Cross Over to the Other Side

Everybody knows the story of how Jesus calms the storm, and that is a great story. This is a bible story that we read to our children. It shows how Jesus has absolute power and authority over all things in this world... but this story is so much deeper than just "Jesus calming the storm".

Luke 8:22-25
²² Now it happened, on a certain day, that He (Jesus) got into a boat with His disciples.
And He said to them, "Let us cross over to the other side of the lake." And they launched out.

Did you catch that? Jesus said, "Let us cross over to the other side"! He did not say, "let us launch out, get caught in a storm and perish". Jesus told His Disciples exactly what was to come... He was going to take them to the other side, despite what they will face.

READ MORE --------->>>>

Let Us Cross Over to the Other Side

Hello Everyone!

I just had my first article published on the Yahoo Contributor Network and I am really excited. I was just testing the site to see how things worked.

Check it out...

Everybody knows the story of how Jesus calms the storm, and that is a great story. This is a bible story that we read to our children. It shows how Jesus has absolute power and authority over all things in this world... but this story is so much deeper than just "Jesus calming the storm".

CONTINUE READING HERE ------>>

Your Jesus is NOT My Jesus! PART 1

I have been very angry. So angry that I want to tell the whole world. I have been doing a lot of reading and studying lately on a certain topic, and what I have come across makes me sick to my stomach!

One of my ‘pet peeves’ is false doctrine. This is something that makes me want to stand on a sky scraper and yell to the whole world that it is a lie!

2nd Cor. 11:4

⁴For if he that comes preaching another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if you receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, you might well bear with him.

*** Paul is telling the Corinthians that they have tolerated these false apostles who had preached another gospel. Preaching another Jesus will bring forth another spirit! This spirit will bring forth another gospel!

I refuse to tolerate this willful ignorance!

I am so angry that you can show someone the truth and point out false doctrine and they do NOT care! WHY don’t they care?!? They are perverting MY JESUS!!!

If you change just a small portion of the scripture – then you are preaching ANOTHER JESUS. If you are speaking of another Jesus – then you are NOT speaking of MY JESUS.

So I am apologizing now – just in case I get too hyper. I am sorry if I get hyper and offend you, but I refuse to be sorry for pointing out the error in doctrine.

False doctrine is such an important thing to point out to me that I have made a tab up at the top of this page for it. So far, this page is empty. I just do not have the time to post here on this blog as I would like. I wish this was my full time job. I wish I had time to write all day long. But I don’t. I do plan on getting more posted.

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The Cross is a Place of Defeat?!?

•  NO!  The cross is a place of defeat for Satan, but not for Jesus or believers. Jesus purposely went to the cross and He purposely laid down His life. Nobody TOOK it from Him! He laid it down voluntarily and willingly:  “They” say that Jesus was the biggest loser of the bible! This is sickening!

John 10:17-18

¹⁷  because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.

¹⁸No man takes it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.

Jesus satisfied the demands of the broken law on every human being and He did it through His death on the cross. “IT IS FINISHED” = PAID IN FULL! His blood on the cross atoned for all sin. Jesus nailed the charges against us to His Cross. Satan had legal power to hold all men in captivity – but Jesus defeated him by His death on the cross.

Col. 2:14-15

¹⁴ having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. ¹⁵ And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.

If you truly believe that the cross is a place of defeat for Jesus, than you are following another Jesus. You are not serving the same Jesus I am. MY JESUS defeated Satan on the cross. MY JESUS fulfilled the law on the cross. MY JESUS took the keys to death, hell and the grave away from Satan through His death on the cross. There is POWER in the name of JESUS. There is salvation in the name of Jesus. There is healing in the name of Jesus. There is answered prayers in the name of Jesus. Bondages are broken in the name of Jesus. In the name of Jesus, Satan and his demons have to flee.

The Resurrection is a Place of Victory?!?

