The Holiness of God
No Light Without Darkness
Recently I've taken to laying out in my backyard in a lounge chair around 10 PM. Being farther away from city lights, I get a great view of the stars and sometimes catch a shooting star streaking across the sky. The darker it gets the more brilliantly the stars shine until even the milky way is visible. When the sun comes up every single one disappears. Only darkness allows us to see them.
In much the same way, only the darkness of sin reveals the greatness of God to us. Only in understanding our own depravity do we see what Christ has done and come to understand how much we need Him.
Our own salvation or sharing the Gospel with others simply can't be done without first revealing the darkness inside us all. Once a person has had all the lights turned out on them and they see themselves for what they truly are do they come to see Christ. No one can even begin to comprehend what Christ has done or their need of Him without first pointing out the darkness. It's how we, and all those before us, came to a saving knowledge of Christ. As the sky darkens at night and the stars become more brilliant against it, so does Christ against our own sin.
We sometimes treat sin in ourselves and in the world like a pest, something that can be brushed off or we make excuses for it. I know I've done it. We have popular teachers disregarding sin and refusing to preach on it because it offends. A primary work of the Holy Spirit is to convict the world of sin (John 16:8). If teachers aren't teaching on sin then how can the Holy Spirit even be involved in their ministry? If a Pastor preaches very little on sin something is terribly wrong. Man's depraved condition must be dealt with first and foremost. The pointing out of sin, the pointing out we are all depraved and separated from God is the plowing of the heart true repentance needs to take root. Without it no one can come to repentance, true and saving faith or see God.
How could any of us even love God without the backdrop of our depravity? It's impossible.
"Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.” Luke 7:47
The sinful woman who anointed Jesus loved much because she was forgiven much. She loved much because she understood the extent of her own wickedness and what she'd been forgiven of. Without understanding our own sin and shining a spot light on mankind's sin we can never love God nor can any other man. Man's depraved condition is a crucial element to our own salvation and sharing the Gospel with others. Christ and the meaning of the cross is magnified against our own wickedness. Without it...we're still lost. Without it in our witness we're just the blind leading the blind.
He Gave Them Up
Handing them over, like what's described in Romans, is entirely different. From Romans 1:21 to Romans 1:28, three times it's declared that He gave them up. Three times signifies the emphasis and finality of it. "He gave them up", the declaration. "He gave them up", the repetition. "He gave them up", the finality of it.
Nothing will cause a house to crumble like abandonment. Even if a house has fallen into disrepair. As long as it's occupied, the progression of rot is significantly slowed. Those living there will still attempt to make some repairs even though minor and use, itself, acts as a preservative. Abandon a place and over a short period of time, it will begin to crumble. Just being without electricity and heat will cause it to rot at a staggering rate.
In Romans, we can see depravity has reached all mankind and it's been getting steadily worse since the fall of man. The difference is in one verse that shows when a people have hit bottom and have forced God to abandon them....
"Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones." Romans 1:26
Women have always been the last line of defensive morality in a culture. Women are not driven like men are sexually. Even in cultures where men are sexually depraved, women, for the most part, have maintained dignity and morality that was missing around them. Thus, they acted as the salt that preserved a society. As long as the women maintained a certain level of morality, there was hope for the children who would be under the woman's influence. When women have sunk to the same level of depravity in a society there is nothing left to preserve them and it can never be brought back.
Sodom and Gomorrah are prime examples of God giving a society over to their depravity. Homosexual sin wasn't the only problem these cities had. Destruction didn't come on them for homosexual sin. It was, in fact, the end result of insisting on sinful standards and lifestyles, being handed over to their depravity and the last straw that brought divine judgment.
No other sin lays waste and shortens life like that of sexual sins. This is why we're warned in 1 Corinthians 6:18 to flee all sexual immorality. "Flee" is a forceful word used. It means to drop everything and run as hard and fast as one can from it.
"All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body." 1 Corinthians 6:18
There are sins that do damage to the body such as alcohol and drug addiction, but in the bigger picture, no other sin has caused more damage to an individual and shortened life affecting entire societies like sexual immorality. No other sin directly and immediately impacts the individual and causes instant damage like sexual sin. When God hands people over, as Romans describes, it's finished. He has abandoned the people and left them to the destruction of their own sins. No longer is God restraining them with grace as an act of mercy. In fact, He is now allowing them to fill their cup of wrath every moment they take in another breath.
