*Light*

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I heard that Martin Luther King jr. denied the Deity of Christ, and the Virgin Birth.

I'm sorry...I don't have a pictures. I live in a impoverished city where there is not much beauty to take pictures of as the ones above me. But I can speak on the Beauty of Creation, who's architect of the of New Jerusalem is God Himself. A city that is untouched by the curse of a fallen creation, which is why it exists in the 3rd heaven, because the first and the second heavens have been tainted. Yet beauty can still be found in it.   We all know that the new heavens and the new earth is going to be astounding because there is no more curse. Even though we live in a fallen world, God's creative handiwork in the beauty of creation can still be seen and cherished. In the New Jerusalem, the bible describes the streets as made of pure gold as "transparent" glass. It is unlike any gold found here on earth. The reason why it is transparent is so the Glory of God can radiate through it. Just as the clearer a diamond is, the more expensive it costs. I believe the New Jerusalem will appear like one gigantic transparent diamond in it purest form so God's amazing Glory can shine through it and light the entire infinite universe.    And the twelve gates were twelve pearls: every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass. (Revelation 12:12)   There is also the Tree of Life that produces 12 variations of fruits. Now this is just ONE tree.   In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. (Revelation 22:2)   The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations...Since we will have glorified bodies, why the "healing"? The Greek word for healing is "therapeuo", which where we get the word therapy. A cool breeze of wind is therapeutic. A vitamin is therapeutic, but we don't really need it to survive, but it enhances life. The leaves will enhance our lives even with our celestial bodies.   Even the water of life is transparent so the Glory of God can radiate through it:   And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. (Revelation 22:1)   The twelve manner of fruits represents variety in the New Jerusalem, we're not going to be just playing harps for all of eternity and floating on clouds. We will serving God...the possibilities are endless, especially when there is a new Universe. And the gates are never closed, indicating that we can enter in and out to wherever we have to go to serve The Lord God Almighty. What's also beautiful are the gates, they are not "pearly" gates, but they are A pearl -- one giant pearl. How beautiful!   And the twelve gates were twelve pearls: every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass. (Revelation 21:21)   Pearls are formed when the oyster is (I can use the word pierced) or injured. And it's interesting how our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ was pierced and died for our sins, and the result is Eternal Life and a New beautiful creation that is yet to behold.   God Bless, Daniel    

And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. (Matthew 4:19)
There are always disagreements that I have with certain preachers and bible teachers of the past and the present; however, I do find one statement from C.H. Spurgeon that is absolutely TRUE as the Word of God can testify of its veracity. It is:
"Have you no wish for others to be saved? Then you're not saved yourself, be sure of that!"
The Word of God is replete with passages instructing us to minister to those who are lost and in dire need of the Gospel message (Matt. 9:37-38; 10:7-14; Mk. 16:15; Rom. 1:16; 1 Cor. 1:17; 2 Cor. 5:20; Eph. 2:10; 4:11; 2 Tim. 2:15; 4:5; 1 Pet. 3:15). The major problem in "Christendom" today is that most of the "soldiers" have fallen by the wayside and given up. Even more disturbing are those in a higher position who have been given MORE talents in order to serve the Lord as they were called to do so; and that they seem to have no interest in saving those who are in danger of hellfire (cf. Jas. 3:1). I am NOT speaking of those who disemminate false teachings on a regualr basis; I am speaking of unbelievers who are NOT saved and are caught up in a cycle of sin which entangles them. The bible refers to such "servants" of the Lord as "fearful"; and "ashamed of the Gospel" (cf. Rev. 21:8; Matt. 25:26; Rom. 1:16).
Since our Lord used the fishing analogy -- and our Lord has made all of us believers "fishers of men" (Matt.4:19; Mk.1:17) -- we also know that every fisherman has his/her own technique and that all fish are different too. What all fish have in common is that if they are not biting, we are not going to catch them. But if they ARE biting, then a practiced fisherman who exercises patience always has a good chance. And in terms of actual witnessing, God is the One who is empowering the process and bringing success (cf. Ps. 90:17; Isa. 64:4; Eph. 2:10; Phil. 2:13; 1 Thess. 2:13; Heb. 13:21). Divine love is the "anchor point" which compels genuine believers to reach out to the lost; and this is a sure sign that one has truly passed from death unto life (Matt. 7:12; Jn. 13:34-35; 1 Jn. 4:8-21).
So the first thing is to determine if we really are being offered an opportunity. That is fairly easy to do, it seems to me. If the person knows we are Christian (our outward manifestation of our hearts and motives; Matt. 5:16; 23:3; 1 Cor. 11:1; Eph. 5:1; Phil. 3:17; Col. 3:17; 2 Thess. 3:9; 1 Tim. 4:12; Tit. 2:7; 3 Jn. 1:11; et al.), and if we dangle a little bait, something like, "yes, the recent tragedy at XYZ is terrible -- I don't know HOW people get through this world without the Christian hope!"  Now if someone really is searching for the solution to sin and death, they are likely to nibble at that one (and, by the way, I'm NOT suggesting this particular one for me -- everyone has their own way of stating the divine and godly viewpoint of anticipation of salvation and eternal life, and every prospective believer is different too, and we must take the audience into account in how exactly we express the truth, remembering that the truth always has to be presented truly).
If they don't nibble, we might want to think about waiting for a better time and a better opportunity. We can't force the issue. We wait in the boat for a bite. We can wiggle the hook, but we can't make the fish bite. If we bang on the water with an oar and command the fish to come up, guess what. We may be making ourselves feel better ("Look at me! I witnessed to so and so!" -- but they didn't respond), but we are not winning anyone to the Lord that way. The fish have a vote, because it's all about free will (Ps. 37:23; Prov. 16:9; Josh. 24:15; Jn. 1:12-13; 7:17; Rom. 10:9-10; cf. Rev. 3:20).
What if they do nibble?  I think it can be a mistake to introduce the issue of sin IMMEDIATELY in giving the gospel, except for the critical facts that we are all sinners, that Christ died for all of our sins, and that all of our sins are forgiven when we believe (Lk. 24:45-49; Rom. 1:16; 10:9-13,14; 1 Cor. 15:1-28; Eph. 1:13-14; 1 Pet. 3:18-22; 1 Jn. 4:9-10). Don't forget: the gospel changes all who respond to it. The heart is washed clean. The person is given a new heart, one devoid of hardness. At the point of salvation, the new believer is freed from all prior sinful entanglement (Ezek. 36:26; Rom. 6:6; 2 Cor. 3:18; 5:17; Eph. 4:24; 1 Jn. 5:4). If they really are ready to persevere with the Lord from that point forward, He will help them to walk a sanctified walk, and change whatever it is that needs to be changed. But if we make an issue of some sin or sinful behavior in which they are enmeshed BEFORE the fact, then we are putting conditions on salvation -- and there are no conditions on salvation . . . except to accept the Gift of Jesus Christ, acknowledging who He is and what He has done for us through faith in Him.
Death is something everyone dreads (except believers), and the offer of life eternal is the most wonderful thing on this earth. To avoid death, darkness and judgment is worth all a person has, like selling everything for the pearl of great price. If the Spirit convicts someone's heart of that truth, they will flee death by running to the gospel; they will need little convincing from us. The Spirit is the One who really does the convincing (Jn. 14:15-17,26; 16:8; 2 Cor. 7:9-10). Our job is to provide the truth, the simple yet incredibly powerful truth of the gospel. It is not up to us to try and fine tune an "after response".  If we do that, there may very well be no "after response" because the person will see the gospel as huge load that requires them to "give up" this and that. Now we know very well ourself that we all ended up giving up "this and that" after we believed because the gospel and the truth we learn and accept thereafter changed us. It is the same for everyone. But that happens AFTER; it is not a BEFORE condition.
And we don't have to worry about "saying sin is OK" either, not if we are witnessing correctly. Now if we are jamming the gospel down the throats of people who aren't interested in it, then this may be an issue because they are only interested in justifying their conduct and not in being saved, so that is where the discussion went. But if we are really only responding in love to those few who demonstrate that they DO want the truth, then it will all work fine (cf. 1 Jn. 4:11; Prov. 15:1-7; 27:6; Lk. 6:27; Rom. 8:28; 12:9-21; 1 Cor. 13:4-7; Col. 3:12). If they want eternal life and are grateful to accept Jesus Christ, guess what? They will easily begin to turn their lives to Him in all respects after they are saved. That is, if we net them after we have fished them.
How do we net them? All too many Christians and even major Christian groups engaged in evangelism get the fish to the surface and then let them go (Gal. 6:9; Rom. 10:13-14; cf. 1 Cor. 11:1-2; 2 Cor. 5:18-20; 2 Tim. 4:1-2; 2 Thess. 2:14-15; Jas. 5:19-20). No. We have to give them direction thereafter, help them to grow as we have grown. Of course, way too many Christians and Christian groups involved in evangelism have not grown to spiritual maturity themselves, so even if they have them their nets are filled with holes if and when they do use them. A new believer has to be led to a place where he/she can grow in the truth (cf. Rom. 12:13; 1 Cor. 12:12-27; Col. 3:13; 1 Thess. 5:14; Heb. 10:24-25; 1 Pet. 4:8-11). That should be a local church but today most of these are sadly deficient of the score of helping to produce genuine growth because they don't teach the truth in any depth of detail. Nowadays one finds what one can find where one can find it. I would be pleased for any new believer to be pointed to (or Bible Academy) or any other place where the truth really is being taught. But pointing a new believer to a legalistic "church" that will dictate their behavior or to a libertarian church that will tell them it's all OK (whatever "it" is) will not produce growth in either case, and a very large number of such new believers "get away" and revert to the world as a result.
In Closing:
If a person really does want to hear the gospel, that is of God: give them the gospel. Once we do, if they accept Jesus Christ as their Savior, their hearts will convict them to turn away from anything and everything sinful, regardless of past behavior or beliefs. And if they are led to a good place where they can grow, they will do so in increasing sanctification. But if they aren't really that interested in the truth, will they believe? And if they "believe" on condition of doing ABC, are they really saved or is it a works contract in their heart? And even if they legitimately accept Christ, without being led to a place where they can grow, will they be able to resist the siren song of the world and their prior lives so as not to fall back away? Only the truth can save a person. Only desire for the truth can motivate a person to be saved. Only continued attention to the truth can keep a person safe after being saved.
Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful. (Proverbs 27:6)
God Bless!

