Tag: christ

Articles, Jeanette Porter

HOW THE DEVIL CAN WORK FOR YOU

| Jeanette

God said to Me about this message: ” This is not a new revelation but a revelation long forgotten by man. I am ready for this to be revealed to My Church. Reveal it by radio,” and so I did. Tomorrow it will be aired by Radio in Greenville, SC, WELP AM 1360 @ 11:15 AM.

Think about it!!

Before the devil can do anything to you,  child of God, he has to have God’s permission. We see this in the life of Job, but there are more accounts in the Bible also. In this message we will discuss some of them.

Genesis 50:20 – But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive. Literally, And you were thinking or meditating evil against me; but God (Elohim) was thinking or meditating for good.

What or who do you think caused Joseph’s brothers to meditate evil against their brother? You’re correct! It was the devil.

Intended evil is overruled by God when He has some good object in view, God always knows what the result of certain actions will be. If they are good actions they work in line with His will: if evil, He overrules them.

It is dangerous for the devil and those who scheme against God’s children. It is likely to be checked and to recoil.  Someone has said, “A greater power than we can contradict may thwart our plans.” Men have so noticed this that a French moralist said, “I do not know what hidden force it is that seems to delight in breaking up human plans just at the moment when they promise to turn out well.” Yes, there is a “hidden force,” ever watchful, ever balancing human actions, ever ordaining the just need of praise or blame, of retribution or reward.

See how the scribes and Pharisees held council against Jesus, the gentle, pure, loving teacher of truth and healer of diseases. They sought how they might kill Him. They excommunicated Him, they sent others to entrap Him. They succeeded in nailing Him to the cross. They carried out their evil intentions; but that cross became the throne of the Savior’s power, the salvation, and the death of Christ became the life of the world. They went by wagging their heads, but at last they had to ring their hands. They themselves were left in their sins, and their “house left unto them desolate,” while unto the Christ they hated all men being drawn.

That God overrules evil should make us feel our dependence on Him. Joseph depended on God for his salvation. Although he fought for his freedom, he was overruled  by Satan moving on his brothers. They really meant to kill him, but God intervened. God was actually moving on his behalf even when he didn’t know it or sense it. As he began to grow up in his slavery, God’s presence became more real to him as favor of man came. Even though he was falsely accused, and went to prison: there he received favor and prospered.

It’s up to us. Do we submit to God’s will no matter what it looks like? Do we depend on Him to get us out of this mess we are in, or do we just bury our heads in our hands and say, “Woe is me!!!!!”

We can trust God. To trust God is called “living faith.”

I had a dream this week. I don’t remember much about it, but what I do, has made a great impression on me: —–I was walking beside a wall of boulders and rocks, and in these stones, were poisonous snakes. Someone had given me a snake of my own. I carried it with me in my hands; and when I passed near a snake in the rocks, I just let my snake loose and it would devour the other one. I did this each time I sensed an attack.

My husband told me I was using my enemies to work for me. I liked that. My “armour bearer”, Cheryl Davis, reminded me of Moses and his rod. God said to Moses, “What is that in your hand?” and told Moses to put down his rod, and it became a serpent. In one account Moses put down his rod and it became a serpent and it devoured the enemies serpents: three of them.

I thought much on this, and God began to reveal how He uses the devil to work on our behalf, unknowing to him. Then I began to pray, “Lord, when an attack comes against me, I ask You to use the devil’s attack to work for me.” ——That might seem strange to you, as a believer, because we are into binding and loosening, but the Bible speaks of all prayers (all kinds of prayers) in Ephesians 6:18 – Praying always with all prayers and supplication in the Spirit…In the Holy Spirit.

In II Chronicles 18:18-22, God allowed a demon to go as a lying spirit to accomplish His plan.

It seems Micah saw a vision of a conference going on in heaven. There was present a demon spirit of which the Lord allowed to work to perform His purpose against Ahab.

There are other times in the Scriptures when demonic presence was involved in the plan of God.

Job 1:6 – Now there was a day when the sons of God (angels) came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them.

Here we see the Lord with an assembly going on , or a meeting with the angels of which Satan was at one time. Anyway, however it was, Satan had to present himself before the Lord. In this assembly, Satan doesn’t bring up the subject of Job, God does. Verses 7-12 – And the Lord said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it. And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered My servant Job, and there is non like him in the earth, a perfect and upright man, one that feareth God, and esceweth evil?” 

Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought (for nothing)?

Hast thou made a hedge about him, and his house, and about all he hath on every side?…

Satan probably had seen this hedge before and was grieved because he couldn’t penetrate it and get to Job before.

