A Little Leaven, Leavens the Whole Lump

We can only face the demonic if we are willing to be honest with ourselves and to allow ourselves to see how it influences our lives. “A little leaven leavens the whole lump” (Gal. 5:9). We must be willing to confess that there is much within us that remains unhealed, and that we are often unmindful of what really motivates our behavior. Even those things we might suppose as good......our religion or our self-control, for example......can possess us in ways that bring harm to ourselves and others. 

~Hebrew for Christians

Source: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Hebrew-for-Christians/56347292809?ref=stream 

 

Overcome Evil with Good

Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good. (Romans 12:21)

What a powerful, concise exhortation this is! In just a few words, Paul sums up the mission of Christian living.

First, be not overcome of evil! There are a thousand different ways in which Satan seeks to tear down our Christian testimony. It may be a temptation to sexual sin, or a tendency toward despair, or a disposition toward anger, or a longing for personal advancement or recognition.

But for all the temptations that may come our way, the remedy is the same, simple command: do not allow evil to overcome you. Stand fast in the Lord and in the power of his strength. Do not give in; do not be puffed up; do not allow your pride or lust or pain to overwhelm you.

And, second, overcome evil with good. The Christian's posture is not a defensive one. We are to be over-comers, not merely survivors. Not only are we not to give up in fighting sin, we are to counteract the sin in the world by our good lives and conduct. We are to overcome evil.

How can we do that? Not by fighting fire with fire, but rather by overcoming evil with good. There is no other way to successfully battle evil in the world. The goodness of our Savior must be reflected in the good words and works of his people. The more his goodness is displayed, the more sin loses its strength and subtlety.

Don't be overcome by sin; rather, overcome sin with the goodness of God.

 

~Unknown

For Christians: How to Witness to Muslims

In Acts 17:22–31 the apostle Paul built on areas of "common ground" as he prepared his listeners for the good news of the gospel. Even though he was addressing Gentiles whose beliefs were erroneous, he didn’t rebuke them for having a doctrine of devils— "The things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God" (1 Corinthians 10:20). Neither did he present the great truth that Jesus of Nazareth was Almighty God manifest in human form. This may have initially offended his hearers and closed the door to the particular knowledge he wanted to convey. Instead, he built on what they already knew. He first established that there is a Creator who made all things. He then exposed their sin of transgression of the First and Second of the Ten Commandments. Then he preached future punishment for sin. 

There are three main areas of common ground upon which Christians may stand with Muslims. First, that there is one God—the Creator of all things. The second area is the fact that Jesus of Nazareth was a prophet of God. The Bible makes this clear: "And He shall send Jesus Christ,…For Moses truly said to the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up to you of your brethren, like to me; him shall you hear in all things whatsoever he shall say to you" (Acts 3:20–22). The Qur’an (Koran) says: "Behold! The angel said ‘O Mary! Allah giveth you Glad Tidings of a word from Him. His name will be (Christ Jesus) the son of Mary, held in honor in this world and the hereafter and of (the company of) those nearest to Allah’" (Surah 3:45). In Surah 19:19, the angel said to Mary, "I am only a messenger of thy Lord to announce to you a gift of a holy son." Surah 3:55 says, "Allah said: ‘O Jesus! I will take you and raise you to Myself." It is because of these and other references to Jesus in the Qur’an that a Muslim will not object when you establish that Jesus was a prophet from God. 

This brings us to the third area of common ground. Muslims also respect Moses as a prophet of God. Therefore, there should be little contention when Christians speak of God (as Creator), Jesus the prophet, and the Law of the prophet Moses. Most Muslims do have some knowledge of their sinfulness, but few see sin in its true light. It is therefore essential to take them through the spiritual nature of the Ten Commandments. While it is true that the Law of Moses begins with, "I am the Lord your God, you shall have no other gods before Me," it may be unwise to tell a Muslim, at that point, that Allah is a false god. Such talk may close the door before you are able to speak to his conscience. It is wise rather to present the Law in a similar order in which Jesus gave it in Luke 18:20. He addressed the man’s sins of the flesh. He spoke directly to sins that have to do with his fellow man. 

