This was probably the biggest reason I felt led by God to start this blog in the first place. In fact, I would say that this is the Lord's blog. What I've posted here thus far, He has led me to in the scriptures and has compelled me to post. I don't always understand completely what I post. Each day I study His Word and talk with Him and He gives me more understanding.
As I look back in my life, the Lord has been preparing me for this for a long time. He didn't make it evident to me though, bringing together all that He has shown me, until two weekends before I started the blog. I actually thought I was to say this at a church reunion of members, pastors, and missionaries from a church I belonged to back in the 70s and 80s. The reunion was the weekend after enlightenment and it seemed to me that this was of God's doing because it just materialized out of nowhere. The timing was perfect, as it always is when it's God's, and many churches were represented.
It didn't occur to me at first how big of a statement I would be making. I accepted Christ as my Lord and Savior in this church and I was taught the principles which are summed up in this saying "Once Saved Always Saved." Everyone at the old church believed "Once Saved Always Saved." I was fearing that the only way anyone would take me serious was going to end up with me and someone, who strongly believed "Once Saved Always Saved", to stand up before all the people and let God decide. I was distraught all that week before the reunion. I don't know if it was because of God, Satan, or me, but I never got the opportunity to talk and my mind was not functioning well because of an on-coming cold. I was thankful though that the picture in my mind never happen. Anyway, God put in my mind to start the blog right away after the reunion.
As I said before, I feel strongly that Christ wants me to tell the churches that He is coming soon. He led me to Revelation where He talks to the angels of the seven churches. Even though He names specific churches, what He says about them and to them should be relevant to us today. He sparked my desire to find out about the Nicolaitans, their deeds and their teachings because this is something He specifically says He hates.
Nicolaitans are likened to the scribes and Pharisees. These are our church leaders today who are there for all the reasons other than the right one, which is to shepherd their flock, teaching them God's truths. They skew the meanings of scriptures which leads their flock astray. Sometimes they do it on purpose to get what they want but many are unknowingly doing it because it is what they were taught. There is so much of this in our world today that it is difficult to know what doctrine to trust. This is the reason why it is so very important to study scriptures ourselves and learn from God himself. I believe this mindset of "Once Saved Always Saved" is part of that teaching.
Because Christ loves us and wishes all could enter the new kingdom, He is in the process of correcting many of the false teachings and teachers of today, before He comes to judge. I'm sure that I am but one of many who He is using in His work.
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I regret having to say this but I almost chickened out posting this, because I listened to man rather than following the direction of the Lord. Please forgive me Lord. As I mentioned in a comment I made on the second post, this is for me too.
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To keep me going, the Lord has led me to a website that explains far better than I can, why the "Once Saved Always Saved" thinking is dangerous. Here is a link to it:
Eternal Security or Conditional Security
I am glad that He lead me to this website because for me, there were still some scriptures that supported "Once Saved Always Saved", even though many more did not. I did not know that the Greek verbs had some that were in a continuing state, like believe continuously. I often think of how much better my understanding of God's word would be if I could only read the original text. Hence the reason why it is best to try and get a Bible where they translate from the original text. More than one Bible also helps.
I want to take this opportunity to say something. I have not always felt that I was involved in God's work. About three years ago I came to realize that God is always doing something here on earth. So, I asked Him to just make me a tool in it. Ever sense then, I have seen Him use me many times. Sometimes I can see the results of His work fairly quickly. Sometimes He prepares me before He uses me. It may be leading me to a book, or a person, or a church, or scriptures, you name it. It is amazing to me to see Him work. Sometimes, when I know I am involved, I picture in my mind how it will all play out. I don't think I've ever been right which proves what He says in His word, "My thoughts are not your thoughts."(Isaiah 55:8)
God gives us opportunities all the time to get involved in His work. We have the free will to work or pass it by. If we pass them by, He uses someone else. When you work, you experience His truths. How can we sincerely believe, in our heart, what He says to be true, if we don't experience it by works? The book of James is a good book to read that describes this.
