Complete Do Over

The Holy Spirit through the apostle Peter tells us, "having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever." (1 Peter 1:23) The Holy Spirit through the apostle Paul tells us, "What harmony can there be between Christ and the Devil?" (2 Corinthians 6:15) Both of these verse reveal a wonderful truth, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new." 
 (2 Corinthians 5:17)

Many Christians believe that when a person confesses the Lordship of Christ and receive Him as Savior that they receive eternal life but the old nature is not removed and that the new and old nature war with each other. The reason for this comes from a teaching from Romans chapter 7. However, if we take a closer look at the entire chapter we will notice the the words, grace, believer, beloved, etc. are not seen in any part of these verses. What we do see is the word law mentioned twenty three time in the KJV of the Bible. Many church leaders have extracted and taken out of context verses fifteen through twenty three. They miss the entire point that the apostle Paul is conveying to the Jewish believers, Paul is not explaining the experience of a believer, but of himself before his conversion, that is, as a Jew under the law. He reveals that the law awakens the conscience to sin which opens the door for his flesh which desires sin. The conflict that he experienced as a Jew under the law was between his mind recognizing the law is good and his flesh that wants to operate contrary to the law, that is, its desire is sin. Paul conclusion to the matter is, "O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God — through Jesus Christ our Lord!" (Romans 7:24-25)

Paul honors and attributes the Lord as the only way that one can be deliver from this war between the flesh and mind. To make it simple, faith in Jesus Christ stops the war. For the believer, there is no dual nature at work. The believer is not under the law but under grace. Let's look again at the above verses that the Holy Spirit has spoken through Peter and Paul, (1 Peter 1:23)  "having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever." To say that the believer still has the old nature in him is to say that the believer is not completely born again because he still maintains a measure of the satanic fallen nature, that is, corruptible seed and that corruptible seed shares the believer with God's incorruptible seed. But look again at what Paul says, (2 Corinthians 6:15)  "What harmony can there be between Christ and the Devil?" 

When a person is born again, they are born of the Holy Spirit and their spirit is recreated, but the flesh and the mind have not been recreated. However, in God's eyes, the believer is in fact "a new creation; old things (satanic nature) have passed away; behold, all things have become new." This is a fact but it takes faith to realize, accept and walk out in our lives. There is certainly nothing wrong with the physical body. God formed the body as a means to operate in the natural realm and to be a servant to the human spirit. Mans spirit was to rule over the flesh and mind. However, the fall of man caused spiritual death "And the LORD said, "My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, for he is indeed flesh...Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually." (Genesis 6:3, 6) Through the spiritual death of mankind, his flesh the servant, has become the ruler leading him into confusion and anarchy (look around). Now you can see the dilemma that believers face. It is not a dual nature, but letting the flesh continue to have rule over the recreated spirit.

There is a solution that eliminates this dilemma. Paul continues into Romans chapter 8, "There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God. But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you." (Romans 8:1-11)

Honestly, does this sound like a man who has experienced new birth and still is a sinner? Absolutely not! The Holy Spirit reveals through Paul the solution of being freed from sin, that is, the believer is no longer a sinner if he/she lives a life in fellowship with the Holy Spirit and does not let their flesh have control of their life. For church leaders to tell the saints that they are sinners, because after the great apostle Paul was also a sinner even after his conversion, reveals their lack of understanding the Pauline Epistles. It also is apparent that they are apparently not having fellowship with the Holy Spirit. Instead, they are excusing sinful behavior by accepting doctrines of the church over the Word of God. The greatest problem with this erroneous teaching is that the believer has no hope of living the victorious life that the Father has provided through Jesus Christ. After all "I'm just a sinner saved by grace and still have the old sinful nature."

I share these things because I sit with pastors from various denominations who I believe love the Lord but believe that they are just sinners or beggars. However, look what Paul tells us in his first letter to Timothy, "This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life." (1 Timothy 1:15-16) Paul was not saying that he was still a sinner, but that Jesus came to save sinners and due to him persecuting the church (his past) he, Saul of Tarsus, considered himself to be a great sinner, but we see that he obtained mercy, that is, he Paul the believer, was forgiven.

