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to the traditions of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. Colossians 2:8 Christianity is not a fad to be changed on the whim of man or society. It is not about traditions established through time and repetition. It does not conform itself to the dictates of the world around us. Christianity is established by the infallible living word of God. God wrote the bible through man, by holy inspiration. Any doctrine taught that is not backed by scripture and the gospel is incorrect. The bible is the final word. Beware any preacher that will make the statement that something is in the bible but they do not have a reference as to where it can be found. It is easy to cheat the new creation in Christ or the faithful who is uninformed. They so want to believe that those who care more for their own agenda and advancement than for Gods can easily lead them astray. As we are warned in Matthew 23:28, ‘Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.’ So what are we to do? How are we to know as we go through our daily struggle? Jesus Himself tells us in John 7:24, “Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.” We are to listen for the guidance of the Holy Spirit as well as strengthening and trusting our spiritual discernment. You need not worry and feel that you are alone when trying to navigate the quagmire of life’s sin and perversity. When you believe and have faith that God is the One True God, the Creator of heaven and earth, when you confess and repent of your sins. When you accept the sacrifice Jesus made for you and take Him as your Lord and Savior; when baptized, you come out of the water washed clean of your sins, the Holy Spirit will reside within you. We are told this in John 7:38, “He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water”, the Holy Spirit. Jesus tells us to trust the Spirit. In John 16:13 Jesus says, “However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but what He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.” Pray to Jesus to strengthen your inner ear to better hear the voice of the Spirit. Pray for supernatural guidance when faced with dilemmas. Pray for discernment, to be equipped to judge with righteous judgment. You have all the skills and help you need if you will call upon them. We can all feel challenged and beset by the world around us. We must begin to make a habit of prayer and meditation on the word. We must read the bible so as to not be led astray by false teachers, well meaning or not. We must seek God’s face to better know Him and His plan for our life. You have eyes to see; use them. You have ears to hear; use them. Actively pursue God and the Lord Jesus in your life. Father God is a God of miracles; call out to Him to show up in your life in wondrous and miraculous ways. God tells the prophet Jeremiah in Jeremiah 33:3, “Call to Me, and I will answer you, and I will show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.” So I encourage you all to call out to God. I encourage you all to invite God into your life daily. I encourage you to invite Jesus into your heart; to pray to Jesus and tell Him every day that you cannot live a day without Him residing within you, giving you comfort and strength. To hear the word of God from another can be a beautiful thing but we should all be reading the word and speaking to God ourselves as well. Strengthen your personal relationship with Jesus through prayer. Have faith and trust in the Lord to provide you with revelation for your life and direction. Love, Pastor Drew
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