When I became born again, Christ sealed me with the Holy Spirit of Promise and I will never be lost again, ever!!!!
I am seated right now positionally in the heavenlies with Christ.
John 3:3 " 3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
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."
Ephesians 2:6 "and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,"
Ephesians 2:10 "10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them."
I will never be lost again!!!!! No one will ever convince me that I could lose my salvation, for I know Whom I have trusted in and He is faithful. He paid for my sin with His own blood.
Ephesians 1:7 "In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace."
2 Timothy 2:13 "If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself."
Done and Done!!!!! Hallelujah!
Sunday, April 5, 2015
Feelings Lie To Us!
Our feelings are altogether unreliable, but God's Word is completely reliable.
STOP basing your decisions in life on feelings, they will mislead you, control you and leave you in despair without hope.
Philippians 2:1-5 "
1 Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion,
2 make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose.
3 Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves;
4 do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.
5 Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus,"
STOP basing your decisions in life on feelings, they will mislead you, control you and leave you in despair without hope.
Philippians 2:1-5 "
1 Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion,
2 make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose.
3 Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves;
4 do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.
5 Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus,"
So You Think You Are Superior?
I am flabberghasted at those who want to fight and argue about days and seasons.
"5 One person regards one day above another, another regards every day alike. Each person must be fully convinced in his own mind.
6 He who observes the day, observes it for the Lord,"
I can honestly say, I don't care exactly which day Christ died or which day anyone worships on, these are just distractions from the good news that Christ spilt His precious blood for the sinner so that we could become born again, saved from our sin and from hell.
It is unbiblical to be hammering people, making them believe they are not good Christians or are not saved at all because they do not follow certain days or rituals.
If you feel a need to pick a particular day to worship, then do it, if you are convinced Christ died on a particular day, stay with that. However you cross over into sin when you judge others for not worshiping on the day you do. You also cross over into sin when you fight and argue about which day this or that happened. To discuss is one thing, to badger and harang believers because they do not hold to your view is ungodly and divisive.
I have actually had people unfriend me for using John MacArthur material from time to time. He is a very good teacher, I don't agree with him on everything, but I cannot judge him as unsaved or always wrong because of our disagreements. Sometimes pride causes people to believe that they understand everything perfectly and they end up rejecting believers who love the Lord.
You, I and everyone else have some errors that we believe, no one is perfect in their understanding. To throw another believer under the bus for disagreements that are not salvation issues is arrogant and self righteous.
"5 One person regards one day above another, another regards every day alike. Each person must be fully convinced in his own mind.
6 He who observes the day, observes it for the Lord,"
I can honestly say, I don't care exactly which day Christ died or which day anyone worships on, these are just distractions from the good news that Christ spilt His precious blood for the sinner so that we could become born again, saved from our sin and from hell.
It is unbiblical to be hammering people, making them believe they are not good Christians or are not saved at all because they do not follow certain days or rituals.
If you feel a need to pick a particular day to worship, then do it, if you are convinced Christ died on a particular day, stay with that. However you cross over into sin when you judge others for not worshiping on the day you do. You also cross over into sin when you fight and argue about which day this or that happened. To discuss is one thing, to badger and harang believers because they do not hold to your view is ungodly and divisive.
I have actually had people unfriend me for using John MacArthur material from time to time. He is a very good teacher, I don't agree with him on everything, but I cannot judge him as unsaved or always wrong because of our disagreements. Sometimes pride causes people to believe that they understand everything perfectly and they end up rejecting believers who love the Lord.
You, I and everyone else have some errors that we believe, no one is perfect in their understanding. To throw another believer under the bus for disagreements that are not salvation issues is arrogant and self righteous.
Pretense is Sin
Pray for discernment!
Far too many people who say they are Christians, have little to no discernment when it comes to knowing truth from error.
We tend to focus on how a teaching makes us feel and whether or not it works (pragmatism), rather than whether or not it is truth. We also believe what we have been taught instead of evaluating what we learned.
Acts 17:10-11
"10 The brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews.
11 Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so."
Read the Word to get discernment while praying for the understanding to be clear.
Galatians 1:8 "But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed!"
2 John 1:10 "If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house, and do not give him a greeting;"
1 John 4:2-3 "2 By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God,
3 and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already."
Something to ponder: There are those who confess Christ with their words but do not honor Him with their life or attitudes, they do not care about obeying His Word, even twisting the word to fit their own desires. This is a form of denying Christ.
Matthew 15:8 "'THIS PEOPLE HONORS ME WITH THEIR LIPS, BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR AWAY FROM ME."
Luke 6:46 ""Why do you call Me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say?"
There are those who spend a lot of time on getting people to obey God for their salvation, when Christ said all you have to do is believe. Their contention is that if we tell people what Christ said, they will think they can live in sin and still be saved.
The truth of the matter is, if someone is born again, even though they are not perfect in their flesh, they will desire to obey God, they will grow in holiness and they will be ashamed when they have momentarily taken their eyes off of Christ to follow a fleshly desire.
The believer is ashamed of sin, hates it and desires to be cleansed of it. This person will be growing spiritually stronger while becoming more bold. Because this person has the Holy Spirit living in them to continually convict them of sin, give them understanding and redirecting their steps when needed, they do not remain in sin, they are disciplined by Christ Who lives in them and will come out of it.
Hebrews 12:6 "FOR THOSE WHOM THE LORD LOVES HE DISCIPLINES, AND HE SCOURGES EVERY SON WHOM HE RECEIVES."
