Saturday, 28 January 2012

The Abuse of Gods Grace

Today within the Body of Christ we have a new perversion on the Grace of God. Christians say the law has been fulfilled when Jesus was crucified, died, was resurrected & ascended into heaven. To this I say amen! We are saved by grace through our faith in Jesus Christ. But some have lost sight of the true meaning of Gods grace and say they as new testament believers can do as they choose, because they are under Gods grace.

The law was never designed as a means of salvation; no one could be saved by keeping it. The law was the means for the people of Israel to learn how to live as Gods holy people. In Galatians 3:24 we learn the law was to be our schoolmaster. The law was intended to reveal sin & not bring righteousness. Again our righteousness can only come by our faith in Christ. Righteousness in itself means that we are in a right standing with God but that will never happen when you are knowingly practicing something that goes against the Word of God.

Yes we are to be led by the unction of the Holy Spirit but once again I remind you that God the Holy Spirit will never, never, never get into an argument with Jesus the Word of God, like it ain't never going to happen. This is where some of the theology of today breaks down. I watched one of my favorite shows the other night "It's Your Call" which had a subject regarding sex ( a taboo subject in some churches.) Many of the callers took the perspective it was between the husband wife & the Holy Spirit what they did in the bedroom. That is fine as long as what they choose to do, does not go against the Word of God. Example #1 Matthew 5:28 But I say to you (Jesus talking) that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. Fantasy is Out according to God! Yes worldly sex therapists say it is proper & OK even healthy but God says its OUT! Example #2 1 Corinthians 6:9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators (sex outside marriage,) nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. Anal sex is OUT according to God, no matter what the world or the sex therapist says! Check out Romans 1:26,27 for all the confirmation you need.

As I have stated before there are three voices we hear in our head or heart that want to give us direction in our lives. The voice of God, the voice of the devil & the carnal emotional voice of SELF and all three sound the very same. Within my personal experience I know this is not an easy thing to do, discern which voice I am listening too. We are emotional creatures & those same emotions can easily be mistaken for the guidance of the Holy Spirit. The only check & balance we have as Christians are the Word of God. How does that work if you think grace allows you to do anything you choose? Sorry I am a simple Christian & I will follow the direction laid out in the Word of God. God said it, I believe it, that settles it!

Another area I will touch upon to help explain this area is in the fact many times over my years of walking with the Lord I have met Christians (male & female) living together & witnessing to worldly people that it is wrong to live common-law. Like how weird is that, to the people of the world that is exactly what they are appearing to do. Yes God may have called them together I do not deny that, but to live together, never. And I am not doubting that they say they are not having sex ( none of my business, between them & God) but the scriptures state 1 Thessalonians 5:22 Abstain from all appearance of evil!

My final scriptural reference on this subject will be Romans 5:19 -- 6:2 Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? By the way just a thought, DEAD MEN CANT SIN!

Yes I do realize that the law was put into place for the lawbreakers but that does not make it OK for you & I and anyone else who calls themselves a Christian to do something directly against the Word of God? At that point in my estimation they have embraced the spirit of lawlessness that is ruling the mindset of the world of today. They have reverted back to following their lower carnal nature rather than the teachings of the most high, our beloved Jesus. Even if a person doesn't take the Word of God as the gospel on a subject(as I do) the warnings it gives should be a caution light going off inside anybody's brain. Food for thought!

Be blessed & I know you are
Ken Gorham a servant of the Lord

Wednesday, 18 January 2012

Praise Stops The Enemy!

I've said it before but it is one of those statements that needs to brought to light often. If the devil can make people believe he doesn't exist, he will not have to go to war, as he has already won the battle. Right after that he twists every negative thing that happens in the world to make people believe that it was ultimately Gods fault. The Bible teaches us the devil is the father of lies & there is no truth in him. He comes but to steal kill & destroy the life of all of humanity.

His purpose is to tear us down to the place we will spend eternity in hell with him. He has perversity in his heart (if he has a heart at all!) He will set us up, have people say things about us, devises evil continually& even has the audacity to bring false accusations before God day & night against the brethren. We have to learn to stand & fight him according to the teachings of the Lord.

One of the most powerful forms of spiritual warfare is praise. One thing I know for sure is that the devil hates to hear us praise our savior, it drives him nuts. It has always amazed me that all of creation continually praises the Lord of Glory while we supposedly His servants are hesitant to do so.

Sorry to say we allow church traditions to dictate our actions even in regards to how we praise the Lord. Our personal inhibitions & fear of man also tend to shy us out. Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first & also for the Greek." Another scripture that excites me is the Lord inhabits the praises of His people.

I know many believe our relationship with the Lord, our very Christianity is to be something that is to be private & reverential. I believe there is time for that but let us lo0k at another scripture "the Lord inhabits the praises of His people." The book of Psalms continually puts us in remembrance we are to sing praise unto His name, play our instruments unto Him, our whole life is to be an expression of praise & worship unto Him, Amen!

