Follow the Light of Jesus, Part 2

 

Follow the Light of Jesus, Part 2

I have been praying about what God wanted me to write about next.  He gave me two phrases: "Woe to those who call evil good and good evil." And "They traded the truth for a lie." God also told me very clearly not to be afraid of anyone who might reject me for my writings because it is important to share the Truth.

(Isaiah 5:20) Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! 

Keep those words in mind as they go along with the theme of this blog.

The second phrase God gave me I knew I had heard before but could not remember where it was in the Bible nor what the context of that scripture was.  I had to look it up.  It is in Romans 1.  Because the context of scripture is long, I will post it at the end of this writing.

I realize that a portion of Romans 1 has to do with the sin of homosexuality, but I do not believe that is what God is specifically calling me to write about at this time.  The theme God wants me to focus on is the backsliding of saints. Those that have been taught the Truth and have rejected it. Those who have left the Light of Jesus for the darkness of the world.

If you have taken the time to read part one of this blog, then you know that I am just as guilty of knowing not to watch things God considers evil even though I knew better. 

So, if we are taught at an early (or not-so-early) age to avoid witchcraft, drugs, alcohol, sexual immorality, etc., then why do we choose to sin?  It is because we have been hurt to the very core and we blame God.  We think He should have intervened and saved us from cancer, a miscarriage, a divorce, a death of a loved one, the loss of a home, etc.  We may think we have gotten over the anger towards God, but in all reality, we choose to rebel against the scriptures we have heard for many years, and probably even memorized.  We choose this the same way a child rebels against a parent they think is being unfair.  

In all honesty, I was a good kid.  But, when my parents set a curfew I did not agree with, I simply chose to come home whenever I wanted and suffer the consequences later.  Sound familiar?  Our attitude may sound something like this, "God, I think it was pretty heartless of you to allow my wife to cheat on me, so therefore, I am going to smoke this joint."  or "God, I don't understand why I have lost (insert name, job, or other losses here), and since you don't seem to care, neither do I."

Satan absolutely loves it when we allow our minds to wander down such paths of what we consider logical rebellion.

But don't be fooled...  God does care!  He does not will bad things to happen to us.  Bad things often happen due to poor choices we make, and God will not save us when we jump off a cliff without a parachute just because we say we have faith.  He expects us to be proactive.  You cannot expect God to heal you of health issues if you continue to snack on chips and ice cream.  You cannot expect God to save your marriage if you refuse to put down the sin of pornography.  Or bless your business if you treat your employees unfairly.  We have to take care of our marriages, our bodies, and other people if we want God's blessings.  

We cannot hold someone responsible that did not pull the trigger.  Typically, our mistakes can cause other people harm.  If you refuse to have your vehicle serviced on a regular basis and it breaks down on your wife and she gets stranded in the middle of nowhere, that is not God's fault.

I am well aware that bad things happen to people who live life as clean as they can.  They are devout in their faith and love God with all their hearts.  Do they have a reason to be mad?  Sure.  In fact, even those that are victims of their own making have reason to be mad.  The bible says it is okay to be angry as long as we do not sin in anger (Ephesians 4:26).  But don't stay mad; pray that God helps you heal by the power of His Holy Spirit as it is impossible to heal on our own.  

We live in a fallen world where man chooses to alienate God.  Therefore, God does not always intervene.  I had two cancer surgeries in 2023.  Is that my fault or God's?  No.  Did God chosen to heal me?  No.  But He led me to the proper doctor and proper treatment, and I have been cancer free for 2 years, 4 months.  If I was still obsessing over "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and knowingly watching a show that was displeasing to God, I would have no right to even ask God to heal me.  Any more than you could expect a boss to give you a raise if you are always late to work and have a bad attitude. 

Anyway, my point was that we choose to dishonor God with our rebellions because we blame Him for our unfortunate circumstances.  We justify glorifying witchcraft or drinking alcohol because it is fun or makes us feel better.  I have heard people often say, "Oh, I know there's swearing, violence, and sex in that movie, but overall, I really loved it."  And they watch it again and again.

(Romans 1:20-21) For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

This sounds to me like they were well aware of God's power, rebelled, and God was absolutely going to hold them accountable because they knew better.  In fact, I believe God holds us more accountable when we know the Truth and trade it for a lie than when our sins are a little bit more ignorant. 

