Yes To The Truth: 2020

Sunday, December 27, 2020

Christian Women, Lust and Sexual Purity

1 Thessalonians 4:1-8
1 Finally, then, brothers, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, just as you are doing, that you do so more and more. 2 For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus. 3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; 4 that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, 5 not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God; 6 that no one transgress and wrong his brother in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as we told you beforehand and solemnly warned you. 7 For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness. 8 Therefore whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.

2 Peter 1:2-4

2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, 3 as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, 4 by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

James 1:13-16
13 Do not let anyone who is tempted say, "I am being tempted by God" because God is not tempted by evil, and He Himself tempts no one with evil. 14 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away and is enticed by his own lust. 15 And after lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death. 16 Do not deceive yourselves, my beloved brethren.

The word “lust” means “desire” as a verb or a noun. But a negative connotation has become attached to the word “lust” over time. If you listen to most prominent ministers of Christianity talking about lust and people struggling with lust, they are speaking about something they regard as a sin along with anything that may be connected to it. So, “lust” meaning “desire” has taken the sense of “evil desire” (no need to use the adjective “evil” to qualify that lust). And the sense has also been narrowed to only refer to a desire of a sexual nature. But the same word could be used to discuss the case of someone who has a “crazy” uncontrollable craving for cigarettes, drugs, alcohol, or to collect dolls or toy cars, etc., hence an addiction to those things. So, people struggling* with sexual immorality (fornication / whoredom, adultery, pornography watching...), they all fall under the same umbrella of struggling with lust because of the sexual connotation attached to the word “lust” almost exclusively nowadays. This is how the issues are discussed in mainstream Christianity and that understanding helps set aside irrational discourses on lust that may keep people feeling condemned and mind-boggled and trapped in many lies.

* "Struggling" here means continuing to be overcome by sin and not yet able to overcome sin and walk in freedom from sin, which is what salvation in Jesus is about (John 8:36, Romans 6:4-7, 14, 18). That's the bottom line. Ultimately, the Christian life is about overcoming sin (1 John 3:6-9, 5:4, 5:18), not "fighting" sin and temptations to sin. And that's because the grace of God is power given over sin (Romans 6:14). Great power. Divine power. It's good to focus on that reality that must be experienced as a promise of Jesus and not be focused on a fight that will be with no end, without having the right weapons of war to begin with.

Following are various notes to help Christian women reach and maintain sexual purity.

MATTHEW 5:28

Jesus taught that if a man lusts after a woman (a wife/married woman), He has already committed adultery with her in his heart. That's what is taught in Matthew 5:28. It must be a married woman (someone else's wife) for adultery to be committed. If the man himself is a married man, adultery would be committed likewise but in that verse the woman was the focus. And all that applies the other way around also. A woman lusting after (wanting to have) another woman's husband would be committing adultery likewise.

Otherwise, by the same principle of sin beginning in the heart (Mark 7:21-23), fornication (whoredom/harlotry) could also be the sin committed by someone who regards men/women as sex objects for instance and desires to have them (have sex with them) in a context void of love or of any commitment toward such persons.

Keep in mind also that experiencing sexual attraction toward someone, or simply being sexually aroused (whatever the trigger may be) are not in themselves sinful. God does want people of opposite sex to have an interest in each other sexually, and primarily for the purpose of procreation.

LUST DEFINED -- FOR WOMEN

To lust after a man means to desire that man. That's the plain original meaning of the word "lust." It is a neutral word. But it has taken the connotation of having an "evil desire," especially of a sexual nature.

Sexual desire in itself is natural and not evil. That's even a basis for a man/woman to pray for a wife/husband. It is God's will that sexual relations should be between a man and a woman who are committed to each other as spouses. Otherwise, it is fornication/whoredom, or adultery more precisely if at least one of the persons is married. And these sins do begin in the heart (Mark 7:21-23). So, desiring something evil or forbidden is what constitutes sin, like desiring (to have) your neighbor's house, your neighbor's car, or your neighbor's man/husband (Matthew 5:28); entertaining thoughts of sexual activity (desiring that) with random people while seeing them as sex objects is evil as well. That's outside of the godly ideal of one's commitment to one's spouse on a foundation of love and faithfulness.

MASTURBATION -- MAN/WOMAN -- SEXUAL URGES/CHALLENGES -- ISSUES DEFINED

Masturbation is a sin if you are choosing to do it to gratify the desires of your flesh and feed an addiction, when you know you should have resisted the urge and denied yourself instead (Luke 9:23), calling upon God for help as needed (Hebrews 4:15-16). The repeated failure to deny oneself a gratification of the flesh is how addiction starts to begin with. Then self-control is undermined. Any addiction points to something being an idol in someone's heart. And God will always regard that as a sin.

