WALKING WITH JESUS

Posted on by

“All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. Come to me, all who labour and are heavily laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

What an amazing Scripture: Jesus says, all things have been handed over to Him by His Father and Jesus makes the decision as to who will get to know our Heavenly Father (anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him). Also, look at the invitation Jesus gives us:

  • Come to Me
  • Recover your life
  • Real rest
  • Walk with Me and work with Me
  • Watch how I do it
  • Keep company with Me

I feel odd about writing this, but it looks like Jesus wants to hang out with us. At the same time, I am reminded of the Scripture: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding.” Psalms 111:10. A healthy respect, knowing Jesus is God, is required.

Also, understanding the role of the Holy Spirit as our counsellor, teacher, comforter, and helper is important in understanding our relationship with Jesus, our Lord and Saviour. Jesus made it possible for our Heavenly Father to send the Holy Spirit to indwell our spirit. Without the Holy Spirit it is impossible to live the Christian life. If we allow Him to guide our steps each and every day, we will be in a good relationship with Jesus and our Heavenly Father. The apostle Paul gives us good advice:

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies, but test everything; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-22

“And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.” Ephesians 4:30

WE ARE IN AN ANTI-CHRISTIAN AGE NOT A POST-CHRISTIAN AGE

Posted on by

REVIEW of Rosaria Butterfield’s ‘Five Lies of Our Anti-Christian Age’

Butterfield’s offering comes in the form of fresh, unadulterated truth — the kind that’s not afraid to step on the toes of those caught in deception. Hurt toes are a small price to pay for walking in the truth, even if you do end up with a limp. Limping or not, staying on the path beats falling into the abyss any day.

Lies that lead us astray have only multiplied since the serpent in the garden suggested, “Did God really say?” There are plenty to go around, but Butterfield narrows her focus to five. The lies she sees as particularly plaguing today are:

  1. Homosexuality is normal.
  2. Being a spiritual person is kinder than being a biblical Christian.
  3. Feminism is good for the world and the church.
  4. Transgenderism is normal.
  5. Modesty is an outdated burden that serves male dominance and holds women back.

Butterfield’s five lies may not be top-of-mind for everyone, but nearly every North American Christian is affected by them. Take the lie that homosexuality is normal, for example. The ubiquity of homosexuality portrayed in media and advertising lends credence to the notion that it’s just another part of everyday life — even to the point of infiltrating the church. Sure, progressive churches have long accepted and celebrated homosexuality, but its normalization has affected more conservative churches as well. Butterfield speaks specifically against the ideas of homosexual identity and the so-called gay Christian movement. She doesn’t mince words: it is sin, and those involved with it are in need of repentance.

Butterfield’s biography plays heavily into her narrative. She once identified as “a women-centered, pacifist, lesbian vegetarian” who “hated everything to do with the Bible.” After meeting Christians who patiently, thoroughly, and lovingly explained the gospel to her, she was converted. She walked away from that identity at great personal cost. But her biography is most certainly not her rationale — it’s merely supporting evidence.

Butterfield’s solutions aren’t novel — in fact, they’re demonstrably old. The solution to these lies, of course, is truth. But it’s not truth found only in experience, rather it’s the revealed truth given to us in Scripture. For Butterfield, these lies aren’t prickly cultural nuances. They are sin. The solution to being shaped by lies is to be transformed by Christ, to repent from sin, and believe the truth.

Particularly helpful is the characterization of our current age as “anti-Christian” versus the oft-used “post-Christian.” After all, we Christians are still here, and Christ’s church still stands. But our age is increasingly negative toward Christianity. Where faith may have once held prominence, it’s now an object of derision. Derision leaves no room for complex nuance, hence Butterfield’s simple, repent-and-believe-the-truth approach to dealing with lies.

Butterfield’s motivation is found in the latter part of the book as she sums up a quote by church reformer John Calvin. She writes, “To a Christian, the rage of the whole world is nothing — nothing, that is, compared to the grace and power of God.”

And maybe that’s the simplicity in Rosaria Butterfield’s approach to our anti-Christian age. The world can rage all it wants against Christ and his truth, but all its rage is no match for his grace. Make no mistake: this book is ultimately not about lies. Sure, the reader will walk away with a sharp assessment of these lies (perhaps with some sore toes). But it’s the truth of God’s grace that Butterfield gives that will keep the reader free from the enemy’s web of lies.

