Rejecting the cultural Christianity I grew up with to embrace and enjoy a relationship with Jesus Christ. A place to come and share thoughts about almost anything. Especially things of the Lord. Please no Anonymous posts, I enjoy knowing who is writing to me.
Saturday, May 31, 2025
When Adam and Eve Disobeyed God
When Adam and Eve disobeyed God, they did it because the devil caused doubt in them. But it was still a choice in whom they would trust, God or Satan.
Instead of asking God if the devil was telling the truth, they just believed him because of their own desire to have that bad fruit.
How often do we see people choosing the wisdom of man over the wisdom of God and then blaming God when their plans are ruined?
Then, to top it all off, when confronted by God about eating the forbidden fruit, they blamed each other. Adam blamed God for giving him that woman who enticed him, and Eve blamed the devil for enticing her.
Is it any wonder why we live in a world in which people will blame others for their own sinful actions instead of just owning their own mess?
There is only one way to change our hearts and grow in holiness, and that is to confess to God and those we have offended, with a sense of brokenness that we harmed someone and offended God. Those who cannot do this will never grow; they stay stuck in old ways and continue in them, even regressing into dreadful life patterns.
Psalm 51:16-17 "… 16 For You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; You take no pleasure in burnt offerings. 17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise. "
Those who justify themselves with excuses for bad behavior remain spiritual and emotional infants until they repent and confess.
Born-again believers have an advocate with the Father, that is, Jesus Christ. We can be forgiven for our sins, but only if we want to be forgiven.
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1 John 1:9
"9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous, so that He will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
Those who are not born again do not have an advocate; these people must confess their sinful hearts, desiring to be changed by Christ into a new creation before they can be cleansed. God does not hear the prayer of the unbeliever except the prayer of repentance to be born again.
No relationship is restored without confession of sin, our relationship with God and with people. It is the brokenness that is followed by a desire to repair what we have broken and damaged that restores relationships. Without this, there is no change in behavior or attitude and no reconciliation.
Confession of sin and forgiveness offered is the only way to reconcile a relationship. These two things are two sides of the same coin; without one, there is nothing accomplished.
Instead of asking God if the devil was telling the truth, they just believed him because of their own desire to have that bad fruit.
How often do we see people choosing the wisdom of man over the wisdom of God and then blaming God when their plans are ruined?
Then, to top it all off, when confronted by God about eating the forbidden fruit, they blamed each other. Adam blamed God for giving him that woman who enticed him, and Eve blamed the devil for enticing her.
Is it any wonder why we live in a world in which people will blame others for their own sinful actions instead of just owning their own mess?
There is only one way to change our hearts and grow in holiness, and that is to confess to God and those we have offended, with a sense of brokenness that we harmed someone and offended God. Those who cannot do this will never grow; they stay stuck in old ways and continue in them, even regressing into dreadful life patterns.
Psalm 51:16-17 "… 16 For You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; You take no pleasure in burnt offerings. 17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise. "
Those who justify themselves with excuses for bad behavior remain spiritual and emotional infants until they repent and confess.
Born-again believers have an advocate with the Father, that is, Jesus Christ. We can be forgiven for our sins, but only if we want to be forgiven.
.
1 John 1:9
"9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous, so that He will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
Those who are not born again do not have an advocate; these people must confess their sinful hearts, desiring to be changed by Christ into a new creation before they can be cleansed. God does not hear the prayer of the unbeliever except the prayer of repentance to be born again.
No relationship is restored without confession of sin, our relationship with God and with people. It is the brokenness that is followed by a desire to repair what we have broken and damaged that restores relationships. Without this, there is no change in behavior or attitude and no reconciliation.
Confession of sin and forgiveness offered is the only way to reconcile a relationship. These two things are two sides of the same coin; without one, there is nothing accomplished.
Seeking the Holy Spirit not People!
I can't count the number of times people told me something was biblical, and I corrected them because what they said was not biblical, but they resisted and refused to listen. This is the problem with the modern church: they create their own doctrine using some scripture, and since everyone else is doing the same, they think it is alright to believe.
When something is taught by "educated and respected scholars," it doesn't matter how true it is if the ones with the degree say it is so everyone believes it.
Sadly, popularity among the people is now the measure of truth, not accuracy, according to the Bible.
Once someone has heard a doctrine from those they consider to be the experts, they will never hear from the Holy Spirit or anyone led by the Holy Spirit.
The god of this culture is "education", and many have counted themselves educated if they have spent hours on the internet researching things they count themselves as having wisdom. Very few people who see themselves as knowledgeable actually seek the Holy Spirit and wait on His answer.
Proverbs 26:12 “Do you see a person wise in their own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for them.”
When we read and depend on our own mindset to interpret scripture, we will get it wrong because we are viewing it in our Western mindset, not in the mindset of the Jews of the day it was written, the way God meant for us to see it.
So many things we have been raised with in churches were wrong, and yet those who have been raised on the error cannot or will not wrap their minds around God's meaning. To see the truth, we must consult continually with the Holy Spirit; He will warn us if something is off or bless us if it is true.
When I began to ask the Holy Spirit willing to reject the error and only see the truth, He began to open my eyes in ways I never expected. He would place in my head a question, I would ask for clarification, and He would answer with Scripture as I read and studied. Then He would bring to me others who discovered the same thing and even further explained what God had told me.
No one has to be ignorant; those who are willingly ignorant by refusing to pray about a matter and choose to believe the traditions of men will remain untrained by God. God said they will choose teachers who say what they like and reject the truth.
2 Timothy 4:3-4 "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables."
There are many false doctrines and fables being taught in the church today that negate the power of the Holy Spirit while adhering to the popularity of men.
Matthew 15:8-9 "…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.’”
We are living in the last days of intense and continual false doctrine and intimidation to adhere to these doctrines. We must remain vigilant in prayer as we seek Christ for the truth, ready to leave behind every false way and every false person to follow Christ.
When we do this, we are not lonely even when we are without human companions because Christ lives in us and fulfills our every desire of our heart that is inclined toward Him.
When something is taught by "educated and respected scholars," it doesn't matter how true it is if the ones with the degree say it is so everyone believes it.
Sadly, popularity among the people is now the measure of truth, not accuracy, according to the Bible.
Once someone has heard a doctrine from those they consider to be the experts, they will never hear from the Holy Spirit or anyone led by the Holy Spirit.
The god of this culture is "education", and many have counted themselves educated if they have spent hours on the internet researching things they count themselves as having wisdom. Very few people who see themselves as knowledgeable actually seek the Holy Spirit and wait on His answer.
Proverbs 26:12 “Do you see a person wise in their own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for them.”
When we read and depend on our own mindset to interpret scripture, we will get it wrong because we are viewing it in our Western mindset, not in the mindset of the Jews of the day it was written, the way God meant for us to see it.
So many things we have been raised with in churches were wrong, and yet those who have been raised on the error cannot or will not wrap their minds around God's meaning. To see the truth, we must consult continually with the Holy Spirit; He will warn us if something is off or bless us if it is true.
When I began to ask the Holy Spirit willing to reject the error and only see the truth, He began to open my eyes in ways I never expected. He would place in my head a question, I would ask for clarification, and He would answer with Scripture as I read and studied. Then He would bring to me others who discovered the same thing and even further explained what God had told me.
No one has to be ignorant; those who are willingly ignorant by refusing to pray about a matter and choose to believe the traditions of men will remain untrained by God. God said they will choose teachers who say what they like and reject the truth.
2 Timothy 4:3-4 "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables."
There are many false doctrines and fables being taught in the church today that negate the power of the Holy Spirit while adhering to the popularity of men.
Matthew 15:8-9 "…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.’”
We are living in the last days of intense and continual false doctrine and intimidation to adhere to these doctrines. We must remain vigilant in prayer as we seek Christ for the truth, ready to leave behind every false way and every false person to follow Christ.
When we do this, we are not lonely even when we are without human companions because Christ lives in us and fulfills our every desire of our heart that is inclined toward Him.
Friday, May 30, 2025
There is Authentic Christianity and there is Pretend Christianity
Many years ago, when I was a new believer, I wasted time running to someone I thought was a seasoned Christian. Quickly, I found out that many believers are not using Biblical wisdom to counsel others; they use watered-down scripture mixed with psychology rather than pure wisdom from God.
After years of listening to the suggestions of church attendees, I began to pray for wisdom, even if it meant leaving everything behind that I was taught, to follow Christ. I was ready to do it.
Then is when God began to open my eyes to all the false teachings of Christians that are nothing more than man's wisdom with a little out-of-context scripture thrown in to make it sound like it came from God.
When I prayed for truth and nothing but the truth, I didn't realize that many of the things churchgoers think are biblical were not at all from the Bible. The standards I heard sounded good, but when I compared them with scripture, there was no resemblance.
Just because someone "says" they are a Bible believer does not mean it is so. Even if someone has a degree from a seminary does not mean they have the truth. Many think that just knowing a little Bible and acting like they love it does not mean they follow it or even know enough to make good decisions.
Matthew 7:21-23
I Never Knew You
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.’"
Any portion of scripture mixed with human wisdom negates God's Word and is dangerous in the lives of those who live by the manmade version.
We cannot go wrong by asking Christ in us to show us the truth, however, it will mean we will lose friends and family who are dedicated to maintaining their position in the cultural Christian community. Most Christians today search for ways to agree with everyone around them to feel safe and comfortable.
My goal is to agree with God, there is safety with Him when we seek Him with all our heart!
Jeremiah 29:12-13 "… 12 Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart."
After years of listening to the suggestions of church attendees, I began to pray for wisdom, even if it meant leaving everything behind that I was taught, to follow Christ. I was ready to do it.
Then is when God began to open my eyes to all the false teachings of Christians that are nothing more than man's wisdom with a little out-of-context scripture thrown in to make it sound like it came from God.
When I prayed for truth and nothing but the truth, I didn't realize that many of the things churchgoers think are biblical were not at all from the Bible. The standards I heard sounded good, but when I compared them with scripture, there was no resemblance.
Just because someone "says" they are a Bible believer does not mean it is so. Even if someone has a degree from a seminary does not mean they have the truth. Many think that just knowing a little Bible and acting like they love it does not mean they follow it or even know enough to make good decisions.
Matthew 7:21-23
I Never Knew You
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.’"
Any portion of scripture mixed with human wisdom negates God's Word and is dangerous in the lives of those who live by the manmade version.
We cannot go wrong by asking Christ in us to show us the truth, however, it will mean we will lose friends and family who are dedicated to maintaining their position in the cultural Christian community. Most Christians today search for ways to agree with everyone around them to feel safe and comfortable.
My goal is to agree with God, there is safety with Him when we seek Him with all our heart!
