Overflowing With Blessings!!!

The following letter came to me from someone whom I have had aquaintance with since middle school (I am older than she).  Throughout the years, our paths have crossed here and there although we've never really spent time together in the same friendship circle of everyday life.  Beth still calls me Debbie (my childhood nick-name). 

This letter is especially touching as Beth unfolds her journey to the Lord in relation to how my book, this ministry and the weaving our lives together by the masterful work of God has touched her life in a powerful way.  Be blessed as you read!

PS - I love hearing from each of you!  Please let me know if/how this ministry has blessed your life.  Email me through my official website at www.DeborahRossMinistries.org

Love ,
Deborah Ross

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dear Debbie,


I finished your book (Healing a Broken Marriage) on June26th, Caroline’s 20th birthday.  It has taken me until today to try and find the right words to say to you and still I’m not sure how to express all the things I’ve been feeling.  I have thought about it everyday, meditated on it and prayed constantly.  Although there are many improvements that could be made to our marriage, I feel those things falling into place.  It is all the other blessings I have received from your words that I am most thankful for. I completely trust you and that God has brought me to this point in my life to hear you, hear Him and really BELIEVE.  It’s as if the clouds have opened up and there is a beautiful beam of light and I’m walking it in.  Never alone again!


I have grown up in theMethodist church and alternate Sundays in a Baptist church with my Grandparents.  I always believed in Jesus, I thought I knew Him—I saw so many miracles in my life and have been moved many times by things that happened I knew could only come from God.  I was baptised, went through confirmation as a youth, helped in many ways give back to the church.  We joined the Methodist church here in Marshville before we were married and attended there.  We then moved to Monroe where we were active members, I taught “Godly Play” Sunday school, was on the Children and Youth Councils and was a youth leader.  Many times I have chaperoned and attempted to teach on retreats for our youth.  I have done Clown ministry and some 20 + years in all aspects of vacation Bible School.  I have even portrayed Mary, the Mother of Jesus.  I have never, ever felt worthy of any of this.  I thought someone else would be so much better for the job than me!! What a sinner I am, I have so many faults and I don’t deserve this!  

Since at least the fifth grade I have known of you.  I was honestly curious and truly fascinated by the way you handled and presented yourself.  I couldn’t wait to see what you did next-you have always been strong, beautiful and smart.  I know I have told you this, but Louise Matthews (5th grade teacher) once told my father I reminded her of you and I was astounded.  How could it be? I could only hope to grow as a person  with poise and grace and better myself.  I know God was in the details.  Our lives seem to have been interwoven delicately, here and there throughout the years and I remember pivital times that were revealed to me as your book (Healing a Broken Marriage) unfolded.  I remember glimpses of you as a dancer, as a young mother, business owner, wife, teacher and friend.  There were times I thought back to when Iwanted to ask you questions, but now I know that you were growing and learning in God’s Word and I wasn’t ready to listen or hear-yet. At this point I also have to say in my young life how much I enjoyed having your sister, Crystal, around.  Even then you could see her light, pure and true and all her goodness.  I am so thankful of the days she was around and we just kind of ‘hung out’together.  She has grown into such a kind, beautiful woman full of love and grace. She has such a beautiful family-you both do!


Back to my point-I know I tend to ramble.  I feel like I had done all these things because it was the ‘right thing to do’.  I would get lost in studies and preparation for my task and learn and then repeat the story.  I would pray mechanically, be where I was supposed to be when I was supposed to be there and have the kids front and center.  Not until lately have I felt a true euphoric joy and the Spirit upon me and working through me.  I told my sister on Caroline’s birthday that I was afraid it was going to go away, what if I can’t do the things I have been called for? How will I know the right thing to do? What if? What if? When I finished the end of your book, I was so excited.  I said to Mandy, “What do I do now??”  I wanted to do everything! To be better and working to please God ALL the time, not just when I felt like it or when I needed to get something done.  I feel better, I feel new and I want to feel this way all the time!


