Maranatha - Awaiting Christ's Return

1 Cor. 15:52  In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

Author: Kate Plourde Page 27 of 59

What’s Stopping You From Salvation? Day 15 – Emulations

By

On February 15, 2023

In Devotionals, What's Stopping You From Salvation?

Gal 5:19-21  Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,  (20)  Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,  (21)  Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

Good morning, Reader! In today’s language, to emulate someone is usually a good thing. However, it is not the initial intent of the sin we are covering today. This sin is enough to keep you from entering the Kingdom of God. So we must look at it from the author’s intention. If Paul saw it in his day, can you imagine what it is today?? We see this sin over and over in our society, both in social media and in the pushing forward of the enemy’s agenda. A prime example of this is Greta Thunberg. As a young teenager, she suddenly became a world renowned expert on climate change! She is following an agenda impressed upon her by the world and has made herself a scholar in this field; or should I say, those “powers that be” have made her to be a scholar in this field. The media has moved this agenda forward and she has fallen prey to their plight. Friend, she’s not a scholar. She is a byproduct of the sin of emulation.

She is not alone. The fight amongst super powers to be the best and greatest is alive and well on planet Earth. People who don’t even deserve that status are among them. Take Bill Gates for example. He only has two years of college education and yet he is touted as being a scholar in his field. His wealth is what makes him a self-imposed super power. His influence has created a generation of emulators.

Exactly what is this sin? Noah Webster defines it as:

EMULA’TION, n. The act of attempting to equal or excel in qualities or actions; rivalry; desire of superiority, attended with effort to attain to it; in a bad sense, a striving to equal or do more than others to obtain carnal favors or honors. Gal.5.

Contest; contention; strife; competition; rivalry accompanied with a desire of depressing another.

We see people who want to be superior to others and place themselves in positions of higher authority. The devil’s agenda is pushing forward to a one-world government by using this sin to encourage an unbelieving world to accomplish his goals. The rich of the world will be the ones ruling over the poor. This has been going on for thousands of years but will be even stronger in these end times. This may seem insignificant to you, but believe me, it is not to God. It is included in today’s list of sins that will keep people out of Heaven, including idolatry, adultery, and witchcraft!

We must be alert and diligent in leading others to Christ, Christian. One of these sins is prevalent in everyone’s life. It is our solemn duty to the Lord Jesus to expose the devil’s plot to a sinful world. If we don’t, who will? They don’t search the Scriptures to find out how to be saved. (Acts 17:11, Rom. 10:14) They have no desire for godly things, let alone God’s Word. We must be as megaphones, Reader! We must speak up and be followers of Christ! If not us, who? We cannot be lazy as our time is short. We will be called Home to be with the Lord at the Rapture and our work here will be finished. There will be no more chances for us to lead the lost to Christ. Those that are not saved in our family and circle of friends will be ushered into the most horrific time ever to be experienced on this earth!

Mat 24:21  For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.

Some, including close friends, claim that we are currently in the Tribulation period. But friend, we have seen wars, we have seen earthquakes, we have seen horrifying things. However, they are no worse than the times of World War II! Jesus said that this great Tribulation period will be the worst ever, in the past, present AND future! Therefore, we cannot be in the Tribulation period. Wise up, Christian! Do your job and witness to the lost instead of fighting amongst ourselves. That is what Christ called us to do, after all. (Matt. 28:19) Have a following – teach and disciple them to do the same. THAT is our job. We are ambassadors for Christ. (2 Cor. 5:20-21) The time is coming when ambassadors will be called Home before judgment is unleashed on a wicked and unbelieving world.

Friend, there will come a time when it will be too late for you to repent. You will remember each opportunity you were given by God to be saved; you will remember each time you laughed it off and ignored it. Please Reader, repent and accept Christ into your life. (Act 16:31, Rom 10:9) I want to be sure that anyone who reads the posts on this blog can know beyond a shadow of a doubt that they are going to Heaven. Have you received Christ as your Saviour? If no, your sins are not covered by His sacrificial offering of Himself. You have not been redeemed by His blood. It is no coincidence that God has placed you here for such a time as this so that you may be saved if you are not already. Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab to You Can Be Born Again and Know It!

What’s Stopping You From Salvation? Day 14 – Variance

By

On February 13, 2023

In Devotionals, What's Stopping You From Salvation?

Gal 5:19-21  Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,  (20)  Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,  (21)  Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

Good morning, Reader! Today’s word is not used in everyday language. We know of it and we understand an overall meaning for it. However, when it is used in the context of the new Christian faith of that era, we come to see that it was being used in relation to conflicts within the faith. Some would bring their Jewish roots into the Christian faith and would try to add to the faith or take away from it. It must have been very difficult to have been raised in the Jewish religion of works and then come to Christ by faith and not of works (Eph. 2:8-9)

I have that background as well. I was not raised Jewish but was raised Catholic and the same foundation of salvation by works was ingrained in us from birth. The concept of salvation by faith and not of works was, and at times still is, difficult to fully absorb. Even after I have been saved for nearly 43 years, I still have to fight off the thoughts of having to “do” certain things in order for the Lord to love me. He loves me despite of my actions. I naturally want to “do” work for the Lord, but it does not involve working for my salvation. Jesus took care of that when He nailed all my sins to the cross! (Col. 2:14) It is similar to the love that parents have for their children. No matter what their children do, their love for them will never end and nothing separates that love.

Rom 8:38-39  For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,  (39)  Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Friend, if you are truly born again, nothing will separate you from God’s love. Why? Because verse 39 says that it is because we are in Christ Jesus! We have been born-again and 1 Peter 1:23 says that we are born of incorruptible seed by God’s Word and His Word lives and abides forever!

So what is this variance that existed in the early Church, and is still going on today? Let’s look at Noah Webster’s definition:

VA’RIANCE, n. [See Vary.]

  1. In law, an alteration of something formerly laid in a writ; or a difference between a declaration and a writ, or the deed on which it is grounded.
  2. Any alteration or change of condition.
  3. Difference that produces dispute or controversy; disagreement; dissension; discord. A mere variance may become a war. Without a spirit of condescension, there will be an everlasting variance.
  4. At variance, in disagreement; in a state of difference or want of agreement.
  5. In a state of dissension or controversy; in a state of enmity.

As the early Church was in its infancy, I’m sure it was difficult to spread the words of the Apostles in a timely manner. It was by word of mouth through preachers that were moved through the Holy Spirit of God to preach and write the Scriptures. I can imagine the strife it stirred up in those religious Jews when they found out that some of their traditions were fulfilled through Christ according to those preaching the Christian faith. I’m sure it caused quite a bit of contention within the Church itself. Paul spoke of these contentions in 1 Thess. 2:2.

