Tag: Truth

  • Faith is From God

    The faith we have doesn’t belong to us & we we do not gain grace through Faith by our own free will.  

    Jesus is the Founder and Perfector of our Faith, He’s not just the Perfector but THE *FOUNDER)…

    What does that mean?

    *FOUNDER Biblically Defined is as follows:
    n. One that FOUNDS ESTABLISHES and erects…
    n. One who BEGINS; an author; one from whom anything originates.

    Therefore, Jesus founds, establishes, builds, initiates, and originates our Faith. (He has complete control of our level of Faith)

    This Truth of His sovereignty is evident; we don’t establish ourselves, we can’t establish ourselves, AND we are unworthy of establishing ourselves. We don’t manage the Faith we have in the Truth of God, He does.

    Jesus alone by the Will of The Father Wills our Faith, He decides who will be established in Him, according to His preordained Books.

    Hebrews 12:2
    “…. Looking to Jesus, THE FOUNDER AND PERFECTER OF OUR FAITH, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”

    The following verse also clearly asserts that God PREPARED US BEFOREHAND TO HAVE FAITH, and HE WILLED US to be HIS WORKMANSHIP. (Not free will)

    Eph.2:8-10
    “For by Grace, you have been saved through FAITH. And this is NOT YOUR OWN DOING; IT IS THE GIFT OF GOD, NOT A RESULT OF WORKS, so that no one may boast. For WE ARE HIS WORKMANSHIP, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which GOD PREPARED BEFOREHAND, that we should walk in them.”

    *What is the Biblical definition of WORKMANSHIP?

    n. Manufacture; meticulously design, is created with thought & skill, particularly by manual labor.
    n. That which is EFFECTED (The power to produce an outcome, full forced execution; operativeness), made or produced

    We are His Workmanship; he executes, operates, designs, and produces His people’s Faith by the Power of His Grace.
    We don’t execute, produce, etc. our own Faith.

    The Grace we receive ISN’T because of anything we do (no matter how great), say (no matter how righteous), or think.
    We receive His Grace through His Sovereign Faith (not our free will faith); We can only be saved by the perfect Faith of Jesus Christ that can only save us by His Grace.

    We have righteousness through Faith.

    Whose Faith?

    Jesus’ Faith.

    ALL have sinned and fall short, but we are justified by Faith through HIS GRACE AS A GIFT… FREE GIFT.
    Faith isn’t our own doing; I can’t have more faith by the power of belief, mind, or intention; it is a GIFT, and I can’t do it.

    What is a GIFT?

    A present; anything given, the property (which is faith) VOLUNTARILY TRANSFERRED by one person (Jesus Christ) to another (you and i) WITHOUT COMPENSATION; A DONATION.

    FAITH IS A GIFT.

    Therefore, we don’t work for it or work at it; there’s only ONE, Christ Jesus, and He alone chooses who receives Faith, He alone Saves, He alone follows the Will of His Father.

    No human can manipulate, control, command, demand, or alter what has been established before the earth’s foundation. No human can interfere with the Book of Life; only God can change The Book of Remberence.

    … the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are JUSTIFIED BY HIS GRACE AS A GIFT, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,
    Romans 3:22‭-‬24

    If the slain Lamb (Jesus Christ) is the only one worthy to open the Scrolls in the last days, How can a person think that a human can determine their fate through free will?

    If you believe or have been taught that you’ve earned Grace through works, sewing a seed to a Church of Wolves, or that Grace is received through your ACTS OF GOOD DEEDS, and your Faith is contingent on your works. Whatever your works may be they are FUTILE in and of themselves (whether expecting an increase after paying tithes, or believing that the desires of your heart will always be granted by God), if you believe God needs you to help Him attain His Will, If you blame believers lack of faith on their physical health decline, if you judge appearances, but condone slander and gossip, if you believe attending Church is enough to go to heaven, if you trust your pastor to interpret the Bible for you, if you hate admitting to your sin nature because you believe God doesn’t need repentance. If you lie to people, yet at the same time demand others are honest with you.

