Weekly Spiritual Discipline

[ded2daworld]

I'm not going to get in a long discussion about tongues with you Ref.We interpret scripture differently and I have read much stuff concerning tongues. With most things, there are at least 2 sides to every issue and I'm not going hunting for the research I read on it 40 years ago...and you can't say that I have to speak in tongues to understand what you're talking about because I've done that too. :Peace2:

[reFORMer]

In some ways I agree with what you said, only it is inappropriate, a stumbling block when encouraging someone else to seek the Holy Spirit.  We should open wide the door to God's storehouse.  I believe when we refuse anything, including tongues, that God expressly says He wants us to have, we are hindering the fullness of the Spirit.  We are digging in our heels so God has to drag us on in, if He wills.  The scripture that says He wants us to prophesy even more than to speak in tongues is really radical to me.  What would respect for that do to our usual way of meeting?  If there is so much opposition to speaking in unknown tongues, how much more will they be against us when we speak in known languages by the Holy Spirit?

Tongues are not necessary for salvation and it doesn't necessarily mean you're more spiritual if you speak in tongues.  It's like a friend said to me some years ago, "I don't know what unknown tongue she used in church; but I certainly know the tongue she used at home to slice her husband to shreds."

[ded2daworld]

I thought I was encouraging to seek the"deep things of the spirit.
My point was that it seemed like you were encouraging people to seek after tongues, which is not the same thing
as even some non-christian groups have the phenomena of tongues.
I thought I indicated to seek after the spirit - if tongues come - great. If they don't - praise God and don't beat yourself up over not receiving what he hasn't planned for you. Sorry for my inability to make myself clear. :Peace2:

[Lloyd]

I started this thread so I could discuss emotions and plans each week. One thing I think I should do is maintain a friendly attitude and focus on productive discussion.

I seem to get my best inspiration in the mornings and this morning the idea came to me to finish plans to carry the gospel to public servants et al. So I then called my brother to discuss that with him and he agreed to work with me on that, as well as to involve his kids.

So now I'm planning to start doing that first in 3 locations: 1. online; 2. in our local town; 3. in a nearby city. Locally, I'm thinking of having weekly meetings for it. Online teleconferences or something might be good too.

I think public servants might need a reminder of Matthew 25:34-40, which says: Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: [35] For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: [36] Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. [37] Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? [38] When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? [39] Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? [40] And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

I'm interested in other good passages for public servants too and in how to plan each type of meeting online and locally.

[dajomaco]

There are a lot of civil servants, who do good works.
Being paid to help the poor and treat people with dignity,
Is still helping the poor and treating people with dignity.

[marie glen]

I started this thread so I could discuss emotions and plans each week. One thing I think I should do is maintain a friendly attitude and focus on productive discussion.

I seem to get my best inspiration in the mornings and this morning the idea came to me to finish plans to carry the gospel to public servants et al. So I then called my brother to discuss that with him and he agreed to work with me on that, as well as to involve his kids.

So now I'm planning to start doing that first in 3 locations: 1. online; 2. in our local town; 3. in a nearby city. Locally, I'm thinking of having weekly meetings for it. Online teleconferences or something might be good too.

I think public servants might need a reminder of Matthew 25:34-40, which says: Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: [35] For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: [36] Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. [37] Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? [38] When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? [39] Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? [40] And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

I'm interested in other good passages for public servants too and in how to plan each type of meeting online and locally.

Years ago I joined a ministering to women in jail group.. It became my job to write material and copy for leaving with the women, when our visits were over. I tried to make it attractive, enjoyable and informative. But then I dropped out of organized 'church' (tho I might change my ways when I get a little older and have less family responsibilities and when I am able to quietly stand up for UR without being 'bullied' or anything :smile: )

As of now, all I do is online.. except for family things and a big reunion of family and friends we have annually. It's not preaching or outreach or anything, just Bibles around, stuffed bookshelves, and my painting of Jesus and His sheep which faces the door as they walk in, which my mom painted originally for my grandmother. Some verses on the fridge along with the grandkids latest works of art. Nature and flowers thriving reflecting God's beauty. And some reaLLy good grub and a very good visiting reunion time for all. Very friendly and relaxed atmosphere.. Three generations, at least.

