The Duality of Life...The Reality

The Duality of Life...The Reality 

by David Brenneman 

It was mentioned last night at our Bible Study and on various occasions God's had me mention it here...of people leading more than one life.

The Christian life and the lives of those who haven't yet come to Christ are taught from an early age on how to lead at least two lives.  

We read in Romans 12 of being transformed by the renewing of your mind in Christ Jesus.  To not be conformed to this world. Yet our sin nature tries for door number three...to live in both.

The media is easily under the control of Satan's minions. They are quick to attack any Believer for either their stand in Christ or their sins that were found out. They are easily irritated when an interview changes direction and God's praised instead. 

In the lives of Believers and the unbelieving there's the life people see and the one they don't think anyone sees.  There's also what they do in regards to others and what is done for themselves. Relationships compound the dualistic nature of life. 

In the heart of a Believer it's compounded in that indeed we can pray to God concerning things in our lives, it comes down to who's will will be done.  Who is on the Throne of the Heart. 

In the lived of the unbelieving the only one on the Throne of their heart...isn't them.  The realization hasn't dawned on them because the light of Christ hasn't been seen, that the god of this world sits there.

We as Christians, as we saw in last night's study material, need to be all in with our relationship with Christ Jesus.  It wasn't mentioned last night but it goes to something Jesus said. Take up our own cross and follow Him.  You cannot carry anything if you are carrying your own cross.  You have to let go of your baggage to hold onto that cross.  You learn to transform your life in order to carry it. Jesus said His load is easy and His burden is light.  He said to take His yolk upon us.  Our transformed life is tied into our cross bearing and obedience. 

In our lives though, for all, we tend to push whomever is on the Throne off of it in order to get choices and decisions that reflect our own will and ways.

People wanting to keep what Jesus is saying to let go of.

People wanting something that is not in God's Will to have. 

People wanting health, prosperity, peace, any and all things, yet aren't looking for who, what, when, how, or anything at all it has to do with God’s plan for their lives.  

We all have pushed either Jesus or Satan from that Throne in us. Satan's only bothered by it if such a push seats Jesus on that Throne. Jesus is saddened by it when He is pushed because of our originally saying that Throne was His. 

The lives lived throughout the generations all point to one event in future history. The return of Jesus Christ.  The Tribulation time in Revelation soon after that. The Great White Throne Judgment of mankind.  Obedience to the Will of God draws that closer. Disobedience delays it.  

The Word of God says to pray for His Kingdom to come, His Will to be done. Where? On Earth as it is in Heaven. As it is in Heaven. As it is already happening in Heaven.  What you may also not see is His Will is that nobody perish apart from God.  He has no joy in anyone dying apart from Christ Jesus.  He came to seek and save the lost.  Out of our joy in being saved we ought to live a LIFE that is all in for Him. Not a dual life. Not separated or segregated in our hearts. 

Not a life that is about Christ on certain days and hours as if it were only for visitation purposes and we go and give our hearts to the world the rest of the time. Revelation 4:11 NASB "Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created.”

We see into Heaven in the book of Revelation at what is said concerning King Jesus.  We see it we read it, but truth be known, it starts in the here and now in our hearts before we ever leave here as believers and enter into Heaven.  

We see in the four Gospels of lives that were all in. We see that Paul in Romans preached about lives being all in.  We see this in Scripture but do we believe it?  Mark 8:36 NASB "For what does it benefit a person to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul?"

What if you DID get your will your way in this life?  Truth is you still wouldn't be satisfied. 

Look at our world today.  Politicians gave people what they wanted and the country suffers greatly because of it.  

We cannot live by burning our candle by any end but one.  We cannot live for our will to be done and God’s to be done when they don't match up.  We cannot live that way because that's not God’s way.  

We won't call it selfishness but that's what it is.  Pride runs with selfishness.  We want satisfied in the here and now, and don't think of God’s plans.  

Read this...

