We have 7 dogs and a cat in our home. As such, sometimes we find ourselves battling fleas. This morning, one was on my shirt. Della was trying to catch it. I pulled back on the material (thinking to help her) and it wasn't long before she said, "Let go." I was confused. Let go of what? So, she said it again, "Let go." I finally realized that she had meant to let go of my shirt.
But, it dawned on me, How many times do we do God that way?
He's trying to help us with a problem and he keeps saying, "let go." Yet, we keep holding on to it.
It could be a sin. When he tells us to repent, he's essentially telling us to let go of the sin so that he can take it away and wash us in his blood. That way, we can be holy in his sight.
It may be a situation that we're trying to fix. God sees it. He knows how to fix it. He keeps telling us to "let go." Let go of our lost children. Let go of the job situation. Let go of our political anxieties. Whatever it is, when we hold onto it with our hands, we don't allow him to step in and take control.
More often than not, the harder we try to fix it, the worse the issue becomes- and the more aggravated we become. Why is it so hard for us humans to trust God with our troubles? He tells us to "cast all (our) cares upon (him)." (1 Peter 5:7)
Sure, he could force us to let it go. But, God wants us to willingly release to him what we are holding in our hands into his all-powerful and all capable hands. That way, when he fixes it, we stand in awe of his amazing handiwork. But, when we stubbornly try and turn the problem this way and that way, he just sits back and watches us- waiting on us to come to the end of ourselves.
When we finally reach the end of ourselves and realize that our efforts are truly doing nothing to fix anything, then we will finally give it to him. Much like a toddler who is trying to take something apart finally looks up at the parent and says, "help," we lift the problem to God. He smiles, takes it from us, and corrects the problem as only he can.
What an awesome Father we have. He loves us and is ready, willing, and able to take care of whatever needs to be taken care of.
So, whatever the problem in our lives: a sin, a sick loved one, a job, political worries, wedding plans, etc., we need to give it all over to him. God is well able to fix the problem. And he's ready to take it out of our hands and make something beautiful out of it.
When we do, we'll be amazed at the end result for he truly does all things well.
Isaiah 5:18 Woe unto them that draw iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin as it were with a cart rope:
19 That say, Let him make speed, and hasten his work, that we may see it: and let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw nigh and come, that we may know it!
20 Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
21 Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!
22 Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink:
23 Which justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him!
24 Therefore as the fire devoureth the stubble, and the flame consumeth the chaff, so their root shall be as rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust: because they have cast away the law of the Lord of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.
We are living in a very sad day.
It used to be that righteousness and peace were the law of the land. People used to care about each other. People used to know right from wrong. Wrongdoers used to be prosecuted in order to keep the righteous safe. Poor folks used to be helped by their neighbors and their churches rather than being told to go and sign up for a government-controlled handout. Men were willing to work to care for their families and women were willing to be good mothers and wives. Businesses looked to hire and train men of good character rather than looking for someone who just connects the dots they want to be connected.
Rioting was nearly unheard of. Treating people as equals was expected. People working for their living was the norm as was helping your neighbor.
Not anymore.
Now, the culture has been inundated with a me-first attitude. We are told that we should allow what God says is an abomination as normal. People who are struggling are turned away by "God's people" and told to go and sign up for Government help. Men who want to work are turned away because they don't exactly line up with the job qualifications. Employers can't be bothered to train good workers anymore.
People don't want to protest and sign petitions to right wrongs anymore. Rather, they want to riot and destroy other people's lives. Please tell me how in the world that solves any of the underlying issues?
Congress passes laws they say are meant to "help" the people. Yet, a careful examination of the laws shows that what they actually passed was something designed to subvert our Constitution and destroy our liberties. And the media pats these evil people on the back for doing it.
And the masses truly don't care because all they want to do is "eat, drink, and be merry." As long as the party goes on, they don't care about the wrongs of our society. In fact, they endorse them because they believe it makes things better for them!
Noone cares about aborted babies. No one cries for the homeless. No one weeps for the needy that don't know where their next meal will come from. Who cares that millions of illegals are taking jobs that legal citizens should hold? Who cares about the tears of families whose livelihood has been destroyed by riots about a death that was wrong, but was twisted into something meant to cause riots?