    Or to say your Faith is futile and is without Grace, according to the scriptures.

    Written by Camille Russo

  • Treasure in Heaven

    Photo by Deepak Ramesha on Pexels.com

    “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also…


    “The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!
    “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.
    Matthew 6:19‭-‬24

    To understand we must read the texts proceeding and following the central passage being investigated.

    We lay our treasures success, & glory in Heaven with Heavenly, imperishable things, where our treasures are invincible indestructible, & imperishable.

    Jesus says His words are Spiritual, we don’t see merely physical existence, we realize & act as if the biological, physical & material are nothing more than a shadow illustrating the Truth and Reality of the Spiritual & Eternal infinite…

    The Spiritual Heavenly realm is where we abide in Spirit continually, awaiting our flesh to eventually succumb to nature, freeing us from it’s sinful members & elements.

    What we treasure; hold dear, protect & feel sentimental towards is where our heart is.

    Our Heart is revealed by our desires & our passions.

    ✝Matthew 6:19
    “….Do not lay up for yourselves treasures (grk: Thēsaurós; Treasured thoughts in mind or heart) on earth, where moth and rust destroy (symbolizing the decay of the temporal physical realm) & where thieves don’t break in and steal (symbolizing the fallen nature, fallibility and sin of man’s heart) …”

    “…but lay up for yourselves TREASURES (grk: Thésauros: precious thoughts in mind & heart) in HEAVEN (eternity, Gods realm; parallel dimension outside of the physical laws of time, space, dimension…, unseen with the physical eye, nor understood with the human mind, because the physical is merely a shadow or form of the Spiritual Substance), where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal (Heaven is perfect, whole, complete & incorruptible…. “

    So…..

    -“The eye (grk; optanomai: vision, sight/ minds eye) is the LAMP (grk; illuminator) of the BODY (grk: ‘soma’; physical or mystical body, flesh or Body of Christ.)”-

    Our Eye is a lamp that illuminates the body.

    Our physical body is declared a temple of the Holy Spirit & we are the seperated members of the Spiritual body/ Bride of Christ.

    With Eyes that see we illuminate the unadulterated Truth of our Spiritual bodies; through the physical .

    Light doesn’t sugarcoat shit.

    A lamp’s purpose is to give light in the darkness, our eye is meant to SEE through the Dark; lamps are useless in the LIGHT.

    So our EYE gives Light (illumination) through the darkness, our Eye illuminates all it looks at, or through.

    A lamp is only needed where there is darkness, a lamp is worthless in the Light.

    “…if your Eye is HEALTHY (grk: ‘haplous’; simple, sound, perfect, whole) your whole (entire) body will be FULL OF LIGHT (grk; phóteinos: bright; describing revelation/revealing Nature of light), …”

    Jesus said those with EYES can SEE,
    What kind of EYES?
    Spiritual Eyes… Holy Eyes, singular Eyes…

    (Jesus tells us that His Words are Spirit & the flesh is of no profit at all),
    Spiritual EYES shine light (revealing Truth& illuminating the secret places that are hidden) in the darkness, revealing the Absolute Truth.

    These EYES SEE what the blind cannot because the blind cannot even see that they are in the darkness, and their eye is unhealthy (incomplete, perplexed, plural), they are not Lamps, therefore they can’t SEE, they only assume, it’s all they can do.

    “….but if your eye is bad (grk; ponéros: evil or grievous; diseased: neglectful/abandoned, careless), your whole body (entire being/ Mystical Body, Body of Christ) will be full of darkness (grk: skoteinos; dark: moral, intellectual darkness, unenlightened, ignorant) ….”

    If our Eye (Vision, Minds Eye) is Evil and careless our mystical body and part in the Body of Christ will be intellectually and morally blacked out, blinded.

