But Do Not Take Advantage Of God’s Grace

Posted on by Dr. Linda Agnes Knowles

When it comes to God’s grace, there is no quick exercise.  Grace is a gift bestowed upon us as children of God.  Grace is not inexpensive; It is costly.  Grace came at the cost of Jesus giving up His life for us.  Grace is given freely to us, but we are not to take advantage of His grace.  We ARE SAVED BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH not by works.  Ephesians 2:8-9 states, “God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God.  Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.”  We can NEVER boast about earning God’s grace because grace is a gift.  Rewards/Awards are earned.  Gifts are NOT earned; Gifts are given.

2 Corinthians 12:9 states, “Each time he said, ‘my grace is all you need.  My power works best in weakness.  So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses so that the power of Christ can work through me.”  What does that tell you?  That verse is telling you that you need God’s grace, and His grace is all your need.  Basically, we can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens us (Philippians 4:13).  No matter what situation or obstacle comes your way, you ARE victorious.  Despite all these things–trials, heartache, pain, sorrow, tragedy, death, and the like–overwhelming victory is ours through Christ (Romans 8:37).  You ARE an overcomer.

*

EITHER YOU CHOOSE TO OBEY OR YOU DON’T. GOD WANTS WHOLEHEARTED OBEDIENCE.

*

Here is what the Word of God says in Deuteronomy 30:19, “Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses.  Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make.  Oh that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live!”  Obedience is a choice, and as believers, we have the Holy Spirit who empowers us to live a holy and obedient life as commanded by God.  You can choose life which includes blessing and being in right relationship with God and seeking after Him, or you can choose death which means you are out of right relationship with God, living for yourself.  God is the One who sets the standard to live by, and His standard is holiness (1 Peter 1:16) “Be holy for I am holy.”

In John 14:15, Jesus said, “If you love me, obey my commandments,” and in John 15:5, Jesus says, “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches.  Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit.  FOR APART FROM ME YOU CAN DO NOTHING.”  If you rely on self-effort and self-reliance to try to obey God, that is all it will amount to.  Trying to obey, anything based on man-made wisdom and understanding will collapse, amounting to absolutely nothing.  We are also told in Proverbs 3:5-6, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.  Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.”

The things of the Spirit are spiritually discerned.  The bible is not something we read with our carnal understanding.  As children of God, we have the mind of Christ, and we should be asking the Lord to help us to understand by leaning on the Holy Spirit who helps us to understand the truth of God’s Word as shown in John 16: 13 which states, “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth.  He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard.  He will tell you about the future.”  When the Holy Spirit helps us to understand the words in Scripture, we are getting understanding and wisdom from God.  With the mind of Christ, we are able to understand the things of the Spirit.  The Apostle Paul had this to say, in 2 Corinthians 2:13-16, “When we tell you these things, we do not use words that come from human wisdom.  Instead, we speak words given to us by the Spirit, using the Spirit’s words to explain spiritual truths.  But people who aren’t spiritual can’t receive these truths from God’s Spirit.  It all sounds foolish to them and they can’t understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means.  Those who are spiritual can evaluate all things, but they themselves cannot be evaluated by others.  For, ‘Who can know the LORD’S thoughts?  Who knows enough to teach him?’  But we understand these things, for we have the mind of Christ.”

God does NOT make suggestions.  God gives commands, and His commands are clearly laid out in Scripture such as the Ten Commandments.  When God says, “Don’t lie,” that’s a command.  Make no mistake about it.  The Creator of the Heavens and the Earth DOES make commands.  You are merely the clay in the Potter’s hands.  You don’t get to tell the Creator who created you what to do.

The Scriptures demand you make a choice.  The Word is meant to be applied to our lives.  Even King David the Psalmist recognized this as he meditated on the law of God day and night.  King David understood God gave commands; “I will pursue your command, for you expand my understanding,” Psalm 119:32.  Also, King David understood the importance of believing in God’s commands.  He states in Psalm 119:66, “I believe in your commands; now teach me good judgment and knowledge.”  Understand and see God lays out His commands in the Scriptures.  However, when reading and studying God’s laws, His commands, His precepts, His demands, you are faced with having to make a decision.  Will you or won’t you obey the commands of God?  Choosing God’s way is choosing life.  Choosing your way only leads down the broad road to death, hell, and destruction.

CHOOSE YOU THIS DAY WHOM YOU WILL SERVE!

The Creator has made Himself very clear.  Now follow His laws and commands.  For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ our Lord.

Second Corinthians 5:15 shows us, “He did for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves.  Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them.”  According to that verse, we, as children of God, do NOT live for ourselves because we are not your own, and we have been bought with a price.  Christ did the will of the Heavenly Father and stated why He had come, “For the Son of Man came here not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28, Mark 10:45).

Follow His example.  See Jesus for whom He is (John 4:26), “I am the Messiah!”  And we are to follow Him (John 8:12), “Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, ‘I am the light of the world.  If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.’”

Walking the narrow road takes our willingness.  It’s not easy, but it is worth it all.  Count the cost.  Pick up your cross.  Carry your cross.  Follow HIM.

Linda Agnes Knowles

“My old self has been crucified with Christ.  It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.  So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”  Galatians 2:20

Stop Scratching Itching Ears

Posted on by Dr. Linda Agnes Knowles

“For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear.  They will reject the truth and chase after myths.” ~2 Timothy 4:3-4

We are never to water down the Gospel, never to undermine or underestimate the work of the Holy Spirit, and never to distort the simple plain reading of the Word of God.  We are not to mix New Age into the Bible because New Age is a mix of religious and spiritual beliefs having to do with mysticism inclusive of phrases such as “Consciousness of Sin” or “Consciousness of Christ,” or “The Greater Consciousness.”  The New Age is a free-flowing spiritual movement and includes the practice of witchcraft – tarot cards, fortune-telling, astrology, horoscopes, crystals, healing runes, and the like – as well as philosophies, rituals, and traditions from various ancient cultures and traditions.

Revelation 22:14-15 tells us about those who are believers and warns us about what happens to those who practice any lifestyle of sin, “Blessed are those who wash their robes. They will be permitted to enter through the gates of the city and eat the fruit from the tree of life.  Outside the city are the dogs—the sorcerers, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idol-worshipers, and all who love to live a lie.”

Today’s world views have infiltrated modern churches.  Candied doctrine has replaced sound teaching.  Modern churches have exchanged the Truth of God for a lie.  There are people within the places of worship looking to be made comfortable in their sin, desiring to live whatever way they want without being held accountable.  They are choosing to be willfully ignorant and defiant to the laws of God.  Any church leader and any child of God MUST preach and proclaim the full counsel of God, which means they must preach against sin.  In order for the Issues of Holiness and Righteousness to be addressed, the issue of sin HAS TO and MUST BE addressed.

