I had to council a Christian sister today and it was not as gentle as I wanted it to be. I ended my mission with a prayer that the Holy Spirit will touch that sister and the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ will deliver and release her from the devil's lies.
Hearing God's Voice through conversations with fellow believers
I asked another Christian sister to confirm that I was not judging that sister but was merely trying to guide her back to God. And why God had to use me to speak to this sister is because she couldn't hear Him anymore.
This sister was living a life of sin, yet used certain bible verses out of context to deceive herself and assure herself that she was still in the perimeter of God's favor and protection. When I shared with her using bible verses to prove to her what God wanted. She just rejected it all and claimed that the word was not from God.
Instead of abiding by God's word, this sister used several other bible verses to rebuke me. I was a little annoyed at first but when I saw how deep her deception was, I began to feel fear. I was fearful for her.
I immediately recognized that because this sister read the bible without the Holy Spirit, she simply picked and chose whichever verse she thought she liked and applied it the way she wanted to in her life. And because God was not the center of it at all, that opened the grounds for the devil to work in her life.
She used Deuteronomy 5:11 to rebuke me and called me a self-righteous hypocrite. When I read her response, I actually stopped and asked myself with complete honesty " Bella, are you being judgmental and giving her the holier than thou attitude?" then I thought for a minute and realized HEY! those aren't even my words, I am just the messenger girl!
Hearing God's Voice through conversations with fellow believers
I asked another Christian sister to confirm that I was not judging that sister but was merely trying to guide her back to God. And why God had to use me to speak to this sister is because she couldn't hear Him anymore.
This sister was living a life of sin, yet used certain bible verses out of context to deceive herself and assure herself that she was still in the perimeter of God's favor and protection. When I shared with her using bible verses to prove to her what God wanted. She just rejected it all and claimed that the word was not from God.
Instead of abiding by God's word, this sister used several other bible verses to rebuke me. I was a little annoyed at first but when I saw how deep her deception was, I began to feel fear. I was fearful for her.
I immediately recognized that because this sister read the bible without the Holy Spirit, she simply picked and chose whichever verse she thought she liked and applied it the way she wanted to in her life. And because God was not the center of it at all, that opened the grounds for the devil to work in her life.
She used Deuteronomy 5:11 to rebuke me and called me a self-righteous hypocrite. When I read her response, I actually stopped and asked myself with complete honesty " Bella, are you being judgmental and giving her the holier than thou attitude?" then I thought for a minute and realized HEY! those aren't even my words, I am just the messenger girl!
Hearing God's Voice through the Bible
God uses the bible to speak to us and He led me to some awesome verses which had all the teachings of Jesus and the most amazing part is that as I shared the word with her, I myself began to really understand what God wanted us to learn!
Revelation on the Bible Verse :
The NIV Bible Version of God's Word:
Deuteronomy 5:11 (New International Version)
11 "You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name."
This means if you use the Lord's name as and when you like without thinking of the consequences, the Lord will deem you GUILTY. This commandment has nothing to do with what we say, and everything to do with how we live.
Example 1: This person keeps praising God, talking about God and telling others about God and at the same time lead a life of sin and does not repent. This person's actions will be a bad testimony of Jesus and cause Non Believers to doubt Jesus because the person as a Christian is not just a person but an image of Christ.
Few, if any, cultures or societies encourage their married women to live in the same way after the marriage as when they were single.
Few, if any, cultures or societies encourage their married women to live in the same way after the marriage as when they were single.
For example, if my mother had taken my father's name, but not changed her lifestyle, she would have taken my father's name "in-vain". She would have had a ceremony, but not a new life, and my father would definitely have been very upset.
When we put on a uniform, we take the name of those whose uniform it is. Whether it is a sports team uniform, a work uniform for that employer or a military uniform. When we choose a career, we take the name of the best of everyone in that career field. When we take on a title, we take the name of the best o everyone with that title.
If you take the name of God, at a ceremony, and tell the world that you are now part of the 'bride of Christ' as the church is called, yet you do not live like a 'bride of Christ', you have taken His name in vain, and you will not be considered guiltless. Live with Jesus as if you are committed to Him for life, not as if He is only a friend.
A spouse is supposed to be an intimate friend, companion, confidant, friend and a lifetime commitment. To treat Jesus as anything less than that, is to take His name in vain.
Example 2: This person uses God's word out of context to instill fear into a fellow believer.
In the Book of Genesis, Chapter 12, Verse 1-3, we see what God says about His response to how people treat Israel:
“And I will bless those that bless you and curse the one who curses you. And in you shall all families of the earth be blessed.”
In the Book of Numbers, where the Bible is telling us about the Nation of Israel that God delivers out of bondage in Egypt, it tells us:
“He crouched. He lay down as a lion, and as a great lion. Who shall stir him up? Blessed is he who blesses you, and cursed is he who curses you.”
God showed me all the scriptures of what Jesus said about disobedience and using the Lord's name in vain as this sister always has God at the tip of her tongue but at the same time she was leading a life of sin. She shared with me that in her opinion, doing what makes oneself happy is the correct thing to do! I remember my Senior Pastor taught me :
" the word SIN is spelt S "I" N so whenever you put "I" which means yourself before GOD then you are definitely sInning! "
I shared that with her too. But just in case because I am a nobody to her, she would dismiss God's message again, I applied what Jesus taught us through the bible.
Hearing God's Voice through Jesus
The words of Jesus Christ:
"There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death."
(Proverbs 14:12 RSV)
"Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the heart."
(Proverbs 21:2 RSV)
"This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me; in vain do they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the precepts of men.' You leave the Commandment of God, and hold fast the tradition of men."
(Mark 7:6-8 RSV)
"Let no one deceive you with empty words, for it is because of these things that the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience."
(Ephesians 5:6 RSV)
"See to it that no one makes a prey of you by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the universe, and not according to Christ." (Colossians 2:8 RSV)
"For they are a rebellious people, lying sons, sons who will not hear the instruction of The Lord; who say to the seers, "See not"; and to the prophets, "Prophesy not to us what is right; speak to us smooth things, prophesy illusions, leave the way, turn aside from the path, let us hear no more of the Holy One of Israel."
(Isaiah 30:9-11 RSV)
What Bella Said to the Sister:
I still know that the words I heard are indeed for you. God has tried to save you from the devil's trap and He has sent us to warn you but you refuse to see God's will and you reject His words. If you do not heed His warning, you will be under wrath. If you think I am wrong, please print this email out and approach a Pastor.
Let the Pastor pray and discern and the Pastor will tell you how God sees this situation.
Hearing God's Voice with the Help of the Holy Spirit
Reading the bible without the Holy Spirit and NOT Understanding the word of God is a VERY dangerous thing because then you open the grounds to Satan who has blinded you and will lead you to destruction.
Hearing God's Voice through Prayer
I send you this email not in anger but in fear as you are blinded and you refuse to see the truth. I pray that the Holy Spirit will touch you and the blood of our dear Lord Jesus Christ will cleanse you of all your sin and release you from the devil's lies.
In the most Powerful Name of our Precious Lord Jesus,
AMEN.
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