How to Avoid Falling Into Destruction in Your Life

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How to Avoid Falling Into Destruction in Your Life Monday Meditations – Episode 3 Originally written August 22, 2011 posted here: https://forthesakeofthetruth.com/2011/08/22/1962/ [https://forthesakeofthetruth.com/2011/08/08/monday-meditations-2-timothy-316/] Today’s Meditation Verse: Proverbs 16:18 Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. I love reading the Lexicon version of a scripture. To me it reveals so much. For instance there is little variation in this scripture from translation to translation. It pretty much says it like it is and in any language or culture it is pretty much the same. But just now as I was reading this verse in the Lexcon [http://biblelexicon.org/proverbs/16-18.htm] (the original Greek translation) I saw something that I had to meditate on for a bit. Then I saw how obvious the original word was to our own modern terminology. That word is before. In the Lexicon that word means faces. We use that word often now. She is facing an uphill battle. He is facing termination at work. They are facing the playoffs. We know this word so well. Let’s look at this week’s scripture again using the original word, facing. Pride causes you to face destruction, and a haughty spirit will cause you to face a fall. We know when we face something that it is coming, for sure. Something that we face is something we know we will have to deal with. So this week when you meditate on this scripture know that the pride in your life will cause you to face with certainty, destruction and that a haughty spirit will cause you to face a fall. Wednesday Word Study – Episode 3 Originally written August 24, 2011 posted here: https://forthesakeofthetruth.com/2011/08/24/wednesday-word-study-pride/ [https://forthesakeofthetruth.com/2011/08/08/monday-meditations-2-timothy-316/] Pride Proverbs 16:18 [http://bible.cc/proverbs/16-18.htm]Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. This is the Strong’s Greek Concordance Number 1347a [http://strongsnumbers.com/hebrew/1347b.htm] Transliteration: ga’own Phonetic Spelling: (gaw’-ohn) Definition: arrogancy When I was studying this word I noticed that there were several Greek variations of this word. I’ve selected the one used here in this verse. I was not surprised by the definition. It is a word we all know well, and use often. But one thing I did learn when reading all the different words in the definition is the word – exaltation. I had to stop on that one and think about it. Isn’t exaltation something that should be reserved for God? You bet it is! That is exactly why when we are prideful we are exalting ourselves and God will not, cannot stand for that. Pride – self exaltation is what got Satan ejected immediately from heaven. Go directly to earth, do not pass go, do not collect $200!!! I’ve added a bit of humor to this critically serious topic, but we do tend to snicker when we think about how quickly, with no debate, Satan was ejected from Heaven. But we must see that this scripture is warning us that should pride, in any form, enter our behavior or attitude, we are certain to face destruction as well. If that thought makes you shudder the way it did me, then evaluate your life and your attitudes towards others today to see if even the slightest morsel of pride has crept in. If it has, immediately eradicate it before you too are facing certain destruction. Friday Finale – Episode 3 Originally written August 26, 2011 posted here: https://forthesakeofthetruth.com/2011/08/26/the-destruction-of-pride/ [https://forthesakeofthetruth.com/2011/08/12/led-or-driven/] This week the Monday Meditation and Wednesday Word Study focused on the word pride. I myself have been meditating on what I would write for this blog for some time. There are so many things I could talk about in regards to pride and all would be good, but space is limited and I sincerely want to write about what I believe is on the heart of God for the moment. As I was re-reading through various scriptures pertaining to the subject, this one stood out to me and in a moment brought into focus what I was to write about today. Romans 12:3 3) For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. Pride is arrogance and when we are prideful we are puffed up and exalt ourselves over others and God. Upon hearing the word we all immediately have thoughts of pride where someone is bragging about something they have done, have consistently arrogant behavior and in general, someone who looks down at others with disdain. We all have someone, maybe more than one person, come to mind when we hear the word. Prideful people are people we do not like to be around. We would all generally agree that pride is NOT a Godly attribute and one that those following after Christ should guard against fervently. But… I’ve seen more arrogance and pride in the so called body of Christ than in most other places. And it not only shames me, but sincerely grieves me. When we become born again and become a true child of God inheriting not only His love but all that the inheritance provides emotionally, physically and materially, we develop a new found sense of status. We ALL know, or should know that it is not from our works or from what we have done, but simply from the merciful and graciously loving heart of Father God. Yet just like a child born into a wealthy family, bloated with status and influence, they are born with a sense of position that was not obtained from anything they themselves had done. But it does not stop the arrogance and sense of pride. Now let me write a brief disclaimer here. I know that not all wealthy people are prideful and arrogant. There are many who are humbled by the very knowledge of their good fortune. But my point is to paint a picture here. There is something about becoming a new Christian that makes all the dark clouds roll away and we feel as though we can suddenly see clearly. There is hope and joy and for a moment it all seems so very simple, life that is. I can look back as a baby Christian and see all the damage I unknowingly did. I had all the answers. It was simple, you just did not sin, you just tithed, you just did what you knew was right to do. It was just that simple. And I was arrogant about it. It all just seemed so easy to me ...

