Greetings to all,
I was at our every Tuesday prayer meeting last night and I was thinking of all the rejection that is out there. Rejection that kids experience due to lack of love, lack of involvement of the parents, divorce, and rejection from peers. Rejection that adults experience because our parents did not show their love. Rejection that wives or husbands experience due to lack of communication and love. Rejections from family and friends. Rejection from our places of employment for lack of recognition or gratitude. Rejection from our church.
And as our gracious Lord is prone to do at times and according to His will, he gave me this thought to say when I feel rejected;
You have not rejected me Father God. Therefore, I will not accept being rejected by man.
Deuteronomy 31:6 Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake (reject) you.”
Deuteronomy 31:8 And the LORD, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake (reject) you; do not fear nor be dismayed.”
If we guard our thoughts and put our trust in God, we would not have fear and rejection in our lives.
Psalm 56:11 In God I have put my trust; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?
Hebrews 13:6 So we may boldly say: “ The LORD is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?”
Blessings to you all,
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Friday, August 12, 2011
What Law Are We Under?
Question: "What is the law of Christ?"
Answer: Galatians 6:2 states, “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ” (emphasis added). What exactly is the law of Christ, and how is it fulfilled by carrying each other’s burdens? While the law of Christ is also mentioned in 1 Corinthians 9:21, the Bible nowhere specifically defines what precisely is the law of Christ. However, most Bible teachers understand the law of Christ to be what Christ stated were the greatest commandments in Mark 12:28-31, “… ’Which commandment is the more important of all?’ Jesus answered, ‘The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.’”
The law of Christ, then, is to love God with all of our being, and to love our neighbors as we love ourselves. In Mark 12:32-33, the scribe who asked Jesus the question responds with “…to love Him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.” In this, Jesus and the scribe agreed that those two commands are the core of the entire Old Testament Law. All of the Old Testament Law can be placed in the categories of “loving God” or “loving your neighbor.”
Various New Testament scriptures state that Jesus fulfilled the Old Testament Law, bringing it to completion and conclusion (Romans 10:4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes; Galatians 3:23-25 But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed. Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor; Ephesians 2:15 He did this by ending the system of law with its commandments and regulations. He made peace between Jews and Gentiles by creating in himself one new people from the two groups NLT). In place of the Old Testament Law, Christians are to obey the law of Christ. Rather than trying to remember the over 600 individual commandments in the Old Testament Law, Christians are simply to focus on loving God and loving others. If Christians would truly and wholeheartedly obey those two commands, we would be fulfilling everything that God requires of us.
Christ freed us from the bondage of the hundreds of commands in the Old Testament Law and instead calls on us to love. 1 John 4:7-8 declares, “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.” 1 John 5:3 continues, “This is love for God: to obey His commands. And His commands are not burdensome.”
Some use the fact that we are not under the Old Testament Law as an excuse to sin. The Apostle Paul addresses this very issue in Romans chapter 5. What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not! (Romans 6:15). For the follower of Christ, the avoidance of sin is to be accomplished out of love for God and love for others. Love is to be our motivation. When we recognize the value of Jesus’ sacrifice on our behalf, our response is to be love, gratitude, and obedience. When we understand the sacrifice Jesus made for us and others, our response is to be to follow His example in expressing love to others. Our motivation for overcoming sin should be love, not a desire to legalistically obey a series of commandments. We are to obey the law of Christ because we love Him, not so that we can check off a list of commands that we successfully obeyed.
Let us look at Matthew 22:37-40 Jesus said to him, “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” The dictionary gives us these definitions of hang. 1. Something to hang our hopes on 2. Give heed to 3. Hold on tightly. So the Law and what the Prophets said are now under the two commandments above.
We need to be clear that although we are not under the Law, we still need to know who God is, His likes and dislikes, and what God has to say in the Old Testament about sin and the sinful nature of His people. The Old Testament gives us blueprint to follow in order to obey these two commandments and we need to rely on the Holy Spirit as we apply these two commandments to our lives. Galatians 5:18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
Jesus in His sermon on the mount gives us clear understanding of the law and how He came to fulfill the law and not to ignore even the smallest detail of God’s law and His commandments.
Matthew 5:17-20 “Don’t misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to accomplish their purpose. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not even the smallest detail of God’s law will disappear until its purpose is achieved. So if you ignore the least commandment and teach others to do the same, you will be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven. But anyone who obeys God’s laws and teaches them will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven. “But I warn you—unless your righteousness is better than the righteousness of the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven!
Again, although we are not under the law, we are to keep His commandments. His commandments are given in the Old Testament, carry over to the New Testament and if we love Him, we will etch them in our heart.
John 14:21 He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.”
Proverbs 3:1-3 My son, do not forget my law, But let your heart keep my commands; For length of days and long life And peace they will add to you. Let not mercy and truth forsake you; Bind them around your neck, Write them on the tablet of your heart
Thank you Lord for having so many resources available for us to have clear understanding on questions that arise. Amen
Tony Sanchez
Answer: Galatians 6:2 states, “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ” (emphasis added). What exactly is the law of Christ, and how is it fulfilled by carrying each other’s burdens? While the law of Christ is also mentioned in 1 Corinthians 9:21, the Bible nowhere specifically defines what precisely is the law of Christ. However, most Bible teachers understand the law of Christ to be what Christ stated were the greatest commandments in Mark 12:28-31, “… ’Which commandment is the more important of all?’ Jesus answered, ‘The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.’”
The law of Christ, then, is to love God with all of our being, and to love our neighbors as we love ourselves. In Mark 12:32-33, the scribe who asked Jesus the question responds with “…to love Him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.” In this, Jesus and the scribe agreed that those two commands are the core of the entire Old Testament Law. All of the Old Testament Law can be placed in the categories of “loving God” or “loving your neighbor.”
Various New Testament scriptures state that Jesus fulfilled the Old Testament Law, bringing it to completion and conclusion (Romans 10:4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes; Galatians 3:23-25 But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed. Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor; Ephesians 2:15 He did this by ending the system of law with its commandments and regulations. He made peace between Jews and Gentiles by creating in himself one new people from the two groups NLT). In place of the Old Testament Law, Christians are to obey the law of Christ. Rather than trying to remember the over 600 individual commandments in the Old Testament Law, Christians are simply to focus on loving God and loving others. If Christians would truly and wholeheartedly obey those two commands, we would be fulfilling everything that God requires of us.
Christ freed us from the bondage of the hundreds of commands in the Old Testament Law and instead calls on us to love. 1 John 4:7-8 declares, “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.” 1 John 5:3 continues, “This is love for God: to obey His commands. And His commands are not burdensome.”
Some use the fact that we are not under the Old Testament Law as an excuse to sin. The Apostle Paul addresses this very issue in Romans chapter 5. What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not! (Romans 6:15). For the follower of Christ, the avoidance of sin is to be accomplished out of love for God and love for others. Love is to be our motivation. When we recognize the value of Jesus’ sacrifice on our behalf, our response is to be love, gratitude, and obedience. When we understand the sacrifice Jesus made for us and others, our response is to be to follow His example in expressing love to others. Our motivation for overcoming sin should be love, not a desire to legalistically obey a series of commandments. We are to obey the law of Christ because we love Him, not so that we can check off a list of commands that we successfully obeyed.
Let us look at Matthew 22:37-40 Jesus said to him, “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” The dictionary gives us these definitions of hang. 1. Something to hang our hopes on 2. Give heed to 3. Hold on tightly. So the Law and what the Prophets said are now under the two commandments above.
We need to be clear that although we are not under the Law, we still need to know who God is, His likes and dislikes, and what God has to say in the Old Testament about sin and the sinful nature of His people. The Old Testament gives us blueprint to follow in order to obey these two commandments and we need to rely on the Holy Spirit as we apply these two commandments to our lives. Galatians 5:18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
Jesus in His sermon on the mount gives us clear understanding of the law and how He came to fulfill the law and not to ignore even the smallest detail of God’s law and His commandments.
Matthew 5:17-20 “Don’t misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to accomplish their purpose. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not even the smallest detail of God’s law will disappear until its purpose is achieved. So if you ignore the least commandment and teach others to do the same, you will be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven. But anyone who obeys God’s laws and teaches them will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven. “But I warn you—unless your righteousness is better than the righteousness of the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven!
Again, although we are not under the law, we are to keep His commandments. His commandments are given in the Old Testament, carry over to the New Testament and if we love Him, we will etch them in our heart.
John 14:21 He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.”
Proverbs 3:1-3 My son, do not forget my law, But let your heart keep my commands; For length of days and long life And peace they will add to you. Let not mercy and truth forsake you; Bind them around your neck, Write them on the tablet of your heart
Thank you Lord for having so many resources available for us to have clear understanding on questions that arise. Amen
Tony Sanchez
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Generational Gap
Can we bridge the generation gap?
Roger Meyer (guest columnist)
The older generation sees the younger generation and complains, "You can’t find young people who are reliable and willing to work hard." The younger generation sees the older generation and complains, "Old people should retire. It’s a new day and a new way." Why is there tension between the generations?
Under pressure from the economic downturn, facing an uncertain economic future, many of the older generation are hanging on to their jobs. They find themselves working next to people much younger—perhaps even three or four decades younger. The multigenerational workforce is experiencing tension as Generation X and the "Millennials" come into conflict with the "Baby Boom" generation.
It is commonly observed that each generation has a different overall approach to life—different values and perspectives about career, and even a different expression of the work ethic. Each has different ideas, attitudes and behaviors about work and life. Each handles difficulties and challenges from its own unique perspective, and communicates in its own style and method.
Each new generation has been shaped by the different economic conditions it has faced, the different approaches to parenting and education it has adopted, and the difference in social mores, political philosophies and religious preferences.
The Traditionalist, (or Silent, Senior or Veteran) generation in the United States is often defined as being born between 1920 and 1945. Fewer than 25 percent of its approximately 75 million are in the workforce. Baby Boomers, the largest generation, are then defined as the approximately 80 million born between 1946 and 1964. Generation X is defined as those born between 1965 and 1980, and Generation Y (sometimes called "Millennials" or "Echo Boomers") as those born between 1981 and 1994.
Traditionalists are generally respectful of authority—they are conformers and are disciplined. Boomers typically question authority, and Generation X is noted for self-reliance. To Generation Y, work is a means to an end, while to Traditionalists work is an obligation. Boomers tend to be team players, while Traditionalists are typically individualists. Although these are stereotypical generalizations, we can easily see how these generational differences can lead to conflicts.
When He created human beings, the all-wise God knew there would be differences in generations, so He has given us instructions about our relationships with each other. For instance, "You shall rise before the gray headed and honor the presence of an old man, and fear your God: I am the Lord" (Leviticus 19:32). The NIV translates this verse, "Stand up in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly and revere your God. I am the Lord." Similarly, the Apostle Peter wrote: "Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another" (1 Peter 5:5). Following these instructions alone would resolve many workplace conflicts.
What about those times when a younger person must supervise a member of an older generation? Notice what Paul wrote to the young evangelist Timothy. "Do not rebuke an older man, but exhort him as a father, younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, younger women as sisters, with all purity" (1 Timothy 5:1-2). Paul also wrote, "Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity" (1 Timothy 4:12). Paul’s instructions can be applied generally in the workplace. The young can be a good example to their elders, conducting themselves in ways that earn respect.
Likewise, the older generations should set a right example. Paul instructed "that the older men be sober, reverent, temperate, sound in faith, in love, in patience; the older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, no slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things" (Titus 2:2-3).
Roger Meyer (guest columnist)
The older generation sees the younger generation and complains, "You can’t find young people who are reliable and willing to work hard." The younger generation sees the older generation and complains, "Old people should retire. It’s a new day and a new way." Why is there tension between the generations?
Under pressure from the economic downturn, facing an uncertain economic future, many of the older generation are hanging on to their jobs. They find themselves working next to people much younger—perhaps even three or four decades younger. The multigenerational workforce is experiencing tension as Generation X and the "Millennials" come into conflict with the "Baby Boom" generation.
It is commonly observed that each generation has a different overall approach to life—different values and perspectives about career, and even a different expression of the work ethic. Each has different ideas, attitudes and behaviors about work and life. Each handles difficulties and challenges from its own unique perspective, and communicates in its own style and method.
Each new generation has been shaped by the different economic conditions it has faced, the different approaches to parenting and education it has adopted, and the difference in social mores, political philosophies and religious preferences.
The Traditionalist, (or Silent, Senior or Veteran) generation in the United States is often defined as being born between 1920 and 1945. Fewer than 25 percent of its approximately 75 million are in the workforce. Baby Boomers, the largest generation, are then defined as the approximately 80 million born between 1946 and 1964. Generation X is defined as those born between 1965 and 1980, and Generation Y (sometimes called "Millennials" or "Echo Boomers") as those born between 1981 and 1994.
Traditionalists are generally respectful of authority—they are conformers and are disciplined. Boomers typically question authority, and Generation X is noted for self-reliance. To Generation Y, work is a means to an end, while to Traditionalists work is an obligation. Boomers tend to be team players, while Traditionalists are typically individualists. Although these are stereotypical generalizations, we can easily see how these generational differences can lead to conflicts.
When He created human beings, the all-wise God knew there would be differences in generations, so He has given us instructions about our relationships with each other. For instance, "You shall rise before the gray headed and honor the presence of an old man, and fear your God: I am the Lord" (Leviticus 19:32). The NIV translates this verse, "Stand up in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly and revere your God. I am the Lord." Similarly, the Apostle Peter wrote: "Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another" (1 Peter 5:5). Following these instructions alone would resolve many workplace conflicts.
What about those times when a younger person must supervise a member of an older generation? Notice what Paul wrote to the young evangelist Timothy. "Do not rebuke an older man, but exhort him as a father, younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, younger women as sisters, with all purity" (1 Timothy 5:1-2). Paul also wrote, "Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity" (1 Timothy 4:12). Paul’s instructions can be applied generally in the workplace. The young can be a good example to their elders, conducting themselves in ways that earn respect.
Likewise, the older generations should set a right example. Paul instructed "that the older men be sober, reverent, temperate, sound in faith, in love, in patience; the older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, no slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things" (Titus 2:2-3).
Saturday, July 2, 2011
Father God In Our Family
Are You Representing God The Father To Your Family?
The greatest commandment in Scripture is this: “Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength” (Deuteronomy 6:5). Going back to verse 2, we read, “So that you, your children and their children after them may fear the LORD your God as long as you live by keeping all his decrees and commands that I give you, and so that you may enjoy long life.” Following Deuteronomy 6:5, we read, “These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up” (vv. 6-7).
Israelite history reveals that the father was to be diligent in instructing his children in the ways and words of the Lord for their own spiritual development and well-being. The father who was obedient to the commands of Scripture did just that. This brings us to Proverbs 22:6, “Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.” To “train” indicates the first instruction that a father and mother give to a child. The training is designed to make clear to children the manner of life they are intended for.
Ephesians 6:4 is a summary of instructions to the father, stated in both a negative and positive way. “Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.” The negative part of this verse indicates that a father is not to foster negativity in his children by severity, injustice, partiality, or unreasonable exercise of authority. Harsh, unreasonable conduct towards a child will only serve to nurture evil in the heart. The word “provoke” means “to irritate, exasperate, rub the wrong way, or incite.” This is done by a wrong spirit and wrong methods—severity, unreasonableness, sternness, harshness, cruel demands, needless restrictions, and selfish insistence upon dictatorial authority. Such provocation will produce adverse reactions, deadening children’s affection, reducing their desire for holiness, and making them feel that they cannot possibly please their parents. A wise parent seeks to make obedience desirable and attainable by love and gentleness.
The positive part of Ephesians 6:4 is expressed in a comprehensive direction—educate them, bring them up, develop their conduct in all of life by the instruction and admonition of the Lord. This is the whole process of educating and discipline. The word “admonition” carries the idea of reminding the child of faults (constructively) and duties (responsibilities).
I would like to conduct a survey. How many men don’t remember your earthy farther saying “I love you” or if he did, you did not believe him because of the way he said it, acted or treated you? Raise your hand. Prior surveys resulted in 90% of the men raising their hand. Many have said “I know he loved me”. We need more. We need to hear it. Raise your hand if you did not remember your earthly father saying he loves you or if he did, you did not believe it because of the way he acted or treated you?
