7/2/2012, NOT a New Beginning

[Bondslavenchrist]

So, whether or not I did something stupid or not, I visited this lady in Minnesota.

After much prayer with another friend, I must conclude that once more, God is not in the habit of being concerned whether or not our daily lives are disrupted, but He is FAR MORE CONCERNED about whether or not we learn something, even from our mistakes.

Notice, Abraham. God was not concerned about how much trouble it was from him to pick up and leave Ur. God just told Abram to go. He did and we have a wonderful set of various circumstances Abraham enters by doing so. He even had Sarah lie a couple of times, tried to help God produce an heir and in general, mucked things up good when he did produce Ishmael.

BUT GOD was not concerned. He still is not, nor was He surprised by what Abraham did, nor what I did. In fact, considering what He has been showing me all this year, it would not surprise me at all to STILL believe that God put me in the path of Lady Songbird expressly to teach several people lessons He was wanting them to learn. So what if it cost me money and messed up my finances for awhile? He can fix that too. (Not saying He is going to give me money, but He knows what HE will do, even if I do not)

So, I had to be taught not to rely on my feelings at all, not even a little bit. Thought I had learned that before, but I see I did not and I had many expectations. Another friend helped me to see those expectations and I praised God that friend was available to help me. Had to bare my sould some, but that is a humility we ALL need.

Lady Songbird, needs to learn what true FAITH is. It is NOT striving to do what we think we are supposed to do; THAT is controlled behavior.

(here is a link to that article>>> http://z12.invisionfree.com/Apostles_Den/i...howtopic=16&hl= )

But basically, controlled behavior is when we see what the Bible says and we set out to do it in our lives. Conforming our actions to what WE THINK the Bible is telling us. We do this in public school, learning reading, writing, and arithmetic by rote, finding out what is acceptable and unacceptable according to the rules of those subjects. Then we set out to conform our actions (our reading our writing and our math problem solving skills) to comnply with what our instructor has taught us, thereby getting a higher grade the better we comform to those rules.

(does that make sense?)

So too in the church today. We are taught to conform our behavior and what we believe (our doctrines) to what our leaders tell us they are supposed to be. It depends on the circles we keep, what kind of churches we attend, on what those behaviors and beliefs consist of, but basically, the idea is, we CONTROL how we behave according to what is acceptable in those religious circles.

THAT IS NOT FAITH!

Actually, that is a form of works and legalism. It is no different that what animal trainers do with wild animals in circuses and such. They "teach" the animal what is acceptable and rewardable behavior and the animal conform their behavior to those "rules" the trainer teaches. BUT, as we have heard at various times, that is NOT ALWAYS what happens. We have the famous case of Zeigfried and ROy with their tigers and how one of them was seriously hurt by their tiger because it reverted to its instinctual behavior due to the circumstances it was in. It was THIS that caused the man's injuries. The tiger was exhibiting controlled behavior, BUT THE INSIDE HAD NOT BEEN CHANGED!

It remained a tiger by nature.

So too, with us. We are taught to conform our behavior to certain sets of rules and by appearance we THINK we look like Christians and that is exactly what our leaders tell us. BUT, how many have had their insides, their very hearts changed so that they NO LONGER RESPOND ON THE INSIDE LIKE AN UNSAVED PERSON?

Few.

Because of the prevalence of this teaching in modern Christianity, it has led to many false doctrines, such as Once Saved Always Saved, Calvinism, Arminianism, We are sinners saved by Grace, we will always sin, etc.

Each one of those doctrines above have SOME scriptural support, but DO NOT AGREE with the WHOLE BIBLE! Therefore, the TRUTH, God's ABSOLUTE TRUTH is something other than is what is commonly taught and thought.

And that is how I ended up in Minnesota, wondering what I was doing there. I found that I was following some emotional need that I did not find an answer in Christ Jesus; at the time.

NO longer.

How does one tell a lady that, if you become a part of my life, you will have no outward security, no promise of a home, a job, regular food, you will have many you will hate you, revile you, you likely will NOT be welcome in most churches, the world will hate you, you will do and say things that actually cause problems in congregations, many will want to fight against you, call you names, and in general, you will NOT be acceptable to modern American Christian society.