Luke 12:16-21 NASB "And He told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man was very productive. And he began thinking to himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no place to store my crops?’ And he said, ‘This is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and I will store all my grain and my goods there. And I will say to myself, “You have many goods stored up for many years to come; relax, eat, drink, and enjoy yourself!”’ But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your soul is demanded of you; and as for all that you have prepared, who will own it now?’ Such is the one who stores up treasure for himself, and is not rich in relation to God.”

What about you?  What about me?  We need to put the rightful King on the Throne of our hearts and its not Us and its not Satan.  We cannot live by our will being done. It goes nowhere.  Jesus came to seek and save the lost. Not to see the sights, visit, get rich, take over as King of Israel, although He WILL return as King over all the Earth.

Are your desires and your wants, regardless of your motivation, showing that you are all in with Jesus being in control of your life?

Are you an unbelieving person who's tired of trying to live a happy life and are failing miserably at it?  

Only a life that's lived as God's plan has ordered will be truly lived well. 

By Faith Not by Works

By Faith Not by Works

Condemned to die on a cross for crimes he had done
He was guilty- everyone could see.
But his destiny was changed as he looked at Christ and said,
"When Your kingdom comes, remember me."
In Paradise that day, he stood
Just like the Lord had said he would
Surrounded by those who had gone before.
One said, "Friend, how did you come? What are the deeds you have done?"
With tears in his eyes, I can hear him reply,
"There are no merits to my name- no works that I can claim. He Who brought me here told me to say...

(Chorus)
I have come by the way of the cross.
I have come by the way of the cross.
It is nothing I have done.
It's the suffering of God's Son.
I have come by the way of the cross."

I have nothing to claim but my guilt and my shame.
Hopelessly lost, I could not find my way.
Till His glorious light of love shone down on me.
His mercy washed all my sins away!
And what He did for me that day
Was a price I could not pay.
And by His grace, I too can say- forever say...
(Chorus)

Bridge
I see millions gathered 'round the throne
From every kindred and tongue-
Those redeemed by the blood of the Lamb!
And as they cast their crowns down at His feet
This will be my story- this will be my song,...
(Chorus "We")

There is no other way.. but the cross!
By the cross! By the cross!

"By the Way of the Cross" the Ruppes.

There's nothing that we do other than to come in faith, believing, that saves us. 

There's no having to do anything more to be saved.  No list of jobs to do. 

Once saved always saved. Once we do come in faith, the Spirit seals us until either we are called to come to our home in Heaven or Jesus returns.  

I heard this song a few years ago and it's lyrics always get me. 

I have nothing to claim but my guilt and my shame.
Hopelessly lost, I could not find my way.
Till His glorious light of love shone down on me.
His mercy washed all my sins away!
And what He did for me that day
Was a price I could not pay.
And by His grace, I too can say- forever say...

I have come by the way of the cross.
I have come by the way of the cross.
It is nothing I have done.
It's the suffering of God's Son.
I have come by the way of the cross."

That guy found himself in God's grace and mercy in a heartbeat.  He wasn't baptized. Would never preach a sermon. Would never speak a word to anyone in this world again, yet his choice has been spoken of for over 2,000 years. 

To come to Christ is your choice as well as mine was. Jesus did all the rest of the work to save that man and you and I.  Jesus made the same promise to that man as He does with all of mankind.  

I am in awe of the life that I have lived.  I can say with utter certainty that it's only been because I came to this point in my life by way of the cross. 

I may have went left instead of right or some other such way. I might have caused God to do His Will for me differently than He originally intended, but indeed His Will for me WILL be done on Earth as it is in Heaven.  Satan loves to get believers to believe that their latest sin was enough to cause God's plans for them to be ruined.  No where in the Bible does it ever say "maybe His Will could be done on Earth as it is in Heaven if we keep our fingers crossed".

In looking at my life and back on my life...I can see and know that His Will is still happening in me.  He loves me too much to stop.  

