Crucified with Christ

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Readying this morning what God’s servant the apostle Paul said: “For through the law (of Moses) I died to the LAW so that I might live FOR GOD. I HAVE BEEN CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST and I no longer live, but CHRIST LIVES IN ME! The life I now live in the body, I live by FAITH in the Son of God, who gave Himself because He loved me.” Galatians 2:19-20
What a great passage of Scripture for this time of the year when we celebrate our Lord’s death and resurrection! What a freedom I have in Christ knowing that I am ONLY justified (guilt-free and accountable to my God) to obey Him, first and foremost; the only One who truly loves me, and with an everlasting love has called to me to HIS PURPOSE ON EARTH and HIS REWARD OF ETERNAL LIFE WITH HIM. The Law of Moses shows me the sinner I am, and how needy I am of God’s mercy and grace as experienced in Christ Jesus.
No one is JUSTIFIED (free from condemnation/judgment of God) by the works of the Law of Moses, nor even by the laws of our government, and not even by being obedient to the good rules of our loving parents, or to the requirements of our employers or teachers. God, my Savior and Judge, is the only One I will stand before on the Day of Judgment and give an account of my life on earth. Christ Jesus gave Himself for me and He represents me as my Defender and High Priest that stands at the Right Hand of the Father in Heaven, watching over me for my good future, answering all my prayers for those I love. Therefore, I choose to represent my Lord on earth as best as I can (not at all perfectly!) but with all the Spirit’s help who lives in me by God’s grace.
“By the works of _________ NO ONE WILL BE JUSTIFIED!”  (Galatians 2:16)
“Does God give you His Spirit and work miracles among you BY THE WORKS OF THE LAW, OR BY BELIEVING IN WHAT YOU HAVE HEARD (according to the Gospel of Jesus Christ)?” Galatians 3:5
“For when the set time had fully come, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship. Because you are His sons, God sent the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, the Spirit who calls out, ‘Abba, Father.’ So, you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are His child, God has made you also an heir.” Galatians 4:4-7
“There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are ALL ONE in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” Galatians 3:28-29
AHHH, what are we “heirs” of? The PROMISES of GOD!  God has told us what these promises are in His Word! All that God has prepared for those who love Him is because of all that God’s Beloved Son has done for us on the Cross and His empty tomb. Hallelujah!  
BLESSINGS ON THIS PASSOVER WEEKEND – ALL GLORY TO GOD!

The Spiritual and the Physical are Connected

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This morning this passage jumped out at me, and the thought came how the spiritual and physical are connected:
“Some false believers have infiltrated our ranks to spy on the FREEDOM we have in Christ Jesus and to make us SLAVES. We did not give in to them for a moment, so that the TRUTH of the gospel might be PRESERVED for you.”  Galatians 2:4-5
The spiritual and physical are connected; one is supposed to effect the other. This is the wisdom and way of God. We see the effects of the SPIRIT OF LIFE throughout the Bible and we see the hatred for the SPIRIT OF LIFE in our societies today. Therefore, we see ruin and oppression and chaos.  In America today, it has become evident how determined this evil-bent in our ranks of government wants complete control over all that is good and holy.   
I’ve taken what Paul says in this passage and written it with its ‘physical/national’ effect:
“Some false believers (in our Constitution/Bill of Rights/Independence under God) have progressively infiltrated our ranks of government to organize a party by which to take our God-given freedom from us and make us their slaves. We did not and will not give in to them so that the truth of our godly foundation – should be preserved, for our children and children’s children.” 
Why do people from poor and oppressed nations flee to America? We know why. Our nation was founded on the principles and love of God which bless anyone who will respect and live by them. Is this worth preserving? What will it take?
How should we preserve the gospel-truth and our freedom and the righteousness and justice that “exalts” a nation, as Proverbs says? Or, do you believe there is no use in fighting to preserve what our founding fathers fought and died for – so that every generation after them could live as God-fearing people were meant to live UNDER GOD’s FAVOR? Will we simply roll over and play dead? What good is our faith in God then? We are to be pitied not respected, laughed at not feared – as God says we should be respected and feared as His people. People respected, and even feared Jesus. Peace through strength – He was, and is, and IS TO COME.  
The spiritual effects the physical and the physical effects the spiritual.  They are meant to work together for the good of society! Jesus taught this by the way He lived on this earth, by the way people were drawn to Him, by the way His enemies feared Him, by the way God accomplished His will through Jesus.
The Bible teaches us that living the way we should as TRUE believers in Christ with His principles/standards/laws – would not be without threat and sacrifice.  We are to persevere in doing what is right and just in God’s eyes – for the good of all peace-loving, prospering God-fearing people, with both our spiritual and national responsibilities.
If we know God’s Word, beginning to end, then we know what’s coming and how we are responsible to do what we’ve been called to do in the Name of the Lord, both spiritually and physically.  
Clearly and woefully, the progression of evil is rapidly intensifying as the DAY of our LORD approaches. And I say, “COME LORD JESUS -COME!” Lord Jesus, finish in me what You started in me! You are the only FAITHFUL AND TRUE!  

