SHARE THE GIFT

What is the gift? It is Jesus Himself, come down from Heaven, to us. It seems we can grow cold or insensitive to hearing that because we hear it again and again, each year. But do we take the time to really think on what an incredible gift that was? Do we really grasp the meaning of it or what would have been if He never came?

Many in the world think they'd be just fine if they never heard that story, or never heard the name of Jesus. They get along just fine with Him, so they think. Yet they don't know that it is because of His mercy every single moment of every single day that they breathe the air in this world and enjoy all the pleasures they have, and are able to think and love and feel and make choices. And the wrong choice, to ignore or reject Him will one day eternally separate them from Him, and His creation, and all those things they enjoy.

The meaning of Christmas gets talked about a lot. To some it is just making others happy. For some it is love...whatever their definition of that is. For some it is giving. For some it is doing something meaningful for someone else. If we truly know the meaning, all those things may happen, but first we have to know Him. He is the meaning. It is the Gospel, the good news, the message that He came to earth and took on human form...the God-man. He took onto Himself our sins on the cross though He was sinless, and died in our place, and then after 3 days He rose again. His message is that all who believe in Him, who trust and rely on His salvation will have the free gift of eternal life. And one day, just as He came as He said the first time, to save, He will come again, as He said. Our corrupted bodies will be changed and put on incorruption, in a moment, in a twinkling of an eye, and we who believe in Him will be taken up to meet Him in the air, and then to be with Him forever.

1 Corinthians 15:52-57
(52) in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.
(53) For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality.
(54) When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: "Death is swallowed up in victory."
(55) "O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?"
(56) The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.
(57) But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

John 14:1-3
(1) "Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.
(2) In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?
(3) And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.

I love this time of year because that story comes alive to me again and again through the worship, the Christmas carols, the Scriptures, and meditating on that perfect gift. His joy fills my heart and His hope, even in the midst of hopeless sorrow or circumstances. I've learned that the real gift and message of Christmas can stay with me all year long, and the feelings it brings, as well as the joy of giving of myself to others as the Lord leads. It's not for just one time of year.

I just wanted to share this beautiful video with you. Listen to the end because there is a special treat in the ending of the song that will give you goose bumps. I hope you all have a very blessed, Merry, joyful, Christmas thinking on Christ and giving His love, His gift, to whoever He brings your way, whether that be family, friend, or someone you don't even know. It is a gift for us to share. I have one disagreement with the statement he makes in the end...to him the meaning of life is to be happy. Of course he says that is by following the teachings of Jesus. I'd like to clarify that a little more. The meaning of life IS Jesus. He is the truth the life and the way. Life itself is in Him alone.

1 John 5:11-12
(11) And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
(12) Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.

If you want to know more about this gift of eternal life, please read more here.

A LIGHT FOR REVELATION

John 1:1-5
(1) In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
(2) He was in the beginning with God.
(3) All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.
(4) In him was life, and the life was the light of men.
(5) The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

I heard a sermon this week by Erwin Lutzer where he said, "you notice nobody looks for a 'flashdark' they always look for a 'flashlight.'" He went on to say darkness never overcomes light but light always overcomes darkness. I thought that was something to ponder. Jesus was the light that came into this world. This time of year is a good time to meditate on that. What a thing God wrought in the earth!! In the darkness we do not see. Many want to stay in that darkness because they become accustomed to it, and it's comfortable to them. Many times we let in only so much light, but we don't want too much because light tends to expose things. It shows what's really there. Jesus is such a light. He exposes the thoughts and intents of the heart and shows us what is really inside of us. Many times that is just too difficult for us to see or accept. That's why along with that light, exposing all, He is also the remedy and Savior of our hearts once the disease in them is truly exposed. He's the healer of the heart He Himself breaks with exposing light, exposing and convicting of the sin that is killing and destroying us - the very thing we think is our happiness and with all our strength try to hold onto.

Luke 2:31-35
(31) that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
(32) a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel."
(33) And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him.
(34) And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, "Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed
(35) (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed."

Hebrews 4:12-13
(12) For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
(13) And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

Robertson's Word Pictures: May be revealed (apokaluphthōsin). Unveiled. First aorist passive subjunctive after hopōs an and expresses God’s purpose in the mission of the Messiah. He is to test men’s thoughts (dialogismoi) and purposes. They will be compelled to take a stand for Christ or against him. That is true today.

People react to light in different ways. They also react to God's light - His truth - in many different ways. Many hate that truth so much that they will do anything to stop it, to change it, to cover it, and to twist it around and confuse it. But darkness cannot overcome light. Light shown onto that darkness of deception always exposes it. Then those who oppose it will react violently, most often, even "gnashing with the teeth" (Acts 7:51-54), just as they did Stephen when he spoke the truth exposing the lies in their hearts. But in spite of the reactions of some who hated the truth and ultimately stoned and killed Stephen, many others listened and embraced the truth and found the life that truth can bring to the heart and soul. They let it expose them. They let it wound. And they ultimately let it heal. If we receive the Light of life as a good thing, it will save us and heal us and bring us life that will be eternal.

If we come to the light (His Word, the Bible), daily, as His children, the light will keep us from all the darkness in this world. We'll see clearly. We'll be drawn to what that light shows as true and good and righteous. But as His children, we sometimes don't learn to abide in that light daily, and so we let darkness hide the secret sins of the heart. We hold onto them as though they are our happiness and life, afraid of exposure. We take on the dark excuses of the flesh and the world to make them look good and acceptable, and we compromise. We don't dare listen to someone who has light from the Living Word to expose them because it would just be too painful for us to let them go and find the alternative.

But what is the alternative? The alternative is to let the flashlight of the Word of God examine, discern, and pierce the soul, freeing us from those things, submitting to His truth in our inner beings, and in the process finding Christ as our life and happiness. His light is life and health and freedom, which faith finds, accepts, and realizes as true. Today truth is rejected vehemently among the masses, even called "hate speech," only because it is speech they hate with a passion. They hold onto their deception with a vengeance and must make it so everyone else will agree with them as well or be killed or silenced. They try desperately to snuff out all sources of truth any and every way they can, through legal and political means and through violence when necessary, just as they did in Jesus day. Yet the darkness can never overcome the truth. Truth is God's flashlight and it will always overcome the darkness right up to the very end when God Himself, sends His Son, the Light of the world, to return to the earth and that very light will slay the darkness with a Word, bringing truth and righteousness to the earth at last.

Rev_19:15 From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. Rev_19:21 And the rest were slain by the sword that came from the mouth of him who was sitting on the horse, and all the birds were gorged with their flesh.

Jesus came into this world as a light shining in a darkness that was keeping mankind in bondage. His light was meant to bring life, and not death (John 3:16-21). His purpose was to bring truth, salvation, light, life, love, and all things good to us to make us rejoice, and give us happiness in Him forever. "Joy to the world," "peace on earth and good will toward men," these are the things, His light received, brings to the heart of all who receive Him in truth. As the world celebrates Christmas, and even sings the songs of His coming to earth to bring that joy and peace, yet they don't receive the truth of that light, they never actually know it. They instead trade it for a few days in December of parties and cookies, and family gatherings and presents that will very quickly end, leaving them with a lot of bills and heartaches and wonder what it's all about. Some will try to find a deeper meaning by doing some good deeds to serve others or show love for one month or one day out of the year, but never realizing yet the heart of why He came and what the gift that He gave to the world is all about. When that light is received in the heart, any of those things become an expression of true joy in Him, and a way to share that light with others.

He came because of a promise of God to bring salvation to all of mankind, whosoever will, and to bring His light in the darkness of a world lost and caught up in its own way of wandering through life without Him, trying desperately to bring fulfillment and happiness to themselves and always moving further and further away from it, until the light shines through to their hearts and enables them to see He alone is the truth, the life, and the way. Father in Heaven, I pray in Jesus name, that many today will open their eyes and allow You to come in to their darkness and shine Your light brightly and bring truth and everlasting joy, peace, and life to them.

(Psalms 147:3) He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.

If you want to know more about this salvation and are not sure you are going to Heaven, you can know. His Word assures us how we can know. Click here to read more.

FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. (John 3:16-17)

"God so loved the world…" What amazing words! The world that rebelled against Him, the world that disowned Him, the world that spat upon Him, mocked Him, despised Him, and crucified Him… that world is the world He loved. That world is the world He came into, in the form of human flesh, in order to reveal His love and bring His salvation to "whosoever will." It's as simple as that. It's for "whosoever will." But many just won't. They choose the darkness and the hate and the lies and deceptions in this world that exalt (they think) man (themselves), rather than to turn to the One Who created them and to learn to know Him and what He created them for, and all the love, blessing, goodness, righteousness and glory He has in store for them if they only "will."

That same love can fill the hearts of His own children, if they daily sit at His feet, at His Word, allowing His Spirit to teach them and fill them with it. Yet, being human, we struggle with our own reactions to evil. As we see evil growing more and more bold, prevailing, and overtaking the world, insisting on crushing all truth, all good, and all that is of God, we need to look at the reaction of Christ Himself, rather than let ourselves be overcome with it. It's easy to hate. It's easy to be angry. It's easy to respond in a like manner to evil in the world. It's "human" we might say. Yes, it's very human and natural. But we've been called to something greater than what's natural. We've been called beyond ourselves. We've been called to walk in that same love that Jesus Himself demonstrated in that while we were yet sinners, He died for us (Romans 5:5-8). We were actually called "love our enemies." We are called to the "supernatural."

"You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? (Matthew 5:43-46)

This is something the natural mind cannot accept and cannot obey! There is no such love in the heart of the natural man and it is so completely opposite of our nature that when we see it demonstrated it astounds us, and when it is told us to obey it, we simply cannot. We especially cannot when we see how evil the hearts are that oppose all that is good more and more, proclaiming good to be evil and evil to be good. How in the world could God expect us to love them? Why would He command us to do so? The very evil God hates and will one day judge - are we to love those who practice such? It boggles our minds! Our hearts rise up in anger when we hear His name blasphemed, when we hear the constant barrage of lies being told against Him, and against His Word, and against His children, those who follow His Word and seek to practice the love and righteousness that is taught there. We hear lies proclaiming those who commit acts of unspeakable violence proclaimed to be "lovers of peace" and those who truly proclaim the peace of God, and desire His righteousness, love and goodness, to be "terrorists" and anger rises up in our hearts and we want the truth to be told, lies to be seen for what they are, and we are amazed at the delusion that has taken over the world. We want to retaliate and vindicate. Truth must be told. That is for certain. It must continue to be told, clearly, whether they will believe it and receive it or not. Yet it must be told in the same spirit as thee Truth, thee Life, and thee Way. It must be told in the same love that sent forth that truth for us to "whosoever will" to come and receive eternal life from Him. It must be told with the same invitation that, "whosoever will believe may come" and find that same salvation. Even if they won't… it must be told them, and they must hear it and be given a chance to repent (turn) and receive that eternally life saving truth.

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)

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. (1 Corinthians 13:4-7)

So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. (1 John 4:16)

We can in no way practice the kind of love toward this world that Jesus did, unless His Spirit is in us, and that love abides in us and we abide in that love. As believers we may have His Spirit in us, but we may be quenching His Spirit (1 Thess. 5:19), and not abiding in Him. If we are not abiding in His Word, and in fellowship with Him letting His Spirit fill us daily, we are not abiding in His love. We can't. Then we are left to act according to our own fleshly responses and our own minds rather than the mind of Christ.

I just read a novel that addressed questions of how to respond to evil when it comes against you. Should we respond with violence against violence? How should we defend ourselves? Many questions came up in this story about a Mennonite community that was being attacked by someone who hated God and was threatening their safety. Mennonites believe in not resisting their enemies, but when it came down to actually having this belief tested there was great division among them. Each one had to seek God's heart in the matter and decide what God wanted them to do and respond according to their conscience regardless of the consequences. Some believed in protecting their homes and family and community with guns. Others refused saying they needed to pray and submit themselves to God and rely solely on Him. It raised many feelings and reactions inside myself as I read. I'm still reading this book and have not finished it yet so I don't know the outcome of their decisions, and in a novel, that can be manipulated by whatever the author decides. But the Author of the Bible is the One that we need to go to for such questions and find His answers alone. We won't find them unless we look at Christ Himself and let His Spirit be our teacher each moment, and our guide through our walk in this evil world. We won't know unless we learn to know Him, not just read about Him.

This morning as I was reading in the Gospel of John, I read of the arrest, crucifixion, and resurrection of Jesus once again. I can never read that story without it humbling me to the bottom of my heart as I see how unworthy we all were of such love. Once again I was filled with that love and its power. It once again had an effect on me that enabled me to pray truly for my enemies, and for those who embrace the lies and evil in this world, even calling them good. It once again reminded me of the answer. It once again reminded me I can "trust myself to a faithful Creator." And I know that He hates that evil. Yet though He despises it more than we can imagine, because He is all perfect in goodness and righteousness and love, though He despises that evil, He "made Himself sin for us Who knew no sin, that we might become the righteousness of God in Christ" (2 Cor. 5:21). He "became a curse for us" (Gal. 3:13). He became that very evil He despises, that caused the Heavenly Father to turn His face away from Him for a moment, in order that He could take on our evil Himself and free us from it, giving us in its place His righteousness and perfection that we could stand before God in perfect fellowship. In Christ we have a righteousness imputed to us that we did not deserve and He had our sins imputed to Him that He did not ever commit. How does the mind wrap itself around that kind of love?

How do we show that love to a world that is becoming increasingly filled with evil and hate and violence, other than the same way Jesus did? It is a love that is not deserved. I never deserved that love or forgiveness He gave me. They have to see a love that is not natural. They have to see the love that is supernatural. They have to see a love that is willing to die that they may live.

I know I'm lacking in that love, and when I see that I am, I go again to gaze at Him and let that love once again humble my heart and submit to it, and let it fill me. When that love fills me, I can't speak evil of another but only desire what is good for them. When that love fills me I can only forgive with the same forgiveness which that love forgave my selfish heart, not only because of the sin that selfishness led me to act on, but the sin that I was capable of doing had the Lord not saved me from myself. When we truly see our own selves for what we are, we are so grateful for His mercy and forgiveness that we can only look at the sins of others with the same forgiveness and mercy toward them (Matt. 18:21-35). When all I can see is what someone has done to me, and I forget what God has done for me, then I respond with an attitude of vengeance rather than mercy. I respond out of my own self-gain, self-protection, and self-serving. I try to cling to what I can get and what I think to have coming to me - my rights. Even when we have "righteous anger" we can act in a fleshly manner, rather than with the same Spirit of love in Christ Himself. We are to "be angry and sin not." He never condones evil, and neither should we. Yet as we stand against it we need to do so in the Spirit, and not in the flesh. We need to stand dressed in the full armor of God. We need to stand in His righteousness, and take up the Sword of the Spirit, His Word of truth, and we need to do so by the power of the Spirit, not our flesh, and not with a worldly mind set of holding onto this world. If we truly see those on the side of evil as God does we will have a deep sorrow and grief in our hearts, rather than animosity, knowing all they are missing and choosing to give up, remembering that Jesus gave His own life for their salvation, if only they would turn and believe into Him. How very sad that anyone would turn that away for anything else!

God will judge evil. The day of judgment could be very near. This world is the closest to heaven there is for those who embrace it as though it were their life. But it is the closest to hell those who embrace God's love and put their trust in Him will ever get. We have an eternity free of all evil and filled with perfect righteousness and goodness and love in His presence. We can afford any losses here and we can afford to face whatever this world throws at us because of that. We won't lose a thing, and we will only gain. Nothing can separate us from His love. If we abide in it perhaps others will see and join us also and escape the snare of the devil in this world. If we act as though this world were our home and all we have, then we'll fight for that (John 18:36). If we show them that our citizenship is in Heaven and there is something beyond this world, something way beyond anything we can gain here, and that we are willing to give up our lives here for that, perhaps they will also see it and see the spiritual battle going on for what it is in truth. It is a battle of the devil for this world. And our role in it is to bring the truth and light to them to save them from its destruction through Jesus Christ and His Gospel.

If you want to know more about this salvation and are not sure you are going to Heaven, you can know. His Word assures us how we can know. Click here to read more.

WILL THE REAL JESUS PLEASE STAND UP?

It seems in our day there is much confusion as to who the real Jesus is. There are many who proclaim a "jesus" but not Jesus, the Christ, the anointed One Who is the Son of God, Who came to take away the sin of the world. In fact many of the jesus characters being proclaimed, it seems, came to condone the sin of the world and help us to enjoy it and give us every worldly pleasure now to indulge in! This "jesus" just wants to make us happy and give us our "best life here and now." But the Jesus Who is real, the One Who truly saves us, gives us eternal life, abundant life, life that cannot be taken from us ever, and a happiness that cannot be taken from us no matter what we lose in this world and regardless of our lot in this world.

I'm old enough to remember watching a TV series back in the 60s called "To Tell The Truth," where 3 people would be introduced, all saying "My name is…." and giving the same name, and a panel who were to ask them questions and determine which of these 3 were the real so and so. After the panel put in their vote, they would ask, "will the real so and so please stand up?" Then the true person would stand and reveal themselves.

Our real Jesus stands up in the Bible, and we can see Who He is clearly if we go to the Word of God where He is revealed. As we look there we can clearly see all the false jesus's are also seen to be false. It's no wonder that those proclaiming a false jesus stir you away from the Bible telling you it is not relevant for our day. All who desire to know the real Jesus, can, and He will make Himself known to them. But you need to ask the right questions and look in the right place.

(John 6:29) Jesus answered them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent."

"that ye believe"
Strong's:
pisteuō
pist-yoo'-o
From G4102; to have faith (in, upon, or with respect to, a person or thing), that is, credit; by implication to entrust (especially one’s spiritual well being to Christ): - believe (-r), commit (to trust), put in trust with.

"believe on" - to or into

To believe on Him is to have faith to Him, in and upon Him, Who He is, what He has said to be true, trusting His Word and committing oneself "into" the life He has for us. This entails a turning about from self to Him, not just a head knowledge and a tagging Him onto our lives as though we could gain Him as a good luck charm, or giving mental assent to His forgiveness but not understanding or appropriating His life. Many believe on a jesus of the world's making that is not Jesus the truth, the life, and the way, Whom the Bible speaks of and reveals. This jesus of the world cannot save them. In fact this jesus only exists in the imaginations of people. They write novels trying to portray their jesus, or movies or television programs. But we must be careful that we are not receiving a false jesus that is only imagined by someone. The One we are to "believe, entrust ourselves to" is "in Him Whom He (God) has sent," not in the one the world gives you.

Matthew 7:13-23
(13) "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.
(14) For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.
(15) "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.
(16) You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? (What comes forth from their mouth is not that Word of God, but that of the world)
(17) So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit.
(18) A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit.
(19) Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
(20) Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.
(21) "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
(22) On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?'
(23) And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.'

Wolves in sheep's clothing can talk and act like true believers and fool many and even draw huge crowds. But Jesus says of them, "I never knew you." They can even do "signs and wonders" in His name. This is not true "fruit" that we are to receive, but whether or not they believe into the true Jesus of the Word, and glorify Him and His fruit of true eternal life is spoken by them to others to feed on. The true fruit is the Word of God, revealed in the Bible, for all to eat and live on (John 6).

There can be movies made of Jesus, but the jesus they portray is of someone's imagination rather than that of the Word of God, and can falsely portray Him. God's revelation of Jesus is the Word spoken to us by His Spirit and written down for us in the Bible. This is the only Jesus we are to learn to know, trust in, surrender our lives to, listen to and obey, as we believe in Him. Eating the fruit of this Jesus gives us true life. Abiding in this Jesus enables His fruit to come forth from us to feed others.

John 6:30-35
(30) So they said to him, "Then what sign do you do, that we may see and believe you? What work do you perform?
(31) Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat.'"
(32) Jesus then said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven.
(33) For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world."
(34) They said to him, "Sir, give us this bread always."
(35) Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.

How the enemy of our souls wants to keep us from that true Bread of life! Once we find it we wonder how we could have looked to anything else, or anyone else! Once that life comes into us and makes our spirits come alive, we don't want to feed on anything else. Nothing else will satisfy. Even as believers of the true Jesus, we must be on our guard that we are not listening or taking the word of another. We must be in HIS Word so we can discern whether or not we are. Don't let yourself be robbed!

Father in Heaven, I pray that many more will come to know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ - the true Jesus Christ - Who You have sent. Open our eyes, Lord, we want to see Jesus!

If you want to know more about this salvation and are not sure you are going to Heaven, you can know. His Word assures us how we can know. Click here to read more.

THE HEART OF GOD OR THE GOD OF THE HEART

1 Samuel 13:14 But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the LORD hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the LORD hath commanded him to be captain over his people, because thou hast not kept that which the LORD commanded thee.

1 Kings 11:4 For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father.

Jeremiah 16:12 And ye have done worse than your fathers; for, behold, ye walk every one after the imagination of his evil heart, that they may not hearken unto me

Jeremiah 32:39 And I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear me forever, for the good of them, and of their children after them

Ezekiel 33:31 And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they shew much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness.

Some, like David, are a people "after God's own heart," seeking what His heart truly is toward them, and what His will is. Some, pretend to know Him, but seek a god that will follow their heart, and make them gods, to do their own will. Both can look like sincere Christians. But God knows the man/woman who is after His own heart. He seeks such.

Those who are after His own heart, when going through trials, will look to Him, seek His face, desire His will, even at the expense of their own comfort, wanting to come forth with a faith of pure gold. Those who seek a god after their heart, will become bitter in trials condemning God for allowing hardship or pain or suffering in their lives, saying, "God, why aren't you answering my prayers?" "Why are You letting this happen?" Now many of us ask those questions through our trials and have doubts and fears, but the difference is even in our seeming to be hurt by the God we love, we submit ourselves under His mighty hand, in faith that He will again lift us up in due time, and that all He allows/brings into our lives is for our eternal good and communion with Him.

1 Peter 5:6-10 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, (7) casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. (8) Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. (9) Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. (10) And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.

Those who seek a god after their own heart, will be bitter, because God did not prove to be making things happen their way, for their temporal happiness, comfort, health and prosperity. They don't seek His face or His heart.

Those who are after HIS heart, whatever the pain they must endure, or hardship, do not want to fail to please Him, because of their love for Him. They fear to fail to find His will because they have learned to love His will, even when it means giving up and surrendering their own, even as Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, when He prayed, "Not my will, but Yours be done." If we have a heart after Him, our heart is truly after His will, not our own. We have learned our ultimate joy and life is wrapped up solely in His will for us and have learned to trust His love and His purpose, even when it means giving up what seems to be happiness and fulfillment in this world. Our ultimate happiness and fulfillment is only in being one with Him and abiding in His love.

The person who seeks a god after their own heart desires their happiness to be given now, regardless of God's will or the well-being of others in their lives. They are driven by their own selfish desires and want those around them and their god as well, to make that happen, and when they don't, they will seek elsewhere. Perhaps another religion or god, or another prophet or teacher, perhaps other people to fill the void they want filled, perhaps other circumstances. They will be ever seeking and never finding, because only when they give up their own will and embrace God's will they truly know Him. Only as they surrender to His will, will they be made able to see and learn of His heart for them and come to truly desire that. Because He loved us, we are enabled to be filled with that love as we surrender in faith to it, learning to know Him, and only then are we able to be fulfilled by it.

There are many professing Christians in the world, who have a vain hope, because their hope is in a false Jesus, and a false god. Their trust is in a false humanistic gospel that is no gospel at all. The truly good news is that though we are sinners separated from a holy perfect God, lost eternally, with no hope at all of saving ourselves, Jesus, Who is Immanuel, "God with us" came to us in the flesh and died, taking our sins upon Himself, becoming sin for us, taking all of sin's punishment, and now those who put their trust in Him, as He was, will be risen to new life unto God, and eternal life with Him, which we were created for initially. We were created to be totally fulfilled in His glory, His presence, His unspeakable love, forever without end. We were not ever to be our own gods, making our own way, fulfilled in ourselves. We will never find goodness or beauty or fulfillment in ourselves or be our own gods. And we will never find a true god that will give us that. We will only find the true meaning of what we were created for and to be in Christ, as we come to know Him and turn our hearts to Him and His will.

If you find your heart being pulled to the world, or distracted by life around you, you can come to Him, confessing such, and ask Him, "Lord make me a child after Your own heart." He will. Seek His face. Seek His Word, and know that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him (Hebrews 11:6). He won't fail the one who seeks His very heart. The one who is not, will come to find all he seeks will backfire on him. It won't give him what he wants. He will end up disillusioned.

By sitting at the feet of Jesus, reading His Word, and letting it penetrate our very hearts, we find His Spirit molds our heart to be one with His, as we receive His Word by faith, and surrender our lives to it. But those who are not after HIS heart, are those who will shun His Word, or take only the parts that appeal to them, and combine it with the word of religious men that tickle their ears, and make them feel good without any conviction of sin. They won't listen to the Word of God that convicts them of their need to repent of sin and surrender to Him. They will also never find the life that comes from that. They'll go on thinking themselves to be Christians but following a false Jesus, that is only an idol and can do nothing for them. They receive a false Jesus but never turn in repentance (change of heart and mind) to the Jesus of the Bible Who alone can truly save them, give them His Spirit, and everlasting life.

Test yourself and see which you are...a man/woman after God's own heart, or a man/woman seeking a god after your own heart. Read His living Word. Let it take priority in your life. Submit to it as it reveals hidden things of the heart to you.

Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

Job 13:15a Though he slay me, I will hope in him

His Word will expose and slay what needs to be in our hearts, but what comes out of that death is true life that will last forever and truly fulfill the void in our hearts we seek to fill. Don't hide from it, but let it have its work in you. Nothing we can find in this world is worth losing that or neglecting it.

Matthew 16:24-26 Then Jesus told his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. (25) For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. (26) For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?

Be one who seeks God's very heart. You won't be disappointed. In the process of finding His heart, your own will be saved, filled, and blessed. May it be so, Lord, for all who read this! Amen.

If you want to know more about this salvation and are not sure you are going to Heaven, you can know. His Word assures us how we can know. Click here to read more.

THE STABILITY OF FAITH

Isaiah 7:9b "…If you are not firm in faith, you will not be firm at all."

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge: If ye: etc. or, ye not believe, it is because ye are not stable, 2 Chronicles 20:20; Acts 27:11, Acts 27:25; Romans 11:20; Hebrews 11:6; 1 John 5:10

Colossians 2:5-7 For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ. (6) Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, (7) rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.

Why are many Christian's lives unstable, always faltering, never really maturing in the Lord or understanding what it means to walk in the Spirit? Genuine faith in the true God and His Son Jesus Christ is what brings stability and maturity to our walk with Him.

"FAITH--a firm persuasion or conviction," Vine's Complete Expository Dictionary of the NT...