The spiritual head of the family should represent Father God to our wife and children. We are to think, speak, act, as God has intended us to do as spiritual head of the family. Unfortunately, we have not done a good job. No excuse, but many of us have not had a father that has represented God the Father. We have not had a good example.
Most of us may have known our earthly father to be on a throne with lightning bolts in his hand looking to pounce on us at every opportunity and not knowing what kind of mood he is in or not knowing what he is going to do next. He brought ungodly fear to us from his throne. This is not what God wanted us to feel. He wanted us to feel safe and secure. We have a break down on how to represent our Heavenly Father to our wives and children.
1 Corinthians 11:3 But I want you to know that the head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God. This is Godly order. The head of every man is Jesus Christ and we should present ourselves to our family as Jesus Christ has presented Himself to us. The first words to my wife every morning should be “I love you. You are a good wife.” The first words to my kids in morning should be “I love you son/daughter. You are a good boy/girl.” These same words should be repeated throughout the day if necessary so that they feel the love of God the father through us. Trick question: What should be the last words we say to our family before bedtime?
Matthew 22:37-40 Jesus said to him, “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor (wife/ children) as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”
The order of the home should be God the Father in all that we do. John 14:28 Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.” They need to feel the love of God through us. We are not to bring wrath to our wives, kids, or anyone else.
Isaiah 1:16-17 “Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; Put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes. Cease to do evil, Learn to do good; Seek justice, Rebuke the oppressor; Defend the fatherless, Plead for the widow. Who are the fatherless? Fathers, who have died. Absent fathers due to divorce, work, TV, internet, hobbies, or lack of involvement. Fathers who have deserted their children or wives (could be called widowed wives even though the husband is alive).
Our prisons are full of men because they did not have a father that represented God the Father in heaven. I want to share a prison story with you about a greeting card company who wanted to get involved helping prisoners send Mother’s Day cards. The announcement went out to the prisoners. They just simply had to address the cards and the card company would send the cards. 100% of the inmates participated. It was very successful. The Mother’s Day cards worked out so good they decided to do the same for Father’s Day. Unfortunately, when Father’s Day cards were announced, not one prisoner participated.
This story shows us what is lacking in the lives of these prisoners-an earthly father that represents our God in heaven. They have not received the love of their father, the comfort the father brings, and the example needed to be a father to their children. They have received rejection, abandonment, and an unloving spirit from their fathers. They have bitterness and un-forgiveness. There is a breech and it has to be repaired so they can know the love of the father for healing. Isaiah 58:12 ……You shall raise up the foundations of many generations; And you shall be called the Repairer of the Breach, The Restorer of Streets to Dwell In.
It also shows you how the Mothers have become the head of the family. Mothers should not be the matriarch of the family. God set up man as the patriarch or head over the family. Fathers and husbands are the ones who are called to represent God as the father to his family just as if it were God Himself.
The Christian father is really an instrument in God's hand. The whole process of instruction and discipline must be that which God commands and which He administers, so that His authority should be brought into constant and immediate contact with the mind, heart, and conscience of the wife and children. The human father should never present himself as the ultimate authority to determine truth and duty. It is only by making God the teacher and ruler on whose authority everything is done that the goals of education can best be attained.
Ephesians 1:17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him
Prayer:
Father God, we ask you to give us knowledge, wisdom and the strength to represent You as fathers and husbands to our families.
Amen
Blessings to you all,
The greatest commandment in Scripture is this: “Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength” (Deuteronomy 6:5). Going back to verse 2, we read, “So that you, your children and their children after them may fear the LORD your God as long as you live by keeping all his decrees and commands that I give you, and so that you may enjoy long life.” Following Deuteronomy 6:5, we read, “These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up” (vv. 6-7).
Israelite history reveals that the father was to be diligent in instructing his children in the ways and words of the Lord for their own spiritual development and well-being. The father who was obedient to the commands of Scripture did just that. This brings us to Proverbs 22:6, “Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.” To “train” indicates the first instruction that a father and mother give to a child. The training is designed to make clear to children the manner of life they are intended for.
Ephesians 6:4 is a summary of instructions to the father, stated in both a negative and positive way. “Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.” The negative part of this verse indicates that a father is not to foster negativity in his children by severity, injustice, partiality, or unreasonable exercise of authority. Harsh, unreasonable conduct towards a child will only serve to nurture evil in the heart. The word “provoke” means “to irritate, exasperate, rub the wrong way, or incite.” This is done by a wrong spirit and wrong methods—severity, unreasonableness, sternness, harshness, cruel demands, needless restrictions, and selfish insistence upon dictatorial authority. Such provocation will produce adverse reactions, deadening children’s affection, reducing their desire for holiness, and making them feel that they cannot possibly please their parents. A wise parent seeks to make obedience desirable and attainable by love and gentleness.
The positive part of Ephesians 6:4 is expressed in a comprehensive direction—educate them, bring them up, develop their conduct in all of life by the instruction and admonition of the Lord. This is the whole process of educating and discipline. The word “admonition” carries the idea of reminding the child of faults (constructively) and duties (responsibilities).
I would like to conduct a survey. How many men don’t remember your earthy farther saying “I love you” or if he did, you did not believe him because of the way he said it, acted or treated you? Raise your hand. Prior surveys resulted in 90% of the men raising their hand. Many have said “I know he loved me”. We need more. We need to hear it. Raise your hand if you did not remember your earthly father saying he loves you or if he did, you did not believe it because of the way he acted or treated you?
The spiritual head of the family should represent Father God to our wife and children. We are to think, speak, act, as God has intended us to do as spiritual head of the family. Unfortunately, we have not done a good job. No excuse, but many of us have not had a father that has represented God the Father. We have not had a good example.
Most of us may have known our earthly father to be on a throne with lightning bolts in his hand looking to pounce on us at every opportunity and not knowing what kind of mood he is in or not knowing what he is going to do next. He brought ungodly fear to us from his throne. This is not what God wanted us to feel. He wanted us to feel safe and secure. We have a break down on how to represent our Heavenly Father to our wives and children.
1 Corinthians 11:3 But I want you to know that the head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God. This is Godly order. The head of every man is Jesus Christ and we should present ourselves to our family as Jesus Christ has presented Himself to us. The first words to my wife every morning should be “I love you. You are a good wife.” The first words to my kids in morning should be “I love you son/daughter. You are a good boy/girl.” These same words should be repeated throughout the day if necessary so that they feel the love of God the father through us. Trick question: What should be the last words we say to our family before bedtime?
Matthew 22:37-40 Jesus said to him, “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor (wife/ children) as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”
The order of the home should be God the Father in all that we do. John 14:28 Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.” They need to feel the love of God through us. We are not to bring wrath to our wives, kids, or anyone else.
Isaiah 1:16-17 “Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; Put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes. Cease to do evil, Learn to do good; Seek justice, Rebuke the oppressor; Defend the fatherless, Plead for the widow. Who are the fatherless? Fathers, who have died. Absent fathers due to divorce, work, TV, internet, hobbies, or lack of involvement. Fathers who have deserted their children or wives (could be called widowed wives even though the husband is alive).
Our prisons are full of men because they did not have a father that represented God the Father in heaven. I want to share a prison story with you about a greeting card company who wanted to get involved helping prisoners send Mother’s Day cards. The announcement went out to the prisoners. They just simply had to address the cards and the card company would send the cards. 100% of the inmates participated. It was very successful. The Mother’s Day cards worked out so good they decided to do the same for Father’s Day. Unfortunately, when Father’s Day cards were announced, not one prisoner participated.
This story shows us what is lacking in the lives of these prisoners-an earthly father that represents our God in heaven. They have not received the love of their father, the comfort the father brings, and the example needed to be a father to their children. They have received rejection, abandonment, and an unloving spirit from their fathers. They have bitterness and un-forgiveness. There is a breech and it has to be repaired so they can know the love of the father for healing. Isaiah 58:12 ……You shall raise up the foundations of many generations; And you shall be called the Repairer of the Breach, The Restorer of Streets to Dwell In.
It also shows you how the Mothers have become the head of the family. Mothers should not be the matriarch of the family. God set up man as the patriarch or head over the family. Fathers and husbands are the ones who are called to represent God as the father to his family just as if it were God Himself.
The Christian father is really an instrument in God's hand. The whole process of instruction and discipline must be that which God commands and which He administers, so that His authority should be brought into constant and immediate contact with the mind, heart, and conscience of the wife and children. The human father should never present himself as the ultimate authority to determine truth and duty. It is only by making God the teacher and ruler on whose authority everything is done that the goals of education can best be attained.
Ephesians 1:17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him
Prayer:
Father God, we ask you to give us knowledge, wisdom and the strength to represent You as fathers and husbands to our families.
Amen
Blessings to you all,
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Revival Prayer For All The Ages
2 Chronicles 7:14 if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.
This verse reveals in principle a revival prayer applicable to God’s people in any age. The context follows Solomon’s dedicatory prayer for the temple. One that focuses the responsibility of any people to seek God for mercy after sin has brought its desolation, plague, and judgments. This verse summarizes God’s chosen way of restoration which is through the prayers of His people. This is a guide for prayers for revival in all places so that we can: 1) Humble ourselves (rather than God doing it to us); 2) pray for a fuller revelation of God’s glory to His people (seek His face); 3) turn from everything that contradicts the spirit and direction of our prayers (true repentance). The promised results: God will hear this prayer, will cleanse from sin, and will bring healing where it is needed for the church, for the nation, and for the people.
Blessings to you,
Tony Sanchez
This verse reveals in principle a revival prayer applicable to God’s people in any age. The context follows Solomon’s dedicatory prayer for the temple. One that focuses the responsibility of any people to seek God for mercy after sin has brought its desolation, plague, and judgments. This verse summarizes God’s chosen way of restoration which is through the prayers of His people. This is a guide for prayers for revival in all places so that we can: 1) Humble ourselves (rather than God doing it to us); 2) pray for a fuller revelation of God’s glory to His people (seek His face); 3) turn from everything that contradicts the spirit and direction of our prayers (true repentance). The promised results: God will hear this prayer, will cleanse from sin, and will bring healing where it is needed for the church, for the nation, and for the people.
Blessings to you,
Tony Sanchez
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Growth in the Spirit
All,
I pray all is going well in your lives.
Guidelines for Growth in the Spirit
John’s Gospel introduces the Holy Spirit’s role in spiritual growth. The New Birth and the baptism with the Holy Spirit endow the believer with the life and gifts of the Holy Spirit, including the ability to pray in Spirit power. The Holy Spirit is our Teacher, Helper, Advocate, and Guide. He is our source of true spiritual understanding. He lifts up Jesus and builds up believers, enabling them to live the Christian life.
Understand that perceiving the kingdom of God and entering it are impossible without spiritual birth.
John 3:3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
Understand that the Holy Spirit enables God’s people to understand and live by the truth.
John 14:25-26 “These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.
Ask the Holy Spirit to bring conviction to people’s hearts. Understand that is one of His primary ministries.
John 16:8-11 And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they do not believe in Me; of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.
Understand that knowing the truth of God’s Word is made possible by the Holy Spirit.
John 16:12-15 “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you.
I pray all is going well in your lives.
Guidelines for Growth in the Spirit
John’s Gospel introduces the Holy Spirit’s role in spiritual growth. The New Birth and the baptism with the Holy Spirit endow the believer with the life and gifts of the Holy Spirit, including the ability to pray in Spirit power. The Holy Spirit is our Teacher, Helper, Advocate, and Guide. He is our source of true spiritual understanding. He lifts up Jesus and builds up believers, enabling them to live the Christian life.
Understand that perceiving the kingdom of God and entering it are impossible without spiritual birth.
John 3:3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
Understand that the Holy Spirit enables God’s people to understand and live by the truth.
John 14:25-26 “These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.
Ask the Holy Spirit to bring conviction to people’s hearts. Understand that is one of His primary ministries.
John 16:8-11 And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they do not believe in Me; of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.
Understand that knowing the truth of God’s Word is made possible by the Holy Spirit.
John 16:12-15 “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you.
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Walk In Faith
The Walk of Faith
As we walk in faith, we must learn to see our present circumstances in light
of the future promises of God. Though we are works in progress now, we have
hope knowing that God will complete the work He is doing in us. We can
endure suffering now because we know that it is momentary compared to the
eternity we will spend in the glorious presence of Jesus. We can be content
in every circumstance now, knowing that we will have all of
God's riches in glory. Walk by faith and set your eyes on Jesus until you
see Him face to face.
1. Believe with confidence that God will accomplish the good work He started
in you. Philippians 1:6 being confident of this very thing, that He who has
begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;
2. Recognize and embrace the truth that the life of faith often involves
suffering for Jesus' sake. Know with confidence that Jesus is present with
you amid suffering. Philippians 1:29-30 For to you it has been granted on
behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His
sake, 30 having the same conflict which you saw in me and now hear is in me.
3. Learn to be content in all circumstances. Contentment will bring great
freedom to your life. Philippians 4:11-12 I am not complaining about having
too little. I have learned to be satisfied with whatever I have. I know
what it is to be poor or to have plenty, and I have lived under all kinds of
conditions. I know what it means to be full or to be hungry, to have too
much or too little. (CEV)
4. Believe that when God asks you to do something, He is able to provide the
strength you need to do it. Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through
Christ who strengthens me.
I pray you all are blessed by this. May God be by your side forever and
ever.
Tony
As we walk in faith, we must learn to see our present circumstances in light
of the future promises of God. Though we are works in progress now, we have
hope knowing that God will complete the work He is doing in us. We can
endure suffering now because we know that it is momentary compared to the
eternity we will spend in the glorious presence of Jesus. We can be content
in every circumstance now, knowing that we will have all of
God's riches in glory. Walk by faith and set your eyes on Jesus until you
see Him face to face.
1. Believe with confidence that God will accomplish the good work He started
in you. Philippians 1:6 being confident of this very thing, that He who has
begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;
2. Recognize and embrace the truth that the life of faith often involves
suffering for Jesus' sake. Know with confidence that Jesus is present with
you amid suffering. Philippians 1:29-30 For to you it has been granted on
behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His
sake, 30 having the same conflict which you saw in me and now hear is in me.
3. Learn to be content in all circumstances. Contentment will bring great
freedom to your life. Philippians 4:11-12 I am not complaining about having
too little. I have learned to be satisfied with whatever I have. I know
what it is to be poor or to have plenty, and I have lived under all kinds of
conditions. I know what it means to be full or to be hungry, to have too
much or too little. (CEV)
4. Believe that when God asks you to do something, He is able to provide the
strength you need to do it. Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through
Christ who strengthens me.
I pray you all are blessed by this. May God be by your side forever and
ever.
Tony
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Unforgiveness
Mathew 6:14-15 “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
Mathew 18:20-22 21 Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.
Mathew 18:35 “So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.”
Mark 11:26 But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses.”
Luke 6:37 “Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.
What happens when we get offended? We are in conflict with one another but we need to realize that they are not my enemy and I am not their enemy. Do you know the problem we have? We are not able to separate the person from their sin. Their sin is our enemy. Not them! Therefore, they have power over you ( they may not even know it) when you remain offended and do not forgiven them.
When someone violates us, we make him or her evil along with the evil they did, don’t we? You have to be able to separate people from their sin. God did not create you from the foundation of the world as a sinner. He created you from the foundation of the world as saints before Him and His sons and daughter forever. Because of sin, we have become separated from Him. Even after conversion, we still have many things to work out.
If we don’t forget the offense it opens up the door for the spirit of bitterness to set in.
1. Unforgiveness – When the root of bitterness in Hebrews gets a foothold, the first thing that happens is a record of wrongs. Hebrews 12:15 Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many. (NLT). How many of you are still having flashbacks about things having been done against you? If I mention Aunt Sally’s name you would probably be able to give me 15 reasons why you do not like her. This is unforgiveness. After unforgiveness gets a foothold and creates a record of wrong, there’s another dimension of the spiritual dynamics. This is called resentment.
2. Resentment – Resentment is the record of wrongs being fueled by feelings of holding onto it and starting to meditate or chew on it. When we have feelings of resentment, we think of them in our mind (soul) and we feel them in our heart (spirit). Resentment, bitterness, and unforgiveness are spiritual problems, not psychological problems.
3. Retaliation – After resentment gets a foothold, then we have retaliation. After resentment has started to simmer, we find ways to get back at the person who caused it. Retaliation wants to make the person pay. It’s time to get even!
