Not By Works
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I like the following
Matthew Henry writes: “That which distinguished this good ground from the rest, was, in one word, fruitfulness. He does not say that this good ground has no stones in it, or no thorns; but there were none that prevailed to hinder its fruitfulness.” Stones or thorns may be found in the good soil of a true believer’s heart, but such obstructions do not finally prevent him from bearing fruit. Despite your remaining sin, your life bearing fruit for Christ?
Its intersting if we read why and how Jesus is relaying this parable.
The recipients of the time would have fully related to it as they were an agricultural society.
The ground was chalky and lime stone. No amount of effort could guarantee that soil that produced fruit would not have stones in it or stuff in it that would cause problems.
I did the accounts for a farmer and he would acknowledge even with the machinery he used it was not guarantee that the whole field would be free of stuff that would stop some of the harvest growing but the field would still indeed produce a harvest.
Matthew Henry writes: “That which distinguished this good ground from the rest, was, in one word, fruitfulness. He does not say that this good ground has no stones in it, or no thorns; but there were none that prevailed to hinder its fruitfulness.” Stones or thorns may be found in the good soil of a true believer’s heart, but such obstructions do not finally prevent him from bearing fruit. Despite your remaining sin, your life bearing fruit for Christ?
Its intersting if we read why and how Jesus is relaying this parable.
The recipients of the time would have fully related to it as they were an agricultural society.
The ground was chalky and lime stone. No amount of effort could guarantee that soil that produced fruit would not have stones in it or stuff in it that would cause problems.
I did the accounts for a farmer and he would acknowledge even with the machinery he used it was not guarantee that the whole field would be free of stuff that would stop some of the harvest growing but the field would still indeed produce a harvest.
I disagree. I do not want to just be saved. I want to do and act righteously in my heart.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness. They will be filled.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness. They will be filled.
I am not sure if you have ever read any of my testimony on this thread.
If so you will see I have struggled with many many things.
One thing I know through my dark years the one thing I did was to be like Jacob.
I am not letting go until I get your blessing, I am going to keep hanging on to you.
Keep being like Jacob.
I am sure that God will give you his blessings and the desires of your heart.
In fact he will place in you, in fact all of us the desires of his heart for us.
God bless you precious sister.
It was where you said: why the tirade?
And I thought you were meaning I was trading against you. But you were meaning someone else.
It's just all about ME, isn't it?
And I thought you were meaning I was trading against you. But you were meaning someone else.
It's just all about ME, isn't it?
The African woman teaching the child...you are beautiful, you are smart...etc.
Hi Bill...Thank you for your kind words ...It`s truly amazing how much can change in ones life within hours...My daughter who is 22 has just found out her partner has cheated for the second time, neither are saved ...It is only news that I am aware off because her sister has revealed these things to me...My old self would of been on a bus now ready to fight with him, but I know this is not the way of our Lord...I have prayed to God for my daughter to come and stay with me so I can help heal her broken heart with the love that our Father has given to me...This will be a testing time for me as her mother to walk in the ways of our Lord and not of the flesh, I pray that God will be a keeper over my mouth and only build her up with words that God gives me and not words from my own heart...I have so much to learn about family, does God protect our family, even those who are not saved, I pray that through this trial, my daughter will see Jesus comforting her and not me...All the glory to God...Sorry peeps if I have gone of topic, to all of you, you are my family, please bare with me...xox...
...It is only news that I am aware off because her sister has revealed these things to me...My old self would of been on a bus now ready to fight with him, but I know this is not the way of our Lord...I have prayed to God for my daughter to come and stay with me so I can help heal her broken heart with the love that our Father has given to me...This will be a testing time for me as her mother to walk in the ways of our Lord and not of the flesh, I pray that God will be a keeper over my mouth and only build her up with words that God gives me and not words from my own heart...I have so much to learn about family, does God protect our family, even those who are not saved, I pray that through this trial, my daughter will see Jesus comforting her and not me...All the glory to God...Sorry peeps if I have gone of topic, to all of you, you are my family, please bare with me...xox...
Oh what joy I have had in talking with you guys this morning and afternoon!
I have to go to listen to some blues and jazz. It was a 30.00 ticket bought for me by someone else. If it wasn't, I would definitely be staying with you guys instead of going!
I"ll peek back in after I get ready.
I have to go to listen to some blues and jazz. It was a 30.00 ticket bought for me by someone else. If it wasn't, I would definitely be staying with you guys instead of going!
I"ll peek back in after I get ready.
P
'Been there, done that' is perhaps the most powerful way that God works the 'golden rule' in his people:
"12“In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets." (Matthew 7:12 NASB)
Perhaps the key to getting beyond mere written words to change us is having been where others are at. In the case of Stunned, maybe the most useful thing that can happen for her is to get a glimpse through her own experience the torment of the insecurity and feelings of inadequacy of the narcissist that drive them to act the way they do towards others. When that happens and we learn from it hatred toward the offender turns to pity, and anger turns to sorrow for the person. Then we are in a place to intercede on their behalf before the Lord in prayer. That's the place where blessing gets returned for cursing and we pray that God would bless them, not destroy them for what they do.
