VICTORY FAMILY NEWS

Some Thoughts...on being set apart.

2012-02-22T00:17:02Z

To sanctify means to wash, to cleanse, to set apart for sacred use; to make holy.

John 17:17--“Sanctify them through thy truth; thy word is truth”. Jesus spoke these words to God the Father when He was in prayer for his disciples and all that would later seek and find the road to salvation. Jesus cared enough to ask of the Father that we be led into the paths of righteousness; this was His concern for us, that we be blessed in the abundance of the Word of God and that our joy be made full through the love for one another--like the love He had for us!

By believing and following the Word of God, a person becomes set apart for sacred use, cleansed and made holy. Hebrews 4:12: “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” This is the work of the Word of God! Daily inspection of the Word of God brings about a purification of the soul and spirit, mind and heart. It points out sin, motivates us to confession and repentance, and renews our relationship with Christ daily, putting us back onto the right path. When I find myself drifting, the Word aids my search for direction. God is living and breathing in His Word! He is able and willing to accomplish all my desires and to counsel me in all my affairs through the Word.

Christ’s sacrifice for our sins must be acknowledged in order to stay fervent in our work for Him. Do not leave your first love, the love for Christ, who gave himself for us, once for all. Both Revelation and Hebrews speak of His sacrificial death and the salvation of our souls, which are not to be taken for granted. (Revelation 2:4-5, and Hebrews 7:26-27.) Don’t lose your spiritual fervor; do not begin to only go through the motions! For many things can be done through tradition, but God can do much more with sincerity and fervor than we could even begin to dream.

Acts 20:32: And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified. “Build you up, give you an inheritance?” These are promises of God! God is in the restoration business, as well as an encourager. Do you realize the many times that God has said in His Word, “Be not afraid, be of good courage”? Or, “It is I, be not afraid”? Or “Be Strong, and very courageous.”? God wants so much to build you up today; but you first must read His Word, the love letter that God has written for all of His children!

Romans 15:16 explains that the Holy Spirit is the One who sanctifies. Paul is speaking about his calling to become the minister to the Gentiles: “That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost.” He explains here that the offering up of the Gentiles was sanctioned by the Holy Spirit Himself, and this leaves no room for debate! He did not take the honor for winning souls in the Gentile race to Christ, but gave the correct honor to the third person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit. Here he is divulging the work of the Holy Spirit in making us all pure, righteous, and holy, set apart for God’s use.

1 Corinthians 6:11 caps off a list of abominable deeds that God has prohibited with these words: “And such were some of you; but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.” These aren’t just pretty words; these are the actual work of the blood of Christ in the life of every believer! The person you once were you are no longer, this is the reason we can “lift up holy hands”, or be called “set apart”, or be called “Godly”. Without the Name of the Lord and the Work of the Spirit of our God, there is no change, and the person who is just “playing church” will not inherit the Kingdom of God.

“And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Thess. 5:23) Pray for one another that God be involved in every aspect of our lives, and that we do not err by separating our spiritual life from everyday life. Christ, in short, must control ALL of our lives, not only a small part. This is what spirit, soul, and body mean…the WHOLE being.

“The Lord our Righteousness”! (Jeremiah 23:6) attests to the fact that Jesus, who exchanged His robe of righteousness with us for our robe of sin, has made for us a way to be holy and blameless before God the Father! This is wonderful news, amen?

Hebrews 10:29 states of the man who turns back after he has been offered redemption and salvation from hell, “How much more severely do you think a man deserves to be punished who has trampled the son of God under foot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified him and who has insulted the Spirit of grace?” (NIV) God has provided no other name under Heaven than Jesus Christ, through Whom we must be saved. Deliberate rejection of salvation brings about severe punishment.

I repeat from the King James Version: Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden underfoot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of Grace?” (Hebrews 10:29)

1 Peter 1:2—“Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace be unto you, and peace, be multiplied.” This is Paul's greeting in 1 Peter to the Jews who were driving out o Jerusalem and scattered throughout Asia Minor. It is good to remember that this greeting also applies to us all as believers today. This greeting includes all three of the Holy Trinity.

All members of the Trinity work to bring about our salvation.

1) The Father chose us before we chose Him.

(Ephesians 1:4) “According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love;”

2) Jesus Christ the Son died for us while we were yet sinners.

(Romans 5:6-10) “For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7) For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. 8) But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9) Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. 10) For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.”

3) The Holy Spirit brings us the benefits of salvation and sets us apart (sanctifies us) for God’s service.

(2 Thessalonians 2:13) “But we are bound to give thanks always to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth.”

All salvation is a result of the free and merciful choice of Almighty God, and no trials or persecutions can take away the eternal life He gives to those who believe in Him. Our discernment, our knowledge of the truth, as well, are all part of the gift of salvation that God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit gives. One of the best ways to get that discernment is to read HIS WORD!

God continue to bless and keep you in His care.
TR

"Watch"

2012-02-12T04:12:44Z

I love my eyes; they’re one of the best senses. They let me see a kaleidoscope of colors and the beauty of nature, sunrises and sunsets, just the beautiful creation God made. There are times when I see things I would rather not see, but that comes with life…things like poverty, sickness, disease, and death. They are something that I would never like to take for granted, my eyes, which behold the face of my loved ones and all with which God has blessed me. The Bible tells us that Jesus left us with the commission to “Watch” for His return, and this is part of the Christian life.

We are all watching. People go to public places and watch the people come and go, don’t they? We turn on the T.V. and we watch what’s happening in the world. We watch the traffic as we head to work. We watch our children play. What does the Bible say about our watches?

The Bible teaches us the watches of the night: Psalm 63:6 states, “On my bed I remember you; I think of you through the watches of the night.” (NIV) This is a dividing of the night to keep guard, a military term for a city or citadel under guard by a soldier. This Psalm is talking about seeking God earnestly, our souls thirsting for Him, our bodies longing for Him.

God also says in Jeremiah 29:13, “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart”. When we are in the midst of despair or under threat is the time when many of us seek God! It is when there is peace and prosperity that we should be praising God and seeking Him, as well, but too many times I have been so contented that God was all but forgotten, I’m afraid. Is it the same for you? He is the reason I am content; His Power has delivered and redeemed me from the pit! Let us never forget from where God has brought us. Each time He has given me a lift for my faith--I reflect upon such things in those night watches.

My dear BFF was talking just today about the opportunity those unexpected waking hours in the night watches presents to pray, worship, and to read God’s Word. There were many nights when God would wake us up, to pray for someone who was in need, someone about whom only the Holy Spirit knew. In such cases, it is truly an honor to serve the Living, Loving God! Anything else on this earth cannot compare to fellowship with Him.

It is so very important that we seek God; our spiritual well-being depends upon it. Psalm 127:1 says, “Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain.” We can do nothing in our own strength. This was one of the hardest statements for me to understand as a new Christian; too often I had believed, and had been taught to believe, in “mind over matter”. “You can stop doing that anytime you feel like it; you just don’t want to”, was the charge. But the more I read the Bible, the more I realized that God is the One who deals with my character defects and my weaknesses, not me. All I can do is to pray about them and seek God’s Power to overcome them. The hardest part for the person locked into that bad behavior is the knowing that people have washed their hands of them and they can’t seem to break free from those addictions, nonetheless!

Some have given up their flawed character defects out of fear; it takes that for some. But the question is, will it last? The Bible says that mercy and grace are what lead sinners to repentance…this is the Way of God and the way Christ portrayed His Deity, in love. Our founder in Houston said once, in jest, “They’re that way ‘cause you can’t whip '‘em.”, and he smiled. God has ways of empowering us to get past the sin and live a life worthy of Him. Not by might, nor by power, but by His spirit!

