Read 1Peter 1:13-16
I love how the verses above go hand in hand with today's topic: dying to the flesh. Follow along with me on this:
"Prepare your mind for action" I can not begin to tell you how often battles have raged in me (before I was saved and afterwards) against addictions and strongholds- and the toughest ones are always in my mind. When it comes down to it, this is often where the war is waged and battles, both small and great, are won or lost. When I was addicted to cocaine, I often found that if I actually rode the physical withdrawals out long enough, I would begin to dwell on the high in my mind. I also soon learned that with drugs such as cocaine, that the MENTAL withdrawals can last up to a year and a half! The battlefield is always in the mind, and just like we would work our bodies out in a gym to get bigger and stronger, we must work out or train our minds to be strong in the time that we need it the most. Satan will attack at strategically placed times: often when we're tired, alone, or in uncomfortable situations. He will whisper soft thoughts of doubt, deceit, or deception into our minds, sometimes only a little bit at once- but letting it build up over time until we crack. Our counter punch to this is memorization of Scripture, discernment, and prayer. Once again, mental maturity comes over time and through CONSTANT one on one time with God. You simply can not step into the ring with an eternal opponent with no training and not expect to get clocked over and over! Take the time to find out where your weak spots are, how you react to them, and search God's Word for answers. Talk with others who have been through similar situations and hold each other accountable.
"As obedient children..." Three words that God has been giving me over and over lately have been: thankfulness, obedience, and praise. We must change our thinking to thanking God for everything in our lives: trials and blessings; our jobs and children; our finances (no matter how much or how little), and so on. We are to praise Him at all times, in the good and the bad. One Scripture that really hit me this morning was Luke 6:46: "Why do you call Me Lord, Lord and do not do what I say?" (NASB) I've read that Scripture a thousand times over, but today it stuck out. I was really battling my flesh early this morning, I had over an hour of down time before an early morning meeting, and I found my mind wandering. I immediately pulled out some old notes I had from a conference and found that verse. Hey, better late than never, right? The way I took it was sort of like if I viewed myself as a hypocrite or not. What I mean is, I claim to be this righteous and holy man of God, and I know I am, but if I (we) live in secret sin, we're lying to ourselves, to God, and to the world. (1John 1:6) Obedience. We must seek it in the same way that we would expect it from our children, yet with greater fervor. The best part of this is that Jesus has gone ahead of us in every situation we will face, He's been there. Not only has He experienced the full temptation of being human, but he cleared the way for us to stay in constant contact with our Father through it all, and not have to worry about God abandoning us when we need Him the most. Jesus knows what we're up against, and He has provided a way through it all whenever needed. (1Cor 10:13)
I could go on for much, much longer in all of this, but I won't. Just know that as long as we're still breathing air here on earth, we will be in a constant battle with our flesh, you can count on it. However, God's Word is infinitely more powerful than anything the enemy can throw at us, but there will be times when you will have to stand strong on His promises and fight back. Get into the Word daily; pray regularly; change your friendships and surroundings if needed (I even went as far as throwing away all of my secular Cd's and cancelled cable TV); and if you don't have a mentor and/or accountability partner, now is the time to start looking for one. We're not going to beat the flesh on our own, but if Jesus is already alive in you, then the chains have been broken. The key is drawing so close to Him every single day that the lusts of the world will supernaturally begin to fade out of your life. Trust me, I've been in the trenches in multiple areas as well, and it is only now- almost five years after my salvation, that I am finally getting an understanding of just how desperate I am for Jesus. Former lusts have faded almost completely out of my life (but I'm also aware that the enemy is always looking for another opportunity to destroy me), but I also realize that apart from Jesus, I (we) can do nothing. (John 15:5)
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Calling All Christians! -Pt 2
Read 1Peter 1:13-16
In the passage above, a quotation from Leviticus 11:44-45, the OT tells us to "consecrate" ourselves and "be holy". Well, what does that exactly mean? The word consecrate means to make holy. Holy means to set apart. So, in other words, God is commanding us to set ourselves apart- for His purposes and because He is. Well, once we receive Jesus as our Lord, that is exactly what we do. We are washed clean from our past, born again as a new creation. However, as we discussed in part one of this topic, our flesh does not always want to die that fast! WE must make the choice to turn from our sinful nature and begin a new life in Jesus. Yes, we have been freed from all unrighteousness, but strongholds can and will remain. God has given us the tools, but it's up to us whether or not we want to walk in the destiny He has laid out before us.
