I’d like to begin this with a true story that happened to me once, just to help you understand that what I’m writing has very little to do with statistics and , as always more about a spiritual mindset and, simply provoking thought.

I once had a little television program on our local cable channel. The program was called ( THE BIBLE SAYS ). When I agreed to do the program I stated my whole reason for doing it was to cause people to look at themselves in a spiritual light, to provoke thought.

One night as I was instructed to begin, I was live, I never said good evening or any else I didn’t say anything as far as greeting the people. The first words out of my mouth was this: ( I believe that 85% of all Christians are going to hell and, 65% of all preachers )! After that I began to explain why I made that statement. At that time any person that chose to could call in and talk to me live. A lady called and ask me where I got my facts from?

I answered her like this: Ma’am I don’t have any facts however, I got your attention didn’t I? At that point she hung up on me!

Often, we become so complacent and content with our surroundings that we forget to set and keep the standard that actually created the situation that brought about the circumstances that placed us where we are. I believe that it’s very possible that is exactly what placed the United States of America in the very position we are in today!

When a I was a young boy, we got our eggs from chickens each morning, we got our milk from a cow, most of our breakfast meets came from a hog we had raise from a little pig. Most of the vegatables we ate the whole year, we picked and my mom and sisters put them up for our winter meals. And, on Sundays, we went to Church.

That trip to Church on Sundays, in most cases was not optional! It was just like the work you were required to do each day, it was not optional. And, the food we ate, was not optional! If mom placed it in front of you, you did’t complain! You learned very quickly, in most cases, the hard way that complaining was not optional either.

My dad was the head of my family and, my mom seen to it that the things he requested was carried out, also not optional. Just by way of making a continual point, if we had friends over to our house to have a meal, the children ate last, also not optional!

My mom was, at that time a ( stay at home mom ). You might say; what she didn’t have a job? Let me take you through one of her days. We’ll just us a ( worse case senerio ). We lived on a little farn in northern North Carolina. We raised tobacco, that was our livlihood. In the summer time often we would get up around 3:30 or 4:00 am and, we would move out a barn of tobacco before we would have breakefast. Mom was the first one up. At this time was she not only preparing breakfast for her family, she was also starting the preparation for lunch in which she had to do for every person that would be working for us that day. I would take around and hour to move the tobacco out to the packhouse then we would eat breakfast.

I was the only boy with three sisters. Now you have to understand. I said the worse case senerio. That means that when those girls were needed outside the house early in the morning, mom had to wash up the breakfast dishes while she continued her preparing of lunch. Once she was at a spot she could leave the house she had to milk two cows before she came to the tobacco barn. When she arrived at the barn, she worked with us until about 11;30 or 11:45 am when she left the barn to set the table, preparing to feed every person.

When the meal was over while dad might lay around and take a break for a few minutes, the children might be playing, what was mom doing? She was cleaning up after the meal. Washing dishes, About the time she finished, dad was ready to go back to the barn. She would work with us until we were completely finished each day. At that time, two cows had to be milked again and, the milk had to be care for. She made our butter, also buttermilk. I simply make that point to show that it was more to milking cows than just that act. Supper had to be prepared! Once we ate, the cleanup had to take place once again.

Within that; the house was clean, beds made up, all our clothes washed and ironed and kept in repair. In the summer time she pick strawberries, blackberries, cherries, we often helped but, she made the jams, preserves we called it. The garden had to be picked and frozen or canned, adding to her daily chores. By the way, on Sundays, cows still had to be milked and, meals still had to be prepared.

So far, do you think my mom had a job? Basically, all this with very little pay! To be completely honest with you, today my sistes and I are reaping the benefits of the hard work my mom and dad did in their lives. My mom had equal rights, even while seeking to be obedient to her husband, she worked possibly harder that he did. Now, I never heard my mom complain, my dad might have but I didn’t! My mom never smoked a cigarette, I never heard her curse. When my mom and dad spoke, her children listened! While we were disciplined when we were were wrong, it was far more to it that just the do’s and don’t’s of our lives, We had love and respect for one another and authority. That respect for authority and love for one another began at home. I can see how that all these things that I went through in my young childhood brought about and built character in my life that is still there today.

I’d also like to point out that while we had a community mindset, respecting all of our nieghbours, we were also very much set up as an individual family. We didn’t seek to tell our nieghbours how to live and they didn’t tell us, we worked together as neighbours, as a county, as a state and as a nation. If we needed help, our neighbours came to help, if they needed help we went to them as well. Even if we disagreed with some things they were doing in their lives or, they disagreed with us, we all still worked together.

I can’t say that every family accross the nation had to be exactly the same as ours but, I will say that; as a rule it was very common in those days.

I’ll say something here that many people have forgotten and, many now have never even considered it. I’ll begin it with a verse of scripture:

( Matthew 5:13 )

Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under the foot of men.