I forgot to add:
One might beg the question why Tyre and Sidon, or Sodom will not be excusable on Judgment Day if they were not shown the same degree of miracles that were demonstrated and performed in the sight of the unrepentant cities during the time of Jesus' earthly ministry. Scripture says that unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required; anything beyond what God chooses to "reveal" to each man or women would nullify the requirement of "saving faith" (Lk. 12:48). Ignorance of the Truth is not an excuse to justify unbelief, and the greater extent of available information given to the unsaved, the greater the severity and degree of the punishment when retribution is given at the Great White Throne when the "dead" are judged according to the Righteousness of God and Christ (Matt. 10:15; 1:22,24; Mk. 6:11; Heb. 6:4-6; 10:29; Rev. 20:11-15).

Hello Family of God,
There will always be a debate as to whether a Genuine Believer can stop believing, or if someone who DOES NOT believe IN THEIR HEART can come to believe at some point in their life. The Bible makes it VERY CLEAR that there is Genuine Belief that can never fall away from TRUE FAITH, and a false belief or unbelief that stems from a hardened heart that will NEVER be persuaded of the Gospel Message and Salvation by Grace through TRUE FAITH.

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is [CONDEMNED ALREADY], because he hath [NOT BELIEVED] in the name of the only begotten Son of God." (John 3:16-18)

The unbeliever is condemned ALREADY because he "hath not believed" (Grk. hoti me pepisteuken) in the name of the Only Begotten Son of God and His Propitiation for our sins. The Greek verb "believed" is in the [perfect tense], which denotes an action of permanency on the one performing the action; this is the irrevocable and unchanging "heart attitude" and sinful action of the unregenerate, or even as a false convert (Matt. 15:24-30; Rom. 8:9; 2 Cor. 5:17; Gal. 5:17,22-23; 1 Jn. 2:5,16,19). It is [permanent] because this unbeliever is ALREADY CONDEMNED (before he/she actually gets sent there) to an Eternal Hell and Lake of Fire according to Jesus's own words, and the Scripture clearly teaches that Eternal Punishment is just that -- ETERNAL, and cannot be escaped once the sentence is given by God Himself and Christ. There is NO denying what the Word of God clearly teaches as shown. 
"But and [IF THAT EVIL SERVANT SHALL SAY IN HIS HEART], My lord delayeth his coming; And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken; The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of, And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." (Matthew 24:48-51)

The parable of the faithful and unfaithful servant gives an illustration of someone who "professes" Jesus as Lord, but in [HIS HEART] reveals an unbelieving attitude that will not be persuaded from that point on; the context also reveals that this servant is [EVIL], and his actions further prove this point (e.g., "he beat his fellow slaves, and he eats and drinks with the drunken"). You either TRULY believe in the Name of the Son of God and the Gospel message, or you DON'T; there is no straddling the fence on this most important issue (cf. Matt. 5:37; Jn. 5:24; 6:51; 14:21; Heb. 11:1; Rev. 21:8).

"Ye are of [your FATHER the devil], and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not." (John 8:44-45)
When someone is of their "father", it is implied that they have the SAME "nature" as him, and we see Jesus condemning the Pharisees as having the heart attitude of Satan (i.e., "unrepentant, liars, accusatory, etc."). It is crystal clear that Satan will NEVER repent, and even after being imprisoned in the Bottomless pit for 1,000 years, he is more angrier than ever before -- this is NOT remedial (Rev. 20:1-3;7-10). And if someone has the same nature as their Father (e.g., "the devil"), there's no chance in hell that they will ever repent, and granting them "more time" will not cause them to change their minds. The rich man in the parable of the rich man and the beggar did NOT repent, and he had the audacity to ask if Lazarus can cool off his tongue even after all the torment and neglect the rich man had toward him while alive on Earth. 
"Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because [THEY REPENTED NOT]: Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes." (Matthew 11:20-21)
"And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet [REPENTED NOT] of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk:" (Revelation 9:20)
"And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and [THEY REPENTED NOT] to give him glory." (Revelation 16:9)
There will come a point in time where one will TRULY Believe in the Gospel Message and be saved, or PERMANENTLY reject it (i.e., "in their hearts"), and no amount of preaching can persuade them otherwise. There is the Eschatological Wrath of God poured out in the Great Tribulation, and there is the Wrath of God in Hell to those who will refuse to repent and turn to God and Christ for the Free Gift of Salvation; and in BOTH cases, these [children] of Satan (cf. Jn. 8:44-45; Col. 3:6) will NOT repent, even when God's Wrath is poured out upon them. This is why the Scriptures warn those who hear the voice of God tugging on their hearts NOT to harden their hearts, because tomorrow is not promised to anyone, and no one should lose this opportunity while there is still chance to avoid Hell and the Eternal Lake of Fire (Matt. 23:33; Jn. 1:23; Rom. 2:5; 2 Cor. 6:12; Eph. 4:18; Heb. 3:7-19; Jas. 4:14).
God Bless!

Hello Family of God,
The person responsible for hacking my computers in every way possible is relentless in his pursuit (I'm quite certain I know who is responsible); it is my desire that this person repent from his sins before it is too late, because tomorrow in not promised for anyone. It is my desire for this person to come to the realization that the Devil does NOT care for him in the least, and Satan will not be "sharing" his Victory when all is said and done. This person is so hellbent in hindering my ministry that he attempted (many times) to falsely accuse me of doing a bad job at my workplace by tampering with the software which used to perform my work duties.
There is no "reward" for being a slave of Satan, only Everlasting Torment in the Eternal Lake of Fire; for it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the Living God, and knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men. The worst thing anyone can do to you is kill your body, but everyone ought to know that the most dreadful experience one can possibly face for all of Eternity is to face the Judgment and Wrath of the Lord God Almighty, and He alone has the Power to destory the soul and bring it to utter ruin (Heb 10:31; 2 Cor. 5:11; Matt. 10:28).
It is the tragedy of all tragedies what men and women will sacrifice for temporary pleasures in this passing world, and what they are willing to give up for this snare from the Adversary. As the man who laid up earthly treasures only to be told that he will die the same day, and then he will face the God of gods to be sentenced to Eternal Punishment. The final gift from the Devil to the one who was enslaved by him will be packaged as a casket with the body of the one who has "sold" his soul to Satan; and by the way, to "sell" one's soul is a misnomer, because the soul of a man or woman is PRICELESS: which is why the Lord Jesus warned about the irrevocable danger of trading one's eternal soul for fleeting lusts which will ultimately bring unending ruin and corruption.
I truly do care for this person, and I would not wish Everlasting Punishment in Hell and the Eternal Lake of fire to the worst of my enemies. I sincerely pray that the Lord will remove the heart of stone, and give him a heart of flesh. Nobody is "beyond" redemption (as long as there is any remorse or guilt), even if the Devil tries to deceive others that they have crossed their Rubicon, and that God "hates" them, and it is Satan who truly does "care" for them, there may still be hope. Please pray with me that he comes to repentance and give his life over to the Lord before it is too late.
God Bless!

