Endure Hardship as Discipline

Hebrews 12:4-6 NIV

 

“In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says,

 

“’My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline,

    and do not lose heart when he rebukes you,

because the Lord disciplines the one he loves,

    and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.’”

 

There are many people today who profess faith in Jesus Christ who make light of the Christian faith as Jesus taught it and as Paul and the other apostles taught it. They don’t take God and his word seriously. And they joke about things they should take seriously.

 

When they get together with one another, it is more of a social event, and it is more about just hanging out with friends and playing games and talking about the pleasures that this world is offering. There really is not a distinguishable difference between them and the ungodly.

 

They don’t accept God’s grace as it is taught in Scripture but they embrace a cheapened grace which permits them to continue living in their sin unchallenged and without punishment. They truly do make light of the Lord’s discipline because they don’t believe God will chasten them for their sin.

 

They mock God and they trample on his grace because they think that they can keep living in sin “under grace,” and that they are still saved from their sins, forgiven, and heaven bound. And they believe God doesn’t even see when they sin anymore, but that all he sees is Jesus.

 

But God takes sin seriously. He especially takes sin seriously in the life of one who professes faith in Jesus Christ. If God cannot see when we sin, then we wouldn’t have need of most of the writings in the New Testament. For most of the New Testament is addressing sin in believers in Jesus Christ.

 

All throughout the New Testament (esp. Rom-Rev) we are warned against taking God and his grace lightly, and we are instructed in putting off sin and in putting on godliness, holiness, and righteousness. And we are warned that if we continue living in sin that we will die in our sins, not have eternal life with God (Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-17; 1 Jn 1:5-9; 1 Jn 2:3-6; Lu 9:23-26; Gal 5:16-21; Eph 5:3-6; Gal 6:7-8; Rom 2:6-8; 1 Co 6:9-10; 2 Co 5:10).

 

Hebrews 12:7-11 NIV

 

“Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.”

 

I believe that the wayward and adulterous church in America is under divine discipline right now, and that the discipline has the purpose to bring them to repentance and back to walking in pure devotion to their Lord. But we are all suffering the same discipline, for it is for our good, that we may share in God’s holiness and that it might produce a harvest of righteousness in us.

 

In fact, the whole world appears to all be undergoing the same discipline, though I know that not all the world are God’s children, i.e., they are not all heirs of the promise of salvation of sin and of eternal life with God, because not everyone believes in Jesus, not even everyone who says that they do.

 

But God is allowing all that is presently going on in America and in the world in order to bring people to faith in Jesus Christ, or to revive their faith in the Lord. And, according to Scripture, it is going to get much worse. We can already see that the global governments, via the Elite of the world, are enforcing more and more controls over us, the people.

 

So, we need to not take all this lightly, either, or assume that it is all just going to go away and that we can all “get back to business as normal.” I don’t see it going that direction, at all, but then I am not God, and so I can’t predict how God is going to do things other than what the Scriptures teach.

 

But they teach that there is a global government called “the beast” which is going to conquer nations and people and Christians, which I believe has been happening for quite a while now. And that they will persecute true followers of Jesus Christ, which is happening now, too.

 

The Scriptures teach, too, that they will try to force upon us some “mark of the beast,” which opinion on that varies. I believe the true “mark” is not physical, but it has to do with us taking on the character, attitudes, values, morals, and behaviors of this sinful world. And it is to take this influence on our minds, our thinking (foreheads) and on our actions (deeds, hands).

 

But I am not dismissing the idea that the mark could also be physical in nature, but that it is primarily taken into people’s hearts and minds and then is reproduced through their actions and behaviors. It is more spiritual in nature, just like the mark (character) of Christ on our lives is, too.

 

Hebrews 12:12-13 NIV

 

“Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. ‘Make level paths for your feet,’ so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.”

 

We need to take God’s word seriously. We must not dismiss all the warnings, all the cautions, and all the instructions on forsaking sin and on holy living. We must not ignore the warnings against living in sin and the consequences thereof. For we are all going to reap what we sow.

 

We must resist the devil, flee temptation, and resist giving in to temptation to sin. We must say “No!” to ungodliness and fleshly lusts and live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives while we wait for Christ’s return. For, if we live by the flesh we will die in our sins, not have eternal life with God.

 

The signs are everywhere that we are living in the last days before the return of Christ and that the “beast” is rising, and it/he is conquering people, nations and true followers of Jesus Christ, his saints. And we are going to all be required more and more to yield control of our lives over to global powers as they demand more and more control.

 

Yes, we are to obey the governing authorities over us, as unto the Lord, but we are never to make compromises of faith or of morals or of obedience to our Lord in order to submit to human authority. We must stand on our faith, and on truth, and on the word of God, even if it costs us our lives.

 

Praise Be Told!  

 

An Original Work / December 28, 2013

Based off Various Scriptures

 

He was pierced for our transgressions.

He was crushed for all our sin.

Our chastisement was upon Him.

By His stripes, we now are healed.

 

He has witnessed all our trials,

And the sins we choose to wear.

Yet, while we were dead in our sin,

Jesus died, our sins to bear.

