Loving God means keeping His commandments, and His commandments are not burdensome.
(1Jn 5:3 NLT)
Do we love God by the words of our mouth alone? If our love for him does not move us to action then we do not love Him but if our hands and feet are busy doing the work He has purposed for us then we know our love for Him is real. Because He first loved us and we in turn have come to know Him by His Word we can be confident when asking for His help. We only need our eyes opened by His Holy Spirit to know we cannot make it on our own.
And we are confident that He hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases Him.
(1Jn 5:14 NLT)
The closer you get to the light the more cracks and crevices are revealed but that’s okay because if God has revealed these things then He has already started working on them so that your faith might be perfected in Him. We all know what sin looks like when it comes to outward actions but did you know to hear God’s Holy Spirit tell you to do something and choosing not to do it is not pleasing to God either? If God moves on your heart to minister to someone and you remain quiet that is direct disobedience, as much so as Jonah had refused the Lord when he was told to minister to the people of Nineveh (Jonah 1) but God had a plan for Jonah and He has a plan for us. So we are to pray for each other so that we might have the courage to do what the Lord asks of us.
We know that God's children do not make a practice of sinning, for God's Son holds them securely, and the evil one cannot touch them.
(1Jn 5:18 NLT)
If Jonah would have been allowed to get away with disobeying what do you think that would have done to his relationship with God? Eventually, his selfish desires would have taken the place of God and he would have found himself in a place much worse than the belly of that big fish. It may not have been as dramatic but to truly face life without God is no place I want to be and I know this because each time I willingly sin I turn from Him and God allows me to see where my plans lead but He is faithful to hold me not because I always want to be held but because He knows what is best for me and I love Him because of it.
Dear children, keep away from anything that might take God's place in your hearts.
(1Jn 5:21 NLT)
Monday, June 9, 2014
Friday, June 6, 2014
Of God or not
Dear friends, do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God. For there are many false prophets in the world. This is how we know if they have the Spirit of God: If a person claiming to be a prophet acknowledges that Jesus Christ came in a real body, that person has the Spirit of God. But if someone claims to be a prophet and does not acknowledge the truth about Jesus, that person is not from God. Such a person has the spirit of the Antichrist, which you heard is coming into the world and indeed is already here.
(1Jn 4:1-3 NLT)
This is how you know if the teacher is of God or of the world, read the Antichrist. Strong words indeed, but they indicate just how serious it is that you listen to the truth. By the same standard the teacher can know who he/she is speaking to. Look at verse six.
But we belong to God, and those who know God listen to us. If they do not belong to God, they do not listen to us. That is how we know if someone has the Spirit of truth or the spirit of deception.
(1Jn 4:6 NLT)
I have been guilty of trying to win over people’s hearts and minds as I teach and I have found myself becoming frustrated as I presented the truth because no action would follow. What I did not understand, according to 1 John 4 is that I had come face to face with a natural, spiritual boundary between those who are of God and those who are not. As I walked through this with my instructor he reminded me that it was neither his job nor mine to determine the outcome for those who came to the class but rather simply present the truth and when the time was right God’s Holy Spirit would remind them of the truth they heard.
1 John 4 goes on to talk about God’s great love and because He has loved us so much we surely ought to love one another, if God lives in us. Do you struggle with that person that has seemingly set themselves against you, regardless of what you do, good or bad? You should know that God’s love is not in them and surely the enemy is in the attack. Do not get caught up in retaliation; instead be found in God so that God may be found in you. Show love, not the conditional love the world gives but God’s love that has no strings attached. Remember you are not fighting a battle of the flesh but of the spirit and to win you must use spiritual weapons mentioned in Ephesians 6. As we learn to live this way God says our love will grow more perfect, therefore we will not fear the Day of Judgment that all mankind will one day face. What a reward that will be to stand before God and all mankind and be found as one of His children! Not only that but there will be those who hated you that gave into God’s love because of the love they saw in you who also will be called God’s children and you will be able to celebrate with them because of the things the Lord has done. So live a life filled with God’s love, free from fear because perfect love expels all fear, in this way also we show others that we know God.
