PERSUADING OR MANIPULATING OTHERS FOR CHRIST

And since he could not be persuaded, we ceased and said, "Let the will
of the Lord be done"
Acts. 21:14

Acts 18:4  And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and tried to persuade Jews and Greeks.

2 Corinthians 5:11  Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others. But what we are is known to God, and I hope it is known also to your conscience.

Galatians 5:8  This persuasion is not from him who calls you.

PERSUA'DE, v.t. [L. persuadeo; per and suadeo, to urge or incite.] (Webster's 1828 dictionary)

1. To influence by argument, advice, intreaty or expostulation; to draw or incline the will to a determination by presenting motives to the mind.

2. To convince by argument, or reasons offered; or to convince by reasons suggested by reflection or deliberation, or by evidence presented in any manner to the mind.

Persuasion is neither good nor bad in itself, except for what a person is using to persuade another and to what they are being persuaded to.  Some use truth or facts well presented to persuade. Christ in many ways, spoke to Israel and to the crowds to persuade them to see the very truth they were told by the prophets of the Old Testament.  He spoke clear truth to persuade them of their own salvation through Him.  Many who preach the Gospel use good teaching methods to teach the truth of the Word to try to clearly make it understood and persuade others to come to that salvation that is by grace alone in Christ alone.  Yet the enemy is hard at work to pervert that same Gospel and persuade others to turn away from it.  He uses manipulation, to twist that truth to persuade against it, or to pervert it somehow so its power is nullified. 

We must be careful when we seek to persuade others of God's truth.  Many well-meaning believers who love God with all their hearts have tried to manipulate, in their flesh, thinking they were doing God's will, and doing it because of their love for God, but misunderstanding His Word, His will, and His purpose. 

Peter is a good example.

Matthew 16:21-23

(21)  From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.

(22)  And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, "Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you."

(23)  But he turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man."

John 18:10-11

(10)  Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest's servant and cut off his right ear. (The servant's name was Malchus.)

(11)  So Jesus said to Peter, "Put your sword into its sheath; shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given me?"

I read several definitions and arguments between the difference of persuasion and manipulation online.  Many said the difference is in the motive.  Persuasion is for the good of the other, but manipulation is for the benefit of oneself.  I don't agree with that completely.  I see many in Christian circles who have a motive of loving God and wanting to defend God's Word, but who can also be manipulative and controlling in the way they do it, thinking truly, like Peter, that they are doing God's will.  At one time I very fervently tried to persuade people that they could lose their salvation, thinking I was defending God's Word of truth.  I loved God and loved His Word and loved the truth.  I was sure I was right because I studied it thoroughly. But I was wrong.  Gradually God showed me through His Word, and deeper understanding of what it means to be "in Christ" and have "eternal" life in Him, that I had been wrong.  Like Peter, I was going against His Word and purpose without realizing it. 

I see manipulation as someone who is either convinced of something themselves or perhaps has selfish motives, and uses whatever tactics he/she can to control others thinking to persuade them, whether good intentions or evil.  Christians operate in their own flesh to try to do the work of the Holy Spirit at times.  They don't stop at a persuasive argument according to Scripture for the truth, but they must manipulate that person emotionally into accepting it.  There are many ways to emotionally or spiritually control others.  There are guilt methods, condemning them if they do not accept your argument, or making them feel like a lesser Christian if they disagree.  There is emotional manipulation in social media... "unfriending" someone who does not go along with your manipulation, and going beyond that, putting them down in the eyes of others, slandering them , telling others if you listen to that person you aren't really walking with the Lord, or you are deceived, or in some way making them feel they just are not very spiritual unless they follow your persuasion. We must be careful in "contending for the faith" and "exposing false teaching" that we are not slandering a person's ministry and turning people away from true Biblical teaching that ministers to others for Christ.  I've seen this happen, unfortunately because of one area of disagreement.  

If we are to persuade others to follow the truth by the Spirit, we must give up our own manipulative tactics and controlling ways to persuade them.  Most controlling people don't even know they are controlling. We must learn what our job is and what the job of the Holy Spirit is.  Our job is to give the Word, in humility and love, realizing we can be wrong too in some area.  Even if we are right, we must trust the Lord to lead us to give His truth in the right spirit, at the right time, and to leave it with Him to persuade the heart and mind as He works in the hearts of others. If we act out of our own fleshly passion instead of being led by the Spirit we turn more people away from the Word, instead of drawing them to it.