I did years ago used to send out Christmas cards with 5 to 10 scripture verses describing salvation and the Kingdom/restored paradise to come.. and I did reap quite a bit of fruit from that! On both sides of the family and also with friends. One year I sent out about 70 cards! I'm not bragging, it's just that it was such a simple thing to do.. low key..

I also got involved for a short while visiting nursing homes and visiting and praying with the precious patients there.. I used to go to craft stores and buy these very nice felt roses, and some inexpensive, but nice little vases, some were just nice looking bottles from a thrift store or something. We would distribute some of those with a tag or title which said "God is Love" 1 Jn 4:8. No wait! It was a bookmarker with a red rose on it and the verse. And some pictures of Jesus, with verses, that sort of thing. The flowers with vase were sort of a hit with the little elderly ladies.. I always wanted to find something a bit more masculine, instead of the flowers for the men, but never did come up with anything.. A plaque of some sort would've worked! That fishermen for Jesus book, or what's that called, everything you need to know a fisherman knows? Sometimes folks in nursing homes and hospitals need favors.. like a pad of paper.. a letter delivered.. you know.. something to make life a little easier while they are there. Of course in nursing homes just visiting and listening to what folks had to say, about life, about their life.. was a great thing/service.

I always liked useful things.. doing something low key but was useful. Not glory seeking, but helpful. These days, when I'm not being a hermit or hermit wannabe, I smile. I try to be very accepting and receiving. Do you know that most people very much want to be accepted.. for just who they are. Appreciated. And the world is pretty much mostly opposite. So christians can make an impact just being friendly, loving.. People know when they are liked and when they are not liked, so this is all most important in any outreach.

I've always thought a nice home group or gathering would be nice.. if folks you work with on this can invite people they are acquainted with.. print up a little material, make it attractive and inviting, on what the group or gathering is about.. You know what? People want to know!! People are seeking and are thirsty and hungry for truth.. So, first of all, we have to know the truth.. if we come around with a bunch of gibberish.. Some weird theory we cannot clearly point to in the scripture.. or some high falutin' mumbo jumbo.. forget it! from the get go. People searching want to hear good down to earth truth they can get their teeth into. :hithere: ..and no weird drama.. jes my  :2c:

[Lloyd]

Thank you. Have you shared Matthew 25: 34-40 with others, regarding what we do for the least we do for God? Do you know of similar quotes for public servants & co? I'm sure I'll find some more too.

[marie glen]

I guess I really haven't.. But it's a great idea.. why I think I'll go to another forum or two right now and start a discussion on it! :thumbsup:

I love how the Young's Literal Translation says it! ---

Matthew 25:34-40 - Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

34 `Then shall the king say to those on his right hand, Come ye, the blessed of my Father, inherit the reign that hath been prepared for you from the foundation of the world;

35 for I did hunger, and ye gave me to eat; I did thirst, and ye gave me to drink; I was a stranger, and ye received me;

36 naked, and ye put around me; I was infirm, and ye looked after me; in prison I was, and ye came unto me.

37 `Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when did we see thee hungering, and we nourished? or thirsting, and we gave to drink?

38 and when did we see thee a stranger, and we received? or naked, and we put around?

39 and when did we see thee infirm, or in prison, and we came unto thee?

40 `And the king answering, shall say to them, Verily I say to you, Inasmuch as ye did [it] to one of these my brethren -- the least -- to me ye did [it].

[ http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2025:%2034-40&version=KJV;NRSV;CEV;NASB;YLT ]

[Lloyd]

Marie, I hope you can tell us how the discussion goes on your other forum or forums. I suppose you could provide a link to each one here, if you like.

I now started another thread just to discuss matters related to Matthew 25:34-40, so I hope to have productive discussion of that there and focus on discussing plans and emotions here.

[marie glen]

I saw the best picture or painting of the triumphal entry today, it was on a youtube video, the link of which someone had posted.. I had to pause the video and rewind. I tried googling a bit, but the best one I came up with was here - though I didn't read the article! This picture came to mind when I read your post:

http://lifestyle.inquirer.net/95709/palm-sunday-balancing-worship-with-mystery (I don't know what the articles about..)

