Do We or Don’t We have a Free Will?

Do we or don’t we have a free will and how do we know? Are we really free agents or just pawns in the hand of God or satan? Let’s look at what God has to say about this.

Some think our lives are predestined by God and we really have no choice – whatever will be will be! But does this line up with God’s Word?

Looking at Genesis 1:26 we see:

Genesis 1:26 (KJV) 26  And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

Here we see the dominion mandate that God gave mankind – to take dominion over the earth and subdue it. And as you know, they sold out to satan, who is the god of this world. This is free will at its best! God could have jumped right in and cancelled everything but if He did, the whole universe would have imploded because everything is held together by God’s Word. That’s why He couldn’t take things back because it would mean going back on His Word that He gave to Adam and Eve. God had already put out His Word and He never would go back on it because He’s righteousness personified!

Hebrews 1:3 (KJV) 3  Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;

Psalm 119:89 (KJV) 89 For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven.
Numbers 23:19 (KJV) 19  God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?

What about Pharaoh? The Old Testament says that God hardened his heart but actually Pharaoh hardened his own heart [Ex. 8:15, 32]. And remember, God looks at the heart [I Sam. 16:7]. Pharaoh had a free will to do right but he chose to rebel against God. His heart was already in a bad way and God’s commands served to expose what was already there.

It’s like the sun shining on wax or clay. It melts the wax but hardens the clay. The sun is not the variable.

It’s the same with Judas. He chose to betray Jesus because his heart was evil.

Then we see Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. If Jesus didn’t have a free will, then His sacrifice was not really a sacrifice and He wouldn’t have prayed to His Father to take the cup from Him.

NEVERTHELESS! What an awesome word! Remember, Jesus always got His prayers answered and if He hadn’t prayed NEVERTHLESS, NOT MY WILL BUT THINE, He wouldn’t have gone to the Cross! Think about that! It’s awesome and scary at the same time!

Yes, we have a free will to choose right or wrong and unfortunately most people on planet earth are choosing the broad road that leads to destruction rather than the narrow road that leads to life. Throughout all eternity nobody will be able to say they didn’t have a choice. They’re without excuse!

How loving and gracious is God to give us a free will! Let’s use it to glorify and honor Him and be the example to the world that we’ve been called to be!

 1 Samuel 16:7b (KJV)  … for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.

Exodus 8:15 (KJV) 15  But when Pharaoh saw that there was respite, he hardened his heart, and hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had said.
Exodus 8:32 (KJV) 32  And Pharaoh hardened his heart at this time also, neither would he let the people go.

Pamela

Are You Praying Much but Getting Little or No Results?

[Note: Please avail yourself of my new YouTube series on Accessing the Power of God for Healing . I believe it will be a blessing to you.]

Praying, praying, praying – that’s what we do as Christians and we love to do it! However, ask yourself this question: am I getting results or am I just continuing to pray and pray and pray because it makes me feel like I’m doing something?

My observation is that most people are not getting the results they desire when they pray. So, I ask the question – why?

Let’s look at the book of Joshua. Here we see that God has chosen Joshua to take up Moses’ mantle and lead the Israelites into the Promised Land. In chapter three, we notice that they are faced with crossing the Jordan River which at this time was at its peak. What did God tell them to do?

He said that the priests were to dip their feet in the Jordan and stay firm. Then they would be able to cross it. What God didn’t say was that they should wait ’til they saw the dried up river before crossing. What does this mean?

Well, as you know, with God, it’s the opposite of the way the world thinks. They say seeing is believing but God says that we have to believe first and then we will see! This is vital if you want to get God’s results when you pray.

The Jordan was not going to dry up before they stepped out in faith. They had to step out and do what God told them and then they would see the miracle right before their eyes. They did and it happened just like God said it would.

Joshua 3:16-17 (KJV) 16  That the waters which came down from above stood and rose up upon an heap very far from the city Adam, that is beside Zaretan: and those that came down toward the sea of the plain, even the salt sea, failed, and were cut off: and the people passed over right against Jericho.
17  And the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firm on dry ground in the midst of Jordan, and all the Israelites passed over on dry ground, until all the people were passed clean over Jordan.

The waters of the Jordan rose up like a wall and the ground dried up and they walked over just like God told them to do! But, they had to step out in faith before they saw the miracle. And that’s what we have to do.

Mark 11:23-24 (KJV) 23  For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.
24  Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

Notice that you have to believe you receive the answer to your prayer BEFORE you see it – in order to see it. That’s God’s method and it works. It doesn’t matter whether or not you like His method, that’s the way it works. And if you want God’s results, you have to do things God’s way because His way always works!

I’m so thankful that God has made a way for us to overcome every circumstance and situation we will ever face on planet earth. What an awesome God we serve!

Joshua 3:13-17 (KJV) 13  And it shall come to pass, as soon as the soles of the feet of the priests that bear the ark of the LORD, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of Jordan, that the waters of Jordan shall be cut off from the waters that come down from above; and they shall stand upon an heap.
14  And it came to pass, when the people removed from their tents, to pass over Jordan, and the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people;
15  And as they that bare the ark were come unto Jordan, and the feet of the priests that bare the ark were dipped in the brim of the water, (for Jordan overfloweth all his banks all the time of harvest,)
16  That the waters which came down from above stood and rose up upon an heap very far from the city Adam, that is beside Zaretan: and those that came down toward the sea of the plain, even the salt sea, failed, and were cut off: and the people passed over right against Jericho.
17  And the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firm on dry ground in the midst of Jordan, and all the Israelites passed over on dry ground, until all the people were passed clean over Jordan.

Pamela

Is the Bible the True Word of God?

[Note: Please avail yourself of my new YouTube series on The Power of Words. I believe it will be a blessing to you.]

If you’ve been reading my blogs, you definitely know how I view the Word of God – the incorruptible Word of the Living God! God’s Word is true whether or not anyone believes it. Their believing doesn’t validate God’s Word. God validates His Word by virtue of the fact that He is God and what He says is true. Case settled!

1 Peter 1:23 (KJV) 23  Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

So, what’s my point? Well, I’ve been wondering for some time now, why Christians don’t seem to believe that God’s Word is the do-all, end-all for everything. Why don’t many, even most, Christians put their faith in what God said more than in what the world has to say about any given situation in their lives? And I finally, think I have an answer to my question.

It’s true that most Christians will agree that the Bible is the Word of God but not the “only” truth there is and that you can’t “put all your eggs in one basket,” so to speak. But why do they think this? And here’s my conclusion.

If they agreed that the Bible is the incorruptible Word of God, the next question is, “What are you going to do about it?” What I mean is that if they acknowledge God’s Word as the ultimate truth, why do they turn to the world for answers to their problems? Why aren’t they standing on God’s Word for the victory they’re seeking? My guess is that they really don’t believe that God’s Word will work for them!

This is appalling to me! Over the years, I have thought about what I would do if I couldn’t depend on God’s Word for my life. I knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that I’d probably be dead! God’s Word is my lifeline! I depend on His Word for the very air I breathe. And that’s important in this day and age!

Yes, we can benefit from some of the world’s answers but we still have to be led by God as to how and when we are to partake of their solutions. The point is to go to God first and seek His leading in your situation.

As I’ve said, if you don’t depend on God’s Word, the only other thing out there is the world’s way of doing things and you know that the god of this world is satan himself. Who wants to be guilty of following the devil’s ways to achieve success? His ways always lead to destruction!

2 Corinthians 4:4 (KJV) 4  In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

Another thing I have considered is that people don’t stand on God’s Word because they don’t know God’s Word! And the reason they don’t know it is that they don’t value it enough to read and study to find out what God has to say to them. How else are you going to know what God said if you don’t get into His Word and get His Word into you? That’s where faith is – in God’s Word. You can’t have faith beyond your knowledge of His Word.

My point is not to come down on Christians but to enlighten you to the fact that if you want victory and success in your life and you want to live a life worth living, you have to get into God’s Word and make it the benchmark – the standard – from which you measure everything in your life. As God told Joshua:

Joshua 1:8 (KJV) 8  This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

God told Joshua that if he did what God told him to do, he [Joshua] would make his way prosperous and have good success. God didn’t say that He would do it, although He was ultimately behind it. Joshua had his part to do and if he meditated in God’s Word, he would get God involved in the affairs of his life. The he would prosper and be successful. We would do well to heed the same admonition.

Hear the words of Job regarding God’s Word:

Job 23:12b (KJV) 12  … I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.

We need to honor and value God’s Word as if our life depended on it, which it actually does!

1 Samuel 2:30b (KJV) 30  … for them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed.

When we honor God’s Word, we honor Him because He and His Word are One. Therefore, if you say you love God and value Him, you must also value and honor His Word by believing it and acting on it.

How awesome is our God!

— Pamela

 

Why Do Christians Renounce Their Faith?

[ Note: Please check out my new series on YouTube regarding The Power of Words. They’re short videos and I believe they will be a blessing and an encouragement to you.]

1 Timothy 4:1 (KJV) 1  Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;

It has recently come to my attention that some very prominent figures in the Body of Christ have publicly renounced their faith in Jesus and Christianity. How can this be?

I am always saddened when I hear these things and would like to offer my biblical perspective regarding these unfortunate announcements. First of all, in order to renounce something, you have to have first believed it. But, I wonder, did they really truly believe? Did they really make a solid commitment to believing and following Jesus as their Lord and Savior? Or, maybe they started out believing but got disillusioned along the way and when things didn’t work the way they thought they should, they “threw the baby out with the bath water.”

Now, here’s a sobering thought: what kind of foundation did they have? Was God’s Word the final authority in their lives? Did they even know the Word of God? Did they renew their minds to the Word of God? Then when challenges came along, they crumbled and threw in the towel saying it didn’t work for them so it can’t be true. How ludicrous to exchange your experience for the truth of God’s Word, as if our experience determines the integrity of God’s Word! How audacious to compare what we think – our opinion – with the majesty of Almighty God!

Yes, I know that the people I’m referring have been “Christians” for decades but longevity doesn’t prove what a person believes. If your actions don’t line up with the Word of God, what does that say about what you believe?

We, as the Body of Christ, need to take inventory of just what we believe and why we believe it. We need to make a quality decision that God’s Word is the foundation and benchmark upon which everything we do is measured. If we do that, it would be really hard to fail and backslide out of our Christianity.

Christianity is not a religion; it’s a relationship with Almighty God that we are so privileged to be able to share. No other “religion” can claim that. Our God walks with us, talks with us, leads and guides us, and has so graciously provided everything we’ll ever need on planet earth to live a victorious and successful life. We are blessed beyond measure!

Thank You Lord for being Who You are!

2 Peter 1:3-4 (KJV) 3  According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
4  Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

Romans 12:2 (KJV) 2  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
James 1:21 (KJV) 21  Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.
Ephesians 4:23 (KJV) 23  And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;

Pamela

A New Species of Being – Really?

[NOTE: I have begun a new series on YouTube called, The Power of Words. Just type in Pamela Moyle and the videos will come up. I believe they will be a blessing to you!]

So, what actually happened when you got saved? And, which part of you got saved? Let’s look at some vital scriptures to better understand this supernatural event.

First of all, we have to establish who we are before we can understand what took place at salvation.

1 Thessalonians 5:23 (KJV) 23  And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Hebrews 4:12 (KJV) 12  For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

From these two scriptures, we see that we are not just a body with five senses. We are tripartite beings – having three parts to us. The real “us” is our spirit, we have a soul, which is our mind, will, emotions, and we live in a body – our earth suit. Remember, God is three persons in One: the Father, Jesus, & the Holy Spirit. And because we’re made in the image of God, we, too, are three parts: spirit, soul, & body.

As you know, without going into a lot of detail, after you got saved, your body was the same: fat, skinny, tall, short, young, old – you name it. And, your soul—mind, will, emotions, etc. also stayed the same. So, what changed? Your spirit – the inner man as Paul calls it.

Ephesians 3:16 (KJV) 16  That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;

Before you got saved, you were in bondage to the devil and his ways. You had a sin nature and that’s why it was so easy to do the wrong thing and so hard not to do the wrong thing. It was as if you couldn’t help but sin because it was your nature to sin. Just like it’s a dog’s nature to bark.

But—after you got saved, you received a new nature—a nature that delights to do the will of God. You didn’t get a new body or soul, but a new nature. Now you can resist sin and live the holy life that God has ordained for you to live. You no longer have a sin nature but a new nature which is made after the image of God and His likeness. And, in our reborn spirits, we are exactly as Jesus is! Wow! That’s awesome!

James 3:9 (KJV) 9  Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.

James 3:9 (AMP) 9  With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse men who were made in God’s likeness!

2 Corinthians 5:17 (KJV) 17  Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
2 Corinthians 5:17 (AMP) 17  Therefore if any person is [ingrafted] in Christ (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old [previous moral and spiritual condition] has passed away. Behold, the fresh and new has come!

You see, a born-again person becomes a new creature, a new species of being that never existed before! But, that’s your spirit man. You still have a flesh body that wants to do the same things it did before you got saved and a soul [mind] that still thinks the wrong things. So what do you do?

According to God’s Word, you have to keep your body under. You have to reign it in and as Paul says, mortify the deeds of the flesh by silencing those fleshly desires—put them to death before they take hold of you and put you in bondage.

The good news is that God has so graciously equipped you with all the tools you’ll ever need to be victorious. You have to renew your mind by getting into the Word and letting it get into you. That will change your thinking to where you start to think and talk like God. Then you’ll get God’s results. What a life God has planned for us! [I encourage you to read Andrew Wommack’s book: Spirit, Soul, & Body.]

Romans 8:13-14 (KJV) 13  For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
14  For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

Romans 7:18 (KJV) 18  For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
Romans 7:25 (KJV) 25  I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

Ephesians 1:13 (KJV) 13  In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,

Ephesians 3:16 (KJV) 16  That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;
Romans 7:22 (KJV) 22  For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:
2 Corinthians 4:16 (KJV) 16  For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.

Romans 12:2a (KJV) 2  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind,

James 1:21 (KJV) 21  Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.
3 John 1:2 (KJV) 2  Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.

Romans 7:18 (KJV) 18  For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
Romans 7:25 (KJV) 25  I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

Pamela

 

Baptized in Unbelief!

Hold on and just keep reading because you might just know someone who fits this category.

Over the years I have observed many Christians and their walk in the Lord: how they live, pray, and believe. We all do this, whether consciously or unconsciously.  This can be good and it can be bad. Let me explain.

Remember the old familiar saying that birds of a feather flock together? Well, God says it a bit differently:

1 Corinthians 15:33 (KJV) 33  Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.
1 Corinthians 15:33 (AMP) 33  Do not be so deceived and misled! Evil companionships (communion, associations) corrupt and deprave good manners and morals and character.

As you can see, evil communications have to do with companionships and associations. God warns us that they will corrupt us if we continue to pursue and take up company with them. This is what I am speaking about. Who do you associate with? With whom do you hang around and associate with?

Now, I can just hear responses from all over that, of course, you hang out with good people and have severed ties with those who would corrupt you and lead you astray. Really?

Not all evil is easily discerned. Believing anything contrary to God’s Word is evil! What do I mean by that? Let me tell you a true story that will paint a better picture of what I am saying.

Several years ago, my husband and I were privileged to share the truths about God’s divine healing with a particular young man. His mother was ill and he desperately wanted her to be healed. I had written a short book regarding God’s will to heal everyone and offered it to him. He accepted and was thrilled and encouraged when he read it.

However, the story doesn’t end here. This young man was so blessed that he showed the booklet to his pastor who promptly dismissed the whole idea that it’s always God’s will to heal. And because of his pastor’s influence, this young man sided in with his pastor’s unbelief and we never heard from him again.

