Make the most of your time because the days are evil

O fellow believers in Jesus take heed; Make the most of your time because the days are evil.

 

Now before you think this is about earthly and worldly progress, try to understand the context of this Bible verse. Let’s go ahead:

• This verse obviously doesn’t speak about how much money you make but yes it doesn’t tell you to be careless.
• This verse is not about how much productive you can be but yes it doesn’t tell you to be lazy.
• This verse is not about how much friends you make but yes it doesn’t tell you to make enemies of those who are good.

What this verse really means should be take context of the Gospel. A few key points:

Avoiding sin is still a major command of the Gospel. Those who think otherwise will totally miss out on being imitators of Christ and lose their inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. ² And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. ³ But fornication and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is fitting among saints. ⁴ Let there be no filthiness, nor silly talk, nor levity, which are not fitting; but instead let there be thanksgiving. ⁵ Be sure of this, that no fornicator or impure man, or one who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. (Ephesians 5:1-5)

Don’t be deceived by those who claim that once you have accepted the Gospel, you can turn your back on it without the consequences that follow.

⁶ Let no one deceive you with empty words, for it is because of these things that the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. (Ephesians 5:6)

Don’t walk in fellowship with those who disobey the Living God, because now that you are of the light in the Lord and must learn to do what is pleasing to God.

 ⁷ Therefore do not associate with them, ⁸ for once you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of light ⁹ (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), ¹⁰ and try to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. (Ephesians 5:6)

Expose the works of darkness but don’t take part in yourself, because these works are vile and wicked. And do remember that the light of God will expose these things

¹¹ Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. ¹² For it is a shame even to speak of the things that they do in secret; ¹³ but when anything is exposed by the light it becomes visible, for anything that becomes visible is light. ¹⁴ Therefore it is said,

“Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead,
and Christ shall give you light.” (Ephesians 5:11-14)

Make the most of your time because the days are evil. You know the world around you is living in sin and getting more evil. Therefore, do no be drunk nor foolish. But instead understand God’s will and be filled the Holy Spirit. Do not be ashamed of voicing your faith in front of fellow believers, and most importantly praise Jesus Christ and the Lord our God with all your heart.

¹⁵ Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, ¹⁶ making the most of the time, because the days are evil. ¹⁷ Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. ¹⁸ And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery; but be filled with the Spirit, ¹⁹ addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with all your heart, ²⁰ always and for everything giving thanks in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father. (Ephesians 5:15-20)

Christ be with you as you make the most of your time because the days are evil!

 

The One Mediator between God and Man is Jesus Christ

The One Mediator between God and Man is Jesus Christ. There is no mediator can that replace Jesus because only Jesus is the high priest of our confession.

Anyone who claims that there is a replacement to Jesus is not of God and is of the Devil. Jesus cannot be bribed nor is Jesus bothered by how you look but instead he looks that your heart. Some people try to push others as mediators with God as they know that those cannot truly look into the thoughts of your heart to then give you what you truly need. Some people will try to promote others as mediators because they are too vary of preaching holiness. No matter even if the most elect person tries to undermine the role of Jesus as the One Mediator between God and Man, do not believe them for they have chosen to depart from the Grace of God.

While Jesus being the high priest of the New Covenant, goes on to live on forever. During his earthly ministry he did not fear the Jewish religious leaders nor the Roman empire but went to preach the Gospel and heal people and raise up the dead back to life. And now in heaven he sits at the right of the Living God to make intercession for us. Blessed are those who trust Jesus as their mediator to God!

Verses for reflection:

• For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus (1 Timothy 2:5)
• Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. (Hebrews 7:25)
• But now Jesus, our High Priest, has been given a ministry that is far superior to the old priesthood, for he is the one who mediates for us a far better covenant with God, based on better promises. (Hebrews 8:6)
• But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7)
• “I the Lord search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds.” (Jeremiah 17:10)

O Christians do not celebrate Halloween

Thus says the LORD:“Do not learn the way of the Gentiles; Do not be dismayed at the signs of heaven,For the Gentiles are dismayed at them. (Jeremiah 10:2)

O Christians do not celebrate Halloween. Because Halloween is a celebration of witchcraft and demons which is inconsistent with the Gospel and the Holy Bible. It doesn’t matter how much secular it seems you should just concerned yourself about how sinful is this celebration and how much you should distance yourself from this occult event. Take a moment to consider that when you focus on celebrating Halloween you are just doing a modernized version of non Christian or Pagan traditions.

