AND YE HAVE FORGOTTEN THE EXHORTATION WHICH SPEAKETH UNTO YOU AS CHILDREN, MY SON, DESPISE NOT THOU THE CHASTENING OF THE LORD, NOR FAINT WHEN THOU ART REBUKED OF HIM: ( 6 ) FOR WHOM THE LORD LOVETH HE CHASTENETH, AND SCOURGETH EVERY SON WHOM HE RECEIVETH.

I often struggle with how to begin the messages I might preach or write. What is it that I need to say in the beginning to bring my message to a place where people can ( consume with power ) the thought the Holy Spirit wants to impress upon our hearts? I feel that here in ( Hebrews ) we need to begin by making a tremendous point about the Hebrew people.These people are God’s chosen people. God picked the nation of Israel to call his own. However, that doesn’t mean that ever person in Israel has the Spirit of God within them.

We might use my family as an example of what I’m saying. If I use my wife, my children, grandchildren and great grandchildren as examples, my wife and I are born again. All the people within our family is a part of us, yet; that doesn’t mean that they all know Jesus Christ as their Savior. If you will study this chapter in Hebrews, you will notice that it makes this statement:

( verse 9 )

Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?

As a wise father or mother; we seek to teach our children about the pitfalls of life. We try to instruct them and help them realize that life is not all fun and games. When we see them doing wrong, we punish them, we use sutuations we see in this life to show them what to avoid as they move foward. While the child might see the punishment as being hard, even cruel at times; they realize that ( our chastisement ) of them is meant to prepare them for a life they shoud seek to stay away from.

As I consider this, I now realize that even as my father and mother chastened me, it was a very minor thing when I consider all that God the Father does to try and deter me from a place called hell.We could say that ( the nation of Israel ) is a microcosm of this whole world. We could also look at a father and his children the very same way.

God is the father of all. Without the hand of God none of us would even be here. However that doesn’t mean that we all are born of His Spirit. Being a part of God’s heavenly family is a choice we all have to make if we desire to aviod that place called hell.

Look at this verse: ( 2 Peter 3:9 )

The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to usward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

As you consider this verse, let me ask you something. If I were your dad and, I was on the housetop with a ladder sitting up for me to go up and down. You came out as my child and begin to climb that ladder. I told to get off of the ladder, to not be playing on it, it might be dangerous for you. Well, while I wasn’t looking, you climbed the ladder anyway, fell off and broke your arm. Do you think it was my will that you got hurt? No! not at all but, if you won’t listen, things happen.

When my oldest daughter was just a small child, maybe 18 months, I smoked. One day I was carrying her on my arm. I was talking to a friend of mine, she kept reaching for the glow on the end of my cigarette.I continued to tell her ( no ) leave it alone, it will burn! While I wasn’t looking, she got it! It stuck to her little finger, she couldn’t shake it off. I had to remove it, it was burning her finger. Do you think that I ever had to tell her again, not to touch that glow? The fact I chastened her and, she didn’t listen, taught her a life long lesson!

As our lives unfolds, God’s true desire is to do all he can to keep us out of hell. Now, we can argue the point. He can just simply do away with hell and fix the problem. However, would that be wise on his part? Without having something to be constrained from, there is no true love! Can you imagine God The Father just allowing any person, no matter what to come to heaven? Wouldn’t that make heaven just axactly like this world? Let me present you with a thought. Would you rather me love you, walk with you, serve you because it was my choice to do or, have me do it because I was made to?

This life is full of choices and consequences. That my friend is an important part of every life. The choices we make dictate who we are and, also dictates the consequences we might face. I completely understand that we will also face things that we had no control over, people do us wrong or things happen in our lives that we just simply didn’t see coming. However, I all works to point us to our need to prepare to meet our Lord.

Basically speaking, Adam was a perfect picture of mankind whether we like to admit it or not. Although we are born into this world by no choice of our own, we all have to admit, for the most part we enjoy being here. Hell as a consequence of a wayward life is how God the Father chose to allow you to determine what you love the most. Do you love the sin that Satan has to offer or, the eternal life that God has to offer the most? I often try to get people to see that ( all they do ) that is pleasing or satisfying to Satan; he gains for free, you do all the work, he ends up with what he desires which is you in hell.He has no love for you at all. He just can’t stand the fact that God the Father might one day have you for his. Because of this, he continues to deceive the sinner, making them think they are happy just as they are.

God the Father on the other hand came to this world in a body of flesh, we call him Jesus Christ. He die that to prove just how much he loves you. He went to the cross, suffered and died for all your sin. He also rose again from that death to make sure that what he had purchased with his own blood would be secure.

Not only that, he also places stumbling blocks on your wide road to destruction to slow you down and cause you to consider the path you are on.Often we pay little attention to those stumbling blocks and just mark it off as a bad time in our lives when, in reality God’s trying his best to get us to stop and ( reason with him ). ( I personally believe ) as a born again believer that everything that happen in our lives we should stop and spend time with our Lord about what he is trying to say to us.

In ( Numbers 22 ) you can read a story about ( Balaam’s ass ) speaking to him. The ass saw and angel standing in the path and turned aside. The first time Balaam cursed the animal. The second time he turned aside, Balaam smote the animal. Then the animal spoke to him ans asked him ( can’t you see that angel )? Balaam was on the way to do something that God didn’t want him to do. That ( ass ) was the best thing that happened to Balaam. He became a stumbling block on Balaam’s path to displeasing God.

I said that ( God loved Israel ) ( God Loved this world ) so much he sent his son to die for all our sins. He also ( loves you ) as an individual.One more thing: ( God chastens ) those that he loves. It make no difference whether you are born again or lost, he loves you. You look at your life. Where do you stand with God? Each of us are headed for a day when we must stand before Jesus Christ as our judge. Has God placed any stumbling blocks in your path lately to seek to slow you down? How much did you personally pay attention to those blocks? We often just mark those things off as bad days or things in our lives, when, in reality God is seeking to have you change your direction.

In ( Hebrews 12:3 ) it says this:

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

Each of us at least needs to ( consider him ). God, who is the exact opposite of us, who has not one thing in common with us, loved us and, desires to come and live within the heart of every person. As for me; my desire is to stop being like anything that relates to Satan. My desire is to have God’s spirit completely transform me to a picture of his image!

My desire is to ( consider him ) in all things that takes place in my life as it unfolds. As situations come up in my life, I seek to learn how to walk much closer to him, look for his will in my life. I also try to allow things that happen to open the eyes of the people around me as well.

When we consider eternity and that being by his side forever, there are actually no bad things that happen to us in this life. It’s all to bring about good and spiritual growth within each of us, even those that are not saved. It simply takes each of us being willing to allow God’s spirit to teach us by the things that unfold in our lives. When we learn to see him in all things then we can become more like him. Consider this: was Christ sufferings, he being nailed to his cross, a crown of thorns placed on his head, laughed at, spit upon, all these things, was it a good thing or a bad thing?

His suffering, his death bought me life! When I become willing to die to myself, maybe that will help someone see Christ in me and gain life as well!

Marshall Clayton

2 Timothy 1:7

The mindset I have about this thought has been within me for some time but, was revitalized by two things I seen in print in the last few days. One of the things that was mentioned was the lack of concern we see now in our Churches with dress codes or any real seperation from the things of the world. The other was an adult making mention of the fact that they purchased a children’s Bible because; to them it was much easier to understand.