(Hebrews 6:4-6) For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.  

Romans 1:22 states that, Professing to be wise, they became fools.  To me, this sounds like they knew better and justified their actions with false logic, and therefore, became foolish.   

But there is good news for those that have rebelled and chosen to backslide.  I see a lot of people who choose to do wrong still going to church, calling themselves Christians, and reading their Bibles.  The hope lies in prayers. We can pray this all sinks in once and for all.  That God will ultimately open their eyes, or re-open as the case may be.  Or if it is us that has fallen away, we need to repent and start over.

(Revelation 2:4-5) I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent.  

You can read more about hope for backsliders on my blog here: https://thankful-julie.blogspot.com/2025/07/hosea-141-9-hope-for-backslider.html

Please prayerfully consider all I have said.  Remember my goal is never to condemn anyone, but if the Holy Spirit speaks to your heart and convicts you, please listen and obey.

(Romans 1:18-32) For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,  because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them.  For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,  because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.  Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.

Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.
And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting;  being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers,  backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.  

Follow the Light of Jesus, Part 1

Follow the Light of Jesus, Part 1

We know that Jesus calls himself the "Light of the World."

(John 8:12) Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”  

We also know that, just from observing with our own eyes, that even the smallest flicker of light eliminates the darkness.  In other words, light and dark cannot coexist.  They cannot coexist in the other's space because one will destroy the other's exclusivity.  

(John 11:9-10) Jesus answered, “...If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world.  But if one walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.”  

Think just a little compromise is harmless?  Think again.  Jesus said even if you have darkness in one small part of your body, such as your eye, you corrupt your entire soul.  This is also symbolic of what we allow before our eye gates such a books/movies/tv/plays/concerts (etc.) with even a "small" amount of violence, sexual content, and images glorifying and promoting the occult. 

(Luke 11:34-35) [Jesus said,] "The light of the body is the eye: therefore when thine eye is single, thy whole body also is full of light; but when thine eye is evil, thy body also is full of darkness. Take heed therefore that the light which is in thee be not darkness."

If Christians claim to walk with Christ, that means that are attempting to live a life in the Light.  There are many, many areas that could be considered "dark," but today, I am going to focus on just one.  Christians should not compromise in the area of witchcraft. 

We all know that people who practice witchcraft will not inherit the kingdom of heaven.

(Revelation 21:6-8) He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children. But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.” 

But I am not just referring to the art of practicing witchcraft.  I am also referring to the compromise of watching movies and reading books filled with magic.  Before anyone thinks I am being self-righteous, I want to make it very clear that I once compromised in this area in a big way.  That is why I am so compelled to warn against it now.  I will admit that I was a huge "Buffy The Vampire Slayer" & "Angel" fan as well as "The Lord of the Rings" being my favorite movie trilogy.  I loved fantasy fiction.  I owned the above mentioned TV shows/movies and watched them all the time.  Whenever I would watch episode after episode, I found myself in a bad mood all the time.  I knew it was because I was allowing demonic influences into my home, but I did not care because those shows were an addiction to me.  (This was before I was married and I gave them all up in 2012.)  

The Bible makes it very clear that we are not to call the dark things of this world Light:

(Isaiah 5:20 ) Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! 

When we watch movies like Harry Potter, Star Wars, Frozen, The Lion the Witch & the Wardrobe, or even Cinderella and other fairytales, we open up our hearts and minds for all sorts of evil to walk through our door. 

I have been criticized for speaking against C.S. Lewis' well-loved novels (mentioned above) that I also read many numerous times before 2012.  But make no mistake, the entire series promotes witchcraft (magic rings, magic wardrobes, books of spells, etc.) and a large variety of demonic creatures. Therefore, please do not be fooled into thinking there is anything innocent about even so-called "Christian" fairytales.   

By the way, did you know that even the term "fairytale" indicates the story revolves around demonic influences? In most cultures, fairies are often associated with demons and fallen angels and were said to also be cast out of heaven.  They are often associated with mischievous spirits and cruelty and other traits of demons.  Even the non-cruel ones are considered spirits, which is basically a "nice demon."  

(Ephesians 6:12) For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.  