Happy Passover!

Posted by & filed under Carols Blog.

As I approach the season of our Lord’s last supper with His disciples and when Christ was crucified on the cross for our sins, and resurrected from death to life opening the way for us - I’m reminded once again to keep my relationship with my Savior and Lord free from anything that would taint or ruin it.  
The Apostle Paul states: “If we or any angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God’s curse.” (Galatians 1:1:8) How can Paul say that his gospel is the true Gospel? Like the other “apostles” who physically talked and walked with Jesus Christ, Paul also was qualified to preach the true Gospel, having been spoken to 'by the Lord Himself' about the Jewish religion Paul was steeped in, and how then Paul was touched by the Lord to take that old sight away (causing temporary blindness) and then giving him a new sight, having the truth, the way and the life of Christ from then on which qualified him to preach to others . Paul WAS a ‘faithful religious’ man, like most people steeped in religion today, unaware.
Satan is the god of religion. Religion is worldly, but religion takes pride in doing good works, like looking after the needy and not being polluted by the world.  (James 1:27) But, good works and religion can never set us free from our sinful nature, and free us from the coming wrath of God.
The Lord God tells us in His letters (Revelation 2 and 3) to the “angels” of the churches that the GREAT majority of organized churches are steeped in religions. Jesus rebukes with a curse, five out of seven kinds of churches (religions). Because He begins each of His letters with, “To the angel of….” Each church has an angel over it, but not all angels are holy. One-third of the angels followed Satan out of heaven in rebellion to God their Creator. Those demonic angels preach and teach to bring people into religions instead of a relationship with Jesus Christ. These types of churches add and/or subtract from God’s Word to meet their own secret desires.
Religion will usually start with the simple Gospel of what Jesus did for us, but veers off over time as the devil is able to get his foothold in our lives, event he best of us. Religion does not hold the POWER for anyone to be faithful to Christ alone.  Jesus gives us that power by His Spirit and His Word as we stand on His Word.
Jesus did not come to give us RELIGION. He promised HIMSELF! He is everything, because He created everything, and holds everything in place, sustaining it all, and He will return to renew all things created that God once called “GOOD.”  (Genesis 1)
Jesus did not tell His disciples to follow their leaders, but to follow HIM alone. He is the only One at our finish line of faith in Him, waiting to welcome us and reward us.
Celebrating “EASTER” is from religion with its pagan tradition of colored eggs, bunnies, candies, etc. God said about PASSOVER: “Commemorate this Day (leaving slavery to live in the freedom of the Lord) because THE LORD BROUGHT you out of it - with His Mighty Hand… Today, in the month of AVIV (end of March/beginning of April), celebrate and tell your children, ‘I do this because of what the LORD did for me…You must keep this CELEBRATION year after year.” (Exodus 13)
Of course, the Lord gives the Jews other instructions according to the Law that WE DO NOT keep since Jesus Christ came to fulfill the sacrifices of the Old Covenant and to remove the “old veil” of the Old Covenant that keeps people steeped in RELIGION. (2 Corinthians 3:14)
Apostle Paul states to the Galatians: “The gospel I preached is not of HUMAN ORIGIN. I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation FROM JESUS CHRIST.” (Galatians 1:11-12)
I wrote a book called “Just Walk With Me” that tells my testimony (October of 2001) of how Jesus actually visited me, to set me free from RELIGION! He came to me in a vision of Himself (His back) walking a narrow path but with His right hand reaching back to me for me to take it, as He audibly said, “Carol, I love you. Just walk with Me.”
This was at a time (25 years after asking Him to forgive my sins and come into my heart) when religion had its grip on me, and I was unaware of it. My Savior rescued me! My book goes into detail about it.  The LORD, my Savior, came to me at a time in my life when I was desperate for Him to show me what HE ALONE thought of me, and wanted with me. And He did, and still does, as I meet with Him each morning.
To be honest, it’s hard to sit in any organized church today, even those who preach the truth about Jesus Christ. The Lord’s personal visit ruined me for any more religion. Glory to my KING! Now I walk with Him, hearing what He wants me to hear, seeing what He wants me to see. I’m not telling anyone to get out of any church, but rather to make sure that ‘an organized church’ does not REPLACE the Lord in your life. Satan is clever and very successful, sadly.
God’s faithful servant Paul said, “I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may be led astray from your SIMPLE AND PURE devotion to Christ.” (2 Corinthians 11:3) Every “religion” has their own set of rules and regulations for worship and work, whether you are aware of it or not. That’s how Satan is able to deceive and lure people away from a pure and simple relationship with Jesus Christ, doing what He has for you and I to do. It might or might not include anyone else.
Religion comes from the devil with a “form of godliness.” Some religions even deny the truth about Jesus Christ. Sitting under a man’s pulpit every Sunday morning to hear the Word of God, is NOT to replace you sitting with the Lord each morning to fellowship with Him. Religion wants you to feel you’ve done your religious duties by obeying your leaders alone.  Religion has things for you to do to keep you busy and fooled. Religion wants you bearing your soul to their so-called qualified people. Religion wants you to feel forgiven by confessing your sins to a man or woman priest. Religion wants you praying the way THEY pray, telling you how you should pray or not pray. (I’m speaking from experience.)
When I go to God first with anything, God works through people that HE chooses. And sometimes He does miracles so that no one is able to take any credit. So go to God and wait for God. This is true faith. Stay in fellowship with the Lord each morning and throughout the day, acknowledging Him in all your ways, living before Him day and night; for GOD IS OUR FATHER AND LOVES US WITH HIS EVERLASTING LOVE! Do not get caught unaware of the devil’s schemes against a “pure and simple relationship and devotion to Jesus Christ.” Remember all HE has done for you!
HAPPY PASSOVER!   

