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Tuesday, May 23, 2023

The Dead Go To A Better Place – Lies of the Enemy #38 – Purity 1050

Purity 1050 05/23/2023 Purity 1050 Podcast

Purity 1050 on YouTube:

Good morning,

Today’s painting of a view of the heavens and a flock of migrating geese flying through a multicolored sky comes to us from Catherine J Wayman who shared her work on social media yesterday explaining that she tried her hand at reproducing a photo that she had seen online. Although I guess that makes her painting a “reproduction” or sorts, I consider her work an original and have decided to take the liberty of naming Van Gogh like view of twilight time “Toward Heaven” because that view and those colors indicate that there is more to life than what we can see.

Well, Its Tuesday, and as I prepare the finishing touches on my own “reproduction” of Celebrate Recovery’s lesson on Hope for what will be a group presentation of this week’s lesson at the Wednesday Night meeting of the Celebrate Freedom I know that even our smallest contributions can make a difference and even though we are just repeating things many of us may have heard before or that are drawn directly from the truth of God’s word, when we add our own thoughts, experience, words, or work to something it becomes something new and it becomes our own. I am drawing from the leader’s guide for the material of course but as I reviewed my old word documents of the lesson I realized that I had added my own words and my own heart to some of the pages. In preparing the lesson for teaching so many years ago I had felt moved to share a few of my own thoughts to encourage those I would teach.

So last night, I had mixed feelings of whether or Into should let my adlibbed comments and encouragements stand or if I should remove them all together. Many of the references I had made in the lesson were a little dated or didn’t apply to this new ‘growth group”. Part of me rwas eady to remove them all together and to just present the original content form the Celebrate Recovery material but in the end I decided to just edit and keep most of the comments that I had made way back when I taught the lesson on Hope at my old church.

The comments and encouragements that I offered were gleaned from my experience and the things they taught were the result of much searching, trial, error, and struggling, to know how to walk out of the darkness of a life of addiction and to begin living a surrendered Christian life of “walking in the Spirit”. It took me a lot to understand the things I shared and if they can help someone else “to get there” a little quicker or to just encourage someone that they can “get there”, to give them hope, I know the additional time it will take to speak these truths will be more than worth it. I can’t walk the people in this discipleship/recovery growth group into freedom,but I will certainly do my best to point them into the right direction.

As I have walked further into my life of faith I realized just how ignorant we can be in regards to spiritual matters and how “common knowledge” is generally common ignorance because “everyone knows” the same false beliefs – or lies of the enemy. And we need to know the truth about what matters in life, and in death.

And that brings us to our current series the “Lies of the Enemy”, which is an examination of some of the common lies, sometimes sneakily whispered into our minds as “first person” statements, that the enemy tells us to cause us to doubt our faith, lose our peace, cause division, or influence us to not follow the Lord with the way we live our lives.

So today’s big lie is:

Lie #38: The Dead Go To a Better Place.

The subject of today’s lie is borrowed from my pastor, Roscoe Lily’s sermon from this past weekend. In his opening remarks, Roscoe confessed that in some ways he preferred to minister at funerals rather than at weddings because although weddings are a joyous occasion, he got the impression that few people cared about what the “officiant” says at a wedding because they are waiting to go to the “good times” at the wedding reception. Whereas people at a funeral may be more attentive to what the minister says because they may be hurting, looking for answers, or hoping to hear something to give them peace about their departed loved ones. However, as a Christian who seeks to only teach the truth drawn from the Bible and the teachings of Jesus, Roscoe admitted that it can be difficult to minister at times because sometimes the deceased had little evidence of faith in their lives, and everyone gathered at a loved one’s funeral wants to know that their loved one is in a “better place”.

Although many treat the idea of “the dead being in a better place” as a foregone conclusion based on the “common knowledge” of an all loving God, Jesus didn’t teach that.

While we should be kind and compassionate to the grieving, as Christians we need to follow the teachings of Jesus and encourage the living to put their faith in Him. For Jesus said in:

John 3:16-18 (NKJV)
¹⁶ For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
¹⁷ For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
¹⁸ He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.\

The implications of Christ’s words are that eternal life is found by those who believe in Him and those who don’t believe are condemned to perish.

As for other ways to eternal life in God’s kingdom, Jesus spoke plainly that He is the only way in:

John 14:6 (NKJV) where the word tells us
⁶ Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

As for the idea of reincarnation the word tells us:

Hebrews 9:27 (NKJV)
²⁷ And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment,

We die once and then are judged – not many times to be “born again” as another life form, over and over again until we “get it right”. Reincarnation and Karma are logically hopeless as all men sin, no men would have a “higher” birth. If this system were true all men would become bugs…. But I don’t like to entertain discussing such ludicrous ideas when Jesus proved tha authenticity of His teachings and as His divinity by his death and resurrection.

To believe in reincarnation or any system that deviates from what Jesus taught, denies Christ and is thus leads to condemnation and perishing. If you don’t “know Jesus” and more importantly if He doesn’t know you as one of His followers, you are not going to a “better place”.

Matthew 25:31-46 really breaks down how we must believe in and follow the Lord with the way we live our lives and if we don’t Jesus us tells us”
⁴⁶ And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."

The evil will be judged and punished in hell but those who seek God’s forgiveness, repent, and surrender to the Lordship of Christ will be saved.