The article says it's "Manuel Baldemor's Moment's With Christ" painting

blessings..

[marie glen]

I think of emotions as often, or almost always..? a smoke screen.. we humans do a lot of reacting, until we are grounded in the Lord and the Word...?

because we humans/mortals, can 'feel' all sorts of things, including that God is not for us.. or we are not saved, or what not.. but our faith "rests" in Him and His Word. No matter, how or what, we 'feel', it's the Word which is true. .."the Word which is close to us, even in our mouths" Paul said. Even were we to be stoned! God is with us and we have inherited (eternal) life by believing in Jesus the One He sent forth. John 17:3 -"And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent." We have-been reconciled to Him through Jesus and the cross. And, as we know, "all things in heaven and earth" will be reconciled to Him.." But all believers (who believe b4 their death) are the "firstfruits at His coming" and 1st resurrection.]

..just some thoughts on "emotions" :smile:

[eaglesway]

People are different from one another. Their emotional make up is different. The way they respond to situations and to one another are widely diverse. This is how God teaches us love.

We react to "how" people do things. We measure and judge according to our own perspectives and standards.

IMO God is not so concerned with how well we analyze and discern others as He is about how we "react" to their actions.

WHen you squeeze a dry sponge you get dust.

When you squeeze a wet sponge you get water.

What comes out when I get squeezed?

Can I discern and analyze my way out of my reactions? Or is it simply a matter of getting in the water. Absorbing more of God. Moving my core out of the brain realm and into the heart realm so that my soul serves my spirit rather than quenching it.

Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed. Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday. Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass. Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil. For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth. For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be. But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.
(Psa 37:3-11)

Just thoughts.

Be still and know that I am God.

Get in the water. Be baptized in the divine nature. Wait, I say, wait thou upon the Lord :o)

[redhotmagma]

People are different from one another. Their emotional make up is different. The way they respond to situations and to one another are widely diverse. This is how God teaches us love.

We react to "how" people do things. We measure and judge according to our own perspectives and standards.

IMO God is not so concerned with how well we analyze and discern others as He is about how we "react" to their actions.

WHen you squeeze a dry sponge you get dust.

When you squeeze a wet sponge you get water.

What comes out when I get squeezed?

Can I discern and analyze my way out of my reactions? Or is it simply a matter of getting in the water. Absorbing more of God. Moving my core out of the brain realm and into the heart realm so that my soul serves my spirit rather than quenching it.

Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed. Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday. Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass. Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil. For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth. For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be. But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.
(Psa 37:3-11)

Just thoughts.

Be still and know that I am God.

Get in the water. Be baptized in the divine nature. Wait, I say, wait thou upon the Lord :o)

amen bro  :HeartThrob:

[marie glen]

.....Be still and know that I am God.

Get in the water. Be baptized in the divine nature. Wait, I say, wait thou upon the Lord :o)

Amen and ab-so-lutely! That is our number one occupation! :smile:  :mthumbsup:

[Lloyd]

Marie said: I think of emotions as often, or almost always..? a smoke screen.. we humans do a lot of reacting, until we are grounded in the Lord and the Word...? because we humans/mortals, can 'feel' all sorts of things, including that God is not for us.. or we are not saved, or what not.. but our faith "rests" in Him and His Word.

Saying "I feel God is not for me" doesn't really mention a feeling or emotion. It's a thought. There may or may not be a feeling behind the statement. If there is a feeling, it could be anything from sadness to apathy to terror, or even to joy, if one dislikes the idea of "God".

No matter, how or what, we 'feel', it's the Word which is true.

I think that's why Jesus spoke of darkness and light. When we have a bad feeling, we usually assume that the feeling is telling us that someone or something harmed us. But it's really telling us that we are harming ourselves by having accepted a false belief. Others can cause us physical harm, but for the most part only we can harm ourselves emotionally, by accepting false beliefs.

Just as God gives us physical pain to warn us when something is harming our bodies, He gives us emotional pain when our false beliefs are harming our minds. So our bad feelings/emotions are gifts from God to encourage us to let go of our false beliefs.