Today, we see strife and contention in the Church over the color of carpeting to put on the floors in the Church building. There’s fighting and backbiting amongst so called believers. This does not show the love of Christ. We are to love one another as He loved us! (1 John 3:16) If we loved the brethren enough to lay down our own lives for them, there would be no variances, contention or strife, amen?

But let’s look at the condition of the world in the light of this sin. There is a LOT of strife today. The definition of variance specifically speaks volumes. The anger that arose when the Supreme Court sent the abortion issue back to the states is a prime example. The sin of variance digs deeper than just an opinion. It involves:

  1. …something formerly laid in a writ; or a difference between a declaration and a writ, or the deed on which it is grounded.
  2. Any alteration or change of condition.

What once was declared as a contract or covenant now is ignored. I think of our blessed Constitution and how the left is trying to trash it to achieve a socialist and communist agenda. Little by little our Country’s foundational beliefs are being chipped away. The devil’s evil agenda is moving forward and people are buying it hook, line and sinker! I also think of this latest effort to silence U.S. citizens and the rest of the world by using Covid to lock us down. Internal strife arose between believers as to whether they were vaxed or not vaxed. These things should not be so. If we, as believers, are warring amongst ourselves, then the devil has succeeded in causing division in our churches and showing the world that believers are actually no better than the unsaved. The light we are supposed to be is not shining. (Matt. 5:14) The salt we are supposed to be to cause the unsaved to thirst after the things of God has lost its flavor. (Luke 14:34)

But let’s look at it from the viewpoint of “inheriting the Kingdom of God.” This sin will prevent entrance to God’s Kingdom. It seems that everyone is at variance with someone. Variance is another word for strife and we see it all around us. We have riots in the streets over civil liberties. There are racial conflicts which are being driven by leaders and rich people who want to cause civil unrest so they can take control. There are people who will be held accountable for this sin. Those who partake in it are furthering the devil’s agenda and will one day stand before God at the Great White Throne and have to account for their sins. (Rev. 20:11)

Do you see the severity of this sin? It may seem minuscule to you but it is not according to God’s Word. It will be judged when you stand before God and you will be found guilty. The books that are opened at the judgment will cover every sin you ever committed and every opportunity you were given to be born-again. God judges you on all your sinful acts and deeds that will be recorded in those books and you will see that the scales for your life will be found “wanting.” (Daniel 5:27) Jesus Christ will open up the Book of Life to see if your name is written in it. But because you were not born-again (John 3:3, 3:7), your name will not appear in that book. (Rev. 20:11-15)

Friend, there will come a time when it will be too late for you to repent. You will remember each opportunity you were given by God to be saved; you will remember each time you laughed it off and ignored it. Please Reader, repent and accept Christ into your life. (Act 16:31, Rom 10:9) I want to be sure that anyone who reads the posts on this blog can know beyond a shadow of a doubt that they are going to Heaven. Have you received Christ as your Saviour? If no, your sins are not covered by His sacrificial offering of Himself. You have not been redeemed by His blood. It is no coincidence that God has placed you here for such a time as this so that you may be saved if you are not already. Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab to You Can Be Born Again and Know It!

What’s Stopping You From Salvation? Day 13 – Hatred

By

On February 10, 2023

In Devotionals, What's Stopping You From Salvation?

Gal 5:19-21  Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,  (20)  Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,  (21)  Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

Good morning, Reader! It was not until I began this series that I realized the intensity of Ephesians 2:8-9!!! There is absolutely no way man can get to Heaven on his own. We have been guilty of at least one, if not each of the sins that we’ve covered so far. If you say you have no sin, you are lying. (1 John 1:8) Everything boils down to being born with a sin nature. Everyone is born with the innate ability to sin since the time of Adam and Eve’s first sin! (Romans 5:12)

Today’s sin is one that people may think is not really “as bad” as murder, let’s say. But the Bible is quite clear about this sin of hate. The Apostle John wrote:

1 Jn 3:14-15  We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.  (15)  Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.

Today’s world is a perfect example of the hatred that has formed in men’s hearts! The first sin of hatred began with Cain killing his own brother, Abel, out of jealousy, pride and hatred! It continued on throughout history and is heavily reflected in the hearts of man in our current world! The dissension created by liberalism has culminated into a cacophony of hatred. The hatred shown toward God is also prevalent. The enemy is bent on taking as many with him as possible. Those who are guilty of this sin will not inherit the kingdom of God, Reader! Unless one is born again (John 3:3-7), he will not enter into God’s kingdom. The message is clear!

You cannot get to Heaven on your own merits, plain and simple! Again, Ephesians 2:8-9 is still in the Bible and it makes it clear that it is not by your own works. It’s the grace of God that allows us to enter into His presence.

You have to check your own heart on a daily basis. Once you are saved, you should check your heart daily to make sure that you are a living example of God’s goodness and grace! The verses below are often used by proponents of salvation by works. However, they fail to read verse 13.

Php 2:12-13  Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.  (13)  For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

It is God that works in the heart of man after salvation. Paul is merely exhorting the brethren to check their spiritual fruit to make sure that they are living lives which will draw the lost to the Lord! God wants all to be saved and doesn’t want anyone to go to Hell! (2 Peter 3:9) Once a person is born again, God wants to use that person for His glory and His pleasure! If one says he is born again, but he is still committing sins from his “old life,” then God cannot use that person for His good pleasure, now can he? (2 Cor. 5:17) This is why Paul is telling the believers in Philippi to “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” They cannot be used of God to be a light to the lost. Working out your own salvation is not so that you can BE saved. It is so that you can confess your sins so you can be used of God. (1 John 1:9) Each time we “check” ourselves, we give the Holy Spirit an opportunity to work in us. (1 Thess. 5:19, 1 Thess. 5:22) We must abstain from sin, from the very appearance of it! This is how God can work His will in us.

If you are a believer and are guilty of hate, you need to go back to the beginning. Check your heart and confess it so you can be used of God! We are to be living a new life in Christ and showing His fruit. If you’re not a born-again believer, then this one sin will keep you out of Heaven. It only takes one sin to make you guilty before God. (James 2:10)

There will come a time when it will be too late for you to repent. You will remember each opportunity you were given by God to be saved; you will remember each time you laughed it off and ignored it. Please Reader, repent and accept Christ into your life. (Act 16:31, Rom 10:9) I want to be sure that anyone who reads the posts on this blog can know beyond a shadow of a doubt that they are going to Heaven. Have you received Christ as your Saviour? If no, your sins are not covered by His sacrificial offering of Himself. You have not been redeemed by His blood. It is no coincidence that God has placed you here for such a time as this so that you may be saved if you are not already. Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab to You Can Be Born Again and Know It!

