The Inner Voice.

1Ti 1:19  Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck

Conscience-

1. an inner feeling or voice viewed as acting as a guide to the rightness or wrongness of one's behavior.

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Rightness or wrongness.

Choosing between the two- right and wrong- we do this as our conscience dictates. How often do we have to hush our conscience, not wanting what we are doing to be a part of the whole right or wrong thing. But it doesn’t work that way. As soon as we try to silence our conscience we are making a choice.

Right or wrong.  When we know right from wrong we are accountable for the wrong we choose to do.

Of course things can happen fast and we may make a wrong choice in the heat of the moment, but if we do then we are accountable to correct the wrong choice if at all possible.

Have you ever had your conscience seared so fiercely you lamented your choice to no end?  Having our conscience seared is awful, but at the same time it's wonderful that our conscience is so alive, so true, so ready to reveal God's truth to us.

When people repent, they are aware in a heartfelt, conscience searing way that they have need to repent. Repent and be forgiven, be forgiven and sin no more.

The inner guide to know right from wrong- our conscience.

We are convicted in our conscience.

We can have a good conscience.   (A conscience that is heeded not ignored)

Our conscience can be void of offence toward God- and men.

Our conscience can bear witness in the Holy Spirit.

Our conscience can be weak. (A conscience that is not heeded, and therefore dulled, weak.)

Our conscience has a testimony.

Everyone has a conscience, and our behavior is seen by that conscience.

The end of the commandment …a good conscience.

Our conscience can be pure.

Our conscience can be seared.

Our conscience can be defiled.

Our conscience can be purged.

Our conscience can be sprinkled (cleaned) from an evil conscience. (Praise GOD!)

We must have a conscience towards God.

Having a good conscience in the face of evil and those who accuse us falsely.

The answer of a good conscience toward God.

Joh_8:9, Act_23:1. Act_24:16, Rom_9:1,  1Co_8:12, 2Co_1:12,  2Co_4:2, 1Ti_1:5,  1Ti_3:9, 1Ti_4:2,  Tit_1:15, Heb_9:14,  Heb_10:22, 1Pe_2:19,  1Pe_3:16, 1Pe_3:21 

The inner voice of our conscience can be defiled, and a defiled conscience is one that no longer works according to God's purpose.  If we are not pricked in our conscience we need to ask ourselves why. We don't want to be among those who are caught up in deception- not knowing right from wrong, and even considering wrong to be right.

Right and wrong.  The lines have become incredibly blurred in our day and age. We call ourselves enlightened when we take wrongs and right them, but what if we are really taking rights and making them wrong? Satan would have us call ourselves enlightened because in doing so we believe we are finding truth and following it. Satan's truth is a far cry from God's truth. We love to imagine we are no longer repressed- calling anything that keeps us from our desired behavior a repression. We say we should be free to do as we please, no matter how corrupt that thing was considered at one time.  In truth, forcing people to repress their true desires is never a good thing. God wants a heart desire towards Him and His truths, not a forced desire. Consider the Victorian Era where so much was introduced to force people to repress their ways. Did that forcing actually make the people true to God, or did it simply send their true desire into the shadows with their hearts still far from God?  You can have the best outward behavior ever and be the bitterest person within- very far from God's love.  Or you can have the worst outward behavior keeping your estrangement from God no secret at all.  Society cannot force God's love on anyone! Society can try to force moral behavior upon people but it won't bring those people to God, not really. Yet now as we live in a world quickly becoming void of morality in so many ways, we cannot give in to any temptation to call evil good. If our stand on a moral high ground is one we make alone, it still must be made.

Moral high ground- the place where a person can live in good conscience with God while society cries out their disapproval. People want to say the moral high ground is a loveless place, that love accepts everything, every sin. Love cannot accept sin, love can forgive sin, but never, ever call sin good. If those seeking moral high ground- a good conscience towards God- are branded as hateful they must realize that those on Satan's side will stop at nothing to hurt God's people.  Love truly can forgive the sin- and sinners- and it's better to seek forgiveness for those persecuting others than to allow them to be goaded into evil in any way. While the majority may call you a hater, you must know they persecuted Jesus in the same way, and His apostles as well.

God help us live in good conscience towards Him, always!

All through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior!

Now and forever!

Our Conscience Towards God.

1Ti 1:19  Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck

We are convicted in our conscience-

Joh_8:9  And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.

We can have a good conscience-

Act_23:1  And Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said, Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.

Our conscience can be void of offence toward God- and men-

Act_24:16  And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men.

