religion

[Integrity]

Faith is the least self-regarding of the virtues. It is by its very nature scarcely
conscious of its own existence. Like the eye which sees everything in front of it
and never sees itself, faith is occupied with the Object upon which it rests and
pays no attention to itself at all. While we are looking at God we do not see
ourselves—blessed riddance. The man who has struggled to purify himself and
has had nothing but repeated failures will experience real relief when he stops
tinkering with his soul and looks away to the perfect One. While he looks at
Christ the very things he has so long been trying to do will be getting done
within him. It will be God working in him to will and to do.

The Pursuit of God, A. W. Tozer, Christian Publications, 1982,1993, page 82,83

 

[Integrity]

 

[Doublestandards]

@Thebrownblob I remember talking to you about Jesus Is King a while back

An album was just posthumously released by DMX called Let us pray: chapter x, that is a small collection of prayers over cool beats, I think it’s worth checking out

 

[Thebrownblob]

@Thebrownblob I remember talking to you about Jesus Is King a while back

An album was just posthumously released by DMX called Let us pray: chapter x, that is a small collection of prayers over cool beats, I think it’s worth checking out

DMX sad story

 

[Thebrownblob]

DMX sad story

 

[Integrity]

IS THIS BLESSING FOR YOU?

I have spoken of those who suppose that the full blessing of Pentecost was only for the first Christian community. Others are willing to acknowledge that it was intended also for the church of later times but still think that all are not entitled to expect it. They might quite reasonably say, ―My unfavorable circumstances, my unfortunate disposition, my lack of real ability, and similar difficulties make it impossible for me to realize this ideal. God will not expect this of me. He has not destined me to obtain it.

Do not permit yourself to be deceived by such shallow views. All the members of a body, even to the very least, must be healthy before the body as a whole can be healthy. The indwelling, the fullness of the Spirit is the health of the entire body of Christ. Even if you are the most insignificant member of it,the blessing is for you. In this the Father makes no exceptions.

A great distinction prevails regarding gifts, callings, and circumstances. But there can be no distinction in the love of the Father and His desire to see every one of His children in full health and in the full enjoyment of the Spirit of adoption.

Learn, then, to express and to repeat over again the conviction, “This blessing is for me. My Father desires to have me filled with His Spirit.” The blessing lies before me, to be taken with my full consent. I will no longer refuse by unbelief what falls to me as my birthright. With my whole heart, I will say: ‘This blessing is for me.’”

Experiencing the Holy Spirit, Andrew Murray, Whitaker House, 1984 page 64, 65

 

[Integrity]

When we lift our inward eyes to gaze upon God we are sure to meet friendly eyes gazing back at us, for it is written that the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout all the earth. The sweet language of experience is "Thou God seest
me." When the eyes of the soul looking out meet the eyes of God looking in,
heaven has begun right here on this earth.

The Pursuit of God, A. W. Tozer, Christian Publications, 1982,1993, page 83

 

[Integrity]

OBTAINING THE BLESSING

When a Christian begins to strive for this
blessing, he generally makes a variety of efforts to search for the faith, obedience, humility, and submission that are the conditions of obtaining it. When he does not succeed, he is tempted to blame himself. If he does not become utterly discouraged, he rouses himself to still stronger effort and greater zeal.

All this struggling is not without its value and its use, however. It does the very work that the law does. It brings us to the knowledge of our entire powerlessness. It leads us to that despair of ourselves where we become willing to give God the place that belongs to Him. This lesson is entirely indispensable. ―I can neither bestow this blessing on myself nor take it. It is God alone who must work it in me.

The blessing of Pentecost is a supernatural gift, a wonderful act of God in the soul. The life of God in every soul is as truly a work of God as when that life was first manifested in Jesus Christ. A Christian can do as little to bring the full life of the Spirit to fruition in his soul as the Virgin Mary did to conceive her supernatural child. (See Luke 1:38.) Like her, he can only receive it as the gift of God.

The impartation of this heavenly blessing is as entirely an act of God as the resurrection of Christ from the dead was His divine work. Christ Jesus had to go down to death and lay aside the life He had in order to receive a new life from God. Likewise, the believer must abandon all power and hope of his own to receive this full blessing as a free gift of divine omnipotence. This acknowledgment of our utter powerlessness, this descent into true self-despair, is indispensable if we wish to enjoy this supreme blessing.

