Archive Story | Check Engine Light. Is Yours On?

Archive Story | Check Engine Light. Is Yours On?

Archive Story Episode 17 Originally written March 23, 2023 Check Engine Light - is yours on? For many of you, it may seem that my last blog post Religion - A Dead Man Walking [https://www.nancyjacksonauthor.com/blogs/inspirational/religion-a-dead-man-walking] distilled Christianity down too far. I did that in order to make a point. You should know by now that I love to push the antithesis to shock you into thinking. BUT, I believe every word I posted. I believe we were meant to be a unified body with one goal: to be the body with Christ as the head, and to spread God’s love throughout the world. Therefore, drawing (not pushing, prodding, coercing, or manipulating) all men to Jesus by lifting HIM up in honor, respect and love. But we have become a brawling set of siblings on the backside of the playground. We’ve lost enormous respect from those who are pre-believers. Why on earth would they want what we have and respect who we are when, from the outside looking in, all they see is discord and strife? But, I digress. I want to discuss something else only slightly related to my last post, and that is what the church world refers to as sin. Yep, I said it - sin. You may also want to hang on to your hat for this one. Does Your Church Discuss Sin? First, let me say that when we discuss sin in the church, we often do not dissect or differentiate between our sin nature and the acts of sin we do once we have become born again. Adam and Eve sealed the deal on the sin nature part. Their act of disobedience put their generational lineage into a perpetual state of bearing a sin spirit from birth to death. If we do not personally say ‘halt’ and ask God to be born again we will continue that perpetration. Nicodemus marveled at that term. He searched Jesus out by night, eager and hungry to learn. John 3:3-6  3) Jesus responded and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless someone is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”  4) Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a person be born when he is old? He cannot enter his mother’s womb a second time and be born, can he?”  5) Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless someone is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6) That which has been born of the flesh is flesh, and that which has been born of the Spirit is spirit... Do You Truly Live? It is still a unique turn of phrase to our human ears. It is an act that God can only do divinely himself at our request once we realize we need to die spiritually. When we realize that the sin nature or spirit we were born with is corrupt, and we need for it to die and be born again so that we can truly live. Notice in the above passage that Jesus says a person cannot see or enter the kingdom of God if they are not born of the Spirit. Let me ruffle some more feathers here (I seem to be so good at it). I take issue with the little ‘ask Jesus into your heart’ prayers we tack on to the end of our religious box sessions. That is not being born again. It is watered down and very vanilla instruction. The most minimal 'way out'. They aren't asking to be born again because they do not know they need to ask for that. At best, it may allow those saying it to realize that there is a need in their life to allow Jesus to help them change, and by saying that prayer sincerely they are acknowledging that something in their life needs to change and to give that to Jesus. Asking Jesus into our hearts seems to be a gentle way of attempting to confront a dire moment of truth. And we, the body shout hallelujah and fast forward them to the head of the line as though now they are fully one of us. One of us who knew we needed to go from death to life internally and asked for the death, burial, and resurrection of our spirit. Something they probably don't know they need because it was just too much to load them down with initially. Going Beyond Acknowledgment That Something Is Wrong I congratulate all those who have had the courage to say that prayer at the end of a service. You have a heart to follow Christ and were doing what you thought you should. But I believe we already in the body do those new believers a disservice by not going further to teach, and pray with them to complete the new birth process. We have attempted to get as many as possible into the body by making it benignly easy with little explanation. We fear our explanation may frighten and turn most away. But by not fully educating them, we are dooming them to fail. Being born again is so much more than just a quick, brief prayer. We are talking about death, burial, and resurrection of their spirit here. We have to understand that a death needs to occur. That is serious business. It is no wonder why thousands that have said the prayer have then walked away with absolutely no noticeable change in their lives. They may want to do what is right. They may try to not ‘sin’. But unless a spiritual death has occurred inside, where the old sinful nature ceases to exist, and a new God breathed and born again spirit has been birthed and takes its place, there will be no genuine change or entrance into the kingdom of God. It Is Easy To Misunderstand The Bible is rich with countless layers of knowledge, passion, and instruction. Because of that, and the fact much of it was written in various languages and parts specifically for the people at the time who were alive to hear it, we get some things wrong. I know I have. Digging deep into the actual Greek, Hebrew, and Aramaic and the literary styles the bible it is written in can clarify much misconception. A section of verses that we have often used to excuse our ‘sin’ is the passage by Paul in the last half of Romans 7 discusses the law and controversy surrounding it.  Do You Try To Do The Right Thing and Can't? Romans 7:19-20  19) For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want.  20) But if I do the very thing I do not want, I am no longer the one doing it, but sin that dwells in me. We have used the above specific verses many times to excuse away what we consider is our inappropriate behavior. “Oh well, I want to do good, but I do the things I don’t want to do and I don’t do the things I do want to do.” After all, if it was the way Paul was, then it is okay for us to be that way too. However, in reading most of Paul’s other writings, it seems very contrary. After spending a large amount of time listening to various Hebrew and Greek scholars who pointed out that there is a shift in the original text that denotes that Paul is referring to the way he used to be before he was born again, it now makes perfect sense. In fact, several verses before and after the two above are in that same literary change. Finishing a Cohesive Argument Romans 7:24-25   24) Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death?   25) Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand, I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin. Romans 8:1-5  1) Therefore there is now no condemnation at all for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2) For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and ...

