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.

Fluffy

__________________
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

Thankyou for that quote Mark! I understand why you wrote it. I also believe that I know enough of your heart by now to reckon you won't mind what I write below.

My Beloved found Kutlass on YouTube. Lyrics we listened to were good. However, I've been on a large Christian forum with piles and piles of teens, many in a great deal of trouble and difficulties in their lives. While there I saw first-hand the effects on youth of the problems with modern Christian music lyrics - where such a lot of them either say nothing at all, or are not good. Or often a mixture of good and not good, if you see what I mean.

Young people listen to this music day and night and (a) mostly are basically NOT learning anything useful about the Word of God, or (b) learning error. Or at least things that can easily lead to error. Example - what does this mean? "You are the head, not the tail. You are on top, not below." I can imagine what the writer may have been aiming to convey, but this is what I heard: "We are the head". NO WAY! - Jesus is, and HAS TO BE, the head! Also: "We are on top, not below". NO, Jesus is our head, and WE are way, way, way below HIM. We're not on top, AND WE SURELY DO NOT WANT TO BE ON TOP in any way at any time!! That's why I deliberately put myself right at the bottom all the time: that is where I am, cos that's now where I see myself - didn't always see this, or desire to be a 'nobody' (in man's sight).

Scriptures - Jesus speaking: Matthew 20:16 So the last will be first, and the first last. Mark 9:35 And He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, “If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all.” John the Baptist speaking of Jesus: John 3:30 He must increase, but I must decrease! INDEED and INDEED!!! It's not hard at all to see how people can be led astray by careless words that 'sound pretty cool' but are actually so wrong. *gets down off soapbox! - saunters off*

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Bondman

That is such a pretty graphic, sweetie!

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Bondman

Message #76

IS MY FOCUS ME? - OR GOD?

STATEMENT: God will always meet the needs of the true Believer. Is this correct? Matthew 6:25 “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? And right through to the end of the Chapter He continues to expound on this WONDERFUL truth! HE WILL MEET YOUR NEEDS!! Not your WANTS - YOUR NEEDS!


What do we really NEED? Not a lot actually:

• reasonable food,
• shelter,
• clothing,
• clean water.

Further into this section, Jesus says again: Matthew 6:31 Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat? 'or'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' Okay then, with that firmly established: that we are told not to worry and not to be concerned or fearful about our NEEDS - because God WILL supply them - here's what I want to ask. Seeing God's lovingly giving to us what we need, ARE WE THEN CONSIDERING WHAT HE NEEDS FROM US? I don't think we are! I think we are still quite selfishly focused on "what I need" - so much so in fact, that HE is not really getting much of a look in!

But you say, "Hey, c'mon BM, God is God! He doesn't need ANYTHING!!!" Sounds right doesn't it, and on one side of the coin it is; but on the other side of the coin it's actually not! And I've been known to say that maybe God's been EXTREMELY "FOOLISH" about this, cos here's how the deal goes down according to the Scriptures. THERE'S NOTHING THAT HE CANNOT DO, RIGHT! BUT, THERE A NUMBER OF THINGS HE'S CHOSEN NOT TO DO!!! AND FOR THESE HE NEEDS, AND IS RELIANT ON WHO? - WELL... US to be exact about it!!!

Like, to do WHAT sort of thing? Like, spreading the Gospel to those who haven't heard it yet! (which we basically aren't doing - see why I said he's been pretty "foolish!") Like, loving and supporting those who are hurting! Like, praying for them! Like, people such as me working with the Holy Spirit to help TO TEACH the truth to those who EARNESTLY seek for it! And a lot more... FACT: He has made US to be HIS hands, feet, arms, legs and mouth. Quite ASTONISHING, yes?!! But absolutely true!

BUT THERE MORE!! In Message #67 (entitled You are a Saint) I said that 'saint' and 'sanctified' mean "set apart for a purpose", and the purpose is: WE ARE "SET APART FOR GOD'S USE"!!! But the $64,000 question is - ARE WE? Hmm... then maybe we're not really saints at all! Not so! We ARE!! Alright then... how's about we start acting like the SAINTS that we are!! That is, fulfilling this purpose of being SET APART FOR GOD'S USE. This is UNSELFISH!!! It's focusing on HIM, not on OURSELVES. It's seeking to fulfil "HIS NEEDS", in the sense that this is what HE wants/"needs" for us to DO.

Check if you think I'm right on this: we're always talking about the blessings WE WANT FROM GOD. How about we BLESS HIM by our lives and actions for a change? We're always taking about HIM MEETING OUR NEEDS. How about we turn away from ourselves for awhile and look towards us being available FOR HIS USE instead?

