Rom 3:9 What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; 
Rom 3:10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: 
Rom 3:11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. 
Rom 3:12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. 
Rom 3:13 Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: 
Rom 3:14 Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: 
Rom 3:15 Their feet are swift to shed blood: 
Rom 3:16 Destruction and misery are in their ways: 
Rom 3:17 And the way of peace have they not known: 
Rom 3:18 There is no fear of God before their eyes. 
​
Psalms (Psa_14:1-3; Psa_5:9; Psa_140:3; Psa_10:7 and Psa_36:1) and from Isa_59:7-8 support the statement: There is none righteous, no, not one.

Most churches will not touch on this subject because they are apostate, full of freemasons, and afraid of losing many of the people in their pews who practice idolatry, the Occult, and keep it under the rug. Some churches have gotten so bad, they have replaced the prayer meeting with "Christian tarot card readings", and yoga classes in their churches, along with other forms of idolatry and blasphemy right in God's face. These people are headed for hell, but for now they are enjoying their deceptions and dancing with the devil.

Specific false religions and cults will be added in their own area-separated with a graphic, for easy research and ability to find different topics. At the bottom there is a resource section-with some useful links on very good teachings on specific cults-that will help you learn the dangers of them, why they need to be avoided, and repented of if you've been involved in them, and renounce all activity with them. You may have to burn some books, get rid of some videos, objects and music if you find your being convicted by the Holy Spirit. I've gone through this, and know it will be warfare-but it's very important. I'd advise reading the book of Acts chapter 19, it will show you the evidence of how important it is to get rid of anything in your life that is idolatrous, or of the Occult. By doing this, we're cleansing our temple, our body, and through repentance-coming clean with the Lord.

Many of the end time remnant Body of Christ have gone underground. I'm among them. I will continue to serve the Lord as I'm capable, with the ability given to me to do so. But, I've severed any connections with organized religion. 

The links provided will be from reliable sources, by reputable bible teachers and ministers, as I come across them. This will be for the purpose of providing like-minded believer's access to some reliable teachings on cults/false religions/and the Occult, to help them grow in their spirit, and be able to discern and guard themselves against the wiles of the devil in these last days.

May God surround His people with His angels, and guard their minds, bodies, and souls through their journey in this life- and until the coming of Jesus Christ.                                                         
Lorna Couillard                            

​1Jn 5:19 And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness. 
1Jn 5:20 And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life. 
1Jn 5:21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen. 

Gal 4:8 Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods. 
Gal 4:9 But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage? 
Gal 4:10 Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years. 
Gal 4:11 I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain. 

Ye observe days. These are specifications of how they were "turning back" to the Jewish law. Compare Col_2:16. The days are the Jewish Sabbaths. The months are the new moons; the times are the Jewish festivals; the years are the Sabbatical years. In observing these there was legal bondage to an obsolete system. B.W. Johnson comm.

My prayer is that some who come here would receive the information with an open heart, and a desire to truly know God for who He is, not the imaginations of their own minds. God has revealed himself through His word, but it's up to us to search it out, and apply it to our lives. Christ came to deliver us, mind, body, and soul-let's praise Him for this unspeakable gift, and heed Paul's admonishment-stand fast in that freedom, and never go back to the chains of bondage.

Christ Came to set us free:
Gal 5:1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. 

Resources: Links to helpful teachings:

Halloween─ should Christians celebrate Halloween? - Jim Staley - 
https://youtu.be/FNepPiAqN10
The Truth About Halloween - https://youtu.be/3wJp_n6y6tk

The Truth About Easter - https://youtu.be/pCE1dUoBNuo
​The Pagan Roots of Easter : https://www.thenightwatchman.org/watchman-blog/april-08th-2020

The Dark Origins of Santa and His Elves-  The pagan Origins of Santa Claus or Sinister Klaus and his evil demonic elves known as Krampus and other titles.
https://youtu.be/EWvOLTZoDXE
Who Is Krampus? | National Geographic-
https://youtu.be/HrKL7D7QZRA

Christmas - What Your Pastor Doesn't Want You to Know - Part 1-  Is Christmas atheist rocket fuel? Review the pagan history of our December 25 Christmas traditions and their vast differences with the history of the birth of the true Messiah.
https://youtu.be/7zSPY-wu2pw
Christmas - What Your Pastor Doesn't Want You to Know - Part 2-
https://youtu.be/zwiCqokaq9k
Christmas - What Your Pastor Doesn't Want You to Know - Part 3-  https://youtu.be/cOIBRr9fsdM

​St. Patrick's Day - In researching this pagan holiday,  I've found it to be a twisted mixture of pagan influences of the Druids, witchcraft, Catholicism, and folklore-all of it demonic. Of course to entice the kids-the Leprechaun and the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow story is added to the mix, making it a maze that's very difficult to sift through. However, when putting what the holiday represents today-which is parades, drinking, and debauchery- and study it with your bible in hand, you come away seeing it is a totally ungodly day, and no Christian should be involved in it.
St. Patrick's Day is Pagan-Today in Man Made Religion- 
In this video we discuss the man made pagan holiday of St. Patrick's day, is it acceptable to God.
https://youtu.be/Dz0RxrrCuaA
​Read the article here:
http://spiritandtruthdiscernment.blogspot.com/2014/03/st-patricks-daytruth-or-false-tradition.html
The History of Saint Patrick - a Short Story-A short history of St. Patrick-it reveals how man can twist and pervert information down through history, and make a pagan holiday out of pure fiction that they create themselves.
https://youtu.be/xOqWT2tk9Js​

Reiki is a healing therapy developed by Buddhist monks that is a hands on alternative method where the "healer" transfers universal power to the patient through their palms.

Reiki therapy is not Biblical.

Reiki claims to be a spiritual path leading to physical, mental, emotional and spiritual attunement, harmony, good health and happiness. As a holistic therapy with Buddhist roots, it clearly has serious spiritual implications but does not and cannot supply answers for the basic spiritual sicknesses of mankind such as sin, guilt, fear and the need for forgiveness and salvation.

Only the Christian gospel provides a cure for such sickness. For Christians, only the power of God’s Holy Spirit can provide acceptable and effective healing. Jesus Christ healed when he walked the earth, and is the healer today. We need to be aware of counterfeits and not be involved in them, however harmless they may appear at first sight.

Most importantly we are told to not be involved with these practices:

Reiki is idolatry. What does scripture teach about idolatry? Go to Ex. ch. 20, and read the first of God's commandments.
​
Exo 20:1 And God spake all these words, saying, 
Exo 20:2 I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. 
Exo 20:3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me. 
Exo 20:4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: 
Exo 20:5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; 
Exo 20:6  And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.

Practicing Reiki is calling on spirits, other than the God of heaven to heal-this is idolatry. All false religions, and cults create their own images, which they worship and extol as their gods. Reiki also does this. It is an abomination to God. Satan has the power to heal-but it doesn't last, and in the end it leads to the persons destruction-mind, body and soul.

The world is saturated with idol worship, including Satanism, with the statue of the Baphomet in public parks, and in front of public buildings in this country, and on many mainstream TV programs. That's why the world is headed for judgment, along with the shedding of untold numbers of innocent blood-that cries to God for justice, and it's coming.

Reiki is a tool of the Occult. It is a form of occult energy channeling - a subtle and powerful form of divination. Much the same as a diviners dowsing rod, a shamans power animal, a fortune-tellers psychically related intuitive knowledge and a witches curses, hexes and spells, Reiki utilizes unseen power that is real, and very powerful.  However, the power behind Reiki is not from the One true God and is deadly.

Lev 19:26 Ye shall not eat any thing with the blood: neither shall ye use enchantment, nor observe times. 
Lev 19:31 Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am the LORD your God. 

Deu 18:10 There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, 
Deu 18:11 Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. 
Deu 18:12 For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee. 
Deu 18:13 Thou shalt be perfect with the LORD thy God. 

There are passages in the Bible which make it clear that these things are an abomination to God. Some passages to study are:
​
“And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God?” (Isaiah 8:19)
Isa 19:3  And the spirit of Egypt shall fail in the midst thereof; and I will destroy the counsel thereof: and they shall seek to the idols, and to the charmers, and to them that have familiar spirits, and to the wizards. 
Lev 20:5  Then I will set my face against that man, and against his family, and will cut him off, and all that go a whoring after him, to commit whoredom with Molech, from among their people. 
Lev 20:6  And the soul that turneth after such as have familiar spirits, and after wizards, to go a whoring after them, I will even set my face against that soul, and will cut him off from among his people. 
1Ch 10:13  So Saul died for his transgression which he committed against the LORD, even against the word of the LORD, which he kept not, and also for asking counsel of one that had a familiar spirit, to enquire of it; 
1Ch 10:14  And enquired not of the LORD: therefore he slew him, and turned the kingdom unto David the son of Jesse. 

The Bible forbids divination because it involves lusting for secret knowledge that God has not chosen to reveal. “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our sons forever, that we may observe all the words of this law.” 

Besides opening the door to demonic spirits, is that when one subjects himself/herself to a Reiki Master instead of Jesus Christ, the only Mediator between God and man, occult power comes and upon, in, and through the Reiki Master - and their undiscerning subject/clients. 

1Ti 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; 

It is said people are not born with this healing gift of Reiki, but anybody can learn it. Reiki won’t harm you, it will heal you, it will lead you into spiritual paths, it will protect you and support you. It is said Reiki was used by Jesus and you will be doing good things and helping people. In order to know the truth you have to be willing to actually read what the bible says, and what it teaches; not what people are telling you it says. Jesus did not use Reiki to heal people. He was full of the Holy Spirit from birth (read the gospel of John)-and the power to heal came from the third person of the Trinity, not a channeled evil spirit. There is no reference to using Reiki anywhere in the Bible.

People who are practicing Reiki are generally deceived and unaware that they are calling upon spirits when sending Reiki or initiating others. Reikians invite spirits or demons by means of drawing the Japanese symbol of the specific demon and invite them by calling their name three times, thus sending Reiki energy to someone. Or by means of the same symbols, initiating someone spiritually into Reiki by ritually opening accesses for these spirits so the flow of the Reiki energy can come through.

Reikians are deceived by the manifestations and personal wellbeing in the short term, but they are not aware of the implications of sin and the wrath of God and demonic legal grounds, until their mental or physical health breaks down. (2 Cor 4:3-4)

Christians are involved in Reiki, thinking it is harmless, and another way to achieve the healing, and the good feelings they desire. Many Christians do not read their bibles, and do not exercise discernment in getting themselves involved in these dangerous practices. Reiki, which is another aspect of yoga, has become a cancer in the body of Christ, and I see greater dangers coming for those who do not study to know what scripture teaches us about these practices.
​
Believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God. (1 John 4:1 KJV)

Below are links to informative articles on Reiki, that have much more to add to what's in this blog. Just click the links below to go right to their page.

http://www.spiritual-research-network.com/dangers_of_reiki.html
http://www.the-saltoftheearth.com/danger-of-reiki
http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/reiki.htm
https://truthinreality.com/2012/07/28/what-you-should-know-about-reiki/
http://bible-christian.org/reiki-ray-key/
http://aslansplace.com/language/en/reiki-and-biblical-discernment/

                                                                A Personal Testimony
After surgery in May of 2017 for uterine cancer, a series of chemotherapy treatments were set up for me in a local cancer center that I was to go to for the rest of the summer, through September. 

The first visit proved to be eye opening, and disturbing. What I thought was going to be a medical treatment dealing with cancer turned out to be much more. I was taken into a room where I was interrogated, and asked very personal questions by a woman who turned out to be a Reiki master, and another woman who sat and wrote all of my responses down. I soon realized I was being carefully scrutinized, my discernment was keen and correct. Not only was I going there for chemotherapy treatments, but these people were going to try to get me to submit to Reiki practices. I was being indoctrinated, but very underhandedly. They were not being totally honest about what they were really doing with their questioning; and my uneasiness got worse as time went on.

I told them I was a Christian, and a minister. This did not help me, it just brought further interrogations. However, I decided to do as the Lord tells us, "speak the truth in love", and let the chips fall where they may. My stand in faith proved to cause each visit to become more difficult. Whenever I shared my faith in Christ I saw marked opposition and manipulation to get me to stop. However, I sat there while getting treatments, and listened while several times other patients were "laid hands on", and Reiki practices and yoga were done on these people. I found this total hypocrisy, and wondered how the medical field had become so corrupted to allow this, and promote it. I increasingly saw the danger I was really in. However, I also felt the strong inner presence of the Lord as I sat there, and the peace only God can give in these situations. I silently asked for guidance, and what to speak. When I was asked if I wanted to participate in their practices-I refused. The expressions on their faces told me, I was now marked as uncooperative, and was avoided.

At the last treatment I went to, I was placed by the front desk where I could be observed and controlled. At the end of this session, I decided to not continue with this any longer, and canceled the last chemotherapy appointment.