You cannot work your way into Heaven, but you can simply come by way of the cross. 

It Isn't What You Think It Is...

It Isn't What You Think It Is...

[Abraham was] fully convinced that what [God] had promised He was also able to perform. ROMANS 4:21 

Phillip Yancey wrote, “Faith is trusting in advance what will only make sense in reverse.” That reminds us of Paul’s analogy, likening faith to a shield that deflects the arrows of the enemy (Ephesians 6:16). 

Our difficulties are darts Satan throws to cause us depression and defeat. Nothing is more stressful than disunity at church, broken relationships at work, disagreement among friends, or division in the home. We can’t make sense of these things when they occur, but we can trust God with the outcome. Faith lifts us up as we determine to trust God despite the circumstances, being fully convinced that He is able to do what He has said. He has promised to work all things together for good, to hear and answer our prayers, to guard our hearts and minds with His peace, to never leave or forsake us, and to restore our souls (Romans 8:28; John 15:7; Philippians 4:7; Hebrews 13:5; Psalm 23:3). Faith is trusting God because of His promises. Life in a Christian environment isn’t easy, but you can stand up to Satan’s attacks when you know who you’re fighting against. You can deflect his darts with the shield of faith. When [God] finds a soul penetrated with a living faith, He pours into it His graces and favors plentifully; there they flow like a torrent. BROTHER LAWRENCE - Dr. David Jeremiah Turning Points with God 

Was reading in Mark this morning and realized that an answer given by a Pastor friend of mine was right there all along.  Just as that Philip Yancey quote refers to. Only looking backwards was it making sense. 

We are used to and are taught about forward thinking. To look ahead. To plan ahead. I used to hear "plan your work, work your plan" all the time at work. 

Looking back at our lives through God's lenses show quite different outcomes than we thought we lived through. 

The question posed to my friend was about why was Jesus telling people to not tell others of His work in their lives.  In Mark we see the results of when people didn't obey.  He had great difficulty in fulfilling His ministry because all the people would come at Him to get something from Him to the extent it was harming His ministry.  Indeed as I had been told they were looking to make Him King by force to keep using Him for that.

I constantly look at my life, often wondering what's happened and where is it heading.  To be honest, it confuses me greatly at times.  Right now my Wife and I are in awe and wonder about how we have been so blessed in our new home.  I honestly struggle with not garnering the same reactions at work that I have been used to for most of 20 plus years. 

It's often hindsight that the Spirit uses to show God's work in our lives.  If we are on the same page as God, in His sanctification of our lives, then indeed we are in the Will of God. If our lives are filled with what's in it for me then there's going to be problems. 

If we are indeed in the Will of God, we ought to expect what Jesus expected, conflicts and disturbances in our lives to take our focus off of what it is the Spirit is doing. 

Everything from useful to useless things can and will happen.  Satan's focus is to hamper God's sanctifying work in all believers. He does not want people obeying or following the Will of God.  These people are dangerous to him.  They are a threat to his will being done. 

In your life things might not make sense, however, we are instructed to persevere. To keep at whatever God puts in front of us to do.  Much of life might not make sense. That's ok as long as we are obeying what God tells us.  It's the excuses that the Spirit doesn't want to hear. 

It's our trying to get out of things that He's said are necessary for our sanctification that will not please God. People who live by excuses never get to where they need to be going. 

I don't pretend to be more than what you see.  I have to be who God designed me to be. I was born how I was, in a time when I was, for His plan and purpose.  Making sense isn't a requirement for obedience. It's not even possible some times.  

A life might be taken and we see no logical reason why. A life might go through literally what we perceive as Hell on Earth, but if those lives are in Christ and those lives were lived out in obedience to God then God will have had good reason for it to be that way.  To that point I direct you to a very good book called 90 Minutes in Heaven. 

The old hymn Trust and Obey is best lived out in faith that our obedience brings about greater trust. 

