Peace we can't understand.

Php 4:6  Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 

Php 4:7  And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. 

Everything.

The entirety- all the items, actions, or facts in a given situation. (Encarta)

In EVERYTHING-  Pray.

In EVERYTHING-  Supplicate.

In EVERYTHING-  Thanksgiving.

In all actions- pray, supplicate, and give thanks.

Truly if we cannot pray, supplicate and give thanks in what we are doing- should we be doing it at all? If we have requests they should be of God. If we have any concerns at all about anything at all we should be seeking God over those concerns and when we pray, when we appeal to God, we need to thank Him and KNOW that He has heard us and will answer our requests with HIS wisdom- not ours.

If we do this, if we truly keep these words and believe them- the PEACE of GOD- which passes ALL understanding will keep our hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

If we can honestly learn to leave our concerns with God, if we can really truly trust in God, giving Him our worries and we BELIEVE He will answer in HIS wisdom, then we should have this peace we cannot comprehend. We thank Him because we know He's in control. We understand that NONE of our worrying will alter a single thing. 

We need our hearts kept.

We need our minds kept.

We need the keeper of our hearts and minds to be our Savior- Christ Jesus!

Please, Lord, teach me to surrender to You in all things. Teach me to know Your peace with I will not be able to understand.  All through YOUR grace and mercy, YOUR love, now and forever.

AMEN.

Our Part.

Can the Lord work in us if we really don't want Him too? If part of us refuses to yield to Him? If we see our cross before us and do not pick it up will He force it into our hands? Living in the spirit, not in the soul-self, not in the flesh- are we made to do this if we really don't want to? If the flesh lusts, and the soul-self power is more of what we want, are we forced to give either of them up? 

How often have we wished we were forced into doing something- in retrospect? While the situation was unfolding we fought against it and prevailed, but later on with deep regret we wish we'd never fought, but allowed ourselves to be compelled even grudgingly, to do what we didn't want to do.  I know it's happened in my life.  Part of us wishes we could be forced into salvation, forced into submitting, to yielding to the Holy Spirit. Part of wants desperately to be made to give up the flesh lusts that would consume us. We want to be transformed into sinlessness, even as we find ourselves prone to corruption. 

We do what we DON'T want to do. Yet, we want to do what we shouldn't do and at the same time we don't want what we want. What a miserable life it can be when we look to ourselves for salvation, we will never find it there.  Yes, we must yield, we must choose, and we must pick up our cross. We must do our part in submitting, in allowing the Holy Spirit to work in us. We must make the choices when we are called to do so. We must seek forgiveness when we err.   All by HIS grace and mercy, HIS love always- In Jesus Christ our Lord!

*******

The Spiritual Man - Watchman Nee - 'These are the conditions which we on our side must fulfill. The Holy Spirit requires our cooperation. The Lord will not be able to do His part should we fail to do ours. But were we to discharge our responsibility, our High Priest would tear apart our spirit and soul with the sharp Sword of His Spirit in the power of His cross.

Everything which belongs to emotion, sensation, mind and natural energy would be separated one after another from the spirit so as to leave no trace of fusion.

To lie on the altar is what we must do, but to divide the soul from the spirit with the well-honed knife is what our High Priest undertakes. If we truly commit ourselves to the cross our High Priest shall not fail to execute His ministry in separating our spirit and soul. We need not worry about His part. Upon seeing we have fulfilled the requirements for His working He shall part our spirit and soul at the appropriate time thereafter. Those who have apprehended the danger of a mixture of these two organs cannot but seek deliverance. Open though the road is to deliverance, it nevertheless is not without its difficulties. Believers must persevere in prayer that they may see clearly their own pitiful state and understand the indwelling, working, and demands of the Holy Spirit. They need to know the mystery and reality of the Holy Spirit dwelling within them. May they honor such holy presence; may they be careful not to grieve Him; may they know that, aside from sin, what grieves Him the most as well as what harms themselves the deepest is to walk and labor according to their own life. The first and original sin of man was to seek what is good, wise and intellectual according to his own idea. God’s children today often make the same mistake. They should realize that since they have believed in the Lord and have the Holy Spirit indwelling them, they ought to give the Spirit complete authority over their souls. Do we think because we have prayed and asked the Holy Spirit to reveal His mind and to work in us, that all shall accordingly be done? That assumption is not the truth; for unless we deliver to death specifically and daily our natural life, together with its power, wisdom, self, and sensation and unless we equally desire honestly in our mind and will to obey and rely upon the Holy Spirit, we shall not see Him actually performing the work. The Lord’s people should understand that it is the Word of God which parts their soul and spirit. The Lord Jesus is Himself the living Word of God, so He Himself effects the division. Are we disposed to let His life and accomplished work stand between our soul and spirit? Are we ready to have His life so fill our spirit that the soul life is immobilized? The Bible is God’s written Word. The Lord Jesus uses the teaching of the Bible to separate our soul and spirit. Are we willing to follow the truth? Are we ready to do what the Scriptures teach? Can we obey the Lord in accordance with the teaching of Scripture without putting in our opinion as well? Do we consider the authority of the Bible as sufficient without seeking human help in our obedience? We must obey the Lord and everything He teaches us in His Word if we would desire to enter upon a true spiritual path. This is the Sword which is operative to the cleaving of our soul and spirit. '

Do we indulge our flesh and our soul-self?