 

He himself bore all of our sins

In His body on a cross,

So that we might die to our sin,

And live for His righteousness.

 

By faith in the pow’r of Jesus

And His blood shed for our sins,

We can be forgiven our sin,

And have life with God in heav’n.

 

He will lead us and He’ll guide us

In the way that we should go.

He will comfort and protect us,

Because Jesus, we do know.

 

Though He disciplines for our good,

He will heal us – Praise be told!

Do not fear, your Lord is with you.

Just have faith in Christ your Lord.

 

https://vimeo.com/112335646

Throw off Everything that Hinders

Heb 12:1 NIV

 

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles.”

 

What is it that the church at large, in America, for example, needs to cast off? What is the BIG hindrance to believers’ walks of faith in Christ Jesus today? What’s the BIG sin in the American church, overall, that is so easily entangling those who profess faith in Jesus Christ?

 

A Pictorial Illustration

 

The picture the Lord gave me today was that of a dark metal glider with soft mushy cushions for comfort.

 

“Dark” is a biblical term representing evil and wickedness, like walking in and/or preferring the darkness (Jn 3:19-21; Ac 26:18; 1 Jn 1:5-7). Metals are typically lustrous (glossy, slick, showy) in appearance and are malleable (soft, flexible, bending).

 

Gliders are not stationary (not unchanging). They glide (drift, just get by, coast along) back and forth, like the double-minded or like the sluggard, for they waver, vacillate, and/or are tossed back and forth by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming (Eph 4:14-16; Jas 1:5-8).

 

A seat is a place where you sit, where you position yourself. A seat can also be a position of authority, like a seat of government. And this one is soft on sin and it comforts people in their sin rather than call them to repent of sin.

 

When the Lord gave me this picture, what I immediately saw was the cheap grace gospel. It is wicked, evil. It prefers the darkness and will not come into the light. It is slick (slippery, smooth, superficial), and it is showy (shallow, pretentious). And it is soft on sin and very bending on truth.

 

And it is ever changing, continually progressing further into depravity and further away from God’s purity and righteousness. It gives free license for its adherents to just drift along through life, to be double-minded, to be self-indulgent, and to go back and forth between professing Christ as Savior and living like hell in all kinds of wickedness.

 

And it is seated in a place of authority within the gatherings of the church in place of the true gospel of grace (the whole counsel of God), ruling in people’s hearts and minds, directing their paths, and convincing them that they can continue living in self-indulgence and still be saved from their sins and have eternal life with God.

 

Get Rid of It!!

 

So, the Lord is saying that it needs to be removed. We, as the body of Christ, need to throw off this cheap grace gospel and not give it a seat of authority within the gatherings of the church. It should be cast off and the true gospel of Christ should be brought back and placed in its rightful position of authority within the church.

 

For, this cheap grace gospel is leading many people to continue living in their sin while promising them that they are saved, that they are forgiven, and that heaven is secured for them for when they die, regardless of how they live while they are on this earth. Yet, that is a lie straight from hell!!

 

This cheap grace gospel is permeating today’s modern church and it is the biggest hindrance to believers’ walks of faith, because it makes no requirements for repentance (forsaking sin), or obedience to Christ, or for submission to the Lordship of Christ. And its adherents are given carte blanche to continue living in sin, only now without guilt.

 

The Big sin in the American church, thus, is spiritual adultery and idolatry. The church, overall, has forsaken her Lord as Lord of her life, and she has abandoned the truth of the gospel for a cheapened fake gospel which still leaves its adherents dead in their sin, headed to hell, while promising them heaven.

 

And this is entangling Christians or professing Christians in all sorts of evil behaviors, porn addiction being one of the big ones, but not the only one.

 

And that is because they are being consoled in their sins by this soft and cushy seat (authority) of this cheap grace gospel which gives them comfort in their sin, but which does not demand that they forsake their sins or obey or submit to God/Jesus Christ.

 

Heb 12:1-2 NIV

 

“And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.”

 

So, the body of Christ, in the gatherings of the church, needs to cast off this cheap grace gospel and its authority, and to bring back the true gospel of grace. And the church needs to repent of her sins of adultery and idolatry and then get back on course with God.

 

Then, she needs to run the spiritual race that God has had marked out for her to run even before he created the world. And that race involves first dying with Christ to sin, by God’s grace, through genuine faith in Jesus Christ, being reborn of the Spirit of God, and then walking by the Spirit of God in purity of devotion to our Lord Jesus, and not any longer to the flesh.

 

This is the race God has marked out for us. And the way we are able to run it (walk it) is by God’s grace, in his power and strength, by the faith God has given to us to believe on Jesus as Lord and Savior of our lives. So, we must keep our eyes fixed on Jesus and follow his lead always.

 

[Lu 9:23-26; Rom 6:1-23; Eph 4:17-24; Rom 8:1-17; 1 Jn 1:5-9; 1 Jn 2:3-6; Jn 6:35-58; 1 Co 6:19-20; 2 Co 5:15, 21; Tit 2:11-14; Col 1:21-23]

 

Heb 12:2-3 NIV

 

“For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”

 

Jesus died on that cross to put our sin to death with him that we might die with him to sin and live with him to his righteousness. He died that we might no longer live for ourselves, but for him who gave his life up for us. And he shed his blood for us on that cross to buy us back for God so that we would now glorify God with our lives (1 Pet 2:24; 2 Co 5:15, 21; 1 Co 6:19-20).