What are my greatest concerns about this?
​
1. I wasn't told I'd have to be involved with a Reiki master when the appointments for  chemotherapy treatments were made for me. I wasn't given a choice of whether I wanted to talk to her or not, I was controlled and guided into it without pre-knowledge or consent.
2. The questions asked of me were very personal, which I didn't care; I answered them honestly. But, the questions had nothing to do with getting medical treatment for cancer, they were questions about my personal beliefs and practices in life; which had nothing to do with what I was supposed to be there for. I made it clear that I had no intention of allowing Reiki to be done on me.
3. When these people realized I was very serious about my faith in Christ, the atmosphere changed completely. I also saw evidence of a lot of gossip, which is to be expected in these places, but it shouldn't be there. It made me dread having to go any more, and the pain I was enduring from the treatments should have been enough to go through.

When I look back on it now, I believe God allowed me to go through this to open my eyes to the dangerous mixture the medical field and eastern religions such as Buddhism has become in this country. America was founded on a Biblical foundation, but has been hijacked by eastern religions. Now Christianity has been undermined, and those who stand for the Bible, and it's teachings are treated as if we have mental problems, and actively persecuted and shut down; unless we go along with it and condone what they are doing. In the local hospital in my area they are openly promoting Buddhism, and the chapel is mainly Buddhist. I've decided to never go to another hospital, if I can help it.

I've found there's a lot of big name bible teachers and preachers who are going right along with this new age form of mixing eastern religion with Christianity. They have become apostate, and full of mixture with the world. Many of the mega ministers are right in on this, but the masses are blind, brainwashed, and never read their Bibles. This country is so corrupt, and saturated with false religions now, that the real Christians who stand on the word of God are treated the same as the early believer's in Acts-and we will face the same persecutions they did. God grant us His strength and courage to endure to the end, and be found faithful.

                                                                    Test the Spirits
1Jn 4:1  Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. 
1Jn 4:2  Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: 
1Jn 4:3  And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. 
1Jn 4:4  Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. 
1Jn 4:5  They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them. 
1Jn 4:6  We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error. 

Many excellent reputable teachings are here on many of the cults and false religions in the world today.  More will be added as time goes on. Also, if you go to the resource page of this site-you will find a great amount of information as you scroll down the page. Toward the bottom there's a full history of freemasonry (which is a cult).
 
Dr Walter martin Witchcraft and Satanism- https://youtu.be/369MHlMUzBs
Roman Catholicism: Virgin Mary, Penance - Dr. Walter Martin- https://youtu.be/XeQcQ2ZIsI0
Catholicism #1 Justification by Faith, Purgatory - Dr. Walter Martin- https://youtCatholicism 
Catholicism #2 Mary, Penance - Dr. Walter Martin- https://youtu.be/0coYKeB0DDE
Cult of Liberalism - Dr. Walter Martin- https://youtu.be/4HTYocC0mAs
WHO IS JESUS? ANSWER TO JEHOVAH WITNESSES- Walter Martin
https://youtu.be/cgS7xkHRkCs
The Mystery of Predestination - Walter Martin- https://youtu.be/uuUKE5resPs
Spirit of This Age - Dr. Walter Martin- https://youtu.be/S_RFs10ZuVA
New Age Movement - Dr. Walter Martin- https://youtu.be/KQse-4xTptg
Freemasonry - Dr. Walter Martin- https://youtu.be/hl6BY2hVdds
Christian view of Scientology - Dr. Walter Martin- https://youtu.be/78j3I0xRdZQ
Jehovah Witnesses Error-  https://www.thenightwatchman.org/watchman-blog/jehovah-witnesses-error
​
                                                 THE KINGDOM OF THE CULTS
Dr. Walter Martin-Kingdom of the Cults Part 1/7- Introduction to the Cults
https://youtu.be/ODUfbqDuP84
Dr. Walter Martin- Kingdom of the Cults Part 2/7
https://youtu.be/W947rQUXlLc
Dr. Walter Martin - Kingdom of the Cults Part 3/7 - The Maze of Mormonism-
https://youtu.be/uOD99-tQy9c
Dr. Walter Martin - Kingdom of the Cults Part 4/7 - Spiritism - Edgar Cayce, Jeane Dixon, Astrology- https://youtu.be/Mb5MiV1RUVw
Dr. Walter Martin- Kingdom of the Cults Part 5/7 - Psychic Phenomenon
https://youtu.be/DvHsWfMSsz0
Dr. Walter Martin- Kingdom of the Cults Part 6/7 - Unitarianism, The Cult of Intellect
https://youtu.be/RVwGaXt4pOk
Dr. Walter Martin - Kingdom of the Cults Part 7/7 - Zen Buddhism, Meher Baba, and Hare Krishna- https://youtu.be/cc75kxmbEjI
Dr Walter martin Witchcraft and Satanism- https://youtu.be/369MHlMUzBs

Walter's Last Message - Walter Martin- https://youtu.be/3pIZ1Dtvmms

Note: Teachings on subjects such as Transhumanism will be added here, because they are appropriate for this page. These are the elites endeavor to change humanity into their own conceptions. They are using technology and science to remake humans into their own forms of life-corrupting humans from God's image. This is idolatry at it's worst-and an abomination to God.
​​
Chuck Missler -- Transhumanism- Chuck Missler spoke at Calvary South Denver in Littleton Colorado on July 24, 2013 on the subject of Transhumanism.  (It is recommended that you watch this video at full 720p resolution so that you can clearly see all of the powerpoint slides used in this presentation.)    https://youtu.be/xkJe9re-8AI

​***The Strategems of Satan-Important teaching-going into Satan's origin-his final destination, government corruption-and the whole armor of God to war against this in these last days.  https://youtu.be/CyckH0XbH38
​
***Hidden Treasures in Genesis-Very interesting point in this teaching-Lamech, Noah's father meant Lament-despair-Noah means "rest"-or "reset". The NWO being put into place now-by Satan and his puppets uses the term "RESET"-Chuck Missler didn't know it, but again, he is used by God to give a huge clue as the the time period we are in now, the very end. 
https://youtu.be/3jl2sVxBl9I

Demonism - Chuck Missler-  https://youtu.be/lgbiVTXRGF4

Mt 24:23 Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. Mt 24:24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.

These are the days we are living in; and unfortunately, it will continue to get worse until Jesus returns. How can we as believer's stand in this evil day? How can we shield ourselves from the false religions, and the rampant deception within the church? The transforming power of the Word of God. Going to the scriptures concerning everything that is questionable; and allowing God to speak to us thru His Word. The bible has the answer to every question known to man. The problem is; many times people do not like the answers.

We are given a free will to either heed the bible, or choose to rebel against it, and do what we want. However, the consequences are clearly spelled out to us in the bible also. People perish, and are lead into the ditch of deception, because of lack of knowledge of what the bible says. God's guidelines are clear, and easy to understand; it is our flesh that says "I want what I want, when I want it."

But, if we are serious about wanting a close walk with the Lord, and want his presence in our lives; the scriptures will be like fresh bread to our souls. We will hunger for it, and learn to depend on it to bring light to our path in all area's of our lives.

2ti 2:15 Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
2ti 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 2ti 3:17 That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

When it comes to discerning deceiving spirits, false manifestations, demonic activity, false religions; the guidelines below will help the believer to sift thru the enormous amount of deception that is out there today. Prayer, study of the scriptures, and heeding what the bible says; will protect our spirits, and hedge us in with the Lord. I hope these guidelines will help all who study them.

                                                          SCRIPTURES TO REMEMBER
⦁ When people tell you that Jesus is actually showing up or they saw Jesus in a vision etc., remember this: 

Mat 24 v 23-27 ”23 Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. 24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. 25 Behold, I have told you before. 26 Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not. 27 For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.” (i.e., we will NOT see Jesus again in ANY form until his second coming)

⦁ When people tell you that God ‘told them so’ or ‘gave them the vision/prophecy’ hence you MUST believe it, but it does not tie up 100% with scripture, remember this: 

Jeremiah 14 v14 “Then the LORD said unto me, The prophets prophesy lies in my name: I sent them not, neither have I commanded them, neither spake unto them: they prophesy unto you a false vision and divination, and a thing of nought, and the deceit of their heart.”

Ezekiel 13 v 2-9 ”2 Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel who are now prophesying. Say to those who prophesy out of their own imagination: ‘Hear the word of the LORD! 3 This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Woe to the foolish prophets who follow their own spirit and have seen nothing! 4 Your prophets, O Israel, are like jackals among ruins. 5 You have not gone up to the breaks in the wall to repair it for the house of Israel so that it will stand firm in the battle on the day of the LORD. 6 Their visions are false and their divinations a lie. They say, “The LORD declares,” when the LORD has not sent them; yet they expect their words to be fulfilled. 7 Have you not seen false visions and uttered lying divinations when you say, “The LORD declares,” though I have not spoken? 8 “‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign LORD says: Because of your false words and lying visions, I am against you, declares the Sovereign LORD. 9 My hand will be against the prophets who see false visions and utter lying divinations. They will not belong to the council of my people or be listed in the records of the house of Israel, nor will they enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Sovereign LORD.”

1jo 4:1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
1jo 4:2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: 
1jo 4:3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. 
1jo 4:4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. 
1jo 4:5 They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them. 
1jo 4:6 We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.

⦁ If someone tells you that Satan can’t make visions or prophecies come true, remember this: 

Deuteronomy 13 v 1-5 ”4 If a prophet, or one who foretells by dreams, appears among you and announces to you a miraculous sign or wonder, 2 and if the sign or wonder of which he has spoken takes place, and he says, “Let us follow other gods” (gods you have not known) “and let us worship them,” 3 you must not listen to the words of that prophet or dreamer. The LORD your God is testing you to find out whether you love him with all your heart and with all your soul. 4 It is the LORD your God you must follow, and him you must revere. Keep his commands and obey him; serve him and hold fast to him.”

⦁ When people tell you that they can see Angles, or have an Angel guiding them, or have Angels imparting wisdom or biblical revelation, remember this: 

John 14 v 26 Jesus said: “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Spirit, 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.”
Col 2:18 Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,

⦁ When people tell you that these ’strange’ manifestations are from God, remember this: 

2 Timothy 1 v 7 “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”
2 Thess 2 v 9-10 “Even him who is coming after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not a love of the truth that they might be saved.”

⦁ If people tell you that Satan can’t cast out or deliver people from demons, remember this: 

Matthew 12 v 27 Jesus said to the Pharisees: “And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? therefore they shall be your judges.”

⦁ If people tell you that signs and wonders bring people to greater heights in their faith or lead people into a truly born again experience, remember this: 

John 12 v 37 ”But although He had done so many signs before them, they did not believe in Him.”
John 4 v 48 ”Then Jesus said to him, “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will by no means believe.”

John 6 v 26 Jesus answered them and said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled.”

Matt 24 v 24: “For false Christ’s and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.”

⦁ If people tell you that you are not to judge God’s ‘anointed’, remember this: 

Deuteronomy 13 v 12-14 “13 If you hear it said about one of the towns the LORD your God is giving you to live in 13 that wicked men have arisen among you and have led the people of their town astray, saying, “Let us go and worship other gods” (gods you have not known), 14 then you must inquire, probe and investigate it thoroughly. And if it is true and it has been proved that this detestable thing has been done among you, 15 you must certainly put to the sword all who live in that town.” (Sword = Word of God)

Proverbs 17 v 150 “He who justifies the wicked, and he who condemns the just, both of them alike are an abomination to the LORD”

Proverbs 18 v 15 “The heart of the prudent acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge”

Titus 1 v 9 “Holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict.”

1 Timothy 1 v 3 “That you may charge some that they teach no other doctrine”

John 7 v 24 Jesus said: “Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment” (using the Word of God)

Rom 16 v 17 “Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them”

1 Corinthians 5 v 9 v 13 “9 I wrote you in my letter not to associate with immoral people; 10 I did not at all mean with the immoral people of this world, or with the covetous and swindlers, or with idolaters, for then you would have to go out of the world. 11 But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he is an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler–not even to eat with such a one. 12 For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Do you not judge those who are within the church? 13 But those who are outside, God judges. REMOVE THE WICKED MAN FROM AMONG YOURSELVES

(‘Do not judge those who are within the Church?’ - This is an angry response by Paul to those who say ‘do not judge those within the church’, he is saying, WHAT? REMOVE THE WICKED MAN FROM AMONG YOURSELVES.)

Eph 4:14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

⦁ If someone tells you that to speak up or warn a brother that they are in error or deception is wrong and we need to instead ’show love’ for ‘God is love’, remember this: 

When we show someone they are in error it’s out of deep concern and love, the same love and concern that Jesus has when his Children go astray.

Acts 20 v 25-31 ”25 Now I know that none of you among whom I have gone about preaching the kingdom will ever see me again. 26 Therefore, I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of all men. 27 For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God. 28 Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. 29 I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. 30 Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. 31 So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears“

⦁ If someone tells you that a particular person is anointed (hence you HAVE to listen to them) but you yourself are a truly born again believer, remember this: 

1 Jonn 2 v 27 “But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him.”

I John 2 v 20 v 21 “But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things. I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and that no lie is of the truth”

⦁ If any Christian seeks or needs signs and wonders to show them who Jesus is, then something is very wrong with their spiritual lives, because the Holy Spirit brings ALL things to your remembrance for those who are truly born again, remember this: 

John 14 v 26 Jesus said: “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Spirit, 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.”