Archive Story | Religion - A Dead Man Walking - Episode 16

Archive Story Episode 16 Originally written March 1, 2023 Religion - A Dead Man Walking Sometimes I say things that shock people. Saying that religion is still, after thousands of years, standing in the way of God fully doing what he wants to do on this earth may be shocking to many people. But I am completely honest in making that statement, and it is our fault. Listen to my professionally narrated audio books and other podcasts here: AUDIO BOOKS & ALL PODCASTS [https://www.nancyjacksonpodcast.com/]. We Alone Are To Blame Religion is divisive. It puts boundaries around opinions, thoughts, and ideas, of what a group of people determine is right and it excludes everyone else that does not believe exactly that way. Of course, if the 'others' will change to thinking and believing their way, then they will be included. Once the myriad of boundaries are in place, then the walls are constructed and boom, bob's your uncle, you have what we call a church. And we have literally thousands upon thousands of them across the globe. Each one perpetuating their own brand of religion and they will die defending that they are right, and the only ones that are. Don't Be Tempted to Discard What I am Saying Yes, I am on a soapbox. I've felt this way for a very long time and I feel quite at a loss of what to do. It is honestly my number one prayer request. That God would supernaturally destroy those religious walls in a radical explosion of his mighty power. That we would stop with our diehard desire to be right at all costs, and the cost is high. Being right, if we even are, will not save a person from an eternity away from God. Being right will not help the homeless, feed the hungry, and tend to ANY in need. We would rather choose to die on the hill of our own opinion than venture out from behind those walls and join hands with others who do not agree with us. Being Right Doesn't Matter Putting aside our petty differences and joining hands in unity will accomplish what God has ordained for us to do. And the truth is that none of us is completely right. We have all been given, by divine design, a piece of the truth and only by uniting can we have the whole. But that takes us daring to have an open mind and, at the very least, listen to others in other 'religions'. Listening will not taint your belief system, but the Holy Spirit may take that opportunity to reveal to you another facet of his dimension that you never knew before. Dare to Listen to Those Who Do Not Agree With You Many boxed religion buildings, otherwise called churches, do a measure of community outreach and ministry. If it is done with a genuine hunger to love those in need that is great. If you have an ulterior motive such as to 'get them into your tidy little group', then you have already failed. We must eliminate the desire to fill our four walls, increase our bank rolls, and brag about how many 'we' have. But, these religious walls are concrete obstructive barriers that keep more out than will ever come in. They segregate the kingdom of God and forbid unity. "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the door of the kingdom of heaven in people's faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to" (Matthew 23:13) We can do quite a bit separated into our small boxed religious buildings, but I have a dream of unity, where we all come together with only one agreement - Jesus is Lord. When I think of the possibility of what we could do and how our world would change, I salivate from eagerness. The Kingdom of God Will Take Over Reading and re-reading the bible from front to back, it is clearly evident that God's plan is and always was to get us back to the garden where his glory reigned and there was unity. His kingdom is meant to unite into one body upon which he is the head. In the last few decades I have seen the ekklesia grow more and more in unity, but there is still too much dissension. Too much jealousy and backbiting. I Corinthians 3:1-9 1) And I, brothers and sisters, could not speak to you as spiritual people, but only as fleshly, as to infants in Christ. 2) I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not yet able to consume it. But even now you are not yet able, 3) for you are still fleshly. For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like ordinary people? 4) or when one person says, "I am with Paul," and another, "I am with Apollos," are you not ordinary people? 5) What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, even as the Lord gave opportunity to each one. 6) I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth. 7) So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth. 8) Now the one who plants and the one who waters are one; but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor. 9) For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building. NAS We See Us - God Sees Us in Jesus However, even with increased unity in many areas, the trend which the hardcore naysayers and criticizers of others in the body, have grown more vicious and rabid in their detrimental hammering of others they deem as heretics. They are hungry to tear down others in the body at any cost, only because they believe differently than the way they do. And they are angry. They declare them the enemy and that they must be of the devil. To them, that makes what they are saying and doing right. But no one who says Jesus is Lord does so aside from the power of the Holy Spirit. I Corinthians 12:3 Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God says, "Jesus is accursed"; and no one can say, "Jesus is Lord," except by the Holy Spirit. NAS We Are Not the Holy Spirit We must stop trying to perfect others that Christ himself sees redeemed in Jesus. We are all on a different journey to our salvation in Christ Jesus. It is dangerous for us to meddle and try to force another journey on others. That is the job of the Holy Spirit. Phillipians 2:12 & 13 12)So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; 13) for it is God who is at work in you, both to desire and to work for His good pleasure. NAS We label our own selves, which highlights our disunity. I am a ______ (insert any denomination). Since I was young, I always wondered why anyone would define themselves by their segregation within the body rather than defining or labeling themselves simply a Christ follower, or a Christian. Our Words Should Never Bring Condemnation Social media, as much as I love it, has given a platform to those who want to rail against others in the kingdom of God. Their excuses are plentiful and meant to justify any criticism they so desire to fling out into the world. But there is nothing Christ-like in these actions. And it pushes more people away from the body of Christ than it will ever pull in. Matthew 12: 33-37 33)"Either assume the tree to be good as well as its fruit good, or assume the tree to be bad as well as its fruit bad; for the tree is known by its fruit.

