Only those who abide in obedience have a right to claim they know Him. “And hereby we do know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him” (1John 2:3-4). If human nature was naturally sinful, then how could anyone rightly claim to walk in obedience? A naturally sinful nature is only an excuse for sinning, not a good explanation. “Whosoever abideth in Him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth [Greek, hamartanei, sins or is sinning, present tense] hath not seen Him, neither known Him” (1John 3:6 KJV). Whoever is abiding in Christ is not sinning. Whoever is not abiding in Christ is sinning. Whoever is sinning is supernaturally assured in the most forceful language, that person “hath not seen Him, neither known Him” (3:6). God supernaturally chooses not to be known by us, when we are presently sinning. That withholds assurance of salvation from us, while we are in rebellion against Him. The language of the First Epistle of John requires the Holy Spirit to supernaturally teach, interpret, and understand. “But the anointing [Holy Spirit] which ye have received of Him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in Him” (1John 2:27 KJV). May Christ bless all the disciples of His supernatural religion! “If ye keep My commandments, ye shall abide in My love” (John 15:10 KJV).
Author: Ken
God Never Requires Us to Do the Impossible
God never requires us to do the impossible. He measures our love by our obedience. “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments: and His commandments are not grievous [burdensome]” (1John 5:3 KJV). God is not an uncaring taskmaster. “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15 KJV). The very idea of the Son of God coming in human flesh was to provide us an example of walking without sinning that we should “follow His steps” (1Peter 2:21 KJV). Jesus is beckoning us to get out of the boat and follow Him. Walking on water is supernatural. Walking without sinning requires the supernatural help of the Holy Spirit. “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13 KJV). If God commands it, we can accomplish it. It’s time to rethink what God can do in us!
Our Hearts Are Always Parked Or Dwelling Somewhere
Our hearts are always parked or dwelling somewhere. That is our abiding place, where we remain or continue with Christ. Until we move away from that place, we are complete or perfect in Christ. “Make you perfect in every good work to do His will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen” (Hebrews 13:21 KJV). The simplicity of our walk with Christ is straightforward and not to be complicated like modern attempts to analyze humanity. “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (2Corinthians 5:17 KJV). Our transformation is supernatural because it is the product of God and not man. “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed [Greek, metamorphoō, transfigured, changed] by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God” (Romans 12:2 KJV). Allow God’s Spirit to reorganize your thinking. As much as we know how, allow Scripture to interpret Scripture, so we can arrive at the supernatural conclusions the Holy Spirit has prepared for us. I like using the suggested cross references from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (available with most Bible software and online).
Not Our Problem to Figure Out How God Keeps His Promises
It’s not our problem to figure out how God keeps His promises. “Be not afraid, only believe” (Mark 5:36 KJV). Believing God is more important than trusting ourself. Do we know enough? Have enough faith? Repented enough? Prayed and fasted enough? That’s important and good, but it comes down to Jesus’ question. “Believe ye that I am able to do this?” (Matthew 9:28 KJV). The blind men replied, “Yea, Lord” (9:28). Without any more discussion, “then touched He their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you. And their eyes were opened” (9:29-30). Do whatever possible thing God requires of you; but essentially, God is responsible for the impossible, because it glorifies Him the way He deserves. “Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth” (Mark 9:23 KJV). Let God be God, who is responsible for the results. Let us not try to be God’s Public Relations, if things don’t work out. We are only responsible for the possible, which our limited thinking can understand. Only believe God! May the God of the Impossible be glorified by our confidence in Him!
Why We Do Something Is More Important Than What We Do
Why we do something is even more important than what we do. The Ten Commandments tell us what to do or not do, but love tells us why. First Corinthians 13 — the Love Chapter — explains it. “If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but I do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal” (1 Corinthians 13:1 NET). Of course, we have responsibility for all our actions; and, even our courts of law in western jurisprudence establish the difference between manslaughter and murder. But, the preeminent motivation of love defines who God is — “God is love” (1John 4:8) — and, why we should do everything we should do. “Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself” (Matthew 22:37-39 KJV). LORD, help us not to lose our purpose.