You might ask, "How do you know when He is offering you something to do?" Do you ever have strong feelings about something? Well, do them and don't debate. Some things that He has given me, I can take my time before reacting. As time goes on you will find that you will need to react quicker. God knows that I have a lot of trouble with this, but I trust this will improve over time. Remember, you do these things through the strength of Christ who is in you. Also remember that the more you do, the attacks from Satan will increase. Have no fear, God is hear. :) God does not allow you to be tempted more than you are able to handle (1 Cor. 10:13).
Something else just came to me. I hope you know that when you talk with God, it does not have to be out loud. Just as you talk to yourself, you can talk to God the same way. He knows and understands your thoughts. He knows you very well; better than you know yourself. This is by what He will judge us at Judgement Day; our inner being and not what we've done that the world sees.
I will leave you now with some scriptures that I just came to which seems appropriate.
1 Timothy 6
New International Version (NIV)
1 Timothy 6
1 All who are under the yoke of slavery should consider their masters worthy of full respect, so that God’s name and our teaching may not be slandered. 2 Those who have believing masters should not show them disrespect just because they are fellow believers. Instead, they should serve them even better because their masters are dear to them as fellow believers and are devoted to the welfare[a] of their slaves.False Teachers and the Love of Money
These are the things you are to teach and insist on. 3 If anyone teaches otherwise and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, 4 they are conceited and understand nothing. They have an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions 5 and constant friction between people of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain. 6 But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. 8 But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. 9 Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.Final Charge to Timothy
11 But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 13 In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you 14 to keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 which God will bring about in his own time—God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16 who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen. 17 Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. 18Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. 19 In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.20 Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to your care. Turn away from godless chatter and the opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge, 21 which some have professed and in so doing have departed from the faith. Grace be with you all.
Luke 13
New International Version (NIV)
Luke 13
Repent or Perish
1 Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. 2 Jesus answered, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? 3 I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. 4 Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? 5 I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.” 6 Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree growing in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it but did not find any. 7 So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, ‘For three years now I’ve been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?’8 “‘Sir,’ the man replied, ‘leave it alone for one more year, and I’ll dig around it and fertilize it. 9 If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.’”
Jesus Heals a Crippled Woman on the Sabbath
10 On a Sabbath Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues, 11 and a woman was there who had been crippled by a spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not straighten up at all. 12 When Jesus saw her, he called her forward and said to her, “Woman, you are set free from your infirmity.” 13 Then he put his hands on her, and immediately she straightened up and praised God. 14 Indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, the synagogue leader said to the people, “There are six days for work. So come and be healed on those days, not on the Sabbath.”15 The Lord answered him, “You hypocrites! Doesn’t each of you on the Sabbath untie your ox or donkey from the stall and lead it out to give it water? 16 Then should not this woman, a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has kept bound for eighteen long years, be set free on the Sabbath day from what bound her?”
17 When he said this, all his opponents were humiliated, but the people were delighted with all the wonderful things he was doing.
The Parables of the Mustard Seed and the Yeast
18 Then Jesus asked, “What is the kingdom of God like? What shall I compare it to? 19 It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his garden. It grew and became a tree, and the birds perched in its branches.” 20 Again he asked, “What shall I compare the kingdom of God to? 21 It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds[a] of flour until it worked all through the dough.”The Narrow Door
22 Then Jesus went through the towns and villages, teaching as he made his way to Jerusalem. 23 Someone asked him, “Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?” He said to them, 24 “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to. 25 Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, ‘Sir, open the door for us.’“But he will answer, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from.’
26 “Then you will say, ‘We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.’
27 “But he will reply, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from. Away from me, all you evildoers!’
28 “There will be weeping there, and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves thrown out. 29 People will come from east and west and north and south, and will take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God. 30 Indeed there are those who are last who will be first, and first who will be last.”
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