Jeremiah 29:12-13 "… 12 Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart."
Never Share Certain Things with Just Anybody
I watched an excellent video this morning entitled "Things that we should never tell others".
Christians are some of the most open and loving people who trust unconditionally often. While I enjoy trusting others, I am also 72 years old and understand that there are few people in the world with whom we can share things about ourselves who will keep our confidences with loving kindness because of their deep Christlike love for us.
The maker of this video is a man I do not know, but this particular video contained good advice that we all could learn from. His channel is called "My Retired Life."
I confess there have been many times in my life when I have regretted sharing my opinion or things that have happened to me to those who used them later to judge me falsely or gossip to others about me. My bad decisions were held against me, even though they were resolved many years ago and no longer exist.
The five things that the man in the video shared were: 1) Regrets, 2) Pain, 3) Resentments, 4) Our plans, and 5) Our finances.
When we share these things with those who are only interested in having information to misinterpret for purposes of gossip or control over us, we have sabotaged our own lives. It is best to remove those from our lives who love to gossip and judge things that are none of their business.
When we walk with Christ, we have no need to share everything about ourselves with people. People tend to make their own interpretations without full knowledge, and they are frequently predisposed to jealousy.
Most people don't want to hear about our illnesses, they judge our regrets and resentments that we had to work through, they are jealous of our plans and will negate them merely because it doesn't pertain to them, and they will either become jealous of or attempt to use us when we share information about our finances. If our finances are not what they think they should be, they will judge that too.
Some of us have shared that we were sinful before we were born again, but the details are not necessary to convey that we were just like the unbeliever before Christ saved us.
The above-mentioned things not to share are only a distraction to the gospel. If the Holy Spirit compels us to share something that will be helpful to the hearer, then we can share, but continually sharing these things regularly to others is not wise.
Oversharing is possibly an indication of an insecure person who is looking to be validated by the hearer. The need to be exonerated or supplied with attention is not helpful to our walk with Christ or in our witness. Perhaps it is better for unbelievers to see more what we have become in Christ than the ills and pratfalls of our past.
1 Corinthians 6:11 "And such were some of you. 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."
Perhaps it is enough to say to an unbeliever, "I was once just like you", rather than lengthy details about our sin. After all, it's not as much about individual sins as it is about our sinful nature that motivates the individual sins. No one can say they were not sinful before they were changed by Christ.
Colossians 3:7-8
"When you lived among them, you also used to walk in these ways. But now you must put aside all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips."
Praise God, He changes us, and praise God that He knows everything about us! No one can understand us like Jesus Christ!
It is best to dwell on what God did for us and not on what we used to be before He changed us, that would give the enemy a foothold.
Christians are some of the most open and loving people who trust unconditionally often. While I enjoy trusting others, I am also 72 years old and understand that there are few people in the world with whom we can share things about ourselves who will keep our confidences with loving kindness because of their deep Christlike love for us.
The maker of this video is a man I do not know, but this particular video contained good advice that we all could learn from. His channel is called "My Retired Life."
I confess there have been many times in my life when I have regretted sharing my opinion or things that have happened to me to those who used them later to judge me falsely or gossip to others about me. My bad decisions were held against me, even though they were resolved many years ago and no longer exist.
The five things that the man in the video shared were: 1) Regrets, 2) Pain, 3) Resentments, 4) Our plans, and 5) Our finances.
When we share these things with those who are only interested in having information to misinterpret for purposes of gossip or control over us, we have sabotaged our own lives. It is best to remove those from our lives who love to gossip and judge things that are none of their business.
When we walk with Christ, we have no need to share everything about ourselves with people. People tend to make their own interpretations without full knowledge, and they are frequently predisposed to jealousy.
Most people don't want to hear about our illnesses, they judge our regrets and resentments that we had to work through, they are jealous of our plans and will negate them merely because it doesn't pertain to them, and they will either become jealous of or attempt to use us when we share information about our finances. If our finances are not what they think they should be, they will judge that too.
Some of us have shared that we were sinful before we were born again, but the details are not necessary to convey that we were just like the unbeliever before Christ saved us.
The above-mentioned things not to share are only a distraction to the gospel. If the Holy Spirit compels us to share something that will be helpful to the hearer, then we can share, but continually sharing these things regularly to others is not wise.
Oversharing is possibly an indication of an insecure person who is looking to be validated by the hearer. The need to be exonerated or supplied with attention is not helpful to our walk with Christ or in our witness. Perhaps it is better for unbelievers to see more what we have become in Christ than the ills and pratfalls of our past.
1 Corinthians 6:11 "And such were some of you. 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."
Perhaps it is enough to say to an unbeliever, "I was once just like you", rather than lengthy details about our sin. After all, it's not as much about individual sins as it is about our sinful nature that motivates the individual sins. No one can say they were not sinful before they were changed by Christ.
Colossians 3:7-8
"When you lived among them, you also used to walk in these ways. But now you must put aside all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips."
Praise God, He changes us, and praise God that He knows everything about us! No one can understand us like Jesus Christ!
It is best to dwell on what God did for us and not on what we used to be before He changed us, that would give the enemy a foothold.
Don't Beg for Funds from People, Ask God
Don't ask people for anything, don't promote your ministry, just do what God told you to do, and He will support you. Then we know it will be God Who did it.
What a blessing when God is the One Who knows exactly what is needed, then when our needs are met, we can praise Him alone.
God wants us to ask Him, not people. Then, when He provides, He gets all the glory.
Philippians 4:19 "And my God will liberally supply your every need according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus."
When we ask others to supply our needs, we fret, seek after people, and depend on them. God wants us to depend on Him in perfect rest and peace, that He will provide His way, His timing, and through those whom He wants to help.
Isaiah 26:3 "You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you."
God will compel others to help whom He wants to help. When we decide to beg people for funds or food or anything, we are depending on them instead of Christ.
I once knew a woman whose husband left her. She depended on God for everything and saw frequent miracles as she trusted Christ for everything. Then one day, she remarried in disobedience to God. Her first husband was still alive, but she didn't want to be alone, so she met another man and married him.
Luke 16:18 “Everyone who divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery, and he who marries a woman divorced from her husband commits adultery."
After the remarriage, this woman shared with me that she was perplexed because before she married the second man, God was meeting all her needs in miraculous ways, but after the second marriage, she didn't see any more miracles.
When we decide to do things our own way, we miss many blessings God may have had for us. When we move out in inspiration and dependence on people, we lose the connection between the Holy Spirit and ourselves.
Many believers today are missing blessings because they are dedicated to the culture more than Christ. They are fearful of losing friends and family. They are fearful of the rejection of the culture as a whole if they do not fit in.
It is possible to be full of joy, peace, and all the rest of the fruit of the Spirit through all the rejection. When Christ is first, whether or not we are loved by people doesn't matter, we are fulfilled in every way, even when we are alone.
Colossians 2:9-11 "…9For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity dwells in bodily form. 10 And you have been made complete in Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority. 11 In Him you were also circumcised, in the putting off of your sinful nature, with the circumcision performed by Christ and not by human hands."
Ephesians 1:22-23 "And God put everything under His feet and made Him head over everything for the church, / which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all."
Philippians 2:9-11 "Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name above all names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."
Jesus Christ and all the apostles were rejected by most people. God said it would be this way, that most people are headed toward hell and will reject the love and goodness of Christ. We have no reason to believe it will be different for us.
John 15:18 “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you."
May those who love Christ take comfort in knowing that He is all we need all the time. If He sends someone of like mind to come around to encourage, hallelujah, what a blessing, but if not, we remain faithful and full of joy.
And, don't forget, we have brothers and sisters in Christ all over the world going through the same things, and one day we will all meet at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb and be together forever.
What a blessing when God is the One Who knows exactly what is needed, then when our needs are met, we can praise Him alone.
God wants us to ask Him, not people. Then, when He provides, He gets all the glory.
Philippians 4:19 "And my God will liberally supply your every need according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus."
When we ask others to supply our needs, we fret, seek after people, and depend on them. God wants us to depend on Him in perfect rest and peace, that He will provide His way, His timing, and through those whom He wants to help.
Isaiah 26:3 "You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you."
God will compel others to help whom He wants to help. When we decide to beg people for funds or food or anything, we are depending on them instead of Christ.
I once knew a woman whose husband left her. She depended on God for everything and saw frequent miracles as she trusted Christ for everything. Then one day, she remarried in disobedience to God. Her first husband was still alive, but she didn't want to be alone, so she met another man and married him.
Luke 16:18 “Everyone who divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery, and he who marries a woman divorced from her husband commits adultery."
After the remarriage, this woman shared with me that she was perplexed because before she married the second man, God was meeting all her needs in miraculous ways, but after the second marriage, she didn't see any more miracles.
When we decide to do things our own way, we miss many blessings God may have had for us. When we move out in inspiration and dependence on people, we lose the connection between the Holy Spirit and ourselves.
Many believers today are missing blessings because they are dedicated to the culture more than Christ. They are fearful of losing friends and family. They are fearful of the rejection of the culture as a whole if they do not fit in.
It is possible to be full of joy, peace, and all the rest of the fruit of the Spirit through all the rejection. When Christ is first, whether or not we are loved by people doesn't matter, we are fulfilled in every way, even when we are alone.
Colossians 2:9-11 "…9For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity dwells in bodily form. 10 And you have been made complete in Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority. 11 In Him you were also circumcised, in the putting off of your sinful nature, with the circumcision performed by Christ and not by human hands."
Ephesians 1:22-23 "And God put everything under His feet and made Him head over everything for the church, / which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all."
Philippians 2:9-11 "Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name above all names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."
Jesus Christ and all the apostles were rejected by most people. God said it would be this way, that most people are headed toward hell and will reject the love and goodness of Christ. We have no reason to believe it will be different for us.
John 15:18 “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you."
May those who love Christ take comfort in knowing that He is all we need all the time. If He sends someone of like mind to come around to encourage, hallelujah, what a blessing, but if not, we remain faithful and full of joy.
And, don't forget, we have brothers and sisters in Christ all over the world going through the same things, and one day we will all meet at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb and be together forever.
Thursday, May 29, 2025
Let There Be Continual and Lasting Growth
It is possible to go to church all your life for 50 years and never change. Many people are no more loving at the end of their lives than they were at the beginning of their salvation experience.
For some, it was a lack of growth because of the lack of edification within the body of Christ, and for others, they never were changed by Christ because they wanted only to be a part of a club out of pride, but never loved Christ.
John 14:15 "15 If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. 16And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate to be with you forever—…"
There are many pretenders who attend churches today who want the companionship of "nice" people, as well as feeling safe with these people, but they don't want Christ. They want Christ when they need Him, but don't want Him to bother them with His principles and commands.