This is the way I’ll try and explain my thoughts. If you take a single grain of salt and drop it on a piece of meat, that salt will desolve and flavor a bigger portion of that meat than just the size that the grain of salt is. The people that came to this country, one of the reasons they came was because they sought ( religious freedom ) among other things. So, let’s just place those people on the the Mayflower to begin with. More than likely every person that was on that ship was not a born again beliver in Jesus Christ. Those that were, more than like had several different views on how to worship and serve him.

Each of those believers were grains of salt so to speak. While they might have differed in ways; the concept of Jesus Christ was the center point of their lives. It was so powerful! Their walk, their talk, their praying reached out to every person, even unbelievers to the place that it effected the very way they lived and, presented themselves as well.

They were the very salt of the country they were attempting to set in order. Now, a question one might ask, were they perfect? The answer is absolutely not. However, that question and, the fact they they were not perfect was, not then nor is it now the problem. The problem came to them and even today when people of any nation began to settle for less than perfect. You see, being born again will never make anyone perfect. However, it will create a mindset towards seeking perfection and, becoming more like our savior; Jesus Christ. Pressing towards that mark is basically what ( the spiritual walk ) of any person or nation is all about or, should be.

I personally believe that a very spiritual mindset was present and, to some degree; ruled in this nation up until the 1960’s. There are those that might say that things began to change right after ( World War two ) however, since I was born in 1951; My concept of that spiritual change was not so noticed until a little later. Have no doubt, what we see in our nation is a ( spiritual meltdown ) and nothing else. Therefore, the only way to repair the problem is spiritually related.

Since these things are spiritually related then, we must be willing to first see those problems and, then be willing; if we are part of that problem, change who we are to fix those problems. Therein is where the problem lies! I have news for you my friends; it’s not the people in this country that don’t know Jesus Christ as their personal savior that actually created the downfall of this nation. Now, they, today might have their role to play in our demise but, that is not where the problem lies.

Here I am, A ( white ) ( Old ) ( Man ). Like it or not, we are seen as ( the problem ) in our country. Therefore, if I write in this article what it will actually take to fix this mess we are in. I very quickly will become the ( villian ), count on it! At the very same time I make that statement; it is a ( man problem ) and that of basically of every race in our country. So, to begin with, can the men of this nation become ( real men ) again? That starting with the very men in leadership roles in our Churches and, every part of government starting with local all the way to Federal?

Actually, It’s not ( White Old Men ) that is the problem is it? The lack of our ability to see truth and, conform to that truth is where the problem lies. I made the satatement that ( it is a man problem ). Why would I say that? In scripture we see that that book is speaking basically in the male gender. For instance: God the Father is seen as a man. He came to this earth in the body of ( His Son ) being indentified as ( a Male ). Do you realize that every apostles that Jesus Christ called was male? When we reach the thousand year riegn of Christ, men will be in charge, whether we like that or not. As a matter of fact, they will all be the same race and, they won’t be white!

We, as a nation set ourselves up for failure, not because of any race but, because we simply refuse to except truth from any person. We refuse to submit to any leadership. Now, let’s go back and look at something. Let’s assume, even recognize that ( Old White Men ) were wrong about some things when this country was founded. You, dependeing on your own personal mindset can pick what you believe they were wrong about. The fact that they were wrong about some things, things that you thought about, does that mean they were wrong about all things?

We, as a nation; because of our individual, single mindsets have become willing to ( throw the baby out with the bath water ) to see to it that we have our own personal way! We, show our own spiritual ignorance by the way we present ourselves; bring the destruction to the greatest nation on ther face of this earth.

I’ll show you when our demise first began. It began when the slogan ( In God We Trust ) became just a slogan instead of a reality. You can decide in your mind when that happen. You can also decide whether you are a part of the problem or, are you seeking to be a part of the solution.

Let’s look at the ( war on poverty ) that began in the 1960’s. I understand we have spent well over 15 trillion dollars in that war. How much of that money did you get? Do you realize that we are now in debt just a little over that amount yet, we still have poor people? Actually, if you are a person that actually got some of that money, maybe for years, guess what? In more cases than not, all you did was to make some ( Old White Men ) richer! Adding to that, causing a great nation to be indebted while they got the money!

What about ( equal rights )? You pick the catagory! Do you think you become equal with another group just because ( Old White Men ) or anyone else might pass a law that states the you are? If you wish, you pick the race or sexual orientation! Just because ( It is spoken ) does that make it is real? Women fought for the right to vote and, they won! Let’s say your voice becomes louder that the voice of men, does that make it right? Whatever happen to the submission that ( The God ) we say ( We Trust ) and what he has to say about it? I’ll admit; there are many men, husbands that are very weak as leaders. Actually, their whole mindset is very self willed and, self seeking. However, going about to fix that problem by creating another problem is very contrary to the ( God we say We Trust ). In other words, if the man that is suppose to lead you is not doing so then, that will never make you correct by going your own way or, seeking to take the leadership role in your family or, in any nation!

