CAUTION for the VICTORIOUS

 2 Timothy 3:16-17

King James Version

16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, 

and is profitable for doctrine, 

for reproof, 

for correction, 

for instruction in righteousness:

17 That the man of God may be perfect, 

thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

A nagging thought came yesterday.

Soon after Israel's victory in Lebanon.

I set the thought aside.

Waiting for more guidance from SPIRIT.

I didn't want to diminish Israel's hard-won victory.

And I had to be very sure, my feelings were valid.

Today, SPIRIT gave confirmation of my feelings.

Through a video reflecting a rabbi's similar thoughts.

In that video, I learned that Benjamin Netanyahu was once ambassador to the U.N.

No wonder, he knows how to address that body.

I also witnessed his turning to a rabbi, for advice during that period.

As well as a general who turned to a rabbi, for blessing.

In those critical years, from 1967 onward, Israel sought essential spiritual guidance.

And they did a mighty job of it, as the video showed.

But we caution Israel today.

Especially at this moment of victory.

She must not become proud.

Or over-confident.

This rabbi reflected my very concerns yesterday.

Rabbi Elkanah Shmotkin, JEM’s director, reminded Israel:

"Stay away from hubris. 

Not to swagger, 

and to remain humble."

-- "What The Rebbe Told Bibi Netanyahu 

About A War In Lebanon"

The word "hubris" is defined by Merriam-Webster as:

"exaggerated pride or self-confidence"

Scripture says this about pride:

Proverbs 16:18

King James Version

18 Pride goeth before destruction, 

and an haughty spirit before a fall.

I also feel there may be little rogue groups everywhere.

Like cancer cells, waiting in ambush.

Out to prove themselves, enjoying a challenge.

Using less high-tech stuff than Israel.

With the intent of humiliating her.

Oh, how they'd love to see her fall.

Especially the big guns have fallen.

What's to stop them from trying?

Israel must be careful about these groups.

We continue to pray for Israel.

Israel acknowledges GOD's power.

She must continue to do so:

Zechariah 4:6

King James Version

6 Then he answered and spake unto me, 

saying, 

This is the word of the Lord 

unto Zerubbabel, 

saying, 

Not by might, 

nor by power, 

but by my spirit, 

saith the Lord of hosts.

1 Corinthians 15:57

King James Version

57 But thanks be to God, 

which giveth us the victory 

through our Lord Jesus Christ.

SPIRIT also called my attention to another trait of Israel.

Which really defines her future, and total victory.

Something she has not really acknowledged.

But something she MUST DO:

Acknowledge JESUS, 

as MESSIAH.

Because I had not really read up on Israel before, I had no idea they did not recognize JESUS.

All the while, I thought, they being Jews, would automatically worship the LORD.

Eight days after GOD made me born again in September 2019, He led me to write this article.

"The Best-Kept Secret in Judaism"

That was a real revelation for me.

That Jews don't know JESUS.

Even converted Jews expressed their own shock at this.

Mostly mortified at themselves, and the rabbis.

Saying, they should have known!

Demanding, why did no one tell them?

Wailing, at their ignorance, as I did with mine.

Here are TONS of TESTIMONIES from GOD's people.

Hear it for yourself.

Israel must acknowledge JESUS as MESSIAH.

It is a declaration from the LORD.

If they are to ever see Him again.

Matthew 23:39

King James Version

39 For I say unto you, 

Ye shall not see me henceforth, 

till ye shall say, 

Blessed is he that cometh 

in the name of the Lord.

May Israel finally acknowledge JESUS as MESSIAH.

May their victory be ever sweeter -- in anything.

Unlike anything they have ever experienced before.

All because they believe in the LORD JESUS.

Who waits for their acknowledgment.

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SPIRIT and FOOD

 Galatians 5:1

King James Version

5 Stand fast therefore in the liberty 

wherewith Christ hath made us free, 

and be not entangled again 

with the yoke of bondage.

There is something powerful going on right now.

We shall address it, through the SPIRIT of GOD Who guides me.

Three days ago, we wrote an article on "AREAS of vulnerability".

"FOOD" happened to be the first subject we expounded on.

There were seven other "areas".

But strangely SPIRIT led me to food as top of the list.

Very, very strange indeed.

That's why I need to explore it here.

Certainly, the world is beholden to food.

In terms of greed, gluttony, pride, plenty, and vanity.

We mentioned in that post:

"Many are fixated, and preoccupied, with food."

