LIAR, LIAR . . . by Ellene Meece

LIAR, LIAR . . .

by Ellene Meece

Living in a world of lies and deceit can take its toll on us. It seems the brown cloud of lying has thickened across our world and sometimes it's impossible to discern truth. We not only have the media slanting their stories to suit their views but we have advertisement exaggeration taking us into fantasy land with their false promises, manipulating us into thinking we need their product to be happy.

 

In the marketplace, business integrity and ethics are being compromised. In our homes, parents are covering their mistakes with a fabrication of excuses and children are routinely deceiving their parents.

 

Lies hurt people, so how did we get here and can we stop the lies?

 

To expel the lies that swirl around us day to day, we must first of all recognize where those lies originate. Satan is the deceiver, the accuser, the one whom Jesus calls the Father of Lies, and is the one who is the cause of all anguish, deception and suffering in this world.

 

Secondly, we must know the truth. This comes from knowing God - His character, His intentions for us. Know that His words are inerrant and timeless.

Garrett Kell wrote on his blog, All Things for Good, a wonderful synopsis of identifying the enemy lies and overcoming with God's truth.

William was facing the most excruciating season of his life.

He and his wife were finalizing a divorce. He'd lost his job. He was potentially going to lose his son in a custody battle. His financial foundation was dissolving. He couldn't sleep. He wouldn't eat. He could barely breathe.

The darkness of William's days turned into the Tempter's paradise. Every waking hour brought with it a call to turn from the Lord. The flaming darts of the evil one sailed in without mercy and his heart became a pincushion for his lies. Everything he believed was being called into question, down to whether God was even there anymore.

William said that one of the things that God used to pull him through the deep valley was a journal that became a lifeline for him. On the left hand side of the journal William wrote down how he was feeling and the lies that he was being called to believe. On the other side of the page he countered the lie with what God said was true. Line after line of lies combated by line after line of truth. William was in a battle for his soul and he learned that his only hope was to fight fire with fire.

What follows are some of the most common lies we face as believers and some helpful truths that expose those lies and put them to death.

The liar says . . . God isn't there and God doesn't care.

The Lord says . . . "Zion said, "The Lord has forsaken me; my Lord has forgotten me." Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you. Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands . . ." Isaiah 49:14-16

 

The liar says . . . You have nowhere to turn to; no one loves you.

The Lord says . . . "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest . . . I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls" Matthew 11:28-29  "The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying: "I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness." Jeremiah 31:3

The liar says . . . you are unlovable, unworthy, undesirable, and good for nothing.

The Lord says . . . "The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing" Zephaniah 3:17. This amazing love is seen supremely in the fact that "God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses ... raised us up with Him and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus . . ." Ephesians 2:4-6

 

The liar says . . . Just give in this time, you can just ask for forgiveness later. You deserve to feel good after all you've been through.

The Lord says . . . "Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?" Romans 6:1-2 ". . . what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death" Romans 6:21

 

The liar says . . . God's holding out on you. Fun and freedom and real life are found apart from him.

The Lord says . . . "You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore." Psalm 16:11 "These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full." John 15:11

 

The liar says . . . You are never going to get God's plan going for you. You will always be a loser.

The Lord says . . . "I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you." Psalm 32:8

 

The liar says . . . God is not pleased with you and because of that He will never give you your deepest desires.

The Lord says . . . "Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart" Psalm 37:4. "Those who look to Him are radiant, and their faces shall never be put to shame." Psalm 34:5

 

We may not be able to control the lies being spoken in our workplace or on the news or in some of our relationships, but we can for sure take charge of the lies being spoken in our heads! When the liar opens his mouth, it's time to open yours . . . with God's Word.

 

The liar says . . . These lies that I am feeding you will never stop.

The Lord says . . . "But the king will rejoice in God; everyone who swears by Him [honoring the true God, acknowledging His authority and majesty] will glory, for the mouths of those who speak lies will be stopped."