Who is the ( God ) we say ( we trust )? What does it mean in our nation when we say you have ( freedom of religion ) here? Although the phrase ( freedom of religion ) is a very true phrase, as a nation we were not founded on a ( generic God ). Yet, in the minds of people today; we do! This nation, as a whole was founded on the ( one and only true God ). We recognize him from the words we read from ( his word ). That word was made flesh and dwelt among us, his name is Jesus Christ. He is not generic, he is real! The very laws that this nation was establisheed on were centered around his word. Without a doubt, we, as a nation prayed and reveranced his name!

In the beginning, ( Jesus Christ ) was always the center of every law. They all pointed men back to that center, One of the first things many might point back to and say ( as a Nation ) we were wrong, could be slavery. O.K.! I’ll give you that. However, did we, as a nation not seek to fix that mistake? Now, let me ask you as an individual something! I suppose that ( you ) being who you are, are perfectly free from sin in every way, there is no need for you ever to change anything about you?

I’m not saying, nor did the leaders of that time say that we were perfect but, we sought always to point back to that center? Let me ask you another thing. When ( Old White Men ) passed a law that gave women the right to vote, were those ( Old White Men ) pointing back to that center? Now, since I asked that question, what you might desire to asked me is ( Do I have a problem with women voting )? FRIENDS, COUNTRYMEN, AMERICANS ! LEND ME YOUR EAR! It has nothing to do with what I might think or say. Our desire should always be about ( WHAT DOES GOD’S WORD TEACH )!

Elijah the prophet made this statement to the Nation of Israel.

( 1 Kings 18:21 )

And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? If the Lord be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.

At some point: the ( old white Men ) the leaders of this nation began to reference something other than God’s word in their law making decisions. The laws they made and, I might add, continue to make were not and, are not based on ( the word ) of ( the God ) that ( we as a nation ) say ( we trust in ). At some point, you pick the place, we, like the Nation of Israel began to follow other Gods.

It’s one thing for a God fearing, trusting nation to respect the right for any person to ( follow any god they choose ) but quite another to began making laws or allowing their mindsets to become part of the choices we make!

Consider! ( Old White Men ) are blamed a lot for the problems of our country in the beginning. Would you mind looking at our Senate, House of Representivies, even the White House and tell me what we have now? Look back over the last fifty years, see how diverse we have become. And, also, look at where we are now!

You might look at me and say: Well you’re just a ( Dirty Old White Man ). I won’t listen to you! I’ll answer that this way. I have no problem with any race or greed, nationality or sexual orentation. I’m not a bigot, nor am I racist. As far as I’m concerned, any person has a God given right to hold any office in this nation that the individual has a desire to hold.

However, I, as a ( Old White man ) do have a problem when you begin to recognize some other God as the God of this nation othe than Jesus Christ. I’ll also say this. If you call yourself a ( Christian ). By default, you are saying you have been born again, washed in the blood of Jesus Christ and, you acknowledge ( His Holy Word ) as the book that governs your life.

Therefore, if you are going to call the ( God ) of this ( Old White Man ) your God, not matter what color you are, what nation you came from, what sex you are, how old or young you are, what state you are from, what political party you are a part of, what Church you go to. Even if you are from another religion, that’s fine; but we must start to submit ourselves, govern ourselves, make laws based on the word of God this country was founded on, the word I call Jesus Christ.

In closing, I’ve made this statement time and time again. The biggest problems we have in our country is not the people that commit sinful acts, those people have always been a part of our ( God fearing nation ). The greatest problem in our country are the men standing behind the pulpits in our Churches in our country! They have yielded to the calls of the cares of this world, they have forgotten to concept of allowing God to speak through them, to set a Godly standard, the kind that Jesus Christ would set if he, himself stood behind their pulpit! It’s something I believe we misunderstand. We are of the opinion; from pastors to the pews that we ( can have things our way ). WE have a mindset that where we have unity; then God is there. Neither of those things are true. We must ( come out from among them and be seperate ).

Men of God became puppets instead of pastors, began to please their members instead of hearing from God. Look at this verse:

( 1 Peter 4:16-19 )

I’ll be making some comments as we go through these verese.

( 16 ) Yet if any man suffer as a christian, let him be not ashamed; but let him glorify God on his behalf.

One of the problems today is how we define the word ( Christian ). Look around you; about every person you see calls themselves ( Christian ) today. There is no stand for the word of God, it has become a word only, that without any true meaning!

( 17 ) For the time will come that judgement must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin with us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?

Our Churches are filled with men, women and children that show absolutely no respect for God or his word! Our pastors simply go along with the flow knowing; that if they truly stand, persecution, true Christian persecution, from those that are within that body that are not born again ( will come ). However, notice ( if it first begin with us ) if we, those that are truly ( Christian ) ( born again ) begin to stand, demanding righteous, ( what will be the end of them that obey not the gospel of God )?

Friends, we think we can play God, play Church! Guess what? God’s not playing as is evidence as we look across our nation. I’m a born again believer, washed in the blood of Jesus Christ. Let’s say that I’m sitting in my local Church. I’m seeing all the ungodly corruption that is there and on a very regular basis. Let’s say I stand up and begin calling it all out, which would be ( God honoring ). Can you see that it is nothing short of the Grace of God that would allow me to do that? That would be as far as I’m concerned or the pastor of any Church.

