Denominations = Divisions

This is how to break the curse of the religious spirit and the denominational divisions in the Body of Christ! Read God's WORD! He has the answers!

1 Corinthians 1:10 NET
I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to AGREE TOGETHER, to END your DIVISIONS, and to BE UNITED by the SAME MIND and PURPOSE.

A denomination is defined as
"A large group of religious congregations united under a COMMON FAITH AND NAME and organized under a single administrative and legal hierarchy."

It's purpose is to unite a group of people who share the same faith, under the same name. There shouldn't be Baptists, Methodists, Pentecostals, etc.   We all have the same faith in Jesus Christ. So why, I ask, are there so many denominations in Christianity? Isn't Christianity
a faith? One faith?

The reason there are so many denominations is because of "religiosity," because of divisions. One group wants to worship with music, others without, and others don't worship at all. One group wants to put pews, others want chairs. And if they cannot agree, they split and go their separate ways.

Stop being so fickle!! We are told constantly by the Word of God to be unified: mind, body, and spirit!! Encouraging, comforting, and loving one another, living in peace and harmony, being humble.

Romans 15:5-6 NET
Now may the God of endurance and comfort give you UNITY with one another in accordance WITH CHRIST JESUS, so that TOGETHER you may with ONE voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Philippians 2:1-4 NET
Therefore, if there is any ENCOURAGEMENT in CHRIST, any COMFORT PROVIDED BY LOVE, any FELLOWSHIP IN THE SPIRIT, any AFFECTION or MERCY, complete my joy and be of the SAME MIND, by having the SAME LOVE, being UNITED IN SPIRIT, and having ONE PURPOSE. Instead of being motivated by selfish ambition or vanity, each of you should, in HUMILITY, be moved to treat one another as more important than yourself. Each of you should be concerned not only about your own interests, but about the interests of others as well.

There are many other scriptures instructing us to be united under our Lord Jesus Christ! Stop arguing over whether or not to have pews or chairs. Make it simple and have neither! Sit on the floor. In many places, such as China, believers HAVE to sit on the floor, meeting in secret, because they do not have the freedom we have to assemble in the name of Jesus!

We must humble ourselves in order to be unified as ONE! We are to be the BODY (1) of CHRIST who is the HEAD! Make Christ your leader, flow in the Spirit and worship God! Simple! But sadly many, being human, don't like simple. We try to complicate things.

Christianity shouldn't be complicated! Love and worship God, share your testimony of what Jesus has done for you and what he is doing in you, and love your neighbor, which is everyone! It really isn't hard!

Contradictions

Matthew 4:4 NET
But he answered, “It is written, ‘Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

For those who think the Old Testament text is irrelevant today, why is it that Jesus quoted it so many times in the New Testament? I read something recently that disregarded the writings of the Old Testament saying that we should ignore what the Old Testament says. While still professing Jesus as Savior, these same people claim that the Bible contradicts itself. When someone says the Bible is a contradiction, then you can't believe what they say, they are false prophets.

The Old Testament sets the stage for Jesus' entrance as our coming savior. To suggest that the Old Testament is a contradiction means these people believe Jesus is a contradiction.

Those who are quick to ignore or throw out the words of the Old Testament, need to reread this next passage a couple of times, perhaps the truth will finally sink in:

Matthew 5:17-19 NET
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have not come to abolish these things but to fulfill them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth pass away not the smallest letter or stroke of a letter will pass from the law until everything takes place. So anyone who breaks one of the least of these commands and teaches others to do so[false prophets] will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever obeys them and teaches others to do so will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

Slave vs Servant

Ephesians 6:5-6 NET

Slaves, obey your human masters with fear and trembling, in the sincerity of your heart as to Christ, not like those who do their work only when someone is watching – as people-pleasers – but as slaves of Christ doing the will of God from the heart.

What is the difference in being called a slave and being called a servant? The difference is that we are slaves to Christ and we are to be servants to others. We are not slaves to people nor should we be slaves to this world, but to Christ!

When a slave serves his master's friends, he is not their slave but their servant. Our master is Jesus and we are to serve our fellow Christians as well as the lost!

1 Corinthians 7:22-23 NET

For the one who was called in the Lord as a slave is the Lord’s freedman. In the same way, the one who was called as a free person is Christ’s slave. You were bought with a price. Do not become slaves of men.