Paul tells us to, "...Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh." (Galatians 5:16) He also tells us to, "Put off the old man (old fallen nature) and put on the new man (new created nature)" (Ephesians 4:22, 24) But how does one do this? "And be renewed in the spirit of your mind." (Ephesians 4:23) and "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind..." (Romans 12:2) The way that a believer can walk by the Spirit and not fall prey to the lust of the flesh is to renew their mind through reading, studying and most important, meditating on the Word of God. God's Word feeds and strengthens the spirit, renews the mind and grows faith. This takes a process of time (it depends on the individual) but as your spirit grows your mind and body (flesh) will once again become the servant to your spirit. Again, this has nothing to do with having a dual nature, but everything to do with faith in Christ, His redemptive work and in God's Word which says, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new." (2 Corinthians 5:17)

A final thought concerning new birth it that the new man (the new nature) that one receives from God, is given immediately upon confessing the Lord Jesus Christ and receiving Him as Savior. Paul tells us concerning the new man, that it "was created according to God, in righteousness and true holiness." (Ephesians 4:24) So logically thinking and looking at all that is shown hereon, how can a believer have God's nature (the new man) and the devil's nature (the old man) ruling their life at the same time? They absolutely cannot! Jesus said, "And if a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand." (Mark 3:25) So let us stop living our Christian life as who we were, sinners, but who we are in Christ, the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:21)

Who Did That

One of the saddest phrases that comes forth from a Christians mouth when life trials come or a tragedy happens is, "God, why did you let this happen!" It is as though somehow God takes pleasure in the agonies that take place in humanity. Many will even say, "God is sovereign" (which He is) which to them means that God does whatever He wants whenever He wants, even if it means operating contrary of His Word. Many come this conclusion because they have been taught to think this way by church leaders who reason through life's adversities rather than exercising faith in the integrity of God's Word and understand what is actually going on. Peter tells us, "Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue." (2 Peter 1:2-3)

Notice that God has given the believer "all things that pertain to life and godliness." This means that believers should have an understanding of how God operates in this life. He is a God of blessings and life not of tragedy and death. Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life." (John 14:6) and "...I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." (John 10:10)  In both of these verses the word life means, "life as God has it; that which the Father has in Himself." Although redemption is much far reaching than most in the church today understand, notice that one of the reasons for the incarnation was to give humanity life as God has it, life which the Father has! From this, to say that God has some mysterious purpose in the tragedies that happen in humanity, especially to the believer, His child, comes down to this, "My people are being destroyed because they don't know me." (Hosea 4:6)

Looking back on 2 Peter 1:2-3, notice that grace and peace are multiplied to the believer in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. Also notice that all the things that God has given the believer that pertain to life and godliness, also comes through the knowledge of Jesus Christ. This connects with what the Holy Spirit spoke through Hosea. One of the ways that people, even Christians, blame God for permitting tragedies or saying that tragic things are a part of God divine purpose is because they do not know Him, meaning, His nature, character, will, purposes and plan. Of course terrible things happen on the earth, but it is not God's will nor are they some sovereign purpose of God that we will never understand. We must stop blaming God for things that are not His will nor a part of His divine purpose. Sure God can use a tragedy and turn it for good, but to say that He somehow permits tragic things to happen to fulfill some mysterious purpose of His is utter nonsense. It would be like saying that Jesus did not fully satisfy justice for humanity, so God uses tragic situation to complete mans redemption.

Jesus said, "If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also;" (John 14:7) and "He who has seen Me has seen the Father;" (John 14:9) Jesus is not saying that these men were not his disciples, but that they did not have an accurate knowledge of his nature, character, will, purposes and plan, which was actually the Father's. God has given us His Word, the Bible, so that the believer can know His nature, character, will, purposes and plan. We should start by looking at the four gospels. In them we will discover that Jesus is a perfect reflection of the Father's nature, character, will, purposes and plan which is to save, heal, deliver and bring abundant life to humanity not tragedy and death. Jesus said, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth." (Matthew 28:18) but He does not use His authority to override mans will nor does He use His authority to operate contrary to His Word.

How can one honestly believe that our heavenly Father somehow has a sovereign purpose or plan to have one of His children perish at the hand of a drunk driver? It was the will of the drunk driver to reject what was right for what they knew to be wrong. It was the will of the drunk driver to get behind the wheel of a car and cause this tragedy. God will not stop people from exercising their will. He didn't in the Garden of Eden nor does He do it now. He does not force people to do His will, so yes, He does permit tragic things to happen, but it certainly is not His will or His divine purpose. Never forget, that sin has its consequences and unfortunately many innocent people suffer for it. Also let us not forget that Satan's hatred for God and humanity is the motivator behind such heinous things.

