Wed, Mar 28th - 4:08AM

Sun, Mar 25th - 10:58PM

GOD COMMANDS US TO CAREFULLY  PRACTICE WHAT WE PREACH:

   ²⁴ Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. ²⁵ 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. ²⁶ I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: ²⁷ 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.

1 Cor 9:24-27 (KJV)

Obviously God is not speaking about a timid, namby pamby, gingerly approach with the natural or old man. We are not going to patty cake the old man away. We are not going to wish our challenges away, satisfy them away, talk them away, gradually ease them away, psychology or any ology them away.  They  MUST be crucified. They must be relentlessly dealt with, WITHOUT COMPROMISE OR EXCUSES.

When Paul says he might be disqualified, he does not mean that he could lose his salvation, but rather that he could lose his privilege of telling others about Christ. Those who preach the word to others must be careful to practice what they preach. In fact every Christian is to do the same. Christian life takes hard work, self denial  and arduous preparation, just as a runner does, who desires to win the race. It is so easy to tell others what to do and how to live; we must be just as vigorous in practicing God’s commands ourselves.

The emotions and passions that belong to God’s people are carefully explained and laid out in God’s word. Those emotions and passions that must never be a part of the lives of God’s people are carefully laid out as well. Brothers and sisters, I exhort you in the Name of our Lord Jesus to meet the challenge of the emotions without flinching, or running away. Thus you will never share the heartache and destruction of those who say regretfully: “ if only I had obeyed the Lord”, or “ if only I had chosen to do God’s will instead of my own, I would never have come to all this trouble.”

It is truly heady stuff to gain(ing)  self mastery- yet to avoid pride- we ought to consistently  humble ourselves under God’s mighty hand; confessing the truth, to Him and others: “I am an unprofitable servant, I HAVE ONLY DONE THAT I WAS SUPPOSED TO DO- AND THAT THROUGH THE POWER OF ALMIGHTY GOD.”

As Christians, SAINTS, (G40 HAGIOS), all that we do is out of love for God and others. Our focus is on Jesus, ALL of our objectives and goals are to please Him, who is waiting for us at the end of our journey. All of our trials will seem pitifully small in comparison to the joy we have in honoring Him now, and in His presence on the day of His coming.  (see 1 Cor. 13:  the love (agape) chapter)

Love

Serola             

Sat, Mar 24th - 7:10PM

DISCIPLINE WITHOUT LOVE, IS  SELF –PUNISHMENT

Saints (G40 hagios), Without being motivated by love (agape) for God, self- discipline, self- denial, and self- control will seem like punishment. We will find ourselves caught up in a senseless head game of circularity ending in defeat; and being stuck in a fruitless pattern of dealing with the same things of the old man to no end.

God’s weapons are powerful and mighty; able to pull down these strongholds of self-indulgence; and emotionalism. By prayer, Bible study, living the word, in obedience and trusting God, He will enable us to have the victory.  Ask, brothers and sisters, seek and knock fervently for God’s power, Then ACT promptly in correctly dealing with those things He points out that have to go. God will not tire of ceaseless prayers  for ourselves and others. God will grant freely all the help that we need.

20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, 21 Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

Love

serola

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Sun, Mar 18th - 10:49PM

Any emotion/ passion, saints (G40hagios), that has control over us, must be dealt with. We are not to allow our emotions/passions to bring us under its power.

¹² All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.

1 Cor 6:12 (KJV)

Dear friends of Lord Jesus, I know some want to take a Rambo type stance in dealing with difficult emotions/passions.  There are, however, some aspects of our challenges that we just have to flee from.

²² Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

2 Tim 2:22 (KJV)

Mature (ring) Christians realize that removing themselves physically from temptation often can be the most courageous action to take. Timothy, a young man, was warned to flee anything that produced evil thoughts and those things tempting improper behavior.

Recurring temptation that is difficult to resist can mean it is best to remove yourself physically from any situation that stimulates your desire to sin. Knowing when to run is as important to us in spiritual battle as knowing when and how to fight. A wise saint (G40 hagios) will know when to fight and when it is best to simply take something altogether off of the table.

¹¹ When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

1 Cor 13:11 (KJV)

Love

Sat, Mar 17th - 1:44AM

It is not about us.  Bending God to do our will or anybody else’s, is NOT going to happen-EVER. God’s plan is permanently set for all eternity. Everything/everyone, not in line with God’s plan, will come to NOTHING. The Bible gives many more examples than posted here about self control , for church leaders, and all members of the body in general:

²⁶ If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain.

James 1:26 (KJV)

¹⁷ He that is soon angry dealeth foolishly: and a man of wicked devices is hated.

Prov 14:17 (KJV)

⁷ For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre; ⁸ But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate;

Titus 1:7-8 (KJV)

 ²⁴ Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go: ²⁵ Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul.