 

Jesus died on that cross to put our sin to death so that we might be crucified with him in death to sin, be buried with him, and be raised with him to newness of life in him, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. He died, too, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who walk not according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit (Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-17; Eph 4:17-24; 1 Jn 1:5-9; Lu 9:23-26).

 

So, the joy that was set before him was not just our salvation from the punishment of sin, but it was our deliverance from our slavery (addiction) to sin so that we could be raised to new lives in him to be lived to him and for his glory and praise. He could endure the cross in order to see us free from slavery to sin and walking in purity of devotion to him. Amen!

 

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/379484387

Living in Perfect Peace

Philippians 4:4-7 NIV

 

“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

 

Rejoice in the Lord Always

 

So, I looked up this word “rejoice” in the Interlinear on Bible Hub. Yes, it means to express joy and to be glad, but it has a deeper meaning, too. It means to delight in God’s grace, in his favor towards us who believe on Jesus Christ, God the Son.

 

So, what is God’s grace to us? It is his kindness, his favor toward us. It was expressed to us in Jesus Christ, God the Son, dying on a cross to put our sins to death so that we could be delivered from our slavery to sin via dying with him to sin and being raised with him to new life in him (Rom 6:1-23).

 

His grace, though, is not free license to continue living in sin, only now without guilt. That isn’t grace if it leaves you still in slavery to sin.

 

For, God’s grace, which brings salvation, trains (instructs) us to say “No!” to ungodliness and fleshly lusts and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives while we wait for Christ’s return (Tit 2:11-14; cf. Eph 4:17-24).

 

So, if we are rejoicing in the Lord always, that means we are always (continually) delighting in his grace. It means that we find great joy and extreme satisfaction in our Lord and in his grace to us which frees us from our slavery to sin and which empowers us to live righteously.

 

So, that also means that we delight (have great joy) in being set free from our addiction to sin and in walking in his holiness and righteousness. We find great pleasure in living to please our Lord in all that we do, in submitting to his Lordship over our lives, and in walking in his truth day by day.

 

Let Your Gentleness be Evident

 

Gentleness is not weakness. Jesus was gentle, but he wasn’t weak. Gentleness is not compromise with the world or refusal to speak the truth in love so as not to offend others. Gentleness is controlled strength. It is reasonableness, fairness, and justice. It is honest and free from self-interest.

 

So, being gentle towards others does not mean we will lie to them so as not to hurt their feelings. Yet, it doesn’t mean we will be obtuse, either. It doesn’t mean we are not sensitive to or considerate of other people’s feelings. But it means we are honest, but with grace and kindness.

 

We can speak the truth in love to others without hitting them over the head with a baseball bat, so to speak. We don’t have to be harsh, but lack of harshness is never to be translated into watering down the truth of the gospel to make it less offensive and more acceptable to others.

 

So, there is a balance here. There are times when we must speak more forcefully, usually when it comes to false teachers and teachings which are leading people astray, or when it comes to combatting the lies of the enemy that he whispers to us or that he tells others.

 

But generally speaking, we should speak with grace, seasoned with salt. Our message is not to be all sugary sweet, for that is not truth, but it isn’t to be so harsh that it hurts the cause of Christ and is opposite of loving others, either. Basically, if we follow Jesus’ example, we will do well.

 

Do Not Be Anxious

 

We are not to be fearful or frightened about anything. This is not to say that we won’t ever feel fear, for that is a natural human emotion which God has given to us so that we will walk in the fear of the Lord, in treating him with honor and respect, and so we will respect danger and avoid it, if possible.

 

But we are not to be controlled by fear. We can feel the fear and do what we need to do anyway with the courage and strength that God gives to us. For example, Paul felt fear. He said that he came to the Corinthians in weakness and with great fear and trembling, but that did not hinder him from speaking the truth of the gospel of Christ nor lead him to compromise the truth.

 

We can overcome fear in the strength of the Lord when we refuse to give in to the emotion of fear and we choose to trust the Lord and to walk by faith, instead. Fear is one of Satan’s biggest weapons he uses against us, that and his lies he tells us, too. So, we need to put on our armor of God and fight against those feelings of fear with the truth (Eph 6:10-20).

 

So, when we feel fear, we need to pray. We need to ask the Lord if he is trying to warn us against something, for he may be doing that, and the feeling of fear (caution) may be letting us know not to go a certain direction. But that calls for much wisdom and discernment from the Lord.

 

When we pray, we need to ask the Lord where the feeling of fear is coming from and then we need to deal with it accordingly. He may need to do a healing work in our hearts and minds due to past hurts or past failures or past abuses. Or we may be feeling fearful out of lack of trust in the Lord and in his sovereignty over our lives. And so, we may need to trust him fully.

 

And we need to give our fears (anxieties) over to the Lord in prayer, letting him do his work in our hearts and lives in changing us to be more like him, thanking him for these opportunities to have him do his work in our hearts. And every time we feel fear, we need to yield to the Lord’s control.

