Living Word
Christian Fellowship
“That I may publish with the voice of thanksgiving...” Psalm 26:7
Vol. 22, No. 5 May 2013
We really don’t know ourselves very well, especially when it comes to helping others. There is so much of “self” at the helm we don’t realize how much we can hurt others by giving them “us.” There is only one thing that people need, and it isn’t “us”—it’s Jesus. They don’t need our mixture, they need Jesus. Maybe we should learn how to keep our mouths shut instead of blurting out that we know what people need.
In people’s endeavor to want to be helpful, they still can’t just do what they want. They must be led by the Spirit of Jesus Christ. That means they must have a relationship with the Lord through the Holy Spirit. That means they must be filled with the Holy Spirit to the point that He is in control.
I don’t know how many times I have blown it because I injected self into a situation that involved others. But I do know that when the Spirit of God is in control the other person will be edified and built up. If what you are about to say will not edify the other person, then learn not to say anything. We have done too much damage to the Body of Christ with our bold speeches that simply puff us up. Do we even know if we have encouraged the other person? Or do we presume that our speaking automatically encourages and edifies others?
We need to repent and walk humbly with the Lord. It is going to take a lot of prayer in this day and hour to be able to offer others life. That is the only way to get “self” out of the way. I want more than anything else to bless people, not to hurt them. So just living the life of Christ can be more effective than giving a big speech that can make the other person feel worse. Learn to be led by the Spirit and walk softly.
Rom 8:14 “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.”
In Christ,
Pr. Steve
WHY IS IT SO HARD TO BE SAVED?
1Pe 4:18 (KJV) “And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?”
Pro 11:31 “If the righteous receive their due on earth, how much more the ungodly and the sinner!”
Why is it difficult for the righteous to be saved? First, let’s define “righteous” and “saved.”
The righteous are contrasted to the ungodly and the sinner. The righteous is the one who puts his faith in the blood atonement of Jesus Christ. This person is living a godly life. He is not ungodly, but righteous.
The division between the righteous and ungodly, as with the wheat and the tares, is not equivalent to the believer in Christ and the unbeliever. Many believers live wickedly! There also are people who do not know Christ but who practice righteousness. God will in His ways bring such a person in His time to Christ, just as He did Cornelius (Acts10:22).
The righteous person, whether or not he is “Christian,” is the one who places his faith in Christ when he is given the opportunity. Those who place their faith in Christ but who do not obey the commands of Christ and His apostles are still unrighteous even though they may have made a profession in Christ.
1 Jo 3:7 (NIV) “Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. He who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous.”
It is difficult for the righteous person to be saved because, according to the apostle John, the righteous person is the one who does what is right.
Now let’s consider what it means to be “saved.” To be saved is to be released from the person and works of Satan, to have the image of Christ formed within, to live in the moral image of Christ, and to have the Father and Son dwelling within the transformed inner nature, dwelling there in untroubled rest. TO BE SAVED IS TO BE TRANSFORMED MORALLY! To be saved is to be released from the love of the world, the lust of the flesh and from self-will and disobedience to God. To be saved is to be filled with the Father, the Son and Holy Spirit.
A person can behave righteously and still not be transformed morally. A person can behave righteously and still be bound with worldliness, lusts, self-will, and disobedience to God. A person can be righteous but still not be filled with Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
So no matter how righteous a person is, each one still needs to be saved. By “saved,” I am not talking about going to heaven, but about being transformed from the adamic nature to a nature filled with the Life of God that produces fellowship with Him. THAT IS SALVATION.
If we are to understand why it is hard to be saved, we must recognize that salvation is a process that begins when we first come to Christ for salvation and continues until the image of Christ is developed and the Father finds His rest in us.
Salvation is the process of redemption. To be so totally transformed and filled with the Godhead as to find eternal rest in the will of God is a difficult progression.
In I Peter 4:17 the apostle informs us about the judgment beginning in the house of God. This judgment consists of intense sufferings designed to “save” the believer. We are saved when these divine fires burn out of our personality that which is of Satan. This transformation is difficult and painful because the sinful nature is continually seeking comfort, worldliness, lusts, and self-will. The repentance required is arduous because it is easier to blame others and even God for our conditions, rather than humbly submit to God’s evaluation of our carnal nature.
