Taken from More Christ Like Blog
Wesley's 8 Step Progress From Grace to Sin
1. The divine seed of loving, conquering Faith, remains in him that is born of God. "He keepeth himself," by the grace of God and "cannot commit sin."
2. A temptation arises; whether from the world, the flesh, or the devil, it matters not.
3. The Spirit of God gives him warning that sin is near, and bids him more abundantly watch unto prayer.
4. He gives way, in some degree, to the temptation, which now begins to grow pleasing to him.
5. The Holy Spirit is grieved; his faith is weakened; and his love of God grows cold.
6. The Spirit reproves him more sharply, and saith, "This is the way; walk thou in it."
7. He turns away from the painful voice of God, and listens to the pleasing voice of the tempter.
8. Evil desire begins and spreads in his soul, till faith and love vanish away: He is then capable of committing outward sin, the power of the Lord being departed from him.
Here are a few scriptural promises of God's commitment to keep us in the time of temptation:
1 Corinthians 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way of escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
2 Thes. 3:3 But the Lord is faithful, who shall establish you, and keep you from evil.
2 Peter 1:10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure; for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:
Jude 1:24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,
Questions to consider:
-Do you accept the above promises of God - that He will make a way of escape in temptation?
-Have you made a commitment that - by the grace of God - you will never give into sin?
-Do you see the importance of hearing the voice of the Lord?
-What are you going to do to be more careful to hear and heed the Spirit's warnings?
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Friday, February 26, 2010
Lessons to be Learned
As I was pondering the Love of God today, I realized how often we take Him for granted and use Him for our own comfort. We make our plans and ask God to carry out for us what we want. We don't ask Him for His wisdom but tell Him what we think His Word says. We want him near in case we need Him, but are angry when He interferes to bring His wisdom. We claim He said things He didn't say, we blame Him for things He didn't do, and leave Him out of the planning of our lives unless our plan doesn't work out the way we wanted.
How grieved He must be, when we are willing to listen to human experts, but not the Word of God. We disobey Him and pretend that He told us to do so. When we dishonor Him, we blame the messanger that brought the rebuke, rather than aknowledging His chastening as a redirection of our attitudes and our plans.
How often we ignore the warnings and instruction of the older believers who have walked with Him many many years. How unfortunate that we will not grow. Until we are able to own our faults, confessing that we mess up, learning from it and changing what needs to be changed we will continue to slide backwards until very little of Christ's character is seen in us. Insead we get angry, carry on as usual and before we know it we are old, bitter and have lost what wisdom we could have gained from the instruction and rebuke of the older generation. We surrounded ourselves with "flaterers" who helped solidify our pomopous idealistic view of ourselves. We love the beautiful people who dress right, eat right, do the right social things. But who very often have spent so much time on these aspects of life that they failed to develop character qualities to mature into thinking, self sacraficing, caring human beings who love the Lord above all else.
If we would pray when we are challenged, I know the Lord would reveal a lesson to be learned and an attituded to be adjusted. It is rare that we grow during the easy pleasurable times. It is the difficult times that grow us, but only if we lay down our pride and humble ourselves before the Lord desiring to learn and change.
Gwendolyn
How grieved He must be, when we are willing to listen to human experts, but not the Word of God. We disobey Him and pretend that He told us to do so. When we dishonor Him, we blame the messanger that brought the rebuke, rather than aknowledging His chastening as a redirection of our attitudes and our plans.
How often we ignore the warnings and instruction of the older believers who have walked with Him many many years. How unfortunate that we will not grow. Until we are able to own our faults, confessing that we mess up, learning from it and changing what needs to be changed we will continue to slide backwards until very little of Christ's character is seen in us. Insead we get angry, carry on as usual and before we know it we are old, bitter and have lost what wisdom we could have gained from the instruction and rebuke of the older generation. We surrounded ourselves with "flaterers" who helped solidify our pomopous idealistic view of ourselves. We love the beautiful people who dress right, eat right, do the right social things. But who very often have spent so much time on these aspects of life that they failed to develop character qualities to mature into thinking, self sacraficing, caring human beings who love the Lord above all else.
If we would pray when we are challenged, I know the Lord would reveal a lesson to be learned and an attituded to be adjusted. It is rare that we grow during the easy pleasurable times. It is the difficult times that grow us, but only if we lay down our pride and humble ourselves before the Lord desiring to learn and change.
