PCIM - First root

ParsonsMom Wrote:

Graceblest Wrote:

[quote=ParsonsMom]
3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

4According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

5Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,

6To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

7In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

8Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;

9Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:

I love that Scripture about renewing the mind, Aretta. Romans 12:1-2 makes that clear. Philippians 2:5-11 also clarifies the situation even further. In renewing our mind as taught in in Romans, we need to "have the mind of Christ" talked about in the Philippians 2 Scripture. Yes, we are given great authority from our Lord, but we need to also keep in mind that Jesus Himself fully knew who He was (The Great I AM), but in total humility gave Himself for us, even going to the Cross. We are given great power through our Lord, but we need to remember that it is HE who gives it to us. We need to use that power humbly, but also boldly.
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you said this well Gracie. thank you,this is why I wanted the [WORD] to
speak for me. I am thankful that I am learning who I am in Him. THE WORD is so
established in me,I can never believe His word would not work. I truly hope I have
not offended in any way.

and this is the confidence I have in Him, that, If I ask any thing
according to His will,And if I know that He hears me, what so ever I ask,I know that I have the petitions that I desire of Him.1 John 5:14,15.
I love you Gracie

Absolutely no offense taken, Aretta, and I hope and pray that I have not offended or will offend you either! If I have, I'm deeply sorry and hope you will forgive me, but I cannot help handing out some reminders from time to time.

Never, ever would I want to limit the power of the Almighty God! I have experienced too much of His miraculous power and grace to ever do that! I just think it's important to remember that He is the Creator and we are the creation. John 1 tells us clearly that Jesus was involved in the Creation ("all things were made by Him and without Him was not anything made that was made") verse 3. Verse 4 gets even stronger and says that in Him was life...." Wow! He is the giver of life, and yes, authority, as we have discussed. We as heirs of Christ share in a rich inheritance, but we must emember who the benefactor is.

The apostle Paul struggled heavily with temptation, as he records in Romans 7. I'm sure that his past weighed heavily on his heart. In other Scripture he called himself the chief of sinners. Yet I love the wonderful resolution in Romas 7:24-25. "O wreched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from this body of death? I thank God---through Jesus Christ our Lord!" Then there is a fantastic Romans 8! What a powerful chapter that is! He concludes that nothing can separate us from the love of God. NOTHING! How wonderful! Yet verses 18-23 remind us of our inability to save ourselves. Again, He is the Lord!

There's a wonderful old hymn that I think says it well. It's the hymn "Without Him." It's a staunch reminder that we would have abolutely no power at all without Him, but we do because of Him, as the end of the second verse says "with Jesus' praise God, I'm saved!" But then the chorus reminds us "without Him, how lost I would be." Can you understand the need for balance there?

When we visited with Tim and the family back in 2002, I was going through biopsy for melanoma and ended up having major surgery for it when we returned home after that trip. At the service, Tim and Kimberly (my precious Angel Girl), sang "Without Jesus", which is posted in the music section here at PCIM. That song became a tremendous blessing for me, because I knew going into surgery that our powerful Lord was right there with me. I didn't know if my heart could handle the surgery. I didn't know if the cancer would recur (praise His name it hasn't so far), I didn't know if I would not recover from anesthesia (I've had problems with waking up and being OK after anesthesia before). BUT I knew it didn't matter, because our Lord was in control! If He chose to leave me on this earth, it was OK. If He had chosen to take me home, that would have been OK. I went into that surgery at perfect peace, because I was leaning on HIM. But I also knew that, even if He used the surgeon, which He obviously did, that HE was and IS the GREAT PHYSICIAN.

He is the One who has given me life, and it is only in his grace and by His power as He answered the prayers of many that I'm here.

Another tidbit here. My father was in the Merchant Marines during World War II. He was in a ship convoy in the Mediterranian. One day Papa was in the strern (rear) of his ship when the ship right behind his was torpedoed and several lives lost. If God had not been in control, I wouldn't be here, because I wouldn't have had a Papa if it had been his ship and his life had ended. I wasn't born until well after the war.

It's not at all that I do not believe that we Christians are given power from God! We definitely ARE! And Wow, how wonderful it is to KNOW that! I am just saying that also we have to keep in the mind of Christ that it is HIS power, which He choses to flow through us. If we don't keep that humbly in mind, we can easily be so full of pride that we revel in power and begin to think it's ours. Isn't that what ultimately caused sin, first in the devil and then Adam and Eve and on throughout the ages?

