Devotion: God Has Already Forgiven You

Recently we talked about how all of mankind was made a sinner because of the actions of one man.  Because of Adam’s disobedience, “many were made sinners” (Romans 5:19).  When Adam fell, the entire human race was “constituted or formally established as sinners.”  We went on to say that even though all of this seemed to be a little unfair, there is more to the story.  We have learned that when it comes to the things of God, things are seldom what they appear to be.  We went on to mention that all of mankind has been given the opportunity to be made righteous because of the actions of another man.  Because of Jesus’ obedience, “many shall be made righteous” (Romans 5:19).  When Jesus died on the cross, the entire human race was given the opportunity to be “constituted or formally established as the righteousness of God in him” (II Corinthians 5:21).  And all that we have to do to receive this “abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness” (Romans 5:17) is to make Jesus Christ our Lord and savior.  When we make Jesus our Lord and savior, we get all of these free gifts that God has to offer.  When we make Jesus our Lord and savior, we get God’s gift of grace, God’s gift of righteousness, and God’s gift of forgiveness.  But what you really need to understand is that before God arranged all of this, he had already forgiven us.

“To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses, though we have rebelled against him” (Daniel 9:9).  “Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage?  he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy.  He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.  Thou wilt perform the truth to Jacob, and the mercy to Abraham, which thou hast sworn unto our fathers from the days of old” (Micah 7:18-20).  “Come now, and let us have an argument together, says the Lord: how may your sins which are red like blood be white as snow?  how may their dark purple seem like wool” (Isaiah 1:18)?  “I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins” (Isaiah 43:25).

Scripture tells that God is merciful and forgiving even though we have rebelled against him.  This same God is the one who has compassion on us, who loves to be merciful, and who pardons our sins.  This same God is the one who loves to be merciful towards us.  He takes our sins and puts them beneath his feet, then throws them into the depths of the sea.  No matter the complexity our sins, God will make us as clean as freshly fallen snow.  And though our sins may be blood red, God will make them as white as wool.  Because God cannot stay angry with us, he has set his love upon us.  God is the one who takes away our sins for his own sake and no longer remembers them.

“The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.  He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever.  He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.  For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.  As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.  Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him.  For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.  As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth.  For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more.  But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children's children; to such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them” (Psalm 103:8-18).

God is merciful and gracious towards us.  God is full of kindness, love, and pity.  God is slow to anger and does not hold a grudge because his anger does not last forever.  God is like a father who has pity on his children.  He is tender and sympathetic to us who respect, obey, and praise him.  With all that mankind has accused God of, which includes plenty mischaracterizations, God has never given us the punishment that our sins deserve nor rewarded us according to our wrongdoings, but instead has forgiven us.  God’s mercy towards us, those who reverence, honor, and worship him, is as great as the heavens are above the earth.  God has removed our sins as far away from us as the east is from the west.  The mercy of the Lord and his loving-kindness is eternal, from everlasting to everlasting for those who love him.

We pray that today’s devotional will help you to understand that God has done his part and has already forgiven you.  Now, you need to do your part and just receive the free gift of forgiveness.  We also pray that this message will bless you, inform you, and that you will be the better for having read it.  If blessed by this message, please share so that others may be blessed as well.  Amen.

Enjoy your blessings - KW

Devotion: You Are Part Of Christ's Body On Earth

“There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all” (Ephesians 4:4-6).

Scripture tells us there is one body and one Spirit, one Lord, one faith, and one baptism.  Should there be any variations when we are told through scripture that there is only one?  Should there be variations amongst the members in the one body, “the so-called body of Christ?”  Believers are taught that each of us have different assignments, but does this mean that the members of the one body have different objectives?

Here is an interesting statistic, discovered a few years back while doing some research:  there are more than 103.5 million members in more than more than seventy-five different church bodies that make up the “so-called body” body of Christ.  But if there be one body, shouldn’t these members of this body at least have the same objective, the same vision, and the same mission before them?  What about their knowledge of Christ, shouldn’t that be similar amongst the member?  If not, does this mean that the members are permitted to have varied beliefs as to who Christ is, what he is and where he comes from?  If there be only one Lord, shouldn’t the more than 103.5 million members in the more than more than seventy-five different church bodies that make up his “so-called body” be in agreement about him?  One would surely think so, unfortunately, this be not the case.

“But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion (opportunity) from them which desire occasion (opportunity) that wherein they glory, they may be found even as we.  For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.  And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed (transforms himself) into an angel of light.  Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works” (II Corinthians 11:12-15).

The problem is that Satan has infiltrated the body of Christ and divided the kingdom.  He has entered the organization and has become part of it so much so that he is hard to recognize.  That one we believe to be him in disguise is usually not him but that one we believe to be a member of the body is actually him in disguise.  We have allowed him to get close to us and close to our hearts.  We have allowed him to come into our family and become a part of it.  We have allowed him into our house and have set a place at our table for him.  We have allowed him to influence whom we talk to, what we think of, what we say, what we believe in, and much more.

“And if a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.  And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand.  And if Satan rise up against himself, and be divided, he cannot stand, but hath an end.  No man can enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he will first bind the strong man; and then he will spoil (plunder) his house” (Mark 3:24-27).

Christ has one body, which is the church (Romans 12:4-5; I Corinthians 10:16-17; I Corinthians 12:12-27; Ephesians 4:1-6).  The misunderstood teachings, misguided theologies, and misinterpreted doctrines that have been introduced by Satan have blinded the mind of man to the truth pertaining to the body of Christ.  Because man did not control and maintain these truths contained in the wonderful gospel, Satan has divided the body of Christ (the church) into the many different factions that exist today.  Imagine the power the body of Christ (the church) would have if it could unite as one and agree as to what the Bible says about God, Jesus the Christ, salvation, and many other things.  This is what Satan does not want to happen, unity among the people and agreement on the gospel of Christ.  Since Satan has divided man, the gospel of the glory of Christ is now hid from man.

