Wisdom Fills Your Heart With Joy

Posted on by Dr. Linda Agnes Knowles

WISDOM 1

True wisdom begins with the fear of the Lord, and it is produced in you by the work and power of the Holy Spirit.  Wisdom comes from God alone and is pure and holy, filled with insight and understanding, and the wise are proven by the choices they make. “For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will fill you with joy,” (Proverbs 2:10 NLT). Joy fills the heart of the one who chooses wisdom and knowledge, which come from God alone.  Gaining wisdom comes as you walk closely with God, remaining in right relationship with Him and being in tune with the Holy Spirit.  The Lord knows what lies ahead of you, and He will show you what to do and which path to take.  “But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and the fruit of good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere,” (James 3:17 NLT).  Always cling to God, The Giver of all Wisdom, because the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.

MEDITATION:  “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding,” (Proverbs 9:10 NASB).  Wisdom constantly calls out and is available to all who ask; it will help you discern right and wrong.  The Holy Spirit will lead you into ALL truth, and He will always point you to Christ and His ways and His teachings.  

PRAYER:  Heavenly Father, You generously give wisdom to all who cry out for wisdom.  You, O God, are the Eternal God, and fear of You is the beginning of wisdom.  Thank You for allowing me to hear wisdom calling out.  Fill me with Your power and might and with Your Holy Spirit so I can have insight and get understanding so I might learn discernment.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

 

Linda A. Knowles

Divination/Witchcraft: (Part 2b) – Spellbound Captivation – YOGA

Posted on by Dr. Linda Agnes Knowles
YOGA 1“‘You shall have no other gods before Me.'” -Exodus 20:3 (NASB)
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“I am the LORD; that is my name. I will not give my glory to anyone else or the praise I deserve to idols.” -Isaiah 42:8 (NASB)
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“‘For My own sake, for My own sake, I will act; For how can My name be profaned? And My glory I will not give to another.'” -Isaiah 48:11 (NASB)
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Yoga has gained popularity in Christianity;  however, Yoga has no place in the life of Christian, and it is also another form of “Christian Meditation.”  Christians may live in this world, but we are not of this world.  We have been set apart for service unto God and are to do things God’s way and not take on the customs of this world.  Vain philosophies and imaginations of man such as Yoga will only take you down the broad road that leads to destruction and just because the word “Christian” is slapped in front of Yoga or the like DOES NOT make it Christian.  It is simply disguising itself in a blatant display of defiance before the God Most High who is spoken of in the Bible.  The Scriptures clearly show the children of Israel did not get away with Idolatry, neither will you.

THE ORIGIN OF YOGA

YOGA 2.jpgYoga has its origin in Ancient India and is practiced in Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism.  In India, “Namaste” is a common greeting as well as in the cultures neighboring them, and “Namaste” is associated with Yoga. The word “Namaste” literally means “I bow to you” and the other meaning to “Namaste” is “the light in me bows to the light in you,” and the word “Namaste” is used at the beginning and end of every Yoga session. If you are a Christian and you greet someone with the term “Namaste” you are actually telling the person, “I bow to you” which is recognizing the individual as a god, which means you are also acknowledging the ultimate goal of Yoga.
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The word “Yoga” literally means, “to combine” or “to yoke,” and if you are doing Yoga, you are yoking yourself to the worship of false gods.  Part of Yoga is the chanting of the Sanskrit word “Aum” or “Om,” which is considered so sacred that it is at the beginning and ending to every Hindu mantra and incantation.  Even the holy book of Hinduism, the Bhagavad Ghita (ancient Indian Text) tells you why every mantra and incantation is buttoned with “Aum” or “Om,” and is symbolic “Uttering the monosyllable Om, the eternal world of Brahman, One who departs leaving the body (at death), he attains the superior goal.”  The religion of Buddhism also considers “Aum” to be sacred and follows suit in its practice as well.

THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF YOGA

YOGA 3In Hinduism, the ultimate goal is to become one with god, to be the creator god (the supreme god) called Brahma, the first god (4-headed) in “the triad,” which also includes the Hindu gods Vishnu the preserver and Shiva the destroyer as shown in the photo to the left.  To reach what is called “moksha,” a state of complete perfection, liberation, and godhood,  some Sadhus, Indian wandering holy men, have chosen a life of poverty in order to go on a quest in search of perfection and liberation, and to become god the creator.  They look inward toward themselves, “the god within.”  However, it is not only the Sadhus looking to reach a state of complete perfection, liberation, and to be the creator god but also anyone who practices the religion of Hinduism.

