Habakkuk 2

Then the Lord replied: "Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it. For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay."

Saturday, December 22, 2018

Hiding Places


Jeremiah 17:1-4 NIV

“Judah’s sin is engraved with an iron tool,
    inscribed with a flint point,
on the tablets of their hearts
    and on the horns of their altars.
Even their children remember
    their altars and Asherah poles
beside the spreading trees
    and on the high hills.
My mountain in the land
    and your wealth and all your treasures
I will give away as plunder,
    together with your high places,
    because of sin throughout your country.
Through your own fault you will lose
    the inheritance I gave you.
I will enslave you to your enemies
    in a land you do not know,
for you have kindled my anger,
    and it will burn forever.”

The church in America, at large, but not including all, is like the people of Judah of Jeremiah’s day. Their sin is idolatry, sexual immorality, and forsaking their Lord to return to following after the lusts of their flesh. And, this isn’t just about porn use, either, though that is HUGE!

For, many people who profess faith in Jesus Christ take in regular doses of immorality in TV shows, movies, video games, music, and on the internet, including on social media sites and in private chats with people, etc. Oh, and then there is sex-texting, too, and photo sharing of inappropriate photographs, usually selfies, some with just sexual poses and others much more graphic, and I’m sure a whole lot more that I don’t know about.

Even many pastors are addicted to porn, and are engaged in extra-marital affairs, and are visiting prostitutes and are engaged in all sorts of deviant behaviors, as are many of the men and even some women within the church, too. And now many youth and children, as well, within the church are sexually addicted. Oh, how utterly shameful and so very sad!

Yet, so many of these men and women involved in porn or in extra-marital affairs or flirtations will vow fidelity to their spouses, but it is a lie. For, while they are vowing fidelity they are secretly engaged in sinful sexual behaviors and they are hiding these from their spouses, so their words cannot be trusted. And, sometimes, too, they may tell their spouses that they are making changes in their lives for them, while truly the changes are for someone else, not the spouse. For, they continually cover it all with lies.

But, there is another aspect to all of this. For romantic affairs and sexual affairs and porn and masturbation, etc. all produce some kind of mental and emotional high much like a drug, so people can be sex addicted in much the same way in which someone is addicted to a drug or to alcohol. For, it is a stimulant and it is intoxicating, and it is very hard to break, apart from the power of God and his grace in their lives in delivering them from it.

But, they have to be willing to be set free. Jesus provided the way of escape for all of us. He shed his blood on a cross in death so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. He put sin to death on that cross and he conquered its power over our lives via his resurrection. But, if you want to be free, you have to yield to his Lordship, and do all that he says to do, and not hold anything back from him, and he will set you free!

But, so many people in this situation will not let go. They will not let God have control of their lives. They do not truly want to be free, even though they will say that they do. And, that is because they are not willing to put that sin to death, because they are “drug” addicted, and they want that addiction (that high) more than they want God in their lives.

So, God is warning here, and in the New Testament, too, that if they or if you or if we choose our sinful lifestyles over obedience to our Lord, we will lose our inheritance with God. Instead of the hope of heaven when we die, we will have the fearful expectation of divine judgment and the fires of hell.

So, don’t be fooled! God is not mocked!! What you sow you will also reap. If you sow to please the flesh, from that flesh you will reap decay (death). But if you sow to please the Spirit, then you will reap eternal life.

This blows OSAS out of the water, folks! For, we are not saved based on past belief. We have to walk according to the Spirit and no longer according to the flesh if we want to have eternal life with God. Please don’t reject this message! Your eternity depends on you believing and living the truth of this.

[See: Lu. 9:23-25; Rom. 6:1-23; Rom. 8:1-17; Eph. 4:17-24; Gal. 5:19-21; Gal. 6:7-8; 1 Jn. 1:5-9; 2 Co. 5:15, 21; Tit. 2:11-14; etc.]