Best Laid Plans of Mice and Men
“The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry,” wrote poet Robert Burns. Things don’t always work out as we planned. “It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man” (Psalm 118:8 KJV). Life is our opportunity to cast our vote for the LORD by trusting Him. Even after checking our heart, things may work out like God is angry with us; still, we should say like Job, “Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him” (Job 13:15 KJV). We want the world to have that same confidence in the LORD. “And the LORD passed by before him [Moses], and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children’s children, unto the third and to the fourth generation” (Exodus 34:6-7 KJV). O LORD, in the same manner You treat the guilty, may Your treatment of us, who have confidence in You, be manifested in goodness upon us, our children, and our children’s children, to the third and fourth generation. In Jesus’ name, we ask it. Amen and amen.
Mystery Of Iniquity Is Already At Work
I like the way the KJV translates 2Thessalonians 2:7, when it says, the “Mystery of Iniquity,” but the NET or NIV translates better the concept of holding back or restraining. “For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way” (2Thessalonians 2:7 NIV). I believe the restraining power of the Holy Spirit has been holding back the Adversary’s Secret Power of Lawlessness ever since Lucifer’s original fall. Only when the Spirit Indwelt Church is taken out of the way at the Rapture will the Antichrist be revealed, then shortly thereafter he will be judged. Bible prophecy advises us what tomorrow will look like, so we’ll adjust our conduct today. Are we living like we are siding with the Holy Spirit, who is holding back the Adversary’s Secret Power of Lawlessness? May God bless everyone, who is on the LORD’s side!
Embracing Suffering Doesn’t Mean Rejecting Overcoming
Just because we embrace suffering as God’s way of refining us, teaching us, and magnifying Himself, doesn’t mean we reject overcoming. On the one hand, Christ said, “In the world ye shall have tribulation” (John 16:33 KJV). On the other hand, He said, “Be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” (16:33). On one hand Paul said, “Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me” (2Corinthians 12:9 KJV). On the other hand Paul said, “Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us” (Romans 8:37 KJV). Initially, Job defended his righteousness about his suffering. In the end, He confessed the Almighty’s rightness to choose, if and when he should suffer. “Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge? therefore have I uttered that I understood not; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not” (Job 42:3 KJV). Is the Holy Spirit impressing you to suffer or overcome? He can do either. What has He given you to embrace for your circumstance? “Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth” (Romans 14:22 KJV).
Today Is The Best Day Of Your Life
Today is the best day of your life. Some may say it was the day they became a disciple, got married, or had kids. Scripture says, “This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it” (Psalm 118:24 KJV). Yesterday is past. Tomorrow may never come. Today is the only day you have in which to live. Use it as God’s gift to you. Let us rejoice and be glad in it! Thank you LORD, and thanks Jeff for the insight!
Why Me?
Why me? Why am I suffering? Why did God choose Job to be the Poster Child for Suffering? Job may not have said it that way, but felt it. Yahweh already answered that question, even before Job asked it, in a conversation with the Enemy. “And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth [hates] evil” (Job 1:8 KJV). The LORD is not afraid to refine us, even at the Adversary’s suggestion. “None like him” (1:8) indicates Job was the best the Almighty had “in the earth” (1:8). Job was “perfect” (1:8) in heart, which is the only perfection possible for any created being. He was “upright” (1:8) because he did right. He feared God more than the Adversary, where well trained troops are more afraid of disappointing their drill sergeant than they fear the enemy. He hated evil. Job’s testing proved: (1) “All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution” (2Timothy 3:12 KJV), (2) Suffering makes the greatest impression on us in a teachable moment, for even Jesus in His humanity “learned He obedience by the things which He suffered” (Hebrews 5:8 KJV), (3) In suffering’s refinement, “He knoweth the way that I take: when He hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold” (Job 23:10 KJV), (4) Yahweh’s conversation with the satan demonstrates there really is an Unseen Realm of Spiritual Warfare, where “we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places” (Ephesians 6:12 KJV). May Yahweh be magnified as He helps us, and we help each other, in our suffering to come forth as gold. Amen and amen.
We Need A Miracle 
You must be logged in to post a comment.