Deception

For when they say, "Peace and safety!" then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape." 1 Thessalonians 5:3

Take heed that no one deceives you! Click here

Does it seem that everywhere you turn you are running into a wall? You try to do the "right thing," but your best is never quite good enough? People let you down, your wallet has a hole in it, for every two steps forward you feel that you have been pushed a step back. Have you lost your peace amidst the storm and now you just want a way out?

Have you quit going to church because you leave feeling just as empty as when you went in? Have you quit praying because you feel that your prayers are no longer heard and you struggle to find strength to just be still? Do you have questions and the cliché "religious" answers are just not cutting it anymore? Is your faith wavering and you are walking the tightrope and teetering on unbelief?

My friend, your struggle is not something new click here. You must remember that you are in a very real battle click here. As a follower of Christ, you have become a target for the enemy. He has sent his soldiers after you to not just cripple you (although that would please him), but to kill you.

Remember, you do have the weapons needed for this kind of warfare click here.  You are more than a conqueror through Christ who strengthens you.

What is the greatest temptation that you are facing right now?

It should come as no surprise that Christianity is the most persecuted religion in the world. The meaning of Christianity is not about religion, but to be a follower of Christ; to be a true imitator of Jesus, in word and in deed. It is about relationship with the One who has created you and called you by name. As your relationship with Christ strengthens and you are being conformed into His image, you will carry His light into a very dark world and the world will not like that light, because it will expose the darkness, the agenda of the enemy. It will cause discomfort for those who want to stay in the comfort of their denial and ignorance.

The enemy is clever and his attack is strategically subtle. First, he will try to seduce you and lure you into his trap of complacency. Eventually you may find yourself compromising and making excuse. You will begin to become numb in the spirit and the lies that you hear, (which by the way... half truths are still lies) will start to make sense to you. Confusion will set in. You will start to fall into agreement with the world when it says, "surely, God is a God of love and He wants you to be happy, so if it feels good, do it." You begin to remain silent for fear that you will appear "judgmental" or "intolerant."  Even though you know inside that it is wrong, you pacify that conviction with the thought "if they like me they will listen to me." You mistakenly believe that building a relationship with the world will give you some kind of credibility to speak to them. You wait for that perfect time to share the truth with them and before you even realize it, you have forgotten what the truth really is.

You will begin to let your defenses down and expose yourself to more attack. Now the attack is getting real and you are not even aware, that like the world, the light that you once carried is now making you uncomfortable. So you seek out someone who preaches their version of the "good news" and not the true Gospel. You think you will find rest in the ear tickle words of people who are saying peace when there is no peace. These people will distort the message of grace. They will tell you to be happy, because they do not understand that there is a difference between happiness and joy.

Happiness is based on circumstance, joy is the knowing that Christ is with you, it is hope.

Many find the truth offensive. Strange, in a world of hostility and assault, we should shrug off the truth in the name of (false) peace.

We should not be surprised when we see the falling away. Yet, I marvel when I see how someone so on fire for the Lord being lulled away by erroneous teaching because their message makes them feel good. I do not say this lightly and one thing I have learned is to never say never. I pray that like Peter, I will always say "Lord, where else could I go but to you?"

Still, here we are and we have to ask, how have we, as a church, fallen so far? Where have we lost it? Where have our fathers, mothers, sisters, brothers, and children gone?

What are we to do? How are we able to withstand? click here

It is not difficult, know this, God will not be mocked, nor will His Spirit be conjured up, for we know that we are all His creation, but not all of us are His children. We were created for Him, for relationship with Him, and when that fellowship with Him was broken through sin, He made a way through His Son on the cross to reconcile us to Him.

Hell was not intended for us, but it is real. It is the heart of God that none shall perish but all shall have everlasting life. Do not fall for the lie that there is no heaven, there is no hell, or we are all going to heaven, or just as bad there is nothing after this life. My friends, we will all face eternity, it is just a matter as to where.

You will live in your fathers house. You must choose who your father is. It is a choice. God has already chosen you and now you must  choose. Do not harden your heart.  

The day is coming where we will all have to give account, every single one of us, and there will be no escape when that day comes. So put away your mental list of what you have done, because when you stand before Him the only thing that matters is "are you His." A stranger does not enter the Fathers house, His children enter His house.

What must you do? Repent! Confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and in your heart believe that God raised Him from the dead and you will be saved. Romans 10:9

When you receive salvation through Jesus, He will give you a Helper, a Comforter, a Teacher, and He will lead you in the way of truth. So, when you hear the fancy and charismatic words of false teachers, you will know to run from them. When the world calls good evil and evil good, you will know to run.

Do not be afraid and do not partner with the world. Even if you feel you are standing alone, He has promised that you are never alone because He will never leave you. The Lord always has His remnant, take your place in His family. You are a warrior, but the battle is not yours. Trust in Him to deliver you. Stay in His presence. Be the light in a dark world, walk in His love.

Be Free & Stay Free

Elephant in Your Living Room

A man was walking the grounds of a circus, observing the animals. As he approached the elephants he was confused by the fact that these huge creatures were being held by a single rope tied to their leg. Obviously the elephants could break the rope and walk away, but oddly, they did not.

He motioned to a trainer nearby and asked him why such a magnificent and strong creature made no attempt to break away? How could it be that such a small rope could restrain such a large and strong creature?

 “When they are young we use a similar size rope to tie them and because they are small they cannot break away. As they grow, they are conditioned to think that the rope can still hold them, so they never try to break free.” The trainer answered.

