When the Lord saved our souls he left the body unchanged and still able to sin and follow its lusts. ( Romans 7: 17-25). Our Lord Jesus, the second Adam had to come in the flesh (Without the sin nature) in order to identify with us when he offered himself as a ransom for our sins.  When we are saved the Holy Spirit begins his warfare against the flesh with its pride and ego, then we are humbled by the Lord’s correction and are able to experience his presence through prayer, as God resists the proud but gives Grace to the humble.

Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, 1-Peter 5:6 NASB.

In the Book of Romans believers are told that “Willful” sinning can bring weakness, sickness and the body may be put to sleep, death. (The soul goes to be at home with the Lord, it was saved for all Eternity by the ransom paid by Jesus on the cross! The only thing that may be lost is any Rewards given at the Lord’s Judgment of our works done in the flesh for Him.)

So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. Romans 8:6 NLT.

For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God’s laws, and it never will. Romans 8:7

For if you live by its dictates, you will die. But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature, you will live. Romans 8:13 NLT.

Remember that in our struggle against sin that comes through the flesh is that the key is not yielding or embracing the sin willfully. Paul was not judged or chastened because he hated the sin which caused him great frustration when he committed it. The Lord has promised that after we have suffered awhile (Humbled through various trails, some fiery) He will strengthen and establish us. After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you 1-Peter 5:10 NASB The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you Romans 16:10 NLT. The battle is the Lord’s through His Holy Spirit who is our comforter, greater is He who is in us than he who is in the world-Satan.

Don’t give up in your battle with sin!    Indeed, there is not a righteous man on earth who continually does good and who never sins. Ecclesiastes 7:20 NASB.

In our struggle against sin, the Lord pities us knowing our frame, that we are dust. His promise to David was He would never stop loving him but when he embraced sin, he would be punished. It is the same for us believers today! David wrote Psalm 119 in which he describes God’s punishment for his sin of adultery, murder and disobedience to the Lord. His son born out of wedlock was taken by the Lord, (To Heaven) many in his Kingdom turned against him. Swimming in your bed shows a man with no rest, no peace. In Psalm 119 David said when he confessed his sin God forgave him. Then David said; “When I went astray you punished me but now I keep your word”. What grace the Lord showed to him even calling him; “A man after my own heart”, the Lord thinks the same about us, He sees His Son in us and loves us because we love Jesus!

Consider this, when the Lord rose from the dead, he displayed his new body to the Apostles, he ate a fish and honeycomb before them. He wanted them and us to understand that we will not be spirits floating around Heaven playing Harps! The body Jesus displayed will be ours also, exactly the same, we will be able to eat or not with our senses of taste, smell expanded beyond what we can imagine. You will be able to be somewhere by just willing it, as Jesus demonstrated personally! Sounds weird? The word of God declares it;  Dear friends, we are already God’s children, but he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is 1-John 3:2 NLT. Having the same incorruptible body!

When we believers reign with Christ on earth in his 1000 year reign, Jesus said that he, with  believers will enjoy the marriage supper of the Lamb and drink the new wine with him. This is literal, we will be able to enjoy the crops of the earth, the fruit of the vine, never ever subject to death or sin.

This is our sure hope for our saved souls and weak bodies.  That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.” 1-Corinthians 2:9 NLT.

My purpose in writing this blog is to exhort believers in their struggle against the sin that so easily besets us. (Unbelief)

 

Author Ken

 

January 15, 2013

A special prayer for the children and their parents.

Words cannot express the hurt felt with the loss of a son or daughter, it is like a knife in the heart.

Many ask God why and can’t understand how he could allow these horrible acts which we see take place day after day. Lord do you care they ask, seeking to understand. With the fall of Adam, evil entered our world, we see its results through the much pain and suffering today. The enemy of our souls is Satan and his demons (Fallen Angels) tempt, possess a person/persons and do much harm. It may be that those who do such heinous acts as murder children are possessed by demons? Jesus met a man possessed by many demons, who was in a Cemetery. They went across the lake to the region of the Gerasenes.^{[a] 2} When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an impure spirit came from the tombs to meet him. ³ This man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain. ⁴ For he had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him. ⁵ Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones.  Jesus cast out the many demons and set the man free (The people saw him clothed and in his right mind) and he wanted to stay with the Lord. Mark 5: 1 to 5

As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged to go with him. ¹⁹ Jesus did not let him, but said, “Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” ²⁰ So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis^[b] how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed. Mark 5: 18 to 20

So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free. John 8:36 NLT.

When an evil King heard that a Messiah who was the King of Kings and Lord of Lords was born, he sent his Soldiers to kill every male child two years old and younger. What God’s Prophet had foretold came to pass. “A cry was heard in Ramah–weeping and great mourning. Rachel weeps for her children, refusing to be comforted, for they are dead.” Matthew 2: 18 NLT.