The truth of the matter is that there be only “one body of Christ” and every member, those more than 103.5 million members in the more than more than seventy-five different church bodies that make up the body of Christ needs to have the same objective, the same vision, and the same mission.  Every member should have the same knowledge of Christ and hold the same beliefs, without variation.  Scriptures tells us, “he who ascended up on high, leading captivity captive, gave gifts to men” (Ephesians 4:8).  Scripture also tells us he who ascended up on high gave these gifts to men for three specific reasons.  One of the reasons for the gifts was “for the edifying of the body of Christ” (Ephesians 4:12).  The other reasons were “for the perfecting or equipping of the saints and for the work of the ministry” (Ephesians 4:12).  But it is the purpose for these gifts that we are most drawn to.  The purpose for these gifts is to bring us “into unity or in agreement about the faith and about our knowledge of the son of God” (Ephesians 4:13).

We pray that today’s inspirational message will give you a new perspective on “being part of the body of Christ.”  We also pray that this message will bless you, inform you, and that you will be the better for having read it.  If blessed by this message, please share so that others may be blessed as well.  Amen.

Enjoy your blessings - KW

Devotion: Jesus Is Lord

Jesus is Lord.  Yes, that is right; we said that Jesus is Lord.  Scripture tells us that there is power in the name of Jesus.

“Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things (those) in heaven, and things in (those on) earth, and things (those) under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:9-11).

We see that when God raised Jesus up to the heights of heaven, he highly exalted him and gave him a name that is above every other name.  God gave him a name that at his name that every knee, the knee of those in heaven, the knee of those on the earth, and the knee of those under the earth would bow.  God gave him a name that every tongue would confess, acknowledging that Jesus the Christ is Lord to the glory of the Father.  Basically, God bestowed a name to him that at the mere mention of the name Jesus, every knee, no matter where that knee may be, would bow and every tongue would confess that Jesus is Lord, all to the glory of God the Father.

“If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9 NIV).

For those who want to be saved, they must confess, “Jesus is Lord,” while believing in their heart, that God raise him from the dead.  Isn’t it interesting that your salvation is connected to your acknowledgement that “Jesus is Lord.”

“I pray that you will begin to understand how incredibly great his power is to help those who believe him.  It is that same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in heaven, far, far above any other king or ruler or dictator or leader.  Yes, his honor is far more glorious than that of anyone else either in this world or in the world to come.  And God has put all things under his feet and made him the supreme Head of the Church—which is his body, filled with himself, the Author and Giver of everything everywhere” (Ephesians 1:19-23 TLB).

God has placed Jesus in a position of the highest honor, at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far over all rule, authority, and power as well as above every name that can be named, not only in the present world, but also in the world to come.  God has placed all things under his feet and has made him the head of the Church, which is his body.

“And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth” (Matthew 28:18).

All power in heaven and in the earth has been given to Jesus, because “Jesus is Lord.”  Yes, that is right, we said it once and we are saying it again, “Jesus is Lord.”

Once again, we are so appreciative and give thanks to God for all he has done for us and all that he is doing with this ministry.  We are truly grateful for all he has provided us and we give praise, honor, and glory to God for each of you.  We pray that this message will bless you, inform you, and that you will be the better for having read it.  If blessed by this message, please share so that others may be blessed as well.  Amen.

Enjoy your blessings. - KW

Devotion: Focus On Jesus

God warns us not to believe every spirit, which is great advice.  He tells us “to test the spirits to see whether they are of God” (I John 4:1), which so few of us do.  However, there is one major problem, a flaw, if you will with this testing of the spirits.  The testing of the spirits does absolutely nothing if the answers to the test are not available to the one performing the test.  A teacher who gives students a test will already possess the correct answers before giving a test, which enables the teacher to determine if the answers from the students are correct or not.  In order to test, you must have some knowledge of the truth, for without it, you place yourself in a position where the wolves will devour you.  This is why everything is important as it pertains to the Bible, no matter how trivial it may appear to be.  The same applies to the one that we profess to follow, every little detail about him is very important.  The one thing that we all have to understand is that one misspoken or misprinted word can alter the truth, slightly turning what once was truth into an untruth, a deception, a lie, a counterfeit.

Because we do not know the real thing, we accept the counterfeit.  The counterfeit to the average person appears to be the real thing.  The intent or the purpose of a counterfeiter is to make or forge a copy of the original usually with the intent to deceive.  Please understand that the counterfeit exists for the sole purpose of defrauding or deceiving someone.  God warns us that Satan can transform himself into a counterfeit of the real deal.  He also tells us to be on the lookout for “the wolves in sheep’s clothing” that appear to be prophets, for they are not kind (Matthew 7:15).  The strength of the deception is such that “many shall be led or carried away” (Matthew 24:5), which would include those that were thought to stand fast or those thought to be the elect.

Many have been and continue to be deceived because of their inability to recognize the real deal from the counterfeit.  Because we believed the messages of the one who continues to deceive the world, we now stand in a state of confusion.  You see, “For from the very beginning God decided that those who came to him—and all along he knew who would—should become like his Son, so that his Son would be the First, with many brothers” (Romans 8:29 TLB).  This has become a problem for many of us, because we have no idea who the son truly is.  Like most, we grow up predominantly in one denomination.  This denomination gave us the building blocks that helped create the foundation for our belief system.  Since that time and in our search for the truth, we have discovered that other denominations have slightly different viewpoints or interpretations on many religious doctrines, precepts and in some cases, overall theologies.  However, none as so diverse as the many so-called Bible-backed viewpoints about the true nature of Jesus Christ.

Some believe him to be God himself, some believe him to be part of the three-in-one trilogy called the Trinity, and some believe him to be only a man.  Some believe him to be some combination of God and man, both one-hundred percent God and one-hundred percent man; or fifty percent God and fifty percent man; or some in between combination.  Some say he was just a myth, that he never existed, some say he has no beginning because he always existed, and others say he has always existed because he created the universe and all that we see while some say he helped the Father with creation.  Some say he has a beginning, but he was, at some point, created before the universe.  Some say he had a beginning but not until he was brought forth, created in the womb of Mary.  Others say he existed from the beginning, asked God the Father to create him a body so he could come to earth, while some say he created himself a body so he could come to earth, just to list a few of them.  There are many more that we could list, but we think you get the point.