So don’t believe the lie that “the dead go to a better place” because only those who put their faith in Jesus will be declared righteous and will receive eternal life in God’s kingdom.

If in that “number” of that saints that will go marching in, be kind and loving to those who are grieving, but speak the truth in love and share the gospel of Jesus Christ to show others that God loves them and in Christ He made a way for them to be forgiven, righteous, saved, and free.

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For those who want more evidence for Christianity than my simple apologetic will provide, I offer apologist, Frank Turek’s website, https://crossexamined.org/ .

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Today’s Bible verse comes to us from “The NLT Bible Promise Book for Men”.

This morning’s meditation verse is:

Matthew 5:16 (NKJV)
¹⁶ Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

Today’s verse encourages us to do good works and to let others know that it is only because of our faith in Jesus and because we represent the kingdom of God that our lights shine so brightly. Again Christ encourages authentic faith in His disciples by doing good and giving glory to God in heaven. Here He assures us that His disciples have a place in God’s heavenly kingdom and that we are to represent the King by the way we live our lives. So Do Something to show people you are a Christian but make sure they know that it is only because of God’s grace you are able to give God the glory.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

As always, I invite all to go to mt4christ.org where I always share insights from prominent Christian theologians and counselors to assist my brothers and sisters in Christ with their walk.

Today we continue sharing from The Holy Spirit By A.W. Pink.

As always, I share this information for educational purposes and encourage you all to purchase A.W. Pink’s books for your own private study and to support his work. This resource is available online for $0.99 (https://www.amazon.com/Holy-Spirit-Arthur-Pink-Collection-ebook/dp/B008CM5292/ref=sr_1_3?crid=AHKAQOM39CTN&keywords=a.w.+pink+the+holy+spirit&qid=1684376225&sprefix=a.w.+pink+the+holy+spirit+%2Caps%2C96&sr=8-3)

A.W. Pink’s The Holy Spirit

3 - The Deity of the Holy Spirit

In the last chapter we endeavored to supply from the testimony of Holy Writ abundant and clear evidence that the Holy Spirit is a conscious, intelligent, personal Being. Our present concern is the nature and dignity of His Person. We sincerely trust that our present inquiry will not strike our readers as being a superfluous one: surely any mind which is impressed with a due reverence for the subject we are upon will readily allow that we cannot be too minute and particular in the investigation of a point of such infinite importance. While it be true that almost every passage which we brought forward to demonstrate the Spirit’s personality also contained decisive proof of His Godhead, yet we deemed the present aspect of our subject of such importance as to be justly entitled to a separate regard—the more so, as error at this point is fatal to the soul.

Deity or Not Deity

Having shown, then, that God’s Word expressly and unequivocally teaches that the Spirit is a Person, the next question to be considered is, Under what character are we to consider Him? What rank does He occupy in the scale of existence? It has been truly said that, “He is either God, possessing, in a distinction of Person, an ineffable unity of the Divine nature with the Father and the Son, or He is the creature of God, infinitely removed from Him in essence and dignity, and having no other than a derivative excellence in that rank to which He is appointed in creation. There is no medium betwixt the one and the other. Nothing intermediate between the Creator and created can be admissible. So that were the Holy Spirit to be placed at the top of all creation, even as high above the highest angel as that angel transcends the lowest reptile of animated life, the chasm would be still infinite; and He, who is emphatically called the Eternal Spirit, would not be God” (Robert Hawker).

We will now endeavor to show from the Word of Truth that the Holy Spirit is distinguished by such names and attributes, that He is endowed with such a plentitude of underived power, and that He is the Author of such works as to altogether transcend finite ability, and such as can belong to none but God Himself. However mysterious and inexplicable to human reason the existence of a distinction of Persons in the essence of the Godhead may be, yet if we submissively bow to the plain teachings of the Divine Oracles, then the conclusion that there subsists three Divine Persons who are co-essential, co-eternal, and co-equal is unavoidable. He of whom such works as the creation of the universe, the inspiration of the Scriptures, the formation of the humanity of Christ, the regeneration and sanctification of the elect, is, and must be, GOD; or, to use the language of 2 Corinthians 3:17 “Now the Lord is that Spirit.”^{^[1]}

---------------------------more tomorrow------------------------

Join our “Victory over the Darkness”, “The Bondage Breaker”, "Freedom in Christ" series of Discipleship Classes via the mt4christ247 podcast!

at https://mt4christ247.podbean.com, You can also find it on Apple podcasts

(https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-mt4christ247s-podcast/id1551615154). The mt4christ247 podcast is also available on Google Podcasts, Amazon Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartradio, and Audible.com.

These teachings are also available on the MT4Christ247 You Tube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@MT4Christ247

Email me at mt4christ247@gmail.com to receive the class materials, share your progress, and to be encouraged.

My wife, TammyLyn, also offers Christian encouragement via her Ask Seek Knock blog (https://tammylynask.blogspot.com/ ), her Facebook Group: Ask, Seek, Knock (https://www.facebook.com/groups/529047851449098 ) and her podcast Ask, Seek, and Knock on Podbean (https://feed.podbean.com/tammalyn78/feed.xml)

For those who require the assistance of a Deeper Walk International Prayer Minister to experience healing or your freedom in Christ, I highly recommend Christy Edge’s Life on the Edge Freedom Prayer Ministry. You can schedule a session by going to : https://cedge216.wixsite.com/life-on-the-edge

“The views, opinions, and commentary of this publication are those of the author, M.T. Clark, only, and do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of any of the photographers, artists, ministries, or other authors of the other works that may be included in this publication, and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities the author may represent.”