For years I have been less than well, having several surgeries and consequently relied on prescriptive painkillers as a crutch for pretty much everything. I didn’t want to face things in my life, I was from a broken home, I was so bad-such a sinner.  I feel like I have prayed and prayed my whole life, asked for forgiveness, waited for something to happen.  I have put so many people I love the most through hell. A year ago in June I stopped taking all that I was dependent on.  I had been hospitalized for pneumonia and was sick of being SICK.  When I finished your book, I prayed the marriage prayer.  I continued reading and thought to myself oh, ok-  I’ve done this before.  Ok, I’ll read it again, it can’t hurt. So I read the sinner’s prayer and I prayed.  Guess what? Something happened Debbie, somethingWONDERFUL!  I am new, I see things with new eyes and an open heart, I can hear Jesus speak to me ALL the time! I am so grateful for my life, for my children, for my family.  I want this ALL the time, forever!


It’s hard sometimes not to be skeptical.  The enemy has kept me down and in the dark (sometimes literally) for so very long.  I can feel the things I used to think I loved,things not good for me, things that kept God from flowing freely though me just falling away.  It reminds me so much of that little precious moments child saying “Please be patient, God isn’t finished with me yet”. I know people have seen a change.  I want to be a good example like you are! I still have so much to learn, so much to do. Presently I am directing vacation Bible school at our church here in Marshville.  It is an especially daunting task as our church is a little down and broken, we seem scattered in the wake of receiving a new pastor and there is much unrest. I know I’m supposed to be here and work as hard as I can.  Even though I have worked a lot with vbs, I’ve never had to direct it and it has been particularly challenging having to get materials together and find resources. You know what though? I have prayed and prayed on it every day and it is coming together!! I know it's going to be amazing and that God won’t let me, US fail at this and teaching His precious Word!!


I love you Debbie, I always have.  You have never been anything but wonderful to me.  I thank God for making you who you are today and speaking to me through you.  You know, this is kind of scary.  It’s just more amazing than anything else. Sometimes I still just can’t believe it’s true.  I am coming to your retreat (Freedom Today Beach Conference) in August.  I can’t wait!! I hope my sisters can come as well.  Oh, and now I have a prayer list.  A REAL one!! Ha! I always said that-“I’llpray for you”-but now I have it on my phone and pray at regular intervals everyday and night.  WOW! It’s just….well you know!!! Bless you and all you are doing. I’ll be in touch!

Your sister in Christ,
Beth Traywick 

Body, Soul and Spirit

Romans 8:1     There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.   

Have you ever thought about who you are... what makes you tick... or, the core of your existence?  Have you sat and pondered the idea of life after death?  Maybe you've heard people speak of body, soul and spirit, but to you, this is merely a phrase that describes some type of spa experience alluding to total relaxation through meditation or pampering.

Actually, human beings are made up of a SPIRIT who has a SOUL who lives in a BODY.  Initially, this may be too deep of a concept to grasp, but once we fully understand these three aspects of our being, we can obtain a clearer understanding of how God's Word brings life to the total person.

When God said, "Let us make man in our image," He was referring to the fact that man is a triune being in much the same way that God is a trinity. While God is only ONE, the scriptures teach us that He is made up of three parts: Father; Son; and Holy Spirit. In the same way, while each person is only one, each human being is made up of three distinct parts: Body; Soul; and Spirit.

Think of an egg. One egg has three parts. The shell houses the egg white and in the center of it all is the yoke. The same concept is true of the trinity of God (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) and the tripartite makeup of man (Body, Soul, Spirit); all are one, and yet, they are three.

When God created Adam, He molded him out of the dust of the ground.  Paying careful attention to every cell, blood vessel, nerve, organ, and body part, God created the human body to work in synchronized harmony so that His prized creation could live in a perfectly designed house of flesh and blood.  Every body part was carefully constructed so that this new being would be able to take dominion over the earth with physical excellence.  This earthly vessel had to be designed so that it could house something God decided to create in His image - something very precious to Him. 

