"Perverted Values"

“Perverted Values”

 

Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.       Isaiah 5:20

 

The world we live in today, is a very difficult place for the Christian lifestyle.  We are seeing MORE of a twisted view of one’s VALUES or MORALS.  Society has dictated to us the way we SHOULD live our lives, according to their perspective on what is RIGHT, and what is WRONG.

 

To an UNBELIEVER, the VALUES of a person are VERY PERVERTED.  The UNBELIEVER will practice a WICKED and PERVERTED lifestyle, and try their best to pass it off as something that is GOOD, when God, the RIGHTEOUS JUDGE, considers it to be EVIL. 

 

The UNBELIEVER’S VALUES, are influenced by the DARKNESS of an EVIL, DARK world, which promotes its EVIL behavior as something that is GOOD and keeps people in the DARK with such DECEPTION.  Their EVIL, DARK lifestyle is laced with BITTERNESS of IMMORALITY and PERVERSENESS, with the deception that their PERVERTED VALUES are GOOD.

 

They lead people to believe that the lifestyle of a TRUE BELIEVER is NOT GOOD, but that it is EVIL or BAD, and is NOT really LIGHT in a DARK world, but that it produces BITTERNESS and HATRED for them and their PERVERTED VALUE SYSTEM. 

 

Isaiah says, “WOE” to those who call EVIL GOOD and GOOD EVIL, who put DARKNESS for LIGHT and LIGHT for DARKNESS, who put BITTER for SWEET and SWEET for BITTER.  This is a WARNING for those who believe and practice such PERVERTED VALUES. They WILL be JUDGED and SENTENCED to an ETERNITY in HELL, the place of UNENDING torture, torment, pain, heartache, agony and despair, with NO WAY of ESCAPE. 

 

Where do you stand?  Are you practicing PERVERTED VALUES?  Are you calling EVIL GOOD, and GOOD EVIL, putting DARKNESS for LIGHT and LIGHT for DARKNESS, one who puts BITTER for SWEET and SWEET for BITTER?  If this is how you LIVE and BELIEVE, then WOE to you, for you are facing an ETERNITY in Hell, unless you TURN AWAY from you PERVERTED VALUES and TURN TO God, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART, CONFESSING your sins to Him, and asking Him for His FORGIVENESS, BELIEVING with ALL your HEART that Jesus died for YOU, and is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God, then ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and get rid of your PERVERTED VALUES, and start LIVING for God.  Do it NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

"The Word of God"

“The Word of God”

 

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.      2 Timothy 3:16-17

 

This was the Apostle Paul’s last letter, it was written to Timothy, his ‘son in the faith’.  It was the Apostle Paul’s final charge to Timothy. He, more or less, wanted Timothy to take up where he had left off.  And to use the Word of God as a SWORD to ward off the FALSE teachers and IMPOSTERS of the Word of God.  Those who WRONGFULLY teach and instruct the Word, and who leads others astray.

 

Paul, encourages Timothy to CONTINUE in the Word of God, in that which he had learned and became convinced of.  The Holy Scriptures, which is the Word of God enables one to become wise for SALVATION through FAITH in Christ Jesus.  It NEEDS to be taught in churches, today.  But it MUST be taught TRUTHFULLY and in order to do that it MUST be READ and STUDIED.  It is NOT just a book that is used when we attend church.  It MUST be USED DAILY.

 

All Scripture is the Word of God and is “God-breathed” or INSPIRED by GOD.  “You must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things.  For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”  (2 Peter 1:20-21).  It wasn’t written by man, himself, on his own, but they wrote what was given to them by the Holy Spirit of God.

 

It is through the Word of God that we obtain SALVATION, and it is through the Word of God that we are equipped to do the WORK of God, it teaches us.  It is BENEFICIAL to our Christian living.  It is used for CONVICTION, it rebukes us, when we go against God’s will.  It SETS THINGS RIGHT, it corrects us.   It EQUIPS the TRUE BELIEVER to do EVERY GOOD WORK of God, it trains us.  

 

We cannot function as TRUE CHILDREN of GOD, unless we KNOW what is RIGHT and TRUTHFUL, and LIVE IT.  We MUST READ and STUDY the WORD and KNOW what it says and what it means, and APPLY IT to our LIVES DAILY! 

