TO ALL WHO ARE IN LIKE MIND

 To all who are in like mind........................

Greetings Steve and Gary, 

I write this message to both of you in the spirit of GODS love. In no way do I intend it to be obnoxious or demeaning or insulting. For many years I have been searching on my blog for another elect saint of GOD that has walked with GOD and Christ longer than I have. For me it has been 32 years since my conversion. In that time I have been taught by GOD through Jesus Christ only, no man taught me anything that I know. I experience a voice in my mind / spirit that speaks to me and teaches me things I never knew about before. I cannot put into words what this is like. When I was yet a babe in Christ I did not at first recognize this voice as another voice but confused it with my own thoughts. Then a day came when a thought came that I was not even thinking about and had no knowledge about, it was then that I realized that this voice I was hearing was not my own. How could I have thoughts about something that I have no knowledge of ? The 3 other saints I fellowship with have had the same experience. When Jesus said we are taught by GOD through him it is the truth. I can say these things but there is no way I can prove them to anyone. I have searched online for someone who is a more mature Christian than I am hoping to hear what they have learned beyond what I have learned in the hope of the spirit opening my understanding to the same things. I have to date found no one. I do believe they are out there scattered to the four winds. It is only spiritually logical that other saints who have been in Christ longer that I would have grown in the spirit beyond me.

 

 My joining Simply Christian was part of my search and I have been delighted to find two others in their walk with GOD and Christ that are in their own stage of spiritual development. Neither of you are babes anymore as I have observed growth in both of you. Lately on this forum the discussions have entered into the territory of strong meat, the deep things of GOD. I entered that stage about 25 years ago. It is very obvious to me as I am sure it is to you that the 4 fellows involved in these discussions have no knowledge even about the things of milk let alone the things of meat.

I felt a motivation by the spirit to share with everyone on the forum the things freely given to me as an act of love but was met by many of them as an enemy of whatever they believe as truth. I have been tempted to leave the forum so that these types do not blaspheme the way of truth but Steve convinced me to stay. Now I only make comments in response to either of you two but not directly to them and I still post articles on various subjects. In doing this I avoid getting to overly involved in engaging in a battle of wits with those who are unarmed. I confess that it was getting out of hand. I remembered that AS MUCH AS IT DEPENDED ON ME, live at peace with all men. Both of you have a different way of expressing yourselves than I do that has not compromised GODS truth and may have better success than what I have had. My way is stern and straightforward with no apologies, I provide abundant scriptures to support my claims. This is my nature and has worked with some but not others who take my boldness in Christ as arrogance, pontificating and wanting to have my own way. They become offended by what I write about without even understanding it. My motivation is exactly the opposite of what they accuse me of. It’s true, I will not back down or apologize for the truth of GOD. Jesus offended many people during his ministry with his GODS truth so I look at this as taking up my own cross and following him. The truth will either offend a person or set them free but this is in GODS hands to do. I encourage both of you to write more and share with the members of this forum what GOD through Jesus has taught you. This is part of loving your neighbor as yourself. If they begin to attack you and blaspheme then withdraw from communication with them, do as I have done, continue writing and sharing apart from them. If GOD would decide to call and choose just one of them the angels in heaven will rejoice and we would be blessed to have had a very small part in it. Thanks for hearing, Lee

 

The letter above was only written to Gary and Steve but is appropriate for us all.  Recently I have been Given a better understanding of things like salvation, faith and works.  It is a biblical fact that true Christians are considered dead in Christ, that they no longer live because Christ lives in them, Jesus takes over your life. We then have no works at all, not in the law or in the acquiring of our salvation because GOD through Christ does the works. Philippians 2:13  GOD prepared all these works for us.  Ephesians 2:10  We Sabbath rest in Christ while GOD and Jesus work in us. 

 

We are saved by grace through faith but this faith is backed up and proven by these works GOD and Christ do in us. This is why James said faith without works is dead.  The works are GODS love in us by HIS spirit, they are not our works , they are GODS works.  WE are living sacrifices .  Romans 12:1  Just as Jesus gave us example with how he lived his life we are empowered by GODS spirit and love to do the same and over our lives be transformed to be an exact likeness of Jesus who was an exact likeness of his GOD.  This likeness is GODS nature of love which is the fulfillment of the law.  Salvation is in the last day but most think it is when they are baptized , baptism is only the beginning of the journey to salvation in the last day when Jesus returns to give everlasting life to his true followers.  

 

I am no different than all of you, I am a sinner who is now in the new covenant of grace.  We all have been given a talent, a portion of GODS spirit. If we just bury it there is no growth and we will face the wrath of the Laodiceans.  However if we remain in the faith and growing in it we will acquire more talents that will please GOD and Christ thus assuring our salvation.  

 

A true work of love is not by planning, that is your work not GODS.  GODS work in you will come out of the blue like in the story of the good Samaritan. Doing and good works will be this way because it will insure that they will not be of our planning.  We are to submit in love, willingly, to GOD and Christ praying to the FATHER through Jesus for more of GODS love in us.  Pray for the death of our old person so the new person may live.  Brother Kel has an excellent video about these things that I encourage you all to watch, several times, and brother Polycarp, though long dead, has an excellent letter that he sent to the Philippian  church that also speaks to these things.  We have as well the letters of the Apostles in the scripture that have these things as a constant theme.  

All of us need have the good works of GODS love in us and when the next time , out of the blue, we are faced with a situation of any sort that needs the application of GODS love that we apply it without question.  Whatever is not of GODS love is sin.  In his sermon on the mount Jesus taught some very hard things, loving those who hate you, doing good and praying for enemies, to overcome evil with good.  Looking at these things it seems impossible but all things are possible with GOD.  I have fallen short on all these things and have repented and asked for forgiveness and for more GODLY love, more faith and to bear more fruit, to overcome my old self and mortify those deeds, to truly die to myself so that Christ can live in me, my hope of glory.  This will not be easy but all who live in Christ will suffer some kind of persecution, this is sharing in the sufferings of Christ.  We have been taught the truth of doctrine but now this truth must be applied to live it.  God began a good work in us and HE is able to complete it in the day of the Lord Jesus. May GOD and Christ be with us all.