The Sin of Self-Sufficiency in Christians Today

"Hear this now, you who are given to pleasures, who dwell securely, who say in your heart, 'I am, and there is no one else besides me; I will not sit as a widow, nor shall I know the loss of children.'"  (Isaiah 47:8)

One of the first signs of "self-sufficiency" in a person is when they make this statement about themselves:  "I have to take care of myself because I have no one else to take care of me."  If you are one to make this kind of statement, let me tell you that you are living with a spirit of self-sufficiency as well as a spirit of fear.  How do I know that?  I have had a Christian single woman tell me that because I have chosen to be a "homemaker" - staying home to care for my husband and my home instead of being a "career woman", that I really should not be staying at home but I need to be working to save all I can now for the future and for my old age.  Do you know what happened when I heard that?  It opened the door wide for our enemy (Satan) to flood me with the "spirit of FEAR" that was in her!  For the next 2-3 months after hearing that statement, I ended up in the fiercest battle with Satan over the spirit of fear that I have ever had!  As Christian women, we should not be speaking "fear" and "self-sufficiency" into someone's life like this woman did to me.  Instead, we need to be encouraging women (especially single women) that God will take care of them.

The second sign of "self-sufficiency" is in the above verse where it says, "I am, and there is no one else besides me."  Do you realize that by making that statement to yourself and about yourself that you are making yourself equal to God?  God's holy Name for Jehovah is "I AM"!  If that isn't bad enough, all through the book of Isaiah God is continuously reminding us that "there is no god besides Him"!  Yet, in our self-sufficiency and pride, we are doing just that - making ourselves a god!  In fact, wasn't that one of the lies of the enemy, Satan, himself in the garden of Eden?  In Genesis 3:5 the serpent (Satan) said to Eve, "...you will be like God, knowing good and evil." 

An interesting thing about desiring to be a god is that you also need to be "in control" - especially of your life (and maybe even the lives of those around you).  So, when we begin to feel that we are not in control any longer - that's when the spirits of fear and anxiety come in and flood our minds.  When you get right down to the bottom of this thing of "making ourselves gods" - it becomes the sin of idolatry.  Idolatry is the breaking of the 2nd Commandment of God's Ten Commandment moral law.

So, how do you overcome this spirit of self-sufficiency and the spirit of fear?  You MUST go to the Word of God, the Bible!  A few verses before the above verse, in Isaiah 46:3-4, God spoke this to me:  "Listen to Me, Chris!  You have been upheld by Me from birth, and have been carried (by Me) in the womb..."  "Even to your old age, I am He, and even to your gray hairs I will carry you!  I have made you, and I will bear you; Even I will carry you, and deliver you."  And then, in Isaiah 46:11 He said to me, "Indeed, I have spoken it; I will also bring it to pass.  I have purposed it; I will also do it!"
What comfort and peace that brought to my heart and soul!

In conclusion, therefore, let me share what God's opinion is of someone who is "self-sufficient":  "Your wisdom and your knowledge have warped you; and you have said in your heart, 'I am, and there is no one else besides me.'"  In other words, a self-sufficient person, in God's eyes, has a warped mind and a warped heart!  If we don't keep ourselves humble and dependent on God, this is what He says will happen:

"Look, all you who kindle a fire, who encircle yourselves with sparks:  (Go ahead) walk in the light of your fire and in the sparks you have kindled - this you shall have from My hand:  you shall lie down in torment."  (Isaiah 50:11)

Make a decision today to not be "self-sufficient", but to be totally dependent on God.  "For in Him we live and move and have our being..." (Acts 17:28)


   

What's Different in the Ten Commandments of the Catholic Church?

Did you know that the Roman Catholic Church has a different set of the Ten Commandments than the Holy Bible has?  It is true.  The normal person will never find this out unless they open their Bible and place it beside the Catholic book, "A Catechism for Adults".  As you read through the following list of the Ten Commandments of the Roman Catholic Church, see if you can find where the difference is:

1.  I am the Lord thy God; thou shalt not have strange gods before Me.  (Exodus 20:2,3)

2.  Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain. (Exodus 20:7)

3.  Remember thou keep holy the Sabbath Day.  (Exodus 20:8)

4.  Honor thy father and thy mother.  (Exodus 20:12)

5.  Thou shalt not kill.  (Exodus 20:13)

6.  Thou shalt not commit adultery.  (Exodus 20:14)

7.  Thou shalt not steal.  (Exodus 20:15)

8.  Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.  (Exodus 20:16)

9.  Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife.  (Exodus 20:17)

10. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's goods.  (Exodus 20:17)

If you look closely at the first two commandments above, you will see a rather large gap between Exodus 20:2 & 3 and Exodus 20:7.  When you look in the Holy Bible, you will see that the Roman Catholic Church has "conveniently" left out, Exodus 20:4 & 5 which says, "You shall not make for yourself a carved image - any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them.  For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God..."

Why would the Catholic Church make these changes?  The Catholic Church has through the centuries practiced idolatry by making "carved images" of Mary and Jesus Christ, and instructing their followers to "bow down" to them.  Unfortunately, unless the person who is a practicing Catholic really studies their Bible - they will never find this "false teaching" being taught by their church.

So, when I found this out, I still had a problem because even though they removed the 2nd Commandment, they were still able to have ten Commandments.  How was this possible?  Again, you must look at Exodus in your Bible and then look at their list of the Ten Commandments in order to find this error.  Look closely at the 9th Commandment and the 10th Commandment above.  You will find that the Roman Catholic Church has taken the 10th Commandment and divided it into two parts - thus creating their own "Ten Commandments".

