I know my furpal. If another dog walked into my home who wasn’t Buddy, I’d immediately wonder why and who its owner was.
Because that dog does not belong in my home.
But we don’t use that same discernment in the church. We just assume that everyone who sits in the pews is a born again believer or is interested in knowing more about Christ, or that anyone who preaches has the Spirit of the Lord.
But there is an event in the Bible that warns this is not necessarily true.
“Then He (Jesus) went down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and was teaching them on the Sabbaths….Now in the synagogue there was a man who had a spirit of an unclean demon. And he cried out with a loud voice, saying, ‘Let us alone! What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Did You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!’ But Jesus rebuked him,…”—Luke 4:31, 33-35
Not only was there an opponent and enemy of God hanging around in the congregation of sincere followers of God, but who also wanted nothing to do with Jesus.
The demonically possessed man was also perfectly capable of speaking openly and emphatically within a group of believers gathered together.
This is a warning not to assume everyone knows, loves, and obeys the Lord who attends or teaches in a church. Always use discernment and evaluate their teaching. If they disobey, or reject Jesus’ clear teachings, do not follow them. And do not allow them to influence you to disregard what God teaches in the Bible.
Please be respectful, as everyone is made in God’s image and He loves them.
But there might be a time to reprove or bring false teaching to the attention of leadership.
And if it’s the leaders who disobey God’s Word, leave the church.
Not everyone who walks through the doors of a church building is owned by Jesus.
Christians’ opinions vary about celebrating Halloween. Some see it as a time for diverting attention to church harvest festivals to encourage church attendance, while others view it as a celebration of evil to be avoided at all costs.
As you can see from my blog titles this month, I view it as an opportunity to draw attention to the Word of God.
Of course, many people see it as just a time to party, eat candy, and wear fun costumes. They don’t attach any particular meaning to it.
Or to dress up their long suffering dogs and cats in costumes.
(Buddy doesn’t suffer long as he doesn’t like to cooperate, unlike his predecessor, Buster, who would do anything to please me.)
Unfortunately, there are many people who dress up in costumes every day and not just during one or two holidays a year. They pretend to be Christians, but their hearts are far from God (Matthew 15:8). They wear the “Christian” mask but are not born again of the Spirit of Christ Jesus.
So, how do we as believers gain discernment as to who is truly born again or not?
Because we can be influenced by bad teaching and influence, or unaware of someone’s need to be witnessed to, assuming they’re believers when they aren’t.
Now, we cannot know someone’s heart. Only God knows a person’s heart (Romans 8:27).
But neither are we to fellowship with false believers (Matthew 7:15). Jesus warns that we need to be wary of accepting people at face value.
You’re likely an honest person like me, so you’d like to believe others are too. But life experience demonstrates that not everyone is who they claim to be. So these are some pointers to help you differentiate true from false believers.
Now, we are saved by faith, not works (Ephesians 2:8-9). Not everyone starts at the same point in the race toward the finish line. But the following are pretty reliable indications of false believers.
1. They claim to love Jesus but hate, or are continually critical of fellow, born again believers.
“If someone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?
“And this commandment we have from Him; that he who loves God must love his brother also.”—Apostle John, 1 John 4:20-21
Someone who is always contemptuous of fellow believers, particularly someone who follows the authority of Scripture, does not have the love of Jesus in their heart.
Someone who shows no interest in the welfare of suffering believers or who claims they’re “bitter clingers, clinging to their guns and Bibles,” is not born again.
2. They reject the deity of Jesus Christ.
“By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus has come in the flesh is not of God.”—1 John 4:2-3
Anyone who denies that Jesus Christ is the Messiah, God in the flesh (Matthew 1:23), is not born again. Jesus made this abundantly clear, according to the Apostle John in John 8:24:
“If you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.”
3. They reject the authority of the Word of God.
Anyone who rejects the moral authority of the Bible is rejecting God’s authority.
They might have a dispute with a particular denomination’s interpretation of a Scripture passage or a pastor, but they accept the Scriptures teachings.
It’s natural for a new Christian to thirst for God’s Word, having lived in a spiritual desert all their lives. Someone who claims to have had a conversion experience but has no interest in growing in their faith likely is self-deceived or lying.
