Do you?

Welcome back!

I have been praying about what to write about. 

A friend said she read through Jude and the Lord had me on a book that was really quite similar in its teaching.  So, I ran and read Jude too and it met with the other books in the same context.  I was so blown away how the Word of God makes incredible and beautiful sense. 

We fall for so many things.  We fall for what the world decides for us that we should believe, we fall for who's running for president, we fall for all the crazy ideas that are happening, the things the media wants us to believe, the world is a place that isn't what some of us are used to anymore.  It is changing but it's changing because sin has always entered in but many are more accepting of it as normal.

I am not here to tell you, you are right or wrong, but what the Word of God says. 

Some think that the Bible is outdated, doesn't understand the happenings of today, it's written by men, etc.  Those are all the things the devil wants you to believe, and if you have believed it, he's got you hook, line, and sinker. 

2 Timothy 3:¹⁶ All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, ¹⁷ that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Moreover, throughout the Word of God, it says how we should live life.  Did you know you were created in your mother's womb and He knew you before your parents did because he chose your parents for you?  Did you know too, that he knows every single hair on your head and desires to know everything in your heart?  Did you know also, that you were created to Worship HIM only?  That you were part of HIS PLAN? 

But, everything that the Lord desires, so does Satan.  Everything, jealousy reigns in that kingdom of hell.  What the devil meant for bad, the Lord your God can turn around for good. 

So, today, I am not going to tell you how to believe or why, but I am going to put scriptures up and you decide for yourself and see.  The Lord does love, but he hates sin.  He does desire your heart, but he desires you to know HIM and be obedient to HIS teaching and HIS ways.

So let's start with 2nd Timothy. I am using www.Biblegateway.com and http://biblehub.com  for the scriptures.

Perilous Times and Perilous Men

3 But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: ² For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, ³ unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, ⁴ traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, ⁵ having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! ⁶ For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, ⁷ always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. ⁸ Now as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, disapproved concerning the faith; ⁹ but they will progress no further, for their folly will be manifest to all, as theirs also was.

The Man of God and the Word of God

¹⁰ But you have carefully followed my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, perseverance, ¹¹ persecutions, afflictions, which happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra—what persecutions I endured. And out of them all the Lord delivered me. ¹² Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. ¹³ But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. ¹⁴ But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, ¹⁵ and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
¹⁶ All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, ¹⁷ that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.




JudeNew King James Version (NKJV)

Greeting to the Called

¹ Jude, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James,
To those who are called, sanctified^[a] by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ:
² Mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you.

Contend for the Faith

³ Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. ⁴ For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God^[b] and our Lord Jesus Christ.

Old and New Apostates

⁵ But I want to remind you, though you once knew this, that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe. ⁶ And the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day; ⁷ as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities around them in a similar manner to these, having given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.
⁸ Likewise also these dreamers defile the flesh, reject authority, and speak evil of dignitaries. ⁹ Yet Michael the archangel, in contending with the devil, when he disputed about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him a reviling accusation, but said, “The Lord rebuke you!” ¹⁰ But these speak evil of whatever they do not know; and whatever they know naturally, like brute beasts, in these things they corrupt themselves. ¹¹ Woe to them! For they have gone in the way of Cain, have run greedily in the error of Balaam for profit, and perished in the rebellion of Korah.

Apostates Depraved and Doomed

¹² These are spots in your love feasts, while they feast with you without fear, serving only themselves. They are clouds without water, carried about^[c] by the winds; late autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, pulled up by the roots; ¹³ raging waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame; wandering stars for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.
¹⁴ Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men also, saying, “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints, ¹⁵ to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.”

Apostates Predicted

¹⁶ These are grumblers, complainers, walking according to their own lusts; and they mouth great swelling words, flattering people to gain advantage. ¹⁷ But you, beloved, remember the words which were spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ: ¹⁸ how they told you that there would be mockers in the last time who would walk according to their own ungodly lusts. ¹⁹ These are sensual persons, who cause divisions, not having the Spirit.

Maintain Your Life with God

²⁰ But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, ²¹ keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
²² And on some have compassion, making a distinction;^{[d] 23} but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire,^[e] hating even the garment defiled by the flesh.

Glory to God

²⁴ Now to Him who is able to keep you^[f] from stumbling,
And to present you faultless
Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy,
²⁵ To God our Savior,^[g]
Who alone is wise,^[h]
Be glory and majesty,
Dominion and power,^[i]
Both now and forever.
Amen

 Now, look, all the way through the New Testament we find God's Word on the things that are not suppose to be okay.

Romans:

God’s Wrath on Unrighteousness

¹⁸ For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, ¹⁹ because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. ²⁰ For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, ²¹ because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. ²² Professing to be wise, they became fools, ²³ and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.
²⁴ Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, ²⁵ who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
²⁶ For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. ²⁷ Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.
²⁸ And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; ²⁹ being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality,^[c] wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, ³⁰ backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, ³¹ undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving,^[d] unmerciful; ³² who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.

Throughout the entire WORD OF GOD, he continues to warn us and tell us.  Yet, we still will walk away and say God is a loving God.  He is a loving God, nevertheless, we must walk in obedience to Him to really know that LOVE you talk about. 