Encouragement for the Path of Christian Discipleship

^{^[1]} Arthur Walkington Pink, The Holy Spirit (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, n.d.).

Friday, May 19, 2023

I’m a Goodfella. – Lies of the Enemy #35– Purity 1047

Purity 1047 05/19/2023 Purity 1047 Podcast

Purity 1046 on YouTube:

Good morning,

Today’s photo of a tranquil morning scene at Persimmon Lake In Murphy NC comes to us from Fred Dimmick who capture this beautiful scene, with the lake’s mirror like reflection of the sky and the morning mist rising off the lake’s surface, back on May 4^th as a case study in contrasts as Persimmon’s waters recede in the winter months leaving the shores looking like a barren desert but come May, the lake fills up again to reflect spring’s thriving abundance of life.

Well, It’s Friday and I for one really appreciate Fred’s diligence of practicing and sharing his photography. In my full life, I don’t always have time to check in to Facebook or to plan the “photo of the day” and when ever I’m not sure what to share I have discovered that Fred is a reliable source to go to see the glory of God’s creation on “film”. His penchant for sharing the views from his life consistently and reliably makes me appreciate Fred’s “friendship” and his life’s narrative. Although I have never sat down and chatted with Fred, he has told me bits of “his story” through social media and he comes across as someone who appreciates the simple joys of life in spite of some of the challenges he has faced in the recent years with finding a place to call his home, with health concerns, or with car troubles.

You can’t always know who somebody is from looking from the outside, but I get the overall impression that Fred is a “nice guy”. Although I can’t be certain, I think Fred is a “goodfella”.

Now I use that particular phrase quite purposefully to highlight the duality of man – our mix of good and evil, that can sometimes define who we are and that just may seal our fates.

The phrase “Goodfella” obviously is loaded with meaning for most of us as Martin Scorsese’s 1990 gangster film is praised by critics and fans, resulting in several awards and nominations, and has been listed as one of the greatest films ever made, particularly in the gangster genre. Based on the life of a real life wise guy, the film narrates the rise and fall of mob associate, Henry Hill and his family and friends from 1955 to 1980 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goodfellas). The film’s scenes are gripping, and its dialog is infectious as those who love the film are often known to echo its phrases. While I won’t share any quotes from the film on the blog I am sharing a link (https://decider.com/2022/05/26/ray-liottas-10-best-goodfellas-quotes/) to star, Ray Liotta’s 10 Best Goodfellas’ Quotes if you want to walk back to the dark side of memory lane.

The paradox of the film of course is that Henry Hill and His friends are not “goodfellas” by the standards of traditional biblical morality. They are thieves, liars, adulterers, drunks, swindlers, drug addicts, and murderers. Their zeal for life is to serve themselves and take what they want by any means necessary. However, these men also have families and friendships that are defined by love and a strong sense of loyalty – unless of course those things get in the way of “business”.

Ironically, members of “organized crime” sometimes surprise us by doing good. They give “justice” to those who don’t get it from police or the government. Sometimes they give things to those in need. Sometimes their ill-gotten gains even go into the coffers of charities and churches. They may indeed seem to be “respectable businessmen” to their local communities and churches. With these “good works”, one may wonder if these gangsters aren’t so bad after all, that somehow in the final accounting they may “do more good than bad” and find themselves in a state of grace – that God will declare that these criminals are “goodfellas” after all and welcome them into heaven.

Now as much as I have introduced the subject of gangsters who have obvious concerns about their eternal destinies because of their many crimes, I actually mean to shine a spot light on all of those of us who consider ourselves “nice guys”, “good girls”, or a “good neighbor” who know they “aren’t perfect” but who don’t display any fruit or evidence of having a relationship with God but are putting their faith in their “good outweighing their bad” as the means to getting to be a part of God’s eternal kingdom.

So today’s big lie is:

Lie #35: I’m a Goodfella.

This lie is so pervasive throughout the world that it not only infects the realms of supposedly Christian institutions it forms the basis of all false religions and the measure of performance of the world system.

The lie – “I’m a Goodfella” is unbiblical as the Bible tells us in:

Ecclesiastes 7:20 (NKJV)
²⁰ For there is not a just man on earth who does good And does not sin.

The Apostle Paul expounds on our moral hopelessness, inability to “do good”, and be approved by our own efforts in:

Romans 3:10-20 (NLT2)
¹⁰ As the Scriptures say, “No one is righteous— not even one.
¹¹ No one is truly wise; no one is seeking God.
¹² All have turned away; all have become useless. No one does good, not a single one.”
¹³ “Their talk is foul, like the stench from an open grave. Their tongues are filled with lies.” “Snake venom drips from their lips.”
¹⁴ “Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.”
¹⁵ “They rush to commit murder.
¹⁶ Destruction and misery always follow them.
¹⁷ They don’t know where to find peace.” )
¹⁸ “They have no fear of God at all.”
¹⁹ Obviously, the law applies to those to whom it was given, for its purpose is to keep people from having excuses, and to show that the entire world is guilty before God.
²⁰ For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are.

The lie of “I’m a Goodfella” – that proclaims that somehow God will forgive us because our evil will be less than our “good” is based in ignorance and ignores the word of God that tells us that we will be dead in our trespasses and sins without Jesus.

I am sharing a link to Open Bible Info’s 100 verses about Jesus died for our sins on the blog today (https://www.openbible.info/topics/jesus_died_for_our_sins) if you need the scriptures to convince you that our works don’t save us.

I know that most “Christians” “know this” but the Bible also speaks of those who will claim a relationship with Christ – by works or passing association – that will discover that their “show” of Christianity, “nominal agreement”, disingenuous faith, or infrequent participation in outward signs of worshipping the Lord won’t fool the God in the end.

So before you anoint yourself with the “cheap grace” of having a “passing relationship” with God or of “doing more good than bad” as a means of salvation – Consider Christ’s words to the nonbeliever and to those who profess or try to prove their “faith” with works.

For those who haven’t put their faith in Christ, I offer Jesus’ words in:

John 14:6 (NLT2)
⁶ Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.

There is no other way to God but through faith in Jesus. Sorry, Goodfella without Him you don’t get “in”. Christ also said:

John 3:18 (NLT2)
¹⁸ “There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son.

For those who are “doing more good than bad” but have an inconsistent or virtually nonexistent “relationship” with God, but have “a little faith”. I offer.

Luke 13:24-27 (NLT2)
²⁴ “Work hard to enter the narrow door to God’s Kingdom, for many will try to enter but will fail.
²⁵ When the master of the house has locked the door, it will be too late. You will stand outside knocking and pleading, ‘Lord, open the door for us!’ But he will reply, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from.’
²⁶ Then you will say, ‘But we ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.’
²⁷ And he will reply, ‘I tell you, I don’t know you or where you come from. Get away from me, all you who do evil.’

Just because you sat and heard Jesus’ teachings and had the Lord’s supper, doesn’t necessarily mean you are a Christian – Christ’s words indicate that we also have to repent of our sins because otherwise our “doing evil” – having regular periodic unrepentant sin in our life may indicate we are “false converts”. If we fail to “work hard” to overcome our sins, we may demonstrate we are not actually Christ’s disciples – those who obey what He teaches.

And as for those who are “working hard” and are proud of it, I offer Jesus’ words in:

Matthew 7:21-23 (NKJV)
²¹ "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.
²² Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?'
²³ And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'

Again, this is for the legitimate businessmen and those who stand out in public and shine a light on all the “good deeds” you have done for God. Christ wants you heart as well as your works, and your good works in the light don’t cover the “lawlessness” you practice in the dark.

Christ call sus to be disciples to be “real” Christians – to seek Him, to love Him, and to practice what Jesus teaches. Now don’t get me wrong, this is not some ultra form of performance based salvation – I don’t think Jesus was suggesting that, but I do think He was trying to convict all of us that we must believe in Him and to do our best to follow His example and to do so as an expression of our love for God – as part of our relationship with Him.

My heart is to encourage people to walk with God humbly and simply but not so simply that we aren’t pursuing Him and seeking to do His will on earth, which includes our pursuing personal sanctification and spiritual maturity.

The reason today’s lie of “I’m a Goodfella” has so inflamed my passion to exhort is because the WHOLE WORLD would consider themselves “goodfellas” – We are all “good” in our own eyes and we would all declare ourselves “good enough” by judging those who are worse than we are. However, the word God tells us we must be right with God through faith in Jesus and through our authentic attempts to follow Him into repentance.

I know so many “goodfellas”, “nice guys”, “good girls. “free spirits” and “characters” that I love, find amusing, and genuinely “like” that have seemingly no relationship with the Lord. They don’t always do the right thing and often suffer for their poor choices but overall they “seem like good people.”

I know others who really seem to have it “all together”. They are successful and kind. They are good citizens and good to their families or friends, but they don’t demonstrate any faith in Jesus.

So I say all this to encourage all the “goodfellas” out their whether you are an Upstanding citizen or a “wise guy”, to stand up and surrender to the Lordship or Christ and to be truly wise by declaring that you are not a “goodfella” and that you need the forgiveness and new life that only God can give you that comes through faith in Jesus and a life that is surrendered to Him.

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For those who want more evidence for Christianity than my simple apologetic will provide, I offer apologist, Frank Turek’s website, https://crossexamined.org/ .

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Today’s Bible verse comes to us from “The NLT Bible Promise Book for Men”.

This morning’s meditation verses are:

Colossians 3:23-24 (NLT2)
²³ Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.
²⁴ Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ.

Today’s verses encourage us to work as if we were working directly for the Lord, because we do, and because the Lord will reward us with inheritance when we serve Jesus as the Master of our Lives.

Verses like today’s passage indicate to us that our faith was never meant to be a weekly observance of worship. Our faith is supposed to be a way of life and we are to consider everything we do as something we are doing for the Lord. God made us and He will reclaim us and so we are to show Him that we know who our Master is by being His representative here on the earth.

Everything we do we are to do for the Lord and although it may not always be easy to “do the right thing”, God’s word assures us that He sees what we are doing, and He will reward us for our faithful service.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

As always, I invite all to go to mt4christ.org where I always share insights from prominent Christian theologians and counselors to assist my brothers and sisters in Christ with their walk.