 

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Written by Ellene Meece, Director of FMIN Workplace Leaders Network

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Workplace Leaders is a group that is designed for you. We are here, as Workplace Leaders Network, to edify, build up and inspire you to inspire others as we live out our lives in the workplace. FMIN provides the ministry organization for Workplace Leaders Network to thrive and grow as marketplace leaders. We also provide a Workplace Leaders Network Facebook page - join us to share stories, photos and discussions around the workplace Christian life.

 

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About Jesus and the Father. About who we are!

Dear brothers and sisters,

The Scripture does not say: "NO ONE SHALL REACH THE FATHER UNLESS HE PASSES THROUGH JESUS CHRIST.'' 

The Scripture says: "Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." John 14:6

The text doesn't say "passes through Jesus." LOOK: Jesus didn't say "no one goes to the Father"! He said "NO ONE COMES TO THE FATHER, except through me"  Jesus did not mean to go to the Father, but to COME to the Father.

Why? JESUS AND THE FATHER ARE ONE! 

Let us look at this very attentively. Even the disciples did not understand when Jesus said those words.

Understanding this is of the most importance! Who does not understand these words DO NOT KNOW JESUS INDEED. Jesus said that plainly.

“If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.” 

Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.” 

(My God Father, how difficult is for people to understand what you are saying. Reveal it to each of my brothers and sisters. They are stuck with heaven, rewards, they think you do not rule now the universe, the earth, everything and everyone!")

Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? 

Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? 

The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. 

Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves. 

Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. 

(Children of God don't do today the works like Jesus even greater works than Him because they don't accept the ONENESS of GOD and the ONENESS of God with us. They think God is in heaven, Jesus is in heaven and we are on our own. Even worst, they think that the Holy Spirit is with us, but they don't get it the ONENESS of the Father, The Son and the Holy Spirit. They follow a humane logic and they don't get the heavenly revelation that GOD IS ONE!")

And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.” John 14:7-14 NIV

One again, Dr Taylor brings a thought on leadership and some of you brings "religious Christian stuff." I am not rebuking anyone for doing so! I am glad you did! But unless you get intimate with Jesus and do not repeat what you have learnt without checking out for yourselves what the Holy Spirit really says you will get stuck with religious concepts for the rest of your lives that are not God's Word. 

Jesus promises and gives eternal life. GOD is eternal life. Before the world was created there was no heaven, no Earth, nothing. God did not have a place to be. HE WAS! He is! He will be forever! 

In the beginning there was GOD! And God became flesh! John chapter 1 tells us how. It is not the Son who became Flesh, it is not a second person of the Trinity (I am using a word that is not even biblical) who became human. It is GOD, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit who became flesh!

God reveals Himself as the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, but don't look to the Father to see God in His fulness though the Father is God in fulness, or don't even look to the Holy Spirit to see God in His fulness though the Holy Spirit is God fully. Look at Jesus!

“My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and  united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority.” Colossians 2:2-3, 9-10

And don't think in terms of rewards, of something He will give us. We have Him. Jesus is our greatest and full reward. 

And don't think in a place to be living in eternity. Look! We are God's Body! We are God's Temple! We are God's Building! We are God's House. And I could go on, but for your sake I will conclude with this.

We will be like God is! We already are! “Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.” 1 John 4:17.

Understand you alone are not God's body, temple, building, house. You alone are not as He is. We are! We are ONE!

I understand that the whole teaching of Jesus is to be seen as a whole and not in parts. Yes, we see in parts, as it is taught to us, step by step, word by word, but it is like a dragnet that is Bringing Everything in one only harvest. 

When Jesus talks about the Father He is revealing the Father. When He talks about the Holy Spirit He is revealing the Holy Spirit. And when He reveals Himself saying I AM... I AM... The Father, the Holy Spirit is revealing Jesus. See them as ONE as God is ONE and you will not miss any revelation. 

"For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.” 1 Corinthians 13:12

The time has come to shift from knowing who you are in Christ to know who Christ is in you.

Then shall I know even as also I am known. How can this be? Surprise!

