Insights on Soul-Health

[Jim Watt]

"*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE" MINISTRIES*

*Jim & Marie Watt*

*Tel: 253.874.4265 -- Email: jmbetter at gmail.com*

*Web: www.2rbetter.org*



   *2008-12-15 - "INSIGHTS ON SOUL-HEALTH" - Casey Treat*


 *NOTE*: Remember what Paul said in 1 Corinthians 3:22-23 (3:18-4:17) *"For
all **things** are yours; whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas (Peter), or
world, or life, or death, or **things** present, or coming; all **are**yours;
**23** and you are Christ's; and Christ is God's." *I am of Wesley; I am of
Luther; I am of Calvin; I am of Casey Treat - *No* - all of these and many
more are *all* gifts of God to all of us in the whole church. Let us not
divide Christ or His Body or the church. We are *all* One New Man. What
Casey said in the sermon to follow is for all of us. So, none of us are like
Jesus - He alone is perfect.


 I started out Presbyterian. Then my Methodist step-grandfather introduced
me into his stream of church history. Next in 1925 the Presbyterians,
Methodists and Congregationalists of Canada came together in 1925 to form
the United Church of Canada. From the age of 4 to 20, this was almost all I
knew. But God led me into the Navy in 1943 before I knew Him, with the
promise that if I followed His leading, He would reveal Himself to me, which
He did 9 months later.


 Through the "Sailors, Soldiers and Airmen's Christian Association" I rubbed
shoulders with many Evangelical denominations. This continued in 1946
through the "Intervarsity Christian Fellowship" in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.
In 1949 God led me into the American Baptist Convention where I was ordained
in 1951, and graduated from Northern Baptist Theological Seminary in 1952.
Along the way I touched base with the North Battleford, Saskatchewan
Visitation in 1948, the Charismatic move of the late '60's and a number of
other groups.


 I received benefit (the "precious") from each one of these, and of course
had chicken and fish bones on the side of my plate also. But we can be like
Jeremiah in 15:19 (15:19-21) *"Therefore thus says Jehovah, If you return,
then will I bring you again, that you may stand before me; and **if you take
forth the precious from the vile**, you shall be as my mouth." *But make no
mistake, there are nuggets - there is that which is precious - from
*all*God has given to the church. This is true of Casey Treat. So when
you eat
from various preachers and denominations, follow God's word to Jeremiah, and
enjoy the meat.


 And these are my notes that I took from the sermon by Casey Sunday
12-07-08. A few of my own thoughts got mingled in. I trust Casey will
forgive me, and I trust you'll do with my thoughts the same as his, and take
the precious from the vile. So you can see what he alone said, go to his
Website at "Christian Faith Center" in Federal Way - and you can get his CD
or DVD for his full sermon. - Jim Watt


 *"INSIGHTS ON SOUL-HEALTH"** - Sunday 12-07-08 - Casey Treat*

Deuteronomy 8:18 (8:11-20) *"But you shall remember Jehovah your God, for it
is he that gives you power to get wealth; that he may establish his covenant
which he swore unto your fathers, as at this day." *We are to remember what
is in this section, for we *all* need God. He sends His rain on the just and
the unjust, so we are *all* candidates for His blessing - but especially
those of the Household of faith.


 3 John 2 (2-4) *"Beloved, I pray that in all **things** you prosper and be
in health, even as your :soul prospers." *When we have *Right Truth*
plus *Right
Focus* - it will produce *Right Results*. *Live* in verses like this. Pastor
David Yonggi Cho often quotes a verse such as this in his daily devotions
1000 times! This makes the Word of God part of the warp and woof of our
being! It is doubtful if any of us matches *this* example. Notice that God's
goal for us is that basically as our *soul* prospers in Him, then His
blessing flows out of this to all else that pertains to us! This kind of
life is God's goal for us - therefore *eminently* possible! A *poor* soul is
always *negative*, but a prosperous soul views all situations and
circumstances in a *positive* manner. This all boils down to a Poor Soul
Versus a Positive Soul. You and I can choose which we will be.