    “….If then the light (grk:phós; source of light, radiance) in you is darkness (grk: skotos; the power of darkness- Soul loses all perceptive power), how great is the darkness (Obscurity: becoming unknown, forgotten, drown out by the density of darkness; insignificant & eternally lost in the Sightless plight”

    Those with EYES can SEE because the EYES that Jesus speaks of are Spiritual eyes, the physical cannot comprehend this.  The EYE provides LIGHT for the body (the whole mystical body, wisdom, Truth)… Who is the Light? None other than Jesus Christ is the Light. Jesus alone gives us sight, He alone opens the eyes of the blind.

    Then directly after this passage, Jesus says:

    “…. No one can serve two masters (grk: kurios; owner: a person of Authority in which the servant follows & serves the Masters interest- consciously or subconsciously we ALL follow one of 2 masters (God YHWH OR Satan, temporary god of the earth), for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other.

    To follow Christ we MUST die to ourselves, crucify the desires of the flesh with Him, take up our Cross and follow Him, if we follow the desires of the flesh, seek after the interests of our own pleasure and feel no war between the Sin nature and the Spirit warring in our members (our bodies) then we are not God’s. God chastises those who He loves, if we aren’t chastised by God we aren’t children of God.

    “…..You cannot serve God (grk: theos: Creator) and money (grk: mamónas: riches, possessions, property)….”

    The love of riches, possession and physical Property is the Root, Source and Core of ALL evil.

    The Eye is Spiritual, we have the Holy Spirit, and we are His Temple to dwell in, He gives us not only Grace, Faith, Salvation, Hope, and Joy BUT He gives us Light, Vision, Truth, & many Fruits; He also gives us the conviction to keep the temple tidy for Him.

    Jesus is The Way, Truth & Life.
    Jesus is also the Light of The World, He died to set us free from the reward of the flesh, in so doing He showed us that the physical realm is nothing more than a metaphor or shadow outlining the True Spiritual Reality. The veil was torn.

    And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”

    John 3:19‭-‬21
    The Light lives in us whom God chooses to put His Light in & Vision is directly from God.

  • Jesus’ Death Atoned Perfectly For His Sheep

    Jesus said: “I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep” (John 10:11).

    By this word Jesus teaches that He gives His life in the place of His people as a substitute for them.

    He also says: “…I lay down my life for the sheep” (John 10:15).

    His death is a personal substitutionary atonement, not a general provision for all men.

    Jesus lays down His life as a sacrifice for certain persons who are His sheep, not for the goats.

    Jesus teaches that He did not die for all men, head for head, but for His people out of the world.

    Therefore Jesus does not say that He gives His life a ransom for sin generally, but that He came “to give his life a ransom for many,” (Matt. 20:28, Mark 10:45).

    His life given upon the cross is the ransom for those for whom He died. They are many, but not all men, head for head.

    Jesus’ death accomplished the actual, complete salvation and deliverance of those for whom He died. Jesus teaches a definite atonement for sin in His blood, not a mere possibility or provision.

    His blood cannot fail to save His sheep. The power of Christ and His cross never fails to save His people. Jesus saved and therefore also saves!

    As it is written, “For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified,” Heb. 10:14.

    He accomplished a finished redemption in the cross.

    Therefore Jesus speaks of Himself as the bread of life.

    As He said, “… and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world,” (John 6:51).

    By this He teaches that His death is the only source of spiritual life and salvation just as bread sustains our earthly life when we eat it.

    That world for which He gave His life is fed by faith in Him with everlasting life.

    It is a world that is surely saved, for He says, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life,” (John 6:47).

    Jesus does not teach that He provides everlasting life for the world of all men, head for head, but that He is everlasting life unto the world of them who are united to Him by faith.

    His death is a true sacrifice.

    It saved, ransomed, and delivered those for whom He died, and He now gives eternal life through faith unto them as His sheep.

    As He said, “My sheep hear my voice and I know them, and they follow me and I give unto them eternal life…” (John 10:27, 28).

    This was God’s design as Jesus said, “As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him,” John 17:2.

    Jesus teaches that He accomplished a finished salvation and a personal substitutionary atonement for those for whom He died.