Jesus indeed came to seek and save the lost.  Satan's plan was to leave people lost and keep Jesus from finding them. 

We are to go and make Disciples teaching them all that Jesus commanded. 

We will fight the same fights and encounter the same things as Jesus in regards to opposition to that. Sometimes it's the world, sometimes it's us.  

In my driver's training I was taught to frequently look in my rear view mirror. Mostly for informational purposes to keep me aware of what's coming up behind me and to see where I have been.  Look into your Spiritual rear view mirror and look at where you have been but remember to keep your eyes on the road ahead.  It's a healthy mix.

You Can't Mean That!

You Can't Mean That!

Are you in denial about the direction that God's wanting to take you?   Are you thinking to yourself that God can't possibly mean THAT!

It's impossible! It's too far! It's this or it's that...I can't...

There were 12 men in that boat yet only one had the crazy notion to ask Jesus about joining Him on the water.

We mistakenly view our circumstances as though it were the doctrine of our existence. 

That this must be how it's meant to be. This opportunity or that isn't there so I guess I must compromise. 

The Israelites were being chased by Pharaoh...a river was in the way.  Their view was they were going to die.  There was no where to go. Nothing that they could do. 

The man who was let down on his bed before Jesus thought his life was always going to be that way until Jesus told him to get up.  He didn't touch him to heal him.  

We can look our physical eyes but totally miss what our Spiritual eyes should be looking at. 

I have no doubt that had we not stepped out in faith that I likely would have ended up in depression and or in the hospital.  My physical eyes threatened my Spiritual existence. 

Are you making your own excuses to believe your physical eyes?

God wasn't playing around when He told the Israelites to head towards the water.

Jesus wasn't kidding when He told Peter to get out of the boat to join Him. 

Jesus wasn't asking for anything but obedience from that man on his bed.

We will make excuses.  Adam and Eve taught the human race to do so. 

We will say that the drive is too far.  That the effort is too much. 

The cost is too high.  The health isn't there.  There is a mountain in the way. 

Fear is a chain that Jesus breaks. 

But I have been here all my life! Yeah. The Disciples were commanded to go and make Disciples. That meant not staying where they were. Making Disciples was more important thsn where they were trying to stay.  The persecution of the early Church happened to push them out into the world. 

Will your excuses really hold water when you face Jesus?

You were given a measure of faith when you came to Christ. Romans 12.  You using it or did you hide it in the ground? 

Life isn't supposed to go by way of your will being done on Earth as it isn't in Heaven. 

Your will isn't paramount. If that were the case then why did Jesus give the Law to Moses to teach to the Israelites?  Why teach them what obedience was?

Are your thoughts centered around you or around what the Spirit wants to do with and through you?   Who cares how long you have worked somewhere.  The bulk of the Disciples were life-long fisherman by trade. God had other things in mind for them. 

Are you in denial of the sanctification that God's doing in your life? That is God's Will for you. 

Think about what excuses you have been saying to yourself.  Are you really going to stand on them?  Are you where you are because of a false sense of loyalty?  Some use that as a reason not to obey.  Some use family members as a reason not to obey. We are well adept at creating reasons not to step out of the boat. 

I will be asking the other Disciples someday if they regretted not stepping out with Peter. If they regretted not asking Jesus as Peter did.

WE are our own worst enemy in regards to obedience to God's Will. 

What you have to decide is this: Is what Jesus did to save you worth obeying in what He's called YOU to do?  In the body of Christ YOU have a specific role to do. YOU have a specific function to be doing.  Your excuses will always keep you from doing it.  

Beware of Calling What is Evil, Good!

Beware of Calling What is Evil, Good!

"Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil;

Who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness;
Who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!" Isaiah 5:20 NASB

"Therefore I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith. For just as we have many parts in one body and all the body’s parts do not have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually parts of one another. However, since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to use them properly: if prophecy, in proportion to one’s faith; if service, in the act of serving; or the one who teaches, in the act of teaching; or the one who exhorts, in the work of exhortation; the one who gives, with generosity; the one who is in leadership, with diligence; the one who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.