I'm sure you get what I'm saying. Let's start REALLY looking at this! And let's PRAY for each other that we will truly seek to start moving from self-centredness to God-centredness in all of our lives! With love as always!

- BM, with his Lady

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Bondman

Dear heart, I hear you, and I hear your inner cry. I well know that such a situation as yours can seem dire, but the sad fact is that many Believers find themselves in situations similar to yours. We cannot plot our course through life as we would wish. How our flesh wishes for it to be neat and tidy - and easy, or at the very least easier. We must take the Word of God as our guide, and in this instance it is very clear indeed (from the Amplified Bible**):

1 Corinthians Ch 7
10 But to the married people I give charge--not I but the Lord--that the wife is not to separate from her husband.
11 But if she does [separate from and divorce him], let her remain single or else be reconciled to her husband. And [I charge] the husband [also] that he should not put away or divorce his wife.
12 To the rest I declare--I, not the Lord [for Jesus did not discuss this]--that if any brother has a wife who does not believe [in Christ] and she consents to live with him, he should not leave or divorce her.
13 And if any woman has an unbelieving husband and he consents to live with her, she should not leave or divorce him.
14 For the unbelieving husband is set apart (separated, withdrawn from heathen contamination, and affiliated with the Christian people) by union with his consecrated (set-apart) wife, and the unbelieving wife is set apart and separated through union with her consecrated husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean (unblessed heathen, outside the Christian covenant), but as it is they are prepared for God [pure and clean].
15 But if the unbelieving partner [actually] leaves, let him do so; in such [cases the remaining] brother or sister is not morally bound. But God has called us to peace.
16 For, wife, how can you be sure of converting and saving your husband? Husband, how can you be sure of converting and saving your wife?

God's word for you is verse 13. This is His command for you. Today in Western society we tend to do what WE wish for, ignoring His commands - and suffer badly for doing so. Belonging to Jesus means that ours is not an easy way. I've said numbers of times how I've now had 31 years of unbroken hardships. And from this I've come to realise that God is often FAR LESS INTERESTED IN WHAT WE DO, AND MORE MORE INTERESTED IN WHO WE ARE BECOMING. In my case I pleaded and pleaded and pleaded with Him to allow me to serve Him, but He continued to bring trials and triblations THROUGH WHICH I HAVE GROWN TO BE WHO AND WHAT I AM TODAY. But for all of that I'd not be here writing this, and we would never have met.

And even now with such wonderful friends and a teaching ministry that I could never have possibly imagined to have anything as incredible! - even now my heart is in India, a country of 1 billion people, most living in poverty like we've never seen, believing in false gods, having never heard the blessed words "Jesus saves", nor had anyone come to tell them all about Him.

I'm desperate to help. Over the years I've done so many things to try and serve this end, but nothing has been worked, nothing has been accomplished - except that I continued to learn and grow! And still I wait upon Him ,if it should be that He will allow me the joy of being able to get His precious Word to some - that we may be together with God forever. All I need to do this is some money, but we live on pensions for invalided people and so there is only $50 per month that we can give to help some dear souls hear the Good News. I want THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS for this, but like Paul said, I have been prevented! (No not by the devil; his power in my life is so limited. God's will has been that I not do this yet. And so I wait - learning more, growing in Jesus, becoming a little more like Him, growing further into the maturity it has pleased Him to bring me to.)

I wish I could give you 'an easy word', dear one, but I cannot. Your path is to grow in grace, and in commitment, and in love, and in obedience, in the situation you are in. Is this a tough call? Yes, it certainly is. But it's the gateway to heaven itself, there to live in His blessed Presence for all eternity!!!

With much love!

- BM

** In the Amplified all is translated direct from the Greek text EXCEPT words in square [] brackets. These are words that the translators know to be 'Scriptural', specifically placed there to help with understanding of what we are reading (often of great help). But please keep in mind at all times that they are NOT in the particular text you're reading. In early days, and even now, I may often tend to skip them, so that I'm reading the specific text, and that text alone.

