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Tag: Holy Bible

Stop sinning and be Free, it can be done

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Name of Jesus

One of the seemingly easiest ways to excuse our sins is to judge others.  It is not wrong to exercise judgment but we must start with ourselves.  Only too frequently we are guilty of the sins we think we see in others but that is not necessarily always the case.  We need prayer and love if we are to perform “eye surgery” on our brothers and sisters.  We must judge them the way we want them to judge us.

Lightfoot said, “Cast out the little sin that is in thy hand: to which he answered, cast out the great sin that is in thine.  So they could not reprove because they were all sinners.”  Thus we see how great a calamity was cast upon Christendom by Calvin because he revived that antinomian spirit that said that we all sin all the time because we are only a sinner saved by grace and can never rise beyond that low-level of spirituality this side of heaven.  But Jesus commanded “Sin not,” and He knows full well how to help us live blameless before God.

We know that sacred things are liable to be abused by profane persons.  It should really come as no surprise, then, when they use and misuse the sacred text to attack us in order to inflict pain or intimidate us into being silent at the very time we should not be.  God does not give permission to the Christian to be silent; He has commanded us to be watchmen, holy watchmen, alert and sounding the alarm for the enemy of our soul is near at hand.

–Pastor Ward Clinton

The Real Question

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choose God

The God of Father Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob loves you.

Allah hates you

Choose wisely – they are polar opposites

–Pastor Ward Clinton

Godly Power

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last days

Life “de-powers” us. It saps our energies, depletes our courage, drains our patience. People–pressures get us down; problems stir us up; physical ills distress us; worry over people we love disturbs us.
We all need strength—strength to think clearly, love creatively, endure consistently; strength to fill up our diminished reserves; supernatural strength that flows from a limitless source, quietly filling us with power.
I want you to meet Someone who can provide that kind of strength. He is willing to listen to us and understand, He will encourage us to talk until we know what we really want to say. He will probe to the nub of the issue of our fears and frustrations with X-ray discernment and wisdom, and will help us to see any confusion in our thinking or distortions in our emotions. He not only can lead us to the truth about ourselves, but possesses the power to help us act on what He guides us to be, say or do. He has the power to heal our painful memories, sharpen our vision of what is best for our future, and enlist us in a purpose that’s big enough to fire our imaginations and give ultimate meaning and lasting joy to our daily living.
That’s a tall order. No loved one, friend, psychiatrist, psychologist, pastor, or social worker can meet all of these qualifications. But there is One Who has all of these qualifications—and much more.
He alone has the omnipotence, omniscience, and omnipresence to give us the kind of help we need. He can help us with our problems, relationships, and decisions, for He knows everything. He is with us always, for He never sleeps. He has all power to give us the gift of primary faith as well as pertinacious faith, guidance for our daily lives, conviction and courage to face the future unafraid.
Who is this? A Person spelled with a capital “P.” He is a Person in the Trinity. He is the Holy Spirit.
We celebrate Pentecost and remember the time fifty days after Passover when Jesus’ disciples and followers received the power of the Holy Spirit. (read Acts, chapter 2). There is no greater need in your life and mine and in the church throughout the world than for a contemporary Pentecost. We confess with John Oxenham,

Not for one single day,
Can I discern the way,
But this I surely know—
Who gives the day
Will show the way
So I securely go.

The Holy Spirit is the Greatest Counselor in the World. The word, “counselor” may not be the first word that comes to your mind when you think of the Holy Spirit. For many, the Holy Spirit is the least known and understood Person of the Trinity.
Jesus used this propitious word, “Counselor,” to declare what the Spirit is meant to be in our lives. – Lloyd John Ogilvie

I do not want to be two-thirds of a Christian – I desire and need to have the Spirit of God engaged in my life to make me wholly Christian; a properly empowered Christian.

Pray, pray and never give up

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prayGood Morning everyone.  People are still coming to Christ Jesus each and every day.  Yes, it is easy to let all the bad news occurring all around us to lose heart and hope but those of us who are followers of The Holy One of God need to keep praying.  Let each one of us begin the day with God.  Let us make an appointment with our Father in Heaven and refuse to break it, especially in a day such as this.

As believers, we may often wonder if there is anything we can do to counter the attacks our enemy hurls at us. We might even ask, “Can we, as Christian couples and parents, stand in the gap for our marriages, our children, our homes, our state, our country?” Let me say a resounding, “Yes, we can, and we must stand united in the victory Jesus has secured for us.”

