PressThrough

I apologize for being a day late on this post. My pc went down yesterday and I just got it all reinstalled and optimised. Loosening sexual standards to conform to the prevailing morals of culture, is fornication & has no value, is all about self, and thereby distructive to the one's practicing it and their witness of Christ. It is my own guilt of sexual immorality, although repented of, that keeps me from pressing the issue out loud, as much as I should. I stand up for myself by the Word of God when approached in that manner, but don't go out of my way often enough to bring it up first.

Love, is the easiest virtue for me to be. godliness is hardest of all because I loose self-control while being persecuted. And that's not because of lack of faith and/or knowing, but because of guilt, which is the base of the attack, even if that part was never mentioned and it played a tiny a role in anything! Being beat up, disfigured, spit on, slandered, and any type of persecution is hard, to say the least. It is easy (by The Grace Of God) to endure it when you are not guilty of some thing - no matter how large or small or related it is. To be beaten for Christ's sake is an honor, and we were called into it, for the Glory of God! Who went through it Himself for Our Glory in Him, so that He can be Glorified in us. But when I am persecuted because of my own sin (weather the persecuter know's it or not). I do not tolerated it well because of the guilt & shame that comes with sinning.

A congregation can lose its "first Love" for Jesus by procrastination, blasphemy, false doctrine, fornication, half hearted works, want, and self-rightersness. Signs of genuine love for Jesus in worship and ministry are patient endurance, shunning evil, good works even through tribulation & poverty, holding fast the Name of Jesus, charity, faith, watchfulness, strength to endure when weak, & being on fire for God! To regain this love we must repent, resist evil, & run from the **** of the flesh!!! Oh, and this lack of love show's up by allowing the way's of the world, through the **** of the flesh to prevail in our lives. In other words: Setting Down The Word of Truth and following self robs us of the Joy of The Lord!!!

A congregation can lose its "first Love" for Jesus by procrastination, blasphemy, false doctrine, fornication, half hearted works, want, and self-rightersness. Signs of genuine love for Jesus in worship and ministry are patient endurance, shunning evil, good works even through tribulation & poverty, holding fast the Name of Jesus, charity, faith, watchfulness, strength to endure when weak, & being on fire for God! To regain this love we must repent, resist evil, & run from the **** of the flesh!!! Oh, and this lack of love show's up by allowing the way's of the world, through the **** of the flesh to prevail in our lives. In other words: Setting Down The Word of Truth and following self robs us of the Joy of The Lord!!!

Love, is the easiest virtue for me to be. godliness is hardest of all because I loose self-control while being persecuted. And that's not because of lack of faith and/or knowing, but because of guilt, which is the base of the attack, even if that part was never mentioned and it played a tiny a role in anything! Being beat up, disfigured, spit on, slandered, and any type of persecution is hard, to say the least. It is easy (by The Grace Of God) to endure it when you are not guilty of some thing - no matter how large or small or related it is. To be beaten for Christ's sake is an honor, and we were called into it, for the Glory of God! Who went through it Himself for Our Glory in Him, so that He can be Glorified in us. But when I am persecuted because of my own sin (weather the persecuter know's it or not). I do not tolerated it well because of the guilt & shame that comes with sinning.

The significance of Jesus' exalted state of being, is that He is Alive, He's here and know's all. Jesus is the supporter of the church and promotes the church.

Because this is referrring to His glorified state of being, although in both He was/is there. Visualizing/Actualizing Jesus' glorified state of being brings reassurance that He is in control & knows all, bringing peace to the persecuted. Kowing this - that God is alive & glorified is the balance by which Christians live.

I apologize for I am a day late on making this post, but more over apologize because I still cannot answer. I am having trouble focusing today, so I have some yeilding to God to do, and I'll be back to answer this question - hopefully today.

Having strong desires out side of the Pure Word Of God, are just that, "Outside The Word Of God" which is the "Will Of God". Desiring the things of the world our live's become corrupt by the ****'s of the flesh. God builds and stabelizes our Faith in Him as we keep our minds & hearts on the desires of God, which are for our good and for all of those who would seek God by observing how He works in our lives. We could not desire God had we not already known Him, and we know that because we were with Him before we came here and God wrote His law on our hearts. People forget God when not seeking Him, and ignore that still, small, voice within. While the promises of God are about living life, with love & respect for one another, as God works out His plan for us. Evil is self-centered, self-righteous, hurtful, and the way's there of death. God gives us life abundantly in all glory/peace, while satan promises death & torment.

EVERYWHERE, in all countries where there are people living a godly life and have accepted Jesus as their Savour and testify of God, are being persecuted for not going with the flow of the ways of the world. The book of Revelation is the message from Jesus Christ to His Church in which He outlines the climax of human history, and is a comfort in our trials, with assurance of rest for us who love God.

