1 Cor. 15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
Are you a Christian ready for the Master to use? Do you allow yourself to be used of Him? So many are aching and in need of a tender touch or kind word in today’s world. This is a two-week devotional originally written 2008 in hopes that a Christian would come across it and find it helpful!
I hope you can see this photo clearly. I took this of the beautiful California Redwoods. Can you see the two vertical trees that have grown from the horizontal branches of this Redwood? Isn’t that magnificent? They are all part of the same tree! I was simply amazed and in awe of the Lord’s handiwork. In all of creation, there is an object lesson. This particular picture brought today’s post to mind.
~1 Corinthians 11:1 Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.
~Ephesians 5:1 Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;
~1 Thessalonians 1:6 And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost:
~1 Thessalonians 2:14 For ye, brethren, became followers of the churches of God which in Judaea are in Christ Jesus: for ye also have suffered like things of your own countrymen, even as they have of the Jews:
Who does one follow when it comes to the things of God? Does one follow church leaders? Does one follow the Bible? What if the Bible says one thing and the church leaders say another? What does one do?
Some churches say that their church’s traditions and church fathers’ writings are additions to the word of God and more recent. Therefore, they must follow these traditions. Some believe that God’s word is the foundation only and traditions and church fathers’ writings are building blocks which must be obeyed. Hmmmm! That ought to be a red flag! (Proverbs 30:6 and Revelation 22:18)
Paul wrote several times in today’s text that we should follow God – and if we follow a church leader, that church leader must be following God and what His word commands. In other words, we should not be following after a leader who goes against the scriptures. The scriptures are our measuring stick. If our church leaders say one thing and the Bible says another, we are to follow the scriptures. Paul had the opportunity here to tell us to follow leadership even when they are wrong or even when they make up doctrine that goes against Scriptures. However, Paul emphatically stated that we are to follow after leaders who follow after God – and God reveals His will in His word! Many churches are extremely against following the scriptures only. (Jeremiah 23:32, Matthew 22:29, Hebrews 3:10)
Read these verses and ask yourself if the church you attend falls under these guidelines. There are fundamental beliefs in Scriptures that cannot be compromised – salvation is one of them. What does your church leader teach about salvation? Read your Bible – compare the two. If there is any difference, your church leaders are not heeding Paul’s exhortation.
It saddens me that people would rather follow a certain “religion” than to research for themselves to find the truth.
God has given us the truth through the Holy Bible. When Jesus was praying to His Heavenly Father, He said:
~John 17:17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
It is up to us to read and study the Word of God so we can think for ourselves and make up our own minds – not rely on someone else to direct us. Your parents probably quoted you the old saying:
If your friends jump off a bridge, will you jump too?
It’s the same concept. Men boast of much knowledge. However, God says to study the Bible so you can approved by Him, not man.
~2 Timothy 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
I would rather be wrong on this issue and have spent hours in the Bible because what have I lost? I don’t want to be so pig headed that I have not studied it out for myself only to find out when it’s too late that I was wrong.
The bottom line is this: What will we say when we stand before God? Will we give the excuse that we left the “spiritual” matters of life to our minister or priest? The Apostle Paul said in the above verse that we are to study for ourselves so we can be approved unto God.
What will your answer be when God asks you why you didn’t?
Is the catholic doctrine of celibacy Scriptural? I have read verses that encourage one to be married but am hard pressed to find verses that encourage a person to be celibate. If celibacy is necessary for church leaders, it would certainly have been laid out in the Scriptures in the requirements for leadership. However, there is not one instruction to church leaders on celibacy found in God’s Holy Word.
So what is found in Scriptures?
~1 Timothy 4:1-3 “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; Forbidding to marry”
~1 Timothy 3:1-4 This [is] a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach; Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous; One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;
~Matthew 8:14 And when Jesus was come into Peter’s house, he saw his wife’s mother laid, and sick of a fever.
Peter was a married man because verse 14 speaks of his mother-in-law. Many of the Apostles and first leaders of the early Church were married. God outlined the qualifications of the Bishop in His Word in 1 Timothy. A bishop must be the husband of one wife, must rule his own house well and must have his children in subjection.