Look at the next verse:

( Verse 18 )

For if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and sinner appear?

Do you realize that the only thing standing between me or, any born again believer burning eternally in hell is the precious blood of Jesus Christ? Do you realize that it was ( His truth ) from ( his word ) that plunged me under his precious blood? We, as people, normal people that are born again often never stop and consider just how special that the man that was preaching, a man that was willing to suffer persecution if necessary, simply for the cause of my salvation. We never consider just how close we came to burning in a Devil’s hell for eternity!

( If we scarcely be saved )! How about all those people that are trusting ( a Pastor ) to, under great conviction and passion to share that same gospel with them? The Apostle Peter is saying there, ( where shall they appear )? God, the father of Jesus Christ; placed his hand upon me and called me to preach. When I consider that, me, being called by him and the possiblity of one soul leaving this world lost without him because I refused to share the truth with him burdens my soul!

( Verse 18 )

Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful creator.

In the United States of America. If you happen to ride by any Church, no matter how big or small. If you happen to be lost and undone without Christ then, that building should be a place, of tremendous security for you. At any time, your choice, that you choose to stop and go into that building; you can! The man that pastors that place has a God given responsibility to preach to you ( truth ). If that doesn’t happen, no matter where you spend etenity, you can hold him accountable ( to God ) for his refusal to be persecuted for the truth!

What am I saying! If we are ever to see this country return to it’s ( Old Spiritual Landmarks ) then it must begin in the House Of God!

( A jewel of gold )!

I found that jewel of gold! Here I was, buried in a slime pit of sin, Basically, without hope of ever having any way to crawl out of the life of sin I lived in. As you might have seen me, it was absolutely nothing that was special or note worthy about me. As far as this world was concerned, I fit right in! The way I talked, to things I said, the way I dressed, my whole life was a perfect picture of any person that was a part of this world. There is a place called hell that I was bound for and, at any moment in my completely ungodly life, there would be where I would spend eternity.

As I walked through this world, my mind and heart was all about me and, everything that please me. I didn’t even have the mental capicity to consider anything beyond this world and what it had to offer. I was completely void of any aspect of Jesus Christ or anything that concerned God. I realize now that I was simply just like every other person that is born and lives in this world without Jesus Christ. I was in a slime pit, a mud hole, a place of continual degradation. What made matters worse was the fact that I, myself was my own worst enemy. I was completely destroying myself, without any help from any other person. I could have been a poster child for ( the army of Satan ).

Then It happened! I seen and felt the very power of The Holy Ghost of God Almighty. I held it in my hand, I felt it in my heart! ( HE WASHED MY EYES WITH TEARS ) that I might clearly see all that he is! I found something that is the absolute most precious thing that will ever be found on the face of this earth. Most people call it salvation. I said; ( I found ). Do you understand that what I found I was not looking for at all? I went to Church one day, that precious gift started stirring within my very being. Here, I’m going to take the time to show you a verse of scripture that it took me some time to get a grip on what he was saying.

( Hebrews 6:4-6 )

For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, ( 5 ) And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, ( 6 ) If they fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucified to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to open shame.

When I was around twelve years old, we were members of a Methodist Church that was not far from our house. One night during a revival service; God spoke to my heart. Still today, I can take you to that Church, even show you the, pew, the place I was sitting when that took place in my life for the very first time. God’s convicting power was all ove me! I knew I was supposed to ask him into my heart. However, I left that Church; that night, just like I went in.

These verses in Hebrews is showing us a picture of what happened to me that night. I was enlightend to the fact that I needed salvation, I tasted the heavenly gift. I was made a partaker of the Holy Ghost. I tasted the good word of God and, the powers of the world to come!

All that; and I walked away from it! I cannot repent from that fact. From that very moment foward if any person had asked me if I had ever felt the ( Power of the Holy Ghost ), no matter how I answered that qusetion, whether I lied or not, the truth was ( yes I have ). If I would have died lost and undone without Jesus Christ and, one day, stood before him at the ( Great White Throne of Judgement ) and tried to tell him ( I didn’t know ). He would have taken me back to that little Methodist Church and said; ( you remember this night )?

Any person, like me can still be saved after that fact. God’s mercy will still draw conviction on your heart. As a matter of fact, about twelve years later, once again I felt that same conviction and yielded to the call of God. Thanks be to God for his Amazing Grace that reaches far beyond my sinful actions!

Could we agree that the act of rejecting God’s Spirit when he draws conviction on a heart is very simular to seeing a great chunk of gold laying on the ground in front of you and, passing right by without picking it up?

When people, just like me, feel the power of God, He makes us partaker of his glory; He takes to time to care about us, we actually taste just how good it is but, simply spit it out as if it means nothing to us, what a shame for me or any person to do any such thing to something as priceless as God’s Holy Spirit!

Now, something of this nature is one thing, I or, we all have a God given right to reject him and live in open sin if we choose to do. What a blessing to have and, know a God of ( second chances )! If that were not the truth I’d be bound for hell today!

