This is the logical conclusion to man casting the deciding vote. IMHO of course. Peace, Steve Jerry wrote: > Derick, > > You said, "I am merely a filthy wretched worm. " > > While on a long run last night, I kept thinking about your saying this > .... > > Suddenly, the thought came to me .... > > ............. > > ............ > > "Catfish bait" > > ............. > > Catfish love to eat worms. > > ................. > > Seriously, I take issue with a born again man considering himself a > "filthy wretched worm." > > I can find no Scripture reference that speaks of a new creature in > Christ in such a way. > > The only New Testament reference to "worm" that I could find relates > to hell. > > There are only a few Old Testament references and the majority of them > seem to speak of judgment and destruction. There are no "worm" > references that are used to refer to people who are living for God and > serving God. > > Because of the following verse, and others, I cannot denigrate the > work of Christ in my heart and life when He saved me and changed my life: > Acts 10:15 > 15 And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath > cleansed, that call not thou common. > > The Bible actually tells us to think of ourselves as being dead to sin > and alive to God .... > Rom 6:11-18 > 11 Likewise reckon [consider] ye also yourselves to be dead indeed > unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. [NIV Rom > 6:11 In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in > Christ Jesus.] > 12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should > obey it in the lusts thereof. > 13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness > unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from > the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. > 14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the > law, but under grace. > 15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but > under grace? God forbid. > 16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his > servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of > obedience unto righteousness? > 17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have > obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. > 18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. > Since Christ Jesus has come into my life and changed me from the > inside out, I CANNOT degrade, belittle, malign, or put scorn upon His > handiwork. > Eph 2:10 KJV > 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good > works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. > > Eph 2:10 NLT For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in > Christ Jesus, so that we can do the good things he planned for us long > ago. > > And since I have chosen to identify with what the Bible says I am "In > Christ," .... I often affirm these truths about myself and my life. > > Note: This is not because of anything special about /me/, .... > rather, this is who I am because of the wonderful love and grace of > God and His mighty power, ... it is about WHAT HE HAS DONE in His > wonderful plan of redemption!!!! > > "I am who God says I am, I have what God says I have, and I can do > what God says I can do through the power of the Holy Spirit who dwells > within me." > > "I am a new creature in Christ." > > "I am forgiven of every sin." > > "I am a child of the Father. He is my Father and I am His child. > Nothing can separate me from His love." > > "I am free from condemnation because I walk after the Spirit of God." > > "The law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus has made me free from > the law of sin and death." > > "My mind is submitted to the Spirit of God and I am full of God's life > and peace." > > "I am the redeemed of the Lord." > > "I am sanctified, made holy, and set apart unto my Lord and Savior." > > "I am wise, righteous, sanctified, redeemed, ... and I reign in life > through Christ my Lord." > > "Greater is He (Holy Spirit) who is in me than he (Devil) that is in > the world." > > Jerry > > > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Derick Dickens" <Derick@... > <mailto:Derick@...>> > To: <pastorsforum@... <mailto:pastorsforum@...>> > Sent: Saturday, March 10, 2007 4:51 PM > Subject: Re: [PastorsForum] the ABc's of RW > > > Psychology and Biblical Theology: > > > > I am not a fan of psychology. Yes, I now Dr. Dobson and others who > > support it but to be honest, the premise of modern psychology is > > antithetical to Biblical Counseling. I do support Nouthetic Counseling > > which believe that our major problem is that we are sinners. Granted, > > there are legitimate physical issues that need addressing from a > medical > > standpoint, but besides those issues, psychology assumes that there are > > other barriers that are in our way and that that Bible is helpful but > > not sufficient in meeting the problems we have today. > > > > Nouthetic believes the reason we have problems is because we are > > sinners. In this counseling, we take a stand clearly that there are > not > > only right and wrong, but the only way to improve is to have the > Word of > > God bear on the life of people. Dr. Powlison has a decent article on > > the difference here: > > > > > http://sites.silaspartners.com/partner/Article_Display_Page/0,,PTID314526|CHID598014|CIID1941418,00.html > <http://sites.silaspartners.com/partner/Article_Display_Page/0,,PTID314526%7CCHID598014%7CCIID1941418,00.html> > > > > As for self esteem, the problem is not necessarily says but what is > > meant by what is said and more importantly what is left out. Self > > esteem believes that we are worthy and worth individuals who deserve to > > have self worth. They believe that we find our true esteem and > worth by > > looking inside of us. Yes, we are to love ourselves and we are worth > > something... but the question is not asked "Why?" I reject self esteem > > because of the "why" which, in my opinion, perverts the love and self > > worth as a result. > > > > Why am I worth anything? First, I do not have worth in and of myself. > > God said in His Word I am a sinner who deserves hell. My righteousness > > is as filthy rags. > > > > Secondly, I am worth something because of God alone. I am made in > > "God's image", again, it is God who is the focus of my worth not me. > > > > Thirdly, I am worth something because I was bought with a price, by > > God. My worth is focused entirely upon the work of Christ alone. > > > > Thus, to tell us how good we are based upon some "good inside of us" > and > > that we love ourselves other reasons is ludicrous. My worth is not > what > > I should study. The worthiness of God should be the focus of our > > attention. Only when we truly love God and see God as the only one > > worthy, will we see that the talents we have belong to God and that our > > worth is not in ourself but in God. > > > > Now, I am not saying that we refrain from encouraging people when they > > do a good job (which is positive). But we should also remember that > our > > worth and esteem rests in who God is and not who we are. If we truly > > believe God is all powerful and can accomplish all His Holy Will > then it > > does not matter how talented we are, we can rest assure that God can > > accomplish anything with such as I. Who needs to think of themself as > > being good and able... when we think of God as good and able. > > > > Thus, do I love myself. Yes, but that is not because I am worthy or > > worth loving. I love myself because of who God is. I am made in God's > > image and I was bought by God. I am merely a filthy wretched worm. > And > > so are you... and I love you too, not because of how good you are but > > how great God is. > > > > DrD > > To subscribe, send a message to: pastorsforum-join@... > > To unsubs > cribe, send a message to: pastorsforum-unsubscribe@... > > > > -- ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Pastor Steven G. Rockhill Lisbon Reformed Presbyterian Church PO Box 88 Lisbon, NY 13658 315-393-9041 revrock@... http://lisbonrpc.port5.com +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++