Repentance and confession of sin to God are absolutely essential, and we are not to take advantage of God’s mercy and grace.  The Scriptures say in Romans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”  The first chapter of 1 John speaks about living in the Light, verses 5-10, “This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all.  So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth.  But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.  If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth.  But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.  If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts,” and the Psalmist King David declared, “The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit.  You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God.”

There seems to be a misconception when it comes to the Holy Spirit as well.  Jesus spoke about the Holy Spirit (John 14:16-17), “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you.  He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth.  The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you.”  John 16:5-15 details “The Work of the Holy Spirit.”  Please note verse 8 tells us the Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin, “And when he comes, he will convict the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment,” and verses 14-15 tells us the Holy Spirit points us to Christ, “‘He will bring me glory by telling you whatever he receives from me.  All that belongs to the Father is mine; this is why I said, ‘The Spirit will tell you whatever he receives from me.’”  Note the Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin and points people to Christ.  The Holy Spirit will NEVER take our focus off of Jesus.  NEVER.  The Holy Spirit will ALWAYS point us to Jesus.

Since the Scriptures are God-breathed, it’s important to note, that the Word is written to us.  The Scriptures tell us the good, the bad, the best, the worst, the beautiful, and the ugly.

The Holy Spirit also called the Spirit of Prophecy does NOT always give flowery or sugary messages.  We see this throughout the Scriptures which speak of true repentance with humility before God (Micah 6:8), “No, O people, the Lord has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you:  to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.”

As children of God, we are to read and study the Scriptures and check out any preaching or teaching with the Word of God so we don’t go astray and fall for “doctrines of demons.”  The reason those within the church get deceived is that they are not studying the Word of God for themselves.  The bible is clear on this as well, 2 Timothy 2:15 tells us, “Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth.”  DO YOU WANT TO HEAR GOD SPEAK TO YOU?  ARE YOU LOOKING TO HEAR THE VOICE OF THE SHEPHERD?  NEED A WORD FROM THE LORD?  OPEN THE BIBLE AND STUDY THE BIBLE.  The Word is an Instruction Manual.  The Bible tells you everything you need to inherit eternal life, how God wants you to live, and tells you the thoughts of God.  DO YOU WANT TO KNOW THE WILL OF GOD FOR YOUR LIFE?  OPEN THE BIBLE AND STUDY THE BIBLE.  If you leave your bible on the shelf or table to collect dust, you will fall into sin.  “I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you,” (Psalm 119:11), and “Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path,” (Psalm 119:105).  DO YOU WANT TO KNOW HOW TO TELL RIGHT FROM WRONG?  DO YOU WANT TO KNOW IF WHAT SOMEONE SPEAKING IS IN THE BIBLE?  OPEN THE BIBLE AND STUDY THE BIBLE.  Always pray before reading God’s Word.  Ask Him to show you what His Word is saying.  Ask Him to guide you.  Let your mind be controlled by the Holy Spirit as spoken of in Romans 8:1-17.

The prophet Isaiah had this message from God (Isaiah 50:11), “But watch out, you who live in your own light and warm yourselves by your own fires. This is the reward you will receive from me: You will soon fall down in great torment.”

The Apostle Paul addressed the believers in Galatia about the false teachers and preachers coming into their midst;  Galatians 1:8 states, “Let God’s curse fall on anyone, including us or even an angel from heaven, who preaches a different kind of Good News than the one we preached to you.”  The only Sure Foundation for our lives, the only Sure Foundation our faith is built on is Jesus Christ.  Look to Christ.  Look to your Heavenly Father.  Shift your focus, and keep your focus set on HIM!

“Because of God’s grace to me, I have laid the foundation like an expert builder. Now others are building on it. But whoever is building on this foundation must be very careful.  For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have—Jesus Christ.  Anyone who builds on that foundation may use a variety of materials—gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay, or straw.  But on judgment day, fire will reveal what kind of work each builder has done. The fire will show if a person’s work has any value.  If the work survives, that builder will receive a reward.  But if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer a great loss. The builder will be saved, but like someone barely escaping through a wall of flames.  Don’t you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you?  God will destroy anyone who destroys this temple. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.” ~1 Corinthians 10-17

“Am I now seeking the approval of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please me, I would not be a servant of Christ,” Galatians 1:10. As children of El Shaddai, let us press on, dropping whatever it is that would easily entangle us, cherish and cling to the truth of God’s Word, and keep our eyes on Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, who is the Author and the Finisher of our faith. Let us be found faithful, uncompromising, and unwavering. Let us stand firm, rooted in Christ, and grounded in the Word. Let us seek not the approval and applause of men, but let us seek approval from God alone.

Linda Agnes Knowles

Not Again?

Posted on by Dr. Linda Agnes Knowles

“‘Am I the one they are hurting?’ asks the LORD. ‘Most of all they hurt themselves, to their shame.’”

Jeremiah 7:19

Idolatry… yes, once again we are confronted with the people of Judah who committed the act of idolatry. They were making sacrificial fires and cakes to Ishtar, the Mesopotamian goddess of love, war, and fertility (Jeremiah 7:18); and they poured out liquid offerings before this false god.

Is it any wonder why God was infuriated? God was so infuriated He had told Jeremiah, “Pray no more for these people, Jeremiah. Do not weep or pray for them, and don’t beg me to help them, for I will not listen to you,” (Jeremiah 7:16). God was not looking the other way. He saw they were breaking His commandment not to have any other gods before Him. They were to love God with all their heart. Instead, the people of Judah had hearts filled with unfaithfulness towards God. In other words, they were being disloyal towards God.

In sinning against God, disregarding His commands, and turning away from Him, they were hurting themselves. Isaiah 59:2 says this: “It’s your sins that have cut you off from God. Because of your sins, he has turned away and will not listen anymore.” By committing the act of idolatry, they had committed spiritual suicide. They had cut themselves off from the Wellspring of Life, the Source of Strength, their Deliverer. They turned away from the Almighty Everlasting God.

Before we judge the people of Judah harshly, we need to look at ourselves. Are we being unfaithful to God in any way that would cause Him to look away from us?

Let’s go further. The purpose of the sacrificial system God put in place was not to please Him. The purpose of the sacrifices to be made would make the people recognize their sin, cause them to repent, and to refocus them back to living for God. The purpose of the sacrificial system was to spur the people on, to encourage them to take joy in obeying God.

In this passage of Scripture, the sacrifices the people of Judah were doing before God dishonored Him because they were doing the sacrifices out of duty and obligation, not out of love or wholehearted devotion to Him. They were making sacrifices to the goddess Ishtar while they were also making sacrifices to God. They had turned away from God, disregarding His command not to have any other gods before Him.

Remember this: God DOES NOT conform to our will and our ways. We MUST conform to what God wills and desires. God is to have first place in our lives. He will not share His glory with another, and He is not sharing first place in our lives with anything or anyone else. Either God is God in our life, or He is not.

Let’s choose Life by choosing God because He is life. He is the Giver of Life. He is the One who sustains us, and He alone is worthy of all the glory and praise. Think of all that He has done for You. Let’s bring honor to His name by walking in obedience after Him. Let’s walk uprightly with undivided hearts, giving Him first place in our lives. Whatever it is that we need to remove to progress in our relationship with Him, then let’s remove it and press on. “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need,” Matthew 6:33.

Heavenly Father, You are still on the throne, and You are still sovereign. You are Lord, and You are Master. You are faithful and true. You know all things from beginning to the end. Nothing is hidden from Your sight, and everything is exposed before You. You, O God, truly know the depths of our heart. Father, when we walk away from You, we are only hurting ourselves. We are sorry for our wrongful ways and sinful attitudes before You. Lord, forgive us for our sins, and we ask that You cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Let us not be as the people of Judah but let us remember that You alone must have first place in our lives and that You will not share Your glory with another. Remind us that we are to conform to Your will and to Your ways. Give us the wisdom and the insight to understand that sin separates us from You. Help us to understand that You do not tolerate sin, that we are to be holy as You are holy. Give us the strength to remain steadfast in You. Time is short, Father God, and the return of Christ is nearer than it ever has been. There is no time to straddle the fence, and You do not play games. Lord, let us be living sacrifices before You that are pleasing and honorable in Your sight. Use us to bring glory to Your name. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Linda A. Knowles

DO NOT BACKSLIDE: REMAIN IN CHRIST OUR HOPE

Posted on by Dr. Linda Agnes Knowles

“For He established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel, which He commanded our fathers to teach to the children, that the coming generation would know them-even children yet to be born-to arise and tell their own children that they should put their confidence in God, not forgetting His works, but keeping His commandments. Then they will not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, whose heart was not loyal, whose spirit was not faithful to God.” -Psalm 78:5-8

Note the contrast in these verses. Those who have hope have put their confidence in God. They are the ones who are trusting in God, believing in Him, following His commands and laws. They are the ones having communion with God. Then, there are the rebellious and stubborn. Those who are hostile and defiant toward God. They are without loyalty or faithfulness.

Let me just talk about backsliding for a few moments. The Bible says this about turning back (backsliding), “As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his folly. Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him,” (Proverbs 26:11-12).

We are to guard our hearts because every decision, every issue of life flows out of our hearts. So, the Scriptures warn us and command us to guard our hearts will all diligence. We are told to be sober-minded as well, clear-headed. Backsliding occurs when a person is set on living a life of impurity. Backsliding can happen when we begin making the smallest of compromises. “The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways: and a good man shall be satisfied from himself,” (Proverbs 14:14). The English word “backslider” comes from the transliteration of the Hebrew word, “sûḡ,” which means “apostatize.” Apostasy means to embrace lies instead of truth. Backsliders are those who fall from grace. They are those that apostatize. They are the ones who deviate from the narrow road onto the broad road that leads to destruction. Backsliders go back to their sins just like a dog returns to its own vomit. Backsliders are those who get what they deserve; they will eat the fruit of their own way (Proverbs 1:31). They are filled with their own devices, insistent on living a life of immorality and impurity. For those who backslide and believe they will have time to come back to God, we are not guaranteed our next breath. We don’t know if we will have another chance to repent or come clean before God simply because we are not guaranteed our next breath. God does NOT play games. I’ve said this before I will say it again: there is no neutral ground when it comes to living for God. We must remain steadfast, press forward, without looking back. We must keep our eyes fixed Jesus, looking straight ahead. Don’t look to the right or the left. Continue onward in holiness and righteousness.

“My son, pay attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Do not lose sight of them; keep them within your heart. For they are life to those who find them, and health to the whole body. GUARD YOUR HEART WITH ALL DILIGENCE, FOR FROM IT FLOW SPRINGS OF LIFE. Put away deception you’re your mouth; keep your lips from perverse speech. Let your eyes look forward; fix your gaze straight ahead. Make a level path for your feet, and all your ways will be sure. Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your feet away from evil,” (Proverbs 4:20-27)

Our hope is found in Jesus. He is the Author and Finisher of our Faith. He is our Risen Lord and Savior. Those who are putting their faith and trust in Him, believing in Him as their Redeemer will not be put to shame. Our hope is found in no other. Our hope is found in nothing else. Look to Jesus. Obey the commands of the Lord, and march forward, Saints of the God. He alone is our Hope and our Salvation.

Linda A. Knowles

TIME TO CONSECRATE OURSELVES!

Posted on by Dr. Linda Agnes Knowles

“Get up! Command the people to purify themselves in preparation for tomorrow. For this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: Hidden among you, O Israel, are things set apart for the LORD. You will never defeat your enemies until you remove these things from among you.” -Joshua 7:13

Years ago, I was talking with someone who said this, “Linda, I know I’m going to Hell. What is the point of me serving God when I want to do what I want to do? If I serve God, then I can’t do what I want.” I sat there in complete silence. “I know I’m going to Hell…If I serve God, then I can’t do what I want.” What could I have said? We had already talked about heaven and hell. We had already talked about what the Bible had to say about life of sin the person was in. Yet there was that statement, “If I serve God, then I can’t do what I want.” I left the person’s house that day shaking my head. There was nothing more I could say. The person chose misery over living for God. The person chose death and destruction over eternal life. That person to this day, years later, is still locked in a life of sin, believing their sin is okay in the eyes of God.

Sin of any kind is detestable in the eyes of God. Like the Israelites, until sin is removed from our life, we will be defeated. We cannot be steeped in sin and expect God to work on our behalf to give us victory.

The Lord had given a command to Joshua just before they went in to conquer Jericho, “Do not take any of the things set apart for destruction, or you yourselves will be completely destroyed, and you will bring trouble on the camp of Israel. Everything made from silver, gold, bronze, or iron is sacred to the Lord and must be brought into his treasury,” (Joshua 6:18-19). Achan, however, decided to disobey the command the LORD gave through Joshua. In chapter 7, the Israelites went to conquer the city of Ai and got defeated because sin was found in the camp. Achan had the things devoted for destruction including things that were to be brought into the Lord’s treasury. He hid them under his tent. His sin didn’t just affect him. The results of his sin cost the Israelites victory in conquering the city of Ai. Joshua and the elders fell on their face before God because they were defeated at the battle of Ai. That is when God said this, “Get up! Why are you lying on your face like this? Israel has sinned and broken my covenant! They have stolen some of the things that I commanded must be set apart for me. And they have not only stolen them but have lied about it and hidden the things among their own belongings. That is why the Israelites are running from their enemies in defeat. For now Israel itself has been set apart for destruction. I will not remain with you any longer unless you destroy the things among you that were set apart for destruction,” (Joshua 7:10-12).

