JESUS Rather Than Anything

JESUS Rather Than Anything!

 

“John answered, ‘No one can receive anything unless it has been given him from Heaven.’” John 3:27

“Now to Him who by his Power working in us is able to do far beyond anything we can ask or imagine.” Ephesians 3:27

 

Anything becomes the subject rather than JESUS – who is the giver of everything!

 

“After this (John 3:1-21), YESHUA and His disciples went out into the countryside of Judah, where He stayed awhile with them and baptized people. John the Baptist too was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because there was plenty of water there and people kept coming to be baptized. (This was before John’s imprisonment.) A discussion arose between some of John’s disciples and a Judean about ceremonial washing; and they came to John and said to him, ‘Rabbi, you know the Man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan, The One you spoke about? Well, here He is, baptizing and everyone is going to Him!’ John answered, ‘No one can receive anything unless it has been given him from Heaven…He must become more important while I become less important…Whoever trusts in The Son has eternal life. But whoever disobeys the Son will not see life but remains subject to GOD’s wrath.’” John 3:22-36

 

“For this reason I fall on my knees before the Father, from whom every family in Heaven and on earth receives it character. I pray that from the Treasures of His Glory He will empower you with inner strength by His SPIRIT, so that The Messiah may live in your hearts through your trusting. Also I pray that you will be rooted and founded in Love, so that you, with all GOD’s people, will be given strength to grasp the breadth, length, height and depth of The Messiah’s Love, yes, to know it, even though it is beyond all knowing, so that you will be filled with all the fullness of GOD. Now to Him who by His Power working in us is able to do far beyond anything we can ask or imagine, to Him be Glory in the Messianic Community and in the Messiah YESHUA from generation to generation forever. Amen! Therefore I, the prisoner united with The LORD, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called. Always be humble, gentle and patient, bearing with one another in love and making every effort to preserve the unity The SPIRIT gives through the binding Power of Shalom.” Ephesians 3 & 4

 

In this age of the comfortable, healthy and wealthy Church we have left CHRIST on the outside as a provider! He belongs on the inside as our Savior! He does not save us from our sin nature so that we can be happy here and go to Heaven someday. He saves us so that by His presence in our life He can change us and use us for the Works of The Father in the earth as it is in Heaven. JUST AS HE DID IN THE FLESH! JESUS told us to store up Treasure in Heaven – not earthly treasure that rusts and corrupts! Heavenly Treasure is the result of obedience, doing GOD’s Will rather than our own – telling people about salvation through JESUS CHRIST. That is the only treasure that builds up in Heaven.

 

Solomon said, “He who sins souls is wise.” He also said, “Fear of The LORD is the beginning of wisdom and knowledge.” He also said, “Wisdom and knowledge were more valuable that gold, silver and precious jewels.” Proverbs 1-9, 11:30

 

JESUS said, “Do not fear what man can do to you. Do not fear those who can only kill the body. Rather fear Him who is able to kill the body and destroy the soul in hell. Matthew 10, Luke 12

 

The point of salvation is not what we get here – it is what we give here that will result in what we get in Heaven!

 

Why are we trying to get the good life here? JESUS’ very last beatitude is we would be persecuted for believing in Him. “Blessed are you when men persecute you…for My sake. Rejoice for great is your reward in Heaven…” Matthew 5:11-12

 

Every writer of the Epistles said we should rejoice in our tests, trials, tribulations and persecutions because: they refine us into servants that GOD can use for His Will and so that we will receive our eternal reward in Heaven.

Rest In GOD!

Rest In GOD!

 

“GOD does not want you to try harder. He wants you to trust Him deeper. Stop trying. Start Trusting. This will change everything in you!” from an jpeg image.

 

This is easier said than done! I have spent most of my life trying to please others more than myself. I spent several years trying to please myself (twice). I have spent the last 9 years trying just trying to make my wife happy and do GOD’s will. Yet I still struggle with being happy and satisfied. So how do I find that place of peace, joy and fulfillment? Not by the modern Church’s mystical faith where all my needs and wants are filled by my confession and generosity. Trust in GOD is not mystical but practical. It’s not an exercise but a rest. That is what we have lost in the Church today, how to rest in the assurance of who GOD is!

 

Today meditate on Psalm 25:

“By David: I lift my inner being to You, ADONAI; I trust You, my GOD!

Don’t let me be disgraced, don’t let my enemies gloat over me.

No one waiting for You will be disgraced; disgrace awaits those who break faith for no reason.

Make me know Your ways ADONAI, teach me Your paths.

Guide me in Your truth and teach me; for You are The GOD who saves me, my hope is in You all day long.

Remember Your compassion and grace, ADONAI; for these are ages old.

Don’t remember my youthful sins or transgressions; but remember me according to Your grace for the sake of Your goodness, ADONAI.

ADONAI is good and He is fair; this is why He teaches sinners the way [to live], leads the humble to do what is right and teaches the humble [to live] His way.

All ADONAI’s paths are grace and truth to those who keep His covenant and instructions.

For the sake of Your name, ADONAI, forgive my wickedness, great though it is.

Who is the person who fears ADONAI? He will teach him the way to choose.

He will remain prosperous and his descendents will inherit the land.

ADONAI relates intimately with those who fear Him; He makes them know His covenant.

My eyes are always directed towards ADONAI, for He will free my feet from the net.

Turn to me and show me Your favor; for I am alone and oppressed.