Love must be free of hypocrisy. Detest what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor, not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer, contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality.

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation. Never repay evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all people. If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all people. Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written: “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. “But if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." Romans 12 NASB 

"For the time will come when they will not tolerate sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance with their own desires, and they will turn their ears away from the truth and will turn aside to myths." 2 Timothy 4:3-4 NASB 

There's much to be said about the dangers of conformity.  Yet here we are in a global, not merely a local, society that's pushing conformity to the acceptance of that which God has called evil. 

From everything from gender to relationships this world, and indeed within the so-called churches of this world, the embracing of that which God calls evil is happening.  It's celebrated rather than shunned. It produces no remorse nor repentance.  

It's also written "It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God." Hebrews 10:31 NASB. 

The terrifying part is both what happens in this world and after we die.  For some it's only after they die.  They come face to face with Jesus. 

Reading in Romans 12 we read about detesting evil.  To embrace as normal that which God calls an abomination is sin. It matters not your intentions.  You don't dive into sin to save someone, it indeed will trip you up. 

As God is repulsed by sin, so should we be. We cannot love this world nor the things in the world.  1 John 2:15.

We cannot make excuses for sin or sinful practices either.  We are instructed to flee evil. 

Those who promote evil within the Church and without it will incur a harsher reality when facing Jesus. 

Those that mislead people in regards to God's Word.  Those who harm children, widows and orphans. Those who teach others as doctrine the ways of demons.  

Conformity to the world is evil in and of itself going to lead you away from God.  

Calling that which God says is an abomination acceptable is also evil.  

Just because the world says its to be embraced doesn't mean it is right to do so.  

I can get into specific sins but you know what God's talking about.  

We are to indeed hate the sin but not the sinner.  This is to also say we should be encouraging them away from sin, not to leave them wallowing in it.

We should never encourage anyone to go on living life as if their sin wasn't sin.  That they don't have an old self to take off and a new to put on.  Let's look at Ephesians 4:17-32 NASB "So I say this, and affirm in the Lord, that you are to no longer walk just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their minds, being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart; and they, having become callous, have given themselves up to indecent behavior for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness. But you did not learn Christ in this way, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus, that, in reference to your former way of life, you are to rid yourselves of the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and that you are to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.

Therefore, ridding yourselves of falsehood, speak truth each one of you with his neighbor, because we are parts of one another. Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not give the devil an opportunity. The one who steals must no longer steal; but rather he must labor, producing with his own hands what is good, so that he will have something to share with the one who has need. Let no unwholesome word come out of your mouth, but if there is any good word for edification according to the need of the moment, say that, so that it will give grace to those who hear. Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. All bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and slander must be removed from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you."

This in Ephesians ties in directly with Romans 12. 

We shouldn't stay in the sins we came to Christ to escape!  We should never encourage anyone else to do that either. 

Beware of any so-called church that embraces things such as homosexuality as if it were ok. 

Beware of any so-called church that places people in roles they are not to be in according to the Scriptures.  Some may not agree with this but your argument is with God, not me. I write what I am told to write.  There are to be no homosexual pastors.  There are to be no women pastors.  There is to be no acceptance as normal what God has said isn't to be allowed. 

Evil is deceptive by its nature.  Evil will do whatever it can to thrive and be accepted. 

Evil will even attempt to make you feel guilty for doing that which God says is good.

Be careful of your walk in this world. We have God's eternal Word to live by and to guide us. We should never make excuses for sin. We are told what to do should we encounter someone caught in sin. Point them back to Jesus.  

