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

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Just sharing a short, but deep and emotional time for me, that a few moments ago I had with Jesus - maybe feeling (showing) something of my frailty and human-ness...
"Jesus, is it wrong that I'm leaning so much on You... Coming and saying again that 'I love You'... makes me feel... good inside - just to be able... to have You here!... The Father, He's spirit, and I guess it's like He's the One in charge, and... maybe I don't feel so 'comfortable' with Him at the moment, as with You. And the Holy Spirit, He's spirit too, and He's the One... Who works in me... but He's different too.

"Whereas, You're like me, *slaps both legs* You got a body, just like mine. Still got a body, something like mine! You've been down here... and lived it all! Oh Lord Jesus, I LOVE YOU!! *emotional*... MAN I LOVE YOU!!!

"I dunno what heaven's gonna be like, no idea really. But I'd love to come, because... You'll be there... *emotion* Lord, YOU DID IT ALL!... YOU.. DID.. IT.. ALL!!!"
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Thank you for sharing your special time with him.. with us..
Bless you.. I am learning we need to show our fraility .. our human-ness.. and I will add for me.. becoming humble.

It is through our sharing, our walks.. our paths.. that we all grow.. and more importantly pray for each other.. Prayed for you all while out walking tonite.

The sun was shining bright on my face.. and I said thank you Lord for such great light.. thank you Lord for showing me the path of light..

Hugs
Faithwoman:)
 
I'M DUBBING THIS: "POST OF THE MONTH!"! *beatific smile*

Fluffy said:
I tithe because I am a "part of something". Oh, I dont know how to explain this. I am a part of the Body of Christ, and it is my way of contributing. Does that make sense? I just feel like its not quite conveying what I am thinking.
Its my way of participating in what my church is doing. How's that? We are a small congregation, but we sponser several different misisonaries around the world.
But you've made some really good points, Bondman, about it not being mandatory. And some churches use it only for material gain. Sad. We should do it because of our relationship with God and what He wants us to do, and not from anything dictated by man.
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A beautifully thoughtful post, dear heart!

I know you know that NEVER EVER do I want to upset anyone concerning their relationship with the Lord.

"I tithe because I am a "part of something". Oh, I dont know how to explain this. I am a part of the Body of Christ, and it is my way of contributing. Does that make sense?"

Yes, it does! You ARE part of something, something amazing! The church is the Body of Christ on earth, and you feel that your tithe is part of your participation and idendification with His Body here. That's exactly why in my message I posed the question: "So can you still tithe if you want to?" with the answer being: "Of course!" - just so long as it's FREELY GIVEN, and NOT by "must", REQUIREMENT or OBLIGATION!!

"Its my way of participating in what my church is doing. How's that? We are a small congregation, but we sponser several different misisonaries around the world."

I simply ADORE hearing of small churches who comparatively give more than anyone does, and MOST OF ALL when you find them outward-looking in supporting missionaries overseas - in contrast to many of the larger churches which have often become so inward-looking, seemingly having LOST THEIR VISION of SACRIFICING for others.

"But you've made some really good points, Bondman, about it not being mandatory."

I know you'll forgive me for this, Fluf, and be understanding of what I'm saying and why, which is this: I am utterly and completely DISINTERESTED in "point-making" (whether good OR bad *hee!*). Rather I'm aiming SOLELY to convey to any who wish to listen, what it seems to me the Lord God IS CLEARLY SAYING in the New Testament of the Holy Scriptures.

"And some churches use it only for material gain. Sad. We should do it because of our relationship with God and what He wants us to do, and not from anything dictated by man."

"...because of our relationship with God and what HE wants us to do, and NOT from anything dictated by man": Yes, yes, yes... and after that yes and yes!!!

Bless you abundantly with SPIRITUAL blessings direct from the heart of your God, dearest Fluffy!!!

With much love!

- BM
 
Soccerman said:
Is there room for one more?
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Faithwoman said:
Hey it's not my room.... but I say the more the merrier... welcome!

Faithwoman
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Welcome, Soccerman!

There's always room - because we have an "automatically" expanding (or contracting!) room here!! *chuckle* - because it's a "Spirtual" room! :) Last few days up to 100 folks in attendance, sometimes fewer, and we have had over 200.

So it sure can get kinda BUSY! - and just as well not everyone ever speaks at once or the whole thing would self-destruct!! That is, just a few post here, which allows me to cope, AND the Room to not get out of hand.

Enjoy!

- BM
 
Faithwoman said:
Thank you for sharing your special time with him.. with us..
Bless you.. I am learning we need to show our fraility .. our human-ness.. and I will add for me.. becoming humble.

It is through our sharing, our walks.. our paths.. that we all grow.. and more importantly pray for each other.. Prayed for you all while out walking tonite.

The sun was shining bright on my face.. and I said thank you Lord for such great light.. thank you Lord for showing me the path of light..

Hugs
Faithwoman:)
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Wow, that's all great, hon!