Therefore, ask your hearer if he has ever told a lie. When (if) he admits that he has, ask him what that makes him. Don’t call him a liar. Instead, gently press him to tell you what someone is called who has lied. Try to get him to say that he is a "liar." Then ask him if he has ever stolen something, even if it’s small. If he has, ask what that makes him (a thief). Then quote from the Prophet Jesus: "Whosoever looks on a woman to lust after her has committed adultery with her already in his heart" (Matthew 5:27). Ask if he has ever looked at a woman with lust. If he is reasonable, he will admit that he has sinned in that area. Then gently tell him that, by his own admission, he is a "lying, thieving adulterer-at-heart." Say, "If God judges you by the Law of Moses on Judgment Day, will you be innocent or guilty?" 

At this point, he will more than likely say that he will be innocent, because he confesses his sins to God. However, the Qur’an says: "Every soul that has sinned, if it possessed all that is on earth, would fain give it in ransom" (Surah 10:54). In other words, if he possessed the whole world and offered it to God as a sacrifice for his sins, it wouldn’t be enough to provide atonement for his sins. Imagine that a criminal is facing a 50,000 fine. He is penniless, so he sincerely tells the judge that he is sorry for a crime and vows never to do it again. The judge won’t let him go on the basis of his sorrow, or his vow never to commit the crime again. Of course, he should be sorry for what he has done, and of course, he shouldn’t break the law again. The judge will, however, let him go if someone else pays the fine for him. 

Now tell him that Moses gave instructions to Israel to shed the blood of a spotless lamb to provide a temporary atonement for their sin; and that Jesus was the Lamb that God provided to make atonement for the sins of the world. Through faith in Jesus, he can have atonement with God. All his sin can be washed away—once and for all. God can grant him the gift of everlasting life through faith in Jesus Christ on the basis of His death and resurrection. 

The uniqueness of Jesus of Nazareth was that He claimed He had power on earth to forgive sins (Matthew 9:2–6). No other prophet of any of the great religions made this claim. Only Jesus can provide peace with God. This is why He said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes to the Father, but by me" (John 14:6). 

God commands sinners to repent and trust in Jesus as Lord and Savior, or they will perish. To try to justify himself, your listener may say something like, "The Bible has changed. It has been altered. There are many different versions, but the Koran has never changed." Explain to him that there are many different versions, printed in different languages and in modern English, to help people understand the Bible, but the content of the Scriptures remains the same. The Dead Sea Scrolls prove that God has preserved the Scriptures.

Tell him that the 100% accurate prophecies of Matthew 24, Luke 21, and 2 Timothy 3 prove that this is the Book of the Creator. Your task is to present the truth of the gospel. It is God who makes it come alive (1 Corinthians 3:6,7). It is God who brings conviction of sin (John 16:7,8). It is God who reveals who Jesus is (Matthew 16:16,17). All God requires is your faithful presentation of the truth (Matthew 25:21).

Source: http://www.livingwaters.com/witnessingtool/howtowitnesstomuslims.shtml

 

An Example of How to be a Christian Witness to a Muslim

By Paul Ernst

As you know, sharing the Gospel with Muslims is no easy matter. Their concept of God is a distortion of what is revealed in the Holy Scriptures. And although the followers of Mohammed accept Jesus as a virgin-born prophet, they reject Him as the Redeemer and Son of God. 

More than thirty years ago in Muslim Turkey, I asked the Lord to give me an illustration that would help my Turkish friends understand why the atonement of Christ is necessary for man’s salvation. What follows came to me shortly after as I was reading the Matthew 25 account of Christ judging the nations.

Since that day, I have had the joy of personally leading Muslim friends and others to faith in Jesus through the use of this simple illustration. I write this with the hope that it will be useful to others in sharing the Gospel.

I never give this as a "canned" presentation. Instead, I ask God to bring ideas to my mind tailored for the individual I’m sharing with. I often quote scriptures and may even refer to Muslim beliefs that support what I’m saying. So, I’ve never followed the exact words given below. I’m merely trying to share the basic thoughts with you.

With my Muslim friends, I generally use terms that are familiar to them. Also, I avoid speaking of Jesus as the Son of God until His role as Savior is understood.

THE TWO HANDS OF GOD

In the Holy Bible, two sides of the Almighty’s character are shown to us. He is perfect and unchanging in both. In symbol, these are presented as "the two hands of God".