In another article, we wrote:

"We gorge on food, and skimp on GOD.

We have become a world of gluttons."

-- "On FOOD fixation"

My dear pastor friend happened to read "AREAS of vulnerability".

Yesterday, he gave his observations:

"Satan used food as tool for first temptation."

"He also used food to tempt Jesus in the desert."

I was overjoyed with his astute observations.

So I said, perhaps I'll add those to that article.

But a new article seemed more appropriate.

For I needed to look deeper into it myself.

Guided by my friend's observations, I searched Scripture.

And found these -- 

Satan used food to tempt Eve:

Genesis 3:1-13

King James Version

3 Now the serpent was more subtil 

than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. 

And he said unto the woman, 

Yea, hath God said, 

Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?

2 And the woman said unto the serpent, 

We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:

3 But of the fruit of the tree 

which is in the midst of the garden, 

God hath said, 

Ye shall not eat of it, 

neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.

4 And the serpent said unto the woman, 

Ye shall not surely die:

5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, 

then your eyes shall be opened, 

and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.

6 And when the woman saw 

that the tree was good for food, 

and that it was pleasant to the eyes, 

and a tree to be desired to make one wise, 

she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, 

and gave also unto her husband with her; 

and he did eat.

7 And the eyes of them both were opened, 

and they knew that they were naked; 

and they sewed fig leaves together, 

and made themselves aprons.

8 And they heard the voice of the Lord God 

walking in the garden in the cool of the day: 

and Adam and his wife hid themselves 

from the presence of the Lord God 

amongst the trees of the garden.

9 And the Lord God called unto Adam, 

and said unto him, 

Where art thou?

10 And he said, 

I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, 

because I was naked; and I hid myself.

11 And he said, 

Who told thee that thou wast naked? 

Hast thou eaten of the tree, 

whereof I commanded thee 

that thou shouldest not eat?

12 And the man said, 

The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, 

she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.

13 And the Lord God said unto the woman, 

What is this that thou hast done? 

And the woman said, 

The serpent beguiled me, 

and I did eat.

Satan tried to tempt our LORD JESUS with food:

Matthew 4:1-4

King James Version

4 Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit 

into the wilderness 

to be tempted of the devil.

2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, 

he was afterward an hungred.

3 And when the tempter came to him, 

he said, 

If thou be the Son of God, 

command that these stones be made bread.

4 But he answered and said, 

It is written, 

Man shall not live by bread alone, 

but by every word that proceedeth 

out of the mouth of God.

Of course, Satan was stumped.

He doesn't always have an answer for everything.

Only JESUS can end ALL debate.

And that's what always makes me smile.

Knowing the POWER of our LORD JESUS CHRIST.

If Satan tried tempting the LORD, what makes us think we're not putty in Satan's hand?

That we'd be easy prey.

We're but humans.

Subject to the frailties of flesh, and appetite.

Armed with the wrong notions about food, and survival.

From the looks of it, Satan has succeeded in tempting us.

Astoundingly, through a simple concept as food.

Mountains, and mountains, of food.

Look at all the food-based businesses the world has.

And corollary industries that go with it.

Health-related issues arise from all that gluttony.

And yet a large part of the world goes hungry.

Can you see how diabolical it all is?

Literally, and figuratively, a feeding-frenzy upon humans.

Feeding on the lusts and desires of our flesh.

Feeding on our ignorance of his wiles.

As he destroys our bodies, he destroys our souls.

With no one the wiser, unless you're born again.

Note, too, how many industries cater to the whims of the rich.

But the poor are forgotten, and remain marginalized.

They are tolerated, but not loved.

They are not VIPs at the table.

If remembered, it's mostly for tax-exemption purposes.

Or for some propaganda for a so-called cause.

And always, for the benefit of the rich.

The day the poor are loved, and fed graciously and generously, is the day CHRIST lives in us.

The day no one starves in any part of the world, is the day we truly love each other.

The day we go beyond this lust for food, is the day we understand this verse:

John 6:35

King James Version

35 And Jesus said unto them, 

I am the bread of life: 

he that cometh to me shall never hunger; 

and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.

Let us refuse to be addicted to food.

1 Corinthians 6:12

King James Version

12 All things are lawful unto me, 

but all things are not expedient: 

all things are lawful for me, 

but I will not be brought under 

the power of any.

Instead, let all we do, be for GOD's GLORY alone.