.."the Word which is close to us, even in our mouths" Paul said. Even were we to be stoned! God is with us and we have inherited (eternal) life by believing in Jesus the One He sent forth.

Believing means doing, not just thinking or liking.

John 17:3 -"And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent."

To know God and Jesus means to follow in their steps.

We have-been reconciled to Him through Jesus and the cross. And, as we know, "all things in heaven and earth" will be reconciled to Him.." But all believers (who believe b4 their death) are the "firstfruits at His coming" and 1st resurrection.]

Believers are doers, not just thinkers or talkers. We are reconciled by following his example. Anyone who is afraid to follow his example of Love for all needs to find the false belief underlying the fear and let God remove it.

Eaglesway said: IMO God is not so concerned with how well we analyze and discern others as He is about how we "react" to their actions.

God gives us tools to use to help understand Him and to help determine how to carry out His will. Analysis is one such tool. It's God who provides the logic behind analysis. Selfishness can twist logic to suit itself instead of God, just as it can abuse any other tool. Tools can be used for good or ill. Many ET Christians have an irrational prejudice against and fear of logic, analysis, science etc, thinking that it's a tool of the devil to lead us away from God. But that's nonsense based on fear. It was Christians, such as Cardinal Nicolas of Cusa, who initiated the idea of science and government for the common people back in the 1400s and thereafter and it was based on Biblical principles of Love for all. Before that in the Middle Ages Christians were greatly into symbolic thinking, so they seem to have thought that everything is symbolic, instead of real. This kept them in ignorance and poverty. Science greatly improved conditions for everyone and was surely a gift from God. Science is used for great evil as well, but it's up to humanity to spiritually outgrow evil motives.

[reFORMer]

God gives us tools to use to help understand Him and to help determine how to carry out His will. Analysis is one such tool. It's God who provides the logic behind analysis. Selfishness can twist logic to suit itself instead of God, just as it can abuse any other tool. Tools can be used for good or ill. Many ET Christians have an irrational prejudice against and fear of logic, analysis, science etc, thinking that it's a tool of the devil to lead us away from God. But that's nonsense based on fear. It was Christians, such as Cardinal Nicolas of Cusa, who initiated the idea of science and government for the common people back in the 1400s and thereafter and it was based on Biblical principles of Love for all. Before that in the Middle Ages Christians were greatly into symbolic thinking, so they seem to have thought that everything is symbolic, instead of real. This kept them in ignorance and poverty. Science greatly improved conditions for everyone and was surely a gift from God. Science is used for great evil as well, but it's up to humanity to spiritually outgrow evil motives.

I have limited knowledge about much of history; but, my understanding is that it was not symbolic thinking that held men in the west in darkness for so long a time.  Early on, as the Eclessia was being replaced with an institutional bureaucracy intent on copying the authority structure of the Roman Empire, the doctrinal changes were several.  One source was Constantine's creation of a Christian priesthood paid for by the Empire as well as creating temples for meetings.  These were like other pagan religions, but new to Christians.  Having just come through the worst period of persecution in the end of the AD 200's, the Diocletian Persecution, when all copies of Scripture that could be found were destroyed and all leaders that could be found were slaughtered, those who got the jobs as priests were men trained in Greco-Roman Rhetoric.  These men also were indoctrinated in Platonic thought.  Of special importance was his two realms, the ideal was the more permanent, where a circle could be perfect, and then the real, where circles were not perfect, and could come and go.  Had they been Stoics who had a proto-scientific method, testing with observation, humanity may have walked on the moon as early as 500 AD.  The prevailing Aristotelian philosophy led to a period I think was called "Classicism," that referred, for instance, to the writings of the Greek physician Galen somewhat as we refer to the Bible.  This was a long period in which there were few books and few scholars.  Slowly, drawings of actual but forbidden human dissections corrected Galen, revealing he had used the anatomy of pigs for much of his drawings.  Then came rediscoveries of Greek manuscripts.  I'm leaving out a lot, but the discovery of steam power was really the take-off point for modern science, at least for scientists' version of the story.  There was much peace in the period carnal men have labeled The Dark Ages, however.

