We seldom use all that Christ has already provided for us.

Here is a storyA man who had a strong desire to go on a week long cruise but because of lack of money thought it was impossible. A good friend of his, knowing his desire, gave him a free ticket for the cruise that was far beyond this mans wildest dreams.He went on the cruise and was thankful and grateful for the free ticket. Every day he was truly appreciative of the grace of this free offer.The man enjoyed the cruise very much but because he had little money he brought cheese and crackers with him to eat in his room every meal.When the cruise was over and people where leaving the ship, one of staff approached him and introduced himself and asked why he had never seen him at any of the meals. The man looked down in shame and then confessed that because he had only a little money that he could never afford the food on the ship so he ate all his meals in his room. The staff member looked at him shocked and said, "that is truly a shame because your ticket also included all the food you could ever eat any time you wanted it."I wonder how much more there is, that Christ has already made full provision for and freely makes available but we are not enjoying?

and it went somthing like this.A saint by grace through faith in Jesus Christ arrived at heaven. Saint Peter was showing him all around. He noticed beyond a hill, a tall and very large building. He asked what the building was. St. Peter informed him that it was not important now. So they continued on, and in another area, this brother could still see part of this huge building, much like a warehouse. So he insistently asked what was in that building. St Peter asked if he really wanted to know. He said sure. So St. Peter took him over there. When they walked inside, the place was like a warehouse inside. It was packed from top to bottom as far as the eye could see. So the saint asked St Peter what was on all those pallets in all those boxes. St Peter told him that those were all blessings that were available for the saints, but they never took advantage of the offer, never asked, most did not care to ask. These were all that things that could have been, but were not. All those missed opportunities. The saint asked if there was a box with his own name on it. Of course there was, many boxes with his name on it. What about you? What about me? I know there will probably be an entire warehouse for the blessings I could have had. Lord help us all.

freecd asked:I wonder how much more there is, that Christ has already made full provision for and freely makes available but we are not enjoying?Dian said: '..But, I also remembered that it says we don't receive because we ask amiss to squander it on our own lust. Anyway, this is good to think about.Lahry's story: '..So the saint asked St Peter what was on all those pallets in all those boxes. St Peter told him that those were all blessings that were available for the saints, but they never took advantage of the offer, never asked, most did not care to ask. These were all that things that could have been, but were not. All those missed opportunities.The saint asked if there was a box with his own name on it. Of course there was, many boxes with his name on it.Philippians 48 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things [are] honest, whatsoever things [are] just, whatsoever things [are] pure, whatsoever things [are] lovely, whatsoever things [are] of good report; if [there be] any virtue, and if [there be] any praise - think on these things. The above is a verse I have struggled with for years. What is 'true'? What is 'honest'? What is 'just'? what is 'pure'? What is 'lovely'? what is 'of good report'? What is 'virtue'? What is 'praise'-worthy? How does one turn one's mind to dwell on 'these things'? This is the challenge to our materialistic society. Whether we realise it or not, there has been in the past, a greater value placed on discussion of such qualities.Galatians 55 For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. 24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. John 414 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst[meaning, never, ever, ever, ever.. thirst]; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. 22 Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. 23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. 24 God [is] a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship [him] in spirit and in truth. 1 Corinthians 126 For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, [are called]: 27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; 28 And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, [yea], and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: 29 That no flesh should glory in his presence. 30 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: 31 That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.