For me, being called by God happened a lot of times, and I was lifted up and excited, and tried to find a church to go to so as to receive instruction. The church's were either closed at the particular times, and one church didn't want to let me in because of my work's uniform, but finally did, but made me stand right at the rear door of the sanctuary area (it was also a packed house), but beside's that, they didn't want me there just because of my uniform. I didn't understand yet what was going on, so quit trying to find a church to hear & worship God in. Quickly my excitedness in God was smothered out by the woe's in my life. It wasn't until The Holy Spirit lifted me off of the couch I was sitting on, where I was talking to another person about how agnostic we were, and I was running circles around their living room, uncontrollable, excited, and professing that God is alive, he's alive, and I had my proof: I'm alive, Praise God! My cup runneth over with the goodness of God. I began to speak in other tongues, and this language developed more as I yeilded to our Lord. My eye's were opened to His Word and I began to understand. I can't get enough of Him. I am confident now in God's Being. It's very rare now that people deceive me to where I fall for it. God Wonderful Awesomeness brings me to a higher standard of living and holding myself, even though I don't have much money and live in a place where I am surrounded by darkness and nasty, vicious wiles of Satan. I am persecuted, although no where near that of our Beloved Saints & Other's martyred for testifying of our Lord. I get depressed and lonely over it at times, but the Love of God in me out weigh's it all in His Mercy, Glory, Peace, Joy, & Everything wonderful you could possible think of and feel. I have received Joy Unspeakable (confidence in God in me, and nobody can take that or my Hope in God away - or even my Hope that there are good people out there)!!! God's goodness and moral excellence affect's me to be the same - Humble through it all, wowa humility is awesome, it makes what ever you were being humble about, so personal between just you & God, and the internal glory that is received after such, is over the top. The Best, most wonderful. Ahhh, I love being close to Abba, and having tasted Him, I desire nothing else. Amen

The scope and breadth of our needs to live a godly life is a complete knowledge of the scriptures, as God has provided. Knowing God is required if we are going to receive the glory and power of God to live a virtuous life with all of the gifts He has given us to accomplish it unto immortality.

Revelation 1:8 tell's us that God is the Alpha & Omega. The implied meaning of Revelation 1:8, 21:6, 1:17, and 22:12-13, is that Jesus Is God!!!

For one, the theme of testimony & witness is so important because it is a commandment by God tell's to do, and it strengthens our Hope & Faith in Christ. For two, because being a witnesses of God's presense & work in our lives, is a public declaration of our acceptance of The Lord that draws other's near, and we are strengthened by our testimony when up against the adversary, who comes to try and rob us of our faith in God, by remembering where God brought us from, and that we do have the power to overcome evil through The Blood of Jesus, and by doing this we encourage eachother to remain in Christ when God seems far away. *Jesus/The Faithful witness encourages us through His witness of Abba Father's mind and will for us, in regards to doctrine and worship; of His truth and faithfulness in His promises; and of His love, grace, and mercy, to His chosen; and of Himself, of His true deity, proper sonship, and perfect equality with the Father; of His Messiahship, and of salvation through His obedience, sufferings, and death; and of all truth communal, to which He has bore a faithful testimony several ways, in His ministry, by His miracles, at His death, and by the shedding of His blood to seal it; by His Spirit since, and by the ministers of his word: He is described in His priestly office as The First Begotten Of The Dead, and that He was risen from the dead by His own power, and to immortal life for though some few were raised before Him, yet not by themselves, nor to live for ever, but to die again. Speaking of myself it is fear of rejection mostly why at time's I do not testify of God. Because although I know that Abba is with me; I get lonely for human companionship & fellowship in Christ, and so don't try to rock somebodies boat, or correct somebody in the Word with the Word. That is until the relationship proves not to be worth the effort. And then I speak up for Christ, not worried about rejection because I no longer care to be around whoever. So I plant a seed and run. Oh, that is so wrong, I am so wrong. I knew something was wrong but it never came to me before like this. I see now why God is or seems withdrawn from me at times. Woe, I know how God feels about people who come to Him and expect to receive, and when they don't get what they want right when they want it, they say harsh things to Him and the turn from Him and run. Leaving Him there alone without our true companionship, and with nothing but our hurtful Words for His sake. That hurts. Oh the conditions I put on Abba who loves me unconditionally. Oh I repent of my 2-facedness and lieing tongue<<although I may not have flat out lied, I did, because I pretended to accept someone until I realized that they were of no use to me. Also at time's I just don't feel the testimony in me for someone's path I cross, and it's like I can speak nothing although I may want to, and I don't know why, but I just keep silent. *This paragraph, although in a few places I used a different word to say the same thing, is an excerpt from an Exposition of The Entire Bible by John Gill, that I am in agreement and understanding with, and because he said it better than I could I added it here.

