1John; 2:18
(Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrist have come, by which we know it is the last hour.)
In the first part of this verse, Antichrist is a proper name and refers to the final world leader who will be energized by Satan himself. In the second part of this verse, antichrist is used in the plural sense and speaks of many people who are antichrist. We witness this everyday in the world. The number of those who are antichrist, lets us know it is the last hours for mankind. This doesn't mean that the world is coming to an end right now but that we are living in the time between Christ's first coming and his second coming.
Now the world is getting real close to the rapture of the church because of the signs we are witnessing today. God has told us that with Him a thousand years is as a day and a day as a thousand years. The trouble is, we don't know if we are at the end of the end times. We are told to be ready for His return at any time.
Matthew; 24:44
(Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.)
Matthew; 25:13
("Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.)
God has told us in a number of passages in the Scriptures that we don't know the hour but we need to recognize the signs leading up to His second coming. I would recommend you read the 24th chapter of Matthew for some insight. We do know that every day that passes is one day closer to the appointed time. So when someone tells you that they have figured out the day of His return, don't believe them.
Matthew; 24:36
(But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.)
So as we keep getting closer, make sure that you are ready. How do you do this? You repent of your sins and ask Jesus for forgiveness. Ask Him to be LORD of your life and that you are putting all of your faith in Him.
Romans; 10:9-10
(that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.)
God Bless You!
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
God Says "I Will Heal Their Land"!
2Chronicles; 7:14
(if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.)
Wouldn't it be nice if the American people would seek God's face and humble themselves in prayer and ask God for forgiveness and to heal our nation. I know that is a tall order to ask, but I feel it is the only hope we have. The Christian people have stood by and allowed the nonbelievers to push through their agenda. We have been complacent thinking someone else would stand up for our Christian values. All that we've done was to allow Satan to have his way in our country. Now we can't discipline our children as God has commanded to. We are not allowed to have the ten commandments in a public place without confrontation from the atheist. You're not suppose to say "Merry Christmas", but instead "Happy Holidays." The list goes on and on.
So whats the answer? We need to do as God says and humble ourselves and pray and ask for forgiveness of our sins. Ask Him to heal our nation and our economy. I can see this situation getting continually worse if we don't start be obedient to God. Our nation was formed on Christian values and we prospered. Our nation has been blessed for so many years that we have forgotten that we were bless by God for having Christian values in our nation. God has told us that if we want to see good days and long life, we need to refrain from speaking and doing evil.
1Peter; 3:10-12
(For "He who would love life And see good days, Let him refrain his tongue from evil, And his lips from speaking deceit. Let him turn away from evil and do good; Let him seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, And his ears are open to their prayers; But the face of the LORD is against those who do evil.")
If we hope to reverse this downward trend for our nation, we believers had better stand up for what is right and ask God for help. There is a spiritual war going on in our country in which we need God to fight the battle for us. Without God's help, we are going to lose the battle and our country. I'm urging all believers to take a stand for Jesus and do it today.
God Bless You!
(if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.)
Wouldn't it be nice if the American people would seek God's face and humble themselves in prayer and ask God for forgiveness and to heal our nation. I know that is a tall order to ask, but I feel it is the only hope we have. The Christian people have stood by and allowed the nonbelievers to push through their agenda. We have been complacent thinking someone else would stand up for our Christian values. All that we've done was to allow Satan to have his way in our country. Now we can't discipline our children as God has commanded to. We are not allowed to have the ten commandments in a public place without confrontation from the atheist. You're not suppose to say "Merry Christmas", but instead "Happy Holidays." The list goes on and on.
So whats the answer? We need to do as God says and humble ourselves and pray and ask for forgiveness of our sins. Ask Him to heal our nation and our economy. I can see this situation getting continually worse if we don't start be obedient to God. Our nation was formed on Christian values and we prospered. Our nation has been blessed for so many years that we have forgotten that we were bless by God for having Christian values in our nation. God has told us that if we want to see good days and long life, we need to refrain from speaking and doing evil.
1Peter; 3:10-12
(For "He who would love life And see good days, Let him refrain his tongue from evil, And his lips from speaking deceit. Let him turn away from evil and do good; Let him seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, And his ears are open to their prayers; But the face of the LORD is against those who do evil.")
If we hope to reverse this downward trend for our nation, we believers had better stand up for what is right and ask God for help. There is a spiritual war going on in our country in which we need God to fight the battle for us. Without God's help, we are going to lose the battle and our country. I'm urging all believers to take a stand for Jesus and do it today.
God Bless You!
Monday, November 24, 2008
Use Discernment!
With everything going on today, the Christian needs to be in the Word and using discernment. You have a number of cults who have totally rewritten the Bible so that it says what they want to hear. One such cult is the Jehovah's Witness. One way they have done this is to take away the Deity of Jesus Christ. The Mormons have the Bible but prefer to teach out of the Book of Mormon. God gave us specific warnings about altering His Word.
Revelation; 22:18-19
(For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.)
In the second book of Peter, we are told that these false teachers will bring in destructive heresies even denying the Lord Jesus Christ. They come into the church with some form of teaching that sounds good, but when filtered through the Scriptures, we find it is wrong. This is why it is so tragic when a church makes a virtue out of tolerance for unscriptural teaching in the name of unity. One of these is sexual immorality. They want you to tolerate sexual immorality so that we can get along with each other. Take what is going on in California today. The people voted not to allow same sex marriages. Now they are rioting saying that the Christian right is not tolerant and they should be allowed to do what is forbidden in Scripture. God doesn't hate the homosexual, but He does hate the sin of homosexuality. We need to pray for them that they will turn from this immoral lifestyle.