Today we begin sharing from The Holy Spirit By A.W. Pink.

As always, I share this information for educational purposes and encourage you all to purchase June Hunt’s books for your own private study and to support her work. This resource is available online for $0.99 (https://www.amazon.com/Holy-Spirit-Arthur-Pink-Collection-ebook/dp/B008CM5292/ref=sr_1_3?crid=AHKAQOM39CTN&keywords=a.w.+pink+the+holy+spirit&qid=1684376225&sprefix=a.w.+pink+the+holy+spirit+%2Caps%2C96&sr=8-3)

1 - The Holy Spirit continues

The Problem: Effort in the Flesh

In the great majority of cases, professing Christians are too puffed up by a sense of what they suppose they are doing for God, to earnestly study what God has promised to do for and in His people. They are so occupied with their fleshly efforts to “win souls for Christ” that they feel not their own deep need of the Spirit’s anointing. The leaders of “Christian” (?) enterprise are so concerned in multiplying “Christian workers” that quantity, not quality, is the main consideration. How few today recognize that if the number of “missionaries” on the foreign field were increased twenty-fold the next year, that that, of itself, would not ensure the genuine salvation of one additional heathen? Even though every new missionary were “sound in the faith” and preached only “the Truth,” that would not add one iota of spiritual power to the missionary forces, without the Holy Spirit’s unction and blessing! The same principle holds good everywhere. If the orthodox seminaries and the much-advertised Bible institutes turned out 100 times more men than they are now doing, the churches would not be one bit better off than they are, unless God vouchsafed a fresh outpouring of His Spirit. In like manner, no Sunday School is strengthened by the mere multiplication of its teachers.

O my readers, face the solemn fact that the greatest lack of all in Christendom today is the absence of the Holy Spirit’s power and blessing. Review the activities of the past 30 years. Millions of dollars have been freely devoted to the support of professed Christian enterprises. Bible institutes and schools have turned out “trained workers” by the thousands. Bible conferences have sprung up on every side like mushrooms. Countless booklets and tracts have been printed and circulated. Time and labors have been given by an almost incalculable number of “personal workers.” And with what results? Has the standard of personal piety advanced? Are the churches less worldly? Are their members more Christ-like in their daily walk? Is there more godliness in the home? Are the children more obedient and respectful? Is the Sabbath Day being increasingly sanctified and kept holy? Has the standard of honesty in business been raised?

The Need

Those blest with any spiritual discernment can return but one answer to the above questions. In spite of all the huge sums of money that have been spent, in spite of all the labors which has been put forth, in spite of all the new workers that have been added to the old ones, the spirituality of Christendom is at a far lower ebb today than it was 30 years ago. Numbers of professing Christians have increased, fleshly activities have multiplied, but spiritual power has waned. Why? Because there is a grieved and quenched Spirit in our midst. While His blessing is withheld there can be no improvement. What is needed today is for the saints to get down on their faces before God, cry unto Him in the name of Christ to so work again, that what has grieved His Spirit may be put away, and the channel of blessing once more be opened.

Until the Holy Spirit is again given His rightful place in our hearts, thoughts, and activities, there can be no improvement. Until it be recognized that we are entirely dependent upon His operations for all spiritual blessing, the root of the trouble cannot be reached. Until it be recognized that it is “ ‘Not by might, (of trained workers), nor by power (of intellectual argument or persuasive appeal), but by MY SPIRIT; saith the Lord” (Zech. 4:6), there will be no deliverance from that fleshly zeal which is not according to knowledge, and which is now paralyzing Christendom. Until the Holy Spirit is honored, sought, and counted upon, the present spiritual drought must continue. May it please our gracious God to give the writer messages and prepare the hearts of our readers to receive that which will be to His glory, the furtherance of His cause upon earth, and the good of His dear people. Brethren, pray for us.^{^[1]}

---------------------------more tomorrow------------------------

Join our “Victory over the Darkness”, “The Bondage Breaker”, "Freedom in Christ" series of Discipleship Classes via the mt4christ247 podcast!

at https://mt4christ247.podbean.com, You can also find it on Apple podcasts

(https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-mt4christ247s-podcast/id1551615154). The mt4christ247 podcast is also available on Google Podcasts, Amazon Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartradio, and Audible.com.

These teachings are also available on the MT4Christ247 You Tube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@MT4Christ247

Email me at mt4christ247@gmail.com to receive the class materials, share your progress, and to be encouraged.

Encouragement for the Path of Christian Discipleship

^{^[1]} Arthur Walkington Pink, The Holy Spirit (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, n.d.).

Wednesday, May 17, 2023

But Me…. I’m Different! – Lies of the Enemy #33– Purity 1045

Purity 1045 05/17/2023 Purity 1045 Podcast

Purity 1045 on YouTube:

Talk about a different path... YouTube!

Good morning,

Today’s photo of a gravel roadway cutting through lush green farmland towards a lush spring forest under vibrant blue skies comes to us from yours truly as I captured this scene in the initial moments of an afternoon of hiking most of the Gallop Road at the Merck Forrest and Farmland Center grounds in Rupert Vermont this past weekend.

