Rebuke the devil

Everyone has had bad thoughts creep through their minds.  Thoughts of ill will to someone. Thoughts of causing harm to someone else.  Hoping something bad would happen to someone that has hurt you.  Don't be fooled.  If you are a believer, you must know that that is the devil doing his bidding on your soul.  You must rebuke him and turn to God.

Such a thought was in my head this morning when I awoke.  It was a transition from a dream and the idea lingered.  I heard myself agreeing with something that I wholeheartedly disagree with.  Thanks to God's grace, I quickly rebuked the devil and repented.  You simply don't know when you will be drawn to such negative and malicious thoughts, so you must always stay vigilant.  As it is written;

"Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.  The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak."

Matthew 26:41

Ever catch yourself justifying a sinful thought or act?  Where something or someone else caused you to act/behave that way.  It was due to this, that and the other that you committed the sin.  Right?  Wrong.  For we are not free from sin, until we believe in what Christ did for us all on the cross.  We have within ourselves the power to overrule sin and not let sin rule over us.  But we have to be willing and not fall into temptation!  The enemy is always on the lookout for when we are weak.  It is written in Romans 6:22 that; 

"Having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, the everlasting life."

and...

"Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.

Luke 10:19

and...

"These signs will follow those who believe; In My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues."

Mark 16:17

Let's not throw away this precious unearned gift we have been given freely through the blood of Christ.  May God help us fight the devil.  Amen.   

Flip the switch!

Q: So, you have just been born again in Christ...what are you going to do now?
A: Go to Disney World, of course!

No.  Let's be serious shall we.  It's so easy for believers of long time to judge the new believers.  I recently heard a sermon about judgment. It was from Matthew 7:1-5. In it the pastor clarified the scripture and stated, that we as new, right in the middle, or old believers, mustn't judge other believers or non-believers' hearts.  So what does this mean?  It means that when it comes to judgment of another, only our Father in Heaven is capable of judging fully and wholly.  All we are asked to do according to scripture is to judge the situation.  Evaluate it to the best of our ability to identify what's happening.  Once discerned, you make a decision whether to be a part of it or not.  There is no way for any of us to know why the situation took place, what is in the other person's heart, or what their feelings/thoughts are.  So stop assuming!

Now that we have established the base ground for the topic at hand, let's begin examining.  When an individual comes to Christ for the first time, or is growing in Christ, he/she is filled with His spirit. His spirit works within us to make us anew.  The old becomes dead and the new life, new body, new mind comes forth.  However, it isn't like flipping a switch. So for those that judge and say; 'how can you not love everyone?  Christ asks us to love one another. He wants us to live in fellowship and encourage one another,' I say, give us time.  For it is said:

"I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heard of flesh.

I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them."

Ezekiel 36:26-27

Does this say I should immediately start healing people, changing water into wine, raising the dead, and loving everyone I encounter?  Not really.  God places His spirit within us to help us get to Christ's statutes.  The Spirit leads us away from our old ways.  He allows us to understand what we once did not.  He heals our brokenness for us to live within Him.  He erases our past and shows us the bright light of the future.  A future, where we will be able to love one another and live in the Kingdom of Heaven.  But it's a process folks.  It doesn't happen as soon as you emerge from the water of baptism.  Have faith though...it will come to fruition, for He promises us that.  It is written:

"Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. 

For he who has died has been freed from sin. 

Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him."

Romans 6:6-8

"Whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven.

And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.

He who find his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it."

Matthew 10:32, 38-39

I say to you, do not be dismayed my dear believers who find it difficult to love each and every man and woman alive in this world. It doesn't mean you are not Christlike.  It simply means that the Holy Spirit still has work to do within you.  Give it time, patience, prayer, and supplication. For what is written is true and it will come to pass.  

Amen!  

