Don't be too hard on yourself

Originally posted by sonship
Some of Christians are weak because they need to have a companion or more in their spiritual pursuit. This meets God's need as well as our own. Because it takes care of God's need and not just our self-centered need in an individualistic way, God blesses the individual pursuit. But He blesses more abundantly the pursuit in agape love which seeks to build wi ...[text shortened]... im that is alone, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
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AS THE Nazi regime collapsed at the end of World War II, an order was given to eliminate thousands who remained in concentration camps. The inmates of the Sachsenhausen camp were to be evacuated to seaports where they would be loaded on ships and sunk at sea. This was part of a strategy later known as the death marches.

Thirty-three thousand of the prisoners from Sachsenhausen concentration camp were due to march 155 miles (250 km) to Lübeck, a port city in Germany. Among them were 230 of Jehovah’s Witnesses from six countries, who were ordered to march together. All had been weakened by starvation and disease. How were our brothers able to survive the march? “We continually encouraged one another to keep going,” said one of them. Along with God-given “power beyond what is normal,” their love for one another helped them survive the ordeal.—2 Cor. 4:7.

http://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/2013604

Originally posted by robbie carrobie
By this we will know that we originate with the truth, and we will assure our hearts before
him regarding whatever our hearts may condemn us in, because God is greater than our
hearts and knows all things. - 1 John 3:19

That is a good reinforcement of the matter.

The matter of God being greater than our hearts and knowing everything, I have always taken both positively and negatively.

We may excuse ourselves when God knows better.
We may also be too introspective and self condemning when God knows better.

This I would say is more an application of that passage rather than an interpretation.
Either way, God knows everything. And everything about our circumstances He knows far more than we are able to know.

What a Friend we have in Jesus.

Originally posted by sonship
That is a good reinforcement of the matter.

The matter of God being greater than our hearts and knowing everything, I have always taken both positively and negatively.

We may excuse ourselves when God knows better.
We may also be too introspective and self condemning when God knows better.

This I would say is more an application of that passage r ...[text shortened]... our circumstances He knows far more than we are able to know.

What a Friend we have in Jesus.

Yes its a beautiful scripture.

YouTube&list=PLwsxXNL5D3IKdjnbAch920GIJCdED1wAP&index=4

Originally posted by sonship
That is a good reinforcement of the matter.

The matter of God being greater than our hearts and knowing everything, I have always taken both positively and negatively.

We may excuse ourselves when God knows better.
We may also be too introspective and self condemning when God knows better.

This I would say is more an application of that passage r ...[text shortened]... our circumstances He knows far more than we are able to know.

What a Friend we have in Jesus.

1 John 3
4Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness.
5But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins. And in him is no sin.
6No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him.
7Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. The one who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous.
8The one who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work.
9No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God.
10This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not God’s child, nor is anyone who does not love their brother and sister.

This is good.

Now the thread here is about the enhanced supply that is in the corporate experience of Christ. None of this counters anything you quoted from First John.

How does it relate to First John ? How can this corporate supply of enhanced empowerment be seen in that first epistle of John ?

A few points from the same epistle, not to be taken for granted.

1.) John's burden is that the audience would have fellowship with the apostles and the Triune God.

"That which we have seen and heard we report also to you that you may have fellowship with us, and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ." (1:3)

This divine fellowship is a corporate matter and should not be taken for granted. To be deeply involved in this fellowship increases JOY.

"And these things we write that our joy may be made full" (v.4)

2.) The light encreases and we the Christians have fellowship with one another. This too should not be taken lightely.

"Of we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and are not practicing the truth;

But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from every sin." (vs.6,7)

No need to get too introspective Christian brothers.
More confession ---> more light
More light ---> more fellowship
More fellowship ----> yet even more light
More light ---> even more fellowship

This cycle is of increasing fellowship horizontally and divine light and life from above vertically.

3.) God is love. God is the agape love. How can we say we love God and be out of the fellowship of love for the other Christian brothers and sisters ?

"He who loves His brother abides in the light, and there is no cause of stumbling in him;" (v.10)

More love ----> less stumbling
More fellowship in the Body ----> more walking stably, securely, confidently.

The divine life imparted into the believers is a life that longs for fellowship not only vertically but horizontally as well.

Originally posted by ThinkOfOne
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pnvjewzr5aQ&list=PLwsxXNL5D3IKdjnbAch920GIJCdED1wAP&index=4

Steal away to Jesus - Archie Shepp.

Okay. Okay.
You must know I am a musician.