There are many such people within the churches today who practice the rituals of attending and doing what the man up front tells them to do, but have no intention of being changed by what they hear.
We want to be believers who are growing and changing to be more like Christ all the time. We want our walk to be different from when we first began with Him.
May each believer seek to be changed by Christ as we seek Him every day for His purposes and not our own.
For some, it was a lack of growth because of the lack of edification within the body of Christ, and for others, they never were changed by Christ because they wanted only to be a part of a club out of pride, but never loved Christ.
John 14:15 "15 If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. 16And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate to be with you forever—…"
There are many pretenders who attend churches today who want the companionship of "nice" people, as well as feeling safe with these people, but they don't want Christ. They want Christ when they need Him, but don't want Him to bother them with His principles and commands.
There are many such people within the churches today who practice the rituals of attending and doing what the man up front tells them to do, but have no intention of being changed by what they hear.
We want to be believers who are growing and changing to be more like Christ all the time. We want our walk to be different from when we first began with Him.
May each believer seek to be changed by Christ as we seek Him every day for His purposes and not our own.
God's Order Within the Church Gathering
A young woman once told me that when she "goes to church" she raises her hands in worship and feels a sense of being all alone with God even though she was surrounded by people. She thought this was a good thing.
I was so sad to hear this since in the Word of God we are called to "gather together to edify one another." We do not worship in ritual or outward appearances but in our hearts and daily service to God. God never gave a building to meet in because our bodies are His temple. We can meet in buildings but it is human nature to elevate the place even more than elevating Christ. That special building is treated with reverence, but Christ often is not.
It makes no sense to go to gathering to "offer sacrifices to God" as was done before He died and rose from the dead. We go to receive from God what He has for us. Nothing we could do would be acceptable as a sacrifice when He already paid the best of all sacrifices, of His own Body on the Cross. Nothing we could "do" for him is worthy.
Our worship is in the heart, Spiritual and in Truth. Nothing outward could add to that.
There is no need to go to a gathering if we go there and act as though we are alone with God, we can do that at home, in the park or in our car driving somewhere. We gather with other believers to build one another in the faith.
1 Thessalonians 5:11: "Therefore, encourage (eduft) one another and build each other up, just as you are doing."
God's purpose for the gathering of believers was to build up one another in the faith, speak the Word to one another, edifying one another to be equipped for service the rest of the week while we were not in the gathering.
For years, I was discomforted by what was going on in the churches we attended, except for one, which was "the Brethren" who were closest to the Biblical model of the gathering. I didn't know all that was wrong with the mainstream gatherings, but just knew something was terribly off.
God clearly said these things;
John 4:24 states, "God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth." This is not an outward ritual, but in our hearts, which is why he said the following:
Romans 14:4-6 "…4 Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand. 5 One person regards a certain day above the others, while someone else considers every day alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. 6He who observes a special day does so to the Lord; he who eats does so to the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who abstains does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God.…"
We come together to help one another grow; there is not only one who speaks from an elevated position, but everyone participates as led by the Holy Spirit, man, woman, and child.
1 Thessalonians 5:11 "11 Therefore, encourage and build one another up, just as you are already doing."
1 Corinthians 14:26-33
"26 What is the outcome then, brothers and sisters? When you assemble, each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation. All things are to be done for edification.
27 If anyone speaks in a tongue, it must be by two or at the most three, and each one in turn, and one is to interpret;
28 but if there is no interpreter, he is to keep silent in church; and have him speak to himself and to God.
29 Have two or three prophets speak, and have the others pass judgment.
30 But if a revelation is made to another who is seated, then the first one is to 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 peace.
As in all the churches of the saints,"
According to the Bible, all who gather participate; one man may lead, but all interject and engage as led by the Holy Spirit.
In the false gatherings today, those who wish to speak are silenced as the culture considers it rude to interrupt, but God tells us to be free to interrupt if the Holy Spirit leads us to add to what the speaker is saying or correct it.
Women are not to lead but are free to interject as led by the Holy Spirit. Women are forbidden from disrupting things by asking questions and chattering about things not pertaining to edification.
God said that women were allowed to prophesy, meaning speak the things of the Word, as long as she is covered.
1 Corinthians 11:10-16 " 10 For this reason a woman should have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels.
11 In any case, in the Lord woman is not independent of man, nor is man independent of woman.
12 For just as woman came from man, so man comes through woman. But all things come from God.
13 Judge for yourselves: Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered?
14 Does not nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a disgrace for him,
15 but if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For her hair is given to her for a covering. 16 If anyone intends to quarrel about this, we have no other practice, nor do the churches of God."
There are two separate words here for covering, one is the hair and the other is the veil over the hair; it has nothing to do with modesty or covering the hair, it has to do with the Authority that comes from Christ for each the man and the woman.
The head covering is a picture of the church for the woman and the uncovered head of the man is a picture of Christ. These practices are symbols of Authority, the man as the symbol of Christ and the woman a symbol of His church.
So many rules are followed that God never gave in the modern church gathering. Some people are elevated above others and even treated in a worshipful way, totally against the Bible.
This is why I began saying years ago, Protestants have their protestant popes and think they are different from the Catholics. When we elevate someone to a higher position because they have a degree, have been chosen as special, and are treated as an authority over the rest of the congregation, we are practicing popery.
Leaders lead by example and teaching, but only the Holy Spirit has Authority over each born-again believer.
We know that the phrase "women are not allowed to speak" must mean something other than total silence because of the verses in 1 Corinthians.
Women are commanded not to teach over men or have authority over, but this does not disallow a woman from prophesying (speaking forth the word of God) as led by the Holy Spirit. Otherwise, we would have to negate 1 Corinthians 11.
When we read the Scriptures, it is important to keep all passages in the context of the entire Bible. And, never forbidding any believer from expressing their heart as led by the Holy Spirit, this can even include children.
1 Corinthians 14:26 "26 What is the outcome then, brothers and sisters? When you assemble, each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation. All things are to be done for edification. "
Notice this; "brothers and sisters", each one having a psalm, a teaching a revelation, a tongue and an interpretation. EACH ONE, this suggests to me that everyone born-again has something to offer from the Holy Spirit, in an orderly fashion, not stepping out of their gender role in their interactions.
Completely disallowing someone to speak or interact is not Biblical, however, there are gender roles in leadership that a woman should not cross.
The key to it all is this; "being led by the Holy Spirit." No one can go wrong who depends on the Holy Spirit to compel them.
I was so sad to hear this since in the Word of God we are called to "gather together to edify one another." We do not worship in ritual or outward appearances but in our hearts and daily service to God. God never gave a building to meet in because our bodies are His temple. We can meet in buildings but it is human nature to elevate the place even more than elevating Christ. That special building is treated with reverence, but Christ often is not.
It makes no sense to go to gathering to "offer sacrifices to God" as was done before He died and rose from the dead. We go to receive from God what He has for us. Nothing we could do would be acceptable as a sacrifice when He already paid the best of all sacrifices, of His own Body on the Cross. Nothing we could "do" for him is worthy.
Our worship is in the heart, Spiritual and in Truth. Nothing outward could add to that.
There is no need to go to a gathering if we go there and act as though we are alone with God, we can do that at home, in the park or in our car driving somewhere. We gather with other believers to build one another in the faith.
1 Thessalonians 5:11: "Therefore, encourage (eduft) one another and build each other up, just as you are doing."
God's purpose for the gathering of believers was to build up one another in the faith, speak the Word to one another, edifying one another to be equipped for service the rest of the week while we were not in the gathering.
For years, I was discomforted by what was going on in the churches we attended, except for one, which was "the Brethren" who were closest to the Biblical model of the gathering. I didn't know all that was wrong with the mainstream gatherings, but just knew something was terribly off.
God clearly said these things;
John 4:24 states, "God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth." This is not an outward ritual, but in our hearts, which is why he said the following:
Romans 14:4-6 "…4 Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand. 5 One person regards a certain day above the others, while someone else considers every day alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. 6He who observes a special day does so to the Lord; he who eats does so to the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who abstains does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God.…"
We come together to help one another grow; there is not only one who speaks from an elevated position, but everyone participates as led by the Holy Spirit, man, woman, and child.
1 Thessalonians 5:11 "11 Therefore, encourage and build one another up, just as you are already doing."
1 Corinthians 14:26-33
"26 What is the outcome then, brothers and sisters? When you assemble, each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation. All things are to be done for edification.
27 If anyone speaks in a tongue, it must be by two or at the most three, and each one in turn, and one is to interpret;
28 but if there is no interpreter, he is to keep silent in church; and have him speak to himself and to God.
29 Have two or three prophets speak, and have the others pass judgment.
30 But if a revelation is made to another who is seated, then the first one is to 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 peace.
As in all the churches of the saints,"
According to the Bible, all who gather participate; one man may lead, but all interject and engage as led by the Holy Spirit.
In the false gatherings today, those who wish to speak are silenced as the culture considers it rude to interrupt, but God tells us to be free to interrupt if the Holy Spirit leads us to add to what the speaker is saying or correct it.
Women are not to lead but are free to interject as led by the Holy Spirit. Women are forbidden from disrupting things by asking questions and chattering about things not pertaining to edification.
God said that women were allowed to prophesy, meaning speak the things of the Word, as long as she is covered.
1 Corinthians 11:10-16 " 10 For this reason a woman should have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels.
11 In any case, in the Lord woman is not independent of man, nor is man independent of woman.
12 For just as woman came from man, so man comes through woman. But all things come from God.
13 Judge for yourselves: Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered?
14 Does not nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a disgrace for him,
15 but if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For her hair is given to her for a covering. 16 If anyone intends to quarrel about this, we have no other practice, nor do the churches of God."
There are two separate words here for covering, one is the hair and the other is the veil over the hair; it has nothing to do with modesty or covering the hair, it has to do with the Authority that comes from Christ for each the man and the woman.
The head covering is a picture of the church for the woman and the uncovered head of the man is a picture of Christ. These practices are symbols of Authority, the man as the symbol of Christ and the woman a symbol of His church.
So many rules are followed that God never gave in the modern church gathering. Some people are elevated above others and even treated in a worshipful way, totally against the Bible.
This is why I began saying years ago, Protestants have their protestant popes and think they are different from the Catholics. When we elevate someone to a higher position because they have a degree, have been chosen as special, and are treated as an authority over the rest of the congregation, we are practicing popery.
Leaders lead by example and teaching, but only the Holy Spirit has Authority over each born-again believer.
We know that the phrase "women are not allowed to speak" must mean something other than total silence because of the verses in 1 Corinthians.
