Category: Exhort Pray Praise…

Posted in 1 Corinthians

1Corinthians3

Posted on by Christy Petty

3:1AND I brethren could not speak to you as to spiritual but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ  The ‘and’ is an addition to what Paul was speaking of earlier, he is adding to the list of admonishment to them, or a list of what he needs to present to them.  What ever it is, he is continuing on his lecture to the Corinthians.

Paul explains that he did not speak/teach the Gospel to them as if they already knew all about God, as if they were spiritually ‘in tune’. He says he spoke to them, taught them  as if they were not aware of Christ, nor understood the ways of Christ.  Because they did not.   I am reminded of Keith and his first class of Algebra in college. Somehow in his transfer back into Texas from Arkansas in his high school years,he never had to take an algebra class to graduate. (some people are sooooo lucky) That first day in  college algebra, and the professor begins writing out the problems on the board, Keith has absolutely no clue what it means. Keith is a smart guy, he just has never heard of any of the algebra stuff before.  My dad, who majored in math was able to speak to him as a ‘babe’ and introduce the basics and Keith was able to mature and understand the college class quickly. This is the Corinthians, they believe in Christ, they are taking the course, they just have no pre knowledge of Him.

Paul talks about when he first presented the gospel and taught of Christ to them, in the past. Then throws in “I fed you with milk and not with solid food, for until now you were not able to receive it and even now you are still not able.” – Paul is telling them they were immature, of course, when they first learned of Christ. The point here,  they had not ‘grown’ any. They were still immature, they were still being ‘childish’.  3:3 for you are still carnal (unknowing ‘mere men’ of the world, Satan’s world,  )  The example of being immature: envy strife, and divisions among you.  Paul is shaking his finger at the people of Corinth.

Paul goes back to the original ‘tale’ he has been told of them, that they are fighting over who is their favorite teacher- He or Apollos. – They are fighting over worldly,silly matters.  Later he is going to speak to them of the things they SHOULD divide over.

Paul tries to explain that he nor Apollo’s ‘did’ anything, it was  God. It is not what man does. Paul brought The Word, he presented, he planted. Apollo’s built on that, he provided further information, he taught, he gave them ‘water’ to grow. But it is actually God who provided both, and allows the growth.  3:9 For we are God’s fellow workers, you ar God’s field, you are God’s building.

Believers are built/planted on the foundation of Christ. 3:11 for no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid which is Jesus Christ.

Paul Continues:

3:12 Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver,precious stones, wood, hay, straw each ones work will become clear; for the DAY will declare it because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each ones work of what sort it is. If anyone’s work which he has built on endures he will receive a reward.  If anyones work is burned, he will suffer loss but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.

I think Paul is going on a bit of a righteous rant here.  I think the building with precious jewels or straw is about the prestige these people are basing their ‘holiness’ on, that he spoke of earlier. Yet, I can see he may also be using this to say, it is not the importance of you but the ‘importance’ of the work you are doing for God, too. He is saying it may ‘look good’ to all the people and yourself, but on the Day, (judgement?) God who already knows, will reveal what your ‘work’ ( YOU) is all about.

This is the ‘refining’ we are told of often. Refine silver, burn away the worthless ugliness and you are left with pure silver. God will burn away all the worldly, self righteous, sinfulness of all we do, to expose the pureness of it/us. Hopefully, there will be something left, when He is done.

Remember, this talking to from Paul is to believers in the church of Corinth. These people are saved from eternal death, they will have eternal life with God, BUT, they will still have the chance of loosing EVERYTHING but their salvation, dependent on the ‘meaning’ behind their works for God.

3:16 Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?   Ok, Paul seems to have jumped from our judgement and refinement…. 17 If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. for the temple of God is holy, which temple your are. Paul may have finished and started another paragraph. OR he could be that he is still talking to, those of us who chose to do wrongness to the point of having nothing but our salvation left. Those who have caused their own ‘destruction’.  This could be an ‘example’ : God destroys those who ‘defile’ a temple(building). So he has the ‘right’ to burn everything up from us, for our defiling our selves with our bad works.