Faith is not passive. It is an action we must take when attacked by the enemy based on what we truly are persuaded of and have a conviction of through God's Word by His Spirit. We must stand firm in faith, regardless of the attack, the suffering, the circumstances, we must be established by faith, stand firm in faith, and walk in faith, not giving in to the attacks and letting them defeat us. If we don't we will not be established, we will not stand, but we will fall prey to all the wiles of the enemy. In the Christian life, only faith enables us to stand. We will not benefit from all God would have for us or want to do in us, through us, and for us without it. God has given us all we need for life and godliness in Christ, but they must be appropriated by faith. That faith has to be in the One Who is faithful. It is not a force of its own. It has to be persuasion and conviction of God's faithfulness revealed to us in His written Word. This alone brings stability to the Christian life and walk.

So many Christians who are suffering trials will say, "Why is God doing this to me?" Or, "Why is God letting this happen?" But they fail to see they need to exercise the shield of faith that God has provided for them and hold it up during every trial, so that we are not defeated by it. Anytime we fail to do that the enemy can have his way with us and that is not God's doing. It is our failing to appropriate from Him what He has provided to overcome. Many things are allowed by God in our lives to train us to stand and become established and firm in Him, confident in Him, and able to overcome. He promises that it is for our good when we love Him and are called according to His purpose. We have to lay claim to His promises through all. We have to trust His plan through all. If we doubt His plan, His love for us, His care of our lives, etc. then we won't enjoy them or experience them.

We must take heed that we combine faith with hearing God's promises and stand on them or we can receive nothing, just as Israel in the wilderness when they doubted God and were not able to enter the promised land because of it.

Hebrews 4:2 For good news came to us just as to them, but the message they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united by faith with those who listened.

Their lack of faith caused disobedience. Faith should manifest in obedience. Hebrews 3:18-19 And to whom did he swear that they would not enter his rest, but to those who were disobedient? (19) So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief.

Sometimes trials cause us to lose faith...or what we thought was faith, but really was not the genuine faith in the Lord in a right way. We need to see God rightly and ourselves rightly. What happens then, is that what we thought was faith is burned away. The rug is pulled out from under our feet so to speak. We are left reeling, weak, vulnerable, thinking we are shipwrecked, not understanding. We feel we have no faith left. It's then that the Lord reveals Himself to us and we find a stronger faith in Him alone, Who He is, what He alone has done and can do in us, and for us. We begin to trust His faithfulness. Our faith is purified, established, and what was really just "dross" falls away. His faith comes forth in us, enabling us to stand. ¬

1 Peter 1:6-7 In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, (7) so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

True faith will be brought forth and purified through the testing of trials. Faith in the wrong thing will be seen for what it is and a wrong relationship with God will be exposed. Faith in ourselves will be shown to fail. Faith in our faith will prove useless and powerless. But when we are forced to seek God for Who He is, we learn of Him and true faith in Him grows in our hearts and keeps us. True faith sees ourselves helpless and unworthy before God, and bows down in surrender to Him, trusting He alone is able to give any power to that surrender, trusting Him to do so. He alone is the power of our salvation, the strength of it, and the strength of our surrender. We simply cast ourselves at Him, and give ourselves up to Him. Sometimes we have to be stripped of all that we depend on in order to see that. We fail to see our spiritual pride when all things are going well. We fail to see our self-righteousness when it seems to be working for us. But God is faithful to chastise and to cause us to see our flesh when we are otherwise completely blind to it. He is faithful to humble us. It's in the place of humility we are finally able to find grace and receive it. If we fight against His humbling in our lives and hold onto our pride, trying not to "lose face" then that's what we'll be stuck with and we'll never really know God and become established in true faith in Him. We'll have to keep on trying to stand in faith in ourselves, our works, our pride, our doings, our abilities. Some people never learn, and they continue trying to cover up and prove themselves and make up for their lack holding onto their pride rather than seeing what God would want to give them in Himself if they would only let go. God sees it for what it is, He isn't fooled. Neither is the devil. He sees through it clearly and works to keep you there. Most others around you see through it also. It's really only you who are fooled.

"Let go and let God," is a well-known cliché that we hear a lot. But what does it mean? Let go of your own way, your own righteousness, your own self-confidence, and let God be your trust, your strength, your salvation, your righteousness, and all you need. It is all in Him. He continually works in our lives to bring us to that. And just when we think we're there, He shows us more of ourselves and our lack of trusting Him. He seeks continually to make us firm and established in true faith in Him alone. We must recognize His doing so and not rebel but yield ourselves to Him, casting all our care upon Him, "humbling ourselves under His mighty hand" until He, at the right time, raises us up (1 Peter 5:6-10).

Father, help us to not fear or doubt when it seems our faith and our world is crumbling down around us and we lose hope. Help us to remember to exercise faith in Your sure Word - Your promises that will never fail. Help us to remember to stand in faith that You provide through Your Spirit in us and the Word You gave us no matter how much we may tremble in weakness. Teach us Your ways and help us not to fear when You humble us and show us ourselves. Enable us by grace to submit ourselves to You in the process that is because of Your perfect love for us, working all things together for our good. In Jesus name may it be so.

If you want to know more about this salvation and are not sure you are going to Heaven, you can know. His Word assures us how we can know. Click here to read more.

THE LITTLE FOXES THAT SPOIL THE VINE

This is an older devotional I wrote some years back, but its message seems to come to me now and then to remind me those little foxes are always there, trying to spoil the vines. We can conquer in the big things, the obvious things, and all the while not be aware many times that it's the little things that are really the greater issue in our lives. If we don't conquer the little foxes in our lives, they tend to spoil anything greater we can do for God or He in us.

“The fig tree puts forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grapes give a good smell. Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away!” Song of Solomon 2:13 ”Catch us the foxes, the little foxes that spoil the vines, for our vines have tender grapes.” Song of Solomon 2:15

From Watchman Nee’s commentary on Song of Solomon…

“Take us [Let us catch] the foxes” is very much a command. Big foxes go after the fruit of the vine, but little foxes break the tender vine branches. Though damage may be done by big foxes, you may still have a chance to bear some fruit, but with the damage done by little foxes the chance of fruitage is almost destroyed….” “What are the little foxes? Every small appearance of the old life – a habit, a retrospective look – such are the little foxes. They are not necessarily grave sins. We are told in Ecclesiastes 10:1: ‘Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour: so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour.’ Little foxes hide themselves behind the vines. If unnoticed they can easily destroy the vine. Subjectively speaking, the first step of hindrance is in the matter of following the Lord. Little foxes do their damage and cause conditions of fruitlessness usually before the resurrection life in Christ is strongly established within. We must therefore beware of the little foxes.”

What are the little foxes in your life? Are you aware of them? Are you watching for them?

God is calling us to an intimate relationship with Himself. He is working in us the power of His Cross, and the power of His resurrection life. As we learn to abide in Him and His Word abides in us, much fruit is able to come forth in our lives, even in the winter of our lives, through much trial and suffering, we learn, as we abide in Him, that there is a fruitfulness that comes out of our suffering.