Hebrews 12:8 "But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons."
1 John 3:9 "Whosoever is born of God doth not commit (continue in) sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God."
[parenthesis added to show the original meaning]
The non-believer is not ashamed of their sin, they are walking pretentiously, caring only about appearances and when challenged will become angry, they are pretenders in the faith, never having been broken over their sinfulness, never confessing it and never desiring holiness. God has not changed them into a new creation because they don't want to be, they love their sin.
John 3:19 ""This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil."
Sadly, we will encounter the pretender much more in these last days than we do true born again believers.
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.’"
I know many people like this, who have a form of religion but deny Christ in their life experience.
2 Timothy 3:4-5
"4 treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,
5 holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these."
Even many of those who appear to have very good lives are walking in pretension, their outer appearance seems to say they are Christians, but deeply in their heart there is a spirit of rebellion and a desire to be worshiped by others.
These are the people who are not persecuted by the world, but rather loved by it. These people play a good role, they are actors, putting on a show to become popular, loving the praise and attention of the world. Their good deeds are done for self glorification, because they do not do these same good deeds when no one is looking, they must have validation by men to feel important, they must have an audience.
These same people very often show contempt for those who would expose them, treating them in covertly unkind ways, while denying they are doing it.
Take an inventory, if you find yourself only being kind and loving to those who elevate you, then you are probably a pretender. Seeking self glory can never be a part of the life of a truly born again believer, since they had to come to Christ in brokenness over sin, they see themselves as dependent on Christ to be what they should be. Their brokenness eliminated the arrogance that is such a large part of the non-believers existence, especially in these last days of high self esteem.
May the Lord work in our hearts to desire to know the truth about ourselves, bringing us into a right relationship with God than can only happen when we have been broken.
Psalm 51:17 "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, you will not despise."
Far too many people who say they are Christians, have little to no discernment when it comes to knowing truth from error.
We tend to focus on how a teaching makes us feel and whether or not it works (pragmatism), rather than whether or not it is truth. We also believe what we have been taught instead of evaluating what we learned.
Acts 17:10-11
"10 The brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews.
11 Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so."
Read the Word to get discernment while praying for the understanding to be clear.
Galatians 1:8 "But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed!"
2 John 1:10 "If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house, and do not give him a greeting;"
1 John 4:2-3 "2 By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God,
3 and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already."
Something to ponder: There are those who confess Christ with their words but do not honor Him with their life or attitudes, they do not care about obeying His Word, even twisting the word to fit their own desires. This is a form of denying Christ.
Matthew 15:8 "'THIS PEOPLE HONORS ME WITH THEIR LIPS, BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR AWAY FROM ME."
Luke 6:46 ""Why do you call Me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say?"
There are those who spend a lot of time on getting people to obey God for their salvation, when Christ said all you have to do is believe. Their contention is that if we tell people what Christ said, they will think they can live in sin and still be saved.
The truth of the matter is, if someone is born again, even though they are not perfect in their flesh, they will desire to obey God, they will grow in holiness and they will be ashamed when they have momentarily taken their eyes off of Christ to follow a fleshly desire.
The believer is ashamed of sin, hates it and desires to be cleansed of it. This person will be growing spiritually stronger while becoming more bold. Because this person has the Holy Spirit living in them to continually convict them of sin, give them understanding and redirecting their steps when needed, they do not remain in sin, they are disciplined by Christ Who lives in them and will come out of it.
Hebrews 12:6 "FOR THOSE WHOM THE LORD LOVES HE DISCIPLINES, AND HE SCOURGES EVERY SON WHOM HE RECEIVES."
Hebrews 12:8 "But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons."
1 John 3:9 "Whosoever is born of God doth not commit (continue in) sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God."
[parenthesis added to show the original meaning]
The non-believer is not ashamed of their sin, they are walking pretentiously, caring only about appearances and when challenged will become angry, they are pretenders in the faith, never having been broken over their sinfulness, never confessing it and never desiring holiness. God has not changed them into a new creation because they don't want to be, they love their sin.
John 3:19 ""This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil."
Sadly, we will encounter the pretender much more in these last days than we do true born again believers.
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.’"
I know many people like this, who have a form of religion but deny Christ in their life experience.
2 Timothy 3:4-5
"4 treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,
5 holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these."
Even many of those who appear to have very good lives are walking in pretension, their outer appearance seems to say they are Christians, but deeply in their heart there is a spirit of rebellion and a desire to be worshiped by others.
These are the people who are not persecuted by the world, but rather loved by it. These people play a good role, they are actors, putting on a show to become popular, loving the praise and attention of the world. Their good deeds are done for self glorification, because they do not do these same good deeds when no one is looking, they must have validation by men to feel important, they must have an audience.
These same people very often show contempt for those who would expose them, treating them in covertly unkind ways, while denying they are doing it.
Take an inventory, if you find yourself only being kind and loving to those who elevate you, then you are probably a pretender. Seeking self glory can never be a part of the life of a truly born again believer, since they had to come to Christ in brokenness over sin, they see themselves as dependent on Christ to be what they should be. Their brokenness eliminated the arrogance that is such a large part of the non-believers existence, especially in these last days of high self esteem.
May the Lord work in our hearts to desire to know the truth about ourselves, bringing us into a right relationship with God than can only happen when we have been broken.
Psalm 51:17 "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, you will not despise."
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