Leviticus; 18:22
(You shall not lie with a male as with a woman. It is an abomination.)
How are we going to be discerning if we don't know what is in the Word of God. If we don't read and study God's Word, we leave ourselves open to deception. Anytime someone tells you that they have the only true way to worship God, filter it through the Scripture as see if it lines up. God has given us His Word so that we can be prepared for the false teachers. He doesn't send us to battle without the Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God. As a good soldier, we need to be preparing ourselves for the battle ahead. As we get closer to the end times, the battles will increase in number and in intensity. Satan knows his days a numbered and he is fighting hard to destroy the church. Let's stand up for Jesus and what's right and not allow him any victories. We already know the outcome, because Jesus has won the battle.
Matthew; 16:18
(And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.)
Stand fast in your faith and thank God for the victory, for the battle belongs to the Lord.
God Bless You!
Revelation; 22:18-19
(For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.)
In the second book of Peter, we are told that these false teachers will bring in destructive heresies even denying the Lord Jesus Christ. They come into the church with some form of teaching that sounds good, but when filtered through the Scriptures, we find it is wrong. This is why it is so tragic when a church makes a virtue out of tolerance for unscriptural teaching in the name of unity. One of these is sexual immorality. They want you to tolerate sexual immorality so that we can get along with each other. Take what is going on in California today. The people voted not to allow same sex marriages. Now they are rioting saying that the Christian right is not tolerant and they should be allowed to do what is forbidden in Scripture. God doesn't hate the homosexual, but He does hate the sin of homosexuality. We need to pray for them that they will turn from this immoral lifestyle.
Leviticus; 18:22
(You shall not lie with a male as with a woman. It is an abomination.)
How are we going to be discerning if we don't know what is in the Word of God. If we don't read and study God's Word, we leave ourselves open to deception. Anytime someone tells you that they have the only true way to worship God, filter it through the Scripture as see if it lines up. God has given us His Word so that we can be prepared for the false teachers. He doesn't send us to battle without the Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God. As a good soldier, we need to be preparing ourselves for the battle ahead. As we get closer to the end times, the battles will increase in number and in intensity. Satan knows his days a numbered and he is fighting hard to destroy the church. Let's stand up for Jesus and what's right and not allow him any victories. We already know the outcome, because Jesus has won the battle.
Matthew; 16:18
(And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.)
Stand fast in your faith and thank God for the victory, for the battle belongs to the Lord.
God Bless You!
Friday, November 21, 2008
Salt Water And Fresh Water!
In the third chapter of James, He discusses the tongue and the damage that can be inflicted with one that is out of control. All of us have said things that we later regretted. Once the words come out of our mouth, there is no taking them back. The damage is done and all we have left is regret. We are told in the scriptures that we need to think before we speak.
James; 1:19-20
(So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.)
Most of the time when we say things we wish we hadn't, we are probably mad or tired or just plain vengeful. That's why we should stop and ask ourselves if what we're going to say is edifying or destructive to the hearer.
How are we walking? Are we walking in the flesh or the Spirit? This also can have a very big impact on what flows out of our mouth. Which one is in control of our mouth at the time we speak? What are we trying to accomplish with our words? Are we trying to inflict pain or comfort? If we are walking in the Spirit, then what we say should be edifying to the hearer.
Galatians; 5:22-23
(But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.)
God is the only one who can tame the tongue and we need to let him have total control. If we think for a minute we have our tongue under control, then we are fooling ourselves. God tell us that NO man can control the tongue.
James; 3:8-9
(But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God.
So we see that if we are trying to control it without God's help, it will be a losing battle. The question we need to ask our self is, "are we producing fresh water (edification) or salt water (damage)?" We shouldn't be producing both out of the same mouth.
James; 3:11-12
(Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening? Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh.)
The next time before we speak, we need to be sure that what we say will be edifying and not hurtful to the hearer.
God Bless You!
James; 1:19-20
(So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.)
Most of the time when we say things we wish we hadn't, we are probably mad or tired or just plain vengeful. That's why we should stop and ask ourselves if what we're going to say is edifying or destructive to the hearer.
How are we walking? Are we walking in the flesh or the Spirit? This also can have a very big impact on what flows out of our mouth. Which one is in control of our mouth at the time we speak? What are we trying to accomplish with our words? Are we trying to inflict pain or comfort? If we are walking in the Spirit, then what we say should be edifying to the hearer.
Galatians; 5:22-23
(But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.)
God is the only one who can tame the tongue and we need to let him have total control. If we think for a minute we have our tongue under control, then we are fooling ourselves. God tell us that NO man can control the tongue.
James; 3:8-9
(But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God.
So we see that if we are trying to control it without God's help, it will be a losing battle. The question we need to ask our self is, "are we producing fresh water (edification) or salt water (damage)?" We shouldn't be producing both out of the same mouth.
James; 3:11-12
(Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening? Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh.)
The next time before we speak, we need to be sure that what we say will be edifying and not hurtful to the hearer.
God Bless You!
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Tares And Wheat!
When I was younger, I worked on the farm during the summer. The farm belonged to one of my Sunday School teachers. He grew wheat and corn along with some alfalfa. My job was to take care of the alfalfa fields and help with other chores. When the wheat was coming up it all looked like wheat, but as it got closer to producing the heads, then the rye started to show up. The way we could tell it was rye was that it was taller than the wheat. My job was to go through the field and pull up the rye and lay it down on the ground. The reason for doing this was that when you harvest the wheat and take it to the co-op, they would run a probe down into the bed of wheat and pull out some for testing. If they found any rye mixed in with wheat, it would lower your pay because it was contaminated with rye.