The left hand of the Most High is pictured as a fist and represents His justice and anger. (While speaking of this, I hold up my left hand as a fist.) Because God is perfect and holy, He must judge and punish all evil – even wrong things done in ignorance.

The Holy Word tells us that Adam, the first man and the father of all mankind, disobeyed God. In doing so, he brought the curse of death upon himself, his descendants, and all the creation the Almighty had placed under him.

The Holy Scriptures say that, like our father Adam, all of us have done wrong and fallen short of God’s glory. And it is sad but true that none of our own deeds can erase the evils we have done. God tells us our own efforts to earn His forgiveness and acceptance are like filthy rags.

The writings of the prophets reveal that death and separation from God’s mercy are the just penalty for our corrupt ways. So, the fist is a picture of the terror, shame and rejection belonging to all of us who have earned God’s anger.

The right hand of God is very different. (As I speak of this, I hold out my open right hand.) It is open and inviting, because it is the hand of His mercy and forgiveness. It represents the Almighty’s love, acceptance and protection. It is the hand of favor and eternal life.

It is important for us to know that God is perfect in mercy, just as He is perfect in justice. And He yearns to show His kindness to us. The New Testament tells us that God is full of love for mankind. But, this poses a dilemma. If all of us have done wrong and offended our Creator, how can He shower us with mercy and still be perfect in justice? His perfect and unchanging character requires that all of our misdeeds be judged and punished. And He has already revealed that the punishment is disgrace, torment and death.

The wonderful thing is that God’s mercy has made a provision for another person to take our punishment for us. But, to take our place this person must be one of us. To bear our curse, he himself must be free from the curse. He must also be pure and holy, totally sinless.

But how can this be? To be one of us, our sin-bearer must be a descendant of Adam. Yet, because God commanded that the curse of death pass from father to child this seems impossible. How can any person fulfill these requirements?

There is only one way. In the Book of Genesis, God reveals the coming of a man called the ”seed of woman“ (Gen. 3:15). In the writings of the prophets, we learn that this unique person must be born of a virgin (Isaiah 7:14). Since the curse of death passes from father to child, only a virgin-born man can be a descendant of Adam without Adam’s curse. And only such a man can bear the judgment of God for us.

Is there such a man? And, if so, is he sinless? Is it possible He would be willing to die for us?

The amazing answer to all of these questions is, Yes!

Consider Jesus Christ. Unlike other prophets, he alone has been born of a virgin. (This is believed by Muslims as well as Christians.) The New Testament records his sinless life and calls him the Lamb of God. God sent him into the world to be a holy sacrifice in place of all that put their trust in Him.

The fact is, he has already taken the fist of God’s judgment for us. (I emphasize this with a brief hammering motion of the clenched fist.) Two thousand years ago, he suffered disgrace, torment and death at the hand of evildoers. This was in the very manner the great prophet King David had foretold ten centuries before.

Satan and corrupt religious and political leaders thought the death of Jesus was entirely their doing. But, it was the Almighty who allowed it. He chose the time and place of Jesus’ death. The New Testament tells us Jesus gave his life willingly, knowing he could have called thousands of angels to intervene.

The Word of God tells us that, three days following his great sacrifice for us, God raised Jesus from the dead. His early followers met with Him and witnessed this fact. He was then received into Heaven, where He lives today. This sets Him apart from all other prophets. And although He is a prophet, He is much more. At God’s appointed time, He will return to judge and rule the world.

Jesus has become the Bridge between the two hands of God. (As I say this, I draw a bridge from the clenched fist with a motion of my right hand, which I then turn upward as an open palm.) No one else has the right to say, ”I am the way.“ Because of His death in our place, God’s justice has been fulfilled. This means the shame of our wrong-doings can be removed and the gift of forgiveness and eternal life can be ours.

But, such mercy can never be purchased through our own efforts. To think our own deeds can make us worthy is an insult to God and His Holy Sacrifice.

How, then, do we receive this wonderful gift from God?

The Bridge from death to life is of no benefit to us unless we choose to pass from one side to the other. For this living Savior to be our own, we must place our trust in him and what he has done for us. We must then confess our faith in Jesus to God and ask Him to forgive our sins because of Jesus’ death in our place.