John Newton, author of "Amazing Grace" also said it so very well "I once was lost, but now I'm found, was blind but now I see." He testified magnificently to the grace of God in that fabulous hymn, but He also kept in mind where God had brought Him from. That's important...to remember where we have come FROM as well as finding His grace and power sufficient to get us to where He wants to be. When we do remember that we are sinners saved by a mighty power of God, we can rejoice in that. And we can rejoice in the power of prayer and of the preached and taught Word. But we just need to humbly recognize that HE IS the Savior we so desparately need.

In Him Who IS Love,
Gracey

Grace asked, "Does this mean that we, too, have the power to crush the devil," and I am, immediately, transported to a memory, of when I first learned to use the Word to combat evil.

You see, the devil can stand up against us because we're imperfect. However, he is powerless, against the Word of God -- AND HE KNOWS IT - hallelujah!!!

So, when I was faced with being sent home from college, because, with 2 1/2 hours til the deadline for the first payment to arrive, I stood on the Word.
Phil. 4:19, specifically: "And my God will supply ALL your need, according to His riches, in Glory, in Christ Jesus."
Obviously, the devil couldn't mess with that, because, a few minutes later, the bill was paid and, to this day, I have no idea where the money came from.

Also, Helen and I were about to lose this house and I taught her this principle...over eight years later, we're still here.

It also works, with illnesses, but you have to really stand on the Word and not allow doubt to make you fall. If we waver, we may lose what we've just received.

DittoMCP Wrote:

Grace asked, "Does this mean that we, too, have the power to crush the devil," and I am, immediately, transported to a memory, of when I first learned to use the Word to combat evil.

You see, the devil can stand up against us because we're imperfect. However, he is powerless, against the Word of God -- AND HE KNOWS IT - hallelujah!!!

So, when I was faced with being sent home from college, because, with 2 1/2 hours til the deadline for the first payment to arrive, I stood on the Word.
Phil. 4:19, specifically: "And my God will supply ALL your need, according to His riches, in Glory, in Christ Jesus."
Obviously, the devil couldn't mess with that, because, a few minutes later, the bill was paid and, to this day, I have no idea where the money came from.

Also, Helen and I were about to lose this house and I taught her this principle...over eight years later, we're still here.

It also works, with illnesses, but you have to really stand on the Word and not allow doubt to make you fall. If we waver, we may lose what we've just received.

Absolutely we have the power of His Word! No question about that at all! Ditto, I really love what you say: "It also works, with illnesses, but you have to really stand on the Word and not allow doubt to make you fall. If we waver, we may lose what we've just received." Actually, really standing on the Word is crucial for EVERY situation! And doubt can readily sneak in, although, for the life of me, I can't figure out why we should let it, because God is SO good! . I've just been saying that we just have to keep in mind that it is GOD"S Word that we should rely on. Doubt is one attack of the devil. True. But another is taking that power of god too much for granted. A prime Scriptural example is when Jesus had sent the 70 out and they came back all hyped up at the miracles that they had been a part of. And one can certainly understand how that could have happened. The dead had even been raised to life in their ministry. What did Jesus tell them? "Rejoice not that the demons are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in the Book of Life." He was just telling us to remember who we are and Whose we are.

The only problem is that too many christians, in this instance...like so many others, would rather listen to what people say and think, than to find Him, in His Word.

Jesus gave the disciples the power to defeat the enemy. He also gave us power to heal the sick and raise the dead.
You wouldn't know it, though, because so many christians, mistakenly, ask Him to come heal the sick.
When I've taught this, I was shot down, by people, who said, "We don't have that power."
I replied that Jesus isn't here and they offered that it's the Holy Spirit, they're asking. However, in Mark, chapter four, Christ said the pharisees had blasphemed the Holy Spirit by calling the work, He (Christ) had done," the work of Beelzebub."

In other words, we're to do the exact same thing, He did. If we learn how, through His Word, we'll have a joyous time. Otherwise, we'll sit and wonder why He isn't doing His work.
(Unfortunately, the answer to that is simple: WE are the ones, who are called to do His work.....He told us to "labor until (He) comes."

Which is exactly the reason that I also say that we MUST be in the Word enough that we're LIVING the Word in all its truth. Many people don't want to read the Bible, so we are often the only Word they see. That's why our having the humble mind of Christ in full acceptance of who we are in Him (recipients of HIS power) is important. It's a very ME oriented society in which we live, and often only if people see Jesus in our living our day by day lives will they want to come to Him. They gotta know that it works to live in Him! The total balance of His authority and His servanthood are as crucial in our lives as they are in His!

DittoMCP Wrote:

The only problem is that too many christians, in this instance...like so many others, would rather listen to what people say and think, than to find Him, in His Word.