Miracle Story | The Very Best Miracle - Episode 17

Miracle Story Episode 17 The Very Best Miracle My father was born in 1922, way out in the country. He had one living brother and sister. He had been a twin, but the other one had either died right after or during birth. Twins? An interesting side note here that has nothing to do with this story is that my father weighed eleven pounds at birth. I can’t imagine carrying two babies around that size and then delivering them way off in a little country house. Probably much of the reason the other twin did not live. May Grandmother was Very Religious My grandmother was a member of the Church of Christ. The church where they attended was miles from their home, but every Sunday morning, Sunday evening, and on Wednesdays, my grandmother walked with my father and his siblings several miles each way to attend. And yes, this was in the Oklahoma heat and in the snow as well. After several years of this, my father had had enough and rebelled against church and therefore God. My grandparents divorced when my father was a teenager and he moved to Arizona to live with his dad. Through the years as I was growing up, my dad did not want to talk about God or religion. All those years of religious activity had soured him so completely on what he thought was required to be a Christian that he wanted no part of it. I Prayed and Then Prayed Some More But, I prayed for my dad. For years, I prayed for my dad. I prayed in the natural and in the Spirit. I often just said a simple prayer throughout the day. I would simply say to God, “Please don’t let my daddy die before he is right with you.” I prayed it over and repeatedly. So, when God allowed my intercession to spare my father’s life, I knew it was time for more than just prayer. I needed to act. When My Father Came Home Fast forward this story to when my father was home. He often sat at the end of their dining room table where he had a cup of coffee at the ready. He would watch TV from there. One day I was at my parents home and found a large cardboard box of cards that friends and family had sent him while in the hospital. It held dozens upon dozens of cards. I sat the box on the opposite end of the dining room table from where my dad was sitting. I looked through them and read the sentiments from friends. I came upon a letter in an envelope that at first didn’t look familiar, until I pulled the letter out from the envelope and began to read. When I Realized My Father Was Watching I didn’t realize my father was watching me until I opened the letter and started to read it. Honestly, I was a little embarrassed. As I read the first line, I heard a tapping on the table and looked over to see my father tapping the table to get my attention. When I looked over, he mouthed to me in his raspy voice, “Sissy, it’s okay.” I smiled, and he nodded. I Still Get Emotional To this day, it makes me so incredibly emotional. I firmly believe God allowed my prayers to spare his life so that he could make things right with him. What if I hadn’t known what I did? What if I’d not prayed those difficult intercessory prayers? It is wonderful when a physical life is spared, but is there a purpose beyond? In this case, it is a definite yes. Saving his physical body brought him to a place to receive spiritual salvation. God answered the prayers I had prayed all those years where I asked God to not let my daddy die before being born again. But, I had a part to play as well and I am so thankful that I did. I Am Thankful I’m so thankful I knew how to intercede in deep intercessory prayer. I am so glad I knew how to fight spiritual warfare on that level. And I am so glad I wrote the letter. What had I said in that letter? I told him that a relationship with God was just that and not how many times a week you went to church. I told him how much God loved us and just wants us to be close to him. There was much more I wrote because the letter was about three pages long. But the other words don’t come to mind now. It Is An Every Changing Journey Our lives and our faith is a journey. Many events and experiences are stepping stones to the next one. Being in a close relationship with God makes that journey substantial and beneficial for now and for all eternity.

