truth2me

A CHRISTIAN WALKING IN DARKNESS; "walking" seems to imply a 'way of life'. I don't think that is what Pastor Wilson is talking about because the book is written to Christians. Christians can walk in darkness but not for too long because Father God will discipline them. He has mirades of ways of doing that; none are painless. He takes responsibility as our Father to keep us on track; of course, we can choose to disobey and suffer the discipline of our loving Heavenly Father. If we are truly born again, we will offend first our conscience. Failing that, the Holy Spirit can give us 'checks' in our spirit to let us know He is not pleased. I John 1:9 calls us to repent. We remember that on the cross, Jesus "became sin for us that He might give us the righteousness of God" I Cor. He suffered for us and gave us His righteousness. We are forever perfect in God's sight. Sin causes us to experience the 'deaths' it brings such as consequences. True Christians don't want to sin; we want to please our Father in all things. Thank God He loves even me.

The Church is 'positionally' perfect and forgiven and cleansed. Have you all read Revelation? Read about the church of Ephesus. Jesus indicated that church was in danger of losing their light because 'they left their first love'....we need to wake up. I love the Church but she is dozing....

Thank you, dear Pastor for the work you have done to grow us sheep. I love the book of Ephesians. It is our 'warfare' direction and encouragement. The Church is our Father's 'body' on earth. When we see that, we can realize that our enemy is not stupid; he will do anything to divide and weaken the Church to make her ineffective. Our Father said that the 'gates of hell shall not prevail against' us; therefore, we need to realize our unity, our power, our purpose and our responsibility to do the work He has called us to do....to go into all the world and give the gospel (Good News) and make disciples. That is reproducing ourselves in His purposes for us, His Bride. I do not know of any Christians that are not being 'tested' and 'tried' for this work. We should wake up and realize our enemy is God's enemy and Father has given us all we need to live godly lives here. Let's put on the 'armor' He has bought and paid for which is Christ Himself; put on Him and we will be fit for the battle. He has also given us His joy. He has already won so we can rejoice. Keep looking to Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith. BTW, a 'conviction' is something we should be willing to die for, otherwise, it is just an 'idea' that sounds good.

It means to obey from the heart. (LOVE)

I love all the things everybody said. I think all of that is true. I would add that Jesus wants us to be a beautiful bride. How can we do that unless we truly love each other and obey His commands. Obedience shows God we love Him. Maturity is knowing what He says and obeying it. The world sees that and if the Holy Spirit is working on them, they want that 'beauty' in their lives. May we all love Jesus more every day and obey Him.

An Evangelist is a real believer who has been 'gifted' by God to tell the good news. In a sense we are all evangelists in that we have been given the great command to 'go into all the world and..." tell the good news to every nation. However, some people just LOVE to tell others about Jesus and His work on the cross on their behalf; that's where the giftedness come in. Most people are afraid to just go up to a stranger and tell them the good news. I believe I am an evangelist because before I became a believer, I would not talk to anyone hardly; now you can't stop me. I know they need to know the Truth in the person of Jesus in order to get to Heaven; also they can't KNOW God without repenting and accepting Jesus. So, I now love to tell everybody about Jesus. If I find myself not wanting to tell others......I need to repent of sin in my life and get the joy back....that's my strength. Sin makes us not use our gifts...

Dear One, I am so encouraged to hear what you are saying....I pray that God will guide you and give you His peace. Love in Christ, Betty

I am really burdened for a fellow Christian who has lost her job; has no money; has diabetes and cannot afford to go to the doctor or buy her meds; I feel we must help her or deny the Lord Jesus. I am reminded of the story of the Samaritan....She went to the emer room and they gave her an insulin shot and told her she is about to lose her sight/kidneys. She is totally helpless; says she is a believer; her church is only a few people; they have done all they can or will do for her. Not critizing them mind you, I think the Lord is calling me to do all I can. I continue to pray for her. It is 95 degrees today in this part of Georgia; I have an air conditioned room to 'recover' in; she has no air at all. Lord help her.... Betty

If everybody is doing their best, expecting the Holy Spirit to 'check' when not in line with Him, then there will be a greater degree of unity in the Body; everyone listening to the Head, Jesus Christ. To me, walking worthy, is wearing the armor in Eph 6, and living in tune with the Holy Spirit. Prayer is very important here because without prayer, you would not be in tune with God.

I love what everybody has said in answer to the question from this weeks question. I have a question. My daughter has extreme anxiety; she is on medication; has professed Christ as her Lord and Savior; has been abused by her husband, both physically and emotionally. She has panic attacks when she goes anywhere. How can she participate in a local congregation when she is so disfunctional? The pastor at her church preached that taking pills for emotional pain is a sin. Any help? Thanks.

We are fellow citizens of God's dear children; his family. Our home is heaven; God is our Father. This world therefore, is NOT our home; we are not to love this world and are always 'discontented' with this life although we are joyful and expectant of God's mercy and love.

The power of God works through the Church. I am so very sad that it is not being appropriated more. It is wonderful to see His power at work when you tell someone the Gospel and they respond and are saved. Sometimes I have been in a meeting where the Holy Spirit was there in power. He made me see that I didn't love someone I thought I loved. My heart was broken and I wept for quite a while; prayed and the Holy Spirit forgave me and I had such joy. BTW, there has been a wonderful difference I how I respond to the person I now love with agape love. I pray that the Church will know the need for that power and ask for it, believing God will supply.

Jesus as Head over the Church (His Body on earth) gives us the power to co-labor with Him in obeying the Great Command; to go to the nations and give them the Gospel; baptizing them in the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost. The Church has power to obey Him. Only the Lord Jesus can open the eyes of the spiritually blind nations; only we (church) can do the 'going'.... It is a partnership of wonder and grace. Of course, some of His gifts enable the church to sort of specialize in areas of Truth such as 'evangelism' and 'mercy'...etc. However, I believe He gives each believer whatever gift or enablement we need to obey Him in any circumstance.

Jesus as Head over the Church (His Body on earth) gives us the power to co-labor with Him in obeying the Great Command; to go to the nations and give them the Gospel; baptizing them in the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost. The Church has power to obey Him. Only the Lord Jesus can open the eyes of the spiritually blind nations; only we (church) can do the 'going'.... It is a partnership of wonder and grace. Of course, some of His gifts enable the church to sort of specialize in areas of Truth such as 'evangelism' and 'mercy'...etc. However, I believe He gives each believer whatever gift or enablement we need to obey Him in any circumstance.

We are 'in' Christ, therefore, if He were not victorious over all things, then we would also not be able to overcome our enemies. We are seated with Him in the heavens as victors because of our relationship to Him. He promised that we would have trouble here but that "He overcame the world". That would not help us were we not 'in' Him. Now, by faith we know we can overcome because He overcame. We need fear nothing because of where we are spiritually. I am so happy to know our place of victory.

The Ephesians to whom the book was first written (and probably others also) were just like me....they needed spiritual truth to live and become the people God wanted them to be to represent Him on earth. I have been a Christian since 1975 and still need my spiritual eyes open to more and more of the wondrous truths that God would have me know. Not just a mental 'knowing' either; rather an experiential 'knowing' where truth is lived out and applied. I love this book of Ephesians because it is so applicable to what we need as "Pilgrims" on our journey to the Celestial City. I love the reminder that we have all we need to live godly lives in this world. I forget that sometimes in the middle of the trials.