I do not know about you but the ONLY thing I truly deserve is hell! I know you have been in repentace for some time but even this repentance does not somehow EARN God's favor. IT IS ALL GRACE!!!Deut. 30:6 "And the Lord your God will circumcise your heart, and the heart of your seed, to love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, that you may live."Jer. 24:7 "And I will give you a heart to know me, that I am the Lord: and you shall be mine, and I will be your God: for you shall return unto me with your whole heart."Jer. 31:31-34 "Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with you: Not according to the covenant that I made with Israel, in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was a husband unto them, saith the Lord: But this shall be the covenant that I will make with you; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in your inward parts, and write it in your heart; and I will be your God, and you shall be mine. You sahll know me, for I will forgive your iniquity, and I will remember your sin no more." Jer. 32:39-41 "And I will give you one heart, and one way, that you may fear me for ever, for your own good, and for your children after you: And I will make an everlasting covenant with you, that I will not turn away from you, to do you good; but I will put my fear in your heart, that you shall not depart from me. Yes, I will rejoice over you to do you good, and I will plant you in this land assuredly with my whole heart and with my whole soul."Ezek: 36:25-27 "Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and you shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and you shall keep my judgments, and do them."There is a life in Christ where there is no sense of guilt and shame before the God who knows every thought that passes through our mind, every word on our tongue and every act we do. Look at the above verses. These are incredible words. How does one get this life? What do I have to do? We may have been taught since becoming Christians that there was a price to pay, or a dedication to make in order to get something from God. What was the price tag here, what do I have to do receive such a life? Please read the passages over and over to search for what the enormous price tag. You will find Nothing! No price tag. Instead what stands out is the reiteration of "I will" throughout the passages. The above verses plainly state that it is God's intention to do these things and there is no price tag for anyone to pay. This is the nature of true faith. Faith does not originate in your making promises with ever increasing intensity and determination, promises that you have no hope of keeping. Nor was it in you vowed intentions to be a better a Christian for Him. Rather it is in simply saying thank you to the promises He has made, submitting to His intention for me. No longer was my starting point me but Him and my part was not say, "I promise to try harder" but to respond to Him and say "Yes! Do in me even as You have said."You will find great joy sweeping through you enire being, and you will be excited about the Gospel. You can reveled in your newfound God who had made the promises and was responsible for keeping them. You can know life in Christ that you had never dreamed possible. No longer will you get up to pray to somehow win God's favor, but because you want to know this incredible God who made promises to a person like you in your exact conditation!You can be free forever from makeing promises to God that you can never keep. You can now say, "God, you made the promises~ You keep them and I thank You for it! Amen. " You can truly rest with the joy of God in your heart.This is the KEY to true victory and life. Even after seeing this, you may have many ups and downs, falls and failures in my walk with God, but what you see here will stick with you forever. It is like a strike of lightning on a pitch-black night, for a moment everything had been clearly seen and could not be forgotten. You are being led by the Spirit to rest my life on the covenant oath of God.This is the first step in living the Christian life. It is also the energy behind every step; we never graduate from that state of helpless dependence upon Him. We will never be able (and God never intended that we would be able) to achieve the promises of the covenant in our own strength or will power. We are utterly helpless to bring them to pass, make them happen by resolve, dedication or twelve step programs. We invoke the God who has made covenant swearing by Himself to achieve all of this in our life. We thank Him for His mercy in giving us the covenant but now call upon His faithfulness to keep it.So we do not attempt to cleanse ourselves, but lay before Him the case of our sins and weaknesses, our idols and filthiness and call on Him to do what we never can achieve by our promises - wash us and cleanse us from it all."If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9)Faithfulness is one of the great covenant words of Scripture. In forgiving us He is being faithful to the covenant, to Jesus the covenant representative, to whom He has sworn that He would remember our sins and iniquities no more.He it is who must write the Law upon our hearts and minds, place His Spirit within us and cause us to walk in His ways. We lay our weakness and the pull of the flesh before Him and say plainly that this is Your work to draw me into Your ways. The entire Christian life is lived out on the sure foundation of His faithfulness to His covenant word, that He will do in us what He set out to do."...being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ." (Philippians 1:6)"God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord." (1 Corinthians 1:9)"Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful." (Hebrews 10:23)In covenant oath, God has taken it upon Himself to conform our entire person to the image of the Lord Jesus, to write His law upon our hearts. Most of us at least act as if it is entirely on our shoulders; we have to attempt achieve our sanctification while God is the Judge who grades our poor efforts."Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it." (1 Thessalonians 5:23,24)Our feelings about our salvation ride a roller coaster as temptations and trials whirl about us. The anchor that holds us steady is not faith in our will power or the constancy of our feelings but His faithfulness by which He has promised to save us."No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it." (1 Corinthians 10:13)Our shield in the day we battle with the powers of darkness is utter reliance upon His faithfulness. We are shielded by His resolve to save and keep us. If we were shielded by our resolves our shield would be made of cardboard! We have invincible armor when we are sheltered behind the oath of God."He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge; His faithfulness will be your shield and rampart." (Psalm 91:4 NIV)His faithfulness stands guard over us whether we are awake or asleep keeping us from the powers of darkness. We walk without fear knowing that He has sworn with covenant oath to keep us."But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one." (2 Thessalonians 3:3) Understanding the oath of God takes all of the pressure and tension out of life, and introduces us into the rest of God. The whole burden of bringing the promises of the covenant to pass in our lives is upon God. Instead of laboring to exhaustion trying to please God we live in the rest of faith in His faithfulness.

