Judgment Begins In The Household of God

Posted on by Dr. Linda Agnes Knowles

As I was reading and studying the Word this morning, I couldn’t help but find myself with a very sobering thought:  Judgment begins in the Household of God.  No one can escape God’s judgment, “So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God,” (Romans 14:12).  The closer the return of Christ is the more we see things in this world unravel.  It is important that we remain vigilant in our walk with the Lord.  This is not a time to be slacking.  This is a time to rise up.  Stand up for God’s truth.  Do not back down.

The prophet Ezekiel was given a message to the people of Judah.  The Temple of the Lord had been defiled.  They had chance after chance to repent and turn from their wicked ways, but they still chose to disobey and live lives of evil.  God’s mercy and grace gives us a chance to repent.  God’s mercy and grace gives us a chance to turn from our evil ways.  God’s mercy and grace also provides us with warnings.  When we do not heed the warning of God, then we find ourselves in positions where the ax of God’s judgment will strike.


If you are a leader of any kind, you are not exempt from God’s judgment.  Those who are in leadership are judged more harshly than those they lead. James 3:1 says, “Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. ”  And this is where I find myself saying, “God, never let me go” because verses like this make me shudder.  We are responsible to those we lead, those who follow our example.  We are either godly leaders or we are leading people to destruction.  The leaders of Judah knew this too well.  The people should have been able to look to their leaders to learn about the Word of God and they should have seen their leaders living examples of godly lives, instead, they defiled the temple, and the judgment of God began with them.  Check out this verse found in Ezekiel 9:6, “‘Slaughter the old men, the young men and maidens, the women and children, but do not go near anyone who has the mark. Now begin at My sanctuary.’ So they began with the elders who were before the temple.”  You are the Temple of the Holy Spirit, and YOU are sealed with the Holy Spirit.  If you are truly living for the Lord, then you will do everything you can such as following the laws of God and His commands so that you do not grieve the Holy Spirit.  


Remember in Ezekiel, the glory of the Lord had to leave the Temple because the Temple had become so defiled.  The Spirit will not always strive with man.  You will either submit to the ways of God now and surrender or you will end up paying the consequences of not serving God.  God’s holiness is perfect, and because the Temple was no longer a place the glory of God could dwell, the glory of the Lord left the Temple.  


Is there anything in your life that is grieving the Holy Spirit?  Are you truly loving God with all your heart?  Have you determined to set your face like flint in order to do His will?  Are you lukewarm or complacent?  Are you backslidden? 


I encourage you to resolve to live for God no matter what the cost.  It truly is a matter of spiritual life and death.  Don’t sacrifice your eternal destiny for the things this world offers you.  This world cannot offer you salvation.
Matthew 3:9-10 says, “And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. The ax lies ready at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. ”  The ax of God’s judgment is ready to cut any tree at its root that does not bear spiritual fruit.  In other words, if you are claiming you have a relationship with Christ but living in whatever way you want, you are a tree that is not producing spiritual fruit.  


According to the Word of God, GOD DOES SAVE, and anyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.  The good news is there is hope for those who are repentant and turn from their wicked ways.  There is peace for those who have their minds fixed on God because they trust in Him.  Remember to resolve yourself to live for God and follow His commands, His ways.  


Heavenly Father, You are the Lord of all Creation.  You are King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  You are from Everlasting to Everlasting.  I surrender to You, O Lord, to live as You would have me to live.  Give me the courage to stand up for Your truth and Your ways.  Fill me with Your Spirit and give me the wisdom and discernment to know right from wrong.  Be my Instructor in all things.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.


Linda A. Knowles

Point of No Return

Posted on by Dr. Linda Agnes Knowles

“Then the LORD said to me: ‘Even if Moses and Samuel should stand before Me, My heart would not go out to this people. Send them from My presence, and let them go. If they ask you, ‘Where shall we go?’ you are to tell them that this is what the LORD says: ‘Those destined for death, to death; those destined for the sword, to the sword; those destined for famine, to famine; and those destined for captivity, to captivity.'” (Jeremiah 15:1-2 Berean Study Bible)

I did a doubletake reading this Scripture when I saw it said, “Even if Moses and Samuel should stand before me, My heart would not go out to this people.” Moses and Samuel were both prophets of God. They were two of the greatest prophets amongst the other prophets we see in the Scriptures. The people of Judah had come to the point of no return.