In the parable of the wheat and tares, Jesus told the disciples that the enemy had planted tares among the wheat. The tares very hard to tell from the wheat until they both start to produce work. The wheat will produce good works for the kingdom of God while the tares will produce wicked works for the evil one. The wheat are the believers of God and the tares are the unbelievers. The field is the world and we are growing as we speak.
When the end times come, God will instruct His angels to gather all of the tares out of the field so that at the harvest will be pure. There won't be any unbelievers left mixed in with the true believers in Christ. The believers will have eternal life with God while the unbelievers will be cast into the lake of fire to spend eternity separated from God.
If you are an unbeliever, we may not be able to tell unless you profess your unbelief to us. God can tell because He know the condition of your heart. He also knows where you will spend eternity unless you repent and ask for forgiveness of sin.
Matthew; 13:41-42
(The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.)
Hell is a furnace of fire, kindled by the wrath of God, and kept burning by the tares cast into it. If you end up there, you will be ever in the consuming, but never consumed. It will be the eternal punishment for all of those who choose not to believe in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
For the believer, our destiny will be opposite of those who chose not to believe.
Revelation; 21:3-4
(And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.)
That's where I'm going to be and I hope you will be there too.
God Bless You!
In the parable of the wheat and tares, Jesus told the disciples that the enemy had planted tares among the wheat. The tares very hard to tell from the wheat until they both start to produce work. The wheat will produce good works for the kingdom of God while the tares will produce wicked works for the evil one. The wheat are the believers of God and the tares are the unbelievers. The field is the world and we are growing as we speak.
When the end times come, God will instruct His angels to gather all of the tares out of the field so that at the harvest will be pure. There won't be any unbelievers left mixed in with the true believers in Christ. The believers will have eternal life with God while the unbelievers will be cast into the lake of fire to spend eternity separated from God.
If you are an unbeliever, we may not be able to tell unless you profess your unbelief to us. God can tell because He know the condition of your heart. He also knows where you will spend eternity unless you repent and ask for forgiveness of sin.
Matthew; 13:41-42
(The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.)
Hell is a furnace of fire, kindled by the wrath of God, and kept burning by the tares cast into it. If you end up there, you will be ever in the consuming, but never consumed. It will be the eternal punishment for all of those who choose not to believe in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
For the believer, our destiny will be opposite of those who chose not to believe.
Revelation; 21:3-4
(And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.)
That's where I'm going to be and I hope you will be there too.
God Bless You!
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
More Than Words!
We've raised our hand, we've walked down the isle, we've said all of the right words, but are we saved? You can do all that seems right and still not be saved because your heart wasn't right. Only God knows the condition of our heart and if we really meant all the words we say. Scripture says that God wants a personal relationship with us that we must be obedient to His commands. How do we know if we are truly saved?
Matthew; 24:13
(But he who endures to the end shall be saved.)
God secures our perseverance through His power through faith for salvation. Part of His saving work is to secure our perseverance. We need to rely on God's power rather than our own to hold fast to the faith.
Hebrews; 10:23
(Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.)
Our holding fast to our faith is one evidence of our salvation. This is not speaking of how to be saved but rather evidence of true faith.
We are saved by faith in Jesus Christ, not anything we have done. We never can earn or work enough to merit salvation.
Ephesians; 2:8-9
(For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, least anyone should boast.)
I'm not trying to scare you into thinking that maybe you're not saved but rather to point out Scripture that says your are saved. Holding fast to your faith, abiding in Christ Jesus, are just some of the proofs of genuine salvation. There are many different passages that address this issue and I encourage you to look them up.
We are told that when we come to Jesus for salvation, we are given the Spirit of Christ and we are born again into the family of God. You have become a new creation in Christ and you should start to see some change in your life. It refers to regeneration or new birth.
2Corinthians; 5:17
(Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.)
Our goal now should be to do the will of God rather than do the will of the flesh. People will see a change in you and wonder what happened to you.
1Peter; 4:2-4
(that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lust of men, but for the will of God. For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles-when we walked in lewdness, lust, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries. In regard to these, they think it strange that you do not run with them in the same flood of dissipation, speaking evil of you.)
Two more Scripture to consider.
Matthew; 7:21
("Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.)
We are encouraged to check ourselves to see if we are truly in the faith.
2Corinthians; 13:5
(Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?-unless indeed you are disqualified.)
God Bless You!
Matthew; 24:13
(But he who endures to the end shall be saved.)
God secures our perseverance through His power through faith for salvation. Part of His saving work is to secure our perseverance. We need to rely on God's power rather than our own to hold fast to the faith.
Hebrews; 10:23
(Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.)
Our holding fast to our faith is one evidence of our salvation. This is not speaking of how to be saved but rather evidence of true faith.
We are saved by faith in Jesus Christ, not anything we have done. We never can earn or work enough to merit salvation.
Ephesians; 2:8-9
(For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, least anyone should boast.)
I'm not trying to scare you into thinking that maybe you're not saved but rather to point out Scripture that says your are saved. Holding fast to your faith, abiding in Christ Jesus, are just some of the proofs of genuine salvation. There are many different passages that address this issue and I encourage you to look them up.
We are told that when we come to Jesus for salvation, we are given the Spirit of Christ and we are born again into the family of God. You have become a new creation in Christ and you should start to see some change in your life. It refers to regeneration or new birth.
2Corinthians; 5:17
(Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.)
Our goal now should be to do the will of God rather than do the will of the flesh. People will see a change in you and wonder what happened to you.
1Peter; 4:2-4
(that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lust of men, but for the will of God. For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles-when we walked in lewdness, lust, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries. In regard to these, they think it strange that you do not run with them in the same flood of dissipation, speaking evil of you.)