Hello Family of God,
(Parentheses) within Bible passages cited are used to expound on the word/s in [brackets] which precede the parentheses. ALL CAPS are used for double emphasis; this is my way of saying, "It says what it says, and it means what it means." The Bible is self-explanatory (i.e., "the best defense of Scripture is Scripture itself") in its interpretation (i.e., "the perspicuity of Scripture"), but even to this day, we find unnecessary criticism from Biblical "scholars" and theologians alike. According to these "brilliant" minded men and women, they ask, "hath God said?" (cf. Gen. 3:1-5; Lev. 18:22; Isa. 66:1-2; Rom. 1:26-27; 1 Cor. 6:9-11; 15:3-4; 2 Cor. 5:17-21; Gal. 5:19-21; Eph. 5:3-5; 1 Tim. 1:9-10; 2 Pet. 1:3; Jude 7).
I tried to post this in a sermon entry, but there were some technical issues which arose from the "other side" -- so I will be posting it here. This message may be "cut off" due to the Devil and his victims under his control through his sphere of influence operating in their minds. The Doctrine of the Triune God is being attacked more than ever today by televangelists and hirelings in the church visible. I will tearing down these strongholds which the Adversary has been at hard work.
"And without controversy great is [the mystery of godliness] (Grk. to tes eusebeias musterion; i.e., "The Revelation of God in Christ disclosed within the pages of Holy Scripture"): God was [manifest] (Grk. phaneroo; i.e., "The Incarnation of the Eternal Son of God") in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory." (1 Timothy 3:16)
The Doctrine of the Trinity (i.e., "The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit" as ONE in BEING; He is the One True and Living God) has been slandered by the unregenerate as polytheistic, heretical, an invention of man, and even stated as being demonic in origin. I will first begin by explaining in a nutshell what the Trinity is NOT; I will also be providing Irrefutable arguments to destroy every argument that raises itself against the knowledge of God; and we are all obligated to defend its Truth from all false teachings that raises itself against the knowledge of God, and to do so with the right spirit (cf. 2 Cor. 10:4-5; 2 Tim. 2:15, 24-25; 3:16; 4:1-5; Tit. 1:9; 1 Pet. 3:15). Below are a list of false doctrines and heresies that have been taught throughout church history in Christendom.
- Arianism (aka "Nontrinitarianism"; i.e., "Jesus Christ is a creation of God, and not the Creator"). - Modalistic Monarchianism (aka "Oneness Christology; Modalism; Sabellianism"). - "Christian" Science (the fact that "Christian" and "Science" do not go together is an oxymoron; thus their "god" is NOT the God Revealed in Holy Scripture). - The "god" of Mormonism (i.e., "a" god, and NOT [the] God of True Christianity). - New Age God/Pantheism (this belief refutes itself). The listed above are all doctrines of demons (lit., "doctrines taught by demons"), and they were given through "epiphanies" (i.e., "willing or unwillingly human conduits") to unregenerate men and women who didn't take the time necessary to study the Scriptures with due diligence. As a result of their utter failure to take heed to the Command to be found as a workman approved by God, these lying spirits from the kingdom of darkness were given permission to deceive these men and women by using them as a mouthpiece to disseminate their demon doctrines (cf. 1 Kgs. 22:21-23; Matt. 12:43-45; 1 Tim. 4:1; 2 Tim. 2:15; Rev. 16:13-14).        
Arianism:
Arius was an elder at Baucalis (c., 250-336), where our beloved brother Mark was martyred; and this is where the demons taught the ancient heresy of Arianism through the mouth of this heretical priest. He taught that our Lord Jesus Christ was a creature who was "begotten" by His Father at some point in time; at the same time, Arius believed that Christ was God the Son, and thus also God. Anyone with a modicum of common sense would tell you that God does NOT come "into" being. The Jews clearly understood that if someone declared themself to be the "son of" someone, he possessed the same [nature] as his father.
"And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay him, because he had done these things on the sabbath day. But Jesus answered them, [MY FATHER] (Grk. ho pater mou, lit., "my own Father", and not "our Father" cf. Matt. 6:9) worketh hitherto, and I work. Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God. Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, [The Son can do nothing of himself], but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise." (John 5:16-19)
The Son can do NOTHING of Himself; this does not suggest that Christ has no power apart from His Father, but that they are ONE in Works, Sovereignty, Authority, Perfect Judgment, and Equal Honor; see Jn. 5:17-23). Although God's act of [Creation] ended after the sixth day, He continues His work by sustaining all thngs in existence ( cf. Jer. 10:12; Matt. 10:29-30; Rom. 1:20; Col. 1:16-17; Heb. 1:2-3).
"Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. And Thomas answered and [said unto him], [My Lord and my God] (Grk. ho kurios mou kai ho theos mou)." (John 20:27-28)
Thomas replied to JESUS ("unto Him"), and not to BOTH the Son (My Lord) and the Father (My God); and this isn't a reaction of surprise either (e.g., "oh my goodness!"), for such a response, if it were to be the case, would warrant a stern rebuke from Jesus Himself. Anyone who interprets this passage using the faulty eisegesis mentioned is obviously lying through their teeth, or had never been trained in New Testament Greek at all.
"For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of [the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ] (Grk. tou megalou theou kai soteros Iesou Christou); Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works." (Titus 2:11-14)
Once again, anyone trained in basic New Testament Greek would know of the Granville Sharp rule: When two nouns are used to describe a person, and the two nouns, which are not proper names (e.g., "John, Matthew, Peter") are joined by the copulative (i.e., "and"); and the first noun has the definite article (i.e., "the"), while the second noun does not, BOTH nouns are referring to the SAME person.

Hello Family of God,
The person responsible for hacking my computers in every way possible is relentless in his pursuit (I'm quite certain I know who is responsible); it is my desire that this person repent from his sins before it is too late, because tomorrow in not promised for anyone. It is my desire for this person to come to the realization that the Devil does NOT care for him in the least, and Satan will not be "sharing" his Victory when all is said and done. This person is so hellbent in hindering my ministry that he attempted (many times) to falsely accuse me of doing a bad job at my workplace by tampering with the software which used to perform my work duties.
There is no "reward" for being a slave of Satan, only Everlasting Torment in the Eternal Lake of Fire; for it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the Living God, and knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men. The worst thing anyone can do to you is kill your body, but everyone ought to know that the most dreadful experience one can possibly face for all of Eternity is to face the Judgment and Wrath of the Lord God Almighty, and He alone has the Power to destory the soul and bring it to utter ruin (Heb 10:31; 2 Cor. 5:11; Matt. 10:28).
It is the tragedy of all tragedies what men and women will sacrifice for temporary pleasures in this passing world, and what they are willing to give up for this snare from the Adversary. As the man who laid up earthly treasures only to be told that he will die the same day, and then he will face the God of gods to be sentenced to Eternal Punishment. The final gift from the Devil to the one who was enslaved by him will be packaged as a casket with the body of the one who has "sold" his soul to Satan; and by the way, to "sell" one's soul is a misnomer, because the soul of a man or woman is PRICELESS: which is why the Lord Jesus warned about the irrevocable danger of trading one's eternal soul for fleeting lusts which will ultimately bring unending ruin and corruption.
I truly do care for this person, and I would not wish Everlasting Punishment in Hell and the Eternal Lake of fire to the worst of my enemies. I sincerely pray that the Lord will remove the heart of stone, and give him a heart of flesh. Nobody is "beyond" redemption (as long as there is any remorse or guilt), even if the Devil tries to deceive others that they have crossed their Rubicon, and that God "hates" them, and it is Satan who truly does "care" for them, there may still be hope. Please pray with me that he comes to repentance and give his life over to the Lord before it is too late.
God Bless!

Hello Family of God,
The person responsible for hacking my computers in every way possible is relentless in his pursuit (I'm quite certain I know who is responsible); it is my desire that this person repent from his sins before it is too late, because tomorrow in not promised for anyone. It is my desire for this person to come to the realization that the Devil does NOT care for him in the least, and Satan will not be "sharing" his Victory when all is said and done. This person is so hellbent in hindering my ministry that he attempted (many times) to falsely accuse me of doing a bad job at my workplace by tampering with the software which used to perform my work duties.
There is no "reward" for being a slave of Satan, only Everlasting Torment in the Eternal Lake of Fire; for it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the Living God, and knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men. The worst thing anyone can do to you is kill your body, but everyone ought to know that the most dreadful experience one can possibly face for all of Eternity is to face the Judgment and Wrath of the Lord God Almighty, and He alone has the Power to destory the soul and bring it to utter ruin (Heb 10:31; 2 Cor. 5:11; Matt. 10:28).
It is the tragedy of all tragedies what men and women will sacrifice for temporary pleasures in this passing world, and what they are willing to give up for this snare from the Adversary. As the man who laid up earthly treasures only to be told that he will die the same day, and then he will face the God of gods to be sentenced to Eternal Punishment. The final gift from the Devil to the one who was enslaved by him will be packaged as a casket with the body of the one who has "sold" his soul to Satan; and by the way, to "sell" one's soul is a misnomer, because the soul of a man or woman is PRICELESS: which is why the Lord Jesus warned about the irrevocable danger of trading one's eternal soul for fleeting lusts which will ultimately bring unending ruin and corruption.
I truly do care for this person, and I would not wish Everlasting Punishment in Hell and the Eternal Lake of fire to the worst of my enemies. I sincerely pray that the Lord will remove the heart of stone, and give him a heart of flesh. Nobody is "beyond" redemption (as long as there is any remorse or guilt), even if the Devil tries to deceive others that they have crossed their Rubicon, and that God "hates" them, and it is Satan who truly does "care" for them, there may still be hope. Please pray with me that he comes to repentance and give his life over to the Lord before it is too late.
God Bless!