Satan complains that God had blessed Job’s work of his hands and everything he had including his family. He said, Put forth Thine hand now, and and destroy all that he has  and he will curse You to your face.

God gave Satan permission to take all Job had, even his children and his health. Job never did curse God, even though his wife encouraged it.  In the end Job received double everything Satan stole from him,  and his health was restored. All was better in the end than in the beginning.

Job 12:6 – The tabernacles of robbers prosper, and they that provoke God are secure; into whose hand God  bringeth abundantly. Job goes back to his main argument, and maintains that, the whole course of earthly events being under God’s directions, all the results are to be attributed to Him, and among them both the prosperity of the wicked, and, by part of reasoning, the sufferings of the righteous.

This in no way implies that God is unfair, it just means that God is long-suffering and uses the wicked to bring forth the means, of the end of His purpose.

The wicked will always be punished, and the righteous will always be victorious in the end; either here, or in the world to come.

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Articles, Roy Porter

THE TEACHER

| Roy

John 14:26 – But the Comforter, which is the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My Name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

II Peter 1:3 – According as His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that hath called us to glory and virtue:

Students attend school, they have a teacher who gives them books and teaches them out of those books, and the teacher gives her students homework.

The teacher gives them tests to see what they’ve learned.

This teacher has assistants.

The schoolhouse is the Church building.

The homework is our Bible study and prayer at home.

In prayer, we ask our Heavenly Father to help us understand what we are studying: and the Holy Spirit will give us the answer.

This book, the Bible, has many Books, It covers all things concerning life and godliness.

We are the students.

If we never open the Book or if we never go to school or Church we write our own book and make God whoever we want Him to be.

Like learning in school 2+2=4. That is correct math. This teacher (the Holy Spirit) says, Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, no man cometh to the Father but by Him (Jesus Christ). Jesus is grace and truth.

How do I have this knowledge? I learned it from the Teacher and His Book at Church and at home.

II Peter 3:18 – Grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  

 

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Articles, Roy Porter

PERFECT WORK

| Roy

HEBREWS 13:21

MAKE YOU PERFECT IN EVERY GOOD WORK TO DO HIS WILL, WORKING IN YOU THAT WHICH IS WELL PLEASING IN HIS SIGHT, THROUGH JESUS CHRIST; TO WHOM BE GLORY FOR EVER AND EVER. AMEN

AS WE YIELD OUR LIVES TO THE LORD, HE DOES A PERFECT WORK IN US, MAKING US PERFECTLY WHAT HE PURPOSED YOU AND I TO BECOME.  OUR LIVES ARE DIRECTED TO  GOD GIVEN PURPOSE.

THIS IS THE COURSE WE RUN, HE LAYS IT OUT FOR US. HE SETS US APART FOR  HIS DESTINY FOR OUR LIVES. 

WE SURRENDER TO HIS WILL, THE LORD PERFECTLY DIRECTS OUR LIVES INTO THE GOOD WORKS OF HIS WILL. WE PERFECTLY BECOME THAT WHICH  HE INTENDED US TO BE. WE ARE SURRENDERED TO HIS PURPOSE, HIS WILL.

FOR THIS TO HAPPEN THERE MUST BE TOTAL SURRENDER TO HIS WILL, NO REBELLION. OUR COMMITMENT TO HIS PLAN AND PURPOSE FOR OUR LIVES, MUST BE AS OUR LORD SURRENDERED TO THE FATHERS  WILL IN THE GARDEN OF GETHSEMANE. 

THE FATHER WANTS TO USE US TO BEAR FRUIT, MORE FRUIT, MUCH FRUIT FOR HIS KINGDOM. AS WE LIVE IN HIM HE MAKES IT HAPPEN. IT IS A WORK OF FAITH AND OBEDIENCE. WE ARE A LIVING SACRIFICE, COMMITED TO HIS PERFECT WILL.         

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Articles, Roy Porter

OPEN HEAVEN

| Roy

MATT. 7:7 – ASK, AND IT SHALL BE GIVEN YOU, SEEK, AND YE SHALL FIND; KNOCK, AND IT SHALL BE OPENED UNTO YOU.

THE DOOR TO THIS GREAT PROMISE IS JESUS. ASKING MUST BE DONE, BECAUSE WE HEARD SOMETHING OR READ SOMETHING, STATING,THAT WHAT WE ARE ASKING FOR IS THE WILL OF GOD.

THE BIBLE SAYS  THAT WHOSOEVER SHALL ASK, OR CALL UPON THE NAME OF THE LORD SHALL BE SAVED. IF WE BELIEVE THIS, WE CONFESS JESUS AS OUR SAVIOUR, AND ASK HIM TO COME INTO OUR HEART.

