SUBJECT - THE IMPORTANCE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT!! [4]
Last month, I was describing the condition of those that pursue their own solution for the problems they face in life, and how futile that search is. It is like a dog, chasing its own tail, and never really catching it.
There was a song, back in the 70's I believe called
'You've Got Me Going in Circles', that, by its title alone, reveals how the flesh, and the devil, have those that rely on them, so messed up that, that is all they know to do [keep going around and around]. They, the flesh and devil, will make the most intelligent among us, look like total idiots.
There is a saying that,
'the most clear indication of a person being insane, is when they keep doing the same thing, but expect a different result.'
We are told, in
John 14, by Christ,
'I am the vine, and you are the branches..........., without Me, you can do nothing.' That statement my friend, is straight to the point. Without Christ, we can do nothing.. But Christ is in Glory, with the Father. So, who is here with us?? The Holy Spirit.
As I survey the things that are happening in the world, and the response of the so-called intellectuals in our midst, as well as most preachers, I am looking at the proof of what happens when man is left to his own devices to remedy the problems. It is total insanity!!
Of course, to them, their solutions seem so normal, because they are based in something they all have, and that is, common sense. And that is the problem. Man is trying to remedy a problem that is far above the ability of man using his own intellect, to deal with. And since these are the leaders, then they are truly the
'blind leading the blind.'
Let me ask you this.
If you purchase a product, let's say, a truck from Chrysler, and something goes wrong with it. Would you take it to GM or Ford to get it fixed, or would you take it back to the manufacturer??
Well. since God is our, as well as the earth's 'manufacturer', if you will, then why do men seek solutions to our problems, some place other than from God?? Because man puts more confidence in his own knowledge, than he does the word of God.
Look at these examples of the problems we face, and what the Holy Spirit shows the solution is, and man's solution to it.
When man took prayer, and the ten commandments out of the public schools, the public schools, which had very little problem with disruption of classes from students, became a war zone. Kids go to school today, and have to pass through metal detectors, to try and keep guns, and knives out. Drugs are being bought and sold within their walls.
The public schools started teaching sex education, supported by Planned Parenthood, over the objections of parents, to combat teen pregnancies. As a result, teen pregnancies, quadrupled. Kids are having sex, in the classrooms, and in a few instances, it is going on in class, and the teacher doesn't even know it. Not to mention the fact, that some teachers are having it, with their students.
Without the direction of God, the public schools embarked on a course of educating the children in a history, that tells them they are the descendants of apes, and not the creation of God. As a result, our kids are acting like the wild animals, they are taught they come from. They have no respect for others, and not even for themselves.
In these areas alone, you can see the problem we face, when these same kids, grow up to be parents, politicians, and preachers.
We wonder why many politicians go to Washington, and end up supporting things that are destroying this nation, and its people. It is because they have no moral compass to focus on. They can't see anything wrong with what is going on. Oh sure, they will stand up in front of the people, and tell them when something is wrong, as long as it is with someone else, but not when it comes to themselves. Then they promise to work to fix the problem. The only thing wrong with it [the solution], is that it usually results in making things worse, rather than better.
One of their solutions to combat the exploding rate of teen pregnancies, is, allowing the girls to have abortion services available to them, without the parents permission. In fact, the parents, may not even be informed that their daughter was pregnant. A lot of in-school health clinics, as they are called, counsel students, and provide services like birth control, and condoms to students. And when that fails, they set up appointments, for girls to get abortions, if they get pregnant. All of this, to cover up the fact that their program of sex education, is a miserable failure.
To combat wild acting children, they are to be given 'a time out.' If that doesn't work, then they may be prescribed some drugs, to quell their behavior. We have grownups today, that were prescribed these drugs, when they were in elementary school, and are strung out on drugs and alcohol today, because they can't face responsibility, without something to help them get through the normal problems of life. Therefore they are mostly unemployable, or if they are, they run the very great risk of injuring themselves, or someone else, if the littlest thing goes wrong for them, on the job.
How am I able to see all of this?? The Holy Spirit, shows me the way God sees it. Scientists, study these problems, and others, for years, before they come up with a solution, and all too often, it is the wrong one, that only makes matters worse.
The bible says,
Psa 14:1 The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.
Looking at the first part, I saw something years ago that really brought home, what this scripture really includes. I used to attribute it to be talking
only about atheists, because they don't believe in God.
But then, the Holy Spirit revealed something to me, that blew my mind, at first, until I looked at a few other scriptures that supported what I was shown.
What I was shown is this. Any situation you find yourself in, as far as making a decision to, or not to, do something, where you don't consider what God has to say about it, makes you out to be a fool, in that area. That is because you are saying, in your heart,
'I don't need God in this area, I know what I
am doing.' Or in other words, God is not relevant, here.