I Peter 4:1-2 tells us after a person has suffered a while he no longer lives for evil desires, but for the will of God. Sin is no longer an issue. But until we allow that judgment to take place, we battle from within.
I Pe 4:12-13 (KJV) “Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: (13) But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.”
When we recognize this truth, we are not surprised by the hard places in life. Instead, we can rejoice; and if we do, when the Lord returns, we will be filled with glory.
Suffering for Christ includes long periods of denial of what we want. The Lord is watching to see how we are responding. Out of our sinful nature come all kinds of fits and hostilities, spite, malice, vengefulness and childishness. By yielding to the carnal nature, we can become bitter and hateful.
But when we accept God’s working within to transform us into Christ’s image, we partake at His table and grow spiritually. BUT THE PROCESS IS DIFFICULT. Sometimes we have to pray, pray, pray until something--a temptation or a fleshly desire--breaks within us.
Too many Christians are soft, refusing to deny themselves anything, and thereby refusing to take up their cross. If they don’t get what they want, they pout and throw tantrums about how they won’t serve God (believing that really makes a difference in God’s overall plan).
BUT the scriptures tell us the way of the transgressor is hard. It is more difficult than that of the Christian. It is hard for the most righteous person to be saved because of the demands made on His person.
Remember, there were three crosses at Calvary. God was crucified; the saved was crucified; and the unsaved was crucified. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO GO THOUGH THIS LIFE WITHOUT BEING CRUCIFIED IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER.
The person with integrity will never demand happiness at the expense of someone else’s suffering. Integrity is developed through faithfulness, truth and honesty. What areas of your life demonstrate true integrity? Without true integrity, it is hard to be saved (I Peter 4:15).
If we bear our suffering, then we will praise and glorify God no matter what happens (1 Peter 4:16). This response is proof that we are being given the Kingdom of God.
While the wicked flourish, you may go through some very difficult times. But the day will come when you can sing and dance while the wicked gnash their teeth in anger at God.
Asaph was troubled because he was going through a painful time of life while the wicked were having a wonderful time. But listen to him: Psa 73:16-17 “When I tried to understand all this, it was oppressive to me (17) till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny.”
The wicked will face unimaginable terror and pain because God is just. God is putting us through painful times NOW so we will be free at a later time. The righteous are being saved through fiery trials. We can only imagine how the ungodly will suffer.
I Peter 4:19 tells us what to do when we go through difficult times: COMMIT OURSELVES TO GOD. We know He remains faithful. Satan cannot harass us beyond that which God permits for our good.
In the meanwhile we still do good and live righteously. We patiently submit to God. We don’t blame others. And we don’t become angry with God. When we bear our cross we don’t focus on the frustration or pain. SUCH MISDIRECTED FOCUS IS WHAT CAUSES MANY TO TURN AWAY. Instead, we think upon the Lord’s goodness!
A Christian by definition is a disciple of Jesus. In order to be a disciple we are required to deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow Jesus.
A person who says, “God wants me to be happy and have nice things” does not know the way of salvation. (Hebrews 11:35-38)
We are counted as sheep for the slaughter. We enter the Kingdom of God through much tribulation. The troubles in America are preparing us for salvation. If the Christians in America do not repent and turn to Christ with sincerity, resolving to follow Him and His commands, they will experience needless suffering. We now have a young generation of people who are brilliant but who have no strong moral foundation. It is going to take every church to learn to obey God. WE LEARN TO OBEY JUST AS CHRIST DID-- THROUGH SUFFERING.
If you are suffering, remember it is only for a short while. Let God judge you now. If you are in a tunnel, be assured there is light at the end of that tunnel. God is faithful. The fire will not harm you; only your bondages will be burned away.
Christ is Alpha and Omega. What He has started He will complete in a most glorious fashion.
Only those who suffer with Him will be glorified together with Him. Only those who suffer with Him will rejoice with Him. Only those who suffer with Him will rule with Him.
Heb 12:1 (NIV) “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.”
Only a few more steps to go!
-Pr. Steve
I am going to be sharing with you thoughts from my journal over the past few years. This is to show you how the Lord has brought about His Word in my life to minister to you and to show you how real this walk can be. Please read and understand by the Spirit about ...
