Fruit of the Spirit: Galatians 5:22-23 "22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. "
It was an eye opener to me one day when God showed me that the "Fruit of the Spirit" is not deeds but rather character qualities that other believers are able to see. Non-believer cannot discern them, they base their evaluation of people on deeds.
Anyone can do good deeds to impress others and even fool themselves into thinking they are good people, but the true test is the "Fruit of the Spirit", that the Holy Spirit produces in us, they are deep character qualities not based on deeds, but an inner heart attitude.
A believer can often sense a spirit of lying and deception that non-believers can't see until the actions are so blatant they cannot be ignored. Often true believers can sense that spirit of deception even before actions reveal themselves.
Matthew 7:16 ""You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they?"
Tuesday, October 27, 2015
Saying It Doesn't Make It So
No child of God will walk away from Him. When we chose to trust Christ He merely gave us what we wanted and that was to be changed into a new creation by Him. Even though we are weak and fail at times, we are still continually being cleansed until the day we die. We are sealed with the Holy Spirit as a guarantee of our inheritance.
Ephesians 1:13-14 "13 In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory."
If someone walks away without a conscience over it, then they were never born again, they were only pretending or responding to an emotional hype, they never had it in their heart. They were never broken over their sinfulness and they never trusted Christ to change them.
Matthew 7:21-23 "21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’"
If anyone has a strong desire to return to the world, loving things that God hates, then that person never wanted Christ to begin with, they only wanted God for the safety they thought they would have or to elevate themselves in the eyes of others.
When our motive to be close to God is to be accepted without desiring to please Him, then God will not save us, change us or answer our prayers.
John 9:31 ""We know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is God-fearing and does His will, He hears him."
So many people today call themselves Christian because it makes them feel safe, good about themselves and special, but in their heart they have no inclination to seek God about anything. When they are confronted over a sin or wrong attitude they fight and devour those who try to help them grow in holiness.
When we see these things, we know we have met someone who has an ulterior motive to labeling themselves "Christian", which does not please God.
Matthew 15:8 "'THIS PEOPLE HONORS ME WITH THEIR LIPS, BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR AWAY FROM ME."
Saying "I am a Christian", does not make us Christian,
Saying "I love you" does not prove that we love.
Saying "I am a hard worker", does not mean we are hard workers.
Saying "I am a good person", does not make us a good person.
Do we see the face of our culture in the above sentences? Many people think that all they have to do is say something and that makes it so. Most of the criminals in jail will claim they are basically good people.
Evidence is required for the claims of these things. When we say "I love you", there has to have been a lifestyle of consideration and concern for the one we say we love. When we say "I am a hard worker", there must be evidence that others can see that prove it.
Our culture no longer understands that in order for something to be true, it must be more than words, there must be attitudes and actions that back up our claims. It is better to keep our mouths shut while obeying God, we really are what we live, not what we say.
There is an old saying that goes like this; "your actions speak so loud, I can't hear a word your saying."
If you are a hard worker then you won't need to say it, others will see it. If you love God's way, there won't be a need to brag that you love, others will know it. If you say "I am a Christian", the evidence will be that we obey God as a matter of lifestyle, even if we fail we will be grieved over our sinfulness and desire to be delivered from the sin.
A true believer never gives themselves excuses for their sinfulness while remaining in it, they are ashamed and want to be cleansed. When confronted they don't fight and argue they are ashamed, confess and turn from their sin.
John 14:23 "Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him."
1 John 3:9 "No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God."
Hebrews 12:6 "FOR THOSE WHOM THE LORD LOVES HE DISCIPLINES, AND HE SCOURGES EVERY SON WHOM HE RECEIVES."
1 John 3:14 "We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love abides in death."
If we love God it will show in that we obey Him as a matter of lifestyle, we will love the Word of God and we will love other believers. Our love will include correction when necessary as well as comfort in hard times.
If there is no love for God's Word, no love for the brethren and no desire to move forward in holiness, then there is no salvation, not that we earn salvation by these things but that salvation produces these things in us.
Ephesians 1:13-14 "13 In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory."
If someone walks away without a conscience over it, then they were never born again, they were only pretending or responding to an emotional hype, they never had it in their heart. They were never broken over their sinfulness and they never trusted Christ to change them.
