Thread: THE INNER ROOM - "Learn and Grow - to Maturity". Please read the OP.

Originally Posted by Faithwoman

As I stood by my kitchen sink tonight, I had many thoughts. As I stared at at the dirty dishes, I thought of how we have looked to Jesus. We have layed there dirty, unclean and yes somtimes broken. Just as we put the dishes under the water to wash them clean, Jesus takes us and washes us clean.

Last night the young gal that came to visit sat with me and watched TV.
We watched the show Intervention. This is where when someone has an addiction such as drugs, alcohol etc, a specialist is brought in to help the family do an intervention on the person that is afflicted. They offer the person to go to a special place to get treatment. The show is very graphic. I shuddered as the young men shot themselves up with drugs, snorted the coccaine and such. It was sad to watch the story of a man who became an alchoholic and his life went to the pit.

What layed heavy in my heart is that I have come to and am still learning of the true one who intervenes for us all. Is it not true when we open our hearts to Jesus, how he intervenes for us all? He can set any of us free, no matter what our bondages are:

John 8:30-37 (New International Version)


30 Even as he spoke, many put their faith in him. The Children of Abraham

31 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples.

32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."


33 They answered him, "We are Abraham's descendants[a] and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?"
34Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.

35 Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever.

36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

37 I know you are Abraham's descendants. Yet you are ready to kill me, because you have no room for my word.

As I sat there and thought of how Jesus can set anyone free, me, you, your family member, your next door neighbor, all of us, I thought Oh Lord keep cleaning me up and let me go forth and tell of you. I honestly just wanted to call and quit my job and run all over telling how great he is.

Just the most recent and washing and cleansing of me has even given me more hope. But as Bondman stated, it is our own selfishness that holds us captive to our sins.

I thank God for what he is doing in me. Can you just imagine with all the miracles and blessings he does for others and us, that there is still so many that have no room for his word. This is twofold, there are ones that know him but still have no room for his word, and then there are those that give no room because they have not heard of him at all!

I pray to all of you, that may we all become stronger and go forth and spread the good news. I pray in my heart if you know him but are lurking back and not giving his word room in you, that he may strengthen you right this minute that you may bow all to him and allow in him. Believe you me, you shall not regret it! He just wants the best for you! Why settle for good when you can have the best?

Hugs
Faithwoman

Hmm, no room at the inn. No room in our heart. How terrible...

You said you continue to learn to speak from your heart, which is wonderful. I also see you continuing to 'get in touch' with your heart, or should I say the Holy Spirit assisting you to do this. We do have to learn about ourselves, as to where we are at, and so on. Seems to me you're getting better and better at that.

Hugs,

- BM

Originally Posted by SweetSurrender

Thanx for the good advice BM and FaithWoman gave. An eye-opener.

I posted this on a site on the main thread, so I thought it would fit here too.

If My Words Abide in You

1. Memorizing Scripture makes meditation possible at times when I can't be reading the Bible and meditation is the pathway of deeper understanding.

2. Memorizing Scripture strengthens my faith because faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of Christ, and that happens when I am hearing the word in my head.

3. Memorizing Scripture shapes the way I view the world by conforming my mind to God's viewpoint.

4. Memorizing Scripture makes God's word more readily accessible for overcoming temptation to sin, because God's warnings and promises are the way we conquer the deceitful promises of sin.

5. Memorizing Scripture guards my mind by making it easier to detect error . . . and the world is filled with error, since the god of this world is a liar. (like Bo said, if you admit you already have detected error in their beliefs, then why stick around learning more, Amandez?

6. Memorizing Scripture enables me to hit the devil in the face with a force he cannot resist, and so protect myself and my family from his assault.

7. Memorizing Scripture provides the strongest and sweetest words for ministering to others in need.

8. Memorizing Scripture provides the matrix for fellowship with Jesus because he talks to me through His word, and I talk to him in prayer.

9. Memorizing Scripture renews my mind.

That's my testimony. Bonnie

Thankyou SO much for sharing here too, hon!

