answers

A genuine salvation experience results in a changed life. Some change is
noticeably immediate, you know it and others notice the change.
However, what is not seen so readily by others and yet is so clear to
you is what is happening in your mind. This is an area that is very
personal and often very private yet it's an area that we must give
serious attention to if we are going to enjoy God's peace.

An initial salvation experience is a powerful creative act of God in the
heart (spirit) of the person who has seriously turned to Jesus Christ to
be set free from all former sin and has received Him into their life as
personal Lord and Savior. This is what takes place when we are "Born
Again". It is at this time that we receive God's life, His Holy Spirit within
us. At this point we are taken out of the kingdom of darkness and
placed in to the Kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ. We are now legitimate
spiritual children of the Most High God. He has become our personal
Heavenly Father.

To be "Born Again" is to find new life in Christ. It's the beginning of our
salvation journey, during which time God's power will touch and powerfully
effect not only our spiritual heart but also our mind and emotions.

It's very important to understand that when a person is initially saved
that this is the begin of a spiritual journey into Christlikeness. Step by
step God transforms us into the image of the Lord Jesus Christ.
(2 Cor.3:18) This transformation is greatly determined by our thinking
that's why there must be a renewing of the mind.

Prior to salvation the human mind has been programmed by the old
human, sin nature and has been continually influenced and effected by
the spiritual influences of darkness. Without Christ the human mind is
corrupted by sin and needs to be reprogrammed with God's language.
This reprogramming is called "renewing of the mind". Rom. 12:2 -
Don't be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing
of your mind, so that you may prove what is the good, well-pleasing,
and perfect will of God.

Covenant Promise:
As a Christian it's good to know the New Covenant that God has made with you.
It always amazes me how few new Covenant Believers actually know it. It is
found in Hebrews 8:10 & Heb.10:16

        Heb 8:10 "For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of
        Israel. After those days," says the Lord; "I will put my laws into their
        mind, I will also write them on their heart. I will be their God and they
        will be my people.

This is relevant to all Believers experiencing difficulties with their thought life.
There is hope and God is the solution. He has promised to write His Word into
our mind.

God's "mind writing technique" requires our personal involvement in the
Scriptures. Don't expect to go to sleep one night and awaken in the morning
thinking like Jesus thinks. It's as we spend time with the Lord in His Word that
He prints it in our mind. It's not something that happens instantaneously but like
Christian maturity it's positive and progressive.

Exercising God Given Authority:
There definite times when Christians find themselves being spiritually attacked.
How we handle our thinking generally determines how effective the enemies
onslaught will be.

Something was said in first sermon I heard after my initial salvation experience
that over the years has proven to be so true. The preacher said, "The battles of
life are fought and won right between the ears". The enemy has the unique ability
to attack us in our mind. Thoughts will come that we don't want. Thoughts that we know aren't right, thoughts that are negative, condemning, and critical. Thoughts that put you down! Thoughts that want to convince you that you're no good and never will be! Thoughts like, "God doesn't really love you".

What do we do when we're experiencing this vicious attacks of the enemy? We
must learn to exercise our God given authority. Jms .4:7 - Submit yourselves
therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. How do we do this
when the battle is raging for who is going to be controlling our thought life?
2 Cor. 10:4,5 - for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but mighty
before God to the throwing down of strongholds, 5 throwing down imaginations
and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God, and bringing
every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. God has given His people
spiritual weapons and authority to combat thoughts that contradict God's Word.
This why it's so important to gain knowledge of God's Word. When battling with
the lies of the enemy we need to know what truth to substitute in place of the
enemies lies. This is something that I have personally walked through in my early
Christian life. Step by step we can learn to enjoy God ruling and reigning in our
thought life.

Most of God's people have or do struggle with some form of habitual sin, a habit that you just don't seem to be able to conquer. You believe in Jesus with all your heart, your genuinely grateful for all He did for you on the Cross and there's no question in your mind that you're a Christian but why can't you seem to get the victory over this thing? It's not what you really want in your life but you just seem almost powerless to say no!

Why are habits so devastating to our faith? Because deep in our heart we believe Jesus to be our Savior and we believe we should be saved from everything so it plays on our conscience and we live in varying degrees of self-condemnation. This condemnation hinders our relationship with Christ and often times keeps us from living in the freedom of transparency with God. Often times we subtly try to keep our habit or habits a secret from God and His people. There can be little confidence or true faith in this kind of bondage.

Jesus said we would know the truth and the truth would set us free. (Jn.8:32) The truth is Jesus wants us to live in absolute freedom from all forms of bondage. Gal 5:1 - It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. (NIV) Understanding and believing this to be God's honest purpose for us is the foundation from which victory is launched.

Some habits are more sociably acceptable that others. It's a mistake for God's people to use society's gauge to calculate the severity of our personal habits. Things like drug and alcohol abuse for example are much less acceptable than say, lying is. Christians can have habits that are sociably acceptable yet are total contrary to the nature of Christ.

