Denying CHRIST: By DISOBEYING HIS+ Word

~ ~ ~

Becoming DISAPPROVED

By CHRIST+

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No... we don't "earn" our salvation;

But we CAN earn HIS+ disapproval !
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But I keep under my body,

and bring it into subjection:

lest that by any means,

when I have preached to others,

I myself should be a castaway*.

I Cor. 9:27

*The word castaway is in the Greek actually UN-APPROVED.

~

To continue (Chapter 10:1-4) the thought stated by The Apostle Paul:

Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud and all passed through the sea; and were ALL BAPTIZED unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; And did ALL EAT the SAME SPIRITUAL FOOD; and did ALL DRINK the SAME SPIRITUAL DRINK; for they drank of that spiritual ROCK+ that followed them: and that ROCK+ was CHRIST.

.

So, here we see that baptism by water ( the Red sea) and The HOLY SPIRIT (the supernatural "cloud") was effected for all. We also see here that CHRIST was the spiritual "drink" (His+ Blood), supplied to all. CHRIST JESUS was also the spiritual food, the Bread+ of Heaven, the TRUE MANNA+, referred to in the verses above because JESUS Himself+ explained that to us in John 6:31-35.

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But with many of them

GOD was not well pleased:

for they were overthrown in the wilderness.

(verse 5)

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Yes, GOD disapproved of them even though they were baptized and ate of CHRIST'S Body and drank of CHRIST'S Blood... as the Scripture states in those 4 verses. And yes, being "disapproved" means being cast away, or as Our LORD JESUS said, being "cut off from the True Vine+ ." ( John 15)

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If the toiling, laboring, self-denying Apostle Paul was concerned about becoming un-approved and thus, cast away from CHRIST JESUS... shouldn't we be concerned also ?

+ + +

Why do you look for love

in all the wrong places?

.

Why do you turn to others for love

and shy away from ME+ ?

.

Have I + ever hurt you?

Have I+ disappointed you

or caused you grief?

.

Nay, but rather,

your going your own way

has caused your grief

and disappointment.

.

Do not mistake approval for love.

I+ love you despite

the grief and disappointment

you have caused ME+ .

.

If you will walk in

ALL of MY+ Ways

-- forsaking your own --

I+ will fill up your heart.

.

You have MY+ Love;

Now strive for MY+ Approval*.

+ + +

*Philippians 3:12-14

.

.

Glory be to The FATHER,

Who created thee;

And to His Beloved SON+,

Who saves thee;

And to The Blessed HOLY SPIRIT;

Who sanctifies thee.

+ + +

Anger is NOT an OPTION...

... but HIDING is .

THOU+ art my hiding place;

THOU+ shalt preserve me from trouble;

THOU+ shalt compass me about

with songs of deliverance.

Psalm 32:7

.

We all know how to love our enemies...

if they are outside the home.

.

But , what do we do when the hurt comes towards our heart

from within the intimate family circle?

.

And, where do we go when that hurt

occurs over and over again ?

.

THOU+ shalt hide them

in the secret of Thy Presence+

from the pride of man;

THOU+ shalt keep them

secretly in a pavilion

from the strife of tongues.

Psalm 31:20

.

Spouses hurt one another's heart. Siblings hurt one another's heart. Parents hurt the hearts of their children and off-spring hurt the hearts of their parents.

.

HURT,

because of the Adamic curse,

is HERE TO STAY

while we are in this body,

on planet earth.

.

Some counsel to "up-front" and "honest" with our feelings: i.e., "...when you do (or say) that, it hurts my feelings because...." However, in my own tumultuous life, I have seldom seen honesty like that do anything but cause MORE problems, no matter how calmly it is shared.

.

A better way is to follow The LORD'S COMMANDS: turn the other cheek, go the second mile, return a soft answer.

.

THOU+ art my hiding place

and my shield:

I hope in Thy Word+.

Psalm 119: 114

.

However, in the midst TAKING the hurt... when our heart is bleeding or breaking... it is good to HIDE IN CHRIST+. No immediate verbal response is necessary when we HIDE IN CHRIST+.

.

For in the time of trouble HE+

shall hide me in His+ pavilion:

in the secret of His+ tabernacle

shall HE+ hide me;

HE+ shall set me up upon a rock.

Psalm 27:5

.

We learn to scurry under the shelter of His+ Wings and take refuge there until the storm is overpast. When we HIDE in CHRIST+, we learn to let HIM+ do the battling; we are silent. We leave the battle in His+ Hands.

.

Keep me as the apple of the eye,

hide me under the shadow of Thy+ Wings,

Psalm 17:8

.

We cry out to HIM+ in our anguish, for protection. We start forgiving as soon as we collect our wits, even in the midst of the verbal attack. We learn to do spiritual warfare in the midst of the hurtful attack and silently BIND the evil spirits at work, in the name of The LORD JESUS CHRIST+.

