sinful nature

THE STORYLINE NEEDS TO CHANGE

Posted on 5 Apr 20215 Apr 2021 by Dr. Linda Agnes Knowles

THE STORYLINE NEEDS TO CHANGE

By Linda A. Knowles

“Without wood, a fire goes out;

without gossip, a conflict ceases.

Like charcoal for embers and wood for fire,

so is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife.

The words of a gossip are like choice morsels

that go down into the inmost being.”

Proverbs 26:20-22 (Berean Study Bible)

The storyline hasn’t changed even after all these years. I watched it growing up. The storyline goes like this: Mary gossiped to Ella. Ella didn’t stand up to Mary and chose to listen to the gossip. Daphne heard the gossip Mary was telling Ella, and Daphne told Joe and Elsie who then whispered to Myron then Maria then Julie then Victor. Mary made she sure spoke to everyone Daphne spoke to so she could make sure they had all the details and “correct information.” One person after another heard the gossip, either shared the gossip, participated in the gossip, or just remained silent as the gossiping was going on. Florrie, who was the object of the gossip, was unable to recover her reputation from all the lies the gossipers said. She ended up leaving the church, never to be heard from that church again. Florrie left the church completely disheartened, discouraged, and extremely hurt; the End.

Does betrayal happen in the church from one member of the body of Christ to another member of the body of Christ? Absolutely. The storyline I told above is an all too familiar storyline that still saturates the church today. Gossip doesn’t just happen within the walls of the place of worship, but members of the Body of Christ will sit down over a cup of coffee at another’s house or at a cafe.

Proverbs 18:22 & 26:22 both echo the same words, “The words of a gossip are like choice morsels that go down into the inmost being.” Gossip has a way of seeping into your spirit, your heart, your mind, and your soul. If you allow yourself to listen to gossip about a person, you will see that person not as he/she is, but you will see them in the light of the gossip you told or entertained.

Lies are always soon exposed according to the book of Proverbs. Truth will always stand the test of time. Whether gossip is all lies or all truth or part true and part lies, gossip just like lying is a sin. The Apostle Paul even addressed this, “Don’t lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds,” Colossians 3:9. We must remember we are not controlled by our fleshly desires. We are controlled by the Holy Spirit who leads and guides us into all truth. According to Romans 8:12, we are under no obligation to do what our sinful nature urges us to do. As children of the Most High God, we must understand that our Heavenly Father is the God of Truth and His language is Truth. Therefore, His children should speak the language of truth, not lies.

May I encourage you not to participate in conversations that will tear someone apart? Do not allow yourselves to engage in conversations that will disrupt the unity amongst the believers within the Body of Christ. Remember always your words will either portray or betray who you are.

Heavenly Father, You are the God of Truth. Help me to always speak truth as You do. Give me the words I need to speak. Fill me with the wisdom and understanding that comes from You alone. Give me the strength and help me to walk away from conversations that will compromise my character and my witness. Help me to stand up for what is right and what is true. Your approval is the only approval I need to gain. I give You all the glory, the honor, and the praise. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

THE DEMON CHALICE

Posted on 12 Dec 2020 by Dr. Linda Agnes Knowles

***

THE DEMON CHALICE

By Linda A. Knowles

Thursday, 12/10/2020

***

You chose to drink from the demon chalice,

Which was passed all around;

Then you chose the chains,

That now have you bound.

You bought the lies,

And you bought into the deceit;

You sold out to gratify your fleshly need.

You chose the honey from Timnath,

And you filled yourself with her seductive,

sensual intoxicating wine,

Drinking yourself into a deep sleep,

Cheapening your own life.

You should have been vigilant and sober minded

But your lust-crazed mind and soul has left you bound;

Your lust-crazed heart has left you spiritually blinded.

You drank from the demon chalice;

Tell me, who can help you now,

Since you’ve chosen to swim in willful ignorance

while drowning in disgrace?

