Faithwoman

Faithwoman

As my doctor's appointment was coming to an end, I looked at him and said I really need to you give me the lecture. I need to hear it from you. I need to quit smoking.

He jumped up went out of room came back in with a prescription pad.
He then proceeded to tell me those things I already knew.

He took the time to talk to me. Did not rush my appointment. Told me all the little tips that I have heard so often. We talked about medicines and such that would help.

He then handed me a signed prescription. I looked at it. It was not for any medicine. On the script was the words, Quit Smoking. I looked at him and said Thank you! No one has ever done that for me. He said hang that up right in full view to look at each and every day.

I relate this to God's prescription for our life. He gives us his word. He takes the time for us. He does not rush us. God is jumping up at us all the time in little and big ways. Within his words are little and big hints to the right life. His life. Jesus also tell us to Quit.. How you ask? He says to Repent. Turn from the old ways and become new. Quit those habits and actions of life and become the healthy one that I created you to be.

God is our prescrpition for our addiction. Whatever that addiction may be, God is the prescription. As I thought this morning as having my coffee, ok Lord I have given you so many other things in my life and you have helped me through, let me now allow you to be my prescription for this struggle as well.

Ok.. enough rambling.. I just got to get to my job!

Faithwoman

Bondman

I LOVE what the doctor did, hon!

Ultimately I've tended to see things like this in terms of our PERSONAL FREEDOM. Jesus makes us FREE with a capital F!!! So it's then quite contradictory to allow ourselves to be CONTROLLED by something - effectively making a great tear in the freedom for us that He paid such a horrendous price for.

As far as control is concerned I know only ONE control on this whole earth that:

(a) is truly GOOD (and good for me)
(b) really WORKS

i.e., letting the Lord Jesus control my life. Therein lies the incredible FREEDOM of heart and mind and spirit and life that I live these days. I'm NOT in any way saying that I'm perfect; just that these things I have most of the time. And that's quite fantastico!

At the end of the day it's a totally simple equation really:

• Fail to give over to Him control of all of your life, and ultimately YOU lose - BIG TIME.

• Get drastic, get desperate, get SERIOUS with Him, and let Him have ALL of you - and all that YOU GAIN is more than I can even express.

- BM

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Faithwoman

Bondman

Message #118

THE PROBLEM OF 'WEAK FAITH'

We all know that it's uttertly essential to have FAITH in order to enter the Kingdom as a Believer in Christ. Next it takes faith to LIVE the Christian life that we just started. The Bible says that without faith it is IMPOSSIBLE to please God! Hebrews 11:6. Whoa, that's serious! Yet how often in our walk with Him have we found faith, well, difficult, and sometimes even worse than that. Here are 3 things to help grow and increase your personal faith quotient.

COULD OUR LIFESTYLE BE A PROBLEM?

Why is it that we can find faith to be SO HARD? I've already written how our lifestyle of THINGS (materialism) and 'WHAT I WANT' is hardly conducive to growing our faith! Another reason can be that we just don't understand how faith needs to work. Take the case of a Christian of many, many years, yet when it comes to him trusting God for serious matters in his life, his faith doesn't just falter, it seems to not be working at all! He needs to know where faith comes from. From within ourselves? NO WAY! IT COMES FROM THE LORD!! HE is the source. We can GRAB IT as He holds it out to us, to make it part of our lives! But consider: if you want MORE faith, can you somehow conjure it up within yourself and suddenly have 20% stronger faith? Of course not!!!

YOU CAN ASK FOR MORE FAITH

Faith is one of the 9 wonderful aspects of the FRUIT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. Maybe the Fruit of the Spirit is not very strong in you yet. It's OKAY to admit that your faith still isn't very strong. The man who had the son with a unclean spirit, said with tears: "Lord I believe; please help my unbelief." Mark 9:24. A cry from deep in his heart! And I believe we can all relate to that! So what did he do? 1. He ADMITTED his lack of faith, then 2. He asked for HELP with his lack! Please do this!!! Faith is given. You want more faith? - then ask God for it, as part of the Fruit of the Spirit that IS IN YOU RIGHT NOW!!