If someone says, "I love God," but hates a Christian brother or sister, that person is a liar; for if we don't love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see?
(1Jn 4:20 NLT)
(1Jn 4:1-3 NLT)
This is how you know if the teacher is of God or of the world, read the Antichrist. Strong words indeed, but they indicate just how serious it is that you listen to the truth. By the same standard the teacher can know who he/she is speaking to. Look at verse six.
But we belong to God, and those who know God listen to us. If they do not belong to God, they do not listen to us. That is how we know if someone has the Spirit of truth or the spirit of deception.
(1Jn 4:6 NLT)
I have been guilty of trying to win over people’s hearts and minds as I teach and I have found myself becoming frustrated as I presented the truth because no action would follow. What I did not understand, according to 1 John 4 is that I had come face to face with a natural, spiritual boundary between those who are of God and those who are not. As I walked through this with my instructor he reminded me that it was neither his job nor mine to determine the outcome for those who came to the class but rather simply present the truth and when the time was right God’s Holy Spirit would remind them of the truth they heard.
1 John 4 goes on to talk about God’s great love and because He has loved us so much we surely ought to love one another, if God lives in us. Do you struggle with that person that has seemingly set themselves against you, regardless of what you do, good or bad? You should know that God’s love is not in them and surely the enemy is in the attack. Do not get caught up in retaliation; instead be found in God so that God may be found in you. Show love, not the conditional love the world gives but God’s love that has no strings attached. Remember you are not fighting a battle of the flesh but of the spirit and to win you must use spiritual weapons mentioned in Ephesians 6. As we learn to live this way God says our love will grow more perfect, therefore we will not fear the Day of Judgment that all mankind will one day face. What a reward that will be to stand before God and all mankind and be found as one of His children! Not only that but there will be those who hated you that gave into God’s love because of the love they saw in you who also will be called God’s children and you will be able to celebrate with them because of the things the Lord has done. So live a life filled with God’s love, free from fear because perfect love expels all fear, in this way also we show others that we know God.
If someone says, "I love God," but hates a Christian brother or sister, that person is a liar; for if we don't love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see?
(1Jn 4:20 NLT)
Wednesday, June 4, 2014
God's blessings
Dear children, let's not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions.
(1Jn 3:18 NLT)
And we will receive from Him whatever we ask because we obey Him and do the things that please Him.
(1Jn 3:22 NLT)
We work so hard to live “the good life” that sometimes we forget the best life is a blessed life. As a father I have tried to instill in my children that in order to be blessed they had to do what was right – work hard at school, do their chores, be kind to one another, and listen and obey their parents. It has not always worked, too often I’ve seen them pick up an attitude of entitlement from their peers and to be honest we do the same with God many times as adults. Just as this attitude discussed me as a parent because it was dishonoring and disrespectful and took what I offered for granted I imagine God feels much the same way when we, as His children act this way. The results of this behavior yielded the opposite of blessings, which often caused frustration in the child.
Have you ever seen an adult who was so driven and self-motivated that the world placed them on a pedestal as an example of what a successful person looks like? Many times this adult was a child who did not understand the correlation between obedience and blessings and so he/she relied on themselves to obtain what they wanted out of life but does their striving make them strong, does their endless pushing bring them any closer to what they are missing or does it send them down a dead end road, further from the truth? You see we were created to desire our Creator’s blessings but they are only obtained through listening and obeying but the enemy lies to us, telling us there is a shortcut but no matter how hard we work the best we can do is obtain stuff that temporarily brings happiness. King David’s son Solomon said this…
"Everything is meaningless," says the Teacher, "completely meaningless!" What do people get for all their hard work under the sun? Generations come and generations go, but the earth never changes.
(Ecc 1:2-4 NLT)
Solomon was the wisest person who ever lived and had riches beyond compare if anyone could obtain enough stuff to make them happy surely it was him but through arrogance or ignorance we strive just the same unless we are listening to God’s still small voice, which leads us to the truth and to fulfillment in this life.