Jesus gave the disciples the power to defeat the enemy. He also gave us power to heal the sick and raise the dead.
You wouldn't know it, though, because so many christians, mistakenly, ask Him to come heal the sick.
When I've taught this, I was shot down, by people, who said, "We don't have that power."
I replied that Jesus isn't here and they offered that it's the Holy Spirit, they're asking. However, in Mark, chapter four, Christ said the pharisees had blasphemed the Holy Spirit by calling the work, He (Christ) had done," the work of Beelzebub."

In other words, we're to do the exact same thing, He did. If we learn how, through His Word, we'll have a joyous time. Otherwise, we'll sit and wonder why He isn't doing His work.
(Unfortunately, the answer to that is simple: WE are the ones, who are called to do His work.....He told us to "labor until (He) comes."

The only problem is this: Many of them would rather listen to things that have become "religious reason," (anybody, who knows me, knows that I do not equate religion and christianty because religion is man's idea, whereas Christianity is God's Way), rather than actually seek the Lord for what they need.
It's evident, every time someone tells me, "I don't know if God....." or when someone prays and asks God to do something, "if it's Your will."
The thing is, the Word tells us what is and isn't His will and if we know what it says, we don't need to ask.

Graceblest Wrote:

Which is exactly the reason that I also say that we MUST be in the Word enough that we're LIVING the Word in all its truth. Many people don't want to read the Bible, so we are often the only Word they see. That's why our having the humble mind of Christ in full acceptance of who we are in Him (recipients of HIS power) is important. It's a very ME oriented society in which we live, and often only if people see Jesus in our living our day by day lives will they want to come to Him. They gotta know that it works to live in Him! The total balance of His authority and His servanthood are as crucial in our lives as they are in His!

DittoMCP Wrote:

The only problem is that too many christians, in this instance...like so many others, would rather listen to what people say and think, than to find Him, in His Word.

Jesus gave the disciples the power to defeat the enemy. He also gave us power to heal the sick and raise the dead.
You wouldn't know it, though, because so many christians, mistakenly, ask Him to come heal the sick.
When I've taught this, I was shot down, by people, who said, "We don't have that power."
I replied that Jesus isn't here and they offered that it's the Holy Spirit, they're asking. However, in Mark, chapter four, Christ said the pharisees had blasphemed the Holy Spirit by calling the work, He (Christ) had done," the work of Beelzebub."

In other words, we're to do the exact same thing, He did. If we learn how, through His Word, we'll have a joyous time. Otherwise, we'll sit and wonder why He isn't doing His work.
(Unfortunately, the answer to that is simple: WE are the ones, who are called to do His work.....He told us to "labor until (He) comes."

DittoMCP Wrote:

The only problem is this: Many of them would rather listen to things that have become "religious reason," (anybody, who knows me, knows that I do not equate religion and christianty because religion is man's idea, whereas Christianity is God's Way), rather than actually seek the Lord for what they need.
It's evident, every time someone tells me, "I don't know if God....." or when someone prays and asks God to do something, "if it's Your will."
The thing is, the Word tells us what is and isn't His will and if we know what it says, we don't need to ask.

OK, now we come to where we need to be careful with what we are talking about. In other words, take care to say it right.

Firstly but not foremost, using the term religion out of context is common with man. This is what religion really is: James 1:26 If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain. 1:27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

Secondly but foremost, there is no problem with asking God if something could be in His will. For instance if we are unclear about what is happening in our or someone elses life. The best we can do is ask God to help according to His will (if it be Your Will) or if we feel impressed to even go further with our own belief of what's right, we ask God for it to be His will. An open request to God the Father if you will. And again, there are times our own minds are unclear about Gods purpose so what choice is there but to say "If it be Your Will" Lord.

And to crush the devil ourselves. Nope, it is written: Jude 1:8 Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities. 1:9 Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee. 1:10 But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves. 1:11 Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core. That job is completed by the Word Himself, not us.

Well said, Timmy! Thank you, Sir!

The Parson Wrote:

DittoMCP Wrote:

The only problem is this: Many of them would rather listen to things that have become "religious reason," (anybody, who knows me, knows that I do not equate religion and christianty because religion is man's idea, whereas Christianity is God's Way), rather than actually seek the Lord for what they need.
It's evident, every time someone tells me, "I don't know if God....." or when someone prays and asks God to do something, "if it's Your will."
The thing is, the Word tells us what is and isn't His will and if we know what it says, we don't need to ask.

OK, now we come to where we need to be careful with what we are talking about. In other words, take care to say it right.