1 Corinthians 10:31

King James Version

31 Whether therefore ye eat, 

or drink, 

or whatsoever ye do, 

do all to the glory of God.

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PROOF of earth's DURABILITY

 

Ecclesiastes 1:13

King James Version

13 And I gave my heart 

to seek and search out by wisdom 

concerning all things that are done under heaven: 

this sore travail hath God given 

to the sons of man to be exercised therewith.

The earth is stronger than we think.

Not as if it will crack into two.

Nor will it veer off its axis.

Man cannot destroy earth.

No one can.

For it is the LORD's creation.

Only GOD has power over it.

Proof of its durability?

Let Scripture tell us.

Even just through one book from the Bible.

As written by King Solomon:

Ecclesiastes 1:4

King James Version

4 One generation passeth away, 

and another generation cometh: 

but the earth abideth for ever.

Ecclesiastes 1:5

King James Version

5 The sun also ariseth, 

and the sun goeth down, 

and hasteth to his place where he arose.

Ecclesiastes 1:6

King James Version

6 The wind goeth toward the south, 

and turneth about unto the north; 

it whirleth about continually, 

and the wind returneth again 

according to his circuits.

Ecclesiastes 1:7

King James Version

7 All the rivers run into the sea; 

yet the sea is not full; 

unto the place from whence the rivers come, 

thither they return again.

Ecclesiastes 1:9

King James Version

9 The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; 

and that which is done is that which shall be done: 

and there is no new thing under the sun.

Ecclesiastes 1:10

King James Version

10 Is there any thing whereof it may be said, 

See, this is new? 

it hath been already of old time, 

which was before us.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-2

King James Version

3 To every thing there is a season, 

and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

2 A time to be born, and a time to die; 

a time to plant, and a time to pluck up 

that which is planted;

Ecclesiastes 3:11

King James Version

11 He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: 

also he hath set the world in their heart, 

so that no man can find out the work 

that God maketh 

from the beginning to the end.

Ecclesiastes 3:14

King James Version

14 I know that, 

whatsoever God doeth, 

it shall be for ever: 

nothing can be put to it, 

nor any thing taken from it: 

and God doeth it, 

that men should fear before him.

Ecclesiastes 3:15

King James Version

15 That which hath been is now; 

and that which is to be hath already been; 

and God requireth that which is past.

Ecclesiastes 7:13

King James Version

13 Consider the work of God: 

for who can make that straight, 

which he hath made crooked?

Ecclesiastes 8:17

King James Version

17 Then I beheld all the work of God, 

that a man cannot find out 

the work that is done under the sun: 

because though a man labour to seek it out, 

yet he shall not find it; 

yea farther; 

though a wise man think to know it, 

yet shall he not be able to find it.

Ecclesiastes 11:3

King James Version

3 If the clouds be full of rain, 

they empty themselves upon the earth: 

and if the tree fall toward the south, 

or toward the north, 

in the place where the tree falleth, 

there it shall be.

The conclusion?

Ecclesiastes 11:5

King James Version

5 As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, 

nor how the bones do grow 

in the womb of her that is with child: 

even so thou knowest not the works of God 

who maketh all.

Worry is a lack of trust in the LIVING GOD.

Who knows all.

Is All.

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TRUTH about DOCTRINE

 

1 Timothy 1:8

King James Version

8 But we know that the law is good, 

if a man use it lawfully;

What doctrine comes from GOD?

What is sound doctrine?

What is doctrine for?

What is the difference between GOD's doctrine versus man's laws?

SPIRIT led me to these powerful verses that explain everything.

GOD's doctrine is holy.

1 Timothy 6:1

King James Version

6 Let as many servants as are under the yoke 

count their own masters worthy of all honour, 

that the name of God and his doctrine 

be not blasphemed.

It just follows GOD's doctrine is on "godliness".

1 Timothy 6:3

King James Version

3 If any man teach otherwise, 

and consent not to wholesome words, 

even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, 

and to the doctrine which is according to godliness;

GOD is the Source of sound doctrine:

2 Timothy 3:16

King James Version

16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, 

and is profitable for doctrine, 

for reproof, 

for correction, 

for instruction in righteousness:

This is the purpose of GOD's doctrine:

2 Timothy 3:17

King James Version

17 That the man of God may be perfect, 

thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

GOD's doctrine was designed for sinners.

I've read many similar verses, but these two are really spot on.

