Being conformed daily to the Image of God

NeitherFirstnorLast · 03-09-2011, 01:05 PM

The longer and further I am from LSM's doctrines, the clearer I again become in the discerning of the Word. Not to say that I have yet laid hold, but, free of the religious constraints of a system that teaches that one man had the proper discernment and interpretation and understanding, I am at last able to move on with my Walk with the Lord; heeding His voice and not forcing Him into silence so that I can follow "the ministry". As we obey, the veil lifts again; and as we seek, He is faithful to ensure we find.

Today I want to share this: from 2nd Corinthians 4:11

"For we who are alive are always being delivered unto death for Jesus' sake that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh."

That's an incredibly powerful verse Saints. And it's the last verse you might here quoted these days by the ministry.

In this past Winter training, Ron Kangas delivered a message wherein he stated that he was going to "show us something that would really change our entire way of thinking". That it would require us to "completely rethink everything we learned about our life in Christ.". What did Ron claim to have seen that would so revolution our concept of the normal Christian life?

Ron stated that we are not here to serve, but to be served - as Christ Himself came to serve us. Ron said that we are here to enjoy and to be ministered to; that Christ came that we might have rest. He came to wash us, and to love us, and working for Him was working in the flesh and against His very economy.

I will make no bones about it. Heresy. That's what that is.
I thought when I first heard that, it was a radical departure from what I'd heard from the ministry before. Not until today did I realize it really isn't.

This is the kind of thing I've heard from other members of these churches. One sister, who left for a time, only to later to return, said "I've never gotten as much life as I do here!"N and a brother who always rejected anything I ever shared from outside of the published ministry work said "there might be some good there, but I get LIFE out of the ministry.". I never asked what they meant by that... Never even questioned it - but now I do.

Watchman Nee said that anything that comes from the hands of man (written work) is dead; it cannot possibly give life. Only the Word of God, which is Itself living and active, can give life. Believing that, we must see that the ministry work, the footnotes, the endless interpretations, be they good or bad (and there's a lot of both), are NOT able to give "LIFE". It's a lie to believe tjey can.

The local church, as secure as Laodicea, believes it has all of the Truth wrapped up in the teachings of Lee. No matter that the man has been mouldering in a grave for 17 years now; surely he had unearthed the most precious truths and Christ is only tarrying His arrival to meet His surely-prepared Bride.

Ah Laodicea! Why did the Lord say "...you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked"? Because the truths to which you cling are lies. Lies that make you useless for the Lord's move.

So concerned with enjoyment and being served, you forget those who came before. You forget that the Servant is not greater than the Master. Where in the early Church was the enjoyment and rest of Stephen? It wasn't in calling on the name of the Lord in a meeting hall; it was calling on Him while being stoned by furious unbelievers. Where was Paul's LIFE-giving enjoyment? It wasn't in reading the testimonys and interpretations of the elder apostles, it was in the ship-wrecks and beatings and imprisonments suffered for the glory of the Lord.

We are not called to relax, but to act. Live out the life of Christ! How did He live? Not an easy life to meet the needs of the flesh, but a hard life that denied the flesh and sought the Fathers will in all things.

Today I saw Matthew 4:8-10
"Again, the Devil took Him to a very high mountain and showed Him all the Kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to Him 'all these will I give You if You will fall down and worship me.'. Then Jesus said to him, 'Depart from Me Satan! For it is written, 'you shall worship the Lord your God, and Him ONLY shall you serve."

Satan's offer was rejected by Christ, but how many of us have accepted it? Maybe we didn't get the World and all it's kingdoms, but that just means he bought us at a lower price. He makes that offer to us daily - and for wages, a nice house, a good time, some fleshly enjoyment, we buy in.

I want to serve Him ONLY. Can I, as a father of four and a husband? I don't know. I've always worried about practical matters- but that is foolishness. He equips those whom He calls - and does not call those who think they're already equipped.

2nd CoRinthians 3:5. "Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to account anything as from ourselves; but our sufficiency is from God."