P – Pray

U – Until

S – Something

H – Happens

In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus gave us, among others, this promise:

Matthew 7:7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
Matthew 7:8 For every one that asks receives; and he that seeks finds; and to him that knocks it shall be opened.

Every promise which God gives us is attached to a duty.  Concerning any duty it is not enough to do it, it must be done according to the prescribed methodology.

God desires that we should have a clear understanding regarding the certainty of prayer.  Never be afraid of being too earnest.  “Knock.”  Note that this is a repeated statement.  As big as the Bible seems to be, it is actually quite concise; therefore when we see something repeated we really should pay closer attention it than we otherwise might have.

Jesus gave us the model prayer and then on the night that He was betrayed He gave us a strong guarantee regarding the efficacy of prayer.  Some people wind up wondering why their prayers don’t seem to be as effectual as those of some other individuals.  For those who wonder why their own prayers don’t seem to have much of an effect as they should according to promise perhaps this particular blog entry may be of assistance.

Watch in prayer to see what comes.  Foolish folk who knock at the door but then fail to stay till someone comes to provide a response will fail to see the door opened but the desperate soul will tend to persist in knocking and will see an answer.  Some don’t believe in prayer because all they have ever done is to knock and run.

Ask, whom?  Not of angels, not of saints but make your request to the only One who is everywhere present.

Ask, when?  Anytime; some times are better than others.  For most, morning is best.  Daniel prayed three times a day at set times.  George Washington followed the example set by Daniel and would not permit anything to interrupt his prayer times.  He knew to ask of the One who is every when present.

Ask, why?  That is the methodology that God has chosen.  In His economy if we don’t ask, He won’t act.

Ask, How?

a.  Orderly; think about what you are going to ask.  Forget that “prayer language” stuff, because if you don’t actually know what you prayed for how will you know if it has been answered?

b.  Earnestly.

c.  Repeatedly: until you receive an answer.  In your own style – you’re talking to your daddy.  If you have not yet accepted Jesus as your personal Savior then God is not yet your daddy.  Popular foolishness says “We are all children of God,” but that is not backed up by the Holy bible.  First, one has to petition for adoption because we are all, in fact, children of Adam and, as such, alienated from His Kingdom biologically whether we be Jew, Gentile, and especially the Ishmaelite.  He desires that each one of us become a part of His forever family whether we be Jew, Gentile, or Ishamaelite.

d.  In faith.  In the name of Jesus; see John chapter fifteen … that is not a magic phrase – it is a privilege extended to us by the Savior and a recognition of whom it is that has guaranteed our ability to have a right relationship, and communication, with the God of the universe.

To pray is to put the understanding in motion.

To pray is to put the affections in motion; to open the heart.

To pray is to put the will in motion.

Praying is frequently thought of as a passive activity and when it is merely a rote recital of the model prayer or some other one without any real thought or effort put forth that may be an accurate description.  However, when the three above ingredients are all put into the mix it becomes a real work with a special dignity of its own.

Prayer, proper prayer, places the soul face to face with facts of the first order of solemnity; with its real self and with its God.

It is noble, because it is the work of man as man, it quickens the interest of man to that which is beyond the range of petty daily and material interests while enhancing proper interest in them by igniting higher enthusiasms into life, and of man becoming more aware of his being and destiny with a vividness which is necessary to him as no other occupation may.  The nobleness of a man’s best form of toil falls infinitely below that of a spirit which enters consciously into converse with the eternal God.  However that toil, no matter how mundane, may be elevated to an almost sacred level once the work of prayer has consecrated it.

If prayer is to be persevered in, it must be based on the conviction that it is heard by a living being.  If God exists, if He be a Personal Being, then surely we may reach out to Him if we actually want to.  If God be not merely an infinite intelligence, but a moral being, a mighty heart, so that justice and tenderness are attributes of His, then surely we may appeal to Him with some concern that we may have.  It is upon this solid ground that God is said to hear prayer in the Holy Bible.  That He should do so follows from the reality of His nature as the one true God.

The laws of nature are not self-sustained forces; they are God’s laws and God can use His own laws.  They have not escaped His control.

Prayer is a forseen action of man, and is embraced in the eternal purpose of God.

Probably the biggest barrier to effectual prayer is found in a person’s perception of his own self-sufficiency which is frequently demonstrated in the attitude and practice of, “When all else fails, pray.”  No, no … no.  Prayer should be our first resort, not our last.