What is in your camp (life, heart) that needs to be removed? When we speak about consecration to God, we are speaking about being set aside for His service. We are speaking about being made holy. We are talking about being sanctified. It is essential for us to understand God is absolute perfection. He is holy, and He says, “Be holy for I am holy.” He doesn’t command us to do the impossible. Apart from Christ, we can do nothing.  However, in Christ, we are given all we need to live holy lives for the Lord.

The Lord gave a specific command in Joshua 7:13, “Get up! Command the people to purify themselves in preparation for tomorrow. For this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: Hidden among you, O Israel, are things set apart for the LORD. You will never defeat your enemies until you remove these things from among you.” The Israelites needed to purge their encampment of sin. They needed to go before God and purify themselves. They needed to set themselves apart for service for God. Achan’s sin affected him, the nation, and his clan. Once the sin was confessed, the sin was purged from the camp. Achan and his family paid the consequences of Achan’s sin: death. His sin brought death and destruction to his family. After Achan and his family were put to death, Joshua and the Israelites went to battle the city of Ai again and were victorious. They conquered Ai.

We would do well to learn from Achan and not hide sin that may be in our life.

“But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness,” (1 John 1:9). When we confess our sins before God, we can trust and know He will forgive us. We can know and trust that He is Yahweh M’Kaddesh, the Lord Who Sanctifies. Though God’s mercies are new every morning and His compassion never fails, we are never, never, never to take advantage of God’s mercy and grace.

When King David had repented before God, he stated this, “Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Oh, give me back my joy again; you have broken me—now let me rejoice. Don’t keep looking at my sins. Remove the stain of my guilt. Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me. Do not banish me from your presence, and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me,” (Psalm 51:7-11). God doesn’t reject a broken spirit or a contrite heart that comes before Him in genuine repentance and humility. When we consecrate ourselves before God, we are coming out from amongst them. We are separating ourselves apart for His service. Before God, we must make a decision.

Will we consecrate ourselves before Him? Will we rend our hearts before Him? Will we live for Him in wholehearted devotion and in service to Him? Will we allow ourselves to be used by Him in whatever capacity He chooses? Choose you this day whom you will serve.

We are a Royal Priesthood. First Peter 2:9 states, “But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.” Since we are a royal priesthood, we must go before God and consecrate ourselves before Him. When we consecrate ourselves before God, we empty ourselves before Him; in other words, we pour ourselves out before Him.

I cannot stress this enough: holiness and worldliness do NOT mix. You cannot be a friend of God and a friend of the world. The foundation of our lives must be built on Christ. He is the Solid Rock, and there is no other. We cannot escape from Him. He is the Fountain of Living Water. He is the Manna (Bread) of Heaven. And He is more than enough. We cannot speak about being consecrated to God without discussing holiness. When we consecrate ourselves to God, we are literally giving ourselves over to His service. We are pouring ourselves out before God just as the woman with the alabaster jar did when she broke the bottle of nard over Jesus. We consecrate ourselves to God in complete abandonment.

Linda A. Knowles

JEALOUS? GOD?

Posted on by Dr. Linda Agnes Knowles

“For our God is a consuming fire.”

Hebrews 12:29

“For the LORD your God is a consuming fire,

a jealous God.”

Deuteronomy 4:24

When we see verses stated more than one time in the Scriptures, it should make us stop and reflect.

In Deuteronomy 4:24, we see God is called a consuming fire. Hebrews 12:29 echoes the same words as Deuteronomy 4:24. In Deuteronomy 4:24, the word “consuming” comes from the transliteration of the Hebrew word “akal.” The word “consuming” means to devour, burn up, devastate, ravage. In Hebrews 12:29, the transliteration of the Greek word is “katanaliskō” which means to be consumed, to burn up. Sin, wickedness, evil, and all those who are defiant against God will be burned up. He will show forth His glory like a consuming fire. These verses cannot be ignored as they are somber warnings against idolatry and the judgment soon to come.

What God showed me is not an image I can easily forget. When God had revealed to me Himself as a consuming fire, He showed me He is purging evil and wickedness and cleansing everything with His fire. He showed me destruction awaits those who oppose and rebel against Him.

It is a horrifying thought to be ravaged by fire or burned up. Yet, while the words of these verses are comforting to those who are believers, these words are downright terrifying to those who are practicing a life of sin. There is no comfort or peace for those who are not living a life surrendered to God.

“For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.” Yes, God is jealous for us, and He burns with passion and zeal for His children. He desires to communicate and have a relationship with us. He is the consuming fire who loves His children far more than we could ever imagine. The problem is when we are not serving Him, we are serving and living for self. Serving and living for self is pushing God out of His rightful place in our lives. When we push God out of His rightful place in our lives, we break the first commandment. “You must not have any other God but me. You must not make for yourself an idol of any king or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea. You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods…” Exodus 20:3-5.

The nature and character of God is HOLINESS. The God we see in the Old Testament is the same God we see in the New Testament. God has not changed. His commands have not changed. We are commanded to be holy, and “…He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do, for it is written: ‘Be holy, because I am holy.’” 1 Peter 1:15-16. We are called to holiness. Therefore, as His children, we follow God’s instructions on how to be holy. We cannot be holy and take on the beliefs and philosophies of the world. Being holy and being worldly do not mix. We are either holy or worldly; we cannot be both.

God is the fire that refines. He is the One who is able to cleanse the stains of sin and shame. He is able to make a person complete. Because He is holy, He calls for repentance. If we do not have a holy fear of God and who He is, no act of worship will be acceptable to Him. If we do not have reverence for God, then we will not treat God with honor.

Linda A. Knowles

When Jesus Is In The Boat

Posted on by Dr. Linda Agnes Knowles

“But he saith unto them, It is I; be not afraid. Then they willingly received him into the ship: and immediately the ship was at the land whither they went.” -John 6:20-21 KJV

“but he called out to them, ‘Don’t be afraid. I am here!‘ Then they were eager to let him in the boat, and immediately they arrived at their destination!” -John 6:20-21 NLT

All it takes is simply the sound of His voice. He speaks peace, and the storms of our life stills. He speaks and the calm of His voice brings a comfort that is inexplicable. The disciples of Jesus experienced that peace at the sound of His voice.

