# Quotes of encouragement



## StriperAddict (Jan 21, 2022)

{Part 1 of ...}

Could this describe a boldness that is consistent with Providence, and Christ's love? 

My testimony is yes and amen, in Christ.  I hope this is comforting.

Remember, (1 Cor 6:9-11)  11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.


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## StriperAddict (Jan 21, 2022)

As humans, even after we've forgiven someone, if they wrong us in the future, our old thought patterns can put them back in debt to us. Immaturely, the score needs to be evened up again. It doesn't work that way with God.

When Jesus went to the Cross He bore every sin—every mistake—of every human who would ever live, not just after He died, but before as well. From the time of Adam, all the way up until the very last person who will ever be born, those sins were in Him (2 Cor 5:21, Rev 13:8, John 19:30, Rom 3:25).

How could He pay for sins both before and after the Cross? Because God isn’t bound by time. We are. He created “time” for us. Look at it this way: If we can be forgiven 2,000 years after He died, why can’t those who lived before He died, be forgiven by His blood too? They can!⁣

His blood payment goes forward and backward. He created the very planets in which we get the notion of time from. The rotations of earth around the sun? He created the earth and sun. Do you see it, dear friend?⁣

This is why Peter said a day is like a thousand years and a thousand years is like a day, to God (2 Pet 3:8).

Understanding this truth allows us to see how He forgives: ONCE. That's all that's needed. The debt is paid forever.

To be clear, the whole world isn't forgiven. Instead, forgiveness is on the table, pushed forward by God, and He’s said, "Please, receive this by grace through faith in my Son.” (Luke 9:35, Ephes 2:8-9, 2 Cor 5:20)⁣

Once we do, the score is settled and we have peace with Him for eternity.

www.mattmcmillen.com/newsletter


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## StriperAddict (Jan 28, 2022)




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## StriperAddict (Feb 1, 2022)

It is my conviction that the enemy wants us to be either opposed to God’s grace or uncertain about it. He would prefer you to be an unbeliever, but if you must be a believer, then be an unbelieving believer. Be one of those double-minded folk who glorify questions that lead nowhere and who worship at the altar of uncertainty. Be someone who is slow of heart to believe God’s word.

Not me. I want to be like Dr. Luke who wrote two books of the Bible and began the first one like this: “I decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, *so that you may know the certainty* of the things you have been taught” (Luke 1:3–4). 
Luke wanted his readers to be certain because certainty is the essence of faith. “Faith is being certain…” (Heb 11:1). It’s being persuaded about God and his promises.
Source: “Grace Disco”

From *Dr Paul Ellis*


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## StriperAddict (Feb 5, 2022)

Saints... You have been "made" partakers of the DIVINE nature. 
This doesn't mean that we are divinity!
What the Lord is saying is that He's truly "MADE" us that way. 
Stop focusing on the false idea of a good you and bad you existing in the same body. The scripture doesn't teach us that. 
Have you not read Ephesians 1? This is 1 long sentence where Paul unpacks our identity. He simplifies what God did TO US, and starts with " BLESSED BE THE GOD AND FATHER OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST WHO " HAS" BLESSED (past tense) US WITH "EVERY" SPIRITUAL BLESSING IN THE HEAVENS "IN CHRIST"! 
These blessings are what makes what's true of Jesus true of us! The same holy, blameless, righteous DNA is in us! The difference is that we are not the cause of it, we are the beneficiaries of it. 
- Corey Jenkins 

#JesusIsDifferent


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## SemperFiDawg (Feb 7, 2022)

On forgiveness: In truth we only give God the latitude to forgive us to the extent we are able to forgive ourselves, and that tends to be very little.  It's a fundamental error, but it exists in almost every believer.  

David said, " For I know my transgressions,and my sin is always before me. "  That's where most of us 'live' even after being saved.  We don't understand that we sin against God, and God ONLY. "Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight."  My sin may _harm_ you, me, or others, but it is only against God that I have sinned.  

And when he forgives, "so you are right in your verdict and justified when you judge.", his forgiveness is just and utterly complete.  Most of us can't grasp that.  It means forgiveness beyond our ability to comprehend.


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## Nicodemus (Feb 7, 2022)

Thank you, @StriperAddict , for speaking in a language us common folk can understand. I appreciate it.


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## SemperFiDawg (Feb 7, 2022)

Nicodemus said:


> Thank you, @StriperAddict , for speaking in a language us common folk can understand. I appreciate it.



.....and use.  Agree completely.


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## StriperAddict (Feb 7, 2022)

Thanks fellas, that's what this is all about. 

For unto us children, such belongs the kingdom...

*1 John 2:12-13*
12 *I am writing to you, little children, because your sins have been forgiven you on account of His name*. 
13 I am writing to you,* fathers, because you know Him who has been from the beginning*. I am writing to you, *young men, because you have overcome the evil one*. *I have written to you, children, because you know the Father.* 

Peace.


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## Nicodemus (Feb 8, 2022)

StriperAddict said:


> Thanks fellas, that's what this is all about.
> 
> For unto us children, such belongs the kingdom...
> 
> ...




Thank you, Walt, you`re one of the good ones. Much respect.


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## StriperAddict (Feb 11, 2022)

Nice look at 2 Corinthians 1:19,20




19 For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us—by me and Silas and Timothy—was not “Yes” and “No,” but in him it has always been “Yes.” 
20 For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God.


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## StriperAddict (Feb 15, 2022)

Romans 6:
17 But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed, 
18 and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.


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## StriperAddict (Feb 15, 2022)




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## StriperAddict (Feb 16, 2022)

The "Try harder" message was a weight in my soul for years until Christ's Easy Yoke and light burden truth became real. Enjoy ...

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“You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions. Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault. But you must continue to believe this truth and stand firmly in it. Don’t drift away from the assurance you received when you heard the Good News.”
Colossians 1:21–23

For as long as most of us can remember, our desire as Christians has been for the church in our generation to experience the same explosive growth that the first-century church knew. In the search for a reason why we have not seen what we have long desired, we appear to return constantly to the conclusion that it must be because we are woefully inferior in our purity of life and devotion to God. This conclusion has led to one message being constantly presented as the solution to all of our problems. This message is preached in churches every week, the length and breadth of the nations. It comes in a thousand different forms, with ten thousand different titles and illustrations, and a multitude of scripture verses are called upon to justify it. What is this great message that the church is pinning her hopes upon? It can be summed up in just two words: try harder!

