SHINY4UJESUS

Joshua was long before Jerusalem was even a place...lol. Remember, Joshua succeeded Moses and was the first judge in Israel after they first entered "The Promised Land," if there was a jerusalem, it would not have had walls during his time. However, in hindsight; Nehemiah was tasked with rebuilding Jerusalem, I must revisit Chronicles I believe to verify that it was indeed Nehemiah who marched around the walls of Jerusalem until they crumbled. I am fairly certain it is so; but for posterity sake; after this morning's Men of Valor group I will delve into the old testament and post specific scriptural passages to clarify. BONNIE..praise the Lord Almighty! That is truly amazing, doesn't God just work miracles in the most unsuspecting ways?? No need to thank me though; it is God who gave me a desire to study, God who gave me the desire to be salt and light; and God who opened the doors. I am merely a servant who walks through those doors eh? Anyhow, if you ever need encouragement or counsel I login often, and the profile also has my email and the site of our new ministry: Return to Grace; specifically for those who struggle with backsliding and self condemnation. That said we never turn any heart away when it is in need. Stay blessed folks! PS I would hope the last quote from CS was not a pointed jab of accusation and judgment that I am merely a clown entertaining goats...It is no matter to me, but such a spirit of presumptive judgment is not conducive to edifying,nor to scriptural correction. Furthermore...keep in mind what Jesus said about attributing to the enemy what is truly driven of the Spirit; we balance precariously on a fine line with blasphemy of the Holy Spirit when we do such things. In any event, were it intended as such; it is forgiven. There is only grace in the blood that dripped off the cross, no room for bitterness eh? No harm no foul. God Bless! **NOTE** YOWM you are in fact correct, it was Joshua; but it was the walls of Jericho, not Jerusalem. I apologize folks for having confused two seperate passages and some details. That being said, the moral of the original post remains the same; let us not lose hope or courage when we don't see fulfillment immediately, but continue on in faith! God Bless!

Well first all praise, honor and glory all God's alone. It is but one chapter of an upcoming e book resource soon to be published for the purpose of educating and equipping the body to facilitate the ministry Return to Grace. I am encouraged however by your confirmation. If you want I have many more prepared and can even email you the full e book prior to publish. Other specfic topics are bible study, faith, prayer, judgment, generous living, etc. If any of these are more tailored to your current stage in Christ you are welcome to them. Talents are best invested rather than buried in the earth eh.

Nehemiah was given a monumental task; as with most who are called of God. However, it can be easy for us to miss a simple nugget of truth regarding what he did when he retook Jerusalem. It is written that he and his army circled the walls of Jerusalem seven times before it crumbled. Often when we face obstacles in life we study, we meditate, we pray, and we take to action. However, when our response is not apparent immediately; we tend to give up. We can fall into the habit of blaming God for not being there, not hearing us or not answering. We can fall prey to the deception that an absence of corresponding action means we are NOT in alignment with God's will...that we are not going to receive deliverance. However, I am reminded of Daniel in the book of Daniel, chapter either 9 or 10, (my apologies for forgetting,). Daniel sought God for clarity and confirmation on a certain matter, but he stayed in prayer for 21 days fasting and drinking only water. Most of us would faint lon before; giving in to the idea that we are not goin to get a response. I myself am lucky to remain in prayer for 21 minutes without wanting a doughnut or something! Yet Daniel did not give up, he remained in prayer; determined to wait upon the response; not allowing circumstances to dictate his faith in God's willingness and ability to answer. After 21 days an angel appeared to him saying basically,"Fear not Daniel. Since the very moment you turned your heart towards God I was sent with your answer. But the spirit prince of the kingdom of Persia has been fighting with me for 21 days.." You see, Daniel's answer was immediately given, but it was not received immediately. Just like Nehemiah, we do well not to allow the appearance of our situations to determine our faith. If we don't "succeed," the first time; let us simply "take another lap," because it just may be that Father is testing our faith; it may just be that our responding action is on its way but being obstructed; and it may just be that some things in life take perseverance and dedication to accomplish. Don't give up my brothers and sisters, for the surest way to lose a battle is to give up before it is even over! God Bless!

Folks, Jesus made it a point to illustrate that its not the outward appearance but the quality of contents within that is critical. It would seem that we promote a skin deep assessment quite often; allowing what is apparent to dictate our development of opinion and presentation of response. This has just now been illustrated in a post that a person received much quick and hasty condemnation that could well have been withheld. When we look upon things with jaded eyes of flesh, rather than though the lens of the Spirit; we will always have a muddled view of what actually is. Did Christ not rebuke the Pharisees of His time for focusing on quick and harsh judgement and limited sight? Did He not say that they should not have forgotten the more critical matters of love, grace, and forgiveness? let us keep these things in mind as we consider our responses to others. If we are not ediying than by default we are tearin down; and that is quite counterproductive to growth, unity, and sincere lives in Christ. Sometimes we do well to simply pray, study and meditate before any resonse is given at all. Then we may see clearly to discern the true nature of a situation and respond in a way that positively impacts the kingdom. Finally, we are told that no matter what we do..no matter how hard we work...we are no more than a sounding gong or clanging symbol if what we undertake is not driven and given by/in a spirit of love. Lets simply keep these things in mind please. Thx n God Bless!

Well played Yowm. I see you grasp the underlying principle well. God Bless you for your faith and encouragement

**NOTE** Paranthesis are not quotes but general concepts regarding passage in question, read the passage for full insight. thx. Romans 8:27-39- (God causes all things to work together for good.....nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ. 1 Corinthians 10: 13-(God will not tempt us above our ability, but will make a way to get through it) 2 Corinthians 4:16-18-(Momentary and light afflictions) 2 Corinthians 12:8-10-( In our weakness, God's strength is made known) Philippians 4:6-9-(focus on prayer/seeking God, His peace will guard both heart and mind.) James 1: 1-3 & 12-(consider it joy in trials, because it makes us stronger and we will receive due reward.) 1 Peter 1:6&7-(Rejoice in spite of trials, this is to test and purify us, and will result in praise, glory and honor.) 1 Peter 4:12&13-(know that we share in the sufferings of Christ when we endure trial.) 1 John 4:4-(greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world) Psalm 37:23&24-(Lord directs our steps, we may stumble but not fall.) Isaiah 40:29-31`-(God gives us power and strength tho we bein to fail, wait on Him..we will run and not grow weary, walk and not faint.) These are some power verses and passaes that helped me through many a dark valley and fiery trial. May Father grant you courage, strength, peace and victory as you pray and meditate over these verses. May He lead you through your valley and build you up so you may endure and glorify Him with another testimony of His providence. In Jesus precious name we pray....AMEN!

I agree with Rusty, cobalt, miss, etc. It would appear that this is a fine exmple of a wolf in sheep's clothing; and we would do well not to put ourselves in position to be affected by a contrary spirit. The only thing I would add in regards to the approaches of some of these comments: Let us use caution in what we are projecting, as there are certain ideals and concepts mentioned as supportive elements that are not scriptural; but rather based in denominational and traditional principles. Let us be aware that we do not present these denomination/tradition specific ideas as equivalent to the Word of God. Thanks.