The troubles of my heart are growing and growing; bring me out of my distress.

See my affliction and suffering, and take all my sins away.

Consider my enemies, how many there are and how cruelly they hate me.

Protect me and rescue me; don’t let me be disgraced, for I take refuge in You.

Let integrity and uprightness preserve me because my hope is in you.

GOD! Redeem Isra’el from all their troubles!”

The First Resurrection and The Second Death!

The First Resurrection and The Second Death?

 

Have you ever thought about the first resurrection? Think about the phrase, the first resurrection for a few minutes before reading on.

 

Most Christians are familiar with Colossians 1:18 or Revelation 1:5 that declare that JESUS is the First Born from among the dead; and Romans 8:29 that declares that GOD made JESUS the First Born among many brethren. So that we understand that JESUS is the First Born of the New Man – Christians, The Church, The Children of GOD. He is the First Born Again and we are born again by His Spirit into His eternal Kingdom. Conformed in this life and resurrected if we die in this life or transformed in the resurrection at His return to reign for a 1000 years in the earth from Jerusalem.

 

There is much debate in the modern Church about the rapture and resurrection of the living and the dead at the end of the age.

 

Before you think no and stop reading at my next question follow me closely here: I am not saying this is so, I’m asking, “What do you think?”

 

Did the first resurrection already take place?

 

Here are the scriptures that caused me to wonder: “And JESUS cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His SPIRIT. Then, behold, the Veil of the Temple was torn in two from top to bottom, and the earth quacked, and the rocks were split, and the graves of the saints were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many.” Matthew 27:50-53

“For this reason the Gospel was preached also to those who are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to GOD in the spirit.” 1 Peter 4:6

“Therefore He says: ‘When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, and He gave gifts to men.’ (Now this, ‘He ascended’ – what does it mean but that He also descended into the lower parts of the earth? He who descended is also The One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.)” Ephesians 4:8-9

 

NO! That is not the first resurrection!

 

But, it is a resurrection, those who lived righteously before GOD who had died and were in Abraham’s Bosom received the Gospel when JESUS descended into hell to defeat death and hell and take the keys of their domains (Revelation 1:18). Many of them rose with Him and showed themselves to those living in Jerusalem. I believe that when He presented Himself to The Father (remember He told Mary Magdalene not to touch him outside the tomb because He had not ascended to His Father yet), He led those who had been captive in death to eternal life in Heaven.

 

That is not the first resurrection because they all died before Christ’s sacrifice for our sins. That is Christ’s resurrection!

 

Don’t stop reading now we are just getting to the good part!

 

The first resurrection is found in Revelation 20:1-6, “Then I saw an angel coming down from Heaven (this is after the battle of Armageddon in chapter 19:19-21), having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the devil and satan, and bound him for a thousand years: and he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished. But after these things he must be released for a little while. And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to JESUS and for the Word of GOD, who had not worshipped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with CHRIST for a thousand years. But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of GOD and of CHRIST and, shall reign with Him a thousand years.” There is a clear requirement for participating in the first resurrection; you must be beheaded for CHRIST. Now through the centuries there have been tens of thousands if not millions who have been beheaded or murdered in other ways for their faithful witness of JESUS and The Word of GOD (Revelation 6:9-11).

 

What, there is a second death? Never heard if that event? Many who teach that the Church will be raptured before the tribulation skip over scriptures like these because they do not support their teaching. Many modern Bible teachers pick and choose verses from scripture, especially Revelation to support their theory rather than teaching what the Bible actually says.

 

The Second Death!

 

Revelation 20:7-15 speaks of the resurrection of all the dead and the second death. “Now when the thousand years have expired satan will be released from his prison and will go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth. God and Magog, to gather them together to battle, whose number is as the sand of the sea. They went up on the breath of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. And fire came down from GOD out of Heaven and destroyed them. The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. Then I saw a Great White Throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before GOD, and books were opened. And another Book was opened, which is The Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and death and hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. Then death and hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.”

 

Wow!

 

Revelation 20 starts after the Battle of Armageddon and ends just before the New Heaven and the New Earth are created. It covers the first resurrection and CHRIST’s Thousand Year Reign with a Rod of Iron (Psalm 2; Isaiah 11:1-5; Revelation 2:25-29).

 

Why with a Rod of Iron?

 

Because there will be millions if not billions of people left who do not want to worship and serve CHRIST and GOD! Revelation 22:12-17 speaks of that time when outside the City of Jerusalem where CHRIST reigns are dogs, sexually immoral, sorcerers, murderers, idolaters and those who practice lies.

 

After the thousand years satan will be loosed and he will again deceive those who reject GOD’s salvation into attacking Jerusalem and the camp of the saints, this time GOD destroys them and the natural earth with fire. Then all the dead will be raised and judged, those not found in The Lamb’s Book of Life will be cast into the lake of fire with the devil, where the anti-Christ and the false prophet are.

 

Some believe that this second death is destruction and that those cast into it will be destroyed and not tormented eternally, but Revelation 20:10 says it is eternal, “…And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.”

 

Now 1 Corinthians 15:20-28 makes sense, “But now CHRIST is risen from the dead, and has become the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in CHRIST all shall be made alive. But each one in his own order, CHRIST the first fruits, afterwards those who are CHRIST’s at His coming. Then comes the end, when He delivers The Kingdom to GOD The Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power. For He must reign until He has put all enemies under His feet. The last enemy that will be destroyed is death. ‘For He has put all things under His feet.’ But when He says, ‘all things are put under Him,’ it is evident that He who put all things under Him is excepted. Now when all things are made subject to Him, then The Son Himself will also be subject to Him who put all things under Him, that GOD may be all in all.”