Please note. The sin overcoming life is not our life by natural birth. It is the divine seed implanted in the one who receives Christ. His life is Him. And He overcomes the world and sin. He destroys the awful works of the Devil.

His life.
His SEED.
Him - Jesus Himself in a form in which He can come INTO people.

"Everyone who has been begotten of God does not practice sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been begotten of God ..." (1 John 3:9)

Now this SEED cannot sin. This, the word of God says, is the basis of the Christian overcoming. It is not the overcoming in his natural life or even his natural goodness. It is her overcoming because of oneness with the DIVINE and NONE SINNING SEED.

Now this SEED, this divine Person is a Triune God. And He is a corporate life and a Body of Christ life.

This life is like the electric current running through many lamps to connect them all together in one flow of power. The flow of electrical current puts all the lamps into a kind of "fellowship".

This connection of the flow of God within the Body of Christ empowers, enables, enhances and overcomes. This Person loves the collective. This sin overcoming SEED, this Divine Person who overcomes loves the current of Himself through an love united Body.

Here is the greater and greater victory.

Originally posted by ThinkOfOne
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pnvjewzr5aQ&list=PLwsxXNL5D3IKdjnbAch920GIJCdED1wAP&index=4

The next one is kind of nice too. Deep River.
Thanks for reference to archie shepp's album there.
Good piano also.

Originally posted by robbie carrobie
AS THE Nazi regime collapsed at the end of World War II, an order was given to eliminate thousands who remained in concentration camps. The inmates of the Sachsenhausen camp were to be evacuated to seaports where they would be loaded on ships and sunk at sea. This was part of a strategy later known as the death marches.

Thirty-three thousand of th ...[text shortened]... nother helped them survive the ordeal.—2 Cor. 4:7.

http://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/2013604

Second Corinthians 4:7 -

"But we have this treasure in earthen vessels that the excellency of the power may be of God and not of us."

Below this in verse 11 he indicates that this treasure is the life of Jesus Himself.

"Always bearing about in the body the putting to death of Jesus that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.

For we who are alive are always being delivered unto death for Jesus sake that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh." (vs. 10,11)

Originally posted by FMF
Should believers ~ if they are struggling ~ perhaps busy themselves with doing good works?

Yes.

The disciples that Jesus called were all doing something and something good, at least as a profession is concerned.

We do not have too much record of Jesus calling loafers who were so idle as to not be employed with any good work.

This is not saying good works can replace Christ.

Christian recognize that Paul said for him to live is Christ and to die in vain.
It is not often noticed that the Christ that Paul lives there is a CORPORATE Christ.

I said the Christ there in Philippians 1:20,21 is a Christ experience by the Apostle in His corporate way. I'll show you.

Here is the famous saying -

"For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain." (v.21)

But look again at the context. The bountiful supply of the Spirit of Christ AND ... the prayers of Paul's fellow Christian brothers and sisters.

Context -

"For I know that for me this will turn out to salvation through your petition and the bountiful supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ. (v.19)

According to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I will be put to shame, but with all boldness, as always, even now Christ will be magnified in my body, whether through life or death. (v.20)

For to me to live is Christ ... " (v.21)

Paul will prevail. Paul will overcome. Paul, though chained and in prison, will not be put to shame but will manifest Jesus Christ living in him. HOW?

"through YOUR PRAYER ... and the bountiful supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ."

It is not through the Spirit of Jesus Christ alone. It is also through the petitioning PRAYERS of his fellow Christian brothers and sisters.

In this corporate experience Paul says for him to live is Christ. To live in the Body of Christ in this way is for him to live Christ. Let us all who love the Lord Jesus go and do likewise.

Originally posted by sonship
Yes.

The disciples that Jesus called were all doing something and something good, at least as a profession is concerned.

We do not have too much record of Jesus calling loafers who were so idle as to not be employed with any good work.

This is not saying good works can replace Christ.

You believe that your faith is meaningless without good works and yet you never seem to emphasise that point, in fact I can scarcely remember you ever mentioning it at all.

Originally posted by sonship
That is a good reinforcement of the matter.

The matter of God being greater than our hearts and knowing everything, I have always taken both positively and negatively.

We may excuse ourselves when God knows better.
We may also be too introspective and self condemning when God knows better.

This I would say is more an application of that passage r ...[text shortened]... our circumstances He knows far more than we are able to know.

What a Friend we have in Jesus.

Well said

Originally posted by FMF
You believe that your faith is meaningless without good works and yet you never seem to emphasise that point, in fact I can scarcely remember you ever mentioning it at all.

It is taboo apparently to speak of good works and righteousness.