Pastors teach and preach love from their pulpits, but ignore God's judgment of sin so people keep partying on their way to hell- thinking they're alright with God.
Churches would rather move their congregation than reach out to the hurting masses that surround them.
God is looking for intercessors!
God is looking for people who will hit their faces and cry out to the only one who can fix our problems- Jesus Christ!
I pledge to pray!
Every day, several times a day, I will seek my Lord and cry out for the iniquities of our land.
He said if we will humble ourselves and pray, repent of our wicked ways, he will heal our lands.
Come on, people. Pray!!!! If you've never prayed before, now is the time. If you've grown lax in your prayers, today is the day to start over. All people everywhere need to pray as if our country, our communities, and our very lives depend on it.
Because it does.
America is in the hands of an angry God. The only hope we have is to repent and turn back to him. If we do not, America will go down in flames.
And don't say it won't happen.
If he'd take down his people, ancient Israel, he'll take us out too. They went down because of their sins. We will, too.
Every "great civilization" that rose up in the past has fallen. Rome did. Greece did. Great Britain once controlled 1/3 of the world. Now they're reduced to a small bit near Europe. Don't tell me God won't do it to us.
But America has done so much good for the world!
Yet, she's done much evil, too. God doesn't wink at our evil because we do good things.
He's serious. He's angry. And his judgment is even now beginning to fall.
33 Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty and five years in Jerusalem:
2 But did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, like unto the abominations of the heathen, whom the Lord had cast out before the children of Israel.
3 For he built again the high places which Hezekiah his father had broken down, and he reared up altars for Baalim, and made groves, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them.
4 Also he built altars in the house of the Lord, whereof the Lord had said, In Jerusalem shall my name be for ever.
5 And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the Lord.
6 And he caused his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom: also he observed times, and used enchantments, and used witchcraft, and dealt with a familiar spirit, and with wizards: he wrought much evil in the sight of the Lord, to provoke him to anger.
7 And he set a carved image, the idol which he had made, in the house of God, of which God had said to David and to Solomon his son, In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen before all the tribes of Israel, will I put my name for ever:
8 Neither will I any more remove the foot of Israel from out of the land which I have appointed for your fathers; so that they will take heed to do all that I have commanded them, according to the whole law and the statutes and the ordinances by the hand of Moses.
9 So Manasseh made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to err, and to do worse than the heathen, whom the Lord had destroyed before the children of Israel.
10 And the Lord spake to Manasseh, and to his people: but they would not hearken.
11 Wherefore the Lord brought upon them the captains of the host of the king of Assyria, which took Manasseh among the thorns, and bound him with fetters, and carried him to Babylon.
12 And when he was in affliction, he besought the Lord his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers,
13 And prayed unto him: and he was intreated of him, and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the Lord he was God.
14 Now after this he built a wall without the city of David, on the west side of Gihon, in the valley, even to the entering in at the fish gate, and compassed about Ophel, and raised it up a very great height, and put captains of war in all the fenced cities of Judah.
15 And he took away the strange gods, and the idol out of the house of the Lord, and all the altars that he had built in the mount of the house of the Lord, and in Jerusalem, and cast them out of the city.
16 And he repaired the altar of the Lord, and sacrificed thereon peace offerings and thank offerings, and commanded Judah to serve the Lord God of Israel.
17 Nevertheless the people did sacrifice still in the high places, yet unto the Lord their God only.
18 Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh, and his prayer unto his God, and the words of the seers that spake to him in the name of the Lord God of Israel, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Israel.
19 His prayer also, and how God was intreated of him, and all his sins, and his trespass, and the places wherein he built high places, and set up groves and graven images, before he was humbled: behold, they are written among the sayings of the seers.
20 So Manasseh slept with his fathers, and they buried him in his own house: and Amon his son reigned in his stead.
We live in a day and age where most people judge someone by their past. Many has been the person who started life badly. They developed a reputation for being bad. But, watch what happens when that person turns their life around and begins to live for Jesus. Most that either know them, or know of their reputation, will usually say, "Yea, right! I have a hard time believing that one."