First, I find it a tragic thing that this scenario is played out at all. Truly, if his perspective is so given to the unwillingness to have children; one would think he would take responsibility for his own participation. If he truly did not want more children, it would seem prudent that he use contraceptives of a sort; but that is neither here nor there I suppose. Second, I concur with the general sentiment here; though it may be of incredible difficulty, your desire to promote life and obedience to God takes precedence over any man's selfish perspective; especially given the blind ignorance of his own participation. Third, self condemnation can be a terrible and devastating tool the enemy uses. Fight any doubts or feelings of guilt because you have no cause to be ashamed or guilty for doing what is clearly approved of within the confines of marriage

Perspective Mona, its a perspective issue. In 2 Corinthians 16-18 Paul calls his tribulations "momentary and light afflictions," because his focus was not on those trials, but on the assurances of Christ. Keep in mind, Paul ws beaten, flogged, imprisoned, starved, persecuted, tortured, and so much more; these are what he called, "momentary and light afflicitons." Because his focus was not on the things that beset him, but in the answer to all things; he was anxiety free in general. Again, look at Matthew 14:22-34. When Jesus came walking towards the disciples on the water, Peter asked to walk out to Him and was granted. So long as he was focused on Christ before him, he had no issue. He only began to sink when he allowed the wind, waves, and fear to derail his focus; as he began looking at the waves rather than at Jesus. It is much the same in our walks of faith; if we are so preoccupied looking at our trials, tribulations, and what seems to be obstacles....we will be overcome by fear and anxiety. Only when we keep our focus Christ-centered can we find freedom from these aanxieties. If we are lookin at the problems we will always be blinded to the solution; but if we are always looking at the solution, we will be blinded to the problem. Of course, it is no easy task; but we do well to constantly surrender our focus towards Christ. It takes a conscious effort. Finally, in 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 it reads: " We are human, but we don't wage war with human plans and methods. We use God's mighty wepons, not merely worldly weapons to knock down the devil's strongholds. With these weapons we break down every proud arguement that keeps people from knowing God. We take thoughts captive and bring them into obedience in Christ." The key here is actively combating the thoughts when they rise up, before they set in and impact us. When anxiety rears its ugly head; bind that thought, take it captive and command it to be obedient to our Lord. Fight it actively. i pray God will grant you clarity and delvierance in this. In Jesus name we pray...AMEN!!

Well stated George! Far too long have we as a body contributed to and perpetuated an atmosphere where believers seek cause for division and contention as opposed to breaking down those walls. I agree it is critical we not compromise the prinicples and teachings of the Word; thus compromising its integrity. I think to some extent, many simply misinterpret the concept; it is one thing to be in alignment with the Word of God, but another thing entirely to promote man-made tradition and denominational format as though it also is the Word of God. I am with you wholeheartedly, as the purpose of our new ministry, Return to Grace isn't simply about restoring those who fall away; but restoring the Body of Christ to unity and wholeness. If we fight and strive as hard to find common ground as we strive to find contention; we would have a far greater unity and effectiveness in ministry within the Body. We are called to edify, to promote peace, grace, faith, unity, etc.; yet many of us have allowed the state of the body to fragment and deteriorate even if we have not directly contributed to it. I also concur with the approach towards non-believers. The Word of God is a heavy and powerful instrument; and as such, blindly hammering folks with it is quite counterproductive. The Word is living and active; so by its very nature it brings with it a heavy dose of conviction when wielded...however, since things of the Spirit can only be discerned by those of the Spirit...those not born of the Spirit will always perceive it as condemnation rather than conviction. We must not use such a blunt weapon on these fragile hearts; instead simply shine the light of love, peace, grace, patience, forgiveness into their lives. In so doing, we will open the door for God to break up the hardness of those hearts. We will build the trust and true bond that it takes for those people to believe that the God we believe in is reflected in the character we have displayed. Does a cardiac surgeon use a chainsaw?? No, he uses a tiny scalpel to make precision cuts. Just so, simply reflecting the character of Christ can be more productive then blindly swinging our sword for the fences; risking cuttin the heart and soul as much as the sin. God Bless you for the courage to step out and speak truth without borders.