4. Anger – After retaliation gets a foothold, then anger starts to set in. Unforgiveness, resentment and retaliation have been building and now a real strong feeling of anger comes along.
5. Hatred – After anger sets in, there comes hatred. Hatred says this: “Because I’m remembering what you did to me, because I have really been meditating on it and I really resent it, I’m going to get even. Hatred says: “There’s no reason for you and I to be in the same place together. There’s no reason for you to exist on this planet anymore. Hatred starts to develop into the elimination modality (state of mind)
6. Violence – After hatred comes violence. Violence says this: “Before I eliminate you, you are going to feel my pain. You are going to hear my voice. You are going to know my hatred. You are going to experience my hatred.
7. Murder – Once violence erupts, the final fruit of bitterness is murder. This can be actual physical murder or murder with the tongue which is character assassination (slander) or verbal abuse. When hatred, violence and murder are in someone’s life, they feel they are justified and everybody else is going to pay the price.
If any one of these seven areas answering to bitterness exists, all of the preceding ones will be there from the one area. If left unchecked, all the rest will surely come.
Forgiveness: What God Expects of Us – 70x7
Jesus was teaching and Peter asked the Lord, how often should I forgive my brother? Up to seven times? Jesus said, No, I do not say until seven times; I say to you seventy times seven. Mathew 18:20-22 21 Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.
Every minute of your day when your brother blows it regarding the same issue- minute by minute, hour by hour, day by day, release him. In releasing him, you release yourself. Do as the Lord instructs. Be in obedience to God and He will release you.
You do not need to carry someone else’s sin. You are not to judge him and his sin (Matthew 7:1 Judge not, that you be not judged). God will judge him. Your job is to release them, get back before God, get your heart right with God, and keep on moving forward in forgiveness to all that offend you. Your freedom does not depend on their resolution; it depends on your resolution.
When you forgive others, you are not letting them off the hook but giving them to God, still wiggling on the hook. You are now off the hook.
When you forgive someone, you continue to hate their sin, but you are commanded to love them. (1 John 4:21 And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also, 1 John 4:12…If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us). To forgive, you do not have to condone their sin.
Ask the Lord who you need to forgive?
____________________
____________________
____________________
Mathew 18:20-22 21 Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.
Mathew 18:35 “So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.”
Mark 11:26 But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses.”
Luke 6:37 “Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.
What happens when we get offended? We are in conflict with one another but we need to realize that they are not my enemy and I am not their enemy. Do you know the problem we have? We are not able to separate the person from their sin. Their sin is our enemy. Not them! Therefore, they have power over you ( they may not even know it) when you remain offended and do not forgiven them.
When someone violates us, we make him or her evil along with the evil they did, don’t we? You have to be able to separate people from their sin. God did not create you from the foundation of the world as a sinner. He created you from the foundation of the world as saints before Him and His sons and daughter forever. Because of sin, we have become separated from Him. Even after conversion, we still have many things to work out.
If we don’t forget the offense it opens up the door for the spirit of bitterness to set in.
1. Unforgiveness – When the root of bitterness in Hebrews gets a foothold, the first thing that happens is a record of wrongs. Hebrews 12:15 Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many. (NLT). How many of you are still having flashbacks about things having been done against you? If I mention Aunt Sally’s name you would probably be able to give me 15 reasons why you do not like her. This is unforgiveness. After unforgiveness gets a foothold and creates a record of wrong, there’s another dimension of the spiritual dynamics. This is called resentment.
2. Resentment – Resentment is the record of wrongs being fueled by feelings of holding onto it and starting to meditate or chew on it. When we have feelings of resentment, we think of them in our mind (soul) and we feel them in our heart (spirit). Resentment, bitterness, and unforgiveness are spiritual problems, not psychological problems.
3. Retaliation – After resentment gets a foothold, then we have retaliation. After resentment has started to simmer, we find ways to get back at the person who caused it. Retaliation wants to make the person pay. It’s time to get even!
4. Anger – After retaliation gets a foothold, then anger starts to set in. Unforgiveness, resentment and retaliation have been building and now a real strong feeling of anger comes along.
5. Hatred – After anger sets in, there comes hatred. Hatred says this: “Because I’m remembering what you did to me, because I have really been meditating on it and I really resent it, I’m going to get even. Hatred says: “There’s no reason for you and I to be in the same place together. There’s no reason for you to exist on this planet anymore. Hatred starts to develop into the elimination modality (state of mind)
6. Violence – After hatred comes violence. Violence says this: “Before I eliminate you, you are going to feel my pain. You are going to hear my voice. You are going to know my hatred. You are going to experience my hatred.
7. Murder – Once violence erupts, the final fruit of bitterness is murder. This can be actual physical murder or murder with the tongue which is character assassination (slander) or verbal abuse. When hatred, violence and murder are in someone’s life, they feel they are justified and everybody else is going to pay the price.
If any one of these seven areas answering to bitterness exists, all of the preceding ones will be there from the one area. If left unchecked, all the rest will surely come.
Forgiveness: What God Expects of Us – 70x7
Jesus was teaching and Peter asked the Lord, how often should I forgive my brother? Up to seven times? Jesus said, No, I do not say until seven times; I say to you seventy times seven. Mathew 18:20-22 21 Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.
Every minute of your day when your brother blows it regarding the same issue- minute by minute, hour by hour, day by day, release him. In releasing him, you release yourself. Do as the Lord instructs. Be in obedience to God and He will release you.
You do not need to carry someone else’s sin. You are not to judge him and his sin (Matthew 7:1 Judge not, that you be not judged). God will judge him. Your job is to release them, get back before God, get your heart right with God, and keep on moving forward in forgiveness to all that offend you. Your freedom does not depend on their resolution; it depends on your resolution.
When you forgive others, you are not letting them off the hook but giving them to God, still wiggling on the hook. You are now off the hook.
When you forgive someone, you continue to hate their sin, but you are commanded to love them. (1 John 4:21 And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also, 1 John 4:12…If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us). To forgive, you do not have to condone their sin.
Ask the Lord who you need to forgive?
____________________
____________________
____________________
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Adversaries and Prayer
Just a quick note for you on this wonderful Tuesday morning.
PRAYER - "Adversaries and Prayer"
The best way to deal with your enemies is to go to prayer first of all. It is a dangerous thing to tangle with your enemies before presenting the situation to God. A cool head, a quiet tongue and an earnest prayer is a better strategy than a carnally-minded confrontation that will almost certainly produce bad results. Pray for those who spitefully come against you (accusations) or use you. Let God work on the situation before you make a big mess of it.
Psalms 109:2-4
For the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of the deceitful
Have opened against me;
They have spoken against me with a lying tongue.
3 They have also surrounded me with words of hatred,
And fought against me without a cause.
4 In return for my love they are my accusers,
But I give myself to prayer.
Blessings to you all,
Tony Sanchez
PRAYER - "Adversaries and Prayer"
The best way to deal with your enemies is to go to prayer first of all. It is a dangerous thing to tangle with your enemies before presenting the situation to God. A cool head, a quiet tongue and an earnest prayer is a better strategy than a carnally-minded confrontation that will almost certainly produce bad results. Pray for those who spitefully come against you (accusations) or use you. Let God work on the situation before you make a big mess of it.
Psalms 109:2-4
For the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of the deceitful
Have opened against me;
They have spoken against me with a lying tongue.
3 They have also surrounded me with words of hatred,
And fought against me without a cause.
4 In return for my love they are my accusers,
But I give myself to prayer.
Blessings to you all,
Tony Sanchez
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
The Book of Jude
Jude teaches us to grow in Godliness
There have always been those who attempt to divert God’s people from their main purpose. God knows how to deal with the rebellious, but believers are warned not to participate with any such persons. The wicked appeals to the lusts of the eye, lusts of the flesh, and to inordinate pride. They will pretend to love God, appear to do good works, but on close examination they are as fruitless as the fig tree that Jesus cursed. The wise will be able to identify those whose object is to be god, rather than to serve God. It will take a deep spiritual heart to know how to reach any who are deep into evil without being contaminated....hating the sin but still loving the sinner.
Jude Invites us to:
V. 3 Contend strongly for biblical faith. Accept no form of alteration
V. 4 Reject anyone who teaches that grace is “God’s permission to sin.” Understand that such teaching is godlessness.
V. 8-19 Beware of teachers whose behavior or teaching includes such things as:
1. Licentious behavior
2. Disrespect or rejection of authority
3. Greed or love of money
4. Empty promises
5. Straying from biblical truth
6. Grumbling and complaining
7. Critical, divisive, and destructive behavior
8. Motivation by personal gain
9. Self-promotion
10. Flattery of others when it is to his advantage
V. 20, 21 Pray continuously in the Spirit for self-edification and the building up of your faith. Persist in loving attitudes and behavior through the Holy Spirit
V. 23 Use wisdom and discernment when dealing with those who are in error or in sin.
We fully acknowledge that only by the working and grace of God is anyone able to come joyfully into His presence in blameless worship. He is the lawful Ruler of every life. Our God is King of the Universe How blessed we are to serve him. Trust God’s ability to bring you blameless into His presence (V. 24,25).
Jude 3 Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.
Jude 4 For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ.
Jude 8-19 Likewise also these dreamers defile the flesh, reject authority, and speak evil of dignitaries. 9 Yet Michael the archangel, in contending with the devil, when he disputed about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him a reviling accusation, but said, “The Lord rebuke you!” 10 But these speak evil of whatever they do not know; and whatever they know naturally, like brute beasts, in these things they corrupt themselves. 11 Woe to them! For they have gone in.
Jude 20-21 But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
Jude 23 but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh
Jude 24-25 Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, And to present you faultless Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, To God our Savior, Who alone is wise, Be glory and majesty, Dominion and power, Both now and forever, Amen
Blessings to you all,
Tony Sanchez
There have always been those who attempt to divert God’s people from their main purpose. God knows how to deal with the rebellious, but believers are warned not to participate with any such persons. The wicked appeals to the lusts of the eye, lusts of the flesh, and to inordinate pride. They will pretend to love God, appear to do good works, but on close examination they are as fruitless as the fig tree that Jesus cursed. The wise will be able to identify those whose object is to be god, rather than to serve God. It will take a deep spiritual heart to know how to reach any who are deep into evil without being contaminated....hating the sin but still loving the sinner.
Jude Invites us to:
V. 3 Contend strongly for biblical faith. Accept no form of alteration
V. 4 Reject anyone who teaches that grace is “God’s permission to sin.” Understand that such teaching is godlessness.
V. 8-19 Beware of teachers whose behavior or teaching includes such things as:
1. Licentious behavior
2. Disrespect or rejection of authority
3. Greed or love of money
4. Empty promises
5. Straying from biblical truth
6. Grumbling and complaining
7. Critical, divisive, and destructive behavior
8. Motivation by personal gain
9. Self-promotion
10. Flattery of others when it is to his advantage
V. 20, 21 Pray continuously in the Spirit for self-edification and the building up of your faith. Persist in loving attitudes and behavior through the Holy Spirit
V. 23 Use wisdom and discernment when dealing with those who are in error or in sin.
We fully acknowledge that only by the working and grace of God is anyone able to come joyfully into His presence in blameless worship. He is the lawful Ruler of every life. Our God is King of the Universe How blessed we are to serve him. Trust God’s ability to bring you blameless into His presence (V. 24,25).
Jude 3 Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.
Jude 4 For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ.
Jude 8-19 Likewise also these dreamers defile the flesh, reject authority, and speak evil of dignitaries. 9 Yet Michael the archangel, in contending with the devil, when he disputed about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him a reviling accusation, but said, “The Lord rebuke you!” 10 But these speak evil of whatever they do not know; and whatever they know naturally, like brute beasts, in these things they corrupt themselves. 11 Woe to them! For they have gone in.
Jude 20-21 But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
Jude 23 but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh
Jude 24-25 Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, And to present you faultless Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, To God our Savior, Who alone is wise, Be glory and majesty, Dominion and power, Both now and forever, Amen
Blessings to you all,
Tony Sanchez
Friday, February 25, 2011
Hope
Greetings all.
1 Thessalonians 1:2-3 We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers, 3 remembering without ceasing your work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of our God and Father...
Hope, not in the sense of an optimistic outlook or wishful thinking without any foundation, but the sense of confident expectation based on solid certainty. Biblical hope rests on God’s promises, particularly those pertaining to Christ’s return. So certain is the future of the redeemed that the New Testament sometime speaks of future events in the past tense, as though they were already accomplished. Hope is never inferior to faith, but is an extension of faith. Faith is the present possession of grace; hope is the confidence in grace’s future accomplishment.
Blessings
1 Thessalonians 1:2-3 We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers, 3 remembering without ceasing your work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of our God and Father...
Hope, not in the sense of an optimistic outlook or wishful thinking without any foundation, but the sense of confident expectation based on solid certainty. Biblical hope rests on God’s promises, particularly those pertaining to Christ’s return. So certain is the future of the redeemed that the New Testament sometime speaks of future events in the past tense, as though they were already accomplished. Hope is never inferior to faith, but is an extension of faith. Faith is the present possession of grace; hope is the confidence in grace’s future accomplishment.
Blessings
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Reconciled In Jesus Christ
Colossians 1:19-21 For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, 20 and by Him to reconcile (bring back) all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross. 21 And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled.
Christ’s Blood Satisfies Holiness, Thereby Making Peace. Mankind was separated from God because of sin and had no acceptable offering to satisfy the demands of God’s holy nature. God sent Jesus Christ to provide an acceptable sacrifice for sin, establishing a bond with those who received Him, thereby making peace. It was specifically the blood Jesus Christ shed on the cross that satisfied the demand of God’s holiness, established a peace bond or covenant with those who received Him, and provided the means for all of creation to be reconciled to God. Leviticus 17:11 declares that sin cannot be forgiven without the shedding of blood. Because sin takes life, life is required to repay sin’s debts. Jesus Christ gave divine life in blood to satisfy all mankind’s sin debts and to restore covenant peace between God and man.
Leviticus 17:11 For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul.’
Ephesians 2:13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
Revelation 12:11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.
Blessings,
Tony Sanchez
Christ’s Blood Satisfies Holiness, Thereby Making Peace. Mankind was separated from God because of sin and had no acceptable offering to satisfy the demands of God’s holy nature. God sent Jesus Christ to provide an acceptable sacrifice for sin, establishing a bond with those who received Him, thereby making peace. It was specifically the blood Jesus Christ shed on the cross that satisfied the demand of God’s holiness, established a peace bond or covenant with those who received Him, and provided the means for all of creation to be reconciled to God. Leviticus 17:11 declares that sin cannot be forgiven without the shedding of blood. Because sin takes life, life is required to repay sin’s debts. Jesus Christ gave divine life in blood to satisfy all mankind’s sin debts and to restore covenant peace between God and man.
Leviticus 17:11 For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul.’
Ephesians 2:13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
Revelation 12:11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.
Blessings,
Tony Sanchez
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Are You Prepared For His Coming?
I find it quite amazing that very little has been said about how to prepare for the coming of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I have been thinking about this subject for months and I have been preparing notes and Scripture on this subject for weeks but I had to wait on the Lord until now to direct me on how to share.
Many folks think that being “Saved” is good enough to get you ready for His coming and entrance into the Kingdom of GOD. This is not what the Bible says in Mathew and other Scriptures.
Matthew 7:13-14 13 (“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it).
Matthew 7:21-23 21 (“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!)
In Revelation the seven churches are referenced and the Lukewarm Church is one we will focus on.
Revelation 3:15-16 (“I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth).
Does the Lukewarm Church remind you of our Church of today? Do we worship God on Sundays and the rest of the week we worship Satan? How many of you will deny this? Take time to add up the time you spend with GOD and the time you spend with this world. Will GOD vomit you out of His mouth? One cannot intentionally be living in violation of GOD’s precepts and expect His promises to be fulfilled.
Let us look at Galatians 5:19-21 (Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of GOD).
Can we translate what Paul says that those who habitually practice those things against GOD with a hardened heart as a way of life, they shall not inherit the kingdom of GOD? It is important to understand that grace and mercy does not absolve us from responsibility for holiness. Romans 6:1-2 1 (What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?)
We tend to make everything so complicated when relying on the doctrine of man. I will use one word that will make it simple to understand and will be the key to answering the question above. That word is SANCTIFIED!!!!!!!!