When they were on the shore, they were waiting for Jesus. Jesus had not yet arrived even though it was dark. They got into the boat and rowed out to sea. Three to four miles into the sea, the boat was buffeted by waves because of a great wind that had come over the waters. Then, some time during the early hours, Jesus had come out walking upon the waters. He was getting close to the boat. They had seen him in the distance, and they were frightened thinking they were seeing a ghost.

His voice and the words He spoke calmed them, “It is I; do not be afraid…” There is something so calming about Jesus reminding us of who He is. He is the Prince of Peace. He calms us during the storms of our life. He calms us when we are scared. He comforts us when we are hurting. When it seems like our life is about to capsize, there He is, “It is I; do not be afraid.” We, like the disciples, can willingly receive Jesus onboard. We don’t need to worry. He’ll take care of the situation and handle all our cares and our anxieties. All we have to do is rest and trust in Him, obeying what He tells us to do.

The word “received” in this verse comes from the transliteration of the Greek word “lambanō,” meaning to clasp onto or take hold of. They knew Him. They knew His voice which calmed them. They willingly received Him and clutched onto Him. They took hold of Him. Above all, with Jesus, they knew they were safe.

Those who are children of the Lord recognize His voice. He speaks, “Peace! Be Still!”; that alone is enough to give us assurance of His presence, dispelling all fear and doubt. We can rest in Christ with the knowledge that He has everything under control. “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid,” (John 14:27).

Lord, thank You for the assurance You give us and for Your Words of Truth. You, O Lord, are the Prince of Peace and there is none like You. Because we trust and hope in You, we do not need to be afraid for Your perfect love expels all fear. We willingly take hold of You, clasping and clinging onto You. Help us to always cherish and embrace the Truth You speak. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Linda A. Knowles

WILL YOU STILL STAND FOR CHRIST?

Posted on by Dr. Linda Agnes Knowles

WILL YOU STILL STAND FOR CHRIST?

By Linda A. Knowles

“Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father in heaven. Do not assume that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.”

Matthew 10:32-34

No matter who we are or what we do, what we believe about who Christ is and what He has done on Calvary matters. At some point, we are each faced with either choosing Christ and continuing on with Him OR we will choose someone or something else over Christ. Christ has done for us what no one else can do. There is nothing that will ever be able to fill the place in our heart and lives that He alone can fill.

No one wants to believe that a family member hates them or will go against them, but it does happen. Our stance in Christ may be the very thing that causes them to go against us. Our position in Christ may be the very thing that causes them to oppose us at any given opportunity. They can mock us and scoff at us. They can even work at trying to get us to change our beliefs about God and what God calls good and what He calls evil. Can family bring us to the point where we will have to choose between them or Christ? Yes. Not everyone will accept Christ. Not everyone is interested in following the ways of God. Not everyone will accept Christ as being Lord and Savior. Not everyone will believe all He did for us at Calvary. Not everyone in our families will be interested in hearing about Christ or about hearing what the Word of God says about living a life sold out to God. Unfortunately, this is altogether sad, but true.

For those who choose to stand for truth, even if it means losing beloved family members, there is hope. Our hope is found in Christ alone, and this is our assurance: Christ is with us until the very end. If we are not ashamed of Him before men, He will not be ashamed of us before our Heavenly Father. For those who choose Christ, even if it means we will be standing alone, the Lord is upholding us in His righteous right hand, and He has not forsaken us. For those who do not deny Christ and love Him with all their heart, mind, soul, and strength: to them, they have eternal life because Christ, their Savior and Lord, lives within them, and they will be living life with an abundance of blessings from the Lord.

Will you take a stand even if it means you are standing alone? Will you stand for what is right and holy even in the midst of family members who oppose and betray you? Each of us must ask ourselves these questions.

Heavenly Father, thank You for Your love and mercy. Thank You for choosing me to live for You that I might produce lasting fruit for Your Kingdom. Lord, help me to always walk upright before You, keeping my eyes fixed on the prize before me. Help me to keep my eyes focused on Jesus, the Author and Finisher of my Faith. Strengthen me. Guide me and teach me all of Your ways. Thank You for saving and rescuing me. Father, help me to remain strong even though family members may come against me, though they may oppose me. Your approval of me, Abba, is the only thing that matters, not the applause of men. Instruct me as I walk along this narrow path and help me not to slip to the wayside. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

A Fearful Thing

Posted on by Dr. Linda Agnes Knowles

“It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”

Hebrews 10:31 KJV

If any verse in the Scriptures makes me shudder, it’s this verse, “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” Some translations say, “dreadful thing,” “terrible thing,” “terrifying thing,” and then one translation says, “fearful and terrifying thing.” God is the Almighty, the Omnipotent One (Revelation 1:8, 15:3, 19:6). God does NOT play games (Leviticus 10:2, 1 Chronicles 13:10, Psalm 50:3).

What is so terrifying about falling into the hands of the Living God? Because this verse is speaking of judgment. God is awesome, and He is holy. His righteousness is pure. The Lord warns us of sin and the consequences (Romans 6:23). He warns us what happens when we do not turn from our evil and wicked ways (Luke 13:3, Romans 2:5). By warning us, God is granting us mercy. By giving us a chance to repent, He is demonstrating His longsuffering and patience towards us; the Lord does not want anyone to perish (2 Peter 3:9). Through the Scriptures, we can see He is calling people to repentance (Matthew 4:17, Acts 3:19). When someone sneers arrogantly at the Holy Spirit, when someone mocks or reviles the Holy Spirit and shows complete and utter contempt for the Holy Spirit, they are severing themselves from the Holy Spirit. In other words, they have broken themselves off from the Holy Spirit and they are unable to know the prompting of the Holy Spirit and His leading. It’s the point of no return (Deuteronomy 28:15, Isaiah 63:10). When someone falls into the hand of the Living God, at this point, is where they discover how wrong they are, but it’s too late. Judas is a great example of this. Judas betrayed Christ, and by the time, he realized how wrong he was, it was too late for him (John 13:21-30). Falling into the hands of the Living God will be frightening for the one who has rejected and scorned the Holy Spirit and committed the outright rejection of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 12:22-32, Hebrews 10:28-29). The true children of the Living God do not need to worry about facing God in judgment. Those who are not living lives that practice sin will be able to stand before God.

“Dear children, don’t let anyone deceive you about this: When people do what is right, it shows that they are righteous, even as Christ is righteous. But when people keep on sinning, it shows that they belong to the devil, who has been sinning since the beginning. But the Son of God came to destroy the works of the devil. Those who have been born into God’s family do not make a practice of sinning, because God’s life is in them. So they can’t keep on sinning, because they are children of God. So now we can tell who are children of God and who are children of the devil. Anyone who does not live righteously and does not love other believers does not belong to God,” (1 John 3:7-10 NLT).

