Lion of Grace

First, I would let my brother or sister know that they are not alone. I have overcome that addiction. I would seek to find out if there really is a deep desire to overcome as a result of knowing a deep sorrow for being trapped in it and how displeasing that lifestyle is to God. I would counsel the love of Christ and the truth of salvation through His blood and help the person find forgiveness. Forgiveness through Christ and that He is the way to forgive themselves. I would counsel for daily Bible readings...especially ones for forgiveness and hope and for daily prayer to the Holy Spirit to help in their struggle. I would counsel for an accountability partner and church fellowship that is understanding and who truly loves them and has compassion on them. One who they are safe with talking about their struggles and who understand there will be failures and setbacks. I would advise that anything that tempts them to be drawn back into it be removed from their home and to avoid places that would cause them to fall. I would teach how to renew their minds and how to block thoughts as soon as they start and encourage this discipline . I would be available 24/7 in cases of emergency and pledge to give my all to see a brother or sister free. It takes great strength to overcome any addiction and help is needed. Not in a condemning way..but in support and love and encouragement. I would pray, pray, pray them through! I would also know that there are hidden issues that would be needed to be uncovered and hurts that would need to be healed. This takes time and unconditional love and listening. I would help them to understand that God is for them and desires to see them whole and that nothing will stop Him from healing them if they seek Him with all their heart. That He will be faithful to complete in them what they desire in healing.....even though at times it will feel hopeless and like all is lost. That's when I would pick them up and see them through. I thank God for those who carried me through so many addictions, destructive behaviors towards myself and failures......knowing my desire was to be free and live! There can be security blocks put on internet usage and I would advise this......but great moments of freedom and huge strides are seen when one can personally say "no" to themselves and not click on of their own accord. It's a victory when one can go out and have a big old "burn" party too! God Bless!

If even looking lustifully at another is adultry, then *********** is adultry. *********** and prostitution devalues human life and the sacredness of the gift of sex. Sex is the beautiful expression of oneness between a married couple and it is pure and an expression of commitment and a covenant of love between them. It is something not shared. It is for them alone in a special and pure relationship. Poronography or prostitution is for none of that. Poronography and prostitution say sex is for multiple partners, and that human bodies are to be used as tools for illlicet pleasure. *********** especially says sex is for voyerism and it fills the mind that sees it, with fantasy that is so staged and air brushed over. It leads to thinking we can experience something more than we have or have something better and it just fills your mind with rot and it's addictive and it is from Satan and to be avoided at any cost! So many times it invites others into the marriage bed in the mind of the viewer and taints what God has given as a pure gift. It is a destroyer of marriages and wives who start to be viewed as not human, but something to be used for pleasure only. Both *********** and prostitution intice both young and old people who will follow into darkness and fall into it's deceptions for ungodly living. I pray for them. There are all kinds of abuses that come out of it. Deceptions that anyone, even children can be destroyed for selfish pleasure. I know this is one of Satan's number one ways to deceive minds and to promote people to fall into depraved thinking. To the extent of destroying lives and damaging minds of both perpetrators and victims. I think everyone who has anything to do with *********** or prostitution are victim to satan's deceiving power. He reaches in to destroy everyone.

God given desires are gratified within a marriage boundry. Anything else is forbidden ****. Pull the window shade! See the other as a son or daughter of God!

Adultry and **** are both results of self gratification. They don't consider the other person as anything of worth but only something to gratify the desires of either thought pleasures or physical pleasures. There must not be any difference because Jesus says that if we even look at anyone with ****, we commit adultry with that person. I think He was warning to put ALL of it away from ourselves because thoughts can lead to action, so we need to be careful to pull the window shades of our minds on evil trying to enter in and stop even any small conception of thoughts like that. It's bringing our minds and bodies into submission and calling on The Holy Spirit for strength! We can form GOOD habits as well as bad ones and this is a really good one to develop! **** breaks the ten commandments in many ways. If we are going around having day dreams about others in that way, certainly God is not first in our thoughts. We make idols of people thinking they are better than what God gave us (which isn't true), if someone is that far on a pedastool then a person could be worshiping another. **** can lead to adultry and is considered as adultry. Lustful thoughts could lead to "stealing" something that is not ours and looking lustfully at someone is coveting someone not ours. I'd like to add something though for the benefit of some. If you have been a victim of abuse, you may have "flashbacks" with certain people (especially those you trust). This is not **** and I hope to alleviate fears of any going through something like that. It can be persistant and leads to healing but still needs to have a window shade pulled on it. Without guilt.