I have shared this story with you because it shows how deadly unbelief can be – no matter where it comes from or from whom it comes. You must believe God’s Word in spite of what the doubters say if you want God’s results. There are multitudes of Christians who believe in Jesus but don’t know enough of God’s Word to believe that Isaiah 53:4-5 and I Peter 2:24 are true.

Isaiah 53:4-5 (KJV) 4  Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
5  But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

1 Peter 2:24 (KJV) 24  Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

We’re not the sick trying to get healed. We’re the healed that the devil is trying to make sick! There’s a vast difference! We have to see ourselves the way God sees us and build that image into our spirits if we want His healing power to deliver us. You’ll never rise higher than the way you see yourself.

If you see yourself sick and infirm, that’s what you’ll have. If you see yourself broke and in lack, that’s what you’ll have. You have to see yourself healed and whole, prosperous and having abundance if that’s what you want.

Proverbs 23:7a (KJV) 7  For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he:

Proverbs 18:21 (KJV) 21  Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.

Mark 11:23-24 (KJV) 23  For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.
24  Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

So, what’s my point? My point is that if you hang out with people who are in unbelief, it will hinder you from believing God’s truth. But, if you associate with people who are true believers of God’s Word and stand on it and see results, guess what? You’ll start believing God’s Word and walking in His benefits and blessings.

Make a commitment to believe God’s Word as if your life depended on it, which it actually does!

Pamela

How Amazing is God’s Grace!

So amazing is God’s grace that we can’t even get saved without it because we’re saved by grace through faith [Ephesians 2:8]. So, just what is God’s grace?

As many of you already know, His grace is His unmerited, divine enablement, but that’s not all it is. I like Charles Capps’ definition of God’s grace: God’s willingness to use His power and ability on our behalf.

Hebrews 4:16 (KJV) 16  Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

Notice that God’s throne is called the throne of grace where we find mercy given to those who have a need and provides the necessary resources to fulfill that need. In other words, God is always ready to help us. And not only that, we are told to come boldly to God’s throne of grace, not come crawling in like unwanted orphans. We are His children and heirs with Jesus, which means that everything Jesus has, we have! How awesome!

Romans 8:16-17a (KJV) 16  The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
17  And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ;

Galatians 4:6-7 (KJV) 6  And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
7  Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

The good news here is that God has freely given us His grace. We didn’t do anything to get it. We can’t earn it, beg for it, pray for it, or obtain it any other way. He’s already given it to us through Jesus. Our part now is to receive it by faith. We only access His grace through faith. That’s our part. God has already done His part by freely giving it to us. Our part now is to use our faith to bring His grace into manifestation in the physical realm so that we can operate in His power and ability.

As I’ve said many times, all of God’s promises are in the spirit realm and the way we bridge that gap and bring those promises into the physical realm is with our faith.

Remember, grace is God’s willingness to use His power and ability on our behalf. He wants to do this for us. We don’t have to talk Him into it. He’s already done it. It’s a done deal!

Now, the next good thing about God’s grace is that it can be multiplied to us. Wow! Who woulda thought? II Peter 1:2 tells us that grace is multiplied to us through the knowledge of Jesus, Who is the Word. So, we can say that grace is multiplied to us through knowledge of the Word of God. As the Word gets into us more and more, God’s grace is multiplied in us and our ability to use His power and ability increases. Just think, to be able to walk in God’s power and ability and see the manifestation of His promises in our lives is so utterly awesome and a life worth living!

We need to walk in God’s grace because without it – our acknowledgement and receiving of it – we really can’t do much for His kingdom. We need the supernatural operation of God’s grace in our lives.

Just as we’ve been given the measure of the God-kind of faith [Rom. 12:3], we have to use it for it to increase and multiply and get it into our hearts, so it is with grace. God has already given it, but our part is to receive it and walk in it – acknowledging it in every area of our lives.

As we acknowledge every good thing that is in us and walk in it, those good things from God multiply and increase and we become the powerhouses that God intends us to be – showing forth His goodness and doing the works of Jesus!

