God Has A Doorway

“I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you gave keep my word and have not denied my name.” Revelation 3:8

Sometime was can become so disappointed because a door has been closed in our lives. We can be e pest something to come, but it only passes us by. I get so discouraged when these things happen, sometimes it’s difficult to trust that God knows better than I do.

I have been saving money to go and see my son. I was so excited that I almost had enough. And then my vehicle decides to take a dump. Yes, I was so discouraged I sat down and cried “Are you Kidd me right now.” I had to use the money I was saving for a down-payment on a vehicle.

I’m sure I’m not the only one who thinks their getting ahead and then the doors shuts. “Well, that didn’t happen the way it was supposed to. Ok, so why did the door shut, “Was a just having more bad luck? Did God shut the door because He has something bigger planned? I prefer to stand on the latter – something bigger is planned for me.

I always think “when will things work out for me,” During those low moments in life. Being discouraged, disheartened, and stuck in a rut, it is sometimes tough to see beyond the door that just closed.

Waiting for God to move in our lives is difficult, especially when our desires have not been met. It is so tempting to just give up after the first, second or even third shut door. But in reality we know we have to persevere until the correct door is made known to us.

Hebrews 10:35 says, a closed door doesn’t mean that it’s over. On the contrary, it means that God is getting us ready for something bigger, better, and greater than before.

“Therefore don’t throw away your boldness, which has a great reward. For you need endurance so that, having done the will of God, you may receive the promise. In a very little while, he who comes will come, and not wait.” -Hebrews 10:35-37

You have come to far to back down and quit trying. Don’t let closed doors bother you. Keep moving forward. Remember where you are right now in only temporary, it is not where you are going to remain.

God use’s everything you have gone through for good, and to move you closer to Him. God used Goliath to strengthen David. And He will use your closed doors ti strengthen you.

No matter what your you are facing, don’t give up. Try again, and reach higher, think bigger, Pray bolder.

Trust God, even if you can’t understand what’s happening in your life. Continue to seek Him, and He will shed a light that can lead you show you to the open door. God is here for all of us. If we wound give Him a chance.

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Temptation And Testing

The world increasingly ignores, laughs at, or even mocks the idea of sin, and true believers Today tint take it seriously either. They might want to be delivered from their sins at some point – But not yet.

Oscar Wilde, a famous Irish playwright said “I can resist everything except temptation.”

I have been asked many times, “why people in the world are suffering, why is there so much pain?“ While some of it is because we live in a “fallen world.” Much of it is because of sin. God takes sin seriously – far more serious than we do. We either obey God or disobey Him, there is no other option, and He holds us accountable for our choices.

We make our own choices, and then our choices make us. Those choices put us on one of two roads through life, the easy way that leads us to destruction or the path hard way that leads to life (Matthew 7:13-14). Temptation and testing are intimately bound up with these decisions.

The Nature of Temptation and Testing

Temptation to sin has been universal throughout history, no one had ever been exempt from it or from the consequences of yielding to it. In God’s Word temptation is an enticement to act in disobedience to His Will. It’s sources are the world, the flesh, and Satan. A test is a situation that God sends or allows in our lives with the intention of revealing our loyalties, motivations, character, and commitment to Him and helping to purify, strengthen, and mature us. If this test is successfully passed, the test will glorify God. Tests and temptations occur throughout our lives and are an important part of the process of maturing spiritually.

Major Examples of Temptation and Testing

Testing and temptation first appear in the Bible in the Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve. This ancient account contains valuable insights for us today. Here we see that God lovingly places the first parents in a beautiful garden, which abounded with everything they needed to flourish as humans. He only set one restriction; “You may eat of every tree in the garden, but you shall not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you will surely die.” – Genesis 2:16-17

God designed this test to give Adam and Eve the opportunity to demonstrate their gratitude, love, and trust in Him by obeying one simple command. However tests hold the possibility of failure, and failure is always to goal of the devil, who rages against God and His people with an implacable hatred. He will tempt those who are being tested to disobey God. What God means for good, the devil will try to expliot for evil. What happen in the Garden demonstrates this fact and also gives us good lessons for resisting his schemes.

The serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field they to Lord God had made. – Genesis 3:1

He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, you shall not eat of any tree in the Garden?” And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the Garden, neither shall you touch it lest you die.” then the serpent said “You will not surely die, for God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” So then the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of it’s fruit and ate, and she gave some to her husband ate from it also. -Genius 3:1-6

When God told Adam not to eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil “You shall surly die.” By die meant you shall spiritually die.

A silly idea is current that good people do not know what temptation means. This is an obvious lie. Only those who resist temptation know how strong it is… A man who givens in to temptation after five minutes simply does not know what it would have been like an hour later. That is why bad people, on one sense, know very little about badness. They have lived a sheltered life by always giving in. We never find out the strength of evil impulse inside us until we try to fight it and Christ because He was the only man who never yielded to temptation, is the only man who knows to the full what temptation means – the only complete realist,

C.S. Lewis

When the devil tempts us, he doesn’t appear in hoofs and horns. He appears in an appealing guise. The devil has the power to assume a pleasing shape. The serpent in the Garden is described as crafty, and was more than likely beautiful like a emerald viper, not a hissing cobra or rattlesnake. The tempter seemingly innocent initial approach is deceptive ploy to ensnare Eve. He quickly moved to directly contradict God’s Word about the consequences of eating the fruit, “You will not surely die.” In this deft move, he undermined Eve’s trust to God’s goodness by contending that God was withholding something from her. “to be like God.” By introducing unbelief, followed by an appeal to pride, he cleverly placed a powerful temptation before Eve. She could have passed the test by simply obeying God’s command, for the tempt of could not have forced her to eat the fruit. Instead, she considered the apparent benefits of eating – it was good for food, a delight to make one wise. She freely chose to disobey God, and ate of the fruit. And gave it to Adam who ate too.

That one tragic choice brought disastrous consequences upon them, their family, and every person that ever lived. It alienated them from God brought Eve painful childbearing and Adam pointless work, murder to their family all in a manner of suffering, that led to eventual physical death. It also plunged the world into a catastrophic rebellion against God that has produced untold pain, suffering, and misery to this present day,

And what can we learn from this account? First the obvious one is the devil’s subtlety in lying and deception. With has major tactic throughput the Bible. Another is his malevolent war against God and His Word. And the devil’s hatred towards human beings in very clear, along with his cunning schemes to deceive, seduce, and tempt us in order to thwart God’s kingdom, purposes, alienate us from God, and bring suffering and judgment upon us. The devil uses our vulnerability to temptation and our need to be alert to sinful attractions to linger in our minds and looking only for the appealing features of sin and not the night and painful price we will have to pay is another important lesson we learn.

Another implicit lesson is our great need to quickly turn to God when we are tempted and to reject evil thoughts and not allow them to linger in our minds. We can also see here the root problems of unbelief and pride, such powerful avenues of temptation, and the tragic consequences of failing a test God has set before us,

The seduction of Adam and Eve also illustrates that the devil seeks every opportunity for strategic impact against God. And we can see it very clear.

Resisting The Devil

“Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” – James 4:7

When the devil tries to assault your mind, telling you that your God-given rights will never come to pass, how do you resist the assaults. Do you stand firm against the lies and command his to leave. Or do you allow the devil to keep mentally assaulting your mind with these lying allegations?

“Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” The word resist comes from the Greek word anthistemi, which a compound of the words anti and anti and istemi. This word anti means against which is to oppose something, while the word intimi means to stand. The two words together means to stand against or to stand in opposition. The word demonstrates the attitude of one who is fiercely opposed to something and determines that he will do everything in his power to resist, to stand against it, and defy its operation.