Unfortunately, the body seeks to rule for the sake of pleasure. The body is always screaming, "FEED ME, FEED ME!" Left to itself, the human body tends to become gluttonous when it comes to the things that God has allowed with moderation such as: food; drink; touch; adornment; sex; approval; and accolades.  In addition, oftentimes Satan will bring drugs and alcohol into someone's life because he knows that the human body can begin to crave these "false highs" and the devil's chief desire is to kill, steal and destroy God's creation.  If the body is allowed to rule the being, there will be no thought for long term health and welfare.  This does not please God. 

So the human BODY is really intended to be nothing more than a shell.  It is our God-made "human suit" that clothes our spirit and soul.  Because of sin, our bodies will eventually wear out and die, but our real person - our soul and spirit - will escape death to live on, either in the presence of God or apart from Him for ever and ever.  In addition, the Bible teaches us that one day, those who have died to be with the Lord, will be reunited with their glorified body on the day of resurrection.  The newly created and completely perfected three-in-one, born-again Christian will continue to live throughout all of eternity as God originally intended: never dying; never breaking down; and never in need.  Our bodies will function at optimal (supernatural) level; free from the effects of sin.

At first glance, our soul and spirit may seem to be so closely related that it is hard for us to comprehend the distinct significance of the two.  Let's break down the function of each, so that we can gain a better understanding of the spiritual growth of a christian according to the scriptures.  When it comes to understanding human behavior and how to live the life of an over comer - as God commands - it is very important that we study the deep truths of God's Word and how to apply His Word to our total human being.

So let's look first at our SOUL.  Our soul is described as our MIND, our WILL and our EMOTIONS.  It is the part of us that thinks, makes decisions and has a personality.  We may assume that our soul is the "real us" - the one in control - and often it is.  The soul is strong, determined, opinionated, self -centered and selfish when left to itself.  The desire of the soul is to give the body comfort.  The seat of the soul wants to rule over the total man for the sake of self preservation - whether by means of good or bad.  The soul is the part of mankind that chooses to obey or disobey God on a day to day basis.  Man's soul was originally created to give God pleasure through fellowship.  God allowed each living soul the ability to choose whether it would obey or disobey His voice; but, He yearns for mankind to love Him freely and not out of mechanics or because of tyranny.

For the final touches on Adam's new life, God breathed life into him and man received God's Spirit.  The human SPIRIT is the supernatural part of man that is like God.  Even so, the human spirit is either that of God - as from the born-again experience - or, it is that of man.  Because of Adam's sin, the Spirit of mankind was separated from God.  The only way to reunite a holy intimacy between the creator of the universe and His prized creation is by the shed blood of a living sacrifice.  In the Old Testament, that shed blood was from bulls and goats and had to be repeated each year.  The blood of bulls and goats never seemed to fully purge man's conscious from the guilt of sin and so God knew that man needed a long term, once-and-for-all, sacrifice in order to be fully reconciled to a right fellowship with the Father.  So, He sent His Son, Jesus, to be that perfect blood sacrifice for all of our sins.  It is through the shed blood of Jesus - God's own Son - that mankind receives the Holy Spirit and is once again reunited with his creator, to commune with Him and live forever.  This was God's plan from the beginning.

Originally, by the Spirit, Adam was able to talk with God and understand His ways.  As Adam's Spirit received instruction from God, his soul and body would then come into agreement with God's plan through obedience; that is, until Adam and Eve decided to break covenant with God through disobedience in the garden.  It was then that God's Spirit was separated from mankind, leaving him to function as a body and soul who longed for the living Holy Spirit of God to fill the void in the center of his being.  All humans long to be complete. 

