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2 Corinthians 4:13 -- "We haveing the same spirit of faith, caccording as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak.
Observation
Sometimes I have to speak the Word to myself until I believe it -- then I can use that word to speak to my situation. The abiding word produces the spirit of faith within me; so I spend time with God and permit that Word to abide in me. I meditate in that Word and abide in Jesus. Then the spirit of faith is produced in me.
2 Corinthians 13:5 -- "Examine yourselves, to see whether you are holding to your faith. Test yourselves. Do you not realize that Jesus Christ is in you? -- unless indeed you fail to meet the test!
Observation
If our Christianity does not work in this life where we can test it, it is foolhardy to hope it will successfully transport us into eternity where, if we fail the test, we suffer eternal separation from God.
The test of truth is not an intellectual pursuit but whether you are drawing closer, week by week, to knowing and loving Jesus Christ.
2 Corinthians 13:5 -- "Examine yourselves, to see whether you are holding to your faith. Test yourselves. Do you not realize that Jesus Christ is in you? -- unless indeed you fail to meet the test!
Observation
If our Christianity does not work in this life where we can test it, it is foolhardy to hope it will successfully transport us into eternity where, if we fail the test, we suffer eternal separation from God.
The test of truth is not an intellectual pursuit but whether you are drawing closer, week by week, to knowing and loving Jesus Christ.
He is the Author and Finisher of our faith, He works in us both to will and do of His good pleasure. I am convinced of this, that the one who began a good work among you will bring it to completion by the Day of the Messiah Jesus.
Acts 18:25 -- He (Apollos) had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and burning with spiritual zeal, he spoke and taught diligently and accurately the things concerning Jesus, though he was acquainted only with the baptism of John.
Observation
In Acts, the new Christian faith is described as a "way" to follow.
Jesus referred to Himself as "The Way" and as "The Door". These expressions indicate that I can only recognize spiritual things whin I am moving along a path. As long as I have only dogma and proper teaching, I am like the person who owns all the maps in the world, yet never has set foot outside his house to see what the world outside really is like.
The scribes who know perfectly well that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem but did not consider it necessary to go there and receive Him.
The only possibility I have of meeting the One who lay in the manger is to go with reverence and commitment -- as the wise men from the east -- I have to travel a long way.
Philippians 3:7-9 -- But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him.
At some point I have to cease being a spiritual encyclopedia (That is, collecting more facts, opinions, illustrations and interpretations, and then presenting them as my faith).
I make a quality decision today to turn myself over to God, submit to His training and breaking, so that He can discard all that hinders me from seeing Christ as He is.....In God's eyes. My only hope for salvation from lesser things is Christ.....a greater Christ than the one I have been content with until now.
Hebrews 1:2,3 -- Hath in these last days spoken unto us by His Son, whom He hath appointed Heir of all things, by whom He made the worlds. Who being the brightness of His glory, and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high.
Philippians 3:7-9 -- But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him.
At some point I have to cease being a spiritual encyclopedia (That is, collecting more facts, opinions, illustrations and interpretations, and then presenting them as my faith).
I make a quality decision today to turn myself over to God, submit to His training and breaking, so that He can discard all that hinders me from seeing Christ as He is.....In God's eyes. My only hope for salvation from lesser things is Christ.....a greater Christ than the one I have been content with until now.
Hebrews 1:2,3 -- Hath in these last days spoken unto us by His Son, whom He hath appointed Heir of all things, by whom He made the worlds. Who being the brightness of His glory, and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high.
and how will you do this without studying scripture?
By exercising the FAITH you claim to have in God and the Holy Spirit, Fundy. "The letter killeth but the spirit giveth life." It is lack of faith in the Holy Spirit and the veil from the "letter" of the OT Scriptures that prevents us from fully understanding Jesus, God and the Holy Spirit in our hearts. Do you not believe the Holy Spirit is within you, Fundy?
2 Corinthians 3
1Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, like some people, letters of recommendation to you or from you? 2You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everybody. 3You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.
4Such confidence as this is ours through Christ before God. 5Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. 6He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.The Glory of the New Covenant
14But their minds were made dull, for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away. 15Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. 16But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect[a] the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit
Ephesians 2:5,6,10 -- Even when we were dead in sins, hath quichened us together with Christ, (by grace we are saved And hath raise us together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God has before ordained that we should walk in them.
As a believer I shouldn't have to "try" faith. I exercise my rights as a member of the body of Christ. He has raised me up with Jesus and seated me in heavenly places. He has given me His name, His blood, His authority, His power, His spirit. These rights are blood bought. Jesus suffered and died to give me the rights of our new covenant.
2 Corinthians 6:1,2 -- We then as workers together with Him, beseech you also that you receive not the grace of God in vain. Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.
Ephesians 2:5,6,10 -- Even when we were dead in sins, hath quichened us together with Christ, (by grace we are saved And hath raise us together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God has before ordained that we should walk in them.
As a believer I shouldn't have to "try" faith. I exercise my rights as a member of the body of Christ. He has raised me up with Jesus and seated me in heavenly places. He has given me His name, His blood, His authority, His power, His spirit. These rights are blood bought. Jesus suffered and died to give me the rights of our new covenant.
2 Corinthians 6:1,2 -- We then as workers together with Him, beseech you also that you receive not the grace of God in vain. Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.
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Drawing Closer To Jesus
And hath raise us together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God has before ordained that we should walk in them. 