I personally like the ( King James Bible ). I understand that it is written on a fourth grade reading level. I personally believe that the understanding of God’s word goes much deeper than what grade level it’s written on. I also know that God purposely wrote it to make it necessary to have the Holy Spirit within you to understand it as you read. That mean that not only do you have to be born again to be able to see God’s will within his word but, you must have a true desire to know him, to seek to understand it.

One verse that I’d like to show you concerning this is:

( 1 Corinthians 2:14 )

BUT THE NATURAL MAN RECEIVETH NOT THE THINGS OF THE SPIRIT OF GOD: FOR THEY ARE FOOLISHNESS UNTO HIM: NEITHER CAN HE KNOW THEM, BECAUSE THEY ARE SPIRITUALLY DISCERNED.

I write a lot, in different ways about this very thing. The reason I’m so concerned about the deception of the heart of people. Satan is a very patient man! His desire is to win the battle over time. If he can get people to except something less than truth over time then he can cause a multitude of people to die lost and not even realize their spiritual condition.

You might ask me; do you believe that the ( King James Version ) of the word of God is the only way to go? My answer to that would be this. It appears that from the early 1600’s until somewhere around 1900 or there about; it was the english translation that was excepted. In the late 1800’s men tried to get people to except other versions but to no avail. However, in time the concept of other versions took over. Now, to most people the ( King James Version ) is almost a version of the past.

( In my opinion ) when it comes to understanding God’s word and, the need for that understanding in order to known him; if I was going to do anyting I’d seek to go back to the original text on my own rather than to trust men to search and define things for me.

The truth in God’s word feeds our innerman once we are born again. The true knowledge we give to that innerman brings our flesh to a true security in Christ Jesus. The Apostle Paul was a man that truly desired to know him. This is what he said:

( Philippians 3:10-11 )

That I might know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his suffering, being made conformable unto his death; ( 11 ) If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.

If you leave these verses in context; he’s not speaking about death as in when we die physically in our flesh but, rather allowing Christ to resurrect in us, dying to our flesh while we live. We do that by knowing him and, being conformable unto the death he was willing to die while he lived.

In most of our Churches today we are not taught ( seperation and sanctification ). I attribute this to the watered down truth that we hear. Some of that is because of the liberal mindsets of the pastors and people but, some of it is because of the lack of understanding of God’s word as revealed by his Holy Spirit.

One of the things I’ve noticed that changed in different versions is this. ( Jesus Christ ) and ( Christ Jesus ). What would be the difference in those two ways of talking about the same man? Personally, in my study of ( King James ) I see or have noticed each time it was used differently that it has to do with who we see as first. In other words; My name is Marshall Clayton. The day I was born again, it actually became Marshall Christ. As I have died to myself over the years, it’s slowly becoming ( Christ Marshall ).

Jesus is the physical name of ( God the Father ) Therefore, when we see ( Jesus Christ ) we are seeing what Jesus is doing in his flesh. When we see ( Christ Jesus ) it’s more about God the father being seen within his physical body. Let’s, just for the sake of argument assume I’m correct. Can you see how if we change those terms, it will be impossible to learn the spiritual aspect of what the Holy Spirit is teaching?

We also see this: ( Holy Ghost ) and ( Holy Spirit ). What’s the difference or, is there one? I hadn’t read the original text but, was it a reason that ( King James ) used both terms? Did the original text show a difference? I make the same arugument! If any version changes these two terms to one simple term, how can we learn the difference?

I often make this statement! Salvation is a free gift. However, all the security, knowledge and understanding we gain after that free gift, you will have to work for, pay some kind of price for. You might even have a great spiritual teacher in your pastor, however all he knows and says to you is worthless unless you gain and understand that knowledge for yourself. Not only that but, you also can add to the knowledge you gain from him.

To simply settle for a children’s Bible or, live a life without spiritual seperation or sanctification is paramount to living in spiritual kindergarden you whole life and, standing before God the Son, Jesus Christ as that child that never grew up. ( In my opinion ) many pastors should be ashamed of themselves! A pastor, if he chooses to use any tranlation of God’s word he likes should ask his people to at least bring that version to Church when they come. For a person to be sitting in a Church, trying to read behind their own pastor but, can’t stay with him because of reading a different version of the same book is a very confusing thing. ( God has nothing to do with confusion ).

( 1 Corinthians 14:33 )

For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all Churches of the saints.

One other scripture we can use here is:

( 1 Corunthians 14:8 )

For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?

There is a battle for the soul of men! many people are confused about the very teachings of God’s word. They are confused about versions and exactly who they can trust. In our Churches we live and act like we are in a big party room, we act as if we are very content with who we are when; deep within our very being we are seeking to know things that are not being taught or, even talked about.Where years ago men fought to maintain a certain spiritual standard with scripture and Church life; that very concept is now a thing of the past.

Look at yourself! are you confused? How do you see yourself as a spiritual being? Is God pleased with your life? Are you still a spiritual child in an adult body? These things we must come to a resolve of in our own hearts and, that long before we stand before the righteous judge! If your pastor, Sunday School teacher or no one else cares for your soul then you become earnest about how you will be when you stand before Jesus Christ.

In closing, I’ll share this story! I once started a Church. As I was preparing to do so, I went to visit a family I knew that, I considered to be Godly people, a man and his wife. As I walked in their home, they had a lady visitor. We sit and talked a while and, then I told them what I had on my heart. I also invited them to be a part of my burden.

It just so happened that, at that time there was a Church basically right down the road from my house, the lady that was visiting this family was a memebr there. She invited me to come to be a part of her Church. I told her my desire was to preach and, I didn’t expect her pastor would give up his position for me! As we continued to talk, the some how the subject of the ( King James Bible ) came up. The lady visitor disagreed with my stand.

This is what I told her. I said, I don’t know much about these two people that live in this house. I know they say they are saved and they know they are going to heaven when they die. They both said, that was true. I then said, I’m going to step out on a limb and say that when both of these people got saved, the man preaching was using a ( King James Bible ). Once again, they both agreed.

I then look at the visiting lady and ask her, do you know you are going to heaven when you die? All she had was a ( hope so ) salvation.

Now, That might not be certain in every case, I understand that fact. However, what version of the Bible do you use and, do you know heaven will be your home?

I truly believe many are being deceived and, live daily in uncertainty because of a lack of true spiritual teaching. That fact burdens my heart! You will never hear me talk down on what any person chooses to do with any version of the word of God, any denomination any person chooses to be a member of, but that never means I’m not concerned about the very soul of every man and, the direction it is headed!

Deception is a very powerful thing and, it has always been! The very concept of God’s word is real and, it is there in truth to bring your innerman to the full knowledge of Jesus Christ!

Marshall Clayton

2 Timothy 1:7

AND WHOSOEVER SPEAKETH A WORD AGAINST THE SON OF MAN, IT SHALL BE FORGIVEN HIM: BUT WHOSOEVER SPEAKETH AGAINST THE HOLY GHOST, IT SHALL NOT BE FORGIVEN HIM, NEITHER IN THIS WORLD, NEITHER THE WORLD TO COME.

In this chapter we see Jesus Christ going about doing good things for the people. He has just healed a man that was possessedwith a devil, blind and dumb. The ( religious crowd , being the pharisees has accused him of having power given by ( Beelzebub ).thye prince of the devils.

At this point, Jesus Christ began to preach a message to him and all that were there.Can you imagine, a man; looking into the eyes of the very God of the universe and calling him a blasphemer? We’ll get back to this but, I want you to notise one thing Jesus said to him:

( Matthew 12:28 )

( BUT ) if I cast out devils by the spirit of God, then the Kingdom od God is come unto you.