What’s Stopping You From Salvation? Day 12 – Lasciviousness

By

On February 8, 2023

In Devotionals, What's Stopping You From Salvation?

Gal 5:19-21  Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,  (20)  Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,  (21)  Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

Good morning, Reader! I hope and pray that at some point, someone who doesn’t know the Lord Jesus will read one of these posts and realize that they are in need of salvation! It is my highest goal for this blog. I think of the patience of God and His desire for all to come to salvation. (2 Peter 3:9) He doesn’t want to send anyone to Hell / Lake of Fire. After all, that horrid place was not created for man. (Matt. 25:41) But because of man’s rebellion, it will be his destination for all eternity if he remains unrepentant.

Today’s word is “lasciviousness” and it only appears in the New Testament. The meaning of it, as described by Noah Webster, is:

LASCIV’IOUSNESS, n.

  1. Looseness; irregular indulgence of animal desires; wantonness; lustfulness.
    Who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lasciviousness. Eph 4:19.
  2. Tendency to excite lust, and promote irregular indulgences.

This sin appears to be deeply rooted in the depraved heart.

Eph 4:17-19  This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,  (18)  Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:  (19)  Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.

The Gentile referred to here are the unbelievers of the world – anyone who is not born-again. Paul had his hands full when he preached in Ephesus. This city was vibrant and was known as the capital of Asia in the first two centuries. They were part of the Greek culture, which had many gods, one of which was Artemis. Her temple was one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. She was the goddess of nature, hunting, fertility and childbirth and the most revered of the ancient Greek religion. Tradition has it that she would dance in the wild with a company of nymphs. She is part of the Hellenic practice and pagans still worship her today. One of the ways pagans worship her today is devoting themselves to the protection of wildlife, clean up pollution and help ecological organizations. I find that interesting since much of the world is obsessed with global warming, the green initiative, etc. Paul had his hands full in his day and we still have the same challenges today!

Lasciviousness will keep one from entering Heaven if one does not repent of it. One who has a mouth filled with dirty talk, filthy words, and crude references are considered lascivious. (Col. 3:8) This type of talk comes from a mind filled with lust and sexual desires. They don’t stop there but they pass these thoughts along to others, enticing them to partake as well. It’s like he is plotting a crime, and cunningly attempts to draw others into the same sin. This reveals how the devil manipulates people and sucks them into sin.

Those who are not born again are children of the devil according to 1 John 3:8, 3:10.

I know this may offend some but God’s Word, the Bible, contains truth. People say it is filled with contradictions but they cannot provide anything of substance to prove their point. No other book written had approximately 40 authors but the ultimate Author is God. (2 Timothy 3:16) The Bible was written over a 1,500 year span yet it does not have one contradiction whatsoever. Unsaved men and women will be judged by what is recorded in its pages. (John 12:48)

Jud 1:4  For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.

Born-again Christians are not exempt from the devil’s wiles but we can resist his temptations. (James 4:7) God gives us power over sin when we are saved because His Holy Spirit resides within us. Ephesians 6:11 tells us to put on the whole armour of God so we can stand against the devil. God’s Word is our weapon, Christian. (Hebrews 4:12) Jesus quoted it when He was in the wilderness and Satan was trying to tempt Him. (Matthew 4:1-11)

There will come a time when it will be too late for you to repent. You will remember each opportunity you were given by God to be saved; you will remember each time you laughed it off and ignored it. Please Reader, if you are guilty of this sin, it’s not too late. Repent of it and accept Christ into your life. (Act 16:31, Rom 10:9) I want to be sure that anyone who reads the posts on this blog can know beyond a shadow of a doubt that they are going to Heaven. Have you received Christ as your Saviour? If no, your sins are not covered by His sacrificial offering of Himself. You have not been redeemed by His blood. It is no coincidence that God has placed you here for such a time as this so that you may be saved if you are not already. Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab to You Can Be Born Again and Know It!

What’s Stopping You From Salvation? Day 11 – Uncleanness

By

On February 6, 2023

In Devotionals, What's Stopping You From Salvation?

Gal 5:19-21  Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,  (20)  Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,  (21)  Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

Noah Webster defines uncleanness as:

UNCLE’ANNESS, n.

  1. Foulness; dirtiness; filthiness.
  2. Want of ritual or ceremonial purity. Lev 15.
  3. Moral impurity; defilement by sin; sinfulness.
  4. Lewdness; incontinence. Col 3. 2 Pet 2.

When I think of unclean, I think of a dirty house. But when the Bible was written, it had a deeper meaning. Do you recall an old saying, “Cleanliness is next to godliness”? Some think that this is in the Bible, but it isn’t. This phrase can be found in a sermon done by John Wesley in 1778 sermon. I doubt he had a clean house in mind when he said this.

The word uncleanness can be found in 24 verses in the Old Testament and 11 in the New Testament. The Old Testament’s use of the word referred to anything that came from the body was considered unclean; i.e., an issue of blood, or anything oozing from the flesh. There was a specific way to deal with this according to Levitical Law. No one was to come in contact with the individual and the body, clothing and anything touching the clothing had to be washed. Then a sacrificial offering had to be taken to the High Priest to finish the “cleansing” process.

The New Testament, however, mostly refers to uncleanness with defiling the body with sexual sin. (Rom 1:24, 2 Cor. 12:21, Gal. 5:19, Eph. 4:19, Eph. 5:3, Col. 3:5) There are a few verses that refer to the deceit, sinful desires, and hypocrisy. (Matt. 23:27, Rom. 6:19, 1 Thess. 2:23, 1 Thess. 4:7 and 2 Pet. 2:10)

No matter how you look at uncleanness, it is a sin against God! The Old Testament viewpoint is really quite interesting as it reveals to us just how vile and wicked man is. The only way to make it right with God was to clean the body, his clothing, his home and then bring a sacrifice to God atone for the uncleanness. Look at it in this way as born-again believers. When we come to salvation in Jesus Christ, we acknowledge His perfect atonement for our disgusting sins. He died for my sins; He shed His blood for my sins; our sins were nailed to the cross and Jesus took those sins out of the way! (Col. 2:14) Furthermore, God does not remember those sins any longer! The sacrifice for our sins was performed by God Himself through Jesus Christ! If they were nailed to the cross and forgiven, then why should they reappear? (Isaiah 1:18, Psalm 103:12) Our flesh is no longer unclean but has been made new at our new birth. (2 Cor. 5:17)

There will come a time when it will be too late for you to repent. You will remember each opportunity you were given by God to be saved; you will remember each time you laughed it off and ignored it. Please Reader, if you are guilty of this sin, it’s not too late. Repent of it and accept Christ into your life. (Act 16:31, Rom 10:9) I want to be sure that anyone who reads the posts on this blog can know beyond a shadow of a doubt that they are going to Heaven. Have you received Christ as your Saviour? If no, your sins are not covered by His sacrificial offering of Himself. You have not been redeemed by His blood. God will do what He said He would (Ecc. 3:14). It is no coincidence that God has placed you here for such a time as this so that you may be saved if you are not already. Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab to You Can Be Born Again and Know It!