There is hope for all God's people regardless of what habit may be trying to control us. Isa. 51:10 - Are You not the same today, the One who dried up the sea, making a path of escape through the depths so that Your people could cross over? Let's just step back in time! Let's see what we can learn from Israel's escape from Egypt. Under God's direction and influence, they had escaped the judgment of the death angel and had started their journey out of Egypt. It seemed all was going so well. Wow, they were actually leaving this place of slavery! Then they came up against an insurmountable obstacle. The Red Sea! With this impossibility in front of them and the enemy hard on their heals seeking their destruction all seemed so hopeless. Without a miracle working God on their side, it was hopeless but these where God's chosen people. Things were different for them than for other people! God loves to do for His people what they can't do for themselves. He rescued His people from the powers that wanted to control and destroy them. He made a way where it seemed so impossible. The enemy may have you backed into a corner and is screaming in your ears, "there's no way out for you, you're done, you're mine." In these situations, we must hear from the voice of our Savior. We must hear what He has to say about our situation. We must listen to the Lover of our souls. We must listen to the truth. God what are you saying in this situation? This is what He says. 1Cor. 10:13 - The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, He will show you a way out so that you can endure.

Are you really looking for a way out? Do you really want to be free from the habit that has you so bound? I encourage you to read this verse again carefully seeking to hear the heart of the One who died to save you. Can you hear His heart? There is a way of escape for you. He is a faithful God. When you committed your life to Christ, he committed His life to you.

Escaping habits that bind may not be that easy. Some find it more difficult than others do. Remember though that God is no respecter of persons and he has no favorites. You're valued as highly as all God's people; you may however need to exercise great personal disciplines to overcome. You may be required to seek the Lord for greater grace, for grace from God that will cause you to see the reality of your sin more clearly and give you a greater desire and determination to allow the truth of God's Word to work in your life. You first have to want to be free and sometime that desire is lacking because we don't really see the pain our sin is causing Christ. He died that we would be able to live in absolute freedom. Surly He didn't suffer and die such a horrendous death for nothing. When He looks at your life, does He see the freedom He purchased with His blood? It's absolutely there for you. You can be free.

Prayer! It's almost a religious cliché! It's much more than a religious thing people do in time of need. It's my heart crying out to God's heart. It's the deepest and freest form of communications I can have with the God who loves me. It's there in the privacy of prayer that I can fully expose myself to the only One who truly understands and to the One who is fully capable of doing exceedingly more than I can ask or image. (Eph.3:20)

When we are being tempted to carry through with the habit we know is contrary to God's will for us and when the enemy of our soul is streaming his lies into our spiritual ears we need to turn to the Lord in all sincerity seeking His help. Notice the positive words of truth in Mt. 7:7 & 8. "Ask, and it will be given you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and it will be opened for you. 8 For everyone who asks receives. He who seeks finds. To him who knocks it will be opened". If you're serious about your freedom, you can be sure that Jesus is too. He will help you. He is the Savior. This is His specialty. This is what he does best and He wants to do it for you.

Humans, everyone of us, have our origin in this physical temporal world. This is our inherited kingdom. Everything about us is "this world" oriented. It's natural to us. It's home and without God it's all we know and understand. The problem is our world functions in very aggressive hostility towards God and His Kingdom. This is the result of sin. It has separated from God and put us under the wrath of God but because sin we live oblivious to this reality.

Jesus came to save people from sin. Mt.1:21 - And she will have a son, and you are to name Him Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins." He came to same people from the wrath of God and He came to end the hostility between people and a holy, righteous God. The whole concept of salvation is to address the sin factor in peoples lives. Sin is what separates us from God. Col. 1:21 - This includes you who were once far away from God. You were His enemies, separated from Him by your evil thoughts and actions.

Forgiveness and the Born Again experience unites repentant Believers with God and ushers us into the eternal Kingdom of God. It is at this point that the words of Jesus in Jn. 17:16 become a personal reality to us - "They are not of the world even as I am not of the world." At the point of spiritual conversion sinners are taken out of the kingdom of darkness and placed into the kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Col. 1:13 - For He has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of His dear Son.

The truly Born Again Believer now lives in and publicly represents the spiritual Kingdom of God. This is how Jesus lived while on earth. In Jn. 8:23 Jesus makes this statement, "I am from above. You are of this world. I am not of this world." To Pilot He said, "My Kingdom is not of this world. If my Kingdom were of this world, then my servants would fight, that I wouldn't be delivered to the Jews. But now my Kingdom is not from here." (Jn.18:36) Clearly Jesus came from and represents a kingdom whose origin is not of this world. It's not earthly or natural but spiritual and therefore is, for the most part, unseen to human vision.

While on earth Jesus was definitely in the world but was not of the world. His mannerism, His sense of values, His priorities, His vision, His goals, His purposes, everything about Jesus' life was definitely "other world" or "other kingdom". How Jesus lived everyday demonstrated the values of God's eternal and spiritual kingdom. This is the present call upon every Believer's life today! When we're not a living expression of God's Kingdom then sadly we're representing the kingdom of this fallen sin sick world, the kingdom of darkness.