Romans 6:14-23 NET

For sin will have no mastery over you, because you are not under law but under grace.
What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Absolutely not! Do you not know that if you present yourselves as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or obedience resulting in righteousness? But thanks be to God that though you were slaves to sin, you obeyed from the heart that pattern of teaching you were entrusted to, and having been freed from sin, you became enslaved to righteousness. (I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh.) For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification. For when you were slaves of sin, you were free with regard to righteousness.
So what benefit did you then reap from those things that you are now ashamed of? For the end of those things is death. But now, freed from sin and enslaved to God, you have your benefit leading to sanctification, and the end is eternal life. For the payoff of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Luke 16:13 NET

No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money (possessions; worldly things).”

We all know that having things, money, possessions, etc., is not evil nor is it wrong, but when we are slaves to this world and the things in it, then we begin to love things more than God and He is a jealous (zealous) God! We are to serve Him, not the things of this world. We can possess things and not allow things to possess us!

Exodus 20:5 NET

You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I, the Lord, your God, am a jealous God, responding to the transgression of fathers by dealing with children to the third and fourth generations of those who reject me

Jealous is defined in the NET as being "the same word often translated "zeal" or "zealous." The word describes a passionate intensity to protect or defend something that is jeopardized." I love the next part. "God's zeal or jealousy is to protect his people or his institutions or his honor. Yahweh's honor is bound up with the life of his people.

So we are to honor God by being enslaved to Christ, serving God and others.

Half Truths!

Romans 3:23
     for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

We are all familiar with this scripture.  We should be, simply because many, Christian and non-christian, like to spit this scripture in the face of those who are pointing out a sin in another; not to condemn or judge, but to inform with love and kindness.  This scripture has been jammed down the throats of so many in a, "you sin and fall short of God's glory, so don't talk to me about my sin," kind of attitude.  This scripture is a true statement, but it is becoming a half truth.

Now, a half truth is defined as a deceptive statement that includes some element of truth.  You may think, is she saying this scripture is deceptive?  I will explain why that is not what I am saying.  Romans 3:23 is not deceptive, however the use of it, the way many people phrase it and use it, is the deception.

They are only giving part of the truth.  Yes we all have sinned[Grk. hamartanō to miss the mark, to err, be mistaken, miss/wander from the path of uprightness and honor, to do or go wrong, to wander form the law of God, violate God's law] and fall short[Grk. hystereō come short; fail; want; lack; devoid of; be inferior in excellence/worth] of the glory[Grk. doxa opinion, judgment, view, majesty: belonging to God, the kingly majesty which belongs to him as supreme ruler, majesty in the sense of the absolute perfection of the deity] of God[Grk. theos Godhead: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit].

However, I and possibly many, rarely hear someone quote the scripture that follows (vs. 24):

      But they are justified[dikaioō declared righteous Grk "being justified"] freely by his[God's] grace[Grk. eleeo el-eh-eh'-o to be compassionate (by word or deed, especially, by divine grace):--have compassion (pity on), have (obtain, receive, show) mercy (on)] through the redemption[antilutron an-til'-oo-tron  a redemption-price:--ransom; apolutrosis ap-ol-oo'-tro-sis(the act) ransom in full, deliverance, redemption] that is in Christ Jesus.

I love the Greek definition of justified in this passage.  Its usage is that we are "being justified."  We are being made right!  We are being perfected by grace through Christ! It is a process! Yes, I slip up.  I will make mistakes! But God!  Don't you love the "but God"s in life?! But God is making me new everyday!  Working in me! Molding me to be who I am supposed to be in Christ!  He is perfecting me! Not that I am perfected, but I am being perfected!  To be perfected (not perfect) we must give our lives as a sacrifice to God!  When we give God all of us, then He can make us and mold into who He desires us to be, but we must be willing!

So why would I not want this for others?  Why would I keep my mouth shut about what God is doing in me and not want others to know they can experience this too?!

I am not ignorant of my slip ups and mistakes.  I simply choose not to dwell on them!  

One other thing.  When a mistake has been done in the past, don't keep bringing it up!  God has already, if asked, forgiven and forgotten it, and if I have been forgiven of  it and have turned away from it and am no longer making that mistake, then do not keep spitting it back in my face.  This goes especially for all believers.  If someone has done something in the past and you know they are no longer doing it, don't bring it up!  But if they are struggling with it presently, don't condemn them! Encourage them! Show them that Christ loves them and doesn't expect them to be perfect in order to come to know him!  