Received a faith as precious as ours means our faith come's from the same place as his - From God! Our faith compare's to St. Peter's as being "like - the same, & precious", because it come's from God. I don't see a discrepancy. This edited copy of my first post is the same but missing the customizing of the font and color that I tried to do. Oops , I jumped ahead a day, and answered from the Overview of the study. So my answer here wasn't suppose to be until I receive the question tomorrow.

Received a faith as precious as ours means our faith come's from the same place as his - From God! Our faith compare's to St. Peter's as being "like - the same, & precious", because it come's from God. I don't see a discrepancy. This edited copy of my first post is the same but missing the customizing of the font and color that I tried to do.

1 Pt. 5:10 But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus..... is the most meaningful to me at any point in my life. Because I am perserved by The Holy Spirit, ....through suffering for a little while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. <<<Into His Glory and Dominion forever. Amen!!!

Peter tells us to be sober and watchful (to be sober in body and mind), for this is neccessary to be able to be watchful over self and other's, against the wiles of satan. Paul instruct's us in Ephesians 6:10 ...to be strong in the Lord, in His power and might. If we be not sober and watchful, then we have not the strength to wear the whole armour of God, nor qualify to put on the breastplate of righteousness, or helmet of Salvation. Our defenses will be down against the powers and principalities of darkness. And our Faith will flounder, bringing us to no good for the Gospel of Christ, or anything really.

I believe it is important to be aware of Satan's existence, for one because Jesus told us all about him and his tactics, and for two, to be aware of him as we walk in Christ. (Do not have a blind eye to satan) satan walk's around looking for and waiting for one of God's own, to stumble, so he can go back and be a tattle tale to God. Not only that, but if satan catch's you slumbering in God, then your resistance is down and he can make it very hard for you to get up again and spread the Good News, The Gospel. It is important to know this, for it helps us choose the company we keep and our conversation's wisely.

1Pe 5:7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. Our fears/cares should cast into the hands of Jesus, because He cares for us (our bodies and outward concerns). We do this through faith unto salvation. I will apply this by remebering who I am in Christ (His Own, His friend, and His Bond-Servant) Amen!

What acts of humility are appropriate for church leaders? Taking the time to listen to the member's of the congregation and there individual struggles. To spend time fellowshiping with them, and not blowing them off like dust in the wind. By what I've seen these day's, our Pastor's are very very well dressed<<doesn't look so humble to me, but more like lifted up. I don't know so much as proud, but for some yes. How can we discern a person's humility before putting him or her in a place of leadership in the church? By there Integrity and Character in Christ. Listen to them closely and to those in immediate relation. What happens when we fail to do this? The church will probably become divided.

To lessen the temptation for elders and pastors from being power-mongers, maybe we could follow the government's example, (God established that too), but instead of left and right wings, the whole church is in One Accord. By having power's over them by which decisions must be agreed upon and then taken to the congregation for a vote in which the majority of the vote is what is. Have a treasurer/bookkeeper in charge of the funds, in which they distribute the wages, and also has somebody over them to make sure of what they are doing. And any funds other than wages to whomever, are brought before the Church Counsel for approval. This sounds like a good idea to me, but a danger, which actually is a blessing, is that those overseer's and elder's and pastor's would move on to someplace else if they couldn't be in charge of everything. And that's what is difficult, loosing people, but then again it is a blessing to loose the wolf in sheeps clothing. The suggestion writen here is a way to deal with this problem. The only way this can be complicated is if the people in charge do not have good intentions. There's only one way to find out right? Well besides direct revelation knowledge from The Holy Spirit. I mean, some people can be very hard to read, ex. appearing to be transparent, but how do you really know unless you have a close relationship with them. Even then, people are so cunning and baffeling that I don't put my complete trust in any of them. God only has my complete trust.

If you have to twist somebodies arm to do something, then their heart won't be in it, which will reflect on the body of the church, and that person wouldn't be a leader because they didn't want to be. Now they could end up liking the position after trying it, and turn out to be a fine leader, and who ever twisted their arm was doing so because they recognized something in that person, and had to give em a little push to get them started. So it goes either way. If the prompting to twist somebodies arm was of the Holy Spirit, then you know it's going to work out.

That they are eager to serve as willing overseerers of God's flock. I am to use their expamples as lesson's on how I too should go about life, and respect the elder's for they are there to help my walk with Christ.

Willingness to die show's no fear in the face of persecution. If we do not pick up our cross and carry it daily, then we are not following Jesus. Doing so proves our Love and Obedience to Father.