Of Water And Of Spirit

The Lord woke me early this morning as He often does (2:34 a.m. it was) and began filling my mind with scriptures and the direction for this blog. Here are the words that came to me:

"You must be born again of water and of spirit." John 3:5 (Tell them what is meant by Water and Spirit.)

"By the washing of the water by the word." Ephesians 5:26  (I'm coming for a Church washed in water without spot or blemish. Tell them.)

As I thought about the words in these scriptures, I started breaking them down:

We must be born again which involves two things. Water and Spirit. What are water and spirit? Simply His Word and the Holy Ghost. We can read in scripture that Jesus is coming for a Church (believers) who are sanctified and holy. The only way for this to happen is through washing in water BY THE WORD (Ephesians 5:26) and receiving the Holy Spirit. What does washing in water mean?

We can break it down even further. First, We must be born again of water OR in other words, we must be washed IN THE WORD because he said "by the washing of water BY THE WORD. What about actual water baptism? Doesn't that count? By coming forward to be baptized in literal water is like a promissory note, an act of faith showing our commitment to God, symbolizing the washing away of our old life, and beginning to walk in newness with Him. We know Jesus was THE WORD made flesh (John 1:14; Revelation 19:13) therefore Jesus and the WORD are synonymous. Secondly, we must be born of the spirit is the same as we must be born of the Holy Ghost. Acts 1 records John baptized with water" (the baptism of repentance of sin). After you repent of your sins, you need to immerse yourself IN THE WORD (the Bible is the spiritual water). Then you will receive power from the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8) to witness as you begin your journey of holy living. Remember, the word holy means separated, it doesn't mean you are some kind of pure god being. It means you are dedicated and consecrated to God, it means you are separated from your sin and unto Christ alone. Being born again of water and of the spirit is the regeneration of the human spirit in contrast to physical birth. Jesus also told us not to be surprised by the idea of rebirth in John 3:5-7.

It's time for believers and even non-believers to understand the call of God because the days are evil. When you think about the world in these times that we are living in, it isn’t hard to see that there is a huge amount of suffering going on. Warfare, poverty, political unrest, innocents suffering and being killed, etc. It can leave us wondering: when will it all end? Have you as a Christian ever wondered how long can God allow this to continue? But did you know there is something that believers can do to shorten these evil days? “Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God.” 2 Peter 3:11-12. 

It is through the fear of God that we can hasten the coming of the day of God. As believers, we are to come to perfection in Christ, so that there is no spot or blemish in us. This is said of Christ, "that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.” (Ephesians 5:27.) With the strength and guidance God gives us by the Holy Spirit, each one of us can live without committing conscious, willful sin. With that strength and grace, we are able to overcome sin in our flesh when we are tempted, to the degree that we are obedient to the light and understanding that God has given us. The more faithful and obedient we are, the faster the work He has prepared for us will be accomplished (Ephesians 2:10) By this “holy conduct and godliness” we hasten His coming.

Paul said it like this: “Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on …” He is speaking about being perfect as Jesus is perfect; coming to the whole fullness of God (Colossians 29; Matthew 5:48). Are you thinking nonsense, none of us can be perfect. But Paul says that he was "reaching forward to those things which are ahead. I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” Philippians 3: 12-14. How can we possibly come to the point where we have no spot or blemish or wrinkle? What does that even mean?

To have no spot or wrinkle or blemish doesn’t mean that we have no sin, as we can clearly see in 1 John 1:8 all have sinned and fallen short of what God intended for us. As we grow in Him we become more and more enlightened to what He desires of us. We sometimes harbor sin (gossip, jealousy, anger, and the like that we are as yet unaware of, which God hasn’t given us light/understanding over because He only shows us as much as we can bear at a time. The more we read and learn, the more we grow and mature. We confess our sins, repent, and keep pressing on. That sin which He hasn’t shown us yet doesn’t cause us to be blemished, but what does cause a blemish in us, is disobedience. If God has spoken to us time and time again about something that we need to overcome, if He has given us light over something, and we don’t do anything about it, but allow that sin to remain active in us, then we get “spots” and become blemished. That will make us unfit to be a part of that glorious church that He will present to Himself. We have to do something when He shows us something in ourselves; we have to repent and continue to fight and come to victory over that sin.

We are not accountable for the sin that we are not aware of. Have you ever read the Word of God and discovered something you were doing in your life was a sin but you weren't even aware of it? That's what I'm talking about   But we are fooling ourselves if we think we can say, “Yes, I knew about that sin in myself, but the righteousness of Jesus covers me, so I will not be held responsible for it. I overcome through faith in His finished work on Calvary, not by anything I must or can do.” Through Jesus’ sacrifice, we can indeed receive undeserved forgiveness for sins we have and do commit. But the salvation obtained through forgiveness is only the beginning of a disciple’s life. Jesus opened a way of salvation from sin for us. This way, the way that Paul was pressing forward on, leads to the goal: to be perfect in Christ as far as we have received light/understanding. This way reaches all the way to God’s throne (Hebrews 10:19-22). There we receive all the mercy and grace and help we need to overcome sin (Hebrew 4:15-16). The power of the Holy Spirit, whom Jesus sent to us after He had opened up this way, is what enables us to be “… more than conquerors through Him who loved us” (Romans 8:27).

It is critical that we pursue this goal, and be faithful to the extent that we have light/understanding over the sin in our flesh. None of us can do more than what we understand to do. But we can be 100% faithful to do that which we do understand. Then God can give us more light and understanding as time goes by, and if we are faithful to be obedient, then that pursuit of righteousness will hasten the coming of the day of God and He will receive a Bride whose lamps are burning bright, who are washed in His Word of Truth, kept by the power of His Spirit through grace and mercy, without spot or wrinkle.

Until He Comes,

-Pat-

The Attacks Of Satan On God's Truth

 

(credit Manny Di Benedetto Martinez)

 Satan opposes the purpose of God -

Satan failed in his revolt in heaven. What does he have left to do? He will attack the purpose of God on earth and attempt to make a kingdom for himself here.

