The Bible is like a radar system, use it properly.

The Bible is like a radar system, use it properly.

     The Word of God, the Bible, is the only source of absolute truth. As such, we should use it as our radar. If something you hear or learn doesn’t line up with the Word of God—throw it out! The Bible is meant to be a gift from God to us that serves as a radar (2 Tim. 3:16-17, 2 Pet. 1:4, ). The Scriptures we’ve studied in the past are brought to mind by the Holy Spirit (John 14:26) and He sounds an alarm of warning when we come into contact with imaginations and false ideas. Truth (Jesus came to testify to the Truth and is the Way, the TRUTH, and the Life) is what we are after; it is what the Word declares; and it is what will guard us from deceptions and clever sounding false ideals. Use the Word of God!

Forgive as Christ FORGAVE

Forgive as Christ FORGAVE

     As Christians, we are clearly commanded by Christ to forgive (Matt. 6:14-15), but many times, those who claim to follow Christ hold on to grudges. We simply cannot do this. For one, we cannot follow Christ if we will not forgive. Jesus Christ died to forgive all OUR sins and EVERBODY ELSE’S too. He died for the murder just like He died for the prideful person. He died for the homosexual just as much as He died for the liar. If our hearts have truly been changed by Christ, why do we so often let them grow cold and calloused toward others? We need to forgive as Christ FORGAVE.

     For many of you, the Holy Spirit is convicting your heart right now. Take a moment and confess your sin to the Lord; ask others to forgive you that you need to; and ask the Lord to help you truly live a life keeping with repentance from this moment forward: a changed life with an attitude of forgiveness—working through feelings of anger, hatred, and unforgiveness so that you can pray for the blessing, salvation, and a personal relationship with the Lord for your offender.

Driving them out Slowly, Part 4

Driving them out Slowly, Part 4

And I will set thy bounds from the Red sea even unto the sea of the Philistines, and from the desert unto the river: for I will deliver the inhabitants of the land into your hand; and thou shalt drive them out before thee. 32 Thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor with their gods. 33 They shall not dwell in thy land, lest they make thee sin against me: for if thou serve their gods, it will surely be a snare unto thee.

 

       The Lord will drive them out. It is not our strength or willpower that breaks down our strongholds or saves a nation, it is the LORD! Make no covenant, don’t enter into peace treaties and contracts with those who serve the kingdom of darkness. For Israel, this was any Gentile nation, for us it is the unbeliever, the culture, the world, the flesh, and the other evil and sinful forces of our day. Don’t make a covenant with their gods! Stay free from entanglements with the World. Live as a stranger here, a citizen of a heavenly kingdom. Live and walk in a manner worthy of the calling that you have received in the Lord Jesus Christ. They (the evils and wickedness of the day) shall not dwell in thy land. What land do you have? Is it physical land? Don’t rent it out to a billboard company promoting gambling or “adult entertainment.” I believe that the Holy Spirit has shown me that your land can be your home, your household (your family), your possessions (books, movies, music), your car (do you have any inappropriate bumper stickers?), and your mind and heart. Keep it all free from the pollution of your enemies! We are called to love our enemies, pray for them, and share the Gospel, but we are to have no part in their sin! There isn’t supposed to be even one hint of sexual immorality (or name your others sin) among us! Don’t let them dwell in your land, for they will work their way into your heart just like they did in the ancient people of Israel and cause you to stop serving your Lord, make your children pagans, and hinder your communication with the Lord. Don’t compromise! Don’t push the envelope! Their gods are your snare!

Driving them out Slowly, Part 3

Driving them out Slowly, Part 3

I will send my fear before thee, and will destroy all the people to whom thou shalt come, and I will make all thine enemies turn their backs unto thee. 28 And I will send hornets before thee, which shall drive out the Hivite, the Canaanite, and the Hittite, from before thee. 29 I will not drive them out from before thee in one year; lest the land become desolate, and the beast of the field multiply against thee. 30 By little and little I will drive them out from before thee, until thou be increased, and inherit the land. 31 And I will set thy bounds from the Red sea even unto the sea of the Philistines, and from the desert unto the river: for I will deliver the inhabitants of the land into your hand; and thou shalt drive them out before thee. 32 Thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor with their gods. 33 They shall not dwell in thy land, lest they make thee sin against me: for if thou serve their gods, it will surely be a snare unto thee.

 

     The Lord will send His Fear before us as we serve Him. There are missionaries who literally have tribes afraid of them because they know that the Christian God is real and powerful. Read stories about faithful missionaries; you will find that pagan, cannibalistic tribes have turned their backs to some of them and literally ran away afraid of our Almighty God.

28 And I will send hornets before thee, which shall drive out the Hivite, the Canaanite, and the Hittite, from before thee.

       God will send the hornets—some small, annoying thing—before use to drive out the demonic forces of evil that are holding people in bondage examples are witchdoctors, psychics, new age spiritualists, and oculists (this is largely seen on the mission field) as well as false worldviews and mindsets, strongholds, and satanic intimidation in our own lives.

29 I will not drive them out from before thee in one year; lest the land become desolate, and the beast of the field multiply against thee. 30 By little and little I will drive them out from before thee, until thou be increased, and inherit the land.

         The Lord will drive them out little, by little. Not 1 year—not fast, because we can’t handle that much conquered territory yet. But as we are able to take care of more and more, the Lord will add it to us. Think of this in regard to your sanctification (lifelong transformation) as you follow the Lord. Little by little, the Lord breaks down stronghold and teaches us how to maintain personal freedom on that conquered spiritual land; otherwise, we would give the devil a foothold and he would just begin to build his fortress right back up again.

Driving them out Slowly, Part 2

Driving them out Slowly, Part 2

Thou shalt not bow down to their gods, nor serve them, nor do after their works: but thou shalt utterly overthrow them, and quite break down their images. 25 And ye shall serve the Lord your God, and he shall bless thy bread, and thy water; and I will take sickness away from the midst of thee. 26 There shall nothing cast their young, nor be barren, in thy land: the number of thy days I will fulfil.

       Do not serve the gods of this world: TV, music, pop culture, violence, video games, selfishness. But serve the Lord! It is He who blesses your Bread! It is He who gives you the mind and ability to earn wealth! It is He who provides your water! It is He who protects you, not all your insurance policies (I’m not saying don’t have insurance, just that we need to reevaluate where Source of trust lies). And this passage also gives some incredible blessings for the Jewish people in this passage. While God still heals, I believe that this passage is referring to a nation seeking after God. If we once again are that nation, I believe these blessings will be given to us again: The Lord will take away our sickness, there will be no more barrenness in our crops or our cattle or our people!

          Look back up at verse 24 and note the second half of the verse. We are to overthrow—we are to stand against—the sinful, pagan culture around us. We are to proclaim the truth in love, yet stand for the perfect law of God; uncompromisingly denouncing homosexuality, entitlement, debt, feminism, effeminate manhood, evolution, secular humanism, etc…. We are to tear down the idols of our age (sex, greed, pride, selfishness, tyranny) with the message of God’s Word—the true and living Gospel of Jesus Christ which will transform people’s lives.