If spiritual fitness were the reflection of the continual exercise of giving thanks to the creator of our spirit in all things, is it any wonder why our spiritual man does not look like "Charles Atlas".
Ok, so they failed at making you laugh.
I've often thought how the life cycle of the salmon could symbolize the life of a devout believer in Christ.
Don't worry I'm not looking to beat you into the mood of "Guilt" so you'll send me a tithe offering. I just want to privately encourage you to invest more of "You" into considering how worthy of continual praise our Lord and Savior Jesus truly is by way of thoroughly examining His goodness.
Think of your spiritual being as that of a seed. Should you expect as a seed that you'll germinate and then grow if you're not being watered and fed the nutrients required day to day?
Believe it or not a seed taken from within said fresh "Fruit" must first die in all practical terms before it can then in turn be planted (buried) in order to produce life (more fruit)
I would like to pick back up and expound with this thought in terms of discussing an eternal seed, There is no sovereign "King" where lawlessness freely abounds.
In my own opinion the lawless mind as some choose to believe is not simply the personality that repeatedly breaks a said "Law". Laws are only presented and implemented in order to present the greater "Need".
The lawlessness as defined by the Lord as well the mind which follows is one that has become it's own governance.
Lawlessness only allows itself to be questioned by "Self". It is only willing to respond to "Self" and is only willing to be held accountable to "Self" and its reasoning.
This mindset no longer hungers and thirst for righteousness as if there is ALWAYS more substance to it or is willing to recognize any "greater" need for the thoughts of righteousness in their life.
Such a mindset has lost sight of the value to know the Lord more than they did the day before having become satisfied and committed to what they've assumed as their future that's based on the events of yesterday.
The heart that becomes hardened due to the restraints of this world has set aside the promise found in the words below that would otherwise lead to relief which laws only attempt to present.
The diminished value of any words is when we forget or fail to believe in the "One" which spoke them.
Matt 6:33-34
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. NIV
Often times when I become complacent and satisfied in my vague conclusion(s) as to the depths of God's great "Love" do I then realize what I'd forgotten when I allow truth to revisit. Every day comes with its own set of needs and every need its own prescribed remedy.
With regards to life's weightiest consideration (facing the thought of death) as those moments of fearful anticipation regarding death, the Lord that is also good has already provided its remedy
Rev 2:11
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death
NIV
1 John 3:1
How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!
NIV
Jesus as the believers prime example (as we make ourselves familiar with eternal matters) followed instructions being provided all the way to the time of his death and departure from the realm of this world.
As the first of the beloved, "How can we think on ourselves any differently in terms of our still being here from one day to the next as if the opportunity to encounter a death from an old approach thought to lead us into true life"?
Ps 116:15
Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.
NIV
A living sacrifice is also a slow death.
Our death might not prove to be as sudden, abrupt or as full of impact as was His (Jesus), yet that should not lend itself in our thinking towards our being considered any less with respect to any unfinished business of our mutual Father and all that He has in store for us that do believe (as if our faith) in Christ.
That is to say that not ONLY on another day should we embrace that we are the beloved of the Lord as "The children of God", but instead embracing the thoughts and events of TODAY as if something which participates within a life considered as eternal.
When we don't consider today while moving forward as if a portion of enternity, the net result of today as it an event then loses value.
Nearly all religions believe there is a God that will reward eternal life, yet which "God" in that day will prove to you they're not only capable of providing a life that will not taste a second death, but also "Willing" to provide the "Remainder" of such a great gift as a promise made and kept?
Keeping your heart stayed upon Christ should mean spending less time considering what you are not or better still WERE NOT outside of Christ.
Does being reconciled to the Lord come at a cost to you or WILL it prove to you to be the opportunity to "Know" the Lord here and now? The opporunity to be reconciled to Him as such that's already been paid for without you lifting a finger before it's provided?
When someones heart can accept (believe) that they can Do nothing of themselves in order to receive such a great gift are they then that much closer to being able to recognize the goodness of God.