Just in the US alone, we have frightening statistics...
17% of all women struggle with porn addiction
* 1 of 3 visitors to all adult websites are women
* 9.4 million women access adult websites every month
Internet Filter Review
That's just the women who admitted to it. The number is much higher. This also doesn't include how we are bombarded constantly by TV, Movies, internet, books, music, schools etc., that promote sexual immorality and send the strong continuous message that "it's ok" and appeals to our sinful natures. All women may not participate in homosexual sins, but society has been forcing its acceptance for decades. Society has forced it in the church and many churches have allowed it in, made excuses for it and exchanged the truth for a lie to feed the sinful nature.
In America alone, homosexuality is celebrated especially between two women and it's forced on our children. The last line of defense has been demolished and God has abandoned America. A country that once had the light (1 Timothy 2:4), but turned against it. There's hope, of course, for the individuals who cling to God and God demonstrates His mercy to the few with the story of Lot, but for the country as a whole, all that's left now is the fearful expectation of judgment (Hebrews 10:26).
Critical Priorities
'Neither this man nor his parents sinned,' said Jesus, 'but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. As long as it is day, we must do the works of Him who sent Me. Night is coming, when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.'” John 9:1-5
Countless Church groups exist to help people explore their pasts, analyze them, come to some understanding of them and utilize them. As if to wrap "life" up into a neat little glow stick that can be carried into their future, shedding light on their path for no other purpose, but their own satisfaction.
Urgency has been lost. We've taken the focus off God, put it on ourselves and taken our eyes off the prize. We're misusing gifts and abilities given by God for God on ourselves. We're wasting what we've been blessed with on ourselves. We're distracted with all sorts of anxieties. Instead of throwing everything off, we further distract ourselves by excessive indulgences with all sorts of amusement, expenditures and pleasures.Christ gave a distinct warning concerning this...
"Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with dissipation, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you unexpectedly like a trap." Luke 21:34
There are numerous warnings in Scripture to keep focused and live our lives with a sense of urgency because not only is Christ's return at hand, but we don't know what hour it will happen.
"Be very careful, then, how you live--not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil." Ephesians 5:15-16
We live in evil times and they are getting worse. Our opportunities seem to be dwindling and it falls in line with Scripture and the end days. When we have to stand before Christ, He's not going to be asking about or concerned with how we came to know and understand ourselves. He'll be demanding to know how we came to know and understand Him and how we put that into practice by taking advantage of every opportunity for Him.
"Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity." Colossians 4:5
Where we see an opportunity to glorify God and preach the Gospel, it must be done. The more attention and time we waste on us, the more likely it is that His return will slam down on us like a trap and we'll be left with empty hands, wasted tools and incredible shame before Him.
Run The Race
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us," Hebrews 12:1
"Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win." 1 Corinthians 9:24
Here A Princess, There A Princess, Everyone's a Princess...
That was the Apostle Paul who wrote that. Despite being an Apostle, despite being a prominent leader in the early church, despite his reputation and great status among Believers, he was clearly expressing he was nothing more than a servant and slave to Christ.
I've noticed a phenomenon among the church. There's appears to be a fascination with titles. Prophetess, Prophet, Evangelist, Bishop, Apostle, Princess, Prince, His Highness, her Highness, his Excellency (no, I'm not kidding) her Excellency. Yet, the one title that Christ gives to His people is nothing more than "Servant" and "Slave". Oddly enough, I have yet to find anyone tacking Servant or Slave onto their name.
"Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him." John 13:16
Yet, this is essentially what these titles do. It's making us greater than our master who never once used these titles for Himself. The word "Master" alone should pop out to us. No slave is given esteeming titles especially by the Master. Jesus gave an example of the day of judgment for His people and not once did he use any prideful term for any of them.
"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'" Matthew 25:23
All this business about titles falls right into line with the popular self-esteem, self-centered, prideful and worldy teachings flooding the church. It is entirely a means to puff up one's self. Christ, who rightfully could have, never once tacked a title onto his name other than what expressed His humility. He never once referred to Himself with any of the silly titles common with professing Christians today and He was God in the flesh.
In the Bible, those who were obsessed with titles denoting importance and power to themselves in the early church were not among true believers.