NOW THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF ASKING, WHEN JESUS COMES INTO OUR HEART, WE BECOME COVENANT CHILDREN, THIS IS THE DOOR WE OPEN BY FAITH TO LEGALLY ASK.

THE NEXT STEP IS SEEKING THE PERSON OF  GOD HIMSELF. SEEKING THE FATHER THROUGH JESUS CHRIST BY THE HOLY SPIRIT. THE HOLY SPIRIT IS INSIDE OF NOW, DIRECTING OUR SPIRITUAL JOURNEY. THIS IS THE GREATEST, MOST REWARDING JOURNEY OF YOUR LIFE. SEEKING THE PERSON OF CHRIST. MANY PEOPLE HAVE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD, BUT DON’T KNOW HIM. THEY KNOW ABOUT HIM, THEY HAVE KNOWLEDGE OF HIM, BUT DON’T REALLY HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM. YOU CAN ONLY GET TO KNOW PEOPLE, THROUGH SEEKING A RELATIONSHIP WITH THEM.

SEEKING THE LORD WILL BECOME YOUR PASSION. I DON’T WANT TO JUST READ A BOOK AND KNOW ALL ABOUT HIM, I DESIRE TO KNOW THE PERSON, NOT JUST THE HISTORY OF THAT PERSON.

THROUGH THE HOLY SPIRIT WE CAN SEEK THE FATHER THROUGH JESUS OUR LORD, WE CAN SEEK JESUS, WE CAN SEEK THE HOLY SPIRIT.

MY PRAYER IS  SO OFTEN LIKE THIS: HOLY SPIRIT TEACH ME HOW TO HELP PEOPLE, DID JESUS SAY THE HOLY SPIRIT IS OUR TEACHER. HOLY SPIRIT SHOW ME WHAT YOU ARE DOING IN THIS WORSHIP SERVICE, SO I CAN FLOW WITH YOU. I SEEK YOU LORD, SHOW ME WHAT YOUR WILL IS TODAY FOR MY LIFE, CONNECT ME WITH THE PEOPLE, PLACES AND THINGS THAT ARE PURPOSED BY YOU THIS DAY.

WHAT A TRIP, WHAT A JOURNEY, WE HAVE IN LIFE SEEKING OUT THE LORD OF PURPOSE, THE ONLY WAY WE CAN ACKNOWLEDGE HIM IN ALL OUR WAYS, IS TO MAKE HIM THE LORD OF OUR WAYS. ONLY THROUGH SEEKING HIM CAN HE DIRECT OUR PATHS.

I LOVE THE LORD SO MUCH, THE HOLY SPIRIT HAS PUT A PASSION IN ME TO SEEK THE PERSON OF GOD, MY LORD, MY SAVIOUR,MY KING. 

I DON’T SEEK HIM TO KNOW ABOUT HIM, THATS RELIGION, I SEEK HIM TO KNOW HIM, TO BE INTIMATE WITH HIM.

THIS IS THE JOY OF MY SALVATION, ASKING, SEEKING AND KNOCKING. WHAT A PROMISE, WHAT A SAVIOUR.

KNOCKING IS THE LEGAL PART OF ASKING, SEEKING. THE WONDERFUL THING ABOUT ASKING, SEEKING AND KNOCKING IS THAT TO DO ANY OF THE THREE STEPS, WE MUST MAKE CONTACT WITH GOD. THE WHOLE MESSAGE OF THE BIBLE POINTS US TO OUR CREATOR.

AGAIN, KNOCKING IS THE LEGAL PART OF ASKING, SEEKING AND KNOCKING. 

IN PRAYER, IT IS LIKE GOING BEFORE THE GREAT JUDGE OF THE UNIVERSE, HAVING LEGAL PROFF OF PETITION. BRING SCRIPTURE TO HIS REMBERANCE, QUOTING HIS WORD BEFORE HIM, THE PROMISES OF GOD, THE WORD OF THE KINGDOM. SAYING LORD THIS IS THE GROUNDS FOR MY RIGHT TO REQUEST THIS TO BE DONE FOR ME. YOU PROMISED THIS .

HE BOUND HIMSELF BY HIS WORD. WE HONOR HIM WHEN WE HONOR HIS WORD. HIS WORD IS TRUTH, THE MOMENT HE SPEAKS IT, IT BECOMES TRUTH. IT BECOMES LEGAL, IT IS LAW.

KNOCKING IS REMINDING HIM OF HIS PROMISE. SOMETIMES WE ARE IN TROUBLE AND NEED HIS HELP AND WE QUOTE HIM HIS WORD AND THE JUDGE SAYS, I SAID THIS BUT THERE ARE TWO PARTS TO THIS, MY PART AND YOUR PART, I SAID I WOULD DO THIS, BUT YOU MUST DO THIS. YOU HAVEN’T DONE YOUR PART, YOU DID THE OPPOSITE. THEN WE MUST ASK FOR THE MERCY OF THE COURT AND CORRECT OR REPENT OF OUR DISOBEDIENCE. THANK THE JUDGE FOR MERCY AND TRUTH. IF THERE WAS NO MERCY AND ONLY TRUTH WE ARE IN TROUBLE. 

ALL THREE ASK, SEEK, AND KNOCK HAS A PURPOSE, EVERYTHING GOD DOES, HE DOES IT FOR MAN, TO BRING MAN TO HIM AND TO HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH MANKIND, HIS CREATION. HE LOVES US, DON’T REJECT HIM OR IGNORE HIM. ASK SEEK AND KNOCK YOU WILL LOVE THE JOURNEY.                  

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Articles, Roy Porter

BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU SAY TO YOURSELF

| Roy

MARK 5:28 – FOR SHE SAID, IF I MAY TOUCH BUT HIS CLOTHES, I SHALL BE WHOLE.

SHE WAS A BLESSING TO HER OWN CAUSE.

SHE SAID TO HERSELF WHAT SHE KNEW SHE COULD HAVE.

MANY PEOPLE TALK THEMSELVES OUT OF VICTORY.

WHAT WE SAY TO OURSELVES IS VERY IMPORTANT.

LUKE 15:17 – AND WHEN HE CAME TO HIMSELF, HE SAID, (TO HIMSELF), HOW MANY HIRED SERVANTS OF MY FATHERS HAVE BREAD ENOUGH AND TO SPARE, AND I PERISH WITH HUNGER?

WHEN THE PRODICAL SON CAME TO HIMSELF, HE BEGAN TO SPEAK WISDOM TO HERSELF.

WHAT HE SAID TO HIMSELF GAVE HIM STRENGTH TO RISE AND RETURN TO HIS FATHER’S HOUSE. HE SAID, I WILL RISE AND GO TO MY FATHER’S HOUSE. HIS NEED JARRED HIS MEMORY OF HIS FATHER’S HOUSE, AND THE ABUNDANCE THERE. 

IT CAUSED HIM TO TALK TO HIMSELF OF WHAT HE NEEDED TO DO: RETURN TO HIS FATHER’S HOUSE.

EXODUS 3:3 – AND MOSES SAID (TO HIMSELF), I WILL NOW TURN ASIDE, AND SEE THIS GREAT SIGHT, WHY THE BUSH WAS NOT BURNT.

MOSES FOUND PURPOSE WHEN HE TALKED TO HIMSELF – I WILL NOW TURN ASIDE AND SEE THIS GREAT SIGHT. 

HE TALKED HIMSELF INTO DOING SOMETHING WISE. 

BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU SAY TO YOURSELF!

JOB 9:27 – IF I SAY (TO MYSELF), I WILL FORGET MY COMPLAINT, I WILL LEAVE OFF MY HEAVINESS, AND COMFORT MYSELF.

   NUMBERS 13:33 – AND THERE WE SAW THE GIANTS, THE SONS OF ANAK, WHICH COME OF THE GIANTS: AND WE WERE IN OUR OWN SIGHT AS GRASSHOPPERS, AND SO WE WERE IN THEIR SIGHT.

WE WERE IN OUR OWN SIGHT. THEY WERE SAYING TO THEMSELVES, WE ARE NOT STRONG ENOUGH TO RECEIVE WHAT GOD PROMISED US.

THE ENEMY DEFEATED THEM IN THEIR OWN THOUGHTS, THEY TALKED THEMSELVESM INTO DEFEAT.

BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU SAY TO YOURSELF.

YOU WILL SPEAK FEAR, UBELIEF AND DOUBT TO YOURSELF AND BE DEFEATED.

SEE YOURSELF IN CHRIST, VICTORIOUS IN ALL OF HIS PROMISES. WHY NOT TALK VICTORY TO YOURSELF, FOR THAT IS GOD’S PLAN FOR YOU.

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Articles, Jeanette Porter

HOW TO STAY OUT OF TROUBLE WITH GOD

| Jeanette

Most of us know we can’t hide from God, because He sees and knows all.

He continues to deal with those who run from Him, because it’s not His
will that any should perish.  He will continually, draw them to Himself, but we do
have a will of our own. He will draw us but His desire is, that we come to Him freely. This is why
He gave us a choice.

When we do come to Him, and receive Him as our personal Savior, He then, deals with
us: first, as babies, on milk; and then expects us to grow-up.

When we raise our children, we expect things out of them, but we do have to teach them.  If they don’t grow up properly, we begin to have trouble with them and they can cause us much heart ache.

Well, God has guidelines and rules, similar to the rules we enforce on our children.

We offer our children many advantages.  Most of the time they don’t see that until they grow-up.  This is the samewith God and His children.

Some of our advantages of being God’s children are:

1-
His giving of His only begotten Son’s life for our Eternal life

2-
A personal relationship with Him where we can communicate through prayer, and see our prayers answered

3-
The precious promises in His Word

4-
The way to live a victorious life here

5-
Healing and deliverance

6-
The fruit of the Spirit

7-
We can operate in His gifts

8-
Heaven, when we leave here

9-
We will rule and reign with Him in the future Millennial Reign of Christ

And much, much more.

But, we have a part to play in this, which is the difference in having the favor of God, that
we all want, or we could receive the judgment side of God which brings with it much trouble.

We are always telling our children, when we send them out to play, “Stay out of trouble.”  You got it! —– With God It’s the same. We know if we break the rules, we are in trouble.

Today we are going to learn:
How to stay out of trouble with God:

Many of us have tried to make a deal with God. We say “If You will do this, I will do that.”

This is not how God operates. We have His Word: if we will do this, He will do that.  We’re always trying to ‘get the cart before the horse’ (so to speak).

WE CAN STAY OUT OF TROUBLE WITH GOD BY BEING OBEDIENT: Our relationship with
God, and our anointing has much to do with our obedience to Him.

Acts 5:29,32
– Then Peter and the other Apostles answered and said,  We ought to obey
God rather than men.

And we are His witnesses of these things; and so also is the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey Him.

John 15:10 —- If ye keep My commandments, ye shall abide in My love; even as I have kept My Father’s commandments, and abide in His love.

And

1 John 3:22 —- And whatsoever we ask, we receive of Him, because we keep His commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.

Matthew 7:21 —- Not everyone that saith unto Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of My Father which is in heaven.

God Word is very clear about how to follow His will—we must trust and obey.

One of my most quoted Scriptures is found in Proverbs 3:5,6 —-
Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not to thine own
understanding.

In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He
shall direct thy paths.

We are instructed to trust and obey and leave the rest to Him.

He can cause circumstances around us to change.  All He wants usto do, after trusting and being obedient, is to do good when it is in our power to do so; but the most important of all requirements, is to spend
time with Him each day.

SEEKING THE LORD CAN KEEP US OUT OF TROUBLE WITH GOD:

This is where we get direction, and are refreshed by His presence.

How can we know what He desires of us, unless we have a relationship with Him?

Seeking Him, by spending time with Him, and praising and worshipping Him, brings relationship.

It can keep us out of trouble, even though, most of our trouble, is brought-on by our decision
to ‘do it our way’.

Acts 17:27 — That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after Him, and find Him, though He be not far away from every one of us.

2 Chronicles 15:2 — The Lord is with you, while ye be with Him; and if ye seek Him, He will be found of you; but if ye forsake Him, He will forsake you.

Lamentations 3:25 — The Lord is good unto them that wait for Him, to the soul that seeketh Him.

And

Ezra 8:22 — The hand of our God is upon all them for good that seek Him; but His power and His wrath is against all that forsake Him.

WE CAN STAY OUT OF TROUBLE WITH GOD IF WE LIVE IN THE SPIRIT AND NOT THE FLESH:

Romans 8:12,13 —- Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.

Or we could say, we are not obligated to our carnal or old sinful nature, to do what it begs us to do.

Verse 13 — For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify
the deeds of the body (that is die to self), ye shall live.

Let’s explain it this way.  If you keep on following theold sinful nature, you are lost and you will perish, but
if through the power of the Holy Spirit you crush it and it’s evil deeds, you shall live.

You might say, ”This is hard to do”.  Well, — I can tell you, it can be done, with the help of Jesus Christ.  Ask the Lord to help you.

Look at Titus 2:11,12 —- For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,

Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;

WE CAN STAY OUT OF TROUBLE WITH GOD IF WE TAKE THE WALK OF LOVE:

1-

Brotherly love

2-
Loving God

Let’s start with brotherly love:

There are probably many words that are the opposite to the word love, but the most prominent is hate.

There are others that could describe the lack of brotherly love, like despise, judgmental, unforgiveness,
and the list goes on.  I ‘m sure you could think of others right-off, and you would be right, but this will do for
now.

1 John 2:10, describes those
who love their brother (talking about other believers), as abiding in the
light. — He that loveth his brother
abith in the light, and there is no occasion of stumbling (or error) in him.

1 John 4: 7,8 —- Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and everyone that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.

He that loveth not knoweth not God: for God is love.

E M Bounds, on prayer, says,
“By prayer, the ability is secured to feel the law of love, to speak according to the law of love, and to do everything in harmony with the law of love.”

We need divine aid to act brotherly.

Jesus, our perfect example, was and is a devoted friend.  He gave His life willingly that we might live.  He
gave us Eternal life.

We need to judge our love walk.

JUDGING OURSELVES CAN KEEP US OUT OF TROUBLE WITH GOD:

Corinthians 11:30,31,32 —- For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep (or are dead).

For if we judge ourselves, we should not be judged.

But  when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be
condemned with the world.

To judge self, is when  the believer sees self as God sees him.  He will renounce or forsake self.
It is replacing the self life with the Christ life.

To judge self is to deny self.  This is more than self-denial.  Self-denial is denying one’s self of the gratification or enjoyment of the flesh.  If we practice self-denial only, it is treating the symptom and not the cause.
But when we judge self, we are attacking the cause.

*To judge self, is to lose the self-life and find the Christ-life:

Galatians 2:20 — I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me.

*To judge self, is to no longer be self-conscious, but to become Christ conscious:

Matthew 28:20 — Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you:and, lo, I am with you alway, even to the end of the world. Amen.

*To judge self, is to no longer be self controlled, but become Christ controlled:

Acts 9:6 — And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me do?
And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told
thee what thou must do.

*To judge self, is to no longer practice self-esteem, but to esteem others better than self:

Philippians 2:3 — Let nothing be done through strife or vain glory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.

*To judge self, is to become selfless or unselfish.

We are to search-out our lives, to see if there be any wicked way in us, and get rid of it, by askingGod to cleanse or take it out of us, so we can stay out of trouble with God and be a part of that Church without spot or wrinkle.

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Articles, Jeanette Porter

THE LIFE GIVER

| Jeanette

 Nowhere in the Bible do we find where Jesus came to bring death. Everywhere He went, He brought life. He is the access to the Father, the only access. He raised the dead.  He gave eternal life through His death. 

In John 10:9-11 Jesus said,  –

      I am the door; (or I am the access to the Father) by Me if any man enter in, He shall be saved and shall go in and out, and find pasture.  

      The thief cometh not, but for to steal and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

      I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth His life for the sheep.

Jesus is the door to the sheepfold.

He is the way of life. 

Who would shut-up the way of life, to live the way of the world?

We are in this world, but not of this world.

By Him, we have eternal life, but we can also move about on this earth, living in two worlds (heaven and earth), freely, with His guidance, without fear of the enemy.

Why?  Because He watches over us.

He is our Shepherd; the Good Shepherd.  He watches  over us individually, with tender care, and self sacrificing love.

The Shepherd died, that we might live.

 

 Also, our Shepherd knows when it is time for us to go home to heaven.

At that time, He will call us.  But before that, He will prepare us for our journey.

Many are afraid of death.  They walk around in fear of the unknown.

We, as children of God, are to have life each day and not dread and fear of death.

For, Jesus came that we might have life, and that we might have it more abundantly:  More than we can possibly use.  Abundant supply.

Those who receive life from Him, have within them, continual sources of life for others.

We witness: they get saved: they witness: others get saved; and it goes on…

Those in their graves, who are dead in Christ, will know life again. This is our Blessed Hope.

1 Thessalonians 5:14, 16-18 —-For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep (or die) in Jesus will God bring with Him.   

       For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

      Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

      Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

 Part of our abundant life in Him, is to know these things, this great promise of being able to be with our loved ones, when the end of this age comes, who died in-Christ.

Every day, I go to Greenville from my house, I have to pass by my Daddy’s grave.  I have the peace of knowing his soul and spirit are not in that grave, but are with Jesus.  Only his body is left there, but it will be resurrected on that day of the Rapture, and if I am passing by that way  at the time his body leaves that grave, I can watch it come up and meet the Lord in the air with My Daddy.

To me, it’s as though he is on a trip and will soon return to me.

Woman of God, it is an abundant life when we know that we know we are ready to meet the Lord, should He come today.

Sinner, don’t be left behind. Trust Him today to care for you as your good shepherd.

