You Can Be Free From Masturbation

"For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication: That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour; Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God." I Thessalonians 4:3-5

Sexual sin is a real issue for these days, especially for young people.  Yet it is those hidden areas such as this which rarely see the light of day because people are often too ashamed to speak of them.

Over the years, various young people have posted or sent comments on this blog asking for prayer about masturbation.  Therefore, if the sphere of individuals with whom the Lord has let me come into contact are dealing with such issues, then I know it must be relevant for a broader audience.

If openly discussing such topics offends you then I am sorry....sorry for you that is.  Sorry that you have chosen to create for yourself a make-believe world of "salvation" which is too pristine to be touched with such issues as sin.  Sorry that your "Christianity" doesn't have enough Christ to engender compassion for those struggling with such real life issues.

Jesus washed the feet of His disciples; yet, some "Christians" are too "saved" to get their hands dirty serving others in the hopes of bringing them into deeper fellowship with Jesus.  Let it not be said of us.  Not everything about Christianity is sunshine and roses.  The truth be told, Jesus is redeeming us from an old sinful nature with its own corrupt and defiled desires.  These must be dealt with.  If we cannot discuss sin, how can we ever hope to bring such persons struggling with it to salvation?

Demons...Really?

"Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble." James 2:19

A new Christian recently told me that she was asked, "Do you believe in demons?"  It is interesting that this can even be a question in the Christianworld.

My thought is, "Who cannot believe?"  Unclean spirits are certainly present throughout Scriptures, so why would we doubt their existence?  If Jesus gives those who believe in Him the power to cast out demons, then why do we think they have all of a sudden gone away or are no longer an issue?

There is not much teaching on this subject, and when there is, it is often not based on the Scriptures.  The purpose of this post is to get each individual to study this subject for themselves.  See what God's word says in the matter, for how will we be able to stand if we are ignorant of the devil's devices?

They Thought Jesus Was Crazy

And They'll Think You Are Too

"And when his friends heard of it, they went out to lay hold on him: for they said, He is beside himself." Mark 3:21

When word reached Jesus' family and friends about the great works He was doing in the name of God, they didn't rejoice, sing praises, or seek to join Him.  They immediately went to stop Him.  Why?  They assumed that He had gone crazy.

"Lay hold on" is the word krateō which means: to rule or be master over; to be in possession of, to seize; to retain or restrain.

"Beside himself" is existēmi which means: to be out of one's mind, insane

There is nothing passive in their response to Jesus' ministry.  They intended to overpower Jesus and subdue Him.

Psalm 102

The Mystery of Israel & The Church

"Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee. Peace be within thy walls, and prosperity within thy palaces. For my brethren and companions' sakes, I will now say, Peace be within thee. Because of the house of the LORD our God I will seek thy good." Psalm 122:6-9

Min. Art Katz reviews Psalm 102 as a prophetic message for the end times regarding what must happen before the Deliverer (Jesus) is sent out of Zion.

• Israel's recognition of God's righteous judgments against them
• The Church's identification with, and concern for, the plight of Israel 

I Would Not Have You to Be Ignorant

The Love of the Truth

God says repeatedly in His word that He "would not have us to be ignorant" (Romans 1:13, 11:25; I Corinthians 10:1, 12:1; II Corinthians 1:8, 2:11; I Thessalonians 4:13; II Peter 3:8).  Yet many times we allow ourselves to be willfully ignorant by picking & choosing what we will accept as truth from God's word.  We even do so with regard to the very character of God, divorcing from Him those attributes which make us uncomfortable.  As is often said, "There is none so blind as one who will not see."

We cannot love God without loving the (whole) truth, for He is Truth.  The love of the truth is what will protect believers from end time deceptions to which even God will turn some over (II Thessalonians 2:10-11).

Authentic Spirituality

Jewish Evangelism is the Ultimate Test of the Church

"I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy." Romans 11:11

Sometimes, Christians act as if faith in Jesus Christ was something that was just spontaneously birthed one day whose end is simply the individual salvation of our souls.  Yet Christianity it is the product of a purposeful history - as well as part of a prophetic future - which is yet unfolding today.

We have spoken before about who Israel is, yet how many times do we stop to consider God's masterful plan of the ages and the role which we have in it?  Do we understand that we have been engrafted into a spiritual heritage which makes us partakers of the commonwealth of Israel (Ephesians 2:12-13)?

I dare to say that there is not much about "the Church" which would give undeniable & unshakeable testimony to the heart of the Jewish people that such is the reflection of the One, True God.   Yet this should not be...according to the Scriptures.

If the life of God is not so evident in the Church that it moves the Jew to jealousy, then why not?