God is certainly in control, (sovereign) but He Himself is limited in that control, "As for the Almighty, we cannot find Him; He is excellent in power, in judgment and abundant justice; He does not oppress." (Job 37:23) and "...For You have magnified Your word above all Your name." (Psalm 138:2) God does everything on absolute legal grounds and within the parameters of His Word so that none (man, angels, Satan or demons) can accuse Him of not being just or blame Him for permitting things to happen that are contrary to His nature, character, will, purposes and plan. He is limited by His own Word as well as the choices of man. Even in the Garden, God did not encroach Adam's will (free choice) to commit treason and yet God was just as sovereign then as He is now and will ever be.

Throughout Israel's history scripture clearly shows us that they rejected God through their poor choices which were not God's will nor some divine purpose of God and we see that they received the consequences of those choices and yet God remained sovereign. God has made a way for man to be free from sin and Satan through Jesus Christ, but it does not mean that all people will Chooses God's plan of redemption, thereby permitting the destructive nature of sin and Satan to still have their way in humanity. Another thing to consider is that God is also limited by the choices that believers (the church) also make that are contrary to His Word. The church is the Body of Christ and therefore it is the voice and power of God on earth.

The Lord has given the church (believers) authority over sin and Satan. We must use this authority to enforce and uphold what Jesus has provided through His death, resurrection and glorification. We must stop taking tragedy on the chin and stand on God's Word knowing that God does not have some divine purpose in the destruction of His children. My friends, blaming our Great Heavenly Father for these things breaks my heart and brings me to tears. God's ingenious plan of redemption liberates all men and provides abundant life right here on planet earth while we wait in hope for the glory of heaven. Don't believe me? Study and meditate on God's Word being led by the Holy Spirit and see for yourself the true nature, character, will, purposes and plan of God and be set free. For who Jesus has set free (being born again) is completely free.

Unchanging Truth

One of the questions that is still being asked today is, "What is Truth." Modern definitions of the word truth are..."That which is true or in accordance with fact or reality; the body of real things, events, and facts; a judgment, proposition, or idea that is true or accepted as true." Although these definition may seem ambiguous, and they are, they only define truth from a natural sense. For thousands of years philosophers have been asking this same question, yet they are limited to natural knowledge, therefore they can only define truth based on their limited knowledge that emanates from the five senses. So, if fact or reality is based on solely upon natural human knowledge, then truth will never be found. 

During Jesus' trial as He stood before Pontius Pilate, He made a very important statement that goes beyond the sense knowledge realm of the greatest philosophers, "...For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice." (John 18:37) The latter part of Jesus' statement is very intriguing, "Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice."  Notice that this does not say everyone who hears my voice is of the truth. In other words, many people may hear the Lord's voice but is does not mean that they themselves are of the truth, that is, believe the truth, accept the truth or understand the truth. We see this in Pilates response to Jesus. 

He is hearing what Jesus is saying, but still asks the question, "...What is truth?..." (John 18:38) Now we know that Pilate was a pagan and that he was spiritually dead, but why do so many Christians who are supposed to have the Holy Spirit, the Teacher, living within them reject the truth? What do I mean?  Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life..." (John 14:6) and "Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth." (John 17:17) Jesus is truth! The Word of God is truth! However, in many ways many believers treat the truth as though it is only nice suggestions. Much of this is due to the erroneous doctrines of men that are developed by those who do not really know Him, but know of Him. Many say the Bible is the Word of God but claim that it does not do today what it did in the past. Somehow, God gives man His Word, which is truth, but it only worked in times past. God is unchanging, but somehow His Word is. 

Let's view these scriptures, "God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?" (Number 23:19) "My covenant I will not break, nor alter the word that has gone out of My lips. (Psalm 89:34)
"Forever, O LORD, Your word is settled in heaven." (Psalm 119:89) 

Logically, if the Bible is God's Word, but what He has spoken is only applicable to a dispensation, especially that of the New Testament, then how can one say that Bible is relevant for today? You can't because it would be a book of historic events that are time dated or only a philosophy. Why should people teach and preach from the Bible if God's Word doesn't work today? They shouldn't unless they want to teach history or philosophy. Is truth not a constant from everlasting to everlasting or does truth change? It certainly is from everlasting to everlasting and it certainly does not change because Malachi 3:6 says, "For I am the LORD, I do not change..." and Hebrews 13:8 says, "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever."  