Our feelings about our salvation ride a roller coaster as temptations and trials whirl about us. The anchor that holds us steady is not faith in our will power or the constancy of our feelings but His faithfulness by which He has promised to save us.This is the truth. :-)

Jesus said he lived by every word of God. He didn't live unto himself. He came to do the will of his father. Whatever desires he had that didn't line up with God, he wrestled to the ground.I love your turn of phrase. It brings to mind immediately 3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: 4 (For the weapons of our warfare [are] not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) 5 Casting down [wrestling to the ground] imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;6 And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled. 7 Do ye look on things after the outward appearance? :-o (2 Corinthians 10 - KJV)it's like some surgeon performing a delicate surgery on the brain having to try and remove the cancer without harming the good tissue. That type of surgery is tedious and time consuming. I feel like this is where I am. I am continually recognizing thinking in me that is rotten. Then, it must be removed and replaced with truth and this takes time. Do other people just breeze right through this?No! I think you've put into words something we all have to face, no matter what our background. And yes, it takes more time for some of us than others. It seems to me that some people when they turn to the Lord, have a very clear understanding of what God requires them to change in the way they think. Their approach is radically affected, simply by whatever it is God shows them as or immediately after they come to Him. Others of us don't get this 'revelation'. I have come to believe God has reasons for leaving some of us picking our way through the spots of light He shines like laser beams on our path. One of them is, His glory. Another is how much better He knows us than we know ourselves. Still another, as you perfectly describe, is the minute adjustments which are involved, way beyond 'if thine eye' or 'if thine hand' - get rid of the whole thing! Only He can do these atom-splitting procedures. Another thing I've found, is, as you imply, these adjustments, if attempted in one or only a few big 'spiritual' events, have such implications for our survival as human beings, that they would be too much for a human mind or a human body to bear. This is not God's intention. He wants to save us, not destroy us and He chooses to deal with us this way, for our sakes, too.