Not even Moses or Samuel would have been able to intercede for the people of Judah at this point. Judah had abandoned God and traded God for the religious systems of men, had adopted the culture of pagan nations, and worshipping the idols/gods of the nations around them. Jeremiah had already been told “As for you, do not pray for these people. Do not raise up a cry or a prayer on their behalf, for I will not be listening when they call out to Me at the time of their disaster, ” (Jeremiah 11:14BSB).

Intercession for the people of Judah would have been rendered ineffective even if Moses and Samuel were standing before God interceding on their behalf. God wasn’t even listening to the people of Judah cry out to Him because they only cried out to Him when they were in trouble. God was angry and told Jeremiah, “Therefore this is what the LORD says: ‘I am about to bring upon them a disaster that they cannot escape. They will cry out to Me, but I will not listen to them. Then the cities of Judah and the residents of Jerusalem will go and cry out to the gods to which they have been burning incense, but these gods certainly will not save them in their time of disaster. Your gods are indeed as numerous as your cities, O Judah; the altars of shame you have set up—the altars to burn incense to Baal—are as many as the streets of Jerusalem.” (Jeremiah 11:11-13) They didn’t commune with God. They were committing the act of spiritual adultery, acting as prostitutes giving themselves away to every pagan deity and were told by God through the prophet Jeremiah “How you plot and scheme to win your lovers. Even an experienced prostitute could learn from you!” (Jeremiah 2:33BSB) They had no shame and could not even blush anymore. They flagrantly flaunted their spiritual adultery and their idolatry in the face of God.

GOD DOESN’T PLAY GAMES. God warned them over and over again, but the stench of their sin had risen up before Him, and they were only sorry they had gotten caught in their sin. They were not repentant for their sins of abandoning God and trading Him in for the religious systems of man, their spiritual adultery, and their idolatry.

This cannot get more sobering than this statement made to Jeremiah by God, “As for you, do not pray for these people. Do not raise up a cry or a prayer on their behalf, for I will not be listening when they call out to Me at the time of their disaster.” Will you allow yourself to be found in the same spiritual condition as the people of Judah? Would God tell someone not to pray for you?

THERE IS NO NEUTRAL GROUND WHEN IT COMES TO SERVING GOD. I will be saying that until there is no longer breath in my body. There is no neutral ground when it comes to serving the Lord. CHOOSE YOU THIS DAY WHOM YOU WILL SERVE.

We have been chosen by Christ to go and bear fruit. Every tree that does not bear fruit will be chopped down and burnt up (Matthew 3:10, 7:19).

“You adulterers! Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God. Do you think the Scriptures have no meaning? They say that God is passionate that the spirit he has placed within us should be faithful to him. And he gives grace generously. As the Scriptures say, ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’” (James 4:4-6NLT)

Remember God does NOT bless a life of disobedience, but He does bless a life of obedience. He lavishes grace and mercy upon His children who are loving Him with all their heart, mind, soul, and strength. Favor is the shield around His children.

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.” Repent so you are not found in the same position as the people of Judah. God had enough of their foolish behavior. Do NOT bring God to the point where God tells someone not to pray for you anymore because of your stubborn, hardened, and calloused heart. There is a time when God says, “Enough” as we have seen here with Jeremiah.

