Of God.

The truth is hard to hear. How often is this true in our lives? Someone wants to tell you the truth about something and it's prefaced with a pit of fear in our bellies. Why? Because we live in a world filled with so many facades people put on that it's unbelievable. We say what we think people want to hear. We act how we believe others expect us to act. We do all this and we think we're doing a good job of it and then someone says- Can I tell you the truth?  We want the truth, we do, but at the same time we want whatever that truth is to be something good to hear. We don't want truth that will cut us to the quick. We don't want truth that will hurt our feelings. We don't want truth that reveals our flaws.  If you're sitting there reading this and saying that, yes, you do want to hear all that then maybe it's just me, I don't know. We spend so much time putting on the different faces we want people to see, somehow saying we want truth seems at odds with that very real truth.  We wear different faces in different public settings. The faces we wear depends on the people we are exposed to. You go to the grocery store and the interaction you have there is different than when you go to a restaurant setting. You go to a party for a corporate event and then a private party, two different faces. You get home and hang up all the faces you wore through the day and then you put on your family face- and even then you may have a face you wear for spouse and children, and then another when you're just with your spouse and so on. Of course, again this could be just me.  I'm not saying I turn into a whole different person, I'm saying we have interactions with different people and situations and we adapt to them appropriately. 

Getting back to the truth and hearing the truth, we shy away from a lot of truth because it interferes with the lies we have accepted as our own personal truth. We have our own truth and it's a good truth, a truth that a lot of people believe in so it must be a good truth, a real truth, yet isn't that this same situation….

Joh 8:45  And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not. 

Jesus said that. Jesus was telling THE TRUTH, but not everyone wanted to hear the truth- they refused to believe the truth He had to tell. Why?

Joh 8:46  Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me? 

Joh 8:47  He that is of God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God. 

They didn't want to hear the truth because they were NOT of God and yet they claimed to be God's chosen, they claimed they had all the truth, the REAL truth, the ONLY truth and yet there was God's only begotten Son telling them they weren't of God at all!

Those who do NOT want to hear truth truly are NOT OF GOD.

How many millions of people out there believe they are of God only they aren't?  We can't judge another's eternal life we just can't! We can know truth though. I'm not going to tell ANYONE they are not of God. Jesus can tell people they are not of God, but I cannot, I wouldn't dare. I can only pray and hope I am following all the truth that Jesus has for me and that others are too. 

The Biblical truth is that so many will not be of God, and many will believe they are- just like those in the days Jesus walked the earth.

May we be OF GOD.

All through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior now and forever!

Money and Sorrow.

1Ti 6:10  For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. 

1Ti 6:11  But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. 

1Ti 6:12  Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses. 

Money and sorrow. How often does money bring sorrow to us? Seriously. Of course you'll get those who like to tease saying as long as they have money they have no sorrow, but that's not true either.  There are many who do have money and along with that money they have a lot of heartache as well. Money brings sorrow it just does. Just this past week I saw someone cry because they wouldn't have money to do something they promised someone they'd do. Money, brings tears so often whether it's a lack of it or problems with having it in excess.

When we covet money we can err from the faith. 

It's not easy not to covet money when we lack it. Yet coveting money even to meet our most basic needs takes our faith from us. We need to trust that God will provide for the things He desires we have. It's NOT our desires that matter, truly, and this is something we really need to comprehend and in comprehending make a real part of our lives.

Loving money- putting money before God, before our fellowman, this is evil.

Knowing we are told that loving money is the ROOT of all evil…. Shouldn't we be very, very careful where money is concerned?

We need to examine ourselves- we are told to, and surely we need to examine ourselves in connection with our relationship to the money we deal with in our lives.

Please, LORD, please help us to NOT love money! Please! Teach us to love YOU first above all things, and our fellowman next- NOT MONEY!

Please, LORD, please…. Help me.

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

Filled With the Fruits of the Spirit.

Php 1:9 And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; 

Php 1:10 That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ; 

Php 1:11 Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.

The fruits of righteousness.

Eph 5:9  (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) 

The fruits of righteousness, the fruit of the Spirit.

We need to be filled with the Holy Spirit and in turn the fruits of the Holy Spirit will be in us.

Here the apostle is telling us that he PRAYS that our love may abound more and more in KNOWLEDGE and in ALL judgment. That we may APPROVE things that are excellent! That we may be sincere without offence till the DAY of CHRIST. That we may be FILLED with the FRUITS of RIGHTEOUSNESS- which are BY JESUS CHRIST- unto GLORY and PRAISE of GOD.

Are we filled with the fruits of the Spirit? The Apostle prays but, are we? It is His prayer, but is it effective in us? Has our knowledge abounded more and more through love. Are we sincere without offense?

The fruits of the Spirit-

Love

Joy

Peace

Longsuffering

Gentleness

Goodness

Faith

Meekness

Temperance

If our life is not filled with these fruits we need to ask ourselves why.

We need to learn so much more. Our lives should be filled with constant learning, constant growth in the Holy Spirit.

May we learn and be filled with the fruits of the Spirit- by the grace and will of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! Now and forever!

Receive the Gift.

Act 2:36  Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. 

Act 2:37  Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? 

Act 2:38  Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost

What shall we do?  Their conscience was awakened to truth and the first thing they asked was- what shall we do?

Peter answered-

Repent and be baptized in the NAME of JESUS CHRIST-  why? For the REMISSION of sins.

If we repent and if we are baptized all in the name of our Savior so our sins are forgiven then we will receive a gift!  The gift we will receive is the HOLY SPIRIT.

All who accept Jesus Christ as their Savior, accept His dying in their place for their sins. All receive the Holy Spirit, but what does that mean exactly?

What is the gift of the Holy Spirit?

Gal 5:22  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 

Gal 5:23  Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. 

Gal 5:24  And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. 

Gal 5:25  If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

Love

Joy

Peace

Longsuffering

Gentleness

Goodness

Faith

Meekness

Temperance

We believe we have these things of our own accord but the truth is, we are given them as a gift.  Our natural person is not prone to these things. We may come across as being naturally nice- but often that is a façade we put on because inwardly we don't feel loving, joyful, peaceful, longsuffering, gentle, good, faithful, meek or temperate. 

I remember reading from a C.S. Lewis book- Mere Christianity where he mentions pretending, because when we pretend it often works out that the pretense becomes reality.  It can happen, a person can get into a situation where they have to pretend to be something- happy etc, and then end up being happy after all. Each of us has probably experienced this sort of thing in our life. So should we pretend, do we put on charity - making ourselves do acts of love in order to become loving?  Maybe we need to. What can it hurt to pretend loving others, to pretend love, as long as it isn't to hurt anyone at all in any way. To feign loving acts, not loving someone you don't love, but loving acts, a loving way of life, where is the wrong.

To seek all the fruits of the Spirit as if they are ours naturally this is a good thing.

Love, Joy, Peace, Longsuffering, Gentleness, Goodness, Faith, Meekness, Temperance.

Where is the wrong in any of these things? Where?

We have had our conscience awakened against sin, we have accepted Christ Jesus as our Savior the only one who can save us from our sins, and we repent of that which would keep us from the love of our Savior. We have been baptized and we would now receive the Holy Spirit, allowing the Holy Spirit to work in us constantly, endlessly, always.

All through Jesus Christ our Lord, our Savior! Forever!

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

*******

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

*

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!