Q: JESUS I WANT TO SAY “WITHOUT YOU” MY LIFE WOULD BE A DISASTER..SO I WANT TO STOP AND “THANK” YOU FOR SAVING MY LIFE…
A: Like many of us, I thought I would find meaning and purpose to life in my friends, my family, a successful business, a relationship and even through belonging to a church. I figured that through cultivating these areas of my life I would satisfy the deepest desires of my heart. Ultimately, I discovered that nothing could be further from the truth. All I accomplished was deeper exploration into the never ending depths of sin. Drunkenness, fornication, worldly gain, meaningless religious traditions and constantly trying to please others to earn their acceptance led me to the end of myself. As I exclaimed in frustration one day, "God, if this is getting to know you, I will never know you." We often hear people encourage us to pull ourselves up by our own bootstraps, to get back on that horse and when you're at the end of your rope to tie a knot and hang on. All of them paint a picture that getting through this life and fulfilling our needs is tied to us trying our best and rededicating ourselves endlessly to whatever we feel we need to do to make it through.
But, what I found was that when you get to the end of your rope, let go! It is the only way you will ever fall into the loving Hands of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ. Jesus, when He walked this earth repeatedly tried to bury those who He spoke to under the law so that they would come to the end of themselves. He wanted them to realize that no matter how hard we try we will never satisfy the needs of our heart in this world. His goal was to get us to ask, "Who then can be saved (Mt 19:25)?" When I responded to the Lord knocking at the door of my heart my entire life changed. I was no longer running blindly into the world trying to get from it what it couldn't provide. I was set free to receive from God all He had created for me to have in Him. Now, instead of running with the world, I am running against the world trying to get them to turn from their ways and come to faith and rest in the only provision God has provided, Jesus Christ. I would not be where I am today, speaking this to you all, WITHOUT YOU JESUS! Thank you!
Q: What is the difference between walking in the "spirit" and the "flesh(old-sinful nature)"?
A: The Bible says, "So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature (Gal 5:16)." And that "if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law (Gal 5:18)." What is living by the Spirit? "For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age..(Titus 2:11-12)." The Spirit guides us away from gratifying the sinful nature by leading us back into the truth of who we are in Christ as a result of His love for us. When we are serving others in love, with the love God has given to us, we will not be sinning against them. That is why it says there is no law. Because when there is law there must rewards for obedience and penalties for disobedience. Many Christians like to say we must be "obedient to His Word." This is the beginning of falling from grace (Gal 5:4) because we then must define what we must be obedient to. Therefore, we insert all sorts of man made or biblical rules and laws to observe. This leads to a reliance on ourselves and not the Holy Spirit.
We are told to be "filled with the Spirit (Eph 5:18)." This means to be controlled by Spirit. And when we are controlled by the Spirit we aren't going to be fulfilling the desires of the flesh. Jesus didn't come to show us how to live a life of obedience only to give us grace when we fall short of doing so. We are told to enter the Sabbath rest (Heb 4:9), a daily rest from our self-righteous works which are actually acts of disobedience (Heb 4:11). Christians must be aware of the fact that we are free and that everything is permissible. Yes, everything, including sin. But, we are told "do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love (Gal 5:13)." And that while everything is permissible "not everything is beneficial" and "to not be mastered by anything (1 Cor 6:12)." We must realize that "everything that does not come from faith is sin (Rom 14:23)." If you're trying to live an "obedient" life, even if it is religious in nature, you are sinning. Sinning is not just sins of the flesh, it is also an attitude of pride that believes you can be obedient to all God commands (even with Jesus' help). The righteous live by faith (Rom 1:17; Gal 3:11). When we are living by faith we will not be gratifying our sinful nature. Trust the Spirit to live the life only He can live through you. Amen!
Q: The bible says, my food is to do the "will" of the Father...How do you know you are walking in Gods "will"?
A: You know you are walking in God's will when you realize that the deepest desires of your heart for unconditional love, total acceptance, meaning and purpose to life are met in Him. What is a will? It is the "promised eternal inheritance" we have "now that he (Christ) has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant (Heb 9:15)." When does a will go into effect? "In the case of a will, it is necessary to prove the death of the one who made it, because a will is in force only when somebody has died; it never takes effect while the one who made it is living (Heb 9:16-17)." What is the inheritance we have received as a result of the death of Jesus Christ? "His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence (2 Ptr 1:3)" and He "has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ (Eph 1:3)."
