Tuesday, July 31, 2012

What Does God Say in HIS WORD About False Prophets???




Well, first God warns us that there will be false prophets and false teachers!!!



2 Peter 2:1-3 (NKJV)

1
But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. 

And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed.

By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber.



There have been false prophets through out THE BIBLE!!!


1 Kings 13 (NKJV)



1 And behold, a man of God went from Judah to Bethel by the word of the Lord, and Jeroboam stood by the altar to burn incense.

Then he cried out against the altar by the word of the Lord, and said, “O altar, altar! Thus says the Lord: ‘Behold, a child, Josiah by name, shall be born to the house of David; and on you he shall sacrifice the priests of the high places who burn incense on you, and men’s bones shall be burned on you.’”

And he gave a sign the same day, saying, “This is the sign which the Lord has spoken: Surely the altar shall split apart, and the ashes on it shall be poured out.”

So it came to pass when King Jeroboam heard the saying of the man of God, who cried out against the altar in Bethel, that he stretched out his hand from the altar, saying, “Arrest him!” Then his hand, which he stretched out toward him, withered, so that he could not pull it back to himself.

The altar also was split apart, and the ashes poured out from the altar, according to the sign which the man of God had given by the word of the Lord.

Then the king answered and said to the man of God, “Please entreat the favor of the Lord your God, and pray for me, that my hand may be restored to me.”
So the man of God entreated the Lord, and the king’s hand was restored to him, and became as before.

Then the king said to the man of God, “Come home with me and refresh yourself, and I will give you a reward.”

But the man of God said to the king, “If you were to give me half your house, I would not go in with you; nor would I eat bread nor drink water in this place.

For so it was commanded me by the word of the Lord, saying, ‘You shall not eat bread, nor drink water, nor return by the same way you came.’”

10 So he went another way and did not return by the way he came to Bethel.

11 Now an old prophet dwelt in Bethel, and his sons came and told him all the works that the man of God had done that day in Bethel; they also told their father the words which he had spoken to the king.

12 And their father said to them, “Which way did he go?” For his sons had seen which way the man of God went who came from Judah.

13 Then he said to his sons, “Saddle the donkey for me.” So they saddled the donkey for him; and he rode on it,

14 and went after the man of God, and found him sitting under an oak. Then he said to him, “Are you the man of God who came from Judah?”
And he said, “I am.

15 Then he said to him, “Come home with me and eat bread.”

16 And he said, “I cannot return with you nor go in with you; neither can I eat bread nor drink water with you in this place.

17 For I have been told by the word of the Lord, ‘You shall not eat bread nor drink water there, nor return by going the way you came.’”

18 He said to him, “I too am a prophet as you are, and an angel spoke to me by the word of the Lord, saying, ‘Bring him back with you to your house, that he may eat bread and drink water.’” (He was lying to him.)

19 So he went back with him, and ate bread in his house, and drank water.

20 Now it happened, as they sat at the table, that the word of the Lord came to the prophet who had brought him back;

21 and he cried out to the man of God who came from Judah, saying, “Thus says the Lord: ‘Because you have disobeyed the word of the Lord, and have not kept the commandment which the Lord your God commanded you,

22 but you came back, ate bread, and drank water in the place of which the Lord said to you, “Eat no bread and drink no water,” your corpse shall not come to the tomb of your fathers.’”

23 So it was, after he had eaten bread and after he had drunk, that he saddled the donkey for him, the prophet whom he had brought back.

24 When he was gone, a lion met him on the road and killed him. And his corpse was thrown on the road, and the donkey stood by it. The lion also stood by the corpse.

25 
And there, men passed by and saw the corpse thrown on the road, and the lion standing by the corpse. Then they went and told it in the city where the old prophet dwelt.


26 Now when the prophet who had brought him back from the way heard it, he said, “It is the man of God who was disobedient to the word of the Lord. Therefore the Lord has delivered him to the lion, which has torn him and killed him, according to the word of the Lord which He spoke to him.”

27 And he spoke to his sons, saying, “Saddle the donkey for me.” So they saddled it.

28 Then he went and found his corpse thrown on the road, and the donkey and the lion standing by the corpse. The lion had not eaten the corpse nor torn the donkey.

29 And the prophet took up the corpse of the man of God, laid it on the donkey, and brought it back. So the old prophet came to the city to mourn, and to bury him.