When viewing God's way of judging these matters- remember this:
2 John 1 v 9 “Whosoever transgresses and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son”
2 Thes 2 v 11 “For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they might believe what is false in order that all may be judged who did not believe in the truth but took pleasure in wickedness”

May the Lord richly bless you
In His Service,   
Lorna Couillard
2009 Teaching for Teen Challenge

                                                                 Do Not Love the World
1Jn 2:15  Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 
1Jn 2:16  For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 
1Jn 2:17  And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever. 

This first teaching of the book of James begins in chapter one, and will continue each week, to the end of the chapters. It is a series of teachings I gave when I taught at Teen Challenge in Johnson Vermont between the years 2007-2009. There are many scripture references, and comments in them, that can give added guidance and direction. James was a devout believer, who had keen discernment and much can be learned by him, for our own walk with the Lord.

Memory verse - James 1:2-3
Who was the author of this letter? (Matt 13:55, Mark 6:3, Luke 24:10, Gal 1:19)
Note: This epistle of James was not written by the apostle James, who was killed by Herod before it was written (Acts 12:2). The most likely author is James, the brother of Jesus Christ (e.g. Matthew 13:55), who became a highly respected leader in the early church (Acts 12:17, 15:13, 21:18, 1 Corinthians 15:7, Galatians 1:19)
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James, Jesus' brother. There are three (and possibly four) James in the New Testament. Two were apostles: James, the brother of John (Matt 4:21-22, 10:2, Mark 3:17, Luke 5:1-10) who was killed by Herod (Acts 12:2) and James, the son of Alphaeus (Matt 10:3, Mark 3:18, Luke 6:15). Interestingly, the name "James" was not the actual name of these men; some say it was Iames but most scholars agree that it was something closer to Ya'akov in Aramaic. Ya’akov is a fairly common name and usually becomes Jacob. But it has also undergone metamophosis, becoming James in English, Santiago in Spanish, and Jacques in French. Because the translators of the King James version of the Bible wanted to please the king and get his approval for the translation, they translated at least three of the men named Ya'akov into James.

A Sure Sign of Life

The book of James, controversial because of its emphasis on “good works,” is perhaps best understood through the analogy of motion. In both the physical realm as well as the spiritual realm, where there is life there will be motion.

When a person becomes a Christian, new life begins, and inevitably that life must express itself through “spiritual motion,” or good deeds. In James' words, “What good is it ... if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds?” (2:14)

Movement does not cause life, but it does inevitably follow life. It is a sure sign that life is present. Similarly, genuine faith in Christ should always result in actions that demonstrate faith.

An important point: On the subject of good deeds-do not allow the world to dictate or define the level of importance of what those good deeds may be. An example: Paul's greatest accomplishments, were achieved behind prison walls. His books and epistles are in the bible today, for our learning, and guidance. Even in chains, the devil could not stop him from making the best use of his abilities and skills in proclaiming Christ to a wicked world. In our situations, we can use Paul's life as a good example of what possibilities are within our reach as well.

Straight to the Point

Unlike the apostle Paul, James was no urbane man of letters. He was a simple, homespun preacher, perturbed at people who were not living right. His letter covers a wide range of topics, applying the Christian faith to specific problems, and commanding readers to live out their beliefs.

Be humble, James orders. Submit to God. Stop sinning. James is as forthright as an Old Testament prophet; it is hard to miss his point.

I listened once to a pastor who said of James- "James gives us the picture-"The verses in scripture that I don't understand doesn't bother, me. It's the ones I do understand that bother me."

Modern readers of James face the same dilemma as the first recipients of this unsettling letter. His words are easy enough to understand, but are we doing as he says? What kind of motion characterizes our spiritual lives? As Luther himself said, "You are saved by faith alone, but if faith is alone, it is not faith."

As leader of the headquarters church in Jerusalem, James knew how to speak with authority. You don't have to look for hidden meanings in this book. James tells you clearly how you should act in 54 direct commands. Note that many of these have parallels to Jesus' Sermon on the Mount. As you study these verses, keep in mind the diverse audience he was addressing which included the rich and the poor. Note, too, his "asides" to specific groups.

When did James become a disciple of Jesus? (1 Cor 15:7)

Sometime after Jesus' resurrection. Prior to that, James is mentioned only as Jesus' brother and not a disciple or church leader.

What stature did he have in the early church? (Acts 1:13-14, 12:17, 15:13, 21:17-19)

James was a leader of the church at Jerusalem. At the first Pentecost, it is simply noted that the apostles gathered together along with some women and Jesus's mother and brothers. (Acts 1:13-14). However, after several of Paul's journeys, he mentions James in a leadership context, especially in Acts 15:13 where James states the position of the church regarding Gentiles coming to salvation in Christ's name.

To whom was he writing this letter? When? Why?

James wrote his letter to early Jewish Christians residing in Gentile communities outside of Palestine. Some commentators say it was also to Christians everywhere, but the reference to the twelve tribes and the use of the Hebrew title for God ('Lord Almighty' in verse 5:4) suggests it was written to a Jewish Christian audience. It was written approx. 49 A.D., prior to the Jerusalem Council held in 50 A.D. His purpose was to expose hypocritical positions and to teach right Christian behavior. It also expresses his concern for persecuted Christians who were once part of the Jerusalem church.

Notice the three themes; hardship, perseverence, and wisdom. What does James say is the purpose for hardship? (James 1:2-3, Romans 5:1-5, 1 Peter 1:3-9)

Note that James doesn't say, "if" you face trials, but "whenever" you face them. He assumes that we will all have trials and can profit from them. The point is not to be happy when you face pain, but to have a positive outlook ("consider it pure joy") because of what trials can produce in our lives. James tells us to turn our hardships into times of learning. Tough times can teach us perseverance.

What does he tell us about perseverance? (Romans 2:7, 8:24-25, 2 Cor 6:3-7, 2 Peter 1:3-9)
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It leads to maturity and completeness and eventually to eternal life (Rom 2:7). Paul enlarges on this in 2 Cor 6:3-7 where he says that persevering in trials leads to purity, understanding, patience, kindness, and love. Peter points out that perseverence is part of a process; that it is one step we must go through to demonstrate that our faith is genuine.

Where does he tell us to seek wisdom? (James 1:5, Job 28:28, Ps 111:10, Prov 2:6 and 29:15, 1 Cor 12:8, Col 3:16. Also see first four chapters of Proverbs)
Proverbs 8:11 "For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it". 

By wisdom, James is speaking not about knowledge, but rather the ability to make wise decisions in difficult circumstances and about "practical discernment." When Christians need wisdom, the first place to turn is to God in prayer. God is willing to give us wisdom, but we will be unable to receive it if our goals are self-centered rather than God-centered.

Although wisdom originates with God, it comes to us in many ways: as a gift from God (Prov 2:6, Dan 2:21), as a gift from the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 12:8, Eph 1:17), starting with a fear of the Lord (Job 28:28, Ps 111:10), from listening to the wise (Pr 1:2, 13:20), from discipline (Pr 29:15), from admonishing one another (Col 3:16), and from research and education (Ecc 1:13, 17, 7:25).

The first four chapters of Proverbs speak about wisdom, exhorting us to embrace it (Prov 1:8-33), describing the moral benefits of wisdom (Prov 2:1-22), describing its further benefits (Prov 3:1-35), and pointing out that wisdom is supreme (Prov 4:1-27).

How should we treat doubt? (Ps 33:4, Matt 21:21-22)

James now tells us that when we pray and ask God for wisdom we must do it with faith. "The greatest enemy to answered prayer is unbelief." 

James says we must believe and not doubt. For the Lord is faithful (Ps 33:4) and, as Jesus said, will answer the prayers of those who believe (Matt 21:21-22).

So often we go through the motions of prayer, but we really don't believe that God will answer our prayers. The Greek word for "faith" (pistis) speaks of a "persuasion, assurance, or of clutching God". When we pray and ask God for wisdom, we need to be fully persuaded that God will answer us without any hesitation or doubt. James says that those who do waver are like the waves on the sea, one moment they are up and then the next they are down. This is speaking about those believers who say they will trust God to answer their prayers, but then turn around and rely on themselves. 

James 1:7 "For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord". 

James tells us in verse 7, that the prayers of flip-flopping Christians are faithless prayers, and God will not honor them. In fact, they shouldn't even expect God to answer them. James commands (he uses the imperative volitional command of "think") them not to even think that God will answer them.
J. Vernon McGee says, "If you are going to work out your problem for yourself, then God cannot work it out for you." 

Many Christians today think that God is under an obligation to give them whatever they ask, but James puts this false concept to rest in the next verse. 

James 1:8 "A double minded [ dipsuchos {dip'-soo-khos} = two-spirited, vacillating (in opinion or purpose), double minded ] man is unstable in all his ways [ odois {hod-os'}; a road, a progress (the route, act or distance), journey ] 

Not only should the believer who wavers expect nothing, James tells us that they are "double minded." They are literally, "two-spirited" or "vacillating." In other words "their hearts, minds, and loyalties are divided between God and the world". 

He will not fully commit himself to God. And we know that Jesus said concerning this: 
Luke 16:13 "No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon". 

These Christians had divided hearts. As a result they are "unstable in all their ways." In other words, they are inconsistent in their Christian walk because they cannot seem to make their mind up whom they will trust or follow. There is a continual battle within them over this issue. Believers need to make up their minds like Joshua, "...choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD." (Joshua 24:15), then God can and will give us the wisdom we need to handle those trials that come our way. 

What is the "spiritual contradiction" raised in vs. 9-11? (See the parable of the sower in Mark 4:3-20 for Jesus' words on this subject.)

James now tells us that the Christian needs to rejoice not because of their earthly circumstances or their poor economic situation, but because of their spiritual position. The brother of "low degree" is speaking about those who find themselves hitting "rock bottom", they are literally in the "valley place." 

James says that when we find a Christian brother hitting rock bottom, we can rejoice because God can "exalt" them. This carries the idea of lifting someone up to put them up high on the top of the mountain. "How do you get up to the top of the mountain?" By being humble and letting God lift you up. God sometimes has to allow the proud heart to be broken before He can use it. Proverbs 11:2 says: 
Proverbs 11:2 "When pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly is wisdom".

When trials come your way, rejoice-because God is getting ready to lift you up and place you where He wants you. 

The poor person should take pride in his high position, the rich person should take pride in his low position. This means that a poor person should be glad that riches mean nothing to God, otherwise he would be considered unworthy. A rich person should also be glad that money means nothing to God because money is easily lost. By taking pride, James may mean that a wealthy Christian is to take pride in trials that bring him low, perhaps including the loss of his wealth. In Jesus' parable, a rich man might be likened to the seed which came up and produced a beautiful flower, but was then scorched and withered by the sun because it had no roots.

In what should we take pride? (vs 9, Romans 15:17, Gal 6:4)

Although James says to take pride in your low position, it's kind of an oxymoron to take pride in humility. In Romans, Paul says he glories in his service to God, but then says in his letter to the Galatians that you can take pride in your actions as long as you test them against the teachings (law) of Christ (and presumably, find them satisfactory against that test). Paul also boasts about God-fearing churches (2 Cor 1:14, 7:4, Php 2:16) and boasts "in the Lord" (1 Cor 1:31) as does Jeremiah (9:23-24) and David (Ps 34:2, 44:8). All of the other references to pride in the Bible -- and there are many -- speak of it as sinful and warn against it.

What is the difference between God's view of wealth and the world's view?

James tells us in verses 10 and 11 that the rich man cannot buy his way out of his trials either. Like the poor man who has to be humbled so God can lift him up, the rich man cannot rely upon the earthly things to see him through his trials. Trials help the rich to see the vanity of riches, because in spite of having wealth he is still made low. 

James also points out the fact that all the wealth that this world can provide is still only temporary in light of eternity. Therefore "a rich man should rejoice when he is made low so that God can elevate him also". Foy Valentine stated this best: 
"Riches may buy special status in this world's clubs but in the church, bought by the blood of Christ, everybody is somebody".

Wealth, power, and status mean nothing to God but the world attributes much importance to them and honors those that have them. If your wealth, power, and status were gone, what would you have left? You would have what is in your heart and that, not your bank account, and that is what matters to God and endures for eternity.

What is the difference between a "trial" and a "temptation"?

According to the dictionary, a trial is "a test of faith, patience, or stamina by suffering or temptation." A temptation is "an enticement to do something wrong by promise of pleasure or gain." It is "the act of tempting, especially to evil." Temptation comes from evil desires inside us, not from God. It begins with an evil thought and becomes sin when we dwell on the thought and allow it to become an action. People who live for God sometimes wonder why they still have temptations. Does God tempt them? No. God tests people but he does not tempt them by trying to seduce them into sin. But God does allow Satan to tempt people in order to refine their faith and help them grow in their dependence on Christ. Don't ever confuse temptation with God's testing your faith as a way to strengthen it.

Where do temptations come from? (Matt 4:1, 18:7-9, Mark 9:42-50, 1 Cor 7:5)

Certainly from Satan (Matt 4:1, 1 Cor 7:5), but also from inside yourself (Matt 18:7-9), from other people (Mark 9:42), taking the easy way (Matt 7:13-14), pride in yourself (Gal 6:1), persecution (1 Thess 3:4-5), and riches (1 Tim 6:9).