The devil and the demons know that Jesus was manifested in the flesh, lived amongst humanity, then died on the Cross. They also know that He rose bodily from the dead. They know that He is God, party of the Trinity. But they do not willingly submit themselves to God’s moral authority (James 2:19).
I’m not referring to temporary backsliders or those who rebel temporarily due to suffering or being deceived by bad teaching.
But if someone claims to love God, yet doesn’t feel the Holy Spirit convicting them, making them miserable for their rebellious spirit, then it’s unlikely the Spirit of God indwells them.
Because God hates sin and “leads us in the paths of righteousness for HIS name’s sake (Psalm 23:3, emphasis mine)”.
4. They deny they’ve sinned.
There’s no true repentance without an acknowledgment that Christ needed to die for our sins so that we can have fellowship with the Father through the Son.
“If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.”—1 John 1:8
Because Who is the embodiment of truth?
“I am the way, and the truth, and the life.”—Jesus, John 14:6
I have listened to preachers who believe in Christ as Lord and Savior, and in His sin sacrifice for humankind and our need for repentance. Yet deny that we are born sinners. This is a dangerous position to take, as any teaching not founded on the Rock of Christ is slippery sand and can cause our lives to crumble when the inevitable hurricanes of suffering hit our life (Matthew 7:24-27).
5. They encourage you to sin or disobey God.
In other words, they don’t submit themselves to God’s authority, as per point #4 above:
“For certain men have crept in unnoticed,…ungodly men, who turn the grace of God into licentiousness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ.”—Jude 4
(I strongly urge reading the entire Book of Jude which is only one chapter.)
6. They claim there are many paths to God. You don’t have to believe that Jesus is the only path to Heaven.
But Jesus claims this is false.
“No one comes to the Father except through Me.”—Jesus, John 14:6
“And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the ONLY true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.”— Jesus, John 17:3 (emphasis mine)
7. Most of all, pray. Because we can all be deceived, particularly Christians, because we usually want to believe the best of people. And pride keeps us from heeding God’s warning signals.
I try to pray this every day. I suggest you do so, also, in your own way:
Lord, please sift everything coming through my mind, ear, eye and heart gates through the Holy Spirit. Help me test it against your Word. Help me discern truth from error, fact from fiction. Help me not to jump to conclusions or slander anyone. Help me know if someone is deceiving or misleading me intentionally or intentionally. And help me not to deceive others. Thank you in Jesus’ name.
God promises to answer that prayer.
“Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.”—1 John 5:14-15
Please, every day beware of false prophets and fake sheep (Matthew 7:15). And remember:
“Bad company corrupts good character.”—1 Corinthians 15:33
There are many other Biblical verses to support the points above. The more you familiarize yourself with the truth, the easier it’ll get you spot lies.
God bless you.
Much love from Dawn and Buddy
***
It’s OK to admit you’ve been deceived. It’s humbling, but we’re human. We make mistakes. We sin.
But the worst sin or big mistake is to assume that tomorrow will come and that we can wait to ask Jesus into our hearts.
I hope that the unexpected, recent pandemic brought a new awareness that life brings surprises, including ugly ones.
Why continue putting off a decision that, in my opinion, is the best one you’ll ever make? I have zero regrets giving my heart to Jesus.
Beware of false prophets who claim coming to Christ guarantees prosperity. We come to God because He’s God and we’re not. And to reverse the curse of the Fall, we have to admit that Jesus is the Lord—we’re not—and need to repent of our willful disobedience.
Cone on! If you’ve read this far, then you know Jesus is knocking on the door of your heart, waiting for you to invite Him into your life (Revelation 3:20). Don’t delay!
Please pray the following, out loud if possible:
Dear Heavenly Father, I‘m sorry for my sin. Please forgive me. I invite Jesus into my life and heart. Please grant me Your Holy Spirit. I give my life to You. And teach me how much You love me. In the mighty name of Jesus, amen.
If you prayed sincerely, congratulations, you’re born again. Please start reading the Bible daily as it’s your soul food. Just as your body needs daily nourishment to be healthy, so does your soul.
