MT4Christ.org : March 2022

Thursday, March 31, 2022

A New Day , Into the Light of Freedom – Purity 693

A New Day, Into the Light of Freedom – Purity 693

Purity 693 03/31/2022 Purity 693 Podcast

Good morning,

Today’s photo of sunrise on the horizon of a new day over the headlight illuminated expanse of highway I-95 “somewhere in Florida” comes to us from a friend who had closed on their house in another state the previous day and had everything they owned packed in their truck as they drove into a new chapter of their lives that would be defined by a spirit of exploration and wonder. It’s been a couple of months since our friend took this “first day of the rest of your life” photo back in January and I have been excited to share in their journey as they have shared scenes from their travels on social media ever since.

But this photo was day 1, and I share it because a new friend, someone I now consider my brother in Christ, has arranged to meet with me to be led through the Steps to Freedom in Christ at a local church and it is my prayer that the Holy spirit will guide us through this process of prayer and repentance to help my friend resolve their personal and spiritual conflicts and to experience the peace that comes when the Lord sets you free.

Yup, it’s Thursday and I thought today’s photo of a stretch of highway that leads from darkness to the dawn of a new day was the perfect shot t represent my friend’s upcoming walk through the Steps to Freedom in Christ (https://www.mt4christ.org/2022/02/the-steps-to-freedom-in-christ.html ) and to represent the path of Christian Discipleship in general because the journey that starts with faith in Christ and continues with a sincere intention to walk in His ways truly is the road that will take you from the realm of darkness into the kingdom of God’s goodness and light.

As happy as I am to serve as an encourager in my friend’s freedom appointment today, I know that it will be the Lord who will the One to help my friend to overcome the things that have prevented him from experiencing the peace and freedom that Christians are supposed to know in their daily lives.

Just like how the headlights and streetlight’s illumination in today’s photo pale in comparison to the blazing break of day on the horizon, the efforts and work of mankind can’t compare to the power that God has to help us to overcome our struggles and to change our lives.

If the current times seem troubling it’s because you have forgotten about the One who created the universe and the One who sent Christ to tell us how to have peace with Him. In the midst of these “dark days” there is still hope. When we decide to follow the Lord, we can know that He is with us and be assured that no matter what happens, God is in control and is moving all things together for His good purposes. .

God is the source of all that is good and His creative power is infinite. When we acknowledge who God is, and make Christ our Lord and Savior, we get to experience the goodness of God and we get to watch God’s power manifest in our lives in ways we would never have even thought was possible.

My short walk with the Lord has shown me that God is real, that He loves us, and that He wants us to know Him more. He calls us out of the darkness to experience the joy of living in His light. So seek the Lord and His righteousness. His ways are higher than our ways and the life He has for us never ends, so keep walking and talking with God because He has new and exciting things waiting for you to experience in that glorious light that is just beyond the horizon. We just have to surrender to His will and keep walking toward the light to get there.

______________________________________________________________

Today’s Bible verse comes to us from “The NLT Bible Promise Book for Men”.

This morning’s meditation verse is :

Isaiah 1:18 (NLT2)
¹⁸ “Come now, let’s settle this,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, I will make them as white as wool.

Today’s Bible verse speaks of the Lord’s desire for us to come to Him and to have the scarlet stain of our sins to be washed away.

This verse from the Old Testament prophet Isaiah shows us that God has always desired for man to be reconciled to Him and that He offers peace to those who choose to repent and put their faith in Him. In the Old Testament times, people had to put their faith in God and the promise of the coming of the Messiah. People tried to show their faith by trying to live according to the law and had to trust that the Lord would one day send a Savior to be “saved”.

But since Christ has come, now we know specifically who we are to put our trust in: Jesus! His life, death, and resurrection shows us that Jesus was the Son of God and God the Son. Christ is the fulfillment of the promised Messiah and it is only through putting our faith in Him that or sins, though they be like scarlet, and red like crimson, are forgiven.

Our lives that were stained by the guilt of our sin have been made clean and the crimson stain of guilt and shame has been washed away because of our faith in Jesus. Through Christ we are made clean, we are new creations, and we are made as white as snow.

This fact of our lives in Christ, as Christians, should be a source of unending joy and peace.

I often quote Romans 8:1 or a portion of it to remind me of my accepted status in Christ. It says:

Romans 8:1 (NKJV)
¹ There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.