Matthew 7:21-23 "21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’"
If anyone has a strong desire to return to the world, loving things that God hates, then that person never wanted Christ to begin with, they only wanted God for the safety they thought they would have or to elevate themselves in the eyes of others.
When our motive to be close to God is to be accepted without desiring to please Him, then God will not save us, change us or answer our prayers.
John 9:31 ""We know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is God-fearing and does His will, He hears him."
So many people today call themselves Christian because it makes them feel safe, good about themselves and special, but in their heart they have no inclination to seek God about anything. When they are confronted over a sin or wrong attitude they fight and devour those who try to help them grow in holiness.
When we see these things, we know we have met someone who has an ulterior motive to labeling themselves "Christian", which does not please God.
Matthew 15:8 "'THIS PEOPLE HONORS ME WITH THEIR LIPS, BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR AWAY FROM ME."
Saying "I am a Christian", does not make us Christian,
Saying "I love you" does not prove that we love.
Saying "I am a hard worker", does not mean we are hard workers.
Saying "I am a good person", does not make us a good person.
Do we see the face of our culture in the above sentences? Many people think that all they have to do is say something and that makes it so. Most of the criminals in jail will claim they are basically good people.
Evidence is required for the claims of these things. When we say "I love you", there has to have been a lifestyle of consideration and concern for the one we say we love. When we say "I am a hard worker", there must be evidence that others can see that prove it.
Our culture no longer understands that in order for something to be true, it must be more than words, there must be attitudes and actions that back up our claims. It is better to keep our mouths shut while obeying God, we really are what we live, not what we say.
There is an old saying that goes like this; "your actions speak so loud, I can't hear a word your saying."
If you are a hard worker then you won't need to say it, others will see it. If you love God's way, there won't be a need to brag that you love, others will know it. If you say "I am a Christian", the evidence will be that we obey God as a matter of lifestyle, even if we fail we will be grieved over our sinfulness and desire to be delivered from the sin.
A true believer never gives themselves excuses for their sinfulness while remaining in it, they are ashamed and want to be cleansed. When confronted they don't fight and argue they are ashamed, confess and turn from their sin.
John 14:23 "Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him."
1 John 3:9 "No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God."
Hebrews 12:6 "FOR THOSE WHOM THE LORD LOVES HE DISCIPLINES, AND HE SCOURGES EVERY SON WHOM HE RECEIVES."
1 John 3:14 "We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love abides in death."
If we love God it will show in that we obey Him as a matter of lifestyle, we will love the Word of God and we will love other believers. Our love will include correction when necessary as well as comfort in hard times.
If there is no love for God's Word, no love for the brethren and no desire to move forward in holiness, then there is no salvation, not that we earn salvation by these things but that salvation produces these things in us.
Organic Hype
I have read studies to indicate that all this hoopla about pesticides is just that, hoopla. My father lived in a time when there were no restrictions on pesticides, they used them too, he lived to be 90 years old and so did many of our relatives. They didn't eat any healthier than we do, except they couldn't afford eating out all the time.
They ate white bread, pasta, pie, jam with large amounts of white sugar in it, they loved pie and many other things that we would consider unhealthy today.
My family were not people who exercise either, their jobs didn't provide any more exercise than normal day to day work. The most recent studies show that running is very bad for us and can shorten one's life. It makes sense that if we beat up our bodies regularly, it is constantly trying to heal from the abuse, it would cause a strain on all the body systems. The greatest threat to our hearts is stress, which includes life problems and physical exertion.
The natural food industry is laughing all the way to the bank as is the exercise equipment industry, the food is no healthier and it is not completely pesticide free. Exercise is proving to damage the body long term. It's all the end times "worship nature and the body", natural hype. I know I will not convince this generation, and that's alright, there are more important things to argue over, eating the "natural food", won't hurt anyone, except put a crimp in the pocket book and keep people in a constant state of worry that can damage their heart.
Jeremiah 17:7-8
7 “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord,
whose trust is the Lord.
8 He is like a tree planted by water,
that sends out its roots by the stream,
and does not fear when heat comes,
for its leaves remain green,
and is not anxious in the year of drought,
for it does not cease to bear fruit.”