"And Jesus called them to him and said to them, “You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”Mark 10:42-45
Even in the Old Testament, did any Prophet introduce themselves or express their need or desire to be called a Prophet? In fact, it was the exact opposite. The angel speaking with John in Revelation 22:9 even refused any exaltation or worship from the Apostle. Rather, he said "Do not do it! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers the prophets and of all who keep the words of this book. Worship God!"
As if Michael himself would ever pass it around and want to be referred to as "Archangel Michael". As a slave or servant wanting to be referred to by other slaves as "Prophet, his highness or Princess". How would their common master react to this self elevation? Would he not take it as a direct affront to his authority? I do know someone who would stamp a title on himself blatantly without regard...Satan.
True leadership is not in puffing oneself up with titles. True leadership is in being a servant, not only to God, but to fellow brothers and sisters in Christ in humility thinking more highly of others than themselves. In Matthew 20, the mother of Zebedee’s sons requested her special boys sit on either side of Jesus in heaven. She wanted that special place of honor for his boys. Jesus' ultimate response was rather...
"Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:26-28
People, instead, do the exact opposite. They declare themselves great immediately with a title and want to be served rather then serving and becoming a slave to others inconspicuously in all humility. Giving one's self a title means absolutely nothing to God other than a display of pride, which He hates. The individual who insists on their own greatness by using a title uses them to imply they are important, they can be trusted, they are wise, demonstrates a need to be looked up to and even worshiped by others. It demonstrates arrogant boasting in one's self when they are really nothing.
"For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you." Romans 12:3
It puts them in a position of authority over others just by using a silly word because all these self appointed titles are indeed titles of authority. Instead of pointing to Christ in their lives, speech, thinking and character, they point to themselves. That's very dangerous to the easily deceived, broken, damaged person whose looking for answers and will fall prey to this. It's also dangerous for the self-important person because, in a lot of ways, this is elevating one's self next to Christ. Since we are to be servants and humble, what do these kinds of titles tell us about the individual? Humility is what marks a true Believer, not insistence on one's own greatness by giving them self a title. That's not humility, that's pride, worldly, and a serious red flag.
Christ is the Master and we are just His servants. If we're in such need to boast about something then it should be only this...
"but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things," declares the LORD." Jeremiah 9:24
Jennifer Petkov Is Back!
That's what Sociopaths do...they keep coming back because they're messed up. I'm not talking about mental handicap or some kind of chemical imbalance, I'm talking about evil. Sociopaths are evil and are capable of anything. Satan has a new Jennifer suit, people! They have no conscience, they truly believe they are absolutely unique and special, but everything they do and say is so predictable. It makes you wonder if Sociopaths pass around a handbook on behavior. They lie, have an excuse for everything, can fully justify even their most atrocious behavior and completely expect everyone to believe their crazy alternate reality. If you don't...it's better you just leave town otherwise you're their next target. Anyone who doesn't fall in line is a serious threat and, like hemorrhoids, they keep coming back until they've shut you up.
Jennifer Petkov will continue with this family until she's locked up then she'll start pulling her crap in prison. Since her husband Scott is so whipped and a eunuch, she'll likely have him doing her dirty work on the outside until she gets out. Trenton is stuck with Jennifer Petkov. I'm so glad I moved from that area.
Gates of Hell: The Abortion Film the Left Does Not Want You to See
http://www.pjtv.com/s/GI3TGMA
Julie Clinton And The Extraordinary Special Flower Bandwagon
I realize pointing out the problematic teaching of these popular women's teachers is going to make a lot of women angry and most will gloss over this post, brush it off and keep following them. I wish it weren't so, but, according to the Bible, most people will flock to heretics, believe every word they say and follow along because they're hearing exactly what their itching ears want to hear (2 Timothy 4:3). But if just a few women will begin comparing what they're paying to learn, from those like Julie Clinton, to the Bible then that will be a good thing.
Most professing Christians in the States alone don't even read their Bibles. Statistically, only 10% of professing Christians read their Bibles regularly. Therefore, most have no idea what kind of teaching they're getting from teachers like Julie Clinton. Even people who read their Bibles more than the average person can be easily deceived because these teachers spin worldly philosophy and pop-psychology, slap a "Christian" tag on it and pass it off as Biblical. We think because they used scripture it's kosher. Satan used Scripture (and twisted it) all the time too and had the audacity to do it on the Word of God Himself. Why would we ever think he wouldn't do it to us?
