I believe that every time I lose my self-control that the LORD is rebuking me for having sinned against Him in a previous instance. As I said, this is what I think - if you know of a better explanation (granted I may not be one of His) that still assures me of Salvation, then please feel free to contact me (only if you are a man).
| some christians r handed over to Satan... in the NT the Lord,
through Paul, explains that this is for discipline... but also
that they r to b excommunicated from the church... then i
realized that this is the sign of the leper, the physical
pointing-to of this spiritual "leprocy."
|
Hebrews 12:11
No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.
Luke 17:3
So watch yourselves. "If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him.
| excommunicate | 1 Cor. 5:9-13 I just read this now... indeed I have only "fearful expectation" (see below)... but still, weren't the lepers cleansed? |
| punishment | Gal. 6:8 |
| discipline | 1 Cor. 11:30-32 |
| not as an enemy | Gal. 6:1 |
| the example of Peter | he was rebuked as being "Satan"; he was told he will die by the sword if he continues in his way; and he denied Christ 3x's |
| besetting sin | Daniel 11:35, Micah 7:9 |
| encouragement | Psalm 118:18, 1 John 5:16-17 |
| hope | Romans 11:22-23 |
| the example of Job | he was handed over to Satan as a test for his faith and love of God. |
| a single word: deliberately. | i told another Christian that this all felt odd because i was not seeking this sin, and it only came in the night when i was tired - as if i wasnt the one starting it. i searched for a better word, but gave up. i assumed i was wrong. suddenly while i was readying my daily chapter, i came accross this verse: Hebrews 10:26 it was an incredible shock and validation that i am not rejecting my Lord and God, but am under His discipline... and He disciplines those He loves - just as a father disciplines his children. but regardless, one day i hope that the Lord will again allow me to b controlled by His Holy Spirit so that i will stop sinning. |
| fearful expectation | Hebrews 10:26-31 |
| i am a spiritual leper - i have been one for 8 yrs now... about aug 15, '98, i realized that i had to tell ppl this... it hurts. but i have hope in the Lord. (after all, He's the only One we can have hope in.) |
|
...i fell again. yesterday evening i prayed for someone and said to God Almighty: "look how i havent sinned in so long..." i spoke as a total fool. i can do NOTHING w/o Him. He - alone - is the Potter, and we r the clay... can the clay say to the Potter: "look what i have done!"? no.
"Blessed rather is he who hears and obeys." Luke 11:27
i hear, but do not obey...
"Many are invited, but few are chosen."
i clearly have been invited, but... well, Ecc 9:1... i must wait and hope on the Lord.
i am crushed by the weight of my own sins... Lord save me - be merciful to me, in Jesus' name, amen.
Sabbath, 6/25/05, 9:07 AM
Since I keep losing my self-control I am more and more conecerned about my salvation. Indeed the Bible says we should be victorious over the world (1 John 5:4), and so I wonder, where is my victory over sin? Well, today I was very afraid having read Hebrews 10. I first read it as "If we sin, after coming to the faith, then we are judged and condemned to hell." (At the time I was looking up "parrhsia" in my Greek Linguistic text.) After finishing what I was researching (indeed, parrhsia is 'confidence', 'assurance' - the KJV incorrectly translates that as "boldness") I returned to re-read Hebrews having returned to my fear about being invited but being NOT chosen. And this is what I read:
Hebrews 10:26
26 If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left,
27 but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God.
I re-read it yet again and then it hit me: the verse says if we deliberately continue to sin. When I sin I ask God to allow me to stop. After it is over I have no interest in it - ever. Even now (6/25/05, 9:17 AM) I have no interest in sinning in this manner (or any other manner for that matter). My constant prayer is that God may teach me His ways. This is my hope - that God indeed allows me to finally gain victory over the pull (temptation) of the world (the flesh) and to live in His Spirit... if God is willing, in Jesus' name, amen. But I can say this, that my confidence has increased; I am re-assured! :)
Sabbath, 12/24/05, 11:53 AM EST USA
My Rebuke, we are to be victorious in all temptations.
Proverbs 13:15 Good understanding wins favor, but the way of the unfaithful is hard.
Indeed. My hope is that one day God grants me permission to be obedient to Him alone. (Yes, Him alone. For by being obedient to Him alone, then we are obedient to man as well - but up to the point - but not including - where man tells us to sin against God.)
Sabbath, 1/7/06, 7:56 AM EST USA
My new hope...
I am reading Revelation again, but this time carefully. The first time I read it I went through it without it making much sense. But because of the Discovery Channel's show on Revelation, and the plethora of misunderstanding I have seen in the show I decided to re-read it again - this time reading each verse one at a time. I started two weeks ago and am now in chapter 3. Thus I came to make this entry here because of Rev. 3:19.
Revelation 3:19
"Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent."
I would have thought that my heart would have been lifted up. But I guess all too often I have done that thinking I would now be more obedient only to sin yet again. Also upon further reflection about this I realize that the the way I use "rebuke" may not be the one that our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, is using.
Since this is not clear to me my reaction is reserved. I await to be obedient to God alone, if He is willing, in Jesus' name, amen.
Sabbath, 2/4/06, 8:39 AM
PSALM 6:1-4
Sabbath, 6/17/06, 10:34 AM EST USA
I saw this verse and it rang so true I knew I had to put it here... may God teach me His ways, in Jesus' name, amen!
Matthew 13:22, Mark 4:19
The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful.