Who Feeds YOU?

There are some good teachers and preachers out there, but I trust no one 100%.  What I find brings about the most spiritual growth is listening to the KJV on MP3s (or reading it).  After you’ve heard or read enough of it, the Holy Spirit begins tying it together for you so that you understand things.  He will also bring verses to your remembrance when relevant (or key words from verses, so you can look them up).   This is the most important ‘food’ of all.

‘But the Comforter, [which is] the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, HE SHALL TEACH YOU all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.’  (John 14:26)

‘But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and YE NEED NOT THAT ANY MAN TEACH YOU; but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.’  (1 John 2:27)

Yes, we can learn from and sharpen one another–but we should not look to the teachings of men for sustenance.  Whenever anyone stands between us and the Word of God, we MUST pray for discernment about what they are saying, listen critically, and check to see if it lines up with The Word.  (That means taking notes or stopping the audio/video to look things up in the Bible.)

I don’t believe in revelation that comes apart from the Word of God.  The Holy Spirit will reveal things to you AS YOU LISTEN or read God’s Word.  If things are revealed to you at other times, He will also bring to mind the Scriptures that go with them.  Too many people are setting aside the Word in favor of revelation through dreams or visions, etc.

Be VERY careful when you hear people preaching, and be sure that what they are saying lines up with the Bible.  (Be VERY cautious when they say that JESUS told them something, or they had a  vision of Jesus!!)  Surprisingly,  there are preachers who will preach on a verse, but when you look it up in the Bible, you see they took it completely out of its context.

Another favorite of false teachers is to act as though they’ve received revelation or understanding of some obscure verse that no one else seems to understand.  If they are ‘successful’, doctrine is built around their ideas (doctrines of demons) and a new cult, movement, or denomination springs up.

What I’ve found, as I study the Word, is REPETITION.  Ideas are repeated throughout Scripture–often even in the same passage–stated two or three times in slightly different ways in order to fully reveal it.  ‘Stand alone verses’ should be set aside as something we simply don’t understand yet.

If what someone is teaching is like nothing you’ve ever heard before–be very suspicious!!  Especially if you have a hard time correlating it with what you already know from God’s Word.  PRAY for wisdom and discernment–especially at times like that.

‘If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all [men] liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.’  (James 1:5)

Wisdom and discernment are not just gifts of the spirit for certain people, any and ALL of us can pray and ask for them.  God will grant it to you if you ask, but it’s not permanent.  Pray for it daily for best results.  🙂

Church Building

‘ . . . Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it . . . ‘ (Psalm 127:1)

‘ . . . And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.’ (Acts 2:47)

Why then, should we become so concerned about numbers, that we compromise they truth to get people into the pews? Once we usurp God’s role in building a church, He will turn elsewhere to build it.

Chastisement

America is under God’s judgment. The stench of America’s sins have reached to heaven. Are we not Americans too? Have our sins not added to the stench? Why should we join with those who rebel against the judgment of God and shake their fist in His face when judgment comes? Should we be yoked with those who continue defiantly in their sin–or should we not set an example for them, by bowing our heads in submission to God’s chastisement and acknowledging that He is righteous in judging our nation?

Yes, hard things are coming: loss of our rights, loss of our sovereignty, loss of many things. But we must entrust ourselves to God, and be examples of those (Americans) who ACKNOWLEDGE their sins and REPENT. We must walk in humility, not stiffen our necks as judgment comes upon us. How can we ever hope for the wicked to repent, under God’s hand of judgment, if WE don’t be an example of the proper mindset towards our rightly deserved judgment?

Guaranteed Ticket to Heaven?

If you think that just by believing in Jesus, you’ve got a guaranteed ticket to Heaven, think again. You can’t live just any way you please. Only those who heed the Holy Spirit and ‘abide’ in Jesus Christ, through obedience, will make Heaven their home.

‘Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that DOETH the will of my Father which is in heaven.’ (Jesus, Matthew 7:21)

Do you think God is such a pushover that He is going to let willful, rebellious children into Heaven?

Note this, and remember WHO is the author of ‘The Law’ . . .

‘If a man have a stubborn and rebellious son, which will not obey the voice of his father, or the voice of his mother, and [that], when they have chastened him, will not hearken unto them: Then shall his father and his mother lay hold on him, and bring him out unto the elders of his city, and unto the gate of his place; And they shall say unto the elders of his city, This our son [is] stubborn and rebellious, he will not obey our voice; [he is] a glutton, and a drunkard. And all the men of his city shall stone him with stones, that he die: so shalt thou put evil away from among you; and all Israel shall hear, and fear.’ (Deut. 21:18-21)

You may argue that we are now in the ‘age of grace’ and are no longer under The Law. This is true–but be sure you don’t misunderstand grace. Here is what the NEW Testament has to say, about willful, rebellious Christians:

”For if we sin WILFULLY after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.

He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?

For we know him that hath said, Vengeance [belongeth] unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his [It is] a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.’ (Hebrews 10:26-31)

CHOOSE daily to walk in obedience to God’s Word, and to obey the leading of the Holy Spirit, and Romans 8:1 will apply to you:

‘[There is] therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, WHO WALK NOT AFTER THE FLESH, BUT AFTER THE SPIRIT.’