The definition of SANCTIFIED is:
1. To make holy; set apart as sacred
2. To purify or free from sin: Sanctify your hearts
3. To make productive of or conducive to spiritual blessings.
Acts 26:17-18 (NIV) (I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’)
We want our whole spirit, soul, and body sanctified and preserved blameless when Jesus returns.
1 Thessalonians 5:23 (Now may the GOD of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ).
How do we sanctify ourselves in Our Lord Jesus Christ? We make every effort to live our lives without sin and if we sin, we need to confess our sins immediately and ask God for forgiveness. Can we eliminate sin completely? The answer is no.
It is fair to say and all believers will agree that we sin often. What we don’t realize is the frequency and magnitude of our sin each and every day. Let me give you examples below:
1. Anxiety, stress, and fear (Haggai 2:5….. so My Spirit remains among you; do not fear!) causing you to worry. We worry about our jobs, health, economy, money family, terrorist, relatives, people that offend us, robbers, predators, etc. Matthew 6:25 (“Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?)
2. Judgmental or Critical of the Church or someone you know. Ecclesiastes 3:17 (“GOD will bring into judgment both the righteous and the wicked, for there will be a time for every activity, a time to judge every deed.”)
3. Slander, gossip, or a busybody. Psalm 101:5 (whoever secretly slanders his neighbor, Him I will destroy; The one who has a haughty look and a proud heart, Him I will not endure.)
4. Exaggeration of stories, accomplishments, credentials, white lie, or partial truths. Exodus 20:16 (“You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor).
5. Coveting power, position, big house, high paying job, money, and stuff. Hebrews 13:5 (Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”)
6. Idolizing sport teams and heroes, your kids, spouses, bosses, media stars, and singers. 1 Corinthians 10:14 (Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.)
7. Murmur and complaining. 1 Corinthians 10:10 (nor complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer.)
8. Prideful. (Proverbs 29:23 (A man’s pride will bring him low, But the humble in spirit will retain honor.)
9. Anger. Colossians (NIV) 3:8 (But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Has your wrath come against your family or someone you know?)
10. Tithe. All you have belongs to GOD and tithing is not an option. You can do much more with GOD’s 90% than your 100%. Malachi 3:8 (“Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, ‘In what way have we robbed You? In tithes and offerings.” Not only does GOD want you to tithe but He wants offerings above your tithe.)
11. Theft. Matthew 15:18-19 (But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.)
If it were possible to have Jesus in the flesh hang out with you for a few days would you be doing these things? I am here to tell you that Jesus may not be hanging out with you in the flesh, but He is there watching your every move. Ask yourself this question: Will what I say or do bring glory to GOD?
Let’s turn our attention back to how we become sanctified in Our Lord and Savior Jesus Chris. Basically speaking, we all need to turn away from sin. We need to switch from our method of operation to God’s method of operation.
Below are 8 keys to wholeness and freedom (Henry Wright – A More Excellent Way).
1. Recognize – You must recognize your sin.
2. Responsibility – You must take responsibility for what you recognized as sin.
3. Repent – Repent to God for participating with what you recognize as sin.
4. Renounce – You must make what you recognize your enemy and renounce it.
5. Remove it – Get rid of your sin once and for all.
6. Resist – Resist sin when it tries to come back.
7. Rejoice – Give God thanks for setting you free of your sin.
8. Restore – Show someone else how to be set free.
I want to share with you what has helped my family in dealing with sin. Man sins throughout the day and most believers do not deal with sin (fear, lying, worry, anger, slander, coveting, idolatry, etc.) until the end of the day if at all. The problem with this method is we forget most of our sins and go to bed buried in sin without confessing our sins to God. Our goal should be to confess our sins the very second they occur so that we don’t forget. As we recognize and confess our sins throughout the day, God will work in our heart so that we don’t continue to repeat our sins. Therefore, we began on a path to sanctification in Jesus Christ.
The Word of God is critical in being sanctified in Jesus Christ. I heard a recent sermon from a pastor who admitted reading only a few Bible verses each morning. I was shocked to hear this from this pastor who is the leader of this Church. First, he gave the congregation a license to read only a few verses a day. Second, he took and minimized what the Bible means to all of us in John 1:1-3 (In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made). Third, relying on the doctrine of man (his own thinking) will result in destruction. Henry Wright said “I have not found anyone who has mastered the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. Every time I think I understand the Word, I go and read it some more and I see something new in there that I didn’t see before.”
God’s Word has been there from the beginning and we can’t attempt to be sanctified in Jesus Christ without God’s Word We need to be firmly rooted in God’s Word if we are to partake in the fivefold ministry (Ephesians 4:11) as not to be sifted like wheat by Satan. Luke 22:31 (And the Lord said, “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat). This also applies each and every one of us. By not knowing God’s Word, we open ourselves to the attacks from the dark kingdom. Satan does not discriminate. Satan will go after you. He will go after your children to get to you. He will go after your marriage. He will go after your job. He will go after your health. He will go after your Church He will go after you mind.
Understand, Satan always wants to be like the Most High GOD and will guise himself in order to accommodate himself to men. Satan wants you to worship him and based on our sin, Satan is doing a good job. Are you in rebellion? Are you being stubborn? Are you rejecting GODS word? 1 Samuel (For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He also has rejected you from being king.”)
Acts 8:22 (Contemporary English Version) Get rid of these evil thoughts and ask God to forgive you. GOD is the only one between you and destruction. Choose the light.
• The light of Jesus brings sight to both the spiritually and physically blind. Do the works of Jesus while there is still opportunity. (John 8:12)
• By faith enter into abundant life through Jesus who is the door. Understand that only though Jesus will you find eternal life, because Jesus, the Good Shepherd, gave His life for you. (John 10:7-18)
• Come to the Father through Jesus. Jesus is the Way to God that you have sought. He is the Truth for which you have searched. He is the Life which you have longed. (John 14:6)
• The Holy Spirit is our Teacher, Helper, Advocate, and Guide. He is our source of true spiritual understanding. (John 14:16, 15:26, 16:13)
Brothers and Sisters, we are getting to the end of the age. Don’t become unbelieving Believers. Prepare for the coming of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It is my prayer that you be sanctified in Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 5:27 that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.
Luke 13:3 I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.”
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Acts 17:30-31 Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.”
AMEN and AMEN!
Many folks think that being “Saved” is good enough to get you ready for His coming and entrance into the Kingdom of GOD. This is not what the Bible says in Mathew and other Scriptures.
Matthew 7:13-14 13 (“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it).
Matthew 7:21-23 21 (“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!)
In Revelation the seven churches are referenced and the Lukewarm Church is one we will focus on.
Revelation 3:15-16 (“I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth).
Does the Lukewarm Church remind you of our Church of today? Do we worship God on Sundays and the rest of the week we worship Satan? How many of you will deny this? Take time to add up the time you spend with GOD and the time you spend with this world. Will GOD vomit you out of His mouth? One cannot intentionally be living in violation of GOD’s precepts and expect His promises to be fulfilled.
Let us look at Galatians 5:19-21 (Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of GOD).
Can we translate what Paul says that those who habitually practice those things against GOD with a hardened heart as a way of life, they shall not inherit the kingdom of GOD? It is important to understand that grace and mercy does not absolve us from responsibility for holiness. Romans 6:1-2 1 (What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?)
We tend to make everything so complicated when relying on the doctrine of man. I will use one word that will make it simple to understand and will be the key to answering the question above. That word is SANCTIFIED!!!!!!!!
The definition of SANCTIFIED is:
1. To make holy; set apart as sacred
2. To purify or free from sin: Sanctify your hearts
3. To make productive of or conducive to spiritual blessings.
Acts 26:17-18 (NIV) (I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’)
We want our whole spirit, soul, and body sanctified and preserved blameless when Jesus returns.
1 Thessalonians 5:23 (Now may the GOD of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ).
How do we sanctify ourselves in Our Lord Jesus Christ? We make every effort to live our lives without sin and if we sin, we need to confess our sins immediately and ask God for forgiveness. Can we eliminate sin completely? The answer is no.
It is fair to say and all believers will agree that we sin often. What we don’t realize is the frequency and magnitude of our sin each and every day. Let me give you examples below:
1. Anxiety, stress, and fear (Haggai 2:5….. so My Spirit remains among you; do not fear!) causing you to worry. We worry about our jobs, health, economy, money family, terrorist, relatives, people that offend us, robbers, predators, etc. Matthew 6:25 (“Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?)
2. Judgmental or Critical of the Church or someone you know. Ecclesiastes 3:17 (“GOD will bring into judgment both the righteous and the wicked, for there will be a time for every activity, a time to judge every deed.”)
3. Slander, gossip, or a busybody. Psalm 101:5 (whoever secretly slanders his neighbor, Him I will destroy; The one who has a haughty look and a proud heart, Him I will not endure.)
4. Exaggeration of stories, accomplishments, credentials, white lie, or partial truths. Exodus 20:16 (“You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor).
5. Coveting power, position, big house, high paying job, money, and stuff. Hebrews 13:5 (Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”)
6. Idolizing sport teams and heroes, your kids, spouses, bosses, media stars, and singers. 1 Corinthians 10:14 (Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.)
7. Murmur and complaining. 1 Corinthians 10:10 (nor complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer.)
8. Prideful. (Proverbs 29:23 (A man’s pride will bring him low, But the humble in spirit will retain honor.)
9. Anger. Colossians (NIV) 3:8 (But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Has your wrath come against your family or someone you know?)
10. Tithe. All you have belongs to GOD and tithing is not an option. You can do much more with GOD’s 90% than your 100%. Malachi 3:8 (“Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, ‘In what way have we robbed You? In tithes and offerings.” Not only does GOD want you to tithe but He wants offerings above your tithe.)
11. Theft. Matthew 15:18-19 (But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.)
If it were possible to have Jesus in the flesh hang out with you for a few days would you be doing these things? I am here to tell you that Jesus may not be hanging out with you in the flesh, but He is there watching your every move. Ask yourself this question: Will what I say or do bring glory to GOD?
Let’s turn our attention back to how we become sanctified in Our Lord and Savior Jesus Chris. Basically speaking, we all need to turn away from sin. We need to switch from our method of operation to God’s method of operation.
Below are 8 keys to wholeness and freedom (Henry Wright – A More Excellent Way).
1. Recognize – You must recognize your sin.
2. Responsibility – You must take responsibility for what you recognized as sin.
3. Repent – Repent to God for participating with what you recognize as sin.
4. Renounce – You must make what you recognize your enemy and renounce it.
5. Remove it – Get rid of your sin once and for all.
6. Resist – Resist sin when it tries to come back.
7. Rejoice – Give God thanks for setting you free of your sin.
8. Restore – Show someone else how to be set free.
I want to share with you what has helped my family in dealing with sin. Man sins throughout the day and most believers do not deal with sin (fear, lying, worry, anger, slander, coveting, idolatry, etc.) until the end of the day if at all. The problem with this method is we forget most of our sins and go to bed buried in sin without confessing our sins to God. Our goal should be to confess our sins the very second they occur so that we don’t forget. As we recognize and confess our sins throughout the day, God will work in our heart so that we don’t continue to repeat our sins. Therefore, we began on a path to sanctification in Jesus Christ.
The Word of God is critical in being sanctified in Jesus Christ. I heard a recent sermon from a pastor who admitted reading only a few Bible verses each morning. I was shocked to hear this from this pastor who is the leader of this Church. First, he gave the congregation a license to read only a few verses a day. Second, he took and minimized what the Bible means to all of us in John 1:1-3 (In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made). Third, relying on the doctrine of man (his own thinking) will result in destruction. Henry Wright said “I have not found anyone who has mastered the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. Every time I think I understand the Word, I go and read it some more and I see something new in there that I didn’t see before.”
God’s Word has been there from the beginning and we can’t attempt to be sanctified in Jesus Christ without God’s Word We need to be firmly rooted in God’s Word if we are to partake in the fivefold ministry (Ephesians 4:11) as not to be sifted like wheat by Satan. Luke 22:31 (And the Lord said, “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat). This also applies each and every one of us. By not knowing God’s Word, we open ourselves to the attacks from the dark kingdom. Satan does not discriminate. Satan will go after you. He will go after your children to get to you. He will go after your marriage. He will go after your job. He will go after your health. He will go after your Church He will go after you mind.
Understand, Satan always wants to be like the Most High GOD and will guise himself in order to accommodate himself to men. Satan wants you to worship him and based on our sin, Satan is doing a good job. Are you in rebellion? Are you being stubborn? Are you rejecting GODS word? 1 Samuel (For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He also has rejected you from being king.”)
Acts 8:22 (Contemporary English Version) Get rid of these evil thoughts and ask God to forgive you. GOD is the only one between you and destruction. Choose the light.
• The light of Jesus brings sight to both the spiritually and physically blind. Do the works of Jesus while there is still opportunity. (John 8:12)
• By faith enter into abundant life through Jesus who is the door. Understand that only though Jesus will you find eternal life, because Jesus, the Good Shepherd, gave His life for you. (John 10:7-18)
• Come to the Father through Jesus. Jesus is the Way to God that you have sought. He is the Truth for which you have searched. He is the Life which you have longed. (John 14:6)
• The Holy Spirit is our Teacher, Helper, Advocate, and Guide. He is our source of true spiritual understanding. (John 14:16, 15:26, 16:13)
Brothers and Sisters, we are getting to the end of the age. Don’t become unbelieving Believers. Prepare for the coming of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It is my prayer that you be sanctified in Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 5:27 that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.
Luke 13:3 I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.”
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Acts 17:30-31 Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.”
AMEN and AMEN!
Monday, January 10, 2011
Forgiveness
Matthew 6:14-15 “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
Reason we don’t forgive
The offense was too great.
They won’t accept responsibility for the offense.
They aren’t truly sorry.
They never asked to be forgiven.
They will do it again.
They did it again.
I don’t like them.
They did it deliberately.
If I forgive the offense, I’ll have to treat the offender well.
Someone has to punish them.
Something keeps me from forgiving.
I’ll forgive, but I won’t ever forget.
I have forgiven a lesser offense, after excusing the real offense.
What forgiveness isn’t:
Approval
Transferring responsibility.
Excusing
Saying the offense is of no importance.
Saying you are of no importance.
Commitment to relate in the future.
It is not ceasing to be appalled that it happened.
It is automatically forgotten.
That it wasn’t painful and still hurts.
Does not have its consequences.
It was okay with God that it happened.
That you shouldn’t tell the other person how angry you are.
What forgiveness encompasses:
Our sinfulness
Our need for forgiveness
Our total forgiveness
That un-forgiveness provides a gateway to the demonic.
That vengeance is the Lord’s.
The need to focus upon the Lord and His faithfulness.
The need to live today and not in the past.
Relinquish wrath toward the person.
Give up hate or desire to hurt or get even with the person.
Knowing you have done what God has asked you to do.
Releases a supernatural healing power no matter how awful the offense is.
Will decrease self-condemnation.
By forgiving, the Lord opens the floodgates of blessings (Deuteronomy 28).
How do I know if I need to forgive someone including myself? If you get a "ping" when you think of someone or if a negative remembrance occurs, this is someone you need to forgive.
Understand, you need to separate the sin from the person. The person is not sin. It is the sin that is working in the person that may have caused the offense. This applies to us all.
How often Should I forgive someone? Jesus was very clear when He spoke to Peter.
Matthew 18:21-23
21 Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?”
22 Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven. 23 Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants.
Reason we don’t forgive
The offense was too great.
They won’t accept responsibility for the offense.
They aren’t truly sorry.
They never asked to be forgiven.
They will do it again.
They did it again.
I don’t like them.
They did it deliberately.
If I forgive the offense, I’ll have to treat the offender well.
Someone has to punish them.
Something keeps me from forgiving.
I’ll forgive, but I won’t ever forget.
I have forgiven a lesser offense, after excusing the real offense.
What forgiveness isn’t:
Approval
Transferring responsibility.
Excusing
Saying the offense is of no importance.
Saying you are of no importance.
Commitment to relate in the future.
It is not ceasing to be appalled that it happened.
It is automatically forgotten.
That it wasn’t painful and still hurts.
Does not have its consequences.
It was okay with God that it happened.
That you shouldn’t tell the other person how angry you are.
What forgiveness encompasses:
Our sinfulness
Our need for forgiveness
Our total forgiveness
That un-forgiveness provides a gateway to the demonic.
That vengeance is the Lord’s.
The need to focus upon the Lord and His faithfulness.
The need to live today and not in the past.