 Football players under their eyes put a black mark to cut sun glare. A
quarterback printed Philippians 4:13 under each eye in black. *This* would
intimidate the enemy as he looked through the mask! *"I can do all **things*
* in him that strengthens me." (4:10-20)*


 Matthew 12:35 (12:33-37) *"The good man out of the good treasure brings
forth good **things**: and the evil man out of the evil treasure brings
forth evil **things**." *Practice in keeping your heart filled with good
treasure versus evil treasure. Then *that* is what will naturally flow out.
Dad Crittendon of Chicago was its number one piano salesman, and also
superintendent in his day of Pacific Garden Mission. No one ever heard him
say a bad word against *any* fellow human being. One friend one day said,
"Dad, I'll bet you that you've even got a good word for the devil." That
temporarily set him back on his heels. Then his eye brightened and he
replied, "Well, we *could* emulate his zeal!"


 So what seeds can we sow in our heart to make our soul prosper? Here are 8
seeds:

*1. Vision*

*2. Desire*

*3. Beliefs (right beliefs)*

*4. Faith*

*5. Discipline - Get up! Turn off the TV!*

*6. Ethics - work ethics*

*7. Creativity - after the image of God*

*8. Passion - spark - spunk*

Practice these after sowing them, and *soon* your soul will begin to
prosper. *Speak* these seeds regularly. Casey was a drug addict at 17 and
burnt out. Somebody sowed good seeds into him, even the above 8. They
changed his life, and in the last 29 years he is out of debt, out of jail,
owns his own car and home, is happily married with a family, and leading one
of the largest churches in the SeaTac Metroplex, filling 2 campuses with
some 8000, mostly his own converts. When he was a young shoe salesman while
attending Bible College, Dennis Bennett was served by him. He said - "Young
man, God's hand is upon you, and He has destined you to lead one of the
large churches of Seattle." His example can help us each one to preach
ourselves happy.


 Galatians 3:13 (3:8-14) *"Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law,
having become a curse for us; because it is written, Accursed every one
hanging on a trees: **14** that unto the nations might come the blessing of
Abraham in Christ Jesus; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit
through :faith."* According to this, God *has set us up* to live an abundant
life of blessing. He will help us to leave an inheritance for our children
and grandchildren. Parents can set up our descendants as the next
generation. We as parents can do this because our Heavenly Father *has set
us up*! He has *redeemed* us from the *curse* of the law, because Jesus
became a curse for us by dying on a tree. Now the blessing of Abraham has
come upon us Gentiles, because we have an inheritance in the "One New Man."
We now have the "Promise of the Spirit" and can enter in. We move *from* the
negative *to* the positive. Sin, sickness, poverty and spiritual death are
old things that pass away and all the promises of God now join up with us as
New Creations!


 Now see the blessing God promised Abram in Genesis 12:1-3 (12:1-9) *"Now
Jehovah said unto Abram, Get you out of your country, and from your kindred,
and from your father's house, unto the land that I will show you: **2** and
I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name
great: and be you a blessing: **3** and I will bless them that bless you,
and him that curses you will I curse: and in you shall all the families of
the earth be blessed." * God *has set us up* in Abraham, to live a blessed
life. According to our faith is it unto us, for first we must believe! We
are the somebodies to do something - namely to be a blessing. We are
"blessed" "to bless."


 What if we find out we were switched at birth, and we discover we have a
noble and blessed heritage. But - that *is* what we have in God, and
*can*discover it! Some are more committed than others to be this
blessing - but
we can - if we will. All can choose to press into this place of blessing. We
don't have to hang on to our old ragged "Blankie" like the boy in "Peanuts."
We don't have to rehearse and nurse our ragged past. We can get *new clothes
* for *old*. We don't *have* to believe the news of papers and TV more then
the *Good News* of the Bible. Spend but 10% of time on the negative news and
90% on Good Bible News! American politics, democracy or business won't save.
Earth is waiting for the church to preach right perspectives! Only the
church preaches the Good News of the Gospel. Only the one church gives the
best. Do we like Abram *really* believe God? Do we really believe the Bible?
Then see what happened to Abraham in the very next chapter, after God in
chapter 12 had promised to make him a blessing. Genesis 13:2 (13:1-12) *"And
Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold." *It took God but one
chapter to fulfill His promises in Abraham! Then the blessing of Abraham is
designed by God for both Gentile and Jew. Don't be a goat. Goats "butt." *
But* I have never made it. *But* you don't know the impossible situation I'm
in. But - But - But. Sheep say "Ab-ba - Ye-es Father! I believe!"