Women are commanded not to teach over men or have authority over, but this does not disallow a woman from prophesying (speaking forth the word of God) as led by the Holy Spirit. Otherwise, we would have to negate 1 Corinthians 11.
When we read the Scriptures, it is important to keep all passages in the context of the entire Bible. And, never forbidding any believer from expressing their heart as led by the Holy Spirit, this can even include children.
1 Corinthians 14:26 "26 What is the outcome then, brothers and sisters? When you assemble, each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation. All things are to be done for edification. "
Notice this; "brothers and sisters", each one having a psalm, a teaching a revelation, a tongue and an interpretation. EACH ONE, this suggests to me that everyone born-again has something to offer from the Holy Spirit, in an orderly fashion, not stepping out of their gender role in their interactions.
Completely disallowing someone to speak or interact is not Biblical, however, there are gender roles in leadership that a woman should not cross.
The key to it all is this; "being led by the Holy Spirit." No one can go wrong who depends on the Holy Spirit to compel them.
Order Within the Gathering of Believers
A young woman once told me that when she "goes to church" she raises her hands in worship and feels a sense of being all alone with God even though she was surrounded by people. She thought this was a good thing.
I was so sad to hear this since in the Word of God we are called to "gather together to edify one another." We do not worship in ritual or outward appearances but in our hearts and daily service to God. God never gave a building to meet in because our bodies are His temple. We can meet in buildings but it is human nature to elevate the place even more than elevating Christ. That special building is treated with reverence, but Christ often is not.
It makes no sense to go to gathering to "offer sacrifices to God" as was done before He died and rose from the dead. We go to receive from God what He has for us. Nothing we could do would be acceptable as a sacrifice when He already paid the best of all sacrifices, of His own Body on the Cross. Nothing we could "do" for him is worthy.
Our worship is in the heart, Spiritual and in Truth. Nothing outward could add to that.
There is no need to go to a gathering if we go there and act as though we are alone with God, we can do that at home, in the park or in our car driving somewhere. We gather with other believers to build one another in the faith.
1 Thessalonians 5:11: "Therefore, encourage (eduft) one another and build each other up, just as you are doing."
God's purpose for the gathering of believers was to build up one another in the faith, speak the Word to one another, edifying one another to be equipped for service the rest of the week while we were not in the gathering.
For years, I was discomforted by what was going on in the churches we attended, except for one, which was "the Brethren" who were closest to the Biblical model of the gathering. I didn't know all that was wrong with the mainstream gatherings, but just knew something was terribly off.
God clearly said these things;
John 4:24 states, "God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth." This is not an outward ritual, but in our hearts, which is why he said the following:
Romans 14:4-6 "…4 Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand. 5 One person regards a certain day above the others, while someone else considers every day alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. 6He who observes a special day does so to the Lord; he who eats does so to the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who abstains does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God.…"
We come together to help one another grow; there is not only one who speaks from an elevated position, but everyone participates as led by the Holy Spirit, man, woman, and child.
1 Thessalonians 5:11 "11 Therefore, encourage and build one another up, just as you are already doing."
1 Corinthians 14:26-33
"26 What is the outcome then, brothers and sisters? When you assemble, each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation. All things are to be done for edification.
27 If anyone speaks in a tongue, it must be by two or at the most three, and each one in turn, and one is to interpret;
28 but if there is no interpreter, he is to keep silent in church; and have him speak to himself and to God.
29 Have two or three prophets speak, and have the others pass judgment.
30 But if a revelation is made to another who is seated, then the first one is to 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 peace.
As in all the churches of the saints,"
According to the Bible, all who gather participate; one man may lead, but all interject and engage as led by the Holy Spirit.
In the false gatherings today, those who wish to speak are silenced as the culture considers it rude to interrupt, but God tells us to be free to interrupt if the Holy Spirit leads us to add to what the speaker is saying or correct it.
Women are not to lead but are free to interject as led by the Holy Spirit. Women are forbidden from disrupting things by asking questions and chattering about things not pertaining to edification.
God said that women were allowed to prophesy, meaning speak the things of the Word, as long as she is covered.
1 Corinthians 11:10-16 " 10 For this reason a woman should have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels.
11 In any case, in the Lord woman is not independent of man, nor is man independent of woman.
12 For just as woman came from man, so man comes through woman. But all things come from God.
13 Judge for yourselves: Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered?
14 Does not nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a disgrace for him,
15 but if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For her hair is given to her for a covering. 16 If anyone intends to quarrel about this, we have no other practice, nor do the churches of God."
There are two separate words here for covering, one is the hair and the other is the veil over the hair; it has nothing to do with modesty or covering the hair, it has to do with the Authority that comes from Christ for each the man and the woman.
The head covering is a picture of the church for the woman and the uncovered head of the man is a picture of Christ. These practices are symbols of Authority, the man as the symbol of Christ and the woman a symbol of His church.
So many rules are followed that God never gave in the modern church gathering. Some people are elevated above others and even treated in a worshipful way, totally against the Bible.
This is why I began saying years ago, Protestants have their protestant popes and think they are different from the Catholics. When we elevate someone to a higher position because they have a degree, have been chosen as special, and are treated as an authority over the rest of the congregation, we are practicing popery.
Leaders lead by example and teaching, but only the Holy Spirit has Authority over each born-again believer.
We know that the phrase "women are not allowed to speak" must mean something other than total silence because of the verses in 1 Corinthians.
Women are commanded not to teach over men or have authority over, but this does not disallow a woman from prophesying (speaking forth the word of God) as led by the Holy Spirit. Otherwise, we would have to negate 1 Corinthians 11.
When we read the Scriptures, it is important to keep all passages in the context of the entire Bible. And, never forbidding any believer from expressing their heart as led by the Holy Spirit, this can even include children.
1 Corinthians 14:26 "26 What is the outcome then, brothers and sisters? When you assemble, each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation. All things are to be done for edification. "
Notice this; "brothers and sisters", each one having a psalm, a teaching a revelation, a tongue and an interpretation. EACH ONE, this suggests to me that everyone born-again has something to offer from the Holy Spirit, in an orderly fashion, not stepping out of their gender role in their interactions.
Completely disallowing someone to speak or interact is not Biblical, however, there are gender roles in leadership that a woman should not cross.
The key to it all is this: "being led by the Holy Spirit." No one can go wrong who depends on the Holy Spirit to compel them.
I was so sad to hear this since in the Word of God we are called to "gather together to edify one another." We do not worship in ritual or outward appearances but in our hearts and daily service to God. God never gave a building to meet in because our bodies are His temple. We can meet in buildings but it is human nature to elevate the place even more than elevating Christ. That special building is treated with reverence, but Christ often is not.
It makes no sense to go to gathering to "offer sacrifices to God" as was done before He died and rose from the dead. We go to receive from God what He has for us. Nothing we could do would be acceptable as a sacrifice when He already paid the best of all sacrifices, of His own Body on the Cross. Nothing we could "do" for him is worthy.
Our worship is in the heart, Spiritual and in Truth. Nothing outward could add to that.
There is no need to go to a gathering if we go there and act as though we are alone with God, we can do that at home, in the park or in our car driving somewhere. We gather with other believers to build one another in the faith.
1 Thessalonians 5:11: "Therefore, encourage (eduft) one another and build each other up, just as you are doing."
God's purpose for the gathering of believers was to build up one another in the faith, speak the Word to one another, edifying one another to be equipped for service the rest of the week while we were not in the gathering.
For years, I was discomforted by what was going on in the churches we attended, except for one, which was "the Brethren" who were closest to the Biblical model of the gathering. I didn't know all that was wrong with the mainstream gatherings, but just knew something was terribly off.
God clearly said these things;
John 4:24 states, "God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth." This is not an outward ritual, but in our hearts, which is why he said the following:
Romans 14:4-6 "…4 Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand. 5 One person regards a certain day above the others, while someone else considers every day alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. 6He who observes a special day does so to the Lord; he who eats does so to the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who abstains does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God.…"
We come together to help one another grow; there is not only one who speaks from an elevated position, but everyone participates as led by the Holy Spirit, man, woman, and child.
1 Thessalonians 5:11 "11 Therefore, encourage and build one another up, just as you are already doing."
1 Corinthians 14:26-33
"26 What is the outcome then, brothers and sisters? When you assemble, each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation. All things are to be done for edification.
27 If anyone speaks in a tongue, it must be by two or at the most three, and each one in turn, and one is to interpret;
28 but if there is no interpreter, he is to keep silent in church; and have him speak to himself and to God.
29 Have two or three prophets speak, and have the others pass judgment.
30 But if a revelation is made to another who is seated, then the first one is to 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 peace.
As in all the churches of the saints,"
According to the Bible, all who gather participate; one man may lead, but all interject and engage as led by the Holy Spirit.
In the false gatherings today, those who wish to speak are silenced as the culture considers it rude to interrupt, but God tells us to be free to interrupt if the Holy Spirit leads us to add to what the speaker is saying or correct it.
Women are not to lead but are free to interject as led by the Holy Spirit. Women are forbidden from disrupting things by asking questions and chattering about things not pertaining to edification.
God said that women were allowed to prophesy, meaning speak the things of the Word, as long as she is covered.
1 Corinthians 11:10-16 " 10 For this reason a woman should have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels.
11 In any case, in the Lord woman is not independent of man, nor is man independent of woman.
12 For just as woman came from man, so man comes through woman. But all things come from God.
13 Judge for yourselves: Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered?
14 Does not nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a disgrace for him,
15 but if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For her hair is given to her for a covering. 16 If anyone intends to quarrel about this, we have no other practice, nor do the churches of God."
There are two separate words here for covering, one is the hair and the other is the veil over the hair; it has nothing to do with modesty or covering the hair, it has to do with the Authority that comes from Christ for each the man and the woman.
The head covering is a picture of the church for the woman and the uncovered head of the man is a picture of Christ. These practices are symbols of Authority, the man as the symbol of Christ and the woman a symbol of His church.
So many rules are followed that God never gave in the modern church gathering. Some people are elevated above others and even treated in a worshipful way, totally against the Bible.
This is why I began saying years ago, Protestants have their protestant popes and think they are different from the Catholics. When we elevate someone to a higher position because they have a degree, have been chosen as special, and are treated as an authority over the rest of the congregation, we are practicing popery.
Leaders lead by example and teaching, but only the Holy Spirit has Authority over each born-again believer.
We know that the phrase "women are not allowed to speak" must mean something other than total silence because of the verses in 1 Corinthians.
Women are commanded not to teach over men or have authority over, but this does not disallow a woman from prophesying (speaking forth the word of God) as led by the Holy Spirit. Otherwise, we would have to negate 1 Corinthians 11.
