tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27942026.post4803419584694337459..comments2023-10-21T04:32:31.262-05:00Comments on Following Judah's Lion: The Denying of SelfRick Fruehhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05879848568892457571noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27942026.post-4764136755008651392013-12-28T12:58:46.693-05:002013-12-28T12:58:46.693-05:00It's a matter of swallowing the hard pill of t...It's a matter of swallowing the hard pill of truth or take the easy and perhaps broad road to just go on pretending. You either face the truth or go on avoiding what one day will be accounted to you.<br /><br />There are many areas to deny self. The flesh has such a grasp in so many areas that the process of sanctification is ongoing until He calls us home, or we are changed. But the fist hurdle is believing you need to repent. The second hurdle is leaving behind all that you thought was right and wrong and of the Lord, which Scripture clearly says otherwise. Taking stock of all you think is of God, lining it up with Scripture and seeing the difference. <br /><br />This is an disconcerting time to say the least. It is most painful and revealing. And you think you hate laundry and dishes.<br /><br />I have found that the saying "good intentions is a clear path to hell" is so true. It is pretentious to have intentions. One hardly ever goes to the time and expense to follow through on an intention. I speak of myself as well.<br /><br />Pastor Rick, the thought of completely denying self seems almost impossible. It will take much prayer, much study of the Word. It will take getting used to pain and battling doubt. The flesh can also conjure up thoughts that you might be in a cult regarding denying self. <br /><br />That is in and of itself is going to be a sacrifice. Denying your own time to spend it with the Lord on a much greater scale. Choosing to spend time in prayer, fasting, and in the Word and not with family, friends, or even sleep. All the while maintaining our lives as we should. <br /><br />We need to pray for God's direction, the deep indwelling of the Holy Spirit and His Grace to obey.<br /><br />I will be praying every day for the bretheran to be blessed with the strength of the Lord, to do this very important and God honoring action of denying self.<br /><br />your sister in Christ Jesus,<br />Cherie c.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27942026.post-26419630980601808012013-12-28T10:26:54.464-05:002013-12-28T10:26:54.464-05:00There's no argument against this teaching.
Ju...There's no argument against this teaching.<br /><br />Just sharing my thoughts on the matter. My first 'carnal' need is for a teaching like this to be brought up with examples, or a story to tell, to help me understand. I guess, maybe, as a person who needs "parables" like the disciples did, I tend to rely on a testimony or someone's story as an example to really grasp it. In church sermons, which I haven't heard in many months, the pastor would always include a 'story', maybe to elaborate the point. I'd leave church feeling good, because I'd think, "I can do that". Other times, when they'd preach a topic and give details or tell someone's story, or give examples, I'd feel a struggle within and wonder, "can I do this?"<br /><br />I am realizing today that I have to shake off "other people's examples" and live with the teaching and create my own personal example. It was so easy to rely on a tale and make it my role model. If everyone else could avoid movie theatres, then I could too. Or if others could do church errands or involve themselves with charity, then I could too. Or if the women were told not to wear earrings on the altar, then I couldl too,..........<br /><br />Here, on this blog, I am left on my own to make my own personal decision as to how the Lord wants me to deny self. It's not up to a church, brethren, sisters, or the pastor and his wife, it's totally now up to me. This is really hard. In this culture, I and my husband are alone and we have to make our adjustments biblically, but without any role models, or personal witnesses that we watch in the community. <br /><br />It's now just betweeen me and Jesus. Maybe this is where He wants us. Not to rely on what others are doing with the road to denial, but to just keep us on our toes and not look left or right. Just a thought for this morning. <br /><br />THanks Bro. Rick. At this point in our (hopefully) mature christian lives, we have to figure and sort out these things by ourselves and not go into that sheeple mode, waiting to see what the next guy does. There's a lot of contemplation for me as how to deny myself, without getting the rewards of men's nods of approval; it dawned on me how easy it is to want to be part of a group where we compare ourselves to one another, but denying self can't include that kind of thinking. <br /><br />J.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com