For those of you who don't know what the correct list of the Ten Commandments is, here they are taken directly from the Holy Bible:

1.  I am the Lord your God.  You shall have no other gods before Me.  (Exodus 20:2,3)

2.  You shall not make for yourself a carved image - any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth;  you shall not bow down to them nor serve them.  For I, the Lord your God, is a jealous God.  (Exodus 20:4,5)

3.  You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.  (Exodus 20:7)

4.  Remember the Sabbath Day, to keep it holy.  Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God, in it you shall do no work. (Exodus 20:8-11)

5.  Honor your father and mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you.  (Exodus 20:12)

6.  You shall not murder.  (Exodus 20:13)

7.  You shall not commit adultery.  (Exodus 20:14)

8.  You shall not steal.  (Exodus 20:15)

9.  You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.  (Exodus 20:16)

10. You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor's.
(Exodus 20:17)

One other thing to note is the 4th Commandment regarding the 7th day Sabbath Day.  If you take some time to look back in history, you will find that again it was the Romans who moved the Lord's holy Sabbath Day from Saturday to Sunday. 

The Roman Catholics will even take credit for this change today!  In their book, "A Catechism for Adults" on page 115 under "Note #1" it states, "The Church (meaning the Roman Catholic Church) changed the Lord's Day from Saturday to Sunday because our Lord rose from the dead on Sunday and the Holy Spirit came down upon the Apostles on Pentecost Sunday."  Unfortunately, they fail to see that Jesus Christ RESTED in the grave on HIS Sabbath Day!  And, as soon as the Sabbath was over, HE AROSE!!  As His followers, we are to also rest on HIS HOLY DAY - Saturday, the seventh day of the week.  Jesus called Himself, "the Lord of the Sabbath".  It belongs to Him (not the Roman Catholic Church or any other denomination), and therefore, we have no authority to move it to another day.

In closing, ALWAYS be diligent to study the accuracy of what your spiritual leaders are teaching you.  As I have just shown above, it is easy for a person to be deceived and to believe false teachings unless that person stays in God's Word, the Bible, on a daily basis. 

Did Jesus Come to Fulfill the Law of God?

I received a comment this week from a reader making the following statement:  "The law of God exists, but has been fulfilled."  This person was referring to Matthew 5:17 which says, "Do not think that I came to abolish the Law (destroy it) or the Prophets.  I did not come to abolish but to fulfill."  Most Christians have been taught that this means Christ has fulfilled the Law of God.  (Past tense.)  However, the very next verse will set this false teaching straight and show that Christ was referring to a future time.

Matthew 5:18 says, "For assuredly I (Jesus) say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled."  Is heaven and earth still here?  Yes, they are.  So what?  Well, Jesus just said that if heaven and earth are still here - then He has not fulfilled the Law of God, yet.  Jesus has not yet fulfilled the Law of God and the proof of that statement is in the fact that heaven and earth are still here!

The answer to the question in the title of this post is this:  Yes - Jesus came to fulfill the Law of God!  He just hasn't done it yet - contrary to what most of us have been taught through our preachers, Bible colleges, or even our own families.   So, when is Jesus going to "fulfill" the Law of God?  When He comes back again to set up the Kingdom of God here on earth.  The Kingdom of God will also have His "Kingdom Law".  How do I know that?  Because the above verses in Matthew are part of the Beatitudes, which Jesus gave describing His "Kingdom Law".

Throughout the book of Matthew, Jesus gives parables (stories) about "a king" and "a kingdom".  In these stories, He is talking about Himself, His Kingship and His Kingdom.  When we put our trust in Jesus Christ - that He is Almighty God in the flesh, Who came to earth to become the sacrifice for our sins, and that He rose again and will be coming back for us - we become His children and citizens of His Kingdom.  As a citizen of the U.S., I have laws I must obey.  Likewise, the above verses are part of His discourse to the crowds about His "Kingdom Law".  It has not been abolished, destroyed, or even fulfilled! 

The Lawgiver and His Law cannot be separated.  If you throw out one, you are throwing out the other as well.  Law and Grace do go together, contrary to the false teaching in many of our churches.  Isaiah 42:21 says, "He (Jesus, the Messiah) will exalt the law and make it honorable."  Throughout the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John), you see Jesus exalting His law and making it honorable.  That is what the Pharisees were constantly fighting against - and it is what the false teachers of today are fighting against as well.  (Just a hint:  I think I know Who wins out in the end!)

Go out today and enjoy the heaven and the earth that God has so graciously bestowed on you, and remember His promise in Matthew 5:18.   

Which Day is the Sabbath?

According to the Bible, God's Word, the Sabbath Day is the 7th day of the week, which is from sundown on Friday night to sundown on Saturday night.  Jesus, (God the Creator, Colossians 1:15, 16), made the Sabbath Day at Creation for all mankind.   (The Jewish people were not in existence yet.  Genesis 2:2-3).  This explains why the 4th Commandment begins with the word, "Remember the Sabbath Day to keep it holy."  This is also why Jesus said, "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.  So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath."  (Mark 2:27-28).  In that statement, Jesus is clearly referring back to Creation and re-stating that the 7th day is His day, the true Lord's Day.