Two more Scripture to consider.
Matthew; 7:21
("Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.)
We are encouraged to check ourselves to see if we are truly in the faith.
2Corinthians; 13:5
(Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?-unless indeed you are disqualified.)
God Bless You!
Saturday, November 15, 2008
All Scripture Is Given By Inspiration Of God!
2Timothy; 3:16-17
(All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.)
When God chose those whom He wanted to write the Scriptures, He gave them the words to write down. The Scriptures are not some story that man decided to write on his own. They are the perfect Word of God from Genesis through Revelation. No book written has ever been read as much as the Bible and that has changed as many lives. God tells us that his Word does not go out and return void. It will accomplish the purpose He sent it out to do. It is living and active and sharper than any two edged sword.
Doctrine-The Scriptures provide the complete body of divine truth necessary for life and godliness. When anyone comes up with a new or different doctrine, then they have changed the perfect for the imperfect.
Galatians; 1:11-12
(But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. For I neither received it form man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ.)
Reproof-The Scripture exposes sin that can be dealt with by confession, repentance and then will come forgiveness by God.
Hebrews; 4:16
(Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in the time of need.)
Correction-The restoration of something back to it's proper condition. The Scripture not only points out sin but points the way back to Jesus.
Psalm; 119:9-11
(How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word. With my whole heart I have sought You; Oh, let me not wander from Your commandments! Your word have I hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You.)
Instruction in righteousness-Scripture provides positive training in godly behavior, not merely rebuke and correction of wrong behavior.
1Timothy; 4:6
(If you instruct the brethren in these things, you will be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished in the words of faith and of good doctrine which you have carefully followed.)
God Bless You!
(All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.)
When God chose those whom He wanted to write the Scriptures, He gave them the words to write down. The Scriptures are not some story that man decided to write on his own. They are the perfect Word of God from Genesis through Revelation. No book written has ever been read as much as the Bible and that has changed as many lives. God tells us that his Word does not go out and return void. It will accomplish the purpose He sent it out to do. It is living and active and sharper than any two edged sword.
Doctrine-The Scriptures provide the complete body of divine truth necessary for life and godliness. When anyone comes up with a new or different doctrine, then they have changed the perfect for the imperfect.
Galatians; 1:11-12
(But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. For I neither received it form man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ.)
Reproof-The Scripture exposes sin that can be dealt with by confession, repentance and then will come forgiveness by God.
Hebrews; 4:16
(Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in the time of need.)
Correction-The restoration of something back to it's proper condition. The Scripture not only points out sin but points the way back to Jesus.
Psalm; 119:9-11
(How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word. With my whole heart I have sought You; Oh, let me not wander from Your commandments! Your word have I hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You.)
Instruction in righteousness-Scripture provides positive training in godly behavior, not merely rebuke and correction of wrong behavior.
1Timothy; 4:6
(If you instruct the brethren in these things, you will be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished in the words of faith and of good doctrine which you have carefully followed.)
God Bless You!
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Beware Of The Leaven Of The Pharisees And Sadducees!
Leaven- a substance (as yeast) used to produce fermentation in dough or a liquid. This stuff, once added to a batch of dough, will thoroughly permeate the whole batch. It is the same in our Christian walk. If we allow just a little bit of sin into our life, it eventually will spread all through our being.
Galatians; 5:9
(A little leaven leavens the whole lump.)
We are instructed not to dabble the least bit in any form of sinful living. It will put a wedge in our relationship with God. We might not think that He sees the little sins we have allowed into our life, but He does and He hates all sin. Every time we let in a little sin, it continues to grow. It doesn't just stop there because it needs to be fed and we add a little more. That's why God said do not sin.
In Scripture, leaven is used to represent influence, in most cases evil influence such as sin. If we allow leaven or sin into our church to go unchecked, our church becomes useless and corrupt. We have seen this over the years with some highly regarded ministries. No one is immune to sin and if we let our guard down for a moment, we fall.
When Jesus was talking with the disciples, He told them to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees. He wasn't talking about bread but their corrupt doctrine. We also must beware of bad doctrine that can creep into our lives. If we are not studying the Word of God daily, then we can be influenced without even realizing the error. Someone can introduce a new teaching and we can succumb to it. Everything needs to be filtered through the Word of God to see if it from God or not.
1Thessalonians; 5:20-22
(Do not despised prophecies. Test all things; hold fast what is good. Abstain from all forms of evil.)
"Test all things" is a call for careful examination and discernment. Discern if what is being taught is Biblical or not. What is found to be good is to be wholeheartedly embraced. What is evil or unbiblical is to be shunned.
God Bless You!
Galatians; 5:9
(A little leaven leavens the whole lump.)
We are instructed not to dabble the least bit in any form of sinful living. It will put a wedge in our relationship with God. We might not think that He sees the little sins we have allowed into our life, but He does and He hates all sin. Every time we let in a little sin, it continues to grow. It doesn't just stop there because it needs to be fed and we add a little more. That's why God said do not sin.
In Scripture, leaven is used to represent influence, in most cases evil influence such as sin. If we allow leaven or sin into our church to go unchecked, our church becomes useless and corrupt. We have seen this over the years with some highly regarded ministries. No one is immune to sin and if we let our guard down for a moment, we fall.
When Jesus was talking with the disciples, He told them to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees. He wasn't talking about bread but their corrupt doctrine. We also must beware of bad doctrine that can creep into our lives. If we are not studying the Word of God daily, then we can be influenced without even realizing the error. Someone can introduce a new teaching and we can succumb to it. Everything needs to be filtered through the Word of God to see if it from God or not.
