There are no little sins, all sins, even the ones we consider the smallest are enough to cast us into hell. God can have NO sin in His presence. That's why Christ died and shed His blood that the blood would cover our sins. NO one can be sin free as long as they live on this earth, trapped in this body of flesh.
When God forgives our sinfulness after we have trusted in Christ, He no longer sees us, He sees His son in us. Do you know how I know?
2 Corinthians 5:16-18 "…16 So from now on we regard no one according to the flesh. Although we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. 17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away. Behold, the new has come! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:…"
Hebrews 12:5-7 "…5 And you have forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons: “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, or lose heart when He rebukes you. 6 For the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and He chastises everyone He receives as a son.” 7 Endure suffering as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?…"
God does not throw a believe who has trusted Him into hell for any sin. He disciplines them. There are many trials in remarriage, the broken child relationships is only one consequence.
There are many who claim to be Christians who have never been born again. They will go to hell if they do not trust Christ. Saying one is a Christian does not make it so. Having trusted in Christ in faith through His grace is the only way to salvation.
After this has happened then He changes us into a new creation. He gives us what we want, and that is to be made into His righteousness. The salvation is instantaneous but the sanctification, the cleansing is for the entire rest of our lives.
God does not expose our sinfulness to us all at once, He shows us one thing, works us through it and then moves on to the next thing. If we are not changing and growing we are not born again, or we are disobedient believers who will be chastised as well as losing rewards in heaven if we persist in that disobedience.
Friday, June 8, 2018
The Authentic Person
The devil uses flattery to gain control over others. We saw this in the garden as he conversed with Eve. He convinced her she could be like God, knowing everything He knows.
There are modern deceptions, namely electronics, similar to the account in the garden that are being employed right now without the user realizing it.
There is a device I am sure all of you have heard about, perhaps even some of you have them in your homes. That device is called "Echo" and its name is "Alexis."
Alexis will do the bidding of their owner. All the owner has to do is command the robot-like device to find information for them and then answer their questions. She speaks with a pleasant, soft and obedient voice.
This device has the ability to monitor conversations in the room in which it resides. It is always on, hearing everything that goes on in the room, but only responding when addressed directly.
Since the device does not speak until commanded by the owner, the people using it believes they are in control of the device, when in fact the device is covertly in control of them. The device gathers information for purposes of targeted advertising.
Manipulation is an often used and a very effective tactic of the devil. When people flatter those around them to gain their confidence, they are disarming their prey. People are more likely to do what we want when we schmooze them up good first.
Sadly the devil uses flattery to get people to believe things that defy, even mock God without realizing it . When levity is used in the preaching at the church gathering, it is designed to place the hearers in a state of euphoria that often causes them to accept whatever is being said without evaluating it. If the preacher can get people to like him, they will place him on a pedestal, as one who can do no wrong, after all "he's such a friendly guy", is their thinking.
Just as the device in the room is making people think they are getting what they want and in complete control of the device, they have been flattered, feeling powerful they leave the device on all the time for it to be at their beckon call.
In our generation many people despise seriousness and truth that causes introspection. Because they are addicted to jokes, happiness and fantasy, as well as control over others, they are ready and willing to accept anything that makes them feel good, especially if it makes them feel good about themselves.
Just recently I was in a conversation with someone who thought that continual joking was the way to win people. He is right, it does win people, but we have to ask what does it win them too?
Joking constantly disarms people just as flattery does. An honest and spontaneous joke that comes up because of circumstances is enjoyable. However those who deliberately seek to make people laugh all the time, are using manipulation to gain the admiration of others to themselves. Even though the claim is to make others happy, even making them like God, the real intent is to get others to like them.
One way to test this is to ask the jester a serious question, they often will squirm as though they don't know what to do with it. Then they will make a joke about the question to deflect any attempt to move into authentic, earnest and thoughtful reflection or evaluation.
It is nearly impossible to reason with someone who will not engage in conversation to answer questions or resolve arguments.
What I find interesting is that when a jester is asked a serious question they can not answer, they turn into a ravenous wolf.
Suddenly without warning they become angry, accusatory and vengeful. Oops, the real them slithered out of hiding. The joking had been manipulation all along. No one suddenly erupts into rage when questioned unless the joking was a manipulation, a dishonest and cunning display of fraud.
We have seen an increase in this form of manipulation in our day. Many people are hiding inside, they know their inner man is not what it should be so they display on the outside what they think is expected of them until they are challenged. In other words the inner heart has been exposed, they have been discovered, then is when we see the eruption.
