Will you choose Jesus or the world?

You may think it was Abraham Lincoln that coined the phrase, "A house divided against itself will fall," during the Civil War, but Lincoln was quoting Luke 11:17 (But He, knowing their thoughts, said to them: “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and a house divided against a house falls.).  Jesus said these words after He had been accused of being demon-possessed because he had just cast out an evil spirit.  Jesus was making the point that a demon would not and could not cast out one of its own.  I am writing along these same lines, and yet a bit different.  We are the house that can be divided in heart, soul, and spirit.  My blog today is to show that one cannot serve God and something else that contradicts God's Word.  If we try to serve Christ while worshipping something other than Christ, our heart becomes a house divided.  We are certain to fall spiritually, and even emotionally or physically.

In Joshua 24, Joshua is challenging the Israelites to choose whom they will serve: the false gods or the True God.  "Now fear the Lord and serve the Lord with all faithfulness.  Throw away the gods your forefathers worshipped... and serve the Lord... Choose for yourself this day whom will you serve... but as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord."  Joshua 24:14-15  This is my challenge to you today as well.  Will you throw away your false idols and serve the one True God?

One of the biggest idols in people's lives is money.  Television evangelists are obsessed with it.  They are not doing the Lord's work, they are heaping riches upon themselves while very little money goes to help the poor.  Their messages are watered-down feel-good sermons that never make one uncomfortable because they want happy viewers to write big checks.  If they told you the Truth that one must remain grafted in the vine (Jesus) in order not to lose their salvation, they would lose viewers who do not want to be condemned for their sins.  More importantly, they would not be able to afford their material possessions.  Why do they deceive the masses?  Simple: money.  They worship money, not God.  There are a lot of verses in the bible warning about the love of money.  Jesus clearly tells us, "No one can serve two masters.  Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other.  You cannot serve both God and money."  Matthew 6:24 & Luke 16:13  Could it be more clear?  If one loves money, he will hate God because God wants us to give what we can to those in need, not keep it all for ourselves.  There is absolutely nothing wrong with having a beautiful home, nice vehicle, nice clothes, etc.; God often blesses those that genuinely serve Him with wealth and the good things in life.  The problem is not being wealthy, but when we ignore the needs of those literally and spiritually starving, we are not using that money to glorify God.  When one compromises their beliefs or goes against the principals of the bible to earn that money, it is also an affront to God.  (I am not just speaking of false evangelists, but also of people who embezzle, steal, run business that sell immoral products, cheat, etc.)  Right now I am far from wealthy, but if I was ever to obtain wealth, I would donate to charity before buying the things I wanted.  Yes, I would also have a some nice things, but things will never prevent me doing my best to honor God with a clean lifestyle, and I would still write blogs for God.  The balance is not to become obsessed with things over people's souls. 
  
When you worship money while attempting to serve God, your heart is divided between God and greed.  Paul says it so much better than I do, so remember his words, not mine.  In I Timothy 3, when Paul lists the qualities of a deacon, he says that he "must not [be] a lover of money." (verse 3)   That goes for all wanting to be leaders, but is also great advice for non-leaders as well.  Paul goes on in I Timothy 6:9-10 to warn, "People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction.  For the love of money is the root of all kinds if evil.  Some people eager for money have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs."  And for those who are wealthy, Paul says in verse 17 of the same chapter, "Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth which is uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything."   

Hebrews 13:5 says, "Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have."  

 In I Peter 5:2, Peter says that the "shepherds of God's flock" should  "not [be] greedy for money, but eager to serve."

And Solomon, the wisest man that ever lived says in Ecclesiastes 5:10, "Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income."  I would go on to add that loving God may cause you to feel like you can never be in His presence enough, and yet loving and serving God will always leave you satisfied.

Enough about money!  There are other ways we serve the wrong master.  Isaiah 5:2 warns, "Woe to those who call evil good and good evil.  Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness." For modern times I would say this warning is for those who call themselves Christians, but have no problem watching or reading things with nudity, profanity, fornication, and the occult, etc.  Jesus clearly says in John 8:12, "I am the light of the world.  He who follows me shall not walk in darkness but shall have the light of life."  Just because it is a cartoon, it does not make it innocent.  There is nothing innocent about witchcraft.  It is no wonder so many of today's children raised in Christian families grow up confused and fall away from the Truth.  When mommy and daddy say God is good but the devil is bad, then watch movies and television shows glorifying hexes, spells, and curses, the children cannot quite figure out what is right and wrong, the lines get blurred and black and white turn grey.  

