#003 Analyze and Judge Your Highest Longings

Our thoughts are like streams flowing from the mountains of desire which catch the elements of exposure.

We can and cannot help the thoughts which flow through our mind each day.  But we can manage them.  We can analyze them as healthy or not, glorifying God or not.

The Lord wants us to bring our thoughts under His government, as a citizen of His Kingdom.

So, let me ask, "what are your longings?  Which occupy you the most and the highest? Do any longings rise higher than those you have for God and His values?"

1Peter 2:2  Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation—

The Lord expects us to live as simple children; still immature, unable, needing help, looking to Him, etc.  Only those who see themselves as children can be helped by Father. If we do not act childlike, Father cannot help us.

Infants are absolutely unable to do anything but depend upon the parent to feed them.  They know not what milk is and the benefits of it, but they know they thirst and they simple look to smell and taste of the milk for it is to them, good and filling.

We know little the benefits and understanding of God's Word which is called milk of the Word.  But all we have to do is drink and enjoy the Milk.  For by a steady drinking, which is often to the infant, we grow, our abilities mature, slowly we become more of the human God designed us to become.

Without a steady eating we develop stunted growth and a poor immune system.

Your main longing--and one which must become strong--is to long for the true spiritual milk of God's Word.

How you feed yourself spiritually proportionately determines growth to learn wisdom, understand the deep things of God that few grasp, the abilities to overcome temptation, eliminate sins, make good choices, know how to love others properly, etc.

Make it your primary goal in preparation of meeting and being rewarded by the Lord for a life "well done." by filling your life--your mind, your desires, your character with the life-giving milk of the Word.

--Rick

002: The Believer's Judgment/Self Judgment

We Must Judge Everything In Us and What We Do

1Co 11:31  For if we searchingly examined ourselves [detecting our shortcomings and recognizing our own condition], we should not be judged and penalty decreed [by the divine judgment].

1Co 11:32  But when we [fall short and] are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined and chastened, so that we may not [finally] be condemned [to eternal punishment along] with the world.

Here is the argument to those who claim that it does not matter how we live, we are saved by grace, that everything is forgiven and we cannot be judged.

Fact:  All sins of past and future are under the blood.  We will never be judged by the wrath of God for our sins and sentenced to hell.

Fact:  We are under grace.  But don't distort the meaning.  Grace is not only extended favor because we repented and believed.  Grace is divine energy working in us to obey His Word.  Grace is not pardon, nor excuse to live how we want.  Grace is the allowed Spirit of God to direct us what and how to please the Father.  Anyone who ignores any teachings and principles of Scripture to justify personal lifestyle is a blind and ignorant Christian. 

Fact:  The grace of God working in us works ONLY in proportion to the amount of sins and selfish ways we have unrepentant of; even sins of pride, denying objective heart committed study to understanding and practicing the Word of God.

1 Peter 1:22  Since by your obedience to the Truth through the [Holy ] Spirit you have purified your hearts for the sincere affection of the brethren, [see that you] love one another fervently from a pure heart. 

Whenever we obey the Truth, by learning the Truth[s] found in the Word of God, a divine purification of your heart takes place.

Counseling, reading books, teachings alone and are only secondary to the personal obedience to all the Truth tells us from the Word of God.  Any time you defend an action in a wrong spirit, you exhibit guilt what you are doing is wrong.  Because only a pure heart can sincerely display affection fervently from a pure heart.

To argue and defend with a believer is not displaying affection.  Only pure hearts can display affection.

Note individuals who are argumentative, angry, stressing out in their conversations.  They have impurity prevalent in their heart.

To prepare our lives for the Judgment Seat of Christ, we must judge ourselves now.  Self-judgment is the full-time activity of the spiritual believer.  He is constantly judging his thoughts, intents, attitudes, conduct, and how he is perceived for Christ.

The carnal believer denies any responsibility but to justify who he is and what he does.

But if we judge ourselves, if we discern, discriminate, separate what is of the old nature and what is of God, God will not chastise us.

Verse 31 gives two words of "judge".  If we judge not, God will judge us.  But both have different Greek meanings.  We are to judge; meaning to analyze and bring into alignment with God's Word.  If we do not, God judges us; meaning He will punish/chastise us. 

The subject of chastisement will come in another lesson.  But for now, let's understand that God will not allow any of His children to do what they want.  He saved us to become like Him.  If we cooperate their is great mercy and much grace to become as He desires.