That we are to love and be reconciled to each other. And that whatever measure we give is what we will receive in the end. Micah 6:8 He has shown us what is good; and what does the Lord require of us? But to do justly, to love mercy and walk humbly with our God.

The point of settling out of court is to avoid being turned over to the judge. A judge is not involved in the dispute and can see both sides of an issue. He can discern better what is happening between two parties. He then judges and gives out punishment for the one in the wrong. The one who broke the law. I know the law of Christ is to love God and love one another. Jesus was saying to make sure to do this in disputes. We are to leave everything and try to reconcile with whom ever we have a dispute with. Interesting in my Bible the term is "opponent." An opponent is one working against you. Sometimes we don't even know why they work against us. Good open communication can help resolve this, and hopefully everything is resolved if the agreement is to love and forgive each other, but if another won't listen or insists on continuing in it then we can take them to God and ask for help. Not to condemn or ask for anything bad for them, but because it can get unbearable and sometimes it can even become persecuting. I believe God deals with these things for me and since He knows each heart and struggle I know He can deal correctly with them. I "present my case." I still pray for them because I want to fulfill my end of loving them. So if there isn't a willingness on another's part, then I take it to God. He judges rightly. I forgive in my own heart and move on. If I'm in the wrong , God shows me and I try to correct what I do or did. I'm happy of that, because I don't want to face the judge as an unrepentant sinner in the coming judgement by God. Settling is being done with it. Like being in a scuffle and the dust rises up all around, but when the scuffling stops the dust settles. It goes back to normal and as it should be. Sometimes there won't be any agreement but to continue to love each other and respect each other. Sometimes we have to go back to normal with our own lives knowing we forgave or that we are forgiven and leave the other to their lives. We should always stay open though. You never know when the reconciliation will come!

I see that we are all a part of one body. When one part is affected by anything, then all are affected. If we come to worship with something against another, that in turn has repercussions for everyone. It's false and actually deceptive. We see it in church every day! People holding offenses and divisions running through though these are mostly silent or kept within our own "groups." A house divided can not stand and we see this outwardly taking place as churches crumble and congregations separate all because of these under lying offenses that are allowed to fester and grow out of proportion! The appropriate action is to try to go to those we have offended or who we perceive offended us and if both parties are true Christ followers there will be open discussion in love and an attempt to understand the other. We may not come to agreement but we can come away with gracious understanding of the situation or belief. We can part in love and peace knowing we followed through on what Jesus asked us to do. There is great blessing in that even if agreement never follows! How far we go is forever! Even if the other person chooses to not reconcile, we can continue to show love and acceptance to them We can still greet then kindly, live in peace by them and be open to them. We don't need to "make" them reconcile.....but our actions should always be pure towards them. There are situations that can not be reconciled. We can't just follow any folly or any thing or teaching for the sake of peace, but our hearts can remain soft in praying for others and in readiness with the shoes of peace if hearts are turned or softened.

I think Jesus is talking about steps here. Anger can lead to physical murder but not only that, I think He also says that hatred is murder. So anger can lead to hatred too. Even "name calling" can murder someone inside. I think Jesus put being called a fool in the same classification as murder because it is! We tend to want to do what I call "Rate a sin." It seems like we have catagories in this. I know there were different punishments in the Old Testament times for each of these kinds of offenses, but Jesus doesn't distinguish between them. They are all liable to punishment in Gehenna, so He warns us to take it all seriously and be reconciled and forgive because that is the measure that will be given to us. I want to say though, that we can't ever live a life free of anger. Jesus taught there is anger....but we can not SIN in our anger. There are also different kinds of anger. Some anger is good against evil things. There is a difference there. We can be angry (and will be angry) but we need to turn to Jesus for help. He pleads for us because He knows what it is like. He lived like we do. He wants us to reconcile or confess our anger before it becomes hatred and leads to worse!