YOGA 5Now if any of this sounds familiar to you, there are passages that speak to one creature we know of that was thrown out of Heaven because he wanted to be God; His name is Lucifer/Satan, and he is the epitome of wickedness and anything that tries to exalt itself against the God of All Creation spoken of in the Holy Bible.  Both the King of Babylon and the King of Tyre, within the pages of the Bible, are shown to have the same characteristics in human form as Satan; Satan, being the epitome of all evil, and the kings, spiritually speaking, were no different than their father the devil.  The Kings of Babylon and Tyre wanted to be God and would do anything to achieve their goal of reaching the absolute state of perfection and godhood.  From Isaiah 14:12-17 (GW) “How you have fallen from heaven, you morning star, son of the dawn! How you have been cut down to the ground, you conqueror of nations! You thought, ‘I’ll go up to heaven and set up my throne above God’s stars. I’ll sit on the mountain far away in the north where the gods assemble.  I’ll go above the top of the clouds. I’ll be like the Most High.’  But you’ve been brought down to Sheol, to the deepest part of the pit.  Those who see you stare at you; they look at you closely and say, ‘Is this the man who made the earth tremble, who shook the kingdoms, who made the world like a desert and tore down its cities, who didn’t let his prisoners go home?'”  From Ezekiel 28:12-18 (ESV) “You were the signet of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.  You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone was your covering, sardius, topaz, and diamond, beryl, onyx and jasper, sapphire, emerald and carbuncle; and crafted in gold were your settings and your engravings.  On the day that you were created they were prepared.  You were an anointed guardian cherub.  I placed you; you were on the holy mountain of God; in the midst of the stones of fire you walked.  You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created, till unrighteousness was found in you.  In the abundance of your trade you were filled with violence in your midst, and you sinned; so I cast you out as a profane thing from the mountain of God, and I destroyed you, O guardian cherub, from the midst of the stone of fire.  Your heart was proud because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor.  I cast you to the ground; I exposed you before kings, to feast their eyes on you.  By the multitude of your iniquities, in the unrighteousness of your trade you profaned your sanctuaries; so I brought fire out from your midst; it consumed you, and I turned you to ashes on the earth in the sight of all who saw you.”  From Luke 10:18-20 (BSB) When Jesus was speaking to the 72 who had come back from doing great works in His name, “He said to them, ‘I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.  See, I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy. Nothing will harm you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”  The 72 could not take credit or pride in what they had done in the name of God and through the authority given to them by Christ because the great exploits they had done were not done by human strength or human wisdom.  They were given authority by Christ.  They were to give glory to God and not take pride or take joy that the demons submitted to them.  

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“I, even I, am the LORD, And there is no savior besides Me.” -Isaiah 43:11 (NASB)
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“You must worship no other gods, for the LORD, whose very name is Jealous, is a God who is jealous about his relationship with you.” -Exodus 34:14 (NLT)
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“And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.” -Matthew 24:11 (KJV)
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“Now the Holy Spirit tells us clearly that in the last times some will turn away from the true faith; they will follow deceptive spirits and teachings that come from demons.” -1 Timothy 4:1 (NLT)

ASK YOURSELF THIS QUESTION

How do you repurpose pagan worship and pagan prayer and then turn around, call it Christian, and actually believe the pagan worship and pagan prayer will be acceptable to the God who is spoken of in the Bible?

Coming Next:  Divination/Witchcraft: (Part 3) – Spellbound Captivation – Who Do You Want To Talk To?

Divination/Witchcraft: (Part 2a) Vain Repetition & Meditation

Posted on by Dr. Linda Agnes Knowles
COVER YOUR EARS 1
WHAT IS VAIN REPETITION?
Vain repetition -formulated prayers, mantras, incantations- are words which are useless and empty which flow from the human mind, things conceived by man, influenced by vain imaginations and worldly philosophies.  In Romans 12:2, it states, “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”
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Jesus had this to say about vain repetition in a teaching in Matthew 6:7 (NLT), “When you pray, don’t babble on and on as people of other religions do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again.”
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In Acts 19:28 (BLB), we find an example of vain repetition, “And having heard, and having become full of rage, they were crying out saying, ‘Great is Artemis of the Ephesians,'” and in Acts 19:34 (ESV), “But when they recognized that he was a Jew, for about two hours they all cried out with one voice, ‘Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!'” For two hours, they kept crying out the same phrase over and over.  Their shouts lasted only two hours and what purpose did it serve?  No purpose at all.  It was simply part of their rioting, senseless rioting over a false deity with all that chanting, and no results.
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The Oxford Dictionary defines mantra as:
  1. Originally in Hinduism and Buddhism a word or sound repeated to aid concentration in meditation
  2. A Vedic hymn.
  3. A statement or slogan repeated frequently.
The Origin of the word itself:  “Late 18th century: Sanskrit, literally ‘a thought, thought behind speech or action’, from man- ‘think’, related to mind.”
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Mantras and incantations have their origins in the Vedic Religion (India).  The ancient text “The Vedas,” considered sacred, is in the Sanskrit language, written between 1500 and 1000 BCE, is filled with prayers, formulas, liturgy, and mythological accounts. Many of the languages spoken in India have descended from the Sanskrit language.
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Mantras/Incantations have been part of Christian Meditation since about the 4th Century having its origins in Eastern Religions and Eastern Philosophies (Monks/Nuns of Eastern Orthodoxy, The Church of the East, Oriental Orthodoxy, Eastern Catholicism) has flowed into Modern Christianity where even Transcendental Meditation (From the Middle Eastern Religions and Middle Eastern Philosophies as well as Asian Religions and Asian Philosophies) is readily accepted with the use of mantras and incantations.
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For instance, in a video of a Christian Meditation Instructor, she stated, “I want you to use this mantra.  Repeat after me:  I choose you.” She would take a deep “cleansing breath” and then repeat the mantra.  She did this several times.
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Another Christian Meditation Instructor looked at a bible verse from Isaiah and proceeded to put her electronic Bible down and commenced with the meditation.
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In some of the worldly meditation videos, I saw the same thing going on as I did with the “Christian Meditation” videos.  I could NOT see the difference between “Christian Meditation” versus the Secular Meditation unless I looked very closely.  In other words, there was no difference with the so-called Christian Meditation versus the Worldly Meditation.  Both use Bible Scripture to back up their forms of meditation.  Mantras and incantations are mantras and incantations no matter how much you try to dress it up, disguise it, slice it, or dice it.
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Acceptable Prayer to the God spoken of in the bible does not involve mantras or incantations or formulated prayers.  King David poured his heart out to God in the Psalms (56:8 NLT) “You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book.”  In Philippians 4:6-7 (ESV), it states, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known to God.  And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus,” and in Matthew 11:28 (NASB), Jesus says, “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.”  We are told in 1 John 5:14 (ESV), “And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us.”  And that even in prayer (Psalm 150:6 NLT), “Let everything that breathes sing praises to the LORD! Praise the LORD!”  Acceptable Prayer to the God Who is The Creator is simply pouring your heart out before Him, coming into His presence with thanksgiving, and acceptable prayer is also repentance and confession before Him, seeking after Him and His righteousness.
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We, as believers, are not to adopt the ways or customs of this world (Romans 12:2), and when you are using the mantras and incantations you are you are committing the sins of divination and idolatry.  When you chant mantras and incantations you are exalting and giving glory to Satan, NOT GOD, and as children of the Most High God, we are to follow the examples and teachings of Christ, NOT the ways and customs of this world.  The Bible is quite clear when it states in Deuteronomy 18:9-13 (NLT), “When you enter the land the Lord your God is giving you, be very careful not to imitate the detestable customs of the nations living there. For example, never sacrifice your son or daughter as a burnt offering. And do not let your people practice fortune-telling, or use sorcery, or interpret omens, or engage in witchcraft, or cast spells, or function as mediums or psychics, or call forth the spirits of the dead. Anyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord. It is because the other nations have done these detestable things that the Lord your God will drive them out ahead of you. But you must be blameless before the Lord your God. ” 

