TESTIMONY!

A LIVING TESTIMONY, A EXPERIENCE THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING, A MIRACLE OF DIVINE GRACE AND MERCY!

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A Testimony! A CHANGED LIFE!

When I was a young person in my teens (late), I had no thoughts or concerns at all about God! I was just caught up in daily living, normal things that take place in most all teenagers of that day. (1950’s)! Joining the USAF at 18 started an adventure for me since I had never been out of the area where I grew up and never had left the State at all.
I will have to say I did go to Sunday School, as it was called back then, from time to time, not regularly, but some off and on from early childhood. I am sure I heard the Gospel but had no idea what it was all about, until I was about 12 and thought I grasped some of it but was not sure and later just left it all on the table so to speak. However, I did make a profession of faith and certainly was emotionally and very aware of my need of the Savior Jesus Christ. I was immersed in a lake after that profession and was a active member of the Keystone Heights Baptist Church in Keystone Heights, Florida.

Having joined the Military, getting away from my parents and their control and then having the Military controlling me in terms of what to do etc., but yet, having more allowances to do things that I would not have chosen to do while at my home, I got involved in many affairs which were not wise to be involved in at all. Engaged in what the peer group was engaged in at that time, which was sinful acts for sure.

That, however, thank God, did not last too long, in fact, after about 1-year things changed. Not due to my own making, or purpose, but rather, because God came to me and changed me. His goodness was running after me. The hound of Heaven found me.

I was going through some deep troubles emotionally and did not know why! After about 2 weeks of that, one evening I fell on my knees and cried out to God to forgive me and help me, and at the same time I was having a vision of a “person hanging on a cross and the person looked terrible, not a joyful scene, a person who looked beaten and bruised and was just hanging there.

Suddenly, I knew it was Jesus Christ the Lord, and I trusted in Him because of this revelation to my innermost heart and soul He forgave me of my sins and set me on a different road and journey of life.

Besides the Bible which I read as much as possible per day after being off duty, I also read as my first novel the book called Ben Hur.

I began to read the scriptures, and I had no minister nor any Church nor any mentor at the time. It was just God and Christ and the Holy Spirit with His word that directed me and my thoughts and gave me direction. It was not long that I considered that God was calling me into service for Him, that is to preach and teach the word of God to others. That I began to do and began to prepare for my future education and college etc.! Looking forward to getting out of service and going to school was now my objective and God allowed me to do just that.

As I read the scriptures, I began to understand that Christ came into my innermost heart and being along with the Holy Ghost and our Father. I knew I was saved, and sought His word daily, praying, of course, not really knowing much of what to say to Him but knowing He was with me, and I had joy in my soul. I laid aside, because He delivered me from many personal sinful activities, certain popular sins of the day and also my language cleaned up quickly. My speech changed. My desires to engage in holy affairs; Church attendance, reading the word, laying aside many things that I considered were worldly and not good for me to engage in, such as drinking alcoholic beverages, even spending a lot of time reading the Comics in the Newspapers was something I had to lay down, because I had previously made that my habit to do every Weekend in the Sunday papers. For me at least, that was a waste of time now!

Colossians 2: 9-10 was what had taken place: “In Christ ALL the fulness of the Deity Lives in bodily form, and In Christ YOU have been brought to FULLNESS. He is the head over every power and authority” This matter of fullness means we are NOT missing any part of the person of God and Christ and the Holy Spirit. In Christ we have what we need for LIFE and godliness – 2 Peter 1:3. That is, In Christ we find everything we need for normal, everyday life. God knows the resources needed for life here on this earth, and it’s all included in the life we possess through Christ Jesus. 2 Peter 1:3 reads, “His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life throughout knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness.”

So, it is more than just a ticket to heaven, it has to do with our daily living, i.e., every moment of everyday living! I think many misinterpret all of this. At no time are we told to live an upright life IN ORDER to GARNER a more righteous standing or to collect Prizes in heaven! Quite the opposite!! We are urged to grasp an important spiritual truth: when we come to Jesus Christ, as He has called and we responded to Him, we RECEIVE LIFE Everlasting, that is forever! Through our experience, we express our faith and trust in Him alone and we find total Fulfillment!! A spiritual union has taken place. It is, Christ in us, the hope of glory and the ONE who is working in and through us and we too move in the Spirit and work out our own salvation with fear and trembling knowing that it is God working in us both to will and do of His good pleasure!! Both of us work, but HE is the major One doing the work enabling us to do our part!
This is how it is now in my life and all Christians lives, or how it should be!! This is the will of God for us all:
……that none of us should perish but all of us believe (trust, confide in and rely upon) God alone – 1 Timothy 2: 4; 2 Peter 3:92………. that salvation has come to both Jews and Gentiles – Ephesians 1:5-2:223. …………that we present our bodies to Him every day and night – Romans 12:1-24…………. that we bear much fruit – John 15:8; Colossians 1: 9-125. ……….that we pray throughout our lives – 1 Thessalonians 5:16-186. ………….that “For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, ………..that you abstain from sexual immorality.

God’s will is essentially, that Jesus Christ lives IN US, and expresses Himself Through us, as we are Transparent before Him. We certainly can allow our fallen flesh to disobey God, but in doing so, we feel and sense it right away and ask God to help us be delivered from the power of the flesh and sin as we seek to worship and walk with Him in the Spirit each day. We have now a new identity, we are saints, we are priests unto God, we are the bride of Christ, we are pure, holy, sanctified and are new creatures in Christ Jesus! Let us walk like it, talk like it, think like it, engage in life affairs like it! May others see Jesus in us! Christ Jesus the Lord Changes Everything! Amen!

EXILES ON PLANET EARTH WITH EXPECTATIONS FOR THE PROMISED LAND-NEW JERUSALEM THE CITY OF GOD!

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THE PROMISE OF GOD ALSO INCLUDED A NEW HEAVEN AND A NEW EARTH! THE CITY OF GOD!

SPOTLIGHT:

1 PETER 1:1; 1 Peter 2:9;

Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who reside AS ALIENS, …….”“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.”

Notice that Peter reveals to the saints that after salvation they are no longer to be considered citizens of this world, but rather aliens, residing in a country that they no longer can consider their home. In another place, Paul the Apostle I believe stated we are as saints to be “looking for a city which has foundations whose builder and maker is God.” A reflection on what Abraham, a friend of God, was doing throughout his lifetime!

I fear to many of us have become acclimated to this world system so much we do not feel like aliens at all. Do we long for and become excited every day about our new home in glory which is to come? Do we long for that place? Paul surely did, and so should we!

OLD TESTAMENT PROMISE TO GOD’S PEOPLE ALSO RELATES TO THE GOSPEL AND OUR POSITION IN CHRIST JESUS!

JEREMIAH 28: 7-14

“Seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will have welfare.”

This promise was to Israel specifically. However, the Gospel brings each saint of God into God’s promises to all of His children living as aliens on this planet today and tomorrow and always! He continues:

Verse 11; “For I know the plans that I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and I will restore your fortune and from all the places where I have driven you, declares the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from where I sent you into exile.”

God has great plans for us, our welfare, our protection during our stay here on earth, even though we go through trials and tribulations, and difficulties He promised to be WITH US all the way. Right there in the middle of the dark pot of evil. We will and we do pray, and we are promised He will hear our prayers, and eventually remove us from this cursed planet to our heavenly home, or He will come back and translate us into His glory and we will dwell with HIM on planet earth totally restored to perfection in the New city of God, New Jerusalem.

Revelation 21: 1-3; 10-11;

“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is No longer any sea. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband.”

“And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down as a stone of crystal-clear jasper.”

John goes on through Chapter 21 of Revelation to describe that city in more detail. This is where we are ultimately going to be one day and very soon really!

As pilgrims here we need to guard our hearts and minds. We don’t want to be inflicted with a mental destination syndrome! When we have a mental destination syndrome our focus and attention is always geared toward the ‘here and now’ and ‘what can I get out of it all, including relationships, our marriage, our children, our job, our Church and its members and leadership, etc.!

If we keep a ‘down here’ mental destination attitude we will NEVER be satisfied, never be happy, always discouraged.

People will disappoint us. Job, fun, houses, and cars will disappoint us. Name it, all will eventually disappoint us.