30 Then he laid the corpse in his own tomb; and they mourned over him, saying, “Alas, my brother!”

31 So it was, after he had buried him, that he spoke to his sons, saying, “When I am dead, then bury me in the tomb where the man of God is buried; lay my bones beside his bones.

32 For the saying which he cried out by the word of the Lord against the altar in Bethel, and against all the shrines on the high places which are in the cities of Samaria, will surely come to pass.”



God is against those that prophesy lies and make His children sin!!!



Jeremiah 23:25-32 (NKJV)


25 
“I have heard what the prophets have said who prophesy lies in My name, saying, ‘I have dreamed, I have dreamed!’

26 How long will this be in the heart of the prophets who prophesy lies? Indeed they are prophets of the deceit of their own heart,

27 who try to make My people forget My name by their dreams which everyone tells his neighbor, as their fathers forgot My name for Baal.

28 “The prophet who has a dream, let him tell a dream;
And he who has My word, let him speak My word faithfully.
What is the chaff to the wheat?” says the Lord.

29 Is not My word like a fire?” says the Lord,
“And like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?

30 “Therefore behold, I am against the prophets,” says the Lord, “who steal My words every one from his neighbor.

31 Behold, I am against the prophets,” says the Lord, “who use their tongues and say, ‘He says.’

32 Behold, I am against those who prophesy false dreams,” says the Lord, “and tell them, and cause My people to err by their lies and by their recklessness. Yet I did not send them or command them; therefore they shall not profit this people at all,” says the Lord.



HE WAS AGAINST THOSE THAT PROPHESIED LIES IN THE DAYS OF OLD AND HE IS AGAINST THEM TODAY!!!!


Matthew 7:15 (CEV) Watch out for false prophets! They dress up like sheep, but inside they are wolves who have come to attack you.

My Experiences with lying devils and False Prophets



                    (***When I went to post last night, blogger malfunctioned and did not post!!!)



I had already written most of my blog for today, but I felt led by The Holy Ghost to write this instead for today’s post!!!



So, I am going to share with you some of my own experiences!!! 



I was once talking on the phone with a lady and we were supposed to be praying, but what she was saying (as she was supposedly speaking in tongues) sounded like gibberish and NOT a real language. 



Then this spirit began to speak through her in English and tell me that it was God and it was speaking through her to me in this manner to teach her how he (supposedly God) works!!! 



It was one of the strangest things I had ever heard or experienced.  I speak in tongues and I have heard all sorts of folks speak in all sorts of tongues, but never have I heard anyone that sounded like that!!!  When this thing began to speak through her, it sounded like it was making excuses for its behavior. 



Of course, now I know that the spirit speaking through her was the devil and he was trying to convince me that he was God!!!  He had quite obviously convinced her!!!



I wasn’t scared of the spirit that I was hearing, and I really did NOT think it was God, but I was scared that I would blaspheme the Holy Spirit, if I said, “THAT ISN’T GOD!!!” 



When all this happened, I began to pray and ask God about it!!!  I told HIM that I wouldn’t dare say that something wasn’t HIM unless I was certain, but that this sure was strange and confusing!!! 



I even called a friend and asked her to pray with me!!  My friend pointed out that God doesn’t bring fear or confusion!!!



2 Timothy 1:7 (NKJV) For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.



WHEN YOU HAVE A SOUND MIND, THERE IS NO FEAR, NOR CONFUSION!!!  And God does NOT want us to have fear or confusion!!! 



The next time this person called me for prayer I began to take authority in the Holy Ghost over any spirits that were NOT of God and I commanded them to shut their mouths.  Soon I found that I was doing most of the praying!!!



On another occasion, I arrived at church late, only to find a lady (who had never ministered for us before) in charge of the service!!!  This lady began to call people up to the front.  She called me up and told me that I had been sinning.  She said that I needed to repent, but what she said that I had been doing was NOT AT ALL TRUE!!!  She even told me that my house needed to be anointed because the devil was there!!!



I remember standing there and thinking,
“God!!!  Someone has been lying on me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”  I knew that I hadn’t been doing the things that she said!!!  And I didn’t understand what was going on!!!  I didn’t realize that the devil had come to church!!! 



