Realization and Resolution

The realization:

I can't live like other men and call myself a Christian.

The resolution:

I will not live like other men; I will be who I am in Christ.

If I keep trying to do as I have always done, then the results will be the same.  Or rather, they will actually be worse- if I know what is right and choose not to do it, it will be worse for me

• (No sacrifices can be made for people who decide to sin after they find out about the truth. They are God's enemies, and all they can look forward to is a terrible judgment and a furious fire.  - Hebrews 10:26-27 CEV
• If you don't do what you know is right, you have sinned.  - James 4:17 CEV
• If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin. But now they have no excuse for their sin.  - John 15:22 CEV )

 The new creature has a new attitude, a new purpose, and a new name

• Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.  - Philippians 2:5-7 NASB

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Spirit of Deep Sleep

There is a "spirit of deep sleep"; that's what God said.

It's back to Isaiah 29 again.

Astonish yourselves and be astonished; blind yourselves and be blind! Be drunk, but not with wine; stagger, but not with strong drink! For the LORD has poured out upon you a spirit of deep sleep, and has closed your eyes (the prophets), and covered your heads (the seers). And the vision of all this has become to you like the words of a book that is sealed. When men give it to one who can read, saying, "Read this," he says, "I cannot, for it is sealed." Isaiah 29:9-11 ESV

GOD has poured this on us.

... to be continued

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Work, Slaves, Masters

After being called into question at work, ON MY DAY OFF, I had to go in, to explain myself. Sunday, God had said, "Above Reproach" and the Sunday before "Do Not Lose Heart".

After showing them I am indeed above reproach, and standing in defense of the real thieves, and suffering the the emotional pistol whipping, I figured I'd better get some scriptural foundations for this mess.

I ran to this scripture-

All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything. 1 Corinthians 6:12 NASB

Ya! I can stand right up on my pride, beat my chest and misuse that scripture out of context and all my facebook buddies will know just how spiritual I am...

Maybe not.

What does the Bible say about "slaves" and their "masters"?

Slaves, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in the sincerity of your heart, as to Christ; not by way of eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart. With good will render service, as to the Lord, and not to men, knowing that whatever good thing each one does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether slave or free. Ephesians 6:5-8 NASB

That wasn't what I wanted to hear.

Slaves, in all things obey those who are your masters on earth, not with external service, as those who merely please men, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve. For he who does wrong will receive the consequences of the wrong which he has done, and that without partiality. Colossians 3:22-25 NASB

That still isn't helping.

All who are under the yoke as slaves are to regard their own masters as worthy of all honor so that the name of God and our doctrine will not be spoken against. Those who have believers as their masters must not be disrespectful to them because they are brethren, but must serve them all the more, because those who partake of the benefit are believers and beloved. Teach and preach these principles. If anyone advocates a different doctrine and does not agree with sound words, those of our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the doctrine conforming to godliness, he is conceited and understands nothing; but he has a morbid interest in controversial questions and disputes about words, out of which arise envy, strife, abusive language, evil suspicions, and constant friction between men of depraved mind and deprived of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment. 1 Timothy 6:1-6 NASB

Urge bondslaves to be subject to their own masters in everything, to be well-pleasing, not argumentative, not pilfering, but showing all good faith so that they will adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in every respect. For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds. Titus 2:9-14 NASB

Servants, be submissive to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and gentle, but also to those who are unreasonable. For this finds favor, if for the sake of conscience toward God a person bears up under sorrows when suffering unjustly. For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God. For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, WHO COMMITTED NO SIN, NOR WAS ANY DECEIT FOUND IN HIS MOUTH; and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed. For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls. 1 Peter 2:18-25 NASB

So, I have to not only endure, but patiently endure.

In so doing, I will find favor with God.

I... " have been called for this purpose"

hmm...

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Created Questioning the Creator?

God also said, "Can the vessel ask the Potter?"

You will say to me then, "Why does He still find fault? For who resists His will?" On the contrary, who are you, O man, who answers back to God? The thing molded will not say to the molder, "Why did you make me like this," will it? Or does not the potter have a right over the clay, to make from the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for common use? What if God, although willing to demonstrate His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction? And He did so to make known the riches of His glory upon vessels of mercy, which He prepared beforehand for glory, Romans 9:19-23 NASB

"Woe to him who strives with him who formed him, a pot among earthen pots! Does the clay say to him who forms it, 'What are you making?' or 'Your work has no handles'?...  Thus says the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, and the one who formed him: "Ask me of things to come; will you command me concerning my children and the work of my hands? I made the earth and created man on it; it was my hands that stretched out the heavens, and I commanded all their host. I have stirred him up in righteousness, and I will make all his ways level; he shall build my city and set my exiles free, not for price or reward," says the LORD of hosts. Isaiah 45:9, 11-13 ESV

It is okay to ask God questions-

"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. "For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. "Or what man is there among you who, when his son asks for a loaf, will give him a stone? "Or if he asks for a fish, he will not give him a snake, will he? "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him! Matthew 7:7-11 NASB

And, if we don't understand, we can ask God-

But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. James 1:5 NASB

God wants us to understand-

Wisdom is the main thing; get wisdom, and with all your getting, get understanding. Proverbs 4:7 LITV

There is a time we need to be quiet-

You turn things upside down! Shall the potter be regarded as the clay, that the thing made should say of its maker, "He did not make me"; or the thing formed say of him who formed it, "He has no understanding"? Isaiah 29:16 ESV

We can be asking too many questions and enter into insubordination-

For he says: "By the strength of my hand I have done it, and by my wisdom, for I have understanding; I remove the boundaries of peoples, and plunder their treasures; like a bull I bring down those who sit on thrones. My hand has found like a nest the wealth of the peoples; and as one gathers eggs that have been forsaken, so I have gathered all the earth; and there was none that moved a wing or opened the mouth or chirped." Shall the axe boast over him who hews with it, or the saw magnify itself against him who wields it? As if a rod should wield him who lifts it, or as if a staff should lift him who is not wood! Isaiah 10:13-15 ESV

We are the instruments of God; He is not our instrument.

We are proud, haughty, high-minded, judgmental, and out of line.

We keep asking questions because we want answers, but there comes a point where we need to shut our mouths and start doing something (not just "something", but specifically what God sends us to do!).

Check this out-

always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men of depraved mind, rejected in regard to the faith. But they will not make further progress; for their folly will be obvious to all, just as Jannes's and Jambres's folly was also. 2 Timothy 3:7-9 NASB

"rejected in regard to the faith"???

Does that scare anybody?

Better is a dry morsel with quiet... Proverbs 17:1 ESV

Better is a handful of quietness than two hands full of toil and a striving after wind. Ecclesiastes 4:6 ESV

Here's the clincher-

therefore this iniquity shall be to you like a breach in a high wall, bulging out, and about to collapse, whose breaking comes suddenly, in an instant; and its breaking is like that of a potter's vessel that is smashed so ruthlessly that among its fragments not a shard is found with which to take fire from the hearth, or to dip up water out of the cistern." For thus said the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel, "In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength." But you were unwilling, Isaiah 30:13-15 ESV

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