There is no neutral ground when it comes to God. You are either on God’s side or you’re not. You cannot claim to live for God and love the things of this world; in other words, you cannot be a friend of God if you are a friend of the world. The God of the Old Testament is still God in the New Testament. God promises restoration, hope, and healing for those who are truly repentant with contrite hearts, those who recognize their need of the one and only Savior.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, You are the One and Only God. You are the Creator of the Heavens and the Earth. No one compares to You. You are sovereign and holy, and You do not share Your glory with another. Father, I will seek Your righteousness first and I will follow Your ways. I will obey Your commands and cling tightly to Your truth. I choose to serve You and You alone. Thank You for being my God and my Father. Thank You for Your instruction and Your discipline. Thank You for choosing me to go and bear fruit. Be with me as I follow Your commands and seek out Your ways. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Linda A. Knowles

About Those Facebook Self-Appointed Prophets

Posted on by Dr. Linda Agnes Knowles

I make NO apologies for what I am going to say.

What kind of mumbo jumbo generic hypnotic garbage are these self-proclaimed, self-anointed Facebook prophets prophesying?!

LET ME CLARIFY SOMETHING TO THE SIMPLEMINDED WHO ARE BUYING INTO THIS GARBAGE: If you are living like the devil, God ain’t gonna bless your sorry self who is living a life of wickedness! Give me a break with the generic puffed-up wealth toting prophecies! Where are the messages from these so-called prophets preaching repentance, the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the power of the blood of Jesus, and the story of Redemption?! Oh, wait! No, no, that is not what those who CLAIM to have a relationship with God want to hear. People would rather hear lies than hearing that disobedience does not bring about the blessings of God! (Isaiah 30:10)! No one wants to hear the truth: Living a life of sin brings destruction and sets you on the broad road to destruction. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6:23).

No, I’m not keeping my mouth shut on this. Overflow and increase falling into your bank account? Your income will double this year? February is your month of favor?!!! What a load of codswallop!

The Bible is quite clear in Psalm 5:12 when it tells us that the Lord blesses the righteous and His favor is their shield; therefore, favor doesn’t have to locate you if you are truly a child of the Living God. According to Psalm 5:12, you already have favor because His favor is your shield. The Bible is also quite clear when it states the poor in spirit are blessed (Matthew 5:3), and it is because the poor in spirit are those who realize they are in need of God.

2 Timothy 4:3-4 makes it clear, “For the time will come when men will not tolerate sound doctrine, but with itching ears they will gather around themselves teachers to suit their own desires. So they will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.”

Most of the so-called prophecies of Facebook push money, income, and wealth higher than God (Matthew 6:23, Luke 16:13), and yes, I have read the so-called prophecies from these so-called prophets. God lavishes those who truly love Him with His divine favor and grace (Deuteronomy 5:10, 1 John 3:1). These charlatans who have run amuck with false prophecies are greedy, self-serving, haughty, arrogant, and filled with pride (2 Peter 2:2-4). The truth does not give a flying fig about anyone’s feelings! God’s truth does NOT change.

I have no problem with people being used in the gift of prophecy.

What I do have a problem with is the false prophetic charlatans who would rather lead people straight to hell instead of telling them the truth. These charlatans are perverting the Word of God and they are lovers of self. In the Books of Jude and 2 Peter, these charlatans are called unthinking animals (Jude 1:10-19, 2 Peter 2:12).

Look at the book of Proverbs and observe carefully how things ended up for the simpletons, for those who are simpleminded. (“Only simpletons believe everything they’re told!”-Proverbs 14:15; “For simpletons turn away from me—to death. Fools are destroyed by their own complacency.” -Proverbs 1:32; “The iniquities of a wicked man entrap him; the cords of his own sin entangle him.” -Proverbs 5:22; “”How long, O simple ones, will you love simplicity? How long will scoffers delight in their scorn and fools hate knowledge?”)

God will not be and is NOT mocked.

(“For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive.” -Romans 16:18)

Don’t Be Rehoboam

Posted on by Dr. Linda Agnes Knowles

King Rehoboam, King Solomon’s son, has flipped my brain inside out and upside down as I have been studying his life for the last two days.  Each verse got more interesting, but what King Rehoboam did scared the living daylights out of me.