It comes as a surprise, then, to discover that the early church wasn’t as different from us as we think. In its early years, the church was in the main made up of Jews, not Gentiles. They were a New Covenant people, brought up on stories of Old Covenant heroes. They, too, in their thinking, were a mixture of the Old and New Covenants, of Law and grace. They were as mixed up as we are today!
These Jewish Christians carried over into their new life the old-time religion which brought a deep reverence for Moses and the Law. Many Christians today call that mixture of Law and grace “balance.” The apostle Paul had another name for the belief that the old wineskin can hold the new wine. He simply called it a perversion of the gospel (Galatians 1:6–7) and immediately recognized that this “balanced” message was undermining *the pure foundation of Christ alone which he had laid in his churches*. He saw the seductive appeal of the “try harder to be holier for God” message and repeatedly warned believers not to “drift away” from the gospel of God’s grace that he had preached to them (Galatians 5:1–9). He recognized how the idea that we can move God by our piety (Romans 10:1–4) appealed to the pride of man. He saw it begin to infect the body of Christ and the inevitable resulting division, and in his letter to the Galatians he attacked the “try harder” message with the same zeal as a surgeon taking a knife to a cancer growing on the body. His scalpel was the gospel of grace and with it he set out to unbind a people who were alive, yet wrapped up so tightly in their own performance that they were blind to the fullness of what had been gifted to them; a totally new life, dead to sin, dead to the Law, and alive to God (Galatians 2:19, Romans 7:4). They were very much like Lazarus; risen from the dead but not aware of his new life because he was still bound by grave clothes. Lazarus, though bound and blinded, was not half dead or half alive. He was fully alive. He was just wearing the wrong clothes for a living man! Jesus’s instruction was, “Loose him and let him go!” (John 11:44) For those who loved him, the first part of Lazarus they would surely have unveiled would have been his eyes.

The Father We Never Knew: The Unbinding of The Lazarus Church By The Restoration of The Gospel
Phelim Doherty


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## StriperAddict (Feb 16, 2022)

More Real than we feel. 
- Blake Monroe 

Stop fighting the sin start trusting the change. Our agreement to our newness in Jesus is the power to overcome sin. Sin was overcome by Jesus and we are overcome by his love and grace. 
By grace, through faith, we are holy, blameless, righteous, accepted, beloved, and seen. 

Our feet will get dirty on this road but that doesn’t change our position in Christ. It doesn’t end with our failures of flesh. 

Accept the reality of who Jesus says you are. It is more real than you feel. #acceptthereality #trustthechange
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Amen, beauty for our ashes,
Thanks Abba Father


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## StriperAddict (Feb 21, 2022)

The power of the Gospel is not its ability to make you feel guilty but it’s insistance of your innocence.

—Cana Seminary


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## StriperAddict (Feb 22, 2022)

“In Christ.” Those two words set off thunder in our souls, because they are what qualify us for a grace-laced life of adventure and freedom as a son or daughter of a good Father. You my friend, in Christ, are a new creation! Breathe it in and enjoy the life he has lavished on you today. 

- Jimmy Pruitt


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## StriperAddict (Feb 27, 2022)

What a good read this morning.  A study of grace in context with the heart of Father. 
==============

At the point in a wedding ceremony where the couple have just been married, the minister declares the following words of Jesus: “What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate.”18 At that moment, it is traditional for the groom to kiss his bride, but there can be no such intimacy without the bride’s veil first being drawn back. When we recognize sin-consciousness in the believer as a barrier to intimacy with God (Hebrews 10:1–3, 22), we can see that, far from accusing the brethren and continually reminding them of their sin, the work of the Holy Spirit in the church is to lift up the power of the cross and to unveil to believers that they have been made righteous in God’s sight (Colossians 1:22). The Holy Spirit and the Father are not in disagreement. The Father has declared that our sins are as far removed from Him as the East is from the West (Psalm 103:12). The Holy Spirit is not out to undo the Father’s work! Our natural minds struggle to accept this truth. 

One of the fears we have is that we will abuse such freedom. We fear that, without the threat of God turning His back on us if we sin, we will not be able to restrain ourselves from indulging in sin (Romans 6:1). This is the argument that grace could be used as a license to sin. If we stop for a moment and ask ourselves why we are afraid of such grace, the sad answer is that we each have such a poor record of self-control that we don’t trust ourselves to be free. We actually believe that where grace abounds, sin will abound much more, despite the fact that the promise of God is the exact opposite (Romans 5:20). Part of the reason for our deep suspicion that grace will not result in victory over sin, but will weaken our defenses, is the common misunderstanding of what the grace of God actually is. 

Many believers see grace as merely the absence of a penalty for sin, akin to an eternal amnesty for crime. They see grace as the forgiveness of all of our sins. Great though that is, the grace of God extends much further than the forgiveness of our sins. The grace of God is not merely the absence of something hanging over our lives, it is the living presence of someone in our lives (Ephesians 3:17). With grace, not only are our sins forgiven, but we are made an entirely new creation, indwelt by a power much greater than sin (2 Corinthians 5:17). Being afraid that the grace of God will cause us to sin is like fearing that when the sun rises, the darkness will be able to resist it and remain! This is confirmed by Strong’s definition of the Greek word charis, which we translate as “grace.” His definition is, “Grace: The Divine influence upon the heart and its reflection in the life, including gratitude.” (Strong’s G5485) 

This divine influence is the ministry of the Holy Spirit, whose revelation is like light to our souls (John 16:13). He reveals the things which have been freely given to us (1 Corinthians 2:12) and in the light of God’s generosity, our attempts to merit His blessing through our own efforts are revealed to avail nothing. “Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love” (Galatians 5:6). 

To see what Christ has done in you is a life-changing experience. It is like seeing, as if in a mirror, that your primary identity is no longer rooted in the first Adam (sinner) but in the last Adam (Christ). As the Holy Spirit continues to persuade our hearts and open our eyes to behold the glorious truth that we are children of God and joint heirs with Christ (Romans 8:16, Ephesians 1:18, Colossians 1:27), we are being transformed into His image from glory to glory (2 Corinthians 3:18).