 

Do you know what the Word of God says about obtaining SALVATION?  If you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to GOD, then you probably don’t know what you need to do, in order to RECEIVE His gift of SALVATION, in order to keep you out of an ETERNITY in Hell, the place of UNENDING torment, torture, pain, heartache, agony, and despair, with NO WAY of ESCAPE.  The Word of God tells us that you need to TURN AWAY from your sins and to come to God with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART, CONFESSING your sins to Him, and asking Him for His FORGIVENESS, BELIEVING, with ALL your HEART that Jesus died for YOU, and is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God, then ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION.  When you do this, begin READING and STUDYING the Word of God, and become STRONG in your FAITH, EQUIPPED to do EVERY GOOD WORK of God.  Do it NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

 

"Who is Jesus Christ?"

“Who is Jesus Christ?”

 

He is the image of the invisible God, the first born of all creation.  For by Him all things were created both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities---all things have been created through Him and for Him.  He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.  He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything.        Colossians 1:15-18

 

Just who is this JESUS?  Well, I’m going to give you a brief glance at some of the attributes that describe WHO HE IS.  Most of us KNOW that He is the Son of God, but He is MORE than just a Son.  (1) He is the IMAGE of the INVISIBLE GOD, “image” here means the REPRESENTATION and MANFESTATION of the Living God.  “He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power.” (Heb. 1:3)  

 

(2) He is the FIRSTBORN over CREATION.  This does NOT mean that Jesus, the Creator, created Himself, for one cannot create himself.  “All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.”  (John 1:3)  Jesus Christ PRECEDED Creation and is SOVEREIGN over ALL Creation.  Just as the FIRSTBORN of a family has PRIORITY of being born first and therefore has the SUPERIORITY that goes along with it.   “Firstborn” implies SOVEREIGNITY.  The term “FIRSTBORN” here implies the PRIORITY of Jesus Christ over Creation in time, and His SOVEREIGNITY over Creation by His rank.

 

(3) He is the CREATOR of the UNIVERSE.  ALL thing were created both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, this includes the ENTIRE UNIVERSE, both material and immaterial.  “But in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son, whom He appointed Heir of all things, and through whom He made the universe.  (Heb. 1:2)

 

(4) He is the HEAD of the CHURCH.   The CHURCH is the INVISIBLE or UNIVERSAL CHURCH, which is made up of ALL TRUE BELIEVERS.  There is neither Jew nor Gentile, no racial identification, ONLY the special body of TRUE BELIEVERS, a NEW CREATION of God, and of whom Jesus Christ is the SOVEREIGN, the HEAD of the special body.

 

(5) He is the FIRSTBORN FROM the DEAD.  Jesus Christ, TRIUMPHED over DEATH, with His RESURRECTION from the DEAD.  He was the FIRST to be RESURRECTED from the dead, NEVER to DIE again.  Because of His OBEDIENCE to the point of DEATH on a cross, and being RESURRECTED from the DEAD, “God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.”  (Phil. 2:9-10)

 

This is a brief picture of who Jesus is.  Do you KNOW Him as your LORD and SAVIOR?  Have you given your HEART and LIFE to Him?  If NOT, you are HEADED for an ETERNITY in Hell, the place of UNENDING torment, torture, pain, heartache, agony and despair, with NO WAY of ESCAPE.  You MUST TURN AWAY from your SINFUL LIFESTYLE and TURN to God with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART, CONFESSING your sins to Him, and asking Him for His FORGIVENESS, BELIEVING, with ALL your HEART, that Jesus died for YOU, and is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God, then ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and become a part of His BODY, the “SPECIAL” creation of God.  Do it NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

 

"Slaves to Sin = Spiritual Death or Slaves to Righteousness = Eternal Life?"

“Slaves to Sin = Spiritual Death or Slaves to Righteousness = Eternal Life?”

 

But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching that has now claimed your allegiance.  You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.    

But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life.  For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 6:17, 18, 22, 23

 

The life-style of an UNBELIEVER, is that they are SLAVES to SIN.  This means that their life is MASTERED by SIN.  And not just SOCIAL SINS, drinking, sex, cursing, gambling, cheating, adultery, stealing, murder, etc., but SINS of the HEART, disobedience, disrespect, hatred, depravity, wickedness, etc.  These are all SINS that MASTER the UNBELIEVER’S life-style.  And will bring SPIRITUAL DEATH, with an ETERNITY in Hell, the place of ETERNAL TORMENT.

 

The Apostle Paul, in this part of His letter to the TRUE BELIEVERS in Rome, is giving THANKS to God for the CONVERSION of the ROMAN BELIEVERS, the fact that they were FREE from their BONDAGE of SIN, and that they came to OBEY, from their heart, the teaching that they had claimed allegiance to, the WORD of God, and were made SLAVES to RIGHTEOUSNESS.