What’s Stopping You From Salvation? Day 10 – Fornication

By

On February 3, 2023

In Devotionals, What's Stopping You From Salvation?

Gal 5:19-21  Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,  (20)  Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,  (21)  Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

Good morning, Reader! My heart is saddened because of the decline of morality, not only in the U.S. but in the entire world. Some countries have legalized prostitution and others don’t even bat an eye when couples live together rather than get married. It breaks my heart to see the beautiful institution of marriage breaking down because of men’s sinful hearts.

Today’s sin of fornication falls under sexual immorality but is further defined as:

The incontinence or lewdness of unmarried persons, male or female; also, the criminal conversation of a married man with an unmarried woman.

Incest. 1 Cor 5.

Idolatry; a forsaking of the true God, and worshipping of idols. 2 Chr 21. Rev 19.

Noah Webster’s 1828 Dictionary

Isn’t it interesting the Mr. Webster used the word “incontinence”? We imagine it to relate only to the elderly who cannot control their bodily functions. But it’s use here is very pertinent, in my opinion. It means that an unmarried person cannot control his/her desires! I also find it interesting that the Greek word for fornication is:

πορνεία
porneia
por-ni’-ah
From G4203; harlotry (including adultery and incest); figuratively idolatry: – fornication.

Yes, it is derived from the same English word for pornography. We covered this in part in a previous post on “Sexually Immoral” but we’ll unpack it further here. Fornication is as serious a matter as adultery! Sex outside the bonds of marriage is a sin. Today, people live together without thinking twice about it; what’s extremely disturbing is that this sin exists amongst Christians! Reader, does God consider this a sin or not? We must turn to the Word of God for our answers! We cannot simply do as the world does and think it’s OK. We must have a spiritual plumb line in our Christian walk. Do you know what a plumb line is? Look to your left. Builders still use a plumb line to ensure the building is vertically straight. The building is not straight, as we can see by the plumb line next to it. The plumb line is directed toward the earth’s center of gravity which never changes; however the building, erected by man, isn’t straight at all. Had the builder used a plumb line, he would have seen his error. Friend, the Bible IS our plumb line. Just as the law of the land is what guides citizens, the Bible guides its readers. To top it all, the Bible is considered truth from God!

(1Ki 17:24)  And the woman said to Elijah, Now by this I know that thou art a man of God, and that the word of the LORD in thy mouth is truth.

(Joh 17:17)  Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

(Rom 3:4)  God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.

(Psa 12:6)  The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.

The world has lost its spiritual plumb line and has been deceived into believing that the Bible is no longer of moral value. The father of lies is the devil (John 8:44) and his efforts to deceive have not changed since the beginning of time. He’s an expert at it! He convinced Eve in the Garden of Eden that God “didn’t really mean what she thought He meant” but that he, Satan, knew better than God!

Gen 3:1-5  Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?  (2)  And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:  (3)  But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.  (4)  And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:  (5)  For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.

God’s Word IS truth, Reader! There are way too many Bible verses that state this, written by different men, to ignore! (2 Sam 7:28, Psalm 119:160, John 17:17, 1 Kings 17:24, Psalm 19:9, Psalm 119:43, Psalm 119:151, 2 Cor 6:7, Psalm 119:142, Matt 22:16, Mark 12:14, John 18:37, John 5:32, Rom 2:20, Gal 2:5, Eph 1:13, Col 1:5, 2 Tim 3:16, 1 John 2:8, Rev 21:5, Rev 22:6, 1 Kings 22:16, Dan 8:26)

So you must decide for yourself whether God’s Word is true or not. If you say you are a Christian, are you being deceived as Eve was? She walked with the Lord in the Garden and yet she was still deceived. If you’re willing to continue in sin, then you must ask yourself if you are a truly a Christian or a “Christian” in name only. 2 Cor. 5:17 says that once you are saved, your old life passes away and your new life is formed. The Holy Spirit convicts us of sin and changes us from within. Any sexual sin is serious in God’s eyes. How do I know this? I know this because of today’s verse. God categorizes the person who commits this sin as one who will not inherit the kingdom of God. (Galatians 5:21)

The sin of fornication is summed up as: anyone who has sex outside of marriage. Why is marriage considered so holy? Marriage is holy because God ordained it. Marriage is holy when it is Christ centered. A holy marriage produces children who are loved and who have a father and a mother.

Heb 13:4  Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.

Remember, the devil does the exact opposite of what God does. Therefore, if marriage is God ordained, then fornication and cohabitation is Satan ordained. Marriage to the devil doesn’t have to be between a man and a woman. If the devil manages to destroy marriage, then he succeeds at hurting God and destroying God’s image in the sight of man! Remember when he tempted Jesus in the wilderness? Satan tried to distract Jesus with the world’s temptations. Jesus responded with Scripture! Then Satan tried to get Jesus to worship him! Again, Jesus responds with Scripture and said:

Mat 4:1-11  Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.  (2)  And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.  (3)  And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.”  (4)  But he answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”  (5)  Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple  (6)  and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, “‘He will command his angels concerning you,’ and “‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.’”  (7)  Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’”  (8)  Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory.  (9)  And he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.”  (10)  Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written, “‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.’”  (11)  Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him.

Remember Gen. 3:5  For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. The devil wants to take the place of God and this goal is exposed to us in 2 Thess. 2:3-4. Of course he’s going to try to deceive you to believe that God is not God at all and that none of the Bible is true. If God is not all about truth (as the devil tried to trick Eve into believing in the Garden), then what God says about those who commit these sins is not true either. But why take the chance? What if everything in the Bible is true???

There will come a time when it will be too late for you to repent. You will remember each opportunity you were given by God to be saved; you will remember each time you laughed it off and ignored it. You will wish you had not committed the sin of fornication and kept yourself until marriage. Please Reader, if you are guilty of this sin, it’s not too late. Repent of it and accept Christ into your life. (Act 16:31, Rom 10:9) I want to be sure that anyone who reads the posts on this blog can know beyond a shadow of a doubt that they are going to Heaven. Have you received Christ as your Saviour? If no, your sins are not covered by His sacrificial offering of Himself. You have not been redeemed by His blood. God will do what He said He would (Ecc. 3:14). It is no coincidence that God has placed you here for such a time as this so that you may be saved if you are not already. Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab to You Can Be Born Again and Know It!