Living our lives in the spirit. 

What is of the spirit?

What is of the flesh?

What is of the soul-self?

We are told (Gal. 5:16,17)  'Walk in the Spirit'  And in that same sentence we are told- IF we walk in the Spirit then we will NOT fulfil the lust of the flesh.   When we feel the lust in our flesh, our soul-self has to determine whether or not we are going to let that lust become conceived.  Are there lusts so powerful that as soon as they hit us we let them consume us, or do all lusts come with an opportunity of denial? Jesus told us this--

Mat 5:27  Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: 

Mat 5:28  But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. 

The lust is powerful and sinful.  When we indulge the lusts of our thoughts we are sinning. We have to deny the lusts as we think them!

Yes, I believe there are sins of ignorance, sins that happen so fast they leave us reeling and heartbroken seeking forgiveness. I also believe that a lot of our sins are toyed with in our minds instead of being shunned and cast out, instead of being fought against. I believe we FAIL to raise our weapon to destroy the lusts because we are being DRAWN away.

Jas_1:14  But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.

When we are shown the soul-self desires that war with the spirit-led desires we have to draw our sword! We have to use our weapon. We have to search the scriptures --

Joh_5:39  Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.

We need to LIVE according to the spirit, not the soul-self, not the flesh.  By the GRACE and mercy of our LORD we will! All glory, all honor unto our Savior and King, Jesus Christ our Lord!

' (7) Live according to the spirit. This is a condition not only for our preservation but also for a distinct cleavage between spirit and soul. We must seek to walk by our spirit in all respects, distinguishing what is of the spirit and what is of the soul and resolving as well to follow the former while rejecting the latter. Learn to recognize the working of the spirit and follow it.'  The Spiritual Man - Watchman Nee

Live to the Spirit

' (7) Live according to the spirit. This is a condition not only for our preservation but also for a distinct cleavage between spirit and soul. We must seek to walk by our spirit in all respects, distinguishing what is of the spirit and what is of the soul and resolving as well to follow the former while rejecting the latter. Learn to recognize the working of the spirit and follow it.'  The Spiritual Man - Watchman Nee

Gal 5:16  This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. 

Gal 5:17  For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. 

Gal 5:22  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 

Gal 5:23  Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. 

Gal 5:24  And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. 

Gal 5:25  If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 

Gal 5:26  Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another. 

Gal 6:7  Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. 

Gal 6:8  For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. 

Gal 6:9  And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. 

Rom 8:1  There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 

Rom 8:4  That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 

Rom 8:5  For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. 

Rom 8:6  For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 

Rom 8:12  Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. 

Rom 8:13  For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. 

Rom 8:14  For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. 

Rom 8:15  For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. 

Rom 8:16  The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:

1Pe 1:22  Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: 

1Pe 1:23  Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. 

Jud 1:18  How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts. 

Jud 1:19  These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit. 

Jud 1:20  But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, 

Jud 1:21  Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. 

A Painful Separation

How often do you think of the cross of our Savior and let it remind you of your own cross? Usually we think of the cross and of our Savior's sacrifice- His death and His resurrection, and rightly so, but we mustn't stop there.  If we stop there then we fail to realize the connection between the cross Jesus told us we must take up and His cross. 

Jesus knew the path He was going to take, He knew His mission was to bring the good news of salvation to all and His flesh life's end of that mission was His sacrifice of that flesh, and of all of Himself. Flesh, Soul, Spirit was put to death. Jesus had to die the second death, only then could He be resurrected by the Father and lead the way into life everlasting for all sinners who would accept His truth, who would believe.

Jesus knew we would have to take up our crosses and not only take them up, but take them up daily. Jesus knew we'd have to suffer. You can't take up a cross without suffering. So why do we believe we should not have to suffer, that Jesus should save us from ALL suffering. That when we suffer we are clearly on God's bad side, but that's not the truth and at all.

Act 5:40  And to him they agreed: and when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. 

Act 5:41  And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name. 

1Co 4:9  For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men. 

1Co 4:10  We are fools for Christ's sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye are honourable, but we are despised. 

1Co 4:11  Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwellingplace; 

1Co 4:12  And labour, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it: 

1Co 4:13  Being defamed, we intreat: we are made as the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things unto this day. 

1Co 4:14  I write not these things to shame you, but as my beloved sons I warn you. 

1Co 4:15  For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel. 

1Co 4:16  Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me. 

1Co 4:17  For this cause have I sent unto you Timotheus, who is my beloved son, and faithful in the Lord, who shall bring you into remembrance of my ways which be in Christ, as I teach every where in every church. 

1Co 4:18  Now some are puffed up, as though I would not come to you. 