In Isaiah 42:12 we read "Let them give glory to the Lord, and declare His praise in the coast lands. 42:13 The Lord shall go forth like a mighty man; He shall stir up His zeal like a man of war. He shall cry out, yes, shout aloud; He shall prevail against His enemies. Your enemies are His enemies.

We all remember what happened when Paul & Silas were locked in prison PRAISING THE LORD. An earthquake opened the jailhouse doors their shackles fell off & ultimately even the Philippian jailer got saved (he & his household.) Glory be to God there is power in PRAISE.

We are told to praise Him at all times in all situations. Is it because He is an egomaniac, no but He is the light at the end of the tunnel for those in a very dark place. Don't forget we are to also praise Him in the good times because He is the author of every good gift & every perfect gift is from above. Paul & Silas in the natural had every reason to be caught up in one mega big pity party BUT they CHOSE to Praise the Lord!

Shake off the discouragement, the weariness & quit listening to the lies of the devil. Get with Gods program & get on with praising Him no matter the situation you may face. God is still the God of deliverance, He still sets the captives free no matter what your captivity may be. He is all powerful, all knowing & ever present & when you tap into His power through Praising Him (He inhabits the praises of His people) you too can make a difference, Food for Thought!

Ken Gorham a servant of the Lord

Wednesday, 11 January 2012

Revive Us Oh Lord

Everybody needs to be revived, to have new life breathed into them. It doesn't matter if that is in a persons work place, your sporting team, in their marriage or relationship. There are simple ways to work towards this but with humanity we are normally extremely shallow in work ethics or consistency. The other thing that holds us back is our pride, thinking it is wrong for us to ask for help or even call upon God for strength to continue on.

I do not believe that there is a 12 point system for you to follow when you are dealing with the things of the Lord. Let us look at Jacob who is also known as Israel. To his knowledge his favorite son Joseph was torn to shreds by a wild animal, imagine his feelings when they could not even find his body to bury. Then this ruler of Egypt keeps his son Simeon as a hostage & now he wanted his youngest son Benjamin. Then in Genesis 45 we read how Jacobs sons came back from Egypt saying Joseph is still alive, and he is governor over all the land of Egypt." And Jacob's heart stood still, because he did not believe them. But when they told him all the words which Joseph had said to them and when he saw the carts which Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of Jacob their father REVIVED! Then Israel said "It is enough Joseph my son is still alive, I will go and see him before I die.

Not many of us have had to live through the events Jacob did & I thank God for that, but we all have life experiences that take the wind out of our sails. Discouragement is one of the main tools of spiritual warfare that the adversity uses against believers. If he can get us to believe we will never succeed in anything we do, he knows he is a winner. Galatians 6:9 tells us to not become weary in well doing, for in due season we shall reap "if we do not lose heart."

Joseph was a wonderful example of keeping on no matter what. First his brothers threw him into a pit & sold him into slavery (brotherly love--not.) Then he goes to Egypt & becomes a servant in the house of Potiphar the captain of the guard for Pharaoh. Potiphar saw something in Joseph & made him overseer of his house, not bad for a slave. Then Potiphars wife decides this good looking Hebrew should join her in her bed. He said "how then can I do this wickedness & sin against God!" Potiphar knew he didn't do it (if he believed it, he would have killed Joseph" so off to prison Joseph goes. Bummer, bummer, bummer!

Then just like Potiphar the keeper of the prison saw something in Joseph & committed all the prisoners into his hands. Then the baker & the butler of the king of Egypt asked him if he could interpret their dreams, so he said do not interpretations belong to God so he listened to their dreams. The bakers dream said he would be hung & he was but the butlers said he would be restored to his position. Yet the chief butler did not remember Joseph, but forgot him.

Again Joseph could have got caught up in a major pity party but he did not, he continued to serve in his position in prison faithful, faithful, faithful in all areas (are we?) It took two years before the butler remembered him because Pharoah needed an interpreter of his own dreams. The long & the short of it was God used Joseph to interpret those dreams & because of it he became #2 man in all of Egypt, not bad for a Hebrew shepherd boy.

What was it that people saw in Joseph that encouraged them to put him in a place of responsibility? Continually we read in Genesis that "The Lord was with Him!" Even though he lived in a pagan society he remained faithful to His God, to the point others could see the difference in him. Let us hope we too can show the world around us our Savior through a life set aside for service unto Him. We are in this world but not to be of it.

Each one has their own path in life, bumpy as it may be & we may get off the beaten path & even go in the ditches of life but thanks be to God that He has a Holy Ghost tow truck that can pull us out of those ditches "if we will but ask & believe." We all have times of doubt & unbelief, that feeling of where did you go Lord, pick up His Holy Word & immerse yourself in it. This is the one way I know of to revive "to breathe new life into my soul!" Our hope, our very life, is in His most excellent hands. Know matter how good or bad things are going, God is still with you! Food for thought!

Ken Gorham a servant of the Lord