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#Post#: 6000--------------------------------------------------
God help me.
DIR By: James
Date: August 14, 2015, 4:12 am
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Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for
nought?
This could be read as one looks at the meaning of the words-
Doth Job fear (fear; morally to revere; afraid, dread ) God for
nought (gratis, that is, devoid of cost, reason or
advantage:—without a cause (cost, wages)
In other words will a man serve and fear the Lord God when there
is nothing to be gained or had in return?
Short answer No!! Long answer a resounding No!!
Yet this is what Jesus came and preached taught and illustrated
by his life. How can this be, that a man will love and serve
God with nothing in return "save that we do thy will". The
answer is by letting the spirit of God, the same spirit that
raised Jesus from the dead, fill our lives that it is no more I
that live but He, the Spirit, that does the work in me of
serving the Father. How hard is this? Very, and yet at the
same time it can be so easy to let go. Like a man dangling
from a branch jutting out of a perilous cliff who when his
rescuers arrive below with a net to catch him says "I cant let
go", but as strength leaves his body and he no longer has human
strength he releases his hold to fall into waiting arms that
catch him. We against what our minds tell us must let go and
trust the arms that will never let us slip.
Only when man can come to that place of serving God for nothing
can we find and understand our inheritance in Christ.
Having written such, all I can say is God help me for I am far
to strong as yet to let go.
#Post#: 6001--------------------------------------------------
Re: God help me.
DIR By: Ivor
Date: August 14, 2015, 4:55 am
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JAMES WROTE.. In other words will a man serve and fear the Lord
God when there is nothing to be gained or had in return?
Short answer No!! Long answer a resounding No!!
I'm not sure that is true, If I stand before my Lord and he says
that i'm for hell, I wont be one who gnashes their teeth - I'll
accept that he is right and be greatful for what relationship
i've already had. I don't live for reward but that may be me
thats odd?
#Post#: 6002--------------------------------------------------
Re: God help me.
DIR By: Pat
Date: August 14, 2015, 8:26 am
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God help me. He does just that though doesn't he by his Holy
Spirit who is the Helper. The fruit of the Spirit is not our
fruit but His fruit manifest in our lives. The more of our
lives we allow the Holy Spirit to control the more of His fruit
will be manifest in us, so we do have a part to play in it all
but ultimately it is His fruit not our own.
#Post#: 6003--------------------------------------------------
Re: God help me.
DIR By: Helen
Date: August 14, 2015, 11:45 am
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This could be a very interesting thread :)
Ivor said:- ...I don't live for reward but that may be me thats
odd?
I will HAVE to agree with the latter part of this line from
you!! Because I do not think that is a scriptural sentiment.
In my book, and as I read from Gen-Rev God Himself is ALWAYS
setting " The Reward" as our very goal!!! In Eden it was "
walking with Him and living in His presence" that was their
reward....and then "If not, you will die"
In Rev The Lamb is saying " Do this, and you wont ever leave My
home, but be established as a pillar in My House. " "Do this,
and you will be My Bride." He always lays out our rich
reward...which is HIMSELF. The very thing that kept Paul in the
race. And caused him to maintain his faith. The virgins, the
Talents, the Prodigal, all speak of the reward. And God is
looking to see who values it above all things!
Quote:-I wont be one who gnashes their teeth - I'll accept that
he is right and be grateful for what relationship i've already
had.
That leaves me shaking my head Ivor!!
Once I have tasted of His life, seen a glimpse of His wonderful
and lovely face...to then be told that I didn't make it into His
life... for me to then just shrug and say " Okay, that just fine
with me."
No, I don't think so!! :o :'(
That's like saying to Him ," Oh well, it didn't really matter
anyway."
------------
James. Only when man can come to that place of serving God for
nothing can we find and understand our inheritance in Christ.
Very true. Is that not total GRACE! That I think, is what
faith is all about. It is faith-righteousness that moved Abraham
from Abram to Abraham..
Whenever I come to the low place of questioning God ( mostly
about what I "don't" see Him doing) I then have to remind
myself of those words.." Does Job/Helen love God for no reward?"
He has asked us to love and trust, regardless. It is the place
of surrender, the place of the yielded heart.
I am stealing Davids thunder here...after we read this post this
morning...on the way to my blood tests, Dave says to me. " Do
you notice we are quoting Satan's words?"