 

When we give our fears over to God, and we learn to trust him in all our circumstances, and we learn to trust in his complete sovereignty, not just over our lives, but over everything which he has made, then the peace comes. And that is because we are walking by faith and not by sight.

 

So, in all of these things, whether we are learning to be truly joyful and thankful always, or whether we are learning how to be gentle while still speaking the truth in love, or whether we are learning to overcome our fears in the strength of the Lord, we must follow our Lord in surrender to his will, and we must do what he says. And then we can live in perfect peace.

 

Seek the Lord  

 

An Original Work / July 20, 2012

Based off Isaiah 55

 

“Come to Me all you who thirst; come to waters.

Listen to Me, and eat what’s good today,

And your soul will delight in richest of fare.

Give ear to Me, and you will live.

I have made an eternal covenant with you.

Wash in the blood of the Lamb.”

 

Seek the Lord while He may be found; call on Him.

Let the wicked forsake his way, in truth.

Let him turn to the Lord, and he will receive mercy.

Freely, God pardons him.

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts,

Nor are your ways My ways,”

declares the Lord, our God.

 

“My word that goes out of My mouth is truthful.

It will not return to Me unfulfilled.

My word will accomplish all that I desire,

And achieve the goal I intend.

You will go in joy, and be led forth in peace.

The mountains will burst into song… before you,

And all of the trees clap their hands.”

 

https://vimeo.com/379408296

He Will Lift You Up

James 4:4 NIV

“You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.” 

What makes the church adulterous? Let me back up a minute. What is adultery? It is cheating on one’s spouse, but it isn’t just the act of sexual relations with another person other than one’s spouse that constitutes adultery. Jesus said that if one looks lustfully at another that he has already committed adultery in his heart.

So, adultery can be in the mind only, taken in by the eyes, and it doesn’t have to involve physical contact with another person at all. It can be emotional adultery, too, fantasizing what it would be like to be with someone else romantically, not necessarily sexually at all. Or it could be self-gratification, engaging in sexual intercourse with oneself.

So, how does that translate to being God’s adulterous people? For, this isn’t speaking here of cheating on one’s marital partner, per se, although that is certainly involved, but this has to do with cheating on our relationships with the Lord Jesus, who is our husband, for we are his bride.

It is the same principle as cheating on one’s spouse, for it involves lusting after “other lovers” of self, pride, sinful practices, entertainment, self-pleasure, the desire to be one’s own boss, and fame and fortune, etc. It is not being satisfied with faithfulness to our Lord but wanting the world, too.

And friendship with the world is not speaking here against making friends with the people in the world, although we are not to partner (be unequally yoked together) with the ungodly. But this is speaking of not being on friendly and intimate terms with the world of sin – the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life (1 Jn 2:15-17).

Our desires, our passions, our time, our money, and our hearts are not to be given over to the sinful pleasures of this world. If we are truly in Christ, by genuine faith in him, we died with Christ to sin, we were reborn of the Spirit of God, and now we are to walk in newness of life in Christ, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness (Rom 8:1-17; Eph 4:17-24).

We are to live holy lives unto God, separate (unlike, different) from the world because we are being conformed to the likeness of Christ. We are to give our lives to God as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to him, which is our acceptable worship of him, no longer conformed to the ways of this sinful world, but transformed of the Spirit of God in heart and mind (Rom 12:1-2; Eph 1:3-4; 1 Thes 4:7; 1 Pet 1:14-16).

James 4:5-6 NIV

“Or do you think Scripture says without reason that he jealously longs for the spirit he has caused to dwell in us? But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says:

“’God opposes the proud

    but shows favor to the humble.’”

All jealousy is not bad. God is jealous in a good sense in that he desires that we belong to him and to him alone and that we not chase after other lovers. It is the same way in a marriage. It is not wrong for a spouse to be jealous for his/her marriage relationship with his/her spouse and to want to have them be in intimacy with each other alone. That is God’s will for them.

Just like a husband or a wife longs for his/her spouse to be faithful and to not go after other lovers, our Lord longs for us to be faithful to him, too. He doesn’t want to share us with other gods and with the pleasures that this world offers. He wants our all on the altar of sacrifice laid, our hearts under the Spirit’s control. He wants to be our only master.

Contrary to popular opinion, God’s grace to us is not free license to continue living in sin without guilt. He does still see when we sin, and he hates sin, and he rebukes sin, and he will discipline us, in love. And if we decide to live for ourselves and not for him, he will judge us, and we won’t go to heaven when we die, but we will face his wrath (Gal 5:16-21; Gal 6:7-8).

But if we humble ourselves before him, and we repent of our sins, and we turn away from living for sin and for the pleasures of this world to now follow him in surrender to his will and to follow him in obedience to his commands, he will show us favor, and we will be forgiven, and he will restore us.

James 4:7-10 NIV

“Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn, and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.”

When Jesus died on that cross he put our sin to death so that through faith in him we would die with him to sin and live to him and to his righteousness. This is his plan for our salvation, not just to free us from the punishment of sin, but to free us from slavery to sin and to empower us to become slaves of his righteousness (Rom 6:1-23; Eph 4:17-24; Rom 8:1-17; 1 Pet 2:24).