JSalum

Dr. JSalum

GRACE QUIZ - 2/12 (B) Do God’s children struggle with sin because of their old self within? JSalum

2/12 - (B) -  Do God’s children struggle with sin because of their old self within? JSalum

2 - What happened to our sins with the blood of Jesus

“The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” John 1:29 

Jesus takes away the sin means Jesus removes the sin. 

“the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation (a sacrifice of atonement) by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.”

Romans 3:22-26 

Propitiation "speaks of mending the relationship with that someone who's angry by something you did. This brings out a new dimension that someone, somewhere is angry. And in the context of the Bible, 'propitiation' paints a clear picture that God is angry with us. Why? Sin. Sin absolutely repulses God. Sin absolutely disgraces God's holy name. In fact, from Rom 3:23 (look above), sin is to “fall short of God's glory”. Therefore, angry is too... mild a word to begin describing God's attitude toward sin. Rather, the word 'Wrath' is used to describe this strong, holy, divine anger that God has toward sin. Therefore, ‘Propitiation’ brings forth the point that God’s wrath is against all man because of how they have desecrated his glory. And God's holiness, justice and righteousness disallows sin to be let off scot-free.... In a nutshell, this is propitiation: God averting his wrath toward man through the death of His Son." (Adrian Ow)

What happened is the by His blood Jesuscovered all our sins. His blood paid for all our transgressions, past, present and future. We do not have to struggle with our sin within us, because the sin has no more power of condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. A son of God, born from God, who received the power to become son of God will never be condemned by his sins. They already are all forgiven. It doesn't mean a son of God will remain sinning, to live in continuing sinful practices. Here you must understand that if someone continue to live in sin was never born from God.

 “What does Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” Now to the one who works, wages are not credited as a gift but as an obligation. However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness. 

David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of the one to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:

"Blessed are those whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord will never count against them.”

Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring—not only to those who are of the law but also to those who have the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all.

Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.””

Romans 4:3-8, 16, 18 NIV

“Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. The one who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous. The one who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work. No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God. This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not God’s child, nor is anyone who does not love their brother and sister.” 1 John 3:7-10 

We were justified by faith once for all, because Jesus offered his blood once for all.

“Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God.

Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.” Romans 5:1-2, 9-11 NIV

We were saved by grace and we now stand also by Grace. We confess our sins if we sin to commune of this Grace in which we stand. People who do not confess their sins are not sons of God, but they remain in darkness. 

“This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.” 1 John 1:5-10 

Note that in both chapters 1 and 3 of I John and Romans 5 we are reminded that the greatest test of our justification by faith is our relationship with our neighbors. It is the love for God and for one another the greatest fruit of our reconciled relationship with God. It is not about simply not committing such sins, but mostly if we live our brothers and sisters.

Here are the scriptures to attest the sufficiency of the blood of Jesus:

 “But when Christ came as high priest of the good things that are now already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not made with human hands, that is to say, is not a part of this creation. He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption. The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God! For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.

For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with human hands that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God’s presence.

Otherwise Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But he has appeared once for all at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself.

so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.”

Hebrews 9:11-15, 24, 26, 28 

Why then God's children do not struggle with sin within?

“For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— because anyone who has died has been set free from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him.

In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness. For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace. What then? Shall we sin because we are not under the law but under grace? By no means!

You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.

But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life.” Romans 6:5-9, 11-15, 18, 22 NIV

Drinking or not drinking wine!

Drinking or not drinking wine!

Interesting! Wine, my brothers, since Noah time, who planted a vineyard and from the grapes made wine always made people drunk if they drank much! 

I am amazed at the discussion about what you can do and what you can't do is still going on among believers around the world.

Life with Jesus is not made by rules, regulations and laws. You don't need to tell someone who is filled with the Holy Spirit to stop getting drunk with wine! That is not their issue! Though I know many people filled with the Holy Spirit that drink wine and don't get drunk! Like Jesus who drank wine and not just drank but Made 800 liters of wine in a wedding where people were already very drunk!

Let me repeat! Wine is wine, 5%, 8%, 11% or port wine with more than 23% alcoholic content make people get drunk! If they drink to much! 