In today's passage, we have a young king who took all the wrong steps. He had all the right tools. His father, Hezekiah, was a great and godly man. He led his kingdom to live for God, made much needed reforms, and did not tolerate evil. Tall shoes indeed for a twelve year old boy to fill.
But, one thing about young boys, especially in their teen years, is that they tend to rebel against their elders. Some of them come to their senses. Some never do. As soon as Manasseh (whose name means, "causing to forget." He was named after Joseph's son who was so named for God's blessings causing Joseph to forget being sold into slavery by his brothers, wrongly accused by a harlot, and being forgotten in prison.),he began to stretch his royal wings and take the country in directions that his godly father never would've agreed with.
His life was the poster child of ungodliness. He allowed and encouraged his country to become "multicultural." Everyone who wanted to serve their foreign idols were not only allowed to do so, but aided in doing it by the young king's government.
"Oh how wise you are," said one of the young king's advisers. "Be more inclusive and the rest of the world will love you," said another. "If you want to show how truly great you are, and how great our nation is, you must allow people to follow the truths that they were raised to believe," said his religious adviser. "Imagine how the international community will love you if you stop all this religious exclusivity, your highness,"
Listening to these voices, Manasseh allowed all manor of ungodliness into his kingdom. Alters were built to idols in the mountains and the valleys. Groves were built. This was a place where the worshipers of Ashtaroth (a fertility goddess) could go and (for a small fee) sleep with one of her "priestesses" in order to gain a blessing for their crops and/or help their wives to conceive a child. (Makes sense, huh? Sleep with one woman in order to help your own wife become pregnant? SMH)
They had their own version of abortion on demand, too. They threw their children in the unholy fires of Molech, seeking the blessing of the false god. (Much as America kills millions of babies every year for the "blessing" of personal freedom.)
The young king even started practicing sorcery and witchcraft! He became so full of himself that he placed altars to his own handmade idols in God's own temple! (Boy won't that preach today?) He had -and therefore the kingdom had- no fear of almighty God at all. If a nations leader(s) have no fear of God, the nation won't fear him, either.
God sent prophets to warn the king and the nation to repent of their evil ways, but to no avail.
Finally, the one, true God had had enough.
He sent the mightiest nation in the world (and the world's first terrorists), Assyria, against King Manasseh and his country. God didn't back his people. He allowed them to be overrun and the king to be taken captive. He was stripped of his finery, placed in chains, taken back to Assyria as a captive and thrown in a dungeon to rot.
His story could have tragically and sadly ended there. He could have died in that dark and dirty place, never to be seen or heard of again.
But, king Manasseh began to think on his life. He remembered how things were before all of his glorious "reforms." He remembered how peaceful and wholesome things had become under his god-fearing father's reign. He recalled the truth's that his father had taught and championed and how blessed the country had become by following them.
Slowly, it dawns on Manasseh just how foolish he had been- and just how evil his advisers advice (and his following them) had been. He remembered the prophets that God had sent to him to try and warn him to repent.
He's overwhelmed and cries out in real repentance.
How long this process took, we're not told. How many times the enemies whispers of "It's too late for you, king," kept him from crying out, the scriptures do not say.
All we know is that, at some point, he makes up his mind and cries out in spite of the voices, "God forgive me!"
If God were as harsh and unforgiving as many people try to say that he is, Manasseh would've died in his hell hole. But, rather than giving Manasseh the fate he deserves, God reaches down and forgives this ungodly man- even in his prison cell.
Still, that could've been the happy ending of Manasseh's story. "Evil King repents, is forgiven, and dies in prison." Most of the religious folks would've have told that story of a loving God's mercy for years to come!
But, it doesn't end there. Nope!
God not only forgives him, but he sets him free and restores him to the same position he held before God had passed judgement on him! Oh, the forgiveness of our God!
But, here comes the real test for Manasseh.
The city gates are open wide. No expense has been spared. The king is returning! The streets have been cleaned. The riff-raff have been run off. The advisers have spruced themselves up. The religious leaders are prepared to thank their god's for the return of the king.
The truly pious aren't in the mood for celebration. To their minds, here comes more of the same ungodly policies.