I can present with irrefutable arguments that proves that a Genuine Believer CANNOT "lose" their Salvation if they have TRULY been born-again. I can also provide using context, exegesis and hermeneutics to prove without any doubt that the Doctrine of Eternal Security is Biblical. Unfortunately, there are those who just want to lure Christians into a trap by denying this precious Truth. 
Here is just one out of MANY irrefutable proofs:
"My sheep [HEAR] my voice, and I [KNOW] them, and they [FOLLOW] me: And I give unto them eternal life; and [THEY SHALL NEVER PERISH], neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand." (John 10:27-29)
Jesus said that He gives His sheep Eternal Life; but His sheep are the ones who "continually" hear and follow Him; and are known by their Chief Shepherd (Jesus) in the most intimate manner. These are"characteristics" of His sheep, and they will never perish. The words "they shall never perish" (Grk. "kai ou me apolontai eis ton aiona" καὶ οὐ μὴ ἀπόλωνται εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα; i.e., "they shall never perish, no not ever") in the Greek grammar is referred to as an emphatic double negative (similar to Verily, Verily) or (e.g., "No, not, ever"). The Greek verbs "hear" (Grk. "akouousin" ἀκούουσιν; i.e., "to obediently listen to the voice of the Chief Shepherd"), "know" (Grk. "ginosko" γινώσκω; i.e., "a deep and intimate understanding of") and "follow" (Grk. "akolouthousin" ἀκολουθοῦσίν; i.e., "to FOLLOW one who LEADS") are all in the present tense, active voice, and the mood is in the indicative (cf. Jn. 8:12). This all suggests that the characteristic's of Jesus sheep will "continue" to "hear, know His voice, and follow" Him.
Some have argued that "as" one of Jesus' sheep, one could ("on their own free will") voluntarily remove or jump out of Jesus' hand -- and therefore "forfeit" their Salvation. The problem with that argument is that the passage says "NO MAN" shall pluck them out of my Hand; this would also include the "sheep" in the hands of BOTH the Father and the Son. The teaching that one of Jesus' sheep can voluntarily jump out of His hand would not work for several reason -- even using the "free will" argument. The reasons are:
Jesus said that His (possessive pronoun) sheep will not listen to the "voice of strangers" or false shepherds; but will "flee" from them. (John 10:5) Jesus said that even if one of His sheep wanders off voluntarily, He will leave the 99 in His fold to seek out that sheep that wandered astray [free will and voluntarily] (Lk. 15:1-6) Jesus said that He is the TRUE shepherd and not a hireling; for hirelings abandon their sheep when there's danger approaching (John 10:12 -- i.e., "wolves"). Jesus is the GOOD SHEPHERD, so He will keep His sheep safe at all times. If Jesus allows His sheep to wander off and does nothing about it; how then is He the Good Shepherd? One might argue that the sheep that have wandered astray in Luke 15:1-6 refers to the unsaved, and not those who already belong to Christ. Romans 5:8-9 states: "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, [WHILE WE WERE YET SINNERS], Christ died for us. [MUCH MORE THEN, BEING NOW JUSTIFIED BY HIS BLOOD], we shall be saved from wrath through him." The subject (i.e., "Jesus' sheep" or "them") in that passage uses the reflexive pronoun; meaning that the "subject" (i.e., "Jesus' sheep or him/herself") in the hands of both the Father and the Son will have nothing to do with him/herself being plucked out. A great place to start would be an examination of the fruit of the Spirit. If you TRULY belong to Christ, then a spiritual inventory check would be the first place to start (cf. 2 Cor. 13:5). Do these Christlike characteristics abide in you? Love Joy Peace Self-control Kindness Goodness Gentleness Faithfulness Patience If you are in complete opposition of these Spiritual fruits, then that is a "red flag" that you may not be saved, or were never saved to begin with. When we are born-again, we are "new" creatures in Christ, and sin will have less dominion overs us during our life (cf. Matt. 3:8; Rom. 12:2-3; 2 Cor. 5:17; Heb. 6:1; 1 Jn. 3:9; 5:4; et al.). As we progress spiritually, we will have a greater hatred towards sin, and keep the commandments because we want to please God.
 
God Bless!

Hello Family of God,
Some JW's came to my door about 30 minutes ago and invited me to attend their meetings. We engaged in a discussion about the finished. Work of Christ on the Cross. He made an attempt to teach Salvation by works, and after refuting this false teaching with Scripture, he changed his mind, but he remain settled in his denial about the Deity of Christ. His name is Rene, and please pray for me that the Lord will grant him repentance and knowledge of the True Gospel and the True Christ. Please pray that the Devil will NOT snatch away that which is sown in his heart, and he will repent and turn to God and the True Christ for Salvation. 
God Bless!

"Heal me, O LORD, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved: for thou art my praise. Behold, they say unto me, Where is the word of the LORD? let it come now. As for me, I have not hastened from being a pastor to follow thee: neither have I desired the woeful day; thou knowest: that which came out of my lips was right before thee. Be not a terror unto me: thou art my hope in the day of evil. Let them be confounded that persecute me, but let not me be confounded: let them be dismayed, but let not me be dismayed: bring upon them the day of evil, and destroy them with double destruction." (Jeremiah 17:14-18)