How should we deal with temptation? (Matt 4:1-11, 26:41, Luke 22:40, 46, 1 Cor 10:13, Heb 4:15, 2 Tim 2:22, 1 Peter 5:8)

Know the word of God and look to it for strength (Matt 4:1-11), pray and call upon the Lord (Matt 26:41, Luke 22:40, 46 2 Tim 2:22), know that God and Jesus are standing along side of you (1 Cor 10:13, Heb 4:15, Eph 6:11), and be alert to temptation so you can recognize and resist it (1 Peter 5:8).

What is the difference between the "birth description" in verse 15 and verse 18?
James 1:15 "Then when lust [epithumia {ep-ee-thoo-mee'-ah} = a personalized self-longing (espec. desire for what is forbidden), desire, lust after] hath conceived, [sullabousa {sool-lam-ban'-o} = to clasp, seize (arrest, capture), to conceive, to aid, catch] it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. [thanaton {than'-at-os} = of spiritual death, to which everyone is subject unless he has been called to the life of grace; the misery of soul arising from sin, which begins on earth but lasts and increases after the death of the body] 

In this verse James tells us what the result is of giving in to temptation, by giving us an analogy of a woman "giving birth to a child". Once we give in to our selfish desires, it conceives sin. James is saying that when a person actually begins to look at and think about that which is forbidden; desire and lust are conceived in his mind. Thinking about that forbidden desire is sin. Jesus taught this same principle in Matthew: 
Matthew 5:28 "But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart".

A person may never actually do the act that they are thinking about, but they have still committed a sin because of their desire to do it.

In verse 15, James is speaking of an evil desire (temptation) giving birth to sin, which, in turn gives birth to death. In verse 18, he is speaking birth as regeneration, of God giving us birth through his word, i.e., being born again.

James 1:16 "Do not err, [planasthe {plan-ah'-o} = to roam from safety, go astray, deceive, seduce, wander, to be led into error, to go astray] my beloved brethren." 

In verse 16, James commands us to pay attention and stop being deceived. "Do not err" is in the imperative mood with a present tense, which literally means, "Stop erring now!" We are not to miss the point of all this discussion; "trials are for helping us to grow spiritually, and that God is not the source of our problems and sins" (as James will demonstrate in the next few verses). 

So it seems that the Christians in James' day "misunderstand" this principle. This is a good lesson for all Christians to learn. Over the years I have seen so many Christians who believe or hold to something that has no biblical foundation. When confronted with the truth of the Scripture, they still deny the truth. We err when we do this, and roam from the safety of God's Word. "What are the Christian's options?" There is only one, "Stop erring now." 

How would you summarize the first 18 verses of James? What actions are called for?
James 1:17 "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, [parallage {par-al-lag-ay'} = to interchange, a shifting, mutation, change, fickleness, variableness] neither shadow [aposkiasma {ap-os-kee'-as-mah} = a shading off, obscure, to throw a shadow, a shade, the slightest trace] of turning. [tropes {trop-ay'}; a turning round, a turning back, change, mutation, revolution, variation] 

In verses 17 and 18 (below), James gives us assurances to help us to overcome our temptations. In verse 17, we are given an illustration of God's reliability. God's gifts are "good" (agathos; beneficial, useful, practical) and "perfect" (teleios; perfect, nothing lacking in them; i.e., it is perfectly matched to the person or the situation) and His liberty is wholly consistent. 

This verse speaks of God the Father's "immutability". God never alters his purposes or changes His nature. Scripture tells us that God never changes His being (or essence), or in his character and nature (also see Exod.3:14; Psa.102:26-28; Mal.3:6). 

James' point in this verse is that God only gives good gifts, and the way He gives is good; "God gives constantly, and He does not change". Since God is so consistent in all His ways, and He cannot sin or tempt others to sin, we should not err in our thinking about this (v.16). God gives us every good and necessary gift, we do not need to give in to Satan when he tempts us. "It is only when we begin to doubt God's goodness in giving us what we need that we will be attracted to Satan's enticements." 
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James 1:18 "Of his own will begat he us [ apekuesen {ap-ok-oo-eh'o} = to generate by spiritual birth, beget, bring forth ] with the word [ logo {log'-os} = the Divine Expression (i.e. Christ), account, cause, communication, doctrine, preaching, speech, talk, tidings, treatise, utterance, word, work, instruction ] of truth, [ aletheias {al-ay'-thi-a} = divine truth revealed to man, true, verity ] that we should be a kind of firstfruits [ aparchen {ap-ar-khay'} = the first act of a sacrifice, first portion, first-fruits ] of his creatures."
 
Verse 18 outlines the part played in the new birth by the Word of God as it applies to us by the Holy Spirit. God deliberately chose the method in which He would save us. Kenneth Wuest brings this out in his translation of verse 18: 
"In accordance with His deliberate purpose He brought us into being by means of the word of truth, resulting in our being a kind of first fruits of His creatures." 

Matthew Henry states: 
"The original of this good work is here declared: it is of God's own will; not by our skill or power; nor from any good foreseen in us, or done by us, but purely from the good-will and grace of God". 

It's good to know that God never changes and in eternity past He deliberately set forth a plan to save those who would accept His Son, Jesus as their Savior. "There are not many ways to God, but one; His way - His Gospel." 

James also said that we should be the "first fruits of His creatures." The feast of first fruits is found in Leviticus 23:10. God commanded the Jews to observe this feast, it was to be a feast of celebration that also carried the idea of the resurrection of the land. It was to always be observed on the first Sunday after the Passover (the same day that the Lord Jesus arose from the grave to become The First Fruit).
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God wanted a special feast during which the Israelites would acknowledge the fertility of the fine land He gave them. They were to bring the early crops to their spring planting (first fruits) to the priest at the Temple to be waved before the Lord on their behalf. 

Likewise, James says Christians are each individually like the "first fruits" (i.e., crops) that come up in the spring (that God gave birth to), so we too need to be dedicated to the Lord and not succumb to the temptations that come our way. 

As a side note to this verse, many have claimed that the epistle of James conflicts with the writings of the apostle Paul. But Paul expresses a similar thought as James in Ephesians: 
Ephesians 1:11-14 "In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory". 

In the Christian life, there are trials and temptations. Successfully overcoming these adversities produces maturity and strong character. Don't resent troubles when they come. Pray for wisdom and God will supply all that you need to face persecution or adversity. He will give you patience and keep you strong in times of trial.
Lorna Couillard

​But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.  And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Gal 5:22-25

As we continue in our journey in this life as a believer; there is nothing as important as learning to walk in the abiding presence of the Lord, and to know His presence in our life. Anything that is done in this life is pointless and futile; unless God is in it. Moses made this clear when he said to the Lord in prayer "unless your presence goes before us; we will not go." Ex. 33:12-16

 As a new believer; when I looked back at the path I'd left behind me, I was ashamed of the life I'd lived so far. I'd become a hard, cynical, manipulating person who would stoop to almost anything to get my own way. I had reaped many of the seeds I'd sown already in sorrow, and a failed marriage; and the one I was in on shaky ground too. I had many memories of things I'd done and said that brought pain and heartache to the people in my family, and relationships with other's. As a new Christian, the Holy Spirit clearly revealed myself to me; and the consequences of my choices. He made it clear to me it was up to me if I really wanted to change; and as I studied the Word of God; it peeled off the layers of sin and deception that had developed in my life. I needed and wanted His conviction, and correction. Simple honesty is necessary in a meaningful relationship with God; he already knows us; He sets about to reveal ourselves to us, and many times it is painful to see how deceitful we really are. It is His cleansing blood, his forgiveness and mercy, and His power to change our hearts that brings lasting change; and redemption. However, the more you desire to walk with Jesus, you will find the more the world will not agree with you, or accept you, as Jesus teaches us. But, that's another teaching.
Mat 5:10  Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Jesus is our example of what it looks like to follow the Holy Spirit as He leads. The disciples, watched Jesus and learned, as they were moved by the Spirit thru the scriptures.

As Jesus walked among the people the most important characteristic in the healings and workings of miracles he performed was how the scriptures speak of him being "moved with compassion", as he touched and healed those who came to him. Matt. 11:28-30, Mark 9:22, Luke 7:13,14, Matt. 15:32

The fruit of the Spirit develops:
⦁ Love and compassion is the predominate power behind the manifestations of the Spirit
⦁ The evidence of the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit is- peace, power, holiness, supernatural faith; regardless of the circumstances. Sympathy is an emotion of pity and is passive, but compassion causes action to change the situation.
⦁ Someone walking in the abiding presence of God will manifest an unshakable presence of peace and love; even for; and in the midst of their enemies. Ex. Paul and Silas had compassion on the jailor who held them; who became afraid when the earthquake freed them. Acts 16:25-28
⦁ Life or death will not affect them; as Paul said "whether we live or die, we are the Lord's". The enemy has no power over anyone walking in such faith.
⦁ Our Actions and Behaviour Will Always Lead To Love and Restoration- Scripture tells us "Love works no ill toward it neighbor", and is the fullfillment of the law. Someone walking in the Spirit exhibits the fruits of the Spirit, and never desires evil toward another. Rom. 13:10, Rom. 14:19

Characteristics of Being Led By the Spirit

⦁ Being Led By the Spirit in One Day Increments- There is great relief to the soul when we finally realize the truth of Jesus teaching to not worry about tomorrow. Only be concerned about being obedient to Him in the things he's called us to do today.  Obedience to the known will of God is necessary to have an open door relationship with the Lord.
⦁ It is Crucial to live in peace with people; as much as possible- Strife kills anointing; and it brings a breach in our walk with the Lord. I guard my soul in this area the most; because the devil knows that if I'm in strife with someone it will hinder my walk with the Lord. If I allow it to continue; the presence of the Lord will lift off of me.  We don't have to agree with everyone to live in peace with them; learn when to keep quiet, and when to walk away from a bad relationship if necessary.
⦁ Prayer; Worship; and Quiet time is crucial- The more you spend time with someone; the more you know them. When we come away with the Lord alone; it is there we will find Him coming to us; and revealing Himself to us in very special ways. Satan will do everything He can to distract us, draw us into everything that seems more important. I find it difficult to communicate how important it is to come away and be alone with Jesus; if you make up your mind to commit time to Him; you will not be disappointed. He WILL MAKE HIMSELF KNOWN TO YOU; IF YOU ARE PERSISTANT; AND DON'T GIVE UP. When you feel dry and dead in your spirit (we all do at times) be honest with him about this; This is the very time when your honesty will pay off. Tell him you need the Holy Spirit to pour His love and presence into you; that you have nothing of yourself to offer; because THIS IS REALLY THE TRUTH. God loves this kind of honesty; and you will find that His presence will rest upon you; and you will know it.
⦁ Desire is the fuel that brings us into His Presence- The more we experience His presence; the more we are drawn to Him. It does come to the place that we would rather be with Him, than anyone else. He is like a magnet of Love. Once you've experienced what it's like to have a dialogue with the King of the Universe, nothing else will be able to compare to it. If the world wants nothing to do with you, it doesn't mean your nothing to the Lord-His company, is more precious than diamonds, or any other person in this world.
⦁ The Gifts and Manifestations of the Glory of God Come From The Abiding Presence- In the book of Acts we see the disciples as they are moved by the Holy Ghost; they called on him in every situation; every moment, and depended on Him in their service to the Lord. Miracles, and healings took place as they walked in obediance. They took Jesus with them everywhere they went.
⦁ The Presence of God is Evident When There is No Fear- Someone walking in the presence of the Lord will have a fearlessness, and conviction in their life. Their stand for God will be solid, no matter what the cost. People filled with the Holy Spirit know the truth of Paul's words:
2Ti 1:7  For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. 
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⦁ We Will Only Know God To The Degree That We Know His Word- Someone who has an abiding presence of God will be a student of the bible; there is no other way to know the character and person of God.
⦁ Humility- a spirit of meekness, willing to be corrected or disagreed with. Even when we are right on an issue; it is better to let a thing go than to let strife and irritation build in our souls. I've had to learn this is important; peace is what I seek after at all cost. If I see someone doing or saying something I know is wrong; prayer is the key. God can change the situation without me saying a word. If it does become necessary to say something; I've learned to have it be as simple and short as possible; then leave it to God. If it's clear the person isn't willing to hear anything from you, heed your discernment-and leave them to themselves. Don't let them destroy the peace in your life.

Once we've experienced the manifest presence of God, and known what it is like to be led by His Spirit; we will never be satisfied with less in our lives. But, it is a process; and there are pitfalls and trials we will encounter along the way.

⦁ Don't Try To Fake the Abiding Presence of God, It Never Works-  When we are feeling very "human", dry and like the Holy Spirit is miles away....don't try to muster up a fake anointing; if you do the Lord's presence will go even farther away. The Lord hates phoniness. Be honest about our weaknesses. Any anointing we walk in comes from Him and Him alone.
⦁ Pride kills Anointing- I've learned to go to the Lord on a regular basis, and ask Him to reveal to me where I've allowed pride or wrong motives to creep in, this is another very dangerous thing that Satan uses all the time. We become puffed up, and thinking we are "somebody", when as Paul says "we are nothing." And, as Jesus says; "Apart from Me, you can do nothing."