• So the cross is a place of defeat and the resurrection is the place of victory? Ummm, NO!
• Paul said this:

1 Cor. 1:18

¹⁸ The teaching about the cross is foolishness to those who are being lost, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

Paul did NOT say, “For the preaching of the resurrection…”

Gal. 6:14

¹⁴ But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

Again, Paul did NOT say, “save in the resurrection…”

So WHY do “teachers” and “preachers” do this? They throw the cross in the dirt while bragging of the resurrection. When Jesus died on the cross He said, “It is finished”. It was all completed at the cross!

Eph. 4:8

When He ascended on high,
He led captivity captive,
And gave gifts to men.

Jesus liberated these people before the resurrection.

Jesus Died Spiritually?

• “They” teach that Jesus become a sinner on the cross (hence, ‘a place of defeat’) – THIS IS UNSCRIPTURAL!
• “They” teach the Jesus, as a sinner, went to the burning side of hell where He suffered horribly for 3 days and 3 nights. Along with Satan and his demons celebrating the defeat of Jesus. – THIS IS UNSCRIPTURAL!
• “They” teach that at the end of the 3 days & nights, Jesus said, “It is enough", and that is when Jesus was then “born again” and resurrected from the dead. – THIS IS UNSCRIPTURAL! 
• I read a book this past week where one of these “teachers” is saying that on the cross Jesus became a homosexual, a thief, a murderer, a drunkard, and so much more. – THIS IS UNSCRIPTURAL!
• One of these “teachers” made this statement regarding these statements:

“You won’t find it in the bible; it has to be revealed to your spirit”

***If I can not find this in the bible, I REFUSE TO ACCEPT IT AS TRUTH!

Jesus Died Physically, NOT Spiritually!

• Peter said,

1 Pet.3:18

¹⁸ For Christ also suffered once for sins (ON THE CROSS), the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit

Jesus was “put to death in the flesh” – He did not die spiritually. To die spiritually, one has to have unbelief in God which separates that person from God eternally (Jn. 16:8-11)

“They” will argue and say that they do not teach that Jesus became a sinner on the cross – but a person does not need to be born again unless they are a sinner. MY JESUS WAS NOT A SINNER! YOUR Jesus may have been a sinner, but MY JESUS was Holy, harmless, undefiled, without spot and blemish, perfect and who knew no sin.

Heb. 7:25-26

²⁵ Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.
²⁶ For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens;

In the Old Testament, the animal for the sacrifice had to be perfect, without spot and blemish (Ex. 12.5). God could not accept a polluted sacrifice. Jesus was made to take on our sin penalty, which His physical death on the cross. He offered Himself as a sacrifice. He did not become become a sinner. He was perfect, holy, without spot and blemish! He became a sin OFFERING.

2 Cor. 5:21

²¹ For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him

Isa. 53:10

¹⁰ Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise Him;
      He has put Him to grief.
      When You make His soul an offering for sin, 
     

Jesus could not have been an offering for sin, had He been a sinner. God could not accept a polluted sacrifice.

HELL?

Jesus did not go to the burning side of hell to suffer for His sins. He went to Paradise.

• Paradise: (Lk. 16:19-31;  23:43) This was the non-burning place where the righteous people (including the Old Testament Saints) went when they physically died (before Christ died).
  • The righteous souls  were held captive by the devil against their will until Christ conquered death, hell and the grave. When Christ died he went down there & captured these souls & took them up to heaven with Him. Paradise is now empty! Righteous souls go  directly to heaven now at the time of their physical death.
  •  Before Christ’s death, righteous souls were held captive in hell. After His death righteous, saved, born again people are free to go immediately to heaven with Him!! 

Firstborn?

These “teachers” claim that Christ was born again in hell. THIS IS BLASPHEMY!

“They” teach this by using Rom. 8:29,

²⁹ God knew them before he made the world, and he chose them to be like his Son so that Jesus would be the firstborn of many brothers and sisters.

The word ‘firstborn’ here means that Jesus was the One who made it possible for all men to be ‘born again’. NOT that He was the first be be born again!

Col. 1:18

¹⁸And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.

“Firstborn from the dead” means that His resurrections has made it possible for all believers to also be resurrected.