2nd Chronicles 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

As it turns out, not even Jesus Christ has a Christ-like attitude

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When pondering “WWJD?” do not forget that brandishing whips and overturning tables is not out of the realm of possibilities.  Jesus was not afraid to get right in someone’s face and offend.  He was much more concerned with God’s will than making friends.  Even when He had a large group of followers He didn’t try to avoid offending them in order to keep them from “unfriending” Him.

Jesus reproved and rebuked people because He genuinely cared and He wanted them to do right and wasn’t afraid to do what was needed whether popular or not.  Sometimes I snicker when someone on social media tries to tell me that I don’t have a very Christ-like attitude:

As it turns out, not even Jesus Christ has a Christ-like attitude.

From the blog “Hope Stands” (link above)

After quoting Tony Campolo, Brandon Robertson writes, “Dr. Campolo has been an advocate for a more Christ-like and loving posture towards LGBTQ people in the church for many years now.”[1]

Right away, that stopped me in my tracks, regardless of what the rest of the article said.  As soon as you use the language of a “more Christ-like posture,” all my red flags go up.  Are we reading the same Bible?  This smells like legalism.

Yes, predictably, Robertson goes on to exude his support of the LGBTQ community, but no matter, because he’s already lost me.  Whatever else he said about LGBTQ makes little difference now, so long as he began with those words “a more Christ-like and loving posture.”  That snide remark showed me that he was about to parade the Messiah out in front of us in order to use him for his agenda and take us on a little guilt trip.

But Jesus won’t be paraded around.  A more Christ-like attitude?  What does it mean to have a “more Christ-like and loving posture?”

Does it mean that Jesus would never call anyone names?  He once called a woman a dog (Mark 7:27).  He regularly called people hypocrites, which was a huge insult in his day (Matthew 7:4).  Here are some other names he swathed onto people: blind guides (Matt. 23:16); fools (Matt. 23:17); white washed tombs (Matt. 23:27); snakes (Matt. 23:33); hidden tombs (Luke 11:43); children of hell (Matt. 23:15); and—particularly biting—“Your daddy is the devil!” (John 8:44).

And Jesus wasn’t just harsh with the religious leaders.  He was an equal opportunity offender.  In fact, he called one of his closest followers “Satan” (Matthew 16:23).  Then check out what Jesus said to the seven churches in the book of Revelation.  He gave a very candid and clear assessment of each church, helping it to see where it needed to shape up or ship out.  “You are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked” (Rev. 3:17).

Why is Jesus so harsh?  He gives the answer, “Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent” (Rev. 3:19).  Reprove?  Discipline?  Tell them to repent?  Is that what you call an un-Christ-like posture?

But there’s more.  Speaking through the apostle Paul, Jesus said, “Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God?  Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Corinthians 6:9-10).  Unless, of course, they are washed, sanctified, and justified (11).

Again, Jesus spoke through Paul, “For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, and idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.  Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.” (Ephesians 5:5-6).

I could list many more examples of Jesus’s “un-Christ-like” posture.  My point is that the way of Jesus is to expose the sin and forgive the sinner.  There is grace and forgiveness for every sin named in these verses.  His radical tactics pave the way for his radical love.

There’s no place in Scripture where Jesus calls a person to himself without asking him or her to change.  In fact, by calling us to change, he’s letting us know that change is now possible because of the grace he first gives.  Jesus never validates a person’s natural condition, whether good or bad.  He only asks them to do whatever it takes to follow him.  Pluck out your eye.  Cut off your arm.  Leave your father and mother.  Sell you possessions.  Circumcise your hearts.  Don’t look back.   Take up your cross.  Lay down your life.  Sin no more.

He’s often hard with us because that’s what true love is.  True love is not validating who we are, but true love is helping us to love God more.  True love will wound us in order to heal us.

Please stop equating a more Christ-like and loving posture with only hugs.  Because if that’s the case, then Jesus Christ was one of the most un-Christ-like people who has ever lived.

In fact, I would go so far as to argue that the kind of “love” that some are asking for today is not love at all.  It’s something much worse.

If My people…seek My face….

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Featured Image -- 18One of the sad realities within the local church today centers on the fact that numerous born-again Christians have little or no knowledge of the spiritual warfare that takes place all around us. The Bible is crystal clear in proclaiming that there is a battle raging in the heavenlies as the forces of evil continue to wage war against not only the Creator, but also against all who trust in Christ Jesus as Savior and Lord. Islam is just one of the examples of that warfare.