3:18 Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you seems to be wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, “He catches the wise in their own craftiness.: and again, : The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise ad they are futile'”.    Paul is repeating himself from 1:18. Don’t be proud of what you know. Your degree, your background, your position in life. That means nothing to God, it gets in the way of God.   God is pretty black and white about men who think they know it all. Who decide for themselves they are instruments of God because of their place in society and letters behind their names, or how many pats on the back they can achieve from man.

Proverbs 3:7Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and depart from evil. Ecclesiastes 7:16Do not be overly righteous, Nor be overly wise: Why should you destroy yourself?Jeremiah 8:9
The wise men are ashamed, They are dismayed and taken. Behold, they have rejected the word of the LORD; So what wisdom do they have?Jeremiah 9:23Thus says the LORD: “Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, Let not the mighty man glory in his might, Nor let the rich man glory in his riches;Romans 1:22Professing to be wise, they became fools, Romans 12:16Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion.James 3:13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdomProverbs 16:18Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall. Job 21:14Yet they say to God, ‘Depart from us, For we do not desire the knowledge of Your ways.

3:21 Therefore let no one boast in men. For all things are yours: whether Paul or Apollos or Chephas, or the world or life or death or things present or things to come  all are yours. And you are Christ’s and Christ is God’s.

Don’t be worshiping, glorifying, paying homage to,idolizing seeing your salvation, in man. In teachers, in preachers, in elders, in what you consider leaders of your church. (And don’t be wanting this kind of attention either!) No man has wisdom or knowledge of God above any other.  God does not say: ‘Seek wise counsel from those who went to seminary and have PH.D’s’. God does not give access to The Word of God, the Holy Spirit to just those of prestige and money. God does not tell those who are teachers and preachers and elders that they are a chosen elite few,and they should lord over others. God emphasizes they are to be servants of the body of believers. AND they are accountable for teaching false doctrine. Matthew 186 “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea.

God gave the Holy Spirit to all who BELIEVE, so that ALL can have knowledge of God and a relationship with God.

John 14:26But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. Acts 4:31And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness

The curtain was torn, and all have access to God. Mark 15:37,38 And Jesus cried out with a loud voice and breathed His last. Then the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.,  Hebrews 10:19–20 19 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh,

All is ours. Through Christ. We have all things because of Christ. Christ is in us, through us, for us, about us. Christ is in Paul, Apollos, Billy Graham, Charles Stanley, Christy , Yvonne, Keith, Lee, Fred, Evan, Ken, Peter ,Brian, Ashton, Chephas, Jackie, Martin Luther, Teri, Linda, Sandy, Jody, Meg, Tim, Juanita, Stephen, John…….

We who let our selves be fools ARE Christ’s and Christ is God’s

 

Posted in 1 Corinthians, Bible Study

1 Cornthians 2

Posted on by Christy Petty

Corinthians 1:27 But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which have might. ( I hope I am considered foolish and weak in this world)

This time I will try to break down the scripture a bit more–

Corinthians 2:1 – Begins with AND. Paul is continuing from telling the Corinthians that they are wrong to put so much worth in people, in prestige. In himself. He tells them he was NOT all knowledgable of the Gospel nor a great speaker when they first met him. How could he be? He was raised Jewish, and knew Jewish law, and Jewish beliefs, Jesus was not part of that.  What he himself knew of the Gospel, was nothing. He admits that. BUT what he preached was from the Holy Spirit, from God. Paul tells them that there is no way to know what God’s plan is, but through God. The only way man can understand God, Jesus, The Word is with the Holy Spirit.  I have a good friend who is a Preacher/teacher/ who has taught me a great deal, who speaks and preaches with the Holy Spirit leading him. I hear God when this man speaks. I know it. This same man, when not preaching/ teaching, not presenting the Word, is a lot of times an ass, I think. He can be condesending, arrogant, sarcastic and a bit of a tyrant. (I love him, though and would not wish him any different). It is this what I hear Paul saying, ” I don’t know anything, how to act, how to talk, how to preach, I am a proud Jew, all by myself, but with God…. I can tell you what the Word is and I have all wisdom to do so, for God. “