Would you choose to bring a witch doctor into your home to heal yourself or a family member? No, because you can see he/she would be pure evil. How is reading Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings any different? Reading a book/watching a movie with magic in it right after going to church absolutely makes one's house divided and it will surely topple and fall.  I am not saying all children will grow up rebellious when raised in homes where the parents say worshipping the devil is detrimental, but then turn on Sleeping Beauty, Harry Potter, or even Star Wars, but they will be spiritually confused JUST AS I ONCE WAS.  Nightmares manifest for a reason.  Watching or reading about characters in stories casting spells will bring evil spirits in your home.  Period.  (The same goes for rock music and watching violent programs.)

There are many, many other idols and/or Godless principals we can follow that will divide us from God such as fame, physical pleasures, other people, and even your own vanity, but I will leave off with just one more issue.  You cannot serve God and religion.  Think that did not make sense?  I do not want to specifically insult any one religion, but there are many into traditions rather than into God.  Remember the blog I wrote a while ago about placing God in a box?  http://thankful-julie.blogspot.com/2016/12/dont-place-god-in-box.html  Well, that's what I am talking about.  When we serve the rituals we are not serving God, we are serving the motions.  When we worship a certain country or race of people that represent a religious belief, we are not honoring God.  When we love and serve the attributes of God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit, with a desire to imitate those characteristics, our hearts are in the right place.  When we want to be just like a Pastor, Priest, or Rabbi So-and-So or love any article (let's just be honest and call it an idol) that represents a certain religion our heart is divided and we are not serving God, but man and/or manmade religion.

Hopefully this all makes sense.  I want to close by repeating my second paragraph.  Please really think about it.  In Joshua 24, Joshua is challenging the Israelites to choose whom they will serve: the false gods or the True God.  "Now fear the Lord and serve the Lord with all faithfulness.  Throw away the gods your forefathers worshipped... and serve the Lord... Choose for yourself this day whom will you serve... but as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord."  Joshua 24:14-15  This is my challenge to you today as well.  Will you throw away your false idols and serve the one True God? Will you choose Jesus or the world?

Put on the socks of peace?

 

Note: I wrote around two years ago, but because it aligns with the theme of the Armor God series I finished posting a couple of days ago, I thought I would share it again.

You are probably wondering why I am posting a picture of my socks.  This post idea came from a dream I had a few nights ago, so bear with me!  I dreamt that God told me that I should always pray over my socks.  When I woke up, I was confused.  Surely this was just a nutty dream that was from my own mind and made no sense.  But then I fell back to sleep and had another dream where I was posting a photo of my sock drawer and explaining that God wanted me to pray each time I put socks on my feet so that I would remember to be shod with the gospel of peace!  Okay, so now, this was making more sense, but I will not 100% assume this dream came from God as it still may have been from my own mind.  Either way, I can find a good message in those two dreams.

Ephesians 6 tells us we need to always be clothed in the whole armor of God.  Verse 15 specifically states, "And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace."   Moreover, in Matthew 5:9, Jesus Christ stated,  "Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God."  And also, one of the fruits of the spirit listed in Galatians 5:22 is peace.

There are two lessons I am taking way from these dreams.  First, I need to find peace with God even when my circumstances seem bleak, and even when I cannot understand why things happen as they do.  I must find peace in trusting in Romans 8:26-28: Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.  

More than just finding peace in trusting God, I need to literally pray every time I put my socks on that I will be a bringer of peace. This sounded silly at first but when I thought about it, it makes a lot of sense.  The area where I struggle with most in my life is in finding peace with others' opinions about me.  I need to let go of my ego and focus on who God wants me to be: a peacemaker.  I need to let the insults bounce right out of my heart and pray for those who have placed me in a negative light. I need to love as unconditionally as Jesus Christ, the True teacher of the school of holiness, and the ultimate peace giver and peacemaker.

I must also realize that even though Matthew 5:9 says that the peacemaker will go to Heaven, that the exact opposite is also very true.  Ephesians 5:20-21 tells me that those who practice "...hatred, variance [disagreeing or quarrelling], emulations [jealously compete], wrath, strife... and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God."  In other words, people who intentionally fail to keep the peace are in serious danger of going to hell!  When I think of it that way, a dream about putting on the socks of peace seems a lot more serious!

