Tag Archives: overcoming sin

Daniel and Revelation

REVELATION-THE CHURCH IN EPHESUS

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Do you remember your first love for Christ?

Compliments and Admonitions

A good student of the Bible understands that the tributes and warnings of scripture are mainly directed to God’s people, those who claim to know Him. Why is this? Shouldn’t His words be directed solely at those on the path to destruction? To those who do not know Him?

The answer is simple; God wants His people to be a light to the community and the world. But our journey requires correction and direction because we all are sinful humans. He encourages, cautions, warns, and directs His people because we are like dumb sheep who often wander off into the world and make a wrong impression of God who desires all to know the truth as found in Jesus. The church of Ephesus is a good example of starting good but wandering from their “first love.”

“To the angel of the church of Ephesus write,

‘These things says He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands:  “I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary. Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love.  Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent. But this you have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.

 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.” ’Revelation 2: 1-7

As we have discovered previously, this message was first and foremost to the congregation at Ephesus when John wrote it. Understanding the message to them makes the message to us more viable. But, it also was written and distributed in a whole book to the other churches of John’s time. Each of the seven churches received all seven letters and the material that followed. (Chapter 4-22).

Understanding the problems of this church (Ephesus), Jesus gave both compliments and warnings to the other six churches who would read about their sister churches, creating empathy, depth, and application to their own experience. Finally, it was written for our churches today. It is not limited to denominations. Just as Revelation’s message is not limited to these seven churches but to anyone “who has an ear.”

…it (Revelation) was written for our churches today. It is not limited to denominations. Just as Revelation’s message is not limited to these seven churches but to anyone “who has an ear.”

Eddie

A subtle and often missed nuance to these messages to the seven churches is a description of the characteristics and challenges of church history. This thought will be developed as we study each church.

First and foremost, the messages of Revelation were for the churches in John’s time and to any who “has an ear.” Likewise, the message is applicable for today’s churches and any who “has an ear.” People in today’s churches have similar strengths and weaknesses. These messages are built on the framework of historical ages of the church…from Jerusalem to the last days. Each church represents another time period in the life of the church. This is the Historists method of understanding Revelation.

Eddie

Ephesus’ Strengths

The tribute to Ephesus is described through words like works, labor, endurance, patience, and their disdain for those who are evil. This is an active church that desires to keep its congregation pure. So they “test” those who make a bold claim of being “apostles.” Nothing is said about how they “tested” them; Perhaps, it was through the writings of the true Apostles. It had not been many decades since the ministry of Jesus and the apostles. Their words still echoed in their ears.

This church “hated” the deeds of the Nicolaitans, as did God Himself. The presence of the heretical group of Nicolaitans in the church in Ephesus threatened to destroy the integrity and purity of Christian faith and conduct. Some fifty years earlier in his farewell speech, Paul warned the Ephesian elders:

“I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your selves men will arise, speaking perverse things to draw away the disciples after them” (Acts 20:29-30)

Ephesus’ Risky Business

Keeping a church pure is risky business. Often, churches are divided, and their light goes out over simple things such as carpet color, non-salvation discussions, silly disagreements, and other such things. But, they were correct in resisting the very blatant attempts of the Nicolaitans to bring in deeds and theology that would ultimately spread and make of non-affect the pure gospel of Jesus Christ.

While it is a good work of not endorsing false doctrine, it can become a fire that does not know where to stop. This may have been the case with Ephesus. Being critical created the warning Jesus gives this church. Sometimes the attempt to “keep the church pure” leads to legalism and a loveless congregation.

This church seems to have been severe, judgmental, critical, and fault-finding. They didn’t know where to stop. They had forgotten that only the gospel could balance religious duty with loving affection for fellow Christians. They had wondered from their first love.

Consequently, the entire church is called upon to repent and do the first works. Repentance means a radical change of the whole direction of life. It is a decisive break from the present situation. They needed more love towards God, their first love, to direct their paths, not legalistic religion.

Admonition and Promise of Overcoming

A return to the first-love Christian experience consistently results in the first-works experience. Jesus tells them to remember and return their first experience of love to God and their fellow believers. Often the church and individuals start strong in the love of God but wander off the path. They can become too religious, critical, stiff, and closed-minded. But, if they recognize their condition, which is brought on by the convicting power of the Holy Spirit, then repent and return to loving God, their light to the community would remain. Otherwise, Jesus will “remove (their) lampstand from its place.” This phrase has a similar message to Jesus’ warning regarding worthless salt. He used the exact phrase he used in all seven churches: “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

Salt is good; but if the salt has lost its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is neither fit for the land nor for the dunghill, but men throw it out. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!” Luke 14:34-35

THE FRUITS OF OVERCOMING

After repentance, overcoming is not far away. Overcoming sin is part of the Christian experience. It is the desire and requirement to a church maintaining its “saltiness” and “light.” But both are impossible unless it is under the banner of “First Love.” All seven church’s have a similar message of staying close to Jesus and overcoming. An eternal reward awaits those who “has and ear” and hears (responds)

The overcomer in the church of Ephesus is given the promise that they will:

“…eat from the tree of life which is in the paradise of God.”