“And it came to pass, when Rehoboam had established the kingdom, and had strengthened himself, he forsook the law of the Lord, and all Israel with him.  And it came to pass, that in the fifth year of king Rehoboam Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, because they had transgressed against the Lord, With twelve hundred chariots, and threescore thousand horsemen: and the people were without number that came with him out of Egypt; the Lubims, the Sukkiims, and the Ethiopians.  And he took the fenced cities which pertained to Judah, and came to Jerusalem.” (2 Chronicles 12:1-4KJV)

I shook my head as I read this passage of Scripture.  It’s a little unnerving.  First thing to note is that in this particular verse Israel is in reference to Judah.  Second thing to note is King Rehoboam was very high in popularity at this time.  Not only was he popular but he had also made an attempt to serve God.  The Results:  Judah prospered.  We find this evidence in 2 Chronicles 11:17 (KJV), which states, “This strengthened the kingdom of Judah, and for three years they supported Rehoboam son of Solomon for during those years they faithfully followed in the footsteps of David and Solomon.”

Rehoboam had success and was enjoying a time of blessing.  He and his kingdom were firmly established and made strong.  He was at the highest point in popularity and in power.  Then, we see a tragic turn of events.  In the time of blessing, Rehoboam “…forsook the law of the Lord, and all Israel with him.”  King Rehoboam committed two major sins: (1) He forsook the law of the Lord, and (2) He caused all Israel to sin because they followed his lead.  We can see Rehoboam’s sin didn’t just affect him; it affected all Israel.  When you are a leader, it is inevitable that people will follow you.  They look at your example, and eventually, you will see them modeling what you have modeled for them.  Any leadership role you play, you are held with a higher level of accountability by God.  How you lead those who follow your example will affect your standing in the eyes of God.  In this case, Israel took its leadership from Rehoboam and the whole nation forsook God’s law; they forgot about God and abandoned him.

There were consequences to them forsaking and abandoning God and His law.  We can see the results of their sin in verses 3-5 (KJV), which states, “With twelve hundred chariots, and threescore thousand horsemen: and the people were without number that came with him out of Egypt; the Lubims, the Sukkiims, and the Ethiopians.  And he took the fenced cities which pertained to Judah, and came to Jerusalem. Then came Shemaiah the prophet to Rehoboam, and to the princes of Judah, that were gathered together to Jerusalem because of Shishak, and said unto them, Thus saith the Lord, Ye have forsaken me, and therefore have I also left you in the hand of Shishak.”

I think it’s safe to say God has His limits.  This verse, “…Thus saith the Lord, Ye have forsaken me, and therefore have I also left you in the hand of Shishak.”  I looked up the word “forsake” in the Hebrew Language.  The Hebrew word is “azab” which means “to loosen, to relinquish, to permit.”  When we decide to forsake or abandon God, we are letting go, giving up on God; when we decide to forsake or abandon God, we are voluntarily surrendering our claim to God being the One we follow.  There does come a time when God has had enough.  We don’t like being ignored or disrespected or pushed aside.  Can you imagine how God feels when we ignore, disrespect, or push Him aside?  He is your Creator, who has given you life.  It is not wise to push God aside or show Him any kind of disdain or indifference toward Him especially when God has lavished you with mercy and grace and has poured out His blessings upon you.

King Rehoboam and the people repented, and God saw the change of heart.  Sounds good, right?  Forgiveness doesn’t mean you will NOT suffer the consequences.  The consequences may not be as severe as they would have been if you didn’t repent.  Let’s look at verses 7-8 (KJV), which states, “And when the Lord saw that they humbled themselves, the word of the Lord came to Shemaiah, saying, They have humbled themselves; therefore I will not destroy them, but I will grant them some deliverance; and my wrath shall not be poured out upon Jerusalem by the hand of Shishak.  Nevertheless they shall be his servants; that they may know my service, and the service of the kingdoms of the countries.”  What was their consequences for forsaking God and His law?  They would end up the servants to Shishak, King of Egypt.  By being the servants to Shishak, they would learn and know what it is like to be ruled by a man rather than being ruled by God.  The NLT phrases verse 8, this way, “But they will become his subjects, so they will know the difference between serving me and serving earthly rulers.”  Need I say more on that?