We know that our commentary will not settle the issue, which is not our intent, especially since the debate predates “The First Council of Nicaea” (325 A.D.), where the Council members voted and first declared Jesus Christ was God and was consubstantial with the Father.  They also adopted the original Nicene Creed, fixed the date for Easter, and established the doctrine of the Trinity as the belief and practice of the Orthodox Church, while exiling any members who did not subscribe to their newly established doctrinal belief.  However, we do like to point out that since we are “to be conformed to the image of God’s son,” it might be beneficial for us to be able to recognize the real one so that we can avoid the counterfeit one.  As you focus on the one true Jesus the Christ, remember, “to test the spirits, that being the presenters and/or the information that is being presented to see whether it be of God, before you accept it.”

We forever pray that our inspirational message will abundantly bless you, greatly inform you, and that you will be the better for having read it.  If blessed by this message, please share so that others may be blessed as well.  Amen.

Enjoy your blessings - KW

Devotion: Jesus, Do You Really Know Him?

Not long ago we spoke of Paul’s assignment to inform others of the mystery of the gospel and to make clear, the good news of this gospel (Ephesians 6:19).  Paul wanted us to clearly understand that his knowledge in “the mystery of Christ” (Ephesians 3:3-4) was by revelation from God, so that he could inform, proclaim fully, and make clear the truth concerning Jesus the Christ through the revelation of the mysteries, which were kept secret since the world began.  The one thing we found amazing was the fact that there were many untruths circulating around about the person of Jesus the Christ in Paul’s day as he was making clear the mystery of the gospel.  The problem for Paul was that there was another force going about preaching another gospel, different from the one that he was preaching.  In a letter to those believers at Corinth, he spoke of his concerns.

“I hope you will be patient with me as I keep on talking like a fool.  Do bear with me and let me say what is on my heart.  I am anxious for you with the deep concern of God himself—anxious that your love should be for Christ alone, just as a pure maiden saves her love for one man only, for the one who will be her husband.  But I am frightened, fearing that in some way you will be led away from your pure and simple devotion to our Lord, just as Eve was deceived by Satan in the Garden of Eden.  You seem so gullible: you believe whatever anyone tells you even if he is preaching about another Jesus than the one we preach, or a different spirit than the Holy Spirit you received, or shows you a different way to be saved.  You swallow it all” (II Corinthians 11:1-4 TLB).

In many ways, we have been led away from the simplicity that is in Christ.  The apostles preached a message that was pure, one of truth, one given by revelation of him who is truth.  They entrusted themselves to the approval of man’s sense of right and wrong in the sight of God (II Corinthians 4:1-6).  We are so confused, so influenced by the devil that we have lost that sense of right and wrong in the sight of God.  Do not take our word for it.  Just look around in the world today.  Churches are rewriting their own church doctrines, questioning their faith, changing their interpretations, reexamining their teachings, creating new precepts, and arguing over the word of God.  Institutions are splitting because of differences in beliefs, opinions, principles, and theologies.  Just as Eve was deceived by the devil in the Garden of Eden, we continue to allow him to deceive us.  We refuse to take control of our thoughts, control of our minds so that we can take the blinders off so that we can see the light which shines in our hearts that gives way to the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

Satan has infiltrated the body of Christ and divided the kingdom (Mark 3:24-27).  He has entered the organization and has become part of it so much so that he is hard to recognize.  That one we believe to be him in disguise is usually not him but that one we believe to be a member of the body is actually him in disguise.  We have allowed him to get close to us and close to our hearts.  We have allowed him to come into our family and become a part of it.  We have allowed him into our house and have set a place at our table for him.  We have allowed him to influence whom we talk to, what we think of, what we say, what we believe in, and much more.

“But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion (opportunity) from them which desire occasion (opportunity) that wherein they glory, they may be found even as we.  For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.  And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed (transforms himself) into an angel of light.  Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works” (II Corinthians 11:12-15).

We have allowed Satan in because he boasts that he is doing God’s work in just the same way we are.  We have allowed him to convince us that God has sent him.  We have allowed him to persuade us that he is Christ’s apostle.  We have allowed him to blind us to the truth that God never sent him at all.  He is a phony who has fooled us in so many ways.  And it should not be a surprise that he can transform himself into an angel of light.  His servants can also be transformed to appear like godly ministers.  You have been taught but by whom have you been taught and what have you been taught?  So many questions to ponder, so many questions to ask but the fear of being ostracized has driven us to accept, never publicly questioning, those things of tradition.  Somewhere in the quagmire of answers lies the truth about Jesus.  Are you willing to put away your fears, lay aside those traditional views, and seek the truth for yourself?  Are you more concerned about the opinions of man than you are in finding the truth about one you confess to believe in?  So, who is Jesus?  Are you sure that the Jesus that you believe in is one of fact?  Or is the one that you believe in, one of fiction?  Will you make the right choice?

We again give thanks to God for this avenue that he has given us to share his word through our commentary.  We continually pray that God’s grace will be upon you and that these devotionals will be a blessing to you.  If you are blessed by them, please share so that others may be blessed as well.  Amen.

Enjoy your blessings - KW

Devotion: To Become Like Jesus

Paul had an assignment to inform others of the mystery of the gospel.  He had to make clear without fear the good news of this gospel (Ephesians 6:19).  Paul asked those at Ephesus to pray for him that God may give him the right words so he could explain clearly to others what the mystery of the gospel was.  Although he was in prison in Rome at the time he wrote to the saints in Ephesus and the faithful in Jesus Christ, he asked that he might continue to open his mouth and speak boldly.  He had an assignment to make known the mystery; a hidden truth kept secret since the beginning of time but now revealed to the apostles and the prophets.

“As I wrote afore in few words, whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ” (Ephesians 3:3-4).  “Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds:  that I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak” (Colossians 4:3-4).

We see that the primary focus of these passages is “the mystery of Christ.”  Paul asked those at Colossae to pray that God would open for them a door of understanding by which they could tell the truth concerning the mysteries, the hidden truths, surrounding Christ.  Paul wanted the reader to clearly understand his knowledge in “the mystery of Christ” was by revelation from God, who gave Paul the wonderful privilege of telling everyone about his plan, endowing Paul with his power and special abilities to get the job done.  The task before Paul was to inform, to proclaim fully, and to make clear the truth concerning Jesus the Christ through the revelation of the mysteries, which were kept secret since the world began.  Since Paul was charged with making clear the truth concerning Jesus the Christ, then there must have been some untruths circulating in that day.  And the one thing that is so amazing is the fact that those same untruths continue to circulate today, nearly two thousand years after Paul made known the truth about Christ.