In James we can clearly see that we must be aggressively determined to stand against the work of the devil. We cannot just close our eyes and hope the enemy will go away that won’t work. We have to dig in and brace ourselves for a fight, we must put our full force forward to drive the devil out of our lives. Our stand against the devil must be firm. Our stand must be unyielding and steadfast if we want to successfully resist his bombardment of lies against our minds and emotions.

As I am writing this, a keep thinking of the movie ‘War Room.’ Where Elizabeth stands firm against the devil to save her marriage.

The word “devil” is a translation from Diabolos which is more of a job description than his name. If you understand the word ‘devil,’ then you also can know exactly how the devil works. dia actually means to pierce something from one side all the way through to the other side. And the word ballo means to throw, as when a person throws a ball or a rock. These two words together means to repetitiously throne something, striking it again and again until the object being struck has finally been completely penetrated.

This word Diabolos is a vivid job description for the devil. It tells us exactly how the devil operates. He always comes to assault the mind not once but many times. He strikes us again and again to wear down our resistance. Then as soon as we let down of mental resistance the devil gives one last final punch that he finally succeeds in penetrating our minds. Once the devil has gained access into our minds, he begins to add lie upon lie, if we listen to those lies and believe them, the devil will successfully build a stronghold in our lives. And the devil can begin to control and manipulate our every thought.

So, instead of letting the devil fill your head with a whole bunch of lies. Start to resist him. Tell him to shut-up, and stop dropping all of the lies in your head. Tell him that he’s not welcome there.

We All Need A Safe Place

Have you noticed that people are at the brim of anger lately? One of the reasons for this is that we’ve bottled u too many emotions, we are so good at stuffing things away. We bite our tongues, choke back tears, and try to suppress every outward show of emotion because we want to be strong,

The problem is that all those pent-up emotions don’t just go away. Instead, they just keep accumulating, but, at some point, the bottle will be full. There usually comes a day when, without much provocation, our bottle overflows and often that leads to a angry outburst.

So, why do we hold everything in? I think it’s because we think we will seem weak if we cry or admit that were struggling. Maybe it’s because we are afraid people will think we’re dramatic. Or is it because we don’t know what we can trust? We think we should be able to handle things on our own. Or maybe we’re afraid we will be judged. I think it’s all f these.

So, we may just shrivel up and wither under the bombardment of other people’s opinions. After all the thoughts we have or what others think of us something inside of us dies. We put up a wall around us, that repels everything “bad” that comes our way.

You can get to the point that you don’t share anything because you know what you’ll get back will ‘feel’ like an attack. But when you’ve been abused so often everything feels like a threat.

So, what’s a safe place?

Is it a fortress where you can hide away and no one comes near? Perhaps that place behind the wall where everything is fine. We have to keep up appearances.

Or is it a physical place where you know you won’t be interrupted? Somewhere we can hide away and ‘be yourself somewhere you can let your guard down.

How would you define a safe place?

Mine definitely is, walking somewhere where I can hear the trees rustling in the wind and pouring my heart out to God.

Maybe we need to understand what James 1:19-20 is telling us,

You must understand this, my beloved; let everyone we quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger; for your anger does not produce God’s righteousness..

We meet so many people want to fix, advise, save or set you straight these days. Maybe if they would read James they would see that we need something that slowed and unhurried in our conversation.

To be a safe person is to offer a safe place to slow down. Maybe you’ve felt it, you walk into a place or see a person and instantly know you can be yourself, and let your guard down. And maybe even put that weight you’ve been carrying down if even for a little while.

And maybe become secure enough to leave or burdens at the door and not pick them back up when we leave.

Anything outside of this may come from and generates a place of stress, or anger, where frustrations leak out into the space and stifles love.

A began building my wall to keep everything away at a very young age. The only time I lowered my wall was when I was under the influence of any substance. At which point I just really didn’t care what I said or did or what people thought of me. When I sobered up, that wall was in place again. It was a very lonely place to be, Yes I kept everything and everyone away from me. Everything I perceived ad bad, as well as the good.

It took me years of healing to be able to take that wall down piece by piece. I began trusting and loving again. And letting people into my life, that I kept stuffed away deep inside me.