(1Jn 3:18 NLT)
And we will receive from Him whatever we ask because we obey Him and do the things that please Him.
(1Jn 3:22 NLT)
We work so hard to live “the good life” that sometimes we forget the best life is a blessed life. As a father I have tried to instill in my children that in order to be blessed they had to do what was right – work hard at school, do their chores, be kind to one another, and listen and obey their parents. It has not always worked, too often I’ve seen them pick up an attitude of entitlement from their peers and to be honest we do the same with God many times as adults. Just as this attitude discussed me as a parent because it was dishonoring and disrespectful and took what I offered for granted I imagine God feels much the same way when we, as His children act this way. The results of this behavior yielded the opposite of blessings, which often caused frustration in the child.
Have you ever seen an adult who was so driven and self-motivated that the world placed them on a pedestal as an example of what a successful person looks like? Many times this adult was a child who did not understand the correlation between obedience and blessings and so he/she relied on themselves to obtain what they wanted out of life but does their striving make them strong, does their endless pushing bring them any closer to what they are missing or does it send them down a dead end road, further from the truth? You see we were created to desire our Creator’s blessings but they are only obtained through listening and obeying but the enemy lies to us, telling us there is a shortcut but no matter how hard we work the best we can do is obtain stuff that temporarily brings happiness. King David’s son Solomon said this…
"Everything is meaningless," says the Teacher, "completely meaningless!" What do people get for all their hard work under the sun? Generations come and generations go, but the earth never changes.
(Ecc 1:2-4 NLT)
Solomon was the wisest person who ever lived and had riches beyond compare if anyone could obtain enough stuff to make them happy surely it was him but through arrogance or ignorance we strive just the same unless we are listening to God’s still small voice, which leads us to the truth and to fulfillment in this life.
Sunday, June 1, 2014
The lesson of listening
And if your hand—even your stronger hand—causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.
(Mat 5:30 NLT)
Jesus said this and still Christians wonder why bad things happen to good people, is it possible that “bad things” happen to keep God’s children on the straight and narrow? I have seen many times where someone who belongs to God by confessing Him as Lord and Savior and who sincerely love Him start down the path of pride, unforgiveness, bitterness, etc. only to have their attention refocused after going through a difficulty which required them to let go of the sin they were holding onto so that the desperate situation they were going through didn’t overtake them. I have no doubt God will use whatever means necessary to get our attention. Of course this only happens after we repeatedly choose to not listen to the moving of His Holy Spirit.
If the sin in this Christians life also breaks the law then God may choose to reach that person through jail; God does not promise to keep us isolated from the consequences of our own choices what gave us such an idea? The difficulty God uses is not as important as the end result and we, His children, have a choice. This gift of choice will not be taken from us even if it means we are eternally separated from God. We can choose to trust Him and obey or we can dive deeper into the desires of our own flesh. This is not to say there won’t be struggles between one’s flesh and spirit and sometimes it will even appear that the flesh has won. Remember even Christ Jesus was tempted but never sinned. So being tempted is not wrong but yielding to it is. You should also remember God’s grace is sufficient for all our needs just don’t think His grace means you have a free ticket to act however you want. You are a representative of the character of God and along with that are God’s laws and precepts given to us through His Word.
If you are caught in an addiction rest assured God knows your struggles and He even understands why you are uniquely addicted to this sin that so easily besets you but that does not mean you are shielded from the consequences that follow. You who struggle know how many times God’s still small voice has spoken to you right before you made the decision to do wrong and it is this small still voice that will lead us out of our addictions, if we listen and obey. Sadly, for many it takes a tragedy and being brought to a place of desperation before we are willing to listen, no one wants to go there but so many lack the strength to obey until they understand that their choice has great costs associated with it. That is why Jesus said it is better to lose your eye or hand than not enter the kingdom of Heaven. Unfortunately we would also have to lose our thoughts and memories but the point is made very clear, the temporary does not hold value over the eternal.