Genesis 2:3 says that "God blessed the 7th day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made."  It was God Who "sanctified" the Sabbath Day, making it "holy and set apart".  Because He rested from His work on that day, He commands that no work is to be done on it - either by us or by our causing other people to work on that day for us.  (Exodus 20:8-11).  Since God is our Father and we are His children, we are to follow in His footsteps. 

The Sabbath is a day to be different from the other 6 days in our week.  Many Christians think it doesn't matter which day of the week we worship God on.  It's important that we remember that God never called the first day of the week (Sunday) "holy" or any of the other 5 days.  The Sabbath Day, which is the 7th day of the week, is the only day which God called "holy" and by doing so, He consecrated it to Himself as a day for us to shut the world out so we can spend time in worship, fellowship, and relationship with Him. 

Jesus said, "If you love Me, you will keep My commandments." (John 14:15).  Since the Sabbath Day is one of God's Ten Commandments, the first reason we are to honor the Sabbath Day is because of our love for Jesus Christ and the grace He has so richly poured out upon us for our salvation.  Secondly, because of all that He's done for us, it should be our heart's desire to be obedient to His Word and to all of His commandments.  As David the Psalmist said in Psalm 119:174, "Your law is my delight."

Is Jesus Christ God or the Son of God?

So many are confused about Who Jesus Christ really is.  Part of this confusion lies in the way He is said to be "God", and yet, referred to as "the Son of God".  If He is the Son of God, then how can He still be "God"?

Almighty God, our Creator, became the Son of God when He chose to become a tiny cell Himself and implanted Himself in the womb of a virgin girl named Mary.  Mary, at that time, became a surrogate mother - carrying the embryo of the Creator and King of the universe in her womb!

The Roman Catholics believe that because Mary carried the sinless "Son of God" in her womb - then that means she had to be sinless as well.  That is not true as there is only one entity in this world Who is without sin, and that is God Himself - Jesus Christ.  The way that Mary was able to still be a sinner but give birth to the sinless Son of God is because of the way God has designed the placenta in a pregnant woman.  The placenta blocks the mother's blood from getting to the baby, and only lets the nutrients filter through to feed him/her.  Many believe that God somehow had a sexual relationship with Mary to produce "God the Son".  That is not true!  Just as God was able to form the first Adam from the dust of the earth in Genesis 1-3, He was also able to form the "Second Adam" by wrapping flesh around Himself and implanting Himself as an embryo into Mary's womb.

Because God at this time took on flesh and blood, was born of a human, and was given a human Name, Jesus, He is therefore referred to as "The Son of God".   It does not mean that God had a baby boy.  It means that God Himself WAS the baby boy, named Jesus!  

So, what does this mean to us today?  Well, Almighty God, our Creator, made us for the express purpose of  having a relationship with Him.  Because He is the Creator, He laid down some rules (Commandments) for us to live by.  His moral law is summed up in what we call "The Ten Commandments".  God says that "we have all sinned" (Romans 3:23).  Sin is lawlessness or being without law. (I John 3:4)  In other words, every person ever born has broken God's law by disobeying it, rebelling against it, and thereby turning their backs on God Himself.  Ask yourself, "Have I ever lied?  Have I ever stolen anything - big or little?  Have I ever lusted after a man or a woman? (God says you have committed adultery in your heart, if you have.)

Because we have disobeyed and rebelled against Him and His law, turning our backs against Him - He says we have brought His wrath down on ourselves. The penalty for our sin and disobedience is DEATH in the lake of fire.  But, because God Almighty loves us so much - He decided to take the suffering and death meant for us, upon Himself so that we could live.  If you have ever seen Mel Gibson's movie, "The Passion of Christ", that really shows how angry God is at our choice to rebel against Him and His goodness to us!  We are all in BIG trouble with the God of the universe, because He came back to life after He was crucified - and now stands ready to be our Judge in the Day of Judgment after we die.

At that time, the Book of Life will be opened.  Those who have chosen to repent of their sin (turn away from sinning and turning their backs on this world), and have given their lives back to Jesus Christ and chosen to follow Him - their names will be in the Book of Life.  John 3:36 says, "He who believes in the Son (that Jesus is God in the flesh) has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son (that Jesus is God in the flesh) shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him."

If we don't repent of our sins and choose to give our lives to Jesus Christ,  there will be a Judgment Day after we die when we will stand before God Almighty - Jesus Christ Himself.  At that time, we can try to explain to Him just why we chose to continue to sin against Him - after all He did for us.  If we think He is angry at us now, just wait until we see His anger on that Day of Judgment for not caring that He suffered and died for us so that we could have life, along with every good thing that we are enjoying on earth today.

If you should die in your sleep tonight, the next Person you will see when you wake up will be Jesus Christ as your Judge.  Are you prepared to meet your God in person?  If not, get on your knees before Him right now and ask His forgiveness for your sin and rebellion against Him.  Then tell Him that you give your life to Him to follow Him as your Lord and Master from this day forward.  If you do that, you can know that your name is now recorded down in the Book of Life!  Then go and get yourself a copy of the Bible.  Start reading the book of John, and obey what you read.  I look forward to meeting you in Heaven one of these days!

There's a chorus that says:

"After all He's done for me, After all He's done for me;
"How can I do less than give Him my best, and live for Him completely;
"After all He's done for me."  

What About Good Friday? True or False Theology?

Another year has gone by, and now it is Good Friday again - the day most Christians will honor as the day that Jesus Christ was crucified.  However, are you believing something that is true or something that is false?  Let's take a look at what the Bible - God's Word - has to say about it.