So if God does not change with time and we believe that He is from everlasting to everlasting, that He has no beginning or end, then it is only logical to believe that His Word is the same. It does not change with time, but what it said (says) is applicable for all time. Truth does not change! So what is the problem? The writer of Hebrews tells us the problem when it comes to accepting and believing the truth, "For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it." (Hebrews 4:2) Although this is aimed at the Jews who heard the gospel but rejected it, it also applies to many believers today. When believers hear the truth if it is not mixed with faith it will not profit the hearer which makes it easy for a counterfeit (a lie, the opposite of truth) to get place. 

The apostle Paul had an experience along this same line. In Athens he encountered some Epicurean and Stoic philosophers who spent their time in nothing else but either to tell or to hear some new thing. In other words their were looking for truth but were limited as philosophers are because they are limited to natural knowledge.  The wisdom of God upon Paul gave him an open door to preach Christ (the truth) by-way-of an altar with this inscription, "To the unknown God." Although these philosophers heard the truth "...some mocked, while others said, we will hear you again on this matter. So Paul departed from among them. However, some men joined him and believed..." (Acts 17:16-34)

The point in this matter is, believers need not see to believe, they need to believe so they can see (the truth). Experience is not the best teacher, the Holy Spirit is. As the apostle Paul say, "Knowledge puffs up..." (1 Corinthians 8:1) However, Proverbs tells us to "incline your ear to wisdom". (Proverbs 2:2) Why? Because wisdom is spiritual and gives one the ability to use knowledge. So to understand, accept and believe truth we need the wisdom that comes from the great Teacher, the Holy Spirit. Jesus said, "If you abide (continue, endure, remain, stand, tarry) in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." (John 8:31-32) It is accepting God's Word without wavering, without questioning, but through faith that God is able to perform what He said (says) He will do. When believers accept God's Word without "Buts or what ifs" then they shall know the truth and the truth shall make them free!

Life Abundant

There are six Greek words that describe various aspects of life. The two found most in the New Testament are psuehe which is natural life and the other is zoe which is life as God has it. The apostle Paul tells us, "And you God made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience." (Ephesians 2:1-2) In other words, before we were born again we were spiritually dead and partakers of Satan’s nature. It is this nature that has produced sin, wickedness, evil, misery, sickness, disease, poverty and the like.

It has produced the works of the flesh, which are, "adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like." (Galatians 5:19-21) It has also produced condemnation, guilt, inferiority, shame and a sense of unworthiness. Paul tells us in Ephesians 2:12 "that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world." In Romans 8:7-8 Paul tells us, "Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God."

Much of Christianity today is a product of the Dark Ages and has not moved very much beyond the old wine skin of the reformation in respect to who the born again person has become in Christ. When you think about it, if it were possible for God to forgive a sinners their sin only, it would actually not do the sinner any good, because he/she would continue sinning due to the fallen nature within them. The fact is, the fallen, sinful, satanic nature in un-regenerated man must be taken out and replaced with a new nature. Man must be recreated. According to 2 Peter 1:3-4 we read, "As His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises,that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust."

The corruption that is in the world is the satanic nature. However, the born again person is delivered from the old nature and becomes a partaker of God's divine nature which is zoe, life as God has it, or eternal life. Jesus said, "Whoever believes in the Son of God should not perish but have eternal life. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting (eternal) life." (John 3:15-16) and "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life." (John 5:24) All who are born again, have been delivered out of death, the satanic realm, into the realm of life as God has it, where there is no judgment.

To be born again is actually and literally being birthed out of Satan’s family and being placed into the family of God. Look at the following scriptures, "He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins." (Colossians 1:13-14) "For sin (Satan) shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace." (Romans 6:14) "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation." (2 Corinthians 5:17-18)

When one confesses Jesus as Lord and accepts Him as Savior, God immediately gives him/her His very nature. They no longer have Satan’s nature, no longer a sinner, beggar, or even a servant, but a child of God. "But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name." (John 1:12) and "The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God. (Romans 8:15) also "Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God." (1 John 3:1) The new believer is a child of God with God's divine nature. He is no longer a child of the devil with his fallen, sinful nature. PTL

Believers must understand that they have been given the nature of God and that eternal life in them now. It is not a destination nor some reward that is received when a believer passes from this life. Eternal life, the nature of God, makes us righteous, we love as God loves, we have the God kind of faith, we are His children, we are heirs and have rights and privileges in Christ as sons and daughters that unfortunately, we have barely appropriated. So, let us make this faith declaration together, “I have confessed Jesus as Lord; I have taken Him as my Savior; God has completely removed the satanic nature from me; God has given me life as He has it which is His divine nature. Healing, provision, long life, strength, success and victory are mine because they are all a part of my New Creation Life in Christ." Amen.