His strategy is to undermine the truthfulness of God with lies. He is a skilled and experienced liar. Ever since he first lied to Eve in the Garden he has been successful as a master deceiver.

His goals are threefold:

* He wants people to spend eternity with him in hell

* He wants people to honor him while dishonoring God

* He wants to possess and have total control over individuals

That old slick devil is going to make fools of people by getting them to believe counterfeit religions, cults, occult practices, and false philosophies of life.

Think about all the sheep that already died believing that they are saved or can be saved through human merits or through some religious system.

Satan's Counterfeit Religions:

Catholicism, Islam, Hinduism, Zen Buddhism, Hare Krishna, Yoga, Transcendental Meditation, Bahaism, Silva Mind Control, Theosophical Society, Roy Masters, Echkankar, etc...

Satan's Cults:

He also accomplishes his goals through cults. Religions are systems of works, whereas cults are a perversion of Christ, His atonement, and His Word. 

Christian Science, Unity, Scientology, Jehovah Witness, Mormonism, Masons, Unification Chruch, Unitarianism, New Age, The Way International, Swedenborgianism, Herbert W. Armstong, "The Local Chruch", Children of God, etc...

Many of the principles and practices of cults are already widely taught in our public schools. 

Satan's Occult Practices:

Occultism is the participation in demonically controlled practices. It brings one into direct contact with Satan or demons. 

Astral-projection, Astrology, Palm Reading, Hypnosis, Seance, Telepathy, Clairvoyance, Fortune Telling, Tarot Cards, Quija board, Visionary Dreams, Ghosts, Fetishism, Blood Pacts, Spirit Guides, Materialization, Speaking in Trance, Table lifting, Incubi and Succubae, Rod and Pendulum, etc...

If Satan cannot capture an unbeliever with false religions, cults, or occult practices, he can always turn to false philosophies of life.

Satan's False Philosophies:

Kant's "no absolutes apart from experiences"

Hegel's "no absolutes - all life is relative"

Kierkegaard's existentialism "what may be true for you may not be true to me"

Darwin's evolutionism "no purpose in life...survival of the fittest" 

Freud's psychoanalysis "free love...we are all motivated by pleasure"

Skinner psychology - "self-esteem movement and behavior modification"

Dewey's humanism - "man is the measure of all things. He is god"

America has deeply embraced all these false religions, cults, occult practices, and absurd philosophical ideas. 

Our schools, churches, media, and every social structure have been deeply invaded by Satanic lies and mind manipulators. We have become stupidly programable.

Why? Because most people do not know the Truth. Instead, they have developed itchy ears to hear liars, false teachers, and preachers.

Any wonder why America is going to hell in a handbasket? We handed her over to Satan by adopting all his lies of which he has many.

Put on your silly mask. Get that vaccine. Adopt Satanic arguments for life and put your trust in his false securities...

This is not what God wanted for us...

Until He Comes,

-Pat-

What's That On Your Dress?

 

Your wedding day is one of the most important events in your life. The day is full of emotion surrounded by the support of family and friends who love you. You look forward to this special day for months if not years. When the day finally arrives you hope everything will be perfect including the music, flowers, your hair, your veil, and your gown. You meticulously groom and preen yourself over and over, checking at the last possible moment for a spot or wrinkle on your dress you may have missed. You want nothing more than to present yourself as a beautiful and perfect bride when your eyes meet your Bridegroom!

Are there any of you that would dare walk down the aisle in a spotted wedding gown like in the picture posted above? I dare say, not one of us! Yet in a spiritual sense, some of us are wearing spotted wedding gowns unaware the church organ is about to play the famous song Here Comes The Bride! Is this really how you want to meet Jesus? You are not ready!

What do I mean by a spotted gown? The true followers of Christ are referred to throughout the scriptures as "The Bride Of Christ," and as followers, we believe Christ is coming for His Bride (His true Church) as promised in the Bible. She is not just any bride. Her commitment to Him from the moment of being "saved," has kept her untainted or "unspotted" from the impurities of sin she used to relish in. She willfully turns from sin. She's a spiritual virgin and maintains a deep SPIRITUAL intimacy with Jesus. Her gown is white for 3 reasons: the forgiveness and redemption of sin through Jesus' blood sacrifice on the cross, sanctification by the Holy Spirit working in her, and keeping faithfully pure for Him alone. She refuses to return and commit fornication again with the world. Ephesians 5: 26-27 says this about Jesus and His Bride, "and (he) gave Himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the Word, and to present her to Himself as a radiant church, without stain or any wrinkle or any other blemish but holy and blameless." 

The Bride heeds the words in Timothy 2:19 and eagerly and purposely does not allow herself to once again engage in all sorts of ungodliness from her past life. She departs from iniquity! "Nevertheless the foundation of God stands sure, having this seal, The Lord knows them that are His. And, Let everyone that names the name of Christ depart from iniquity." And she does! You see, analytically they that love God keep themselves just as a literal virgin bride keeps herself for her wedding day. Keeping oneself isn't done through one's own strength, lest one boast of good works. Rather, they desire with the help of the Holy Spirit to turn from their former life and former sins. And as His Bride, they no longer make a practice of sin and by divine assistance accomplish it!! PRACTICE is the keyword here! Christ's Bride will not regularly or repeatedly exercise herself in sins.