Hello Family of God,   "[COME NOW], and [LET US REASON TOGETHER], saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool." (Isaiah 1:18)   This message will be divided into sections because of the length of it.   "For this cause [I BOW MY KNEES] unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Of whom [THE WHOLE FAMILY IN HEAVEN AND EARTH IS NAMED], That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to [BE STRENGTHENED WITH MIGHT BY HIS SPIRIT IN THE INNER MAN]; That Christ may [DWELL IN YOUR HEARTS] by faith; that ye, being [ROOTED] and [GROUNDED] in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the [BREADTH], and [LENGTH], and [DEPTH], and [HEIGHT]; And to [KNOW THE LOVE OF CHRIST], which passeth knowledge, that ye might [BE FILLED WITH ALL THE FULLNESS OF GOD]." (Ephesians 3:14-19)   PART 1:   Brackets and ALL CAPS are used for [EMPHASIS]. Please excuse my grammatical inaccuracies and errors in punctuation; as I am a fallen creature who is capable of making mistakes here on Earth. Though some of my words may seem harsh, it is never my intention to verbally harm others in a negative manner; but rather it is to stir wayward Christians to be faithful slaves of the LORD, and to urge the unrepentant who may think that they are saved but are not; that they may surrender their hearts over to the Lord God so that they may be saved -- because tomorrow is never promised to anyone (cf. Ps. 90:12; Prov. 27:1; Rom. 13:11; 2 Cor. 6:1-2; Eph. 5:15-17; Jas. 4:13-15).    I have to wake up each morning to such absurdities on the local news discussing topics as: are these two muppets gay? This is what the news has devolved into; whether two inanimate objects are gay! Or about some celebrity in Hellywood taking up almost 15 minutes of airtime. There are terrorists, wars, famine, and people dying all over the world because of neglect; and this is the GARBAGE that is at times referred to as "BREAKING NEWS".   "Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, [THE SPIRIT THAT NOW WORKETH IN THE CHILDREN OF DISOBEDIENCE]: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others." (Ephesians 2:2-3)   The Good News of the Gospel has been veiled to those who are on their way to destruction; because the god of this world has BLINDED the minds of these lost men and women; and they are being controlled like puppets by an entire host of nonhuman entities that occupy the realm above, below, and on Terra Firma (2 Cor. 4:3-4; Eph. 2:2-3; Col. 1:16; Rev. 6:15; 9:3-10; 13:1,11-18; 12:7). A man or woman who is not being constantly led by the Spirit can easily fall victim to the desires of unclean spirits; and such people do not need to be "possessed" by such unclean entities in order for them to influence the disobedient who are under the control of the present age of the world (cf. Matt. 12:43-45). Even Christians can be inflicted by nonhuman entities as a result of disobedience, chastisement, to keep him/her in submission to God through humility, or to keep a Christian on their toes (2 Cor. 2:10-11; 12:7-9; Eph. 4:26-27; 6:12; Jas. 4:7; 1 Pet. 5:8).   I have prayed unceasingly to the LORD for wisdom, spiritual discernment, and understanding concerning the rapid decline of morality in today's world; not only of those who are part of the world system (cf. 2 Tim. 3:3) -- but those who "profess" to be Christian . . . and undoubtedly, there are also MANY who are deluded into believing that they have been "born-again" while being completely devoid of the Holy Spirit; so they often say to themselves, "why can't I achieve victory over my struggle with my sins?" I will discuss in length on how the TRUE CHRISTIAN can overcome any sin/s that they are easily entangled in (Heb. 12:1).   "And it came to pass, as soon as he came nigh unto the camp, that he saw the calf, and the dancing: and Moses' anger waxed hot, and he cast the tablets out of his hands, [AND BRAKE THEM] beneath the mount. And he took the calf which they had made, and burnt it in the fire, and ground it to powder, and strawed it upon the water, and made the children of Israel drink of it." (Exodus 32:19-20)   Moses had discovered that the Israelites had made a graven image of THE ONE TRUE GOD. A man-made "representation" of THE ONE TRUE GOD is a false form of worship because they were worshiping the THE ONE TRUE GOD in the WRONG WAY -- and this is tantamount to IDOLATRY. This kindled the righteous indignation of Moses, and as a result; ALL TEN COMMANDMENTS WERE BROKEN as Moses shattered the tablets at the foot of Har Sinai/Horeb. Idolatry will consequently lead to rebelling against the rest of the Commandments. Our Golden calf will in no doubt lead to an inability to keep the Golden rule (Matt. 7:12) -- let alone, the Greatest Commandment of them all. If the Greatest Commandments [CANNOT BE KEPT], then a habitual practice of breaking the rest of the Commandments will naturally follow the rebellious heart, and then defiance against THE ONE TRUE GOD.   "Thou shalt not make unto thee any [GRAVEN IMAGE], or [ANY LIKENESS] of [ANY THING THAT IS IN HEAVEN ABOVE], or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments." (Exodus 20:4-6)   PART 2:   Here is the general outline on what I will be discussing regarding the believers battle with sin. You can also examine their Cross References to get a better understanding of their contexts.    Born from above and filled with Divine Love: (Jn. 1:12; 3:3; (Jn. 15:10; 1 Cor. 13:4-7; Eph. 3:17-19; 1 Pet. 4:8; 1 Jn. 4:16; Rom. 10:9-10; Eph. 2:5-6; 2 Cor. 5:17; Col. 2:13; 1 Pet. 1:22-23) Insubordination and Submission: (Ps. 68:6; Prov. 28:9; Isa. 63:10; Jer. 5:23; Lk. 6:46; Rom. 8:7; Heb. 3:15; Jas. 1:22) Bad Doctrine/Theology and Ungodly Living: (Matt. 23:1-39; Rom. 16:17-20; 2 Cor. 11:14-15; 1 Tim. 4:1; 2 Tim. 4:3-4; 2 Pet. 3:16; Rev. 22:18-19) Love Conquers Sin: (Rom. 8:28; 37-39; 13:8; 1 Cor. 13:4-8; Gal. 5:14; Col. 3:14; 2 Thess. 3:5; 2 Tim. 1:7; 1 Pet. 1:22; 4:8; 1 Jn. 4:12) Inward Renewal and Obedience: (Ps. 51:6,10; Rom. 2:29; 12:1-2; Col. 3:10-12; 2 Cor. 4:16-18; Eph. 4:23; Gal. 2:20) The Absolute Necessity of Prayer: (Matt. 6:9-13; 21:22; Mk. 11:24; Jn. 14:13-14; 15:7; Rom. 8:26; Eph. 6:18; Phil. 4:6-7; 1 Thess. 5:16-18; Heb. 4:16; Jas. 5:16; 1 Jn. 3:22; 5:14-15) Abiding in the Vine [CHRIST]: (Jn. 8:31; 14:23; 15:4; Rom. 6:1-23; 8:1; Col. 3:1-3; 1 Jn. 2:6; 3:6,15,24; 4:15; 2 Jn. 1:9) Pride and Humility: (2 Chron. 7:14; Prov. 3:34; 11:2; 16:5; 18:12; 29:23; Obad. 1:3; Mic. 6:8; Jas. 4:6-10) Walk in the Spirit: (Ps. 119:105; Rom. 8:14; 2 Cor. 5:7; Gal. 5:16; Eph. 2:10; 5:8,15-16; 1 Jn. 2:6; 3 Jn. 1:3-4) Trusting in The Absolute Sovereignty of Almighty God: (Ps. 9:10; 37:4-6; 56:3; 62:8; 91:1-2; 112:7; 91:1-2; Prov. 3:5; 16:20; 29:25; Josh. 1:9; Nah. 1:7; Isa. 12:2; 26:3; Jer. 17:7-8; Jn. 14:1; Heb. 11:6; 13:6; Jas. 1:6; et al.) Resisting the Devil: (2 Cor. 2:11; Eph. 4:27; 6:12-13; 2 Tim. 2:26; Heb. 2:18; Jas. 4:7; 1 Pet. 5:8-9) Avoiding any type or form of the Occult or Sorcery: (Deut. 18:10-12; 2 Chron. 33:6; Jer. 27:9; Mal. 3:5; Gal. 5:19-21; Rev. 18:23) Confidence in the LORD and NOT Spiritual Overconfidence in ourselves: (Ps. 27:3; Prov. 3:26; Rom. 12:1-3; 1 Cor. 10:12; Phil. 4:4-7; Heb. 10:35-36; 1 Jn. 5:14) Keeping the Commandments and The Joy of the Lord: (Neh. 8:10; Ps. 5:11; 16:11; Jn. 15:11; 16:24; Rom. 12:12; 14:17; 15:13; Gal. 5:22; Phil. 4:4; Jas. 1:2; 1 Pet. 1:8-9)   "Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him. Little children, let no man deceive you: [HE THAT DOETH RIGHTEOUSNESS IS RIGHTEOUS], even as he is righteous. He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for [HIS SEED REMAINETH IN HIM]: and he cannot sin, [BECAUSE HE IS BORN OF GOD]. In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: [WHOSOEVER DOETH NOT RIGHTEOUSNESS IS NOT OF GOD], neither he that loveth not his brother." (1 John 3:6-10)   I will be focusing primarily on the doctrine of sin (Hamartiology); but there are theological subsets contained in Scripture which tie in to the understanding of how one is to live a Holy life pleasing to the LORD through discipline, obedience, and complete submission to His Will. One of the main reasons why there is a decline in morality, purity, and holiness within the church visible today is due to the fact that there are MANY Pastors, evangelists, and preachers alike who are unwilling to discuss the topic of sin out of fear that their listeners will turn their ears away from this crucial Truth and sever ties with them. The Word of God is NOT to be compromised, even if and when these messengers of God feel under the gun. Perhaps they fear persecution; or maybe they are willing to compromise the Truth knowing that there is a high probability that they may "lose" the "respect" of their friends or loved ones -- and those whom they are closely yoked up with. Those who "profess" to love the Lord will be put to the test; and He will separate these hypocrites who were willing to compromise the Word of God rather than having their feet planted firmly on solid ground (cf. Deut. 13:3; Matt. 10:32-33; Mk. 8:38; 2 Tim. 1:8; 1 Pet. 4:16).   "Thy word [HAVE I HID] (Heb. "tsaphan" צָפַן; "to treasure up") in mine heart, that I might [NOT SIN] against thee." (Psalm 119:11)   "Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by [PRAYER AND SUPPLICATION] with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall [KEEP YOUR HEARTS AND MINDS] through Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:6-7)