The Veil in the Temple

When Jesus died on the cross, the veil of the temple was torn in half (Mt. 27:51) meaning that redemption was now complete. From that time of His death, all people could come directly to God for salvation through Jesus instead of through the Old Testament sacrificial law. If Jesus had become a sinner and needed to become ‘born again’ – then that veil of the temple was torn in half prematurely.

When Jesus died, he spoke the words, “It is finished: Father, Into Your hands I commend My Spirit” (Jn. 19:30; Lk. 23:46) – If Jesus had become a sinner, He would not have used the word “Father”. Sinners don’t call God, “Father”.

To suggest that Jesus had become a sinner is not only stupidity, but it is blasphemy!

My God, My God, Why Have You Forsaken Me?

• When Jesus spoke the words, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Jn. 19:30, Lk. 23:46) “There was a darkness over all of the Earth” (Lk. 23:44).

During this 3 hour period of darkness – these “teachers” claim that Jesus became a lost sinner.

• THE TRUTH? During this 3 hour time period, Jesus was bearing the sin of the world and taking the sin penalty (which was physical death). God could not look upon this. When Jesus died, this sin penalty was paid in full. This sin debt was finished & taken care of once and for all! And God could once again look at Him and help Him when He said the words, “Father; Into Your hands I commend My Spirit”
• Again, Jesus could not have referred to Him as Father if He had become a sinner.

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And now I want to know:

How have people been so ignorant to believe this junk?!?

The Word of God is SO CLEAR. HOW do people fall into false doctrine?

I am so angry that people take this lightly.

IGNORANCE!

WILLFUL IGNORANCE!

There is only ONE ABSOLUTE TRUTH and anything else is “another Jesus”.

Hosea 4:6

⁶ My people will be destroyed,
       because they have no knowledge.
    You have refused to learn,
       so I will refuse to let you be priests to me.
    You have forgotten the teachings of your God,
       so I will forget your children.

• This ‘knowledge’ is the bible. The word of God.
• The ‘lack of knowledge’ is not speaking of ignorance or not understanding the bible. This is speaking of WILLFUL REJECTION of the Word of God.

It wasn’t that they didn’t know –

It was that they didn’t want to know!

Monday’s Life In Him

Happy Monday Everyone! Who wants to join in “Monday's Life In Him”? It’s easy… Just grab this button below & post it somewhere either on your blog post or on your main page. Then… Write a post about HIM (Jesus)Sometimes I just post a verse, sometimes I share a short story or sometimes I write a short study.Either way… Let’s spread His Word and His Love! <a border="0" href="http://wedonthaveitalltogether.blogspot.com/search/label/Life%20In%20%27Him%27" target="_blank"><img src="http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/ab13/jacquiblogger/danielle/buttonlifeinhim1.jpg" width="125" height="125" /> </a>

^{Here is what I have for today:}

^{Luke 8:43-48}

⁴³ Now a woman, having a flow of blood for twelve years, who had spent all her livelihood on physicians and could not be healed by any, ⁴⁴ came from behind and touched the border of His garment. And immediately her flow of blood stopped.
⁴⁵ And Jesus said, “Who touched Me?”
When all denied it, Peter and those with him said, “Master, the multitudes throng and press You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’” ⁴⁶ But Jesus said, “Somebody touched Me, for I perceived power going out from Me.” ⁴⁷ Now when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling; and falling down before Him, she declared to Him in the presence of all the people the reason she had touched Him and how she was healed immediately.
⁴⁸ And He said to her, “Daughter, be of good cheer; your faith has made you well. Go in peace.”

This women had this sickness for 12 years & spent all of her life savings on trying to get better.

She had enough faith to go touch Jesus. SHE TOUCHED HIM! She didn’t wait for Him to go to her… SHE went to Him! Just because Jesus is in heaven and we can’t physically SEE him, doesn’t mean WE can’t touch HIM.

And Jesus knew someone had touched Him because He felt the healing power leave Him. Amazing! Jesus still heals today, just go to Him!