Relinquish wrath toward the person.
Give up hate or desire to hurt or get even with the person.
Knowing you have done what God has asked you to do.
Releases a supernatural healing power no matter how awful the offense is.
Will decrease self-condemnation.
By forgiving, the Lord opens the floodgates of blessings (Deuteronomy 28).
How do I know if I need to forgive someone including myself? If you get a "ping" when you think of someone or if a negative remembrance occurs, this is someone you need to forgive.
Understand, you need to separate the sin from the person. The person is not sin. It is the sin that is working in the person that may have caused the offense. This applies to us all.
How often Should I forgive someone? Jesus was very clear when He spoke to Peter.
Matthew 18:21-23
21 Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?”
22 Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven. 23 Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants.
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
No Condemnation - Romans 8:1-2
As believers we must have only one single source of instruction. That would be God and His Word (Bible) which has been around since the beginning. (John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God). Our God is a God of truth and He does not lie (Titus 1:2 in hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began). It is important to understand that we have no choice but to believe whatever is said in the Bible if we are true believers. We stumble when we believe in the lies of Satan who will do everything is his power to make life miserable. His whole method of operation is to “steal, and to kill, and to destroy” John 10:10. Jesus says in this same verse “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
Satan will always do the opposite of God and will lie to convince you that God is not telling the truth. 1 John 2:21-22 I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and that no lie is of the truth. Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son.
There is a basic way to determine what is from God and what is from Satan. God brings you love, joy, and comfort. Satan brings guilt, condemnation and torment. Easy to recognize the difference here but harder to overcome when in the heat of the battle.
Let’s touch on the area of sin. We are all sinners and fall short of the Kingdom. Fortunately, God sent His only son to die for ALL our sins from the beginning of time to the end of time. We simply confess our sins to Jesus and we are forgiven. There is no other payment required for our sins. They are forgiven. God does ask something in return. He asks us to make every effort to not sin again. If we slip up, we confess our sins to God and we are forgiven. Eventually, that particular sins goes away and that is what God wants. He knows we are not perfect.
God’s promises:
John 1:29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1 John 2:1-2 My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.
Next, we will talk about guilt and condemnation. What did we say earlier about Satan? Satan wants us to feel guilt and to blame ourselves for our sin. Satan brings great condemnation. God wants the opposite. God wants you to feel His love and his comfort. God does not want us to feel bad after we have confessed our sins and we cannot let Satan or anyone convince us otherwise.
Again, God will forgive us for all our sins if we confess our sins to Him. We go on with our lives in this regard because our sins are forgiven. One key to avoid condemnation is to understand that we also need to forgive ourselves for sinning and not take on the burden of feeling horrible for our sin. There is no reason to feel bad if God has forgiven our sin.
Romans 8:1-2 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.
It is only when we don’t believe in God’s Word and His promises that we open the door for Satan and his dark kingdom to wreck havoc in our lives. Take authority (Mark 16:17) and rebuke Satan when he attacks you in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth who came in the flesh. Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee James 4:7.
Jesus loves you and will protect you. BELIEVE!
Satan will always do the opposite of God and will lie to convince you that God is not telling the truth. 1 John 2:21-22 I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and that no lie is of the truth. Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son.
There is a basic way to determine what is from God and what is from Satan. God brings you love, joy, and comfort. Satan brings guilt, condemnation and torment. Easy to recognize the difference here but harder to overcome when in the heat of the battle.
Let’s touch on the area of sin. We are all sinners and fall short of the Kingdom. Fortunately, God sent His only son to die for ALL our sins from the beginning of time to the end of time. We simply confess our sins to Jesus and we are forgiven. There is no other payment required for our sins. They are forgiven. God does ask something in return. He asks us to make every effort to not sin again. If we slip up, we confess our sins to God and we are forgiven. Eventually, that particular sins goes away and that is what God wants. He knows we are not perfect.
God’s promises:
John 1:29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1 John 2:1-2 My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.
Next, we will talk about guilt and condemnation. What did we say earlier about Satan? Satan wants us to feel guilt and to blame ourselves for our sin. Satan brings great condemnation. God wants the opposite. God wants you to feel His love and his comfort. God does not want us to feel bad after we have confessed our sins and we cannot let Satan or anyone convince us otherwise.
Again, God will forgive us for all our sins if we confess our sins to Him. We go on with our lives in this regard because our sins are forgiven. One key to avoid condemnation is to understand that we also need to forgive ourselves for sinning and not take on the burden of feeling horrible for our sin. There is no reason to feel bad if God has forgiven our sin.
Romans 8:1-2 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.
It is only when we don’t believe in God’s Word and His promises that we open the door for Satan and his dark kingdom to wreck havoc in our lives. Take authority (Mark 16:17) and rebuke Satan when he attacks you in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth who came in the flesh. Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee James 4:7.
Jesus loves you and will protect you. BELIEVE!
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Spiritual Warfare
The subject of spiritual warfare that we are about to discuss is the most neglected and unknown subject in the Christian world. The church does not educate the flock to the degree that is necessary to overcome the enemy. This subject is virtually ignored. One quarter of the ministry of Jesus Christ was casting out unclean spirits. Not only was Jesus busy casting out demons but he had to deal with everyone from Satan to the Pharisees to doubters coming against him. We will discuss this later in a story about Jezebel.
Satan and his dark kingdom are always at work trying to destroy us. John 10:10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. He comes at us in so many ways and we don’t know how to stop it because of our lack of knowledge. Hosea 4:6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Yet, if we read God’s Word we would find our authority to be able to battle the enemy.
Mark 16:17 17 And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons;
John 10:19 Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
My wife and I began studying spiritual warfare and deliverance seven years ago out of necessity. We wanted to understand why things were happening to us that had no rhyme or reason. Through research, studying and meditating in the Bible, and getting revelation from the Lord, we have started to understand how the enemy works. There is so much we don’t know. With that knowledge, attacks from the dark kingdom began and it has been intense for my wife and I. Understand, Satan does not want you to know about him. He does not want you to learn the authority in Jesus name that you have over him and the dark kingdom.
A special note to consider. When God chooses you or chooses someone to do work for God’s Kingdom such as church ministries or standing in the gap as intercessor, you can expect Satan to do everything in his power to stop it. The attacks could come from temptation, doubts, worry, incurable diseases, and pride to name a few. Finally, some of the biggest attacks come from people in your private (especially families) and professional life.
Elijah the prophet was a great man of God who came against Jezebe’ls hundreds (1 Kings 18:22) of false prophets in a showdown of their gods and the God of Israel. Long story short, Elijah won out and destroyed the false prophets (1 Kings 18:40). Jezebel did not like this and 1 Kings 19 shows how Satan can work through people like Jezebel to come against God’s people.
1 Kings 19:1-4
Elijah Flees from Jezebel
Now Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, "So may the gods do to me and even more, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time." And he was afraid and arose and ran for his life and came to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there. But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree; and he requested for himself that he might die, and said, "It is enough; now, O LORD, take my life, for I am not better than my fathers."
Satan used Jezebel to come against Elijah who was so distraught (spirit of depression) that he wanted to kill himself. As you can determine, Satan is very powerful and we are at risk. He never rests and he is relentless.
Things to remember about Satan:
New believers in Christ have a special place in the kingdom. Understand that we have to nurture them and protect them because Satan will work to get them to go back to their old ways.
He will go after your family to get to you.
He will use other people to come against you.
He will always use your areas of weakness (bondages) to attack you. We all have weaknesses.
He will always go after your mind.
He will attack your physical body as he did in Job. Most people attribute cancer and other incurable diseases to genetics or being exposed to different things but refuse to believe that Satan or spiritual forces may be at work. This is exactly what the enemy wants us to believe. This is why Jesus gave us the authority to heal (Mark 16:18) because he knew we would need this authority to heal.
Hosea 4:6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Do not allow yourself to be destroyed due to a lack of knowledge. Don’t depend on anyone to educate or teach you. The Bible, The Holy Spirit, warfare books and knowledgeable people are available to show you how to overcome the enemy.
Believe and use The Whole Armor of God
Ephesians 6:10:16
10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.
Satan and his dark kingdom are always at work trying to destroy us. John 10:10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. He comes at us in so many ways and we don’t know how to stop it because of our lack of knowledge. Hosea 4:6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Yet, if we read God’s Word we would find our authority to be able to battle the enemy.
Mark 16:17 17 And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons;
John 10:19 Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
My wife and I began studying spiritual warfare and deliverance seven years ago out of necessity. We wanted to understand why things were happening to us that had no rhyme or reason. Through research, studying and meditating in the Bible, and getting revelation from the Lord, we have started to understand how the enemy works. There is so much we don’t know. With that knowledge, attacks from the dark kingdom began and it has been intense for my wife and I. Understand, Satan does not want you to know about him. He does not want you to learn the authority in Jesus name that you have over him and the dark kingdom.
A special note to consider. When God chooses you or chooses someone to do work for God’s Kingdom such as church ministries or standing in the gap as intercessor, you can expect Satan to do everything in his power to stop it. The attacks could come from temptation, doubts, worry, incurable diseases, and pride to name a few. Finally, some of the biggest attacks come from people in your private (especially families) and professional life.
Elijah the prophet was a great man of God who came against Jezebe’ls hundreds (1 Kings 18:22) of false prophets in a showdown of their gods and the God of Israel. Long story short, Elijah won out and destroyed the false prophets (1 Kings 18:40). Jezebel did not like this and 1 Kings 19 shows how Satan can work through people like Jezebel to come against God’s people.
1 Kings 19:1-4
Elijah Flees from Jezebel
Now Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, "So may the gods do to me and even more, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time." And he was afraid and arose and ran for his life and came to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there. But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree; and he requested for himself that he might die, and said, "It is enough; now, O LORD, take my life, for I am not better than my fathers."
Satan used Jezebel to come against Elijah who was so distraught (spirit of depression) that he wanted to kill himself. As you can determine, Satan is very powerful and we are at risk. He never rests and he is relentless.
Things to remember about Satan:
New believers in Christ have a special place in the kingdom. Understand that we have to nurture them and protect them because Satan will work to get them to go back to their old ways.
He will go after your family to get to you.
He will use other people to come against you.
He will always use your areas of weakness (bondages) to attack you. We all have weaknesses.
He will always go after your mind.
He will attack your physical body as he did in Job. Most people attribute cancer and other incurable diseases to genetics or being exposed to different things but refuse to believe that Satan or spiritual forces may be at work. This is exactly what the enemy wants us to believe. This is why Jesus gave us the authority to heal (Mark 16:18) because he knew we would need this authority to heal.
Hosea 4:6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Do not allow yourself to be destroyed due to a lack of knowledge. Don’t depend on anyone to educate or teach you. The Bible, The Holy Spirit, warfare books and knowledgeable people are available to show you how to overcome the enemy.
Believe and use The Whole Armor of God
Ephesians 6:10:16
10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Beware of the Doctrine of Man
Over half of all the six billion people on our planet believe in Him, the One True God of Abraham, yet the majority of them feel extreme hatred toward others of His followers. Why? Because each of the many different religions and Denominations HAVE MADE THEIR OWN INDIVIDUAL ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING EXACTLY WHAT HE MEANT TO TEACH US, and therefore each chooses to teach selective, and sometimes distorted information about all other belief systems. Can the Lord be Pleased with this sort of behavior?
It is said that there are 485 denominations in the United States not including the “non-denomination” denominations who have their own doctrine but don’t or won’t realize it. How can we have so many doctrines when it is very clear how Jesus intended for His church (body of Christ) to be conducted in Acts? How did we get to the point of having so many views on how God wanted us to run His church? Answer: We fail to follow what He said in His word that has been around from the beginning. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. John 1:1-2. Man has taken it upon himself to add to God’s word to fit his thinking when it clearly says in the Bible not to add to His word. For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. Revelation 22:18-19.
The church is preaching a surface message when they should be preaching warnings to the flock as the Old Testament prophets did. The doctrine of men has allowed the gods of this world to dominate our lives and the church should teach against the gods (an image of a deity; an idol) of this world.
Examples:
Carved images – So many of us think that crosses, Jesus bracelets, statutes, etc bring us closer to God when in fact He says To whom then will you liken God? Or what likeness will you compare to Him? The workman molds an image, the goldsmith overspreads it with gold, and the silversmith casts silver chains. Whoever is too impoverished for such a contribution chooses a tree that will not rot; He seeks for himself a skillful workman to prepare a carved image that will not totter (to shake or tremble). Isaiah 40:27. Isaiah mocks the fact that man thinks God’s greatness can be captured in a carved image. This is the essence of the Second Commandment (Exodus 20:4-6). Carved images are the doctrine of man and not of God. Yet we ignore God’s instructions.
Idols: 1.An image or other material object representing a deity to which religious worship is addressed. 2. An image of a deity other than god. 3. Any person or thing regarded with blind admiration, adoration, or devotion
This is an interesting subject and we don’t fully comprehend the scope of this sin in our lives. This is God’s first commandment. You shall have no other God’s before Me. Exodus 20:3. These false gods take away from your relationship with God. There is only one God and He wants us to worship Him only.
Let’s list some of the gods we are in bondage to.
Consumer gods.
Money gods
Power and position gods
Media gods – TV, magazine, movies.
Video gods – Games, cell and PDF phones. How many hours are your children wasting on video games?
Sports gods – Not that sports are bad. But do you give at least equal time to God as you do with sports?
Celebrity gods – Do you know how many Christian women follow Oprah? Oprah believes in self help that is rooted in the New Age movement. She looks to herself rather than God the creator.
Entertainment gods – We even want to be entertained in church.
Conclusion: When we rely on man’s thinking rather than God’s instruction, we become prideful like Satan who as a result was thrown out of heaven. We cannot compromise the Word of God with man’s doctrine.
1 Timothy 4:16 Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you.
2 Timothy 4:3 For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.
Titus 1:9 He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it.
Titus 2:1 You, however, must teach what is appropriate to sound doctrine.
It is said that there are 485 denominations in the United States not including the “non-denomination” denominations who have their own doctrine but don’t or won’t realize it. How can we have so many doctrines when it is very clear how Jesus intended for His church (body of Christ) to be conducted in Acts? How did we get to the point of having so many views on how God wanted us to run His church? Answer: We fail to follow what He said in His word that has been around from the beginning. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. John 1:1-2. Man has taken it upon himself to add to God’s word to fit his thinking when it clearly says in the Bible not to add to His word. For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. Revelation 22:18-19.
The church is preaching a surface message when they should be preaching warnings to the flock as the Old Testament prophets did. The doctrine of men has allowed the gods of this world to dominate our lives and the church should teach against the gods (an image of a deity; an idol) of this world.
Examples:
Carved images – So many of us think that crosses, Jesus bracelets, statutes, etc bring us closer to God when in fact He says To whom then will you liken God? Or what likeness will you compare to Him? The workman molds an image, the goldsmith overspreads it with gold, and the silversmith casts silver chains. Whoever is too impoverished for such a contribution chooses a tree that will not rot; He seeks for himself a skillful workman to prepare a carved image that will not totter (to shake or tremble). Isaiah 40:27. Isaiah mocks the fact that man thinks God’s greatness can be captured in a carved image. This is the essence of the Second Commandment (Exodus 20:4-6). Carved images are the doctrine of man and not of God. Yet we ignore God’s instructions.
Idols: 1.An image or other material object representing a deity to which religious worship is addressed. 2. An image of a deity other than god. 3. Any person or thing regarded with blind admiration, adoration, or devotion
This is an interesting subject and we don’t fully comprehend the scope of this sin in our lives. This is God’s first commandment. You shall have no other God’s before Me. Exodus 20:3. These false gods take away from your relationship with God. There is only one God and He wants us to worship Him only.
Let’s list some of the gods we are in bondage to.
Consumer gods.
Money gods
Power and position gods
Media gods – TV, magazine, movies.
Video gods – Games, cell and PDF phones. How many hours are your children wasting on video games?
Sports gods – Not that sports are bad. But do you give at least equal time to God as you do with sports?
Celebrity gods – Do you know how many Christian women follow Oprah? Oprah believes in self help that is rooted in the New Age movement. She looks to herself rather than God the creator.
Entertainment gods – We even want to be entertained in church.
Conclusion: When we rely on man’s thinking rather than God’s instruction, we become prideful like Satan who as a result was thrown out of heaven. We cannot compromise the Word of God with man’s doctrine.
