Bible Studies
But God, in His time, will show them His truth. The very basic truth is that NOTHING BUT THE BLOOD OF JESUS CAN SAVE YOU. Ephesians 2:9-10 “But by grace are you saved by faith; and that not of yourself: it is the gift of God: Not of works lest any man shall boast”.
I Peter 1:18-19 “For as much as you know that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers. But WITH THE PRECIOUS BLOOD OF JESUS, as a lamb without blemish and without spot. Every church you can name began with the direct teaching of Jesus Christ but departed from it by adding to it or taking away because it didn’t suit their style of living. This is from the very beginning of Christianity.
Something else to think about: Rev 22:18- to 19. Plagues added to you if you add to the prophecies of the BOOK. If you take away what is in the Book, “God shall take away his part out of the Book of Life. Then Read Matthew 23:1-36. It is an explosive tirade from Jesus. Nothing soft or coaxing about this message. His message was to the Scribes and Pharisees considered top men of the law. He called them all kinds of nasty names; (sweet, loving kind Jesus would do that?) hypocrites, blind guides, fools and blind, serpents, vipers No wonder they were angry enough to kill him.
Not only once but he kept repeating all his accusations. It wasn’t just in private but where everyone could hear him. Where does that leave us? Many false teachings passed down from generation to generation. Only the Bible in its pure form can show us the errors taught by false teachers. Priest, preachers, rabbis, anyone teaching the wrong things will be condemned along with the souls that were lost because of following them blindly and not questioning whether they were right or wrong. “Search the Scriptures; for in them you think you have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.” John 5:39
Don’t take anyone’s word for Gospel truth. Don’t take my word for anything. I’m not but I could be feeding you a line. Search the Scriptures. That is what you believe. And I pray that what I say agrees with it. Oh, how Jesus wept over Jerusalem. (Matthew 23:37-39) He weeps over all the nations and all the souls in them.
This wasn’t a Direction I had expected to go but it is what the Holy Spirit wanted said so I have to do it. In the Catholic Church I was in, my experience was very unpleasant and I never felt I belonged. I got the impression that God was NOT a loving God but a stern terrible being who sat up in the sky somewhere just waiting to punish me severely for every little thing I did. I was “good” not because I wanted to be but because I feared God’s ruthless punishment.
What a terrible thing for a little child to carry. I grew up with a terrible guilt complex, taking the blame for everything that happened whether I was guilty or not. That was a burden I could not handle. Who is responsible for creating that attitude in my young mind---the church, the priests or nuns, my parents? BUT there comes a time when my innocence has to be done away with and I, alone, has to come to terms with my own conscience and with God. I can no longer blame anyone else but myself, if I don’t accept truth for what it truly is.
Still “guilt” is a stronghold that clings for dear life if you are not aware it is destroying yours. This is where the greatest treasure hunt begins. Jesus is the prize. This is not my usual writing. It is my testimony on finding the loving, caring God I somehow had the feeling did exist. But where? If I don’t have a real workable testimony, I have no business talking about the things of God. I found He is real through hard knocks that I will never forget but only to the point to remind myself where I came from and where I am now.
God DOES work in our lives mightily. What I say may shock some; with others it may be just what they need to hear. After 30 years, I had the courage to leave the Catholic Church and “joined” a Lutheran Church. Not really much different in beliefs and rituals. They taught some correct doctrines but I didn’t find God there. Getting tired of Jehovah Witnesses knocking on our door, my husband invited them in for a Bible Study. It “sounded” good at first. Remember this was from someone who wasn’t allowed to read the Bible. It can not be interpreted by anyone but the priests, we were told. Why? We may find out some of the doctrines were false. Certainly they had some truths but so did the Jehovah Witnesses---some taken away and some added.
What did I have to compare other beliefs to? I liked the way you could live the way you wanted to and when you died that was it---no hell to torment you. Everyone I had talked to who had been in with them, did not have the same story to tell. They change rules as it suits them. One day lately I was talking with one woman. Surprisingly she was agreeing with mostly everything I was saying. She even offered that Christ had to be in you and you didn’t need works to get you in the Kingdom! Is that group starting to believe, too?
Nothing is impossible with God. I couldn’t go door so I wasn’t among the “chosen” few who would get to live in the perfect world right here on earth. In theory I liked it . I didn’t care what happened to me after I died. My life was worthless and of no use to anybody. I didn’t know Jesus so I couldn’t discern that he wasn’t important to The Kingdom of God is Within you---Part 2 Page 3 them just a good teacher compared with Mohammand and others. My spirit said: “God isn’t here!
I wasn’t in the Christian Alliance long enough to form any opinions of what they were teaching.. My life was going from bad to worse. The Baptist Church I tried next was divided and the preacher didn’t treat his wife good. Had her crying all the time. I couldn’t see God there. Mind boggling ideas were next. Maybe I could get it together trying to figure the universe and its workings outin my limited little mind.
I tried Rosicrucians, mind over matter, others with the same ideas. In the first, I had to do an experience. Put two candles in front a mirror Turn all the light out and look deeply into your own eyes and the describe what you see. Everything was dark except the “light” in your own eyes. I saw the devil leering at me as if to say: “Ha Ha! I got you!” I was so scared. I ran and turned on every light on in the house I may have called out to God but I’m not sure.
