.
"Only
one way.....GOD'S way...the way of
the cross of Calvary."
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Satan has many evil schemes with
which he tries to deceive people. We
are not be ignorant of his many
devices. His delight is to blind
others to the truth, as he is the
tempter and father of lies. He can
still appear as an angel of light.
Just as he deceived in the Garden of
Eden, he still desires to capture
souls today and lead them astray.
Today, Satan uses more subtle ways
and has more means of communication,
in which to deceive the multitudes.
We are either of this world, or we
have been made new creatures in
Christ. Our conversation (lifestyle)
is either in heaven {Phil. 3: 20},
or is rooted in the ways of this
world. If sin has met grace in our
lives, we are made free, as God has
shown mercy to us, and erased all
our sins. He then leads us in right
paths, and teaches us how to be true
followers, by obeying His Word.
If we look around us and listen to
the different teachings on
television, radio, or even in some
of the churches today, we find a
"new gospel" that is not the gospel
of Jesus Christ. Instead, we find it
is the gospel of men, who have added
to the pure gospel and changed the
simplicity of God's Word to faith
formulas or theories. Many teach the
laws of 'sowing and reaping' as if
it is were a game, or spiritual
lottery, instead of the blessings of
God for obedience to His Word, in
all things.
God's blessings come in many ways,
and all reaping of seed sown into
the kingdom is not always financial.
We are not "little gods"...as many
teach today.... but we do have a
"big God" whose Spirit lives within
our heart and lives. God does
promise to supply all of our needs,
according to His riches in glory, IF
we seek Him first and His kingdom.
Merchandising of the gospel is
rampant today, just as the Bible
speaks in 2 Peter 2. We are not to
be ignorant of these devices of
Satan, or fall for old lies in a new
age, or the false religions of man.
People desire wealth more than
wisdom, riches more than revelation,
money more than mercy, and
experiences before true exaltation
of God or examples in His Word. The
good news of the gospel is put aside
by many and replaced by experiences.
which many believe are new
revelations of the will of God. Any
experience men may have which
doesn't line up with God's Word, is
not to be accepted as being from the
Lord. So many today follow or look
for signs instead of trusting in the
Savior. Signs follow believers, and
will always point to the Savior. God
supernaturally shows forth His power
through obedient believers.
The teachings of the apostles have
been changed by many into "how to
have success in secular life" ...
instead of teaching people to
observe all things Jesus has
commanded. The Apostles went into
the world with a message from God.
Today, the world comes into the
church with a new message of man,
seeking earthly riches, instead of
laying up treasures in heaven. Many
see Christ like a "Santa" instead of
a "Savior" and make their wish list
of what they will command God to
give them, believing they can speak
or claim it, and have whatever they
say. Yet, they haven't lived in
humility or obedience to God's Word,
and have missed the message of
denying the flesh, taking up their
cross daily, and following the Lord.
Many no long ask what they can do
for the Savior, as the message in
some circles seems to be more on
"how to be healthy, wealthy, or
wise"....instead of salvation, in
the name of Jesus and blessing Him.
A person's blessings and favor with
God is measured today in some
circles by the type of automobile
one drives, their bank accounts, or
the clothes they wear. They forget
the "faith hall of fame" in Hebrews
11, which is an example of humble
saints being rich in God's grace and
embracing the promises in spite of
circumstances or having no permanent
dwelling on earth. It doesn't take a
large crystal cathedral or prayer
tower reaching unto the heavens, in
order for God's people to meet with
Jesus to worship Him in spirit and
truth. Where two or three join
together in His name, He promises to
be in our midst. People can find
God's presence in the middle of the
jungle, a cabin in the wilderness, a
tent in the desert, or any other
place where "living stones" gather
as the house God is still building
on earth. Anyone who seeks God and
calls upon His name, will find He
will meet them, no matter where they
make their altar of prayer. Our
prayer is for more "lively stones"
to be added, as we seek to be about
the Father's business.
The salvation message has not
changed, although the methods may be
different in reaching the world
today. The message of Jesus is still
the same and will never grow old.
When men have to be entertained in
order to find God's presence, they
have missed the mark of worshipping
in spirit and in truth. If it takes
methods and motivation by others to
create our personal atmosphere of
worship, we've missed the message of
"letting God arise and seeing His
enemies be scattered". . .that His
presence might be manifest among us
in all we do or say.
We, as Christians, have the Spirit
of the living God in our hearts.
Just knowing "He abides" should be
enough motivation to glorify and
honor His presence, giving thanks
for His help each day. Without a
relationship, there will be no real
worship from one's heart. Jesus told
the woman at the well, "ye worship
ye know not what." Worship in spirit
and in truth is worship that agrees
with His spirit of truth. It is
worship by living a holy lifestyle
and knowing God personally. God's
children can go boldly before His
throne of grace and know He will
meet them there.
When one repents, God gives them the
key of authority to boldly approach
Him by faith, in spirit and truth,
through His name. Jesus is the great
High Priest who removed the barriers
to the most holy place and mercy
seat. He waits for us to abide in
Him. There is a secret place of the
Most High God, in which we can abide
under the shadow of the Almighty.
Recognizing the benefits of being in
Christ, helps us to claim His
promises and appropriate the
privileges given us, as His
children.
Many see how close to the world they
can live and enjoy the pleasures,
while trying to hold on to God and
be identified with His people.
