Hi Awakened: Don't let anyone fool you, we have to go through this life just like everyone else, and that means if we do not have money we need to go out and find a job. If you have a job that pays you money then there is nothing wrong in believing that the job is supplying you with money. Our example of a Christian is the apostle Paul, he worked and helped others and was content with just the basic things in this life. Sometimes Paul was doing well and other times he had hardships...that is the Christian life. We cannot get what we want whenever we want it just because we believe in the Lord. The bible says that we are called to tribulation...that does not mean that we cannot have good times and do well, however if you want to do well you will have to work for it, God is not going to just hand it to you. The Lord will help you, but He will not do it for you.
UNDESERVED PREFERENTIAL TREATMENT
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A lot of of devotionals are public domain, (meaning you can copy/paste because they let the copyright die, or even, sometimes they gave it out freely from the beginning.)
And since Joaniemarie was gracious enough to check with RobOp before posting, I trust she checked out the reprint guidelines on Prince's site. She seems like an honest woman.
And since Joaniemarie was gracious enough to check with RobOp before posting, I trust she checked out the reprint guidelines on Prince's site. She seems like an honest woman.
It's not the same as the worldly understanding of prosperity. There's some kind of teaching called the secret. And years ago there was a sales program based on scriptural teachings but not about relationship with Him. Called Dare to be great.
These are the false teachings. What I know for a fact is the Lord loves to prosper His children. That doesn't necessarily mean great riches, but taking care of us and our needs. That's resting in His salvation for every area of our lives, and it glorifies Him to others around us. Especially family.
I could tell of instances with my children...and they have those memories of His care too.
These are the false teachings. What I know for a fact is the Lord loves to prosper His children. That doesn't necessarily mean great riches, but taking care of us and our needs. That's resting in His salvation for every area of our lives, and it glorifies Him to others around us. Especially family.
I could tell of instances with my children...and they have those memories of His care too.
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Not true. Citing the source is fine, if you're quoting part of the piece. If it's the full piece, we need to check out their permission page to make sure it is okay with the writer. But, yeah, usually with devotionals the permission is given right on the page, or, like in the case with Spurgeon, he's been dead long enough ago that his copyright ended in the last century, so it's public domain.
I do find when it comes to Christian material found on the web, quite often the permission is written right on the page, (with the usual caveat of not making money out of republishing it.) But, if it's not there, and it's not public domain, it is property to contact the owner and ask. Since I include a link of where I want to add it, it is very rare I don't get the okay.
I do find when it comes to Christian material found on the web, quite often the permission is written right on the page, (with the usual caveat of not making money out of republishing it.) But, if it's not there, and it's not public domain, it is property to contact the owner and ask. Since I include a link of where I want to add it, it is very rare I don't get the okay.
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I guess by the going growing interpretation here on CC I've always considered Spurgeon to be a grace teacher too and he was another teacher/preacher I've followed over the years by reading his devotionals as a helpful resource with the daily Bible reading. I even have his morning and evening devotional with many added notes of my own over the years along with other older Bibles on the shelf i often use for helpful resourcing.
I especially enjoyed Spurgeon's commentary book on the Psalms but in the 4 moves in my adult life, that book got lost. Depleted, you just shared Spurgeon's devotional today on another thread and i commented and agreed with it too.
Some weeks ago I asked Robo-op about sharing J.Prince's devotional and as long as we show who wrote a devotional when we share their work that is fine. No worries.
Some believe like me that Spurgeon is a grace teacher too., so does that mean his words and work can't be shared? Of course not. His work is just reeeeeallly old and he's up in heaven now. Being deceased is not a prerequisite to us sharing someone's devotionals on CC.
I'm cutting and pasting from another thread because i don't know how to "link"
Re: Coming To God As A Child
Originally Posted by Depleted
I was reading Spurgeon's Devotional again today, and figured out how a child acts. They really aren't so naive to think they have nothing to work with when sitting on Daddy's lap. They remember what Daddy told them, too. And, Daddy being God has told them what they do have and is pleased to give it to them.
Do as thou hast said.”
- 2Sa_7:25
God’s promises were never meant to be thrown aside as waste paper; he intended that they should be used. God’s gold is not miser’s money, but is minted to be traded with. Nothing pleases our Lord better than to see his promises put in circulation; he loves to see his children bring them up to him, and say, “Lord, do as thou hast said.” We glorify God when we plead his promises. Do you think that God will be any the poorer for giving you the riches he has promised? Do you dream that he will be any the less holy for giving holiness to you? Do you imagine he will be any the less pure for washing you from your sins? He has said “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” Faith lays hold upon the promise of pardon, and it does not delay, saying, “This is a precious promise, I wonder if it be true?” but it goes straight to the throne with it, and pleads, “Lord, here is the promise, ‘Do as thou hast said.’” Our Lord replies, “Be it unto thee even as thou wilt.” When a Christian grasps a promise, if he does not take it to God, he dishonours him; but when he hastens to the throne of grace, and cries, “Lord, I have nothing to recommend me but this, ‘Thou hast said it;’“ then his desire shall be granted. Our heavenly Banker delights to cash his own notes. Never let the promise rust. Draw the word of promise out of its scabbard, and use it with holy violence. Think not that God will be troubled by your importunately reminding him of his promises. He loves to hear the loud outcries of needy souls. It is his delight to bestow favours. He is more ready to hear than you are to ask. The sun is not weary of shining, nor the fountain of flowing. It is God’s nature to keep his promises; therefore go at once to the throne with “Do as thou hast said.”