As believers, we may often wonder if there is anything we can do to counter the attacks our spiritual enemy hurls at us. We might even ask, “Can we, as Christian couples and parents, stand in the gap for our marriages, our children, and our homes?” Let me say a resounding, “Yes, we can, and we must stand united in the victory Jesus has secured for us.”

As Genesis 3 shows us, Satan’s desire is not only to destroy our lives, but also to weaken and sever the relationships we hold dear. We might all agree that Adam and Eve were both at fault for their disobedience and rebellion against God’s commandments. But a careful reading of Genesis 3:12 shows that Adam blamed his sin not only on his wife, but also on his Creator by saying to the Lord, “The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me from the tree, and I ate.”

Without question, Satan is still using the same tactics against our marriages and homes today. He seeks to divide us from our spouses and our children as he plans his strategies to destroy the unity God has designed for us. Just as he was successful in breaking the unity Adam and Eve shared with their Creator, he is still achieving an alarming number of victories in the modern-day Christian home, as the sins of pride and selfishness are often all too prevalent.

I have often talked with numerous people who have had serious questions about the origins of evil and sin in the world. Many may wonder, “How and when, did sin begin?” As the Bible teaches, Satan sinned when he exercised his free will to rebel against his Creator.

Over my years in pastoral ministry, I have encountered far too many believers who lack the knowledge about who they are in Christ. I am completely convinced that unless we acquire a solid biblical understanding of our “in Christ” position, we will be unable to fully counter the attacks of our enemy as he tempts us to exercise our free will and rebel against the commandments of God. As believers, we have a tremendous responsibility to study God’s Word so we can be better able to stand firm with the knowledge and power our Lord has provided for us as we face the devil and his forces of evil.

Without a doubt, it is time that we, as the children of God, woke up and begin living as strong advocates of the cause of Christ Jesus.  May our awareness be so quickened that we will begin recognizing the attacks of the devil when they come our way but not be distracted or deterred by the superfluous stuff.

Would you agree that Satan has been achieving his victories for far too long?  Will you join with me as we literally claim the power of God Holy Spirit against the one who seeks to divide and destroy our marriages, our homes, our churches, and our country?  As the people of God, we can praise our Creator for all His abundant promises as we literally stand in the strength He provides.

2nd Chronicles 7:14  If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

  • Pastor Ward Clinton

The Wonderful Promise of Prayer

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PrayerGood Morning everyone.  People are still coming to Christ Jesus each and every day.  Yes, it is easy to let all the bad news occurring all around us to lose heart and hope but those of us who are followers of The Holy One of God need to keep praying.  Let each one of us begin the day with God.  Let us make an appointment with our Father in Heaven and refuse to break it, especially in a day such as this.

As believers, we may often wonder if there is anything we can do to counter the attacks our enemy hurls at us. We might even ask, “Can we, as Christian couples and parents, stand in the gap for our marriages, our children, and our homes?” Let me say a resounding, “Yes, we can, and we must stand united in the victory Jesus has secured for us.”

Matthew 7:7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
Matthew 7:8 For every one that asks receives; and he that seeks finds; and to him that knocks it shall be opened.

Every promise which God give us is attached to a duty.  Concerning any duty it is not enough to do it, it must be done according to the prescribed methodology.

God desires that we should have a clear understanding about the certainty of prayer.  Never be afraid of being too earnest.  “Knock.”  Note that that is a repeated statement.  As big as the Bible seems to be, it is actually quite concise; therefore when we see something repeated we should pay closer attention than we otherwise might have.

Watch in prayer to see what comes.  Foolish folk who knock at the door but then fail to stay till someone comes to provide a response will fail to see the door opened but the desperate soul will tend to persist in knocking and will see an answer.  Some don’t believe in prayer because all they have ever done is to knock and run.

Ask, whom?  Not of angels, not of saints but make your request to the only One who is everywhere present.

Ask, when?  Anytime; some times are better than others.  For most, morning is best.  Daniel prayed three times a day at set times.  George Washington followed the example set by Daniel and would not permit anything to interrupt his prayer times.  He knew to ask of the One who is every when present.

Ask, why?  That is the methodology that God has chosen.  In His economy if we don’t ask, He won’t act.