What Could You Do If You Really Believed?

What Could You Do If You Really Believed? Monday Meditations – Episode 4 Originally written August 8, 2011  posted here: https://forthesakeofthetruth.com/2011/08/29/monday-meditations-acts-18/ [https://forthesakeofthetruth.com/2011/08/08/monday-meditations-2-timothy-316/] Today’s Meditation Verse: Acts 1:8 8But you shall receive power (ability, efficiency, and might) when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be My witnesses in Jerusalem and all Judea and Samaria and to the ends (the very bounds) of the earth. I became born again when I was 13 years old.  I had known, walked with and loved the Lord for many years prior, but realized at 13 that I needed to be born again.  I attended a denominational church at that time that focused on salvation and very little else. I had such a heart for the Lord and yet I still felt like there was something more, something else I was missing. Then on Thanksgiving night in 1977 a co-worker who had become a friend whom had also began to mentor me spiritually led me to receive the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.  On that night I received, from true hunger the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues.  My life was never the same again. A fire was birthed in me, an undeniable passion for Christ that was insatiable and continues to this very day. Many years ago while reading in the Amplified Bible I noticed the paragraphs in verse 8.  The word that stood out to me was the word ‘efficiency’.  For many years I had been amazed at just how much more I was able to accomplish than any of my other co-workers.  I did my work, quicker, better and with much more professionalism than anyone else.   It was so noticeable that I was asked by my manager to speak to the entire department at the national meeting on why I was so successful.  I knew, and told him, that my success was only because of the Lord working in and through me.  But I still had to speak at the national meeting about the steps I took to do my work. The number one comment I received from everyone was that what I did, was just too much work!  But what they didn’t realize was that I was able to accomplish much more in much less time than they did because of the efficiency of the Holy Spirit in my life. When I read this scripture and saw the word efficiency I finally had biblical proof that my ability to work efficiently had been totally and completely due to the power that I had received from the Holy Spirit.   When you say you do not have enough time to do this or that, or to even spend time with the Lord, you are wrong!  Spend time with Him ask for the Holy Spirit power and you will receive the power that gives efficiency.  Your work will become so efficient that it will get done better in a fraction of the time. Rest in the Spirit.  Don’t work harder, work smarter with the power of the Holy Spirit! Wednesday Word Study – Episode 4 Originally written August 31, 2011  posted here: https://forthesakeofthetruth.com/2011/08/31/2200/ [https://forthesakeofthetruth.com/2011/08/08/monday-meditations-2-timothy-316/] Power Original Word: δύναμις, εως, ἡ  Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine  Transliteration: dunamis  Phonetic Spelling: (doo'-nam-is)  Short Definition: might, power, marvelous works  Definition: (a) physical power, force, might, ability, efficacy, energy, meaning (b) plur: powerful deeds, deeds showing (physical) power, marvelous works. 1411 dýnamis (from 1410 [http://strongsnumbers.com/greek/1410.htm] /dýnamai, "able, having ability") – properly, "ability to perform" (L-N); for the believer, power to achieve by applying the Lord's inherent abilities. "Power through God's ability" (1411 [http://strongsnumbers.com/greek/1411.htm] /dýnamis) is needed in every scene of life to really grow in sanctification and prepare for heaven (glorification). 1411 [http://strongsnumbers.com/greek/1411.htm] (dýnamis) is a very important term, used 120 times in the NT. As a people we are drawn to power or the display of power.  From early childhood we are enamored with super heroes and the great and mighty deeds they did.  We all secretly wished we could do those things too! We were also taught that those things were fiction.  There isn’t such a thing as a super hero.  People can’t fly.  People can’t stop bullets with their bare hands, people can’t walk through walls.  So we abandoned the thought of being a super hero. But this word dunamis is just exactly that – supernatural power.  The Holy Spirit came to bring us His power; God’s power and ability into our lives.  We’ve not lived it because we have not believed it.  Believe today that you were meant to receive, posses and use dunamis in your life. DUNAMIS:   physical power – force – might – ability – efficacy – energy – powerful deeds – deeds showing physical power – marvelous works. Maybe we really were meant to be super heroes. Friday Finale – Episode 4 Originally written September 2, 2011  posted here: https://forthesakeofthetruth.com/2011/09/02/but-do-you-believe/ [https://forthesakeofthetruth.com/2011/08/12/led-or-driven/] But do you believe? Mark 11:23 23) “Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it will be granted him. 2 Corinthians 12:2 2) I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or out of the body I do not know, God knows—such a man was caught up to the third heaven. 3) And I know how such a man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, God knows— 4) was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which a man is not permitted to speak. I Samual 17:49 49 [http://bible.cc/1_samuel/17-49.htm]) And David put his hand into his bag and took from it a stone and slung it, and struck the Philistine on his forehead. And the stone sank into his forehead, so that he fell on his face to the ground. Joshua 14:6 6 [http://bible.cc/judges/14-6.htm]) The LORD's Spirit came over him. With his bare hands, he tore the lion apart as if it were a young goat. Acts 8:39-40 39 [http://bible.cc/acts/8-39.htm]) When they had stepped out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away. The official ...