For a Christian to be living a worldly life is to be representing the kingdom of darkness and is involved in a form of spiritual adultery.
Jms. 4:4 - You adulterers! Don't you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God. Clearly this is not the place for anyone who truly loves the Lord and is grateful for all that Jesus did for them on the Cross. We show love and respect to God by how we choose to live our life.

What does "this world" look like? What are the character traits of
worldliness? There's certainly no need to be theological here! We're
told exactly what it is in 1 Jn. 2:15 - Do not love this world nor the
things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have
the love of the Father in you. 16 For the world offers only a craving
for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in
our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father,
but are from this world. 17 And this world is fading away, along with
everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases
God will live forever. Let's just isolate the world into its true colors!

Here the world has been divided up into three basic avenues. One:
cravings for physical pleasure. Two: cravings for the things we see.
Three: pride in our possessions and achievements. These three
avenues or points are what motivate all who are born into the human
family. Only by being "Born Again" by the power of the Holy Spirit are
we able to escape these natural humanistic tendencies.

It's very interesting to note that Scripture tells us in Heb. 4:15 that
Jesus was tempted in all points like we are. The three points listed in
1 Jn. 2:15,16 are the three avenues through which temptations come
into our life! The devil (serpent) approached Eve through these three
avenues in Genesis account of Adam and Eves choice to disobey God.
(Gen.3:1-7) Gen 3:6 So when the woman saw that the tree was (1)
good for food, and that it was (2) a delight to the eyes, and that the
tree (3) was to be desired to make one wise, (ESV) When we consider
Jesus wilderness experience in we discover that Satan tempted Him
through these same three avenues. (Lk.4:1-12) Jesus was victorious and
boldly proclaims to this very day, "I have overcome the world". (Jn.16:33)

To be worldly is to actively live life controlled through one or more of
these avenues of sin. For the true "Born Again" Believer we are more
then Conquerors through Christ. Through the power of the Holy Spirit
we can (like Jesus) say yes to God and no to sin. Sin does not need to
have dominion over us! (Rom.6:14)

It's important that we understand God's love and commitment to His
people. He has placed a limit on Satan's power to tempt us.
1Cor. 10:13 - No temptation has overtaken you that is not common
to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your
ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape,
that you may be able to endure it. Jesus has also fully committed
Himself to helping us in our time of need. When we are being tempted
to disobey the Lord we can turn to Him in confident prayer. He will help
us!

Heb. 2:18 - For in that he himself has suffered being tempted, he
is able to help those who are tempted.

Heb. 4:16 - Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of
grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of
need.

What does worldliness look like? How can we identify worldliness in our own life? Here's a general list of worldliness character traits. It's not conclusive but it gives us a pretty good picture of Jesus died to save people from.

Mk.7:20-23; Rom.1:29,30; Gal.5:17-21; Eph. 4:19-22,31; Col.3:5-8

evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, eagerness for lustful pleasure, envy, slander, pride, foolishness, hate, envy, murder, fighting, deception, malicious behavior, gossip, backstabbing, hating God, insolent, proud, boastful, disobedient to parents, breaking promises, heartless, unforgiving, impure thinking, idolatry, participation in demonic activities, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, divisions, feeling that everyone is wrong except those in your own little group, envy, drunkenness, wild partying, greedy, rage, malicious behavior, slander, dirty language

When we are tempted to become engaged in worldly behavior we turn
to the Lord in prayer seeking His help and strength to overcome and if
we discover that we have been or are presently engaged in sinful
behavior we turn to the Lord seeking His forgiveness and help to turn
away from such things as would dishonor Him and inaccurately
represent the Kingdom of God. 1 Jn.1:9 - If we confess our sins, he is
faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all
unrighteousness.

The Apostle Paul makes this statement in Gal. 2:20, "I have been crucified with Christ,". What does this mean and does it relate to Christians of the 21st Century?

Crucifixion isn't something we're familiar with in our day, that's for sure but Paul's generation it was well understood in society. It was an extremely torturous means of executing the death penalty used from about the 6th century BC to 337 AD when Constantine the Emperor of Roman abolished it in his empire. It was the method used in Jesus' death and is inseparable from His suffering. Crucifixion is a suffer death and suffering with Christ and for Christ is not something that is well understood in Christian circles today. It's definitely a New Covenant Bible teaching that needs to be re-investigated and applied in our life today. I would like to encourage you to follow me through this short study. For our present purposes I'll be keeping it "bare bones" yet will be emphasizing the areas that I feel will help us understand crucifixion and how it applies to modern Christianity and our daily living as New Covenant Believers.

Crucifixion and suffering are inseparable in the death of our Lord Jesus. What is important for us to understand is that God's has called us to suffer. Ph. 1:29 - For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake (ESV) It can sound quite morbid and even sadistic but before we through it out let's determine under God to understand His heart in all this. What kind of suffering could possibly be apart of God's loving, caring purposes for for our life.