 

Verses 20-22 talk of CHRIST’s crucifixion and resurrection (The Gospels).

Verse 23 talk of CHRIST’s return to rule from Jerusalem for a thousand years (Revelation 20:1-6).

Verses 24-26 talk of the last great battle when satan and death are cast into the eternal lake of fire and the Great White Throne judgment (Revelation 20:7-15).

Verses 27-28 talk of GOD The Father and CHRIST The Son’s rule as One in their eternal Kingdom of the New Heaven and New Earth from the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:1-22:5)!

Pride Causes Racism!

Pride

 

Everyone knows at least one person who is obnoxiously proud and no one enjoys being in their presence very long.

 

In his book, Humility, Andrew Murray states that pride is the root of all sin!

 

Everyone who has been a Christian very long knows that the Bible teaches that pride always leads to a fall, that GOD hates the prideful but honors the humble. The Bible equates pride with evil, the cause of the fall of Lucifer.

 

Why?

 

Pride causes people to think of themselves as better than everyone else and therefore they can do and say what they like: lie, cheat, steal, to lack common morality and common integrity. They are their own judge on what is proper and appropriate and do not care if their actions cause others harm or pain.

 

Pride causes a man to have sex with as many people as he wants; it causes him to have as many children as he has women and not be responsible for their care and upbringing or demand that the woman have an abortion. Pride causes a woman to have sex with as many people as she wants and to not care for or protect the children of those relationships, including having abortions.

 

Pride is the lie upon which racism is founded! To believe that you are better than anyone else based on your skin tone or any physical feature; on mental or intellectual prowess; on your own perceived common sense or that anything about yourself makes you not just better that others, but superior!

 

Pride produces hate! Hate leads to evil actions over other people!

 

Therefore pride is evil! And, all evil will be cast into the eternal lake of fire!

 

GOD knows our heart! Let Him show you any pride and repent of it, turn your life wholly to Him today!

When Rioters Turn Upon Their Own: See Jeff Bezos' Guillotine by John Horvat II

When Rioters Turn Upon Their Own: See Jeff Bezos’ Guillotine

By John Horvat II

 

The most terrifying time during revolutions is when revolutionaries turn upon their own. It is a sign that the movement is radicalizing, creating insecurity in which no one feels safe. Even the most faithful servants of liberal causes suddenly find themselves targeted, despite having conceded, facilitated and supported those who work to overthrow the establishment.  They do everything, and yet it seems everything is not enough.

Such considerations come to mind when hearing about how protesters showed up near the Washington D.C. home of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, owner of the very liberal Washington Post. All his sympathy for leftist causes, including Black Lives Matter, seems to be of no avail.  However, this protest differed from the norm. In addition to signs, there was a model guillotine.

 

Protesters Using French Revolutionary Imagery

The message was clear. The target was not only Bezos but all who are part of the official establishment. The multi-billionaire serves as a representative figure for all those who have wealth and need to be eliminated.  A sign before the guillotine said, “Support our poor communities. Not our wealthy men.”

This is not the first time that protesters bring symbols and techniques that come from the bloody French Revolution. Militants at the ill-fated CHAZ/CHOP experiment in Seattle also referred to the guillotine. One activist credited the name change to CHOP as a reference to the chopping off of capitalist heads.

Americans need to take these radical symbols seriously. This is not just street theater but indicates a desire to implement a dark and tragic agenda. The lessons of history reveal just how wrong it is to write off those who use symbols. In the early stages of the French Revolution, no one thought it would reach the degree of slaughter that it did.

Death by Machine

The guillotine is especially significant because it recalls how the revolutionaries ruthlessly eliminated their enemies.

The device was developed by the French physician, Dr. Joseph-Ignace Guillotin, as an instrument of decapitation for all enemies during the French Revolution. Before the Revolution, beheading was reserved only for those of noble birth. However, the French National Assembly in 1789 passed a law requiring that all death sentences be done by “means of a machine.” In this way, all could be executed equally.

Throughout the Revolution, its countless victims included the nobles, priests and any other enemies of the Revolution regardless of class. The French King and Queen fell to its blade. Such was their hatred that revolutionaries even guillotined statues.  During the phase of the Terror, lukewarm Girondins revolutionaries went to the guillotine for insufficient enthusiasm for the cause. The death by guillotine of Robespierre, a radical Jacobin, marked the end of the Terror phase of the Revolution.

Symbol of Death and Terror

Thus, the symbolism of the guillotine as an instrument of death and terror should make Americans shudder. It should raise questions about the intentions of the rioters that are terrorizing America. The guillotine at the protest of Jeff Bezos sends a message that the revolutionaries openly put everything on the table.

Such a radical display of intention should lead to calls from officials to condemn the protesters and their symbols of violence. Any protest organization should issue statements disassociating themselves from the guillotine-carrying activists. Bishops and clergy should denounce the symbol as inconsistent with the teachings of Christ.

However, like their counterparts during the French Revolution, they will remain silent about the guillotine promoters. They will follow the politics of concession to evil. The incident will be rationalized as an occasion to show “understanding” and sympathy to the poor “oppressed” rioters who are only reacting to the “injustice” of their condition. They will not take seriously the threat contained in the falling blade.