Only Christ will never disappoint us. He always keep His promises. He provides, through the Spirit, the proper heart and mind set. Through the Spirit, we will keep our spirit, soul and heart set upon the heavenly city of God and the presence of God in our life daily.

So, as we wake up each morning, let us seriously remember and contemplate the New Jerusalem. In spite of the troublesome times we are in with plagues, riots, war, terrorism, hate, chaos, confusion, crime, murder, robberies, destruction of property, and the outworking of immorality and evil of all types, we have a place prepared for us with Jesus and He will keep His promise to us.

Pray for His Kingdom to come and also pray for the welfare of our City, our State, and our Nation where we live in exile today, for in its welfare we will have welfare.

SONG: NEW JERUSALEM – THE HOPPERS

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THE GOSPEL OF GRACE!

THE BOOK OF ROMANS, GALATIANS, COLOSSIANS AND THE GOSPEL OF JOHN ARE GREAT BOOKS TO STUDY CONCERNING THE DOCTRINES OF GRACE

David is prominent in the Old Testament, especially the book of Psalms. I love David and God’s teachings to him! He said in Psalm 32 the following:

“Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sin is put out of sight! Yes, what joy for those whose record the Lord has cleared of guilt, whose lives are lived in complete honesty”.

When I refused to confess my sin, my body wasted away, and I groaned all day long. Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me. My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat! Finally, I confessed all my sins to you, and stopped trying to HIDE my guilt. I said to myself, I will confess my rebellion to the Lord, and you forgave me! ALL my guilt is gone! Therefore, let the godly pray to you while there is STILL TIME, that they may not drown in the floodwaters of judgment. For you are My Hiding Place; You protect me from trouble, You surround me with songs of victory!”

Hallelujah what a Savior! Amen!”

Was David a sinner? No, he wasn”t, in the sense of what God has performed in his heart. He is a new creature, he is born again, he had a new birth, he was a child of God. David was a Saint! Does David sin after being saved by God’s grace, yes! Why? He still lives in a body that has sin dwelling in it called the Flesh! David had a new heart, a new soul and a new spirit. God saved Him by His grace.

David had many personal sins during his lifetime. The fact is, salvation is FROM the penalty of sin, but sin still dwells in our flesh. That part of us is not born again! We struggle with sin. We do not wish to sin!

In the Garden of Eden when God called Adam and Eve to account for their sin, what took place? GOD came and found them. God came and called them. But they ran and hid from God! So, God killed a Lamb and shed its blood and took its skin and put it over their bodies to cover their nakedness. So, now they can have fellowship with God again! Still in a fallen body, with sinful desires, etc.!

One of the lessons for us in this is, God is the one who grants mercy and grace. He did so through the shed blood of an animal which pointed to the Lamb of God (Jesus) who was to come and shed His blood for His peoples’ sin. Adam and Eve did not even blink an eye. They didn’t do anything. They were worked ON by God alone for His glory alone!! They DID NOT SEEK GOD BUT RAN FROM GOD AND GOD CAME SEEKING AND CALLING THEM. God did all the work for redemption and the new birth. All of it!

The same today. God calls. God grants us faith and repentance. God grants us mercy, grace, and a new birth, covering us in Christ’s blood. He puts us into Christ and into eternal life never remembering or holding us accountable any longer for any sin whether it is past, present or future. That is called justification by faith!

David was saved, redeemed, justified by faith, regenerated (made alive unto God), had God in his daily life, had the Holy Spirit, for no one can be saved and not have the Holy Spirit abiding within them!

In other words, David had the same FAITH that Abraham had. It was granted to him in the same manner Abraham’s faith was granted to him! God called, God gave mercy and grace to them, and forgave their sins and took off of them God’s wrath and condemnation. Christ died ONCE on the cross, shedding His blood to atone for our sin, and then rose from the dead, paid the price, and ascended to heaven to sit down at the Father God’s right hand making intercession for His people 24/7! In other words, God the Father was Propitious (satisfied) with the death, burial, resurrection and bloodletting for sin that Christ did for those whom He died for on the cross. David was a saint, a child of God, a born-again person having a new birth identity, a redeemed man, a adopted son, a priest unto God, a member of the forever family of God. Not because he was a Jew, but because he was a sinner whom God chose to be saved and placed into that family of redeemed people!

It is wrong to say Christ’s blood was shed and atoned for the sins of ALL human beings that would ever live on the earth.

That blood atonement was certainly sufficient and powerful enough to save every sinner who has ever lived, but as we know, NOT all are saved by Grace. Many go to hell and eternal punishment. Straight is the gate and narrow is the path that leads to eternal life, so said our Lord Jesus, and few there be that find it.

The statement that Christs blood atoned for ALL people’s sin can’t be correct exegesis, because the greatest sin a human can commit is the sin of unbelief!! Since unbelief is a sin, then if the blood covered that sin and is applied to all people, then all would be saved automatically. God would be unjust to cover the sin of unbelief and then send someone to hell for a sin which He had already forgiven them for. So, we know that is absolutely a wrong evaluation of the Gospel message.

Only those who the Father calls and gives to Christ, and then He calls them, grants mercy and grace to them by giving them the gifts of faith and repentance, so they can call upon Christ for salvation, are saved! God says NO ONE is seeking after HIM! No One and that included you and I! But God came and called us and granted us the desire to call upon Him and we did. And He saved us! There is only one potential legitimate question to ask; “Why me Lord?” For we were all deserving of hell and the lake of fire in judgment. God to be fair would mean he would have to send all people to hell for their rebellion. We don’t want fairness we wish mercy and grace! God is just to allow sinners to stay right where they are with Satan and the fallen angels if HE so wishes, but thanks be unto Him He has saved multitudes of people by His mercy and grace through Christ and His work for us on the Cross and through His life. He will save many more I am sure.

In other words, we get a new identity. Sinners are turned into Saints. We are no more classified as wretched, evil, dead dogs, corrupt, wicked sinners, apostates, fallen humanity, etc., but saints and children of the living God. Not because of what we do, but because of what Christ is and we are IN HIM! God the father sees us IN Christ Jesus. God loves us enough to kill His own Son Jesus! He still loves us over some 2000 years after the death and resurrection of Christ Jesus. His love never changes.

In no way am I advocating sinless perfection in the flesh. Our flesh or our fallen or old man, whichever phrase you prefer, still produces sin. When we do, we bring those sins to the light and confess them, but not in the sense that they have NOT already been forgiven. Jesus died ONCE for those sins (past, present, and future). No re-crucifying Jesus again, and again and again by acting like you haven’t been forgiven. You have. The O.T. High Priests had to sacrifice the lambs daily, but Jesus’ sacrifice was once. It is finished. We have been born again. We are new creations. So we now admit we have failed and sinned, but we thank God He has love and forgiveness to grant to us now because of what He did for us on the cross thousands of years ago.

Paul called us Saints. Peter called us Saints.

Even though we are new creations, we still live in unregenerate, fallen bodies and sin dwells in them.

We confess those sins to the Lord and to each other, when need be, but those sins are forgiven. David confessed his sins to the Lord, but David also knew he was forgiven. Disciple, training, comes to us because of such activities, but not condemnation and wrath from God.

The Word teaches us not to hide our sins, but to bring them to the Lord, to the light, and confess them. As a Saint, hiding such sin brings guilt, shame, and difficulties in our lives, until we confess openly we have failed the Lord.

But remember always, those sins are already forgiven. When we confess them, we are agreeing with God that we need to seek to slay sin, stop sin, and walk in the Spirit with Him! We are to remember who we are and who God is and how He looks at us now. He looks at us with LOVE!

We don’t we start begging God to forgive us of our wretchedness. We confess and thank Him that He has hidden them under His blood and never to be remembered again. The idea of being laden down with sin and failures, and thinking we are wretched, terrible, awful sinful wicked people is to “smear” God and His message and Jesus’ finished work done for us on the cross. We are not under wrath, not under condemnation, not under shame and disgrace, not under sin’s power, not under Satan’s control. We are not to be depressed, or shamed, or feel lost because we sinned.

Let us agree with God that we are His righteous saints. His righteousness had been IMPUTED to our account. He lives within us and we are in Him and He in us. Yes, we still admit we are living in a wretched body, but also, that body houses God Almighty right now, it is His Temple. A mystery for sure, but a truth. He knows how to Live in the presence of sin and yet now be affected by it at all. If it were not for Jesus Christ, we would be burned to a crisp and no body existing but turned to dust if that were not so.