   

God Loves Me for Who I am -

When we say that God loves me for who I am, are we absolving ourselves from any and all responsibilities we have as believers?  Granted it is true, that God does indeed love us.  He sent Christ to the cross knowing He will bear our sins and die for us. All for the sake of forgiving us and accepting us into His kingdom.  It is the greatest love there is.  Unconditional and never ending...

However, does that mean that we are free to do whatever we want with no consequence?  With no one holding us accountable and/or no fear of 'not' being accepted into the Kingdom of Heaven?  No my dear readers no.  Though we are His chosen people and are forgiven when we repent, that does not allow us to continue committing sin.  We mustn't allow any damage to our relationship with God. It has been proven throughout history that God punishes those who are disobedient. Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, all people at the time of Noah, and the people at the time of the 10 plagues of Egypt; to name a few punishments.  And please don't give me some nonsensical comment about the difference between the Old Testament God and the New Testament God, because God is God no matter the age or times...think about it.  To further prove this point, the following scripture is taken from the New Testament about the wrath of God on those who do as they please.

"For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth."

Romans 1:18

"Then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment."

2 Peter 2:9

“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few."

Matthew 7:13-14

"Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, 'Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.' To the contrary, 'if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.' Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."

Romans 12: 17-21

Do you still not see?  Do you deny that it is by God's grace alone we are forgiven and by His mercy that we are accepted into His kingdom? There is nothing you and I could do ourselves to warrant His undying love for us. As typically, our own doing and our own understanding leads us to much trouble. What we ought to do is listen to His guidance for us.  Follow His plan for our lives.  Pray for His will to be done.  Most of all shadow the footsteps of His beloved...the One who knew no sin. Only then can we live truly righteous and devoted lives. Devoted to Him, His Word, and His Spirit.  

Yes my friends, God does love us for who we are...but we cannot continue on the path of sin and expect that which is for the true believers only. The Kingdom of God!  

Food for your soul -

Ever feel hungry when you know you've eaten.  As if, no matter how much or what you chow down on, it leaves you feeling unsatisfied.  So what does being full really mean?  The widely used translation is; being completely filled, containing all that can be held, or filled to the utmost capacity. Now let me ask again.  Are you really full when you've eaten all you can eat? If so, then why is that lingering unfulfilled feeling still there? Is it really food that you need or is the empty feeling within you in need of something else.  Something bigger than mere sustenance.  We can cloud our lives with abundance of activities, work, school, love, family, friendships, and my new favorite (as in not!) social media...or you could be the outdoorsy kind and are into all sort of sports and hiking.  Yet at the end of the day, you're still sad, lonely and irked, and you simply can't figure out why.  Varying opinions exist on said topic and you can form your own either based on research, or based on how you feel. If you have read any of my writing, you will know, I will base it off of scripture.  So here it goes.

Our soul needs nourishment just like out body does.  But our soul is not satisfied with things of this world.  Our soul needs something greater.  It needs to believe in something.  Hold on to something that is sustainable.  And what possibly can be greater than God. There are many out there who would disagree with that statement. They will counter the statement with various ideas of science and of existence in general.  Some if not many within my own family.  To them I say, you believe what you feel is right, and let me speak of what my heart tells me is correct!  For it is written:

"I am the bread of life.  He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst."

John 6:35

"I will satiate the soul of the priests with abundance, and My people shall be satisfied with My goodness says the Lord."

Jeremiah 31:14

"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled."

Matthew 5:6

I have spoken previously about those who; worship idols, rely on their own wits, and feel secure with the money they have acquired.  To those, I say, if you are full with these things then praise be to God. However if you aren't feeling complete regardless of all your worldly possessions, then perhaps there is a better way, eh? Would you give the one God your attention?  Believe it or not, He is looking for you.  He wants to find you.  He wants to fill you with happiness and joy of not this world, but a better world.  A world yet to come.  He knows your deepest desires and He alone can fulfill them.  So why not give it a try?  I suppose it would be too discerning of me if I say, you won't be disappointed.  But you won't be!  