Jesus drank wine! We don't know the alcohol content of the wine He drank, but it had alcohol content for sure, as all types of wines. Wine is not grape juice! 

Read these verses! What makes people sin besides getting drunk is when you offend your brothers and sisters by eating or drinking something that offend them, or make them stumble! 

If I come to Burundi I would probably never had a cup of wine with anybody because my brothers and sisters there think that it is a sin! Why would I do that offending them? 

And also what it is not wise is to make a whole teaching about this and oppress people with it! People don't drink wine but gossip. People don't drink wine, but hate one another. What is the point of emphasizing forbidden food and drinks if people have more serious character problems?   

To follow Jesus is not measured by what you eat or by what you drink, but by your freedom in doing what pleases both of you! 

“What goes into someone’s mouth does not defile them, but what comes out of their mouth, that is what defiles them.”

“Don’t you see that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then out of the body? But the things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart, and these defile them. For out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. These are what defile a person; but eating with unwashed hands does not defile them.””

Matthew 15:11, 17-20

“Accept the one whose faith is weak, without quarreling over disputable matters.

The one who eats everything must not treat with contempt the one who does not, and the one who does not eat everything must not judge the one who does, for God has accepted them.

You, then, why do you judge your brother or sister? Or why do you treat them with contempt? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat.

If your brother or sister is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy someone for whom Christ died. Therefore do not let what you know is good be spoken of as evil. For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and receives human approval. Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification. Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a person to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble. It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother or sister to fall. So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who does not condemn himself by what he approves.”

Romans 14:1, 3, 10, 15-22

Here it is:

““To what can I compare this generation? They are like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling out to others: “ ‘We played the pipe for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.’ For John came neither eating nor drinking wine, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ The Son of Man came eating and drinking wine, and they say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ But wisdom is proved right by her deeds.””

Matthew 11:16-19

JSalum

Thoughts of making a decision

“Who, then, are those who fear the Lord? He will instruct them in the ways they should choose.” Psalm 25:12

"Fear is the greatest internal enemy someone may have. Fear of the unknown, fear of the future, fear of failure, fear of being unable to work, fear of making a decision. Prudence is different of fear. Being prudent is to be wise. The wise always choose to fear the Lord instead of any other fear. As you fear the Lord and think what decision will glorify Him most He will always show you the way you should choose." JSalum

"When everyone is turning right maybe God wants you to turn left! Where everyone is heading to may not be where God is leading you to." JSalum. 

Real (00: A Word of Challenge

A WORD OF CHALLENGE.

JSalum

We do nothing good if we are educated but we don't apply in practical ways what we learn. 

We are being mentored here. Wow! That is so great! Really?

How many of you are mentoring another person? Is there a child in your family or in your neighborhood that you are teaching and passing on what you are learning, and living and practicing?

Transformation is not intellectual, it is practical. 

Nobody is transformed just learning and learning and nothing else. 

I get very annoyed with speakers! If you get to know me well I am always moving, doing something useful and always learning and teaching. I am thirsty and hungry for new things, for knowledge and instruction, for God. I am always interacting and pursuing and sometimes, only sometimes, I quite myself down to hear the silence of God!

Mango is a delicious fruit, so sweet, so nutritive. It is so beautiful! I have chosen mango to be our fruit in REAL. 

The last time I went to my farm in Brazil I planted about 30 mango trees and 70 different fruit trees: oranges, tangerines, and other types of trees. I have always been fascinated by seeds and trees. My younger brother has learned this and decided to plant banana trees. He planted already about 120. Now our neighbors are planting fruit trees also like never before. 

You know that when you root out cassava from the ground you have to plant the branches if you want to harvest more cassava in the future. Cassava has no seeds as far as I know. Now in our farm we have decided that for every cassava tree we harvest we have to cut the branches and plant all of them again. If we keep doing this we may be able to end the hunger in the cities around very soon with cassava. Cassava is a powerful food. How much of space available you have around you to plant cassava? 

I just found out some berries in my condo where I live. I am amazed to have found these fruits that nobody have planted! I mean, birds may have planted them. Even birds plant berries! They eat and leave some for the ground!