It Will Cost You Everything

Posted on 2 Oct 201825 Oct 2019 by Dr. Linda Agnes Knowles

“‘I have not troubled Israel,’ Elijah replied, ‘but you and your father’s house have, for you have forsaken the commandments of the LORD and have followed the Baals.'” 1 Kings 18:18(BSB)

Will serving and loving God cost you anything? Yes, it will cost you everything (Luke 14:25-34), but the results are so worth it. It is not enough to call yourself a believer. It is not enough to be exposed to the Word of God. You must be loving the Lord Your God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength. You must be applying His Word to your life and obeying God and His Word out of that love for Him. It really does come down to choosing whom you will serve.

When leaders choose to worship other gods, it causes problems for the nation or church or organization or households. Why? Because whatever the leader’s spirit is will be what the leader will be ministering with. Don’t get me wrong. God used a donkey to get His point across to Balaam the prophet in Numbers 22:28. After all, nothing is too difficult for God.

Either a leader will lead with the guidance of the Holy Spirit or a leader will be leading by the flesh. When one leads with his/her flesh, there will always be major issues and problems.

With that being said…

There is one God, but Ahab and Jezebel worshiped Baal (most popular of the Canaanite gods). However, Elijah was in the midst of the people, and eventually, Elijah challenged the people to take a stand. Either they would choose God or remain Baal worshipers.

When people have to give up their sinful pleasures in order to serve God, you can see their reluctance and walking away because they are not willing to surrender to God. Their actions will make it quite clear whether they served God or not. If you take a stand for God, you cannot live the way you want to.

You may be thinking, “I’m not a leader.” Yes, you are. All of us lead someone at some point. Even if you think you are not a leader, you are being watched by someone (children, spouse, professors, teachers, supervisors, co-workers, list goes on). How you act, what you say, and whether or not you stand for truth matters to whoever watches how you are living your life. There are those who will watch to see if your walk and your talk line up with each other. Make sure you keep yourself in right relationship with God, keeping Him first in all things.

Just like Elijah had challenged the people so did Joshua. The Word of God gives this account in Joshua 24:24-27(BSB):

“Now, therefore, fear the LORD and serve Him in sincerity and truth; cast aside the gods your fathers served beyond the Euphrates and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. But if it is unpleasing in your sight to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living. As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD!”

The people replied, ‘Far be it from us to forsake the LORD to serve other gods! For the LORD our God brought us and our fathers out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, and performed these great signs before our eyes. He also protected us all throughout our journey and among all the nations through which we traveled. And the LORD drove out before us all the nations, including the Amorites who lived in the land. We too will serve the LORD, because He is our God!’

But Joshua said to the people, ‘You are not able to serve the LORD, for He is a holy God; He is a jealous God; He will not forgive your rebellion or your sins. If you forsake the LORD and serve foreign gods, He will turn and bring disaster on you and consume you, even after He has been good to you.’

‘No!’ replied the people. ‘We will serve the LORD!’

Then Joshua told them, ‘You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen to serve the LORD.’

‘We are witnesses!’ they said.

‘Now, therefore,’ he said, ‘get rid of the foreign gods among you and incline your hearts to the LORD, the God of Israel.’

So the people said to Joshua, ‘We will serve the LORD our God and obey His voice.’

On that day Joshua made a covenant for the people, and there at Shechem, he established for them a statute and ordinance. Joshua recorded these things in the Book of the Law of God. Then he took a large stone and set it up there under the oak that was near the sanctuary of the LORD. And Joshua said to all the people, ‘You see this stone. It will be a witness against us, for it has heard all the words the LORD has spoken to us, and it will be a witness against you if you ever deny your God.'”

Taking a stand is never easy. However, either you will choose to serve God and live for Him, or you will reject Him. When it comes to living for God, there is NO neutral ground. This is not the time to be backing down. It is time to rise up and move forward doing whatever task God has called you to do. You may be in this world, but you are not of this world. Be a godly influence in this world, but do NOT let the world influence you.