And join a Bible believing church or Bible study. (You’ve got some tips above how to determine a good church or study.) And get baptized. If that’s not possible right now, I suggest the following two ministries, which also have apps, if that’s your preference: http://www.LTW.org (Leading The Way) or http://www.AndrewFarley.org (The Grace Message).
There are other godly ministries out there, but it’s easy to be misled by legalism or false teaching till you know the Bible fairly well.
God bless you. May Buddy and I meet you in heaven one day.
I recently spent a week in New Orleans, Louisiana, visiting my brother. I was sad to leave him, but was happy to return to my parents and Buddy. My furry pal has not allowed me to leave his sight since my return.
There is a marketplace of independent artists, food stalls and other small businesses along Decatur Street in the French Quarter near the Mississippi waterfront. I love supporting artists who make their own products, so I purchased an inexpensive pair of handmade earrings. The older gentleman was busy making new earrings and pins to sell at his booth.
The photo is a statue commemorating the slaves who had to travel to the marketplace to buy food for the cook to prepare that day. Since the streets at that time were full of muck and other nasty things, the kitchen assistant would have to sit on a bench and wait to be picked up by a carriage, rather than attempt to walk the detritus of the muddy streets.
Fortunately, that’s no longer a problem; the area is paved and is a pleasant walk through quite an extensive marketplace. I was blessed to visit the city during low humidity and a perfect temperature in the 70s.
So what caused me to feel distressed on such a lovely day? (Besides missing my furry pal?)
As you approach the market, anchored at both ends, were kiosks set up, promoting a false religion. Two women stood at each kiosk, ready to engage unwary visitors in a discussion to persuade them to consider joining their belief system which denies Jesus is God in the flesh (Matthew 1:23).
“But sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, but with gentleness and respect;”—Apostle Peter, 1 Peter 3:15
The Apostle John called those who deny the deity of Jesus an antichrist: “every spirit which doesn’t confess Jesus is not of God. This is the spirit of antichrist, of which you heard that it was coming, and now it is in the world already (1 John 4:3).”
There were no born again Christians witnessing in the area to counteract the ungodly claims of those denying the Trinity. These women were wearing lovely floral dresses and standing in the marketplace on a beautiful day to ensnare the ignorant, yet there was not one person who loves Jesus willing to do the same.
I hope, if I lived in New Orleans, I would be one of those Christians willing to do so.
Maybe?
God bless you.
Much love from Dawn and Buddy
PS. Unfortunately, I had a tour starting in a few minutes so didn’t engage them wisely. I made a short statement and moved on.
***
I was raised in a false religion. When I rejected it, finally escaping their entrapment of fear, I tried to become an atheist, but couldn’t. Anyone who thinks through the logic of evolution step-by-step, cannot accept that this tremendously complex world was a series of fortuitous accidents.
When Darwin and Huxley promoted evolutionary theory, they were clueless about how complex the human body is. Darwin knew nothing about genetics, for instance, as Gregor Mendel presented his findings in 1865 to the Natural Science Society. This Augustinian friar and Abbott of St Thomas’ Abbey in Moravia is considered the founder of the modern science of genetics (Wikipedia). Darwin published his work, “The Origin Of The Species,” in 1859.
I beg you, if you haven’t already, to leave any false belief system that denies God as Creator. Jesus is Lord and loves you. But, being pure and holy, God hates sin and cannot bear its presence.
But Jesus died to take the punishment our sins deserved and was resurrected to give us eternal life (1 Peter 1:3). When you accept Jesus as Lord, your moral authority and creator, and ask Him to forgive your sins, you are washed whiter than snow (Isaiah 1:18) and no longer come under condemnation (Romans 8:1). You become acceptable to God, declared righteous through faith (2 Corinthians 5:21).
If you’re ready to receive the life of Christ, please pray the following, out loud if possible:
Dear Heavenly Father, please forgive my sins. I ask Jesus to be my Lord and Savior, my righteousness. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit. I give my life to You. Please teach me how much You love me. I don’t understand much right now, but I trust You to teach me more about You. In the holy name of Jesus, Your Son, amen.
If you prayed sincerely, congratulations, you are born again. Please start reading the Bible daily. Just as your body needs daily nourishment to be healthy, so does your soul. The Bible is your soul food. I suggest starting with the Book of Matthew, as it’s easy to understand.
And please join a Bible believing church or Bible study. And get baptized. If that’s not possible right now, I recommend these two ministries, which also have apps, if that’s your preference: http://www.LTW.org (Leading The Way) and http://www.AndrewFarley.org. There are other godly ministries, but it’s easy to be misled by legalism or false teaching till you know the Bible fairly well.
God bless you as you begin your journey with the Lord of the Universe as a child of the living God. May Buddy and I meet you in heaven one day.
As I’ve posted before, Buddy was terrified of going home with me after his foster mom released him into my custody. At that time I was a total stranger, but after he got to know my character and love for him, he relaxed and became a beloved member of our family.
Christianity is a supernatural religion. People who ask the Lord Jesus into their lives become temples of the Holy Spirit (Luke 11:13).
As a result, it’s not wrong to believe in the supernatural. But in the Last Days before the return of Christ, Jesus warned that demonic power will increase and to guard against being deceived (Matthew 24).
The Apostle Paul stated that even Satan himself “masquerades as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14)”.
And, the Apostle John warned that there are false, deceiving spirits that will also try to deceive us, pretending to be from the Lord but are not, 1 John 4:1-3:
“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.
“By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard is coming, and is now already in the world.”
Tonight I’d like to address the first portion regarding deceiving spirits.
1. Stand 100% on the Word of God. Jesus set the example when He defeated Satan’s temptations (Matthew 4:1-11). Many books and sermons give anecdotal information about the demonic. Never deviate from what is clearly taught in the Bible. And don’t forget that Satan and his followers also know the Bible and will try to either discredit it (Genesis 3:1-5) or twist its meaning (Matthew 4:6-7). Please pray for the Holy Spirit to guide your understanding when you read the Scriptures, help you handle it accurately and recall it. And to reveal any false beliefs that you may have.
2. Satan is much older, stronger and smarter than you are. Never consider yourself an expert in the occult. God will allow you to be humbled by not standing fast on His word.
3. Don’t go looking for spirits, particularly if you are not born again (Acts 19:11-20). Only God has power of the evil spirits and those to whom He has granted power through the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. Too many people are hunting ghosts or exploring haunted locations, placing themselves in danger from the supernatural.
4. God never overrules your personality or ability to think for yourself. The Apostle Paul warned to always hold fast to the mind and that we have “the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16)”. Losing control of your mind, behavior, body and words is characteristic of the demonic (Mark 5:1-20, 9:14-29), not God.
Sadly, many Christians do NOT heed Apostle John’s warnings to test the spirits. Some so-called modern apostles claim to “slay people in the Spirit“, ie. cause people to lose control and fall to the ground. The only Biblical example of being slain in the spirit is in the Book of Acts. Ananias and his wife were slain by the Spirit for lying publicly to God. They were killed by God. It’s not recommended.
Also, some people claim to speak in tongues but are in an altered state. God NEVER puts you into an altered state. You are always fully aware and able to function if it’s from God.
My pastor related an instance where visiting Christians from Nigeria entered a church and heard Christians, supposedly speaking in tongues, speaking in their native Nigerian language. They were cursing God in Nigerian.
Even demons attend church. Jesus expelled a spirit from a man who was in a synagogue where people were worshipping God (Mark 1:21-26). False prophets and teachers can be found in churches. Don’t trust someone just because they claim to be a Christian. Be like the Berean church (Acts 17:10-11), who even tested what the Apostle Paul taught by checking the Holy Scriptures daily to see if what Paul taught was in line with God’s Word.
5. You are never told in the Bible to seek out supernatural experiences (except to prophecy or interpret tongues in 1 Corinthians 14:1, 13). When God visited Moses at the burning Bush; the angels visited Zacharias, Joseph and Mary, Daniel, Balaam; or the Transfiguration occurred, as a few examples, the godly people didn’t seek out a supernatural encounter. God initiated the encounters.
Do NOT visualize or ask spirit guides, animal spirits, aliens, fairies, ghosts or other supernatural entities to enter your life. Do not go ghost hunting.
