From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
In a message dated 12/17/2004 9:16:52 PM Pacific
Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
Everyone lives what they really believe. Izzy
John responds: A really ridiculous statement. "Lord,I believe, help me in my unbelief." J
Everyone lives what they really believe. Izzy
John responds: A really ridiculous statement. "Lord,I believe, help me in my unbelief." J
jt: How is this
'ridiculous?' God's wisdom tells us that we not only live them we speak them
also for
"Out of the abundance
that fills the heart, the mouth speaks" so it is no use proclaiming one thing
publicly
and speaking
something else in private.
So you donât live your beliefs? Izzy
John: Not always and neither do you. Neither does the addicted, lost in his habit and helpless to be what he really wants to be; neither the confused and beleaguered wife who compromises to save the marriage; or the young black boy with absolutely no guidance, lost in a sea of racial regrets who cries in private at what he sees as his only choices; or the gay and homely blade who is so taken by the disappointment of his parents (in all facets of his life) that, in spite of what he believes, his need for acceptance prevails. None of this rises to the level of reasoned excuse for failure. But the addicted "really wants" and thus, believes in what is noble and right; the beleaguered wife "compromises" and thus acknowledges what she believes to be right; the black boy who secretly weeps lives a life that trumps what he knows is right (thus the tears); and the gay and lonely son who is driven by guilt because, and only because, he "knows" what he believes but is lost without a teacher (lost does not mean lost, in this case). Tears, guilt, compromise, restless addictions are all testaments to the possession of truth. It is when we have so surrendered to the flesh that we feel no guilt, shed no tears, are aware of no compromise, and rejoice in our addictions that we are truly lost -- given over to the flesh.
jt: Maybe we should have first
defined what it means to "believe" Faith and belief in His Word are
synonamous in God's economy - but this has nothing to do with wants and or
needs. What you describe above is belief/faith
in the devil's lies John.
So people often do not live as they believe, Linda.
So people often do not live as they believe, Linda.
jt: Oh but they do - God's Word says "according
to your faith so be it unto you" If the people above first believed and
then took hold of the power that proceeds from the cross, they could be free of
confusion, addiction, and perversion because the truth acted upon makes us
free.
And there are times when we meet these people, speak what
God would have us to say and it strikes at the heart of who they really are and
what they really believe and they are "saved." That is what I am
saying.
John