MEDITATION 1THIS “NEW THING” CALLED “CHRISTIAN MEDITATION”
Christian Meditation is NOT a new thing and it’s not the new thing God is speaking of in Isaiah 43:18-19 which states, “Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old.  Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.”
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To use this passage to justify “Christian Meditation” is to misinterpret and to misappropriate the text because this passage is speaking about the Lord not having exhausted His power, that whatever situation one may find him/herself in, God will provide a way through the situation which is likened to a “wilderness” and that God provides relief to His child where there is none.  We can see this, by the full context of Isaiah 43:18-19 by reading the previous verses which state (verses 16-17), “This is what the Lord says— he who made a way through the sea, a path through the mighty waters, who drew out the chariots and horses, the army and reinforcements together, and they lay there, never to rise again, extinguished, snuffed out like a wick,” which means the God who parted the sea and delivered Israel from Egypt, defeated their enemies and provided a way of escape.  Where they didn’t see any relief, God provided them with relief from their oppressors and gave them victory.  This passage has absolutely nothing to do with this “new thing” called “Christian Meditation.”
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Nowhere in Scripture will you find the Transcendental Meditation steps such as focusing on self-discovery or enlightenment or to be aware of your environment.  The Bible does NOT tell you to focus on yourself in prayer.  As a matter of fact, it states, “You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is fixed on you because he trusts in You,” (Isaiah 26:3 NLT) and “When the Spirit of Truth comes, he will guide you into the full truth. He won’t speak on his own. He will speak what he hears and will tell you about things to come,” (John 16:13 GW).  Truth is given by the God Who Created The Heavens and The Earth, and the Bible states, in Psalm 33:4 (NLT), “For the word of the LORD holds true, and we can trust everything he does,” and in John 17:17 (NLT), we can see Jesus prayed, “Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth.”
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Christian Meditation, like the worldly meditations, takes your mind off Jesus Christ as told of in the Bible, and has you emptying your mind to discover your environment around you, to focus on self-discovery, and focus on gaining enlightenment.  The Bible tells you what to focus such as in Galatians 6:14 (NLT), “As for me, may I never boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of that cross, my interest in this world has been crucified, and the world’s interest in me has also died,” and 1 Corinthians 1:18 (NLT), “The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God,” and in Roman 13:14 (NLT), “Instead, clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. And don’t let yourself think about ways to indulge your evil desires.”
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BIBLICAL MEDITATION
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Biblical Meditation never requires using eloquent words or formulas to pray to Him.  He is not impressed with the power of your voice as you shout out to Him.  He is not impressed with many words.
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In 1 Samuel 16:7 (GW), it states, “But the LORD told Samuel, “Don’t look at his appearance or how tall he is, because I have rejected him. God does not see as humans see. Humans look at outward appearances, but the LORD looks into the heart.”  HE LOOKS TO YOUR HEART, not your outward display of showmanship before Him.
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Biblical Meditation is not influenced by culture or any kind of man-made philosophy, and it does not coddle the vain imaginations of man.
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Biblical Meditation involves you and Jesus “For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,” (1 Timothy 2:5).  Jesus is your Mediator, sitting at the right hand of the Father, interceding for you.
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You will find nowhere in the Bible where it tells you to “Exhale the bad, Inhale the good,” or to utter any such nonsensical mantra such as “Exhale the bad, Inhale Jesus.”  The Bible does not say for you to focus on the environment when meditating on God, but the Bible does say in Colossians 3:2 (ESV), “Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.”  The Bible does not say empty your mind, but the Bible does say in Philippians 4:8 (ESV), “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”  The Bible does not say to tell you to recite mantras and incantations, but the Bible does say in Matthew 6:7 (NLT), “When you pray, don’t babble on and on as people of other religions do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again,” and in John 4:24 (BSB), “God is Spirit, and His worshipers must worship Him in spirit and in truth,” and in Psalm 150:6 (NASB), “Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD!”
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Meditating on God’s Word is hiding His Word in your heart, and in Psalm 119:11 (KJV), the Psalmist King David declared, “Your word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against you.”  Meditating God’s Way is “Be still and know that I am God.”  When you hide God’s Word in your heart, you have Scripture you can think about, ponder, consider, and something you can put into action.  By hiding His Word in your heart, committing His Word to memory, you have something you can carry throughout the day with you, not just one day but every day.  At various points, you can sit down and meditate on what you studied or read from the Bible, thinking about how you can apply the Word of God practically to your life.
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Acceptable Prayer and Biblical Meditation (as shown in the Scriptures) is pleasing to God while Christian Meditation and Vain Repetition are forms of divination because they involve the invoking of false deities…

