Don't Shoot the Messenger

2 Timothy 2:15 (NASB)¹⁵ Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.

2 Timothy 2:15 (KJV)¹⁵ Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

I have to say, it's not easy preaching and teaching the truth!!  I see friends on facebook growing in their relationship with the Lord, learning the truths of the Bible and throwing out the teachings of man that they have grown up with their whole life and I am so THANKFUL.  I thank God for each and everyone that will pray, study, fast, read and pray some more for God to reveal the truth to them and then accept it when HE does!!  Many times God plants a seed through some small something that another person says or HE plants a thought in our minds.  Because of free will, it is then up to us to do something with it.  My heart breaks for those who follow after men, whether it be t.v. Evangelists or their own church Pastor, OR their dad or granddad or uncle etc.  No one, let me repeat, no one will make it into the Kingdom of God based on their relationship with their pastor or any other man.  You cannot follow man and God, you can learn some things from man but if it doesn't line up with Scripture, it's not correct. 

Here is why the title says, "Don't Shoot the Messenger":  When God lays it on someone's heart to pray and search the Scriptures and the Holy Spirit teaches them something, IF they obey God, they do not keep that information to themselves.  IF they have the love of Christ in them, they do not keep that information to themselves.  IF they are truly concerned and love their neighbor as themselves, they do not keep that information to themselves.  They are a messenger, they are the person at that moment that the Holy Spirit has pointed towards truth.  Our job is not to immediately discredit them, slander them, destroy or expose them, etc.  If we are truly a Child of God, we will search the Scriptures, pray and ask God if it's truth, not toss it out because our Pastor doesn't agree or didn't preach it.

Now listen to me carefully, please.  I am not saying that you should be "tossed about by every wind of doctrine".  I am saying that everything we have been taught from childhood is NOT necessarily the truth.  We HAVE to pray, search the scriptures and make sure what we are hearing or reading lines up with the Word of God.  IF what you are reading or hearing does NOT line up with the Word of God, then you can expose false witness, BUT be careful that you search the scriptures and make sure it doesn't line up with it.  Make sure you aren't kicking against something you've just "always been taught".

If we are going to get anywhere in our relationship with God, we have got to "come out of the world".  We have got to get out of doctrine and into God's truth.  We've got to stop believing everything we hear and read and study to show our own selves approved.  Sometimes learning the truth will also be backed up with other research materials, i.e. Sunday observation, where did it come from?, Easter, Christmas, The Pre-Rapture theory.  Not only are these NOT Biblical but you can find through History where these things began and how they came about being celebrated.  I am just listing those few but there are many more things we have been taught to believe come from the Lord only to find out if we study them out that they actually were created by man.

I am just a messenger, but shoot me if you must!  Until then I will keep revealing what the Holy Spirit reveals to me.  To those who are willing to learn, God bless you, continue your search and prayer.  To those who are not willing and get angry when the lies are exposed, I will pray for you and I still love you, so does God. 

All I ask is prayer, that I will continue to pray, fast, seek God and be led by the Lord and the teaching of the Holy Spirit.  Prayer that I will stand for the truth and not fall for anything!  I pray the same for you.