The most amazing thing to me about this story is this: In the beginning of this story, she is called “women”. At the end of this story, she is called “DAUGHTER”!!! Jesus said, “Your faith has made you well”. Jesus not only healed her & made her well physically… but he healed her spiritually and made her well.

She is HIS now!! She is a child of God because of her faith!!

Praise God! Praise God! Praise God!

This is one of my favorite stories, I could read it over and over! I had to share this today.

Don’t forget to link up. This way we can visit your blog.

 

I hope you all have a wonderful week. I am leaving Wednesday for Wisconsin Dells. I can’t wait!

Tithing Means 10% & It’s A Command From God. Deal With It.

Sorry to be blunt like that… but we all need to suck it up & deal with the fact that we OWE God 10% of what we earn. Simple as that. So stop crying about it & trying to make excuses for why you don’t have to!

I know I am going to be disliked for this one… but this will be on tithing. Not too many can agree on this doctrine. Mostly because it hits our precious pocket book. And we don’t like being told what to do with our money. Only problem with that? It’s not OUR money. It’s His. He gives it to us. No scripture even mentions a substitute program for tithing in the New Testament.

There is a difference between tithing and offering. Tithing is a command. Offering is just that. Offering. Tithing is a tenth. A tenth off of the top of your profit. Whether it be your paycheck or your crops ‘back in the day’. A tenth of your earnings should go to God before it is touched for ANYTHING else. Before your mortgage, car payment, groceries.

I heard someone say once, If you want to know what is most important to someone… look in their check book. On the day of payday when that money is deposited… what is the very first thing money is withdrawn for?

Is it God?

It should be. Here is why. First of all, it is commanded by God. Secondly, the true Word needs to be spread.

Mark 16:15 (King James Version)

¹⁵And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

How are we to make sure the true Word of God gets spread if we don’t support the church?

Tithes. Used 23 times in the bible.

Tithe. Used 14 times in the bible.

Tithing. Used 2 times in the bible.

Tithe  means tenth.

It’s really very simple. This does not mean a tenth of your time. This is a tenth of your earnings. Look at all the biblical examples. These people gave what they earned! Not just some ‘community service’ as they chose. That doesn’t mean painting the church in your spare time, or preparing meals for the sick or homeless or donating your baked goods for the church bake sale, or helping the youth on your free day.  All of those things are wonderful, but it all is considered offerings… not tithing!

The very first mention of tithing was in Gen. 14:20, Gen. 28:22 and again in Heb. 7:1-11. This practice was 430 years BEFORE the Law  of Moses!  So we will see, that the doctrine of tithing was practiced before the Law of Moses (Old Testament), Under the Law  of  Moses, and also in the New Testament (after the Law was finished). In the New Testament, Christ taught it & Paul taught it. It was commanded in both Old & New Testaments.

Tithing Under The Law Of Moses:

First of all it was commanded in Lev. 27:30 & Mal. 3:10.

Five Purposes for tithing:

• For  the Levites Num. 18:21-24  {“This is their payment for the work they do serving”}
• Tithes of the tithes every 3 yrs for the poor and the ministers Dt. 14:27-29, 26:12-14
• To  supply God’s house Mal. 3:10
• To honor God Prov. 3:9-10

When were tithes to be brought? Yearly, along with all other offerings for the feast Dt. 12:6-7, 14:22-26

These tithes belonged to God, not the people who paid them Lev. 27:30-34, Mal. 3:8

Where tithes were brought: 2nd Chr. 31:12, Neh. 10:38, 12:44, 13:5 & 12

If someone borrowed  then 20% interest had to be added when it was paid back Lev. 27:31

Tithing in the New Testament:

Christ taught it: (Mt. 23:23 <--- command, Lk. 11:42), Lk. 18:11-12,

Matthew 10:10 (New Century Version)

¹⁰ Don't carry a bag or extra clothes or sandals or a walking stick. Workers should be given what they need.

Luke 10:7-8 (New Century Version)

⁷ Stay in the same house, eating and drinking what the people there give you. A worker should be given his pay. Don't move from house to house. ⁸ If you go into a town and the people welcome you, eat what they give you.