Proverbs 10:27
"The fear of the LORD prolongeth days: but the years of the wicked shall be shortened."
I don't see anything here in the above passages about the food we eat, it is trusting God that lengthens a person’s life, not the food we eat.
Matthew 15:11 ""It is not what enters into the mouth that defiles the man, but what proceeds out of the mouth, this defiles the man."
I just have to expose the deception of the natural food craze. If the "natural food" industry can convince people all other food is bad, they can charge higher prices and they are doing that, while building a stronger market of people addicted to their food labeled "natural."
All the "proof" I see is not from people who actually did the testing themselves, but from the "natural food" industry, they have a lot to gain by addicting their customers to the idea that they are in danger from eating anything but the food they produce.
We were told for years that coffee, butter and eggs were all bad for us, now that is all being retracted by the younger scientists coming up who have gone a little deeper in their research.
Just reading articles on the internet and listening to those who have been convinced by the hype is not a good way to get our information. There is no such thing as perfect food that will alleviate all illness.
The new bacon scare, is nothing short of ridiculous. They say that there is a 1% greater chance of bacon being harmful. Notice the "chance" word! The original chance was 5% and now it is 6%. The idea that bacon is as bad as smoking is ludicrous. Then they say 5 pieces of bacon a day is alright, I personally don't know of anyone who eats that much bacon that would be 35 pieces a week.
We get illness because God ordained that we have it, perhaps to cause us to turn our eyes to Him. Many believers are turning their eyes to extreme nutrition that is not based on good science, trusting in those foods, when they aren't any better than the food we have had all along.
The natural food craze is a part of the end time’s deception, designed to make people continually paranoid about what they eat while placing their trust in the food rather than God. Notice too it creates an attitude of ungratefulness for what God has provided.
I know people who buy special solutions to soak their vegetables to remove pesticides that are easily removed by running water over them. I once asked a dentist if the "Plax" brand of mouth rinse did any good in removing plaque on a person’s teeth. He laughed and said it will do as much good as water, in short, it has no value at all and one spends money on the "Plax", when water from the tap would do the same thing. This is just one example of advertising run amuck. This is also an example of the way the "natural" food industry has manipulated many people into believing they need their product, while charging silly prices for it.
In the churches I have been in, during the coffee hour, there was a lot of time spent talking about the food that they thought was healthy along with discussions and excitement about the ball games, God was rarely mentioned at all. What we talk about most of the time is what we treasure. Perhaps there is some pride involved in thinking we know so much and can mix with the world on this matter of "natural."
Luke 12:34 "For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."
If the "natural" craze were not popular, I wonder how many people would involve themselves with it? Often when something is widespread and popular it is because an industry is marketing it heavily while putting out bogus information to earn massive amounts of money.
I don't believe the studies put out by the "natural foods" industry, nor do I believe the studies that claim we need supplements. If we are seriously ill then we need to have blood work done to check our levels, based on true science, then we may need iron or some other vitamin or mineral that our body is lacking, but based on levels of it in our blood.
Far too many people are taking massive amounts of vitamins, spending hundreds if not thousands of dollars a year on vitamins their body doesn't need, and perhaps even causing illness from overdose. I have known two people in my lifetime who became very ill from taking too many supplements without checking with a doctor to see if there was a need, one of those people died from an overdose. YES, you can kill yourself, destroy kidney and liver over too many vitamins.
When we place our trust in the "natural food" industry without praying about it, we put ourselves through stress and worry over nothing. They have lied to this culture. I notice too that the secular community was the entity that introduced all this hype and the Christians hopped on board.
Perhaps it's time for believers to ask the Lord to open their eyes to this last day’s deception of worship of the physical body.
They ate white bread, pasta, pie, jam with large amounts of white sugar in it, they loved pie and many other things that we would consider unhealthy today.
My family were not people who exercise either, their jobs didn't provide any more exercise than normal day to day work. The most recent studies show that running is very bad for us and can shorten one's life. It makes sense that if we beat up our bodies regularly, it is constantly trying to heal from the abuse, it would cause a strain on all the body systems. The greatest threat to our hearts is stress, which includes life problems and physical exertion.
