Here we go again

[LifeHiscost]

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IT IS NOT RIGHT FOR THE UPRIGHT TO BE UPTIGHT.

Is God a nervous Nelly running around, wringing her hands ,about to launch into the millionth panic attack because the universe is falling apart and the sky is always falling?

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As to the question, I don't think so. As to the first statement, you're probably right. On the other hand there are many Christians who have purposefully avoided developing

exteriors like armadillos, sensing that there might be tender lambs, new in the Word, who could possibly be put off by insensitive darnel, masquerading as wheat. In the end it probably wouldn't lose their salvation, but Jesus might need to go to a great deal more effort to keep them in the Way.

Meanwhile the pompous blowhard who believes he/she is surely alright, just where God wants him/her to be, makes life more difficult for the ones who haven't yet learned to walk among the wolves in sheep's clothing. And the former are in danger of losing their reward since they cannot be set aside for a holy purpose in their condition of oblivious sanctimoniousness.

It seems important to remember that our regrettable behaviour does not affect the settled believers salvation, for they know that is accomplished by the works of Jesus. OTOH the individuals who stumble over the wrecks of our crass attitudes may cause shipwreck of other's faith in a just and fair Savior.

[:"red"] "You have also given me the shield of Your salvation, and Your right hand has held me up; Your gentleness and condescension have made me great." [/] Psalms 18:35 AMP

Lift Jesus up!!

[LifeHiscost]

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That is my humble view of things.

Nico

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May I also join the humble with an 'Amen', Nico? A gift I have not of my own,

[:"red"] "I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." [/] Phil 3:14 NKJV

P.S. BTW, I'll try to find the words to that song mentioned in another of your posts, probably too late for me to arrange to send it tonight.

Lift Jesus up!!

[Nicodema]

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One of the dangers of the long established Christian is the tendency to believe , as the rich youg ruler, that we cannot find anything to repent of in our lives.

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I like 1 John 1:8-9 - "If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." Verse 10 [not quoted here] speaks of past sins, but verse 8 is clearly in the present tense, speaking of our condition here and now. We are to bear witness to the truth and that means including the truth of our condition BOTH "IN Christ" AND "out". Our condition OUT is the same as it ever was -- for that is all we are without Him. It is our glorious condition IN Him that is the Good News and the Great Difference in our lives, or can and ought to be, for it is in Him we have our hope, our pardon, and our liberation.

I have only just begun to feel liberated from the onus of having to listen to voices that frightened or upset me, fearful if I denied them I would be denying God. I cannot believe my good fortune that there would actually (once I understood it and saw it in that light) be a verse of scripture that would confirm that absolutely for me!! I had relied upon the promise before that "God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind," but even that was not so direct a hit upon this issue as the verse concerning Elijah's experience which you have repeatedly shared, LHC. I now KNOW that I am NOT OBLIGATED to listen to either the howling fierce wind, the unsettling earthquake, or the blistering, searing, raging fire. Because God is NOT in any of those.

I note with interest the absence of a water element. Each of these elements correspond (in classic philosophy) with one of the human elements. Fire corresponds with volition, earth with the material (money, body, senses), and wind with the intellect. Water corresponds with emotion and intuition, which can be still and small but can also have tempests of its own. Yet we do see in the NT that Jesus calms the waves of the sea-storm and walks on top of the water, so I guess that completes the circuit in terms of the different things that can overwhelm us.

Anyway I don't want to analyse myself out of the revelation I received. I'm just grateful I really DON'T have to listen to the "loud" ones, and God won't punish me for rejecting Him if I refuse to listen to those.