Left to ourselves, our soul will inevitably lead our bodies down the wrong path as every decision is based off of a self-centered motive of physical comfort.  Our soul only aims to protect the body, but has no basis for differentiating between good protection and bad protection.  Our bodies only aim to be fed.  Our bodies seek comfort - whether good or bad.  In conclusion, a human that is led by body or soul is destined for a life of brokenness and heartache.

God never intended for us to be a ship without a compass.  We were originally created to hear His voice and to seek His will daily.  This, however, can only be a reality through the power of the Holy Spirit; and even then, we have been given a free-will choice of whether we will obey God's commands or not.  Our body and soul must be trained to submit to the Holy Spirit as we grow in the knowledge and understanding of His Word.  That is why we are commanded to be transformed by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:2).

So as we wash our minds with God's Word (Ephesians 5:26), our soul is strengthened for making right choices that will ultimately preserve the body according to God's wisdom, and not out of fleshly desperation.  Although the soul is the strong-willed seat who desires to control the total man, the born-again Christian who determines to be guided by the Holy Spirit (a much softer and more gentle voice) will enjoy more health and greater rewards in both body and soul.  This promise is for this life and for the life to come (1 Timothy 4:8).

When Jesus said the Spirit is willing but the flesh is weak (Matthew 26:41), he was explaining how the body and soul are constsantly vying for the leadership position of the human being.  Our spirit, whether the Holy Spirit of God or the unholy spirit of darkness, guides our soul through all eternity.  Therefore, we should always watch and pray that we might be able to hear the voice of the Lord, and then, that we would be determined to obey the voice of the Lord.

In the end, our soul and spirit will escape this earthly vessel of clay to either stand in the presence of God or to stand in utter darkness - forever.

We are a SPIRIT, who has a SOUL, who lives in a BODY.  We are three - yet, we are one.  And, on THAT DAY, all of our parts will be judged according to our salvation (marked by our acceptance of the blood of the Lamb) and rewarded for our good works, or the lack thereof.

The Lord wants everyone to be whole in BODY, SOUL, and SPIRIT.  He wants everyone to be restored to His original plan.  So let's seek to wash our minds with His Word, daily, as He transforms us into the perfect human that He originally intended for us to be... for all eternity! 

Galatians 5:16     This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.   

Deborah Ross
Speaker / Bible Teacher / Author / Singer
President / Executive Director of Operations
Deborah Ross Ministries, Inc.
www.DeborahRossMinistries.org

Presumption Leads to Death

RIGHTEOUS OR RELIGIOUS...

Psalm 19:13 KJV

"Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression."

FOR BETTER UNDERSTANDING, READ THE ENTIRE EZEKIEL 33 BEFORE READING THIS POST

Do you go to church because you like to see who will be there?  Or, maybe you go because it makes you "feel good" to hear a sermon.  Perhaps, you are one of those that really enjoys the music.  You could even be going just because it is "the thing to do" on Sunday mornings.

I sure hope the above suggestions don't, in any way, describe your attitude about church.  Going to the house of the Lord should be much more than a casual past time.  Why?  Because God is Holy and we should worship Him in Spirit and in Truth.  If we call ourselves Christian, we should have a deep longing to know more about the Word of God.  We should love the Lord our God with all of our heart, soul, and strength.  Born-again believers should want to "do" the will of God.  They should desire to be Holy, because He is Holy (1 Peter 1:16).

Take a look at Ezekiel 33:30-33...

Ezekiel 33:31 KJV

"And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they shew much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness."

God says that there are MANY who will sit and listen to His Word with glad hearts.  They will even go back and talk about the message with favor saying, "That sure was a good message we heard this morning."  To many, sermons are simply music to the ears, giving lovely sounds and uplifting notes - but not causing CHANGE in the heart of the hearer.  Unfortunately, many people hear the Word of God, but then they have no idea of how to "apply" the Word of God.  Still again, many would not even consider "doing" what they heard...it just seems too hard.