The reason we are not condemned is because we have been forgiven, we have been washed as white as snow! Forever!

There is no condemnation for those in Christ because we are approved and accepted by God as His adopted children. We have been made right with God through our faith in Jesus Christ alone. We are white as snow and there is no sin that can stain us anymore.

1 John 1:9 (NKJV)
⁹ If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Our new relationship with God affords us continuous forgiveness and the power to overcome and say no to sin.

So rejoice, we are no longer scarlet or crimson from the stain of our sin, we are as white as snow and if we should slip up, we can confess it to be forgiven and to continue to walk into righteousness again and again.

Our walk is about progress, but God’s love and forgiveness for us is perfect and He will stay with us and continue to perfectly encourage us to keep walking in His ways even if we stumble.

We didn’t earn our salvation. It was a gift that came through faith in Christ. So believe it, receive it, and live in the continuous peace that comes from knowing that you are forgiven, you are as white as wool!

As always, I invite all to go to mt4christ.org where I always share insights from prominent Christian theologians and counselors to assist my brothers and sisters in Christ with their walk.

Today we continue sharing from June Hunt’s Overeating: Freedom from Food Fixation.

As always, I share this information for educational purposes and encourage all to purchase June Hunt’s books for your own private study and to support his work. This resource is available on many websites for less than $5.00.

C. How to Have a Transformed Life

Reaching the Target: Transformation!

Target #1—A New Purpose: God’s purpose for me is to be conformed to the character of Christ.

“Those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son …” (Romans 8:29).

— “I’ll do whatever it takes to be conformed to the character of Christ.”

Target #2—A New Priority: God’s priority for me is to change my thinking.

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2).

— “I’ll do whatever it takes to line up my thinking with God’s thinking.

Target #3—A New Plan: God’s plan for me is to rely on Christ’s strength, not my strength, to be all He created me to be.

“I can do all things through him who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13 ESV).

— “I’ll do whatever it takes to fulfill His plan in His strength.”^{^[1]}

^{^[1]} June Hunt, Biblical Counseling Keys on Overeating: Freedom from Food Fixation (Dallas, TX: Hope For The Heart, 2008), 29.

My Personalized Plan: How to Think “Healthy”

Jesus was preoccupied with food … but not the kind that lines cabinets and fills refrigerators.

What consumed Him … what filled and satisfied Him far more than the choicest meats and grains … pertained to matters of the kingdom, namely, pleasing His Father above. “ ‘My food,’ said Jesus, ‘is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work’ ” (John 4:34).

Let’s follow Jesus’ example and focus on pleasing our heavenly Father rather than our own desire for overeating. Let’s discover God’s will for our lives and carry out the work He has called us to do. When these are operating in sync—pleasing our heavenly Father and carrying out the work we’re called to do—there is no greater satisfaction on earth! Scripture reminds us of our very special calling.…

“We are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

(Ephesians 2:10)

Think of yourself as the person God created you to be.

• God has given me a new nature in Jesus Christ.

• God has given me all I need to live a self-controlled life.

• God has given me an escape from the corruption caused by ungodly eating desires.

“Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires” (2 Peter 1:4).

Have the correct motive for losing weight.

• I want to take good care of my physical body, the “… temple of the Holy Spirit …” (1 Corinthians 6:19 ESV).

• I want to be free from the bondage of self-indulgence.

• I want to be healthy and live the life God has planned for me.

“We make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it” (2 Corinthians 5:9).

Identify the real reasons you overeat.

• Am I responding to a lack of love because of ___________________?

• Am I responding to feelings of insignificance because of ___________________?

• Am I fearful and insecure because of ___________________?

“Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts” (Psalm 139:23).

Make a personal commitment to obey God.

• Acknowledge your need for change.

• Acknowledge that you are powerless to change.

• Acknowledge God’s power in you to change.

• Acknowledge His constant presence within you.

“The one who keeps God’s commands lives in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us” (1 John 3:24).

Know how to listen to the Lord.

• Listen to God by reading His written Word.

• Listen for His leading through the Holy Spirit.

• Learn to identify Satan’s lies.

“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you” (Psalm 32:8).

Develop an exercise plan that will increase your metabolism. Vary the plan.

• Walk or ride a bicycle for 30 minutes a day 4 or 5 times a week.

• Do aerobics for 30 minutes, 3 days a week.