Jesus loves you; He gave His life for you.  You are not really living until you put your life in His hands.  I’ve heard people say, “I’m not ready, I am still young.  I want to live my life they way I choose.”

What are you giving up to invite Him into you life?  I’ll tell you.  You are giving up eternal torment and destruction for eternal life;  You are giving up hell for heaven; you are giving up the lordship of Satan, for the Lordship of Jesus Christ;  you are giving up no peace for the “Prince of Peace.

Some women tell me they are afraid their boyfriend or husband will get mad or even leave them if they ask Jesus into  their lives.  Would you sell your soul to the devil for someone who wants you to go to hell, and to be eternally separated from God?  He doesn’t love you, he loves himself, he loves the sin you share with him.  He is just like the devil, when he gets through with you, he will laugh at you.   This might seem harsh , but believe me, I have seen too much of it.

We can decide to serve God and live according to His standards, or we can set our own standards and live outside His blessings.

The choice is ours.

Proverbs 8:36 —But he that sinneth against Me wrongeth his own soul: all that hate Me love death.

Romans 6:23 —For the wages of sin is death: but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

There is coming a time when all this will be played back in your mind computer.  You will remember when you were witnessed to about your soul’s destination.  Their is only one way you can be born again, saved from destruction:

For you who did not pray that prayer with me,

Invite Jesus into your heart now,  don’t live another day without Him, there is no promise of another chance.

God is righteous and demands full obedience from His creation.  He will not tolerate unrighteousness, and designed hell to eternally house those who are not willing to submit their lives to Him.

There is no other way to the Father but through Jesus.

Jesus said in John 14:6 … I am the way, the truth, and the life, no man cometh to the Father, but by Me.

Jesus is Life.  He is still giving life.

      John 3:16 — 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.

Think about it.  Everlasting life.

Look at verse 17,18 —-For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved.

      He that believeth on Him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God

Pray this prayer with me, and receive Jesus, by faith, as your Lord and savior:

Jesus, come into my life, and save me.  I am sorry for my sin, I repent of my sin. I am tired of trying to live my life, my way. I give my life to You.

Deliver me from every stronghold of bondage. In Jesus name I pray.

Thank You for saving me.

bondage, 

We have already seen where Jesus Christ is life, conqueror over death, and the only way to the Father.

There are also special promises from God for those who serve Him:

      Eternal life

      Peace

      Joy

      Abundant life

      Heaven

      Escape from hell

There is a great contrast between heaven and hell, and both are real places: one to joy and one to darkness with no hope.

Choose the life giver.

 

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Articles, Jeanette Porter

THE GREAT ESCAPE

| Jeanette

 

  THE GREAT ESCAPE.  

 I know, from one of our last messages, Wilderness Experience: where Jesus revealed to us; when He went through those temptations, he did this for us.  Again, what the Father revealed to me today, is a revelation, I am likely never to forget.

When we get to the place, of complete surrender to God and His plans and purposes for our lives, we never again have to be troubled about anything.  There is great freedom that comes with this level of our walk with Him.  The Lord said to me, “I will take you to the place of escape for every temptation.  I prepared this for you, when Jesus was in the temptation wilderness with Satan.  Now, you understand how I did it.  I gave My people the way of escape.  This was My purpose for this great experience of Jesus.  Nothing can take you under. I have prepared the way of escape.”

 

I always knew after I read the Scripture in 1 Corinthians 10:13, that God will make a way of escape; but I didn’t completely understand how the escape would come.

1 Corinthians 10:13 —- There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to men: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation wilderness,also make a way of escape, that ye may be able to bear it. 

Studying this verse an comparing it with Mark 1:13a let’s read it —- And He was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted of Satan;…

Comparing these two, together, began to bring light to me: Jesus’ temptations; and our temptations.

Finding other references, that relate or connect, is also important for the full understanding of this great truth, or any other subject in the Bible: comparing Scripture with Scripture (Isaiah 28:10).

Hebrews 2:3a —-How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation;…

Escape means = to evade, or slip away from.

Temptation means = a testing designed to strengthen, or corrupt.

2 Peter 2:9a —- The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations,…

Temptation is withstood, through our trust in the faithfulness of God.

God has undertaken to defend, and deliver His servants, whether it is daily temptations, or the Great Tribulation period of the last days.

 We all need to escape both.

Look at Luke 21:36 —- Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.

 

Jesus prepared the way of escape, but we can see in this verse we also have something to do: We are told to watch and pray.

This would go for any kind of escape we might need.

When Jesus was tempted in the Judean wilderness, He warded off every thrust by the power of the Scriptures.