Truthfully, from now on when I put on my socks, I will be sure to pray that I can live in peace knowing that Jesus Christ loves me and only wants the best for me.  And in return, I will do my best to live a holy life for Him.  (The goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance. Romans 2:4) And I will pray that whoever I come in contact with throughout the day, that I will make a conscious effort to reflect all of the fruits of the Spirit (The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance Galatians 5:22-23) and show them the love of Christ through my actions, therefore  have my "feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace" (Galatians 6:15)! 

  

Do not be Discouraged When Those Closest to you Mock Your Teachings

Dear friends, do not be discouraged when those closest to you mock your teachings. Jesus warned us that a prophet (as well as anyone sharing the True teachings of the Bible) would be rejected by those in his/her own town.

And he said, "Verily I say unto you, No prophet is accepted in his own country." Luke 4:224

Pray for those who lash out at you, and let hard feelings go. God knows their hearts better than you do and understands the spiritual battles they face. God also knows your heart and intentions and will honor you for your boldness and faithfulness to Him alone.

For true prophets, that God gives dreams and visions to, remember that most of the prophets of the Bible were also laughed at. Be encouraged and keep sharing your faith!

"Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake. Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets." Luke 6:22-23

The Power of the Word of God

 

 

The Bible is not just any book, it is literally the inspired Word of God.  It is a history and science book.  It is prophecy fulfilled and prophetic of things to come.  It is a morality guide - it is your compass.  We can plug into it and gain accesses to the very Power of God.  Isn't that amazing!

 As we know God's Words alone created the omniverse.  He spoke all the worlds into existence.

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. So the evening and the morning were the first day.  Genesis 1:1-5  (You know the rest...)

So we know by the very ground we stand on, and the air we breathe, that God's Words hold more power than we can ever fathom.  When Christ walked this earth, His Words alone healed the sick, cast out demons, and even raised the dead!  Incredible!   

I am a firm believer in reading the bible every day.  Yes, I may skip a day here and there, but overall, I love to dive into God's Words on a daily basis.  For one thing, studying God's Words will not only benefit me spiritually and emotionally, but it proves to God how much I love Him and want to get to know Him better.  It also greatly helps me in my daily walk.  God's Word helps me make the best choices in every day situations.  If I'm thinking about lying, for example, I can stop and reflect on God's Word and know how displeasing this would be to the Holy of Holies.

 Be diligent [study Gods Word] to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.  II Timothy 2:15 

But He said, “More than that, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it!” Luke 11:28

God's Word is our daily bread.  It is all we need to sustain us. After reading particularly powerful bible verses, do you ever feel like you have partaken of a wonderful feast?  God's Words make you feel alive and will satisfy you to the very core of your being. 

But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every Word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’”  Matthew 4:4 

There are so many wonderful things that God's Word brings, that I cannot possibly name them all.  I'll just focus on a few more areas.

God's Word is our salvation.  It tells us that Jesus shed his blood on the cross and died for our sins.  It tells us that, if we repent of our sins, and choose Christ as our Savior, that we will be saved.  We are loved by an amazing God!

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes.  Romans 1:16

But remember, God's Word does not excuse us from living in a life of sin.  We are not to use God's grace as an excuse to do what we know is wrong.  God's Word is also great at convicting us of our sins. 

What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?  Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?  Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.  Romans 6:1-4

 If we abide in the Word and do our best to live by God's instructions, God's Word will keep us honest.  If we allow it, God's Word will show us where we need to improve, as well as showing us where we are on the right path.  Here is one of my favorite verses:

For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.  Hebrews 4:12

When you read God's Word daily, it will really sink in to where you memorize scripture (even if you don't know the exact reference).  It is a good moral guide that you keep with you wherever you go. 

Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You.  Psalm 119:11

God's Word is a reality check.  When you read the gospels and Jesus' own Words, you will realize that Christ never sugar-coated things.  He was very honest and told His listeners that life would be hard, some will be persecuted for their beliefs, and some will never find true happiness in this life. 

We live in a fallen world full of people not living a Godly life, and those people do not care how their actions affect others.  Because of such people, most of us will experience a lot of unpleasant things in life.  Living in a fallen world also means that diseases are allowed to exist and cause pain to the sufferer as well as to family members that endure loss.

