I know that I will continue to struggle in other areas, but hark – this is good news!

[rickylittleton]

Just remember that Jesus said:"With God, all things are possible". Tim