• Walk up the stairs instead of using an elevator.

• Make a commitment to join athletic activities with friends.

“Those who disregard discipline despise themselves, but the one who heeds correction gains understanding” (Proverbs 15:32).

Eat only when you are hungry and only foods you should eat.

• Develop a knowledge of good nutrition.

• Choose to eat healthy foods.

• Don’t give up if you blow it.

“Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a person to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble” (Romans 14:20).

Allow for flexibility and include some pleasure foods in your diet.

• Recognize the value of variety and of occasionally having a special treat.

• Realize the legitimate God-given enjoyment of tasty foods.

• Resist the urge to binge.

“Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart” (Psalm 37:4).

Let the Holy Spirit direct your plans and provide needed self-control.

• Pray throughout the day that your choices will reflect the self-control of Christ.

• Meditate on specific Scriptures (especially those about self-control).

• Ask God to remind you of His protection and power over temptation.

“The Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you” (John 14:26).

Turn your focus to the healthy foods you need to eat.

• Keep a small notebook with you.

• Write down when and what you eat with its caloric or fat value.

• Choose a Scripture to think about and memorize daily or weekly.

• Record your thoughts and feelings.

“The wicked put up a bold front, but the upright give thought to their ways” (Proverbs 21:29).

Have a thankful heart.

• Thank God for His faithfulness to you.

• Thank God for the unique person you are, including your body shape and size.

• Know that God never gives up on you. (If you blow it, start again!) God is faithful!

“Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:6).^{^[1]}

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

Join our “Victory over the Darkness”, “The Bondage Breaker”, "Freedom in Christ" series of Discipleship Classes 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). The mt4christ247 podcast is also available on Google Podcasts, Amazon Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartradio, and Audible.com.

These teachings are also available on the MT4Christ247 You Tube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTxjSNstREpuGWuL0bF3U7w/featured

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

My wife, TammyLyn, also offers Christian encouragement via her Facebook Group: Ask, Seek, Knock (https://www.facebook.com/groups/529047851449098 ) and her podcast Ask, Seek, and Knock on Podbean (https://feed.podbean.com/tammalyn78/feed.xml)

Encouragement for the Path of Christian Discipleship

^{^[1]} June Hunt, Biblical Counseling Keys on Overeating: Freedom from Food Fixation (Dallas, TX: Hope For The Heart, 2008), 29–32.

Wednesday, March 30, 2022

Hunger and Thirst – Finding Satisfaction with God – Purity 692

Purity 692 03/30/2022 Purity 692 Podcast

Good morning,

Today’s photo of a sunset nestled on top of a mountain, or at least a hill, with a view of Caribbean Sea from the shore of the U.S. Virgin Islands comes to us from a friend who enjoyed a stay at the Grapetree Bay Hotel in Christiansted back in January.

Well it’s Wednesday and I thought this photo had just enough “hump” in it to adequately represent the summit of the workweek and also reflects my hunger for increasing temperatures as I have been utterly amazed at the near frostbite conditions my hands have experienced over the last couple of days while working outside in what a meme I viewed recently as referred to as “Third Winter”.

But my personal electronic assistant informs me that although there is the possibility of some precipitation today, it isn’t expected to take the form of that dreaded “S-word” as the temperatures are predicted to be in the mid-40’s again. Don’t get me wrong. I know we were blessed with a relatively mild winter this year but once you get a taste of the warmer temperatures of spring, you expect them to continue and when you are shocked by temperatures below freezing again, you hunger for those warm spring days all the more.

Similarly, in my faith walk, when I got a taste of the goodness of God that came storming into my life when I put my faith in Jesus as Lord and Savior I didn’t want it to end, but then when I would fall into my old familiar sins and felt the pain of guilt and shame, I would hunger to re-establish the harmony of my relationship with the Lord through repentance and would endeavor to seek His goodness and righteousness once again.

This morning my “Once a Day, 40 days to Easter” daily devotion which is authored by Kenneth Boa and John Allen Turner spoke about our thirst and hunger for the righteousness of God sharing:

Psalm 42:1-2 (NIV2011) which says
¹ As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God.
² My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?

And the devotionally also shared the words of Jesus in:

Matthew 5:6 (NIV2011) which say:
⁶ Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

The devotional shared other verses from John’s Gospel (John 4:7-14; 7:37-38; 19:28) that spoke about thirst and how whoever would believe in Jesus would be filled and rivers of living water would flow within them.

