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- Jun 10, 2015
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- Lutheran
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- Yes
What are some things the Lord won't do for you?
Those things I can, and should, do for myself and those things that are not in accord with his will for me.
The Lord is not Harry Potter's magic wand that I can pull out and wave to get him to do something for me, but a guide that helps me in handling things the way he wants me to if I call on him for that help.
In essence, my prayers are always answered when I pray "Lord, show me how do you want me to handle this and I will do it" and never when I pray "Lord make this happen for me because this is how I want it to be".
I asked God to make my spirit grow. And God said No.
He said I must grow on my own. But He will prune me to make me fruitful.
Are you sure God said no to growing your spirit? The Holy Spirit is not in your life sanctifying you?
Good question!
Yes I'm sure.
2nd Timothy 2:15
15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth..../KJV
The word of truth is, the scriptures, the word of God. It doesn't say read it, it says Study it. What Happens if you study it?
John 16:13-15
13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.
15 All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you....KJV
The Word of Truth...Lead us into All Truth...There is where the Holy Spirit sanctifies us and leads us into all truth. When we are reading the Word of God (Studying). Does that sound weird? It makes perfect sense!
James 1:23-25
23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:
24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.
25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
The Word of God Is the perfect law of Liberty. and it becomes like a Mirror and allows the Holy Spirit access our hearts and minds by being in His presence while reading His word. The Holy Spirit sees through the mirror into our mind, into our heart because we are standing in the presence of the mirror.
Would that mean that, the Holy Spirit can only sanctify us when we are in His presence? I am not positive but I think it is possible. Could we extrapolate it to all those good Christians who read 6 different verses every Sunday when they follow along with their Pastors sermon and then their bible sets on the table unopened all week...When do the get sanctified? .00000001 each week?
No we have to apply ourselves to studying the word, and we will be shown approved if we do! Not only that, but something else happens along the way...Clarity comes, Peace comes, Relationship begins!
How can you get someone you have heard of is a real cool guy and you'd like someone like that for your best friend! If you never come into His presence reading or praying, then how will the relationship develop? It wont. (I never knew you?).
I got scared about that before, so I decided that I didn't want to be the guy who He never got to know because I never hardly talked to Him or came over into His presence...so I thought, I'd rather be the guy that, yeah that's the one who never shuts up! Much better! Instead of ending my morning prayer and then leaving for work, I started inviting Him with me! I'd talk to Him all day long between jobs. So much for I never knew you I hope.
But that's how sanctification starts and takes place, when we are in front of the mirror of the word of God. So, while you are reading your bible, it's reading you! You have come into His presence, you come to read about God, to open your hear about God and to God, and you meditate on Him. What's that mean, Holy Spirit? Lead me into all truth...
Hebrews 4:12
12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart..../KJV
The Word of God is only able to do this if you are in His presence. And how shall we be sanctifed if we do not come into His presence or be washed by the water of the word?
Ephesians 5:26-27
26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.../KJV
And that my dear young sister, is why God said no to growing my spirit. Jesus said His word is the bread of life. It is food for your spirit. You want to make your spirit grow? Read the word for 12 hours a day and get fat on the word! After all, it's only reasonable for us to feed the spirit that He gifted to us in His mercy and goodness, right?
The verses you stated are showing that God is the one growing your spirit!!!!!
Still looking for a loophole lol. It is talking about growing the spirit. Why does it keep saying, the word of God, the word of God? It keeps referring to it. You have to receive the spiritual food to nourish your spirit. To receive it means you have to have ears to hear and eyes to see, and open His Book and read. You can't get out of it.
And if you do not feed your spirit then you will have a malnourished spirit.
It's along the same lines as we plant seeds, God gives the increase.
He did not say you can stay in the house watching cartoons. You must be about your Fathers work. Out into the Field Sister! Pick up that plow! You keep trying to show that you don't have to do anything for God, but He does for you.
That's wrong thinking Sister. God said He will not be mocked.
The word of God is alive and active and does not return to Him empty. It's the job of the Holy Spirit to guide you into truth, so yes, God is growing your spirit. We aren't alone as believers, we have the Holy Spirit within us!
So is that to say that we don't really have to be led by the Spirit because, that happens automatically?
God doesn't need our permission.
We read our bibles...because God leads us to do that.
We do good works...because God leads us to do that.
We love our neighbor...because God leads us to do that.
God is growing our spirit, our lives have Him active in it.