We have had some men come in the Home who tried in their own strength to do what they could not do, and that was to overcome their addictions. But the façade and the masks that we will sometimes don for a time will eventually fall off and peel away, leaving us vulnerable and shining forth, in all our human weakness. Unless the Lord builds that house, our efforts to build it are futile.

I do admit, however that it takes a willing heart to do what it is that God has planned for your life. Even the man with the withered hand had to stretch it forth in order for Jesus to heal it. It took some effort on his part.

Time and again in the Word of God something had to take place before the miracle could happen: that was surrender, complete and total. Paul, for instance, was stricken blind before he was able to recognize the Lord for Who He was! Even Stephen’s stoning and his martyrdom did not break his heart; His calling demanded drastic measures. God knows what He’s doing, in every case, praise God! Each and every thing that happened in Paul’s life was a seed sown in his heart that God harvested, finally, on the Damascus road.

When years pass and that person in your life does not get better, remember that a thousand years is like a day that has just gone by to God. He is not limited by time. Slow growth is good growth. Never lose faith in God, even if that loved one or that person in your life has disappointed and hurt you.

We here at VFO have had many shares in heartaches and our disappointments. Even now I am guarding my heart’s door. In Psalms 141:3, the Word of God recounts David’s request: “Set a guard over my mouth, O Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips.” On average, a person opens his mouth to speak 700 times a day! Pray that God will give you wisdom in your heart from the reading of His Word so that you may glorify Him and avoid dishonoring His Name.

The Word of God says that those people should obey their leaders and submit to their authority. “…They watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you.”—Hebrews 13:17 –Does your conduct give your leaders reason to report joyfully about you? Leaders of the Church, Mentors, Parents, Older siblings, even Firemen and Police Officers are the people of whence this passage speaks. Pastor Tom and I take the responsibility seriously, as do all the Pastors we know and love who support this Ministry. The person whose life lies in your hands is a precious life, no matter how rough around the edges or fallen they may appear to you at first glance. That’s why we love the men at VFO. They have so much potential and for us, the good times outweigh the bad, as the old song goes.

“Watch and pray, so that you will not fall into temptation. The Spirit is willing but the body is weak.” I have had recurring bad dreams and God has led me to this in order to let me know that He heard my petition today when I sought Him about it. Just as the defenses go down when we sleep, the devil comes to sow his weeds while we slumber. But God! God does not hold against us our temptations; we need to know that! Temptations are not sins, they are only opportunities planted in our minds by the power of darkness, and it’s up to us to entertain or to discard them. Wounds, or scars? I can go back to the past and too often this dream will surface. And this spirit that accuses me totally ignores the Salvation of my soul and Christ’s forgiveness of my sins!

This is my blog, not my confession. I am not the same person I was, Praise the Lord! The way to overcome temptation is to keep watch and pray. Watching means to be aware of temptation’s subtleties and possibilities, and to be spiritually equipped to resist and to fight. Prayer is essential in shoring up God’s defenses and defeating Satan’s power.

I don’t think of the dreams as temptations; I think of them as accusations! This is a tool for the walk I now have with Christ.

There are times when we walk through a storm. We question if we were called, and not chosen. We wonder if God has forgotten His calling for us, or if He has somehow abandoned us. In 1 Timothy 4, Paul encourages and lifts up Timothy and spurs him on to more good works, advising his diligence in teaching, preaching, and public reading of scripture. He tells Timothy, and thereby tells us, to devote our lives to our calling. “Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.”

…by example, by word, by our lives, we are saving both ourselves and our hearers; don’t give up the fight! Onward Christian Soldiers! Amen.

--Teresa Rowley

"How Deep the Father's Love for Us!"

2012-02-04T08:34:05Z

BOAST IN JESUS CHRIST

“…I will not boast of anything,

No gifts, no power, no wisdom

But I will boast in Jesus Christ

His death and resurrection.

Why should I gain from His reward?

I cannot give an answer

But this I know with all my heart

His wounds have paid my ransom.” –“How Deep the Father’s Love for Us”, by Stuart Townend.

Anyone with any manners knows that it is forbidden to boast about your achievements. (Proverbs 12:23) It’s like that advice your Mom and Dad gave you to be a good winner and to never be a “sore loser”; it’s just not done. But do we really think about the snare that boasting can set for us--the possibility of pride--which goes before a fall? God has no choice but to push down the proud, but He lifts up the humble.

However, it is okay, I’ve been taught, to “toot your own horn” from time to time; even Paul did so when he named his own accomplishments in 2 Corinthians 11:16—12:10. Paul states that self-confidence, however, is contrary to the work of the Spirit in our lives, and that he should be received as a fool if he does such things. He leads us back to the work of the cross in this passage. He decides here to go ahead and boast as the foolish do, and asks the reader to “humor him” in this. After all, in 12:6, he states, “I would be speaking the truth”, and this would excuse him from being called a fool. He goes into an explanation of all that he has suffered for the Lord in spite of his Nationality, Race, and Stature to which he was born and has achieved. He glorifies Jesus in that he boasts in his infirmities, not in his accomplishments. Because of his belief in what he was doing and in whom he believed, of this Paul boasted.

Paul was being questioned by false teachers of the time as to his credentials, and did not enjoy establishing his authority; rather, he wanted to get himself out of the picture and glorify God for all that He had done for him in the area of his personal belief.

The revelation knowledge that Paul received “In the third heaven” warranted God’s affliction of him in his flesh with a certain “thorn”, and today is not known what exactly that thorn was. This to guard against conceit on his part because of the great honor and privilege God had bestowed upon him.

So what am I trying to say? Apparently this is a deep principle of Christian faith, this humility and lack of foolish pride—one we hear about more often than not. And this is not some command or request that God has made optional. It’s like the man with the prop plane going through a Christian checklist: humility? Check. ‘Basic gear for the pilgrim’s progress.

In Jeremiah 9:23-24, “This is what the lord says:

‘Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches, but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight’, declares the Lord.”

What should be our glory? Jesus Christ and Him crucified! Every day in every way I am reminded of the wondrous work of the cross, how God made us joint heirs with Christ and how we share in the fellowship of His sufferings.

The accuser will come and charge me with pride, arrogance, self-satisfaction, but I just sit and let the wind keep blowing. I don’t think you know how he taunts me with that. Maybe in another life, devil. Maybe during the dark ages. Nothing I do will ever endure except for the Power of Jesus Christ. So what if my calling is without repentance? Someone said that the very thing that I was called to do can be done by another person, should I choose to disobey. Boasting is a kind of disobedience, too, according to Jeremiah 29:23-24. We have no way of knowing if another person can do that for which God has called you as well as you can.

Also it is noteworthy that God alone can know your and my heart: what is truly lurking there in areas of “boasts” that men or dark angels may accuse us of. I submit that some of us don’t even know ourselves where we stand in that area. God alone can test the true intents of the heart, and He will judge us all according to what we have done.

In order to get to know, understand the Lord, we must be immersed in his Word as much as is humanly possible. Amen? And to seek His face in our prayer life is another excellent way to have that intimacy that He so desires from each and every one of us. “You will seek me and find me when you seek Me with all your heart” – Jeremiah 29:13

Too many of us have gone to the altar and not totally surrendered to Christ. There are areas of our lives that need His healing touch, areas that we alone can share with Him, if we only let Him in to heal those areas. Sometimes we have been put down and ostracized and this has given us “false pride”, which is really just insecurity in disguise.

