The Power of Our Thoughts

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discerning the spirits, encouragement, entering his rest, experience, Flesh vs. Spirit, freedom, Jack Helser, joy, Michael Clark, peace, T.A. Sparks, thought life, thoughts, trust

Picture credits http://www.mvnazarene.org/includes/ckfinder/userfiles/images/I-Am-620×250.jpg

This is another joint article Michael Clark and I wrote which springs from our own experiences and from what the Lord has been teaching us lately.

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Paul signed off his letter to the Philippians saying,

Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you. (Phil 4:8-9, nrs)

How opposite this is to our human natures! We search the news looking for the latest terrorist attack or natural disaster. We even listen to gossip hoping to get some information that will make us feel superior to someone we know. Someone pointed out that Christians seem to have a vested interest in the misery of this world. We truly need new hearts and minds from God.

The End of Illusions or… Should We Trust Anyone?

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disillusionment, experience, following Jesus, freedom, illusions, Jesus Christ, Oswald Chambers, the dark night of the soul, the dark night of the spirit, thought life, true faith, trust, trusting God

Jesus did not commit Himself to them…, for He knew what was in man. —John 2:24-25
(Picture taken from http://utmost.org/the-teaching-of-disillusionment/)

Before God makes us permanent partakers of His divine nature who have been enabled to already enjoy eternal life in their spirits while living on this earth, He puts us through severe acid soapsuds that rob us of all illusion, both of what we thought we were and of what we might have seen in others. I am speaking of being stripped off from the ability to ever put man on a pedestal any more. Eventually, we see that, truly, only ONE is good, that is, our Father who is in Heaven.

Dependent on HIM

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childlike faith, children, earthly parents, entering the Kingdom of God, faith, freedom, God's love, hope, peace, the promised land, trust, trusting God

Blackbird Baby Enjoying the Sun on a Bicycle Pedal
(Photo by Susanne Schuberth)

What does a baby know about tomorrow? Is it really necessary that children who have reliable parents care about their own wellbeing?
I do know that not all earthly parents can be good parents because some have had a bad childhood that made them incapable of perceiving the needs of their own children. And some of you who read this blog even lost your parents when you would be little children yourselves. But you might have become parents of your own and thus you know that parents usually are able to give good gifts to their children as Jesus confirmed,

“What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” (Lk 11:11-13 ESV)

Where our real strength comes from

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abiding in Christ, God's love, Jesus Christ, joy, peace, quietness of heart, rest, spiritual strength, trust, weakness, wisdom

I have always been a weak woman, though not necessarily outwardly, but the One who knows me better than anyone else has always known about my frail health, my indecisiveness, and my lack of assertiveness. Actually, it grieved me a lot that I was never as healthy as other people, yet I fought against it with sports and I had to try harder to do so than others who never felt fatigued or were never plagued by physical pains and sicknesses. Just recently I thought that it was a great gift from God to have me act that way, that is, to never give up, but to fight despite feeling bad most of the time. I know that God can heal and sometimes He truly did. Yet often times He decides to not heal us and only He knows why.

To put it more spiritually, I was wondering where our spiritual strength might come from. What is it that makes us strong when we are weak? What helps us to face circumstances that grieve us and of which we know that we cannot change them? We know that Paul lived that life of spiritual strength in light of many adverse circumstances. Even his flesh (body) was affected, yet God would not help him as Paul had wished. Instead, the Lord said,

Seeking the approval of Christ – only

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God's wrath, heart, intellect, knowledge, Laodicea, light, love, lukewarmness, Martin Luther, mind, punishment, repentance, revelation, sin, spiritual power, trust, truth, warning

Cross and Fire
(Photo from http://cupandcross.com/)

As a foundation for my following deliberations, I’d like to adduce the following verses.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones.” (Prv 3:5-8 ESV)

We may not believe that God always caresses His children. His permanent, perfect, and satisfying love is only for those who have repented of all their sins, that is, those who have “been perfected in love.” (1 Jn 4:18) In all other cases of not-yet-mature Christians, Jesus Christ is a chastener who also punishes sin if we remain in an unrepentant condition although He warned us to return to Him. For it is written,