    Jesus teaches a definite limited atonement, a particular redemption, not a universal indefinite provision, not a mere possibility to become a personal Saviour, if you will only let Him.

    He gives eternal life to His sheep.

    Jesus teaches that He “knows his sheep,” and not that He must engage in an investigative judgment to find out who they are.

    Do you believe in this Jesus of the Scriptures, Who knows His own, and dies for them?

    There is a false christ of man’s invention who dies not knowing his own, a maybe saviour, a mere provider, who waits on man to make him truly a savior.

    Do you believe in the Jesus Who genuinely saves?

  • Do we GIVE The Holy Spirit permission to Act?

    Do we GIVE The Holy Spirit permission to Act?

    I saw a post today that said:

    “PRAYER gives the Holy Spirit permission to do God’s will — He cannot act without getting permission from a human with Authority.”

    Permission is defined as: The act of permitting, especially in giving formal consent

    That quote is appealing, sounds right to the average Joe, right?

    • Is it biblical?
    • Is it true?
    • Is the limitless power of the universe at our disposal?
    • Does God require our permission to do anything?
    • Do we live in a universe where control over the invisible and visible is in the hands of the human will?

    No, no, no, and no.

    The Serpent’s lie in the Garden of Eden was bad enough:

    “you will be ‘like’ God.”

    The assertion that God requires one’s permission to act on behalf of any matter is a flawed belief that suggests the individual possesses godlike qualities.
    This belief is not in line with the reality that God is the ultimate authority and we are subject to His command.

    It is important to understand that God is the creator and sustainer of the universe, and we are mere mortals who are dependent on His mercy and grace.
    To suggest that God requires our permission to act on any matter is to place ourselves in a position of authority over God.
    This is a dangerous belief that can lead to arrogance and a false sense of power. It is important to recognize that we are not in control of the universe, and that God is the one who is ultimately in charge.

    Furthermore, the idea that we have the power to grant permission to God is not supported by any religious text or tradition.

    We recognize that God’s wisdom and knowledge far surpasses our own, and that His plans are always for our ultimate good.

    • Are we the ones holding the reigns?
    • His power is restrained by us?

    God is in control and holds ultimate authority over all things. We are called to submit to His will and trust in His guidance. The idea that we hold the reins in our relationship with God is dangerous and heretical. We are completely dependent on God for our existence, salvation, and destiny. Our role is to respond in faith and obedience to His call, surrendering our desires and trusting in His plan. Humble submission to God’s will is the foundation of our faith and the key to a fulfilling relationship with Him.

    The Bible teaches that God is the One who loves and pursues us, not the other way around. We are the ones who arerequired’s love and forgiveness. To suggest that God needs something from us is to turn the whole relationship upside down.

    Our flesh always tries to control and manipulate things, including our relationship with God. We want to be in control, and we don’t like the idea of God having any power over us.

    • Is God a divine genie, ‘an all-powerful wish grantor, He lets us pretend to be His keeper’?

    Every believer I’ve ever met makes the claim ‘God can do anything”… yet,  He may only do ‘anything’ when we “permit” Him?

    God limits Himself to our passions.
    Where is God’s Power in that?

    2 Tim 3:5 says that some will have a form (aspect, presentation, material) of Godliness but reject IT’S POWER. God’s Spirit is Power.

    Serious Question:

    When did you allow God to form you in your mother’s womb?

    What about someone who has cancer?

    Is it not going into remission because they haven’t permitted God to heal their cancer?

    As if God’s hands are tied until we bags of flesh give Him the “GO”?

    To add: There isn’t a single story of Christ ever asking anyone for permission to ACT; quite the opposite.

    Scripturally:

    God doesn’t need our permission.
    We are invited by Him to willingly consent to His plans, but He’s not limited by our desires.
    When the Creator of everything – visible and invisible – invites a person to consent to His plans, that person WILL consent to His plans, willingly.

    Just like when God commands you to breathe His breath into your lungs, He doesn’t ask you for permission, and you aren’t feeling dictated to or controlled by Him doing so either, right?