Prov 22:24-25 (KJV)

⁹ Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.

Eccl 7:9 (KJV)

²⁶ Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: ²⁷ Neither give place to the devil.

Eph 4:26-27 (KJV)  

Love

Thu, Mar 15th - 10:22AM

Brethren, there is no quagmire of conflict or confusion in God’s standard. There are still too many people, some of them Christians, who lack self- restraint; and whose emotions/passions are on speed dial-heading for disaster, due to not honoring God’s standard above ALL others. God commands His people not to live and act out of the old man or old nature; but the new nature. We are not to be blind followers of the emotions/passions arising out of the old nature. Every thought, emotion/passion is to be in subjection to Lord Jesus Christ.

God is not the author of confusion. God’s standard is without error. It is eternal, unchanging truth. Church leaders, and indeed all members of Christ’s body are commanded to control their emotions, passions and actions-WITHOUT EXCEPTION. There is no reason or excuse acceptable, to God, to justify being under the control of the old man in any area of our lives.

God gives ample examples of the downward, spiral and even down fall of those who refuse to control the passions and lusts. Brethren each and every one of us have been commanded by Lord Jesus: 

²⁴ Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. ²⁵ For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.

Matt 16:24-25 (KJV)

²⁴ And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

Gal 5:24 (KJV)

Crucify:   (stauroō G4717 )  to impale on the cross; figurative to extinguish (subdue) passion or selfishness :- crucify

See also Gal. 5:13-25

Love

serola

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Tue, Mar 13th - 6:45AM

Dear friends of Jesus, there are still far too many ready to  use words to insult and as many ready to assault or kill another over words deemed to be insulting and or demeaning.  Children of light, we know that God’s standard is higher than any supreme court. The mature(ring) Christian well-understands that fighting words provoke ONLY  those who believe the profane words spoken. Mature(ring) Christians well understand that any words spoken to him or her in conflict with what the word of God says about His people, is therefore totally irrelevant, and is utterly, and absolutely of NO importance. Thus leaving the mature(ring) Christian free to be judicious and discerning about how to comport him/herself, according to the will and standard of God. God’s standard trumps and is totally sovereign over ALL others

God grants the rewards of His wisdom, insight, foresight and hindsight  to those willing to strive for self mastery, out of love for God. Obedience out of love is the core of worship. WORSHIP WITHOUT OBEDIENCE IS SELF-DECEPTION.

Love

Sun, Mar 11th - 9:00PM

Don’t many of us know people with strong opinions, who are unwilling to listen and learn from God and others.  We can only obtain God’s knowledge, by loving Him: Jas. 3:17-18. We know and are known by God only when we model Him by consistently showing love (agape): 1 Jn. 4:7-8.

God’s standard is that we should love (agape) Him, and  others, correctly understanding the Bible to live out God’s precepts in our daily lives publicly and privately.  Again, and again, and again, and again, brothers and sisters this is GOD’S TRUE, EVERLASTING, UNCHANGING, COMPLETE, STANDARD.  If anyone is not motivated by God’s standard, he or she will take a few hesitant steps and give up. God’s way is the ONLY right way and the ONLY right way is God’s way.

 FREEDOM WITHOUT DISCIPLINE IS LICENSE.

Love

Sat, Mar 10th - 10:46AM

FREEDOM WITHOUT DISCIPLINE IS LICENSE

Saints, (G40 hagios), we are not talking about self- improvement; positive thinking; or earning brownie points with the Lord. The scriptures clearly reveals that you cannot improve the flesh, it must be crucified. It goes without saying, brethren; we are not talking about physically harming oneself here. Although grappling with the emotions/passions can be mentally painful, but well -worth it to gain self mastery. God commands and enables His people to gain self- mastery, in every aspect of our lives including the emotions and passions.  Do not say to yourself or allow others to falsely lead you to believing that since God will forgive you for anything you do, it does not matter what you do. No Christian owns him or herself; but is owned by God,  who commands us and enables us to have self –control.

Some ministries have been the subjects of mawkish headlines depicting fallen church leaders. Their flocks were left wondering “what was he/she thinking?” Even now, some ministries are headed for a fall because these leaders refuse to meet the challenge of the emotions, and are falling into sin.

Brothers and sisters we are not our own, with the right to do whatsoever pleases us, and to satisfy every whim that comes into our hearts. I want to say again, and again, we are not talking about self-improvement; therapy; or doing stuff to gain “brownie points” with the Lord. God tells us absolutely the most important thing about the flesh or old nature-we cannot improve it; there is NO CURE for it-we must crucify the flesh with its affections and lusts. We certainly are not talking about simply gaining knowledge in these matters.

