Jacob The Heel Catcher - Spiritual Adultery

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Mar 28, 2016
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#41
The Hebrews verse is Scripture. The “leaving our first love” part isn’t.
Hebrews 11 King James Version (KJV) Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

I offered leaving our first love based on hearing God not seen as he applies his word to our new hearts. We hearing His voice then can walk by faith, the light unto our path , believing the unseen as evidence we have heard God..

Giving that which comes from hearing God not seen, the holy place of God over to men like Nicole the leader of that church required they repent and do the first works. "Believe God not seen" .It was evidence they were not believing God (no faith) but man seen walking by sight after the natural course of this world. .It like the warning of any church is a warning to all the churches in respect to the methodology of the father of lies the spirit of the antichrist.(1 John 2:27-28) We do not need men seen to teach us and in doing in so cause unbelief blaspheming the name of God attributing it to men like Nicole, or the Pope..

Leaving our first love is simply in unbelief (no faith) refusing to take God at his word and believing as a anchor to the soul.

That’s my private interpretation.You obviously have some difference.
 
Sep 3, 2016
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#42
Bread Crumbs “The Problem of Self” 3-16-19

Self is the part of man where choices both physical and moral are made. God has created man with a free moral agency which allows him to decide as to what he will do, say, or believe. It is correct to say that the moral center of man resides in the “legitimate self.” Each person has a right and the responsibility to choose for themselves what they will depend upon, what they will do, or what they will believe. Any person can be influenced, either positively or negatively, towards right or towards wrong. Along with the negative outside voices that influence self we must also deal with the voices so akin to human nature. These are the voices of self-preservation, self-aggrandizement, positioning of self, promotion of self, prosperity of self, and the pleasing of self. The Bible teaches that each of us must deny himself. It teaches that the believer must die to self and that self must be hidden in Christ. As Christians we are to embrace the denial of self and we are to become servants to others. In view of all this I have only one thing to say, “Help me Holy Ghost!”

Colossians 3:3 - For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.

Pastor Loren Larson
 
Sep 3, 2016
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#44
Bread Crumbs “The Glorious Cross” 3-17-19

Someone once asked, “Can we make too much of the Cross?” I really do not know how that could be possible! Most believers are guilty of just the opposite, not recognizing the magnificent simplicity and power that went on display when Christ died at Calvary. By the one sacrifice of Christ, every human being who would ever live has had all their sins paid for. It was at Calvary that the power of sin’s grip over the human heart was defeated. At Calvary, Jesus defeated forever the adversary of humanity, Satan. It was at Golgotha that every power of darkness met its match. It was the results of Calvary that allowed Jesus to rise from the dead and guaranteed the resurrection for every believer. With sin vanquished there was no grip of death that could detain Christ in the grave. Oh what a mighty victory Jesus won through the shedding of His precious blood. Without the cross, there would be no savior, there would be no salvation, there would be no victory, and there would be no hope. But because of the cross, all who will believe can be victorious in Christ for all eternity! Glory be to God!

1 Corinthians 1:18 - For the preaching (Message) of the Cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are Saved it is the Power of God.

Pastor Loren Larson
 
Sep 3, 2016
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#46
Bread Crumbs “I Am Not Alone!” 3-18-19

The promise of the Lord is that He will never leave us nor forsake us. This means that in the moment you receive devastating news, you are not alone. When the doctors say that there is nothing else to be done and you should get your affairs in order, you are not alone. When the bank account is empty and the income flow is stifled, you are not alone. When you fail for the umpteenth time in the same area, you are not alone. When family turns their backs on you, and close acquaintances just cannot be found, you are not alone. When your world comes crashing down and the dreams of your life seem to be inescapably eliminated from your future, you are not alone. When Satan tells you that there is no sense in going forward and that you should end it all, you are not alone. Jesus has promised to be with us every step of the way and in every moment of every day. And at the last, when we close our eyes in death, and chilly Jordan awaits straight ahead, we will not cross over all by ourselves. He will be with us still. We are not alone!

Deuteronomy 31:6 - Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.

Pastor Loren Larson
 
Nov 26, 2012
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#47
God does not give victory to the flesh. All victory is in Jesus Christ; all victory is in Who He Is and What He accomplished for us at Calvary. Those who are proclaiming Jesus, but forsaking the Cross are wrestling with God. They are trying to bring about victory other than the "Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus-God's prescribed order of victory over sin, the world, the flesh, and the Devil (Rom. 8:2)." This is why God (Jehovah, i.e., "a pre-incarnate appearance of the Lord Jesus Christ") touched the hollow of Jacob thigh (type of the flesh). We learn form this, "Jacob the heel catcher," went from wrestling to clinging, (the flesh is now crippled) depending on God's blessing(s). The sentence of death must be written on the flesh-the power of the Cross must be entered into before we can steadily walk with God.