Shishak attacked Jerusalem and ransacked the treasuries of the Lord’s Temple as well as the palace.  Then, the gold shields which were made by King Solomon were stolen.  God didn’t spare Rehoboam, a king, from the consequences of his choices.  Do you think he would allow any of us to escape the consequences of our own individual actions and choices?  The problem is when you make something else the lord of your life, you become a slave to that object.  When you make a person the lord of your life, you become a slave to that person.  Whatever consumes you is what you are a slave to.

GOD DOES NOT AND WILL NOT SHARE HIS GLORY WITH ANOTHER.  You are the temple of the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit will not share the same temple with another object or another person.  If you are backslidden, lukewarm, complacent, or lost God as your First Love, then you, being the temple of the Holy Spirit, will no longer be experiencing the Glory of God.  You, whom the Holy Spirit once resided in, will be Ichabod, meaning “The glory has departed from Israel.”  Do NOT grieve the Holy Spirit.  If you find yourself in any of these conditions, I strongly encourage you to repent and make things right with God.

CAN YOU DUPLICATE OR SUBSTITUTE ANYTHING FOR THE GLORY OF GOD?  NO, NEVER, CAN’T HAPPEN, IMPOSSIBLE.  Sure, you can try.  King Rehoboam tried to.  Look at verse 10-11, which states, “King Rehoboam later replaced them with bronze shields as substitutes, and he entrusted them to the care of the commanders of the guard who protected the entrance to the royal palace. Whenever the king went to the Temple of the Lord, the guards would also take the shields and then return them to the guardroom.” 

I make no apologies for finding what Rehoboam did to be foolish.  He was trying to keep the former glory of the temple by using substitutes.  “King Rehoboam later replaced them with bronze shields as substitutes, and he entrusted them to the care of the commanders of the guard who protected the entrance to the royal palace…”  He tried to keep the original appearance of the glory of the temple.  Rehoboam had the guards protecting bronze shields which were cheap, shoddy, and inexpensive.  He had substitutes to keep up the appearance of the former glory.  The temple no longer demonstrated a genuine display of the glory of the Temple, but it only gave a FAKE appearance of the former glory of the temple.  Remember everything was stolen from the temple.  Now all Rehoboam could use was substitutes. 

When you are no longer for God, when you are backslidden, when you are not in right relationship with God, if you have forsaken God, then the glory of God is not seen in you.  You can put on a performance or even display a picture of perfection, but that fact is, when you are FAKING, the fake display you are putting on will lack intensity, clarity, vividness, and the brightness that only the true glory of God has.  YOU CANNOT DUPLICATE THE GLORY OF GOD IN YOUR LIFE JUST LIKE REHOBOAM COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FORMER GLORY OF THE TEMPLE.  Just because you put on a picture of perfection does NOT mean that God is going to accept you and your behavior.  Nothing you do will substitute the presence and glory of God in your life.  Either you are for God or against Him.  You are either serving God or not.  Nothing can replace God and His glory shining in your life.

The way Rehoboam ended his reign and his life was in a very sad state, “But he was an evil king, for he did not seek the LORD with all his heart.”

We can all learn from Rehoboam.  First, when you go through good times and times of blessings, guard your heart.  Hold your faith closely, and cling to God.  Cling to the truths of God.  Second, when you repent and humble yourself before God, He will NOT reject a broken spirit and a repentant heart.  Third, be steadfast in your love for God and make your face like flint determined to do His will.

As we live life, let us live in such a way before God, that when we stand before Him to give an account for how we lived our lives, we will hear the words, “Well done, My Good and Faithful Servant.

Much Love To You All,

Linda A. Knowles

Self-Control Even In Speech

Posted on by Dr. Linda Agnes Knowles

“Watch your tongue and keep your mouth shut, and you will stay out of trouble.” -Proverbs 21:23 NLT

Practice self-control even in speech. Not everything you are thinking and not everything you feel needs to be spoken. The problem with words is that once you have spoken, you will not be able to take those words back. Will your words edify or tear down? Remember out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.

