Far too many believers are withholding important teachings and information from baby believer out of fear that they will run away from God. We don't have to worry about that. If someone is born again and seeking the Lord, they will want to hear wisdom from God's Word.
If they resist in the beginning because they lack understanding, then eventually God will speak to them.
I have read many books in my lifetime. Some of them I thought were wonderful, after reading them, I put them away in my library and didn't see them again some 20 and 30 years later, only to realize that I no longer agreed with what was in them, because I had grown in the Lord.
God works with us over the years, sometimes we reject what a sage believer has to say initially, but as we grow, we look back and realize they were right and we now agree with them.
Don't think that someone is hopeless because they do not see something in their babyhood, the Lord may bring it back to them later, then they will see.
Saturday, December 27, 2014
Thursday, December 25, 2014
How Do We Honor Him?
Colossians 2:16
"Therefore no one is to act as your judge in regard to food or drink or in respect to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day--"
Do we really understand this verse? Is it possible we are using this verse incorrectly?
Perhaps if we take this verse to it's logical extreme through our human understanding we might see the problem with our understanding of it.
Let's ask the questions, "would we judge a Christian brother who wants to celebrate a black mass in the church of satan?"
Something to pray about, how much error can we allow in a brother or sister before we feel a need to warn them, that they are in to something that blasphemes God, no matter how much they tack the name of "Jesus" or "Christ" onto the end of the sentence to make the celebration acceptable.
We must understand that God cares "HOW" we honor Him.
"Therefore no one is to act as your judge in regard to food or drink or in respect to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day--"
Do we really understand this verse? Is it possible we are using this verse incorrectly?
Perhaps if we take this verse to it's logical extreme through our human understanding we might see the problem with our understanding of it.
Let's ask the questions, "would we judge a Christian brother who wants to celebrate a black mass in the church of satan?"
Something to pray about, how much error can we allow in a brother or sister before we feel a need to warn them, that they are in to something that blasphemes God, no matter how much they tack the name of "Jesus" or "Christ" onto the end of the sentence to make the celebration acceptable.
We must understand that God cares "HOW" we honor Him.
Wednesday, December 24, 2014
Repentance a Change of Mind
Repentance is not turning around and going the other way as some have taught. It is however "changing our mind", desiring for God to change us.
When we know that it must be Christ Who changes us, then we will more fully trust Him with our character and cleansing.
Those who are attempting to change themselves and cleanse themselves will fight a losing battle and end up in serious pride.
When Christ changes us, then we have no reason to boast, it is how He worked in us. I can honestly say I have always failed when I have tried to discipline myself to be good. But when I chose prayer as my discipline, trusting Christ, then I would be changed never to return to the old.
2 Corinthians 5:17 "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."
Ephesians 2:10 "10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them."
Our job is to confess our sinfulness, ask for God to change us and to submit when He works. If we do not confess and we do not ask, then we have no reason to expect God to work in us and we have every reason to believe we have never been born again.
1 John 1:9 "10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them."
Do you want a good relationship with a brother or sister, then we must be transparent, confessing and desiring to repair what is broken, by God's power, with Christ and with man.
James 5:16 "Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much."
Psalm 25:4-5 "Make me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths. Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long."
James 1:22 "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves."
Proverbs 3:5-6 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths."
John 14:26 "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you."
Notice in these verses, God is the One working in us! When we become born again, He saves and keeps us. He also works in us, through difficulties to clean out the impurities that are left in our fleshly nature. The more we submit as He speaks the more He will speak and the greater our growth.
If we refuse to listen to Him, He will stop speaking and we will not only stop growing but will regress in our walk.
1 Thessalonians 5:13-21 "14 We urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone. 15 See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek after that which is good for one another and for all people. 16 Rejoice always; 17 pray without ceasing; 18 in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 19 Do not quench the Spirit; 20 do not despise prophetic utterances. 21 But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; 22 abstain from every form of evil"
Ephesians 4:30 "And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption."
God will not hear the prayers of those with a wrong heart.
James 4:3 "You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures."
When we know that it must be Christ Who changes us, then we will more fully trust Him with our character and cleansing.
Those who are attempting to change themselves and cleanse themselves will fight a losing battle and end up in serious pride.
When Christ changes us, then we have no reason to boast, it is how He worked in us. I can honestly say I have always failed when I have tried to discipline myself to be good. But when I chose prayer as my discipline, trusting Christ, then I would be changed never to return to the old.
2 Corinthians 5:17 "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."
Ephesians 2:10 "10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them."