But I knew that God wouldn’t tell someone to lie on me because GOD DOESN’T LIE and further more, GOD DOESN’T EMBARRASS FOLKS!!!! 



As soon as I could get away, I went to the bathroom!!!  When I got there I saw a friend of mine and she told me that the lady had done the same thing to her. 


Even before I went back in to the sanctuary, I began praying in THE SPIRIT and asking God what was going on and what this thing was.  God said that it was a Lying Spirit, so I began to bind it in the name of Jesus!!!  

 

Suddenly that lying demon in that woman let out a wail and said, Something is coming against me
!!!  I knew the SPIRIT OF GOD in me was coming against that evil spirit and that God had made that devil cry out!!! 



You see, this woman was deceived!!!  I believe that she truly thought that she was hearing the Voice of God!!!  That is why we must make sure that we are NOT deceived by the devil!!!




God doesn’t lie!!!  HE WILL NEVER tell lies on you or ask you to repent for things that you haven’t done!!!  AND HE DOES KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING!!!!



Numbers 23:19 (NKJV) “God is not a man, that He should lie,
Nor a son of man, that He should repent.
Has He said, and will He not do?
Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?



John 16:13 (AMP) But when He, the Spirit of Truth (the Truth-giving Spirit) comes, He will guide you into all the Truth (the whole, full Truth). For He will not speak His own message [on His own authority]; but He will tell whatever He hears [from the Father; He will give the message that has been given to Him]…   



The Word warns us about folks that say they are from God, but are NOT!!!



2 Peter 2:1-3 (NKJV)

1 But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. 

And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed.

By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber.




Once a long time ago, I met a man at the store where I worked and he seemed really nice!!!  We talked about God and I thought he was a child of God!!!  So, we began to hang out some!!!  



The devil wanted me to believe that this man had The Holy Spirit!!!  But God began to show me that the spirit in this man was a devil and that it was telling off on itself!!!  It couldn’t help it!!!      

As he was talking, I would hear The Spirit of God say, “Did you hear that???”  And the more I listened, the more that I heard things that DID NOT LINE UP WITH THE WORD OF GOD!!! 




It is very
important for ALL of us to know and remember that EVERYTHING THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT DOES AND SAYS WILL ALWAYS LINE UP WITH THE WORD OF GOD!!!



There are NO IF’S, AND’S, OR BUT’S!!! 
If what we are hearing and experiencing is from THE LORD, then IT WILL LINE UP WITH THE WORD OF GOD!!!



If it does NOT LINE UP WITH THE WORD, then IT IS NOT GOD!!! 



THE HOLY SPIRIT NEVER DISAGREES WITH GOD!!!  AFTER ALL, HE IS GOD!!!!  So, HE WILL NOT DISAGREE WITH HIMSELF AS GOD!!!



Mark 3:22-27 (AMP)


22 
And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, He is possessed by Beelzebub, and, By [the help of] the prince of demons He is casting out demons.

23 And He summoned them to Him and said to them in parables (illustrations or comparisons put beside truths to explain them), How can Satan drive out Satan?

24 And if a kingdom is divided and rebelling against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.

25 And if a house is divided (split into factions and rebelling) against itself, that house will not be able to last.

26 And if Satan has raised an insurrection against himself and is divided, he cannot stand but is [surely] coming to an end.

27 But no one can go into a strong man’s house and ransack his household goods right and left and seize them as plunder unless he first binds the strong man; then indeed he may [thoroughly] plunder his house.




And always remember this!!! 
THE HOLY SPIRIT ONLY SAYS WHAT THE FATHER SAYS!!!!


John 16:13 (AMP) …For He will not speak His own message [on His own authority]; but He will tell whatever He hears [from the Father; He will give the message that has been given to Him], and He will announce and declare to you the things that are to come [that will happen in the future].




Today as I was writing this, God reminded me that this same man would say and do things-sly little things to make me look and feel bad, like I was an ungodly person; a sinner, and NOT a child of God!! 


He would make remarks-little backhanded remarks-that almost sounded innocent or well-meaning, but THE LORD showed me that the devil was using him to say things to condemn me!!! 

 


GOD DOESN’T BRING GUILT, CONDEMNATION OR SHAME TO YOU!!!  HE WON’T SHOW YOU UP OR TRY TO MAKE YOU LOOK BAD!!! 
If you do wrong, God will show and tell you, but HE WILL NOT talk bad to you or about you and HE WILL NOT blame you or shame you!!! 