Yet, if we endure, God's Word promises those who have repented of their sins, accept Christ as their Savior, and are striving to live holy lives, will gain eternal glory. (You can also read the beatitudes in Matthew 5 & Luke 20)

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.  In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls.  I Peter 1:3-9

Ephesians 6:10-18 is an amazing section of scripture that should be carefully studied many times over.  God's Word alone in that section offers up excellent advice on how to survive in this world. 

 

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.  Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.  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.  Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness,  and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;  above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.  And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;  praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints. Ephesians 6:10-18

Since I am focusing on the Word of God today (and not the whole armor), I will end with these few thoughts.  In the above verses, the Word of God is described as "The Sword of the Spirit" which we are to take up daily and use as a weapon.  We are to be proactive by reading God's Word and using it to arm our minds, hearts, and souls so that we may live lives Holy and acceptable, as pleasing unto the Lord.

God's Words will bring you peace, joy, love, awe, conviction, and an overall honest look at life and make you take an honest look at yourself.  But never take my word, your pastor, or any one else's for it, read it for yourself!

How is sin like a s spider bite?

 

Originally posted on January 1, 2022.

The day before Thanksgiving, my husband and I were in our garage gathering our Christmas and winter decorations.  Our garage has a lot of spiders, but it was cold, and I did not see any at that time, so I did not worry. After accumulating the items, I was determined to find my plush snowman that seemed to be missing.  I went through possibly a dozen boxes looking for him.  Just when I was about to give up, there he was, white with grey sparkling thread, cute carrot nose, and blue striped hat, gloves, and scarf. (Bear with me, I actually have a point to this story!)

About a day or so later, I noticed a white raised spot on my stomach.  It looked like a small pimple, but it felt like a burn.  I put some aloe vera gel on it to heal, then I mostly ignored it. Fast forward to 3 days later and this tiny "zit" had tripled in size, was blackish purple around the wound, had a hard lump underneath, and the whole area around the "pimple" was swollen in at least a 6-inch circumference.  On top of that, the pain was as if someone had lit my entire belly on fire, inside and out. 

Remembering my dear husband, Mel, had a similar experience around 3 years ago, I said, "Do you think this is a spider bite?"  He was sure it was, so I attempted to make a doctor's appointment.  While I was on hold with the clinic where it often takes more than a month to get seen, the receptionist came back on the line and said, "Wow! I can't believe an appointment just opened up while you were on hold. It's a miracle!" Yes, she truly said that!  I was able to see the doctor and get started on some heavy-duty antibiotics right away. God is good! 

The antibiotics caused me a lot of problems and side effects (partly because it exacerbates my neurological disorder), but I knew I had to keep taking them to kill the potentially deadly MRSA (Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus) virus the brown recluse spider had caused. Also, it took another 7 days for the wound to pop and drain, and only then did the pain go away. After that, it healed quickly.

Once a person has MRSA, it can flare up again from time to time, even without the aid of another spider bite. My husband experienced this as a second outbreak right after the first, and a third around a year later.  The doctor he saw for the last outbreak recommend he place an antibiotic ointment up both nostrils once a month to keep all future MRSA infections away.  

Just 3 days ago, I started a second round of the hard-to-take antibiotics, because now I have at least five MRSA boils under my arm! This time I have to take the pills for 14 days instead of 10.  As difficult as the side effects are, the pills are vital to my recovery, so I must take them.   

Now, based on the title of this blog, you may already see where I have been heading with this true story. 

 How is sin like a s spider bite?  

A spider is so small you almost never see it coming.  Statistics say we are almost always a minimum of six feet away from at least one spider.  Just one little puncture from this tiny creature can cause a whole world of pain and illness, and in some extreme cases, even death.

For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 6:23

How easy is it to get caught up in the web of sin?  It may seem so small and insignificant. You may know you are in a dangerous area (such a garage known for spider activity), but instead of being cautious, you keep pressing forward in sin.  You may justify a flirtation with someone not your spouse as harmless.  Next thing you know, you have had an affair and are getting a divorce.  You may think a little marijuana, or a little alcohol is just a harmless way to relax. Next thing you know, you are doing things you never would have done sober, including immoral and illegal acts, and now need a stronger drug to "relax" and cope with the consequences of your actions. Now you have lost your job and are in rehab for meth addiction.  There are hundreds of other illustrations I could give, but I think you get the point I am making here. These examples are not as extreme as they seem, but realistic ways sin can quickly get out of control.  It is better not to play with fire.

Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you. And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith 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 2 Corinthians 6:17-18-7:1

How do we combat the tiny "spiders" in our lives? Just as I did not first recognize the wound in my stomach as a spider bite until it became unbearably painful, we must know our Bible to recognize what sin is. You need to ask the Holy Spirit to help you stay away from all these things. You cannot do it on your own! Here are some examples of things God hates: 

Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. Galatians 5:19-20

The virus made me terribly sick, and I had to take medication to keep this sickness from being potentially fatal.  The pills also made me sick, but the difficult cure was worth a week or two of suffering because it saved my life. Repenting and obtaining victory are much less painful than hanging onto sin that causes spiritual death. Emotional pains you may face when you let go of people, objects, and activities in order to save your very soul, will all be worth it in the light of eternity. 

Just as my husband and I must take a monthly preventative to keep us from getting sick again, we must also be proactive in conquering sin. Philippians 2:12 says we must "work out [our] own salvation with fear and trembling."  It does not say we can lazily sit back and expect sin to take care of itself. Although in some cases deliverance can be instantaneous, realistically we must continually work at keeping habitual sins at bay.  We cannot just ignore the sinful issues in our life and expect them to go away on their own. Just as we cannot ignore any spider seen in our homes. Sorry, spiders, but we must kill all spiders for the sake of good health for us and our loved ones.  

How do we keep sins from accumulating and reemerging like the MRSA virus?  Again, I will say what is most important to remember, you cannot do it on your own!  John 15:4-5, Jesus reminds us, "Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing."   Apart from help from Jesus and the Holy Spirit, we are unlikely to have permanent success on our own.  That is why so many addicts return to their vices after claiming victory, because they do not allow Jesus to take control of their life and use His Holy Spirit to fill in the void that addiction has left.  They still feel empty and hopeless even after they have done their best to take control of their sin, but since they are still denying the love of Jesus, the hole in their heart remains and therefore, they return to their sins.

2 Peter 2:21-22 puts it this way, "For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire."  

Those who have "known the way of righteousness" and then backslidden, is the same concept for those who claim to have gotten rid of sin but still live in rebellion to the Lord.  You are allowing poison to repeatedly permeate your heart and soul until you surrender yourself to Jesus and allow Him to make you clean every single day!

Even when you allow Jesus to take control of your sinful nature, you still must be proactive in battling your temptations.  If your addiction is pornography, get rid of your source of porn (magazines/books, phone, movies, Internet, etc.), just as you would remove the alcohol from your home if you were trying to quit drinking.  If you find yourself perpetually angry and fighting with others, stay off of social media if you feel it will tempt you to lose your temper and displease the Lord.

Remember what 1 Corinthians 10:13 promises, "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it."  Therefore, you never have an excuse to say you were not able to simply say no and walk away from your sin. Pray for Jesus to give you the strength you lack when you struggle to say no to things that go against His holy Word. 

Just as I had to take two rounds of antibiotics, you also need to take your spiritual medicine to heal.  Read your Bible as often as possible and get to know God as well as through prayer and worship. Do not take anyone else's word for it, read the Bible on your own! The more grounded you are in what the Bible teaches, the more you understand how much God loves you, and you grow to love Him more too, the less likely you want to sin.

The goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance. Romans 2:4 

If you make a mistake and repeat your sins, 1 John 1:9 states, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." Note the first 5 words, we have to confess our sins first, but God will always forgive us when we are sincere.

It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22-23

Revelation 2:5 says, we must "Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent."  Again, notice repentance is the key.

Warn Every one Night and Day with Tears, Part 3

For I know this... grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. Therefore watch, and remember... I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears. Acts 20:29-31

Just a quick note before I go any farther that I want to make clear: I do not want anyone to think I am suggesting we are saved by our works. If you read my blogs or watch my videos, you know I believe Jesus' death on the cross, our salvation, and grace are free gifts we do not have to earn. My point here is to encourage you to treat these precious gifts with the utmost care and not neglect them, because they and your soul can be lost. Once again, this is not my theology, it is from God's Holy Word.

One of the most prominent issues I see being taught by many wolves is that we never need to repent of our sins more than one time when we say the "sinner's prayer." They are afraid to convict you of sin less you cease to put money in their offering plate.  However, by teaching you to think you are eternally secure is very dangerous.  These are the exact wolves Jude was speaking of that are turning God's grace into a lie:

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, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ. Jude 1:4

I know I have a lot of scriptures below for you to read, but I need to add just one more before I delve further into this blog. Paul is saying we should never use God's precious gift if grace as an excuse to sin (I encourage you to read the full chapter):

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?Romans 6:1-2 

The two scriptures that come to my mind are first, from Jesus' own mouth in Matthew, then from John, who was given visions of heaven. These two passages alone show our thoughts, words, and deeds do matter.

