Previous Challenge Entry (Level 4 – Masters)
Topic: BRISK (10/12/23)
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TITLE: Boosters | Previous Challenge Entry
By Doug Laird
10/16/23 -
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This is because, “… the worries of the world, and the deceitfulness of wealth, and the desires for other things enter and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful (Mark 4: 19 NASB2020).”
The “fruit” being spoken of here is saved and or edified souls resulting from an advancing disciple’s participation in the Great Commission (2).
The advancing disciples are the ones that ,”… hear the word and accept it (for themselves) and (then) bear fruit (saved and edified souls) thirty, sixty, and a hundred times as much (by sharing it with others).” Mark 4: 20 NASB2020 parentheses mine.
Here on Earth, a human being, is a trichotomous creature, consisting of a body, soul, and spirit.
“Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; AND may your SPIRIT and SOUL and BODY be kept complete (healthy and functional) … (1Thess. 5: 23.NASB2020/capitalization and parenthesis mine).”
Whatever can impact any one of these three parts impacts the others, as well.
Trying to execute the post salvation spiritual life with the limitations of our human strength and abilities will prove to be a frustrating experience (3).
Failing to honor the r-e-s-t-i-n-g principle of the Old Testament weekly Sabbath Day, one can easily find himself or herself just too tired, too often, for God and the things of God.
For an advancing, Church Age disciple, every day is a day to worship God. The weekly Sabbath day is primarily a day of rest.
The Old Testament weekly Sabbath began at sunset on what we would think of as Friday night, and ended at sunset on Saturday evening. Here in the apostate End Times, it is by no coincidence that the world promotes this same time frame as the weekly time to carouse!
“For the time already past is sufficient for you to have carried out the desire of the Gentiles, having pursued a course of indecent behavior, lusts, drunkenness, carousing, drinking parties, and wanton idolatries. In all this, they are surprised that you do not run with them in the same excesses of debauchery, and they slander you (1Pet. 4: 3, 4 NASB2020).”
Getting a sufficient amount of physical and mental rest is a fundamental necessity in order to be adequately productive.
For the advancing disciple, there is the daily need to spend time alone, at rest (undistracted), with the Lord, making the best of his sanctified time.
Until one is born-again, his or her body and soul are alive, but his or her spirit is dead (towards God and the things of God).
If and when one is born-again (4), THEN what had been his or her dead spirit is regenerated (5). As of that moment, the issue of WHERE he or she will be spending all of eternity future has been forever settled (6).
However, the ongoing, post salvation conflict between the new creature (7) that he or she became in Christ, and the hostile (8), old sin nature that remains (9), has only just begun.
Satan can do nothing to undo the results (10) of the Titus 3: 5 and Ephesians 4: 30 work of God the Holy Spirit, but can do much to try to diminish the potential Mark 4: 20 post salvation productivity of a born again believer.
The devil’s objective is to wear down (11) or to distract born again believers from executing the post salvation life of discipleship.
He tries to wear down advancing disciples with adversity. His distractions can come in the form of Earthly pleasure and prosperity (12), as well as adversity.
Discipleship calls for the ongoing growth in the knowledge (13) and in the application (14) of the Word of God. Discipleship begins with one’s own edification, but with the long-term objective of participating in the Great Commission.
. . .
”And Jesus answered him, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone (Luke 4: 4 NASB 2020).”
When Jesus arrived at Jacob’s Well, He was tired from the journey (15). Much to the disciples’ surprise when they came with refreshments, they learned that Jesus had been energized by doing the will of God (16).
In conclusion, if and when we spend time being rested and restored (17), we too, can receive the brisk spiritual boosters we need by learning, and later doing, the will of God.
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(1) Mark 4: 20 (2) Matt. 38: 19, 20 (3) John 15: 5 (4) John 3: 5, ,7 (5) Titus 3: 5 (6) Rom..8: 1 (7) 2Cor. 5: 17 (8) Rom. 8: 7 (9) Romans 7: 20-2(10) Romans 8: 1 (11) Dan. ,7: 25 (12) Luke 4: 6 (13) 2Pet.3: 18 (14) James 1: 22 (15) John 4: 5, 6 (16) John 4: 31 - 34) (17) Psalms 23: 2, 3
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