John 16:8 (NKJV) And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:



Romans 8:1 (NKJV) There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.



That man like the lady that I told you about, said to me that I needed to anoint my house!!!  I didn’t realize it at the time, but the devil was just trying to get in my house!!!  You see, the devil couldn’t come in my house because the power of God was in my house and I had anointed it with oil and with THE SPIRIT!!!



ALWAYS KEEP YOUR HOUSE ANOINTED WITH OIL AND INVITE THE POWER AND PRESENCE OF GOD TO DWELL THERE!!!  PRAY OVER YOUR HOUSE IN THE SPIRIT AND ASK GOD TO LET YOU KNOW WHEN YOU SHOULD ANOINT IT!!!  HE WILL!!!



1 John 2:27 (NKJV) But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him.



1 John 2:27 (CEV) But Christ has blessed you with the Holy Spirit. Now the Spirit stays in you, and you don’t need any teachers. The Spirit is truthful and teaches you everything. So stay one in your heart with Christ, just as the Spirit has taught you to do.



God wants us to know THE DIFFERENCE IN THE THINGS OF GOD and the tricks of the enemy!!! 



Many folks are fooled into thinking that when they go to church, they are safe!!!  They think that the devil cannot come in, but he is usually already there!!!  He may be sitting on the back row or on the front pew!!!  And yes, sometimes he is sitting in the pulpit whispering in the ears of the ministers!!! 



If we allow the devil to come in and dwell among us, he will take up residence!!!  Unfortunately, this is exactly what has happened to many people in many places!!!!  If the devil remains unchecked he will destroy our places of worship!!!  




The Lord began to talk to me a while back about how a lying and deceiving spirit is going through the land!!!  HE showed me that because folks choose to believe a lie and because they allow a deceiving spirit to come in among them and do NOT get rid of it, the devil begins to destroy folks’ minds, one by one!!! 



God wants His People to realize that the devil is real and that the devil has lying spirits that are already telling many folks that they are GOD!!! 



THESE SPIRITS WILL FOOL MANY, IF WE ALLOW THEM!!!  WE CANNOT SIMPLY IGNORE THE DEVIL AND THINK THAT HE WILL GO AWAY!!!



I have watched as folks say that they are being led by God, but then when a child of God prays, these same people change their decisions and even their minds!!! 



And so, I ask you, if that person is truly being led by God, then why would he or she say that God said for them to do this and such, and then decide to do something else???


Numbers 23:19 (NCV) God is not a human being, and he will not lie.
He is not a human, and he does not change his mind. What he says he will do, he does. What he promises, he makes come true.



God tells us in HIS WORD how to tell the difference in the Holy Spirit and lying spirits that claim to be God!!!  If it were wrong to wonder if a spirit is of God, then God would NOT have put this scripture in The Bible!!!



1 John 4:1-4 (CEV)

1 Dear friends, don’t believe everyone who claims to have the Spirit of God. Test them all to find out if they really do come from God. Many false prophets have already gone out into the world,

and you can know which ones come from God. His Spirit says that Jesus Christ had a truly human body.

But when someone doesn’t say this about Jesus, you know that person has a spirit that doesn’t come from God and is the enemy of Christ. You knew that this enemy was coming into the world and now is already here.

Children, you belong to God, and you have defeated these enemies. God’s Spirit is in you and is more powerful than the one that is in the world.


I have learned that we should always be watching and praying!!!  We need to be in constant prayer for those around us!!!  We need to pray that they be strengthened and that THE TRUTH be revealed in their lives!!! 


Ephesians 3:14-21 (NKJV)


14 For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

15 from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,

16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man,

17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love,

18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height—

19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

20 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,

21 to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.


Sunday, July 29, 2012

GOD WILL FORGIVE YOU!!!!!



No matter how bad you have been or what horrible things you have done,
YOU CAN BE FORGIVEN!!! 


 
Mark 3:28 (CEV) I promise you that any of the sinful things you say or do can be forgiven, no matter how terrible those things are.



Sounds like to me that God knew that you and I were going to need forgiving one day!!!   After all,
HE DOES KNOW ALL THINGS!!!



GOD WILL FORGIVE YOU, if you ask and believe!!! 



After all the things I had done, GOD FORGAVE ME!!! 


To be truthful, we have ALL done some bad things!!!



Romans 3:23 (KJV) For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.




God’s Word even says that there is pleasure in sin for a season.  That means that even though folks are out there having fun, after a while that lifestyle gets old and it seems meaningless!!! 



Hebrews 11:25 (CEB) …the temporary pleasures of sin.

 

Hebrews 11:25 (CEV) …the good time that sin could bring for a little while.




Do you know that Jesus was our substitute and the sacrifice for our sins???  Do you know that because of HIS BLOOD, we are accepted by God and forgiven??? 


Romans 3:23-26 (CEV)


23 All of us have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory.

24 But God treats us much better than we deserve, and because of Christ Jesus, he freely accepts us and sets us free from our sins.

25-26 God sent Christ to be our sacrifice. Christ offered his life’s blood, so that by faith in him we could come to God. And God did this to show that in the past he was right to be patient and forgive sinners. This also shows that God is right when he accepts people who have faith in Jesus.




We are justified by faith!!!


Romans 5:1-2 (NKJV)


1 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,

through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.




In HIS WORD, God says that we are made righteous through the blood of Jesus!!!


Romans 5:8-9 (CEB)

But God shows his love for us, because while we were still sinners Christ died for us.

So, now that we have been made righteous by his blood, we can be even more certain that we will be saved from God’s wrath through him.




And by HIS GRACE we are saved!!!



Ephesians 2:8 (AMP) For it is by free grace (God’s unmerited favor) that you are saved (delivered from judgment and made partakers of Christ’s salvation) through [your] faith. And this [salvation] is not of yourselves [of your own doing, it came not through your own striving], but it is the gift of God;




God is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins!!!!


1 John 1:9 (NKJV) If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

 


So, if ALL this is true, then why do some folks say that there is a sin that you can never be forgiven of???  The unpardonable sin, they call it!!! 



And does it tell about an unpardonable sin in The Bible???



Yes, The Bible does talk about an unpardonable sin or a sin that cannot be forgiven!!!  The Word talks about this in Mark the 3rd chapter. 



Mark 3:29 (CEV) But if you speak against the Holy Spirit, you can never be forgiven. That sin will be held against you forever.



Mark 3:30 (NCV) Jesus said this because the teachers of the law said that he had an evil spirit inside him.



I truly believe that the Scribes and the Pharisees knew Jesus was the SON of GOD and that they willingly chose to speak against HIM and the SPIRIT WITHIN HIM!!! 


They lied and called THE SPIRIT that Jesus had inside HIM, the devil!!!  They called the Holy Spirit, the devil and because they chose to speak evil against the HOLY SPIRIT, their sin was unpardonable!!!



Mark 3:6 (NKJV) Then the Pharisees went out and immediately plotted with the Herodians against Him, how they might destroy Him.


Mark 3:22 (NKJV) And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, “He has Beelzebub,” and, “By the ruler of the demons He casts out demons.”



If you study your Bible, you will find that these were learned men who had studied the scriptures!!!  They had ALL the evidence that anyone could need to know that Jesus was the Messiah and instead they decided to defame or speak evil against The Spirit of God by saying that HE was NOT GOD, but instead that He was the devil!!! 



Mark 3:22 (CEB) The legal experts came down from Jerusalem. Over and over they charged, “He’s possessed by Beelzebul. He throws out demons with the authority of the ruler of demons.”



Because these learned men willingly chose to say that speak against the Spirit of God; the Holy Spirit; they committed a sin that GOD WILL NEVER FORGIVE!!! 



These men actually said that Jesus was of the devil and that The Holy Spirit was the devil and NOT GOD!!!  And they knew better!!! 



Therefore they blasphemed against the Holy Spirit and anyone who does this will NOT be forgiven!!! 



Mark 3:28-30 (NKJV)



28 “Assuredly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they may utter;

29 but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is subject to eternal condemnation”

30 because they said, “He has an unclean spirit.”




You see, these men had studied the writings and teachings of God and had even taught them in the synagogues!!! 




And because they were learned and because they had studied THE WORD,
they knew that Jesus was fulfilling the prophecies concerning the COMING OF THE CHRIST!!!  These men knew HE WAS THE MESSIAH and even though they denied that He was God; they could be forgiven!!! 