God Restores Souls

In our brokenness, we may hear that we aren’t enough, not worthy, abandoned, betrayed, and the many more Satan tries to spew out and into our minds, But realize you are enough, you are worthy, you are loved, secured and restored.

“He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.” -Psalm 23:3

“The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.” -Psalm 34:18

When I was struggling with experiences, that nearly destroyed my life. I was lead to this scripture., it still remains one of my favorites.

“I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the great locust, the grasshopper, and the caterpillar, my great army, which I sent among you.” -Joel 2:25

Where there is Jesus there is peace.

Have you ever noticed when you are going through difficult situations in your life, we always resort back to your old ways? Maybe some of these are coping mechanisms that we lean on our own knowledge and strength.

Yet, in reality we are delaying the obvious, and that is nothing will change if we keep repeating the same cycle over and over.

The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results,

Albert Einstein

Brokenness is a place where God can come into our lives and lead us into His strength and His understanding. I wonder sometimes how people can operate daily with God.

Jesus never promised us peace in this life. He only promises the peace He can give you whether you are happy or sad.

In James 1:2-4 the Bible says to “count it all Joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”

So while we are in these trials and struggles, we are to find joy in them. Now doesn’t that seem impossible? Why should I find joy in my struggles?

What purpose is there for me to be experiencing and enduring this situation that has only caused me pain?

In Romans 5 teaches us that we have been declared righteous by faith, and we have peace with God through Jesus. We have also obtained access to God through faith into grace in which we stand. We rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. And that we also rejoice in our affliction, because we know that affliction produces endurance, and endurance produces proven character, and proven character produces hope. This hope will not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Sprit to was given to us.

Is your brokenness leading to Christ? Or is it leading you astray? Oftentimes we go back to our own ways because of shame, guilt, and even anger because that is what our flesh desires us to do.

God can not restore you if your not willing to let Him take care of you. I think of how many times a picked back up all the pain, and sorrow that I just kept pushing it down deeper to try and hide it.

When we refocus on the path that God had for us (Matthew 18:12-24). Yes, it sometimes takes the forgiveness of others and of ourselves. We can expect God to restore our life if we won’t give Him access to our pain.

“For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels, not rulers, nor things present nor things to come, not powers, not height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” – Romans 8:38-39

The Lord is the Father of mercies and God of all affliction. Will just have to refuse to pick up our pain and struggle after we have given it to God. We share an abundance of Christ’s sufferings, and we can share abundantly in His comfort too.

The Bible’s Honest Words

Believe it or not God’s grace calls you to suffer and it calls you to wait, but it never calls you to stand in your own strength or to stand alone.

The Bible never denies reality. The Bible never plays it safe. The Bible never offers you a cosmetic view of the fallen world. The Bible never tricks you into thinking things are better than they are. The Bible is straightforward and honest but not void of hope.

While it is very candid about the hardships of life in this broken world, the Bible is gloriously hopeful. It’s honest does not crush Hope, but neither does the Bible negate honesty. Psalm 28 is a good example of the important harmony of these two themes:

To you, Lord, I call. My rock, be not deaf to me, lest, if you are silent to me, I would become like those who go down into the pit. Hear the voice of my petitions,when I cry to you, when I left up my hands toward your Most Holy Place. Don’t draw me away with the wicked, with the workers of iniquity who speak race with the neighbors, but mischief is in their hearts. Give them according to their work, and according to the wickedness of their doings. Give them according to the operation of their hands. Bring back on them what they deserve. Because they don’t respect the works of the Lord, nor the operation of his hands, he will break them down and not build them up. Blessed is the Lord because He had heard the voice of my petitions. The Lord is my strength and my shields. My heart has trusted in Him, and I am helped. Therefore my heart greatly rejoices. With my song I will thank Him. The Lord is their strength. He is a stronghold of salvation to His anointed. Save your people, bless your inheritance. Be their shepherd also and bear them up forever.

