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Q1. (2 John 9) What is the danger of "running ahead" of Christ's teachings to "deeper truths"? What is the danger of "running ahead" of Christ's guidance for our lives? What does it mean to "abide" or "continue" in Christ and his teachings? Why is this so important?
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Q1. Running Ahead
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#2
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- Interests:Have loved being a wife/mother...am now finding that being a grandmother is the icing on the cake! I teach a College/Career Bible study class. Love missions projects. In any spare time, I like to cook, read, visit friends, and shop the bargains.
Posted 16 November 2009 - 04:04 PM
This question makes me think of a poster most of us have probably seen. There is a set of footprints along the ocean's shoreline and a poem entitled "Footprints in the Sand". The author of the poem relates a dream of walking through life with God. Knowing God's promise to never forsake one who is following after Him, the writer asks why there was only one set of prints during the most trying times of life. God's answer is not that He abandoned, but that He was carrying His wearied child through those times. I never thought about it until now, but this could actually be a good picture of what our walk with Christ should be like all the time. If/when we are walking "by the Spirit" (Galatians 5:16) as we are abiding in Christ, we should be so united with Him that there is only one set of footprints - the life of Christ being walked out here through us. Less of me and more of Him, because only what remains through His "footprints" will matter in eternity!
When I stay in step with Christ I will be maintaining His pace, matching the direction of His steps, keeping my focus on Him. If I step out ahead of Him, I will be running ahead of Light and Truth into darkened thinking and deceptive lies. The human mind cannot rightly interpret spiritual truths. The Spirit illuminates and gives discernment, so to run ahead of where He is taking you in that moment will mean you are trying to interpret apart from His divine knowledge and wisdom. I think this may be the origin of "half-truths" (which are actually all lies) where doctrines begin with truthful statements that end up being twisted into perversions. What we may think to be a "deeper truth" is actually an abyss of lies. What we may think to be an inspired direction is actually a hopeless lethal dead-end. What we may think to be pleasing to the LORD is actually a nauseating foul stench in His nostrils.
To "abide" or "continue" in Christ and His teachings means that He is where I exist. HE becomes where I live my life, where my thoughts are born, where my decisions are made, where my hopes and aspirations are sourced, where my profound trust rests. His Word becomes my guidepost and lie-detector. His Way becomes my lifestyle of love, excellence, and pure integrity. In the context of this lesson, it is supremely important to abide in Christ because He is the only accurate Way to avoid the false teachings that lead us away from His commandments and bring death.
When I stay in step with Christ I will be maintaining His pace, matching the direction of His steps, keeping my focus on Him. If I step out ahead of Him, I will be running ahead of Light and Truth into darkened thinking and deceptive lies. The human mind cannot rightly interpret spiritual truths. The Spirit illuminates and gives discernment, so to run ahead of where He is taking you in that moment will mean you are trying to interpret apart from His divine knowledge and wisdom. I think this may be the origin of "half-truths" (which are actually all lies) where doctrines begin with truthful statements that end up being twisted into perversions. What we may think to be a "deeper truth" is actually an abyss of lies. What we may think to be an inspired direction is actually a hopeless lethal dead-end. What we may think to be pleasing to the LORD is actually a nauseating foul stench in His nostrils.
To "abide" or "continue" in Christ and His teachings means that He is where I exist. HE becomes where I live my life, where my thoughts are born, where my decisions are made, where my hopes and aspirations are sourced, where my profound trust rests. His Word becomes my guidepost and lie-detector. His Way becomes my lifestyle of love, excellence, and pure integrity. In the context of this lesson, it is supremely important to abide in Christ because He is the only accurate Way to avoid the false teachings that lead us away from His commandments and bring death.
#3
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- Interests:I am always seeking to grow in Christ and to learn more of His Word. I'm married and have two wonderful, grown children who live nearby. I'm writing a very personal book the Lord commisioned me to write in 1991. I said, I don't have anything to say! He said, "you will." Then He gave me some wonderful promises for the future, and shortly after that we lost our business, home car, etc. went through catastrophic losses. The book is about the miraculous way God has taken care of us. We were homeless, but have lacked nothing during a long stay in the wilderness. He is faithful!!! and now He is bringing us out into the promised land.
