Thursday 30 July 2015

Spirit vs Flesh

One of the greatest struggles of the Christian life is the war between our flesh and the spirit.
Most often, we want to do right but our flesh is too strong for us to resist.
For example: there is a television show that I really really like to watch. It contains most things I am fascinated by and then some.
The problem is, there is not one edifying thing in that show. There is nothing good in it. Nothing good at all.
I am tempted to watch it from time to time and my flesh's argument for watching it goes something like this: 'You're mature enough to know what's wrong, you have discernment, it's not like you will be doing those things'.
The flesh is right. I do have discernment and I know what to accept and reject but God's Word on the matter is this:
I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes:
Psalm 103:3a
That settles it.
Now, if you think that does not settle it, consider this:
I watch an episode or two then go and clean stuff. What do you suppose is on my mind?
That show and it's wickedness.
What you watch, you think about. You may not be 'thinking' about anything but I find I play scenes in my head when I'm not 'thinking' about anything. 
The thought of foolishness is sin:
Proverbs 24:9a
I have enough trouble with sin as it is, why should I aggravate that by watching a show that makes me sin even more?
Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are
true, whatsoever things are honest,
whatsoever things are just, whatsoever
things are pure, whatsoever things are
lovely, whatsoever things are of good
report; if there be any virtue, if there
be any praise, think on these things.
Philippians 4:8
That show does not fit any of those things that Christ tells us to think on.
Casting down imaginations, and every
high thing that exalteth itself against the
knowledge of God, and bringing into
captivity every thought to the obedience of
Christ;
2 Corinthians 10:5
That show, promotes covetousness, which I have a tendency towards, and is a grievous sin. Like I said, there's nothing edifying in it, the people in it live like there is no God, and no accountability for your actions.
It is evil. I do not watch it anymore.

My husband went away last week, my son was in bed, I decided to spend most of the night sewing. I really REALLY wanted to put that show on. It's on Netflix, I'll be entertained and productive, it will be great!
Oh man, I was soooooo close to putting it on. I signed into Netflix, clicked on the show, was just about to click on the episode I left off at... then I exited the whole thing and watched a sermon on Youtube.
I just couldn't do it.
The reason I couldn't watch it is this: the Spirit in me is too strong. I would be backtracking in my walk with God- which I absolutely do not want, and I could possibly destroy my chance of bearing fruit in the future.

As Christians we have two natures: our sin nature, which we will be rid of at death or rapture, and the new man, which is Christ in us. (For more on this please read Romans 6, 7,8
And if Christ be in you, the body is dead
because of sin; but the Spirit is life
because of righteousness.
Romans 8:10
According to Romans 6, 7, and 8, we can live after the flesh or after the Spirit. Here's a tidbit from chapter 6:
For in that he died, he died unto sin
once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto
God.
Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be
dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Let not sin therefore reign in your
mortal body, that ye should obey it in the
lusts thereof.
Romans 6:10-12
My body, the one I am employing right now to type out these very words, is dead. We cannot do right by feeling things out, following our hearts, and acting on our emotions:
For I know that in me (that is, in my 
flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is
present with me; but how to perform that
which is good I find not.
Romans 7:18
Fortunately, we do not have to live in sin:
Knowing this, that our old man is
crucified with him, that the body of sin
might be destroyed, that henceforth we
should not serve sin. 
Romans 6:6

We can either feed our flesh, by watching dirty movies/TV shows, speaking wickedly, thinking wickedly, spending time with ungodly people, or we can feed our spirit, by reading the Bible, praying, singing hymns, going to church, fellowshipping with believers, and filtering the things we allow on our TV's.
The more you feed your flesh, the harder it is for you to say no to it when you want to get out.
The more you feed your spirit, the easier it is for you to say no to the flesh when it is acting up.

The best thing you can do to start feeding the spirit, is reading your Bible.
I used to have trouble praying. I'd get uncomfortable, tired, uninterested, and I knew it wasn't right. I just couldn't help the way I felt about it but I would force myself to pray, focus on it, and ignored my discomfort. The more I desired to follow Christ's example of prayer, the more time I spent reading, studying in depth, and taking time to sing hymns the more I wanted to pray. It has become something I crave. Sometimes God wants me to spend my devotion time praying instead of reading.
Did I do that? No. The Holy Spirit inside me gives me the grace, strength, and desire to pray. The Holy Spirit does that for me because I've made it clear that I will sow to my spirit no matter how my sinful flesh felt about it.
Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap
in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for
it is time to seek the LORD, till he come and
rain righteousness upon you.
Ye have plowed wickedness, ye have
reaped iniquity; ye have eaten the fruit of
lies: because thou didst trust in thy way, in
the multitude of thy mighty men.
Hosea 10:12&13
I know that's an Old Testament passage but it rings so true for us today: God does not want us to sin. He will help us if we just show the willingness to follow Him.
Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for
whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he
also reap.
For he that soweth to his flesh shall of
the flesh reap corruption; but he that
soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap
life everlasting.
And let us not be weary in well doing: for
in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
Galatians 6:7
It does not get any clearer than that.