We don't have to go along with the temptations that the devil sends our way. In fact, we have to be alert to recognize those and submit to God and resist the devil (James 4:7-8). We are entirely responsible for what we do (James 1:13-15, 1 Corinthians 10:13), and of course, we are accountable to God for everything we do. Even all our thoughts/imaginations must be in submission to God (2 Corinthians 10:5), because it's out of the heart that sin comes from (Mark 7:21-23). We need to strive to keep our heart pure (Matthew 5:8, James 4:8, 1 Timothy 1:5) and not entertain any sinful fantasies as those that may accompany masturbation.

We are also not to be controlled by our sexuality in any way. We can pray and seek God about our challenges and we can indeed be in that place of perfect peace where God gives us sufficient grace to live for Him the way that most pleases Him (2 Corinthians 12:9, Titus 2:11-14) and according to our faith.

Romans 14:23b
... Anything that is not done in faith is sin.

Please listen to this message for a strategy you can follow to overcome sin/be set free from addictions (as applicable):
Self-denial and Taking up One's Cross to Follow Jesus (Mark 8:34)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s8bpFtD31FU

IMAGINATIONS -- WOMEN (PRIMARILY) -- LUST -- FANTASIZING

Note that the mere thought of having sex with your future spouse isn't any more sinful than the thought of being pregnant one day and of having children. But if you are addicted to/obsessed with such thoughts, that reveals that something is an idol in your heart, something that has your affection more than God Himself. And if you are fantasizing about sex with random people you may feel attracted to, then you need to be fighting against that and striving to keep your heart pure (Matthew 5:8, James 4:8, 1 Timothy 1:5). It's not impossible. Nothing is impossible with God. So, if you want to be free from being controlled by your sexuality in any way, possibly until you have a husband, you can pray and seek God about that. There is no need to see marriage as a "savior" from a hopeless situation until that time comes. That's not how you should see or live your life as a Christian. You can be in that place of perfect peace where God gives you the grace to live for Him as a fully functional single woman (not lacking anything). And when a man would come to be your husband, it will be a bonus to the blessed and balanced life you would have already had based on your relationship with God.

LOOKING AT "CUTE MEN" FOR TOO LONG

Looking for "too long" is the key observation. There is nothing wrong with the acknowledgment of "cuteness," but after looking for 5 seconds, a seed can be planted in your heart to have thoughts that Jesus wouldn't want you to be dwelling on. You just have to have the discipline to cut the sight short or shift your focus as needed and pray always. If you know that being married is in your purpose, then you should be praying to be in every way the woman God has intended for the man who will be called your husband, and for him to find you in due time and be ready as well to become your husband. I have a male's perspective but I think you may be dealing with the same reality.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Struggling with Lust? (Message for Men)

Standing In Position To Receive By Faith (guidance for prayer)

■ (punto)

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Monday, November 16, 2020

If You Want Newness in Your Life…

Image by 272447 from Pixabay

Cleaning up your physical space is a good exercise. It helps you see in 3D what things you may be attached to in a spiritual sense and that may serve you nothing. Keep what you need, donate what may serve another and get rid of the rest. Let then what is essential be tailored for its most usefulness and effectiveness.

If you want newness in your life, you must make room for what you want to come into your life. If you're going to turn a page, do it cleanly and completely. That is, when you get to what you call the new, you must not hold on to any shadow of the old. Some can more easily than others turn life stories into history, whether it is with another person in a relationship, a job, even a house, etc., but these times come when pages must be turned, when new chapters need to start, and we may not right then be fully aware of the affection we have towards things that belong to a day passed. And that is a state of delusion: the failure to fully grasp what the new reality is and to embrace it while correctly placing in the past what belongs there (not trying to "save" what must be put behind). And this can happen even when the turn is fully within our control to make.

Without effort or much thought, we can erect monuments or allow monuments to remain standing in our lives (for a memorial) that only takes space and to which we allow easy access to come and occupy our thoughts. That is disorder. Indeed, some have moving on down to a science and it may profit them well (unless it's about escaping responsibility, for instance), but some simply don't have it naturally to let things go and move on. To the latter, I want to encourage you to love the truth and to be quick to assess and acknowledge your reality, but not only that, to not waste time living in two worlds even passively. That is, you may not be actively or consciously looking towards the past from the point where you are in your life, but you allow things from your past to come pay your mind a visit for no useful purpose anytime they please. Yes, that is disorder.

It takes some time to clean up space, whether it is physical or emotional space. It takes some time. But it's a job that needs to be done like any other job. It requires clarity on what is not in order and a determined effort to reach that state of order and readiness of the new space in your life for new things, new people and new experiences to come in.