Paul taught it:

God ordained the support of ministers 1 Cor. 9:7-14

Melchisedec priesthood is eternal & must be supported Heb. 7:1-11

Here are some examples of those mentioned in scripture who paid tithes:

• Abraham (Gen. 14:20, Heb. 7:1-11)
• Jacob (Gen. 28:22)
• Levi in Abraham (Heb 7:9)
• Hezekiah and Israel (2 Chr. 31)
• Nehemiah and Israel (Neh. 13)
• Hypocrites (Mt. 23:23, Lk. 11:42; 18:12)
• Christians (1 Cor. 9:7-14; 16:2, 2 Cor. 7:11; 8:1-15, Gal. 6:6, 1 Tim. 5:17-18, Heb. 7)

Here are blessings mentioned for paying tithes:

• Blessings for obedience (Rom. 4:12, Heb. 7:6-10, 1 Cor. 9:7-14, 1 Tim. 6:17-18. Compare to Mal. 3:8-10, Pr. 3:9-10, Gen. 14:20, Dt. 8:10-20)
• God’s house will not want (Mal. 3:10)
• God’s ministers will not want (1 Cor. 9:7-14, 1 Tim. 5:17-18, Neh. 13:10)
• Material and spiritual blessings (Mal. 3:8-10, Pr. 3:9-10, 2 Chr. 31, Neh. 13)

Malachi 3:10-12 (New King James Version)

¹⁰ Bring all the tithes into the storehouse,
      That there may be food in My house,
      And try Me now in this,”
      Says the LORD of hosts,
      “ If I will not open for you the windows of heaven
      And pour out for you such blessing
      That there will not be room enough to receive it.
¹¹ “ And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes,
      So that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground,
      Nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field,”
      Says the LORD of hosts;
¹² And all nations will call you blessed,
      For you will be a delightful land,”
      Says the LORD of hosts.

Tithes and offerings belong to God. To use them for personal gain is robbery of what belongs to God. Robbing God of tithes and offerings brings a curse. The purpose of tithes and offerings was to support the priesthood and the work of God in general. In vs.. 10, God challenges men to prove Him regarding the rewards of tithing.

We have all said, “I can’t afford to pay God the full 10% this week” because we have bills due. But someone once told me, “I can’t afford NOT to pay God this week”. Have you ever been faithful with your 10% for a long period of time… and then slacked off for a couple of weeks. ‘Jipped’ God out of His 10%? Then something unexpected came up? Like… your car broke down. Or something in the house went wrong? An extra bill came or you got a ticket? Remember that curse in vs.. 8 & 9? God WILL get His money one way or another.

And on the flip side – If you are faithful with your 10%… imagine the blessings!! God knows what we need. He knows if we are struggling with our bills. He also knows if we are struggling with the idea of paying Him or not paying Him.

If we are faithful in paying Him, then He will provide for us. He will take care of our needs. Don’t forget:

”If I will not open for you the windows of heaven
      And pour out for you such blessing
      That there will not be room enough to receive it.”

He is faithful to us.

Are we faithful to Him?

Ghosts!

Satan, Demons, ‘Ghosts’… OhMy!

Let’s talk about the spooky stuff! Why not?

Everyone falls into 3 categories on this topic: 1) Don’t believe at all & probably don’t want to hear about it, 2) Believe it but don’t know much… but have lot’s of their own theories, or 3) Believe it & know the truth. If you are in another category, sorry. I didn’t mean to leave you out.

{This topic is one of my pet peeves. It bothers me that there are so many that don’t know the truth about “ghosts”. People want to believe that these ‘ghosts’ are long lost loved ones that will watch over them like angels. Or they believe that their house is haunted by a ‘nice ghost’… so it’s ok. This drives me NUTS! The bible is very clear: When we take our last breath here on earth, we close our eyes & die & open our eyes in eternity. This is a fact. The bible is also very clear on the fact that once we wake up in eternity (whether heaven or hell) we STAY PUT & do NOT COME BACK for any reason! (Luke 16)  UNDERSTAND THIS PEOPLE!!! Ghosts are NOT dead people that come back to earth for any reason!!!}

Ready? Let’s get started!

