Matthew 28:19-20 "…19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”"
God commanded us as born again believers to teach ALL nations to obey Him.
What are God's commands? All that He wrote in the Bible are commands. Even though all things were not written to us they were written for us, to know the heart of God and recognize the power of Christ in us to be able to obey.
2 Timothy 4:2
"2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction."
Jesus Christ has all truth for all time, He does not change nor do His commands change. They are for our own good, to protect us from evil, to instruct us in righteousness. Because His righteousness works for a better existence.
When we trust in Christ we are also trusting that He knows best for us, what works well, what glorifies Him and what leads to heaven.
Those who see God's blessings of instruction as burdens do not understand that His blessings are His teachings, they spare us from making terrible decisions that harm us and others.
The man or woman of God who seeks God for all matters will know the amazing blessings, the strength, and provision that comes from obeying His principles.
God never made rules to oppress us, they are all there to help us. Sadly too many people don't understand what "help" looks like. They think help is encouragement in whatever they want. God's help is for our spiritual and emotional strength through all the nuances of life that come our way. There is great strength in being able to go through tough things with joy still trusting in Christ.
Did you know you can have great joy even in the midst of the pain, not happiness, but the joy that we know God has a purpose even if we cannot see that purpose? We can have that joy in the middle of our tears and agony. I know this is impossible to believe for those who are not born again.
The joy is there even if our feelings tell us it is gone. We know because as soon as there is relief we are grateful to God and rejoice for the moments of relief.
Job is our example, He never denied God all through His trial. He did question Him but never once did He accuse God of anything or turn His back on God.
Job 2:7-10 "7 Then Satan went out from the presence of the Lord and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head.
8 And he took a potsherd to scrape himself while he was sitting among the ashes.
9 Then his wife said to him, “Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die!”
10 But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God and not accept adversity?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips."
Notice in the following verses Job's friends wanted to encourage him but they made false accusations that Job must have sinned because of his infirmities. They sat with him for a long time before doing this but wearied of the sitting and began attempting to evaluate falsely God's purpose in all of it. This is common in Pentecostal circles too, a typical human reaction to the problems of others is to try to guess why illness befalls someone.
No one can guess why people fall into illness unless it was caused specifically by sinful activities that are clear. It is always risky and sinful to attempt to guess why someone has fallen ill when no sin is blatantly apparent.
Job 2:11-13 "11 Now when Job’s three friends heard of all this adversity that had come upon him, they came each one from his own place, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite; and they made an appointment together to come to sympathize with him and comfort him.
12 When they lifted up their eyes at a distance and did not recognize him, they raised their voices and wept. And each of them tore his robe and they threw dust over their heads toward the sky.
13 Then they sat down on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights with no one speaking a word to him, for they saw that his pain was very great."
His friends deeply cared about Job but misunderstood the purposes of God and the heart of Job.
Reading the rest of Job we see God assuring him that God knows his plight, He created the world and has control over this. We also see Job reproving his friends for wrongly judging him.
There is so much more to the book of Job that remind us that God is in control, even our illness and trials are seen by Him and have a purpose for us as well as to glorify God.
Friday, February 14, 2020
Thursday, February 13, 2020
The Life of the Born Again Believer
If we were sinless then God lied when He said this to the church:
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."
And this:
Hebrews 12:5-7 "…5And 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. 6For the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and He chastises everyone He receives as a son.” 7Endure suffering as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?…"
It makes no sense for God to tell us not to sin if we could not sin after salvation. It also makes no sense that God would have to discipline His children if they never sinned.
Our Spirit is God's Spirit in us when we become born again. He made us into a new creation, that is the Spirit within us. However, we are trapped in this body of death that tempts us as well as the devil who whispers lies in our ears to tempt us.
We can resist our flesh and the temptations of the devil through the power of the Holy Spirit. At times we are weak, when we are the Lord disciplines and prods for us to return to obedience. A born again believer is never comfortable in their sin.
IF we ignore the Holy Spirit in us He will go silent and allow us the consequences of our bad choices. Our prayers will not be heard.
1 Thessalonians 5
"Live in peace with one another. 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. 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.
23 Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
24 Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass."
If a born again believer never sinned the commands to stop sinning, the commands to admonish one another and the commands to examine ourselves would mean nothing.
Sanctification is different from Salvation. After we are born again God begins His work in us to continually cleanse us from the sin that dwells in our corrupt body. It is a process all the way to the end of our lives.
2 Thessalonians 2
"But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth."
Romans 6:14
"14 For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace."
We do sin but we have no excuse because we can avail ourselves to Christ Who lives in us. No child of God lives a lifestyle of continual sin. No child of God enjoys their sin, they are convicted and eventually confess to be cleansed as we see in 1 John 1:9.