Our conscience can bear witness in the Holy Spirit-

Rom_9:1  I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost

Our conscience can be weak-

1Co_8:12  But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ.

Our conscience has a testimony-

2Co_1:12  For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward.

Everyone has a conscience, and our behavior is seen by that conscience-

2Co_4:2  But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.

The end of the commandment …a good conscience-

1Ti_1:5  Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned

Our conscience can be pure-

1Ti_3:9  Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.

Our conscience can be seared-

1Ti_4:2  Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron

Our conscience can be defiled-

Tit_1:15  Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled.

Our conscience can be purged-

Heb_9:14  How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

Our conscience can be sprinkled (cleaned) from an evil conscience-

Heb_10:22  Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.

We must have a conscience towards God-

1Pe_2:19  For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully.

Having a good conscience in the face of evil and those who accuse us falsely-

1Pe_3:16  Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.

The answer of a good conscience toward God-

1Pe_3:21  The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ

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We are convicted in our conscience.

We can have a good conscience.

Our conscience can be void of offence toward God- and men.

Our conscience can bear witness in the Holy Spirit.

Our conscience can be weak.

Our conscience has a testimony.

Everyone has a conscience, and our behavior is seen by that conscience.

The end of the commandment …a good conscience.

Our conscience can be pure.

Our conscience can be seared.

Our conscience can be defiled.

Our conscience can be purged.

Our conscience can be sprinkled (cleaned) from an evil conscience.

We must have a conscience towards God.

Having a good conscience in the face of evil and those who accuse us falsely.

The answer of a good conscience toward God.

1Ti 1:19  Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck

When we put away a good conscience, not believing we even have a conscience - that there is someone we answer to- then we deceive ourselves. We make a shipwreck of our faith when we put away a good conscience. What is a good conscience? To have a conscience it has to have a moral power to answer to doesn’t it? How can a conscience be evil unless there is a good conscience to be had? Once we agree that we do have a conscience, a standard to uphold we have to comprehend where this standard developed and why we as the human race have this standard. Who decides what is right and wrong? Who determined the things we call lawful as being lawful? To say it is just this way, that it just is, has to make us think, doesn't it? How did it become this way?  Sure, there are answers people will say we can't have, and that's true, there are. But we do have an answer to these questions- we were created this way. God, our Creator instilled in us a conscience and the ability to know right from wrong. We feel bad when we commit wrong for a reason. When we no longer feel bad over the things we know to be morally wrong it is because we have begun to call evil good. God doesn't force us to hold to His standards, God allows us to choose to hold those standards. God will give us the power to uphold His standards but only if we choose to allow Him to give us that power.

More on this tomorrow by the grace and WILL of our LORD and SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST!!!!!!!

A Good Conscience.

1Ti 1:19  Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck

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We can make a true shipwreck of our faith if we do NOT have a good conscience. Seriously. A good conscience- a conscience that answers to God and no other. When we answer to God first and truly we are answering to our fellow man. Our conscience is guided by our God.

Joh_8:9  And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.

Act_23:1  And Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said, Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.

Act_24:16  And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men.

Rom_2:15  Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)

Rom_9:1  I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost,

Rom_13:5  Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake.

1Co_8:7  Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge: for some with conscience of the idol unto this hour eat it as a thing offered unto an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled.

1Co_8:10  For if any man see thee which hast knowledge sit at meat in the idol's temple, shall not the conscience of him which is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to idols;

1Co_8:12  But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ.

1Co_10:28  But if any man say unto you, This is offered in sacrifice unto idols, eat not for his sake that shewed it, and for conscience sake: for the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof:

1Co_10:29  Conscience, I say, not thine own, but of the other: for why is my liberty judged of another man's conscience?

2Co_1:12  For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward.

2Co_4:2  But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.

1Ti_1:5  Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned:

1Ti_3:9  Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.

1Ti_4:2  Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;

2Ti_1:3  I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience, that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day;

Tit_1:15  Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled.

Heb_9:9  Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience;

Heb_9:14  How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

Heb_10:2  For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins.

Heb_10:22  Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.

Heb_13:18  Pray for us: for we trust we have a good conscience, in all things willing to live honestly.

1Pe_2:19  For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully.

1Pe_3:16  Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.

1Pe_3:21  The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ

By the grace of God we will study this more fully tomorrow.

All through Jesus Christ our LORD, our SAVIOR, NOW and FOREVER!

Soldiers Who Endure.

2Ti 2:3  Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. 

2Ti 2:4  No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier. 