The Word of God is sure.  Whatever is declared by the apostle, the prophet, the evangelist, the preacher, or the teacher is sure to be the judgement of God if the people of God fail to adhere to the sound doctrine of TRUTH that is sent forth.  God's Word is not preached to put people in bondage (as the devil tries to make them think), but rather, to give them LIFE and to give them LIFE MORE ABUNDANTLY! 

Even so, the Lord has STANDARDS...but, His standards are not to make us feel inadequate.  Oh no!  His standards are for us to live up to, so that we can receive the full blessing that He has for us, as Children of the King. 

Now go back and read Ezekiel 33:11. 

Ezekiel 33:11 KJV

"Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?"

God says that He has no pleasure in the death of the wicked.  He just wants the wicked to TURN FROM HIS WICKEDNESS and LIVE IN THE ABUNDANCE OF HIS GRACE.  The Lord does not want anyone to die.  That means both physical death and spiritual death.  So why do people die?  Dying is the result of sin - not the result of God's will.  The good news is that, even in death, the Lord makes a way of escape as He offers ETERNAL LIFE to those who are sealed unto salvation by the blood of Jesus.  So you see, God wants us to LIVE... now and forever!

As we read on in Ezekiel 33:12-20, we learn that God tells Ezekiel to warn the people that their righteousness will not be remembered in their day of iniquity... they will surely die!  In other words, those that profess Christianity, go to church regularly, sing in the choir, and even tithe, who turn their back on God to live a lifestyle of sin - they shall surely die. 

I know this is not a popular message, but I think it is one that the church needs to hear.  Not only is our Lord the God of Grace, but He is also the God of Righteousness and Judgment.  God hates sin.  On the flip side of this passage, God tells Ezekiel to announce that when the wicked turn from their wickedness - they shall live!

Ezekiel 33:13 KJV

"When I shall say to the righteous, that he shall surely live; if he trust to his own righteousness, and commit iniquity, all his righteousnesses shall not be remembered; but for his iniquity that he hath committed, he shall die for it."

You might be saying, "That's not God's way.  That's not even fair."  That's exactly what the children of Israel said!  They didn't like the strong Word of the Lord that Ezekiel spoke.  In verse 24, they "presumed" that since they were Abraham's seed, they should inherit the blessing... just because.  Isn't that just like the church today?  Being presumptuous about the GRACE of God.

You see, GRACE is not a license to sin.  Rather, GRACE is the POWER TO STOP SINNING!  The Strong's concordance says that GRACE is God exerting his holy influence upon souls, turning them to Christ, keeping them, strengthening them, and increasing them in their Christian faith.  Contrary to the church doctrine of many today, Grace is not a "GET OUT OF JAIL FREE" pass.  We must meet the conditions of Grace through repentance, or we will live a lie and continue to be lost... even though we might "think" we are saved.  The devil loves to play with God's Word in such a way that he twists and manipulates the minds of humanity so that they fall prey to cliche's that Jesus called "doctrines of devils".  If Satan is successful in causing someone to live a lie, believing that they are right with God - when, in fact, they are simply RELIGIOUS - he will succeed in luring yet another beguiled soul into an eternal hell.

Then again, if Satan can't claim a soul for eternal separation from God (hell), he will go for the next best thing and that is shutting them up so that they will be ineffective in the Kingdom of God.  You see, Satan knows that sin causes death - all death.  So, he is forever placing stumbling blocks of temptation before the believer, hoping they will fall into his trap of a lifestyle of iniquity.  If he can just get them to FALL INTO SIN he can have access to a host of curses (even death) in their life and thwart their destiny as a Child of God.

I know this message is not popular and I know that many will say, "No, God is full of Mercy and Grace."  And He is!!!  He is full of mercy and grace, but He is still a Holy God.  New Testament teachings don't take away from the Old Testament character of God.  Christ came to "fulfill the law", not do away with it.  The character of God has not changed. 