See also:
How To Pray

Original publication date: 2016-02-17

Friday, October 30, 2020

Is Will Power Necessary to Have Victory Over Sin?

It's total submission to God that is necessary rather than will power. Your will "power" needs to be in your willingness to totally submit to God (James 4:7-8).

Your attitude as you approach God is very important and will determine what kind of result you get. The real power to live the life that is pleasing to God will be given to you by the grace of God (Titus 2:11-14). It's when you are humble before God and weak in your own eyes that you will cry out for his deliverance and then He will make you strong by his power (e.g. 2 Corinthians 12:9). You have to take your "self" out of the way to follow Jesus. He said it like this: "If anyone wants to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me" (Luke 9:23). Not many are willing to do that. And that's why not many are getting any practical results out of their faith.

False teachings do not lead people to follow God's precepts. Thus, many want to wave a magic wand rather than approach God the way He has prescribed (e.g. James 1:21-22), being willing to repent genuinely and stop living for themselves (Romans 6:4-11, 2 Corinthians 5:15). One of those false teachings is to "trust" in a particular result of having faith in God while doing nothing and believing that Jesus did it all (video). It's very popular. "But why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do the things which I say?" (Luke 6:46) would be Jesus' question to those believers who call their faith a conviction that requires them to do nothing. Essentially, they are believing that faith without works (of faith) is not dead (comp. James 2:26, Galatians 5:6, 1 John 5:3). But they do need to strive to enter through the narrow door (Luke 13:24), and God will energize their dilligent efforts (Philippians 2:12-13).

There is a lot of baggage that may come with the world's idea of "will power." And that's not what the Bible teaches to those who want to follow God's ways. They only have to be "willing" to wholeheartedly obey God in all if they love Him. And if that's will power, that's real power!

Tuesday, October 27, 2020

Condition to Remain in the Book of Life

The condition for the name of someone who is saved to remain in the book of life is to overcome.

Revelation 3:5

He that overcomes, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name from the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.

Reminders:

Luke 13:24

Make every effort to enter in through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter in and will not be able.

John 15:18-20

18 If the world hates you, you know that it has hated me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own. But because you are not of the world, since I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 20 Remember the word that I said to you: 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will keep yours also.

Matthew 10:22

And you will be hated by all for my name's sake: but he who endures to the end will be saved.

Acts 14:22

... we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.

1 Corinthians 9:24-27

24 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. 25 And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. 26 Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. 27 But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.

Being born again does not mean you have overcome when all is said and done, because all is not yet said and done. You have trials you will go through for your faith to be tested and you'd better "put on Christ" and be overcoming in them. So, we must be overcomers today and continue to be overcomers until Jesus comes. That implies listening to all the exhortations made to believers in the Bible and doing all the things commanded to us for a victorious walk with the grace of God (Titus 2:11-14, Romans 6:14).

Monday, October 26, 2020

Anger in the Bible — Is it a Sin?

Anger is not a sin in itself but it can be sinful (for instance, anger "without cause"):
Matthew 5:22

Anger can be provoked:
Colossians 3:21

Anger is exhorted against:
Ephesians 4:31, Colossians 3:8

Anger should not be allowed to become sinful (for instance, giving place to hatred or wrath or any other sin opposed to the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23):
Ephesians 4:26-27
Romans 12:18-21

But anger is justified against wickedness (evil/sin):
Mark 3:5
Matthew 21:12-23
Ephesians 5:11
Galatians 2:11-13

And God's judgement against sinners¹ will be the final expression of his anger against them and thus his justice will be served:
Psalm 7:11
John 3:36
Romans 1:18
Jude 1:14-15
2 Thessalonians 1:3-10

1. That's sinners who do not repent and get converted as God has commanded for salvation (Acts 2:38, Acts 3:19, Acts 17:30-31, Acts 20:20-21). That's people who cannot speak of a transformation by God's power as highlighted in 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 or Titus 3:3-7 for instance, thus remaining on the wrong side of the contrast Jesus will make in the end according to the word in Revelation 22:11-12.

Thursday, October 8, 2020

Finding Rebekah (Genesis 24)

Asking to receive and seeking to find can be intertwined.

Seeking
Genesis 24:10-11
10 Then the servant left, taking with him ten of his master’s camels loaded with all kinds of good things from his master. He set out for Aram Naharaim and made his way to the town of Nahor. 11 He had the camels kneel down near the well outside the town; it was toward evening, the time the women go out to draw water.

Asking
Genesis 24:12-14
12 Then he prayed, “Lord, God of my master Abraham, make me successful today, and show kindness to my master Abraham. 13 See, I am standing beside this spring, and the daughters of the townspeople are coming out to draw water. 14 May it be that when I say to a young woman, ‘Please let down your jar that I may have a drink,’ and she says, ‘Drink, and I’ll water your camels too’—let her be the one you have chosen for your servant Isaac. By this I will know that you have shown kindness to my master.”