So, if we wander off from that plan, like a straying spouse, and we go after other lovers of pleasure in this world, he will speak truth to our hearts, and he will counsel us and urge us to return to him as our only Lord (husband). He will call us to repentance, and he will warn of divine judgment and chastisement if we do not repent (See Rev 2-3).

And if we refuse him, and we decide to go our own way, instead, he will warn us of the consequences, too. He will let us know that we will all be judged by what we do. But he will also promise forgiveness and restoration to the truly repentant because he is still a God of love and grace who longs for all to come to repentance and to escape eternity in hell.

So, if this is where you are today, wandering, living in adultery against the Lord, and perhaps against spouse, too, this is a call to you to submit yourself to the Lord Jesus/to God, to resist the devil, and to come near to God in full assurance of faith.

If you are double-minded in that you are still trying to hold on to the world and its pleasures while you claim faith in Jesus Christ, too, the counsel here is for you to wash your hands (to cleanse your deeds of sin) and to purify your hearts by God’s Spirit, and to grieve, mourn and wail over your sin.

Then, humble yourselves before God by surrendering your all to him on his altar, giving him your life fully, with him in charge, forsaking your former lives of rebellion against the Lord, now committed to faithful surrender to your Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and he will lift you up.

Seek the Lord  

An Original Work / July 20, 2012

Based off Isaiah 55

“Come to Me all you who thirst; come to waters.

Listen to Me, and eat what’s good today,

And your soul will delight in richest of fare.

Give ear to Me, and you will live.

I have made an eternal covenant with you.

Wash in the blood of the Lamb.”

Seek the Lord while He may be found; call on Him. 

Let the wicked forsake his way, in truth.

Let him turn to the Lord, and he will receive mercy.

Freely, God pardons him.

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts,

Nor are your ways My ways,”

declares the Lord, our God.

“My word that goes out of My mouth is truthful.

It will not return to Me unfulfilled.

My word will accomplish all that I desire,

And achieve the goal I intend.

You will go in joy, and be led forth in peace.

The mountains will burst into song… before you, 

And all of the trees clap their hands.”

https://vimeo.com/379408296 

Beware of the Dogs

Philippians 3:2-4 NIV

 

“Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the false circumcision; for we are the true circumcision, who worship in the Spirit of God and take pride in Christ Jesus, and put no confidence in the flesh, although I myself could boast as having confidence even in the flesh.”

 

Beware of the Dogs

 

A dog is considered to be someone despicable, who is a spiritual predator who feeds off others. It is often used as a term describing a false teacher. It is describing the impure, the wicked, i.e., those outside of genuine faith in Jesus Christ, particularly those who are workers of evil.

 

The dogs are the unclean, unholy, who are masters at smooth talk and flattery and who manipulate and deceive the naïve. They oppose the true gospel of salvation and they teach a false gospel of men, of the flesh, not of the Spirit. They also oppose the Lord’s servants and messengers who are teaching the true gospel of Jesus Christ and who are exposing the lies.

 

Today they would be any teachers of any false gospel which opposes the true gospel of our salvation as Jesus taught it and as Paul and the other apostles taught it, in its fulness, i.e., the whole counsel of God. In other words, if we want to know the true gospel, we have to read the Bible in context and not take Scriptures out of context to build our doctrines.

 

Whether these dogs, i.e., these false teachers, are teaching true legalism (man-made rules), not of God, or whether they are teaching a cheapened form of God’s grace which is a lie of Satan, either one is still of the flesh of man, not of God, not of God’s Spirit, and thus not the true gospel.

 

And that really is the lesson here. We are to beware those who are teaching any false gospel of men, which is of the flesh and not of the Spirit of God. And we are to beware those who would try to convince you that the true gospel is a lie and that a false gospel is the truth. And they make their case by twisting the Scriptures by removing them from their context.

 

When Paul speaks here of putting confidence in the flesh, he is speaking of those things which are external, such as physical circumcision, membership in a particular church denomination, church attendance, forms of religion, days and ceremonies regarded as sacred, rules about clothing, and loyalty to one particular Bible translation to the point of treating brothers and sisters in Christ with meanness who don’t worship the same Bible translation.

 

He is not talking about repentance, obedience to Christ and submission to Christ as Lord of our lives as though they are of the flesh, and not of the Spirit. Those who teach that are liars.

 

Beware of the False Circumcision

 

The Scriptures are quite clear that the circumcision that is of the Spirit is performed without hands in the putting off of the body of the sins of the flesh in the circumcision of Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which we were also raised with him through faith in the working of God (Col 2:11-12; see also Rom 6:1-23; Eph 4:17-24).

 

So, what is this saying? It is saying that we who believe in Jesus are of the true circumcision, which is dying with Christ to sin, being buried with Christ in death to sin, and being raised with Christ by God to newness of life in Christ to be lived to Christ and to his righteousness.

 

When we believed in Jesus to be Lord and Savior of our lives, if we did, in truth, our old self was crucified with Christ in order that the body of sin might be done away with so that we would no longer be slaves to sin but so we would now live holy and godly lives as slaves of his righteousness.

