THE INNER ROOM - "Learn and Grow - to Maturity". Please read the 1st Post.

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Oh man, I dunno what I've done to deserve this!! First...

Faithwoman: Wonderful to hear that the weather is so nice for travelling. Sounds like you have a distance to travel!

InHisLove: Could He POSSIBLY be more worthy? He was WILLIING to pay the full price to redeen rebellious, unworthy, sinful humans - like me. Wow, WOW, WOW!!!!

MC: What IHL said!!! Thankyou!!

- BM
 
A New Way - 6

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Why is Grace So Important to YOU?

Please READ and SHARE

The word 'Grace' is often teamed with mercy in the Scriptures - and that's such a great teaming!! Grace itself is a major part of Who God truly is, and has been defined as: God's undeserved love and favour towards YOU!! That's what Grace is!!

But why do we so DESPERATELY need grace in our lives? - because we all sin against HIM every day of our whole lives, that's why! And that's even if it's only FAILING to do all that we MUST (i.e., disobeying Him). For example, do you love God 100%, and 100% of the time? We're commanded to, but fail: thus we all constantly sin against Him!!

Serious?? - oh, YES!! So much so that first we must confess our sin to God (both admit to Him and name our sins) then seriously repent (changing our mind) about how we've committed all that sin and wrong!! - else risk spending eternity in hell's punishment rather than spending it with God and his angels in all His wondrous glory!! This is an either-or situation: NO repentance and sorrow for your sin against Him and it's destination: hell for you - when it could and should have been destination: heaven!!

Often we 'define' God as Love, because He surely IS 'agape' (= utterly selfless love!) In "Grace" there's this addition to God's wondrous agape: the fact that it is utterly UNDESERVED by us, BUT He daily showers it upon us anyway!!! That's grace!! Without it, God would immediately condemn you and me, and every human being on the planet to hell's punishment forever (that being His justice side).

But way, way back God's grace said, "Wait a minute. There's an answer to this. But it would truly COST YOU, My beloved Son, cost You so much! And Myself also!" (The Father suffered appallingly watching His Son, Jesus, suffer hell in our place while ON that horrendous Cross, but did not, could not, intervene! Jesus had to go through ALL of the agony, right to DEATH for you and me, else not even one of us could ever be saved from hell).

Thus God conceived of Jesus paying the total price, FOR us, of ALL of our sin and sins, and in the fullness of time He did exactly that - for you and for me!! Wow!!! In turn, this was agape from and by Jesus!!! - setting us free forever!!

"By grace you have been saved through (your) faith... as God's gift," which most church-goers know. But fewer probably understand: "Not by works, lest any man should boast (about what he's done)." Ephesians Ch 2:8,9. We must TRUST (believe in) the death of Jesus on our behalf to save us, and that is IT!! - trusting our whole life to Him!!! Not even the most MAGNIFICENT works can ever save you. BUT... unless your FAITH and trust leads you to good works for others, then you remain unsaved and hell-bound.

"Show me your faith without your works, and I'll show you my faith BY my works." James Ch 2:18. The operative word being 'show', i.e., demonstrate, clearly illustrate, prove. This is our faith - true and real faith - WORKING!! But there's very little of this WORKING to be truly seen in the lives of people in the church (maybe including yours!!) *deepest sadness!...*

So we've looked at the completeness of grace, and how it's intimately involved in critical matters in ALL our lives - like sin, faith, works, hell, and heaven. Live this message, and share this. Tell a friend where to go to read it. Then make sure you can speak it to others. 'Give it away' and it will be yours forever! Love (agape!) and blessings to all!!

- BM, with his Lady

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I need grace . because i cannot do any of this myself . i don't just need grace as a starting point . i need grace to do anything . without grace i would be so undone . one time recently, i recall discussing grace as a mighty ocean .. and then thinking hey . sometimes we walk on water, meaning grace is the foundation . when grace is established .. is this when agape takes over? (Oh my .. i feel more helpless than when i began .. but it feels so good hehehe .)

Galatians 5 (New International Version)


22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. 25Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.
 
Hi, everyone! I know I haven't been around in a long time, but I do read every now and then. I just wanted to share something that has been on my heart for awhile. I've come to understand that we must recognize that the long-term intention of God is not only to eliminate the pains in our bodies, but also to establish His reign in our hearts . . . that the goal of God's visitation is to make us His habitation. This is a treasure I am standing on right now. I know, Bondman, that you and your beloved are physically in much need, but we certainly recognize the enormous blessing you have been to all of us. You are continually a blessing to those around you, without any boundaries. God must be very fond of you to have kept you strong in this way.

I am so blessed to be retired now. I'm enjoying the babies I am caring for soooo much. Besides EmiliRose (2) and her brother, Xander(3 mos), I had a call today from someone whose niece is trying to find someone to watch her 3-mo old baby boy also. And, on top of that, my daughter, Kim is due to have her baby girl any day, which will make me an official grandma finally. Her name is Lily Grace. I am so very blessed.