Enduring hardness- as a GOOD soldier of Jesus Christ.

A good soldier.  What comes to mind when we think of someone being a good soldier?  We imagine a good soldier being one who obeys their orders, being one who protects & serves others from harm. We imagine a good soldier as one who is a good overall human being. A good soldier of Jesus Christ would be a person who obeys the Lord, one who follows the orders of the Lord, one who serves and protects those of the Lord's.

2Co 10:3  For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: 

2Co 10:4  (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) 

2Co 10:5  Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ

Eph 6:11  Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 

Eph 6:12  For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 

Eph 6:13  Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 

Eph 6:14  Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; 

Eph 6:15  And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 

Eph 6:16  Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. 

Eph 6:17  And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: 

Eph 6:18  Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints

1Ti 1:18  This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare

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We need to endure hardness as Christ followers.

Endure hardness.

So if you come to Christ expecting to be a follower of Him and having an easy life you're not going to get what you want. Enduring hardness as a good soldier.

Soldiers endure GREAT hardness. A soldier's life is incredibly difficult. No one becomes a soldier expecting it to be easy, no one and if they do they are sorely mistaken. So why do Christian soldiers expect things to be easy? The Bible doesn't tell us our spiritual warfare is easy. It's a war of such proportions we can scarcely comprehend it.

Through faith we must be good solders.

Soldiers who endure.

All through Jesus Christ our LORD, our SAVIOR, now and forever!

Forgiven Sinners.

Sinners love too.

When we follow Christ we are renouncing the active life of a sinner. Yes, we are sinners- all of us.

Rom_3:23  For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God

Yet, we are to renounce our sins. We are to seek forgiveness for them, never seeking sin. Jesus told people to 'Go and sin no more.'  Jesus did not tell people to go and sin and seek forgiveness afterwards. Jesus did not give anyone a license to sin. Jesus abhorred sin and made that clear. So, while we are all sinners we are to be forgiven sinners, not sin seekers.

We are told that if we love those who love us- it's no big deal, not really, why? Because sinner- that is blatant sin seekers also love those who love them. It is easy to love those who love us. Before you say that it isn't, let me ask you a question. Is it easier for you to love someone who loves you, or to love someone who doesn't love you? Which is easier to do?  Loving someone who loves you is incredibly easy compared to loving someone who hates you, someone who despises you.

Luk 6:31  And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise. 

Luk 6:32  For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them. 

Luk 6:33  And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same. 

Luk 6:34  And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again. 

Luk 6:35  But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil. 

Luk 6:36  Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful. 

Loving our enemies, doing good and giving to our enemies NOT hoping to receive a single iota of compensation- this is the will of God.

Being kind to the UNTHANKFUL.

Being kind to the EVIL.

Being merciful as our FATHER is merciful  - this is the will of God.

Our heavenly Father loves US, us who have sinned so terribly. Our heavenly Father has forgiven US! Being forgiven, being loved when we do not deserve it and we KNOW we don't deserve it, how could we not comprehend the Father in heaven requiring of us to do the same?

All by His grace and His grace alone, is this possible for us. All through the power of the Holy Spirit are we able to love as He would have us love.

All in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, our Savior now and forever!

Where is Your Faith?

Luk 8:22  Now it came to pass on a certain day, that he went into a ship with his disciples: and he said unto them, Let us go over unto the other side of the lake. And they launched forth. 

Luk 8:23  But as they sailed he fell asleep: and there came down a storm of wind on the lake; and they were filled with water, and were in jeopardy. 

Luk 8:24  And they came to him, and awoke him, saying, Master, master, we perish. Then he arose, and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water: and they ceased, and there was a calm. 

Luk 8:25  And he said unto them, Where is your faith? And they being afraid wondered, saying one to another, What manner of man is this! for he commandeth even the winds and water, and they obey him

Where is your faith?

Truly our faith either gives us peace or despair. We are told we can have peace, a peace that passes our understanding.

Php 4:6  Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 

Php 4:7  And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. 

Through faith we are CAREFUL for NOTHING.

Through faith we take EVERYTHING to prayer and supplication with thanksgiving.

Through faith we let God know our requests all the while thanking Him.

Then and only then will the peace of God which passes ALL understanding keep our hearts and minds through CHRIST JESUS.

Where is our faith?

Prayerfully our faith will be realized as we seek God in prayer, trusting that the reason we pray is because we know we have a God who hears us, who loves us, who will be with us through all we are called to endure no matter what that may be.  It is so easy to give in to despair, so easy. Faith demands we believe and in believing dismiss despair.