We visited other denominations in search of the facts, as they understood them that surrounded the Christ that they claimed to know.  We would like to share some of the interesting Bible-backed facts about Jesus Christ that some of those denominations shared with us.  Some believe him to be God himself, some believe him to be part of the three-in-one trilogy called the Trinity, and some believe him to be only a man.  Some believe him to be some combination of God and man, both one-hundred percent God and one-hundred percent man; or fifty percent God and fifty percent man; or some in between combination.  Some say he was just a myth, that he never existed, some say he has no beginning because he always existed, and others say he has always existed because he created the universe and all that we see, while some say he helped the Father with creation.

Some say he has a beginning but he was, at some point created before the universe.  Some say he had a beginning but not until he was brought forth, created in the womb of Mary.  Others say he existed from the beginning, asked God the Father to create him a body so he could come to earth, while some say he created himself a body so he could come to earth.  Some say God placed him in Mary’s womb.  Some claimed that God had spiritual sex with Mary to bring forth his son, and others make the claim that God raped Mary to bring forth his son.  Some say he is the only begotten son of God.  Some say he is the only son of God, while some say he, being the son, is the one true God.  Some say he was the king of the Jews, while others say he was no king at all.  Some say he was poor while others say he was rich.  Some say he was white, some say he was black, while others claim some other variation.  Some say he performed all kinds of miracles.  Some say he healed many people.  Some say he walked on the water, others claim he did not.  Some say he raised the dead.  Some say he raised himself from the dead.  Some say he died on the cross.  Some say he did not die on the cross.  Some say that he survived the cross, married, and fathered many children.

Many follow him as if he was some type of rock star.  Others do all within their power to avoid mentioning his name.  Many try to prove his existence by any means necessary while others do everything in their power to refute him.  There are books after books written about Jesus.  There are movies and documentaries made about Jesus.  There are websites created to support Jesus and sites created to invalidate him.  So much information that it is hard to decipher it to get to the truth about Jesus.  Many have their own ideas about him.  Some are on the far left, some on the far right with many somewhere in between.  And then there be those who were not even on the chart, so we could not begin to tell you where they were.  However, the most interesting thing we discovered on all of this was the fact that each group truly believed they had the truth and they had scriptures to back up their position.  With all of this, which one have you identified with?  Is the one that you have identified with, the true Christ?  Is the one that that you have identified with based on scriptural facts or theological fiction?  Are you sure?

May today’s inspirational message abundantly bless you and greatly inform you.  We pray that you will be the better for having read it.  If blessed by today’s message, please share so that others may be blessed as well.  Amen.

Enjoy your blessings - KW

Devotion: The Blessing Of The Lord Will Make You Rich

We know that we continually talk about prosperity and how it is God’s will for his children to prosper.  We have shown you many passages that reveal it is God’s will for us to prosper.  We know that many look around the Christian circles and only see those who preach about prosperity prospering while others appear to struggle to make ends meet, while waiting on their own prosperity.  Because we see the apparent injustices of those in religious leadership positions wearing the expensive designer clothes, riding in the expensive luxury cars, and living in the big expensive houses with servants and the like, many have decided that prosperity can only be of the devil and so they do not want any part of the so-called prosperity message.  What they do not realize is that they are actually hurting themselves.

First of all, not everything in this world that we live in is as it appears to be.  This is just a fact of life.  Since the beginning of man, we have been deceived, manipulated into doing things that have gone against the truths that are found in the word of God.  The really sad part is that the same deceit and manipulation still goes on today by the very one that has continually deceived the world.  The devil’s craftiness and deceitful nature was first depicted during the fall of mankind (Genesis 3:1-13).  If he was able to alter what God had said in the mind of Eve (II Corinthians 11:3), what makes you think he cannot do the same today?

Many are aware of the devil and his minion’s infiltration into the Church, but has any thought been given to other areas that he may have influenced.  It should not be out of the question to consider the devil’s role in the translation of the very Bible that we use.  And no we have not lost our minds nor are we speaking against what some consider to be the very word of God.  We know that Satan himself can masquerade around as “an angel of light” (II Corinthians 11:14).  We also know that his ministers can be transformed into “ministers of righteousness” (II Corinthians 11:15).  And we know that his only purpose, since the beginning, has been to deceive mankind (Revelation 12:9).  We all have been taught that the devil knows the Bible, so not to consider this possibility may prove to be detrimental.

Scripture upon scripture has revealed that God wants his children to prosper and he enjoys helping us to prosper.  Misinterpretations have caused many to reject the prosperity message, seeing it in a negative light.  Since “no man can serve two masters, because he will either love the one and hate the other or he will keep or hold on to one and have not respect for the other” (Matthew 6:24), prosperity has been taken off the table.  According to scripture, it is “the love of money” that is “the root or cause of all evil” (I Timothy 6:10), so by taking money out of the equation, then we get rid of the evil that is cause by this “evil money.”  You see, if you do not have this “evil,” then you can love the Lord God with all of your heart, soul, strength, or mind.  Problem solved, right?  Not exactly.  Money in and of itself is not evil.  In this economical system, money is just a tool necessary for you to live.  It is the “love of money” that is the problem not the money itself.

God wants his children to prosper and he enjoys helping us to prosper.  And as we have continually stated, there is a specific reason for the prosperity.  God gives us the power or the ability to get wealth to fulfill his promise, that agreement he made with our ancestors (Deuteronomy 8:18).  But in order to prosper the right way, we have to understand that there is a godly path to prosperity, a way that adds no sorrow.  Of course, if there be a right way to prosper, then surely there be a wrong way to prosper.  You just need to make sure that you find the right path to prosperity.  We will give you a clue, it involves having “the blessings of the Lord” for “the blessing of the Lord makes a person rich, and he adds no sorrow with it” (Proverbs 10:22 NLT).

Again, we pray that today’s message will abundantly bless you and that you will be the better for having read it.  If blessed by this message, please share so that others may be blessed as well.  Amen.

Enjoy your blessings - KW

Devotion: What Is The Devil's Authority?