The man was amazed! Imagine, the elephant could break free at any time, but because he believed that he could not, he didn’t even try. The elephant was stuck right there, in captivity.

I wonder, if the man had cut the rope, would the elephant walk away to freedom? If he had cut the rope at the stake, but left it on the elephant’s ankles, would the elephant still believe that he was bound to the stake? Or, what if he cut the rope from his ankles? Would the elephant then know he was free? Or would he stay, because it is what he knows? Would he stay because “this is the way it has always been”?

How many of us are like that elephant?

How many are held captive to the ropes of the past?

How many have learned to adapt to the ropes; perhaps even embraced the ropes?

Sure does sound silly, doesn’t it? Imagine the tragic comedy it is when we choose to hold on to the things that keep us so bound up, rather than walk in complete freedom.

There is a phenomenon called Stockholm syndrome. It is a strong emotional tie that is formed between two people where one abuses, threatens, harasses, intimidates, or beats the other. It is suggested that the bonding is the victims coping mechanism, in response to the trauma of being a victim.

As strange as it seems that a majestic creature like the elephant stays chained to a small rope, it is even stranger that a victim should form a bond with a person (or thing/addiction/mind-set) who has taken their freedom away and abused them. Yet, this is what happens, in the spiritual.

We begin to identify with the chains of bondage because we do not know our identity.

We identify to labels. Don’t believe me, ask someone who they are and they will probably tell you their job title; you know, the one word title that describes what we do (or where we have been).

There is ONE who can cut those ropes of bondage from you and give you freedom.

John 8:36 says, “Therefore if the Son (Jesus) makes you free, you shall be free indeed.”

I put emphases on the “if” because it is important that you understand something. It IS Gods will that you be free. He has made all provision for your freedom, through His Son, Jesus. His gift of salvation is free. He will never force it on you. He will also never deny you should you choose to accept the free gift of salvation, freedom. When you accept His Son, you have accepted all that comes with being an heir.

2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold all things have become new.”

What does this mean?

I am going to break this down for you in very plain language.

If you have Christ, you are no longer a victim! You are more than a conqueror through Christ who strengthen you. You are to be conformed into His image, you are dead to your past and you are alive in Christ who gives you the hope and the promise of eternal life. You have received forgiveness and you are to offer forgiveness to those who have wronged you, abused you, hurt you and to yourself. Unforgiveness will keep you tied to your past and to your old mindsets. You are no longer a whore hopping from bed to bed, relationship to relationship, you are sanctified, you are pure and you are to offer yourself up as a living sacrifice to the One who has set you free. You are no longer an addict, an alcoholic, an angry person, an inferior person, a victim, an abuser, a fearful person, a selfish person or a self-preserved person.  You are not a fortress within yourself.

Your freedom has been purchased at a very high cost. You are to no longer play in the pig pen with the pigs, you are washed clean with the blood of Jesus. Your future is secure and you are to break ties with the past. You cannot hold onto the past while looking to the future.

That tie that held you for so long is no longer there. That phantom feeling you get of the rope on your ankles is a lie and you must recognize that.

I am not suggesting that this is always easy, because sure enough there will be times when it seems that all hell will break loose on you. But, free people always have a choice. You can choose to believe the lie and risk becoming bound again, or you can choose to believe Gods promise.

Jesus said if you abide in His Word, you are His disciples and you shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free. Whoever commits sin is a slave of sin and a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever.

Many of us have had painful past. Many of us have been victims of people and/or circumstance that was beyond our control. But that is not what defines us. The past is not where we find our identity. Our identity is found in Jesus.

What is it that holds you back? What do you need to let go of? Who do you need to forgive?

Confession and repentance is the first step to freedom. Repentance means to no longer return to the rope (sin) that has held you. You turn away from it. You cling to Jesus. You allow Him to bring healing. You do not self-medicate with un-holy relationships or addictions. To many this may seem impossible, to step out of the comfort zone and break old habits, but Jesus said that what is impossible for man is possible with God.

As a free person, you have a choice. You can choose to believe Him or not to believe Him.

God is faithful, He cares for you and He loves you. There is nothing that can separate you from His love. He wants you to acknowledge and walk in the freedom that He has given you. He wants this more than you.

Are you weary? Are you tired of the merry-go-round of emotions? God says come up here. Learn to see through His eyes.

Kick that elephant out of your living room and divorce your past. You have no more relationship with your past. You are a new creation. A holy nation, a royal priesthood, an heir with Christ, a child of the Most High God. Walk in it!

Be Free & Stay Free

Good works aren't good enough

It is not being good that will get you into Heaven. Try as hard as you may, but in your own strength and given to your own devices, this will not do it. Your goodness is not the ticket to Heaven.

Nor is:

• going to church
• singing in the choir
• taking a vow of poverty
• being wealthy
• giving all of your money to causes
• not drinking, smoking, or any other thing you view as wrong
• not stealing
• being kind
• volunteering
• working in ministry
• preaching to thousands
• being faithful to your spouse

The list can go on and on, but you get the point.

Our own righteousness is like a filthy rag Isaiah 64:6.  When we hold ourselves to the law  we will always fall short. There is no way we can fulfill the law. If we break one, we are guilty of breaking them all. There is a price for violating the law and the judge is a just judge and He can not let the guilty go free.

But there is a way!

Thanks be to God, our fine has been paid. Our debt has been paid. It is through this free gift that we can be sure of our salvation. Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through Me."

Let everything you do be to the glory of God. Don't let your good works be for nothing.

For God so loved the world (you and me) that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16

Be Free and Stay Free