Is it any wonder the people back in Isaiah’s day were told by God that they were “a rebellious people, lying children, children who will not hear the law of the Lord, who say to the seers, ‘Do not see,’ and to the prophets, ‘Do not prophesy to us right things; Speak to us pleasant and smooth things...Got out of the way and turn aside from this path of holiness”. (Isa. 30:8-11) 

 Dealing with our fleshly, sinful, carnal nature is probably the LAST thing most of us want to hear about, let alone address. Yet how many sincere believers are suffering needlessly today.... and primarily due to a lack of knowledge. (Hosea 4:6) 

 I have no doubt that faulty, diluted and deceptive teaching in many churches today have at best led people to experience a ‘form of godliness’ but denied them the power of being set free from their sinful, carnal nature.(2 Tim. 3:1-5, 4:3-4; John 8:34-36) How could we be so blind while singing that old song about “I’m a new creation...I’m a brand new man...” and yet continue to live as a ‘sinner’ (which most admit they continue to do)? Just removing a few ‘obvious warts’ from the past, does not make one a new creation. Nor does ‘confessing you are a new creation over and over’ make it happen either. (2 Cor. 5:17) 

 It’s easy to settle and ‘grow at ease in Zion’ when everyone else around us has done the same. (Amos 6:1). You know the old saying about how ‘misery loves company’ and ‘there’s safety in numbers’. That probably sums up the reason so many church members continue to struggle together and never ‘come out and be separate’ as we are called to do and be. 

 Yeah...I’m still on this subject of dealing with our sinful or carnal nature. 

 Sadly, we spend more time excusing, explaining, and justifying our carnal, sinful nature than we do overcoming it. Have you ever noticed in the address to the seven churches in Rev. 2-3 that all seven churches were told that ‘unless they overcome’ there will be consequences to face? Have you ever wondered just what it was they were being admonished to ‘overcome’? 

 In Peter’s opening letter, he writes to believers referring to them as ‘obedient children’. (1:14). He makes mention as to how they are no longer conforming themselves to the former lust (fulfilling their carnal nature’s desires) but were called to ‘be holy as He who called us is holy’. But he does not stop there...he adds that we are to be holy in “ALL our conduct.” (1:15)

 As. In. All. Our. Conduct. That sounds rather extreme, does it not? I have at times felt this call to awaken us from our spiritual sleep much like what happened with the sleeping virgins in Matt. 25. Paul did the same in Rom. 13 where he wrote it was ‘high time to awake out of sleep...for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed’ (11). Notice what he admonishes us to do there in vs. 14- “Put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make NO provision for the flesh (carnal, sinful nature)...to fulfill its lusts.” 

 As. In. Make. NO. Provision. For. The. Flesh. 

 Yeah...your bible says that. So why do we shrug and not really believe it? Maybe because we’ve been listing to false teaching like they did back in Jeremiah’s day? Go read there in 23:16-20. 

 I mentioned yesterday that some might be in a place where they know they should not be...drifted, backslidden, walking more ‘carnally than spiritually’...yet...they find comfort in some soothing voice that continues to whisper to them...”don’t worry...you are fine, God loves you...you are still saved because you did (so and so or whatever your church doctrine told you to do to get your ‘ticket punched’). Does that not sound oddly familiar to what the serpent whispered to Eve in the garden...”Don’t worry Eve...you surely shall not die...” (God understands ....He loves you...blah blah blah...) (Gen. 3:4) 

 Has it ever occurred to you why some folks struggle with that inward insecurity as to whether they are ‘saved’? And when they pause to reflect on it, here comes those whispers of ‘assurance’ letting them know they are just fine. Here’s something to consider...Just what if...maybe it’s been the Holy Spirit all along...nudging and pleading with you to ‘repent’ because you are not in a good place, as in you are Not abiding in Him. But instead, you listened to the ‘other Jesus and spirit’ that we have talked about and you found a false security and ‘peace’ because of something ‘you did’ years ago- i.e. “I accepted Christ as my savior and I can never be lost again”. 

 Let me share this with you what I have learned...As I continue to abide in Him...nobody...needs to remind me or tell me that I am abiding in Him. It is never even a question or concern. :- ) When you are abiding in Him...there is little room for doubt or questioning...and that...is a very good place to be. 