The Greek words daimonion and daimon means “evil spirits” or “devils”. These words are used 77 times referring to demon spirits (‘ghosts’). There is also the Greek word diamonizomai which means “to have or be possessed by a demon”

The Greek word diabolos means “Satan” (The Devil), which means adversary, false accuser, slanderer. It is used 34 times regarding Satan.

There is a HUGE difference between these two different things: Satan & demon spirits. There is only one prince of devils but many demons.

Satan in an angel. He has an angelic body & can NOT enter bodily into anyone. Demons are DISembodied spirits & are not able to operate in the material world except through possession of the bodies of men & animals.

Other words used in the bible meaning “demon” (same Greek word, just different translation): familiar spirits, unclean spirits, evil spirits, seducing spirits.

Some general information about demons: They are subject to Christ and made subject to believers by the atonement, the name of Jesus, and the Holy Spirit (Mt. 8:16-17; 12:28; Mk. 16:17; Lk. 10:17; Acts 19:15; 1Pet. 3:22) This means that IN THE NAME OF JESUS demons have to flee. Now don’t misunderstand – YOU MUST BE A CHRISTIAN in order to use the name of Jesus. The demons KNOW if you are saved or not!! {Acts 19:13-16  - ¹³Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed. They would say, "In the name of Jesus, whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out." ¹⁴Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. ¹⁵(One day) the evil spirit answered them, "Jesus I know, and I know about Paul, but who are you?" ¹⁶Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding.} You don’t mess with demons unless you are covered in the blood of Christ because the demons KNOW who belongs to Him!

Here’s the kicker: Demons have been roaming this earth since BEFORE Adam & Eve! Yes, yes… Adam & Eve were NOT the first beings on the face of the earth. Before Adam & Eve there was a whole kingdom here on earth! Lucifer (aka Satan) was created by Christ along with other beings, principalities and powers in heaven and earth (Job 38:4-7; Ez. 28:11-17; Col. 1:15-18) Lucifer fell through pride over his own beauty (Ez. 28:11-17; 1Tim 3:6) and trying to exalt himself above God (Isa. 14:12-14). Anyway… Lucifer had a kingdom on earth long before the 6 days of Gen. (1:3-2:25) and the creation of Adam. These passages reveal that he fell, led an invasion into heaven and was defeated. At that time the earth was cursed and all life destroyed by the first flood, (as in Gen. 1:2… whole other story), NOT Noah’s flood. 

Soooo…. demons were roaming around before Adam & Eve between earth & hell… they know everything that has ever happened here on earth! They have seen every person who has ever lived. They have seen every person die.

Above I mentioned one of the names of demons is “familiar spirit”. This is what we call “ghosts”. We may see a ‘ghost’ that resembles our long lost great-grandpa that died in the attic. This ‘ghost’ looks like great-grandpa…it MUST be great-grandpa! NOT!! This is a “familiar spirit”!! These demons are so devious, they can make themselves look like any person who has ever been on this earth. People fall for this in other ways too. They see this ‘ghost’ that looks like some person who has lived back in the 1800’s or some other far away time period… and they look it up in history & find out this ‘ghost’ was a real person! Yes, demons CAN do this.

What WE need to do… is NOT BE IGNORANT to this! Don’t think these evil things are innocent ‘ghosts’ of dead nice people. The dead nice people are either in heaven or hell… and can NOT come back!!! Regardless if these things are scaring us or not – harming us or not – THESE THINGS ARE DEMON SPIRITS! No matter HOW you want to look at it – THEY ARE EVIL!! You do not want these things around! I think one reason for this is people want to hold on to some kind of hope that their loved one is coming back to visit or something. But this is impossible. It is impossible that our loved one comes back from eternity. This is the Word of God in scripture!

I really want people to understand how powerful the name of Jesus is. Demons know their destiny! In James 2:19 it says the demons know God and TREMBLE! They know that Christ has ALL POWER over them. They know their fate… that at the end of time they will be cast into hell for all eternity!

