One Another (Christian Caucus/Devotion) [For loving mutual edification, building up, encouragement]

BIBLE, Loving FREEPERS | 4 APR 2007 | God, Knitting a Conundrum, Quix

[Quix]

ONE ANOTHER DEVOTIONAL CHRISTIAN CAUCUS:

Knitting a Conundrum: We are coming together in love, and to share the love of Christ, and therefore, even if we disagree, we need to remember to avoid things that are not said kindly and in love. Each of us holds our beliefs because we do it for the love of Christ, and even if you don’t accept the conclusion of a person, honor it by not saying harsh or hurtful things because it’s done to honor Christ.

Kind and respectful discourse. Avoid words that you know will cause a kneejerk reaction. If a person uses terminology that seems wrong to you, ask them to define it the way they use it, and accept the fact that it might be used differently than you use it. Together we can work on ways of discussing our love of Christ in a language we all understand.

Above all, treat others like fellow lovers of Jesus.

ONE ANOTHER DEVOTIONAL CHRISTIAN CAUCUS:

We construe that to mean—ABSOLUTELY NOTHING PERSONALLY NEGATIVE will be posted to another FREEPER Christian.

Generic Biblical points, MINOR, essential comments about flaws of generic groups of Christians MIGHT--with hopefully rare exception--MIGHT be allowed but are NOT to be the focus or emphasis of this thread.

We seek the awesome possibility that this thread could be an overwhelmingly positive example of:

THE WORLD
CAN TELL
WE ARE CHRISTIANS
BY OUR LOVE
FOR
. . .
ONE ANOTHER.

We call and challenge ourselves and other BELIEVERS IN CHRIST AS THEIR LORD AND SAVIOR to respond to each ONE ANOTHER as posted for that day as though delivered from the hand or mouth of our Lord and Savior directly that day at the moment of first reading it.

By respond, we mean to prayerfully ponder it—FIRST—THEN type.

Ask The Lord where in one’s life HE would like to see that expressed more fully, earnestly, Spirit-led-ly, routinely.

Ask The Lord where in the FR Religion Forum network of RELATIONSHIPS it might be better expressed more faithfully as unto The Lord.

Share the resulting Spirit-born insights as led on the thread.

< If The Lord reminds one of where one has done well with that ONE ANOTHER to good effect in an individual’s life for The Kingdom and their relationship with God—sharing that in a humble, edifying way could be helpful.

Perhaps most redemptive would be a walking out of that ONE ANOTHER in a growthful, amplified way ON THE THREAD WITH ANOTHER FREEPER BELIEVER(S) with whom one has been less than ideally Christian in threads past.

Above all, let this thread more than any other prior— BE A VIVID EXAMPLE OF THE WORLD KNOWING WE ARE CHRISTIANS BY OUR LOVE FOR ONE ANOTHER!

Accordingly:

THINGS TO AVOID

1. Anything which arises out of our flesh nature—especially with a gritch, jab, tweak attached—particularly one designed to leave the other person one down and us one up.

2. Anything designed to/out of any motivation to shove our presumed saintliness and saintly perspective down anyone else’s, everyone else’s throat.

3. Anything which would detract from, sabotage the goal of a mutually supportive; mutually loving, mutually edifying CHRISTIAN CAUCUS thread. Anything UNloving.

THINGS TO DO

1. Show ourselves and the world that we ARE CHRISTIANS by our LOVE FOR ONE ANOTHER. If the flesh is weak, ASK GOD for more umph in the love department before finishing typing and hitting POST.

2. Build other posters up; edify; encourage; clarify; support; affirm; BE KIND; be gentle; . . . be CHRISTLIKE in word, tone, deed.

3. Word things as you might during your most fervent courtship--to a young gal/man you were hoping to marry—i.e. attractively, winsomely, invitingly, maturely, responsibly--LOVINGLY.

Romans 15:7
Therefore, accept one another, just as Christ also accepted us to the glory of God.

Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another.

[Knitting A Conundrum]

When God hits ya right, he hits ya right...

Magnificat anima mea Dominum

I will greatly rejoice in the LORD,
my soul shall exult in my God;
for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation,
he has covered me with the robe of righteousness,
as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland,
and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

Isaiah 61:10

Magnificat anima mea Dominum!
Magnify,
Yes, magnify the Lord, O my soul,
Yes my soul magnifies you, O my Lord,
for the glory of being touched by divine Fire,
undeserved,
unearned,
touched only because of your love,
an amazing thing.
Magnificat anima mea Dominum!
O let my soul magnify you, O Lord,
For you dress me in dazzling white.
How precious the garment,
the robe of Your salvation,
of infinite value,
purchased by a price
no mere man could ever pay,
the threads spun in the pain,
and grief,
and blood,
woven in your death,
fulled in the fire
of Your glorious resurection,
O Son of Man,
O Son of God,
O Lord who emptied himself
To call us home
just for love.
Magnificat anima mea Dominum!