Psalm 28:1-9

This Psalm of trouble ends up being a Psalm of shining hope. That’s the account of the life of every believer, because you and I are never alone in our trouble. The “saving refuge” is always with us.

The Benefits Of Grace

Our relationship with Jesus is not a bunch of chores to do. It is about resting in what He has already done.

God love us with an undeserving favor and His love for us in unconditional. Once we realize the our life is a gift, we can begin to honor Him for His love.

At the very center and core of the whole Bible is the doctrine of the grace of God. Grace is the most important concept in the Bible. Grace is the love of God shown to the unlovely; the peace of God given to the restless which is the unmerited favor of God.

Grace I’d free sovereign favor to the i’ll deserving.

Grace is God reaching downward to people who are in rebellion against Him.

Grace is unconditional love toward a person who does not deserve it.

Grace is the most needed and best understood in the midst of sin, suffering, and brokenness. We live in a world of earning, deserving and merit and these always result in judgement. Everyone needs grace because judgement kills, and Grace makes us alive.

Grace is the opposite of karma, which is all about getting what you don’t deserve (reaping what you sow). Grace is getting what you don’t deserve, and not getting what you deserve.

Grace is not about us. Grace is fundamental word about God and His un-coerced initiative and pervasive demonstrations of care and favor. Grace gives nothing less than God Himself.

For God is working for you, giving you the desire and power to do what pleases Him (Philippians 2:13).

Grace brings many great benefits to our lives.

  • We are saved by grace

The only way to heaven is through the doorway of grace. We cannot earn it, we can’t work for it, and we can’t buy it. (Ephesians 2:8-9).

  • We are forgiven by grace

Though we don’t deserve it. God wipes our slate clean by His grace (Isaiah 43:25).

  • We are sustained by grace

God will never ask us to do anything He doesn’t give us ability and power to do. That power and ability is called grace (Philippians 2:13).

  • We are healed by grace

God heals our broken hearts and binds up or wounds even though we don’t deserve it (Psalm 147:3).

  • We are liberated by grace

Our relationship with Jesus is not a bunch of chosen to do, instead it’s about resting in what the Lord had already done. If your life is not a life of resting in Jesus, then you’re moving into legalism (Matthew 11:28-30).

  • We are given talents by grace

God had given each of us the ability to do something well, and we are to use those talents to do God’s will (Romans 12:6).

  • We are used by grace

God uses us to fulfill His purposes in this world, not because of anything we’ve done but simply through His grace (Ephesians 3:7).

  • We are transformed by grace

Through His grace, God makes us new through the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:3).

  • We are matured by grace

God’s works on making us more like Jesus happens not because we have earned it or by our own effort but by the grace of God (2 Peter 3:18).

While the law was given through Moses, but God’s unfailing love and faithfulness came through His Son Jesus Christ. (John 1:17).

Miracles Require Action

God doesn’t just sometimes decide to do a miracle, and sometimes not to. He is always ready to do a miracle in your life.

To receive a miracle you need to be an active participant, not a spectator. If you need a miracle in your life – get off your couch, and get involved with your miracle. Every miracle in the Bible that Jesus did, required some action.

2 Kings 5:1-15 tells of Naaman a Army captain who had leprosy, who seeked for a healing through the prophet Elisha. When he was told to go wash in the Jordon river 7 times. Naaman became angry, he though Elisha would greet him face to face, and call upon God, wave his hand over Naaman’s rotting flesh and he would be cured, but Naaman was instructed to bathe himself in the muddy murky waters of the Jordon River seven times. But Naaman didn’t like the looks of the Jordan River. He had better rivers at home, he believed. He wondered why he just couldn’t bathe there. Naaman became frustrated at Elisha’s advice. And he decided he was not going to immerse himself in the dirty was, not even once, let alone seven times. But Naaman had a caring council of servants, who came to him and asked him to shallow his pride and do as Elisha said. And take a few dips in the Jordon. After doing this Naaman was healed but not after he realized he wasn’t to good to bathe in dirty water. His healing required him to do some things he just didn’t want to do.