The appearance of Jeff Bezos’ guillotine unmasks the revolutionaries behind the present riots. No one should have any illusions as to their intentions of the radical left. These are not only riots. They are not civil rights demonstrations. This is a revolution that has the established order as its target. It should be denounced as such.

However, what should terrify people most about the incident is the targeting of liberals who support liberal causes. If even these are under attack, then nobody is safe in the coming days.

 

Psalm 107:35 by Matt Kirk

"He changes a wilderness into a pool of water...

...and a dry land into springs of water." (Psalm 107:35)

    A friend of mine, who we will call "John", I met him about 7 or 8 months ago at the gym. John is a business owner here in Bali, very confident, very type-A, and definitely the life of the party. We talked for a while whenever we saw each other, and he would typically open up to me about his current struggles. I had not seen John in a couple months though... until this morning.

     John walked into the gym and his whole body was visibly shaking. I noticed his face was void of any color and looked very sickly when he approached me. I asked him if he was ok and he said "I was hoping you'd be here. Can we talk?" I agreed and we went into another room.

     He could hardly sit down on his own as he told me that he went on a 9 day drinking binge, eating no food and only consuming liquor. However, today was day 2 of no alcohol. His body was in full detox mode and seemed to almost be shutting down. He even threw up on himself a little bit during our conversation. (For those that don't know, alcohol is one of the most dangerous drugs to detox from). I asked why he came to the gym if he could barely stand and he said "I don't know, but I was praying that you would be here." (He is not a man of faith) "I should probably be in the hospital or in treatment or something." One very interesting thing is that I NEVER go to the gym on Thursdays and I also never go during the time frame that I did this morning. I only went during that time because our language school was cut short, and I couldn't make it to the gym yesterday. 

     After talking for a long time about some very deeply-rooted issues he was working through, he asked "What do I do, Matt?" I shared Maddie and my story with Him and then shared about surrender. I shared about how surrender is so counter-cultural, especially to us men, because the thought of losing control seems like a sign of weakness to us. However it is within our weakness and surrender that God displays His strength. I then tied it in to the gospel and shared about how Jesus died, not only for us to go to heaven but also for this very addiction and bondage he's living under. I asked him, "John, are you ready to surrender your life to Jesus?" He said he was ready.

     After I asked him to repeat after me, I started simply with just "Jesus...". There was silence for several seconds without him saying anything, so I looked up and I saw him start to weep. He mentioned that just saying the name Jesus made him want to cry. We continued praying together, then I prayed for him to receive Holy Spirit and also asked that HS would strengthen him. John received Jesus this morning and was touched by His Holy Spirit. He even found himself strong enough to work out afterward! 

     God has and always will be in a mad pursuit of his people, even when they are in VERY low places. "While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." He is in the business of reconciling people to himself, through his Son, Jesus. I want to encourage you all to be aware. Every conversation you have is full of intention and purpose if you're walking by the Spirit. There are opportunities around every corner for the love of God to be revealed, and He wants to partner with YOU. Believe it. Receive it. 

We love you all and eagerly await the day when we can see you face-to-face again.

Grace and Peace,

The Kirk family

 

Call Verses Ministry!

Call Verses Ministry!

 

Ministry is a term we use to describe what we do as Christians, “My ministry is …”, “Our ministry is…”, “Our Church’s ministry is…”, “________ has a ministry of…” These are all possessive terms and incorrect!

 

 

Call is something placed upon us by GOD, we do not possess it and many times we do not want it!  Matthew 22:14; Romans 8:28-30, 11:29; 1 Corinthians 1:25-31, 7:17-20; 2 Peter 1:10.

 

 

Our call is a ministry but it is not ours, we do not choose it, GOD gives it to us when we are in our mother’s womb! Genesis 18: 9-15, 21:1-7; Job 10:8-12, 31:13-15; Psalm 71:5-6, 139:13-19; Isaiah 7:17, 9:6-7, 49:1-6; Jeremiah 1:4-8; Zechariah 12:1; Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:5-38; John 1:1-18, 3:1-21, 17:24; Galatians 1:11-17; Revelation 12:1-5, 13:8.

 

 

We are not called to own but to serve, servants do not own or possess – they do! JESUS served the will of GOD and so must we! Matthew 7:21-29, 16:24-27, 20:25-28; Luke 14:26-27, 17:5-10, 22:39-46; John 4:34-38, 5:30, 6:38-40, 8:28-31, 12:26; Romans 1:1-6, 7:13-25, 12:1-12; Galatians 5:13-14;  Philippians 2:12-16; Hebrews 13:21.

 

 

Study those scriptures and remember that GOD’s will is our call in life, “Our Father in Heaven, Holy is Your Name. Your Kingdom come, Your Will be done in the earth as it is in Heaven. Give us today what we need. Forgive our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Do not let us be overcome by temptation but deliver us from Your advisory. For You are The Power, The Glory and The Kingdom, forever!”