What to do:
The Bible says in James 4:7
Submit yourselves therefore to God.
Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
When you go to the gym and lift weights, what are you doing?
You are resisting, are you not? The weight will come down on you, that's the easy part (also dangerous,  if its really heavy), but pushing it up- resisting gravity, that's what increases your strength.
It's the same thing with the flesh and the spirit. Resist the devil, resist your flesh and you will be strengthened in the spirit.

I promise you, the more you resist your flesh, the easier and easier it gets. To the point, for me, there are things I cannot do simply because I said no so often the Spirit is too strong in that area.
For whom he did foreknow, he also did
predestinate to be conformed to the image
of his Son, that he might be the first born
among many brethren.
Romans 8:29
Jesus could not sin- He was God, He was holy, and thus He could not sin. We will never be perfect on this side of heaven, but it will be a lot easier to keep ourselves from sin if we make it a point to heed the Spirit every time we have a decision to make.

One more example and I am done:
I used to be terrified of handing out tracts and talking to people about the bible.
Frankly, that's ridiculous since I have the truth it is nothing to be ashamed of, but that's the flesh for you.
One day I put a stop to that foolishness, made sure I had tracts with me all the time, and made a point that my priority whenever I left home was to give tracts out and to talk to people about Christ. If I s prevented from either of those things, while I'm driving for instance, I would show the love of Christ by being kind, forgiving, and peaceful.
I was nervous but I started giving out tracts to everyone. I give them to people at Starbucks, the grocery store, and I give them to people in the parking lot at the park if they are just sitting in their cars.
I have no doubt I'll see some of those people in heaven, why? Because God said, 'look Grace, there's a man in his car, waiting for someone to be done at the park, he has nothing to do, give him a tract to read' and I obeyed.

The more I do it, the less nervous I am, the easier it is, and more natural it becomes. The new man inside me is beginning to take precedence over my natural sin nature.
The Spirit points out people to me, and I give them the gospel.
God will bless that obedience.


Let me encourage you to obey the Spirit. The more you obey, the louder the Spirit will speak to you, and decisions become easier and easier.
Remember, sin is bondage.
For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die:
but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the
deeds of the body, ye shall live.
Romans 8:13
Paul is talking to saved people there. Think about it.
I hope this was a blessing and a help!

Wednesday 22 July 2015

Salvation and Submission- My Personal Testimony

My posts have been fewer and further in between nowadays. I wish it wasn't the case but it's been busy around my home. Maybe not so much busy as much as my husband has been working a lot so I've had more to do around home.
It's been almost a year since my husband started the job he currently has. We've been going and going for a whole year and now we're tired and really need a vacation.
I find myself listless and disinterested. Everything I love to do I don't have the energy and mind power to do it. It may also be the heat, but I really think I'm just tired and would really like a break.

I am a Junior Church teacher. It's like nursery time only more structured. I have children 2-4 years old and the 4 year olds will be moving into the main service when they are five.
Every Sunday, before the evening service, my pastor meets with all the teachers in the church. He's asked us to share our personal testimony, specifically when we submitted to serving the Lord, in the upcoming meetings. The purpose of this, is so that we can see the Lord's work in each other's lives and so that the children we are teaching can learn, grow, and realize that God is real to their teachers.

I've been thinking about it and I thought I'd share it on here:

I was saved as a very young child. I was probably 5 or 6 years old. I don't remember my age but I have clear and certain memories of the night of my salvation.
The months prior to my salvation I remember being scared of the night. I was scared to sleep. I knew that there was a possibility that I could wake up dead. I was terrified of that.
It was a constant battle in my mind every night.
One evening my parent's had a bible study in our house. A man came and in the course of the bible study he either promoted a false doctrine or said something blasphemous.
My father does not tolerate that.
Well, an argument ensued and I remember my father demanding the man leave our house.
The situation left myself and my sister rather shaken. When dad tucked us into bed that night we asked him about the man and his errors. Our dad explained the things the man had said and told us the error of his beliefs, he then started talking about salvation.
I knew I wasn't saved and that terrified me.
I accepted the Lord as my Saviour that night.
The months of being terrified of death ended that night for good.
Praise the Lord!
So I went on, preserved by God, just living my life- going to church, doing family devotions.
For the most part I was a luke-warm Christian with strong beliefs but no action.
I knew I needed to read my bible and pray but I didn't. I knew how to live right but I just did what I wanted.
My family flitted from church to church and, for a while, we were very spiritually dead.
I grew up very independent, very proud, and very headstrong. I did whatever I wanted, when I wanted, how I wanted.
My family eventually got involved with a man named Scott Line.
He preached like we had not heard before. It was actual bible preaching. We had never been fed like that in our lives. He preached hard on sin, he preached passages we'd never really heard preached on before, he preached about the God that is a consuming fire.
We had not heard stuff like that before.
Our spirit revived.
One Sunday he preached heavily against pride.
I felt the Lord's hand heavy on me that day. I remember a burning sensation in my chest. I knew I was full of pride. It was not necessarily the pride that causes you to think that you're better than everyone. It was the pride that caused me to do what I wanted to do when I wanted to. It was the pride that caused me to think I was in control of my life and that I could decide things for myself.
After the sermon I went outside and sat on the grass.
I thought about my pride. If I wanted something, I got it, if I wanted to do something I did it. I wanted what I wanted. I was self possessed.
I gave that up to God that Sunday. I apologized for my pride and I let it go.

That was when I submitted to serving the Lord. When I stopped serving myself.
I have no been perfect at it. There have been long periods since then where I've just stopped reading my bible and praying. God is faithful, though, He keeps working on me. I don't want to leave God's side. I'm never happier than when I am close to God and doing right. I don't understand how I can easily forget it sometimes and leave off serving Him.
Slowly God has stripped me of my pride. A lot of it left as I got into the Word and it worked in my life, correcting my opinion of myself, and putting me in my place. Other things, things I grew up doing, thinking, and so on had to be purged slowly, repeatedly sometimes, and systematically.
I realize now that God didn't just throw the whole book at me at once. He had to purge one thing before the next thing could go. There are things I can let go now that I couldn't even a year ago. I wasn't ready, I didn't know better, and God knew that.
If I could only express the gentleness of God.

I hope this is in some way a blessing to you.
God bless!

Sunday 19 July 2015

Pants

Tonight we had a gym night at our church.
I wore loose crops, made for women, and a t-shirt.
Gym nights always remind me of a gym night I once attended.
I was there, playing with my son, in loose women's pants when a family walked in.
This family is known in the Independent Baptist church circle of the greater Vancouver area because they've attended church for a long time, have many children, I believe one or two may be in the ministry, and I suppose they are an upstanding family.
As they walked into the gym I looked over at them, the mother looked over at me, mmediately her eyes went to my pants and this scornful look came across her face. In fact, I got funny looks from the whole family.
Honestly, I'm kind of used to getting looks for wearing pants when I'm at church events. I don't wear pants unless they're activity appropriate. Gym night is definitely  pants appropriate if I want to play, church picnics if I want to get really involved, and that's about the extent of pants appropriate church activities..
So I get these dirty looks, which coloured my opinion of them a little but I tried to smile and be kind.
I did not enjoy that gym night. That family was no fun to play with.
The last game we played was dodge ball. Their daughter, a teenager, squatted down to pick up a ball rolling towards her. She was wearing spandex under her skirt so no one saw anything. Nevertheless, there she was, legs wide open, squatted down to pick up a ball.
And I wonder, is that better than just wearing pants?
I went home that night very angry. Besides the dirty looks when they walked in, there was a few other things that just turned me off the family. I wanted to write a long, scornful post against people like them.
Then I had to remember that I am commanded to love them. God does not want me ranting and railing at His children.

I'm not sure what it is about Independent Baptists and pants. I certainly have no idea why some of them think that their manner of dress sanctifies them. The fact is, we as Baptists think everything sanctifies us: we homeschool our children, keep ourselves separate from the world, go to King James, hymn singing church's three times a week, keep ourselves from liquor, smoking, worldly movies, and deprive ourselves of activity appropriate attire all in an effort to be better than everyone else.
WAKE UP, BAPTISTS!
But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags-- Isaiah 64:6
The things we do in life, all of it is garbage, only the things done through Christ will last.
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.
If any man's work abide which he hath
built thereupon, he shall receive a reward
1 Corinthians 3:13&14
If I am wearing pants while I lead someone to the Lord, will my work be burned? If I smoke before going to church, will God not speak to me? If I send my child to a public school, will he go to Hell?
The answer to all those questions is no.
I don't think we should smoke because it is not good for us and it's hazardous to others. I don't think we should send our children to public or private or even Christian schools because they are our children, it's our job to educate them, and no one will put real love, thought, and care into educating our children. However, there are Christian's who can't afford mom staying home to teach, there are Christian's who, for some reason can't stop smoking, there are baby Christian's, fresh out of the world that have higher things to focus on than what they are wearing. Should they be shunned and given dirty looks because of it? 
NO.