God encourages us to call on Him in the day of trial.

 The sentry or soldier, doesn’t advance or move forward,  to meet the approaching enemy: he falls back, and gives warning to the commander.

So, when we are tempted, we should call upon our God.

It’s the difference in being strengthened, or corrupted.

temptation When God strengthens us, we just slip away from the temptation.

 

Joseph was given strength, by God, to do this very thing.

Most all Christians know this story, but for those who are listening who don’t, and those who would love to be refreshed, turn with me to Genesis 39:6b —- And Joseph was a godly person, and well favored.

Verse 7-9 —- And it came to pass after these things, that his master’s wife cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said, Lie with me.

      But he refused, and said unto his master’s wife, Behold, my master wotteth not what is with me in the house (or trusts me with everything in his house) and he hath committed all that he hath to my hand.

      There is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back any thing from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?

Look at verses 10-12 —- And it came to pass, as she spake to Joseph day by day, that he harkened not unto her, to lie with her, or to be with her.

      And it came to pass about this time, that Joseph went in to the house to do his business; and there was none of the men in the house there within.

      And she caught him by his garment, saying lie with me: and he left his garment in her hand, and fled, and got him out (he got out of there).

 

We know from the next verses, he escaped this temptation, but she lied on him, and his master, Potifhar, sent him to prison; but we also know God was with him, and even used him in prison.

Verse 21 —- But the Lord was with Joseph, and shewed him mercy, and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison.

Verse 23 —- The keeper of the prison looked not to any thing that was under his hand; because the Lord was with him, and that which he did, the Lord made to prosper.

 

As time went by, Joseph began to interpret dreams.

interpret,butler,One morning, Pharaoh awoke from a dream that troubled him, (Genesis 41:7,8) and the chief butler told Pharaoh, that Joseph could interpret it.

Pharaoh sent for Joseph, and in verse 16, we read —- And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, It is not dream,in me: God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace.

Pharaoh shared his dream of which Joseph interpreted and verse 39 reads —- And pharaoh said unto Joseph, Forasmuch as God hath showed thee all this, there is none so discreet (or discerning) and wise as thou art.

 

Joseph showed himself not only to be a man of integrity no matter the cost, he showed himself to be a man who sought God.

 

My friend, sometimes when we escape temptation, the result is: trouble with man; but we can depend on peace with God. Obedience, and peace with God, are worth the stand we take.  In the end, we win every time.

Verse 40 —- Thou shalt be over my house, and according to thy word shall all my people be ruled; only in the throne will I be greater than thou.

We see Joseph, sold into slavery by his own brothers, taken down to Egypt and sold to Potiphar, who was the captain of the guard, under Pharaoh;  promoted by God’s favor to the second to Pharaoh.

 

My friend, only God, can give this kind of favor, that a man could come from a servant, to the second to a king, in approximately fourteen years.

Most of Joseph’s life was filled with troubles and trials, but he remained faithful to God, and completely trusted God.

He followed God’s plan and purpose for his life.

 

If you are going through a time of testing or temptation, my advice to you is, stand strong in you conviction of what is truth, and keep your heart and mind toward God.

Now,  there are sins of disobedience that can cause us to fail to escape the judgment of God.  We will take these last few minutes, and go over some of the Scriptures that cover failure to escape:

 

HE THAT SPEAKETH LIES SHALL NOT ESCAPE:

Proverbs 19:5 —- A false witness shall not be unpunished; and he that speaketh lies shall not escape.

Shall not escape what?

Revelation 21:8 —- But the fearful and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone; which is the second death.

All liars are eternally separated from God.

 

IF WE GET INTO DARKNESS WE SHALL NOT ESCAPE:

1 Thessalonians 5:3-5 —- For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.

      But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.

      Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.

 

IF WE NEGLECT OUR SALVATION WE SHALL NOT ESCAPE:

Hebrews 2:1-4 —- Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at anytime we should let them slip.

      For if the word spoken by angels was steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward;

      How shall we escape, if we neglect (or disregard)  so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard Him. 

IF WE JUDGE OTHERS WE SHALL NOT ESCAPE:

Romans 2:1-3 —- Therefore thou art inexcuseable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest (or criticizes anyone): for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.

      But  we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things.

     (a question) And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgement of God?

Or we could say, Do you think God will judge and condemn others for doing them and overlook you when you do them, too?

God is saying,— There is no excuse for you, whoever you are, that criticizes anyone for doing something you are doing yourself. When you are condemning them, you are condemning yourself.  And we know that God, in justice, will punish anyone who does such things as these.

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

    

  

          

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