“In this way, love has been perfected among us, so that we may have confidence on the day of judgment; for in this world we are just like him. There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear because fear involves punishment. The one who fears has not been perfected in love. We love because He first loved us,” (1 John 4:17-19 BSB).

Linda A. Knowles

“PEACE I LEAVE WITH YOU”

Posted on by Dr. Linda Agnes Knowles

“PEACE I LEAVE WITH YOU”

By Linda A. Knowles

*

“Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace,

whose mind is stayed on thee:

because he trusteth in thee.”

Isaiah 26:3 KJV

*

There is no one like Jesus. He gives us a peace that this world cannot afford. As a Child of the Living God, peace is also a fruit of the Holy Spirit that is produced and worked in us through the power of the Holy Spirit. This peace is something you don’t have once in awhile. The peace Jesus gives you is for ALL the time, not once in awhile, not sometimes. ALL THE TIME. The peace He gives you is perfect. The peace He gives you is complete, not lacking.

In Isaiah 26:3, we see it is the Lord who gives us perfect peace. The transliteration for the words “perfect” and “peace” is the Hebrew word “Shalom.” That phrase perfect peace means “calmness, tranquility, rest, contentment, safety, soundness, complete.” Think about that for a moment, you can go about your day knowing you, as a Child of the Living God, have been given that kind of peace by Jesus Christ your Savior. The peace that Jesus has given you allows you to be free. When you keep your mind fixed upon Jesus and all that He has done for you, He keeps you in perfect peace (Complete Rest) because you are trusting in Him.

As you are going about your day, remember you can be in complete rest and know that, as a Child of God, you have this kind of peace, a peace this world cannot offer nor can it afford.

Heavenly Father, You are my Shalom, my Complete Rest, and You have not given me the spirit of fear but of love and of power and a sound mind. Lord, be my Guide throughout this day and instruct me in Your ways as I fix my mind upon You knowing that You will keep me in perfect peace as my mind is fixed upon You. Thank You for guarding my heart and mind with the peace that surpasses all understanding me. Thank You for the Complete Rest You have given me. I put my hope and my trust in You and will stand upon the truth of Your word. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

ARTICLE: Sinning Against God AND Your Body

Posted on by Dr. Linda Agnes Knowles

“Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.” -1 Corinthians 6:18 KJV

“Flee sexual immorality.  Every other sin a man can commit is outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body.” -1 Corinthians 6:18 BSB

The moment we accepted Jesus Christ and received Him into our life to be Lord, the moment we believed the truth of God’s Word (John 1:12), we became one with God. We were joined with the Lord, and we became one spirit with Him (1 Corinthians 6:17). In Christ, we are a new creation, and since we have been bought with a price (1 Corinthians 6:20), we are to glorify God, bringing Him honor in all we say and do because WE ARE UNITED AS ONE WITH GOD and His Holy Spirit dwells within us. We are the temple of the Holy Spirit, and the BASIC LAW of the TEMPLE is holiness.

“This is the law of the house; Upon the top of the mountain the whole limit thereof round about shall be most holy. Behold, this is the law of the house.” -Ezekiel 43:12KJV

Back in the Bible times, the physical temple had the outer courts (“Then brought he me into the outward court, and, lo, there were chambers, and a pavement made for the court round about: thirty chambers were upon the pavement,” Ezekiel 40:17KJV.), and then inside the temple were two rooms: (1) The Holy Place and (2) The Most Holy Place, which we can see in Hebrews 9:1-5NLT, which says, “That first covenant between God and Israel had regulations for worship and a place of worship here on earth. There were two rooms in that Tabernacle. In the first room were a lampstand, a table, and sacred loaves of bread on the table. This room was called the Holy Place.  Then there was a curtain, and behind the curtain was the second room called the Most Holy Place.  In that room were a gold incense altar and a wooden chest called the Ark of the Covenant, which was covered with gold on all sides. Inside the Ark were a gold jar containing manna, Aaron’s staff that sprouted leaves, and the stone tablets of the covenant. Above the Ark were the cherubim of divine glory, whose wings stretched out over the Ark’s cover, the place of atonement…”

Our soul belongs to God, and there is nothing that is worth forfeiting your soul to. What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and yet loses his soul?  Please understand your soul is the seat of emotions, and out of your heart flows all the issues of life, “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life,” (Proverbs 14:23KJV).  The ESV states it this way, “Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.”  Guard your heart.  Maintain your purity before God, walking uprightly before Him.  Ask yourself this: “Is there anything worth losing my soul for?”

Understanding The Phrases “COMMITTETH FORNICATION” and “SINNING SEXUALLY.”

Look again at the phrasing of this verse in 1 Corinthians 6:18, “but he who sins sexually sins against his own body.”  The phrase “sins sexually” is transliterated from the Greek word “porneuon” which means (1) to fornicate (the KJV says the phrase “committeth fornication”); (2) to practice idolatry; and (3) then the first part of that word “porne” means to act like a prostitute, indulge in unlawful lust or the practice of.

Committing fornication is simply stated as “sinning sexually.”  Sex without the commitment of marriage is not only a sin but it is also cheap, tawdry, and crude.  Sex without the commitment of marriage is emotionally exhausting and can make a person feel wiped out.  Sexual sin of any kind is sinning sexually against God and your own body.  Sinning sexually is completely and undeniably against God’s design for the gift of sex.  Within the context of marriage between a husband and wife, sex is pleasurable and enjoyable with the commitment of the blending of true love and marriage with Christ as the Solid Foundation upon which that marriage is built.  Within the context of marriage between a husband and wife, sex is fulfilling and doesn’t drain emotionally because of the intimacy shared between the man and the woman who have now become one flesh in the eyes of God, a Christ-centered marriage.  In the two becoming one, the consummation is creating a bonding in their commitment to each other, causing the intimacy between husband and wife to deepen and increase. 

Here is a truly sobering thought: Since it is clear that the two become one flesh, that means if one is sinning sexually, then anyone he/she is having sex with, he/she is becoming one with every single person he/she gives his/her body to.  That is both disturbing and a sin in the eyes of God.  It is called fornication, sexual sin, and wickedness.  There has to be a noticeable difference between the children of God and those who are unbelievers.  When the children of God stray and take on the world’s philosophies and vain imaginations, this angers God.  It does not please Him at all.  First Thessalonians 4:3-8BSB states, “For it is God’s will that you should be holy: You must abstain from sexual immorality; each of you must know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, not in lustful passion like the Gentiles who do not know God; and no one should ever violate or exploit his brother in this regard, because the Lord will avenge all such acts, as we have already told you and solemnly warned you.  For God has not called us to impurity, but to holiness.  Anyone, then, who rejects this command does not reject man but God, the very One who gives you His Holy Spirit.”  If you are committing sexual sin with someone you have no intention of marrying, you are having sex with someone’s else’s future spouse.  When you commit acts of cheating and acts of adultery, God is going to avenge all such acts.  You will not be able to escape the consequences of your actions.