Now, what scriptures back up what I am saying??
Prv 14:12,16:25 There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.
1Cor 1:27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;
1Cor 3:19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.
This type of thinking is foolish, at the least, and extremely dangerous, because you are setting yourself up for destruction. If you are not following God's direction in all areas of your life, even when you go to sleep at night, you could be leaving yourself open for destruction in that, or some other area of your life.
Let's look at an area many fail to take heed of, that can be the cause of destruction for the Christian in the church, but most everyone takes for granted, and that is communion.
1Cor 11:23, sets the stage for an activity most Christians take part in every first Sunday, usually without giving any thought to what they are doing.
During this part of the service, the minister usually reads verses 23-26. And they usually stop there. But take a look at these verses,
1Cor 11:27 Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.
1Cor 11:28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.
1Cor 11:29 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.
1Cor 11:30 For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.
There is a warning here that most Christians aren't even aware of, and that is, if you take communion, and you are not in the right spiritual condition, you are in danger of being weak, sick, or dying, because you are guilty of defiling [mocking]the Blood and Body of Christ.
We are warned to examine ourselves before partaking in communion, and if we are unworthy, then we should refrain from taking it, unless we have repented, before partaking in it. But most Christians partake in it, as a matter of tradition. They have been doing it all their lives, and it is no big deal, they feel. Not only that, but they bring their kids along with them
to participate, as well.
When I have led communion, I made it clear that no one should come up for communion, if they haven't repented of their sin. I will usually direct them to examine themselves first, and usually lead them in a prayer of repentance, before having them come forth to receive it. I can guarantee you that over 90 percent of the churches in this nation, don't do that.
As a result, members, including staff in the church are sick, and dying, and there is no manifestation of God's power there, because they have defiled [mocked], the Blood and Body, of Christ.
If you will remember what happened to the priests in the old testament, if they went in to the holy of hollies, without being pure, they dropped dead on the spot. Well, this is just as bad, if not worse.
Christians should take special heed to what they are doing, especially in the church, in this area, because their lives, quite frankly, depend on it.
Another area is as obvious as the nose on your face, if you are led by the Holy Spirit, but many Christians, mostly Catholics, are guilty of, and that is idolatry.
Read this passage of scripture,
Exo 20:1 And God spake all these words, saying,
Exo 20:2 I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
Exo 20:3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
Exo 20:4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:
Exo 20:5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;
What becomes plainly obvious to those that are led by the Holy Spirit, is the fact that God Himself is saying in verse 4, that we are not to make any graven images or likeness of any thing that is in heaven, on the earth, in the sea, or under the earth, this includes people, and then bow down before them in reverence.
Yet, our Catholic brothers and sisters, have no problem praying to saints, praying to Mary, praying to, and reverencing angels, bowing down to them, and asking them to do things for them, all in direct violation of what God has said.
Then, to top that off, they take communion.
Then we have something that many Christians, are just as guilty of, and that is, follow this closely, having pictures, or statues of Jesus Christ, that we may or may not pray to, but, have them in prominent places, like on mantles, on the dashboard of our cars, or some other places.
Now I know what you might be thinking, 'what is wrong with that??'
Here's the problem.
Today, there is a sort of unspoken dissension in the Church, as to what color Jesus Christ is. Is He white, or black?? To whites, He is white, because for centuries, that is the color He is portrayed as.
Within the past 30 years or so, blacks have started questioning the historical image of Christ being white, because He, was referred to as being Nazarene. And historically, the people, in that area of the world, today, are dark skinned. As a result, a lot of blacks, started looking for, and referring to, a black Jesus.
So now we have a white Jesus for whites, and a black Jesus for blacks. We even have in some circles, black churches, and white churches.
Do you see the problem here??
If we hadn't been making images of Christ, in the first place, none of this would even be an issue.
God, who is all knowing, had good reason to put that commandment first, because He knew what man would end up doing. And what is it we are doing?? Destroying the unity that is supposed to be in the body of Christ, the Church. We have allowed our worldly prejudices, to come in, and render the Church nearly unable to accomplish its mission, of bringing souls to Christ, because we are too concerned about what color He is.
When it comes to biblical doctrine, a lot of blacks will say, that certain scriptures adhered to by whites,
even though correct, doesn't apply to us, because that is their 'belief in a white Jesus.' So blacks don't go along with it. Mind you now, the scripture interpretation is correct, but blacks reject it [sin]. Then they go take an unrepentant communion. And look at the condition of the black community in this nation, with all its problems. And this all started out, with paintings, and statues of Christ.
Well, I went a little long on this month. Hopefully
next month, I can finish this message. It all depends on, guess who?? The Holy Spirit!!
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