Remember, if you leave the Cross, you walk away from God! Most Christians have left their First Love. They are proclaiming Jesus, but forsaking the Cross (lukewarm). This is called "Spiritual Adultery." If it continues, the scripture says the light is removed! Revelation 2:1-7; Revelation 3:14-19

The only way to God is through Jesus Christ (John 14:6)...the only way to Jesus Christ is by the Means of the Cross (Luke 14:27). The only way to the Cross is a denial of self (Luke 9:23). If any person tries to come any other way, Jesus says, "they are a thief and a robber" (John 10:1).
The cross is a door you walk through to gain intimacy with an otherwise unattainable Father. Once you gain oneness with the Creator the Spirit keeps you connected. You should always be mindful of the price that was paid, but what was purchased was to be a member in the Body of Christ. Staying at the cross is like going to an all you can eat buffet and staying in the foyer.
 
Sep 3, 2016
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#49
Bread Crumbs “A New Day” 3-22-19

Every day is a new day in the Lord Jesus Christ. It is a new day for hope. It is a new day for deliverance. It is a new day for healing. That which I had not obtained yesterday shall be accomplished today. My faith will not fade. My hope will not deteriorate. My lips will not stop praising Him. My eyes will ever look towards the promise of His coming. I will not fail, be distracted, or be discouraged. As the sun rises each new day, so shall my trust rise in the ability of God to bring me through and bring me out. Sorrow may come, but it shall not be allowed to stay. Fear may be encountered but it will not dominate. I rest in His hand. I am hidden under the shadow of His wings. Darkness may invade but it cannot deny the presence of the one who is the bright and the Morning Star. I believe He is with me. I believe He is for me. I believe He watches over me. So I shall rise with the night to my back and my face towards the rising of the Son which brings the promised assurance of a God that cannot fail. Today is a new day!

2 Corinthians 4:16 - For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.

Pastor Loren Larson
 
Sep 3, 2016
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#50
Let all understand, God has no other way, no other path, and no other solution - only the Cross. If the Cross is ignored, so is all forgiveness of sin.

JSM
 

Dino246

Senior Member
Jun 30, 2015
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#51
Let all understand, God has no other way, no other path, and no other solution - only the Cross. If the Cross is ignored, so is all forgiveness of sin.
Ignored by whom? And what does this have to do with Jacob the heel catcher or spiritual adultery?
 
Sep 3, 2016
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#52
Bread Crumbs “The Spirit in the Believer” 3-25-19

The power of God is available to every believer through the person of the Holy Spirit. If a person has been born-again then the Holy Spirit has moved inside and begins to perform a supernatural work of transformation. The Spirit’s work at redemption destroys the power of sin’s grip over the believer. With the blood of Christ applied by faith, the penalty of sins committed is eliminated. As the Spirit of truth begins to invade every darkened corner of the heart, He exposes to the believer those areas not truly submitted or yet changed by His power. It is the believer’s responsibility to recognize the need for change and to yield to God’s Spirit, allowing Him the opportunity to continuously improve the condition of the new creation. With our faith in Christ and the Cross, the Holy Spirit is free to work on the inner man. With our faith properly placed, the Holy Spirit will glorify Christ’s redemptive work by working within and upon us, giving the world a believer that looks more like Jesus. When we place our faith in anything other than the Cross, the Spirit is grieved and takes a step back. No one can afford to grieve the Holy Spirit. We need Him!

Philippians 2:13 - For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

Pastor Loren Larson
 
Sep 3, 2016
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#53
Bread Crumbs “The Spirit in the Believer”

The power of God is available to every believer through the person of the Holy Spirit. If a person has been born-again then the Holy Spirit has moved inside and begins to perform a supernatural work of transformation. The Spirit’s work at redemption destroys the power of sin’s grip over the believer. With the blood of Christ applied by faith, the penalty of sins committed is eliminated. As the Spirit of truth begins to invade every darkened corner of the heart, He exposes to the believer those areas not truly submitted or yet changed by His power. It is the believer’s responsibility to recognize the need for change and to yield to God’s Spirit, allowing Him the opportunity to continuously improve the condition of the new creation. With our faith in Christ and the Cross, the Holy Spirit is free to work on the inner man. With our faith properly placed, the Holy Spirit will glorify Christ’s redemptive work by working within and upon us, giving the world a believer that looks more like Jesus. When we place our faith in anything other than the Cross, the Spirit is grieved and takes a step back. No one can afford to grieve the Holy Spirit. We need Him!