In Christ,

NeitherFirstnorLast

03-09-2011, 01:05 PM	#1
NeitherFirstnorLast Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Posts: 348	Being conformed daily to the Image of God The longer and further I am from LSM's doctrines, the clearer I again become in the discerning of the Word. Not to say that I have yet laid hold, but, free of the religious constraints of a system that teaches that one man had the proper discernment and interpretation and understanding, I am at last able to move on with my Walk with the Lord; heeding His voice and not forcing Him into silence so that I can follow "the ministry". As we obey, the veil lifts again; and as we seek, He is faithful to ensure we find. Today I want to share this: from 2nd Corinthians 4:11 "For we who are alive are always being delivered unto death for Jesus' sake that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh." That's an incredibly powerful verse Saints. And it's the last verse you might here quoted these days by the ministry. In this past Winter training, Ron Kangas delivered a message wherein he stated that he was going to "show us something that would really change our entire way of thinking". That it would require us to "completely rethink everything we learned about our life in Christ.". What did Ron claim to have seen that would so revolution our concept of the normal Christian life? Ron stated that we are not here to serve, but to be served - as Christ Himself came to serve us. Ron said that we are here to enjoy and to be ministered to; that Christ came that we might have rest. He came to wash us, and to love us, and working for Him was working in the flesh and against His very economy. I will make no bones about it. Heresy. That's what that is. I thought when I first heard that, it was a radical departure from what I'd heard from the ministry before. Not until today did I realize it really isn't. This is the kind of thing I've heard from other members of these churches. One sister, who left for a time, only to later to return, said "I've never gotten as much life as I do here!"N and a brother who always rejected anything I ever shared from outside of the published ministry work said "there might be some good there, but I get LIFE out of the ministry.". I never asked what they meant by that... Never even questioned it - but now I do. Watchman Nee said that anything that comes from the hands of man (written work) is dead; it cannot possibly give life. Only the Word of God, which is Itself living and active, can give life. Believing that, we must see that the ministry work, the footnotes, the endless interpretations, be they good or bad (and there's a lot of both), are NOT able to give "LIFE". It's a lie to believe tjey can. The local church, as secure as Laodicea, believes it has all of the Truth wrapped up in the teachings of Lee. No matter that the man has been mouldering in a grave for 17 years now; surely he had unearthed the most precious truths and Christ is only tarrying His arrival to meet His surely-prepared Bride. Ah Laodicea! Why did the Lord say "...you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked"? Because the truths to which you cling are lies. Lies that make you useless for the Lord's move. So concerned with enjoyment and being served, you forget those who came before. You forget that the Servant is not greater than the Master. Where in the early Church was the enjoyment and rest of Stephen? It wasn't in calling on the name of the Lord in a meeting hall; it was calling on Him while being stoned by furious unbelievers. Where was Paul's LIFE-giving enjoyment? It wasn't in reading the testimonys and interpretations of the elder apostles, it was in the ship-wrecks and beatings and imprisonments suffered for the glory of the Lord. We are not called to relax, but to act. Live out the life of Christ! How did He live? Not an easy life to meet the needs of the flesh, but a hard life that denied the flesh and sought the Fathers will in all things. Today I saw Matthew 4:8-10 "Again, the Devil took Him to a very high mountain and showed Him all the Kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to Him 'all these will I give You if You will fall down and worship me.'. Then Jesus said to him, 'Depart from Me Satan! For it is written, 'you shall worship the Lord your God, and Him ONLY shall you serve." Satan's offer was rejected by Christ, but how many of us have accepted it? Maybe we didn't get the World and all it's kingdoms, but that just means he bought us at a lower price. He makes that offer to us daily - and for wages, a nice house, a good time, some fleshly enjoyment, we buy in. I want to serve Him ONLY. Can I, as a father of four and a husband? I don't know. I've always worried about practical matters- but that is foolishness. He equips those whom He calls - and does not call those who think they're already equipped. 2nd CoRinthians 3:5. "Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to account anything as from ourselves; but our sufficiency is from God." In Christ, NeitherFirstnorLast