Rescued from Trials

Saturday, July 8, 2017, 3:37 a.m. – The Lord Jesus put in mind the song “He Reached Down.” Speak, Lord, your words to my heart. I read 2 Peter 2 (Select vv. ESV).

False Teachers (vv. 1-3)

But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.

Wow! What an accurate description of the situation we are faced with in the church in America today. So many purported preachers and teachers of the Word are teaching a mixed bag of truth and lies, and they have absolutely brought destructive heresies into the church, and many are following their deceptions and their sensuality. And, the way of truth is definitely being blasphemed, for they twist it and they corrupt it to their advantage to gain disciples after themselves, not after Jesus Christ.

There are many variances in what they actually teach, but the result is still the same. Basically, what they do is they dilute the gospel of Jesus Christ to make it something it is not, that is a free license to continue in willful sin against God without guilt and without remorse. They either entirely delete repentance, submission and obedience from the gospel message, or else they teach directly that we don’t have to repent or obey Jesus Christ or submit to the cross of Christ in order to be saved from our sins. Their idea of “belief” seems to be nothing more than an intellectual assent to who Jesus Christ is and was, and to what he did for us in dying for our sins so that we might be forgiven our sins and have eternal life with God in heaven.

So, not only do they leave their adherents still lost in their sins without true hope of eternal life with God, yet falsely believing they do, but they campaign against the true gospel of our salvation and against its messengers by convincing their listeners that they are to reject anyone or any message which teaches repentance and obedience as necessary components of believing faith. In fact, they convince them that if anyone teaches such that they are teaching works-based salvation, which is a lie, because the Bible teaches that if we walk (in lifestyle) according to our flesh (in sin), we will die in our sins, not have the hope of eternal life (See: Ro. 6:1-23; Ro. 8:1-14; Lu. 9:23-25; 1 Jn. 1:5-9; 1 Pet. 2:24; Eph. 4:17-24).

Greatly Distressed (vv. 4-10a)

For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to chains of gloomy darkness to be kept until the judgment; if he did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a herald of righteousness, with seven others, when he brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly; if by turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to ashes he condemned them to extinction, making them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly; and if he rescued righteous Lot, greatly distressed by the sensual conduct of the wicked (for as that righteous man lived among them day after day, he was tormenting his righteous soul over their lawless deeds that he saw and heard); then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment, and especially those who indulge in the lust of defiling passion and despise authority.

How many people today, who call themselves followers of Jesus Christ, are being greatly distressed over the predominant sensuality and immorality existing within the church, and within the lives of those who say they believe in Jesus Christ? I have found they are few and far between. To the contrary, the vast majority of those who call themselves Christians in America, overall, appear to be very worldly and fleshly, so that there is not much of a distinction between the church and the world anymore. Although they claim to know God, they deny him by their lifestyles. They indulge in so much of the same wickedness that the world does, which makes no claims to faith in Christ at all. If they are not directly participating in sinful acts, they are being entertained by them via TV, movies, video games and the internet.

The thing of it is, that most of them seem to lack conscience that what they are doing is actually wrong, too. Or else they write it off as something with which they struggle, but which falls under grace, so they feel they are in no danger if they continue to engross themselves in such sinful behaviors. They have this sense of entitlement that they can live their lives however they want, with some modifications, choose their own paths, mark out their own life courses, and that God is somehow pleased with them no matter what they do. This should greatly distress all of us who proclaim Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord (owner-master) of our lives! We should cry out our voices and say “NO!!” to these lies and deceptions, for they are leading many people straight on a course toward hell, not toward heaven.

One day, God is going to judge the people of this earth in a mighty way, and those who are walking (conducting their lives) in darkness (sin), will not escape the wrath of God, but they will die in their sins. Yet, those who are putting to death, by the Spirit, the deeds of the flesh, will live with Christ for eternity. God is able to keep us from the corruption that is going on in this world of ours, and within the worldly church, and to lead us in his ways and in his righteousness until the day when he takes us home to be with him. When we are being tried by the wicked acts of wicked humans in their deceitful scheming, the Lord will sustain us. He will help us, strengthen us, and he will carry us through to the end. So, we need to just rest in him.

He Reached Down / An Original Work / February 3, 2014

Based off Psalm 18

How I love You, Lord, my Rock and my strength.

My God is my fortress; I hide in Him.

He is my shield and the horn of

My salvation, whom I praise.

I have found my refuge in Him.

He reached down from heaven and rescued me;

Drew me out of waters so deep, I’d sink.

He delivered me from Satan

And my slavery to sin;

Gave me hope of heaven with Him.

My God turned my darkness into His light;

Opened up my blinded eyes; gave me sight.

As for God, his way is perfect.

He gives strength to stand secure.

I have found my vict’ry in Him.

My Lord lives! Praise be to my Savior God,

Jesus Christ, who died on a cruel cross.

He is my Rock and the source

Of my salvation, whom I trust.