How many pastors today are preaching the truth on this subject? From my experience . . . not many. Instead, they let their congregations or their board of directors/elders dictate what they will preach . . .

‘For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away [their] ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.’ (2 Timothy 4:3-4)

‘. . . this [is] a rebellious people, lying children, children [that] will not hear the law of the LORD: Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits: Get you out of the way, turn aside out of the path, cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us.’ (Isaiah 30:9-11)

If your preacher preaches ‘smooth things’ instead of edifying and convicting truth, then you can be sure that your church is being led by rebellious men (or women), rather than by the Spirit of God. Get out before you suffer their fate!:

‘ . . . them that perish; because they received not THE LOVE OF THE TRUTH, that they might be saved. And for this cause GOD shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.’ (2 Thess. 2:10-12)

Forever Forgiven?

Are we ‘forever forgiven’?

‘Whom God hath set forth [to be] a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are PAST, through the forbearance of God’ (Romans 3:25)

For PAST sins–yes.

And as long as we choose to continue to walk in the Spirit**, our PRESENT stumblings are forgiven too (Romans 8:1)

**walking in the Spirit is walking in OBEDIENCE to God . . . to what the Holy Spirit is showing us . . . to what we know is right

However,

‘For if we sin WILFULLY after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.

He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?

For we know him that hath said, Vengeance [belongeth] unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his [It is] a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.’ (Hebrews 10:26-31)

‘Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that DOETH the will of my Father which is in heaven.’ (Jesus, Matthew 7:21)

If you attempt to mock God by trying to use Jesus as a free ticket to Heaven, while continuing to live a life of sin, you will reap what you sow.  God is not mocked.  Count the cost before you enter into a blood oath with God.

True conversion means being willing to DIE to your old life and LIVE for Him.  HE will make you ABLE to do so, by the power of His Spirit.

Quit Smoking

If you feel convicted to stop smoking cigarettes, don’t focus on the cigarettes . . . focus on the DEMON that keeps you addicted! This is why so many people are unable to quit–they never get rid of the demon.

Bind the spirit of tobacco addiction, in Jesus’ name, and command it to flee. Do this EVERY time you have the urge to smoke.

Every time you think about cigarettes, rebuke the thought, in Jesus’ name, and refuse to dwell on it. (We are to ‘take every thought captive’.)

Over time, you will be bothered less and less. From time to time (even months or years after you quit), a demon will come along and try to tempt you to start up again. Rebuke it in Jesus’ name, and refuse to allow yourself to think about it.

Resist the devil and he will flee from you! If he has a stronghold in your life, expect it to take more than a day or two. Demons can be persistent, but never give up! Greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world.

FASTING, even just a meal at a time, will strengthen you spiritually and weaken ‘the flesh’. If you can fast, it will help you in your battle.

Remember, the battle is not against cigarettes, it is against the demonic forces of addiction. The devil comes to steal, kill, and destroy. Don’t let yourself be his victim. Get mad and fight back!

The Coming Persecution

The ‘handwriting is on the wall’ for us (American Christians) now . . .

‘Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake.

And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.

And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.’ (Matt. 24:9-14)

‘But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak. For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you.

And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against [their] parents, and cause them to be put to death.

And ye shall be hated of all [men] for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.‘ (Matt. 10:19-22)

A Vile Person, to Whom They Shall Not Give the Honour of the Kingdom

Here are some scriptures pertaining to ‘The Antichrist’:

‘And in his estate shall stand up a vile person, to whom they shall not give the honour of the kingdom*: but he shall come in peaceably, and obtain the kingdom by flatteries.

And with the arms of a flood shall they be overflown from before him, and shall be broken**; yea, also the prince of the covenant.

And after the league [made] with him he shall work deceitfully: for he shall come up, and shall become strong with a small people. He shall enter peaceably even upon the fattest places of the province; and he shall do [that] which his fathers have not done, nor his fathers’ fathers; he shall scatter among them the prey, and spoil, and riches: [yea], and he shall forecast his devices against the strong holds***, even for a time. . .

. . . And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries: but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do [exploits]. And they that understand among the people shall instruct many: yet they shall fall by the sword, and by flame, by captivity, and by spoil, [many] days.

Now when they shall fall, they shall be holpen with a little help: but many shall cleave to them with flatteries. And [some] of them of understanding shall fall, to try them, and to purge, and to make [them] white, [even] to the time of the end: because [it is] yet for a time appointed.

And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done. Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all.’ (Daniel 11:21-24, 32-37)

* Wins through election fraud

** He will destroy the people of his nation

*** The military? (Repeal of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’, etc.?)

 

This is also about the Antichrist, after he is dead, and confirms that he destroyed the people of his own nation:

All the kings of the nations, [even] all of them, lie in glory, every one in his own house. But thou art cast out of thy grave like an abominable branch, [and as] the raiment of those that are slain, thrust through with a sword, that go down to the stones of the pit; as a carcase trodden under feet. Thou shalt not be joined with them in burial, because thou hast destroyed thy land, [and] slain thy people: the seed of evildoers shall never be renowned.’ (Isaiah 14:18-20)