Like Naaman, sometimes we have to swallow our pride and do what God, says. To get our miracle. God wants to heal us all. But how many of us are not willing to do what the savior instructs us to do to get our healing.

Having faith in God, is shown time and time again in God’s Word. If you need a healing maybe it’s time to get with “the game” and make God your focus, rather than your circumstances.

How To Lose Your Soul

What are you worth? What is your value? What would you trade your soul for? Is there anything worth more than your soul?

“For what profit is it to man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul?” Mathew 16:26

Jesus said that your soul is worth more than the rest of the world put together. Yet, we tend to put all of our emphasis on the body with it’s pleasures and it’s physical appetite.

Satan is the ruler of this world, and he seeks to kill, steal, and destroy every part of our souls. Matter 10:28 tells us “Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” As I think about everything that is going on in the world today. I can clearly see that Satan is hard at work destroying the souls of people.

Here are some ways Satan is getting us to lose our souls,

  • Greed

“You shall not covet your neighbors house, You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, or his ox, nor his donkey, not anything that is your neighbor’s.” – Exodus 20:17

One of the hungriest soul eaters is greed – the feeling that we never have enough. We use all kinds of tactics to hide our greed, like pretending we want the best we can be when what we really want is to be better than everyone else so we can have more than everyone else.

It is a fallacy to think that only the rich are greedy. Greed is a state of mind equally possessed by rich and poor. Greed kills our souls because it fixes the attention on getting rather than on giving, and when we’re focused on getting (regardless of the reasons we tell ourselves) then our eyes are off of heaven and riveted on the things of this world.

  • Dishonesty

“You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.” – Exodus 20:16

What a wonderful world this would be if people always told the truth. How many souls are lost each day because lying is easier than telling the truth?

Lies to cover mistakes and weaknesses

Lies to make you richer quicker

Lie to save you from justice

Dishonesty is the servant of pride. Whenever there is a first lie it is usually told to protect ego or to lift one’s ego above another, then other lies simply come about to protect the original deception.

God is true, His word is truth, and to lie is to become a child of Satan who is the original liar. The Bible says Satan is “the Father of lies” (John 8:44).

  • Theft

“You Shall not steal” – Exodus 20:15

A close cousin to lying is stealing. There is a saying that goes “If they will lie, they will steal.” One vice seems to follow the other.

In our materialistic, highly competitive world there is such temptation and pressure to get what you need to keep up with everyone else, even if you have to get it by stealing a car, or stealing from a business or cheating to get an edge it’s all the same. Whenever you take what doesn’t belong to you, not matter how little it is, it’s stealing.

The sad part is that a person may save time, money, or effort by stealing but they forfeit their soul by doing it.

  • Impurity

“You shall not commit adultery.” -Exodus 20:14

The misuse of sex is the most powerful tool that satan has in his toolbox that destroys us. The natural power of sex makes it a potentially dangerous thing. Like explosives it can be used for good or bad.

Sex has the power to bond man and woman together for life in a marriage. But when it is used outside of that which included adultery, homosexuality, pornography, or other perverse sexual activity and impurity, this illicit sex creates guilt, self-hatred, shame, and the feeling of unworthiness.

Some people don’t know how to ask for forgiveness and those that do often struggle their entire lives with feelings of uncleanness. The Apostle Paul warned that sexual sin was a “sin against one’s own body.” ( 1 Corinthians 6:18).

  • Murder

“You shall not murder.” Exodus 20:13

Murdering someone is definitely a soul destroyer because it is a direct strike at God, since mankind is made in the image of God.

Or course, few people actually deliver the final blow that ends the life of another human being but we are guilty of inflicting the kind of damage that leads in that direction.

The secret harm of gossip

The silent harm of resentment indifference

The debilitating harm of abuse to another or yourself through mental torment or substance abuse.