However, In ( Proverbs 11:22 ) we see something that I believe is completely different than that. We see ( the art of Deception ). Here’s a ( fair woman ). Let’s say she’s a virgin, very beautiful to look upon. She would draw any man’s attention.

I’m going to share sometthing that happen to me once as a teenage boy. I don’t share this to make myself look good in any way, as a matter if fact; now I have made mistakes far worse that what she did to me. Thanks be to God for his amazing grace! I tell this only to make a point.

I had the priviledge to meet a very beautiful young woman. I almost, instantly was drawn to her. Her family was good friends with our next door neighbours. As youngsters we had played together for years. She was a little younger that I was. When I was old enough to get my driver’s licience, a friend and I actually went riding with this young lady and another young lady one Sunday afternoon. Neither of the young ladie’s parents knew they were riding with us.

This young lady and I sit in the back seat. At that time, I had never even kissed a girl. That whole afternoon, sitting beside all that beauty, I never did one thing beyond kissing her on the cheek. I sought to be a perfect gentleman to ( what I took to be ) a perfectly beautiful lady. She and I talked often on the phone, almost nightly. I had become very close to her. Not long after we went riding that day, a friend of mine asked me about my feelings for her. As we talked he told me she was actually giving herself to another young man. To be honest, this made my blood boil! I knew the young man, so I went to talk to him. As we talked he told me that he had been with her a number of times. He said he didn’t have a reason to lie about it and, at the same time it wasn’t any of my business.

After that converstaion, I called her and asked her if it was true? I could tell in her voice, by the way she answered, it was true! I told her, I’ll never call you again, you froget you ever knew me. I told her just how much I respected her and always sought to treat her with the respect of a lady, just as a gentleman should.

I could go on but, can you see the picture of ( a jewel of gold ) in a swine’s snout in that story? Often, beauty is destroyed by the actions of a young woman or, it can be by the ways she talks, the things she talks about. I realize, in it’s simplilest form, that’s what that verse is speaking of however, I’m going to give you a spiritual message there as well.

When we speak of a local Church, exactly what are we seeing or, saying? I’ll start this by making this statement. The Church I was born again in was nothing special to look at, just a very plain type of Church. However, because of Jesus Christ and his grace, from that Church to me, t became to most beautiful place I had ever seen!

Let’s say you have a Church close to where you live. Just to look at it, it’s one of the most beautiful buildings you have ever seen. For too often, we are impressed by the beauty of a woman or, that of a building.

However, back to the original question, what is a Church anyway? In reality, a Church building is supposed to be a perfect picture of the ( bride of Christ ) in all his glory! Every person in that building, every member is a person that, just like a ( submissive wife ) has completely surrendered themselves to the perfect will of God. In other words, the building might be very beauitful but, when you walk inside that building, you see more of what inhances the true beauty of that building. In that case, it actually doesn’t matter what the outside looks like does it? What’s inside that building is what the ( beauty of Jesus Christ ) is truly all about. That is, if every person there is sold out, surrendered to the very will of God.

When a sinner or any person that might be looking for a place to meet with God; stands in front of a Church building they might be impreseed with the beauty of that building and, even the amount of people that are in attendance to that building. Often, we are even drawn to a Church by what we hear about it’s beauty. I personally believe that what the true beauty of ( A Church ) is has been greatly diminished by man. The true definition of what it is has been redefined to make it more conformable to the eyes of the world.

Now, you women might not like this but, it needs to be said. When men see your beauty on the street as they might walk by you, is it real? Or, is it what you decided that you desire for them to see. Are you more concerned about them being attracted to how you look or, what is truly inside of you? Personally, I don’t have a problem with hair dye, make up, nice clothes and so on; as long as you are perfectly willing for every person to know who you truly are.

The Bible puts it this way: ( Matthew 23:27 )

Woe unto you, scribes and pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto a whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautifil outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness.

The woman that we are speaking of in ( Proverbs 11:22 ) is exactly this picture! A woman, period; is ( a type of the Church ). When men see you they need to see truth! Don’t misunderstand me. men also need to reveal, in every way what and who they truly are. Deception is a very wicked and terrible attribute, no matter how it is carried out.

A Church can be classified the very same way. When any Church, no matter how it appears on the outside does not reveal within all the true attributes of Jesus Christ then, that Church just took the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ; placed it on a Swine’s snout and, that pig just stuck it down in the nearest mudhole!

Many Churches are hypocritical by nature. They create their own salvation, they set their own version of righteousness and, there pastor’s abide by their version of ( The Church ). These people, this Church, the pastor has actually ( crucified to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put to an open shame ). ( Hebrews 6:6 )

In reality; whether we are speaking of a beautiful woman or a beautiful Church that is not real, who actually gets hurt in the end? What if I marry a fair woman that has me deceived all the way up to we are married? What if I become a member of a Church that keeps me deceived all the way to hell? I’d hate to stand in that pastor’s shoes or, be one of those Church members!