How does one's garment become defiled?  What constitutes a spot/blemish? SIN! Many illustrations of corrupt human nature pertain to the flesh such as adultery, uncleanness, lasciviousness, drunkenness, and homosexuality, etc. Some may think the Church doesn't engage in such things, that born-again Christians just don't do those things anymore. Sadly, you'd be mistaken! Hopefully, as a professing Christian, these have no place in your life anymore.  Imagine the last time you visited the grocery store and bought fruit. As an example, apples, peaches, or grapes. Did you look them over before placing them in your cart? Most of us do especially if bought individually. We look, examine, and choose the ones closest to perfection, at least without mold, spots, or rotting areas. Can fruit with bad areas still be useful if it has some spots? Yes, but only if we cut the spots out!! This is what Jesus is looking for in a Bride. Hear me out. I'm not saying you have to be perfect. I'm not saying you'll never grow weak and not commit sin. I'm saying if there are old sins you are refusing to abandon, those you willfully keep choosing to do, you are blemished! To remain "spotless" in a spiritual sense you cannot return to your former way of living. If you are a Christian and continue in a sexual relationship outside of marriage, you are PURPOSELY and WILLFULLY committing a sin.  If you are a Christian and engaged in a same-sex relationship you are PURPOSELY and WILLFULLY committing a sin.  If you continue to return to a bar to drink and get drunk, you are PURPOSELY and WILLFULLY committing a sin. These things should not be! You cannot continue to return to your former sins like a dog returns to its vomit or as a pig to her wallowing in the mire LEST A WORSE THING COME UPON YOU. God keeps urging me to tell the Church to cleanse herself of such things. Oh, I'd rather be like so many others who uplift and encourage you, telling you how God is love, how you can do anything and still get into heaven, how His mercy forgives those who once knew Him but have walked away for good. But I cannot! His messages are extensions of patience and endurance yet filled with warnings. He's coming soon. Rev 3:5, "He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life but will confess his name before My Father and before His angels." To be "blotted out" your name must have been written in the Book of Life in the first place, right? Right? If our names, as believers, are written in the Book of Life we surely want no spot, no wrinkle, no WILLFUL or defiant sin left in our life that might get our names removed! The point here is are you still conducting your life in WILLFUL, DEFIANT, and REBELLIOUS DISOBEDIENCE? The one who willfully continues sinning after receiving the gift of God is in danger of being blotted out!

ONLY believers can also have their names blotted out. The unbelievers do not qualify under this category because they were never written in the LAMB'S BOOK OF LIFE in the first place! The names of all unbelievers are written in and judged out of the "other" books- (books plural!) The other books are namely, the law! Read Revelation 20:12 closely ... "And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and the books (plural) were opened. Another book (singular) was opened, which is the Book of Life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books (plural)." True believers are judged out of ONE book (The Lambs Book of Life) and unbelievers are judged out of the other books of law (plural.) ONCE A BELIEVER'S NAME IS BLOTTED OUT, that name disappears from the list of those who are saved. Remember Jesus words, "Depart from me you who work iniquity"?? 1 John 3:9 (NIV) "No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God's seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning because he has been born of God" -- John is telling the believers that we cannot go on willfully and purposefully sinning even though we know what God has shown us and cleansed us from. You cannot continue to sin as a drunkard, a fornicator, an adulterer, a pedophile, a homosexual, on and on.  You must forsake all that. Revelation 16:15 "Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watches and KEEPS his garments, lest he walks naked, and they see his shame."  There is a big difference between slipping up and committing a sin due to the weakness of the human flesh, and willfully choosing to consciously continue IN sin. The entire purpose of Christianity is change ... rebirth!

Our Bridegroom is coming soon. You must be dressed and ready. Check your heart. Bring your actions in alignment with the spirit so that your garment will remain white. Believers have a dire warning in 2 Peter 2:10-21 "For if after they have escaped the pollution's of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them." Be careful not to slip back into your former habits and vices so that you not entangled therein, and overcome.

Are we not married to the Lord? Is He not the Husbandman? Are we not His Bride? Are you still looking to the world and what it offers through lusts and desires? The garment you wear tells it all. I am talking to the believers! This message is not to the unsaved! The unsaved aren't dressed in white! God's Word is to His people. I am writing with the urgency of the Spirit of God. We MUST take an evaluation of ourselves and correct what is wrong, so we, as a glorious church, not having a spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing, can be holy and without blemish. Sometimes I bow my head and cry. Who will listen? Who will get it? 

Until He Comes,

-Pat-

Can You Return An Apple Once It's Been Plucked?

 

The other morning while I was in prayer, concerned over the coming wrath of God because of the sins of this nation, I heard these words in fast succession flood my spirit:  

Can you return wine into a bottle once it has been poured?

Can you stop an arrow once it has left the bow?

Can you return an apple once it has been plucked?

Can you raise the sun once it has set?

Can you bring back the time that passed one minute ago?

Such words to ponder! God was speaking to me in His wisdom. I could do nothing but shake my head because of His acuity but also because of the alarming reality of those words.  Is America experiencing the wrath of God? Has judgment begun? In short, I don't think so. However, what I do think is God has pulled back and allowed America to go the way of her wicked desires. This isn't judgment as we think "judgment" but rather a type of forsaking us wrath preceding judgment. The pattern of God's "wrath" appears to follow this chronological order: Patience, Longsuffering, Warning, a Forsaking Wrath (where He pulls away and we get what we choose in our rebellion), then Horrible Calamity, followed by Final Judgement. We are at a point in this nation where the Bible is no longer respected but is perceived as interfering with people's sinning. It has become an inconvenience, nuisance, and disruption. So to resolve this "problem" lawmakers are decreeing laws that negate Biblical commandments (IE: abortion, homosexuality, gender reassignment, fornication), etc. SIN has become socially acceptable. "For because of these things (sin in general) the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience" (Ephesians 5:6).

When God's eternal justice is no longer surpassed by His eternal mercy - that is to say His attribute of mercy is expended - His judgment or wrath is necessarily manifest. At this point, America has seen patience (tolerance), longsuffering (forbearance), warning (natural tragedies), and the period of FORSAKING WRATH. I feel that is the point America is heading into. It's an inevitable consequence. His forsaking wrath is REMOVING RESTRAINT! Examples of forsaking wrath would be those in Psalm 81:11-12, "But My people did not listen to My voice, and Israel did not obey  Me. (WATCH CLOSELY) ... So I gave them over to the stubbornness of their heart, to walk in their own devices." Also Romans 1:24, " So God abandoned them to do whatever shameful things their hearts desired. As a result, they did vile and degrading things with each other's bodies." In 2021 this is the extent to which we have turned. You don't have to be a genius to see how disobedient we have been! We have written laws to make it legal for men to marry men, women to marry women. We can now murder a baby who is fully developed, 9 months old, whose mother had just given it birth. We recently had a law passed where children as young as three can now decide to change genders and if the parents object to the child's desire they can be arrested and the child removed from the home! We are allowing transsexuals to enter our schools and read stories to four-year-olds teaching them they are neither a boy nor a girl but are whoever (what gender) they want to be. When we forsake the simple rules for living and human existence God laid out at the foundations of the world, we are let go to our own devices. Notice the wording in the Bible ..."GOD GAVE THEM OVER." Giving us over is God's forsaking us wrath and unfortunately, America is now in this phase of retribution. "Men loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil" (John 3:19). Forsaking us wrath is a proclivity toward lesbianism and homosexuality.