- LGBT V.S. HETERO - (Clarifying Christian Approach) " The teachers of religious law and the Pharisees are the official interpreters of the Scriptures. So practice and obey whatever they say to you, but don't follow their example. For they don't practice what they teach. They crush you with impossible demands and never lift a finger to ease the burden....How terrible it will be for you teachers of religious law you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest part of your income, but you ignore the important things of the law-justice, mercy, and faith. You should tithe yes, but you should not leave undone the more important things. " + MATTHEW 23: 2-4, & 23 + Folks, we have a great responsibility as children of the One True King; to not simply use the Word of God as weapon, but to reflect the character of God. Being on " The side of right," does not necessarily mean that in our approach we are right. It is true we have an obligation to speak truth, yet we must remain conscious of how counterproductive and destructive we can be if that truth is not directed and delivered in a humble. loving, forgiving, compassionate spirit of grace. This is no easy task of course, yet it remains just as much our christian duty as our own faith in Christ as the author and perfector of salvation. If we fail in this part we become no better than the spiritual leaders of Jesus' time; doling out judgement over the mercy and grace given as Christ's blood dripped off the cross and into the lives of all sinners without prejudice. It is my hope and prayer that God will minister to lives through this message; bringing both the conviction of truth, as well as the deliverance from the condemning chains that have so carelessly been cast upon people for all too long. We will look at both sides of the coin here and confront the issues and misconceptions on both sides; that we can finally move forward as a believing body without deterring souls and condemning those equally offered grace. May our eyes be open to His truth, our ears attentive to His voice, our minds ready to recieve His wisdom, and our hearts as good soil. + Part 1: Where God Stands + " Don't you know that those who do wrong will have no share in the Kingdom of God? Don't fool youselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, who are idol worshipers, aldulterers, male prostitutes, homosexuals, thieves, greedy people drunkards, abusers, and swindlers-none of these will have a share in the kingdom of God. " + 1 CORINTH. 6:9&10 + Scripture is very clear where God stands regarding sexual sin; including homosexuality, (this includes lesbianism, transsexual, bisexual, transgender, etc.)I would like to clarify that heterosexual sin is no less sin; this is not an attack on the LGBT community. We cannot simply ignore the truths in scripture that don't promote the attitudes, actions, choices, and lifestyles we entertain. Point blank; wrong is wrong, and God has said that sexual sin is wrong. However, all too often in this day and age, we find that people in sexual sin (in this case, homosexuality,lesbianism,bisexualism, etc.) are quick to grab hold of the grace offered; but use that grace as an open ended license to continue consciously in sin. These misguided and jaded people condone this act as something "natural," ignoring the fact that were it natural they would never have been born to begin with. God does not promote, endorse or condone homosexuality in any manner; whether one chooses to accept that truth or not. I have witnessed homosexuals lashing out at christians simply trying to redirect them to the truth rather than allow them to blindly enslave themselves to the deception and sin that threatens their very souls. They rebel against that truth claiming the believer is judging them, when it is not the believer but the very Word of God itself casting that judgement. It makes little sense to be angry with man for what God has said; especially when man is simply trying to lead them to salvation and grace over the spiritual enslavement they willingly latch onto. If one is in the midst of sexual sin, whether it's homosexuality, bisexuality, lesbianism,transsexuality, transgender, or hetero sin such as adultery, lust, premarital fornication; we must realize that God is not simply 'OK,' with it. Sure it may make a person feel better to ignore the truth; sure it may feel more welcoming and less difficult, but our eternal being rides on our ability to be accountable to the Word in this. When we refuse to acknowledge the sin as sin, there is no sacrifice that can remedy our seperation from God; because it takes honest and sincere recognition and admission of sin to surrender it to God. Please keep in mind that though this lesson focuses on the issues surrounding the LGBT community; sexual sin in any shape or size is equally sin; and heterosexuals do well to not ignore this fact either. + Part 2:Christian Failings + " If I could speak in any language in heaven or on earth, but didn't love others, I would only be making meaningless noise like a loud gong or clanging cymbal...If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it, but if I didn't love others, I would be of no value whatsoever. Love is patient, love is kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. Love does not demand it's own way. Love is not irritable, and it keeps no record of when it's been wronged. It is never glad about injustice, but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.." + 1 CORINTH. 13: 1,2 & 4-7 + While there are some believers who do grasp this scripture and it's principle of love without restraint or prejudice; the sad truth is that many simply do not, especially in dealings with the LGBT community. For some reason it seems as though believers wholeheartedly accept the truth of this passage, and reflect it; unless they are witnessing to a person enslaved within the LGBT deception. All too often this is when their witness takes on a hard edge...as believers come off militant, hateful, vindictive, and hurtful in their approach and wording. Somehow there has been allowed this predominant mentality and presentation that the sins of the LGBT are somehow worse or less forgiveable than any other sin; and that simply is not true. We can profess love, profess grace, profess forgiveness; but it does no good what our mouths speak if our actions are contrary. It is simply not our place to condemn others, yet time and again we find this attitude and approach of condemnation being projected at the LGBT community. Who are we to tell Jesus His blood is good enough for us, but simply doesn't cut it for them? Who are we to tell Jesus that He died in vain, when He gave up His life for them also? WE are nobody and infinitely less than nothing if this is our perspective; and we not only become an obstacle to their salvation, but endanger our own standing in Christ. This behavior is perilously close to blasphemy of the Spirit; as we negate the power of Christ's blood and try to dictate a person's worthiness to receive grace. My beloved brothers and sisters in Christ, these people are overcome by deception and enslaved by satan to a life and worldview of christianity that makes it impossible to receive the grace of God. They are under perpetual attack by the enemy and dying a slow and eternal death. Yet in our projection of self righteous indignation, bitterness, condemnation and even hatred; instead of offering freedom we are further hurting them and driving them ever farther away from the ONLY ONE who can set things right. We are kicking them while they are down, pouring salt in their wounds and have the audacity to feel confirmed in our authority to do so. Whether that is our conscious intention or not, that is what we are doing; and we pat ourselves on the back as we do so. We must use caution when we witness, when we expound truth; for when we carelessly swing the sword of truth we risk cutting the soul instead of the chains. Let us endeavor to be gentle, humble, patient and tender as we lead these people to the truth. Let us judge the sin, not the sinner; let us value mercy and love over condemnation. Are we not to shine a light of love and healing into their lives rather than hurt and hate? Are we called to judge not by appearance but by intention of the heart? If these things are true, then how is it we strain at the gnat while we swallow the camel whole? + Part 3: Dropping Goliath + " Now the Holy Spirit tells us clearly that in the last times some will turn away from what we believe; they will follow lying spirits and teachings that come from demons. These teachers are hypocrites and liars. They pretend to be religious, but their consciences are dead. They will say it is wrong to be married..." + 1 TIMOTHY 4:1-3(a) + One of the biggest obstacles to tackling this particular issue is the amount of deception presented, promoted, endorsed and propogated by spiritual leaders and believers within the Body. There have been some who falsely teach that homosexuality is not sin, that lesbianism, bisexualism, transgender and even transexualism are not sin. Due to this; we are now fighting an uphill battle as we try to break through the deceptions that have been allowed for so long to flourish. At times churches and teachers have presented this deception even as the Word and will of God; more concerned with not offending than being obedient to truth. At times churches and teachers have promoted this deceptive doctrine and approach to sexual sin to increase membership numbers or prevent them from declining. Sometimes its permitted to run rampant merely because believers and spiritual leaders simply feel too uncomfortable about it to tackle the issue with integrity. It has become our modern day "Goliath," standing in the way of truth. When these things occur it does several things to impede truth, unity, integrity, and faith within the body. First, it paints the wrong picture of God and thus; the christian body. Society already has a tragically misconceived wolrdview of both christians and the God we serve, and this only adds to the flawed perceptions that are already entrenched in the hearts and minds of folks who otherwise might be more receptive of the message of Christ. Second, it perpetuates these deceptions among believers and non believers alike; impeding spiritual growth and obstructing the fruit of witness. Third, it gives license for those in unrepentant sexual sin to continue on that path rather than seeing the error in it that they may turn from it. This last is possibly the most dangerous and critical impact as those who follow that mentality now face two undesireable options: A). Continue on blindly even though they are now aware of the misconception and deception, or B). Risk shattering their entire foundation in Christ that they thought secure in a willingness to be obedient. By our failure as a body to reflect truth, by our casual disregard of estblishing a true and scripturally sound foundation for them; we are the more accountable party. Is it their fault that they trusted in God's spiritual leaders and believed themselves approved? Food for thought. Given the situation and the point it has snowballed to, we must be patient, dilligent and dedicated in our mission to remove the deceptions, clarify the contradictions and institute truth in its place. We also must be conscious of the fact that these