Resisting the Holy Spirit for what?

Confusing with resisting the Holy Spirit against salvation with healing? Painting those who are still in living in disabilities due to their resistance to the Holy Spirit that prevented them from being healed? Romans 14:10 "You, then, why do you judge your brother? Or why do you look down on your brother? For we will all stand before God's judgment seat." Reading Mark, something caught my eyes a long time ago when Jesus was asking a question. I always wondered WHY He was asking that question. What question was Jesus asking? Jesus asked, "Which is more difficult, to heal disease or forgive sin?" (Mk. 2:9). Conversion happens when the Holy Spirit convicts people to feel desperate over the disease of sin and start repenting. There's no self-will or self-centeredness, and no acknowledgement of rights or claims involved of mind without the Holy Spirit. We can't be saved without the Holy Spirit and with regard to salvation, we are touched and cleansed from SINS after the Holy Spirit convicts us to repent and come Christ in faith, only in terms of the disease of sin which is worse than the diseases. People can either acknowledge the conviction of the Holy Spirit to repent and come to Christ in faith. OR Acts 7:51 "You stiff-necked people, with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You are just like your fathers: You always resist the Holy Spirit! 1 Thessalonians 4:8 Therefore, he who rejects this instruction does not reject man but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit. Are people willing to acknowledge the conviction of the Holy Spirit is the question. Since sin often ignores the Holy Spirit... not many will acknowledge. People will (as 2 Timothy 3:7 says) always learning but never able to acknowledge the truth. James 1:12 Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. James 5:7 [ Patience in Suffering ] Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord's coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains. Romans 8:18 [ Future Glory ] I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. Romans 5:3 Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance. Hebrews 13:9 "Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings. It is good for our hearts to be strengthened by grace" Do not forget to do good (Hebrews 13:16) to help the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed (Luke 14:13-14). God will be glorified who use their spiritual gift for "help others" and "works of service"(1Corinth. 12:28, Eph. 4:12). So, what is the most balanced biblical statement regarding healing? Healing does happen and at the same time, God will commend you for your faith, if you have not received what has been promised (i.e. healing) before you die. God has planned something BETTER for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect (Heb 11:39-40). Hebrews 6:10-12 God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them. We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, in order to make your hope sure. We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised. Luke 14:13 But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, 14and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous." Those who focus on healing will forget Christ's commandment on Luke 14:13. Healing is a wonderful spiritual gift and blessing. So does gift of helping others. 1 Corinthians 12:28 "And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues."

Blessed

Matthew 6:33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Biblically, the emphasis is not about happiness but about holiness. God is more concerned about holiness in my heart more than about my emotional being (i.e. happiness). God commanded is to be holy (actually blameless) because He is holy (1 Peter1:16 & Lev. 11:44,45). I should be seeking to KNOW God and HIS Will. I need to "take delight in the Lord, and He will give me my heart's desires" (Psalm 37:4). If I am seeking God for my own selfishness (self-interest) other than my personal salvation with Jesus Christ is a form of idolatry. I need to guard myself and be on the watch against any object of worship that belongs only to God. Jesus said in Matthew 6:21, "Wherever your treasure is, there your heart and thoughts will also be." (NLT) In Proverbs 4:23, "Above all else, guard your heart, for it affects everything you do." (NLT) In Proverbs 21:2, "People may think they are doing what is right, but the Lord examines the heart." (NLT) God blessed me with wonderful temporal blessings I have and He also gave me grace to live my life as pleasant as possible. Proverbs 20:21 An inheritance quickly gained at the beginning will not be blessed at the end. Matthew 5 The Beatitudes 3Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. 5Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. 6Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. 7Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. 8Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. 9Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. 10Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. Ephesians 1:3 [ Spiritual Blessings in Christ ] Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. Hebrews 7:7 And without doubt the lesser person is blessed by the greater. James 1:12 Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. James 5:11 As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job's perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.

Lordship is Love

Lordship is not faith. Lordship is LOVE. 1 Corinthians 13:13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. 1 Timothy 1:5 The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. Matthew 22:36-38 (New International Version) "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'This is the first and greatest commandment. Luke 14:27 And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. Luke 14:33 In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple. 2 Corinthians 8:7 But just as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us —see that you also excel in this grace of giving. Ephesians 3:17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love. Colossians 1:5 the faith and love that spring from the hope that is stored up for you in heaven and that you have already heard about in the word of truth, the gospel. 1 Thessalonians 1:3 We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Timothy 1:14 The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 1 Timothy 4:12 Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity. 2 Timothy 3:10 [ Paul's Charge to Timothy ] You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance.