Hello Family of God,   "[COME NOW], and [LET US REASON TOGETHER], saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool." (Isaiah 1:18)   This message will be divided into sections because of the length of it.   "For this cause [I BOW MY KNEES] unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Of whom [THE WHOLE FAMILY IN HEAVEN AND EARTH IS NAMED], That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to [BE STRENGTHENED WITH MIGHT BY HIS SPIRIT IN THE INNER MAN]; That Christ may [DWELL IN YOUR HEARTS] by faith; that ye, being [ROOTED] and [GROUNDED] in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the [BREADTH], and [LENGTH], and [DEPTH], and [HEIGHT]; And to [KNOW THE LOVE OF CHRIST], which passeth knowledge, that ye might [BE FILLED WITH ALL THE FULLNESS OF GOD]." (Ephesians 3:14-19)   PART 1:   Brackets and ALL CAPS are used for [EMPHASIS]. Please excuse my grammatical inaccuracies and errors in punctuation; as I am a fallen creature who is capable of making mistakes here on Earth. Though some of my words may seem harsh, it is never my intention to verbally harm others in a negative manner; but rather it is to stir wayward Christians to be faithful slaves of the LORD, and to urge the unrepentant who may think that they are saved but are not; that they may surrender their hearts over to the Lord God so that they may be saved -- because tomorrow is never promised to anyone (cf. Ps. 90:12; Prov. 27:1; Rom. 13:11; 2 Cor. 6:1-2; Eph. 5:15-17; Jas. 4:13-15).    I have to wake up each morning to such absurdities on the local news discussing topics as: are these two muppets gay? This is what the news has devolved into; whether two inanimate objects are gay! Or about some celebrity in Hellywood taking up almost 15 minutes of airtime. There are terrorists, wars, famine, and people dying all over the world because of neglect; and this is the GARBAGE that is at times referred to as "BREAKING NEWS".   "Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, [THE SPIRIT THAT NOW WORKETH IN THE CHILDREN OF DISOBEDIENCE]: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others." (Ephesians 2:2-3)   The Good News of the Gospel has been veiled to those who are on their way to destruction; because the god of this world has BLINDED the minds of these lost men and women; and they are being controlled like puppets by an entire host of nonhuman entities that occupy the realm above, below, and on Terra Firma (2 Cor. 4:3-4; Eph. 2:2-3; Col. 1:16; Rev. 6:15; 9:3-10; 13:1,11-18; 12:7). A man or woman who is not being constantly led by the Spirit can easily fall victim to the desires of unclean spirits; and such people do not need to be "possessed" by such unclean entities in order for them to influence the disobedient who are under the control of the present age of the world (cf. Matt. 12:43-45). Even Christians can be inflicted by nonhuman entities as a result of disobedience, chastisement, to keep him/her in submission to God through humility, or to keep a Christian on their toes (2 Cor. 2:10-11; 12:7-9; Eph. 4:26-27; 6:12; Jas. 4:7; 1 Pet. 5:8).   I have prayed unceasingly to the LORD for wisdom, spiritual discernment, and understanding concerning the rapid decline of morality in today's world; not only of those who are part of the world system (cf. 2 Tim. 3:3) -- but those who "profess" to be Christian . . . and undoubtedly, there are also MANY who are deluded into believing that they have been "born-again" while being completely devoid of the Holy Spirit; so they often say to themselves, "why can't I achieve victory over my struggle with my sins?" I will discuss in length on how the TRUE CHRISTIAN can overcome any sin/s that they are easily entangled in (Heb. 12:1).   "And it came to pass, as soon as he came nigh unto the camp, that he saw the calf, and the dancing: and Moses' anger waxed hot, and he cast the tablets out of his hands, [AND BRAKE THEM] beneath the mount. And he took the calf which they had made, and burnt it in the fire, and ground it to powder, and strawed it upon the water, and made the children of Israel drink of it." (Exodus 32:19-20)   Moses had discovered that the Israelites had made a graven image of THE ONE TRUE GOD. A man-made "representation" of THE ONE TRUE GOD is a false form of worship because they were worshiping the THE ONE TRUE GOD in the WRONG WAY -- and this is tantamount to IDOLATRY. This kindled the righteous indignation of Moses, and as a result; ALL TEN COMMANDMENTS WERE BROKEN as Moses shattered the tablets at the foot of Har Sinai/Horeb. Idolatry will consequently lead to rebelling against the rest of the Commandments. Our Golden calf will in no doubt lead to an inability to keep the Golden rule (Matt. 7:12) -- let alone, the Greatest Commandment of them all. If the Greatest Commandments [CANNOT BE KEPT], then a habitual practice of breaking the rest of the Commandments will naturally follow the rebellious heart, and then defiance against THE ONE TRUE GOD.   "Thou shalt not make unto thee any [GRAVEN IMAGE], or [ANY LIKENESS] of [ANY THING THAT IS IN HEAVEN ABOVE], or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments." (Exodus 20:4-6)   PART 2:   Here is the general outline on what I will be discussing regarding the believers battle with sin. You can also examine their Cross References to get a better understanding of their contexts.    Born from above and filled with Divine Love: (Jn. 1:12; 3:3; (Jn. 15:10; 1 Cor. 13:4-7; Eph. 3:17-19; 1 Pet. 4:8; 1 Jn. 4:16; Rom. 10:9-10; Eph. 2:5-6; 2 Cor. 5:17; Col. 2:13; 1 Pet. 1:22-23) Insubordination and Submission: (Ps. 68:6; Prov. 28:9; Isa. 63:10; Jer. 5:23; Lk. 6:46; Rom. 8:7; Heb. 3:15; Jas. 1:22) Bad Doctrine/Theology and Ungodly Living: (Matt. 23:1-39; Rom. 16:17-20; 2 Cor. 11:14-15; 1 Tim. 4:1; 2 Tim. 4:3-4; 2 Pet. 3:16; Rev. 22:18-19) Love Conquers Sin: (Rom. 8:28; 37-39; 13:8; 1 Cor. 13:4-8; Gal. 5:14; Col. 3:14; 2 Thess. 3:5; 2 Tim. 1:7; 1 Pet. 1:22; 4:8; 1 Jn. 4:12) Inward Renewal and Obedience: (Ps. 51:6,10; Rom. 2:29; 12:1-2; Col. 3:10-12; 2 Cor. 4:16-18; Eph. 4:23; Gal. 2:20) The Absolute Necessity of Prayer: (Matt. 6:9-13; 21:22; Mk. 11:24; Jn. 14:13-14; 15:7; Rom. 8:26; Eph. 6:18; Phil. 4:6-7; 1 Thess. 5:16-18; Heb. 4:16; Jas. 5:16; 1 Jn. 3:22; 5:14-15) Abiding in the Vine [CHRIST]: (Jn. 8:31; 14:23; 15:4; Rom. 6:1-23; 8:1; Col. 3:1-3; 1 Jn. 2:6; 3:6,15,24; 4:15; 2 Jn. 1:9) Pride and Humility: (2 Chron. 7:14; Prov. 3:34; 11:2; 16:5; 18:12; 29:23; Obad. 1:3; Mic. 6:8; Jas. 4:6-10) Walk in the Spirit: (Ps. 119:105; Rom. 8:14; 2 Cor. 5:7; Gal. 5:16; Eph. 2:10; 5:8,15-16; 1 Jn. 2:6; 3 Jn. 1:3-4) Trusting in The Absolute Sovereignty of Almighty God: (Ps. 9:10; 37:4-6; 56:3; 62:8; 91:1-2; 112:7; 91:1-2; Prov. 3:5; 16:20; 29:25; Josh. 1:9; Nah. 1:7; Isa. 12:2; 26:3; Jer. 17:7-8; Jn. 14:1; Heb. 11:6; 13:6; Jas. 1:6; et al.) Resisting the Devil: (2 Cor. 2:11; Eph. 4:27; 6:12-13; 2 Tim. 2:26; Heb. 2:18; Jas. 4:7; 1 Pet. 5:8-9) Avoiding any type or form of the Occult or Sorcery: (Deut. 18:10-12; 2 Chron. 33:6; Jer. 27:9; Mal. 3:5; Gal. 5:19-21; Rev. 18:23) Confidence in the LORD and NOT Spiritual Overconfidence in ourselves: (Ps. 27:3; Prov. 3:26; Rom. 12:1-3; 1 Cor. 10:12; Phil. 4:4-7; Heb. 10:35-36; 1 Jn. 5:14) Keeping the Commandments and The Joy of the Lord: (Neh. 8:10; Ps. 5:11; 16:11; Jn. 15:11; 16:24; Rom. 12:12; 14:17; 15:13; Gal. 5:22; Phil. 4:4; Jas. 1:2; 1 Pet. 1:8-9)   "Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him. Little children, let no man deceive you: [HE THAT DOETH RIGHTEOUSNESS IS RIGHTEOUS], even as he is righteous. He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for [HIS SEED REMAINETH IN HIM]: and he cannot sin, [BECAUSE HE IS BORN OF GOD]. In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: [WHOSOEVER DOETH NOT RIGHTEOUSNESS IS NOT OF GOD], neither he that loveth not his brother." (1 John 3:6-10)   I will be focusing primarily on the doctrine of sin (Hamartiology); but there are theological subsets contained in Scripture which tie in to the understanding of how one is to live a Holy life pleasing to the LORD through discipline, obedience, and complete submission to His Will. One of the main reasons why there is a decline in morality, purity, and holiness within the church visible today is due to the fact that there are MANY Pastors, evangelists, and preachers alike who are unwilling to discuss the topic of sin out of fear that their listeners will turn their ears away from this crucial Truth and sever ties with them. The Word of God is NOT to be compromised, even if and when these messengers of God feel under the gun. Perhaps they fear persecution; or maybe they are willing to compromise the Truth knowing that there is a high probability that they may "lose" the "respect" of their friends or loved ones -- and those whom they are closely yoked up with. Those who "profess" to love the Lord will be put to the test; and He will separate these hypocrites who were willing to compromise the Word of God rather than having their feet planted firmly on solid ground (cf. Deut. 13:3; Matt. 10:32-33; Mk. 8:38; 2 Tim. 1:8; 1 Pet. 4:16).   "Thy word [HAVE I HID] (Heb. "tsaphan" צָפַן; "to treasure up") in mine heart, that I might [NOT SIN] against thee." (Psalm 119:11)   "Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by [PRAYER AND SUPPLICATION] with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall [KEEP YOUR HEARTS AND MINDS] through Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:6-7)

As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. (Matthew 13:40-42)

I am grieved over the lack of doctrinal truth and spiritual discernment found in the majority of local churches today (e.g., false doctrines, bibles rarely being used, the name of Jesus almost never mentioned, worldly sermons, glorifying self, etc.). I would go as far as to say that nearly 90% of local churches (if not more) do not uphold to biblical truths; and especially not with what "church" has become here in the waning days of the Lukewarmness which abounds. It is typical of people who have adopted an easy and comfortable way of doing things not only to proclaim themselves "right" in their wrong-doing, but also to find fault with others who ARE doing it right. Why? Because such individuals challenge their comfort. Also, if they can get the people who are doing it right to do it "their way" instead, then they will feel much more secure in their wrong approach. This is, after all, how the devil got a third of the angels to join up: not only were they doing what they wanted to do (instead of doing the right thing) but with so many doing it there was safety in numbers. A third of the angels can't be wrong, can they? Yes they can. So many Christians going to church where the Word is NEVER taught or else is error is taught about it can't be wrong can they? Yes they can.
Everyone should attend church, but why are we going there? If it's not to learn the truth and grow spiritually from it -- the whole reason for Christian assembly -- then we are only wasting our time . . . or worse (if what is being "taught" is contrary to the truth which is often the case). Churches today tend to be little more than social get-togethers, so that even though there may be differing in their formal creeds, really no one believes much of anything (anything of the truth, that is). So whether a church in question focuses on wowing the congregation with "worldly" music, or hell-fire and brimstone, or speaking in tongues, or extensive high ritual, what they have in common is no truth (or very little of it) and very often falsity instead. 
     
