From: "Gospel Messenger Service" Subject: Making A Wise Choice Date: Fri, 4 Nov 2005 15:19:53 -0500 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_0006_01C5E153.38F2D260" X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Unsent: 1 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2900.2180 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0006_01C5E153.38F2D260 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable MAKING A WISE CHOICE By Pastor Dick Do you ever find yourself yelling at your kids, honking your horn in = traffic or fuming and fussing over some little meaningless thing, then = wishing you had more patience? In today's world it seems as if everyone = could use a little (or a lot) more patience.=20 I have heard Christians say, "We need to pray for patience," and then = others say, "Don't pray for patience because 'tribulation worketh = patience,' and if you pray for patience, you will get tribulation!"=20 I say, "If you belong to Jesus, you don't need to pray for patience!"=20 Before I try to explain why I say that, let me first say this: That old = fable about getting tribulation when we pray for patience is not from = the Spirit of God. It comes from the foolish minds of men!=20 The Bible does state that "tribulation worketh patience" (Rom. 5:3), but = it means that we can glory in tribulation because of the work of the = wonderful patience that God gives to us in the midst of the tribulation. = Saying that God will give us tribulation if we pray for patience is like = saying that if we ask God for bread, He will give us a stone; or if we = ask Him for a fish, He will give us a serpent. Our Heavenly Father is = not at all like that. He loves to give good gifts to His children (Matt. = 7:7-11).=20 The reason I think you don't need to pray for patience is that you who = belong to Jesus already have more than you will ever need--more than you = can ever use--because God has given you a gift of His patience! I am not = talking about the natural patience that you have and need to develop as = you mature. You don't need to be a Christian to have that kind of = patience. What I am referring to is the patience of God, a gift in the = inheritance of Christ, which came into you when you were born again.=20 You don't have to ask for what God has already given to you. Just go = pick it up--it is right there in your inheritance. So stop praying for = more patience--or more joy, or more peace or love. Stop asking. Stop = begging. Just go to the Treasure House and pick up what belongs to you!=20 The Treasure House is not a building made of wood and stone with human = hands. It is a spiritual House made by the Lord that will last forever, = and within this Holy Temple are the Treasures of God that He has willed = to you through the inheritance Christ left you when He died on the = cross. These gifts are beyond measure. They are from above. Nothing in = this world compares with them. They are for you to enjoy here on earth = and keep with you when you go to Heaven.=20 Think, for a moment, about some of the wealth in your inheritance. Like = the Treasure of Peace. Jesus said, ". . . my peace I give unto you: not = as the world giveth, give I unto you . . ." (John 14:27). And about the = Treasure of Joy. Jesus said, "These things have I spoken unto you, that = my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full" (John = 15:11). Having the treasures of peace and joy are not contingent upon = circumstances or your environment. They are supernatural gifts from God. = They belong to you, and are right there waiting for you! Perhaps you are = not aware of the wealth in your inheritance that is just sitting there = as if it has been abandoned.=20 I am speaking of Treasures of Heaven that God's children are neglecting. = This happens with worldly wealth, but should not happen to the wealth in = the Kingdom of God. Once a year the Abandoned Property Division of the = Treasury Department of the State of New Hampshire publishes a report in = the newspaper of the names of people they have on record who have, for = one reason or another, lost track of their accounts, or are unaware of = an inheritance belonging to them. The most common types of unclaimed = property are bank accounts, utility deposits, stocks, mutual funds, = dividends and insurance refunds. In this year's report there are more = than three thousand names of people who have unclaimed property. The = value of abandoned property in this state alone is close to twenty = million dollars. Just imagine what it is for all of the United States!=20 But that is peanuts compared to the value of the riches in the = inheritance that Christ has left you in His will!=20 If you have received Jesus as your Lord and Savior and you say you need = more love, peace, patience or joy, it is like a multi-billionaire saying = he is short of money! God has more of those treasures than you can ever = hold! If you feel you have come to the end of your natural patience, you = may be in a position to realize how much you need the patience of God = that is a gift for you in the inheritance of Christ. If you constantly = tell of how little you have of the joy or peace that belongs to you, = then you must have abandoned--or at least neglected--your true = inheritance. Or perhaps you are going to the wrong place to claim your = treasures, or you may be going about trying to get them the wrong way. = Making the claim for your inheritance when you do it properly is really = quite easy.=20 I have talked with people who work for the state's Abandoned Property = Division and find they are more than willing to help people locate their = inheritances or any accounts that rightfully belong to them. They want = to help; that is their job. How much more does the Holy Spirit want to = help you receive all the gifts that God has for you in the inheritance = of Christ. He has not wrapped them up in red tape! They are all right = there waiting for you within easy reach--if you are only willing to make = a few good choices.=20 But first things first. There is, of course, no inheritance for anyone = until they first receive Jesus and become a child of God (John 1:12-13). = Once we become a child of His, we can, by faith, come to our Heavenly = Father and receive all that is rightfully ours, because of what Christ = has accomplished for us on the cross.