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Subject: Once you get the Word Author: tim [ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ] Date Posted: 10:09:29 03/01/10 Mon Once you get the Word on a matter, then you become responsible for it. Until you get 'it' you can't be held responsible. This becomes the whole purpose of evangelization. To get the Word out that this thing is about to be wrapped up once and for all. We enter into a right relationship with God through the shed blood of Jesus Christ. Behold! The lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! Just like John the Baptist, at the moment we recognize Jesus as the Savior, we can receive forgiveness of sins...Now it becomes the responsibility of the receiver to continue in that right relationship that is based entirely on what He did for us. John got to see the coming Messiah. His job was to make a way for Him and to tell the people what was about to happen. It had already been recorded in the Word of God and now it was happening just as it had been foretold. When we receive the Christ, we are brand new creatures. We are obviously not perfect; although in His sight we are just like the baby Jesus when we are born again. Even our Lord had to grow up. He didn't receive the Holy Spirit until He was 30 years old. We too need to feed on the Word of God in order to grow up. We know from Scripture that Jesus was hungry for the Word at an early age. He was found by his parents in the temple at the age of 12. The elders were amazed at his knowledge of Scripture already. If you have read this, you have been given the choice, just like those who were baptised in the wilderness by John the Baptist. Receive the Christ and the opportunity for new life. What you do with it now, is between you and God. This choice is set before everyone who hears the gospel. I can only speak for myself. I know that I have been given much since my acceptance and surrender at the cross back in 1994. I know that because I entered that relationship and have continued in it, much will be required of me. I am responsible for what I have received already. And though it has been 16 years, I have only just begun to scratch the surface of God's amazing Love for me. His Word is like medicine. It is meat to a growing, changing child of God. My spirit is desirous of more maturity, but my flesh is still weak. I am still easily tempted to reach for that which will satisfy my fleshly desire in the moment. For any of us on this journey, it only takes one wrong choice to take us back to the cross. I recognize that it will take more sacrifice to become fully mature, but in disciplining myself (root word, disciple) it is clear to me that the reward for simple obedience is greater than I could have ever imagined when I first started out. It is the revelation of His Love that first called me that will change everything in our lives as we let it sink in. It is that revelation that keeps us on the path. When we fall, we simply recognize our failure and get up, dust ourselves off and get back on the path. For most of my life I did not know how much I needed to change. Even now as I write this, I am flooded with the realization of how little I know about His great love. It is at once, both humbling and encouraging to set my sights on a deeper and higher relationship with Him. But, like Paul, I forget the things that are behind (daily and sometimes hourly) and keep moving towards that high calling in Christ. He is my Lord, my Savior, and my example. He is the Master and I am the student. I kknow I will never achieve supremacy to my master, but I will continue in the Word until I am just like Him in thought, word and deed, or until I shed this earth suit and go to be with Him forever. This IS the journey and the adventure and I look forward to fresh revelation that I can apply to my life TODAY as I recommit myself to digging deeper in the Word of God. T.O. 3/1/2010 [ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]

Replies:

[> Subject: Re: Once you get the Word Author: Bob [ Edit | View ] Date Posted: 20:25:42 03/02/10 Tue I say whats the Word! Johannesburg! [ Post a Reply to This Message ]

[> Subject: Re: Once you get the Word Author: Joeski better than you [ Edit | View ] Date Posted: 05:31:34 03/05/10 Fri Tim, the word is, all your friends will be at BV tomorrow. The weather is to be TO friendly. If you can take some time away from writing scripture you should join in on the fun.....Roy says he'll buy you a beer. [ Post a Reply to This Message ]

[> Subject: Re: Once you get the Word Author: Bob [ Edit | View ] Date Posted: 07:50:25 03/09/10 Tue The Word today is GETOUTSIDEYOULAZYPASTEYWHITEBOY. Go look at motorcycles or something not related to saving mankind. [ Post a Reply to This Message ]

[> Subject: Re: Once you get the Word Author: Shane [ Edit | View ] Date Posted: 09:27:20 03/10/10 Wed The word is not the thing. The words are only signposts. Words can describe a banana, but until you directly smell,peel,and taste a banana do you "know" what it is. [ Post a Reply to This Message ]