Friday Finale | But Do You Really Believe? – Episode 4

Friday Finale – Episode 4 Originally written September 2, 2011  posted here: https://forthesakeofthetruth.com/2011/09/02/but-do-you-believe/ [https://forthesakeofthetruth.com/2011/08/12/led-or-driven/] But do you believe? Mark 11:23 23) “Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it will be granted him. 2 Corinthians 12:2 2) I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or out of the body I do not know, God knows—such a man was caught up to the third heaven. 3) And I know how such a man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, God knows— 4) was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which a man is not permitted to speak. I Samual 17:49 49 [http://bible.cc/1_samuel/17-49.htm]) And David put his hand into his bag and took from it a stone and slung it, and struck the Philistine on his forehead. And the stone sank into his forehead, so that he fell on his face to the ground. Joshua 14:6 6 [http://bible.cc/judges/14-6.htm]) The LORD's Spirit came over him. With his bare hands, he tore the lion apart as if it were a young goat. Acts 8:39-40 39 [http://bible.cc/acts/8-39.htm]) When they had stepped out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away. The official joyfully continued on his way and didn't see Philip again. 40 [http://bible.cc/acts/8-40.htm]) Philip found himself in the city of Azotus These men, and many more, experienced dunamis.  The supernatural power of the Holy Spirit.  On the Wednesday Word Study this week I wrote about the word dunamis and that the very word describes supernatural power we are meant to receive from the Holy Spirit.  Supernatural powers that remind us of the cartoon super heroes of our youth.  Supernatural strength,  powerful precision, being transported from one place to another, going up into the heavens and seeing supernatural visions, and the ability to move entire mountains with just our faith alone. I do believe that we were meant to be God’s super heroes!  We were placed in this world to do all that is necessary to rescue others, bring them to Christ and disciple them.  In this world of evil and persecution we have not lived up to this calling. Do you believe today that you are called to experience the dunamis of the Holy Spirit?  Do you believe today that the people of this world need us to experience the dunamis of the Holy Spirit to be God’s superhero in their life? If you have been concentrating on growing your faith in the areas of daily provision and health, you are spending time believing for something that God has already promised.   Luke 12:22-32 22) Then Jesus said to his disciples, "So I tell you to stop worrying about what you will eat or wear. 23) Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothes. 24) Consider the crows. They don't plant or harvest. They don't even have a storeroom or a barn. Yet, God feeds them. You are worth much more than birds. 25) "Can any of you add an hour to your life by worrying? 26) If you can't do a small thing like that, why worry about other things? 27) Consider how the flowers grow. They never work or spin yarn for clothes. But I say that not even Solomon in all his majesty was dressed like one of these flowers. 28) That's the way God clothes the grass in the field. Today it's alive, and tomorrow it's thrown into an incinerator. So how much more will he clothe you people who have so little faith? 29) "Don't concern yourself about what you will eat or drink, and quit worrying about these things. 30) Everyone in the world is concerned about these things, but your Father knows you need them. 31) Rather, be concerned about his kingdom. Then these things will be provided for you. 32) Don't be afraid, little flock. Your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom. We need to focus our faith on the distressed on this earth and grow our faith to believe that God will infuse us with Holy Spirit dunamis as needed on a daily basis to be His superheroes in this world.  Seek first the kingdom of God, that is a supernatural kingdom, and all the other provisions will be provided. My prayer today is not that I’ll have enough money, food or health, but that I will be infused with dunamis in order to help others, be God’s superhero whenever and wherever He needs me.  I believe that we are needed today as much as, if not more than ever before.  But are you willing? Do you believe?   This study is a culmination of this week’s Monday Meditation and the Wednesday Word Study. By drilling down on specific scriptures and then specific words, we can begin to gain a better understanding of the Word of God and therefore apply it to our lives more accurately. The Friday Finally episodes take both the Monday Meditation and Wednesday Word Study and pull them together for an overall teaching to equip and train us for a more Godly and beneficial life.   Shop all versions of my novels here: Shop Here [https://nancyjacksonauthor.com/collections/novels] My Media Website: NancyJacksonPodcast.com [https://nancyjacksonpodcast.com/] Check out my website: NancyJacksonAuthor.com [https://www.nancyjacksonauthor.com/] Follow me here: Substack: https://nancyjackson.substack.com/ [https://nancyjackson.substack.com/] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NancyJacksonAuthor [https://www.facebook.com/NancyJacksonAuthor] Twitter: https://twitter.com/NAJackson [https://twitter.com/NAJackson] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/najackson/ [https://www.instagram.com/najackson/] Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/nancyannjackson [https://www.pinterest.com/nancyannjackson] YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/NancyJackson [https://www.youtube.com/@NancyJacksonAuthor] TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nancyajackson?lang=en [https://www.tiktok.com/@nancyajackson?lang=en]