This verse lets us know that angels and demons are very real, and the dark forces of this world will try to influence us.  We must keep up our guard by not allowing the darkness into our homes.  These "cute" animated movies may seem innocent, but anything involving a witch, wizard, incantations, magic wands, potions, telekinesis, telepathy, fortune telling, levitating, demon possession, communing with the dead, false gods, shapeshifting, and even certain hand motions should not be allowed in a Christian home.

It was difficult, at first, to throw away all my movies and books that contained any form of witchcraft because I like to be entertained as much as you do, but I knew it was a necessity if I wanted to please the Lord (Romans 8:8 - So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.) and have peace in my home.  I did not want nightmares or any other negative influences harassing me and especially not my husband.  I indeed noticed the peace as soon as they were all gone, and I was able to hear God's voice much more clearly.

Reading tarot cards, playing with Ouija boards, having your palm read, & séances are all things are also extremely dangerous and should be avoided.

(Deuteronomy 18:9-14) “When you come into the land which the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not learn to follow the abominations of those nations.  There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, or one who practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. For all who do these things are an abomination to the Lord, and because of these abominations the Lord your God drives them out from before you.  You shall be blameless before the Lord your God. For these nations which you will dispossess listened to soothsayers and diviners; but as for you, the Lord your God has not appointed such for you. 

There is only ONE light we should follow.

(John 12:46) I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.

You cannot serve both Light and dark.  Just as one cannot love two spouses, one cannot love both light and dark.  Choose today whom you will serve. 
   
(Joshua 24:15) And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, the gods... in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

Here are a few more scriptures on this subject:

(Philippians 4:8-9) Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.  

(Philippians 2:12-16) Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;  for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.  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,  holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain. 

(John 1:1-5) In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was in the beginning with God.  All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men.  And the Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

(John 1:6-13)  There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.  This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.  He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.  But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.  

(Galatians 4:16-25) I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.  But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law [of Moses]. Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another. 

(Ezekiel 13:18-23) ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Woe to the women who sew magic charms on all their wrists and make veils of various lengths for their heads in order to ensnare people. Will you ensnare the lives of my people but preserve your own? You have profaned me among my people for a few handfuls of barley and scraps of bread. By lying to my people, who listen to lies, you have killed those who should not have died and have spared those who should not live. “‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am against your magic charms with which you ensnare people like birds and I will tear them from your arms; I will set free the people that you ensnare like birds. I will tear off your veils and save my people from your hands, and they will no longer fall prey to your power. Then you will know that I am the Lord. Because you disheartened the righteous with your lies, when I had brought them no grief, and because you encouraged the wicked not to turn from their evil ways and so save their lives, therefore you will no longer see false visions or practice divination. I will save my people from your hands. And then you will know that I am the Lord.’”

It is Important to Read the Bible on Your Own

 

It is Important to Read the Bible on Your Own

This is why it is so very important to read the Bible on your own and not rely on anyone else's interpretation of scriptures: I once listened to a Podcast by a popular singer (I won't say who) claiming there is no condemnation when we sin. Please do not be deceived by this false message! This person, as many have done, failed to read ALL of Romans 8:1, so let me give it to you, "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, WHO WALK NOT after the flesh, BUT after the Spirit." Please note the last 10 words. 

If you read even more of Romans 8, it really tells you the Truth:

(Romans 8:3-9 & 14) God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.  But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

That is absolutely the key to our walking in Christ - walking not after the flesh, but in the spirit, ONLY then will there be no condemnation. Jesus did not die just to wink at our sins and turn a blind eye to rebellion against His holy Words. 

Also remember that 1 John 1:9 says. "IF WE CONFESS our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." Confessing, repenting, and not repeating our sins, that is how we find complete joy in the Lord, not by burying our heads in the sand and saying God doesn't condemn us for our sins. The Holy Spirit convicts us of our sins for a reason (John 16:8, AMP - And He, when He comes, will convict the world about [the guilt of] sin [and the need for a Savior], and about righteousness, and about judgment:), not that we live in complacency and apathy of our actions, but so we can change our sinful ways to better serve Jesus and make Him Lord of our life! 

(Romans 6:1-2) "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?" 