And that really describes our relationship with God. We are filled with the joy of the Lord with our salvation but as we walk through this dry and dusty world, we get a little dirty and we get a little hungry and we get little thirsty and the only way to be filled is to seek the Lord and His righteousness once again. to repent of our errant ways when we go astray or forget our direction, and to be filled once again by His wisdom and love when we remember to go back home to our loving Father.

And we don’t necessarily have to have some great fall to get thirsty or to hunger for the goodness of God. If we just forget to seek His presence and go to the things of this world to try to find comfort or peace instead, we soon discover that we are “hangry” all the time as we have neglected the only “Living Water” source that will truly satisfy us.

Many people question my “24/7” decision to follow the Lord on the path of Christian Discipleship while I still have all the demands of a “normal working life. They show their concern that all my activity has to make me tired. But I assure them and you that I would have it no other way because it is through a determined and continuous effort to seek the Lord’s presence, guidance, love, and righteousness that I have repeatedly experienced the goodness of God in the land of the living and somehow find the satisfaction for my thirst and hunger in Him and still receive the peace of His rest.

So, if you’re hungry don’t grab a Snickers, instead feed on the Word of God that will give you spiritual nourishment. If you are thirsty, make sure your body is properly hydrated, but make sure that you drink in all the Lord has for you through prayer and through seeking to apply His righteous ways to your life. When you live out your faith from day to day, you will be amazed at the lengths the Lord will lead you through and how your thirst is always quenched, your hunger is always satisfied, and you can always find your peace in His rest.

_______________________________________________________________

Today’s Bible verse comes to us from “The NLT Bible Promise Book for Men”.

This morning’s meditation verse is :

Psalm 51:17 (NLT2)
¹⁷ The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God.

Today’s Bible verse comes from Psalm 51, which is the quintessential “go to psalm” for repentance and tells of the only sacrifice the Lord requires of us and how we will find acceptance when we turn back to God.

Repentance is synonymous with changing your mind. So even if you don’t have some big bad sins in your life currently, it doesn’t mean that you can’t enjoy the renewed strength and sense of purpose that comes from a decision to repent and to surrender more of your life to the Lord.

In the moments of extreme stress, okay and maybe during moments of mild but significant frustration, I often ask the Lord: “What do want from me?”

When I get to that point, I know I have to step back and re-evaluate where I am and where I stepped off the path of His peace and see what I have to do to get back on track. This recalibration of my settings or recalculation of my direction is repentance.

When we get to that “What do I have to do next to please you, LORD!” spot we know that we are headed for trouble. Even in our sincerest efforts to walk in His ways, we can easily “get it twisted” and end up “obeying for obeying’s sake”, doing what we think is required of Christians in the outward forms but having a heart not in it.

If we get to a point in our walk with God where we start thinking of “meeting requirements”, we are missing it.

God accepts us as we are. Yes, He enjoys it when we walk in His ways to see us benefit from His wisdom but He doesn’t want our “sacrifices” if our hearts are not set on Him.

As today’s verse says, the sacrifice God want’ is a “broken spirit”. NO, God doesn’t want us in heart broken agony but He does appreciate that it may be only when we have hit rock bottom emotionally that we finally come to Him and surrender to His ways.

No matter what we have done wrong or how off base we were, if we turn back to Him, if we repent, there is no way that He will reject us.

Christ said He came that we would have life and life more abundantly. That’s not a call for the prosperity gospel. That is call to live a life where we choose God’s ways rather than the ways of the world, the flesh, and the devil, as that “promise for abundant life” comes on the heals of a warning of how the enemy comes to steal, kill, and destroy us in John 10:10.

So come to the Lord with a repentant heart, one that acknowledges His goodness, mercy, and love. He doesn’t want some Old Testament sacrifice. He wants your heart.

So keep walking and talking with God. Your heartfelt daily decision to follow Him is all the sacrifice He ever wanted and if you go in His ways you will find the abundant life that He wants you to have.

As always, I invite all to go to mt4christ.org where I always share insights from prominent Christian theologians and counselors to assist my brothers and sisters in Christ with their walk.

Today we continue sharing from June Hunt’s Overeating: Freedom from Food Fixation.

B. Key Passage to Read

The choicest meats and wine are set before him and mouthwatering smells waft through the air, but for Daniel the royal place setting leaves nothing but a stench.