 

All throughout the New Testament, particularly in Paul’s writings, we are told we must walk (in practice) according to the Spirit and not according to the flesh, that we must put off living like we did before we came to faith in Jesus Christ and that we are now to walk in purity of devotion to our Lord in holiness, godliness, and righteousness.

 

So, taking confidence in the flesh has to do with things which are outward, not having anything to do with the change of our hearts away from sin to walking in obedience to the Lord. Confidence in the flesh also has to do with taking pride in the works of the flesh which are sexual immorality, impurity, idolatry, pride, greed, slander, and the like.

 

If we are walking in true holiness and righteousness, it comes from God, not from our flesh. There is a huge difference between us trying to live self-righteous lives which take pride in the flesh and us living in the power of God in his righteousness which comes from him who is now living within us empowering us to live godly and holy lives for his praise and glory.

 

The first one lives by the flesh and does everything in one’s own strength and power. The second one lives by the Spirit and does everything in the strength and power of God’s Holy Spirit. We can’t obey the Lord in the flesh or it is not obedience. It may be following a set of rules, but it isn’t obedience. The Pharisees were rule followers, to a certain extent, but they were not obedient to the Lord.

 

No Confidence in the Flesh

 

So, to teach this passage of Scripture today, when we say to beware evil workers (the dogs) who are of the false circumcision, this is not speaking just of legalism, but it is speaking of all those who teach a false gospel created in the minds of humans which is contrary to the holiness of God.

 

Those who are teaching or who are implying that we can believe in Jesus, be forgiven our sins, be saved, and have heaven guaranteed us when we die, but that we don’t have to repent of our sins, or obey the Lord, or submit to the Lordship of Christ over our lives, they are lying to you.

 

If they are teaching that a mere profession of faith in Christ or words repeated after someone in a prayer secures you salvation from sin and eternity with God, don’t believe them. The Scriptures teach that we must walk (in practice) according to the Spirit and not according to the flesh if we want that hope of salvation from sin and eternal life with God (Rom 8:1-17).

 

And the Scriptures teach that we will reap what we sow. If we sow to please the flesh, from the flesh we will reap destruction (death). But if we sow to please the Spirit, from the Spirit we will reap eternal life (Gal 6:7-8; cf. Rom 2:6-8; 1 Co 6:9-10; 2 Co 5:10).

 

So, just because it may sound good to your ears doesn’t make it true. Remember that they killed Jesus because they didn’t like what he taught. Many deserted him because they said what he taught was hard. For, he taught that we must die with him to sin and live to his righteousness.

 

So, read the Scriptures in context prayerfully with a willing mind and heart to be taught by the Spirit of God and to learn the truth. For many will call him “Lord,” but it doesn’t mean he is Lord of their lives. We must die with him to sin daily and follow him in obedience to his commands (Lu 9:23-26; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-17; Eph 4:17-24; 1 Jn 1:5-9; 1 Jn 2:3-6; Jn 10:27).

 

Should I Not Preach Jesus

 

An Original Work / July 4, 2013

Based off 1 Corinthians 9:16-10:13

 

Woe to me should I not preach Jesus.

I’m compelled to preach the full gospel.

I make myself a slave to ev’ryone

To win their hearts to Christ.

All this I do for my Lord Jesus,

And for the sake of His Name;

Do it for the sake of His gospel,

So that I, its blessings gain.

 

Scripture notates the sins of others;

Written down for us as examples

To keep us from setting our hearts

On evil as did those of old.

Do not worship other gods of man;

Do not give your hearts to them;

Not partake in immorality.

Do not test your Lord and King.

 

So, be careful if you think you are

Standing firm in your faith in Jesus.

God has given his word to warn us,

So through faith we will not fall.

No temptation has o’ertaken you

Except what is commonplace.

God is faithful to not let you be

Tempted past what you can bear.

He gives the way of escape.

 

https://vimeo.com/116057811

Enemies of the Cross of Christ

Philippians 3:17 NIV

 

“Join together in following my example, brothers and sisters, and just as you have us as a model, keep your eyes on those who live as we do.”

 

Be wise. Be discerning about whose examples you follow. Compare to Scripture and to the life of Christ.

 

Compare to the life of the Apostle Paul, too, but don’t use Romans 7 as your primary Scripture passage or take it out of context. Read it in light of Romans 6 and 8. Paul was a godly, holy, and righteous man who walked in obedience to the Lord.

 

In Romans 7, Paul described the battle between the flesh and the Spirit, but then he proclaimed thanksgiving to God that God delivered him from his body of death. God condemned sin in the flesh, so that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk (in conduct) according to the flesh but according to the Spirit (Rom 8:1-4).

 

“For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God” (Rom 8:6-8).

 

Paul lived and he taught holiness, godliness, and righteousness. He was no hypocrite. He lived what he preached. And he taught that we must die with Christ to sin and live to Christ and to his righteousness and that we are slaves to the one we obey. If we make sin our practice, he taught, we will die in our sins, not have eternal life with God.