Jeremiah 17:5-6 NIV

This is what the Lord says:

“Cursed is the one who trusts in man,
    who draws strength from mere flesh
    and whose heart turns away from the Lord.
That person will be like a bush in the wastelands;
    they will not see prosperity when it comes.
They will dwell in the parched places of the desert,
    in a salt land where no one lives.

We cannot place our trust in humans, no matter who they are, or what professions they make about themselves, or what positions of power or rule or authority they may have over our lives. Our loyalty and devotion must be to God, and to him alone.

So, don’t follow men (or women). Follow God! Don’t follow books written by mere humans. Follow the Word of God (the Bible – Genesis to Revelation). Don’t follow human counselors unless what they are teaching you is truly the Word of God. Don’t put your hope in human leaders to “save” this nation out of the trouble that it is in, for they are largely responsible for a lot of this mess our nation is now in, but so is everyone who supports them and who follows after human flesh instead of following after God and His Word.

Jeremiah 17:7-8 NIV

“But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord,
    whose confidence is in him.
They will be like a tree planted by the water
    that sends out its roots by the stream.
It does not fear when heat comes;
    its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought
    and never fails to bear fruit.”

Our confidence, and our hope, and our salvation must be found in God alone; in Jesus Christ, our Savior. He is our only hope for what ails this nation and for what troubles our hearts and lives, as well. He is the only one who can rescue us from our demons, and from our sins, from our idolatry and from our addictions. So, we have to look to him and stop relying on human flesh. For human flesh will fail us.

This is no guarantee, though, that everything will be rosy for us. In fact, scripture teaches that if we truly follow Jesus Christ with our lives that we will be hated and persecuted. For, Satan once had us under his control, and he lost us, and he wants us back, so he is fighting hard against us to get us back under his control. So, just know that following Jesus will mean that your enemies will increase, especially as the time draws closer for our Lord’s return. Some of us will even be put to death for our testimonies for Jesus.

Jeremiah 17:9-10 NIV

The heart is deceitful above all things
    and beyond cure.
    Who can understand it?

“I the Lord search the heart
    and examine the mind,
to reward each person according to their conduct,
    according to what their deeds deserve.”

Many people who are sexually addicted or who are trapped in any kind of sinful practices are deceived by the deceiver, and then they begin telling the lies themselves and even believing their own lies, too. Because they love the darkness, they will not come into the light, lest they be exposed for the evil that they are doing in secret when no one else is looking, except God. And, so they have to shut out the light and make up their own alternative “truth” so that they can continue in their sinful practices (addictions). And, that is totally irrational.

But, thanks be to God that he does search our hearts, and that he examines our minds, and that he loves us enough to tell us the truth, and to send people to us who will tell us the truth so that our blinded eyes might be opened, and so we may be turned from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God so that we can receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those sanctified by faith in Jesus Christ.

But, just know that one day we will all come before God, and he will indeed reward us according to our conduct and what our deeds deserve. And, it says this in the New Testament, too. So, don’t think just because you prayed a prayer to receive Christ that you are guaranteed eternal life with God.

Scripture says differently. We will be judged by our walks of faith, because Jesus died that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. His grace at work in saving us is him turning us from darkness to light…

Living Water

An Original Work / November 21, 2013
Based off Various Scriptures

My people have forsaken Me,
Their Savior, who died on a tree;
Made idols, and they worshipped them;
So empty, they will ne’er fulfill.

Lord, You are the hope of Your chosen ones.
Those who turn away from You will be shamed;
The Spring of Living Water left behind.

Living Water satisfies.

The thirsty, let them come and drink;
Believe in Jesus as their King;
The gift of Jesus given them,
So they will never thirst again.

Indeed, the Living Water flows within.
It springs up like a fountain cleansing sin.
Eternal life in heaven promised them.

Living Water glorifies.

Oh people, won’t you come to Him?
Obey Him and repent of sin.
Let Jesus come and live within.
Surrender all your life to Him.

My people, won’t you turn your hearts to Me?
Forsake your idols and then you’ll be free.
Won’t you come now to Me on bended knee?

Living Water sanctifies.


Friday, December 21, 2018

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