Philippians 2:13 - For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

Pastor Loren Larson
 
Sep 3, 2016
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#54
Bread Crumbs “Rediscover Jesus”

Remember when loving Jesus was simple and easy. We couldn't wait to get to church. His Word dominated our thoughts all day long. A sense of gratefulness and a voice of praise was as natural to us as breathing. Speaking about a truth newly received or a recently revealed understanding of God’s Word was the highlight of the day. We looked for, longed for, and located someone, yes anyone, to share what we knew about our amazing Saviour. We experienced a gripping desire to live righteously and to see others come to the saving knowledge of Christ. We gave of ourselves, our time, our finances with such a vehement zeal, that some thought of us as too dedicated to the things of God. They told us that we were so heavenly minded we were no earthly good. But then, little by little, this consuming fire fell away to a barely flickering flame. If after a time, we lose these basic expressions of simple faith, then somewhere along the way we have lost sight of the simplicity that is in Christ. More than likely, we have settled into a religious routine and lost sight of relationship. Let’s get back to our first love today! Let's make it a point to “rediscover Jesus.”

Revelation 2:4 - Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.

Pastor Loren Larson
 
Sep 3, 2016
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#57
WHERE THERE IS NO EXPECTATION, THERE IS NO FAITH

Words from AW Tozer

“Why do I insist that all Christians should search the Scriptures and learn as much as they can about this God who is dealing with them? It is because their faith will only spring up naturally and joyfully as they find that our God is trustworthy and fully able to perform every promise He has made...We need today a fresh spirit of anticipation that springs out of the promises of God. We must declare war on the mood of nonexpectation, and come together with childlike faith. Only then can we know again the beauty and wonder of the Lord's presence among us...True faith is never found alone; it is always accompanied by expectation. The man who believes the promises of God expects to see them fulfilled. Where there is no expectation, there is no faith.”


Cornell Ministries
 
Sep 3, 2016
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#58
Lord Deliver Me
___________________________________________
One of the most disheartening places any believer can find themselves is in the place where he/she cannot find victory over sin. The heartache that we all endure in wanting to do the right thing, longing to please the Lord, crying out to him for victory, but yet finding that the things we hate the most we find ourselves doing. This is the place that we find the Apostle Paul in Romans Ch. 7.


Romans Ch.7 is not the testimony of Paul prior to his conversion, but this is his post conversion experience, a man wanting to live for God but approaching that relationship the wrong way, trusting in his own ability instead of the Finished Work of the Cross. Paul found out the hard way how that we as believers cannot find victory in our lives through our own planning or trusting in the things we do, thinking that if we do spiritual things we can gain victory. Calvary is the only place found in scripture where sin was addressed, and when Jesus died there on the Cross, he literally provided the only means whereby any and all believers can have victory over sin. Paul searched within himself, thinking because of his great knowledge of the word that he could accomplish what needed to be done, but in his own words he said "for I know that in me, that is in my flesh dwells no good thing, for to will is present with me, but how to perform that which is good I find not." Imagine it, wanting to do good, longing to do good, but evil being present within us, and wanting to please God but failing God. Through all of this, all of the failure, and the struggles, Paul Cried out, "oh wretched that I am, who shall deliver me"! It was then, when Paul turned from himself to the only one who could deliver, Jesus Christ, that he found victory in his life.

No matter the struggles child of God, keep believing, but believe the right thing, and that is that Jesus paid it all at Calvary, and that sin was totally and completely addressed at the Cross!!

Romans 7:24-25
"O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death. I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin."


Pastor Torrance Nash
 
Sep 3, 2016
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#60
Bread Crumbs “Denying Self?

Living a life of self-denial does not mean living without things that please or things that are pleasant. If I love to go fishing on a Saturday morning and I make myself stay home, thinking that will promote spirituality, I am not living the life of self-denial. If I like sweet iced-tea and I drink it without sugar, that is not an example of denying self. One who truly denies himself is a person who refuses to trust in their own abilities, talents, education, natural acumen, position in life, or the platform from which they operate. You can force yourself to live without certain pleasures and you can eliminate certain activities but that alone is not living a life-style of self denial. Are you still consistently trusting in self? If who you are and what you can do is the source of your confidence in any situation then you are failing to order your life according to the biblical standard. When we learn to stop relying on ourselves and we learn to rely upon the Lord, then and only then are we truly denying ourselves. Believe me, trusting in Christ is far better and it is the only process by which spiritual success can be attained.

Mark 8:34 - And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

Pastor Loren Larson