6. God never contradicts His word. Any spirit that teaches anything that contradicts the Bible does not come from God. Therefore, the better you know what the Bible says and teaches, the less likely you are to be deceived. However, please remember you need prayer, also, because the religious leaders at the time of Jesus knew the Bible yet didn’t recognize the Messiah when He stood in front of them.
7. Don’t hold conversations with spirits. They are likely “deceiving spirits (1 Timothy 4:1)”. Don’t commit the same error that Eve did who stopped to hold a conversation with the devil (Genesis 3). Instead, hold conversations with the one true God in prayer. Jesus promised to meet all your needs (Matthew 6:25-34, 7:7-12).
8. Satan and demons can also perform miracles. The Antichrist will deceive most of the human race by performing miracles (Revelation 13). I personally knew a man who spoke in tongues who was demonically oppressed; his gift was not from God.
I didn’t write this blog to frighten you, but to warn you. There are too many media programs about ghosts, aliens and other supernatural beings and occurrences. And too many churches promoting unbiblical practices.
Always stick close to Jesus and His word (2 Peter 1:20-21).
“Be sober, vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:8).”
The chick that stays under the wings of its mother (Matthew 23:37) won’t get eaten by the hawk.
God bless you.
Much love from Dawn and Buddy
Note: I usually use the NASB, but tonight am visiting my parents so am using the New King James Version of the scriptures.
***
The safest place is always in our loving Shepherd’s field. Jesus invites every person to find abundant life by coming to Him.
“I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved…I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd gives His life for the sheep. (John 10:9,11).”
Jesus came to “destroy the works of the devil (1 John 3:8).” He wants everyone to come into fellowship with Him and spend eternity with Him. But we’re born spiritually dead, in rebellion to God our Creator, wanting to choose right and wrong for ourselves, to do “our own thing”.
If you’re tired of doing things your way and want to become a child of God, learning from Him how to live life and love His way, please pray the following:
Dear Heavenly Father, please forgive my sin. I’m tired of living life my way and bringing unnecessary trouble into my life. I ask Jesus to be my Lord and Savior. I give my life to you. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit. Teach me how to live. In the mighty name of Jesus, amen.
If you’ve prayed sincerely, congratulations, you’re born again. But just as your body needs daily food, your soul needs daily soul food—the Bible. Please begin reading every day to grow in your faith. I suggest starting with the book of Matthew as it’s easy to understand.
Also, please join a Bible-based church or Bible study. If they not possible right now, I recommend these three ministries: http://www.LTW.org, http://www.InTouch.org and http://www.AndrewFarley.org. There are other godly ministries, but as a newborn Christian, you can be deceived till you know the Bible better.
And please get baptized.
“Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God (Romans 10:17).”
You’ve probably guessed by now that I adore my Silky terrier, Buddy. We’ve been together for over eleven years now. Sometimes he acts like a little devil, but I still love him. He’s my best pal—after the Lord.
Whether Buddy acts like a sweet angel or little rascal, he still has a place in my heart. However, I warned last week that it’s critical to test the spirits. Satan is a liar (John 8:44) and a deceiver, he “disguises himself as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14)”.
Apostle John warned believers in Christ to be on their guard regarding supernatural beings in 1 John 4:1-3 (NASB):
“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God; and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God; this is the spirit of the antichrist, of which you have heard that it is coming, and now it is already in the world.”
The Apostle John made several important points:
1. Spirits are real—the supernatural is real.
2. There are good spirits and bad spirits.
2. Don’t believe every spirit.
3. Some spirits serve the omnipotent and loving God (angels) and some do not (demons/Satan).
4. These supernatural beings can influence us.
5. Therefore, test the spirits to determine if they should be listened to or not.
6. The Holy Spirit and angels will testify that Jesus came to earth in the flesh: “Emmanuel, God with us (Matthew 1:23)”. Demons will deny that God came to dwell amongst us; (Gnosticism is an example). Jesus is not an angel, or an enlightened being, or merely a good teacher. He is God (Luke 9:20, John 1:1-3, John 5:18, John 9:38, John 11:27, Colossians 1:19, many etceteras).