folks have built the foundation of their faith on the idea that their sexual sin is ok. This means we cannot simply remove that foundation; we must first help them establish a solid and scriptural foundation, otherwise they will have no foundation and are likely to fall farther away from God. We must reflect the kind of love, grace and patience of Christ or we will only compromise the fruit that may otherwise come from our witness. + Part 4: Proper Perspective + " Under the old covenant, the priest stands before the altar day after day, offering sacrifices that can never take away sins. But our High Priest (Christ Jesus,) offered himself as one sacrifice for sins, GOOD FOR ALL TIME. Then he sat down at the place of highest honor at God's right hand.....then He adds,' I will never again remember their sins and lawless deeds.' Now when sins have been forgiven, there is no more need to offer any more sacrifices." + HEBREWS 10: 11&12, 17&18 + A major contributing factor to this situation becoming what it is today, is an undue focus on sin. Please do not misunderstand; I do not condone, promote, or endorse sin in any form. Sin is still sin, and sin is wrong, period; so let's not misinterpret this as a license or freedom to keep sinning. However, the issue is no longer sin; as the blood of Jesus FOREVER removed both the stain and penalty of sin, so long as that sin is confessed and surrendered. The larger issues are the state of the heart, and those things that lead to sin. When we focus on the sin rather than Christ as the answer, our heart's intention is to judge rather than look beyond that sin to the value of the soul. We are told there is no condemnation in Christ, (Rom. 8:1) and that nobody can separate us from the love of God in Christ; yet by our actions we project that condemnation and stand in the way of grace. True nobody can separate us from this love in Christ, but we can prevent ourselves and others from initially receiving it by projecting condemnation. In our zeal to do God's will we become the biggest obstacle to it being fulfilled. We absolutely must move past the elementary teachings,( not that we forget them mind you,) and move forward into the season of grace we have been given by Christ's blood. Otherwise we are repeatedly crucifying Christ over and over as though His work simply wasn't good enough. Is it not bad enough our Lord had to suffer once for all mankind? Why then do we casually nail him back up there as though it were necessary? For many, many years there have been believers who simply swing the sword of truth at people in sin; oblivious to the fact that the very nature of the Word can bring a tremendous weight of spiritual conviction. Since things of the Spirit can only be discerned and recognized by one born of and sensitive to the Spirit; those being bombarded with the Word do not recognize it as conviction, but feel as though it is man's condemnation. Let me ask you: How quick would you be to receive wisdom and truth from a person who seems only to be condemning you as they preach a message of forgiveness? Does it not seem hurtful and contradictory? I'd imagine that is exactly how it appears to them. The Sword is not the only weapon we have to combat sin, deception and spiritual enslavement; we also have the light of love, peace, kindness, grace and foriveness. Does scripture not say, " We have this treasure in jars of clay that the surpassing power may be of God and not of man,"? Why would God gift us with the Holy Spirit and the ability to bear fruit of the Spirit if we disregard this fruit? Where the Word of God (Sword,) is a heavy, sharp weapon of warfare; light is a delicate and precision instrument that is useful especially for the things that require a more careful and tender approach; like state of the heart. When we encounter hearts that are hardened against truth, against God, and against salvation; it takes a delicate touch to slowly remove the things that have become entrenched in the hearts of the lost and misguided. When a cardiac surgeon operates, he does not use a chainsaw..but a tiny scalpel; making small precision cuts. Yet as believers, all too often we keep swinging this giant sword to change the hearts of man; and sadly destroy the heart and a person's trust in God. I do not discount the infinite value and power of the Word of God; but caution that there are times when a person is " In need of milk, and not strong meat. " Truly, we must first shine a light of love, mercy, patience, acceptance into others' lives. This way we can develop the trust and hope that are critical for a person to develop a proper perspective of who God is and what He wants to do in their lives. Ministry and witness are far more powerful when we simply reflect the kind of character God has; because love covers a multitude of sins, opens the door to a surrendered and faithful heart. It is hard for people to accept correction and redirection if they aren't confident that it is true, delivered in a spirit of love, and reflective of grace. Once we have shown that we are not here to condemn, belittle, lord over each other; we will find that our witness is far more fruitful. To the LGBT community I would say: A)On behalf of a loving and forgiving God in heaven; on behalf of the Body of believers in Christ everywhere...I apologize that we have hurt you so deeply. I apologize that we have allowed bitterness, hatred and condemnation to be so casually thrust at each and every one of you. I apologize that in our zeal, we have sinned a far greater sin against you all than the sin we so carelessly attack. I apologize that we have abandoned you, deceived you, and contributed to your incredible burden in life. We have no right, no call, no authority to have done these things to you. While we have no excuse at all...NONE..I'd ask that you endeavor to realize that as human beings we are just as prone to sin and error. B) Scripture does state clearly that anything outside of heterosexual, marital sex IS sin; whether one wishes to accept it or not. HOWEVER, this is no different than any sin a married heterosexual man or woman has. All sin is equally sin. True, you may be living in sin; but so is any believer casting hate, condemnation, or any other ungodly fruit. We are all equally prone to sin and error; and we are all equally offered the gift of grace and salvation. Your sin is no worse, and DOES NOT disqualify you from what is so readily given of God without prejudice. Any who would tell you otherwise, well let's simply take consolation in knowing that one day they will need to stand before God and explain why they murdered His children in their hearts. C). This is the really tough part; but I implore you to make an honest effort to look past the sacrifice it will take, that you may truly and finally find perfect love and grace in Christ. This is a process, not an instantaneous act; and if needed I personally will walk side by side with you through the valley, rather than simply walk by you. First, simply accept the truth that the sexual sin you are living in IS sin and confess it to God. I'm not asking you to immediately, confidently and completely turn from the sin; the chains have been on far too long. It will take time and spiritual growth for that stage. I simply ask that you take the necessary step of admitting the sin; of truly accepting the fact that it is indeed sin; so the power of Christ's blood can completely remove both the stain and penalty of it,FOREVER. Second, try to keep an open mind when reading scriptures; so that you don't fall into the habit of disregarding the passages and verses that confront things in your life which aren't truly scripturally sound. I know all too well how easy it is to readily accept the messages of love and hope; while blinding myself to things that I don't care to admit are wrong in my life...whether its because I am ashamed, or because I don't want to give them up. This alone will help to wash and renew your hearts and minds; giving you the power to finally break free of the chains. Third, be unwavering; be courageous, be strong. These are traits I greatly admire in the LGBT community. It has taken such strength and courage to take a stand against a society that has been violently against you for so long. Granted that strength and courage has been employed to the wrong end so far; yet those same traits can be employed towards the right end if you are willing. It will take incomparable sacrifice, and much dedication to set things right; but all of you have what it takes. To be honest, I pray that all believers everywhere can be so committed and brave in our own walks. Four, please keep things in perspective. It may take time to break free of these chains. Don't condemn yourself if you fall short and struggle to completely turn away from the lifestyle. As long as in your heart you know it is sin; have truly confessed it as sin; and truly will to be rid of it; then it is no longer unrepentant sin, but a sin that the flesh simply is fighting to hold onto. In this context it is your heart that matters...not perfect adherence. This is not an excuse to sin mind you, but if you read Romans 7:1-22 it will further explain this principle. In spite of sin..let Him in! This is what I would say to the body of believers: A). Try to look at others through the lens of the Holy Spirit, rather than the jaded eyes of the flesh. So long as we focus on the shell, the sin; we will always be blinded to the more important value of the soul. We will not see a precious and hurting child of God; lost and under attack...we will only see a sinner and will be more prone to condemnation than mercy and grace. B). Keep in perspective the truth that all of us equally are in sin without the blood of Jesus; and all of us equally are offered salvation through grace, not through righteous behavior. We must remember that we are not above anyone else, but rather are told to "esteem others above ourselves." We must be conscious of the fact we were given a tremendous gift we definitely did not deserve, so we can remain humble and gentle in our witness. C). Let us be aware of situations and the task at hand; being careful to use the right tool for the task at hand. There are times for stern rebuke, there are times for gentle correction; there are times to swing that sword for the fences, there are times we need to be delicate and precise. Let us be sensitive to the direction of the Spirit, and aware of when we must use the Word of God, and cognizant of the times we must simply shine the light of love and patience into the lives of others. D). When in doubt..let God hash it out. We cannot afford to continue pushing God's children away from the message of hope, life and love in Christ. WE must ALWAYS let mercy and love win out over judgement and condemnation; over legality and tradition. It is not our place to personally eradicate sin in the lives of others, that is in Christ alone. Let us not simply profess to be the Body of Christ, but let us step boldly into a season of grace, always reflecting the true nature and character of Jesus. In the end: gay, straight, black, white, male, female, old, or young..we are all God's children..so let us work toward truth and unity. May our Father in heaven continue to lead us, teach us and mold us into an ever perfected image of Jesus; for its in His holy, precious name we pray. AMEN!!