And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. (Hebrews 10:24-25)
     
The assembling of believers OUGHT to be an occasion for mutual edification and motivation for learning, teaching and believing the truth and living it out. That is the PURPOSE for the assembly. It's about the purpose! We can find some BAD examples of this all throughout the Bible. Here are a few passages about assemblies that do not accomplish the purpose:
     
When ye come to appear before me, who hath required this at your hand, to tread my courts? Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting. Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear them. (Isaiah 1:12-14)
I hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell in your solemmn assemblies. (Amos 5:21)
Who is there even among you that would shut the doors for nought? neither do ye kindle fire on mine altar for nought. I have no pleasure in you, saith the LORD of hosts, neither will I accept an offering at your hand. (Malachi 1:10) 
       
Now in this that I declare unto you I praise you not, that ye come together not for the better, [but for the worse]. (1 Corinthians 11:17)
     
I certainly encourage every Christian to fellowship with other Christians who are likewise dedicated to the truth so that by such fellowship they may be encouraged and helped even as we encourage and help them -- and to bring Glory to God. That is what local churches of Jesus Christ is supposed to be doing -- and what better and more efficient way of doing so than face to face? Churches which teach false doctrines and damnable heresies are a dime a dozen these days, and those are lies. And we are not required to believe lies.  Rather, we are to refute them with the truth. It's all about the truth, and that is a difficult commodity to come by in the vast majority of churches today . . . and they are very few and far between.
God Bless!

And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to [the acknowledging of the truth]; And that they may [recover themselves] out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will. (2 Timothy 2:24-26)
If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, [receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed]: For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds. (2 John 10-11)
Should we invite (into our homes) those who teach doctrines and beliefs contrary to what the infallible Word of God says? And if no . . . where do we draw the line? One of the ways we can express our love to those who are led astray with false teaching is through the TRUTH. It would be *unloving* to let the said person "BE" if they are on the broad path to destruction (Jas. 4:17; cf. 1 Jn. 2:1-29; Jude 1:23). The Spirit-filled men of the Bible made it their life mission to admonish those who were in opposition to God's Truth (cf. Mk. 9:42; Lk. 13:3; Acts 17:30; Rom. 3:19; 6:23; 1 Tim. 2:1-15; Gal. 5:4; 6:7-9; Jas. 1:17; 1 Jn. 5:17; Isa. 59:2; Deut. 30:15-16; Ezek. 18:4, et al.)
When it comes to most denominations and cults, I'm not sure there is much of a functional difference because none of them is truly SEEKING Christ, where the individual person therein is a believer or not (Deut. 32:18; Lev. 26:27-28; Ezek. 6:9; Isa. 28:22; Hos. 4:6; Jer. 1:16; 2:21; 3:20; Amos 2:4,5; Ps. 50:22; Jn. 3:36; Rom. 2:8, etc.). 2 John 1:10-11 is telling us not to PRETEND that individuals who pretend to be servants of Christ really are -- just because they say so -- and therefore not to support them in their efforts because their efforts are not of God. Telling someone "God speed" is a blessing of sorts, e.g., so we do not want to wish Mormon missionaries "success!" because what they are doing is wrong (cf. 1 Thess. 2:1-6; Matt. 15:9; 1 Cor. 15:14; Ecc. 5:3; Tit. 1:10). Does that mean we cannot try to persuade them to come to Christ? Not at all. That is not what the passage is saying. I will say that when it comes to *dyed-in-the-wool* members of these three groups, I am always very surprised when someone claims to have led them to the truth. In my experience, certain individuals in such groups are not convinced and are candidates for grace, but have to be led by the Lord into the right place or to the right person so as to come to the Lord. I would imagine that making a habit of inviting those who are out campaigning for their religions into one's home and attempting to demonstrate to them what the truth really is would be a very low percentage operation (these are the front-line soldiers we are talking about here, and if they had doubts they probably wouldn't be placed or be willing to be placed on the front line).  
However, we all have our own individual ministries given to us by the Lord, and it is also true that He may choose to use us for such a purpose in a particular case (Eph. 4:11-13; Lk. 3:23;  Acts 20:24; Rom. 12:7; 2 Cor. 3:6; Eph. 4:12; Col. 1:28; 1 Tim. 1:12; 2:7; 2 Tim. 2:12; 4:1-5; 1 Pet. 4:10). So on the one hand we have to be open to the possibility; but on the other hand we have to see things for what they are: the people ringing your doorbell most likely have very hardened hearts or they wouldn't be there in the first place. We all  have limited time and energy and resources, and there are things that we know for certain the Lord wants us to do pray, read our Bible, do Bible study with a good ministry, engage in the ministry He leads us to). So if we are not led by the Spirit to engage in depth and at length with a particular person in this category, we do need to keep those limitations in mind. All other things being equal, it's better than wasting our time on some pointless leisure time activity, but not necessarily better than doing that list of things we know the Lord wants done (Jer. 29:11; Matt. 7:21; Lk. 12:48; cf. 2 Cor. 5:10; Eph. 4:16; 2 Tim. 4:2; 1 Pet. 4:10; 1 Jn. 2:17).
God Bless!

