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Are You Standing In Hot Coals?
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Lesson Seventeen: by turtle
Some of the hardest thing for me to do is get up in the morning and write sometimes. My heart is willing, my brain will it seems
I have to get it in gear. Many none Christian groups speak of the unity of mind, body and spirit. Unity with in the home and
with the world around them. What does the Bible say concerning these things. Growing up I learned a word that was used to
describe three principals of faith. JOY. Jesus first, others second and yourself last. And in truth this is what the Bible teaches.
The world teaches to put yourself first. It is the me or I generation. The I generation is all about themselves and no one else. I
do not think the world as reach a maximum on this really. For each generation has cared about something other then
themselves, yet I think what it should be a reference to if it is not, its the fact that people look less to God or not at all to God
but to self. Atheism is about the me generation. What in vogue may not be what is popular with God. How large city churches
ever keep from going to what is vogue in the world will be mystery only God can know, yet even little churches struggle with
this.
There is a point I want to bring home today. Just because it sounds good, looks good and feels good does not mean it is of God.
There are many false doctrines today in the church, even sound strong scripturally. How do you avoid the falseness that comes
into groups as well as in your world. It not easy task. One must do one important step first and make Christ Lord of your life.
Then you begin a triathlon. A triathlon meaning you begin to learn about three aspects of your faith in a personal way. One
being the race toward knowing God personally not just as Lord and Savior. One learns about God the Father and who He is as
shepherd and Lord. One learns about the Son of God as Lord and Savior and third about the Holy Spirit and how He works in
one’s life.
If one gets their mind in gear, one has to first get their heart right with God. In order to take care of yourself you must first take
care of your relationship with God. The ideology that is hurting in our churches is the one that says who am I in Christ, instead
of who is God in you. Meaning is Christ on the throne of your heart or are you controlling the shots. Are you willing to first put
your relationship with Christ first no matter how bad it rips your heart. Are you willing to die daily emotionally, mentally,
spiritually for Christ. Some would say physically, depending on where you live. To die daily to self and live for Christ.
Apostle Paul writes this concerning dying daily.
1 Corinthians 15:30-32 KJV
(30) And why stand we in jeopardy every hour?
(31) I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.
(32) If after the manner of men I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantageth it me, if the dead rise not? let us eat
and drink; for to morrow we die.
Look at this next verse. Some of Apostle Paul’s words are interesting.
1 Corinthians 4:9-14 KJV
(9) For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the
world, and to angels, and to men.
(10) We are fools for Christ's sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye are honourable, but we are
despised.
(11) Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwelling
place;
(12) And labour, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it:
(13) Being defamed, we intreat: we are made as the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things unto this day.
(14) I write not these things to shame you, but as my beloved sons I warn you.
I grew up only really knowing the Christian life, so when I began to run it was not about saying I did not believe in Jesus, but
about knowing what the world was about. I think Jonah running was more like, Lord I just can not do what you ask me to do.
David faced Goliath with the attitude, I can do all things through Christ who strength me. Yet Christ had not been born yet. Yet
He seen God as His victor in all areas of his life. Jonah will he was learning. Even Israel as a nation seen God as the victor and
yet ran into the world. Yet Israel was brought back time and time again to repentance. Putting Christ first is saying I am going
forward even when I can not, for Christ will enable me.
Philippians 4:13 KJV
(13) I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
The second step is to put other first. Apostle Paul definitely did this.
2 Corinthians 4:5-14 KJV
(5) For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake.
(6) For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of
the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
(7) But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.
(8) We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;
(9) Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;
(10) Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our
body.
(11) For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our
mortal flesh.
(12) So then death worketh in us, but life in you.
(13) We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and
therefore speak;
(14) Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you.
Christians may feel like they are going through the fiery furnace, but when you trust in God just like Sharach Meshach and
Abednego you will find God is with you. If you are putting God on the shelf, or on the back burner, are you really abiding in
Christ? Let’s take a look at I John 5. Take a look at verse five of the passage below. Who overcomes the world those who
believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. And in verse six the Spirit bears witness of your salvation. Those that say you are
not saved, or do not believe you know Christ be leery of. You know if you know God personally or not.
1 John 5:2-6 KJV
(2) By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.
(3) For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.
(4) For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
(5) Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?
(6) This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit
that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth.
I use to think you could test people to see if they were Christians by asking if they believed Jesus was Lord. The truth is even
the devil believe Jesus Christ is Lord. However the spirit of God testifies in a believers heart one to another. Verse 3 of this
same passage speaks of the love of God and the fact that if we keep His commandments they are not grievous. Grievous to
mean burdensome. There is a difference in having a burden for lost souls and being in bondage to share the gospel. Those that
teach a doctrine of how many doors one has to knock on to be saved is scary. Or how many things I must do to prove my
sincerity to the Gospel. To be yoke in bondage this way is dangerous. For Christ is not a task master.
Matthew 11:29-30 KJV
(29) Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
(30) For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
There was a dispute in the early church concerning task master of the law.
Acts 15:7-10 KJV
(7) And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good
while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.
(8) And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us;
(9) And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.
(10) Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were
able to bear?
In Christ there is the law of liberty.
2 Corinthians 3:17 KJV
(17) Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
Galatians 5:13-14 KJV
(13) For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one
another.
(14) For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
The law of liberty is to love your neighbor has yourself. First we put Jesus first in our hearts and then we love others and that is
really a natural act for sinners even love their neighbors. Yet what about me thing. I mean okay I love God, I love others, and
now it is me/you part. Am I not burnt out by the time I get to me. I mean really can I not put myself first? No.
Matthew 6:31-34 KJV
(31) Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
(32) (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
(33) But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
(34) Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the
day is the evil thereof.
And in verse 34 you get back to the day of evil. And you realize that yoke of that day is not about us in control of our life, but
allowing Christ to be in control and us doing His will by the leading of the Holy Spirit. The triathlon that we run is learning to
put JOY in order. Jesus first, others second and yourself last.
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