His Name Jesus

Matthew 1:20-23 ESV

But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,    and they shall call his name Immanuel”(which means, God with us).

Do statistics lie?

This may not be true all across America, but in the southern states, in particular, if you ask most people if they believe in Jesus, their answer will be “Yes.” For, America is considered a “Christian nation,” and even most of our presidents, at least most recently, have claimed to be Christians or at least to be supportive of Christianity. It appears, according to recent polls, that around 75% of Americans identify themselves as Christians.

But, is that supported scripturally, and also by the lifestyles of those who make such a profession? Let’s take a close examination of that here.

Take for example the institutional church here in America which is in partnership with the US government, which then serves the beast New World Order, which then serves Satan. Does that sound Christian?

And, let’s look at what scripture teaches with regard to this union (via the 501c3). For one, Jesus said that we are not to turn his house into a marketplace (a place of business), but that is what the church has done by incorporating under the government. And, we are not supposed to be yoked together with the ungodly, and again, this union is doing just that. And, we are not supposed to have any other gods before our Lord, but this makes the government the head, even over Christ, when it comes right down to it.

But, it isn’t just that. The church in America, though not the whole church, largely has united itself with the world and has become indistinctive from the world as a result. Very gradually, and one phase at a time, the evangelical church in America has transitioned from a godly church preaching a godly gospel of repentance, to a worldly church entertaining sin and calling for no repentance, no obedience, and no submission to Christ Jesus.

The church, at large, has become proud and self-sufficient instead of humble and God-dependent. Rather than humbly admitting their sinfulness and their need of Jesus to rescue them from their bondage, they have an entitlement mindset that presumes that God’s grace is just to give them a free pass so they can go to heaven when they die, but really not much has to change in their lifestyles. In fact, they feel God should be happy if they spend 5 minutes a day reading the Bible and saying a prayer while the rest of the day is spent largely without him being much of a consideration at all.

The institutional church, which is a business of human-making, although some of the true church exists within it, is not the true church. It is a mixture, a blend of the godly and the ungodly, the holy and the unholy, which God disapproved of all throughout Biblical history. It is a blend (mixture), too, of biblical teaching and humanistic philosophy, with some mysticism, and new age teaching, and other religious beliefs and practices thrown into the mix, which God also vehemently opposes, always!

And, since the “customer base” for this worldly and ungodly “church” is the world, this church has diluted, softened and compromised the gospel of our salvation in order to make it more attractive to the world and to human flesh. So, it blends truth in with lies, so we end up with half-truths, which are still lies, even though they contain some truth. And, this is of Satan, as he has slowly, cleverly and slyly introduced lie after lie, until the church, at large, doesn’t even know they are believing lies, but they see the lies as truth.

I can recall when worship and communion services were so deeply spiritual and led of the Holy Spirit, and now they are often led by clowns, actors and entertainers whose goal it is to win the world, but not to Christ, but to the worldly church (the business). Even many pastors, in order to touch base with the world, have turned their sermons into pep talks or comedy shows, even to the mockery of what is holy and sacred.

And, because they have softened the gospel message, and they have brought the world and worldly ways into the gatherings of the church, they have also introduced and entertained sinful passions and desires within the church and among its people, because their goal is to not offend anyone.

And, so they come up with catchy phrases like “stay in your own lane,” which means to mind your own business and to not say anything to anyone which would make him or her uncomfortable, like telling them the true gospel. But, they don’t mind offending the true servants of the Lord who are preaching the true gospel, at all. In fact, they often disown them, and they get rid of them, because they “don’t fit” in with their human business goals.

But, the Bible gives us many examples of those who suffered for the sake of the name of Jesus, including Jesus, himself, who was so hated by the religious leaders of his day that they had him put to death. And, many Christians today are literally being killed (murdered) for their testimonies for Jesus Christ, and our leaders in our government are party to that, and the church in support of that government is liable, too, for their deaths.

So, the authority of this worldly church is not Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit and the Word of God, but it is the world, and big business, and the government, and the beastly New World Order, and all sorts of evil, wickedness, idolatry, adultery, deception and corruption. This church is full of habitual indecency, immorality, lust, seduction, ungodliness and impurity.

Although it disguises itself as the “church,” yet when you lift the lid (the cover) and you look inside, you see this whole world of filth that is permitted to go on and which they then try to cover up with God’s grace.

From Our Sins

Jesus Christ is not only the Son of God, but he is God (God with us). So, it was God the Son who left his throne in heaven, came to earth, was conceived of the Holy Spirit, and was born as a baby (See: Jn. 1; Phil. 2). And, they named him Jesus, “for he will save his people from their sins.”

So, what does it mean to be saved from our sins? Does it mean merely that we are forgiven so that now we can go to heaven when we die? Nope!

The whole point of our salvation, and of Jesus’ death on the cross, was that, through his death and resurrection, and through our faith in him, we might die daily to sin and self, and be reborn of the Spirit of God, and walk in holiness and righteousness the rest of our days (See: Lu. 9:23-25; Rom. 6:1-23; Rom. 8:1-17; Gal. 5:19-21; Eph. 4:17-24; 1 Jn. 1:5-9, etc.).

Jesus Christ did not merely forgive our sins, but he demolished them on that cross when he became sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God (2 Co. 5:21). He defeated sin on that cross so that we could be delivered from our slavery to sin and walk daily in his righteousness. So, not one of us, if we are truly his by faith, should still be walking in darkness.

For, he didn’t die just merely to put sin to death in our lives, either, but that we might be transformed of the Spirit of God away from sin and to God to walk daily in the light of his truth. For, in Jesus’ death, he redeemed us from the empty lives that we lived while we were still in bondage to sin. And, that means he bought us back for God with his blood so that our lives are no longer our own possession, but we belong to the Lord, to serve him, and to follow him wherever he leads us.

Through faith in Jesus Christ we are now given a new foundation for our lives, which is Jesus Christ and his holiness, purity, and righteousness, and it is in him and in his holiness that we are to walk (to conduct our lives). Because of his death for us on the cross, not only can we be free from addiction to sin, but we can participate with our Lord in his holiness, and we can live lives which are separate from the world and set apart to God.

In other words, it is not in our own willpower and strength that any of us can live righteously in purity and holiness and godliness. We cannot, in our own strength and determination be completely free from slavery to sin. And, this is where God’s grace comes into the picture. Because Jesus gave his life up for us on that cross, we can flush away the filth of our former lives, and we can be cleansed in heart and mind and now walk in purity and integrity.

And, in the power and working of God’s Holy Spirit, now living within us, we can endure to the end, and we can be faithful, and we can be honest, trustworthy, pure, holy and righteous. It is a lie of Satan to tell you that you can’t let go of that burden of sin which weighs you down. You can be free! You don’t have to keep struggling with the same sins over and over and over again. Satan wants to keep you defeated. But, Jesus already demolished the stronghold of Satan over our lives. We just have to live like we believe that!

Luke 21:34: “Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close in on you suddenly like a trap.”

Know that drunkenness is not necessarily addiction to alcohol, but it is “intoxication,” which can be anything which leaves its adherents out of control, senseless, stupefied, poisoned in their minds and hearts, corrupted and bewitched by the world, and enslaved to all kinds of sinful passions and desires. And, this can include lust, porn, and romantic and extra-marital affairs.

For those who are weighed down with these sins, they have abandoned the Lord, have despised the Holy One of Israel, and they have turned away from Him (See: Is. 1:4). So, if this is where you are, repent today of your sins.

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.

https://vimeo.com/113088324

Monday, December 17, 2018