 

[Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-17; Eph 4:17-24; Gal 5:16-21; Eph 5:3-6; Rom 2:6-8; 1 Co 6:9-10; 2 Co 5:10, 15, 21; Gal 6:7-8; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:5-11]

 

Philippians 3:18-19 NIV

 

“For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things.”

 

Who are those who are living as enemies of the cross of Christ? We can know that when we understand what the cross of Christ represents.

 

Peter said that Jesus died on that cross that we might die with Christ to sin and live to his righteousness (1 Pet 2:24). And Paul said that Jesus died that we might no longer live for ourselves but for him who gave his life up for us (2 Co 5:15). He also said that Jesus’ blood was shed for us on that cross to buy us back for God that we might honor God with our lives (1 Co 6:19-20).

 

Jesus said that if anyone would come after him he must deny himself, take up his cross daily (die daily to sin) and follow (obey) him. He said if we hold on to our old lives (of living in sin) we will lose them for eternity, but if we lose our lives (die with him daily to sin) we will live (Lu 9:23-26).

 

Paul taught that Jesus’ death on that cross provided the way for us to be baptized into Christ’s death and to be raised with him to newness of life in him, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. When we believe in Jesus, our old self is crucified with Christ in order that we would no longer be slaves to sin, but slaves to righteousness (Rom 6:1-23).

 

And Paul taught that if we practice such sins as sexual immorality, impurity, idolatry, witchcraft, drunkenness, and selfish ambition, and the like, we will not inherit eternal life with God, but that we will face the wrath of God (Gal 5:16-21; Eph 5:3-6; 1 Co 6:9-10; Col 3:5-11; Gal 6:7-8; Rom 2:6-8).

 

Since the cross of Christ means not only Jesus’ sacrifice for our sins on that cross but us dying with Christ to sin and us living with Christ to righteousness, it is those who refuse to die to sin and who refuse to live to God and to his righteousness, but who make sin their practice, who are the enemies of the cross of Christ.

 

Their god is their stomach, for their stomach represents their appetite for sin, i.e., their longing for sin above obedience to Christ. Because their minds are set on the things of this world, and not the things of God, it will all end in destruction and death for them, not in life eternal with God.

 

Philippians 3:20-21 NIV

 

“But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.”

 

Those of us who have died with Christ to sin, who have been reborn of the Spirit of God, and who are walking according to the Spirit and not according to the flesh, as a matter of practice, have our citizenship in heaven. Those who are living to the flesh, to please the flesh, and who refuse to obey the Lord are still of this earth. But this is not works-based salvation.

 

This is the fruit of what we truly believe. If we believe in Jesus, in truth, it will result in repentance, obedience and submission to Christ as Lord. But it will all be in the power of God’s Spirit who is now living within us, and not of ourselves lest we should boast. All glory goes to God.

 

This is not saying we will never sin again (see 1 Jn 2:1-2), but that sin should no longer be our master. Sin should not be what we practice. And this is also not saying that we can never stray from our pure devotion to Christ and need to be brought back to repentance (See Rev 2-3).

 

But if we continue living in sin willfully, habitually, and deliberately after we confess faith in Jesus Christ, this teaches us that heaven is not our eternal destiny but that it will end in death unless we repent and we turn away from our sinful lifestyles, and we follow Jesus in obedience.

 

For, if we profess to have fellowship with God but we still are walking (in practice, by habit) in the darkness (in sin), then we are liars who do not live by the truth. If we say we love God or that we know God but we don’t do what he says, we are liars, too (1 Jn 1:5-9; 1 Jn 2:3-6).

 

We have to think of our salvation as not a one-time event in our lives which secures us heaven not matter how we live on this earth. Scripture teaches our salvation as continuous, as a matter of life course, that we are saved, we are being saved, and we will be saved when Christ returns, at which time our salvation will be complete.

 

So, what we do on this earth does matter for our eternity, whether we want to accept that or not (Gal 6:7-8; Rom 2:6-8; 1 Co 6:9-10; 2 Co 5:10).

 

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

Live to Please God

1 Thessalonians 4:1-2 NIV

 

“As for other matters, brothers and sisters, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more. For you know what instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus.”

 

As believers in Jesus Christ, we are to live our lives to please God. No, God is not pleased with us no matter what we do, as many are espousing. He isn’t pleased with us just on the basis of a profession of faith in him. He wants us to live our lives (in conduct, in action) to please him.

 

[Rom 8:8; 2 Co 5:9; Gal 6:8; Eph 5:10; Col 1:9-11; 1 Thes 2:4; 1 Thes 4:1; 2 Tim 2:4; Heb 11:6; Heb 13:6; 1 Jn 3:22]

 

1 Thessalonians 4:3-7 NIV

 

“It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the pagans, who do not know God; and that in this matter no one should wrong or take advantage of a brother or sister. The Lord will punish all those who commit such sins, as we told you and warned you before. For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life.”

 

To Be Sanctified

 

To be sanctified is to be made holy, to be purified in heart, mind, and action. And to be holy is to be separate (unlike, different) from the world because we are being conformed to the likeness of Christ by God’s Spirit. But this is not just a status. It is a lifestyle. It is not just in position, but in practice.