What’s Stopping You From Salvation? Day 9 – Adultery

By

On February 1, 2023

In Devotionals, What's Stopping You From Salvation?

Gal 5:19-21  Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,  (20)  Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,  (21)  Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

Good morning, Reader! Some may think I have fallen off the deep end when it comes to this topic but it is one that needs to be covered whether we want to hear about it or not. Who is going to expose sin if we as believers don’t? Have you ever heard of Jonathan Edwards? He was one of the great preachers involved in the First Great Awakening in the U.S. during the 18th Century. His famous sermon, Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God is probably one of the best sermons I have ever heard or read. It would help you to read it and understand that although God is a God of love, He is also one of judgment and He will judge all sin. We cannot throw the baby out with the dirty bath water. We must look at sin with God’s eyes.

I truly don’t think that people today realize the gravity of their sin. Do they even care? Thoughts of eternity and where one will spend it seems to be the furthest thing from their minds. Today’s sin that will keep you out of Heaven unless you repent is adultery. The Spirit-led believer is not under the law because Christ saved us from our sins. (Galatians 5:16-18). We covered adultery in part on Day 5 but today’s post will concentrate solely on the sin of adultery.

There is indeed a consequence for sin. Today, when you break the law, you appear before a judge and sometimes a jury.The results of the trial are determined and your sentence and punishment is made. It is no different with God. In fact, it is God that gave us the type of legal system the world uses today. Do you not think that He will use this same “system” when it comes to judge you and your actions? He most certainly will. (Prior to the past one-hundred years, adultery was considered a crime.) In God’s eyes, adultery has always been a sin and will always be a sin.

  1. moichos (G3432) denotes one “who has unlawful intercourse with the spouse of another,” Luk 18:11; 1 Co 6:9; Heb 13:4. As to Jas 4:4, see below.
  2. moichalis (G3428), “an adulteress,” is used (a) in the natural sense, 2 Pe 2:14; Rom 7:3; (b) in the spiritual sense, Jas 4:4; As in Israel the breach of their relationship with God through their idolatry, was described as “adultery” or “harlotry” (e.g., Eze 16:15, etc.; Eze 23:43), so believers who cultivate friendship with the world, thus breaking their spiritual union with Christ, are spiritual “adulteresses,” having been spiritually united to Him as wife to husband, Rom 7:4. It is used adjectivally to describe the Jewish people in transferring their affections from God, Mat 12:39; Mat 16:4; Mar 8:38.

The simple definition of adultery is when a married person has sex with someone other than his/her spouse. Plain and simple. The adulterer has sinned against the spouse and it’s considered defiling the marriage bed! Hebrews 13:4 says that adulterers will be judged by God. Why is this so important? The family unit was created by God in the Garden of Eden and is the bedrock of all humanity. When adultery exists, the home’s God-designed structure has broken down. If the adulterer is the husband, then the head of the house has failed to be a godly leader in his home. If the wife is the adulterer, she has failed to honour her husband. Satan loves nothing more than to destroy the home!

Marriage today is not considered sacred. People get married and figure if this marriage doesn’t work, they’ll get a divorce and try again; or they won’t remarry and just co-habitate with someone. The devil’s goal is to destroy anything that was instituted by God. He loves what God hates and hates what God loves! He has succeeded in destroying marriages. Homes lack the leadership of a man to teach his sons how to be men and leaders of their own homes. The devil is the father of lies and a deceiver. (John 8:44) He leads women to believe that they don’t need a husband and can raise children on their own and still have them turn out to be good adults. Very few are able to do this on their own. Instead, their sons get involved with the wrong crowd and their daughters become women with low morals and standards.

The fact of the matter is the whole issue is a “heart problem“! People choose to do what they want to do and do not care about the consequences. You may say that you’ve never committed adultery. But Jesus took it a step further because He knew mankind had a heart problem.

Mat 5:27-28  Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:  (28)  But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

Jesus wanted you to know that just because you did not take action and actually commit the sin of adultery, you are still guilty of the sin if you looked at pornography or if you looked at another woman lusting after her. Do you see the severity of it? God does not take this matter lightly. Adultery is no laughing matter in the eyes of God. There will come a time for judgment at the end of your life here on earth. (Matthew 16:27)

Rev 20:11-15  And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.  (12)  And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.  (13)  And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.  (14)  And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.  (15)  And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

Rev 22:12  And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.

Mat 25:46  And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

2Th 1:8-9  In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:  (9)  Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;

Rom 2:8-9  But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath,  (9)  Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;

Mat 13:41-42  The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;  (42)  And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

If you have not read the post on the reality of Hell, please take a moment to do so – you won’t be attending a party in Hell. There is nothing fun about Hell! The only “heaven” you will ever experience is what you have experienced right here on earth if you don’t repent and get saved. You will pay the price for adultery for all eternity. Eternity is real – eternity is forever. Today’s verse says that you will not inherit the Kingdom of God! Doesn’t that prick your heart? You may not care now but you will regret your decision for all eternity in a burning Lake of Fire. When you die without salvation, your soul will go to Hell. But at the end of the Millennium and Jesus’ reign on earth, Hell will give up its dead. These will appear before the Lord and every word and every action will be judged. You will then experience the second death which is being cast into the Lake of Fire where the pain will be excruciating. (Rev. 20:14, Rev. 21:8)

(Mat 8:12)  But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

(Mat 13:42)  And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

(Mat 13:50)  And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

(Mat 22:13)  Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

(Mat 24:51)  And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

(Mat 25:30)  And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

(Luk 13:28)  There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out.

There will come a time when it will be too late for you to repent. You will remember each opportunity you were given by God to be saved; you will remember each time you laughed it off and ignored it. You will wish you had not committed adultery and remained faithful to your spouse. Please Reader, if you are guilty of this sin, it’s not too late. Repent of it and accept Christ into your life. (Act 16:31, Rom 10:9) I want to be sure that anyone who reads the posts on this blog can know beyond a shadow of a doubt that they are going to Heaven. Have you received Christ as your Saviour? If no, your sins are not covered by His sacrificial offering of Himself. You have not been redeemed by His blood. It is no coincidence that God has placed you here for such a time as this so that you may be saved if you are not already. Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab to You Can Be Born Again and Know It!

What’s Stopping You From Salvation? Day 8 – All Liars

By

On January 30, 2023

In Devotionals, What's Stopping You From Salvation?

Rev 21:8  But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

Good morning, Reader! Have you ever given thought to that phrase “It was just a little white lie”? What is the operative word here? It is the word “lie”! There isn’t anything little about it nor is there anything “white” about it. A lie is a lie, amen?