The Eternal Glory

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Father God, You have a good purpose for everything in our lives, even when it doesn’t feel good, or go along with our measly plans. So we pray to You, because You are the ONLY faithful and true. You can do all things impossible for us to do – that must get done through those You can count on no matter what. We trust You to guide us as we journey on with You keeping to Your narrow path as we endure all kinds of hardships in our lives. For we know there is a “finish line” and “reward” for faith that won’t shrink back. And by keeping my eye on the finish line I’m convinced I’ll see my longing come true. We know that Your good purpose in all our troubles of this life is for our faith in You to grow, our hope in Your promises to stand the tests of our time, and our sincere love for You to fade out all fears, so that we can reach hearts prepared by You. Holy Father, we need You to bless our faith as it matures, lest we weaken from our own doubts. Help us to understand the way that Your PERFECT LOVE works, through these imperfect vessels, so that You are blessed with the fruit of our words, hands, and unity in serving the Gospel of Christ Jesus our Lord. All that You ‘permit’ us to go through, as disappointing, frightening, troublesome and life-threatening it is – is achieving for us that eternal glory that far outweighs it all. Therefore, we stay fixed, NOT on what is seen, but rather on what is unseen; for what is seen is temporal, but what is UNSEEN is ETERNAL. Yours is the Kingdom and the Power and the Glory FOREVER! Thank You Father God, for You have not hidden Yourself from anyone who desires the truth about You and about themselves. You will be found by anyone with faith to believe in who You say You are. You won’t hide the truth of life’s questions from those who will hold to Your truth no matter what. You will increase our wisdom and means as we put what we have come to know about You to good usage, blessing You for blessing us with Your treasured favor. Give us the continual opportunities to share our personal testimonies of how faithful and wonderful You are – to those prepared by You to hear, and then taste for themselves how awesome You are. Oh how worthy You are to be praised and worshipped! I am filled with the life that is TRULY LIFE. You have watched over me from the start, right out of my mother’s womb, and I don’t know why You chose me, but I’m forever grateful. When I found out how much I needed You at the end of myself, having my own way, You quickly came to me and said, “I love you. Just walk with Me.” You showed me the Way to simply follow You without the shame and guilt in denying all others. YOU are the only One at that “finish line” of faith in You and Your Word to me. Oh how I love You Father, Son and Holy Spirit!