2:12 Now we(believers) have received, not the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, (Holy Spirit)that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.  We have the Holy spirit so we can KNOW and understand our gift, (salvation, eternally life)  from God

13 We speak of the things freely given to us,(Salvation,Eternal Life) as the Holy Spirit teaches and leads.

14: Those who are not believers, who have not received the Holy Spirit think all of this God/Jesus/salvation from eternal separation from God is just mumbo jumbo, because they have no Holy Spirit to interpret for them.

15 Those who do believe and have the Holy Spirit have the ability to judge, know, interpret all things that go on in life on this earth and God’s word. believers doing as the Holy Spirit leads are doing as Christ so judgement can be made of them.

The Holy Spirit is my direct line, my internet connection to God. He sends me all the information, all the wisdom I need through the Holy Spirit. I do not need to rely on the thinkings of a man to know God, to know what God wants of me, to know God’s plan, the Holy Spirit gives me all of the wisdom I need to do for God. Sometimes the wisdom is attained when I ‘hear’ through another, sometimes it is just placed on me, all the time it is in God’s Word.  I have all the answers to what I need, I only need to use the good sense God gave me, the Holy Spirit.

Posted in 1 Corinthians, Bible Study

1Corinthians 1

Posted on by Christy Petty

I am going to blurb, comment, discern, process through 1 Corinthians. I am not going to break each verse down as I did before, just those I NEED to. Mostly describe what I get from it.

Paul is writing to the church of Corinth. First Paul affirms God loves them and reminds them why. His opening lines are more like when we have issue with anyone we love and want to discuss, we don’t go storming in and tell em off. We let them know first that we care for them. We get in the door and start with the tea, before they get mad and spit in it.

Paul does not really butter them up though, does not say I hear good of you, like he did others in other letters.  In 1:10 he jump right in, and tells them he knows they are arguing over who presented the Gospel to them basically. Some say this is over who baptized whom but I don’t think so.  I read 1:14 to be more like- ‘Man ,you guys are arguing over who told you about Jesus and salvation I would hate to see what you would do if it were over baptism, I sure am glad I did not baptize  many of you. ‘  He then tells them that it does not matter who preaches, teaches, baptizes, it is all about Christ and if they think their salvation is anything but about Christ then they don’t got it.

I see this like the different church denominations we have today. Christian churches. Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian, Church Of Christ, Lutheran, Episcopal, Bible Church, Free Grace Bible church, Southern Baptist etc. So many get caught up in their way of baptizing, their membership, church attendance, all being a condition of being part of their church, when the name above the door does not matter. The 1st Whatever does not save us from our sins, our baptism does not save us from our sins, our name on the church rolls does not restore us to God, only Jesus Christ, his death and resurrection can give us eternal life with God.

Of course this is within one church though. The people are vying for ‘position’, (it goes into this in 18) using how, or from whom, they became believers through as the standard of importance. I would guess how long, and what verses of Torah/Bible they could recite and their ‘education’ and place in society was entering in.  Not much different from today.

1:18 Paul pretty much tells them if they are basing their salvation on what they ‘know’ and whom they got that knowledge from they are fools. He uses the scribes, who are those who wrote the Bible down, over and over again, studied it a great deal and then the Greeks who are known for they learning to say they can not save themselves only God’s power can, and he will also destroy their wisdom. I love 25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.– As if, God could be foolish or weak. 😉

26 Paul still is explaining that these people are putting too much merit into the power, prestige, and wisdom of man. God does not use the rich and famous to do his work. God uses the weak to achieve to shame the strong and mighty. God does this so we can see it IS God’s might and not ours!  David was the youngest of his family. Joseph was the youngest, before Benjamin.