I do see tendencies in some churches to abolish Old Testament from our Christian faith. I see it mostly in seeker friendly churches though by some fraction in most every church. It is the tendency to say that we are not responsible for our own actions and sins because we are saved. I know this is a very grave mistake because it eliminates respect for God. It is like having a good Godly father who treats us with kindness and understanding. One who is always looking out for our own good at all times, but then we feel like we can take advantage of that by feeling free to do whatever we want, right or wrong and count on not being disciplined because He's so good! I'm no theological expert, but I think if you truly love God and really ask to be saved, then there will be a seeking for Godliness and that takes discipline and knowing what is right and wrong and a desire to give in love to Him a life that is pleasing to Him. That is respect and fear of the Lord and that starts with wisdom. It is knowing God and what He desires from us. The WHOLE Bible tells us what those things are. We should follow the commandments. But also, Jesus said by the new covenant, "Love God above everything and everybody else" and "Love your neighbor as yourself" and if we follow these two, everything else will be in place. Love is the key here. Not as a license to do or get what we want, but to show our love to a good and gracious God and display His glory in how we treat each other. If we love God and love our neighbor we will naturally follow the old testament commandments. Legalism in a church looks like what the Pharisees did. It's expecting perfection and condemnation if perfection is not met. It's knowing all the laws and scriptures and hitting people over the head to follow them. It's anyone concentrating on everyone else's sin that our own is overlooked or worse yet, anyone thinking they don't sin or their sin isn't quite as bad as another's. There isn't any "heart" in legalism. Just rules and regulations and going to Heaven by how good anyone can keep them. Ha! There is no compassion, no fruit of the Spirit, no love. Everyone needs time to grow and everyone needs compassion. Everyone needs truth.....but with love. Some start by literally getting out of a gutter and it's love that wins them and love will change them if they have a true desire to know God.... change should be evident....but it is a journey and some have come from very deep dark places and may need more time and patience than others. I thank God for those people in my life who are patient with me while I learn! A church with no moral standards or expected obedience looks like the world. Chaos and out of control!

No pain. No gain. I don't think anything that results in true, honest glory comes without a price. It takes sacrifice and hard training and dedication and a total desire to be in it with everything we've got. Christianity and the world are so opposite that the clash is going to be inevitable. Not only is there darkness but satan loves darkness and wants to keep those in darkness well into it! Darkness has to flee though with light. This is our victory in the world. It doesn't come without a battle though. For ourselves or others! The good news is...we win. The battle belongs to the Lord. That was the whole purpose of Jesus. He overcame everything. Our victory is in Him for the taking! That IS God's glory! Everytime we shine or season like salt or suffer in the process of dying to self or suffering for another or in persecution for our faith we show God's glory because we show His strength and might and power and wisdom and that He is it! No doubt. Number one. Undefeated! We have to know though.......where the victory is. It's not in ourselves. He did it and still does it. We partner in it while He is good and gracious to us. Romans 12:2 is instructing to put not only the material ways of the world behind but to retrain our minds to be "kingdom thinking." We offer our bodies for good things, like showing our good deeds and no longer presenting them for unholy purposes. We wash our minds with His Word and become conformed to what God instructs and we come to KNOW Him better through the Word. We become transformed and know what pleases Him and what is good. Before, we didn't know but we are learning. We have to be dedicated and it is hard and suffering and giving things up and giving away and in the midst of all that the world doesn't like the example and fights against us. It is suffering for something more. Something right. Something lasting. A better way but at a price for ourselves and others we are called to help. Taking up our cross isn't just a "motto" to recite. It means agony sometimes. Still, we can never do as He did. We can only be grateful and consider our meager part in it (compared to His) a joy because look what He did for us. We should never forget.

I can see the passage about being salt tying in with this one. When we loose saltiness we become ineffective. We don't enhance the food that others need to experience God's kingdom and we don't preserve lifestyles that reflect living in the kingdom. When we have a light to shine, like the love of Jesus towards another or sharing the Word or being an example of walking like Jesus instructed us to walk, then we are to shine with that! If we put that light under anything and it can't shine, then we just become ineffective again and a part of the darkness instead of a illumination for others to see the light! Anything we do to show that light glorifies God because it is for Him we want to shine so others can become a part of His light too. We are to show our good deeds. The love of Christ. The life of Christ. Speaking the Words of Christ and showing the purpose of Christ. Where there is light, darkness has to go.....so we shine! Jesus shines! God is glorified. More are added. Praise God! I love especially that Jesus taught us we are like a city on a hill. We are a part of many that put together, can shine so brightly we could be seen all around. Like the glow of a city in the distance when we are traveling at night. I see this as a light to each other as Christians too! Many lights together make a beacon that illuminates hugely for everyone far and near to see! We need to pass our light on! Encouraging each other and helping each other when darkness tries to come. It only takes a spark you know!