Wherever I go I want to get seeds of fruit trees to plant in my farm. When I visited Madagascar I ate a fruit that I love dearly. I got the seeds and went outside, to the yard of the mansion Dr. Taylor and I were hosted and planted them. 

Have you planted a mango tree in your life? How many mangos have you eaten in your entire life and how many mango seeds have you planted? Don't be frustrated if you did not. Do it now! And in the very near future whenever you have a seed, plant it, wherever you are. Is there a seed in your house today that you can plant? Now?

Is there a seed of the Kingdom in your heart today that you can sow on somebody's life?

Is there a family in your country that need to be transformed? Is there a community in your country that need to be transformed? Is there a nation in your country that need to be transformed?

Are there any garbage and trash in your street or road or yard? Start cleaning out the world by collecting this piece of paper on the floor at your side and properly discharge it! Let us clean our environment! I hate trash and garbage! What a terrible thing an unclean house, an unclean town and an unclean country! It reminds me a place where demons dwell. Let us cast out some demons by cleaning our communities!

What about a little act of love? Let us share a banana with a neighbor, a piece of cake, a cookie today. Find a kid on your way out to work and give him or her a candy. Let us teach a younger friend a principle for life! Let us be doers and not talkers.

Let us forward all these teachings to our friends list in your Whatsapp! What about this? Let us share on Facebook what we have learnt, what we are learning! Let us share some of the thoughts to somebody in any way we have. Let us translate these teachings and share at the church! At a school class! Anywhere to anybody!

What is your imagination telling you how you can sow all these seeds, lots of them, you have in store? Don't keep them just for you! They will get rotted! Don't eat them all! Share! Give them away! Sow! 

Here is my challenge! Don't talk! Stop any nonsense talking! Talking is just talking! It is cheap and just produce laziness! Let us change the way everybody do things. Like in the Nike logo! Just do it!  

JSalum

Grace Quiz: Jesus is the propitiation of the sins of the whole world by JSalum

Jesus is the propitiation of the sins of the whole world by JSalum

“My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.” 1 John 2:1-2 KJV

Propitiation is the Mercy Seat of God. It is the place in God Himself that all men whoever they are and wherever they have done can find mercy. Jesus is the atoning sacrifice who with his atoning blood has appeased Himself not just for all confessed sins, but all sins. There is no sin that He didn't die for. Alleluia! A thousand alleluias!

“And over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercyseat; of which we cannot now speak particularly.”

Hebrews 9:5 KJV

The redemption and forgiveness of sins are eternal! He did at once! 

We need to be conscious of God. Unfortunately there are many "believers" who are sin conscious. They are not free yet. They did not receive yet the forgiveness of sin. They are not able to accept the powerful and unquestionable truth that they need nothing, but only faith in Jesus, only repentance into the amazing Grace of God.  

“Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.

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? And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.” Hebrews 9:12, 14-15 KJV

Preaching the Gospel is not announcing  a list of things to be done right so you can have the right to the benefits of God. No. The Gospel gives knowledge of salvation by the remission of sins through the tender mercy of God! The Gospel is the annunciation of God's total provision through the blood of Jesus. The people need to have knowledge of salvation by the remission of their sins. 

““And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Highest; For you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways, To give knowledge of salvation to His people By the remission of their sins, Through the tender mercy of our God, With which the Dayspring from on high has visited us;”

Luke 1:76-78 NKJV

There is a New Covenant. And the New Covenant depends on Jesus alone. 

“For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. None of them shall teach his neighbor, and none his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them. For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.” In that He says, “A new covenant,” He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away." Hebrews 8:10-13

There is nothing you and I can do to help God to save us. It is done already! It is completed! There is no way you can explain this, if you do, you became God! I myself simply can't!

When the children of God grasp the understanding of this extravagant Grace they will not live in fear anymore, they will not be manipulated to do anything under fear or constrain by anyone, by anything, but they will be totally free to enjoy their Relationship with their Father. If I was already accepted before when we believed in Him how much He does accept me now! Why doubt about his forgiveness and love? Why doubt we are accepted by him or not? Why let somebody else blame you, accuse you and make you fear that you are less, you are undeserved or still a sinner when God has made you holy and righteous?