In part one I focused on our words- watching what we say and using a God-given gift for the right use. Today I'm going to combine that with the topic of judgement; not us being judged, but rather, being cautious that we do not judge others. You know the Scripture: "Do not judge so that you will not be judged. For in the way that you judge, you will be judged...You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye." -Matt 7:1-5 (NASB) Judging others can easily go hand in hand with gossip (words) and all of the destruction along with it. If we allow Satan to plant seeds of hate, anger, prejudice, and false teaching about others into our hearts, he can literally tear us apart form the inside out. I'm guilty of it, and I'm sure you are too. So, the question is, what are we going to do about it? As General Douglas MacArthur once said, "The greater the knowledge of the enemy, the greater the potential for victory." I have mentioned multiple times in my writings and speakings the importance of spending good, quality time with God is the best way to not only grow in your personal walk, but to fight off attacks and deception from the enemy. Given the fact that we are all sinful human beings and fall short of God's glory, yet He loves us unconditionally, none of us are fit to place judgement on others- for whatever reason. God loves you, just as you are. He did not nor does not see who you were or still may be. No, He sees you as His creation- perfect and holy.
"For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified." -Romans 8:29-30 (NKJV) God sent His one and only Son, Jesus Christ to destroy the works of the devil, and take judgement off of ourselves and each other, and nail it to the cross once and for all. So does that mean we're free and clear from this sin? Well, yes and no. (See Romans 14:10) We are freed from the sin itself, but as with anything that involves free will, we can choose to fall back into it. However, as the verse I just mentioned states, we will all stand accountable for our choices one day before Jesus. We are living in a world that places judgement (whether it means to or not) on pretty much everything around us. Think about it. How does the world (not us individually) place judgement on our looks, weight, style, and personal lives? Well, I say not good. If there was healthy "recommendations" as opposed to judgement, there would be almost zero need for all of the diet fads and shows, magazine and advertisement smut, and media barrage that infiltrates and sabotages our family values. Have you seen "Courageous" yet? If not, I would highly recommend that you do- especially all of you men, whether you are dads or not. Dads, WE are called to be the spiritual leaders in our house- no one else. Before we can teach our children not to place judgement on anything or anyone, we need to take a deep moral inventory of ourselves and make sure we're lining up within God's parameters. Are we setting ourselves apart from the crowd? Will we stand alone for our (and our family's) beliefs and values if necessary? Remember, God loved us so much that He sent Jesus to die for us, even while we were still sinners. So in "calling all Christians", I challenge you to take that step of faith, to seek out a family resolution like the one mentioned in the movie, and dedicate YOUR house to the serving of the Lord!
In the passage above, a quotation from Leviticus 11:44-45, the OT tells us to "consecrate" ourselves and "be holy". Well, what does that exactly mean? The word consecrate means to make holy. Holy means to set apart. So, in other words, God is commanding us to set ourselves apart- for His purposes and because He is. Well, once we receive Jesus as our Lord, that is exactly what we do. We are washed clean from our past, born again as a new creation. However, as we discussed in part one of this topic, our flesh does not always want to die that fast! WE must make the choice to turn from our sinful nature and begin a new life in Jesus. Yes, we have been freed from all unrighteousness, but strongholds can and will remain. God has given us the tools, but it's up to us whether or not we want to walk in the destiny He has laid out before us.
In part one I focused on our words- watching what we say and using a God-given gift for the right use. Today I'm going to combine that with the topic of judgement; not us being judged, but rather, being cautious that we do not judge others. You know the Scripture: "Do not judge so that you will not be judged. For in the way that you judge, you will be judged...You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye." -Matt 7:1-5 (NASB) Judging others can easily go hand in hand with gossip (words) and all of the destruction along with it. If we allow Satan to plant seeds of hate, anger, prejudice, and false teaching about others into our hearts, he can literally tear us apart form the inside out. I'm guilty of it, and I'm sure you are too. So, the question is, what are we going to do about it? As General Douglas MacArthur once said, "The greater the knowledge of the enemy, the greater the potential for victory." I have mentioned multiple times in my writings and speakings the importance of spending good, quality time with God is the best way to not only grow in your personal walk, but to fight off attacks and deception from the enemy. Given the fact that we are all sinful human beings and fall short of God's glory, yet He loves us unconditionally, none of us are fit to place judgement on others- for whatever reason. God loves you, just as you are. He did not nor does not see who you were or still may be. No, He sees you as His creation- perfect and holy.
