Category: Uncategorized

The more I read the bible and listen to bible teachings, the more I want to read and hear more. The more I feed the spirit, the more the spirit has influence over me.

When our daughter became ready to start on solid foods, we would puree fresh and cooked vegetables and make our own baby food. Of course at first our daughter did not always like the concoctions. We found if we would spoon feed her and put a little on the roof of her mouth, she would have to work her tongue over it again and again to get it off. Eventually, she developed a taste for and liking of vegetables and salads that persists to this day.

Even if you have trouble “getting into” the Word of God at first, keep spending time in it. God is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. Ask Him to reveal His Word to you and bring to rememberance everything He has said through His Holy Spirit. Ask Him to plant a desire in your heart to learn more about Him. One day you’ll find God’s Word “jump” inside you with revelation and power, and you will find that you want more and more.

Consider the following:

John 8:3-11

And the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman taken in adultery. And standing her in the midst, they said to Him, Teacher, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses in the Law commanded us that such should be stoned. You, then, what do you say?

They said this, tempting Him so that they might have reason to accuse Him. But bending down, Jesus wrote on the ground with His finger, not appearing to hear.

But as they continued to ask Him, He lifted Himself up and said to them, He who is without sin among you, let him cast the first stone at her.

And again bending down, He wrote on the ground.

And hearing, and being convicted by conscience, they went out one by one, beginning at the oldest, until the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.

And bending back up, and seeing no one but the woman, Jesus said to her, Woman, where are the ones who accused you? Did not one give judgment against you?

And she said, No one, Lord. And Jesus said to her, Neither do I give judgment. Go, and sin no more.

Jesus forgave the woman of adultry, but he did not say anything about adultry no longer being a sin. He told her to go and sin no more. This both acknowledges that adultry is still a sin, and even after we are forgiven we are not to go about doing it again.

Another example can be seen in John 5:14 where Jesus had told the lame man at the pool of Bethesda to take up his bed and walk.

Afterward Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, Behold, you are made whole. Sin no more lest a worse thing come to you.

Recently, I’ve seen where some folks are going around saying that sin has ceased to exist because Jesus has forgiven us all of everything no matter what.

I definitely agree that we are saved by grace and not by works. God has done His part, and there is nothing we can do to earn or deserve it. However, we still have a part to play. We still need to confess our sins for what they are and repent of them, and then receive the forgiveness of our sins that has already been purchased for us. Note that this is not a religious work, but an act in faith to recieve what God has promised.

Grace does not stop sin from being sin. God’s forgiving a sin does not mean that the behavior is not longer a sin, only that the eternal consequences of the sin are no longer held against us.

Sin is still sin. Just because we are living in grace does not mean that anything that was once considered to be sin, an abomination, a work of the flesh, or rebellion has stopped being so.

God still hates sin and will not tolerate it to exist in His presence. It is because He loves us so much that He made a provision for the forgiveness of our sins through the sacrifice and resurrection of His Son, Jesus, the Lamb of God without spot or blemish.

Do not cover sin

Those who try to rationalize and redefine behaviors as not being sin are only trying to cover or hide their sin. Something is sin because God’s Word has called it sin.

No group can vote to make something no longer a sin, no TV personality can casually laugh it away, no popularity poll can change God’s opinion of it, no court can redefine it, and no psychology can help you cope with it.

Psa 32:5 I confessed my sin to You, and my iniquity I have not hidden. I said, I will confess my transgression to God; and You forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah.

1Jo 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Repent of sin

Repentance is turning away from the sin and not returning to it.

When we repent of our sin, God wipes away the eternal consequences of sin; however, we may still have some immdediate consequences to deal with. There are always consequences to sin. There are both temporal and eternal consequences to sin. When we sow to the flesh (sin), we reap of the flesh.

Luk 13:3 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.

The most effective way to repent of sin and not repeat it, is to develop the same attitude toward it that God has.

Exhortation

It takes faith to please God. Faith comes by hearing the Word of God. Faith works by love. Love motivates us to want a closer relationship with God. Love motivates us to not let other junk (sin, rebellion, lusts of the flesh, doubt, unbelief) get in the way and come between us and God.

Even when we don’t necessarily feel love, we can choose to continue to act in love. This is the prime aspect of believing — the acting on the basis of what the Word of God says instead of what our flesh desires.

We have been delivered from slavery to sin, don’t let the flesh try and convince you otherwise. Having been delievered from this bondage gives us a choice.

It is utterly foolish to dabble in petty sins and give place to satan to come in and steal, kill, and destroy all the blessings that God has in store for us.

God has so many good things laid out on the table for us through His Spirit. Anything that the flesh has to offer pales in comparison!

God has written His law on our hearts. When we seek Him first and act in Love, when we are consumed with His purposes, the temptations to sin loose their hold.

Taste and see that the Lord is GOOD!

The Gospel is not about denominations or traditions of men. It is about God’s grace and mercy. It is about faith, hope, and love. It is about us repenting of our sins, accepting that Jesus paid for our sins, and chosing to live for Him.