- The Father We Never Knew: The Unbinding of The Lazarus Church By The Restoration of The Gospel
Phelim Doherty


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## StriperAddict (Mar 21, 2022)

*Jimmy Pruitt*

*Hidden*

We live in an Instagram and TikToc culture and many are looking to be seen, noticed and applauded. According to Dr. Maslow, it is a basic human need. It certainly seems to play out in society. However, the scripture indicates there is another and, dare I say it, better way.
To experience a real life that fulfills and satisfies our truest nature is to live hidden with Christ in God. Hidden? It is the complete opposite of the outcry of our culture and yet, it is the only way that the truest and most authentic life can be lived.
The pull toward recognition and fame is powerful, but to live a life that matters for now and for eternity is a narrow path. Choose the hidden way with Jesus, who is your life, and you will experience and enjoy the truest life possible. 

- Jimmy Pruitt


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## StriperAddict (Mar 27, 2022)

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” 2Cor.5:17 

Notice how this verse does not agree with our feelings. If we live by our feelings, then on many days we don’t feel like old things have passed away. We don’t feel like all things have become new. We feel that one day, in the sweet bye and bye, we will become that new creation that God had in mind, but not today, because we see ourselves only through our old soulish mind, a mind conformed to the natural world and not yet renewed by the truth (Rom.12:2) 

But God’s word does not say that one day you will be a new creation, for that is an ordinary thing to say and God’s Word says not one ordinary thing about you or I (John 7:46). It says the extraordinary over us, so that we would live the extraordinary life; the Christ life. God’s Word declares that if anyone is in Christ He IS a new creation. 

It has been to the great detriment of the Church that this aspect of the finished work of Christ; the union of Christ with the believer, has been neglected. Rather than set our minds on things above, where we have been seated with Christ and begin to live from there (Eph.2:6), we remain as the disciples did on the day of Christ’s ascension; peering at the sky, wondering when Jesus will come to us again. We have proclaimed the truth about His resurrection and His ascension, but our silence on the subject of our ascension reveals how much of the modern Church’s vision and life remains tied to the natural realm. Hence the strength of the Church is measured by natural means (numbers, finance, political influence). A conference on “church growth” will usually mean learning new techniques to attract or keep more members. Rarely will it refer to the growth of the Church out of the natural realm into the spiritual. 

Natural thinking can accept the concept that Jesus died for us, but only by the Spirit can the Church see that Jesus died as us; that when He died, so did we, that when He rose, so did we and that when He ascended and sat down in the place of rest and victory, so did we (Eph.2:6). To the natural man, it may appear that a believer or a church’s busyness, their programs and various works, are the measure of their spiritual maturity, or perhaps even their abstinence or separation from the affairs of the world. But both can be done with no revelation of the victory already achieved. Some of the largest and busiest churches in Christendom are full of deeply anxious believers, who live in a constant state of sin-consciousness due to sitting under teaching that mixes the Old with the New Covenants. That “little leaven” of religious teaching drops their gaze off Christ and onto themselves, just enough to keep their vision, their thinking largely in the natural realm.

From - The Abolition of Religion: Learning To See The World Through The Finished Work Of Christ
Phelim Doherty


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## StriperAddict (Apr 12, 2022)

Greetings in His grace. Hope this little note finds y'all well. 






It's a terrible plague that, after having received a new self from God, we still fall into denigrating ourselves as though that's humility. It is more humble—and accurate—to acknowledge what God has made of us _all by Himself_.

In making us His very own new creations (2 Corinthians 5:17), we have or are an outstanding self, one that is compatible and in union with God (Philippians 2:1). Could something in union with Him be less than perfect? I’m thinkin’ not. (See Hebrews 10:10,14.)

Our new self is what’s awakened and renewed through knowing and communing with God (Colossians 3:9,10). When you’re thinking or wondering about God, reading about Him or singing or talking with Him, you’ll also know yourself. He brings the real you out, and reveals you to you so you can live by faith. You're going to like that.

The old self is gone! (Romans 6:6) God took care of that old thing by crucifying it with Christ. He did it! On purpose. Oh, I know that the flesh and all of its feelings would masquerade as you, but it isn’t. The new has come. He’s done it. That’s worth looking at and celebrating now and then, don’t you think? _“Way to go, God!”_
You're not old. You're forever new.

From:
​


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## StriperAddict (Apr 13, 2022)

IS GOD DISAPPOINTED IN YOU? 

Well there you go. You blew it....again. Sigh. And it’s not that you aren’t trying. You are! But you just can’t seem to get it all together. 

That nagging behavior habit just seems to not go away. In fact, it’s probably worse. You can’t seem to read the Bible as much as you should, or pray enough, or witness enough. You just feel like a pitiful excuse for a “Christian”! 

You just know God is thinking, ‘Well I had high hopes for him/her, but they just really haven’t come through at all. I am really disappointed in them.’

That was me to a tee for years and years. If that is you right now, I’ve got good news for you! God is NOT, I repeat NOT disappointed in you! 

Why not? Because to be disappointed in someone would mean two things:

1. You don’t know the future 
2. You have expectations for someone or something that fall short 

Last year, I was disappointed in my favorite basketball team. Why? Because I didn’t know the future and I expected them to be a much better team than they turned out to be. If I had known the future, I would not have had unrealistic expectations. 

So for God to be disappointed in you, He has to not know the future. Is that true? Nope. He knows the beginning from the end. He knows everything you will ever do or say in your entire lifetime. So number 1 above is false. 

Does God expect things of you that you are not delivering? Again, that would be a NO. Jesus said about us, “Apart from me, you can do nothing.” John 15:5. 

God does not “expect” anything from you. Jesus through Paul also said, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Phil 4:13. 

As a believer in Christ, He is your life and HE is fully capable of expressing His Life, His Love, His fruit, in and through you. 

What’s your responsibility? Respond to HIS ability in you. Present your body to Him as a living sacrifice; holy and acceptable unto God. Romans 12:1. 

God loves YOU perfectly. YOU are His prized possession. YOU are the pearl of great price that God gave everything He had to purchase! YOU are His beloved spotless bride without fault or defect. Col 1:22. 

Rest in His love for you. It is impossible for God to be disappointed in you. All He asks of you is to trust Him and enjoy His Life and Love in you. He joined Himself with you for a reason; so that He and you could become one and enjoy each other for all eternity. 

So forget your feelings that say God is disappointed in you. Satan is the accuser. God’s love for you is perfect. And you can take that to the bank. ?

- FB post by David Moss


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## StriperAddict (May 5, 2022)

There is no applause to be had in learning dependence upon the grace of God, and no boasting to be found in true contentment relationally with Him, as these are the result of the Spirit’s work and wisdom, not anything of ourselves.