I will give praise always to Him.

https://vimeo.com/86346545

Days Formed for Me

Thursday, July 6, 2017, 6:06 a.m. – The Lord Jesus put in mind the song “Search Me, O God.” Speak, Lord, your words to my heart. I read Psalm 139 (Select vv. ESV).

He Knows Me (vv. 1-7)

O Lord, you have searched me and known me!

You know when I sit down and when I rise up;

    you discern my thoughts from afar.

You search out my path and my lying down

    and are acquainted with all my ways.

Even before a word is on my tongue,

    behold, O Lord, you know it altogether.

You hem me in, behind and before,

    and lay your hand upon me.

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;

    it is high; I cannot attain it.

Where shall I go from your Spirit?

    Or where shall I flee from your presence?

Our God and Lord knows us, the end from the beginning, inside and out, thoroughly and completely, because he is the one who made us. He knows everything we do. We cannot hide from God. Nothing we do is hidden from his sight. Even if we go into a dark place, he still sees and knows everything we are doing. Nothing escapes his notice! He is acquainted with all of our ways. We may be able to fool people, but we can’t fool God. He knows. He sees. So, if we are doing wrong, and we are trying to look good on the outside, while inside, when we are alone in the darkness, we are doing what is wicked, although humans may not see and may not know, God knows. And, what he says he will do will be fulfilled. We can count on it!

Yet, if we are doing what is right, this should serve to be a comfort and an encouragement to us that God knows us completely. Because he does, even if others misjudge us or reject us based on a misconception or on their own prejudice, God knows the truth. He knows our hearts, who we are, and what we do, and the reasons we do it, even if no one else does. And, he will comfort us with that knowledge, fill us with his peace, and assure us of his grace, strength, and the knowledge of his will for our lives. Even before we utter a word in prayer to him, he knows what we are going to say, and he may even begin to answer us or counsel us in our minds before we even vocalize our requests to him, or even before we even know what to ask.

In My Mother’s Womb (vv. 13-16)

For you formed my inward parts;

    you knitted me together in my mother's womb.

I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.

Wonderful are your works;

    my soul knows it very well.

My frame was not hidden from you,

when I was being made in secret,

    intricately woven in the depths of the earth.

Your eyes saw my unformed substance;

in your book were written, every one of them,

    the days that were formed for me,

    when as yet there was none of them.

None of us are here on this earth by chance or by mistake. God formed us in the wombs of our mothers. What this means is that he placed us in the families we were born into, even knowing what would happen to us – good or bad. He didn’t cause evil, but he allows evil to exist for his purposes. He doesn’t always protect us from harm, but he protects us emotionally and spiritually through the storms of life, if we trust him. He didn’t promise us we would never face adversity. In fact, he said the opposite. He said that, as his followers, we would be treated like he was treated. He uses our life experiences to mold us and to shape us into the people he created us to be. And, he is quite capable of seeing us through any and all circumstances, no matter how difficult, and to give us the wisdom and strength we need to endure, to persevere, and to “come out shining like gold” (1).

For those of us who know God, and who believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and as Savior of our lives, we must know that even before God created the world, he chose us, that we should be holy and blameless before him. He predestined us to be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ. And, he called us to a holy calling in Christ Jesus, our Lord (See: Ro. 8:29; 2 Tim. 1:8-9; Eph. 1:3-4). He has something for each of us to do. He has a plan and a purpose for our lives. He didn’t save us so we could live however we want, and so we could plan out our own lives. He has given us spiritual gifts and he has given us each assignments within the body of Christ which we are to fulfill for his purposes and for his glory (See: Jer. 1). This is my assignment, to write out what he teaches me each day, and to post it on the internet.

Lead Me, I Pray (vv. 17-18, 23-24)

How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!

    How vast is the sum of them!

If I would count them, they are more than the sand.

    I awake, and I am still with you.

Search me, O God, and know my heart!

    Try me and know my thoughts!

And see if there be any grievous way in me,

    and lead me in the way everlasting!

God doesn’t think like we do, as humans. His ways are higher than our ways. What might not make sense to us makes perfect sense to God, because he knows the end from the beginning. He knows what lies ahead for us. Sometimes he allows delays and roadblocks because he has a plan that is greater than our understanding. So, what might seem like a failure to us may not be that at all. We need to learn to trust God and not lean on our own understanding, for our understanding is flawed (imperfect), whereas his is absolutely perfect. We also need to understand that God’s timing is not the same as ours. I think that in today’s culture, particularly here in America, we want everything fast, and we have lost the art of patience. But, God is very patient, and he is willing that none should perish, but that all should come to repentance. So, we need to wait on God’s timing.

God knows our hearts and our minds. We sometimes think we know like God knows, but we don’t always, although we do have the mind of Christ (See: 1 Co. 2:16). Sometimes we even misjudge ourselves or we are self-deceived into thinking thoughts about ourselves which are not true. So, it is good for us to have God search our minds and hearts and to show us what we are not able to see about ourselves, so that we can be changed in heart and mind in conformity to Christ and to his will for our lives. We might think we are serving the Lord, and that he is pleased with us, but we might be missing the mark. So, it is good to have those soul-searching times alone with God where we pray and we ask him to reveal to us any sins or if we are going the wrong direction, and for him to guide us and to lead us in the way he would have us to go, because, again, he has a very specific assignment for each one of us which he wants us to fulfill, and so we need to fulfill it.