1 John 3:8-10 "…8 The one who practices sin is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the very start. This is why the Son of God was revealed, to destroy the works of the devil. 9 Anyone born of God refuses to practice sin, because God’s seed abides in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God. 10 By this the children of God are distinguished from the children of the devil: Anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is anyone who does not love his brother.…"
Another indication of a born again believer is how much they love the brethren.
1 John 3:13-14 "…13So do not be surprised, brothers, if the world hates you. 14We know that we have passed from death to life because we love our brothers. The one who does not love remains in death."
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."
And this:
Hebrews 12:5-7 "…5And 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. 6For the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and He chastises everyone He receives as a son.” 7Endure suffering as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?…"
It makes no sense for God to tell us not to sin if we could not sin after salvation. It also makes no sense that God would have to discipline His children if they never sinned.
Our Spirit is God's Spirit in us when we become born again. He made us into a new creation, that is the Spirit within us. However, we are trapped in this body of death that tempts us as well as the devil who whispers lies in our ears to tempt us.
We can resist our flesh and the temptations of the devil through the power of the Holy Spirit. At times we are weak, when we are the Lord disciplines and prods for us to return to obedience. A born again believer is never comfortable in their sin.
IF we ignore the Holy Spirit in us He will go silent and allow us the consequences of our bad choices. Our prayers will not be heard.
1 Thessalonians 5
"Live in peace with one another. 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. 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.
23 Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
24 Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass."
If a born again believer never sinned the commands to stop sinning, the commands to admonish one another and the commands to examine ourselves would mean nothing.
Sanctification is different from Salvation. After we are born again God begins His work in us to continually cleanse us from the sin that dwells in our corrupt body. It is a process all the way to the end of our lives.
2 Thessalonians 2
"But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth."
Romans 6:14
"14 For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace."
We do sin but we have no excuse because we can avail ourselves to Christ Who lives in us. No child of God lives a lifestyle of continual sin. No child of God enjoys their sin, they are convicted and eventually confess to be cleansed as we see in 1 John 1:9.
1 John 3:8-10 "…8 The one who practices sin is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the very start. This is why the Son of God was revealed, to destroy the works of the devil. 9 Anyone born of God refuses to practice sin, because God’s seed abides in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God. 10 By this the children of God are distinguished from the children of the devil: Anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is anyone who does not love his brother.…"
Another indication of a born again believer is how much they love the brethren.
1 John 3:13-14 "…13So do not be surprised, brothers, if the world hates you. 14We know that we have passed from death to life because we love our brothers. The one who does not love remains in death."
Wednesday, February 12, 2020
God's View of Lying
Look what God did to Ananias and Sapphira for lying to the Holy Spirit. They didn't even have to lie, they could have given whatever they wanted, but impressing people was too important to them to consider that lying offended God.
Acts 5:1-11
The fate of Ananias and Sapphira
"1 But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property,
2 and kept back some of the price for himself, with his wife’s full knowledge, and bringing a portion of it, he laid it at the apostles’ feet.
3 But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back some of the price of the land?
Acts 5:1-11
The fate of Ananias and Sapphira
"1 But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property,
2 and kept back some of the price for himself, with his wife’s full knowledge, and bringing a portion of it, he laid it at the apostles’ feet.
3 But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back some of the price of the land?
4 While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not under your control? Why is it that you have conceived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.”
5 And as he heard these words, Ananias fell down and breathed his last; and great fear came over all who heard of it.
6 The young men got up and covered him up, and after carrying him out, they buried him.
7 Now there elapsed an interval of about three hours, and his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 8 And Peter responded to her, “Tell me whether you sold the land [d]for such and such a price?” And she said, “Yes, that was the price.”
9 Then Peter said to her, “Why is it that you have agreed together to put the Spirit of the Lord to the test? Behold, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out as well.”
10 And immediately she fell at his feet and breathed her last, and the young men came in and found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband.
11 And great fear came over the whole church, and over all who heard of these things."
Next time we think about lying perhaps we ought to consider what God thinks of it before letting a lie fly out of our mouth. This includes a lie someone else told us that we believe.
5 And as he heard these words, Ananias fell down and breathed his last; and great fear came over all who heard of it.
6 The young men got up and covered him up, and after carrying him out, they buried him.
7 Now there elapsed an interval of about three hours, and his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 8 And Peter responded to her, “Tell me whether you sold the land [d]for such and such a price?” And she said, “Yes, that was the price.”
9 Then Peter said to her, “Why is it that you have agreed together to put the Spirit of the Lord to the test? Behold, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out as well.”
10 And immediately she fell at his feet and breathed her last, and the young men came in and found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband.
11 And great fear came over the whole church, and over all who heard of these things."
Next time we think about lying perhaps we ought to consider what God thinks of it before letting a lie fly out of our mouth. This includes a lie someone else told us that we believe.