Ask, How?

a.  Orderly; think about what you are going to ask.  Forget that “prayer language” stuff, because if you don’t actually know what you prayed for how will you know if it has been answered?

b.  Earnestly.

c.  Repeatedly: until you receive an answer.  In your own style – you’re talking to your daddy.  If you have not yet accepted Jesus as your personal Savior then God is not yet your daddy.  Popular foolishness says “We are all children of God,” but that is not backed up by the Holy bible.  First, one has to petition for adoption because we are all, in fact, children of Adam and, as such, alienated from His Kingdom biologically whether we be Jew, Gentile, and especially the Ishmaelite.  He desires that each one of us become a part of His forever family whether we be Jew, Gentile, or Ishamaelite.

d.  In faith.  In the name of Jesus; see John chapter fifteen … that is not a magic phrase – it is a privilege extended to us by the Savior and a recognition of whom it is that has guaranteed our ability to have a right relationship, and communication, with the God of the universe.

To pray is to put the understanding in motion.

To pray is to put the affections in motion; to open the heart.

To pray is to put the will in motion.

Praying is frequently thought of as a passive activity and when it is merely a rote recital of the model prayer or some other one without any real thought or effort put forth that may be an accurate description.  However, when the three above ingredients are all put into the mix it becomes a real work with a special dignity of its own.

Prayer, proper prayer, places the soul face to face with facts of the first order of solemnity; with its real self and with its God.

It is noble, because it is the work of man as man, it quickens the interest of man to that which is beyond the range of petty daily and material interests while enhancing proper interest in them by igniting higher enthusiasms into life, and of man becoming more aware of his being and destiny with a vividness which is necessary to him as no other occupation may.  The nobleness of a man’s best form of toil falls infinitely below that of a spirit which enters consciously into converse with the eternal God.  However that toil, no matter how mundane, may be elevated to an almost sacred level once the work of prayer has consecrated it.

If prayer is to be persevered in, it must be based on the conviction that it is heard by a living being.  If God exists, if He be a Personal Being, then surely we may reach out to Him if we actually want to.  If God be not merely an infinite intelligence, but a moral being, a mighty heart, so that justice and tenderness are attributes of His, then surely we may appeal to Him with some concern that we may have.  It is upon this solid ground that God is said to hear prayer in the Holy Bible.  That He should do so follows from the reality of His nature as the one true God.

The laws of nature are not self-sustained forces; they are God’s laws and God can use His own laws.  They have not escaped His control.

Prayer is a forseen action of man, and is embraced in the eternal purpose of God.

Probably the biggest barrier to effectual prayer is found in a person’s perception of his own self-sufficiency which is frequently demonstrated in the attitude and practice of, “When all else fails, pray.”  No, no … no.  Prayer should be our first resort, not our last.

2nd Chronicles 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Pastors, Now is the Time to Stand Against Tyranny!

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Pastors, Now is the Time to Stand Against Tyranny!

By / 10 June 2015 /

 There are tens of millions of evangelical Christians in the United States, and millions do not participate in politics even though the Bible says that the civil magistrate is a “minister of God” (Rom. 13:4). Millions of these Christians don’t participate in the political process because their pastors are either afraid to address political issues or they believe that Christians would not get mixed up in politics.

Either reason is contrary to the Bible and the history of this once-great nation. “To the pulpit, the PURITAN PULPIT, we owe the moral force which won our Independence,”John Wingate Thornton wrote in The Pulpit of the American Revolution. Too many Christians don’t believe or know this history.

Many Christians believe they can be neutral. But there is no neutrality. By not engaging culture at the political level, another worldview dominates and impacts all of us. We must then live under their standard, as we are doing today.

Founding American ministers of the gospel confronted the issues of their day by appealing to the people in terms of the Bible. The annual “Election Sermon” still “bears witness that our fathers ever began their civil year and its responsibilities with an appeal to Heaven, and recognized Christian morality as the only basis of good laws.”In addition, the clergy were often consulted by the civil authorities in the colonies, “and not infrequently the suggestions from the pulpit, on election days and other special occasions, were enacted into laws. The statute-book, the reflex of the age, shows this influence. The State was developed out of the Church.”

The diminishing light of civil liberty in this land is linked directly to the lack of preaching on it in today’s pulpits…

Read more at http://eaglerising.com/19467/pastors-now-is-the-time-to-stand-against-tyranny/#U7bD2r3TsM4cGgOI.99

Does the Qur’an have the same evidence that the Bible does?

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Does the Qur’an have the same evidence that the Bible does?.

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