This might be a shocker to the religious crowd, but NEWS FLASH: God can't perfect you if you are already perfect in your eyes!  He doesn't expect people to walk into church with ZERO problems!  We all have problems! That is what the church is supposed to be for!  To reach out to the poor, the sick, the hurting, the addict, the prostitute, the homosexual, the single mom struggling to get by!  These people are already hurting!  Don't keep spitting in their face saying "clean yourself up, then you can come to church!"  This is sinful! This is why so many don't want to go to church, because they think they have to be sinless to be accepted by God!  No!  You accept God, then He works in you: cleansing you of all unrighteousness!  Change is required, but it doesn't happen over night or at the alter one Sunday morning.  It is a life changing process!

But don't be discouraged! 

Philippians 4:13 I am able to do(can do) all things(this includes living a sinless life) through the one(Christ Jesus) who strengthens me.

[Bold bracketed] info: http://www.blueletterbible.org, http://www.eliyah.com/lexicon.html



Introduction: Bible Study Blog

When I was younger, I don't think I fully grasped what it meant to be a believer and follower of Christ. I didn't read the Bible with the intention of getting insight into God's word. I would read it, but I didn't understand it and to understand something you have to study, correct? Well I didn't know how to study the Bible [I was never good at studying in school either =/, but I got by and finished school 3rd in my class. But as a Christian, I don't want to simply "get by" or just "get to heaven". That cannot be my one and only purpose in this life. Yes, I am excited at the thought of spending eternity with my Lord, but if we get so focused on only getting to heaven, we will miss the now, and there are so many people in the now who do not have a relationship with Jesus!]

In recent years I've come to realize how important it is to read God's word, and not simply read it, but understand it! You can read something and know what it says, but not fully understand what it means.  I want to be able to read God's word and be able to grasp at what God is telling me through it and get a glimpse of who He is. I don't want what I read to be just words on a page, because I know in my heart and Spirit that they are so much more than that!

The purpose of this Blog Bible Study is not only to get information and insight into God's word (Holy Spirit inspired) out to the public, but it is also to help me grow in my walk with the Lord. I pray in some way He can speak through me to you and it bring encouragement, insight, faith, peace, and understanding to you, as well as me.

Feedback and comments are welcome. However, since this is a Christian, family friendly blog, I would appreciate it if all commentators will use respectful and appropriate language (whether your comment is for or against my posts). Also, I would ask that there be no bullying, crude, or unkind remarks made to fellow commentators. Any comments violating this request will be removed. I want opinions of others, but I want it done in a godly manner. If you do not believe in God, I still ask this simple courtesy toward others and myself.

Titus 3:2 NET
They must not slander anyone, but be peaceable, gentle, showing complete courtesy to all people.

Thank you! :)

I'm No Better Than a Smoker

I am not a fan of smoking. Period. I don't care for the smell and the smoke makes me gag and have trouble breathing.  Not that I've ever tried it, I've just been around it from time to time and that was enough for me to know I never want to be a smoker. I have no desire to even try it.

This post is not meant to be a 'pick on the smoker' blog.  I am just stating where I stand on smoking. 

Now that I have, I will explain why I am no better than a smoker.

While I am not a fan of smoking, I am a HUGE fan of sweets.  Yes, the wonderful, yet accursed sweets!  They are so good to my taste buds, but so bad for my waistline, and my health.  I have always known that smoking can cause cancer.  Some can smoke for years and never have a single health problem and others can smoke for a year and get cancer within 6 months. 

However, both eating sweets and smoking have a common root.  Addiction.

Galatians 5:17-24 NLT
17 The old sinful nature loves to do evil, which is just opposite from what the Holy Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are opposite from what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, and your choices are never free from this conflict. 18 But when you are directed by the Holy Spirit, you are no longer subject to the law. 19 When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, your lives will produce these evil results: sexual immorality, impure thoughts, eagerness for lustful pleasure, 20 idolatry, participation in demonic activities, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, divisions, the feeling that everyone is wrong except those in your own little group, 21 envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other kinds of sin. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God. 22 But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives, he will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. Here there is no conflict with the law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there.

If I am lacking in self-control, then I am subject to being addicted to the sweets that I love to eat.  And when it takes a nicotine patch or other treatments to try to quit smoking, then it is an addiction.  But they are both a danger to our bodies.  I know in my mind that eating sweets is unhealthy and I have been able to control my appetite for them, however, much like a smoker who does not sever ties with cigarettes completely, I am prone to falling back into eating even more sweets than before I tried limiting or cutting them out completely.  It's a struggle that I am not proud of, but I am woman enough to admit I have an eating problem; a candy-loving, cake-drooling, junk-food-loving addict.