"Duplicity" is a good word, it describes the condition of the person who is deeply entrenched in hypocrisy. Displaying on the outside what is not true about them on the inside.
Matthew 23:26-28 "…26 Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, so that the outside may become clean as well. 27 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside, but on the inside are full of dead men’s bones and every impurity. 28 In the same way, you appear to be righteous on the outside, but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness."
The person who is authentically themselves, will not be different on the outside than they are on the inside. There are no hidden agendas or secret motives. They tell the truth and act the way they speak. There are no sudden explosions of anger, because the inside is not angry. The authentic person is confident and forthright. They feel no need to hide because they live what they believe.
The authentic person is not concerned with impressing others, truth means more to them than the acceptance of others. God means more to them than anyone on earth. If they had to be alone to honor God, they would happily do that.
Proverbs 29:24-26 "…24 A partner to a thief hates his own soul; he receives the oath, but will not testify. 25 The fear of man is a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD will be set securely on high. 26 Many seek the ruler’s favor, but a man receives justice from the LORD."
There are modern deceptions, namely electronics, similar to the account in the garden that are being employed right now without the user realizing it.
There is a device I am sure all of you have heard about, perhaps even some of you have them in your homes. That device is called "Echo" and its name is "Alexis."
Alexis will do the bidding of their owner. All the owner has to do is command the robot-like device to find information for them and then answer their questions. She speaks with a pleasant, soft and obedient voice.
This device has the ability to monitor conversations in the room in which it resides. It is always on, hearing everything that goes on in the room, but only responding when addressed directly.
Since the device does not speak until commanded by the owner, the people using it believes they are in control of the device, when in fact the device is covertly in control of them. The device gathers information for purposes of targeted advertising.
Manipulation is an often used and a very effective tactic of the devil. When people flatter those around them to gain their confidence, they are disarming their prey. People are more likely to do what we want when we schmooze them up good first.
Sadly the devil uses flattery to get people to believe things that defy, even mock God without realizing it . When levity is used in the preaching at the church gathering, it is designed to place the hearers in a state of euphoria that often causes them to accept whatever is being said without evaluating it. If the preacher can get people to like him, they will place him on a pedestal, as one who can do no wrong, after all "he's such a friendly guy", is their thinking.
Just as the device in the room is making people think they are getting what they want and in complete control of the device, they have been flattered, feeling powerful they leave the device on all the time for it to be at their beckon call.
In our generation many people despise seriousness and truth that causes introspection. Because they are addicted to jokes, happiness and fantasy, as well as control over others, they are ready and willing to accept anything that makes them feel good, especially if it makes them feel good about themselves.
Just recently I was in a conversation with someone who thought that continual joking was the way to win people. He is right, it does win people, but we have to ask what does it win them too?
Joking constantly disarms people just as flattery does. An honest and spontaneous joke that comes up because of circumstances is enjoyable. However those who deliberately seek to make people laugh all the time, are using manipulation to gain the admiration of others to themselves. Even though the claim is to make others happy, even making them like God, the real intent is to get others to like them.
One way to test this is to ask the jester a serious question, they often will squirm as though they don't know what to do with it. Then they will make a joke about the question to deflect any attempt to move into authentic, earnest and thoughtful reflection or evaluation.
It is nearly impossible to reason with someone who will not engage in conversation to answer questions or resolve arguments.
What I find interesting is that when a jester is asked a serious question they can not answer, they turn into a ravenous wolf.
Suddenly without warning they become angry, accusatory and vengeful. Oops, the real them slithered out of hiding. The joking had been manipulation all along. No one suddenly erupts into rage when questioned unless the joking was a manipulation, a dishonest and cunning display of fraud.
We have seen an increase in this form of manipulation in our day. Many people are hiding inside, they know their inner man is not what it should be so they display on the outside what they think is expected of them until they are challenged. In other words the inner heart has been exposed, they have been discovered, then is when we see the eruption.
"Duplicity" is a good word, it describes the condition of the person who is deeply entrenched in hypocrisy. Displaying on the outside what is not true about them on the inside.
Matthew 23:26-28 "…26 Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, so that the outside may become clean as well. 27 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside, but on the inside are full of dead men’s bones and every impurity. 28 In the same way, you appear to be righteous on the outside, but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness."
The person who is authentically themselves, will not be different on the outside than they are on the inside. There are no hidden agendas or secret motives. They tell the truth and act the way they speak. There are no sudden explosions of anger, because the inside is not angry. The authentic person is confident and forthright. They feel no need to hide because they live what they believe.