Being presumptuous concerning the Grace of God is, in my opinion, like spitting in the face of Jesus (see Hebrews 6:6).  Christ died so that we might live!  The scriptures say that he was bruised for our iniquity (Isaiah 53:5).  He took upon Himself the power of sin and the guilt that sin brings over us so that we can be more than conquerors.  He made a way for His Children to live above the curse of sin.  For us to preach a weak gospel or to offer a sympathetic stronghold to the sinner is a slap in the face to the POWER OF THE GOSPEL. 

Ephesians 2:8 says, "For by grace are ye saved through faith" (KJV). 

We cannot have pure faith unless we are freed from the guilt of sin.  So as long as we have a sin problem... we are going to have a faith problem. 

This is why repentance is so important.  Repentance is a true remorse over sin and a sincere humility toward Holy God.  Repentance is not being sorry that sin has been exposed.  Instead, rrepentance means that we turn from that sin and turn to Christ.  When a sinner comes to Christ, he or she is saying, "Lord, I have sinned against You!  I am wrong.  Please forgive me, cleanse me, and make me righteous in your sight.  I never want to return to that sin (or way of life) again." 

I like to look at it like this:

REPENTANCE ignites FAITH
FAITH ignites GRACE
GRACE ignites HOLINESS
HOLINESS ignites LIFE MORE ABUNDANTLY

Even in Titus 2:11, the Word of God says, "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" (KJV). 

So here we see that GRACE...

BRINGS SALVATION
TEACHES US
HELPS US TO DENY UNGODLINESS AND WORLDLY LUSTS
HELPS US TO LIVE SOBERLY, RIGHTEOUSLY, AND GODLY

So when someone who claims to be a Christian says, "I CAN'T LIVE GODLY.  SIN HAS POWER OVER ME"  They are rehearsing a lie sent straight from hell.  If they are truly a Child of God, they have been empowered - by grace - to be righteous.  And living righteous - glory to God - means that we LIVE ABUNDANTLY!  That's where the blessings are!

So my friend, let's don't be presumptuous about the things of God any longer and let's don't teach others to be that way, either.  God is Holy!  He has commanded us to be Holy!  The Lord has no pleasure in the death of the wicked!  He has made a way for us to LIVE life ABUNDANTLY... in this life and in the life to come! 

But... we must live by His STANDARDS.  His standards are just.  They are fair.  They are true.

So REPENT!  Come out from among them!  Be Holy!  Turn from idolatry!  Turn from lusts!. Turn from worldly ideologies!  Turn from spiritual apathy! 

Turn to God.  Read His Word.  Obey His Word.  ...AND LIVE!

1 Peter 1:16 KJV 

"Because it is written , Be ye holy; for I am holy."

Deborah Ross

Deborah Ross Ministries, Inc.

www.DeborahRossMinistries.org

LIVING IN THE GARDEN OF EDEN... FOREVER

I am headed out to preach and sing in the SC Prisons and thought I'd share my Bible study notes with you before leaving. This post is one that helps us to see that God desires for us to take "responsibility" for our wrong doing, repent, and then worship Him. His desire is for us to be innocent in our conscious so that we will have full confidence in His love toward us.


When we sin against Him, we become ashamed and, consequently, see ourselves as cursed - undeserving of being able to receive anything good from God. Because of our broken relationship with our heavenly Father through sin, our consciouses are seared and we lose all confidence in our faith. On the other hand, it is through the redemptive power of the blood of Jesus that we are made holy, and have no need to be ashamed. We are clothed in robes of righteousness that cover our nakedness. As children of the King, we can come boldly to the throne of grace knowing that whatsoever we ask the Father (in Jesus name), He will do for us.


My encouragement for you today is that you confess your sins, turn from anything that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind as being against God, and that you RECEIVE God's forgiveness. Receive His cleansing power. Receive His blessings.


