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Growth The Zoe Life

Skipper

Skipper

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K.Wuest says the zoe life is the resurrection life which the set apart enjoy. I like that. And that resurrection life must include a level of Joy. In John 1, It says "In Him is Life and that Life is the Light men. Without JesusGod, we'd be in total darkness. As I struggle with a lack of Joy sometimes, I have to ask myself, what has caused me to unplug from the source of zoe, that resurrection life? JesusGod also says, "I have come to give you life and that you may have it more abundantly". Same word zoe here. Right in the midst of all our confusement and denominational differences, I believe we are still suppose to experience that zoe. Unless of course we've unplugged from our "Life Support" system. And of course the enemy of our soul would like nothing better.
 
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Good morning Brother Skipper. To me the Greek word ZOE is just interpreted as the word LIFE, but we as the righteousness of God can enjoy the benefit of New Life in Christ (2 Cor 5:21). Now regardless the spiritual walk we experience as we submit to the Holy Spirit's leading, love, joy, and peace are available to us as fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22).

You mentioned unplugging our life support system, and undoubtedly David must have felt that way as he called out to God in
Psa 51:12 Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.
:wave2
 
Skipper said:
As I struggle with a lack of Joy sometimes, I have to ask myself, what has caused me to unplug from the source of zoe, that resurrection life?
Click to expand...
Well, one problem might be putting more into the word "zoe" than it can hold. The "Zoe" we have by being connected to God is eternal life. That's not always going to be a joyful experience while we're still on this earth.
We don't get to have joy all the time. Loved one's die. People suffer from diseases. People are the victims of crimes.
Jesus said that in this world you will have tribulation. (Jhn 16:33) That isn't joyful.
Jesus said his disciples would be persecuted. (Jhn 15:20) That's not joyful.
Mar 13:9 "But take heed to yourselves; for they will deliver you up to councils; and you will be beaten in synagogues" That's not joyful.
There is no guarantee of joy in this world and I am very circumspect about people who are always happy.

Jesus said he would give us His peace.
Jhn 14:27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.
So, if we practice putting our trust in God, (and it takes practice) we can have peace in the midst of tribulation and persecution and beatings and imprisonments....just like Paul.

iakov the fool
 
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when I mentioned unplugging from our Life Support system, meaning Jesus of course, I had been reading yesterday morning; Finding Hope Again by Neil Anderson. He had made the comment that the enemy of our soul attacks our minds through reasoning. If he can get us to reason wrong, he can weaken our faith. And so over a period of time, we're not even thinking right thoughts or truth thoughts, and he starts getting the upper hand in the battle for our minds. My thought is, if he can get us thinking wrong with the wrong theology, it wont be long before it affects our relationship with the Lord. Before long we start "unplugging" and we arnt even aware of it. I personally know quite a few Christians who are having a crisis of faith maybe because their reasonings are alittle off. I like your point Jim about Peace, but sometimes we're not plugging into His peace either, and I think maybe sometimes the enemy of our souls attempts to rob us of our peace through wrong thinking/reasoning.
 
A very good and needed thread Skipper, thank you. I really liked what you said about being unplugged. I don't think I've ever thought of it just that way. I wonder about myself, how much in a day that I'm unplugged. Hmmm probably when I'm violating this verse....Colossians 3:1 "If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 3:2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth."

So, that zoe life that you're writing about cannot be mine if my mind is totally on the things of the world. I'm retired now but when I was working as a heavy equipment operator, I was alone in the cab of the bucket loader or dozer, and while I was connected with the world and worldly men, I could still have communion with Jesus thru out the day.
 
Well Chopper, you remind me of a scenario that happened to me awhile ago when you mentioned your heavy equipment experience. I was involved in "unjust suffering" for a few weeks. K. Wuest says when Christians are subjected to unjust suffering as a result of God's will, He will make our soul/spirit prosperous. Chuck Swindoll says the same thing. I remember back to that experience, and I did have an energy that I would have to say was from the Holy Spirit, and it helped me keep my attitude in check. We may have to give something up in our unjust suffering "episodes", but I thing I would rather be prospered in my soul anyway. Like you said, Col 3:1 we should be seeking those things which are above. Wuest says the things of earth are not necessarily evil in and of themselves, it's when they take preference over the things above that they become sin. Andrew Murray says something like, My soul, you wait only upon God; my hands and feet may have to be intently engaged in the duties of this day, but my soul will wait on God. I like that. Easy for me to say, but quite hard at times to focus on.
 
Jim Parker said:
Well, one problem might be putting more into the word "zoe" than it can hold. The "Zoe" we have by being connected to God is eternal life. That's not always going to be a joyful experience while we're still on this earth.
We don't get to have joy all the time. Loved one's die. People suffer from diseases. People are the victims of crimes.
Jesus said that in this world you will have tribulation. (Jhn 16:33) That isn't joyful.
Jesus said his disciples would be persecuted. (Jhn 15:20) That's not joyful.
Mar 13:9 "But take heed to yourselves; for they will deliver you up to councils; and you will be beaten in synagogues" That's not joyful.
There is no guarantee of joy in this world and I am very circumspect about people who are always happy.

Jesus said he would give us His peace.
Jhn 14:27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.
So, if we practice putting our trust in God, (and it takes practice) we can have peace in the midst of tribulation and persecution and beatings and imprisonments....just like Paul.

iakov the fool
Click to expand...
Hi Parker,
What's you opinion on this:

I find there to be a difference between happiness and joy.

