We will begin this message with this thought
in mind. In the book of Proverbs chapter 23:7 it says, "as
a man thinketh in his heart so is he."
In Paul's
teachings of 1st. Corinthians 10, he is dealing with Israel's experiences
in the wilderness and throughout this chapter he expounds upon the things
that God's people should be aware of and not fall after the same manner in
which the Israelites did. You see, they were being led by God's man
of the hour, Moses. God performed many miracles through this man and
they were aware and witnessed the miraculous but they had a serious
problem that caused many to miss out on the promised land to which they
were being conditioned to enter.
The adamic nature
was the problem, and with all the loving care that God showed them still
many were rebellious and were never satisfied with the provisions God
supplied them with as they journeyed through the wilderness. They
were never satisfied. And let me say this...the flesh will
never in and of itself be satisfied with God's agenda for man because the
flesh or carnal man, as Paul states it in Romans 8:7, is enmity against
God, "for it is not subject to the law
of God, neither indeed can be."
Paul goes on to say in verse 8 that "they
that are in the flesh cannot please God."
God was trying to get them to a place where obedience to
His Ways
would become first priority in their lives.
God still seeks for this obedience to be
first priority in our lives today. Hebrews 13:8 says Jesus Christ is
the same yesterday today and forever. Jesus is our example in today's
new testament life of living the Christian life. Jesus said in John
8:20, "I do always those things that
please the Father."
In the teachings of
2 Peter I: 1-9, Peter is dealing with Godliness
and Spiritual destitution. In verse 10, he speaks of the
calling in which God has called us into. Peter says that we
must make our calling and election sure. The word sure
in the Greek is defined as thus 949. bebaios, beb'-ah-yos; from the base
of G939 (through
the idea of basality); stable (lit. or fig.):--firm, of force, steadfast,
sure.
There are in the world
today multiple religious beliefs about life, and death, and eternity; but
to you who believe the teachings of Jesus and are striving for a more
intimate relationship with your Heavenly Father, I want to open your eyes
to the importance of making your calling and election sure.
The enemy is very subtle and has many avenues of deception and, yes,
they are very religious and do contain some scripture, and to the weak -
to the hungry - to the child of God reaching up for more of God and the
spiritual realm, it is of utmost importance that you give heed to what
Jesus tells us we must do in order to know the truth. In John 5:39
Jesus says search the scriptures, and in 1 John 4:1, John tells us
to try the spirits to see whether or not they are of God.
It is a great day in which we live
and yet it is also a sad day because of the deception in which Gods new
born and a lot of older Christians are being sucked into through the seductive
religious teachings that are on the rise. ways in which it seems to be the
right thing to do.
The enemy of your soul
appears as an angel of light. He speaks to the mind and if we're not well
versed in the Word of God, the devil will deceive us. Let me insert
here that deception comes in many ways and when we begin to lead ourselves
rather than to allow the Holy Spirit to do the leading we are being deceived.
It is not in you to be able to live the Christian life in and of
yourself. You need the leadership of the Holy Spirit. In
verse 3 of 11 Peter 1, Peter tells us that God has given to us all things
which pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who hath
called us to glory and virtue; whereby are given unto us
exceeding great and precious promises: that by these promises
ye might be partakers of the divine nature,
having escaped the corruption (ruin especially by moral
influence) that is in the world. Webster defines influence as
the act or power of producing an effect without apparent exertion.
Peter further states that we should give all diligence to add to our faith
virtue; and to virtue; knowledge; and to knowledge temperance, and to
temperance; patience; and to patience; godliness; and to godliness;
brotherly kindness, charity.
In the next verse Peter
says for if
these things be in you, and abound (increase) they make you that you shall
neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
I want us now to
look closely at verse 9 because this will be the punch line of the
message. Peter says "but he that lacketh
these things (referring
to verse 5-8) is blind,
and cannot see afar off.
The bible deals with 3
kinds of blindness (1)
The word blind in the Greek
translates...NT:5185 tuphlos (toof-los'); from NT:5187; opaque (as
if smoky), i.e. (by analogy) blind (physically or mentally).
Webster defines
the word indistinctly as blurred, figures in the fog, not clearly
recognizable or understandable.
Could it be that
many are blind today, spiritually? Have you done a spiritual
research that is led by the Holy Spirit to see if you are walking
according to the Word of God? Here's something to ask yourself. Who
am I following?
Do I believe what I believe because of someone else or is it
because I have searched it out for myself, or do I believe it because it
sounds good and it fits well with my lifestyle? Do I believe what
I BELIEVE BECAUSE MY PARENTS AND THEIR PARENTS BELIEVED THIS WAY AND I
JUST TOOK IT AS TRUTH AND DIDN'T SEARCH IT OUT FOR MYSELF? LET ME
SAY THAT IN MY FAMILY, AND GENERATIONS PAST WE WERE RAISED IN A CHURCH
THAT DIDN'T TEACH SALVATION THROUGH CHRIST BUT RATHER A Church TRADITION
THAT STILL STANDS IN IT'S SAME DECEPTIVE TEACHINGS TODAY EVEN THOUGH IT
HAS SOME MORAL AND GODLY PRINCIPALS. I was doing what I had been
raised in and, yes, I was sincere. I would come in from working all
night but I dared not miss church if it were Sunday morning. I
was raised with this mentality that it was sin to do so and I didn't want
to sin by doing so. These are just a few of multiple
questions that we could ask ourselves.
I remember years
ago the family would get together for Thanksgiving dinner, and prior to
that one of my brother-in-law's would do the honors of preparing the
turkey and ham. He wouldn't use fire to cook it although fire was
the necessary means. He would start early on wed. and stay up all
night smoking that meat. That's right. The fire never
touched the meat, but boy what a tasty meal after many hours of smoking
the meat. Let's apply this now with the lesson. First of all,
my brother-in-law was a very tired man after loosing all that sleep, but
he did it because of family, because of the fellowship time each year and
because he enjoyed cooking in this manner and being a blessing to the
family and he still enjoys it till today. The fire never touched the
meat. Remember the word in verse 4 having ruin,
especially by moral influence?
How much are you influenced by people,
things you see, things you hear, Spirits that present themselves to your
mind? How much are you influenced by what goes into your ears each
day? Do you know that Satan may be smoking you and you're not
aware? Remember, Webster's definition of influence the act or
power of producing an effect without apparent exertion?
I must say the devil doesn't need sleep
so that gives him 24 hours a day to seek to smoke the Christian if you
please and believe you me he has and is smoking a many today. He has the
fire box seven times hotter in the spiritual realm and brother he is
pouring it on . The smoke cannot be seen but it is world wide and is very
effective on those who are not in tune with what the Spirit is saying to
the Church, the body of Christ.
He, the devil, has
had the world engulfed in his smoke from the beginning of the creation
when man believed that he could be his own little God through Satan's
deceptive words that he spoke to Eve in the garden.