“The good man brings good things out of his good store of treasure, and the evil man brings evil things out of his evil store of treasure.” (Matthew 12:35)

“Timely advice is lovely, like golden apples in a silver basket.” (Proverbs 25:11)

Linda A. Knowles

Fixated

Posted on by Dr. Linda Agnes Knowles

When our minds are fixated on those who oppose us, who are the children of GOD, we are only adding fuel to the fire of our anger and our confusion. Those who oppose us are not ours to worry about. GOD will take care of the opposition. Unless we truly let go, we will never have peace of mind. When we are fixated upon those who oppose us, those who speak ill of us, those who are trying to harm us, then we are not trusting in GOD.

SHIFT THE FOCUS: In Isaiah 26:3-4 (Berean Study Bible), it states, “3You will keep in perfect peace the steadfast of mind, because he trusts in You. 4Trust in the LORD forever, because GOD the LORD is the Rock eternal.” Rather than focus on the opposition, which is as fleeting as the grass that eventually withers away, focus on what is eternal such as reflecting on the laws and the commands of GOD and concerning yourself with obeying Him, not caring about the approval or the applause of people. When you begin to think and speak about the goodness of GOD, you will find yourself experiencing the peace that comes from GOD alone. Your soul cannot remain in a downcast state when you are letting the fruit of your lips be thanksgiving and praise to GOD, and you will experience true joy rising up within you. Your mind will not stay overwhelmed and weighed down when you are thinking about what is noble, honorable, trustworthy, and of good report. Trust in GOD, and let it go.

“6Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” -Philippians 4:6-7 (NLT)

Linda A. Knowles

Destruction or Success?

Posted on by Dr. Linda Agnes Knowles

“Wickedness never brings stability, but the godly have deep roots.” -Proverbs 12:3 NLT

The path of the wicked only leads to destruction.  The wicked continue to grow eviler, more contemptuous toward what is good and holy, and their hearts continue to harden.  Their deceptive words crush the spirit and they hate discipline. Their mouths spout foolishness.  They devise evil schemes.  Whatever success they do have is not permanent, and that temporal success costs them their integrity and honor.  That temporal success comes at the expense of their character. They are NOT successful according to God’s standards.

The godly, however, are successful by God’s standards.  They are deeply rooted in Christ and grounded in the Word of God.  They maintain their purity before God.  They walk in righteousness, and their words build up and encourage others.  The success they have gained in the sight of God and in living for Him is lasting because the godly live by God’s commands and laws; they walk uprightly before God, protecting truth, and keeping up their integrity. 

If you want true success that is lasting, then follow God’s ways and live by His standards. Obeying God and doing things His way will always bring about blessings.

PRAYER:  Heavenly Father, every good and perfect gift is from You.  You are my Lord and my God, and my desire is to live for you.  Remind me that true success comes by living for You and following Your laws and Your commands.  True freedom is found in surrendering to Your will and Your ways, walking in obedience to you.  Help me to maintain my integrity and to continue walking uprightly before You.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Linda A. Knowles

Don’t Be Chaff

Posted on by Dr. Linda Agnes Knowles

“But not the wicked!  They are like worthless chaff, scattered by the wind.  They will be condemned at the time of judgment.  Sinners will have no place among the godly.  For the LORD watches over the path of the godly, but the path of the wicked leads to destruction.” -Psalm 1:4-6 NLT

Are you the chaff or are you the grain?

Chaff is the husk, outer shell of the grain, and it goes through a process of threshing (getting the edible part of the grain loosened, a separating of the valuable kernel of grain from the outer shell) and winnowing (tossing the grain in the air to separate the inedible chaff from the edible grain).  What is the difference between the kernel of grain and the chaff?  The grain is useful and valuable.  However, the chaff is worthless and is of no use to anyone or anything.  The chaff and the grain are tossed in the air, the chaff is very light and is blown in every direction by the slightest wind.  In other words, the chaff has no direction, no substance, and is no good to eat.