*I believe all the little children who die go to Heaven, my prayer for their parents is that they will realized this and be comforted in their sorrow. We too have a little boy in Heaven, so we do understand when people hurt and have sorrow. When Jesus died on the cross Mary’s soul was pierced by a sword through the prophesy she was told by Simeon.Then Simeon blessed them, and he said to Mary, the baby’s mother, “This child is destined to cause many in Israel to fall, but he will be a joy to many others. He has been sent as a sign from God, but many will oppose him. Luke 2:34 NLT.

As a result, the deepest thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your very soul.” Luke 2: 35 NLT.

We could explain evil as doing harm to another person but why? I have been hearing many explanations, few from God’s word where it is correctly identified as sin.

From the fall of Adam and Eve we have seen the effects of sin with all its evil.

Through a darkened mind from a “Dead to God” spirit because of sin, Cain murdered Able. Satan tempts people with evil thoughts, even being able to possess some with his demons. Remember, even Peter yielded to Satan’s tempting by saying to Jesus, don’t go to Jerusalem where they are going to kill you! Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.” Matthew 16:23

The Lord did not rebuke Peter but Satan himself! We are told in Peter’s Epistles that as believers our enemy is Satan and we are to be on our guard. When tempted we should ALWAYS first submit to God (Acknowledge that he is the only one who can deliver us and without the Lord Jesus we are helpless) then resist the temptation of Satan to say or do something and He Will Flee and that is God’s doing!

As a teacher of God’s word I am convinced that sin is mankind’s problem as God has said. We are born with a fallen “Sin Nature” which is prone to go astray from God as his word declares.   These wicked people are born sinners; even from birth they have lied and gone their own way. Psalm 58: 3 NLT.

But man is born to trouble, as the sparks fly upward. Job 5:7

When sin entered the world Satan became its Prince and Ruler.

Scripture declares that those without Christ are under Satan’s control, being held captive to do his will. We know that we are children of God and that the world around us is under the control of the evil one. 1-John 5:19 NLT.

Those who are “In Christ” Have the Holy Spirit who is greater than Satan, he cannot possess them and must ask permission from God to test them! God only allows Satan’s testing us in order to bring good out of evil for his glory and our growth through our trials. The Lion that came at Samson was a symbol of Satan’s attacks in our trials but as with Samson, he is twarted and God brings sweetness like honey from the trial and we grow stronger.

So he said: “Out of the one who eats came something to eat; out of the strong came something sweet.”  Judges 14:14 NLT.

But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world. 1-John 4:4 NLT.

The “Good News” is that Jesus has overcome Satan by his death on the Cross. The Lord is plundering Satan’s Kingdom, setting the prisoner free. John 3:16 declares his love for us and his creation. He is coming back to bind Satan (Who weakens the Nations) and set up his perfect 1000 year Reign on the earth. The Lord’s Rule will be in stark contrast to the “One world Government of Man” and its efforts to achieve a perfect world, free from War and crime with peace. This is the coming One World Government run by Satan through the Beast (Anti-Christ) and his false Prophet.

People need the Lord especially in this veil of tears world we live in today, God help those who are in much sorrow and grief today, he is close to the brokenhearted, he cares.

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28 NLT.

*The word of God mentions about the little ones who knew no sin entering into the Promised Land

which to me confirms my belief in the “Age of accountability”, that is when a child understands their responsibility to God. In the Hebrew faith I believe it is 12 years old. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that after his birth, the next event is the boy Jesus found in the Temple at 12 years old!

When Jesus was twelve years old, they attended the festival as usual Luke 2:42 NLT.

This convinces me about the age of accountability being at 12 years of age. Jesus, in order to be our representative on the Cross had to be exactly like us before God our Father. As a boy of 12 years old he came to the understanding that he was responsible to God to do the right thing, obey his parents (Which is the will of God) especially when he saw how worried they were about him when he was missing from their caravan. He then understood that they didn’t know he would be at his Father’s House, the Temple. From that moment on he became subject unto them until he began his Ministry as the man of sorrows who understands our grief, setting his face like flint on his way to the Cross. What love is this unspeakable gift of God’s only begotten Son, Jesus.

Author Ken

December 2012

A still small voice, not a tremendous noise!

I remember reading about God’s Prophet Elijah, he was used mightily by the Lord but when Jezebel threatened to take his life he went a day’s journey into the wilderness to hide from her.

But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree; and he requested for himself that he might die, and said, “It is enough; now, O LORD, take my life, for I am not better than my fathers.” 1-Kings 19:4 NASB.

What is amazing is that Elijah had called down fire from heaven upon King Ahab’s fifty men twice, destroying them both times and yet a threat from Jezebel caused him much fear.

 

Elijah replied to the captain of fifty, “If I am a man of God, let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty.” Then fire came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty. 2-Kings 1:10 NASB.

 

Twice the King had sent fifty men and twice fire came down from Heaven and killed them. The third fifty sent, the Captain begged the Prophet for their lives!