. . . My calling as a pastor
Pastor’s Journal 2012
May 1: This is the rest with which I will cause the weary to rest. I will speak with them in new tongues and they will hear and understand Me. They will come unto My rest and find strength and go forth!
May 4: I pray that the word of the Lord go forward unhindered as it proves its glorious working in you. (2 Thes 3:1)
May 5: The Word is the power of God unto salvation. Lord, give us Your Word more and more. Amen.
May 7: The righteous will shine like the sun in the Kingdom of their Father. (Mat 13:43)
May 14: Many will be purified spotless and refined in this day of darkness. The wicked will increase, but the righteous will prevail.
May 15: Continue to dwell in the shelter of the Most High and you shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
May 17: Dear Lord, the battle intensifies. People do not understand the Spiritual battle we are in. If they did, we would all join together and be one in Christ and win our battles with fewer casualties. I know the victory is ours, but sometimes I want to experience the win. For we fight not against flesh and blood. Reveal Your Glory in us. Amen!
May 18: Everything that you do, do it as unto the Lord. We live for Him. (Col 3:17)
May 19: We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the LIFE of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. (2 Cor 4:10)
May 21: Let all who take refuge in You be glad. For surely, O Lord, you bless the righteous; You surround them with Your favor as with a shield. (Psm 5: 11 & 12)
May 26: I have sent the Holy Spirit to reprove the world of sin, of righteousness and of judgment. He will guide you into all truth and show you things to come.
May 28: The Lord upholds the righteous. In times of disaster, they will not wither; in days of famine, they will enjoy plenty (Psm 37: 17 & 19)
May 29: Because I am in the Father, if you will believe what I do, then you too will do these things and even greater things because I am with the Father.
May 30: We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair, persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in out body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body. (2 Cor 4: 8-11)
What Do You Really Want?
What things do you ask God for? Do you know what God wants from you? Do you know what God wants for you? He wants you to know Him by forming a close relationship with Him. Relationships develop only while being formed and by being built up properly. When relationships are not growing together, they are growing apart. In fact, people can be living in the same house together, but at the same time feel as if they are miles apart. While relationships can be hard to establish, they are usually even harder to maintain. God never makes it hard for us to have a relationship with Him, and He has given us all that we need to allow our relationship with Him to grow. But building a true relationship with God is strained when we seek Him only for what He can do for us, or when we desire only what He can give us more than we desire getting to know Him. Most often we love to share the testimonies of the things that God does for us, and the ways that He provides for us, and we definitely should continue to do so; but our greatest testimonies are those of our continually discovering the depths of His heart and of our continually giving Him the depths of our hearts.
Imagine how your spouse or your friends would feel, if from the moment you opened your eyes in the morning until the time you spoke your last words at night, you were asking them to do things for you and for others, but you never gave them any part of your life or your love. Unfortunately, the prayer lives of many people can be compared to the above depiction. But now, just try to imagine how refreshing and how life-giving, and how relationship-building it would be were you to join in unity with the desires and the will of our Heavenly Father for your life and for the lives of others. This unity with the Divine will is not some pipe dream; in fact, that is the way a “Christian’s” life should be. But the choice depends on what we really want.
Mat 6:31-34 (KJV) “Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (32) (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. (33) But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. (34) Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.”
What does God want from us? Simply stated, He desires that we put the Kingdom of God first. If the above listed things (which are the essentials for living) will be supplied by God when we seek first His Kingdom, surely He will not withhold from us any good thing determined for us according to His will. In fact, He is even willing to give us renewed desires. From the beginning of time God has shown mankind His giving nature in many different and infallible ways, so why would we ever doubt His Word when it is specific upon the subject of His giving?
Psa 84:11-12 (KJV) “For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly. (12) O LORD of hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in thee.”
God knows that we have many other needs beyond the basic ones, and He is always willing to be our Faithful and Good Heavenly Father, and our Husbandman, if we want to be part of the bride of Christ. But we are naturally inclined to “want what we want,” even more than we want what we need. This inclination is part of our fallen nature that we have to decide to crucify as we take up our own crosses daily; for each day, the question is the same, yet ever new: What do you really want?
-Kurt Thurston
Next course from Christian Life Educators Network - Richmond Center:
Spring Break! Classes Resume in August
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