Posted 17 November 2009 - 05:26 AM
Q1. (2 John 9) What is the danger of "running ahead" of Christ's teachings to "deeper truths"?
The Holy Spirit is our teacher, who will LEAD us into all truth, as we are able to grasp it, absorb it, understand it, then live it. To run ahead to "deeper truth's" is to no longer be following our Lord, but willfully running to and fro seeking knowledge to puff up our prideful ego, and "tickle our ears" looking for "new truth". other "than the doctrine of Christ."
What is the danger of "running ahead" of Christ's guidance for our lives?
Jesus is our Shepherd, and the shepherd always goes in front of or ahead of the flock, in order to seek the best places for grazing, the most clean, still water, to avoid dangerous cliffs or poisonous weeds among the grass, etc. He is not bound by time as we are, and is already in the future. He knows where to lead us and where we are to stop and rest, and how to avoid danger too great for us. We can "run off a cliff" emotionally by running ahead, we can make foolish decisions, investments, purchases, relationships, which can lead us down harmful paths He never intended for us, with painful consequences, and delays in fulfilling our destiny.
What does it mean to "abide" or "continue" in Christ and his teachings? Why is this so important?
To abide also means to live, to stay, to dwell....this says to me to let Him lead, and to stay close behind so I don't make wrong turns. He has a method for teaching and training us according to our development and maturity levels, and since He created us, He knows when to teach us what He wants us to understand and know, next. Proverbs says He is a lamp for our feet and a light unto our path....
In June He spoke to me in several parables in nature about His timing, and to rest and abide in Him....I was like a car with the engine racing, due to anxiety and stress over many things, and wasn't turning to Him for the wisdom and strength to deal with all of it....I was just pushing through each day in my own strength. I loved the parables, but neglected to act upon what He was telling me...I outran His light and stumbled along the dark path He wasn't illuminating, and I ended up completely depleted and exhausted, then sick. That was a valuable lesson for me to slow down and literally REST when He isn't moving forward. I nearly mowed Him down in my rush to "fix" everything.
The Holy Spirit is our teacher, who will LEAD us into all truth, as we are able to grasp it, absorb it, understand it, then live it. To run ahead to "deeper truth's" is to no longer be following our Lord, but willfully running to and fro seeking knowledge to puff up our prideful ego, and "tickle our ears" looking for "new truth". other "than the doctrine of Christ."
What is the danger of "running ahead" of Christ's guidance for our lives?
Jesus is our Shepherd, and the shepherd always goes in front of or ahead of the flock, in order to seek the best places for grazing, the most clean, still water, to avoid dangerous cliffs or poisonous weeds among the grass, etc. He is not bound by time as we are, and is already in the future. He knows where to lead us and where we are to stop and rest, and how to avoid danger too great for us. We can "run off a cliff" emotionally by running ahead, we can make foolish decisions, investments, purchases, relationships, which can lead us down harmful paths He never intended for us, with painful consequences, and delays in fulfilling our destiny.
What does it mean to "abide" or "continue" in Christ and his teachings? Why is this so important?
To abide also means to live, to stay, to dwell....this says to me to let Him lead, and to stay close behind so I don't make wrong turns. He has a method for teaching and training us according to our development and maturity levels, and since He created us, He knows when to teach us what He wants us to understand and know, next. Proverbs says He is a lamp for our feet and a light unto our path....
In June He spoke to me in several parables in nature about His timing, and to rest and abide in Him....I was like a car with the engine racing, due to anxiety and stress over many things, and wasn't turning to Him for the wisdom and strength to deal with all of it....I was just pushing through each day in my own strength. I loved the parables, but neglected to act upon what He was telling me...I outran His light and stumbled along the dark path He wasn't illuminating, and I ended up completely depleted and exhausted, then sick. That was a valuable lesson for me to slow down and literally REST when He isn't moving forward. I nearly mowed Him down in my rush to "fix" everything.
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