=20 The fundamental element of any claim for an inheritance is a proper = identification. The Holy Spirit is the Trustee and Administrator of the = inheritance of Christ, and no false I. D.'s will ever get past Him! You = really wouldn't expect Him to release the treasures of your inheritance = to you if you presented Him with an old, useless, canceled, = identification card and said, "This is me." Well, that is what you do = when you walk in the flesh by living in the old dead man that was = crucified with Christ on the cross (Rom. 6:6), rather than living in the = new creation you became when you received Jesus into your heart! (2 Cor. = 5:17).=20 The Bible states that the works of the flesh are "adultery, fornication, = uncleanness (impurity), lasciviousness (filthy), idolatry, witchcraft, = hatred, variance (quarreling), emulations (jealousy), wrath, strife, = seditions (division), heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, = revellings (rioting) . . ." and that "they which do such things shall = not inherit the kingdom of God" (Gal. 5:19-21). That is not talking = about a Christian losing their salvation; it is talking about a = Christian not being able to--here on earth--have and enjoy his = inheritance while he is involved in such behavior.=20 Some of God's precious saints, even though they have tried to perform = their best, have fallen to temptations, done some ungodly things and now = fear they may not make it to Heaven. I am not saying there should not be = remorse for such behavior, but for a child of God to doubt their = salvation--purchased by the blood of Christ and sealed by the Spirit of = God--is more sinful than all those works of the flesh!=20 There are some things in this world that we can count on. For instance, = if we throw a stone up in the air, it will come down; if we bang our = head against a stone wall, we will get a headache; and if we lie, cheat, = steal, gossip, commit fornication or adultery, etc., we will not = have--even though they belong to us--the peace and joy that are in the = inheritance of Christ.=20 You may be thinking I am telling you to try harder not to do bad things. = No! No! No! That is not what I am saying. Then am I saying it is okay to = do them? No! No! No! I am not implying that! Please let me try to = explain.=20 When we do such things, it shows we are not living in the new creation = we became when we received Christ, but are rather living in the old = natural man that was crucified with Christ on the cross. Trying to = perform to become a better Christian is a form of working to earn our = righteousness, and is one way of living in that old natural man, which = will only get us out of the grace of God and back under the law. The = Bible states that no one shall be "justified (made righteous) by the = works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ" (Gal. 2:16). Paul = the apostle said, "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet = not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the = flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave = himself for me. I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if = righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain" (Gal. 2:20, = 21).=20 Working to improve what we do is one thing, but working to try and = improve who we are is something else. A Christian can become a better = carpenter, teacher, writer or computer operator by practicing, but = cannot become a better person. Anyone who belongs to Christ who tries to = improve themself is showing unbelief in the finished work of Christ on = the cross. It is also a waste of time and energy. The Bible says, "For = by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified" = (Heb. 10:14). Are you going to--by your works--try to add to what Jesus = accomplished on the cross?! The New You is forever perfect!=20 We cannot improve the new man that God has made acceptable to Him = through Christ; neither can we improve the old natural man to make him = acceptable to God, because he has been crucified with Christ on the = cross. When we "try to be nice" to build a self image, we are also = working on something that is dead. There is no life in an image.=20 Living in the new creation (which cannot sin [1John 3:9]) is resting in = the finished work of Christ. In other words, we cannot have the peace, = joy, love, faith, patience and other gifts in our inheritance if we walk = in the flesh by living in the old natural man. To have our inheritance, = we must live in the new creation, which is our new life in Christ! Doing = that is not hard but delightfully easy and most enjoyable.=20 Think, for a moment, how ridiculous it would be to bring before the = Administrator of the inheritance of Christ an old graven image and say = to Him, "I've been working on this idol for a long time; now I'd like to = pick up some patience, peace and joy that is in the treasures of my = inheritance." Does that sound bizarre? Well, that is what it is like = when we present our self image to the Lord. Isn't being a child of God = enough? Why do we need to create a self image? It is absolutely = essential that you present the real you--the New You purchased by the = blood of Christ--to claim your inheritance.=20 Let me give just one more of the ridiculous approaches that are often = used when making a claim for the inheritance of Christ. Just imagine = someone going before the Administrator and Trustee and saying, "Watch = this"; and then putting on a big performance by acting out some old = traditional religious rituals, expecting that to open the treasure chest = of the Kingdom of God! That is what centuries of traditional ceremonial = pomp has led us to believe!=20 There are many dedicated priests and ministers who have been trained in = rigorous religious exercises and have learned the traditions of men. = They are so good at what they have been trained to do and are so loved = and respected that no one wants to tell them about the better way. But = they, too, need to get serious about the finished work of Christ and = make some real, clear choices in their own personal lives between the = practice of religion and a walk with the Savior.=20 If you choose to live in your new creation (walk in the Spirit) and = receive the wonderful gifts of your inheritance, you will have made a = wise choice. ------=_NextPart_000_0006_01C5E153.38F2D260 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
MAKING A WISE CHOICE
 