( DISCRETION ) The quality of having or showing discernment or good judgment: the quality of being discreet: ( circumspection ) the quality of being wary and unwilling to take risks; prudence. ( discreet ) careful and circumspect in one’s speech or actions, especially in order to aviod causing offence or to gain advantage.

Simply put ( truth )! Good judgment tells me that whatsoever I might gain on this earth, I lose in eternity! that is: unless I do all for the Glory of God!

Marshall Clayton

2 Timothy 1:7

I said a few days ago I was going to write something about this. Since then I’ve been praying about how to go about it. As you that follow me and read my atricles know, I’m a spiritual writer. I very seldom ever write anything that is not Biblical in content. I last article I wrote was about depression. ( I believe ) that both of these articles can be a very spiritual issues.

If you happened to be a man that has an mentally abusive wife, let me ask you something. When your wife was your girl friend; was she abusive then? In most cases I’d say that the answer to that question is ( no ). If she would have been, you; more than likely wouldn’t have married her. I understand that there are wives that are abused by their husbands as well. However, I’d like to address this problem because I can see a very spiritual problem here and, that to a degree that we never think about.

Before we get into this, I will say this. Any man that will abuse his wife in any way, physically or mentally is a ( brute beast ) and, he has no concept of what the true role of ( a Husband ) is all about. As a matter of fact, he cannot be defined as a husband at all. Personally, I don’t believe we as in ( husbands or wives ) are taught the spiritual concept to those words, ever, not by parents nor by the Churches we attend. We are left to assume that ( just because ) we get married we become ( a husband ) or ( a wife ). This is not so! Both of these words have ( spiritual meanings ). If it wasn’t for the word of God; how would you know to call a woman a wife when she is married or, a man a husband? The very concept of marriage is Biblical. Therefore, when we speak of Husbands and Wives, it’s a very spiritual topic whether we realize it or not.

I believe we also need to make this point clear. As men and women, people; we have a way of defining things to way we like for them to be. For instance; if my dad spanked me when I was a boy, did that fact make him abusive to me? If I was scholded as a child, was that being mentally abused? I thought so at the time!

As time moves foward I’ll try and write something concerning ( abusive husbands ) but in this article we’ll be looking into the mental abuse a wife gives her husband and, to my best ability, Why?

First of all, I’d like to point this out. ( Spiritually speaking ) Jesus Christ is the most mentally abused ( spouse ) that has ever walked this earth! He was when he lived and, even today he still is. We often fail to understand that ( the Church ) is his bride. In more cases than not, he is not allowed to speak in his own house and, if he is allowed to speak he is instructed what he can and cannot say! In the average Church, she decides what she considers right and wrong, if he is to stay inside then( He ) must abide by those guidelines. In many cases when ( He ) tries to speak his heart, even truth thern ( He ) is locked out and ( His Wife ) will not even let him in! Do you doubt that fact?

( Revelation 3:20 )

Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

Mental abuse, no matter where it comes from is all about having control. If it happens to be a husband that is being mentally abusive to his wife then I will say that possibly he is in no way willing to submit himself to God the Father. Yet, he expects his wife to submit unto his every word!

When it is the wife being mentally abusive to her husband then she is not in any way going to be submissive to him and also, she will be awfully upset if he even tries to submit to God the Father! When husbands or wives are mentally abusive to their spouse, it is an absolute fact that they are not and cannot be in God’s will, no exceptions! Why do I make that statement? Because ( being Born Again ) in its complete spiritual mindset is all about ( submission ). Salvation has a ( chain of command ). When we refuse to follow that chain then it’s very possible that no matter what we say ( salvation is not within our hearts ).

I began this article speaking of ( the Church ) and ( Jesus Christ ). I wrote an article a few days ago teaching:

( Hebrews 4:12 )

For the word of God is guick, and powerful, sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intent of the heart.

In that article and, in that verse we see that ( the word of God ) seperated our soul from our spirit. At the point of salvation; God actually reclaims what was already his. ( Our Soul ). We , in all of our sin currupted it. The act of salvation is each born again believer willingly giving that ( soul ) within us back to the control of God.From that moment on, God’s desire is to ( control ) everything about us.

Looking at this, let’s consider something. Once you give your soul back to God the Father, can you take it back? Can you dismiss him? The very ( act of salvation ) is the act of you becoming of two completely different mindsets. You live in your flesh but, God the Spirit live within your heart.

Why would I point this out, even as we speak of ( mental abuse ), espescially of a husband? The greatest reason for that is because; although God’s Spirit lives within you, he will never force you to do what is right. He will seek to guide you to truth, righteousness but he will never make you do anything!

Therefore, Let’s say a husband that is born again. Then that man ( has a God given right to tell his wife what he expects of her ). However, he will never, under the leadership of God’s Spirit demand anything of her. Just as ( God’s Spirit ) that lives within him will never demand anything of him, he, being in God’s will will never be demanding either.

The very same spirit that is placed within any husband when salvation comes to a husband is also within any woman that is a wife, if she is also born again. However, if the wife is to be in God’s will as led by the selfsame spirit then to whom is she suppose to submit to?