WHY?

Because if she is involved with me, we will be doing what GOD says which goes against what the Modern American Church stands for and practices.

OUCH!

Anyone who loves this present world, who wants the nice things of life, who wants SECURITY, especially physical security, will NOT be walking with where the Holy SPirit wants them to go. How do I know this?

All we have to do is see how Jesus was treated by the religious leaders of His day, and how they in turn, treated the apostles, and of course, Stephen, the first Martyr for Jesus CHrist. Oh, dear brothers and sisters, have you read that account lately? Let me copy it here.



Act 7:1 AND THE high priest asked [Stephen], Are these charges true?
Act 7:2 And he answered, Brethren and fathers, listen to me! The God of glory appeared to our forefather Abraham when he was still in Mesopotamia, before he [went to] live in Haran, [Gen. 11:31; 15:7; Ps. 29:3.]
Act 7:3 And He said to him, Leave your own country and your relatives and come into the land (region) that I will point out to you. [Gen. 12:1.]
Act 7:4 So then he went forth from the land of the Chaldeans and settled in Haran. And from there, after his father died, [God] transferred him to this country in which you are now dwelling. [Gen. 11:31; 12:5; 15:7.]
Act 7:5 Yet He gave him no inheritable property in it, [no] not even enough ground to set his foot on; but He promised that He would give it to Him for a permanent possession and to his descendants after him, even though [as yet] he had no child. [Gen. 12:7; 17:8; Deut. 2:5.]
Act 7:6 And this is [in effect] what God told him: That his descendants would be aliens (strangers) in a land belonging to other people, who would bring them into bondage and ill-treat them 400 years.
Act 7:7 But I will judge the nation to whom they will be slaves, said God, and after that they will escape and come forth and worship Me in this [very] place. [Gen. 15:13, 14; Exod. 3:12.]
Act 7:8 And [God] made with Abraham a covenant (an agreement to be religiously observed) of which circumcision was the seal. And under these circumstances [Abraham] became the father of Isaac and circumcised him on the eighth day; and Isaac [did so] when he became the father of Jacob, and Jacob [when each of his sons was born], the twelve patriarchs. [Gen. 17:10-14; 21:2-4; 25:26; 29:31-35; 30:1-24; 35:16-26.]
Act 7:9 And the patriarchs [Jacob's sons], boiling with envy and hatred and anger, sold Joseph into slavery in Egypt; but God was with him, [Gen. 37:11, 28; 45:4.]
Act 7:10 And delivered him from all his distressing afflictions and won him goodwill and favor and wisdom and understanding in the sight of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, who made him governor over Egypt and all his house. [Gen. 39:2, 3, 21; 41:40-46; Ps. 105:21.]
Act 7:11 Then there came a famine over all of Egypt and Canaan, with great distress, and our forefathers could find no fodder [for the cattle] or vegetable sustenance [for their households]. [Gen. 41:54, 55; 42:5.]
Act 7:12 But when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent forth our forefathers [to go there on their] first trip. [Gen. 42:2.]
Act 7:13 And on their second visit Joseph revealed himself to his brothers, and the family of Joseph became known to Pharaoh and his origin and race. [Gen. 45:1-4.]
Act 7:14 And Joseph sent an invitation calling to himself Jacob his father and all his kindred, seventy-five persons in all. [Gen. 45:9, 10.]
Act 7:15 And Jacob went down into Egypt, where he himself died, as did [also] our forefathers; [Deut. 10:22.]
Act 7:16 And their bodies [Jacob's and Joseph's] were taken back to Shechem and laid in the tomb which Abraham had purchased for a sum of [silver] money from the sons of Hamor in Shechem. [Gen. 50:13; Josh. 24:32.]
Act 7:17 But as the time for the fulfillment of the promise drew near which God had made to Abraham, the [Hebrew] people increased and multiplied in Egypt,
Act 7:18 Until [the time when] there arose over Egypt another and a different king who did not know Joseph [neither knowing his history and services nor recognizing his merits]. [Exod. 1:7, 8.]
Act 7:19 He dealt treacherously with and defrauded our race; he abused and oppressed our forefathers, forcing them to expose their babies so that they might not be kept alive. [Exod. 1:7-11, 15-22.]
Act 7:20 At this juncture Moses was born, and was exceedingly beautiful in God's sight. For three months he was nurtured in his father's house; [Exod. 2:2.]
Act 7:21 Then when he was exposed [to perish], the daughter of Pharaoh rescued him and took him and reared him as her own son. [Exod. 2:5, 6, 10.]
Act 7:22 So Moses was educated in all the wisdom and culture of the Egyptians, and he was mighty (powerful) in his speech and deeds.
Act 7:23 And when he was in his fortieth year, it came into his heart to visit his kinsmen the children of Israel [to help them and to care for them].
Act 7:24 And on seeing one of them being unjustly treated, he defended the oppressed man and avenged him by striking down the Egyptian and slaying [him].
Act 7:25 He expected his brethren to understand that God was granting them deliverance by his hand [taking it for granted that they would accept him]; but they did not understand.
Act 7:26 Then on the next day he suddenly appeared to some who were quarreling and fighting among themselves, and he urged them to make peace and become reconciled, saying, Men, you are brethren; why do you abuse and wrong one another?
Act 7:27 Whereupon the man who was abusing his neighbor pushed [Moses] aside, saying, Who appointed you a ruler (umpire) and a judge over us?
Act 7:28 Do you intend to slay me as you slew the Egyptian yesterday?