The Scriptures tell us God’s heavy hand of discipline was on David until he confessed his sins. God didn’t leave him when he sinned. God didn’t leave him when he did not confess. Instead, He made sure David did confess. God was always with David, as He is with us. If we try to hide our sins and not confess them, He will make a way for us to do so.

After confessing his sin, David could have been perfectly obedient for a 1000 years, but that would have not made him a bit better in the site of God in terms of his salvation, for he already had ALL of his sins forgiven, PAST, PRESENT, and FUTURE.

Yes, David was disciplined by the Lord. Yes, he grieved the Holy Spirit. Yes, there were consequences for his sins, especially within his own family.

But, knowing we are not under condemnation and all our sins have already been forgiven at the Cross spurs us on to serve Jesus even more and love Him even more. This is AMAZING GRACE.

Christ is in us, and we are in Him. We Abide in Christ and He abides in us! He always LOVES us, with never a lapse in that LOVE! He never leaves us and He in fact, keeps us in the faith. We can’t go in and out of fellowship with God, for He is always there. Some folks say we drop out of fellowship with Christ. Not on your life. He never leaves us or forsakes us is His promise. We just do not sense the joy and freedom we should be, because He never left us for one moment.

Do you believe the word of God on this?

Lamar Carnes – A fellow believer in the journey of life on planet earth! Praise be unto God (the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost)! Amen! Selah! Maranatha!

The Holy Triune God from Heaven Sent a Savior!!!

The Journey Begins

Thanks for joining me!

Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter. — Izaak Walton

Where will we find an anchor and a hiding place as we go through life’s journey?

Life is filled with many mysteries!

There are things we just can’t figure out!

In fact, we simply aren’t able to understand and make sense of our life here on planet earth! Working to figure things out will only frustrate us and we will never find inner peace and rest. We can work day and night to figure it all out and end up exhausted.

Peace and rest is only found in the wisdom and grace of the ONE who has it all figured out and rules it all for His glory and our good.

We must trust God our Father, our Creator, and our Lord! And we can only come to the Father through the Lord Jesus Christ, the God/Man. God the Father chose him to be the Mediator between us and himself.

Jesus Christ paid the debt we owed God for being a sinner and rebel against Him!

Christ came in the flesh and lived a perfect life of absolute righteousness among men.

He was ordained by God to go to the cross and be crucified, a method of punishment which would require the shedding of His blood. Atonement could only be made by the shedding of blood, in order to make those whom God chose and called (those who believe and trust in Jesus), spiritually perfect in Christ.

Jesus died in our place and imputed his penal substitutionary death to us.
To prove this was an acceptable sacrifice, Jesus rose from the grave and ascended back to heaven from where he had come, to be His people’s High Priest, making intercession for us every moment of every day.

He is where we find rest, peace, purpose, value, contentment, joy, satisfaction and assurance that all is well.

Nothing in this world will ever provide this for us. It will absolutely fail us every time we go seeking for peace and purpose in our created world.

May He grant all who read this everlasting life as they come to Him as He calls, confessing and repenting of their sin, and in humility crying out to God for forgiveness. God then gives us salvation and peace, creating a new heart in us and making us part of His forever family!

Salvation comes by faith alone, in Christ alone, by Grace alone, for the Glory of God alone. It is not by works of righteousness we do, but by God alone do we find salvation and the reason and purpose for life.

The world today is out of order.  It is under a curse.  Mankind is a fallen creature in sin, except for those redeemed by Jesus Christ the Lord from Glory! 

1 John 2: 15-17 reads; “Do not love the world or the things in the world….” and the rest of the verses speak of how it is diseased and in spiritual darkness.

The world tomorrow will be different.  All things will be made “new” and the “old” will pass away and be burned up! 

The Bible is the meta-narrative all about the Lord Jesus Christ, the Commander in Chief of Heaven’s Armies and the Savior of His people whom He planned before creation to save from destruction and hell and punishment. 

Throughout the articles written in our site, you can find a hiding place of rest, peace, assurance, contentment, and joy in Christ Jesus.

IN AND OUT! ABSOLUTELY NOT!

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Introduction:

One of the most clear and important verses in the word of God on the matter of sin and the new birth results is found in the book of Hebrews 10: 1-7, 12-14. As you read these verses notice how the new birth in contrast to the Old Covenant works produces in each Christian a absolute all time new result which did not exist under the Old Covenant. Careful ponder and think of this as you read.

“The old system under the law of Moses was only a shadow, a dim preview of the good things to come, not the good things themselves. The sacrifices under that system were repeated again and again, year after year, but they were NEVER able to provide perfect cleansing for those who came to worship. If they could have provided perfect cleansing, the sacrifices would have stopped, for the worshippers would have been perfected ONCE FOR ALL TIME, AND THEIR FEELINGS OF GUILT WOULD HAVE DISAPPEARED. But instead, those sacrifices actually reminded them of their sins year after year. For it is not possible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins!! That is why when Christ came into the world, he said to God,

“YOU did not want animal sacrifices or sin offerings. But you have given me a body to offer. You were not pleased with burnt offerings or other offerings for sin. Then I SAID, “Look, I have come to do your will O God! – as it is written about me in the Scriptures.”……..

But our High Priest offered Himself to God as a single sacrifice for sins, good for ALL TIME. ……..For by that ONE OFFERING HE FOREVER MADE PERFECT THOSE WHO ARE BEING MADE HOLY.”

I contend that this ONE TIME sacrifice cleared the ACCOUNT of Sinners who trust in Jesus for the REST of their life on earth and also into Eternity with God and Christ. I contend that this ONE TIME offering of Jesus’ body and blood shedding, and Resurrection, REMOVED OUR GUILT AS THESE VERSES SAY FROM THE MOMENT OF REGENERATION THROUGHOUT ETERNITY.

I contend if we don’t recognize this we are not maturing correct in the faith, and do not have a proper understanding of the Gospel of GRACE. We must see, that when sin is allowed to function in our Fallen Natural body of flesh and the SARX (Flesh) where it resides is the thing that sins and our Redeemed Regenerated (Always Alive in Christ and full of the Spirit of God person for we are IN HIM also) is pure, holy, sanctified, and free from Guilt. The New Covenant shows this whereas in the Old Covenant days we do find those facts shown in various New Covenant words of prophecy, but the Old Covenant works did not produce such. That is why we have to be careful of our interpretation a lot of times as we bring them over into our teachings and preachings.

Again, remember we are recognizing from experience and from scripture that our old nature and body has NOT been regenerated and purified and made holy in the sense of the new person and new heart, soul and spirit of man has been by Christ. That is where the struggle exists, and the fight goes on, as the Holy Spirit, and the New Man or Saved person together are to be seen as Mortifying Sin that seeks to rise up and express itself in our faculties. Faculties that have not been regenerated yet! We still have a natural fallen posture in the body where sin dwells, but in the NEW Man that sin is not existing for it has been Born Again and is IN CHRIST THE SEED AS BOTH PAUL AND JOHN THE APOSTLES SO STATED.

Is this statement true? Is it Biblical? Did God really teach this: The statement I speak of is this: “You are sometimes in the Spirit and sometimes in the flesh”!

Let’s examine this statement and see what God has to say about it all! Notice this scripture verse:

Romans 8:9 – “However, you are NOT IN THE FLESH BUT IN THE SPIRIT, IF INDEED THE SPIRIT OF GOD DWELLS IN YOU! But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.”

Should just end it there for that is the total answer period! The Statement that is currently being taught all over the kingdom of God today is wrong! It is amazing how folks can’t understand clear words and very easy to read words from scripture. But, spiritual truths are not understand by the lost that is for sure, and weaker brothers and sisters in the faith have to learn to undo a lot of the things they get today from all sources except the very word of God in scriptures.

I. DO WE SOMETIMES THINK WE ARE IN THE FLESH AND SOMETIMES IN THE SPIRIT?

What is taking place in the scripture is that God is showing us the difference between a lost person and a saved person. A lost person is always in the FLESH dead to God and spiritual matters, but alive to sin totally. All that a lost person does is sin! No holy acts, no righteousness, no real good deeds valued by God as good, for all he or she does is for self and sin.

