Personalized Crosses

[hillsbororiver]

Mat 16:24  Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

I was just thinking about how each of us are predisposed to different weaknesses or desires in regard to what is apt to tempt us into sin. No need to list all of the particular or potential sins but I think we would all agree that where some may find an almost irresistible urge for some things other things hold no draw at all.

It would appear that we all have our own specific cross to bear in this regard and in God's plan it must have a purpose and a reason, are we being formed into our ultimate role and destiny by the very things we learn to hate as we walk with Him?

Isa 55:11  So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

God states that nothing returns to Him void so in removing these predispositions or at least losing the desire to act on them (through the Spirit of Christ) that there is much more to this uniqueness in weaknesses than initially meets the eye.

Any thoughts?

His Peace to you,

Joe

[Deborah-Leigh]

Another thought provoking thread Joe!

You ask :  are we being formed into our ultimate role and destiny by the very things we learn to hate as we walk with Him?

I believe we are unique individuals. Ray has said somewhere as i recall, that we will retain our memories after resurrection. I believe that we are shaped not only by what we learn to hate in becoming like God to know Evil, but also by what we Love in becoming like God to know Good.

I like what Paul says Phil 4 : 11 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am therewith to be content.

I think the consequence of Paul's denial of self lead to the experience of contentment in whatever state he found himself in and I think that is the key. To follow or not to follow Christ. For me. That is the question. Paul followed and he got content!

Peace to you

Arcturus

[Grateful]

It would appear that we all have our own specific cross to bear in this regard and in God's plan it must have a purpose and a reason, are we being formed into our ultimate role and destiny by the very things we learn to hate as we walk with Him?[/color]

Isa 55:11  So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

Any thoughts?

His Peace to you,

Joe

Hi Joe !

VERY GOOD things to think about!!   An example of coming to "hate" a particular thing in my own life....I have discovered that I like eating less and less meat, at my mealtimes.... and at the same time, I need to eat MORE vegetables, which I haven't really LIKED very much.  HOWEVER, due to my mother's and DuluthGA's (of BT Forums' membership) urging, I recently made up a huge stir-fry of a good medley of veggies, and my husband & I topped it with various choices of soy & teriyaki sauces, and discovered a new taste delight.   We still like cheeses & egg dishes, so we ARE getting proteins there.  Soooo, to boil all this down succinctly :   my food tastes ARE being changed for the better, I believe.....YAY!   Now if only I just could wean myself away from SWEETS as painlessly as possible......   

Also,  as I have mentioned elsewhere in BT Forums, the word "Faith" means "confidence"  (see Webster's Dictionary of the American Language, Collegiate Edition), according to the origin of the word  (note that "fi" in "conFIdence" is also in the Marine Corps' motto,  "Semper FI" ,  which means, as we all know, "Always Faithful").   So, the MORE OFTEN we draw very, very close to our Father and Christ, the MORE spiritual experiences we will have, AND the MORE OFTEN our prayers WILL be ANSWERED, if we have that Faith (confidence) that They WILL do it for us.....They long to HELP US, if we but ASK, BELIEVING that They WILL.       I have,  pretty often,  been so excited upon suddenly discovering that God DID answer my prayer, "sneakily behind my back, without my noticing it" !!  When I suddenly realized it, I exclaimed in my mind, "GOD!!  You DID IT AGAINNNNNN!! "         HALLELUJAH!!   He IS trust-WORTHY!!!

Keep up the good thinking, Joe!!   It helps me too!!   Thanks!     

Linda

[Matt]

Great thoughts!
I like the Marine analogy!! 
I try to hate sin the same way I hate cauliflower , but sometimes it just doesn't work. 
I sure am glad that there is a purpose for it all!

Matt

[sonofone]

Semper Fi Matt from one Marine to the other.LOL

[Chris R]

Hi Joe,

yea, i understand what your saying, Some folks have different desires than others, We are all unique, having strengths and weaknesses.

When Paul said, Sin does not have dominion over me, does that mean he didn't sin? of course not.

This process takes a long time for some..and not so long for others, There are things i have no desire to do anymore, There are things i have a desire to do, but the opportunity is not there.

This is where we must all take a step back and take a sobering look at our lives. Why is there a lack of opportunity?

Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present [you] faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy [Jude 1:25]

What?....I thought that was my doing? I thought it was my righteousness, i almost strained my arm patting myself on the back!

Guess what....It is HIM that keeps us from falling. What marvelous scripture.

I heard a comment once, and it made some sence, Men are about as faithful as their options. Sometimes those things we can overcome are still present in our lives, because we can overcome them. What of those things we still struggle with and cannot overcome?
It is Christ alone that is able to keep us from falling, HOW...>? HE removes the option/desire.
And that my friends is how we become humble servents.

Christ taught us to pray, and in that prayer these few words...lead us NOT into temptation, but DELIVER us from evil! This perticular operation is not done by man, rather by God.

Peace

Chris R

[Beloved]

(Mar 8:34 CLV)  And, calling the throng to Him, together with His disciples, He said to them, "If anyone is wanting to come after Me, let him renounce himself and pick up his cross and follow Me."[/color]

Christ is saying that there may be a lot of people that want to come after Him,.... but they will not renounce theirselves (He has not given this ability to them ...yet) 

For the few....the cross ...is an instrument of death and to us now. It is the representation of the death of Self...only when this happens do his spiritual sheep then hear His voice and follow Him.

This cross beam was carried by the convicted person....it hold all our sins that we repented of and the remaining self that needs to be woked out of us on our walk in life. 

Gal 6:5  For every man shall bear his own burden.
Act 15:28  For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things;.