I still didn’t learn. I tried hypnosis, and even checked on reincarnation. No man could be perfect in one life. Maybe I was having such a hard time in this life because I was rotten in my last one. Maybe I would reach my Karma (a perfect life, utopia at last.) In reality that theory was like going around in circles and no way to get off; an endless merry-go-round. No God there for a fact.
Last I was ready to get into the new Age Movement; dealing with “space brothers”; Claimed Jesus was one. Later I learned it was another Jesus they were talking about. Before I thought Jesus was Jesus in no matter what form. Matthew 24:24 “For there shall arise false Christs...if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.”
They talked about “walk-ins not beauty shops but occult ideas and UFO’s. Man messed the world up; it was up to man to straighten it out. Mind over matter, positive thinking and other methods . Man had the power in himself. BUT THAT IS NOT SO. Yes, we do have to think positive but WE CAN NOT CHANGE ANYTHING BY OUR OWN THINKING!
We can never figure it out by ourselves. Our only power comes from God, through Jesus and the Holy Spirit directing our lives and our thinking. We get the mind of Christ when we let him control. I Corinthians 2:15-16 “But he that is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.”
We don’t know every thought but by constantly reading the Word of God, we learn much of how God and Jesus think. It was just enough to show us how we should live. And that is to do the will of God. We can’t obey if we don’t know what God expects of us. Our own trying to reason God out doesn’t work. God got tired of my being on this religious merry-go-round. He let me know in no uncertain terms I had to make a definite stand for or against Him. No middle ground. I couldn’t look to God for help when I got in trouble and still dabble in the spiritual world of the devil. God would let me alone to my own devices if I didn’t quit playing this dangerous game.
I wish I could say I never left the straight path but I can’t. I did quit the occult route and would warn others to stay away from such practices. I still wrote sermons but didn’t always live up to them. I went to Church but something was missing---I lost my first love. My long time guilt complex kicked in. I couldn’t believe God could love me. I was bad and he was going to punish me. I couldn’t believe he would forgive me.
Most of all I kept beating myself over the head. I couldn’t forgive me and I couldn’t even like me let alone love me. I went into a deep depressed mood for 5 years (after I retired and had lots of time to listen to God while He dealt with me.) After that and a dream God gave me where He promised to heal me completely, physically, spiritually, emotionally, mentally, my bad attitude and anything else that need changed to make me His new creature. GOD CAN AND DOES CHANGE LIVES; no matter what you have done or where you have been or how deep you have fallen into the dirty well. I am living proof
I had heard so many doctrines and ideas even down to antichrist teachings. I studied with the Bai-Hai’s (a new Messiah with a different name was born in Turkey. I was in the Mormons believing you still had a chance after death to become a good Mormon (not a Christian). I won’t go into their unbelievable teachings but I did believe. IF YOU DON’T MAKE IT HERE ON EARTH RIGHT NOW BEFORE YOU DIE, YOU DON’T GET ANOTHER CHANCE.) Their lies came direct from Satan way back in the Garden of Eden when he Told Eve: “You shall be as gods.” Genesis 3:5
The devil is still a snake charmer. Being one that crawls on its Belly or walks on two legs spreading lies .I was exhausted as you probably are reading this. My mind was saturated with all kinds of worthless and dangerous theories. I was at the end of my rope (where God wants The Kingdom of God is Within You.”---Part 2 Page 4 Us to be) I cried: “God, I know you are there but where, so I can see you?. A still quiet thought crept into my mind, heart and soul, saying: The Kingdom of God is within you.” Luke 17:20-21 It is not a building. You can be at the most spiritual meeting possible but if the Kingdom of God is not within you, no matter where you go (in the will of God, not doing the devil’s work) God will be with you.
You take the Kingdom with you wherever you go so others searching for what the you have found can see it in you. When I first got saved, I was working with a little Muslim lady. She asked me if I was in love. I said: “yes, with Jesus.” I don’t know if she ever got saved but she did become my friend for a short while. She may remember me way down the road.
It is a spiritual kingdom. The Church, the building,whether fancy or plain is an outward shell where people of a kind gather to worship God as a body of believers. They go for fellowship to be with their own to teach, encourage and uplift while praising God. A stranger entering in will be uplifted, also because of the special love they feel in this gathering. May lead them to want what you have. If the building was destroyed we would still have the Church of the Kingdom of God. It can never be destroyed.
I prayed to be led to the right Church. I was tired of going my own way. I was IN a Church of God but I Am a member of THE Church of God, not a denomination. I learned what he wanted me to learn there. Now I am at the Lighthouse where the gospel is taught fully. It is non-denominational. As an after thought, I know I was sent there just to sit and learn. I am written in as a member of those who belong to God, not just on any list made up by man. God alone determines who belong to Him. Man is not a fair judge. He often judges by outward appearances. Some may look saintly on the outside but could be rotten on the inside.
I am glad God is judging me. I am also glad I don’t have to judge anyone else. Our own personal relationship with God and being obedient to learn His will by THE WORD, is the only thing that makes life worth living. I tried it all and nothing satisfied. Now I have peace and am exactly where God wants me. I pray you find this Kingdom of God and have the same hope and peace. God bless you.
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