When we read the Scriptures, it is important to keep all passages in the context of the entire Bible. And, never forbidding any believer from expressing their heart as led by the Holy Spirit, this can even include children.
1 Corinthians 14:26 "26 What is the outcome then, brothers and sisters? When you assemble, each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation. All things are to be done for edification. "
Notice this; "brothers and sisters", each one having a psalm, a teaching a revelation, a tongue and an interpretation. EACH ONE, this suggests to me that everyone born-again has something to offer from the Holy Spirit, in an orderly fashion, not stepping out of their gender role in their interactions.
Completely disallowing someone to speak or interact is not Biblical, however, there are gender roles in leadership that a woman should not cross.
The key to it all is this: "being led by the Holy Spirit." No one can go wrong who depends on the Holy Spirit to compel them.
Wednesday, May 28, 2025
Sheep Stealing is not a Thing
Many years ago, I heard a phrase that left me in disbelief. it was used when someone left a church gathering, and others followed. The one who left was called a "sheep stealer" because they influenced others just by leaving the group.
I was once told by a friend that my husband and I were causing division in the church by leaving it, as though once you attend that gathering, they own you. My response was that those who cause division are those who bring in false doctrine, not the ones who leave because the false teachers will not correct their error.
I laughed when I heard it because I thought it was a joke.
No one is bound to any church gathering or owned by any pastor. We are each autonomous in our walk with Christ and are free to meet with whomever we please at any time we please.
When we are born-again, it is Christ Whom we follow, not any man and not any particular gathering.
Nowhere in scripture is there a description of formal membership in any one group of people.
It is my opinion based on may years of walking with Christ that remaining in one gathering all your life with certain people to act as authority figures over the gathering, will diminish your walk and retard your Spiritual and emotional growth.
Gatherings that have no contact with anyone outside their own group tend to establish rules and standards to keep people from outside influences, rather than encouraging interactions with other believers outside that clique.
There may be some people who never want to go anywhere but the place they are familiar with, and this is alright as long as it is led by the Holy Spirit.
There are those who would be an asset to many if they move around as they bring a fresh perspective to other groups. The wonderful thing about being born again is that we are not dominated by human rules and decisions. All our marching orders come from the Holy Spirit. No person will know what God is calling us personally to, unless they too are being led and support the decision of those who have heard from God.
John 16:13: "The Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth, will guide believers into all truth."
Romans 8:14 says, "For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God".
Galatians 5:18 "But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law".
Man's rules and ideas can be good suggestions at times but they are not obligatory rules for a person led by the Holy Spirit.
We can know God's will for us from reading His word. His principles guide us as His Holy Spirit gives us the specifics about them.
For example, we must teach women to dress modestly and leave the conviction of the Holy Spirit on their hearts as to what that looks like. Making rules about clothing is not proper, but using the principles from the Word of God while encouraging someone to seek Christ in their clothing is appropriate.
If a leader has made a rule about clothing and someone follows it because of intimidation and fear, all the leader managed to do was cause obedience to him. But if a leader brings the scriptures to bear and leaves the decision to the person and that person changes because the Holy Spirit convicted them, there is a greater good, obedience to the Holy Spirit counts, obedience to the man does not change the heart, it only changes outer actions while the heart remains the same.
Our hope is that the Holy Spirit will lead in each heart for the Spiritual permanent change, not a superficial change to please men.
When the change was to please men, but the heart remains the same, all that has happened is the rebellious heart remains unchanged, but with an outer appearance that fools others.
Those who seek the Holy Spirit will obey Him because of their desire to please God. Those who make outward changes to please men are pretenders.
Galatians 5:16: "So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh"
Forcing others to follow man's rules, no matter how good, does not change their heart. Leading them to Christ will change their heart.
I was once told by a friend that my husband and I were causing division in the church by leaving it, as though once you attend that gathering, they own you. My response was that those who cause division are those who bring in false doctrine, not the ones who leave because the false teachers will not correct their error.
I laughed when I heard it because I thought it was a joke.
No one is bound to any church gathering or owned by any pastor. We are each autonomous in our walk with Christ and are free to meet with whomever we please at any time we please.
When we are born-again, it is Christ Whom we follow, not any man and not any particular gathering.
Nowhere in scripture is there a description of formal membership in any one group of people.
It is my opinion based on may years of walking with Christ that remaining in one gathering all your life with certain people to act as authority figures over the gathering, will diminish your walk and retard your Spiritual and emotional growth.
Gatherings that have no contact with anyone outside their own group tend to establish rules and standards to keep people from outside influences, rather than encouraging interactions with other believers outside that clique.
There may be some people who never want to go anywhere but the place they are familiar with, and this is alright as long as it is led by the Holy Spirit.
There are those who would be an asset to many if they move around as they bring a fresh perspective to other groups. The wonderful thing about being born again is that we are not dominated by human rules and decisions. All our marching orders come from the Holy Spirit. No person will know what God is calling us personally to, unless they too are being led and support the decision of those who have heard from God.
John 16:13: "The Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth, will guide believers into all truth."
Romans 8:14 says, "For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God".
Galatians 5:18 "But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law".
Man's rules and ideas can be good suggestions at times but they are not obligatory rules for a person led by the Holy Spirit.
We can know God's will for us from reading His word. His principles guide us as His Holy Spirit gives us the specifics about them.
For example, we must teach women to dress modestly and leave the conviction of the Holy Spirit on their hearts as to what that looks like. Making rules about clothing is not proper, but using the principles from the Word of God while encouraging someone to seek Christ in their clothing is appropriate.
If a leader has made a rule about clothing and someone follows it because of intimidation and fear, all the leader managed to do was cause obedience to him. But if a leader brings the scriptures to bear and leaves the decision to the person and that person changes because the Holy Spirit convicted them, there is a greater good, obedience to the Holy Spirit counts, obedience to the man does not change the heart, it only changes outer actions while the heart remains the same.
Our hope is that the Holy Spirit will lead in each heart for the Spiritual permanent change, not a superficial change to please men.
When the change was to please men, but the heart remains the same, all that has happened is the rebellious heart remains unchanged, but with an outer appearance that fools others.
Those who seek the Holy Spirit will obey Him because of their desire to please God. Those who make outward changes to please men are pretenders.
Galatians 5:16: "So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh"
Forcing others to follow man's rules, no matter how good, does not change their heart. Leading them to Christ will change their heart.
Tuesday, May 27, 2025
Man's Ways Promote Sin, God's Ways Resolve Problems
Someone said, "A man hears what he wants to hear and disregards the rest." This is true, I have met many Christians who say they believe the bible but will come up with their own idea of what God meant and disregard the portions that explain away their own idea.
For example, the modern idea that we should forgive when someone is not sorry for our own emotional health. The Bible does not say such a thing. Here is what God says;
Luke 17:3-4 "…3Watch yourselves. If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. 4Even if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times returns to say, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.”
Most Chrisians today completely miss the phrase in the passage in Luke, "if your brother sins, rebuke him," and the other phrase that says; ""if he repents forgive him." They completely disregard the "if" statements because they go against the cultural psychological teaching that says to forgive because someone might be mean because they are hurting themselves.
Notice that we hear forgive those who are not sorry, but we never hear a statement to the one who offended to repent. So in other words, the one who offends others is coddled while the one who was offended was punished for not forgiving someone who didn't even want it because they didn't think they did anything wrong.
I have met many Christians who support divorce and remarriage, even if they have not done it themselves. Even after Christ said the following;
"Mark 10:11-12
So He told them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her. / And if a woman divorces her husband and marries another man, she commits adultery.”
Luke 16:18
Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery, and he who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
1 Corinthians 7:10-11
To the married, I give this command (not I, but the Lord): A wife must not separate from her husband. / But if she does, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband. And a husband must not divorce his wife.
1 Corinthians 7:39
A wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, as long as he belongs to the Lord.
Romans 7:2-3
For instance, a married woman is bound by law to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is released from the law of marriage. / So then, if she is joined to another man while her husband is still alive, she is called an adulteress; but if her husband dies, she is free from that law and is not an adulteress if she marries another man.
Malachi 2:14-16
Yet you ask, “Why?” It is because the LORD has been a witness between you and the wife of your youth, against whom you have broken faith, though she is your companion and your wife by covenant. Has not the LORD made them one, having a portion of the Spirit? And why one? Because He seeks godly offspring. So guard yourselves in your spirit and do not break faith with the wife of your youth. “For I hate divorce,” says the LORD, the God of Israel. “He who divorces his wife covers his garment with violence,” says the LORD of Hosts. So guard yourselves in your spirit and do not break faith."
There are many more principles like this that Christians violate, doing what is the easy thing and allows them to feel superior but in fact, are against God's ways. His ways are harder at times because they bring about lasting and real change. Man's ways allow sin to grow merely to feel better.
God's ways are about growth and strength and dedication. Man's ways are about personal comfort and pleasure, which do very little to help people in spiritual and emotional growth. God's ways are sacrificial and helpful; man's ways are selfish and useless.
Just something to think about!!!!!
For example, the modern idea that we should forgive when someone is not sorry for our own emotional health. The Bible does not say such a thing. Here is what God says;
Luke 17:3-4 "…3Watch yourselves. If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. 4Even if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times returns to say, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.”
Most Chrisians today completely miss the phrase in the passage in Luke, "if your brother sins, rebuke him," and the other phrase that says; ""if he repents forgive him." They completely disregard the "if" statements because they go against the cultural psychological teaching that says to forgive because someone might be mean because they are hurting themselves.
Notice that we hear forgive those who are not sorry, but we never hear a statement to the one who offended to repent. So in other words, the one who offends others is coddled while the one who was offended was punished for not forgiving someone who didn't even want it because they didn't think they did anything wrong.
I have met many Christians who support divorce and remarriage, even if they have not done it themselves. Even after Christ said the following;
"Mark 10:11-12
So He told them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her. / And if a woman divorces her husband and marries another man, she commits adultery.”
Luke 16:18
Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery, and he who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
1 Corinthians 7:10-11
To the married, I give this command (not I, but the Lord): A wife must not separate from her husband. / But if she does, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband. And a husband must not divorce his wife.
1 Corinthians 7:39
A wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, as long as he belongs to the Lord.
Romans 7:2-3
For instance, a married woman is bound by law to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is released from the law of marriage. / So then, if she is joined to another man while her husband is still alive, she is called an adulteress; but if her husband dies, she is free from that law and is not an adulteress if she marries another man.
Malachi 2:14-16
Yet you ask, “Why?” It is because the LORD has been a witness between you and the wife of your youth, against whom you have broken faith, though she is your companion and your wife by covenant. Has not the LORD made them one, having a portion of the Spirit? And why one? Because He seeks godly offspring. So guard yourselves in your spirit and do not break faith with the wife of your youth. “For I hate divorce,” says the LORD, the God of Israel. “He who divorces his wife covers his garment with violence,” says the LORD of Hosts. So guard yourselves in your spirit and do not break faith."