Galatians 6:1-5 NASB "

"Brothers and sisters, even if a person is caught in any wrongdoing, you who are spiritual are to restore such a person in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you are not tempted as well. Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks that he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But each one must examine his own work, and then he will have reason for boasting, but to himself alone, and not to another. For each one will bear his own load."

Self examination is a good thing.  Making sure what God's Word says is obeyed is paramount. 

Making sure we aren't in sin or encouraging others to stay in sin is paramount. 

I have a shirt that says that I would rather stand with God and be judged by the world than stand with the world and be judged by God.  We put ourselves in a bad situation when we accept as normal what God's said isn't. 

He is the author and perfector of our faith. The Spirit is to teach us all things, but we need to listen to Him.  If God says something was evil, or sin, or an abomination in the Bible when it was written, it still is true today. 

If So, Where is He?

If So, Where is He?

Cynical people are everywhere these days. Way more than probably used to be.  In the Church that is. The World will always be full of cynical people who doubt the Word of God. It would be easy to think that Peter was talking to the people of this world in 2 Peter 3:9 but he wasn't, not entirely. 

"Beloved, this is now the second letter I am writing to you in which I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of a reminder, to remember the words spoken beforehand by the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior spoken by your apostles.

Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts, and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue just as they were from the beginning of creation.” For when they maintain this, it escapes their notice that by the word of God the heavens existed long ago and the earth was formed out of water and by water, through which the world at that time was destroyed by being flooded with water. But by His word the present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly people.

But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not willing for any to perish, but for all to come to repentance." 2 Peter 3:3-9 NASB 

In our daily battles we often need reminders that God already won.

We face people, often indirectly, that might indeed challenge us on just what happened, where is this supposed return of Jesus Christ? 

I have heard many people talk about their views in my life.  Have heard people talk about relying on Jesus as a crutch. Have heard people say things about church being for the weak who can't make it on their own. Have read about angry people who blame God for their troubles rather than them realizing that God's been there all along waiting to help. Have heard people recently that spoke of their own falling away from the Church. 

People are born with cynical thinking. Cain certainly showed it.  It can lead to bitterness and anger.  Can push people into believing they were wronged and are owed something.  Look at today's world and you see that in today's headlines. 

Jesus said: I have come to seek and save the lost. 

He sent the Disciples out into the world to make Disciples. Teaching them to do all that He commanded them.  

People in Hell all believe and know that God is real, Jesus is on the Throne and that their fate is sealed.  They do not agree with Jesus but they know there's nothing they can do about it.  They chose to reject the free gift of salvation that is only through Jesus Christ. Their not agreeing either brings them to weeping or with them raging at God in their torment. There is no party, no celebrations, no wonderful afterlife filled with joy for anyone who refused that gift of salvation. 

People wonder where is Jesus now.  Why hasn't He come back?  He's not willing that anyone of you reading this or anyone who hasn't read it to perish. He has no desire to send anyone to Hell.  Realize this truth: People send themselves to Hell when their time on Earth is done if they refused salvation in Christ Jesus. All who refuse, refused of their own free will. It was their choice. Jesus, in your here and now, is as close to you as your next breath. 

Jesus is here. He is with you. He is in Europe, in South Africa, the International Space Station. Mars, the Moon. Everywhere.  He is Omnipresent. Everywhere at once.  In the lives of Believers He is within them.  In the lives of those who haven't, He's at the door of their hearts knocking, asking to come in.  Those people have the only doorknob. Only those people can open the door to Jesus and ask Him to come in....and only while the breath of life is in them. 

The answer is Jesus is with you right now. 

Indeed a day is quickly approaching whereas He will get up from His Throne and return to gather all who believe to Himself.  All who died in Christ Jesus will receive a glorified body that is free from the ravages of sin and be reunited with their spirit, also free from sin. Those who are alive and remain who are Believers will join them. Likewise with a new body and a spirit freed from sin.  After this all Believers will go away with Jesus and 7 years of horror will grip this world as the Judgments of God are unleashed upon this world. 