If we will truly say it in the right context, a husband that is mentally abusive to his wife is being non submissive to one person but, if the wife is being mentally abusive then she is actually being non submissive to two people.I still contend that in neither case; can they be that way and, be right with God at the same time.

Men and women, husbands and wives like to be seen often as ( good Christian people ). We like to set ourselves above those that don’t go to Church, seeking to draw a line between the ( mental abuse ) of those that are saved and those that are not. However, actually there is no difference.

Let’s say there’s a couple in your Church that are seen as a very Godly couple. However, he faces terrible ( mental abuse ) at home which is behind the seens. Is that not the very same sin that happens within a couple that never goes to Church and does not consider themselves to be born again?

I realize that there’s all kinds of different ways and situations that we can consider. However, I’m a spiritual teacher and, I simply believe that ever situation comes about in our lives because of our spiritual condition. With that being said, what a shame when ( a Church ) decides to get ( a pastor ) that they can dictate what he will say from the pulpit! What a shame when a wife is so overbearing ( mentally ) over her husband that, in reality they both die and go to hell because of her refusal to submit, even possibly, carrying their children with them.

Now, I’ve said all of that. Let me ask you something! Have you ever heard Jesus Christ complain? No, and he won’t! If, and I do say if; because if you are truly born again when you commit a sinful act such as ( mental abuse ) Jesus Christ is right there! When you say things you should say, He is still right there!

The reason we never basically hear a husband complain is because we, as men won’t do that sort of thing, it’s not in our makeup. There are men that face ( mental abuse ) each day, That from a wife that many think is a very Godly woman. These wives go to Church, teach Sunday School, some even pastor, they have high respect from many of there piers but, as her husbands sits, He knows what kind of heart she actually has. As a matter of fact, many of his wife’s piers are treating their husbands the very same way. It has become a very natural act to leave God completely out of all they do. What they say is ( simply words ) and that without power!

It’s one point that people that are ( mentally abusive ) seem to forget. Our lives are short. The very same man that is very willing to be your savoir today, very willing to lead you to righteous today will very quickly become ( your judge ). You will stand before him and give an account for your very actions.

That’s the very same for Church members that are abusive to our Lord, locking him out or, never letting him speak. Then that makes you leaders rather than the pastor, you are the dictator of your own future and, you will give an account! We could add to this ( the acts of pastors ) but that is a story for a different day. However, there are pastors that yield rather than take the abuse and, there are also those that simply will not even consider pastoring because they know ( the Church ).

You can count on this fact! Jesus Christ leads his ( true Church ). He leads with wisdom and meekness, never demanding, just simply speaking to his ( true bride ). The members of his ( true Church ) are never ( mentally abusive ) to him and they willingly listen to his voice and follow his leadership. A perfect picture of a loving husband and a very submissive wife! Never any ( mental abuse ) on either side!

TO GOD BE THE GLORY!

Marshall Clayton

2 Timothy 1:7

What is the difference in ( clinical depression ) and ( depression )? Is there an answer to that question that can be clearly defined and why? I’ve somewhat researched both terms and as far as I can see the only difference is that one is constant ( clinical depression ) and, the other temporary ( depression ). That means it can come and go. The word ( depression ) as defined means: feelings of severe despondency and dejection. ( Synonyms ) misery, saddness, unhappiness, sorrow.

Therefore, according to doctors there is no clearly defined reason for this problem. I, just as an individual can clearly see how any person’s mind, their very inner being can be disturbed just like any other part of our frail bodies. If a person lives a life that is basically healthy, does all the right things, exercises, eats heathhy foods but, the same peraon get heart disease, liver problems, diabetes and any other problem known to exist, our minds can be the very same way. That’s simply because we are all imperfect people.

There is two other terms we hear today. ( Maniac Depression ) and ( Bipolar ). Both of these are actually defined as the same. ( A mental condition marked by alternating periods of elation and depression ).

As we look at those things, one of the greatest problems is, we can clearly see other diseases. We can see the reason they occur and, in a lot of cases we can take a medicine to correct them.

I, myself have been married twice. My first wife which has now passed away was diagnosed as ( Bipolar ) and ( Maniac Depression ) in the early years of our marriage. Therefore, I know first hand what it can be like to live with those things.

I also once had a pastor friend that said this: I use to preach from my pulpit that if people would just get right with God, depression would be gone, He said he preached that until his wife was diagnosed with ( Clinical Depression ).

Often, men and women can be very hurtful when we don’t understand! I want you to consider this:

( John 11:21 )

Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.

Can you hear a form of depression in that statement? I can! However, even in that statement, look what she says in the very next verse:

( John 11:22 )

But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee.

Now we know that particular depression was temporary don’t we? We know that because Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. If we were to make that a ( spiritual application ), we can see the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The people of Israel knew he was the King of the Jews, the Messiah; at least those that believed. When he died on Calvary, we can see ( depression ) on most or all of his disciples. However, he return, being raised from the grave. Although they were excited and revived from depression, they still didn’t understand it all.