 

 

This brings us to The Gifts of The SPIRIT. The Church has the same problem with believing that The Gifts of The SPIRIT are for the individual to use. Not True, The Gifts are for the Church and for a witness to the world and they are operated through the believer by The HOLY SPIRIT when, where and how He determines. “There are diversities of gifts, but the same SPIRIT. There are differences of ministries, but the same LORD. And there are differences of activities, but it is the same SPIRIT of GOD who works all in all. But the manifestation of the SPIRIT is given to each one for the profit of all.” 1 Corinthians 12:4-7

 

The Gifts are: The Word of Wisdom, The Word of Knowledge, Faith, gifts of Healings, The Working of Miracles, Prophecy, Discerning of spirits, Different kinds of tongues, The Interpretation of tongues. “But one and the same SPIRIT works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He Wills.” 1 Corinthians 12:8-11

 

 

We are The Body of CHRIST in the world, but we are all members individually of His Body. We are to seek the best Gifts, to be used by GOD’s SPIRIT to do His Will in the earth as it is in Heaven. How? By seeking the Better Way – Love! “Now abide Faith, Hope, Love, these three; but the greatest of these is Love! Pursue Love, and desire Spiritual Gifts, but especially that you may prophesy.” 1 Corinthians 13:13-14:1

 

 

The summary of 1 Corinthians 14: “…Therefore tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe but to unbelievers; but prophesying is not for unbelievers but for those who believe…Therefore, brethren, desire earnestly to prophesy, and do not forbid to speak with tongues. Let all things be done decently and in order.”

Salvation and Judgment!

Salvation and Judgment!

 

Matthew 7:13-14 – narrow gate                    Matthew 7:15-20 – fruit

Matthew 7:21-23 – lawless                            Matthew 7:24-27 – foundation

Matthew 25:1-13 – 10 virgins                                    Matthew 25:14-30 – ruler and his subjects

Matthew 25:31-46 – doers and non-doers     Luke 12:1-12 – fear GOD

Luke 12:13-21 – rich man                               Luke 12:35-48 – masters and servants

Luke 12:49-59 – fire not peace                       John 3:14-21 – salvation or damnation

 

Above are some familiar scriptures and out of them have come many positive teachings and a few teachings on GOD’s judgment. All of them are about the Gospel – the Good News that JESUS CHRIST was crucified and is risen – Salvation! But, in everyone of JESUS’ teachings eternal judgment is juxtaposed with salvation. Salvation and judgment go hand in hand because every person will receive one or the other!

 

JESUS is the Good News – salvation! But, He always taught the result of disobedience – lawlessness and pride! If there is no judgment for evil there is no salvation from evil!

 

The late 20^th and the 21^st Century Church have mostly lost the message of GOD’s judgment on those who reject His salvation. We proclaim the love and mercy of GOD and denounce the hellfire and brimstone preachers who proclaim the judgment of GOD on those who reject His Son.

 

The message of GOD’s Eternal Kingdom has been watered down to, GOD loves you and wants to bless you if you will believe. Actually the message of GOD’s Eternal Kingdom is, “Repent for The Kingdom of GOD is here!” Why are we called to repent?

 

Are we called to repent so that we do not spend eternity in hell being tormented? No! We are called to repent so that our relationship with GOD that Adam and Eve had before their fall can be restored.

 

I did some street evangelism as a young Christian and I did not like it. So over a period of time I became critical of those street corner evangelists who shouted at people that they were going to hell if they did not repent. Yet it is a fact that many more people have been saved by the message of GOD’s judgment than by His goodness and kindness.

 

We cannot proclaim The Good News if people do not understand that there is bad news! Eternity is either Heaven or hell!

Psalm 27:4

Psalm 27:4 A Personal Prayer

 

“One thing I have desired of The LORD. That I will seek: that I may dwell in The House of The LORD all the days of my life. To behold the beauty of the LORD and to inquire in His Temple.” NKJV

 

“One thing I seek LORD; my desire; that I may dwell in Your presence all the days of my life: to behold Your beauty and to receive of Your presence in my life.” My personal prayer.

 

When David wrote this psalm he did not have the HOLY SPIRIT living in him and he only had the books of Moses (The Torah) and maybe Joshua and some of the Judges; he should have know the story of Ruth, his ancestor. They had the Tabernacle, the temple was not built until after his death. So his desire was for something he did not have. The only presence of The LORD was with the Ark in the Tabernacle.

 

Since CHRIST rose from the dead and ascended to the Right Hand of GOD we have His SPIRIT who not only seals us to the day of salvation but lives in us making us living temples of The Living GOD. The SPIRIT that raised CHRIST from the dead dwells in us so that we are always in GOD’s presence.

 

We have His Word; representative of JESUS The Living WORD; which is living and sharper than any two edged sword. Given to us by His inspiration through men who obeyed Him to write as He led them.

 

We have everything that David desired and prayed for!

 

And yet! So?

 

And yet most people who call themselves Christian do not know GOD personally, they do not know His Word, The Bible, and His SPIRIT does not dwell in them. Most people who call themselves Christian want the good life not the Good News. The Good News comes at a price, our will! The good life only costs money and maybe some time. They go to meetings where they give money and a little of their time and they receive special anointing to live the good life. They mix in a little religion by trying to stop sinning; they drink less, try to curb their sexual appetite, maybe vote conservative, support a local church with attendance and money. But, they do not seek GOD’s presence and Will for their life, they want to live their life by their own dictates. They want to be good, if possible, and be blessed by GOD and the world. They want to avoid GOD’s judgment and eternal damnation.

 

So what did JESUS say was the cost of GOD’s free salvation from eternal damnation? Total surrender of our will, just as He did, He came as a man to show us how to receive GOD’s forgiveness and eternal life! He showed us that by being obedient to the Father’s Will we can overcome temptation, sin, death and hell!