God’s Chosen

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This morning in prayer I was talking to the LORD about the evils all around us and how hard it’s becoming to have a lifestyle we’ve been used to. Then I started thinking about how God, from the beginning of man, chose ‘men with faith in Him’ to bring His Son to the earth as the Savior of the world and to lead us into the LIFE that is truly life; into the PEACE the world knows nothing about; to show us the way to endure the EVIL days while we wait His coming.
From the beginning of mankind God chose a generational line, from the “first man Adam to the last man Jesus Christ.”  Adam gave over his (man’s) dominion of his inheritance of the earth - to the devil - when Adam disobeyed his Father God about eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Satan worked through Eve to get Adam to eat the fruit. Adam’s son Cain killed his brother Abel whom God favored. Adam and Eve then had another son. Eve said of Seth: “God has granted me another son in place of Abel.” “Seth also had a son and he named him Enosh. At that time people BEGAN to call on the Name of the LORD.” Genesis 4:25-26
After Seth, then the others came in the chosen line on down through the generations to Noah. Noah’s grandfather, Methuselah, lived 969 years, and Noah’s father, Lamech, lived 777 years. Noah became a father at the age of 500 years old and Noah lived to be 950 years old. (Genesis 5)  Why don’t we live this long? Our sin ‘nature’ that Adam passed on has caused our lifespan to diminish over time.
In Matthew chapter 1 is recorded the ongoing chosen line with Abraham (from Noah’s son Shem), for the genealogy of God’s Son coming into the world as our Savior. Abraham to Isaac and then Jacob, and then from Jacob’s 12 sons, the line comes through Judah, and is why Christ is called the “LION OF JUDAH.” He’ll come again but not as the LAMB of God, but as the LION with a ROAR of VICTORY. Jesus is called “the First and the Last.” (Revelation 22:13) “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.”
That was God’s purpose of the “chosen line” of men, to bring His Son into the world as our Savior Redeemer, and by the miraculous way of a virgin with the seed of God’s Spirit, so the father of Jesus would not be a man with the sin nature passed on to Him.  Then from Christ’s line (not having a wife or any sexual relations) comes the last of the chosen line: born-again Spirit-filled believers.
God spoke to Noah, and Noah believed God. This is what qualifies a man (or woman) to be called a man (or woman) of God through whom God works and speaks. Noah must have spent a maximum of 100 years (and probably slightly less) building the Ark. This time frame was the time God gave to Noah to also warn people about the coming judgment and to turn to the LORD GOD to be saved.  The Ark was God’s way of saving His chosen line for human life to continue. Jesus Christ is also known as the ARK OF GOD. Are you in Him?
We are told in Scripture: “As it was in the days of Noah so shall it be at the coming of the Son of Man.” (Matthew 25:37) Jesus IS coming again to reign one thousand years on the earth to conquer all evil and even death, and to renew all things that God once called “good.” What God has said, God will do in the time He has purposed.
I don’t know about you, but I am finding myself unable to enjoy life like I used to. The only thing that I really find enjoyment in is my husband and children and friends who love the LORD. My heart is increasingly grieved as evil rapidly intensifies on the earth because of man’s evolving godlessness, technology, and evil activity against anything to do with God and God’s people. But, it’s all building up to the coming of Satan personified, “the Man of Lawlessness.” Satan thinks he has accomplished his will to reign with his evil one world order because every nation’s government has finally become godless, sadly even America. According to 2 Thessalonians 2: “The One who now RESTRAINS him (the devil embodying a man) will continue to restrain him until He (God’s Holy Spirit) is taken out of the way. Then the lawless one will be REVEALED (on earth for all to worship), whom the LORD JESUS WILL SLAY with the breath of His Mouth and annihilate by the majesty of His arrival (Revelation 19:11 on).” GLORY!
