Family of God: Re: [FamilyofGod] Three Challenging And Comforting Thoughts

Amen

On Tue Jan 11th, 2011 11:50 PM EST Michael J. Knight wrote:

>
>Three Challenging And Comforting Thoughts
>
>
>
>1. God delights in honest people
>
>"If we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with
>one another" (1 Jn.1:9). To walk in the light means first of all that we
>hide nothing from God. We tell Him everything, exactly as it is. I am
>convinced that the first step towards God is honesty. God detests those
>who are insincere. Jesus spoke against hypocrites more than He spoke
>against anyone else. God does not ask us to be holy or perfect first of
>all but to be honest. This is the starting point of true holiness. And
>from this spring flows everything else. And if there is one thing that
>is really easy for anyone of us to do, it is to be honest. So, confess
>sin immediately to God. Don't call sinful thoughts by "decent" names.
>Don't say "I was only admiring the beauty of God's creation" when
>actually you lusted adulterously with your eyes. Don't call "anger" as
>"righteous indignation". You will never get victory over sin if you are
>dishonest.
>
>And don't ever call "sin", "a mistake", because Jesus' blood can cleanse
>you from all your sins, but not from your mistakes!! He does not cleanse
>dishonest people. There is hope only for honest people. "He who covers
>his sin will never prosper" (Prov.28:13). Why did Jesus say that there
>was more hope for prostitutes and for thieves to enter God's kingdom
>than for religious leaders (Matt.21:31). Because prostitutes and thieves
>make no pretence of being holy.
>
>Many young people are turned away from churches because church-members
>give them the impression that they themselves have no struggles. And so
>those young people think, "That holy bunch of people will never
>understand our problems!!" If this true of us, then we are unlike Christ
>Who drew sinners to Himself.
>
>2. God works all things for our good
>
>"Who can harm you if you prove zealous for what is good?"(1 Pet.3:13)
>God is so powerful that He makes ALL THINGS work together for the good
>of those who love Him and who are called according to His purpose - that
>is, for those who have no ambition on earth outside of His will for
>their lives (Romans 8:28). One who has selfish ambitions cannot claim
>this promise. But if we accept the will of God totally, we can claim
>this promise every minute of our life on earth. Nothing can harm us.
>Everything that others do to us - good or evil, accidental or deliberate
>- will go through the filter of Romans 8:28 and will come through
>working for our very best - conforming us each time a little more to the
>likeness of Christ (Rom.8:29) - which is the good that God has planned
>for us. This filter works perfectly every single time for those who
>fulfill the conditions listed in this verse.
>
>Further, 1 Peter 3:13 tells us that no-one can harm us if we are
>"zealous for what is good". Unfortunately this is not as well known a
>verse as Romans 8:28 is. But we must popularize it now. However, this
>promise too is applicable only to those who are zealous to keep their
>hearts good towards all people. It will be impossible for any demon or
>human being to harm such a believer.
>
>So whenever any Christian complains that others have harmed him, he is
>indirectly admitting that he does not love God, is not called according
>to God's purpose and has not been zealous for what is good. Otherwise,
>whatever those others did to him would have only worked for his good,
>and then he would not have had any complaints at all. Actually, the only
>one who can harm you is you yourself - by your unfaithfulness and your
>wrong attitudes to others.
>
>I can honestly say that no-one has ever succeeded in harming me in my
>life. Many have tried to do so, but EVERYTHING they did only worked for
>my very best and for the good of my ministry. So I can praise God for
>those people too. Those who have opposed me have been mostly so-called
>"believers" who have not understood God's ways. I am giving you my
>testimony only to encourage you to believe that this can be your
>testimony too - always.
>
>3. God detests all that this world considers great
>
>"That which men esteem highly is detestable in God's sight" (Luke
>16:15). The things that are considered great in the world, not only have
>no value in God's eyes, but are actually an abomination to Him. Since
>all worldly honors is an abomination to God, it must be an abomination
>to us too. Money is something that everyone on earth considers valuable.
>But God says that those who love money and long to get rich will suffer
>the following eight consequences sooner or later (1 Tim. 6:9,10). (a)
>they will fall into temptation, (b) they will fall into a trap, (c) they
>will fall into foolish desires, (d) they will fall into harmful desires,
>(e) they will plunge into ruin, (f) they will plunge into destruction,
>(g) they will wander away from the faith and (h) they will pierce
>themselves with many a pang. I have seen this happen again and again to
>believers everywhere.
>
>One of the main reasons why a prophetic word from the Lord is hardly
>ever heard these days in our land is because most preachers are lovers
>of money. Jesus said that the true riches (the prophetic word being one
>of them) would not be given by God to those who were unfaithful with
>money (Lk.16:11). This is why we hear so many boring sermons and so many
>boring testimonies in church-meetings and conferences.
>
>Remember
>Only one life, will soon be past,
>Only what is done, for Christ will last.
>
>The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the
>communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen. (2 Corinthians
>13:14)
>
>Love & Prayers,
>
>Michael J. Knight.
>
>http://groups.yahoo.com/group/A-C-T-S/
><http://groups.yahoo.com/group/A-C-T-S/>
>
>What we are is God's gift to us. What we become is our gift to God.
>