Very interesting. I don't believe I've ever mentioned memorising in any Message here!! I reckon I know why this oversight - because Chronic Fatigue Sydrome has got such a hold on me now, my memory is cactus. I'm lucky to remember what you said to me 5 minutes ago, or what I had for lunch!! Of course because this mess of diseases has your health all over the place like a dog's breakfast, it's also true that I just MIGHT remember what you said!

With this hopeless memory for the past 20 years (tho much worse now) I never even consider memorising! So I've also not written about it. Sorry guys!

Unless you're like me: 1) Find the Scriptures that are of critical importance, write them down, and start learning them and where they come from. 2) Read the books of the New Testament. Read them again - and again! The more times you read them the more verses will begin to stick in your mind. When Jesus said about His words ABIDING in us, this means LIVING in us always - more than memorising, they must become living truths in our mind, heart, and soul!!

3) Choose a GOOD Translation and read from that same translation, so that the SAME words are being read over and over to get them stuck into your mind. All my early reading was from the KJV and so I remember verses, or parts of verses from that. As a result I can always FIND the verse I want by searching the KJV!

4) And what you want to aim for above all else is to have clearly in your mind - VIRTUALLY AS AN INTEGRAL PART OF YOU AND WHO YOU ARE - the IMPORTANT DOCTRINES of the New Testament and how to LIVE OUT those DOCTRINES!!

With this in place there is no reason in the world why you should not ultimately attain unto scriptural MATURITY and so becoming a Woman of God or Man of God!!!

Go for it!!

- BM

Originally Posted by Faithwoman

Sweets,
Thanks for sharing. This is something I need to work on as well.
I got bits and pieces in my mind, but I need to learn the word and memorize it.. it is very important to all of us, but extremely important for me right now since God has led me to street ministry.

I need to be able to pick up the word and share the scriptures with these folks.

Tonight, I have been asked to dinner by a gal I know. She wants me to come and share God with her sister whom is having some huge struggles in life.. once again it is with a woman who has had a horrific past and has recently said she wants to die. May God be in the room tonight! May our God use me to show honor and Glory to him this evening.

Hugs
Faithwoman

You said: "I need to be able to pick up the word and share the scriptures with these folks." ABSOLUTELY!!

Praying for your time with the sister!

The Lord's laid on my heart that it's time we regularly prayed for you as God leads you to these VERY needy women.

Let's be supporting Faithwoman in prayer - as well as each other! He WANTS our prayers. He RESPONDS to our prayers - and things can/will happen! Let's not be slack on this...

- BM

TOMORROW...

Provided the Lord doesn't over-rule, I expect to put up a Message tomorrow showing how you can get effective Godly Power into your life - the RIGHT way!

For the first time I shall tell my own unusual story with regard to POWER to live the Life (including how I messed up...)

It may be the most SIGNIFICANT Message ever for you in The Inner Room!!

See you then!

- BM

PRACTICAL NEW TESTAMENT CHRISTIANITY

MESSAGE #162

"SECRETS" OF LIVING AS A TRUE NEW TESTAMENT CHRISTIAN - Part 4

... Continued from Part 3. Part 1 of this Series is here.

As promised!! There's a lot of important truth here, of what NOT to do (because of the errors a large church teaches) as well as what to do!! - in three sections, so please take you time, and absorb it all to your eternal profit AND THE LORD'S! (cos THAT'S what He wants for you!!!)

So far we've said that you can build a most SOLID basis for your Christian walk via these steps:

1. TRUST GOD
2. OBEY GOD
3. Make JESUS LORD of ALL of our life!!!
4. Always be being FILLED with the Holy Spirit,

and now we look more at being FILLED with the HOLY SPIRIT, at some dreadful church ERRORS in connection with this, and my personal story).

THEY WERE ALL FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT!

Some churches refer to this as the Baptism in the Spirit. This is a Scriptural expression, but it does refer back to Jesus' baptism by John. Acts records that at Pentecost when the HOLY SPIRIT WAS FIRST GIVEN just like Jesus promised, the Disciples were FILLED with the SPIRIT!! Wow, that's good enough for me!

However, a large group of churches always call it "Baptism in the Spirit" which is okay, except that they then attach 2 things to this: that it automatically happens as a result of water Baptism of Believers, and at the same time also gives you the gift of tongues (speaking in an unknown language). The New Testament does NOT indicate that EITHER of these will ALWAYS HAPPEN (which we see as true today)!! So they are in serious error in teaching DOCTRINE and PRACTICE like this.