1Thessalonians; 5:20-22
(Do not despised prophecies. Test all things; hold fast what is good. Abstain from all forms of evil.)
"Test all things" is a call for careful examination and discernment. Discern if what is being taught is Biblical or not. What is found to be good is to be wholeheartedly embraced. What is evil or unbiblical is to be shunned.
God Bless You!
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
What Is Contemplative Prayer
Question: "What is contemplative prayer?"
Answer: It is important to first clearly define what "contemplative prayer" is. For the purposes of this article, contemplative prayer is not just "contemplating while you pray." The Bible instructs us to "pray with our minds".
1 Corinthians 14:15
(What is the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with understanding.)
Clearly, prayer does involve contemplation. However, praying with your mind is not what "contemplative prayer" has come to mean. Contemplative prayer has slowly increased in practice and popularity each year since the mid-1990s, along with the rise of the Emerging Church Movement—a movement which embraces many unscriptural ideas and practices. Contemplative prayer is one such practice. Contemplative prayer, also known as “centering prayer,” is a meditative practice where the practitioner focuses on a word and repeats that word over and over for the duration of the exercise. According to Catholic Priest Thomas Keating, this is how it is done: "Choose a sacred word as the symbol of your intention to consent to God's presence and action within. Sitting comfortably and with eyes closed, settle briefly and silently, introduce the sacred word as the symbol of your consent to God's presence and action within. When you become aware of thoughts, return ever so gently to the sacred word. At the end of the prayer period, remain in silence with eyes closed for a couple of minutes."
Although this might sound like an innocent exercise, this type of "prayer" has no scriptural support whatsoever. In fact, it is just the opposite of how prayer is defined in the Bible. "Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all he has done".
Philippians 4:6,
(Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your request be made known to God.)
"At that time you won't need to ask me for anything. The truth is, you can go directly to the Father and ask Him, and He will grant your request because you use my name. You haven't done this before. Ask, using my name, and you will receive, and you will have abundant joy".
John 16:23-24,
(And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, Whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you. Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.)
These verses, and others, clearly portray prayer as being comprehensible communication with God, not an esoteric, mystical meditation. Contemplative prayer, by design, focuses on having a mystical experience with God. Mysticism, however, is purely subjective and doesn't rely upon truth or fact. Yet the Word of God has been given to us for the very purpose of basing our faith, and our lives, on Truth.
2 Timothy 3:16-17
(All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.)
What we know about God is based on fact; trusting in experiential knowledge over the biblical record takes a person outside of the standard that is the Bible. Contemplative prayer is no different than the meditative exercises used in Eastern religions and New Age cults. Its most vocal supporters embrace an open spirituality among adherents of all religions, promoting the idea that salvation is gained by many paths, even though Christ Himself stated that salvation comes only through Him.
John 14:6
(Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.)
Contemplative prayer, as it has come to mean in the modern prayer movement, is in opposition to biblical Christianity and should definitely be avoided.Recommended Resource:
Prayer, The Great Adventure by David Jeremiah.
Faith Undone by Roger Oakland
A Time of Departing by Ray Yungen
God Bless You!
Answer: It is important to first clearly define what "contemplative prayer" is. For the purposes of this article, contemplative prayer is not just "contemplating while you pray." The Bible instructs us to "pray with our minds".
1 Corinthians 14:15
(What is the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with understanding.)
Clearly, prayer does involve contemplation. However, praying with your mind is not what "contemplative prayer" has come to mean. Contemplative prayer has slowly increased in practice and popularity each year since the mid-1990s, along with the rise of the Emerging Church Movement—a movement which embraces many unscriptural ideas and practices. Contemplative prayer is one such practice. Contemplative prayer, also known as “centering prayer,” is a meditative practice where the practitioner focuses on a word and repeats that word over and over for the duration of the exercise. According to Catholic Priest Thomas Keating, this is how it is done: "Choose a sacred word as the symbol of your intention to consent to God's presence and action within. Sitting comfortably and with eyes closed, settle briefly and silently, introduce the sacred word as the symbol of your consent to God's presence and action within. When you become aware of thoughts, return ever so gently to the sacred word. At the end of the prayer period, remain in silence with eyes closed for a couple of minutes."
Although this might sound like an innocent exercise, this type of "prayer" has no scriptural support whatsoever. In fact, it is just the opposite of how prayer is defined in the Bible. "Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all he has done".
Philippians 4:6,
(Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your request be made known to God.)
"At that time you won't need to ask me for anything. The truth is, you can go directly to the Father and ask Him, and He will grant your request because you use my name. You haven't done this before. Ask, using my name, and you will receive, and you will have abundant joy".
John 16:23-24,
(And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, Whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you. Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.)
These verses, and others, clearly portray prayer as being comprehensible communication with God, not an esoteric, mystical meditation. Contemplative prayer, by design, focuses on having a mystical experience with God. Mysticism, however, is purely subjective and doesn't rely upon truth or fact. Yet the Word of God has been given to us for the very purpose of basing our faith, and our lives, on Truth.
2 Timothy 3:16-17
(All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.)
What we know about God is based on fact; trusting in experiential knowledge over the biblical record takes a person outside of the standard that is the Bible. Contemplative prayer is no different than the meditative exercises used in Eastern religions and New Age cults. Its most vocal supporters embrace an open spirituality among adherents of all religions, promoting the idea that salvation is gained by many paths, even though Christ Himself stated that salvation comes only through Him.
John 14:6
(Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.)
Contemplative prayer, as it has come to mean in the modern prayer movement, is in opposition to biblical Christianity and should definitely be avoided.Recommended Resource:
Prayer, The Great Adventure by David Jeremiah.