22 de jun de 202610 min

Miracle Story | A Horrifying Ordeal - Episode 16

Miracle Story Episode 16 A Horrifying Ordeal Sometime around 1984 my dad was having trouble swallowing. They went to many different doctors in an attempt to get a diagnosis. There were some crazy suggestions, none of which were right. Since my mother's brother was an MD, he did a referral to MD Anderson Hospital in Houston, TX. You couldn't get in without one. Listen to my professionally narrated audio books and other podcasts here: AUDIO BOOKS & ALL PODCASTS [https://www.nancyjacksonpodcast.com/]. The Found It Within just a few moments with Dr. Gepfort, he found a cancerous tumor in my father's esophagus. All the weeks and months of seeking a diagnosis in Oklahoma had caused them to lose precious time. My father was admitted to the hospital and they had to removed not only his esophagus but also his voice box. That was devastating news, but at least they had gotten all the cancer. Slow Recovery My dad was not quick to recover however, and remained in the ICU for several weeks. About six weeks in, he got pneumonia. I had remained in Oklahoma. The kids were in school, and I had a small flower shop to operate as well as the family farm. It was summertime, so it was the busy season for the farm. My mom would call with daily updates. One day while I was working at the flower shop my mom called me. She had called to tell me that the doctors had told her that it didn't look good and that I should fly down to see my father before he passed away. Come and Say Good-bye I knew that words were the rudder that navigated our lives, so I simply said. "I'll call you back." I went to the front of my flower shop and locked the front door so no one would come in. I knew I was going to lay on the floor and deeply intercede for my father's life. I laid on the floor on my back and looked up at the clock. I had been Spirit filled for about nine years by that time [https://nancyjacksonauthor.com/blogs/miracles/my-miraculous-life-pt-5]. I had prayed in the Spirit many times over many situations. I had even entered into deep intercession a few times. I Knew to Pray in The Spirit This day though, when I began to pray in the Spirit and move into that deep intercession, it was incredibly different. The words were hard to utter and they didn't flow as usual. But, I continued. As I prayed, I saw my father's ICU room. I had never been there and had no idea what it looked like. But in a vision, as I prayed, I saw it. There in the room was a black entity hovering over my dad's body. I knew it was the angel or rather demon of death. I continued to pray and saw two large angles grab the demon, one on each side of him. They drug him to the corner of the room and held him there. The Angel of Death I continued to pray. I wanted that demon to be removed completely from the room. But, soon I realized that the intercession was over having finished its work. Even though it had only lasted for a few minutes, it was the hardest physical, mental, and spiritual battle I had ever experienced. I opened my eyes, looked at the time and then drifted off to sleep from exhaustion. I only slept for about twenty minutes. When I woke up I called my mom and simply said, "I'm not coming." Many times our actions confirm our beliefs. I knew what had been done in the spirit realm. Staying put was a stand that showed I believed in what I had seen and what I knew. Your Response Reflects Your Faith This was not something I had to think about and decide to do in order to make a statement. I just knew there was no need for me to