I believe one of the hardest things man can do for Himself is to do "Nothing" when he doesn't know beyond doubt what to do.
I also believe that when he (man) has become his weakest, he's realized that he can do "Nothing" of value on his own as if something tangible that will also arrive with him into the eternal realm (Kingdom).
That is to say as opposed to how humanity (the world around us) attempts to define "How" anything and everything we've received is a reward or repayment for all that we do.
I TRY to remember that God's goodness is something that I can never repay even if I had 10 life times. With each passing day that I do remember I somehow realize I'm one day closer to realizing what eternity is.
We're all born into the systemic (economic) environment where we've been programmed to think that we have to earn every thing we also consider as gain or wealth, yet we more often fail the test in discovering what the Lord envisions for us as true Prosperity through the discovery of true weakness.
If you do believe eternal life comes at a price, what price tag have you placed on it?
What defines the God you believe in and what does your belief in Him look like here in the earth?
What is heard when "Freedom in Christ" is proclaimed? Is it free reign to say and do as one wishes? How can one be "Free in Christ" while at the same time considering themselves a slave unto "Christ"?
While experiencing such a freedom, when does a person get to pick and choose (interpret) what they're willing to believe and obey at any given moment?
I'll say it as gently as I presently know how, "Welcome to a world of understanding that fortunately for You and I, we did not also create'.
Does the lawless mindset keep its own list of the minor infractions considered NOT to be as harmful as others or does it keep a list of "Cardinal" sins where there is NO room or tolerance for ANY violation?
In case you ever want to put what you believe to the test, simply look at all the earthly laws you also consider to be good (for your benefit) and then take away their perceived enforcement.
That to mean the element of enforcement that's (you agree with) based upon what you believe to be true as a common standard and then try to contemplate all that remains once the shield of enforcement has been taken away?
That dreadful place much like the story line in all these movies and and TV series of late have been based upon? You know, those where there is "Zero" threat of incarceration or zero penalty for breaching mutually understood "Laws"? Some might even go as far to suggest "Anarchy" or as an environment of total chaos?
Now ask yourself, "How much has Law(s) helped govern, shape and form who you are today as well all that you believe in to be "Good"? How much have laws help shape and or introduce you to your creator?
Now ask yourself "How much has the thought as the gift of eternal life helped shape and form who you've become to date? What value have you placed upon its conditions? Have laws and perfect obedience unto those laws somehow guaranteed the arrival of "Your Own" definition of eternal life?
Surely man has control over his decisions made, yet who does that leave in control over his found circumstance(s)?
Rom 8:5-8
Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God.
NIV
Part of being reconciled to God first requires God (as your Lord) showing you and I what is considered as "Sin" otherwise where would the thoughts concerning the "Need" for forgiveness lead us?
Is it enough that a man in his life time somehow restrain himself from lying, stealing, drinking alcohol, dipping, smoking, cussing, sleeping with prostitutes or associating with those that do?
Even further is it enough to have never committed adultery, fornicated, murdered remained wed to only one woman or at best remained a virgin to the grave while assuming having accomplished such things will then provide him access into the realm of Life eternal?
Having asked such questions I'm NOT hoping to lead you into a stronghold where a lengthy list of does and don'ts could get you anywhere. Instead I hope to reveal the fact that you and I were born into a life that was seeded (sired) by the sinful nature.
The mere fact that you encountered a second thought concerning any of the above temptations that would have otherwise lead you to do any of those things mentioned should draw attention to the inner war that wages in all humanity.
Simply knowing that being aware that there is a wrong and a right way of considering anything in this world should cause you to question "Why"?
Is it simply because of the "Who" said there is a wrong or a right way or is that such things can lead you into greater harms way and or prevent you from seeing a greater "Good" over and above what you've historically observed as a reality?
Would there have been a beginning to your salvation process without first being made aware of what "Sin" is having then realized the great need for a savior and His mercy?
Without maintaining reverence for the "Need" for a savior that truly is "Holy", how then could that person maintain a degree of respect for someone as "Lord" as if their "Savior" from one moment to the next?