Trumpets blare and the king enters the city in his chariot. The people applaud!
The king waves and his feet touch the ground in his beloved city. You can almost see him fall to his face and kiss the ground he never thought he would see again. When he arises, there are tears in his eyes. He's so glad to be home!
But, looking around as he had entered his country and now his capital, he became more and more aware of the awesome tasks that were set before him. For a truly repentant heart cannot allow things to continue as before. Changes must come. And they must come as quickly as they can possibly be made.
The king calls his counselors together and begins to explain what he has in mind. The more he speaks, the more alarmed his counsel becomes. "Does he really want to undo and destroy all the progress we've made through the years?"
When it becomes apparent that's exactly what he intends to do, an outcry arises. "King, you can't do this!" "My lord, the people will revolt!" A cacophony arises that is full of objections.
The king rises to his feet and silences the room with one cry, "Silence!"
Gone is the timid boy who could be sweet talked into ungodliness. Gone is the young king who's baser instincts could be appealed to to convince him to make the reforms they wanted.
In their place stands a man of God, full of the power of God. His mind is made up! His advisers are fired and replaced. His word is full of the wisdom of God and his will is made of iron.
He strengthens the defenses of his nation and begins to tear down and destroy the idol places that he himself had helped to set up.
You can almost hear the religious folks saying, "Who does he think he is? He helped set all this up." "It's true we prayed for reformation, but he can't be the one! His past is too bad to be God's man for this hour!"
If Manasseh had listened to these voices, the revival of his country wouldn't have happened.
But, Manasseh remembered the God of Grace and Mercy that had given him a second chance when he was in his dark and cold prison cell. He remembered the voice that he heard in that hopeless place and spoke life and purpose back into his life.
So, Manasseh ignored the naysayers. He ignored the finger pointers. He just focused on God and the task that he had been assigned. He didn't let the talk bother him. Manasseh had a mission from God and he was going to accomplish it- even if it killed him.
True repentance is much more than saying, "I'm sorry." Real repentance is a change of heart and mind that connects the ungodly sinner to the God of mercy. It changes the sinner into a willing vessel. It opens the door for a miraculous change that will effect many more people who see the evidence of Jesus in the life of the penitent soul.
My friends, if you are trapped in a prison created by your own sin, it's not too late for you. If you feel that your life is over and God cannot use you, you're wrong. Repent, and watch God work!
But, when the naysayers arise, ignore them. Hold on to what God has told you. Go about the work he has sent you to do. And above all else, don't let your past dictate your future. "He whom the son hath set free, is free indeed!"
When you were young and new, you delighted in my word and I protected you.
When you had trouble, you sought me with your whole heart and I delivered you.
But you prided yourself in the blessings I gave you. You took credit for the prosperity I gave you.
You turned from my ways and followed after other gods, which are no gods at all.
I sent messagers to you, time and time again, but you vilified and ignored what they said to you.
I lowered my hand of protection and allowed your enemies to attack you and for a short season you sought me.
But, in short order, you turned your back on me again and swore to rebuild yourselves better and greater than you were before: as if it were you, and not I, that prospered and protected you.
I sent more messengers to you and still you did not hear.
Therefore, BECAUSE YOU HAVE REJECTED ME AND HAVE EMBRACED AND CELEBRATED THAT WHICH I CALL AN ABOMINATION, THE PROTECTION OF MY HAND IS LIFTED AND YOUR ENEMIES WILL SPOIL YOU.
I WILL DIVIDE YOUR LAND AS A SYMBOL TO THE WORLD THAT I AM INDEED GOD OF ALL. I WILL SAVE A REMNANT FOR MYSELF AND WILL RAISE THEM UP FOR THE WORLD TO SEE. BUT, WHEN THIS DESTRUCTION COMES, REMEMBER THAT IT IS FROM I, THE LORD YOUR GOD, AND REPENT.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
Exodus 3:5King James Version (KJV)
5 And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.
Our country is at a crossroads. Politically, we seem to be divided 50-50 on almost every issue. The values that made this nation great are teetering on the brink. We have seen a slow decay of godly morals and values and a lifting up of the profane and ungodly.