We are not sanctified by our clothes, church, family, home, and everything else we do in life.
Husbands, love your wives, even as
Christ also loved the church, and gave
himself for it;
That he might sanctify and cleanse it
with the washing of water by the word.
Ephesians 5:25&26
Jesus said:
Sanctify them through thy truth: thy
word is truth.
John 17:17
We are sanctified by the Word.
Our standard is the Bible.

Now, speaking of standard, what does the Bible say about pants?
Nothing. The word 'pants' is not in the Bible.
The verse that many use to promote their no pants theology is this one:
The woman shall not wear that which
pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man
put on a woman's garment: for all that do
so are abomination unto the Lord thy God.
Deuteronomy 22:5
I'm just going to say it: they make pants for women. They make immodest pants but they also make loose modest ones.
I had a conversation once with a girl who had just finished her first year at Pensacola Bible College and I asked about the dress code. Among other things, she told me that some girls wore skirts so tight they may as well have been wearing nothing at all.
Are tight skirts better than loose pants?
In like manner also, that women adorn
themselves in modest apparel, with
shamefacedness and sobriety; not with
broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly
array;
but (which becometh women professing
godliness) with good works.
1 Timothy 2:9
According to verse 9, our apparel must be modest, and inexpensive. The whole matter of broided hair, gold, pearls, and costly array is that it feeds pride and creates division.
Whose adorning let it not be that
outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and
of wearing gold, or of putting on of
apparel;
But let it be the hidden man of the heart,
in that which is not corruptible, even the
ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which
is in the sight of God of great price.
1 Peter 3:3-4
Clearly, God doesn't want us focused on what we are wearing whether it be clothes, jewelry or hairstyle. He's focused on the inside and the fact is, your inside will manifest on your outside.
For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he:
Proverbs 23:7a

I had a conversation with my pastor's wife, who I love, about the matter of wearing pants.
She was not allowed to wear pants growing up. She told me that when her and her husband got into the ministry she wondered at Christian women who wore pants. She thought they were rebellious but then she realized that that was not true. She asked herself why she never wore pants and realized that it was the way she was brought up. It was not wrong for her to be brought up that way, she just couldn't put that on anyone else. She told me that skirts and dresses are not always appropriate- especially for young active girls- and she told me that some people just can't afford to change their whole wardrobe.
In turn, I gave her my testimony concerning the matter. A few years ago I deeply considered switching to just dresses and skirts. I prayed and read about it. I came out fully persuaded that I didn't have to limit myself to just dresses and skirts. I could wear women's pants as long as they were modest.
Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before
God. Happy is he that condemneth not
himself in that thing which he alloweth.
Romans 14:22
I am so thankful I get to wear modest pants, shorts, and crops. I can freely run around and play with my son without worry. 
I don't need to justify what I wear before anyone.
This being said, I must make sure to always be modest lest I cause a sister in Christ to stumble.
Let us not therefore judge one another
any more: but judge this rather, that no
man put a stumblingblock or an occasion
to fall in his brother's way.
I know, and am persuaded by the Lord 
Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of
itself: but to him that esteemeth anything
to be unclean, to him it is unclean.
But if thy brother be grieved with thy
meat, now walkest thou not charitably.
Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom
Christ died. 
Let not then your good be evil spoken of:
For the kingdom of God is not meat and
drink; but righteousness, and peace, and
joy in the Holy Ghost.
Romans 14:13-17

This holier than thou attitude about not wearing pants causes division and discord. Me, I can handle it. I was mad at first but I calmed down quickly. Other, younger Christians may not be so willing. For someone to leave church because people treated them differently just for dressing different would be a terrible, unnecessary shame.
Do you look down on people for what they wear? Do you think it makes you better than them?
You are just a sinner saved by grace. You deserve Hell and would go there if it wasn't for God's free gift to 'whosoever believeth in Him'. We have no right to judge others in these matters. We have the right to judge sin, yes, but in these things, we are free.
I hope this was a help and a blessing to you in some way.

Wednesday 15 July 2015

Hymns vs. Praise Songs -- Round One

There are two things that mark modern Christianity: new age Bible versions and praise and worship music. The modern movement has rejected the wisdom of their elders and removed Christianity's ancient landmarks. In place of that good old time heritage, they've erected monuments of their own feelings. Instead of what's right, it's what do I like and what makes me feel good?