When we do this with our whole heart, God begins to change us from within. We are then able to accept His help in turning from any immorality or wrong-doing in our lives. After we have come to God in this way, Jesus tells us to complete our commitment by being baptized.

(At this point I ask questions that help me see if the listener understands, and if he wants to be led into a personal relationship with the Lord.)

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Note: Since Muslims regard Moses as one of the prophets, the Ten Commandments can be used to further illustrate the depravity of mankind by showing them who they are in the mirror of God's law. The law stops the mouth and shows that no one can be justified through works. (Romans 3:19-24)

Forgiveness requires a blood sacrifice and Christ has provided that blood sacrifice, presented it to the Father, and has sat down at the Father's right hand because His work is now complete and all who place their faith in Him will enter into His perfect rest.

May God bless you as you witness to others, obeying the command to go into all the world and preach the gospel. Please pray for me as I have two Muslims I am witnessing to right now. Pray that they will have ears to hear and eyes to see. Thank you so much!

For His Honor & Glory,

The Princess Warrior 

For more info on witnessing to Muslims: http://theprincesswarriorministries.blogspot.com/2012/09/for-christians-how-to-witness-to-muslims.html

The Sting of Death

The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. - (1 Corinthians 15:56)

What an expression—”the sting of death”! And according to our text, it is sin. But Jesus removed the sting by dying on the cross and paying the price for our sins.

While walking in the field one day with my two young sons, a bee from one of my hives made a beeline for the elder boy and stung him just above the eye. He quickly brushed it away and threw himself in the grass, kicking and screaming for help. The bee went straight for the younger son and began buzzing around his head. The next thing I knew he too was lying in the grass, yelling at the top of his lungs. But I picked him up and told him to stop crying. “That bee is harmless,” I assured him. “It can’t hurt you. It has lost its sting.”

I took the frightened lad over to his elder brother, showed him the little black stinger in his brow, and said, “The bee can still scare you, but it is powerless to hurt you. Your brother took the sting away by being stung.” Then I explained 1 Corinthians 15:56 by telling them that the sting of death is sin.

But our Elder Brother the Lord Jesus hung on the cross and took the sting out of death by dying in our place. Since the law demands satisfaction only once, death is powerless to hurt us if we accept the work of Christ in our behalf. The unbeliever is filled with fear because he must face God with his sin. But for us, death’s sting is gone; it was left in Jesus. Death may still buzz around and scare us at times, but it can no longer harm us. A good verse for you to memorize is Romans 4:8.

SOURCE: M. R. DeHaan, M.D., Our Daily Bread

Proofs of Genuine Salvation

Here are some proofs of a genuine work of salvation:

Are you wrestling with the thoughts that you aren't saved? Do you question whether your  faith in God is genuine?  Perhaps you feel like you've had a conversion experience in the past but you’re not sure if you're a true convert. Below are five questions to ask yourself and explanations that provide general proofs of a genuine work of salvation. We hope that these provide helpful insight to you: 


Is there present belief in God?

We are never to depend upon a previous testimony of something we did years ago such as praying a prayer or sign a card or walk down an isle for an altar call, we must presently be confessing Jesus Christ as Lord through faith.

Is there a habitual impenitent sin in your life?

A true Christian will not habitually and impenitently practice a lifestyle of sin. (1 John 1. 5-10). This does not mean that we will ever be sinless, this side of heaven, but that we who are in the light do not seek to remain in darkness.

Is there observable growth?

There must be an observable growth in the life of the believer. We are called to grow in our salvation in the areas of knowledge, love, grace, and fruit. (John 15; 2 Pet. 3.18). Those who think that nothing more than a mere confession of faith is needed, to prove oneself a Christian, run the danger of self-deception and ultimately lack assurance of their salvation.

Is there a pursuit for holiness?

A true Christian is not to remain carnal in mind and affections. We are to pursue holiness.  A believer in Christ, hungers for righteousness and seeks to be pleasing in obedience to the Father. (Hebrews 12:14). This proof is extremely telling regarding ones salvation as well as their spiritual maturity. Do we love darkness? Do we rejoice in sinfulness? These things are to be rejected by the true child of God.

Do you hold to the essential doctrines of the Faith? Especially, having to do with the Doctrine's of God, Authority, and Salvation?

