"For ye are saved by grace through faith and not of yourselves. It is a gift of God. Not of works lest any man should boast." Ephesians 2:8-9
"For God so loved the world that He gave His Only Begotten Son that whosever believeth in Him should NOT perish but have eternal life. For God sent His Son into the world not to condemn the world but that through Him, the world might be saved." John 3:16-17
"And what I say unto you, I say unto all, WATCH!" Mark 13:37 (Jesus Christ's words)
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Well, I am going to try something new. Instead of just sharing others work, I also want to make posts of my own as well. Please note that I am not well learned in God's Word although I am learning. I may often need to be corrected if I misinterpret scripture and I am in no way a prophet. If ever given that gift, I promise I will let you know. However, sometimes I "know" things ahead of time. Some I believe are God-given but many I believe are just really putting pieces of the puzzle together and I see the bigger picture rather than the small pieces and just know the most obvious outcome. I do NOT date set and while I personally feel we are either right at the beginning of the end or it's not far. In fact, my beloved grandmother, a devout but imperfect, Christian and how taught me Jesus from birth and made me fall head over heels in love with Him since I can remember. I couldn't get "saved" until 12 said my pastor but you know what, I went over his head to the source, lol. I said take me now, Jesus and be my God or hold on to me until 12 but you are my Savior. I think I was saved. Oh, how backslidden I got when older but like the Bible says (I sure wish I knew books/chapters/verses) but "Raise a child in the way it should go and he/she will never depart from it." I never stopped believing but at a few times in my life, I was so angry with Him. I kinda thought He'd never take me but, well, He sure is merciful and greater than we. He is bigger than our anger.
I am so behind because of the Spiritual battle I just went through the past 2 weeks but it started about November to December and I'd be really inconsistent on here. It was huge. I think most know what it was about but, if not, it's on my blog posted yesterday. I'm still going to share many things but I do love to write even if I'm not great at it. I don't try to be. I'm conversational and informal. I want what I write to feel as if I am talking specifically to you. I like it personal and I'm not talking about personal info or things like that. You're my family, not my audience waiting to hear some great speech. You won't get it, lol. I'm starting over fresh Monday and will do what I can over the weekend but Sunday, what I haven't gotten to, well, I've got to manage my time. I'm hoping to be a part of something huge and awesome for the true Church, the Body of Christ. I'll get you some info on it soon but it's about a private social media for Christians. Unbelievers are welcome but under strict guidelines. Pray about it and if anyone is interested in helping get this going, go to www.discoverministries.org (or .com, I forget). If you need a link, let me know. I plan to share it soon anyway.
I've read some great articles tonight about salvation, justification, faith and sanctification or righteousness. The first thing we must remember is that we are not saved by our works, deeds, how "good" we are and our brand of righteousness is not His righteousness but SELF-righteousness. We can be a bit holier-than-thou and yep, that means you too. I've heard it from just about everyone who posts. Now I don't think we mean to be but, especially to the world (that always refers to "unbelievers" and at times so does the word gentiles) we do sound that way. I hear it mostly from pastors or other types of spiritual leaders. That's a big warning to you. Do not exalt yourself above your flock. You are the least of them. You serve them. I have a friend who calls their pastor "PASTOR" instead of Pastor Whoever or just his name. Boy does he exalt himself as well. Honestly, she seems to hang on his every word as if it were pure gold. She holds him to be so wise and all-knowing that sometimes I question where she's placing her faith. His word is her final authority even I quote Jesus's own words that contradict his. She twists it and because of what she believes she must "do" to be saved, I worry if she really is. She only goes by Peter and the book of Acts, a transitional book and not like the rest. Admittedly, it is the most exciting book besides Revelation after the Gospels and I'd love to have been there but you simply cannot base your tenet of faith on that book anymore than you can Numbers, for example.