Note: We can learn the bible front and back; and become a leader in the church, a pastor, minister; but it means nothing to God unless it is the position we were called into by Him; and if we are doing the work out of love for Him, not out of obligation or recognition. Our status is not important to Him; he isn't moved by our accomplishments; He is interested in one thing; our hearts, and walking in obedience to His will. Matt. 5:9, Heb. 12:14
Mat 5:9  Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. 
Heb 12:14  Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:

⦁ Bad relationships with ungodly people- If we continue to allow shallow people who live in sin to be in our company for long periods; they will affect our lives. Our decisions are affected, and the depth of our obediance to the Lord. Sometimes we have to make up our minds to keep some people at arms length in order to maintain our closeness to the Lord. We can have as close a relationship with Him as we really want; it is a choice. 11thess. 3:7-14, 1Cor. 5:9-11-13,
⦁ Unrepentant Sin Kills Anointing- When someone is in a sin, there may be an outward show of holiness, but there will be a shallowness, and a lack of conviction for the Word of God in their life. One of the signs of this is someone who does not emphasise the importance of salvation in Christ; and His shed blood as our covering from sin. Someone who is in sin will avoid these topics. Compromize will also be evident. Saul is a good example of this. Jealousy, envy, pride drives the Holy Spirit away.
⦁ Lack of integrity; dishonesty-God watches our daily walk, how we treat people, if we are honest in our dealings and business, in our work. It affects our walk with Him.
⦁ Holiness- Holiness is an acquired desire. Our flesh naturally resists it. We have many a battle with the flesh for the things it desires. But, over time; walking in prayer, and seeking God's face; and experiencing His presence at deeper levels causes you to desire Him more than anything else. His presence is worth anything we may struggle with to let go of. I can testify to this.

There is nothing more important in life than to be at peace with God, and man. Walking in the peace and love of Christ brings us in proper balance and our life becomes worth living.

As we pursue His presence, and seek His will for our lives; He gives us purpose, establishes our souls, and stabilizes our hearts. 

When Jesus was sent by the Father to the earth; it was to accomplish the eternal purpose of our redemption. They were in perfect agreement together in this plan. When Jesus came, he submitted himself to all the Father allowed in his life; including the sufferings and trials; to accomplish the goal set before him. Jesus made the statement that he did nothing unless He knew it was of the Father's will. Remember; it was the Spirit of God that led Jesus into the wilderness, to be tempted 40 days and nights, by the devil." Sometimes being led by the Spirit means great trials; but for great eternal purposes.

In the same way; when we become born again, our life changes to the same degree. Now we are on the road to eternity, and the Father is the one who we submit to in order to accomplish the eternal purpose we were sent here for. We are here for specific reason's, and God has important goals for each of us; including the people set before us to witness to, and affect.

As we continue to walk in obedience; doing the best we can day by day; our vision for God's will in our lives becomes clearer, and many demonic strongholds are broken. It is the combination of the Word of God, walking in obedience, and committing our lives to Christ that brings stability, and His eternal perspective to us. As we continue to walk with Him; our lives become centered on His will, and His desires for us. Then, as our souls continue to grow; service to other's becomes more important than grabbing and getting for ourselves. His Spirit causes us to reach out to other's in need; it is His Spirit growing in us that plants the desire to lift someone else up; just as we have been.

The more we yield to His Spirit the more concerned we become about other's souls; and where they are going to spend eternity.  Our focus gradually changes from one of self-centeredness, to other's. The most important driving force of the Holy Spirit is bringing a person to Jesus for salvation; the more we walk in the Spirit; the more we become aware that this is really the most important issue of all.
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For example; Paul, who was a murderer, and persecutor of Christians became the great apostle to the Gentiles. The Spirit of God led him thru many trials, and hardships, until he finally was sent to Rome, to stand before Caesar and witness for Christ. No matter what we have done, or how we have sinned; God is able to turn our destiny around and bring glory to Himself thru our lives if we submit ourselves to the Lord in the same way.

I pray we will wholly submit ourselves to God as Jesus did; and be able to stand before the Father in heaven some day and have Him say to us "well done good and faithful servant."
Lorna Couillard
2007 Teaching for Teen Challenge

Jesus did much of his teaching by telling stories. He knew how to reach people where they lived, and what moved their hearts. This is one of His best.

The Parable of the Prodigal Son
And he said, A certain man had two sons: And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living. And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living. And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want. And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him. And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants. And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry. Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing. And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant.  And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound. And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him. And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends: But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf. And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine. It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found. Luke 15:11-32

​There have been many teachings on this familiar story. Most of them centered on the two son's. The foolishness of the younger, and the sullen angry older son. However, I've observed several things about the Father in this story that I believe are quite interesting, and we can glean much wisdom from them.

⦁ 1. The Father did not  dispute with the son when he demanded his share of the inheritance. There is no mention of him trying to talk the son out of what he wanted. It merely says " and he divided unto them his living."

⦁ 2. He did not follow the son; he freely let him go. Sometimes we have to let go of people. If they are bent on going down the wrong road, we cannot force them to change. Sometimes they have to learn the hard way. God will not conform to us in our sin-we must conform to Him through repentance and a contrite heart in order to have a deep relationship with Him; and restoration of our souls.

⦁ 3. When the son came to his senses and decided to go back home-even when he was still a "great way off" his father saw him and had compassion, running to meet him, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. His father never gave up on hoping his son would come home. Though he did not follow him-he did keep watch from his own boundary, looking to see if he would come back.

We should never give up on those who are astray. Prayer can change things, and circumstances. Corrie Ten Boom has said "No matter how deep we go in sin-God's love goes deeper still."

Interjection: For some of us who have totally ruined our lives; either by drugs, alcohol, sexual abuse, or all of the above; I believe we have had the experience of knowing the flow of forgiveness and love of God and it is at times overwhelming, and words are unable to express the power of it. In my own life-during the first months after my salvation there were many moments alone when the presence and love of God was so real and powerful, that all I could do was weep, and allow Him to hold me. Words could not come while my soul was being held by Him-I believe this son experienced this also as he wept in his father's arms, held firmly in his warm embrace. Here we can see love "spirit to spirit."

As we continue to walk out this life with it's sorrows and hardships, even after we have known the Lord for many years; I've found there are times when all I can do is let Him hold me, words won't come, He understands-and doesn't expect me to say anything. The work He is doing in my soul and spirit need no words. This is what He desires to do for all of us, He can and will carry us thru if we will let Him.

⦁ 4. The son is so convicted of his behavior and conduct he is willing to become one of his father's hired servants-he doesn't consider himself worthy of being his son. But the father would not consider this-he is his son forever-and now is restored.

⦁ 5. The father never brings up to the son all that was squandered by him. Everything the son misused and threw away was restored. The father showed no anger, resentment, or unforgiveness. His response was a celebration. This is the same response we see in the parable of the lost sheep. The shepherd comes home rejoicing; for he had found his sheep-which had been lost

⦁ 6. The father did not go to the older son to ask for his approval, or opinion on the issue. Many times when a wayward soul comes back to God; the "pious, righteous" ones seem to think they should be consulted on how to "restore the wayward back into the flock". Any person turning back to the Lord needs no one else's  approval or consultation. The whole issue is between him/her and God alone.
​Ps. 51:4

⦁ 7. The father did take time and had compassion on the older son-he went out to him and tried to reason with him, to try to restore the family relationship. There are similarities to this story and the story of Jonah. The heavenly Father takes special time to go out to the sullen prophet-and reminds him of the importance of forgiveness and mercy to the repentant people of Nineveh.

In the story of Jonah, the Lord intreats the prophet as he sat under the hot sun, angry because God spared the people. Here also we see the example of the "pious righteous" spirit of one who feels the wicked people of the city should pay for their sins. Restoration and forgiveness was not on Johah's mind-but vengeance and judgment. The word of God teaches there is a time, and place for God's judgments, and he has had prophets warn of judgments to come-but, the prophet is not to be that instrument, he is only a watchman, and a messenger. But, this is another teaching for another time.

 As we see the conduct of the father in the story of the prodigal son, we get a clear picture what our attitude should be. We see in the actions of the Father, all the attributes and fruit of the Spirit exhibited; (Gal. 5:22,23) which are: love, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance, joy. Here we are shown by example how the fruits of the Spirit are played out in a very difficult family relationship problem. Jesus is giving a wide scope of problem solving solutions in this story; as well as giving a teaching that could go down many roads. But, the main point I want to bring out tonight is The Father's exemplifying the fruits of the Spirit here, gives us a glimpse of what Paul is speaking about in Galatian's ch. 5:22,23. If we cultivate and develop these attributes in our lives; as Paul says "against such there is no law."

A review of the important lessons here are:
Some people are bent on sin-and we must let them go if they won't listen. But, we can continue to pray, and watch for them; hoping they will return. When we see true repentance-be quick to forgive and don't harbor resentment. Mercy is God's way.

As for the righteous pious ones-remind them gently of God's mercy and grace on THEIR lives, that their sins and faults lay bare before God also; who freely forgave THEM. 

We need to remind ourselves regularly that our souls only have redemption and the promise of one of those mansions Jesus talks about in heaven because of the great sacrifice Jesus paid on the cross for us "when we were yet sinners".

And, the Father's great love for us-his patience in waiting for us to come home from the pig sty we've been in. When we returned, didn't we find His love and forgiveness almost unbelievable? His presence and peace more than we ever deserved?

Indeed, any lost wretched soul who comes to Him, is cradled in His arms. The tears, the heartache, sorrow, regrets, are healed as He continues to hold us and restore us. He not only restores, he plants us in His fields, so we can have the honor of working with Him, rescuing other's who were like us. He trusts us to work along side Him in His kingdom to bring in a harvest of souls with the same broken lives and hearts that we had before we knew Him. He grants us honors and privileges-as though we had never sinned. Only God can do this, and it is marvelous in our eyes.
Lorna Couillard
2007 teaching for Teen Challenge

And he came out, and went, as he was wont, to the mount of Olives; and his disciples also followed him. And when he was at the place, he said unto them, Pray that ye enter not into temptation. And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down, and prayed, Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. Luke 22:39-42

Jesus gained victory in many aspects in this battle prayer:
1. A temptation to leave the work unfinished.

2. Scripture implies that the Lord feared that His strength would not be sufficient.

3. There is no doubt Satan assailed him with taunts and mocking's that he would not be able to achieve the redemption of His people. Some say this is why there were great drops of blood on his brow; he was beginning to feel the crush of the weight of sin of the world upon him, which he had never known before.

4. Deep, intense mental suffering. The tremendous inner struggle:
a. On the one hand He was seized by fear and horror of His passion and death.
b. On the other hand He was burning with zeal for the honor of God and redemption of men.
c. How great will be the anguish of the sinner at the sight of everlasting death and the endless pains of hell.

When he reached the place in his soul of resignation-the results were evident:
a. His mind was suddenly rendered calm.
b. God strengthened Him through an angel.
c. God heard Him in granting Him now, not simply strength, but a real victory over Satan.
When Jesus rose from the ground from this prayer in this state, he had secured his inner man, strengthened his soul to endure the reviling's of men. He was now equipped with the inner strength to gain the atonement on the cross. 

Personally, I believe in heaven his saints will be given a movie to watch of this great conflict throughout eternity-that we will view the mighty battle waged in that garden, and what it cost Jesus, to gain our redemption. 

Now, let's take a deeper look at how this reflects us and our walk as believer's here in this world.

Man's will is the essence of what he is. Choices are made that determine his daily life and eternal destiny. The Creator gave man a free volition and never moves to force, coerce or control. 
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The will is that which stands between good and evil, that part of man when joined to God's will brings a union that brings a harmony between creature and Creator and released the power of God in full salvation. A man can say no to God and God will respect his choice.

"...Not my will, but thine be done. (Luke 22:42)

​Major Points of The Conflict

​1. The Potential of the Will. Our emotions express how we feel, our mind tells us what we think, our will communicates what we want. Man's will is his real self-the choices he makes reveal the character of the man.
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2. Spiritual Life. One must choose the will of God or his own pleasure. The spiritual life is more than emotions and intellect-God aims at the salvation of our souls and our wills.
a. The natural man emanates a natural, animal, fleshy will; who must have their own way, and will manipulate, and scheme to get what he desires.
b. God gave man the freedom of choice, and the capacity to make his own decisions. Good and evil are a constant battleground for man-throughout our life. 
c. We ultimately live out the consequences of our choices.

3. Spiritual Union with God. results when man's will is joined with God's.
a. Out of this union comes obedience. The principle lived by will be "Make no provision for the flesh." (Matt. 10:38)
b. Disobedience means to follow one's own will.
Obedience that oringinates from love-comes when we cease from our own works. What God calls-He enables.

4. Union of the heart of Man-with God's heart. This brings harmony between God and man.
a. When there is harmony between God and the man-it will be evident in the man's inter-actions with people. There may be differences, and areas of disagreement-this is to be expected in life. But, even if they disagree-there will be a desire to "live in peace", as much as possible. 
b. There will be an abiding peace evident-and solid stability in the man's daily walk, and living.

