II Timothy
3:13-17 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.
But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;
And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
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Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
* who walk not after the flesh,
Galatians 5:19-21 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance
If you walk after the Spirit, which produces works of the Spirit, there is no condemnation.
But if you walk after the flesh, doing the works of the flesh, you will not inherit the kingdom of God.
The flesh and Spirit lead opposite directions.
We choose to walk in the Spirit by recognizing the ways of the Spirit and by choosing to go that way instead of in the way of our flesh which is the nature of man.
The Spirit always goes in the way of scripture. And with the Spirit of God in us, we hear from God and know HIS will. We are in light, not darkness.
There is a choice involved here. Also you can delight in your own flesh so much that it can seem to you like God approves something and you race into doing that rather than stopping to seek God to see what HE would have you do.
It is like the sin of Balaam. He wanted to get the reward offered him by the king so he went out to curse the children of God even after God had told him not to go. Balaam kept returning and asking God if he could go and finally God let him go but God was against him as he went. Numbers 22-24
You can go off into darkness even when you have the Spirit of God in you. It is a choice we make.
Our flesh wants one thing. The Spirit leads us by the will of God. And the devil wants us to deny God, going in a way opposite to God, thus being our own god.
So if you choose to follow flesh and devil, you will go into condemnation even when you have the Spirit of God in you.
A woman's divorced 40 year old son was remarrying. She wanted to go to the wedding. She convinced herself that God approved her going to this wedding. After they got there, during the reception which was at her daughter's house, this woman found she couldn't stand being around the people and she would flee upstairs and stay there and periodically come back downstairs from time to time, only to have to flee upstairs again. At one point, her unbelieving husband was to give a toast. She wanted to be there to support her unbelieving husband as he "blessed" this couple. Within a very few years, the son and wife separated. The wife said she didn't love the son and didn't want to be married to him.
After that wedding trip, this woman kept following strange spirits. The Holy Spirit would bring her a thought then another thought would come and she would follow that rather than choosing the thought brought by the Holy Spirit. This was a problem that continued for years.
Just because you have the Spirit of God in you showing you the way of God doesn't mean you will choose to go that way.
Another woman in our church group, received word that her mother was in hospital in an adjacent state. She turned to God, asking HIM what she should do. She had a thought brought by the Holy Spirit. To go to this would be like walking into a bed of fire ants. She did not go. Her mother recovered and the report was she had many visitors and no apparent need.
Consider Romans 8:1 again ...
There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
A man in our church group filed papers in the court of law to divorce his wife. When I learned of this, I called him, asking him the following: "Was your wife unfaithful to you?" He said she was not unfaithful. I told him the only scriptural reason for a man to divorce his wife was if she was committing adultery against him.
Mt. 5:32 Jesus said... But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.
He withdrew the divorce proceedings after considering what Jesus said.
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James 3:17 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.
Pure would be without other considerations. God shows us exactly what HE wants in the situation if we are willing to seek HIS will and if we really want to follow HIM. We can likely overcome HIS will if our own will in the matter is so strong.
Do we really want to go in the way of God in the matter at hand? Or do we just want to think we have God's approval in what we want to do. (This would not be approaching God with a pure heart.)
There are times what we want to do will not fit with the purpose God has for our lives and in such cases God will shut the doors on that which we want for God will accomplish HIS purpose. I wanted to marry. Each time I dated, God closed the door. I finally gave up and agreed to my life. There is a very strong hand of God on me.
There are other times God will allow us to go into darkness since that is what we want so badly.
But if we come to God, really wanting to do God's will, understanding the fear of the Lord, that if we go in a way that is not God's will we will bring disaster on ourselves, then God will answer us with purity in our prayer and show us HIS way in the matter at hand,
A woman in our church group wanted to marry. She met a divorced man who said he was a Christian. His wife had committed adultery against him so he was free to remarry. Shortly before the wedding, they were talking about his adult aged son who was in Germany in army. He was planning to marry a woman who was divorced. When Pam heard this, she told Chuck if the son married a divorced women he would commit adultery.
Mt. 5:32, Jesus says ... whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.
After Pam told this to Chuck, he no longer wanted to marry Pam.
Today Pam is grateful she did not marry Chuck.
The scripture saves us! The Word of God saves us.
A man or woman who says he is a Christian but does not accept the scripture, and goes in his own preferences, that man or woman does not belong to God.
This is the way we know which people are of God.
II Jn. 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.
The doctrine of Christ is the teaching of Christ. Some of the scriptures are Jesus speaking directly as HE lived on this earth as a man, and other scriptures are spoken by godly men, but all scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
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Romans 8:5-6 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
9 Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of HIS.
11-14 But if the Spirit of HIM that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, HE that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by HIS Spirit that dwelleth in you.
Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.
For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
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The Spirit of God reminds us of scripture so we have light in making decisions. The Spirit of God reminds us of dreams which pertain to the matter at hand so we can make correct decisions.
