Maintaining my focus....

I am resolving to do a couple of things differently in regards to these two blogs of mine and keep with the original intent more consistently (I hope, lol) and make Susan's Flutterbys about day to day life and recipes, photos that I take (unless there is a scriptural connection) and keep this one strictly on the topic of anything scriptural such as things regarding the church and poetry and music and Christian books and authors, sermons etc, as well as any musings that I have on Bible passages.

Currently I'm reading a wonderful book by Henry M. Morris entitled  "The Biblical Basis for Modern Science". I had begun reading this many years ago, and somehow life intervened and got me sidetracked (imagine that!!) and I'm finally getting back to it. I have already had so many wonderful insights from it and will share a few in the next couple of blog posts.

Be blessed my brothers and sisters in Christ, and pray that you will be prepared for the day that you will meet Jesus face to face.

Believer's Baptism

Number 5 on the list of things that need to happen in order to be saved is the need of baptism:

There are many views on how this needs to be accomplished; infant baptism, adults only baptism by immersion, baptism by sprinkling, to name a few. I will give my view on this issue....and will try to make it as brief as I can without (hopefully) oversimplifying it. And I hope you will do your own research on this complex topic by using the Bible as your source main source of information.

Let's first begin with reviewing the above Bible verses (all Bible verses in this post will be from the ESV version):

Matthew 28:19-20  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, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."

Mark 16:16  Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

Acts 2:38  And Peter said to them, "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.




Acts22:16  And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name.'

We can also add to the above list the passages which tell of Jesus being baptized by John the Baptist even though He being perfect needed no forgiveness of sins....and there is this one with Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch:

Acts 8:36-37  And as they were going along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, "See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?"   And he commanded the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him. 

There are the exceptions to the rule, such as the thief that hung on the cross beside Jesus who received no baptism (that we know of, the ritual of baptism was already in use at the time of Christ). Some take this to mean that the water baptism is a physical type for the spiritual effect of having our sins washed away by the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

 1John 5:4-8 
For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. 
 And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.  
Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? This is he who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ; not by the water only but by the water and the blood. 
And the Spirit is the one who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. 
 For there are three that testify: 
the Spirit
and the water 
and the blood; 
and these three agree.


My own view on this is that water baptism is necessary as part of the believer's testimony of the truth of his conversion. Whether the thief on the cross was or was not baptized in water is irrelevant to your and my circumstances. We are not hanging on a literal wooden cross which makes it impossible to perform such a simple task in obedience to following Jesus. Some say it must be in "the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost" (Matthew 28:19) some say in the name of Jesus only (Acts 2:38), the important matter is that you confess your sins and be baptized in the sacrifice of God in Christ for the remission of sins, with the realization of the incredible price Jesus paid in order to wash those sins away having died to self, being born anew in the Spirit, and then beginning a new life that is alive in Christ.


I hope this little series on salvation basics was helpful, but please do your own research, read the above verses in their full context by reading the entire books of the Bible carefully. There is so much there that cannot be summed up in a blog post. I pray that you study to show yourselves approved, and receive the full blessings from seeking the Lord with all your hearts.

To Confess Christ the Son of God

I've been using the above as a springboard in examining the steps that need to be a part of the salvation process. I am not one to rigidly hold to formulas in regards to what needs to happen to be saved. However there are essential ingredients that need to be there in order for it to truly be true. Just as you need certain ingredients to make a meatloaf (for instance) you cannot use the ingredients to make a cake and then call it a meatloaf. The above outline is the skeleton, the basic framework of what needs to happen in order to be saved by grace through faith in Jesus.

In the previous installments I've looked at hearing the word, believing in Jesus, and repenting of sin. Now we will look at what is meant by confessing Christ.

I'll begin, as I did previously, with the verses mentioned in the outline:

Matthew 10:32-33 (KJV)
Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.  But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.



Acts 8:37  (KJV)
And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.


and to these I'll add:

Romans 10:9-10  (KJV)
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.


But what does it mean to confess Jesus? Is it a one time event at baptism that you shout "I believe in Jesus for the remission of my sins!!!" and have that be the magic incantation that "gets you in"? No. Yet that is what I often see. If you continue the above Matthew passage, it gives us another clue about what this is talking about.

Matthew 10:34-40 (KJV)
Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.   For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.   And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.   He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.   And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.   He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.   He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.

The confession that is spoken about in the Bible is the kind that will cause people who hate Jesus to also hate you, and if you decide that your relationships with family and friends are more valuable to you than risking those relationships, knowing that you might lose that bond of love and friendship with those persons and if you would rather keep your earthly relationships and your earthly rewards rather than speak up the warnings given in God's word, you have decided against confessing Jesus.

True worship and true confession can come only through the One who makes all things true. Without Jesus transforming power none of us could tell the truth because the Bible says:

1 Corinthians 12:3 (KJV)
Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.

We must be beggars at Jesus feet asking Him for those things that are needful for our salvation. He will turn no one away who asks things of Him that are in accordance with His will.

Matthew 7:7-8  (KJV)
Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:   For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.


James 1:5 (KJV)
If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.



1 John 5:14-15  (KJV)
And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:   And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.

The next and final installment of this series will be on the topic of the believer's baptism. I hope you  will be able to join me next time.

Believing Jesus

(all scriptural texts in this post are from the King James Version)

Last post explored the first step, hearing the word, in the above list of steps of salvation. The second step according to the above is to believe Jesus.

John 8:24  I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins. 


Hebrews 11:6  But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. 

 A third passage is one that comes to mind in regards to this step:

Mark 9:23-24  Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.   And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.

We are dependent on the Lord for everything (even when we fail to realize it), for the air we breath, the sun bringing warmth to our planet, plants and animals for food, our very existence even depends on Jesus. When this world changed with the fall of Eve and Adam, a breach appeared in the relationship between God and man. Now God had to seek for Adam and Eve because they hid themselves from Him, something had changed. When God called out to him Adam answered God saying that he was afraid because of his nakedness. Fear is the opposite of faith and trust. God casts them out of the beautiful Garden of Eden into a life fraught with danger and pain and sorrow, but He also gives them hope, the hope of overcoming evil, the promise of crushing it's head, but evil will still bruise Eve's offspring's heel.

Jesus is that offspring.

We all have fears, fear of heights, fear of spiders, fear of the dark, fear of public speaking, fear of death....the things you fear might not be the same things that I fear however we all have fear of something. Fear stems from our broken relationship with our Creator. The Apostle John said "Perfect love casts out all fear"

 1 John 4:18  There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

Let's look at that passage:


1John 4:15-21  

Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God. 
 And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us.
 God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.  
Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment:
 because as he is, so are we in this world.  
There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: 
because fear hath torment. 
He that feareth is not made perfect in love.   
We love him, because he first loved us.  
 If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: 
for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, 
how can he love God whom he hath not seen?  
And this commandment have we from him, 
That he who loveth God love his brother also.



To believe Jesus, we need to seek Him continually until we find Him, even asking Him to help our unbelief because without His help we are helpless. Jesus loves us. He loves us so much He laid His life down for us. He took the worst the devil could dish out to Him, bruising His heel for us. Our unbelief comes from our broken relationship with God. Only He can repair it, and He has! By the cross. He poured out His life for us. He threw Himself on the grenade that was meant to kill us, and took the punishment for us. His perfect love removes and heals our fear, replacing it with trust, a loving trust in Him seeing what He has done for us, and that love and trust then goes out from us to others, as He has forgiven us we can now forgive others, as He has laid down His life for us we also can lay down our lives for others.

I pray that you will find that rest, that perfect peace, that removal of the fears that beset you, in that perfect love that Jesus has for all who truly come to Him.

Spiritual Gifts

My morning reading was in the book of 1 Corinthians, and it is interesting to me that the things that caused contentions then still do so even today. I guess we do not change all that much, do we?