Our job is to confess our sinfulness, ask for God to change us and to submit when He works. If we do not confess and we do not ask, then we have no reason to expect God to work in us and we have every reason to believe we have never been born again.
1 John 1:9 "10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them."
Do you want a good relationship with a brother or sister, then we must be transparent, confessing and desiring to repair what is broken, by God's power, with Christ and with man.
James 5:16 "Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much."
Psalm 25:4-5 "Make me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths. Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long."
James 1:22 "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves."
Proverbs 3:5-6 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths."
John 14:26 "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you."
Notice in these verses, God is the One working in us! When we become born again, He saves and keeps us. He also works in us, through difficulties to clean out the impurities that are left in our fleshly nature. The more we submit as He speaks the more He will speak and the greater our growth.
If we refuse to listen to Him, He will stop speaking and we will not only stop growing but will regress in our walk.
1 Thessalonians 5:13-21 "14 We urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone. 15 See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek after that which is good for one another and for all people. 16 Rejoice always; 17 pray without ceasing; 18 in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 19 Do not quench the Spirit; 20 do not despise prophetic utterances. 21 But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; 22 abstain from every form of evil"
Ephesians 4:30 "And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption."
God will not hear the prayers of those with a wrong heart.
James 4:3 "You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures."
Do Not Go Down To Egypt For Your Help
Egypt has always been a symbol of rebellion and sin, in the Biblical accounts.
Isaiah 30:1-5
"“Woe to the rebellious children,” declares the Lord,
“Who execute a plan, but not Mine,
And [a]make an alliance, but not of My Spirit,
In order to add sin to sin;
2 Who proceed down to Egypt
Without consulting [b]Me,
To take refuge in the safety of Pharaoh
And to seek shelter in the shadow of Egypt!
3 “Therefore the safety of Pharaoh will be your shame
And the shelter in the shadow of Egypt, your humiliation.
4 “For their princes are at Zoan
And their ambassadors arrive at Hanes.
5 “Everyone will be ashamed because of a people who cannot profit them,
Who are not for help or profit, but for shame and also for reproach."
We sought the advice of seculars in the raising of our children. We went down to Egypt for our counsel. They taught us to build up their pride through self esteem, exactly opposite of what our Lord taught. Sadly, nearly all the churches in the land, have adopted this philosophy that has devastated our families. We have never been as broken and impotent as we are right now, and getting worse all the time, while thinking we are doing fine.
Divorce and remarriage has been accepted as completely normal in spite of what God says about it. There are many who think as long as they are against abortion and other evils, they are alright with God, at the same time they are defying Him in many other ways, AND THEY DON'T SEE IT.
God wrote things to Israel in their rebellion, that apply to us today. The specific prophesy to them may not apply to us, but the principle of defying God brings about His chastisement for any nation that rebels against His principles, do apply to us..
Hosea 4:1-14
"Listen to the word of the Lord, O sons of Israel,
For the Lord has a case against the inhabitants of the land,
Because there is no faithfulness or kindness
Or knowledge of God in the land.
2 There is swearing, deception, murder, stealing and adultery.
They employ violence, so that bloodshed follows bloodshed.
3 Therefore the land mourns,
And everyone who lives in it languishes
Along with the beasts of the field and the birds of the sky,
And also the fish of the sea disappear.
4 Yet let no one find fault, and let none offer reproof;
For your people are like those who contend with the priest.
5 So you will stumble by day,
And the prophet also will stumble with you by night;
And I will destroy your mother.
6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.
Because you have rejected knowledge,
I also will reject you from being My priest.
Since you have forgotten the law of your God,
I also will forget your children.
7 The more they multiplied, the more they sinned against Me;
I will change their glory into shame.
8 They feed on the sin of My people
And direct their desire toward their iniquity.
9 And it will be, like people, like priest;
So I will punish them for their ways
And repay them for their deeds.
10 They will eat, but not have enough;
They will play the harlot, but not increase,
Because they have stopped giving heed to the Lord.
11 Harlotry, wine and new wine take away the understanding.
12 My people consult their wooden idol, and their diviner’s wand informs them;
For a spirit of harlotry has led them astray,
And they have played the harlot, departing from their God.
13 They offer sacrifices on the tops of the mountains
And burn incense on the hills,
Under oak, poplar and terebinth,
Because their shade is pleasant.
Therefore your daughters play the harlot
And your brides commit adultery.