But like many people with addictions, who know they have a problem, I want to do something about it.  Our church family just recently finished a 40 day fast.  I would like to continue that fast, but with the intent to rid myself of the impurities in certain foods that I indulge in far too often.  Now my reason for stating this publicly is not to have a 'holier than thou' type attitude. I am merely wanting people that I know and love to help me stick to my word.  There is nothing wrong with having an accountability partner or partners.  During this time of fasting I do hope to regain a closer walk with God and learn what it is to discipline my taste buds.  I remember hearing on K-LOVE the other day about this very subject.  God gave me taste buds so that leads me to believe He wants me to enjoy food, but He does not want my taste buds controlling my appetite.  I can enjoy food and yes even enjoy a few sweets from time to time, but when I cannot control the amount of food I am taking in, then I am allowing my taste buds to have full reign and control of my eating habits.  This is where the addiction takes over.

I am still completely against smoking, not that I am judging anyone who does smoke.  How can I judge them when I am struggling with something that is damaging to my own body?  When I was younger I didn't have a grasp on this concept, that people who smoke love God too!  Smoking is a strong-hold, just like eating too much, which is considered gluttony, and Christians have struggles too.  But it is between them and God.  Perhaps they have not felt convicted about smoking, and who are we to judge when we have so many things God is convicting our hearts about on a daily basis.  I have confessed one of my many struggles and intend to do something about it.

This scripture is very short, but very powerful, and I think is a good close to this post.

1 Corinthians 6:20 NET
For you were bought at a price. Therefore glorify God with your body. (emphasis added)

Walking Miracles

My church family and I are reading and studying a book called The Essential Guide to Healing: Equipping All Christians to Pray for the Sick by Bill Johnson and Randy Clark.  Last weeks chapter (ch. 8) was about the prophecy of the testimony, based on the scripture in Revelation 19:10, which says

   "For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy." He goes further into this throughout the chapter.

"Testimonies are to be preserved, rehearsed, kept honest and discussed in conversation. The stories of God's intervention set a legal precedent for the miraculous" (pg. 161).

"Testimonies seemed to encourage people by giving them hope that great things could happen to them, too" (pg. 162).

"As I studied the word testimony in the Old Testament, I found that it came from a word meaning 'do again'" (pg. 162).

"I realized that God had hidden the miracle realm for us, not from us, in the mystery of the testimony" (pg. 163).

"Prophecy comes in two main forms, one to foretell the future, and the other to release a word that changes the present. I believe the testimony of Jesus releases a prophetic anointing that has an effect on present realities.  Things become possible in the present that were not available until the testimony was given. It is as though the testimony reveals what God wants to 'do again'" (pg.163).

He goes further into a scripture that deliberately tells us to keep the testimonies.

"You should diligently keep the commandments of the Lord your God, and His testimonies and His statutes which He has commanded you" (Deuteronomy 6:17).

We are familiar with "keeping the commandments" which means to obey His commandments, but we seldom discuss "keeping the testimonies" which he goes in more detail about, but if I continue in this way I will be rewriting the entire book and never get to my purpose of this blog. I do recommend this book to anyone who desires the gifts of the Spirit and knowledge on how to live a miracle lifestyle.

I will quote Brother Bill a few more times just to give a further idea of what he is referring to about the "testimony".

"Commandments show us how to live. Statutes show us how to think. Testimonies show us what to expect. A testimony reveals God's acts, which in turn reveal His ways. Each story contains wonderful revelation of God's nature and His heart for people...(pg. 166), "The testimony keeps us connected in thought to the God who knows no impossibilities" (pg. 167).

This is my purpose for this blog; to share testimonies.  God is always at work doing miraculous signs and wonders.  His power is not limited to biblical times.  His power is alive and ever flowing in our present day!  Since we have been reading this book on healing, I decided to read more books that have miracles on every page.  Yes the Bible is one of them, but I also started reading a book called Mega Shift by James Rutz.  Many may be familiar with this book and if you are not I strongly recommend it.  Rutz has documented miracles that have occurred just within the last 20 to 30 years. The dead are being raised, blind can see, cancer patients healed, the list goes on and on.  This is all made possible through the power and authority from God given to us by our Lord Jesus Christ.

There are many testimonies that need to be told to encourage, edify, and strengthen.  That is my purpose.  I have three testimonies that have come to mind that I want to share.  To not share the goodness of God would be to rob Him of His glory, which He so rightfully deserves!  We are to keep the testimony alive!  You can't go wrong if you share what God in His goodness and love has done for you.