Search Me, O God / An Original Work / July 12, 2012

Based off Psalm 139

O Lord, You search and know me.

You know all that I do.

O Lord, You discern my ways.

I put my trust in You.

Where can I go from Your Spirit?

Where can I flee from Your presence?

Where’er I am, You are with me,

Guiding me in love.

O Lord, You search and know me.

You know all that I do.

O Lord, You discern my ways.

I put my trust in You.

O Lord, You made and formed me

In my own mother’s womb.

Your hands beautif’ly made me.

I give my praise to You.

My frame was not hidden from You

When I was made in the dark place.

All the days ordained for me

Were written in Your book.

O Lord, You made and formed me

In my own mother’s womb.

Your hands beautif’ly made me.

I give my praise to You.

O Lord, how precious to me

Are Your thoughts, O my God.

When I wake in the morning,

You are still here with me.

Search me, O God, and know my heart;

Test me and know my anxious thoughts.

See if there is any offense.

Lead me in Your truth.

O Lord, how precious to me

Are Your thoughts, O my God.

When I wake in the morning,

You are still here with me.

https://vimeo.com/125488883

References:

(1)       https://www.scribd.com/doc/101911488/Lyrics-I-Am-Willing-Lord-Joni-Eareckson-Tada

Trust and Rest

Wednesday, July 5, 2017, 9:03 a.m. – The Lord Jesus put in mind the song “Believe Him.” Speak, Lord, your words to my heart. I read select vv. (in the ESV) on the subject of “rest.”

Our Rest (Mk. 14:40-42)

And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were very heavy, and they did not know what to answer him. And he came the third time and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? It is enough; the hour has come. The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand.”

Rest can be good, and it can be bad. In today’s culture here in America it is believed and propagandized that we need rest, relaxation and recreation whenever our work day has ended. Probably the average American puts in a 40-hour work week, some less and some more. Some people are workaholics and would do well to take time to relax and rest some, while others do as little work as possible and think they are entitled to live in leisure the rest of their lives. A parent of small children usually doesn’t get much rest, unless her/his children are asleep, and even then they are probably doing laundry or dishes, etc. Yet, too many people in our culture are obsessed with relaxation and recreation, and they have this sense that they must continuously be entertained or be entertaining to others.

It is reasonable that we should be able to sleep when we get tired, but we can’t always do that. Sometimes our jobs demand much of us, or our families, or the Lord has work for us to do that might involve losing some sleep here and there. If the Lord has work for us to do, even if it is in the middle of the night, we should do what he has called us to do, even if it means losing a little bit of sleep now and then, for the Lord can sustain us, and he can give us the strength to endure and to persevere even when we are tired. I have seen him do this in my life over and over again. So, sleep, rest, relaxation and recreation should not be our central focus, or our entitlement, but we should submit to our Lord in all that we do, trust him, rest in him, do what he says, and believe him to give us all we need.

No Rest (2 Co. 7:5-6)

For even when we came into Macedonia, our bodies had no rest, but we were afflicted at every turn—fighting without and fear within. But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us…

Sometimes, when serving the Lord, there may be times when we are going through much hardship, persecution, opposition, and affliction, and we won’t get the sleep our bodies require, or that we think we need to keep going. But God knows all that. And, he is quite capable of seeing us through it all. He is still absolutely sovereign (in control) over all things, and he allow what he allows in our lives for his purposes and for his glory in our lives. And, sometimes we may get physical rest, but our minds and hearts will be troubled by what we are having to endure, and they will need rest, as well. So, the Lord comforts us with his love and grace, and with his compassion and mercy, and he encourages our hearts, and he strengthens us with his mighty power. I often pray for him to help me, especially when my body is tired or when my emotions are weak, and he never fails me. Not once!

His Rest (2 Co. 12:8-10; Matt. 11:28-29)

Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

Sometimes the enemy’s opposition against us is so strong that we plead with the Lord to remove it from us. Yet, sometimes we need this opposition to make us stronger and more determined to follow our Lord in obedience, and to keep us humble so that we don’t take credit for what God is doing in and through us, as though we somehow did it ourselves. Also, when we go through difficulties, persecutions, and rejections, and we face much opposition, because we are serving the Lord, and doing what he says, it teaches us not to rely on ourselves, but on God. God’s grace is totally sufficient to see us through any and every situation we may encounter. We just have to learn to trust him in it all, and rest in HIM, and in his strength and power, and not in our own resources or strength. And, then we are strengthened in spirit, heart, mind, emotion and in body, too.

God’s rest is not like our rest. God’s rest is inner peace, strength, comfort, joy, and fulfillment even in hard times, difficulties, times of sorrow and pain, and even in sleepless nights, and labor for the Lord and for his gospel, etc. So, in all things, we need to trust him, rest in him, obey him, walk in his love, and let him meet all our needs and comfort us with his love and grace.

