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Being an ignorant fellow is not a crime until it comes to the knowledge of God. I was ignorant of God for the first thirty years of my life because I was taught by ignorant men.  Men who are deceived teach their deception and enlightened men teach the truth.  I had a major problem, I didn’t know where to go to find truth, my church had no faith in the Bible.  My mother bought a large gold paged Bible and put it on the coffee table.  Before any of us could touch it or hold it we had to put on clean clothes and wash our hands.  I tried to read from it one time but I think it was written in Latin.  The last time I saw it, it was in a stack of Outdoor Life magazines, and my little sister used color crayons to mark it up.
 
Luke 23:34 Then said Jesus, Father forgive them; for they know not what they do.
 
In my ignorance I prayed to statues and dead people, but Jesus forgave me.  Jesus is far more interested in establishing a relationship with us than chiding us for our ignorance.  I had no idea how stupid I thought until I was saved from myself.  We are surrounded by ignorant people but we can’t judge them because we were one of them.  The folks who know better but continue the wrong path are the ones who are headed for trouble.  Men who are offered the truth but reject it will also answer to God and no excuse they dream up will pardon them.
 
1 Timothy 1:13 The Apostle Paul said, I was a blasphemer, a persecutor and a murderer: but I obtained mercy because I did ignorantly.

 
Seems like to me that God is willing to forgive any sin we make in order to have us in His presence.  He forgave the men who crucified His Son onto the cross.  He forgave them while they were driving the nails into His Son’s hands and feet.  Some folks don’t think they ever need forgiveness because they don’t ever do anything wrong.  They may be the nicest people in the world, well, they may be the nicest people in hell.  No one in hell is ignorant but that’s a hell of a place to acknowledge the truth.
 
If you don’t meet Jesus in this life, you will never meet Him.

 
God wants just one thing from us, He wants us to acknowledge the truth and repent.  Some folks spend their entire life fabricating excuses and in one minute they could repent and not need any of their excuses.  Some folks won’t repent because they can’t figure out why God would want them.  Well you really won’t know until you make the connection, then you will discover that He loves you!  How can God love a sinner?  Because He is willing to forgive all of our sins.  Just let God be God, some folks want to argue with His way of doing things, as if they have a better way.
 
Isaiah 43:25 I am He that blots out your sins for mine own sake, and will not remember your sins.
 
So, not only does the Lord forgive us but He forgets our past.  The devil likes to remind us but there’s nothing to remember, so don’t.  God wants us to forget our past and focus on Him, just let the Lord love you.  Ignorance is a choice, don’t choose it, choose to know the One who loves you.  


Well, Are You Deceived?

7/13/2015

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Just recently I got up at five a.m. to go pray, and fellowship with the Master. As I stood over the sink washing up, the Lord spoke into my heart and asked me a question.

“How would you know if you were deceived?”

                 This is how the Lord teaches me many things. He puts a question before me. To me it’s a nugget of meat that I must chew on until I get the answer. I spent the morning pondering the question. I had some answers that I “thought up” but there was no Scripture to support them. Everything God speaks to us can be substantiated by our Bible. After a couple of hours I gave up, I told the Lord I didn’t know how you identify a deceived person, myself included. I stopped meditating the question and began to consider other things of the Lord. As I walked along suddenly the Lord answered His own question for me. You become unteachable.

His answer hit me like a slap in the face, it’s like I just became fully awake. Scriptures began to flood into my spirit as I basked in the glory of His truth. Several years ago the Lord gave me a Scripture and instructed me to live by it.

II Timothy 2:24-26 In meekness instruct those that oppose themselves; if perhaps God will give them repentance when they acknowledge the truth.

I can’t begin to tell you how many good people I have known just walked away from God’s will. I showed them God’s Word but they would not accept it. Deceived folks are unteachable. They were determined to go their own way. Neither God nor I could change their mind. A deceived child of God is the closest thing to a zombie I have ever seen! They drag themselves around looking for something they don’t know they want. Their eyes are glazed over and it appears no one is home as they go about pursuing things they can’t comprehend.

Matthew 13:15 For the people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed, they will not hear Me that I should heal them.

Jesus had to deal with deceived people every day. He tried to teach them, but they coveted their own belief.
Deceived people are unteachable. There is only one way to get a deceived person set free. You must get them to accept the truth. We must do what Jesus did, keep teaching the truth whether they accept it or not.

Mark 6:5-6 He could then do no mighty work except that He laid His hands upon a few sick folks and healed them. And He marveled because of their unbelief, and He went around about the villages teaching.

Jesus never gives up. If people won’t receive His gifts He just keeps on teaching until they choose His goodness. Are you teachable? Is your heart tender towards the Lord? If you answer yes, then the gates of hell will not prevail against you.

 

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    OFFERING DECLARATION
    November 24, 2019


    My trust is in the Lord,
    therefore I live in hope.

    I no longer walk by sight,
    I live by the faith of Jesus.

    My life is in His hands,
    I will fear no evil.


    I am blessed of the Lord,
    so I put all my hope in Him.
    PRAYER FOCUS
    HOLIDAY SEASON
    Nehemiah 8:10
    Then he said to them, “Go your way. Eat the fat, drink the  sweet drink, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.
     
    RELATIONSHIPS
    1. Separation from Family and Friends. (Examples: Military, Prison, 
          Hospital)
    2.   Praying against loneliness and isolation. (Yourself/Others)
    3. Communication   Romans 12:10 Act in love; prefer one another in honor.
    4.   Peace of God will reign in our homes.
          
    FINANCES
    1.   Pray about unrealistic expectations of buying and receiving gifts.
    2.   Ask God for strategies and ideas that fit your budget and talents.
    3. Pray for wisdom about what organizations you can help and be  realistic about how much money you can spend toward their need.
    4. Pray for increase in finances. God will supply all our needs through 
          Christ Jesus.
     
    COUNTRY/CITY
    1.   Peace of God throughout this Season
    2.   Protection for all from enemies seen and unseen
    3.   Praying for God assignments
    4.   Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with us!

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