 “Christ arrives right on time to make this happen. He didn’t, and doesn’t wait for us to get ready. He presented himself for this sacrificial death when we were far too weak and rebellious to do anything to get ourselves ready. And even if we hadn’t been so weak, we wouldn’t have known what to do anyway. We can understand someone dying for a person worth dying for, and we can understand how someone good and noble could inspire us to selfless sacrifice. But God put his love on the line for us by offering his Son in sacrificial death while we were of no use whatever to him.

Now that we are set right with God by means of this sacrificial death, the consummate blood sacrifice, there is no longer a question of being at odds with God in any way. If, when we were at our worst, we were put on friendly terms with God by the sacrificial death of his Son, now that we’re at our best, just think of how our lives will expand and deepen by means of his resurrection life! Now that we have actually received this amazing friendship with God, we are no longer content to simply say it in plodding prose. We sing and shout our praises to God through Jesus, the Messiah!”

Romans 5:6-11 MSG

My brother, my sister! Rejoice in the Lord! Shout praises to His name. Dance with Him! Let us romance with the Lover of our soul, our Friend Jesus, our caring God!

Grace Quiz: Proclaiming the forgiveness of all sins

PROCLAIMING THE FORGIVENESS OF ALL SINS by Josimar Salum

 

The apostles were to proclaim what Jesus had already done and not what He would do in the future. Repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. We do not preach: Repent and be forgiven. The message of the Gospel is: You are all forgiven! Repent! Receive God's forgiveness.

“Then he opened their minds (the minds of the apostles and others who were with them) to understand the Scriptures, and said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance and forgivenesses of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.” Luke 24:45-47 ESV

God has forgiven all sins of all men and all women. The Gospel carries an outstanding and extravagant message. God forgave us of all sins we have committed and shall ever commit in our entire life. In Jesus we have redemption through His blood. Redemption is the forgiveness of our trespasses.

We were not redeemed when we received Jesus as our King and Lord. We were not redeemed when were born again, or delivered, or when we were saved. Actually we were not saved when we received Jesus. When the Scriptures say we will be saved, it is because we were saved. And we were not saved simply when we said the "sinner's prayer." We were saved before the world began. We were saved when Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead.

“Knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you who through Him believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.” I Peter 1:18-21 NKJV

“In Him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.”

Ephesians 1:7-10 ESV

Read this again in a similar perspective:

“Because of the sacrifice of the Messiah, his blood poured out on the altar of the Cross, we’re a free people—free of penalties and punishments chalked up by all our misdeeds. And not just barely free, either. Abundantly free! He thought of everything, provided for everything we could possibly need, letting us in on the plans he took such delight in making. He set it all out before us in Christ, a long-range plan in which everything would be brought together and summed up in him, everything in deepest heaven, everything on planet earth.” Ephesians 1:7-10 MSG

We don't need to ask God for forgiveness and the cleansing of our sins. He already did. 

“Cut to the quick, those who were there listening asked Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers! Brothers! So now what do we do?” Peter said, “Repent. Turn to God and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, so your sins are forgiven. Receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is targeted to you and your children, but also to all who are far away—whomever, in fact, our Master God invites.”” Acts 2:37-39 MSG

Repent! Turn to God! Be baptized! Your sins are forgiven! Because your sins are forgiven do not continue thinking the way you think, do not keep on sinning! Receive the gift of the Holy Spirit! 

The forgiveness of sin is a completed matter for God. The death of Christ has completed all that it is needed for salvation, redemption, healing, forgiveness and everything else for all human kind. Men and women should repent and confess sins to receive what it is already available in Jesus. Confessing and repenting is not a condition to be forgiven, it is our side to receive what Jesus has already done. He has forgiven us, then we confess, then we repent. We don't receive forgiveness because we have repented. We receive forgiveness because Jesus has already forgave us! 