I think it safe to suggest that same person would also have to understand and revere what the word "Lord" means? To the point where said "Lord" is then proved capable of leading you to the place where you also maintain as your Hope to eventually find your combined (spirit/soul) presence there.
Mercy desires to define this same Lord and His Grace proves to be His power and ability to lead you.
Forgiven suggest something that's already taken place while "Forgiveness" lends itself more towards the thought as something "Yet to be obtained".
Forgetting what you were saved from is not as easy as one might assume.
As those which do continue struggling from day to day in order maintain what we say we believe, we also have an adversary (enemy) that has mastered the otherwise invisible influence (deception) that's also been appropriately labeled as the "Accuser of the Brethren".
As if a part of our process (being brought to spiritual maturity) we as believers have the obligation when we are accused to NOT try and defend the reasoning (deception) which lead us into such behavior because deep in our hearts we know it is wrong.
Instead and because to the One that has established that such behavior is unrighteous we once again realize the NEED for a savior.
Building yourselves up on your most Holy Faith on the other hand requires remembering the nature you have been saved from while looking forward to the fulfillment of such a "Great" salvation as the "All" that it accomplishes.
When the mind (even if only for a moment) remembers just how sinful our being is capable of at any given moment, there should then become a realized need for "Armor" in order to protect you while moving forward in life. Here is where true humility before the Lord then serves you best.
How so one might ask?
How can the mind of your being weigh anything as if from God? Can the things from God be investigated without the highest regard for His righteousness? Who remains the judge of such things as to whether they are true or not? Is it not still you?
Here is where the word "Holy" gains its strength as well our reverence as believers for His ability to live a perfect (Sinless) life as if proof of "Who" Jesus was and is as our God (creator).
What many forget is that the end of all that we presently know having "Learned to trust" through our given years (evidence by all that we say and do) it will all face a day of reckoning (judgement).
What will be judged? The evidence of not only what we've believed, but also "Who" we've chosen believe as if our God (Father).
Reconciliation as a thought that's found outside of Christ Jesus as Lord would suggest a period of time which frames a process which occurs before that dreadful day comes. Whereas "Reconciliation as a thought that's found as "Christ in You" is the sweet reward that's been based upon all that His visitation was intended to accomplish as the net result in His coming to begin with.
Today is the day meaning everyday you continue to draw breath having believed and accepted the advance notice given.
When the acknowledgement of God comes by way of the seed that's been sown, it first "Informs" the mind of the spirit of it's identity (ownership) enough to where the soul has now been informed with the wisdom that Jesus is "The Father" of that new spirit given.
How the Soul continually responds beyond that "News" then interprets as part of the condition(s) under which the remainder of your life lived out (from a perspective that thrives from within your combined being of spirit, soul & body) here on earth.
Rom 8:15-17
For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship . And by him we cry, "Abba, Father." The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children.
NIV
In my opinion when God is first of all feared within the terms of how He expresses said "Fear" only then will the things of God begin to have any hope of coming into alignment in ones reasoning having endured our past which was (by way of deeds) lived outside of Christ.
Your day of awakening (reconciliation) is like a mix between waking up from a knock out punch while trying to get everything your eyes see to come into focus and or as when the new born opening its eyes in this world for the first time.
Until one has been born again God remains an external consideration that's never experiential and only as such that is heard "About" from the outside in.
Secondly, unless Jesus alone is the only true representation of all that is "Good" and in all instances, there is little hope that's also "REAL" while desiring to come to "Know" His person as if the One to now follow.
Ask yourself this while reminding yourself that no one is perfect, "What are you left with to compare Jesus the Christ to if He has not been made "Sovereign" within the midst of everything you hear and see?
If your asking, "Then How does God become more defined"?
It begins with thought(s) in the form of a question(s) accompanied by hearing the word(s) "Of God" which then express "Who He Is".