Undoubtedly, what lines his plate is food that has been offered to a pagan god, and the meat has not been prepared in accordance with Mosaic Law. Based on spiritual conviction, Daniel would rather go hungry than defile himself by partaking of royal delicacies from the hand of King Nebuchadnezzar.

Daniel and three other young men from Judah have been carried off to Babylon following the king’s besieging blow upon their nation. They are selected to one day enter the king’s service because they are choice men, “… without any physical defect, handsome, showing aptitude for every kind of learning, well informed, quick to understand, and qualified to serve in the king’s palace” (Daniel 1:4).

So now, Daniel and his companions—in the midst of being trained in the literature and language of the Babylonians—find themselves in a defilement dilemma. But Daniel is confident in the provision of his God—the one and only true God—and trusts in His provision. He petitions a royal guard: “Please test your servants for ten days: Give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink. Then compare our appearance with that of the young men who eat the royal food, and treat your servants in accordance with what you see” (Daniel 1:12–13).

The guard agrees, and the test is on. At the end of ten days, the four men “… looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food” (Daniel 1:15). And as a testimony to their unwavering commitment to the sovereign God, they continue eating only vegetables. Pleasing God is far more important than pleasing their appetite … or pleasing the king.

The obedience of Daniel and his companions is richly rewarded, and God blesses them with far more than just great health.…

“To these four young men God gave knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning. And Daniel could understand visions and dreams of all kinds.… In every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king questioned them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his whole kingdom.”

(Daniel 1:17, 20)

Daniel 1:8–21

Obedience to God Brings Physical and Spiritual Strength

• Daniel made a commitment to obey God., v. 8

• God backed up Daniel’s resolve with supernatural support., v. 9

• Daniel requested only vegetables and water for himself and his three companions for their meals for ten days., v. 12

• Daniel trusted in the faithful provision of his God., v. 13

• The four men became noticeably healthier and better nourished., v. 15

• They continued eating only vegetables as testimony to their unwavering commitment to obey God., v. 16

• God blessed Daniel and the other men with great knowledge and understanding., v. 17

• God further blessed Daniel with the ability to interpret dreams and visions., v. 17

• King Nebuchadnezzar considered the four men to be ten times wiser than anyone in his kingdom., v. 20^{^[1]}

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

Join our “Victory over the Darkness”, “The Bondage Breaker”, "Freedom in Christ" series of Discipleship Classes 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). The mt4christ247 podcast is also available on Google Podcasts, Amazon Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartradio, and Audible.com.

These teachings are also available on the MT4Christ247 You Tube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTxjSNstREpuGWuL0bF3U7w/featured

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

Encouragement for the Path of Christian Discipleship

^{^[1]} June Hunt, Biblical Counseling Keys on Overeating: Freedom from Food Fixation (Dallas, TX: Hope For The Heart, 2008), 28–29.

Tuesday, March 29, 2022

After You, Lord – Going Forth in His Presence – Purity 691

Purity 691 03/29/2022 Purity 691 Podcast

Good morning,

Today’s photo of a pair of palm trees somewhere on the coast of the Caribbean Sea comes to us from a friend’s recent trip to sunny Puerto Rico earlier this month. This photo reminded me of the saying “Two for Tuesday” and thus I thought it was a nice pick for a symbolic representation for the second day of the work week. My morning Bible Study has me also thinking in two’s today, so it seemed all the more fitting to use it.

Not long ago I decided to begin a slow but deliberate study of the Bible using the New American Standard Version and John MacArthur’s Commentary, beginning in Genesis and Psalms. It’s been a rewarding walk through the scriptures so far and I find it amazing that no matter how many times I read the Bible, I always discover something new.

I am currently in Exodus and yesterday read the account of when the nation of Israel decided to create a golden calf and worship it when Moses had been away too long. They had obviously forgotten about agreeing to obey God’s instructions against idolatry and when Moses was away, the nation of Israel did “rise up and play”.

But those who rebelled against God’s law quickly learned the error of their ways when Moses returned. God’s wrath was poured out through the Levites and about 3,000 people were summarily put to death. The consequences of their sin and rebellion was immediate and bloody death. I am glad we don’t live in Old Testament times and have been covered by the blood of Jesus. Thank You Lord.

