Christianity is a lifestyle
and a belief that honors Christ as our eternal King, and the first step to honoring Him is to express an interest in personally getting to know Him. Since our spirit is such an important part of our self, shouldn’t we take some time to figure out and understand who we put our faith in? We spend years learning about temporary things, such as the human body, and the world we live in. But seldom do we consider what will happen when we die - with the ignorant assumption that we all will go to Heaven. It seems foolish to believe that focusing on the temporary, is more important than paying attention to eternity. I guess it’s because I’ve experienced so much death and difficulties, through many trials and tribulations, that my interest in the human spirit has been heightened and gone up. It seems the more I'm in the Word, the more wisdom I gain about Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of Heaven. Not to mention all the visions all the dreams; the hearing and the writing that God has given to me. It's hard to dismiss what Holy Spirit permits to enter my mind, and my heart. No one can take away the Words that God has given me, to put into this blog, Breaking Strongholds. This is why I love the study of Apologetics, because it’s the study of God, and the difference between the truth, and false doctrine. Anyway, let me get back to drawing in, closer to God, so that I can share with you how to develop a personal relationship with Him. Yes, it is true. You can go to a person who claims to have a personal a relationship with Him, but my recommendation is to pray and get into His Word - that’s right, you can go right to Him! That's what I did. Think about it, If you want to really know someone you should spend time with them, instead of listening to someone else’s opinion of them! There is so much false teaching. There is so much false prophecy, In fact, Jesus says, “many will come in my name, but do not believe them” - so be on guard, be sober-minded, don’t blindly accept another person’s interpretation, or follow a group’s decision. My God, this is how cults begin. Don't even accept what I give, search the Word for yourself to confirm everything I've said. Jesus assures us in Matthew 7:7, that if we ask, seek and knock, the door to Heaven will be opened. So when you are ready to gain intimacy with God, walk right up and knock - His Word says that He will let you in. Jesus teaches us the prayer that opens the door, it’s found in Luke 11:2-4. It starts with, “Our Father, who art in Heaven, Hallowed be Your Name” - this means that God is Holy and we should have a healthy fear of Him. Which brings me to the next step, we need to digest the the daily bread, which IS the living Word of God. This is why 2 Timothy 3:16 says, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.” If we don’t breath Him in, then we will only have our limited oxygen to exhale out. Jesus is the Word - and it is the Spirit of Christ who influenced the Old Testament prophets to speak and to write what His Spirit said. If you don’t believe me, then read what His disciple Peter said in 1 Peter 1:11. The New Testament is the completion of Jesus - God coming down from Heaven; He is the suffering servant that Isaiah spoke of 700 years before being born in the flesh! God came down to live with us, to teach us and make fishers of men; to take on all of our sin, and to die and to resurrect; and then, to speak about the Kingdom, for forty days before ascending back into Heaven. So I encourage you - take a chance; walk right up to His door and knock - which really just means opening up His book, and digesting the Word for yourself. But remember this, if you truly want an honest, intimate relationship with Christ himself, then you have to be ready to accept all of Him for who He is. It will do you no good to accept partial truth! You must eat all of the meat of the lamb for the blood on your doorpost to allow the spirit of death to pass over you. Everyone is invited in, but most turn and run, when Jesus says something that does not line up to what they thought. They turn around, slam the door and run back out, when they learn that Jesus is all about separation and division. Instead of believing that Jesus is King, they make excuses and refuse to hear Him. They come up with reasons to justify themselves, and in the process they blasphemy the Holy Spirit. They entered in, but did not like what Jesus said, so they ran back out. They could have been saved, but they lost their salvation. It is true. Jesus died for inclusion. Everyone has a chance to learn about Christ, especially in America where the Bible is available, but many walk away when they begin to hear disciples of Jesus speaking the truth. This is what the Pharisees did, when Jesus began to share the truth with them. They preferred not to listen, because they were stuck in pride and tradition. Instead of honoring God, many men will go on pretending that they know best. We see this so much among Christians, people claiming Christianity but not believing totally in the Word that God left us with. I've heard every excuse there is. In fact, I used to make them! Some believe the Bible is man-made, so they only believe the verses they want. Some believe there is no Adam and Eve, they say that it's a story that has been made up. Others believe that since God is love, that we should tolerate the Jezebel spirit. Many say that when we are good, that is all that God looks at. Most discount the Old Testament and say that is not meant for today; and many report that they can think the way they want, and do what they want, and there won't be any repercussions. And most believe that all good people go to Heaven, so my question is "Why did Jesus have to die for you?" Why does Jesus say that He is the ONLY way, if that were not true? Why does Jesus say in Luke 12:49 that He did not come to bring peace to the earth, but He came to suffer a terrible baptism, and He wished the earth were already burning? Why is Jesus referred as the Highway to Heaven? And why does He say that He may say to you, "Depart from me for I never knew you?" I beg you, do not be like the Pharisees, and try to stand upon sand, by claiming part of the Word of God. This is why there is so much false testimony, in fact the largest religion today comes from the Emperor Constantine who blended Roman paganism with Christianity. The masses prefer to follow a man, who wears a robe decorated with false doctrine. Instead of learning about scripture, they put it down because they do not think they can interpret it. This is because the living message has not been taught, the way that Jesus intended for it. The Word says that EVERYONE can come to the foot of the cross, and confess their sin for themselves. Jesus says He is the ONLY ONE who sits at the right hand of God who makes intercession for us. People, Do not be misled! There is no man righteous enough to act as if He is Jesus himself! In fact, this is an abomination to God! Even the first King, Saul, paid for it! It’s mocking who Jesus is, it's a slap in Jesus's face! Only His blood was pure enough to be the final sacrifice! He left His Kingdom to become a servant so that man could be made spiritually pure again. Anything other than Jesus, is pure deception! I pray that hearts would be softened, from the false doctrine, and the foolish traditions, that tightly binds them to Satan. I pray for wandering believers, who hear the call of the Shepherd, but don't know where to find Him. I pray that the Spirit of Truth will find them, and bring them into right relationship with Him. When we experience mortal death, scripture says that if we have not had true fellowship with God, then we will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven. We must pray against stubbornness - an unwillingness to accept that Jesus knows best! This is truly an act of rebellion in the eyes of God, and He will hold it against us. We must turn away from being like the church of the Laodiceans, who were wealthy and lukewarm, and who tolerated the Jezebel spirit - because the Revelation of John says God will spit us out of His mouth. Anyone who has pursued Jesus, through fellowship with the Word, can not be shaken and can not be deterred! They gird you their loins and they brace themselves like a man; they hold onto Christ, who is their firm foundation and they do not lose hope. Intimacy with God is found through the humble and the broken-hearted; the ones who have stumbled over the precious Cornerstone, understand the fear of the Lord. Psalm 34:18 says, “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” For they have wisdom and understand that Christ himself, is the the anointed Word of God.
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