The authentic person is not concerned with impressing others, truth means more to them than the acceptance of others. God means more to them than anyone on earth. If they had to be alone to honor God, they would happily do that.
Proverbs 29:24-26 "…24 A partner to a thief hates his own soul; he receives the oath, but will not testify. 25 The fear of man is a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD will be set securely on high. 26 Many seek the ruler’s favor, but a man receives justice from the LORD."
Thursday, June 7, 2018
Fantasy is More Enticing
Since we are living in a world that views fantasy as much more acceptable than reality, we will see people being easily manipulated by demonic forces. The world is racing toward acceptance of the anti-christ.
Those who claim to have been abducted by aliens from outer space really have been there in their minds. They were taken, they were terrified and they had no doubt that all of it was real.
But what they don't know is that devils can manipulate minds so dramatically that the illusion is just as real as if the event actually occurred.
When someone on LSD goes into a bad trip, thinking spiders are crawling all over them. They can see the spiders, the person feels the bites of the spiders but the person cannot brush them off. Nothing they do makes the spiders go away. The person who is on these drugs have no control, they cannot stop anything that is happening, and yet nothing is really happening.
Devils have the ability to place thoughts in minds so vividly that the sensation of having been there or done that, is a memory as real as any other event that took place in their lives.
This is why so many people are becoming irrational in their thinking. The devils are convincing people that they can choose their gender, when anyone with a modicum of thinking ability would know how easy it is to discover ones own gender identity. Just taking a quick look is sufficient for those who are rational.
Many are convinced that angels impregnated human beings. The scripture is twisted and added to, to make the Bible fit with the desired belief. This thinking will allow people to believe that God isn't the only one who can make a virgin pregnant. It also prepares people for the acceptance of demonic miracles.
Every false belief that comes forth will be an attempt on the part of the devils to diminish God. Their aim is to get people to believe anything that will disprove the existence of God. Or even worse, call God a liar as the devil did in the Garden.
One must know the Word of God and depend on the Holy Spirit to guide them as their defense against these evil deceptions.
Matthew 24:23-24 "…23 At that time, if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There He is,’ do not believe it. 24 For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders that would deceive even the elect, if that were possible."
Those who claim to have been abducted by aliens from outer space really have been there in their minds. They were taken, they were terrified and they had no doubt that all of it was real.
But what they don't know is that devils can manipulate minds so dramatically that the illusion is just as real as if the event actually occurred.
When someone on LSD goes into a bad trip, thinking spiders are crawling all over them. They can see the spiders, the person feels the bites of the spiders but the person cannot brush them off. Nothing they do makes the spiders go away. The person who is on these drugs have no control, they cannot stop anything that is happening, and yet nothing is really happening.
Devils have the ability to place thoughts in minds so vividly that the sensation of having been there or done that, is a memory as real as any other event that took place in their lives.
This is why so many people are becoming irrational in their thinking. The devils are convincing people that they can choose their gender, when anyone with a modicum of thinking ability would know how easy it is to discover ones own gender identity. Just taking a quick look is sufficient for those who are rational.
Many are convinced that angels impregnated human beings. The scripture is twisted and added to, to make the Bible fit with the desired belief. This thinking will allow people to believe that God isn't the only one who can make a virgin pregnant. It also prepares people for the acceptance of demonic miracles.
Every false belief that comes forth will be an attempt on the part of the devils to diminish God. Their aim is to get people to believe anything that will disprove the existence of God. Or even worse, call God a liar as the devil did in the Garden.
One must know the Word of God and depend on the Holy Spirit to guide them as their defense against these evil deceptions.
Matthew 24:23-24 "…23 At that time, if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There He is,’ do not believe it. 24 For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders that would deceive even the elect, if that were possible."
"Clergy and Leity" are not Biblical Terms
When Martin Luther, Calvin and others who opposed and left the Catholic church, they also took with them into the protestant church, their Catholic beliefs.
They were locked into the idea of "clergy and leity", as well as infant baptism. The holidays were still upheld even though they were not Biblical. The Lord's supper was relegated to once a month or once a year, when Christ commanded us to observe it whenever we come together. The Lord's supper is the worship time, it has been neglected in our modern church.
So many of the Protestant and Evangelical practices come out of Catholicism but the people in these systems don't know it. Because they don't study their Bibles and merely believe all that is fed to them, they defend what they don't know .
The vestments that the Lutherans wear, comes right out of Catholicism, separating the people from the "elite clergy", is not Biblical, its only man's tradition that has come down from Catholicism.