Exactly! and it's in our best interest to learn what His promises are. Not only are we shockingly surprised just how much He has for us but that He has all along desired to give to us. But based on our own limited vision, we didnt even consider He is and gives so beyond what we could think or dream or ask.. His Word is higher than our human ability to go. so we desperately need the mind of Christ every day. (be transformed by the renewing of your minds...)
many Christians live far below what Jesus paid for us to have.
I especially enjoyed Spurgeon's commentary book on the Psalms but in the 4 moves in my adult life, that book got lost. Depleted, you just shared Spurgeon's devotional today on another thread and i commented and agreed with it too.
Some weeks ago I asked Robo-op about sharing J.Prince's devotional and as long as we show who wrote a devotional when we share their work that is fine. No worries.
Some believe like me that Spurgeon is a grace teacher too., so does that mean his words and work can't be shared? Of course not. His work is just reeeeeallly old and he's up in heaven now. Being deceased is not a prerequisite to us sharing someone's devotionals on CC.
I'm cutting and pasting from another thread because i don't know how to "link"
I was reading Spurgeon's Devotional again today, and figured out how a child acts. They really aren't so naive to think they have nothing to work with when sitting on Daddy's lap. They remember what Daddy told them, too. And, Daddy being God has told them what they do have and is pleased to give it to them.
Do as thou hast said.”
- 2Sa_7:25
God’s promises were never meant to be thrown aside as waste paper; he intended that they should be used. God’s gold is not miser’s money, but is minted to be traded with. Nothing pleases our Lord better than to see his promises put in circulation; he loves to see his children bring them up to him, and say, “Lord, do as thou hast said.” We glorify God when we plead his promises. Do you think that God will be any the poorer for giving you the riches he has promised? Do you dream that he will be any the less holy for giving holiness to you? Do you imagine he will be any the less pure for washing you from your sins? He has said “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” Faith lays hold upon the promise of pardon, and it does not delay, saying, “This is a precious promise, I wonder if it be true?” but it goes straight to the throne with it, and pleads, “Lord, here is the promise, ‘Do as thou hast said.’” Our Lord replies, “Be it unto thee even as thou wilt.” When a Christian grasps a promise, if he does not take it to God, he dishonours him; but when he hastens to the throne of grace, and cries, “Lord, I have nothing to recommend me but this, ‘Thou hast said it;’“ then his desire shall be granted. Our heavenly Banker delights to cash his own notes. Never let the promise rust. Draw the word of promise out of its scabbard, and use it with holy violence. Think not that God will be troubled by your importunately reminding him of his promises. He loves to hear the loud outcries of needy souls. It is his delight to bestow favours. He is more ready to hear than you are to ask. The sun is not weary of shining, nor the fountain of flowing. It is God’s nature to keep his promises; therefore go at once to the throne with “Do as thou hast said.”
Exactly! and it's in our best interest to learn what His promises are. Not only are we shockingly surprised just how much He has for us but that He has all along desired to give to us. But based on our own limited vision, we didnt even consider He is and gives so beyond what we could think or dream or ask.. His Word is higher than our human ability to go. so we desperately need the mind of Christ every day. (be transformed by the renewing of your minds...)
many Christians live far below what Jesus paid for us to have.
Last edited by joaniemarie; 2 Hours Ago at 10:33 AM.
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, Joseph, David, Solomon and many others are examples of those that put the Lord first in their life and depended on Him for all things. We can safely say that the goodness and blessing of God was manifested in their lives. Many got blessed because their lives that were lived with their dependence on the Lord.
Are there some people that "desire things" for their own lusts? Yes.
Does this negate the truth of the kingdom of God and that His desire is to bless His children so that they too can bless others?
IMO those that "desire other things for life" and those that think to live with nothing and God doesn't want to bless us with things so that we can be a blessing to others are both in the same boat and living by the world's influence on them. They are 2 sides of the very same coin.
This is the way of the kingdom. Better get used to it because for all eternity the Father is going to be showing the riches of His grace in His kindness towards us because we are in Christ.
Heaven is a place of abundance but it is not for their own lusts - but to share with others the goodness and love of the Lord.