Too many people quoting the Bible do so for their own agenda such as to "convert" you to their false religion, justify their actions, or (in the case of most pastors) are trying to get you to feel comfortable in your sins so you keep following their "ministries."  These people, as the one mentioned above, only quote part of a verse, misquote what the Bible says, falsely tell you the interpretation of scriptures in Hebrew (large portions of the NT were not written in Hebrew), create new meanings of scripture by using strange and imagined Bible codes etc.  And some very brazen people try to say Jesus did not actually mean what He said, but twist His words to fit their false ideologies.  For the most part, you can take the Bible at face value and know it says what it means and it means what it says.  You do not need a degree in theology, speak another language, or have to use a secret code to understand the words of Jesus, Paul, Peter, and others.  Simply read it on your own and allow the Holy Spirit to speak to you as you read and you will understand it is not so complicated as some tricksters try to make it seem.  

When I say not to take anyone at their word that the Bible says what they say it does, I absolutely mean myself!  I will say it again, please, read it on your own! 2 Timothy 2:5 means that we are to do our own studying so we can learn to understand right from wrong, not let someone else tell us their version of right and wrong and they follow only their example: "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."

Let me just leave you with two more scriptures that say it all:

(Jude 1:4) For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness [an excuse to live in sin], and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ. 

(Matthew 7:15) Beware of false prophets [and teachers], which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. 

Are you serving a stranger?

 

Are you serving a stranger?

I will never be a stranger to Jesus; He knows me better than even I know myself.  Yet, very sadly, no matter how much I desire to serve Him, it is possible for Jesus to become a stranger to me.  

As you may or may not know, I enjoy listening to sermons by the late preacher David Wilkerson.  His sermon, "Love Your God to the Last Breath," (please listen to it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2ESBOHX4SQ ) is on the same theme as this writing and I encourage you to watch it.  

All his sermons touch and challenge me, but this one made me realize that if I fail to keep my routine of seeking God first, that Jesus could become a stranger to me (Matthew 6:33 - But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness.). I currently do my best to read my Bible first thing in the morning before I check messages, feed the pets, play any Kindle games, start lunch etc. (Although I do make coffee first so I can sip while I read!).   For I know if I wait until after all these things are done, God has taken last place and will not get as much of my time, and sometimes none at all.

There absolutely was a time, as Pastor Wilkerson says, when I had no time for God, but had time for everything else. How many of you are the same way?  I once would spend hours playing a computer game while my Bible sat ignored on the table.  But Jesus convicted me of my spiritual laziness because He yearns so much for us to fellowship with Him know Him as a friend not as a stranger.  My desire to know Him better and better grows more and more and I look forward to reading my Bible first, and then later in the evening, listening to an audio version with my husband.

I could easily turn this blog into a finger-pointing game.  Look at all the so-called Christian artists, authors, and preachers that speak the name of Jesus, but have no clue who Jesus is? How many could not quote scripture and are living lives seeped in sin?  Yet I am not speaking about the hypocrites that proclaim "And honor" Jesus "with their lips, but their heart is far from" Him (Matthew 15:8).

I am writing today about you and me, not evangelists or other entertainers.

I once heard someone say that she loved God but refused to quit swearing and speaking filthy.  If we truly love God, we want to please Him, not rebel against Him.  If we truly understood who Jesus is, we would not dare to be so bold as to use His name in vain and speak of the King of Kings in jest!  He is not to be mocked! We should be on our faces before the Holy of Holies and tremble at the idea of treating Him like an equal. Like less than an equal in many cases.

(1 John 5:2-3; 18) By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous. We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself.

On this side of heaven we can never fully know or understand God, but we can try.  The best way to get to know Jesus is to study His Word.  I especially love to read the gospels and the words of Jesus Christ.  I never tire of reading the same sermons over and over.  I want to read them so often that Jesus' messages of holiness and compassion become a part of me.  For example, when someone insults me, my first instinct should be turn the other cheek (Matthew 5:39) and not to call anyone foolish or other demeaning names (Matthew 5:22).  Jesus' words should be so ingrained in me that it becomes easier and easier to reflect His character.  I cannot do that when His Words are far from my memory like some random and seemingly insignificant conversation I had with a stranger a few weeks or months ago. No, I need to keep studying God's truths until there is no second thought on how to act toward those I struggle to forgive or show compassion toward.

