Purity 357: Encouragement for the Path of Christian Discipleship

Purity 357 03/04/2021 Purity 357 Podcast

Good morning.

Today’s photo of “The Gorge”, presumably the Niagara Gorge, because the friend who posted this last known whereabouts were in the Buffalo, New York area, shows us a blue sky, green water and brown foliage.  Yeah, so that’s probably near Buffalo. Honestly, I don’t know for sure because they didn’t share the location and their privacy settings don’t even tell me where they live! Well, despite the dormancy of the vegetation, we can still enjoy the view and possibly be inspired to seek out the hiking trails near this site, when things are green again maybe.

Also as there is a bridge in the distance, I would like to encourage all my friends by reminding them that every day we are taking a step closer to spring. We are currently crossing the bridge from one season to another and every day feels like a victory to me. 

I would also like to remind my friends that every day God is inviting us to enter into His presence no matter where we go or what the season. 

So, if you are curious about deepening your faith, I encourage you to join our discipleship class locally at Rock Solid Church this evening at 6:30pm or by joining are class remotely via the mt4christ247 podcast.   When we walk with God, we are never alone and if you need company on your journey join us on the path of discipleship. 

(An Audio version of this message is available at https://mt4christ247.podbean.com, you can also find it on Apple podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-mt4christ247s-podcast/id1551615154) and Google podcasts (https://podcasts.google.com/?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkLnBvZGJlYW4uY29tL210NGNocmlzdDI0Ny9mZWVkLnhtbA%3D%3D).) There is more content at the restricted blog. Follow me on Twitter or MeWe for easy access.  Blog M T 4 Christ dot org – This is where the Facebook post ends.)

This morning’s meditation verses are:

Psalm 146:1-2 (NLT2)
¹ Praise the LORD! Let all that I am praise the LORD.
² I will praise the LORD as long as I live. I will sing praises to my God with my dying breath.

Today’s verse exhorts us to praise the Lord with all that we are and as long as we live.   These verses point to a deep relationship with God. They reveal that the psalmist knows the truth of who God is and that the appropriate response to that knowledge is to use every core of their being to praise the LORD until the day they are called into eternity. 

This attitude of the heart, that feels compelled to surrender all of oneself to praise the Lord, is what we aspire to develop.  This dedication to the Lord and giving Him praise is a disciple’s attitude.  

The more we walk in the Spirit and seek the Lord the more we will realize the depth of His wisdom, the awesomeness of who He is, and the incredible love that He has for us and that experiential knowledge will provide us with a continual source of praise.  

Singing the Lord’s praises is not only an appropriate response to our relationship with Him it is also a gateway to His presence and a means to grow in our spiritual maturity. 

When you are singing to the Lord with all your heart, you break down the walls between the soul and spirit, where your intellectual knowledge of God becomes heart knowledge as your mind, will, and emotions are given insights from the Holy Spirit.   

Through repentance, prayer, and worship, I have experienced the Baptism of the Holy Spirit where He literally manifested His presence.  If you don’t know what that is, research it, repent and pray to receive it.  To this day, I periodically experience the manifest presence of the Holy Spirit in times of prayer and worship.   As I walk in the Spirit daily, my orientation is to expect and welcome the Holy Spirit’s presence, wisdom, and leadings.     

The way the Holy Spirit finds you is through your sincerely seeking Him with all of your heart and singing the Lord’s praises is one way to break through to a new spiritual dimension of intimacy with Him.  

I have compiled a worship music playlist that I listen to quite often, where it is almost a soundtrack for my day, and it has been a conduit for the Holy Spirit as I have used it to sing praises to the Lord and to open my heart and reach out in my spirit to commune with Him.   If you’d like to see that playlist, I shared it today at mt4christ.org. on Facebook, twitter, and MeWe.  The link below:

https://music.amazon.com/user-playlists/84d0d2e3cfcc4aacae0dce46055759afsune?ref=dm_sh_e8dc-f2a8-283e-f5a3-7d147

If you have a problem with expressing your faith in song, you really should try to get over yourself.  The Lord wants all of you. Your praises and your heart need to be surrendered to the Lord out of your love for Him.  

