Turn around

Right now we are celebrating the birth of JESUS, eternal GOD the SON, who though fully GOD stripped HIMSELF [of all privileges and rightful dignity], so as to assume the guise of a servant (slave), in that HE became like men and was born a human being so that HE could die for the sins of all men and reconcile them to GOD (Philippians 2:7-8).  “For GOD so loved the world, that HE gave HIS only begotten SON, that whosoever believes in HIM should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).

One has come to me over and over to get rid of voices in his head.  Since those voices cause him to be hateful, destructive, and even beat himself, I thought of demons- for like their leader they come to kill, steal and destroy (John 10:10). Talking with the LORD concerning him and asking how to pray the Lord has taught me the great need for REPENTANCE as HE showed me how to pray for this tortured man.

Proverbs 21:1 tells us that GOD directs our thoughts and after I’d prayed I opened my Bible where I had been reading and came to Luke 8.  There another poor man was infested with demons.  They crazed him, pushing him to destroy and sought to kill him as they drove him to cut himself.  But though he always stayed away from people, when this man saw JESUS ran to HIM and fell at JESUS feet (Luke 8:28).  The cry of his heart was to be set free for one must call upon the name of the LORD to be saved (Romans 10:13) and we are told that JESUS at that point was telling the demons (2,000 of them) to leave and not return and the demons begged JESUS to let them go into the pigs nearby.

I knew without a doubt GOD was telling me to pray for the one wanting freedom from the voices to fall on his face before GOD in submission before GOD could set him free.  For unless he turned from his ways that opened himself up to the demons he could not be set free, lest they just returned when he opened up the door though his actions.  This one must fill himself with seeking GOD.

And the times of this ignorance GOD winked at; but now commands all men everywhere to repent: (Acts 17:30).

But what is repentance?

Repentance is to turn to GOD from idols, to serve the living GOD (I Thessalonians 1:9). It’s a changing of commitments, an “about face”, a change of mind and attitude.  One goes from fighting GOD’s right to set standards to wanting to please GOD.

Repentance does not emphasize emotion or stand beside faith as an added essential for salvation.  Rather, repentance provides a perspective on faith.  For faith in a biblical sense is commitment, not mere mental assent.  The one who repents has faith, for it is faith in GOD (HIS goodness, wisdom and power) that is expressed when we decide to turn to HIM from our old ways.

“Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance” Matthew 3:8.  If you really turn to GOD from idols (seeking what you want from something or someone other than GOD), your actions will change.

Warning: “but, unless you repent, you shall all likewise perish” Luke 13:3

Will you join me in praying for this man- that GOD enable this man to turn fully to GOD and fall on his face before HIM?

Hugs

Sharon

PS After being set free, the man in Luke 8 sat at JESUS feet listening to HIS words and wanted to follow JESUS.  JESUS commissioned him to go tell others about what GOD had done for him.

So much alike

I wondered how the Jewish religious leaders (during the time of JESUS and then the early church) could excuse themselves for doing some of the extremely terrible, dishonest things they did. This morning the light came on as I read in Acts.

“But the Jews which BELIEVED NOT, moved with ENVY, took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all the city on an uproar, and assaulted the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people” (Acts 17:5).

Truth- the Word of GOD filters our thoughts and can convict us.  When we turn away from one of those pricks of conscious knowing we turn from the light to darkness and we cannot see things clearly.  Therefore, we are more open to temptation.

In the case of the Jewish religious leaders of that day they were tempted and became envious.  James 3:14-16 tells us that envy is demonic and brings confusion.  In the darkness of turning from the conviction of the truth, they couldn’t see what they did was wrong.

When plowing and an ox turned the wrong way the master would prick it with the end of the goad he carried.  JESUS related that prick to conviction of the Holy SPIRIT when HE said to Paul on the road to Damascus: “And the Lord said, I am JESUS whom you are persecuting: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks’ Acts 9:5).

But let’s apply this truth to you and me.  As we read the Word of GOD or hear it spoken and are pricked knowing it is talking to us, let’s not turn away, ignore, or say it doesn’t apply to my situation.  Doing that will only lead to blindness.

I clearly remember reading a phrase, “don’t be like the mule.”  I knew it concerned stubbornness but I said to myself, I am NOT stubborn, but this other one is. GOD must want me to pray for him to recognize and stop being stubborn.

Romans 2:1 Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever you art that judges: for wherein you judge another, you condemn yourself; for you that judge do the same things.

Yes, what I saw in that other was also true of me.  But because I refused the light I was given it was years until I really saw the truth of my own stubbornness and GOD could set me free.

It was a hard lesson but taught me much more than to yield instead of demanding I was right.  It taught me the importance of listening to that still small voice or prick in my heart that alerts me to the truth.

So, don’t be like the mule.

Hugs

Sharon