Luk 14:27  And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.

As you learn to totally rest and allow Christ to work on you then you learn that He will take us through the Valley of death and He will protect us from evil.

Mat 11:30  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light
Gal 6:2  Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ .\
His followers will bear His witness and like any good piece of wood they will bear fruit. This fruit is meant to be shared

(Rom 11:30 CLV)  For even as you once were stubborn toward God, yet now were shown mercy at their stubbornness,
(Rom 11:31 CLV)  thus these also are now stubborn to this mercy of yours, that now they also may be shown mercy."
(Rom 11:32 CLV)  For God locks up all together in stubbornness, that He should be merciful to all."

This a ribbon on the whole package
(Heb 11:40 KJVR)  God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.

Beloved

[hillsbororiver]

Hi Chris,

Yes we do all have unique weaknesses and as well as unique talents and/or skills, it can be easy to look at a brother's or sister's particular weakness and feel that somehow our own disposition for other (different) sins somehow makes us morally superior. It is imperative that we understand;

Jam 2:10  For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.

Contemplating, understanding and believing that verse will surely keep one humble! 

Hello Beloved,

What you say is very true, many want to come to Him until they see what it entails, a certain isolation from family and friends while confronting the beast within even to spiritual warfare between His Spirit and the spirit of our old man. An impossible situation for us on our own but made possible by faith (trust) in Christ along with the patience and perseverance (spiritual fruit) that grows from the foundation that is our Lord.

But this experience is not a one size fits all forming or molding, I believe that the unique weaknesses being purged from us also burnishes the strengths and unique talents we have been given, that once we receive our full inheritance it will become crystal clear exactly why the things we were tried by and the tribulations everyone has to go through were done in the manner they are/were.

Each and every one of us will have a distinct office or mission that we are presently being prepared for. Just as we all have different fingerprints and DNA our purpose as individuals to bring Him glory will be as distinct and diverse as the patterns of snowflakes.

Pro 3:6  In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

Isa 43:21  This people have I formed for myself; they shall show forth my praise.

Isa 43:7  Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.

Jer 10:23  O LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.

At that time we will no longer say or think the following;

Rom 9:20  Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?

His Peace and Wisdom to you,

Joe

[hillsbororiver]

I believe we are unique individuals. Ray has said somewhere as i recall, that we will retain our memories after resurrection. I believe that we are shaped not only by what we learn to hate in becoming like God to know Evil, but also by what we Love in becoming like God to know Good.

Amen Arcturus!

I am sure that retaining our memories and lessons learned will be a huge part of how He uses His elect in the next age, each individual uniquely formed to suit His plan and purpose.

1Cor 15:41  There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory.

Not better, just different.

It is amazing how so much of this eventually ties together, 1Cor 15:41 was a verse I was going to use in the other topic I have going,    I guess I still will anyway!

His Peace to you,

Joe

[hillsbororiver]

VERY GOOD things to think about!!   An example of coming to "hate" a particular thing in my own life....I have discovered that I like eating less and less meat, at my mealtimes.... and at the same time, I need to eat MORE vegetables, which I haven't really LIKED very much.  HOWEVER, due to my mother's and DuluthGA's (of BT Forums' membership) urging, I recently made up a huge stir-fry of a good medley of veggies, and my husband & I topped it with various choices of soy & teriyaki sauces, and discovered a new taste delight.   We still like cheeses & egg dishes, so we ARE getting proteins there.  Soooo, to boil all this down succinctly :   my food tastes ARE being changed for the better, I believe.....YAY!   Now if only I just could wean myself away from SWEETS as painlessly as possible......   

Hi Linda,

You provided a perfect type/shadow of the physical then the spiritual, so many people are discouraged more by what they think they must give up to spiritually follow Christ rather than what they must do, I can remember in my (shortlived) church days the thought that I must refrain from certain activities discouraged me greatly, to the point of just giving it up.

What I have learned and experienced this time around is that losing the carnal actions and urges is joyful not grievous and that doing things that please Him (through His Spirit) is the source of any and all true happiness, we learn to love doing His will.

Please do not think I am saying I always meet the mark, not even close but I have had a taste here and there of being successful in following our Lord. I want more!

Hie Peace to you,

Joe

[Robin]

A few days ago I was thinking of how useless I am to God and his plan and purpose. No one can hear me. No one around me can hear the truth. Even when I help others with their physical needs it doesn't help them at all spiritually. I started thinking that we are being trained for a purpose and role that may be in the next age. I thought that our training and experience here is what will be needed to assist those who will be saved in the next age. Each one of us is being trained for a purpose in God's plan.

As Chris said I also learned that even after being set free for years an opportunity or change in circumstances can cause me to fall. I learned that it is truly God who keeps me from falling. I had no part in being set free and I have no part in being presented faultless. It is all of God. I remember questioning why such temptation was allowed in my life. I know now it was to teach me humility.

Romans 3
27Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.

[hillsbororiver]

A few days ago I was thinking of how useless I am to God and his plan and purpose. No one can hear me. No one around me can hear the truth. Even when I help others with their physical needs it doesn't help them at all spiritually. I started thinking that we are being trained for a purpose and role that may be in the next age. I thought that our training and experience here is what will be needed to assist those who will be saved in the next age. Each one of us is being trained for a purpose in God's plan.

Hi M.G.

I believe you nailed it in regard to this is the training, testing ground where we are being groomed and prepared for the work of the Fall Harvest.

These are not standardized tests like an S.A.T. or an entry exam, no they are specifically designed by our Creator to fulfil His plan and purpose for us as individuals and for all creation.

His Peace to you Sister,

Joe