1Co 11:18 ... when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you. And I believe it in part,
1Co 11:19  for there must be factions among you in order that those who are genuine among you may be recognized.


The Lord even has a plan in this, He's got it under control even when it all looks out of whack to you and me. And we must take care when we think we have it so much better than everyone else, because all good gifts come from God, not from ourselves, and He has these things to further His kingdom, which in His kindness and generosity He has made available to us who do not deserve it, let's face it NONE OF US do.

1Co 12:22 ... the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable,
1Co 12:23  and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty,
1Co 12:24  which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it,
1Co 12:25  that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another.


When we proudly wag our finger at others for their shame, shame, shame, we need to be careful (and I say this especially to myself!!!I am GUILTY, GUILTY, GUILTY  of this terrible offense),  because the Lord who sees all will correct the problems correctly in His time. In the meantime let us not know anything more than Jesus and that He was crucified for our sins that we might live and reign with Him forever.

1Co 2:1  And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom.
1Co 2:2  For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.
1Co 2:3  And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling,
1Co 2:4  and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power,
1Co 2:5  so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.

In Daniel's Defense

Many "modernists" attack the veracity of the old testament book of Daniel. The following website explores the accusations one by one, to see if there is merit to their claims:

http://www.tektonics.org/af/danieldefense.php#nodan

Test your perseverance in "studying to show yourself approved". :)

A Proper Response

 So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.  And Nehemiah, which is the Tirshatha, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites that taught the people, said unto all the people, This day is holy unto the LORD your God; mourn not, nor weep.
For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law. 
Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry;
for the joy of the LORD is your strength.  
So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, Hold your peace, for the day is holy; neither be ye grieved.   And all the people went their way to eat, and to drink, and to send portions, and to make great mirth, because they had understood the words that were declared unto them. 

Nehemiah 8:8-12 (KJV)

I've been thinking about the joy of the Lord being our strength in the light of people wanting to idolize a celebrity who takes his own life. Atheists want to claim him as a fellow atheist and Christians say he spoke openly of his Episcopalian association therefore that he was obviously a Christian. He made fun of his Episcopalian denomination calling it Catholic-lite. God only knows the real truth about this situation and we know that He is merciful and forgiving, however I don't think it is right to force God's hand in these situations by saying the things people do about it. Suicide is a very serious thing, and it is a sin. To make light of it and say people can definitely commit suicide and still go to heaven is saying something that God doesn't say in His word, the Bible. He also doesn't say that people who commit suicide definitely go to hell, but there are plenty of things said about perseverance and that the ability to persevere comes from God and not anything good in ourselves.

When the people of Nehemiah's day heard and understood the law they wept and grieved. Why? They were convicted by what it said. That is a proper response to reading and understanding the law, but it doesn't end there. Once they understood and were truly humbled and truly sorry, Nehemiah and Tirshatha and Ezra as well as the Levites taught the people not to focus this on themselves but to focus on the Lord and to find their joy in the Lord  which is their strength, not themselves.

I often see this portion of the passage taken out of it's proper context to condone behaving like lunatics as being "the joy of the Lord". No. They first recognized and mourned their sinfulness in light of the law, and then were taught by the Levites the proper way to have joy in the Lord and to rejoice and celebrate. There is nothing wrong in celebrating. There were many feasts mentioned in the O.T. (people often focus on the law and the battles being the only lessons found there). If we take these things in their proper context and their proper order we see that the proper response for truly understanding the law is sorrow for sin, and that we have a God who loves us enough to see our sins and forgive us of our sins and to strengthen us through the joy that comes from truly knowing and loving Him.

The Aroma of Christ

  For we are the aroma of Christ to God

 among those who are being saved

 and 

among those who are perishing,  

to one a fragrance from death to death, 

to the other a fragrance from life to life. 

Who is sufficient for these things? 

For we are not, like so many, 

peddlers of God's word, 

but 

as men of sincerity, 

as commissioned by God, 

in the sight of God 

we speak in Christ. 