Act 7:29 At that reply Moses sought safety by flight and he was an exile and an alien in the country of Midian, where he became the father of two sons. [Exod. 2:11-15, 22; 18:3, 4.]
Act 7:30 And when forty years had gone by, there appeared to him in the wilderness (desert) of Mount Sinai an angel, in the flame of a burning bramblebush.
Act 7:31 When Moses saw it, he was astonished and marveled at the sight; but when he went close to investigate, there came to him the voice of the Lord, saying,
Act 7:32 I am the God of your forefathers, the God of Abraham and of Isaac and of Jacob. And Moses trembled and was so terrified that he did not venture to look.
Act 7:33 Then the Lord said to him, Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy ground and worthy of veneration.
Act 7:34 Because I have most assuredly seen the abuse and oppression of My people in Egypt and have heard their sighing and groaning, I have come down to rescue them. So, now come! I will send you back to Egypt [as My messenger]. [Exod. 3:1-10.]
Act 7:35 It was this very Moses whom they had denied (disowned and rejected), saying, Who made you our ruler (referee) and judge? whom God sent to be a ruler and deliverer and redeemer, by and with the [protecting and helping] hand of the Angel that appeared to him in the bramblebush. [Exod. 2:14.]
Act 7:36 He it was who led them forth, having worked wonders and signs in Egypt and at the Red Sea and during the forty years in the wilderness (desert). [Exod. 7:3; 14:21; Num. 14:33.]
Act 7:37 It was this [very] Moses who said to the children of Israel, God will raise up for you a Prophet from among your brethren as He raised me up. [Deut. 18:15, 18.]
Act 7:38 This is he who in the assembly in the wilderness (desert) was the go-between for the Angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai and our forefathers, and he received living oracles (words that still live) to be handed down to us. [Exod. 19.]
Act 7:39 [And yet] our forefathers determined not to be subject to him [refusing to listen to or obey him]; but thrusting him aside they rejected him, and in their hearts yearned for and turned back to Egypt. [Num. 14:3, 4.]
Act 7:40 And they said to Aaron, Make us gods who shall [be our leaders and] go before us; as for this Moses who led us forth from the land of Egypt--we have no knowledge of what has happened to him. [Exod. 32:1, 23.]
Act 7:41 And they [even] made a calf in those days, and offered sacrifice to the idol and made merry and exulted in the work of their [own] hands. [Exod. 32:4, 6.]
Act 7:42 But God turned [away from them] and delivered them up to worship and serve the host (stars) of heaven, as it is written in the book of the prophets: Did you [really] offer to Me slain beasts and sacrifices for forty years in the wilderness (desert), O house of Israel? [Jer. 19:13.]
Act 7:43 [No!] You took up the tent (the portable temple) of Moloch and carried it [with you], and the star of the god Rephan, the images which you [yourselves] made that you might worship them; and I will remove you [carrying you away into exile] beyond Babylon. [Amos 5:25-27.]
Act 7:44 Our forefathers had the tent (tabernacle) of witness in the wilderness, even as He Who directed Moses to make it had ordered, according to the pattern and model he had seen. [Exod. 25:9-40.]
Act 7:45 Our forefathers in turn brought it [this tent of witness] in [with them into the land] with Joshua when they dispossessed the nations which God drove out before the face of our forefathers. [So it remained here] until the time of David, [Deut. 32:49; Josh. 3:14-17.]
Act 7:46 Who found grace (favor and spiritual blessing) in the sight of God and prayed that he might be allowed to find a dwelling place for the God of Jacob. [II Sam. 7:8-16; Ps. 132:1-5.]
Act 7:47 But it was Solomon who built a house for Him. [I Kings 6.]
Act 7:48 However, the Most High does not dwell in houses and temples made with hands; as the prophet says, [Isa. 66:1, 2.]
Act 7:49 Heaven [is] My throne, and earth the footstool for My feet. What [kind of] house can you build for Me, says the Lord, or what is the place in which I can rest?
Act 7:50 Was it not My hand that made all these things? [Isa. 66:1, 2.]
Act 7:51 You stubborn and stiff-necked people, still heathen and uncircumcised in heart and ears, you are always actively resisting the Holy Spirit. As your forefathers [were], so you [are and so you do]! [Exod. 33:3, 5; Num. 27:14; Isa. 63:10; Jer. 6:10; 9:26.]
Act 7:52 Which of the prophets did your forefathers not persecute? And they slew those who proclaimed beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, Whom you now have betrayed and murdered--
Act 7:53 You who received the Law as it was ordained and set in order and delivered by angels, and [yet] you did not obey it!
Act 7:54 Now upon hearing these things, they [the Jews] were cut to the heart and infuriated, and they ground their teeth against [Stephen].
Act 7:55 But he, full of the Holy Spirit and controlled by Him, gazed into heaven and saw the glory (the splendor and majesty) of God, and Jesus standing at God's right hand;
Act 7:56 And he said, Look! I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing at God's right hand!
Act 7:57 But they raised a great shout and put their hands over their ears and rushed together upon him.
Act 7:58 Then they dragged him out of the city and began to stone him, and the witnesses placed their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. [Acts 22:20.]
Act 7:59 And while they were stoning Stephen, he prayed, Lord Jesus, receive and accept and welcome my spirit!
Act 7:60 And falling on his knees, he cried out loudly, Lord, fix not this sin upon them [lay it not to their charge]! And when he had said this, he fell asleep [in death].