Anyway, today I read Exodus 33, the morning after. Well God had chosen Israel to be His people and they were yet to go to the promise land. After golden calf day, God rightly directed the people to “leave the scene of the crime” and to move forward and to move on. The ones who were left had been given mercy and God was going to be true to His promises that He made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and would have their descendants become a great nation.

But God was not happy. In Exodus 33, He commands the people to move along but He sends His angel to guide them and states that He will not go up in their midst as He did previously because they were an obstinate people and the Lord said that He might destroy them on the way. It reminded me of a family vacation where the kids acted badly and got in trouble but the vacation must go on but the parents were more than a little miffed at their ungrateful children.

Moses still had God’s favor and was directed to erect his on the outside of the camp and God would meet and speak with Moses “face to face” to direct their path but God kept the rest of the people “on the outs”.

Moses interceded for the people though and confronted the Lord stating that he had been directed to lead God’s people to bring them into the promise land, but Moses knew that he wasn’t going anywhere without God, saying in

Exodus 33:15-16 ) “If Your presence does not go with us, do not lead us up from here.^{^[1]} “For how then can it be known that I have found favor in Your sight, I and Your people? Is it not by Your going with us, so that we, I and Your people, may be distinguished from all the other people who are upon the face of the earth?”^{^[2]}

Because Moses had found favor in God’s sight and been known by God “by name”. God put His anger aside, agreed to go with Moses and His people, and even showed Moses the glory of His manifest presence as Moses stayed in a protective cleft in a rock as God walked by!

Like the nation of Israel, we can fall into sin and feel that God is no longer with us. We can feel that we have been separated from His presence and just go our own way.

I have unfortunately known several Christians who have attended church services regularly and served the Lord in various capacities only to seemingly disappear from God’s fellowship because of personal sin or interpersonal problems with other members of the church.

And I can understand how someone could become disillusioned because of their perceived failure or decided to leave a church because of interpersonal problems or perceived slights with other church members but what I can’t understand is how Christians who enthusiastically worshipped the Lord and served Him, could just walk away completely from any body of believers.

The ones I have seen depart seem to be so hurt and angry that they not only break fellowship with the church they attended, they seem to leave the fellowship of the Lord all together because they fall deep into their sin or just end up “outside of God’s camp” by choosing to not go to any church at all.

Unfortunately, the attempts I have made in the past to encourage these hurt and wandering sheep back into the fold have all failed. They refused to come back into relationship with the body of Christ and based on my observation seem to abandon all but lip service to their God.

If indeed their confession of faith had been genuine, I know that I will see them again in eternity but the passages in the Bible that state that we are to endure in our faith make me shiver at the thought that these people may have been “close to the kingdom of God” but have chosen to go their own way on a road that will lead to their destruction.

The lesson I have learned from my up and down journey of faith is that like Moses, come what may, I am not going anywhere without the Lord’s presence!

These wandering sheep are a cautionary tale to me. I see them from time to time and there seems to be something missing. It seems as though they have lost a loved one, and I guess they have. Their decision to separate from “the herd” and isolate has resulted in their “on fire” faith to cool off and for their countenance to fall. They seem to have lost their hope.

So as for me, as I invariably will make mistakes and will prove to myself that I still have quite a bit of work to do on maturing in my faith, I remind myself of the ones who have walked away and how they seem to have lost their joy and peace.

Like Moses, I am not going anywhere without the Lord’s presence in my life. He is the giver of life and when we abide in His presence we truly live. So keep walking and talking with God. If you see some lost sheep or prodigals along the way, let them know that they are missed and that they can always come back home. Let them know that God isn’t mad at them and that as they have been forgiven, they too should forgive those who have sinned against them.

In God’s presence we can find the patience to deal with difficult people, we can find the power to overcome our besetting sins, and we can find the rest we so desperately need. So let God know that you are not going anywhere without Him because you know that He will show you the way that leads to an abundant life here on earth and that He will also lead to experience His magnificent glory in eternity.

_______________________________________________________________

Today’s Bible verse comes to us from “The NLT Bible Promise Book for Men”.

This morning’s meditation verse is :

Hebrews 4:16 (NLT2)
¹⁶ So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.

Today’s Bible verse reminds us that we can come boldly before the Lord and will receive His mercy and grace to help us when we need it most.