In all things be thankful, even when you have hit bottom and there is no place to look but up. Above all understand that God loves us beyond what we ourselves can understand and He will do anything to bring us to the point of preparation so that we are ready to live with Him for all eternity and still it is our choice. Yes, God is holy and holiness requires that we be holy and if this shell, this home where our spirits currently abide must be put through difficulties so that our spirits are awaken to the eternal then so be it. God will not give you more than you can handle, that is true but He will crash through the limits you have previously put on yourself so that you can be what He intended but you must trust that He is good and all things work together for the good to those who love God and are called according to His purpose.
(Mat 5:30 NLT)
Jesus said this and still Christians wonder why bad things happen to good people, is it possible that “bad things” happen to keep God’s children on the straight and narrow? I have seen many times where someone who belongs to God by confessing Him as Lord and Savior and who sincerely love Him start down the path of pride, unforgiveness, bitterness, etc. only to have their attention refocused after going through a difficulty which required them to let go of the sin they were holding onto so that the desperate situation they were going through didn’t overtake them. I have no doubt God will use whatever means necessary to get our attention. Of course this only happens after we repeatedly choose to not listen to the moving of His Holy Spirit.
If the sin in this Christians life also breaks the law then God may choose to reach that person through jail; God does not promise to keep us isolated from the consequences of our own choices what gave us such an idea? The difficulty God uses is not as important as the end result and we, His children, have a choice. This gift of choice will not be taken from us even if it means we are eternally separated from God. We can choose to trust Him and obey or we can dive deeper into the desires of our own flesh. This is not to say there won’t be struggles between one’s flesh and spirit and sometimes it will even appear that the flesh has won. Remember even Christ Jesus was tempted but never sinned. So being tempted is not wrong but yielding to it is. You should also remember God’s grace is sufficient for all our needs just don’t think His grace means you have a free ticket to act however you want. You are a representative of the character of God and along with that are God’s laws and precepts given to us through His Word.
If you are caught in an addiction rest assured God knows your struggles and He even understands why you are uniquely addicted to this sin that so easily besets you but that does not mean you are shielded from the consequences that follow. You who struggle know how many times God’s still small voice has spoken to you right before you made the decision to do wrong and it is this small still voice that will lead us out of our addictions, if we listen and obey. Sadly, for many it takes a tragedy and being brought to a place of desperation before we are willing to listen, no one wants to go there but so many lack the strength to obey until they understand that their choice has great costs associated with it. That is why Jesus said it is better to lose your eye or hand than not enter the kingdom of Heaven. Unfortunately we would also have to lose our thoughts and memories but the point is made very clear, the temporary does not hold value over the eternal.
In all things be thankful, even when you have hit bottom and there is no place to look but up. Above all understand that God loves us beyond what we ourselves can understand and He will do anything to bring us to the point of preparation so that we are ready to live with Him for all eternity and still it is our choice. Yes, God is holy and holiness requires that we be holy and if this shell, this home where our spirits currently abide must be put through difficulties so that our spirits are awaken to the eternal then so be it. God will not give you more than you can handle, that is true but He will crash through the limits you have previously put on yourself so that you can be what He intended but you must trust that He is good and all things work together for the good to those who love God and are called according to His purpose.
Thursday, May 22, 2014
Understanding the battle
It seems life as a Christian is filled with minor hills and valleys as I ascend and descend in altitude. To put it another way I know my spirit is strengthened from spending time with God, waiting to hear His voice, and obeying but even while doing this I can sense this notion that I am either about to go through a battle (usually with my own flesh) or I don’t quite understand the battle is already taking place but the decision to do right or wrong hasn’t taken place yet. Somehow my decision that is yet to come is being impacted by the things I believe or don’t believe right now so when that time comes the battle is either over very fast or I resist but feel the attack will only grow in strength. As an end result I feel weaker than I should be and a defeated attitude washes over me.