2 Timothy 2:15 (NASB) ¹⁵ Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.

2 Timothy 2:15 (KJV) ¹⁵ Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Love you all and God bless you all,

Another Messenger

Called to Testify

Our mission today is the same mission given to the disciples and apostles of the Bible.  We have been given all the same gifts, we have the same truths they had.  We are to share just like they did.  If we believe the Bible to be true, then we have to believe the verses that tell us to share the gospel!  Our mission is to point people to Jesus.  He IS the ONLY hope the world has for salvation.  It isn't a secret we are to keep to ourselves.  Many people today claim to know Jesus and are headed straight to hell.
3For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 4And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:   1 Corinthians 15:3-4
9That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. 12For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. 13For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.  Romans 10: 9-13
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.  John 3:16
And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.  Acts 16:31
In John 6:35, Jesus says He is the bread of life and that anyone that comes to him will never be hungry again and anyone that believes on Him will never thirst again.  These are the messages we are to deliver to the world.
I read a comment that said, "all we are is one beggar telling another beggar where to find bread".  Jesus is the bread of life.
Just like the blind man in John Chapter 9, all I know is "once I was blind but now I see".  That is the story we are to share with the world.  We are to bear witness to the world.  Sharing what Jesus has done for us.  
A witness in a trial is called upon to tell what they have seen and what they know to be true.  God is calling His people to tell what they know and what they know to be true!  Do you know anything about Jesus?  Has God done anything for you through Jesus?  If you can answer yes, that is what you are to tell the world.  
Do you know God loves you?
Tell the world.
Do you know you are saved?
Tell the world.
Do you KNOW who to tell?
Tell the world.
We have examples all through the Bible - Peter at Pentecost, Phillip and the Ethiopian Eunich, Paul to King Agrippa and the list goes on.  All these great witnesses just told what they knew!!
The witness in court has to testify to the judge and jury.
The witness for Jesus is to testify to the world.
But, Jesus breaks it down for us, start close, move out.
Anywhere sinners are found there is a need for the gospel.
Our mission field is anywhere lost people can be found and they can be found everywhere.
We start with family and friends, co-workers and strangers.  Anyone we meet, anywhere we go.  We are always to be "on mission" for Jesus Christ.  Telling a lost and dying world that Jesus saves.  Everyone we meet is either a believer or in need of the gospel.  Let's tell them about our Savior.  
What is really sad is most of us won't talk to anyone outside our comfort zone.  We will visit friends and relatives but not go to someone who is lost.  We will talk about the news, the latest ball scores, anything but Jesus even sometimes to those closest to us.  
If we really believe hell is real, if we really believe people are lost and going to hell without Jesus, if we really believe the gospel is for all men, then why aren't we doing more to get the gospel to them???  Why aren't we out there telling a lost and dying world Jesus saves?  
Could it be we don't believe everything we claim to believe?  Could it be we are "saved and satisfied? Could it be we have forgotten just what Jesus has done for us?  We act like we hae to do this alone but we don't.  We have the Power of God on our side.  If we are saved and filled with the Holy Spirit, prayed up and cleaned up before God, united in love, heart and purpose then we HAVE the Power of God on our witness, our works and our words.  But we have to get our lives in the kind of shape God can bless and use - Amen.  We are going to have to get like the early church in Acts 2:42-47, 42They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. 44All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. 46Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
When we do, we will see the Lord pour out His power on our witness to the world.  Until we do, we will spin our wheels and accomplish nothing for His glory.
We desperately need God's power on our lives and our church today.  We will never enjoy His unction and power until our hearts are right with one another and with Him.  
If you have a problem with a brother or sister in Christ and you have not dealt with it biblically, THAT is a hindrance to the power of God being manifested in your life.  If you have some secret sin buried in your life, THAT is a hindrance to the Power of God in your life.  We need to stop looking at others and deal with out own hearts.  When we do and when we get where He would have us to be we can and will enjoy His power on our witness.
I want to ask you - How important is being a witness to you?
What are you willing to change in yoru life so you can be a more effective witness?
What price are you willing to pay for the touch of God on your life?
How long has it been since you told anyone about Jesus?
Remember one day we will give an account of our witness to Jesus (Romans 14:12).  The hour is late, the tie to tell the world is now.  
Church we have been distracted by the world and the devil from the mission we have been given.  We all share this responsibility, not just preachers and teachers.  Now is the time to recapture our mission.  Now is when we have to get back to it, nothing has changed.  
It's time to deal with our own personal issues and it's time to deal with our own sins so that the Power of God might rest on us.  It's time we obey His voice.  We have enjoyed the blessings, let's share them with others.  Time is so short, the day of His return IS at hand.
God bless,
til next time
tawanab
(4-11-11)

Do You Really Want to Do That???

The devil would ask you:  Do you really want to serve God?  Do you really want to pray?  Do you really want to read the Bible?  What good does any of that do you?  Where is God when you are having financial troubles?  Where is God when your children are sick?  Where was God when your husband or wife walked out on you? Where was God when you lost your job?  

Then the devil will tell you:  I can give you all the desires of your heart.  You don't have to pray to me, just don't pray to God.  You don't have to read anything.  I can give you riches beyond your wildest dreams.  I can keep your children from getting sick.  I can bring that husband/wife back to you.  I can get you a new job.  Just don't follow God.

Now you have a decision to make.  

