Striving Against Sin and False Ways



"Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin."
(Hebrews 12:1-4)

I have had a lot of growing in the Lord in these last years and so I wanted to share a little in that. Perhaps some readers might be seeking deeper truth in a world where evil and deception abounds and sadly among those claiming to be God's people. It can be confusing out there, I know. 

"This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come."
(2 Timothy 3:1)

As I have shared before, I have grown up always hearing about God and being taught many of His ways. I have shared a little of my testimony before.

I grew up pretty sheltered from the world and from much sin for which I praise God for. I know that not one person on earth is free from sin and so I know even one so called "little sin" is big and an evil against a holy God just as Eve's sin sent the world into all this mess.

For many years I have been faithfully reading the Word and striving to obey all I knew. 

Much what I know now I just did not see clearly back then as I do now but I was seeking truth and the Lord has been faithful to show me more. 

So it really has been a matter of once you learn something isn't in line with scripture then many other things also go with it. 

I know I was deceived in how I viewed the church today and so now that I know how corrupt most all of that is, they have lost the authority that I perhaps thought they had. You tend to think that people more studied or older in the faith should know better...but it is not always so. Many have a form of godliness and perhaps are not even born again, and remember that satan can come as an angel of light and there are wolves in sheep's clothing.

"But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived."
(2 Timothy 3:13)

So many things that come with what is called Christianity today has to be questioned once you know it is corrupt and not what Christ ordained for His body. Yes I knew very many things were wrong but still I was not seeing clearly the true ways of God. I couldn't quite identify exactly what it was but now I know so many things are false and vain traditions of men and must all be rejected. 

A few things that I had to rethink and come to a conclusion on are the lies of Sunday being the Lord's Day and the pretrib rapture. I had to forsake pagan holidays like christmas and easter, and separate from those claiming Christ yet living in sin. 

In the past, I was also involved in music along with most of my family. I repented of that fleshly sin and threw away into the garbage all remaining things I had from it.

Now most claiming Christ today do not teach ladies to cover their heads. They usually say that it was just cultural or a woman's hair is her covering. I was swept away in that thinking also and so when I began to be convicted of that several years ago I was confused as to what is a true biblical covering. Is it just one that conceals the long hair or one that covers everything? I praise the Lord that He continued to convict me on this and even though yes it is something that the world and most so called Christians think is unnecessary and weird the Lord has spoken through His chosen one Paul and it is all in the plan that God has for His obedient women. Yes it was hard in my flesh for a little while to think that's what God required of me but by His power I pressed on and did it. 

I've shared before how my dress had to change a little bit from what I had grown up with in order to be fully biblical as I was wearing things that are adornments and the Word says in a couple places not to adorn. I've shared about women's dress here and I hope to continue to do so in hopes that it will help someone else to see what God's desire in this is in a world where just about anything goes.

I also had to learn the true submissive role of a woman in the body of believers. Because I had a wrong view of the church today I had this wrong also. I certainly thought women pastors and teachers were wrong but when I learned all the errors of today's so called believers and I learned how the true body of Christ works, I needed to put away my sin of going too far in theology which is stepping out of place for women. The Lord wants women to be in subjection to the men and so we need to be quiet in the body and we do not teach theology either. Yes we can be useful in sharing the gospel and we can teach and encourage women in their roles as I try to do on this blog but not have authority over men.

There are probably a few more things that do not come to mind right now that I had to see what scripture actually teaches and not what I had been taught or had always believed. Putting all this away for God's glory must come with those who are born again creations by the Spirit.

"Blessed is every one that feareth the Lord; that walketh in his ways."
(Psalm 128:1)

"And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell."
(Matthew 10:28)

My fear of the Lord has grown as I saw how holy He is and that to continue to sin against Him makes one in danger of hell fire. Also it has been about having great faith in the Lord and what He has said. It is impossible to please Him without faith. 

"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."
(Hebrews 11:1)

"Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed."
(John 20:29)

"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 11:6)

No I am not worthy to be where I am today. The Lord has been too good to me and I am blessed beyond measure to be a daughter of His.

I praise and thank Him for allowing me to see His truth and ways...and I want to continue to grow in Him and in knowledge of the truth. 

"Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.

But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen."
(2 Peter 3:17-18)

Blessed are you Lord! 

"Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them,

Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able."
(Luke 13:23-24)

"And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me."
(Luke 9:23)

So I go on day by day striving against sin and trying to live blameless for my Lord. I praise Him for allowing my eyes to be opened and I know He will continue to show me more truth from His Word as I desire to see it.

"Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:

Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it."
(Matthew 7:13-14)

I thought a sister in Christ might especially appreciate this picture:-)

Tonight we were making pizza again. Sometimes I make yeast free pizza bases but I didn't have enough raising agent so I dug out a recipe from a sister. I've made it a couple times before. 

I was also wearing an apron that this sister had helped me make by giving me the idea. 

That might represent the physical help this sister has given me...but the spiritual help has been far greater. I praise God for what the Lord has led this sister and her husband to do for the Lord and in His timing it could help me...for eternity. God be praised!

Brother and sister, I greatly appreciate all the help, the encouragement, the edification, the emails, the prayers, and the sharing you have done with me (and countless others). I know you are very busy and you face some tough things out there in the heat of the battle but you truly love like no other. To God be the glory! 

"Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:"
(1 Peter 1:22)

And we all strive on against sin. 

"If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.

Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.

Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,

I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."

(Philippians 3:11-14)

If we endure, then all God's holy saints - past, present, and future - shall gather at the marriage supper of the Lamb. Will you be there?

See the biblical gospel to eternal life here