"For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified." -Romans 8:29-30 (NKJV) God sent His one and only Son, Jesus Christ to destroy the works of the devil, and take judgement off of ourselves and each other, and nail it to the cross once and for all. So does that mean we're free and clear from this sin? Well, yes and no. (See Romans 14:10) We are freed from the sin itself, but as with anything that involves free will, we can choose to fall back into it. However, as the verse I just mentioned states, we will all stand accountable for our choices one day before Jesus. We are living in a world that places judgement (whether it means to or not) on pretty much everything around us. Think about it. How does the world (not us individually) place judgement on our looks, weight, style, and personal lives? Well, I say not good. If there was healthy "recommendations" as opposed to judgement, there would be almost zero need for all of the diet fads and shows, magazine and advertisement smut, and media barrage that infiltrates and sabotages our family values. Have you seen "Courageous" yet? If not, I would highly recommend that you do- especially all of you men, whether you are dads or not. Dads, WE are called to be the spiritual leaders in our house- no one else. Before we can teach our children not to place judgement on anything or anyone, we need to take a deep moral inventory of ourselves and make sure we're lining up within God's parameters. Are we setting ourselves apart from the crowd? Will we stand alone for our (and our family's) beliefs and values if necessary? Remember, God loved us so much that He sent Jesus to die for us, even while we were still sinners. So in "calling all Christians", I challenge you to take that step of faith, to seek out a family resolution like the one mentioned in the movie, and dedicate YOUR house to the serving of the Lord!
Sunday, October 9, 2011
Calling All Christians!
"Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in your behavior; because it is written, "YOU SHALL BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY." -1Peter 1:13-16 (NASB)
Today I am going to basically begin a series on several topics that we "Christians" often fall in. Please keep in mind that this is to bring awareness to not only where the Body as a whole often fails, but perhaps something I write will set off a flag in your mind as well- possibly an area that needs to be addressed in your walk. Believe me when I say that this blog is being written by an extremely imperfect man, but one whose eyes are on the cross, and strives daily to reach my potential in Jesus Christ. Although I probably could write a book on topics such as these, I will focus on several topics, including our words, judging, dying to the flesh, and getting involved in ministry.
Words are an extremely amazing gift from God. With them we can bless our Lord with prayers and praise, we can tell our kids how much we love them, and use our communication skills to advance our careers. However, just like any other great gift, comes great responsibility. James reminds us in his letter that we stumble in many ways, and he who is able to bridle his tongue can control his whole body as well. (James 3:2) Wow! Did you get that? Just think of how hard it is to control our flesh, yet the Bible tells us if we can control one tiny little muscle, we can literally steer our entire ship. (v 4) Our words can be just as devastating, and often relationships can be broken, reputations can be ruined, and friendships severely damaged or lost over the wrong words. And by all means- watch the gossip!!! Do you want to hear a great definition of what gossip is? According to my pastor, gossip is "when you share something negative about someone to someone else who does not have the power to change it." Let that sink in a bit and then make any necessary corrections. (See also Proverbs 18:19)
Now, I'm not going to focus entirely on the negative portion of words, but I do pray you walk cautiously and be aware of the evil behind cutting words. Be aware of your enemy and keen to his tactics, because tools such as gossip and slander are some of his best angles in breaking the Body of Christ up. On to the positive. Dad, speaking words of love, affirmation, and joy will go farther in your child's life than you will ever know. I mentioned in a previous blog of a time my daughter asked me if I just wanted to go outside and "talk". We didn't discuss anything major, but sharing priceless times with her like this, plus all of the countless prayers, words of affirmation, and telling her how much I love her is laying a foundation in Jesus Christ that will stand against anything this world will ever tell her. There will be a time the world tells our kids that they are failures; but they will rise above if they know dad sees them differently. I'm sure there will be plenty of times a teenage boy whispers sweet nothings in my daughter's ear (unless I can find a way to keep her 5 years old), but I pray she won't be phased by his tactics because of the validation she got from God and from me. Finally, with all of the filth that is on TV, music, and in movies, make sure you teach your kids to help filter out the swearing and slander- that especially means that they NEVER hear it from us as well!