 2 Corinthians 8:9 8:8-15) *"For you know the grace of our :Lord Jesus
Christ, that, being rich, for you he became poor, that you by his :poverty
might become rich." *Note well the Grace of Jesus. He was rich with*
*the* *Father
from the beginning. Then for us He became poor, that through Him we might
become rich! We now can become rich in all ways that we might be a blessing.
Do we want to be poor for the Lord? No. Sick for the Lord? No. In sin for
the Lord No. To think like this shows confusion, and that we are listening
to religious people, but not Bible-oriented people. Believe the latter and
accept it.


 What happens when we are blessed? Then thieves break in and steal. The
devil is like that. See John 10:10 (10:7-18) *"The thief comes not, but to
steal, and kill, and destroy: I came that they may have life, and may have
abundance." *The thief would stop God's blessing, which is life, and life
abundant. Say, "No!" I refuse to let you, devil, steal God's blessing from
me.


 Instead I will walk in 1 Peter 5:8 (5:6-11) *"Be sober, watch: the devil,
your Adversary, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking to gulp down:
**9**whom withstand steadfast in the faith."
*When we walk strong in the Lord in this kind of truth, the devil will break
his teeth on us. Don't even let him *gum* you after he loses his teeth. We
cast out demons, and stomp on them. They tremble! Christians torment the
devil.


 Remember - *God sets us up*! He does it through Christ's Redemptive Act. It
is a Finished Work. We can't add to it, but just need to repent, and freely
receive. The flesh hates to be put in this position, but the human spirit
loves it. Don't let the devil rip you off. Get your gun out and your bat -
and protect your wife and house and kids. *Get your "peace" back*. Walk in
the blessing of Abraham.


 See 1 John 3:8 (3:4-8) *"Who does :sin is of the devil; for the devil sins
from the beginning. To this **end** was the Son of :God manifested, that he
might destroy the works of the devil. *Who sins is of the devil and Jesus
came to destroy the works of the devil. See the *Audacity* of hope! Don't
bow to the devil - No sin, no sickness, no poverty. God *has set us up* to
walk in blessing. Say, "Satan is *not* going to steal my love, my joy, my
peace, my family. I am a child of God. I am God's disciple. I am walking in
His blessing.


 God has overcome Satan on our behalf and he is already a defeated foe.
Believe it. Act upon it. But - God can't overcome our flesh! He has left
this as *our* responsibility. *We* overcome our own flesh: laziness and
selfishness - and we all have it. So in this too - walk in the blessing of
Abraham. Decide. The devil is *not* the problem; he *is* defeated by Christ.
But our flesh, *we* must deal with.


 And remember - God *has set us up*. Confess what the Word of God says about
us! Confess true wealth and the *Prosperous Soul!* Let this blessing of God
come *through* you as a blessing to others - not *upon* you for personal
blessing. Don't focus on the negative, but on the *something* new inside.
And - it doesn't have to be something *big* - just start out by saying the
right things. Remember Dad Crittendon! -




 *TO SUBSCRIBE -- Please Email:
mailing-subscribe at 2rbetter.org<mailing-subscribe at 2rbetter.org?subject=Just%20hit%20send%20be%20automatically%20subscribed>
*


 *TO UNSUBSCRIBE -- Please Email:
mailing-unsubscribe at 2rbetter.org<mailing-unsubscribe at 2rbetter.org?subject=Just%20hit%20send%20be%20automatically%20unsubscribed>
*


 *FOR ARCHIVE ARTICLES -- Web: http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/*
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/attachments/20081216/7e61246b/attachment.htm>