WE ARE NOT GOING THERE!

WE ARE NOT GOING THERE!

Friday, January 20, 2017

1Chronicles 28:9 [David exhorting] "And you, Solomon my son, know you the God of your fathers, and serve Him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the Lord searches all hearts,
 and understands all the imaginations of the thoughts: if you seek Him, He will be found of you; but if you forsake Him, He will cast you off forever."

1Corinthians 9:16-27 [KJV, Paul stating] For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel! For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me. What is my reward then? Verily that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel. For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more. And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law. To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. And this I do for the gospel's sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you. Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway. [Also note 1Cor. Chapters 12 & 13]

  Let it be known that the penman of the New Testament, as did those of the Old Testament, relied on the direction of God’s Holy Spirit. Also let it be known that Jesus, the Word Incarnate (Jn.1:1), frequently spoke, referred to and explained OT writings. Additionally let it be known that the writers of the NT as they were led of God’s Holy Spirit very much reflected on OT truth. OT and NT are written in their personal style, but definitely is His truth: “Every Scripture passage is inspired by God. All of them are useful for teaching, pointing out errors, correcting people, and training them for a life that has God's approval. They equip God's servants so that they are completely prepared to do good things.” (GW 2Tim.3:16-17) “First, you must understand this: No prophecy in Scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation. No prophecy ever originated from humans. Instead, it was given by the Holy Spirit as humans spoke under God's direction.” (GW 2Pet.1:20-21)

  How many of you remember that when certain topics were brought up in social or business settings someone in the group adamantly reacted “We are not going there!”? Trusting Lord Jesus Christ as personal redeemer and becoming a John 3:3 born-again saved individual doesn’t automatically erase this or other immature natural inhibitions. (Ours the Defensive Offendable Society?) In God’s Word there are numerous warnings against our not candidly facing the realities of our inherent introversion pertaining to reflection upon and examining self in the mirror (Jam.1:1-27) of Scripture as opposed to righteously shining the Light on others. Even when examining self we may easily fudge by saying things like “I’m not so different from others you know.”

  Paul did not do so. He grievously stated what he knew and detested about himself. (Rom.7:1-25)

  Paul feared what could be the result, that which Solomon was warned of that applies to one and all of us unto this day. (1Chron.28:9; 1Cor.9:27)

  These matters, along with God’s mercy and grace, on my awakening mind this morning.

EBB4