(2 Timothy 2:15) Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman who need not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of Truth. 

My husband and have a wonderful marriage because we continue to build our relationship with great conversations.  We make the effort to never make the other a stranger. When we are apart, I cannot wait to see him again and tell him about my day at work, even the silly things. We should never stop communing with Jesus.  We are never separated from Christ as we are with people.  God is omnipresent, so we can speak to Him 24/7.  

While I am all for communing with the Lord as if He is your friend, we still need to remember to be respectful. Not all prayer times need to be on your knees, but at least once a day you should acknowledge the trinity of God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  Try not to allow even one aspect of God's character to be a stranger. When you pray make it a time not just of petitions or not even just a time of repenting (although confessing and repenting of your sins is vital to your relationship with Christ), but make it a time of praise.  If you are unsure of what to say, just be thankful for who Jesus is and all He has done and will do.

Do not pretend to know the Lord and call yourself a Christian when you do not even attempt to live a holy life. Going to church, giving to charity, being a kind person, none of these things count if you are going against the principles of the Bible.  If that is the case, Jesus is indeed a stranger to you if you think a Holy God will tolerate such things.
 
(Galatians 5:19-21 ) Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness,  idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 

(1 Peter 1:14-17) As obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.” And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear.  

Daily repent of your sins, do your utmost to walk down paths of righteousness, read your Bible daily, and spend time in humble and worshipful prayer. Those are the keys to assuring you are not serving a stranger.  For if He is a stranger to you, you will be a stranger to him:

(Matthew 7:21-23) “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.  Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’"

Go And Sin No More, Written by my Husband

 

Go And Sin No More

Written by my Husband (Mel)

God's grace is sufficient for those who are truly saved and walking in the light. Salvation begins with true repentance. Repentance means that you hunger and thirst after righteousness and desire to grow in Christ. It also means you are sorry for the old sinful ways of your past and now are putting your faith in Christ. It is God's desire for you to grow in him and allow his Holy Spirit to transform you into a new creation. You must be filled/indwelt by the Holy Spirit to be truly saved. You must ask, as well as seek after the infilling of the Holy Spirit.

(Luke 11: 9-13) And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For everyone that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he asks a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?

When a person is truly saved, they are born again. Your sins are 100% forgiven and your slate is wiped clean. Your spiritual garments are washed clean and made white by the blood of Christ. You are saved by grace alone according to the finished work of Christ who made atonement for your sins. You walk perfectly before him because of the blood of Christ. In regard to salvation the righteousness of Christ is imparted to you. However, God's Word teaches us that we must keep our garments clean, and they can become defiled through unfaithfulness to Christ. God's word also states that our names can be blotted out of the Book of Life. A lukewarm church will be vomited out of God's mouth (Revelation 3). Without holiness no man shall see the Father according to Hebrews.

 When a person is truly saved God gives them grace to grow in him. A new believer takes baby steps at first and grows with the nurture of the Holy Spirit. God is patient and gives us grace when we fall down and scrape our knee. God picks us up and carries us when we cannot walk. However, you must keep your faith until the end and walk in the light. God spoke to me once and said, "My grace is sufficient for the morning light". God does Not give grace to those who love darkness and are apathetic toward righteousness. 

Christ told the woman caught in adultery that her sins were forgiven her, then he told her to go and sin no more, not to continue living in sin. We are living in the last days and the great falling away from the truth is here. Most Christians will not endure sound doctrine but prefer to have their ears tickled with man pleasing doctrines. The biggest deception is the greasy grace doctrine. Churches are serving up spiritual junk food to their congregations and people demand it. I have met many people who claim to be saved; however, they told me they were living with their partner unmarried. They would also use the worst profanity, and some would even use God's name in vain and tell dirty jokes while claiming to know the Lord. Sadly, this is not a few, but many.

The churches have replaced the teaching of true grace with greasy grace. Preaching against sin and teaching holiness has been replaced with the grace for everything without repentance doctrine. We are not to be joined to the harlot (Mystery Babylon), but to be faithful to Christ.

If you love and know Christ, you will keep his commandments and no longer walk in darkness. 

(1 John 2: 3-6) And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.

(John 8:11-12) And Jesus said unto her, "Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more." Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, "I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life."

(Luke 13:27) But He shall say, "I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity."