Wednesday Word Study | Power – Episode 4

Wednesday Word Study – Episode 4 Originally written August 31, 2011  posted here: https://forthesakeofthetruth.com/2011/08/31/2200/ [https://forthesakeofthetruth.com/2011/08/08/monday-meditations-2-timothy-316/] Power Original Word: δύναμις, εως, ἡ  Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine  Transliteration: dunamis  Phonetic Spelling: (doo'-nam-is)  Short Definition: might, power, marvelous works  Definition: (a) physical power, force, might, ability, efficacy, energy, meaning (b) plur: powerful deeds, deeds showing (physical) power, marvelous works. 1411 dýnamis (from 1410 [http://strongsnumbers.com/greek/1410.htm] /dýnamai, "able, having ability") – properly, "ability to perform" (L-N); for the believer, power to achieve by applying the Lord's inherent abilities. "Power through God's ability" (1411 [http://strongsnumbers.com/greek/1411.htm] /dýnamis) is needed in every scene of life to really grow in sanctification and prepare for heaven (glorification). 1411 [http://strongsnumbers.com/greek/1411.htm] (dýnamis) is a very important term, used 120 times in the NT. As a people we are drawn to power or the display of power.  From early childhood we are enamored with super heroes and the great and mighty deeds they did.  We all secretly wished we could do those things too! We were also taught that those things were fiction.  There isn’t such a thing as a super hero.  People can’t fly.  People can’t stop bullets with their bare hands, people can’t walk through walls.  So we abandoned the thought of being a super hero. But this word dunamis is just exactly that – supernatural power.  The Holy Spirit came to bring us His power; God’s power and ability into our lives.  We’ve not lived it because we have not believed it.  Believe today that you were meant to receive, posses and use dunamis in your life. DUNAMIS:   physical power – force – might – ability – efficacy – energy – powerful deeds – deeds showing physical power – marvelous works. Maybe we really were meant to be super heroes.   Each Wednesday I will be posting a Wednesday Word Study to further elaborate on a significant word from the previous Monday’s Meditation episode. On Mondays I focus on one verse to meditate on for the week. On the Wednesday after I drill down to look at one specific word to gain further information and knowledge. Then on the following Friday I will post a teaching pulling it all together. Each week will provide a thorough study into a verse, a word, and then the overall concept.   Shop all versions of my novels here: Shop Here [https://nancyjacksonauthor.com/collections/novels] My Media Website: NancyJacksonPodcast.com [https://nancyjacksonpodcast.com/] Check out my website: NancyJacksonAuthor.com [https://www.nancyjacksonauthor.com/] Follow me here: Substack: https://nancyjackson.substack.com/ [https://nancyjackson.substack.com/] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NancyJacksonAuthor [https://www.facebook.com/NancyJacksonAuthor] Twitter: https://twitter.com/NAJackson [https://twitter.com/NAJackson] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/najackson/ [https://www.instagram.com/najackson/] Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/nancyannjackson [https://www.pinterest.com/nancyannjackson] YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/NancyJackson [https://www.youtube.com/@NancyJacksonAuthor] TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nancyajackson?lang=en [https://www.tiktok.com/@nancyajackson?lang=en]