But when they said that THE SPIRIT in HIM was unclean, they were saying that THE HOLY SPIRIT; THE SPIRIT OF GOD was of the devil!!! 



And when you do that, and you know better as these men did, you have then committed the unpardonable sin!!!




Remember, everything that the Holy Spirit does and says will always line up with THE WORD OF GOD!!!



It is NOT wrong to wonder if something is of God or if the Holy Spirit is actually speaking!!!  God tells us in HIS WORD how to tell the difference in the Holy Spirit and false spirits!!! 



1 John 4:1-6 (NKJV)


1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.

By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God,

and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.

You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.

They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and the world hears them.

We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.

Saturday, July 28, 2012

The Past is Past!!!



Have you ever sat and listened to someone reminisce about the past???  Maybe it was your mom or your grandma or grandpa.



There is nothing wrong with thinking once in a while about the past, as long as you don’t live there!!!
  As long as you actually live in the future!!!


It is one thing to talk about the past and laugh and have fun in doing so!!!



But it is another thing to long for those times long ago and wish you could go back there and relive them!!!
 


There is just something wrong in reliving events as the best times you have ever had!!!
 



Our future is so bright and there are so many good things in God out there for ALL of us!!!




So, when is it wrong to think about the past??? 


Well, like I have already said, if you are spending time living in the past and NOT moving forward with you life, then something is wrong!!!




The most simple answer is:  when it is sin that you are thinking about!!! 



I am going to be very plain here!!!
 


If you are thinking about when you used to go “party,” that is wrong!!!
  And if you are thinking about that fling you had, that is wrong!!!  If you are thinking about that man/woman that you dated several years ago, then you are wrong!!!



We should never allow your mind to linger on those kinds of things!!!



God tells us in HIS WORD, that we are to forget those things that are behind us!!!  We are to forget those things that are in the past!!!



Philippians 3:13-16 (NCV)


13
Brothers and sisters, I know that I have not yet reached that goal, but there is one thing I always do. Forgetting the past and straining toward what is ahead,

14 I keep trying to reach the goal and get the prize for which God called me through Christ to the life above.

15 All of us who are spiritually mature should think this way, too. And if there are things you do not agree with, God will make them clear to you.

16 But we should continue following the truth we already have.



Continually thinking and dwelling on that love affair from long ago or that time when you used to party every night or maybe when you used to drink and smoke so long ago will eventually lead you back into sin!!!



God wants us to think on good things!!!  What we allow our minds to dwell on should be good and pleasant!!! 



Philippians 4:8 (KJV) Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.



The Common English Bible says it this way!!!



Philippians 4:8 (CEB) From now on, brothers and sisters, if anything is excellent and if anything is admirable, focus your thoughts on these things: all that is true, all that is holy, all that is just, all that is pure, all that is lovely, and all that is worthy of praise.



God’s Word says, as a man thinks so is he!!!



Proverbs 23:7 (NKJV) For as he thinks in his heart, so is he…



David was so aware of this that he wrote about it in a song to God!!!



Psalm 19:14 (NKJV) Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight,  Lord, my strength and my Redeemer.




Wrong thinking always lead to wrong living!!!  And God warns about living wrong and doing as we please!!! 


Philippians 3:17-19
(NCV)


17 Brothers and sisters, all of you should try to follow my example and to copy those who live the way we showed you.

18 Many people live like enemies of the cross of Christ. I have often told you about them, and it makes me cry to tell you about them now.

19 In the end, they will be destroyed. They do whatever their bodies want, they are proud of their shameful acts, and they think only about earthly things.

 


Do we NOT know that God hears our thoughts and knows exactly what goes on in all of our minds???



1 Corinthians 3:16 (NKJV) Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?


Thursday, July 26, 2012

God So Loved


If there was ever A LOVE SONG TO THE WORLD, this is it!!!


John 3:16-18 (NKJV)


16 
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

17 
For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

18 
“He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.



In this song, the writer refers to God as LOVE!!!



1 John 4:8-10 (NKJV)

He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.

In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.

10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 

 

Who, but God could love ALL of us so much, that HE would die for us!!!


Romans 5:6-9 (NKJV)


For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.

For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die.

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.



