The Lord showed me a principle that really answered this matter of who is born again and who is not. Of course we cannot perfectly discern this because everyone is at a different stage in their growth but we can tell much of the time, here it is;
A born again believer does not love their sin. They hate sin, if they fall into it out of weakness they are miserable the entire time because the Holy Spirit convicts them of their sin. And eventually they confess to be cleansed and stop that sin.
1 John 1:9 "9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
The pretenders when confronted with their sin will fight, argue and rage for any attempt at correction from the believer. They refuse to evaluate themselves and will exact revenge on the truth teller for daring to rebuke them.
John 14:15-16 "15 If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate to be with you forever—…"
1 John 3:8-10 "…8 The one who practices sin is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the very start. This is why the Son of God was revealed, to destroy the works of the devil. 9 Anyone born of God refuses to practice sin, because God’s seed abides in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God. 10 By this the children of God are distinguished from the children of the devil: Anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is anyone who does not love his brother."
Proverbs 29:9 "When a wise man has a controversy with a foolish man, The foolish man either rages or laughs, and there is no rest."
Proverbs 18:2-3
"2 A fool does not delight in understanding,
But only in revealing his own mind.
3 When a wicked man comes, contempt also comes,
And with dishonor comes scorn."
Monday, December 30, 2019
Our Home Going Soon!
How often do you hear this from your friends?
"I just can't wait for Christ's return."
I hear it all the time because those who are my brothers and sisters in Christ hate this wicked world full of contempt and lacking in God's kind of love.
We love Christ so much that the world holds no sway over us at all. We are waiting rather impatiently for our home going as we remain steadfast in telling the truth of God.
We are battered by superficial Christians and unsaved family who love their "religion" and "pleasure" but have no interest in obeying the Word of God.
The born again believer yearns for our home going when Christ calls us up to meet Him in the air.
1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 "…16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a loud command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will be the first to rise. 17 After that, we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.…"
These words from God are the greatest comfort any born again believer can ponder.
"I just can't wait for Christ's return."
I hear it all the time because those who are my brothers and sisters in Christ hate this wicked world full of contempt and lacking in God's kind of love.
We love Christ so much that the world holds no sway over us at all. We are waiting rather impatiently for our home going as we remain steadfast in telling the truth of God.
We are battered by superficial Christians and unsaved family who love their "religion" and "pleasure" but have no interest in obeying the Word of God.
The born again believer yearns for our home going when Christ calls us up to meet Him in the air.
1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 "…16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a loud command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will be the first to rise. 17 After that, we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.…"
These words from God are the greatest comfort any born again believer can ponder.
Talk is Cheap, the Walk is the Evidence
Most "Christians" in our culture only talk the talk they don't actually walk the walk.
We are a culture that believes "feelings are facts." If I feel sorry for others and feel like saying something to them, I don't actually have to do anything.
The feeling and desire is good enough all by themselves in the minds of so many people.
How do I know this? Its simple children today are being told all the time "you can do anything you want to do", this is false. I could never be an engineer, its not in my DNA. Many people believe they can do things that are not a part of their structure, they were meant to do other things but want to believe they can do anything.
I have quoted this many times to people; "your actions speak so loud I can't hear a word you are saying."
Just because someone says something is not the evidence or proof that what they say is true.
Matthew 15:7-9 "…7 You hypocrites! Isaiah prophesied correctly about you: 8 ‘These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. 9 They worship Me in vain; they teach as doctrine the precepts of men.’”…"
Many people say they are "Christians" but have none of the fruit of the Spirit even though they would say they do. They base their assertions on their idea of "love, joy, peace, gentleness, kindness and self control", but their idea is deeply flawed.
Those character qualities mentioned come from the Holy Spirit and appear nothing like what the humanistic version of them do in fleshly terms.
So many people say: "I am this" and "I am that" but on close inspection they are deeply worldly lacking the very fruit they claim to possess.
Words are nothing unless accompanied by character fruit and actions.
I have met many people who say they are Christian but treat those they believe are beneath them with contempt. They will even refuse to engage in conversation about their own flaws because the pride within them cannot admit warts and blemishes of the soul that need God's healing touch.
Proverbs 15:31-33 "…31 He who listens to life-giving reproof will dwell among the wise. 32 He who ignores discipline despises himself, but whoever heeds correction gains understanding. 33 The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom, and humility comes before honor.…"
2 Timothy 4:2-4 "…2 Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and encourage with every form of patient instruction. 3 For the time will come when men will not tolerate sound doctrine, but with itching ears they will gather around themselves teachers to suit their own desires. 4 So they will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths."