When the Holy Spirit is taken off the earth, God’s Spirit-filled people go with Him to meet the LORD HIMSELF in the clouds. (Daniel 12 talks about it.)  This is what is scripturally known as “the rapture of the Bride of Christ.” Then watch out! The remaining judgments from chapters 11-18 of Revelation are still coming: 7th Trumpet Judgments and the 7 Bowl Judgments begin, which is called the GREAT TRIBULATION years on the earth (a short time of 3 ½ years or 7 years depending on your study about that time).  Last chance people! When the KING of king and LORD of lords returns – that’s it! No more mercy from God. God has been patient long enough! His patience has a time-period, isn’t that interesting.
God has a new world coming with His Son and His holy people. Hallelujah!   “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no heart has imagined, what God has planned for those who love Him.” (1 Corinthians 2:9) This is what I long for! This is our LORD’s longing too! 
In the book of Revelation, we see the current and coming judgments on the earth (the 7 seals, 7 trumpets and 7 bowls of Revelation chapters 11-18) used by God to incite/provoke/motivate/inflame people to call on the LORD JESUS as their Savior - before it’s too late. When will it be too late? When King Jesus returns just as He said He would, on time and in all His glory!
Revelation 19 then describes what happens to the godless nations of this world, and to Satan and his beast and prophet (technology and media), and even death. (Chapters 19-22). But sadly, as we see and hear, all these holy judgments that are rooted in the love of God (yes they are rooted in His love!) won’t bring all people to their knees in surrender and worship of the One True Living God, but only “the few.”  What we do see happening is man furthering his false belief that he is in control. “The fools says in his heart that there is no God.”
You know what I love about my LORD JESUS? If I was the only one throughout the history of mankind to believe in Him, He still would’ve come and died for just me, to pardon me and bless me with the love and life of my Father God.
I find it interesting that in the last chapter of the Bible (Revelation 22), it is titled “Eden Restored.” What God first intended for those who love and obey Him – God has and will accomplish through His Son: the only FAITHFUL AND TRUE!

Faithful and True

Posted by & filed under Mikes Blog.

Promises given by Jesus to His church. Our bodies are buried in brokenness, but they will be raised in glory. They are buried in weakness, but they will be raised in strength. We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed. That is why we never give up.

Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet, they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So, we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.

When I am afraid, I will put my trust in You. I praise God for what He has promised. I trust in God, so why should I be afraid. You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in Your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book. So where does our hope come from? From the government? NO! Our hope comes when we stand on the promises of God as He has written in the Bible. Today is the time to be in the Bible, day to day, and not listening to the media that can only put fear in you and give you a FALSE peace. God is the only FAITHFUL AND TRUE! Trust in Him.