THe word ( but ) there is for every person that was listenng to him. It’s decision time for those listening. They each must make up their minds whether they believe he is truly ( God in Flesh ) or just another man. That goes even for the pharisees. When Jesus made this statement, he was speaking to the people of Israel. As most people know, he came to the Jew first. He presented himself as their rightful King. As a whole, the Nation of Israel rejected him as such. This is where we see the power spoken in ( Matthew 12:28 ).

This is a question that Pilate asked Jesus Christ just before he turned him over the be crucified.

( John 18:38 )

Pilate saith unto him, What is truth? And when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and saith unto them, I find no fault in him at all.

As I seek to write something about this; my mind is stayed on the ( act of deception ). Consider, Pilate is standing there speaking to ( truth ), now, he doesn’t know or understand that because he is being; to some degree, deceived by the very people that were suppose to be revealing ( truth ) to him. That might sound a little confusing but, Jesus Christ was born within the family of the Jews and, was the rightful King of that country. Every Jew that was present at that time were supposingly looking for the coming Messiah, however, as a nation they simply could not believe that Jesus Christ was the ( one to come ).

As we consider this; can you see the confusion brought about to ( those that are lost ) such as pilate, by the very people that were suppose to be ( God’s Chosen people )? The fact that I see this well within; what we call ( the Church ) today truly burdens my heart. I know much of my writing is concerning this topic, however when I think of people dying and going to a Devil’s hell from the membership of a Church because they are deceived by the very people that are suppose to be there to point them in the right direction; I’m concerned!

The question might be, are you one of these people? Let’s just ask a few questions and see if I can explain what I’m talking about. As it might relate to the salvation you say you have, what is your truth? Are you struggling with the concept of truth just as Pilate was? If you look at yourself as a person that desires to know truth but, wonder if the Church you attend is revealing that truth to you, you might be in that category.

For example: Let’s say you have been down to the alter of your Church. You have made a profession of Jesus Christ, you have been baptized and joined the Church. Now, with these three things behide you, let’s say for a few years now. You and I are working together, one day and I ask you; have you been born again, do you know Jesus Christ as your savior? Since you have done the three things I mentioned, your reply is ( yes ). As we continue our conversation, I ask you if you ( know ) you’re going to heaven when you die? You reply; ( I hope so ).

At that point,could I ask you, ( What is truth )? If you tell me you are saved, then what are you saved to and, from what? You see, just saying a word or, doing an act, does not constitute salvation. However, I believe many of our Churches are deceiving their people into believing this and, leaving them in confusion about what salvation truly is. ( I believe ) the the worst place any person can go to hell is from sitting on a Church pew.

What happens is, we are taken through an act, we are told to say words but we never are brought to the ( true knowledge ) we need about what salvation is. Personally,( I believe ) this is by design. ( I believe ) there are many pastors, Sunday School teachers, Church leaders ) that truly believe they are doing God’s work but are deceived by the people they put their trust in. If we bring Pilate back into this picture, what can we see? We see a man that knows so little about Jesus Christ, he doesn’t know he can trust him and, also a group of people that call themselves ( religious ) that he can’t trust either.

Let’s make this a little more personal. Just how concerned was Pilate or, the Jews about actually knowing truth? How about you, just how determined are you to know truth? That being apart from any man, Chruch or, religious organization?

Look at this verse of scripture:

( 1 John 5:13 )

These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

Now, as you read that verse of scripture, is this verse talking about or, to you? If not, to whom is he speaking? Let’s take it a little deeper, and we’ll come back to here.

Look at this verse:

( John 1:14 )

And the word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, ( and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

According to that verse of scripture, the word of God is Jesus Christ. You hold him in your hand, you can read about him, get to know him personally and, depend on everything you read with confidence. Now let’s go back a couple of verses here:

( John 1:11-13 )

( 11 ) He came to his own, and his own received him not. ( 12 ) But as many as receive him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: ( 13 ) Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor the will of man, but of God.

When we ( believe on him ) then we have the power to become ( sons of God ). Because of your belief, you are born again, born into his family. I personally believe there is a vast difference in ( believing in ) and ( believing on ) Jesus Christ. Again, I believe our Churches today are teaching us that ( believing in ) Jesus Christ is sufficient for salvation. Whether that is intentional or, out of ignorance, I can’t say but, there has to be a difference and I can prove it. I want you to notice that here in these verses the term ( believe on ) is used. We also see that same term used in ( 1 John 5: 11-13 ).

However, look at this verse:

( James 2:19 )

Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.

The devil himself talked with Jesus Christ. He knows him ( believes in him ). Where will he spend eternity? His destination is ( HELL FOR ETERNITY ) ( BELIEVING IN ) Jesus Christ! There are millions of people, Church members that ( believe in ) Jesus Christ and, will spend eternity in hell with the Devil unless they come to a resolve about the difference in ( Believing in ) and ( Believing on ) Jesus Christ.

I told you we would go back to:

( 1 John 5:10- 12 )

( 10 ) He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record God gave of his son. ( 11 ) and this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. ( 12 ) He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.

If you will notice; all these verses are speaking of those that ( believe on ). Now, that could be considering what version of the Bible you might be reading from however, we can still see the answer in ( verse 10 ). Do you see there that it says: ( He that ) ( believeth on ) the Son of God ( hath the witness in himself )? If I just speak on a personal level; there is something within me that let’s me know, assures me that I am a child of God. That being far greater than any man might say to me. We see that also in:

( verse 9 )

If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son.

Then, once again we are back to ( verse 13 ). God, by his Spirit is testifying to the heart of the believer that trust Jesus Christ that ( he hath eternal life ). Does God reveal that to your heart?

We speak of ( the truth ). This is what I believe we are missing in our Church service today. When we understand this truth then, it will never again matter to a born again believer what man might think or, even say.

The truth is, as people that ( believe on ) Jesus Christ, we have ceased to depend on ( our own righteousness ) that we might gain ( eternal life ). We have come to the resolve that we have no righteousness at all. On our very best day, we still deserve hell.

We base our whole eternal future on the ( righteousness of Jesus Christ ). With that righteous, it will never be a doubt that eternal life is mine. That fact is what God’s Spirit reveals to those that have been born again. We see that ( in print ) ( in God’s word ). That’s who Jesus Christ is.. That’s what he teaches and says. As a matter of fact ( Eternal life ) is the only life that Jesus Christ offers to anyone. We can read the words in scripture, however what is the ( witness ) that God’s Spirit speaks to your heart? What God speaks to your heart is more powerful that even what you read! When you have received ( Jesus Christ ) ( God’s word ) into your heart then, that is the witness and, that personally between God’s Spirit and you.

So, now, let’s set out to prove this fact from God’s word. Remember, ( the word was made flesh ( Jesus Christ ) and ( dwelt among us ).

( Romans 3:22-26 )

Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: ( 23 ) For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; ( 24 ) Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: ( 25 ) Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past through the forbearance of God; ( 26 ) To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.

The concept of ( the righteousness of Christ ) is not being taught. That is, not to the understanding that the sinner places his faith in ( his righteousnes ) not our own. I’d like to show a methphor here that the Bible gives us to relate to. ( Noah’s Ark ). Basically, every person living at the time that Ark was being built could physically see that Ark. Although Noah preached righteousness. ( 2 Peter 2:5 ) The Bible says that God seen righteousness in him. ( Genesis 7:1 ) While the Bible says these things, you never read where any person had to become righteous to enter the Ark. You had to simply believe the word that Noah preached ( a flood was coming ). At that, it had never rained before.