So, look at how the Pharisees acted when Stephen spoke THE TRUTH! Do you know that there are Modern Day Pharisees? They act the same exact way, and they do the same exact things and they reject God's truth from His spokesperson just as truly as they rejected Stephen's words.

They do not want to hear it. They become agitated and angry and accuse and finally ATTACK the speaker. I have seen it MANY, MANY TIMES. It happens almost every time I write something from the Lord. Somebody does NOT like it and they in turn, accuse and eventually attack me. I remember not long ago, I asked a man the same question for about the 20 time (not all at once, this occured over a years time) which he had NEVER answered the questions I had asked. He instead would accuse me, tell me I was causing dissension, attack me, tell me I was hatefull, and on and on. THIS TIME, he told me that if he was in front of me he would punch me in the face!

Because I asked a question and told him the truth about his lack of answering me. And he still has the gall to tell ME I am hateful!

How sad.

So, because of all of this, I refuse to go around that mountain again. lady Songbird has NOT CEASED going around that mountain, digging herself a deeper and deeper trench (RUT) each time she goes around it, making it ever more difficult for her to do something else and refusing to do the different thing so that she will have different results.

I cannot be a apart of that kind of life.

Whether or not she hears this, is between her and God. Although I and at least one other are praying that she will.

So, my friends, I "failed" and learned something from that failure making it a success and am moving forward still. Not sure where I am going, but that is OK.