Genesis 37:2 This is the account of Jacob’s family line.Joseph, a young man of seventeen, was tending the flocks with his brothers, the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah,his father’s wives, and he brought their father a bad report about them.3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than any of his other sons, because he had been born to him in his old age; and he made an ornate[a] robe for him. 4 When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him.

Moses was the youngest. Exodus 7:7 7 Moses was eighty years old and Aaron eighty-three when they spoke to Pharaoh.  David .Samuel 16:10 Jesse had seven of his sons pass before Samuel, but Samuel said to him, “The Lord has not chosen these.” 11 So he asked Jesse, “Are these all the sons you have?”“There is still the youngest,” Jesse answered. “He is tending the sheep.”Samuel said, “Send for him; we will not sit down until he arrives.”12 So he sent for him and had him brought in. He was glowing with health and had a fine appearance and handsome features.Then the Lord said, “Rise and anoint him; this is the one.”13 So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of theLord came powerfully upon David. Samuel then went to Ramah.

I can not think of any man God used to be a catalyst in his plan who began in a place of power or prestige. You might suggest Paul, but Paul had no power nor prestige among the Gentiles, they despised him, until he became a believer in Christ, and then he lost all the power and prestige of the Jewish leaders. And we all know Jesus, God as Man, was not looked upon by society of any one of importance, Isaiah 53:2He has no form or comeliness And when we see Him,There is no beauty that we should desire Him.

I have heard many times people being afraid or unsure to stand up for their beliefs because they think those in power must know more than they, must be closer to God than they, can quote more scripture than they.Some equate length of time going to church, ‘being a Christian’ with being ‘knowledgable of God.  They are intimidated by these people of prestige. The truth is it is the ‘weak’,  those who are NOT puffed up by their might (checkbooks) and wisdom (degrees) and theological teaching , that God uses, because we are humble enough to be used.

It is NOT what you know. It is not who you think you are. It IS who you know. Jesus Christ.

Posted in Exhort Pray Praise...

Eat More Chicken

Posted on by Christy Petty

With the recent events of Chick Fil A I did some research of my own of the who said what, exactly, I just don’t trust the media to get it straight. 

“The company invests in Christian growth and ministry through its WinShape Foundation (WinShape.com). The name comes from the idea of shaping people to be winners.

It began as a college scholarship and expanded to a foster care program, an international ministry, and a conference and retreat center modeled after the Billy Graham Training Center at the Cove.

“That morphed into a marriage program in conjunction with national marriage ministries,” Cathy added. 

Some have opposed the company’s support of the traditional family. “Well, guilty as charged,” said Cathy when asked about the company’s position 

“We are very much supportive of the family — the biblical definition of the family unit. We are a family-owned business, a family-led business, and we are married to our first wives. We give God thanks for that.

 “We operate as a family business … our restaurants are typically led by families; some are single. We want to do anything we possibly can to strengthen families. We are very much committed to that,” Cathy emphasized. 

“We intend to stay the course,” he said. “We know that it might not be popular with everyone, but thank the Lord, we live in a country where we can share our values and operate on biblical principles.””  The full interview can be found here

HMM so where exactly does this say Chick Fil A discriminates against homosexuals?

Then, we have this comment “I think we are inviting God’s judgment on our nation when we shake our fist at Him and say ‘we know better than you as to what constitutes a marriage’ and I pray God’s mercy on our generation that has such a prideful, arrogant attitude to think that we have the audacity to define what marriage is about” This is an excerpt, but if you listen, it seems to be in answer to his feelings on the problems family, children, have from having only one parent influence. This is NOT news!

How does one find discrimination in these statements, Menino?   “You can’t have a business in the city of Boston that discriminates against a population,” Menino told the Boston Herald.