Jesus' suffering and crucifixion are clearly identified with His physical death. 1Pe 2:24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. Christ suffered physical death when He took our sins in His physical body when He was crucified. Jesus' suffering and crucifixion are related to abolishing sin for all who put their trust in Him.

How does trusting Jesus abolish sin in my life today? How does trusting Jesus help me to be free from the various sin issue that I must deal with everyday. All Believers are in a perpetual struggle against sinning. For example if someone bad mouths us we're tempted to retaliate with bad mouthing them. We're tempted to render evil for evil. We might really struggle with the concept that instead of lashing out at our enemies God would have us bless the. Definitely there's just something unnatural about that. Unnatural for sure! It's life on a higher plain! It's the God life! It's God's Kingdom being manifest in a world being dominated with sin.

Prior to the genuine salvation experience of being "Born Again" there is no battling against sin. Humans are born sinners. Dogs bark because they're dogs. Cats meow because they're cats. People sin because they're sinners. People simply do what comes natural to them. Jesus' blood bought salvation changes this whole scenario. To be "Born Again" by the power of God changes us. We are given a new nature a nature equal to that Jesus Christ. Eph 4:24 Put on your new nature, created to be like God―truly righteous and holy. (NLT)

When are been "Born Again" we enter an entire new arena of spiritual battle, we start experiencing the struggle against sin. From God's Word we learn who He wants us to live and we begin purposing to do that. As we do begin experiencing an inner resistance, the old nature seems to step to the forefront demanding control. Sin wants to rule us as it did prior to receiving Jesus into our life. Now what? How do we handle the situation? As "Born Again" Believers what is our position/ What should we expect and whose voice should we listen? Romans 6:14 says, "Sin is no longer your master,". In other words sins that ruled and controlled us in the past have lost their power. They scream out for dominion yet through Christ they no longer have the authority to rule over us. Jesus is the only One who has that right. He purchased that with His blood when He died in our place on the cross. He has the right rule us however He leaves the choice to us. At times it's battle real battle Gal 5:17 - The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions.

When we want to obey God's Word and live pleasing to Him then the battle starts. Here is where suffering for Christ enters the picture. It's can be hard to say "no" to certain sins that so freely ruled us, sins that we might even have enjoyed. Choose to say, "no" to sin   initiates the "crucifying" process of that particular sin. We can called God to "put off" the old nature, the old sinful ways. We are called to allow the sinful nature to be crucified.

Peter was being inspired by the Holy Spirit when he penned 1Pe 4:1,2 - Forasmuch then as Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind; for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin; 2 that you no longer should live the rest of your time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God. (WEB) I want to encourage you just to back up and read slowly though these verses again. There's an awful lot being said here. The concept of "particle sanctification" (living free from sinning) is exposed to us. Holiness isn't something that just happens in our life. It requires our personal involvement. It requires that we constantly choose God's "holy ways" rather than sin.

The concept of "suffer for Christ" needs to seen in the light. We need to understand our position and spiritual authority while at the same time understanding what we can expect for God during these spiritual battles. Without getting too involved here with spiritual warfare, (that a subject requiring its own attention) we need to learn how to suffer for Christ.

1)        We are the victors
         Ph. 4:13 - For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.

2)        God is faithful
3)        God will not allow us to be tempted beyond our capacity
4)        God will always make a way for us to escape the temptations
        1Cor. 10:13 - The temptations in your life are no different from what others
        experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more
        than you can stand. When you are tempted, He will show you a way out so
        that you can endure.

5)        Jesus will help us when we ask Him.
        Heb 4:15,16 - This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for He
        faced all of the same testings we do, yet He did not sin. 16 So let us come
        boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive His mercy,
        and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.

Jesus could not have been raised from the dead without having first been crucified.
For us today when ever we choose to allow the old sin nature to suffer cruxiftion we
experience the resurrection power of God being leasted in our new nature. Step by
step we become more like Christ. Step by step the Jesus nature within us shine
throgh whith greater intensity. 2 Cor. 3:18 - So all of us who have had that
veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord-
who is the Spirit-makes us more and more like Him as we are changed
into His glorious image.

I'd like to start answering this question by stating that the Bible, God's Word, remains the Christian's final authority for all that we believe. Our feelings, personal preferences, and human understanding must never be permitted to supersede the truth of Scripture. So let's see what we are able to discover about "speaking in tongues" from the Word of God.

The first New Testament mention of "speaking in tongues" is found in the second chapter of the Acts. Act 2:1-4 - When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.

Clearly something very unique occurred on the first day of Pentecost following Jesus'
resurrection. Let's first establish the origin of this strange phenomena. Verse four
unmistakably tells us that the people who had been gathered seeking God in prayer for ten days were "filled with the Holy Spirit" and it was the Holy Spirit who enabled them to speak forth in languages that were foreign to them. The first record of Christians speaking in tongues is credited to the power of the Holy Spirit, not the devil. Over the years I've heard some people giving the devil credit for something that really originated with the Holy Spirit. Just because we don't fully understand "speaking in tongues" or may not have experienced it, is no reason to give Satan the credit for something that was birthed from the heart of God is it?