- *Mike Q. Daniel*
#CarpeCharis #MikeQDaniel #RealGraceLife


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## StriperAddict (May 8, 2022)

(Blessed) Assurance of Salvation

One of the biggest problems in the institutional church is that a mixture of grace and religious rules and laws is taught. Mixing these two things is anathema to the Gospel (see Galatians 1:8-9) and causes people who have been freed by the grace of God to live as though they are still in bondage to the enemy. (see Galatians 5:1, Colossians 2:6 and following)
Teachers who spread this type of teaching often make things very complex and difficult to understand. If we study them carefully, we often find that things just don’t add up. There are nagging questions to which answers never seem to be given.

The Apostle Paul spent a lot of time in Galatians and other places talking about such teaching. In Galatians especially, he was explicit about the need for us to reject any teaching that seeks to put us under obligation to rules or laws.

God makes mankind acceptable through Jesus Christ and there is no other way. Our attitudes and actions have nothing to do with it.
As I interact with people via email, I am often told they have deep concern about whether or not they are saved. I can assure you of this. Those who do not believe that Jesus has provided them with forgiveness and eternal life do not have such concerns. Why would they? They do not believe that He is who He says He is and did what He says He did. Consequently, they are not at all worried about whether they are or are not pleasing or acceptable to Him. They often don't think they need saving or they think they can make it happen themselves by doing all the right things.

In my view, those who are concerned about salvation have obviously already made their decision. They have decided that Jesus is the way to God. That's why they are so upset about the idea that they might somehow not have done everything right or "actually believed" or might just be making this all up in their head.
I've been there, but I can tell you from experience that the changes I have seen occur in me and in those close to me cannot be explained any other way. Over time, you will see such changes too. In the meantime, just relax and live your life.

Now Let's take a look at Romans 8:1-10.
1 Therefore there is now no condemnation at all for those who are in Christ Jesus. (NASB 2020)
There is no judgement that can find you guilty. Why is that?
2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. (NASB 2020)
Really nothing more needs to be said than this. The law of sin and death is "The wages of sin is death." (Romans 6:23) But you have been set free from that law. The law that applies to you now is the law of the Spirit, the law of life in Christ Jesus. Romans 6:23 goes on to say that the gracious GIFT of God is eternal life. There is only one form of eternal life--God's life. That is the life you now have in Christ.
3 For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, (NASB 2020)

This is wonderful news. Watch carefully what it says. What the Law (that means the Ten Commandments and all the other laws in the Old Testament) could not do... The Law could not make you righteous. Nothing you could ever do or refrain from doing could ever make you righteous. BUT, God did it for you by sending Jesus. That's the gracious gift of eternal life. Jesus in you IS eternal life. John 17:3 says that eternal life is knowing God, knowing Jesus.
So, the Law (your behavior or lack thereof) could not do it. Now let’s see what God did for you through Jesus.

4 so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. (NASB 2020)
Watch this now. He made it so that the righteous requirement of the Law is fulfilled, or fully met, in you. Get this. You meet the requirement of the Law. What is that requirement? Righteousness. Perfection.

Ahh, but I hear you saying, "Yes, but it says you who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. I'm not sure I do that. I am pretty fleshly sometimes--maybe even most of the time.

These next verses go into some detail about this, and they say that if you are in the flesh you are hostile to God. Things could look grim if the passage ended here.

5 For those who are in accord with the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are in accord with the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.
6 For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace,
7 because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so,
8 and those who are in the flesh cannot please God. (NASB 2020)
Fortunately, God included verse 9.
9 However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. (NASB 2020)

Here it is. The wonderful and freeing truth of the matter. Everyone who has the Spirit of God in him is NOT in the flesh, but they ARE in the Spirit.

I know, I know. You still act very much the same way you always have. You still have awful thoughts. You still struggle with ungodly attitudes and actions. We’re not finished yet.

10 If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness. (NASB 2020)

That's because the body is dead because of sin. What we're talking about here is that our old patterns of thought and behavior don't (usually) just change overnight. We are told elsewhere in Romans that transformation comes about by renewing our minds.

Mind renewal is the number one way to be transformed in attitudes and actions. Put good things into your mind. Find every good teacher you can, read scripture, listen to uplifting edifying, encouraging music and teaching, fellowship with other believers and talk about Jesus. Stay away from things that cause you to be fearful or full of doubt.

Just a few verses below this we find this gem: Romans 8:15 "For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons and daughters by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!” (NASB 2020)

God didn't give you a fearful spirit. Since that's true, you can be sure that everything fearful you are thinking and worrying about is not from God. It's from the enemy and it's from the world around you.

Here's how it was told to the Philippians, Philippians 4:8-9 “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, think about these things. As for the things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you. (NASB 2020)

Grace and peace to you.
Larry
LarryEiss.com


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## gemcgrew (May 8, 2022)

StriperAddict said:


> In the meantime, just relax and live your life.


And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.


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## StriperAddict (May 13, 2022)

Jesus is the Vine, the Source. 

Horse .... Cart !


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## StriperAddict (May 13, 2022)

Grace Thought
By Charis Grace Lim 

Under the law, God said, “I will by no means clear the guilty, but I will visit their sins to the third and fourth generations” 
(see Exod 34:7) 

But under grace, God says, “I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and lawless deeds I will remember no more” 
(see Heb 8:12) 

Can you see the difference and does it really matter?
Yes, it does! 

To understand the grace of God, it is essential you understand the difference between the Old covenant of law and the New covenant of grace: 

For the law WAS GIVEN through Moses (the servant), but grace and truth CAME THROUGH Jesus Christ (the Son)
(Jn 1:17) 

T0DAY'S SCRIPTURE: 

Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through this Man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins; and by Him everyone who believes is justified from all things from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses.
(Acts 13:38-39 NKJV) 

Grace Is The Only Gospel


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## StriperAddict (May 14, 2022)

Following Jesus and Knowing God’s Will

We are released and freed from any performance metrics, any sense of paying God back, and any idea we may have that our attitudes and actions contribute in any way to our righteousness. God has made us righteous. (2 Corinthians 5:21, Romans 5:17) Jesus has finished the work required to make that available to mankind. Our job is to rest in that, to live dependent on Him, and to yield our bodies to Him as instruments of righteousness. (Romans 6:13)

Romans 8:1–4 Is very clear about this. There we read, “Therefore there is now no condemnation at all for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. (NASB 2020)

Rules, rites, and rituals can never make anyone righteous because we are not perfect like God when we are born of the flesh (in Adam). But Father knew our situation. We were enslaved to sin, so He took the initiative and sent Jesus to be our propitiation, a sin offering for us that fully satisfies the righteous requirements of the law. In doing this, He made an end to sin, condemning it and giving His righteousness to all who will believe Him. The instant we agree with Him that our efforts are worthless and place our trust in Jesus as our only hope of righteousness. All the righteous requirements of the law are fully met in us.