Pharisaic-dominated society

We Christians stand together on the basic truth that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. We are saved by faith in Christ, alone; without works and without our merit. Faith is believing and receiving, as in Acts 16:31: "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved;" and as in John 1:12: "But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe in his name." Action without faith is directionless and empty. Faith without action is comatose or dead. What does our action (or lack of it) reveal about your faith and mine? The Bible says, "The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart," that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming: That if you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved (Romans 10:8b-10). The heart believes and the mouth confesses. Both are necessary to salvation. After salvation (eternal promise), Christians will receive God's blessings (i.e. healing) in God's discretion, not ours. God do not reward us based on merit but rather according to His glory and plan. This is where we should have a serious responsibility in this matter to search in our hearts about our motives when we try to glorify God. A true Christian believes Jesus is the true God, not in order that he/she may temporal blessings. Faith secures from the promise of the indwelling Holy Spirit for eternal blessings. In the days of Pharisees. They felt they have earned the blessings from God through their works and faith when Jesus publicly rebuked them. What was so bad about the Pharisees' hypocrisy? If we think of it as consisting merely in their teaching or pretending one thing while in fact practicing something contradictory, we will miss Jesus' main point. Would we be rejoicing to live in a Pharisaic-dominated society? Would we be rejoicing to live in a Pharisaic-dominated society? Jesus said to the Pharisees one day as they picked up stones to stone an adulterous woman: Whoever is "without sin... throw the first stone."

Great Faiths

The Old Testament taught me examples of GREAT faiths (See Hall of Faith, Hebrews, Chapter 11 which made references to the Old Testament). You can never have much faith unless you are dissatisfied with the way you are now, and are longing for something better. All through the Bible, the great enemy of faith is a complacent spirit, an attitude of self-satisfaction with the status quo. Faith always pleases God, because it comes to grips with our own reality. Christian who have faith understand the reality of their lives. Book of Hebrews talks about "Faith". To me, it is a book about "Faith". The Better Way: Faith 10:32-12:29 The Need for Faith 10:32-39 Examples of Faith 11:1-40 The Exercise of Faith 12:1-17 The Objective of Faith 12:18-24 The peril of refusal 12:25-29 The Practice of Faith 13:1-25 1. Walk by faith in God, not by sight. 2. Walk by God's reason, not by our own fallible feelings and emotions. 3. Walk by God's word, not by what seems right to us. 4. Walk by God's directions, not by human tradition. 5. Walk by God's influences, not by the convictions and practices of the majority. 6. Walk by God's commands, not by the views and customs of our ancestors. 7. Walk by God's desires, not our desires and pleasures in sacred things. Sixteen Old Testament heroes of the faith, Hebrews, Chapter 11 Cain and Abel (verse 4) - his sacrifice of the lamb demonstrated his belief that God would one day send a way to save them from sin. Enoch (verses 5-6) - walked with God Noah (verse 7) - believed that God would send rain even though he had never seen it before. Abraham (verses 8-19) - willingly left for an unknown land and trusted that God would keep his promise to make him father of a great nation even though his wife had no children. Isaac (verse 20) - by blessing his sons continued the tradition of faith Jacob (verse 21)- when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph's sons, and worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff. Joseph (verse 22) - faith that his people would return to the promised land Moses (verses 23-29) - led the people even against difficult odds. Rahab (verses 30-31) - believed that the Israelites were God's people and wished to join them. Gideon (verse 32) - that God would use him to defeat his enemies even though he felt insignificant. Samson (verse 32) - that God could still use him despite his mistakes. David (verse 32) - God can use even young and small people! Samuel (verse 32) - listened to God's instructions and obeyed them. Regarding Joseph: In Genesis 50:20, "But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive." (KJV) "As for you, it was in your mind to do me evil, but God has given a happy outcome, the salvation of numbers of people, as you see today." (Bible in Basic English) "As far as I am concerned, God turned into good what you meant for evil. He brought me to the high position I have today so I could save the lives of many people." (New Living Translation)