By Pastor Dick

Do you ever find yourself yelling at your kids, honking your horn in = traffic=20 or fuming and fussing over some little meaningless thing, then wishing = you had=20 more patience? In today's world it seems as if everyone could use a = little (or a=20 lot) more patience.=20

I have heard Christians say, "We need to pray for patience," and then = others=20 say, "Don't pray for patience because 'tribulation worketh patience,' = and if you=20 pray for patience, you will get tribulation!"=20

I say, "If you belong to Jesus, you don't need to pray for patience!" =

Before I try to explain why I say that, let me first say this: That = old fable=20 about getting tribulation when we pray for patience is not from the = Spirit of=20 God. It comes from the foolish minds of men!=20

The Bible does state that "tribulation worketh patience" = (Rom. 5:3),=20 but it means that we can glory in tribulation because of the work of the = wonderful patience that God gives to us in the midst of the tribulation. = Saying=20 that God will give us tribulation if we pray for patience is like saying = that if=20 we ask God for bread, He will give us a stone; or if we ask Him for a = fish, He=20 will give us a serpent. Our Heavenly Father is not at all like that. He = loves to=20 give good gifts to His children (Matt. 7:7-11).=20

The reason I think you don't need to pray for patience is that you = who belong=20 to Jesus already have more than you will ever need--more than you can = ever=20 use--because God has given you a gift of His patience! I am not talking = about=20 the natural patience that you have and need to develop as you mature. = You don't=20 need to be a Christian to have that kind of patience. What I am = referring to is=20 the patience of God, a gift in the inheritance of Christ, which came = into you=20 when you were born again.=20

You don't have to ask for what God has already given to you. Just go = pick it=20 up--it is right there in your inheritance. So stop praying for more = patience--or=20 more joy, or more peace or love. Stop asking. Stop begging. Just go to = the=20 Treasure House and pick up what belongs to you!=20

The Treasure House is not a building made of wood and stone with = human hands.=20 It is a spiritual House made by the Lord that will last forever, and = within this=20 Holy Temple are the Treasures of God that He has willed to you through = the=20 inheritance Christ left you when He died on the cross. These gifts are = beyond=20 measure. They are from above. Nothing in this world compares with them. = They are=20 for you to enjoy here on earth and keep with you when you go to Heaven.=20