Today, a ( spiritual Ark ) is being built. That Ark is called ( The Church ). That Church is not a building you can see with your eyes ( it’s spiritual ) and must be entered by faith. We also recognize that building as ( the body of Christ ). Therefore, if we go back and look, once again at the Ark, what had to take place for any person to begin to help Noah build that Ark? Or, even when the Ark was completely built, the Bible says that for seven days after Noah and his family had gone in, the door remained open.

( Genesis 7:16 )

And they that went in, went in male and female of all flesh, as God had commanded him: and God shut him in.

What had to happen to any person to enter that Ark? While that door remanined opened, any person had to have a ( change of heart ). They had to ( believe by faith ) that what Noah had been preaching was going to come to pass.

Jesus Christ said this:

( John 14:2-3 )

In may Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. ( 3 ) And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there you may be also.

When Jesus Christ died on the Cross, he opened the door that ( whosoever will ) can become a part of his body by faith. He rose again. Right after he arose in ( Acts 2 ) the Church was born. Any person Jew or Gentile has the same opportunity to walk in that door ( the door of salvation ). He also says ( I am the door ) ( John 10:9 ) I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.

Just as the Ark had ( one door ) so does ( the Church ). The only way you can get into that body is by placing your whole being, resting yourself completely on the finished work of Jesus Christ by faith. Just as a man could walk into the Ark ( just as he was ) so can a man walk in Christ ( just as he is ).

Sometimes ( the truth ) is very hard to face. Let’s consider something. Let’s say there was a man that cursed Noah, threw rocks at him. Day by day he done everything he could to talk Noah down to people, always showed great disrespect for him. However, on the very day that God was to shut the door of the Ark, if that man would have walked through the door to get in the Ark, did Noah have the ability to deny him?

The answer is, no he didn’t. People often want to have the right to decide who is good enough to be in Christ. We like looking at the lives of others and, we like to decide their spiritual condition. But, that is not so. Now, more than like likely you will agree with me that, once that man walked into that Ark then, the man was the one that changed, not Noah.

My point is that when we put our faith in Jesus Christ and, we step into that spiritual body then that very act will bring about change. So what would be the basic difference in ( a person walking in the Ark ) and ( a person walking into the spiritual Church ) that can’t be seen?

The only difference would be what you ( confess with you mouth ). You can walk in a building and be seen without saying a word. However, if you walk into a spiritual building that cannot be seen with the eye then, confession has to be made with the mouth.

When the man walked into the Ark, he physically seen Noah. The very eye contact made a statement. When you spiritually walk into the spiritual Church, the Church we can’t see, that means you have made spiritual eye contact with Jesus Christ, which makes a very powerful spiritual statement about who you have become. When we walk into the ( spiritual Church ) the Church we can’t see; you are the one that changes; Jesus Christ doesn’t. We are the ones that sees the need for him.

When we consider truth, can we except that truth? Can we except the fact that it’s not our responsibility to make people that say they are saved to live righteous but, God’s alone? Can we except the fact that another person’s sin is no greater that mine? I believe we have a problem within what we call ( our Church ) and, that one problem creates a need to bring about self righteousness.

Another way of putting this is; we desire to make every ( what we call ) believer fit our mindset of what they should be. We seek to do that apart from the convicting power of God’s Spirit. We ( like the pharisees ) put people down that don’t meet our exdpectations.

In my feeble way, I’ll try to show you what I mean. Let’s consider this verse first”

( Matthew 15:14 )

Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.

Now, I’d like to try and tie that verse to this one:

( Jude 1:11 )

Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.

Here in this verse we see three men, all, while with somewhat different mindset, all three were in opposition to the Spirit of God. The whole book of Jude; being just one chapter is about this fact and, seeking to get people to ( earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints ).

In ( verse 4 ) he tells us this: ( For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this comdemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying to only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.)

The whole purpose in writing ( What is Truth ) is to get you, as an individual to see, to understand how truth truly works and, how men set out to destroy that truth, causing it to lose it’s power. If you will notice in ( verse 4 ) it says ( who were before of old ordained to this comdemnation ). What we see is not new. It’s actually always been.

Let’s look at Cain. He was a religious natural man. He looked a his relationship with God the way that he believed it had to be. Look at:

( Genesis 4:3 )

And in the process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord.

This is a picture of a man that thinks he is living good enough to please God, and he cannot see why God isn’t pleased with that.

( Verses 5-7 )

But unto Cain and to his offering he had no respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell. ( 6 ) And the Lord said unto Cain. Why art thou wroth? And why is thy countenance fallen? ( 7 ) If thou doest well, shalt thou not be excepted? And if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And into thee shalt be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.

When we think we live good enough to please God, according to what he’s saying here, he looks at it as though we are offering up sin for our offering. It says ( and unto thee shall his desire be, and thou shalt rule over him ). What it’s saying is that you think you control your sin. The ( his, him ) is speaking of ( sin ). ( and thou shalt rule over him ). You think you control your sin, all alone, without any help.

If this is your mindset then one day you will be very upset with God, ( wroth ). Now, look at:

( verse 8 )

And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.

This is a picture of our flesh rejecting the Spirit of God. When we think we can be good enough to please God, we actually are saying that we don’t need him to be good enough to get to heaven. We’ll look at all three of these men and then I’ll try and help you see what happens in many Churches and most people don’t even realize it. ( Jude ) seen this unfold. He is warning us to be aware of these things. Why? Because ( evil men ) crepe in and, we don’t even realize we are being deceived.

While Cain thought God should except what he was offering, such as, the life he lived. Do we not think the same thing when we think we can live good enough to get to heaven? To put it in terms of what we might say today; we’d say ( if we sin ) and die without confessing that sin then, we don’t feel that God will let us come to heaven.

That brings us to the second man ( Balaam ). That way Balaam look at Israel was from a ( natural moral standpoint ). He assumed, seeing the evils that Israel was living in that God had no choice but to curse them. Since he assumed this, he set out to cast a stumbling block before God’s people. When Balaam found out that he couldn’t curse Israel, he sought to corrupt them. You can read this in ( Numbers chapters 22,23 and 31 ).

When we assume that; just because we sin in any form, we must be cursed and, that by God we don’t realize we are not trusting our own righteousness but, the righteous of Jesus Christ for our salvation.

Now, let’s look at the third man: ( Korah ). We read about him in: ( Numbers 16 ). What was Korah’s sin? His sin was that he didn’t recognize the authority of Moses as being God’s spokesman. In his acts, it was like an intrusion into the office of the priest or, the same principle.

When we truly seek to know truth; we have to start with the ( acts of Korah ). If you will notice. the Acts he committed came in ( Numbers ) before the ( acts of Balaam ) but, none of this happened before the ( acts of Cain. Why is that significant? Because it’s the natural mindset of man to think he can be good enough to please God: ( the acts of Cain ). All Korah did was seek to gain power off the mindset of natural man.

Looking at these two men first, how can we relate this to our Church today? I want you to understand something; neither Cain nor Korah, we can even add Balaam in this, neither denied that there was a God. As a matter of fact, they acknowledged him. What all three didn’t do was ( except his way ). Although I mentioned ( Balaam ) here. My desire is to look at him somewhat differently.

When we look at this, as it concerns the Church as we know it today, we have somewhat taken the authority of The Holy Spirit of God completely out of the picture. Therefore, we deny the power thereof. ( 2 Timothy 3:5 )

Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

Many of our pastors have ( intruded into the office of the priest ) meaning that they now try to do the job that is left to the Holy Spirit. While they acknowledge ever aspect of God, ( God the Father )( God the Son ) and ( God the Holy Spirit ) just as Korah did, they do not recognize his authority in to drawing power of sinners or, the transforming power of the Holy Spirit. As a matter of fact; they don’t allow God’s Spirit to speak to them or, teach their congregation the art of hearing him.