Faith Undone by Roger Oakland
A Time of Departing by Ray Yungen
God Bless You!
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Beware Of False Teaching
There is a movement out there today that is catching on even in mainstream Christian churches. The main point of their teaching is that there are certain methods for you to follow to be more spiritual. Some of these are contemplative prayer, yoga, use of a labyrinth (maze). What is being taught is that you need to empty your mind or reach a trance-like state of mindlessness in order for God to be able to talk with you. It is all associated with the New Age Movement that has been around for a long time. They want you to use meditation techniques, or say a mantra over and over to empty your mind to a hypnotic state. Once you reach this state, then and only then are you able to hear God. This is not Biblical and goes against what the Bible teaches.
We don't have to use any special technique to talk with God. We are instructed to pray without ceasing. You don't have to empty your mind to speak with our Heavenly Father. If this were the case, Jesus would have told us this while He was here on earth. God hears His children anytime they talk with Him. Anytime you put yourself in an altered state of mind, you are leaving yourself open to demonic influence. You may be hearing something from some source, but is it God or demonic? Anytime you are being taught something that is not found in the Scriptures, run from it. It may sound good and maybe there are a lot of people using these techniques, but God tells us to stay away from the occult practices. Here are some of the terms New Agers use.
1-Contemplative Prayer: Going beyond thought by use of repeated words or phrases.
2-Higher Self: Supposed God-self within that New Agers seek to connect with through meditation. Also called the Christ-self or True-self.
3-Christ consciousness: Taught by New Agers to be the state of awareness, reached in meditation, in which one realizes that one is divine and one with God or an enlightened being.
4-Inter spirituality: The view that all the world's religions are identical at the mystical level and therefore there should be solidarity among them.
5-False Self: The false self is the ego or personality that is observed by others. One rids oneself of the false self to find the true self through mantra-meditation.
7-Mantra: Word or words repeated silently or verbally to induce an altered state of consciousness.
8-Reiki: Spiritual energy that is channeled by one attuned to the Reiki power. Literally translated God energy.
9-The Silence: Absence of normal thought.
If someone starts to teach these methods, BEWARE!
Why would we as born again Christians have to use some special method to talk with God when we have the Holy Spirit dwelling within us? We don't have to empty ourselves to make room for Him because He is already living within us.
1Corinthians; 3:16
(Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?)
So if you are a child of God, you can speak with Him anytime and any place. He will hear you.
Pray that you are not deceived by any of these teaching.
God Bless You!
We don't have to use any special technique to talk with God. We are instructed to pray without ceasing. You don't have to empty your mind to speak with our Heavenly Father. If this were the case, Jesus would have told us this while He was here on earth. God hears His children anytime they talk with Him. Anytime you put yourself in an altered state of mind, you are leaving yourself open to demonic influence. You may be hearing something from some source, but is it God or demonic? Anytime you are being taught something that is not found in the Scriptures, run from it. It may sound good and maybe there are a lot of people using these techniques, but God tells us to stay away from the occult practices. Here are some of the terms New Agers use.
1-Contemplative Prayer: Going beyond thought by use of repeated words or phrases.
2-Higher Self: Supposed God-self within that New Agers seek to connect with through meditation. Also called the Christ-self or True-self.
3-Christ consciousness: Taught by New Agers to be the state of awareness, reached in meditation, in which one realizes that one is divine and one with God or an enlightened being.
4-Inter spirituality: The view that all the world's religions are identical at the mystical level and therefore there should be solidarity among them.
5-False Self: The false self is the ego or personality that is observed by others. One rids oneself of the false self to find the true self through mantra-meditation.
7-Mantra: Word or words repeated silently or verbally to induce an altered state of consciousness.
8-Reiki: Spiritual energy that is channeled by one attuned to the Reiki power. Literally translated God energy.
9-The Silence: Absence of normal thought.
If someone starts to teach these methods, BEWARE!
Why would we as born again Christians have to use some special method to talk with God when we have the Holy Spirit dwelling within us? We don't have to empty ourselves to make room for Him because He is already living within us.
1Corinthians; 3:16
(Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?)
So if you are a child of God, you can speak with Him anytime and any place. He will hear you.
Pray that you are not deceived by any of these teaching.
God Bless You!
Friday, November 07, 2008
The Ten Commandments!
Today the Ten Commandments are under spiritual attack from the enemy. There are many people who don't want them publicly displayed so they go to court to have them removed. Why would anyone go to such extremes to have them removed? It's not so much that they don't want you to see them, but they don't want to see them because they are convicting them of their sin. If these people were honest about their dislike of having the Ten Commandments displayed, they would have to admit to their sins. That is one reason why God told Israel to teach them to their children and grandchildren.
It is no different today. If we refuse to teach our children about God and His plan of salvation, then who will teach them?
Deuteronomy; 6:7
(You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.)
God wants us to do this so that we and our children know Him and want to be obedient to Him. There is going to come a time when people are not going to be as tolerant of the Word of God and persecution will start. It has already begun in many nations around the world, but here in the United States we still have this freedom to exercise our freedom of religion. Don't take this freedom for granted because Satan is at work trying to take it away.
Maybe you don't go to church or even own a Bible. How will you learn what God has told us about Himself and about Jesus His Son. How He sent his Son to die on the cross in our place so that those who put their faith in Him might gain salvation. Jesus tells us that He is the way to eternal life and how will we teach others if we refuse to learn ourselves? The fight against the Ten Commandments is just the beginning of the battle that is coming. If we don't stand up for our rights, the enemy will slowly pick away until won't have any right to talk about God or teach our children. This may sound far fetched, but look back at the rights we have already lost. People are offended by the Word of God because it convicts them of sin.