How can a doctrine as important as marriage be removed from a bishop’s qualifications and given a 180 degree turn? The Word of God is final. God’s Word is forever settled in Heaven and, therefore, cannot be reversed by mere man here on earth!
~Psalm 119:89 LAMED. For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven.
God said the leaders of the Church should be a husband – one that rules his house well and has his children in subjection. Can a celibate priest do this? How can a priest effectively counsel a couple who is having marital problems? Think about it. This is just another unscriptural teaching for the catholic church. Sadly it is one that places undue hardships and burdens on a man’s shoulders.
© Kate Plourde 2009
Can we achieve eternal life while on this earth? Jesus said we can:
~John 5:39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.
He taught us that if we search the Scriptures, we will be able to find the answers to the age old question, “How can I get to Heaven?” Furthermore, Jesus states in the latter part of the verse that eternal life is brought to us through Him. There are not many roads to Heaven – there is but one road and that is through Jesus Christ.
One can listen to a wise old guru or a seemingly spiritual minister, but how can one be sure they are being guided in the right direction? Does one simply assume that this person will lead them in the right direction? Jesus said to “search the Scriptures,” not man. If we could find eternal life through a man, He would have said so. He could have told the people to follow after the Rabbis, John the Baptist, etc. After all, they knew the Law inside out. But instead, He chose to point His listeners to the Scriptures.
So what is stopping you from searching the Scriptures? Are you afraid? Are you too lazy to search the matter out for yourself? Are you so entrenched in your church’s doctrines that you would put them ahead of what Christ said? If you are, you are foolish.
~Proverbs 9:6 Forsake the foolish, and live; and go in the way of understanding.
~Psalm 119:130 The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.
© Kate Plourde 2009
~John 3:15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
The Gospel of Jesus Christ is summed up in this short verse. Jesus tells Nicodemus that the Son of Man (verse 14) must be lifted up – a depiction of His death, burial and resurrection. Jesus was vague here because he knew Nicodemus was listening with his head and not his heart.
Most of us who were raised in the United States in the first half of the 1900’s can safely say that we heard of Jesus Christ. We either learned about Jesus Christ in church or His name was a curse word on the lips of our fathers. We “know” that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. We “know” that He died on the cross for all sins. We “know” that He arose from the dead and now sits at the right hand of God the Father. In fact, many of us have prayers we have memorized from childhood which recite these very facts. Jesus knew that Nicodemus knew his Bible. He knew that Nicodemus had much of the bible memorized. So Nicodemus had “head” knowledge of the coming Messiah just as we have head knowledge of Jesus Christ.
But what about the heart? Jesus says in John 3:15 that whosoever BELIEVES will not perish. It’s not just knowing “about” Jesus Christ, but it’s knowing Jesus Christ “personally.” You cannot say that you really know your spouse after just a few days of marriage. However, there’s nothing like a good dose of several years of marriage to help you learn about your spouse’s little habits, likes and dislikes.
You cannot know Jesus Christ just by hearing about Him in church or by reading about Him. One must be born again. At the very moment of your conversion, the Holy Spirit (the Comforter) enters in and begins to teach you.
~John 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
The Holy Spirit’s main job in a Christian’s life is to glorify Jesus Christ, teach the Christian about Jesus Christ and reveal the truths in the Word to the Christian.
~John 16:13-14 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. (13) He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you. (14)
Dear God…
Please help me to learn the truth
About Your Son Jesus Christ.
May Your Holy Spirit enlighten me
Direct me and open my eyes!
© Kate Plourde 2009
I hope you can see this photo clearly. I took this of the beautiful California Redwoods. Can you see the two vertical trees that have grown from the horizontal branches of this Redwood? Isn’t that magnificent? They are all part of the same tree! I was simply amazed and in awe of the Lord’s handiwork. In all of creation, there is an object lesson. This particular picture brought today’s post to mind.
~1 Corinthians 11:1 Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.