We are called to be holy.  Being made holy is being set apart.  We are a holy nation, a peculiar people, and a royal priesthood.  By the power of the Holy Spirit, the Lord is working in you to shape and mold you into a man or woman of God.  The transformation begins on the inside.  Your love and obedience to God is a direct result of an inward transformation that takes place in your heart and mind, from your innermost being.

When you are committing sexual sin, you are giving up full control of your entire body over to the lusts of your flesh and allowing yourself to indulge in what God has called sin (“Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous,” Hebrews 13:4ESV).  You are giving complete control of your body not just to your lustful thoughts but also to the one you are having sex with.  When you are giving complete control of your body to sexual sin to the one you are sinning with, you have made yourself and the one you’re engaging with a god; you are practicing idolatry.  As previously stated one of the meanings of the Greek word is “to practice idolatry.”

“I can’t help myself.”  Yes, you can.  When you are truly a child of God, the Holy Spirit residing in you gives you all the power you need to walk in purity and holiness before God.  When you are truly a child of God, you will allow the Holy Spirit to instruct you into all truth, and out of your love for Jesus, you will obey the commandments set out in the Word of God.  In Romans 8:12, we are told we are under no obligation to do what our sinful nature urges us to do.  You have God and all of the weapons He has supplied you with to combat every thought that goes against God and His Word.  You have God and all of the weapons He has supplied you with to resist temptation and flee from any kind of sin that would try to take you down.  Those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit are not controlled by their flesh, “You, however, are controlled not by the flesh, but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.  But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness.  And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit, who lives in you,” (Romans 8:9-11 BSB).  The Holy Spirit is your Helper, and when you are tempted, God provides a way of escape so that you are able to stand against the temptation.  “So the one who thinks he is standing firm should be careful not to fall.  No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide an escape, so that you can stand up under it, (1 Corinthians 10:12-13BSB).  Please never think you are so strong that you will stay in temptation’s path if it comes your way.  To think you are so strong that you cannot fall into sexual sin is foolish thinking, and if you believe you cannot fall into sexual sin, then you have been deceived and taken in.  The Apostle Paul made it very clear in his warning to believers, “SO THE ONE WHO THINKS HE IS STANDING FIRM SHOULD BE CAREFUL NOT TO FALL.”  This is a warning.  EVERY SINGLE PERSON is capable of falling into sexual sin, and if believe you are not capable of falling into any kind of sexual sin, then that is pride.  When temptation for sexual sin crosses your path, the only victory to overcome falling into sexual sin is to “Flee sexual immorality.”  You need to run from it.

LIVING SACRIFICES.  Since our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, since God says be holy for He is holy, it is necessary to remember in all we say and do that we are worshiping God.  According to Romans 12:1KJV, the Apostle Paul had this to say, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.”  Therefore, not only is your body the temple of the Holy Spirit but you are also a living sacrifice unto God that is to never be defiled.  Inside of you is the presence of the Lord which is the Holy Spirit dwelling in you.  In John 14:17ESV, it states, “Even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.”The Holy Spirit cannot tolerate defilement of the temple.  God is NEVER pleased when we defile the temple of the Holy Spirit (YOUR BODY) because you are dishonoring God and sinning against Him by idolizing yourself and surrendering control of your heart and soul to another, partaking in sexual sin.  You are sinning against your body by giving up your self-respect and letting other people who you are committing sexual sin with control you.  You are sinning against your own body by allowing another to defile you, not knowing if the other person has some disease or health issue that will affect you later on.  There is no victory when you are constantly falling into sexual sin.

Let me put it another way: A Man and a Woman get married and they consummate the marriage.  The consummation is the two becoming one flesh.  They are now joined together.  That consummation is the ultimate and complete expression of the commitment of love between a husband and a wife.  They are now united as one; the two became one flesh.  The married couple shares a mutual love, respect, and honor to each other.  With Christ, you were spiritually joined together, one in spirit with Him, you have become one with Him and have experienced is everlasting love and unwavering commitment to you as a child of the Most High God.  As a result of your love for Christ, you obey His commands, spend time in the Scriptures learning of God’s laws and commands, communing and communicating with God, and walk in wholehearted devotion to Christ.  You are joined as one with the Spirit of the Living God who has taken up residence within you.  Let’s look at these verses found in 1 Corinthians 6:15-17NLT, “Don’t you realize that your bodies are actually parts of Christ? Should a man take his body, which is part of Christ, and join it to a prostitute? Never! And don’t you realize that if a man joins himself to a prostitute, he becomes one body with her? For the Scriptures say, ‘The two are united into one.’ But the person who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with him.”  If you are controlled and consumed by lust, then you are controlled and consumed by sexual sin.  Those thoughts need to be brought under control.  Do not allow yourself to be consumed and controlled with lust.  If you allow yourself to be controlled by unbridled passion, you will find yourself in spiritual quicksand.  When you give yourself over to the control of sexual sin (just in case anyone is wondering, this also includes the sexual sin of masturbation which begins with uncontrolled lustful thoughts), you are bringing dishonor and defilement to the temple of the Holy Spirit because you are the temple of the Holy Spirit, bought with the price of the blood of Jesus shed for you.  Verses 18-20 continues on to say “Run from sexual sin! No other sin so clearly affects the body as this one does. For sexual immorality is a sin against your own body.  Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.”

WHO CAN CLIMB THE MOUNTAIN OF THE LORD?  In Psalm 24:3NLT, David asked two questions: “Who may climb the mountain of the Lord?  Who may stand in his holy place?”  And this is the answer is given to us in verses 4-6, “Only those whose hands and hearts are pure, who do not worship idols and never tell lies.  They will receive the Lord’s blessing and have a right relationship with God their savior.  Such people may seek you and worship in your presence, O God of Jacob.” 