(Coming Next:  Divination/Witchcraft:  (Part 2b) – Spellbound Captivation – YOGA)

Sweet Song, Sweet Melody

Posted on by Dr. Linda Agnes Knowles

BIBLE 8

MY SWEET SONG, MY SWEET MELODY

Written By Linda A. Knowles

 

 

My Sweet Song,

My Sweet Melody,

My God to whom I sing.

Abba,

Sweet Melody,

You are my song-

Through every day,

Through every night.

You are the sweetest song I know,

My Sweet Melody;

And I will glory in who You are,

And sing praises to Your name.

 

Tempting Someone Is Not Good

Posted on by Dr. Linda Agnes Knowles

LUKE 12VS2

“And he said to his disciples, ‘Temptations to sin are sure to come, BUT WOE TO THE ONE THROUGH WHOM THEY COME!’ It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were cast into the sea than that he should cause one of these little ones to sin.'” -Luke 17:1-2 (ESV) 

 

Do NOT be foolish to tempt someone to do what he/she knows is evil in the eyes of GOD, and do NOT be foolish to tempt someone to do what you know is evil in the eyes of GOD. Just like someone does not escape the consequences of their choice to give into temptation and sin, you won’t escape the consequences of tempting him/her and causing him/her to stumble or fall.

God looks to the intents and motives of your heart, and He will not be mocked.

 

“Live as free people, but don’t hide behind your freedom when you do evil. Instead, use your freedom to serve God.” -1 Peter 2:16 (GW)

Sozo Is Witchcraft

Posted on by Dr. Linda Agnes Knowles
WOLF 1SOZO MEDITATION 
 
New Testament Greek Lexicon Meaning of the word “Sozo” pronounced “sode zo”:  Sozo is a verb which means “to save, keep safe and sound, to rescue from danger or destruction;  one (from injury or peril) -to save a suffering one (from perishing), i.e. one suffering from disease, to make well, heal, restore to health;  to preserve one who is in danger of destruction, to save or rescue;  to save in the technical biblical sense; to deliver from the penalties of the Messianic judgment;  to save from the evils which obstruct the reception of the Messianic deliverance.”
 
We know things can be taken out of context, taken from the original meaning, and twisted to the point where it cannot be recognized or it is made to be as close to the meaning as possible but has a twist and turned into a lie.
 
Sozo has been taken from its meaning in the New Testament Greek Lexicon and has been twisted into a form of divination that is being allowed in quite a number of churches.  Any church conducting Sozo Mediation and Meditation sessions are doctrinally unsound and theologically incorrect.  Sozo requires a mediator “to walk with you through your subconscious” in one or more sessions, and that, Folks, is NEW AGE RUBBISH.
 
You can roll manure in sugar, but it’s still manure; And to allow your mind to be emptied to just anyone or to any form of divination, you will open a door that will lead you down a path you have no business being on, and in the end, you’ll regret it because you are opening yourself up to demonic spirits and their demonic world.  In Ephesians 2:2, it states,  “You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God.”  Satan is going to make something look good.  He is not going to show you what the sin and its consequences look like.  In 2 Corinthians 11:12-15, it states, “But I will keep on doing what I am doing, in order to undercut those who want an opportunity to be regarded as our equals in the things they boast about. For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their actions.”
 
YOU NEED ONLY ONE MEDIATOR.  That Mediator is Jesus Christ Himself. The Word says in 1 Timothy 2:5, “For there is only one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity–the man Christ Jesus.”  You do NOT need any man or woman on the face of the earth to intercede before God Almighty for you to be reconciled to Him.  You have THE MEDIATOR.  You have people of like precious faith you can ask to pray for you because we are told to pray for one another, BUT CHRIST IS LORD AND SAVIOR, and He alone is our Mediator, our Intercessor, and He is before the Father for us.
 