The "speaking in tongues" mentioned in Acts 2 was the result of a direct visitation of the Holy Spirit. Prior to Jesus' ascension to the right hand of the Father in Heaven He had instructed His disciples to wait in the city of Jerusalem until they had been received special power from the Holy Spirit.

Lk. 24:46-49 - And He said, "Yes, it was written long ago that the Messiah would suffer and die and rise from the dead on the third day. 47 It was also written that this message would be proclaimed in the authority of His name to all the nations, beginning in Jerusalem: 'There is forgiveness of sins for all who repent.' 48 You are witnesses of all these things. 49 "And now I will send the Holy Spirit, just as My Father promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven."

Jesus made it very clear to His disciples that the coming of the Holy Spirit to empower them would in fact be a fulfilling of God's promise. On the day of Pentecost Peter stressed this point as he was explaining to the onlookers what exactly was happening.

Act 2:12-17 - They stood there amazed and perplexed. "What can this mean?" they asked each other. 13 But others in the crowd ridiculed them, saying, "They're just drunk, that's all!" 14 Then Peter stepped forward with the eleven other apostles and shouted to the crowd, "Listen carefully, all of you, fellow Jews and residents of Jerusalem! Make no mistake about this.15 These people are not drunk, as some of you are assuming. Nine o'clock in the morning is much too early for that.16 No, what you see was predicted long ago by the prophet Joel: 17 'In the last days,' God says, 'I will pour out My Spirit upon all people…

Clearly the events that occurred on the day of Pentecost, including "speaking in tongues" was a direct fulfillment of the prophecy given by Joel in Joel chapter 2.

I feel that's its an important point that we understand the origin and source of this very unique phenomena. In Peter's explanation of the Pentecostal experience he links it to the resurrection of Christ. The events of Pentecost are evidence that Jesus is alive. Act 2:32,33 - "God raised Jesus from the dead, and we are all witnesses of this. 33 Now He is exalted to the place of highest honor in heaven, at God's right hand. And the Father, as He had promised, gave Him the Holy Spirit to pour out upon us, just as you see and hear today. The Believers who had obeyed the Lord and waited for outpouring of the Holy Spirit were the first to experience the Holy Spirit Baptism. It was John the Baptist who prophesied that Jesus would the One to baptize people with the Holy Spirit. Lk.3:16 - John answered their questions by saying, "I baptize you with water; but someone is coming soon who is greater than I am-so much greater that I'm not even worthy to be His slave and untie the straps of His sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. Clearly what these people experienced on the day of Pentecost was a legitimate "God encounter".

Some argue that the Pentecostal experience was isolated to the first generation New Covenant church and that it's not something we should expect to experience or even seek to experience. All we need do here is to backup onto the premise of the authority of Scripture. What does the Bible say? Acts 2:17 states that "in the last days I will pour out My Spirit upon all people". The "last days" are the "Church days". The days between the ascension of Christ and His return to earth. It's interesting to note that in Peter's explanation of Pentecostal events he also makes it very clear how long we could expect this out pouring to last and to whom the promised Holy Spirit baptism is available to. Act 2:38,39 - Peter replied, "Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 This promise is to you, and to your children, and even to the Gentiles-all who have been called by the Lord our God." The Lord is still reaching out to people, calling them to repentance and inviting them into His eternal family. The Baptism of the Holy Spirit has been promised to all Believers of all generations. It's for us today.

The "speaking in tongues" happened on the day of Pentecost among Jewish Believers and it was this phenomena that alerted the onlookers that something very unique and strange was happening. People from various countries and language groups were in Jerusalem that day and they heard these "Holy Spirit Baptized" Believers praising God in various languages (Acts 2:6-11). This would definitely "freak you out" and cause you to really look for answers to this phenomena. That is, if you were at all an honest seeker of truth. What was the evidence that these Believers had in fact been Baptized with the Holy Spirit? They were speaking in "other tongues"!

This evidence that they had indeed been Baptized with the Holy Spirit was also experienced for the first time among Gentile Believers who had gathered to heard Peter at Cornelius' house in Acts 10. The Jews who had accompanied peter were absolutely amazed that the Gentile Believers had received the same experience they had on the day of Pentecost. The defining feature that made it unmistakable to them was the "speaking in other tongues" that they heard. Act 10:44-47 - Even as Peter was saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who were listening to the message. 45 The Jewish believers who came with Peter were amazed that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles, too. 46 For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God. Then Peter asked, 47 "Can anyone object to their being baptized (in water), now that they have received the Holy Spirit just as we did?" Speaking in tongues was the evidence then, why should we think it's not the evidence today?

The Holy Spirit Baptism is an experience, a promised gift from God given to all Believers who will reach out and receive it from Jesus Christ. It's not of devil and it's not to be feared. It like all other "God gifts" is good and profitable. Enjoy!

* Should smoking be an issue in Christianity?
* Are there not far worse offences than smoking?
* What is really at the heart of the smoking issue?
* Can Scriptural support be giving that directly states that smoking is not
   acceptable Christian behavior?