1) I personally don't agree with the walls of separation created by factioning into denominationalistic format. Truly Jesus said, "whoever is not against us is for our part". Paul also said it was of no matter how a person/church chose to believe...so long as the message is of Christ crucified and risen. 2) That said, I do not fault the children for choosing one denomination or another. Praise God that you believe; regardless what denominational title you select. 3) Let us simply keep in mind...same team concept applies. If others disagree..just let them disagree. Let us endeavor to promote a spirit of peace, unity and love...rather than find reason to contend. God Bless!

BATTLE READY ( STUDY OF JUDGES 7:1-22 ) "Put on all of God's armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all the strategies and tricks of the devil. For we are not fighting against people made of flesh and blood, but against the evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, and against wicked spirits in the heavenly realms. Use EVERY piece of God's armor to resist the enemy in the time of evil, so that after the battle, you will still be standing firm." + EPHESIANS 6:11-13+ Most of us have probably heard the saying, "Fight fire with fire," but the redundancy of this is illustrated in our approach towards the spiritual battles we face at times. Do you know what happens more often than not when you add fire to an already thriving fire? You simply have more fire, likely a bit hotter; it cannot possibly quench that fire. Just the same, we are at war folks; so we must resist, we must fight, we must stand ground. There is armor to protect against attacks, and a sword capable of severing chains and slaying demons; let us always be aware, be prepared, and be equipped. Our enemy is the king of the suckerpunch, master of the blindside hit, and champion of the low blow. He knows when we are weak, where we are weak, and will hit us whenever we are not looking. He will hit us where it hurts, he will kick us while we are down, and he will pour salt in the wound. Yet we must know not only what weapon to use, but how to properly wield the word of God. Truly it is called a double edged sword; because if handled improperly it can be just as sharp to the one wielding it. The enemy will not hold back in his desire to steal, kill and destroy. Satan is a tricky, deceptive, cunning sort; and he often wraps an ugly sin in a pretty package. If there is any way, he will attack us in a manner that leaves us oblivious to the fact we are under attack and slowly "bleeding," out-spiritually. For our enemy; this is a war without rules, warning, parley or surrender. Since our enemy has already lost his war, his only recourse is to take as many down with him as he can manage. We must recognize the nature of the battle; and know that harming us is the only attack he has that can impact God. Every bit of sorrow, pain, loneliness, hurt, hate, sin or suffering he can cause us; is a blow to the heart of a Father who shares in all our sufferings. Satan is jealous of our elevated status with God, as His children; and will continue to do evil per his nature until the appointed time. Let us consider the bull and the matador for a moment. The matador uses the red cloth to instigate an angry reaction, causing the bull to charge headlong into an attack it did not see coming. As soon as the bull is near, the cloth is yanked away, and the matador slices into the bull with a sword. Each cut hurts, and bleeds, but individually they aren't a critical danger. However, as the bull charges again and again it becomes blind to all but instinctive rage; slowly bleeding out as gash after gash begin to add up. The bull never sees the sword, because his focus is on the cloth, and his anger has taken over. Like the bull, we often fail to realize the danger as we charge ahead blindly; oblivious to the tiny spiritual wounds we are taking. Rather than focus on the true danger, we strike at the illusion time and again; lashing out at sin that is dealt with rather than focusing on intention. In order to avoid this cycle from continuing, we must grasp two fundamental concepts. First we must know the nature of the battle in order to discern the nature of the attacks. Second, we must understand how we are to respond. In JUDGES 7:1-7 we see how God uses simple illustrations in His selection of those He wills to battle on behalf of God, Gideon and Israel. The soldiers are tested in two key areas...faith, and dilligence/awareness; though it's not immediately apparent. Let us consider these tests and try to grasp the symbolism and tactical purpose. There are key aspects to the dynamic of spiritual warfare that are worth grasping here, so let us dig deeper than the surface. Let us grasp the principles buried between the lines. The first test seems a simple test of courage, but it's truly a test of faith. God has Gideon gather Israel and, ( as the NIV translation says,) instructs him that anyone who is OVERCOME with fear, may be sent home. Two thirds of the soldiers left, fearing the threat to their lives and health as more critical than obedience in spite of fear. It has been said that courage is not the absence of fear, but the ability and willingness to persevere; to continue on in spite of it. It is one thing to be afraid, for we are human, we are weak, and we stumble at times. It is a whole different monster when we allow the fear to dictate our focus or our response. The idea is to have enough faith in God that no fear is greater than our trust in Him; regardless how things seem to the naked eye. " If you try to keep your life for yourself you will lose it. But if you give up your life for me, you will find true life." + MATTHEW 17:25+ We are furthermore told not to fear the one who can destroy our earthly body but rather fear God: who has ultimate control over our souls. You see the ones overcome with fear, feared man and the loss of their own lives more than they feared displeasing God. The ones who stayed likely also experienced fear, but didn't allow it to overcome their faith in God. The former wanted to keep ahold of their lives; the latter were willing to lay theirs down if it was God's will. Come hell or high water, they were determined to stay the course; even against impossible odds and certain death. Sometimes as believers we can grow attached to displaying our faith and committment zealously, however when we are given a heavy cost of sacrifice we might find that our faith isn't as solid as we believed. I must pause and thank our Father, God almighty and our Lord Jesus Christ; for greater is He who is in us than he that is in the world. Even if our hearts condemn us He is faithful, and He is greater than our hearts. Father has always been a God that redeems and delivers his children; and has already won the ultimate battle thanks in no small part to our Lord and Savior Jesus! So maybe we can afford to risk that He truly loves us enough that we will not sink regardless of the waves washing up against us. The second test God has Gideon employ is in dilligence; a driven focus and awareness. In JUDGES 7:5-7 the Spirit reveals a critical concept, and it's important we grasp the true nature and scope of our battles. He instructs Gideon to have everyone go and drink from the nearby waters; telling him to send everyone home who bent down to the water to drink. Only 300 Israelite soldiers remained to face a force of tens of thousands; all because they cupped the water and brought it up to their mouths. So God tells Gideon, by those very 300 He would deliver Midian into Israel's hand. Father is aware that we have basic human needs while we live on earth; but whether we are eating, drinking, playing, praying, working, competing, tilling, or seeding....we STILL must be aware of the battle around us. Those who bent down to the water showed that they would be vulnerable to ambush, because they took their eyes off the more critical task and turned their back to the enemy. Those who cupped water and lifted it to their mouths could still see in full range of vision, and would be able to spot an enemy attack coming. They could mount a defense and prepare a counter-attack. It's better than a knife in the back when you're certain you're "safe". Once the final 300 were set, and Gideon had received a vision overnight reaffirming God's promise to deliver Israel; Father added a final twist to the battle plan. Gideon was told to arm the men with a lantern in one hand, and a trumpet in the other. They are outnumbered 10,000 to 1 basically, and the enemy is armed to the hilt with weapons that are made only to take life. I can't help but feel convicted here, because it's hard to be confident I would have had that kind of conviction and faith. A lantern and a trumpet-light and sound. In the beginning of John's gospel we find that, '' In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God; and that the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us...,''. The trumpet is symbolic of one primary thing here: the Word of God. In Hebrews we learn that the Word of God is sharper than any double edged sword; capable of piercing through bone and marrow, capable of "Piercing to the division of soul and spirit," and "Able to discern the thoughts and intentions of the heart." This is the primary weapon that we use to defeat a spiritual enemy. Please recall if you will Jesus' period of temptation; did He not use written Word in response to satan's attacks? The Word is a powerful and living resource and needs to be ready at hand. The Word of God isn't our primary weapon for one reason alone though; because the Word made flesh, the Word that lived, died, and shed His blood for us is the edge to any sword worth its weight. It is this very message of hope by faith in Him, by grace; that shatters chains, moves mountains and sets souls free. Jesus, whether in written form through the scriptures; or the Word made flesh, is our first defense, our first offense, and our last and final hope. Thank God Almighty that Jesus made that hope an assurance, not a gamble. Jesus was the light of the world while He was here, and the message of Christ IS LIGHT; it is love, peace, grace, mercy, hope and so much more. He called US the light of the world, because He knew He would ascend and return to dwell within us by the Holy Spirit. The message of the cross, the message of Christ isn't simply a story, it's a daily surrender that results in reflecting the character and compassion of Jesus. The lantern here symbolizes the specific message of Christ; who He is, what He did, and sharing this gift of grace to others in actions as well as words. This was the game changing victorious deathblow to the enemy's plans. We do well to remember that while spoken Word is powerful, living and reflecting the light of Jesus is not only powerful; it shows a truly sincere heart regardless what the mouth says. If you haven't noticed, there are some hearts that are harder than others; those hearts tend to respond negatively if we simply "bible thump," scripture at them. This is because the sword is powerful and sharp, and the mere spoken presence of the Word can bring significant spiritual conviction. Sadly, it's easy for a person to confuse that sense of conviction with a feeling of condemnation, causing them to rebel and reject. Where matters of the heart are concerned, swinging a sword is a clumsy manner to sever bonds; with these hearts we must be more delicate, and precise. This is where we must reflect the type of love, patience, grace, compassion, and mercy Jesus tasked us to. It is this simple, warm, gentle light of Christ that chisels away on the hardness of hearts. The most powerful christian witness is simply showing love, kindness, and compassion. THAT is light. I promise you, the passion and sincerity of our hearts will greatly dictate how clearly the light will shine. Sin is covered by the blood, once surrendered; but God has given us free will, so it is on us as believers to determine the state of our hearts. If our heart is not sincere, then in our zeal we add only layers of stain to the lantern's glass, and the light is dimmed-sometimes cut off. Let's keep our weapons sharp, else we will find ourselves ill equipped when pressed. In the end, Gideon and his troops staged an epic attack while still dark. While most of the Midianites slept, the rest pretty much blind in the darkness, and nobody expecting attack; Israel struck. Thunderous trumpet blasts erupted from seemingly everywhere in the valley, because the blasts echoed off the mountain walls and valley floor. Israel had picked a tactically superior position to utilize even the acoustics to confuse the enemy as it began to panic. The attackers were nowhere to be seen; yet sounding as if they were everywhere. Israel's soldiers broke open their lamps, and fires broke out all along the rim of the mountains the Midianites set camp under; giving the impression they were completely surrounded by a larger force. The Midianites were in complete chaos, many killing their own fellows in the dark confusion and frantic hope to escape. This allowed the Israelites to make quick work of the larger force; but it was due to the hand of God, not the effort of man. God has a pretty big game plan, and He has a strategy as well as a tactical purpose. For most, there will inevitably be times we simply don't understand God's reasons; but that doesn't mean we have to give in to the voice that tells us we cannot trust unless we know. State of the heart folks. Intention. My brothers and sisters in Christ, I praise God in heaven for your faith, dilligence, dedication and truly sacrificial commitment. I thank Jesus for his priceless gift. I pray that Father will speak to us all as only HE can....deeply, intimately, personally. I pray that His name be elevated above all others. And I pray He will lead believers to study and meditate on the scriptures, that the Lord may reveal His will to all. In Jesus precious name we pray...AMEN!!