How does it come? God gives (serves) it to you as if the desire of your heart. It becomes your personal beckoning which is then fueled by a hunger and thirst for more of its nourishment. More specifically that same nourishment as it pertains to the "Truth" concerning everything and everyone you encounter
Many assume in error that God should not be questioned.
If that were being said of a child of God that's also considering themselves "More" mature than one of their under studies then I would be in "Full" agreement.
1 Sam 3:18
So Samuel told him everything, hiding nothing from him. Then Eli said, "He is the LORD; let him do what is good in his eyes."
NIV
I pray that you'll come back and join me as I hope to be able to continue in thoughts concerning the incorruptible seed of God that desires to bloom within you. Believing is the beginning while our faith requires the continued process in our maturity as "Christ is formed In you".
Try to remember that a relationship between fear, an unknown God and how an unknown God functions and operates are not a healthy mixture outside of the truth.
An unknown God leaves a lot of room for anything and everything that desires to fit the mold as "Fear of the unknown". Love that's being perfected can not drive out fear unless the God that is Love has made Himself known and revealed Himself unto you. The evidence of that?
The guarantee as the deposit of His Holy Spirit.
The lawlessness as defined by the Lord as well the mind which follows is one that has become it's own governance.
Lawlessness only allows itself to be questioned by "Self". It is only willing to respond to "Self" and is only willing to be held accountable to "Self" and its reasoning.
This mindset no longer hungers and thirst for righteousness as if there is ALWAYS more substance to it or is willing to recognize any "greater" need for the thoughts of righteousness in their life.
Such a mindset has lost sight of the value to know the Lord more than they did the day before having become satisfied and committed to what they've assumed as their future that's based on the events of yesterday.
The heart that becomes hardened due to the restraints of this world has set aside the promise found in the words below that would otherwise lead to relief which laws only attempt to present.
The diminished value of any words is when we forget or fail to believe in the "One" which spoke them.
Matt 6:33-34
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. NIV
With regards to life's weightiest consideration (facing the thought of death) as those moments of fearful anticipation regarding death, the Lord that is also good has already provided its remedy
Rev 2:11
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death
NIV
How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!
NIV
As the first of the beloved, "How can we think on ourselves any differently in terms of our still being here from one day to the next as if the opportunity to encounter a death from an old approach thought to lead us into true life"?
Ps 116:15
Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.
NIV
A living sacrifice is also a slow death.
That is to say that not ONLY on another day should we embrace that we are the beloved of the Lord as "The children of God", but instead embracing the thoughts and events of TODAY as if something which participates within a life considered as eternal.
When we don't consider today while moving forward as if a portion of enternity, the net result of today as it an event then loses value.
Nearly all religions believe there is a God that will reward eternal life, yet which "God" in that day will prove to you they're not only capable of providing a life that will not taste a second death, but also "Willing" to provide the "Remainder" of such a great gift as a promise made and kept?
Keeping your heart stayed upon Christ should mean spending less time considering what you are not or better still WERE NOT outside of Christ.
Does being reconciled to the Lord come at a cost to you or WILL it prove to you to be the opportunity to "Know" the Lord here and now? The opporunity to be reconciled to Him as such that's already been paid for without you lifting a finger before it's provided?
When someones heart can accept (believe) that they can Do nothing of themselves in order to receive such a great gift are they then that much closer to being able to recognize the goodness of God.
I believe one of the hardest things man can do for Himself is to do "Nothing" when he doesn't know beyond doubt what to do.
I also believe that when he (man) has become his weakest, he's realized that he can do "Nothing" of value on his own as if something tangible that will also arrive with him into the eternal realm (Kingdom).
That is to say as opposed to how humanity (the world around us) attempts to define "How" anything and everything we've received is a reward or repayment for all that we do.
I TRY to remember that God's goodness is something that I can never repay even if I had 10 life times. With each passing day that I do remember I somehow realize I'm one day closer to realizing what eternity is.
We're all born into the systemic (economic) environment where we've been programmed to think that we have to earn every thing we also consider as gain or wealth, yet we more often fail the test in discovering what the Lord envisions for us as true Prosperity through the discovery of true weakness.
