Monday, August 11, 2025
The Holy Spirit is the Leader of the Gathering
I see the Holy Spirit as the leader in the gathering of believers, not men. Men monitor what people are saying and doing, as all people in the gathering judge, as led by the Holy Spirit.
Sadly, the modern church sees the "elders" as having authority over the pew sitters, dictating things.
But it is the Holy Spirit only who has Authority over believers. Elders are to lead by example and teach, not exercise authority over anyone. A man could never lead better than the Holy Spirit.
1 Peter 5:3 "Not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock."
1 Corinthians 11:1 "Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ."
1 Peter 5:1-5 "So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
We obey the elders as they obey God, and we correct them when they are in error and support them when they speak the truth. In other words, we are to hear and evaluate what everyone says.
1 Corinthians 14:29-30 " 29 Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said. 30 And if a revelation comes to someone who is seated, the first speaker should stop."
Acts 17:11
"Now the Bereans were more noble-minded than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if these teachings were true."
Sadly, the modern church sees the "elders" as having authority over the pew sitters, dictating things.
But it is the Holy Spirit only who has Authority over believers. Elders are to lead by example and teach, not exercise authority over anyone. A man could never lead better than the Holy Spirit.
1 Peter 5:3 "Not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock."
1 Corinthians 11:1 "Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ."
1 Peter 5:1-5 "So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
We obey the elders as they obey God, and we correct them when they are in error and support them when they speak the truth. In other words, we are to hear and evaluate what everyone says.
1 Corinthians 14:29-30 " 29 Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said. 30 And if a revelation comes to someone who is seated, the first speaker should stop."
Acts 17:11
"Now the Bereans were more noble-minded than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if these teachings were true."
Evangelical or Christian?
I have noticed over the years that "evangelicals" disobey more of the Bible than they obey and think they are obeying all of it merely by knowing some things about it.
However, they tend to add to the scriptures with traditions of men and ignore other scriptures based on the traditions of men.
They have a spiritual glaucoma; in other words, they have tunnel vision, unable to see the whole truth based on context. Instead of asking God to clarify things for them, they depend on "educated men" who are educated by men, rather than the Holy Spirit.
Mark 7:13 "13 Thus, you nullify the word of God by the tradition you have handed down. And you do so in many such matters.”
Colossians 2:8
"See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, which are based on human tradition and the spiritual forces of the world rather than on Christ."
Isaiah 29:13
"Therefore the Lord said: “These people draw near to Me with their mouths and honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. Their worship of Me is but rules taught by men."
We have been in the end times for centuries now, but the stubbornness against God's word is growing worse, and the world is on the fast track to the development of the antichrist system.
Prophecy is being fulfilled as the churches grow more apostate and willful every day. Those who seek Christ in truth are leaving institutional churches in favor of the peace and joy of edifying one another in their homes on the days and times they choose, without man-made traditions that only serve to distract and bring false doctrines.
An immense blessing comes from doing things God's way according to His word. All the traditions of men that are burdensome to those who love Christ are removed, and the freedom to express our faith grows.
2 Corinthians 3:17 "Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom."
Galatians 5:1
"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not be encumbered once more by a yoke of slavery."
However, they tend to add to the scriptures with traditions of men and ignore other scriptures based on the traditions of men.
They have a spiritual glaucoma; in other words, they have tunnel vision, unable to see the whole truth based on context. Instead of asking God to clarify things for them, they depend on "educated men" who are educated by men, rather than the Holy Spirit.
Mark 7:13 "13 Thus, you nullify the word of God by the tradition you have handed down. And you do so in many such matters.”
Colossians 2:8
"See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, which are based on human tradition and the spiritual forces of the world rather than on Christ."
Isaiah 29:13
"Therefore the Lord said: “These people draw near to Me with their mouths and honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. Their worship of Me is but rules taught by men."
We have been in the end times for centuries now, but the stubbornness against God's word is growing worse, and the world is on the fast track to the development of the antichrist system.
Prophecy is being fulfilled as the churches grow more apostate and willful every day. Those who seek Christ in truth are leaving institutional churches in favor of the peace and joy of edifying one another in their homes on the days and times they choose, without man-made traditions that only serve to distract and bring false doctrines.
An immense blessing comes from doing things God's way according to His word. All the traditions of men that are burdensome to those who love Christ are removed, and the freedom to express our faith grows.
2 Corinthians 3:17 "Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom."
Galatians 5:1
"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not be encumbered once more by a yoke of slavery."
Sunday, August 10, 2025
The Natural Man Without Jesus Christ Turns to Sin for their Comfort
The natural man without Jesus Christ turns to sin for their comfort. Sin takes away the sting of loneliness and sadness that life brings around every turn.
When someone sees that sin is not working for them, the deeper into it they fall, the worse the emotional pain gets, and they begin to realize their need for God. Unless those who love their sin and are addicted to it refuse to see the damage it does, will become hardened over time, actually believing their life is good when it is nothing of the sort and their destination is hell.