Gwendolyn
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Today was a blessing and an encouragement as I listen to a dear friend in South Carolina recount part of our visit there last spring. My husband was asked to speak to a bike gang while we were visiting that state. Rodger accepted, not sure what he was going to say even though he had a prepared talk. He had left that decision to the Holy Spirit. He gave his testimony and some of what was written in his prepared message. The following week we were encouraged to hear that one of the gang had trusted Christ because of something Rodger said in his testimony. I am reminded that the most powerful message we can give to non-believers when we speak to them, is little more than what Christ did for us. Of course once they become saved there must be discipleship and fellowship to grow. George Smeaton once said, "To convert one sinner from his way is an event of greater importance than the deliverance of a whole kingdom from temporal evil." All of heaven rejoiced the day this young man trusted Christ. ALL of heaven, imagine that picture, millions and millions of angels and saints all praising God for one man's decision to repent before God and begin to walk with Him. I am anxious to go there and and meet all those saints who rejoiced when I got saved and then I get to rejoice when someone else gets saved. Whew!
Gwendolyn
Gwendolyn
Friday, February 5, 2010
"The Real Christian Is An Odd Number"
Just recently, I was struck with the works of A.W. Tozer. I had read several of his books years ago. I began reading the ones authored by him that I had not yet read. One of them is "The Root of Righteousness." There were many things in the book that struck me as things I had already known but lacked the ability to express them as eloquently as he did. The passage I am about to quote brings home to me the contrast of the non-believer to the True Christian. If we are not recognizably different from the world around us, perhaps we are not walking closely with the Lord or we are not saved as we believe we are.
One of the characteristics of Narcissism in our culture is that we actually believe we are the character that we have envisioned in our own mind, but are in fact the opposite. The very nature of Narcissism is aggrandizement. That is, to believe strongly with our entire being that we are something we are not.
The following passage from the Tozer book that I mentioned earlier, exhibits the total devotion of the true believer, which will be evidenced in not only actions, but spiritual godliness that can be sensed by non-believers. If we have this inner godliness, it will be apparent to the non-believer, even if no actions are seen.
A.W. Tozer said:
"Well, it is not to be wondered at. A real Christian is an odd number anyway. He feels supreme love for One whom he has never seen, talks familiarly every day to Someone he cannot see, expects to go to heaven on the virtue of Another, empties himself in order to be full, admits he is wrong so he can be declared right, goes down in order to get up, is strongest when he is weakest, richest when he is poorest, and happiest when he feels worst. He dies so he can live, forsakes in order to have, gives away so he can keep, sees the invisible , hears the inaudible and knows that which passeth knowledge. And all the while he may be confounding his critics by his unbelievable practicality: his farm may be the most productive, his business the best managed, and his mechanical skill the sharpest of anyone in his neighborhood.
The man who has met God is not looking for something...he has found it; he is not searching for light ---upon him the Light has already shined. His certainty may seem bigoted, but his is the assurance of one who knows by experience. His religion isn't hearsay; he is not a copy, not a facsimile print; he is an original from the hand of the Holy Ghost.
We have not here described a superior saint--merely a true Christian, far from perfect and with much yet to learn; but his firsthand acquaintance with God saves him from the nervous scramble in which the world is engaged and which is popularly touted as progress.
No doubt we shall yet hear many a tin whistle and see many a parade bravely marching off toward the Four Freedoms or the Universal Brotherhood of Mankind or the Age of the Atomic Progress, and we will be expected to fall into step. Let's be cautious. We are waiting for a trumpet note that will call us away from the hurly-burly and set in motion a series of events that will result at last in a new heaven and new earth.
We can afford to wait."
Blessings,
Gwendolyn
One of the characteristics of Narcissism in our culture is that we actually believe we are the character that we have envisioned in our own mind, but are in fact the opposite. The very nature of Narcissism is aggrandizement. That is, to believe strongly with our entire being that we are something we are not.
The following passage from the Tozer book that I mentioned earlier, exhibits the total devotion of the true believer, which will be evidenced in not only actions, but spiritual godliness that can be sensed by non-believers. If we have this inner godliness, it will be apparent to the non-believer, even if no actions are seen.