Kindness, justice, and righteousness…These are the traits that one song cries out to possess: “I want to, I need to, be more like Jesus”. God will not let any cause be unanswered and He will see to it that justice is served—so much more expediently than that which man can do! How many of you are waiting patiently for the return of Jesus Christ? He will rule and reign for a thousand years! And He will do so in righteousness (right standing—there will be no debate as to the fairness and righteousness of Christ).

2 Corinthians 4:4

The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

One of the men of the Home remarked to his knowledge of this just today, as we were driving home. Oh, how great it will be for us when that old serpent is thrown into the lake of fire and we no longer live with the depression, deception, and worry of this world!

But even though the god of this world has power to blind unbelievers, greater is God the Father than him any day! Amen? God can do anything when it comes to conviction and drawing the unbeliever to Himself. All those who refuse to believe cannot understand the message of the Gospel. They reject Christ and prefer their own pursuits, unknowingly making Satan their god.

Revelation 12:9 states, “The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.” This devil, as we call him, is very real and he hates God and he attacks us all, not only non-believers, but all the world is terrorized by his ways. The name, “SATAN” means “accuser”, and this he does, accuse the brethren before God’s throne, trying to hinder God’s work. But he cannot do anything that God does not allow. EVERY knee shall bow, and every tongue confess….However, Satan does like to pursue those who are vulnerable and spiritually weak, and actively seeks those whom he can attack, not because he hates us so much as he hates God. He is the one really responsible for the darkness and deception that encircles the world.

If we were to boast in our wisdom, we would have to give God all the Glory, Honor, and praise for that wisdom. Proverbs 2:6 says, “For the Lord gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.” In order to know wisdom, we must first have reverence for the Lord. I saw that statement on a bulletin in a little California church in the Mojave years ago. To reverence and to give place to God in all our lives, acknowledging Him in all that we do, is really the beginning of wisdom, wouldn’t you agree? If there’s wisdom on your lips, chances are that God has already spoken it to your mind and heart before it ever escaped your mouth! Right knowledge comes from the Creator of all things, the One who knows how everything “ticks”. Getting to know Him is far from foolish, it is the most important thing you can do in life. Because He gives you the increase, the provision, the insight, the peace. He is able and willing to accomplish whatever our concerns may be today, amen? His knowledge of us, for instance, is extensive, beyond even our knowing! His complete understanding of all things is mind-boggling, and His power is awesome, don’t you think? God is the foundation of right knowledge when all the world seems to be enacting, at best, guesswork in areas of values.

What was the source of David’s inspiration? God’s Words! This passage proves my premise that the wisdom that pours from our lips came from God: (2 Samuel 23:2) “The Spirit of the Lord spoke through me; his word was on my tongue.” This also instructs us to speak the word. Pray the word, and live the word.

The written Word of God is not just some history book with poetic and entertaining passages. It is not to be read like a newspaper or a magazine, but should be treated with reverence as the Word of God. In 2 Peter 1:21, the scripture says, “For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” David was also inspired to write much of the Old Testament through the Holy Spirit.

Another source of David’s prolific writing was the anointing oil poured over David’s head, for it was symbolic of holiness. It was used to set people apart for God’s Holy Service. He was anointed in 1 Samuel 16:13, which states, “So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the Lord came upon David in power. Samuel then went to Ramah.

In order to try to alter the course of events that Jeremiah had been instructed by God to write on a sacred scroll, Jehoiakim, son of Josiah king of Judah had the scroll burned. Jeremiah 36:30-31 recounts what would happen to that king and God declared that He would bring upon Jerusalem and the king all that He had promised in the original scroll…as well as an order to re-write all the words of the first scroll!

Why did many followers of Jesus Christ leave a permanent record of his life and teachings and the work of His apostles? In John 20:30-31, he states, “But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”

“For, all men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord stands forever.”—1 Peter 1:24-25 The Word of God is meant to last FOREVER…that means throughout all eternity.

No Condemnation!

2012-02-04T08:25:24Z

Attempts, Dreams, Aspirations and Endeavors--supporting your Spouse in every circumstance.

Today I took a look at a long-discussed, oft-mentioned, and quite-aggravated topic of my husband: the seeming attempt to belittle and criticize the United States male. Hollywood does it; my girlfriends do it, acquaintances do it, and yes, it would seem that at times, I do it, as well. What is this dubious pastime, and has it always seemed to be around? Why does it appear more often today?

I lived across the street from a young, 21 year-old woman and the parents who shared their home years ago. This older gentleman was witty, spry, and filled with country wisdom, but for some reason, his daughter would correct and criticize him for numerous reasons, which I did not find to be very respectful and certainly not very commendable.

Perhaps she felt as if she was old enough to do so, or that her Daddy was an old “Fuddy Duddy”.

My Dad once said that it’s amazing how much wiser your Daddy appears to be when you, yourself, get a little older…when you’re young, he doesn’t seem to have a brain in his head! Life’s experiences give us insight into many things….

I remember that when I was going through a divorce, after years of being away from home, I sat down to share my predicament and the circumstances of my separation at the time with this same elderly gentleman…only this time, the poor man was dying of cancer. He was so gentle and supportive, and wistful, his eyes still twinkling as they always had, because he had Jesus. He was such a good listener. The very fact that I was indeed getting a divorce he never judged. He was only kind and gave me good advice; his faith never wavered.

In the same way my Dad has been a good listener, provider, and friend, as well as my husband, who has also been a great provider, teacher and problem-solver in my life. Pastor Tom wins the blue ribbon for the ultimate in problem-solving and making my life that much more comfortable and enjoyable--worth living! I truly appreciate the two most prominent men in my life today.

After chapel service tonight, my friend and I discussed the difference between how men think and how women think. There should be no comparisons; men are definitely from Mars, and women are from Venus! JK

No, as woman is made from man, so they should operate together in the marriage.

When a woman starts to work it causes conflict, according to my husband. Given all the scenarios we can consider—one-parent homes, broken homes, wife staying home, etc, what does it mean for a man when his wife comes home and tries to budget and have a say in what the money, part of which she earns, is spent? Is that emaciating for the man? It need not be.

What if the woman has, indeed, belittled her husband and he now has no self-esteem? Will she suddenly be left with children to raise alone? Some have thicker skin than others, or so it would seem. But it’s best not to make a practice of taking either spouse lightly or dismissing them, wouldn’t you agree?

“This is the main reason marriages don’t work”, my husband says, “The man and woman enter into the Covenant seeking to offer 50/50 per cent, when it has to be ALL you’ve got.”

I remember feeling so badly for my neighbor because I understood the hierarchy—the facts: God the Father first, Jesus Christ, and Man, then his wife, and then the children, in that order. This was perfectly sound and Godly for my generation.

But the Media sold us a raw deal when it said that men needed us in the War effort in WW2. Maybe such a thing was good, but unfortunately, many women did not return to nurture the family unit after the war. Women learned to take the place of men. Women were liberated far before the 70’s. The genie was let out of the bottle and women began their long trek into the work zone and the “independence” movement. The more the woman had to labor and to be in labor the worst the criticisms got in areas of men and their role as Fathers, husbands, and laborers. Was this a resentment? Did the woman want what she could not have any longer? Or only more of what the world had to offer? It differs from person to person.