Sinners set their minds and hearts on fleshly carnal things all the time. It is 24/7! All self centered. Not God centered ever! All have sinned and all have fallen short of the glory of God.

Believers however are those who set their minds upon things of the Spirit. Notice Romans 8:5:

“For those who ARE according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who ARE according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.”

These words describe our identity and our position right now this very minute. We are one or the other. Notice what walking and being in the Spirit looks like in Romans 8: 8-9;

“…and those who are in the flesh CANNOT PLEASE GOD. However, YOU ARE NOT IN THE FLESH BUT IN THE SPIRIT, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if ANYONE does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does NOT BELONG TO HIM.”

There is no “in and out” deal going on here. We are one or the other! No middle ground! Our LOCATION is in the Spirit, and I might say also, in the Lord Jesus and in the Father also.

LET’S NOTE HOW THIS DESCRIPTION IS REVEALED TO US IN THE BIBLE:

BEFORE SALVATION: AFTER SALVATION: SCRIPTURES:

In the flesh In the Spirit Romans 8:9

In Adam In Christ 1 Cor. 15:22

A slave to sin A slave to righteousness Rom. 6:17-18

In dark kingdom In His kingdom of light Col. 1:13

Dead to God Alive to God Eph. 2:1,5

Romans 8:6 reads, “For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is LIFE and PEACE.”

The reality about this we are aliens in this world and on this planet now. The fleshly lusts war against us, not with us – 1 Peter 2:11. Our old man the flesh is still there in the flesh and bones, and it is called the flesh and is carnal. Sin dwells there but NOT in the NEW BORN creation for it is now in Christ Jesus and is imputed with Christ holiness and is pure and holy and sanctified now! IN CHRIST and IN GOD the Father and IN the HOLY SPIRIT.

II. NO GOING IN THE DOOR AND OUT OF THE DOOR! OUR REDEEMED SOUL/SPIRIT AND HEART ARE NOW REDEEMED AND HOLY, BUT THE FLESH IS STILL DEAD IN SIN UNTIL IT GOES BACK TO THE DUST AND IS RESURRECTED OR TRANSLATED IF CHRIST COMES WHILE WE ARE STILL ALIVE ON EARTH.

This is how we are now in our bodies here on planet earth. We have conflict and struggles because of that diametrically different state or identity we have. The flesh struggles against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh. That is why Paul could say in Romans 8 when he desires to do right sin is always present and he doesn’t always conduct right and holy things, but he said it was SIN doing it and not him because He was a lover of God and a redeemed soul and spirit living in that Eternal Life posture right then at those moments in time. God was in him and he was in God. God cannot sin and will not allow His new creature be tainted with sin either in that sense. But we are allowed to see and in our mind allow sin to operate from time to time in the flesh which is still unregenerated. Our new man is regenerated and that means has Eternal Everlasting HOLY life forever.

A prayer: Father, thank you for saving me, changing me, making me a new creature or creation and thank you for my new identity and new spiritual location in your Spirit. Thank you that you will NEVER leave me, nor I leave you for you KEEP me from falling and will present me faultless before your throne and even now our Lord Jesus you are my advocate before the Father regarding your atonement for all of my past, present and future sins committed in my body. Remind me to set my MIND on YOUR Spirit, because I have new life and a totally new identity now in Your Spirit. In Jesus Name, Amen!

JOSEPH!

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JOSEPH, GOD’S MAN FOR THE TIME. A MAN WHO HAD A COAT MADE OF MANY DIFFERENT COLORS! FOLLOW HIS LIFE AND SEE HOW GOD USED HIM FOR GOD’S OWN GLORY AND THE FUTURE ‘SEED’ PROMISED EVEN JESUS OUR LORD THE MESSIAH! – WRITTEN BY: BOBBIE J. CARNES –

Week 4 (February 1st)
Cultivate Your Character: The Example of Joseph

Introduction

Our study is on cultivating a character like Joseph’s. To cultivate means to develop by education or training or to foster. So, if we want our character developed like Joseph’s we must be willing to be educated and trained as he was – by God.

That’s the kicker! He didn’t develop himself. He didn’t go to self-help seminars. He didn’t read Christian books and follow the latest popular Christian teacher. God was his teacher. And how does God develop people?

Psalms 119:67, Job 36:15, Ps. 119:124

God’s classroom is life. Joseph was an excellent student. He viewed his situations as full of providential blessings (Gen.39:8-9; 45:5, 7-8; 50:19).

Let me give you the first and greatest single characteristic of Joseph. It was his absolute faithfulness to God under all circumstances, and it is through this that God worked to exalt him so highly. And it was through this that all his other godly character traits developed.

We will see as we go through Scripture a pattern in Joseph’s life (39:21-23, 39: 2, 3, 5)

The Lord is with Joseph

Gives him favor with the authority over him

He prospers Joseph and causes him to succeed in whatever he does.

Joseph did faithfully and to his best ability whatever God gave him to do and God prospered him. That is the pattern we will see in his dealings with Potiphar, the Jailor and Pharaoh.
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Paul tells us in 1 Cor. 10:31 that “whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

Joseph did all for the glory of God.

The authorities over Joseph saw the visible, tangible occurrences of God’s blessings on all that Joseph did and praised God because of him. Because God favored Joseph, they favored him and trusted him.

Whatever Joseph did, he didn’t neglect the interests of his masters and he worked hard to be sure those interests were furthered. He understood authority. He respected authority. He worked hard on behalf of others. There was nothing lackadaisical about Joseph.

There are two steps to success that can be seen in Joseph’s life:

Please God and seek His blessing. Just as Jesus said in Matthew 6:33, “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

Do it over a long period of time.( Forget instant gratification)

Joseph was 17 when he was sold into slavery. He was 30 when Pharaoh promoted him to Prime Minister (41:46). Thus it took 13 years for the full measure of God’s blessings to Joseph to be recognized. Advancement doesn’t always come quickly. Normally success takes time. Joseph was patient (Hint: another characteristic.)

Joseph’s story is covered in 13 chapters in Genesis. We are going to look at as many of Joseph’s character traits as we can in our time together.

In our study we have divided Joseph’s life into four sections
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Betrayal –The Relationship between Joseph and His Brothers

Joseph’s Temptation

Joseph is Forgotten

Joseph is Reunited With His Family

Here is a preview of what Joseph is going to demonstrate for us:

• the value of self-control in the temptation
• patience and perseverance in times of trouble
• honesty, strong work ethics
• fear of God and faithfulness to God

Opening Question

You have all heard the question, “Why do bad things happen to good people?” Faulty question. There are no good people.

And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone (Mark 10:18).

As Christians we may ask, “Why do bad things happen to God’s people?” Why did Joseph’s life contain so much harassment, temptation, affliction, and heartache? Why does mine? Lord what are you doing?

The Big Idea

Joseph acknowledges God’s sovereignty over the events in his life. God’s presence and steadfast love enabled Joseph to overcome all the difficulties he faced. He wasn’t overcome by his circumstances in life. His character grew and strengthened through his afflictions and setbacks.

Scripture Passage

1. Betrayal –The Relationship between Joseph and His Brothers

Gen. 37: 2-5, 8, 11

One day after his disclosures to his brothers about his dreams, they were tending their flocks out in the country and Jacob sent Joseph to check on them.

Gen. 37:14

When he got to Shechem, they weren’t there. Instead of going home, he wandered
around the countryside trying to find them. He wasn’t going home without a report for his father that his brothers were okay. But, when he found them they plotted his death, but Judah talked them into selling him to Ishmaelite traders.

Gen. 37:23-24 .

Later in 42:21 we are told how Joseph was feeling and how he reacted while his brothers were betraying him. Later, when Joseph, the Prime Minster, was giving his brothers a hard time about being spies, they decided God was punishing them for what they did to Joseph.

Gen.42:21.

But at the time, the brothers didn’t care how much Joseph begged.

Gen. 42:28, 36: 39:1

Discovery

What character traits did Joseph demonstrate in his response to his brother’s envy and hatred?

(Possible answers: concern for others – he searched for them, kindness – because he must have ignored a lot of unkind words and deeds, love – he loved his enemies, resisted the temptation to repay evil with evil)

Application

Jesus said in John 15:18: “”If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you.” This is the same situation that Joseph was in. If the world sees you as different: sees your good deeds, it shows up their ungodliness. They will hate you as Joseph’s brothers hated him. If you have not already, when you do run into this situation, how will you respond?

