Dearly Beloved, trust that by the working out of your faith, you will be developing and strengthening spiritual muscles that are a vital part of equipping you with the necessary fibers for doing that which is the will and pleasure of God.
“For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.”
Philippians 2:13 KJV
“That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.”
2 Timothy 3:17 KJV
"...work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.”
Philippians 2:12 KJV
As with anything that we are not used to doing, or is still fairly new to us, it can feel alien, uncomfortable, and even wrong.
At the beginning stages, especially, of forming new spiritual disciplines, we can easily seem to fail some days and succeed others, before we seem to build more consistency of mind and heart, in word and deed, and in Spirit and in truth.
All the while, we can feel as though we are being stretched to our very limits.
We, like weary limbs, can get so fatigued, we feel we need a break from the pressures and demands of spiritual growth and maturity.
God can accelerate and facilitate our growth in such an efficient manner, that we progress so fast, we feel we have become someone new entirely and left the shell of ourselves, that old man, that fleshly man, in the background somewhere.
For there is much God must change in us, for where God is taking us.
“In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.”
John 14:2 KJV
Then suddenly, something within our selves or with out ourselves sparks a remembrance of the sin we blindly indulged in and for a moment we wonder.
And the Spirit reminds us,
“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”
2 Corinthians 5:17 KJV
The spiritual things of God are not an exception from this natural occurrence, from this daily crucifixion of the flesh.
"...I die daily."
1 Corinthians 15:31 KJV
For in the book of Scripture we read,
Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
Romans 8:7 KJV
Our natural minds are conformed to the thinking patterns of this world and fallen man.
"For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he..."
Proverbs 23:7 KJV
And those patterns of being are at odds with the spiritual mind, that is the renewing of your mind, that you may be of one mind, that the mind of Christ be in you.
“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:”
Philippians 2:5 KJV
That you may not be double-hearted, and thus be double-minded.
“Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.”
James 4:8 KJV
By consenting to let God in, we allow Holy Spirit to come in and clean up house, so to speak, we being the temples of the living God.
“Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?”
1 Corinthians 3:16 KJV
That we may allow his discerning touch, to point out, and bring to our patient attention, the things within our temples and on the temple grounds that do not look like him.
Knowing that from our time dwelling on this earth, we have picked up, undoubtedly, some traditions of man and doctrines of devils.
“Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;”
1 Timothy 4:1 KJV
Now, by allowing the Spirit to have his work in us, we can trust the author and finisher of our faith, having redeemed us to himself by the blood, to finish the good work he started in us.
For it is written,
Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.
1 Peter 1:16 KJV
Now, what is this holiness to which we are called?
Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.
1 John 3:1 KJV
We are called to be sons of God, servants of God, that eternal seed of which Jesus was the firstborn of many.
“For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.”
Romans 8:29 KJV
We are called to be a peculiar people, a nation after God's own heart, a born again body set apart for the necessary work of soul preparation preceding the return of her groom.
“But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:”
1 Peter 2:9 KJV
To be salt and light
To a dark and tasteless nation
To bless those who curse us
To the hot head and quick tongued
To show patience
Redeemed by the blood
and taught to walk again
In the good ways, the old paths
Return from whence we came
Taste and see
The Lord, our God is good
Meditate in Scripture
Fellowship with Prophets
Test, Sabbath rest, digest our Spiritual food
He came to divide and separate
Redeemed by law perfected in faith
One God, One Word, One baptism
Snatched souls from fire, Resurrected
Jesus is Risen
Above the world
and all in the world
So save holy fear for Yah
Throw not to swine, your pearls
I die to self
So Christ can live
In life and death,
Glory to God
I give.
Shalom, Beloved.
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