Why study the Word of God?
2Timothy; 3:16-17
(All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.)
God has given us His Word to prepare to do His will. Study it, memorize it, meditate on it, you never know when you will have your Bible taken away from you.
God Bless You!
It is no different today. If we refuse to teach our children about God and His plan of salvation, then who will teach them?
Deuteronomy; 6:7
(You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.)
God wants us to do this so that we and our children know Him and want to be obedient to Him. There is going to come a time when people are not going to be as tolerant of the Word of God and persecution will start. It has already begun in many nations around the world, but here in the United States we still have this freedom to exercise our freedom of religion. Don't take this freedom for granted because Satan is at work trying to take it away.
Maybe you don't go to church or even own a Bible. How will you learn what God has told us about Himself and about Jesus His Son. How He sent his Son to die on the cross in our place so that those who put their faith in Him might gain salvation. Jesus tells us that He is the way to eternal life and how will we teach others if we refuse to learn ourselves? The fight against the Ten Commandments is just the beginning of the battle that is coming. If we don't stand up for our rights, the enemy will slowly pick away until won't have any right to talk about God or teach our children. This may sound far fetched, but look back at the rights we have already lost. People are offended by the Word of God because it convicts them of sin.
Why study the Word of God?
2Timothy; 3:16-17
(All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.)
God has given us His Word to prepare to do His will. Study it, memorize it, meditate on it, you never know when you will have your Bible taken away from you.
God Bless You!
Wednesday, November 05, 2008
The American People Have Spoken
Our new President elect Barack Obama will take office soon and everyone is expecting big changes. I pray that they are the right changes because our nation has reached to the very bottom of the pit. Our founding fathers set up our Constitution on Christian ethics and moral values, and we have pushed these aside. We have become people pleasers instead of obeying God. God gives us laws to obey if we want to be a prosperous nation. We used to obey them and prospered. Now we as a nation have decided we don't need God. We pushed God out because many people have chosen not to believe in God. They don't want the rest of us believing either.
People want to do whatever their heart desires and thus the spiral downward. We have decided it is OK to kill innocent babies before they are born. We have decided it is OK to marry someone of the same sex even though God says it is an abomination. We have taken the Ten Commandments out of public eye because some people found it offensive. It doesn't matter that the rest of us take them seriously. What our people have said is "God we don't care what you say, we are going to do it our way". If we really want change for our country, we need to turn from our evil ways and start obeying God. That is the only way to bring about the change we need.
God, Please Heal Our Country
People want to do whatever their heart desires and thus the spiral downward. We have decided it is OK to kill innocent babies before they are born. We have decided it is OK to marry someone of the same sex even though God says it is an abomination. We have taken the Ten Commandments out of public eye because some people found it offensive. It doesn't matter that the rest of us take them seriously. What our people have said is "God we don't care what you say, we are going to do it our way". If we really want change for our country, we need to turn from our evil ways and start obeying God. That is the only way to bring about the change we need.
God, Please Heal Our Country
Tuesday, November 04, 2008
Election Day
Today we make our choice for President who will lead our nation the next four years. It is a very important choice Americans make every four years. I pray that all of you have been paying attention to where each candidate stands on moral issues. Where do they stand on abortion, gay marriage, or what is their stand on freedom of religion? Most people in America take for granted our basic freedoms. They just don't realize the sacrifice that has been paid by many brave Americans fighting for their freedom. We would not be free without the shedding of blood by many brave soldiers.
Likewise, we would not be free from the penalty of sin if Jesus had not come down to earth to shed His blood for us. Having paid the price for sin , He is able to offer freedom from the penalty of sin to all who come to Him for forgiveness. We all should know that the wages of sin is death and if you die without forgiveness, we will pay the price our self.
Matthew; 26:28
(For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.)
Maybe you have heard some people say that there are many different ways to God, but this is not what the Scripture tells us.
John; 14:6
(Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.)
Jesus tells us that there is no other way to eternal life in Heaven. We must come to Him for forgiveness of sins, there is no forgiveness without Him.
Just like with the election today, we have one of two choices to make. Will we take the broad road and try to make it on our own, or will we take the narrow road and accept Jesus as our Savior and follow Him? Jesus said He shed His blood for all who repent and come to Him. You have to accept the free gift of life. He's not going to force anyone to follow Him. If you choose your own way, you will spend eternity in hell. Basically, there is the road to destruction (your way) or the road to eternal life (Jesus' way). The choice is yours to make.
TWO WAYS OF LIFE
Matthew; 7:13-14
(Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.)
Why is there few who find eternal life? Because of our pride we want to do it our way and we can never earn eternal life. So put your faith in Jesus today and ask for forgiveness and follow Him. It's the only true way to freedom.
God Bless You!
Likewise, we would not be free from the penalty of sin if Jesus had not come down to earth to shed His blood for us. Having paid the price for sin , He is able to offer freedom from the penalty of sin to all who come to Him for forgiveness. We all should know that the wages of sin is death and if you die without forgiveness, we will pay the price our self.
Matthew; 26:28
(For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.)
Maybe you have heard some people say that there are many different ways to God, but this is not what the Scripture tells us.
John; 14:6
(Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.)
Jesus tells us that there is no other way to eternal life in Heaven. We must come to Him for forgiveness of sins, there is no forgiveness without Him.
Just like with the election today, we have one of two choices to make. Will we take the broad road and try to make it on our own, or will we take the narrow road and accept Jesus as our Savior and follow Him? Jesus said He shed His blood for all who repent and come to Him. You have to accept the free gift of life. He's not going to force anyone to follow Him. If you choose your own way, you will spend eternity in hell. Basically, there is the road to destruction (your way) or the road to eternal life (Jesus' way). The choice is yours to make.