They were locked into the idea of "clergy and leity", as well as infant baptism. The holidays were still upheld even though they were not Biblical. The Lord's supper was relegated to once a month or once a year, when Christ commanded us to observe it whenever we come together. The Lord's supper is the worship time, it has been neglected in our modern church.
So many of the Protestant and Evangelical practices come out of Catholicism but the people in these systems don't know it. Because they don't study their Bibles and merely believe all that is fed to them, they defend what they don't know .
The vestments that the Lutherans wear, comes right out of Catholicism, separating the people from the "elite clergy", is not Biblical, its only man's tradition that has come down from Catholicism.
Be Patient, These Things Take Time!
There are those who are upset that the border wall between Mexico and the United States is not yet built. I have to laugh at this, do people actually think there is going to be an instant wall made of concrete in a few months? Really?
There are huge mountains and canyons that have to be crossed with this wall, the challenges are enormous.
Maybe their just not finished! "Big beautiful walls" take time to design and then build. Trump has not been in an entire term yet, there hasn't been enough time to build a wall.
Looking at the terrain for a thousand miles on the border tells me it would be a huge challenge to build a wall, there must be engineering design involved. Do people actually think its going to take a couple of years to build. It takes years. Also it makes sense that the dangerous areas wouldn't even need a fence, just a fence up to those places.
The great wall of China took more than 200 years to build, its about a thousand miles long. So to think that a border over a thousand mile long can be thrown up in a few months is child like thinking.
A big beautiful wall takes many decades to build. The design of it takes years alone, then comes the challenges of construction.
I don't know if that wall will be built, but I know it will take a long time for the design let alone the actual construction. Some of that land along the border is private land, they may have to get permission, that takes time too.
Patience is not a virtue of the American people anymore. We are so "fast food" oriented culture that expects things to happen quickly. To expect a wall to be built in one presidents administration or even two administrations is silly at best.
Even if Trump were able to begin the wall, which is unlikely, since design work often takes years before the building can start, those that come after him would have to be on board with the building also.
Just because someone says they are going to built the wall, does not mean that it will get done. Those who come next can and probably will thwart the process. I don't think our president is a stupid man, he knows that things don't get built that quickly. He also knows that he can promise something, claim it will be done and blame others when it doesn't happen.
Trump can work toward the building of the wall, but most likely knows that those that come after him will not finish it. He has been in business all his life, he knows how these things work.
We don't even know if there is a contract with designers and builders right now. Or at least I don't know. Does anyone else?
There are huge mountains and canyons that have to be crossed with this wall, the challenges are enormous.
Maybe their just not finished! "Big beautiful walls" take time to design and then build. Trump has not been in an entire term yet, there hasn't been enough time to build a wall.
Looking at the terrain for a thousand miles on the border tells me it would be a huge challenge to build a wall, there must be engineering design involved. Do people actually think its going to take a couple of years to build. It takes years. Also it makes sense that the dangerous areas wouldn't even need a fence, just a fence up to those places.
The great wall of China took more than 200 years to build, its about a thousand miles long. So to think that a border over a thousand mile long can be thrown up in a few months is child like thinking.
A big beautiful wall takes many decades to build. The design of it takes years alone, then comes the challenges of construction.
I don't know if that wall will be built, but I know it will take a long time for the design let alone the actual construction. Some of that land along the border is private land, they may have to get permission, that takes time too.
Patience is not a virtue of the American people anymore. We are so "fast food" oriented culture that expects things to happen quickly. To expect a wall to be built in one presidents administration or even two administrations is silly at best.
Even if Trump were able to begin the wall, which is unlikely, since design work often takes years before the building can start, those that come after him would have to be on board with the building also.
Just because someone says they are going to built the wall, does not mean that it will get done. Those who come next can and probably will thwart the process. I don't think our president is a stupid man, he knows that things don't get built that quickly. He also knows that he can promise something, claim it will be done and blame others when it doesn't happen.
Trump can work toward the building of the wall, but most likely knows that those that come after him will not finish it. He has been in business all his life, he knows how these things work.
We don't even know if there is a contract with designers and builders right now. Or at least I don't know. Does anyone else?
The Proceedings in the True Church
When the pastor is paid and educated in a human school instead of led by the Holy Spirit, they often take on an authority that does not belong to them, the dictating and micromanaging of things that are not Biblical.
The people in the pews allow the preachers to be their spirituality for them, they become lazy and indifferent as long as someone else is paid to do the "job". Sadly this is unBiblical and leads to chaos and false doctrine.