If your tongue is currently getting the best of you, take it to the One who is able to help you overcome. Come open and transparent, asking for wisdom and discernment. Let the praises flow first and foremost to our Lord and give Him the blessings that He is due. Submit yourself, your words, and tongue completely to Him and watch the transformation that follows.
Today I am going to basically begin a series on several topics that we "Christians" often fall in. Please keep in mind that this is to bring awareness to not only where the Body as a whole often fails, but perhaps something I write will set off a flag in your mind as well- possibly an area that needs to be addressed in your walk. Believe me when I say that this blog is being written by an extremely imperfect man, but one whose eyes are on the cross, and strives daily to reach my potential in Jesus Christ. Although I probably could write a book on topics such as these, I will focus on several topics, including our words, judging, dying to the flesh, and getting involved in ministry.
Words are an extremely amazing gift from God. With them we can bless our Lord with prayers and praise, we can tell our kids how much we love them, and use our communication skills to advance our careers. However, just like any other great gift, comes great responsibility. James reminds us in his letter that we stumble in many ways, and he who is able to bridle his tongue can control his whole body as well. (James 3:2) Wow! Did you get that? Just think of how hard it is to control our flesh, yet the Bible tells us if we can control one tiny little muscle, we can literally steer our entire ship. (v 4) Our words can be just as devastating, and often relationships can be broken, reputations can be ruined, and friendships severely damaged or lost over the wrong words. And by all means- watch the gossip!!! Do you want to hear a great definition of what gossip is? According to my pastor, gossip is "when you share something negative about someone to someone else who does not have the power to change it." Let that sink in a bit and then make any necessary corrections. (See also Proverbs 18:19)
Now, I'm not going to focus entirely on the negative portion of words, but I do pray you walk cautiously and be aware of the evil behind cutting words. Be aware of your enemy and keen to his tactics, because tools such as gossip and slander are some of his best angles in breaking the Body of Christ up. On to the positive. Dad, speaking words of love, affirmation, and joy will go farther in your child's life than you will ever know. I mentioned in a previous blog of a time my daughter asked me if I just wanted to go outside and "talk". We didn't discuss anything major, but sharing priceless times with her like this, plus all of the countless prayers, words of affirmation, and telling her how much I love her is laying a foundation in Jesus Christ that will stand against anything this world will ever tell her. There will be a time the world tells our kids that they are failures; but they will rise above if they know dad sees them differently. I'm sure there will be plenty of times a teenage boy whispers sweet nothings in my daughter's ear (unless I can find a way to keep her 5 years old), but I pray she won't be phased by his tactics because of the validation she got from God and from me. Finally, with all of the filth that is on TV, music, and in movies, make sure you teach your kids to help filter out the swearing and slander- that especially means that they NEVER hear it from us as well!
If your tongue is currently getting the best of you, take it to the One who is able to help you overcome. Come open and transparent, asking for wisdom and discernment. Let the praises flow first and foremost to our Lord and give Him the blessings that He is due. Submit yourself, your words, and tongue completely to Him and watch the transformation that follows.
Sunday, September 25, 2011
It's all in Him
"For You are my hope, O Lord God; You are my trust from my youth." -Psalms 71:5 (NKJV)
I had an amazing thing happen to me the other day as a father. Olivia and I were just hanging out at the house, and I decided it was a great time for some ice cream. (Like there's ever a bad time!) What happened next was wonderful. She simply asked, "Do you want to go outside and talk?" So that's exactly what we did, we sat out on my front deck, ate ice cream, and just talked. Now, that may not seem like much, but trust me- times like this are HUGE in our children's lives! Every time we take a minute to just slow down, and enjoy the everyday little moments that pass by all too quickly, we are laying another brick in our legacy as a parent. I am so grateful to God that He has opened my eyes to see these opportunities, and I pray the same for you.
In a couple of my recent posts, I have been telling you about the Fresh Air Fund, an organization that takes children from the urban city in New York, and places them in "host" families in rural areas to discover what a true summer vacation is all about. I recently received an update from the FAF, here's part of what they had to say: "You've helped support the efforts of our local volunteer leaders to recruit more dedicated host families...we were able to spread the word to other potential supporters...THOUSANDS of Fresh Air Children embarked on free summer vacations this summer." Wow- what a great report to hear!