On the day of Pentacost when ( his Spirit ) came down, there was a transformation of their understanding! It might have taken a while for them to mature but, now they had the very life of Christ within them.

This brings us back to ( depression ) and ( Clinical depression ) that is, any way you might choose to describe it. Being Maniac or Bipolar or just depressed.

Being ( born again ) and being ( depressed ) have a relative point. Just as no other person in this world can see the ( circumcision ) that took place in my heart by ( God’s Holy Spirit ) other than by what they see in our lifes; no other person in this world can tell what kind of depression you have. That is ( other than the one person ) that has either, salvation or depression.

To the best of my understanding, there is a test they can give you to see if you have a chemical imbalance in your body, I don’t know that for sure. But, let’s say they can. Can they also give you ( a medical chemical ) to resolve the issue like they do with other physical problems?

My only reason for pointing this out is because, whether we like it or not, it becomes a very personal problem. Only you as an individual can decide what is real about you. The doctors confess they ofton don’t understand the reason for ( what they call ( clinical depression ).

As a man that has lived there, as a born again believer, I can tell you some things that I’ve witnessed with my own eyes. I know that ( in our flesh ) we love having our way! There is absolutely no difference in ( me desiring something and, not being able to have it ) and ( me having something I want to get rid of and can’t ). Both is all about bringing us down into a depressed state.

Often we are depressed simply because we can’t have our way! Did it ever occur to you that Jesus Christ is the only man that ever lived on this earth that never had one thing just as he desired it! The very battle between our flesh and God’s Spirit that lives within any person that is born again can bring about ( great depression ) if we are not willing to submit to his leadership in our lives. Again, I say, only you can decide where you, as an individual. That is, whether it falls on your physical condition or, your spiritual condition.

Let’s say your doctor tells you are clincally depressed. Is he not speaking as a man? What if your doctor simply looked at you and said: ( you have a spiritual problem ). Would just as readily except that and build on it as you are willing to listen to his diagnosis of you being Clinically depressed? What if he told you, you just need to grow up, take on adult responsibilities and meet your life head on. Would you be just as willing to hear that diagnosis as the one of clinical depression?

Often, the real medicine we need to fix our problems, we reject because we simply can’t have our way if we except that as the answer. For instance: what did it take for me to be bprn again? For me to be born again, I had to come to the end of myself, see myself as worthless, no good. I had to look at Jesus Christ and say, just as I am, I cannot help myself. However, I completely believe you can! Salvation is all about dying to self! Guess what? Dead people don’t hurt!

Many people might take this as being hard but, I’m not, I’m simply trying to get you to see that ( only you ) can say for sure, about many things in your life. In many cases concerning these things a doctor can no more say for certain what your problem might be than your pastor can say for sure you are born again. They don’t know, they simply know what you say.

I’ll say this in closing. If you looked straight in my eyes and said: I don’t believe you are born again! The fact that you said that to me would not bother me at all. Why? Because I know what I am, I have confidence in my total salvation! I, myself have a ( heart condition ) that, verified by my doctor. If you looked straight at me and said, you don’t have a problem with your heart, I believe you are lying. Just the same! That would not bother me at all. Why? Because I know the truth.

As you read all I had to say about ( Christians and depression ). If you know, within your heart that you have ( Clinical Depression ) you are a ( Maniac Depressant ) or ( Bipolar ) then all I had to say won’t bother you even a little, Why? Because you know the truth.

I am a pastor, preacher. If I look straight into your eye and say this: I don’t think you are saved, you have never been born again. If you know what you are, then that fact won’t bother you even a little. Why? Because you know the truth. Only those that will not except truth are bothered by ( the truth ).

Can you except your truth? Can you come to a resolve about who you truly are and, if it can be fixed, are you willing to take the medicine that’s available to make you whole? ( Only you ) can answer that question! Many people won’t except the diagnosis of one doctor, they’ll ask for a second opinion. There is nothing wrong with that. However, how many opinios do you need? Are you going to keep looking until you find a preacher, pastor, doctor, friend, maybe even an enemy to say what you desire to hear or, are you willing to hear truth?

There are many families, wives, husbands, even friends that face very difficult lives because of the desire for one family member or person being so bound and determinesd to have things like they want them to be! Often in, no win situations.

Selfishness in the heart of a person is completely contrary from all the ( the born again experience ) is all about. I went to visit a man with cancer a while back, a member of our Church. I was concerned about his salvation. It turns out, he was born again, I was glad to hear it. As we sit on the porch, his wife come out the door. She looked straight at me and said, I don’t want a preacher, a baptist peracher talking to my husband, I want you to leave. It took a few minutes but we got that settled.

She was on medicine for depression. What I couldn’t understand was; what did the fact that I was a preacher or Baptist have to do with me being there? If I would have walked up drinking a beer and using God’s name in vain, would that have mattered? Would that have been alright within a depressed state of mind? ( I say ) often it is a spiritual problem rather than a physical one!

Marshall Clayton

2 Timothy 1:7

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