 

Our problem is our current understanding of free and free will. When we talk of GOD’s free gift of salvation we think of it as a birthday or Christmas present. Salvation is free because we cannot earn it, no matter what we do or how we live our life we cannot gain salvation from eternal damnation. We have to receive it from GOD, it is free but not like a present, it comes at a cost, the exchange of our free will for GOD’s Will!

 

GOD created us with a free will, just like all living creatures. That’s why lucifer was able to become the devil, he exercised free will to rebel. So do we, every moment of everyday! We chose to obey GOD or not to obey GOD, we chose to obey GOD in some things but not in other things. The choice is ours and that is the cost of salvation, JESUS chose to obey GOD and go to the cross knowing the personal cost to Himself. He made that choice before the foundations of the earth were laid!

 

Free will is like a driver’s license, a driver’s license gives the holder the privilege to drive a motor vehicle, but there are costs, responsibilities, requirements and ramifications that go with the privilege. Free will comes with costs, requirements, responsibilities and ramifications! But free will only has two choices – fully obey GOD or not fully obey GOD!

 

If JESUS had yielded to any temptation before He went to the cross, than the purpose of His going to the cross would have been a failure. Only as a man who fully obeyed GOD could He take on the punishment for the sin nature and behavior of all of humanity! Only as GOD could He bear it! That is why the free gift of salvation is so precious! JESUS had to live in the flesh as a human and as GOD. The fullness of The GODHEAD in the flesh of humanity became sin for us and took our place under GOD’s just judgment of us.

 

That is why our free will has to be totally surrendered to GOD! It is not an easy task but it has to be done. We have to yield our will to GOD’s will if we are going to be a Christian and receive the free gift of salvation in CHRIST JESUS. Otherwise we are just being religious and might be those who miss out on eternity in GOD’s Kingdom!

 

Carefully study Matthew 7:12-29 and John 17! Understand what it is that JESUS is teaching us!

Is Our DNA Corrupt?

Corruption – Is It In Our DNA?

 

Is our DNA corrupt because of free will? GOD made man from the fresh, three day old, dust of the earth and breathed into him The Breath of Life and he became a living being. Every natural living thing on the earth, under the earth and in the seas was created by GOD and returns to dust after its’ death – plant, animal and human. But, only in man did GOD breathe His Breath of Life. One of the definitions of corruption is the returning of the flesh of plants, animals and humans to dust after death. The Bible is clear that our human flesh is corrupt and only seeks its’ own will (pleasure); that is why salvation promises us a new body for our immortal soul and eternal spirit.

 

Humanity was so corrupt from the beginning that after about 1556 years GOD destroyed every living thing that was not on the Ark. In the approximant 3761 years since, has humanity become any less corrupt than in Noah’s day?

 

The answer to my DNA question is, Yes! Our DNA was corrupted when Adam disobeyed GOD’s only command to not do something! GOD’s first command to humanity was to, “Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea, the birds in the air and every living creature that crawls on the earth.” GOD’s second command was, “Here! Throughout the whole earth I Am giving you as food every seed-bearing plant and every tree with seed-bearing fruit. And to every living animal, bird in the air and creature crawling on the earth, in which there is a living soul, I Am giving as food every kind of green plant.”

 

Yes, humans and every animal were vegan before the fall. There was no death until the fall, Adams disobedience caused GOD to have to kill animals to make clothing for them to cover their nakedness. Only blood covers sin before CHRIST and only His Blood takes away sin since His obedient sacrifice.

 

Then seeing that it was not good for Adam to be alone, GOD formed Eve from one of his ribs. Not dwelling in why what happened, happened; we all know that Eve was deceived by the serpent but that Adam disobeyed GOD, for Adam was the one that GOD told to not eat of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil yet he did when Eve said it was good.

 

So humanity was corrupted by deception and disobedience!

 

BUT GOD!

 

Before GOD made anything in creation He had a plan to redeem us from our free will back to Himself as He had created us to be! Salvation is a free gift from GOD to us! GOD rewrites our DNA when we are born again! Born of The SPIRIT! There is an instantaneous change that takes place that must be followed by training and discipline for the rest of our lives in the flesh.

 

Below is a list of scriptures that we all need to study and meditate on because our sinful DNA is not changed just because we pray and confess JESUS as savior and LORD. It is rewritten as we “work out our salvation with fear and trembling.” This is what JESUS meant when He said we have to take up our cross and follow Him daily. We are sealed with GOD’s SPIRIT for the day of salvation, but the corruption of our DNA does not allow us to just sit and wait. We have to practice being saved, we have to train and discipline our bodies to serve and obey GOD (Elohim) and Their Word to us, The Bible!

 

As you study you will see the threads throughout the Old and New Testaments of GOD’s will and instructions to us. His plan of salvation is free to us, we can do nothing to earn it or acquire it except believe it, receive it, confess it and share it with others. This will cost us our flesh driven life! But as we surrender our flesh driven life in obedience we will begin to walk in and enjoy our eternal SPIRIT driven life in CHRIST JESUS.

 

It is important to understand that being a Christian is not a religion, though many religions have been made based on JESUS’ life and teachings. We receive salvation as a free gift, religion tells us that we can earn it, but the Bible is clear, salvation is a gift not reward or payment for works well done. Faith verses works is only a problem if you have a religion rather than a relationship with GOD. GOD is our Heavenly Father and He calls and trains us to do His works in the earth as they are in Heaven; just as He did with JESUS. Doing GOD’s Will is doing the works of His Kingdom in the earth – just as JESUS Did!

