Christianity Oasis Forum

[Mackenaw]

Hello Everyone

God bless you this day.

I am a fan of the TV Show "Dog Whisperer." Every time I watch the show, I'm amazed at how quickly a seemingly out of control dog changes when Cesar Milan handles the dog. Over the years, I've picked up on some things: such as, just because a dog is obedient, does not mean it is submitting to the owner. In other words, the dog does what the owner tells it, but it doesn't necessarily rid itself of the desire to do the opposite. The dog must learn submission. Submission is key.

Over the years, I've learned that The Holy Spirit uses nearly every circumstance in my life to teach me something. He'll use The Bible, studies, music, TV, movies, relationships, strangers, conversations, gardening, household chores, etc -- the list goes on and on. The Holy Spirit will use whatever He wants to teach us and to guide us into all Truth.

Well, it seems He used the principles taught by Cesar Milan, The Dog Whisperer, to teach me something, too. I guess you could say, The Holy Spirit taught this old dog, Mack, some new tricks.

I understood obedience, but...in some areas, I did not totally submit. The Lord wants total submission.

Example: Someone says something to me that I believe to be mean and unfair. I pray that I can hold my tongue, and not bark back. (teehee, pardon the pun) But, the offense keeps nipping at my heals -- the thought of the offense keeps popping into my mind. I take the thought captive, and submit it to God. Oh wait...I submitted, or did I? Did I fully submit, or did I just obediently go to The Lord, but then say something like "Lord, they were so mean!!!"???

I went to The Lord in obedience, and I was able to hold my tongue. Thank You Lord!!! But, did I really become submissive to The Lord, to the point of peace and resting in Him?

Ahhhhhhhhhhh, submission! If I don't feel at peace then I'm not at rest in Him, therefore, I need to continue being obedient to the point of total submission -- the place where peace is. Blessed Rest!!!

Honestly, for me, some offensive circumstances take only a few minutes to overcome, while others still can take a few days.

Anyway, I thought I'd share what The Holy Spirit taught me about submission. Hope it blesses you like it blessed me. God is so Good!!!

God bless and keep you.
Love,
Mack

[vahn]

Thank you for sharing this insight Mack , very good thread , anything that makes me go "hmm" is a good thead . (and I go "hmm" everytime I read your insights ... )

Submission is key .

Amen to that , it syas it all .

The Holy Spirit will use whatever He wants to teach us and to guide us into all Truth.

Yet another big Amen . My mind immediatly went to "He , used a donkey didn't He ?" . Here's the better part , and my initial plan for reply was to leave it at that . But , I didn't know where that verse was , or in what content it was used , and as usual , I wanted to make sure to engage mind before putting mouth in gear . So , here I am , frantically sifting through the Word trying to find where and why the Lord resorted to the donkey to do the talking , and my smarter half (Jill) hops on the cyber-highway and says "Numbers : 22" !! ... Sometimes , I tellya !! . of course I HAVE to outdo her right ? ... not only I read the whole chapter , the crescendo of the whole came in the 23d chapter verse 12 , "I will speak ONLY the message that the Lord has put in my mouth" . ... Beautiful !!

When the king sent his first messengers , Balaam's immediate response was , "Lemme see what He has to say about this" ... His submission was to the Lord , and he obeyed what the Lord told him ..."Say no!" ...and he did , he told the king no ! ... But however , upon the king's second request (with more money) ...Balaam's submission shifted , but he told the Lord regardless , which angered the Him , and He said "Yeah ? ... go ahead ! (Lets see who's gonna have the last say on this) ...and Balaam OBEYED , and he ended up with a donkey that started talking instead of BAYING . ... (the Lord brought Balaam to the donkey's level ? ..perhaps ?)

I would like to thank once again for bringin this up , I have two reasons . (maybe that why I'm thanking you twice ? )

It made me go through the Word again (the greater blessing)... and two , It reaffirmed my outlook on the difference between religious and Spiritual people . religious people OBEY , because they are scared witless of going to hell if they don't they don't , (though some/most do) necessarily want to have anything to do with the Lord or His Kingdom ... they just don't wanna end up in hell that's all .... Spiritual people submit , because they had already been to hell , and heard a lot of donkey talk , and finally realized that it was the LORD that got them out of there .

Here's the catch I'm scratching my head on right now ..... ALL Spiritual people WERE religious once .... Does not submission and obedience HAVE to go hand in hand ? ... That we cannot do one without the other ? Is it , or rather , isn't it a matter of who or what we are submitting TO that spells the deciding factor of our obedience ?

Now you making me thank you for the third time .... this one is in advance for answering my head-scratcher .


Luv ya
In Christ , our Lord
vahn

[deborahwarrior4god]

awesome insight mack! it made me think of the pharisees as 'white washed tombs'... doing the motions but without the right heart. It can be very tricky sometimes.

[Mackenaw]

Hello Vahn

God bless you this day.

Thank you for your response. The story of Balaam and the donkey is a cool story. Although Balaam was a prophet, he had some real character flaws. God can still use those of us with big ole character flaws. Wooooohoooo!!! I also love the part where the donkey talks. After the donkey speaks, it says that Balaam answered "Nay" (Numbers 22:30) That always cracks me up and "Nay" is the sound often used to describe the sound that a horse makes. Sooooo, in this story, the donkey is speaking words (as a man would) and the man is speaking horse/donkey sounds. olol I know, silly, but it makes me giggle.

You said:

Is it , or rather , isn't it a matter of who or what we are submitting TO that spells the deciding factor of our obedience ?

Yes, it does matter. If we submit fully to The Lord, He'll have us also submit unto others, as unto The Lord -- for His purpose.

James 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

I Corinthians 16:15-16 I beseech you, brethren, (ye know the house of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and that they have addicted (set) themselves to the ministry of the saints,) (16) That ye submit yourselves unto such, and to every one that helpeth, with us, and laboureth.

Hebrews 13:17 Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.

I Peter 2:13-14 Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; (14) Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well.

I Peter 5:5 Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.

God is good to instruct us in The Way -- His Way --, desiring that we become unified and one with Him.

I Corinthians 7:20-24 is an excellent read concerning jobs and bosses in the workforce -- even the difficult ones. I like what it says in I Corinthians 7:24 Brethren, let every man, wherein he is called, therein abide with God.

In other words, do all your work unto God. Submit to God.

God bless and keep you, Vahn.
Love,
Mack

[Mackenaw]

Hello Deborah

God bless you this day.

You said:

it made me think of the pharisees as 'white washed tombs'... doing the motions but without the right heart. It can be very tricky sometimes.

Yes, it can be tricky, as we cannot always trust our own hearts. But, we do have The Holy Spirit to guide us, and He will if we will submit unto Him.

Philippians 3:15 Let us therefore, as many as be perfect [mature], be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.

[] emphasis added by Mack

I, myself, must do frequent fruit checks throughout the day -- checking the condition of my heart: Holy Spirit fruit or carnal fruit -- and asking myself which is controlling me at this moment?

We are not perfect, in that we are not God, we'll make mistakes, often. But, if we keep submitting unto God, He'll lead us, and He'll correct us when we stray off course. God is so very Good!!! Hallelujah! Thank You Jesus!!!

I'm so glad The Lord has also given us one another to grow with, learn with and to help one another up when we do fall down. Praise God \o/ \o/ \o/

God bless and keep you, Deborah.
Love,
Mack