2 Peter 1:2 (KJV)
2  Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,

James 4:6b (KJV)  … Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.

Romans 12:3b (KJV) 3  … according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

Philemon 1:6 (KJV) 6  That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.
John 14:12 (KJV)
12  Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.

Pamela

God’s Forgiveness is Forever & Ever!

John 3:16 (KJV) 16  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Notice that God loved the whole world not just His people. That means He loved the heathen too – the very ones that were worshipping idols and doing all manner of evil.

Genesis 6:5 (KJV) 5  And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
Jeremiah 17:9 (KJV) 9  The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

You see, God doesn’t just have love, He actually is love! He is love personified! If you want to know what real love is, look at our Heavenly Father.

When He gave His Son, Jesus, He gave everything He had. Jesus is the epitome of all that God is, has, and does, forever and always.

Therefore, I submit to you that when God gave His all in all through Jesus, it was a complete gift to us – nothing missing or left out – healing, deliverance, prosperity, protection, etc. He gave it all.

I’m making a point of this for a reason because Jesus’ Blood was the perfect atonement for the sins of all mankind – past, present, and future. He left nothing undone. If Jesus’ Blood wasn’t enough to satisfy the claims of justice in the Supreme Court of Heaven, then we’re all doomed to spend eternity in hell.

Let me say it another way. If we think that we have to do something to atone for our sins, that we still have to appease an angry God, we’re still doomed to hell because we can’t be good enough or do enough to atone for our sins. Jesus did it all! Our good works don’t make God love us more. Our good works make us love God more. Praise the Lord of Glory!

Remember the Law? God gave the Law to show mankind that they couldn’t fulfill it. There was no way anyone could keep the Law perfectly. It was given to show us that we need a Savior – and we’re not Him! You see, God never intended for us to be able to keep the Law.

Before the Law – for 2000 years – there was no Law. People did what was right in their own eyes and as we saw in the above scriptures, all of that was evil. So, because God didn’t punish them for their sins, they took that as approval from God. Well, things had to change. Enter the Law to show them what the standard of holiness really was.

But Jesus! When Jesus came, 2000 years later, and gave His life, His Blood, as the ultimate atonement for all mankind, God’s wrath was appeased and we are now living under grace. God is not imputing our sins to us [II Cor. 5:19]. He put them all on Jesus. We are no longer under condemnation from God. We’ve been forgiven, forever and ever!

However, with God, there is always a God-part and man-part. God has already done His part. His wrath has been appeased and He’s no longer angry. He’s not even in a bad mood! But, we now have our part to do and that is to receive as a free gift what Jesus did for us.

When you acknowledge the sacrifice of Jesus for yourself and make Him Lord and Savior of your life, you then become a born-again child of God – a new species of being that never existed before [II Cor. 5:17]. Your spirit, the real you, has now come alive to God and you can now commune with God – spirit to Spirit. How blessed we are!

2 Corinthians 5:19 (KJV) 19  To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

1 Thessalonians 5:23 (KJV) 23  And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

2 Corinthians 5:17 (KJV) 17  Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

John 4:24 (KJV) 24  God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

 —Pamela

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If the Truth Makes You Free, Which Truth is it?

John 8:31-32 (KJV) 31  Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
32  And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

[The Greek word for make means liberate. Keep this in mind.]

Even though Jesus said, “The truth shall make you free,” that’s not the whole message. We do ourselves a great injustice when we just pull a scripture out of context and try to make a doctrine out of it. When we do that, we forfeit God’s intended meaning and put ourselves in bondage.

How many times have you heard the “world” use the expression: the truth shall make you free? I’ve heard it on TV, of all places, spoken by unsaved people!

Yes, there are many truths and facts out there: the working of electricity, transmission of sound waves, gravity, etc. But these are not what Jesus was speaking of. He was talking about His Word and the TRUTH of His Word that would make you free: free from sickness and disease, free from depression, free from lack and poverty, etc. You get the picture.