I have very strong opinions on music and bible versions. In fact, I can't take worship or preaching seriously if it's not hymns and the King James Bible. That may sound extreme to many but please hear my case: If you had a genuine brand name watch that cost thousands of dollars and you saw someone with a similar watch but clearly a complete rip off of the real thing, would you take it seriously?
Having spent good money on a well designed and carefully manufactured watch you would take good care of it, clean it, and protect it. Perhaps you would only wear it on the weekends or to special occasions. Now then, you see someone else that has that exact same watch. You inquire after it and find that they spent $20 on it at some little shop in Chinatown that sells fake brand name watch. Upon closer inspection, you see the cheapness of the make and the scratches and dings from everyday wear and tear. Would you take that watch seriously? Heck, even it's owner does not take it seriously.
That may be a poor analogy but it's a close sentiment about how I feel about church.
I go to my King James only, hymn singing church and I know that it is real. I know God is worshipped there in truth.
I go to a whatever bible suits you, contemporary praise song singing church and I know it's not real. I'm not saying the people aren't genuinely trying to serve God, I am saying that their worship is shallow. As shallow as the bibles they read and the songs they sing. I know the real thing and I will not take anything but.

I went to a church, for about five or six years, that was not a KJV church and they sang hymns and praise songs together. Normally my family would not attend a church like that but we had been searching for a long time and just gave up. We were spiritually dead during that time.
I don't remember any Spiritual growth during that time. I did, however, get to witness firsthand the contemporary Christian movement. I was never caught up in it, but I've experienced it. I'm not just writing against it from an outsiders perspective. I've been in the midst of it and witnessed it.

I will go into bible versions eventually but first I'd like to tackle the music. It is a big, divisive topic so I've decided to take my time with it and really delve into the matter. This music has taken both the youth and the old of North America. If you think it does not matter, you're wrong. Everything you do matters, and everything you put in your head will manifest itself in your life. It may not happen right away, but if allowed to remain and grow, the things in your head and the sins of your thoughts will manifest themselves in your words and actions.


I've already said that praise and worship music is shallow.
To prove this I'll juxtapose a hymn and a well known praise song together and we'll see how they compare.
The two songs are these:
Praise song- Blessed Be Your Name by Matt Redman*
Hymn- Blessed Be the Name by Ralph E. Hudson and William Clark**

Please note: Blessed Be the Name is in black, Blessed Be Your Name is in blue, my comments are in green

Verse one- 
All praise to Him who reigns above -we get to know who we're singing about and give him 'all praise'
In majesty supreme
Who gave His son for man to die -hey look, the gospel!
That He might man redeem - this is why we are singing to Him who reigns above

Blessed be Your name -who are we blessing the name of?
In the land that is plentiful
Where Your streams of abundance flow
Blessed be your name

Okay, I get that Blessed Be Your Name has a story to it, but come on, Blessed Be the Name has the gospel in its first verse. Not only that, it tells us who the song is about: Him who reigns above.
Who is the 'your' sung about in Matt Redman's song?

Chorus:
Blessed be the name! Blessed be the name!
Blessed be the name of the Lord! -reference to Job 1:21 and Psalm 113:2
Blessed be the name! Blessed be the name!
Blessed be the name of the Lord!

Every blessing You pour out
I'll turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say
Blessed be the name of the Lord-okay this is who we are singing about
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your Glorious name

The hymn is based on scripture. Blessed Be Your name has a nice sentiment in it's chorus.

Verse two- 
His name above all names shall stand- reference to Philipians 2:9
Exalted more and more 
At God the Father's own right hand-reference to Acts 7:56, Hebrews 1:3
Where angel hosts adore-reference to countless scriptures where angels stand before God

And blessed be Your name
When I'm found in the desert place
Though I walk through the wilderness
Blessed be Your name

Blessed Be the Name tells you why we are blessing His name with scriptural references. Blessed Be Your Name is still telling a story.

Verse three-
Redeemer, Saviour, Friend of man -just a few names of Christ that we are singing about
Once ruined by the fall -our depravity
Thou has devised salvation's plan -this is why we are singing about Him
For thou has died for all -our salvation, why we praise Him

Blessed be Your name
When the sun's shining down on me
When the world's all as it should be -I'm thinking this line is probably talking about when things are going well for us, but to say the world is as it should be is not biblical at all.
Blessed be Your name

Once again, you have a hymn that is informative, descriptive, and explanatory and a praise song that keeps saying the same things and doesn't really describe anything except the ebb and flow of life.

Verse four-
His name shall be the Counsellor
The Mighty Prince of Peace
Of all earth's kingdoms Conqueror
Whose reign shall never cease -this whole verse is a reference to Isaiah 9:6, it is prophetic, more of Christ's names, this is why we praise Him, because He will reign in peace, we can rest assured on that.

