This is a continuation of our current chatt posted in the ladies forum, titled 'Could there be a difference?'
Do recall dear that you don't have to write back right away since this seems to be a longer chatt we gonna have, while you could be having your personal bible study and other responsibilities. You can take up to a week to write back its fine with me.
On our last conversation dear
I asked about 3different questions, which you've answered. Much appreciation for that.
Since when asking you about Hebrew4
I had to start from chapter3 so I can make sense of the continuation of chapter4, while reading chapter3 dear was bothered by this specific line, verse12
"Beware, brethren, lest be in any of you an evel heart of unbelief in departing from the living God...."
Onother vession says:
"Be careful brothers that, there's none in you with an unbelieving sinful heart that turns him away from the living God"
My question to you dear is:
What causes 'chaos' in ones innermost being when seeking God?
Why is there such conflict between the heart, mind and soul when one seeks to be steal before the living God?
I know that I should run to him for peace
I seek though to understand why won't my inner parts work together in seeking God?
God bless you Teach for time taken in continuing with our chatt!!
I am finally responding...I spent a lot of time with my nephews this week.
What causes 'chaos' in ones innermost being when seeking God?�
Why is there such conflict between the heart, mind and soul when one seeks to be still before the living God?�
I seek though to understand why won't my inner parts work together in seeking God?�
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What causes chaos is the conflict between the flesh and the spiritual.
While we are 'a new creature' in Christ, we are still in the earthly body. �We know what is right and wrong, what is acceptable and unacceptable to God and we try to do that which is right; however, our flesh/human mind desires earthly pleasures...many that are not acceptable to God. �So now we have an inner conflict. �Temptation is always there...and it is different for different people, depending on what they were taught/exposed to why still a sinner. �
The bad habits we may have developed such as smoking, fornication/adultery, lying, cheating, stealing, etc do not magically get wiped away once we are saved. �What happens is we now have the Holy Spirit in dwelling us, telling us not to do those things anymore...but we get some type of earthly pleasure from them that we continue committing sins...but now we have that 'voice'/thought that says hey this is wrong...but we do it anyway...now we begin to feel guilty for things we used to do without thinking twice. �We also get those feelings when we don't do something we know we should do (like witnessing to someone).
Matthew 26:41�Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
Mark 14:38�Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak.
Romans 6:12�Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.�
13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.�
14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.�
16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?�
17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.�
18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.�
19 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.
20 For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.�
21 What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death.
22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.�
23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Romans 7:5�For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.�
6 But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.
7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid�Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.
8 But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. �For without the law sin was dead.�
9 For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.�
10 And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death. 11 For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me.�
12 Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.
13�Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful.�
14 For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.
15 For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.
16 If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good.�
17 Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.�
18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.�
19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.�
20 Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.�
22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:�
23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.�
24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?�
25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.
23 All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.
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Because we have bad things in us...past sins, teachings, etc, we have to replace these with good things. �As a Christian we must put better thoughts into our minds
--what types of music do we listen to? Does it bring glory to God? �If not, replace it with music that does.
--what type of shows do we watch on TV, in the theater? �
--what type of people do we hang out with? Do they regularly, blatantly sin? �Do they conti ually curse, talk bad, etc? If so, probably need to find a way to limit time with them and find better people to hang out with.
These types of issues will also cause inner chaos because we are trying to please God but hold onto worldly thoughts and activities.
In the computer world, we have a saying...garbage in, garbage out. �It's the same with our minds...if we fill our minds (or if our minds were filled prior to salvation) with garbage, then garbage actions, thoughts, words will come out of us.
The Christian life is a journey with many lessons and changes along the way as we grow in wisdom and knowledge. �The older we are when we get saved, the harder it often is to make the changes, but often the desire is greater to make those changes because we realize how 'bad' we were.
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Luke 7:47�Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.�
Now its me taking longer to write back to you darling. Its hectic hey. Was training a new consultant whose gonna be replacing me as I told you i'm being taken to onother branch in need of an extra hand. So yah it was double as much of activities since she had to be trained on product knowledge and practicals, with my daily tasks to fulfil. Was a great experience though for both parties, it was more of a revision for me too as preparing for her, while i'm fascinated by her eagerness to learn and her intelligence. Still think she was gonna cope in a bigger branch (cause I really don't wanna leave) but one must submit hey
Back to our subject
Teach you'll never have an idea how much I appreciate time taken in researching and typing me these passages. You make me look forth to my time off duty. I have a lot to go through with my bible. Being honest I can't keep up with your level darlig sis, you're too far and very helpful to me. God will reward your efforts dear for ministering to me. And you're touching someone elses' life too as I told you someone inboxed me that she enjoys our one on one chatts. Was very humble and scared that I should really be careful of what I post.... Though this is onother subject all together.
"As a Christian we must put better thougts into our minds" that is so true Teach. Lately what I found helping in keeping my mind away from sin, is constant thoughts of this baby promised jokingly to me. Though I worry a little that i'm gonna hurt myself in a short run, cause i'm never gonna be given that baby. Then again I was told of something called 'fentom pregnancy' (now i've deviated completely from the subject hey) apparently this affects those who eagerly want to have babies. This really is onother subject for onother day. Though thoughts of this baby are taking my mind from sin. That's the reason why I mentioned this.