We know Jesus prays for us because we see in Luke 22:31-32, which states, “‘Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift each of you like wheat. But I have pleaded in prayer for you, Simon, that your faith should not fail. So when you have repented and turned to me again, strengthen your brothers.'”  (John 17:6-26, Jesus prayed for his disciples and all believers).
 
“Now the Holy Spirit tells us clearly that in the last times some will turn away from the true faith; they will follow deceptive spirits and teachings that come from demons, influenced by the hypocrisy of liars, whose consciences are seared with a hot iron. ” -1 Timothy 4:1-2
 
The problem is most claiming to have a relationship with God are not studying their Bibles, are not walking in obedience to God, want to continue living in their life of sin (whatever the sin might be), want to hear preaching filled with lies and will embrace those lies, and will not check the Scriptures to find out if the teaching and preaching they have heard lines up with the Word of God.
 
As a result of those problems, false doctrines and teachings such as Sozo Mediation and Meditation are infiltrating the church.  In Matthew 7:15-20, it states, “‘Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves. You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. Can you pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit. So every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire. Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions.'”
 
If you want to be victorious in your life, if you want to be made complete, if you need a healing (physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually), it will not come through any Sozo Mediation or Sozo Meditation.  It will not come through any form of witchcraft, and it will not come through any false teaching.  If anything, you will end up with more problems and illnesses than you began with, or you will end up with a cheap knockoff that will eventually fall apart.  Jesus Himself said, “Apart from me, you can do nothing,” and He also said, “‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.'”
 
Christ is your Healer, and He is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8).  Is your mind troubled?  Do you have a broken heart?  Do you need a healing from an illness?  Sozo mediation or Sozo meditation is not going to help you, BUT it will hurt you more. JESUS CHRIST, however, is your Mediator between God and you and He is the One through whom your healing comes.  No matter what your need is, Jesus is the answer.  NO MAN ON THE FACE OF THIS EARTH CAN HEAL YOU.  Healing comes through Christ.  The Word says in 1 Peter 2:24 states, “Christ Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness — by whose stripes you were healed.”
 
I’ll conclude with this:  STUDY THE WORD OF GOD AND USE IT AS A BAR OF MEASURE FOR ANY PREACHING OR TEACHING YOU HEAR.  Study the Word.  Study the Bible, taking notes.  KNOW your Bible so this way when you see or hear something, you will then be able to recognize whether it is of God or not.  Just because something is a “church program” or “church function” or “church study” or “ministry function” does not mean it’s of God.  You can tell by the fruit.  In 1 John 4:1, it says, “Dear friends, do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God. For there are many false prophets in the world.”  TEST EVERY SPIRIT.
 
 
“This is what the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel, says: ‘Only in returning to me and resting in me will you be saved. In quietness and confidence is your strength. But you would have none of it.'” -Isaiah 30:15
 
“Then Jesus said, ‘Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.'” -Matthew 11:28-30
 
 Linda A. Knowles
 
 

Calvary’s Love

Posted on by Dr. Linda Agnes Knowles

cross 1.jpg

CALVARY’S LOVE

Written By Linda A. Knowles

 

I look up to see

Calvary’s Love

Upon The Old Rugged Cross

Telling of Redemption’s Story

of Jesus the Christ

And the price He paid

Badly beaten

Then crucified

And being wounded for our transgressions

Bruised for our iniquities

By whose stripes we are healed

And as I look upon the Old Rugged Cross

My Savior is no longer there

For He rose up from the dead

With glorious resurrection power

Conquering death, hell, and the grave

My Triumphant Savior and Lord

The God of Victory

“…if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.  For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.”

Romans 10:9-10 (ESV)

“The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction!  But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God.”

1 Corinthians 1:18 (NLT)

The Problem With Masks & Costumes

Posted on by Dr. Linda Agnes Knowles

MASK 3Every Halloween, it’s a mad dash to get out of the house as fast as possible by exactly 4:30 p.m. to avoid Trick or Treaters.  I am one who absolutely loathes Halloween as does my husband.  We don’t celebrate Halloween, and the idea of passing out candy every two minutes for four and a half hours doesn’t sound appealing at all… EVER.

The first year we were at our current residence, we were leaving the house, and I caught a glimpse of a parent with his child in his arms.  Something about seeing a child dressed as a vampire was highly disturbing, and the fake blood on the fangs just made it worse until I saw a newborn dressed as an ax murderer and found myself shuddering.

Figuratively speaking, people wear masks and costumes all the time.  The masks conceal what the person’s face actually looks like versus how the person shows him/herself to others.  For instance, when someone is wearing a mask/costume, he can portray himself as if he is an angel.   When in actuality, he lacks compassion, has the intrusive nature of a cockroach, and has the character of a shark and alligator combined.  If someone is shy, she may not be shy when wearing a mask.  She can feel free to be outgoing and speak her mind because no one knows it’s her, allowing her not to fear rejection, and being able to share her thoughts and ideas without anyone trying to stop her from talking, and there’s no one to stop her from meeting other people who are wearing masks and costumes just like her.

