As a new believer, I wanted to be seen as good, but as I grew in the Lord it was more about "being" Christlike rather than "appearing" so.
In the attempt to "appear" good to other people I thought were strong believers, I found myself falling into error. I thought they were right because they had been believers much longer than I and had not sinned as "big" as I had. Although I don't remember a time when they told me how they became born again, or ever admitted that they needed to repent from a wicked heart.
It was later, as I grew in the Lord that I realized the size of sin was not important, it was the brokenness over it and the working of Christ in our lives.
I began my Christian walk thinking I had to be like other "more seasoned" Christians, only to fall into the trap of following Christians instead of following Christ.
So many pressures came upon me to be like them, that I became over burdened with superficial and nonsensical rules and standards, that I broke under the strain, falling to my knees in repentance, I began seeking Christ on my own. Such joy and freedom entered my soul that I began to question everything the apostate church taught, forcing me to delve into the Scriptures on my own, alone with the Holy Spirit.
When our focus is what people think of us, then we will seek to please them or be angry if they don't elevate us.
When our focus is Christ we will seek to please Him. In this frame of mind, He will work in us, we do not depend on ourselves to accomplish growth. The more we listen to the Holy Spirit and obey what He tells us, the greater will be our growth.
Ephesians 2:9-10
"…9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance as our way of life."
We cannot please both men and people, men will ask us to be what they like, rather than what Christ wants.
Galatians 1:10
"10 Am I now seeking the approval of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ."
Bottom Line: Stop watching people for the answers and turn to the Holy Spirit. Elevate no one equal to or above God. Only Christ has all the answers, we have no excuses to not learn because Christ said this:
James 1:4-6
"…4 Allow perseverance to finish its work, so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. 6 But he must ask in faith, without doubting, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.…"
Remember this passage, it does not say ask people, it says ask God.
Thursday, September 8, 2016
15 Years Ago!
15 Years ago today we moved into our home on the hill, it feels like only a mere year ago to me. Soon after that, a short three days later our nation was attacked by Islam, on 9/11.
This life is a vapor, here and gone quickly. It may not seem like it to those who are young, but as we get older, it is really true, that time seems to pass more quickly.
It is best to live each day to serve the Lord, forget about the past and carry on toward holiness. Playing and entertainment has only as much happiness associated with it during the time we are indulging. After it is over, the memory and feelings pass quickly and the playing has to begin again to revive those senses.
However, the joy of the Lord never leaves, contentment in blessing our Lord is something that lasts, never dissipating but rather increasing as we remember His Word, His ways and His purposes. There is great joy daily in knowing to Whom we belong and what is coming for us.
We have far more to look forward to in the future when the Lord will come for His bride, than any pleasure, half forgotten, that remains in the past.
James 4:13-15
"13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business, and make a profit.” 14 You do not even know what will happen tomorrow! What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. 15 Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord is willing, we will live and do this or that.”…"
This life is a vapor, here and gone quickly. It may not seem like it to those who are young, but as we get older, it is really true, that time seems to pass more quickly.
It is best to live each day to serve the Lord, forget about the past and carry on toward holiness. Playing and entertainment has only as much happiness associated with it during the time we are indulging. After it is over, the memory and feelings pass quickly and the playing has to begin again to revive those senses.
However, the joy of the Lord never leaves, contentment in blessing our Lord is something that lasts, never dissipating but rather increasing as we remember His Word, His ways and His purposes. There is great joy daily in knowing to Whom we belong and what is coming for us.
We have far more to look forward to in the future when the Lord will come for His bride, than any pleasure, half forgotten, that remains in the past.
James 4:13-15
"13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business, and make a profit.” 14 You do not even know what will happen tomorrow! What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. 15 Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord is willing, we will live and do this or that.”…"
Confess, the Only Way to Freedom
The following story is a good one, because figuratively speaking, the man could only be set free if he would admit his sin. I meet many people who are sadly lacking joy because they refuse to take a long look at themselves. In fact these days, it is encouraged by the culture to make excuses by secular psychology, which teaches that everyone's past experiences shapes them.
When I have held onto my stance of blaming I never had peace, it was when I could honestly say, "I was wrong", that my joy would return. Truth telling about everything is the only way to find solutions and to be set free from the bondage of pride.
MORE LIKELY WE ARE SHAPED BY OUR RESPONSES TO EXPERIENCES NOT BY THE EXPERIENCES THEMSELVES.
Here is the story by Spurgeon:
Ladybird Bee sent this to me, it is very good!
"One of the greatest preachers who ever lived, Charles Haddon Spurgeon, called the "prince of preachers," loved to tell this story:
"It seems there was a Duke who once boarded a galley ship and went below to talk to the convicts manning the oars. When he asked several of them what their crimes were, almost every man claimed that he was innocent, blaming someone else, or even accused the judge of taking a bribe.
"There was one young man whose reply was different. He said. "I deserve to be here, sir. I stole some money. No one is at fault but me. I am guilty."