“Forgiving  one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.”

Colossians 3:13 NKJV

 “To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.” Acts 26:18 KJV

They receive what it is already provided, it is done!

“Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.” Acts 13:38-39 KJV

REAL (00): Sons of God and daughters of men

Someone asked me about Gen.6:2. What can I answer him? Who are those sons of God who married those girls of men?Please, help me answer him because I know nothing about it.Thanks. Jeremy

They were angels who took the form of men to foster a new generation to avoid the coming of the SEED, the Messiah! 

“And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.”Jude 1:6 KJV

That is the reason God destroyed all humans and left only Noah and his family! 

“And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them, That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.

There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown. And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. And the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.”

Genesis 6:1-2, 4-7 KJV

JSalum

REAL (00) - Sinful cycles of religion by JSalum & Paul Taylor

Sinful cycles of religion by JSalum & Paul Taylor 

Burgeon means sprout, flourish, bloom. 

The old life is fine, the new life sprouts!

The old life is fine for many Christians and it includes all religious obligations. Many live in the same way they lived before. If they were Catholics they use to confess the sins to the priest and the next time they would confess the same sins. 

Many Pentecostals are in the same way! Adventists! And many others! Many are always struggling with the old life while trying to live the new one, as if the new life would be lived by their own endeavor.

They act like this! I have to pray! To read the bible! To come to church every day! If I go to church every day I will be more holy, I will sin less, and so forth.  

There are Christians that if they missed a Sunday service they feel so guilty for the rest of the week!

The old life was a cycle: sinning, asking forgiveness, then sinning with the same sins, then asking forgiveness. And then after they became Christians they sin, feel guilty, then go to the "altar at the church" to ask for prayer, then sin again! What a miserable life! 

Jesus wants to set you free from this cycle! 

Burgeon means sprout, flourish, bloom. 

The old life IS GONE, the new life sprouts!

You don't have to make any effort to bear fruits of righteousness in the same way a mango tree doesn't sweat to bear mangos! 

Dr. Salum, 

You were just describing my life. I was raised to be in church as often as the doors of the church were open. If my family and I were on vacation camping, I would make everyone get around the campfire and we would have our service.  The guilt would be unbearable.  So great to be free and getting freer every day. Amen 

Dr. Taylor

REAL 56 - The Grace Quiz Answers

THE GRACE QUIZ ANSWERS

The following twelve faith-related concepts are not regularly discussed in many "churches" today. Our view on each of these concepts will affect our relationship with God and with our brothers and sisters.

The quiz we have shared and asked your answers for each statement was meant to assess your understating on the Grace of God. Each question required only one answer out of two options. TRUE or FALSE. 

Here are the answers:

1. God’s children should ask Him to forgive and cleanse them when they sin. False

2. God’s children struggle with sin because of their old self within.

False

3. We should wait on God even before making everyday decisions.

False

4. When we sin against God, we're out of fellowship until we repent.

False

5. Old Testament law is written on God’s children hearts so we want to obey it.

False

6. The Bible tells us that God’s children can obtain many rewards in heaven.

False

7. God’s children will give an account for their sins at the great white throne.

False

8. God’s children should tithe at least 10 percent of their income to the church to be blessed. False

9. God gets angry with us when we repeatedly sin against Him. False

10. God looks at us as though we're righteous, even though we're really not. False

11. Salvation is by grace through faith, but I have to sanctify myself every day, be a good Christian and do good works to reach heaven. False

12. When I say that Jesus saves I mean if I die I go to heaven. False

We will be sharing a series of teachings on this marvelous subject called GRACE! Oops!! It is not a subject. GRACE IS A PERSON. Let us walk with HIM.

JSALUM

REAL 49: About the insight Who Jesus is! By Fabrice Bizimana

By Fabrice Bizimana

Thank you Dr Josimar for your insight about who is Jesus's personality. 

When I was reading your posts I realized the heavenly mind and culture that was in Jesus. 

He knew his identity but instead of boasting or demonstrating his power and glory he chose to be humble. 