Believe Him / An Original Work / July 15, 2013

My heart cries: Lord, won’t You hear me

Seeking You for the answers

To my heartache and questions

I have concerning my life?

Speak, Lord, to me right now.

“Oh, dear one, why don’t you trust Me

With your life’s circumstances?

Give your all on the altar

In submission of your will

To My purpose for you.

“Surrender your life completely

To your Lord and your Savior.

He has all things planned for you

For His glory and honor.

He’ll work all things for good.

“Believe Him. He will fulfill all

Of His promises to you

For your life and your future.

Trust Him. Rest in His love.

He’ll give you peace from above.”

https://vimeo.com/115945593

Love and Obey

Tuesday, July 4, 2017, 6:00 a.m. – The Lord Jesus put in mind the song “My Sheep.” Speak, Lord, your words to my heart. I read various scriptures (in the NIV) on the subject of obedience.

Jesus Saves Us (Acts 5:32; Hebrews 5:9; John 8:51)

“We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.” Literally, “to those obeying” (present tense) “him.”

“And, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him.” Literally, “to all those obeying” (present tense) “him.”

“Very truly I tell you, whoever obeys my word will never see death.”

I hear many people, including many ministers of the gospel, say that we don’t have to repent of our sins and we don’t have to obey Jesus and his commands in order to be saved, but is that true? Or else they just leave out repentance and obedience from their gospel messages, and they dilute the gospel message to make it more acceptable and appealing for the world, and for the worldly church. They reduce the gospel message to a mere acknowledgment of the existence of Jesus Christ, or of his blood sacrifice for our sins, and they teach the listener that all he has to do is accept Jesus’ forgiveness of sins, i.e. God’s grace, and he now has heaven guaranteed him, and that it can never be taken away from him. But, is that true?

A careful study of scripture will reveal that these people who are teaching (promoting) this are liars and deceivers who are gaining disciples for themselves (or for Satan), but not for Jesus Christ (See: Matt. 23:15). It will also quickly dispel their lies, and will reveal the truth that God does, indeed, require both repentance and obedience as part of saving faith, and for eternal life with God. This study will also show us that our salvation is progressive, i.e. we are saved (past), we are being saved (present), and we will be saved (future) when Jesus returns for us, his bride. And, it will teach us that faith is not a one-time deal where we live how we want, and that one day we go to heaven, but it will show us that genuine faith must be enduring, continuous, and steadfast if we want to have the hope of heaven and eternal life with God.

[See: Jn. 8:31-32; Ro. 11:17-24; I Co. 15:2; Col. 1:21-23; II Tim. 2:10-13; Heb. 3:6, 14-15; 2 Pet. 1:5-11; I John 2:24-25.]

We Know Him (1 John 2:3-6; 1 John 3:24)

By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments. The one who says, “I have come to know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; but whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him: the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked.

“Those who obey his commands live in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us.”

If we say we know God, i.e. that we have believed in Jesus Christ for salvation, and that we are assured of eternal life with God in heaven, then we must understand here that obedience is evidence that this is true. If we claim to know God or to be in fellowship with him, but we don’t keep his commands (his instructions to us), we are liars. Also, if we claim to be in fellowship with our Lord, but we are still walking (in lifestyle) in darkness (sin), we are liars, and we do not live by the truth (1 Jn. 1:6).

So, if we want to be assured of our salvation, and the hope of eternal life with God, we must walk in obedience to our Lord. We must walk (conduct our lives) according to the Spirit of God, and not according to our sinful flesh, for if we walk (in lifestyle) according to our fleshly desires, we will die in our sins, not have heaven guaranteed us when we leave this earth. Yet, some people will falsely claim that this is works-based salvation and not God’s grace, but they are lying to you. For, God’s grace, which brings salvation, commands us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives while we await Christ’s return (See: Tit. 2:11-14; cf. Ro. 6:1-23; Ro. 8:1-14; Lu. 9:23-25).

We Love Him (John 14:23-24; 1 John 5:2-4)

Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.”

This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.

To love God is to obey God. If we do not walk (in lifestyle) in obedience to our Lord, then we do not really love him. This is not to say we will never sin (See: 1 Jn. 2:1-2), but that true faith in Jesus Christ is both repentant and obedient. And, although the word “repent” literally means to have a change of mind, it cannot be reduced to merely accepting Jesus’ sacrifice for our sins on a cross and his forgiveness for our sins. For, in context of scripture, the word “repent” is nearly always used in the sense of turning away from sin (idolatry, wickedness, immorality), forsaking our former way of living for sin and self, and turning to follow our Lord Jesus with our lives. And, to follow means to obey. It means we are not hearers only of the Word, but that we are doers of the Word of God.