Spiritual identification is not
because of who we gather with, but
is because of Who we belong to. If
Christ is not our Lord and Savior,
then we are not truly a part of the
body of Christ on earth. Our
birthmark, or identification as
believers, is not earthly riches or
fame. It is a changed life with
attributes of Jesus and a humble,
contrite heart. It is the seal of
the living God and His Spirit in our
hearts, which gives us the riches
and favor of God's marvelous grace.
Our right as Christians is not to
treat God as a "bellhop" who will
answer our every beck and call. We
are to see Him as a holy God, who
honors faithfulness. He will do what
He has promised to do for us, when
we faithfully obey Him. We can't
speak into existence all the things
we desire. God will add unto us
everything we need, if we let His
Word speak truth to our hearts and
follow Him.
If one could truly have "all they
say and speak"....we would not have
the Apostle Paul's and other
teachings of "how to be content in
every circumstance and situation."
If one could rebuke the enemy and
always see him leave at their
command, as some teach; then
something would have been amiss in
the gospel. The Lord told Paul that
"His grace was sufficient" for him,
when he was buffeted by a messenger
of Satan. God allowed it for a
reason. The Apostle Paul did not
spend time 'binding or rebuking' the
messenger of Satan, as today's new
teachings instruct people to do.
Paul called upon the Lord, as the
saints of old, and in prayer He
found the Lord was all he needed to
make it through. God's grace was
sufficient. Through righteous living
and resisting the enemy, we can have
victory in Jesus through all the
trials of this life.
Paul taught believers to "resist the
devil and he would flee from
them"....to have God's laws written
upon their hearts, that they might
not sin against God. His teaching
was that we must take up the whole
armor of God, be sober and vigilant,
as Satan is as a roaring lion,
seeking whom he may devour. God's
Word teaches us the "spiritual
weapons of our warfare are not
carnal, but are mighty, to the
tearing down of strongholds." We
have been given everything we need
to defeat the enemy, but we must use
the weapons of warfare and put on
the whole armor of God. The easy way
out for many is believing their
words stop Satan, yet their lives
give him the foothold needed to take
them captive. We can bind Satan by
obeying God's Word and confessing
divine truths from God's Holy Word.
The Bible teaching of binding and
loosing in church government and
discipline, has been changed to that
of speaking words to Satan. We
cannot bind or loose by words, that
which has not already been bound or
loosed by God in heaven. Many
churches have strayed from the
teachings of New Testament, and
changed them into formulas of men.
Yet, God loves and calls His people
to return to His ways.
God's Word reveals the way to have
victory, which is through obedience
to His will. We need spiritual
discernment in these last days and
are told to "try the spirits" and
see if they be of God. When we try
the spirits, or judge experiences
and words, we find many are not
"from God" although they may appear
to be "about God." There is a big
difference in knowing about God and
having a personal and living
relationship with the Lord. We are
told we can know the spirit of truth
and of error. Many ask how do we try
the spirits?
The Spirit and the Word of God will
always agree, if it is the true
spirit of the Lord. We can test,
discern, and examine by the Word of
God, as we have the truths which
must be followed to be successful in
our walk with Him. To test the
spirits is to know by proof or
experience, that something agrees
with God's Word as approved by Him.
We wrestle not against flesh and
blood, but against principalities,
powers and spiritual wickedness in
high places. We have nothing to fear
as we have been raised up by God and
quickened together with Christ, to
sit together in heavenly places in
Christ Jesus. (Eph. 2: 6) We don't
just visit with the Lord, or
experience His presence on days we
gather to worship, but instead, He
lives within our earthly temples of
clay. We are to have an ongoing
relationship in which we experience
His presence and joy, as we live a
life of worship each day. Either we
are seated together with Him in
heavenly places, or we are living
below our privileges and only
occasionally visiting the secret
place of the most High God. Too many
people today are praying for the
Lord to "visit them" at their
convenience, when the Lord tells us
He wants to live in us and dwell in
our lives continually, as we praise
Him by a lifestyle of worship.
Living the lifestyle requires
walking in His ways, although we are
in the world.
The disciples were over-comers by
the blood of the Lamb and the Word
of their testimony. We can only
resist the enemy through our
confession in the 'Living Word 'and
His shed blood. He is the Word of
our testimony who will keep us. His
blood will never lose it's power. It
is not by might nor power, but only
by his spirit, that we can live the
victorious life. Fleshly discernment
deceives and leads people astray,
but wisdom that is from above is
first pure, then peaceable, gentle,
and easy to be entreated, full of
mercy and good fruits, without
partiality, and without hypocrisy.
And the fruit of righteousness is
sown in peace of them that make
peace. (James 3: 17-18)
By the Sword of the Spirit, one can
ward off Satan and the lust of the
flesh, lust of the eye, and the
pride of life, just as Jesus did. We
have been equipped for success with
weapons of warfare and armor to make
us strong in Christ. In the name of
Jesus, no weapon formed against us
shall prosper. We give thanks for
the One who is with us at all times,
to help us be victorious in Him.
We will not be denied, when we ask
the Lord for His help in all things.
His promises are faithful and true.
Claim victory in Jesus today and be
blessed. Because sin met grace, our
sins have been erased. Because grace
was greater where sin did abound,
the presence of Jesus can now be
found. As the words to an old song
say, "He was there all the time."
Recognizing the presence of the Lord
is letting Him reveal His love to us
in all the days and times of our
lives. We must draw nigh to Him and
when we do, we find He draws nigh to
us and will lead us in his paths of
righteousness. Because He lives, we
can face tomorrow, knowing that our
God has everything under control.
Blessings In Christ,
Jo Ann Kelly © 2005
J. P.'s Inspirations
http://www.my.homewithgod.com/jpinspirations/