"When the Duke heard this he shouted, "You scoundrel, you! What are you doing here among all these honest men? Get out of their company at once!" The Duke ordered the young prisoner to be released.
"So, the young man was set free, while the rest of the prisoners were left to continue to tug at the oars. The key to his freedom was his admission of guilt.
"This is a picture of salvation. Until one is willing to admit, "I am a sinner in need of salvation," one cannot experience freedom from guilt and condemnation.
"God, have mercy on me, a sinner." (Luke 18:13)
"Unless you repent, you will all likewise perish." (Luke 13:3)"
When I have held onto my stance of blaming I never had peace, it was when I could honestly say, "I was wrong", that my joy would return. Truth telling about everything is the only way to find solutions and to be set free from the bondage of pride.
MORE LIKELY WE ARE SHAPED BY OUR RESPONSES TO EXPERIENCES NOT BY THE EXPERIENCES THEMSELVES.
Here is the story by Spurgeon:
Ladybird Bee sent this to me, it is very good!
"One of the greatest preachers who ever lived, Charles Haddon Spurgeon, called the "prince of preachers," loved to tell this story:
"It seems there was a Duke who once boarded a galley ship and went below to talk to the convicts manning the oars. When he asked several of them what their crimes were, almost every man claimed that he was innocent, blaming someone else, or even accused the judge of taking a bribe.
"There was one young man whose reply was different. He said. "I deserve to be here, sir. I stole some money. No one is at fault but me. I am guilty."
"When the Duke heard this he shouted, "You scoundrel, you! What are you doing here among all these honest men? Get out of their company at once!" The Duke ordered the young prisoner to be released.
"So, the young man was set free, while the rest of the prisoners were left to continue to tug at the oars. The key to his freedom was his admission of guilt.
"This is a picture of salvation. Until one is willing to admit, "I am a sinner in need of salvation," one cannot experience freedom from guilt and condemnation.
"God, have mercy on me, a sinner." (Luke 18:13)
"Unless you repent, you will all likewise perish." (Luke 13:3)"
Wednesday, September 7, 2016
It's About the Heart
For those who say we do not sin after we have become born again!
In most cases these expressions are sin, of course there are exceptions, however often we display sinful attitudes in our feelings and reactions.
Did you know that having a snarky attitude when someone takes your parking space at the store is sin? Even if you don't express it to those who took that parking space, the sin remains. We are ahead of the game if we don't express our wrong attitude, at least we don't have a mess to clean up with others when they didn't know we felt that way.
Did you know that refusing to share our popcorn when we are snacking is selfishness and sin?
Did you know that becoming irritated because someone didn't do something we thought they should do is sin?
Did you know to shout in someone's face because they challenged us in some way is sin?
Did you know that we sin when we want our children to be first or when we want to be first in anything?
Far too many people define sin in terms of only the "big stuff", such as murder, theft, blatant raging and other openly outrageous behavior and attitudes.
Our flesh is not capable of going an entire day without some form of sin, no matter how small or hidden.
God knew this, so He made a way for our sin to be forgiven and covered, while changing our spirit into a new creation, that our flesh would come under the control of the Holy Spirit.
Galatians 5:16-18 "16 So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the flesh craves what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are opposed to one another, so that you do not do what you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law.…"
Every born again believer should be growing continually, sin falling off with each new confession we gain ground in becoming holy.
2 Peter 3:17-18 "…17 Therefore, beloved, since you already know these things, be on your guard not to be carried away by the error of the lawless and fall from your secure standing. 18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen."
1 John 1:9 "9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
Those who believe they do not sin could never repair a broken relationship, they would have to blame others for the damage instead of evaluating their own responsibility.
Everyone needs to keep close accounts, that is, confess quickly while apologizing to those we have harmed. It takes humility to admit we have been rude, or selfish or whatever else we did that stressed others.
Christ said this:
Matthew 5:27 "27 You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery.’ 28 But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman to lust after her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
1 John 3:15 "15 Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that eternal life does not reside in a murderer."
You see, we don't have to actually murder anyone to commit murder our hearts can have murder in it through hatred for someone.
We don't have to commit adultery openly to be counted as an adulterer, all we have to do is lust for someone.
The reason the letter of the Law has passed is because Christ took our walk with Him to a much higher level, that of being our heart.
Even if we never carried out the sin in our heart, it counts with God as sin.
It takes humility to confess sin and a desire to be cleansed of it. A prideful man cannot do it, therefore having to blame others when there are problems, leaving many things unresolved.
Thankfully Christ covers this sin for those who are born again, we confess it to grow in holiness. Those who will not confess will not grow. Those who will not admit they have sin, will grow worse over time, hardening their own hearts. 1 John 1:9
In most cases these expressions are sin, of course there are exceptions, however often we display sinful attitudes in our feelings and reactions.
Did you know that having a snarky attitude when someone takes your parking space at the store is sin? Even if you don't express it to those who took that parking space, the sin remains. We are ahead of the game if we don't express our wrong attitude, at least we don't have a mess to clean up with others when they didn't know we felt that way.