14 I will not punish your daughters when they play the harlot
Or your brides when they commit adultery,
For the men themselves go apart with harlots
And offer sacrifices with temple prostitutes;
So the people without understanding are ruined"
God promised that one day Israel would repent and return to God. We see this happening right now, individual Jews within Israel are finding Christ. Israel will lose two thirds of her people in the tribulation, the one third remaining will become born again. Israel is the only nation of the world that will trust Christ, the entire nation. All other nations will remain pagan, with individuals within them that become born again. From reading the rest of the book of Hosea we see this.
As for us, now in the nation of America, we remain as a rebellious nation, seeking God in our own way, making Him anything we want Him to be. The use of the word "prayer" has been perverted to merely be whatever anyone wants it to be, it has no power because those who use it, do not know the God of the Bible, no matter what they may say. Their understanding of God has been perverted by all the false teachings we have espoused over the past 200 years.
Hosea 5:4
"Their deeds will not allow them To return to their God. For a spirit of harlotry is within them, And they do not know the Lord."
America will not turn back to God, she is a pagan nation pretending to be "Christian." Our leaders are not what they claim, and our Christianity is not that of the Bible, but a watered down and perverted form of powerless religion.
Matthew 17:16-20
""I brought him to Your disciples, and they could not cure him." And Jesus answered and said, "You unbelieving and perverted generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring him here to Me." And Jesus rebuked him, and the demon came out of him, and the boy was cured at once. Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, "Why could we not drive it out?" And He said to them, "Because of the littleness of your faith; for truly I say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you."
We are a pretentious nation, we think as long as we speak good things, that by itself will make it be true. Many people are claiming things about themselves that are not only not true, but deceptive to others.
They say, "I am a good person", all the while living in adultery, teaching their children to love themselves more than God and doing whatever they want without consulting Him. Isaiah 30:1 (above)
There is only one hope for individual in our nation, and that is to repent from our sin, ask God to reveal truth to us and begin to obey what He tells us. We cannot do this without reading His Word the Bible, nor can reading the Bible be of any help if we are not praying for the understanding. It must be the Holy Spirit Who guides our thinking as we read.
Isaiah 30:1-5
"“Woe to the rebellious children,” declares the Lord,
“Who execute a plan, but not Mine,
And [a]make an alliance, but not of My Spirit,
In order to add sin to sin;
2 Who proceed down to Egypt
Without consulting [b]Me,
To take refuge in the safety of Pharaoh
And to seek shelter in the shadow of Egypt!
3 “Therefore the safety of Pharaoh will be your shame
And the shelter in the shadow of Egypt, your humiliation.
4 “For their princes are at Zoan
And their ambassadors arrive at Hanes.
5 “Everyone will be ashamed because of a people who cannot profit them,
Who are not for help or profit, but for shame and also for reproach."
We sought the advice of seculars in the raising of our children. We went down to Egypt for our counsel. They taught us to build up their pride through self esteem, exactly opposite of what our Lord taught. Sadly, nearly all the churches in the land, have adopted this philosophy that has devastated our families. We have never been as broken and impotent as we are right now, and getting worse all the time, while thinking we are doing fine.
Divorce and remarriage has been accepted as completely normal in spite of what God says about it. There are many who think as long as they are against abortion and other evils, they are alright with God, at the same time they are defying Him in many other ways, AND THEY DON'T SEE IT.
God wrote things to Israel in their rebellion, that apply to us today. The specific prophesy to them may not apply to us, but the principle of defying God brings about His chastisement for any nation that rebels against His principles, do apply to us..
Hosea 4:1-14
"Listen to the word of the Lord, O sons of Israel,
For the Lord has a case against the inhabitants of the land,
Because there is no faithfulness or kindness
Or knowledge of God in the land.
2 There is swearing, deception, murder, stealing and adultery.
They employ violence, so that bloodshed follows bloodshed.
3 Therefore the land mourns,
And everyone who lives in it languishes
Along with the beasts of the field and the birds of the sky,
And also the fish of the sea disappear.
4 Yet let no one find fault, and let none offer reproof;
For your people are like those who contend with the priest.
5 So you will stumble by day,
And the prophet also will stumble with you by night;
And I will destroy your mother.
6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.
Because you have rejected knowledge,
I also will reject you from being My priest.
Since you have forgotten the law of your God,
I also will forget your children.
7 The more they multiplied, the more they sinned against Me;
I will change their glory into shame.
8 They feed on the sin of My people
And direct their desire toward their iniquity.
9 And it will be, like people, like priest;
So I will punish them for their ways
And repay them for their deeds.
10 They will eat, but not have enough;
They will play the harlot, but not increase,
Because they have stopped giving heed to the Lord.
11 Harlotry, wine and new wine take away the understanding.
12 My people consult their wooden idol, and their diviner’s wand informs them;
For a spirit of harlotry has led them astray,
And they have played the harlot, departing from their God.