SPEAKING AND PREACHING THE WORD IS VERY IMPORTANT

We must also note that the gift of tongues is just ONE of the gifts of the Holy Spirit set forth in 1 Corinthians Ch 12. And it's NOT a greatly important one either, as Paul makes ABUNDANTLY clear in 1 Corinthians Ch 14, where he ends by saying: 1 Corinthians Ch 14:39 Therefore, brethren, desire earnestly to PROPHESY, and do not forbid to speak with tongues - where 'prophesy' refers more to SPEAKING and TEACHING the Word of God, than to prophesying some future event.

Thus Men of God, FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT, should speak forth, in plain language, what God is revealing to them by the Spirit - THAT is what to desire MOST, Paul says, AND is by far the best for UPBUILDING THE CHURCH also.

GOD'S ONLY WAY TO SPEAK IN TONGUES IN CHURCH

Furthermore, in church meetings only two, or at the most three are allowed to speak in tongues, says Paul, and then ONLY if what they say is INTERPRETED by someone who has the GIFT of INTERPRETATION OF TONGUES. Otherwise GOD commands them to keep quiet!!! 1 Corinthians Ch 14:27 If anyone speaks in a tongue, two—or at the most three—should speak, one at a time, and someone must interpret. 28 If there is no interpreter, the speaker should keep quiet in the church and speak to himself and God.

Please go to the next post...

... Continued from the post above

Yet Sunday by Sunday this church group happily but wilfully break these Scriptures! What then bothers me is the many millions apparently speaking in tongues as a gift of the Spirit, yet such a comparative FEW with the HOLY SPIRIT gift of Interpretation of Tongues. In my opinion, there's something very concerning here, something very wrong.

And here's another truth to know: just about anyone, including unbelievers, can speak in tongues - I've heard a radio announcer, NOT a Christian, speak in tongues (to prove he could) over the radio to tens of thousands of listeners!! SO... could this mean that maybe millions who think they have this GIFT, actually don't? Sadly I truly suspect this is true. Plus, when asked, as long as you can answer that you have been Baptised in the Spirit, then you're considered a-okay. BUT I'm near certain that a lot of this is NOT reality for those in this church!

NOT NECESSARY TO SPEAK IN TONGUES TO BE SAVED!

However there's even WORSE as to speaking in tongues. I vividly remember nearly 35 years ago being asked by one of their members: "Do you speak in tongues?" "No," I said innocently. "Then you're not saved!" I was told bluntly. This may have happened to you also. As many as millions in this church believe this - but it's a heresy, a total and SERIOUS Scriptural error.

WHAT WAS THIS AMAZING EXPERIENCE I WAS HAVING?

Alright, as it happens, at that time I had my own problem of foolishly believing that speaking in tongues was actually wrong! Oops!! - a Scriptural error just as bad!!! *true confessions here!* So I have A PERSONAL STORY to tell you about this. I didn't believe in speaking in tongues, right, just as many folks don't today, but one day in the early 1980's I was alone at my desk at home, and next minute I was speaking aloud in, well, apparent gibberish!!

I WAS UTTERLY ASTONISHED!!! This went on for awhile. Later it happened again! More amazement. This continued happening to me day by day. I soon came to realise that I could stop this thing whenever I wished, but there was also something else: I slowly realised that everything I asked God for in prayer, HE GAVE ME!!! I'm not talking selfish things (I knew not to pray for them), but I prayed - and things happened!! I was now doubly flabbergasted! I urgently wrote to a Pastor friend and a Missionary friend for an explanation. Neither had any ideas!!

LOST... AND REGAINED

Thinking back now, it's interesting that I simply never thought to ask God for total healing!! Anyway, these TWO things continued for a considerable number of weeks at least, but because I had NO UNDERSTANDING of what it was all about (which does seem rather weird to me now!), I gradually GAVE UP TONGUES, and in time realised that I was right back where I started! BUT... that was NOT the end of it by any means.

Please go to the next post... (on next page, or click HERE)