Also evident of forsaking us wrath is clearly seen in Romans 1:27-29 as a depraved mind, which scripture identifies as a reprobate mind (verse 28). When God slowly pulls back His restraint, you'll see that those who practice the aforementioned, actually approve of others who do the same (verse 32). How many people have you seen marching in the streets, approving one another for the right to kill babies up to birth and even after birth? How many have you seen marching in the streets, approving one another for the right to change their gender and mocking the Creator who made them male and female exactly as HE DESIGNED? "Don't be deceived, God is not mocked," says Galatians 6:7, "For whatever you sow that will you also reap." Whenever anyone or group of individuals violate the precepts of GOD'S WORD, he, she, they, whoever, will suffer the respective consequences. Most assuredly America is facing this form of judgment! Those who persist in sin, even as a whole nation will be given over to tyranny and God will forsake and remove any restraining grace if they fail to repent. God's judgment begins with the house of God first. That's us! We must, therefore, repent ... seek His face, turn from our own wicked ways, THEN AND ONLY THEN will God heal our bruised and dying nation.

America is not characterized by people who are unfaithful to God's precepts, not really. There is only a small minority of individuals who are grossly disobedient and too many of these have been allowed by the faithful to gain high positions of influence in our cultures, education system, media and entertainment, and unfortunately into the halls of Congress in Washington DC. This is tragic! Those individuals who are rebuked by God's forsaking wrath are largely responsible for God's consequential wrath on our nation. Psalm 29:2 states, "When the righteous increase, the people rejoice, but when a wicked man rules, people groan." I don't know about you, but I'm groaning. Today I'm urging you once again to humble yourself, repent of any sin(s) you've committed, pray, seek God's face, turn back to Him if you have slipped away so that God will honor His word and heal our land. God is merciful and He can appoint more time for us to get it right BEFORE the next step which is calamity like we've never seen! The ball is still in our court. In truth, God's "restraint" has been the faithful, praying Christian who intercedes for the world and its sinners as Christ remains in us and is that restraining force maintaining a light in the world. We must not lose heart regardless of every evil thing around us (2 Corinthians 4:16.) May all of us recommit and work toward our own spiritual maturity, pray for the lost who presently hold office, and continue to elect, new, mature believers in order to sow godly policies that will manifest God's blessing upon this nation for years to come. I cannot put an apple back on a tree once it's been plucked but God can!

Until He comes,

-Pat-

Obsession

 OBSESSION

The DOMINATION of one's thoughts or feelings by a persistent idea, image, desire, etc. Obsession is also any fixation, preoccupation, or fetish.

Examples are:

A gambling obsession.

A weight-loss obsession

A sexual fixation for a person

An unreasonable preoccupation to protect your loved one as if they were a possession. 

These are just a few.

Today I want to address an obsession people can develop for another person and what the underlying source of that unreasonable attachment is. And though we may never consider an obsession to be anything of concern, in reality, obsessions certainly can be and are a source of neurotic fixations of Satan. Take for instance a persons' obsessive love interest over another person. This kind of obsession may result in the one obsessed sending repeated and excessive texts, emails, or even phone calls to the person they are interested in. The obsessed person may need constant reassurance from outsiders that they are goods enough to win their 'object of desire'. The obsessed person may consistently monitor the actions of the other person or ask for feedback from others regarding the activities or decisions of the person they are obsessing over. The obsessed person may want to let go and even try to let go but in time find themselves "possessed" by the same impulse and craving. These things can lead to delusional love disorders and unfortunately can cause significant distress, loss of sleep, uncontrollable day-dreaming, emotional distress, or impair everyday functioning depending on the degree of the fixation. And though love and obsession are related in some aspects, the two can never be thought to be the same! Am I a licensed psychiatrist to be making such statements? No. And although I was employed by one of Kansas City's top psychiatrists for many years, I both saw and learned of many conditions that plagued society. I'm not writing this blog as any professional. I will, however, discuss from a spiritual perspective how obsessions are far more than just "feelings." They are tools the devil uses to misguide, misdirect, fool, imprison, and otherwise get us to a place of irrational thinking for the purpose of robbing us of peace, which, as Satan's end goal, can eventually destroy us altogether 

As of this writing, I personally know of three people (two women and one man) who have an ungovernable preoccupation with a chosen person of the opposite sex. Their "attachments" have gone beyond attraction to destructive idolization. Let's look at how we can overcome obsessions through reading scripture, knowing scripture, and practicing its principles. First, know that temptation to do something forbidden by God is not sin. It is wrong WHEN WE YIELD TO IT. Jesus Himself was tempted but He never sinned (Hebrews 4:5) Temptation is the lure Satan uses to try and get us to sin. Sin is committed when a choice is made to accept the temptation. For example: yielding oneself to sex with another person whom you've obsessed over. It always presents itself through THOUGHT then it is carried out. Thoughts challenge your FREE WILL, which is the power of choice and the deciding factor in whether or not you bring to fruition the thought. Free will exists in the mind. A thought comes before an act.  Therefore, an act is the outward revealing of a decision or choice already decided upon and made with our free will (Mark 7:21-23). Remember that scripture tells us that from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. All these things come from within and defile the man. Throughout the Bible, both heart and soul (mind) may be referenced as the same - center of our spiritual being. The Bible warns us to guard our minds and to think about things that will strengthen us spiritually.  No matter how "Christian" you think you are temptation may come when you least expect it. Don't overestimate yourself and underestimate temptation.  Many Christians fall into temptation and give in to their thoughts because they think it could never happen to them. Deal with temptation immediately. It's so important to stay away from the source of temptation. Don't stand around thinking about it or how good it will feel to entertain it. RUN!