The natural food industry is laughing all the way to the bank as is the exercise equipment industry, the food is no healthier and it is not completely pesticide free. Exercise is proving to damage the body long term. It's all the end times "worship nature and the body", natural hype. I know I will not convince this generation, and that's alright, there are more important things to argue over, eating the "natural food", won't hurt anyone, except put a crimp in the pocket book and keep people in a constant state of worry that can damage their heart.
Jeremiah 17:7-8
7 “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord,
whose trust is the Lord.
8 He is like a tree planted by water,
that sends out its roots by the stream,
and does not fear when heat comes,
for its leaves remain green,
and is not anxious in the year of drought,
for it does not cease to bear fruit.”
Proverbs 10:27
"The fear of the LORD prolongeth days: but the years of the wicked shall be shortened."
I don't see anything here in the above passages about the food we eat, it is trusting God that lengthens a person’s life, not the food we eat.
Matthew 15:11 ""It is not what enters into the mouth that defiles the man, but what proceeds out of the mouth, this defiles the man."
I just have to expose the deception of the natural food craze. If the "natural food" industry can convince people all other food is bad, they can charge higher prices and they are doing that, while building a stronger market of people addicted to their food labeled "natural."
All the "proof" I see is not from people who actually did the testing themselves, but from the "natural food" industry, they have a lot to gain by addicting their customers to the idea that they are in danger from eating anything but the food they produce.
We were told for years that coffee, butter and eggs were all bad for us, now that is all being retracted by the younger scientists coming up who have gone a little deeper in their research.
Just reading articles on the internet and listening to those who have been convinced by the hype is not a good way to get our information. There is no such thing as perfect food that will alleviate all illness.
The new bacon scare, is nothing short of ridiculous. They say that there is a 1% greater chance of bacon being harmful. Notice the "chance" word! The original chance was 5% and now it is 6%. The idea that bacon is as bad as smoking is ludicrous. Then they say 5 pieces of bacon a day is alright, I personally don't know of anyone who eats that much bacon that would be 35 pieces a week.
We get illness because God ordained that we have it, perhaps to cause us to turn our eyes to Him. Many believers are turning their eyes to extreme nutrition that is not based on good science, trusting in those foods, when they aren't any better than the food we have had all along.
The natural food craze is a part of the end time’s deception, designed to make people continually paranoid about what they eat while placing their trust in the food rather than God. Notice too it creates an attitude of ungratefulness for what God has provided.
I know people who buy special solutions to soak their vegetables to remove pesticides that are easily removed by running water over them. I once asked a dentist if the "Plax" brand of mouth rinse did any good in removing plaque on a person’s teeth. He laughed and said it will do as much good as water, in short, it has no value at all and one spends money on the "Plax", when water from the tap would do the same thing. This is just one example of advertising run amuck. This is also an example of the way the "natural" food industry has manipulated many people into believing they need their product, while charging silly prices for it.
In the churches I have been in, during the coffee hour, there was a lot of time spent talking about the food that they thought was healthy along with discussions and excitement about the ball games, God was rarely mentioned at all. What we talk about most of the time is what we treasure. Perhaps there is some pride involved in thinking we know so much and can mix with the world on this matter of "natural."
Luke 12:34 "For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."
If the "natural" craze were not popular, I wonder how many people would involve themselves with it? Often when something is widespread and popular it is because an industry is marketing it heavily while putting out bogus information to earn massive amounts of money.
I don't believe the studies put out by the "natural foods" industry, nor do I believe the studies that claim we need supplements. If we are seriously ill then we need to have blood work done to check our levels, based on true science, then we may need iron or some other vitamin or mineral that our body is lacking, but based on levels of it in our blood.
Far too many people are taking massive amounts of vitamins, spending hundreds if not thousands of dollars a year on vitamins their body doesn't need, and perhaps even causing illness from overdose. I have known two people in my lifetime who became very ill from taking too many supplements without checking with a doctor to see if there was a need, one of those people died from an overdose. YES, you can kill yourself, destroy kidney and liver over too many vitamins.
When we place our trust in the "natural food" industry without praying about it, we put ourselves through stress and worry over nothing. They have lied to this culture. I notice too that the secular community was the entity that introduced all this hype and the Christians hopped on board.
Perhaps it's time for believers to ask the Lord to open their eyes to this last day’s deception of worship of the physical body.
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