A.W. Tozer said:
"Well, it is not to be wondered at. A real Christian is an odd number anyway. He feels supreme love for One whom he has never seen, talks familiarly every day to Someone he cannot see, expects to go to heaven on the virtue of Another, empties himself in order to be full, admits he is wrong so he can be declared right, goes down in order to get up, is strongest when he is weakest, richest when he is poorest, and happiest when he feels worst. He dies so he can live, forsakes in order to have, gives away so he can keep, sees the invisible , hears the inaudible and knows that which passeth knowledge. And all the while he may be confounding his critics by his unbelievable practicality: his farm may be the most productive, his business the best managed, and his mechanical skill the sharpest of anyone in his neighborhood.
The man who has met God is not looking for something...he has found it; he is not searching for light ---upon him the Light has already shined. His certainty may seem bigoted, but his is the assurance of one who knows by experience. His religion isn't hearsay; he is not a copy, not a facsimile print; he is an original from the hand of the Holy Ghost.
We have not here described a superior saint--merely a true Christian, far from perfect and with much yet to learn; but his firsthand acquaintance with God saves him from the nervous scramble in which the world is engaged and which is popularly touted as progress.
No doubt we shall yet hear many a tin whistle and see many a parade bravely marching off toward the Four Freedoms or the Universal Brotherhood of Mankind or the Age of the Atomic Progress, and we will be expected to fall into step. Let's be cautious. We are waiting for a trumpet note that will call us away from the hurly-burly and set in motion a series of events that will result at last in a new heaven and new earth.
We can afford to wait."
Blessings,
Gwendolyn
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Test All Things!!!
Back in the sixties we were introduced to a saying, "If it feels good do it." Another one that comes to mind is "You've got to love yourself before you can love anyone else." Yet another one states that "We must have self-esteem to succeed in life." Others were, "You have to take care of yourself before you can take care of others." And another, "It's silly to stay together (concerning marriage) for the sake of the children, if you are just going to fight anyway." Christians used to say, "they are going to listen to that terrible music when they go to their friends so I figure it is better to let them listen to it at home, at least I will know where they are and who they are with." All of these cleaver and deceptive sayings were mostly repeated by the secular community. In those days, the teaching of selfishness became paramount. We can see what it has produced. As Bill Gothard once said, "what parents do in moderation, children do in excess." Perhaps our parents were not trying to teach good principles a much as they were attempting to excuse and justify their own desires that did not match with godly principles. We loved them , but they passed to us a Narcessitic (completely selfish) attitude without realizing the end result of their teaching or their own real motivations.
In order to attempt to build confidence in our children as a nation, we have bought into the lie that the more we teach our children to think of themselves, the more successful they will be in life.
Unfortunately, these dictum's, have produced just the opposite effect. AND, sadly have slopped over into the Christian body. We do not repeat these sayings exactly as they are written here, but the notions are the same and the way in which we pamper our children are proof that we have been infected with the virus of secular thought. These ideas have been repackaged for the religious community to make them more appetizing. The secular body is now discovering what Christians should have known all along and have yet to learn. That when we pamper and indulge our children, they learn to become completely self absorbed.
It is important to test all things as the Word says. "Test all things, hold fast what is good."
1 Thessalonians 5:21.
Over the years I have tried to keep a mental list of some of the sayings that I have heard to analyze them, filtering them through the Word of God to see if they are true. One of the words that is still being bantied about is the word, "balance." The modern Christian says we need to make sure we are balanced." What does that actually mean? I don't know, because I fail to see this teaching anywhere in Scripture. Let's analize it a little. If we take everything we hear to the extreme of it's meaning, we can usually discern whether or not it has Scriptural validity. What does it mean to be balanced according to the American Heritage Dictionary? One defention would be "A condition in which all forces are canceled by equal and opposite forces or influences." Cancelled? Wow, it seems to be that if we maintain balance in our Scriptural beliefs we actually nullify the effect of the message we try to convey.
Shall we balance our good with our evil to make sure we do not become too fanatical. If we are commanded by God to gently correct or harshly rebuke six people, should we make sure that three are properly rebuked harshly and three are gently corrected? What if they are all rebellious and need sharp correction? Then we have failed to do what is necessary for three of the six. What if three need a gentle correction and we gently correct all six? Have we then failed to give three of them what was needed. If the Lord commands us to rebuke harshly a person, and we make sure that we are "balanced" with a little bit of tenderness, we have failed to obey God.