 Which leads me to another issue that we can easily get confused over...conviction vs condemnation. I always heard it taught that ‘God convicts and the devil condemns.’ That sounds good, but what on earth does that even mean? And is there really any difference? Both words imply the same thing...and overwhelming sense of ‘you messed up...you sinned (broke the law). 

 Take a look at Romans 8:1 – “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are ‘in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.” 

 That is a very telling passage. Do you want to know why...there is now no ‘condemnation’? Because those who are ‘in Christ’...no longer follow the leading of their flesh nature but are now being led by God’s Spirit. Which means they no longer continue to practice sin. Sin, is the breaking of God’s law and that will ALWAYS bring condemnation. (Rom. 8:14; Gal. 5:16; 1 John 3:4,6). We don’t get a free pass on violating God’s laws because ‘our dad is the judge’. Sadly, many have been duped in to believing this very thing or something similar to it. 

 Here's something else to consider...God has let it be so...that the powers of darkness, our spiritual enemy the devil, carry out the curses and condemnation that are associated with breaking God’s laws. (yes, they still exist today- Deut. 28). When Jesus told that man he healed to ‘go and sin no more or something worse will happened to you’ (John 5:14), it was obvious that there was a relationship between sin (breaking God’s laws) and unpleasant consequences. (Gal. 6:7-8). That kind of talk has become nearly non-existent in our churches today...as if it was taboo to even talk about. 

 I would also submit that the removal of such kind of talk, based on plenty of scripture to support, is another reason why there is no ‘fear of God’ today. (Rom.3:18) which I need not remind anyone...we are told is the ‘beginning of knowledge and wisdom’. (Prov.1:7,29; Hosea 4:6) 

 I don’t know who this remaining portion in my lesson is for today, but I sense something very good is going to come from it. 

 When we have over time, allowed our hearts to grow cold/hard to the ‘things of God’ (which would include His word) and we have found our security in ‘another gospel (man made doctrine) and/or ‘another Jesus and spirit’ (that Paul warns us of - 2 Cor. 11:2-3) , then we drift into a very dangerous place where the word of God no longer has an effect on us. We will reject things in God’s word that don’t ‘fit’ in with what we have been taught and come to believe. So when we reject the Word, who are we actually rejecting? Yet...He continues to stand at the door of our heart and knock. (Rev. 3:20). Go look that passage up and read what He will do if we ‘open that door’. 

 I sense there are folks out there who these messages are resonating with and hitting home. And as painful as it may be to realize that perhaps you have been ‘following another Jesus/gospel/spirit’, you are...for the first time in a long time, hearing God’s voice. (Not mine, but His). There is a reason I provide so much scripture in these postings. His Word never will return void but will accomplish what it is sent out to do. And just maybe you find yourself asking...’what do I do now?’ 

 Allow me to again....point you to His word. Hosea 10:12 says we are to ‘break up our fallow ground...for it is time to seek the Lord...till He comes and rains righteousness on you.” Think of God’s word being a plow that has been working on you for however long you have been reading here. There is no point in sending rain on ground that is hard as rock...it just runs off. (Gen. 2:5) 

 But Hosea seems to promise a coming ‘rain’ if we will continue to break up that ground...UNTIL...that rain comes. It’s an adjustment that begins to take place in your heart and mind...which is what repentance is. And it is the kindness of God that leads us to repentance. (Rom. 2:4). Would you like some NT verses to go along with? Go read James 4:7-10. He’s basically saying the same thing with the same promises. There’s a reason God is trying to arouse us from our slumber. He wants to send a ‘rain’ into our hearts so that fruit can be produced. But there has to be repentance and brokenness which is what the word spurs in us along with His Spirit. Now go read what Peter advised those who were in the same ignorant place and asking questions just like you are today...”Repent and be converted that your sins may be blotted out SO THAT the times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.” (Acts 3:19) He wraps up that ‘sermon’ in vs. 26 reminding us that God raised up Jesus from the dead and sent Him to bless us in turning away every one of us from our iniquities. 

 Oh...have you ever heard that tag or warning about ‘Do not try this at home’? 

 You may try this at home. ;- ). Just open that door to Him. He is close to the brokenhearted. (Ps. 34:18)