 

He goes on to tell the TRUE BELIEVERS that because they have made the WISE CHOICE, in ACCEPTING the SALVATION of their souls, having been set FREE from their SINS and becoming SLAVES of GOD, their benefit is that they will REAP HOLINESS, which leads to ETERNAL LIFE in Heaven. 

 

For the wages of SIN is DEATH, SPIRITUAL DEATH, ETERNAL SEPARATION from the HOLY, RIGHTEOUS God of the UNIVERSE, a HORRIBLE demise.  But the gift of God is ETERNAL LIFE, with NO SEPARATION ever, ALWAYS with God, the FATHER and His SON, the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

What is your choice?  To be a SLAVE to SIN, and to reap SPIRITUAL DEATH, with ETERNAL SEPARATION from God, in Hell, the place of ETERNAL TORMENT?  Or would you make the WISE CHOICE of TURNING AWAY from your SINS, to be SET FREE from your bondage to SIN, and to become a SLAVE of RIGHTEOUSNESS, and to receive the gift of God, ETERNAL LIFE in Heaven with Him and His Son, Jesus Christ.  In order to do that, you MUST come to Him with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART, CONFESSING your sins to Him, and asking Him for His FORGIVENESS, BELIEVING, with ALL your HEART, that Jesus died for YOU, and is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God.  Then ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and be SET FREE from your SINS and SPIRITUAL DEATH, and become a SLAVE to RIGHTEOUSNESS, with ETERNAL LIFE in HEAVEN.  Do it NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

"Why Be A TRUE Child of the Living God?"

“Why Be A TRUE Child of the Living God?”

 

The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in mercy.  He will not always strive with us, nor will He keep His anger forever.  He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor punished us according to our iniquities.        Psalm 103:8-10

 

Why should mankind come to God for the SALVATION of their souls?   Let’s look at some pretty good reasons:  First, the Lord is MERCIFUL and GRACIOUS, because of His MERCY and GRACE, we have the opportunity to be RESCUED from our sentence of CONDEMNATION, which, for those who are NOT a TRUE CHILD of the LIVING GOD, is an eternity in Hell, which NO ONE in their RIGHT mind wants. 

Secondly, God is SLOW to ANGER, and ABOUNDING in MERCY.  With ALL the SIN, WICKEDNESS, DEPRAVITY, and REBELLION AGAINST God, yet He is NOT one to ‘fly off the handle’, but there is a point in time when He will not put up with the SIN, WICKEDNESS, DEPRAVITY, and REBELLION.  When, Jesus returns, in the clouds, to take the TRUE CHILDREN of the LIVING GOD, home to Heaven, the RAPTURE, then God will unleash His anger on the earth and those who are NOT His TRUE CHILDREN, those who have IGNORED and REJECTED His ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, the Lord Jesus Christ, they will be subjected to the WRATH of God.  You still have the opportunity to come to Him NOW, because He is ABOUNDING in MERCY.  

Thirdly, Because Jesus Christ took our SINS and GUILT upon himself, God will not always strive with, nor keep His anger forever with those who belong to Him.  Their SINS and INIQUITIES are FORGIVEN and COVERED by the shed BLOOD of Jesus Christ, they are removed from us, as far as the EAST is from the WEST. 

FOURTHLY, because of His MERCY and GRACE for His TRUE CHILDREN, He will NOT deal with us according to our sins, nor will He PUNISH us according to our iniquities.  In other words, because of Jesus’ REDEEMING work on the cross, we will NOT receive what we DESERVE.

 

These are some reasons to become a TRUE CHILD of the LIVING GOD.  If you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to GOD, then you are NOT His TRUE CHILD, you are His creation, but NOT His TRUE CHILD.  Your ETERNAL DESTINY is a place called Hell, the place of UNENDING torture, torment, pain, agony, heartache and despair.  But God in His ABOUNDING MERCY and ABUNDANT GRACE is offering you the opportunity NOW, to TURN AWAY from your SINFUL lifestyle, and to come to Him with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART, CONFESSING, your sins to Him, and asking Him for His FORGIVENESS, BELIEVING, with ALL your HEART, that Jesus died for YOU, and is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you, before Him, then ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and become a TRUE CHILD of the LIVING GOD.  Do it NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

"Living As Servants of God"

“Living As Servants of God”

 

For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people.   Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God.         1 Peter 2:15-16

 

We live in a very SINFUL, WICKED, DEPRAVED world, and for the TRUE BELIEVER it is very DIFFICULT to live the way God wants and expects us to live.  We face all kinds of adversities, trials, and temptations, but it is the will of God for us to live, doing good works, which would stop foolish people from showing their ignorance by saying stupid things about us. 