WOLF 2HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM WITH MASKS AND COSTUMES is eventually they have to be taken off.  When masks and costumes are stripped off, be careful because you may find the person was a wolf for the entire time you knew them.  At that point, you have to decide what you will do.  You will either stick around and be devoured by the wolf until there is nothing left of you except a skeleton, or you will run and get away from the ravenous wolf who is staring at you like you are dinner with its fangs exposed and ready to pounce on you.

If you choose the second option, you, at least, have a chance of survival.

 

Linda A. Knowles

 

 

 

Divination/Witchcraft: Spellbound Captivation (Part 1) Introduction

Posted on by Dr. Linda Agnes Knowles

NO OTHER GOD 1Divination has permeated societies and cultures around the globe.  It has filled our schools, homes, businesses, churches, commercials, television shows, media, movies, books, literature, video games, and the internet.  Divination has disguised itself in what seems to be the most innocent to what is obviously blatant.  It has filtered itself through words of manipulation and deceit as well as in vain repetition.

Divination is fathered by none other than Lucifer, the devil himself, called Satan, the serpent of old, and the adversary to your soul.  In 1 Peter 5:8 (KJV), it states, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour,” and Jesus Christ Himself called Satan the Father of Lies as we can see in John 8:44 (GW) which states, “You come from your father, the devil, and you desire to do what your father wants you to do. The devil was a murderer from the beginning. He has never been truthful. He doesn’t know what the truth is. Whenever he tells a lie, he’s doing what comes naturally to him. He’s a liar and the father of lies.”

Satan will never show you sin in its actual form because Satan knows if you knew what sin looked like, there is no way you would go near it.  He will dress the sin to look fun, innocent, tantalizing, and/or seductive which will leave you wanting more if you are not paying attention and are unable to discern what is good and what is evil.

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength,” (Deuteronomy 6:5).  THE FACT IS SATAN WILL LIE TO YOU.  If you are involved in any form of divination and call yourself a Christian, understand one thing:  divination removes God from the throne of your life;  And if God is not sitting on the throne of your life, there is only one other sitting on that throne.  You cannot serve God and Satan at the same time. They do not share the same throne nor do they share the same kingdom.  Understand divination, no matter what form you are entertaining, MUST be repented of and you must turn away from all divination, not just portions of it.

You are the temple of the Holy Spirit, and the basic law of the temple is holiness.  Do not defile your temple by entertaining that which is displeasing to God.

Linda A. Knowles

Coming Next:  Divination/Witchcraft: (Part 2a) Spellbound Captivation Vain Repetition & Meditation…

When There Are Those Who Never Believed You Could Be Successful

Posted on by Dr. Linda Agnes Knowles

MARCUS AURELIUS

No need for revenge.

Let your enemies fall apart at the seams

while you succeed,

and leave vengeance to God alone.

“For the battle is the Lord‘s…”

1 Samuel 17:47 (ESV)

“‘…for the battle is not yours but God’s.'”

2 Chronicle 20:15 (ESV)

 

Living As Children of Light

Posted on by Dr. Linda Agnes Knowles

The world we live in today has lost its moral compass, but we are not to be like the world.  We are to shine brightly for God, to be a light in this dark world, and we must be careful not bring shame to the name of Jesus whose name we bear.  Let us always remember we belong to the Lord, and therefore, we are NOT be conformed to the ways and customs of this world.  In other words, we are NOT to let the world influence us;  we are to be led by the Holy Spirit, putting on the full armor of God, to have the attitude of Christ.

 

Let us be the children of God shining as bright beacons of light.

 

You are not in Christ to continue being what you were before Christ. You cannot claim to have a relationship with Christ while still living as you were before Christ. If you are doing so, you are living in darkness and you’re not being truthful as it states in 1 John 1:5-6, “This is the message we heard from Christ and are reporting to you: God is light, and there isn’t any darkness in him. If we say, ‘We have a relationship with God’ and yet live in the dark, we’re lying. We aren’t being truthful.”

 

MEDITATION:   “Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy,” (Ephesians 4:23-24 GW).  There is something drastically wrong with the church when you can no longer tell the difference between the world and the church.  You are to be like Christ.  Christ did not follow the vain imaginations of men and He did not subscribe to the world’s philosophy.  He came and began preaching “Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.”  Repentance and confession are still part of the believer’s life today.  Repentance is turning away from your wickedness and having a complete change of mind.  Christ said, “Blessed are those who are poor in spirit.”  In other words, you are blessed because you realize your need for Him and to have Him as your Lord and Savior.  In Christ, you are a new creation, and therefore, you have thrown off the sinful nature and have taken on the new nature, putting on the mind of Christ and following after His teachings and applying them to your life.  You understand being in Christ means you are no longer your own.  You belong to Christ first, and secondly, you are a part of the body of believers.  Therefore, you must conduct yourself according to the new nature Christ has given you.

 

PRAYER:  Heavenly Father, thank You for not leaving me without power.  Thank You for equipping me to live a life that is pleasing before Your sight.  My desire is to seek Your approval in all that I do, to live as You would have me to live.  Let me be a beacon of light shining brightly for You so I may bring glory to Your name.  Father, be the One Who Lights My Way in this dark world.  Teach me Your ways and Your laws that I might meditate on them through the day and through the night.  Fill me with Your Spirit in order for me to produce the fruits spoken of in Your Word.  I ask for You to go before me wherever I go, and I ask that You be with me throughout my day.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

 

Linda A. Knowles

Does God Still Speak?