Being Alert and Watching
Genesis 24:15-16
15 Before he had finished praying, Rebekah came out with her jar on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel son of Milkah, who was the wife of Abraham’s brother Nahor. 16 The woman was very beautiful, a virgin; no man had ever slept with her. She went down to the spring, filled her jar and came up again.

Seeking ("being thirsty" lol)
Genesis 24:17
The servant hurried to meet her and said, “Please give me a little water from your jar.”

Watching/Waiting

Genesis 24:18-21
18 “Drink, my lord,” she said, and quickly lowered the jar to her hands and gave him to drink. 19 After she had given him to drink, she said, “I’ll draw water for your camels too, until they have had enough to drink.” 20 So she quickly emptied her jar into the trough, ran back to the well to draw more water, and drew enough for all his camels. 21 Without saying a word, the man watched her closely to learn whether or not the Lord had made his journey successful.

Seeking
Genesis 24:22-23
22 When the camels had finished drinking, the man took out a gold nose ring weighing a beka and two gold bracelets weighing ten shekels. 23 Then he asked, “Whose daughter are you? Please tell me, is there room in your father’s house for us to spend the night?”

Watching/Waiting
Genesis 24:24-25
24 She answered him, “I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son that Milkah bore to Nahor.” 25 And she added, “We have plenty of straw and fodder, as well as room for you to spend the night.”

Praising God for the opened door
Genesis 24:26-27
26 Then the man bowed down and worshiped the Lord, 27 saying, “Praise be to the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who has not abandoned his kindness and faithfulness to my master. As for me, the Lord ***has led me*** on the journey to the house of my master’s relatives.”

Conclusion
Seeking to find is not contrary to asking to receive, but rather is complementary. It is done in the context of a prayer with the faith that one will be led the right way. The seeking must be done in faith. It must be guided by one's faith and cannot involve anything that is outside of God's will (sin/disobedience).

Matthew 7:7-11
7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: 8 For every one that asks receives; and he that seeks finds; and to him that knocks it shall be opened. 9 Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? 11 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!

James 1:17
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.

Topics related to this post: prayer, faith, patience, perseverance, finding spouse, finding wife, finding husband, relationships, Christian, dating, matchmaking, marriage.

See also:
How To Pray

Cryptic note: Adam goes to sleep (Genesis 2:21) 🙂🤣😇 #toomuchwork

Speak To Your Mountains

James 1:2-4
2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you encounter various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 4 Let endurance have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

1 Peter 4:12-13
12 Beloved, do not be astonished at the fiery trial which has come upon you, to test you, as though a strange thing happened to you. 13 But because you are partakers of Christ's sufferings, rejoice; that at the revelation of his glory you also may rejoice with exceeding joy.

Acts 14:21-22
21 When they had preached the Good News to that city, and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, 22 confirming the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that through many afflictions we must enter into the Kingdom of God.

John 16:33 (English Standard Version)
I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.
You will face situations to which you must bring solutions by exercising your faith. Mountains will be on your way. Speak to them.

Mark 11:23
Truly I tell you, whoever may tell this mountain, 'Be taken up and cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him.

Jesus spoke those words, friends. So, have faith, open your mouth and speak to your mountains; and be praying according to the will of God until you see what you have prayed for be done.

1 John 5:14-15
14 This is the boldness which we have toward him, that, if we ask anything according to his will, he listens to us. 15 And if we know that he listens to us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions which we have asked of him.

Do you believe that you are able to move a mountain, or rather that it will be done for you (Mark 11:23) because you have believed it? Reminder: "apart from me you can do nothing," Jesus said (John 15:5).

Matthew 9:29 (Berean Literal Bible)
"... According to your faith be it to you."

O you of little faith, when the Son of Man comes, will he find the faith on the earth? (cf. Matthew 6:30; Luke 18:8).

Hebrews 11:1 (King James Version)
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Mark 11:22-26
22 Jesus answered them, "Have faith in God. 23 Truly I tell you, whoever may tell this mountain, 'Be taken up and cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. 24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. 25 Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone; so that your Father, who is in heaven, may also forgive you your transgressions. 26 But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your transgressions."

You must “go up against” your mountains
Consider this:
1 Chronicles 14:10
David inquired of God, saying, "Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will you deliver them into my hand?" The LORD said to him, "Go up; for I will deliver them into your hand."