We judge by popularity and use a "follow the herd" mentality. We'll follow them just because they call themselves "Christian", most are flocking to them and/or what they're teaching kinda sounds like the Biblical story we're sorta familiar with so it must be all good. It's not. Following the herd is beneficial in the animal kingdom, but it spells death to the Christian considering Satan has dominion over the world and controls all of its philosophy.
We're so inundated with Bible Teachers who all have a product to sell us, special secrets and revelations from God and who all claim to be changing lives and making a difference, but a few questions keep coming up for me...
1. Up until modern times with the explosion of so called "Bible" teachers, how did Christians grow and mature in the faith without Julie Clinton, Beth Moore, Priscilla Shirer, Sheri Rose Shepherd, Joel Osteen, etc.,?
2. If these teachers really have all the secrets to living how God wants us to live then why do their teachings, supposedly from God, so horrendously contradict God's Word? And does that mean the millions of Christians dealing with atrocious persecution in the rest of the world are out of the loop and not blessed? (For a tiny idea of the enormity of Christian persecution see: Sheri Rose Shepherd - God's Warrior Princess Apparently Graphic Pics and NSFW)
3. How do those persecuted, suffering Christians handle it all without Julie Clinton and yet have astounding maturity in the faith that makes us in the west look like preschoolers?
Julie Clinton, President of EWomen, sounds like all the other popular teachers out there. It's an extraordinary bandwagon they want us to jump on. She even peddles a skin care line on her site. Obviously God wants us to have great skin too. Poor saps out there with genetically bad skin...well it just stinks to be you apparently.
"Therefore," declares the LORD, "I am against the prophets who steal from one another words supposedly from Me. Jeremiah 23:30
Julie Clinton and all the others share the same pop-psychology, worldly philosophy and doctrine that we can actually get cheaper (and wouldn't have to get out of our jammies) from watching a few episodes of Dr. Phil and Oprah. Julie Clinton, like all the others, claims she's unlocked secrets to living better and living how God wants us to live. I guess her teachings are mystical secrets when people don't read the Bible. 66 books written over 1500 years and God left stuff out? Did He suddenly remember, therefore plucked Julie Clinton out of the bunch and whispered them to her? Since when are "secrets" meant to be sold? Give me a break! There were plenty of people doing the exact same thing in Paul's day that we're warned about. They're called Gnostics, children of the devil, false Christs, false prophets and false teachers.
Here's a few experts from Julie Clinton's book Extraordinary Women: Discovering the Dream God Has For You ( I'll write more on her in the future)...
"you'll learn how the supernatural person of Christ gives us the ability to see with different eyes..."Supernatural? Is he the Son of God sacrificed on the cross for our sins that were sending us straight to hell? Did He pay the penalty for our offenses against a Holy God who demands the wages of our sins be paid with or without Christ? Did He offer us His righteousness and merit for eternal life because even our best, most "extraordinary" efforts God compares to a woman's used menstrual cloth (Isaiah 64:6)? Or is Christ a genie in a bottle?
Different eyes? Are these a separate set that we mount on our foreheads? How, exactly, do we get this ability to see differently? Just more "motivational jargon" that makes Julie Clinton no different than any other motivational speaker out there that comes and goes Christian or not.
Don't worry everyone! Don't panic! Julie Clinton risked it all for us and shook her fist at the enemy. She bravely and defiantly picked the lock to some secret chest, only she knew about, and pulled out The Secret Dream of God! Don't forget to buy something from her skin care line. You can't be extraordinary if your face looks like its melting."Julie has unlocked the secrets to capturing the dream God has in mind for you."
Here's the real "secret" that's not a secret and I won't charge you for it either. You just need to read the Bible...
Romans 8:29 "For those God foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son,"
"Thinking of yourself as an extraordinary woman might seem arrogant to you, but that's how God designed you. You are a one of a kind woman, with a distinct personality, unique gifts, and the potential to make a mark in this world that is different from any other."Sounds good on the surface. Makes me feel good about me. Makes me want to give myself a great big squeeze because God needs me. I have all these unique gifts, personality and my pedicure is unlike any other I've seen in months. I ♥ me! So does God. AWESOME!