Here are my Bible study notes for my message this weekend...
___________________________________


The 7 stages of SIN that bring forth death VERSES the 7 principles of redemption that bring forth life...

Deuteronomy 30:19 -

"I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:"

PROVERBS 13:13 - "Whoso despiseth the word shall be destroyed: but he that feareth the commandment shall be rewarded."

Perhaps you've said...

NO ONE EVER TOLD ME THAT BEFORE. OR, MAYBE THEY DID BUT YOU...
1) QUESTIONED THE MEANING OF THE INSTRUCTION
2) ANALYZED THEIR ADVICE
3) DOUBTED THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THEIR INSTRUCTION
4) LUSTED AFTER THAT EXPERIENCE
5) JUSTIFIED YOUR REBELLION
6) HID YOUR SIN
7) BLAMED EVERYONE ELSE FOR YOUR ACTIONS

GOD WANTS US TO...
1) ACKNOWLEDGE OUR WRONG DOING
2) TAKE FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR OUR ACTIONS
3) REPENT (CHANGE OUR MIND & ACTIONS)
4) RECEIVE FORGIVENESS
5) READ HIS WORD
6) WORSHIP HIM CONTINUALLY
7) LIVE FOREVER

PROVERBS 13:18 - "Poverty and shame shall be to him that refuseth instruction: but he that regardeth reproof shall be honoured."

SIN is conceived and then birthed as we refuse instruction.

PROVERBS 13:20 - "He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed."

Hang out with the wrong crowd and you'll soon be destroyed. Hang out with godly people and you'll gain wisdom.

GENESIS 2:25 AND 3:1-13 - READ

God's original plan was for us to be:
*Naked & Not Ashamed
*To Have Pure Thoughts
*Innocent
*Live Forever

GENESIS 3:11 - "And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?"

Satan's illegal entrance into the garden of Eden through a talking snake - to thwart God's plan for humanity - proved fatal as Eve was tempted to do what God had told her not to do. She was in the wrong place at the wrong time, looking at things she shouldn't have been looking at. Satan took advantage of her while she was alone, yet, much too close to sin.

God had said... eat from...

TREE OF LIFE = Live Forever - Naked and Unashamed
TREE OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD & EVIL = Innocence Lost; Perversion

WHAT WERE SATAN'S TACTICS...

GENESIS 3:1 -
THE LIE - Questioned God's Word
"... Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?"

GENESIS 3:3-4
THE LIE - Analyzed God's Word / Twisted God's Word / Doubted the Significance of God's Instruction...
"The word 'die' doesn't really mean 'death'.???"

GENESIS 3:5
THE LIE - Lusted after this experience. God is keeping something from you.
"He knows that if you eat from 'this' tree, you will see more and know more."

GENESIS 3:6
THE LIE - Justified sin. It's good for food. Pretty to look at. This experience will make you wiser. "I don't see anything wrong with just one little taste. After-all, it is food. God made food to eat... right?"

GENESIS 3:3
God had told Adam and Eve not to eat of... DON'T EVEN TOUCH... the tree of knowledge.

PEER PRESSURE / DEVIL / FLESH
You won't really die. You'll know good from evil - good experience. You'll be wiser... like God... maybe you can even be your own god! Be open minded. Your eyes can be opened to endless possibilities (of sin). It's fun. It's pretty. It feels good. Everybody is doing it.

ONCE THEIR EYES WERE OPEN... they became...
Ashamed - Naked - Hid From God - Tried to Cover Their Sin with Fig Leaves

THEY STILL HEARD THE VOICE OF GOD AFTER THEIR SIN... Genesis 3:8
THE LIE = They HID FROM GOD. They tried to hide their sin.

THEY BECOME AFRAID OF GOD...
*Not God's plan.
*God wants to bless us, not curse us.
*Sin makes us live in fear.
*Sin makes us live in self-condemnation.