God allowed the Philistines to rise as a threat against king David so you can count on contrary things to form against you in this world. But whatever those things may be, you go with God against them. The assurance of his deliverance is with you if you have believed his word concerning the matter at hand. You don’t just go and hope to be a hero but seek God rather until you hear from Him how you should address your challenges. He will show you his way of securing you the victory that shall also glorify Him. But note that it is necessary, even as you are relying upon God for the victory, that you get out of your comfort zone and even move into a place where you may feel weak, vulnerable, afraid and in need of comfort. God knows that, and so He says, “Be courageous” (cf. Joshua 1:6-7, 9). Your faith is being tested and your mind is being renewed about what you may be tempted to call impossible as you walk with God (Luke 1:37; Matthew 17:20). And it’s in your reliance upon God that you will confront what is coming at you or is acting against you and will see his deliverance. The getting up and going may come with its fears, but this is where you prove your faith in that God’s word has more weight to you than your fears.

1 John 4:4
You are of God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is he who is in you than he who is in the world.

The apostle John said that concerning false prophets; so, make sure you aren’t following any. But the understanding applies to any circumstance that would come to overcome you in some way and keep you from any goodness you hold as a promise of your Father to you and towards which you march with faith and patience (Hebrews 6:11-12). He who is in you is greater!

●   Have faith and not doubt (Mark 11:22-23) ✔️

●   Speak to the burden in question, the mountain that you need to be moved (Mark 11:23) ✔️

●   Ask in prayer and be praying as you have learned from Jesus (Luke 11:5-13; Luke 18:1-8) ✔️

●   Have no unforgiveness in your heart (Mark 11:25; Matthew 6:14-15) ✔️

●   Be and remain in a relationship with God (John 15:4-14; John 9:31; 2 Timothy 2:19) ✔️

Read the scripture passages and meditate on them. Put audio versions on repeat if you can. You have no chance of walking by faith the way God wants you to without having his word firmly settled in you. It’s harder then for lies that would feed your fears and cast doubts in you to get into your mind and trouble your heart.

2 Timothy 3:16-17
16 All Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.
Finally, brethren, remember that we do not wrestle against flesh and blood (Ephesians 6:12):

2 Corinthians 10:3-5
3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not wage war according to the flesh; 4 for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but mighty in God for the tearing down of strongholds, 5 throwing down imaginations and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God, and bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ…

May Jesus bless you!

"Speak To Your Mountains" is a chapter of the book The Day I Shouted "HalleluYah!" by Giscard Nazon.

See also:
How To Pray

Standing In Position To Receive By Faith

Praying Is like Hammering

It implies you are fit (in shape) to be swinging a hammer — in this case, the hammer of faith. And your fitness means, for instance, that you don't have a twisted idea of God's character, you have a relationship with Him that you have maintained (you have been faithful to walk in obedience to Him), you have the faith, you have a basis for your prayer according to God's will (his word), and you carry no unforgiveness towards people who have done you wrong. Praying implies also a commitment on your part to persevere and not give up (Luke 18:1) until you see something get revealed (e.g. God’s precise will, the truth about a yoke in your life or a wrong mindset), or until you see something take shape, break or get in place.

Fasting can accentuate your hammer swinging, especially when you know that God is leading you to do it by saying, "Fast, my son/daughter," even precisely when you had been contemplating some food to eat. You may fast also when you are in full agreement in your heart to fast along with someone or a group according to a set schedule and purpose — under God's direction, still. The accent that fasting brings to prayer has the potential to shape your situation and/or your relationship with God profoundly, and also even to shape your prayer. And that shaping of your prayer will be to lead you to pray in the will of God for right things, with no underlying fears. For a prayer that is less than perfectly formulated can mask a real need that you are afraid to admit and so don’t think to bring to God (Philippians 4:6). But being a dynamic and personal exchange, prayer also has room for a correction of its expression through its own process (the direction to take will be given). You must not be shy when you pray or unduly modest and get tempted to go and find your own "satisfactory" solutions, apart from God's direction, to issues that you face. Because He is the Father “who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think” (Ephesians 3:20). He can confirm our every step. May we be willing also to ask Him to!

The implication of not praying for the right things is among others to be seeing God as smaller and less able than He is, through a twisted lens feeding you imaginations that you must cast down (2 Corinthians 10:4-5). And the effect is that it diminishes God's glory to be revealed in your life as you bear fruit and He makes your joy full (John 15:7-8; John 16:24).

Lastly, as you fast and shut off interferences from your flesh, you can get the clarity you need to fight your battles in the right order. Nothing is random with God; and things are done gradually. So, if an order applies to the many complex things you may be facing in your life, you need to get clarity on that so you can march towards the victories that you seek, and not be stuck on step B and agonizing about it when you have neglected step A instructions. Be watching and be praying always and you shall walk under precise direction.