There are many more principles like this that Christians violate, doing what is the easy thing and allows them to feel superior but in fact, are against God's ways. His ways are harder at times because they bring about lasting and real change. Man's ways allow sin to grow merely to feel better.
God's ways are about growth and strength and dedication. Man's ways are about personal comfort and pleasure, which do very little to help people in spiritual and emotional growth. God's ways are sacrificial and helpful; man's ways are selfish and useless.
Just something to think about!!!!!
Matching Pitch with Christ
Emotions are not based on rational thinking. We have them frequently, and it's alright, but they must always be measured according to God's truth in His Word, the Bible. We should never follow our emotions; we can admit them, but ignore them when they do not match pitch with God's Word.
Often, emotions are driven by pride, causing those who have them to misjudge others and even excuse themselves in disobedience.
Some say, "follow your heart", which translates into following our feelings. They also say, "follow your gut", which is another way of saying pay attention to your feelings.
When we are in Christ, we can sense things that are good or things that are off. This wisdom from God is always based on His Word and principles.
Those who are not born again will follow their hearts' desires that are opposed to God's Word. Their heart is not inclined toward truth but entirely inclined toward personal safety and pleasure.
As believers, our pleasure is gained from accomplishing something that is within God’s will. For unbelievers, their pleasures are always associated with fleshly gratification. Even their interpersonal relationships are based on how someone else can enhance them, much more than a desire to be a blessing to others.
Let’s remember, too, that even the good deeds the unbeliever does for others are based on the need to be praised or acknowledged for what they have done. It is really more about themselves than the others they serve.
All unbelievers believe they will be rewarded for their good deeds apart from God. They believe that if they perform enough good deeds, they will earn heaven and the praise of others.
Believers in Christ know they cannot do enough good deeds to wipe out their sinful nature. They know that trusting in Christ is the only way to gain heaven, that He paid the debt of sin we owed. He did that for us, and only trusting in Him for our salvation will gain us heaven.
What does it mean to trust in Christ? When we trust in Christ for salvation, that is only the beginning of our walk; after that, we trust in Him for everything else throughout our walk. There are those who think they can say they trust in Christ but continue to attempt to gain heaven through their own works; this is one who is a pretender. They say one thing and do another.
Trusting Christ in us is a daily and continual act for everything.
Proverbs 3:5-6
"5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart
And do not lean on your own understanding.
6 In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He will make your paths straight."
The minute we try to figure out our own way of obeying Christ apart from His principles is the day we walk in self-righteousness.
Jeremiah 17:7-8
"But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in Him. / He is like a tree planted by the waters that sends out its roots toward the stream. It does not fear when the heat comes, and its leaves are always green. It does not worry in a year of drought, nor does it cease to produce fruit."
When we seek Christ in everything, we do not worry because He knows better than we what is needed and when it is needed.
Psalm 37:3-5
"Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness. Delight yourself in the LORD, and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD; trust in Him, and He will do it."
So the key to trusting in Christ and obeying HIm is to delight in Him, love His Word, and pray for understanding that the Holy Spirit will guide in everything if we want Him to guide us. He will remain silent and allow us to flounder when we become willful to walk in our own ways.
We humans tend to follow diligently those whom we love. If we love Christ, we will love His ways and adjust our attitudes and actions to align with Him.
John 14:14-16 "14 If you ask Me for anything in My name, I will do it. 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—…"
Notice the key to good communication with Christ, obeying Him will mean we are asking for His will in everything, and He will give us what we ask because it is His will!
Loving Christ means we will want what He wants, not our own will but His.
Matthew 6:9-13 "9 “Pray, then, in this way:
‘Our Father, who is in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
10 Your kingdom come.
Your will be done,
On earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil.’"
Often, emotions are driven by pride, causing those who have them to misjudge others and even excuse themselves in disobedience.
Some say, "follow your heart", which translates into following our feelings. They also say, "follow your gut", which is another way of saying pay attention to your feelings.
When we are in Christ, we can sense things that are good or things that are off. This wisdom from God is always based on His Word and principles.
Those who are not born again will follow their hearts' desires that are opposed to God's Word. Their heart is not inclined toward truth but entirely inclined toward personal safety and pleasure.
As believers, our pleasure is gained from accomplishing something that is within God’s will. For unbelievers, their pleasures are always associated with fleshly gratification. Even their interpersonal relationships are based on how someone else can enhance them, much more than a desire to be a blessing to others.
Let’s remember, too, that even the good deeds the unbeliever does for others are based on the need to be praised or acknowledged for what they have done. It is really more about themselves than the others they serve.
All unbelievers believe they will be rewarded for their good deeds apart from God. They believe that if they perform enough good deeds, they will earn heaven and the praise of others.
Believers in Christ know they cannot do enough good deeds to wipe out their sinful nature. They know that trusting in Christ is the only way to gain heaven, that He paid the debt of sin we owed. He did that for us, and only trusting in Him for our salvation will gain us heaven.
What does it mean to trust in Christ? When we trust in Christ for salvation, that is only the beginning of our walk; after that, we trust in Him for everything else throughout our walk. There are those who think they can say they trust in Christ but continue to attempt to gain heaven through their own works; this is one who is a pretender. They say one thing and do another.
Trusting Christ in us is a daily and continual act for everything.
Proverbs 3:5-6
"5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart
And do not lean on your own understanding.
6 In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He will make your paths straight."
The minute we try to figure out our own way of obeying Christ apart from His principles is the day we walk in self-righteousness.
Jeremiah 17:7-8
"But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in Him. / He is like a tree planted by the waters that sends out its roots toward the stream. It does not fear when the heat comes, and its leaves are always green. It does not worry in a year of drought, nor does it cease to produce fruit."
When we seek Christ in everything, we do not worry because He knows better than we what is needed and when it is needed.
Psalm 37:3-5
"Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness. Delight yourself in the LORD, and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD; trust in Him, and He will do it."
So the key to trusting in Christ and obeying HIm is to delight in Him, love His Word, and pray for understanding that the Holy Spirit will guide in everything if we want Him to guide us. He will remain silent and allow us to flounder when we become willful to walk in our own ways.
We humans tend to follow diligently those whom we love. If we love Christ, we will love His ways and adjust our attitudes and actions to align with Him.
John 14:14-16 "14 If you ask Me for anything in My name, I will do it. 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—…"
Notice the key to good communication with Christ, obeying Him will mean we are asking for His will in everything, and He will give us what we ask because it is His will!
Loving Christ means we will want what He wants, not our own will but His.
Matthew 6:9-13 "9 “Pray, then, in this way:
‘Our Father, who is in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
10 Your kingdom come.
Your will be done,
On earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil.’"
Monday, May 26, 2025
Avoid Pentecostal Heresies
This is why the Pentecostal church is led by the devil; they preach prosperity, seeking after self, and denying the pain of this world. Our physical illnesses are treated with disdain as though we are weak in faith because we have them. It causes distress when those who do not get healed do not thank God in the midst of their trials, but rather blame themselves for a lack of faith. The focus is on self, not on Christ.
Some of the people with the greatest faith loved God through all their trials, as Job did. It is not a lack of faith that admits the trials, just the opposite; it is faith that is demonstrated when we praise God in the middle of our discomfort. Nothing the devil does to us can deter us from trusting Christ.
God promised to heal our inner soul, not our physical being. When Christ said;
"Isaiah 53:5
5 But He was wounded for our transgressions,
He was bruised for our iniquities;
The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,
And by His stripes we are healed."
He was saying we were healed of our sinful nature, not our physical maladies. Those who use this passage to claim no one has to be sick are using it completely out of context, causing fear and doubt in those who have lifelong illnesses. Not only does this deny the sovereignty of God, it lacks empathy and love.
Isaiah 53:6 "6 We all like sheep have gone astray, each one has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid upon Him the iniquity of us all.…"
This is all about Spiritual healing. Everyone dies, everyone grows old as a condition of the fall of man. No one is exempt from illness or trials. To admit to them and trust Christ to go through with us is far more valuable than healing our physical bodies.
1 Peter 2:24
"He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. “By His stripes you are healed.”
2 Corinthians 5:21
"God made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God."
Christ healed people while He was on this earth to demonstrate Who He is, that is, God's Son. He didn't heal everyone, and illness has as much a purpose in our lives as physical healing would have. A life of ease without trials is one that does not come to wisdom or training in righteousness. It is the difficulties that bring us closer to Christ, more dependent on Him.
I have been ill a lot in my life, and each time the Lord healed me through the use of doctors, I praised Him more. It took years before I learned to thank Him for His purposes in the illness, knowing He goes through it all with me in everything.
Never allow prosperity thinking influence you to be ashamed of your illness, your trials or your loss of friends because you follow Christ. Those who blame you for being ill, claiming you lack faith, are themselves the ones who lack faith.
1 John 3:5
"But you know that Christ appeared to take away sins, and in Him there is no sin."
Christ healed our sin-sick nature on the cross when we trusted in Him, not our bodies that are dying. Everyone dies, everyone becomes ill before they die, to accomplish God's will that we will be going home.
Would we ever curse the illness God gave us that was going to send us home to be with Him? Not me!
Some of the people with the greatest faith loved God through all their trials, as Job did. It is not a lack of faith that admits the trials, just the opposite; it is faith that is demonstrated when we praise God in the middle of our discomfort. Nothing the devil does to us can deter us from trusting Christ.
God promised to heal our inner soul, not our physical being. When Christ said;
"Isaiah 53:5
5 But He was wounded for our transgressions,
He was bruised for our iniquities;
The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,
And by His stripes we are healed."
He was saying we were healed of our sinful nature, not our physical maladies. Those who use this passage to claim no one has to be sick are using it completely out of context, causing fear and doubt in those who have lifelong illnesses. Not only does this deny the sovereignty of God, it lacks empathy and love.
Isaiah 53:6 "6 We all like sheep have gone astray, each one has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid upon Him the iniquity of us all.…"
This is all about Spiritual healing. Everyone dies, everyone grows old as a condition of the fall of man. No one is exempt from illness or trials. To admit to them and trust Christ to go through with us is far more valuable than healing our physical bodies.
1 Peter 2:24
"He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. “By His stripes you are healed.”
2 Corinthians 5:21
"God made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God."
Christ healed people while He was on this earth to demonstrate Who He is, that is, God's Son. He didn't heal everyone, and illness has as much a purpose in our lives as physical healing would have. A life of ease without trials is one that does not come to wisdom or training in righteousness. It is the difficulties that bring us closer to Christ, more dependent on Him.