No Man Can Change God's Word
"Abba" Daddy
Never feel bad that you are in pain and begging God to send our Savior to collect you soon.
"Abba" means "Daddy." When we were in Jerusalem a number of years ago we saw little children running after their fathers shouting "Abba, Abba", it was their word for "Daddy."
We are little children to our Father in Heaven. He cares about what happens to us and understands the cries for help.
What if you were in a flood and the water was rising to the second floor. In all the chaos of the flood you hear your small child crying from a nearby tree, "Daddy, Daddy, help me." Wouldn't you be deeply concerned about getting to that child to save him?
Remember this is the way our Father in heaven sees us, as little children crying out to Him for deliverance from the flood, from the trials, and from the sin-sick world.
We need never feel condemned for crying out to God or begging Him for His help!
Psalm 91:14-16 "…14 “Because he loves Me, I will deliver him; because he knows My name, I will protect him. 15 When he calls out to Me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble. I will deliver and honor him. 16With long life I will satisfy him and show him My salvation.”…"
Thank God Jesus Christ goes through with us in everything we must endure. Even when we don't "feel" Him we know with our mind and heart that He is with us.
Deuteronomy 31:6
"6 Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or tremble at them, for the Lord your God is the one who goes with you. He will not fail you or forsake you.”
Can you hear the man in the flood shouting out to his little boy; "I won't' leave you, I am here"?
"Abba" means "Daddy." When we were in Jerusalem a number of years ago we saw little children running after their fathers shouting "Abba, Abba", it was their word for "Daddy."
We are little children to our Father in Heaven. He cares about what happens to us and understands the cries for help.
What if you were in a flood and the water was rising to the second floor. In all the chaos of the flood you hear your small child crying from a nearby tree, "Daddy, Daddy, help me." Wouldn't you be deeply concerned about getting to that child to save him?
Remember this is the way our Father in heaven sees us, as little children crying out to Him for deliverance from the flood, from the trials, and from the sin-sick world.
We need never feel condemned for crying out to God or begging Him for His help!
Psalm 91:14-16 "…14 “Because he loves Me, I will deliver him; because he knows My name, I will protect him. 15 When he calls out to Me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble. I will deliver and honor him. 16With long life I will satisfy him and show him My salvation.”…"
Thank God Jesus Christ goes through with us in everything we must endure. Even when we don't "feel" Him we know with our mind and heart that He is with us.
Deuteronomy 31:6
"6 Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or tremble at them, for the Lord your God is the one who goes with you. He will not fail you or forsake you.”
Can you hear the man in the flood shouting out to his little boy; "I won't' leave you, I am here"?
Agree to Disagree Make Little Sense
I do not agree to disagree, I stand on the truth. Those things I have diligently prayed about and heard from God on, cannot be changed. If you disagree with me then go to prayer that God would show you or that He would enlighten me further, but never just be content to agree to disagree.
Truth is more important than relegating it to the acceptance of everyone's views no matter how different they may be. As born again believers we ought to be diligently seeking truth rather than validation from those around us.
The mantra "agree to disagree" comes from a mentality that promotes everyone's ideas as equal even though they may be opposite. This thinking is irrational.
When we have been told by God through His Word and prayer the truth of a matter we no longer need to consult him further, the matter is settled. However, if the Holy Spirit is stirring within us that we might be wrong we must go to prayer and further Bible reading to find the reason for the warnings within us.
I have found that born again believers who have diligently studied seem to agree on almost everything except non-essentials that are not specified in Scripture.
The mantra "agree to disagree" is the lazy way of unconcern about truth. IF truth matters, and it does, then we ought to be sure of what we believe through a study of the Word and questioning the Holy Spirit.
2 Timothy 2:15
"15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth."
If there is disagreement then we must go back to prayer and study to come to an agreement. Of course, this takes time and diligence.
Matthew 7:7
Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.
God never said different things to different people, HE says the same to all those who are seeking Him.
Amos 3:3 "Will two walk together, Except they have agreed?"
Colossians 2:8
"See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ."
1 Corinthians 1:10-11
"I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment. For it has been reported to me by Chloe's people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers."
How can every believer be of one mind, after all this is a command from God? Its really quite simple, when two parties disagree they go to prayer and study until there can be agreement.
This is rare in our day when everyone just wants to feel superior and lazy. They care only about spending their time playing, pretending they already know it all and refusing to research when someone challenges them.
The other difficult matter in our culture is that most people are far too distracted with worldly pursuits to take the time to study on their own without their favorite teachers clamoring in their ears.
Most people today do not trust the Holy Spirit, they trust in the teachers of our day who are influenced by the apostate seminaries or Bible colleges they attended. They even mock those who have not attended these institutions as unable to know the truth because all they had was the Holy Spirit.