My heart leapt at its precision:

1 Timothy 1:9-10

King James Version

9 Knowing this, 

that the law is not made for a righteous man, 

but for the lawless and disobedient, 

for the ungodly and for sinners, 

for unholy and profane, 

for murderers of fathers 

and murderers of mothers, 

for manslayers,

10 For whoremongers, 

for them that defile themselves with mankind, 

for menstealers, 

for liars, 

for perjured persons, 

and if there be any other thing 

that is contrary to sound doctrine;

That's why JESUS came down from heaven.

To save us sinners.

Luke 19:10

King James Version

10 For the Son of man is come 

to seek and to save 

that which was lost.

John 6:37-39

King James Version

37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; 

and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.

38 For I came down from heaven, 

not to do mine own will, 

but the will of him that sent me.

39 And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, 

that of all which he hath given me 

I should lose nothing, 

but should raise it up again 

at the last day.

Those who reject GOD have no idea how much He loves us.

He sent His only begotten Son.

That we may have eternal life.

John 3:16

King James Version

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.

Only the true born again can really understand GOD's doctrine.

He lives for it.

SPIRIT teaches him about it.

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How to IDENTIFY cults

 

JESUS warns:

Matthew 15:14

King James Version

14 Let them alone: 

they be blind leaders of the blind. 

And if the blind lead the blind, 

both shall fall into the ditch.

Surely, you've heard of cults.

How members are asked to follow blindly.

How perversion goes on in the organizations.

How people surrender their will to the "master".

How its leaders enjoy fame, fortune, and followership.

How leaders love to be worshiped.

How members give up their lives when their "master" says so.

How parents can't even recognize their own child anymore.

It need not be a religious cult, to be a cult.

The world does have terms like "cult-following".

Or "cult-like status".

Such words are bandied about carelessly.

In art, business, culture, tech, and entertainment.

Just so you know, all that is idolatry.

Yesterday, SPIRIT called my attention to a cult-like organization.

At least, after doing some research, it felt like one to me.

Started in the early 90s from the east.

Propagated in the west.

Massive tri-media exposure.

Seamless operation.

And people have bought into it.

On the pretext you'll be hale, happy, and healthy.

Seemed harmless, but was it, really?

Part of me wanted to explore it more.

To look deeper into the links.

But clearly, it was cult-like.

Do I talk more about cults?

Or shall I tell you about GOD's laws instead?

The latter intent won out.

As born again, I live by Scripture.

I am here to write, worship, and warn.

Here's how you can gauge if you have unknowingly joined a cult.

It defies the LORD's commands:

Exodus 20:2-4

King James Version

2 I am the Lord thy God, 

which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, 

out of the house of bondage.

3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

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.

Mark 10:18

King James Version

18 And Jesus said unto him, 

Why callest thou me good? 

there is none good but one, 

that is, God.

John 14:6

King James Version

6 Jesus saith unto him, 

I am the way, the truth, and the life: 

no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Matthew 23:8

King James Version

8 But be not ye called Rabbi: 

for one is your Master, even Christ;

 and all ye are brethren.

Matthew 23:10

King James Version

10 Neither be ye called masters: 

for one is your Master, even Christ.

Matthew 23:11

King James Version

11 But he that is greatest among you 

shall be your servant.

And from apostle Luke:

Acts 4:12

King James Version

12 Neither is there salvation in any other: 

for there is none other name under heaven 

given among men, whereby we must be saved.

JESUS never called attention to Himself.

His ministry was ALWAYS for the GLORY of GOD.

John 17:4

King James Version

4 I have glorified thee on the earth: 

I have finished the work 

which thou gavest me to do.

John 17:6

King James Version

6 I have manifested thy name unto the men 

which thou gavest me out of the world: 

thine they were, and thou gavest them me; 

and they have kept thy word.

John 17:7-8

King James Version

7 Now they have known that all things 

whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee.

8 For I have given unto them 

the words which thou gavest me; 

and they have received them, 

and have known surely that I came out from thee, 

and they have believed that thou didst send me.

That, in sharp contrast to the world's cults.

Which always call attention to self, and their leaders.

With leaders getting rich, and famous, through you.

JESUS leads us to eternal life.

He leads us back to GOD.

He leads us to salvation.

Cults lead us to death, and destruction.

Therein are the marked differences.

The world is full of pits, and falls.

Only through Scripture, can you know what's right.

Only through SPIRIT, can you be taught about JESUS.

Only through JESUS, can we be saved.

Only by being born again, can we know all these.

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