There's definitely sufficient medical evidence confirming direct health hazards. These hazards are significant enough that smoking is banded in most public places. Here the smoking dangers are significant enough that the provincial and federal governments feel the need to protect the general public from the health hazard of "second hand" smoke.

The direct dangers from cigarette smoking lay in the areas of heart and lung disease. The warnings of these dangers has not come directly from the Christian church. These are coming from the secular arena and are backed by very thorough and extensive tests.

There's no question, smoking is a direct health hazard. Knowledge of this should directly influences Christian action. The Christians physical body houses the Holy Spirit. Scripture clearly tells us that the physical body of the genuine Born Again Believer is God's Temple.

        1Cor. 3:16,17 - Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit
                                     dwells in you? 17 If anyone destroys God's temple, God will
                                     destroy him. For God's temple is holy, and you are that temple.

Clearly Christians are cautioned with respect to how they treat their physical body. Clearly to knowingly abuse the physical body which is God's temple is without question contrary to God's will. There are numerous other drug and alcohol abuses that fall into the category of "destroying God's temple".

It's often asked, "Is there a Scripture that actually says, Thou shalt not smoke". No, not in those exact words but there is enough Scripture that clearly teaches us that we should take proper care of God's spiritual house, our physical body".

        1Cor. 6:19,20 - Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit
                                      within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, 20
                                      for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

All Christians have the call of God upon their lives to "glorify God in your body".
Slowly putting our body, God temple to death through various addictions,
whether it's smoking, drugs, or alcohol is not God's purpose for His people.

ANOTHER IMPORTANT CONSIDERATION:

Knowingly damaging our physical body just doesn't sit well with the Lord. It's a personal thing and really only affects us. As a Christian we belong to, and are an integral part of the spiritual body of Christ. And as such we're a part of something bigger than our self. What we do and how we do it effects others in the family. How is my conduct affecting others?

From 1 Corinthians 8 it becomes very clear that we do not live our Christian life to our self.Let's take the time to read through these few Scriptures in the light of "smoking" and how that may affect others.

1 Cor. 8:4-13 - Therefore, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that "an idol has no real existence," and that "there is no God but one." 5 For although there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth--as indeed there are many "gods" and many "lords"-- 6 yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist. 7 However, not all possess this knowledge. But some, through former association with idols, eat food as really offered to an idol, and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. 8 Food will not commend us to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do. 9 But take care that this right of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. 10 For if anyone sees you who have knowledge eating in an idol's temple, will he not be encouraged, if his conscience is weak, to eat food offered to idols? 11 And so by your knowledge this weak person is destroyed, the brother for whom Christ died. 12 Thus, sinning against your brothers and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. 13 Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.

The attitude of the Apostle Paul is what we need to be focused on here. If the actions that I might understand to be acceptable have the potential of offending another brother or sister in Christ then I should be prepared to exercise enough love for them that will make sure that my actions are not found to be offence to them.

When it comes to smoking some peoples "salvation package" included deliverance from the habit. For them to see Christians smoking can really cause them problems. Let's not forget the "better good" of the spiritual body of Christ. Life in Christ involves much more than just "me". Rom. 14:19 - So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.
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Clearly, from Scripture, God allows us to make our own decisions. This however, in no way changes His standards or altars His judgments. Anyone can choose to play baseball, but not just anyone has the authority to change the rules of the game. Here on earth we're free to choose how we want to live, but when it comes to God's kingdom He chooses the standards. Hey, it's up to us what kingdom we choose to live in but let's not think any human being or religious organization has the power to change the rules in God's eternal kingdom. There He makes the rules and He's allowed to upholds the standards of His choice.

        1 Cor. 6:9,10 - Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.

        Eph 5:5 - For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.

Let's never forget that the human nature is a fallen one. It's absolutely natural for people to sin. It's human nature. Dogs bark because they're dogs. Cats meow because they're cats. People sin because theirs sinners. It's natural for the human nature to sin. That's why God in His love sent us the Savior.

It's certainly not my intent at this point to categorize sin or evaluate the sin nature. What is important for us to understand is how God views sexual immorality. After all, when "push comes to shove" it's God whose calling the shots as it pertains to His kingdom, not us. He's the one who has made His evaluation regarding human nature. There's a few places in Scripture that give us a glimpse into the nature that all humans are birthed into this world with. One of those is Galatians chapter 5 verses 19 through 21.

                Gal 5:19-21 - Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21 envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

        Included in the "human nature list" is sexual immorality. It's just natural for people to sin. It's just natural for people to be drawn into sexual immorality. It's just human. If human is what we want then that's our business. If on the other hand we want to enjoy a right relationship with God, if we want to inherit the kingdom of God and enjoy eternal life then sexual immorality will have no part in our lifestyle. None whatsoever!

Clearly the standards of God's kingdom are different from human standards. Let's not forget that Jesus died, shedding His life's blood to set people free from both the penalty and power of sin. Jesus offers new life to everyone! To those who respond to His offer, they're "born again" by the power of the Holy Spirit. With that spiritual birthing come a new nature. One that wants to please God. One that wants to do it God's way.