I think the Christian that has lost his/her saltiness starts to loose the zest and vigor for God. Where they once were on fire and full of devotion they fall away some and start to feel listless and restless and start to look to the world for fulfillment and spice. I do think we can come to realize what has happened to us. In fact I know God will never let go of His own. I think it may take awhile but I know when I've fallen into this myself, the Holy Spirit starts to convict me and I feel a sense of separation and I begin to see the wordly things I'm trying to fill up on are very disatisfying and I eventually become restless enough or disatisfied enough that I'm reminded of where I need to be..... and that is filling myself up with Jesus and abiding again with Him. Secular people see our wavering in faith as a hypocritical lifestyle. Saying one thing but doing another or that we teach compassion and forgiveness but we aren't practicing it or we teach to not live by wordly measure, but there we are doing it in some areas....even if it is only for a time. Christian people notice the same things....but where as we are judged harshly by the secular world, Christians (hopefully) restore a brother or sister with encouragement and walk with us to pick us up and help strengthen us with reminders of who it is we are missing! It is absolutely possible to re-saltify our lives! Return to our first love. Jesus Christ. And He will restore our souls! He is faithful!

I think a pure heart is a simple heart. A heart of deep gratitude for what Jesus did for us. I think it's a heart like a child that just knows the love of God even though nothing is deserved. It's a heart that tries so hard to trust. It's a heart that knows God is good and a heart that cries to Him for help. It's a heart that knows there is nothing without God and would despair if separated from Him. It's a heart of devotion. One that can stand in His light revealing our sin and know we are forgiven. We see and know God because we need Him. I don't know about the "chronic sinners" part. Aren't we all chronic sinners every day? I know there are those who don't know God so they can't see Him.....but we are to show them! Shine a light into the darkness!

True righteousness comes through Jesus. None of us are righteous in ourselves though we hunger and thirst for it. We desire more than anything else to be like Jesus and to follow Him as true disciples. We want to be filled with everything that can help us in that. We desire to be saturated with fruit of the Spirit. We hunger for His Word and we abide with Him daily. We put into practice what we learn and we desire to do that not for anything we can get but for love of Jesus. This can be seen in compassion for others and in serving. In humbleness we learn not to judge because we truly know our own unrighteousness without Jesus and the cross. We know that we are all capable of any fall just like anybody else. Persecution comes when we refuse to live like the world. All the sin we entered into before is old to us. The new is born and though we struggle with temptations of our flesh, we renew our minds and become of the Spirit. Most people "of the world" don't like this because our goodness begins to convict. Even without words! By actions! They can't understand it! People drop away from us and even call us names for doing right! The world is terribly corrupt and Christians live by Godly standards. Those clash all the time but we persevere because we want to live for Christ and because we love the one who saved us! We are called to be a light in the darkness and it's not easy. It's taking up our cross just as He did. We come to know God's faithfulness though and we grow stronger and stronger. He fills us with everything to equip us to become like Him and that gives great joy to see that we can overcome and do all things through Him! With Him!