You don't necessarily say to the devil, "yes, I'll join you, or no I won't".  However, if you do nothing, if you say nothing, you have joined his side.  If you don't pray, if you don't read the Bible, you have decided who you will follow.  You have to remember, he doesn't have the power of God.  He can't really do all the things he would have you believe.  Today is the day to make the right choice.  Serving God isn't always easy but the rewards are far greater than just physical comfort and His rewards extend into eternity.

The next time the devil tries to tell you lies just remember he has no power, no authority except what you give him.  If he keeps after you just remind him of his future. 

God bless

tawanab

And that's the Truth (Or is it?)

A perversion or twisting of the truth is more difficult to spot than an outright lie. That's why satan when he sets out to deceive will even quote you scripture. Take it straight to the Word of God and as the Bible says, try the spirits. We live in a time when many who profess to know Jesus really don't hunger and thirst for sound doctrine. In 2 Corinthians, Paul warns that satan masquerades as an angel of light. He (Paul) invokes a curse on any angel who spreads false teaching, actually on anyone!

1 John 4:1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

Matthew 7:15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

Matthew 24:24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.

How can we tell when people are twisting the truth? Before accepting any teaching, find out what they teach about Jesus. If any teaching does not match up with the Word of God then it's false. InJohn 17:17, Jesus prayed , "Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth."

When people think of satan, they see the character drawn in story books and depicted in pictures of an evil looking character with horns and a sharp arrow like tail carrying a pitchfork. Because satan is evil this might be a good example of his character but the Bible says he was one of God's most beautiful angels. Those who know God also know satan for what he truly is. However, if we don't put on the whole armor of God daily we are just as susceptible to satan's pillaging as anyone else, maybe more so because when he is trying to turn a child of God away from God, he is much more subtle. He is an eloquent speaker, pleasing to the eye and the senses. He is evil, but he doesn't appear evil, quite the contrary, he tries to make evil look good. The Bible says he can quote scripture. You know why? Because he was an angel, he knows God's plan and he knows he is going to lose, he doesn't care about winning the battle, he cares about taking as many of God's creation with him as he can. Using someone to twist scripture, bringing doubt in your mind about your faith, using your past against you are just some of the tools he will use to bring about his plan. Satan will use scripture to bring doubt into your mind, he will use scripture to destroy your faith, he will use scripture to justify a wrong, again he will use whatever he can to make evil appear good.

He knows our weaknesses. He will bring up the past, not to rebuke you but to cause the flesh to rise up and want to do things of the past that we've already been forgiven for. Remember if you are being tried, rejoice as Paul did. The bible says (paraphrasing) trials and tests of our faith produces patience. If satan isn't tempting you or attacking you, he isn't worried about you. You are no threat to him!!

If you are no threat to satan, you are no good to God! Don't misunderstand what I'm saying,God loves you-you are His most beloved child. However, satan should tremble when your feet hit the floor (not the other way around). Resist the devil and he will flee. If you aren't resisting him you aren't helping/serving God. Choose ye this day......

That's why it is so important to know the truth, to search out the truth on your own as well as being taught. Effective fervent prayer is communication with the Lord. He will show you the truth, all you have to do is ask.

Again, try the spirits, God will show you the truth in His word and the Holy Spirit will reveal it to you in your prayer life. I pray constantly for God to give me knowledge and understanding of His word for myself and to share with you. I know the seriousness of misleading or teaching someone wrong. As this battle rages my favorite verse always comes to mind. Phil. 4:13.

God provided for us in this war. He has given us the whole armor, all we have to do is put it on. What is the first piece of armor mentioned in Eph. 6:10-19? "Having your loins gird about withtruth."