How can we overcome obsessions that begin as thoughts since it all begins in the mind before being acted out? The Bible gives us the answer IF people would only read it then apply it.  Reading it without applying it will leave you a defeated foe! We must take EVERY THOUGHT CAPTIVE that raises or presents itself against the knowledge of God. TAKE YOUR THOUGHTS CAPTIVE! What do I mean? Cage them, chain them. This is only accomplished by knowing and reciting the Word of God. The weapons of our warfare are not carnal or of the flesh, they begin with thoughts, and therefore we must use our spiritual weapons which are given to believers by Christ. They have divine powers to destroy any strongholds over us. I'm speaking specifically about The Word of God (2 Corinthians 10: 4-5.) Once a thought enters your mind that you know goes against God's written Word, a thought that tempts you to sin or begins to feed your obsession with lust, you must take that thought(s) and crush it, chain it, bind it with the Word of God BY DECLARING ALOUD A SCRIPTURE RELATIVE TO THE TEMPTATION! Take your sword (the Word of God) and slay that thought. As an example for those obsessed with lust or desire to have another person's body outside of marriage, say aloud: Satan  I will not act upon the thought you put in my head because it is written, 'For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life are not of my Father but are of the world.' God has instructed me, 'do not love the world nor the things in the world!' He has promised me that if I 'walk in the Spirit I will not fulfill the lusts of my flesh.''" THIS IS HOW YOU TAKE YOUR THOUGHT CAPTIVE! Notice, three scriptures were quoted in that prayer! If you learn scriptures that apply them to the specific thoughts you are tempted with, those thoughts will leave you! Greater is HE that is in you than he that is in the world!

Philippians 4:8 instructs us, "Finally brothers (and sisters), whatever is true (the WORD), whatever is honorable (the WORD), whatever is just (the WORD), whatever is pure (the WORD), whatever is lovely (the WORD), whatever is commendable (the WORD) if there is any excellence, anything worthy of praise (the WORD) THINK on these things." Notice scripture is telling us to think ... "think on these things." Holy things, righteous things, pure things, just things. It all begins in the mind - to do right or to do wrong. If you take any bad thought captive it will never become any action! Read that again. According to Colossians 3:5, we are to put to death sexual immorality. How do we put it to death? With the Sword (the WORD of God). Cleanse the mind and the body will follow. Cast all your cares upon Him because He cares for you (1 Peter 5:7). He will "fight for you and strengthen you, He will help you and uphold you with His righteous hand" (Isaiah 41:10). Look at Psalm 119:9-11 closely, "How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to Your Word. I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. I have hidden Your Word in my heart that I might not sin against You" (that's yet another prayer you can say when temptation rises.)  Again, scripture is stressing to KEEP THE WORD OF GOD IN YOUR MIND! It is your defense. No temptation is not stronger than the Word of God.

Finally, you cannot stop temptation from coming into your mind, but you can disagree with it and stop it from becoming any action. As long as you are fighting a temptation you are not sinning no matter how long the temptation lasts. Just because you're a Christian does not mean you'll never face temptation. In fact, because Satan knows your weaknesses, he'll use those to try to bring defeat into your life and make you want to give up trying to live according to God's will.  Don't fear temptation. You have more power than Satan because you are a child of God. James 4:7 instructs us to, "Resist the devil (with the Word of God) and he will flee from you." As I so often repeat, read the Bible!  Become versed in what it says. It will give you the fighting words to overcome sin and we know, To him that overcomes will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I overcame, and am set down with my Father in His throne" Revelation 3:21. YOU CANNOT OVERCOME SIN THROUGH YOUR OWN STRENGTH. It takes Jesus. And Jesus was "The Word Made Flesh" (John 1:14). Get His Word in your mind. READ!

Until He Comes,

-Pat-

Corrosion

 This past week I was in my kitchen searching for a particular flashlight.  Not the typical larger flashlight but a smaller mini-sized one I knew I had placed somewhere.  After a thirty-minute search, I found it pushed way back inside one of the kitchen drawers I hardly ever open. You know, the proverbial "junk drawer." We all have one.  I was happy to discover I had not thrown it away.  The last time it was used, I had put brand new AA batteries in it so I knew I was good to go, or so I thought! I flipped the switch to turn it on but the light did not come on. Nothing.  Not even a faint glow.  I knew I had put brand new batteries in it before I stored it. I figured the batteries must have lost power from being idle for so long.  I unscrewed the top and began violently shaking it in an attempt to dislodge the 2 AA batteries. OH!  What a mess.  I had battery acid and pieces of brown corrosion falling into my hands, on my lap, and onto the floor.  The entire flashlight walls, spring, switch, and the bulb was covered in a caustic mess!  As you know, batteries are not designed to be idle.  They are designed to be used.  My flashlight had become useless.  In the same sense, we could use the following analogy of ourselves. God has designed us to be the light in the world.  We were not meant to remain idle or to be spiritually tucked away from everybody and everything as followers of Christ.  As a believer, you have a light to shine amid the darkness.  Are you shinning it?

  

You and I have been given the light of the gospel, the Word of God, full of grace, truth, knowledge, and wisdom.  Have you tucked it away in a drawer of your mind, keeping it only for yourself and looking to it only when you need something? I am not suggesting any of you be a Billy Graham (unless you've been called) but we are to reach out and share the gospel, if by nothing else through action or a deed of love, and when led by the Holy Spirit, to be a witness and shine our mini flashlight!  I know many will feel unsure, even uneasy at my last remark.  Some may be quietly questioning, "Oh here she goes, the testimony, witnessing, talking to people about Jesus thing.  Well, count me out because I am no speaker and wouldn't even know what to say or even muster the courage to approach someone."  Calm yourself. I am not instructing anyone to become a radical witness and go knocking door to door.  I am, however, asking you to check yourself. Are you still energized regarding your belief in Christ?  Are you as thankful to be saved today as you were on day one? Do you ever have a hunger to share what you have learned from the Scriptures or are you simply satisfied with tuning into a favorite preacher on Sunday mornings or maybe catching a show or two of Christian radio and calling it sufficient?  Is your spiritual battery draining?  Worse, is it dead? Or God forbid, has it corroded altogether? 