Experiencing the Holy Spirit, Andrew Murray, Whitaker House, 1984 page 65, 66

 

[Integrity]

Now, if faith is the gaze of the heart at God, and if this gaze is but the raising of
the inward eyes to meet the all-seeing eyes of God, then it follows that it is one
of the easiest things possible to do. It would be like God to make the most vital
thing easy and place it within the range of possibility for the weakest and poorest
of us.

Several conclusions may fairly be drawn from all this. The simplicity of it, for
instance. Since believing is looking, it can be done without special equipment or
religious paraphernalia. God has seen to it that the one life-and-death essential
can never be subject to the caprice of accident. Equipment can break down or get
lost, water can leak away, records can be destroyed by fire, the minister can be
delayed or the church burn down. All these are external to the soul and are subject to accident or mechanical failure: but looking is of the heart and can be done successfully by any man standing up or kneeling down or lying in his last agony a thousand miles from any church.

The Pursuit of God, A. W. Tozer, Christian Publications, 1982,1993, page 85, 86

 

[rickyb]

the matrix has hijacked christmas and turned it partly into a consumerism quick fix. we are missing at least half of the meaning of christmas.

 

[Integrity]

the matrix has hijacked christmas and turned it partly into a consumerism quick fix. we are missing at least half of the meaning of christmas.

So on the positive side we are not missing some of the meaning of Christmas.

What doe Christmas mean to you personally?

 

[bottomups]

the matrix has hijacked christmas and turned it partly into a consumerism quick fix. we are missing at least half of the meaning of christmas.

Happy Saturnalia.

 

[rickyb]

Happy Saturnalia.

haha happy saturnalia it has a nice ring to it

 

[rickyb]

So on the positive side we are not missing some of the meaning of Christmas.

What doe Christmas mean to you personally?

i think its about poverty and why people are poor and we should do something to end it. probably more too.

merry christmas <3

 

[Integrity]

i think its about poverty and why people are poor and we should do something to end it. probably more too.

merry christmas <3

You think about this?

What do you think about poverty and why people are poor?

Who is we?

What to you personally do about it to end it?

 

[Integrity]

Is there anything about yourself that you want to change, have tried to change, and have not been successful at completely changing?

For one, I have been trying to cut down on my TV time for decades and I have made little progress or improvement in this habit.

 

[Integrity]

The full blessing of Pentecost is to be obtained at no small price. He who desires to have it must sell all and forsake all. Every faculty of our natures, every moment of our lives, and every religious work of our bodies, souls, and spirits must be surrendered to the power of the Spirit of God. In nothing can independent control or independent force have a place. Everything must be under the leading of the Spirit. One must indeed say, ―Cost what it may, I am determined to have this blessing.‖ Only the vessel that is utterly empty of everything can be full and overflowing with this living water.

Experiencing the Holy Spirit, Andrew Murray, Whitaker House, 1984 page 66

 

[Integrity]

Since believing is looking it can be done any time. No season is superior to
another season for this sweetest of all acts. God never made salvation depend upon new moons nor holy days or sabbaths. A man is not nearer to Christ on Easter Sunday than he is, say, on Saturday, August 3, or Monday, October 4. As long as Christ sits on the mediatorial throne every day is a good day and all days are days of salvation.

Neither does place matter in this blessed work of believing God. Lift your heart and let it rest upon Jesus and you are instantly in a sanctuary though it be a Pullman berth or a factory or a kitchen.You can see God from anywhere if your mind is set to love and obey Him.

The Pursuit of God, A. W. Tozer, Christian Publications, 1982,1993, page 86

 

[rickyb]

You think about this?

What do you think about poverty and why people are poor?

Who is we?

What to you personally do about it to end it?

usually i only allow my gf to ask 2 questions max at one time. but since youre my bf you can ask 4

i agree ppl are poor and oppressed. we have enough money to end it worldwide. the system is inefficient, concentrates power and dumbs us down. i personally donate, have bumper stickers, make videos, protest, vote parties who dont support israel / TPP / student debt.

 

[Integrity]

usually i only allow my gf to ask 2 questions max at one time. but since youre my bf you can ask 4

i agree ppl are poor and oppressed. we have enough money to end it worldwide. the system is inefficient, concentrates power and dumbs us down. i personally donate, have bumper stickers, make videos, protest, vote parties who dont support israel / TPP / student debt.

You mean all humans worldwide when you say “we”?