Choosing Our Friends -- Friends Sharing Scripture

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Subject: Choosing Our Friends

Author:
Hillbilly

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Date Posted: 17:45:54 01/30/13 Wed

Amos 3:3 Can two walk together, except they be agreed?

The common application of this verse is that two people cannot co-exist on amicable terms without conflict unless there is agreement between them. Many have been the relationships that have broken apart because there was so much disagreement between them they could not reconcile their differences. This is a situation that we readily understand but there is a condition that many times brings just as much mental anguish and conflict as two people who cannot agree. It is the forced relationship of the righteous inner man with the flesh.

Paul was very familiar with the conflict and wrote Romans 7:22-24 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: 23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members 24 wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? When a person gets saved God separates the redeemed soul from the flesh. It is if there are two people of different natures who are forced to share the same space. The one wants to be all that he can be for God and the other wants to continue in the pleasures of the world. One wants do all he can for the cause of Christ and the other wants to get all he can get and be all he can be in the secular world. One wants recognition for self and the other wants recognition for Christ.

We think that as we become children of God there should not be such inner conflict between good and evil. Many have thought that when they were saved that would end the desire for the worldly pleasures and carnal lifestyle. That is not the case. When you become a child of God you will start denying the flesh some of the things it is accustomed to but don't expect your old nature to just disappear. It won't. Remember Jesus "was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin." . (Heb. 4:15) These points are the same points that every temptation and sin comes from. These points of temptation are "lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life". (1Jn. 2:16

The very fact that you are tempted in such fashion so very often is a good indication that Satan is coming after you through your fleshly desires to destroy your testimony for Jesus. As a Christian he can't get your soul but he can ruin your testimony and effectiveness as a Christian. This is what we must be on guard for. The remedy in temptation is given in James 4:7 "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.". When Jesus was on the mount of temptation in Matt. 4:1-11 We can see the temptation of Jesus on the three points above. He was tempted with turning bread to stones to feed the desire and need of the flesh. He was tempted to prove He was the son of God by jumping from the pinnacle of the temple. This was pride of life and last He was taken to the top of a high mountain and shown all the kingdoms in the world and Satan offered them to Him in exchange for worshipping him. Lust of the eyes to have immediately what His Father would grant Him after his pain and death. All three times Jesus resisted and then commanded the devil to leave. Jesus submitted to God and resisted the devil and the devil had to leave. We are to do the same.

We may have to live with the body God gave us until we are glorified and He given a new body but we can choose to make the flesh submit to the inner man whom God resides with. With the power of God we can make the flesh submit to the inner man. We don't have to walk with the Devil but if we submit to the devil in the temptations he is who we will be walking with. We will be in agreement with him. If we choose to submit to God and are in agreement with Him we can have a wonderful relationship walking with the One with whom we should always agree. Are we friends with God or the Devil?

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Replies:

[> Subject: Very good message, Hillbilly

Author:

dori
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Date Posted: 00:29:27 02/02/13 Sat

This is so true!

"The very fact that you are tempted in such fashion so very often is a good indication that Satan is coming after you through your fleshly desires to destroy your testimony for Jesus. As a Christian he can't get your soul but he can ruin your testimony and effectiveness as a Christian."

This was a timely message for me for personal reasons. Thank you for this blessing.