But I don't need your God!  Some in this world lift a fist at God in anger.  To some its not in anger but rather in the form of a statement. They won't come to Christ because they blame some life event on God.  They would rather be angry at God. 

Interestingly the Bible says that the anger of man does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.  Some erroneously believe in only the God of the Old Testament. Well, the Old Testament points to Jesus in the New Testament. Before His conversion, Saul only believed in the God of the Old Testament, on the road to Damascus Jesus opened his spiritual eyes about the Old Testament. Providing proof from the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ. 

You may not be saved. You indeed might be on the outside looking in at Christianity.  Jesus is waiting for you. 

That's where He is right now.  He took your punishment for sin upon Himself to make it possible for you to be with Him forever. But you need to ask Him for it.  It's a free gift.  He died so that you might live.  He arose from the dead making saving you possible.  He pushed you out of the way and took your death sentence upon Himself. But you are still needing to ask Him to save you.  He did all the work, but the choice is in your hands.  You need to open the door to Jesus in your heart and ask Him to come in.  To forgive you of your sins and to save you. That simple, that easy.  That will change your forever address from Hell to Heaven. 

So where is He?  He's knocking on your door to your heart. 

More than Your Religion

More than Your Religion 

The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, “God, I thank you that I am not like other men—extorters, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector.” LUKE 18:11 

One of the terrible possibilities suggested by the Pharisee’s attitude in prayer is this: a person can be religious and not be right. This man’s religion became the cause of his ruin. He did everything right from a religious perspective—in fact, more than right! His problem was that he had totally excluded God from the picture of his life. His religion was all about him. Every Sunday, people attend houses of worship with other worshipers. They sing hymns, recite liturgies, pray prayers, listen to sermons. And they will leave feeling better about themselves than when they went in. Unfortunately, they will still be deeply rooted in their sins. If our religion does nothing more than make us feel better about our sin, then that religion has doomed us, not saved us. The Pharisee was a religious man who was lost in his religion. Along with everything else we learn in this story, we learn about the dangers of religious pride. And that doesn’t mean we are to go to a church where we leave feeling bad. It means we are to leave feeling good about the Savior whose mercy has saved us from our sins. We leave feeling good about God’s justification, not our own.  

Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 1 CORINTHIANS 10:31 

In the early years of his Christian faith, General Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson, the great battlefield leader of the Civil War, purposed to glorify God in all things. He tithed his income and gave up all activities that might distract his thoughts from holy things. If he was asked about the good or evil of a particular activity, he would smile and reply, “Well, I know it is not wrong not to do it, so I’m going to be on the safe side.” Many Christians today flirt with sin, hoping to stop themselves just before they cross the line. Technically, they don’t sin. But General Jackson’s attitude is the biblical one: move toward God in all things, and sin will lose its strength. In other words, better to be safe than sorry. How about you? How much of your life is given to the pursuit of the glory of God? Even in times of sickness, of testing, of suffering, of doubt—are you still committed to staying close to God and allowing Him to be glorified by being your strength? Paul said even his difficulties could “cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God” (2 Corinthians 4:15). Bringing glory to God in all things is the only way to stay safe and avoid sorrow. - Dr. David Jeremiah Morning and Evening (Both).

Was reading in my Bible and it was Leviticus 19 and 20. Reading more of the things that the Lord Jesus Christ was telling Moses to teach the new Levitical priests to know about life and living to teach others. 

When I look at the first devotional and the second I see them as one.  The so-called mainstream churches of today are going to be in for a harsh reality when Jesus returns.  

It's going to be incredibly sad when Christ does return and these churches are still full of people.  We read of the sinful things that were written in the Old Testament and a great deal of today's churches take a blind eye to those sins.  They look the other way or sadder still they celebrate these things that the Lord Jesus called abominations. 

I can't conceive of an argument before Jesus for demanding He accept a sin as normal.

I can't conceive of an argument whereby the sinner demands of God that He accept them as they are. 