I LEARNED THAT KNOWING AND DISCOVERING OUR IDENTITY OR WHO WE ARE SHOULD NOT LEAD US INTO BOASTING, LOOKING DOWN OTHERS OR REJECT PEOPLE. 

 Jesus set a good example of how a king, a master, a leader should treat his people. A king must be at service of his people washing their feet. In order to wash somebody's feet you need to bend down. It's a position of humility. 

Jesus was born in a village, in a simple family and grew up working as a carpenter because Jesus values each life, every person, every work and business. 

He could be a scientist and bring innovation that none has ever thought here on earth because he is very smart. 

His mission was not to show us up but his mission was to love us all, value each of us and show us acceptance no matter where we are from, our background, our education, our believes, our position in the society. 

He set a good example so that everyone may follow him. 

He was so encouraging to his disciples. 

He said whoever that believes in him will do the works he has been doing, and they will do even greater things than these. He was a perfect leader. 

JESUS BELIEVES IN US. HE DOESN'T SEE US AS WEAK PEOPLE. 

HE BELIEVES IN EVERYONE'S ABILITY.

HE NEEDS US TO BECOME HIS PARTNERS IN HIS KINGDOM AND TO COLLABORATE. 

HE NEEDS US TO KNOW THAT THROUGH HIM EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE.

REAL (38) - I AM!

I AM! 

By JSalum & PTaylor

If you are among those who say that because naturaly your family is poor you feel that it's a situation that can never be changed, you will remain as you are. But let me remind you this: You didn't choose the family you are from and to be born in a poor family is not your mistake! One mistake will be not to use the talents that God has put in you so as not to die miserable. YOU BECOME WHAT YOU BELIEVE! (JM)

Let me give you a different perspective over this picture! Can I? JSalum

I did believe in Jesus and He gave me the power to become like Him. I am a child of God. When I look myself into the mirror I see Jesus! Now I know who I am. #jsalum

"He came to His own people but they did not want Him, but whoever did want Him, who believed He was who He claimed, and would do what He said, He made to be their true selves, their child of God selves.

These are the God-begotten, not blood-begotten, not flesh-begotten, not sex-begotten." John 1:12,13 The Message

In Jesus you are your true self!  BE WHO GOD CREATES YOU TO BE!  Not poor or rich, but who He created you to be from the foundation of the world. Do not allow any man define who you are by how much money you have or don't have. By the color of your skin or what nation you were born in. By how educated or uneducated you are. Look in that mirror and see a son of God!  Believe in Jesus who created you to do exploits in His name!  Believe for the impossible! (Paul Taylor)

With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible. Matthew 19:26

REAL (32) I AM! By Jean Marie, JSalum & Paul Taylor

If you are among those who say that because naturaly your family is poor you feel that it's a situation that can never be changed, you will remain as you are. But let me remind you this: You didn't choose the family you are from and to be born in a poor family is not your mistake! One mistake will be not to use the talents that God has put in you so as not to die miserable. YOU BECOME WHAT YOU BELIEVE! (Jean Marie)

Let me give you a different perspective over this picture! Can I? JSalum

I did believe in Jesus and He gave me the power to become like Him. I am a child of God. When I look myself into the mirror I see Jesus! Now I know who I am. #jsalum

"He came to His own people but they did not want Him, but whoever did want Him, who believed He was who He claimed, and would do what He said, He made to be their true selves, their child of God selves.

These are the God-begotten, not blood-begotten, not flesh-begotten, not sex-begotten." John 1:12,13 The Message

In Jesus you are your true self!  BE WHO GOD CREATES YOU TO BE!  Not poor or rich, but who He created you to be from the foundation of the world. Do not allow any man define who you are by how much money you have or don't have. By the color of your skin or what nation you were born in. By how educated or uneducated you are. Look in that mirror and see a son of God!  Believe in Jesus who created you to do exploits in His name!  Believe for the impossible! (Paul Taykor)

With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible. Matthew 19:26

When you do what is possible 

it is God doing with you. 

When you do what is impossible 

it is you doing with God! (JSalum)