Saints (G40 hagios), what I am saying is that love (agape) is more important than mere knowledge. Simply knowing stuff, can make us look good, even feel important, but you know it is all too easy to develop an arrogant, know it all attitude.

love

serola

Thu, Mar 8th - 5:10AM

We are to rely on God’s eternal infallible word, brothers and sisters. We, beloveds, are to obey Him without question- in correctly understanding and living out His word. We are to rely on God, and also help one another to grow over time in love and obedience to God. Nothing, ABSOLUTELY NOTHING, we accomplish is of any value to our Lord, if not done in love for our God and others.

Again and again the headlines spew out the latest persons great or small who “lost it”. Psycho- babblers; and pundits of every stripe; neighbors, family and friends  are hurriedly called forth to explain why the persons did it. Some admitting that in the end no one would ever be able to explain their actions.

It is a well-known fact, that many believe they have the right to assault another or worse, because a person said the “wrong” thing to them.

Interestingly, the American judicial system has wrestled with the doctrine of “fighting words” for over a half century. The fighting-words doctrine was first articulated in Chaplinsky v. New Hampshire, 315 U.S. 568 (1942). Chaplinsky was convicted of violating a New Hampshire statute that prohibited the use of offensive, insulting language toward persons in public places after making several inflammatory comments to a city official. The Court, in upholding the statute as constitutional, set down those famous words:

There are certain well-defined and narrowly limited classes of speech, the prevention and punishment of which have never been thought to raise any constitutional problem. These include the lewd and obscene, the profane, the libelous, and the insulting or "fighting" words — those which by their very utterance inflict injury or tend to incite an immediate breach of the peace. It has been well observed that such utterances are no essential part of any exposition of ideas, and are of such slight social value as a step to truth that any benefit that may be derived from them is clearly outweighed by the social interest in order and morality.

Tellingly, despite continued reaffirmation of the fighting-words doctrine, the Supreme Court has declined to uphold any convictions for fighting words since Chaplinsky.  (control click to follow link.)

Fighting words are words intentionally directed toward another person which are so venomous and full of malice as to cause the hearer to suffer emotional distress or incite him/her to immediately retaliate physically. Fighting words are not an excuse or defense for a retaliatory assault and battery. However, if they are so threatening as to cause apprehension, they can form the basis for a lawsuit for assault, even though the words alone don't constitute an assault.

The utterance of fighting words is not protected by the free speech protections of the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. The words are often evaluated not only by the words themselves, but the context in which they are spoken. Courts generally impose a requirement that the speaker intended to cause a breach of the peace or incite the hearer to violence.

love

serola

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Mon, Mar 5th - 11:53AM

Brothers and sisters, certainly you have heard multitudes give their “victims” statements for why they lose or lost control of their emotions: I couldn’t help myself; he or she made me do it; I have or had no choice. Some even claim: “the devil made me do it”. These poor “victims” have a hard time understanding after venting and spewing forth their emotions; why people just don’t understand them and forget about it. After all some proclaim-don’t we always say how sorry we are afterwards, and won’t do it again?- That is unless they “make”   me do it again.

Despite how seemingly powerful, and beyond our ability to deal with, the emotions, and passions of all kinds within us-God says we can. God does not say in anywise that we are not to have feelings or be robots, not expressing or ever showing any emotions. No, brothers and sisters, for our Creator, designed us to have emotions. Our God makes it easy to understand that we have a choice to serve, trust and obey Him, even in the area of the emotions and passions. God, Himself gives us the power to control our emotions. Those who refuse to accept or believe that we have a choice in dealing with our emotions, will continually be blaming others for making them feel a certain way either good or bad. Therefore, they see themselves as victims, and not victors. God gives no opt-outs; every saint(G40 hagios), must have self- control-even over the emotions.

For some this would seem to be a harrowing journey, a jarring ride, and a seemingly hopeless venture. Nevertheless it is a journey that all who Name the Name of Jesus must take. Some will find it a work in progress. However, all who seek to obey God, out of love for Him, will find ample help through the Holy Spirit. We must seek to carry out and live God's will, and not be blind followers  of our emotions and passions.

¹⁴ But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. ¹⁵ But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. ¹⁶ For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? BUT WE HAVE THE MIND OF CHRIST.

1 Cor 2:14-16 (KJV)

Love

Fri, Mar 2nd - 11:03AM

Many are facing the challenge of the emotions; anger management treatment programs are proliferating-yet the problem seems worse and worse. Self indulgent persons are crying out for help due to various ills as a result of their unrestrained self- permissiveness. Shop-aholics; rage-aholics; sex-aholics, gambling and game-aholics, etc. Sadly, some of the treaters are exposed as having the same problems they are treating others for.

But you, brothers and sisters, fear not, for we have a most sure help in our almighty God. ⁷ For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

2 Tim 1:7 (KJV)

(G4995  sound mind) Sōphronismos, Phonetic Pronunciation: so-fron-is-mos. Discipline, i.e. self-control:-sound mind.

Love

serola

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