There are certain doctrines and teachings in Scripture that cannot be breached. The failure to hold to the "Essentials" will result in heresy, false doctrine, and false hope. One of the reformers once said, "If you have the wrong God in the end you meet the Devil". Thus, it is essential that we have the right God (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). That we believe in the true identity of Jesus Christ, being fully God and fully man.  

We must believe that the Bible is the word of God and the final authority for all of faith and practice. We will have no foundation otherwise. Believing, therefore, that the Bible is inerrant, infallible, and inspired is essential. For without it we would not know God at all. Also, we must believe in a proper view of salvation. In other words, it is by grace through faith that we are saved and not by human works lest we boast in ourselves. (Eph. 2.8; Tit. 3.4-7).

These proofs are never to be mistaken as works.  That is, that none of the above mentioned are offered as works which prove that we have earned the right to be saved.  Rather, we are saved by nothing more than sovereign grace. Assurance is a miracle of God and it is reserved for the child of God. For the Christian, we have the blessed promise of assurance and that we can know for certain whether we are saved or not. Below are two powerful verses on assurance that you can take comfort in:

"I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life" (1 John 5.13).

"Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without doubting, for He who promised is faithful." (Heb. 10. 22-23).

~An excerpt from the website: Fish with Trish

The full article can be found here: Are You Saved?

For many years it puzzled me as to why there were Christians, in church, who acted nothing like a person who had previously had an encountered with the Lord Jesus Christ. They continued to do the same sins over and over again. Some even attended church every time the doors were open and even worked in the church, yet there was no evidence of growth and there seemed to be no pursuit of holiness. They had no concern for souls or even their own church family. They lived for drama and gossip and would ice anyone who didn't do the same.

But, you know what, this doesn't puzzle God. He even speaks of it in His Word. False converts may fool people, but God knows each person's heart and He knows which belong to Him and when He comes He will take His true bride to the marriage supper.

A statement by Ray Comfort of Living Water Ministries is very alarming:

Many converts don’t fall away. They get followed up and squeezed into a local church where they’re surrounded by a good social life, and they stay within the church given assurance they’re saved when there is no grounds for their salvation, because they do not have the things that accompany salvation.

His teaching in True and False Conversion was a real eye-opener and helped explain those "Christians" who caused me to question their actions and/or lack of action. They may not be "Christian" at all! How horrifying it is to think that there could be thousands who are sitting in our churches today that are really goats and not sheep -- that are on their way to hell and not heaven. 

May God help us all to know that we know that we know. To test ourselves to see if we are in the faith. Once God saves us He does not want us to doubt, but neither does He want us to sit on a pew for years in a lost condition.

Please share this with someone that may be doubting their salvation or a person who seems to show no evidence of an encounter with the Savior.

In His Service,

The Princess Warrior

Copyright Information 

All blog entries are copyright by The Princess Warrior Ministries on the date they are posted, unless otherwise indicated. All rights reserved. Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture references are taken from the King James Bible.

Why Do I Keep Sinning?

"You can't stop birds from flying over your head, but you can stop them from making a nest in your hair." ~Martin Luther 

I occasionally hear professing Christians ask (with a helpless sounding voice), "Why won't God take this desire away from me so I'll stop sinning?" These are people who say they truly desire to be free from their sexual sin, substance abuse, gluttony, materialism, love for the world, etc. Again they ask, "Why do I keep sinning?" According to Scripture, the answer is simple — because they keep choosing to disobey God. Jesus said, "If you love me you will obey my commandments."

We humans are really very smart creatures. We are also very predictable. Our actions show our priorities. We have a conscience to know right from wrong and while we attempt to do good, we also are willing do wrong in spite of the fact that we know better. We also have the pathetic ability to justify our sinful choices with excuses that make us feel sorry for ourselves. While some do have legitimate trauma to overcome, most of us know that our sin is simply a pathetic choice to give in to our fleshly desires for a moment or two of comfort and pleasure.

Who's the culprit?

Why do there remain those few pet sins — those few areas we just can't get a hold of? Here are some questions I've found helpful to identify the culprit of our sinful actions:

• With what and with whom do you surround yourself?
• Are your friends helping you or hurting you when it comes to living right for Jesus?
• How do you spend your free time?
• What do you find yourself thinking about when your mind is free to wander?
• Do you find yourself making excuses for your sinful actions and then feeling sorry for yourself?

