Culture Doesn't Win

No matter what culture or judges may say, the bible will always be our moral compass of what is right and what is wrong. Sin will always be sin, but thank God that we have an answer for the world, not a compromise, it's the cleansing power of God's love and Grace! hod's love wins over sin! We have a job to do. Stand firm, don't be moved by culture.

Romans 1:18-32
But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who suppress the truth by their wickedness.... Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn't worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused. Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools. And instead of worshiping the glorious, ever-living God, they worshiped idols made to look like mere people and birds and animals and reptiles.

So God abandoned them to do whatever shameful things their hearts desired. As a result, they did vile and degrading things with each other's bodies. They traded the truth about God for a lie. So they worshiped and served the things God created instead of the Creator himself, who is worthy of eternal praise! Amen.

That is why God abandoned them to their shameful desires. Even the women turned against the natural way to have sex and instead indulged in sex with each other. And the men, instead of having normal sexual relations with women, burned with lust for each other. Men did shameful things with other men, and as a result of this sin, they suffered within themselves the penalty they deserved.

Since they thought it foolish to acknowledge God, he abandoned them to their foolish thinking and let them do things that should never be done. Their lives became full of every kind of wickedness, sin, greed, hate, envy, murder, quarreling, deception, malicious behavior, and gossip. They are backstabbers, haters of God, insolent, proud, and boastful. They invent new ways of sinning, and they disobey their parents. They refuse to understand, break their promises, are heartless, and have no mercy. They know God's justice requires that those who do these things deserve to die, yet they do them anyway. Worse yet, they encourage others to do them, too. (NLT)

1 Corinthians 6:9-11
Don't you realize that those who do wrong will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Don't fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes, or practice homosexuality, or are thieves, or greedy people, or drunkards, or are abusive, or cheat people-none of these will inherit the Kingdom of God. Some of you were once like that. But you were cleansed; you were made holy; you were made right with God by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. (NLT)

1 Timothy 1:8-10
Now we know that the law is good, if one uses it lawfully, understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers, the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine ... (ESV)
#lovewins #truelovewins #Godislove #Godistheanswer #Godlovesthesinnerhatesthesin #thegospel

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Unbiblical View of Love

When you read Paul's writings, by today's "Christian" standards and OPINIONS of "just love each other" he was one of the most judgmental and arrogant Christians out there..... He was calling believers "Dear Idiots of Galatia." he was turning people over "for the destruction of their flesh that their soul may be saved." He was pretty harsh in his judging the fruits and lifestyles of congregants and leaders who were giving themselves over to false doctrine, walking out of love, exploring and living in abased sexual perversion (the society of that time was just, if not more, sexually perverse as our culture), living "drunk with wine wherein is excess", and much much more! And he even judged Peter. All that to say, the modern church has adopted a warped unbiblical view of love. Love has become an excuse for not speaking out against injustice and sin. Love has become a crutch and a handicap to be comfortable and just live our simple life and call ourselves Christians but denying the power of the Gospel. Biblical love is one of the topics I have done much studying on, and I'm a huge believer in the importance of love in our lives as believers! But what modern Christians are claiming love is, have thoroughly missed the mark on true biblical love. It's important that we become scholars of the Word in these days, more than ever before. And that we don't interpret the truths in it in light of our flesh driven  or unsaved friends, family, leaders. The love of God brings men unto repentance, NOT the tolerance and acceptance of God.

hatred

Its amazing how hate can completely change the way a person sees the world and others. Hatred is such a powerful thing that it can and will alter your memory, emotions, and opinions without you even noticing it.

"Anyone who claims to live in God’s light and hates a brother or sister is still in the dark. It’s the person who loves brother and sister who dwells in God’s light and doesn’t block the light from others. But whoever hates is still in the dark, stumbles around in the dark, doesn’t know which end is up, blinded by the darkness." ~ 1 John 2:9-11 MSG


Short thought for today.... I have a felling there is more to come on this topic. Stay tuned.

FORGIVENESS: is it simply saying 'I'm sorry.'?

Forgiveness. This seems to be one of the most misinterpreted subjects in today's society. It's misinterpretation is right up there with love, which make sense considering how connected the two subjects are. Forgiveness is something I've thought on, meditated on, studied out, failed at, learned about through failure, and lived out. Forgiveness is a growing and maturing process. It is something that will be difficult at times, but to neglect it will cause you an even more difficult time. To some, forgiveness is merely saying, "I'm sorry." As a way of bringing peace, but really lacking any heart or true change to either parties involved. To others, it's a difficult process of laying everything out on the table and getting it off your chest. But, what is TRUE forgiveness? Is it as easy as saying, "I'm sorry." or is it difficult, tasking work? 