13 They offer sacrifices on the tops of the mountains
And burn incense on the hills,
Under oak, poplar and terebinth,
Because their shade is pleasant.
Therefore your daughters play the harlot
And your brides commit adultery.
14 I will not punish your daughters when they play the harlot
Or your brides when they commit adultery,
For the men themselves go apart with harlots
And offer sacrifices with temple prostitutes;
So the people without understanding are ruined"
God promised that one day Israel would repent and return to God. We see this happening right now, individual Jews within Israel are finding Christ. Israel will lose two thirds of her people in the tribulation, the one third remaining will become born again. Israel is the only nation of the world that will trust Christ, the entire nation. All other nations will remain pagan, with individuals within them that become born again. From reading the rest of the book of Hosea we see this.
As for us, now in the nation of America, we remain as a rebellious nation, seeking God in our own way, making Him anything we want Him to be. The use of the word "prayer" has been perverted to merely be whatever anyone wants it to be, it has no power because those who use it, do not know the God of the Bible, no matter what they may say. Their understanding of God has been perverted by all the false teachings we have espoused over the past 200 years.
Hosea 5:4
"Their deeds will not allow them To return to their God. For a spirit of harlotry is within them, And they do not know the Lord."
America will not turn back to God, she is a pagan nation pretending to be "Christian." Our leaders are not what they claim, and our Christianity is not that of the Bible, but a watered down and perverted form of powerless religion.
Matthew 17:16-20
""I brought him to Your disciples, and they could not cure him." And Jesus answered and said, "You unbelieving and perverted generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring him here to Me." And Jesus rebuked him, and the demon came out of him, and the boy was cured at once. Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, "Why could we not drive it out?" And He said to them, "Because of the littleness of your faith; for truly I say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you."
We are a pretentious nation, we think as long as we speak good things, that by itself will make it be true. Many people are claiming things about themselves that are not only not true, but deceptive to others.
They say, "I am a good person", all the while living in adultery, teaching their children to love themselves more than God and doing whatever they want without consulting Him. Isaiah 30:1 (above)
There is only one hope for individual in our nation, and that is to repent from our sin, ask God to reveal truth to us and begin to obey what He tells us. We cannot do this without reading His Word the Bible, nor can reading the Bible be of any help if we are not praying for the understanding. It must be the Holy Spirit Who guides our thinking as we read.
Tuesday, December 23, 2014
Pretense is Sin!
http://www.godandscience.org/apologetics/why_are_christians_hypocrites.html
Pretense is a sin. When we choose to see things a certain way to enhance our own life, refusing to look at the truth of a matter, we are sinning.
Pretending is a form of lying. We can escape responsibility, we can make something look alright to be able to indulge, all the while leading someone else into a lie, deceiving them.
As believers we should always be willing to admit truth and speak it no matter what it brings. When we admit the truth about a matter, we can grow in holiness and move toward a closer relationship with Christ and with others.
When we pretend we do not grow, but as time progresses and we get older, we regress in our walk, becoming impotent in our witness, even encouraging sin in others.
Pretense is a sin. When we choose to see things a certain way to enhance our own life, refusing to look at the truth of a matter, we are sinning.
Pretending is a form of lying. We can escape responsibility, we can make something look alright to be able to indulge, all the while leading someone else into a lie, deceiving them.
As believers we should always be willing to admit truth and speak it no matter what it brings. When we admit the truth about a matter, we can grow in holiness and move toward a closer relationship with Christ and with others.
When we pretend we do not grow, but as time progresses and we get older, we regress in our walk, becoming impotent in our witness, even encouraging sin in others.
Not Our Flesh But His Power
As the children of God we should be continually asking Him to make us what He wants us to be. He tells us in His Word, but if we are thinking with our own mind rather than with the mind of Christ, our mind will pervert what we read. We need to be asking God to show us His way, removing from our thinking anything that is fleshly or worldly.
Are we willing to reject and discard anything that we were taught to follow Christ. Much of what we were taught as children is false and even satanic.
God will answer our prayers for Him to change us if we want it. Those who depend on their own fleshly strength will fail.
Ephesians 2:10 "
10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them."
James 1:5 " If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him."
Psalm 28:7 " The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him."
Are we willing to reject and discard anything that we were taught to follow Christ. Much of what we were taught as children is false and even satanic.
God will answer our prayers for Him to change us if we want it. Those who depend on their own fleshly strength will fail.
Ephesians 2:10 "
10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them."
James 1:5 " If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him."
Psalm 28:7 " The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him."
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