When I make the statement: ( WHAT IS TRUTH ). ( I truly believe ) that most Church leaders are completely unaware who is actually leading them. ( I believe ) that the people they place their confidence in are very misleading and, those people walk so close to ( the truth ) that it’s hard to detect ( error ). We are deceived when we think that Satan is going to appear as our enemy, he never will. As a matter of fact, we can become so deceived by him, we will consider ( the truth ) to be our enemy. Is that not what happened to Israel? Didn’t they consider Jesus Christ to be their enemy?

Let’s consider something. If Cain could have seen truth, realized what would happen to him if he followed his ( own way ); do you think he would have still done the same things? If Balaam could have seen the end of what he was doing, do you think he would have taken ( reward ) to seek to curse Israel? If Korah and, those that sought to follow him could have known the earth would open and swallow them alive, would they have still done the same thing?

Satan will never let you see the end product of your sin, what ever it might be. ( In my opinion ), God looks at the sin we commit as covered by the blood of Jesus Christ once we are born again. However, our sin of omission is looked at a completely different way. If any person is born again then, that person seen themselves as a person that had committed sin and needed help, in the form of a savior, Jesus Christ. They didn’t ( omit ) to hear God’s Spirit as he spoke to them concerning that need.

What the difference once we are born again? Only God’s Spirit can convince you that you are a sinner. Why would we think men can teach us ( spiritual things ) once we are born again?

I’d like to use another metaphor here. God called me to preach and, I surrendered to that call in 1984. Not long after a I surrendered, a young man, a member of another Church I had known for some time came to visit me. As we talked I shared with me that ( he believed ) that God was calling him to preach. At that; I said, then do it, surrender to that call. He said that he had talked to his pastor about it and, his pastor recommended that he attend Bible College if he felt God was calling him to preach. I said to him, why? If God is calling you to preach, why would you need a man to teach you beyond that call. If God can call a man to preach, isn’t he also capable of instructing that same man to preach what he desires for him to preach?

This young man also shared with me that he couldn’t afford financially to go to school but, his pastor insisted that college was the only way to go. That young man never went to school and, never answered that call. How did men preach God’s word with power before there were schools to go to? What changed over the years to create a need for schooling? Did God change his method or man?

Without being dogmatic in this statement; I can see how ( a need for schooling ) can become ( the curse of Balaam ). Once anything stands between any man and, the ability of God’s Spirit to speak to his heart then, that in itself is a curse.

You can go back in ( Genesis 4 ) and see what happened to Cain. You can go to ( Numbers 16 ) and see what happened to Korah and, those that followed him. However, what happened to Balaam? The ( error ) of Balaam was assuming that God had to curse Israel becouse they were ungodly. However, that’s not the worst part of it. The worst part is that what he did became a ( doctrine ). The young man I spoke of was instructed to go to school; Why? It’s because of ( the doctrines of men ). Those doctrines are taught in our ( religious schools ) and now are very wide spread in our local Churches.

If you will study Balaam, you will see that his error was ( assuming God had to curse ). Since, God didn’t curse and, since the people could not be cursed, what can be done to them? What if we ( corrupt them )? If we go back to:

( Genesis 6: 1-2 )

This is what it says, this was just before to ( flood of Noah ). ( 1 ) And it came to pass, when men began to multipy on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them, ( 2 ) That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair: and they took them wives of all which they chose.

Balaam taught Balak how to currupt a people that could not be cursed therfore, we see the same thing happening in both the these scriptures. Balaam taught Balac to allow outsiders to get involved with God’s people. Let’s look at some scripture to back up my point.

( 2 Peter 2:15-16 )

Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bozor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness, ( 16 ) but was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man’s voice forbad the madness of the prophet.

In seeking to close this out, my desire is to show you; using these men what I believe is happening in the average local Church today. Remember, Jesus Christ died and rose again for the ( universal Church ). Just because you are a member of a local Church does not automatically make you a member of the ( universal Church ).

I continue to push this narrative, and I’ll use this verse to make my point:

( Romans 9:6-8 )

Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel: ( 7 ) Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, in Isaac shall thy seed be called. ( 8 ) That is,They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.

There were people in Israel that were claiming the promise of Abraham simply because they we members of the ( Nation of Israel ). Today, you can join the ( Jewish religion ) but that doesn’t make you ( the seed of Isaac ).

Today you can join any local Church that will let you in but, that doesn’t constitute being born again. Therefore, if we get back to the mindset of ( the daughters of men marrying to Sons of God ) that in: ( Genesis 6 ) and ( the Doctrine of Balaam ) we see men trying to associate themselves with the world and, call themselve ( children of God ) at the same time.

I’d like to show you a couple of other verses to make my point.

As concerning Israel ( Ezra 2:63 )

And the Tirshatha said unto them, that they shoud not eat of the most holy things, till there stood up a priest with Urim and with Thummim. The word ( Tirshatha ) means ( one that’s feared ). The word ( Urim ) means ( Light ) and, the word ( Thummim ) means ( truth ). What had happened here if you study, Israel, at least some of them had currupted themselves with other nations; in other words ( there men had married women ) not of Israel but, now that they are back as a free nation they desire to act like they always had. It doesn’t work like that.

As concerning the Church: ( 2 Corinthians 6:17 )

Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord. and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, ( 18 ) And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

Our Churches have been corrupted by our failure to separate from the world. Separation and sanctification is is not even preached and taught. Seemingly the message is that if you simply say you believe in Jesus Christ, get baptized and join Church then you are a part of God’s family. We’ll teach you how to act like members of our Church. As long as ( the local Church ) is pleased with the way you live, you’re fine.

The average pastor is taught how to present himself and, the things he needs to teach his people. There is a total disregard for even attempting to listen to God’s Spirit or the teach the people to listen to his call.

Our children! We get very excited when they show a desire to join Church, get baptized. They become a part of a teen group and, go to children’s Church, they play games and learn scripture basically the whole time they are growing up. However, they choose their college, their profession and normally move on never looking back or attending Church while they go to school. We wonder why? The most common reason is because they are taught the valuse of a local Church and they know nothing about the convicting power of the Holy Spirit. Most of them don’t even consider the Holy Spirit, in a sense, never heard of that aspect of being born in God’s family.

I’m going to share this and I’ll close. I was visiting a Church once that was looking for a pastor. The very man that said he felt led to pastor that Church also said he couldn’t come for the amount of money they offered him for a salary. The Church agreed on a salary that he was pleased with.

Do you remember Balaam? He sought to corrupt Israel for a price! If you think I’ll believe a pastor that says he feels led by God to come to a Church but, refuses to do so because of a ( money figure ), it’s something wrong with that picture. When we read in:

( Revelation 2:14 )

But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine od Balaam, who taught Balac to a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.

He saying that there are many pastors to day that are doing within our Churches the same thimg Balaam did to Israel. It’s not that the members are ( eating things sacrificed to idols ) or ( committing fornication ) physically but rather doing the same things spiritually. For instance: the Bible tells us to ( present ourselves a living sacrifice ) ( Romans 12:1 ). If we refuse to ( die to our flesh ) it’s the same thing as ( eating things sacrificed to idols ). If we ( love this present world ) or the things therof. That is the same as ( committing fornication ). It’s just in a spiritual sense.