~Ephesians 5:1 Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;
~1 Thessalonians 1:6 And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost:
~1 Thessalonians 2:14 For ye, brethren, became followers of the churches of God which in Judaea are in Christ Jesus: for ye also have suffered like things of your own countrymen, even as they have of the Jews:
Who does one follow when it comes to the things of God? Does one follow church leaders? Does one follow the Bible? What if the Bible says one thing and the church leaders say another? What does one do?
Paul wrote several times that we should follow God – and if we follow a church leader, that church leader must be following God and what His Word commands. In other words, we should not be following after a leader who goes against the Scriptures. The Scriptures are our measuring stick. If our church leaders say one thing and the Bible says another, we are to follow the Scriptures. Paul had the opportunity here to tell us to follow leadership even when they are wrong or even when they make up doctrine that goes against Scriptures. However, Paul emphatically stated that we are to follow after leaders who follow after God – and God reveals His will in His Word!
Read these verses and ask yourself if the church you attend falls under these guidelines. There are fundamental beliefs in Scriptures that cannot be compromised – salvation is one of them. What does your church leader teach about salvation? Read your Bible – compare the two. If there is any difference, your church leaders are not heeding Paul’s exhortation.
© Kate Plourde 2009
~Philippians 4:3 And I intreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women which laboured with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other my fellowlabourers, whose names are in the book of life.
~Revelation 20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
The Bible says in Philippians 4:3 that our names can be in the Book of Life right now – while we are living. The women that labored with Paul, Clement and Paul’s other fellow laborers’ names were all in the in Book of Life. The Book of Life contains all the names of those who are born again and covered under the blood of Jesus Christ.
The catholic church, however, says it is a sin to presume that you are saved from God’s wrath and eternal damnation. The catholic church teaches that after death, the catholic must go to purgatory to purge away any unconfessed sin before entering Heaven. Therefore, the catholic does not have that assurance of when/if he will enter Heaven.
That’s not what Paul wrote in Philippians 4:3. These believers’ names were already in the Book of Life. There was no wondering with Paul. It was stated as fact. Dear catholic, please read your Bible. It was given so that man could decide for himself where he will spend eternity. The Bible was not left to the “knowledgeable and learned.” It was left for all to read and come to the knowledge of salvation! Don’t be one who leaves his eternal life in the Bible interpretations of another person. Don’t have their knowledge but have your own. God’s Word is truth – He will guide you to His truth.
~John 17:17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
© Kate Plourde 2009
The Bible says:
~John 3:3 Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
For a devout catholic to say that he is saved, he would be commiting the sin of presumption. The catholic catechism says:
There are two kinds of presumption. Either man presumes upon his own capacities, (hoping to be able to save himself without help from on high), or he presumes upon God’s almighty power or his mercy (hoping to obtain his forgiveness without conversion and glory without merit.” Pg. 507, #2092
What a conundrum for the poor catholic member! As you can see, to say you are saved but are yet a catholic is like combining oil and water. They do not mix because the born again believer is born of the Spirit while the catholic religion is based on traditions and magisterium. The catholic magisterium state that man cannot presume that he is saved but the Bible says that you can know that you are saved.
The poor catholic is led to believe that they are born again the day they are baptized because this is what is read at the baptism.
“By the sacrament of Baptism, whenever it is properly conferred in the way the Lord determined and received with the proper dispositions of soul, man becomes truly incorporated into the crucified and glorified Christ and is reborn to a sharing of the divine life” (Vatican II, Decree on Ecumenism, chap. 3, II, 22, p. 427).
So the catholic sincerely believes that he is saved. However, how can a baby repent of his sin? How can a baby acknowledge that he is a sinner? He cannot. There is not one documented case in the Scriptures of a baby being baptized. There is not even documentation that babies were ever dedicated to God in the New Testatment.
As a catholic, I knew about Christ but I did not know Him personally. I always felt as though I was working my way to God. But the Bible clearly states:
~Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God; not of works, lest any man should boast.”
I can remember how good I felt after I did the Stations of the Cross, or went to confession and did my penance, or even gave money so I could light a candle. All these things made me feel good but they never added one smidgen to my salvation. Doing all these things made me feel good but I never had total peace and assurance that I was saved. Why? Because this assurance does not exist in catholicism – that would be guilty of the sin of presumption and, therefore, I was lost.