This is the life-time process of the Christian:  to purify our souls by:
1.  The Word of God and the Holy Spirit cleanse the soul when we heed what is given to us.
2.  When we discern immediate activity in our soul, judge it, and deny what conflicts with God.
3. When we sin, we must confess/admit, own up to the sin.  Then by faith believe He restores our fellowship with Him.  For any sin left unconfessed builds up and remains blocking some sort of fellowship closeness with the Father.

One of the greatest healing in my life came when I began to get alone with God and allow the Holy Spirit to take my mind back to any and all sins that I've committed since very young.  I looked at sins against my family, other people, and the sins I carried in myself; fears, insecurities, neglect, unbelief, pride, on and on.

I vocalized  each sin, admitted with deep contrition and godly sorrow.  Ask forgiveness or received forgiveness for what God would gladly do.  Then by faith, I believed the acceptance, cleansing, and restoration healing of that relationship with God.

Over the years, I have practiced this when needed when forgotten sins came ot mind.  I did not need to do this to be saved.  I did this to remove dark spots of the soul in order to receive more of the divine light of God, to see clearly about myself and others.

This lifetime practice is the key to growing moral purity, clear vision from God's perspective, and inner soul healing.  This is the work of building in us the spiritual man/woman who will be greatly rewarded at the Judgment Seat of Christ.

Press on to Final Exam Day.

Rick

001 The Judgment: You Will Stand Before the Judgement Seat of Christ

1.  IT IS A SURE FACT WE WILL ALL STAND BEFORE CHRIST TO BE JUDGED.

Rom 14:10  Why do you criticize and pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you look down upon or despise your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of God. 

2.  A WARNING THAT OUR LIFE JUDGMENTS/DECISIONS AND HEART INTENTS WILL BE BROUGHT TO LIGHT.

1 Co 4:5  So do not make any hasty or premature judgments before the time when the Lord comes [again], for He will both bring to light the secret things that are [now hidden] in darkness and disclose and expose the [secret] aims (motives and purposes) of hearts. Then every man will receive his [due] commendation from God.

• think before you speak
• don't say it if you don't:
• have a scriptural basis
• if your emotions drive you to speak hastily
• if your spirit is confused 
• if you only want to speak how you feel

3.  THE JUDGMENT FROM CHRIST WILL AWARD HOW WE USED GOD'S WORD TO LIVE BY.

2Co 5:10  For we must all appear and be revealed as we are before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive [his pay] according to what he has done in the body, whether good or evil [considering what his purpose and motive have been, and what he has achieved, been busy with, and given himself and his attention to accomplishing].

• how well are you studying and applying to each life situation?
• lack of time is no excuse
• unconfessed sin(s) will always spoil your appetite of hunger for God's Word

4.  WE WILL BE JUDGED TO DETERMINE HOW WELL WE PARTICIPATED IN THE WORK OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD.

1Co 3:9  For we are fellow workmen (joint promoters, laborers together) with and for God; you are God's garden and vineyard and field under cultivation, [you are] God's building. [Isa. 61:3.]

1Co 3:13  The work of each [one] will become [plainly, openly] known (shown for what it is); for the day [of Christ] will disclose and declare it,

5.  THERE WILL BE GAINS AND LOSSES AT THE JUDGMENT.

1Co 3:13  The work of each [one] will become [plainly, openly] known (shown for what it is); for the day [of Christ] will disclose and declare it, because it will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test and critically appraise the character and worth of the work each person has done.
1Co 3:14  If the work which any person has built on this Foundation [any product of his efforts whatever] survives [this test], he will get his reward.
1Co 3:15  But if any person's work is burned up [under the test], he will suffer the loss [of it all, losing his reward], though he himself will be saved, but only as [one who has passed] through fire. [Job 23:10.]
1Co 3:16  Do you not discern and understand that you [the whole church at Corinth] are God's temple (His sanctuary), and that God's Spirit has His permanent dwelling in you [to be at home in you, collectively as a church and also individually]?
1Co 3:17  If anyone does hurt to God's temple or corrupts it [with false doctrines] or destroys it, God will do hurt to him and bring him to the corruption of death and destroy him. For the temple of God is holy (sacred to Him) and that [temple] you [the believing church and its individual believers] are.