  

I do not think any of us will be able to convince the King of Kings we love Him if we won't open His letters to us (our Bible) or confess our undying love. The Word is the very source that protects, strengthens, secures, energizes us, and keeps us in communication with Him. Let's look at another short analogy. If you were in the US military- wrote home to your true love - but never heard back from them while you were away, then returning home, found your letters had never been opened and sitting on a dusty shelf, would you be so naive as to think that person really loves you?? Jesus KNOWS which of you loves Him.  You do not want to stand before Him and hear the voice of God, "I PRESERVED MY WORD THROUGH THOUSANDS OF YEARS, DOZENS OF GENERATIONS, AND AT THE COST OF MILLIONS OF LIVES TO GET IT INTO YOUR HANDS... AND YOU NEVER CARED ABOUT ME ENOUGH TO PICK IT UP AND READ IT??"  That's a sobering thought!  If you'll be honest with yourself, you have to admit, the depth of the love of which you feel for Him is measured by the length of time you're willing to spend with Him.  There's not much else to say.  The deeper your love the more time you want with Him.  We all have busy schedules, more so than ever before, but humans will always make time for what they love. How deep is your love?  It is a spiritual trap to love less than all of our hearts.  You see, loss of love for the things of God happens gradually over a period of time, just as the AA batteries in my flashlight didn't fizzle out overnight.  Jesus said to Matthew in chapter 22: 37-38, "You shall love (that's not a suggestion, it is a command) the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength." This is the first and great commandment."  Some of you may be willing to confess that you love God but don't feel it as deeply as this command suggests.  Do you know the true test of your love?  Easy. The level of obedience.  2 John 1:16 "And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands.  As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love."  When our spiritual battery is charged, our level of obedience is great.  When our battery is low, our passion for Christ is low, our obedience is low.

 

It is amazing how little it takes to break the contact between a battery and the object to which it is supposed to supply power.  Where do you stand today?  Has your zeal for God and His Word been overtaken by worldly corrosion?  You can be refreshed by opening your Bible often, plugging into God's Word, and learning what it says.  Ask God for wisdom and understanding.  He will teach you.  Humbly submit yourself. Walk in the Light as He is in the light.  We must be constant in season and out of season and the only way to guarantee that is to be fully charged at all times.  Let the believers begin each day spiritually charged, lamps full of oil, walking in obedience, and watching and waiting for our Lord's return!

Until He Comes, 

-Pat-

Our House Is Collapsing

 

Our house is collapsing. Why is our nation in such a miserable condition? Are we under God’s judgment and curse? Something is going on in America and may I add other nations as well. It should be obvious to any Bible believer. Consider all the political unrest of late. Foolish leaders who pursue policies guaranteed to destroy our nation. We seem to be cursed with judges who are passionate about casting aside the very Constitution they vowed to uphold in favor of modern opinions. They push policies guaranteed to weaken commerce and destroy the value of our currency. We have dealt with the abuse of our military by the former commander in chief himself who held that office for 8 years. We are cursed with a mainstream media that hates the truth and rejoices in lies, that is devoted to brazen propaganda in the name of fair reporting. We are cursed with a national education system designed to produce moral rebels and spiritual fools. We are cursed with an entertainment industry fervently devoted to everything abominable in God’s eyes. We are cursed with a breath-taking loss of freedom, with the government snooping into every nook and cranny of our lives and businesses. Rebellion, riots, and lawlessness. And I haven't even mentioned droughts, floods, tornados, multi-billion-dollar mega-storms, rampant disease, dead sea life washing ashore, locust swarms, dead birds falling from the sky, forest fires, earthquakes, the ground opening up and swallowing people and property! What has happened when that which is good becomes evil and that which is evil becomes good (Ephesians 5:20).

The blame clearly lies not with the sinner, but with the compromising, professing Christians and the pastors and leadership of most of the churches in this nation that profess the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. The reason for our nation’s miserable condition is that there is no fear of God in the lives of many professing Christians who are dozing under a comfortable blanket of indifference. This is because there are not many “fear of God and hellfire” sermons from most of the pulpits in this nation today. The blame lies with softball, tickle your ears, don't offend anyone, self-lifting sermons by pastors that are compromisers and apostates, who fear the people more than they fear God and who care more about their individual bottom line than about the truth. Yes, our nation, our churches, and our Christian brothers and sisters are in serious trouble! God said IF MY PEOPLE (not sinners, not unbelievers, not agnostics, not the religious) which are called by My Name will:

1) Humble themselves

2) Pray

3) Seek My face

4) Turn from their wicked ways...

THEN, God says, He will hear from heaven and heal our land. Not before and not until!

The only effective solution to our nation’s ills is to understand that the "curses" are the symptoms, and healing does not come by focusing on symptoms (though it is right and necessary to reprove the works of darkness - Ephesians 5:11). The fundamental element is the spiritual compromise and apostasy of professing Christians and churches that name the name of Jesus Christ, particularly here in America which is a nation filled with churches and professing Christians. I hate to say it but passionate politicking on the part of Bible believers and the joining hands with pagans and heretics to “save America”; shows a lack of wisdom and spiritual understanding.

There are many things we can do to help America or any other nation in which we find ourselves as pilgrims in this world, but carnal politicking and yoking together with heretics and unbelievers in blatant disobedience to God’s Word (Romans 16:17; 2 Corinthians 6:14-18) and it is not the answer.

 

So, what can we do as Christians to help turn this nation around?”  It is not far from each one of us who names the name of Christ in truth. Let us humble ourselves before our Lord and Savior, repent of our lukewarm spiritual lives and seek the Lord with all our hearts, souls, and minds and then be busy about His work of proclaiming the Gospel of Christ! We need to keep in the forefront of our minds that there truly is a hell and that most of the people in this nation–and many that we know–will be going there for an eternity of torment in its unquenched flames! So many professing Christians I know have put a giant pause on their relationship with God! They’ve advanced no farther than they had 1, 5, or 10 years ago. Stuck in the ditch of dormancy, many sleep on unaware because many in their “Christian” social circle live at the same mediocre level of discipleship. WAKE UP!!  God is calling His Church to arise, to humble ourselves, pray, seek Him, and turn from our ways of slumber and sleep, lukewarmness, indifference, and laziness!  We need to wake up out of inactivity, ruin, and obscurity!