The law of the Spirit, of life in Christ Jesus, has set us free from the law of sin and death—the compensation of sin is death. Now we live under the law of the Spirit, the law of Life in Christ Jesus. The law that says we are not now and never can be condemned.

Since we cannot be condemned and have been freed from bondage to sin, Paul tells us in Galatians 5:1 “It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.” (NASB 2020)

He goes on in Galatians 5:13 “For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but serve one another through love.” (NASB 2020) What I am saying here is that you are free to live as you like, but don’t waste your freedom on things that are never going to satisfy you or things that cause pain for you and those around you. Fleshly behavior is destructive and it stifles your ability to participate in what Father is doing.

Grace and peace to you.

Larry
LarryEiss.com


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## StriperAddict (May 22, 2022)




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## StriperAddict (May 23, 2022)

To be sober minded is to be less inclined to be lured by the toxicity of this fallen planet. 
There is this thin veneer of desirability, which appeals to humanity. We must not think that the flesh is one sided. The flesh can appear spiritual and speak the same language as the most prestigious schools of EVERY WORLD religious thought. When one is intoxicated with the world they will either express it in the vilest of ways from one degree to another, or they will seek to express it in the most appealing and attractive ways. 
Both ways are sourced from the same tree of flesh. The problem is when one attempts to be good and avoid evil. Neither of them are correct. 
One needs to sober up and change sources. #ChristIsLife


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## StriperAddict (May 23, 2022)

To believe it is true will bring you life and hope and purpose. And friend, the world doesn’t have nearly enough of such heroes, modeling God-trusting in the pain.


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## StriperAddict (May 29, 2022)

Grace Thought
By Charis Grace Lim

In Christ, you have an inheritance that is 100% yours because of whose you are and not because of what you do.
Ac 20:32 I commend you to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are made holy.

Like any inheritance that has come to us through the will of another, we are left with only one thing to do:
RECEIVE IT

Col 3:24 Knowing that from the Lord you will RECEIVE the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.

REMEMBER:
Every believer in Christ is AN HEIR.
The word HEIR speaks of an inheritance that you don’t work for, an inheritance that is yours not because of what you do, but because of whose you are!


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## StriperAddict (Jun 2, 2022)

The New Water Guideline Requirements —2018, by
John Lynch

Apparently the word on the street, (some street, somewhere) is that buying into a conviction of living by grace, over a period of time, will cause God followers to pray or read their Bible less. The argument can sound like this: "You have to keep folks on a pretty strict regimen of quiet times and prescribed Bible readings. If you just let people alone with what they'd choose, they'll end up reading only Facebook and cereal boxes." 

While its probably true that a young, new God truster probably needs to know there is a Bible and that God likes to be talked to, this seems to be one of areas where the less we meddle, the better.

Let me try to explain myself. 

I love water. I'm not sure there is anyone in the free world who has loved water as much as I do. Sometimes I'll get on a plane flight and suddenly feel an overwhelming, desperate panic for water. In those twenty-five minutes it takes the flight attendants to come by with their thimbles of beverage, I'm rifling through my briefcase, looking for toothpaste I might suck some moisture out of. 

Watching me throw back a glass of water when I'm thirsty is not unlike observing a pride of lions going after a baby llama. (I apologize)

My point is, nobody has to tell me to drink. I just get thirsty and then I inhale enough water for a family of musk oxen to comfortably bathe in. Sometimes I'll get busy and I won't drink enough water for awhile. But there has never been a time in my entire life, where at some point, my body didn't remind me I should drink some water. Lots of water. Cold water. Refreshing water. 

...Then somebody awhile back came out with a guideline requirement of how much water all of us should drink each day. I can't remember the number. Something like 10-12, large glasses, every day. 

I tried it for awhile. To be a responsible and faithful water drinker. According to someone's sense of how much I should have. ...And a strange thing happened. I began to almost resent water. It felt like an impossible request. I'd lose count and always felt like I was falling behind on water intake. I started sneaking sodas and V8s just to buck the system a bit. 

...Welcome to the fruit of the Law.

Look, every single one of us has a built in desire for water. 

Every single new creature has a built in desire for the presence of God. It's part of our new wiring, our DNA, our being fused together with Him. The author of Psalm 42 knew this. And that author lived before believers were given the new nature of Christ in them, full of the Holy Spirit's indwelling!

"As the deer pants for the water brooks, so my soul pants for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God."

When I first became a believer I couldn't get enough of His Word. I'd read it 12-15 hours a day over that first Christmas break. Then, eventually, I stopped reading it as much. I don't know why. 

But even before I could get dry and thirsty, there they were. The Bible "guideline requirement" folk. They were standing nearby, excited to give me a stratagem to get back into the Word "enough." 

We never gave me a chance to get thirsty. I traded thirst for the fear I'd never get thirsty again. I traded trust of who I was for the lie that left to my own devices I would never want to read His Word again. I traded that sense of desire and its following cold refreshment for an imposed rubric giving me spoonfuls of tepid appeasement. 

I actually think I drank much more water and enjoyed it much more before the water police entered my world, telling me I should drink more water! 

Now, don't get me wrong. There's nothing wrong with a plan to help myself do what I want to do. For water is great even when I'm not dying of thirst. I often keep water by my bedside and Stacey and I take bottles of it in bike holders when we ride during the summer in Phoenix. 

And I know some people need more water. And its good for someone to tell them that, I guess.

Its just that the pursuit of the water guideline can make us lose some of the unrehearsed magic of drinking water simply because its the best drink on the planet. And I don't want to look at drinking water as something I must religiously do or be shamed for not keeping up with others, who clearly are drinking more than the rest of us. 

When it comes to God, this is a huge deal. For one approach will always eventually draw me thirsty to Him and being wonderfully satisfied by Him. The other will make me a great manager of how much God I must have to fill a requirement. And that will never satisfy me. 

If it gets me to water, its really a good thing to get thirsty and to pant after missing God and His revealed Word. It's truly a wonderful experience. Far better than drinking on the hour, when you have no thirst at all. 