[> Subject: Re: Once you get the Word Author: tim [ Edit | View ] Date Posted: 14:50:17 03/10/10 Wed receiving Jesus means receiving what the word says about Him. There is no way around this, contrary to popular opinion. Until you receive the word, you have not received Jesus, which means you still need to get saved!! and getting saved is the whole point of our existance. You can talk about banannas and motorcycles if you want to, but nothing really matters until you get right with God. Getting right with God means receiving Jesus as your savior so you can be saved from hell. Hell is not just symbolic, it is a real place where people go everyday if they die without receiving Jesus as their Lord and Savior. You can talk all around it if you want to. You can flat our reject this word if you want to, but it doesn't change what the word of God says. I have received this word and will convey it to everyone, because without it you risk eternal damnation. I love people too much to tell them anything else. You can reject me if you want to, hell, you can shoot me if you want to, but don't reject the message! Either way, God still loves the heck out of you!!! [ Post a Reply to This Message ]

[> Subject: Re: Once you get the Word Author: Shane [ Edit | View ] Date Posted: 16:50:27 03/10/10 Wed Are you motivated by love or fear? [ Post a Reply to This Message ]

[> Subject: Re: Once you get the Word Author: tim [ Edit | View ] Date Posted: 17:14:24 03/10/10 Wed This is an excellent question! honestly, I'd have to say, right now, today, I am motivated by both. I am working toward love because that is what my Master operates and is motivated by. The Bible says that perfect love casts out all fear. I am in the process of 'being perfected' through the renewing of my mind. The more I learn the law of love and get it inside me, the more I will be like the Master. When the day comes for me to stand before Him, I will probably fall down to keep from trembling. It will be there in His presence that this question will be more fully answered. Wow, that's an awesome thought. [ Post a Reply to This Message ]

[> Subject: Re: Once you get the Word Author: Bob [ Edit | View ] Date Posted: 17:59:27 03/14/10 Sun I love this typical crap! "getting saved is the whole point of our existence" Yes Tim the entire world is doomed until each and every being has received the word of Your God. How about allowing the rest of us the freedom to decide? You would force this structure on everyone if you could wouldn't you? Its people like you with power that screw everything up. [ Post a Reply to This Message ]

[> Subject: Re: Once you get the Word Author: tim [ Edit | View ] Date Posted: 11:12:05 03/15/10 Mon It's nice to hear you say that I have the power here at the Tim O'Rourke Forum, Bob...I thank God for the power! and of course honorable mention always to my good friend and webmaster extraordinaire, Joe 'the webchuck' Ketcham. Meanwhile, thankfully my power is limited. I probably would wipe out half of the human race if I could, but alas, I don't force anyone to come here. People may accuse me of it, but there are no weapons of mass destruction here. The fact is, God doesn't force anyone to bow down to Him either. The Holy Spirit is a 'perfect gentleman' and by that I mean perfect...I'm 'being perfected' by Him as I take on His yoke and learn from Him, but I have a long way to go, just ask anyone who knows me. Learning from God through His holy, precious word is the best way I know to be more like Him. I'll proclaim it from the rooftops as long as there is breath in my lungs. It is the very power of God that gives me the opportunity to share with you and all who visit. What you do with it is entirely up to you.. May God continue to bless you, your family and all in your sphere of influence in Jesus' name. [ Post a Reply to This Message ]

[> Subject: Re: Once you get the Word Author: Shane [ Edit | View ] Date Posted: 11:35:24 03/15/10 Mon "Perfect love casts out fear". I suppose it would be safe to assume that only God is capable of perfect love. If that is the case, then is it a perfect love that threatens to burn you for all of eternity due to sin? Wouldn't perfect love also be unconditional love which means no exclusions? I also have taken note that Jesus never said to anyone;"You're going to burn for that." If anything He forgave everyone He met. Nor does He ever condemn anyone except the Pharisees and Sadducees who represented the religious systems of that time. There certainly are a lot of misinterpretations of Scripture out there. But then again, Christians don't want to lose their "special" status as their egos are tied into the Lord's approval. I call it egoistic spiritualism. There is nothing wrong with it, but it does produce a specific result namely separation from their brothers and sisters which is not mindful of "love one another". Those of you with children - can you imagine sending your kid to burn in hellfire forever because they were bad? [ Post a Reply to This Message ]