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Fluffy

Hey, Sister! There is a story for a couple back in the day. They were unbelievers until one day, the wife got saved. She tried to evanglize her husband, but he would have nothing to do with it. As a matter of fact, he forbade her to go to church.
She told him that she wanted to obey him, but she HAD to obey God and would go to church.
After the evening services, she would often come home and find the house locked up and he wouldnt unlock the door. So she would spend the night on the front porch.
In the morning, he would open the door, thinking that she would be sorry and crying and asking for forgiveness. Instead, she put on a big smile and walked in and fixed him breakfast.
This went on for months.
Until finally, one morning, she had been sleeping leaning on the door. The husband whipped that door open, ready to blast her, and she rolled into the house, doing a somersault. Jumped right up and asked "Dear, do you want pancakes, or eggs for breakfast?"
He broke. Gave his life to Jesus and became one of the mightiest workers of God. His name was Smith Wigglesworth. I think her name was Polly.
You dont hear much about Smith Wigglesworth, but if you ever get the chance to read about him, do.
I told you this story, because it is a picture of how we must be when dealing with unbelieving/unparticipating husbands or wives. Be patient, loving, dont cram scripture verses down their throats, or preach at them, show them by the change in your life that what you have is a good thing and it is something to be desired. When they want you to do something that is against God, firmly (but respectfully!) decline. Otherwise, be obedient to him as to the Lord. (Now, that IS scriptural! Corinthians, I think)
There is something more I need to say, but I'm having difficulty. I'll pray about it and see how (or if!) He wants me to speak it.

__________________
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.

Fluffy

Does this mean you are back from your trip? Did you bring pictures??

__________________
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

Loved Fluffy's story about Wigglesworth, who sure was a great man in the Lord!

Yes, the whole of the New Testament was originally written in Greek, just as the Old Testament is in Hebrew. So yes, one of Paul's things on his amazing CV was being multi-lingual, and he wrote the letters like Galatians, etc., in the Greek language to the churches he'd started. Greek is an amazing language which enables a very rich message to be conveyed, with great clarity, and God obviously chose it most deliberately!

When a phrase or word is in round brackets () in the Amplified it means that this is INCLUDED in the original Greek - which is why I said above that it's such a rich language. The Amplified Bible extends our English understanding by giving us the FULL meaning of the Greek text.

You're right about you and him God will guide you as to how to relate to him and relate to HIM at the same time. Not an easy task.

Me and patience? Yes, I hadn't exactly thought that, but again you're right. Waiting with patience does a Believer no harm, and usually much good. Patience is a gift from God included in the Fruit of the Spirit. Galatians 5:22,23. I prayed for many years for more of this in the Fruit of the Spirit (all nine gifts there are not necessarily in your life equally, and it is okay to pray for one or more that you see you need more of). The Amp translates the Greek word makrothumia as "patience (an even temper, forebearance)".

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Mark_18

Good post. That's what I tell my brother too, to be careful. Some songs inject too much pride or anger and what not as well.

But That "You are the head and not the tail" isn't from a song, I think it's in the Bible. I'll tell you the story that goes with me hearing that quote.



At work this couple, I'm guessing int heir 40's - came to buy some pizza. The guy asks me. "Have you heard the coffee joke?"
I say "Nope" He says something like "What do you call a cow without his calf?" (heh(?)) I thought, put two and two together and said "Decafe"

They went on about how smart I was for getting it. Asked me if I was in university and I said no, Highschool. They said wow, you're gonna go places. Then for some reason they said I was about the 5th one in MB to get it...(?) lol, so I'm thinking where are they from?? How many provinces have they asked that in?

When they left after buying pizza they said God bless you. I was surprised, nobody ever says that to me in public, or when they don't know me. They sat down at the tables.

I went soon after to change the garbage over there and The man turns around and says Do you go to church? I said Yup. He says My wife has a word from God for you. And she turns around and starts talking to me, they both went and used a good several hundred words, quoting scripture and prayign for me. They were super filled with the Spirit and were talking all jittery. (By looking at them, many would think they are mentally handicapped) They prayed what seamed like some powerful prayers for me, in the Spirit, and I knew I wouldn't remember much of it so I listened and said amem amen amen. Briefly gave them a bit of my testimony. One of the things they told me is "You are the head, not the tail." Which I just took as - as a Christian doing God's work, I am important. Intelligent. I'm not to be ashamed.

I then told a girl I work with what just happened. She never knew that I quit drinking and have been going to church and what not. She thought I was kidding when It old her. Because I'm known to have that straight forward look when I'm joking. and then say "kidding" or whatever. She's a university girl who is convinced by evolution,a nd this turned into a 1.5ish hour talk about God and Christianity. Meanwhile the girl I was training was listening too, who told me she is in a Christian family, (but she does drugs and stuff) and said that she's sort of undecided of things like this.

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Luke 15:31 - And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine.
Joel 2:28 - I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.
Matthew 7:7 - Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.

Psalms 126:5 - Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy.

JOKE POLICE