God So Loved – Jaci Velasquez

God so loved the world
That He gave His One and Only Son
That whosoever believes in Him
Will not perish but have everlasting life

I try so hard to find the words to say
To let you know how great is this God unto whom I pray
Nothing can nor ever will compare
To the peace that flows in your soul when He is living there

Oh I know you've been through so much
It's hard to contemplate letting go and reaching out in trust
But I know the simple truth that LOVE is here for you
So take Him at His word and see what He can do

God so loved the world
That He gave His One and Only Son
That whosoever believes in Him
Will not perish but have everlasting life

The promise is yours and mine
Take hold of This LOVE
For the rest of your life

But it's time to take a step of faith
Be prepared for Jesus' love to carry you away

God so loved the world
That He gave His One and Only Son
That whosoever believes in Him
Will not perish but have everlasting life

Everlasting life

You loved me

God so loved the world
He gave, He gave
His one and only Son, one and only Son
If you just believe, If you just believe

It will set you free, It will set you free
He loves you so much, He loves you so much
Just believe

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

God’s WORD to The Shepherds



As I sat down today with the Lord, I opened my Bible and I saw these words!!!



1 Peter 5:5 (NKJV)


“God resists the proud,
But gives grace to the humble.”



So, as I almost always do, I started at the top and began to read and I found that Peter was speaking to those who are shepherds in the church and ALL others that would like to be in charge of the church.



And as I read I found that Peter had been inspired by God to write some words of wisdom to the shepherds of the flocks of God!!!  I also realized once again, that God as always has every area covered in HIS WORD!!! 



Not ONLY does God tell us that a leader should be willing, but that they should be glad to be that leader and that example for God’s people, NOT for any money or fame they can gain, but because God has called them!!!
 


1 Peter 5:1-2 (NKJV)

1 The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed:

Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly;



God tells us that our leaders are NOT supposed to be there for the glory of being in charge and running things, but that they are to be good examples for everyone to follow!!!


When we do as we are supposed to and we are faithful to God, HE WILL REWARD US!!!


1 Peter 5:3-4 (NKJV)

nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock;

and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away.



God doesn’t leave anyone out!!!  He has it ALL covered from the head to the tail!!!  From the old generation to the younger generation!!!



1 Peter 5:5 (NKJV)

Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for
“God resists the proud,
But gives grace to the humble.”




With God on our side and with HIS mercy and grace, we can be humble ourselves and be that person that God wants us to be!!!  Whether we are doing the things of God in the church or just being that example and loving others out in the world, we are God’s representative!!!  God exalts or raises up those that He finds pleasing in HIS sight!!!



1 Peter 5:6 (NKJV) Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time,



I especially like how the Common English Bible words the last part of verse 5 and also verse 6.


1 Peter 5:5-6 (CEB)


… And everyone, clothe yourselves with humility toward each other. God stands against the proud, but he gives favor to the humble.


Therefore, humble yourselves under God’s power so that he may raise you up in the last day.



And last, but NOT at ALL least God gives the shepherds words of encouragement!!!  He lets them know that
HE IS CONCERNED ABOUT ALL THAT CONCERNS THEM!!! 



GOD TELLS ALL THOSE THAT TRULY CARE FOR HIS FLOCK TO GIVE HIM ALL THEIR CARES AND CONCERNS, AND TRUST HIM TO TAKE CARE OF THEM!!! 




1 Peter 5:7 (NKJV) casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.




And just in case that isn’t plain, I am going to tell you what God recently told me!!!!  (These are the words that Jesus spoke to the disciples before HE left them to go back to THE FATHER!!!)  God spoke these same words to me this week!!!



John 14:1, 27 (NKJV)


14 “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.

27 Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.


As you can see Jesus tells us that He has left us HIS PEACE!!!  We are NOT to allow worry to run or rule us!!!!  We are NOT to be upset!!!  We are to have HIS PEACE!!!



John 14:1 (CEV) Jesus said to his disciples, “Don’t be worried! Have faith in God and have faith in me.



We are to sleep at night and rest in HIM at ALL times!!!  And, yes, that goes for EVERY LEADER IN THE CHURCH!!!  Yes, even you Pastor!!! 



John 14:1 (NCV) Jesus said, "Don't let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust in me.



Remember, God gives us PEACE LIKE NO ONE ELSE CAN!!!!



John 14:27 (CEV) I give you peace, the kind of peace that only I can give. It isn’t like the peace that this world can give. So don’t be worried or afraid.



God gives us the PEACE THAT PASSES ALL UNDERSTANDING!!!



Philippians 4:7 (NCV) And God's peace, which is so great we cannot understand it, will keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.



Philippians 4:7 (CEV) Then, because you belong to Christ Jesus, God will bless you with peace that no one can completely understand. And this peace will control the way you think and feel.


Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Love Makes Your Election and Calling Sure



The Word says that we will never stumble if we do these things.


Peter 1:10-12 (NKJV)


10 
Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble;

11 for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

12 For this reason I will not be negligent to remind you always of these things, though you know and are established in the present truth.



But what things could Peter possibly be talking about?



Peter 1:5-9 (NKJV)


But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge,

to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness,

to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love.

For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.




You see, you can have ALL this FAITH IN GOD and talk ALL this “God stuff,” but if you treat others like dirt, and you can’t even act like a child of God, then others are going to say, “And she or he calls themselves a Christian!!!” 

 

“If that is what a Christian is, then I can do better by myself!  If their God can’t change them, then why would I need HIM!!!”  These are the things that folks say when they see God’s Children acting up!!!




We have to show others love.  We have to show self-control and not complain and act bitter.  We can’t go around talking trash and being out of control!!!!  Because that is NOT showing love!!!!

 


1 John 3:18-21 (NKJV)


18 My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.

19 And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him.

20 For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things.

21 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God.




How can we say that we love others when we refuse to help those in the need out?!  In The Word, God tells us that we are to feed the hungry and help the poor!!! 



1 John 3: 17 (NKJV) But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?



Jesus showed the world that HE TRULY LOVED THEM BY GIVING HIS LIFE FOR THEM!!!  



1 John 3:16-17 (NKJV) By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

Sunday, July 22, 2012

MY GOD IS MIGHTY TO SAVE!!!



HE CAN AND WILL MOVE THE MOUNTAINS!!!



HE ALONE IS GOD!!!  HE ALONE IS THE ONLY WAY!!!



HE DIED AND AROSE AGAIN!!!  JESUS CONQUERED THE GRAVE!!! 



HE DEFEATED DEATH!!!  HE LIVES!!!  HE IS THE RISEN KING!!!




MIGHTY TO SAVE!!! - by Hillsong


Everyone needs compassion,
Love that's never failing;
Let mercy fall on me.

Everyone needs forgiveness,

The kindness of a Saviour;
The Hope of nations.

Saviour

He can move the mountains,
My God is Mighty to save,
He is Mighty to save.

Forever

Author of Salvation,
He rose and conquered the grave,
Jesus conquered the grave.

So take me as You find me,

All my fears and failures.
Fill my life again.

I give my life to follow

Everything I believe in.
Now I surrender.  I surrender.

Saviour
He can move the mountains.
My God is Mighty to save.
He is Mighty to save.

Forever
Author of Salvation,
He rose and conquered the grave.
Jesus conquered the grave.

Saviour
He can move the mountains.
My God is Mighty to save.
He is Mighty to save.

Forever
Author of Salvation,
He rose and conquered the grave.
Jesus conquered the grave.

Shine your light and let the whole world see,
We're singing for the glory of The Risen King.

Jesus
Shine your light and let the whole world see,
We're singing for the glory of The Risen King

Saviour
He can move the mountains,
My God is Mighty to save,
He is Mighty to save.

Forever
Author of Salvation,
He rose and conquered the grave,
Jesus conquered the grave.

Saviour
He can move the mountains,
My God is Mighty to save,
He is Mighty to save.

Forever
Author of Salvation,
He rose and conquered the grave,
Jesus conquered the grave.

Shine your light and let the whole world see,
We're singing for the glory of The Risen King.

Jesus
Shine your light and let the whole world see,
We're singing for the glory of The Risen King

Jesus
Shine Your light and let the whole world see,
We're singing for the glory of The Risen King

Jesus
Shine Your light and let the whole world see,
We're singing for the glory of The Risen King

Jesus
Shine Your light and let the whole world see,
We're singing for the glory of The Risen King

Jesus
Shine Your light and let the whole world see,
We're singing for the glory of The Risen King