Here's where I'm going with all of this. Our faith and trust must rest solely in the hands of Jesus Christ. Our next obligation as parents is to extend that same love to our children. But it doesn't stop there. If we are truly the hands and feet of Christ, then we must reach out to those who are in need. God gives hope to the hopeless, and He's a Father to the fatherless. Our job is to remain in Him and reach out to a lost and dying world. To all of you who helped in one form or another to the Fresh Air Fund, thank you so much! Dads, I'm gonna talk to you specifically to close out here. YOU are the head of your kids, stay connected to God as your Father, and He will lead you in the direction you are to go. I often think back to what kind of dad I would have been to Olivia had I not accepted Jesus into my life- I'm here to tell you today that not only has He made me a better father than I ever thought possible, He has given me the tools to pass on to my children necessary to keep a godly legacy intact; and the same is available to you. I simply love this quote from Maria Edgeworth: "If we take care of the moments, the years will take care of themselves."
I had an amazing thing happen to me the other day as a father. Olivia and I were just hanging out at the house, and I decided it was a great time for some ice cream. (Like there's ever a bad time!) What happened next was wonderful. She simply asked, "Do you want to go outside and talk?" So that's exactly what we did, we sat out on my front deck, ate ice cream, and just talked. Now, that may not seem like much, but trust me- times like this are HUGE in our children's lives! Every time we take a minute to just slow down, and enjoy the everyday little moments that pass by all too quickly, we are laying another brick in our legacy as a parent. I am so grateful to God that He has opened my eyes to see these opportunities, and I pray the same for you.
In a couple of my recent posts, I have been telling you about the Fresh Air Fund, an organization that takes children from the urban city in New York, and places them in "host" families in rural areas to discover what a true summer vacation is all about. I recently received an update from the FAF, here's part of what they had to say: "You've helped support the efforts of our local volunteer leaders to recruit more dedicated host families...we were able to spread the word to other potential supporters...THOUSANDS of Fresh Air Children embarked on free summer vacations this summer." Wow- what a great report to hear!
Here's where I'm going with all of this. Our faith and trust must rest solely in the hands of Jesus Christ. Our next obligation as parents is to extend that same love to our children. But it doesn't stop there. If we are truly the hands and feet of Christ, then we must reach out to those who are in need. God gives hope to the hopeless, and He's a Father to the fatherless. Our job is to remain in Him and reach out to a lost and dying world. To all of you who helped in one form or another to the Fresh Air Fund, thank you so much! Dads, I'm gonna talk to you specifically to close out here. YOU are the head of your kids, stay connected to God as your Father, and He will lead you in the direction you are to go. I often think back to what kind of dad I would have been to Olivia had I not accepted Jesus into my life- I'm here to tell you today that not only has He made me a better father than I ever thought possible, He has given me the tools to pass on to my children necessary to keep a godly legacy intact; and the same is available to you. I simply love this quote from Maria Edgeworth: "If we take care of the moments, the years will take care of themselves."
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Remembering September 11th, 2001
"Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord..." -Psalm 33:12 (NIV)
"I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty, and justice for all."
Well, tomorrow marks the 10 year anniversary of 9/11. In those ten years we have experienced many ups and downs as a country. We have been in a seemingly never ending war in the middle east, watched as the housing market bottomed out, elected a new president, and bit our nails over the stock market. We have also begun to rebuild a new World Trade Center- bigger and better than ever before and have proceeded to still lead the world in so many ways that only the USA can- for the better. But, have we REALLY changed as a nation?
I remember when that awful day unfolded. I was on my way to a job interview and wondering if World War III was beginning. I also remember in the days that followed the radio commercials, the fund raising, and how this nation all of a sudden came together. We truly were ONE nation, and God was our center- for about three months. American flags flew off of every house top, car, and building- no one was going to divide us! Then the emotion started to fade off in so many ways and all of a sudden there were attacks on Muslim citizens, gang shootings, and back to the usual mayhem that we were accustomed to. Here's my point: if God truly IS our center, not just as a nation, but as individuals- why would we fall back to our old ways? Simple, we are fallen people living in a fallen world. As the Body of Christ, we are to RISE up over these circumstances to lead and evangelize- not wait for a national tragedy to bring them to us.
