* Be not partaker of other men's sins.

(Comments by Joan Boney:)

Recently I stumbled into someone's sins.  It wasn't until I finished talking by phone with this person that I realized what I had done.  

I also opened the door myself for trouble by sending him a "friendly" email.  

He called me and began discussing his adult aged children with me.  

After I finished the phone call, I felt a little strange.  All through the phone call I kept holding back from wishing the son and daughter well.  It was like the Spirit of God was stopping me.  

Then after the phone call I realized this man's son has been committing fornication for at least 3 years with a girlfriend.  These people identify themselves as Catholic.  I did not warn them about fornication because the Holy Spirit did not remind me of fornication while I spoke with this man.

(In approximately 2002, I warned this man about fornication.  He was a divorced man and was raising his two children who were about the ages of 9 & 13 at that time.) 

After the phone call, I did repent and ask God to forgive me when I realized what had happened.  I was very sorry for opening the door by sending that friendly email.

We can lose reward in heaven by being friendly or by wishing evil doers well.

II John 

8  Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.

9 Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.

10 If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed:

11 For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.

***

One good thing that did come forth as I spoke to this man:

He inquired about Pam Padgett and he said how glad he was I was living with Pam.  

I replied:  "It's wonderful because Pam is a very godly person and she doesn't trouble me.  When there is a problem Pam prays and when she hears from God, she does what God says and that problem is taken care of through what God tells her to do.  Then after God has shown her what to do, she might tell me so I can also delight in what God has said to her."

It is possible that this information pricked this man's heart for he was telling me his problems.

***

We must be diligent to "watch ourselves", what what we are doing.  The people are often doing things that are unthinkable to godly people, even while they are attending a church.

A few months ago, God gave me a dream.  Some very dirty cats kept getting in my house.  I would get them out of my house only to find they were back in my house.  God showed me I was opening the door to them by being friendly.  

We "invite" people in by our friendly emails or phone calls.  Then we wish evil doers well in their fornications as we learn about their "girl friends", and in their denial of God as they cast aside scripture.  These are things we should not be doing. 

(At 83 years of age, I was raised in a generation where a man having a girl friend meant going on a date, not in committing fornication and living together outside of marriage.  So when I hear that a man has a girl friend, I'm not thinking of what that usually means today.)

*** 

Then we wish them well as we make "friendly" inquiries about their godless children who are doing godless things.  And as we make inquiries, we open doors for the stories of their filthy way of life and the filthy way of life of their children.  Then we are troubled.  Often we have brought their trouble on ourselves.

We must stop opening such doors if we desire to serve God and hope for a full reward from God.

We can repent and be forgiven and be careful in future concerning opening doors for evil doers in churches to tell us their sins and to tell us of the sins of their own children, making us a part of the sin. 

I Timothy 5:22 Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other men's sins: keep thyself pure. 

Thus Jesus says "Watch yourselves, what you do."  (Lk. 17:36)

And if we do choose to hear of their evil, usually the Holy Spirit will have us correct them, speaking to them the way of life.

In this case, the Holy Spirit did not have me bring correction to this man but after the phone call, the Holy Spirit showed me that I had opened the door for evil to come and I repented and asked for God to forgive me.

Hopefully I will be more alert as to what I am doing as I go forward.  

(I usually am alert and avoid the evil that can come from people through my questions about their lives.  But this time I slipped.)

Proverbs 10:19   In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise.

***

James 1:5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

Let God be our Lord by turning to HIM rather than to other people.

***

James 3

14  But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.

15 This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.

16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.

17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.

18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.

***

Matthew 11   Jesus says:

29 Come unto ME, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

29 Take MY yoke upon you, and learn of ME; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

30 For MY yoke is easy, and MY burden is light.

Pray:

Be connected throughout the day with God through prayer.

Prayer is the only way we connect with God for as we take each concern to God in prayer and hear from God and do what God says, we make ourselves worthy to escape that which is coming upon this present world.

Jesus says the following to the church.

Revelation 3:5   He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before MY Father, and before his angels.

We "overcome" as we seek the will of God in the midst of the problem and hear from God and follow what God says to do.  By this, we connect ourselves to God.

*****