First, I would like to start with the oldest testimony out of the three.  It happens to be the testimony of my brother, Scott.  Scott and I were both too young to remember this occurrence, but we have heard it all of our lives from our parents and from other witnesses.  This testimony is about a death.  The death of my brother.  It happened at a church service.  A lady in the church was worshiping and raising her hands.  My brother Scott was standing on a chair in front of her next my mom.  When the lady raised her hands, Scott thought she was reaching out to hold him and flipped forward and hit the back of his neck.  My mother picked him up.  He was stiff and screaming.  Soon he stopped screaming. The color was leaving his face. He wasn't moving.  Mom knew life was leaving his body.  My mom told me she remembered looking at his eyes. They were still and glazed over.  She recalled a dream she had had before this happened.  Scott's eyes were just as glazed over in her dream as they were at the service.  Mom remembers praying that God would protect him.  She told my dad about the dream and when this happened she rushed up to the front of the service.  This shows the faith of my mother and the congregation at that time.  Immediately they all began to pray over Scott and in just a short time the color returned to his cheeks and his body was filled with the breath of life again.  That was a little over 20 years ago.  My brother is now nearly 25 years old and has been such a blessing to his family.  He is a walking miracle!

Next, I would like to tell my own testimony.  When I was a child I had a problem with warts.  They covered both of my hands.  My brother Scott prayed over me (he was only a year older than I, but you see that childlike faith).  About three days later, the warts were completely gone!  

When I was in high school I had another problem with those accursed warts.  This is gross but it has to be told.  On my right wrist was a huge wart.  It was about the size of my finger nail.  Mom took me to the doctor to see what they could do for me, but no matter what the doctor did, the wart remained.  I would apply medicine daily to it, only to no avail.  The wart got worse.  It was often oozing pus and was very painful, not to mention embarrassing.

The wart remained for several months.  One evening mom and I went to a ladies meeting for church.  It was a group of ladies of all color and denomination coming together to worship.  I really enjoyed that time.  Before the meeting ended a lady from my church wanted to pray with me.  Of course I mentioned my wart and she asked me, "Letitia, do you believe that God can heal you of this wart?" I replied yes, and I meant it.  So my mother and Sister Jan prayed over me that very moment.  Three days later (note the similarities between my first healing years before) the wart was gone! God is so good!

Last, but certainly not least, I want to give the testimony of my husband, Mitch.  Several months ago, Mitch started getting sick very frequently.  He would have headaches and would often throw up.  He started thinking perhaps he had celiac disease, which was hereditary and his sister was diagnosed with it years ago.  Since we couldn't afford the tests, he decided to just try going on the diet.  If he did not get sick while on the diet, then he had celiac.  So he did.  Of course, on the diet he was perfectly fine.  When he tried eating something with wheat in it, he would get really sick and throw up.

At the beginning of this year, our church decided to do a fast and began this book on healing.  Mitch and I both determined in our hearts that by the end of the fast Mitch would be healed completely of celiac.  So we did the 21 day fast, and prayed and thanked God for Mitch's healing.

Our fast that we chose to do, we shared one meal a day together, which was supper.  We happened to be at a restaurant the Friday night before the 21 days was up.  I had a poboy and fries.  I noticed Mitch took a couple of fries off my plate and ate them.  I knew what he was doing.  He was stepping out in faith, just as he stepped out in faith when we shared communion at church the previous Sunday.  The little wafers that we use would have normally made Mitch as sick as a dog, but because of his faith it did not.  That same faith allowed him to eat the fries that were cooked in grease that would normally make him throw up 30 minutes later.

Faith is the key and central theme of these three testimonies.  Without true faith in the powerful name of Jesus and mighty hand of God, miracles can not be performed.  But healing is the heart of God.  Healing is God's will for all of our lives!  I heard on K-LOVE not long ago, something that made me smile.  Kari Jobe stated, "God loves to heal us."  God LOVES to HEAL us!  Isn't that amazing?  The testimonies that we share with others is so powerful!  Testifying about the wonderful works of God is a strong and mighty tool.  There is power in the tongue.  As the scriptures say the tongue can produce death or life (Proverbs 18:21).

Our testimonies of God's awesome power, the healing hand of Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit filling us and empowering us with that same power and authority given to us by God through His Son, bring life!  The testimony is life to those who hear it!