It’s evident that there are truths all around us. But as you know and observe, most of the world is not free. Most of the world is in bondage to the wiles and evil schemes of the devil.

So, what do we do to get THE TRUTH to make us free? Look at what Jesus said.

 John 8:31b-32 (KJV) 31  … If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
32  And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

Notice that Jesus said if you continue in His Word, you’re His disciple and then you’d know the truth and that truth working in you would liberate. You can’t have God’s results without having God’s Word working in you.

This is where most Christians miss it. It’s not just knowing the scriptures in your head, it’s continuing, remaining, and abiding in them so that they get down into your spirit where they take root and marinate and develop and come forth with dunamis power! John 15:5 says we are to stay connected to the Vine – Jesus, the Word – because without Him we can do nothing but with Him we can do all things!

John 15:5 (KJV) 5  I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

Philippians 4:13 (KJV) 13  I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
Philippians 4:13 (AMP) 13  I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me [I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who infuses inner strength into me; I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency].

To continue in His Word is to honor and value it: read it, study it, meditate on it, think about it, and confess it – speak it forth. Take Romans 10:9-10 – the Roman Road to Salvation. Yes, it is the truth but if you don’t know it, and do it, you won’t get saved. We have to confess the Lord Jesus as the Son of God with our mouths and believe in our hearts that God raised Him from the dead in order to get saved.

We have our part to do. If we just give mental assent – just head knowledge – to His Word, it won’t produce salvation. God has already given. Our part is to receive. Truth not acted on won’t make you free.

It’s the same with healing, deliverance, provision, protection, and all the other promises of God. God’s already given; we must do the receiving.

2 Corinthians 1:20 (KJV) 20  For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.

So, it all goes back to knowing God’s Word. And, unfortunately, there seems to be a famine in most Christian’s lives concerning the Word of God. Apart from the Word, we don’t have any substance on which to stand.

Hebrews 11:1 (KJV) 1  Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Hebrews 11:1 (AMP) 1  NOW FAITH is the assurance (the confirmation, the title deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses].

We can’t even pray in faith if we’re not praying according to the Word. Our prayers have to be based on God’s Word if we want God’s results. Don’t just shoot up a prayer and hope it sticks! Get into God’s Word and find out what He’s already promised you. Then stand on those promises. God always backs up His Word.

Psalm 119:89 (KJV) 89  For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven.

Isaiah 55:11 (KJV) 11  So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
Jeremiah 1:12 (KJV) 12  Then said the LORD unto me, Thou hast well seen: for I will hasten my word to perform it.
Jeremiah 1:12 (AMP) 12  Then said the Lord to me, You have seen well, for I am alert and active, watching over My word to perform it.

Hebrews 4:12 (KJV) 12  For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
Hebrews 4:12 (AMP) 12  For the Word that God speaks is alive and full of power [making it active, operative, energizing, and effective]; it is sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating to the dividing line of the breath of life (soul) and [the immortal] spirit, and of joints and marrow [of the deepest parts of our nature], exposing and sifting and analyzing and judging the very thoughts and purposes of the heart.

Brothers and sisters, these are perilous times we live in [II Timothy 3:1-7]. We need the “big guns” to stay steady and connected to the Lord in the face of all the evil arrayed against us. Thank the Lord of Glory that He’s totally equipped us with His Word for a time such as this. And just like Joshua and Caleb, we are well able to take the land. We have to get God’s Word in us and then trust it because that’s where the power is.

Ephesians 3:20 (KJV) 20  Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,

Yes, we all can agree that God is able. His ability is not even in question. We have His power in our re-born spirit but how much is actually working? And as I always say, we have our part to do. We have to activate that power by using our faith and drawing it out to where it explodes into manifestation.

The power is in God’s Word because that’s where faith is. We must continually sow the Word into our hearts where it takes root and becomes a powerful weapon against the enemy when we speak it.

Remember, it’s only the TRUTH that you know, believe, and walk in that makes you free.

Thank You Lord for Your unspeakable gift!

Pamela