 2 Corinthians 2:15-17 (ESV)

My flesh longs to be accepted and loved and honored by men (people), to get awards and titles and be rewarded with money for what I do. When I'm rejected or despised, my flesh attempts to win over that person that is rejecting me, to do so for my sake, to gain back my self-respect and the love I should be receiving for the good things I think that I do... and that is consistent with the world's way, but it isn't consistent with God's way.

As a person of sincerity, speaking truly about things of God and Christ (not as the many who want to draw attention to themselves, or want to make money out of it) to be honorable before God and men (people) that truly we are all perishing, amongst those who are being saved I am a "fragrance of life"

... and amongst those who reject it I am a "fragrance of death".

I think understanding this fact keeps me on track with speaking "in Christ" because it isn't to promote me, to win me awards or attention, quite the opposite. If I am truly presenting the truth about our condition here, the vileness of our fleshy natures confronts the holiness of God. Those who love this world more than they do God will reject me just as much as they do God, and that is exactly what Jesus said would happen.

So when I get rejected and hated, 

I should rejoice

and not get angry or hurt by it. 

It reveals that I am right on track 

with God, 

and that what He says
is true

...in my life. 

The 10 Kingdoms

Lately I've been revisiting "last days eschatology" because I haven't done so for quite some time...years have passed since I've searched that topic because most of it out there is "pre-trib" and I burned out on it. However lately I've been getting the urging to glean what I can, and granted I do find much that I disagree with, but I search with my heart open to what the Lord wants me to see.

 image link

The Rising Beast 2: Regional and Global Government has some information about the 10 regions that are forming, and says the 10 nations in the book of Revelation could be these 10 regions. He gives information about the formation of the EU and the African Union, and the forming (in process) of the North American Union (this sermon was given in 2007, he gives the projected date for the formation of the NAU as 2010, however the Lord is giving us more time...he said the EU took 40 years in it's various stages of formation).

Pastor Fernandes is "pre-trib" and thinks the verichip "is not the MOB"  but some precursor to it because you have to give formal allegiance to "the Beast" and with the verichip there is no such ceremony. I personally see the acceptance of this thing itself as the giving of allegiance to the Beast and see no problem with this being the MOB. Having a "pre-trib" mindset makes one have to make the MOB future when all Christians have been raptured, therefore not a consideration if you are still here, which I see as the main problem of the pre-trib mindset. It's kinda like what a magician does; he's moving his left hand like crazy while you don't see what is happening on the right...THAT is the problem with pre-trib, you are looking at the left hand all-the-while saying no need to look at the right hand because it has nothing to do with us...sigh...

However, I do find what he has to say about these 10 regions to be of value. Also see the image link for a good article that further outlines this global confederacy.

On Finding Contentment With God Part 2

In a recent post on this blog I mused about finding contentment with God. Paul said he had found the secret to finding that contentment:

Not that I am speaking of being in need, 
for 
I have learned 
in whatever situation I am to be content.  

I know how to 
be brought low,
and
I know how to 
abound. 
In any and every circumstance, 

I have learned 
the secret 

of facing 
plenty and hunger, 
abundance and need.   
I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
(Philippians 4:11-13 KJV)

In that blogposting one of the questions I ask is:

"One day we will die and stand before Jesus.What will matter in that day?"

Will what I had for breakfast, lunch or dinner on any given day matter? Will what I wear today matter on that day? Will what I think of myself...

Perilous Times

Anyone following what I've been posting on lately knows that I've been binging out on some great Voddie Baucham sermons. His series on the book of Revelation is excellent. This one talks about the church compromising with the world. Surely the Lord will be gentle and merciful with our weaknesses in this matter, won't He? He is loving and forgiving and He loves sinners. Yes...however....God is righteous, and requires repentance in His forgiving. That is the part everyone wants to sweep under the rug these days.

Tolerating the Intolerable by Voddie Baucham 

Judgment is coming, where do you stand before a holy God?