In the 1960's we saw prayer removed from schools and the removing of the ten commandments. Worse, our children are being taught that they were not created special by a loving God. No, they are just a genetic mistake who can do as they will and create their own right and wrong. This led to the aborting of millions of unborn children. CHILDREN!!!!!!
Now, children are taught that they are not born male and female. Now, in spite of their genetics, they can choose what gender they wish to be. What madness! The courts are even forcing gay marriage down the countries throats!
As Br Arnold once said, "Right is wrong, wrong is right. And whatever's gray, have a happy day."
Why is our economy barely hanging on? Why is there rioting in the streets? Why is evil seemingly winning the day?
Proverbs 14:34King James Version (KJV)
34 Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.
We have left righteousness behind and are exalting sin. Only in a return to Jesus can we hope to stem the tide of evil overflowing our country. If ever we needed revival, it is today!
Government cannot make policies to lift us out of our mess. Businesses cannot invent products that can cover over our sins. The military could defeat every nation on earth and still we would be a fallen nation.
We need Jesus! We need Jesus! WE NEED JESUS!
Let us remember from whence we have fallen and fall on our faces before God almighty! Let repentance and rededication be the heart cry of every red blooded human being!
Let us come before him like Moses- removing anything in our lives that could hinder us from being right with God.
Lord, please forgive our sins and help us to walk uprightly before you and stand against the tide of evil in our world. Let us return to prayer. Let us return to fasting. Let us return to lifting you up before an ungodly world and declare that Jesus is the only way! Help us Lord, before it is too late!
I had a dream the other night. I was being attacked by vampires and the only thing that could keep me safe was a cross. You could converse and interact with them. But, you always had to be conscious of your own safety by keeping a hold of a cross to place before them when they tried to attack. (Yes, I- in my youth- watched a lot of vampire movies and TV shows.)
When I awoke, after praying and rebuking spirits, I began to think on and pray about it. The Lord broke into my ponderings to inform me that vampires do exist!
When I asked what he meant, he began to explain to me that they just don't exist in the form they are presented to us. Let me explain.
When Israel was about to be released, they had to place blood on the door posts of their homes. The purpose was to keep death at bay. As long as they stayed under the blood, they were safe. If they had left the safety of the blood, they would die.
We who are born again are washed in the blood of Jesus. What do vampires feed on? Blood! Is it possible for us to leave the protection of the blood that Jesus shed on Calvary and fall victim to spiritual vampires? Absolutely!
So, in this post, we will attempt to warn believers of some common vampires that, if they hang out with them, can attack (and possibly kill) us.
One more thing. Vampires always attack when we walk into dark places we shouldn't be in. So, be careful where you walk and who you hang around with.
For all that is in the world, thelustoftheflesh, and thelustofthe eyes, and the pride of life, is not ofthe Father, but is ofthe world.
One thing is certain: this world is filled with lust. Movies and TV exploit it to make money. Corporations use it to sell their products. Companies us worldly lusts (what an employee can gain for themselves if they work hard) to motivate their employees to work hard.
Don't get me wrong. We are supposed to love our spouses (emotionally and physically). We are supposed to love our families and want to provide well for them. We have to have vehicles to get around in today's world just as they used to need horses and buggies years ago. We do need clothing to wear so we can present ourselves holy to the world and to our Lord.
But, when we allow these natural desires to become perverted and start longing after things we shouldn't (i.e. too expensive homes and cars, expensive and ungodly clothes, other people's spouses, our bosses job, etc), then we are walking out from under the blood that Jesus shed on Calvary and are being bitten by a spiritual vampire.
I willsetnowickedthing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me
Entertainment, in and of itself, is not evil. A TV, or a computer, are just tools. They are not, innately, evil. However, when we use them to watch ungodly movies and shows, play ungodly games, interact with people in ungodly ways, we are being attacked by a spiritual vampire.
Vampire 3: Unforgiveness.
Matthew 6:14-15Authorized (King James) Version (AKJV)
14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:15 but if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
Matthew 18:6-8Authorized (King James) Version (AKJV)
6 But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.
7 Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh! 8 Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire.