Meekness is mild, unassuming and modest. To me it doesn't have anything to do with weakness, it just has to do with how humble you are in your strengths and gifts. The world wants us to shout about the success and the quantities and victories, but the modest person, the mild person is comfortable with using all the good qualities and talents that God gives and sees them as a service for God and for the Kingdom. I believe the truly meek and humble person has those goals in their hearts before they do most anything. They are Kingdom minded. Meek people are comfortable with quiet praise if offered, yet don't really need any if it is not. They are content that the Godly purpose of whatever they are called to do is accomplished. They can be gentle because they learn to trust God. They can see God accomplishing His purpose in all things, even if it may not look very promising or seem to be running very smoothly. They aren't shaken easily. That is huge amounts of strength! I'm very weak in this. I come unraveled so easily, but I'm learning to trust and though I do have good motives, I desire to see them through with more trust in God. I have good leadership that shows me it is possible to improve in this, yet are ready to admit imperfection in themselves also. What an encouragement to continue to try! I liked the comparison of what people were expecting out of the Messiah when He came and how different Jesus showed the Kingdom to be. The world is still the same seeing weak as strong and the strong as weak. We want outward shows of strength and beauty and pride in our leaders most times not even seeking what inner qualities are there. The Bible tells us when we are weak we are strong and that every victory is in Christ and I believe truly knowing that will reflect in everything we have been given the privledge to do. Humility plays into this because the humble person knows his own weaknesses and can have compassion on others also in their weaknesses. Humble people seek for understanding and wisdom, carefully discerning so as to not judge harshly and to have patience while everyone learns. Truth in love, love in truth.

I can only speak from my experience, but I know there came a time I really saw how low I could go. I was completely unaware of it at the time, but I was drowning in a lifestyle that was without conscience and was saturated with drug abuse, drinking and everything else that comes out of that lifestyle. I became increasingly unhappy and destitute and alone. I call it my "crash and burn" experience. I wanted to kill myself and end the misery somehow but for some reason I heard a voice in the actual planning of that, that simply said, " I can help you." I fell down and cried and cried and KNEW I needed whoever that was that spoke to me. It's been a long journey, one I'm still on! But I know I can't do it myself and I love Jesus so much for rescuing me. He didn't have to see me.... a really bad sinner with addictions and a whole huge amount of baggage.....but He never gives up on me. Ever. I have miles to go. I become aware all the time of my icky stuff. There is great weeping when you see who you really are but there is joy and comfort to know who is pleading for you and to be assured of your salvation because all of it is nailed to the cross and HE is the way as you are refined and grown in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ! He's with us in it. He's for us. He knows! He lived like us! I falter so much in believing sometimes.........but the promise is true......and He WILL complete me. I see so much restoration of my soul that was so damaged. I have better friends and better things to do and light at the end of the tunnels and just HOPE! I'm blessed just to know Him more and that's not even including what's to come in eternity! WOW! Praise God!

It's interesting that a paradox is something that is apparently absurd or incredible, yet possibly true! I think the Beatitudes are aptly summed up by that word! This is so much like the kingdom of God and so different from the world! In the world it's "Me" and " More" and " How I got it because I'm so good, talented, and full of knowledge etc." but in the Kingdom of God it's the opposite. It's dependance on God and knowing our smallness and our weaknesses and allowing God to help us and graciously give to us. It's being like a child and simply believing and seeking and having everything added that HE wants for you. It's hard to believe and seems incredible, because we are never raised that way but it is true. The fruit of the Spirit is of the same understanding. We are instructed in Galatians that the Fruit of the Spirit is in contrast to the way of the world. If we belong to Christ, we live by the Spirit so we follow the Spirit. We ask and seek for this fruit. He supplies and we humbly receive. One thing I've learned is that if I forget to ask for help from the Holy Spirit on any given day, my day will not be as filled with these good traits as on the days I'm abiding and asking for help in these areas. It's not on my own accord I can do these things and have good attitudes. It is by the Spirit and by doing the opposite of the world. If someone offends us, it is human nature to answer the offence or harbor it, but being spiritually minded means we forgive and give compassion and find out what we can do to help them in their hurt, because a hurt is usually behind most bad behaviors. Everyone wins in love. It may take awhile, but it works! That's the paradox! .

I was really convicted on how we are all one in the body. I've always thought so individually and I really think in some ways I was beginning to despise the Church itself for individual problems in the Church. I see it in a much more unified way now and not only with each other, but with God. If I fight or critisize or pull away I am in essence treating God that way and as a small part of a greater part, that effects everyone. I now have a much more "us" view instead of a "me" view. I can trust God more too, because if I understand myself as alone, I understand myself as helpless or hopeless, but if I understand myself as a part of Him.... well that's different altogether! If I understand myself as a part of even my local congregation, then I have others to stand with and if I understand myself as a part of the world wide capital " C" Church....then that's one big family! So there is security in Him there too! I know the Holy Spirit is really doing a mighty work in all this! Other Christians are really starting to open to me too! I've actually been astounded with it the last two weeks. They have been " God happenings!" It's nice to be a part of a good church family and to know God says I do have my part in it and to know nothing can ever change that! He's for me! I'm a part of Him! God has always said that to me in my most desperate alone times. "You're a part of me." but I didn't understand it! When I was first saved at an altar call I sang: Lord prepare me to be a sanctuary, pure and holy, tried and true. With thanksgiving, I'll be a living sanctuary for you! I never, ever knew or thought of all He would show me in that! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! PRAISE GOD!