Did you know that refusing to share our popcorn when we are snacking is selfishness and sin?
Did you know that becoming irritated because someone didn't do something we thought they should do is sin?
Did you know to shout in someone's face because they challenged us in some way is sin?
Did you know that we sin when we want our children to be first or when we want to be first in anything?
Far too many people define sin in terms of only the "big stuff", such as murder, theft, blatant raging and other openly outrageous behavior and attitudes.
Our flesh is not capable of going an entire day without some form of sin, no matter how small or hidden.
God knew this, so He made a way for our sin to be forgiven and covered, while changing our spirit into a new creation, that our flesh would come under the control of the Holy Spirit.
Galatians 5:16-18 "16 So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the flesh craves what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are opposed to one another, so that you do not do what you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law.…"
Every born again believer should be growing continually, sin falling off with each new confession we gain ground in becoming holy.
2 Peter 3:17-18 "…17 Therefore, beloved, since you already know these things, be on your guard not to be carried away by the error of the lawless and fall from your secure standing. 18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen."
1 John 1:9 "9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
Those who believe they do not sin could never repair a broken relationship, they would have to blame others for the damage instead of evaluating their own responsibility.
Everyone needs to keep close accounts, that is, confess quickly while apologizing to those we have harmed. It takes humility to admit we have been rude, or selfish or whatever else we did that stressed others.
Christ said this:
Matthew 5:27 "27 You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery.’ 28 But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman to lust after her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
1 John 3:15 "15 Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that eternal life does not reside in a murderer."
You see, we don't have to actually murder anyone to commit murder our hearts can have murder in it through hatred for someone.
We don't have to commit adultery openly to be counted as an adulterer, all we have to do is lust for someone.
The reason the letter of the Law has passed is because Christ took our walk with Him to a much higher level, that of being our heart.
Even if we never carried out the sin in our heart, it counts with God as sin.
It takes humility to confess sin and a desire to be cleansed of it. A prideful man cannot do it, therefore having to blame others when there are problems, leaving many things unresolved.
Thankfully Christ covers this sin for those who are born again, we confess it to grow in holiness. Those who will not confess will not grow. Those who will not admit they have sin, will grow worse over time, hardening their own hearts. 1 John 1:9
Do Not Seek Reward
I may take a hit for this, addressing this matter of "good deed doing in public", but I see so much of this in the news feed, that I thought I should wrote about it.
There are some on facebook who are doing "good deeds" and filming it to post for everyone to see. This is a violation of the Scriptures. When we video good deeds it is a way of bragging. The good deed then has more to do with the strokes we get from others for doing them. God says we have our reward already, there will be none in heaven for us if we do that.
I am all for good deeds as led by Christ, but I believe God when He tells us how to carry them out. It is one thing to share privately with a friend our activities, it is quite another to post it for hundreds of others to see in a public forum.
This same principle applies to praying! Praying and giving ought to be done without fanfare, because it is done to obey God and out of love, not to gain praise for ourselves. If we are obeying Christ in our praying and giving, it shouldn't even come to mind whether or not someone else is going to know about it.
Matthew 6:1-8
"1 “Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven.
2 “So when you give to the poor, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be honored by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full.
3 But when you [b]give to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,
4 so that your giving will be in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.
5 “When you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they may be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full.
6 But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.
7 “And when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words. 8 So do not be like them; for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him."
There are some on facebook who are doing "good deeds" and filming it to post for everyone to see. This is a violation of the Scriptures. When we video good deeds it is a way of bragging. The good deed then has more to do with the strokes we get from others for doing them. God says we have our reward already, there will be none in heaven for us if we do that.
I am all for good deeds as led by Christ, but I believe God when He tells us how to carry them out. It is one thing to share privately with a friend our activities, it is quite another to post it for hundreds of others to see in a public forum.
This same principle applies to praying! Praying and giving ought to be done without fanfare, because it is done to obey God and out of love, not to gain praise for ourselves. If we are obeying Christ in our praying and giving, it shouldn't even come to mind whether or not someone else is going to know about it.
Matthew 6:1-8
"1 “Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven.
2 “So when you give to the poor, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be honored by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full.
3 But when you [b]give to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,
4 so that your giving will be in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.
5 “When you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they may be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full.
6 But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.
7 “And when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words. 8 So do not be like them; for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him."
Willful Ignorance will Destroy
Willful ignorance is the denial of truth when it is known. No one has an excuse to be like this, we can always ask God. Most do not ask God because they do not want to know.
Most people love their fantasy life that makes them the center of their own universe, so they refuse to take a look at truth, or listen when it is presented.
Most people love their fantasy life that makes them the center of their own universe, so they refuse to take a look at truth, or listen when it is presented.
Ask the Holy Spirit, Stop Asking Men
If you are a believer, having trusted Christ, then it is a duty to test every single tradition of men that you have learned to see if it matches with the Word of God.
Do Not!!!! Do Not!!!! Go to men to ask them what they think, get in prayer and ask the Holy Spirit to show you truth, He alone will give you all you need.
James 1:5 " 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him."
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