Unleash the drug and alcohol “enigma”—the equal-opportunity destroyer--the plague that contributed to the loss of support women began to experience over the decades. Divorce and abortion also began to eat up the family unit, and the woman began to bear the weight of her life on her fragile shoulders. The weaker sex now was being portrayed as smarter, stronger, “anything you can to I can do better” in movies and the media, once again. And the women fell for it.

Now we are smarter and wiser and more polished than ever, but everything’s all out of whack. Where ARE the FATHERS?

I guess if you belittled me and my dreams, fought me at every turn, and gave me every worry that the world can offer, I’d leave, too.

Lisa Bevere said that women are the “keepers of the heart”, that emotions and feelings of your spouse are to be handled with care, not belittled and ignored, forced to lie dormant in their hearts. Stuffing your feelings will lead to drug use and alcoholism, and some of it is just as much our fault as it is human nature: we feel sorry for ourselves. How many times did I, in my addiction, say, “I’m going to tie one on tonight; I deserve it! It’s been a long, hard day.” This is the general picture.

But men, I say, are reviving in this country. The movie, “Courageous” is a great family film that will inspire your spouse and give him a new outlook on the great need of the family for headship and guidance, someone in the rightful position to take responsibility for all that he loves.

Once you pray and ask God’s guidance, bury the hatchet with your spouse today. You have a marriage worth saving. God is getting ready to do something good in your life! Meet Him halfway. The happy spouse is dying to come out of each of us; all we need do is to encourage, pray for, lift up, and brag on, our loved one. And when sharp words get uttered and muttered, don’t return the favor. This goes a long way in the “peace” department.

Ephesians 5:33 simply instructs the wife to “respect” her husband.

Husbands, love your wives as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for it. Ephesians 5:25

Be Blessed.

Both Fire and Water

2012-01-25T06:32:25Z

The Resurrection Promise

NOTE: THIS IS A PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED WORK WHICH WILL BE TAUGHT ON JANUARY 25^TH AT VFO, MISS. IT HAS BEEN REVISED AND EDITED FOR CONTENT. --TR

Jesus Christ commanded his disciples, before His ascension into the Heavens, to baptize and make disciples of all nations, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. (Matthew 28:19)

When we are baptized, we symbolize the death to our old lives of sin, being buried with Christ, who knew no sin, and we are submerged in the waters. (Romans 5:8) For while we were yet sinners, Jesus Christ died for us. Then, as I understand it, we symbolize our resurrection to a new life, a life hidden in Christ, (Colossians 3:3) as we are raised up from the water to emerge as a new creature. That’s what Christ did; He fulfilled all righteousness known to mankind (Matthew 3:15) when he entered into the rite of baptism.

But even further is the symbolism of our future resurrection, the resurrection from sleep that those who have passed on will experience when Christ returns. This is a spiritual, yet physical resurrection that we—dead or living--will witness as Christians when Christ returns to rule and reign over all the earth for a thousand years! This is at the core of my belief, and this is what I am passing on to you; Christ is, indeed coming back! And we, too, will join with Him if we are truly God’s children.

I was listening to Pastor Tom read about Heaven last night, and it gave me a lot of food for thought. So, I looked into resurrection, and found some very helpful, tangible verses of scripture that support that premise and are even believed by some of the Old Testament Patriarchs, who did not receive the promise, but lived by faith, nevertheless. (Hebrews 11:39)

The first scripture was found in Psalms Chapter 16, Verse 10-11. It doubles for both our belief as Christians, as well as the prophetic statement of the Son of God, declaring, “For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. 11) Thou wilt show me the path of life; in thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.”

Because as heirs we, too are not to suffer corruption because of the reconciliation of our soul to God the Father by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ!

As you can see, Jesus Christ is the one referenced as “Thine Holy One”. And indeed, at God’s right hand are “pleasures for evermore”, for who sits at the right hand of the Father? Jesus Christ! It is a privilege to know Him; He is all the fullness of joy that we need. Observe and seek His marvelous miracles, and believe!

Christ said that some of us would be only able to believe by referring to the miraculous, which He performed.

How little and meager sometimes is the faith of man! “Doubting” Thomas said that he would not believe until he touched the scars in Jesus’ hands, placed his hand in the wound in His side. The same goes for us at times. Sometimes we even balk at the idea of doing something good, unable to believe that God would want us even to perform it!

Further, it was also said “blessed is he who believeth in me and has never seen me.” That in itself requires a measure of faith which God alone can bestow. If you have that faith, thank God for it! It is Heaven-sent. And so you and I are truly blessed today.

David then said in Psalm 17:15, proving his belief in life beyond the one we are experiencing, “As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.”

The very semblance or appearance of being asleep was a term used by Jesus on occasion when He spoke of the time when people in His day had passed on. (To Jesus, who was able to wake any expired individual by merely speaking their name, it was surely true.) For a sleeping person, there is nothing to be known or experienced; they are asleep. They, for all practical purposes, are dead. But to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord! This means that the spirit lives, even when the body has expired. Jesus also told the Jews that He was a God of the living, not of the dead. Jesus even declared David alive and well, which really puzzled the Scribes and Pharisees!

The Greeks during Paul’s day believed that the body was an imprisonment for the soul, and that upon death the soul was “released” from its prison, that only the “real person” lives forever. But scripture supports the fact that, upon the resurrection of the Son of God, the body, a “glorified one”, was reunited with the spirit. Jesus was able to both to eat and to be seen after He had risen from the dead. This means that the body and soul are not permanently separated, because Jesus Christ was the first fruit of all who have been saved for God’s purpose in eternity. In short, Jesus Christ has opened the life gate, or the way to eternal life for us all, once for all! This is an elementary point to most Christians, but I felt it important to repeat such a marvelous truth! And upon Christ’s return, we too will be united with a “glorified body”.

1 Corinthians 15: 46- 58 speaks of our resurrected bodies in more detail. In that passage, verse 51 states, “We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed.” Verse 52 states further: “In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.” (KJV)

But let us go back to Psalms, in Chapter 49. The NIV states in Verse 7-9 that, “No man can redeem the life of another or give to God a ransom for him – the ransom for a life is costly, no payment is ever enough – that he should live on forever and not see decay.” Going further, David declares in Verse 13, “This is the fate of those who trust in themselves (death), and of their followers, who approve their sayings.”

Never trust in another human being for your soul to be saved; the fact that your parents lived a godly life, your husband or wife are Christian, will not guarantee your salvation. Christ is the only way. (Romans 5:7-9) Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Christ even said that Moses, although trusted by the Jews, was unfortunately their accuser—in that he had given the commandments that condemned them, not to mention that he had passed on, as well! Death awaits us all, good or bad.

But David states good news next: In Psalms 49 verse 15, David asserts, “But God will redeem my life from the grave; he will surely take me to Himself.”

What faith! David knew the promise that God had made to extend not only David’s Kingdom, but also to give life hereafter to him, putting someone in his lineage on the Throne to rule and reign forever—Jesus Christ! David was indeed blessed and highly favored!

That’s the importance of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross—because of His life and death and resurrection, we, too can feel as David did, thoroughly blessed to dwell in the House of the Lord forever and ever! What a promise, what an act of love God made when He sent His Son to be the ultimate sacrifice. Before the foundations of the world were ever formed, God knew that there would have to be a sacrifice for the sin of the man Adam and his offspring. It was all decided who that Lamb of God would be before the first man and woman were ever formed. David described it as costly, and the only one who could do it was Jesus! He alone is worthy and He alone can make our everlasting life possible, reconciling us to God the Father, through His sacrifice--in payment for our sin.