We should care for our bodies. We feed our bodies and wash our bodies and take good care of them. We should care for the church in the same way. We are members of Christs body. He feeds and cares for us and we should feed and care for the Church constantly. That kind of love will produce people living in service to Christ. When we are loved and cared for, we respond with love also to care for each other. We need to repent of despising the church, because if we despise the church, we are despising not only ourselves as a whole, but we are despising Christ Himself. All are one in Him.

Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her, to present her to Himself as honored, shining and without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish. Christ is washing the chuirch with water, through the Word to make her Holy. Christ feeds and cares for the church. That He feeds and cares for the church to me means this is a process now happening and we will be presented in the future as perfect. The body of Christ looks forward to the day when imperfection gives way to perfection. We will be presented to our heavenly bride groom in radiant spotlessness. It helps me to understand this when I remember learning that we have our salvation, we are working towards our salvation, for our salvation yet to come. Christ died for our sins washing them away, yet He feeds and cares for us today as we work towards our salvation and there is a perfected salvation yet to come. A completed work.

The Word of God works in cleansing and purifying as we read, study and take in what God speaks to us. We fill ourselves with the Word and we put it into practice in our daily lives. We come to know we are set apart for better living and we grow in holiness. The Word of God should be clearly spoken in truth and love to a congregation through many avenues. We can teach or learn during Sunday services, through Bible studies, classes, drama, songs of praise, personal testimony, individual relationships, and in practical application. Congregations should be offered a means by which to practice the Word, as in mission work, or other means that implement "going out" and putting the Word into action. I grow the most I think when I see others live the Word. That gives me hope that my goals are attainable and true Christianity can be a way of life, not just a "do as I say, not as I do" scenario. We should teach the truth about our salvation through Jesus Christ and help others see His great love for all of us. He has compassion on all He has made. We should be patient and loving as individuals grow, letting the Holy Spirit draw them to Himself. We should be examples of His love to others. Agape love that accepts as is but is never content to leave anyone behind. We should encourage with the Word and let the Holy Spirit do the convicting. We should love others so much we develop a bond of peace and grace between us that nutures a trust that enables us to help each other gropw to spiritual maturity. We should grow together, jealously guarding each other to be presented clean and spotless to the bridegroom. God is good. God is love. We should help others to know how high and wide and deep His love really is. It is that love that fills us and overflows out to others. We live a life of devotion to Him because of His love, not because we are afraid of hell, but because we love Him. Even discipline and consequences for our sin end up with us back in His arms again when we belong to Him. If anyone is afraid of God as I once was.....the good news is....when you accept Him, you accept His love and when you accept His love...He REALLY loves you. He helps you and He never, ever gives up on anyone. You're just His. Pure and simple.