Can you imagine smooching on a baby any time you want? I don't know why Heavenly Father has blessed me so much. I don't deserve it. However, in the same way, even though I have my aches and pains, I can still be used to be a blessing to these young parents and their sweet babies.

The most important thing right now though is I am establishing His reign in my heart and I am falling deeper and deeper in love with Him. I am working on doing the hard things and doing it on purpose, to train my flesh to bow to His plans for my life. It's an exciting life for sure! What would we ever do without Him?!

Thanx for letting me share what was on my heart. Of course, you had no choice, lol You've done read it now. No turning back hehe. God bless you all. You may find me lurking around here some other time. Hugz, Sweets
 
Bondman has been extra ill today and in bed for most of it. The overall health of both of us has recently deteriorated considerably, and at times like this he is not certain that he can keep going. Myself also.

Mrs Bondman
 
So sorry to hear BM is doing so poorly today. As you know you both are very special to me and Liz and you are continually in our prayers. We'll pray not only for tomorrow being a better day but continue to pray for the complete healing God promised.

Much love to you both,
 
A New Way - 7

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May He Truly REIGN in Your Heart!!

SweetSurrender in her post made this amazing statement: "The most important thing right now though is I am establishing His reign in my heart and I am falling deeper and deeper in love with Him."

First she said that she is establishing His reign in her heart. What does that mean? Well, my take on what she said is that God's reign in her heart is for Him to be King there, in all ways, in all things, at all times. If you like you can consider it as Jesus reigning as Lord over all of your life. Or being your Master with you as His servant (a bondman like me). Paul in 1 Timothy Ch 6:14,15 referred to: our Lord Jesus Christ as the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings, and Lord of lords. May He be so in all of our lives!!

The tragedy is that most folks never seem to get round to doing anything even vaguely like this. They let "life" keep them from it. Whereas Sweets has come to deeply see it as an essential (IT IS!!), and is involved in making it true for her and real in her life. Maybe it depends where you are looking - either at the world around you, or at eternity to come, as come it will and that right soon!

Unless you stop going round with your nose pointed at the ground, you'll never see the glories to come that I've written about many times here. You'll never stop living an "ordinary, world-focused" life, God will never become real to you, and your life will never change - for the better!! How dreadful and awful for you!!

Catch the vision. Catch the vision of God reigning in your heart and life, being real to you, close to you, active in your daily living. You being HIS, as you stand up and say: "YOU are my God. I belong to YOU! I want to always be Yours and to make You happy. I want to love You more and more, and I SO want to please and obey You!" May it be for you and me like Paul amazingly said to the church at Rome in Romans Ch 16:19a: Your obedience is known to all. WOW!!

Maybe you'd like to pray: "I'm willing to do the hard yards like Sweets was talking about. I'll DO that, I WILL!! I know it's not supposed to be a Sunday School Picnic. I get that. And I will work on obeying You with the things I know to. I've read some here in the IR but I haven't got serious about them. Today I'm going to start to be - taking it one step at a time."

Are you GAME? - to do that? C'mon, be in it! Get serious and start now. This is ultimately for YOUR best (though that's NOT the reason to do it, nor the right focus). It's just that you will NEVER ultimately lose by pleasing God. That's just not possible! I'm looking forward to hearing about YOU catching the Vision!!! Bless you abundantly in this great new endeavour!!

- BM, with his Lady

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Yes . when affliction comes . and i trust Him in that space and continue to receive His love . He establishes His reign more and more . especially in those rough patches . when trust replaces worry and love replaces self . then you are no longer catching that vision but are that vision . good one bondman and mrs . may He strengthen you both from the inside day by day .
 
UPDATE

Thankyou all for good wishes and prayers. May I mention you especially Michael as I've not been able to respond to your posts like I'd want.

I had 14 or 15 hrs sleep today; can't remember the last time such a thing happened. Beloved maybe as much. What is wrong with us?? I mean above our normal illnesses? We have no idea...

What I know is that keeping going is getting close to impossible - the struggle to get through each day is SO great, and making ourselves do things SO difficult. I don't know how to keep writing messages, yet feel the imperative to push myself to do so.

I'm so tired of the physical and mental struggle. There seem to be only two solutions. I'm 71 and my body is on the way out. Death would be a blessed relief, and how I WANT to go to be with my Master Jesus!!! But God promised me full healing for us both and our funds for ministry into India's poor and unreached.

So I wait for Him and wait upon His promises!!!!

- BM
 
BM, focus on your health . If God pulls a Moses and gives you another 40 years then good . and if He so elects to take you Home we can continue the conversation up in the air . that you slept that long brings back a passage from the Psalms "He makes me down to lie" and perhaps God is saying "rest" i know you want to keep going . but maybe God is ordaning a rest for you .