( WHAT IS TRUTH )? The truth is we except what a man ( our pastor ) ( our Sunday School teacher ) says about our salvation. We are led to believe we are fine when, in reality, in our hearts we know something is wrong.

Jesus Christ will return one day to receive his Church ( his bride ) unto himself. Any individual that desires to be a part of that body has to be born into that body. As an individual we must seek to know our own personal relationship with him, not with a local Church, not depend on what any man says. It must be the convicting power of the Holy Spirit that assures you of your own relationship with Jesus Christ and, not just simply believing in Jesus Christ, being baptized and, joining a local Church.

My heart goes out to those that have been deceived by the ( doctrine of Balaam ) and that by those that teach the ( error of Balaam ). If I can by writing this can cause you to consider your own personal relationship with Jesus Christ and, that apart from what any other person thinks about you then, I done my duty as a man that seeks to relay truth!

May God bless them that read this article!

Marshall Calyton

2 Timothy 1:7

As we seek to answer this question; I’d like to begin by sharing a few verses of scripture.

( Ephesians 4:11-14 )

And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; ( 12 ) For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: ( 13 ) Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the statue of the fulness of Christ: ( 14 ) That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive:

So, in all reality, the security of a believer, once the ( born again ) experience has taken place is never in question. From the very moment we ask Christ to be our savior, we all are ( secure under his blood ) from that very moment until we actually stand in his presence.

The problem is; getting each believer to the place that we have confidence in the finshed work of Christ, understanding what salvation is. Therefore, let’s see what it takes to be born into the family of God. Look at this verse:

( John 3:7 )

Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

If you will read here; you will notice that there is a man called Nicodemus. He was a ruler of the Jews and, he is now speaking with Jesus Christ. Jesus has just explained to him this:

( verse 3 )

Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

Now, notice what Nicodemus said to him:

( verse 4 )

Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?

You can continue to read how Jesus answered that question. As a matter of fact I would encourage you to do so. However, looking back at what we see in ( Ephesians ) we see that it becomes the responsibility of people that God has given the ability to teach even beyond what you might read within the next few verses. As you read in ( Ephesians ) you will notice that all men will not do what we are speaking of. If you will look at:

( verse 14 ) he says this:

That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine.

Those that are actually called by God to teach, to bring you to the place of security in Christ can and, will help you to understand what actually being ( born again ) is all about. Once you have actually been ( born again ) then, the same ( God called men ) will teach you to see the complete security that is within that ( born again ) experience.

Now, let’s look at the rest of the verse:

( verse 14 ) the last part.

by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

The Apostle Paul writng this understood that all men or people were not people you could trust to bring you to a perfect understanding of the security we see in Christ. There are many that have all kinds of different motives as they pastor a church or, appear to be doing the work of God. One of the most common is ( the love of money ). They speak with kind words and, seek to make you happy, content so you will supply their finanical needs.

However, a man that is truly called by God will always be completely honest with you, causing you to look deep within yourself and, help you understand exactly what you need spiritually.

Therefore, let’s simply be honest.Although I’m actually writing this to ( two specific ) people that I have on my mind and heart; the fact is that every one of us are ( hell deserving sinners ) no exceptions! That means that; although Jesus Christ was speaking to ( Nicodemus ) ( a ruler ) of Israel. A man that basically was teaching Biblical things to people; that didn’t matter. He was just as ( hell deserving ) as any person he might have been teaching.

Sunday morning, when I go to Church, as I sit in the pew, looking, listening to the pastor. Guess what? He is a hell deserving sinner. As you read what I write here, it’s being written by a man that completely deserves to go the hell when I die. I want you to understand this: although I ask Christ to come into my heart in ( November, 1975 ) I am no less sinner today than I was all those years ago. I still deseve hell!

If you attend Church, as you sit there looking at all those people, consider; everyone of them deserve hell, that without a doubt. This is what Jesus Christ was desiring for Nicodemus to see. It didn’t matter what his role in life was, his education, his popularity with people, his bank account. All these things are completely worthless unless you are ( born again ).

Now, what brings about being born again? Do you remember the verse in ( Ephesians ) speaking of ( cunning craftiness, by the sleight of men )? There are those that teach us that ( believing in ) Jesus Christ is salvation; that is being born again. In most cases the people, members of Churches say they believe in Christ, get baptized and join Church. That is considered salvation, However, most of these people are not secure in what they say they believe.

Why would that be? It’s because being truly born again takes a spiritual process. That process begins with a man being willing to preach truth to you. Let’s say I, as your pastor am preaching. My first responsibility to you is to bring you to a spiritual undertanding that, just as you are, you will never please God. There is nothing about you, in your flesh that will ever be pleasing to God. My responsibility to you is to bring you to the place that you see yourself as a ( hell deserving sinner ) one ( without hope ) in your present condition.

My friends, consider this: you were born into this world by no choice of you own. The world we were born into was ( sin cursed ) when we were born into it. In our natural state, we are sinners, every one of us. While that is the absolute truth, the sin we live in has to be paid for. Look at this verse:

( Romans 3:23 )

For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.

( Roman 6: 23 )

For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Someone has got to help you see that ( you are a sinner ). The fact that you are a sinner means, that just like you are; death is coming. So, let’s consider ( death ). I often try to make people see this. We look at what we have in our present condition ( as life ) and, we consider ( death ) as the day we draw our last breathe. However, God doesn’t see it that way at all. We can prove that in scripture.

When we come to the ( knowledge of sin ) in other words, we know we are sinners, at that moment, God sees us as dead! Although we say we are alive and, people see us as alive, God sees us as dead already.

( Ephesians 2:1 )

And you hath he quickened, who were dead in your trespasses and sins; ( 2 ) Wherein in times passed ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:

In this verse we see the picture I’m speaking of. This verse is written to people that have already been ( born again ). The word ( quickened ) means to be ( made alive ). Before they were ( made alive ) they were ( dead in their trespasses and sins ).

Just to make my point a little more clear, look at Adam in Genesis. God told him the day you partake of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, ( ye shall surely die ). We know that on that day he did not physically die but, spiritually he did die. You can read about that in ( Genesis 2:16-17 ) ( Genesis 3:6-7 ).

That is the very same picture of you when you gain the knowledge that you are a sinner and, that you cannot help yourself. Yor need someone to help you. Another way to say it is ( you just came to yourself ). Now you know, you deserve hell. That being something you cannot fix without someone helping you.

When Jesus Christ said: ( ye must be born again ). He is referring to a person that has gained this knowledge of himself or herself. Now, they began to seek help. You might say; Lord, I know what I am, I see well myself as a sinner but, Lord I don’t want to die in my sin and spend eternity in hell!

Jesus Christ fixed that problem. If you remember in ( Romans 6:23 ) he said what the wage of sin was but, he also said: ( but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

You see, Jesus Christ love me so much that he willingly became my sacrifice. He paid the price I could not pay. He loves every person the very same way.

( John 3:16 )

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

( Acts 16:30-31 )

And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? ( 31 ) And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.

Do you remember a while back I stated that many people ( believe in ) Jesus Christ but, still didn’t have security in that belief? So, we must understand what it means to say ( you believe ). I’m going to make a statement here that some might disagree with but, I truly believe it’s very important to see. There are many people that look at themselves as good people. They have always live good lives, paid their debts, treated their neighbors right, they go to Church, been baptized, give money and so on.