Jesus cleared the path for us to not only have complete freedom from our sins, but to bring a love to this world that the world itself does not recognize. I'm challenging any and all so-called "Christians": do not wait to act, be the hands and feet NOW! America loves to still call itself a Christian country, built on a rich heritage with God stamped right in the middle. Yet, we back off on certain topics and issues, or we don't stand up the way we should. I am speaking, of course, of approaching these circumstances in a Christ-like way, built solely on the Word of God. John Hagee said it once before, "If the Body of Christ would rise up and stand together, we would be an unstoppable force!" Everyone, the clock IS ticking, and time is running out. We watch as the end times prophecies unfold before our eyes, yet often fail to grasp the severity of the situation and start winning souls. If we want to truly be one nation, we must be ONE Body- functioning on all levels.
Pray. Spend time in God's Word and ask Him to place you where He wants you to be. Remember Jesus' words, "If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom can not stand." -Mark 3:24 (NASB) Let's keep this nation as great and strong as ever before- but it MUST be built on the Rock of Jesus Christ, any other way and we will divide ourselves. GOD BLESS THE USA...AMERICA BLESS GOD!!!
"I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty, and justice for all."
Well, tomorrow marks the 10 year anniversary of 9/11. In those ten years we have experienced many ups and downs as a country. We have been in a seemingly never ending war in the middle east, watched as the housing market bottomed out, elected a new president, and bit our nails over the stock market. We have also begun to rebuild a new World Trade Center- bigger and better than ever before and have proceeded to still lead the world in so many ways that only the USA can- for the better. But, have we REALLY changed as a nation?
I remember when that awful day unfolded. I was on my way to a job interview and wondering if World War III was beginning. I also remember in the days that followed the radio commercials, the fund raising, and how this nation all of a sudden came together. We truly were ONE nation, and God was our center- for about three months. American flags flew off of every house top, car, and building- no one was going to divide us! Then the emotion started to fade off in so many ways and all of a sudden there were attacks on Muslim citizens, gang shootings, and back to the usual mayhem that we were accustomed to. Here's my point: if God truly IS our center, not just as a nation, but as individuals- why would we fall back to our old ways? Simple, we are fallen people living in a fallen world. As the Body of Christ, we are to RISE up over these circumstances to lead and evangelize- not wait for a national tragedy to bring them to us.
Jesus cleared the path for us to not only have complete freedom from our sins, but to bring a love to this world that the world itself does not recognize. I'm challenging any and all so-called "Christians": do not wait to act, be the hands and feet NOW! America loves to still call itself a Christian country, built on a rich heritage with God stamped right in the middle. Yet, we back off on certain topics and issues, or we don't stand up the way we should. I am speaking, of course, of approaching these circumstances in a Christ-like way, built solely on the Word of God. John Hagee said it once before, "If the Body of Christ would rise up and stand together, we would be an unstoppable force!" Everyone, the clock IS ticking, and time is running out. We watch as the end times prophecies unfold before our eyes, yet often fail to grasp the severity of the situation and start winning souls. If we want to truly be one nation, we must be ONE Body- functioning on all levels.
Pray. Spend time in God's Word and ask Him to place you where He wants you to be. Remember Jesus' words, "If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom can not stand." -Mark 3:24 (NASB) Let's keep this nation as great and strong as ever before- but it MUST be built on the Rock of Jesus Christ, any other way and we will divide ourselves. GOD BLESS THE USA...AMERICA BLESS GOD!!!
Saturday, September 3, 2011
Once Saved, Always Saved? -Part 3
"And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God." -1John 5:11-13 (NKJV)
We are going to finish up the discussion of whether someone can or can not lose there salvation today, for now. I'm sure I will be adding more to this discussion as time goes on. In the previous post, I brought up the question of why do we still continue to struggle with certain sins, even after we are saved? Galatians 5 tells us that the flesh and Spirit constantly wage war on each other, and 2Cor 10 tells us that we have the ability to demolish "strongholds"- something that is much harder to break off that other parts of the flesh. The absolute best answer I can give in response to breaking free from any of this bondage is CONSTANT submission and quality time spent in the Lord's presence. One thing is for sure- you can always count on the assurance of God's Word and His faithfulness!