In Matthew 12:40, Jesus said that He would be 3 days and 3 nights in the ground (grave).  Simple math shows that He was cruicified on a Wednesday.  The next day, Thursday, was a special Sabbath day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Leviticus 23:5-7).  It was when THAT "Sabbath was past" (Mark 16:1), that the ladies went shopping for spices - which would have been Friday.  The following day would have been the 7th day Sabbath (Saturday) when they rested again, and then early the next day, Sunday morning, they went to the tomb and found Christ had already risen from the dead!

So, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday nights make 3 NIGHTS in the grave.  Thursday, Friday, and Saturday make 3 DAYS in the grave.  So to say today, Good Friday, is the day of Christ's crucifixion is not true!  Many have asked me, "Why does that even matter?"  Well, it should matter to us as Christians because if ANY part of this prophecy didn't come true - then Christ was not the Messiah (God in the flesh)!  He staked His right to claim Messiahship on this prophecy!  If we teach otherwise, then that means we are denying the Truth of God's Word and that Jesus Christ is the Messiah, the True and Living God come to earth to offer Himself as a sacrifice for our sins! 

How does taking part in false teaching such as this, bring honor and glory to our Lord?  Basically, we are saying that He lied!  We are also going against the 9th Commandment of God which says, "Thou shall not lie!"  So let me ask you, "Are you going to choose to believe God's Truth or are you going to choose to believe a man-made lie?"  Whose Truth will you choose to believe? 

What is the Grace of God?

I've been studying the definition of grace this past week.  What does it mean to be "saved by grace"?  Since my blog is on the topic of "Lawless Grace", I thought maybe it was time to look at the possibility that "the grace of God" being taught in our churches is not "the grace of God" in the Bible.
 
The word "Grace" in Strong's Concordance means "to favor, to bend or stoop down in kindness to an inferior."  The word "inferior" implies "a nobody" - someone who isn't special in any way. Isn't that a wonderful picture of God?  Almighty God showed "favor or grace" to us by "stooping down in kindness" through the person of Jesus Christ to someone like me, an inferior or a nobody!  I didn't have to be a hollywood movie star to receive the grace of God.  I didn't have to be a famous president of a large country or company to receive the grace of God.  I didn't have to be anybody special for God "to favor me" and show me His grace!  These kind of "credentials" is what "works" means in Eph. 2:8 & 9.  The Pharisees in the New Testament had this mindset that they were "somebody special" because they were so strict in following God's Law - therefore, deserving of God's grace and favor.

When I find a new insight, I always like to go to the Bible and check out how it "fits", because if it doesn't make sense or doesn't "fit" with what the other verses say - then I've got it wrong.  So let's take a look.  In Genesis 12:1 & 2, we find Abram was just an ordinary human being, a "nobody", but all of a sudden God "stoops down in kindness to an inferior" and calls him to be a "somebody" for Him.  That's God's grace!  God's calling came first (grace/salvation), then Abram's obedience came second (he left his country as God commanded him.).

In Exodus 3:3 & 4, we find Moses out taking care of his father-in-law's sheep.  At this point in time, Moses was just a "nobody" - going about his normal business of the day.  Suddenly, God calls to him from a burning bush.  Almighty God is again "stooping down in kindness to an inferior" and calls him to be a "somebody" for Him.  That is God's grace!  Again, we see that God's calling came first (grace/salvation), then Moses' obedience came second (he became the one to deliver God's people from slavery to Egypt.).

The last one I want to look at is in Genesis 6:8:  "But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord."  A couple verses later it says, God told Noah to build an ark because a flood was coming to destroy the earth of it's lawlessness (disobeying God's laws).  Again, we see God calling just an average man to be obedient to Him.  That is God's grace!  The calling of God came first, and then man's obedience followed.

The grace of God was shown to me when Almighty God, the Creator of the universe, came down to earth and took on a human body and a human name, Jesus Christ.  This awesome God "stooped down in kindness to an inferior" like me!  He then suffered and died a horrible death as a sacrifice for my sin (my disobedience to His commandments) and rose again.  He then called me by name to repent of my disobedience against Him and to come and follow Him through obedience for the rest of my life.  This obedience includes His 10 Commandments (including keeping His Sabbath Day holy), following Him in water baptism, and then in whatever other way His Spirit may lead me.  Just remember this, though:  God's amazing grace and calling comes first.  My obedience to His calling always comes second.

"Amazing grace, how sweet the sound - that saved a wretch (inferior) like me;
I once was lost but now I'm found; was blind but now I see."

"For many are called, but few are chosen." (Matthew 22:14)

"As For Me and My House, Which God Will We Serve?

Almost all of us have viewed on wall plaques, on signs, and heard preachers preach on the Bible verse, "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." (Joshua 24:15)  Most don't realize that this verse has MUCH more to it than just that phrase.

In fact, this verse really begins with, "And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, CHOOSE for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell."

My question is this:  "Does it seem evil to you to serve the Lord?"  Everytime we make a choice that goes against God's Word or one of His commandments, we are actually saying to God, "It really seems evil to me, Lord, what You are commanding me to do!"  By saying that, we have just put ourselves above God Almighty!  Also, at that point, we have just fallen into "Moral Relativism".
 
Moral Relativism is the belief system in the world today that says there are no absolutes of right or wrong - it is all relative to the situation.  As Judges 21:25 says:  "Everyone did what was right in his own eyes."