We all need to meditate on these truths until they burn in our very being. So, if sickness, disease, sin, or Satan himself tries to come upon us, we can declare with all certainty that God dwells in this new creation; He is my Father and I am His child and I refuse to let these thing in my life, in Jesus' name!

You Don't Say

For years medical research has been studying and discovering the impact spoken words have over an individuals health. Whether they want to admit it or not, they are agreeing with what the Bible says, "Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit." (Proverbs 18:21) So, how a person perceives themselves will determine what they say. If you perceive yourself as having poor health, even if you don't, it will become so real that you will most likely live out that reality until you die. However, the opposite applies. If you speak of yourself as having excellent health, even when you don't, chances are you will live a long healthy life (remember, Proverbs 18:21) Jesus said it this way, "A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks." (Luke 6:45)

Right now some who are reading this may be thinking that I talking about metaphysics, the power of positive thinking or some type of mysticism. No, I am talking about the confession of God's Word through faith. I am talking about believing in and agreeing with God's Word and speaking it over your body. "My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your eyes; keep them in the midst of your heart; For they are life to those who find them, and health (medicine; marginal rendering) to all their flesh." (Proverbs 4:20-22) We can say it this way, "God's Word is medicine to my entire body." Look at what the Psalmist says, "He sent His word and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions." (Psalm 107:20) Did you notice something here? He sent His Word and healed them.

In Matthews gospel we see a great act of faith. However, it was not from a child of Abraham, but from a pagan. Let's look at what took place, "Now when Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, pleading with Him, saying, "Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, dreadfully tormented." And Jesus said to him, "I will come and heal him." The centurion answered and said, "Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed." (Matthew 8:5-8) Look at what the centurion said to Jesus, "...only speak a word and my servant will be healed." Do you see the power that words have. Now let's look at the outcome of this event, "When Jesus heard it, He marveled, and said to those who followed, "Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel...Then Jesus said to the centurion, "Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you." And his servant was healed that same hour." (Matthew 8:10, 13) This event had nothing to do with metaphysics, but faith in Christ and the power of His Word.

All to often Christians speak things that are contrary to God's Word because they have been taught or have assume things that are contrary to God's Word. This is a result of living today on their own past experiences, the experiences of someone they know or accepting the word of another even a church leader that they admire. What it comes down to is their personal perception or interpretation of God and His Word. This is due to a lack of understanding His nature, character, will, purposes and plan. This is also why many Christians believe that God lets bad things to happen to His Children (them or other Christians) even though Jesus has fully redeemed humanity and has restore him to what Adam was before the fall.

The following are some other scriptures concerning speaking words whether they be positive or negative; "You are snared by the words of your mouth; You are taken by the words of your mouth." 
(Proverbs 6:2) "There is one who speaks like the piercings of a sword, But the tongue of the wise promotes health. (Proverbs 12:18) "Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the bones." (Proverbs 16:24) "A fool's mouth is his destruction, and his lips are the snare of his soul." (Proverbs 18:7)

So, with that said, "Let us hold fast the confession of our faith without wavering, for He who promised is faithful". (Hebrews 10:23) PTL...

What On Your Mind

Most believers know the importance of reading and studying the Word of God, which is good, but most do not take the time to meditate on God's Word. We have stressed the need to being born again and to live a godly life, but most new believers do not receive much teaching or encouragement regarding the necessity of having a renewed mind. Isn't it interesting the enthusiasm and joy that comes with the born again experience, but unless a new believer engages and feeds on the Word that joy will eventually die out.

The mind is similar to a sponge when it comes to knowledge. However, most knowledge comes by-way-of our five senses giving the mind will and emotions control over a person. But when one feeds on the Word through meditation, the mind slowly but surely becomes renewed. As the mind is renewed, the Word is then lived out because faith continually grows. Eventually, the spirit begin to take control and the mind then comes into fellowship with the spirit. This is very important principle for all believers not only new ones. Many Christians are led by the mind, will and emotions because their minds are not being renewed and their spirit is being starved of the truth.