Demons also know who belongs to Christ. Us believers have the power over demons THROUGH CHRIST! Jesus gave us His permission to use His name to cast out demons, to heal the sick! 

Hollywood (and a lot of regular people) think you need to call in a priest or minister to pray over your haunted house or to do an exorcism… NOT TRUE! Jesus gave us His permission to use His name to do His work!! You just have to be a Christian. A believer. A born again, washed in the blood, child of God!

Luke 9

¹Then He called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases.

²And He sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick.

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Are YOU a child of God? A believer? Are YOU washed in His blood?

You have to believe that Jesus is God’s only son who died on the cross for your sins… and He was raised from the dead on the 3rd day. (Romans 10:9)

If you believe this, then talk to God. Tell him you are sorry for your sins & you want to be saved. Tell Him you believe in His Son Jesus, that He died for your sins & you believe He has risen!

After you have done this…

YOU ARE SAVED!

You are a child of God!

You are washed in the blood of Christ!

Life With Him

Luke 9:26 (New International Version)


If anyone is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.

Are we ashamed of Jesus (the Son of Man)? On judgment day when we stand in ‘that line’ on the other side… will He be ashamed of us? Will he accept us in? Or were we too ashamed of Him here on this side?

Battles/struggles & the "sin nature"

When Adam and Eve 'fell' they fell from the level of total God-consciousness ... down to the lower level of sin-consciousness. They were then controlled by the "sin nature". And then the entire human race became one of sin. Every single unredeemed person is controlled by the sin nature. No matter how you want to argue this fact - it is a FACT that the unsaved are ruled by the sin nature. US before we got saved were also ruled by the sin nature. The sin nature has POWER OVER us if we are unsaved. Our own WILL POWER is not strong enough to fight the sin nature. We may win at times. But ultimatly the sin nature has complete dominion over us. From the minute a baby is born the sin nature is in control. Do you need to teach a child how to lie? No. If you put two infants in a crib together along with one bottle... what happens? They fight over it. THIS is the SIN NATURE. (Eph. 2:1-3) Born in original sin, mankind is controlled by the sin nature, which is the cause of all war, strife, and man's inhumanity to man.

So how does a Christian STOP SINNING? If you take a poll and ask, "How do you stop sinning?" (I will use some big examples here: alcohol, drugs, sex, cheating, gossiping) - The answer you get will probably be the WRONG ANSWER! This saddens me. It is sad and depressing to battle something in your Christian life. It is sad and difficult to see someone else battle something in their Christian life when you don't know how to help.  If you have ever battled something in your walk that is similar to an addiction - then you have probably wondered the same thing: "HOW DO I STOP DOING THIS THING THAT I REALLY DON'T WANT TO DO...but I can't help but DO?" This answer can be found in Romans chpt. 6 & 7.  However the answer you will get from most ministers, teachers, fellow brothers & sisters in Christ... "DO" something. Read your bible more. Pray more. Stay away from the things that may lead you to be tempted to sin. Go to the preacher and have him lay hands on you. Stand in the prayer line. All these things are wonderful things to do in your Christian life, but they are not the answer to your struggles. My personal favorite...GIVE IT TO GOD! My answer to that one...HOW?!?!? Have you ever had a battle and sat there and talked to God and said, "Ok God - take this battle from me. I am giving it to you." How has that worked for ya? You have probably slipped to the battle not long after you asked God to take it from you, right? The reason that will not work is this: The believer who talks to God and says, "Take this from me"...is NOT putting his faith in the right area.