The problem is that "...it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment."  (Hebrews 9:27)  Where there is a judgment, there is a "court of law".  The Law we all will be judged by are the Ten Commandments of God.  Many Christians are being taught by false teachers that God's Moral Law, the Ten Commandments, has been done away with.  However, most of these same Christians believe in a judgment.  It is illogical thinking that you can have one without the other!

Every decision we make this day, we will be faced with 2 choices:  1) Will we serve and glorify the One True God Almighty - Jesus Christ, or 2) Will we choose to serve the gods "in whose land we dwell?" Well, what ways do we serve "the gods in this land we dwell in?"

I Corinthians 10:31 says, "Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God."  The foods we eat (and the amount of food we eat), does that reflect us as servants of God or servants of this world system?  What about the way we dress - does it "seem evil to you to serve the Lord" by not compromising with the styles that this world is offering to you?  Does it "seem evil to you to serve the Lord" by choosing to not go to movies that this world is pressuring you to go see?  What about video games, the internet, etc. etc.?  "Does it seem evil to you to serve the Lord" when God says it is wrong?

Lastly, what about the last commandment given to us by our God, Jesus Christ, to GO and make disciples of all nations...?  Does it "seem evil to you to serve the Lord" because He has commanded that you leave your comfort zone to pass out gospel tracts or to speak with someone about the Lord Jesus Christ? 

"If it seems evil to you to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell.  But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."
(Joshua 24:15)

Is Black Friday for Christians?

Last year I posted an article about Black Friday and how it is tied to coveting and being covetous.  This year, I think it's important to make clear what exactly God has to say about our actions on this day of the year:

Thus says the Lord, "Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have."  (Hebrews 13:5)  To me, it doesn't get much plainer than that.  Coveting and practicing covetousness is a sin.  In fact, it is one of the 10 Commandments of God.  Again, if you don't know what sin is, God says in His Word in I John 3:4 - "Sin is lawlessness."  Sin is breaking and being disobedient to one or more of His commandments. 

Thus says the Lord, "For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.  Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things (Covetousness!) the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience." (Ephesians 5:5,6) These are very strong verses as God actually says that you cannot be a Christian and take part in covetous practices.  In fact, God says those that do, have no inheritance in the kingdom of God (because he/she is an idolater)!

Thus says the Lord, "Do not love the world or the things in the world.  If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him."  (I John 2:15)  As a Christian, I'm not sure how you can be out shopping on this Black Friday and not see that it is all about "the things in the world"!  If that is true, are you not WILLINGLY practicing disobedience to God and His Word?  Please think about that.

Thus says the Lord, "Do not be conformed to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind...." (Romans 12:2)  I read that to mean we are to be different than the world, not joining them in their pagan practices, or even WANTING to take part with them. 

As Christians, we are supposed to be a "new creation".  We are called to be "law-keepers", not "law-breakers" when it comes to God's commands in His Word.  This world needs us to be willing to STAND UP and BE DIFFERENT.  We are to be LIGHT in this world of darkness.  Light and Dark are not the same, but different!  If you are choosing to be like the "darkness" around you, then you are only contributing to the darkness that is in this world.

Do you want to be different?  Try obeying the one positive command in Hebrews 13:5 above:
"....be content with what you have."  If every Christian would practice just that one commandment, just think of the changes that would come on this world.

Man-made Laws versus God-made Laws

I found an interesting story in I Kings 12:26-33.  Jeroboam had been made king over all Israel, even though Rehoboam was the son of Solomon and was the true heir to David's throne.

King Jeroboam was afraid that if the people went to Jerusalem to worship the Lord, they would leave him and go back to Rehoboam.  In verse 28, King Jeroboam had two golden calves made.  Here we read that King Jeroboam told the people WHAT to worship. In verse 29 it says, "Now this thing became a sin, for the people went to worship before the one as far as Dan."  This verse says that Jeroboam told the people WHERE they were to worship.  What I want to share with you today, though, is in verses 32 and 33 where King Jeroboam tells the people WHEN to worship.

Not only did Jeroboam dictate to the people WHAT they were to worship, and WHERE they were to worship, but he also dictated WHEN they were to worship!  This was really fascinating to me.  In verse 32 it says, "Jeroboam ordained a feast on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, like the feast that was in Judah..."  Verse 33 says, "So he made offerings on the altar which he had made at Bethel on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, in the month which he had devised in his own heart."

The feast that Jeroboam was trying to copy was the Feast of Tabernacles, mentioned in Leviticus 23:34.  The problem, though, is that God's Feast was to be celebrated on the 14th day of the 7th month - not the 15th day of the 8th month!!  For some reason this made me think of the many ministers today that tell their congregations that the 7th-day Sabbath is now on the 1st day of the week! They are "devising in their own hearts" (like Jeroboam above) the day and time of our worship of God. Not only that, I also know of some who tell their people that "it doesn't really matter what day of the week you worship the Lord on - just so you worship Him!"  Wow!  Nowhere in the Bible are we told that it is ok "to do what is right in our own eyes"!  (Judges 21:25)

I'm beginning to realize just how much Satan hates the number 7!!  Many have said that the number 7 is God's holy number.  If that's the case, then it doesn't surprise me that Satan has connived to move God's Sabbath Day to the first day of the week instead of the 7th day.  The same seems true for the above passage when King Jeroboam moved the 7th month Feast of Tabernacles to the 8th month!