It's really sad and frustrating to witness that many of us don’t seem to care what God wants to say! We have little spiritual appetite — many feel satisfied with their Pastor’s 45-minute message online last Sunday. They don’t have time to worship God, read the Bible, or pray because, well, you know—just because! They know they don’t have an acceptable excuse, so many don’t even make one anymore. It’s spiritual slumber, plain and simple. Unfortunately, it’s to their detriment. Since they don’t take quiet times with God, they walk in fear, doubt, and unbelief. Walking by faith is no longer their goal or reality. Our house is collapsing all around us. I'm urging the true followers of Jesus Christ to begin anew today. Go to your knees and ask God to forgive your indifference. Humble yourself before Him. Repent and turn from your sins. It is the only way our nation will be healed! Change and answer to prayer lie with you and me, not the world! 

Until He Comes,

-Pat-

 

Your God Is Unreasonable!

 

I had an intriguing conversation this past week but not with a person. Well, I mean not with a real person. This person was in my dream and we were discussing many subjects pertaining to the Bible. I was being asked questions such as:

1. Why does God let a baby be born with a disease?

2. Why can't a man marry more than one woman to quench his sexual drive? People in the Old Testament did.

3. How did Noah not only fit 2 of each kind but fed of every animal on an ark, and how did he clean up their ___? (his word left out).

4. How can you prove God flooded the earth? It's a myth.

I could tell by the questions the man in my dream was asking he was once a Christian or had been brought up around scriptures. Especially so because his last question fired at me which was: "The Bible said we are to pray without stopping. What kind of nonsense is that? How can a person constantly pray? While chewing? Having sex? Studying for a test? In front of an interviewer for a job? You have no answer for that one, do you?" It's why I think Christianity is a farce. God is unreasonable to require such nonsense!" His questions and approach was jarring. I awoke quite disturbed. I sat up in my bed (it was 3:02 a.m.) and began telling myself why we are to "pray without ceasing" according to Thessalonians 5:17. Paul's words can be confusing to an outsider or an unlearned person of faith, I admit. Obviously, "pray without ceasing" cannot mean we are to be in a head-bowed, eyes-closed posture all day long. Paul is not referring to non-stop talking, but rather an attitude of God-consciousness and God-surrender that we carry with us all the time. Every waking moment is to be lived in an awareness that God is with us and that He is actively involved and engaged in our thoughts and actions. I picture Him PRESENT. That He's with me. With that mind-set, I talk to Him as a friend who would walk with me all day. I do "talk" to Him. I ask for advice and guidance. I discuss humanity, our failures, and I pray for people, government, the sick when I learn someone is ill or lost to the world.

If, for example, my thoughts turn to worry, fear, discouragement, and anger, (which it sure can in this unstable world) I consciously and quickly turn every thought into prayer and every prayer into thanksgiving. In his letter to the Philippians, Paul commands us to stop being anxious and instead, “in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God” (Philippians 4:6). When I or any believer does this it's following the WORD in obedience. It's for our own good because it strengthens us when we need encouragement or assurance. Paul taught the believers at Colossae to devote themselves “to prayer, being watchful and thankful” (Colossians 4:2). Paul exhorted the Ephesian believers to see prayer as a weapon to use in fighting spiritual battles (Ephesians 6:18). As we go through the day, prayer should be our first response to every fearful situation, every anxious thought, and every undesired task that God commands. A lack of prayer will cause us to depend on ourselves instead of depending on God’s grace. Unceasing prayer is, in essence, continual dependence upon and communion with the Father. As I said, like a best friend walking alongside you that listens, upholds, strengthens, and encourages you in your weakest moments of doubt, fear, indecision, confusion.

For Christians, prayer should be like breathing. You do not have to think to breathe because the atmosphere exerts pressure on your lungs and essentially forces you to breathe. That is why it is more difficult to hold your breath than it is to breathe. Similarly, when we are born into the family of God, we enter into a spiritual atmosphere where God’s presence and grace exert pressure, or influence, on our lives. Prayer is the normal response to that pressure. As believers, we have all entered the divine atmosphere to breathe the air of prayer. Unfortunately, many believers hold their “spiritual breath” for long periods, thinking brief moments with God are sufficient to allow them to survive. But such restricting of their spiritual intake is caused by sinful desires. The fact is that every believer must be continually in the presence of God, constantly breathing in His truths, to be fully functional.

Continual, persistent, incessant prayer with thanksgiving is an essential part of Christian living and flows out of humility and dependence on God. I am dependant on God for everything, down to my next breath which He can recall by His power at any moment since He, and He alone is the author of life AND DEATH. I am literally breathing because of Him. The number of days I have on this earth is His doing regardless of anything I do be it exercise, eating healthy, etc. Those things do add "quality" to your life, but they will not add one day longer to your life beyond what God has destined for you. I've known of athletes who died in their teens, 20's and 30's whose bodies were fined tuned and presumably healthy. "For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come" 1 Timothy 4:8.  It’s easy to get tired, to give in to despair, and give up. Don’t abandon the God of hope and say, ‘There’s no use praying.’ Jesus reminds us in Luke 18, as He encouraged the disciples, to “pray and not lose heart." So pray. Talk to Him. From sunrise to sunset. Make Him a part of your life.

Until He Comes Again,

-Pat- 

If It Feels Good Do It

 

How does one determines right from wrong; good from bad; positive from negative. More and more of America has made the transition from making choices based on objectivity, logic, order, and preconceived standards to making choices based upon “interpreting the current situation”, “relational balance” and “context.” For many, this means that “right and wrong” no longer exist as clear lines of distinction. It has allowed the excuses for indulgence in the sixties to become the standard for decision-making in the new millennium. How many are familiar with the following:

• You only go around once in a life

• Are we having fun yet?