 

We are expected to live by being OBEDIENT to the laws of the land, in other words we are to obey the laws that are given to us, to live by. Unless, of course, they are contradictory to the laws of God.  We are to yield to the highest authority in this land.  We are to be LAW-ABIDING CITIZENS, which seems to be the minority in this day and time.  However, by doing this, we are obeying the will of God, and shutting the mouths of ignorant, foolish people, who love more than anything to PERSECUTE and DEMEAN the Christians.

 

The Apostle Peter tells us that we should live as people who are FREE, FREE from the penalty of SIN, but we are NOT to use our FREEDOM as a cover-up for participating in sin, instead we are to LIVE as SERVANTS of GOD.  That means we are to follow the example that Jesus has set before us, and strive to live according to the WILL of God, by living as a SERVANT of God.  One who seeks, with ALL their HEART to live doing the GOOD THINGS God want us to do.  SERVING Him and HONORING Him. 

 

We will fail every now and then, but it is up to us to make it right with God, by SEEKING His FORGIVENESS and continuing to LIVE as His SERVANT.  If you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to God then you are LIVING in SIN and are destined for an ETERNITY in Hell.  You MUST come to God with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART, CONFESSING, your sins to Him, and TURN AWAY FROM your sins, BELIEVING, with ALL your HEART that Jesus died for YOU, and is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God, then ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and start LIVING AS GOD’S SERVANT, by doing good things, and being OBEDIENT to the WILL of God.  Do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

"Getting and Maintaining Wisdom"

“Getting and Maintaining Wisdom”

 

Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.  Keep your mouth free of perversity; keep corrupt talk far from your lips.   Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you.  Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways.   Do not turn to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.       Proverbs 4:23-27

 

The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom. (v7) “Wisdom is the quality of being wise, good judgment based on knowledge.”  (Webster’s Dictionary)   GETTING WISDOM, is the beginning of wisdom.  The writer of Proverbs, tells the reader that they NEED to LISTEN to a Father’s INSTRUCTION; PAY ATTENTION and GAIN UNDERSTANDING.  In other words, be WISE by LISTENING, PAYING ATTENTION and GAINING UNDERSTANDING. When they have been OBEDIENT to follow those instructions they will have obtained the beginning of WISDOM.

 

Then the Writer goes on to give instructions on how they can MAINTAIN or KEEP their WISDOM.  He tells them that, “Above ALL else, GUARD your HEART, for EVERYTHING you do flows from it.”   In this passage the word HEART takes in NOT only the mental and emotional capacity, but also the VALUE SYSTEM.  What they SHOULD and SHOULD NOT do, in order to MAINTAIN WISDOM.  

 

KEEP YOUR MOUTH FREE of PERVERSITY; keeping your mouth from wicked speech, and letting the words of your mouth be ACCEPTABLE to God.  KEEP CORRUPT TALK far from your lips.  CORRUPT or DISHONEST talk should NEVER come from the mouth of the TRUE BELIEVER, the one who TRULY TRUSTS in the LORD. 

 

LET YOUR EYES LOOK STRAIGHT AHEAD; fix your gaze directly before you.  Don’t be DISTRACTED, but CONTINUE on the STRAIGHT and NARROW, keeping your eyes on Jesus.  Living an UPRIGHT lifestyle, and NOT being like the Apostle Peter, who took his eyes off of Jesus, and began to sink into the sea.  If we take our eyes off of Jesus, which is a VERY UNWISE thing to do, we to sink into the sea of sinfulness.  So LET YOUR EYES LOOK STRAIGHT AHEAD to the RIGHT PATH of your life.  KEEP YOUR EYES ON JESUS!!

 

GIVE CAREFUL THOUGHT to the paths for your feet and be STEADFAST in ALL your WAYS.  The REALLY WISE thing to do here, is to let the HOLY SPIRIT lead you to the RIGHT PATH, then with PERSERVANCE and STEADFASTNESS, STAY on that path.  DO NOT turn to the RIGHT or the LEFT; KEEP YOUR FOOT FROM EVIL.  STAY ON THE STRAIGHT and NARROW! 

 

These are the things that a TRUE BELIEVER MUST do in order to GET and to MAINTAIN WISDOM.  But if you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to GOD, which is NOT the WISE thing to do, you are destined to an ETERNITY in Hell, the place of UNENDING torture, torment, pain, heartache, agony, and despair.  You must do the WISEST thing you have EVER done or will do.  Come to God with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART, CONFESSING, your sins to Him and asking Him for His FORGIVENESS, BELIEVEING with ALL your HEART that Jesus died for YOU, and is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for YOU, before God, then ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION and GET WISDOM and MAINTAIN WISDOM.  Do it NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!