Ever been going along and having a great day when suddenly: Bam! Out of nowhere somebody with an attitude does something that really hurts you? You never even saw it coming. But, there goes you good day and now you have to struggle with anger.
It may be something small or great that was done to you, but it becomes very difficult to keep your Christian attitude. Yet, the spirit of God inside you is saying: "Forgive them."
"What's that, Lord? Are you serious? Really? Do you know what they did to me?"
Only to hear the Lord say, "Look at what they did to me, child. I forgave. Follow me."
If we stop there, knowing that Jesus will deal with the offender, and repent and forgive, we'll be fine.
If we don't, though, we begin to move from anger to bitterness. This begins to effect every area of our lives. We become somber, hateful, and biting. In truth, we risk becoming a vampire ourselves.
We were bitten and offended and rather than forgive, we allowed it to begin to change us. The more bitter we become, the less of God's spirit (and his blood covering) we have. If we stay on that path, we will lose our covering and risk hell.
Don't believe me? Read Matthew 18:21-35. Because of his servants unforgiveness, the king reinstated the servants debts that had once been accounted to him as paid. In other words, his unforgiveness caused his sins to be taken out from under the blood and he was now guilty once again.
There are many more vampires in the world. The answer to them all is Calvary! Remove yourself from the temptation and pray. Give the Lord control and allow him to cleanse you anew (1 John 1:9).
If you do, you will defeat the vampires and stay right with God.
If you don't, you risk spiritual death and becoming a vampire yourself.
Which do you choose?
What about you? Can you add to this list? What other types of spiritual vampires can you name? I'd love to hear from you.
11 These things command and teach. 12 Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity. 13 Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. I
realize that some reading this are young (in age). And while I do
believe that it can be gleaned from this passage that Timothy was a young man, I think there's a deeper lesson here. The bigger fight on your hands in living for God is not your age, but the sins of
your youth- the things you did when you were younger. Let's face it: most of us don't have great pasts and much of what we did was in our youth. People will remind us. Unsaved loved
ones will bring it up. Friends will bring it up. Church folks will
bring it up. Preachers will bring it up. Co-workers will remind you about it. We need to remember that when we were born again, ALL things were made new. Not some things. ALL things. Rather
than getting into a verbal brawl with them about it, use it as an
occasion to testify of what the Lord has brought you out of.
Remember, we overcome by 1) the blood of the lamb, 2) the WORD of our
testimony, and 3) (extremely important) we would rather die than
reject Jesus. When they come against you: Testify! Either they will
get right themselves or they will leave you alone about it cause they
don't want to hear it. At least you won't have to keep fighting the
same fight- AND your faith will build as you lift up Jesus and what
he's done for you.
But,
brother Mike, what about what I did AFTER I was born again?
It's
a sad fact that we still live in this flesh after we are born again. It would be so much easier to live for God if we didn't. But, we do. And, as humans, sometimes we fail- even after we get born again. The enemy uses all these folks to try and harm our testimonies. He tries to limit our effectiveness in sharing the Jesus who delivered us. He gets people talking and then whispers in our ears that we ain't changed and we may as well quit being a hypocrite and just be who we are (by which he means, be who you used to be before Calvary's blood washed us). Sometimes, we give in. Then he jumps on us even more. He tells us to just quit. God doesn't love us anymore. But, rather than quit (which is what he wants us to do), we need to follow scripture. There's a verse that applies to us if we sin after we are born again.
1 John 1:9
King James Version (KJV)
9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Notice, that wonderful word: ALL! Same word as before. God gives second chances. God even seeks after "lost causes". Whatever we did after being born again, all we need do is sincerely cry out to him in repentance and he will clean us up again! So, my friend. Don't be weighed down by your past. If you've been born again, it's all under the blood! Washed away by the precious blood of Jesus. Don't go back there and live. Don't let you past trip you up in your walk with God. Use it as a stepping stone to get even closer to Jesus. And when folks bring it up, testify! Maybe you can reach them and see them changed, too.
Judges 17:6 In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was rightinhisowneyes.