The church is to be Holy and set apart for service to God. Christ was the loving sacrifice for the church and the bride is the grateful people who serve Him. All is done out of love for our Savior. We love, because He first loved us. We can't serve whole heartedly until we truly know what has been done for us and what has been given to us. It is our deepest gratitude that awakens our love for Him and cultivates a pure heart to truly serve HIM. The church is Holy because of what Christ has done for her. His death on the cross is her salvation and yet, we as the church are also continually cleansed " through the Word." The Word of God convicts and cleanses us daily. We are being made Holy through the Word. It is crucial for Christians to remain in the Word. We remain in Christ that way. He is the living Word. We live out what He shows us. We have attained salvation through Jesus Christ, yet we are working out our Salvation for our salvatrion yet to come. (1 Peter). We are called to "Be holy as He is holy." We can be holy without being legalistic or judgemental towards others by remembering that though we are striving for the highest goal, we also fail so often. We realize our own imperfections and we remember the grace shown to us by God and we extend that grace towards others. We remember that each one is a masterpiece in the making. He who started the good work in each one will complete it. None of us are done yet. No one has "arrived". All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. We are all in need of a Savior and we all need to help one another to grow into all that God wants us to be. We help others where we can and we accept help when we need it. In love. Truth in love and love in truth. We must do all things from a pure heart because He first loved us. Then we won't be in it to condemn others or to serve for selfish motives like power or money or self gratification. The church is to be Holy and set apart for service to God. Christ was the loving sacrifice for the church and the bride is the grateful people who serve Him. All is done out of love for our Savior. We love, because He first loved us. We can't serve whole heartedly until we truly know what has been done for us and what has been given to us. It is our deepest gratitude that awakens our love for Him and cultivates a pure heart to truly serve HIM. The church is Holy because of what Christ has done for her. His death on the cross is her salvation and yet, we as the church are also continually cleansed " through the Word." The Word of God convicts and cleanses us daily. We are being made Holy through the Word. It is crucial for Christians to remain in the Word. We remain in Christ that way. He is the living Word. We live out what He shows us. We have attained salvation through Jesus Christ, yet we are working out our Salvation for our salvatrion yet to come. (1 Peter). We are called to "Be holy as He is holy." We can be holy without being legalistic or judgemental towards others by remembering that though we are striving for the highest goal, we also fail so often. We realize our own imperfections and we remember the grace shown to us by God and we extend that grace towards others. We remember that each one is a masterpiece in the making. He who started the good work in each one will complete it. None of us are done yet. No one has "arrived". All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. We are all in need of a Savior and we all need to help one another to grow into all that God wants us to be. We help others where we can and we accept help when we need it. In love. Truth in love and love in truth. We must do all things from a pure heart because He first loved us. Then we won't be in it to condemn others or to serve for selfish motives like power or money or self gratification.

Christ died for the church. He purified His people through His death and He continues to show us deep and abiding love every day. God is deeply commited to us. He never leaves us or forsakes us and He is always there to shield us and to give us peace. He is still commited to our sanctification and though He accepts us "as is" He is not content to leave us that way! He is commited to present us as a bride in beauty, pure and spotlessly radiant to our bride groom. I don't know about the sacrifice being selfless or self serving or both. That could get complex. He did die for us selflessly, but everything is always done for HIS glory....so I don't know .....I need help on that one!

We submit to Christ as a church by following the spiritual guidance of the Holy Spirit. We believe in all that Jesus taught us and showed us when He was here on Earth and The Holy Spirit is our helper to remind us and guide us in our daily living. In practical application I believe this means that first we abide in Christ everyday. We seek Him, spend time with Him and we pray and read our Bibles. We never grow tired of the Word in our lives as He speaks to us through the Word. We praise Him and enjoy His creation around us. We thank Him for our families and friends and for being with us every day. We ask to be submitted every day and we ask to be used for His Kingdom. We thank Him that HIS glory will be shown. We are as obedient as we can be to what He asks of us. When we do this, we put off our old self. We are filled with the Spirit and we submit to the higher calling we are called to. We show fruit of the Spirit and we live a sacrificial life. We are teachable and we seek forgiveness when we fail. We show grace to each other, knowing how much grace has been extended to us. We live in relationship with each other in forgiveness and love. We die daily to our "self" and we even die daily in sacrifice so others may live. We never know all the examples our daily sacrifices might make in bringing someone closer to God. We are jealous for that for others. Competiveness would be gone and we would seek for the greater good for another. So much good would be seen if a congregation set out to seriously commit themselves to Christ. Christ as the head of the church means to me that we as a body take on the mind of Christ. We think as He thinks and we abide in Him as one. We become holy as He is holy. We are Spirit led and we know our Savior personally. All our trust, no matter the circumstance is in Him and we can rest in His leading and in knowing His love even in the most difficult trials. We open ourselves fully for the Holy Spirit to work through us.

The purpose of constructing a healthy local congregation is to " all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ." We grow together in the knowledge of Christ. We "grow up" together in maturity and as we attain those attributes, we will experience God with us and working through us as one. The church grows when everyone lives under the control of the Holy Spirit.