Repentance- What, How and Why?

What is repentance? It is the activity of reviewing one's actions and feeling contrition or regret for past wrongs.  It generally involves a commitment to personal change and resolving to live a more responsible and humane life.

How does one repent?

1 - Accepting your sin/wrongdoing; be humble, feel and trust God in your heart, think about what you have done, think about why what you did was wrong, repent for the right reasons, and read the Holy Bible (text).

2 - Making things right; consult with your spiritual adviser, change your behavior, get help, make right the problems you caused, use the lesson you have learned, and help others to not make your mistakes.  

3 - Embracing Forgiveness; live a life that pleases God, formally enter into your religious community (umm, not sure i agree), be active in protecting your soul, accept that you will make future mistakes, and live a good life.

Why should one repent? The reason one should repent is because God wants to prove that He can be a better God to you.  He wants to be so intensely close that He becomes a better refuge, a much greater strength, a surpassing glory.
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What does this mean?  Can it be further simplified?  I think so...  But to break it down into its simplest form, I need to ask a few questions of you.  Do you believe in the kingdom of heaven?  If so, do you desire to be a part of it?  If you answered no to either of the above, then you should stop reading now as there is no hope for you.  Alright alright, I am just kidding, you don't need to get all upset about it...  There is hope for everyone still.  However if you answered yes to either of the questions above, then to you all repentance means your way into the kingdom of heaven.  Well it isn't quite that simple I suppose.  (Gosh, can you make it a little more confusing)...  As you can see from the answer to the second question above, there are steps to repentance.  I am stating that repentance is the gateway to the kingdom of heaven.

It's so difficult to let go of everything and accept God into our lives.  You say 'what about my dreams', 'what about my ambitions', and 'what about my loves'.  All idolatries in my humble opinion if you place these things before God I say.  Start every day with God first and He will direct your paths and lead you to your dreams, ambitions, and loves.  For He cares for you!  It is written:

"Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out."

Acts 3:19

"The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance."

2 Peter 3:9

"The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now He commands all people everywhere to repent"

Acts 17:30

   

Will you not consider it?  A person who knocks on your door to sell girl scout cookies, you consider. Yet you will not consider God calling you to Him, asking you to repent?   

Discipleship and Seeking the Lost -

Do you shy away when someone asks you questions about your faith or your beliefs?  Whatever they may be.  Do you question what you believe?  Is it hard to explain to others, or is it that you yourself don't understand your own belief system?

I was once married.  The man I was married to believed without question.  However when I used to ask him questions about his beliefs, he was never able to answer.  He simply used to say, I don't ask questions...I just believe.  It's amazing to have such faith, no?  Yes...and No.  Why no, you may be asking.  Doesn't God tell us to have faith and love Him unconditionally?  Yes, of course.  But He doesn't want us to be ignorant about our faith and beliefs either.  He wants us to seek out the non-believers and the lost, so that we can preach the good news of the love of God to them.  How in the world are we supposed to do that if we don't understand ourselves?  Does that make more sense now?  I assure you my friends, it's good to ask questions and to understand fully.  It's good to gain knowledge about your faith.  Don't roll your eyes and walk away when someone tries to find out about your belief system.  Stand firm in your faith and tell them you're a disciple of Christ. For the Lord says to us in Luke 15:3-7

"Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them.  Doesn't he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it?  And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home.  Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me; for I have found my lost sheep'. I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent."