Revelation 2:7

Historical Significance

…the apostolic period (and some time after)…was a great start for the church characterized by love and faithfulness to the gospel. But by the time John wrote the book of Revelation, namely, the last decade of the first century, the church had begun losing the fire of its first love, thus departing from the simplicity and purity of the gospel. Thus the church in Ephesus could aptly represent the Christian church of the first century.

Revelation of Jesus Christ-Ranko Stefanovic p. 121

Salvation to the uttermost

SAVED TO THE UTTERMOST-THE SECOND “P” OF SALVATION

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 “But we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved.”

Hebrews 10:39

Christ came to save us from the Power of Sin. This is the 2nd “P” of salvation

We learned from our previous two studies that we are in a tight spot regarding sin.  We have all sinned.  Adam and Eve sinned and we have inherited the nature of sin so that we sin without having to think much about it.

Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me

Psalms 51:5

We are born with a bent towards sin like the “slash” in this picture:

SIN   \    Righteousness (Jesus)

But when we invite Jesus into our lives, he gives us a new heart and now we are bent towards Him and righteousness like this picture

SIN    /       Righteousness (Jesus)

Because we are born with a “bent” towards sin, if left unchecked, we will reap the Penalty of Sin i.e., eternal death.  But, through the work of Jesus and the Holy Spirit, we are drawn towards Him and eternal life.

Once we confessed our sins and repented of our sins and received Him into our lives, we move from the curse of death to the promise of eternal life.

“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.”

John 5:24

Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord,

Acts 3:19

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While the saved are still mortal and subject to the first death, they are not subject to the second death.  Instead they are resurrected to eternal life.

Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power,

Revelation 20:6

Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.

John 5:28, 29

Yes, It is at the resurrection where we realize the promise of eternal life.  We die the first death with the promise of being resurrected.  It is not until then that we “put on immortality” and will never die again.

“So when this corruptible has put on incorruption (subject to death), and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.”

1 Corinthians 15:54

The above verse is in the context of the second coming when the trumpet shall sound in the dead in Christ shall rise first.

“Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed— in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet.

1 Corinthians 15: 51-52

This is in complete agreement with what Paul wrote to the Thessalonians:

For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.

1 Thessalonians 4:16

Plainly stated, we are not immortal until Jesus returns, resurrects us,  and gives it to us.

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Let’s turn our attention to the second “P” of salvation.  Jesus saves us from the Power of sin that is in our life.

As Christ was brought back from death to life by the glorious power of the Father, so we, too, should live a new kind of life.

Romans 6:4

After receiving Christ, we are to live a new kind of life.  It is a life of obedience to his word….his commands

If you love me, keep my commandments

John 14:15

With our new heart, we will follow Jesus and do His will, not in order to be saved from the penalty of sin, but because we have a new heart.

When we are baptized, we began a life of obedience.  We were following the command of Jesus to be baptized as a demonstration of a changed life.

Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

Romans 6:4

Jesus gives us the power to walk in this new life.  We do not say, “Thank you Lord for saving me from death.  I will take it from here.“

No!  As we received eternal life by faith, we are to walk by faith.

As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him,

Colossians 2:6

What does it mean to be saved from the Power of sin?

The sins that you once enjoyed, you no longer enjoy them.  It doesn’t mean you don’t have a struggle with them, because you will.  The old life will try to draw you back

The things you didn’t enjoy before, you now enjoy (e.g. Bible study, prayer, fellowship with other Christians, and doing good for others),

Because of Jesus and your rebirth, you will be different.  Your friends will see a change in you. The liar will stop lying, the thief will stop stealing, the adulterer will stop chasing women.  You will have a new appreciation for your parents.  You will be careful how you use the name of Jesus and God.  

Why?  Because Jesus has saved you from the power of sin which is transgression of His law.  Instead of transgressing, you will have a new respect for the will of God and desire to do it.

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Now listen carefully what the word has to say about this new walk.  It will not be without resistance from the enemy and from your own sinful nature.

The carnal (flesh) nature that you still possess has resistance to the spiritual nature Jesus has given you.  As time goes on, you will experience the battle that takes place daily between good and evil between carnal and spiritual.  Paul put it this way:

“…that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.“

Romans 8:4

Did you catch that?  The requirements of the law are fulfilled if we walk according to the Spirit and not the flesh.  Obedience comes from a new nature and walking by that.  Obedience is not the way to salvation, it is the result of salvation.

Our daily life with its many activities is called a “walk.”  It is what you do and say every day.  These activities are to be done in faith or trust, just the same way you received Christ (by faith)…as stated above:

As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him,

Colossians 2:6

There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.

Romans 8:1

Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy.

Romans 13:13

By walking in the Spirit, we are following the spirit-inspired word of God which is His will.  We will not have activities that include such things as described above e.g. drunkenness and parties.  Why?  Because our hearts have been changed. If the heart has not been changed, we will continue in those things that please and satisfy the sinful nature.

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Your new walk will not go unchallenged by the flesh.  It will call you back at weak moments in particular.  It will try to draw you back.

As our opening verse states, it is possible to be drawn back to perdition (state of sin and unbelief).  This verse is set in the context of endurance from the verses before it:

“For you have need of endurance so that after you have done the will of God you may receive the promise.”

Hebrews 10:36

Notice that those who receive the promise do the will of God.  This is how they are identified and what distinguishes the true from the false follower.  Jesus asked,

“But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say? Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like: He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock.

Luke 6: 46-48

The Bible is filled with warnings of staying close to Jesus and to put on the whole armor of God.  We are in a fight, but as we “walk” in faith with Jesus we should have no fear.

Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

Ephesians 6:11

The weapons you use will assist in your daily walk and the fight between the carnal and the spiritual nature

Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints

Ephesians 6:14-18

If your daily walk was not a dangerous one to your soul, why would we be told to suit up with all these items?  Notice the items that help us in our daily activities:

truth (God’s word)

righteousness (given to us by faith in Jesus)

salvation (knowing God has saved us)

the gospel of peace (a kind nature towards other people)

But most of all, we are told to take the shield of faith.  Above all the items listed, the shield of faith is the most important.  If we have a shield, we can block the attack of swords, knives, and darts.  This faith is called trust in the one who was able to change our hearts in the first place.  Do you trust Him?  If you do, you have the shield that will repulse the attacker.

It is clear from God’s word that the enemy and our own carnal nature will bring upon us trouble to discourage us and entice us back to the life we once left.  Sorry to say, but there are many who are overcome by self and the enemy and lose their way.  Jesus told a parable that makes this clear.

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The Sower sowed seed.  The seed fell on different types of soil.  Some of the seed produced a crop, while others did not.  The disciples did not understand the parable and asked Jesus.  His explanation is not a parable, but the truth behind the story:

“Therefore hear the parable of the sower: When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside. But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles. Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful. But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”

Matthew  13: 18-23

Notice that the parable as explained by Jesus is talking about people who “hear the word.”  Some people hear it and don’t understand it because the wicked one snatches it away from them.

Other people hear it and are joyful (notice it doesn’t say that they understood it), but there is no root and therefore no endurance or strength.  This is the person whose experience is based on feeling and not on the truth.

The third person hears the word also does not understand it, but their cares and the lure of the world and its riches choke the word and they stop growing or producing.

But the last person both hears and understands.  They have roots that give endurance and the cares and riches do not choke them.  Their walk is one of faith in Jesus and understanding of His word.

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.

Matthew 7:21

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Jesus saves us from the penalty of sin and the power of sin.  Salvation is not just being rescued from the wages of sin (eternal death), but it is a rescue from our sinful ways in this life.

It is not a one-time transaction in front of the church.  It is a walk of growing in Christ.  But this walk is not ours.  We are to entrust it to Jesus who is the author and finisher of our faith.

Many have an idea that they must do some part of the work alone. They have trusted in Christ for the forgiveness of sin, but now they seek by their own efforts to live aright. But every such effort must fail. Jesus says, “Without Me, ye can do nothing.” Our growth in grace, our joy, our usefulness,–all depend upon our union with Christ. It is by communion with Him, daily, hourly,–by abiding in Him, –that we are to grow in grace. He is not only the Author but the Finisher of our faith. It is Christ first and last and always. He is to be with us, not only at the beginning and the end of our course but at every step of the way. David says,

“I have set the Lord always before me: because He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.”

Psalm 16:8.

Steps to Christ, p. 69

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Next time, we will discuss the third “P” of salvation.  Blessings to you as you walk with Jesus.

Salvation to the uttermost

Perseverance-Needed or not needed?

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“But he who endures to the end shall be saved.”

