When Jesus was speaking in Matthew 7 He told his disciples to beware of false prophets and that one way of determining a false prophet was the fruit they produce. Often times in my life I have evaluated my own life to determine if I was producing good fruit. I will go over a few examples of how to produce good fruit and the three main keys of producing fruit in our lives.
Monday, September 15, 2014
Tuesday, June 24, 2014
Saten Uses Scripture to Tempt Christians | The Message of Grace
Throughout our walk in Christianity there are many misinterpretations, doctrines and just plain wrong uses of the bible. As I hear various people trying to use scripture to approve their lifestyle or lack of a walk with Christ I have always assumed it was man twisting scripture to make it fit their appetite; until one day I had a revelation that Jesus was tempted by satin using scripture.
5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. 6 “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written:
10 Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’[e]”
11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.
As we see in the above referenced passage Satin tempted Jesus three times and even quoted scripture to entice Jesus to sin. Jesus responded with scripture to rebut the temptation we should use the same tactic when the Devil attempts to cause us to fall.
One popular tactic we are now seeing in the modern day gospel is the message of Grace being used to excuse a life of sin. The proper message of Grace is that we are born sinners and by our nature from the beginning of time have turned from God. It doesn't matter what we have done as sinners Jesus died on the cross for us when we were undeserving. We also walk in grace knowing that righteous men do fall but get back up and continue serving God. There is a difference between falling and getting back up and continually living in sin.
Hebrews 10:26-31
26 For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries. 28 Anyone who has rejected Moses’ law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29 Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,”[e] says the Lord.[f] And again, “The Lord will judge His people.”[g] 31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
There have been times in my life that I struggled with sin and it took a considerable amount of effort and time to beat my struggles, I understand taking up my cross and following him. There is a strong contrast between struggling with something and trying to overcome and willfully sinning and insulting the Spirit of grace. God will judge harshly and one should be fearful of falling into the hands of God for misinterpreting the message of Grace as well as causing others to sin by those misinterpretations out of selfish desires.
Every trial we overcome strengthens our spiritual man making us even more of an adversary to Satan which will only increase his attempts to cause our downfall. If you come across a scripture that seems to offer up a loop-hole to sin counter it as Jesus did with "it is written..." don't put blinders on your eyes. Sin is only pleasureful for a season then comes destruction. God's promise is eternal life. As we overcome trials and time goes by things will become easier and stumbling blocks can be beaten and overcome.
Matthew 4:1-11 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted[a] by the devil. 2 After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”
4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’[b]”5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. 6 “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written:
“‘He will command his angels concerning you,
and they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’[c]”
and they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’[c]”
7 Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’[d]”
8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9 “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”10 Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’[e]”
11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.
As we see in the above referenced passage Satin tempted Jesus three times and even quoted scripture to entice Jesus to sin. Jesus responded with scripture to rebut the temptation we should use the same tactic when the Devil attempts to cause us to fall.
One popular tactic we are now seeing in the modern day gospel is the message of Grace being used to excuse a life of sin. The proper message of Grace is that we are born sinners and by our nature from the beginning of time have turned from God. It doesn't matter what we have done as sinners Jesus died on the cross for us when we were undeserving. We also walk in grace knowing that righteous men do fall but get back up and continue serving God. There is a difference between falling and getting back up and continually living in sin.
Hebrews 10:26-31
26 For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries. 28 Anyone who has rejected Moses’ law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29 Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,”[e] says the Lord.[f] And again, “The Lord will judge His people.”[g] 31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
There have been times in my life that I struggled with sin and it took a considerable amount of effort and time to beat my struggles, I understand taking up my cross and following him. There is a strong contrast between struggling with something and trying to overcome and willfully sinning and insulting the Spirit of grace. God will judge harshly and one should be fearful of falling into the hands of God for misinterpreting the message of Grace as well as causing others to sin by those misinterpretations out of selfish desires.
Every trial we overcome strengthens our spiritual man making us even more of an adversary to Satan which will only increase his attempts to cause our downfall. If you come across a scripture that seems to offer up a loop-hole to sin counter it as Jesus did with "it is written..." don't put blinders on your eyes. Sin is only pleasureful for a season then comes destruction. God's promise is eternal life. As we overcome trials and time goes by things will become easier and stumbling blocks can be beaten and overcome.
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