If you do believe eternal life comes at a price, what price tag have you placed on it?
What defines the God you believe in and what does your belief in Him look like here in the earth?
What is heard when "Freedom in Christ" is proclaimed? Is it free reign to say and do as one wishes? How can one be "Free in Christ" while at the same time considering themselves a slave unto "Christ"?
While experiencing such a freedom, when does a person get to pick and choose (interpret) what they're willing to believe and obey at any given moment?
I'll say it as gently as I presently know how, "Welcome to a world of understanding that fortunately for You and I, we did not also create'.
Does the lawless mindset keep its own list of the minor infractions considered NOT to be as harmful as others or does it keep a list of "Cardinal" sins where there is NO room or tolerance for ANY violation?
In case you ever want to put what you believe to the test, simply look at all the earthly laws you also consider to be good (for your benefit) and then take away their perceived enforcement.
That to mean the element of enforcement that's (you agree with) based upon what you believe to be true as a common standard and then try to contemplate all that remains once the shield of enforcement has been taken away?
That dreadful place much like the story line in all these movies and and TV series of late have been based upon? You know, those where there is "Zero" threat of incarceration or zero penalty for breaching mutually understood "Laws"? Some might even go as far to suggest "Anarchy" or as an environment of total chaos?
Now ask yourself, "How much has Law(s) helped govern, shape and form who you are today as well all that you believe in to be "Good"? How much have laws help shape and or introduce you to your creator?
Now ask yourself "How much has the thought as the gift of eternal life helped shape and form who you've become to date? What value have you placed upon its conditions? Have laws and perfect obedience unto those laws somehow guaranteed the arrival of "Your Own" definition of eternal life?
Surely man has control over his decisions made, yet who does that leave in control over his found circumstance(s)?
Rom 8:5-8
Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God.
NIV
Is it enough that a man in his life time somehow restrain himself from lying, stealing, drinking alcohol, dipping, smoking, cussing, sleeping with prostitutes or associating with those that do?
Even further is it enough to have never committed adultery, fornicated, murdered remained wed to only one woman or at best remained a virgin to the grave while assuming having accomplished such things will then provide him access into the realm of Life eternal?
Having asked such questions I'm NOT hoping to lead you into a stronghold where a lengthy list of does and don'ts could get you anywhere. Instead I hope to reveal the fact that you and I were born into a life that was seeded (sired) by the sinful nature.
The mere fact that you encountered a second thought concerning any of the above temptations that would have otherwise lead you to do any of those things mentioned should draw attention to the inner war that wages in all humanity.
Simply knowing that being aware that there is a wrong and a right way of considering anything in this world should cause you to question "Why"?
Is it simply because of the "Who" said there is a wrong or a right way or is that such things can lead you into greater harms way and or prevent you from seeing a greater "Good" over and above what you've historically observed as a reality?
Would there have been a beginning to your salvation process without first being made aware of what "Sin" is having then realized the great need for a savior and His mercy?
Without maintaining reverence for the "Need" for a savior that truly is "Holy", how then could that person maintain a degree of respect for someone as "Lord" as if their "Savior" from one moment to the next?
I think it safe to suggest that same person would also have to understand and revere what the word "Lord" means? To the point where said "Lord" is then proved capable of leading you to the place where you also maintain as your Hope to eventually find your combined (spirit/soul) presence there.
Mercy desires to define this same Lord and His Grace proves to be His power and ability to lead you.
Forgiven suggest something that's already taken place while "Forgiveness" lends itself more towards the thought as something "Yet to be obtained".
Forgetting what you were saved from is not as easy as one might assume.
As those which do continue struggling from day to day in order maintain what we say we believe, we also have an adversary (enemy) that has mastered the otherwise invisible influence (deception) that's also been appropriately labeled as the "Accuser of the Brethren".
As if a part of our process (being brought to spiritual maturity) we as believers have the obligation when we are accused to NOT try and defend the reasoning (deception) which lead us into such behavior because deep in our hearts we know it is wrong.