None of this would have made the news, none of this would have made Chick Fil A record amounts of money this past Wednesday. If Boston Mayor, Chicago Mayor and San Francisco mayor had not decided to try to take over matters, just as Lucifer did.  But they did. And it backfired.

Chick Fil A, Dan Cathy, is a Christian, a believer in God. Being a Christian he believes all of God’s word, and he strives to live his life according to God’s instruction.  Chick Fil A is a company that is centered around biblical standards. This is what ALL believers are called to do, even if they are not CEO’s of Chick Fil A.

1Timothy 2:24 And ca servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, dable to teach, epatient, 25fin humility correcting those who are in opposition, gif God perhaps will grant them repentance, hso that they may know the truth, 26 and that they may come to their senses and iescape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.

As believers, servants of the Lord we are to Matthew 28:19mGo 3therefore and nmake disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20oteaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am pwith you always, even to the end of the age.”4Amen Jesus does not say if you feel comfortable doing so. Jesus does not say do not speak my word, instruct, teach, if it makes them uncomfortable, or convicts them of their sins.  Jesus/God says “teach to observe all the things I have commanded you”.   to  “correct those who are in opposition” . Opposition to GOD, to God’s word.

Correction. Being told you are wrong. Hearing we will have consequences, dire consequences for our ungodly choices, causes, fear, pain, anger. Because man is PROUD of himself and his right to make his own choices. And no one, not even God will tell him what to do.

2Timothy 3But know this, that ain the last days 1perilous times will come: 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 unloving, 2unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4 btraitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 chaving a form of godliness but ddenying its power. And efrom such people turn away! 6 For fof this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, 7 always learning and never able gto come to the knowledge of the truth. 8 hNow as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so do these also resist the truth: imen of corrupt minds, jdisapproved concerning the faith; 9 but they will progress no further, for their folly will be manifest to all, kas theirs also was.

Man is prideful. Someone in a position of ‘authority’, a mayor, a congressman, celebrity, an elder , anyone who people may listen to when they speak, anyone who can influence with their opinions, is in danger of becoming a minion for the Prince of Pride, the ruler of this world, Satan. Pride is why Lucifer rebelled. Pride is what drives him to try to drag each and every man down to the lake of fire with him. He wants to ‘win’ even though he has already lost.

1John 16 For all that is in the world—xthe desires of the flesh and ythe desires of the eyes and pride of life3—is not from the Father but is from the world. 17 And zthe world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.18 Children, ait is the last hour, and as you have heard that bantichrist is coming, so now cmany antichrists have come. dTherefore we know that it is the last hour. 19 eThey went out from us, but they were not of us; for fif they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, gthat it might become plain that they all are not of us.

Interesting that those who are against Dan Cathy and Chick Fil A, who are standing for the homosexuals, and the those discriminated against of the world, were slinging the hateful words. Pointing the finger. Condemning. All Cathy said was the truth, God will judge the world. Our complacency about everything, divorce, same sex marriage, sex outside of marriage, adultery, that will be judged, by God.  Those of this world, (seems to be mostly liberals) discriminate towards everyone who will not embrace the ways of this world. Chick Fil A does not ban homosexuals from their establishments. Yet these worldly’s banned Chick Fil A from their cities.  Jude 16 These are grumblers, complainers, walking according to their own lusts; and they tmouth great swelling words, uflattering people to gain advantage

Does God say homosexuality is a sin? Yes (Genesis 19:1-13; Leviticus 18:22; 20:13; Romans 1:26-27; 1 Corinthians 6:9). Romans 1:26-27,  1 Corinthians 6:9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous2 will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: xneither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality,3 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.

Homosexuals, thieves, greedy, swindlers, SINNERS.  Romans 3:23 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. 

It is not the sinner, it is not the person, it is the wanting to stay in sin, it is condoning the sin, it is not wanting to overcome the sin that is the issue.