Everything you say above is right. I don't always feel joy. But could we call it happiness?
I'm not always happy. Life happens, as you've stated and we will have tribulation.

But can we not have the joy of the Lord?
A deep joy that goes beyond just being happy. Something that stays with us. A knowing of who we are in Christ and that we are children of God.

For instance, a new car could make me happy, but it cannot give me joy.
Only the knowledge of God can give joy.

I've found this distinction to help me along my walk.

Wondering
 
Skipper said:
He had made the comment that the enemy of our soul attacks our minds through reasoning. If he can get us to reason wrong, he can weaken our faith.
Click to expand...
I have observed that students, rather than being taught HOW to think, are being taught WHAT to think. Far too many people have not been taught to think logically and are easily misled by a skilled scammer. (ANd the devil invented the scam.)

All the devil has to do is distort the truth a little bit, like substituting the pop culture definition of "love" for the 1 Cor 13 version and he can make the (false) case that God doesn't really love you.
Skipper said:
...sometimes we're not plugging into His peace either, and I think maybe sometimes the enemy of our souls attempts to rob us of our peace through wrong thinking/reasoning.
Click to expand...
In life, we have many problems. Sometimes multiple, difficult ones at the same time. If we approach the problems as if we were alone and had to solve them without any help, we can easily be overwhelmed because many aspects of life are not within our ability to control. (like what the rest of the 7 billion+ people on earth will do)
If we invite God into the process, everything changes. Then we can do whatever we are able to do and then let God take care of the things that are beyond our control. The challenge then becomes, (1) quit trying to do what only God can do; (2) trust that God is faithful to do what needs to be done ans (3) stop worrying about it and trust that God will do what is best for you. (Whenever the devil reminds you of the big problem you have, tell him to shut up and go away and quit bothering you because God is handling it.)
Mat 6:25 (NKJV) 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?
Mat 6:28 So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin;
Mat 6:31 Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?' or ‘What shall we drink?' or ‘What shall we wear?'
Mat 6:34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
Trusting God, having faith, believing that God will do what is necessary is a CHOICE. The devil tries to get us to stop trusting because, if he can get you to stop trusting, it's not too far from not believing. Every time he does that, we need to make the choice to trust God again; to re-affirm that we have put ourselves in His hands.
The devil won't quit (because he's a schmuck) and we can't quit either.
We have to remember that He who is in me is greater than he who is in the world. (1Jo 4:4)

Plug in. Crank it up to 11.:rocking

iakov the fool
 
Skipper said:
Well Chopper, you remind me of a scenario that happened to me awhile ago when you mentioned your heavy equipment experience. I was involved in "unjust suffering" for a few weeks. K. Wuest says when Christians are subjected to unjust suffering as a result of God's will, He will make our soul/spirit prosperous. Chuck Swindoll says the same thing. I remember back to that experience, and I did have an energy that I would have to say was from the Holy Spirit, and it helped me keep my attitude in check. We may have to give something up in our unjust suffering "episodes", but I thing I would rather be prospered in my soul anyway. Like you said, Col 3:1 we should be seeking those things which are above. Wuest says the things of earth are not necessarily evil in and of themselves, it's when they take preference over the things above that they become sin. Andrew Murray says something like, My soul, you wait only upon God; my hands and feet may have to be intently engaged in the duties of this day, but my soul will wait on God. I like that. Easy for me to say, but quite hard at times to focus on.
Click to expand...

O boy, are you right!! I don't know if I could really say that my unjust suffering was because of my position with Christ Jesus, but just to be around a bunch of unsaved truck drivers and other heavy equipment operators, the language and topics of the day were not for a Christians ears. There were times that I could back out of their conversation, but when having lunch in a specified location, I was a prisoner for that half hour.

I can identify with Lot. He was living in the midst of very sinful men and it vexed his righteous spirit. I'm glad that God has not placed me in that kind of situation, and as bad as some of my situations were, at that time, I was able to single out a few men and witnessed to them.

You said, "my hands and feet may have to be intently engaged in the duties of this day, but my soul will wait on God." I really liked that statement, and how true it is to the Believer who is committed to keep his focus on his spiritual life thru out the day. I'd like to know more about Zoe life. Since you identified yourself as my Son, now everyone will wonder why I'm not as smart and spiritual as you are.:rofl2Love You my Son Skipper. :hug
 
Skipper You are blessed to be Choppers kid and Chop is blessed to have you for a son! I have the utmost respect for your Dad :)
 
Thanks Reba, I am blessed, He's a great Dad and has stuck with God through thick and thin.
 
As did my dad... :) Nice to have you here.. as a PK i am sure you understand not every one in a group thinks alike.. but we all love the Lord
 
"The Messiah is not divided", but it sure is hard to keep His "Body" "intact" at times.
 
Thank you Reba. Hey Skip, this Reba is the most godly woman that I've met on the internet. She helped me so much when I first started in CF.net. I, every morning, pray for her Husband John to be saved. O the heart of my buddy Reba would sing praises to God over John's Salvation so loud that her wonderful preacher Dad would hear it.

So Skip, I asking you to pray for John's Salvation each morning, and where two agree, it will be done. Actually three, Reba, me and you. Oh boy, I can hardly wait for Reba to tell us, JOHN'S SAVED!!
 
O by the way Reba, Skipper and I have the last name Allen. That makes Skip and I the "A Team" when it comes to prayer. When the A TEAM prays, things happen!!
 
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