Listen to what the Bible says: "Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world — the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions — is not from the Father but is from the world." (1 John 2:15-16). It's pretty clear: If you love the world and the things of the world, God's love is not in you.

Is your heart set on worldly things? Do you find yourself longing after things you see and don't have? Are you financially discontent? Do you notice yourself overly concerned about the way you look? Do you need to feel important in the eyes of all your friends and family? Are you preoccupied with a desire for pre-marital sex or adultery? If your thoughts often fall into one or more of these categories, you may have found your enemy. Jeremiah reveals, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?" (Jeremiah 17:9), and Jesus said, "For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a person" (Matt. 15:19-20). Could the problem lie within your own heart? Only you know the answer to that question, but we all can be sure that an unredeemed heart will produce all these things in abundance.

I want to go out on a limb here and say that we all would do well at this point to put our pride in check and examine our hearts carefully. I was just reading a book called Alarm to the Unconverted by Joseph Alleine. I was up last night, pleading with the Lord to search and try my heart and bring to mind all the filth and grime that remains, that I might surrender myself still further to the mercy and transforming power of Jesus Christ. The self-deceived hypocrite is in the worst state of all. He thinks all is well between him and his God (so he sees no need to change or examine himself), when in fact, all is not well. Please, hear my earnest plea for your precious soul. Ask the Lord to do a thorough work of exposing the inner desires and intentions of your heart. Ask him to awaken your conscience and remind you of all the dominating loves and lusts within. This is the first and necessary step toward finding victory over your sin.

Don't Sweat the Small Stuff

This popular saying has helped me not worry about things that don't matter, like spilled milk. But when it comes to transgressing God's Law, we ought to sweat heavily.

When Jesus was in the garden He sweat great drops of blood. He was in agony, tormented by the choice he had to make between doing His own will or His father's will. He knew that to obey God would bring Him great difficulty — physically and emotionally. He said, "Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done... If by any means this cup can pass from me, let it be, BUT — not my will but Thy will be done." Jesus knew the great cost of obedience, and paid it. His only choice as the Son of God was to obey.

Falling vs. Diving

When someone says they have fallen into a serious sin like having an affair (adultery), they didn't just fall, they dove. They continually worked and nursed their sin until it became fully grown. Think about it. If you commit sexual sin (any sex outside of marriage), you have made dozens of intentional, wrong decisions to get yourself there. The first phone call. The lustful imaginations. The choice of how you dress, how you act, and what you say. With each one of these and following choices, you must actively deny your conscience (God's Law written on your heart), ignore God's Word, and insist on pursuing what you know is wrong. That is why the Bible says that we will all be "without excuse" on the Day we stand "before the eyes of Him with whom we must give account." The Bible says, "Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death" (James 1:15). This is why "adulterers ... shall [not] inherit the kingdom of God." The difference between a true believer and a false one is that a true convert falls into sin, while a false one dives. Do you ever plan to sin? Do you ever think of ways to get away with that which you know is wrong in God's eyes? If so, you should be concerned about the genuineness of your conversion.

Yes, the true Christian will occasionally fall into sin, but how pathetic is that fall! For the Christian to dive into sin is as wicked and disgraceful as a pardoned murderer allowing himself to be enticed back into his life of crime. Christ died for us. The call of the Christian life is to die to ourselves and crucify the flesh with its ungodly desires.

Jesus has broken the chains that once bound you to sin, but have you walked right back into your comfortable prison and put them back on because you like the way they make you feel? None of us have an excuse when we willingly give in to our favorite sins. Scripture describes the religious hypocrite as a "dog [that] returns to its own vomit, and the sow, after washing herself, returns to wallow in the mire." So the unregenerate will return to his familiar sins and lie down to enjoy the pleasure of his transgressions.