Freedom Only in Christ

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There are Christians who think they need to live under the Law of Moses, or under the rules and regulations of religion.

 

Some proclaim how Christians must worship on Saturday, not Sunday, and if we don’t then what? Others believe they are to work their way to heaven, doing good deeds. Others who believe in Jesus Christ dying on the Cross for them, can still live worldly lives without any consequences.

 

“We are NOT like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to prevent the Israelites from seeing THE END OF WHAT WAS PASSING AWAY. But their minds were made dull, for to this day (of Christ’s Church) the same veil remains when the Old Covenant is read. It has NOT been removed, because only IN CHRIST is it taken away. Even to this day when Moses is read (the old order), a veil covers their HEARTS. But whenever anyone turns to the LORD JESUS CHRIST (for what He has done to redeem us and help us live the life that is truly life), the veil is taken away. Now the LORD is the SPIRIT, and where the Spirit of the LORD is, THERE IS FREEDOM.” (2 Corinthians 3:12-17)

 

What “freedom” do you think God’s servant, Paul, is referring to? Freedom from the desire to live sinfully (according to what Jesus calls sin). Freedom to worship our Savior EVERY day of the week, and not just on one day of the week. Freedom from trying to please people. Freedom from doing what our government forces us to do against our will. Freedom from the lies of Satan which go against God’s good will for us.

 

We each must stand before Jesus Christ one day to give an account of how we served Him ONLY. Jesus acknowledged that HE IS THE FULFILLMENT of all that pertains to the old order of sacrifices and celebrations and detailed ways to worship GOD. Jesus did not give His apostles any rules and regulations for the “new order” of worshipping and serving the LORD GOD, except that we worship and serve out of love for the LORD.

 

We are free to live for the LORD as the indwelling Holy Spirit convicts each of us and guides each of us. Gathering together to fellowship in Christ is a blessing to all who do it, no matter when and how. We use our God-given gifts from the Holy Spirit to the glory of Christ as we bless each other with our gifts from God.

 

The New Testament teaches that all we do – be done out of our love for the LORD; that His truth and love motivate us with its power to get the wonderful results that God is after and that God will reward. Living under the power of Christ’s love and word to us – will never fail us. But trying to abide under man’s “law,” even the “Law of Moses” will fail us because we will always be guilty of breaking those law in one way or another.

 

The Bible refers to how some see one day more important than the other 6 days, but that others see every day the same in importance, as to holy worship. Both are free in Christ! We are not to judge the ‘conscience’ of others. God will have a final day for all things to be judged. We will be judged as to how we used our freedom and faith in Christ Jesus.

 

I had a Catholic neighbor friend speak to me recently in such a way, concerning the religious season of “lent,” that caused me to see how she is living under the rules and regulations of Catholicism. In a conversation we had the first time we went to lunch to get to know each other, I was talking to her about heaven, and she stated that she hopes she’ll go to heaven. Well, I asked her if the Holy Spirit lived in her. She just looked at me. Then I shared with her that because the LORD’s Spirit lives in me, I KNOW and I’M CONVINCED that when I die I will rise to be with the LORD forever. Nothing can separate me from Him! NOTHING!

 

Apostle John teaches us that we are to “know” and live convinced.

 

Religion will always leave you doubting and feeling the need to work your way to heaven by being good, or by following the rules and regulations of the kind of religion in this world that you choose to follow. Jesus came to give us a true and blessed relationship with Himself, and not to put us in prisons of religion. A personal relationship with Jesus Christ is the KEY that unlocks and frees!

 

 

James 1:22-25 “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the PERFECT law that gives FREEDOM, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.”

 

The law of Moses was not perfect. Jesus is the “perfect” law for our life. I love reading His words (printed in red) in the Holy Bible! Every Word that God Himself has spoken that we read in the Bible – will be fulfilled by God’s Son “who was, and is and IS TO COME.” HALLELUJAH!