There's a saying that goes like this:

"God's Word says it - I believe it - That settles it!"

Is this true for you or are you "devising in your own heart - doing what seems right in your own eyes?"  As I've written in earlier blogs, when God's kingdom is set up here on earth - there will not be two worship days.  One will be done away with, and I'm very sure it won't be God's 7th day Sabbath!

The Sabbath Day - A Gift from God

It's interesting how many Christians believe that the Sabbath Day was only given at Mt. Sinai, and only to the Israelites.  Most are familiar with Genesis 2:2, 3 that says "On the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made."  However, this was BEFORE Mt. Sinai, BEFORE Moses, and BEFORE there were "Israelites". 

Do you realize that when God created the seventh-day Sabbath (Saturday), Adam and Eve were there with Him!  (If you remember, they were created on the 6th day of creation.) This 4th commandment of God was given to ALL mankind when it was given to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.  It was a gift given to them so they would not have to work "24/7" and could rest and have a relationship with Him.

Exodus 16:4, 22-24, 27-28 is a passage where God reminded His people of this wonderful gift He had given them.  God had just delivered the Israelites from being in slavery to the Egyptians.  The Egyptians were hard task masters, expecting God's people to work 24 hours a day - 7 days a week.  However, once God miraculously delivered them out of Egypt - He had to remind them about His gift of the Sabbath Day.

In verse 4, God says that He will rain down bread from heaven, "that I may test them whether they will walk in My law or not."  What "law" was God referring to since we've been taught there was no law until Moses at Mt. Sinai?  As you read further, you will see that God was referring to His law of the seventh day Sabbath.

Verses 22-24 state:  "On the sixth day, they gathered twice as much bread...Then Moses said to them, 'This is what the Lord has said:  'Tomorrow is a Sabbath rest, a holy Sabbath to the Lord.'  So they laid it up till morning as Moses commanded.  Then Moses said, 'Eat that today, for today is a Sabbath to the Lord; today you won't find it in the field.  Six days you shall gather it, but on the seventh day, the Sabbath, there will be none.  Verses 27-30 state:    Now it happened that some of the people went out on the seventh day to gather, but they found none.  And the Lord said to Moses, 'How long do you refuse to keep (obey) My commandments and My laws?  See!  For the Lord has given you the Sabbath; therefore He gives you on the sixth day bread for two days.  Let every man remain in his place; let no man go out of his place on the seventh day.  So the people rested on the seventh day."

Every Saturday, which is the "seventh day Sabbath of the Lord your God", we have a choice either to obey our God by being thankful for this day of rest and opportunity to show our love to Him - or to go out and do our "own thing" such as shopping, eating at restaurants, etc. - stubbornly refusing to honor and glorify God by being disobedient to Him and His commandment.

As someone once said, "God gave me the gift of the Sabbath, and that's why I'm keeping it!" 

The Link Between Secular Humanism and Christianity's Teaching of "Lawless Grace"

Before I begin this post, I want to make it clear that a person's salvation is not based on their good works or on obeying the Ten Commandments, etc.  God's law (the Ten Commandments) was given to show us that we all are sinners - deserving of God's wrath and judgment because of our sin and rebellion against Him.

As Christians who have repented of our sin and given our lives over to the lordship and control of Jesus Christ, we now obey the Ten Commandments as well as other commandments given in the Bible because of our love for Him and for the suffering, punishment, and death He took in our place on the cross.  It is now our life's purpose to live our lives to bring glory to God. 

However, if as New Testament Christians we say we no longer have to obey God's commands (which is lawless grace, by the way!) - then what is left?  Christian Humanism!  We are now people who say we are Christians, BUT we live for ourselves and what makes us happy!  If it doesn't make ME happy or it interferes with MY life and the plans I have made for MY life - then I just don't have to obey what God is telling ME to do.  Christian Humanism! 

Let's take God's fourth commandment for example in Exodus 20:8-10:   "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.  Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath   of the Lord your God.  In it you shall do no work...."  Here God says, "Don't forget the Sabbath day. Don't forget to keep it holy (set apart from the rest of the world)." 

Every Sabbath day (Saturday) we drive to church, we pass churches that are closed.  Why?  They have chosen to forget God's holy day, the Sabbath!  Christians have chosen instead to work on that day or to make others work on that day by going to malls, restaurants, ball games, etc. etc.  If you read the rest of Exodus 20:10 it says we are not to make anyone else work on that day as well.

So how does Humanism fit into all of this?  Christians today are choosing to make themselves happy instead of making God happy.  It's when "my happiness is more important than God's happiness".  When we make God the means to our happiness instead of making Him the end, we are practicing Humanism.  Somehow our happiness becomes more important to us than our holiness and obedience before God.

As one of the old ministers on the Revival Hymn said, "It's not what you are going to get out of God - it's what He is going to get out of you"!  As Christians, our only reason for being is the glory of God!

What is Christian Humanism?

What is "Christian Humanism"?  Actually, the term "Christian Humanism" is an oxymoron.  Humanism believes that "the chief end of man is happiness".  Christianity believes that "the chief end of man is to glorify God forever in Christ Jesus".  These two are basically polar opposites.  Christians as well as churches are being deceived into accepting this belief system called Humanism.