Each of us has been designed with purpose and significance.  However, not every person, who has been designed with purpose and significance, will choose to walk in the purpose and step into the destiny that God has for them.  EACH OF US HAS A CHOICE IF WE WILL WALK IN THE PURPOSE GOD HAS DESIGNED US FOR.  We will either choose to be chaff or grain.

As children of God, Christ has chosen us to go and bear fruit as we see in John 15:16 which states, “You didn’t choose me.  I chose you.  I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit…”

How do you know whether you are the chaff (wicked)?“But not the wicked!  They are like worthless chaff, scattered by the wind.” The chaff in this verse are those who are wicked, those who do not follow the ways of God, those who are living for themselves, those who treat what is holy as common, and those who are indifferent to the things of God.  The chaff are those who are “Sinners” and “will have no place among the godly.  For the LORD watches over the path of the godly, but the path of the wicked leads to destruction.”

How do you know if you are the grain (godly)?  If you are the grain, then you do NOT take counsel from those who are the chaff (wicked).  You do NOT entertain mockers or scoffers or those who practice a life of sin (unrepentant life of any sin).  You delight yourself in His instructions and His laws.  You reflect on God and His ways and seek to do what pleases Him day and night.  You walk in obedience because you love Him.  Because you are grain, you are what Psalm 1:3 says, “They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do.”

Today is the day to choose because none of us are guaranteed tomorrow:  “CHOOSE YOU THIS DAY WHOM YOU WILL SERVE.” Being the grain or being the chaff is a matter of spiritual life or death.  Be like Joshua when he said, “As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD “

No one can make the choice for you or me.  Each of us is responsible before God as to how we live whether we live for God or whether we live for self.  All is exposed before the eyes of God.  CHOOSE you this day whom you will serve.

Heavenly Father, thank You for choosing me, for calling me to go forth and bear the fruits of righteousness and holiness. My joy is found only in You, Father, and there is no other place where salvation is found. You, O God, are my Salvation. You alone have the Words of Life, and You are the Fountain of Living Water. Before You, help me to keep my resolve to live uprightly before You and to walk in holiness before You that I may be counted amongst the righteous and be with You for eternity. Because of Your Spoken Word, O Lord, I know I am made clean. Be my Strength, my Portion, and my Song forever. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Linda A. Knowles

Let Us Be Doers of the Word

Posted on by Dr. Linda Agnes Knowles

“…but doers of the word will be justified;”
Romans 2:13 NKJV

No one ever said doing a spiritual self-examination would be easy, but we do so, as children of God, because it is necessary.  God is longsuffering, not slack concerning any of His promises.  He is longsuffering because He wants us to turn to Him, to repent, and to turn from any and all sin.

Asking God to point out our sin is difficult.  The reason we ask God to point out our sin is so that He can cleanse and heal us.  God will never bring harm to you.  God has good plans for you for a hope and a future, but that also includes letting Him clean you up.  While it is a little unnerving knowing that He sees everything we say and do, it can also be quite comforting knowing that we can come to Him with a humble and sincere heart and ask Him to change in us whatever displeases Him.

“…For You will repay each man according to His deeds.”
Psalm 62:12 BSB

Our goal must always be to please God by seeking Him and acting on His Word through obedience and walking by faith, living our lives as a living sacrifice before Him.  This is why is it not enough to have knowledge of what is right.  We must act on what is right, doing what is right.  We must be “doers of the word” so that we “will be justified.”

“Be doers of the word, and not hearers only.
Otherwise, you are deceiving yourselves.”
James 1:22 BSB

We do what is right because we love God; Because we love God, we understand obedience is better than sacrifice.  Because we love God, we obey His commands and His laws.  Because we love God, we apply His Word to every aspect of our life.  We are doers of the Word, not just hearers only so that we won’t be self-deceived.