Yet, none of this is done to earn or to deserve our own salvation. Our salvation is a free gift of God’s grace to us, and we can only obey our Lord in the power and strength of God’s Holy Spirit now living within those of us who have truly given our lives over to him. Yet, God’s grace is not a free license to continue in sin without guilt or without remorse. His grace to us is freedom from slavery to sin. He delivered us out of bondage to sin so that we can walk with him in righteousness, not so we can continue living like we did before, only slightly cleaned up for the Christian world. It is not grace, in other words, if we are still enslaved (addicted) to sin. So, although it is free, freedom is not forgiven slavery while we continue in enslavement. God’s grace sets us free from the control Satan had over our lives so that we can now come under the control of Christ’s righteousness (See: Ro. 6:1-23).

My Sheep / An Original Work / June 24, 2012

Based off John 10:1-18 NIV

My sheep hear me. They know me.

They listen to my voice and obey.

I call them and lead them.

They know my voice, so they follow me.

They will never follow strangers.

They will run away from them.

The voice of a stranger they know not;

They do not follow him.

So, I tell you the truth that

I am the gate, so you enter in.

Whoever does enter

Will find forgiveness and will be saved.

Nonetheless whoever enters

Not by the gate; other way,

He is the thief and a robber.

Listen not, the sheep to him.

Oh, I am the Good Shepherd,

Who laid his own life down for the sheep.

I know them. They know me.

They will live with me eternally.

The thief only comes to steal and

Kill and to destroy the church.

I have come to give you life that

You may have it to the full…

They know my voice, so they follow me.

https://vimeo.com/114938263

Are You Free?

Monday, July 3, 2017, 5:52 a.m. – The Lord Jesus put in mind the song “Songs in The Night.” Speak, Lord, your words to my heart. I read various scriptures (in the ESV) on the subject of freedom in Christ Jesus.

What is Freedom?

I think most of us, who have any knowledge of scripture, know that Jesus died to set us free from sin, but not everyone agrees on what that means. Some people think of this freedom as merely being set free from the ultimate punishment of sin, which is death, i.e. eternity without God, and in eternal damnation in the fires of hell (or in the lake of fire). And, being set free from the punishment of sin means they get to go to heaven one day when they leave this earth. But, is that all there is to it? Or, is there more?

The Truth Sets You Free (Jn. 8:31-36)

So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” They answered him, “We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, ‘You will become free’?”

Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

Here we see that if we abide (stay, remain, continue) in Christ and in his Word, then we are truly his disciples (his followers) (cf. Jn. 15). The result is that we will know the truth. Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life, so we will know (intimately, experientially) Jesus Christ. His Word is also truth, so we will know intimately, through first-hand experience, God’s words to us, not just through head knowledge. And, this knowing of The Truth will set us free from slavery to sin, not just from the punishment of sin, because it isn’t just head knowledge, but it is intimately and experientially joining ourselves to Christ and his Word by listening to him and in following (obeying) him.

Here we also see that the opposite of freedom from sin is slavery to sin, for if we practice (walk in) sin, we are still slaves to sin, and we are not FREE. Now, we cannot provide our own freedom, i.e. it is Jesus Christ who sets us free, if truly we have trusted in him as Lord and as Savior of our lives. But, if we do not walk in that freedom, then we are still enslaved to sin, and we have not truly been set free (See: Lu. 9:23-25; Rom. 8:1-14; Gal. 5:19-21). So, we must understand here that being set free has to do, not just with loss of eternal punishment for sin, but it has to do with death to sin and living to righteousness, as well (See: 1 Pet. 2:24). For, if we continue in sin, we are not free, but we will still face the fury of hell when we leave this earth.

Dead to Sin – Free from Sin (Rom. 6:6-7, 16-23)

We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin.

Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness. I am speaking in human terms, because of your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification.

For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

When we trust in Jesus Christ to be Lord and Savior of our lives, we are crucified with Christ in death to sin in order that we might walk with him in newness of life, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness (See: Rom. 6:1-4; cf. Eph. 4:17-24). Jesus Christ died that we might die to sin and live to righteousness (1 Pet. 2:24). So, Jesus didn’t die just so we could escape hell and have heaven when we die. He died so that, through faith in him, our old self would be put to death in order that sin would be brought to nothing, i.e. so that it would no longer have control over (enslave) us. If we have truly been saved from our sins, thus, it means sin has been put to death in our lives so that righteousness might reign.

Many people are being taught today that faith in Jesus Christ is just an acknowledgment of who Jesus is and of what he did for us on the cross, in taking our punishment for us, and that it is an acceptance of his forgiveness of our sins. And, many of them are being taught that repentance (turning from sin) and obedience to Christ are not required by God for their eternal salvation, and that, in fact, they are works-based salvation, so they are being trained that faith in Jesus has nothing to do with death to sin and living to righteousness. But, God’s Word teaches us that if we present ourselves as slaves to sin, it leads to death, not to eternal life, but obedience to Christ and his Word leads to righteousness and to eternal life with God. Being set free from sin means we are now slaves to Christ’s righteousness.