Matthew 7:7-11 (World English Bible)
7 "Ask, and it will be given you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and it will be opened for you. 8 For everyone who asks receives. He who seeks finds. To him who knocks it will be opened. 9 Or who is there among you, who, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, who will give him a serpent? 11 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

John 16:22-24
22 Therefore you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your heart will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you. 23 "And in that day you will ask nothing of me. Truly, truly I tell you, whatever you may ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you. 24 Until now, you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be made full.

Luke 11:5-13 (World English Bible)
5 He said to them, "Which of you, if you go to a friend at midnight, and tell him, 'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, 6 for a friend of mine has come to me from a journey, and I have nothing to set before him,' 7 and he from within will answer and say, 'Don't bother me. The door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed. I can't get up and give it to you'? 8 I tell you, although he will not rise and give it to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence, he will get up and give him as many as he needs. 9 "I tell you, keep asking, and it will be given you. Keep seeking, and you will find. Keep knocking, and it will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives. He who seeks finds. To him who knocks it will be opened. 11 "Which of you fathers, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, he won't give him a snake instead of a fish, will he? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, he won't give him a scorpion, will he? 13 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?"

Luke 18:1-8
1 He also spoke a parable to them that they must always pray, and not give up, 2 saying, "There was a judge in a certain city who did not fear God, and did not respect man. 3 A widow was in that city, and she often came to him, saying, 'Give me justice against my adversary.' 4 He would not for a while, but afterward he said to himself, 'Though I neither fear God, nor respect man, 5 yet because this widow bothers me, I will give her justice, or else she will wear me out by her continual coming.'" 6 The Lord said, "Listen to what the unrighteous judge says. 7 Won't God avenge his chosen ones, who are crying out to him day and night, and yet he exercises patience with them? 8 I tell you that he will avenge them quickly. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find [the] faith on the earth?"

May Jesus bless you!

Praying Is Like Hammering is a chapter of the book The Day I Shouted "HalleluYah!" by Giscard Nazon.

See also:
How To Pray

Standing In Position To Receive By Faith

Image by Clker-Free-Vector-Images from Pixabay

Monday, September 14, 2020

The Gospel Is Not "Don't Take the Mark of the Beast." It's "Repent."

The beast isn't a science fiction movie kind of animal that you can shoot at with laser guns. It's a Babylonian system of false worship that is functioning on the earth and that will ultimately be destroyed (cf. Revelation 17-18). Don't let Hollywood fool you, nor any actor dressed as a minister of Christ (2 Corinthians 11:13-15). Come out of and stay out of that system (Revelation 18:4; 2 Corinthians 6:17-18).

The Bible says nothing in the book of Revelation about running or hiding or carrying weapons in order to not take the mark of the beast. Those who take it gladly receive it because they are already worshipers of the beast and not of God. They are big fans and followers of the beast, saying, "Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?” (Revelation 13:4). Their thoughts (mark on their foreheads) and actions (mark on their right hand) express those sentiments and they are deceived about where they stand with God —utterly deceived, especially if they call themselves Christians but are actually heading to a Matthew 7:21-23 reality check. They may not love the truth that can save them (2 Thessalonians 2:10).

Bearing the mark of the beast is rejection of God's reign over one's heart ultimately. It's refusing to submit to God wholeheartedly and to resist the devil (James 4:7-8). It's basically bowing to the devil and remaining under his power (2 Timothy 2:25, Acts 26:18). So, staying with the mark is maintaining the separation between oneself and God because of sin and, alas, despite Jesus having come into the world to bridge the gap between God and mankind (1 Timothy 2:5) and offer eternal life instead of death to those who would live for Him. The mark of the beast is then fundamentally a spiritual mark that only confirms those who are not doing the will of God on earth when they should have chosen to repent and follow Jesus (Mark 1:15, Mark 8:34).

So, the thing for a person to avoid in this time is to be embracing a false gospel that twists a few scriptures here and there, and thinking that one is saved or a Christian (according to the Bible's definition, cf. Acts 11:26). That is indeed being under a "strong delusion" (2 Thessalonians 2:11). To possibly come out of that, it is necessary to have an immense hatred for lies and no soft spot for any sinful thing whatsoever.

If you know that you have followed Jesus and have become a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 6:15; John 3:6-7), you have eternal life by faith now (1 John 5:13). The seal of God is already on your forehead (2 Timothy 2:19). Revelation 7:3 has already happened for you. You have no beast nor mark of the beast to worry about. That is in your past and hopefully will stay in your past if you remain faithful to Jesus to the end. It's the beast rather that should worry about you opening your mouth to preach the truth to whoever has ears to hear it until you can't do that anymore. You know who Jesus is and He knows you. And if it comes to it, it's nothing to die for your faith. It would be an honor.

Matthew 10:28
And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

Revelation 12:11-12, 17
11 They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony. They did not love their life, even to death. 12 Therefore rejoice, heavens, and you who dwell in them. Woe to the land and the sea, because the devil has gone down to you, having great wrath, knowing that he has but a short time.
17 The dragon grew angry with the woman, and went away to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep God’s commandments and hold to the testimony of Jesus.

2 Timothy 4:1-5
1 I charge you therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the living and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; 2 Preach the word; be diligent in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they draw to themselves teachers, having itching ears; 4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto myths. 5 But you watch in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fully carry out your ministry.

Titus 2:11-15
11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all people, 12 instructing us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly desires, and to live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present age; 13 looking for the blessed hope and appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ; 14 who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify for himself a people for his own possession, zealous for good works. 15 Say these things and exhort and reprove with all authority. Let no one despise you.

Wednesday, September 9, 2020

Forgiveness of Sins Is Not Something You Just Claim

Forgiveness of sins is not something you just claim. You need to seek it from God. It's part of the process to be reconciled to God through repentance. You receive it by faith because you cannot ask and be in doubt. And you will know also when your sins are forgiven, with unmistakable peace coming into your heart with the weight of sin being lifted from it; and you will have the joy of knowing you are no longer on God's "wrong" side, no longer under his wrath. If you truly understand the seriousness of sin, how God looks at it and the penalty that it deserves, that forgiveness you receive will be like being a criminal coming out of death row and being given the opportunity to live a different way. It's hard to maintain an ongoing relationship with sin (alongside a relationship with Jesus) with such an understanding. "I do not condemn you. Go, and sin no more" (John 8:11) should then be a word that is well understood and heeded by you, as a sinner who has received mercy instead of the condemnation deserved (e.g. 1 Timothy 1:13-16).

John 3:36
The one who believes in the Son has eternal life, but the one who disobeys the Son will not see life. Instead, the wrath of God remains on him.

disobedience = unbelief
belief = obedience

Image by OpenClipart-Vectors from Pixabay

So, you can't just put your trust in the fact that Jesus died so the sins of sinners could be forgiven in order to be forgiven yourself. He did that and provided the means for you to receive forgiveness for your own personal sins when you personally approach Him for that forgiveness and reconciliation to God.

And note that you don't go to God seeking forgiveness for sins you are premeditating to do in the future, or thinking you may possibly be open to do. That is mocking God. He forgives your past sins (Romans 3:25; 2 Peter 1:9) when you do repent, sets you free from sin (John 8:31-36) and enables you by his grace to overcome sin (Titus 2:11-14) so you don't go on sinning (Romans 6:1-2; Galatians 2:17). So, this saying that one's "past, present and future sins" are covered under Jesus' blood is just a cover-up in the circles where that lie is preached to give people false peace in the reality that their sins have not stopped after being declared "saved" and filled with the Holy Spirit. They were not brought to faith in Jesus through repentance. That is the calamity that is being masked from every side by false teaching piling upon false teaching.

Repentance then is you turning away from being disobedient and submitting yourself to be Jesus' obedient servant (if you are disobedient to Him, you are not his servant and you can't call Him your Lord).

Sin is disobedience. Hearing God's word and doing his will is what makes you obedient. And it's out of a heart that loves Him that you will obey Him (John 14:15, 1 John 5:3). So, you cannot obtain forgiveness of sins with an unrepentant (still disobedient and rebellious) heart. Your heart must be softened towards God if you are going to walk with Him in a relationship based on love. None of that happens when you just stand and claim that you are forgiven because you believe that what Jesus did on the cross is true. It's true but God requires your personal approach to Him and your personal accountability for your own sins that his light has shined on you to see.

James 4:8-10
8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double minded. 9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. 10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

The acknowledgement of your sins before God is necessary. Then you need to be sorry if you are seeking to be reconciled to God (as much as to anyone you have hurt with your behavior). Being sorry is not something you can learn or follow like a "step" to salvation. It's either you are sorry or you are not. Either you understand how you have personally opposed God's ways and offended Him or you don't. God can't be fooled. Godly sorrow (Psalm 51:17; 2 Corinthians 7:10-11) is what will make you understand repentance as turning away from sin (offense against God) unmistakably. If you never had godly sorrow over your sins because all that you heard was a motivational message working up your emotions about what Jesus did on the cross, and nothing to convict you of your sins (make you see yourself as God sees you as a sinner who stood against Him in your ignorance), then you will remain in sin, not forgiven, and under God's wrath until you do repent as God expects it from you.

Those who want to develop methodologies to get people "saved" (according to themselves) in some uniform or ritualistic way are sure to come up with steps to lead the people away from coming to God as the Bible teaches. The approach will have to be impersonal and the message of Jesus will be diluted because of the concern to not offend anyone with God's truth. False ministers will be wanting to please men rather than to please God, being ashamed of Jesus and of his words (Mark 8:38). The truth of God's word that could let people see themselves as God sees them (James 1:21-25) will be suppressed by the wickedness of such false ministers (Romans 1:18; 2 Corinthians 11:13-15) who strengthen the hand of sinners to go on sinning.

Ezekiel 13:22-23
22 Because with lies you have made the heart of the righteous sad, whom I have not made sad; and strengthened the hands of the wicked, that he should not return from his wicked way, by promising him life: 23 Therefore you shall see no more vanity, nor divine divinations: for I will deliver my people out of your hand: and you shall know that I am the LORD.

There are plenty today like these prophets of Jerusalem. They gladly accept to be called "Reverend" and people do revere them and are deceived and overcome by them (2 Peter 2:28-19, not 1 John 4:4):

(( 2 Peter 2:18-19

18 For when they speak great swelling words of emptiness, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through lewdness, the ones who have actually escaped from those who live in error. 19 While they promise them liberty, they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by whom a person is overcome, by him also he is brought into bondage.

vs.

1 John 4:4

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

Jeremiah 23:14-16
14 I have seen also in the prophets of Jerusalem an horrible thing: they commit adultery, and walk in lies: they strengthen also the hands of evildoers, that none does return from his wickedness; they are all of them unto me as Sodom, and the inhabitants thereof as Gomorrah. 15 Therefore thus says the LORD of hosts concerning the prophets; Behold, I will feed them with wormwood, and make them drink the water of gall: for from the prophets of Jerusalem is profaneness gone forth into all the land. 16 Thus says the LORD of hosts, Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you: they make you vain: they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the LORD.

Such will want to grow the number of people that are attached to themselves (e.g. Acts 20:30), rather than to grow the number of people they would lead out of sin and into God's kingdom. They will tell you to just put your trust in some facts, and you can then claim that you are "saved" and have a relationship with God. And once that supposed relationship grows (supposedly), it becomes at some point even too costly for many who receive a rebuke for believing false teachings to come humbly before God and ask for his forgiveness and his help to tear down what He had not built, and then build with Him on the solid foundation of his truth.

2 Timothy 2:19
Nevertheless the foundation of God stands sure, having this seal, The Lord knows thosd who are his. And, Let every one who names the name of Christ depart from unrighteousness.

Acts 20:20-21
20 [You know] how I kept back nothing that was profitable, but proclaimed it to you, and taught you publicly and from house to house, 21 testifying to Jews, and also to Greeks, (1) repentance toward God and (2) faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.

Acts 26:19-20
19 “Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, 20 but declared first to those in Damascus and in Jerusalem, and throughout all the region of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent, turn to God, and do works consistent with repentance.

1 John 4:1
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.

Repentance According to the Bible

Faith Implies Obedience

Past Sins are Forgiven — Past, Present and Future Sins are NOT Pre-Forgiven

True Humility Is Needed to Cry Out for Salvation

Godly Sorrow Leads to Repentance

Connecting with God - video playlist

Original publication date: 2017-09-06

True Humility Is Needed to Cry Out for Salvation

True humility will make any sincere Christian broken before God about not being perfect, making mistakes and messing up all the time. If you don't see these things as your misery, then you are all set: you love your life (G5590) the way it is. But if you see these things as your misery and you truly want it to end, because you do love God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength and want to please Him above all, nobody will need to tell you anything and you will cry out to God to be SAVED from that misery and to receive a new life, even eternal life (G2222).

John 12:25
He who loves his life (G5590) will lose it, and he who hates his life (G5590) in this world will keep it for eternal life (G2222).

Mark 8:34
For whoever desires to save his life (G5590) will lose it, but whoever loses his life (G5590) for My sake and the gospel’s will save it.

You must die to sin and be raised from the dead in newness of life (G2222):

Romans 6:3-11
3 Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death (cf. repent and be baptized - Acts 2:38)? 4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. (G2222) 5 For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, 6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. 7 For he who has died has been freed from sin. 8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, 9 knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. 10 For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. 11 Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Matthew 5:6
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness (not sin), for they shall be filled.

Coming as you are to God does imply a changed heart

What does "by grace are you saved through faith" (Ephesians 2:8) really mean?

See definitions and lists of passages using those different words for "life":
Strong's G2222 - zōē (eternal life):
https://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?strongs=G2222

Strong's G5590 - psychē (this passing life):
https://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?strongs=G5590

Image by BedexpStock from Pixabay

"God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble"

(James 4:6)

What is the Grace of God?

Original publication date: 2017-09-12
Last modified: 2020-09-14