Blessed be Your name
On the road marked with suffering-didn't we cover this already in verse two?
Though there's pain in the offering
Blessed be Your name

Now at this point, I'm realizing that Blessed Be Your Name is just feeding emotions. The whole song to this point has been about good times and bad times and praising the Lord in both. It is a very nice sentiment but there has not been one edifying, strengthening line thus far. Not one verse of scripture either- at least from the King James.
Blessed Be The Name has power behind it because it is filled with scripture. I believe every verse in the song. I can sing it loud, strong, and with conviction because I believe the Words and they speak to me the way the scripture does.
So this is where Blessed Be The Name finishes. Blessed Be Your Name has to continue because it hasn't said half of what the hymn said.

You give and take away
You give and take away -reference to Job 1:21
My heart will choose to say, Lord -the heart is deceitful above all things
Blessed be Your Name, Lord
(apparently this repeats three times then breaks out into the chorus)

Okay, so you might be thinking, well the songs have similar names but the point of each was differnt.
Very true: Blessed Be the Name blessed the name of the Lord while describing the names, reasons, and  references why we are praising Him. Blessed Be Your Name is about blessing God in good times and bad.
The fact is, the hymn is all about God. It mentions us in our depravity but that is it. The praise song is all about us. It doesn't tell us why His name is blessed or enforce our beliefs about the matter. It just says the same things over and over and over and over again.
If you don't think that the praise song is shallow, you don't know what shallow is. There is so much meat in the hymn, the praise song is half a cracker.
I cannot sing Blessed Be Your Name with any conviction because there's no Word in there. Its just like a love song written by the world.

I hope this was a help and a blessing to you. Stay tuned for round two!

*Redman, Matt. "Blessed Be Your Name." Rec. 2002. Where Angels Fear to Tread. Survivor Records, 2002. Metrolyrics. Web. 13 July 2015.

**Clark, William. Hudson, Ralph. "Blessed Be the Name." 1888. Timeless Truths. Web. 13 July 2015

Tuesday 7 July 2015

God's Plan of Salvation

And as it is appointed unto men once to die,
but after this the judgment:
Hebrews 9:27

If you died right now are you going to Heaven? Can you say with absolute certainty that you will go to God and live with him for eternity or is it a real possibility that you will spend eternity burning in a lake of supernatural fire?
Do not just close this page and never think about this again. Your mortal body lasts maybe 70-100 years but your soul is eternal. Where your soul spends eternity is completely up to the decision your mortal self makes right now. Do not go away without the assurance that you will be going to heaven when you die.

If you want to go to heaven and be with God for eternity, please continue reading.

First- realize that you are a sinner.
Romans 3:23- For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
What is sin?
1 John 3:4- Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.
What is the law?
John 1:17- For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
Therefore the law is everything God gave to Moses. Moses was given the law in Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy.
For example: the Ten Commandments are included in the law.
Some of those commandments include wanting things that other people have, in other words, coveting.
Do you see the nice new car someone has and covet it, or the nice clothes someone else wears, or the nice new hot tub in your neighbors yard? That's coveting and it's a sin.
How about taking the Lord's name in vain?
Do you say 'oh my god', 'Jesus Christ', or 'For Christ's sake' when you're surprised, frustrated, or just to say?
That is taking the Lord's name in vain- just saying it without meaning to call on Him.
Deuteronomy 5:11- Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain: for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
Those are just a few examples. I can give many more.
Like the verse says in Romans 3:23- we are all guilty of sin. We sin everyday. It is our natural way of life. Because of this sin we cannot have fellowship with God or be welcomed into heaven:
Isaiah 59:2- But your iniquities [sins] have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.

Second- realize that nothing you do can get you to heaven.
There is nothing in the Bible that says 'good people' will get to go to heaven on their good deeds and good lives alone. You cannot buy your way into heaven and you cannot work your way into heaven.
Galatians 2:16- Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
Romans 4:5- But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.

Isaiah 64:6a- But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags;

That verse means all the good things we do are still filthy.

Third- Realize that all sin must be punished by death and ultimately, eternity in Hell and separation from God
Romans 6:23- For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
John 3:36- He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
Revelation 20:15- And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

Fourth- realize Jesus Christ came, lived a sinnless life, then died the death of a sinner to pay for your sins
Romans 5:6- For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
Romans 5:8- But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
1 Corinthians 15:3&4- For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according o the scriptures:
Isaiah 53:5&6- But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all

Fifth- Believe that Jesus died for your sins, that he was buried, and raised up three days later
John 3:16- For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Romans 10:9- That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
Romans 10:13- For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Ephesians 2:8&9- For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works lest any man should boast.