.

By doing all of this, our hands and our hearts will be too full for us to indulge in our own anger, which only aids and abets the enemy who is attacking us.

.

If we slip into an angry reaction,

we are NOT HIDING IN CHRIST+;

we are on our own in the battle.

.

So, we must repent if we think anger is an "option" when we get hurt.

.

We must learn to

HIDE IN CHRIST+.

.

+ + +

JOINING WITH CHRIST...

...against the accuser.

.

[ Otherwise entitled:

Practicing Purity of Mind]

Blessed

are the pure in heart;

for they shall see GOD.

Words of Our LORD and SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST,

as recorded by Matthew in chapter 5, verse 8.

.

Did HE+ mean what HE+ said, literally ?

YES !

So... how do we become "pure" in our hearts?

It is OBVIOUS that HIS+ Word here in Matthew 5:8 is given to us... albeit gently... as an INSTRUCTION: that is, it is something concrete for us TO PUT INTO ACTION, it is an activity for us TO DO, a directive from Our LORD JESUS CHRIST for us TO PRACTICE. The Apostles learned from HIM+ and were diligent to teach the Early Church so. Here are their words:

.

The Apostle John said, "And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as HE+ is pure." I John 3:3

The Apostle Peter admonishes, " Seeing that ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the SPIRIT unto unfeigned love of the brethren, love one another with a pure heart fervently: " I Peter 1:22

The Apostle James said, " Draw night to GOD, and HE will draw night to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded." James 4:8

This purity and pure heart spoken of here and in many other Scriptures, both Old and New, is not something "given" to us; it is something we must diligently work to attain in order to be pleasing unto HIM+.

So... how do we go about making ourselves "pure?"

.

WE DO ALWAYS THOSE THINGS

WHICH PLEASE HIM+.

.

We know to flee from sin and youthful lusts. We know to abstain from EVERY appearance of evil. We know how be chaste and modest in our dress. We give NO reason for ANYONE to stumble by eyeing our flesh nor to stumble by coveting, on account of how we visibly present ourselves.

.

But, what about the whisperer, the accuser of the brethren?

Are we zealous to purify our thoughts

coming from the accuser against others?

Or, do we contemplate those accusing thoughts

and then AGREE with them ?

Many, many a Christian marriage

and untold numbers of churches

are floundering

because of the work

of the accuser going unchecked , un-stopped,

.

This "work of the accuser" gets a foothold when we get our feelings hurt. If we are ignored or snapped at, if we are blamed or held in disrepute, if our motives or our words are misunderstood... the accuser steps in to help us "discern" the truth.

How can the father of lies

help us discern ANY "truth" ?

Here, then, is where the Holy Scriptures step in to combat those lies, fortify our emotions, and help us INTERVENE against the wicked spirits , the spiritual "bullies" who are afflicting us and our loved ones [ by getting us to accuse each other ].

Thy Word is very pure:

therefore Thy servant loveth it.

Psalm 119:140

In essence, we turn our back on the accusing lies trying to get us to AGREE with them, and we proclaim His+ Word. (Use the Psalms or other Scriptures. One Christian struggling deeply with hurt had to forcefully read 17 Psalms before the accuser quit her presence ).

.

We REFUSE TO AGREE with the accuser, no matter how badly we have been hurt.

Why do Christians refuse to agree with the accuser?

We KNOW it is the evil one who uses unsuspecting flesh to hurt us. The evil one will then lay his evil working to the account of the "unsuspecting flesh". That person who was used to hurt us then has sin laid to his account.

Thus, we learn to "join with CHRIST" to fight the liars from laying siege to the person who brought us hurt or injury. We join with CHRIST to free that person from control of the wicked spirits lying to him/her. Yes, that very person who has done us wrong and is now being accused by our OWN hearts, we fight FOR, not against.

Once the Scriptures are " in the air", in our hearts, in our minds, and IN OUR MOUTHS, the distress and "need" to accuse the person who hurt us, will leave. We will be free and healed from the hurt and the love of CHRIST JESUS will be shed abroad.

With our mouths, we proclaim GOD'S HOLY WORD until His+ Word takes over our emotions.

With our mouths, we list all the RIGHT and GOOD things about the one who hurt us, making ourselves be fair.

With our mouths, we pray for GOD'S richest blessings to come to that person... all those things temporal and spiritual which will lead him to CHRIST or to a deeper walk.

Christians, let's do it!

Let's practice developing

a pure heart,

one that is pleasing unto

The LORD JESUS CHRIST.

+ + +

In the name of The FATHER, Who created us;

HIS Holy SON+ JESUS CHRIST, Who+ saves us'

And their Blessed HOLY SPIRIT, Who+ sanctifies us.

Amen.