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What do we need to know and do?
chuckusa:
Marie,
You aren't alone. I face these same things in my life. I think a Godly life is a broken and humbled life. Being a servant willing to get out of bed at 4am to do his work when called, or to carry someones burden when they are too weak to face another day, or to smile at a stranger...increasing in love and humility...that is what I believe a Godly life is for us.
I was once at a point, where the smiles or comments from a stranger was all I had to sustain me, and it did.
I now never underestimate the power one person can have when God is working through a humbled heart. Look at Ray!
Blessings and love Marie, your brother,
Chuck
Karen:
I agree with you Brian. Humble I should be. I know that I much be loyal and faithful. I know that self much die and this flesh has to come to the place where you start giving your all to Him. And look to His desire and what His will is and not my will. His way. And I know I much love as He does. And I much walk in Spirit And In Truth. I am nothing apart from Him. He has been working in the area of my life, where I have to stop and let Him deal with it and not try to take it on myself. Will not work. He will be done, not my will. THANKS FOR LETTING ME SEE THINGS IN A CLEARER LIGHT .~KAREN~
ned:
Hi Chuck- Your quote: "A Godly life is a broken and humbled life". I like that analysis. I for some reason always think each minute of my day has to be spent literally doing something for God, and if I am just doing my dishes, or laundry, or everyday stuff...how is that serving him? (OK, I'm not trying to get out of my housework or anything ;) ). Maybe instead of my thoughts always being "What can I do?", I should focus more on being broken and humbled before God...Oh I know I am nothing without Him, but I am going to focus on your quote for those days where I am feeling like I should be doing more and am stuck at home with nothing to do. Does that make sense?
A smile or comment from a stranger can sustain you...thank you for sharing that...I won't back away when another chance arises!
Thank you Topaz.
Who would believe how much the "small things" really do count, huh?
For sure, I see that God has co-ordinated such blessings for you in the past. Praise be to His name! Never could these loving stories have happened if we planned them on our own. Thanks for sharing yours. I will definitely pray I don't miss any future blessings in this way.
Love be to you both Chuck and Topaz!
Marie
ned:
--- Quote from: ciy on August 11, 2006, 07:30:40 PM ---Sorry I ran that into the ground, but my point is we cannot live a Godly life and serve God. His ways are not our ways. We must live by faith. We must reaize that it is not in a man to guide his own steps. The Lord will guide your steps. Love, focus, meditate, ponder on the Word and then do what it says. I may be muddying the water but basically love God with all of your heart, mind, body, and soul then love others as Jesus did and then do not care what people (any people) think and act in it. CIY
--- End quote ---
Hi CIY,
I agree with you that we must live by faith, let God guide our steps, read and obey His word, BUT do we not have to work at living a Godly life and serving God? I know, flesh profits nothing, and I struggled with this after reading Ray's article about Free-will, I thought to myself...do I just sit back, do nothing, and live in faith alone?
A few verses come to mind where I feel we need to WORK for Godliness. Yes, there is nothing WE can do to be called or chosen, but ONCE we are called and chosen, we need to work:
James 3:13 "Who is wise and an adept among you? Let him show his works by an ideal behavior in meekness of wisdom."
Can we not choose to show our works with meekness or haughtiness? If we choose the latter, no doubt we'll be going through temptations until we "pass", but still we need to get it right! Is this not one way our flesh dies to self?
1Peter 3:10-11 "...for He who is wanting to love life and be acquainted with good days, Let his tongue cease from evil And his lips speak no guile. Now let him avoid evil and do good. Let him seek peace and pursue it..."
We are instructed to first seek peace, and then PURSUE it...it will take work after we've found it to keep it.
1Cor 3:8 "Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour."
1Cor 15:58 "Therefore, my beloved brethen, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord."
2Chron15:7 "Be ye strong therefore, and let not your hands be weak: for your work shall be rewarded."
I'm sure you can appreciate there are many more verses that speak of labouring for our Lord.
And yes, if we love God with our heart, mind, body and soul, and then love others, we therefore shall be living God's will, and working for Him shall come naturally.
Let me know if I've taken your post the wrong way, I'm certainly not trying to work against you, but with you, and to clarify.
With love,
Marie
Laren:
Jam 2:26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
Jam 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
Jam 4:8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
Jam 4:9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.
Jam 4:10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.
[Phil. 2:13]---'It is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure.'
Joh 15:5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
1Th 1:3 Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father;
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