1 Timothy 4:16 Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you.
2 Timothy 4:3 For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.
Titus 1:9 He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it.
Titus 2:1 You, however, must teach what is appropriate to sound doctrine.
Sunday, November 7, 2010
The Measure of Success
Jeremiah 9:23-24 (NIV)
23 This is what the LORD says:
“Let not the wise boast of their wisdom
or the strong boast of their strength
or the rich boast of their riches,
24 but let the one who boasts boast about this:
that they have the understanding to know me,
that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness,
justice and righteousness on earth,
for in these I delight,” declares the LORD.
By the world’s standards, success is usually measured by three criteria: wisdom, power, and wealth. The “successful” communicate insights that influence others (wisdom), gain strategic advantage over others (power), or accumulate and control resources (wealth). Yet God asserts here that these attainments hold no weight with Him and that true success is measured by our knowledge of Him (v. 24).
Both “understand” and “know” contain the idea of ascertaining something through the process of seeing (Job 42:5 See below). To know God is to encounter Him (2 Cor 3:16-18 See below); to receive “revelation” from Him as, through the Scriptures, He implants His thoughts into our minds (1 Cor 2:9-12 See below). Pursue this “knowing.” Cultivate in communion with him as His character engulfs us with the holy wonder of a God who passionately desires intimate friendship with those whom He has created.
Show me Your ways, O LORD;Teach me Your paths. Lead me in Your truth and teach me, For You are the God of my salvation; On You I wait all the day. Psalm 25:4-5
****************************************************************************
Job 42:5 I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, But now my eye sees You
2 Cor 3:16-18 Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.
1 Corinthians 2:9-12 But as it is written: “ Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man, The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.
23 This is what the LORD says:
“Let not the wise boast of their wisdom
or the strong boast of their strength
or the rich boast of their riches,
24 but let the one who boasts boast about this:
that they have the understanding to know me,
that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness,
justice and righteousness on earth,
for in these I delight,” declares the LORD.
By the world’s standards, success is usually measured by three criteria: wisdom, power, and wealth. The “successful” communicate insights that influence others (wisdom), gain strategic advantage over others (power), or accumulate and control resources (wealth). Yet God asserts here that these attainments hold no weight with Him and that true success is measured by our knowledge of Him (v. 24).
Both “understand” and “know” contain the idea of ascertaining something through the process of seeing (Job 42:5 See below). To know God is to encounter Him (2 Cor 3:16-18 See below); to receive “revelation” from Him as, through the Scriptures, He implants His thoughts into our minds (1 Cor 2:9-12 See below). Pursue this “knowing.” Cultivate in communion with him as His character engulfs us with the holy wonder of a God who passionately desires intimate friendship with those whom He has created.
Show me Your ways, O LORD;Teach me Your paths. Lead me in Your truth and teach me, For You are the God of my salvation; On You I wait all the day. Psalm 25:4-5
****************************************************************************
Job 42:5 I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, But now my eye sees You
2 Cor 3:16-18 Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.
1 Corinthians 2:9-12 But as it is written: “ Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man, The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
John 1:1-3 God and His Word
Proverbs 30:5-6 Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him. Do not add to His words, Lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar.
The Word of God.
The word “ canon” is the term used to describe the complete number of the books of the Bible-the closed cannon of the 66 books of the Holy Scriptures. It is derived from ancient words meaning “measuring stick” and applied here to designate those books that meet the requirements of being acknowledged as divinely inspired by God.
The Bible warns against either adding or subtracting from its contents. Revelation 22:18 (For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book) makes a conclusive statement, positional in God’s providence and wisdom, at the Bible’s end. While it refers directly to the Book of Revelation, most Bible scholars also provide a finalizing footnote on this subject: “Add to or subtract from the Bible at your own risk.” (A classic study of the judgment for “taking away” from God’s Word is seen in Jeremiah 36:20-32.
In this regard, we are wise to understand terms. When we refer to the “revelation of the Scriptures,” it is important that we distinguish this consummate order of divine revelation from any other use of the term, however sacred. There are many today who do not know the difference between a “revelation” (an insight or an idea that may be of God, of man, or of the Devil) and the revelation of God, which is in the closed cannon of the Scriptures.
Because there are many books that claim to be divinely given, a casual or gullible attitude toward them can result in confusion and eventual destruction. It is interesting to note that even in Jesus’ time, several books held by some today to be intended for the OT were in existence then. Yet, in the 64 times Jesus quotes from the OT, not once does He quote from any of those books. The Bible is complete, completely trustworthy, and sufficient to completely answer anything we need to know for eternal salvation or practical wisdom concerning our relationships, morality, character, or conduct.
You can gauge how closely God and His Word are connected in John 1:1-3 in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. We have to rely on the Word of God because we are uniquely created to worship God alone; nothing else can truly bring lasting peace and satisfaction.
Too often Christians in the modern church find themselves passive intellectually, accepting almost anything they are taught or simple challenging a doctrine on the basis of how it feels instead of looking to see whether it has biblical foundations. Contrast this with what the Boreans did in Acts 17:11 These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so. They did not take for granted what many had to say. They relied on the Word of God.
Amen and Amen
The Word of God.
The word “ canon” is the term used to describe the complete number of the books of the Bible-the closed cannon of the 66 books of the Holy Scriptures. It is derived from ancient words meaning “measuring stick” and applied here to designate those books that meet the requirements of being acknowledged as divinely inspired by God.
The Bible warns against either adding or subtracting from its contents. Revelation 22:18 (For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book) makes a conclusive statement, positional in God’s providence and wisdom, at the Bible’s end. While it refers directly to the Book of Revelation, most Bible scholars also provide a finalizing footnote on this subject: “Add to or subtract from the Bible at your own risk.” (A classic study of the judgment for “taking away” from God’s Word is seen in Jeremiah 36:20-32.
In this regard, we are wise to understand terms. When we refer to the “revelation of the Scriptures,” it is important that we distinguish this consummate order of divine revelation from any other use of the term, however sacred. There are many today who do not know the difference between a “revelation” (an insight or an idea that may be of God, of man, or of the Devil) and the revelation of God, which is in the closed cannon of the Scriptures.
Because there are many books that claim to be divinely given, a casual or gullible attitude toward them can result in confusion and eventual destruction. It is interesting to note that even in Jesus’ time, several books held by some today to be intended for the OT were in existence then. Yet, in the 64 times Jesus quotes from the OT, not once does He quote from any of those books. The Bible is complete, completely trustworthy, and sufficient to completely answer anything we need to know for eternal salvation or practical wisdom concerning our relationships, morality, character, or conduct.
You can gauge how closely God and His Word are connected in John 1:1-3 in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. We have to rely on the Word of God because we are uniquely created to worship God alone; nothing else can truly bring lasting peace and satisfaction.
Too often Christians in the modern church find themselves passive intellectually, accepting almost anything they are taught or simple challenging a doctrine on the basis of how it feels instead of looking to see whether it has biblical foundations. Contrast this with what the Boreans did in Acts 17:11 These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so. They did not take for granted what many had to say. They relied on the Word of God.
Amen and Amen
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Praying With All Supplication
Prayer
Ephesians 6:18 (New King James Version)
praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit (to ask earnestly and humbly), being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—
Other translations of this important passage of scripture include: (1) Edgar Goodspeed – “use every kind of prayer and entreaty (urgency), and at every opportunity pray in the Spirit,” and (2) Weymouth – “and be always on the alert to seize opportunities for doing so, with unwearied persistence and entreaty on behalf of all the saints.”
The subject, of course, is prayer. It is an important part of not only the armor of God, but also the most effective offensive weapon at our disposal for spiritual warfare. Although, the most significant weapon we posses is the ability and privilege to pray, few Christians exercise this privilege at all, and those who do often express an inadequacy and dissatisfaction with their prayer life.
When you pray, you are able to tap the resources of the infinite power of God. Therefore, prayer is the greatest weapon, which we possess. In addition to being a defensive weapon, it is also one of the two greatest offensive weapons along with the Word of God.
But when we consider our own prayer lives as Christians, we often feel inadequate. We know we should pray more, but we find prayer boring or else we fail to see the value and relevance of praying. Let’s face it. Prayer is hard work and it is difficult. And because of its mighty power against the Dark Kingdom, Satan fights us every step of the way. Often we adopt the baby Christian attitude that prayer is a last resort when everything we have tried on our own failed.
Many stories in the Bible can be used as a model to follow in our prayers to God. One is when a rebellious Israel was told to possess the land that was given to them and did not obey. Likewise, when the LORD sent you from Kadesh Barnea, saying, ‘Go up and possess the land which I have given you,’ then you rebelled against the commandment of the LORD your God, and you did not believe Him nor obey His voice. 24 You have been rebellious against the LORD from the day that I knew you. 25 “Thus I prostrated myself before the LORD; forty days and forty nights I kept prostrating myself, because the LORD had said He would destroy you. Duet 9-23-25. It was only because of the intercession of Moses that Israel was not destroyed. Understand the scope (forty days and forty nights) of his prayer to save the nation of Israel.
Another is the story of Peter who was imprisoned by Herod because it pleased the Jews. It was the corporate prayer of the church that an angel of the Lord freed Peter. “Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church. 6 And when Herod was about to bring him out, that night Peter was sleeping, bound with two chains between two soldiers; and the guards before the door were keeping the prison. 7 Now behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the prison; and he struck Peter on the side and raised him up, saying, “Arise quickly!” And his chains fell off his hands” Acts 12:5-7.
A couple of things God gave me understanding about in regard to praying with all supplication (Eph 6:18) and without ceasing (1 Thes 5:17).
First, the enemy comes “to steal, and to kill, and to destroy” John 10:10 and he and his dark kingdom will not let up. We have to be in prayer constantly to protect ourselves and our family without ceasing. The enemy is relentless and does not take breaks. We cannot afford to take a break either.
Second, I was made to understand the seriousness of praying for my loved ones. I had to ask myself this question: “Am I willing to prostrate myself and pray with all supplication for more than a few minutes each day?” How much prayer do we really give our children that are suffering? We normally pray a few minutes throughout the day for them but mostly we think about the grave condition they are in and let the enemy get to our minds which makes it worse. Are we willing to pray one hour in the morning, one hour at lunch and one hour at night for our loved ones? Moses prayed for forty days and forty nights. Jesus was in constant prayer for all of humanity during His ministry. Yet, we do not tap into the most powerful weapon in the universe. PRAYER! We are a rebellious group just as the nation of Israel was because we do not obey God’s instructions or believe His promises.
As believers in Jesus Christ, we have an obligation to ask God for forgiveness and to change our ways. Our method of operation will never work. God’s method of operation will be our solution and our salvation.
Amen and Amen
Ephesians 6:18 (New King James Version)
praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit (to ask earnestly and humbly), being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—
Other translations of this important passage of scripture include: (1) Edgar Goodspeed – “use every kind of prayer and entreaty (urgency), and at every opportunity pray in the Spirit,” and (2) Weymouth – “and be always on the alert to seize opportunities for doing so, with unwearied persistence and entreaty on behalf of all the saints.”
The subject, of course, is prayer. It is an important part of not only the armor of God, but also the most effective offensive weapon at our disposal for spiritual warfare. Although, the most significant weapon we posses is the ability and privilege to pray, few Christians exercise this privilege at all, and those who do often express an inadequacy and dissatisfaction with their prayer life.
When you pray, you are able to tap the resources of the infinite power of God. Therefore, prayer is the greatest weapon, which we possess. In addition to being a defensive weapon, it is also one of the two greatest offensive weapons along with the Word of God.
But when we consider our own prayer lives as Christians, we often feel inadequate. We know we should pray more, but we find prayer boring or else we fail to see the value and relevance of praying. Let’s face it. Prayer is hard work and it is difficult. And because of its mighty power against the Dark Kingdom, Satan fights us every step of the way. Often we adopt the baby Christian attitude that prayer is a last resort when everything we have tried on our own failed.
Many stories in the Bible can be used as a model to follow in our prayers to God. One is when a rebellious Israel was told to possess the land that was given to them and did not obey. Likewise, when the LORD sent you from Kadesh Barnea, saying, ‘Go up and possess the land which I have given you,’ then you rebelled against the commandment of the LORD your God, and you did not believe Him nor obey His voice. 24 You have been rebellious against the LORD from the day that I knew you. 25 “Thus I prostrated myself before the LORD; forty days and forty nights I kept prostrating myself, because the LORD had said He would destroy you. Duet 9-23-25. It was only because of the intercession of Moses that Israel was not destroyed. Understand the scope (forty days and forty nights) of his prayer to save the nation of Israel.
Another is the story of Peter who was imprisoned by Herod because it pleased the Jews. It was the corporate prayer of the church that an angel of the Lord freed Peter. “Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church. 6 And when Herod was about to bring him out, that night Peter was sleeping, bound with two chains between two soldiers; and the guards before the door were keeping the prison. 7 Now behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the prison; and he struck Peter on the side and raised him up, saying, “Arise quickly!” And his chains fell off his hands” Acts 12:5-7.
A couple of things God gave me understanding about in regard to praying with all supplication (Eph 6:18) and without ceasing (1 Thes 5:17).
First, the enemy comes “to steal, and to kill, and to destroy” John 10:10 and he and his dark kingdom will not let up. We have to be in prayer constantly to protect ourselves and our family without ceasing. The enemy is relentless and does not take breaks. We cannot afford to take a break either.
Second, I was made to understand the seriousness of praying for my loved ones. I had to ask myself this question: “Am I willing to prostrate myself and pray with all supplication for more than a few minutes each day?” How much prayer do we really give our children that are suffering? We normally pray a few minutes throughout the day for them but mostly we think about the grave condition they are in and let the enemy get to our minds which makes it worse. Are we willing to pray one hour in the morning, one hour at lunch and one hour at night for our loved ones? Moses prayed for forty days and forty nights. Jesus was in constant prayer for all of humanity during His ministry. Yet, we do not tap into the most powerful weapon in the universe. PRAYER! We are a rebellious group just as the nation of Israel was because we do not obey God’s instructions or believe His promises.
As believers in Jesus Christ, we have an obligation to ask God for forgiveness and to change our ways. Our method of operation will never work. God’s method of operation will be our solution and our salvation.
Amen and Amen
Sunday, September 26, 2010
The Complete Trustworthiness of the Bible
THE WORD OF GOD.
Psalm 19:7 The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul; The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple;
That the “law of the Lord is perfect” is direct reference to the absolute, complete, and entire trustworthiness of the Holy Scriptures, which constitute the Bible. The Word of God is perfect in its accuracy and sure in its dependability. Two terms are generally used to describe these features of God’s Word. 1) Inerrant (perfect) means that, in the original copies of each manuscript written by each Bible book’s respective author, there was nothing mistaken or tinged with error. (Further, the excellence of the Holy
Scriptures over the centuries has insured that the copies delivered into our hands from generations past are essentially the same. Even the literary critics who claim no faith in the truth of the Bible attest to its being the most completely reliable of any transmitted from antiquity, in terms of its actually remaining unchanged and dependably accurate.) 2) Infallible refers to the fact that the Bible is unfailing as an absolutely trustworthy guide for our faith (belief in God) and practice (life and behavior). This is so because God is true (John 3:33 He who has received His testimony has certified that God is true: 17:3 And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent) because His Word reveals His truth (John 17:17 Now they have known that all things which You have given Me are from You), and because God cannot lie (Numbers 23:19 God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good. Titus 1:2 in hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began, Hebrews 6:18 that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us.)
2Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,
Proverbs 30:5-6 Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him. Do not add to His words, Lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar.
I found Proverbs 30:6 (Do not add to His words) very interesting as we live in this world. When we compromise the Word of God in the way we conduct ourselves, are we not adding to His Word when we do what God tells us not to do?
Psalm 19:7 The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul; The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple;
That the “law of the Lord is perfect” is direct reference to the absolute, complete, and entire trustworthiness of the Holy Scriptures, which constitute the Bible. The Word of God is perfect in its accuracy and sure in its dependability. Two terms are generally used to describe these features of God’s Word. 1) Inerrant (perfect) means that, in the original copies of each manuscript written by each Bible book’s respective author, there was nothing mistaken or tinged with error. (Further, the excellence of the Holy
Scriptures over the centuries has insured that the copies delivered into our hands from generations past are essentially the same. Even the literary critics who claim no faith in the truth of the Bible attest to its being the most completely reliable of any transmitted from antiquity, in terms of its actually remaining unchanged and dependably accurate.) 2) Infallible refers to the fact that the Bible is unfailing as an absolutely trustworthy guide for our faith (belief in God) and practice (life and behavior). This is so because God is true (John 3:33 He who has received His testimony has certified that God is true: 17:3 And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent) because His Word reveals His truth (John 17:17 Now they have known that all things which You have given Me are from You), and because God cannot lie (Numbers 23:19 God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good. Titus 1:2 in hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began, Hebrews 6:18 that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us.)
2Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,
Proverbs 30:5-6 Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him. Do not add to His words, Lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar.
I found Proverbs 30:6 (Do not add to His words) very interesting as we live in this world. When we compromise the Word of God in the way we conduct ourselves, are we not adding to His Word when we do what God tells us not to do?
Saturday, September 11, 2010
How God Feels About Violence
Greetings,
I wanted to share this article motivated by how video games and media are influencing the children including my 12 year old grandson. It is our God given responsibility to bring about change in our children and our world.
"Violence is not the answer"
By Paul Kendall
Many people have the idea that God loves war and is a bloodthirsty, violent God. What these critics fail to understand is that the true God of the Bible is actually a God of peace.
In fact, God is called “the God of Peace” in 1 Thessalonians 5:23. The Bible shows us that God rejects violence, war and brutality. We spend a great portion of our lives experiencing, hearing about and dwelling on violence – a plague we cannot seem to avoid!
Beginning with Cain murdering his brother Abel, violence has caused immeasurable havoc and destruction on the earth.
Notice the role that humanity’s violence played in God’s decision to flood the earth: “And God said to Noah, ‘The end of all flesh has come before Me, for the earth is filled with violence through them; and behold, I will destroy them with the earth’” (Genesis 6:13).
When we read in the Bible about the calamity that God brings upon people, it is always in the context that God alone is able to execute righteous judgment. For example, even in the midst of the end-time plagues that God will send down upon an unrepentant humanity, the angel proclaims, “Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are Your judgments” (Revelation 16:7).
Today, violence is all around us; we see it constantly. A steady stream of scenes depicting brutality, hatred, crime and war flows from our televisions and web browsers. News reports continuously remind us of the reality that we live in a violent world.
Sadly, the reality of the news is not enough. Violence has infiltrated our homes, schools, cities and hearts. Brutality is a big money-making theme of movies and stories. Beyond the actual violent events that we learn about, extraordinary violence entertains us. Our society takes pleasure in cruelty and savagery. Today, we love violence as much as, or more than, Roman society did in the days of the gladiators! Now, these fictional depictions of violence are not enough; “Reality television” has taken the inevitable shift to exhibitions of people really getting hurt, maimed or even killed. The human tendency is to push to a new level of “extreme.” Today’s “extreme” will soon become tomorrow’s mainstream. How far will we push it? What will be the new shocker that sells big?
Comparable to the surge of violent fictional and reality TV, is the dominance of top-selling video games that focus on killing and warfare. With titles like, “Assassin’s Creed,” “S.T.A.L.K.E.R.,” “Warhammer,” “Left For Dead” and the new game “Dante’s Inferno” (which uses “collected souls” as game currency), video games are becoming more and more outrageous.
The Bible reveals that the true God is grieved when He sees people indulging in this kind of wickedness and violence. “The Lord tests the righteous, but the wicked and the one who loves violence His soul hates” (Psalm 11:5).
Prophecies in your Bible proclaim the good news that the God of Peace is going to bring about true and permanent peace when Jesus Christ returns and establishes His Kingdom on the earth. It will be a time in which “Violence shall no longer be heard in your land, neither wasting nor destruction within your borders; But you shall call your walls Salvation, and your gates Praise” (Isaiah 60:18).
If we strive to follow the God of Peace, then we should make every effort to avoid becoming enthralled by the implements of war, and never allow vengeful fantasies to take root in our minds. We should never wish pain on anyone.
Violence is not the answer.
Even though we are surrounded by the sights, sounds, and consequences of fighting and aggression, we should reject violence and work very hard to follow and become well-acquainted with the God of Peace.
I wanted to share this article motivated by how video games and media are influencing the children including my 12 year old grandson. It is our God given responsibility to bring about change in our children and our world.
"Violence is not the answer"
By Paul Kendall
Many people have the idea that God loves war and is a bloodthirsty, violent God. What these critics fail to understand is that the true God of the Bible is actually a God of peace.
In fact, God is called “the God of Peace” in 1 Thessalonians 5:23. The Bible shows us that God rejects violence, war and brutality. We spend a great portion of our lives experiencing, hearing about and dwelling on violence – a plague we cannot seem to avoid!
Beginning with Cain murdering his brother Abel, violence has caused immeasurable havoc and destruction on the earth.
Notice the role that humanity’s violence played in God’s decision to flood the earth: “And God said to Noah, ‘The end of all flesh has come before Me, for the earth is filled with violence through them; and behold, I will destroy them with the earth’” (Genesis 6:13).
When we read in the Bible about the calamity that God brings upon people, it is always in the context that God alone is able to execute righteous judgment. For example, even in the midst of the end-time plagues that God will send down upon an unrepentant humanity, the angel proclaims, “Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are Your judgments” (Revelation 16:7).
Today, violence is all around us; we see it constantly. A steady stream of scenes depicting brutality, hatred, crime and war flows from our televisions and web browsers. News reports continuously remind us of the reality that we live in a violent world.
Sadly, the reality of the news is not enough. Violence has infiltrated our homes, schools, cities and hearts. Brutality is a big money-making theme of movies and stories. Beyond the actual violent events that we learn about, extraordinary violence entertains us. Our society takes pleasure in cruelty and savagery. Today, we love violence as much as, or more than, Roman society did in the days of the gladiators! Now, these fictional depictions of violence are not enough; “Reality television” has taken the inevitable shift to exhibitions of people really getting hurt, maimed or even killed. The human tendency is to push to a new level of “extreme.” Today’s “extreme” will soon become tomorrow’s mainstream. How far will we push it? What will be the new shocker that sells big?
Comparable to the surge of violent fictional and reality TV, is the dominance of top-selling video games that focus on killing and warfare. With titles like, “Assassin’s Creed,” “S.T.A.L.K.E.R.,” “Warhammer,” “Left For Dead” and the new game “Dante’s Inferno” (which uses “collected souls” as game currency), video games are becoming more and more outrageous.
The Bible reveals that the true God is grieved when He sees people indulging in this kind of wickedness and violence. “The Lord tests the righteous, but the wicked and the one who loves violence His soul hates” (Psalm 11:5).
Prophecies in your Bible proclaim the good news that the God of Peace is going to bring about true and permanent peace when Jesus Christ returns and establishes His Kingdom on the earth. It will be a time in which “Violence shall no longer be heard in your land, neither wasting nor destruction within your borders; But you shall call your walls Salvation, and your gates Praise” (Isaiah 60:18).
If we strive to follow the God of Peace, then we should make every effort to avoid becoming enthralled by the implements of war, and never allow vengeful fantasies to take root in our minds. We should never wish pain on anyone.
Violence is not the answer.
Even though we are surrounded by the sights, sounds, and consequences of fighting and aggression, we should reject violence and work very hard to follow and become well-acquainted with the God of Peace.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Distractions Or God
A subject came up today about what keeps us from receiving more than we do from God? This subject also came up recently with my wife and the Lord allowed me to share with her something that could not have come from my knowledge previously because I had so many distractions.
We are living in world that keeps us too clogged up with things that do not enable us to communicate with God or receive wisdom, knowledge, understanding, and discernment from Him. The word ”constipation” comes to mind.
I would like to list a few things that will help us understand how we allow the things of this world to dominate our lives.
Bondages: Addictions, pride, critical spirit, judgmental spirit, coveting, lustfulness, hoarding, taking offense, fear, depression, and worry to name a few.
Let’s take offenses as an example. What people say to us or about us can be very offensive to us. We can take the smallest offense and turn it into a mountain rendering us helpless for days because we mill it over and over in our mind. Do you really think there is time for the Lord under these circumstances?
Time consumers: Work, family functions, sports, TV, any form of entertainment, magazines (People, Oprah, Teen), and especially video games.
I recently allowed my grandson to play video games without restraint. He played for eight straight hours. We have to ask ourselves how can these distractions allow us to develop a relationship with God? How do any of the things listed bring glory to God?
How can we possibly hear from the Lord if we don’t have time for the Lord. We refuse to give up these distractions or change our ways. These distractions have become our gods because we have put our trust in these instead of God. Have we fallen away from God? The Scripture below refers to massive rebellion against God and His authority. Is the world of believers in rebellion?
2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 (New King James Version)
Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.
Getting back to the point I was originally trying to make in the first paragraph. When we eliminate all these distractions we open ourselves to lead by the Holy Spirit. When we fully surrender to God, we receive God’s wisdom, knowledge, understanding and discernment enabling us to live a righteous life. Without the distractions we can discern without a doubt what is right and what is wrong. We learn not to compromise what God says in His Word. We learn to apply what God says in His Word to our lives. All this can be available to us and along with it a special relationship with God.
We can’t have all that God has promised us because we have too much crude in our minds and lives. We need to do as it says in 2 Corinthians 7:1 Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
Examine yourself 2 Corinthians 13:5 Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified. and go before the throne of God and ask Him to forgive you.
Ask God to help you eliminate your distraction issues to enable you to become closer with Him and to hear His voice. Revelation 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.
Come to Him. He is waiting to comfort you.
We are living in world that keeps us too clogged up with things that do not enable us to communicate with God or receive wisdom, knowledge, understanding, and discernment from Him. The word ”constipation” comes to mind.
I would like to list a few things that will help us understand how we allow the things of this world to dominate our lives.
Bondages: Addictions, pride, critical spirit, judgmental spirit, coveting, lustfulness, hoarding, taking offense, fear, depression, and worry to name a few.
Let’s take offenses as an example. What people say to us or about us can be very offensive to us. We can take the smallest offense and turn it into a mountain rendering us helpless for days because we mill it over and over in our mind. Do you really think there is time for the Lord under these circumstances?
Time consumers: Work, family functions, sports, TV, any form of entertainment, magazines (People, Oprah, Teen), and especially video games.
I recently allowed my grandson to play video games without restraint. He played for eight straight hours. We have to ask ourselves how can these distractions allow us to develop a relationship with God? How do any of the things listed bring glory to God?
How can we possibly hear from the Lord if we don’t have time for the Lord. We refuse to give up these distractions or change our ways. These distractions have become our gods because we have put our trust in these instead of God. Have we fallen away from God? The Scripture below refers to massive rebellion against God and His authority. Is the world of believers in rebellion?
2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 (New King James Version)
Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.
Getting back to the point I was originally trying to make in the first paragraph. When we eliminate all these distractions we open ourselves to lead by the Holy Spirit. When we fully surrender to God, we receive God’s wisdom, knowledge, understanding and discernment enabling us to live a righteous life. Without the distractions we can discern without a doubt what is right and what is wrong. We learn not to compromise what God says in His Word. We learn to apply what God says in His Word to our lives. All this can be available to us and along with it a special relationship with God.
We can’t have all that God has promised us because we have too much crude in our minds and lives. We need to do as it says in 2 Corinthians 7:1 Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
Examine yourself 2 Corinthians 13:5 Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified. and go before the throne of God and ask Him to forgive you.
Ask God to help you eliminate your distraction issues to enable you to become closer with Him and to hear His voice. Revelation 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.
Come to Him. He is waiting to comfort you.
Sunday, August 22, 2010
You Have Nothing Without God
So the whole world will see,
I have nothing……I have nothing.
I have NOTHING without You God.
You are more than enough.
I need nothing else.
As I was looking at my notes in church today, I thought I would share what has come to my mind in recent past and also notes from others that I have jotted down. Once I put this together I thought I needed to find Scripture to align with each note. I learned that everything you say in the name of Jesus has to be substantiated in the Bible.
Read God’s Word to know His Word so that you are able to interpret His Word for yourself and others. Mark 16:15 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.
Understand that when you leave the Bible for any other doctrine, especially the doctrine of man, you have left God. Mathew 15:9 And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’”
My past is not going to control my future. 2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
My sins have been paid. There is no condemnation. 1 Corinthians 15:3 For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures. Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit
Open your eyes so that you can truly see the sovereignty of Jesus Christ. Revelation 19:11 Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war
If we have the heart of Jesus, we want to forgive them. Luke 11:4 And forgive us our sins, For we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us.
Just as Jesus suffered, we will suffer as well until His coming. 1 Peter 2:21 For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps:
We are believers, but unbelieving because we do not apply to our lives what God says in His Word. John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Understand this: You can play charades all your life as people try to guess who you are. But in the end you will pay the price at the judgment seat. We need to change our ways and show God we are His children. Folks, the end of the age is drawing near. You don’t want to hope that you will get into the Kingdom. You want to be confident that your place in heaven is secure
Blessings,
Tony
I have nothing……I have nothing.
I have NOTHING without You God.
You are more than enough.
I need nothing else.
As I was looking at my notes in church today, I thought I would share what has come to my mind in recent past and also notes from others that I have jotted down. Once I put this together I thought I needed to find Scripture to align with each note. I learned that everything you say in the name of Jesus has to be substantiated in the Bible.
Read God’s Word to know His Word so that you are able to interpret His Word for yourself and others. Mark 16:15 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.
Understand that when you leave the Bible for any other doctrine, especially the doctrine of man, you have left God. Mathew 15:9 And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’”
My past is not going to control my future. 2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
My sins have been paid. There is no condemnation. 1 Corinthians 15:3 For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures. Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit
Open your eyes so that you can truly see the sovereignty of Jesus Christ. Revelation 19:11 Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war
If we have the heart of Jesus, we want to forgive them. Luke 11:4 And forgive us our sins, For we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us.
Just as Jesus suffered, we will suffer as well until His coming. 1 Peter 2:21 For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps:
We are believers, but unbelieving because we do not apply to our lives what God says in His Word. John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Understand this: You can play charades all your life as people try to guess who you are. But in the end you will pay the price at the judgment seat. We need to change our ways and show God we are His children. Folks, the end of the age is drawing near. You don’t want to hope that you will get into the Kingdom. You want to be confident that your place in heaven is secure
Blessings,
Tony
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
What We Need To Know And Be Teaching
We know that the Bible, the Word of God that was God-breathed and has survived intact for thousands of years, speaks to all aspects of life and human experience. Its words must not be privately interpreted or "watered down" to suit the agendas of man. We feel the Truth of the Word is mighty and should be the only answer to Christian life. All teachings lean heavily on the scriptures and should reflect the Word of God on every subject addressed and NOT the opinions of men.
It is high time to hold the line drawn by God WITHOUT apology to sinners, WITHOUT hesitation, WITHOUT doubt and WITHOUT a longing to look back at our sinful ways! There is too much compromise with the world by sinful Christians or professing Christians. The waters are being muddied not by the clear and plain teaching of the Word of God, but, by weak Christians who are teaching others while they themselves are ignorant of the Word of God and religious leaders who need to go back to the milk of the Bible and learn the very first things of the Gospel. Far too many well-known church leaders are misrepresenting the Truth of the Gospel by substituting the salt of the Word with the sinful ways of man's compromise with sin. "All have sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God." All who will be saved must be offended by the Word of God and convicted of their sins by the Holy Law of God. Without conviction of the Holy Spirit, repentance and rejection of sin, no one can be saved from Hell!
The Great Commission as Jesus instructed his disciples in Mathew 28:18-19 and Mark 16:15-18
The Great Commission is one of the most significant passages in the Holy Bible. First, it's the last recorded personal instruction given by Jesus to His disciples. Second, it's a special calling from Jesus Christ to all His followers to take specific action while on this earth.
And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen. (Matthew 28:18-20).
And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; 18 they[a] will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” (Mark 16:15-18)
In the Great Commission, Jesus calls every Christian to step out in faith and spread the Good News. In addition, Jesus instructs his disciples to cast out demons, speak in tongues (prayer language to Our Father), and heal people as He did. Jesus’ instructions to the disciples were not an option. This instruction applies to all of us who are the disciples of this age
This is faith in action! People who obey The Great Commission change their spiritual lives forever! Wherever we go, every faithful Christian is compelled through obedience to share the Gospel and to do what Jesus and His disciples did.
Teaching how to operate in the Spirit.