In all we do, let us always set out to please God and be doers of His word because “doers of the word will be justified.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for Your goodness.  Thank You for being patient with me.  I ask, Lord, that You show me whatever it is in my life that is not pleasing to You that I might turn away from it.  Create in me a clean heart and renew a right spirit within me.  Forgive me, O Lord, and heal me.  Make me whole.  Thank You for forgiving me and setting me free.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Linda A. Knowles

Do Not Fear The Reproach Of Men

Posted on by Dr. Linda Agnes Knowles

“Listen to me, you who know righteousness,
the people in whose heart is my law;
fear not the reproach of man,
nor be dismayed at their revilings.
For the moth will eat them up like a garment,
and the worm will eat them like wool,
but my righteousness will be forever,
and my salvation to all generations.”

Isaiah 51:7-8 ESV

God’s Word is so awesome.  It is in the Word that we can find the truth of God.  His truth is not dependent on how man feels or think.  His truth speaks of His nature, His character, His warnings, His commands, and His promises.  His Word clearly defines who we are.  His Word tells us who we are in light of who God says we are, not a man says we are.

You, Child of the Most High God, have not been given the spirit of fear but of love and of power and of a sound mind.  His laws are written in your heart, and His unfailing love banishes all fear.  Those who are persecuting and mocking you are mocking the God you serve, and they cannot prevail against you.  They cannot prevail against you because God’s truth always prevails.

Let God deal with those who oppose you.  In the end, remember God’s Word never fades away, and God is your defense.  The wicked do not prosper, and in the end, they will reap the wages of iniquity they have sown for hating God and for hating what is holy.

You need not fear anything when you are walking in obedience to God and when you are doing what He wants you to do.  So keep focused on serving and loving God and let Him fight your battles for you.  After all, the battle belongs to the Lord.  Keep your mind fixed on Him, and He will fill you with perfect peace because you trust in Him.

PRAYER:  Heavenly Father, You alone are My Defense.  You are my Strength, and You are my Shield.  Lord, help me to always remain steadfast in following You and Your ways.  You are the One who has ordered my steps.  Thank You for being the Shepherd of my Heart.  Thank You, Father, that I am able to sit before a table You set before me in the presence of my enemies.  Thank You for Your truth that always prevails. Your Word says that if I fear You, I need not fear anything else. I do not fear anyone because You have not given me the spirit of fear, but You have given me the spirit of love and of power and of a sound mind.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Linda A. Knowles

STOP BOWING DOWN TO CULTURE

Posted on by Dr. Linda Agnes Knowles

“And you shall know that I am the LORD; for you have not walked in My statutes nor executed My judgments, but have done according to the customs of the Gentiles which are all around you.'” -Ezekiel 11:12 (NKJV)

Israel was no different than us today. They were not supposed to be like the other nations. They were not to participate nor were they to conform to the ways of the pagan nations that were all around them.

As the children of God, Israel was not to take on the pagan customs as their own. They were to have nothing to do with pagan religious rituals; They were not to get involved in the pagan religions at all. They were set apart to stand out, not to blend in. They were called to bear fruits of righteousness and holiness.

Today, we like Israel are not to confirm to the patterns, behavior, or customs of this world. We are called to holiness, called to stand out and not to be like the world. We are to follow God’s commands and laws. We are to “be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God,” (Romans 12:2 NKJV).

GOD HAS ALREADY SET THE STANDARDS SO STOP TRYING TO REWRITE WHAT GOD HAS PERFECTED.

GOD has made it clear in His Word what is right and what is wrong, what is good and what is evil. It doesn’t matter what the culture around you says. It doesn’t matter what the culture around you calls right and wrong. The vain imaginations of men and the world’s philosophies are not approved of GOD.

“Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.” -Romans 1:21 (NKJV)

If your main goal is to please man in what you do and say, and if you are looking for man to approve what you do and say, then you are not a servant of Christ.

“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 men, I would not be a servant of Christ,” (Galatians 1:10 BSB).

As a child of the LIVING GOD, you have been chosen and called to bear fruit (Reference John 15:16). You have been called to be set apart, to be made holy, to stand for truth, not to bow down to the culture around you.

Linda A. Knowles

Live Out The Word of God In Every Aspect of Your Life.

Posted on by Dr. Linda Agnes Knowles
Wednesday, October 30, 2019