Unlike the nation of Israel, we don’t need Moses, Mary, or anyone else to interceded for us. God has called us into a personal relationship with Him through His Son. When we receive Christ as Lord and Savior, we receive the Holy Spirit who makes us alive spiritually. From the moment we first place our faith in Christ, we are given an intimate fellowship with God through the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. We have a spirit to spirit connection with God that doesn’t require anyone to talk on our behalf.

It's walking and talking with God. Not walking and talking with God through Moses, Mary or the saints.

So come boldly before the throne of grace, by directly talking with your heavenly Father. God hears our prayers and will help us to overcome the difficulties of this life, one way or another.

God cares about us and He will help us. But to find God’s help, we have to seek Him. To receive His help, we have to ask for it. To enjoy His presence, we have to boldly come before the throne of grace and then decide to abide in the Lord’s presence and to not make a move with out Him.

As always, I invite all to go to mt4christ.org where I always share insights from prominent Christian theologians and counselors to assist my brothers and sisters in Christ with their walk.

Today we continue sharing from June Hunt’s Overeating: Freedom from Food Fixation.

IV. STEPS TO SOLUTION

Although she has forgiven him, she will never forget the judge’s cruel comment as she prepared to perform on American Idol before millions of television viewers—“We’re going to have to get a bigger stage.”

Mandisa initially got Simon Cowell’s attention for her out-of-control curves instead of her polished “pipes,” but later all that changed. After losing more than 80 pounds, even the acerbic judge was singing her praises.

Mandisa, a finalist on the 5th season of American Idol, has been set free from what she describes as a food addiction, and she is forever grateful for the dramatic change that now has become apparent in her life. The most difficult part eventually became the most empowering part … learning to retrain her brain not to be preoccupied with food, but with God. And Scripture tells us the benefit of having a Spirit-controlled mind.…

“Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.”

(Romans 8:5–6)

A. Key Verse to Memorize

The inspiring lyrics from Mandisa’s hit single “My Deliverer” give glory to God for helping her find freedom from food addiction. Since her national debut on American Idol, Mandisa has gone on to become a Grammy-nominated Christian recording artist who will be the first to tell you that changes in her life extend far beyond a slimmer waistline and slender legs.

“It’s more than the physical and more than what I am eating. It’s a spiritual change. I’ve had to not turn to food for comfort and validation anymore, and that is a complete mind change. Because my entire life, that is what I have done.”

Tragically, Mandisa traces the roots of her food addiction to being molested as a child and raped at age 16. “I equated being beautiful with being in danger. When I was heavy, men were not looking at me and I felt safe.”

As Mandisa learned to conform to God’s pattern for her life rather than to the world’s values, she not only lost weight but also gained vitality.

“God is showing me that my value, my dependence, and my satisfaction, need to come from Him. Satisfaction doesn’t need to come from food. It doesn’t need to come from what other people think about me. Finding satisfaction in God is what true freedom is.”

Mandisa’s hopeful and joyful outlook on life is manifested in her single, “Dance, Dance, Dance,” which encourages people to praise God in the midst of pain. “The song … shows people that, even though they may not understand all of the things God has done in their lives, they can still praise Him with their dancing. It’s like David in the Psalms. I love that!

“This song resonates so much with me, because my great God has set me free. I’m going to praise Him with dancing because of all that He has done in my life.”

Mandisa’s mind-set has changed.… She has gone from fear to faith in God … and all she does is for the glory of God. The Bible says …

“Whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”

(1 Corinthians 10:31)^{^[3]}

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

Join our “Victory over the Darkness”, “The Bondage Breaker”, "Freedom in Christ" series of Discipleship Classes 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). The mt4christ247 podcast is also available on Google Podcasts, Amazon Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartradio, and Audible.com.

These teachings are also available on the MT4Christ247 You Tube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTxjSNstREpuGWuL0bF3U7w/featured

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

Encouragement for the Path of Christian Discipleship

^{^[1]} New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995), Ex 33:15.

^{^[2]} New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995), Ex 33:16.

^{^[3]} June Hunt, Biblical Counseling Keys on Overeating: Freedom from Food Fixation (Dallas, TX: Hope For The Heart, 2008), 27.

Labels

Thursday, March 31, 2022

A New Day , Into the Light of Freedom – Purity 693

Wednesday, March 30, 2022

Hunger and Thirst – Finding Satisfaction with God – Purity 692

Tuesday, March 29, 2022

After You, Lord – Going Forth in His Presence – Purity 691