Posted on by Dr. Linda Agnes Knowles

John-1027-widescreen-752x440

Yes, God does still speak to His children today.

As children of the Most High God, we do not take on the beliefs of those in the world whether they are the ordinary unbelievers you come across every day or secular actors, athletes, singers, and the like  who believe that if you talk much about God they consider you to be a good Christian but then consider you to be crazy if you say God speaks to you.   The vain imagination of man and the world’s philosophy is contrary to the nature and character of God and is in direct opposition to what the Word of God says.

Our God is THE personal God.  He is so personal that you are fearfully and wonderfully made complex (Psalm 139:14).  There is nowhere you can go that you can flee from His presence (Psalm 139:7-10).  God knit you together in your mother’s womb (Psalm 139:13).  You CANNOT get more personal than that.  He wants to talk to you (Isaiah 1:18, James 4:8, Hebrews 4:12), and He wants you to talk to Him (Jeremiah 33:3, John 10:27-28, 1 John 1:3).  Having a relationship with God involves communication with Him, and you can talk with God anytime even if you are shopping, cooking, cleaning house, doing yardwork, tending to your children, and taking care of other responsibilities or anything you are doing in your leisure time (Joshua 1:9; Psalm 16:8, 145:18).  You’re not limited in when you can talk to your Heavenly Father or in how often you can speak with your Heavenly Father.

“GOD DOESN’T SPEAK TO ME LIKE HE DOES TO YOU; WHY DOESN’T GOD SPEAK TO ME LIKE HE DOES TO YOU…”

Do you want to hear God’s voice?  If yes, what are you doing to nurture your relationship with God in order to hear His voice?   Are you being quiet enough to listen to Him?  In other words, are you going into your prayer closet where it is just you and God alone, in place of solitude, where He can speak to you without you being distracted?  Are you willing for God to interrupt you at anytime no matter what you are doing so He can talk to you?  If you have a relationship with God, you should be daily spending time in the Word, developing discernment about what is right and what is wrong, and hearing Him speak to you through His Word.  If you have a relationship with God, then you should be spending time in prayer, seeking His Kingdom and His righteousness.  If you have a relationship with God, you should know the Word is clear when it states that “God is not a man, so he does not lie. He is not human, so he does not change his mind. Has he ever spoken and failed to act? Has he ever promised and not carried it through?”  (Numbers 23:19 NLT)   Since God does NOT change, the phrase “God doesn’t speak” is incorrect, and, therefore, does NOT line up with the Unchanging God the Bible speaks of. God uses various ways to speak to His children.

It is important to note this: Do NOT complain God doesn’t talk to you (1) if you are not opening your Bible to study or read it, (2) if you are practicing a life of sin that is drowning out His voice, (3) if you are not paying attention to Him because you’re too “busy” to give Him your attention, (4) if you are complacent, non-committed, indifferent, or stagnant when it comes to God and the things that concern God such as His Will and His Ways, or (5) if you have cut yourself off from Him by actually choosing to be disobedient, disloyal, and have chosen your ways and your will rather than God’s.

“SO GOD SPOKE TO YOU AUDIBLY?”

Usually when someone says, “God told me” or “God spoke to me,” the automatic assumption and conclusion on the part of the listener is that the person heard God speak audibly.  However, the Bible is filled with metaphoric language, which is “the changing of form or nature of a person or thing into something different by natural or supernatural means,” and anthropomorphic language, which is “ascribing human attributes to God.” For instance, in the New Testament, we are told “God is spirit,” (John 4:24) yet at the same time, we speak of being in the hands of God (Deuteronomy 7:8, Isaiah 49:16) and talk about God holding the waters of the earth in His hand (Isaiah 40:12), and we see, in Genesis 1:1, God spoke things into existence such as the heavens and the earth, and in Genesis 3:8, we see Adam and Eve heard God walking in the garden in the cool of the day (Genesis 3:8).

BAR OF MEASURE FOR THE BELIEVER

Within the pages of the Bible, we see the standard of morality and the standard of ethics are set forth by God, and therefore, any preaching or teaching is measured by the Word of God. If a teaching or preaching does not line up with the Word of God, then it must be thrown out.   With that being said, since the Bible is the Authoritative Word of God for those who are believers, it should be no surprise to believers when their fellow brothers and sisters use phrasing often used within the pages of the Bible which they cherish to give them instructions for how to live a life pleasing to God.  God speaks to us through both the Old and the New Testaments.  If you believe in the New Testament, you must also believe in the Old Testament.  The apostles and disciples did not have the New Testament you hold in your hand today.  They got their teaching from the Law and the Prophets as well as those who were in the very presence of Christ and walking with Him during Christ’s time on earth as well as through the disciples who went forth into all the world to make disciples of all nations preaching the Good News of Jesus Christ and the testimonies of those who were witnesses and were saved through the hearing of the message of the cross.

“HOW DOES GOD SPEAK?”   GOD SPEAKS IN VARIOUS WAYS.