One of my favorite Christian programs to watch is Manna Fest with Perry Stone.  Last night his topic was, "Tapping into the Blessing Cycle".  His guest speaker was Walter Hallam.  Mr. Hallam began his presentation by stating, "Every man of God was born for success."  Excuse me, Mr. Hallam.  Did I hear you right?  Let's look at what he said with the definition of Humanism in mind.  My paraphrase of what Mr. Hallam said might go something like this:  "Every man of God was born for happiness."   Hmmmm.
That sure sounds like Humanism to me.

"Christian Humanism" desires to make God the means to our happiness instead of making God the end .  Our purpose in life is not so we can be "happy" or successful.  Our only reason for being is for the glory of God in Christ Jesus!  That is the chief end of all mankind.

There's a reason this generation is called "The Me Generation".  Young and old alike have fallen for the very first lie in the Bible.  God had told Adam and Eve not to eat from the tree in the middle of the garden.  Satan came along and told Eve in Genesis 3:4&5 that they would not die but that "... you will be like God"!  Wow!  Wouldn't that make you "happy" - to be like God??  What's sad is that Christians, and even our pastors are falling for this lie of making the goal of your life "happiness" instead of "bringing glory to God".

One of my favorite videos is called "Revival Hymn".  It's 35 minutes long, but will turn your life around if you let it!  One of the prayers recorded in it goes like this:

"Lord Jesus, I'm gonna obey You and love You and serve You and do what You want me to do as long as I live even if I go to Hell at the end of the road simply because You are worthy to be loved, obeyed and served!"

My next post will take a look at how "lawless grace" and "humanism" are tied together.  For now, take a few minutes to enjoy the video.  God bless!

The Apostasy: The Great Bible Cover-Up Revealed

The "Great Bible Cover-Up" originally began about 20 years ago or so when the first Bible carrier was produced. You know, the little cloth bag with cloth handles that people put their Bibles in to make it supposedly easier to carry back and forth to church. They are also convenient for keeping notebooks in as well so it's there whenever you want to take sermon notes, etc. But the biggest secret about these carriers is this: no one knows you have a Bible!!

Shortly after this, the desktop computers came into our homes.  It wasn't long before you could purchase software of the Bible to put on your computer.  This was really convenient because it allowed you to be able to read the Bible at work without having to carry the Bible with you to work. But the biggest secret about having Bible software is this:  no one knows you have a Bible!!

After the desktop computer, came the Palm Pilot, and now more recently we have the iPods, the iPhones, and the iPads.  All of these items really make it convenient for carrying the Bible with you wherever you go.  But the biggest secret about these is this:  no one knows you have a Bible!!

The other day I went to a Christian bookstore to buy a Bible to put on my car's dashboard.  Boy, was I ever in for a surprise!!  I found that most of the Bibles are now "embossed" but not "imprinted" with ink.  This means the words "Holy Bible" on the front or spine of the Bible barely stand out.  Well, I guess just in case someone, like me, should want an "old-fashioned" Bible - the "Great Bible Cover-Up" is going to make it look like an ordinary book by removing the actual title - The Holy Bible!

Is this what we as Christians should be supporting or "buying into"??  Where are the Christians today who are not ashamed to be called Christians and to show they are Christians by carrying their Bibles out in the open where everyone around them can see them??

Also, how do you know the preachers on T.V. who wave their arm around with an iPad attached really have God's Word open in it?  Our children are watching them preach from an iPad - not from the open book called, The Holy Bible! Shame on us for letting this world conform us into its mold!  (Rom. 12:2)

Jesus gave this warning in Mark 8:38:  "For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels."

Jesus also said in Matthew 5:14-16:  "You are the light of the world.  A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.  Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven."

Search your hearts carefully and see if the REAL reason you are taking part in this "Great Bible Cover-Up" is because you are ashamed to be seen carrying God's holy Word?  Are you letting this world conform you into its image - instead of obeying God's Word to come out from among them and be separate and holy?

The Apostasy: Parents Obeying Their Children

In my previous posts, I've written about the apathy and complacency Christians have in these last days regarding obedience to the Ten Commandments - God's Law. But what about our children who are the next generation? I want to take a look at the Fifth Commandment, "Children, honor your father and mother." Are they learning to honor and obey their parents or are their parents honoring and obeying them?

If you sit long enough at a park or mall, it won't take you long to see "parents obeying their children" as they jump at their child's every wish, command and temper tantrum. Christmas time is the perfect time to see how "parents honor their children" by going into debt to buy them every toy their little hearts desire. Going into homes, you may notice how children are allowed to grab the chairs, while the adults are willing to stand or even to sit on the floor just so their children can have the "best seats in the house". Where are the days when children were made to get up and offer their chair to the parent/adult? (Leviticus 19:32) No wonder this generation is being called the "Me Generation". Of course, as most of us know, this is a sign of the last days according to 2 Timothy 3:2 where "disobedience to parents" is mentioned.

However, what does God's Word say in the Ten Commandments, specifically the Fifth Commandment? In Exodus 20:12 it says, "Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you." In the New Testament, it is re-stated in Ephesians 6:1 and Colossians 3:20 by saying, "Children are to obey their parents". In fact, nowhere in God's Word will you find a command for parents to obey their children.

So, the question is WHY are children being allowed to be disobedient to their parents? Well, the first obvious answer is that Christian parents are failing in their job to teach them to be obedient to God's Law by "obeying their parents." And when there is disobedience, there is no discipline or consequence by the parents for the disobedience. "Lawless Grace" may even be an issue here since many Christian families lead their children to the Lord at a young age. If you believe in the theology that "the law has been done away with" and that you are "saved only by grace" - then why teach your child to obey God's law when he/she is saved and going to heaven anyways?