Father, God, I love You and praise You. You are the most High God and the only God in my life. You are the great I Am and I'm so thankful You have made provision for me, for all of us. You are my comforter, my protector, my guide, my ever present strength in the face of danger and trials. Forgive me today for anything I have done or said that was not in line with Your word, or was/is displeasing to You. Help me likewise, to forgive those who have wronged me. Lord I pray today for myself and all those reading, that you help us put on Your whole armor. To choose today to serve You. Help us to be strong in the power of Your might. Help us to stand against the wiles of the devil, whatever he may bring against us. Help us to resist the devil so he will flee from us using the power You have given us through Your Son Jesus Christ. Help us Lord when all else seems to fail to remember Your armor. To stand with truth, righteousness and Your gospel. Above all, to hold up our shield of faith, wear our helmet of salvation and carry our sword of the Spirit so we are covered from the top of our head to the souls of our feet with Your power and might. Though satan rages against us, we are assured victory. Thank You Lord for Your armor, thank You for Your might, thank You for Your power and protection. Most of all thank you Lord for saving us, for adopting us in to Your family. Though the storm rages we are safe in Your care. Open our ears and our hearts to Your truths Father. Be with us and give us boldness in spreading Your gospel. Help us to realize the seriousness of the battle we are facing and give us a true heart for the lost. When Your Son, Jesus cast out demons He did not ask them quietly or timidly to leave the people alone, He used one word, "Go", using that same power and authority that You have given us as Your children. Help us to be able, knowledgeable, wise and available soldiers in this battle and we give You all honor and glory and praise, Heavenly Father, You are worthy. In Your Son Jesus, precious Heavenly name. Amen

God bless

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem

His servant

God has a plan

Luke 23:44-46 And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. 45) And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple wast rent in the midst. 46) and when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, He said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said this He gave up the ghost.

What love. What total selflessness. What a mighty God we serve. Each time I read about Jesus crucifixion, it breaks my heart. What He did is beyond words, beyond what my mortal mind can truly comprehend. When we think of Jesus and what He did for us, we need to remember that although He was God, He went through all of that as a man, just like one of us. He was born, lived and died as a man. However, at any given moment He could have said stop! He could have said, "I don't want to do this? They are not worth it, they don't care what I'm doing for them." And, beloved, He would have had every right to do that. Even then most didn't believe who He was. Even in those days they did not accept Him for who He truly was and is. You know why God sent His only Son? God has a plan.

It was never His intention for man to be lost. At the risk of repeating myself, God cannot lie. His word says He will always give us an escape from temptation, that began with His sending Jesus to die for our sins. He was/is our escape from sin and temptation. If we fix our eyes, heart, mind on god - He will deliver us from temptation. He says it in His word, He has to do it, He cannot lie!

I am not writing to those who read this, again, every word of this is for me. I am compelled by the Spirit to share this with whomsoever will read it. I need what the Lord is saying just as much IF NOT MORE than those of you reading right now. The devil tempts and attacks me continually and sometimes I stumble, sometimes I fall down and fail miserably. I am NOT giving up. That is the lesson I have learned. Don't give up. God has a plan.

I have been accused of thinking I'm perfect and that my life is perfect and everything goes my way. All I can say to that is far from it! Do I strive to be perfect? Most definitely. Do I succeed? Most definitely NOT.

Do I have trials? Yes! Right now I'm going through a painful divorce, I have severe financial difficulties, my car needs an oil change and freon, my kids have problems (and any parent knows your kids troubles ARE your troubles also lol). My life is far from perfect. I claim His promise, He will provide. If I didn't have God, I shudder to think where I would be or what I would be doing. I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be here to write this blog. I get angry, sometimes I allow myself to worry, I say things I shouldn't and then I have to repent. To be honest, sometimes that might take a day or two until the Holy Spirit shakes me up and reminds me where I came from and what can happen if I don't let things go and let God take care of them. I have to pray it through and like a rebellious child sometimes I don't want to! My life is a journey, not perfect but I've learned, most (if not all) of my problems are from trying to do things my own way my whole life, without waiting on God or asking His will. Now, in all truth and honesty, I'm reaping what "I" have sewn. But, God has a plan.

He could make my life perfect, He could clear up all my problems without blinking an eye but then what would that teach me. Just like a child, I must learn lessons from my mistakes. As I write this, I know He is working everything out. I know He is providing all my needs and even some of my wants, I have to wait on Him and I have to keep my faith in Him. How could I learn to depend on God for my every need if satan were not attacking me and I wasn't going through trials. God has a plan.

Now is the time -- for all of us. There may not be another day, or even another breath.

If you are facing trials and temptations, turn to Him. If you stumble or fail miserably, as I do daily, pick yourself up, dust yourself off, ask God for forgiveness and guidance and try again.

God has a plan.

Think about Jesus - what He did for all of us. Trying to live in God's will is not easy, no one said it would be, but the rewards are "out of this world". Don't expect to never see trials, troubles or temptations again, what would that teach us? We must keep our faith, stay in touch with God through prayer and His written word. Claim His promises, they were written just for YOU.

God has a plan, a perfect plan.