Think, for a moment, about some of the wealth in your inheritance. = Like the=20 Treasure of Peace. Jesus said, ". . . my peace I = give unto=20 you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you . . ." (John 14:27). = And=20 about the Treasure of Joy. Jesus said, "These things have I spoken = unto you,=20 that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy = might be=20 full" (John 15:11). Having the treasures of peace and joy are not=20 contingent upon circumstances or your environment. They are supernatural = gifts=20 from God. They belong to you, and are right there waiting for you! = Perhaps you=20 are not aware of the wealth in your inheritance that is just sitting = there as if=20 it has been abandoned.=20

I am speaking of Treasures of Heaven that God's children are = neglecting. This=20 happens with worldly wealth, but should not happen to the wealth in the = Kingdom=20 of God. Once a year the Abandoned Property Division of the Treasury = Department=20 of the State of New Hampshire publishes a report in the newspaper of the = names=20 of people they have on record who have, for one reason or another, lost = track of=20 their accounts, or are unaware of an inheritance belonging to them. The = most=20 common types of unclaimed property are bank accounts, utility deposits, = stocks,=20 mutual funds, dividends and insurance refunds. In this year's report = there are=20 more than three thousand names of people who have unclaimed property. = The value=20 of abandoned property in this state alone is close to twenty million = dollars.=20 Just imagine what it is for all of the United States!=20

But that is peanuts compared to the value of the riches in = the=20 inheritance that Christ has left you in His will!=20

If you have received Jesus as your Lord and Savior and you say you = need more=20 love, peace, patience or joy, it is like a multi-billionaire saying he = is short=20 of money! God has more of those treasures than you can ever hold! If you = feel=20 you have come to the end of your natural patience, you may be in a = position to=20 realize how much you need the patience of God that is a gift for you in = the=20 inheritance of Christ. If you constantly tell of how little you have of = the joy=20 or peace that belongs to you, then you must have abandoned--or at least=20 neglected--your true inheritance. Or perhaps you are going to the wrong = place to=20 claim your treasures, or you may be going about trying to get them the = wrong=20 way. Making the claim for your inheritance when you do it properly is = really=20 quite easy.=20

I have talked with people who work for the state's Abandoned Property = Division and find they are more than willing to help people locate their = inheritances or any accounts that rightfully belong to them. They want = to help;=20 that is their job. How much more does the Holy Spirit want to help you = receive=20 all the gifts that God has for you in the inheritance of Christ. He has = not=20 wrapped them up in red tape! They are all right there waiting for you = within=20 easy reach--if you are only willing to make a few good choices.=20

But first things first. There is, of course, no inheritance for = anyone until=20 they first receive Jesus and become a child of God (John 1:12-13). Once = we=20 become a child of His, we can, by faith, come to our Heavenly Father and = receive=20 all that is rightfully ours, because of what Christ has accomplished for = us on=20 the cross.=20

The fundamental element of any claim for an inheritance is a proper=20 identification. The Holy Spirit is the Trustee and Administrator of the=20 inheritance of Christ, and no false I. D.'s will ever get past Him! You = really=20 wouldn't expect Him to release the treasures of your inheritance to you = if you=20 presented Him with an old, useless, canceled, identification card and = said,=20 "This is me." Well, that is what you do when you walk in the flesh by = living in=20 the old dead man that was crucified with Christ on the cross (Rom. 6:6), = rather=20 than living in the new creation you became when you received Jesus = into=20 your heart! (2 Cor. 5:17).=20

The Bible states that the works of the flesh are "adultery, = fornication,=20 uncleanness (impurity), lasciviousness (filthy), = idolatry,=20 witchcraft, hatred, variance (quarreling), emulations = (jealousy),=20 wrath, strife, seditions (division), heresies, envyings, = murders,=20 drunkenness, revellings (rioting) . . ." and that = "they which=20 do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God" (Gal. = 5:19-21). That=20 is not talking about a Christian losing their salvation; it is talking = about a=20 Christian not being able to--here on earth--have and enjoy his = inheritance while=20 he is involved in such behavior.=20

Some of God's precious saints, even though they have tried to perform = their=20 best, have fallen to temptations, done some ungodly things and now fear = they may=20 not make it to Heaven. I am not saying there should not be remorse for = such=20 behavior, but for a child of God to doubt their salvation--purchased by = the=20 blood of Christ and sealed by the Spirit of God--is more sinful than all = those=20 works of the flesh!=20