For those who may not know, I've grown up in ministry. I was born into a minister's home and for nearly 30 years I have been around the most wonderful situations and the most trying situations. I've seen Christians play church, I've seen others rise to the challenges of life and become a story of victory and success, I've seen others fall into the same patterns as sinners and often fall out of church or off their purpose and course God had laid before them. None of these people started out any different, but they all faced the same choice, forgiveness. Nine times out of ten, when someone falls out of the church and out of fellowship with the body of Christ, offense was the root of it all. This happens when something is done to a person or when they perceive that something is done to them and refuse to let it go. "But Jessica, you have no clue what they did to me!" No, that may be true, but I can say from experience that no matter what they've done to you it is not worth allowing bitterness, offense, and strife, the fruit of unforgiveness, to enter in to your heart. No matter what someone has done to you, you have a choice to live free of the wrongs and hurts caused or to live bound by them daily. The choice is always yours. 

How I learned what true forgiveness is.

As I stated previously, my personal background has shown me many things in the realm of Christian living. It has also afforded me many opportunities to be enslaved to hatred and bitterness towards the church and towards people who call themselves Christians. The temptations have been great in times past. How did I choose to stay in ministry, let alone in the church? Because I learned a valuable lesson many years ago about forgiveness. I was in my late teens and someone who had been very close to me and and integral part of my family's life,  left. They abandoned us. I won't go into the details as I feel it's not profitable, but there was much hurt, pain, and tears caused. At the time I was in college, surrounded by people who bashed Christians and the church as unloving, and having been a loud advocate against such accusations, I was experiencing an unloving situation and now found myself questioning. As the fruit of what this person did was becoming more and more evident, I became angry and bitter towards them. I allowed unforgiveness to grip my heart. At the time, I couldn't even see it. It happened so slow and before I knew it, I wasn't the Jessica I used to be. I was becoming more loose in my beliefs, seeking out advice from worldly people and making horrible decisions. I was so far from who I used to be, why? I didn't know at the time, I couldn't pinpoint it, but I just knew I was dissatisfied. I didn't like who I saw in the mirror, but I didn't know why. While hanging out one evening with some unsaved friends who were sharing their sadness, their troubles, all the things I had the answers to but didn't feel I was good enough to share the answer with them, I mean I was a hypocrite because I was walking in unforgiveness. In the midst of this I heard a voice I knew all to well from my youth, a voice I had muted because of shame and bitterness, but a voice I knew was always there. The voice said, "Jessica, I didn't call you to be like them, I called you to make them like you, spotless in my sight." There was something that ignited in me. But still the question remained, how did I get to this point? I began seeking God's face and seeking answers. Some time later I was in conversation with my mom(she may not even remember this conversation, but I do so very clearly), and the answer came. She said, "Jessi, I feel like you're spiraling out of control and I feel it's because you haven't forgiven so-and-so." And in my heart I knew my mom just gave me the key to being free from the bitterness in my heart. When I acted on this forgiveness, I felt liberated and felt more myself than I had been in a long time, and for the first time I saw how bound I had truly been. Things began to change drastically in my life and the relationship with that person was restored. I didn't lay everything out, nor did I simply leave it at "I'm sorry." I made a decision to forgive, ask their forgiveness for my anger and bitterness, and moved on as if things had never happened. It was that simple. Is this biblical forgiveness? I believe so and I'm going to show you what I found in scriptures that shows me this is the pattern to follow. 

What the Bible says about true forgiveness.

We find that Proverbs 17:9 in the Amplified Bible says, "He who covers and forgives an offense seeks love, but he who repeats or harps on a matter separates even close friends." And the NLT says it like this, "Love prospers when a fault is forgiven, but dwelling on it separates close friends." True forgiveness forgets the matter completely! This verse tells us that when you cover (hide from sight) an offense and forgive it that you are seeking love. But when we continually try to push our ideas or hurts through and talk or gossip about them, we become separated from even our closest friend. The number one relationship killer is offense. It killed countless marriages, countless pastoral relationships, countless businesses, and the like. 

In Proverbs 10:12 we find that, "Hatred stirs up contentions, but love covers all transgressions." When you have allowed unforgiveness and hatred to grip you heart, you will seek out and find faults with the other person to stir up and talk about. But when you allow love to reign in your heart, you will cover any transgressions the other person may do. And finally Peter tells us, "Above all things have intense and unfailing love for one another, for love covers a multitude of sins [forgives and disregards the offenses of others]." (1 Peter 4:8 AMP)

This last one has to be my absolute favorite in dealing with this subject. But there's a very important word each of these verses contains that I want to discuss: COVERS. We see the word "covers" referring to how love handles offenses and wrongs done to us. What does it mean? Does in mean you know it's there, but you just throw a sheet over it? It may be "covered," but you still have the knowledge of what was done to you, right? I had these same questions and had my beliefs of forgiveness challenged many times, but here's the liberating truth I found. The word "covers" used in these verses comes from the Greek word, kalyptō (Pronunciation: kä-lü'p-tō). The word kalyptō is a verb and it means to hide, veil, and to hinder the knowledge of a thing. To hinder the knowledge of a thing! So when we choose to forgive, we choose for the knowledge of all of offenses, hurts, pains, wrongs, violence in word or deed, anything done towards us that has caused us harm will be stripped from our thought life! We really will forgive and forget! We really can live free of those hurts and pains! We really can rise above the criticisms and hateful words of others. And, we really can live free of offense, bitterness, and strife, the fruits of unforgiveness! 