As believers we are to strive to not stay in our sin. To struggle, to endure, but to make the choice to leave our old sinful desires behind.  Ephesians 4:22 that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, 23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.  As believers we are to honor Christ 1 Peter 3:1515 But 4sanctify 5the Lord God in your hearts, and always vbe ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the whope that is in you, with meekness and fear;  We honor him by stating and living our belief in him and showing our obedience. We are to share God’s word, with all, in the hope that we can all be united with Christ someday Ephesians 5:13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ—

Believers should be seen and heard from, and standing in lines and causing traffic jams everyday, without fear..  2 Cornithians:3 But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, 4 whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them. 5 For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus’ sake. 6 For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

2 Timothy 7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.8 Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God, 

Posted in Exhort Pray Praise...

Don’t Tell Me No Lies

Posted on by Christy Petty

What would you think of me, if I , the Gluten Free wonder of the world, writing and selling GF cookbooks, and writing my gluten free blog and teaching other s about GF living, actually did not believe wheat to be a problem, and ate wheat all the time, on purpose? What if you found out I only did the gluten free stuff because I found it to be a lucrative deal.

What would you think of me, if  you found that I supported abortion clinics with monthly checks? After your knowing my adoption story and my knowing of my only being here is because abortions were illegal in 1963?

I hope you would think me to be a liar. A deceiver. Someone of no character, no integrity. Someone not to be trusted.  It’s ok, I would think the same.

2 Peter 2:1
 But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction 3 By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words;13b They are spots and blemishes, carousing in their own deceptions while they feast with you, 

Leviticus 19:11
‘You shall not steal, nor deal falsely, nor lie to one another.

Romans 16:18
For those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple

Galatians 6:3
For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself.

Now what if I don’t confess each time I have chosen to eat an apple or my trips to Nikki’s for fat-free sugar-free (but fructose full) yogurt while ‘on’ the Dukan diet? Am I lying? I think not, my diet and how I adhere to it is my choice, and has no consequence on you. UNLESS, you ask me “ So do you ever eat anything but meat and vegetables and no fat milk products?” Then I should tell you that I have chosen to do otherwise. Correct?

Proverbs 24:28
Do not be a witness against your neighbor without cause, For would you deceive with your lips?

Galatians 6:7
Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.

I don’t go around confessing all my sins and failures to everyone in order to stay honest. But I do ‘tell on myself’ if the opportunity arises.  My kids know of my failures, my stupid decisions, of my youth and beyond. When I told them of the dangers of, or wrongness of ,doing something, and I, myself did it, I had to tell them I was stupid enough to have tried that and lucky enough to have survived. I do the same when I disciple, I feel if I ‘preach’ something I must practice it.If in the past I have not practiced what I preach today, then they need to know  that I now speak from experience of how NOT to do it. I must tell, I am here today, a survivor of all the idiocy and wrong choices I made only because God has me here, so I must humble myself, embarrass myself, humiliate myself, if it helps someone else not go there.  The only reason not to tell others of my ‘sins’ would be to protect myself from their judgment, to manipulate others perception of me.  Galatians 1:1010 For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.

Is it deception to believe in, on, of something, to KNOW, yet state or present yourself differently?  Is it deception to not oppose or reveal the lies and deception of those you associate with? Society seems to accept the ‘don’t ask don’t tell’ or ‘what they don’t know won’t hurt them’.  Why? Do we not want to rock the boat? Maybe we have too much to lose (worldly) if we reveal the truth. What will people think of us? Will we lose our job? Maybe someone will oppose us? What if they don’t listen?

