(This podcast was previously recorded and published on June 25, 2020)
Jesus Ministries, Joan Boney ...
Christians often deceive themselves for they hear scriptures or read Bible, but they fail to do the Word spoken in the scriptures. They fail to grow spiritually. And like a baby, they can only take milk and not the strong meat of the word.
Hebrews 5
12 For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.
13 For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.
14 But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.
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My cousin, who is now 97 years old, has been in Church of Christ since she was a baby. She faithfully attends their meetings. But she does not apply basic scripture to her life. And therefore she lives tormented.
Only when we apply scripture to our lives can we live in peace and joy, overcoming through God by the application of the Word to our lives.
Example:
My cousin told me she does well during the day but gets down emotionally in the evenings. (Her husband died 10 years ago.)
I replied: "When you begin to feel the problem coming on, if you will turn to God and ask HIM for help, God will help you."
I shared the following scripture with her.
Philippians 4
6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
A few days after this, my cousin wrote to me and she said: "I do well in the daytime but in the evenings, I have trouble."
This cousin will not apply the word of God in her own life.
She seems to trust in her church, but she shows that she does not trust in the Word of God.
When this is the case, the individual will grow weaker and weaker.
James 1:22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
Also, concerning my cousin, I put her away from me, not communicating with her again because she had shown me she would not do that word I gave to her by the Spirit of God.
Titus 3
10 A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject;
11 Knowing that he that is such is subverted, and sinneth, being condemned of himself.
***
Examine yourself: Which scripture are you trying to live right now?
If your mind is a blank and you are not trying to do any scripture, you are like a person who has fallen asleep ... dead and dying.
For our life is in Jesus, the Word. In HIM there is life.
But if we are doing no "word", no scripture, where is the life? It is probably in your church group. For when you go to church you "feel" like you do good, but you grow weaker and weaker, often telling your problems to other people and burdening people with your troubles, rather than turning to God and growing in God as HE shows you what to do and you do what you feel God has shown you to do.
If you continue in that way of life, taking pleasure in your church rather than in the scriptures, God will turn you over to a strong delusion and will bring destruction upon you because you refused the love of the truth that you might be saved.
II Thessalonians 2
10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
***
God turns them over to a reprobate mind who refuse to keep HIM (The Word) in their knowledge.
Romans 1:28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
***
Every time we do a scripture, we are recreated in the image of Jesus, the Word.
During the early months of the Coronavirus in March, 2020, I began watching television news. In a very few days, I found myself to be troubled, where before I had been living in peace. The troubling was because of the newscasters, not because of the virus. I found the newscasters trying to spread hatred against the President. (I am very non political, but I do not want to hate whichever person is president.) I knew I had to get myself free from television newscasts.
I saw a scripture which I knew would free me if I could "do" that scripture.
So I began keeping these verses before me day and night and doing the instructions.
Proverbs 1
10 If sinners entice thee, consent thou not.
15 Walk not thou in the way with them; refrain thy foot from their path:
16 For their feet r