The devil’s infiltration into the Church may be a surprise to some, but it really should not be.  We know from scripture that even “Satan himself can masquerade around as an angel of light” (II Corinthians 11:14).  We also know from scripture that even “his ministers can be transformed into ministers of righteousness” (II Corinthians 11:15).  We know that the devil’s only purpose, since the beginning, has been “to deceive mankind” (John 8:44).  What better opportunity could the devil possibly have to deceive the masses than to alter the very thing so many believers use?  The devil’s craftiness and deceitful nature is first depicted during the fall of mankind (Genesis 3:1-13).  At that time, he was able to alter what God had said in the mind of Eve (II Corinthians 11:3), what makes you think he cannot do the same today?  We all have been taught that the devil knows the Bible, so not to consider this possibility may prove to be detrimental.  However, there are a few very important things that he is missing; “understanding for one.”

Yes, it be true that the devil does know the Bible.  How else could he perfectly misquote it?  If the devil’s misquotes did not sound so god-like, then no one would accept them or be fooled by them.  And boy, do we accept his misquotes; and are we so fooled by them.  Just look at the so-called Christian religion itself, for example.  We are supposed to be of “one body, one Spirit, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God” (Ephesians 4:4-6), yet this is not the case.  We have been so divided over the years that once upon a time we killed each other over our differences.  Those same differences have created numerous denominations, where each one claims to have a direct line to God himself.  We claim to worship the same God, follow the same Jesus, and be touched by the same Holy Spirit, yet our beliefs are so different.  And while we tolerate each other, our pride does not allow us to come together as one.  The statement, “That’s not how we do things here” instantly blocks any attempts at unification.  But aren’t we supposed to be a body of like-minded people with one common purpose and one common goal?  Apparently, we missed that point.  Somewhere along the way, we allowed the devil to infiltrate the one body and divide it.  And he has used God-like words to do it; imagine that.

“And he called them unto him, and said unto them in parables, How can Satan cast out Satan?  And if a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.  And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand.  And if Satan rise up against himself, and be divided, he cannot stand, but hath an end.  No man can enter into a strong man's house, and spoil (plunder) his goods, except he will first bind the strong man; and then he will spoil his house” (Mark 3:23-27).

Surprisingly, we may all be in the same body of water, the ocean of Christianity, but we are definitely not all in the same boat going in the same direction.  If our house, the so-called body of Christ is this divided, then it should be no surprise to anyone as to why we cannot stand together as one, against the devil and all of the evils in this world.  So how do we fix this problem?  How do we unify the body of Christ?

Scriptures tells us “he who ascended up on high, leading captivity captive, gave gifts to men” (Ephesians 4:8).  Scripture tells us he who ascended up on high gave these gifts to men for three specific reasons.  One of the reasons for the gifts was for “the edifying of the body of Christ” (Ephesians 4:12).  The other reasons were for “the perfecting or equipping of the saints” and “for the work of the ministry.”  But it is the purpose for these gifts that we are most drawn to.  The purpose for the gifts is so that “we all come in unity or in agreement about the faith and about our knowledge of the son of God” (Ephesians 4:13).  And once we arrive in unity, then and only then “will we no longer be tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine” (Ephesians 4:14).  No longer will we change our minds about what we believe because someone has cleverly lied, making the lies sound like truth.  No longer will we be a house divided.  Instead, we will follow the truth because we will know the truth, “speaking truth in love” (Ephesians 4:15).  By then, we will all have become full-grown, mature men, to a point of “being full with Christ” (Ephesians 4:13).

It would stand to reason that until we unify this body of Christ, the devil and his minions will continue doing what they do best.  It would also make sense that until we unify this body of Christ, the body, as a whole, cannot be victorious.  As long as we allow the devil and minions to be a part of the body and keep it divided, we have little hope for unification.  So, seek the truth about the faith and about our knowledge of the son of God so that you be no longer tossed about by or with every wind of doctrine because someone has cleverly lied, making the lies sound like truth.  Stop allowing the devil to alter what God has said, which he has been doing since the first encounter with mankind.  Remember, the devil knows the Bible, probably better than we give him credit.

As always, we pray that today’s inspirational message will abundantly bless you, greatly inform you, and that you will be the better for having read it.  If blessed by this message, please share so that others may be blessed as well.  Amen.

Enjoy your blessings - KW

Devotion: Meeting Together

Did you know that God is not calling us to go to church?  Actually, he is calling us to be his church.  He wants us to be the hope of the world.

“And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power (authority) is given unto me in heaven and in earth.  Go ye therefore, and teach (make disciples of) all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.  Amen” (Matthew 28:18-20 NLT).

Known as “The Great Commission,” Jesus commanded his disciples to go and teach or make disciples of all nations.  He commanded that these new disciples be taught to observe all things whatsoever or to obey all the commands Jesus had given to his own disciples.  But what exactly is a disciple?  A disciple is not only a believer or a follower, but a disciple is more importantly a student and a pupil.  A disciple is a person who has been trained.  You cannot make disciples without some type of teaching.  And yes, there is a difference between preaching to someone and teaching someone.  Preaching proclaims the gospel where teaching explains the gospel.

This is not to say that there is no place for the preaching of the gospel, but preaching alone does not make disciples.  For example, preaching can proclaim the good news of salvation and can convert sinners into “born-again believers,” but what about afterwards?  What happens to the “born-again believer” once they have been saved or converted?

A person who is “born-again” should reflect or be like Christ, but not everyone who claims to be “born-again” is able to do so.  They more than likely continue to live a lifestyle that is contrary to being Christ-like mainly because they have not been taught that Christ-like lifestyle.  Scripture tells us “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17) and when that word comes in the form of a salvation message, then salvation is all that person will have faith for.

We fully understand that a person’s own evil desires play an important part in his or her lifestyle choices, but when the person is not taught to observe all things whatsoever or to obey all that Jesus commanded, then that person’s life tends to be run by the previous doctrines he or she used before becoming “born-again.”  This is why there is this emphasis on teaching others to become disciples and not just “born-again believers” or “new converts.”