Do not be dismayed when you see all this happening, it is all a part of the end times prophesy. Remove from your life those who will not repent, those who will not listen but rage and those who have clearly demonstrated a hatred of God's principles, using the false doctrine of the world to claim they are from God.
We are a culture that believes "feelings are facts." If I feel sorry for others and feel like saying something to them, I don't actually have to do anything.
The feeling and desire is good enough all by themselves in the minds of so many people.
How do I know this? Its simple children today are being told all the time "you can do anything you want to do", this is false. I could never be an engineer, its not in my DNA. Many people believe they can do things that are not a part of their structure, they were meant to do other things but want to believe they can do anything.
I have quoted this many times to people; "your actions speak so loud I can't hear a word you are saying."
Just because someone says something is not the evidence or proof that what they say is true.
Matthew 15:7-9 "…7 You hypocrites! Isaiah prophesied correctly about you: 8 ‘These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. 9 They worship Me in vain; they teach as doctrine the precepts of men.’”…"
Many people say they are "Christians" but have none of the fruit of the Spirit even though they would say they do. They base their assertions on their idea of "love, joy, peace, gentleness, kindness and self control", but their idea is deeply flawed.
Those character qualities mentioned come from the Holy Spirit and appear nothing like what the humanistic version of them do in fleshly terms.
So many people say: "I am this" and "I am that" but on close inspection they are deeply worldly lacking the very fruit they claim to possess.
Words are nothing unless accompanied by character fruit and actions.
I have met many people who say they are Christian but treat those they believe are beneath them with contempt. They will even refuse to engage in conversation about their own flaws because the pride within them cannot admit warts and blemishes of the soul that need God's healing touch.
Proverbs 15:31-33 "…31 He who listens to life-giving reproof will dwell among the wise. 32 He who ignores discipline despises himself, but whoever heeds correction gains understanding. 33 The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom, and humility comes before honor.…"
2 Timothy 4:2-4 "…2 Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and encourage with every form of patient instruction. 3 For the time will come when men will not tolerate sound doctrine, but with itching ears they will gather around themselves teachers to suit their own desires. 4 So they will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths."
Do not be dismayed when you see all this happening, it is all a part of the end times prophesy. Remove from your life those who will not repent, those who will not listen but rage and those who have clearly demonstrated a hatred of God's principles, using the false doctrine of the world to claim they are from God.
2 Timothy 2:21-26
21 Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from these things, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work.
22 Now flee from youthful lusts and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.
23 But refuse foolish and ignorant speculations, knowing that they produce quarrels.
24 The Lord’s bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged,
25 with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth,
26 and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will.
22 Now flee from youthful lusts and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.
23 But refuse foolish and ignorant speculations, knowing that they produce quarrels.
24 The Lord’s bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged,
25 with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth,
26 and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will.
2 Corinthians 2:14-17
"14 But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place.
15 For we are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing;
16 to the one an aroma from death to death, to the other an aroma from life to life. And who is adequate for these things?
17 For we are not like many, peddling the word of God, but as from sincerity, but as from God, we speak in Christ in the sight of God."
15 For we are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing;
16 to the one an aroma from death to death, to the other an aroma from life to life. And who is adequate for these things?
17 For we are not like many, peddling the word of God, but as from sincerity, but as from God, we speak in Christ in the sight of God."
The False Christians and the Authentic Christians
If anyone comes to you and says; "I have a word from the Lord for you", they are not understanding the principles of the Bible and often are showing off that God spoke to them and not you.
Here is an answer the Lord gave me many years ago to answer these sort of people:
Simply tell someone like this that there is only one Mediator between God and man and that is Christ Jesus and He lives in me. If God wants me to know something He will tell it to me.
Sadly the person who did this to me many years ago approached me to tell me that "God told me to tell you that He loved you." I thought this was silly because I was holding my own Bible in my hand, the Bible that already told me that!
These sort of demonstrations of false messages from God to others does nothing except elevate the person who claims to have the message.
Many years ago when I had much contact with miracle seekers I ran into this prideful display of self exaltation often. When I did there was a sense that these kind of people loved their displays of superiority.
I love to hear the way God is working in the lives of people and can rejoice with them over answered prayer, but thankfully the Lord has shown me the difference between authentic displays of God's power and work and those who are fakers looking to have special status.
One sign you will see that someone is authentic is that they give the glory to God. They do not attempt to be seen as having special powers others do not have.
One of the signs of an authentic believer is that they never seek to be special, better or more spiritual, they just are excited and grateful about Christ.