For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works. Matthew 16:27

And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. Revelation 20:12-13

Next, I will go to the old testament. Ezekiel was a mighty prophet who saw things as far into the future as the end of days of this planet as well as had many visions of God and heaven.  

But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die. When a righteous man turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and dieth in them; for his iniquity that he hath done shall he die. Ezekiel 18:24 & 26

Pretty clear cut, don't you think? A man who heard directly from God tells us when the righteous, or the Christian, turns his back on God and intentionally chooses to sin, he will lose his salvation - die in his sins! This is not speaking of minor offenses, of course, but as Ezekiel says, "abominations," or rebelliously refusing to do what you know is right in the eyes of God.  Just as when we sincerely repent from our sins, they are blotted out by the blood of Jesus (Again, when the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed, and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive. Because he considereth, and turneth away from all his transgressions that he hath committed, he shall surely live, he shall not die. Ezekiel 18:27-28), the exact opposite is true. Righteousness is canceled out by sin until we sincerely repent again.   (These same words are repeated in Ezekiel 33 as well.) 

Now let's look at the words of Jesus:

I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. John 15:1-6

According to dictionary.com, The definition of the word abide is "to remain; continue; stay."  Therefore, Jesus is telling us that if we leave our fellowship with Him (cease abiding with Him) we will be "cast forth... into the fire and burned."  Obviously, He is speaking of the fire in Hell. In other words, if you give your life to Christ and become a Christian, but then refuse to follow the ways of Jesus by leaving your morals behind, you are no longer bearing good fruit, and you will be cast away.  Jesus does not say that you can stay grafted into the vine no matter what, and that you will be eternally secure. No! If you make the choice to leave Jesus, you will be cast off!

The more you abide in Jesus: read the Bible, pray more than just when you are asking for a favor, and worship Him with a contrite heart, the more it will be clear what He expects of you.  The more you will understand His character and His will, and you will want to do what is right (...the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance. Romans 2:4).  The Holy Spirit will convict you of your sins and testify to your spirit what must be done to see the face of God for all eternity (I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. Romans 12:1).

Let's go again to the words spoken by Jesus:

Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. Matthew 7:21-23

This is obviously about someone who is calling himself a Christian, otherwise why would he be calling out to the Lord and prophesying, casting out demons, etc. But Jesus says that even if you call on Him and work for Him, you can still be in danger of losing your salvation if you are doing all these things while living in sin.  No, eternal life with Christ is not automatic just because you use the name of Jesus or do good deeds in His name, you must keep the sin out of your life, or He will tell you to "depart from" Him.  In other words, He will send you to Hell.

The next scriptures are speaking of the end times. 

Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; II Thessalonians 2:3 

My argument here is a simple one: the term "falling away" would not even be used if falling away from your salvation was not possible.  In other words, before the beginning of the tribulation, a large number of people claiming to be Christians will fall away from their walk with the Lord and lose their salvation. 

I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.  II Timothy 4:4; 7-8

There are many more verses I can list where it says in the Bible that all people will be judged according to their works. That Truth alone shows we are not automatically eternally secure.  If so, there would be no reason for God to judge our works.  Finishing the course and keeping the faith means the same as abiding in the vine.  In order to obtain the crown from Jesus, you must not let go of your righteous ways or give in to sin.

Here are a few more verses on obtaining crowns from God, our judge. Note when you read all these verses that they state you must endure to the end in order to receive the crown.  No where does it say the crown of righteousness will be given to every single person that says some version of the sinner's prayer.  There are conditions that must be met! In the below verse, Paul makes it very clear that even he could be cast away from heaven if he falls into sin.

Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway. I Corinthians 9:24-27

Therefore, my brethren dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved. Phillipans 4:1

And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully. II Timothy 2:5

Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. James 1:12

The message of these verses is clear: stand fast in the Lord, strive lawfully, endure temptation, and you will receive a crown of righteousness.  Stray away from the Lord and holiness, and you will be cast away.