The catholic church did teach me about the Trinity, about Jesus’ life on earth, about His death on the cross and His resurrection. However, I was never taught that I could be saved. I was, however, taught that if I did all that was required of me (the sacraments, penance, the mass, etc.) I would go to purgatory and then I could enter Heaven. In fact, not a priest could tell me how long I would remain in purgatory even if I died right after a good confession! There is no assurance with the catholic church. Therefore, how can a roman catholic be born-again and remain a roman catholic?
How can a catholic remain a catholic if he claims to be born again? After all, the mass offers Christ up daily and He becomes their unbloody sacrifice. But the Bible says in Hebrews 7:27 that Christ died once! Hebrews 9:28 also says that He was offered once. The catholic continues to go to confession but yet the Bible says that only God forgives sin. The Bible says that only God can forgive sins (Mark 2:7 and Luke 5:21). What about Mary? 1 Timothy 2:5 says that there is only one mediator between God and man and that is Christ! The catholic church teaches that Mary is the mediatrix and they can go to her with their problems and prayers and she will petition God on our behalf.
So how can a catholic say he is saved but yet he remains in the catholic church? He either denies the Bible because he trusts the catholic church or he will deny the catholic church because its teachings are not scriptural. The Bible says that the born-again believer will have a new nature. The Bible also says that we possess the Holy Spirit. Would the Holy Spirit lie to us? Absolutely not! He would not teach us one thing in the Bible and then allow it to be different because the “church fathers” say so. Jesus said,
~Matthew 12:25 And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand:
God’s Word would not command us one way in the Scriptures and then turn around and contradict itself through the teachings of the magisterium. Surely you can see this! Open your eyes, dear catholic, and trust in the Lord with all your heart. It is He who shows us the way to salvation and provides the way. None other!
My friend, use the brain that God gave you. Do not leave your eternal destination in the hands of man or a church. Take responsibility and search out the Scriptures! The picture above is of a petrified log – I took this at the Petrified Forest outside of Albuquerque, New Mexico. This wood is no longer living but is now petrified and is hard as solid rock. The catholic church is much like this petrified wood. It may have been living at its inception, but throughout the years its many compromises and heresies have caused it to become petrified. Jesus Christ brings life – a new life! Not a petrified one.
© Kate Plourde 2009
~Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: ( 8 ) Not of works, lest any man should boast. (9)
The definition of grace is “undeserved kindness.” God shows undeserved kindness toward us by offering us the gift of His Son. We accept this Gift through faith. There is nothing I can do to earn a gift. I can earn a prize by winning a race. But I cannot earn a gift. A gift is something I do not have to earn … it is freely given to me. However, a gift cannot be given to someone unless that person receives the gift in his hands. Otherwise, the gift has not been received.
For example, it’s your birthday and I come to your party. I put your birthday gift on the table along with the others. You open all the gifts except mine and you leave mine on the table, untouched and unopened. My gift remains untouched and unopened for days. Did you truly receive my gift? Of course not. You don’t even know what it is. You have not opened it. The same goes for God’s gift of His Son to us. If we do not receive Christ by faith, you have not accepted the gift.
What is stopping you from this simple step? Are you afraid because you have to repent from your sin? You can’t ask God to forgive you of your sins and continue down the same path. That is not repentance. Repentance is a change of mind, or a conversion from sin to God. If you say you are saved but your mind still dwells on sin and not on God, you have not had a change of mind at all. All you did was pray a useless prayer. As we look back to our story about the birthday gift, notice how there is an action that must be taken by you in order for you to open that gift. You have to pick that gift up in your hands. The same goes with the gift of salvation. You have to be willing to repent of your sin and accept Jesus Christ as your Saviour through faith.
~Ephesians 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Dear God…
Repentance is not an easy thing
It is difficult to understand
But I pray You would guide me in my quest
To understanding Your Simple Plan.
© Kate Plourde 2009
Maranatha - Awaiting Christ's Return 