Category Archives: Holy

What Do You Believe?

by Saved 2 the Utmost aka Mom
Image Credits: BabaSteve and Imagens Evangelicas @ Flickr

Image Credits: BabaSteve and Imagens Evangelicas @ Flickr

From the very beginning Satan has worked to overthrow man’s faith in God’s holy word. I am convinced that he has been working overtime to fulfill his mission; he’s had much success in twisting the minds and hearts of mankind to the point where ‘right’ has become wrong and ‘wrong’ has become right. Those of us who are filled with God’s Holy Spirit know that God’s word is true and that it is the only truth we should live by and believe.

Of course Satan, being who he is, will use every tool at his disposal to fight against us, even the Word itself. That’s why it is important for us to know the Word for ourselves and to know how to use it. It is our weapon against Satan, in short:  knowledge is power.

The Devil, like most sociopaths, is very intelligent. So much so that he knows the Word better than we do and he has personal knowledge of the Word of God; he lived in heaven with the Living Word before he was kicked out!

It is because he knows the Word so well that he felt emboldened to use it against Jesus Christ who is the Living Word, the hope of Glory.

Matthew 4:1-7 (NIV)

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”

4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’  Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. 6 “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written:

“‘He will command his angels concerning you,
and they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’”

7 Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”

If Satan had the audacity to do this doesn’t it make sense that he will make the attempt to use the Word against God’s children as well?

Yes just as Jesus was tempted in the wilderness we too are being tempted, unfortunately many of us are not resisting Satan’s devices. Why? Because too many of us are not rooted and grounded in the Word of God. We rely too heavily on preachers and teachers, books and mega-conferences to feed us our spiritual bread. Thus we remain ignorant of the tools Satan has formed to use against us. We cannot rely solely on preachers and teachers to provide us with the knowledge we need. Rather, it is to the Word of God that we must turn to for knowledge: it is the only thing that stands between us and destruction (Hosea 4:6 NKJV).

In these last and evil days we must, with all diligence, guard our hearts, minds and souls so that we will not be deceived by the messengers of Satan. This is why the word of God exhorts that we should know those who labor among us! These are they who come to entice us away from the truth; they are like their father the Devil, they twist the Word of God which is all truth into a lie. These are they who creep in unaware! (2 Timothy 3:6, Titus 1:10-11)

Let us not be deceived by false doctrines dear hearts; those doctrines that are mixed with a little truth but consist mainly of lies. The disease of false doctrine was introduced to the body of Christ in the early days of the church. The apostle Paul had to address this very issue during his ministry.

Galatians 1:6-9 (NKJV)

I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, 7 which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. 9 As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.

Jesus Christ alone is to be the head of our lives. He is the author and finisher of our faith. It was God who sealed us, claimed us and marked us as his own. He took us from Satan’s clutches and gave us his guarantee in the form of his spirit that his promises to us would be fulfilled (2 Corinthians 1: 21-22 Amplified). Thus it behooves us to guard our hearts against the tricks of the adversary and hold on to the truth of God’s word.

1 John 4:1-3(NKJV)

4 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, 3 and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.

The Antichrist has been here for ages. He has brought division in the body, contorted the Word, sent false prophets into the world and gathered to himself teachers and preachers and believers who have no discernment of spirit (because they do not have the Holy Spirit).

We who would live Godly have to keep this thought in our hearts, ‘What we believe determines our destination, what we do with our belief determines our destiny.’ I encourage you my Christian family to hold fast to the Gospel of Jesus Christ our Lord, spread the Gospel according to the word of the Lord and continue to bless his name forever!

Pain in the Pews

by Saved 2 the Utmost aka Mom
Pain in the Pews

Image by: John McStravick

It has grieved my spirit and saddened my heart to see that there is so much hurt inside the church. What is causing so much pain to those who sit in its pews? Why does this hurt exist amongst the children of God? From pew to pew, from aisle to aisle, sit the wounded and broken at heart. The feeling of rejection and loneliness consume them in the house of the Lord. This ought not to be. I say this because it is true not because I want to judge or criticize.

There is a scripture that cautions us to “know those who labor among [us]”; I caution that we should also know those who are wounded among us. Shouldn’t we, the elect of God, know when our sisters and brothers in Christ are in need?

Why can’t we discern our sister’s and brother’s hurt when they’re sitting right beside us? What is it that blinds us to another’s pain? Are we part of the many whose love has “waxed cold”? These hard questions are wince-worthy but they must be asked. If the love of God abides in us then logic suggests so should His compassion. Our Savior was and is a God of compassion. The life of Christ exemplifies this. He was not concerned about Himself; he was a people person. His thoughts, his actions, his purpose was solely to seek and save the lost!

From the beginning of his earthly ministry to its end, Jesus was never concerned about what people could do for Him, rather he was consumed by, impassioned by, his need to do for others. Jesus Christ discerned the needs of the people and met them accordingly whether they were: spiritual, emotional, psychological or physical. Our heavenly Father met them all and he expects no less from us. Jesus finished his work on earth before ascending to Heaven but he told the disciples ‘greater works than these will you do’ – he tasked them to add thou to it and we, inheritors of the Promise, are tasked to do the same! We were made caretakers over God’s vineyard. We are now his hands when we feed the hungry; his feet when we visit the sick; his ears when we lend a listening ear to a burdened soul; his eyes when we discern their needs; his voice when we speak comfort to the broken hearted and we are his arms when we embrace another with His love!