I have been ill a lot in my life, and each time the Lord healed me through the use of doctors, I praised Him more. It took years before I learned to thank Him for His purposes in the illness, knowing He goes through it all with me in everything.
Never allow prosperity thinking influence you to be ashamed of your illness, your trials or your loss of friends because you follow Christ. Those who blame you for being ill, claiming you lack faith, are themselves the ones who lack faith.
1 John 3:5
"But you know that Christ appeared to take away sins, and in Him there is no sin."
Christ healed our sin-sick nature on the cross when we trusted in Him, not our bodies that are dying. Everyone dies, everyone becomes ill before they die, to accomplish God's will that we will be going home.
Would we ever curse the illness God gave us that was going to send us home to be with Him? Not me!
Choose Your Companions Wisely
Our closest companions must be those who are walking the same path that we are walking, that is the narrow way with Christ.
1 Thessalonians 5:4-8
"4 But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness, so that the day would overtake you like a thief;
5 for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness;
6 so then, let’s not sleep as others do, but let’s be alert and sober.
7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who are drunk, get drunk at night.
8 But since we are of the day, let’s be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation."
Ephesians 5:8
"For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light,"
Colossians 1:13
"He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of His beloved Son,"
1 Peter 2:9
"But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, to proclaim the virtues of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light."
2 Corinthians 6:14
"Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership can righteousness have with wickedness? Or what fellowship does light have with darkness?"
1 Thessalonians 5:4-8
"4 But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness, so that the day would overtake you like a thief;
5 for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness;
6 so then, let’s not sleep as others do, but let’s be alert and sober.
7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who are drunk, get drunk at night.
8 But since we are of the day, let’s be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation."
Ephesians 5:8
"For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light,"
Colossians 1:13
"He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of His beloved Son,"
1 Peter 2:9
"But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, to proclaim the virtues of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light."
2 Corinthians 6:14
"Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership can righteousness have with wickedness? Or what fellowship does light have with darkness?"
What Bible Believers Say but do not Do!
Many "Bible believers" say they are such, but do not obey much of what is in it.
When we believe God's Word, we want to obey all of it, not just the parts we like. And, when we become dedicated to Christ, we love all that He told us, not just some to be able to claim they love Christ while negating Him through denial of His Word. Our love of Christ translates into loving His Word, His ways and thinking with His mind. This is only offensive to those who want to appear religious but do not care if they please God.
1 Corinthians 2:15-16 "… 15 The spiritual man judges all things, but he himself is not subject to anyone’s judgment. 16 “For who has known the mind of the Lord, so as to instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ."
John 14:15 "15 If you love Me, you will keep My commandments."
Those who say they are Bible believers but negate the permanency of marriage are denying Jesus Christ because He is the very essence of His own word.
1 John 5:3 "For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome,"
1 John 3:22-24 "and we will receive from Him whatever we ask, because we keep His commandments and do what is pleasing in His sight. And this is His commandment: that we should believe in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ, and we should love one another just as He commanded us. Whoever keeps His commandments remains in God, and God in him. And by this we know that He remains in us: by the Spirit He has given us."
Luke 16:17-18 "17But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for a single stroke of a pen to drop out of the Law. 18Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery, and he who marries a divorced woman commits adultery"
There have been several people in my life who have become angry at me and even gossiped because I came against divorce and remarriage. They hold their friends, families, and the culture above God's word while accusing me of being rude or mean for quoting the Bible.
You too, will meet with opposition and rejection when you desire to obey Christ in all things, actually acting out what you believe will bring about anger in others against you for merely speaking what God said.
Believing Jesus Christ is not just something to say to sound spiritual, it is a lifestyle of loving all His Word, confessing when we fail and desiring to be cleansed by Christ. This means there will be Spiritual growth and maturity with each passing day.
Philippians 2:5
"Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus:"
1 Corinthians 2:15-16 "… 15 The spiritual man judges all things, but he himself is not subject to anyone’s judgment. 16 “For who has known the mind of the Lord, so as to instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ."
John 14:15 "15 If you love Me, you will keep My commandments."
Those who say they are Bible believers but negate the permanency of marriage are denying Jesus Christ because He is the very essence of His own word.
1 John 5:3 "For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome,"
1 John 3:22-24 "and we will receive from Him whatever we ask, because we keep His commandments and do what is pleasing in His sight. And this is His commandment: that we should believe in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ, and we should love one another just as He commanded us. Whoever keeps His commandments remains in God, and God in him. And by this we know that He remains in us: by the Spirit He has given us."
Luke 16:17-18 "17But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for a single stroke of a pen to drop out of the Law. 18Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery, and he who marries a divorced woman commits adultery"
There have been several people in my life who have become angry at me and even gossiped because I came against divorce and remarriage. They hold their friends, families, and the culture above God's word while accusing me of being rude or mean for quoting the Bible.
You too, will meet with opposition and rejection when you desire to obey Christ in all things, actually acting out what you believe will bring about anger in others against you for merely speaking what God said.
Believing Jesus Christ is not just something to say to sound spiritual, it is a lifestyle of loving all His Word, confessing when we fail and desiring to be cleansed by Christ. This means there will be Spiritual growth and maturity with each passing day.
Philippians 2:5
"Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus:"
Sunday, May 25, 2025
Saturday, May 24, 2025
Admitting Failures Brings Strength
Failure is the best teacher! If we never fail, we are not learning, nor are we becoming stronger. If we admit the failures, we can grow stronger.
Those who use flattery and praise instead of instruction and realization will hold others back.
Proverbs 29:5: "A man who flatters his neighbor spreads a net for his feet"
James 1:12 "Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him."
1 Peter 5:10 "And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you."
James 1:2-8 "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind."
God allows us trials to build our emotional and Spiritual muscles so that we can be useful for His Work that He has for us.
Those who avoid trials and cannot admit their failures will not grow; they remain spiritual and emotional infants until they confess to be cleansed by God.
Those who use flattery and praise instead of instruction and realization will hold others back.
Proverbs 29:5: "A man who flatters his neighbor spreads a net for his feet"
James 1:12 "Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him."
1 Peter 5:10 "And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you."
James 1:2-8 "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind."
God allows us trials to build our emotional and Spiritual muscles so that we can be useful for His Work that He has for us.
Those who avoid trials and cannot admit their failures will not grow; they remain spiritual and emotional infants until they confess to be cleansed by God.
Unbelievers Do Not Understand Us But We Understand Them
Unbelievers are not going to understand us, but we understand them because we used to be them.
1 Corinthians 2:14 "The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned."
1 Corinthians 2:14 "The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned."
Christ Transforms!
Christ transforms those who have trusted in Him. This is why I don't believe in "reformation", "reforming" tends to suggest He takes what we are and makes us better, but He does not, He removes what we are and replaces it with His Spirit.
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."
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:"
Galatians 6:15
"For neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything. What counts is a new creation."
Romans 6:4
"We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may walk in newness of life."
Ephesians 4:22-24
"to put off your former way of life, your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; / to be renewed in the spirit of your minds; / and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness."
Our flesh is tempted and falls from time to time, but our Spirit is that of Christ. When we fail He disciplines us to bring us back into obedience.
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?…"
1 Corinthians 10:13 "13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.
God is our help when we are tempted; if we fall, we confess it to be cleansed, get up, and start again to obey Him.
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."
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:"
Galatians 6:15
"For neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything. What counts is a new creation."
Romans 6:4
"We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may walk in newness of life."
Ephesians 4:22-24
"to put off your former way of life, your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; / to be renewed in the spirit of your minds; / and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness."
Our flesh is tempted and falls from time to time, but our Spirit is that of Christ. When we fail He disciplines us to bring us back into obedience.
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?…"
1 Corinthians 10:13 "13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.
God is our help when we are tempted; if we fall, we confess it to be cleansed, get up, and start again to obey Him.
Friday, May 23, 2025
Cleansing from Sin our entire lives!
Those who think we "can" sin all we want after salvation are probably not saved because when I became born again, I didn't want to sin, and when I fell into weakness and temptation, I was miserable until I repented. Then, after repenting, I never did those things again. When Christ changes us, we no longer want to sin and can never be comfortable in it again.
1 John 3:9. "No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God 's seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God."
1 John 3:9. "No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God 's seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God."
The World will call you Rebellious, but it is They Who are So!
They called you rebellious because you didn't say or do the things they wanted you to; you walked with Christ while they walked with the world.
John 15:18 "“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you."
1 John 2:15 "Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him."
Romans 12:2 "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."
John 15:18 "“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you."
1 John 2:15 "Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him."
Romans 12:2 "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."
Loving God's Truth
Love of the truth searches God's Word to follow His principles. False love of the truth is misinterpreting it to fit cultural desires.
Matthew 15:7-9 "…7You hypocrites! Isaiah prophesied correctly about you: 8‘These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. 9They worship Me in vain; they teach as doctrine the precepts of men.’ ”
Those who become the angriest when Scripture is brought to bear are those who are in rebellion against God.
Ezekiel 33:31
"So My people come to you as usual, sit before you, and hear your words; but they do not put them into practice. Although they express love with their mouths, their hearts pursue dishonest gain."
Isaiah 1:11-15
“What good to Me is your multitude of sacrifices?” says the LORD. “I am full from the burnt offerings of rams and the fat of well-fed cattle; I take no delight in the blood of bulls and lambs and goats. When you come to appear before Me, who has required this of you—this trampling of My courts? Bring your worthless offerings no more; your incense is detestable to Me. New Moons, Sabbaths, and convocations—I cannot endure iniquity in a solemn assembly."
Those who adhere to cultural "Christianized" practices to pretend to please God are also those who negate most of God's Word while claiming they are "Bible believers." When confronted with their error and disrespect for God's word, they rage as though we did something wrong, when it is they who cause division.
God is not impressed with the things we decide to do for Him that He never commanded. Just saying we are doing something for God does not mean it is pleasing to Him.
This modern culture lives by the erroneous notion that it is a good thing to sing; "I did it my way." It has become the cultural religion of our day to praise self and do what pleases us, rather than seeking Christ.
Amos 5:21-23
“I hate, I despise your feasts! I cannot stand the stench of your solemn assemblies. Even though you offer Me burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them; for your peace offerings of fattened cattle I will have no regard. Take away from Me the noise of your songs! I will not listen to the music of your harps."
Micah 6:6-8
"With what shall I come before the LORD when I bow before the God on high? Should I come to Him with burnt offerings, with year-old calves? Would the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I present my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He has shown you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you but to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?"
Are the holidays we claim are for God really for Him? I think not, because of the ritual, the pomp, and assigning to God what He never commanded.