Matthew 24:13

“ But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control PERSEVERANCE, to PERSEVERANCE godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love…for if you do these things you will never stumble.”

1 Peter 5:6, 10

A less popular topic on salvation is our 5th P of salvation PERSEVERANCE.  Enduring, persevering does not fit into the thinking of those who focus only on the first P of salvation…the penalty of sin.

Almost all who ask, “Are you saved?” refer to salvation from the PENALTY of sin….eternal death or hell.  Few would go on to mention that salvation  means saving from the POWER of sin.  Even fewer would talk about preparing for the second coming of Christ when He will take us from the PRESENCE of sin.  An even more abstract thought is to understand the plan of salvation and how one day, the PROPENSITY (the desire or inclination) to sin will be taken completely away.  Why? It will be because the redeemed of all ages will understand about the sting of sin through their own personal experience and through the science of the cross.

Truly Jesus is able and will save us to the uttermost….He will take us from the guttermost to the uttermost.  No one can take this away from you as long as you are in Christ.  But, what happens if you slip back and are overcome by sin?

And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.

John 10: 28-29

It is true that there is not a single person or an army of people on this earth can overcome Christ so that they snatch you away from Him.  So how does perseverance and endurance fit into the vocabulary or experience of the person who is in Christ?  Are these admonitions  really necessary?

Jesus told a parable that helps us to understand about perseverance to the end.

The disciples listened as Jesus told this parable.  They were like the crowd, they did not understand it.

The Parable of the Sower

Then He taught them many things by parables, and said to them in His teaching: “Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow. And it happened, as he sowed,that some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds of the air came and devoured it.  Some fell on stony ground, where it did not have much earth; and immediately it sprang up because it had no depth of earth.  But when the sun was up it was scorched, and because it had no root it withered away.  And some seed fell among thorns; and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no crop.  But other seed fell on good ground and yielded a crop that sprang up, increased and produced: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.”

 And He said to them, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”

Mark 4: 2-9

No doubt, those who heard this parable had ears.  But, the Savior asks us to understand the deep meaning of this parable.  Just hearing the words is not enough to reap the benefits. from God’s word.

Although the disciples did not understand the parable, they did something that all of us should do when we don’t understand….they were alone with Jesus and simply asked to know the meaning of the parable.  It is true that we receive not because we ask not.

But when He was alone, those around Him with the twelve asked Him about the parable.

Mark 4: 10

The Parable of the Sower Explained

And He said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables?  The sower sows the word.  And these are the ones by the wayside where the word is sown. When they hear, Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts.  These likewise are the ones sown on stony ground who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with gladness; and they have no root in themselves, and so endure only for a time. Afterward, when tribulation or persecution arises for the word’s sake, immediately they stumble. Now these are the ones sown among thorns; they are the ones who hear the word, and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. But these are the ones sown on good ground, those who hear the word, accept it, and bear fruit: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.”

Mark 4: 13-20

Sower = The Holy Spirit that “guides us into all truth.”

Wayside hearers = Satan immediately takes the word away

Stony ground hearers = receive it with gladness, but there is no root. They endure for a short time.

Thorn bush hearers = cares of the world and the pursuit of richness choke the word.

Notice that all heard and all responded favorably and they started on their experience, but either Satan, passiveness, or the allure of the world stop the experience.

So, what type of hearer are you?

There are many things in this world that can end an experience with Christ.  That is why we are encouraged to endure to prepare…to put on the whole armor of God.  If our experience with Christ is not in danger, we would not be told to do such things.  Even Christ’s closest disciples were warned.  Jesus told Peter that Satan would try to take away his trust…his faith.

And the Lord said,“Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat.  But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.”

Luke 22: 31-32

Was it possible that Peter’s faith could fail?  Of course, this is why Jesus prayed that it wouldn’t.  Good news! Jesus has prayed that your faith would not fail.

Peter would be put to the test many times.  The first was when Jesus was taken and sent before the rulers.  Peter denied knowing Jesus three times!  Then Jesus was crucified.  He watched as the source of his faith was nailed to the cross.  How low Peter must have felt during this time.

Have you ever been low in your experience with Christ?  Has your faith about given out?  Jesus has prayed for you!

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There is something more powerful than the prayers of Jesus.  It  is the one thing at the center of the Great Controversy….It is the power of choice.  Wars, death,  divorce, hatred, sickness, and misery have all come about because of bad choices.  So can choice end of an experience with Christ?  Is it possible to have known the way of life and Jesus himself and then chose to go back into the world?

Jesus told another parable about the dangers of not enduring or continuing the faith journey in Christ.  It was a parable about a house swept clean.

“When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none. Then he says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when he comes, he finds it empty, swept, and put in order. Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first. So shall it also be with this wicked generation.”