    The clay has no right over the Potter. But the Potter has ALL RIGHTS over the clay.

    Scripture:

    BY Him, ALL THINGS were created, in heaven & on earth, visible & invisible, thrones, dominions, rulers, authorities—ALL THINGS were created through Him & FOR HIM.”

    Colossians 1:16

    WHATEVER THE LORD PLEASES, HE DOES,
    In heaven, earth, in the seas & in all deeps.”

    Psalm 135:6

    Our God is in the heavens; He does all that He pleases.

    Psalm 115:3

    It is *God* who works in you to will & to act on behalf of His good purpose.”

    Philippians 2:13

    Even if you go and fight bravely in battle, God will make you stumble before the enemy, for God has power to help and power to overthrow.”

    2 Chronicles 25:8

    God says: Even from Eternity I am He,
    And there is NONE who can deliver out of MY hand; I ACT & WHO CAN REVERSE IT?

    Isaiah 43:13

    The life of every living thing is in God’s hand, as well as the breath of all mankind.

    Job 12:10

    It does not depend on man’s desire or effort but on God’s mercy.

    Romans 9:16

    “Not death or life, or angels or rulers, or things present or things to come, or powers,  heights, depth, nor anything else in all creation, can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

    Romans 8:37‭-‬39 

    This includes our own will, does it not?

    All who did receive Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God— children born not of blood, nor of the DESIRE OR WILL of man, but born of God.

    John 1:12‭-‬13

    “And you were DEAD in the trespasses and sins”

    Eph 2:3, Col 2:13

    DEAD means spiritually dead.

    How can the spiritually dead make the spiritual decision to live? In the same way, a physically dead person can make the physical decision to live. He can’t. He’s dead…

    ONLY an outside force can bring the dead to life,  & ONLY One WILL have that power… The dead don’t choose life. How can they?

    “There’s no one who understands, no one who seeks God……”

    Romans 3:11

    If we could understand and seek by our will, we would not desperately need the Holy Spirit to intercede as we do, nor would Jesus’ death be of any purpose.

    “You did not choose Me, but I chose you. I appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will remain—so that whatever you ask the Father in My name, He will give you.

    John 15:16

    Did Jesus’ Apostles have a choice? NO. Jesus says, NO!

    For God has put it into their hearts to carry out His purpose by uniting to give their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled.

    Revelation 17:17

    The Holy Spirit, how does HE work?

    As it is written: “No eye has seen, no ear heard, no heart imagined, what God has prepared for those who love Him.” But God has revealed it to us by the Spirit…
    The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who among men knows the thoughts of man except his own spirit within him?
    So too, no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.
    We have NOT received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we may UNDERSTAND what God has FREELY GIVEN US. &
    this is what we speak, NOT in words taught us by human wisdom, but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing SPIRITUAL TRUTHS in spiritual words…
    The NATURAL MAN does NOT accept the things that come from the Spirit of God. For they are foolishness to him, and he CANNOT UNDERSTAND THEM, because they are spiritually discerned. The spiritual man judges all things, but he himself is not subject to anyone’s judgment. “For who has known the mind of the Lord, so as to instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ.

    1 Corinthians 2:9‭-‬16

    Paul’s warning is very clear about false doctrines, they appeal to the human will and recoil at the idea of having to relinquish control:

    Paul :

    “Let him who boasts boast only in the Lord.”It’s not the one who commends himself who’s approved, but the one whom the Lord commends….I am afraid, just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may be led astray from your SIMPLE and pure devotion to Christ. ( The Simplicity of Christ is enough) For if someone comes & proclaims a Jesus other than the One we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit than the One you received, or a different gospel than the one you accepted, you put up with it way too easily….
    For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their actions….
    If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness. The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, who is forever worthy of praise, knows that I am not lying. I will boast about such a man, but I will not boast about myself, except in my weaknesses.

    2 Corinthians 11:3‭-‬4,13‭-‬15,30‭-‬3. 10:17‭-‬18 12:5