But many times there are the little foxes to contend with. We go on ignoring them day after day and finally we realize they have destroyed our fruit, and we cannot ignore the damage they have caused. Each of us has something of our sinful nature that we just haven’t dealt with, even while serving the Lord, and growing in our walk with Him. It is an irritation, a bad habit, something that we just get by with….but we never take it to the Lord and surrender it to His cross. It may be an attitude. It may be a habit. It may be a “small” besetting sin, that others don’t really see, but you know it is there.

These “little foxes” have a way of creeping up on you, just as the Lord is beginning a work in your inner being, and spoiling it, so that it bears no fruit.

Matthew Henry…

”The first risings of sinful thoughts and desires, the beginnings of trifling pursuits which waste the time, trifling visits, small departures from truth, whatever would admit some conformity to the world; all these, and many more, are little foxes which must be removed. This is a charge to believers to mortify their sinful appetites and passions, which are as little foxes, that destroy their graces and comforts, and crush good beginnings. Whatever we find a hinderance to us in that which is good, we must put away.”

But too often the little foxes get ignored. We don’t think they are big enough to deal with. We put them on the back burner, and say we will deal with them later.

Time wasters are little foxes. There are so many time wasters in our lives. Have you ever had a day where you were busy all day and accomplished nothing? There was no fruitfulness in your day. By the end of the day you were exhausted and yet you said to yourself, “What did I do? This was a wasted day.” I’ve had too many days like that until I have to realize that my time belongs to God, and there is enough time in each day, given by Him to do what He would have me to do with that day. I can’t let the little foxes spoil the fruitfulness He intends.

Worry is a little fox. We spend so much energy worrying about what may happen or not happen that it robs us of our strength and our joy in accomplishing what the Lord would have us to do. Our job is to obey Him – His job is to work out the details and the problems. Worry is fear that God won’t do His part, or that He is not really active in the things in our life that concern us. Worry is dread that our purposes and our will won’t see the thing that we hope for transpire, instead of accepting God’s purposes to be accomplished in the matter and accepting whatever His will is, that it is perfect and that He works all things together for our good.

Instead, we let the cares of this world choke us as in the parable of the sower… Matt. 13:22 ”He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.”

Gossip is a little fox that spoils many vines that are bearing good fruit. Nothing will more quickly destroy a fruitful vine. It betrays confidence, spoils reputations, brings discord, and is the most difficult to repair. It destroys God’s vine and the fruit of others lives also, besides our own.

Prov. 11:13 ”A talebearer revealeth secrets: but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth the matter.”
Pro 20:19 ”He that goeth about as a talebearer revealeth secrets: therefore meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips.”

Slothfulness is another little fox that must be dealt with. If not dealt with then the work God has given us, the fruitfulness He intends for us, and the growth in our spiritual life will never take place. Procrastination is a robber of God. The thing we are putting off doing usually never gets done.

There are many little foxes. Maybe you can think of more of them in your own life. The time to deal with the little foxes is now – not after they have spoiled your fruitfulness and your intimacy with God. God is calling you – “Come away my beloved!” Will you put off His call? He wishes to bring you into a life of abundant fruitfulness and intimacy with Him. The time to answer is now.

Abba, Father, we say, “yes!” to Your command to “catch” the little foxes, and Your call to intimacy in an abiding relationship with You, so that You may have the fruitfulness in our lives that You deserve. Help us to catch the little foxes. Reveal them to us, and help us to deal with them by Your Spirit. Shed Your light on the little foxes in our lives.

If you want to know more about this salvation and are not sure you are going to Heaven, you can know. His Word assures us how we can know. Click here to read more.

WHAT KIND OF ESCAPIST ARE YOU?

We are all escapists of some kind. We want to escape the cares of this world, problems, sorrows, suffering of any kind, unless you have something mentally wrong with you and enjoy pain! We are all motivated in every single thing we do by wanting to escape something. For example, we lose weight because we want to escape the judgment of others or the health risks that come with being overweight. We go to work because we want to escape poverty and suffering that goes with that. Many times Christians, who believe in the full redemption of Christ through His finished work, being consummated in the rapture (catching up to be with Him forever, John 14:3, 1 Thess. 4:13-17, 1 Cor. 15:49-54), of the church, are said to be just "escapists" and somehow want to avoid the sufferings of Christ. I decided to do a word study on the word "escape" to clarify what the Bible says we should, as believers, escape and what we will not escape, and who will escape what. I encourage you whenever you hear arguments of different belief systems or teachers to do that. Study all that the Word has to say about it. In fact, in this day, when the meanings of words are being so skewed and changed, it's a good idea to look up word definitions and think critically of many ways words are used. We are manipulated and persuaded by a word sometimes.

First of all there are "straw-man arguments" that people set up. They then tear down their own straw man and nobody catches on to what they are doing. Their argument makes sense to those who hear, so they don't check it out any further. After all, they used Scripture! So does the devil. I've learned, after listening to too many of those type of arguments to go to the Word to research it myself to see if these things be so. What's the real argument? What's the real issue? Are they accurately portraying that? Or are they setting up a false premise?

Many times the escapist argument is set up on a false premise. It is a straw-man argument. Christians throughout history have not escaped suffering. The true believer, though suffering is not what he wants, is willing to endure suffering for the Savior He loves, and counts it a privilege to be considered "worthy to suffer for His name." He is willing out of love and gratefulness to all that His Savior has done for him to suffer for Him, if need be, though does not go looking for it. Those who say "those escapists just don't want to suffer" have a false premise and misrepresent those who believe they will escape the tribulation period of 7 years of God's wrath on this earth. In fact, I used to say that myself, because I had not understanding of what the tribulation is, and what the sufferings of Christ are. The Bible tells us all that live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer. Yes, there are those Christians who think God should only bless them in this world and look for an escape to any suffering or trial, because they see God as some sort of good luck charm rather than having a true understanding of Who He is and what He calls us to. As living in a fallen world, we suffer many things just as the world does. Just being a Christian in an ungodly world will cause you to suffer, because the world hates Him and so hates those who truly believe in, trust, and follow Him and His true teachings. As the world grows more and more ungodly and takes on more of the nature of the flesh and the devil, they will all the more persecute Christians. Does the Bible say we will escape that? No. In fact in many places the Lord warns and assures us that if the world hated Him it will hate us, and that we will be persecuted. Paul tells us, "For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake," (Philippians 1:29). As Christians, then, we can expect the tribulation in this world that Christ suffered. This is our time, as believers, of tribulation, since Christ was crucified. If we are living truly for Christ, we won't escape that unless we hide ourselves away somewhere alone and never interact with the lost world. This world is the Christian's time of tribulation. It is not judgment, except from the world, and it is not a "finishing of our salvation" to make us "without spot or wrinkle" as though we had to go through an earthly purgatory to be ready for the Lord's coming. This negates the finished work of Christ, and adds to His redemption. If you are trusting in anything other than that work alone, you will find it comes up short when you stand before a holy God.