However, I'm really hoping that is not the case. Parents need to TEACH their children that when they disobey their parents, they are also disobeying God's Law. Whenever I was disobedient to my parents, I first got instructed on how I had not only disobeyed my parents - but how I had also disobeyed God. After my father spanked me, he would tell me I needed to pray and ask God to forgive me for my disobedience towards Him and His commandments. So I would pray and then, my father would hug me and tell me how much he still loved me and how much God loved me. Because of my father being there, I was taught not only obedience to my parents but also obedience to my God.

Another reason I believe Christian parents are failing in their job to teach their children to be obedient to them is the fact that so many of these parents are giving up their responsibility to raise the children God has given them. In these last days, Christian mothers and fathers are choosing to not be in the home when their children need to be taught obedience to God's commands. These parents are choosing to put their children into daycare or expecting grandparents to do the job that God has given them to do. In doing so, children are not being taught to obey their parents (because their parents aren't there) and they are not being taught to obey God. For those of you who are "single mothers" and must work outside the home - it's just more imperative that the time you do have with your children is time spent teaching them to be obedient to you as their mother and showing honor to other adults in their lives as that is the only way they will understand how to show honor and obedience to God.

In closing, I just want to remind all of us that as Christians, we are called to "not be like the people or world around us". Romans 12:2 says, "And do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind...." This includes the way we raise our children. They need to understand that when they disobey their parents - they are also disobeying God and His commandments. Our children also need to be taught that because we are Christians - our homes and the discipline, honor, and respect in our homes is going to be different than our friends and neighbors because "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord" and not ourselves.

The God of Lawlessness or The God of Law?

Recently, my son got married and he requested a new red-letter edition Bible. As a wedding gift from me and my husband, both he and his wife are receiving matching Bibles, with Jesus' words written in red in the New Testament. This made me wonder if Christians today REALLY understand who Jesus truly is? Why would His words be in red in the New Testament, but not be in red in the Old Testament?

A few weeks ago I wrote a post "Apostasy and the Worship of Two Gods". Here is just another example of the apostasy and false teaching in many of our churches regarding the "God of the Old Testament" and the "God of the New Testament". Obviously for many in our churches, the "God of the New Testament" speaks in red letters, and the "God of the Old Testament" speaks in black letters. The "God of the Old Testament" is a "God of Law", and the "God of the New Testament" is a "God of Love", Who has "done away with" the Law. In other words, we are being taught that the "God of the New Testament" is a "God of lawlessness". I don't know about you, but I definitely would call that heresy!

As I've been reading in Ezekiel this past week, over and over again, I've read: "And the word of the Lord came to him..." Or, "Tell the people, 'Thus says the Lord'". Genesis 1:3 says "Then God said,..." Isaiah 48:17 says, "Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer." John 1:1 says, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." John 1:14 says, " And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth." Who are these verses talking about, but Jesus! In John 14:9 Jesus says, "He who has seen Me has seen the Father."

Why then are these "Thus says the Lord" phrases in the Old Testament not in red? Because of the false teaching that Jesus is not the God of the Old Testament. Of course, Christians know that if they accept the belief that Jesus is the God of the Old Testament as well as the God of the New Testament - they then would be held accountable for not keeping all ten of God's commandments. Exodus 20:1 says, "And God spoke all these words..." and then proceeded to give the Ten Commandments to His people. The Ten Commandments were first SPOKEN to Moses and then they were WRITTEN down. So, either way, they are God's Word. And, God's Word in the flesh is Jesus Christ!

So, I think I'm going to buy myself a new red-letter edition Bible. However, as I read through the Old Testament and see phrases about "the word of the Lord", "Thus says the Lord", "the voice of the Lord", etc. - I'll be keeping a red pen in hand to circle these as they come across the page. By the time I'm done with the Old Testament, I will have a better understanding WHY at the Name of Jesus every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, the Mighty God, Wonderful, Counselor, the Everlasting Father, and the Prince of Peace. Jesus is not the "God of Lawlessness", but the God of Love AND the God of Law - worthy of our love and obedience forever and ever. Amen!

Apostasy and the Worship of Two Gods

Let me ask you who you think of when you hear the phrase, "God of the Old Testament"? Now, who do you think of when you hear the phrase, "God of the New Testament"? How about, "He's a God of love" or "He's a God of wrath"?

A few days ago I had a revelation when I read Isaiah 29:18,19 - "In that day the deaf shall hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity and out of darkness. The humble also shall increase their joy in the Lord, and the poor among men shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel." This is saying that JESUS is the Holy One of Israel! Jesus is the God of the Old Testament, and Jesus is the God of the New Testament. (By the way, God is not the one who divided our Bible into these two sections. The Bible is ONE Book (Testament) about ONE God!)

The "finger of God" that wrote the 10 Commandments on the stone tablets (Exodus 31:18) is also the "finger of God" that Jesus said HE used to cast out demons (Luke 11:20). Just think of it, the "finger of God" which touched the deaf ears and the blind eyes is also the "finger of God" which wrote the 10 Commandments! In John 8:58 Jesus said, "Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM." So when you read the Old Testament and read "Thus saith the Lord of Hosts" - you now know WHO is speaking to you. And, when you can grasp the magnitude of that statement - not only will your reading of the Old Testament become more alive, but your life will be changed forever!