~John Lynch
Truefaced .com


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## StriperAddict (Jun 4, 2022)

The Lord didn’t say, “Go and make disciples of all nations, _educating_ them in the name of the Father, Son and Spirit.” Christ didn’t go to the Cross so that your old man would behave better. Your old life doesn't need an education. It needs a funeral!

Christ didn’t go to the Cross to get a student He could be in dialogue with. 

He went for a bride He could be in union with.

Let that sink in.


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## StriperAddict (Jun 14, 2022)




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## StriperAddict (Jun 18, 2022)




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## StriperAddict (Jun 18, 2022)




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## StriperAddict (Jun 18, 2022)

A beautiful reminder from Alan Fadling, author of "An Unhurried Life." Jesus never ran. He was intentional and moved at the pace of grace. What does that say about our "hurry up" culture? What does it say about me? 
From FB, Jimmy Pruitt

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” - Matthew 11:28-30 (NIV)


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## StriperAddict (Jun 19, 2022)

"Living the law is like living beneath a buzzer all the time. All those rules. All the effort. All the paranoia. And before we know it, we’re not even ourselves anymore."  Pete Briscoe

Criticism may not be agreeable, but it is necessary. It fulfills the same function as pain in the human body; it calls attention to the development of an unhealthy state of things. —Winston Churchill

I heard of a guy who is a musician by passion and a music teacher by trade. One day I was sitting in his foyer when a student came in for lessons. Minutes later I heard a few notes of melody followed by a horrific noise. A few more notes and another horrific noise.

I got up to peek around the corner and see what was going on. Every time the student struck a wrong note, the teacher would imitate the sound of a buzzer.

BZZZZ! Wrong! BZZZZ! Wrong! BZZZZ! Wrong!

Living the law is like living beneath a buzzer all the time. All those rules. All the effort. All the paranoia. And before we know it, we’re not even ourselves anymore.

Eventually, living under the law demands that we live in hiding. We can’t let anyone see how messy we are—and as a result, we become pretenders on the outside. “Oh yeah, I’m just great.” “The Lord spoke to me fifty different ways this week, once for each time I prayed!” “After I complete these Sabbath duties, I’m going to calculate my volunteer hours this month!”

But inside we know better, don’t we? The rules criticize us daily and we know we’re failing.

Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin. (Romans 3:20)

Please understand, the law’s job is to make you conscious of your sin. And that’s a good thing. But today when you hear the buzzer, you have a choice: You can stay enslaved marching beneath the buzzer. Or you can seek out an alternative—freedom in grace, for All are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. (Romans 3:24)

Let this truth soak into your dry and weary soul: You are accepted—failures and all—through Jesus. May that nagging failure always drive you toward grace.

From Pete Briscoe


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## StriperAddict (Jun 22, 2022)

The Law of Moses via the human will has a perfect record with zero wins.
Jesus Christ via the will of God has a perfect record of zero losses. 

They are both polar opposite in relation to their role in God's overall plan of redemption.They both do perfectly what they're designed to do. Anyone who seeks to be justified by the Law is in essence attempting to prove God wrong!!
Anyone who acknowledges the truth of salvation in Christ Jesus by grace alone through faith alone is testifying to God's rightness!!

Grace, it really is that simple and profound!


 #IFoughtTheLawAndTheLawWon #TheCrossWorkedOnceForAllTime


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## StriperAddict (Jun 24, 2022)




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## StriperAddict (Jun 24, 2022)




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## StriperAddict (Sep 19, 2022)




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## StriperAddict (Sep 22, 2022)

Grace Thought
By Charis Grace Lim

Jesus came to reveal the Father and be about His Father’s business—And that business was attractive to people whose lives had been miserable, downtrodden and condemned by the religious rulers and teachers of the law.

TAKE NOTICE:

1) God NEVER apply the law to condemn so He can draw people back to Himself. NO!

Jn 3:17 says, For He did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the _world through Him might be saved_.

2) God NEVER reinforce the necessity of following the law as a requirement for eternal life. NO!

V16 says, _Whoever BELIEVES in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. _

REMEMBER:

God NEVER give us something to ACHIEVE in order to be qualified for salvation ...
but _SOMEONE to BELIEVE_!

Grace Is The Only Gospel


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## Madman (Sep 30, 2022)

gordon 2 said:


> It will follow then that to agree with Charis Grace Lim that James should not be in the bible and should be edited from it, that possibly James was falsely claiming the Spirit or Lim's faith is not sufficient to appreciate James' matter of fact opposition to him. These two individuals have opposing doctrines on what grace is.



Going to need to remove The Revelation of Jesus Christ also.

Revelation 14:12 This calls for patient endurance on the part of the people of God who keep his commands and remain faithful to Jesus.

Martin Luther needed both of them out if his "faith alone" was to withstand scrutiny.


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## brutally honest (Sep 30, 2022)

Certainly need to remove “work out your salvation with fear and trembling.”


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## jwf2506 (Sep 30, 2022)

James 2:14-26
[14]What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him?
[15]If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food,
[16]and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, be warmed and be filled," and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that?
[17]Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself.
[18]But someone may well say, "You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works."
[19]You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder.
[20]But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless?
[21]Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar?
[22]You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected;
[23]and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness," and he was called the friend of God.
[24]You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone.
[25]In the same way, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way?
[26]For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.

So what do you do with all this scripture if it is only by faith ?


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## jwf2506 (Sep 30, 2022)

StriperAddict said:


> The Law of Moses via the human will has a perfect record with zero wins.
> Jesus Christ via the will of God has a perfect record of zero losses.
> 
> They are both polar opposite in relation to their role in God's overall plan of redemption.They both do perfectly what they're designed to do. Anyone who seeks to be justified by the Law is in essence attempting to prove God wrong!!
> ...


So you believe that everybody will make it to heaven.......
If you do believe that I have a whole lot of scripture I'd like for you to explain.


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## StriperAddict (Oct 1, 2022)

jwf2506 said:


> So you believe that everybody will make it to heaven.......


No, not implying that.


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## StriperAddict (Oct 1, 2022)

gordon 2 said:


> "the body without the spirit is dead".... I find this an interesting statement.


Its the other side of "Christ in you, the hope of glory".
Without Christ in you, you are dead ... spiritually.


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## jwf2506 (Oct 1, 2022)

StriperAddict said:


> The Law of Moses via the human will has a perfect record with zero wins.
> Jesus Christ via the will of God has a perfect record of zero losses.
> 
> They are both polar opposite in relation to their role in God's overall plan of redemption.They both do perfectly what they're designed to do. Anyone who seeks to be justified by the Law is in essence attempting to prove God wrong!!
> ...