A primary role of the Holy Spirit is that He bears "witness" of Jesus Christ (John 15:26, 16:14). He tells people's hearts about the truth of Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit also acts as a Christian's teacher (1Cor. 2:9-14). He reveals God's will and God's truth to a Christian. Jesus told His disciples…………
"The Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you." (John 14:26)
However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. (John 16:13)
The Holy Spirit was given to live inside those who believe in Jesus, in order to produce God's character in the life of a believer. In a way that we cannot do on our own, the Holy Spirit will build into our lives love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Gal. 5:22-23). Rather than trying to be loving, patient, kind, God asks us to rely on Him to produce these qualities in our lives. Thus, Christians are told to walk in the Spirit (Gal. 5:25) and be filled with the Spirit (Eph. 5:18). And the Holy Spirit empowers Christians to perform ministerial duties that promote spiritual growth among Christians (Rom. 12; 1Cor. 12; Eph. 4).
We must rely on rely on the Holy Spirit in everything that we do. We should ask God for direction for every decision that we make and not rely on our own understanding (Proverbs 3:56)
Understanding spiritual warfare and teaching what authority we have in the name of Jesus.
'Spiritual warfare' is the struggle to have life in this material world reflect as much as possible God's loving governance. It is a 'war' because there are forces working vigorously to thwart what God is doing. God is in charge, but there is an enemy that is in full-scale revolt, and it has powerful influence all around. As with the unseen God, the forces behind the revolt are unseen, non-physical, and supernatural. The struggle against the Devil and all his empty promises is at its heart a 'second Person' matter, a work of Christ Himself. The Holy Spirit leads us in our part of the struggle.
The Scriptures speak of spiritual warfare in several places, but most directly by Paul in Ephesians 6, where he speaks of the full armor of God. Most pointed is verse 12 : "For we struggle not against flesh and blood, but against the kingdoms, against the powers, against the world leaders of this darkness, against spiritual wickedness in the high places".
The Devil has already lost. But the Devil is trying to take as many with him as he can. The good news is we have authority.
Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Luke 10:19. We have to stand against the enemy to take back what he has taken from us.
Obeying His commandments
When a young man came to Him asking the way to eternal life, Jesus said: "If you want to enter into life, keep the commandments" (Matthew 19:16–18). The young man asked, "Which?" Jesus answered: "‘You shall not murder,’ ‘You shall not commit adultery…’" and proceeded to list several of the Ten Commandments. Jesus Christ knew the way to salvation! He said that way was obedience to the law of God the Father and surrender to His will. Jesus declared: "Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father in heaven" (Matthew 7:21).
Far from abolishing the Ten Commandments, Jesus obeyed them (John 15:10). Christ was the "light" that God sent into the world to show men how to live. After His death and resurrection, Christ sent the Apostles out with this command: "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you" (Matthew 28:19–20).
The Apostles had been there when Christ told the young man: "Keep the commandments." They had heard Him magnify the commandments of God in what is called the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5–7).
The Apostles had witnessed the obedience of Christ to the Ten Commandments, and knew that His was the perfect example. Therefore, when Jesus Christ sent them out to every nation with the order to teach them all things He had commanded them, there could be no possible doubt in their minds but that this included the Ten Commandments of God.
Obedience to the Ten Commandments, then, was the very basis of the teaching of Christ and of His original Apostles. But what about the "new" commandments of Jesus? Did they not alter or abolish the necessity for literally keeping the Ten Commandments that were revealed in the Old Testament?
Actually, in spite of what many think, there is only one place in all the Bible where Jesus said He was giving a "new" commandment. The other references—by the Apostle John—are to the exact same principles, as we shall see.
"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another" (John 13:34–35).
Jesus gave this "new" commandment during the last night of His physical life on earth. He had—by teaching and example—already shown the disciples that keeping God’s commandments was simply an expression of love.
We show real love toward God when we truly worship and obey, allowing no other "gods," idols, pictures or anything else to come in His place, and always honoring His name and keeping holy His seventh-day Sabbath—which He made holy, and which Jesus and the Apostles always kept! And we show love to those around us when we zealously obey the last six commandments.
Christ had already summarized God’s law into the two great principles: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind… You shall love your neighbor as yourself" (Matthew 22:37, 39). What, then, was "new" about Jesus’ command to love our neighbors?
The answer is plain. The principle of loving our neighbors was not new, but Jesus’ magnification of that principle in His own perfect life shed a completely new light on the spiritual intent and depth of this commandment. Remember Jesus’ emphasis—"As I have loved you, that ye also love one another."
Jesus’ own perfect example of love and service was the greatest and most meaningful magnification of the love of neighbor as commanded by God. In His life, He demonstrated how that love actually functions in day-to-day life.
How to truly repent.
Repentance is set forth as being universally required. We read: Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent" (Acts 17: 30). It is either repent or perish (Luke 13: 3). God desires our repentance and is longsuffering in an effort to afford mankind the opportunity to repent and not perish (2 Pet. 3: 9).
Repentance is, biblically viewed in the setting of salvation, a change of mind or will that is produced by godly sorrow and the goodness of God that results in a change or reformation of life (2 Cor. 7: 10, Rom. 2: 4)
The word of God is the instrument that produces repentance. The reason why we should experience godly sorrow (having sorrow such as God has for sin) and the viewing of God's goodness are seen in the word of God (James. 1: 14-17; John. 3: 16). The word convicts us of our sins.
As we have seen in the complete definition of repentance, repentance involves a change of mind or will (Matt. 21: 29). God wants to influence and control our thinking for the better. (2 Cor. 10: 5)
When one repents, one experiences change regarding sin. They no longer love darkness and error but love light and truth (John. 3: 19-21). They are willing to surrender their will to God and thus view God differently (Heb. 12: 28). They realize their own sinfulness and cease being selfish (Rom. 3: 23; 2 Cor. 5: 15). They respect the word of God and desire to obey it (Acts 2: 37-42). Repentance produces change in how we view Satan, others, money, work, and life in general (I Pet. 5: 8; Matt. 7: 12; I Tim. 6: 10; Col. 3: 22, 23; I Pet. 3: 10, 11).
Repentance will also result in consequential changes today in a person's life. Repentance pervades every fiber of our being and soul and can truly transform us into a mindset that receives and loves the word of God and will obey it at all costs (I John 2:3; 5: 3). Repentance is not just an isolated act that is performed when one initially comes to God. Repentance is ongoing (2 Cor. 7: 8). Learning to identify sin and repenting of sin immediately throughout the day is key. If we don’t repent at the time of sinning, we forget and go to bed with sin that has not been confessed to God. As we learn to indentify sin we become convicted of that sin and learn not to repeat the same sin. In effect, causing us to be less sinful.
Repentance is a condition for salvation (For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death 2 Cor 7:10). The Kingdom of Heaven is available if we repent. (and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” Matthew 3:2)
Preparing for the coming of Jesus Christ.
The whole Bible revolves around the coming of Jesus Christ. As Christians, our lives should revolve around His coming, too. Jesus came. He is coming through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit now. Jesus Christ will come again. Jesus will return in all glory to "transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body" (Philippians 3:21). Then, "the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God" (Romans 8:21).
Jesus Christ our Savior is coming soon and as believers we can’t just wait for His coming. We must prepare for His coming by obeying His commandments and repenting of our sins until His coming. As Christians, believers in and disciples of Jesus Christ, we all can reply in unison: "Amen. Come, Lord Jesus" (Revelation 22:20).
It is high time to hold the line drawn by God WITHOUT apology to sinners, WITHOUT hesitation, WITHOUT doubt and WITHOUT a longing to look back at our sinful ways! There is too much compromise with the world by sinful Christians or professing Christians. The waters are being muddied not by the clear and plain teaching of the Word of God, but, by weak Christians who are teaching others while they themselves are ignorant of the Word of God and religious leaders who need to go back to the milk of the Bible and learn the very first things of the Gospel. Far too many well-known church leaders are misrepresenting the Truth of the Gospel by substituting the salt of the Word with the sinful ways of man's compromise with sin. "All have sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God." All who will be saved must be offended by the Word of God and convicted of their sins by the Holy Law of God. Without conviction of the Holy Spirit, repentance and rejection of sin, no one can be saved from Hell!
The Great Commission as Jesus instructed his disciples in Mathew 28:18-19 and Mark 16:15-18
The Great Commission is one of the most significant passages in the Holy Bible. First, it's the last recorded personal instruction given by Jesus to His disciples. Second, it's a special calling from Jesus Christ to all His followers to take specific action while on this earth.
And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen. (Matthew 28:18-20).
And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; 18 they[a] will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” (Mark 16:15-18)
In the Great Commission, Jesus calls every Christian to step out in faith and spread the Good News. In addition, Jesus instructs his disciples to cast out demons, speak in tongues (prayer language to Our Father), and heal people as He did. Jesus’ instructions to the disciples were not an option. This instruction applies to all of us who are the disciples of this age
This is faith in action! People who obey The Great Commission change their spiritual lives forever! Wherever we go, every faithful Christian is compelled through obedience to share the Gospel and to do what Jesus and His disciples did.
Teaching how to operate in the Spirit.
A primary role of the Holy Spirit is that He bears "witness" of Jesus Christ (John 15:26, 16:14). He tells people's hearts about the truth of Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit also acts as a Christian's teacher (1Cor. 2:9-14). He reveals God's will and God's truth to a Christian. Jesus told His disciples…………
"The Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you." (John 14:26)
However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. (John 16:13)
The Holy Spirit was given to live inside those who believe in Jesus, in order to produce God's character in the life of a believer. In a way that we cannot do on our own, the Holy Spirit will build into our lives love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Gal. 5:22-23). Rather than trying to be loving, patient, kind, God asks us to rely on Him to produce these qualities in our lives. Thus, Christians are told to walk in the Spirit (Gal. 5:25) and be filled with the Spirit (Eph. 5:18). And the Holy Spirit empowers Christians to perform ministerial duties that promote spiritual growth among Christians (Rom. 12; 1Cor. 12; Eph. 4).
We must rely on rely on the Holy Spirit in everything that we do. We should ask God for direction for every decision that we make and not rely on our own understanding (Proverbs 3:56)
Understanding spiritual warfare and teaching what authority we have in the name of Jesus.
'Spiritual warfare' is the struggle to have life in this material world reflect as much as possible God's loving governance. It is a 'war' because there are forces working vigorously to thwart what God is doing. God is in charge, but there is an enemy that is in full-scale revolt, and it has powerful influence all around. As with the unseen God, the forces behind the revolt are unseen, non-physical, and supernatural. The struggle against the Devil and all his empty promises is at its heart a 'second Person' matter, a work of Christ Himself. The Holy Spirit leads us in our part of the struggle.
The Scriptures speak of spiritual warfare in several places, but most directly by Paul in Ephesians 6, where he speaks of the full armor of God. Most pointed is verse 12 : "For we struggle not against flesh and blood, but against the kingdoms, against the powers, against the world leaders of this darkness, against spiritual wickedness in the high places".
The Devil has already lost. But the Devil is trying to take as many with him as he can. The good news is we have authority.
Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Luke 10:19. We have to stand against the enemy to take back what he has taken from us.
Obeying His commandments
When a young man came to Him asking the way to eternal life, Jesus said: "If you want to enter into life, keep the commandments" (Matthew 19:16–18). The young man asked, "Which?" Jesus answered: "‘You shall not murder,’ ‘You shall not commit adultery…’" and proceeded to list several of the Ten Commandments. Jesus Christ knew the way to salvation! He said that way was obedience to the law of God the Father and surrender to His will. Jesus declared: "Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father in heaven" (Matthew 7:21).
Far from abolishing the Ten Commandments, Jesus obeyed them (John 15:10). Christ was the "light" that God sent into the world to show men how to live. After His death and resurrection, Christ sent the Apostles out with this command: "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you" (Matthew 28:19–20).
The Apostles had been there when Christ told the young man: "Keep the commandments." They had heard Him magnify the commandments of God in what is called the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5–7).
The Apostles had witnessed the obedience of Christ to the Ten Commandments, and knew that His was the perfect example. Therefore, when Jesus Christ sent them out to every nation with the order to teach them all things He had commanded them, there could be no possible doubt in their minds but that this included the Ten Commandments of God.
Obedience to the Ten Commandments, then, was the very basis of the teaching of Christ and of His original Apostles. But what about the "new" commandments of Jesus? Did they not alter or abolish the necessity for literally keeping the Ten Commandments that were revealed in the Old Testament?
Actually, in spite of what many think, there is only one place in all the Bible where Jesus said He was giving a "new" commandment. The other references—by the Apostle John—are to the exact same principles, as we shall see.
"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another" (John 13:34–35).
Jesus gave this "new" commandment during the last night of His physical life on earth. He had—by teaching and example—already shown the disciples that keeping God’s commandments was simply an expression of love.
We show real love toward God when we truly worship and obey, allowing no other "gods," idols, pictures or anything else to come in His place, and always honoring His name and keeping holy His seventh-day Sabbath—which He made holy, and which Jesus and the Apostles always kept! And we show love to those around us when we zealously obey the last six commandments.
Christ had already summarized God’s law into the two great principles: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind… You shall love your neighbor as yourself" (Matthew 22:37, 39). What, then, was "new" about Jesus’ command to love our neighbors?
The answer is plain. The principle of loving our neighbors was not new, but Jesus’ magnification of that principle in His own perfect life shed a completely new light on the spiritual intent and depth of this commandment. Remember Jesus’ emphasis—"As I have loved you, that ye also love one another."
Jesus’ own perfect example of love and service was the greatest and most meaningful magnification of the love of neighbor as commanded by God. In His life, He demonstrated how that love actually functions in day-to-day life.
How to truly repent.
Repentance is set forth as being universally required. We read: Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent" (Acts 17: 30). It is either repent or perish (Luke 13: 3). God desires our repentance and is longsuffering in an effort to afford mankind the opportunity to repent and not perish (2 Pet. 3: 9).
Repentance is, biblically viewed in the setting of salvation, a change of mind or will that is produced by godly sorrow and the goodness of God that results in a change or reformation of life (2 Cor. 7: 10, Rom. 2: 4)
The word of God is the instrument that produces repentance. The reason why we should experience godly sorrow (having sorrow such as God has for sin) and the viewing of God's goodness are seen in the word of God (James. 1: 14-17; John. 3: 16). The word convicts us of our sins.
As we have seen in the complete definition of repentance, repentance involves a change of mind or will (Matt. 21: 29). God wants to influence and control our thinking for the better. (2 Cor. 10: 5)
When one repents, one experiences change regarding sin. They no longer love darkness and error but love light and truth (John. 3: 19-21). They are willing to surrender their will to God and thus view God differently (Heb. 12: 28). They realize their own sinfulness and cease being selfish (Rom. 3: 23; 2 Cor. 5: 15). They respect the word of God and desire to obey it (Acts 2: 37-42). Repentance produces change in how we view Satan, others, money, work, and life in general (I Pet. 5: 8; Matt. 7: 12; I Tim. 6: 10; Col. 3: 22, 23; I Pet. 3: 10, 11).
Repentance will also result in consequential changes today in a person's life. Repentance pervades every fiber of our being and soul and can truly transform us into a mindset that receives and loves the word of God and will obey it at all costs (I John 2:3; 5: 3). Repentance is not just an isolated act that is performed when one initially comes to God. Repentance is ongoing (2 Cor. 7: 8). Learning to identify sin and repenting of sin immediately throughout the day is key. If we don’t repent at the time of sinning, we forget and go to bed with sin that has not been confessed to God. As we learn to indentify sin we become convicted of that sin and learn not to repeat the same sin. In effect, causing us to be less sinful.
Repentance is a condition for salvation (For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death 2 Cor 7:10). The Kingdom of Heaven is available if we repent. (and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” Matthew 3:2)
Preparing for the coming of Jesus Christ.
The whole Bible revolves around the coming of Jesus Christ. As Christians, our lives should revolve around His coming, too. Jesus came. He is coming through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit now. Jesus Christ will come again. Jesus will return in all glory to "transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body" (Philippians 3:21). Then, "the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God" (Romans 8:21).
Jesus Christ our Savior is coming soon and as believers we can’t just wait for His coming. We must prepare for His coming by obeying His commandments and repenting of our sins until His coming. As Christians, believers in and disciples of Jesus Christ, we all can reply in unison: "Amen. Come, Lord Jesus" (Revelation 22:20).
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