Typically, there is nothing wrong with a tradition that does not go against God’s Word. Traditions can be good and healthy so long as they do not come between the individual and God. You can have basically a variety of traditions or no traditions at all. If you were to want to follow some traditions, I would recommend looking for traditions that are described in the bible — particularly traditions that Jesus practiced. Just don’t fall into the trap of exhalting traditions above having a direct, close, daily relationship with your heavenly Father.

Benefits of Traditions:
1. Develops and maintains an identity.
2. Serve as a reminder to keep God and His Word at the forefront of the person’s mind.
3. Most effective means of teaching principles to children, new believers, and, well, pretty much everybody.

Any traditions you choose need to meet the following criteria:

1. Does not go against or violate God’s word
2. Glorifies God, points to God, or points to principles from God’s Word.
3. Does not come between the worshipper and God.
4. Never be viewed as a way to impress God, earn “spirit” points, salvation, or holiness.
5. Does not take the place of love and is not used as a basis of judging others. (1Cor 13:1-13)
6. Does not stop you from doing what Jesus has commissioned us to do, particularly in terms of ministering to people’s needs and taking the gospel to them.

We are a new creature. From spiritual death, we are reborn in the spirit. We have the mind of Christ available to us after rebirth. We are then able to choose death or life. To live carnally after the flesh is death, to live after the spirit is life. Crucify the flesh, choose to follow the spirit.

— What you fill yourself with gains influence over your heart.

Your heart softens to what you spend time on. What you spend time doing, reading, hearing, or watching. Your heart hardens to what you do not spend time on.

— What you dwell on gets greater influence over your heart.

You tend to become what you focus your attention on.

Your flesh will occassionally “ping” your conciousness with an appetite, lust or desire. Even though your flesh is dead and crucified with Christ, it still tries and convince you otherwise by “pinging” your senses and injecting thoughts (fiery darts) into your mind.

1Co 10:13 No temptation has taken you but what is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted above what you are able, but with the temptation also will make a way to escape, so that you may be able to bear it.

In addition to the wiles of the flesh, satan communicates with you through your flesh. Even after you have victory over the lusts of the flesh, he will continue to try and tempt you through these lusts. While the flesh is dead, it still tries to act like it isn’t.

The difference between the old man and the new birth is that now you have a choice. Your are no longer a child of satan, instead you have a Heavenly Father. You can make the choice NOT to allow those thoughts to take hold by choosing not to dwell on them.

If you dwell on appetites and desires of the flesh, then those appetites and desires get stronger.

— What you feed gets greater influence over your heart.

If you cater to and feed the flesh, the flesh grows in influence over your heart. Every time you give in to a fleshly desire, that reinforces that desire and it will come back stronger next time.

For example, I have had a history as a nervous eater. I tend to eat when I get nervous about something even when I’m not hungry or have just eaten a regular meal. Every time I give in to an urge to eat when faced with these feelings, I reinforce those feelings and they come back stronger again and again. When I resist these urges, they start off “strong” and eventually weaken the longer I resist them.

— Resist satan, and he will flee

If you resist evil thoughts and lies that attempt to exalt themselves against the wisdom of God, then they will retreat. The more you resist them, the harder your heart becomes toward them and the weaker they will become.

— Flee from tempting situations

While you are to resist satan, don’t purposely hang around in situations where temptations abound.

Don’t get yourself into or remain in situations where temptations could become overwhelming. Follow Joseph’s example and flee from temptation.

— You can change your tastes

The more I read the bible and listen to bible teachings, the more I want to read and hear more. The more I feed the spirit, the more the spirit has influence over me.

Amalykites were a problem for Israel while they were in the wilderness. Turns out they were were also in the promise land along with a whole bunch of new giants and enemies.

Just when you are about to get a taste of the promise, all the enemies old and new are standing between you and the promised land.

The 12 spies returned from the promised land, 10 of 12 saw only the natural, and had a natural reaction to it. They said “we were in our own sight as grasshoppers”. All 12 saw the same things, but had different reactions to it. The spies only considered their natural capabilities (instead of trusting God’s capabilities). The 10 spies are in effect saying God is foolish for giving them the opportunity to enter the promised land.

Saul did not kill off the Amalykites once and for all when he had the chance, so they continued being a problem.

If I were truly holy, then I would not need to raise my hands in worship of the God who loves me in spite of my imperfections. I raise my hands and give a sacrifice of praise to the God who has shown me mercy when I have deserved wrath, and grace that I have not earned.

If I were truly “spiritual” at all times, then I would not need to pray in the spirit. I pray in the spirit for edification, for greater sensitivity to the spirit, for building up that connection to the spirit. When I pray in the spirit, I am feeding my spirit instead of the flesh. I am drawing closer to and in greater communion with the Spirit of God.

If I knew what to pray at all times, then I would not need to pray in the spirit. When I pray in the spirit, the spirit gives me utterance and I give thanks well, I pray as I ought. I will pray in the spirit and with understanding.