They are all living with dependence on the true Treasure which is Christ Himself and with that there are tangible manifestations of His life and blessings on them all.
Put the horse before the cart and we get things right. Get the cart first and things go off on a tangent. So, is the answer to throw the horse away? No, of course not. The answer is to focus on the horse - the horse being the true Treasure - Christ Himself.
Ephesians 2:7 (NASB)
[SUP]7 [/SUP] so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
Are there some people that "desire things" for their own lusts? Yes.
Does this negate the truth of the kingdom of God and that His desire is to bless His children so that they too can bless others?
IMO those that "desire other things for life" and those that think to live with nothing and God doesn't want to bless us with things so that we can be a blessing to others are both in the same boat and living by the world's influence on them. They are 2 sides of the very same coin.
This is the way of the kingdom. Better get used to it because for all eternity the Father is going to be showing the riches of His grace in His kindness towards us because we are in Christ.
Heaven is a place of abundance but it is not for their own lusts - but to share with others the goodness and love of the Lord.
They are all living with dependence on the true Treasure which is Christ Himself and with that there are tangible manifestations of His life and blessings on them all.
Put the horse before the cart and we get things right. Get the cart first and things go off on a tangent. So, is the answer to throw the horse away? No, of course not. The answer is to focus on the horse - the horse being the true Treasure - Christ Himself.
Ephesians 2:7 (NASB)
[SUP]7 [/SUP] so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
Shhh, that is the hyper-grace message that we aren't supposed to argue about. 
There are other ways to get your thoughts across. You could say "I don't believe God wants to give increase and influence to us".
You could also say " I don't believe that God wants to give us material things for any reason". I don't believe what it says in the OP that we should "behold Jesus or His love". Or anything else that was said in any post.
Then you can give out the scriptures to back up your belief. Then others could look at those scriptures and compare them with other scriptures and both views could be looked at without the malice and strife amongst us.
That would be a way to discuss your views without violating the ask of CC about the use of the derogatory term which does nothing but stir up strife - just like CS1 has said in his post about people bringing up the term in every thread.
There are other ways of letting your views on subjects and truth to be known that can be done in a good way - in that environment we all could learn from each other. I encourage you to do so as we all need each other and the gift that the Lord has placed in each of us.
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TY Grace777 for reasonable friendly words as usual. some christians will 'get' exactly what the devotional is encouraging while others will see it to mean be lazy, be slothful, be unproductive.
leaning and trusting on Jesus alone to me and many christians means; He blesses our endeavors as we dare to trust and go forward in life meeting every obstacle knowing He will make a way through.
do we sit on the couch and not go for job interviews if it is a job we need? LOL not at all. we joyfully and with MUCH anticipation fill out applications and go to interviews wondering which job's door Jesus will open.
we go forward with a confidence we are not alone fending for ourselves like the unsaved world does. instead we know that it is Jesus who opens doors of opportunity in our lives. and this is also how we begin living out our lives in every area. we learn that all things good come from the Lord and all things bad are over come by the Lord. He does this for His loved sons.
and it pleases Him when we put our faith and trust in Him and not our abilities and gifts since it is He who also gave us all those things too. the focal point of our lives is seeing Jesus in all we are and do and need and will ever want or need. He also is teaching us grace and how we too can love and extend love to others the same kind of unconditional love.
leaning and trusting on Jesus alone to me and many christians means; He blesses our endeavors as we dare to trust and go forward in life meeting every obstacle knowing He will make a way through.
do we sit on the couch and not go for job interviews if it is a job we need? LOL not at all. we joyfully and with MUCH anticipation fill out applications and go to interviews wondering which job's door Jesus will open.
we go forward with a confidence we are not alone fending for ourselves like the unsaved world does. instead we know that it is Jesus who opens doors of opportunity in our lives. and this is also how we begin living out our lives in every area. we learn that all things good come from the Lord and all things bad are over come by the Lord. He does this for His loved sons.
and it pleases Him when we put our faith and trust in Him and not our abilities and gifts since it is He who also gave us all those things too. the focal point of our lives is seeing Jesus in all we are and do and need and will ever want or need. He also is teaching us grace and how we too can love and extend love to others the same kind of unconditional love.
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I know you're trying hard to get yet another argument going, but I'm not playing that game. I truly am asking why it is okay that hyper-grace is taught, but we can't respond.
If I were playing your game, I would be doing a critique on where that message is wrong, yet again. I cannot, because only one side's hands were tied behind their backs.
This is like telling Jehovah's Witnesses they aren't welcomed on this site, and yet granting them permission to promote their teachings without reaction or sanctions. Exactly like that.
If I were playing your game, I would be doing a critique on where that message is wrong, yet again. I cannot, because only one side's hands were tied behind their backs.