I know this, somehow victory is tied to rejoicing in the Lord for what He has done. Too often I find myself in a state of minor frustration because of surrounding circumstances or relationships with co-workers, family, and friends. This position wears on me spiritually until my resolve is broken and surprise that is when the battle (not necessarily the same issue) reveals itself and my spirit which had been strong from spending time in God’s Word is now weary and unprepared. I believe rejoicing as the Israelites did, even when they didn’t feel like it, was not only for God’s benefit but for theirs as well. In rejoicing your spirit reminds your flesh that God is in control regardless of what you see, hear, or feel. By letting circumstances impact the way you live makes you sensitive yes but I don’t want to be sensitive by means of my flesh but I want to live a life that is sensitive to the moving of God’s Holy Spirit. Being sensitive to the needs of my flesh only ends in defeat but being sensitive to the desire of God’s Holy Spirit leads me into His victory!
So God thanks for this revelation, thanks for loving me even when I cannot love myself, and thanks for caring enough to bring about change in my life so that I may live according to your will. Please help me not to be tied down by my needy flesh but strengthen my spirit so that it constantly reminds me that you are a loving God and my whole life and every situation and every relationship that involves me fits in the palm of your hand. It is not my place to control but to obey, please take this offering and be glorified as I lay it at your feet. Help me to change O’ God for I cannot be who I was made to be without you in my life. In Jesus’ name, amen.
I know this, somehow victory is tied to rejoicing in the Lord for what He has done. Too often I find myself in a state of minor frustration because of surrounding circumstances or relationships with co-workers, family, and friends. This position wears on me spiritually until my resolve is broken and surprise that is when the battle (not necessarily the same issue) reveals itself and my spirit which had been strong from spending time in God’s Word is now weary and unprepared. I believe rejoicing as the Israelites did, even when they didn’t feel like it, was not only for God’s benefit but for theirs as well. In rejoicing your spirit reminds your flesh that God is in control regardless of what you see, hear, or feel. By letting circumstances impact the way you live makes you sensitive yes but I don’t want to be sensitive by means of my flesh but I want to live a life that is sensitive to the moving of God’s Holy Spirit. Being sensitive to the needs of my flesh only ends in defeat but being sensitive to the desire of God’s Holy Spirit leads me into His victory!
So God thanks for this revelation, thanks for loving me even when I cannot love myself, and thanks for caring enough to bring about change in my life so that I may live according to your will. Please help me not to be tied down by my needy flesh but strengthen my spirit so that it constantly reminds me that you are a loving God and my whole life and every situation and every relationship that involves me fits in the palm of your hand. It is not my place to control but to obey, please take this offering and be glorified as I lay it at your feet. Help me to change O’ God for I cannot be who I was made to be without you in my life. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Wednesday, May 21, 2014
God's promises remain
The Lord isn't really being slow about His promise, as some people think. No, He is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent.
(2Pe 3:9 NLT)
Jesus’ returning is no less urgent today than it was two thousand years ago, as a matter of fact the time is nearer now than ever before but because our time table is much shorter than God’s people do not concern themselves with such things. Because of this many come to the conclusion that God lied, does not exist, or is dead as a means of justifying their self-centered lives but those who believe God’s Word is truth know Jesus’ returning will be like a thief in the night and only those who overcome the flesh will be ready to leave this world behind. From the beginning God told His select few to keep their lamps burning continually and though they did not, nor could not understand why they obeyed through the generations (Exodus 27:20). Today we are reminded to do the same and though we do not know the hour of the Lord’s returning we obey. Jesus said this…
"Then the Kingdom of Heaven will be like ten bridesmaids who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. The five who were foolish didn't take enough olive oil for their lamps, but the other five were wise enough to take along extra oil. When the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep. "At midnight they were roused by the shout, 'Look, the bridegroom is coming! Come out and meet him!' "All the bridesmaids got up and prepared their lamps. Then the five foolish ones asked the others, 'Please give us some of your oil because our lamps are going out.' "But the others replied, 'We don't have enough for all of us. Go to a shop and buy some for yourselves.' "But while they were gone to buy oil, the bridegroom came. Then those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was locked. Later, when the other five bridesmaids returned, they stood outside, calling, 'Lord! Lord! Open the door for us!' "But he called back, 'Believe me, I don't know you!'