1 Corinthians 5New King James Version (NKJV)

Immorality Defiles the Church

5 It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and such sexual immorality as is not even named^[a] among the Gentiles—that a man has his father’s wife! ² And you are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he who has done this deed might be taken away from among you. ³ For I indeed, as absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged (as though I were present) him who has so done this deed. ⁴ In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when you are gathered together, along with my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, ⁵ deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.^[b]

⁶ Your glorying is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? ⁷ Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us.^{[c] 8} Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

Immorality Must Be Judged

⁹ I wrote to you in my epistle not to keep company with sexually immoral people. ¹⁰ Yet I certainly did not mean with the sexually immoral people of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. ¹¹ But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner—not even to eat with such a person.
¹² For what have I to do with judging those also who are outside? Do you not judge those who are inside? ¹³ But those who are outside God judges. Therefore “put away from yourselves the evil person.” 
We are not to judge those that are not Christ followers, but those that are. We are to help them walk away from the sin they have chosen.  However, the world says we are judgers, we are bigots, we are .... .  But that's not what Scripture says for us.  If we are true Christ followers, not just fans, we will work to be obedient and right in the eyes of the Lord.  But why, why do some still walk their own way without knowing that they have?  Because, sometimes we believe God isn't talking to us about our own stink.  We may believe we are better than that, or maybe, just maybe we believe we don't have to.  Ya know, we know Jesus and we will get to Heaven. 

I beg to differ here.  What if you die, and you get to the gates of Heaven and Jesus says "I know you not?"  What if? And then you are condemned to hell because you thought you knew him, but you never read the Word, you never really relied on Him, you never let HIM whisper sweet words in your life, you just never?  What if?  What IF you decided today, that you wanted HIM to know you?  How would you do that?  After this next set of verses we will find out...

1 Corinthians 10New King James Version (NKJV)

Old Testament Examples

10 Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, ² all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, ³ all ate the same spiritual food, ⁴ and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ. ⁵ But with most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.

⁶ Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted. ⁷ And do not become idolaters as were some of them. As it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.”^{[a] 8} Nor let us commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and in one day twenty-three thousand fell; ⁹ nor let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed by serpents; ¹⁰ nor complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer. ¹¹ Now all^[b] these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.
¹² Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. ¹³ No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.

Flee from Idolatry

¹⁴ Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. ¹⁵ I speak as to wise men; judge for yourselves what I say. ¹⁶ The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? ¹⁷ For we, though many, are one bread and one body; for we all partake of that one bread.
¹⁸ Observe Israel after the flesh: Are not those who eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar? ¹⁹ What am I saying then? That an idol is anything, or what is offered to idols is anything? ²⁰ Rather, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice to demons and not to God, and I do not want you to have fellowship with demons. ²¹ You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the Lord’s table and of the table of demons. ²² Or do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than He?

All to the Glory of God

²³ All things are lawful for me,^[c] but not all things are helpful; all things are lawful for me,^[d] but not all things edify. ²⁴ Let no one seek his own, but each one the other’s well-being.
²⁵ Eat whatever is sold in the meat market, asking no questions for conscience’ sake; ²⁶ for “the earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness.”^[e]
27 If any of those who do not believe invites you to dinner, and you desire to go, eat whatever is set before you, asking no question for conscience’ sake. ²⁸ But if anyone says to you, “This was offered to idols,” do not eat it for the sake of the one who told you, and for conscience’ sake;^[f] for “the earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness.”^{[g] 29} “Conscience,” I say, not your own, but that of the other. For why is my liberty judged by another man’s conscience? ³⁰ But if I partake with thanks, why am I evil spoken of for the food over which I give thanks?
³¹ Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. ³² Give no offense, either to the Jews or to the Greeks or to the church of God, ³³ just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.

So, how do we live as a Christ Follower and not a fan? 

How do you find a new friend?  You talk, some talk the surface stuff while others talk the deep stuff.  I am the latter one. 

I find out we have a few things in common.  We chat back and forth, we go somewhere together, we get to know each other, right? 

Well, the same with Jesus.  Open up the WORD of God.  Then talk to Him about it.  Tell Him what you read and did it change your thinking? 

Pray about it, then talk to him about your concerns, your fears, your worries, your anxieties, your hopes, your dreams, you wants and needs.  Watch your relationship take on a whole new life. But it does start with 2 steps, GET INTO THE WORD OF GOD.  Don't just read through the Bible, READ the Bible to get through you.  Then talk to HIM about what you read and see how it transforms you. 

Talk about HIM to others, not preach but just talk to others, God will open those doors to do that.  Find a place to belong that accepts Jesus and YOU.  Find out who Jesus is and why God sent HIS only Begotten Son.  For whoever believes in HIM shall not perish but have everlasting life.  But when you believe in someone, it's because you both know each other intimately, deep down.  He wants to know you again. 

Thank you for reading this.  Can we pray?

Father God, Abba Father, thank you for sending your son Jesus to me.  Help me to know him so much deeper than I thought I could possibly do.  I want to walk with you and talk with you and I want you to call me your own.  You already created me to worship you and I do.  Please hold my hand as I learn more about you.  I will find a Bible, dig in and I will talk to you as if you are sitting right here next to me.  Jesus come into my heart and be my forever friend.  I am sorry that I ever doubted your love for me and my walk with you hasn't been great.  Forgive me father as I forgive myself for not doing it.  I love you Father God, Jesus the Son.  Holy Spirit come in and be my counselor, my guide, my words.  In Jesus' mighty name, amen!