Here is an answer the Lord gave me many years ago to answer these sort of people:
Simply tell someone like this that there is only one Mediator between God and man and that is Christ Jesus and He lives in me. If God wants me to know something He will tell it to me.
Sadly the person who did this to me many years ago approached me to tell me that "God told me to tell you that He loved you." I thought this was silly because I was holding my own Bible in my hand, the Bible that already told me that!
These sort of demonstrations of false messages from God to others does nothing except elevate the person who claims to have the message.
Many years ago when I had much contact with miracle seekers I ran into this prideful display of self exaltation often. When I did there was a sense that these kind of people loved their displays of superiority.
I love to hear the way God is working in the lives of people and can rejoice with them over answered prayer, but thankfully the Lord has shown me the difference between authentic displays of God's power and work and those who are fakers looking to have special status.
One sign you will see that someone is authentic is that they give the glory to God. They do not attempt to be seen as having special powers others do not have.
One of the signs of an authentic believer is that they never seek to be special, better or more spiritual, they just are excited and grateful about Christ.
Seeking Experiences Demonstrates a Weak Faith
We should not be seeking "experiences", we should be seeking Christ and the experiences do come at times. But since we walk by faith our faith is in Christ not in any event or experience.
The devil can fabricate experiences that leave those seeking the experiences as euphoric and joyful, but these experiences are not evidence that God is working. In these last days we will see lots of false miracles.
If our spirituality and faith is based on what we can see and experience we have a weak faith.
Our faith is in Christ during the most horrific times in life. We endure remaining faithful because our faith is in Christ. He goes through the difficulties with us. Our faith is strong because it is based in Him.
In these last days of apostasy most people will want to see rather than having faith to believer when they do not see.
Matthew 16:4 "4 A wicked and adulterous generation demands a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah.” Then He left them and went away. "
Those who believe Christ and His wisdom as given to us in His Word walk faithfully every day when things are difficult. They have no need of a grandiose miracle to build their faith.
Romans 10:17
"17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word [a]of Christ."
I see miracles all the time in my life, they do not take grandiose forms as so many are looking for, they are a steady walk with Christ as He answers prayers in ways that others might deny because they are looking for things to boast about.
It is a miracle that we get through tough times without becoming insane. We do it because Christ goes through with us, we remain faithful to Him no matter what is happening to us.
Remember Job, He never denied God through all His misery. This was a bigger miracle than if he had been healed instantly.
Those who are constantly seeking after grandiose signs and wonders will be those fooled by the anti-christ. He will do such false miracles and lying wonders and those who love these things more than they love God will follow Him.
2 Thessalonians 2:8-10 "…8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will slay with the breath of His mouth and annihilate by the majesty of His arrival. 9 The coming of the lawless one will be accompanied by the working of Satan, with every kind of power, sign, and FALSE wonder, 10 and with every wicked deception directed against those who are perishing, because they refused the love of the truth that would have saved them.…"
The devil can fabricate experiences that leave those seeking the experiences as euphoric and joyful, but these experiences are not evidence that God is working. In these last days we will see lots of false miracles.
If our spirituality and faith is based on what we can see and experience we have a weak faith.
Our faith is in Christ during the most horrific times in life. We endure remaining faithful because our faith is in Christ. He goes through the difficulties with us. Our faith is strong because it is based in Him.
In these last days of apostasy most people will want to see rather than having faith to believer when they do not see.
Matthew 16:4 "4 A wicked and adulterous generation demands a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah.” Then He left them and went away. "
Those who believe Christ and His wisdom as given to us in His Word walk faithfully every day when things are difficult. They have no need of a grandiose miracle to build their faith.
Romans 10:17
"17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word [a]of Christ."
I see miracles all the time in my life, they do not take grandiose forms as so many are looking for, they are a steady walk with Christ as He answers prayers in ways that others might deny because they are looking for things to boast about.
It is a miracle that we get through tough times without becoming insane. We do it because Christ goes through with us, we remain faithful to Him no matter what is happening to us.
Remember Job, He never denied God through all His misery. This was a bigger miracle than if he had been healed instantly.
Those who are constantly seeking after grandiose signs and wonders will be those fooled by the anti-christ. He will do such false miracles and lying wonders and those who love these things more than they love God will follow Him.
2 Thessalonians 2:8-10 "…8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will slay with the breath of His mouth and annihilate by the majesty of His arrival. 9 The coming of the lawless one will be accompanied by the working of Satan, with every kind of power, sign, and FALSE wonder, 10 and with every wicked deception directed against those who are perishing, because they refused the love of the truth that would have saved them.…"
Living in an Apostate Age, How to Endure
We are living in an apostate world now in which everything is based on psychology, traditions of men and personal pleasure. We see this in church gatherings and family relationships. Those who are rejected and lied against are the ones who filter everything through the Word of God.