(Mat 25:1-12 NLT)
How do we keep our lamps burning, how do we make sure like the five wise bridesmaids we keep enough oil? Relationship – seeking and finding, listening and obeying, following the unseen! Do you spend time alone with God, do you seek Him because that is what you desire or do you do it begrudgingly or not at all because the Lord has delayed? What will you do when His return catches you off guard and you are not prepared, surely then it will be too late. Don’t be short-sighted, look to His promises and understand that nothing in this world holds value when compared to the next. Again Jesus said…
Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant on the lookout for choice pearls. When he discovered a pearl of great value, he sold everything he owned and bought it!
(Mat 13:45-46 NLT)
Are we willing to sell everything we call “ours” to buy that which we could never afford if it were not for the magnificent grace and great love of our Lord Jesus Christ? He was obedient unto death can we not give ourselves as living sacrifices so that we might be called His? God’s promises are true, for He does not change and His timing is impeccable. Like the Israelites it is not ours to question but simply obey because of who God is. With same reckless abandonment as the disciples we hear Jesus’ call and walk away from the known to win that which is promised, because of what He has done.
God loves us and anticipates great things for us but to receive those blessings we must align ourselves with the Word of God. So many people are looking to receive a word from God but overlook the provisions He has already given in the Bible and through His Holy Spirit. What you seek is here waiting but you have to be the one to initiate the change, otherwise we would accuse God of controlling and manipulating us. He has given us freewill and out of that He wants us to respond to the love He has shown so that the blessings He has stored up for us can be realized to the fullest extent!
(2Pe 3:9 NLT)
Jesus’ returning is no less urgent today than it was two thousand years ago, as a matter of fact the time is nearer now than ever before but because our time table is much shorter than God’s people do not concern themselves with such things. Because of this many come to the conclusion that God lied, does not exist, or is dead as a means of justifying their self-centered lives but those who believe God’s Word is truth know Jesus’ returning will be like a thief in the night and only those who overcome the flesh will be ready to leave this world behind. From the beginning God told His select few to keep their lamps burning continually and though they did not, nor could not understand why they obeyed through the generations (Exodus 27:20). Today we are reminded to do the same and though we do not know the hour of the Lord’s returning we obey. Jesus said this…
"Then the Kingdom of Heaven will be like ten bridesmaids who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. The five who were foolish didn't take enough olive oil for their lamps, but the other five were wise enough to take along extra oil. When the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep. "At midnight they were roused by the shout, 'Look, the bridegroom is coming! Come out and meet him!' "All the bridesmaids got up and prepared their lamps. Then the five foolish ones asked the others, 'Please give us some of your oil because our lamps are going out.' "But the others replied, 'We don't have enough for all of us. Go to a shop and buy some for yourselves.' "But while they were gone to buy oil, the bridegroom came. Then those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was locked. Later, when the other five bridesmaids returned, they stood outside, calling, 'Lord! Lord! Open the door for us!' "But he called back, 'Believe me, I don't know you!'
(Mat 25:1-12 NLT)
How do we keep our lamps burning, how do we make sure like the five wise bridesmaids we keep enough oil? Relationship – seeking and finding, listening and obeying, following the unseen! Do you spend time alone with God, do you seek Him because that is what you desire or do you do it begrudgingly or not at all because the Lord has delayed? What will you do when His return catches you off guard and you are not prepared, surely then it will be too late. Don’t be short-sighted, look to His promises and understand that nothing in this world holds value when compared to the next. Again Jesus said…
Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant on the lookout for choice pearls. When he discovered a pearl of great value, he sold everything he owned and bought it!
(Mat 13:45-46 NLT)
Are we willing to sell everything we call “ours” to buy that which we could never afford if it were not for the magnificent grace and great love of our Lord Jesus Christ? He was obedient unto death can we not give ourselves as living sacrifices so that we might be called His? God’s promises are true, for He does not change and His timing is impeccable. Like the Israelites it is not ours to question but simply obey because of who God is. With same reckless abandonment as the disciples we hear Jesus’ call and walk away from the known to win that which is promised, because of what He has done.
God loves us and anticipates great things for us but to receive those blessings we must align ourselves with the Word of God. So many people are looking to receive a word from God but overlook the provisions He has already given in the Bible and through His Holy Spirit. What you seek is here waiting but you have to be the one to initiate the change, otherwise we would accuse God of controlling and manipulating us. He has given us freewill and out of that He wants us to respond to the love He has shown so that the blessings He has stored up for us can be realized to the fullest extent!
Tuesday, May 20, 2014
What controls you?
They promise freedom, but they themselves are slaves of sin and corruption. For you are a slave to whatever controls you. And when people escape from the wickedness of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and then get tangled up and enslaved by sin again, they are worse off than before.
(2 Peter 2:19-20 NLT)
There is no victory without purity, you want to overcome then you must let go of the weight that so easily besets you. Choose you this day whom you will serve, for no one can serve two masters. Those who try do not know the Word of God but there is a thin line between attempting to serve two masters and a genuine struggle between your flesh and your spirit. Dying to self is a daily exercise, you can have a great victory one day and be defeated the next but the key is the condition of your heart, do you love the things God loves and hate the things He hates or have you become indifferent and numb to sin?
Those who know what sin looks like only know because the Holy Spirit has revealed it to them and therefore have crossed a spiritual bridge (the cross of Jesus Christ). This bridge allows them to boldly come to the Heavenly Father and ask for His help but those who become numb to sin in their lives have effectively returned back to the land on the other side of that bridge and have forsook all that has been provided for them and in this way the master that they have chosen has been selected. The unseen trick is when the enemy causes this individual to believe all is the same as when they first came to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ and in that way they would have been better off not to ever have known the truth. Yes, this time their blindness will not be as easily removed but only through a deep cleansing self-inventory, a shaking off of the denial, and humbling themselves before Christ Jesus once more. You see great life change comes when we come face to face with desperation. Why do you think people have end of live revelations that cause them to turn from their wicked beliefs they held onto all their lives? Because they realize their own desperate situation and how they are about to cross over into the unknown but we don’t have to wait until then. Jesus told Thomas you believed because you have seen but how blessed are those who believe and haven’t seen! See John 20:29. Don’t wait choose this day who you will serve and live in God’s blessings today so that tomorrow you will have no regrets.
(2 Peter 2:19-20 NLT)
There is no victory without purity, you want to overcome then you must let go of the weight that so easily besets you. Choose you this day whom you will serve, for no one can serve two masters. Those who try do not know the Word of God but there is a thin line between attempting to serve two masters and a genuine struggle between your flesh and your spirit. Dying to self is a daily exercise, you can have a great victory one day and be defeated the next but the key is the condition of your heart, do you love the things God loves and hate the things He hates or have you become indifferent and numb to sin?
Those who know what sin looks like only know because the Holy Spirit has revealed it to them and therefore have crossed a spiritual bridge (the cross of Jesus Christ). This bridge allows them to boldly come to the Heavenly Father and ask for His help but those who become numb to sin in their lives have effectively returned back to the land on the other side of that bridge and have forsook all that has been provided for them and in this way the master that they have chosen has been selected. The unseen trick is when the enemy causes this individual to believe all is the same as when they first came to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ and in that way they would have been better off not to ever have known the truth. Yes, this time their blindness will not be as easily removed but only through a deep cleansing self-inventory, a shaking off of the denial, and humbling themselves before Christ Jesus once more. You see great life change comes when we come face to face with desperation. Why do you think people have end of live revelations that cause them to turn from their wicked beliefs they held onto all their lives? Because they realize their own desperate situation and how they are about to cross over into the unknown but we don’t have to wait until then. Jesus told Thomas you believed because you have seen but how blessed are those who believe and haven’t seen! See John 20:29. Don’t wait choose this day who you will serve and live in God’s blessings today so that tomorrow you will have no regrets.
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