Oh how my heart goes out to you and aches with yours. I know that I know I am and have lived through all you are going through. I too was raised in a religious home, went to religious school. When it was all said and done, I had never heard I needed to be born again and I was just as empty as anyone who had never heard of God or Jesus Christ. I believed in God and Jesus without a doubt. But I had no personal relationship with them, and I was a prisoner to my works, half works, and continuous failures. I could probably write a book about my life and struggles. But I will attempt to spare you here. I was struggling like you one day, and crying out to the Lord I, I, I, I.....He said "Son, it's never been about you". "It's always been about Jesus". Oh how I stopped in my tracks and worshipped Him.Dorcas you said:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things [are] honest, whatsoever things [are] just, whatsoever things [are] pure, whatsoever things [are] lovely, whatsoever things [are] of good report; if [there be] any virtue, and if [there be] any praise - think on these things. The above is a verse I have struggled with for years. What is 'true'? What is 'honest'? What is 'just'? what is 'pure'? What is 'lovely'? what is 'of good report'? What is 'virtue'? What is 'praise'-worthy?How does one turn one's mind to dwell on 'these things'? This is the challenge to our materialistic society. Step One: Turn off your TV. There is hardly anything true, honest, just, pure, lovely, of virtue or praise worthy on TV. It is impossible to continually watch tv and "think on these things". "These things" are found in a lifestyle that is consumed and immersed in Jesus Christ. The fountain of "all these things" is the Word of God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. The more we seek first the kingdom of God and His righeousness....I said, His righteousness.....His Word says "His righteousness", then all these other things will be added unto you. Anyone who is truly born again knows of the struggle between flesh and spirit. It will not cease until we give up our spirit from this body and this world and move into that glorious light forever more. But until then, there's the battle. The flesh will never change, never be regenerated. It is corupt and destined to corumption. It can only be overcome and crucified. Who wins a battle in a war? Is it not the side that is best trained, best equipped, best nourished, and so on? If we sew to our spirits, we reap eternal life in this life. If we sew to our flesh, we reap distruction. Stop feeding your flesh, and it will die. Feed your spirit and it will overcome. But remember, there is not battle inside, unless you are born again. The very fact that there is a battle is witness of your new birht and salvation. Glory! Finally, dear saints, if I had to place my hope in my works for one glimpse of heaven's joy, I'd be eternally lost in darkness. There is no rest in works of redemption. None. Works are very seductive. They appeal to the flesh..."I can redeem myself". Did not Paul, our dear Apostle, write that what he wanted to do he could not do and those things he did not want to do he did? Paul cried out 3 times to be relieved from his torment of ungodliness in thought and deed. God told him what? "My grace....My grace....MY UNMERITED FAVOR.....is SUFFICIENT for thee". Glory to God. Glory to God. Glory to God. Alleluia. Grace, grace, grace. How do we get unmerited favor? By faith! Faith in what? Our works? Oh God deliver me from my works that are nothing but filthy rags before thee. No, beloved, it is by faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ our Lord. It is His shed blood sprinkled on me, and sprinkled on you that gives us hope. Paul said that "the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing". Is he speaking of the ungodly? Probably. But not just the ungodly. He is speaking to the religious and self righteous. He went on to say in 1 Cor 1:18, that to those of us who are being saved, "it is the power of God".For us to be saved takes a work of God, not a work of man. The work has been done, beloved. That is why there is rest and rejoicing in His kingdom. Romans 14:17 says that the kingdom of God is righteousness, heart peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. Are you living in the "kingdom". Did not Jesus say that the kingdom was "at hand"? Did He not tell his disciples to go tell others? Yes He did, and I'm telling you right now. The Kingdom is at hand. It is righteousness, not ours but His righteousness that is imputed to us by unmerited favor through faith in the cross. It is "heart peace", that comes from placing all of our eternal hope for joy and glory of God's heaven in the shed blood of Jesus Christ on Calvary. Nothing can shake it. It is cast forever in stone. It is unchangable. Our works of flesh, our failure to do good when we know to do good, nothing can seperate us from this peace, because our hope is not in our works of flesh, not even in our obedience. Our hope for justification is totally dependent upon the cross. It is the power of God to save us, to cleans us, to deliver us from ourselves. That power is brought forth by faith in Him, not ourselves. Without faith it is impossible to please God. WE are saved to the uttermost. You simply cannot be any more saved than that. It's a done deal. I am eternally secure as long as I have my hope in the finished work of Jesus Christ and His blood shed for and applied unto me by unmerited favor through faith. What is the result? Eternal life of course. But what about the kingdom? It is joy in the Holy Spirit. JOY! JOY! JOY! Where does joy come from? From being in the presence of God and His presence being in us. Let me ask you something. Have you ever been on a platform before the congregation in a large church filled to capacity? How much joy did you see? Sadly, I have not seen very much. Why? Because the people have not been in the presence of God. They have been in the presence of their families, their friends, their tv, their movies, their sports, their lusts, thier...thier...their. They do not take time for God. John 14:12 Jesus said that we would do the works that He did. Beloved, it is impossible to be like Jesus and not take time to be with God. No matter how "busy" Jesus got, there was always that "being alone with the Father" in His ministry. It was His life source and His power source. Ever been curious about what happened to the power? I have. To benefit from the power, you have to be in the presence of it. Selah. Beloved, cast all your cares upon Him, for He cares for you. How much? Rent "The Passion of the Christ". When it is finished, tell yourself, "that much". Then remind yourself, "It is finished". Don't rely on your on understanding. That is deadly. Rely on what God promised, that He so loved you and I, that He gave His only begotten Son, and that anyone who would place all their eternal hope in His finished work and sacrafice would not perish, but have eternal life. It is this life, and only this life that brings forth fruit of the Spirit. It is this life that brings forth the power of God. Why? Because it is a life of faith. Not faith in ourselves, but Faith in our God Who has promised, and simply cannot do anything but save those Who trust in what He has already done. Jesus told the pharasees, "this is your sin, that you do not believe on Him Whom He sent". Don't let that be your sin, beloved. May the righteousness of Christ, the peace that comes from Hope in Him, and the joy of knowing that we are His dwelling place and He is always with us...I said He is always with us...warts and all, never to forsake us...that joy, abound in your lives through resting your eternal hope in Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. Glory be to God, now and forever more.Happy Father's day to all the dads,Lahry