5. Rebellion. "For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He has also rejected you from being King." 1Sam :15:23
a. Pride and deception are roots of rebellion. "Lucifer was lifted up and consequently rebelled against God." Isa. 14:13-14
b. Resentment, bitterness, hatred, unforgiveness, develop in unrepentant pride.
c. Humanism has caused much of the rebellion is the last several generations-the result is a society unwilling to submit to authority in schools, governments, and the church.
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++ Note: Paul and the disciples dealt with much persecution and contending with those who opposed their preaching in their day, and they also had much contention and disputes with ubelieving Jews, that caused splits and persecution-just as it happens today. It takes a lot of discernment, prayer, and guidence from God-to know the difference between contending for the faith-and contentions that come from inward rebellion.

​Whatever a man sets itself on is what the man walks after. Man's head is able to walk after the flesh as well as the Spirit.
1. The Spirit produces life and peace. The flesh produces death.
2. All the leadings of God are transmitted through the Spirit.
3. The leadings afford us an opportunity to make a choice-either to go after what the flesh wants, or what the Holy Spirit is guiding and leading us into.
4. A disturbed mind is harmful to spiritual life. Isa. 26:3, Phil. 4:6-8
5. The mind is not to be ruled by emotions. IITim. 1:7
6. The head needs to be kept in a humble state. Acts 20:19
7. The Word of God is to be put into the mind-bringing light and renewal. Heb. 8:10
Spiritual life and the renewing of the mind are connected. You are responsible to renew your mind. Scripture tells us...."you be renewed in the spirit of your mind. (Eph. 4:23). This is a command. The renewing comes as you let God's truth permeate every part of your thinking. We are to "Break up our fallow ground" (Hos. 10:12)

​God told the Israelites to destroy every living thing in the land of Canaan including children. This severe judgement indicates the severity of the curse brought on the land through the Occult. The people were worshippers of idols and full of their magical arts. Death was the only way to remove the influence and pressure of the Occult the people had put themselves in bondage to. The Occultist roots had extended to the third and fourth generations. God did not want his people contaminated. Death was the only answer. 
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Under the New Covenant, the death of Christ is able to break the curse of the Occult, so that the captive can live and be free. The alliance must be broken, the root must be cut. God wants people free. The curse is removed by the victory of the Cross.

However, this nation-America, is now in the exact same condition and the evidence is blatantly obvious. There has been over a hundred years, going into the fourth generation-of atheistic, communistic, Occult and Satanic activity in this country, and now Satan is publicly worshipped on all forms of media, and in the public schools, universities, and there's statues of the Baphomet-in the public squares of many cities here in this country. We are facing the same judgment that came to Canaan, and are seeing the beginnings of it now. This country is no longer a Christian nation-it is pagan, and satanic.

The bible relays many other bondages that destroys people's lives, that the devil uses to drag people to hell with him-the list is long; drunkenness, lust, sexual perversions, adultery, fornication. lying, stealing, pride, violence and brutality. If people read the bible, and heeded it, think of what this world could be like. The conditions of our governments, and the wars that are waged are evidence of godless societies, which are prevalent now. 

Conclusion: An alliance with another god is not easily broken. Active faith in Christ, and direct renunciation of the Occult, and all it's activities-objects, books, etc. is necessary for complete severance. Many need to be cut loose from ancestors who made unholy alliances with witchcraft, the Occult, and idolatry. The blood of Jesus breaks the curse of the Occult. By faith, repentance, and renunciation-the believer confesses with his mouth his faith in Christ, breaks every demonic alliance of the past, and goes on to destroy any objects connected with the Occult, and any books on that teach these demonic practices. Then ask the Holy Spirit for help and assistance to let the word of God heal your mind, body and soul, and pray for the infilling of the Holy Spirit, to receive the power to live the Christian life, and abide in Christ.

1. Repentance. This is an ongoing pattern for the believer. Repentance is not a one-time thing that we do when we are first saved. Man is responsible for his choices, when we sin (and we will, even after our salvation) we are to immediately confess it, and again ask for forgiveness, and the cleansing of Jesus blood over our lives. The Christian life is maintained by an attitude of repentance.
2. Give no place to the flesh. Satan enters a person, whether they are saved or not-when we give him a place to enter again. "Neither give place to the devil". Eph. 4:27 The devil does not respect a Christian who opens the door to him. The demon may be cast out, but the ground that gave place to it cannot be cast out. Unless the ground is dealt with, no permanent relief can be obtained. Prov. 21:22
3. Accept responsibility for receiving truth. Man is responsible for what he is. Only as he accepts responsibility, is there deliverance. What is ours in doctrine, is NOT ours automatically in experience.
4. Stand daily in the Word of God. Take your place in Christ, resist the enemy, and learn how to use the word of God as your weapon against the onslaught of attacks from Satan. No one can do this for you, you must pick up your bible-and learn how to wield it with authority agains the principalities and powers of darkness. 
5. Learn how to resist the devil. "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."
Resist him on the ground of the blood of Jesus. (Rev. 12:11) Confess your victory and deliverance through Jesus' blood.
6. Walk in fellowship with the Lord. Submit yourself to God. Fellowship develops and grows between you and God as you continue to walk in obedience. His presence becomes stronger, his guidance becomes clearer, and the bond between you becomes unable to be broken by the devil, or the wicked.

If we look at the obedience of Jesus throughout his ministry and the victories he won beginning at Gethsemane, and his finished work on the cross, and rising the third day. We are given a complete pattern we can gain a lifetime of wisdom and guidance to follow. As he says-if we abide in Him, the doors of heaven are open to us. This is victory the angels wonder at, and saints in heaven proclaim His glory-forever.
​Lorna Couillard

Jesus showed by example, that whatever we face in this life, if we abide in Him, we can face it, and overcome it. We serve a risen Lord, the tomb is empty.

​Down through the generations, there's been many teachings on John the Baptist. This is a compilation of what I've gleaned in my years of studying about him. It only scratches the surface of this man's dynamic character, and strength of spirit. In what I've learned of him so far, I can see why Jesus spoke of him in such high regard.
​
John was a Nazarite from his birth (Luke 1:15, Numbers 6:1-12). He spent his early years in the mountainous tract of Judah lying between Jerusalem and the Dead Sea Mat 3:1-12).

He was the "forerunner of our Lord." He was of priestly descent. His father, Zacharias, was a priest of the course of Abia (1Chron 24:10), and his mother, Elisabeth, was of the daughters of Aaron (Luke 1:5). The mission of John was the subject of prophecy (Mat. 3:3; Is 40:3; Malachi 3:1). His birth, which took place six months before that of Jesus, was foretold by an angel. Zacharias, deprived of the power of speech as a token of God's truth and a reproof of his own incredulity with reference to the birth of his son, had the power of speech restored to him on the occasion of his circumcision (Luke 1:64). After this no more is recorded of him for thirty years than what is mentioned in Luke 1:80. 

He came to be a witness:
Joh 1:6-8 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.

No one of the old prophets is so frequently referred to in the New Testament. The priests and Levites said to the Baptist (John 1:25), "Why baptizest thou, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias?" Paul (Romans 11:2) refers to an incident in his history to illustrate his argument that God had not cast away his people. (James 5:17) finds in him an illustration of the power of prayer. (See also Luke 4:25; 9:54) He was a type of John the Baptist in the sternness and power of his reproofs (Luke 9:8). He was the Elijah that "must first come" (Matt 11:11,14). Even outwardly the Baptist corresponded so closely to the earlier prophet that he might be styled a second Elijah. In him we see "the same connection with a wild and wilderness country; the same long retirement in the desert; the same sudden, startling entrance on his work (1Kings 17:1; Luke 3:2); even the same dress, a hairy garment, and a leathern girdle about the loins (2Kings 1:8; Matt 3:4)."  His entire being was a witness against the hypocrisy and corruption of the Pharisees and Sadducees of his day.

John's baptism was the voice of God to Israel, and the believing remnant responded (Matt 3:5). It was an act of righteousness on the part of Him who had become, as to the flesh, an Israelite, to take His place with this believing remnant.

His greatest mission was to usher in the One, whom he said he was not worthy to loose his shoe latchets.

John is a problematic figure in the Bible for many modern preachers today. He has been described as unloving, uncompromising,  and rigid. These verses give an example:

Mat 3:1  In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, 
Mat 3:2  And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. 
Mat 3:3  For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. 
Mat 3:4  And the same John had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey. 
Mat 3:5  Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan, 
Mat 3:6  And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins. 
Mat 3:7  But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 
Mat 3:8  Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance: 
Mat 3:9  And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. 
Mat 3:10  And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 
Mat 3:11  I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire: 
Mat 3:12  Whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire. 

You can imagine the hackles going up the back of the necks of the Pharisees and rulers of the Jews when they heard messages like this that could singe their hair.

​If John were here today, I doubt he'd find a church that would allow him in, he'd have to do what John Wesley and George Whitfield did; preach in the open air, in the fields and street corners.

​Joh 1:26-27 John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not; He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe's latchet I am not worthy to unloose.

Jesus was now to receive His anointing with the Holy Spirit (Matt 3:16) to enter His threefold office of Prophet, Priest, and King. In the Levitical order Ex 29:4-7, the high priest was first washed, then anointed. While Christ's priestly work did not begin till He "offered Himself without spot to God" Heb 9:14 and His full manifestation as the King- Priest after the order of Melchizedek awaits the kingdom (See Scofield "Genesis 14:18") yet He was then anointed, once and for all. 

It's to be pointed out that John did no miracle or any sign during his ministry:

Joh 10:41  And many resorted unto him, and said, John did no miracle: but all things that John spake of this man were true. 
​
Joh 10:42  And many believed on him there. And He went away again beyond the Jordan to the place where John was baptizing at first, and there He stayed. Then many came to Him and said, “John performed no sign, but all the things that John spoke about this Man were true.” And many believed in Him there.

John also gave no foretelling prophecies of any future event or person. His calling as a prophet was one of proclamation, rebuke and exhortation. He was called and privileged to baptize Jesus, and usher in his ministry.

Mar 1:6  And John was clothed with camel's hair, and with a girdle of a skin about his loins; and he did eat locusts and wild honey; 
Mar 1:7  And preached, saying, There cometh one mightier than I after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose. 
Mar 1:8  I indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost. 
Mar 1:9  And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan. 
Mar 1:10  And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him: 
Mar 1:11  And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

​After baptizing Jesus, he proclaimed him as the One to come, Jesus-the Son of God:
​
Joh 3:26  And they came unto John, and said unto him, Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou barest witness, behold, the same baptizeth, and all men come to him. 
Joh 3:27  John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven. 
Joh 3:28  Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him. 
Joh 3:29  He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled. 
Joh 3:30  He must increase, but I must decrease. 
Joh 3:31  He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: he that cometh from heaven is above all. 
Joh 3:32  And what he hath seen and heard, that he testifieth; and no man receiveth his testimony. 
Joh 3:33  He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true. 
Joh 3:34  For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him. 
Joh 3:35  The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand. 
Joh 3:36  He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. 
​
​And many believed in Him there: Despite the influence of the Pharisees who were blind (as shown in John 9) and were bad shepherds (as shown in John 10), many people still came to Jesus. God’s work goes on, despite the opposition of man. David Guzik comm.

However, John made enemies because of his burning exhortations:
Lu 3:18-20 And many other things in his exhortation preached he unto the people. But Herod the tetrarch, being reproved by him for Herodias his brother Philip's wife, and for all the evils which Herod had done, Added yet this above all, that he shut up John in prison.

Herod had John beheaded in prison; as he promised Herodias' daughter before she danced for him. He greatly regretted it, but gave her what she wanted,  because he feared the people.
​
Mr 6:21-29 And when a convenient day was come, that Herod on his birthday made a supper to his lords, high captains, and chief estates of Galilee; And when the daughter of the said Herodias came in, and danced, and pleased Herod and them that sat with him, the king said unto the damsel, Ask of me whatsoever thou wilt, and I will give it thee. And he sware unto her, Whatsoever thou shalt ask of me, I will give it thee, unto the half of my kingdom. And she went forth, and said unto her mother, What shall I ask? And she said, The head of John the Baptist. And she came in straightway with haste unto the king, and asked, saying, I will that thou give me by and by in a charger the head of John the Baptist. And the king was exceeding sorry; yet for his oath's sake, and for their sakes which sat with him, he would not reject her. And immediately the king sent an executioner, and commanded his head to be brought: and he went and beheaded him in the prison, And brought his head in a charger, and gave it to the damsel: and the damsel gave it to her mother. And when his disciples heard of it, they came and took up his corpse, and laid it in a tomb.

Their plots and schemes succeeded in getting rid of this wearisome troublemaker; with his rantings and reproof's. ​

Some interesting things to point out concerning John's imprisonment are:

1. John did not ask Jesus to help get him out of prison, and Jesus did not attempt to get him released. 
There are appointed times that God allows events to take place, for His eternal purposes, that can seem hard to understand, and may look like God can't or won't intervene. There were times in Jesus' ministry when people tried, but failed to kill him. The time for him to die had not yet arrived, and God restrained them, and kept his life. This proves that God has power over wicked men to control them, and to make them accomplish his own purposes.​
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Joh 8:20  These words spake Jesus in the treasury, as he taught in the temple: and no man laid hands on him; for his hour was not yet come. 

