Building Yourself Up in Your Most Holy Faith

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Sudsy
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Re: Building Yourself Up in Your Most Holy Faith

Post by Sudsy »

Another way to build ourselves up in our faith is to quit complaining about things not right in this world. The root cause of complaining is often discontentment. It really is a poor testimony to the world that indicates we are not a thankful, joyful, peace filled believer in Christ. I really need the power of God working in me to right my thinking that I have nothing to complain and feel discontented about.

"Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world" - Philippians 2:14-15.

I'm asking the Holy Spirit today to give me conviction if what I say comes out as a complaint or grumble and to empower me to be a better light to the world in this area.
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Sudsy
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Re: Building Yourself Up in Your Most Holy Faith

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I realize this is about building yourself up but I believe one way is in building up the church as Paul spoke to the church in Corinth. Exercising the gift(s) we are given. 1 Cor 14:26
Well, my brothers and sisters, let's summarize. When you meet together, one will sing, another will teach, another will tell some special revelation God has given, one will speak in tongues, and another will interpret what is said. But everything that is done must strengthen all of you. NLT
Seems to me this has changed considerably in my life experience. Back in the 50's and 60's this was a common practise in our Pentecostal church. We had this period during a service where anyone who had a spiritual gift that they believed would build up the church, would be free to exercise it. Some might quote a psalm, some sing a verse ore two of a hymn, some a word of teaching or sharing something God had revealed to them. Some spoke in an unknown tongue and they and/or others would interpret. It was all for the purpose of building up one another in the church.

Strange how this way is not the norm in most churches today and perhaps is a good reason to keep local church groups small in number of members yet have many of these small, local churches.

Some have tried to do this in a 'care group' environment where we meet with approximately a dozen other believers. Although this is our practise to have many 'care groups' it usually is to follow a certain study format, pray and share. Not quite like what Paul mentions with these various spiritual gifts in operation. However, it is a building up for sure and we challenge and encourage one another to put things into practise and share the results.

What does your local church do to involve everyone as parts of the body to contribute with their gifting(s) to build each other up ? What do you pursue doing as a group outside the church ?
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gcdonner
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Re: Building Yourself Up in Your Most Holy Faith

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Sudsy wrote:Philippians is a great book to put into practise when discouraged. In my life I allow discouragement to occur because of listening to too much negative crap going on in this world. CNN is one of those sources that can be very discouraging in it's 'breaking news' which most often is about something gone wrong.

And what are we told to do - Philippians 4:8 - "Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things."

And my guess is that there are more discouraging things talked about in Christians forums than there are encouraging things. I'm as guilty as anyone.

Bottom line for me is to face up to the fact that discouragement is a choice I am making when I have all kinds of direction in the bible on how not to think discouragingly. It is a transformed way of looking at things. A renewing of our minds to think differently than the world.

Paul sounded discouraged when talking about his 'thorn in the flesh'. But then he snapped out of it by believing God that God's grace was sufficient enough for him to deal with this situation. He believed God that it is in our weaknesses Christ is made strong in us as we trust in Him. He goes so far as saying - “Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me” (2 Corinthians 12:9). May not sound humble to boast but there is a 'boasting in the Lord' that is appropriate.
You should be watching Fox news not CNN (Clinton News Network)... :rofl:
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Sudsy
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Re: Building Yourself Up in Your Most Holy Faith

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gcdonner wrote: You should be watching Fox news not CNN (Clinton News Network)... :rofl:
I guess that would be a better choice regarding getting discouraged. :lol:
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Bootstrap
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Re: Building Yourself Up in Your Most Holy Faith

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gcdonner wrote:You should be watching Fox news not CNN (Clinton News Network)... :rofl:
Seriously, almost all television news uses sensationalism and emotional manipulation to get your attention, and the world they create is often scarier and more depressing than real life. I don't think Fox and CNN are terribly different in that regard.
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Sudsy
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Re: Building Yourself Up in Your Most Holy Faith

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Bootstrap wrote:
gcdonner wrote:You should be watching Fox news not CNN (Clinton News Network)... :rofl:
Seriously, almost all television news uses sensationalism and emotional manipulation to get your attention, and the world they create is often scarier and more depressing than real life. I don't think Fox and CNN are terribly different in that regard.
I agree. I think their ratings are most important to them and they know how to push people's buttons.
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Re: Building Yourself Up in Your Most Holy Faith

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A few thoughts on Valerie's questions in the OP ...
  • I find I need songs and prayers to put everything in God's hands and let him take care of them. If I wake up in the middle of the night feeling anxious, I need to know what to do to orient myself to God and let it go.
  • Prayer, serving others, fellowship, and time spent in the Bible are really important disciplines for me. If these get lost, it's easy to see my life becoming less about what the Bible is about.
  • Much of what is in the news is completely beyond our ability to control, and often beyond our ability to fully understand. Very little of the news is urgent or central to what you or I need to do today. If it's making you too anxious, it's perfectly OK to let it go and focus on your own areas of responsibility and giftedness. The scariest news sources often have a really bad track record when it comes to accurately telling you what is going on. If they keep you engaged by keeping you anxious and angry and aggrieved, portraying current events as a form of warfare, let it go and find a calmer source of news.
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