To walk humbly with our God means we will seek Him for His ways and not our own. His way is simple and unadulterated with human thinking. His way is always the best, even if we don't understand or see the results we would like.
The more we obey Him the more we understand the debth of life and the blessings from obedience. We miss blessings when we do things our own way.
Isaiah 55:8-9
8 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord.
9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways
And My thoughts than your thoughts."
Those who choose their own ways over God's are hardening their hearts and reducing their own thinking to foolishness.
Proverbs 18:2 "A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion."
Proverbs 1:7 "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction."
Let's not be fools, let's grow in wisdom and see the Spiritual blessings God has for us!
Matthew 15:7-9 "…7You hypocrites! Isaiah prophesied correctly about you: 8‘These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. 9They worship Me in vain; they teach as doctrine the precepts of men.’ ”
Those who become the angriest when Scripture is brought to bear are those who are in rebellion against God.
Ezekiel 33:31
"So My people come to you as usual, sit before you, and hear your words; but they do not put them into practice. Although they express love with their mouths, their hearts pursue dishonest gain."
Isaiah 1:11-15
“What good to Me is your multitude of sacrifices?” says the LORD. “I am full from the burnt offerings of rams and the fat of well-fed cattle; I take no delight in the blood of bulls and lambs and goats. When you come to appear before Me, who has required this of you—this trampling of My courts? Bring your worthless offerings no more; your incense is detestable to Me. New Moons, Sabbaths, and convocations—I cannot endure iniquity in a solemn assembly."
Those who adhere to cultural "Christianized" practices to pretend to please God are also those who negate most of God's Word while claiming they are "Bible believers." When confronted with their error and disrespect for God's word, they rage as though we did something wrong, when it is they who cause division.
God is not impressed with the things we decide to do for Him that He never commanded. Just saying we are doing something for God does not mean it is pleasing to Him.
This modern culture lives by the erroneous notion that it is a good thing to sing; "I did it my way." It has become the cultural religion of our day to praise self and do what pleases us, rather than seeking Christ.
Amos 5:21-23
“I hate, I despise your feasts! I cannot stand the stench of your solemn assemblies. Even though you offer Me burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them; for your peace offerings of fattened cattle I will have no regard. Take away from Me the noise of your songs! I will not listen to the music of your harps."
Micah 6:6-8
"With what shall I come before the LORD when I bow before the God on high? Should I come to Him with burnt offerings, with year-old calves? Would the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I present my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He has shown you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you but to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?"
Are the holidays we claim are for God really for Him? I think not, because of the ritual, the pomp, and assigning to God what He never commanded.
To walk humbly with our God means we will seek Him for His ways and not our own. His way is simple and unadulterated with human thinking. His way is always the best, even if we don't understand or see the results we would like.
The more we obey Him the more we understand the debth of life and the blessings from obedience. We miss blessings when we do things our own way.
Isaiah 55:8-9
8 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord.
9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways
And My thoughts than your thoughts."
Those who choose their own ways over God's are hardening their hearts and reducing their own thinking to foolishness.
Proverbs 18:2 "A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion."
Proverbs 1:7 "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction."
Let's not be fools, let's grow in wisdom and see the Spiritual blessings God has for us!
When Christ Changes Us!
1 John 3:9. "No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God"
When Christ has changed us into a new creation, we are so completely changed by Him that we hate the sin we used to love and love the righteousness of Christ.
We do not change ourselves into a new creation; Christ does that when He comes to live in us. Our bodies remain sinful, the very reason we must battle it in us all the time with the guidance and help of the Holy Spirit.
God disciplines us to help us return to obedience when we are tempted to sin.
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?…"
We are thankful that it is God's work and not ours; we couldn't do it in our own strength. When we trust in Christ, it is not just for salvation only, but it is also for continual cleansing and redirecting.
Every born-again believer ought to be growing and changing all the time, as we learn great lessons, becoming dependent completely on Christ, we will see Spiritual and emotional blessings as never before.
Hallelujah!!!
When Christ has changed us into a new creation, we are so completely changed by Him that we hate the sin we used to love and love the righteousness of Christ.
We do not change ourselves into a new creation; Christ does that when He comes to live in us. Our bodies remain sinful, the very reason we must battle it in us all the time with the guidance and help of the Holy Spirit.
God disciplines us to help us return to obedience when we are tempted to sin.
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?…"
We are thankful that it is God's work and not ours; we couldn't do it in our own strength. When we trust in Christ, it is not just for salvation only, but it is also for continual cleansing and redirecting.
Every born-again believer ought to be growing and changing all the time, as we learn great lessons, becoming dependent completely on Christ, we will see Spiritual and emotional blessings as never before.
Hallelujah!!!
The Value of Work
We had chores as children; sometimes we grumbled at times, but we grew up into people who learned to enjoy working; it is our entertainment. There is no greater joy than accomplishing something.
God gave Adam and Eve the garden to tend because we were made to enjoy the fruit of our labor. Just as God was pleased with His work at the end of the six days, He made us to enjoy the accomplishments of our labor.
Ecclesiastes 5:18-20
"18 Here is what I have seen to be good and fitting: to eat, to drink, and enjoy oneself in all one’s labor in which he labors under the sun during the few years of his life which God has given him; for this is his reward.
19 Furthermore, as for every person to whom God has given riches and wealth, He has also given him the opportunity to enjoy them and to receive his reward and rejoice in his labor; this is the gift of God.
20 For he will not often call to mind the years of his life, because God keeps him busy with the joy of his heart."
God has been so good to provide work for those who will see the value in it!
God gave Adam and Eve the garden to tend because we were made to enjoy the fruit of our labor. Just as God was pleased with His work at the end of the six days, He made us to enjoy the accomplishments of our labor.
Ecclesiastes 5:18-20
"18 Here is what I have seen to be good and fitting: to eat, to drink, and enjoy oneself in all one’s labor in which he labors under the sun during the few years of his life which God has given him; for this is his reward.
19 Furthermore, as for every person to whom God has given riches and wealth, He has also given him the opportunity to enjoy them and to receive his reward and rejoice in his labor; this is the gift of God.
20 For he will not often call to mind the years of his life, because God keeps him busy with the joy of his heart."
God has been so good to provide work for those who will see the value in it!
Wednesday, May 21, 2025
The Apostasy
We are living out prophecy right now as described in 2 Timothy 3, where many will have a false Christianity based on human desires and traditions.
Tuesday, May 20, 2025
God's Mercy
Just as the devil got Eve to focus on the one thing she couldn't have while ignoring all the good things God gave her, so does he do the same with us today.
Satan's way is to get people to remember the last bad act of a friend, forgetting about all the good they did in their life.
Christ is not so much focused on the bad or the good acts; He is focused on whether or not we have trusted His sacrifice on the cross to pay our debt of sin for us.
When we have trusted in Him, we will never be judged or punished for our past bad acts; we will only be rewarded according to our love toward Him and the things we did that He told us to do.
While it is true that a born-again believer should be growing in holiness because Christ is working in us, He does not beat us down for our weaknesses but disciplines us so that we will return to obedience.
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?"
Those who cannot admit their failures and will not take rebuke from their siblings in Christ cannot grow, if they are even saved.
One of the elements which is often evident in a believer's life is the propensity to confess wrong under the influence of the Holy Spirit.
No one who loves Christ and is compelled by the Holy Spirit can remain in sin; the burden of it is too great, and they must confess to be cleansed.
1 John 3:9 "no one who is born of God keeps on sinning,"
1 John 1:9 "9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous, so that He will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
When we have sinned the Holy Spirit makes us continually uncomfortable until we confess it to be cleansed of it. However, if we ignore Him and continue in the sin then the Holy Spirit will go silent and we lose the benefit of Spirit growth and lost rewards in heaven.
1 Thessalonians 5:19-22
"19 Do not quench the Spirit, 20 do not utterly reject prophecies, 21 but examine everything; hold firmly to that which is good, 22 abstain from every form of evil."
Ephesians 4:30
"And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, in whom you were sealed for the day of redemption."
Today we are seeing the consequences of those who resist the Holy Spirit, they become so diluted that they don't even think they are doing wrong when they disrespect and dishonor God.
Acts 7:51
"You stiff-necked people with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit, just as your fathers did."
Romans 8:5-6
"Those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh; but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. The mind of the flesh is death, but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace,"
1 Corinthians 2:12-14
We have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. And this is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom, but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words. The natural man does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God. For they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned."
Those who are stubborn and will not listen to the Word of God to believe what He said are likely not born again and will not see heaven unless they repent.
Revelation 2:5
"5 Therefore, remember from where you have fallen, and repent, and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you and I will remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent."
Satan's way is to get people to remember the last bad act of a friend, forgetting about all the good they did in their life.
Christ is not so much focused on the bad or the good acts; He is focused on whether or not we have trusted His sacrifice on the cross to pay our debt of sin for us.
When we have trusted in Him, we will never be judged or punished for our past bad acts; we will only be rewarded according to our love toward Him and the things we did that He told us to do.
While it is true that a born-again believer should be growing in holiness because Christ is working in us, He does not beat us down for our weaknesses but disciplines us so that we will return to obedience.
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?"
Those who cannot admit their failures and will not take rebuke from their siblings in Christ cannot grow, if they are even saved.
One of the elements which is often evident in a believer's life is the propensity to confess wrong under the influence of the Holy Spirit.
No one who loves Christ and is compelled by the Holy Spirit can remain in sin; the burden of it is too great, and they must confess to be cleansed.
1 John 3:9 "no one who is born of God keeps on sinning,"
1 John 1:9 "9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous, so that He will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
When we have sinned the Holy Spirit makes us continually uncomfortable until we confess it to be cleansed of it. However, if we ignore Him and continue in the sin then the Holy Spirit will go silent and we lose the benefit of Spirit growth and lost rewards in heaven.
1 Thessalonians 5:19-22
"19 Do not quench the Spirit, 20 do not utterly reject prophecies, 21 but examine everything; hold firmly to that which is good, 22 abstain from every form of evil."
Ephesians 4:30
"And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, in whom you were sealed for the day of redemption."
Today we are seeing the consequences of those who resist the Holy Spirit, they become so diluted that they don't even think they are doing wrong when they disrespect and dishonor God.
Acts 7:51
"You stiff-necked people with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit, just as your fathers did."
Romans 8:5-6
"Those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh; but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. The mind of the flesh is death, but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace,"
1 Corinthians 2:12-14
We have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. And this is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom, but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words. The natural man does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God. For they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned."
Those who are stubborn and will not listen to the Word of God to believe what He said are likely not born again and will not see heaven unless they repent.
Revelation 2:5
"5 Therefore, remember from where you have fallen, and repent, and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you and I will remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent."
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