And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. (Matthew 4:19)
There are always disagreements that I have with certain preachers and bible teachers of the past and the present; however, I do find one statement from C.H. Spurgeon that is absolutely TRUE as the Word of God can testify of its veracity. It is:
"Have you no wish for others to be saved? Then you're not saved yourself, be sure of that!"
The Word of God is replete with passages instructing us to minister to those who are lost and in dire need of the Gospel message (Matt. 9:37-38; 10:7-14; Mk. 16:15; Rom. 1:16; 1 Cor. 1:17; 2 Cor. 5:20; Eph. 2:10; 4:11; 2 Tim. 2:15; 4:5; 1 Pet. 3:15). The major problem in "Christendom" today is that most of the "soldiers" have fallen by the wayside and given up. Even more disturbing are those in a higher position who have been given MORE talents in order to serve the Lord as they were called to do so; and that they seem to have no interest in saving those who are in danger of hellfire (cf. Jas. 3:1). I am NOT speaking of those who disemminate false teachings on a regualr basis; I am speaking of unbelievers who are NOT saved and are caught up in a cycle of sin which entangles them. The bible refers to such "servants" of the Lord as "fearful"; and "ashamed of the Gospel" (cf. Rev. 21:8; Matt. 25:26; Rom. 1:16).
Since our Lord used the fishing analogy -- and our Lord has made all of us believers "fishers of men" (Matt.4:19; Mk.1:17) -- we also know that every fisherman has his/her own technique and that all fish are different too. What all fish have in common is that if they are not biting, we are not going to catch them. But if they ARE biting, then a practiced fisherman who exercises patience always has a good chance. And in terms of actual witnessing, God is the One who is empowering the process and bringing success (cf. Ps. 90:17; Isa. 64:4; Eph. 2:10; Phil. 2:13; 1 Thess. 2:13; Heb. 13:21). Divine love is the "anchor point" which compels genuine believers to reach out to the lost; and this is a sure sign that one has truly passed from death unto life (Matt. 7:12; Jn. 13:34-35; 1 Jn. 4:8-21).
So the first thing is to determine if we really are being offered an opportunity. That is fairly easy to do, it seems to me. If the person knows we are Christian (our outward manifestation of our hearts and motives; Matt. 5:16; 23:3; 1 Cor. 11:1; Eph. 5:1; Phil. 3:17; Col. 3:17; 2 Thess. 3:9; 1 Tim. 4:12; Tit. 2:7; 3 Jn. 1:11; et al.), and if we dangle a little bait, something like, "yes, the recent tragedy at XYZ is terrible -- I don't know HOW people get through this world without the Christian hope!"  Now if someone really is searching for the solution to sin and death, they are likely to nibble at that one (and, by the way, I'm NOT suggesting this particular one for me -- everyone has their own way of stating the divine and godly viewpoint of anticipation of salvation and eternal life, and every prospective believer is different too, and we must take the audience into account in how exactly we express the truth, remembering that the truth always has to be presented truly).
If they don't nibble, we might want to think about waiting for a better time and a better opportunity. We can't force the issue. We wait in the boat for a bite. We can wiggle the hook, but we can't make the fish bite. If we bang on the water with an oar and command the fish to come up, guess what. We may be making ourselves feel better ("Look at me! I witnessed to so and so!" -- but they didn't respond), but we are not winning anyone to the Lord that way. The fish have a vote, because it's all about free will (Ps. 37:23; Prov. 16:9; Josh. 24:15; Jn. 1:12-13; 7:17; Rom. 10:9-10; cf. Rev. 3:20).
What if they do nibble?  I think it can be a mistake to introduce the issue of sin IMMEDIATELY in giving the gospel, except for the critical facts that we are all sinners, that Christ died for all of our sins, and that all of our sins are forgiven when we believe (Lk. 24:45-49; Rom. 1:16; 10:9-13,14; 1 Cor. 15:1-28; Eph. 1:13-14; 1 Pet. 3:18-22; 1 Jn. 4:9-10). Don't forget: the gospel changes all who respond to it. The heart is washed clean. The person is given a new heart, one devoid of hardness. At the point of salvation, the new believer is freed from all prior sinful entanglement (Ezek. 36:26; Rom. 6:6; 2 Cor. 3:18; 5:17; Eph. 4:24; 1 Jn. 5:4). If they really are ready to persevere with the Lord from that point forward, He will help them to walk a sanctified walk, and change whatever it is that needs to be changed. But if we make an issue of some sin or sinful behavior in which they are enmeshed BEFORE the fact, then we are putting conditions on salvation -- and there are no conditions on salvation . . . except to accept the Gift of Jesus Christ, acknowledging who He is and what He has done for us through faith in Him.
Death is something everyone dreads (except believers), and the offer of life eternal is the most wonderful thing on this earth. To avoid death, darkness and judgment is worth all a person has, like selling everything for the pearl of great price. If the Spirit convicts someone's heart of that truth, they will flee death by running to the gospel; they will need little convincing from us. The Spirit is the One who really does the convincing (Jn. 14:15-17,26; 16:8; 2 Cor. 7:9-10). Our job is to provide the truth, the simple yet incredibly powerful truth of the gospel. It is not up to us to try and fine tune an "after response".  If we do that, there may very well be no "after response" because the person will see the gospel as huge load that requires them to "give up" this and that. Now we know very well ourself that we all ended up giving up "this and that" after we believed because the gospel and the truth we learn and accept thereafter changed us. It is the same for everyone. But that happens AFTER; it is not a BEFORE condition.
And we don't have to worry about "saying sin is OK" either, not if we are witnessing correctly. Now if we are jamming the gospel down the throats of people who aren't interested in it, then this may be an issue because they are only interested in justifying their conduct and not in being saved, so that is where the discussion went. But if we are really only responding in love to those few who demonstrate that they DO want the truth, then it will all work fine (cf. 1 Jn. 4:11; Prov. 15:1-7; 27:6; Lk. 6:27; Rom. 8:28; 12:9-21; 1 Cor. 13:4-7; Col. 3:12). If they want eternal life and are grateful to accept Jesus Christ, guess what? They will easily begin to turn their lives to Him in all respects after they are saved. That is, if we net them after we have fished them.
How do we net them? All too many Christians and even major Christian groups engaged in evangelism get the fish to the surface and then let them go (Gal. 6:9; Rom. 10:13-14; cf. 1 Cor. 11:1-2; 2 Cor. 5:18-20; 2 Tim. 4:1-2; 2 Thess. 2:14-15; Jas. 5:19-20). No. We have to give them direction thereafter, help them to grow as we have grown. Of course, way too many Christians and Christian groups involved in evangelism have not grown to spiritual maturity themselves, so even if they have them their nets are filled with holes if and when they do use them. A new believer has to be led to a place where he/she can grow in the truth (cf. Rom. 12:13; 1 Cor. 12:12-27; Col. 3:13; 1 Thess. 5:14; Heb. 10:24-25; 1 Pet. 4:8-11). That should be a local church but today most of these are sadly deficient of the score of helping to produce genuine growth because they don't teach the truth in any depth of detail. Nowadays one finds what one can find where one can find it. I would be pleased for any new believer to be pointed to (or Bible Academy) or any other place where the truth really is being taught. But pointing a new believer to a legalistic "church" that will dictate their behavior or to a libertarian church that will tell them it's all OK (whatever "it" is) will not produce growth in either case, and a very large number of such new believers "get away" and revert to the world as a result.
In Closing:
If a person really does want to hear the gospel, that is of God: give them the gospel. Once we do, if they accept Jesus Christ as their Savior, their hearts will convict them to turn away from anything and everything sinful, regardless of past behavior or beliefs. And if they are led to a good place where they can grow, they will do so in increasing sanctification. But if they aren't really that interested in the truth, will they believe? And if they "believe" on condition of doing ABC, are they really saved or is it a works contract in their heart? And even if they legitimately accept Christ, without being led to a place where they can grow, will they be able to resist the siren song of the world and their prior lives so as not to fall back away? Only the truth can save a person. Only desire for the truth can motivate a person to be saved. Only continued attention to the truth can keep a person safe after being saved.
Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful. (Proverbs 27:6)
God Bless!

Falling backwards, rolling around on the floor, and laughing incessantly are not the signs or manifestations of the Holy Spirit operating in the individual. As I mentioned in the past: those who experienced the true power of God the Holy Spirit fell FORWARD "on their faces" instead of falling BACKWARDS (Num.20:6; 1 Chron.29:20; 1 Sam.5:3; Lev.9:24; Ezek.1:28; Matt.26:39; Rev.1:17; 7:11). Jesus Himself  (in His humanity) fell on His face before His heavenly Father. The dumb idol and the demon (Dagon) behind it fell on its face because of the power of the LORD (1 Sam.5:3). This is one of those passages in scripture which clearly shows that God has a great sense of humor (even in the midst of His stern commands); as well as Jonah being vomited out by a big fish. Some Charismatics may argue that the soldiers fell backwards when Jesus responded to them by saying, "I Am". The problem with that explanation is that the soldiers who fell backwards were "unbelievers" (Jn.18:6).
How do we know what genuine spiritual gifts that God has given us? If we are "operating" in accordance with, e.g., faith, giving and discernment, then it really is a moot point, a "it'd be nice to know but isn't necessary to know" point; however, if we are convinced by the Spirit and have had it confirmed by much personal experience that we have gifts A, B, C (cf. Rom.12:3-8; 1 Cor.12:7-11), well then . . .  The main thing is that if a person has a gift -- or thinks they have a gift -- which would involve timely preparation (beyond the spiritual growth to maturity we all need in order to have our gifts function properly; 1 Cor.14:9,20; 1 Pet.4:10) -- then such a person does need to "figure it out": there's no point in going to seminary or graduate school to prepare for a teaching ministry if one has not been gifted to be a teacher, e.g., but if that IS one's gift, the sooner the preparation begins the better (Eph.4:11-16). Tongues is not operational today (cf. 2Cor.12:12; Heb.2:3-4). I don't weigh in on anyone else' experience. God does miracles all the time. And people exaggerate all the time. The hyper-miraculous gifts mentioned by Paul in 1st Corinthians chapter thirteen are not being given today. So God may heal miraculously (He often does, in my experience), but no one today has the ability to say, "Arise and walk!" to a crippled person and have that come true because of a spiritual gift, e.g.  Also, it is abundantly clear that some of the spiritual gifts mentioned were specifically given to the "Apostles" (which there are none today) to confirm the message of the Gospel being preached and spread to the Gentile world.
God Bless!

And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. (2 Peter 1:5-8)

Thank you for these links. I'll read them later promise. <3 :D God bless

Fairybird, I would like to ask you to listen to the audio from the following link, in it, you will hear an explanation of how a person can know that they have eternal life when they go to heaven, it will show from God's word the truth about how to go to heaven. I believe that you very much are in need of hearing the message here, I think based on some of the answers you have given to No Nicolaitans that you have some misconceptions about how a person can go to heaven.
http://www.knowimsaved.com/The-Gospel-Clearly-Explained.php
Or if you prefer to read something these also will be helpful:
http://www.knowimsaved.com/BOOKLET-THE-MOST-IMPORTANT-MESSAGE.pdf
http://www.knowimsaved.com/what shall i do then.website.pdf

I'm not familiar with "Olam Hamba". A quick internet search returned no results that I could make sense of.
I try to love my neighbor as myself and follow the Golden Rule because I've been born again...not in order to be saved. :)  However, I often fall short and fail miserably.
Fairybird, would you be willing to accept it...if I (or anyone else here on the forum) could show you from God's word...that no one can get to heaven by being...good enough?

That's wonderful that you're nice. I also try to be nice to others and treat them the way that I would like to be treated. 
Is there a reason that you think being nice to others has a part in your admittance into heaven?
 
That's also wonderful that you want to be with other good people. Myself, I'd much rather spend time with people we consider good. :)
However...
Are you aware that when compared to God, none of us are good?
(Psalm 14:3) They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
(Psalm 53:3) Every one of them is gone back: they are altogether become filthy; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
 

I want to be renewed with and walk with Jesus is why I wish to be Baptised. It should feel like you are born again in and renewed in Christ.