How is this relevant?  Let's dig into it a bit shall we?  Pastor David Hawkins said in his sermon on said topic that this parable refers to how God seeks out the sinners.  And don't you say, well this isn't for me then, as we're all sinners.  We should be delighted that God Himself seeks us out.  And as the disciples of Christ we need to seek those that have yet to feel the light of God shine on them.  Don't corner yourselves with other believers, as that goes against what Christ asked us to do.  Jesus said, 

 "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit"

Matthew 28:19

Please don't sit back and watch the non-believers put down your faith.  Do you not see what's happening in our world?  Do you not see what folks are doing in the name of their own faiths?  The Muslim extremists want to destroy Christianity and the followers of Christ.  Are you going to still sit back and not speak up?  Will you allow your faith to be destroyed?  Take advantage of your freedoms Americans.  Not many people are given this luxury.  I for one aim to take the liberties given to me and preach about the good news.  For I have been saved and forgiven, by the grace of God.  As once I was lost, but now I am found...was blind but now I see.  Hallelujah and Praise be to God!!!!  

"I stand, with arms high and heart abandoned.  For the One who gave it all.

I stand, my soul Lord to your surrendered.  All I am is Yours."

I will speak the truth about the One and only God and will not be dismayed by the evil one.  For he lurks around for his opportunity.  I have said many of times before that it's a daily battle folks.  Just because you have accepted the truth doesn't mean you're saved forever.  You still can be led astray by the enemy if you allow him in.  So stay vigilant and aware of your belief, don't shy away from telling others, and don't be led astray at any time by the enemy.  Keep studying the Word of God, and preach the good Word to all you have access to and then beyond.  That's the only way we can find the lost...

Humility vs. Self Promotion -

It's funny honestly.  How very easy it is to speak of others and say, "can you believe what they are doing?" or "do you see what they are all about?" or better yet, "I cannot believe how selfish so and so is..."

I have been doing what I can for the past year; to speak the truth about God, to preach humility, and to bring an understanding of the word of God to whoever I can. However while doing this, I remained unchanged myself.  It is so easy to get up on a soap box and tell others to lead better lives.  So very easy to pass judgement on them for their actions and choices.  Never to have to do a self evaluation. Never to look within for faults.  Never to search within for brokenness.  Why?  I am surely teaching the word of God to the lost aren't I?  Doesn't that automatically make me better? Don't I naturally belong in the Kingdom of Heaven.  Or am I like the pharisees of the time of Jesus Christ. May God have mercy on my soul, I sure hope I am not that bad....am I?        

It is said that the pharisees were the individuals who knew the laws of the Jewish religion and its traditions.  People sought their guidance on matters of principle and religious teachings.  The scripture has very harsh words for the pharisees.  It is written:

"Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses' seat, so do and observe whatever they tell you, but not the works they do. For they preach, but do not practice. They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger. They do all their deeds to be seen by others..." 

Matthew 23:1-5 

As I just said, may God have mercy on my soul if I have acted as a pharisee.  I listen to the word of God in sermons every day, study the Bible, listen to worship music constantly, pray, and yes preach as often as I can.  Now that doesn't sound bad, does it?  No, but alongside all these noble things, I have sadly been self promoting.  I have been so fused over material things.  So vexed by finances and inconsequential worldly troubles.  So bogged down by my own self worth and physical appearance that I did not even realize how it's impacting me as well as those around me.  What's funny is that I speak of hypocrisy, whilst being a hypocrite myself.  I myself must remember that God says: 

"Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time He may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on Him, because He cares for you."

1 Peter 5:7

"No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money"

Matthew 6:24

"For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Luke 14:11

So today I vow to live the life I preach.  It all starts with ourselves folks.  How am I to convince others not to put their hands in the fire, when I have done so repeatedly.  I vow to not only talk the talk, but walk the walk as well.  Therefore my gracious readers (all two of you...) I will stand firm in my faith and know that I am no longer a hypocrite.  I am the daughter of God.  The One who created me.  He the creator of the heavens and the earth.  He who knows me by name.  He has a purpose for me in this lifetime, and I aim to fulfill that purpose.  Though I yet not know what it is, I shall humble myself in His presence and seek His mercy, forgiveness and guidance through my new path.  For God is not an option, He is a necessity.

May He forgive me for my wrongdoings and allow me to follow in the footsteps of those He is pleased with.  In His mighty name I pray.  Amen!