Do you know, for some the love we show them is the only love they have ever known? Dear hearts how can we minister to the spiritual needs of the lost if we don’t even take the time to introduce ourselves to them or to offer a simple smile in acknowledgement of their presence? How can we exhibit the love of God when we’re too busy talking to someone in our clique or our circle of friends to give a soul in the need the time of day? How can we notice the look of sadness in our brother’s or sister’s eyes if we’re too caught up with our problems and our own concerns? Oh yes, there is pain in the pews.

Just think, you or I may be the one our Lord wants to use to bring healing to a hurting soul but can’t because we’re oblivious to the move of his spirit and oblivious to others around us. This is why no spirit-filled person should allow themselves to become a part of church-cliques or have a respect-of-person mentality. To have this mindset is a sin before God. Jesus did not have respect for one person above another nor should we!

James 2:1-4 (NIV):

My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism. Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old clothes also comes in. If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,” have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?

This scripture applies to the pulpit, the bench warmers and the door greeters, none are exempt. Although God did not call all to preach he has called all of us to minister; to attend to the needs of others. This is our ministerial obligation. This is our duty as the chosen people of God. We are to be saints, taking on the character of our heavenly Father in the form of love, humility and compassion.

Let us examine our hearts today and be honest with ourselves. If we are guilty of having respect of persons or being clique-followers let us make a stand today! Quit the cliques and follow in the ways of the Lord. Thus we can fulfill our God-given ministry and see God work in our lives. He will bless us more than we could have ever thought or dreamed possible.

Petition him concerning the part of the body Jesus wants you to represent in order to bring healing, comfort and deliverance to those who are suffering. Are you acting as his eyes, his hands and feet? It’s not for me to answer these questions for you, I only want to encourage you dear hearts to ask them of yourself and of God. I leave you with this to ponder:

Matthew 25:33-40 (NIV):

 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

Be blessed dear hearts, I pray that the pain stops and the love grows and that we all fulfill the calling of the Lord.

The Night Christmas was born (A Christmas Poem)

by Saint In Training

Public Domain via Wiki-Commons

“T’was the night before Christmas when all thro’ the house,”
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.”

This is the way Clement C. Moore’s poem reads;
It tells of St. Nick’s adventures on Christmas Eve.
Yet it was not Santa Claus who saved my soul,
Nor is it to St. Nick to whom my life is owed.

But it is to Jesus Christ, the Soon-Coming King
That I owe my life – my everything.
Let me share a different story with you,
It’s filled with adventure and presents too.

The hero is a child that was born to a virgin
Not a grander tale could be writ not even by Spurgeon!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

On the night that Christmas was born, all through the land,
Herod’s foot soldiers hurried in bands.
They searched for a boy child whose birth was foretold:
“He’s to be heralded by angels,” said the prophets of old.

It all began with Mary who was but a humble girl:
A virtuous virgin called out from the world.
An angel did visit and impart to her the news,
“God has chosen you to bless and to be used!”

Astonished, but believing, she accepted the call,
Thus on her one day the Holy Spirit did fall.
She was left with an anointing and gifted his seed
One that would grow and fulfill the Father’s decree.

To save the world with his death and endure its shame:
Immanuel, God with us, was his chosen name.
Joseph, a righteous man, did not know what to do;
He was betrothed to the virgin and would not have her misused.

An angel came to visit him in a vision, in a dream,
“Divorce is not the answer! Things are not as they seem.
Your betrothed is pure; she is wholly undefiled.
God chose her to be blessed; in Him you can rely.”

Joseph heeded the angel and by the Spirit he was led
To take Mary unto him and so, they were wed.
Time passed, as it does, and a Roman census was called,
“People of Jerusalem must be counted, one and all!”

So to Bethlehem Judea Joseph and Mary went
Only to find there were no rooms to be let.
The couple was left no choice but to stay in a barn;
They slept with the animals in the inn-keepers yard.

It was on this night Mary went into travail
Bringing forth the child that all men would hail:
As Savior, as King – God’s gift to the world.
In a manger he was placed and God’s plans unfurled.

Instructed to flee on that very same night,
Joseph arose quickly taking his family in flight
Toward Egypt, a distant and foreign land -
Far away from Herod’s murderous bands!

In Ramah, Rachel was heard crying, weeping – forlorn
For all the two year old males and babes newly born,
Were slaughtered down to the very last one.
The story of the Christ had truly begun.

Herod finally died and the family returned
To Bethlehem Judea where little Jesus learned
All that a Hebrew child should come to know.
In faith and power he waxed strong and did grow.

For thirty-three years Jesus dwelt among men:
Preaching, baptizing and exhorting man to repent.
His purpose was to save the dying and lost;
To reconcile the world unto him at all cost.

His life was only part of the Father’s gift to us.
By his stripes and his pain; by the blood that he lost;
By his death he made it possible for us to be born again.
It was in exchange for his life that we were freed from sin!

This season when you’re sitting around a roaring fire,
Telling your little ones stories to inspire
Set aside ‘The Night before Christmas’ in favor of this:
‘The Night Christmas was born’ and all will be blessed.

© Rebecca C. Wilcox 2012
All Rights Reserved