Matthew 12: 43-45

Jesus saves to the uttermost.  He will drive out the unclean spirits in our house or lives.  He puts it in order, but the danger is having a house or life that is empty.  Like the parable of the sower, the life is to produce fruit. The solution is to have the house occupied by a different spirit that produce fruit of the spirit.

“…Instead, be filled with the Spirit.”

Ephesians 5:18

We are told that the very words that Jesus speaks to us throughout the entire Bible is life.  If we are to grow and produce fruit we must eat and digest the words of our Lord.

It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.

John 6:63

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Someone has said that if you are not growing, you are dying.  It is certainly true in the spiritual sense.  If we are just maintaining, we are like the man who was given money and buried it rather than invest it so he could realize a profit. That parable by Jesus speaks to this concept.

“For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away.”

Matthew 5:29

This parable was not about money, it was about an experience that is stagnant.  The servant is both wicked and lazy.

Jesus called him a “wicked and lazy servant.” Verse 26  To be stagnant in the spiritual sense is to be like the church that was neither hot nor cold.

 So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.

Revelation 3:16

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The word vomit appears another time in the new testament scripture.  It comes at the end of a warning about being overcome by the world and sin.

For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning.  For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them. But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: “A dog returns to his own vomit,” and, “a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire.”

2 Peter 2: 20-22

This sounds a lot like the parable of Jesus about the house we read earlier.  One’s house or life was put in order after the evil was cast out, the other had escaped the garbage of the world.  The orderly house became disorder again as was the person who had escaped had been entangled again and compared to a sow being washed and going right back to the mud.

These parables are not about houses, dogs, and pigs.  They are illustrations demonstrating the possibility of being clean in the Lord, but returning back and becoming dirty again.

How does this happen?  Jesus has shown us in these parables and others the enemy of perseverance:

With the parable about the seed, the things to watch out for are: 1.) Superficiality in our experience.  We should be real and not REALigous. 2.)  Responding the wrong way when hard times come upon you. 3.)  Letting the cares of the world weigh you down.

With the parable of the house, we are to keep our house or our life filled with the Holy Spirit which comes through God’s word.  How can we expect to live spiritually if we starve ourselves by only eating one time a week?

With the truth found in 2 Peter, we are to stay clear of any temptations or habits that would draw us away from the strong arm of Jesus.

An old man once said, “I wake up in the morning and the devil votes for me and the Lord votes for me.  Whoever I vote for gets me.”  The power of choice is powerful.

It is true there are some things God can not do:

1.)  He cannot lie. He is truth.

2.)  He cannot die. He alone has immortality

3.) He cannot sin.  He is holy

4.)  He cannot force you to follow him.  He is love.  Love does not force.  Love draws. Love encourages.  Love demonstrates itself by sacrificial actions.

“The religion of Christ means more than the for­giveness of sin; it means that sin is taken away, and that the vacuum is filled with the Spirit. It means that the mind is divinely illumined, that the heart is emptied of self, and filled with the presence of Christ. When this work is done for church members, the church will be a living, working church.”

Our High Calling P. 154

Next time, I will tell you my story of how I was washed and returned to the mud, but Christ would not give up on me and drew me back to him after 10 long years of eating in the pig pen.  My testimony about leaving God and returning is, perhaps, more dramatic than my first conversion.  It will give you hope if you are feeling the pull of God’s Spirit to return to him.

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How to keep your house (life) filled with the Holy Spirit:

First, be filled with the Word. “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly” (Col. 3:16). This is a command—not an option. The following steps will help us make this verse a living reality.

1.     Read and/or listen to the Word. The incarnate Word that dwelt among us must also dwell in us in the form of the inspired Word. Says the psalmist: “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you” (Ps. 119:11). Without the Word of God and His commandments dwelling in our hearts and guid­ing the course of our lives, we are constantly exposed to the danger of coming under the influence of the evil one (see also Rom. 10:17; Rev. 1:3).

2.     Study the Word in-depth. A deep and continual study of the Word is necessary so as to be filled with it; a superficial reading or listen­ing will not get us very far (2 Tim. 2:15; Acts 17:11; Ps. 119:11). As Jacob wrestled with the Angel of the Lord and firmly declared that he would not leave Him until he received His blessing, we should also struggle with the Word of God until we clearly see Jesus Christ and His purpose in our lives.

3.     Obey the Word. We should not focus on Bible study to satisfy our curiosity, but rather to main­tain a fulfilling relationship with Jesus. “ ‘If anyone loves me,’ ” said Jesus, “ ‘he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him’ ” (John 14:23).