2. Jesus never attempted to go and see him, he continued on in his own ministry.
John was now beginning to live out his own words: He must increase, but I must decrease. Joh 3:30

3. Jesus did not upbraid or rebuke John for his question.
Jesus had this to say of John:
Mat 11:7  And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind? 
Mat 11:8  But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings' houses. 
Mat 11:9  But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet. 
Mat 11:10  For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. 
Mat 11:11  Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. 
Mat 11:12  And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force. 
Mat 11:13  For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. 
Mat 11:14  And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come. 

In the book of Luke, it tells of the people and those who John baptized believing Jesus' report of John, but the Pharisees and lawyers rejected him, and God's counsel against themselves:
​
Luk 7:28  For I say unto you, Among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist: but he that is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he. 
Luk 7:29  And all the people that heard him, and the publicans, justified God, being baptized with the baptism of John. 
Luk 7:30  But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized of him. 
Luk 7:31  And the Lord said, Whereunto then shall I liken the men of this generation? and to what are they like? 
Luk 7:32  They are like unto children sitting in the marketplace, and calling one to another, and saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned to you, and ye have not wept. 
Luk 7:33  For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine; and ye say, He hath a devil. 
Luk 7:34  The Son of man is come eating and drinking; and ye say, Behold a gluttonous man, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners! 
Luk 7:35  But wisdom is justified of all her children. 
​
"And when all the people heard Him, even the tax collectors justified God, having been baptized with the baptism of John: Those who had repented in preparation for the Messiah by receiving John’s baptism found it easy to receive what Jesus said. But those who would not repent rejected the counsel of God for themselves.
We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we mourned to you, and you did not weep: Jesus points out the hypocrisy of these hardened hearts who criticized both John the Baptist and Jesus Himself. “If the message is unwelcome, nothing that the messenger can say or do will be right.” (Maclaren)

These truths are just as relevant, and proven today,  as in John's day-perhaps even more so.
Lorna Couillard

​ Some closing questions and thoughts to ponder:
1. What was John's main focus, and why?
2. What do you think the church culture would think of him today?
3. What does his life tell us of our own witness for Christ.?

Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom. But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace
​of them that make peace. Jas 3:13-18

The devil has a collection of well-used tools in his toolbox. He knows what works to accomplish his goals to bring every kind of wickedness into action. In this teaching the use of the tongue, and it's destructive force will be described, and the ways Satan uses our emotions to entice us to use our tongues as a weapon to destroy other's. Look around, you can see the results of it everywhere, in the lives our tongues can be used to demean, insult, and coerce other's to do evil. This teaching isn't just for you the reader, it is an in-depth teaching and refresher to me, I'm preaching to myself, and letting the Word of God correct me. I want the correction. Years ago, one of the things I longed for most in my heart was to be conformed into the image of His Son, to allow the Holy Spirit to change me as much as possible into a person who glorified Jesus, in my life, and conduct. Through the years, and the trials, and attacks that have come my way, I've been shown how far from that goal I am. How much, and how many times I've failed Him. But, the desire hasn't dimmed, it has burned hotter, and grown. I want the Lord to burn away everything that displeases Him, and doesn't give Him glory. So in going forward, this teaching will begin with the devils strategies. The verses below describe them:

But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. 
This wisdom descends not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. 
​
For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. James 3:14-16

But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there.
a. Bitter envy and self-seeking: These are the opposite of the meekness of wisdom mentioned in Jas_3:13.
b. Do not boast and lie against the truth: Anyone who shows bitter envy and self-seeking should not deceive anyone - especially themselves - about how “wise” they are. They show a wisdom that is earthly, sensual, and demonic. Their “wisdom” is more characteristic of the world, the flesh, and the devil than of God.
c. The fruit of this “wisdom” is plain: confusion and every evil thing. The wisdom of the world, the flesh, and the devil may be able to accomplish things, but always with the ultimate fruit of confusion and every evil thing.

Where envy and strife is brewing, there is disturbances, uneasiness, disquiet, slander, gossip and contention. 

Mobs form from these fires being stoked, such as Moses, and David had to contend with at various times. Rebellion is an underlying factor in this taking place, along with lying. Those who keep these contentions going-will keep the strife and stories going in a town/village, and won't stop. They will do this without the person they are attacking being present-the agenda isn't to resolve a problem, but to keep it going, and making sure only their side of it is told to the mob.

When troublemakers are gathered together, and outnumber the one being attacked-there's no end of tactics that will be used to get their own way.

Jealousy and envy are many times intertwined-and the bible tells us it is more dangerous than anything else.
Pro 27:4  Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous; but who is able to stand before envy?

The definition of envy is: a feeling of unhappiness over another's good fortune together with a desire to have the same good fortune He was filled with envy on seeing her success. 2 : a person or a thing that is envied. envy. verb. envied; envying.

What are the characteristics of envy?
You aren't happy for others when they achieve success.
Another person's success makes you feel unhappy.
You feel the need to diminish someone else's success.
You judge others negatively.
You're happy when others face setbacks.

Jealousy means-a feeling of unhappiness caused by wanting what someone else has. Jealousy is also exhibited by anger, resentment, comparing people against each other, competitive in all aspects of a relationship, control. Being overly suspicious, false accusations that paint the person in a bad light to other's-for their own benefit. Probing into other's private life-without their consent, or knowledge-stalking, and targeting.

The reason this sin is so evil-is it is linked to the tenth commandment-thou shalt not covet:
Exo 20:17  Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbor's. 

This sums up mans turmoil of spirit-we are not secretly to desire what is someone else's, and wish they were in our possession; since it discovers uneasiness and dissatisfaction with our own lot and portion, and is coveting another man's property. When covetousness consumes a person-it can cause obsessions to develop to the point of consistently slandering the one who is envied-destroying them in society, and murdering them with the tongue. This is one of the devils most well used tools.

Definition of strife:
1: bitter sometimes violent conflict or dissension political strife. b : an act of contention : fight, struggle.
2 : exertion or contention for superiority. 3 archaic : earnest endeavor.

What is an example of a strife?
Strife is defined as the act of conflict or something that is difficult to do. An example of strife is the bad relationship between a brother and sister.
An example of strife is a homeless person trying to find work. The act of striving or vying with another; contention or competition.

Who is a wise man? Discreet and well informed?
It must be shown in conversation, that is, in life, both words and deeds, meekness of wisdom. True wisdom will not speak boastfully.

Glory not. If there is bitterness in the heart, let there be no boasting of your goodness. That would be to lie against the truth.

This wisdom is not real, but false, which gives rise to envy and strife is not from heaven. It is earthly, of the passions of the flesh, of the devil, not of God. Where these exist in the heart every evil work will follow.

Slander-Bearing False Witness
Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour. Exo 20:16

The ninth commandment is an avoided topic in church for good reason. The preacher/teacher who brings this up very often, will find the pews and offering plates begin to empty quickly. This world, and the churches-are rife with it. But, the devil uses gossip and slander in every area of our lives to tear apart individuals, families, relationships, businesses, and the destruction of your eternal soul-if he can do it. Witches and Warlocks use slander and gossip within churches and communities that they infiltrate  for good reason, it works, and they don't have to work very hard, to achieve their goals to destroy peoples lives.
​
I've come to look at this commandment as Satan's "directed energy weapons". He is ruthless in how and who he uses to slander and gossip to achieve his goals. He'll use family members, friends, co-workers, people in your life that you may have thought were trusted friends, people you love and may have told them things about yourself that you thought would never be shared with anyone else-to found out you have been betrayed. 

Whole communities can destroy somebody, and you'll find you've become "what's for dinner" on their menu at the local gas station, village store, and the street corner in town. People's poison can create enemies for you, that you don't even know personally-you may not even know their names, nor done anything to them personally; but the conduct, behavior and reactions make it very clear-you've been the topic of gossip sessions. When you don't want to hang out with the town troublemakers and gossips-this will add to the problem.

You may have long ago been redeemed by the love and mercy of Christ, to find those who you thought had forgiven you as well-still spreading stories and lies, that you've never done, but the poison has worked. The pain this sin inflicts to the heart and soul of a person, is just as destructive as being shot with a gun, because the one slandered lives with the ongoing consequences of the mouths who've done this. The damage done to the soul is invisible to the world, but not to God, nor the devil.

"Jesus dealt with this his entire life. His mother, Mary was slandered, accused of being pregnant out of wedlock-a serious accusation in that day. Jesus was accused of being a bastard child, and Joseph-his stepfather lived with this stinging accusation during the years he raised Jesus as a young boy. When his ministry began-the Pharisee's and Saducees accused him numerous time by insinuation that he was a bastard, possessed by demons, and did all they could to trap him in His words and actions. His responses were powerful, direct, and brought them to silence. 

Joh 8:19  Then said they unto him, Where is thy Father? Jesus answered, Ye neither know me, nor my Father: if ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also.

Where is Your father? The Pharisees intended this as a deeply cutting insult to Jesus. They refer to His virgin birth, and to the rumors that it was not a miraculous conception, but an illicit one."
[excerpt from David Guzik]

This is just one example of what the Lord dealt with, I encourage you to study the Gospels, and follow Jesus as he is followed, harassed, and falsely accused throughout his ministry. Many times they plotted to kill him, but weren't successful, because it wasn't his time to die yet-but eventually, they caught him. But, it was in God's timing, and after they thought they had gotten rid of this troublemaker-Lo and behold, He rose from the dead!

The way Jesus confronted his accuser's is a teaching for us-when we are treated the same way. There is a time to speak and rebuke, and there's a time to be silent, and let God take care of our enemies-with prayer, and asking for the Lord's wisdom, we are helped by the Holy Spirit to respond in the way that will help us stand in victory, no matter what the devil throws at us, or what people say about us.

Many times in the Gospels Jesus tells us that whatever they have done to Him will be done to us; we must stay close to the Lord, read and take in His word as meat for our souls, because it is the only thing that is going to keep up going, when the world turns against us.

Mat 5:11  Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. 
Mat 5:12  Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. 
Joh 16:1  These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended. 
Joh 16:2  They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service. 

Joh 16:3  And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me. 
Several excerpts from good commentaries will be put below-that do a good job of defining and exposing how Satan uses this sin to destroy many-and some posts will be added to give some insight on how to deal with it, and not allow it to destroy you-if you are someone who's going through being slandered.
There is victory, in every circumstance, when we let Jesus into our lives, and seek Him for wisdom, His help, and direction on how to deal with it.

I've found through the years, the older I get, the less it matters what people think. If you know the love and companionship of the Lord, you'll become comfortable with yourself, your faults, and imperfections. God will deal with you as a Father, and correct you when you need to be-but what He desires the most, is your love and friendship. If you have that, it doesn't matter what the world or the devil thinks.

Points About Those Who Gossip and Slander
⦁ Notice this is done without the person being present who is being talked about-they can't defend themselves.
⦁ When the person being slandered isn't present-there's no interest in whether the story is completely true-this is the realm of fabrication, and inserting lies when it's convenient-to slant the story in the accuser's favor.
⦁ Take into consideration that if the person being talked about is being treated this way-most likely you will be also. In fact, many times before your completely out the door as your leaving.

Tactics of the Slanderer:
"You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor: We can break the ninth commandment "through slander, talebearing, creating false impressions, by silence, by questioning the motives behind someone’s actions, or even by flattery.

"Slander . . . is a lie invented and spread with intent to do harm. That is the worst form of injury a person can do to another. Compared to one who does this, a gangster is a gentleman, and a murderer is kind, because he ends life in a moment with a stroke and with little pain. But the man guilty of slander ruins a reputation which may never be regained, and causes lifelong suffering.” (Redpath)

“Talebearing . . . is repeating a report about a person without careful investigation. Many, many times I have known what it is to suffer with that. To repeat a story which brings discredit and dishonor to another person without making sure of the facts, is breaking this commandment . . . How many people, especially Christian people, revel in this, and delight in working havoc by telling tales about others. To excuse the action by saying they believed the report to be true, or that there was no intention to malign, is no justification.” (Redpath)

"What about inappropriate silence? “When someone utters a falsity about another and a third person is present who knows that statement to be untrue but, for reasons of fear or being disliked, remains quiet, that third person is as guilty of breaking this law as if he had told a lie.” (Redpath)

"You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor: The New Testament puts it simply. Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds (Col_3:9) “How very strange that we have ever come to think that Christian maturity is shown by the ability to speak our minds, whereas it is really expressed in controlling our tongues.” (Redpath)

"What a startling revelation it would be if a tape recording could be played of all that every church member has said about his fellow members in one week!” (Redpath)

"Satan is always there to encourage a lie (Joh_8:44; Act_5:3); and Jesus Himself was the victim of false witness (Mar_14:57); in some ways, we might say this was the sin that sent Jesus to the cross." [David Guzik]

Thou shalt not bear false witness. - Not only false oaths, to deprive a man of his life or of his right, are here prohibited, but all whispering, tale-bearing, slander, and calumny; in a word, whatever is deposed as a truth, which is false in fact, and tends to injure another in his goods, person, or character, is against the spirit and letter of this law. Suppressing the truth when known, by which a person may be defrauded of his property or his good name, or lie under injuries or disabilities which a discovery of the truth would have prevented, is also a crime against this law. He who bears a false testimony against or belies even the devil himself, comes under the curse of this law, because his testimony is false. By the term neighbor any human being is intended, whether he rank among our enemies or friends.
[Adam Clarke]

"Jesus Christ regarded verbal professions as a very poor thing, and asked, "Why call ye Me Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I command you?" He aimed a parable at the hollowness of merely saying, "I go, sir." But, worthless though such phrases be, the act which substitutes professions for actual service is no trifle; and our Lord felt the importance of words, empty or sincere, so profoundly as to stake upon this one test the eternal destinies of His people: "By thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned." Now, the tongue is thus important because it is so prompt and willing a servant of the mind within. We scarcely think of it as a servant at all: our words do not seem to be more than "expressions," manifestations of what is within us.
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But a thought, once expressed, is transformed and energetic as a bullet when the charge is fired; it modifies other minds, and the word which we took to be far less potent than a deed becomes the mover of the fateful deeds of many men. And thus, being at once powerful and unsuspected, it is the most treacherous and subtle of all the forces which we wield.