Halloween is a holiday celebrated each year on October 31, and Halloween 2022 will occur on Monday, October 31. The tradition originated with the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, when people would light bonfires and wear costumes to ward off ghosts.This day marked the end of summer and the harvest and the beginning of the dark, cold winter, a time of year that was often associated with human death. Celts believed that on the night before the new year, the boundary between the worlds of the living and the dead became blurred. On the night of October 31 they celebrated Samhain, when it was believed that the ghosts of the dead returned to earth. You might hear of Halloween therefor a Samhain or even as Feralia or Pomona (both ancient Roman festivals).

There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, or one who practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. For all who do these things are an abomination to the LORD, and because of these abominations the LORD your God drives them out from before you. You shall be blameless before the LORD your God. (Deuteronomy 18:10-13)

O Christians do not try to be friends with the Lord while trying to follow demons in any way. Just focus on doing what pleases the Lord God and it’ll go well with you. Despite the good counsels of the Holy Scriptures if someone who still wants to kowtow to demons its their own fault, do not blame God for this!

“You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons.” (1 Corinthians 10:21)

“But test everything; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil.” (1 Thessalonians 5:21-22)

“Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.” (Ephesians 5:11)

Just because someone thinks they can speak in favor of following Pagan traditions while claiming to love the Gospel that doesn’t make their claims is valid.

“Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!” (Isaiah 5:20)

“Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.” (Ephesians 5:15-16)

Just because a so called Christian leader says that Halloween or Samhain or Feralia or Pomona can be followed without being in sin, doesn’t mean what that one says is truly right. Refrain from this sinful practice and be true to Jesus Christ!

Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness

Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. (Ephesians 5:11)

O people who desire to follow the Lord God, take not part in the unfruitful works of darkness. Witchcraft, idolatory, sexual immorality, murder, lies, stealing and robbing are sins whether done in private or public. You who profess your faith in Jesus Christ must not just refrain from all dark deeds but also expose them what sinister things that such sins are!

My son, if sinners entice you, do not yield to them. (Proverbs 1:10)

Those who forsake the law praise the wicked, but those who keep the law resist them.(Proverbs 28:4)

Everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come into the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.(John 3:20)

to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those sanctified by faith in Me.’ (Acts 26:18)

The night is nearly over; the day has drawn near. So let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. (Romans 13:1)

I wrote you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people.(1 Corinthians 5:9)

Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership can righteousness have with wickedness? Or what fellowship does light have with darkness?(2 Corinthians 6:14)

You need to repent each time you sin

It is a false doctrine to tell Christians that after their first repentance, they never need to repent again for new sins. The blood of Jesus does not automatically wash away FUTURE sins, sins need to be repented of after they are committed. If you disagree, just ask Ananias and Sephira about their pre-forgiven sin. This is why repentance is mentioned in the Lord’s Prayer.

Do not anyone beguile you saying that repentance is no longer needed. It’s already prophesied that there are those who will turn the grace of God into lasciviousness which is unrestrained sexual behavior, or a habitual inclination to such behavior; lustfulness. And obviously these will deny Our Lord Jesus Christ. Beware of them because you have been warned in advance.

Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ. (Jude 1:3-4)

When Jesus himself commands all people to repent of their sin, then those you who call themselves as believers in Christ too much preach repentance and nothing less. Here are some verses to reflect on:

From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. (Matthew 4:17)

Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent. (Revelation 2:5)

And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)

Those who love God should never partake in avarice nor covetousness

Praise be to the Lord God, who created the heavens and the earth and all that which dwell in it. To God belong all riches and glory and adoration.

There are people who think they have made it in life, apparently. They believe that their material wealth and fortunes is the be all and end all of their life. Little do they care for others, let alone the condition of their own hearts. For their souls are only in a tizzy about aquire more and more riches and still not satisfied with their wealth.

Some of these people then resort to illegal and unethical tactics to get more money for themselves at the cost of the peace and happiness of their friends and family and also their coworkers and servant’s. While the other’s don’t do any evil methods to get more wealth but they do this ethically but in an obsessive manner. So what’s common between the former and latter types of people is both have made gods of their cravings for possessions, the very thing the the Lord Jesus warned his disciples about.

And Jesus said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” (Luke 12:15)

Those who are using wicked ways to illegally get riches will surely fall if not in life then in after life. Scammers once caught are put in jail. More so worse is a massive jail that holds the souls of those whose hearts only served money rather than the Lord God. This is an enternal penitentiary called as the Lake of Fire in which all sinners will be cast into when they’re judged by God!

The righteous also shall see, and fear, and shall laugh at him, [saying,] Behold the man that made not God his strength, but put confidence in the abundance of his riches, [and] strengthened himself in his avarice. (Psalm 52:6-7)

The best way to avoid temptation to such excessive greed or avarice is to not associate with people who are into it. If you are in the company of such people they might directly or indirectly into their sinful ways. Beware O believer in Jesus for you have been warned!