Finally I will leave you with, "Be gentle and forbearing with one another and, if one has a difference (a grievance or complaint) against another, readily pardoning each other; even as the Lord has [freely] forgiven you, so must you also [forgive]." (Colossians 3:13 AMP)

Remember, no matter what is done to you,  Forgiveness is "readily pardoning" those who have hurt or caused you offense! You CAN quickly forget and move on. True forgiveness is that which lives free of any thoughts of the past. 

Choose to LIVE FREE today! 

Forgiven, 

Jessica

Thought of the Day: Jeremiah 29:11

For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome. (Jeremiah 29:11 AMP)

God's promises ALWAYS bring joy, peace, hope, and ignite our faith! When you hear the promises of God concerning your future, it brings you joy today, it brings you peace today, it brings you hope today, and it stirs your faith today! This is one of my many favorite verses, but this is a promise from my Heavenly Father that I've always pulled out in the midst of circumstances that would try to steal my joy and defer my hope. Why? Because when you have a goal or a dream for your future, it gives you the fuel to work towards it, to be propelled towards it and to grow each day into all that HE has for us in our future! You are never finished growing in Him, so there is always more to look forward to and grow into! And, there's always bigger dreams to dream and greater plans for the future to be made. When you've stopped looking into the future with joy and hope, you have stopped living.

LIGHT

"We are called to be light! So many in the church are dropping their light and walking away... That means it's time for our light to get brighter to make up for those that have walked away!"

JRT

Light Shines from Journey Box Media on Vimeo.

Why do people fight so hard to remain in bondage?

Why do people fight so hard to remain in bondage? This is a question I heard recently from a peer in a discussion. It propelled me into thought and searching for an answer. Why do people fight so hard to remain in spiritual bondage, when Jesus fought so hard to set them free? 

In thinking on this question two historical examples came to mind. First, I reflected on the plight of the African slaves in the U.S. They had lived generation after generation in slavery, in bondage. Then, one man set them free with the emancipation proclamation. The freedom was theirs to walk in, to reach out and take a life they had dreamed of, but what happened? Many remained to continue in the same routine they always existed in. Housework, fieldwork, picking cotton, and so forth. They were scared of the unknown, embracing their freedom meant living a life they were ignorant of, a life that headed in a direction that was unknown. Remaining in a state of moderate bondage, continuing the same tasks and life as always was familiar, known, and comfortable. 

Second, I reflected on the children of Israel. For centuries they were bound in slavery in Egypt, generation after generation knowing nothing other than bondage. They dreamed of a promised deliverer, but when he came and proclaimed God's plan to deliver them they murmured because in working towards bringing freedom, he was making their life in slavery "worse."   Then when freedom was granted, even after the miraculous ways God delivered them from that terrible bondage, they looked back fondly remembering how "easy" things were in Egypt. How much better things were. Why? Because it was familiar, comfortable, and known. Following the path of freedom was full of unknowns, "will we have grilled manna today or roasted quail? Water from the rock or ground? Will we face giant or armies of men?" and so forth. They desired to return to the bondage of Egypt simply because it was comfortable. 

Today, amidst their exodus from the bondage and the weight of sin and the world, we find Christians  longing to return to the bondage that they were delivered from. Albeit, "moderate" bondage, compared to their days before Christ, but bondage still the same. Failing to embrace the emancipation proclaimation spoken by the shed blood of Jesus. There is a longing to return to what is easy, familiar, and comfortable. Why? Because it's what they know. It's "safe." It's their comfort zone, and bondage or not they find it to be easy and familiar. And, living a life that is holy and according to the Word isn't popular or cool with people in the world. I know, our acquaintances in the world may say they respect our views, beliefs, and lifestyle choices... But we all know, we are usually the brunt of jokes and are viewed as really not all that cool, prudish, holy-rollers, etc. While we may say that it doesn't matter, many of us want to be "cool" and "not-your-run-of-the-mill-Christian." Because, somewhere along the line we crossed up who we're supposed to want to be like, who we should desire to please first and foremost. 