Walk by the Spirit (Gal. 5:1, 16-24)

For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

I know that this is in the context of legalism and of adding to God’s grace what he does not require, but the principle applies, as well, to the subject of being set free from sin, in its entirety. Jesus set us free from sin so that we would no longer be slaves to sin, but that we would walk in freedom, which means to walk in righteousness and no longer according to our sinful flesh. So, we need to stand firm, not only on not adding to God’s grace what is of the flesh, but also in not removing from God’s grace what God has established as the very purpose for his grace to us. His grace is not a free license to continue in willful sin against God, without guilt and without remorse, but his grace instructs (commands) us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives while we wait for Christ’s return (See: Tit. 2:11-14).

So, not only did Jesus set us free, but we need to walk in that freedom. If we walk (in lifestyle) by the Spirit of God, we will not gratify the desires of the flesh. So many people believe that they can have the Spirit of God living within them, and have the promise of heaven, and still live their lives however they desire, but the two are in opposition to each other. If we continue to practice sexual immorality, for example, which includes viewing pornography or watching sexually charged movies or TV shows, et al, we do not have the hope of eternal life. If we make it our practice to involve ourselves in idolatry, impurity, sensuality, fits of anger, drunkenness, etc., we will not inherit the kingdom of God.

This is not saying that we lose our salvation every time we sin (See: 1 Jn. 2:1-2), but it is saying that we can’t continue living in (practicing) sin, as a matter of lifestyle, and expect to go to heaven when we leave this earth. If we belong to Christ, we have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires, so let us live by and keep in step with the Spirit of God, and not give way to the flesh, for Jesus set us free! So, let us live like we believe that. Those who are led by the Spirit are the children of God (Ro. 8:14).

Songs in the Night / An Original Work / December 18, 2013

“About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God,

And the other prisoners were listening to them.” Acts 16:25 NIV ‘84

Lord, I praise You forevermore.

You, my Savior, I now adore.

Hope in heaven awaiting me,

Because You died at Calvary.

I have been forgiven,

And I’m bound for heaven.

Jesus set me free from

All my sin, I say.

I will praise Him always!

Lord, I love You for all You’ve done:

Overcame death, my vict’ry won!

Jesus saved me, and now I’m free!

I rejoice in His love for me.

I will walk in vict’ry!

My sin is but hist’ry!

I am free to please Him

With my life today.

I will love Him always!

Lord, I thank You for giving me

A new life bought at Calvary.

Loving Jesus, I meet with Him.

Tender mercies now flow within.

Lord, I am so thankful;

Through my Lord, I’m able

To sit at His table;

Fellowship with Him.

I will thank Him always!

https://vimeo.com/112342407

A Stranger's Voice

Sunday, July 2, 2017, 3:00 a.m. – The Lord Jesus put in mind the song “My Sheep.” Speak, Lord, your words to my heart. I read John 10 (Select vv. ESV).

They Will Flee (vv. 1-6)

“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.

Jesus Christ is the door (The Way, The Truth and The Life) to God the Father in heaven, to salvation from sin, and to eternal life with God. He is the ONLY door to heaven. There is no other way. The sheepfold is the church, his body, the saints of God, the heavenly Jerusalem, God’s Holy City. Yet, there are many false shepherds of the people who have infiltrated the gatherings of the church (of the sheep). These false shepherds have entered by another way, i.e. by a door of deception, wickedness, lies, and the manipulation of naïve minds. For, they do not truly know Jesus Christ as Lord and as Savior of their lives, but they are “false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness” (See: 2 Co. 11:12-15).

Jesus Christ is also the True Shepherd who enters the sheepfold by the door, i.e. by way of his death and resurrection in putting our sins to death on a cross so that we might walk with him in righteousness. When we enter by the door, it is by God’s grace, through God-given faith in Jesus Christ, in which we are crucified with Christ in death to sin, and we are resurrected with him to newness of life, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness (See: Ro. 6:1-23; Eph. 4:17-24). The true sheep hear the voice of the True Shepherd, they listen to him, and they follow (obey) him. But, they will not follow a stranger, i.e. one who enters by way of deception. In fact, they will flee from him, because the voice (teaching) of a stranger they do not know (intimately), in the sense of hearing, believing, accepting and following the stranger. The Holy Spirit will give them discernment to reject the stranger’s voice, and to only follow the voice of the True Shepherd.

To Kill and Destroy (vv. 7-13)

So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. 

It is essential that we understand the difference between truth and lies, so that we do not follow the lies and reject the truth. Many false shepherds, who have infiltrated the church, are telling the people lies, and they themselves are rejecting the truth, as well as they are leading others to reject the truth and to accept the lies (See: 2 Thess. 2:1-12). Thus, they are thieves and robbers, because they are stealing the truth from people’s hearts in order to fill their minds with the lies of Satan, whose goal it is to deceive them and to turn them away from God and genuine faith in Jesus Christ. These false shepherds, who have infiltrated our ranks, are not there to lead us to Christ, but they are there to destroy and to kill all that is holy and is of God, for they are Satan’s messengers, and his goal is to destroy the church, Jesus Christ, his messengers, and the gospel of our salvation.