 

Our works are to Love and obey JESUS, to love every other person on the earth and to share GOD’s Love with as many people who do not know Him as we can. It is not necessarily easy or even pleasant, but it is what GOD has given us to do.

 

Creation, original sin… Genesis 1-3

Heart was only evil… Genesis 6:5

Noah blessed, first covenant… Genesis 9:1-17

Life is in the blood… Leviticus 17:10-14

Obey is better than… 1 Samuel 15:22-23

LORD looks at the heart… 1 Samuel 16:7

GOD tests the hearts… Psalm 7:9

Cleanse me from secret sin… Psalm 19:12-14

Wicked shall be no more… Psalm 37:10

The LORD knows the thoughts… Psalm 94:11

Heart shall depart from Me… Psalm 101:4-5

If there be any wicked way in me…Psalm 139:24

To do evil is like sport…Proverbs 10:23

The LORD tests the hearts… Proverbs 17:3

As he thinks in his heart… Proverbs 23:7

Heart reveals the man… Proverbs 27:19

To those who call evil good… Isaiah 5:20

Wicked forsake his way… Isaiah 55:7

For My thoughts are not your… Isaiah 55:8

Heart is deceitful above… Jeremiah 17:9

I will give them a heart… Jeremiah 24:7

And take the stony heart… Ezekiel 11:19

Yourselves a new heart… Ezekiel 18:31

Mercy and knowledge rather than… Hosea 6:6

Is where your heart is… Matthew 6:21

JESUS knowing their thoughts… Matthew 9:4

Evil treasure brings… Matthew 12:35

Heart proceeds evil thoughts… Matthew 15:19

As it was in the days of Noah… Matthew 24:36-39

Take heed what you hear… Mark 4:22-25

Take up your cross… Mark 8:34-38

GOD so Loved… John 3:1-21

Love of the Father from before… John 17:24

Satan filled your heart… Acts 5:3

Propitiation by His Blood… Romans 3:25

Justified by His Blood… Romans 5:9

Wages of sin…gift of GOD… Romans 6:23

Done any good or evil… Romans 9:11

The LORD knows the thoughts… 1 Corinthians 3:20

In Adam all die… 1 Corinthians 15:21-22

Serpent deceived Eve… 2 Corinthians 11:3

SPIRIT led life… Galatians 2:19-21

Stand in liberty… Galatians 5:1

Work out our salvation… Philippians 2:12-16

Of GOD fill your heart… Colossians 3:15

Woman was deceived… 1 Timothy 2:13-15

Thoughts and intents of the heart… Hebrews 4:12

CHRIST’s sacrifice… Hebrews 10

Lust Sin Death… James 1:14-15

With the precious Blood… 1 Peter 1:19

Who committed no sin… 1 Peter 2:22-25

Blood of JESUS CHRIST… 1 John 1:7

And shuts up in his heart… 1 John 3:17

The way of the wicked… 1 John 5:19

Sins in His Own Blood… Revelation 1:5

Us to GOD by Your Blood… Revelation 5:9

By the Blood of the Lamb… Revelation 12:11

Slain before the foundation… Revelation 13:8-9

1000 year reign with a Rod of Iron… Revelation 19-20

SPIRIT Led Living!

SPIRIT Led Living!

 

Most of us Christians do not understand, or even ask, how the HOLY SPIRIT leads us. We only seem to know that we are filled with the HOLY SPIRIT at some point. Whether when we are born again, water baptized or SPIRIT baptized. And exactly what is it The HOLY SPIRIT does in our life?

 

JESUS said He was going to comfort us, instruct us and remind us. We understand that He is The One who pricks our heart because of our thoughts, words and behavior. He gives us Peace that makes no sense and understanding that we did not learn.

 

Paul taught that The HOLY SPIRIT brings forth the fruit of obedient surrender of our life to JESUS; Love, Joy, Peace, Longsuffering, Gentleness, Goodness, Faith, Meekness and Temperance.  He also works through our life by His gifts; Word of Wisdom, Word of Knowledge, Discerning of Spirits, Diverse Tongues, Interpretation of Tongues, Miracles, Healing, Prophecy and Faith to do the will of our Heavenly Father in the earth as it is in Heaven.

 

There are many teaching on this subject some are right on, some are good, some are bad and some are intentionally wrong.

 

This is not an in depth study but an outline to cause you to want to study and find the truth of GOD’s Word for yourself. That is what GOD is going to hold us accountable for, not what others taught us but what we learned by study and application in and through our life. This is where GOD’s HOLY SPIRIT’s presence in our life is key.

 

To do a good study of the Bible you will need a concordance and a Bible dictionary, any brand, size or cost will be good. It is helpful if you have a couple of different translations of The Bible also, but first you have to be born again or born of the SPIRIT or SPIRIT filled or baptized in The HOLY SPIRIT, whatever term makes you most comfortable.

 

A.      GOD is One: The Father, The Son and The Spirit are one GOD; there is only One GOD and He reveals Himself as The Father, The Son and The Spirit. He is not three separate beings in one. Stop trying to understand GOD in human terms, except Him for who He reveals Himself to be, He is beyond our understanding! When JESUS was in the earth as The Son of Man – Son of GOD He was the incarnate or fullness of the GOD Head in the flesh. GOD is never divided into different parts working in different places. He is always One; He fills the whole earth with His presence and all things that exist, exist IN Him.