 

To be “in Christ” is to live freely for the One who has given Himself FREELY to redeem us, so we can live as children of the LIVING GOD with great joy and longing for His Kingdom of everlasting life. OH HAPPY DAY – THE DAY HE WASHED MY SINS AWAY!!!

 

 

I Believe Without any But

Posted by & filed under Mikes Blog.

Every morning I get up early and it is in this time of quietness that I pray as I think about my life, my family, my friends, the future. As I read the Scriptures this morning there was one verse that came to my mind: Mark 9:24, “I do believe, but….”

 

 

As I thought about the word, “but” I understood how that word replaces “I believe.” We either believe, or we do not believe.  There is no walking the fence to God.  Believing or unbelieving will always show up in ways that I live my life. I considered how many times that I have doubted what God has said to me. When I hear Him, I immediately believe, BUT then when the testing (waiting on His word to me to be fulfilled), I begin to doubt His word to me. “I believe Lord, but….”

 

 

I want to believe, I want to trust, I want to walk by faith, and yet it seems I come to doubting and to even shrinking back in my faith in Him when it gets hard to wait. For then I tend to do things I will regret later. It reminds me of the Lord’s parable about the “Sower and the Seed.” You can receive the truth from the Lord eagerly and joyfully, but then later (when life puts it to the test) fall away for various reasons. Very few keep going with the Lord, no matter what.

 

 

In this passage about a father with a son possessed by an evil spirit from childhood, the father goes to Jesus for help. The father had gone to the Lord’s disciples for help but the disciples couldn’t cast out the spirit. He says to Jesus: “But if you can do anything , take pity on us and help us.”  Jesus replies to the father: “If you can? Everything is possible for one who believes.”  Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed: “I do believe, BUT help me with my unbelief!” The result was Jesus freeing the son from the possession of an evil spirit, but our faith in what the Lord can do is the key that releases His power when we come to Him with ANYTHING!  Sometimes we see it immediately and other times we must wait – and not give up.

 

 

Lord, help me to overcome my own unbelief! I want to be known as someone You never heard the word “but” come from! I want to finish with You all the way to the end of my life on earth.

Demonstration of the Spirit’s Power

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The apostle Paul: “My message and my preaching were not with persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power.” 1 Corinthians 2:4

 

What did Paul mean by “a demonstration?”  Merely repeating what the Scripture says about the Gospel of Jesus Christ, isn’t enough to see people getting saved and growing up in the Lord. One must have God’s power “demonstrated” in one’s life in order to preach or teach the Word of God, or else that one is merely a hypocrite, like that man who wanted the power he saw with some of the Lord’s disciples who were casting out demons. He thought he could buy that power somehow, and then just say the words the apostles said and VWALLA! “Look at how POWERFUL I am!”

 

When God’s power is demonstrated in our lives – the WORD of GOD LIVES.  I listen to some of our politicians using the Word of God to make their political points. They give over the impression that they are Christians, but then you see what they ‘actually’ stand for and what they are ‘actually’ doing to our country “under God” – and it’s obvious they are using the Word of God for their own self-serving benefit of remaining in power. Wicked!

 

Do you have a testimony of how the Gospel of Jesus Christ – changed your life? Do you continue to have testimonies (plural) of how reading, meditating, studying the whole Word of God – continues to mature you in the Lord?

 

Hebrews teaches us in chapter 6: “Let us MOVE BEYOND the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to MATURITY….” (vs. 1) What are the “elementary” teachings? Paul gives: 1. Laying the FOUNDATION of repentance from acts that lead to death. (We continue to confess our sins, but we must let the power of the HOLY Spirit free us so we can move on to maturity in the Lord.) 2. The laying on of hands (to be filled with the Holy Spirit to fulfill your calling from God, which is near impossible for you to do in your own power). 3. Instructions about cleansing rites. (Remaining clean in the sight of the Lord, now that you’ve been forgiven past/present/future; quickly admitting sin and asking for the Lord’s help to overcome. “If we confess our sins, He is able and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”) 4. The teaching about the resurrection of the dead (in Christ – forever with Him). 5. The teaching of Eternal Judgment. (We will all be judged, one way or another.)