1 John 2:4
He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him

Jude 1:4
For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ

 

1 Corinthians 15:33
Do not be deceived: “Evil company corrupts good habits.”

Psalm 78:36
Nevertheless they flattered Him with their mouth, And they lied to Him with their tongue;

2 Corinthians 11…3 But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity[a] that is in Christ. 4 For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted—you may well put up with it

 

2 John 1:7
 For many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.

John 8:44
You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it

1 John 2:22
Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son.

We have become more accepting of twisted truth. If there is a little truth in a statement then we accept it as THE truth. Forget about the lies it is wrapped around. If I put a cow patties in gluten-free burger buns, with mustard, lettuce and tomatoes and pickles, is it a gluten-free hamburger? Well, it is gluten-free.

Ephesians 5:6
Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.

2 Timothy 3:13
But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.

1 Corinthians 3:18
 Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you seems to be wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise.

James 1:26
If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless.

Mark 13:5
And Jesus, answering them, began to say: “Take heed that no one deceives you.

 

John 14:6
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

2 Timothy 2:12
If we endure, We shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us.

Psalm 40:4
Blessed is that man who makes the LORD his trust, And does not respect the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.

I have to admit this has not been the easiest to write. I have been working on this for days and days and days. Today, as I had to stop another time because I had not finished and still had not closing for this, I heard a whisper. Am I ALWAYS honest? Never lie? Commit no deception, ever? No.

I tell Keith the cat just got in the house, when I let her in. I spend my time unwisely and am late and make excuses, like traffic (Really chic? this is Midland Texas!! No one said I was a good liar) I forget dates and the returning of things, but instead of saying I forgot, I come up with another excuse. My lies are to cover my butt usually. So I won’t be judged, or held accountable, for fear of rejection. But they are still deception.

1 John 1:8
If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

Colossians 3:9
Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds,

1 John 1:6
If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.

Hebrews 12:1
 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us

1 John 5:10
He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son.

Posted in Exhort Pray Praise...

Wolves and Goats are not the same

Posted on by Christy Petty

Today a friend made comment that she was being a ‘wolf’ by counting differently on the reps during exercise. Another said something about many of us being rebels/wolves. I had to correct, the analogy.

Rebelling is not the wolf. The wolf is evil, a destroyer. The wolf is NOT a lamb, even if he dresses in sheep clothing. A wolf is not a goat, and does not pretend to be.

The one who does differently than the others would more likely be the black sheep. The black sheep is not necessarily bad, but just stands out, does/looks differently than the crowd, but still a sheep. Black sheep could be the one who lives in the desert and wears camel skin for clothes.

The rebellious one who does not belong with the sheep who believes differently, not a part , not willing to follow the shepherd, is a goat. A non beleiver.

The Sheep John 10:4And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.

1 Peter 2:2525 For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer[ of your souls.

Psalm 100:3 Know that the LORD, He is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.

John 10:27
My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.

Sheep, are believers. Sheep recognize the Shepherd. Sheep follow The Shepherd. Sheep are God’s chosen people.. Believers sin, Believers stop abiding to Jesus. Sheep go astray, sheep get lost, but they are still sheep, they don’t turn into goats. They return to the voice they recognize.

and Goats: Matthew 25:31-4631 “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy[a] angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. 33 And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35 for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; 36 I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’37 “Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? 38 When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? 39 Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 40 And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’

41 “Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: 42 for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; 43 I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’44 “Then they also will answer Him,[b] saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’ 45 Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ 46 And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.

Goats are wandering with sheep. But goats are not sheep. Goats are rebellious. Goats are stubborn,self reliant, Goats do not need a shepherd. Goats and sheep are similar, but they are not the same. Believers and Non Believers are similar but they are not the same, believers admit they are sinners and need Jesus. Non Believers rebel and will not accept they need salvation.. Goats will be separated from God’s chosen sheep. Goats choose to live eternity without a shepherd.

Then the wolf.….John10: 11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. 12 But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. 13 The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own.

Matthew 7:15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.
Matthew 10:16“Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.
Luke 10:3Go your way; behold, I send you out as lambs among wolves.
Acts 20:29For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock.