Wow, all Peter, Paul and all the other writers of the Bible had was the Holy Spirit. Now we have elevated the teachers and the seminaries above the Holy Spirit, as though these people know better than God.
John 16:13-14 "13 However, when the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on His own, but He will speak what He hears, and He will declare to you what is to come. 14 e will glorify Me by taking from what is Mine and disclosing it to you.…"
God spoke these words to you and to me, they were not for a select few nor were they for an elevation of one person over another. We all have a calling from God, no one is less or more than anyone else but all have value.
1 John 3:13-15…13 So do not be surprised, brothers, if the world hates you. 14 We know that we have passed from death to life because we love our brothers. The one who does not love remains in death. 15 Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that eternal life does not reside in a murderer.…
Galatians 3:26-28
""For in Christ Jesus, you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
God is not looking for excellence or accomplishment of man but rather He is looking for obedience to whatever He has given us to do no matter what it may look like to those who elevate themselves.
Truth is more important than relegating it to the acceptance of everyone's views no matter how different they may be. As born again believers we ought to be diligently seeking truth rather than validation from those around us.
The mantra "agree to disagree" comes from a mentality that promotes everyone's ideas as equal even though they may be opposite. This thinking is irrational.
When we have been told by God through His Word and prayer the truth of a matter we no longer need to consult him further, the matter is settled. However, if the Holy Spirit is stirring within us that we might be wrong we must go to prayer and further Bible reading to find the reason for the warnings within us.
I have found that born again believers who have diligently studied seem to agree on almost everything except non-essentials that are not specified in Scripture.
The mantra "agree to disagree" is the lazy way of unconcern about truth. IF truth matters, and it does, then we ought to be sure of what we believe through a study of the Word and questioning the Holy Spirit.
2 Timothy 2:15
"15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth."
If there is disagreement then we must go back to prayer and study to come to an agreement. Of course, this takes time and diligence.
Matthew 7:7
Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.
God never said different things to different people, HE says the same to all those who are seeking Him.
Amos 3:3 "Will two walk together, Except they have agreed?"
Colossians 2:8
"See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ."
1 Corinthians 1:10-11
"I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment. For it has been reported to me by Chloe's people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers."
How can every believer be of one mind, after all this is a command from God? Its really quite simple, when two parties disagree they go to prayer and study until there can be agreement.
This is rare in our day when everyone just wants to feel superior and lazy. They care only about spending their time playing, pretending they already know it all and refusing to research when someone challenges them.
The other difficult matter in our culture is that most people are far too distracted with worldly pursuits to take the time to study on their own without their favorite teachers clamoring in their ears.
Most people today do not trust the Holy Spirit, they trust in the teachers of our day who are influenced by the apostate seminaries or Bible colleges they attended. They even mock those who have not attended these institutions as unable to know the truth because all they had was the Holy Spirit.
Wow, all Peter, Paul and all the other writers of the Bible had was the Holy Spirit. Now we have elevated the teachers and the seminaries above the Holy Spirit, as though these people know better than God.
John 16:13-14 "13 However, when the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on His own, but He will speak what He hears, and He will declare to you what is to come. 14 e will glorify Me by taking from what is Mine and disclosing it to you.…"
God spoke these words to you and to me, they were not for a select few nor were they for an elevation of one person over another. We all have a calling from God, no one is less or more than anyone else but all have value.
1 John 3:13-15…13 So do not be surprised, brothers, if the world hates you. 14 We know that we have passed from death to life because we love our brothers. The one who does not love remains in death. 15 Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that eternal life does not reside in a murderer.…
Galatians 3:26-28
""For in Christ Jesus, you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
God is not looking for excellence or accomplishment of man but rather He is looking for obedience to whatever He has given us to do no matter what it may look like to those who elevate themselves.
Time is Short, Keep Working
I am convinced that one of the shreds of evidence that Christ is coming soon is all the ways in which believers can connect with other believers as well as unbelievers for Christ in these last days.
I am also convinced that our home going is so very close that most of us will meet Christ in the clouds very soon.
Even though we plan our lives as usual as though He is not coming we are waiting expectantly for Him every day.
James 5:7-8
"7 Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. The farmer waits for the precious produce of the soil, being patient about it, until [a]it gets the early and late rains. 8 You too be patient; strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord, is near."
2 Peter 3:17
"17 You, therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard so that you are not carried away by the error of unprincipled men and fall from your own steadfastness, 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."
I am also convinced that our home going is so very close that most of us will meet Christ in the clouds very soon.
Even though we plan our lives as usual as though He is not coming we are waiting expectantly for Him every day.
James 5:7-8
"7 Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. The farmer waits for the precious produce of the soil, being patient about it, until [a]it gets the early and late rains. 8 You too be patient; strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord, is near."
2 Peter 3:17
"17 You, therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard so that you are not carried away by the error of unprincipled men and fall from your own steadfastness, 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."
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