 

B.      When we believe that JESUS is our savior we are marked or sealed by GOD with His SPIRIT. This is not what is generally called being baptized in The HOLY SPIRIT this is what GOD does to show the advisory we belong to GOD. This happens to every person who believes that JESUS is the Son of GOD who was born as a human and died to take away our sins.

 

C.      The fruit and gifts of HOLY SPIRIT are not ours nor for our benefit, they are His and for the purpose of GOD’s will being done in the earth as it is in Heaven.

 

D.     JESUS did not bring peace but a sword and He did not give us the victory over anything. JESUS won the victory and The Father gives it to us through JESUS CHRIST. JESUS told us that to be His disciple we have to take up our cross and follow Him daily, we have to love other believers and obey His commands.

 

E.      Salvation is a free gift from GOD by faith not by our works but by JESUS who did the works of The Father in the world for us. When we come to the place in our life that we have faith to believe that JESUS is savior and LORD it is by GOD’s grace, not by anything that we did or learned.

 

F.       Faith has become some mystical force in the modern Church based on a wrong understanding of Hebrews 11:1. Another English word from the original Greek is trust. We all understand that trust is something earned, GOD has earned our trust by fulfilling His Word as demonstrated through the Bible and history. Believe is another word for faith, when we first believe that GOD is and that He redeems us from our eternal damnation into His eternal Kingdom we have not much more than an expectance and feeling that this is right, that is the grace of GOD to start us on our journey of life in JESUS. Faith, trust and belief are all the result of understanding somehow that GOD is. This experience is different for everybody. The gift of faith gives us trust to obey this is the first gift we receive for GOD. The fruit of faith is the result of trust and obedience.

 

G.     The Bible teaches that GOD uses even His enemies to show His Glory and to accomplish His purposes.

 

So, how are we to live a SPIRIT led life? By surrender of our life; JESUS said that we have to lose our life in Him to have life. GOD’s SPIRIT lives in us making us GOD’s Living Temple in the earth. If we do not surrender our life spirit, soul and body to JESUS then The HOLY SPIRIT will prick our conscious until we do or until we become so hard of heart by continually living life our way that we can no longer feel His pricking and prodding.

 

When we do yield our life spirit, soul and body to JESUS The HOLY SPIRIT will speak to us, instruct us and guide us through GOD’s Word the Bible, through circumstances and situations both good and bad, easy and hard. The HOLY SPIRIT seeks to bring forth His fruit through our life for our benefit and for other’s benefit. The HOLY SPIRIT will operate His gifts through our life for our benefit and for other’s benefit. Everything The HOLY SPIRIT does in our life is for our benefit and the benefit of other’s.

Gain

Gain

 

“But the things that used to be advantages for me, I have, because of The Messiah YESHUA, come to consider a disadvantage. Not only that, but I consider everything a disadvantage in comparison to the Supreme value of knowing The Messiah Yeshua as my LORD. It was because of Him that I gave up everything and regard it all as garbage, in order to gain The Messiah and be found in union with Him, not having any righteousness of my own based on legalism, but having that righteousness which comes through The Messiah’s faithfulness, the righteousness that comes from GOD based on trust.” Philippians 3:7-9 CJB

 

When we become a Christian what do we gain? We gain forgiveness of sin through JESUS CHRIST; we gain eternal Life in GOD; we gain the SPIRIT of GOD living in us.

 

We do the works of The Kingdom like JESUS did; what we see The Father doing and what we hear The Father saying; not to become saved but because we are saved! “So, my dear friends, just as you have always obeyed when I was with you, it is even more important that you obey now when I am away from you: keep working on your deliverance with fear and trembling, for GOD is the One working among you both the willing and the working for what pleases Him.” Philippians 2:12-13 CJB

 

“Then JESUS said to His disciples, ‘If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For The Son of Man will come in the Glory of His Father with His angels and then He will reward each according to his works.’” Matthew 16:24-27 NKJV

Predetermined for Good or Evil?

Predetermined for Good or Evil?

 

Jacob and Esau; Moses and Pharaoh, JESUS and Barabbas, Paul and Bar-Jesus. If you are not familiar with all of these relationships then study and meditate on them!

 

So the question is, are some born to serve GOD and be saved and are some born to serve GOD and be condemned? The answer is yes and no, depending on how you understand the scriptures.

 

There has been controversy and fighting over selective predestination and inclusive predestination from the time of Israel’s release from Egypt and their entering into the Promised Land.

 

Selective predestination is that some are selected in the womb to serve GOD and some are selected in the womb to oppose GOD. There are two thoughts on this; that everyone is preselected by GOD for salvation or condemnation while they are in the womb and that is it. The other is that some specific people are preselected in the womb by GOD for salvation and some for condemnation but the bulk of people are up for grabs.

 

Inclusive predestination is that everyone is predetermined in the womb for condemnation and must be saved; some will be and some will not be; the choice is theirs if they hear about JESUS.

 

I believe that because of Adam’s disobedience all are born into condemnation. That all who believe that JESUS is the only means of salvation and repent of being a sinner will be saved. That all who reject GOD’s gift of salvation through JESUS will be condemned. That all who never hear about JESUS will be judged according to how they lived their life in their society and time in history.