We know God's Word to be true and the standard by which we should live from several key verses: John 1:1-2, 14; and John 14:6. Jesus is the Word Who has been with God from the beginning, became flesh, and dwelt among us. He confirms both the Truth of God and the one and only way to salvation in 14:6. If He's the Truth and the Word, then God's Word is absolute truth- period. (I will be writing a blog on this soon as well.) Another assurance of salvation is found in John 10:27-30. We belong to Christ, follow Him, and He gives us eternal life. Jesus and God are one, and no one will snatch us out of Their hand. We can not be stolen, but I DO believe we can make the conscious decision to forfeit our eternal home- even if it's so gradual (one of the enemy's specialties), we don't even notice it. That's the part that scares me for so many Christians. They are so convinced that they are "in", the give up on their walk. Salvation is very real and is given for everyone, that part is true. However, do I think it can be lost? Yes, at what point I do not know. The question is- God has done everything to already clear the way for us and give us the abundant life Jesus speaks about in John 10:10, so why would we ever want to let it go in the first place?!? Once again, constant time with God will reveal so many questions and answers that only He can provide.
Paul reminds us in 1Cor 6:20 that we have been "bought with a price", meaning the shed blood and death of the Son of God. He follows it up in his letter to the Ephesians: "And you were also included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked with Him in a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, Who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession- to the praise of His glory." -Eph 1:13-14 (NIV) Take your salvation and run with it; live the life God had predestined for you before time even began. Yes, you will experience trials, testing, and temptations- but NO weapon that is formed against you will prosper, you will stand against any judging tongue, for this is your inheritance from God and your righteousness is from Him! (See Isaiah 54:17)
We are going to finish up the discussion of whether someone can or can not lose there salvation today, for now. I'm sure I will be adding more to this discussion as time goes on. In the previous post, I brought up the question of why do we still continue to struggle with certain sins, even after we are saved? Galatians 5 tells us that the flesh and Spirit constantly wage war on each other, and 2Cor 10 tells us that we have the ability to demolish "strongholds"- something that is much harder to break off that other parts of the flesh. The absolute best answer I can give in response to breaking free from any of this bondage is CONSTANT submission and quality time spent in the Lord's presence. One thing is for sure- you can always count on the assurance of God's Word and His faithfulness!
We know God's Word to be true and the standard by which we should live from several key verses: John 1:1-2, 14; and John 14:6. Jesus is the Word Who has been with God from the beginning, became flesh, and dwelt among us. He confirms both the Truth of God and the one and only way to salvation in 14:6. If He's the Truth and the Word, then God's Word is absolute truth- period. (I will be writing a blog on this soon as well.) Another assurance of salvation is found in John 10:27-30. We belong to Christ, follow Him, and He gives us eternal life. Jesus and God are one, and no one will snatch us out of Their hand. We can not be stolen, but I DO believe we can make the conscious decision to forfeit our eternal home- even if it's so gradual (one of the enemy's specialties), we don't even notice it. That's the part that scares me for so many Christians. They are so convinced that they are "in", the give up on their walk. Salvation is very real and is given for everyone, that part is true. However, do I think it can be lost? Yes, at what point I do not know. The question is- God has done everything to already clear the way for us and give us the abundant life Jesus speaks about in John 10:10, so why would we ever want to let it go in the first place?!? Once again, constant time with God will reveal so many questions and answers that only He can provide.
Paul reminds us in 1Cor 6:20 that we have been "bought with a price", meaning the shed blood and death of the Son of God. He follows it up in his letter to the Ephesians: "And you were also included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked with Him in a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, Who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession- to the praise of His glory." -Eph 1:13-14 (NIV) Take your salvation and run with it; live the life God had predestined for you before time even began. Yes, you will experience trials, testing, and temptations- but NO weapon that is formed against you will prosper, you will stand against any judging tongue, for this is your inheritance from God and your righteousness is from Him! (See Isaiah 54:17)
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Once Saved, Always Saved?- Part 2
Read 1Cor 6:9-11
Today we are continuing the discussion of whether or not someone can lose their salvation. The questions are: If someone accepts salvation, but does absolutely nothing with it, are they still saved? Or what about someone who is saved early in life, but lives a life of sin and immorality- do they still go the Heaven? Jesus tells us in Matthew 18:14 that it is not God's will that anyone should perish; and Paul follows it up in Romans that nothing will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ (Rom 8:38-39). God loves us more than we could ever comprehend- that it clear. However, can we still lose our eternal home with Him through our own actions?