It was The Enemy who said it to God..not God saying it to us. (
though He did say, ""Okay go ahead and test it out." and He did
test Israel in the wilderness to ".. see what was in their
hearts." ) In my book, God is always reminding us of our Great
Reward...= finally one with Him.
Good post...I am sure there are many more thoughts yet to come.
#Post#: 6005--------------------------------------------------
Re: God help me.
DIR By: Ivor
Date: August 14, 2015, 12:09 pm
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Afraid Im a green cheese kind of man... if God says the moon is
made of green cheese - then it is!... I really accept everything
that God decides
#Post#: 6007--------------------------------------------------
Re: God help me.
DIR By: Helen
Date: August 14, 2015, 3:04 pm
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Ivor said..I really accept everything that God decides
Okay...then go with me here Ivor. You have a son and you add his
name to "Builder Bill and son." He is young and you train him
up to be full partner in 'The Business'. Co-worker, co heir as
it were. But sadly..after many years this son is STILL saying
"Hey dad, shall I wear this coat or that one?" What time shall
I open up? What do you want me to do today?
And you never have someone you can rely on as a partner, you
always have to tell them and 'decide' for them.
(ie. what you gave him is "buried" as it were...and at the end,
he can hand you back whatever you gave to him..intact...like the
parable of the pone talent man.)
It may be just me...but I have never seen that as God's Plan.
God looks for passion...He looks for Hot , not luke warm...He
loves " God chasers".
But...whatever...
#Post#: 6008--------------------------------------------------
Re: God help me.
DIR By: Ivor
Date: August 14, 2015, 3:53 pm
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If like "our "James above declares that people only serve God
for what they can get out of him..that may be them, but that's
not me - I'll serve God if I get nothing in the end simply
because it's always better to be with God than not. You fight
for that prominent seat on the right hand of God if thats what
you want. Me, I'll wait on God to choose where i'm seated or
serving from or watching from... I reckon I'll be serving
because thats our Lords wish
#Post#: 6013--------------------------------------------------
Re: God help me.
DIR By: Dave
Date: August 14, 2015, 8:31 pm
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Sometimes I think I'm out in left field as to how people think;
so, maybe that's not bad otherwise they would be as confused as
I am; the book of Job; 42 Chpts on being blessed to double
blessing; that's not bad, it's the bit in between that's the
problem; James is the only N.T. writer to mention Job 5v11 and
it is in relation to Prophets and suffering and patience; 42 Chp
and James comes up with only patience for Job; it seems to me
there was a lot more suffering than patience; it's the first of
the poetic books; so why would God present Job to the satan is
my question; God presents Job as perfect and upright; what's not
to like; why does He think affliction is needed? does affliction
accomplish anything; well it kept Job thinking it was God doing
the afflicting Chp 6; many verses to pull thoughts from in this
book as it is really a dialogue of Job and his friends; his
friends telling him, he must have sinned for this to happen; Job
saying; no I'm righteous/self; but ends up saying; "I abhor
myself" 42 Chps to come to that place of seeing himself" Paul
says in Coll 3v 7 and 8 "-------for whom I have suffered the
loss of all things, and do count them as dung, that I may win
Christ. That's the prize and why we run the race,so it's not for
nought.
#Post#: 6022--------------------------------------------------
Re: God help me.
DIR By: James
Date: August 15, 2015, 1:34 pm
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Leaving aside the fact that the opening post might have been
misunderstood let us consider is it right to seek to gain from
serving God.
The question is, and as I see it this is what the devil was
getting at, mankind is only in it for what he can gain!
Jesus was in it for "the joy set before him" of "bring many sons
unto glory". Seeking another's well being not is own. When did
we see thee poor, sick or in prison? As oft as ye did it unto
one of these.
What made David fight a lion and a bear for the life of a sheep?
To risk his own life, to hazard his life for one of the flock.
If he lost one what difference would it make in the grand scheme
of things? Yet it was this quality of not seeing a life as
disposable that made David the Lords choice, it marked him as a
man "after the Lord Gods heart" a true for runner of the true
shepherd of the sheep.
#Post#: 6023--------------------------------------------------
Re: God help me.
DIR By: Ivor
Date: August 15, 2015, 1:52 pm
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the most simple testimony is .... I lived not knowing God -
knowing Him is better!.... so knowing God should motivate us to
be more "God-like"
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