Well, It’s Wednesday and tonight I will be leading the second meeting of the Celebrate Freedom Recovery/Discipleship Growth Group at my local church, so I share this photo of a pathway that has the “humps” of some of Vermont’s Green Mountains in the background to simultaneously visually remind us of our arrival at the middle of the work week and to encourage everyone to keep on “walking and talking with God” on the path of Christian Discipleship.

Leading discipleship groups can be a lot like hiking. It can be rewarding to encourage people to follow the Lord with the way they live their life, but it also can be a challenge when the people you have been given the responsibility to lead have different ideas about where you are going. When I was given to the opportunity to lead this group at my local church, I was given the Celebrate Recovery lessons on the 12 steps/8 Biblical principles model as a guideline for what was to be presented each week at the group meetings – with little instruction other “this is what we teach from” – so being no stranger to Celebrate Recovery’s format – I kicked off last week’s inaugural meeting of the Celebrate Freedom “Growth Group” according to the structure that is outlined in the Celebrate Recovery materials and I was given the initial feedback that it seemed to go well but in between that first night and today I have received reports that some members of the group expected our meetings to be more like a “growth group” model that our church uses for the fellowship of small groups on a regular basis.

I belong to a “growth group” that my brother in law runs and in that model we come together for a meal, discuss prepared questions based on the pastor’s sermon that week, and then separate the men and women for private sharing and prayer.

The small group model is really not that different than Celebrate Recovery’s model with exception that our church’s small group are a little more laid back because the message – the Pastor’s sermon – has already been delivered whereas with Celebrate Recovery the message has not been delivered. Whereas our church’s small groups can operate under the assumption that “everyone has heard the message”, Celebrate Recovery’s materials operates under the assumption that not only has not everyone heard “the message before” – it also is operating under the assumption that people will actually – slowly, bit by bit – one day at a time – with the Lord’s help – apply the principles of the teaching to their actual lives. Celebrate Recovery operates under the assumption that not only do people want to hear a teaching – they have some very real “hurts, habits, and hang-ups” that they want to be set free of and they are trusting the Lord to help them actually do it.

Whereas our church’s small groups are relational and encouraging and they provide a place where you can share your burdens, there is not necessarily the assumption that you want to “be made well” and they are more social than ministerial in nature – or at least that’s what I’ve seen. There seems to be more concern about what’s on the menu – food wise – each week rather than an emphasis on really getting the gist of the pastor’s teaching and trying to apply it to our lives.

So I have tonight I have the task of trying to be true to present the material from the Celebrate Recovery message but at the same time have to “make it more like a growth group”. Even though I set out the “Celebrate Recovery Meeting” format in the welcoming email to all the people who registered for the group, the church did call it a “growth group” – so tonight I will be changing things up a little to try to make our meeting a little more relational by “sharing the lesson” quite literally with the group as I will be seeking to disseminating it to each person and asking them to “do their part” in presenting it. I’m not sure how this will be received but I want to be responsive to the needs and feedback to the group and to do all I can do to help them grow as disciples.

I already have my Freedom in Christ and this group isn’t about me “teaching” or “preaching” – I want it to be about each person coming to know who they are in Christ and to grow into the people that they and the Lord want them to be.

While some may be challenged by something like this, I surrender it all to God and will take it as it comes. Being challenged, making adjustments, and doing something new is how God causes us to grow and when we remember to surrender to do things His way, we discover that His way is best and covers all the different situations we can face in life. Even though we have many different experiences, histories, and “hurts, habits, and hang ups” – I know that God has the answer for them all. In Christ, while we are each uniquely gifted and called, none of us are “different”.

So today’s big lie is:

Lie #33: I’m Different!

Today’s lie seeks to separate us from the flock of humanity and the Body of Christ specifically by telling us that “we are not like the others; we are not one and the same.” Although it is based on the truth of our own individual characteristics, talents, and situations, the truth is used against us as the enemy attempts to push us to the extremes along the pride spectrum.

“I’m different.” Can be used to make us to think more highly of ourselves (These people are idiots, they’re not smart like me!”) or can make us think that we are broken, dysfunctional, or deviant in some way. The enemy doesn’t care where the lie of “I’m different” takes you along the “Pride Highway to Hell” just as long as it causes you to not bring you to surrender to the Lordship of Christ and to live out your identity in Christ.

The lie of “I’m different” can drive us to heights of personal achievement and “god like” levels of self-sufficiency or it can keep us frozen in inaction as “I’m different” could cause us to not risk trying anything or fear the company of others.

“I’m different” can encourage our sin. This is what I do – I’m different. That’s just the way I am!” And some people will even say they are proud of their particular sin of choice as they made that activity their identity.

“I’m different” in our current culture has some denying their own biology as they claim they are not who their bodies tell them who they are. Some claim they are “really different” because they are in the wrong bodies in terms of gender and or they are in the wrong species as some people want to be their “true selves” as a member of the animal kingdom.

But as unique as our talents, characteristics, and experiences can be – in the beginning and in the end none of us are different. The word of God tells us:

Genesis 1:27 (NKJV)
²⁷ So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

All mankind was created in God’s image – we are not like the animals – and not evolved from them. Humans are unique but all mankind have the similarity of being blessed by being made in our Creator’s image.

In terms of our bodies, the word tells us here that we are made male and female – down to our genetic code – and we should accept who we are biologically and suspect that anything that would tell us that God got it wrong is a malevolent demonic spirit that would seek to confuse us, steal our true identities, destroy our natural bodies, and kill us.

