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"TO FIND A MORE INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD"
-- Part 3
~ L.D. Oxford
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DON'T ENGAGE IN THE WAYS OF THE WORLD. Another words, don't live the way that the unsaved do, [putting a Christian name-tag on it.] God has called each one of us, to be remarkably different from the Kingdom of darkness.
"If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear." - Psalms 66:18
If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. - John 15:19
Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. - Hebrews 1:9
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GUARD YOUR LIFE: Don't engage in any sexual activity outside of the bonds of marriage, no matter what your reasoning is. Sex is for marriage only. And, if you are out of control, then seek out help immediately.
Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. - 1 Cor. 6:9-11
Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid. 16 What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh.
17 But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit. 18 Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.
19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's. - 1 Cor. 6:15-20
For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication: - 1 Thessalonians 4:3
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STAY AWAY FROM ALL INTERNET OR NON-INTERNET PORNOGRAPHY. It will destroy your life, your family, your ministry, and relationships with others. No, it is not okay!!!
For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known. - Luke 12:2
Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:
6 For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience. - Colossians 3:5-6
And lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and that I shall bewail many which have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they have committed. - 2 Corinthians 12:21
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GUARD YOUR TONGUE.
Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile. - Psalms 34:13
For the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of the deceitful are opened against me: they have spoken against me with a lying tongue.- Psalms 109:2
Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof. - Proverbs 18:21
The getting of treasures by a lying tongue is a vanity tossed to and fro of them that seek death. - Proverbs 21:6
Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles. - Proverbs 21:23
Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: - Romans 3:13
If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain. - James 1:26
And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell. - James 3:6
But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. - James 3:8
For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile. - 1 Peter 3:10
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DO NOT TURN A DEAF EAR TO OTHERS IN NEED. Or the Lord may not hear your prayers when you are in need.
The young man said to Him, "All these commands I have kept; what am I still lacking?" Jesus said to him, "If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me." - Matt. 19:20.
"Sell your possessions and give alms; make yourselves purses which do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near, nor moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." - Luke 12:44
"But whoever has the world's goods, and beholds his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him?"
- 1 John 3:17
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THE NEW TESTAMENT APOSTOLIC COMMUNITY MODEL
See, Acts 2:44. - All those who had believed were together, and had all things in common; and they began to sell their property and possessions, and share them with all, as anyone might have need.
Also, Acts 4:32-35. And the congregation of those who believed were of one heart and soul; and not one of them claimed that anything belonging to him was his own, but all things were common property to them.
And with great power the apostles were giving witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and abundant grace was upon them all. For there was not a needy person among them, for all who were owners of land or houses would sell them and bring the proceeds of the sales and lay them at the apostles' feet; and they would be distributed to each, as any had need.
THIS IS THE WAY THEY DID to meet needs in the community the early church -- A clear example in the scriptures. But how many believers practice this? And how many fellowships do you know, that do this? Is it more like 1% or less in America and Western nations? And why is this?
Is it because Western Christianity picks and chooses, from the scriptures what they want to adhere to, and ignores what they do not want to apply to their lives and ministries?
It must be "Cafeteria Christianity". Just pick and choose what looks and tastes good, and ignore the things that don't taste so good, or appeal to us. Then, the left-overs get tossed out at the end of the day.
And only in third-world countries can the Apostolic Community Model be seen more in various places. I do believe that this is coming soon to America, and the Lord will arrange the circumstances for this to happen.
Persecution and crisis will bring this into effect, and will change the focus of the Body of Christ, more towards helping their communities, and each other.
BECOME A BLESSING TO OTHERS. Be willing to die to self at all costs. Selfishness means, that you don't care much about anyone but your own self-preservation.
Jesus laid everything down for you, so that you could receive eternal life, and experience the blessings of the Kingdom of God. The Apostles laid everything down and led sacrificial lives, and many missionaries on foreign soil have laid everything down for the Lord, so that a way might be made for others to experience the goodness of God.
And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. And they straightway left [their] nets, and followed him. - Matthew 4:19-20
He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.38 And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. - Matthew 10:37-38
Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any [man] will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. - Matthew 16:24
And when he had called the people [unto him] with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. - Mark 8:34
Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me. - Mark 10:21
He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. - John 12:25
GOD'S PEOPLE MUST BE WILLING TO LAY DOWN THEIR LIVES FOR GOD, AND FOR THE BRETHREN TOO.
The Western Christian world has not learned this yet, for the most part, but, in the Third-world countries, it is more widely known. They take care of their communities, as needed. Remember the following scriptures:
Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. - John 15:13
Hereby perceive we the love [of God], because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down [our] lives for the brethren. - 1 John 3:16
TO SUM IT ALL UP: Keep your lives pure before God and walk in His love towards others.
Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. - 2 Cor. 7:1
And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. - Eph 4:24
And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour. - Eph 5:2
For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.
- 1 Thessalonians 4:7
Follow peace with all [men], and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord. - Hebrews 12:14
Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, [see that ye] love one another with a pure heart fervently - 1 Peter 1:22
And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it. - 2 John 1:6
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