Non-believers should expect to suffer for their sin, and be judged for it ultimately. This they will not escape. The only escape from this judgment of His wrath against sin, is beforehand, when His grace and mercy is held out to them, drawing them to His free salvation, calling them to become one of His own dear children, simply by faith in His precious blood that was shed for them. If they refuse this, there is no more escape for them when the time of judgment comes.

For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. (1 Thessalonians 5:3)
and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will. (2 Timothy 2:26)
how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard, (Hebrews 2:3)
See that you do not refuse him who is speaking. For if they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape if we reject him who warns from heaven. (Hebrews 12:25)

Is the Christian to endure a time that the Lord calls "the day of the Lord" - which is a time of wrath prepared especially for this unbelieving world? Do we need some extra "purifying" that Christians throughout history have not had by going through thee time of tribulation "that is to come upon all the "whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth?" This time has been called "the time of Jacob's trouble" or "the day of judgment?" How did Christians somehow make it to heaven in the past without this extra "purgatory" to cleanse them? What does the Bible say about this time regarding Christians? I believe it clearly says we will be delivered from that hour of trial, tribulation, that is to come on this world in the rapture of the church before His wrath is poured out.

"and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come." (1 Thessalonians 1:10)
"For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ," (1 Thessalonians 5:9)
"Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth." (Revelation 3:10)

Yes, Christians are "escapists" if they believe in the power of the redemption of Jesus Christ, that He has promised we who have "died with Him," will also be "raised with Him" and will escape His wrath. We will escape, ultimately this body of death and be finally redeemed just as He promised. We will escape finally our sorrow in this world, and enter into His joy, as He said we would. It is the blessed hope of the believer! We will finally be with our Lord and Savior forever! Those who love Him look for His coming and long for Him. In fact a crown is awaiting all that long for His coming as a bride longs for her groom. "Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing." (2 Timothy 4:8)
"But watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap. For it will come upon all who dwell on the face of the whole earth. But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man." (Luke 21:34-37)

The way of escape is through faith in the only sacrifice for our sin, that was able to pay the true price of our redemption. Christ alone, is counted worthy, and only as we by faith become one with Him in His death and resurrection, as we put our faith in Him to be our salvation, can we escape. No works or suffering of our own will cut it. It is as filthy rags in His sight. Now is the day of salvation. Will you escape the wrath to come? If you have been born of His Spirit through simple faith in His saving power, He has promised you will.

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life." (John 5:24)

Will you escape the sufferings of Christ in this world now by taking the side of the world, denying Him, and enjoying whatever your passions tell you that you have a right to? Will you identify with Christ, or with the world in their teachings and philosophies? Or will you escape your sin and its consequences and have eternal life in Christ? I guess one way or another you are an escapist. It's just what you will escape, and what you will gain that matters.

"By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward." (Hebrews 11:24-26)
"And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it. For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away?" (Luke 9:23-25)

If you want to know more about this salvation and are not sure you are going to Heaven, you can know. His Word assures us how we can know. Click here to read more.

THE CONSCIENCE

Ephesians 4:23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, Colossians 3:10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.

What is the human conscience? Where does it come from? Why does all of mankind, regardless of religion, have a sense of right and wrong. Men suppress their conscience, yes, but they know by their conscience what is right and wrong. They suppress it, and they harden themselves against it, and they justify and excuse their actions, and build up a support system drawing others to their side to support them in their rejection of right and wrong, but they know. Inside each one of us, our Creator put the knowledge of right and wrong, good and evil. We are without excuse (Romans 1).

It's no wonder those who harden themselves against God's Word hate with such an intensity, anyone who holds to it and lives by it. It does not allow them to excuse their rebellion, but exposes it. No wonder they work with an insane zeal to shut up and persecute those who will not join them in their way of thinking! It's because the conscience they have suppressed will do all that it can not to be awakened, but to be kept deadened to the voice of God. It will call good evil and evil good to keep that conscience suppressed. It will form its own self righteousness to validate itself in doing so.

From The Christian in Complete Armor, by William Gurnall,

The Nature of The Saint's Conscience, P. 36-37
Man's conscience, like His physical body, is created by God. It is therefore, in its very nature to depend on Him for being and for operation. The capacity to be and to act in and of oneself is an incommunicable property of the deity. It can never be imparted to a creature. God alone is the source and sustainer of all life; therefore, it is His constant regenerating power that keeps the conscience alive. Conscience may be defined as that divine influence at work in man to restrain him from sin. One evidence of its origin is that it always speaks against sin and for righteousness. Therefore, it cannot be the product of our own hearts, which in their fallen state are 'deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked' (Jer. 17:9). God uses the conscience to give some knowledge of His righteousness to all, so that no one can stand before Him on the day of judgment and plead ignorance (Romans 1). When you become a Christian and consecrate yourself - conscience and all - to Him, the Holy Spirit begins in earnest to perfect you in Christ.

The Lord awakened our conscience when we were born again, renewed by the power of the Holy Spirit, and given new life in Him. He continually works to renew our conscience, as we come to His Word and allow Him to shape and form our minds and hearts according to His. He continually works in us to "will and to do of His good pleasure" (Phil. 2:13). We cannot determine in our own minds, or according to tradition, or culture, or even what a church dictates, what is right or wrong in God's eyes.

Our conscience can trick us as well, and put us under false condemnation, when we become dependent on our own thinking or that of a religious system. We can be made to believe we are doing something right by man's standards when it is very wrong in God's eyes. We can become so self introspective judging ourselves inwardly, that we totally miss what God sees in us. We can in many ways damage our own conscience's ability to know when to feel guilty or not to. We are completely dependent on Him to renew our conscience. We do this by being in His Word daily with a humble heart, that is receptive to His Word, His counsel, and His conviction, ready to receive and submit to all that is there. Why do so many in Christianity argue over right and wrong, different scruples, and disagree in so many areas. Why is it one will say something is perfectly moral and another strongly stand against it? Who's right? Only God is right, and our minds must be brought under subjection to His Word, not man's.

It is God Who will have the final say, on that day when all of men's hearts are judged. Their consciences then will see clearly, standing naked in His light, with His truth judging all the motives and intentions and actions. They will be according to His law and His Word, not according to the laws of man or the philosophies of man. The question is where will we stand? Do we really want to know what His Word says? Do we really want to seek out and find the God of that Word? Do we really desire to know Him and His wisdom, or do we want to quiet the conscience He has given us and change it to act according to what we please and what is more acceptable or palatable to the world around us? Man can invent any god he chooses to in his mind to please himself and serve his own purposes, even making himself feel very spiritual in the process. But all of that will be stripped from him once he stands before the Creator of all things. And we all will, whether we choose to believe in Him or not. It does not change His existence one bit. He does not need our belief to exist. We need to believe in order to receive His life so that we can truly live and be alive spiritually.