Jesus was able to lay down His life and to take it up again, and He is able to redeem us from death, and if you are a child of God, He has already sealed you and written your name in the Lamb’s Book of Life. I long for the day when we will all be united in the presence of God and His mighty angels! “For He shall receive me. Selah”. Psalms 49:15b (KJV)

Psalm 139:13-18 is a precious declaration about our lives and our ever-present help in time of need, about how God will provide for us and never leave us. “For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my Mother’s womb. I will praise thee: for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being imperfect; and in thy book all my members were written; which in continuance were fashioned when as yet there was none of them. How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand; when I awake, I am still with thee.”

The NIV commentary states about this passage, “God’s character goes into the creation of every person. When you feel worthless or even begin to hate yourself, remember that God’s Spirit is ready and willing to work within you. We should have as much respect for ourselves as our Maker has for us.”

Feelings of worthlessness, self-loathing, insecurity, even self-consciousness, are all lies of the devil, planted in your conscious mind to be a stumbling block to your growth as a Blood-bought child of God.

Whether in life or after death, God will not separate Himself from His children. Jesus truly sticks closer than a brother, just what some of us need in our busy lives, the knowledge that God cannot lie or change His Mind and will be faithful--even if we falter. (Numbers 23:19) states it this way: God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind. Does he not speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill? For some of you who are confused, Jesus IS God. Remember that He is intimately involved in your life and is handling all of the things that are happening to you and around you. By His wondrous grace, God provided all that we would ever need--in both this life and the next!

Chapter 140 of Psalms also says simply, (Verse 13) “Surely the righteous shall give thanks unto thy name; the upright shall dwell in thy presence.” (KJV)

A tangible and promising verse follows, in Isaiah 26:19: “The dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.” Those who suffered death during Old Testament times, before Jesus Christ lived and walked this earth, waited patiently for the redemption of their souls from Sheol. It has been said that they still wait in some cases, that they wait for the judgment of the White Throne to this day while others state that Jesus Christ has already opened up hell’s gates and delivered some and taken them on to heaven. Whatever the case may be, Christ is faithful and will not forget one soul to whom He has given the gift of life. That is a promise. That is the importance of what Christ has done!

The following verse of scripture says that waking from our sleep will take place, whether saved or unsaved. Daniel 12:2 asserts, “And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.” It is not clear as to whether all will rise at the same time or exactly when all of this will take place. But In verse 13, Daniel is told that he would rest, but would arise to “stand in thy lot at the end of the days.”

“…God does not reveal everything to us in this life. We must be content with the partial picture until he wants us to see more. He will tell us all we need to know.”

“…Daniel was assured by God that he would rise from the dead and receive his portion in God’s eternal kingdom. Faithfulness to God has a rich reward, not necessarily in this life, but most certainly in the life to come.” (Commentary, NIV)

Going back to 1 Corinthians 15, I would like to interject here that the Bible defines what will happen to us in this way: (Verses 52-55) “In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53) For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54) So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying 55) O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?”

The devil already knows, but just call the latter words an announcement of Victory! Christ has the key to hell and death! (Revelation 1:18) He said that all power was given him in heaven and on earth at the time that He was brought before His accusers and so, He did not have to suffer the cross, but He did! And that’s marvelous, miraculous, just the kind of love that we need! No one else has ever done it, and no one else ever will.

More information about Our Heavenly Dwelling lies in 2 Corinthians, 5: 1-10. It promises us that our heavenly dwelling(s) (bodies) will be permanent and perfect, while our present state causes us to groan, burdened, desiring that eternal dwelling place. In short, we long for immortality, walking by faith and not by sight.

In verse 10, the scripture states, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in HIS body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.”

Death is the beginning of eternity in God’s Kingdom. However, from the moment we receive Christ and the Holy Spirit, our eternal life has begun. This hope is made to give us confidence and to spur us on to good works. 1 Corinthians 3:10--15 admonishes us to build our house on the Lord Jesus Christ and His ways. For as the scripture states, (10) “According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. 11) For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12) Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; 13) Every man’s work shall be made manifest; for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. 14) If any man’s work abides which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. 15) If a man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss; but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.”

The latter I understand to mean that, if a person’s accomplishments are not done with the right heart, the person will survive, but will suffer losses—the destruction of their deeds--as a person who loses possessions while escaping a burning building. Still, one would have reason to rejoice--They would behold and dwell with the Most High forever! Do not tamper with the foundation that Christ has provided, however, and do not build with inferior materials. God wants your best.

The Holy Spirit has revealed to me that the motives in our hearts as to why and what we do are also materials that will either stand the test of God’s righteous requirements or no. Doing things in our own strength will not endure; only God’s spirit can make us righteous, anointed, called, and sanctified. “Turning over a new leaf” cannot bear the persecutions which come in life; only the Holy Spirit can!

Moving on to Philippians 3:21, Jesus promises here to transform our bodies into a “glorious body” like Christ’s. I like the KJV’s translation best; it proclaims as follows: “Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto His glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto Himself.” When we wake from our slumber and “sleep”, even death, we will be like Him. (1 John 3:2, paraphrased)

(2 Corinthians 10:5) We, too, should practice subduing all thoughts which exalt themselves into submission to the command and the Sovereign power of Jesus Christ! Amen?

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 gives those who are sorrowful and ignorant about the passing of friends and family, hope. God uses Paul’s pen to reveal a promise that, when Christ returns, all those who sleep in Him will return with him, and we will see them again. It also states that the dead in Christ shall rise first, then the “rapture” will occur and we who remain alive will meet Christ in the clouds of the air, to be united with Him forever. (I am paraphrasing)

Paul was writing this to comfort and to challenge the faith of those who had lost loved ones. And because Jesus came back to life, we can believe that we, too, will have new bodies and a new life, as He has, one that will never end.

“…God will turn our tragedies to triumphs, our poverty to riches, our pain to glory, and our defeat to victory. All believers throughout history will stand reunited in God’s very presence, safe and secure….” (NIV Commentary)

Finally, let me leave you with this verse of scripture: Revelation 20: through Chapter 21: 4. It will give you more to think about in the areas of new life, new world, New Jerusalem, and promises a new earth, as well. According to this passage, not all of the dead will be raised at one time; some will not be raised until sometime after the end of the thousand years (Verse 5), while Christ rules the earth and the devil is contained in the bottomless pit.

After the thousand-year reign of Jesus Christ, the enemy will be loosed and will lay siege upon the encampment of the saints and the City of God, but God will rain fire and brimstone down and cast the devil into the lake of fire, where the beast and the false prophet are, and they shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever (Chapter 20: Verse 10).

And God will dwell with men, and there will be no more death, sorrow, crying, or pain. God will finally be re-united with man, as in the days of Adam and Eve. And the enemy will be no more. The peoples of the earth, both great and small, will then stand before the White throne judgment, and they will be judged according to what they have done. And so it will be. Amen, and amen.

Thanks be to God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom all glory and honor belong! Blessed be the Name of the Lord! For He is Worthy! The greatest pleasure remains for those who choose to serve Him now; don’t put it off. God is calling you.

To Whom asked the Question:

2012-01-20T19:51:55Z

Dear Friend,

You have asked me a question in our traffic for the website; I don’t know how you actually do that, but that is not important, I guess. This is not the first time you have conversed with me, I am sure…it makes me curious as to who you are! Whatever the case, I will strive through this blog to answer your question.

The Beatitudes…how has Victory Family Outreach “lived them”, in my own words…this is your question?