2. The story continues: Joseph’s Temptation

Gen. 39: 2-12.

Because of her accusations, Potiphar unjustly threw Joseph in prison.

Discovery

What characteristics that you had identified in the previous section do you see developing in Joseph during this time of his life?

(Possible answers: work ethic, resisting temptation, loving his enemies, faithful)

What other characteristics do you see in this passage?

(Possible answers: Honesty, integrity, faithfulness, excellent work ethic)

What was Joseph’s response to temptation?

(Possible answers: flees, fear of sinning against God, doesn’t try to reason, doesn’t try to witness)

Joseph was able to fight off temptation because he had fixed one main truth in his mind? What was that truth?

(Possible answers: He knew God was omnipresent and omniscient. God knows everything Joseph did. He wouldn’t knowingly sin against God.)

Application

In your life, what work habits do you have that line up with Joseph’s?

What evidence do you find in your life that God is with you?

Joseph’s temptation came after his promotion. That’s when Satan knows we are most vulnerable. Have you experienced temptation after victory? How did you avoid it? What have you learned from Joseph’s life that will help you in the future?

Joseph was aware that God knew exactly what he was doing. We call that God’s omnipresent and omniscient. How can you insure that you are always aware that God’s eyes are upon you?

What do we learn from Joseph about how to resist temptation in our lives?

3. Joseph is Forgotten

Gen.39: 21-23

Then God intervenes and turns the heart of Pharaoh (Proverbs 21:1) to be angry with the chief cupbearer and the chief baker and they are thrown into prison with Joseph. They each have a dream and Joseph interprets the dreams for them. The cup bearer will be restored to his former job in three days, but the poor baker will be dead. Pharaoh will execute him.

In verse 14 Joseph does a very human thing and asks the cupbearer:

Gen. 40:14.

He proclaims his innocence and asks the chief cup bearer for help, because Joseph knows he will live. Then on the third day as Joseph had said Pharaoh restored the chief cupbearer and killed the baker.

Sadly,

Gen. 40:23. Yet the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph, but forgot him.

Then after two years God was ready for Joseph to be Prime Minister of Egypt, so he gave Pharaoh two dreams. None of the wise men of Egypt were able to interpret the dreams.

Finally, the chief cupbearer remembers.

Gen. 41:9-13

So, Pharaoh sent for Joseph and said he had been told Joseph could interpret his dreams.

Gen. 41:16. Joseph answered Pharaoh, “It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh a favorable answer.”

Joseph does not take credit for what God does. Pharaoh tells Joseph his dreams. Joseph tells him the meaning: 7 years of plenty, 7 years of famine. Then Joseph continues:

Gen. 41:32. And the doubling of Pharaoh’s dream means that the thing is fixed by God, and God will shortly bring it about.

Joseph then goes on to give Pharaoh the plan to fix the problem and his proposal pleases Pharaoh and he makes Joseph Prime Minister, second in command of Egypt, so he can implement his plan.

Pharaoh recognizes Joseph enjoys God’s favor.

Gen.41:38 – 39

Pharaoh gave Joseph an Egyptian name and wife. He had two sons. The first born he named Manasseh.

Gen. 41:51 52

There were seven years of plenty and then the famine came.

Discovery

Describe how God worked in the circumstances of Joseph’s time in prison.

(Possible answers: See the pattern, The Lord was with Joseph, gave him favor with jailor, prosper Joseph and makes him succeed, makes Pharaoh jail the cup bearer and baker)

How did God use this time to further develop Joseph’s character and prepare him for the positon of Prime Minister?

(Possible answers: developed work ethic (even in jail), patience, reliance and trust in God, how to get along with various people)

What indications do you find in the above passage that Joseph gave up on God?
(Answer: None, of course.)

What indications do you find that Joseph stayed faithful?

(Possible answers: No whining, no despair, he worked hard, used his gifts for other’s good and God’s glory)

Application

The chief cupbearer forgot Joseph and so Joseph spent another 2 years in prison. If this happened to you how would you react?

What can you do now to prepare for times of waiting?

4. Joseph is Reunited with His Family.

Joseph’s brothers came to Egypt to get food. They didn’t recognize him, but Joseph recognized his brothers. After much testing, many trials, and a few trips between Canaan and Egypt, Joseph is convinced his brothers have repented of the evil they did to him.

Gen. 45: 1-3

So, Joseph tells them:

Gen. 45:5-8.

The brothers went back and got their father and all the clan and brought them to live in Egypt. After some years Jacob, Joseph’s father, dies and once again he must reassure his brothers of his forgiveness and God’s good purposes in all that happened.

Gen.50: 19 – 21

Discovery

What two things had to happen between Joseph and his brothers for this beautiful family reunion to happen?

(Possible Answers: The repentance of his brothers and Joseph’s forgiveness of them.)

What has Joseph learned through the last 13 years that allows him to so easily forgive his brothers for selling him into slavery?

(Possible answers: He saw the circumstances of his life as part of God’s plan, faith and trust in God)

How do you see God working in Joseph’s life to develop the character that made Pharaoh so impressed with him?

(Possible answers: Trails, afflictions, opportunities to prove himself, reliable and trustworthy, how to be patient)

Application

Forgiveness of someone who has wronged us can be a struggle, especially if they haven’t acknowledged their wrong. What can we learn from Joseph to help us with this struggle?

What is something you will do to develop a forgiving heart?

If you have wronged someone and have not repented, what is keeping you from it?

HOW TO BANISH DISCOURAGEMENT

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SPOTLIGHT:

Paul David Tripp said:

It is discouraging to face:

• your struggle with sin;
• the disloyalty of a friend;
• the rebellion of your children;
• the souring of your marriage;
• the division of your church;
• the temptations that seem to be all around you;
• the injustice that lives in this fallen world;
• the pain and worry of physical sickness;
• the loss of your job;
• the hardship of old age; or
• the death of your dreams.“

Yes! All those things are discouraging. But, remember who God is and how He cares for us.

Psalm 139: 16 reads; “Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there were none of them.”

God said in Psalm 135: 6-7; “Whatever the Lord pleases, He does, in heaven and in earth, in the seas and in all the deeps. He causes the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth; Who makes lightnings for the rain, Who brings forth the wind from His treasuries.”

The point is this, whatever discourages us doesn’t surprise God. He has ordained every thing — yes everything — all the details of your life from it’s beginning to the end. He controls every twist and turn of the narrative of your life. He has a purpose designed for the “DAYS THAT WERE FORMED FOR ME.”

Chosen by the Lord and given repentance and faith, we, His body of believers, are for His possession and purposes. He loves us and He chose us and He watches over us day and night. He loves us so much that Jesus died for us. He suffered the wrath, condemnation and justice that we deserved. God the Father laid all our sin upon Jesus as He shed His blood making atonement for us. Jesus died for His believers.

Then HE rose from the dead, to complete the final glorification of His people! We are His bride. His own possession. We ARE CHILDREN OF GOD, SONS OF GOD FOREVER! That means that I am secure, and nothing happens to me that is NOT for the Glory of God, and for my best interests!! Nothing, whether it be pain, discouragement, or even death.

He is there!

He never forsakes us,

You are loved! And because of that, should not we LOVE HIM supremely, and worship Him and seek to obey Him? Yes, we should!

Go in peace – Shalom! Selah! Maranatha! Amen!

WHY DO THE HEATHEN RAGE?

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UPDATE ON LATEST STATE OF THE UNION (USA) AND OUR REPUBLIC!

Today is August 30, 2020! We can now honestly and openly say, based on the actual facts regarding the policies expressed by the political parties existing, that the nation is divided between the PARTY OF ANTI GOD PEOPLE, VS THE PARTY OF GOD HONORING PEOPLE! This is objective and factual and truthful simply because the parties leaders state such things by their words, deeds, and actions. It is very easy to see. Also, this means then, our Christian leaders, and other faith people of different views should speak openly about such now. To be silent and think this matter is just slight differences of operations between two major political parties will not fly well anymore. For it is NOT any longer such as it was in times past. One major party has defected to the promotion of evil and wicked ways of life and government which we can no longer entertain and allow in the Republic!!!