They have a problem seeing themselves as a sinner. However, a man like me, I can clearly see what I am. what I have done. I can see what kind of mess I’ve made, all my failures and sinful deeds. Therefore, I had no problem saying this. ( Lord, I’m a hell deserving sinner, I clearly see that. I also completely see that you loved me ( Just as I am ). Lord, I need you to help me! I ask you to move into my heart, my very being and, I ask you to guide me from this day foward. I’ve made a mess of my life, therefore I willingly yield my life to your Spirit to guide and teach me.

I’m going to share something that happened to me once to take this a step further. I went to a man’s house one night to share Jesus Christ with him and his wife. I had my Bible with me. As I opened it to share scripture, the man stopped me and said. That’s just a book, why should I believe anything in it?

That caught me off guard. I paused for a little, asking God for direction. Then I said, all right and I just pitched my Bible on the coffee table in front of me.

Then I asked him; do you mind if I just share a story with you? He and his wife both said it would be fine.

Then I began to share a story with them about the fact that we are all sinners, we deserve hell, I even asked them if they knew they were sinners. I shared Jesus Christ and how he loved them, giving his life for their sin.

After I finished, I asked them this question. As I shared your sinful nature, the penalty thereof and, the love of Christ, did you feel the Spirit of God churning within your heart?

I can ask you the same thing, as you read this, about you being a hell deserving sinner and Jesus dying for you because he loved you that much; can feel something churning in your heart?

There answer was ( yes they did )! I told them that was the Holy Spirit of God trying to convince them that they needed Christ Jesus. I also reached and pick up my Bible, telling them that all I did was reveal God’s word to them in story form. In reality, it actually takes God’s Spirit working within your heart to reveal the truth about yourself and, also God’s word to each of us. The Holy Spirit of God is what causes God’s word to come alive within our hearts. If you feel that Spirit then, God’s dealing with you as well. He desires to move into your heart but he will never force himself upon you, you must invite him in at your own will! As I stated; he proved his love for you by dying on the cross, you prove your love for him by yielding to his Spirit, asking him into your heart.

Now, you have to asked yourself, has that transformation taken place in your heart, am I born again? I spent all that time trying to help you see what actually has to take place for any person to truly be born again. The reason for that is because ( security in Christ ) has to have its foundation built upon the Holy Spirit being present in your heart. He, and he alone is the way we find security in Christ. He is our only true teacher. Look at this verses:

( Romans 8:16-17 )

The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: ( 17 ) And if children, then heirs, heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

As you sit and ask yourself ( am I born again )? Just from self experience; You might say that, I realize I’m ( hell deserving ) I know ( I’m a sinner ) and, to the best of my ability I’ve asked ( Jesus Christ ) to be my savior. I’ve asked him to ( allow his Spirit ) to live in my heart. However, I still doubt my salvation. Therefore, let’s now see if we can create ( the security part ) of the salvation experience.

Jesus said ( ye must be born again ). Now let’s consider somethings about you physical birth. I’ll use myself as an example. I was born ( March 21, 1951 ) Somewhere about nine months before that date my mom became pregnant, When she was first pregnant, even she didn’t know that fact, as the next three or four weeks went by, she began to wonder and at some point, she gained the knowledge that she was with child. Now she begins to share that fact with my dad and other people. However, I still didn’t know I exisited. Even the day I was born, I had no idea. As time moved foward, on day I became aware that I’m a person and, I began to learn beyond the things I had already learned; walk, talk and so on.

When we are born again spiritually, it’s the very same picture. God’s Spirit is birthed within us. Just as it took physical food and, the tender love of our parents to bring about our physical maturity, it takes our spiritual food and the loving kindness, teaching and nourishing from spiritual people to bring about our spiritual groweth.

Before we were even old enough to know we existed, we knew how to find a bottle with the milk in it we needed, that even without any teaching. One true way you can tell you are ( born of the spirit ) is you become hungry for ( spiritual truth ) just as you were hungry for the nourishment in the milk bottle. Even before we understand ( the security ) of our spiritual birth, we have a hunger for God’s word, for the truth, we have a desire to understand Jesus Christ, to know him and yield to his will.

You can almost assuredly count on this fact; not only will you have to face the doubts within your own self but, the flesh of others will doubt you as well. As a new believer in Christ, I doubted my salvation, also others would tell me I wasn’t born again.

As we begin to grow spiritually, people seek to keep us just as they are. That is the true struggle of the Born again experience. We read those verses in ( Romans 8:16-17 ) within those verses it says this: ( if so be that we suffer with him ). Just as people doubted Jesus Christ was the Son Of God, they will also doubt that you have changed. That is part of the suffering we face as we walk with him.

As we study God’s word, learn spiritual lessons, gain spiritual strength and, begin to change, the way we talk, the things we talk about, show forth what is most important in our lives; people will begin to see the spiritual effects in our lives and, we ourselves become more and more confident in our own personal born again experience.

Our salvation is just as secure the day we ask Jesus Christ into our hearts as it ever will be but, we simply have to be convinced of that fact by spiritual growth. We have to be willing to partake of the spiritual food we need to make us spiritually strong. We can’t always drink ( the milk of the word ) but we must begin to eat ( the meat of the word ). When that happens God’s Spirit begins to purge us of our old sins and, to create himself within us.

Salvation is a ( free gift ). Your only part in that is that you have to be willing to receive that free gift. Even after you become willing to receive that free gift, then if becomes intirely up to you what you actually do with the gift that you received. Salvation as defined is ( God’s Spirit ) being placed within you freely. That Spirit can teach you all you desire to know concerning God’s word. He can cause you to become the most powerful voice for Jesus Christ in your community, you just have to be willing to study and learn who he is and, what he desires of you.

If I place a one hundred dollar bill on a table in front of you and, then tell you ( it’s yours ). That free gift will never help you at all until you pick it up and apply all it is to what you need. The free gift of salvation is the same way, it’s yours, pick it up and apply it to your very being, unlease all it’s potential within your very being! You allow yourself to become to salvation that someone else needs!

Let me share this with you and, I’ll close. If you are sitting right where you are and, you are willing to say that you have asked Jesus Christ to be your savior, then, you be willing to share that fact with someone close to you even to a whiole Church. Let me show you these verses:

( Romans 1:16 )

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth, to the Jew first , and also to the Gentile.

If you have trusted him for your salvation, don’t ashamed to share it.

( Romans 10:9-10 )

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. ( 10 ) For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

If you will consider these verses, this is what we see. Once you believe in your heart, salvation is real to you. However, when you stand and publically make that statement then you become accountable to the statement you just made. Also, the people that heard you make that statement will also expect to see a change in you, they will help you be accountabe unto the Lord you now serve. These things are meant to help you gain the knowledge of the ( spiritual security ) you already have.

Allow God’s spirit to remake and mold you into all he desires for you to be. As your spiritual life unfolds and, at some point our lives come to a close on this earth, we will be very thankful for our spiritual growth.

May God add his blessings to this teaching.

Marshall Clayton

2 Timothy 1:7

( ROMANS 10:8 )

BUT WHAT SAITH IT? THE WORD IS NIGH THEE, EVEN IN THY MOUTH, AND IN THY HEART: THAT IS, THE WORD OF FAITH, WHICH WE PREACH;

When we see this phrase ( WHAT SAITH IT )? What is this referring to? That statement is referring to ( the Word of God ) which is Jesus Christ. ( John 1:14 ) And the word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, ( and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, ) full of grace and truth.

So, let’s back up a few verses in ( Romans ) and point out some things here.

( Romans 10:1-2 )

Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. ( 2 ) For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.

The Apostle Paul, the writer of the book of Romans was an Israelite, a Jew. As he wrote ( Chapters 9,10and 11 ) he actually had his people on his heart. If you remember, Israel was governed by the Romans in the days of Jesus Christ.