For the true disciple of Christ, he or she will have the tools needed to live a Christ-like lifestyle, but it would be entirely different for “a new convert.”  A true disciple would have the faith to put God first, above everyone and everything else where “a new convert” may be in that growing stage where he or she is trying to find the true path to Christ.  Without the proper guidance, “a new convert” may stumble upon the wrong path going in the wrong direction or even resort back to old habits.  Most people are struggling with the hell they live in on this earth and are trying to find a way to overcome their situation.  And though the salvation message will make them feel good for a moment, it does nothing for the long haul to show them what to do after salvation.

Making new converts true disciples will help them to be more Christ-like in their actions and in their lifestyle choices.  Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever or to obey all the commands of Jesus will give them the tools they need to teach others to become disciples and not just new converts who are left to find their own way.

There is a lot more to being a disciple than what we have stated here.  This was just a short introduction for those who have that ear to hear and want to obey “The Great Commission,” where they go and make disciples of all nations, teaching “born-again believers” to observe all things whatsoever and to obey all the commands of Jesus Christ.  You first must become a true disciple yourself; you must become a student and a pupil of the teachings of Christ.  God is not calling us to go to church; he is calling us to be his church.

We forever pray that our inspirational message will abundantly bless you, greatly inform you, and that you will be the better for having read it.  If blessed by this message, please share so that others may be blessed as well.  Amen.

Enjoy your blessings. - KW

Devotion: Offering Time

A lot of discussion in the body of Christ on this topic of “tithing” has left many questions as to what should and should not be given.  Webster defines “tithe” as “one tenth of the annual produce of one’s annual income, paid as a tax or contribution to support a church or its clergy; a tenth part.”  Tithing is the practice of giving ten percent of one’s income to the Lord.

“Honor the Lord with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: so shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine” (Proverbs 3:9).

We are to give honor to God with our substance or our very wealth and possessions as well as with the firstfruits of our increase.  As you read the rest of this verse, you see that those who obeyed this command had an increase; they had their barns filled with plenty, and their presses burst with new wine.  While we do not trade in the same commodities or the same ways as they did in those days, the basic principle still applies to us today.  The giving of tithes and offerings is the process of giving from the income that you receive, while firstfruits is the process of giving from the increase in income that you receive

“Will a man rob God?  Surely not!  And yet you have robbed me.  What do you mean?  When did we ever rob you?  You have robbed me of the tithes and offerings due me.  And so the awesome curse of God is cursing you, for your whole nation has been robbing me.  Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so that there will be food enough in my Temple; if you do, I will open up the windows of heaven for you and pour out a blessing so great you won’t have room enough to take it in!  Try it!  Let me prove it to you” (Malachi 3:8-10 TLB)!

In order to rob someone of something would mean that the something that was taken must already have belonged to the person it is taken from.  No one can be robbed of something that doesn’t belong to him or her.  Therefore, these tithes and offerings that are spoken of here must already belong to God.  In addition, we see that basic principle being applied here, where those who obeyed this command had an increase even though we again do not trade in the same commodities or the same ways as they did in those days.

This basic principle we are talking about is the principle of “seedtime and harvest or sowing and reaping” a principle which God established that says, “For whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap” (Galatians 6:7).  We know that this principle applies to the words we speak as well as the things we do, where our words and actions are like seeds being planted in the ground that produces a crop from which we reap a harvest, be it good or be it bad, depending on what we have sown.

“But remember this—if you give little, you will get little.  A farmer who plants just a few seeds will get only a small crop, but if he plants much, he will reap much.  Everyone must make up his own mind as to how much he should give.  Don’t force anyone to give more than he really wants to, for cheerful givers are the ones God prizes.  God is able to make it up to you by giving you everything you need and more so that there will not only be enough for your own needs but plenty left over to give joyfully to others.  It is as the Scriptures say: “The godly man gives generously to the poor.  His good deeds will be an honor to him forever” (II Corinthians 9:6-9 TLB).

There are those that believe that if they give away their money, they won’t have anything left for themselves.  They have no faith in the scriptures, fearing that if they give away their money, they will not have enough to survive.  They struggle to make sense of what they see and what they think they know, believing that they have to take matters into their own hands.  Reality says that it is a major undertaking to make it through life with the money that they have, and they can’t believe that they are expected to give some away and are required to live on less.  Jesus validates this principle of giving in the following scripture.

“Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom.  For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you” (Luke 6:38 NKJV).

Jesus assures us that we can count on the principle of “sowing and reaping.”  This principle works, and it works the same way for everyone.  Give and you will receive.  Not only will you have enough for yourself, but the more you give, the more you'll be given.

“It is possible to give away and become richer!  It is also possible to hold on too tightly and lose everything.  Yes, the liberal man shall be rich!  By watering others, he waters himself” (Proverbs 11:24-25 TLB).

The more you sow into the kingdom of God the more you will reap from his kingdom.  Many don’t believe in the principle, but just because you don’t know about or believe in a thing has no bearing on how the thing works.  Many have problems with giving away their money and with tithing.  They find all kinds of excuses as to why they should not give their hard-earned money away.  To them, it makes no sense to give away what they consider theirs.  Look at it this way: We go out to eat and afterwards will give a total stranger (a waiter/waitress whose only job is to serve us our food), a fifteen (15) to twenty (20) percent tip because we don’t want them to think bad of us or it’s the politically correct thing to do, but we won’t give God the 10 percent or so that he is due.  He has never raised his rates.  They have remained the same since the beginning.  And to beat it all, when we are in trouble, we do not call on the name of that stranger (waiter/waitress) to help us, we will call on the Lord.  Now that is something to ponder.

But here is the most important thing to keep in mind about offering time. Giving an offering to God is a way of honoring and worshipping God by telling him, “I am trusting in and depending on you, God, to make it through and not myself or my money.”  Now that be a walk of faith, Amen.

We pray that our inspirational message will be a blessing to you as well as informative.  If blessed by this message, please share so that others may be blessed as well.  Amen.

Enjoy your blessings. - KW

Devotion: A Member Of The Body

Many believers have been taught we are supposed to “be of one body, one Spirit, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God,” but is this truly the case?  Are the so-called believers truly “of one body?”  We, as so-called believers claim to worship the same God, follow the same Jesus, and be touched by the same Holy Spirit, yet our beliefs are so different.  And while we “politely tolerate” each other, our pride does not allow us to come together as one.  The statement, “That’s not how we do things here” instantly blocks any attempts at unification.  But aren’t we supposed to be a body of like-minded people with one common purpose and one common goal?  Apparently, we missed that memo and have missed the point as well.