I've been under manipulating pastors who use many tactics to control their audience. I've been manipulated spiritually and emotionally.  I've also been under teachers who persuade by opening up God's Word of truth, and by His Spirit, enlighten so that it is plain to see.  Those who have been taught by God, know that it was only the Holy Spirit Who brought the truth to their hearts and opened it up to them to see. If we are not willing to give room for the Holy Spirit to work in hearts as we speak truth to them, but try to manipulate them instead into listening, then we are guilty of acting in our flesh like Peter.  It's bad enough to destroy God's work in the heart of another by our manipulation when we are right, thereby perhaps hardening another's heart against the truth when we seek to persuade them of it, but it's even worse when we are actually wrong in our understanding of God's Word or His will or purpose and then manipulate others into following us. 

I have two things I do now, if I sense I am being manipulated by another.  If I feel I am sure and know I'm right in a particular teaching and have been taught by God, but another is just as sure and trying to manipulate my thinking on it, I take it before God and say, "Lord I believe You taught me this, but if I have more to learn, please show me. If I'm right please confirm Your Word to me, and if not, please open my blinded eyes to see more clearly." Pray it with sincerity. And then go to the Word itself, not just to your own arguments. Look at the Scriptures and arguments of the other in light of God's whole Word.  Many arguments come out of Scripture taken out of context mixed with human reasoning.

If you cannot do that no matter how right or studied you think you are, you are trusting your own flesh.  Sometimes it takes time for growth in a person's life, including your own, before you are even able to accept certain concepts.

Proverbs 3:5-7

(5)  Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.

(6)  In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

(7)  Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD, and turn away from evil.

Pride keeps us from seeing our own blindness.  Pride in our own intellect, or our own understanding of the Word, or in a favorite teacher.  Being part of a group that makes us feel a family or belonging also keeps us blind.  If you are made to feel loved and accepted in a certain group of persuasion or denomination or cult, it's almost impossible to even allow yourself to look at anything differently, as it would possibly mean you being cut off from this family of like-mindedness and the close bonds that are associated with it.  This is how cults keep their members.  The threat of being cut off or disfellowshipped is very strong. 

This can happen on social media as well.  Certain groups of like-mindedness group together, back each other up in their arguments and usually follow a leader. Many times they don't have their own local church to attend, but the Internet becomes a replacement of this.  They really haven't learned "the body" of the Lord. They gang up with each other against others and use emotional attacks rather than sticking with Scriptural discussion. It's an unwritten rule that if you disagree with usually one or two who rule the persuasion in this group, you'll be bashed, and disfellowshipped from being a part of them.  So you just go along with whatever they post without challenging whether or not you see differently in the Word.  This is allowing yourself to be manipulated by flesh, rather than persuaded by the Word.  If you go to the Word and the Lord shows you otherwise, you need to listen to that, not this person, yet not with a haughty spirit but in humility and grace and allow God to work.  We can rise up with our own manipulation in the flesh right back also as we see differently and use attack tactics to try to win the argument.  Sometimes we have to agree to disagree until the Lord brings more light to one or the other, love and bear with one another, pray for one another, and have a humble heart that is teachable, but not manipulatable.  There's a difference.

There's a time to back out of an argument, when it becomes one sided and is no longer a discussion. If the other person is "convinced" and insists you agree, then you have to leave it and pray God will show you and them more clarification.  If you can't do that you aren't relying on the Holy Spirit but your are trying to control.  Manipulation is just having to control by human tactics. 

I'm still learning, but I've gone through a long, long journey with learning to not allow myself to be manipulated and not to manipulate others myself.  I've learned to see the same tactics over and over. It's one of the hardest areas I believe, for especially more mature Christians, and especially if you are passionate about certain teachings.  Because they have walked with the Lord a long time, and learned much and studied much, they feel they have a full grasp on certain subjects, and they are blind to this area of their flesh and become prideful.  Others see it and back away from them and they don't understand why.  They see themselves as contending for the faith and just write those off who won't accept it as not seeing or accepting truth.  But they don't see that others feel the manipulation and feel the flesh at work and are unable to receive anything from them. 

I believe in our day especially, it is more and more important to learn the schemes of the enemy, the manipulation tactics in the world, and in the church, in the news, and in social media.  The Bible tells us to be "sober-minded" and "watchful."  We are to be alert to the tactics of the enemy.  Yes, alert to the tactics of manipulation he even uses in us.  Nobody loved his Lord more than Peter, yet satan tried to work through Peter against His Lord.  If we're not careful he can do the same with any of us.

(1 Peter 5:5)  Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble."

(1 Peter 5:8)  Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

(2 Corinthians 2:11)  so that we would not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs.

Satan is master of manipulation. He knows very well our weaknesses and our fleshly flaws and strongholds.  He uses them.  This is why we are to never give the enemy a foothold.  Our own flesh, unsubmitted to the Lord, is the enemy's foothold.

Grant us true humility and grace and most of all, reliance truly on Your Spirit, dear Lord.  May we grow in this grace more and more for Your glory, in Jesus name.

THE CLOTHING THAT GOD ALONE PROVIDES

To be clothed is to be covered with something, or to be empowered or endowed with something. The Hebrew word is "labash."

"A very important figurative use of labash is found in Judges 6:34, where the stative form of the verb may be translated, 'The spirit of the Lord clothed itself [was clothed] with Gideon.'  The idea seems to be that the Spirit of the Lord incarnated Himself in Gideon and thus empowered him from within. The English versions render it variously: 'came upon' (KJV, NASB, JB); 'took possession of' (NEB, RSV); 'took control (TEV); wrapped round' (Knox)." - Vine's OT

How remarkable to think God clothes Himself with us when we become His children!  We know in His Word, in many places, how God clothes the sinner.  Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden.  Right away they saw that they were not clothed. They were naked. But God made skins out of the sacrifice of an innocent animal and clothed them Himself. When we see our own sin in God's light, we also see how naked we are before Him, as our guilt is completely exposed.

God clothes us with His righteousness - "I will greatly rejoice in the LORD; my soul shall exult in my God, for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation; he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a beautiful headdress, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels." (Isaiah 61:10)

Yet, the Bible also tells us that Christ is "in us" - being clothed with us as His dwelling place.  "Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own." (1 Corinthians 6:19)

"To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory." (Colossians 1:27)

God has empowered us in every way for His perfect salvation.  He becomes our clothing and we become His temple, where He permanently indwells us (John 14:16) and Who will never leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). If we don't have the right clothing, we cannot be welcomed into His presence. It is only the clothing He provides that will be suitable. His presence could only indwell what is righteously clothed before Him, according to His standards alone.  Since it is His perfect clothing supplied, not our own works, He is able to always indwell us. 

"But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment. And he said to him, 'Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?' And he was speechless. Then the king said to the attendants, 'Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." (Matthew 22:11-13)

The only way to have the right clothing is to acknowledge our nakedness and then to simply ask Him, believing in His provision. But when we think to trust in our own, no matter how glamorous or rich it may look to us, we will not be properly clothed.  "For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see." (Revelation 3:17-18)

Many places in Scripture tell us to "put on" Christ, or to "put on" certain actions or attitudes, that are those of the Spirit Who indwells us.  We cannot put them on unless they have been given to us. They are given to us by the blood of Christ and we are empowered to "put them on" in the indwelling Spirit.  It is not self-effort but walking in faith that "puts on" the clothing already given to us. We have been given a new position that places us "in Christ" when we are born again and an imputed righteousness that is His righteousness alone.  We've been given the clothes to wear. Yet it is still our responsibility to "put them on" outwardly in our actions and attitudes as we walk by faith in that which has been given to us. We also have the Holy Spirit indwelling us as the empowerment to clothe ourselves. It is not our flesh trying to copy the "clothing" of righteousness that only Christ can give.  He alone IS our righteousness, and we are to clothe ourselves outwardly with the inward clothing provided as He lives in and through us. 

"I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." (Galatians 2:20)

What a marvelous salvation we have! All the clothing we need to live godly in this world and to prepare us for the eternal inheritance we have in Christ, has been provided.  We can never produce it ourselves.  We can never imitate the right clothing in our flesh by our striving. We can never change our own clothes, but when we turn to Christ in faith and believe Him for His salvation by grace alone through faith alone, we are clothed by Christ Himself for the perfect salvation He has made for us. We have had our filthy rags removed, and have been clothed with the perfect clothing He provides.  We now yield to Him by faith and daily "put on" Christ as He abides in us. As we live in this world, the world can only recognize to Whom we belong if we are outwardly clothed in the King's apparel, as we live daily by putting on what He has provided.

THE FLESH VS. THE SPIRIT

It's an ongoing battle for the believer - the flesh vs. the Spirit.  In fact it is a sure sign that you are in fact born of the Spirit that you have this battle going on.  Anyone who denies that it is there is simply lying to themselves.  There is a new nature in the believer that pulls us toward God's will, works in us the mind and heart of God, convicts us when we go against that, works in our hearts to "will and to do of His good pleasure." (Philippians 2:13)   An unbeliever does not have that.  The believer has a sense of fellowship with God when he is abiding in Him, and a sense of loss and separation from God when he is walking in the flesh.

Galatians 5:16-17

(16)  But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.

(17)  For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.

Romans 7:15-17

(15)  For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.

(16)  Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good.

(17)  So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.

1 John 1:8

(8)  If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

Note that John included himself in this statement - "if we say WE have no sin." Sin refers to the sin nature… the principal of sin that still abides in us as new creations in Christ.  So we are to recognize this sin nature as well as learn to see it as God sees it, and agree with Him, taking His side against it.  We are to walk "in the Spirit" or as abiding in, trusting in, filled with, and controlled by the Spirit.  It is only in doing this that the desires of the flesh are not gratified.  We can never, even for a moment, please God in our flesh, being controlled by and motivated by and relying on our flesh, or human nature.  In order, then to grow in our walk with Him, we must learn to recognize the tactics of, not only the devil, but our own flesh.  It is a process of sanctification or growth, and it is not automatic in a believer's life. And we don't automatically possess this ability no matter how close to God we are. 

Hebrews 5:13-14

(13)  for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child.

(14)  But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.

We must learn that our flesh is our own worst enemy.  As long as we hold onto it, in any way, we fall under its deception and we cannot please God.

Some of the influences of our flesh are very subtle and we are blind to them.  If we are not asking God to reveal our flesh to us, we are unable to "put it off," and "put on Christ."  This is why a believer who is not spending time in the presence of God, in the Word, letting his flesh be exposed openly there, and receiving His fresh manna day by day, is never able to grow in Him or please Him, regardless of what "Christian service" he seeks to do. 

Romans 8:5-8

(5)  For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.

(6)  For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.

(7)  For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot.

(8)  Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

If we would please God we must learn to recognize the flesh in ourselves and subdue it, by the power and presence of the Holy Spirit. Sometimes when we have been Christians for a long time, we develop a "religious flesh" that we think to be God's direction in our lives. It's hard to see it, unless God reveals it. It comes through God's training and chastising as we learn to apply His Word to our walk.

Some of the most subtle flesh I have seen in myself and others is trust in one's intellect, or their own understanding, even their own thinking on things because they "studied."  I've had many times in my past in my walk that I "studied" very diligently, God's Word, and thought I knew and I very zealously defended what I thought was a particular teaching there.  I trusted in my studying, my conclusions, and how I saw it.  I was sure I was right. But because I was not yet at a place of spiritual maturity in the working of God's Spirit in my heart in certain areas, I was unable to see more clearly the truths I was overlooking or misunderstanding. Sometimes it is only through that growth process that we are able to understand certain concepts in God's Word, and we need to allow room for the Holy Spirit also to work in others' lives to bring them to that place, rather than argue "Biblical facts" with them when they can't see them. Some things are not learned intellectually, but only through God's working them into our hearts.  We may think we understand the "letter" but have no experience with the truth behind it.

Proverbs 3:5-7

(5)  Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.

(6)  In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

(7)  Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD, and turn away from evil.

I silenced in argument all who came against what I saw at one time. I was out to straighten everyone out and correct them.  But God humbled me in such a way that I had to bring my own understanding before Him (thought I did that, but yet I was wrong), and  He showed me.  God has ways of showing us when are heart finally gives up its own defenses and purely wants God Himself to reveal light to the heart and mind.  I thought I was seeking His truth.  Of course I was, and wanted to defend truth, but yet I was wrong.  If we fail to see that no matter how learned and studied we are that we can be wrong that we can study wrong, that we are depending on our own reasoning because of preconceived ideas, or that we have been more heavily influenced by a theology or teaching or study method so that we are more relying on that than on the Lord, we can't get out of the way of thinking our flesh or another's intellect has led us to.  It is only God Who reveals light. Our intellect can never do that. Our reasoning can never bring us to God's conclusions. We can even come to a place where we only trust our own reasoning and disregard sound Bible teachers and become a church unto ourselves, withdrawing from the church.

I've learned also, that the flesh is easily manipulated by others.  I've learned not to let others manipulate me regarding what to think, to believe, to act on, or not to let them control who I associate with, who I listen to, who I respond or don't respond to.  Well meaning people who have a controlling personality, though thinking they are doing the Lord's service, can control and manipulate you so that you seek to please them instead of God Himself.  You almost come to the point where they take over the place of the Word itself and the Holy Spirit in your life.  You don't dare disagree with them because you won't hear the end of it if you do, so you go along with, cater to, agree with, and abide by their unspoken "rules" of "fellowship" in the relationship.  You don't act without asking yourself how they will respond or think of you.  You are unable to trust yourself to seek God yourself for His approval or asking yourself what pleases God, instead you are concerned with whether or not you are following along with this persons approval. You are unable to trust God to lead you in discernment but you have to go along with whatever their "discernment" is.

In such cases, by God's Spirit, you have to come away from that relationship and dependency on it and let God renew your mind and heart in His Word and stand against this manipulation, even if this person has led you into some great truths in the Word.  It is the power of the flesh on both sides - the manipulator and the manipulated. If you are in the place of the manipulator, you need to see what you are doing is your flesh, and that you are not trusting God to work in others' lives, but you are trying to be in the place of the Holy Spirit and controlling them.  If you are the manipulated, you have to see what is happening and turn away from it.

The flesh is more subtle than any other enemy we have.  Satan is certainly subtle and knows how to trap us in his snares.  Yet what does he use to trap us?  He uses our own flesh.  He uses our own desires of the flesh and temptations, our pride and our religious flesh.  He knows our weaknesses and what we have not gotten control of through the Holy Spirit in our lives.  If you are an intellectual person, he uses that, and the pride and dependence on that intellect.  He uses your religious flesh of thinking you are more mature in the faith than you truly are, to convince you of what a great Christian you are and leads you into self-righteousness.  He even uses a false humility, which is the flip side of pride to make you think you are a very humble Christian.  How can we ever escape the pitfalls??  How can we possibly discern our own hearts? We can't. Only by abiding in Christ daily, putting no confidence at all in our flesh, being on our guard and asking God to reveal our flesh to us, can we be enabled to see, and walk in His light.  When He does we are to confess (agree with God), taking His side against it, acknowledging it, not thinking that the flesh will ever improve, but instead putting our confidence in the righteousness of Christ imputed to us, and relying on the Holy Spirit to work in us to conform us to that righteousness outwardly, yielding to His working by faith day by day.  There is no short cut in our Christian maturity. We will make mistakes.  We must acknowledge that.  We will deceive ourselves or be deceived by others. We must acknowledge that.  We must trust in God alone to keep us, to teach us, to train us and to correct us.  We must not let our flesh or the flesh of other people take the place of the Holy Spirit in our lives. 

I Peter 5:5b… "Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for  'God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.'" We're all learning. If we come to the place where we are unteachable and think we can't learn yet from another, we're not in a safe place to be. We're under the influence of the flesh.

May the Lord grant us that grace of true humility before Him, and love and grace toward others as well, as we are all being conformed to the image of Christ.  May we "bear with one another" in love as Christ bears with us, in longsuffering patience and kindness. Until that day when we shall be like Him for we shall see Him as He is, may our hearts be always trusting in Him. 

WHAT IS TRUTH?

John 8:32  and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

John 14:6  Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

John 17:17  Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.

John 18:38  Pilate said to him, "What is truth?"

What is truth?  Just like Pilate, many today are asking that question.  Oprah  Winfrey, at the 75th Annual Golden Globes stated, "Speaking 'your truth' is the most powerful tool we have.'" These days everyone has their own "truth" which has completely redefined what the word means.  In fact it has turned the word, truth, into a lie.  This is the pattern of Satan's subtle way of lying to us.  He turns everything to mean the very opposite of its true meaning or essence. Satan has convinced the world of his lie that he has used for ages past - that speaking his lie which he convinces the deceived is truth, is the most powerful weapon there is.  Indeed, it is his only weapon against us truly. Just as in the garden, he first convinced Eve that what God said was not true and gave God's Words a little twist so that it appeared he, himself actually had the real truth for Eve and it would benefit her.  This is his same deception today, and it is working well through the world's media and those given over to his ways. 

But Jesus Himself claimed to be the truth. He is the way, the truth, and the life.  So all truth is measured by Him, the living Word, and the written Word which He gave and stands by.  It is this truth by which we receive freedom from the corruption of this world, our sinful nature, and the bondage of lies.  It is only this truth that sets humankind free.  Lies will always end in a bondage of sorts, even though their appeal promises otherwise.  Lies appeal to our senses, our self-love, our pride, our passions and desires, but they draw away from God and a true relationship and understanding of Him.  Therefore, in some way, even as we are Christians, born of His Spirit, we can unknowingly be under a wrong relationship with God or bondage to some lie that gives us a wrong concept of God, of His salvation, of His love toward us, or of His ultimate plan.  There have been times in my Christian life when I walked under fear and oppression because Satan convinced me of a lie about God, or about my standing with Him.  You see, he is not only the accuser of the brethren, but he is an accuser of God to the brethren as well.  When God opened my eyes to see His Word and the truth of Who He is, what His gift to me truly is, what His love to me is, I was set free! Satan could no longer torment me or deceive me.  I saw the truth! I saw Jesus.

His lies sounded true. They even sounded Biblical. I read those Scriptures over and over. So how do we know what is truly "Biblical?" There are many, many groups out there claiming a corner on the truth. There are many Christians claiming a love for the truth, and that they only teach truth.  In fact I came across a website once that named itself "The Truth."  Yet this person, as I began reading their blog, showed his "truth" was in his own interpretations, not in the Word itself and if you disagreed with his interpretations, he condemned you and said you hated the truth.  So many Biblically illiterate follow these types of people because they don't read the Bible and study it as a whole for themselves, but just follow someone who seems to have a corner on it all, and think themselves in the truth because of that.

Why, if we all love the truth, are there so many differences in Christendom over what truth is?  I see 3 things, at least which I have observed in my own life, that at least influence some of that. 1) We are still in this body of flesh and have a sinful nature, even though born again. The flesh strives against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh… "For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do" (Galatians 5:17). Though we may even convince ourselves we desire God's truth, our own hearts can deceive us and there may be some teaching or thought that appeals to our sinful nature - yes, even our religious flesh.  We can be masters at deceiving ourselves and convincing ourselves we have the truth, even using God's Word to stand on, and this because…

2) Satan sees the weaknesses in our flesh and uses them to persuade us, just as he did with Eve, and even as he tempts us because of the lusts of our own flesh, he persuades our religious flesh that is it something good, it is "Christian" and it is "truth."  What does it produce in us? Does it open our hearts in love to God, humility toward ourselves, grace and love toward others?  If not, it probably isn't the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

3) We all come from different backgrounds, as well as denominational backgrounds and teachings. As a new believer, I bonded immediately with those who showed me Christ.  Those who taught me that I could be saved through faith in Jesus Christ and that I could count on His Word that saved me, I trusted that they had the truth of His Word to teach me how to live it.  Now they were good Christian people who loved God, but they also had some things wrong which I did not understand for a long time in my Christian walk. Because of that, for many years I lived under a bondage and fear of God that was not the kind of fear a believer in Christ should have.  But I only saw certain Scriptures through the eyes of those who taught me certain doctrines.  I was blind to seeing it any other way.  I loved the truth. I gave my all to that truth, trying to live according to it. I defended that truth with all I had.  But the hardest thing for me to one day finally go through, was to face that what I thought was truth and clung to as truth was not the truth at all. As I got on my face before God, and asked Him to just take away all I had understood until now that was not right, and teach me over again, teach me His true Word, He began opening my eyes, reminding of times in my experiences that He tried to teach me, ways He tried to show me, and how I was so stuck on what I had learned that I was blind to it, but suddenly now my eyes were really seeing His Word, and what it was saying.   I was set free.  When His truth comes into our hearts it sets free and we are free indeed.  His whole Word began to open up to me more and more as I learned what it meant to be "in Christ" and crucified and risen with Him, passed from death to life, now able to live by the Spirit unto Him in newness of life.

Sometimes it takes a crisis of faith in our own lives to drive us to really, really take a look into His Word more thoroughly.  Perhaps we haven't learned how to study His Word.  I wish when I had first become a Christian, someone would have given me a class on how to study His Word.  There are methods people use with His Word to come to a conclusion, which is really a mishandling of His Word.  We hear His Word in a message but don't perceive it is misused, taken out of context, or not accurately comparing Scripture with Scripture.  We need to be of a humble heart and a teachable spirit in the church, as we learn His Word from one another, "speaking the truth to one another with love." We are in different places in our walk, where spiritual pride should never have a place in our minds and hearts. 