If you’re a Catholic reading this blog today, then you’ve learned that lying can be a venial sin and sometimes a mortal sin. To the Catholic, a venial sin is one of the lesser sins (a white lie). A mortal sin is a grave sin (i.e., lying in a court of law). God is not a God of confusion! (1 Cor. 14:33) God also states in His Word that if you live by the Ten Commandments and sin any one of those commands, you’re guilty of them all. (James 2:10-11) So if you lie, you’re guilty of every single one of the Ten Commandments. I’m not trying to pick on Catholics here – I am merely making a point about categorizing sins and that James tells us that this is not the case.

I don’t know one person in my life who has not lied at some point or another, including those little white lies. This sin was one of the first ones of which the Lord convicted me. Back in my career, I answered my boss’s phone and he told me to tell the caller he wasn’t there because he was in the middle of something. I couldn’t do it! I couldn’t lie! I told the caller that my boss was not available to take the call, which was the truth. My boss was upset with me when I told him I would do most anything in my support for him but I couldn’t lie for him. I hoped that this memory would influence him about salvation later on in his life. The Bible teaches that all liars will be judged! That pretty much includes every human being that has ever lived, don’t you think?

(Rev 21:27)  And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

(Rev 22:15)  For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.

People today have no problem speaking lies. We see some in our government that speak blatant lies and are not ashamed of it. People don’t think twice about calling in sick just to have a day off. Others lie on their resume. But the fact of the matter is, what does God think about lying? We see in today’s verses that ALL liars will have their part in the Lake of Fire. Does that surprise you? Would God judge a person to Hell because of lying? The bottom line is that if one is not born again, he/she will be judged by those Ten Commandments, the Law. Since sin cannot enter into Heaven, anyone who has broken any of the Ten Commandments will not enter. That means every human being will go to Hell. That is the whole reason why Jesus (God in the flesh) came to earth to take our punishment (John 3:16).

When a person is born-again, he becomes a new creation! (2 Cor. 5:17) The old sinful nature of this new believer is in his rear-view mirror. His sins have been cleansed by the blood of the Lamb, Jesus Christ. (1 John 1:9) Now the new believer has a desire to live for the Lord and he falls under conviction when he sins. The Holy Spirit is known as the Spirit of truth and it is His job to guide us into all truth. (John 16:13) He is the living Spirit of Jesus Christ residing in our heart and guides us to all righteousness! (John 16:7-8) As we learn the truth and the will of God for our lives, we don’t become sinless but we DO sin less and continue to do so as we grow in Christ! Our old lives continue to change and our new life in Christ grows sweeter and sweeter! That, my friend, is the Holy Spirit’s job in our lives! If you are continuing to lie and don’t feel guilty about it, you’re either not saved or you are deliberately ignoring God’s Word. The born again believer won’t be judged at his death but he will receive “discipline” from God here on earth. The Bible is very clear about this. Those who are not “disciplined” here on earth are not considered to be sons of God.

Heb 12:6-8  For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.  (7)  If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?  (8)  But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.

God will fulfill everything in His Word! (Eccl. 3:14) Remember, Friend, lying is no small matter because it will send you to Hell if you do not repent and accept Christ as your Saviour! God wants you to be saved and has given you opportunities to do so. (2 Peter 3:9) But there will come a time when it will be too late for you. If you decide you want to continue in your sin over a relationship with God, you will spend eternity burning in Hell and the Lake of Fire. You will remember each opportunity you were given by God to be saved and you laughed it off and ignored it. I want to be sure that anyone who reads the posts on this blog can know beyond a shadow of a doubt that they are going to Heaven. Have you received Christ as your Saviour? If no, your sins are not covered by His sacrificial offering of Himself. You have not been redeemed by His blood. It is no coincidence that God has placed you here for such a time as this so that you may be saved if you are not already. Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab to You Can Be Born Again and Know It!

What’s Stopping You From Salvation? Day 7 – Idolatry

By

On January 27, 2023

In Devotionals, What's Stopping You From Salvation?

Rev 21:8  But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

Good morning, Reader! What have your thoughts been on the series thus far? Have you learned something new? My prayer is that it will teach the severity and repercussions of these sins to an unbelieving world. I also pray that if anyone who is a believer would repent if he/she is guilty of any one of these sins! Time is short! We are in the end times and the Rapture could happen any time now. You don’t want to enter the Tribulation period if you are not saved!

Today’s sin that will keep one from going to Heaven may seem strange to some but idolatry is something that happens in the U.S. more than one would think. When I was a new believer, I thought idolatry meant bowing to a statue or god of some sort. But as I grew in the Lord, I discovered it was much more than that. Idolatry revolves around anything that takes the place of God in your life. So let’s break down the word and see what is involved in this sin.

IDOL’ATER, n. [L. idololatra. See Idolatry.] / IDOL-ATRUS / IDOL-ATRY

  1. A worshiper of idols; one who pays divine honors to images, statues, or representations of any thing made by hands; one who worships as a deity that which is not God; a pagan.
  2. Idolatrous: Consisting in or partaking of an excessive attachment or reverence; as an idolatrous veneration for antiquity.
  3. Idolatry: The worship of idols, images, or any thing made by hands, or which is not God. Idolatry is of two kinds; the worship of images, statues, pictures, etc. made by hands; and the worship of the heavenly bodies,the sun, moon and stars, or of demons, angels, men and animals. Excessive attachment or veneration for any thing, or that which borders on adoration.
Noah Webster’s 1828 Dictionary

One thinks that an idolater is from Old Testament times and that the Israelites turned to the enemies’ idols to worship them. But Friend, idolatry has continued through the New Testament and is practiced today, even in so-called “Christian” churches. Growing up, we had pictures and statues of both Jesus and Mary in our homes. When we said the rosary, we kneeled before the picture of Mary and recited the rosary as a family. We never kneeled before the statue of Jesus, come to think of it. The church we attended had many statues, both of Jesus and Mary, as well as others. We were taught that they we were not “worshiping” the statue itself but that it was a visual aid and we were merely venerating her. Visual aid or not, we were praying TO Mary to intercede to God for us.