Once we pray- we can expect the PEACE of God and that peace will NOT be explainable, it will pass our ability to understand.

Please, Lord, we have faith, help whatever faith we lack.  We believe, help thou our unbelief!

An Additional Commandment.

Joh 14:15  If ye love me, keep my commandments. 

Joh 14:16  And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; 

Joh 14:17  Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. 

Joh 14:18  I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. 

If you love Jesus you will keep His commandments.

If you keep Jesus' commandments He will pray to the Father.

The prayer Jesus is praying is for us to have another Comforter that will abide with us forever.

The Comforter Jesus wants His Father to give to us is the SPIRIT OF TRUTH.

SPIRIT OF TRUTH.

The Spirit of reality, because truth is reality, truth is real.

The world CANNOT receive the Spirit of Truth. Why can't the world receive the Spirit of Truth? Because the world can't see the Spirit of Truth, the world can't know the Spirit of Truth. 

We can KNOW the Spirit of Truth.

The Spirit of Truth will live in us!

We will NOT be comfortless.

Jesus will come to us.

Truth, the reality of salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.

So, the question is- what are the commandments of Jesus?  Some say He did away with Moses' commandments as if they really were Moses' and not God's.  They were God's commandments given to Moses to give to the people. Why would Jesus do away with the moral ten commandments God wrote in stone? Why? Was there something wrong with God's commandments? Jesus kept them from His youth on up and there was NO big revolt over keeping them noted anywhere. Why would there be a revolt over God's commandments? Where are they flawed? Could God even give flawed commandments? God did reveal a set of laws - ceremonial laws that were a figure of the true- and once the true fulfilled the same purpose of the ceremonial law there was no need for that, but never did He do away with any flawed commandments.

If you take the time to read the initial giving of the ten commandments and follow through to when Jesus lived upon the earth before His death, you'll notice things like this-

Mat 15:3  But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition? 

Mat 15:4  For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death. 

Mat 15:5  But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; 

Mat 15:6  And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition. 

They were rebuked for NOT following one of the commandments of those bundle of ten.  The commandment of GOD.

Mat 22:36  Master, which is the great commandment in the law? 

Mat 22:37  Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 

Mat 22:38  This is the first and great commandment. 

Mat 22:39  And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 

Mat 22:40  On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. 

The GREAT commandment in the law of ten is- LOVE the LORD THY GOD with all thy heart and with all thy soul and all thy mind.
The SECOND GREATEST commandment in the law of ten is- Thou shalt LOVE they NEIGHBOR as thyself.

On THOSE TWO COMMANDMENTS…. get this.. I mean really comprehend this… on those two hang ALL.

And if you did read the ten commandments you'd know that the first four commandments of the ten are focused on God, the last six are focused on our neighbors (all people).

Now let me ask you something, when you get an additional piece of information that you add to other information it's new information, isn't it? When I get a new rule it doesn’t necessarily do away with the old rules does it? Can you imagine having a set of household rules.. Pick up after yourselves, put your clothes in the hamper, take the garbage out every other day, etc; and you tack those rules up for others in the household to pay attention to. Now after several years you realize there is a new rule you have to introduce because circumstances changed in your household.  You take those old rules and put the new one at the bottom, right? You don't want the old rules to be done away with- why would you?! They were good rules, and still are good rules. So you write down-  no taking the car without getting permission first from both parents.  You see, you had to add that now because the children are getting older and it is now relevant.

Remember this when you read the following verse-

Joh_13:34  A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

People could NOT love each other as Jesus loved them until Jesus was there to love them! Circumstances changed. Jesus added a new commandment to the old commandments.  Because He had been with mankind living among them, teaching them on a very personal level He could now command them to love as He loved. That commandment wouldn't have been feasible if given before He'd come to them and showed them His love -having become flesh to dwell among them.

Jesus' new commandment didn't wipe out the other commandments, not at all. Those moral commandments are for always. There will never be a time we shouldn't have God first in our lives, and there will never be a time we shouldn't love each other, and in those two commandments you find all ten written by the finger of God Himself and given to man.

So is it any wonder our Savior tells us that if we keep His commandments it is a revelation of loving Him? And if we keep His commandments we will have the Spirit of TRUTH.  There is spirt in each commandment, there is truth, there is reality in all of them.   We need the Spirit of Truth in us and by the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior we will have the Spirit of Truth in us, now and forever!

All in the love of our amazing Savior, our Lord, Jesus Christ!!!!!!!