Linda A. Knowles

“Because the Sovereign Lord helps me, I will not be disgraced. Therefore, I have set my face like a stone, determined to do his will. And I know that I will not be put to shame.” –Isaiah 50:7(NLT)

Truth Will Protect You

Posted on 27 Sep 201825 Oct 2019 by Dr. Linda Agnes Knowles

“May integrity and honesty protect me,

for I put my hope in you.”

Psalm 25:21(NLT)

Since God is the God of Truth, He expects His children to be truthful. If you lie and you get caught in that lie, you lose your integrity. Integrity once lost is very difficult to get back and that’s if you get it back at all. How would anyone trust you again if you choose to lie instead of telling the truth? Since God says in His Word, “Do not lie,” why would you deliberately disobey what God says in His Word? The truth will always protect you because the truth will stand the test of time. The problem is when one chooses to lie. Lies are always exposed. When you do your part in telling the truth, God sees your faithful obedience to Him and His Word, and God will protect you.

REFLECTION: “No one who trusts in you will ever be disgraced, but disgrace comes to those who try to deceive others,” (Psalm 25:3NLT). Disgrace will always come to those who choose to practice sin. Maintain your integrity by preserving truth, by speaking truth. Don’t set out to lie or deceive others. Prove yourself to be a trustworthy person. Lies and deceit will always destroy unity and cause division amongst the children of God.

Integrity and honesty are your friends. When you are honest, you will say that the Lord is right and that you shall walk in His ways. When you have integrity, you shall consistently walk in His ways and set your face like stone determined to do His will and obey Him. Those who lie and deceive are disgraced because their sins of lying and deceit have brought them disgrace. Those who trust in the Lord and put their hope in Him will not be disgraced. God will preserve those who are faithful and live in truth.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, You are the God who expects faithful obedience to You and to Your Word. You expect Your children to speak the truth. Lord, help me to walk upright before You with a spirit of humility and to always walk in truth. Teach me how to maintain my integrity, and show me how to walk in holiness as You are holy. May Your truth be my shield and my guard. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Linda A. Knowles

“Don’t lie to each other,

for you have stripped off

your old sinful nature

and all its wicked deeds.”

-Colossians 3:9(NLT)

Let The Holy Spirit Guide Your Lives

Posted on 17 Aug 201825 Oct 2019 by Dr. Linda Agnes Knowles

“So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves.” -Galatians 5:16

Yes, you are a new creation in Christ, but just because you are a child of God does not mean you will not have issues, problems, or struggles. Your sinful nature is in direct opposition to the new nature given to you by Christ.

As a child of God, you have the Holy Spirit living within you, and the Holy Spirit will lead and guide you. However, the sinful nature will war against the desires the Holy Spirit has given you because the sinful nature wants to do evil.

REFLECTION: “My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20 NLT). You are under no obligation to do what your sinful natures urges you to do because the Holy Spirit empowers you to live a pure and holy life before God. Every day is a choice to submit yourself to God to live in accordance with His Word. Therefore, since you are in Christ, you no longer live by the dictates of your sinful nature. Now you are letting your mind be controlled by the Holy Spirit, and because you are letting the Holy Spirit have His way in your life, you are being led by Him. When the Holy Spirit convicts you letting you know something is wrong, stop what you are doing and listen to Him. It is important to be aware that if you compromise on one sin, it will be easy to fall into one sin after another. You will not be able to show a life of victory in Christ if you continually compromise and give into temptation. Keep your eyes open to what the Spirit has to show you and keep your ears open to hear His voice.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, thank You for giving me Your Holy Spirit to guide me into all truth. Help me to learn from You what You want me to learn. Let me sit at Your feet to hear You speak. I ask that You continually fill me with Your Spirit to overflow so that I might be able to do Your will and carry out whatever it is You ask me to carry out. Thank You for guiding me this far, and I pray that You continue to guide me as I follow Your ways. Help me to remain steadfast in You so that I will not compromise. May I always seek Your truth and walk uprightly before You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Linda A. Knowles

“Keep watch and pray,

so that you will not give in to temptation.