Did you know that not a hint of sexual immorality or impurity is to be found amongst those who are true children of God?  In Ephesians 5:1-5BSB, it states, “Be imitators of God, therefore, as beloved children, and walk in love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant sacrificial offering to God.  But among you, as is proper among the saints, there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed.  Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk, or crude joking, which are out of character, but rather thanksgiving.  For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure, or greedy person (that is, an idolater), has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.”  Note the words, “there must not be even a hint.”  There should be nothing at all that we demonstrate that shows impurity amongst us.  We are to be fragrant living sacrifices to the Lord, bringing Him glory and honor in what we do and say.  We are to be imitators of God, to be perfect as He is perfect, to be holy as He is holy.  We are to be faithful to God, loving Him with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength.  Our allegiance is first and foremost always to God.  He is faithful, and we are to “be imitators of God.”  Therefore, we honor God with our bodies.

You cannot claim to be a child of God and be chasing the lusts of the flesh at the same time.  You are either a child of the devil or a child of God.  You are either of the world or you are of God.  Which are you?  You cannot have it both ways.  Either you are walking in purity before God or you’re not.  There is no neutral ground.  Every other sin committed is outside the body, but sinning sexually is sinning against your own body and sinning against God.  It was King David, after Nathan the prophet confronted him, repented before God and confessed his sin of adultery.  This is what King David said, “Against you, and you alone, have I sinned; I have done what is evil in your sight. You will be proved right in what you say, and your judgment against me is just,” (Psalm 51:4NLT).  God did forgive King David, and he was called a man after God’s own heart.  However, King David still reaped a whirlwind of consequences from his act of adultery with Bathsheba.  God does not allow sin to go unpunished.  Will God forgive you of sexual sin if you repent?  Yes, God will forgive you when you come before Him in sincere and genuine repentance with a humble heart.

PRAYER:  PSALM 51 (A Psalm of King David) “Have mercy on me, O God, because of your unfailing love.  Because of your great compassion, blot out the stain of my sins.  Wash me clean from my guilt. Purify me from my sin.  For I recognize my rebellion; it haunts me day and night.  Against you, and you alone, have I sinned; I have done what is evil in your sight.  You will be proved right in what you say, and your judgment against me is just.  For I was born a sinner—yes, from the moment my mother conceived me.  But you desire honesty from the womb, teaching me wisdom even there.  Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.  Oh, give me back my joy again; you have broken me—now let me rejoice.  Don’t keep looking at my sins.  Remove the stain of my guilt.  Create in me a clean heart, O God.  Renew a loyal spirit within me.  Do not banish me from your presence, and don’t take your Holy Spiritfrom me.  Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you.  Then I will teach your ways to rebels, and they will return to you.  Forgive me for shedding blood, O God who saves; then I will joyfully sing of your forgiveness.  Unseal my lips, O Lord, that my mouth may praise you.  You do not desire a sacrifice, or I would offer one.  You do not want a burnt offering.  The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit.  You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God.  Look with favor on Zion and help her; rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.  Then you will be pleased with sacrifices offered in the right spirit—with burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings.  Then bulls will again be sacrificed on your altar.”

Linda A. Knowles

Executive Director at Thread of Hope, Inc.

www.threadofhope.org

Diluted or Polluted?

Posted on by Dr. Linda Agnes Knowles

“Season all your grain offerings with salt to remind you of God’s eternal covenant. Never forget to add salt to your grain offerings.” -Leviticus 2:13 (NLT)

“Never forget to add salt…” was the command for this grain offering. The significance of the grain offering was that it represented honoring and worshiping God alone, acknowledging He alone is the Provider for all His Children. We cannot overlook the great significance of this offering. It is clear we are to honor and worship God alone and that God is our Provider. We are His temple, and our foundation is Christ. Since Christ is our foundation, then it is God alone whom we bring honor and glory to in what we say, what we do, and how we live. This grain offering could be offered by anyone even if he/she was poor. Anyone can honor and worship God alone. We are living sacrifices before God.

Let me explain the significance of salt: Back in Bible times, some middle eastern lands would gift someone with salt if they were making an agreement. Gifting with salt in those days represented that an agreement or legally binding contract (covenant) was permanent. Simply put, the gift of salt you gave to the one you made an agreement with represented a permanent agreement, a lasting and unchanged agreement indefinitely. That is why the salt could not be forgotten on the grain offering. The salt added to the grain offering was symbolic, representing the permanent covenant God and His People had. When this offering was made by the people of God, God was pleased by their intentions and motivation in making this offering. When we offer the sacrifice of praise and when we worship the Lord in how we live, we bring honor to God. “I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him,” (Romans 12:1 NLT).

Salt can be diluted or polluted. “You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless,” (Matthew 5:13 NLT). Job had this to say about unsalted food in Chapter 6 Verse 6, “Don’t people complain about unsalted food? Does anyone want the tasteless white of an egg?” There are a few things we must understand: (1) We are used to the chemical compound we call “table salt.” (2) The salt we know is not the salt they had back in the days of Jesus, and (3) Jesus used salt an example. If you were to look at me, you would not see a pile of salt. Jesus used salt as a way to describe the Remnant, the People of God.

Let’s agree on one thing. If we are going to eat, we want our food seasoned. We don’t want to eat bland food. We want flavorful food that tastes good. God wants us the salt of the earth to keep all its flavor and not to lose any of flavor by being diluted or polluted. If we lose our flavor by being complacent, then we are diluted salt -in other words we lose our godly influence in the world we live in, and we become rendered ineffective in ministry and to reach out to seek and save the lost. When we lose our godly influence, how will others see God being glorified through us? When we are complacent, then we are diluted salt. Salt can even be diluted to the point where you cannot even taste the salt.

Being salt that has not lost flavor is representative of God being active in your life, preserving you from the wickedness of this world and from the evil one. Being salt also shows that God has shown His grace and mercy to you, restoring and healing and forgiving you of your iniquities and transgressions.

Are you salt that still has all of its flavor? Are you polluted salt that has bought into the vain imaginations and philosophies of this world, or are you diluted salt whose flavor has been lessened by indifference or by complacency?

Let us not allow ourselves to lose our flavor. Let us strive to be ready at all times to serve the Lord effectively by having our roots deeply rooted in Christ and being grounded in the Word of God. Let us be the salt of the earth, bringing God glory as we are His hands extended (“So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God,” 1 Corinthians 10:31 ESV). Let us not be polluted by the things of this world but fix our eyes on Him who is the Author and the Finisher of our Faith. Let us never lose our influence in this world so that we might seek and save the lost by the power of His Holy Spirit working through us (“And then he told them, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone,'” Mark 16:15 NLT). God can only work through us when we are sold out for Him.

Heavenly Father, You alone are worthy of glory and honor. You alone are my Provider. Thank You for the blessings You have bestowed upon me. Thank You that I can freely worship You. Let me be the salt of the earth. Be my Instructor, and help me and remind me You are the One who sustains and keeps me. Teach me how not to be the salt that loses its flavor. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Linda A. Knowles