On Finding Contentment With God

Many have already spoken about the modern fallacies being promoted from many modern pulpits. Some of us realize that it is foolishness to pray for worldly stuff like money or fame or even long life if it goes against the plans the Lord has already designed for us. I'm not saying having lots of money or being famous or wanting to be healthy is wrong in and of itself. What I am saying is that those things can become our god and be put in place of true worship of God. True worship, by the Biblical standard, says we will trust God even when we go through extreme hardship or poverty and lack of worldly comforts.

Again I hope that when you read what I'm saying you don't think I'm promoting being a monk, or nun, or Amish, and I'm not saying that the Lord cannot reach such persons as they mortify their flesh in these externals, but that isn't what I'm talking about.

Well then, what am I talking about? I'm....

Shaking the Dust Off...

What does that mean, exactly?

I seem to remember that I have posted on this topic once before...however it was a long time ago, and it bears thinking about again.

image link

(interesting blog post as well)

When Jesus sent out the 12 to teach and preach and heal, He cautioned them to go only where they would be accepted, and to shake the dust off when their words were rejected. (Matthew ch 10; Mark ch 6; Luke chs 9 & 10; Acts 13:51)

However, does that mean to kick sand in their eyes? No. I believe that it just means to shake it off, don't carry the "stuff", the grunge, the hurts or angers or frustrations or what-have-you, from going through the dusty dirty interactions this world brings you, just shake it off, do not let it cling to you, and move on.

I have trouble with moving on.

I so can relate to the Israelites going over a small segment of land before the Jordan River, going over and over and over it, for forty years! Yes Lord! I can see that I do that! Why do I do that? Why can't I just shake the dust off and move on? Stubbornness, that's what it is, sheer stubbornness and stiffneckedness. Sigh.

Lord, AGAIN, I come before you (daily) with all the things I do which cause you to shake your head. I know I fall very short of your glory, and humbly come before you for the help to shake the dust off, not carry the memory of
stuff,
clutter,
nonsense,
arrogance,
murmurings and strife,
and let it go at the foot of the cross,

shake it out of my shoes,

like pebbles in my shoes
which only cause me to continually stumble
and cry out in agony
and frustration

instead of praise and thanksgiving.

Thank You for Your longsuffering on our (my) behalf, and for continually reminding me to look up, when I get cast down.

In Jesus Holy Name,
Amen.

The Pathology of False Disciples

John MacArthur nails it. Wow.

Agnostic/Atheist also a "Former Christian"? Is That Really Possible?

 1Jn 2:17  And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
1Jn 2:18  Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.
1Jn 2:19  They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.

I've had this conversation several times with persons who truly believe they were once saved and eventually have fallen from that "saving faith" into all sorts of error (atheism, agnosticism, Buddhism, Judaism, anything but the truth of God's word, just holding to the fragments that appeal to them) or persons who have "friends" who were "once saved" and now are not. 

I can honestly say that if you do not believe God now, you never did. How can I say that? I didn't know these people, and I don't really know them now, so how can I make such an assessment? By God's word, the Bible. The Bible says so. Is that so shocking? Is that a ridiculous reason to accept that as a fact? Then the Christians who say they believe these false ones over the Bible are also suspect for possibly being the same type of (non)Christians.

These are interesting times, and MANY are falling out with the Church. Some may eventually turn to Christ in truth, but I sadly believe that many will not. These had an "appearance of Godliness" but they rejected His power (the Bible tells us 2 Timothy 3:5) and they are "ever learning" but never actually coming to the full truth (2 Timothy 3:7). They put more faith into their own faulty belief system than understanding the fact that none of us can fully comprehend something (and Someone) that is completely out of our league, but by His power and strength is able to grow us to learn truly about Him, and grow us to be His brothers and sisters by maturing in His grace and His knowledge, which is far superior to anything we can come up with on our own. The fact that they don't want to give up on their own ability to come up with these things causes them to judge God as "unfair" and "unloving". Unfair? Yes. Because we all deserve hell, so the fact that those who truly grow in Him won't go to hell is very unfair. It's called grace because we do not deserve it. I don't want fair because of the fact that it would be completely fair to send me to hell.