The last verses can be the easiest way to sum up that our salvation is not eternally secure.  Note the list of sinful actions does NOT say, "If you call yourself a Christian you can do all these things and still go to heaven," NO!  It says, if you commit the sins listed, you will not inherit the Kingdom of God.  There are no exceptions to that rule. You must daily repent of your sins, and strive to be holy as the Lord is holy, or you will not have eternity with the Father - not my words, this is scriptural (see below verses)!   

As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy. And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear: I Peter 1:14-17

Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: Hebrews 12:14

Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. Galatians 5:19-21

He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. Revelation 21:7-8

Warn Every One Night And Day With Tears, Part 2, Written by my Husband & Me

This blog is written by both my husband, Mel & Me

For I know this... grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. Therefore watch, and remember... I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears. Acts 20:29-31

The warning theme on my heart for this blog has to do with demonstrations of a false holy spirit.  I cannot count how many videos on You Tube I have seen displaying this unclean spirit of Satan and declaring it to be from God.  I am shocked by the number of people who blindly accept this evil spirit as being from a Holy God.  They are absolutely being led astray by wolves pretending to be Jesus' sheep.

Before I go on, I want to let you know I made a video that also discusses this same issue titled "Do not be afraid of the Holy Spirit" https://www.facebook.com/reel/653732643219744 in case you are interested in watching it.

One of the main reasons Christians are being led astray is due to lack of knowledge.  People tend to just blindly follow their spiritual leaders without questioning them.  They do not want to actively seek out the Truth on their own.  Satan is counting on Christians to be lazy and just go with whatever is taught behind the pulpit on from a rich, well-polished "influencer" on the Internet.  Just as it is true with man's law, in God's law ignorance of the Truth is not an excuse to go do wrong.  You truly need to read it on your own and never take anyone's word for truth, not even mine.  Your very soul depends on doing your own research and arming yourself against the false teachers.

Please be aware that anything God does, Satan will do his best to imitate, this very much includes the gifts of the Holy Spirit.  Satan wants to make us all look foolish when we think we are worshipping God but are instead manifesting Satanic actions and therefore, worshipping the demons of hell.  If you have been involved in any Satanic practices, please repent, plead the blood of Jesus over yourself and do not return to such false fire.

The best person I can think of t0 explain what I wish to convey to you is my husband, Mel. This is an excerpt from a blog he wrote titled: "The Baptism of the Holy Spirit":

"The apostle Paul teaches that gifts of the Spirit must be done in an orderly manner. (1 Cor 14: 26-33 How is it then, brethren? Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification... For you can all prophesy one by one, that all may learn and all may be encouraged.  And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints.)

"We are living in the end times and there is a great apostasy (falling away from the truth) occurring within the churches. That is why it is crucial that believers use discernment concerning the manifestation of spiritual experiences.  (Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. 1 John 4:1-3) There are many counterfeit revivals occurring with demonic signs and wonders that are deceiving many believers. Within these false revivals people are barking like dogs while crawling on the floor, mooing like cows and roaring like lions. Many are experiencing drunkenness to the point that they are being pulled over by the police after leaving a revival. Some people are even falling out on the floor in restaurants laughing hysterically. God is not the author of confusion or lawlessness, Satan is. Drunkenness, uncontrollable laughter, making animal sounds, sticking to the floor, heads shaking back and forth, are examples of the demonic manifestations occurring. (Wherefore, brethren, covet to prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues. Let all things be done decently and in order.1 Corithians 14:39-40.)"

 "These same manifestations occur within Kundalini Hinduism, as well as other forms of occultism. David Wilkerson has some good videos exposing the demonic within Christianity. Many Christians are afraid of supernatural experiences because of the demonic manifestations, but we need to allow God’s true gifts to be in operation within the church. It is not good to quench God’s Spirit or to be afraid of it. For God does give visions, dreams, work miracles, heal the sick etc. We need to pray over experiences and use sound judgment. The reason for this unholy spirit that has invaded the church is loose living, as well as unsound doctrine. The preaching of holiness has been replaced by the lukewarm grace for everything doctrine."

"In order to live an overcoming Christian life in these dark times it is essential that we be filled with God’s Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is God, he is the portion of God’s Spirit that indwells us, as well as ministers to us. It is God’s will that we all experience the fullness of God and that is only possible by receiving his Spirit."

Please be diligent, brothers and sisters, and do not let yourself be led astray by these false shepherds in wolves' clothing that are trying to fill you with a Satanic spirit.  If you witness any of these unholy behaviors at church, on-line, or at a revival, run away as fast as you can.