For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak!”

Matthew 26:41 (NLT)

Temptation

Posted on 18 Jan 201825 Oct 2019 by Dr. Linda Agnes Knowles

TEMPTATION 3

I wish people would stop putting themselves in temptation’s path. It’s bad enough that temptation will find you, but why make it easy for the temptation to try to take hold by stepping in front of it? It is one thing if the temptation comes to you, but to willingly throw yourself in its path is just foolish; that would be like stepping into oncoming traffic expecting not to get run over. Why give yourself the opportunity to find out whether or not you can handle it? Why give yourself the opportunity to fail?

Let me just make one thing very, very clear: BEING TEMPTED IS NOT A SIN. The sin is when you take temptation’s bait and then commit the sinful act.

“…BUT I’M STRONG I CAN HANDLE IT”

When I have heard people make this statement, “…But I’m strong. I can handle it,” I cringe EVERY single time. For me, personally, I know that if I come to the point of saying “I can handle it” that’s when I know I cannot handle it and usually means to slow down, get a grip, and know the only reason I’m able to take anything on IS BECAUSE OF GOD’S MERCY AND GRACE. I’m reminded pride comes before destruction and haughtiness before the fall. For any of us to think we are standing strong is when we need to be careful, and to think we cannot fall is faulty thinking.

What are you entertaining? The Scripture says in Philippians 4:8, “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.” That means, Folks, we can bring our thoughts under control. We do not have to entertain sinful thoughts. If sin actually showed itself to us in its actual appearance, rather than dressing itself up deliciously tantalizing, we would run clear in the other direction.

I can only speak for myself so I will. Back in the middle of March of 2017, God had spoken to me about certain shows that were absolutely off limits and that He no longer wanted me to watch. In keeping with honesty, my response to God was not one of enthusiasm, and it sort of went like, “Okay, God.” The shows weren’t helpful nor were they beneficial, and most definitely, the shows would not help me at all in my spiritual growth, so television is never on during the day except at night to watch a family show. I was confronted by God who gave me a command, and I chose obedience. HOWEVER, I NOTICED WHEN I TOOK THE FIRST STEP OF OBEDIENCE, God removed any desire I had for those shows I previously watched.

It is amazing how God will fill you with the strength you need to carry out whatever command He has given you. He knows when you are ready, and He knows exactly how to get your attention. He deals with you on the level you are at. Just as God dealt with me, He can deal with you. He can reach you right where you are at your point of need.

In 2 Corinthians 10:4-5, it states, “We are human, but we don’t wage war as humans do. We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ.”

Do you struggle with temptation or a particular sin? Then you need to ask yourself what you’re entertaining. Whatever it is you are putting into your mind will affect you if not soon then later.

Do you want to draw closer to God? Any show you watch that is not pleasing to God is definitely not going to be beneficial to your spiritual growth; if anything, whatever you are taking through your ears and eyes, may stop you from progressing in God and eventually finding yourself off to the wayside and/or separated from Him. Your thoughts will not align with God’s thoughts unless you are spending time in the Word of God.

It is of great importance to read the Bible in order to have a storehouse of Scripture in your mind to combat carnal thoughts. The Psalmist declared, “I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.” For each carnal thought you have that opposes God and His Word, there is a biblical truth to combat each one.

Have you been rejecting the prompting of the Holy Spirit? Do NOT say God has not spoken to you nor complain that He is silent when you haven’t opened your Bible to study or read it and if you are resisting the prompting and conviction of the Holy Spirit, and in Romans 8:12-14, it clearly states, “Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do. For if you live by its dictates, you will die. But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.“

Will you choose to obey God and be led by the Holy Spirit, or will you live by your sinful nature and its dictates?

Choose you this day whom will you serve.

Much Love To You All,

L.A. Knowles

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