The Spirit of God knows the heart of God concerning that which we are doing or concerning that which we are about to do and the Spirit of God reveals the will of God to us. I Cor. 2
It is up to us to follow the Spirit of God.
Those of us who follow the Spirit of God belong to God.
John 8:31-32 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on HIM, If ye continue in MY word, then are ye MY disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
The truth frees us and speaking the truth frees us.
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Many today say they are Christians, but they go in ways opposite to scripture and they explain away scripture saying they are not under the law.
Paul says:
II Timothy 3:5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
When they reject scripture, they deny the power of the scripture to rule over them.
Just turn away from them when we see this.
The liberty of Christ is not a liberty against the scriptures. The liberty of Christ and the scriptures free us from going into the sin so we can serve God. When we belong to God, we serve God in spirit and in truth.
So many church people today go in ways of destruction, opposite from scripture, and will bring judgment upon themselves.
The apostasy in the churches today:
II Thess. 2 (NASB) Let no one in any way deceive you, for it (the day of the Lord) will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God.
Do you not remember that while I was still with you, I was telling you these things?
And you know what restrains him now, so that in his time he will be revealed.
For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way. Then that lawless one will be revealed
The one restraining the man of lawlessness was Jesus, THE WORD, the scriptures.
As soon as scripture, even a portion of scripture, was removed, the restraint which held lawlessness back from the churches was removed so antichrist could move into the churches and lawlessness could reign inside the churches.
Do you not remember that while I was still with you, I was telling you these things?
And you know what restrains him now, so that in his time he will be revealed.
For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way. Then that lawless one will be revealed
The one restraining the man of lawlessness was Jesus, THE WORD, the scriptures.
As soon as scripture, even a portion of scripture, was removed, the restraint which held lawlessness back from the churches was removed so antichrist could move into the churches and lawlessness could reign inside the churches.
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Romans 8:12 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify (put to death) the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
It is the nature of man to follow the flesh, doing the works of the flesh. Such, however, will not inherit the kingdom of God.
Those who have the Spirit of God put the works of the flesh to death, choosing not to do those works.
We keep scripture before us in times of fleshly temptations. We pray, asking God not to allow us to do "that" which the flesh wants to do, asking God not to allow us to say "that" thing the flesh wants so much to say.
We are different than we once were because we have another spirit in us now, the Spirit of Truth, the Helper, the Comforter, the Spirit of God.
Now we have power through God to overcome our own flesh.
We must use that power and uphold the Word of God.
The times today are exceedingly evil. We save ourselves by clinging to God's word. The churches and society goes an opposite way. We must come away and live godly lives in spite of the evil of this day. The evil brings the wrath of God. Revelation 8-16
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Romans 8:20-21 For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,
Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
The world lives under the bondage of corruption.
We, by the Spirit, enter into liberty from corruption. We have another way to go. The world's way seems wise to the flesh of man. But really their way is bondage.
We know this present heaven and earth will be destroyed by God. We are warned not to try to store up all these treasures on this earth. Is that freedom or bondage? It is freedom!
All those things we once held onto, things that meant so much, come into a different light when we understand truths from God as we lay up our treasure in heaven through obedience to God and through upholding various scriptures.
Most of us have things in our lives, which are counted blessings from God, things we enjoy. But mostly we are waiting for the redemption of our bodies where we are changed into another form according to the will of God.
Romans 8:23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.
We will shed this present body and be given new bodies. I Corinthians 15
This knowledge should also cause us to look upon ourselves differently from people of this world for we know with these present bodies how temporary they are for us therefore our approach to trying to hold onto our bodies should not be as stringent as the people of this world. And even all their efforts fail if they live long enough.
We make adjustment to make ourselves as comfortable as possible while we wait to be taken out of these physical bodies. And we thank God that we are able to do as much as we do as we grow older.
Jesus said: My kingdom is not of this world. John 18:36
Those who are alive and remain until the coming of Jesus will be changed "in the twinkling of an eye" ... blink ... that is how fast we will be changed from these current bodies. And we will rise to meet Jesus "in the air". I Thess. 4
There is a new heaven and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteous. This present earth will never be righteous so we can stop all the effort to make it righteous. It will not happen. It is the new heaven and the new earth where righteousness dwells.
John described that new heaven and new earth in Revelation 21.
1-5 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and HE will dwell with them, and they shall be HIS people, and God HIMSELF shall be with them, and be their God.
And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
And HE that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new.
The knowledge of these truths from God are great comfort to all who believe.
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Romans 8:26-27 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
And HE that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because HE maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
34 It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, WHO is even at the right hand of God, WHO also maketh intercession for us.
So we have both the Holy Spirit and Jesus making intercession for us!
Between that and the Holy Scriptures which we are given, we have very mighty weapons.
I find that if I have God's Word on the subject, I have what I need to endure and to continue in the faith in God.
Thus Paul says:
Phil. 4:13 I can do all things through Christ (the WORD) which strengtheneth me.
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