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To: Alamo-Girl

Take your time and take days if need be. I have been trying to understand the Salvation of the Old Testament and those that Christ set free. I am trying to understand how GOD is dealing with us now and just what to expect next. GOD Bless You.


787 posted on 01/22/2011 10:45:37 PM PST by eyedigress ((Old storm chaser from the west)?)
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To: eyedigress
Thank you oh so very much for your blessing, dear eyedigress, and may God ever bless you! And it will probably take a few days, because I need to pray about your questions and meditate before answering.
788 posted on 01/22/2011 10:50:12 PM PST by Alamo-Girl
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To: eyedigress; xzins; betty boop
Take your time and take days if need be. I have been trying to understand the Salvation of the Old Testament and those that Christ set free. I am trying to understand how GOD is dealing with us now and just what to expect next. GOD Bless You.

Again, thank you so very much for your deep spiritual question, dear eyedigress!

The Spiritual leading on how to respond came a lot faster than I had expected, so here is my reply.

First and most importantly, the Old Testament need not be complicated or difficult. There is only One Great Commandment and that is to love God surpassingly above all else:

Then one of them, [which was] a lawyer, asked [him a question], tempting him, and saying, Master, which [is] the great commandment in the law?

Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

This is the first and great commandment.

And the second [is] like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. – Matthew 22:35-40

If we love God surpassingly above all else and love our neighbor as ourselves, then we don’t need to sweat the details.

So one might ask how he can he know whether or not he actually is loving God surpassingly above all else. And the answer to that is also quite simple.

When we love someone, we want what he wants.

If a man loves his wife and she wants the bedroom painted blue, he will do his best to see it done. And if he wants fried catfish, she will do her best to master that skill. Likewise between parents and children, lovers, friends and so on.

Indeed, when a person loves another deeply, he can no longer say whether he likes museums because she does or he does – or whether he likes cheeseburgers because she does or he does.

So if we want what God wants it is because we love Him.

That would entail wanting all of the fruits of the Spirit because He wants them:

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. - Galatians 5:22-23

And rejoicing in mercy, immersing ourselves in it because He wants it:

For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings. – Hosea 6:6

But if ye had known what [this] meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless. – Matthew 12:7

Blessed [are] the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. – Matthew 5:7

And it would entail wanting to be rid of everything that is an abomination to Him – whether in the world around us or in ourselves.

These six [things] doth the LORD hate: yea, seven [are] an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, A false witness [that] speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren. – Proverbs 6:16-19

And finally, what may be the most difficult for us to want that God wants – that Jesus will come in power and glory and put down the rebellion that began with Satan and spread through Adam to mankind and then make all things new according to His will.

Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they [also] which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty. - Revelation 1:7-8

And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. – Revelation 21:1-7

I say it may be the most difficult for us because it means there will be wailing, lamentations and destruction. And our tender hearts may hurt to see even the guilty suffer. But we want what God wants because we love Him. The rebellion must end but He will wait until all of His adopted children have been gathered into Himself.

The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. – 2 Peter 3:9-10

For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. – Colossians 3:3

So a person might wonder how to get there, how to empty his heart of mere mortal concerns so that he might love God surpassingly above all else.

To such a one I strongly recommend: begin each day with the Lord’s Prayer – not just speaking it mindlessly by rote, but breaking down each phrase, meditating on what it means – especially the part about hallowing God’s Name.

1. Our Father which art in heaven,

Truly recognize and honor God as our Father.

But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, [even] to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. – John 1:12-13

For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with [him], that we may be also glorified together. – Romans 8:15-17

2. Hallowed be thy name.

Consider Who God IS – Who IS hearing our prayer.

And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you. – Exodus 3:14

Remember the former things of old: for I [am] God, and [there is] none else; [I am] God, and [there is] none like me, - Isaiah 46:9

I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty. - Revelation 1:7-8

Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name. – Psalms 91:4

3. Thy kingdom come.

Welcome God’s kingdom, no matter what.

Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice. – John 18:37

He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. – Revelation 22:20

4. Thy will be done in earth, as [it is] in heaven.

Truly, if we love someone, we want what he wants. By surrendering our will to His, we are expressing our love for Him and our trust in Him.

Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. – Matt 22:37-38

He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done. – Matt 26:42

5. Give us this day our daily bread.

We must not ask only physical nourishment, but more importantly, we must ask for spiritual nourishment.

But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. – Matt 4:4

I am that bread of life. – John 6:48

If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall [your] heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him? – Luke 11:13

6. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

We must remember that God’s justice is perfectly balanced and seek His justice. We each individually build the scales whereby we will each be individually weighed.

Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. - Matthew 7:1-2

Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven: - Luke 6:37

Blessed [are] the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. – Matt 5:7

7. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:

And we should ask God to Shepherd us throughout our lives.

The LORD [is] my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou [art] with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever. - Psalms 23

8. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

Whether one’s Scriptures include this Doxology or not, we should end our prayer to the Father with an exclamation, a “Praise God” or “Selah” or “Amen.”

But thou [art] holy, [O thou] that inhabitest the praises of Israel. – Psalms 22:3

By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of [our] lips giving thanks to his name. – Hebrews 13:15

In sum,

Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. - Matt 7:7-8

God’s Name is I AM.

801 posted on 01/23/2011 9:56:13 AM PST by Alamo-Girl
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