WHY No CONVICTION of SIN ?

Shame has fled from our Western Civilization along with the Conviction of Sin.  

Why is this ? 

  Could it be that to some extent, 

even Cultural Christianity 
DOES have a function ?

TRUE WORSHIP....

But the hour cometh, and now is,

when the true worshippers

shall worship

THE FATHER in Spirit and in Truth:

for THE FATHER seeketh such to worship HIM.

.

Words of Our LORD JESUS CHRIST,

Beloved, Only-Begotten SON+ of The FATHER,

recorded in John 4:23

Do we practice Self-centered or GOD-centered worship ?

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GOD-centered worship stems from a GOD-centered life.

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Do we live for The LORD JESUS... or do we ask HIM+ to bless the many facets of our self-centered life? What is the difference ?

Do we ask healing for loved ones and friends

so they can live radically-transformed lives for JESUS...

or so they can resume their previous manner of a self-serving life ?

.

We cannot offer TRUE WORSHIP

unless our life is centered

upon The Living LORD JESUS CHRIST,

HE+ being our goal.

.

HE+ will accept no other.

.

+ + +

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O LORD JESUS CHRIST, SAVIOR and KING,

I call THEE+ "LORD." Help me to move my life, my Self, off-center and replace it with THEE+ alone. Send Thy+ Grace of conviction of sin to me when I supplant THEE+ with Self.

.

Train me in the way I should go, since I haven't trained myself so well. These things I ask, O LORD, THOU+ Who+ art the true Lover of my soul.

.

I bless Thy+ Holy Name, O THOU+, Who+ alone doeth all things well and pleasing in the sight of Our HEAVENLY FATHER. Amen.

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+ + +

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In the name of THE FATHER,

WHO created thee;

His Beloved SON+,

Our LORD JESUS CHRIST,

WHO+ saves thee from thy self;

and

the Blessed HOLY SPIRIT,

WHO convinces and convicts thee

of sin,

of righteousness,

and of judgment

to come.

.

+

GIFTS... VS... DISCIPLESHIP

Gifts... vs... Discipleship

We LIKE GIFTS!

The gifts from GOD are "... without repentance," according to the letter to Romans, 11:29. It says: For the gifts and calling of GOD are without repentance. His+ gifts are blessings for us, helping us through the struggles of life.

His+ GIFTS are freely given, freely dispensed as HE+ sees fit, being the Captain of the Battleground. HE+ equips various ones of us for The Battle... some in one way, some in another... according to what is needed to get the job done His+ way.

Some take the GIFTS as a sign that they are really special, kind of above the rest. I think the GIFTS are given to those who are least, to those who really are humble enough to receive them and humble enough to listen to His+ directives on how to use them. GIFTS are certainly no virtue on our part... but rather on His+ ! That HE+ would entrust us with His+ anointed GIFTS is amazing, in and of itself.

GIFTS come in many ways and for many purposes. I have a special one that helps me; it is what I call the gift of the conviction of sin. (Most wouldn't think of this as a "gift" from GOD, but I do.) No-one can even ENTER the Race without a conviction of sin upon the heart, which should lead to repentance and conversion and salvation. Likewise, no-one can STAY with HIM+ without the correction that this wonderful conviction brings. Woe to that man who turns a deaf ear to the conviction of sin sent upon him... whether he is regenerated or not!

I thank The LORD for giving this gift of His+ grace, called the conviction of sin. Where would we be if we didn't receive His+ conviction when we go astray in our heart? How blessed we are as a people, whom The LORD monitors closely enough to bring such conviction! How blessed, how holy, are those who listen closely enough to Their LORD to receive that conviction!

That goes hand in hand with The GIFT of the HOLY SPIRIT, as in Acts 2:38.

And yet, as splendid as the Gift of the HOLY SPIRIT is... it does NOT take the place of our own discipleship. The Baptism of the HOLY SPIRIT, the Anointing of His+ HOLY SPIRIT, does NOT do the walking in discipleship for us. It can pull us along, to some extent, if we are willing to walk in His+ ways. It can reveal to us what we NEED TO DO in order to walk with HIM+. It can "nudge" us along when we're dragging our feet. And, it can comfort us when we are hurt and sad, encouraging our hearts.

BUT... the HOLY SPIRIT CANNOT AND WILL NOT do "our" part in walking with The LORD. We must simply embrace the cross, embrace discipleship, in order to stay WITH The LORD once we are saved.

Discipleship is how we grow. It changes us from gangling youth into mature Christians.

Discipleship is what we do to return unto HIM+. It is how we pick up our cross and die daily to ourselves. Personal discipleship trains us how to die to ourselves and live unto CHRIST.

Our actual labor is not church attendance, as important as that may be. It is not participating in activities, as wholesome or as demanding as they may be. It is not even using the GIFTS HE+ gives us, as exciting as they are to see in operaton.

Discipleship is our gift to

HIM+.