The article below was written sometime back during this year, so I wanted to share with you more about issues of importance for the Christian and others who value our nation’s security and survival by God’s grace. Much has developed over the last 6 months or so, about how wrong messages and ideas were place before the public by certain Medical Science? organizations and certainly by the Mass Media Network talking heads! Much of it relating to the Covid-19 China Virus was wrong, and certainly the Lockdowns put in place and especially promoted by the Democratic party turned out to be the worse thing that could have been done to our nation.

Various cities in the U.S. are under siege by radical political motivated people called Democrats, Antifa, BLM (Black Lives Matter Small organization), and other radical people from Entertainment, Educational institutions, foreign countries, large Corporations, and even within all governmental agencies etc.! Although they are in the minority they have large monetary sources to keep up their terrorism, mayhem, hate, and hate crimes, murder, burning of businesses and cars, and trying to discredit and stop the Police departments from even existing. In doing all of this the poor, the minority racial groups, are hurt the worse even though they are using their skin color to cover up their wicked activities as if they are for the minorities when they are absolutely NOT!

Many buy into their deceptive ways and thoughts because they do not think, do not study the issues and just act emotionally on racial issues rather than facts and truth!

But one good note. Their ways are being exposed and they are losing out because of their devotion to take down Law and Order and promote civil unrest and criminal activities along with actual terrorism and warfare activities. President Trump the Law and Order and best person to lead the majority of people, is proving he and our cause will win by God’s grace in the Presidential campaign and hopefully eventually, put this civil unrest down and make arrest with fines and punishment to fit the wrong doings. President Trump is not to be considered as a replacement of our Lord God Jesus Christ in any way, shape, fashion or form. He isn’t! However, he is a man who does not stand against the local Christians or Jews and is NOT endorsing all of the immorality platform issues that the Democrats are endorsing. President Trump lost this last election with multitudes (Millions of people) considering that the election was stolen due to illegal activities conducted at polling places during the Election. However, due to reasons not fully understandable, the Judges woult not examine the evidence about all of that, nor would the SCOTUS take up the case. So the evidence was NEVER considered or even allowed to be presented. They used procedural rules rather than investigating the charges. So we the people of God lost this election because mulitudes of either misled Christians and a whole lot of pagan people who have no consideration for the word of God voted Biden into office. Now he is turning everything upside down, writing in law immorality issues, tearing down all workable and excellent policies regarding our nations economic system creating a crisis of job losses and energy costs will rise higher because Biden stopped the Keystone Pipeline from Canada which provided us with Oil for our energy. I am sure this is because he has under the table money which will come to him from the Middle Eastern nations etc., which we will now be back under bondage to as a nation in relation to our energy. Troublesome times are here because people did not REPENT of their sins and turn back to God during these last four years. Now a plague from God is still upon the nation and world, more devastating things will follow.

So continue to pray for our nation!

TODAY IN THE USA THE PAGANS ARE RESTLESS AND MAD!

Angry, mad, violent, insane, uncivilized, rioting, cursing, protesting in the streets, physically attacking others and destroying property, denying law and order, seeking revenge, hating and murdering, and every other known display of disorder a mind of a human can think of is taking place today in the USA!!

Participating in such will NOT be any Christ follower that is for sure. Participating in such will NOT be those who love their country, their Constitution, the Bill of Rights, Freedom and Civilized Law and Order Government. Only the insane driven mob mentality individuals will be doing such! They are radical, radical because of what I am going to reveal to you from the Bible, as God evaluates such people!!

GOD’S EVALUATION ABOUT THE SO CALLED PROTESTORS IN THE USA!!

PSALM 2:1-12:

Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain (empty) thing? The kings (Presidents and Political leaders) of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against HIS anointed (JESUS CHRIST HIS SON & THOSE IN HIS BODY THE REAL CHURCH), SAYING,

LET US BREAK THEIR BANDS ASUNDER, AND CAST AWAY THEIR CORDS FROM US.

FOCUS: What we are observing day after day in the United States is the actual workings of what God stated in the verses above. They purposefully do not wish to be under any guidance and wisdom and discernment from God and His word. They are purposefully ignoring God in the equation of their plans, for if they had been thinking about God in their Governmental plans, they would never be allowing the total chaos and hate and slander and lies and violence to be taking place at all. Individual people are not following God at all during these so called protests which are really riots and terrorism.

They have cast God and His word out!!

He (God) that sits in the heavens shall laugh!!! the Lord shall have them in derision! Then shall HE speak unto them in HIS WRATH, and VEX them in His sore displeasure.

SPOTLIGHT:

Here at this very moment in time (today) God is laughing at the pagan wicked forces that are assembling and seeking to carry out their wicked activities. Such groups as: The Democratic party leadership; the BLM movement; the Nation of Islam Farrakhan movement; the Antifa movement; the Socialists and Fascists of the day, etc.! GOD LAUGHS AT THEM! Not only that, HE (GOD) speaks out loud today in HIS wrath, and VEXES them in His sore displeasure! How so, one may ask? By sending upon us the Covid-19 Plague, and by sending upon us the insane, violent hate filled protestors and chaotic war soldiers of the demon possessed ones in the USA! Jesus Christ states their father is the Devil. Only if they turn away from such things, and cry out to the Lord God and Jesus Christ to forgiven them and save them will they be acceptable by God!!! God is a God of love, mercy and kindness, but He is also a God of Wrath, Justice and Punishment upon all of those who reject Him and His Son Jesus.

THE LIGHT SHINES HOWEVER IN THE MIDST OF THE DARKNESS!

Yet I have set my KING (Jesus) upon my holy hill ZION (In Heaven). I will declare the decree – the Lord has said unto me, YOU (Jesus) are my SON; this DAY have I begotten You. ASK of me, and I shall give you the Heathen for your inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for your possession. YOU shall break them with a rod of iron; you shall dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.

Here you find the prophecy spelled out of what Christ Jesus will carry out in the end times, and that is found out in the book of Revelation. Christ will comes down and judge the wicked who forgot God and turned away from Him.

We at a minimum are now – right now – experiencing the fortaste of what that is going to be like when Jesus brings a climax to all of this. IS THERE ANY HOPE FOR ANYONE NOW? CAN THIS BE CHANGED? I AM NOT SURE IF THIS MOMENT IN HISTORY IS THE BEGINNING OF THE FINAL END OR NOT, BUT THERE CAN BE HOPE AND THERE CAN BE A POSSIBILITY OF GOD’S BLESSINGS IF PEOPLE WOULD TURN TO HIM!

NOTE GOD’S WORDS: “BE WISE NO THEREFORE, O YOU KINGS (GOVERNMENTAL LEADERS AND POLITICAL LEADERS AND OTHER PAGAN GROUPS); BE INSTRUCTED, YOU JUDGES OF THE EARTH. SERVE THE LORD WITH FEAR, AND REJOICE WITH TREMBLING. KISS THE SON (JESUS) LEST HE BE ANGRY, AND YOU PERISH FROM THE WAY, WHEN HIS WRATH IS KINDLED BUT A LITTLE. BLESSED ARE ALL THEY THAT PUT THEIR TRUST IN HIM!”

I call upon the Democrats, the Republicans, the Independents, the violent gangs and groups such as BLM, ANTIFA, NATION OF ISLAM, ISLAMISTS, SOCIALISTS, COMMUNISTS, MARXISTS, ETC., AS WELL AS ANY AND ALL RELIGIOUS TYPE PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT FOLLOWING JESUS CHRIST THE SON OF GOD, TO REPENT AND TURN TO CHRIST AND BE SAVED FROM THE WRATH OF THE SON AND GOD THE FATHER, BEFORE IT IS TO LATE!! THE JUDGE IS AT THE DOOR! COME TO HIM NOW AND PERHAPS YOU WILL FIND HELP AND SALVATION FROM SUCH PUNISHMENT. OTHERWISE ALL WILL PERISH!

THE JUDGE IS AT THE DOOR OF HEAVEN PREPARING TO COME DOWN AND EXECUTE JUDGMENT UPON THE WICKED UNBELIEVERS AND SELF CENTERED INDIVIDUALS WHO PRACTICE EVIL!

GOD LOVES THE SAINTS BODIES!

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FOCUS: GOD made our bodies, God loves our bodies, and God said He considers the body of the ones whom He saves as His Temple! He resides in our bodies!