Lahry, thank you. I would like to offer a little refining, without rejecting the principle basis of salvation which you expound. There are a couple of scriptures which tie in with the thought that salvation (I believe the Greek word is 'sozo') also means 'healing'. You said:The flesh will never change, never be regenerated. It is corupt and destined to corumption. It can only be overcome and crucified. Hebrews 12we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected [us], and we gave [them] reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? 10 For they verily for a few days chastened [us] after their own pleasure; but he for [our] profit, that [we] might be partakers of his holiness. 11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. 12 Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; 13 And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed. Romans 88 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. 9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. 10 And if Christ [be] in you, the body [is] dead because of sin; but the Spirit [is] life because of righteousness. 11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. 12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. 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. My experience is there are at least these two angles to the process of being obedient to the Spirit's power to change me as I live and walk in Him; I am corrected, I am made physically more whole.In other words, while the 'flesh' life is not to be pampered and indulged in sinful pursuits, there is a right use of the body, which is not to be denigrated unduly or neglected. It is possible to go too far. This may be an unpopular thought, but, it is as important to show the image of God as it is to recognise this was corrupted by the Fall. We need balance. Note, I do not mean compromise - just 'balance'.

Thank you for the scriptures and insight. I at one time was not in "sync" with the book of Hebrews. I was a book that made me "uncomfortable". It is really only of late that I have begun to cherish the teaching therein. So thank you for posting those scriptures. There is a right use of our bodies, for sure. But only as a vessel of His life. I use my fingers to type these posts here. But my hope and my prayer goes beyond my activity in punching keys. I hope that God would use them, along with His Spirit that dwells within me to edify, to bless, to encouarage whosoever He wills. If that were not so, I would vanish from this place and find no spiritual bond with what I write, and what everyone else writes. So yes and amen. There is a right use of the body. Oh that this life in the body be swallowed and changed for His purpose, His glory, His honor, and His praise. That I might be first and foremost a worshipper of Almighty God. Oh that I may rejoice in fellowship and intimacy with God because I have the blood over me that gives me entrance and favor before His Holy Throne. Oh that I may realize and reverently live my life in awe of Him above all things. But what I desire, I cannot achieve. I did not say I could not have. I said "I" could not achieve. It is a divine work of God. It is God Who places in us, both the will and the desire to do His good pleasure. There is nothing in me or of me that is anything but wretched and worthless. Apart from Christ, I am nothing, and I have no hope. None. But in Him I stand complete before God, lacking nothing. I have already been made to sit in heavenly places with Christ Jesus. It's a done deal. It was done the moment I placed all my eternal hope in His shed blood for me. Oh alleluia. So let us all join together, in one accord, and give God all the glory, honor, and praise, in Jesus' Holy Name.amen and amen,Lahry