Men can create his own laws and he redefines love, justice, and goodness by his own lust and passion. If laws are founded on the law of God, they will benefit mankind and they will prosper. If not they bring oppression and corruption, and death. We can see so many examples of that in the world today that it needs no explanation, such as in communism, humanism, socialism, Islam…all are systems of laws against God and those who love Him and have brought more destruction to the world than anything. God's law brings life and happiness and freedom to those who follow it, yet those who don't want to, see His law as something to restrict them. Every law of God is for our own good and well being, but the laws of man are for promoting those passions that will eventually lead to death and destruction. The conscience God gives is for our own well-being to restrain us from destroying ourselves and others, as well as showing to us our own inability to keep it, and our reliance on Him. We suppress it to our own destruction.

God gives us freedom for a time to choose. Love has to be by choice. Yet one day He says He will put an end to evil. If you are one who says, "if there is a God why does He allow evil in the world?" then just hold on. He allows it for a time because of His love and longsuffering patience and because He wishes none to perish but that all should come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9), yet there will be a day when evil, all that opposes Him, will be judged and will be done away with forever, and those who chose His grace will live forever in the presence of His perfect love, goodness, and glory with no threat of evil ever again.

How does this apply to my life, in Christ, right now? I want to know that I am pleasing to Him in every way. I don't want to be fooled by men's opinions or the popular opinion of the day. I want to know God's heart, so that I can walk according to His will always. In doing so I am walking in communion with Him, close to Him, and relying on Him alone to guide my conscience. In doing so I am confident, and am free of fear. Perfect love casts out all fear.

By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. We love because he first loved us. (1 John 4:17-19)

I can walk daily with a clear conscience, in unbroken fellowship with Him, knowing that He is with me, and always for me, and will never leave me or forsake me. But if I ignore the conviction of the Holy Spirit in me, in my conscience, according to His Word, then I break the fellowship with Him, the sense of His love and fellowship is gone and I stumble. I'm unable to walk in victory, and I walk in fear and doubt with no power to overcome the evil forces coming against me in this world. I am weakened and fall into temptation, which again brings me through that vicious cycle of sin and condemnation, never feeling like I can make it, or measure up. when I walk in the knowledge of His forgiveness, and in obedience to His Word, my conscience is clear and I walk dressed in the armor of God, and the breastplate of righteousness that nothing can penetrate or destroy.

Mankind strives to be "free of God" thinking that if they deaden their conscience they will be free to do as they please. They only find it to lead to death, just as the Lord warned. Those who listen to God and submit find themselves truly free.

So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, "If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." (John 8:31-32)

So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. (John 8:36)

If you find your conscience has been deadened, ask Him to quicken it, as you sit before His Word, letting Him renew your mind and conscience. It is God that can awaken and quicken the conscience. If you listen to the wrong voices, that of the world, your conscience will become confused. There is such a thing as a good "brain washing." It is washing our brains/minds in the Word of truth and light…the Word of God, that is alone the one thing that can cleanse and purify, and bring true peace and freedom. The world brain-washes us through media in its own ways and thoughts. Ask God for that brain-washing that is true and good. Let your mind be renewed afresh by the power of the Holy Spirit. Give up all your own thoughts of what is right and wrong and just and unjust. Ask God for His. Come before Him in humility and ask to be renewed in your thinking. Ask for a conscience that is sensitive always to the Holy Spirit, able to discern between flesh and spirit.

If your conscience has been hounding you, rather than run from it, take it before God and before His Word and surrender fully to Him. Ask Him to cleanse you and give you a new heart to do His will. You'll find when you've surrendered to His will and begin to love His will rather than your own, that you will find true freedom and peace, much more than that thing you thought you had to hold onto. Let God be your conscience. Let Him be your life. He wants to be your portion and reveal His love to you and His goodness. He has so much for you!

But, as it is written, "What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him"—these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. For who knows a person's thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. (1 Corinthians 2:9-12)

Open our eyes and hearts to You, Lord Jesus! Quicken our hearts to receive Your Word! We love You, Lord Jesus. Be glorified in Your people.

THE WALK OF THE UNBELIEVER VS. THE BELIEVER IN CHRIST

 I had previously put this together from a Bible study in Ephesians, and thought it was a good chart to share.  From Ephesians 4-5

Unbeliever's walk (character of the flesh)

Christian's walk       (character of the Spirit)

·         vanity of mind (4:17) ·         darkened in understanding (v. 18) ·         alienated from the life of God (v. 18) ·         ignorance (v. 18) ·         hardening of heart (v. 18) ·         past feeling (v. 19) ·         given themselves up to lasciviousness (v. 19) ·         working all uncleanness (v. 19) ·         greediness (v. 19) ·         wax corrupt after lusts of deceit (v. 22) ·         speak falsehood (v. 25) ·         steal (v. 28) ·         corrupt speech (v. 20) ·         bitterness (v. 31) ·         wrath (v. 31) ·         anger (v. 31) ·         clamour (v. 31) ·         railing (v. 31) ·         malice (v. 31) ·         fornication, uncleanness, coveteousness (5:3) ·         filthiness, foolish talking/jesting (5:4) ·         deceptive, empty words (5:6) ·         are darkness (5:8) ·         unfruitful works of darkness (5:11) ·         do shameful things in secret (5:12) ·         dead in sin (sleeping) (5:14) ·         unwise (5:15) ·         evil (5:16) ·         foolish (5:17) ·         drunkeness (5:18)

·         learn Christ (v. 20) ·         put away the "old man" (v. 22) ·         renewed in spirit of mind (v. 23) ·         put on new man, created in righteousness and holiness of truth (v. 24) ·         put away falsehood and speak truth (v.25) ·         members one of another (v. 25) ·         don't harbor anger or sin in anger (v. 26) ·         give no place to the devil (v. 27) ·         steal no more but rather works that which is good and provides for others (v. 28) ·         doesn't speak corrupt words but that which is good for edifying (v. 29) ·         grieves not the Holy Spirit Who has sealed him (v. 30) ·         puts away from himself all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamour, and railing and malice (v. 30) ·         treats others with kindness, tenderhearted, forgiveness, remembering how Christ forgave them (v. 32) ·         Imitator of Christ, as a beloved child (5:1) ·         walk in love just as Christ loved us, giving Himself up for us (5:2) ·         giving of thanks (5:4) ·         does not partake with sins of nonbelievers (5:7) ·         are light in the Lord walking in light (5:8) ·         fruit of light which is all goodness, righteousness and truth (5:9) ·         proves what is well-pleasing to the Lord (5:10) ·         makes manifest those works of darkness in the light and reproves them (5:11-13) ·         awake, arises from the deadness of sin, Christ shines upon (5:14) ·         walks carefully in wisdom ·         redeems the time knowing the days are evil(5:16) ·         understands the will of the Lord (5:17) ·         filled with the Spirit (5:18) ·         speaking to one another in psalms, hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with hearts to the Lord (5:19) ·         giving thanks always for all things in the name of Jesus to God the Father (5:20) ·         subjects selves to one another in love and in the fear of Christ (5:21)