Spotlight: GOD EXPECTS US TO TAKE CARE OF OUR BODIES AND OFFER THEM AS A SACRIFICE TO HIM IN WORSHIP DAILY!

THE TABERNACLE OF GOD ON EARTH!

Romans 11:33 – 12:2:

O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!

For who has known the mind of the Lord? or who has been his counselor?

Or who has first given to him, and it shall be recompensed to him again?

For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be you transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

ALL THINGS ARE MADE FOR CHRIST, BY CHRIST AND THROUGH CHRIST! ALL MADE FOR HIS GLORY AND MAJESTY AND TO BE CONSIDERED UNDER HIS DIRECT CONTROL AND POWER!

The bodies we live in then are His and He purchased them through His blood on the Cross being shed so, bringing us back from Sin and Evil and Satan, that which was lost! The scriptures speak of the Holy Spirit who comes to dwell in us, was the down payment of the purchased possession, which not only is the soul, the spirit, but also, the body of those whom He redeems and saves!

This body we are in now is the Tabernacle or Temple of God. He dwells there, and we are IN HIM now! We are NOT in the FLESH (that part of our body which houses the entity called Sin! We are truly New Born changed totally people. We have become priests of God, sons of God, children of God, joint heirs with Christ Jesus to all that the Father has is given to us in His Son!

Paul just spoke through the Spirit in Romans as shown, that this body then should be considered a “holy” “sacred” place when we live out our daily lives on this planet. I mean every moment of every day!

This body is NOT evil nor is it sin! The elements of the body are flesh, blood, bone, and all of its intricate nerve and tendons etc., network. MATTER is NOT sin! But SIN dwells in this body and has its abode there! Fearfully and wonderfully made by God!

One of the most destructive teachings developed in the early Church days called GNOSTICISM! They taught a sharp contrast between matter and spirit, the realm of darkness and the realm of light. All that was natural, human, and material was considered to be evil; the spirit was the only thing that matters!

So, because of that, they denied the incarnation. That is, the God/man, Jesus was both God and man. 100% God, and 100% man without sin. They said he only appeared to have a physical body, sort of like the Theophany appearances of Jesus in the Old Testament. Also, because of their errors and heresy, they denied the Resurrection which is so clearly taught in the word of God. Jesus even spoke much about the Resurrection of our bodies, as well as Paul the Apostle in the Epistles. The Gnostics consider our bodies a “Prison House” of the spirit. They wanted to be free of this prison house.

It is due to sin, a malady and a sad and disruptive thing to leave our bodies. We do not just “have” a body, we are bodily. It is our humanity, and it will be restored to a perfect body at the resurrection and we will be complete, perfect, a total spiritual being consisting of a body, soul and spirit! Three in ONE which is a spiritual state then!

Job 19:26 reads, “Though……worms destroy this body, yet IN MY FLESH I shall see God.”

Sadly today we see some of these Gnostic tendencies in the local Churches about our bodies. Sexual organs which God created and included in his statement after created us, was GOOD. We call them now “naughty parts” or at least many do. Pleasure and enjoyment is suspect in some circles. Many of us also will remember funerals where something like this was stated, “So and so is finally free of her body, and her spirit is able to worship God without any hindrance.” When really it was NOT her body or his body that was the hindrance, but rather “sin” that dwelled in that body. A usurper, a foreign virus which is evil dwelled there, not the body itself. The body was affected by sin and a curse came and we began to die the moment we were conceived, that is physically die.

Thomas Watson, a Puritan believer and preacher, said this:
“Not in another flesh, but in my flesh shall I be resurrected. Some hold that the soul and spirit shall be clothed with a new body; but then it would be improper to call it a resurrection. Rather, it would be a creation. If the body did not rise again, a believer would not be completely happy, for, though the soul and spirit can subsist without the body, yet it has a desire of reunion with the body. If the soul and spirit should got to heaven, and not the body, then a believer would be only half saved.”

I think I would go along with the word “new” in the sense of our real resurrected same body is made into a spiritual body which has no sin and weakness anymore. So I would disagree with this thought on that part, but his idea is certainly Biblical it is NOT a new thing outside of the old made new.

In other words, not some body prepared that was not connected with the old one made new is the point!. Also, we must remember our bodies are set apart as holy by God NOW!!! So, God surely will keep His promises to make the Body of his people totally perfected in all aspects, and one that will be “our former bodies” but changed to meet the qualities which the Spirit World requires in which we will be.

In other words, parts of the body which were essential and no longer essential will be done away with for there is absolutely NO need for them any longer in the heavenly sphere and the new earth. One no longer needs oxygen, no lungs needed, no longer need sexual organs for there is no usefulness in the spirit world for such, no procreation and no urinary requirements.

On and on we could go. But what is left is what is our body parts and the whole that is identifiable as our body. Much mystery is here but God does give us clues which we can certainly project into our over all considerations about the new spiritual aspects of our bodies.

SPOTLIGHT: GOD LOVES OUR BODIES. HE DIED FOR OUR BODY, SOUL, AND SPIRIT IN ORDER TO MAKE THEM TOTALLY PERFECT AND COMPLETELY MADE FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD WHICH IS SPIRITUAL!

SPIRITUAL IN THE SENSE, THAT NO CURSE, NO SIN, NO PAIN NO SUFFERING, NO WEAKNESS, NO CORRUPTION, NO DECAY, NO IMPERFECTIONS AND NO MORE TEMPTATIONS TO SIN SINCE ONE EXISTS.

CALLING GOD’S PEOPLE EVIL IS CALLING GOD A LIAR!

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When we read the scriptures we find many times that those teachings from God are not either understood or they are just ignored, or just plain rejected by some. Even by some in the local visible Churches of the world. The following is a testimony from a person who follows the word of God concerning the teachings we have in our blog! The person states: “……..I have completely stopped trying to be a good Christian. I’ve stopped OBSESSING OVER SINS, I’VE STOPPED READING MY BIBLE BECAUSE IT IS WHAT I AM SUPPOSED TO DO. aND BECAUSE OF THESE TEACHINGS I NOW EXPERIENCE FREEDOM MORE THAN I HAVE EVER FELT IN MY LIFE. AS A RESULT I HAVE ACTUALLY BEEN SINNING LESS, READING MY BIBLE MORE, AND FINDING NEW REASONS TO PRAISE GOD EACH DAY. IT’S AMAZING HOW A SHIFT IN FOCUS FROM MYSELF TO CHRIST CAN RESULT IN SUCH A REMARKABLE CHANGE. JESUS PLUS NOTHING!”

I. CALLING WHAT GOD HAS BLESSED CANNOT BE CURSED!

The Old Testament carriers a story of a man named Balaam and a King named Balak! It is found in Genesis 22-24! King Balak wanted this so-called prophet to Curse Israel so he could conquer them. But God would have none of it. No matter what Balak thought about them or any one else, they were blessed by God and protected from such cursings.

God literally stated to Balaam, you can’t curse those whom I have blessed. (Paraphrased but exactly what God meant and said). With all of their warts, bad habits, sins, etc., they were blessed. And what God blesses no man can curse, no not even a preacher or a Church or another Christian can curse a saint of God!

Balaam was in all of this for money. He had an encounter with the Lord God as he road his Donkey traveling to be with Balak the King. The Donkey was stubborn, and would not travel as Balaam wanted the Donkey to do. So Balaam beat the Donkey, and God finally opened Balaam eyes to see the Angel of the Lord standing in front of the Donkey forbidding the Donkey to travel. God meant business and serious business when someone wishes to Curse His Chosen people and cast a spell upon them.

II. PETER THE APOSTLE LEARNED THE LESSON THAT THOSE WHO WERE CONSIDERED EVIL AND SINNERS, GOD CAN BLESS AND SAVE AND THE JEWS NEEDED TO LEARN THAT GOD IS THE ONE WHO SAVES BY GRACE, NOT BY WORKS AND NOT BY RACIAL BACKGROUND!

ACTS 10 REVEALS THE STORY. Peter was in a trance and saw a net come down out of heaven full of all types of insects and creatures which were considered unclean by the Jews.