 

So, being sanctified by God’s Spirit involves action on our part, too. We are to avoid sexual immorality. This is a BIG ONE in our present day in America in the gatherings of the church. For, statistics have it that as much as 75% of Christian men, a high percentage of young boys, and an increasing number of women and young girls regularly engage in viewing porn.

 

But it isn’t just porn that is the culprit. It is sexually charged TV shows, movies, video games, music (even some Christian music), and social media memes, and sex texting, lewd conversations and course joking, too. And it is premarital sex, unmarried couples living together, and homosexuality, too.

 

And it doesn’t stop there. It is literally in the gatherings of the church, too, with men and women singing sexually like they are bar singers, dressed sensually, too, on stage, swaying their bodies back and forth in sensual ways. Or they act like they are rock stars, instead of Christ’s servants.

 

And it is video clips which come from movies with sexual situations in them, too. And it is course joking or sacrilegious humor coming from the pulpit. And it is pastors wearing clothing advertising what is pure evil, too.

 

Sex sells, and the church, at large, is using it to sell people on “the church,” too. The modern market-driven church of today utilizes much of the world’s gimmicks in order to draw in large crowds of people into their meetings. They are very flesh-driven, and so they have altered the gospel to be flesh-driven, too, giving people free license to continue living in sin guilt-free.

 

But the Scriptures Teach

 

But the Scriptures teach that we are not to be of this world, but separate, and that we are not to engage in sexual immorality of any kind, and there are many kinds, too. But we are to learn to control our bodies in ways that are holy and honorable. We aren’t supposed to live like the ungodly.

 

When certain people or pastors tell you that you can believe in Jesus, be saved from your sins, and have heaven guaranteed you as your eternal destiny, but that you don’t have to turn from your sins or obey the Lord or submit to him as Lord, they are giving you permission to keep sinning.

 

But when you live in sin, you are not sinning to yourself alone. You are sinning against God, first and foremost, but you also sin against other people and/or your sins impact other people. For, if you are married but you are engaged in sexual immorality of any kind, you are living in adultery against your spouse. The marriage bed, thus, is not pure, but it is defiled.

 

But we are not to wrong others. Husbands and wives are to be faithful to one another and to love and show respect to one another. Husbands are to love their wives as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her and wives are to show respect to their husbands.

 

We are not to lie, cheat, steal, live immoral lives, commit adultery, slander, gossip, kill, and take advantage of sexually or otherwise abuse others. But we are to be kind, tenderhearted, compassionate, loving and forgiving with others, and we are to love them as we love and care for ourselves.

 

1 Thessalonians 4:8 NIV

 

“Therefore, anyone who rejects this instruction does not reject a human being but God, the very God who gives you his Holy Spirit.”

 

This is a serious charge. And we need to take it seriously, too. We can’t just live however we want and claim Jesus as our Savior and heaven as our eternal destiny. It doesn’t work that way. God did call us to live holy lives, and it isn’t optional.

 

For we are slaves of the one we obey. If we obey sin, it leads to death. If we obey obedience, it leads to righteousness which then ends in eternal life with God (Rom 6:16-23).

 

If we walk (in conduct) according to our flesh, we will die in our sins. We won’t inherit eternal life with God no matter what we profess with our lips or claim we believe in our hearts (Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-17; Lu 9:23-26).

 

The Lord will indeed punish all who make such sins their practice. For we are all going to be judged by what we do (by our deeds). If we sow to please the flesh, from the flesh we will reap destruction. If we sow to please the Spirit, from the Spirit we will reap eternal life (Gal 6:7-8; Rom 2:6-8; 1 Co 6:9-10; 2 Co 5:10; Gal 5:16-21; Eph 5:3-6).

 

So, don’t reject these words from the Scriptures which instruct us in how we are to live our lives and in how we are not to live, too. Be sanctified. Live holy lives pleasing to God. Follow Jesus in obedience. Live at peace with God. And love one another as Christ has loved you (us).

 

Servant of the Lord

 

An Original Work / July 26, 2012

Based off Romans 1:1-17

 

Servant of the Lord;

For the gospel you’re set apart.

Promised through the prophets of old:

Jesus, Son of God.

Through Him, and for His name alone,

We receive His grace

To call people, Him to obey;

Coming from their faith.

Servant of the Lord,

For the gospel you’re set apart.

Promised through the prophets of old:

Jesus, Son of God.

 

You belong to Christ;

Loved by God, and called to be saints;

Serving God with whole heart and mind;

Preaching Jesus Christ;

Always praying for others’ needs;

Helping hand to lend;

Giving courage to others’ faith,

For the praise of God.

You belong to Christ;

Loved by God, and called to be saints;

Serving God with whole heart and mind;

Preaching Jesus Christ.

 

Servant of the Lord;

Of the gospel, I’m not ashamed;

For salvation, power of God

To those who have faith.

In the gospel find righteousness:

Being right with God.

Turn from sin, and trust Jesus Christ.

By faith, live in Him.

Servant of the Lord;

Of the gospel, I’m not ashamed;

For salvation, power of God

To those who have faith.

 

https://vimeo.com/119511640