 

Then Paul goes on to say that when a person does NOT move on to maturity but remains a nursing infant on the milk (elementary teaching) of the Word, not growing to maturity with the Lord on the solid meat of God’s Word – that infant becomes USELESS to God. What is a baby able to do for anyone? Imagine an adult person still nursing on his/her mother’s breasts. ICK! Right?

 

Paul even states: “It is IMPOSSIBLE for those who have once (first saved) been enlightened (foundation of elementary teachings), who have TASTED the heavenly gift (God’s wonderful grace in his/her life), who have shared in the Holy Spirit (His love/joy/peace), who have TASTED the goodness of the word of God (early evidence of His goodness) and the powers of the coming age (now looking forward to the return of the Lord) AND YET HAVE FALLEN AWAY, TO BE BROUGHT BACK TO REPENTANCE.” What did Paul actually mean here that “It is impossible to be brought back to repentance?”  He then explains what he means: “To their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting Him to public disgrace.” (vs. 4-7)

 

What? “Crucifying Jesus again?” What comes to me is how those who put Jesus up on that cross over 2K years ago mocked Him for being on that cross, IF HE WAS WHO HE SAID HE WAS. Where’s the evidence? WE ARE! Those who are in Him all the way.

 

“Subjecting Him to public disgrace?” What comes to me is how people of the world look at most Christians today (especially in America) and laugh at us when we talk about God and Jesus Christ. Why? Because we don’t seem to be living any differently than the people of the world!

 

As an “infant” we remain in a place of self-deception, living pretty much as we please. What stops us from maturity? Maybe we are fearful of sharing the Gospel of Christ, not willing to be persecuted in any way. We don’t know how to go without things we’re used to having. Waiting on the Lord is too hard. Learning new things isn’t always fun! Maybe we love our sin more than we love the Lord’s will in our life. Maybe we are afraid of what our friends will say, and afraid of being rejected by those we grew up with. Maybe we are afraid of what the Lord would call us to do that we don’t want to do, or what the Lord would require from us that we are not willing to give up.

 

People have all kinds of reasons for remaining “infants” but an ‘infant in the Lord’ won’t realize what the ‘mature in the Lord’ experience ‘with the Lord’ and are then rewarded in glory for being faithful to the Lord all the way TO THE END.

 

I love knowing that what my Lord began in me, He will complete in me – with my cooperation of course! For, I need Him to live the life He has called me to; the life that is TRULY LIFE!  Lord, demonstrate YOUR POWER in my life! Give me wisdom in how to use it!

 

 

Deny God’s Truth and Forever Sorrowful

Posted by & filed under Mikes Blog.

Isaiah 5

“What sorrow for those who drag their sins behind them with ropes made of lies, who drag wickedness behind them like a cart! What sorrow for those who say that evil is good and good is evil, that dark is light and light is dark. What sorrow for those who are wise in their own eyes and think themselves so clever. What sorrow for those who let the wicked go free and punish the innocent. For they have rejected the law of the LORD, and they have despised the word of the Holy One.”

 

Today this woke generation thinks that if they can destroy the vessel by which truth of the Bible comes through, it will somehow destroy the truth that comes from God. So, they search to bring up one’s past and say, “How can you say this? Look at your life!”

 

It is true that we do damage our own lives all by ourselves, and the consequences of our actions will make it all the harder for people to hear the truth from us. But! It still does not stop the truth from God! God has as many vessels as He chooses! And the power of the Gospel of His Son getting out into the world – has nothing to do with our past or future sins. Amazing GRACE!

 

What Isaiah said is still going to happen when people deny the truth from God; your life will be full of SORROW!