He knows.

Psa 37:23 The steps of a [good] man are directed and established by the Lord when He delights in his way [and He busies Himself with his every step].
Psa 37:24 Though he falls, he shall not be utterly cast down, for the Lord grasps his hand in support and upholds him.

I have found that as a person goes along, IF we are submitted to the Lord, even when we make errors, even when there are mistakes, GOD will still order and direct our path, causing our failures and mistakes to actually become a teaching and a blessing to us and for those around us.

I am not past learning my friends. We each must continue to do so for all of out lives. The secret is to learn QUICKLY so that we do not return to the lesson over and over again, repeating those same past mistakes AND for GOd to really get our attention, HE causes those problems (and YES HE DOES CAUSE PROBLEMS IN OUR LIVES, or allows satan to bring them. Do we think satan can do anything without God's permission? He did not in JOb's life)
He causes those problems to become larger and more difficult to deal with until, if we do not give up and allow HIM to direct our paths, they overwhelm us utterly.

Some may read these words and immediately discredit what I am saying. Go ahead, you do so at your own peril. For even Jesus Christ was sent to this earth to go through trials and tribulations, When Jesus called Paul, He told Ananias that Jesus Himself would show Paul how greatly he MUST SUFFER in order to follow Him, and the New Church preached the truth of>>>


Act_14:22 Establishing and strengthening the souls and the hearts of the disciples, urging and warning and encouraging them to stand firm in the faith, and [telling them] that it is through many hardships and tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.

That whole idea is absolutely FOREIGN to the Modern American Church.

Soon, they will either fall away completely or they will embrace that truth totally.

The choice is thiers. And that means, the choice is your own! I pray that none of you will ever have to go around the mountain more than once again for the rest of your life, but that you would indeed immediately learn the lesson God has for you in each circumstance, trial, and tribulation of life that He allows you to go through. If you do not believe HE allows you to go through them, that HE has not devised these things for your benefit, then you are in reality saying that satan does things that not only contradict God's will, but he is stronger than God is, thwarting the will of God in our lives.

Yes, that is exactly what you are saying, whether you like it or not. I pray all would seek the Lord on this and learn these things quickly so that YOU would not have repeat your own path around your own mountain.

God bless you all.

a bondslave in Christ Jesus, Dirk

[guardianheart]

Dirk, thank The Lord for allowing such Trials n tribulations in ur life.
I know it doesn't feel that way when we are in the pure heat of the problem but not long after prayer n supplication, the Lord almighty steps in, to help us.
He has a purpose for all that has happened and because you trusted him, all things started working themselves out for his Glory, ur good and anyone else that was involved.
Plus, I am sure that after all this your Character in Christ Jesus has improved immensely.
Praise him, for he is sooooo worthy to be praised!!!
I just remembered this song.....And I'll praise You in this storm and I will lift my hands. For You are who You are no matter where I am, And every tear I've cried You hold in Your hand. You never left my side and though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm....
Stay Blessed Dirk

[Bondslavenchrist]

My Dear sister, THANK YOU!

I am not sure what would have happened had you not been there to encourage and bring the wisdom of the Lord to me when I needed it.

And yes, that song is a blessing.

Many trials and tribulations. I have found that we NEED THEM even though they are uncomfortable, allow us to experience pain both emotional and physical, and then bring us to the place of choice.

We can choose to either lay down, go down more and more, humble ourselves, submit to the Lord and allow HIM to work His will through those trials, OR we can rebel and attempt to alleviate the problems ourselves. If we do what WE can do, then we will always find that we end up going around that mountain AGAIN, only the next time, it becomes a worse trial, more tribulation, more pain requiring and even deeper humility.

It is Always, our choice.

WHY? Because God loves us more than enough NOT to allow us to remain in opposition to Him and His ways. We will NOT change unless we are forced to change, unless we face turmoil and apin and suffering. Only when we face these things, in Him, recognizing that HE has allowed them in our lives to bring us ever closer to Himself will we BEGIN to walk on the path He has designed for us to walk.

God bless you!

a bondslave in Christ Jesus, Dirk