If you enjoy reading these blogs about what God is doing and has done, check out my friend Joseph's blog http://serious-things.com/

May God richly bless you,

his servant

pray for the peace of Jerusalem

Do not ask the Lord to guide your footsteps. if you are not willing to move your feet.

To Sin or Not to Sin, Is that the question

If God loves to forgive, why not give Him more to forgive? If forgiveness is guaranteed, do we have the freedom to sin as much as we want? Paul's answer in Romans is a very forceful NO!

Romans 6:1-2, What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid.

Such an attitude, deciding ahead of time to take advantage of God shows that we do not truly understand the seriousness of sin. Jesus paid for our sins with His very life so we could be forgiven. The availability of God's mercy and forgiveness must not become an excuse for careless living and moral laxness. In other words, we cannot deliberately do something we know is wrong and justify our fleshly wants and desires by saying, "it will be all right, God will forgive us for doing this because we want it so badly"!! And woe be to us if we cause another to sin also!! This goes back to a previous blog about the choices we make. If we choose to sin, we may not even believe anyone else is going to get hurt, or worse yet, we think it is okay if only one or two people get hurt! The choices we make ultimately affect more than us whether we think they do or not. The devil would have us think we are not hurting anyone but ourselves but just by our very witness to others we could be causing hurt, confusion, anger, anxiety. What if someone turns completely away from God just because they observed our behavior. God forbid!

God is holy and He WILL NOT be associated with sin. If your desires are contrary to any of God's laws-He is not in it. Again, God will NOT arrange anything for us that is contrary to His word. Therefore, if it isn't God, we must conclude it is satan once again trying to make a wrong look right. 1 John 4:1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

We can try to rationalize sin any way we want to but sin is still sin. In these last days even many preachers and pastors will be led astray. Many of those will lead others astray. 1 John 2:3-4 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. 4He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

Romans 6:12-14 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. 13Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. 14For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

1 Peter 5:8-10 8Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: 9Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.10But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.

We have assurance in God's word that He will deliver us from temptation, He will always provide a way of escape, it is, however, up to us to take that way and follow Him instead of our own fleshly desires. Do we want the world? Do we want God's permissable will? Or, do we want to walk in God's perfect will? Are we truly seeking His will or only our own? Those are the questions.

We are ALL called of God, teachers, preachers, singers, visiting the orphans and widows, cleaning the church, sharing the gospel in the grocery store, etc. all is a calling. We all have a responsibility to make sure we do not use our calling nor our gifts for personal gain. 1 Peter 5:2 2Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; Our calling and our gifts from God are to edify Him and for the betterment of others, not to tear anyone down or justify our own desires. Ephesians 4:1-6 1I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, 2With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; 3Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; 5One Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

Ephesians 1:4 4According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

Clearly to sin or not to sin is NOT the question.

Until next time,

His servant, tawanab

Pray for peace in Jerusalem

A Fire I Can't Put Out

Or I should say "I don't want to". This past week I have been going to revival with one of my daughters and awesome doesn't even describe it. Seeing the Lord moving and seeing the Holy Spirit move has quenched my thirst and kindled the fires in my spirit. I want more, more of what the Lord has to offer. I want to serve Him and I don't want to let this fire grow dim or go out. I am no stranger to seeing the Lord move so I wonder why I've cooled off in the past. I can blame it on the enemy but much as I hate to make any concessions where he is concerned, he is not totally to blame. I have to accept some of the responsibility myself maybe even a large part of it. Now, before you shake your head at me saying I shouldn't give the devil any leeway, rest assured I'm not. I know he is a snake, a liar, a deceiver and as the Bible says in 1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour. Make no mistake, I'm not cutting the devil any slack and I'm not turning my back on him. However, he really can only do to me what "I" allow him to do. If I'm not reading my Bible, I'm not staying in touch with the Lord, then I give the devil a perfect opening into my life.
I should live my life as if I'm in revival everyday. The fires should be so bright in me that the heat touches anyone who gets near me! I've seen God move, I've been in His presence, I've been in the presence of the Holy Spirit, I have no excuses! I want more and if I want more all I have to do is stay hooked up :) I do want the fire in me to be so strong, I couldn't put it out if I wanted to. That's annointing, that's what I'm asking God for - annointing. You know what happens when you pour oil on a fire? It gets out of control. I want to be out of control for God.