This is like telling Jehovah's Witnesses they aren't welcomed on this site, and yet granting them permission to promote their teachings without reaction or sanctions. Exactly like that.
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I agree that carnal Christians can take this the wrong way and have their whole focus on themselves which is not the kingdom. However there is also the other side in which religion that has taught that God wants us poor and destitute as if that is some kind of a spiritual blessing.
I firmly believe that God wants to bless us "so that" we can be a blessing to others but never at the expense of not having our true treasure maintained in our lives - which is Christ Himself as our focal point. Our Father is not against His children having "things" - He is against "things" having His children.
"Things" can become deceitful and cause us to lose our main focus - which is Christ Himself.
The Good Samaritan had much and he was able to be a "brother" to the guy who needed him. Having things to give to others or not having things to give to another should have no bearing on our devotion and utter dependence on Christ Himself. As Paul said - I have learned the secret of contentment - in having abundance and in suffering need.
There is always a balance so we can't throw one out for the other. It is actually "both". I fully understand that people can get the wrong focus on things in this world but the Lord uses the things of this world to bless others too.
Philippians 4:11-12 (NASB)
[SUP]11 [/SUP] Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.
[SUP]12 [/SUP] I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need.
Anyway - that's my views on it...
I firmly believe that God wants to bless us "so that" we can be a blessing to others but never at the expense of not having our true treasure maintained in our lives - which is Christ Himself as our focal point. Our Father is not against His children having "things" - He is against "things" having His children.
"Things" can become deceitful and cause us to lose our main focus - which is Christ Himself.
The Good Samaritan had much and he was able to be a "brother" to the guy who needed him. Having things to give to others or not having things to give to another should have no bearing on our devotion and utter dependence on Christ Himself. As Paul said - I have learned the secret of contentment - in having abundance and in suffering need.
There is always a balance so we can't throw one out for the other. It is actually "both". I fully understand that people can get the wrong focus on things in this world but the Lord uses the things of this world to bless others too.
Philippians 4:11-12 (NASB)
[SUP]11 [/SUP] Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.
[SUP]12 [/SUP] I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need.
Anyway - that's my views on it...
I think we have to decide. What is poor. Anyone who thinks a child of God is poor needs to read eph 1, and many other passages that show what we have in Christ.
God never promised physical wealth or health.
in my view, preaching health and wealth is just as dangerous as teaching we should suffer (be poor and suffer great pain) for Christ.
God will give us what we need to do his work. If it is wealth, thank God, if it is not, Praise God.. he said he gave us what we need.
Ad we do not need to go out and sleep on nails to cause pain to be spiritual We will suffer enough prain and suffering just doing Gods work and the opposition from satan
Yes....all of us in Christ are blessed with all things. We need to be content no matter what circumstance we are in knowing that we are complete in Christ.
The point of the OP that I got out of it - was that God will bless us and show us favor in our lives and increase our influence. All things that we get from God's favor and influence is to be a blessing to others.
There are always extremes and they are both on the same road together but just in different ditches.
One says "God wants all of you to be millionaires - the other says - No, God wants us to be poor so that we can rely on Him...we are to love not the world." IMO both are in the same ditch - not knowing that they are living "by the world system with both points of view."
Not all of us are called to be "Josephs" but we will have the same favor and influence to be a blessing according to the call on our lives. It's the way of the kingdom.
The point of the OP that I got out of it - was that God will bless us and show us favor in our lives and increase our influence. All things that we get from God's favor and influence is to be a blessing to others.
There are always extremes and they are both on the same road together but just in different ditches.
One says "God wants all of you to be millionaires - the other says - No, God wants us to be poor so that we can rely on Him...we are to love not the world." IMO both are in the same ditch - not knowing that they are living "by the world system with both points of view."
Not all of us are called to be "Josephs" but we will have the same favor and influence to be a blessing according to the call on our lives. It's the way of the kingdom.
It's our flesh acting up to throw everything out someone says if we disagree with some other things that are said by them.
The gospel of the grace of God has everything to do with Christ and what He has already done for us. What all that entails seems to be "up in the air and open to some interpretation" and so if there are disagreements in one of these areas - then it must be they are teaching satanic, heretic stuff.
I agree with you - let's get the basics of what the gospel of the grace of God is in the first place.
Personally I don't agree with any teacher everything that they say on all subjects. I try to listen with my spirit but my mind can get in the way because of what I currently think - which may or may not be true.
The gospel of the grace of God has everything to do with Christ and what He has already done for us. What all that entails seems to be "up in the air and open to some interpretation" and so if there are disagreements in one of these areas - then it must be they are teaching satanic, heretic stuff.
I agree with you - let's get the basics of what the gospel of the grace of God is in the first place.
Personally I don't agree with any teacher everything that they say on all subjects. I try to listen with my spirit but my mind can get in the way because of what I currently think - which may or may not be true.
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