The Antidote

God is not slack in providing a way out of your sins. He is not holding back the answer to you who are still enslaved to your old nature. God is willing if you are willing. He says, "Choose you this day whom you will serve." You must get desperately honest with yourself. I must get honest with myself. God has given us a mirror to see ourselves in truth and we must look into it. So look intently at the Commandments, and then confess and forsake your sin completely. Jesus said, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God." Choose you this day whom you will serve. God is loving, forgiving, compassionate, redeeming, and all-powerful. But you must choose "whom" you will serve. No excuses, no self-pity parties: only surrender. We must once and for all let go of the deceptive pleasures of our sin and cling to the cross for mercy and a new heart that only God can give. God gives strength in abundance to those who repent and trust in him.

Paul said, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." If you want to stop sinning, YOU need to stop. God gives you the strength, but YOU do the stopping. If you struggle with alcohol, don't check out the specials at the liquor store. If you struggle with over-eating, don't drive into McDonald's for the "Big and Tasty." Replace your belly's lusts with a love for honoring God with your body. If pornography is your problem, stop your monthly subscription to the filthy publications and don't visit those Web sites. It sounds simple because it is. But before conversion, a man (or woman) is a slave to sin, unable to bridle the lust of the flesh, but after true conversion, he is not longer a slave to sin (because he has willingly crucified the flesh) and is a new creature, a servant of righteousness.

~by Kirk Cameron

________________________________________________________

Hope this was a help to you and has answered questions you may have had on your mind. I always want to post information that is relevant and useful for to the body of Christ and convicting to the lost sinner.

In His Service, 

The Princess Warrior 

Copyright Information 

Copyright © 2009 The Princess Warrior Ministries. All articles are copyrighted on the date they are posted, unless otherwise indicated. All rights reserved. Permission granted for not-for-sale reproduction in exact form including copyright and web address. Other uses require written permission. Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture references are taken from the King James Bible.

MY FIRST POST - Telling "My Story"

Hello, I have something very important to share with you. So important in fact, that it means the difference between LIFE and DEATH.

MY STORY starts here....

When I was six years old, my hero, my oldest brother John, was drafted into the Army during wartime.  I couldn't understand and was very upset that he had to leave, but I reluctantly gave him one of my first grade school pictures to take with him.  He said it would be with him at all times.

About a month after his departure to Vietnam two Army officers arrived at our home very late one night in January, 1969.  When my mother opened the door she fainted.  I didn’t understand what was going on, but mama knew exactly why they had come.  Later, when she told me that my brother was killed in action, as a six year old child I had to wrap my mind around the fact that John would not be coming home….ever. 

For months I had dreams that I could see my brother in an Army jeep, driving down a dusty dirt road trying to get home, but then I would awaken to the grim realization that it was only a dream.  With these dreams I had an increasing fear of death and wondered what happened to my brother when he died….then, I wondered, what would happen to me if I closed my eyes for the last time?

This one question began to burden me so badly that I started asking my family members about life after death.  The main response I got was this, "If you're good you'll go to heaven, if you're bad you'll go to hell."  But, this only troubled me more because how would I ever know if I was good enough.

As fate would have it, about a week later on a Saturday morning, a couple of Sunday School teachers from a little Baptist church in Landrum, SC (that had brought food to us during my family's bereavement) asked me and my cousins if we would like to be picked up for church.  The next day one cousin and I went to church for the very first time. 

It was there, in that little Baptist church, that I finally heard the truth.  The truth was that I could never be good enough to go to heaven on my own.  I found out that according to God's Word I was a sinner on my way to hell, not heaven.

The Bible says in Romans 3:10, "As it is written, there is none righteous, no not one" and Romans 3:23 says, "For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God". 

I also heard about God's moral law.  It's called the "Ten Commandments".  On judgment day God will measure us by this standard.  I had considered myself to be a good person, and most people do, but in light of Gods law we all fall short. For example, "Have you ever told a lie?"  Yes, of course, we all have. So what does that make you? 

Yeah, you can say it.  It makes you a liar.  Did you know that the Bible tells us in Revelation 21:8 that all liars will have their part in the lake of fire?  Have you ever stolen anything - no matter what the size or value?  If you take a one dollar bill from someone's wallet without asking, it is stealing just the same as if it were a one hundred dollar bill.  So what does that make you?  It makes you a thief.  If you just said that you haven't stolen anything please remember that you just admitted to being a liar.