When you draw close to the Lord, He draws close to you.  And when you do it in song with all of your being, you better buckle up because you may just tear down a wall into a spiritual dimension that you never dreamed existed, a dimension that will give you will full assurance of the reality of God and His incredible love for you. 

If you reach out and God shows up, you’ll never have to work up your praise again. It will be a natural response and a continual delight.  

So reach down within, reach out to the Lord with your spirit, and sing His praises!

I invite all to mt4chritst.org where I always share insights from prominent Christian counselors to assist my brothers and sisters in Christ with their walk. 

 

Today we will share from Dr. June Hunt’s Biblical Counseling Keys on “Anger: Facing the Fire Within”

As always, I share this information for educational purposes and encourage all to purchase Dr. Hunt’s books for your own private study and to support her work:

IV. STEPS TO SOLUTION

Frustration Ignites Anger

On that hot, dry day, Moses' frustration reached a boiling point. He had led more than a million of his people through the vast desert. But for all of his efforts, they continually complained... criticizing his leadership and condemning him for their plight: "If only we had died when our brothers fell dead...! Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to this terrible place?" (Numbers 20:3-5).

Now once again, they had no water. Earlier in their journey, God had miraculously provided water by instructing Moses to strike a particular rock with his staff. When Moses obeyed, a stream of water—enough for all of Israel—poured out of the rock. (See Exodus 17:1-6.)

Now, at this point, God intended to perform a similar miracle, but He told Moses to simply speak to—not strike—a certain rock. However, Moses was so frustrated with the people that his anger boiled over the edge. Rather than speaking to the rock, he forcefully struck the rock... not once, but twice. Gushing water is what God intended—not gushing anger. As a result, God disciplined His chosen leader by not allowing him to lead His chosen people into the Promised Land. (See Numbers 20:1-12.)

At times, are you like Moses? Do you ever allow injustice, hurt, fear, or frustration to make you furious... for which you receive a painful repercussion? If so, what should you do when you get angry? The Bible says...

"Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret—it leads only to evil." (Psalm 37:8)

A. Key Verses to Memorize

Firefighters know the danger of letting a flame get out of control. They are trained to respond quickly. You must also respond quickly in order to control the flame of anger before it consumes your life and destroys your relationships. For this reason...

"Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires." (James 1:19-20)

B. Key Passage to Read and Reread

"'In your anger do not sin': Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.... Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you." (Ephesians 4:26-27, 29-32)

God's Analysis of Anger

• Anger is appropriate at certain times	v. 26
• Anger must be directly and promptly controlled so that it does not lead to a sinful response	v. 26
• Anger, if not stopped, can be used by Satan	v. 27
• Anger, if prolonged, gives ground to Satan	v. 27
• Anger can lead to corrupt, unwholesome, degrading talk	v. 29
• Anger can grieve the Holy Spirit	v. 30
• Anger can be totally cancelled	v. 31
• Anger becomes sin when it results in bitterness	v. 31
• Anger must be eradicated before it turns into rage	v. 31
• Anger must be forfeited before it leads to fighting	v. 31
• Anger must be stopped before it becomes slander	v. 31
• Anger must be mastered before it becomes malicious	v. 31
• Anger can be conquered through compassion	v. 32
• Anger can be forsaken through forgiveness	v. 32

Biblical Counseling Keys - Biblical Counseling Keys – Biblical Counseling Keys: Anger: Facing the Fire Within.

----------------------------more tomorrow -------------------------

 

God bless you all!

 

Join our Victory over the Darkness Discipleship Class via the mt4christ247 podcast!

at https://mt4christ247.podbean.com, You can also find it on Apple podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-mt4christ247s-podcast/id1551615154) and Google podcasts (https://podcasts.google.com/?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkLnBvZGJlYW4uY29tL210NGNocmlzdDI0Ny9mZWVkLnhtbA%3D%3D

Email me at mt4christ247@gmail.com to receive the class materials, share your progress, and to be encouraged.