We are saved and justified immediately upon acceptance of Jesus Christ as your personal Savior. However, sanctification is ongoing until death. We are tried by fire, we have doubts, fears, we misinterpret scripture, we have thoughts and opinions and there is nothing wrong with that. We should ask God questions. Ask/seek/knock...ring a bell? I was convicted immediately of cursing and I don't know how He did it but I stopped cursing and I couldn't say a sentence without using 2-3 vulgar words. It was worse than a sewer. I also used His Name in vain and whenever I hear a Christian say "oh my God" it makes me want to scream or I swear to God. The Bible says not to swear on Him. I'm not talking about that curse word here either. The world is listening to your words and don't be a stumblingblock before them. If they think you do then it must be okay with God. It's not. The Bible says not to take His Name in vain (for nothing) and to stay away from filthy language. It's your free will choice to curse or not (we all slip up) but you are the salt of the earth and the light of the world. If you want to lead someone to Jesus, let your life show the right way. Be careful what you do in public and never forget, you can't hide your sins when in secret either. Tame the tongue and I am speaking to me especially. Don't lie either although I have been in situations where telling someone the truth would be so devastating that I have willfully lied because I'd rather repent than to be merciless to another. I'm no longer a liar but I lie sometimes. We have to choose between the lesser of two or more evils far too much in this world. For example, if someone was trying to kill someone and they asked you where they were and you knew, would you lie and say you don't know or tell them and put that other's life at risk? What would Jesus want you to do?
See, that's the problem and byproduct of living in a very evil world today. We don't always have a "right" choice. I would lie. No doubt about it. I have no idea how God would judge that but I would say you made the right call. A grandmother had to tell her 5 year old granddaughter to "play dead" in church when that crazed man went and slaughtered a black church in South Carolina a few years ago. She made her lie in God's house of worship. I bet she didn't think twice. Should she repent? Yeah but how sorry was she? I wouldn't really be all that sorry and I won't lie to God. Stop beating yourself up for every little thing. We're saved by grace, we are unsaved through unbelief and unacceptance of Jesus Christ as our Savior. We are not likely to repeat that sin. It was one of necessity and how you repent is between you and how the Spirit leads you. Repentance is the turning away from willful sin, not saying I'm sorry although I think that is a good thing to do, it keeps you humble.
If you smoke, drink more than you think you should, lie a lot, curse, fornicate or commit adultery, or we could get worse but, let's not, and the Holy Spirit convicts you, you may have to go through a major battle but if you pray through it and hold on, you will come through the storm feeling powerful, closer than ever to Him, and you will be a powerful force to be reckoned with. You won't lose your faith, not if it was built on the Chief Cornerstone which is Christ Jesus. If you give in to your flesh, then you probably were never truly saved to begin with. DO NOT GIVE UP IF THIS HAPPENS. Tear down your house and build it on that rock. It is never too late. NEVER GIVE IN TO THAT EVIL THING. He is a LIAR.
All your life you will be tried by fire and purified. Not fun but worth it. You'll know when it's time to turn away. I did. Listen to the Spirit and for your sake, learn how the Holy Spirit leads YOU personally. We are not all given the same fruits of the Spirit. I can't do certain things anymore, not because they are sins for everyone but because they are to me because we have different strengths and weaknesses. Me, I could drink a mixed drink once in a while IF I so chose but I don't like the taste but I've never had a problem with alcohol so I wouldn't drink but a little but you may have been an alcoholic and 1 drink could undo it all. There are absolute sins for us all but there's also personal sins we have to deal with. I used to constantly watch television but now, I can barely watch 3 TV shows. I use it for background noise but I hear so much vulgarity and anti-Christ spirits in ads that it's like fingernails on a chalkboard. I saw an ad the other day for chocolate. It said "sin deliciously." Is that what we've reduced SIN to? A piece of chocolate? I hate to tell you but eating a piece of chocolate is not a sin. That "gentleman's club" on the corner is a filthy sin but not a Hershey's Kiss. Let's get real about what sin is and stop making it sound harmless. Are you still unconvinced that the media is taking away God?
You will never achieve righteousness while breathing. You ARE righteous now if you are born again by believing that Jesus Christ died, was buried, and resurrected in body to save you. He's all-inclusive. He's for the atheist, satanist, muslim, hindu, homosexual, transgender, etc. Nobody on earth is forbidden. We are all loved, wanted and called. He doesn't want robots and forced worship or else we would not have free will. You can do nothing to be saved and that means stop smoking, cursing, overeating, give 10%, nothing. Nada. Zip. Zero. Good works are fruits of salvation and never part of salvation. If you have no faith but work hard but don't believe, don't bother.
Joel O'Steen wrote a book called "How to Have Your Best Life Now." Pray for him. If this is our best life, where is our hope? Heaven is going to so much better than this. I'm waiting for my best life. However, my life is the best it's ever been because I live it for my King of Kings, Lord of Lords, my Savior and my Beloved Bridegroom, Jesus Christ. Make that choice today and then get ready for the greatest journey ever taken but sanctification can be hard but powerful.
God is good all the time and.........all the time, God is good.
GOD BLESS AND MUCH LOVE IN CHRIST JESUS
HOW TO BE SAVED BY THE BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST....
GRACE
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