(John 8:34-35) Jesus answered them, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever."

(Romans 6:16) Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?

(2 Timothy 2:19) Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.

(1 John 3:6, 8-9) Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him. He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.

Walk in the Light

 

Walk in the Light

Growing up as a preacher's kid, my dad used to say that you can find a sermon in anything.  While this became a common joke in our family, there is a lot of truth to my dad's statement.  In fact, this blog proves that theory!  

When I noticed a black smudge on my foot, I assumed that the soap and hot water would simply wash it off, but it remained.  I had to use the washcloth and scrub to remove the mark. That got me to thinking how sin in our lives is just like that!  We may think it is something that will go away without any real effort on our part, but in reality, we need to work the on certain issues it to permanently remove them from our life.  

Philippians 2:12 reminds us that we cannot just go on our merry way and ignore the sins in our life, we must, "work out [our] own salvation with fear and trembling."  In other words, like that stain on my foot, we have to put forth the effort to be clean before the Lord.

To be clear, I am not saying I believe in a works-only salvation, Jesus' death on the cross is a free gift we do not have to earn, but based on what the Bible says, it is clear we can fall away from our salvation if we actively live in rebellion against the rules of Jesus Christ. Working on our salvation means we must daily ask for The Lord's Help in conquering our sins.  We cannot do it on our own. (Luke 9:23 - And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross DAILY, and follow me.)

My Bible reading this morning emphasizes the theme of this blog:

(Romans 13: 11-14) And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly (other versions say "decently" or "honestly"), as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts. 

Just as 2 Corinthians 6:2 reminds us that "now is the day of salvation," so do the verses in Romans. And as Ephesians 5:14 instructs, "Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light," so the words in Romans also remind us to wake out of the darkness of sin and walk into the light of holiness!

Make no mistake, dear readers, the time is short!  Surely with all the end-time events happening, you have to be aware of it!  How much time do you think we have left on this planet? I sincerely doubt we have more than 10-20 years before the end of this world.  The signs are there: pandemics, wars, plagues of locusts, unusually strong weather, unexpected tornados, earthquakes, and other natural disasters in strange locations, even supernatural dust clouds appearing, rioting and chaos, the list goes on...  (Mark 13:8 - "For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be earthquakes in divers places, and there shall be famines and troubles: these are the beginnings of sorrows.") My point is that now is not the time to play around with fire, now is the time to wake up and walk into the light.  Work out your salvation and get rid of the sin in your life!

You may think a little bit of sin is no big deal.  A little lie here, a slipped swear word there, but 1 Corinthians 5:6 -7 says it differently (I exchanged the words leaven for yeast and lump for bread so that it is easier to understand), "Know ye not that a little [yeast rises] the whole [loaf of bread]? Purge out therefore the old [yeast], that ye may be a new [loaf of bread], as ye are unleavened." (So you will be free from even the small sins damaging your soul.)

While I do not believe all so-called small sins will cause us to lose our salvation, if we repeatedly choose to ignore these sins and refuse to try to change because we feel they are not as bad as murder or adultery, then the callus condition of your heart could send you to Hell.  That small amount of yeast can indeed ruin your soul. We need to purge ourselves of pride, racism, deceitfulness, bad language, unforgiveness, the occult etc. "The night is far spent," and the there is precious little time left! If you love the Lord and care about where you spend eternity, play close attention to the condition of your soul!  Now is the day to make your heart right with God! 

I will close with more words from II Corinthians 6 and also from Ephesians 5, please let these words sink into your heart and soul! "Not to receive the grace of God in vain" means not to take advantage of God's favor by living a life full of sin, read on...

(2 Corinthians 6:1-7, 14-18 & 7:1) We then, as workers together with Him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain. For He says “In an acceptable time I have heard you, and in the day of salvation I have helped you.”

Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.

But in all things we commend ourselves as ministers of God... by purity, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by sincere love, by the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left...

Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will dwell in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they shall be My people.”

Therefore “Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you. I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters," Says the Lord Almighty.” 

Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

(Ephesians 5:1-21) Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.

But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints; neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not be partakers with them.

For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light, for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth, finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret. But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light. Therefore He says: “Awake, you who sleep, Arise from the dead, And Christ will give you light.”

See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another in the fear of God.