Where do I start? In areas of devotion to God’s Will, we sacrificed the whole of our lives to doing what it is that God has called us to do, and that is to learn more about Him, praise and worship Him, pray to Him, stay in fellowship both with God and others who love and adore Him, and to minister, last but not least, to those who are hurting--who need help to overcome the sin nature and the bondage to addictions of all kinds. We spent a total of eight years with Victory Family Houston, counting my three years of study and devotion, as well as Tom’s additional five years—doing all that was asked of him and learning how to run a Home and counsel and to free men with addictions. This could be considered a hungering and a thirsting for righteousness, which, through the work of the Holy Spirit, became possible at this very crucial, blessed, important, and special time in our lives. We could have remained drunks; we could have continued down the road to perdition, BUT GOD! As they taught us, God Himself is the One who draws us all to Him, not vice versa. Salvation is not of man, but of God.

Every time we sit down and have a Bible study, we are “breaking bread” with God, sharing with one another the Word, which leads to eternal life. Every Monday and Thursday we have Bible study down in Union, Miss., at Pastor Byron Artis’ “House of Hope”. The lessons are a myriad of Spiritual subjects, and much of it comes from the blogs written by Sister Carolyn Hollingsworth of CHOLLINGSWORTHMINISTRIES.ORG, and this one, victoryfamilyoutreach.org which has been online since 2010. Pastor Byron Artis has been a faithful contributor and guidance to the men, as well as Pastor Bragston Miley and Pastor Jack Foster, as well as Mr. Jim Dionne and yes, Pastor Tom, too.

I said all that to say this: When the Pastor has poured out his heart for quite some time to all who have been in his care, he sometimes experiences a spiritual “emptiness”, which is all part of being “poor” in spirit. For such a time as this, we are refilled by the Holy Spirit through God’s Word and learning from other Ministries, a time of refreshing that God puts into hearts to renew and get us all back on track. Pastor Tom has several Pastor friends who support and advise him. This is quite a blessing for him. Any Preacher will tell you that, if he cares, he puts blood, sweat and tears into his ministry. Pray for your teachers, preachers, and ministers around you; they need your prayers.

So many men have come through VFO with Godly sorrow for what they have done in their lives of addiction. Lost relationships, friendships, family support, material possessions, and even children that they love dearly are all part of the terrible price paid for their lifestyles which range anywhere from a few years to all of their lives. They mourn for their loss, and even Tom and I mourn for the life of addiction and sin we once lived. God, however is not in the business of kicking a man when he’s down, but has the desire to lift us up and give us new life, amen? God and His Word comforts and we as brothers and sisters in Christ comfort one another.

Meekness is stating the truth and disregarding intimidation, in love. All of us can say that at some time or another we have known, but not spoken the truth. Meekness is not a sign of weakness. It is knowing that no matter what may come, God is still in control. This attitude makes our faith stronger, and God will produce a crop in your life--some thirty, some sixty and some a hundred-fold, if you let your faith sustain you in every situation! Be blessed in this.

I guess you could say that my husband is as merciful as he can be. God has made us merciful, because our lives were so out of control, and yet, He sustained us! So why wouldn’t we, for instance, be merciful towards a man who is sneaking around smoking cigarettes and we finally uncover the fact that he is breaking the Home rules? We forgive the man, and he is not discharged from the Home. This makes him more useful to us because he is thankful; you cannot work with people that you browbeat. The human tendency is to be resentful of you if you choose to discourage and “ride” your disciples. Would Christ have done such a thing? It’s a matter of learning how to live a sober life, dedicated to God and to Holiness. This requires mercy. This is what we show our men at VFO.

There’s a song about how people laugh at those who reach down and help another person up. “Fool” is what it’s called. This is a kind of persecution that fazes us not. Even when folks act as if we’re pestering them and “begging” when we come around and ask for a donation. Even when the principle of God is Faith and what He can do for us every month in providing all our needs in the Home, if we just get out there and “swing the bat”. We want to thank all of the businesses and people who have been faithful in contributing to our cause, and helping us to stay open, those who realize the beauty of helping those who are caught in a web of addiction.

I hope that this has been somewhat helpful in answering your question. I would that I could boast in our behaviors and our perfection, but all have fallen short…I won’t be perfect until I see Him face to face. All one can do is cooperate with the Holy Spirit daily in his leading us to do the “next right thing”, as Mom Carmen used to put it.

“Snatching victims from the flames”,

Teresa

Not dwelling on, but...

2012-01-16T21:30:54Z

Pondering Sin

The Bible Dictionary defines sin as: Lawlessness, or transgression of God’s will, either by omitting doing what God’s law requires, or by doing what it forbids. Transgression can occur in thought (1 John 3:15), word (Matthew 5:22), or deed (Romans 1:32).

1 John 3:4 states, “Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact sin is lawlessness.” (NIV)

There is a difference between committing a sin and continuing to sin. Even the most faithful believers sometimes commit sin, but they do not cherish a particular sin and choose to commit it. A believer who sins repents, confesses his sin or error, and finds forgiveness.

A person who continues to sin and shows little or no remorse, however, is not sorry for what he or she is doing. Thus a person never confesses his sin and receives no forgiveness. Such a person is in opposition to God and God’s enemy, no matter what he or she professes.

Through the Commandments that were written by God’s own finger on tablets atop Mount Sinai, we as the human race were able to finally understand the nature of our wrongs. In Deuteronomy 10:4, God tells Moses to chisel out two more stone tablets like the ones in Chapter Nine, verse 17, which Moses broke in anger when he discovered upon his return that the Israelites were worshipping a golden calf.

Moses was not the only one angry. God was ready to destroy the Israelites due to their provocation. Today is no different. In verse 13 of Chapter 9, the Lord said to Moses, “…I have seen this people, and they are a stiff-necked people indeed! 14) Let me alone, so that I may destroy them and blot out their name from under heaven. And I will make you into a nation stronger and more numerous than they”.

The only One standing between annihilation and wrath of God in our Country is Jesus Christ.

Showing God’s mercy, Moses gave the Israelites another chance, after they had repented from their idolization and lawlessness. Having come from Egypt, some of them, many, as a matter of fact, had lived their whole lives without knowledge of the God who chose them and who delivered them from hard bondage. In Egypt there were, doubtless, hundreds of gods surrounding them to worship and to corrupt their purity. I’m sure that this was one reason that God decided to deliver them from Egypt to begin with; for God is not mocked and will not share His glory with another.

And so, after Moses broke the initial tablets with fury and lay prostrate before God for 40 days and nights in mourning, pleading with Him, the Lord gave the Israelites a second chance.

Aren’t you glad God is a God of second chances? I am!

Moses then returned to the top of Mount Sinai and received the law, which, if obeyed, would guarantee life and not death.

Deut. 10, Verse 4: “The Lord wrote on these tablets what he had written before, the Ten Commandments he had proclaimed to you on the mountain, out of the fire on the day of the assembly. And the Lord gave them to me.”

The curse of the law is not being able to obey it completely, and so Jesus came to “fulfill” the law by being the only one able to obey it to the letter. The law was written to show us a need for a Savior and the importance of Holiness and the Sacrifice that Christ made so that we could be liberated and freed from sin and death. (Galatians 3:13) Christ took the punishment when it should have been all of us, each individual striving but failing to live a sinless life! With man it is impossible, but with God, all things are possible! (Matthew 19:26) That statement is pretty much the whole truth of the matter: Christ paid it all!