And the ninth commandment does not undertake to bridle it by merely forbidding us in a court of justice to wrong our fellow-man by perjury.

We transgress it whenever we conceive a strong suspicion and repeat it as a thing we know; when we allow the temptation of a biting epigram to betray us into an unkind expression not quite warranted by the facts; when we vindicate ourselves against a charge by throwing blame where it probably but not certainly ought to lie; or when we are not content to vindicate ourselves without bringing a countercharge which it would perplex us to be asked to prove; when we give way to that most shallow and meanest of all attempts at cleverness which claims credit for penetration because it can discover base motives for innocent actions, so that high-mindedness becomes pride, and charity withers up into love of patronizing, and forbearance shrivels into lack of spirit. The pattern and ideal of such cleverness is the east wind, which makes all that is fair and sensitive to shut itself up, forbids the bud to expand into a blossom, and puts back the coming of the springtime and of the singing bird.
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There are very gifted persons who have never found out that a kindly and winning phrase may have as much literary merit as a stinging one, and it is quite as fine a thing to be like the dew on Hermon on as to shoot out arrows, even bitter words.

It is a pity that our harsh judgments always speak more loudly and confidently than our kindly ones, but the reason is plain: angry passion prompts the former, and its voice is loud; while the calm reflection which tones down and sweetens the judgment softens also the expression of it.

It has to be remembered, also, that false witness can reach to nations, organizations, political movements as well as individuals. The habit of putting the worst construction upon the intentions of foreign powers is what feeds the mutual jealousies that ultimately blaze out in war. The habit of thinking of rival politicians as deliberately false and treasonable is what lowers the standard of the noblest of secular pursuits, until each party, not to be undone, protests too much, raises its voice to a falsetto to scream its rival down, and relaxes its standard of righteousness lest it should be outdone by the unscrupulousness of its rival.

And there is yet another neighbor, against whom false witness is woefully rife, both in the Church and in society. That neighbor is mankind at large. There is a prevalent theory of human sinfulness which unconsciously scoffs at the appeals of the gospel, striving indeed to influence me by love, gratitude, admiration for the Perfect One, and desire to be like Him, by the hope of holiness and the shame of vileness, but telling me at the same time that I have no sympathies whatever except with evil. The observation of every day shows that man’s nature is corrupt, but it also shows that he is not a fiend--that he has fallen indeed, but remembers yet in what image he was made. But the world cannot upbraid the Church for these exaggerations, since they are but the echo of its own." [Excerpt from Expositor's Bible]
See also:  Exo_23:6-7; Lev_19:11, Lev_19:16; Deu_19:15-21; 1Sa_22:8-19; 1Ki_21:10-13; Psa_15:3, Psa_101:5-7; Pro_10:18, Pro_11:13; Mat_26:59-60; Act_6:13; Eph_4:31; 1Ti_1:10; 2Ti_3:3; Jas_4:11

We cannot control what other's do, but we can choose to control ourselves, and our own actions. I can decide to read and appropriate what God is teaching me, no matter what other's may do. It's worth the cost, to walk with God, His way. I'd rather know His abiding presence, than go back to what the world has to offer-the path of world leads to destruction. James gives clear instruction for us to follow, to gain victory over this warfare:
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​Jas 4:7  Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 
Jas 4:8  Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. 
Jas 4:9  Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. 
Jas 4:10  Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

It is the Holy Spirit within, that gives the power to overcome the trials we face every day, and the battle within our own souls, in overcoming these temptations and attacks. Without His presence and power, we have nothing within our selves to overcome these temptations and win the battle. Jesus' trials in the wilderness, is a good reference and teaching for us in this realm. It was in the wilderness, at his weakest point, at the end of a 40 day fast-when he took on the temptations of the devil, and won. He only did this, by the power of the Holy Spirit.

​This is why Paul gives the instruction below from Galatians- he knew the truth of how much the Holy Spirit in us, is the only way we can face this world, and the attacks of the devil, and win.

​Gal 5:16  This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. 
Gal 5:17  For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. 
Gal 5:18  But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. 
Gal 5:19  Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 
Gal 5:20  Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 
Gal 5:21  Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. 
Gal 5:22  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 
Gal 5:23  Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. 
Gal 5:24  And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. 
Gal 5:25  If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 
Gal 5:26  Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another. 

​That Christ has freed us from the Law as a means of salvation does not free us from moral restraint, but brings us under the constraint of a higher law, the law of love. We do not keep this law to be saved; but, being saved, we keep it out of love toward Christ. The power of the new life is the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Unite yourself with His life that you find rising up within you. Live in the Spirit. As we live and walk in the Spirit, we are safe.
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The Holy Spirit brings influences to bear which act upon the germs of sin, as a disinfectant upon the germs of disease. If we yield ourselves to these influences, and are filled with the Spirit of Jesus, we shall be delivered from the self-life, which the Apostle describes as the flesh. As Jesus is more and more formed in us, the new flower and fruitage of the risen life will appear, while the corrupt works of the flesh will shrink and drop away [F.B. Meyer]

Luk 14:7  And he put forth a parable to those which were bidden, when he marked how they chose out the chief rooms; saying unto them, 
Luk 14:8  When thou art bidden of any man to a wedding, sit not down in the highest room; lest a more honourable man than thou be bidden of him; 
Luk 14:9  And he that bade thee and him come and say to thee, Give this man place; and thou begin with shame to take the lowest room. 
Luk 14:10  But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room; that when he that bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee, Friend, go up higher: then shalt thou have worship in the presence of them that sit at meat with thee. 
Luk 14:11  For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
"The world’s rule is the exact opposite of this. The world says, “Every man for himself.” The way of the world is to struggle and strive for the highest place; to be a pushing man, and a rising man, and a man who will stand stiffly by his rights, and give his enemy as good as be brings, and beat his neighbor out of the market, and show off himself to the best advantage, and try to make the most of whatever wit or money he has to look well in world, that people may look up to him and flatter him and obey him: and so the world has no objection to people’s pretending to be better than they are." [C. Kingsley]
See also-Luk_1:51, Luk_18:14; 1Sa_15:17; Job_22:29, Job_40:10-12; Psa_18:27, Psa_138:6; Pro_15:33, Pro_18:12, Pro_29:23; Isa_2:11, Isa_2:17, Isa_57:15; Mat_23:12; Jas_4:6; 1Pe_5:5

Pro 15:33  The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom; and before honor is humility. 

Overcoming Satan's Directed Energy Weapons
Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. We are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them. We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error. 1Jn 4:2-6

​1Jn_4:3. Spirit of Antichrist.—Man after man, rich in gifts, endowed often with far larger and nobler faculties than the people that oppose him, with indomitable perseverance, a martyr to his error, sets himself up against the truth that is sphered in Jesus Christ; and the great Divine message simply goes on its way, and all the battlement and noise is like so many bats flying against a light, or the wild sea-birds that come sweeping up in the tempest and the night, against the hospitable Pharos that is upon the rock, and smite themselves dead against it.—A. Maclaren, D.D.

1Jn_4:4. The True Secret of the Mastery of Error.—“Because greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world.” Canon Liddon says: “St. John constantly teaches that the Christian’s work in this state of probation is to ‘conquer the world.’ It is, in other words, to fight successfully against that view of life which ignores God, against that complex system of attractive moral evil and specious intellectual falsehood which is organised and marshalled by the great enemy of God, and which permeates and inspires non-Christianised society.” To be “of God” implies that God is in us; dwelling in us as the spiritual presence and power of the Holy Ghost. So our Lord promised and assured His disciples (Joh_14:16-17; Joh_14:23). If we may suggest a distinction between our apprehensions of the presences with us of the Son and of the Spirit, we may say—the living Christ is God with us in order that He may be for us; the Holy Ghost is God with us in order that He may be in us, ever at the springs of thought, and feeling, and motive, and action. Then we can fill St. John’s assertion in this text with a double meaning, and so assure our hearts that we have all-sufficing strength unto ever-renewed victory over all forms of moral evil.

Believe not every spirit. The last chapter has closed concerning the Spirit, but some are moved by other spirits than that of Christ.
Try the spirits. Test the spirit that moves teachers and see whether it be of God. 1Jn_4:2 tells how to test.
Because many false prophets. There were many false teachers in that age as well as in ours, and some claimed to be inspired.
Every spirit. He who confesses from the heart that Christ has come in the flesh shows that he has the Spirit of God.
In the flesh. One of the heresies was that Christ had come but that there had been no incarnation.
Every spirit that confesseth not. If Christ is denied, it is not God's Spirit, which always speaks truth, but that of antichrist. See notes on 1Jn_2:18-19.
Ye . . . have overcome them. The saints had overcome these false prophets, because they were of God, and the Spirit in them was mightier than the evil spirit, that of the prince of the world, which was in the false prophets.
They are of the world. The false teachers. They are not of God. The world hears them because they are of its spirit and speak of it.
We are of God. Hence speaks God's message, and those that know God accept the message.
Hereby know we. By the principles given in 1Jn_4:2-5 we distinguish between the spirit of truth (the Holy Spirit) and that of error. [B.W. Johnson]

God with us as the living Christ is greater than all the evil forces that may seek to injure us.—In some such sense as the human Christ was with His apostles, defending, preserving, guiding them—with them in the sphere of their circumstances, shaping, controlling, overruling them, so as to secure for His disciples triumph over all evil—the living Christ is with His people now, with His Church now, “walking amid the candlesticks,” working the safety of His people and His Church, by His control of all their circumstances. He is for them as a living Helper and Friend; for them in the exertion of Divine power.

God with us as the Holy Ghost is greater than all the subtle influences that can act upon us.—What the Holy Ghost was in the early Church as defense against error, taking the most subtle forms against the malign influence of subtle men, spirits, antichrist, that the Holy Spirit is in every age to the believer—the absolutely secure defense against intellectual and moral evil, as Divine wisdom and strength abiding in us.
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1Jn_4:6. All inspired by God will be in Essential Harmony.—“He that knoweth God heareth us.” The more careful and strict, the more critical, examination of Holy Scripture has brought to view, in a very impressive way, the fact that wherever there is a Divine inspiration there is essential harmony with all other Divine inspiration. Of this we are now so well assured, that we are even prepared to say this—if there is any inspiration of God outside the Scriptures, then that inspiration will certainly be found in essential harmony with all that is in them. But the statements properly occasion surprise and stimulate thought. The Scriptures represent different ages, different types of mind, different social and intellectual conditions; and in the Scriptures is found an ever-refreshing variety in the settings and shapings of truth; and yet take any vital, primary, fundamental verity concerning God, or man, or the relations between God and man, and it is not possible to find anything out of the general harmony. The inspired word of God never contradicts itself. St. John says that what is true of the inspired word is also true of the inspired man. Assume that God is in the teacher, inspiring his words; then it is certain that whenever God is in the hearer, inspiring him for hearing, he will receive the message which the inspired teacher delivers. Safety against the false teacher, the uninspired teacher, is found in the hearer being inspired for hearing. Such an one is in no moral danger. He cannot live and thrive on the uninspired teaching. He finds himself out of harmony with it. But his inspiration brings him into full harmony with everything that is also inspired. It is of course to be understood that the term “inspiration” is here used, not of a precise and limited definition of inspiration, such as may be characteristic of a particular school of thought, but of that general experience of Divine inspiration, which the believer knows as the moving, impelling, directing, restraining influence of the Holy Ghost that dwelleth in him. Inspiration is the proper word for the inward work of God the Holy Ghost.    [Preacher's Homiletical]

Within these scriptures, comments and excerpts, a glimpse of the truths in the verses in this teaching open up to us, and from there, we still only touch on some of what God holds for us in them. But they give a good start in gaining ground over the devils toolbox of directed energy weapons, that is waged against us in this life. Jesus has given us power and authority over the devil and his attacks in our lives, if we choose to avail ourselves of the Word of God, and allow the Holy Spirit to take up residence within us, and apply the power He can give us to gain this victory. I pray any who may read this teaching, will find something God can use to help you on your path, and your journey in this life.
Shalom
Lorna Couillard