Friend, have you ever used God's name as a curse word?  When you use God's name in vain it's called blasphemy.  Here's another question, "Have you ever looked at someone with lust?"  A lot of people have done this. Maybe, you have.  Be honest because God knows about it anyway.  Jesus said in Matthew 5:28 that if you look at someone with lust you have committed adultery in your heart with that person.

One more question, "Have you ever hated someone?"  1 John 3:15 says, "Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him". So by your own admission, if you're honest, you're a liar, a thief, a blasphemer, an adulterer, and a murderer.  You have broken five of the commandments and we haven't even looked at the other ones yet.  

So now do you see why the Bible says there is none righteous and we all have fallen short? It makes you and I sound pretty hopeless right?

God has said that there must be a payment for the sins we have committed (a murderer is always a murderer so a liar is always a liar, etc).  The first part of Romans 6:23 says, "For the wages of sin is death (this is eternal separation from God in hell)…"

To get into heaven we must be holy and righteous, sinless. Can we get into heaven by keeping the Ten Commandments?  Do you think you can live the next 10, 20, 30 years and not ever tell another lie or break any of the other commandments? This still sounds pretty hopeless doesn't it?  But wait, we do have hope.  Take a look at the second part of Romans 6:23, "…but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our LORD."  Do you see it?  God has given us a gift.  What is this gift?  Eternal life!!

God loves you so much that He gave His only Son, Jesus, to die because of YOUR sins…taking your punishment and death FOR YOU.  Jesus paid such a high price for your sins.  This was God's greatest gift to mankind.  So how do you get this gift?  You get it just like any other gift – you receive it!

Do you know that Jesus Christ is God come to earth as flesh and blood?  …God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.  ~1 Timothy 3:16

Have you placed your trust in Jesus Christ to save you from God’s wrath to come?  Do you believe that Christ died for YOU and took your punishment upon Himself?  Do you know that Jesus rose from the grave and conquered death and hell FOR YOU? 

Have you realized that you are a sinner and will go to hell if you die right now without confessing your sins and believing with your whole heart that He did this just FOR YOU?  If not, I invite you right now to get down on your knees and cry out in faith for Jesus to forgive you of your sins and to save you from their consequences and then to turn from those sins (Luke 13:3).  He will hear your prayer of repentance.  I promise on the authority of God's Word.

The Bible says in Romans 10:13, "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." (Also see Psalm 86:5).  

If you just accepted Christ as your Savior there is one last thing I want to say to you my dear friend because I don't want to stop here.  I want you to have the assurance, according to God's Word, that you are eternally saved.  Do you think God would allow His Son to suffer a death as cruel as Jesus did just to let us have doubts as to whether we are really His child or not….to constantly question whether we will be with Him forever.  As a parent I would not do that to my own children.  

I have asked many people the question, "If you were to die right now where would you spend eternity?" only to have them respond, "Well, I hope that I will go to heaven!"  My dear friend, the Bible says WE CAN KNOW…without a doubt!!  1 John 5:13 says, These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

Dear one, I have written this out of a great love and concern for your soul.  I would love to meet you, your family and friends in heaven one day.  What a day that will be!!!

May God bless you over and above what you are able to receive! 

With Much Love,

The Princess Warrior

P.S.  As a former Marine, "Semper Fi" to all you devil dogs!!  OOH RAH!

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The Princess Warrior Ministries ©2009

http://theprincesswarriorministries.blogspot.com

ADDITIONAL HELPS FOR YOU

"I've already said a prayer in the past to be saved"

Dear one please let me say this gently, yet firmly – If you said a prayer to be saved and there was no change in your life or you soon went back to your old ways then you ARE NOT a member of God's family. 

"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new".  ~ II Corinthians 5:17

Salvation comes from a heart knowledge, not a head knowledge of Jesus Christ. A head knowledge does not have the power to change you, but a heart knowledge does through the power of the Holy Spirit!

"Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble".  ~James 2:19

"That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.  For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation".  ~Romans 10:9-10

You say there is no God! Dear friend have you ever in your life been mistaken about something.  Could this be the biggest mistake you have ever made!!

“The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God”.  ~Psalm 14:1

“But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him”.  ~Hebrews 11:16

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All blog entries are copyright by The Princess Warrior Ministries on the date they are posted, unless otherwise indicated. All rights reserved. Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture references are taken from the King James Bible.