Unfortunatly this stuggle with the sin nature happens more to the believers who are the most consecrated. They love the Lord and to fail the Lord is a burden almost too heaye to bear. This make a Christian - a MISERABLE Christian. Not understanding how and where to get the victory, they are constantly failing the Lord. These people are lead to believe that the Christian experience is a daily struggle. IF a Christian is struggling with sin then he is fighting a battle which he can not win. Christians are to "Fight the good fight of faith" (1Tim. 6:12) but that should be the extent of our stuggle. Scripture says: "But this Man (Jesus), after He had offered one sacrafice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God; from hence forth expecting till His enemies be made His footstool. For by one offering, He has perfected forever them who are sanctified" (Heb. 13:20) In other words: Our Lord totally and completely defeated sin at the Cross of Calvary. His sacrifice of Himself was so perfect, so total, so complete, and so finla that it will never have to be repeated. Paul refers to this at "The everlasting convenant" in Heb. 13:20.

THE  ANSWER...
When a believing sinner comes to Christ, the sin nature is then made absolutely dormant. The sin nature has NO HOLD on the person anymore. The sin nature has NO CONTROL over the person anymore. The chains of sin fall off. The only way for this to happen is for the believer to register his faith totally and completely in Christ and the cross - and then MAINTAIN that faith. FAITH that when Jesus died on the cross and rose 3 days later... HE BROKE THE DOMINION that the sin nature HAD on us!! THIS IS WHERE OUR FAITH MUST BE!!! JESUS and the CROSS!!!! Jesus did so much more than just die on the cross!!! HE BROKE the POWER of the sin nature when He died!!! So the only answer to our sin 'battle' = Jesus and Him crucified!!!! FAITH in what HE DID on the cross!!! "FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT OF FAITH" (1Tim 6:12) We don't have to fight the sin nature - JESUS ALREADY DID!!!! That is exciting!! !!! There is NOTHING we can 'DO' except have FAITH in Jesus and His FINISHED WORK on THE CROSS

Here is a little formula regarding the sin nature and victory:
FOCUS:  The Lord Jesus Christ (Jn. 14:6)
OBJECT OF FAITH:  The Cross Of Christ (Rom. 6:3-5)
POWER SOURCE:  The Holy Spirit (Rom. 8:1-2, 11)
RESULTS:  VICTORY!! (Rom. 6:14; Gal. 2:20)

Now - this is the formula that most Christians will tell you to use:
FOCUS: Works (Rom. 4:2)
OBJECT OF FAITH: Performance - try harder (Gal. 2:21)
POWER SOURCE: Self (Gal. 5:2)
RESULTS:  FAILURE! (Gal. 5:4)

WANT HELP FROM THE HOLY SPIRIT?
 IF a believer continues to place his faith in Jesus & His finished work at the cross, then the Holy Spirit will work mightily in the heart and life of such a believer, bringing about righteousness, holiness, Christlikeness, and the Fruit of the Spirit. The Holy Spirit can not work any other way. The Holy Spirit is the 'dispenser' of the GRACE of GOD. Paul said, "For the LAW of THE SPIRIT of LIFE IN CHRIST JESUS has made me FREE from the LAW of SIN and DEATH" (8:2) The Holy Spirit works ONLY within the parameters of the Atonement.  It is the CROSS which makes it possible for HIM to live permanently within our hearts and lives, and to carry out HIS ministry as The Dispenser of GRACE on our behalf. HE ONLY REQUIRES FROM US FAITH IN CHRISTAND WHAT HE DID AT THE CROSS!!!!  However if the believer places his faith in anything other than the finished work on the cross... (for example: pray more. read more...) the Holy Spirit can not function. The Holy Spirit will not help that believer function under works & law. The Holy Spirit only functions under GRACE & FAITH in what Jesus did at the cross.

To sum it all up:  ALL the believer has to do is to understand that everything that comes to us from God has all been made possible through Christ and what He did at the CROSS. This is why Jesus said, "If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself (deny his own ability & strength), and take up his cross daily, and follow ME.
For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for My sake, the same shall save it" (Lk. 9:23-24) The "Cross" is so important that Jesus said we must take it up ON A DAILY BASIS. This is the only sucessfull way to follow Christ. When we do this, the Holy Spirit then works within our hearts and lives... to be sure the sin nature will then REMAIN DORMANT causing the believer no problems whatsoever.

It's all a matter of faith.

To read more about the sin nature I recommend this study guide:
"The Sin Nature"