Why are we fighting so hard to stay in bodage? I've heard so many arguments for why it's ok to do this and that and why that isn't really a sin, it's just viewed as such because of some religious traditions and opinions, it's ok in moderation. But, let me ask you something..... Was that thing something that was a big part of your life in bondage to sin? Was it something you did when you were in spiritual slavery crying out for deliverance? For something real? Then why are you fighting so hard to continue to do it? To keep your "right" to do a habitual activity of your days before your freedom was given? Before you were delivered? What is so important about lighting up a blunt, smoking a cig, drinking a cocktail or brew? Just so you can enjoy a moderated reminder of the darkness you were delivered from? Aren't those the activities of a person bound to sin? Aren't those the equivalent of picking cotton and working hard in the fields as a slave? They scar your body, cause pain, and in the depths of them you long for deliverance? They are the things we've been delivered from regardless of personal views. They're not the traits of redemption, they're the shackles of the past trying to keep a hold on us to pull us back into the bondage. 

God is calling out for a people, a holy people, to step out. To be separate. To be untainted. To live above reproach. To be holy as He is holy.

So I ask you, 

Why are you fighting so hard to remain in bondage?

Stepping up and stepping out, 

JRT 

A few scriptures for further study:

This, in essence, is the message we heard from Christ and are passing on to you: God is light, pure light; there's not a trace of darkness in him. If we claim that we experience a shared life with him and continue to stumble around in the dark, we're obviously lying through our teeth—we're not living what we claim. But if we walk in the light, God himself being the light, we also experience a shared life with one another, as the sacrificed blood of Jesus, God's Son, purges all our sin. If we claim that we're free of sin, we're only fooling ourselves. A claim like that is errant nonsense. On the other hand, if we admit our sins—make a clean breast of them—he won't let us down; he'll be true to himself. He'll forgive our sins and purge us of all wrongdoing. If we claim that we've never sinned, we out-and-out contradict God—make a liar out of him. A claim like that only shows off our ignorance of God. (1 John 1:5-10 MSG)

MY LITTLE children, I write you these things so that you may not violate God’s law and sin. But if anyone should sin, we have an Advocate (One Who will intercede for us) with the Father--[it is] Jesus Christ [the all] righteous [upright, just, Who conforms to the Father’s will in every purpose, thought, and action]. And He [that same Jesus Himself] is the propitiation (the atoning sacrifice) for our sins, and not for ours alone but also for [the sins of] the whole world. And this is how we may discern [daily, by experience] that we are coming to know Him [to perceive, recognize, understand, and become better acquainted with Him]: if we keep (bear in mind, observe, practice) His teachings (precepts, commandments). Whoever says, I know Him [I perceive, recognize, understand, and am acquainted with Him] but fails to keep and obey His commandments (teachings) is a liar, and the Truth [of the Gospel] is not in him. But he who keeps (treasures) His Word [who bears in mind His precepts, who observes His message in its entirety], truly in him has the love of and for God been perfected (completed, reached maturity). By this we may perceive (know, recognize, and be sure) that we are in Him: Whoever says he abides in Him ought [as a personal debt] to walk and conduct himself in the same way in which He walked and conducted Himself. (1 John 2:1-6 AMP)

[Live] as children of obedience [to God]; do not conform yourselves to the evil desires [that governed you] in your former ignorance [when you did not know the requirements of the Gospel]. But as the One Who called you is holy, you yourselves also be holy in all your conduct and manner of living. For it is written, You shall be holy, for I am holy. (1 Peter 1:14-16 AMP)

Even as [in His love] He chose us [actually picked us out for Himself as His own] in Christ before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy (consecrated and set apart for Him) and blameless in His sight, even above reproach, before Him in love. For He foreordained us (destined us, planned in love for us) to be adopted (revealed) as His own children through Jesus Christ, in accordance with the purpose of His will [because it pleased Him and was His kind intent]-- [So that we might be] to the praise and the commendation of His glorious grace (favor and mercy), which He so freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. In Him we have redemption (deliverance and salvation) through His blood, the remission (forgiveness) of our offenses (shortcomings and trespasses), in accordance with the riches and the generosity of His gracious favor, (Ephesians 1:4-7 AMP)

one. the journey begins....

Unity?

As sad as it may be, we live in a society which seems to have lost the true key to success. We've lost the art of being unified. 

A society where divorce has become the norm and longevity something rare. Where living together is taking the next step in the relationship and true commitment and covenant are a thing of the past. In all this, we have lost how to be committed in every aspect of life. And sadly, these mentalities have trickled into the church. 

Where we once found people on bended knee, we now find empty space collecting dust. Where we once found seats full of people hungry for revival, we now find people browsing their social media feed. Where we once found true reverence and respect for the man of God, we now find familiarity breeding contempt. 

ONE. Is a journey I began, in order to seek the face of God on these issues, to deal with the root of the problem, and to address a heart check each of us should make. 

I ask you to join me on a journey to return to being of one heart and one mind as we embrace our calling to be one body.  

- jessica