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His People, Seeking Him Diligently

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DWIGHT:
Joe and Darren,

I really believe that God is taking all of us here from the physical to the spiritual.  All that happens to us outwardly is to make us into His image.  Sometimes, it's really hard to see this, but the more that we are one with Him, and each other, the more we will be able to see this incredible transformation.  We are as He is, so we must go through what He went through...the servant is no greater than his Lord.  He suffered...we must suffer... He was crucified....we must be crucified....He died.....we must die.....He was resurrected....we must be resurrected.....He ascended into heaven.....we must ascend with Him.  Praise God that He is our life.

In Him,

Dwight

Redbird:
I was just talking to some relatives the other day that are so upset with the world situation.  As I was listening to them complain about everything - It occurred to me that they are so busy in the world, they do not even see the wondrous creation all around them.  I too commune with God during a beautiful sunset, a puffy clouded blue sky day, swimming in the ocean, admiring pretty flowers in a garden, standing on a mountain, and so on.........and on.  I simply am in awe of it all. 

Dwight,

Yes, we are to follow Jesus.  I for one am really looking forward ecspecially to that acsension part!!!  And I do believe God is creating us in his image in the here and now.  Little by little.  How glorious that is.

Love to you all, Lisa

LittleBear:
I love to see God in nature also. I believe that God uses everything in the physical creation as types or symbols for what is spiritual.
We see the beauty of a sunset or the magnificence of a flower and see God's glory. We breathe in fresh air and can feel the freshness of the presence of God.
We get bitten by a mosquito, and are reminded of the effects of sin in our lives. OK, this might not feel too good, but it's part of God's creation too. The reason I mention mosquito's is because I live in the mosquito capital of Ontario, and I've had years to ponder the meaning of these little creatures. When I step out to gather some herbs in the summer, I have to make a run for it, because I get swarmed. Outside my window at night, there is a pretty constant droning noise. These guys are relentless. Anyway...

I am presently studying in the book of Revelation and at the moment I'm in Rev. 3:15-16. "I know your works, that you are niether cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm and neither cold nor hot, I will spew you out of My mouth." This is part of the message to the Laodiceans.

Hot is a place where God wants His people to be. God is pleased when we are on fire for Him, when we see Him in all His creation, when we are in a state of intense fervour, when our hearts are raised up to him and we want nothing more than more of Him and His purpose in our lives. We see him in the beauty of His creation.

To be lukewarm is to lack this intense fervour, to lack the love and commitment that He desires from us; there is no self-denial, no seeking after Christ, and there is total satisfaction in being in this state of lukewarmness, to enjoy the feeling of needing nothing and being entirely content with ourselves.

What about cold? I always thought that "cold" represented being in a state of corruption and sin.
However, this can't be so because He says "I would you were cold or hot" God would not wish us to be in a state of sin or unbelief.
So, God also wants His people to be cold. To be cold is to be in a state of desolation, trial, testing, purging. It is a place where God strips us of our self-assurance and self-reliance, a place of bleakness where we feel the very ground we are walking on is giving way and there is nothing and no one that can help us. It is the place where you don't even feel God's presence and it feels like He has abandoned you and all you have is your faith without the warm feelings.

God wants us to be hot or cold. I think His elect are in one of these states at different times in their walk with Christ.

If you are hot right now, rejoice! What a great place to be. Enjoy His presence! Follow Him diligently and be blessed abundantly.

If you are in that cold place, take heart. You are still in His presence, and it is God's hand that is leading you through the valley of the shadow of death. He is pruning you and developing His nature in you in this desolate place, and this is absolutely necessary in your walk because you are learning lessons that you could not learn any other way.

I think people in this forum are in different places in their walk with God.

Dwight, you are going through a difficult time. I feel for you.
You said "God really wants us to turn to Him and be totally dependent on Him.  So He uses the physical to bring us to the spiritual.  He uses our health, or our loved ones health, financial problems, our children or grandchildren, our relatives, our jobs or lack of a job....anything that w ill bring us to our kness and humble us before Him.  Despair is a terrible thing to us, but it is a tool in the hands of the Potter."
I so agree with you.

Darren, you said, "I do not believe for a second that God does not Want us to like wise come to him in our times of happiness and joy. Surely God rejoices when hears prayers of thanks, when one has seen a glorious Sunrise or when one smells coffee in the morning and marvel at the aroma as well as the air that carried it."
I totally agree with you too.

Hot and Cold. Both are pleasing to God.

Sincerely,

Ursula

     

gmik:
Ursula how beautiful.

DWIGHT:
Ursula,

I agree with Gena, that was beautiful.  Lukewarm is comfortable; hot or cold is not.  I never saw cold the way you put it, but it witnesses to my spirit, it reminds me of when Jesus said, I am not come to bring peace but a sword.  Peace is comfortable but a sword (His word) divides between soul and spirit.  We need God's word to seperate our carnal from our spiritual, we cannot serve two masters.  Oh how the scriptures are clear when we see them with our spiritual eyes.

Your brother,

Dwight

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