“The tablets of the law were still in the ark about 500 years later when Solomon put it in his newly built temple (1 Kings 8:9) The ark last appears in the Israelite’s history during the reign of Josiah, about 300 years after Solomon (2 Chronicles 35:3).” (Life Application Study Bible, NIV)

Time passed. Man, although informed, failed the simple commands given him, or would live a life of dedication to each and every law, only to fall short in areas that the coming Savior and King would require. Later, Christ had his three short years of Ministry, speaking of the love one must have for God and the love one must possess for their fellow man or woman, children of God, the kingdom of Heaven being within us, not in the form of a Synagogue or Tabernacle. This man was a heretic, they said, but still…none of them could dispute that God would want all of these commands to be met in the simple admonishments to “Love God” and to “love your neighbor”. (Matthew 22:37-40)

The Law and our Lord had shown us the need for Salvation. But in (Romans 3:10-12, 20, and 23), the Bible states, “As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. 12) All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.”

What was this impetus towards self-destruction? What made us all abandon the good fight-- now or at one time--what made us leave the narrow way and seek earthly pleasures? Why is this cycle taking place? The Bible is correct in that there are none Righteous. Therefore, it is the sin nature of man.

Verses 20 and 23 of Romans 3 state, respectively: “20) Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin.”

23) …“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

When Paul uses the word Righteous, he means “No one is innocent”. We are all valuable in God’s eyes, because He loves us and created us in His image. No one can earn right standing with God. God offers to forgive us if we return to Him in faith in His Son, Jesus Christ, to free and forgive us from sin.

Are some sins obvious, while still others remain hidden within? Let us ponder Galatians 5:19-21, first of all. “The acts of the sinful nature are obvious”, God’s Word tells us. “Sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20) idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21) and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.” (NIV)

In Mark 7:20-23 Jesus states, “…What comes out of a man is what makes him “unclean”. 21) For from within, out of men’s hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, 22) greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and make a man “unclean”.”

Unfortunately, we all have evil desires; we cannot ignore them. In order to walk in the Spirit, we must deal with our sinful inclinations decisively (crucify them daily) and commit ourselves to follow after the right standing of the Spirit and not the folly of the flesh. If the Spirit is dealing with you today about a certain weakness or flaw, pay heed and do all you can to cooperate with Him in cleansing you from all unrighteousness. He’s all you need. Come to God and repent and ask His forgiveness and His power to overcome that sin in your life. He is willing and able to help you.

Even allowing our minds to dwell on a single damaging thought or a less obvious sin, such as hatred, selfish ambition, envy—even revenge—will lead to outright sin and wrongdoing as well.

Instead, we must follow Paul’s example and let our minds dwell on whatever is noble, true, pure, lovely, and admirable. This will chase the darkness away from your mind. And praise and prayer will enable God’s hands to lift that detrimental burden from you that only He can alleviate. Don’t be dragged into a cesspool of dread and Spiritual poverty; it blinds you!

1 Timothy 5:24 differentiates between the kind of man that sin trails behind them, while others—their sins are obvious. Paul is instructing Timothy in this passage to choose men for positions of authority and responsibility who are above reproach. In the same way, he says, “good deeds are obvious, and even those that are not cannot be hidden.”

I can tell good things are going to happen to you, today, dear one! To you, by you, and for you! Amen?

What within us leads us to sin? The mind of sinful man. Romans 8:6-8 states, “The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; 7) the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. 8) Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God.”

You are divided into one of two categories according to Paul: those who let the sinful nature control them, and those who are led by the Holy Spirit to do that which is right. Jesus is the only way we can become one of those in right standing with God. His way brings life and peace. We must consciously choose to follow Christ daily. Center your life on Him. Use the Bible to discover God’s guidelines. And when the Holy Spirit points out what you should do in any given situation, do it gladly. This is the way to joy and peace.

Jeremiah 17:9 states, “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?” In God’s Word it is made clear why we sin: to put it another way, it is a heart matter. The heart is inclined towards sin the day we were born. Forgetting and forsaking God is an easy routine; however, we can still submit to God when temptations come and ask His help to overcome them, seeking help in our time of need. God is gracious to answer prayer and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. It’s your choice: yield to temptation, or submit to God and resist the devil, so that he flees from you!

Proverbs 14:12 pinpoints the blindness of the natural man, in that it says, “12) There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.”

Are you in a situation where you may have options, but very few sacrifices? In the Christian life, you may be selling out. Easy choices should warn us to take a moment to reflect on the repercussions of our decisions, as well as discern between what appears attractive and what it truly involves. The right choice often involves sacrifice and hard work--getting out of our ‘comfort zone’.

“Don’t be enticed by apparent shortcuts that seem right but end in death.” –NIV Commentary

1 John 1:8-10 shows us the truth about ourselves. If we intend to overcome our tendency towards folly, sin, and death, we have to accept that: “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9) If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10) If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.”

This scripture exposed false teachers in the Gentile Faith who refused to acknowledge that sin separates us from God--that they sinned at all—who also stated that they were incapable of sinning. Was it self-deception, or a simple lie? These teachers refused to take sin seriously, and this is dangerous ground upon which to tread. Thinking that Christ’s sacrifice was unimportant, therefore, they did not repent from any sin and were not purified by the precious Blood of Christ, teaching others to adopt the same attitude. This is a deadly practice.

In this life, we should never let down our guard over areas of the sin with which we are flirting, dramatizing, playing the fool over, romancing, or pre-meditating. Sin’s dread sway can take over your mind, will and emotions like poison or cancer, taking root and putting a cesspool in your heart and life in which you find yourself sinking. It’s really that bad…don’t let it take hold in your life, Sister or Brother in Christ.

Outside influences that can lead us to sin: The aforementioned “cesspool in your heart” is what led Ananias and Sapphira to allow Satan to fill their hearts with lies, through their own greed, in order to deceive the Holy Spirit. (Acts 5:3) Sometimes the seed we receive to keep us on the right track gets stolen by the enemy, as well. These are distractions that make us forget the right way; so busy and nonstop are our lives today in this impersonal world that we forget to do what the Word tells us. We get so wrapped up in our personal affairs that we do not let the Spirit have its way. (Mark 4:15) A life filled with materialistic pursuits deafens us to God’s Word. Stay free, so that you can hear God when He speaks. (Mark 4 Verse 19)

(Ephesians 2:1-3) Following the ways of the world and the Prince of the Power of the Air will influence your daily life in a negative way. He is at work in the Sons of disobedience today. Following our cravings, desires and thoughts, our sinful nature, defined us all at one time. But God! –He has delivered us from the miry clay and set our feet upon a rock, amen? No More evil life for you, fellow Christian! Ain’t God good?

As for those who are wondering what God is all about: It is not an accident that you are reading this. God is drawing you. Salvation is not of ourselves: “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me” (Jesus) “draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day.” Jesus has been given power in heaven and earth and is faithful. The Word is true. God is drawing you to come to Him. Be saved J (John 6:44).

Jesus is our High Priest before God the Father, sitting beside Him daily, interceding for us in prayer. It states so in Hebrews 4:15-16 (I quote from the NIV): “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we many receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”

God’s grace and mercy are what lead sinners to repentance! This following verse questions whether or not we are taking for granted the gift of salvation: Romans 2:4: “Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness leads you toward repentance?”

Must everyone repent? According to the His Word, God is waiting for us all to repent and to come to Him. 2 Peter 3:9 states simply, “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” This answers many who have questioned God’s return and reasoned in their hearts that He will continue to delay so that their lives are their own affair, beginning to end. This is not the case; God’s thoughts toward us are many, and one of them, I am sure, is to reconcile us to Him and save us from His Wrath. The Lord is gracious and compassionate; slow to anger and rich in love. And the Lord is good to all, and He has compassion on all that He has made…As far as the east is from the west, that’s how far, He has removed our transgressions from us!