        2 Cor. 5:17 - Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

Sin has its place in the world, let's leave it there. Let's not try and twist the Scriptures. Let's not try and justify sin and change the standards of God's kingdom to fit into the world. And let's not forget that one day we'll all stand before Christ and give an account of our life.

        Rom 14:12 - So then each of us will give an account of himself to God.

It's very interesting when reading the letters Jesus sent to the seven
churches of Asia in the book of Revelation. Two of the seven, Pergamum and
Thyatira had immorality issues. The point being; immorality in the local church and in Christendom in general does not go unnoticed by the Lord. Clearly it's an issue that needs to be both addressed and corrected if we're to expect the blessings of God.

        Rev 2:14 - But I have a few things against you: you have some there who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, so that they might eat food sacrificed to idols and practice sexual immorality.

        Rev 2:20,21 - But I have this against you, that you tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and is teaching and seducing my servants to practice sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols. 21 I gave her time to repent, but she refuses to repent of her sexual immorality.

With how common acts of sexual immorality have become in the church today it's definitely time for us to rethink and revaluate where we're at personally with this issue.
2 Timothy 3:16 tells us that all Scripture is God breathed. When we're reading it God is speaking. In 1 Cor 6:18-20 we find some of what God is saying to us about sexual immorality. "Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. 19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, 20 for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body."

God is definitely a God of love and compassion. That's been proven through Jesus' death on the cross. It's good for us to be reminded that when Jesus took God's judgment upon Himself for our sin it was for the purpose of saving us both from the penalty of sin as well as the power of it. God has purposed that we live free from the power of our old sin nature. Through Christ, God saves people to live in freedom from sin. Sexual immorality in its various forms and expressions is a work of the old sin nature and has no place among the redeemed of the Lord. God has something a whole lot better for us! Freedom!
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Truth is like a highway and on either side there's a ditch. The middle of the road is
healthiest and most secure place. In the ditches of extremes Scriptures are
forced too often into the moulds of personal preferences. The Word should
always be handled with honesty and integrity. They must be allowed to accurately
express God's heart and whenever we are considering a truth from the Bible we
need to be courageous enough to hear "the whole counsel of God". To the
elders of the Ephesian church the Apostle Paul said, "for I did not shrink from
declaring to you the whole counsel of God". (Act 20:27)

It's quite possible to take Scriptures and make them say whatever we want. One
area that is very much in abuse these days is the grace and love of God. It's not a
new thing. The concept that because we're "saved by grace" we can live like the
devil is something that can be traced back as far as the early church.

        Jude 1:4 - For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were
designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of
our God into sensuality... .

Some suggest that to live in known sin, say immorality, that God's love and grace
cause Him to over look it. Romans 8:35, 38 & 39 are Scripture references used to
support such behavior.

        Rom 8:35 - Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?

        Rom 8:38,39 - For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

The use of Scriptures such as these to support sinful living is definitely an abuse
of the grace of God. This voice speaks from the ditch. Let's never forget that New
Covenant Christianity is relational. It's all about God loving us and us loving God.
Clearly if we love God then we choose to live in obedience to His Word.

        1Jn 5:3 - For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments.

        Jn. 14:15 - "If you love me, you will keep my commandments.

        Jn. 14:24 - Whoever does not love me does not keep my words

If we really love God then that love will motivate us to obey His Word and do as He
asks.

Ignorant sin is one thing, but to knowingly sin with the false hope that God's grace
will blind His judgment is wrong. Living this way simply digs a grave in the ditch
along the highway of GRACE.

In Jn. 15:9,10 Jesus addresses the issue of "abiding in God's love". Abiding in
God's love is not unconditional!

Jn 15:9,10 - As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love.10 IF you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love.

Jn. 14:21 - Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him."

Is there something that can separate us from the love of God? Yes there is! It's
called sin. This has nothing to do with mistakes along the spiritual journey into
Christ-likeness. This has nothing to do with sins done in ignorance. This has
everything to do with "known disobedience". In the long haul seeking to appease
a guilty conscience with an "abuse of grace" theory is not going to cut it.
Heb. 10:26, 27 - For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of
the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a fearful expectation
of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries.

To live in known sin puts us in the camp of adversary. This is not 'the love camp
of God", that's for sure. God's grace has the power to keep us from sinning. God's
grace has the power to keep us in His love. That's God's vision for us!

People do not go to hell because God doesn't love them they go to hell because they refuse to love God.

MONEY MATTERS

From Pr.4:18 we find were relationship with God is progressive. "But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until full day." Relationship with God is deeply personal and its intimacy is never effected positively by legalistic demands. The same holds true for our purses and wallets.

Clearly money matters are quite personal and definitely an area that can seriously challenge our faith. It's very reassuring to understand that God is very interested in the things that affect our lives. Money effects our lives! How we handle it is a major player in marriage and family relationships. It's an area were we would do well to seek and receive God's counsel, advice and instruction. He has our best interest at heart and His wisdom is past finding out. Lord what do you have to say here?