When someone confesses their sinful nature and inability to save themselves, they can see that Christ paid the price for the sin that they owed, and that in trusting in Him, they can be free from the bondage of sin.
Matthew 5:45 "so that you may prove yourselves to be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous."
Sin is pleasurable for a season, but eventually it ravages the soul and brings greater sadness that one cannot climb out of without Jesus Christ. And worse yet, it leads one into hell.
When we have trusted in Christ, He changes us into a new creation we are no longer the same person. He comes to live in us as our advocate with the Father and our protector, teacher, encourager, and disciplinarian to return us to obedience when we stray from His principles.
2 Corinthians 5:17
"17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, this person is a new [a]creation; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come."
1 Corinthians 6:10-11 "…10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor verbal abusers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God."
1 John 2:1 "My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous;"
Hebrews 12:5-7 "…5 And you have forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons: “My son, do not take lightly the discipline of the Lord, and do not lose heart when He rebukes you. 6 For the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and He chastises every son He receives.” 7 Endure suffering as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?…"
John 14:26 "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you."
We are never alone when we have the Holy Spirit. We do desire the fellowship of other born-again believers, but we do not become devastated when we are without friendship for a time. There is no better friend than Christ Who understands everything about us all the time. No human friend can be this for us.
1 John 2:27 "But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie—just as it has taught you, abide in him."
Ephesians 1:13 "In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,"
Jesus Christ never leaves those He has changed into a new creation. They are sealed with the Holy Spirit and are positionally seated with Christ in the heavenlies.
1 John 5:6 "This is he who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ; not by the water only but by the water and the blood. And the Spirit is the one who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth."
1 Corinthians 3:16 "Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you?"
There are many who have joined the Christian club deciding they will be a Christian to have a better life. This will not save them, because they remain trusting in themselves to be good.
It is in humbling oneself, confessing their sinfulness, and desiring to be changed by Christ that one is saved from hell. It is the easiest thing in the world to do because it requires nothing of us except to trust in Christ. It is only pride and self-will that prevent people from doing what is required to gain heaven.
Those who have humbled themselves, admitted their sinful nature, and asked God to change them have learned how wonderful and freeing it is when Christ does His work in us.
John 8:36
"36 So if the Son sets you free, you really will be free."
Sin is the bondage; Christ sets us free from it!
When someone sees that sin is not working for them, the deeper into it they fall, the worse the emotional pain gets, and they begin to realize their need for God. Unless those who love their sin and are addicted to it refuse to see the damage it does, will become hardened over time, actually believing their life is good when it is nothing of the sort and their destination is hell.
When someone confesses their sinful nature and inability to save themselves, they can see that Christ paid the price for the sin that they owed, and that in trusting in Him, they can be free from the bondage of sin.
Matthew 5:45 "so that you may prove yourselves to be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous."
Sin is pleasurable for a season, but eventually it ravages the soul and brings greater sadness that one cannot climb out of without Jesus Christ. And worse yet, it leads one into hell.
When we have trusted in Christ, He changes us into a new creation we are no longer the same person. He comes to live in us as our advocate with the Father and our protector, teacher, encourager, and disciplinarian to return us to obedience when we stray from His principles.
2 Corinthians 5:17
"17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, this person is a new [a]creation; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come."
1 Corinthians 6:10-11 "…10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor verbal abusers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God."
1 John 2:1 "My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous;"
Hebrews 12:5-7 "…5 And you have forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons: “My son, do not take lightly the discipline of the Lord, and do not lose heart when He rebukes you. 6 For the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and He chastises every son He receives.” 7 Endure suffering as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?…"
John 14:26 "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you."
We are never alone when we have the Holy Spirit. We do desire the fellowship of other born-again believers, but we do not become devastated when we are without friendship for a time. There is no better friend than Christ Who understands everything about us all the time. No human friend can be this for us.
1 John 2:27 "But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie—just as it has taught you, abide in him."
Ephesians 1:13 "In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,"
Jesus Christ never leaves those He has changed into a new creation. They are sealed with the Holy Spirit and are positionally seated with Christ in the heavenlies.
1 John 5:6 "This is he who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ; not by the water only but by the water and the blood. And the Spirit is the one who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth."
1 Corinthians 3:16 "Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you?"
There are many who have joined the Christian club deciding they will be a Christian to have a better life. This will not save them, because they remain trusting in themselves to be good.
It is in humbling oneself, confessing their sinfulness, and desiring to be changed by Christ that one is saved from hell. It is the easiest thing in the world to do because it requires nothing of us except to trust in Christ. It is only pride and self-will that prevent people from doing what is required to gain heaven.
Those who have humbled themselves, admitted their sinful nature, and asked God to change them have learned how wonderful and freeing it is when Christ does His work in us.
John 8:36
"36 So if the Son sets you free, you really will be free."
Sin is the bondage; Christ sets us free from it!
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