1Co 4:19  But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord will, and will know, not the speech of them which are puffed up, but the power. 

1Co 4:20  For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power. 

1Co 4:21  What will ye? shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love, and in the spirit of meekness? 

Php_1:29  For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake

1Th_3:4  For verily, when we were with you, we told you before that we should suffer tribulation; even as it came to pass, and ye know.

2Ti_3:12  Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.

1Pe_2:20  For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.

1Pe_3:14  But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled

1Pe_3:17  For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing.

'(6) Daily bear the cross. Because the Lord desires to sever our spirit and soul He arranges crosses in our everyday affairs for us to bear. To take up the cross daily, to deny self at all times, to make no provision for the flesh—not even for a moment, and to be shown constantly by the Holy Spirit what are the activities of the soul in our lives: this is spiritual life. Through faithful obedience we shall be led to encounter the dividing of soul and spirit so that we may experience a pure spiritual walk.'  The Spiritual Man- Watchman Nee

The cross we take up will cause us personal suffering as we are such soul-selfish people of great magnitude. The daily glimpses into our terrible selfishness will be shown to us and when we choose to deny our soul-self it will be painful for us. PAINFUL.  Think about that for a bit, please, and pray, pray that we will be able to suffer that pain so we can have a separated soul-self and spirit.

Please, Lord, please bless us to this end. All through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior, now and forever.

AMEN.

Dull Sword, or Insufficient Practice?

Our weapon. 

Do people take care of their weapons? Most do if they want them in good working order. What good is a dull sword in battle? The word of God is never dull. But we who need the weapon- we who so desperately need the Sword of the Spirit, the word of God, need to USE the sword.  By the grace of GOD may we use the Sword!

' (5) Pray and study the Bible. Christians ought to search the Bible with prayer and meditation. They should let God’s Word penetrate thoroughly into their souls so as to enable their natural life to be purified. If they actually do what God says, their soul life shall not be able to continue its free activity. This is the meaning of 1 Peter 1.22: “having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth.” '   The Spiritual Man- Watchman Nee

Joh_5:39  Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.

Joh 15:3  Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. 

Joh 17:17  Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. 

Joh 17:19  And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth. 

Psa 119:11  Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. 

1Pe 1:22  Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently

1Pe 1:23  Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. 

1Pe 1:25  But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you. 

Mat 24:35  Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. 

Joh 6:63  It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. 

Heb 4:12  For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. 

2Co 2:17  For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ. 

Rev 20:4  And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 

When We Choose to Be A Christian.

When we choose to be Christians we are choosing to serve a living, loving, eternal life giving- God. When we choose to serve God we are placing Him before ourselves. We are placing His desires, His needs before our own. We are recognizing that our God is our creator and as our creator we owe Him our very life. We are acknowledging that our Creator truly has our best interests in mind. As Christians we believe that we are in need of salvation, that we cannot find salvation on our own. We are saying that there is something terribly wrong with this world and because something is wrong, it needs to be made right. We are admitting that we are very flawed in many ways when we say we are Christians. We are proclaiming that humanity is under a curse and the only way to break that curse is through our Savior. We believe that our Creator allows the curse to manifest itself fully in His creations and does so because He does not want to be a dictator, a puppet master. When He created us with freedom to choose the risk of choosing to live under the curse was one of the possibilities of choice. Instead of blotting us out of existence as an entire race, as a failed experiment, another opportunity to choose was enacted. Only this time, we would live under the curse - suffering all the horrors of the curse, of living a life without our Creator, if that's what we choose. We would live in a world filled with cursed individuals who would daily choose to exalt the curse rather than choose God. Every single horror in this world is a result of the curse. Those who choose God and are suffering under the influence of a cursed world comprehend that the cursed world is only temporary and will pass. As Christians we will make the daily choice to follow God, we will make many thousands, hundreds of thousands, seemingly countless decisions during our life and each one is the choice between following God or the cursed life. We are cursed, we are flawed and when we recognize a choice we've made is contrary to God's will, we are allowed to seek forgiveness for that choice.  When we make ourselves our god- serving ourselves first, we sin. When we focus on ourselves we set ourselves in place of God.  To be dead to sinning is to be dead to self in all ways.  The curse would have us believe that everything is about us and how we are feeling at any given moment in time. God would have us believe that everything is about Him, and all those around us at any given moment in time.

If we choose to serve God and others and NOT self- sin can't reign in us, sin can't have the control it desires to have.

Please, Lord, we would choose YOU! All by YOUR grace and mercy, through YOU - we choose YOU.

Rom 6:11  Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. 

Rom 6:12  Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. 

'(4) Stand on Romans 6.11. God’s children need to watch lest in seeking to experience the separation of soul and spirit they fall back into sin. Remember that this separating is built upon their having died to sin. Hence they should maintain daily the attitude of Romans 6.11, considering themselves verily dead to sin. Additionally, they should stand on Romans 6.12 and not permit sin to reign in their mortal bodies. This attitude will deprive their natural life any opportunity to sin through the body.' The Spiritual Man - Watchman Nee