Isaiah 40 (New International Version)

30 Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall; 31 but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.

keep worshipping Him pure and undefiled straight from the heart .

Agape .
 
Isaiah 40:31 has been "our" verse for a long, long time now!! It was wonderful to have you quote it.

Years ago when we were weller we used to drive to near the mouth of a local river and park. Different species of raptors (eagles, etc) used to come up the river soaring on the updraft currents, effortlessly, not one single flap of their wings, soaring in the heavens!

God's beautiful creatures - and the Isaiah verse was demonstrated right before our eyes!!

Blessings!

- BM
 
A New Way - 8

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Being Positive or Negative - What Does the Bible Say?

We live in a terribly negative world, and not an easy world to live in. So to be positive may be quite a strain to you. But it's not only the world that affects this, your temperament plays it's part also. If you're an extrovert you may have a bit of an edge on the introverts amongst us. And there's one extrovert temperament (which Tim La Haye calls a 'Sanguine') who seem to be positive and happy nearly all the time!

Then some of us are negative in our attitude, seemingly independent of the world and independent of our temperament type. Is it just because we WANT to be? The standard 'test' for this, of course, is to ask whether the glass is half full or half empty. You answer will tend to show whether you are a basically positive or negative person.

I see the half-full glass as more than half full *broad grin!*, so now you know which side I'm on. My primary temperament is that of an Introvert, but I have two sub-temperaments both Extrovert, so I can basically be either. I love the temperament that God and my parents gave to me, and I make the very best I can of it!!

Negativism is pretty awful really. I've read that it takes 10 positive words to overcome 1 negative one - isn't that shocking! - so do watch your mouth, particularly with your children. When we feel and speak and act negatively ultimately no good can come from this.

Seems like God is well on the side of positivism. I was reading in Philippians and couldn't help noticing these: Rejoice in the Lord always; and again I say rejoice! Philippians Ch 4:4. That sure works for ME!! If you're rejoicing, well, ALWAYS, then I can't really see any room for negativism, can you? A verse or two later God continues with: Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything - which seems pretty straight forward to me.

But how is this possible in our lives? Well the verse continues with the answer: but in every circumstance and in everything by prayer and petition continue to make your needs and requirements made known to God. Philippians Ch 4:6. NOT your "wants", your "needs", okay! BIG difference!!

There are definitely people in the world who are 'Positives' and others who are 'Negatives.' Do you think the verses above may mean that God is perhaps a 'Positive?' Okay, I don't dare 'label' God like that - just saying it seems to be that way. Continuing in Philippians I come down to the verse that I'm going to kind of summarise, so that hopefully we may get the full impact of it:

Whatever is true; and honourable and good; and just; and pure; and lovely; and kind and gracious - think on these things (fix your minds on them.) Philippians Ch 4:8. Whoo-hoo!! I just LOVE all of that!

Does that mean that I manage to do all in that verse? No, I'm not perfect yet. But you're a positive, right; so were you always like that? Tended to be, but no, I've had to LEARN to do (OBEY!!!) the things in these verses, along with many others in the New Testament that lead us to be so grateful for all He's given us and done for us, and I'm now ALWAYS joyful deep-down which the Holy Spirit can and will give you as part of the Fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23.

I pray for you all - as part of this Fruit, that you gain deep-down Love, Joy and Peace!!

- BM, with his Lady

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Yeah Yeah, how can good fruit come out of a tree that sits on bad soil? it's a total journey . but it's so irritating to the enemy when they insult me and i see something good in it and tangent off on that lol! soooooooooooooooo much fun!

Thanks again Bondman .
 
Yeah Yeah, how can good fruit come out of a tree that sits on bad soil? it's a total journey . but it's so irritating to the enemy when they insult me and i see something good in it and tangent off on that lol! soooooooooooooooo much fun!

Thanks again Bondman .

Love it when I see examples of a good tree sitting in pretty rotton dirt. But a good tree is always gonna produce good fruit (the enemy notwithstanding!!!)

Blessings, MC!!

- BM
 
Hey Bondman and all who pray
Can you all just pray for me.. allow the spirit to lead you.. I am at a crossroads right now in my life in regards to my job. It has come to a point that I totally need to trust the Lord, but I really feel the calling to give notice, now mind you I do not have another job open to me at this point.. but I truly feel to give a 30 day notice and allow him to lead. There has been alot going on at my current job. I have struggled with it for some time and a turn of events happened this past week. It is late, but I really need prayer for the Lord to close the doors shut that need to be closed and open the ones he wants to open.

I have been fervently praying that I am all his and may he do with me as he sees fit.
God Bless and I am praying for you all as well.
Faithwoman
 
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