The apostle Paul shows us two important aspects of the born again life in regard to the physical body and its thinking process, "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." (Romans 12:1-2) Take notice that believers are to present their bodies, which holds the five senses to the Lord. This is in the sense of the Old Testament priest offering a sacrifice on the alter to the Lord. It is a dedication of yourself to the Lord for His service, which is a reasonable thing to do. Why? Because no matter how long you have been born again, every persons mind has been influenced by the things of the world. For many, worldly concepts have had you under their dominion and you have not come to the freedom that comes by the truth.

Many today live in a semi-spiritual darkness still finding it difficult to know and understand the true nature, character, will, purposes and plan of God. Many continuously go to a church leader to deal with issues that never seem to leave because they have not taken it upon themselves to renew their mind. But as one renews his/her mind, they will come to know the Lord in a deeper personal manner. Not only that, but as ones mind continues to be renewed they will not be satisfied with the acceptable and the good will of God but will want to know what is the perfect will of God.

One of the ways that you can gauge if your mind being renewed will be seen in how much your faith is growing. A person who year after year shows little faith is almost invariably a person whose mind is not being renewed. Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 4:16 "Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day." The inward man is your spirit and as you feed your inward man the Word, your mind also becomes renewed.

Finally, take to heart what the Lord spoke to Joshua concerning His Word, "This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success." (Joshua 1:8) Through meditating on the Word day and night you will come to walk in God's will, recognize that His ability and strength has been given to you as well as the promise that was given to Joshua, "For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success" so it shall be with you. Amen...

Loves is the Way

I am not one for watching movies. However, as I got older and had children we would occasionally take some time and watch a movie. One of the movie-musicals that is considered an all times favorite by movie critics is entitled, "Fiddler on the Roof" which was a 1971 film adaptation of the 1964 Broadway hit with the same name. In one of the scenes in the movie Tevye, the narrator and main character of the story, father of five daughters, an impoverished milkman, a leader in his Jewish community, asks his wife Golde in song, "Do you love me?" Golda's responses were based on all the chores that she had done as a wife and mother for Tevye and their daughters for the past 25 years and yet Tevye continued to asks Golda, "Do you love me?"

In John 21:15-17 we see Jesus asking Peter, "Do you love Me?" Jesus asked Peter this question three times and uses verb agapaoo, which means to love affectionately, ardently, supremely, perfectly, but in Peter's reply he is using the verb phileoo, which means to love, to like, to regard, to feel friendship for another. In other Words, Jesus says to Peter, "Peter, do you love me affectionately, ardently, supremely, perfectly", to which Peter answers, "Lord, I like, I regard, I feel friendship toward you."

If Jesus stood face to face with you and asked the same question that He asked Peter, what would be your response? Before you answer, remember, the Lord knows our heart. Let's be honest most believers would respond as Peter did. Phileo is the natural type of love that like Peter every person on the planet has. However, natural love is very limited. I heard it said that natural human love is nothing more the refined selfishness because it can shows affection one minute and turn ugly the next. But agape love knows no such bounds. It is not selfish in any way because it always seeks and thinks the best of others. Agape love, or the love of God, is already in the believer, "Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us." (Romans 5:5) but it is a choice that every believer must make daily as we walk out our life in Christ.

Agape love is a demonstration, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." (John 3:16) "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8) However, demonstrating love goes beyond doing various works or chores because the God kind of love is not natural but spiritual. It takes faith to walk it out in our daily lives for many reasons, such as, "But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you." (Matthew 5:44) "If you love Me, keep my commandments." (John 14:15) "This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends." (John 15:12-13) "Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law." (Romans 13:8)

As I had mentioned it takes faith to live out the God kind of love daily and consequently it takes the God kind of love to walk in faith, "For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love." (Galatians 5:6) So, for us to truly answer the question, "Do you love Me?" let's consider these things and make the choice that no matter what circumstances come our way, no matter what people may say, let us choose to have  "compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing." (1 Peter 3:8-9) In other words, let's choose to love as God loves and choose to practice it daily.

Finally, I want to challenge you to turn to 1 Corinthians 13, read and meditate on verses 4 - 8 every day, especially in the Amplified Version of the Bible. The apostle Paul tells us, "So then faith comes by hearing and hearing the Word of God." (Romans 10:17) As we read and meditate on these verses our faith will grow, our minds will be renewed and our spirit will be built up resulting in knowing that we are Christ's due to the love that we express in every situation.