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Volume 6 ... #7
Things Hidden In The Heart That Must Be Taken Care Of
In speaking with a woman in our little church group, I asked her how her brother was doing.
She replied that he had always been very involved in elections. She said she had never been caught up in politics and years ago when her brother found she did not vote, he "rolled his eyes" at her, basically showing his disapproval of her way.
She went on to tell me that she had recently sent her brother some things I have written about our kingdom not being of this present earth so we would not be depressed and such over elections of government of men.
She also sent him one of the books I have written, "Exhortations for the Church," Vol. 4, amazon.com.
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I felt there was hidden resentment in her toward her brother.
Later that night, I called her.
When I mentioned her saying her brother "rolled his eyes" at her, she seemed shocked and at first said, "I didn't say that!" But she did say that.
Finally, she realized that is what she had said.
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I asked her to please pray about this.
Here is her response: "After I prayed God reminded me of a few other hidden resentments in my heart concerning my brother. I have repented for trying to correct him. Thank you for bringing this to my attention. I have asked God to show me any other hidden resentments in my heart towards anyone so I can go forward with a pure heart."
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The wisdom that is from God is first "pure" ... James 3:17 ...
Basically this means without having a bone to pick.
Sometimes our "good works" are actually works which seem to show us to be "right" when others have judged us.
This is certainly a motivation common to all.
Jeremiah 17 ... The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? I the Lord search the heart,
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Gal. 5 ... Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
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A member of our little church group had the "revelation" from God that the flesh never gets any better... and it doesn't.
Paul said he was persuaded that in his flesh there dwelt no good thing.
Romans 7:18 ... For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing.
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Gal. 5:22-25 ... But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance:against such there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
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Our flesh exalts itself whenever possible, often cloaked in "goodness".
We really have to beware of this! Are our "good" works authored by God? or by our own flesh?
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After Jesus arose, HE gave to the church, "some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:" Eph. 4
NT prophets are frequently used by God to help people to get free from traps. This writing is an example of the work of a NT prophet in shinning spotlight on hidden sin so the person might see and repent.