Grin Vicki I squirmed too lol hugs


--
Lelia - I_love_my_husband
----- Original Message -----
From: "Vicki and The Rors" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Sunday, September 11, 2005 3:39 PM
Subject: Re: Following the Holy Spirit


> Ouch Brad.  Good points.  Thanks for sharing.  Sometimes I wonder if for
> all
> this time I've lived on this earth, how it feels like I seem to know so
> little about what the Lord would have me to do.  That's probably why this
> hit home.
>
> Blessings,
> Vicki
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Brad D" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Sunday, September 11, 2005 2:36 PM
> Subject: [ECHURCH-USA] Following the Holy Spirit
>
>
>> Recently I was listening to a sermon which focused on a litmus test that
>> might help determine whether or not I was following the will of God for
>> my
>> life, that is following the Holy Spirit's guidance in life. The three
>> checkpoints were
>>
>> 1. Am I frustrated?
>>
>> 2. Do I irritate others?
>>
>> 3. Am I jealous or envious?
>>
>> I wouldn't limit these three negative or selfish emotions to that test
>> for
>> sure as certainly there are others that would also serve to show the same
>> result, but I found myself focused on these three. I began to think of
>> jealousy or envy. I found myself looking back at various thoughts or
>> aspirations I had and found they were birthed out of a jealous or envious
>> heart. I look at some I know who never seem to have financial issues,
>> plenty of money to go around, and actually to be even more sinful as long
>> as I'm at it, notice they spend it very foolishly and much on self
>> indulgences. I sit back and wonder if I had that, how I could not only
>> live better personally, but just think how much I could help others in
>> need. Either buy them something they need, or give them money to help
>> them
>> through a rough time, help fund a missionary work in other countries, go
>> on a mission work myself, and here these folks just spend spend spend
>> foolishly. And so, I found myself feeling jealous and envious of what
>> they
>> have, the lifestyle they now have. Granted it wasn't always this way for
>> these people, they worked for it for sure, but still I had those feelings
>> nonetheless. Convicted after hearing this message on following the Holy
>> Spirit, I realized that perhaps my discontentment is birthed not out of a
>> real need fore more things and better lifestyle, but  that I really don't
>> have a clue on what god wants me to do with my life, and that I'm really
>> not letting the Holy Spirit guide me. Or if I am following what God is
>> saying, I've fallen off the spiritual wagon and drifted off to selfish
>> desires. It occurred to me that if I really, honestly, and confidently
>> was
>> following the guidance of God through the Holy Spirit, it wouldn't matter
>> if a neighbor lived a life of perverseness and suddenly won the lottery,
>> or if a different neighbor who was a continuous financial bumbler
>> inherited a wealthy estate and now is set for life, or any number of
>> scenarios that seemed unfair or unjust were to be witnessed. If I felt I
>> really was following god, I would indeed be joyful, and satisfied where I
>> was no matter what I had or did or the like. Perhaps one might parallel
>> it
>> to a husband and wife relationship. If a wife notices that a neighbor was
>> getting a bit friendly with her husband and she was glued with a boiling
>> rage as she watched them converse, if their spousal relationship was not
>> solid, jealousy would rise and take over her will. Where as if they had a
>> rock solid and integretous relationship, she could probably glance over
>> and without a care go change the clothes in the washer or some abstract
>> task. In other words, if we find discontentment, frustration, find
>> ourselves cool towards others or otherwise irritate or aggravate them,
>> become jealous or envious, perhaps we need to look at where we are in
>> relationship with God through his guidance by the Holy Spirit.  If we are
>> indeed following God, what could we possibly be frustrated, irritated,
>> envious or jealous about? We would know that where we are presently, no
>> matter what others may have has no affect on us as God is in control and
>> we are in tune with what is best for us. We know that God wants us to
>> live
>> peacefully, abundantly, live prosperously and fill our days with his joy,
>> and the best method of achieving that in our own individual lives is to
>> follow God keeping our eye on him and not our neighbor. We can live
>> prosperously, abundantly, peacefully and joyfully no matter how much
>> money
>> we have, no matter what we are going through currently in life knowing
>> confidently we are following God and just where we are meant to be at
>> this
>> time.
>>
>