Blake
Member
- Oct 7, 2014
- 1,000
- 611
The blessings of the Lord Jesus Christ be upon all of you,
I exhort you in the name of the living God to prayerfully consider the following --
John 15:16
"I HAVE CHOSEN YOU, AND ORDAINED YOU, THAT YE SHOULD GO AND BRING FORTH FRUIT, AND THAT YOUR FRUIT SHOULD REMAIN."
Among us are some who have fallen in love with the Lord and have known that the Spirit has come to dwell within them, perhaps it happened recently, or maybe it was years ago. Glory to God, who is faithful to us, and desires us to be saved! Amen.
Yet there is a disconnection from the source, as though we've become a sail without the wind, sitting in place, looking back at times in which the Spirit of God operated so fully in our lives, and now we sit and bicker about trivial message board posts, devouring our brothers and sisters on one hand and praising God with the other.
It is no sin and there is no shame in studying that we may not be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. There is no wrong in righteous and Christ-centered reproof where it is necessary -- I dare say that we think it far more necessary on message boards than we do in real life, but I digress -- but it is wrong that the whole of our works begin and end in such a way. A return to the "present tense" filling of the Spirit, a future tense "I am being and I will be filled with the Spirit" sort of indwelling should be our focus.
Acts 4:7-8 “Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them...”
Is this our focus? Please, understand that this comes from all love and humility, I am the least among you... but I feel so strongly that some of us are craving that feeling of when we first fell in love with the Lord, maybe realizing all along, just now realizing, or soon coming to realize that our efforts here are a shadow of what once was present within our lives. Dried up and directionless. Quick to anger and judge, slow to forgive, operating less in humility, patience and all good virtues, and more in egotism, in pride, in a haughty nature more concerned with reproof and rebuke than seeking out our own salvation with fear and trembling.
Let us be filled with the Holy Ghost. So often these message boards become fruitless, a hive of favoritism and bickerings of all kinds. I am thinking of no one in particular among you, but following the Spirit's direction in my heart. Glory to Him now and forever, even from I, who am unworthy.
Forgive my offenses against you. I forgive any which have come against me.
Ephesians 5:21
"SUBMITTING YOURSELVES TO ONE ANOTHER IN THE FEAR OF THE LORD."
I Peter 1:22
"SINCE YOU HAVE PURIFIED YOUR SOULS IN OBEYING THE TRUTH THROUGH THE SPIRIT, IN SINCERE LOVE OF THE BRETHREN, LOVE ONE ANOTHER FERVENTLY WITH A PURE HEART."
Amen.
I exhort you in the name of the living God to prayerfully consider the following --
John 15:16
"I HAVE CHOSEN YOU, AND ORDAINED YOU, THAT YE SHOULD GO AND BRING FORTH FRUIT, AND THAT YOUR FRUIT SHOULD REMAIN."
Among us are some who have fallen in love with the Lord and have known that the Spirit has come to dwell within them, perhaps it happened recently, or maybe it was years ago. Glory to God, who is faithful to us, and desires us to be saved! Amen.
Yet there is a disconnection from the source, as though we've become a sail without the wind, sitting in place, looking back at times in which the Spirit of God operated so fully in our lives, and now we sit and bicker about trivial message board posts, devouring our brothers and sisters on one hand and praising God with the other.
It is no sin and there is no shame in studying that we may not be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. There is no wrong in righteous and Christ-centered reproof where it is necessary -- I dare say that we think it far more necessary on message boards than we do in real life, but I digress -- but it is wrong that the whole of our works begin and end in such a way. A return to the "present tense" filling of the Spirit, a future tense "I am being and I will be filled with the Spirit" sort of indwelling should be our focus.
Acts 4:7-8 “Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them...”
Is this our focus? Please, understand that this comes from all love and humility, I am the least among you... but I feel so strongly that some of us are craving that feeling of when we first fell in love with the Lord, maybe realizing all along, just now realizing, or soon coming to realize that our efforts here are a shadow of what once was present within our lives. Dried up and directionless. Quick to anger and judge, slow to forgive, operating less in humility, patience and all good virtues, and more in egotism, in pride, in a haughty nature more concerned with reproof and rebuke than seeking out our own salvation with fear and trembling.
Let us be filled with the Holy Ghost. So often these message boards become fruitless, a hive of favoritism and bickerings of all kinds. I am thinking of no one in particular among you, but following the Spirit's direction in my heart. Glory to Him now and forever, even from I, who am unworthy.
Forgive my offenses against you. I forgive any which have come against me.
Ephesians 5:21
"SUBMITTING YOURSELVES TO ONE ANOTHER IN THE FEAR OF THE LORD."
I Peter 1:22
"SINCE YOU HAVE PURIFIED YOUR SOULS IN OBEYING THE TRUTH THROUGH THE SPIRIT, IN SINCERE LOVE OF THE BRETHREN, LOVE ONE ANOTHER FERVENTLY WITH A PURE HEART."
Amen.
great post Blake. These verses came to my mind when I read this.