[reFORMer]

I googled to find the name of the author of the little booklet I mention at the end below and found this that I authored and posted in city-data in 2008.  It blessed me so much that, along with the quote from Kircher, I put it here (I'm JamesMRohde.)

_____________________________________________

Sacrificial love, not only of your enemies, but love even as Christ has loved us is what fulfills God's purpose of reproducing His image and likeness in us. Most think it's so hard to do it's just best to not think about it or it only applies to certain special very religious people. Actually it is what is required of all of us. God's goodness and lovingkindness even to the unthankful and antagonistic is the example He holds up to us as He commands us, "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." (Mat 5:48) No need to strap on the guilt generating machine. God is love and you're not God. The manifesting presence of the Holy Spirit is what produces this Divine quality in our lives.

But in the process of bringing it about there are some "dealings" along the way. Judgment, which is "to set things right," that God executes upon us to separate us out from the transient Adam nature into His own Divine life, growth that leaves childish things behind, and rejection from those to whom we've done good. We are not to treat people the way we think they are or we end up condemning the innocent. However we treat people is the way we are. We are to love sincerely without respect of persons to be like our Father in the heavens. Many try to convince you they are behaving a certain way toward you because of how you are. It is so common to hear, "You made me mad." That statement reveals a very immature and self-deceived soul. We are not here for a life of self realization or self gratification. Forget that and trust the faithful Creator to fulfill you. The issue is not how good of a friend we can get for ourself; but, how good of a friend we can be to those who have few to bless them, like widows and the fatherless, those disabled, aged or needy. If we faithfully do our duty to love those God puts in our way I bear witness in my own life to the truth we will be blessed beyond measure. It's ignorance of what transpires in the invisible realms that would go another way.

I've been greatly helped over the years by a statement I memorized from a little pamphlet from Moody Press called "The Way of Love" by Robert Kircher, a single man who raised I think it was 40 orphans. He said, "If I have a glass of water here and a glass of milk there and upset them both, what comes out of them? Why, water out of the water glass and milk out of the milk glass; so, if somebody upsets you, don't blame them for what comes out. It's only what's in you that can come out. It's your fault for having it in you in the first place."

Read more: http://www.city-data.com/forum/christianity/370357-divine-connections-scriptures-praying-holy-spirit.html#ixzz3qD1NBb00

[marie glen]

Lloyd wrote: "a bad feeling.. is telling us that someone or something harmed us. But it's really telling us that we are harming ourselves by having accepted a false belief.."
  :mthumbsup: amen!

reFORMer wrote: "love even as Christ has loved us is what fulfills God's purpose of reproducing His image and likeness in us... " ..and, "The manifesting presence of the Holy Spirit is what produces this Divine quality in our lives."
  :mthumbsup: amen! "His yoke is easy, His burden light.." but it's a "narrow way"!

reFORMer wrote: ..."However we treat people is the way we are" And the illustration of the water and milk by Robert Kircher, a single man who raised I think it was 40 orphans(! :mthumbsup: :mthumbsup:) was excellent and right on!

    ....and I loved the history lesson! (summary) :smile:

[Lloyd]

Saying "What comes out of us is what was in us, not in someone else" might be easier to understand for most people, than saying "Any time we are disturbed, no matter what the cause, there is something wrong with us". If we keep experimenting with our phrasing, maybe God will show us the wording that will be most readily understood.

Looks like I may have hired someone to help me do local charity. I wasn't planning to hire anyone for that, but they were in need, so it seemed that making a trade is better than just providing a free handout, although that would be okay too.

My main bad feeling now is worry about getting into too much responsibility. That seems to stem from Dad having put too much responsibility on me in childhood and adolescence. I felt like a slave under him and I've had a habit of fleeing from too much responsibility ever since then, so that I've not used very well the talents God gave me to use for making "profits" for Him, as per Matt. 25. I'm a bit embarrassed about that and have a guilt feeling, which I accept as appropriate as a reminder of what God would advise me to do. Anyway, I've been kind of enslaved to the fear of responsibility, which is little better than enslavement under Dad. So I thank God for releasing me from this fear so that I can be much more responsible henceforth and thus "profitable" for Him.