"What people do we hung around with?" Its amazing how well do we get along with my current friends. We having similar interests, we love the same things, speaking the same language BUT not a single one of them was there when I needed to partake in the holly communion. Its something they wouldn't relate with, cause we just different in the matters of God. That was when I felt alone while having a number of ladies as friends to have over and chill with after work. So yes dear sis I really hear you when speaking of people we spend our time with.
"What type of shows do we watch and music do we listen to" Music has such influence hey, and stuff we feed our minds. Teach I know these things but I had no idea that they contribute in these inner conflicts I experience when drawing closer to God. This was eye opening dear, i'm very glad I asked. Will be writting back to you again. There's more to share with you sis.
Please feel free to ask as much as possible on our personal chatts. Will surely make time to write back to you darling, no question is too person with you though this time around you've really shaken me and got me answering questions I was never asked before...... I needed that sis, was more of self discovery since I had to think deep and seach myself before writting back. You're more than welcomed in my life.
Thank God for an opportunity of writing back to you again.
By the way the main question is, "What causes chaos in ones innermost being when seeking to be still before the living God?"
You're making more sense dear when saying, "its a battle between spirit and the flesh." Our flesh is made of dust and therefore very weak in submiting to sin hense David says, "5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother nonceived me" Psalm 51:5.
Now what bothers me again about this whole thing, is that its as if God expect me to do something about it, apart from just running to Him for peace. He's surely gonna help me when running to Him, though He seem to be throwing the responsibility back at me. He says in He's word, "If there's part of you that causes you to sin, get rid of it" this sounds more like a responsibility to me.
He carry's on and say, "30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. Matthew5:30.
This passage was dropped into my heart Teach one afternoon desirering a home cooked meal. (once shared this story with you I recall) I was cooking Vegetables in that particular afternoon. Had Green papers that were in the fridge for about a week and couple of days. They were two in a pack dear, in-between them there was a mold as I took one to chop. As I was cutting off the part with the mold, I would hear a voice talking to me.... The voice was really verbal Teach, saying..."You cutting off the part with a mold so you can make use of that Green paper. If there was a part of your body that had a disease, you would have had it cuted off so you prevent the disease from spreading all over your body, now how much more with your soul? Won't you get rid of parts that makes you sin for the safety of your spiritual body?"
As you're speaking of 'replacing' sin with something more pleasing to God, "Replacement of songs, shows that I watch, people I hung around with etc" could that be cutting off ironically?
I understand being busy...my weekdays are usually full so it takes me to the weekend to provide more thorough answers. �On the other forums, the topics are more routine...common topics that I have studied and have some notes that I have taken over the years on them. �Your discussions encourage me to dig deeper in other areas that I have not explored as much. �Ironically, my Sunday School teacher covers some of the topics so I get some verses and ideas from her...I am blessed to have a very Godly lady teaching my women's class. �I have grown a lot in the last couple years in her classes.
"it's as if God expects me to do something about it", "responsibility"
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Romans 14:12�So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.
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Yes, when the Holy Spirit speaks to us (our conscience), God does expect us to take action, make changes, do what's right. �We often resist, especially if it's something we've done for a long time or something we don't like doing (like witnessing to strangers).
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James 4:17�Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.
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Many people struggle with sin after they are saved. �Many people think they have to give everything up before they can be saved. �But Jesus accepts us just as we are...with all our sins and imperfections. �After that is when He starts working on us to change...and thus the struggle.
The examples you provided would be 'cutting off'. �Sin is like cancer, if it is not cut out/removed, it will spread.�
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Hebrews 12:1�Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
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If we do not remove the sins, it's like running a race with chains on us. �Sin weighs us down, keeps us from growing. �We're not in this alone, though. �We have a cloud of witnesses around us and, of course,we have Jesus and the Holy Spirit.
You wrote:
"As you're speaking of 'replacing' sin with something more pleasing to God, "Replacement of songs, shows that I watch, people I hung around with etc" could that be cutting off ironically?"
So the easiest way to break a bad habit is to replace it with something else. �Many people who quit smoking do so by chewing gum or eating carrots when they desire a cigarette.
Years ago it was suggested to me to stop listening to the music I listened to for a week or so, then to go back and listen to it...it was easy to realize the difference the music made. �I do not go as far as some do to turn other people's radios off, but I generally only listen to Christian music.
Once you overcome one area, it's not long before the Holy Spirit reveals another area to deal with...and, of course, Satan tries to tempt you in many areas. �When he does, it's easy to get discouraged...but remembering there are those witnesses watching along with God...we are encouraged to pick up and keep going. �If we mess up, God's still there waiting for us to say we're sorry so He can forgive us again!
(hope I got the name right, spelling could really be wrong)
Was told about this years ago. Apparently it effects weman who are too desparate to fall pregnant. That's when they think about it too much, that their bodies automatically reflects the signs of a pregnent woman...... Now the bomb is when the doctors tell her that there was never a baby from the first place incide her. It leads to serious sickness that they even lose their minds if not getting enough attention abd support.
Will be writing back to you dear on your last reply.
You've taken me back to my early days with Christ on your reply. This is so helpful to me