Violence against the weak, unborn, old, etc…

God puts a high premium on human life because it shares His own nature and when we damage or endanger our lives or the lives of others, our own souls are at risk.

There’s an ancient law of life that still stands today as it is written.

“Whoever sheds man’s blood, by man his blood will be shed by man, for God made man in His own image. -Genesis 9:6

  • Dishonoring Parents

“Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be prolonged in the land which the Lord your God gives you.” -Exodus 20:12

I find it interesting that study after modern-day study concludes that the majority of our social ills can be traced back to the breakdown of the family unit. But what does the breakdown of the family unit actually mean? It means that fathers and mothers refuse to take on their responsibilities, and children rebel against their parents. This then manifests itself in a sinful and chaotic social situation and further destruction of modern families who are caught in this vicious cycle. The Bible says that honoring parents is the surest way to be blessed by God because it preserves the family and helps avoid the corroding influences of the world that kills a person’s soul.

  • Dishonoring God

This includes:

Ignoring Spiritual Exercise

Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of the Lord your God in it, you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter, make of female servant or your cattle of your sojourner who stays with you. For you in six days, the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.” – Exodus 20:8-11

A person’s soul needs to be fed in the same way that a physical body needs care and feeding. Souls often die of starvation and the signs of spiritual starvation are clear:

Weakness towards temptation

Lack of interest In Spiritual things

No desire to be with God in prayer

Doing little or nothing in the name of Jesus Christ

Going to church, reading your Bible, serving others, prayer, praise – all these things are necessary to keep one’s soul alive. To ignore these things of God is to dishonor God Himself.

I was asked just last week, “Why do you go to church every Sunday Church’s are so judgmental.” I answered them “I don’t go to church for the people, I go to church to feed my soul, and to boost my spirits.”

Blasphemy

“You shall not take the name of the Lord your Godwin vain, for the Lord will not leave him unpunished who takes His name in vain.” – Exodus 20:7

We can take the Lord’s name in vain when we use it to swear an oath such as “I swear to God.” If we lie or do not follow through on the oath, we have taken His name in vain. Some people think it simply means not to curse using God’s name. Though that is certainly inappropriate and showing Him the utmost disrespect for Him, that is nota,k that is meant by this command. Another way is to say phrases like “Oh my God.” These type phrases are commonly used in daily speech without giving any thought to it. And society has accepted this, but according to the Word of God it is blasphemy.

Idol Worship

“You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth. You shall not worship them or serve the; for I the Lord your God, am a jealous God visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me.” – Exodus 20:4-5

This has taken many forms throughout history but basically it the remaking of God into a form created by man. In ancient times they used the sun, stars, animals, or mythic personalities and hero’s. We do it by transforming God into a philosophy, family, feelings, nature, or material worth. (America’s idol seems to be money).

God is supposed to reside at the center of our being. If He isn’t there then whatever is in His place,whatever makes us tick, drives us, or what we serve is our idol. For some it’s money, fame, sex, power, sports, a car etc… That idol may be something that moves us through life but will not save our souls in the end. Only God at the center can do this.

Disbelief

“I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me.” – Exodus 20:2-3

There is only One God and He had clearly revealed Himself

Through creation

Through our consciences

Through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.

Today, even Archaeologists are bringing the truth of God in their digging sites.

God says that there is no excuse for disbelief (Romans 1:18-21). In the end the #1 reason why people lose their soul is because they refuse to believe in God, refuse to believe in Jesus who God sent with signs and wonders. The number #1 reason why followers of God lose their soul is because they stop believing what they once held as true.

All of these ways to lose your soul – lying, stealing, impurity, murder usually stem from a lack of faith in God and refusal to be obedient to God’s Son Jesus Christ.

When Jesus asked His disciples “What will you give in exchange for your soul” Jesus reminded them that the power of free will works both ways.

We can choose to believe and follow Jesus into eternal life.

We can choose to throw it all away by falling victim to the soul killers in the things I mentioned above.

The choice belongs to each of us, and we exercise that choice each and every day.