But what I meant was that you were not to associate with any one bearing the name of “brother,” if he was addicted to fornication or avarice or idol-worship or abusive language or hard-drinking or greed of gain. With such a man you ought not even to eat. (1 Corinthians 5:11)

Love Jesus Christ more than anything so that keep away from the love of money. For if you continue to hold on to the Lord God then the Lord will continue to abide with you.

Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you. (Hebrews 13:5)

Christ be with you!

Suggested articles:

• The Parable of the Rich Fool (A warning against all covetousness
• Never covet anything that belongs to your neighbour

For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds

 

I, Paul, myself entreat you, by the meekness and gentleness of Christ—I who am humble when face to face with you, but bold toward you when I am away!— ² I beg of you that when I am present I may not have to show boldness with such confidence as I count on showing against some who suspect us of walking according to the flesh. ³ For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. ⁴ For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. ⁵ We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, ⁶ being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete. (2 Corinthians 10:1-6)

O dear believers in Christ, please take heed as you walk for the Lord God. Remember that while you’re in the flesh, that our ways are not of the flesh but of the spirit. So do your warfare against the darkness and falsehood according to the Spirit of God rather than your fresh. 

Make the Lord God your strength rather than depend on your flesh for victories. For the darkness of the world cannot prevail against the Lord Almighty. If you make God your strength you won’t fail in the fight against evil.

When fighting evil know this; the fight is about destroying strongholds and arguments and lofty opinions raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ. For each disobedience will be punished in the afterlife and no one will escape Judgement Day except for those who repent and believe in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

You might be faced with hardships on account of your faith in Jesus, but do no despair. God will reward those who stand by his Word in time of hardships and temptation. Be willing to face the hardness of life with good preparation, because the Lord Jesus himself told us us to build on solid ground instead of of the sand in (Matthew 7:24-27)

Walk with Jesus Christ in your thoughts, words and deed as your meditate on the Word of God and keep winning your victories against the powers of darkness!

Verses for reflection:

• By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left (2 Corinthians 6:7)
• The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light (Romans 13:12)
• Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. (2 Timothy 2:3)
• Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God; (2 Corinthians 3:5)
  
  
  

Bible Contradiction? How many of Lod, Hadid, and Ono’s offspring returned from Babylon?

For today’s post we will tackle the question the Skeptic Annotated Bible asked: How many of Lod, Hadid, and Ono’s offspring returned from Babylon? Here are the answers which the skeptic believes indicate a Bible contradiction: 725 “the sons of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, 725;” (Ezra 2:33) 721 “the sons of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, […]

Bible Contradiction? How many of Lod, Hadid, and Ono’s offspring returned from Babylon?

Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord

O children of the Living God pay heed to the following Word of God about peace and holiness :

Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled (Hebrews 12:14-15)

Striving for peace with everyone does not mean that you allow anyone to walk all over you. Nor does it mean you allow yourself to be manipulated just to keep some semblance of peace. Now, what is means is that you don’t act evil so as to cause the lack of peace by bad deeds nor slanderous language. It also means that you do and think only what is holy and wise when striving for peace. Never compromise on your holiness for the sake of peace, because that peace wouldn’t be in the will of God for you.

You need to be holy as the Lord your God is holy, because without holiness no one will see the Lord. Do not miss out on the Living God!

Always seek to obtain the grace of God by your faith in Christ Jesus, because its your faith that will please the Lord and not your riches nor beauty. God sees the heart and judges by the heart instead of external appearances.

Examine yourself and get rid of any “root of bitterness” for this makes those who nurture it to cause trouble to themselves and to others and thus defile themselves. Therefore crucify your flesh and get rid of all roots of bitterness.

Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. (Galatians 5:24)

Christ be with you as you walk in peace and holiness!

Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God

⁷ Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. ⁸ Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. ⁹ So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. ¹⁰ Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith. (Galatians 6:7-10)

O people of God, don’t be misled by those who say you don’t need to do what is good. Never take to your heart any lies which says that God won’t bother if you do evil. Because if you are misled or believe in falsehood, then know this ; you cannot mock the justice of God.

O believer in Jesus Christ, continue to do what is good. And take every opportunity to do what is good especially to those who profess their faith in the Lord Jesus by whom we’re part of the Lord’s family.

O you who walk by the Spirit of God, continue to please the Spirit but don’t fall pray to the fleeting allure of the flesh. In this way you will do good in this life and the next!

And the world passes away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides for ever. (1 John 2:17)