-Spiritual Growth: More Than Meets The Eye- “ But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives, He will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control. Here there is no conflict with the Law.” +Galatians 5:22&23+ As we grow in Christ, we mature into a more accurate reflection of Christ; but this is specifically regarding His character, intentions, attitudes, and perspectives. Many believers misunderstand the idea of spiritual fruit; thinking things like tithing, consistent church attendance, bible study, extravagant prayer, doing good works, fasting and such are fruit. This however, is not the case at all; the fruit are the internal changes that result in the external displays of faith. One can have all the outward signs of faith without having any internal maturity or sincere fruit. The spiritual fruit are the changes in our character, intentions, perspective, and ideals; rather than simply a surface-show of acts. For example, lets take a look at the parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector, (LUKE 18: 9-14.) The pharisee stands atop the temple porch, pounding on his chest as he thanks God for his being more righteous than the sinner below him. He boasts that he prays, tithes, fasts, preaches, teaches, gives to the poor, and does other good works. However, none of these are spiritual fruit; they may be obedient acts, but they are not spiritual fruit. The tax collector, on the other hand, stands on the street; too ashamed to even look towards God, too unworthy to even touch a temple stair given his life of sin. Jesus tells us it is this sinner and not the Pharisee who walks away justified; and that is not because of the outward acts-but the inward spiritual fruit of humility. You see, the sinner knew he was unworthy, he knew he had fallen short; and the humble attitude and posture are a type of spiritual fruit. The pharisee had all the outward signs of obedience, but he was proud, condemning, and boastful; which definitely are not fruit of the Holy Spirit. We do well to combat the misconception that spiritual fruit and acts of obedience are the same thing; because they definitely are not. “ It's like this: When I was a child I spoke, thought, and reasoned as a child does. But when I grew up I put away childish things. Now we see things imperfectly as in a poor mirror, but then we will see things in perfect clarity. All that I know is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God knows me now.” +1 COR.13:11-13+ “ And I am sure that God, who began the good work within you, will continue His work until it is finally finished on that day when Christ Jesus comes back again.” +PHIL. 1:6+ We do well to remember that spiritual growth is a process, rather than an instantaneous result. It is easy to fall into the habit of comparing our growth and results with that of others to define our maturity in Christ, but we should not do so. There are times when God grants one person a more exponential growth and faster return than others, and there are times when we must be patient; as God allows us to mature at a slower rate. This is a matter that is up to God, according to His plan and purpose. This does not necessarily mean we are not sincere; it does not necessarily mean we are not investing ourselves in daily habits that will nurture growth. It simply means as Paul stated in 1 CORINTHIANS: “ My job was to plant the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God, not we, who provided the growth.” Just as a person begins as an infant and must go through a time consuming process to grow and mature; we also must endure season after season of growth until we mature spiritually. Patience is key in this as in most things in life, so we cannot expect that our maturity will be an immediate reward simply due to having the desire to mature. As we prayerfully and meditatively study the Word of God; as we become more consistent and reflective in our prayer life; as we become more regular in attending church, small group sessions, and services/events; and as we apply principles like tithing, fasting, doing kind things for others, and serving-we will gradually mature. Maturity will not be reflected simply in these acts, but rather in developing the type of character, principles, perspectives, and approaches Jesus set as examples for us. “ Dear brothers and sisters, when I was with you I couldn't talk to you as I would to mature Christians. I had to talk to you as though you belonged to the world, or as though you were infants in the Christian life. I had to feed you with milk and not solid food, because you couldn't handle anything stronger. And you still aren't ready, for you are still controlled by your sinful desires. “ +1 COR. 3:1-3+ “ You must crave pure spiritual milk so that you can grow into the fullness of your salvation. Cry out for this nourishment as a baby cries out for milk.” +1 Peter 2:2+ “ And a person who is living on milk isn't very far along in the Christian life and doesn't know much about doing what is right. Solid food is for those who are mature, who have trained themselves to recognize the difference between right and wrong; and then do what is right.” +Hebrews 5:13&14+ When a child is just born, we cannot simply hand him/her a plate with a t-bone steak and silverware! For a time that infant can only have formula, breast milk, or a similar liquid form of high nutrition sustenance. The infant has no teeth to bite or chew yet, it does not have the coordination or muscular and ligament strength to manage utensils, and does not have a digestive system developed enough to process solid or even semi solid foods right away. Even if the infant could manage to ingest those types of food; it could actually make the child ill to consume such things. No that infant needs the stuff with the highest nutrition content and most easily digested. Just like an infant in the flesh; a spiritual infant must focus on “consuming, “ those things that are most foundational and basic elements/principles of the will and Word of God; and thus, “the pure milk of the Word.” In the spiritual infant stage, a believer should focus on learning the message of Christ; the gospels of Matthew and Mark; perhaps Romans also for the truly dedicated infants. The only Old Testament books a spiritual infant can possibly “digest,” are the creation story in Genesis and daily study of proverbs and Psalms; but even then, it is still better to have the gospels as the primary focus for a time. Only by understanding who Jesus is, what His character is, and the purpose of His coming to earth can a spiritual infant grow properly into a full understanding of who Jesus is, why it is critical that He did what was done, and who we are as believers in Christ. The danger here is that if we delve too deeply into the more “meaty,” aspects of God's will and Word; we cannot completely “digest,” what we are receiving. This can lead to many misconceptions, deceptive perspectives, misunderstandings; and generally can be more obstructive to growth than beneficial. We will find a lot of things we just cannot understand, we will find what seem to be contradictions, we will have limited grasp of context and application of what we learn. In the end, it can cause us to doubt our own faith and standing in Christ as we find failure to grow and develop as we would expect. The next stage of spiritual growth is the “toddler to adolescent,” stage; where we can “digest, semi-solids and 'light' solid,” food. This is when Psalms and Proverbs begin to take on a more living and understandable quality. These are concepts and principles that are more clear-cut and easily applied, helping us to mature our spiritual intellect and perspectives. This is also where we can delve into the gospels of Luke and John; which have a lot more symbolism and a more profound, more scholarly composition than the first two gospels. This is where we begin to absorb the books of Romans, James, books of Peter, books of John, Genesis, Exodus, and the like. These are 'semi-solid,' as they are more in depth and tend to have many peripheral concepts and applications than the first two gospels, Psalms, and Proverbs; yet are not too deep and complicated compared to the remaining books. The next stage is of course, the “teenage,” years. This is when we are spiritually mature enough in our intellect and application to begin learning, understanding and applying many of the deeper principles and concepts from some of the more complicated books. Deuteronomy, Chronicles, Kings, Esther, Job, Ecclesiastes, the prophetical books are all good old Testament books for this stage. Acts, Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Thessalonians, Timothy, Jude, Hebrews are worthy New testament books for this stage. All of these books take what was learned already into a deeper level of comprehension and begin to tie everything together. A lot of it is the application stage, and developing a better grasp of things like gifting, Christian responsibilities, discernment, etc. Finally, once one is a mature spiritual “adult,” or elder; its time to delve into the pure beef jerky! Leviticus, Numbers, and Revelation should not really be attempted unless you are seriously seasoned and spiritually mature. Mostly because it will be impossible to get any benefit out of them at all. Unless one is mature, genealogies, temple specifications, legalistic precedent, and especially divine revelation; simply won't be digestible. I mean you are welcome to give it a shot, but I assure you...Leviticus and Numbers will bore you to tears and likely quench the fire of desire to study the Word if one tries to tackle them too early. These books are tough to “chew on,” tougher to “digest,” and have tendency to cause spiritual “indigestion,”! This all being said; we do well to recognize where we are at spiritually and consume the correct food for our stage of development in order to nurture the proper consistent growth. “ Now there are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but it is the same Holy Spirit who is the source of them all. There are different kinds of service in the church, but it is the same Lord we are serving. There are different ways God works in our lives, but it is the same God who does the work through all of us. A spiritual gift is given to each of us as a means of helping the entire church......It is the one and only Holy Spirit who distributes these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have.” + 1 Corinthians 12: 4-7&11+ At some point in our walks, the Holy Spirit will manifest Himself in us by displaying gifts of the Spirit. This is not to be confused with spiritual fruit,(love, peace, grace, kindness, etc.,) and is not to be confused with spiritual acts of obedience, (tithing, consistent prayer, diligent bible study, fasting, church attendance, etc.) A person can display acts of obedience without having sincere fruit, putting on a pharisaic show of seeming maturity; but little more than a whitewashed deception. However, one cannot have true gifting of the Spirit without having true spiritual fruit, sincere obedience, and a true movement of the Holy Spirit. Spiritual gifts can be as simple as serving others passionately, teaching others wholeheartedly, encouraging others without restraint, sharing money and possessions at a sacrificial level, leading with perfect integrity, and extreme/unrelenting kindness, (Romans 12: 6-8). They can also be of a more miraculous and noticeable nature, such as: having/giving divine wisdom, special or intimate knowledge that a person could not possibly know, incredibly unwavering and unshakable faith/faithfulness, power to heal/perform miracles, power of prophecy, power of complete spiritual discernment, speaking/praying in unknown tongues, and power to interpret tongues, prophecy, visions, etc (1 Corinthians 12:1-11 &27-31). At this point let us sidetrack to the gospels for further education about gifting; because there are parables that illustrate a principle that is not defined in these two passages. In MATT 25:14-30 we see the Parable of the 3 Servants, and then in LUKE 19: 11-27 we see the Parable of the 10 Servants. Now, to the naked eye one might think these are two different recollections of the same parable and concept, but this is not so. In the parable of the 10 servants, note that each of the servants receives the same amount; yet in the parable of the 3 servants the amounts are different, and is stated that “it was divided in proportion to their abilities.” In Luke, the parable of the 10 servants; the concept is regarding the universal gift of salvation and freedom by grace through faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. The idea is that we are all equally given the same measure of grace, and we are all equally given the opportunity to invest that gift given to the purpose of adding more souls to the kingdom. Some servants became dedicated completely and invested the gift given in a manner that resulted in a great return on the initial investment. Some did so-so and netted a decent return on the initial investment. However, some simply sit content in their salvation and never use it as an opportunity to bring other souls to a saving knowledge of Christ. In Matthew, the parable of the 3 servants however; note that each servant received a different amount in proportion to each person's ability and potential for return. This my friends, is referring to the gifts of the Holy Spirit. The concept Christ was illustrating is that some are given more gifts, and more powerful/rare gifts; while others are given one gift, or less apparently powerful gifts. For instance; one person may be gifted with the power to divinely heal, give prophecy, perform miracles, and deliver words of divine knowledge...while another may receive only the gift of encouragement or great kindness. This is not to say that the one with less gifts, or less miraculous gifts is any less mature than the one with multiple and miraculous gifting; but simply that the Holy Spirit gives as He sees fit in proportion to a believer's ability. It does not make one believer superior to the other, it does not mean one is more mature then the other. Quite to the contrary; it means the one given more is expected much more. In essence, if we are given a greater investment, the Lord expects a much greater return on that investment then He will expect of the person with just one gift. With all this being said; we must be aware that while the manifestation of these gifts prove maturity; the number or import of the gift has no bearing on the level of maturity. One with the gift of profound teaching may be at a greater state of spiritual maturity than one with multiple gifts like prophecy, healing, etc. Maturity again, is based more on the internal development of character nd principles than the outward manifestation of gifts. “ And as Christ's soldier, do not let yourself become tied up in the affairs of this life, for then you cannot satisfy the one who has enlisted you in His army. Follow the Lord's rules for doing His work, just as an athlete either follows the rules, or is disqualified and wins no prize. “ +Ephesians 2:4&5+ At some point we must simply accept where we are in Christ, and if we are seasoned-if we are mature; we have to keep our perspective and direction focused on what we are destined to do in Christ. All the praying, studying, church attendance, and efforts put in to grow are worth little if we refuse to move forward into the grace given us. Spiritual fruit is a sign of possible maturity but it is not the only sign. Spiritual gifting is a sign of possible maturity,but it is not the only sign. Acts of obedience are a sign of spiritual maturity, but they are mot the only sign. It is only when we beginto have all of these things together reflecting in our lives are we truly mature. May our Father in heaven grant us clarity and wisdom in this. Amen!