Since God's intentions for us are to make us into the image of Christ and NOT a better us, how is Julie Clinton teaching women to do that? How is she teaching women to keep their eyes fixed on Jesus, walk the narrow path and prepared for His return as He warns us about several times throughout the New Testament particularly in Matthew 25. Instead, Julie Clinton keeps us fixed on us and all our problems, insecurities and failures which are ultimately our weaknesses, because keeping us fixated is making her money. Satan wants us fixed on us too because that keeps us unproductive. The Bible tells us in 2 Corinthians 12:9 that when we are our weakest then does God work through us so we have nothing in ourselves to boast in because everything about us is extraordinarily wicked.
What Julie is teaching is arrogant. In fact, all her teachings do is encourage us to puff ourselves up even more with self pride and God hates pride. What part of the following scriptures make me extra-ordinary? Where in the following scriptures does God even imply we are extraordinary, wonderful, beautiful, special things?
"for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God," Romans 3:23
"What then? Are we better than they? Not at all; for we have already charged that both Jews and Greeks are all under sin;" Romans 11:2
"As it is written: "There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God." Romans 3:10-11
"There is no one who does good." Psalm 14:1
Sin is filthy and vile to God. Sin is Satanic. Sin is absolutely contrary to the nature of God. Sin has infected us and made us depraved creatures and hostile toward God at conception. There is no one good, but God (Luke 18:19) nor anyone who does good. The only good in us after regeneration is the Holy Spirit who immediately sets out to change us into Christ's image because even a "better us" is vile to God. Of course Julie's not going to tell her followers that. She wouldn't be making money with the truth.
Since the standard of testing teachers and their teachings is Scripture, I'm not getting how I should love me, feel good about me and think I'm extraordinary from those Scriptures or any other Scripture. I'm not getting how feeling good about me and my failures (ie. sin), sorrow over sin and genuine repentance can co-exist? They simply cannot. Genuine repentance and salvation can only come when one's eyes are opened by the Holy Spirit and they finally see how vile, bankrupt, corrupt and lost one is when faced with God's holiness and righteous standards. God doesn't bend to meet our standards. He demands we meet His (ie. the purpose of the Law). Since we can't because of our corrupt nature and have, in fact, broken every law He ever made, hence our desperate need of Christ.
I can't stress enough that any gifts or talents we have are given to us by God alone for the distinct purpose to glorify Him. To esteem Him. To point to Him not us. To serve Him. But like all the other popular teachers, Julie Clinton wants us focused on us, esteeming us so we can feel like special flowers. We didn't develop any talent all on our own and for our own esteem and edification. Not a single human being is anything without Christ other than fuel for a fire. I can't even change a single hair on my head (Matthew 5:36)
Her book is written in such a way as to make women feel as if they've joined an exclusive club. Unless you are an extraordinary woman, like she is, you'll never do all these great things she's discovered that God wants for you. She has all the secrets and we must listen to her and buy her material in order for us to become anything.
"I can do all things through Him who strengthens me" Philippians 4:13
"And He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness." Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me." 2 Corinthians 12:9 (Not Julie Clinton)
"that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man," Ephesians 3:16
"for 'In Him we live and move and have our being’" Acts 17:28
Everything outside of Christ doesn't even matter. Everything outside of Christ is worthless. We all exist, move and have our being in Him. Outside of Christ none of us can do anything no matter how many workbooks we buy and conferences we attend or how many secrets Julie Clinton claims to have. We are nothing without Christ and even in Christ we are desperately dependent on Him for all things from salvation to even the very next breath we take in. In 2 Corinthians 12:9 we're told God's power is perfected in weakness not in being strong, independent, extraordinary women.
Why are we looking for secrets when we don't even read God's Word? Everything we need to know, everything God wants us to know about Him is already in His Word. There are no secrets. If you belong to Christ then you're being changed into His image and all things in your life whether good, bad or downright awful are used for the sole purpose to conform you to that image.
Lastly, Julie Clinton's teachings are worldly not godly. She's preaching to women everything the world preaches, floods us with and keep the focus off of Christ and on us. That is a man-centered philosophy, "Self" idolizing doctrine and it's everything Satan wants for you and not God.
There is one thing we actually can feel good about, that if you're in Christ...that you're in Christ. He chose you and didn't pass over you.
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