by Alfio La Spina
March 2017
Think about how Abraham handled difficult situations. Abraham had complete trust in God. When God told him to go to a place that He would show him he went and he did not concern himself about where he was going. He had complete trust that God would take care of everything.
It is amazing how God took care of Abraham. He will do the same for us as long as we keep our hearts focused on Him. This is the foundation of our salvation it allows our Father to shape us into useful vessels for His use. We see this done throughout out scripture with all those that kept their hearts clean. We need to be very aware of what we need to learn in our every day lives because God is working with us and our steps are ordered by Him.
1 John 2:27 (NIV) 27 As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit—just as it has taught you, remain in him.
Psalms 1:6 (NIV) 6 For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.
In every adverse situation we encounter there is something we can learn because our Father is shaping us into what He wants us to be.
1 Peter 5:10 (NIV) 10 And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.
Isaiah 64:8 (NIV) 8 Yet you, Lord, are our Father. We are the clay; you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand.
So, we need to be aware that He is watching and welcome any correction, seek the way He has for us and walk in it. We should constantly be aware of what we are thinking and ask ourselves are we being carnal and if we are, then we need to resist and correct our behavior. In this way God can help us to change.
Philippians 4:12-14 (NIV) 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength.
Proverbs 4:10-13 (NIV) 10 Listen, my son, accept what I say, and the years of your life will be many. 11 I instruct you in the way of wisdom and lead you along straight paths. 12 When you walk, your steps will not be hampered; when you run, you will not stumble.13 Hold on to instruction, do not let it go; guard it well, for it is your life.
Proverbs 4:23 (NIV) 23 Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.
Philippians 4:6-7 (NIV) 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Abraham did what God told Him do without question he trusted Him completely. God told him to sacrifice his son and he was going to do it until God stopped him. Abraham had a very close relationship with God which gave him great wisdom and understanding. He reasoned to himself that God was able to raise his son from the dead. He believed God could do anything and He would work everything out for us. This is what we need to strive for so we can overcome all things.
Hebrews 11:19 (NIV) 19 Abraham reasoned that God could even raise the dead, and so in a manner of speaking he did receive Isaac back from death.
Genesis 18:19 (NIV) 19 For I have chosen him, so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just, so that the Lord will bring about for Abraham what he has promised him.
Many people are caught up in prophecy and don’t pay enough attention to their personal growth and the renewing of their minds.
Jesus said to watch because we need to overcome our carnal natures and work towards perfection.
Please refer to this sermon “Perfect or in Part”
Mark 14:38 (NIV) 38 Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
Luke 21:36 (NIV) 36 Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.”
The scriptures are full of instructions of how we need to live our lives and that is a full-time job because our carnal nature is totally against this way of life it is a daily battle to overcome it. The carnal nature is where Satan works, we must strive not to be carnal by constantly asking our Father to help us to guard our hearts and quickly show us when we are being carnal.
1 Peter 5:8-10 (NIV) 8 Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.Luke 16:13 (NIV) 13 “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”
(2 Peter 1:3-8 NIV) 3 His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. 5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self- control; and to self- control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. 8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Those are excellent attributes to apply to our lives and it is the narrow path that we must walk.
Proverbs 3:3 (NIV) 3 Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart.
I believe that we need to be aware of what is going on in the world and watch prophecy unfold however we need to be very careful not to ignore our personal growth.
Jesus said watch not to be deceived and He said it many times. There are many ways we can be deceived that is why we need to have our hearts right and we need our Fathers help to do this and we need the help of our brothers and sisters also. For this reason, it is imperative that we strive to build a very close relationship with our Father. It is the only way we will be able to overcome. Jesus spent a lot of time with the Father daily and he had the same Holy Spirit that we have been given, so, if we follow His example and do all that He says we are certain to overcome and come to perfection.
Deception can come from those among us.
2 Corinthians 11:13-15 (NIV) 13 For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ. 14 And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. 15 It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.
Jude 1:4 ISV For some people have slipped in among you unnoticed. They were written about long ago as being deserving of this condemnation because they are ungodly. They turn the grace of our God into uncontrollable lust and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus the Messiah.
These false teachers point the finger at Sunday keeping churches to get the attention off themselves. The Sunday keepers basically have all their doctrines wrong however brethren have you confirmed what you have been taught to be correct by comparing what it actually says in the Word of God? There definitely are false doctrines in the COGs. Brethren don’t let another day go by without checking the correctness of the doctrines being taught.
2 Peter 2:1-2 (NIV) 1 But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves. 2 Many will follow their depraved conduct and will bring the way of truth into disrepute.
The way of truth would be brought into disrepute. This has become abundantly clear many times I have pointed out error in a doctrine being taught. Pointing out many scriptures to prove it. However, the brethren I have shown these truths to insist on referring to what their false teachers say on the subject. Some have even refused to look at the scriptures I have quoted. That is a very dangerous state to be in. There are hundreds of reports of control, fear, and abuse tactics from people that have fallen away because of these false teachers. Yet many still follow them. This is a very sad thing that has happened. Many have been disillusioned by the immoral and unbiblical actions of these modern-day Pharisees. Brethren everyone needs to be accountable, everyone needs to contribute and use the talents God has given them and most of all learn to love one another as has been commanded by Jesus.
Matthew 16:6 (KJV) 6 Then Jesus said unto them, take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.
This same spirit that the Pharisees had is still around and it is in the Church of God today. These false teachers are suppressing the body of Christ so it cannot function, it has been put to sleep, and the brethren are not using their talents that have been given to them. They shuffle in and out of each service and do not contact their brothers and sisters during the week. How can anyone fulfill the commandment to love your brother if they do not know him?
When some questionable words were spoken by a Minister, I challenged him on what he was saying and doing and I used scripture to back up what I was saying. That is when his true motives came out and a very ugly spirit was revealed in him. The deception was very strong and very convincing however this spirit will not and cannot adhere to God’s word. This was the way I was able to discern what he was.
When there is a problem in the church there is a procedure that Jesus Himself commanded us to use, this was not followed. This so-called minister who is supposed to be serving the brethren and not lording it over them did not allow this matter to be heard as commanded by Jesus. He went out of his way to speak against me to the brethren with no witnesses and would not allow me to defend my position.
Matthew18:15-18 (NIV) 15 “If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. 16 But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ 17 If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector.
By following the procedure commanded by Jesus. The truth would have prevailed and good fruit may have come out of it. The problem is the brethren look to man instead of Jesus to lead them so the Word of God has no effect on them.
1 John 2:26-27 (NIV)26 I am writing these things to you about those who are trying to lead you astray. 27 As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit—just as it has taught you, remain in him.