[Quix]

Small wonder.

I think had I been in that church at that moment, they could have just stopped the service. The sermon was already preached by the jeans. I’d have gone around and hugged every jeans wearer in tears.

What a precious image this shall be in my mind the whole rest of my life.

Thanks tons. I shall share this with a K Hagin offshoot church that has made far too much of it’s dress code.

[Quix]

Praise GOD FOR HIS miracles! Yea God!

Am soooo blessed to see it. Thanks enormously for your part.

[Quix]

Well thanks thanks.

Thankfully, I have the soft Viva paper towels nearby for such needs! LOL.

But holy hugs and kisses to all of like precious faith who are increasingly committed, hereon, to growing in Christ’s Love in deed, word, thought and spirit in OUR RELATIONSHIPS hereon!

[Quix]

AMEN! AMEN! AMEN! AMEN! AMEN! AMEN! AMEN!

THANKS TONS FOR YOUR PART DEAR HEART SIS.

[John 6.66=Mark of the Beast?]

I’m not sure what you are asking, although years ago in a fellowship I was attending there was some friction going on between the saints that went beyond the iron sharping iron so to say and the pastor did a teaching on the one another's in the old and new covenants.

To say the least during and after the teaching there was a lot of Holy Ghost convection and a lot of repentance between the different members of the body.It was quite a site to see people truly repenting and not just giving lip service

[Quix]

Sounds wonderful.

Was asking if yesterday’s:

Romans 15:7
Therefore, accept one another, just as Christ also accepted us to the glory of God.

Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another.

had ever had a specific significant impact in your life. But your answer was fine.

Thanks for your contribution.

Hope to get another ONE ANOTHER up soonish for today.

[Quix]

5 APRIL 2007

TODAY'S ONE ANOTHER DEVOTIONAL:

1 John 4:11 Beloved,
if God so loved
us,
we also ought
to love
one another!

Let us continue to build up, edify, exhort, and encourage one another and the vast cloud of lurkers, in our manner of postings, as Holy Spirit leads. Please review the guidelines at the top, if neeeded.

[Knitting A Conundrum]

21: Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?”
22: Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven.
23: “Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants.
24: When he began the reckoning, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents;
25: and as he could not pay, his lord ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made.
26: So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, `Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’
27: And out of pity for him the lord of that servant released him and forgave him the debt.
28: But that same servant, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and seizing him by the throat he said, `Pay what you owe.’
29: So his fellow servant fell down and besought him, `Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’
30: He refused and went and put him in prison till he should pay the debt.
31: When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their lord all that had taken place.
32: Then his lord summoned him and said to him, `You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you besought me;
33: and should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’
34: And in anger his lord delivered him to the jailers, till he should pay all his debt.
35: So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.”

Matthew 18:21-25

35: But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for he is kind to the ungrateful and the selfish.
36: Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.

Luke 6: 35-36

[Quix]

This one is very straight-forward, to me.

THE GOD
WHO IS LOVE
LOVED ME;
LOVES ME
TO THE UTTERMOST.

AND He Loves the character next to me to the uttermost, too.

How dare I treat someone HE LOVED TO THE UTTERMOST, DIED FOR

HOW DARE I TREAT THEM AS

so much . . . refuse
. . . or a whipping post
. . . or a joke
. . . or a gossip target
. . . or an example of failure to boost my assumed saintliness
. . . or an occasion for a cavallier attitude about pain Christ bled to heal and comfort
. . . or an occasion for haughty self-righteousness because that area in my life is not THAT BAD
. . . or an expendable mass of deranged protoplasm
. . . or worse than I treat my dog
. . .

DEAR LORD,

I don't always recognize
your call for me
to be broken bread
and poured out wine
for the one I'm near.
Please make it abundantly clear.

YOU, PRECIOIUS LORD
Are so maximumly dear
How can I wound your heart
Causing another needless hurt?

CHANGE IN ME, OH LORD
All that would exalt itself
Against Your goals for me;
Your goals for another near.

INFECT EVERY CELL & FIBER
EVERY SUBATOMIC PARTICLE
of my being
WITH YOUR UNFATHOMABLE
YOUR INCOMPRABLE
YOUR UNSTOPPABLE
YOUR FIERCELY
YET GENTLY
OVERWHELMING
LOVE!

ENABLE me,
PROVOKE me,
TRIGGER me,
FIRE me,
SHOOT me,
as your arrow
of LOVING RESPONSE
to another's need
another's heart
from Your Heart,
Oh, Lord, God Almighty.

FATHER, who sent
YOUR LOVE as SON
to the tree
I constructed
to the nails
I hammered
to the spear
I drove in
to the thorns
I wove & placed
on that LOVE-FILLED
brow . . .
to the Blood
I drained so glibly

with my carelessness
my calloused-ness
my laziness
my thoughtlessness
my waywardness
my sinfulness
my prickliness
my hard-heartedness
my flipness
my vengeance
my deathgripped hurt & bitterness
my arrogance
my cheapness in the face of Your ALL!
my UNsacrificial accumulating
my hurry
my willful thickheadedness
my willful perverseness, contrary-ness
my willful obstinancy
my willful stubbornness
my . . .