One thing is for sure you have a very different view of the law of Moses "law of Yahweh " ,than king David "A man after Yahweh's own heart" does.


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## StriperAddict (Oct 2, 2022)

jwf2506 said:


> One thing is for sure you have a very different view of the law of Moses "law of Yahweh " ,than king David "A man after Yahweh's own heart" does.


Either the cross worked or it didn't. Either we live by the power of an indestructible life or we hold back some oysters to feed to the law/rules/dogmas etc. of Moses. 
AFTER the cross everything changed for the believers in Christ. Either we walk in that freedom or we stay in bondage. 

*Romans 8:2-3*
2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus _*has set you free from the law of sin and of death*_. 
3 For _*what the Law could not do*_, weak as it was through the flesh, *God *_*did*_: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and _as an offering_ for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh
(*emphasis *mine)


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## StriperAddict (Oct 2, 2022)

The Apostle Paul said it was through the Law that he DIED to the Law, so that he might live for God (Galatians 2:19). 
He is saying that the harder he hustled trying to keep God's commandments, the more death and condemnation consumed him as a result (Galatians2:18). 
It's hard for some to see this, but If your so-called commandment keeping doesn't kill you then you're using it unlawfully! The quicker you let it kill your hope in your self sufficiency & self righteousness the better! Only then can you see the law pointing you to Jesus Christ by grace alone through faith alone! 

There must be a crucible that you soon face that will prove whose guiding you, your flesh (patterned after the knowledge of good and evil) or the Spirit who is your very Life.

#IFoughtTheLawAndTheLawWon!


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## jwf2506 (Oct 2, 2022)

StriperAddict said:


> The Apostle Paul said it was through the Law that he DIED to the Law, so that he might live for God (Galatians 2:19).
> He is saying that the harder he hustled trying to keep God's commandments, the more death and condemnation consumed him as a result (Galatians2:18).
> It's hard for some to see this, but If your so-called commandment keeping doesn't kill you then you're using it unlawfully! The quicker you let it kill your hope in your self sufficiency & self righteousness the better! Only then can you see the law pointing you to Jesus Christ by grace alone through faith alone!
> 
> ...


I could insert lots of single verses that shows Paul saying the law is good and should not be discounted but I  believe the bible should be read as a whole and not single verses picked to make a sermon. I know Paul's writings are tough to understand but I also believe that the law of Moses and Grace can and should be harmonized. 
I also believe Yeshua meant what he said in Matthew 5:17-19 "Do not think that I came to abolish the law or the prophets I did not come to abolish but to do completely.
BUT TRULY I SAY TO YOU UNTIL HEAVEN AND EARTH PASS AWAY NOT THE SMALLEST LETTER OR STROKE OF THE PEN SHALL PASS FROM THIS LAW UNTIL ALL IS ACCOMPLISHED.
Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments and TEACHES others to do the same, shall be called least in heaven but whoever keeps and teaches them shall be called great in the Kingdom  of Heaven.

Now keep in mind  Heaven and Earth is still here they haven't burned up yet like the scriptures tells us they are going to.

So do you believe  that Paul and the other disciples was wrong for keeping the law of Moses long after Yeshua was gone ? And we know for sure they was because there is lots of scripture that proves it.


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## StriperAddict (Oct 2, 2022)

Paul said that he died to the law so that he might live to God. (Galatians 2:19-20)

Also,
21 I do not set aside the grace of God, for *if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing*!

Was Paul lying? Or deceived?

Rom 7:
5 For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions *were aroused by the law* in every part of us and bore fruit for death. 
6 But now *we have been released from the law*, since we have died to what held us, so that *we may serve in the new way[c] of the Spirit and not in the old letter* of the law.

The perfect standard of the law was to bring about the knowledge of our sin, and point to Christ as the solution for righteousness. 

Rom 8:
3 For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God _did_: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and _as an offering_ for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, 
4 so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.  

Peace


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## jwf2506 (Oct 2, 2022)

StriperAddict said:


> Paul said that he died to the law so that he might live to God. (Galatians 2:19-20)
> 
> Also,
> 21 I do not set aside the grace of God, for *if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing*!
> ...



Paul was not lying nor was he deceived he fully understood that you are to keep the commandments of Yahweh while understanding the only way to heaven is by grace .
It's not one or the other, it's by both and that is why Paul and others continued to keep the law after Yeshua ascended into heaven.
Paul like many others know that we will fail and have to crucify the flesh daily and are thankful when we do fail that we have an advocate with the father and this is the reason Yeshua was sent NOT to do away with the law but to take away the sting which is death from not following the law.
The law is perfect and good just like king David says.
We do not follow the law for justification or salvation we do it because Yahweh says we are to these things as they are a permanent statue for ever and ever through out all your generation , Just like Yeshua explains in Matthew 5:17-19 he did not come to destroy law or the prophets. 

I'm not trying to argue with you or even trying to change your mind, I just see it differently than you


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## StriperAddict (Oct 5, 2022)

?

What if the goal in life is to realise Christ and enjoy Him in every moment? 

Congrats Mr. Gordon, flesh and blood has not revealed the divine .... 

Press on in peace.  "Let mot man and his many trappings hinder thee" -anon


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## StriperAddict (Oct 5, 2022)

*2 Corinthians 3:6 TPT*
He alone makes us adequate ministers who are focused on an entirely new covenant. Our ministry is not based on the letter of the law but through the power of the Spirit. The letter of the law kills, but the Spirit pours out life.


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## StriperAddict (Oct 6, 2022)

When Paul said, "I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ" (Rom 1:16), he wasn't talking about not being ashamed to live righteously and morally in a world full of sinful people. He went on to explain that the gospel is a matter of receiving the free gift of God's righteousness, apart from how one lives. In his life before Christ, Paul already had confidence in his fleshly abilities to live righteously and morally... and that is what he said he had to count as dung so that he could embrace the true gospel.  Philippians 3:8-11

In order for Paul to be "found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is by faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith" (Phil 3:9), Paul had to chuck aside any and all of his sense of his own righteousness and morality according to the law - which would have been a major deviation from his previous stance in life and from what his Jewish brothers expected of him.

It's this 180° turn that Paul was not ashamed of.  It wasn't a turn from unrighteous living to righteous living that Paul was now standing for.  _It was a turn from trusting in righteous living to trusting in Christ alone for righteousness!  _That's the gospel - the gift of God's righteousness given freely to all who believe.