Humility is a tricky one. Like the guy who was so proud of his humility!! I'm not sure we can ever TRY to be humble, but rather ask the Lord to deal with our PRIDE. Get that removed, and I suspect humility then takes it's place.

For me, I think taking Jesus as LORD OVER ALL OF MY LIFE when I was 31 was the starting point. Once that really started to really sink in and gel (which for me took a deal of time), then in due course I somehow reached the point where, UNDER HIS LORDSHIP, I began to see myself as a "nobody". As John the Baptist so pertinently said: John 3:30 He must increase, but I must decrease. Funny thing, I just realised I don't think I have any awareness at all as to whether I'm humble - or actually what I am in this area. Hmm... that's really kinda 'weird'...


Your prayers, everyone's prayers, are SO important. We pray for each other - then God can WORK IN US!!!! (we fail to do that - then He cannot!)
 
smellycat said:
you have been down here and lived it all.?yes he was hounded from birth and crucified in his 30,s.what a life.:(
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Wow, smellycat, that's an interesting insight - seeing how unbelievably TOUGH His whole life was for Jesus! (I'm not sure how many of us really 'get' that like you just expressed it.)


Faithwoman said:
May we all remember that when we get in those "complaining" days of our own life! .. heaven help us...

Faithwoman
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:amen:
 
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PRACTICAL NEW TESTAMENT CHRISTIANITY​


MESSAGE #103

THE QUESTION OF LOVING OURSELVES

I had an excellent question from an Inner Roomie about this. She quite reasonably queried whether we really should be LOVING ourselves? I replied:

Yes, I understand what you're saying. Obviously we can love ourselves in a bad and sinful way, or we can love ourselves in a more healthy way. That Jesus' 2nd Commandment (Matthew 22:37-40) tells us to love OTHERS as we love ourselves, shows that loving ourselves cannot always be considered bad. And we may correctly love ourselves in the respect of "I have to take PROPER CARE OF MYSELF or likely I will become of NO value to anyone!" Thus I must be "self-concerned" for my well-being. That's a form of love.

Also if I were to do the opposite and HATE myself - that would reduce my value to man and God down close to zero probably. It would certainly be a VERY destructive thing!

Then consider the depths of God's love for you. He thinks you are the most wonderful of all his creation! He can see all of our beauty and wonder. He sees who we really ARE, as well as who we can really BE. INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT!! And if God loves us like that, then how would we DARE not to consider ourselves worthy of love.

Finally, I can't sum it up better than from Matthew Henry's Commentary (underlining mine):

"It is implied, that we do, and should, love ourselves. There is a self-love which is corrupt, and the root of the greatest sins, and it must be put off and mortified [put to death]: but there is a self-love which is natural, and the rule of the greatest duty, [to take proper care of ourselves, he's saying here] and it must be preserved and sanctified. [ditto] We must love ourselves, that is, we must have a due regard to the dignity of our own natures, [that God created in His image] and a due concern for the welfare of our own souls and bodies."

Then He adds this, which is really excellent: "in many cases we must deny ourselves for the good of our neighbour, and must make ourselves servants to the true welfare of others, and be willing to spend and be spent for them, to lay down our lives for the brethren."

I have personally learnt how to be spent for others. I say to the Lord to 'please use me and use me up'! I serve others because I serve Jesus as my Master. I see myself as a 'nobody', yet at the same have full respect and love for myself, mostly because I can fully accept who I am, and understand how HE sees me.

- BM, with his Lady
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TO HIM BE ALL THE GLORY FOR EVER AND EVER!​

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On the subject of loving yourself:
If you are so down about yourself, that all you can see is your feet, then you cant look up and see God.
If you are so down on yourself, believing that you cant do anything, then you will NOT be able to do anything!
Knowing who you are in Christ enables you to have confidence that He CAN and WILL work thru you to do His will and purposes. :D
 
On the subject of loving yourself:
If you are so down about yourself, that all you can see is your feet, then you cant look up and see God.
If you are so down on yourself, believing that you cant do anything, then you will NOT be able to do anything!
Knowing who you are in Christ enables you to have confidence that He CAN and WILL work thru you to do His will and purposes. :D
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Loved it!
Faithwoman
 
Fluffy said:
On the subject of loving yourself:
If you are so down about yourself, that all you can see is your feet, then you cant look up and see God.
If you are so down on yourself, believing that you cant do anything, then you will NOT be able to do anything!
Knowing who you are in Christ enables you to have confidence that He CAN and WILL work thru you to do His will and purposes. :D
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THIS is excellent! So true too! God is so good.

Praying for Mr. Bondman.
 
Fluffy said:
On the subject of loving yourself:
If you are so down about yourself, that all you can see is your feet, then you cant look up and see God.
If you are so down on yourself, believing that you cant do anything, then you will NOT be able to do anything!
Knowing who you are in Christ enables you to have confidence that He CAN and WILL work thru you to do His will and purposes. :D
Click to expand...




I cannot lay claim to the above. It was something that the Lord told me after reading Bondman's post. I give Him (God) all the credit and all the glory.
 
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