 

Jezebel was a heathen Princess who became Ahab’s Queen, she ran the show with Ahab being just a figure head, a rubber stamp for her actions. A wicked woman was she, who had many of God’s Prophets murdered. She worshiped many false god’s. Her husband King Ahab lost his life because he allowed her to worship her Pagan gods among God’s people in their land.

 

*When she threatened God’s Prophet Elijah she lost her own life, she was thrown out a window and dashed to pieces on the pavement below and the dogs ate her body. Even today her name is used as a synonym for a wicked woman as found in the Book of Revelation. “Behold, I will throw her on a bed of sickness, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of her deeds”. Revelation 2:22 NASB..

*So Jezebel sent this message to Elijah: “May the gods strike me and even kill me if by this time tomorrow I have not killed you just as you killed them.” 1-Kings 19:2 NLT.

 

While hiding in the wilderness, the Angels (Angel cake food, not likely!) fed Elijah who was so weak and discouraged that he wanted to die, truly a man like us. (I believe the food given by the Angels to Elijah was like the “Manna” given to God’s people in the wilderness. It sustained Elijah and nourished his body).

 

Go out and stand before me on the mountain,” the LORD told him. And as Elijah stood there, the LORD passed by, and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain. It was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. 1-Kings 19:11 NLT. And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper. 1-Kings 19:12 NLT.

A gentle whisper, a small voice, this fits perfectly with God’s voice in our hearts. As Elijah had thought and as humans would believe today that the awesome events had to be God but they were not, he was in the whisper! It is the Holy Spirit who is that voice; “Not by might, not by power, but my Spirit says the Lord”. It is NOT through the “Carnal/Human” mind that God speaks to us today as He has spoken to His servants before. The Carnal mind whether they are believers or unbelievers CANNOT receive the things of God. Unbelievers can NEVER hear Him, believers can hear Him again when they repent from their carnality. (When we WILFULLY sin, we cannot hear God). Jezebel crept into Church and had led some believers to commit adultery. Her punishment along with those who engaged in this deadly sin was just. Jesus had warned them about this. No one in the Church, even today escapes His judgment/examination of our deeds, Jezebel was a warning to the Church, be sure your sins will find you out!

 

For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. Romans 8:7 ESV.

 

In order to hear God’s “Still small voice” we must be “Tuned In”, our minds set on Jesus our devotion to him. Abhor sin, love good works, don’t doubt, ask our Father for more of the Holy Spirit as Jesus said. When you pray, take time to be “Still” and listen for God’s whisper from the Holy Spirit. I have heard Him like a thought in my mind through my spirit, I knew it was not my own thought as I questioned it. It was in my sleep when I heard the word “Psalms” which I questioned by thinking Psalms? Then I heard like a whisper; “Psalm 129:5 verse 5”.

When I got up Sunday morning I remembered what I heard in my mind that night but did not understand what it meant so I looked in my Bible for that scripture and verse. The scripture read; “May all who hate Zion be put to shame and turned backwards.” After I read it I was puzzled and prayed; “Lord what does this mean, who is Zion?”. The Lord said to me in my mind; “The true Zion of God is every believer in Jesus Christ whether Jew or Gentile” This fits perfectly with what Paul the Apostle answered in regard to the question one may ask; “Who is a true Jew?”. It is not one born of the flesh, as the seed of Abraham was from the promise through faith to God’s chosen ones, not the children born of the flesh! Remember Jesus replying to those who boasted that they were descendants of Abraham, Jesus replied; “God can make these stones descendants of Abraham”. What Jesus confirmed was only those of the spiritual seed of Abraham would believe in Him.

In other words, it is not the natural children who are God’s children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham’s offspring. Romans 9:8 NIV.

 

No, a true Jew is one whose heart is right with God. And true circumcision is not merely obeying the letter of the law; rather, it is a change of heart produced by God’s Spirit. And a person with a changed heart seeks praise from God, not from people. Romans 2:29 NLT.

This verse confirms the words of Jesus that Jew and Gentile must be “Born Again”, born from above, regenerated by the Holy Spirit, believing in Jesus as their Lord and Saviour. As the verse states, this circumcision of the heart (Spirit) is through Grace and not the Law or good works.

I know today that the Lord gave me that scripture to comfort me through all my many trials and persecutions, He considers me true Zion, a true Jew in my spirit and worshiper of God. Those who had persecuted me were put to shame and turned backwards, exactly as He had told me.

In the early Church the Holy Spirit spoke to the Apostles, remember HE is a person, God, the Holy Spirit and can be grieved by willful sinning.

Elijah learned a lesson from God that He is concerned and cares for us. He saw his Prophet being weak and filled with fear and came to his rescue with heavenly food and more important He gave him a special revelation of Himself. His power working through the Holy Spirit, supernaturally, not by might or earthly powers.

Author Ken

October 2012