Since these false shepherds disguise themselves as apostles of Christ and as servants of righteousness, their messages will be a mixed bag of truth and lies so that it will appear as though what they are teaching is truth. But, the lies will be subtle, and will be cleverly inserted into the truth, so that naïve minds will easily accept them and not discern the error. Since this is the goal, these clever enchanters have devised a plan to discredit the gospel and its messengers by calling it “works-based salvation,” and to discourage all who would listen to the true gospel message from accepting it as valid. And, they cloak these lies in fine-sounding arguments, intended to sound as though they are somehow delivering the people out of the clutches of what is false, and that they are somehow leading them to true freedom in Christ, but nothing could be further from the truth.

What these false shepherds are telling the people is that they can have eternal life with God, salvation from sin, and the hope of heaven when they leave this earth merely by acknowledging Jesus’ existence, or what he did for us in taking our place on a cross to free us from the punishment of sin, and by accepting his forgiveness for their sins. And, they call this the gospel of grace. Yet, they also tell them that God requires nothing of them at all, other than to “believe,” i.e. to acknowledge Jesus’ existence, and to accept his forgiveness of their sins. They tell them that they don’t have to repent of (turn away from) their sins, and they don’t have to obey Jesus Christ or his commandments (his instructions to us), or submit to his Lordship, and that God is pleased with them no matter what they do. So, they give free license to continue in sin without guilt and without remorse.

Yet, the truth of the gospel of our salvation is that Jesus Christ died on that cross, not merely to free us from eternal damnation and to promise us heaven when we die. He died that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; that we might no longer live for ourselves, but for him who gave his life up for us on that cross. He died that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who walk, not according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. If we walk (in how we conduct our lives) according to our sinful flesh (in darkness), we will die in our sins, but if by the Spirit we are putting to death the deeds of the flesh, we will live with Christ for eternity. God’s grace is not a free license to continue in sin, but it instructs (commands) us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives while we await Christ’s return.

[See: Luke 9:23-25; John 6:35-66; Ac. 26:16-18; Ro. 6:1-23; 8:1-14; 2 Co. 5:15, 21; Gal. 2:20; Gal. 5:19-21: Eph. 4:17-24; Tit. 2:11-14; 1 Pet. 2:24.]

My Sheep / An Original Work / June 24, 2012

Based off John 10:1-18 NIV

My sheep hear me. They know me.

They listen to my voice and obey.

I call them and lead them.

They know my voice, so they follow me.

They will never follow strangers.

They will run away from them.

The voice of a stranger they know not;

They do not follow him.

So, I tell you the truth that

I am the gate, so you enter in.

Whoever does enter

Will find forgiveness and will be saved.

Nonetheless whoever enters

Not by the gate; other way,

He is the thief and a robber.

Listen not, the sheep to him.

Oh, I am the Good Shepherd,

Who laid his own life down for the sheep.

I know them. They know me.

They will live with me eternally.

The thief only comes to steal and

Kill and to destroy the church.

I have come to give you life that

You may have it to the full…

They know my voice, so they follow me.

https://vimeo.com/114938263

House of Prayer

Saturday, July 1, 2017, 5:55 a.m. – The Lord Jesus put in mind the song “Pray, Pray, Pray.” Speak, Lord, your words to my heart. I read Luke 19:37-46 (ESV).

Don’t Be Silent (vv. 37-40)

As he was drawing near—already on the way down the Mount of Olives—the whole multitude of his disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen, saying, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” And some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.” He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.”

We have many Pharisees in today’s church gatherings, as well, who are trying to silence the Lord’s servants and witnesses. Some of them are pastors or elders, and some of them are politicians. They are all part of a movement sweeping across the globe which is diluting the gospel message to make it more appealing and acceptable to the world, and as a precursor to a one world religion, which is accepting of all religions as viable. Their goal is to get the people of the world to all come together and unite as one voice and one heart in breaking down all which divides us as the people of the world. Their message is one of tolerance (lenience, broad-mindedness) towards all religions, and towards certain chosen sinful lifestyles.

Basically, if you hold on to the truths of scripture, and of the full gospel message, as taught by Jesus Christ and his NT apostles, then you are tagged as intolerant, bigoted, hateful and as a religious extremist who must be silenced, reprogrammed, or eradicated from the planet. It isn’t as though they come right out and state that they are speaking against evangelical Christianity, though, at least not in so many words, but it is obvious to anyone who is really paying attention to their words. For, when they give a description of hate speech, a bigot, of intolerance, or of a religious extremist, it includes the gospel of our salvation and its messengers.

The gospel divides people as saved and as unsaved, as believers in Jesus, and as non-believers, and as those who are promised eternal life with God, and as those who are not, and that does not set well with these hypocrites, liars and deceivers. It also confronts sin in sinful humans, and it calls for repentance, warns of judgment, and promises eternal life for the penitent. None of that fits with the one world religion agenda, so the gospel is changed to “gospel lite” so as not to offend anyone, and we are outcasts.