come because he would be fine. I told my mom about my experience praying and that I had prayed until I felt it broken over him. She then asked me what time that was and I told her. She began to cry. She had been in the room at the time and she said at the exact time I felt the release, my father took a big sigh of relief and let it go. In that room with my father she saw the result of what I had seen and felt in the spirit realm. And, in just about a week, my father was removed from the ICU for the first time since his surgery several weeks prior. His health continued to improve and came home one month from being released from ICU. He Healed and Came Home He did have to make several trips back and forth from Oklahoma to MD Anderson for radiation treatment. But was soon back home where he continued to improve. I know that many people who are Christians, and who love and serve the Lord, have said that the Baptism of the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues passed away with the disciples. There are others who agree it still exists today but, that it isn't for everyone. Many Christians feel that receiving the Holy Spirit when they became a Christian is good enough and that they don't need all the supernatural what-not. They Are Missing Out On So Much This makes me very sad. I know that God designed for us to live fully immersed in the Holy Spirit inside and out, and as Paul said praying in the Spirit at all times. Why? Well for so many reasons. We often don't know what we should be praying for but the Holy Spirit does, and when you pray in the Spirit which is in tongues, you are praying exactly what needs to be prayed so that the problem will be resolved. We often don't know what is exactly going on in the spirit realm so our prayers with words of understanding are often not the words we should be praying. Romans 8:26-27 [https://biblehub.com/nasb_/romans/8.htm] 26) Now in the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know what to pray for as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; 27) and He who searches the heart knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God There are times I've felt the urge to pray in the Spirit and had no idea why, but I knew my obedience was needed and prayers would be answered because of it. In fact I know in those times that someone's life may be dependent on it. Fearing What You Don't Understand Many Christians shy away from it because it seems too 'mystical' and they fear it. They fear that they can't control it or that they may do embarrassing things like roll on the floor and scream out. I've never done either of those things. I won't speak about those who do, but for me I've always known that I have complete control over when and where I pray in the Spirit. The Holy Spirit is a gentleman and won't violate the free will that God the Father has given us. It makes me sad to know that so many people could have helped their loved ones, and even themselves by praying in the Spirit. God does hear our natural prayers and he does answer them, but having a hotline to voice the perfect prayer is priceless. It Doesn't Make Us Perfect Does being Baptized in the Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues make us perfect? No, it does not. What it does, is gives us a tool that gives us an edge over and above to use as we need. If I had not been baptized in the... [https://nancyjacksonauthor.com/blogs/miracles/my-miraculous-life-pt-5]

21 de jun de 20268 min

How to Avoid Falling Into Destruction in Your Life

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