In terms our sin and individual temptations, the Bible tells us we are more a like than different:

1 Corinthians 10:13 (NKJV)
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.

Temptations are common to man – the same all over – and the power over sin – the way of escape found in relationship with God who is faithful. So our individual bents or sins don’t make us different, and the cure is found through faith in Christ and the decision to follow His example and rest in His power. Everyone of us can overcome in Christ – as our sin and individual difference are secondary to who God says we are when we put our faith in Jesus.

Galatians 3:26-28 (NKJV) tells us
²⁶ For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.
²⁷ For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
²⁸ There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

Those things that would divide us and tell us that we are different are washed away by our new identities in Christ. And it is through Christ we shall, live.

Which brings us to the end: where God word tells us that we are not different in our eternal destinies.

Hebrews 9:27 (NKJV)
²⁷ And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment,

We will all die, and we will all be judged. However through Christ we can be saved from God’s wrath and live with Him.

Romans 10:9 (NKJV)
⁹ that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

Now I know there is a lot of people out there who define themselves by how they are “different” but the path that leads to life everlasting – faith in Jesus – is the one way to be “truly different” from those who will be “dead” in their trespasses and sins.

So, reject the lie that “I am different” because every man, woman, and child are same in their need of a Savior – Jesus Christ. And instead proclaim that you are just like everyone else in that need, but you have decided to be the same as those who are called to be One in Christ.

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For those who want more evidence for Christianity than my simple apologetic will provide, I offer apologist, Frank Turek’s website, https://crossexamined.org/ .

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Today’s Bible verse comes to us from “The NLT Bible Promise Book for Men”.

This morning’s meditation verses are:

1 Corinthians 13:13 (NLT2)
¹³ Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.

Today’s verse encourages that unlike the world that is fading away and perishing, there are three things that will last forever – faith, hope, and love. And as God is love – which is the greatest of the three – we need to have faith in Christ and live in the hope of seeing God’s kingdom come.

So love the Lord with all your heart, put your faith in Christ alone, and share the hope that comes from knowing Him.

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As always, I invite all to go to mt4christ.org where I always share insights from prominent Christian theologians and counselors to assist my brothers and sisters in Christ with their walk.

Today we continue sharing from “Satan, Demons & Satanism: A Sinister Reality” By June Hunt.

As always, I share this information for educational purposes and encourage you all to purchase June Hunt’s books for your own private study and to support her work. This resource is available online for $7.99 (https://june-hunt.myshopify.com/collections/keys-for-living/products/keys-for-living-on-satan-demons-satanism_ ).

Satan, Demons & Satanism

A Sinister Reality

by June Hunt

Satanic Symbols

While satanism is characterized by its symbolism, the WORD of GOD stands staunchly against all that is satanic.

“Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. Anyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord.…”

(Deuteronomy 18:10–12)

Anarchy

The symbol of anarchy represents the abolition of all law and authority.

“Then Jesus … said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.’ ”

(Matthew 28:18)

Triangle

The symbol of the triangle is often drawn on the ground as the place where a demon would appear during a ritual.

“They sacrificed to demons, which are not God.… You deserted the Rock, who fathered you; you forgot the God who gave you birth.”

(Deuteronomy 32:17–18)

Circle

The circle symbolizes the protection from evil without and the ability to contain power within.

“Pray that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men, for not everyone has faith. But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen and protect you from the evil one.”

(2 Thessalonians 3:2–3)

Cross of Confusion

This ancient Roman symbol questions the existence and validity of Christianity.

“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”

(1 Corinthians 1:18)

Anti-Justice

The Roman symbol of justice was a double bladed axe in the upright position. Satanists, in keeping with their anarchy theme, invert the axe to represent “anti-justice.”

“The Lord is known by his justice; the wicked are ensnared by the work of their hands.”

(Psalm 9:16)

Diana and Lucifer

This symbol represents the moon goddess, Diana, and the morning star of Lucifer. When the moon is on the right, it represents good. When the moon is on the left, it represents evil.

“O morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth.… You said in your heart … ‘I will raise my throne above the stars of God.… I will make myself like the Most High.’But you are brought down to the grave, to the depths of the pit.”

(Isaiah 14:12–15)

Cross of Nero

An upside-down cross with the crossbar broken downward symbolizes that the prophecy “no bone shall be broken” is not true.

“These things happened so that the scripture would be fulfilled: ‘Not one of his bones will be broken.’ ”

(John 19:36)

Pentagram Inverted or Baphomet

This is strictly a satanic symbol with the two points upward representing the horns of the sabbatical goat attacking the heavens with its horns. The goat is symbolic of lust.

“All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.”

(Matthew 25:32–33)

Mark of the Beast

These are symbols for the biblical mark of the beast or Satan as referred to in Revelation 13:16–18. The letter “F” is the sixth letter of the alphabet.

“So that no one could buy or sell unless he had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of his name.… His number is 666.”

(Revelation 13:17–18)

Pentagram

The five-pointed star with the top point upward symbolizes power to keep away evil. The top point represents the spirit, and the other points represent wind, fire, earth and water.

“Do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.”