Jesus Wept (vv. 41-44)

And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it, saying, “Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. For the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up a barricade around you and surround you and hem you in on every side and tear you down to the ground, you and your children within you. And they will not leave one stone upon another in you, because you did not know the time of your visitation.”

Jesus is grieved over his idolatrous church, which has fallen prey to these liars, deceivers and hypocrites (Pharisees). The church is the body of Christ, with Christ Jesus as its head, and we are to follow Jesus with our lives, not man in his deceitful scheming. And, yet, the church, which is God’s holy city, has now been trampled upon by those who would destroy it, and these false shepherds of the people have largely been successful in their campaign against what God has established, but God has the final word in this. Amen!

I am not certain of the beginnings of this present campaign to destroy the church, and to transform it away from Christ, and his gospel, and to turn it into a business, which is marketed just like any other business, but I suspect this has been going on a long while, and that it has come in slow and subtle stages (1). Satan works like that. He is very sly, cunning and crafty, and patient, too, in how he works in stealthy ways in slowly introducing lies into the church and into the gospel presentation. The lies are blended so well into the truth, and they sound like truth, and so the naïve listener accepts the lies as truth a little bit at a time until they can’t discern what are lies.

I was first introduced to this global campaign as early on as 1999, though I did not recognize it fully for what it was until maybe 2004 or after, though there were signs that something was wrong about it early on. It began seemingly innocent enough, and the bulk of the teaching seemed biblical, but over time I began to notice a pattern about it, and how it was so widespread, and how it was cross-denominational. And, then the Lord made me aware of many of the sinister aspects of it, and of its overall message. It has many messengers, but one of the primary ones was/is Rick Warren. Slowly it began to unfold, and I came to realize that its overall goal was to break down the gospel, to turn the church into a business, and to silence those who were still preaching the gospel according to Jesus.

Over time, more and more names were added to the list of those who are promoting this global one world religion agenda, for that is really what it is.

A House of Prayer (vv. 45-46)

And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold, saying to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a den of robbers.”

This is what has taken place in the church, particularly here in America, though I know this false grace (and peace) message is being spread across the globe. They have turned the Lord’s house, his church, his body, into a den of robbers; into a marketplace. And, the world is their target customers. So, they use worldly and sensual means and methods to attract the world to their meetings, and they push aside those who are still holding on to the gospel as taught by Jesus and his NT apostles, even to the point of trying to discredit them or even to invite them to leave and to go “someplace else” which will be a “better fit.”

So, in order to market (sell) the “church” to the world, they have altered the gospel to where it barely even resembles the gospel anymore. They have turned the narrow road, which few travel, into a broad road, which all can travel, and which leads to destruction, not to eternal life with God. They teach that all one has to do is to acknowledge who Jesus is or even that he existed and then to accept his forgiveness for their sins, and then they have heaven guaranteed them, but they don’t have to change their lifestyles. In fact, they teach that Jesus is pleased with them no matter what they do, and that he smiles on them even when they are trapped in gross sins and rebellion. The hope they share, though, is no hope, but a lie, and a trap.

For, Jesus taught that if we want to come after him, we must deny self, take up our cross daily (die daily to sin and self), and follow (obey) him. He said that if we hold on to our old lives (of living for sin and self), we will lose them for eternity. But, if we lose our lives (die to sin and self), we will gain eternal life. Paul reiterated the same message when he said that Jesus died that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who walk (in lifestyle) not according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. He said that if we walk according to the flesh, we will die (in our sins), but if by the Spirit we are putting to death the deeds of the flesh, we will live (with Christ for eternity). And, John said that if we say we have fellowship with God, but we walk (in lifestyle) in darkness (sin), we don’t live by the truth (See: Lu. 9:23-25; Ro. 8:1-14; 1 Jn. 1:5-9; cf. Ro. 6:1-23; Eph. 4:17-24).

So, we need to turn the church, the body of Christ, back into a house of prayer by repenting of our sins of idolatry and spiritual adultery, and by following our Lord in obedience, and by praying in the Spirit with all kinds of requests to God for the church, his body, and for its members (parts).

Pray, Pray, Pray / An Original Work / September 6, 2012

Based off Various Scriptures

Pray that eyes may enlightened be,

So they may know Christ.

Pray that they may Him better know,

Strengthened by His pow’r.

Pray that they may grasp

How wide and long

And high and deep

Is Christ’s love.

Pray that they may be filled

To the fullness of God’s love.

Pray with thanksgiving.

Pray for an open door for me,

So I may share Christ.

Pray when the gospel is proclaimed –

Shared with clarity.

Pray words are given me so

I declare the gospel fearlessly.

I pray for you to be active

Sharing your faith, too.

Pray continually.

We oft not know for what to pray,

So we ask for help.

The Spirit intercedes for us –

Words cannot express.

Just keep on praying for the saints

With all kinds of requests to God.

Pray they may have faith to

Please their God in ev’ry way.

Pray with joyfulness.

https://vimeo.com/119259373

(1)       https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJkVvFfZpbQ (This is NOT an endorsement of the producers of this video or of all its content.)