That's it, friend, that's how you get to heaven:
Faith in Jesus Christ.

If you are not saved, please don't delay. You are not guaranteed another minute of life. It can all end without warning.
If you are reading this and do not know for sure that you are saved and going to heaven, pray a prayer like the one following. Do not just say the words but believe them, own them, and realize your lost state and God's mercy toward you:
Lord Jesus, I am a sinner that deserves Hell.
I do not deserve your sacrifice for me on the cross.
I believe that you came to this earth to save me.
I believe you rose again the third day conquering death.
I ask you to cleanse me from sin by the blood you shed on the cross for me 
and save me from eternity in Hell.
Thank you for your mercy and forgiveness.
Thank you for your grace and faith by which I am saved.
Amen.

If you prayed that prayer and meant it, then praise the Lord, you are saved and going to heaven!
If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask, I will not publish your comment.
God will do wondrous things in your life! If you don't have a King James bible, you can read it here:
or get a bible app on your phone or tablet.
Reading the Bible is the best way to get started on your Christian life.
I recommend reading John and Romans then expand to reading a chapter of Proverbs every day and maybe starting in Genesis to read about God's dealings with mankind.

If you're a Christian already, I hope this compilation of verses helps you to reach lost souls for Christ!

Thursday 2 July 2015

How to Have A Personal Ministry


Every Christian should have a personal ministry. A personal ministry is something you don't talk about, unless asking for prayer for a specific need, it is something between you and God. A personal ministry is done outside the local church. It is the body of Christ, exercising their abilities to reach lost souls.
At the Judgement Seat, you will not be judged along with your local church. You will be judged alone, receive your own crowns for the work that you did for Christ, and have your own works tried.
While the church presents opportunities for you to do outreach, Christ's burden for the lost extends far and above once a week witnessing. We are around lost people everyday. We need to be reaching people every day.
I know for a fact that keeping yourself from reaching the lost hinders your relationship with Christ. I have personally experienced it. My unwillingness to give out tracts prevented me from having a full and fruitful relationship with God for at least two years. It's not easy talking to strangers about Christ or giving them a tract. I had to grow into it, mature into it, and fully trust that God would help me.
I realized I just needed to give out the gospel then take my hands off and let God work:
Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but
ministers by whom ye believed, even as the
Lord gave to every man?
I have planted, Apollos watered; but God
gave the increase.
1 Corinthians 3:5&6
For anyone scared to give out the gospel, those verses above should comfort you greatly. All we can do is give out the gospel. God does the rest.
Trust and obey, for there's no other way, to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey (Hymn by John H. Sammis, 1887, Trust and Obey)
The hymn is absolutely true. The more you trust God, the easier it is to obey, the happier you are because you're bearing outward, inward, and upward fruit.

Without any further ado, here are my tips for having a personal ministry every day of your life:
1) Have the right motivation
Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or
whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God
1 Corinthians 10:31
The best way to test your motivation in God's work is see how your flesh reacts when no one compliments you.
Having a potluck at church and no one says anything about the lasagna you worked so hard on- does it bother you? If it bothers you, you likely have the wrong motivation for serving God's people- the praise of man.
This is why you shouldn't talk about what you do on a daily basis for the Lord- how much you pray, read the bible, witness, and so on. Preachers can do that to encourage and guide their flock, but us non preachers don't need to talk about it. We shouldn't need the praise of man to do work for the Lord.
Souls getting saved and most importantly God's glory should be all the motivation we need to work for Jesus.

2) Pray about it
Pray for the burden to reach souls.
Pray for the willingness to reach them.
Pray for boldness and strength.
Pray for good opportunities to hand out tracts and speaking to people about it.
Pray for the lost people you know right now and think deeply about what they're facing in eternity.
Pray to God that every tract you give out, every person you tell will get saved.
Thank God for the opportunity and freedom to pass out tracts and to witness.


3) This ties in with that last point but is slightly different: pray specifically for everyone you give a tract to.
I've found that my experience with giving out tracts is different with everyone I give them to.
Leaving tracts in random places is one thing but to actually look someone in the eye and hand them a tract leaves a mark.
Every time I give out a tract I pray for the person who received it. I pray for them all day. I pray for them the next day. I love that I remember them and can pray for them.
This is what having a personal ministry is about: praying over those you want to see saved.
And the Lord said, Simon, Simon,
behold, Satan hath desired to have you,
that he may sift you as wheat:
But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith
fail not: and when thou art converted
strengthen thy brethren.
Luke 22:32
Satan could have had Simon Peter BUT Jesus prayed for him. I like to think that God will do the same for those we pray for:
Confess your faults one to another, and
pray one for another, that ye may be
healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a
righteous man availeth much.
James 5:16

4) Set your priorities straight by obeying the Spirit's urgings
Your priority when you leave home is to get the gospel out. If you're a stay at home mom like me, there's really no reason you can't give out a few tracts a day or leave them in places for people to find.
You'll find the Holy Spirit will remind you when to give out tracts or if there is someone to talk to. The more you heed the Spirit's commands, the stronger you'll be in the Lord, the more Spiritual you will be, the better decisions you will make.