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The objective of this vision was to show Peter that God is the ONE who chooses and calls and saves those whom He desires to show mercy to! These ‘sinners’ called Gentiles, were shunned by Jews and they would have nothing to do with them. They were considered unclean because God had chosen Israel to be His people and they considered it so only because of Abraham and they were of the physical seed of Abraham.

They did not follow God, but rather the Law, and not Grace, and not Faith. The work God was now going to do was related to a Gentile and his family. A man named Cornelius was the one whom Peter was going to be sent to and have the Gospel preached to him and his family for God was going to actually save them and place them into the Body of Christ Jesus. A Gentile being placed within the same body of Christ that Jews were in.

One of the major points here is this; NO CHRISTIAN SHALL EVER CALL A PERSON UNHOLY AND UNCLEAN WHOM GOD HAS BLESSED AND MADE PURE AND HOLY AND SANCTIFIED BY HIS GRACE, VIA THE NEW BIRTH! IN FACT, THE ENTIRE BOOK OF GALATIANS SPEAKS ON THIS ALSO, BECAUSE WE ARE SAVED BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH, AND THAT IS THE GOSPEL. NOT BY WORKS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS AND NOT BY PHYSICAL BIRTH OR ETHIC POSITION. BEING A SEED OF ABRAHAM PHYSICALLY DID NOT MAKE ONE A BLESSED SAVED PERSON EVER!

III. THE CHURCH MANY TIMES USES LANGUAGE WHICH IS MISTAKEN BY CALLING THE SAINTS OF GOD SINNERS, VILE, THEIR HEARTS A IDOL FACTORY, UNPURE, UNHOLY, WICKED, CORRUPT AND NOT RIGHTEOUS!

Our identity in Christ makes us Saints and the following terms reflects that identity: Holy; Sanctified; Pure; Righteous; Body of Christ; Bridge of Christ; Undefiled; Saints; Alive; Born Again; New Creation; New Creature; Child of God; Sons of God; Blessed and not cursed, etc.!

Yet, we hear a constant drumbeat through the halls of the buildings where the local body of Christ meets that we are: Sinners; defiled, carnal, wicked, idol factory hearts people; corrupt; out of fellowship with God; Not abiding or dwelling in Christ; perverted; etc., etc.!

MAY I HUMBLY SAY TO THOSE WHOM I LOVE IN THE LORD, WHO ARE DOING THESE THINGS, THAT IS A MISREPRESENTATION OF WHO WE ARE IN CHRIST JESUS. WE ARE NOT HALF-BREEDS; WE ARE NOT MONGRELS; WE ARE NOT A FREAK OF SPIRITUAL NATURE STUFF; WE ARE NOT IN AND OUT OF CHRIST; WE ARE NOT WICKED SINNERS; WE ARE NOT CLASSIFIED AS SUCH! EITHER WE ARE SAVED, FORGIVEN (ALL SINS), IN CHRIST, IN GOD, IN THE HOLY SPIRIT OR WE ARE NOT!

THERE IS NO CO-MINGLING OF DEITY WITH A WICKED FOUL LOST IN DARKNESS SINNER, OR A SPIRITUALLY DEAD PERSON. MAKING US BE IN DARKNESS AND THEN WITH A PRAYER QUICKLY TURN BACK INTO A SAINT AND IN LIGHT – IS ABSOLUTE INCORRECT DOCTRINE. I DON’T CARE IF IT HAS BEEN PREACHED FOREVER, IT IS WRONG PREACHING AND TEACHING. THE WORD IS CLEAR. WE ARE SAINTS, WE ARE BORN AGAIN, AND WE ARE IN CHRIST JESUS AND SIN AND THE DEVIL CAN’T REACH US OR CORRUPT US.

IV. DO WE SIN HOWEVER?

I direct you to major articles in this blog which deals with this more in depth. But the answer is yes, sin does take place within our body. The skin and bone and blood body and its members are NOT regenerated yet. This body we live in however, at the new birth and reception of the Holy Spirit was Purchased By God to be His, and He dwells in it now and it is HIS Temple. One day He will allow it to go back to dust, and then one day He will raise it up into a perfect resurrected body or if He comes back to earth before we pass away, He will translate this body in a new spiritual body immediately and we will be with Him!

But again, sin dwells still in our physical body and it is called FLESH. The area SIN dwells in, and it seeks to express itself all the time. We find that Sin is influenced by the world, the Devil and we find that Sin seeks to tempt us to do wrong and even uses the Law of God to increase that scenario!

However, NOW that we are NO LONGER IN THE FLESH BUT IN THE SPIRIT, if we have the Holy Spirit and we have Christ, we Walk in the Holy Spirit and NOT in the flesh! So what then is it, for sin takes place with its fruits expressed? Yes, but remember Paul stated in Romans 7, that when this takes place, he Paul does not want to sin, wants to do right, live right and obey God and loves God and His law, but this thing called sin is ever present with him and he doesn’t do what he wants to do but what he doesn’t want to do he does.

What? Wow! What is that? It is this, Paul says, so clearly; It no longer is my doing the sin, but SIN doing the Sin in his body. Not a cop out, but a reality of the spiritual status we are in after being saved and PLACED INto GOD and into Christ. You can’t have God and Christ and the HOLY Spirit whom we are in sinning and they would be if we are IN THEM!! Sin can’t get to Christ and ME the Redeemed sanctified Me! It can only affect the body it dwells within. Even John the Apostle stated in John 1:9 etc., that if we are in THE SEED (CHRIST) WE DO NOT SIN. The point is WE CAN’T SIN BECAUSE OF THAT. BUT OUR BODY WHERE SIN IS STILL DWELLING CAN SIN. THIS IS A MYSTERY I KNOW BUT THAT IS THE WAY IT IS DESCRIBED AND WE RUN WITH IT.

SO, WE ARE NOT TO CLASSIFY OURSELVES AS THOSE WHO CAN BE CURSED AND BECOME SINNERS AGAIN AND WICKED LIKE BALAAM AND BALAK WANTED TO DO. PEOPLE WANT TO PUT A BALAAM DEAL ON US ALL THE TIME. WE ARE ALWAYS HAVE IT PREACHED WE ARE LIKE WHAT BALAK WANTS TO HAPPEN, CURSED, WHEN WE ARE NOT CURSED.

A BIG PROBLEM OCCURS WHEN WE DON’T SEE ALL OF THIS AND THAT IS: WE WALLOW AROUND ALL THE TIME IN THE POT OF SIN, THE CORRUPTION, THE EVIL OF SIN AND STAY FOCUSED ON SIN SEEKING TO ALWAYS BE FIGHTING IT AND STAYING IN TOUCH WITH IT ALL DAY LONG, RATHER THAN FOCUSING ON CHRIST AND OUR TRUE IDENTITY. NO WONDER FOLKS ARE DEPRESSED, DISCOURAGED, FULL OF A LACK OF HOPE AND FAITH.

One has to see they are really delivered, really saved, really born again, really have Christ, really have the Holy Spirit, really are sanctified, really have the power of Christ and the Spirit upon us, really do know our sins are all forgiven and cast away so far God doesn’t even see them anymore, really have the atonement, really have vital everlasting Life and really are NOT in the FLESH but in the Spirit if one wants to have peace, joy, satisfaction, stability, contentment, deliverance from temptations and sinful allurements, etc.!

We are forgiven, saved, redeemed, born again, saints, a new creation and a new creature and pure and holy and justified and sanctified in Christ Jesus. That is our identity. The sin Flesh is wicked and sinful but not us!!!

THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A CARNAL CHRISTIAN. A CHRIST FOLLOWER MAY FAIL AND BEEN SEEN DOING CARNAL THINGS DUE TO THE SIN WHICH BREAKS OUT IN AND FROM THE FLESH (WHERE SIN ABIDES), BUT THAT IS NOT THE BORN AGAIN HOLY SANCTIFIED PERSON WHO IS IN CHRIST ACTING CARNAL, BUT THE FLESH ACTING CARNAL. THERE IS A DIFFERENCE. A BIG DIFFERENCE.

KEY SPOTLIGHT AND POINT:

GOD HAS STATED WE ARE TO STRUGGLE, FIGHT, AND STAND AGAINST THIS MONSTER THAT STILL ABIDES IN OUR BODIES, BUT IT IS A SEPARATE ENTITY AND NOT PART OF THE NEW BORN CHILD OF GOD’S DIVINE NATURE WHICH WE HAVE.