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## StriperAddict (Oct 8, 2022)

Time out? 
Perhaps Post the above  in the Q&A forum if you please Gordon. The purpose of this thread is for encouragement. While I don't discount the need to break away for answers for a season, perhaps notes for delving into the 'religious' side are for the Q&A area. Just a suggestion going forward. 

Peace.


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## StriperAddict (Oct 8, 2022)




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## StriperAddict (Oct 9, 2022)

The law of liberty in Christ is often  overshadowed by the law of trying harder,
And harder,
And harder ... to attain something the body of Christ already has: eternal life!

And when all that trying beats ya down you get told to come and rededicate and redouble your efforts to  ...
Try again!  
Ugh!


Grace is not that exhausting, especially since it's a finished work. Rejoice!


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## StriperAddict (Oct 11, 2022)




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## StriperAddict (Oct 11, 2022)

gordon 2 said:


> I suspect that for RALPHHARRIS. ORG "to be good" might be impossible of an individual, but I don't know.


Note in the post, the part about the (false) need for "moral measurements and estimates to determine spiritual authenticity devotion and progress".  This self-righteous, self-sufficient stance is what makes shipwreck of many a believer's faith. Superficial religious good works will look good on the surface, but Jesus himself said, _*apart from me*_ ye can do _*nothing*_. 
Both the poster Ralph Harris and the Apostle Paul make it clear that Joy comes with believing.

Horse first then cart, Vine then branches, the Spirit produces the fruit, and then we joyfully get to reflect Christ. We enjoy our relational sufficiency in Christ which is NOT of ourselves, and the fruit flows from the relationship. These are the works of the Spirit Christ produces in and thru us. 

Romans 15:13
May the God of _hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing_, that you may _abound and be overflowing with hope_ by the power of the Holy Spirit.

That's not complicated, just pure Holy Spirit encouragement. 

(Emphasis _mine_)


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## jwf2506 (Oct 12, 2022)

StriperAddict said:


> The law of liberty in Christ is often  overshadowed by the law of trying harder,
> And harder,
> And harder ... to attain something the body of Christ already has: eternal life!
> 
> ...



What's so great is that "Grace" did not start when Yeshua came on the scene it was long before because Noah found grace in the eyes of Yahweh,  Genesis 6:8


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## StriperAddict (Oct 12, 2022)

Certainly. Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him for righteousness. By grace thru faith has always been Father's means to fellowship with Him.


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## StriperAddict (Oct 17, 2022)

“I’ve decided if I had my life to live over again, I would not only climb more mountains, swim more rivers, and watch more sunsets. . . .  I would not only go barefoot earlier in the spring and stay out later in the fall; but I would devote not one more minute to monitoring my spiritual growth. . . .  What would I actually do if I had it to do all over again? . . .  I would simply do the next thing in love.”

—Brennan Manning, The Furious Longing of God


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## StriperAddict (Oct 25, 2022)

Run John run, the law commands
But gives us neither feet nor hands,
Far better news the gospel brings:
It bids us fly and gives us wings.  

- John Bunyan


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## StriperAddict (Oct 28, 2022)

There's a big difference between knowing what something says and knowing what it means. Millions of Christians know what the Bible says. But many do not know what it means because that can only be revealed by the Spirit. Man's pride rebels against the idea that he cannot understand spiritual truth on his own.

We need the Holy Spirit to open our minds to the things having to do with the unfathomable riches of His love and grace, those things that "God has freely given us." Those truths are described in 1 Corinthians 2:9 this way: "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him."

In order to understand the things that God wants to teach us regarding His grace, we must have a humble, teachable attitude, for "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble" (James 4:6). Just as the same sun that melts wax hardens clay, the same message of God's grace that softens the heart of the humble hardens the proud. The proud cannot receive grace because the proud will not receive grace. The offer of grace is offensive to the proud heart. That is why an uneducated but humble person will receive far more genuine and intimate knowledge of God Himself than a highly educated but arrogant theologian.

When we humbly and dependently allow the Spirit to teach us, we will know the truth. When we are so busy doing spiritual activities that we cannot hear what the Spirit is saying, then we become candidates for falling into error. That was my problem. I was so busy with spiritual activities - good things - that I didn't realize that error had crept into my thinking. I needed to be still and listen to the Spirit. I needed to go back to the Word with an open heart and hear what God was saying.

That's when I discovered the incredible liberty that we have as Christians. We have been set free to enjoy life in all its fullness! That freedom provides us with the means to become what we really want to be  holy people with hearts for God. In our own power, we can never make it. All of our human efforts ultimately end in frustration.

From FB, 
THE TRUTH ABOUT ERROR
By: Bob George


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## StriperAddict (Nov 11, 2022)

You are Free

What happened at the cross gives us freedom from sin, freedom from guilt, and freedom from condemnation.

Since we have died to the law, died to the worldly idea of moralistic behavior as the way to righteousness, sin no longer governs us. We are free to behave in godly ways, just as the grace of God teaches us, from the heart. We are free to do as we please, and doing good, walking by faith, and walking in love pleases us—much more than we usually think it will.

At the cross, Jesus died and then He rose again for our justification. Being justified fully by His blood, the giving of His life, our record of sin has been expunged. God was in Christ reconciling us to Himself, not counting our sins against us. Justification removed our sins completely and God has chosen to forget about them eternally. (2 Corinthians 5:17-21) Since our record is spotless, there is no basis for guilt.

Jesus rose from the dead never to die again. We were raised with Him and, like Him, we are never to die again. We have passed from death to life and therefore there is no condemnation for us. Because we were crucified, dead, and buried with Him our old sinful, guilty and condemned self has been recreated and reborn by the Spirit of God. We've been placed into Christ; sealed there by the Holy Spirit. We've been made one spirit with Him. Condemnation has no relationship to such as we.

Live each day from the truth of this. You may be surprised at how He is changing you.

Grace and peace to you.
Larry

LarryEiss.com


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## StriperAddict (Nov 15, 2022)




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## StriperAddict (Nov 24, 2022)

The devils masterpiece is the Pharisee, and not the prostitute..

Truth.. There is no Pharisee in the genealogy of Jesus, but there is a prostitute !!  Matthew 1:5  Rahab


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## StriperAddict (Sunday at 7:55 AM)

The wrong one will find you in peace 
and leave you in pieces.
The right One will find you in pieces 
and lead you to peace.


Ps 23:5b The Message

You revive my drooping head;
    my cup brims with blessing.


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