Scripture records that Jesus, when he ascended upon high, he gave certain gifts to man. “Some of us have been given special ability as apostles; to others he has given the gift of being able to preach well; some have special ability in winning people to Christ, helping them to trust him as their Savior; still others have a gift for caring for God’s people as a shepherd does his sheep, leading and teaching them in the ways of God (Ephesians 4:11 TLB).

But it is the purpose of these gifts that we find most intriguing and what is to be accomplished by them.  “Why is it that he gives us these special abilities to do certain things best?  It is that God’s people will be equipped to do better work for him, building up the Church, the body of Christ, to a position of strength and maturity; until finally we all believe alike about our salvation and about our Savior, God’s Son, and all become full-grown in the Lord—yes, to the point of being filled full with Christ.  Then we will no longer be like children, forever changing our minds about what we believe because someone has told us something different or has cleverly lied to us and made the lie sound like the truth.  Instead, we will lovingly follow the truth at all times—speaking truly, dealing truly, living truly—and so become more and more in every way like Christ who is the Head of his body, the Church.  Under his direction, the whole body is fitted together perfectly, and each part in its own special way helps the other parts, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love” (Ephesians 4:12-16 TLB).

So, if you be one who has been given a special ability or gift to do certain things by Christ, then you have but one job and it has been clearly spelled out; “the building up of the Church, which is the body of Christ to a position of strength and maturity.”  If you be a member of the one body, then you too have a role to play as well.  Paul begs us “to live and act in a way worthy of those who have been chosen for such wonderful blessings as these.  Be humble and gentle.  Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love.  Try always to be led along together by the Holy Spirit and so be at peace with one another” (Ephesians 4:1-3 TLB).  Imagine a body perfectly fitted together, with each part helping and working with all of the other parts so that the whole body is healthy, growing, and full of love.  Imagine a body where “finally we all believe alike and come in the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God.”  Imagine that!

Again, we pray that today's message will abundantly bless you, greatly inform you, and that you will be the better for having read it.  If blessed by this message, please share so that others may be blessed as well.  Amen.

Enjoy your blessings - KW

Devotion: I Don't Agree With Other Preachers

In this age of information, we who seek the truth have no reason not to be able to find it, provided we do not limit ourselves to the walls of traditionalism or denominationalism.  God tells us “that his people are destroyed because they lack knowledge” (Hosea 4:6).  Interestingly, this lack of knowledge has not come from a shortage of knowledge but from our rejection of knowledge.  That’s right, there is no shortage of knowledge that is destroying us, but it is our own rejection of knowledge that is doing it.  Because we are quick to dismiss all, including those preachers, teachers, and evangelists who do not align themselves with our beliefs, we limit the amount of knowledge available to us.

If the amount of knowledge is as vast as the oceans, it would be like dipping a cup into the ocean and using what is in the cup as your only source of information.  Everything that you could possible know would be confined to the limits of that cup.  And just as the ocean has things that can be harmful to us, it also contains things that can be beneficial to us.  Knowledge works the same way; there are things harmful as well as things beneficial.  It is through “studying God’s word” (II Timothy 2:15), using every available resource that we gain the wisdom and understanding “to rightly divide the word of truth” and pick the harmful item out of the ocean of knowledge.

We should learn to listen to everyone and learn from everyone because nobody knows everything but everyone knows something.  None of us are perfect nor do we have a perfect understanding of all of the scriptures.  So many of us are at different levels of understanding in our walk to discover the truth about the things of God that we should not discount anyone’s ability to help propel us to the next level or to give us a different perspective on things.  Limited knowledge leads to a limited life.  A closed mind can only grow within the limits of its enclosure; an open mind grows with endless possibilities.  There is an ocean of knowledge available to each of us, do not limit yourself to the boundaries of one cup of knowledge.  Explore the endless possibilities contained within the entire ocean.

Today’s message is short, but we wanted to share some thoughts on the limits we impose on ourselves when it comes to gaining knowledge, especially when it comes to the things of God.  We pray that the message will be an inspiration to you as well as a blessing.  Please share this message so that others may be blessed as well.  Amen.

Enjoy your blessings. - KW

Devotion: Why?

We know that this commentary is going to stir up the proverbial pot, but it cannot be avoided.  And while it is not our intent to create controversy, we do however seek to find truth, which will, in itself, take us to places that are not comfortable and sometimes controversial.  However, in order “not to be tossed about by or with every wind of doctrine” (Ephesians 4:14), we must question some of the traditional beliefs that have been passed down through the generations.  And while many traditions have just been accepted, without question, when one creates a controversy such as this one, then it needs to be thoroughly examined, not by the so-called religious leaders, but by you as an individual because you will ultimately decide what is truth by what you accept or reject.  In order to do this effectively, you must look at all of the available evidence to draw your conclusion.  This is not about leaning to your own understanding, but about “studying the word of truth” for yourself and then being able “to rightly divide this word of truth” (II Timothy 2:15).  That way, you can get the revelation knowledge directly from the source itself and not from another’s interpretation.  If not, then all you do is accept the conclusions that are drawn by others, which could very well be wrong and/or misguided.

Seeking God’s wisdom is the first thing that one has to do, which is a problem for many who profess to be Christians.  They seek God’s wisdom, but usually they find the wisdom of the world and do not realize that this is what they have done or what they are doing.  God has pretty much given us everything that we need to know, somewhere in his word but we, with our finite worldly wisdom, have rejected his wisdom for the sake of trying to comprehend that which we really do not understand.  This is not a play on words or a manipulation of words.  This is all about us being manipulated by a worldly wisdom that has limited our ability to understand the thoughts and ways of God.  It is about us not recognizing the revelations that God has given us because they, the revelations, do not agree with what we have been taught or have accepted as truths our entire lives.  This is about us not accepting those things that God has given us to help our understanding because we have been taught that no one can explain or understand the things of God.  If this be true, that no one can understand the things of God, then why do those same people try to explain those things that they, themselves have just said no one can understand?  Do they have some special connection with God that allows them to exclusively explain what cannot be explained?  We think not.