I think I'm only observing the beginning of this trend, this falling away. I believe many will fall out, that there are many "pew warmers" who think they believe God, and do not. They go for the good times, to be proper American citizens, or at least go to see their friends, etc, but as far as having a relationship with Jesus? Truly? He will say to many: "I never knew you" (Matthew 7:23)

In the above (2 John 2:19) we find that it is actually a good thing that the falling away occurs, because the appearance of godliness is outed for what it really is. It isn't godliness at all, only something that has that appearance, on the surface. If it were true it would be throughout those individuals lives, permeating their very existence, and to the point they would never abandon the Lord who so mercifully and lovingly saved them from their wretched selfish lives. It just wouldn't happen, so the wheat is then being separated from the tares. The tares look similar to wheat, but when both mature, the tares reveal what they really are. Their fruit has a black fungus on it that is poisonous if ingested, causing sleepiness in small amounts, or if concentrated into a juice/oil solution it can even cause death. What appropriate symmetry and symbolism. The message such persons "preach" is that there is the possibility of a "true Christian" to fall away, and it is a lie, and is pure poison, evil from the pit, which can cause true believers unnecessary anguish.


Phil Johnson has an excellent sermon on this topic : The Vine and the Branches (Sermon Audio- approx 1 hr)


Previous posts on this topic:

Can a Truly Saved Person Fall Away

Can a Truly Saved Person Fall Away Part 2

Can a Truly Saved Person Fall Away Part 3

Can a Truly Saved Person Fall Away Part 4
There's a difference between having doubts which the Lord corrects and helps you with, and an all-out falling out and away from Him which is discussed a bit in comments section of this blog entry

Maturity in Christ: Fruit 

The Great Falling Away

 The Falling Away of the Church 

The Danger of Dialoguing with Devils

image link

Remember Eve? What happened when she started joining in a conversation with "the serpent"? He influenced her thinking...he poisoned it, he polluted it with exactly enough misinformation to draw her away from what she once believed to be true. She doubted God, not because God is a liar, but because the devil who was speaking through the snake, muddled up her thinking with half-truths and outright lies.

Genesis 3:1

 Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? (KJV)

We see from this verse that:

1) the serpent is subtle...what does that mean? This link gives these synonyms for the word subtle: sly, tricky, foxy, slick. 

2) the serpent uses God's own words against Him with Eve by asking Eve a question, a simple question which seems so harmless, a question that carries alot of baggage, because it carries defiance and hatred against God. Satan through the serpent said "Hath God said 'ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden' ?" Pure poison.

Genesis 3:2-3

  And the woman said unto the serpent, 

"We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:   But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. "

What happened there? Is that what God said to Adam? Was anything said about dying if they touched it? 

God told Adam:

Genesis 2:16-17

And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:   But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.  

 We see that already Eve is a little defensive in answering the devil, causing her to feel the need to embellish God's words as given to Adam. Have you ever done that? Someone challenges you so you get a little nervous, and add to your argument to make it sound more dramatic...? I see that tactic used in dramatic presentations on television or in the cinema quite often, and I know that I've done it myself. 

So then what happens?

Genesis 3:4-5 

And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:   For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. 

The devil does two things here:

1) He lies outright: "Ye shall not surely die". This goes directly against what God said for God said "thou shalt surely die"

2) He says God is withholding knowledge from them: knowing good and evil. The devil says with this knowledge they will be as gods. Here it gets tricky, hence he is showing that subtle nature with this slight of hand. Why would she need to know about evil? She knew what was good because she and Adam were very close and well acquainted with God, who is the ultimate good. The devil must have known that Eve had a curiosity about the tree, and a desire to know more about it. He supplied her lust for wanting more. She had everything she needed, and she had eternal life, but she wanted more. By wanting more the devil tricked her into giving away her immortality. He encouraged some thoughts in her head that would lead her away from God's protection by calling God a selfish liar, qualities that actually apply to the devil and not to God.