I can't conceive of such arguments but they exist. Hell is full of people claiming that God had no right to condemn them to torment for eternity over what He said was sin...and they are still gnashing their teeth at God.

The vast majority of those in Hell rage against God because of His exercising His right as Sovereign Creator over the affairs of mankind. 

Many who show up in churches today want people to tell them what they want to hear, to tell them that what they believe is ok.  That they aren't living in sin and should be accepted as they are. 

People by the millions enter churches each week and leave none-the-better.

They come to be warmed and satisfied and to leave. Their conscience appeased for another week.  They aren't looking for changed lives nor are they wanting to be changed. 

This isn't what is supposed to be for those in the body of Christ.  We are told of putting off the old self, putting on the new in Christ. We are told of being in the world but not of the world. We are told to be transformed by the renewing of our minds in Romans 12. We are to live lives that reflect Christ, not our sins. 

Millions will show up at church buildings after the Rapture of the true Church and won't understand why they are still here.

Millions will be told lies about those no longer here and they will believe them.  They will believe the lies because they're already living a lie before Christ Jesus. 

When the Word of God isn't doing anything to your life, then you need to find out now why this is the case. One second after you die its too late. One second after the Rapture of the Church is too late. 

God's Word changes people, it does not teach them to leave their sins alone. 

God's Word reveals the truth about ourselves and the Spirit shows the way to live life in Godliness. 

Jesus has not and never will change His thoughts on sin.

What was sin, still is sin, and all sin needs to be repented of, turned from and ran from. 

We who are in Christ are supposed to be different from the world. We shouldn't be some shadow of the world. 

If your life isn't moving towards a life in Godliness, the fault isn't on God.  He didn't move.  You did. 

We are to seek a life of living the way the Spirit teaches us to live, not a life that still does whatever is right in our own eyes. 

There are people today in these so-called churches teaching people to embrace their sin.  That they can choose not to change and it will all be ok. 

Paul warned the early Church that people would rise up from among them to teach such things.  They are false teachers. The problem is there are so many that they don't stand out anymore. 

Jesus said that He is going to come back. 

If you have ever believed any of His promises, then all of His promises are true. Not just the ones that you like. 

The 7 years of Tribulation that are in the near future will be horrific on this Earth. 

Great devastation that has never been seen on Earth in its short history. 

Billions of people will die in the Judgments to be revealed.  Do the math. 1/3rd of mankind dying is billions of people.  The millions who die or have died in recent years will pale in comparison. 

You do not want to tell God that He is wrong and to stand defiant against Him. 

You will suffer a horrific fate for doing so. He is God, you are not. 

You do not want to miss out on the free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ alone.  It's your only chance at life.

This world isn't getting better, will not be getting better.  Not until after those 7 years have passed and King Jesus Himself ruled Earth from Earth. 

You, my Dear Reader, must realize that you are in need of a Savior to save you FROM your sins. From because you need to stop doing them.  Not living as though you were never cleansed of them. 

I look at this world and can see what Jesus said to look for that would be happening before He returns.

Read it for yourself. It's there in the Gospel accounts at the beginning of the New Testament.  

Do you go to Church and are not taught to turn away from sin? 

Do you go and seem to be praising God yet live the rest of your week doing whatever sins feel good to you without any remorse?

Do you look back on your life and see no change towards a life lived for Jesus Christ?  

My Dear Reader please get right before Jesus now before its too late.  Come to Christ with the desire to be forgiven and cleansed of your sins. To be changed, not to be the same as you are.  To turn away from your sins and to live for the one who saved you.  To a new life.

We don't have many years left.  I am not setting a date for Christ to return but rather am validating His own Word about what He said the world would be like when He returns. We live in that world today. 

Bible prophecy is still happening today. The promises of God are still happening today in regards to Bible prophecy coming true.  

You need to be living a life that's been changed, not one that's the same.