The wolf catches the sheep, scatters the sheep. The wolf is savage. The wolf is deceptive and masquerades as one of the sheep. Wolves are among believers, look and act like believers, for we must be wise to discern them among us. The wolf wants to destroy the sheep, and the goats. The wolf frightens many shepherd’s away, can cause them to loose many sheep.

And yet another to cause sheep misery..Shepherds, themselves gone astray: – could be hireling’s

1 Chronicles 21:17And David said to God, “Was it not I who commanded the people to be numbered? I am the one who has sinned and done evil indeed; but these sheep, what have they done? Let Your hand, I pray, O LORD my God, be against me and my father’s house, but not against Your people that they should be plagued.”

Jeremiah 50:6“My people have been lost sheep. Their shepherds have led them astray;

John 10:13 13 The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep

Jeremiah 23:1“Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of My pasture!” says the LORD.

Ezekiel 34:10Thus says the Lord GOD: “Behold, I am against the shepherds, and I will require My flock at their hand; I will cause them to cease feeding the sheep, and the shepherds shall feed themselves no more; for I will deliver My flock from their mouths, that they may no longer be food for them.”

David. the one with a whole heart for God was responsible for the suffering of the people because of his sin. How many times do our decisions our choices cause consequences/suffering for others?

God tells that shepherds, caused his sheep to be lost, to be scattered,to be prey for every beast of the field. These shepherds did not lead, they were selfish, and looking out for their own good.

Interesting thing,believers(sheep)have the ‘potential’ to be shepherds as well as sheep. Moses, David, Abraham all God’s sheep and also shepherds of people. Jesus is the Lamb of God, and our Shepherd. Even Paul, though he started as a wolf, was a sheep and a shepherd of the people.

The shepherds who loose sheep, who are cause for sheep scattering for lack of leading or their own sinfulness, I see as teachers/leaders/elders/preachers of the sheep. They are warned of teaching wrongly; We all are.

James 33 My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment. 2 For we all stumble in many things

2 Peter 2:1But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction.

Mark 9:42 “But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea.

God takes it very seriously when you take to messing with his sheep.

I am a sheep.I may be a black sheep, though. I am a believer.I hear the voice of The Shepherd. I have wandered away and come running back to my Shepherd. I myself have been a shepherd, a Co-shepherd. As long as I stay ‘co’ with Christ head shepherd, all goes well. But when I decide I can do it, teach it, lead it, without THE Shepherd, I have failed and I will be held accountable.

Posted in Exhort Pray Praise...

Paul Washer Speaks the Truth, I should too.

Posted on by Christy Petty

Recently Satan brought his white wash into my church. He gave his paint brush to some of the leaders of the church.  Some have been caught up in the ‘love love love’ of Rob Bell and those like him.  They have changed God into a mansy pansy who will not allow us to suffer our consequence of sin, death and eternal separation from him. How could a loving God, do that to his own creation? ( As if God even needs us)

If the truth is spoken, to counter the lies, those that are standing for Truth, are reprimanded for being,’unloving’, having animosity towards those who are welding Satans paint brush, coated with white wash.

They don’t want the truth, that our God is NOT our God if we do not repent, do not give our lives, total service to HIM.  So many are starting to rewrite the truth, so making it a lie.

Truth is true -even if no one knows it.
Truth is true -even if no one admits it.
Truth is true -even if no one agrees what it is.
Truth is true -even if no one follows it.
Truth is true -even if no one but God grasps it fully.

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. 

No one comes to the Father except through Me. John 14:6

I found this sermon Religion That Sends You to Hell, from Paul Washer   , pretty straight forward and most convicting. I don’t always give up self, the old man seems to still exist, and he should not. I gave my life to Jesus Christ. I know that is not evident, always. If I say nothing stand for nothing because I am concerned on whom will disapprove or reprimand me, I am not living for Him, I am living for me.

Matthew 10:34 34 “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword