The Holy Spirit is our counselor, not our baby sitter.
"When I was a child I acted like a child, but when I became an adult, I put my childish ways behind me."
Faith is not complacent with so great a salvation as simply having been sealed, building an easy road of Christianity by saving our own lives while remaining Spiritually malnourished.
On the other hand, though the Holy Spirit is our source of power to do God's will, He is not our genie. As well, faith and the Spiritual gifts are not a power we can wield at our own discretion. True faith comes by the immediate prompting of the Holy Spirit and that is the present work of our Father. When it appears that God may be silent, then grace, belief, and trust are what we are to rely upon during these seemingly idle times.
There is a pseudo-faith that is borne out of human desires & emotions which takes on a form of godliness, deceiving many; but this is a religion of man and it is mostly talk. These people have yet to deny themselves so that Christ would become the power of love in their lives.
Biblical knowledge does not the gospel make, nor emotional appeals to summon lightning from heaven to force belief out of fear. Neither does wishful thinking or self induced faith cause God to act on our behalf. Only by our emptiness is the power of God manifest by the foolish things made ready to confound the wisdom of the world.
There are many 'forms' of Christianity today that pretend to be alive, but they're simply going through the motions. Their religion caters to the comforts of their particular human bent. From the staunch self righteous, to the animated actor on stage, their natural persona and abilities will determine and attract their unique brand of carnal Christianity.
So I think it's safe to say that much of what is called Christianity today are many 'houses' built on sand, vehemently divided against other sand dwelling sects. They follow a shepherd who is very much in charge of their own unique and exclusively held doctrines. Vary from this, and you will be ousted.
The true church, the bride of Christ, follows the voice of the one True Shepherd. Only by a revelation of Christ through the Holy Spirit does one grow into the fullness of Christ. We do not need that anyone should teach us, for the Holy Spirit will teach us. We are fed by the Holy Spirit, and through the Spiritual tithes and talents of others in the body of Christ, receive encouragement to persevere.
Self proclaimed Christianity only appears to the world as yet another special interest group attempting to recruit others to see things their way. But through our emptiness of dying to self, our lamps will shine before others, becoming a witness to the world that Jesus indeed came to set the captives free.
The world lives and loves to control, but fortunately, God is in control of love. Jesus has overcome the world! Let's reduce our own interests so that what dwells so preciously in our own bosoms will become a beacon of hope for others!
And while we're at it, let's fire our religious baby sitter. Shed the traditions of men and find the abundant life awaiting you!
"When I was a child I acted like a child, but when I became an adult, I put my childish ways behind me."
Faith is not complacent with so great a salvation as simply having been sealed, building an easy road of Christianity by saving our own lives while remaining Spiritually malnourished.
On the other hand, though the Holy Spirit is our source of power to do God's will, He is not our genie. As well, faith and the Spiritual gifts are not a power we can wield at our own discretion. True faith comes by the immediate prompting of the Holy Spirit and that is the present work of our Father. When it appears that God may be silent, then grace, belief, and trust are what we are to rely upon during these seemingly idle times.
There is a pseudo-faith that is borne out of human desires & emotions which takes on a form of godliness, deceiving many; but this is a religion of man and it is mostly talk. These people have yet to deny themselves so that Christ would become the power of love in their lives.
Biblical knowledge does not the gospel make, nor emotional appeals to summon lightning from heaven to force belief out of fear. Neither does wishful thinking or self induced faith cause God to act on our behalf. Only by our emptiness is the power of God manifest by the foolish things made ready to confound the wisdom of the world.
There are many 'forms' of Christianity today that pretend to be alive, but they're simply going through the motions. Their religion caters to the comforts of their particular human bent. From the staunch self righteous, to the animated actor on stage, their natural persona and abilities will determine and attract their unique brand of carnal Christianity.
So I think it's safe to say that much of what is called Christianity today are many 'houses' built on sand, vehemently divided against other sand dwelling sects. They follow a shepherd who is very much in charge of their own unique and exclusively held doctrines. Vary from this, and you will be ousted.
The true church, the bride of Christ, follows the voice of the one True Shepherd. Only by a revelation of Christ through the Holy Spirit does one grow into the fullness of Christ. We do not need that anyone should teach us, for the Holy Spirit will teach us. We are fed by the Holy Spirit, and through the Spiritual tithes and talents of others in the body of Christ, receive encouragement to persevere.
Self proclaimed Christianity only appears to the world as yet another special interest group attempting to recruit others to see things their way. But through our emptiness of dying to self, our lamps will shine before others, becoming a witness to the world that Jesus indeed came to set the captives free.
The world lives and loves to control, but fortunately, God is in control of love. Jesus has overcome the world! Let's reduce our own interests so that what dwells so preciously in our own bosoms will become a beacon of hope for others!
And while we're at it, let's fire our religious baby sitter. Shed the traditions of men and find the abundant life awaiting you!
PJR
"And remember that the heavenly Father to whom you pray has no favorites. He will judge or reward you according to what you do. So you must live in reverent fear of him during your time as 'foreigners in the land'. For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And the ransom he paid was not mere gold or silver. It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God. God chose him as your ransom long before the world began, but he has now revealed him to you in these last days.
Through Christ you have come to trust in God. And you have placed your faith and hope in God because he raised Christ from the dead and gave him great glory.
You were cleansed from your sins when you obeyed the truth, so now you must show sincere love to each other as brothers and sisters. Love each other deeply with all your heart.
'People are like grass;
their beauty is like a flower in the field.
The grass withers and the flower fades.
But the word of the Lord remains forever.'
And that word is the Good News that was preached to you.
1 Peter 1:17-25 NLT
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