  • GOD SPEAKS through the Scripture either by multiple verses or even just a single verse:  “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.” (2 Timothy 3:16 NLT)  “For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.”  (Hebrew 4:12 NLT)
  • GOD SPEAKS in Gentle Whisper/Small Still Voice. “And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper.” (1 Kings 19:12 KJV)  “While you were doing these wicked things, says the LORD, I spoke to you about it repeatedly, but you would not listen. I called out to you, but you refused to answer.” (Jeremiah 7:13 NLT)
  • GOD SPEAKS in Your Personal Quiet Time With Him.  Jesus spent time in prayer, before God, and spoke with God regularly in a place of solitude.  “But Jesus often withdrew to the wilderness for prayer.”  (Luke 5:16 NLT) “In those days, Jesus went out to the mountain to pray, and He spent the night in prayer to God.” (Luke 6:12 BSB)  And if Jesus spent time in solitude with God, how much more should we to hear what God has to say?
  • GOD SPEAKS Revealing His Thoughts To Mankind.  “For the LORD is the one who shaped the mountains, stirs up the winds, and reveals his thoughts to mankind. He turns the light of dawn into darkness and treads on the heights of the earth. The LORD God of Heaven’s Armies is his name!” (Amos 4:13 NLT)  “‘Her husband Joseph was an honorable man and did not want to disgrace her publicly. So he decided to break the marriage agreement with her secretly.  Joseph had this in mind when an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. The angel said to him, “Joseph, descendant of David, don’t be afraid to take Mary as your wife. She is pregnant by the Holy Spirit.  She will give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus [He Saves], because he will save his people from their sins.'” (Matthew 1:19-21 GW)
  • GOD SPEAKS by Natural/Supernatural Means.  God used a donkey, a burning bush, a bright light, and has used all of creation.  “Then the LORD gave the donkey the ability to speak. ‘What have I done to you that deserves your beating me three times?’ it asked Balaam.” (Numbers 22:28 NLT)  “When the Lord saw Moses coming to take a closer look, God called to him from the middle of the bush, ‘Moses! Moses!'” (Exodus 3:4 NLT)  “Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him.” (Acts 9:3 ESV)  “For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them.  For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.” (Romans 1:19-20 ESV)
  • GOD SPEAKS by The Word Of HIS Testimony. “The law of the LORD is perfect, restoring the soul;  The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.” (Psalm 19:7 NASB)
  • GOD SPEAKS in Dreams & Visions.  Examples:  Peter, Paul, Ananias. “It will come about after this that I will pour out My Spirit on all mankind; And your sons and daughters will prophesy,  Your old men will dream dreams, Your young men will see visions.” (Joel 2:28 NASB)  “He saw the sky open, and something like a large sheet was let down by its four corners.” (Acts 10:11 NLT) “That night Paul had a vision: A man from Macedonia in northern Greece was standing there, pleading with him, ‘Come over to Macedonia and help us!'” (Acts 16:9 NLT) “In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias.  The Lord spoke to him in a vision, ‘Ananias!’  ‘Here I am, Lord,’ he answered.” (Acts 9:10 BSB) “About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God come in and say to him, ‘Cornelius.'” (Acts 10:3 ESV)
  • GOD SPEAKS through People.  “For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.” (Matthew 10:20 ESV)
  • GOD SPEAKS through His Son Jesus Christ. “but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.” (Hebrew 1:2 ESV)  “Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people.” (Matthew 4:23 HCSB)
  • GOD SPEAKS through the Prophets.  “He has sent us a mighty Savior from the royal line of his servant David, just as he promised through his holy prophets long ago.  Now we will be saved from our enemies and from all who hate us.” (Luke 1:69-71 NLT)  “I want you to remember what the holy prophets said long ago and what our Lord and Savior commanded through your apostles.” (2 Peter 3:2 NLT) “Are not these the words which the LORD proclaimed by the former prophets, when Jerusalem was inhabited and prosperous along with its cities around it, and the Negev and the foothills were inhabited?” (Zechariah 7:7 NASB)
  • GOD SPEAKS through His Holy Spirit. “And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate to be with you forever — the Spirit of truth. The world cannot receive Him, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. But you do know Him, for He abides with you and will be in you.” (John 14:16-18 BSB) “Then He remembered the days of the past, the days of Moses and his people.  Where is He who brought them out of the sea with the shepherds of His flock?  Where is He who put His Holy Spirit among the flock?” (Isaiah 63:11 HCSB) “For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.” (Romans 8:14 NASB)  “If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.” (Galatians 5:25 NASB) “Then the Spirit said to Philip, ‘Go up and join this chariot.'” (Acts 8:29 NASB) “which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words.” (1 Corinthians 2:13 NASB)  “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come.” (John 16:13 ESV)
  • GOD SPEAKS through Godly counsel.  “The godly offer good counsel; they teach right from wrong.” (Psalm 37:30 NLT)  “Listen to advice and accept instruction, that you may gain wisdom in the future.  Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand. (Proverbs 19:20-21 ESV)
  • GOD SPEAKS through Circumstances.  “Daniel said to the king, “Your Majesty, may you live forever!  My God sent his angel and shut the lions’ mouths so that they couldn’t hurt me. He did this because he considered me innocent. Your Majesty, I haven’t committed any crime.” The king was overjoyed and had Daniel taken out of the den. When Daniel was taken out of the den, people saw that he was completely unharmed because he trusted his God.” (Daniel 6:21-23 GW)

 

Linda A. Knowles