So many people have it backwards. Raising hands, singing spiritual songs, praying, and excercising spiritual gifts are NOT badges of spirituality or a measure of how “good” a christian I am. They are a means of drawing closer to God. I do these things because I am not as near to God as I want and need to be — NOT because I want to show off I am somehow closer to God than other people.

I bring in the sacrifice of praise. I enter His gates with thanksgiving and enter His courts with praise. I do these things whether I feel like doing it or not. I do these things the same whether I am alone or in a group of people. I do these things because God has prescribed them in His Word as means to draw closer to Him.

Granted, there are people who do these things as an act of trying to show off in front of other people. They do it for the admiration of those around them. Verily, they have their reward. The praises of men are temporary, fleeting, and quickly forgotten.

Praising and worshiping God brings a reward that is both immediate and everlasting. I draw closer to God, I build a stronger sensitivity of the spirit. Even if I don’t feel like praising and worshiping, I do it anyway and eventually my feelings catch up.

Consider the following scenario:

A rapist and murderer lives their whole life in sin and rebellion, and there on their deathbed they repent and decide to recieve Jesus at the last minute before they die, then they go on to heaven and eternal life.

I agree that on the surface the possiblity of this can be very frustrating for those who have tried to live thier lives as a “good person” and do the right things. I do not know anyone who hasn’t at one time or another felt similar to the brother of the prodigal son as in Luke 15:11-32

“All this time his older son was out in the field. When the day’s work was done he came in. As he approached the house, he heard the music and dancing. Calling over one of the houseboys, he asked what was going on. He told him, ‘Your brother came home. Your father has ordered a feast–barbecued beef!–because he has him home safe and sound.’ “The older brother stalked off in an angry sulk and refused to join in. His father came out and tried to talk to him, but he wouldn’t listen. The son said, ‘Look how many years I’ve stayed here serving you, never giving you one moment of grief, but have you ever thrown a party for me and my friends? Then this son of yours who has thrown away your money on whores shows up and you go all out with a feast!’ “His father said, ‘Son, you don’t understand. You’re with me all the time, and everything that is mine is yours–but this is a wonderful time, and we had to celebrate. This brother of yours was dead, and he’s alive! He was lost, and he’s found!'” Luk 15:25-32 (MSG)

Of course when we feel this way, we are forgeting that we are not saved by works, we are saved by Grace.

For we ourselves also were once foolish, disobedient, deceived, slaving for various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that being justified by His grace, we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. Tit 3:3-7 (MKJV)

This is a very good thing. I would not even want to get in the business of trying to somehow earn salvation. It would be a whole lot of work for nothing, as earning salvation is quite simply impossible. It has already been given as a free gift, all we have to do is repent and recieve it in faith.

Last minute saves are a small “price to pay” for it to be possible for us to recieve God’s mercy (not giving us what we deserve) and God’s grace (giving us what we don’t deserve).

Plus, we too quickly forget that by living for God in this life we have victory, provision, health, and abundance even on this side of eternity. On top of that we are building up treasure in heaven and have an inheritance awaiting us. Those who live in bondage to sin and repent at the last minute, even though the eternal consequences are forgiven, they still have the temporal consequences to deal with in this life in addition to having spent their inheritance.

But what does it say? “The Word is near you, even in your mouth and in your heart”; that is, the Word of Faith which we proclaim;

Because if you confess the Lord Jesus, and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved.

For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth one confesses unto salvation.

For the Scripture says, “Everyone believing on Him shall not be put to shame.”

For there is no difference both of Jew and of Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call on Him.

For everyone, “whoever shall call on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

Rom 10:8-13 (MJKV)

I heard this one today on Jerry Zirkle’s radio show:

“If all that stands between you and God is a hypocrite, then that puts the hypocrite closer to God than you are.”

That puts to words something that has been rolling around in the back of my mind the past couple of days.

Basically it relates to the fact that we should always look to Jesus and seek Him, and not let the antics of those around us be a distraction. If they cause someone to stumble, they will get their “reward” down the line–and it won’t be pleasant!

I have been recently saying:

The best witnesses for God are Christians, and as it turns out, the best witnesses for satan are “christians” too.

There seems to be so many self-righteous, judgemental, gossipy people out there. No matter what church you go to, you will always find some. It never fails that they are the ones that end up in the news and on tv shows as they are far more entertaining. These are the “tares” that grow up among the wheat. (Mat 13:25-30).

Expect to meet them. Pray for them and love them the same as you would anyone. Whatever you do, don’t let them stand between you and God.

When it comes to making a decision between several options, you can often readily eliminate any options that go contrary to scripture.

When more than one option is left and you are not sure which way to go, that is when you pray a prayer of dedication and surrender of your choices to God. You ask God to reveal which road He wants you to take.

At that point the solution will either:

1. Become really obvious which choice to take. Somehow God will communicate which road to take, usually by opening doors and making the way before you.

-or-

2. If you don’t hear anything specific, then as long as you routinely delight yourself in the Lord, you can follow the desire in your heart.