The most learned Christian scholars do not have a corner on the truth, because they have studied hard.  Sometimes we can study ourselves right into the wrong thinking. We cannot depend on our own intellect or ability to study.  We must depend on God alone, as His truth is spiritually discerned, not intellectually.  He can use our intellect when given over to Him, but if we trust in that itself, we are open for deception.  We must bring it to Him, surrender it to His cross, as it is also our flesh, and trust Him to fill us with His Spirit of truth that leads into all truth.  If we cannot admit that we can be wrong, than we are already deceived. We are deceiving ourselves.  Yes, Christians can be deceived.  Yet if we abide in the Truth, we come to know Him more and more and grow in His truth and understanding.  One of the hardest things is to admit to ourselves that we were deceived or that we were wrong.  But it is one of the most freeing things as well. May the Lord teach our hearts and lead us into His truth alone, and bring us the grace to overcome through that truth, in Jesus name.

FULLY CONVINCED HE IS ABLE TO SAVE

And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren. For with God nothing shall be impossible. And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.

(Luke 1:35-38)

And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord.

(Luke 1:45)

Mary believed God, and the Son of God was miraculously conceived in her and born from her.  "Blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord."  This miracle was an act from God.  Mary simply submitted herself to the Word sent by God to her from the angel, and believed him.  God performed the rest.  A miracle took place, wrought by God, not man.  There was nothing any human being could do to bring about the Savior of the world or Israel's Messiah.  Just so, there is nothing man can do to bring about another birth, the new birth of the believer -the life of Christ Himself born in us. It is an act of God as we simply believe (trust in, adhere to, rely on) into Christ, the only provision for our salvation. 

But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

(John 1:12-13)

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus… (Ephesians 2:8-10a)

The Word of God is powerful and able to fully work in us what He says He will do. It is the power of God that performs in us the new life, when we believe in Him as our Savior, making us a new creation in Christ Jesus. It is not our performance or works that saves us.  What a wonderful salvation the Lord has brought about for us!  Man tries in so many ways to complicate it with his own religion or works but God has shown us all through His Word, that man is unable to be righteous at all, and God alone is able to save us by fulfilling the righteousness and the penalty of the law, and becoming our salvation, imputing righteousness to us. To think to save yourself by performance or works is to degrade that salvation and nullify it (Galatians 2:19-21).

What a wonderful gift God has given to the world!  It should encourage our hearts to know that just as He fulfilled His  promise to come to us, and to give the gift of His Spirit to dwell in us (Romans 8:9), that He will just as surely fulfill His promise to complete our redemption by coming again to take us to be with Him, changing our bodies to be like His, so we are enabled to dwell with Him forever in unbroken fellowship.  The first part of our salvation was accomplished by giving us a new birth into Christ.  We are given a promise by His Spirit, a guarantee by that, that we will also see the completion of our redemption and enter into our inheritance

In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

(Ephesians 1:13-14)

I remember when I was a young teen, seeking for the truth, seeking God's salvation, having been convicted of my sin, and knowing I was lost and on my way to hell, how joyful I was to discover that there was salvation for me!  I didn't know very much about God at the time. I didn't really know a lot of doctrine or theology.  I didn't even know that much about Jesus. but just as when Moses held up the bronze snake in the wilderness (Numbers 21:9, John 3:14) and all who looked upon it were healed, I looked upon Jesus one day, believed in Him and what He did for me, and asked Him to save me… and He did.  I remember when the person who prayed with me that day, told me He would come into my heart and live there how joyful I was.  Come into my heart?  Yes!  Suddenly my eyes were opened, and I understood that I was a "whosoever" and that Jesus died for me.  For a couple years before that day I walked around in darkness, trying desperately to clean up my life, to be better, to quit sinning. But all my efforts were to no avail.  I tried reading my Bible but didn't understand it.  What I did understand from it was that I was a sinner and worthy of death.  There was no escape from the law of God.  I was struck by it.  I cried out to God to show me if I could find His salvation. 

God answers those desperate cries.  Anyone who seeks to know Him in truth, God will answer that.  He is so eager to save "whosoever will." 

My prayer is for many this Christmas season to learn of His wonderful gift of salvation, and simply turn to Him, repent (change your mind) and believe in Him alone to save you, and trust that His Word is true, and He will perform it.  Blessed are you if you believe what the Lord has spoken.  Blessed indeed, with everlasting life that can never be taken from you. 

