Wednesday, December 21, 2022
What is Your Whole World?
O.K. so we struggle daily with the attacks of the devil through illness, people and circumstances, are these things bigger than Jesus Christ Who lives in us? NO!!!!
All the things we encounter teach us valuable lessons that bring us great joy when we learn them.
If anyone is looking for a comfortable safe life they will miss many lessons and many wonderful Spiritual blessings!
Mark 16:15
"And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation."
When God spoke collectively to the apostles He told them to "go into all the world", not all the apostles would go to the whole world, they went where the Holy Spirit led them, just as we can be where God wants us even if it's just our own small communities.
Our world sometimes is unsaved family, when they reject us we go to our neighbors. If God leads we meet someone on trips who we speak to about the Lord.
One time I encountered someone at the hardware store, I spoke the gospel to him in the parking lot. Our world could not possibly be the entire world, but it's our little world where we encounter people every day.
And, on Facebook, we truly can reach the world from our living room. Even an invalid who is in a wheelchair can meet people and speak to them about Christ.
There are those who would say this is dangerous, but it's only dangerous if you do it without the Holy Spirit, leaning on your own understanding and through selfish pride that places you in danger.
When we depend on the Holy Spirit we can be safe, He will not allow us to be scammed if we pray over everything. Our ego must get out of the way and our dependence on Jesus Christ Who lives in us must be full.
Do not miss the opportunity in these last days to follow the great commission in whatever way and from wherever God leads you. We might be surprised one day to find out how much more far-reaching the internet was than if we had traveled thousands of miles.
Seek Christ and you will not go wrong. Do not make any moves until Christ tells you!
Go Into Your World And Preach The Gospel… Romans 10:14, 1 Corinthians 1:21
Thank you, thank you!!! God has given many of us an opportunity through social media. I am an older lady without the ability to travel around the world or even preach on street corners. However, Christ has given me Facebook to connect with people all over the world from my little home office. I cannot express the joy of meeting other believers through the internet, hearing encouraging talks like this one as well as actually being able to meet some of my Facebook friends. I have even had unbelievers watching, that didn't reveal they were looking for years and I didn't know it. I shut down Facebook four times after my daughter introduced it to me, because of the foolishness I saw on there. I kept going back to reactivate it four times asking God what is the pull here, why am I doing this? His answer was unmistakable on the fourth time, He clearly said in that still small voice; "Use it for Me." I have had a desire for years to share with others but our cultural Christian families wanted nothing to do with seeking the Bible or the Holy Spirit. Then the Lord introduced me to my Spiritual family and life took a wonderful turn for the best. I praise God for the internet, for the ability to be able to type and write to share with others and to receive their shares too. Hallelujah!!!!
Finding Brothers and Sisters You never knew you had!
Yesterday I was looking through the newsfeed on Facebook and found two separate people expressing what I have been experiencing for many years. They found the source of joy and peace in Christ and no longer fit into the mold of their "Christian" churches or families.
The more we seek Christ and His truth the more we realize how little that is done in the modern church that is in obedience to Christ.
Many claim to believe in Christ, but seem to have no desire to search Him in prayer and read His word to learn from Him. They merely want a sugar daddy who gives them comfort and bails them out when they can't get themselves out of trouble. Its not about worship or dedication to Him, it is using him like an amulet to get their own way.
Matthew 7:7
"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you."
So many use the Matthew 7 verse to justify expecting God to do for them when God commanded that we follow His will.
John 14:15-17
New American Standard Bible
15 “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.
The Holy Spirit
16 I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, so that He may be with you forever; 17 the Helper is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him; but you know Him because He remains with you and will be in you."
Born-again believers are looking for direction from God, they dare not direct God.
My comment on one of the news feeds was as follows. I though that probably others are encountering what I have and would be encouraged that they have their own family to belong to that does not follow the world. That is the family of Christ.
The comments
"I just saw another post addressing "being an outsider." Interesting two in one day minutes apart for me. I wrote the following in response to it;
"This is the story of my life, and I see it now as a blessing. When I have always been on the outside I was free to develop my real personality and talents given by God. Those who remained in the "group-think" never seemed to grow emotionally or spiritually. I wanted to grow but knew if I remained with the group I would not be able to grow. We were all expected to be the same, if anyone stepped out of the group think they were intimidated to come back as long as they changed their thinking to fit with the group."
Never feel left out when cliques ignore or reject you, count it joy and peace to your soul that you remain free in Christ to follow Him, His way!!!! Hallelujah!
Resisting the World
When we resist the challenge to be like everyone else, when we desire to develop and grow spiritually and emotionally we will be excluded and rejected for daring to be different.
Most people want to be accepted and will change their thinking to fit into the world. If they have a rational thought that differs from the world they will set aside the rational to embrace the irrational merely to be accepted by the culture around them.
Notice too that the religious leaders hated Christ, they feared loss of their power over the people. People have a tendency to follow a hierarchy system so they don't have to think for themselves. This is the reason the religious leaders could intimidate others into following them instead of an unseen God. It is a weak faith that follows men instead of the Holy Spirit they cannot see.
Those who follow a system or men depend on those things to do their spirituality for them. Little do they realize that no one and nothing else can be a relationship with God on our behalf.
We will stand before God all by ourselves. If we obey the culture, a husband, parents, or the culture in disobedience to God then we alone will be held accountable for our sin of idolatry.
Whenever a person attaches more authority to a person or thing than they do to God, they have an idol in their heart.
Isaiah 44:6
"Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: “I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no god."
1 Timothy 2:5
"For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,"
When a husband, a priest, or a preacher becomes the first person we go to for counsel, then we have a false mediator between us and God.
1 Timothy 2:4-5 "…4 who wants everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, "
Jesus Christ Who lives in us is the only mediator we need and hates that we turn to anyone else first. It is not a problem to listen to good counsel based on the word of God, but ultimately our search for truth must be toward the Holy Spirit.
Many "Christians" almost never pray unless they are in deep trouble they cannot get themselves out of, often these people do not pray because they do not have the Holy Spirit.
When we love God we talk to Him all day long and desire to hear from Him for His will, not our own. Those who have a laundry list of things for God to grant, do not understand a relationship with Christ Who lives in believers.
Sadly some people treat their friends the way they treat God. They only call on their friends when they want or need something. In their minds friends are to be used and things and events are to be loved more than people. In fact, many people who refuse to hear from God except when they are getting their own way, are people who use friends and love things.
Psalm 7:17
“I will give to the Lord the thanks due to his righteousness, and I will sing praise to the name of the Lord, the Most High.”
Psalm 9:11
“Sing praises to the Lord, who sits enthroned in Zion! Tell among the peoples his deeds!”
Psalm 18:3
“I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies.”
Psalm 21:13
“Be exalted, O Lord, in your strength! We will sing and praise your power.”
Spend a day just praising and thanking God without any requests or any self-focus, you will be amazed at the peace and joy that returns.
A Test From God
I am convinced God shut down the churches in the last couple of years, to show Christians how lame their faith has been without leaders and buildings. We allowed the leaders to take the place of the Holy Spirit.
When our Christianity is based on the feelings, rituals, and traditions of men we have idols that are keeping us from hearing from the Holy Spirit.
When we place a person or institution above Christ we will become weak in our faith.
Reaching the World from our Homes
Thank the Lord for those who understand the truth of reaching the world for Christ from our homes. Hallelujah!!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)