Folks, anytime we elevate those not of the divine and holy Trinity into equality with the eternal Godhead; this is idolatry. Some would condone and perpetuate the practice of praying to saints, to angels, to deceased humans rather than to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit; but every one of these things is idolatry. Why? Because God alone is God, God alone is worthy of our worship, honor and glory. When one prays to saints, angels, or deceased human beings, we not only elevate them to the same status as God; we remove God from that elevated status. Some would deceptively promote the idea that it is only to have those beings "intercede for us before God," but this also is idolatry. The scriptures themselves state that Christ ALONE is our mediator, that it is the Holy Spirit that lives continually to make intercession FOR the saints. Now if it is the Spirit Himself who intercedes for the saints..then how can it be proper to expect a saint to intercede for us? We cannot; and whether we wish to accept this truth or not, it will nonetheless remain truth. Furthermore, what kind of statement do we make to Christ when we feel He is not "good enough, " to be our mediator and intercessor? What grave insult can it be to the Spirit when we make the claim He is not worthy or capable of intercession for us? It makes as much sense as using a toothpick to lift a car when we have a sturdy jack at hand! Folks, due to the nature of Jesus blood, we can boldly enter the throneroom of grace, clean, sanctified, and made holy as though we have never sinned. We have no need to petition saints, angels, or even Mary to intercede or present our petitions; because we have a much better intercessor in Christ. Let us no longer promote and perpetuate this deceptive doctrine because if we are not serving and promoting the truth of Christ; by default we are promoting and serving the other side...and we all know who runs that show. Idolatry is idoatry; you can paint it over, wrap it up, spin it, shake it, stir it, color it purple and even call it "Bob," but it will not change the fact it is idolatry...and the bible clearly states where God stands on this matter. If you feel you do not know how to pray as you ought to, then rest assured in the truth that the Holy Spirit lives continually to intercede on our behalf. Any prayer we pray is sure to be translated into something beautiful and proper before it meets God's ears. May our Father rant us clarity, and the courage to accept truth rather than perpetuate deception. God Bless!