There are some things in this world that we can count on. For = instance, if we=20 throw a stone up in the air, it will come down; if we bang our head = against a=20 stone wall, we will get a headache; and if we lie, cheat, steal, gossip, = commit=20 fornication or adultery, etc., we will not have--even though they belong = to=20 us--the peace and joy that are in the inheritance of Christ.=20

You may be thinking I am telling you to try harder not to do bad = things. No!=20 No! No! That is not what I am saying. Then am I saying it is okay to do = them?=20 No! No! No! I am not implying that! Please let me try to explain.=20

When we do such things, it shows we are not living in the new = creation we=20 became when we received Christ, but are rather living in the old natural = man=20 that was crucified with Christ on the cross. Trying to perform to become = a=20 better Christian is a form of working to earn our righteousness, and is = one way=20 of living in that old natural man, which will only get us out of the = grace of=20 God and back under the law. The Bible states that no one shall be=20 "justified (made righteous) by the works of the = law, but=20 by the faith of Jesus Christ" (Gal. 2:16). Paul the apostle said, = "I am=20 crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth = in me:=20 and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the = Son of=20 God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. I do not frustrate the grace = of God:=20 for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain" = (Gal.=20 2:20, 21).=20

Working to improve what we do is one thing, but working to try and = improve=20 who we are is something else. A Christian can become a better carpenter, = teacher, writer or computer operator by practicing, but cannot become a = better=20 person. Anyone who belongs to Christ who tries to improve themself is = showing=20 unbelief in the finished work of Christ on the cross. It is also a waste = of time=20 and energy. The Bible says, "For by one offering he hath = perfected=20 for ever them that are sanctified" (Heb. 10:14). Are you = going=20 to--by your works--try to add to what Jesus accomplished on the cross?! = The New=20 You is forever perfect!=20

We cannot improve the new man that God has made acceptable to Him = through=20 Christ; neither can we improve the old natural man to make him = acceptable to=20 God, because he has been crucified with Christ on the cross. When we = "try to be=20 nice" to build a self image, we are also working on something that is = dead.=20 There is no life in an image.=20

Living in the new creation (which cannot sin [1John 3:9]) is resting = in the=20 finished work of Christ. In other words, we cannot have the peace, joy, = love,=20 faith, patience and other gifts in our inheritance if we walk in the = flesh by=20 living in the old natural man. To have our inheritance, we must live in = the new=20 creation, which is our new life in Christ! Doing that is not hard but=20 delightfully easy and most enjoyable.=20

Think, for a moment, how ridiculous it would be to bring before the=20 Administrator of the inheritance of Christ an old graven image and say = to Him,=20 "I've been working on this idol for a long time; now I'd like to pick up = some=20 patience, peace and joy that is in the treasures of my inheritance." = Does that=20 sound bizarre? Well, that is what it is like when we present our self = image to=20 the Lord. Isn't being a child of God enough? Why do we need to create a = self=20 image? It is absolutely essential that you present the real you--the New = You=20 purchased by the blood of Christ--to claim your inheritance.=20

Let me give just one more of the ridiculous approaches that are often = used=20 when making a claim for the inheritance of Christ. Just imagine someone = going=20 before the Administrator and Trustee and saying, "Watch this"; and then = putting=20 on a big performance by acting out some old traditional religious = rituals,=20 expecting that to open the treasure chest of the Kingdom of God! That is = what=20 centuries of traditional ceremonial pomp has led us to believe!=20

There are many dedicated priests and ministers who have been trained = in=20 rigorous religious exercises and have learned the traditions of men. = They are so=20 good at what they have been trained to do and are so loved and respected = that no=20 one wants to tell them about the better way. But they, too, need to get = serious=20 about the finished work of Christ and make some real, clear choices in = their own=20 personal lives between the practice of religion and a walk with the = Savior.=20

If you choose to live in your new creation (walk in the Spirit) and = receive=20 the wonderful gifts of your inheritance, you will have made a wise=20 choice.

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