Review by Jared Bridges. He is editor-in-chief of The Washington Stand.

The good news is that Jesus told us beforehand that prior to His second coming the world will reject God and His Word, the Bible, and hence hate Christians who uphold Jesus and the Bible.

“Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake. And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.” Matthew 24:9-13

OUR HEAVENLY FATHER’S PROVISION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

Posted on by

Jesus said the most important thing that He accomplished on The Cross was to enable our Heavenly Father to send the third person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit, to indwell our spirit to be our counsellor, teacher, and comforter. When we are baptized, we die to ourselves. and are born again by the Holy Spirit. Without the Holy Spirit, it is impossible to live a Christian life.

It’s the Holy Spirit who does a work of renewal inside us. He breaks the power of canceled sin and sets the sinner free. He delivers us from the slavery of our habits and perfects us. David says it well:

“The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O LORD, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands.” Psalms 138:8

The Holy Spirit changes our lives for the better, He produces these fine attributes in our lives:

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things, there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.” Galatians 5:22-25

He provides the gifts for service and ministry

“Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone.” 1 Corinthians 12:4-6

“For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.” 1 Corinthians 12:8-11

Have you repented of your sins, and of your rejection of God and His values? Have you rejected Jesus’ amazing offer of forgiveness of sins? If you have you do not know the wonderful presence of the Holy Spirit in your life to enable you to live life as your Creator God intended from the beginning.

Sadly, many people including me have grieved the Holy Spirit and quenched His work in their lives. It is so easy to ignore the Holy Spirit. Every day, we need to say as Jesus did when He was on earth, not my will but your will be done in my life today.

“Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him.” Luke 22:42

DO YOU REALLY KNOW WHAT THE HOLY SPIRIT CAN ACCOMPLISH IN YOUR LIFE?

Posted on by

Jesus made it possible for our Heavenly Father to send the third person of the Trinity to indwell every believer to be our counselor, comforter, and teacher. Jesus said:

“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, He will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” John 14:26

“But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, He will bear witness about me.” John 15:26

“For through Him (Jesus), we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.” Ephesians 2:18

“Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God?” 1 Corinthians 6:19

“In Him, you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.” Ephesians 2:22

Have you ever had trouble praying? Well, the following Scripture makes it clear that the Holy Spirit that indwells you will express what you cannot express with words as “the Spirit intercedes for the Saints according to the will of God.” Isn’t that good to know? The Spirit of God searches the hearts and knows what is in the mind of the Spirit and He can help us communicate to God what we can’t always put in words.

“And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit because the Spirit intercedes for the Saints according to the will of God.” Romans 8:27

Note: The Spirit intercedes for the Saints. All who believe God and place their trust in Him are called Saints. Being called a Saint is not new to the New Testament. The Old Testament speaks of Saints too, all who believe God and have placed their trust in Him are considered Saints, right now, even while they’re alive as the psalmist writes that God “will not forsake his Saints. They are preserved forever, but the children of the wicked shall be cut off” (Psalm 37:28).

“May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the Saints in light. He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son.” Colossians 1:11-13

God’s grace delivered us out of the darkness and brought us into the light and transferred us from the kingdom or domain of darkness into the kingdom of His beloved Son, Jesus Christ. He does that only for His Saints who’ve repented and put their trust in Him and that’s only because we’re qualified by Jesus’ redemption.

“To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be Saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours.” 1 Corinthians 1:2

The root word for “saints” comes from the word sanctified so those whom Jesus died for are the sanctified ones or saints. To be sanctified is to be “set apart for holy use” and that is what the Saints are. For now, we have been called out of the world to go back into the world to call others out of the world. However, prophecies being fulfilled in our time tell us that Jesus’ second coming is not too far in the future.

Do you know what our role will be when Jesus returns to earth with the Saints?

“And the kingdom and the dominion and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the Saints of the Most High.” Daniel 7:27

“Or do you not know that the Saints will judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by you, are you incompetent to try trivial cases? Do you not know that we are to judge angels?” 1 Corinthians 6:2-3

Persecution of Christians at unprecedented levels in these last days

Posted on by

Listen as Jonathan Cahn presents the facts on persecution of Christians around the world to the United Nations. Can I then suggest, if you haven’t already done so, that you ask the Lord what you can do to stand with your persecuted brothers and sisters. He will answer that prayer and when He does do it.

https://youtu.be/rqPit74onAI