TWO WAYS OF LIFE
Matthew; 7:13-14
(Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.)
Why is there few who find eternal life? Because of our pride we want to do it our way and we can never earn eternal life. So put your faith in Jesus today and ask for forgiveness and follow Him. It's the only true way to freedom.
God Bless You!
Monday, November 03, 2008
The Fallen World
Philippians; 2:14-15
(Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,)
We don't have to look very far to see how perverted our world has become. We can start at the top in our government and see how many of our political leaders have fallen into sin and been brought down from a position of leadership to a position of disgrace. This same fall has reached into the very heart of our church's. Over the past years we have seen many spiritual leaders fall into sin and step down from their position of leadership. What we see is that the minute we take our eyes off of God, we open ourselves up to spiritual attack. None of us are immune and if we don't rely on God's power, we will fall.
1Corinthians; 10:12-13
(Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.)
So God tells us not to be proud that we think we can stand up to any temptation on our own. He does tell us that as the temptations come, we need to be looking for the escape that He does provide for us. As a Christian, we are going to be tempted and we are told this throughout Scripture. We can look at Joseph, David, Job, just to name a few. Joesph was tempted by Potiphar's wife and he ran away from her. David was tempted when he saw Bathsheba the wife of Uriah. He failed that temptation and lay with her. Job was tempted to curse God when Satan took all his belongings and children from him. Godly and ungodly people will be tempted and we need to resist the temptation to sin.
We are to be a light in a dark world. If we don't stand true to our beliefs and obey the Word of God, how are we going to be any different from the rest of world? They will look at us and say "those Christians are no different than we are". Remember, Satan is out there on the prowl looking for any opening to cause us to fall. Draw near to God and rely on His strength, not you own.
Tomorrow we vote for our next president, I pray that you have been paying attention to where they stand on moral issues. Vote the way you know God wants you to vote.
God Bless You
(Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,)
We don't have to look very far to see how perverted our world has become. We can start at the top in our government and see how many of our political leaders have fallen into sin and been brought down from a position of leadership to a position of disgrace. This same fall has reached into the very heart of our church's. Over the past years we have seen many spiritual leaders fall into sin and step down from their position of leadership. What we see is that the minute we take our eyes off of God, we open ourselves up to spiritual attack. None of us are immune and if we don't rely on God's power, we will fall.
1Corinthians; 10:12-13
(Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.)
So God tells us not to be proud that we think we can stand up to any temptation on our own. He does tell us that as the temptations come, we need to be looking for the escape that He does provide for us. As a Christian, we are going to be tempted and we are told this throughout Scripture. We can look at Joseph, David, Job, just to name a few. Joesph was tempted by Potiphar's wife and he ran away from her. David was tempted when he saw Bathsheba the wife of Uriah. He failed that temptation and lay with her. Job was tempted to curse God when Satan took all his belongings and children from him. Godly and ungodly people will be tempted and we need to resist the temptation to sin.
We are to be a light in a dark world. If we don't stand true to our beliefs and obey the Word of God, how are we going to be any different from the rest of world? They will look at us and say "those Christians are no different than we are". Remember, Satan is out there on the prowl looking for any opening to cause us to fall. Draw near to God and rely on His strength, not you own.
Tomorrow we vote for our next president, I pray that you have been paying attention to where they stand on moral issues. Vote the way you know God wants you to vote.
God Bless You
Saturday, November 01, 2008
True Chrtistian Character
We all have come across someone who says that they are saved but live like the rest of the world. They may profess to be saved but their heart isn't right with God. Only God knows the condition of a persons heart and whether they are truly born again. We do know from Scripture that when we are born again, we become a new creation in Christ. The old man is done away with and all things have become new. This means that we should begin to see some visible change in our life. We should have a desire to know Jesus more and to try to be like Him in our daily walk. We should begin to walk by the Spirit instead of the flesh and to be obedient to the Word of God. God has told us how He wants us to live and we need to obey.
As I was reading in the Book of Psalms today and came across the 15th chapter, it speaks of the changed character of those who are saved.
Psalm; 15
(Lord, who may abide in Your tabernacle? Who may dwell in Your holy hill?
He who walks uprightly, And works righteousness, And speaks the truth in his heart; He who does not backbite with his tongue, Nor does evil to his neighbor, Nor does he take up a reproach against his friend; In whose eye a vile person is despised, But he honors those who fear the LORD; He who swears to his own heart and does not change; He who does not put out his money at usury, Nor does he take a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things shall not be moved.)
This doesn't mean that we will never sin again. But what it does mean is that we are trying to live as God wants us to live. When we sin, we repent and move forward with our Christian walk. We don't allow the devil to beat us up for that sin because greater is He who is in us than he who is in the world.
God Bless You!
As I was reading in the Book of Psalms today and came across the 15th chapter, it speaks of the changed character of those who are saved.
Psalm; 15
(Lord, who may abide in Your tabernacle? Who may dwell in Your holy hill?
He who walks uprightly, And works righteousness, And speaks the truth in his heart; He who does not backbite with his tongue, Nor does evil to his neighbor, Nor does he take up a reproach against his friend; In whose eye a vile person is despised, But he honors those who fear the LORD; He who swears to his own heart and does not change; He who does not put out his money at usury, Nor does he take a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things shall not be moved.)
This doesn't mean that we will never sin again. But what it does mean is that we are trying to live as God wants us to live. When we sin, we repent and move forward with our Christian walk. We don't allow the devil to beat us up for that sin because greater is He who is in us than he who is in the world.
God Bless You!
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