Therefore, as we read all that he saying here in ( Chapter ten ) he’s saying it to; of course, all of God’s children, those that are born again, with the Nation of Israel on his heart. The Apostle Paul was the Apostle to the Gentiles but, he still loved his own people and had a heavy burden for them.

While I can in no way compare myself to the Apostle Paul; other than the fact that we are both born again, I feel somewhat the same passion for ( the Church ).As we look at this the ( Nation of Israel ) is God’s chosen people and, ( the Church ) is a called out group of people for the glory of God. We have ( local Churches ) all around us. My concern is that many people that are members of those Churches have the very same problem that the Apostle Paul relates to the ( Nation of Israel ).

In ( verse 2 ) he says ( they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge ). Now, look at the next veres ( verse 3 ) For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, having not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.

What is ( the righteousness of God )? ( Romans 3:22 ) Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:

The righteousness of God is Jesus Christ. I have no righteousness! My faith is in, totally in, the faith of Jesus Christ. My whole salvation is based on his relationship with the Father, not my own. My sinful fleah is weak and likely to fall, his will never fall, never fail. Do you think the act of confessing my sin, even repenting of it will merit me heaven. That’s impossible. I cannot be, never will be good enough to get to heaven on my own.

Now, let’s look at something here. Do you think the average Jew, knew Jesus Christ? Do you think they knew of his works, the things he taught? Jesus Christ fed five thousand men at one meal, not counting the women and children.( Matthew 14:21 ). I’d be willing to say that basically ever person within the ( Nation of Israel ) knew Jesus Christ. The question now is, how many of them trusted ( his righteousness ) for their eternal salvation?

In the Church you attend, I’ve never seen that Church but, more than likely every person there knows who Jesus Christ is! They know he died on the cross and rose again the third day. They know his mother and father. They even know some of the people he hung around with.

For a long time in my ministry, I’ve had a great burden for Church members that do not understand salvation. I’ll even say this; even the pastors are not taugtht to teach the ( art of seeking Jesus ). The ability to buy an education, to be taught and trained by man has overtaken the true study of God’s word and, it has diminished our need for the real teaching of the Holy Ghost of God. These facts leave ( Church members ) the people that need a spiritual education the most, in spiritual darkness.

There’s a Church in my hometown. Many of my extended family members attend that Church. I’ve known the pastor for years, knew him when he first began to pastor there. This pastor is actually retired now. He was well respected by the Church members there and even in the whole county that the Church is in. I actually sit down with this pastor once and told him this: ( I’d hate to stand before God in your shoes ). Now, you might think that’s a hard thing to say to a pastor and, it might be. However, would you agree that pastors need to be witnessed to just like any other person?

When you consider what a pastor is truly called to do, it can be very overwhelming. He stands. in the gap in many cases between every person’s journey to heaven or hell. He is ( the watchman on the wall ). When I made this statement to this pastor; I could see in his eyes, he knew exactly what I was talking about. I also told him that he could turn around and say the same thing about me.

When you consider the responsibility of being a person, like the Apostle Paul that is responsible for the souls of men, the quest to understand Jesus; to know him well enough to stand before him one day and hear him say ( Well done, my good and faithful servant ). That is a very tall order!

Over the years I’ve had the priviledge to talk to many members of this Church, some family members and, some not. In almost every case. I’d ask them if they were saved? I most cases the very first thing they would say was ( they had been baptized and, joined Church ). I’d reply to that answer, That’s not what I asked. I ask you, have you been saved? Then they would say ( yes ). The next question I’d ask was; do you know you are going to heaven when you die. They’d, almost everytime reply, (I hope so ).

Many times over the years, not only with members of this Church but with members of others as well I’d have the priviledge to sit and seek out why they answered the way they did. The number one reason they’d say for the fact that they could not say they knew heaven would be their home was because they might sin and not have time to confess it or, they might forget it and not confess it. In their mind, if they died with unconfessed sin then, hell would be their home.

You see, they are not taught that they are to depend on the righteousness of Jesus Christ and, not their own. The quest to find Jesus Christ is within that sort of mindset. It’s one thing to know about Jesus Christ. It’s another to actually possess him within you, to have a very personal relationship with him.

The sins we commit is not the vessel that carries us to a place called hell. To put it another way, we never go to hell because we sin or, are sinners. The reason anyone ever dies and spends eternity in hell is because we fail to trust, depend on the ( righteousness of Christ ). The preaching of God’s word under the inspirition of the Holy Spirit of God is the vessel that brings us to that knowledge. As a matter of fact; the Holy Spirit is the only way to gain that knowledge.

I’m going to take you to a place that very few people ever see. You can see if you agree with me. In the first three chapters of Genesis we see where God formed Adam out of the dust of the earth. If you will study this, you will notice that God instructed Adam about the things concerning ( the tree of the knowledge of good and evil ). God done that before he took a rib out of Adam’s side and made Eve. The point is that God never told Eve about that tree. Therefore, whose responsibility was it to teach her?

Now, as we move foward, we see where Eve told the Serpent this ( we are are to eat the fruit of the tree, nor are we to touch it ). Where did she get that knowledge? God didn’t say they couldn’t touch the tree, just not to eat the fruit. The words she spoke had to come from Adam.

The point is, instead of Adam sitting down with Eve, taking the time to teach her all she needed to know about God’s will concerning that tree. He simply instructed her not to touch it. It’s not that he didn’t say some other things but, that she was ignorant of what it was all about.

Men, husbands, I believe that the simplest form of a local Church is found right in your home. You as the pastor of you wife and, children as they come along. Every Church service you attend in your local Church should be considered as a ( evangelical mission trip ). A trip that every word that will be spoken there will be weighed out by you as the pastor of your family. When we as men become so lazy that we depend on someone else for the spiritual education of our families then we become just like Adam and it leaves our wives, our children in spiritual ignorance.

I consider the Church to be the ( mother of Salvation ). We should be able to go to any local Church and find salvation, true salvation for our unworthy souls. However, that Church should never be the final authority of what you believe to be true. That’s the responsibility of the Holy Spirit of God the lives within each believer. The man, the husband being the head of his own household.

Finding Jesus Christ is a quest. Meeting him, asking him to be your savior then, learning who he truly is is a life long journey. As we seek that quest as men, we need to bring our wives and children along our side. When we build strong spiritual families then, we create Churches that actually stand and help us in our quest to know Jesus Christ.

As the Apostle Paul wrote these things, with Israel, his people on his heart; he knew, that they were stooped in religion. They felt that as long as the high priest was satisfied with them, as long as they kept certian laws, walked a certian way then they were spiritually fine.

We have come to that same place in a lot of our denominations, religious organizations.

( Matthew 15:9 ) But in vain thet do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

( Matthew 7:7 ) Howbeit in vain do they wordhip me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

( Ephesians 4:13-14 ) Till we come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: ( 14 ) That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the slieght of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

( In my humble opinion ) There is nothing we can have that is more special as believers than a ( Holy Ghost ) filled pastor or Sunday School teacher. ( Romans 10:15 ) How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings og good things!

Even having a Church that teaches strong spiritual doctrines is such a blessing. ( I beseech you ) by the mercies of God! Try every spirit; in your quest to know Jesus Christ, always depend on the very Spirit of God within you. Allow him and, him alone to be your instructor in righteousness, always leaning on Jesus Christ as you complete savior.

As you learn in your quest to know him, when you stand before him, you’ll be glad you did!

Marshall Clayton

2 Timothy 1:7