What is the answer to this? Our culture has neglected the scripture that commands a harsh rebuke when it is necessary. We like to be gentle all the time, which negates the Lord's commands to give a harsh rebuke. It has become rude in our society to correct even gently. Even though the Lord says "Open rebuke is better than love carefully concealed." Prov. 27:5, Rebuke a wise man and he will love you." Prov. 9:8, "Faithful are the wounds of a friend, But the kisses of an enemy are deceitful." Prov. 27:6
The defenition of love has been lost in our Christian culture. We think that love means the attempt to make a person feel good. When in fact, God's love may cause a person to hurt for a time, but in the long run it will produce charcter in the friend and enhance his walk with the Lord and even improve the friends relationships. In Proverbs 27:5, we see that love is concealed when we will not rebuke when it is necessary. We must love openly, with whatever action is necessary.
As a Christian culture, we have been infected with the virus of people pleasing. We have been conditioned to hate and fear strong rebuke. Why have we done this? We have been told by an unbelieving culture that it is mean to make someone feel bad, but if it is not God's teaching for a situation, we must "obey God rather than man."
We do not have to be balanced and figure out in our human minds what is needed in relationships, it is all in God's Word. We have taught human methods that promote human answers in our generation, with devestating effects.
If we trust the Holy Spirit, and have His Principles hidden in our hearts, then that is all we need to know. We do not need to know a persons background, his intentions or desires. All we need is the Holy Spirit to tell us what is needed at the right time. We don't even have to understand. There are no detailed formulas. At best, our human teaching has only guesses based on what we THINK we hear or see. The Holy Spirit knows the inner heart of a man and can tell us exactly what is needed for each individual. God gives us general principles and within those principles are infinate ways of handling situations.
A.W. Tozer said in his book, "The Root of Righteousness" , "it is easier to immitate than to originate." Originating is the job of the Holy Spirit, all we have to do is educate ourselves in God's Word and He does the guiding and directing. What is difficult for us is to submit and trust Him for our words and actions. We must walk closely with Him to discern a course of action for each individual and situation, that takes faith.
Mr. Tozer also writes, "Mankind appears to have a positive genius for twisting truth until it ceases to be truth and becomes down right falsehood. By over emphasizing in one place and underemphasizing in another. The whole pattern of truth may be so altered that a completely false view results without our being aware of it." I believe this is what has happened with the words, "we have to be careful" and "we need to be sure to be balanced." There is no need for careful if we pray and trust the Holy Spirit, and there is no need to be sure we are balanced. Truth is truth and lie is lie, if we can tell the difference we just need to do the right thing according to His Word and seeking the Holy Spirit for the specifics of situations.
Satan is cleaver and we are gullible. Our error in relationships today, is in beleiveing all the lies that have come down to us through psychology. These lies are even taught in our seminaries. We need to stop trusting the Psychologists and begin trusting Christ for our descisions concerning relationships. We may lose friends who do not want to obey God, but those that remain will be the ones who love the Lord and love His chastening. Those are the friends that we want to be there for us when we need correction. There will be no need for harsh rebuke if we desire to develop true friendships with people who will care more about our inner well being than they do about their own comfort level. The harsh rebukes are for the stubborn and the scoffers. Let's care about one another so deeply that we are willing to be transparent ourselves. Who would we hide from, God!! He already knows all about us. Isn't He the one that matters most of all!!
Gwendolyn
In order to attempt to build confidence in our children as a nation, we have bought into the lie that the more we teach our children to think of themselves, the more successful they will be in life.
Unfortunately, these dictum's, have produced just the opposite effect. AND, sadly have slopped over into the Christian body. We do not repeat these sayings exactly as they are written here, but the notions are the same and the way in which we pamper our children are proof that we have been infected with the virus of secular thought. These ideas have been repackaged for the religious community to make them more appetizing. The secular body is now discovering what Christians should have known all along and have yet to learn. That when we pamper and indulge our children, they learn to become completely self absorbed.
It is important to test all things as the Word says. "Test all things, hold fast what is good."