(1 John 4:1)

Swastika or Broken Cross

The backwards swastika, as shown here, represents the elements as being out of harmony and turning against nature. Originally, it represented the four winds, the four seasons and the four compass points with its four arms at 90-degree angles showing harmony with nature.

“For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible.… He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.”

(Colossians 1:16–17)

Upside-Down Cross

This symbol blasphemes the Christian cross by ridiculing the atonement and denying the power of the cross.

“And having disarmed the power and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.”

(Colossians 2:15)

Horned Hand

This is a sign of recognition between those who are in the occult.

“ ‘Come out from them and be separate,’ says the Lord. ‘Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.’ ”

(2 Corinthians 6:17)

Hexagram

The hexagram is one of the most powerful symbols of the occult. It is referred to as the Seal of Solomon.

“I pray that … he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being.”

(Ephesians 3:16)

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®.

We acknowledge that mistakes could occur in the writing of any of our resources or an omission may be found in the many Scripture references and citations contained herein. Although the editors have sought to avoid all errors, some may have crept in or been overlooked, for which we take full responsibility. The considerate reader would render us a great service by calling our attention to any such error.

The Biblical Counseling Keys should not be construed as a substitute for one-on-one, Christ-centered counseling when needed.

To order CDs, tapes, resource books and additional Biblical Counseling Keys on Cults, God: Who Is He? Jehovah’s Witnesses, Mormonism, New Age Spirituality, The Occult, Spiritual Warfare and other related topics, contact Hope For The Heart P.O. Box 7 Dallas, TX 75221 or call toll-free 1-800-488-HOPE (4673).

Please visit our website for License Agreement and Terms and Conditions.

www.hopefortheheart.org

Selected Bibliography

With grateful appreciation for editorial review by Christian Information Ministries. www.christianinformation.org

Anderson, Neil T., and Steve Russo. The Seduction of our Children. Eugene, OR: Harvest House, 1991.

Bubeck, Mark I. The Adversary. Chicago: Moody, 1975.

Bubeck, Mark I. Raising Lambs Among Wolves. Chicago: Moody, 1997.

Bubeck, Mark I. The Satanic Revival. San Bernadino, CA: Here’s Life, 1991.

Frederickson, Bruce G. Satanism: How to Respond. Rev. ed. St. Louis, MO: Concordia, 1995.

Hunt, June. Counseling Through Your Bible Handbook. Eugene, Oregon: Harvest House Publishers, 2007.

Hunt, June. How to Forgive … When You Don’t Feel Like It. Eugene, Oregon: Harvest House Publishers, 2007.

Hunt, June. How to Handle Your Emotions. Eugene, Oregon: Harvest House Publishers, 2008.

Hunt, June. Seeing Yourself Through God’s Eyes. Eugene, Oregon: Harvest House Publishers, 2008

Larson, Bob. Satanism: The Seduction of America’s Youth. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1989.

LeVey, Anton Szandor. The Satanic Bible. New York: Avon, 1969.

Mayhue, Richard. Unmasking Satan. Wheaton, IL: Victor, 1988.

Mungadze, Jerry. Satanic Cults: What You Really Need to Know. Dallas: Mirror Productions, 1990. audiocassettes.

Passantino, Bob, and Gretchen Passantino. Satanism. Zondervan Guide to Cults and Religious Movements, ed. Alan W. Gomes. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1995.

Passantino, Bob, and Gretchen Passantino. When the Devil Dares Your Kids: Protecting Your Children from Satanism, Witchcraft, and the Occult. Ann Arbor, MI: Vine, 1991.

Pentecost, J. Dwight. Your Adversary the Devil. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1969.

Raschke, Carl A. Painted Black. San Francisco: Harper & Row, 1990.

Sellers, Sean. Web of Darkness. Tulsa, OK: Victory House, 1990.

Unger, Merrill. Demons in the World Today. Wheaton, IL: Living Books, 1971.

Unger, Merrill F. What Demons Can Do to Saints. Chicago: Moody, 1991.

Warnke, Mike. Schemes of Satan. Tulsa, OK: Victory House, 1991.

Weldon, John, and Clifford Wilson. Occult Shock and Psychic Forces. San Diego, CA: Master, 1980.

Wilson, Colin. The Occult: A History. Book Club ed. New York: Random House, 1971.^{^[1]}

---------------------------more tomorrow------------------------

Join our “Victory over the Darkness”, “The Bondage Breaker”, "Freedom in Christ" series of Discipleship Classes via the mt4christ247 podcast!

at https://mt4christ247.podbean.com, You can also find it on Apple podcasts

(https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-mt4christ247s-podcast/id1551615154). The mt4christ247 podcast is also available on Google Podcasts, Amazon Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartradio, and Audible.com.

These teachings are also available on the MT4Christ247 You Tube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@MT4Christ247

Email me at mt4christ247@gmail.com to receive the class materials, share your progress, and to be encouraged.

Encouragement for the Path of Christian Discipleship

^{^[1]} June Hunt, Biblical Counseling Keys on Satan, Demons & Satanism: A Sinister Reality (Dallas, TX: Hope For The Heart, 2008), 21–22.

Labels

Tuesday, May 23, 2023

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Friday, May 19, 2023

I’m a Goodfella. – Lies of the Enemy #35– Purity 1047

Wednesday, May 17, 2023

But Me…. I’m Different! – Lies of the Enemy #33– Purity 1045