[> Subject: Re: Once you get the Word Author: tim [ Edit | View ] Date Posted: 13:05:26 03/15/10 Mon you could 'assume' it, but you know what assumptions can do to you and me. It just so happens that I was discussing this very issue today with the Lord, so I appreciate as always my visitors inquiries and especially those who have a familiarity with Scripture, as you do Shane. And these questions, from my study of Christianity, go way back to before Augustine's time when so-called followers of Christ argued with one another over issues of truth. Well, whatever is not truth IS a lie. If it can't be backed up in Scripture and carried to a subsequent conclusion then it must be thrown out and not even discussed amoung those who truly follow Christ, hence the name Christian. If you cannot identify yourself boldly without shame, guilt or condemnation to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, there is no point in further discussion on matters such as these. Because being a Christian is a matter of the heart and a personal decision that is between the individual and God Himself, there is no judgement allowed between those who boldly confess and those who beat around the bush. I believe this is what differentiates being a Christian from being a part of something called, Christianity. Just as in Jesus own day, it was those proclaiming to be 'in the know', or as bob puts it, in the club and those who were not yet fully convinced to join that created all the hoopla. Jesus came to put the religious ones in their place and through His death and resurrection opened the Way to everyone, including those who had already died witout Christ. This made Judaism just as dead a religion as any other, before or since. Jesus, as Messiah, opens the Way for all who would enter to the Kingdom of God. It is Christianity itself, not the Christ of Nazareth that allows infidels membership. Jesus proved, as a man that perfection (not flawlessness but maturity of faith) was possible. in the letter to the Collosians, Paul wrote that it was Christ in him that was his only hope of glory. Without the Christ in us, none of us has a chance at heaven. [ Post a Reply to This Message ]

[> Subject: Re: Once you get the Word Author: Shane [ Edit | View ] Date Posted: 16:34:36 03/15/10 Mon Good response, but you skirted the original question. If perfect love casts out all fear then there is nothing left but love. Infinite patience yields immediate results or put anothe way - when you are sure of the outcome then the waiting becomes effortless. [ Post a Reply to This Message ]

[> Subject: Re: Once you get the Word Author: tim [ Edit | View ] Date Posted: 06:31:26 03/16/10 Tue As I've said before this forum is not a place to debate the existance of a Holy God. The devil used scripture against the King of Glory and this place will not be used in that manner. You can ask questions here, but if you have a preconceived idea of what the answer is already, then it's not really a question. I didn't 'skirt' your question, I threw it out as non-negotiable! Now, I'll ask you a question. We know where Bob stands. You often reference the words of Jesus in your posts. Do you consider yourself a follower of Jesus? And if so, in light of my comparison above of the word Christian and Christianity, would you identify yourself as a Christian? [ Post a Reply to This Message ]

[> Subject: Re: Once you get the Word Author: Shane [ Edit | View ] Date Posted: 08:28:05 03/16/10 Tue I don't practice anything and I don't follow anyone. I am free. [ Post a Reply to This Message ]

[> Subject: Re: Once you get the Word Author: tim [ Edit | View ] Date Posted: 09:21:31 03/16/10 Tue thank-you! your quick response honors me, Shane. i appreciate and respect it. have a blessed day! [ Post a Reply to This Message ]

[> [> Subject: Re: Once you get the Word Author: tim [ Edit | View ] Date Posted: 15:07:08 03/18/10 Thu this thread is now closed. thank-you all for your input. [ Post a Reply to This Message ]

[> Subject: Re: Once you get the Word Author: Shane [ Edit | View ] Date Posted: 17:38:49 05/07/10 Fri There is no other place to find the Truth, but in the words that you write. I only wish that people would go deeper. It would prevent a lot of needless suffering. If you are suffering then you are sinning. [ Post a Reply to This Message ]