As the Law commanded, Mary had to take a sacrifice to the temple after she gave birth. (Luke 2:24). If she was sinless, why the need for offering a sacrifice? As well, Mary sang praise to the Lord in Luke 1:47 and called Him God her SAVIOUR! You don’t need Saviour if you are sinless. There is no where in Scripture that says Mary was born without sin. This is a “dogma” that the Catholic church adopted by Pope Pius IX in 1854. Friend, one cannot take a portion of Scripture and create a dogma, even if it’s the pope that adopted it. According to Catholic tradition, praying the rosary helps Catholics to center their hearts on Christ as Mary did. However, stop and think about it, why do you have to go through Mary in order to center your heart on Jesus? When you have to go through someone to get to another, it is called mediation. That person you go through is known as a mediator. Therefore, the Mediator “mediates” between God and man. The Bible says:

1 Tim 2:5  For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;

Friend, ONLY Jesus can be the Mediator between God and us! This verse says that there is ONE GOD and ONE mediator, which is Christ Jesus. Not Mary! Catholics have placed Mary on a pedestal of sorts and she has become the object of their adoration and affection. This is idolatry at its best. The only One who deserves adoration is God! Catholics say they don’t adore Mary but they venerate her (meaning they honor her, are in awe of her) and assign her a sacredness in their lives. If she is not adored, why pray to her? Catholics believe that they pray to Mary so she can intercede for them to God. The Catholic hierarchies have made her to be the intercessor. It is the Holy Spirit of Jesus Christ that makes intercession, not Mary. Again, it is a dogma that contradicts Scripture:

(Rom 8:26)  Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

(Rom 8:27)  And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

(Rom 8:34)  Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.

(Heb 7:25)  Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

The lack of biblical research on the part of the “religious” leads them to error. It is God’s Word that we will be judged by, not what the pope says. Jesus said in John 12:48, He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day. Jesus Christ is the spoken Word of God and the Bible is the written Word of God. Act 5:29: Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.

The whole point of idolatry lies in the condition of the heart. We are to worship God alone – no one else. We are not to elevate anyone to the point of worshiping them or venerating them above Him. Nor should we put anything above God alone! But does it end there? You can say you have never kneeled before a statue but have you put something or someone above God? This alone can be quite convicting. God has never accepted anything that replaces Him or even placed on the same level as Him. If Mary were to be worshiped, then all the verses below make God a liar. He’s a jealous God – why would He say that and then allow someone else to be venerated or have His names? (i.e. Mediator, Intercessor, Holy)

Exod 20:5  Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;

Exod 34:14  For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God:

Deut 4:24  For the LORD thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God.

Deut 5:9  Thou shalt not bow down thyself unto them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me,

Deu 6:15  (For the LORD thy God is a jealous God among you) lest the anger of the LORD thy God be kindled against thee, and destroy thee from off the face of the earth.

Jos 24:19  And Joshua said unto the people, Ye cannot serve the LORD: for he is an holy God; he is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins.

Nah 1:2  God is jealous, and the LORD revengeth; the LORD revengeth, and is furious; the LORD will take vengeance on his adversaries, and he reserveth wrath for his enemies.

As we can see, God won’t stand for anything to be equal to or above Him. In fact, Jealous is one of His names! Why would you want to place anything in your life that is more important than Him? Do you spend more time on your cellphone than you do in your Bible? Do you spend more time with watching the TV? God calls these things idols and we are guilty of idolatry if we place them before Him. Anything that captures your attention more than you give to the Lord has become an idol in your life; this includes people. If you put your job, your children or your spouse ahead of God, they have become your idol. What keeps you from God? God will sometimes “cut” idols from a believer’s life so be careful who you put ahead of Him. You can lose your job; you can lose a child; you can lose your spouse! But you will never lose the Lord once you are born again. He has you sealed till they day you go to Heaven! (Eph. 4:30) Don’t wait for earthly judgment from God. Be obedient now and receiving His blessings!

We can see that idolatry does in fact exist today in unusual forms: the worship of Satan – the Buddha statue – Shiva, the Destroyer is one Hinduism’s 330 million gods! The Bible speaks of these:

Psa 115:1-8  Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth’s sake.  (2)  Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is now their God?  (3)  But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased.  (4)  Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands.  (5)  They have mouths, but they speak not: eyes have they, but they see not:  (6)  They have ears, but they hear not: noses have they, but they smell not:  (7)  They have hands, but they handle not: feet have they, but they walk not: neither speak they through their throat.  (8)  They that make them are like unto them; so is every one that trusteth in them.

Since idolatry will send someone to the Lake of Fire, one must take notice and study the matter out. True born-again Christians cannot go to Hell but they can be disobedient out of ignorance, and sometimes willfully. The Holy Spirit wants to teach us to grow closer to God through His Word. He wants to be your God and to put Him first!

(Psa 81:10)  I am the LORD thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt: open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it.

(Isa 43:3)  For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee.

(Isa 48:17)  Thus saith the LORD, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I am the LORD thy God which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go.

(Isa 51:15)  But I am the LORD thy God, that divided the sea, whose waves roared: The LORD of hosts is his name.

(Hos 13:4)  Yet I am the LORD thy God from the land of Egypt, and thou shalt know no god but me: for there is no saviour beside me.

God will fulfill everything in His Word! (Ecc. 3:14) There will come a time when it will be too late for you to give up your gods to serve the One True God. If you decide you want to put your “religion” over a relationship with God, you will spend eternity burning in Hell and the Lake of Fire. You will remember each opportunity you were given by God to be saved and you laughed it off and ignored it. I want to be sure that anyone who reads the posts on this blog can know beyond a shadow of a doubt that they are going to Heaven. Have you received Christ as your Saviour? If no, your sins are not covered by His sacrificial offering of Himself. You have not been redeemed by His blood. It is no coincidence that God has placed you here for such a time as this so that you may be saved if you are not already. Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab to You Can Be Born Again and Know It!

What’s Stopping You From Salvation? Day 6 – Sorcery/Witchcraft

By

On January 25, 2023

In Devotionals, What's Stopping You From Salvation?

Good morning, Reader! It’s a cold sunny day and I love how the sun’s warmth through a window disguises the actual temperature outside. It IS deceiving and one may go outside without a jacket only to turn right around to put one on! This may be a simple analogy of deception but it gets the point across. It appears to be nice but it’s actually not! As we look at today’s sin, we see that it is one that will send a person to Hell and the Lake of Fire. This sin is full of deception. It’s disguised as “good” but it will deceive even Christians!

The definition of sorcerers in the Old Testament is what one would think it means:

H3784
כָּשַׁף
kâshaph
kaw-shaf’
A primitive root; properly to whisper a spell, that is, to inchant or practise magic: – sorcerer, (use) witch (-craft).

The word “sorcerers” appears only twice in the New Testament: Revelation 21:8 and Revelation 22:15. The Greek word used for sorcerers here is not necessarily dealing with only witchcraft and sorcery. It is the Greek word “pharmakeus.” It actually means something a little different:

G5332
φαρμακεύς
pharmakeus
far-mak-yoos’
From φάρμακον pharmakon (a drug, that is, spell giving potion); a druggist (“pharmacist”) or poisoner, that is, (by extension) a magician: – sorcerer.