DARE TO BELIEVE!

Faith is almost always stepping out into unknown territory. Which can be scary for some. But YOU NEED TO DO IT ANYWAY!!! Take the risk! Dare to believe! Why don't we just TRUST Him? He's GOD, He LOVES US madly, and to Him it's WONDERFUL when one of His kids comes to Him as their Father God and brings a request. He SERIOUSLY wants us to develop a RELATIONSHIP with Him! One of the great ways of doing this is trusting HIM for our NEEDS (that's "needs", NOT "wants"), bringing them before Him, asking Him to supply them in His time, and quietly BELIEVING and TRUSTING that He will!

And if you find yourself doubting that God can, or will do something - so long as it's NOT selfish in motivation or is OUTSIDE of His will, then GO FOR IT! DARE TO BELIEVE!! Ask Him to increase your faith. FOCUS on what you're asking Him for. Pray and pray, and pray some more. And never stop (unless He were to tell you to).

Our FAITH is one of the most important parts of our walk with Him. As you exercise it more and more, may your faith greatly increase - to His glory!

- BM, with his Lady

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autumn_angel65

G'day Bondman and his lovely lady
Ever since I've been coming to CFS, each night I've been reading through each of your threads, and they have greatly encouraged me, made me think, and even weep. All good of course...a healing of some areas happening...once again...thank you for your threads...please do continue with them.
May the Lord God bless you both greatly, as you continue in your ministry for Him.
Your sis in Christ Jesus
Autumn_angel65

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Your sis In Christ Jesus,
Autumn_angel65
Enjoy the journey!!
I have come that they may have life, and that they have it more abundantly. John 10:10

Fluffy

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Be transparent before God, He sees right thru you, anyway!
http://www.likepreciousfaith.org/testimony_val.htm
Please pray for your local emergency responders, daily.

Bondman

G'day, dear Kiwi Sister!

I'm so thrilled that you're reading through posts. I am DETERMINED to get them all onto our website, one after another, WITH A SEARCH ENGINE as well, but it's quite a job to do this...

We all need to be encouraged, don't we, and to be challenged to think, but I never mean to cause anyone to weep! Mind you Jesus wept, and I do too, so I guess it's okay.

May He guide you, reveal Himself to you, show you His path for you, and bless you with every Spiritual blessing!

Much love!

- BM

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Bondman

Amen!! God is so awesome when He's changing lives!

Good point about seeking for your calling, but not getting down if it's not yet plain. Just keep seeking!! Everything for the Christian is in God's time (not ours).

Have a good day in Jesus y'all (hehe - couldn't resist that, Fluf!)

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Bondman

Well I got my Power Chair one week ago. And God's timing was perfect!! (as always!) My energy reserves took another dive right at that time - which would have stopped me using crutches to get round the house. Beloved's energy level these days is also down so far that she would NOT have been able to wheel me in my normal wheelchair – so we would have been in BIG trouble but for the chair!

I've threatened to call it Gertrude (or Gertie)!! However I've been informed that this is, well, shall we say "not acceptable" – however we'll just have to see, won't we! Various other names have been suggested: my Chariot, my Horse (but that's what we call our 30 yr old car, so can't use that) the Enterprise, Puddle-Jumper, Weapon of Mass Destruction... No prizes for guessing who suggested THAT one!

It's about the most compact Power Chair available on the Aussie market, is only 22" wide and turns in it's own length, i.e., you can do a donut to turn round. Here's me doing one in our kitchen! 'Tis so easy...





And "rocketing" down the hallway, speed at least 1mph (or maybe it was 1.5mph)!! I haven't annihilated any door-jambs yet - OR run over Beloved's toes yet (it's really HEAVY!!) But I'm workin' on it!!...

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