God has told “us” to seek wisdom, to seek the know-how, and to get the ability to use good sense in our thinking, in our judgment, and in our actions.  God has also told “us” to get understanding, to get the ability to perceive and to get the ability to explain the meaning or nature of things.  Once we have gotten all that we have been told to get, it is then that the revelation knowledge comes.  And when it comes, this revelation knowledge, we will have to be ready to receive it.  In order to receive this knowledge, we have to be ready to accept it.  But before it comes, we have to first do our part.  We have to get all that we are told to get (Proverbs 4:5-7) and we have to seek all that we are told to seek (Proverbs 4:20-22).  A closed mind can only grow within the limits of its enclosure; an open mind grows with endless possibilities.

Today, this controversy is neatly interwoven into a very traditional message pertaining to an entity that we believe has been misidentified.  This simple misunderstanding of who this entity actually is, has led to some very creative responses from those trying to answer the question, “Why?”  Since the devil has already been defeated and we have gained all the blessings the Bible tells us about, through the actions of our Lord and savior, Jesus Christ, then, “Why?”  Why is the devil allowed to continue to attack and persecute “the so-called bride of Christ?”  Or is the devil persecuting “the church, also known as the body of Christ” instead and not “the bride of Christ?”  It would appear that in order to answer this question, we must first discover if it is “the church” or if it be “the bride” that is being persecuted.

If what is known as the church (the body of Christ) “be the same” as the so-called bride of Christ, then our quest for truth begins on this path.  On the other hand, if what is known as the church (the body of Christ) “be not the same” as the so-called bride of Christ, then our quest for truth begins here on this path.  Both quest will take us on a journey, but only one will take us to the truth.  But we have to ask ourself, when we get to end of our journey, will we recognize the truth from the fiction?

In an effort to find the truth, we looked into the controversy itself and we invite you to read the results as they may help in understanding this controversy. You can find this information in our blog post titled “The Church, The Bride, and You.”  We also offer these passages, (I John 3:8; I Corinthians 15:22-28; Hebrews 2:14; Matthew 28:18; Luke 10:19; and Hosea 4:6), which when compiled, just might help answer the question “Why?”

As with all that we publish, we ask that you check out the information for yourself, verifying that what is presented, regardless of the source, is not contrary to the word of God.  Never accept anyone’s interpretation for something that you have not investigated yourself.  Words can be manipulated to say many things, just make sure the ones that you accept are those of God and not those of man.  We have been given the great privilege and the opportunity to know Jesus Christ and to become like him; just make sure that it is truly him that you come to know and that is truly him that you become like and not the copy claiming to be the real deal.  If this message is a blessing to you, please share it so that others may be blessed by it as well.  Amen

Enjoy your blessings - KW

Devotion: Who Is Right?

God warns us that “there will come false Christs and false prophets who will give great signs and do great wonders, so much so that if it were possible, these things could turn the very elect from the true way” (Matthew 24:24; Mark 13:22).  This is a very illuminating and a very powerful passage.  The fact that the great signs and great wonders of the false Christs and the false prophets are so convincing, it is a little disturbing that these things could possible trick the very elect.  And while many believe they are the very elect, the possibility does exist that they may not be what they think they are.

The scriptures also tell us that “not everyone who says, Lord, Lord will enter into the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 7:21-23).  Yes, they will make claims of prophesying, casting out demons, and doing all sorts of wonderful works in Jesus’ name, but the Lord will say to them, “I never knew you, therefore, depart from me you that work iniquity.”  Does this mean that the many who claim to be are not what they profess to be?   Have they been deceived by following the wrong “so-called messenger of God?”  Here is the disturbing part, they, the many who make the claim believing they are, will not find out any of this until the end, when it will be too late.

Imagine believing yourself to be a believer only to find out what you believed you were, you were not.  Imagine believing yourself to be a follower of Jesus only to find out that the one whom you claimed to follow was not the one that you needed to follow.  Imagine all that you believed was based in untruths, based in deception, based in lies, and based in fiction; all manufactured by the great deceiver himself, all for the sole purpose of taking you out of the kingdom of heaven.  Imagine not even being aware of any of this until it was too late.

Paul told us of such things.  He told us that it was “no great thing for men to appear as false apostles, workers of deceit who were able to transform themselves to appear as Apostles of Christ.”  He told us that even “Satan himself is able to transform into an angel of light, so it is nothing for his servants, his ministers to transform into ministers of righteousness” (II Corinthians 11:12-15).  And it is these servants of Satan, these ministers of righteousness that have deceived the many, the many who believe they are following Christ, who believe they are saved, and who believe they are part of the family.  But the question for us becomes, “With so much confusion in the Christian community, which ‘so-called messenger of God’ are we to believe?”

God warns us not to believe every spirit, which is great advice.  He tells us “to test the spirits to see whether they are of God but so few of us do so” (I John 4:1).  However, there is one major problem, a flaw, if you will with this testing of the spirits.  The testing of the spirits does absolutely nothing if the answers to the test are not available to the one performing the test.  A teacher who gives students test will already possess the correct answers before giving the test, which enables the teacher to determine if the answers from the students are correct or not.  In order to test, you must have some knowledge of the truth, for without it, you place yourself in a position where the wolves will devour you.  Knowledge is power and misinformation will lead to destruction.

God has warned us “to beware of these false prophets that come to us in sheep’s clothing because inwardly they are but greedy voracious predators” (Matthew 7:15).  But have we gotten things so mixed up that we listen to and believe, without question, the wolves in sheep’s clothing, and try our best to discredit the true men and women of God, that is, to not believe or not accept, as truth, the gospel that they speak.  So, “Who is right and whose teachings should we listen to?”  We will have to try to answer those question at another time. We just wanted to share a little revelation knowledge that we got from “studying the word of God” (II Timothy 2:15).  God has instructed us “to study his word to show ourselves approved unto him,” meaning he wants us to investigate, analyze, and question his word.  God wants us to find all that we can find about his word, which will help us “to rightly divide the word of truth.”  We were thinking that the last time we had to study in such a manner, in the manner that God requires us to study, was when we were in school.  Maybe it is time for us to go back to school.  If this message is a blessing to you, please share it so that others may be blessed by it as well.

Enjoy your blessings. - KW