Pharmakeus is where the English word “pharmacy” comes from. I find it interesting that it is used only twice in the New Testament and both times it is found in the Book of Revelation; this Book reveals the end times! We have seen drugs destroy lives of users and those closest to them. Witchcraft uses drugs in its casting of spells, etc. These things are not from the Lord, Reader. We can also see scientists who delve into areas that are demonic – such as doing a surgery on a person to change their gender! It takes drugs to make the transition and definitely falls into this category! God condemns this, witchcraft and sorcery and always has. Have you heard of the “principle of first mentions” in the Bible?

The law (or principle or rule) of first mention is a guideline that some people use for studying Scripture. The law of first mention says that, to understand a particular word or doctrine, we must find the first place in Scripture that word or doctrine is revealed and study that passage. The reasoning is that the Bible’s first mention of a concept is the simplest and clearest presentation; doctrines are then more fully developed on that foundation. So, to fully understand an important and complex theological concept, Bible students are advised to start with its “first mention.”

https://www.gotquestions.org/law-of-first-mention.html

The first time witchcraft is mentioned in the Bible is in 1 Samuel 15:23. Saul’s repeated disobedience to God’s commands progressively worsened throughout his reign. When he disobeyed God, his reaction was to put the blame on others. The prophet and priest, Samuel, told Saul:

1 Sam 15:22-23  And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.  (23)  For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king.

The sin of witchcraft is rebellion against God, plain and simple. Just what does witchcraft involve? There are many categories to witchcraft: off the bat, I can think of tarot cards and fortune telling, communicating with the dead, casting spells, etc. But there are also nuances of these that have crept into society of which we must be leery, especially as born-again believers. Those popular today involve teachings from New Age, Paganism, Native American and Middle Eastern Indian cultures. Adopting their teachings to Christianity is no worse than adopting false doctrine into our churches. Catholicism says it’s OK to worship Mary and kiss her feet. However, Matthew 4:9-10 and Revelation 22:8 say that we are to worship the Lord God only, and that includes bowing to Him.

One of the up and coming things that “Christians” are partaking in is something called smudging. It is done to “purify” a house to remove bad energy or evil spirits from it. One takes a smudge stick (made up of a bundle of herbs like sage, cedar, etc.) and lights it with a candle. Then the person moves around the entire house waiving it in the air ritually cleansing the house to remove negative “energy.” The person moves clockwise and then exits the door and extinguishes to stick. This is paganism and Christians should have no part of it. The Bible says in 2 Thessalonians 3:3 that the Lord keeps us from evil so why do we need smudging? He keeps us from all harm and watches over the believer’s comings and goings FOREVER. (Psalm 121:7-8)

The devil is a liar and the father of lies! (John 8:44) He will deceive the world into thinking that God does not have power here on earth but that he (the devil) does! You may not think of it in those terms but heeding to this type of “spiritualism” is not of God. You are doubting God’s ability to take care of you. The devil has no power over believers and we should not be delving into areas that are pagan in nature. We cannot be a light to the world if we are doing the same things they are doing! Now I’m not saying that it is wrong for us to pray over every area of our homes. We should be dedicating our homes to the Lord and asking His blessings upon it. We should be praying for His protection over anything evil that is innocently brought into the home and asking His guidance to open our eyes to remove it. But, Friend, we are not to expose our homes and families to pagan rituals! Be careful and ask the Holy Spirit’s guidance into anything that will “open” you, your home or family to evil influences. A believer cannot be possessed by the devil because the Holy Spirit dwells within us. But the devil can and will deceive you. That is his main priority! It started in the Garden of Eden and continues today! (Matthew 24:5, Matthew 24:11, Mark 13:6) Don’t be one of them. He will deceive even more in the end times and will deceive even the born-again believers. (Matt 24:24)

Do your research, Reader! My sister delved into transcendental meditation and recited the mantras taught to her. She experienced demonic visions which scared her to death! She immediately stopped! She was not born-again and opened herself up to much evil influences in doing so. Be careful not to adopt Eastern religious doctrines like yoga. Yoga is a spiritual practice that is connected to the worship of Hindu gods. However, in the West, it has been used in exercise and to help manage stress. Christians cannot “tweak” yoga in order to make it more spiritual.

Yoga revolves around “self first” and Christianity is all about God and self last. There are churches that have “holy yoga” and they have “Christianized” it but they are mimicking a false religion! Why would they want to do this!! When we are born-again, we receive and are sealed by the Holy Spirit of God. We have direct communication with God! So why do we need to practice some form of pagan ritual in order to get closer to God? You are already close to God because you are a child of God and a member of His family once you are saved! (Eph. 1:5, Eph. 1:13-14, 2 Cor. 1:21-22, Rom. 8:9, 2 Tim. 2:19) God is the One who renews us day by day (2 Cor. 4:16). We don’t need any form of ritual to do that for us! But you can only claim this if you are born again!

God made it perfectly clear that Israel should not bring in practices from nations they conquered. He said this because He wanted to protect them from this very thing!

Deut 18:9-14  When thou art come into the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations.  (10)  There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch,  (11)  Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer.  (12)  For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee.  (13)  Thou shalt be perfect with the LORD thy God.  (14)  For these nations, which thou shalt possess, hearkened unto observers of times, and unto diviners: but as for thee, the LORD thy God hath not suffered thee so to do.

Smudging has nothing to do with burning a candle or diffusing to make your home smell nice. Smudging goes deeper than that. The purpose of smudging is to remove negative energy/forces. This is totally based on pagan rituals. A Christian should do research before trying something new. We have so much knowledge at our fingertips but our Bibles should be our first stop in our research. Then if you don’t find what you’re looking for, do a quick search on the internet. Wikipedia gives a great description of smudging here. I have a friend with whom I’ve been sharing the Lord whose sister does smudging. The stories she tells me are creepy and this has forced me to study this matter out so I can be a light to my friend. Don’t be deceived Christian!

There are so many more types of sorcery that Christians should stay away from but this post would go on and on! But the best counsel I can give believers is to do your research before you try something new or that is popular within your circle of friends. Just because they do it doesn’t mean it’s right. To you who are reading this post and have not receive Christ as your Saviour, please know that this sin is directly related to Satan and he will do everything he can to cause you to think it’s of God. It is NOT!

With God, 99% obedience is 100% disobedience! Gary Hamrick

I want to be sure that anyone who reads the posts on this blog can know beyond a shadow of a doubt that they are going to Heaven. Have you received Christ as your Saviour? If no, your sins are not covered by His sacrificial offering of Himself. You have not been redeemed by His blood. It is no coincidence that God has placed you here for such a time as this so that you may be saved if you are not already. Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab to You Can Be Born Again and Know It!

Page 27 of 59

Previous

Next

Powered by WordPress & Theme by Anders Norén