It is the knowledge that God has met the desires of our heart that manifests itself in our resting from trying to fulfill these desires outside our faith in Christ. That leads us to becoming "living sacrifices" and to "not conform any longer to the pattern of this world (Rom 12:1-2)." We are able to "give thanks in all circumstances (1 Thes 5:18)" because we are resting in His sufficient grace. Therefore, instead of trying to get from the world those things only God can supply we are able to be available to Him to fulfill His ultimate will. And that is that He is "not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance (2 Ptr 3:9)." God's will is not so much about where you live, who you marry, what job you take or what you do minute by minute. His will is for you to "make every effort to rest (Heb 4:11)" in what you have been given through faith in Christ so He can live His life through you. In that way we can say, "For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved (1 Cor 10:33)." Amen!
Q: The bible says don't be "lukewarm"....What does that mean?
A: A "lukewarm" Christian, according to John in Revelation 3, is the Christian focused on wealth and material gain. In other words, it is the individual who is trying to obtain the blessings of God through a lifestyle of obedience and repentance. They may become "rich" in the flesh, but are not "rich" in the Spirit. The Church in Laodicea was this kind of Church. Paul expanded on the church in Laodicea in Colossians. He said the church was characterized by being deceived by "fine sounding arguments (Col 2:4)" and taken "captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ (Col 2:8)." How many Christians believe and teach we must obey the Ten Commandments (Mosaic Law), that the Sermon on the Mount was Jesus giving us instruction on how to live as Christians or that long observed traditions are ordained by God? These are the philosophies that deceive and are fine sounding because they are based in scripture, but void of context and meaning.
Those who have subjected themselves to these teachings may know scripture, may have received many blessings and have the respect of all around them. However, they don't know their God. Their whole lives revolve around their own behavior and the behavior of others because they believe it to be a sign of holiness or the mark of a "good" Christian. They believe it to be about church attendance, tithing, confessing sins, church activity and getting others to duplicate their behavior. All the while their eyes are off of Jesus which is just how Satan wants it. If he can get you focused on what you, or others are doing, you aren't focused on what Jesus has done and wants to do through you. We don't live by traditions, commandments or laws designed to modify our behavior in order to maintain or obtain the blessings of God and avoid His curses. We live by faith in the indwelling life of God who has given us everything we need for life and godliness and leads us from within.The quicker we realize this truth the sooner we become "hot" and not "lukewarm." Be blessed.
Q: The bible says "pray" for our governmental authorities...So it it wrong to "criticize" our president?
A: No, it is not wrong to criticize our president. When Paul writes, in 1 Timothy 2, about praying for "kings and all those in authority" it is so "we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness (1 Tim 2:2)." The first century Christians lived in an environment hostile to them and their faith like many believers do today. Remember, it was the Jewish and Roman authorities that put Jesus to death. Many of Paul's writings were done from prison were he was put there because of his faith. He, as were many apostles and disciples, was later put to death because of His faith. Paul, even criticized the Roman authorities when he was imprisoned without a trial (Acts 16:37). Hebrews 11 reminds us of many saints who suffered terribly at the hands of the authorities because of their faith. And we need look no further than the Middle East, Africa and Asia, to name a few places, to find saints today who are suffering, at the hands of local authorities, to levels as great as any Christian has endured throughout history.
Our current President claims to be a Christian. However, he supports things like abortion, the homosexual agenda, many paths to heaven and a foreign policy that many describe as giving aid and comfort to an enemy that wants no less than our conversion to their faith or at the very least our submission to it. And he is taking our money in many instances to support these ideas. It is this type of agenda that could, and has, led to a hostile environment for Christians. We have a government "of the people, by the people and for the people." When it does not govern in the ways in which we feel are a reflection of ourselves we not only should criticize it, but it is our duty to do so. Thankfully, God is in charge of it all. But, that does not give us permission to sit on our hands while the world around us gathers against us. My prayer is that the President listens to the Holy Spirit he claims to have indwelling him because, so far, his actions are not consistent with a man who has had an encounter with the living God. Be blessed.
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