So then what happens?

Genesis 3:6

And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. 

Three things: appetite, sight, and a prideful desire to be wise. Where have we seen this before? The Apostle John warns about these very weaknesses:

1John2:16

 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 

The same thing happened with the Israelites while they wandered in the wilderness. Read the book of Numbers to find how they had the perfect food, manna, but they lusted after more. The perfect food got boring. They wanted meat. So God gave it to them, and they gorged themselves on it, to the point that God sent a pestilence as a consequence to their vile and disgusting behavior. It is just as the writer of Ecclesiastes tells us: "there's nothing new under the sun".

The true wisdom that is from above is humble. God was never prideful. That is the devil. When pride rears it's ugly head in us, and we doubt God and then think we know more than He does (how utterly foolish!) that is the devil having a dialogue with us, calling God a liar, questioning us on the reliability of what God says to us.

Guard yourselves because the devil goes about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. 

"God Doesn't Make Junk" Part One

This is a quote I've heard often...and it is true, yet and however, the Bible does tell us that the good that God created had a potential for becoming bad, and as we can see, it did.

The things of this world, including you and I, are decaying and dying. Yet God made a way to infuse us with His Spirit, but it is done under His conditions, and He causes the healthy changes, not our will...not our religion, not our goodness...His power, His will and done His way.

I've done quite a few posts on the topic of falling away on my other blog I wanted to have this blog to focus more on the Bible, mostly on refreshing and uplifting topics...

The "god" of This World

The devil is deceitful, everyone knows that, right? Well, maybe with the exception of outright satanists, who in a sense have it the most correct of the worldly religions. The satanists worship Lucifer, satan, as "god". Everyone who worships any other god  than the "God of the Bible" worships satan. This world's false religions include The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Jehovah's Witnesses, Buddhism, Mohammedism, Roman Catholicism, the Sikh religion, Shintoism, Seventh day Adventism, secularism, humanism, and even Judaism, just to name some of the more common ones, and ALL OF THESE worship satan, whether they know it, or believe it.....or not. The truth remains what it is no matter who wants to believe whatever they may want to believe. Their god that they worship (even if it is themselves that they worship---truthfully it usually is) well, this "god" is the god of this world, and he (satan) is powerless to save them. He (satan) can only keep them deceived and worshiping himself to their complete destruction and downfall. How do I know this? The Bible tells me this.

2Co 4:2  But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God's word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone's conscience in the sight of God.
2Co 4:3  And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled only to those who are perishing.
2Co 4:4  In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.(ESV)

Faith and Trust

Hebrews 11:1  Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. (KJV)

I was thinking about these two words today. They go together, don't they? The faith that we have in Jesus comes from developing a relationship of trusting Him. It is the belief that what He says is true, whether other people believe Him or not, whether it seems to make sense to us or not, an assurance and a conviction that He is and does all the things that are written about Him and more. He is more real and true than anything we now experience as real and true in this world of shadows though we only "see" Him in what He does for us...IF we have the eyes to see. He provides for all that we need, and even those in deepest poverty have all that they truly need in Him because the suffering that they now have to suffer will be turned to joy as they are the first and most honored of His brothers and sisters in His kingdom though at this time, in this world, they are the last, the bottom of the barrel. He asks those who have more to show their trust and devotion to Him by providing food and raiment to those who don't have much here. That is how we "the bride" care for His home on earth, to care for His children in need...to pray for those who are lost, and blind, and needy.

God's Outlaw

Last weekend my husband and I watched a video I purchased at our nearby Christian bookstore entitled: "God's Outlaw; The Story of William Tyndale"

As the story unfolds it brings up the Roman Catholic argument that it is dangerous for the laity to read the Bible because they lack the education to be able to do so, and that it takes men who are well trained to be able to explain what is needful for us to know from God's word. It was the means by which the RCC kept control of it's members. In William Tyndale's time the English speaking people had to hear the scriptures read in Latin, and it was a crime punishable by death to even pray in English.