Instead and because to the One that has established that such behavior is unrighteous we once again realize the NEED for a savior.
Building yourselves up on your most Holy Faith on the other hand requires remembering the nature you have been saved from while looking forward to the fulfillment of such a "Great" salvation as the "All" that it accomplishes.
When the mind (even if only for a moment) remembers just how sinful our being is capable of at any given moment, there should then become a realized need for "Armor" in order to protect you while moving forward in life. Here is where true humility before the Lord then serves you best.
How so one might ask?
How can the mind of your being weigh anything as if from God? Can the things from God be investigated without the highest regard for His righteousness? Who remains the judge of such things as to whether they are true or not? Is it not still you?
Here is where the word "Holy" gains its strength as well our reverence as believers for His ability to live a perfect (Sinless) life as if proof of "Who" Jesus was and is as our God (creator).
What many forget is that the end of all that we presently know having "Learned to trust" through our given years (evidence by all that we say and do) it will all face a day of reckoning (judgement).
What will be judged? The evidence of not only what we've believed, but also "Who" we've chosen believe as if our God (Father).
Reconciliation as a thought that's found outside of Christ Jesus as Lord would suggest a period of time which frames a process which occurs before that dreadful day comes. Whereas "Reconciliation as a thought that's found as "Christ in You" is the sweet reward that's been based upon all that His visitation was intended to accomplish as the net result in His coming to begin with.
Today is the day meaning everyday you continue to draw breath having believed and accepted the advance notice given.
When the acknowledgement of God comes by way of the seed that's been sown, it first "Informs" the mind of the spirit of it's identity (ownership) enough to where the soul has now been informed with the wisdom that Jesus is "The Father" of that new spirit given.
How the Soul continually responds beyond that "News" then interprets as part of the condition(s) under which the remainder of your life lived out (from a perspective that thrives from within your combined being of spirit, soul & body) here on earth.
Rom 8:15-17
For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship . And by him we cry, "Abba, Father." The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children.
NIV
Your day of awakening (reconciliation) is like a mix between waking up from a knock out punch while trying to get everything your eyes see to come into focus and or as when the new born opening its eyes in this world for the first time.
Until one has been born again God remains an external consideration that's never experiential and only as such that is heard "About" from the outside in.
Secondly, unless Jesus alone is the only true representation of all that is "Good" and in all instances, there is little hope that's also "REAL" while desiring to come to "Know" His person as if the One to now follow.
Ask yourself this while reminding yourself that no one is perfect, "What are you left with to compare Jesus the Christ to if He has not been made "Sovereign" within the midst of everything you hear and see?
If your asking, "Then How does God become more defined"?
It begins with thought(s) in the form of a question(s) accompanied by hearing the word(s) "Of God" which then express "Who He Is".
How does it come? God gives (serves) it to you as if the desire of your heart. It becomes your personal beckoning which is then fueled by a hunger and thirst for more of its nourishment. More specifically that same nourishment as it pertains to the "Truth" concerning everything and everyone you encounter
Many assume in error that God should not be questioned.
If that were being said of a child of God that's also considering themselves "More" mature than one of their under studies then I would be in "Full" agreement.
1 Sam 3:18
So Samuel told him everything, hiding nothing from him. Then Eli said, "He is the LORD; let him do what is good in his eyes."
NIV
I pray that you'll come back and join me as I hope to be able to continue in thoughts concerning the incorruptible seed of God that desires to bloom within you. Believing is the beginning while our faith requires the continued process in our maturity as "Christ is formed In you".
Try to remember that a relationship between fear, an unknown God and how an unknown God functions and operates are not a healthy mixture outside of the truth.
An unknown God leaves a lot of room for anything and everything that desires to fit the mold as "Fear of the unknown". Love that's being perfected can not drive out fear unless the God that is Love has made Himself known and revealed Himself unto you. The evidence of that?
The guarantee as the deposit of His Holy Spirit.
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