Well said Mark. We are told in Philippians 4:6-8 To pray about everything; in Luke 18:1-8 to pray constantly; and in general to pray continually. How can we pray continually unless we are in prayer when we are both speaking and in silence? When we are among others or when we are alone? When we have a specific format or when we are simply praying as we feel led? Truly it is not the method, nor the place, nor the format; but simply having an attitude and psture of prayer. There is no "wrong," way to pray per se; as long as the prayer is heavenly directed. So long as it is the Trinity who is the object of our focus in prayer, that is what is critical. Praying to angels, saints, or other deceased beings is idolatry; this is clearly stated in scriptures. otherwise we are just like Saul, seekin to resurrect the dead as thouh they can give us some divine aid. Praying to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit ensures that prayer is always directed to the proper recipient. Neither angel, nor saint, nor deceased human have any worthiness or power to impact our prayers; it is a relationship with God through faith in Jesus that we have access at all. So let us not focus so much on the formalities some may observe in prayer; it is simply having honest and sincere interaction with our Father in heaven that matters. Period.

Golden, I do get your perspective on this; and I applaud your redirection to those things that proomote unity rather than disunity and discord. This is indicative of the denominational walls of separation amongst the Body in general. It is odd how often we can ignore Jesus' response when the disciples complained that others not of their group were preaching Christ. Jesus replied," Whoever is not against us is for our part." Folks this is the "same team concept," being presented here. Sure some have different traditions, different methods, but so long as it is the Word of God and message of Jesus as Lord and Savior being preached then the format is not an issue worth risking causeing even more separation. I recommend that folks struggling to avoid debates over methodology and differing tradition, try prayerfully and meditatively reading: Romans 14 & 15; 1 Corinthians 8, 10, & 11:17-34. All these passages talk of how some worship differently, have differing focus in tradition and processes; but all equally have the same principle: to not judge or argue with others who see things differently, but to simply make effort to promote unity rather than discord.Paul said virtually the sme thing; that the worldly details matter little, so long as it is the message of Christ being crucified and risen that is being preached. Truly as a body we have swallowed the camel here while we strain at the gnat.

BY THE POWER OF THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST, WE STAND UNITED AGAINST THIS DEMONIC ENTITY. WE BIND YOU IN THE NAME OF JESUS, AND WE COMMAND YOU TO RELEASE YOUR HOLD ON THIS CHILD. YOU ARE NOT WELCOME HERE. BEGONE SATAN!

Ma'am I can relate, having experienced almost identical circumstance with a woman. This is the danger of soul ties, but we won't delve into that can of worms. Let me ofer some perspective: 1) If the situation is that extreme it may take an extreme measure to extricate yourself. You may want to involve the law to stand by as you gather your belongings and go. The first priority is your safety here, the potential to fix the relationship is far secondary. 2)It is written that the unbleiving partner is sanctified by the believeing partner, and there is functional wisdom to enduring a relationship with the unsaved in order to be light and salt; to minister to them. However, in this situation the seed will only bounce off a hardened heart, so its a risky enterprise at best. 3)As hard as it is to accept, one cannot bear the burden of guilt for another's actions. If the woman leaves, and the man does commit suicide; the woman must fight the idea that her actions were to blame..the man makes his own choice. Easier said than done, but in this situation staying could be certain death for both, leaving is possibly death for one. 4)Perhaps an intervention is needed. Police, pastors, whatever is necessary to remove the man from the situation and get him help for the mental and emotional slavery he is in is critical. Once his state is being tended to, while he also is removed from the situation; it will make decisions much clearer. 5)Beware: I know full well how people can use your own tendency to care to manipulate you and emotionally blackmail you. More often than not, the threat of suicide is a bluff designed to force you to succumb to their will; not a literal intention. In the end, BE SURE YOU ARE SAFE..sometimes great sacrifice is necessary to make it through a storm like this.

God hates only evil, He can never possibly hate those who hurt themselves; He can only hate the tools satan uses to put a person in that type of emotional state. If He hated those who hurt themselves He would never have sacrificed His son for all of us who were causing eternal spiritual hurt and death to ourselves

NONAME: 1) God does not only forgive He completely removes all record of the sin as though it were never committed. This is due to the blood of Jesus; which forever removed the stain, power and penalty of sin. 2) Yes it is "After He punishes the sin." However, He once and for all let Jesus take that punishment for all men and women for all time. This means your sin was already "disciplined," and the penalty/price was paid in Christ. 3) Read Romans 7:1-22 regarding Paul's continued struggle with sin. He was at the height of his spiritual maturity, had already authored near 66% of the new testament, and had been a top pharisee for 30 years..yet he still struggled. This passage gives great insight as to the nature of the flesh as well as the difference bewteen unrepentant and unconscious sin

Some would have you believe you must meet certain prequalifications to be a Christian, but this is not so. Romans 10:9 tells us, "If you confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart God raised Him form the dead you will be saved. " You need not be sinless, you need not read your bible daily, you need not be baptized, you need not tithe, or read your bible daily to be saved. That said, all of those things are important for spiritual growth and obedience to the Word after salvation. Simply accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior, and trust that God resurrected Him; just as He will grant you a new life in Christ.

There are several reasons Christians fight and find conflict with each other, and all those reasons begin with satan, and the tendency of the flesh to serve the flesh rather than the Spirit. 1) MISCONCEPTION/MISINTERPRETATION: Many have simply been exposed to the wrong principles, wrong teachings, wrong habits for so long; that they become blinded to truth. This causes them to fiecely defend and perpetuate the deceptive ideals and doctrine they believe is correct. Each side may be right, each side may be wrong,or there may be one right/one wrong; but the tendency towards legalism and policy leads to judge and contend with those who see things differently 2) INTENTION: When believers have the wrong heart, the wrong intent; it will give birth to actions and speech that are contrary to unity. For example, one with a proud heart will be more likely to contend with others because their intent, (conscious or not,) is to elevate self. Some may be prone to judge based on their experiences of being similarly treated; thus thinking this is the acceptable norm. 3)NARROW IS THE GATE: Since scripture says "Many are called but few are chosen," every believer wanats t be "the few," understandably. however, this contributes to the tendency to see other Christians/denominations as "wrong," since we cannot all be "right." 4)FAILED FOCUS: Jesus spent much time rebuking the pharisees and spiritual leaders of His time, because they focused more on tradition, process, politics and protocol over the more foundational/critical aspects of mercy and love. When our focus is not on Christ and reflecting His character, we will fall into this tendency. Many unfortunately lose sight of the elementary truth that we are saved by grace through faith, not works. Grace is what we should reflect. 5)ENEMY: Satan is a tricky sort. He often makes us feel like what we are doing or saying is "right," even when its wrong. His whole goal is to place obstacles between us and God;thus he often plants the wrong thoughts, attitudes and intentions in the hearts n minds of believers in order to cause disunity amongst the body. 6)BATTLE: The flesh and Spirit are at constant conflict; this is spiritual warfare. Since unity and truth are of the spirit, our natural bodies and minds will constantly seek to avoid those things, which inspires the need to create strife and disunity.