Deuteronomy 29:17-19
King James Version (KJV)
17And ye have seen their abominations, and their idols, wood and stone, silver and gold, which were among them:)
18Lest there should be among you man, or woman, or family, or tribe, whose heart turneth away this day from the LORD our God, to go and serve the gods of these nations; lest there should be among you a root that beareth gall and wormwood;
19And it come to pass, when he heareth the words of this curse, that he bless himself in his heart, saying, I shall have peace, though I walk in the imagination of mine heart, to add drunkenness to thirst:
The other day, I had a gall stone attack. In the painful process, they had to remove my gall bladder for the betterment of my health. The Gall bladder is not something we really think about a lot. It is the little organ (that looks a lot like an Eggplant- another reason for me not to eat an eggplant) that the body uses to temporarily store bile from the liver.
The liver is the bodies impurity filter. It catches these impurities, forms them into Bile, and forces them out of our system. When we eat wrong, and bring in too many fats and things that aren't good for us, then excess Bile is made and it is stored in our Gall bladder until the body can push it out.
In the Bible, the term Gall means, "1) gall, venom, bitter, poisonous".
So, the Gall bladder is so named because it's job is to store things that would be poisonous to our bodies, until they can be pushed out. For this reason we (emphasis on WE) need to be careful what we eat in our diets.
By the same token, we need to be very careful what we take into our spiritual man. In ancient Israel, they were told to stay away from the abominations and idols of Canaan. If they did not, God knew that these things would take root and grow into spiritually poisonous practices that would cause their destruction and their eternal separation from him.
The New Testament boldly declares that we are "saved by Grace through faith". Yet, Grace is not a free pass or a "get out of jail free card". Grace is the name of the spiritual relationship with God that we enter into through the New Birth (John 3:3-8, Acts 2:37-39). Because of this relationship, we are to "work out (our) own salvation with fear and trembling".
The New Testament is chock full of warnings about the avoidance of sinful acts (adultery, fornication, idolatry, etc), attitudes (pride, haughtiness, looking down on others, etc), and even dress (immodest clothing, costly array, etc). Scripture tells us to FLEE these things, to get rid of them WITH ALL MALICE, to chase after the peaceful fruit of righteousness. Why?
Sin is spiritual Gall. We are to avoid it with everything we have. It even helps to purposely plan our lives in a way that will help us to stay away from people, places, and things that tempt us. For instance, is it a good idea for an alcoholic to go to a store called "the beer palace"? or to eat at an establishment with a bar? No. He should avoid those places. He should stay away from those former drinking buddies who are still drinking, as well. Knowing full well that hanging out with them will eventually lead to his being around that substance that almost destroyed his life.
For the Christian to repent of his/her sins and then keep hanging out with people and in places that are full of those same sins, is like Israel leaving the chains of Egypt, but staying IN Egypt instead of leaving. Eventually, they would have been slaves again. By the same token, when we repent of our sins, we need to stop hanging out in places that tempt us to get caught back up in those same things. If you were addicted to porn, don't hang out at the video store or magazine rack! If you were a drug addict, don't hang out near those places you used to buy drugs (or similar places). If you tended to eat too much (gluttony), don't hang out at the Buffet!
How can we truly say we've repented of our sin, but yet we keep staying in the same places, watching and reading the same filthiness, living the same ways? This is like the crook who gets caught and says "I'm sorry". Is he truly repentant? Not usually. He's sorry he got caught. If he had been truly repentant, he'd have stopped doing it.
To repent is to make a clean break with those sins. This cleanses them out of our active systems and stores them up for expelling from the spiritual man. Left there, our spiritual gall bladders will become overfull and infected- poisoning our spiritual man.
When the blood of Jesus is applied through water baptism in Jesus name- these sins are washed out of our spiritual man. We are cleansed and made whole- a new creation!
Then, the baptism of the Holy Ghost gives us the strength and guidance to enable us to live the way the Lord wants us too.
Let us, as Christians, truly stand for what is right. Let's pray and ask God to show us the Bile that is in our own lives. When he does, let's truly repent of it! Then, pray and ask God to cleanse them. This will allow him to spiritually wash them away from our inner man.
1 John 1:9
King James Version (KJV)
9If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
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