1 Thessalonians 5:21.
Over the years I have tried to keep a mental list of some of the sayings that I have heard to analyze them, filtering them through the Word of God to see if they are true. One of the words that is still being bantied about is the word, "balance." The modern Christian says we need to make sure we are balanced." What does that actually mean? I don't know, because I fail to see this teaching anywhere in Scripture. Let's analize it a little. If we take everything we hear to the extreme of it's meaning, we can usually discern whether or not it has Scriptural validity. What does it mean to be balanced according to the American Heritage Dictionary? One defention would be "A condition in which all forces are canceled by equal and opposite forces or influences." Cancelled? Wow, it seems to be that if we maintain balance in our Scriptural beliefs we actually nullify the effect of the message we try to convey.
Shall we balance our good with our evil to make sure we do not become too fanatical. If we are commanded by God to gently correct or harshly rebuke six people, should we make sure that three are properly rebuked harshly and three are gently corrected? What if they are all rebellious and need sharp correction? Then we have failed to do what is necessary for three of the six. What if three need a gentle correction and we gently correct all six? Have we then failed to give three of them what was needed. If the Lord commands us to rebuke harshly a person, and we make sure that we are "balanced" with a little bit of tenderness, we have failed to obey God.
What is the answer to this? Our culture has neglected the scripture that commands a harsh rebuke when it is necessary. We like to be gentle all the time, which negates the Lord's commands to give a harsh rebuke. It has become rude in our society to correct even gently. Even though the Lord says "Open rebuke is better than love carefully concealed." Prov. 27:5, Rebuke a wise man and he will love you." Prov. 9:8, "Faithful are the wounds of a friend, But the kisses of an enemy are deceitful." Prov. 27:6
The defenition of love has been lost in our Christian culture. We think that love means the attempt to make a person feel good. When in fact, God's love may cause a person to hurt for a time, but in the long run it will produce charcter in the friend and enhance his walk with the Lord and even improve the friends relationships. In Proverbs 27:5, we see that love is concealed when we will not rebuke when it is necessary. We must love openly, with whatever action is necessary.
As a Christian culture, we have been infected with the virus of people pleasing. We have been conditioned to hate and fear strong rebuke. Why have we done this? We have been told by an unbelieving culture that it is mean to make someone feel bad, but if it is not God's teaching for a situation, we must "obey God rather than man."
We do not have to be balanced and figure out in our human minds what is needed in relationships, it is all in God's Word. We have taught human methods that promote human answers in our generation, with devestating effects.
If we trust the Holy Spirit, and have His Principles hidden in our hearts, then that is all we need to know. We do not need to know a persons background, his intentions or desires. All we need is the Holy Spirit to tell us what is needed at the right time. We don't even have to understand. There are no detailed formulas. At best, our human teaching has only guesses based on what we THINK we hear or see. The Holy Spirit knows the inner heart of a man and can tell us exactly what is needed for each individual. God gives us general principles and within those principles are infinate ways of handling situations.
A.W. Tozer said in his book, "The Root of Righteousness" , "it is easier to immitate than to originate." Originating is the job of the Holy Spirit, all we have to do is educate ourselves in God's Word and He does the guiding and directing. What is difficult for us is to submit and trust Him for our words and actions. We must walk closely with Him to discern a course of action for each individual and situation, that takes faith.
Mr. Tozer also writes, "Mankind appears to have a positive genius for twisting truth until it ceases to be truth and becomes down right falsehood. By over emphasizing in one place and underemphasizing in another. The whole pattern of truth may be so altered that a completely false view results without our being aware of it." I believe this is what has happened with the words, "we have to be careful" and "we need to be sure to be balanced." There is no need for careful if we pray and trust the Holy Spirit, and there is no need to be sure we are balanced. Truth is truth and lie is lie, if we can tell the difference we just need to do the right thing according to His Word and seeking the Holy Spirit for the specifics of situations.
Satan is cleaver and we are gullible. Our error in relationships today, is in beleiveing all the lies that have come down to us through psychology. These lies are even taught in our seminaries. We need to stop trusting the Psychologists and begin trusting Christ for our descisions concerning relationships. We may lose friends who do not want to obey God, but those that remain will be the ones who love the Lord and love His chastening. Those are the friends that we want to be there for us when we need correction. There will be no need for harsh rebuke if we desire to develop true friendships with people who will care more about our inner well being than they do about their own comfort level. The harsh rebukes are for the stubborn and the scoffers. Let's care about one another so deeply that we are willing to be transparent ourselves. Who would we hide from, God!! He already knows all about us. Isn't He the one that matters most of all!!
Gwendolyn
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