We are told that ‘the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal (fully devoted, perfect) to Him.” (2 Chron. 16:9) 

 I’m not really sure how He does that....but I am fully confident that He means what He says and I can trust Him and His word. We are also told, after all, that it is “impossible for God to lie.” (Heb. 6:18) 

 But God knows...how to find individuals...and reveal Himself to them. He’s been doing that for some time now. Why even Jesus exemplified this trait rather well Himself. He always seemed to find people at the right time and reveal Himself to them. Whether it was the Samaritan woman at the well, or that demon possessed man in the Gadarenes, or some unruly fishermen whom He wanted to call out to help change the world...Jesus knows our hearts and how to find us. And I don’t care how far off the grid you think you are, if you are sincere in hungering for truth...He’ll find you. I promise. :- ). You might even take up James’s advice and begin to draw near to Him. (James 4:8) 

 Why we read there in John’s gospel in one instance where “Jesus did not commit Himself to them...because He knew all men...and He knew what was in (the heart) man.”(2:23-25). 

 Something else Jesus was quite good at demonstrating for us - was His desire to ‘do only what the Father told Him to do’. (John 8:29). He also alluded to the fact that is why Satan has ‘nothing on Him’ because...He does what the Father wants. (John 14:30-31). I often hear how so many professing believers lament how the devil is just ‘on them’ and ‘attacking them’ and making their lives so miserable. Maybe....just maybe...there is a reason for that? I have to wonder what John was trying to say in his first epistle there where he writes: “We know whoever is born of God does not sin...and the wicked one does not touch him.” (1 John 5:18). Those are not my words, but his. Is it possible we really can 'give place to the devil' that Paul warns us Not to do there in Eph. 4:27?  Have you ever wondered 'how' we do that?

 If you happened to read yesterday’s post, I was talking about how we are conditioned to often reject God’s word ...especially when it does not ‘fit’ with how we believe or have been taught. We always want to ‘confer with flesh and blood’ it seems...when God attempts to ‘reveal’ Himself to us; usually through His word. 

 It really does not matter how smart or educated you are, even when it comes to ‘biblical things’. If He does not have your heart, you ain’t gonna get it. Trust me. If you want to still persist in going down that path of ‘conferring with flesh and blood’, have at it. Go dig up those commentaries and read how God doesn’t really mean what He says. Why, I bet a serpent I read about in Gen. 3 will be more than helpful in assisting you to find more of men’s words that will ‘carry you away’ from the truth. (Rev. 12:15; Gen. 3:1-6; 1 Tim. 4:1) 

 And it is through His word, that God often uses to do that...reveal Himself to us; or ‘show Himself strong’ like we read in the opening passage here. (2 Chron. 16:9; Also-1 Sam. 3:21). 

 As stated yesterday, we first have to ‘come to Him’. (John 5:40). You might also just get use to the fact that you nor I can ‘figure this out ‘ on our own. What did Jesus tell Peter there in Matt. 16:17...when Peter all of a sudden...’saw it’? “Flesh and blood has not revealed...this to you, Peter,  but My Father who is in heaven.” 

 Remember...this word is a ‘mystery’ (Eph. 1:9) and Jesus only makes these mysteries clear to those who have come to Him with their whole heart. Again, please refer to these passages: (Matt. 13:11-15; Luke 10:21; and 24:32,45) 

 I want to wade back into a couple of verses, again, that we read in 1 John. These really present some problems for most folks. I get...why we tend to avoid or side-step passages that confuse us. But let’s remember...this is God’s word and we need not be fearful of it or nervous and want to run from it or bury our head in the sand. And by all means, just because you don’t understand it, please don’t reject it because if you do...who are you actually rejecting? Jesus...who IS...the Word. (John 1:1,14) 

May I remind you what actually sparked all these daily postings of mine well over a year ago? It was after I came across where Jesus said there in John 8:32-36 that ‘whoever commits sin is a slave to sin and a slave does not abide in the house forever...and you shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free.” 

 I began to wonder what it was that Jesus actually set us free from...given the fact that most all believe and openly admit we continue to sin. In fact we are taught regularly that we will ‘always continue to sin’ and this is what comes across most pulpits as well. I was actually trying to have a private conversation with someone about this (online messaging) and when I mentioned 1 John 3:6,9, they nearly had a meltdown and shut the conversation down and then ‘blocked’ me from even communicating with them on the app we were using. I was dumfounded. 