7. Deceiving spirits will deny Jesus.
8. False prophets will deny Jesus. Don’t believe everything someone says, just because they claim to be a Christian.
9. These falsehood teachings exist now.
Additionally:
1. Satan and anyone influenced by him will deny the truth of God’s Word (Genesis 3:1). They will teach that the Bible is not true, or just some parts are true and some don’t apply in today’s culture—you can pick and choose your own buffet style Christianity. Apostle Paul (1 Timothy 3:16) and Apostle Peter (2 Peter 1:20-21) advised that all of Scripture was inspired by God and beneficial for our lives.
2. You can disobey God with no consequence—not true. You reap what you sow (Galatians 6:7-8), are disciplined by God as a Christian if you refuse to repent (Hebrews 12:5-11), or suffer in Hell if you die in unbelief (Hebrews 9:27, Revelation 20:13-15). God’s rules are for our benefit and protection, not to harm or restrict us.
3. They will hate God’s people—Jewish and Christian (1 John 4:19-21). “God is love (1 John 4:8)” and teaches us how to love others. Anyone who claims to be a Christian but hates those who believe in the Bible—and Jesus—are deceived or deceivers.
4. Deny that they sin or are sinners (1 John 1:8). Any philosophy that denies the sin nature of humanity is a false teaching and leads to bad outcomes for an individual, relationship, culture and society.
My born-again experience (see blog post dated 10/21/21) passed the test. Not being raised Christian, I was surprised when Holy Spirit rushed into my body after giving my life to Jesus. He reassured me Who He was, so that I wouldn’t be frightened to death. He told me three things:
1. The Bible is true;
2. Anyone who doesn’t believe in Jesus is lost;
3. And, although He knew every sin I’d ever committed, He still loved me very much.
So that is why I take the time to write these blogs, because I know without a doubt that God is real, loves us and Jesus came to deliver us from evil. I want you to have abundant, and eternal, life too.
And one final warning: Please take this to heart. The Bible never advises us to seek angelic encounters or to pray to angels. Every angelic encounter in the Bible was initiated by God. There is a good reason for that: Because, as stated above, Satan and his followers will try to deceive you. Jesus has “all authority…in heaven and on earth (Matthew 28:18)”. Jesus is our only “mediator between God and man (1 Timothy 2:5,” John 14:6). Pray to God in the name of Jesus only (John 14:13-14). Jesus is all you need.
God bless you.
Love from Dawn and Buddy
***
Satan led humanity into rebellion against God’s authority in our lives. Jesus came to give us abundant life (John 10:10) and to bring us back into relationship with the Lord. Adam and Eve wanted to determine for themselves what is right and wrong, not listen to God. As a result of being rejected, the Holy Spirit left the human race so that we are all born incomplete: born just body and soul, instead of as a triune being.
So we all sense an inner emptiness, which we try to fill in our own unique way: with drugs, food, alcohol, pleasure, distraction, relationships, shopping, sex, knowledge, etc. But we never get enough of whatever that filler is, because that hole can only be filled with God’s Spirit.
If you’d like to become whole, accepting God’s authority and presence in your life, please pray the following:
Dear Heavenly Father, I believe that Jesus came in the flesh, is the Lord and died for my sins. Please forgive my sins because Jesus already paid the price for me at His death on the Cross. I give my life to you. I ask Jesus to be my Lord and Savior. I invite the Holy Spirit into my life. Thank you for loving me. In Jesus’ might name, Amen.
If you prayed with sincerity, congratulations, you are born-again. You’ll become aware of the presence of God in your life. (Remember to test the spirits. The Holy Spirit will never contradict the clear teachings of the Bible.)
Like your body needs food daily to function properly, your soul needs soul food—The Bible. Please begin reading it daily. I suggest starting with Matthew as it’s easiest to understand. Some also suggest the book of John, firstly, as it focuses on God’s love for us.
And find a Bible-based church or Bible study to fellowship with other believers and to be strengthened in your faith. You have joined the family of God; families gather together. If that’s not possible right now, these are my three favorite ministries, which also have apps if that’s your preference: http://www.LTW.org, http://www.InTouch.org and http://www.BasicGospel.net.
God bless you. Buddy and I will see you in heaven.
I sometimes am clueless about what Buddy wants. I feel badly as I wonder if there’s some need or desire that he has that’s not being fulfilled.
I’ve noticed a lot of chatter on Social Media recently about the “Mark of the Beast”. Christians worry about unintentionally taking the mark which signifies enslavement to the AntiChrist during the End Times.
Christians worry because they love the Lord and want to obey Him. They don’t want to be tricked into following Satan or his servants.
“And the beast was seized, and with him the false prophet who performed the signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshipped his image; these two were thrown alive into the lake of fire which burns with brimstone.”—Apostle John, Revelation 19:20
My pastor, Jon Bjorgaard, pointed out the following ironic coincidence in the Bible—or is it a coincidence? Perhaps God is trying to tell us something here.
“As a result of this many of His (Jesus’) disciples withdrew and were not walking with Him anymore.”—John 6:66
I really think it’s a waste of time and emotional energy to worry or speculate about what the “Mark of the Beast” is or to spend time researching or watching videos. The number 666 (Revelation 13:18) represents the AntiChrist, the man filled with the presence of Satan who will deceive the whole world into rejecting Christ to worship him alone.
John 6:66 points out that many of Christ’s disciples stopped following Him because His teachings became “difficult…Who can listen to it (John 6:60)?” Even after Jesus promised that “the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life (vs. 63)” they still stopped following after Him.
The twelve disciples did not turn away from listening to Jesus because they believed that He was the Messiah: “Simon Peter answered Him (Jesus), ‘Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life. We have believed and have come to know that You are the Holy One of God.’”—John 6:68-69
John 6:66 demonstrates those who don’t believe that Christ is the Messiah—God in the flesh (Matthew 1:23)—will not follow Him. As a result, they will be deceived by the AntiChrist and take his mark in the End Times. They won’t heed the warnings in the Bible because they already refuse to listen to God about sin, the world and the demonic. They are already lost and confused.
However, those who follow Jesus will not take the mark because “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand.”—Jesus, John 20:27-28
I honestly believe that, if you are a born again believer, you can relax because it will be evident to Christians what the “mark” is because we follow the Lord and will be warned by the Holy Spirit. I believe we won’t have to guess, when that time comes to refuse or accept the mark, because it will be self evident to us. The beast will demand that we worship him instead of Jesus. True believers will reject that demand.
Christians also have a seal on their hearts already, God’s mark: “having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, Who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, (Apostle Paul, Ephesians 1:13-14).”
So please relax, confident in God’s protection and ability to guide your soul safely into His kingdom. Whatever the future holds, He will be with His children.
“‘I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you,’ so that we can confidently say, ‘The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid. What will man do to me? (Hebrews 13:5-6)’”
Hope you found this post helpful and relieved some anxiety.
God bless you.
Love from Dawn and Buddy
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Jesus frequently referred to Himself as the source of truth. Whereas, Satan and the world (culture and governing authorities) are referred to as deceivers. If you don’t know the Lord Jesus or His Word—the Bible—in my opinion you can be deceived by evil. The Apostle John warned back in the early days of Christianity that “many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist (2 John 1:7).”
If you’re ready to follow the God of Truth, please repeat the following prayer: “Dear Heavenly Father, I call on Jesus to be my Lord and Savior. Please forgive my sin. I want to live for you. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit. Teach me to discern right and wrong, and truth from error. Thank you for Your love and mercy. In Jesus’ mighty name, amen.”
If you prayed with sincerity, congratulations: You are a born again child of God. You either just experienced the presence of God in your spirit or will slowly be aware of His presence. Please start reading the Bible to get to know Him better. I suggest starting with the book of Matthew as it’s easy to understand. Always pray for the Holy Spirit to guide your understanding when you read the Bible as it’s a supernatural book.
Also, please find a Bible-based church or Bible study to attend. Avoid any church claiming to be “woke” or “progressive” as they are not teaching the historical truth. If that’s not possible right now, these three ministries are my favorite and have apps for your convenience: http://www.LTW.org (Leading The Way), http://www.InTouch.org and www. BasicGospel.net.
God bless you. Keep growing in the knowledge of God and praying. Every time you pray, you’re opening up a powerful connection with the omnipotent God of the Universe.
Buddy and I look forward to meeting you in Heaven one day.
Meditations About God and Buddy 