You cannot preach unless your heart is FULL OF CHRIST.
American preachers whose hearts are on their game of golf, or watching football on TV, or eating with friends at a restaurant - whose hearts are on sports and entertainment - cannot PREACH!
Actually I need to SPEND TIME ALONE WITH GOD. In His Word, and in Prayer.
Mary sat at the feet of the Lord, and heard His word.
She was the only one who worshipped Him as the Messiah (Christ) before His death. Mark 14:3.
[QUOTE="2ndTimothyGroup, xfmg-comment: 5781, member:]Very good my friend. When do you think you will be coming back?[/QUOTE]
Today I did a better job. I did spend some time alone with God, and it helped much.
I started reading my Bible aloud. Read it in two versions, the NKJV and the NLT.
Then I prayed for the items in my Prayer List.
I felt I had done better that I usually do.
I am not upset with those two people who are baying for my blood.
I am pretty cool about it.
The fact that there is opposition shows that I am on the right track, and the Holy Spirit is working.
We have to pray for D. and S. They seem to be in some kind of 'mysticism' (believing in dreams and visions and all that!). Feeble-minded women fall prey to the devil's deceptions - deceptions that come through dreams, visions, prophecies, signs, wonders, etc.
They don't realize that FAITH COMES THROUGH HEARING THE WORD OF GOD.
Heart-faith in God's WORD triumphs over all mystical delusions!
Today I did a better job. I did spend some time alone with God, and it helped much.
I started reading my Bible aloud. Read it in two versions, the NKJV and the NLT.
Then I prayed for the items in my Prayer List.
I felt I had done better that I usually do.[/QUOTE]
Nice. My two favorite translations are the KJV and NLT.
I thought a lot about you today, and I was hoping that you were doing ok. You're very important . . . keep your head up.
Today I did a better job. I did spend some time alone with God, and it helped much.
I started reading my Bible aloud. Read it in two versions, the NKJV and the NLT.
Then I prayed for the items in my Prayer List.
I felt I had done better that I usually do.
I do have a Christian blog, which has gathered 208,443 hits so far (just saying!).
It is meant for born-again Christians, those who live by the Spirit and who love the Word of God and abide by it.
Yes, yes, yes. I have never been in such turmoil as I am right now. The quality of my life has never been worse, yet I have never been more strong in my belief. I cried a lot today . . . and I wish that I didn't.
More than yesterday, I am convinced that I just need to shut my mouth and speak with only a slight few people. Speaking does not seem to benefit me for the time being.
I really need the Lord to pull through as He said He would. I am very, very tired these days.
1 Peter 5:10 NLT - "In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation."
I hope that the Lord will do this for me soon. I am very, very tired.
I do have a Christian blog, which has gathered 208,443 hits so far (just saying!).
It is meant for born-again Christians, those who live by the Spirit and who love the Word of God and abide by it.
Wow, I see that! That's pretty impressive, the 208 thousand hits. I can't imagine. None of my materials that I have posted attracted much attention unless I paid Facebook to shove it all over the world.
I've added your blog as a favorite in my browser, so I'll be checking in daily. And don't let me forget.
Timothy, (I am addressing you as Timothy!), the important thing is to understand that we have to live the real life in the real world. And for that we need fellowship. We can't live the Christian life alone - I mean, it's really tough being alone! That's why you have the Body of Christ, the Church.
As I see it, there are very few spiritual churches in America. Further, there are too many cults around - I mean Christian cults, with wrong doctrines. But there are those who are truly born again, evangelical; only they need to grow spiritually, and also have sound doctrine. We have to be thorough in God's Word - saturated is the word! And where doctrine is concerned, anything that veers away from the Apostle Paul's epistles is dangerous ground. He focuses not only on the Lord Jesus Christ and His Cross, but also on the Church, and the Second Coming. Further, he gives us the entire gamut of God's great salvation, starting with Redemption and ending with Glory.
The main point is to have spiritual friends, a prayer circle, a good loving church/assembly - in real life. The Internet can be a snare. Here we converse by text, and bare textual conversations can be misunderstood. (Emojis help to some extent, but not much.)
I wouldn't spend too much time on the Internet. That's why I spent my time gardening and doing my Quiet Time (Bible & prayer). I tend to be introvert, but God has been opening up online ministry (preaching...in these Covid times). One great 'key' to blessing that I have learnt is GIVING. I try to give to those in need around me, poor and needy believers; Luke 6.38. It is more blessed to GIVE, than to receive. We have to be practical Christians! My church is strongly evangelical and strongly Word-of-God oriented.
Praying for you that God will give you a great loving, prayerful, spiritual FELLOWSHIP.
I can't imagine agreeing with what you're written more than I do. And I wish that I had solid fellowship. At this point, the only fellowship I have is with you and also with @levi85 .
And ironically, all that I have been wanting to do for years, is to simply help others and find ways to give my money to those who Truly need it. Giving causes a person to feel something inside of themselves that few others know about. I actually have a good chunk of money, but the State of Washington (which I live in), is doing its best to take much of what I have. This is a very conflicting battle within my heart, for I felt that God would want me to take my money, find ways of making more with that money (which belongs to Him), and give to His Holy Children. It is a Mystery, but things are as they are.
This all falls in line with my wanting to be quiet. I mean, if the Lord won't bless this money so that more monies can be generated and used for the poor and oppressed, then it will be the way it will be. I am perplexed, and I am Heartbroken, incredibly Heartbroken, but I have no choice but to Trust in that Power that consumed me in the Desert. I will NEVER Turn from Him. My Love for Christ will never grow cold unless the Lord causes my Heart to become hardened. There is nothing that could ever happen to me that would cause me to Turn away from the Lord. I have felt His Holy Peace and Love, and it is absolutely impossible that I would Turn away from Him, for I know that it is He who keeps me alive. If I mess around with the Lord, after His having shown Himself to me in this way, there is no more allowance for life.
So I will press onward regardless of the pain, fully knowing that the next step in my life will be painful. This is a painful life . . . incredibly painful. This life of mine reminds me of the agony of Moses, David (my actual name), and the Apostle Paul. These men did not enjoy their worldly, earthly lives . . . yet they were incredibly Loved by our God. It is perplexing, but this is, no doubt, how the Lord Works. Will we Endure? The tests and trials that the Lord gives . . . will we Trust Him and Endure?
Thank you for your encouragement. You and Levi85 are all that I have in this world.
Powerful Lord, God, Almighty . . . I am in so much worldly pain. Please help me, and more, please help those who are causing this incredible tumult. Lord, please help them to understand that the things they have done, and are doing . . . that they have been done out of ignorance. Lord, you know that I Love and Forgive in your name and by Your Power. Please God . . . please help us all. In the Name of your Powerful Son, Jesus . . . Amen.