In the New Testament gathering the men were commanded by God to question the preacher right then and there so the congregation could see the correction. Every man had the authority to speak out during the preaching. All men took turns leading and preaching.
1 Corinthians 13:29-33 "29 Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others pass judgment. 30 But if a revelation is made to another who is seated, the first one must keep silent. 31 For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all may be exhorted; 32 and the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets; 33 for God is not a God of confusion but of [m]peace, as in all the churches of the saints."
When the Holy Spirit leads it is a beautiful thing!
The Lord's supper is the worship time taught in the Bible. One man asks for a song, another speaks from the word, another corrects or adds to the speaker who is preaching. Everything is orderly because it is all led by the Holy Spirit.
The teaching follows the Lord's supper worship, led by a man who was chosen to speak that week. No one man is ever in charge of all preaching or has all authority.
I have seen this in gatherings we were in and it was truly beautiful to see all the men participating in the leading. No one was paid, it was not a job to any of the men, but a calling by God. No one had greater authority over another, but all spoke truth as needed.
In gatherings where there are paid pastors there is overreach. Rather than leading by example and preaching as the Word commands, the preachers make rules that are not Biblical to keep their position secure.
I actually heard a young pastor say, "I protect my pulpit", they are taught this nonsense in Bible college. The pulpit does not belong to one man, nor is it Biblical for one man to have that much power over others.
We must drop the title "Pastor whoever", it elevates one man above the others, often abuse comes from this special class of people. There is no such thing as "leity" or "clergy" described in the Bible. Those terms come from the Catholic concept of hierarchy that is not Biblical.
I challenge every believer to study out the role of the pastors called by God to lead in the church, you might find it enlightening. The modern idea of church and leadership comes straight out of Catholicism. It tends to make gods out of the leaders rather than mere men led by the Holy Spirit.
So many people will believe whatever the man in the pulpit says without questioning and even becoming angry when someone else calls them to account. When someone becomes angry because we have challenged a doctrine, that is the first clue they angry one has an idol in their life, that idol being the man in the pulpit.
Psalm 118:8
"It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man."
Jeremiah 17:5
"Thus says the Lord: “Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the Lord."
2 Timothy 3:13-17
"While evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work."
The people in the pews allow the preachers to be their spirituality for them, they become lazy and indifferent as long as someone else is paid to do the "job". Sadly this is unBiblical and leads to chaos and false doctrine.
In the New Testament gathering the men were commanded by God to question the preacher right then and there so the congregation could see the correction. Every man had the authority to speak out during the preaching. All men took turns leading and preaching.
1 Corinthians 13:29-33 "29 Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others pass judgment. 30 But if a revelation is made to another who is seated, the first one must keep silent. 31 For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all may be exhorted; 32 and the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets; 33 for God is not a God of confusion but of [m]peace, as in all the churches of the saints."
When the Holy Spirit leads it is a beautiful thing!
The Lord's supper is the worship time taught in the Bible. One man asks for a song, another speaks from the word, another corrects or adds to the speaker who is preaching. Everything is orderly because it is all led by the Holy Spirit.
The teaching follows the Lord's supper worship, led by a man who was chosen to speak that week. No one man is ever in charge of all preaching or has all authority.
I have seen this in gatherings we were in and it was truly beautiful to see all the men participating in the leading. No one was paid, it was not a job to any of the men, but a calling by God. No one had greater authority over another, but all spoke truth as needed.
In gatherings where there are paid pastors there is overreach. Rather than leading by example and preaching as the Word commands, the preachers make rules that are not Biblical to keep their position secure.
I actually heard a young pastor say, "I protect my pulpit", they are taught this nonsense in Bible college. The pulpit does not belong to one man, nor is it Biblical for one man to have that much power over others.
We must drop the title "Pastor whoever", it elevates one man above the others, often abuse comes from this special class of people. There is no such thing as "leity" or "clergy" described in the Bible. Those terms come from the Catholic concept of hierarchy that is not Biblical.
I challenge every believer to study out the role of the pastors called by God to lead in the church, you might find it enlightening. The modern idea of church and leadership comes straight out of Catholicism. It tends to make gods out of the leaders rather than mere men led by the Holy Spirit.
So many people will believe whatever the man in the pulpit says without questioning and even becoming angry when someone else calls them to account. When someone becomes angry because we have challenged a doctrine, that is the first clue they angry one has an idol in their life, that idol being the man in the pulpit.
Psalm 118:8
"It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man."
Jeremiah 17:5
"Thus says the Lord: “Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the Lord."
2 Timothy 3:13-17
"While evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work."
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