God Enables Prosperity:
Being a Christian puts us into a unique and very special category of peoples. We're children of the Most High God. Through Christ, God has become our Father. We're a part of His eternal family. He fully accepts the responsibility of caring, nurturing and making provision for His children.

What about money matters? Deut. 8:18 - "You shall remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth," Because all peoples, unsaved and saved alike have basic human needs it's easy for us to forget just how different a child of God is in the world. I had a job, a bank account and financial needs before I was a child of God so what's the difference now? Everything! God is now on our side. He has become our personal Father and provider. He is interested in our money matters. If we can receive it, our financial requirements and needs are actually His.

Promise of Provision:
What about my food and clothing, my housing? Let's stop here and look into the heart of God. Lk. 12:22-31 - And he said to his disciples, "Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on. 23 For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. 24 Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds! 25 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? 26 If then you are not able to do as small a thing as that, why are you anxious about the rest? 27 Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 28 But if God so clothes the grass, which is alive in the field today, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! 29 And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried. 30 For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them. 31 Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you." There's a few things here that are very important for us to glean. One: God knows our needs. Two: God cares about our needs. Three: God has made full and complete provision for our needs. Four: there is serious "God promise" here.

Financial Success:
The entire realm of spiritual success hings on our willingness and obedient response to the will of God. As in the natural physical we all seem to progress at different rates, so in the spiritual. Some things that struggle in receiving or believing God for are non-issues with others and vise-versa. What we do know without a shadow of doubt is this: 2 Cor. 1:20 - For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory. God has promised to provide our needs. He's already done His part. Now he waits for us to walk in agreement with Him and His ways. This includes our finances. Ph. 4:19 - And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

The Faith Walk:
Gal. 3:11 - ..."The righteous shall live by faith." This can make an "easy preach" but an incredibly difficult follow through. It's one thing to believe God for a job or extra finances to meet the unexpected but what about tithing? What about giving God one tenth right off the top? What about looking at my $2000 a month pay cheque as if only $1800 was actually mine. 2 Cor. 5:7 - says that the children of the Lord, "walk by faith, not by sight". Wow! The pressure's on now. I have all these needs and a few wants. How's this going to work? There's the cheque, right in my hand for $2000. Is it really all mine? Or is some of this the Lord's. It's quite a thing when you think about it. God has chosen to finance His spiritual and eternal kingdom work on earth through the tithes and generous offerings of His people. He could have chosen to rain money out of heaven like he did manna in the wilderness. Yes He could of, but instead He's chosen to work through the expression of obedient faith. God continues to work with and through people. It'll be like that right up until the day of Jesus' glorious appearing.

Our Piece of the Pie:
Gen. 28:20-22 - Then Jacob made a vow, saying, "If God will be with me and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat and clothing to wear, 21 so that I come again to my father's house in peace, then the LORD shall be my God, 22 and this stone, which I have set up for a pillar, shall be God's house. And of all that you give me I will give a full tenth to you." This is well before the Law of Moses was ever given. Jacob seemed to calculate that if God did all he asked of Him then he was worth at least a tenth of His possessions. God wasn't demanding this of Jacob. It was his idea and something he felt he wanted to do to show his appreciation for God's commitment to his well being.

Lev. 27:30 - "One tenth of the produce of the land, whether grain from the fields or fruit from the trees, belongs to the LORD and must be set apart to Him as holy.

Deut. 26:10 And behold, now I bring the first of the fruit of the ground, which you, O LORD, have given me.' And you shall set it down before the LORD your God and worship before the LORD your God.

2 Cor. 8:12 For if the readiness is there, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have. It's very interesting that the New Testament is virtually silent about "one tenth tithing". The clear teaching of New Covenant is that we're free from the Law. Are there legal demands that we give one tenth of all we have? NO! Will fire come down out of heaven and strike me dead if I don't give God tithes and offering? NO! Will God bless me for expressing my love and appreciation to Him through my financial support of His kingdom work? YES! Mal. 3:10 - Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the LORD of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.

Rewards of Cheerful Giving:
How we handle our money as it pertains to the Lord and His work is important to Him. 2 Cor. 9:7 - Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. We should be encouraged in our relationship with the Lord. Everything we have and everything we are is as a direct result of relationship with Him. When we bless Him through our "love obedience" He in turn responds with blessing. 2 Cor. 9:6 - The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.

Our financial giving is an offering of worship (worthship). What is Jesus worth to us and how is our offering expressing that?

God's Invitation:
How would you like to be invited to become actively involved in the great work on earth? You are! How would you like be invited to become actively involved in something that superseded the temporal world and pays personal dividends to you through all eternity? You are! Don't ever minimize the fact that God has chosen to finance His work here on earth through your "faith giving". When you give, be mindful that the Great Accountant is keeping accurate records. We know from the account of the poor widow who gave out of her poverty that giving to God is "God noticed". He sees our hearts and we are rewarded accordingly. Rev 22:12 - "Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay everyone for what he has done.