Psalm 145:8 was written long before that song, but it describes God so very well that a song was added to it. It is one of my most favorite songs. (We used to sing along with it at the VFO Church in Pasadena, Tx, and we at Victory Fellowship also play it, FYI)

There are also Christians who long for Christ’s return, due to persecution and this corruptible society, so we must always be ready for Him, while planning our course of service to last a long, long time. We should always be prepared to share Jesus with those who are lost; in that instance, time is indeed short. The life of the Christian only is in the beginning phase when we accept Christ. How many have said that they wished they had accepted Him long ago? But never knew what a joy it is to serve the Living God! I’m one of them.

In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. Acts 17:30

In Luke 13:1-3 Pilate had killed and mingled the blood of Galileans with their sacrifices. When Jesus answered this, He admonished, “…Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? 3) I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.” This passage states the simple facts: The wages of sin is death. If it weren’t for Jesus Christ and His sacrifice, we too would be facing certain death. To accept His sacrifice and call upon His name and repent from all our sin is the first step.

“Pilate may have killed the Galileans because he thought they were rebelling against Rome; those killed by the tower of Siloam may have been working for the Romans on an aqueduct there. The Pharisees, who were opposed to using force to deal with Rome, would have said that the Galileans deserved to die for rebelling. The Zealots, a group of anti-Roman terrorists, would have said that the aqueduct workers deserved to die for cooperating. Jesus said that neither the Galileans nor the workers should be blamed for their calamity. And instead of blaming others, everyone should look to his or her own day of judgment.”—NIV Commentary

One of the signs of repentance is, “For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.” Psalm 51:3 Know that your actions have hurt many people, and that God is grieved, but also know that God is merciful and that there is no sin too great for a God as great as our Mighty God!

Knowing what God desires is also part of the repentance process: “truth in the inner parts, wisdom in the inmost place.” A desire of our own to be cleansed, to be “whiter than snow”; a request for joy and gladness to hear, and rejoicing in the bones that God has crushed; the hope of seeing God’s face, hidden from our sin--for darkness, the place in which we hide our sins--is as noonday to God. And finally, David in Psalm 51: 6-10 asks God to “create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.”

Like David, we must ask God to cleanse us from within, clearing our hearts for new thoughts and desires. Right conduct can only come from a clean heart and spirit.

Although God will forgive us our sin, sometimes the natural consequences of those sins will continue to progress as a result of what we have done. In this Psalm, David had repented, but his household would never be the same as a result of his sin.

True repentance is humbling. The truly humble man knows the error of his ways and knows that the sinful nature abides within. He calls upon the Lord for mercy and doesn’t allow his heart to become “puffed up”. Self-righteousness can lead to even greater sin; humility can cause God to walk with you hand in hand.

There is fruit leading to repentance. The desire to be a better person, in a better world. Reformation, not ritual, is a fruit of repentance. A changed life is also part of the humbling of ourselves unto God and repenting of our sins. (Luke 3:7-9)

James 1:23-25 says of the fruit of repentance that: Anyone who listens to the Word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror 24) and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does.

Listening to God’s Word is not enough; doing what it says is fruit of repentance, a changed life. Do you put into action what you have studied? Do I myself benefit from these Bible Studies? Yes! In every way. Every aspect of the study of God’s Word embellishes and renews my life and mind. I can’t say enough about it!

James was Jesus’ brother, and he realized Him the King of Glory after his Ascension. The Holy Spirit is part of the process of being saved; baptism is also important.

Mark 16:16 are some of the final words of Christ before He was taken up to heaven and “He sat at the right hand of God”-- (Verse 19 of Mark 16)

He commanded his beloved ones to 15)…“Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. 16) Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.”

Baptism, therefore, is important. Now, in some cases, baptism is not possible, such as times when a man or woman lies on their deathbed. Another instance of the absence of baptism, yet the man was saved, was when the thief hung on the cross. But Jesus commanded this, and it must have significance. The symbolic meaning of Christ’s death and burial and resurrection are re-enacted in the baptism process, in which the body is submerged in water and raised to new life in the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

It is not the water of baptism that saves, but God’s grace accepted through faith in Christ. And baptism alone, without faith, cannot save man or woman, boy or girl.

“We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.”— (Romans 6:4) Thinking of our old life as dead gives us a powerful motive to live a sinless, new life. Treating the old life, its desires and temptations as an obsolete, dead nature, can free us up to live a life of newness and freedom with Jesus.

Dead to Sin but alive to God: (Romans 6:11)

Once slaves to sin, now set free to live as “slaves” to righteousness: (Romans 6:18)

God’s spirit makes it possible for us to live for Him. “It’s my Desire” is a wonderful song that we sing at VFC. The beauty of your salvation, beloved, is that the Holy Spirit, willing and able, can help you through whatever you face in your life. It makes us able to carry out our commitment to God. In Matthew 19:25-26, Jesus tells his disciples that with God all things are possible. God is able to give you power with men and power with Him. All you need do, as a Christian, is follow Christ. As Keith Green said in a song I love, “Just be doin’ your best, and pray that it’s blessed…Jesus takes care of the rest.”

In this case, in context, Jesus had already stated that the rich were surely unable to enter the kingdom of heaven, which astonished his disciples. “Who then can be saved?” they asked.

“Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” The Holy Spirit, a separate, yet unified part of the Trinity, makes it possible for us to carry out our duties as God would require them and when, as well. When someone does you a good deed, remember that faith without works is dead; remember that the Holy Spirit has done you a beautiful service.

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” –Acts 1:8

This is proof positive that God gives us power with men! God’s plan will appear, no matter what forces try to alter the plan and purpose He has for his own. Power from the Holy Spirit is not limited to strength beyond the ordinary—that power also involves courage, boldness, confidence, insight, ability, and authority. If you believe in Jesus Christ, you can experience the power of The Holy Spirit in your life.

(Acts 2:38) Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Repentance means to turn from your sin and to change the direction of your life…from selfishness and rebellion to dependence upon Christ for forgiveness, mercy, guidance, and divine purpose! We are not able either to save or to relieve our guilt; only God can do that. Baptism identifies us with Christ and the community of believers. It is a condition of the heart, of discipleship, and a sign of faith.

I have learned a lot from this lesson. I hope you have found it informative and it has cleared up some questions as to your concerns about sin. As I stated before, it’s no accident that you have read this blog. The God of the entire universe is acting in your behalf to bring you safely into the kingdom of His Marvelous Light! Don’t put it off; be reconciled to God and have your burden lifted today.

“For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.” (Philippians 2:13) To be like Christ, we must train ourselves to think like Christ. To train ourselves to be more like Him, we need to be indwelled by the Holy Spirit, have the influence of faithful Christians around us, be consistently obedient to God’s Word, and exhibit sacrificial service.

Often it is while doing God’s will that we gain the desire to do it. If we are faithful in the small things, and do what God desires for us, He will change our desires to be worldly into a desire to be more like Him.

It is the desire of God to make of us His beloved son or daughter, called to glorify Him and to flourish in His hands. Don’t you want that, too?

….If you could see, where Jesus brought me from to where I am today, then you would know the reason why I love Him so….You can take this world’s wealth and riches, I don’t need earth’s fame…it’s my desire, to live for HIM! Halleluiah! Glory to God in the Highest!