• Grab all the gusto you can get!

• What have you done for me lately?

• If it feels good do it

When it gets out of control we might use other clichés like:

• I couldn’t help myself

• The Devil made me do it

I present short blogs, long blogs, blogs of correction and reproof, and some that make you feel all warm and cozy. Not all my blogs are feel-good blogs though they seem to be the ones people itch for. That is not what I'm here for. I write what I am given and surely I will step on some feet and lose people along the way. So be it. The “feel good” philosophy of our day runs like a thread through almost every aspect of culture; including church! But Jesus may have something to say about that. Jesus may have something to say against that. Jesus may have something to say that isn’t … popular. That in itself is ironic since being unpopular means it won’t make us feel good which means we may reject it outright without hearing him out. So be it I guess. Doing what feels good often leads us down a path of ruin. We discover that life might be better understood by seeking a different mechanism for making choices than “If it feels good do it”. Jesus offers an alternative to the quest for sensual gratification that drives our culture and it is illustrated in the demonic man who was conquered and rescued in the book of Mark. The issue of demonic control (sin’s control over a human) is a very serious issue. It is one the Church must acknowledge and address. Mark introduces us to “Satan” in chapter one. Matthew and Luke call the enemy the Devil (Accuser). Mark calls him “Satan” (adversary). This understanding of the enemy can be seen in nearly every page of the Gospel he writes. For that reason, I will call him Satan (the Adversary) in this blog as well.

From the earliest introduction to evil in the Bible, we discover that: Satan desires to control, manipulate, and ruin people. Satan has no noble motives. Satan will use whatever tools we make available to him to trap us. As sobering as that is, there is “Good News!” That is why Mark wrote his Gospel – showing us Jesus’ defeat of the adversary and Jesus’ deliverance of those within the adversary’s grip. The Bible says that Satan should not get an advantage over us and for that reason, we are not ignorant of his devices. (2 Corinthians 2:11). To understand Satan's ability to trap us we must understand a few things first. ONE: Becoming trapped is a result of the choices we make. TWO: At some point, in some way, we flirt, invite, and participate in sinful practices. THREE: Satan merely seized the opportunities and openings that we give him -Satan cannot force himself on us -we must be open to his presence. But, as I said, as sobering as that is, there is “Good News!” There is a Deliverer from sin’s grip. There is only ONE deliverer from sins grip … Jesus Christ. But that ONE is enough. I know because He set me free! Our free-will decisions to carry living-out sin almost always involves the lie "if it feels good do it”. That "thinking" was my mindset when I chose to sin. When a person chooses to follow Jesus (His Word and its instructions) a subtle, yet powerful, transformation of our decision-making process begins to take place. The Holy Spirit teaches any new convert not to follow his “instinct” or emotion but to submit to a higher standard … obedience to God’s known will. Notice I said HE TEACHES US, it is not something we have the power to accomplish on our own. This understanding of “costly service” as opposed to “comfortable service” is laid out very clearly throughout the remainder of Mark’s Gospel.

People seem to gravitate to that which is comfortable and easy. It takes a deep commitment to Christ to overcome such a position. Sometimes we would rather not be disturbed even if it is for the better. Sometimes we do not want to be disturbed because it shows our misplaced loyalties and misplaced priorities. When it comes to the welfare of a human or wealth, society seldom sides with the human being. Many people see the presence of Jesus as a discomforting presence that they want dismissed. It is difficult to follow Jesus because he demands (and empowers) a higher standard.  Christian people (and congregations) that acquiesce to an “if it feels good do it” philosophy are ineffective for the Kingdom. The Church, and thus the Christian testimony, are in jeopardy of becoming completely irrelevant because of our inclination towards a man-centered Gospel … a Gospel which focuses on what Jesus will do for you. That is an important part of evangelism but we must never allow the convert to remain a victim of seeking immediate gratification. You see, evangelism starts where people are at and with what they can relate to. Throughout the Gospels, people came to Jesus with selfish motives and he received them gladly—but then, if they were to follow Him, they had to leave their selfish motives and follow in obedience and love. Modern-day "Christianity" has ceased to ask people to leave their own patterns of self-gratification. Instead, we spin everything to focus on how it will make them “feel good” or “improve their quality of life.” That is not the whole Gospel of Jesus but with some preachers and believers, it has become their entire focus. To be fair, I believe the spirit of Jesus dwells within The Church and I see encouraging evidence of divine correction, but still many gravitate towards flesh-centered motives.

The call of God in discipleship is to holiness, self-sacrifice, and service. It is not a “bless me O Lord” kind of faith. It is not an “if it feels good do it” relationship.

When the Gospel and discipleship are properly understood it all comes down to the primary character -- Jesus Christ. PERIOD! Jesus Christ never operated from or promoted an “If it feels good do it” ethic. Never. This is illustrated in all Jesus did and explicitly addressed in chapters 8, 9, and 10 of Mark's gospel. "And whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." (Mark 10:44-45). Again, Jesus Christ never operated from or promoted the “if it feels good do it” ethic. In fact, Jesus delivers us from its trap just as he did the demoniac man with the unclean spirit.

Our society, like many societies, has reduced itself to a quest for gratification, and the more instant the better. But Jesus calls us away from that. I'm speaking to Christians. This is my calling. It is not to the world, but to The Church. Just like Esau, some of us neglect our rights and responsibilities as the children of God, the inheritors of an eternal kingdom, in order to follow our desires and pleasures wherever they lead. We tend to trust our appetites, our desires, believing they will lead us to happiness, to satisfaction, that if we do what we want to do, what we most deeply and strongly desire to do, then we will be glad. That's a lie wrapped around a profound truth, really, for, of course, the deepest desires of the human heart are all ultimately directed at God. Our desire for perfect happiness, perfect contentment, perfect pleasure, perfect peace - really, we desire Heaven. We desire communion with God. We are called to gauge our desires according to the teachings of Christ and His Church, allowing higher wisdom than that of our feelings, our desires, to guide us. 

Until He Comes,

-Pat-