5) Bring tracts everywhere you go
Keep tracts with you in the car, in your bag, in your pocket (just don't crumple them). Make sure you have them. That way you have no excuse not to give them out.
About the tracts: make sure they have a clear presentation of the gospel using bible verses. Those tracts with paragraphs and paragraphs aren't to the point. The point is, people don't really care about the gospel and won't care to read a mini novel about it. A simple card with the Romans Road on it will do just fine:
So shall my word be that goeth forth out
of my mouth: it shall not return unto me
void, but it shall accomplish that which I
please, and it shall prosper in the thing
whereto I sent it.
Isaiah 55:11
and
So then faith cometh by hearing,
and hearing by the word of God.
Romans 10:17
Our job is to get the Word out there. God takes care of the rest.

6) Be kind, gentle, peaceable, pleasant, and generous everywhere you go
This means having a good testimony.
If you're rude, obnoxious, or just plain sullen, no one will take the tract seriously.
What often keeps us from having an overflowing testimony is not having the right priorities- Dilbert Terry
You may be going out grocery shopping, but your priority can still be to get the gospel out and be a good testimony. Always, in the front of your mind, remember that you must have a good testimony.
Fear the Lord and depart from evil- Proverbs 3:7b
How will you feel if someone goes to hell because of one thing you said to them on an off day?
I've been in a terrible mood but I've managed to smile at cashiers, be pleasant, and give them tracts. If I didn't remember that my demeanor and countenance towards them could make an eternal difference in their lives, I would never have been able to pull myself out of a bad mood and be sociable with them.

7) Have a goal/ challenge/ rule to give out tracts
For example: my rule is to give out tracts to all the cashiers I deal with when I go grocery shopping and to leave tracts wherever I go.
You may have a goal to give out two tracts every day or a challenge to give out tracts to every third person you walk by on the street.
Right now, you're shy and timid, going all out may keep you from handing out tracts entirely. Start slowly and see how God builds boldness inside you. It gets easier and easier, I promise:
But this I say, He which soweth sparingly
shall reap also sparingly; and he which
soweth bountifully shall reap also
bountifully.
2 Corinthians 9:6
That verse sealed my determination to hand out as many tracts as I could. I want to reap bountifully. I want to meet people in heaven that are there because I gave them a tract or told them about the gospel or was just a good, solid testimony while they knew me. 

8) Go to outreach events at your church
My church goes out every Saturday morning to put tracts in mailboxes and hand them out to people on the street. We want to saturate our community with the gospel. In fact, we're going to go door to door later this month. I'm nervous but excited. 
We have gym night every third Saturday and we're planning a community barbeque/ carnival later this Summer. 
It is a blessing that my pastor is so burdened for our community and intent on making our church as outreach oriented as possible. He said last Sunday that our job, as the local church, is to get the gospel out. He doesn't just say that, he makes it happen. Praise the Lord for that!
If your church is lacking in this area, maybe talk to your pastor about getting an outreach program started.

9) Say Hi and be helpful to visitors at your church
I know this sounds kind of elementary but it's a small thing that makes a huge difference.
-Before or after the service go up to people you've never seen before and shake their hand, welcome them, tell them your name, and learn a bit about them.
-If you see someone who clearly has never been to church before, maybe sit by them and help them find the passages your pastor is preaching on.
-If they walk in late or during singing, give visitors your hymn book so they don't have to fuss with finding the right hymn.
-Smile at everyone you see and be genuinely happy to see them at church
This goes hand in hand with being a good testimony and it could be instrumental in bringing someone to Christ.
One of the things that kept us going to the church we do now is the kindness and love bestowed on us as soon as we walked in it's doors. Kindness and hospitality go a very long way.
And be ye kind one to another,
tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even
as God for Christ's sake hath forgive you.
Ephesians 4:32

There you have it! Nine ways to bear fruit. By the way, nine is the number of fruit bearing- seven is completion, eight is abundance, and nine is fruit bearing (pregnancy is nine months).
I hope this helps you in some small way!
Then saith he unto his disciples, the
harvest truly is plenteous, but the
labourers are few;
Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest,
that he will send forth labourers into his harvest
Matthew 9:37&38