Most "Christians" today want only to be entertained and to "feel" good. They are not very concerned about what God said in His Word.
The sad thing is that CHRIST IS the Word! He is the One Who gave us the Bible of His Words and Thoughts. To negate it as secondary to a life system is to negate Him.
Most people who say they are Christians today are not concerned about obeying something they see as secondary to their own desires and cultural acceptance.
The more we speak of the Bible principles, Christ's commands and obedience the more we are rejected as Christ and the apostles were rejected.
Until I saw the evil of the "cultural Christianity" I was raised with I was confused about truth. When God opened my eyes through the study of His Word and seeking His face in prayer, my eyes were opened, the floodgates of His wisdom flooded in and there is no returning from that no matter what anyone else says or does to me.
When we have encountered Christ all our traditions and relationships are based on our love for Him.
We have a heart for the lost but our brethren come first. They are our family, as Christ is our husband.
Our life is all about seeking Christ in all things and hearing from the Holy Spirit. If you have lived as a believer very long you will understand this; Those who seek Christ in all things will hear regularly from the Holy Spirit but most "Christians" will not understand what this is like because they do not seek Christ or the leading of the Holy Spirit.
When someone is following the culture they cannot hear from God. The noise of apostasy drowns out anything the Holy Spirit might be saying.
John 16:13-14 "13 However, when the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth. For He will not speak on His own, but He will speak what He hears, and He will declare to you what is to come. 14 He will glorify Me by taking from what is Mine and disclosing it to you.…"
God said this and I believe Him. He will lead into truth and speak often to those who are seeking Him. Those who do not hear from the Holy Spirit look at us sideways as though we said something strange, they do not understand and they do not believe God speaks personally to them. Anyone who wants to know truth can know it if they will seek God.
Luke 24:45-49 "45 Then He (Holy Spirit) opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. 46 He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”
Keep speaking truth to others, their reaction to it will tell you volumes about them. Anyone who wants to know truth will ask to be told more. They will go to their Bibles at home and search out what you have said. They will ask the Holy Spirit to show them truth.
Proverbs 18:24
"24 A man of too many friends comes to ruin,
But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother."
Ephesians 1:17
"17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him."
Most "Christians" today want only to be entertained and to "feel" good. They are not very concerned about what God said in His Word.
The sad thing is that CHRIST IS the Word! He is the One Who gave us the Bible of His Words and Thoughts. To negate it as secondary to a life system is to negate Him.
Most people who say they are Christians today are not concerned about obeying something they see as secondary to their own desires and cultural acceptance.
The more we speak of the Bible principles, Christ's commands and obedience the more we are rejected as Christ and the apostles were rejected.
Until I saw the evil of the "cultural Christianity" I was raised with I was confused about truth. When God opened my eyes through the study of His Word and seeking His face in prayer, my eyes were opened, the floodgates of His wisdom flooded in and there is no returning from that no matter what anyone else says or does to me.
When we have encountered Christ all our traditions and relationships are based on our love for Him.
We have a heart for the lost but our brethren come first. They are our family, as Christ is our husband.
Our life is all about seeking Christ in all things and hearing from the Holy Spirit. If you have lived as a believer very long you will understand this; Those who seek Christ in all things will hear regularly from the Holy Spirit but most "Christians" will not understand what this is like because they do not seek Christ or the leading of the Holy Spirit.
When someone is following the culture they cannot hear from God. The noise of apostasy drowns out anything the Holy Spirit might be saying.
John 16:13-14 "13 However, when the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth. For He will not speak on His own, but He will speak what He hears, and He will declare to you what is to come. 14 He will glorify Me by taking from what is Mine and disclosing it to you.…"
God said this and I believe Him. He will lead into truth and speak often to those who are seeking Him. Those who do not hear from the Holy Spirit look at us sideways as though we said something strange, they do not understand and they do not believe God speaks personally to them. Anyone who wants to know truth can know it if they will seek God.
Luke 24:45-49 "45 Then He (Holy Spirit) opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. 46 He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”
Keep speaking truth to others, their reaction to it will tell you volumes about them. Anyone who wants to know truth will ask to be told more. They will go to their Bibles at home and search out what you have said. They will ask the Holy Spirit to show them truth.
Proverbs 18:24
"24 A man of too many friends comes to ruin,
But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother."
Ephesians 1:17
"17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him."
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