Like Mary I want to sing, "And Mary said, 'My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name.'"

(Luke 1:46-49)

My confidence in eternal salvation does not come from myself, my goodness, any works I've done but I have a confidence that what the Lord has spoken in His Word regarding His salvation for "whosoever will believe in Him" is true and He will perform it. It is for all!

Abraham was… "fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised."

(Romans 4:21)

I am also fully convinced.

LIVING IN THANKFULNESS

This is an oldie but a goodie that I wrote several years ago.  Still very relevant to today! I hope you all have a blessed Thanksgiving day!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Col. 2:6.."As you therefore have received Christ Jesus as Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and establised in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.

Phil. 4:6-7.."Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God, and the peace of God which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."

The secret of having joy is learning to live in thankfulness always in all circumstances. This is God's will for us and He knows if we are always grumbling and unable to be thankful in all things that we will not have His joy and may even fall under the trials and temptations in our life. His joy is our strength and ability to endure.

We are told to be thankful always...everyday...in all things, not just one day a year. Don't we feel good when we've spent Thanksgiving meditating on all the things we are thankful for? Just think if everyday was Thanksgiving! It should be for the believer in Jesus Christ!

I looked in my Thesaurus for synonyms of Thankful. Here is what I found: grateful, appreciative, acknowledge, give recognition, contented, satisfied, indebted to, pleased, kindly disposed, overwhelmed.

The opposite of thankfulness is ungratefulness. Here are some synonyms for that: thankless, selfish, lacking in appreciation, grasping, demanding, forgetful, self-centered, unmindful, heedless, careless, insensible, dissatisfied, grumbling, unnatural, faultfinding, oblivious.

Quite an interesting comparison in attitudes here. I know for myself when my children are ungrateful it makes me hurt very much that they don't recognize what I have done for them...how I've given myself to them, even sacrificing my own wants or needs. It makes me feel they are so self centered when they only want more instead of being thankful for what they have as if they deserved it when it was a special treat or gift given. How rude someone seems to us and greedy when they are given a gift and turn their nose up at it because they wanted better.

When we realize how much God has saved us from, sacrificing His own Son for us when we were gross sinners, who deserved His wrath; how can we be discontent with what He has given us? We are saying..."God...I deserve more!"

1 Thess. 5:18.."in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."

Matthew Henry Commentary: "If we pray without ceasing, we shall want matter for thanksgiving in everything. We should be thankful in every condition,even in adversity as well as prosperity. It is never so bad with us but it might be worse. We never can have any reason to complain of God, and have always much reason to praise and give thanks. This is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning us, that we give thanks. He allows us to rejoice evermore, and appoints us in everything to give thanks."

John Gill's Exposition of the Bible: In everything give thanks… That is, to God the Father, in the name of Christ; see (Ephesians 5:20) thanks are to be given to him for all things, as the Ethiopic version renders it; for all temporal good things; for our beings, the preservation of them; for food and raiment, and all the mercies of life; for the means of grace, the word and ordinances, and the ministers of the Gospel; for spiritual blessings, for electing, redeeming, regenerating, adopting, pardoning, justifying, and persevering grace: for a meetness for heaven, a right unto it, and a good hope of it; and especially for Jesus Christ, for such an husband, such an head, such a surety and Saviour, and advocate with the Father, as he is; and for life, peace, joy, comfort, righteousness, and salvation in him: and thanks should be given to God in every circumstance of life; in adversity, as Job did; when not in so comfortable and agreeable a frame of soul as to be wished for, since it might be worse, and is not black despair; even under the temptations of Satan, since they might be greater and heavier, and since the grace of God is sufficient to bear up under them, and deliver out of them, and since there is such a sympathizing high priest and Saviour; and in afflictions of every kind, since they are all for good, temporal, or spiritual, or eternal.

You see in giving thanks always we are protected from giving the devil a foothold in our lives through fear, unbelief, discouragement...etc. To give thanks is to say God is in control...I trust Him with all of my life everyday and am content and overwhelmingly grateful for what He has provided according to His abundant grace, knowing I deserve nothing but death and wrath.

We give thanks even in adversity! Nothing is really adverse when we are in Christ, because...Rom. 8:28.."And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose." and...Rom. 8:31.."What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?" and...Rom. 8:37..."Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us."

Today and everyday let us live in thankfulness!

God bless and keep you!