Firstly but not foremost, using the term religion out of context is common with man. This is what religion really is: James 1:26 If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain. 1:27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

Secondly but foremost, there is no problem with asking God if something could be in His will. For instance if we are unclear about what is happening in our or someone elses life. The best we can do is ask God to help according to His will (if it be Your Will) or if we feel impressed to even go further with our own belief of what's right, we ask God for it to be His will. An open request to God the Father if you will. And again, there are times our own minds are unclear about Gods purpose so what choice is there but to say "If it be Your Will" Lord.

And to crush the devil ourselves. Nope, it is written: Jude 1:8 Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities. 1:9 Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee. 1:10 But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves. 1:11 Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core. That job is completed by the Word Himself, not us.

Tim,
I agree with you, except for one thing: In today's society, the term religion encompasses every house of worship, whether they worship the Risen King or not.
You got people, with religious spirit, who are Jehovah's Witnesses and even members of The Metropolitan Community Church, where they're infamous for twisting the scriptures to make homosexuality appear to be Godly.

So, with the way religion has taken its on view of things, to me, Christianity (God's Way) is what we're interested in. I have had arguement, after arguement, with people, who demand that Jesus is no more God than is Mohammed or Buddha and I'm sure you agree, when I say that the difference is His empty tomb.

That tomb is also the beginning and neverending basis of what we believe.
Having said this, I have a problem, when people come up and demand that their idols are just as able to get them into God's holy heaven, as is Jesus Christ.

A few months ago, a man told me he thinks the reason Christ's tomb is empty is "because the disciples stole the body," and I replied that, in itself, that is the oldest lie, in the Book (explaining that it's even recording in the Word of God).
I went on to explain that these cowardly disciples, who had fled in fear for their lives, three nights earlier, had, somehow, become supermen and, without any weapons, overcame 12 armed guards.

So, when you find people, who are arguing Freedom of Religion means any place of worship will get them to heaven (i.e. - including Buddha, to name one), you see why I have a problem, with the modern day use of the word.

Graceblest Wrote:

Well said, Timmy! Thank you, Sir!

The Parson Wrote:

DittoMCP Wrote:

The only problem is this: Many of them would rather listen to things that have become "religious reason," (anybody, who knows me, knows that I do not equate religion and christianty because religion is man's idea, whereas Christianity is God's Way), rather than actually seek the Lord for what they need.
It's evident, every time someone tells me, "I don't know if God....." or when someone prays and asks God to do something, "if it's Your will."
The thing is, the Word tells us what is and isn't His will and if we know what it says, we don't need to ask.

OK, now we come to where we need to be careful with what we are talking about. In other words, take care to say it right.

Firstly but not foremost, using the term religion out of context is common with man. This is what religion really is: James 1:26 If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain. 1:27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

Secondly but foremost, there is no problem with asking God if something could be in His will. For instance if we are unclear about what is happening in our or someone elses life. The best we can do is ask God to help according to His will (if it be Your Will) or if we feel impressed to even go further with our own belief of what's right, we ask God for it to be His will. An open request to God the Father if you will. And again, there are times our own minds are unclear about Gods purpose so what choice is there but to say "If it be Your Will" Lord.

And to crush the devil ourselves. Nope, it is written: Jude 1:8 Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities. 1:9 Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee. 1:10 But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves. 1:11 Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core. That job is completed by the Word Himself, not us.

Quote:

DittoMCP
Tim,
I agree with you, except for one thing: In today's society, the term religion encompasses every house of worship, whether they worship the Risen King or not.
You got people, with religious spirit, who are Jehovah's Witnesses and even members of The Metropolitan Community Church, where they're infamous for twisting the scriptures to make homosexuality appear to be Godly.

So, with the way religion has taken its on view of things, to me, Christianity (God's Way) is what we're interested in. I have had arguement, after arguement, with people, who demand that Jesus is no more God than is Mohammed or Buddha and I'm sure you agree, when I say that the difference is His empty tomb.

That tomb is also the beginning and neverending basis of what we believe.
Having said this, I have a problem, when people come up and demand that their idols are just as able to get them into God's holy heaven, as is Jesus Christ.

A few months ago, a man told me he thinks the reason Christ's tomb is empty is "because the disciples stole the body," and I replied that, in itself, that is the oldest lie, in the Book (explaining that it's even recording in the Word of God).
I went on to explain that these cowardly disciples, who had fled in fear for their lives, three nights earlier, had, somehow, become supermen and, without any weapons, overcame 12 armed guards.

So, when you find people, who are arguing Freedom of Religion means any place of worship will get them to heaven (i.e. - including Buddha, to name one), you see why I have a problem, with the modern day use of the word.

Add to that the fact that most of the Apostles died very gruesome deaths. If they stole the body then they not only died for a lie but they knew it was a lie. If that was the case surely one of them would have cracked and the whole house of cards would have come tumbling down.