DELIVER ME
LORD!

from myself, my darker self.
from the snare of the enemy
from the pit.

Let me not behave
toward another
you died for
as though they were
a demonized mongrel
fit only for my boot
or my ignoring.

Teach me to Love
Oh, LORD of my life;
Lord of my moments;
Lord of my energy;
Lord of my schedule;

Lord of my choices;
Lord of my Priorities;
Lord of my time;
Lord of my Relationships;

Lord of my home;
Lord of my job;
Lord of my friendships;
Lord of my associations;

Lord of my . . . mouth;
Lord of my fingers;
Lord of my touch;
Lord of my being there;

Lord of my avoiding;
Lord of my risking;
Lord of my enduring;
Lord of my patience;

TEACH ME LORD.
INFECT ME LORD
INDWELL ME LORD
with YOUR
unstoppable LOVE!
In Jesus' Name.
Amen.

(C) 2007 Quix/Bo X

[Quix]

AMEN! AMEN! AMEN!

WONDERFUL WORDS

OF LIFE,

ETERNAL LIFE.

LIFE ABUNDANTLY,

LIFE JOYFULLY.

THANKS TONS.

[Quix]

Hmmmm,

we’re still alone on this one . . . is it my breath?

I’m trying to limit my “_arting for Jesus” activities.

[as in whatsoever you do, do wholeheartedly as unto The Lord!]

[Oliver Optic]

BTL, that's a beautiful "blue jeans" story ... thanks for sharing it. That one will stick in my heart and mind for a long time.

I want to raise a note of caution, though, about another threat to love among brethren ... something you might call reverse Pharisaism.

And please, please understand, I am not accusing you or anyone here of this. It's just that your story brought it to mind.

"Reverse Pharisaism" is the practice of being quick to label others as Pharisees.

For instance, your story points out the dangers of a rigid legalism with regard to dress ... looking down on someone for wearing slacks or jeans.

The opposite danger would be to look at a church group where most or all of the women and girls wear modest dresses, and conclude that they must be legalists ... when in fact, they may be loving, warm-hearted believers who have a conviction that wearing dresses is more modest and helps to preserve the distinction between men and women.

In fact, I have just described the church where I fellowship. I'm not trying to start a discussion on dress ... just pointing out that one form of a judgmental spirit is to lump others too quickly in the "Pharisee" category.

Again, I haven't sensed any of this here ... although there is plenty of it on various FR threads (especially with haughty, judgmental secularists accusing Christians of being self-righteous).

My point is, there is a ditch on both sides of the road ... on one side, legalistic Pharisaism ... on the other, looking down on people who are graciously trying to maintain godly standards.

[Quix]

Quite true and a worthy caution.

Thx.

[Quix]

BTW,

BTL is away from home traveling for a couple of days or so. May not be able to get online.

[Oliver Optic]

Thanks, Q.

I'm enjoying the peace and calm on this thread. It's like stepping out of a noisy bar-room brawl onto a peaceful porch in the middle of the woods. :-)

I've almost quit hanging around FR because of the rancor and constant barbs and insults.

[Quix]

Good points.

I thoroughly understand.

Doing what I can toward Christlikeness. LOL.

By His Grace, of course.

Would you consider contributing to today’s ONE ANOTHER?

[DarthVader]

This is appropriate for this thread.

1John 4

4Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God; for many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3and every spirit that does not confess Jesus* is not from God. And this is the spirit of the antichrist, of which you have heard that it is coming; and now it is already in the world. 4Little children, you are from God, and have conquered them; for the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. 5They are from the world; therefore what they say is from the world, and the world listens to them. 6We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us, and whoever is not from God does not listen to us. From this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.

7 Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 8Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love. 9God’s love was revealed among us in this way: God sent his only Son into the world so that we might live through him. 10In this is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11Beloved, since God loved us so much, we also ought to love one another. 12No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God lives in us, and his love is perfected in us.

13 By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. 14And we have seen and do testify that the Father has sent his Son as the Saviour of the world. 15God abides in those who confess that Jesus is the Son of God, and they abide in God. 16So we have known and believe the love that God has for us.
God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them. 17Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness on the day of judgement, because as he is, so are we in this world. 18There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear; for fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not reached perfection in love. 19We love* because he first loved us. 20Those who say, ‘I love God’, and hate their brothers or sisters,* are liars; for those who do not love a brother or sister* whom they have seen, cannot love God whom they have not seen. 21The commandment we have from him is this: those who love God must love their brothers and sisters* also.

[Alamo-Girl]

Amen! Thank you for this beautiful devotion!

[Quix]

Thanks thanks.

Amen.