 So...I just felt compelled to go back and study even more...and here I am...some 535 posts later...still addressing what is clearly stated in God’s word: “Whoever abides in Him no longer sins....whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.” (1 John 3:6,9) 

 I have to say, that I am nearly convinced that this ‘lie’ that has been passed on to the church (that we cannot be set free from sinning) could very well be that ‘lie’ that God was going to ‘send/allow’ because...we refuse to love and accept the truth here. (If you are not sure what I am referring to, go read 2 Thess. 2:9-12 right now.)  This can be a troublesome and problematic passage we read there (1 John 3:6,9) in our bibles. I say troublesome because it does not jive or ‘fit’ with what we have been conditioned to believe. So we have to do something with it...to explain it away or dilute it by reading a bunch of commentaries written by smart people so we can ignore what it is saying to us. 

 Do you know what actually happens in us when we readily receive, accept, and believe a ‘lie’? A ‘stronghold’ sets itself up in our hearts/minds which is designed to refute and repel anything that tries to enter that is contrary in thinking; including God's word (Mark 7:9,13)  You might go read what Paul addresses this spiritual warfare we are involved which includes...the ‘pulling down of strongholds’. (2 Cor. 10:3-5). And we do that...with the Word. Do NOT...underestimate the power and influence of a spiritual stronghold if you have allowed one in. In fact, the more you resist the word/truth, the harder your heart will become and the more reinforced that stronghold will grow. 

 This will probably spill over into tomorrow...but please take your time with this...take notes, look up passages...and by all means...please pray and ask God to help you sort through ‘truth and fiction’ here. I’m fully aware of how this all goes ‘against the grain’ given what we’ve been taught. But keep in mind, just because you have always heard one thing for as long as you can remember does not mean what you have heard and learned is true. I’m not here to argue...simply to bring to your attention some passages you would do well to study yourself. (Acts 17:11) 

 Let me state here and now- three things you will NEVER hear me say, write, or declare: 1- “I have never sinned.” 2) “I have no sin” and 3) “I will never sin again.” Please let the record show.... ;- ) 

 But what I will say and say loudly and repeatedly...is what God says. - And ‘whoever abides in Him does not sin.” And “whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.” And: “We know that whoever is born of God does not sin;...and the wicked one does not touch him.’ (1 John 3:6,9; 5:18) 

 Now if you should hear some voice rise up and say “oh...you better run...he’s teaching ‘sinless perfection’, and you refuse to even examine truth, well, there is nothing I can do to stop you. But I will not apologize or shrink back from sharing the whole counsel of God here. If you love Jesus, you need not fear His word. That ‘stronghold’ I mentioned earlier says this: “You will always sin in this life; and on this side of heaven, you will never be free from sinning.” 

 I get...why we believe that and have always heard that. But can we just agree here and now, that the word clearly seems to say just the opposite? And here is where this creates a HUGE problem. IF we are going to believe a ‘lie’ (that says it’s impossible for us to be free of sin), then we have to embrace the ‘lie’ that we cannot ever abide in Jesus. Because there is no getting around that statement...IF...we are abiding in Him, then we are no longer sinning. So if it’s impossible for us to truly overcome all sin, then it is impossible to abide in Him. Oh, and need I really have to say that God never intended for this abiding deal to be a ‘part-time-gig’ either; as in if/when we felt like abiding. 

 Now if it is impossible to abide in Him, how on earth can any fruit be produced in us? Because Jesus said unless we abide in Him, then we will remain fruitless and all we can then look forward to is ‘withering on the vine’, being gathered up, and then thrown into a fire.” (John 15:4-8) 

 IF...we are following the leading of His Spirit, which is what the true children of God do (Rom. 8:14) we won’t be fulfilling the sinful lusts of the flesh nature (Gal. 5:16) which is sin. He is going to lead you to put it to death and you will suffer some in the flesh as you do this, ...but what did Peter write there in 4:1-2? Go read it now.

One last question for you:  IF you do agree with the premise that we indeed have been 'set free from sin'...but you continue to sin, are you suggesting then that you are sinning 'willfully'?  Because if you are, that does not bode well for you either. (Heb. 10:26-31)

 Folks...for those of you who hang with me (and the Word) here...this is really some fabulous news that God wants to confirm to you and He will! :- ). See you tomorrow?