Today's reading makes it very clear of who will (or will not) inherit the Kingdom. He warns us not to be deceived- thus illustrating the point that just because we are a "Christian", we should never assume we are not required to live righteously. Once again, we all fall (Rom 3:23), but a deliberate rebellion against God and disgracing the Cross is a different story! Let's say someone gave their life to Christ in their mid-teens, mostly because life was going good and that was the "right" thing to do with youth group and such. But, once they graduated, hit college, and fell into the world- Jesus was shoved all but out of mind and a lifetime of sin and immorality followed. Is he still sanctified from a confession and repentance decades earlier? Maybe he simply loses many of the "rewards" we are promised, such as in 2John 8 or 1Cor 3:15? Or, is there a defining line where the ultimate Judge declares him to be unholy, thus resulting in eternal separation from God? A good example of this is found in Matthew 7:21-23. In this example, Jesus is discussing the dangers of false teachings and the pits they can cause one to fall into. Just because someone is proclaiming the Name of Jesus and performing miracles, does not mean it's always coming from God. These works are no substitute for relationship- the Word of God and being in Christ through the Holy Spirit triumphs all of the above, thus giving proof to true discipleship.
As I mentioned in Part 1 of this blog, there is one sin that IS unpardonable- that is the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit, found in Mark 3:28-30. This is not just a one-time event, but a series of willfully chosen actions that claims Satan is the power behind Christ's work, not the Holy Spirit. This is an abomination, and no forgiveness will be given in this case. On the flip side, we DO see salvation at the last minute for those who have lived a life of sin, but show true repentance. (i.e. the thief on the cross in Luke 23:39-43) So why do we get pulled back in the first place? What is it that often draws us (not succumbs, though) to sin even more once we are saved? In other words, why would we willfully walk back into prison once we've been freed? These are some more points and questions we will explore in the next session. Until then, I pray you would take an inventory of where you may be falling short in your walk, and ask God to help you restore it. Also, ask Him to bring any unconfessed sin to the surface and allow Him to work on that as well. Be open and transparent- that's when He can do His best work in us. Allow His refining fire to cleanse you, thus building an even stronger foundation in Jesus Christ!
Today we are continuing the discussion of whether or not someone can lose their salvation. The questions are: If someone accepts salvation, but does absolutely nothing with it, are they still saved? Or what about someone who is saved early in life, but lives a life of sin and immorality- do they still go the Heaven? Jesus tells us in Matthew 18:14 that it is not God's will that anyone should perish; and Paul follows it up in Romans that nothing will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ (Rom 8:38-39). God loves us more than we could ever comprehend- that it clear. However, can we still lose our eternal home with Him through our own actions?
Today's reading makes it very clear of who will (or will not) inherit the Kingdom. He warns us not to be deceived- thus illustrating the point that just because we are a "Christian", we should never assume we are not required to live righteously. Once again, we all fall (Rom 3:23), but a deliberate rebellion against God and disgracing the Cross is a different story! Let's say someone gave their life to Christ in their mid-teens, mostly because life was going good and that was the "right" thing to do with youth group and such. But, once they graduated, hit college, and fell into the world- Jesus was shoved all but out of mind and a lifetime of sin and immorality followed. Is he still sanctified from a confession and repentance decades earlier? Maybe he simply loses many of the "rewards" we are promised, such as in 2John 8 or 1Cor 3:15? Or, is there a defining line where the ultimate Judge declares him to be unholy, thus resulting in eternal separation from God? A good example of this is found in Matthew 7:21-23. In this example, Jesus is discussing the dangers of false teachings and the pits they can cause one to fall into. Just because someone is proclaiming the Name of Jesus and performing miracles, does not mean it's always coming from God. These works are no substitute for relationship- the Word of God and being in Christ through the Holy Spirit triumphs all of the above, thus giving proof to true discipleship.
As I mentioned in Part 1 of this blog, there is one sin that IS unpardonable- that is the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit, found in Mark 3:28-30. This is not just a one-time event, but a series of willfully chosen actions that claims Satan is the power behind Christ's work, not the Holy Spirit. This is an abomination, and no forgiveness will be given in this case. On the flip side, we DO see salvation at the last minute for those who have lived a life of sin, but show true repentance. (i.e. the thief on the cross in Luke 23:39-43) So why do we get pulled back in the first place? What is it that often draws us (not succumbs, though) to sin even more once we are saved? In other words, why would we willfully walk back into prison once we've been freed? These are some more points and questions we will explore in the next session. Until then, I pray you would take an inventory of where you may be falling short in your walk, and ask God to help you restore it. Also, ask Him to bring any unconfessed sin to the surface and allow Him to work on that as well. Be open and transparent- that's when He can do His best work in us. Allow His refining fire to cleanse you, thus building an even stronger foundation in Jesus Christ!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