"...we[SUP]c[/SUP] also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4perseverance, character..." (Romans 5:3 NIV)
It's not fun getting there but I'm learning it's worth the trip.
"12“In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets." (Matthew 7:12 NASB)
Perhaps the key to getting beyond mere written words to change us is having been where others are at. In the case of Stunned, maybe the most useful thing that can happen for her is to get a glimpse through her own experience the torment of the insecurity and feelings of inadequacy of the narcissist that drive them to act the way they do towards others. When that happens and we learn from it hatred toward the offender turns to pity, and anger turns to sorrow for the person. Then we are in a place to intercede on their behalf before the Lord in prayer. That's the place where blessing gets returned for cursing and we pray that God would bless them, not destroy them for what they do.
"...we[SUP]c[/SUP] also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4perseverance, character..." (Romans 5:3 NIV)
It's not fun getting there but I'm learning it's worth the trip.
It amazes me the onus you ppl who believe they can unsave themselves put on yourselves. The Christ is nothing more than a self-help guru. I keep my faith and I'm okay. I like lose my faith and I'm lost.
That's why I say you ppl are working yourselves to heaven. It's all about what you do or don't do. Forget about the cross and He who died on it. I am my own person, and I can decide if I am to remain saved or not. The Christ's works means squat. It's what I do or don't do that counts.
You can have this fake gospel. I am like Apostle Paul.. I am persuaded He can keep what I have committed into His hands against that day. I have committed my life into His hands and He will keep.
That's why I say you ppl are working yourselves to heaven. It's all about what you do or don't do. Forget about the cross and He who died on it. I am my own person, and I can decide if I am to remain saved or not. The Christ's works means squat. It's what I do or don't do that counts.
You can have this fake gospel. I am like Apostle Paul.. I am persuaded He can keep what I have committed into His hands against that day. I have committed my life into His hands and He will keep.
Hi Bill...Thank you for your kind words ...It`s truly amazing how much can change in ones life within hours...My daughter who is 22 has just found out her partner has cheated for the second time, neither are saved ...It is only news that I am aware off because her sister has revealed these things to me...My old self would of been on a bus now ready to fight with him, but I know this is not the way of our Lord...I have prayed to God for my daughter to come and stay with me so I can help heal her broken heart with the love that our Father has given to me...This will be a testing time for me as her mother to walk in the ways of our Lord and not of the flesh, I pray that God will be a keeper over my mouth and only build her up with words that God gives me and not words from my own heart...I have so much to learn about family, does God protect our family, even those who are not saved, I pray that through this trial, my daughter will see Jesus comforting her and not me...All the glory to God...Sorry peeps if I have gone of topic, to all of you, you are my family, please bare with me...xox...
...It is only news that I am aware off because her sister has revealed these things to me...My old self would of been on a bus now ready to fight with him, but I know this is not the way of our Lord...I have prayed to God for my daughter to come and stay with me so I can help heal her broken heart with the love that our Father has given to me...This will be a testing time for me as her mother to walk in the ways of our Lord and not of the flesh, I pray that God will be a keeper over my mouth and only build her up with words that God gives me and not words from my own heart...I have so much to learn about family, does God protect our family, even those who are not saved, I pray that through this trial, my daughter will see Jesus comforting her and not me...All the glory to God...Sorry peeps if I have gone of topic, to all of you, you are my family, please bare with me...xox...
Probably for the same reason as me, most of the people we know on this site are here and they know us and we them.
Therefore we can trust each other and not condemn each other.
Its intersting, this morning in Church the preacher as part of his talk said something along the lines off
"If you want to see God move, if you want to see people change, if you want revival it does not start with you, it starts by your prayers that you pray to God, it is then God that works through your prayers, he works in you through your prayers and works in those you prayed for because of your prayers"
Keep praying, keep praying and keep praying.
P
Yes, it's that simple.
All you have to do is post the passage that explains how us continuing to believe is a work of the damnable works gospel and the argument will be settled. But you will not find any such passage. What you will find are several exhortations and warnings to keep believing. And I'm confident the authors of those exhortations and warnings were not imploring us to work the works in Paul's damnable works gospel doctrine to keep ourselves saved. I bet you don't either.
You can decide it, but you won't succeed in remaining saved without God's grace to believe. That's what makes salvation not by merit of works. But that hardly means you don't have to do the 'work' of believing to secure salvation. It's just that believing is not among the works that can not justify.
What you do in the way of works only counts as the evidence of whether Christ is in you in salvation, or not.
In other words, you have chosen to continue to believe.
Me too. That's what we're told to do.
All you have to do is post the passage that explains how us continuing to believe is a work of the damnable works gospel and the argument will be settled. But you will not find any such passage. What you will find are several exhortations and warnings to keep believing. And I'm confident the authors of those exhortations and warnings were not imploring us to work the works in Paul's damnable works gospel doctrine to keep ourselves saved. I bet you don't either.
You can decide it, but you won't succeed in remaining saved without God's grace to believe. That's what makes salvation not by merit of works. But that hardly means you don't have to do the 'work' of believing to secure salvation. It's just that believing is not among the works that can not justify.
What you do in the way of works only counts as the evidence of whether Christ is in you in salvation, or not.
In other words, you have chosen to continue to believe.
Me too. That's what we're told to do.
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