GENESIS 3:11-13
THE LIE - Blame Game. Perhaps it is the truth, but it is not repentance.
"It wasn't my fault. They tricked me. I was born this way. No one ever told me."


The Lord wants us to admit, repent, and believe. Not, live in the lie.

VERSES 14-19 Speaks of the CURSE because of SIN. Sin always brings a curse. Only the blood of Jesus can cover our nakedness... our sin. See verse 21.

THE APPLIED BLOOD OF JESUS BREAKS THE POWER OF THE CURSE.

GENESIS 3:22 - GOD DOESN'T WANT US TO LIVE FOREVER... IN A SINFUL STATE. Instead, He wants us to live eternally with him without spot, blemish, or wrinkle... covered in the blood... living in holiness... full of His Word... worshipping Him.

GENESIS 3:24 - The cherubim (SPIRIT) and the flaming sword (WORD) keep the "Tree of Life". We can only have eternal life through the SPIRIT (the born-again experience) and the WORD (the transformation of our minds). - John 3:5

The Lord DOES NOT want us to live eternally as broken creatures, so He guards the Tree of Life for our own good. If we eat from it in our broken state, we would live forever... broken, deformed, and apart from Him. Instead, He makes a way for us to be made whole, first. Through the cross, our conscious is healed from SIN as we acknowledge and confess our wrong doing, turn from our wicked ways, and believe in the power of the cleansing blood of Jesus to wash us clean and make us a new creature. It is through this one and only door that we are eligible to eat from the Tree of Life. Our eyes are, then, opened to understand God's Word, and our spirit's are made new to worship God alone for all eternity.






CHERUBIM - In immediate contact with Jehovah. Spiritual beings who worship God continually. FLAMING SWORD - The bible is the sword. The word of God is sword of the Spirit.

GOD WANTS US TO... (7 principles)
1) ACKNOWLEDGE OUR WRONG DOING
2) TAKE FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR OUR ACTIONS
3) REPENT (CHANGE OUR MIND & ACTIONS)
4) RECEIVE FORGIVENESS
5) READ HIS WORD
6) WORSHIP HIM CONTINUALLY
7) LIVE FOREVER WITH HIM

PROVERBS 13:13 - "Whoso despiseth the word shall be destroyed: but he that feareth the commandment shall be rewarded."

Do YOU despise instruction? Or, are YOU aiming to seek the truth; God's truth?

Do YOU know Him? Do YOU love His Word? Are YOU a worshipper?

What will YOU do? Die or Live?

He wants us to LIVE THE ABUNDANT LIFE now and in the life to come! AMEN!

Deuteronomy 30:19 -

"I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:"

By:  Deborah Ross

http://www.deborahrossministries.org/

Healing a Broken Marriage

What does it mean to be born-again?

How to be Forgiven & Born Again

JOHN 3:3

"Jesus answered and said unto him, 'Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.'"

The Word of God teaches that unless we are "born-again" we cannot see the Kingdom of God.
This means:

· We cannot "live" in the Kingdom of God;
· We cannot "receive the benefits" of the Kingdom of God;
· We cannot "understand" the Kingdom of God;
· And, we cannot have "eternal life" in God's Kingdom;

... Until we become a born-again Child of God.

Being born-again is a supernatural experience that is - in some ways - much like that of being born from our mother's womb. The difference, of course, is that we are not physically born-again, but rather, spiritually transformed in our spirit man. When we were born from our mother's womb, we did not need to understand the process before we could enter this world. Yet, since the day of our natural birth, we have been continually growing in our understanding so that as adults we can begin to comprehend the miraculous wonder of conception, pregnancy and the childbirth existence.

Being born-again is no different. We don't need to fully understand the concept in order to become a Child of God. We simply believe in faith on the price that Jesus paid for our sins; and then, supernaturally, God plants His seed of righteousness inside of our hearts. That seed will grow throughout our lifetime as we gain a greater understanding of our born-again transformation. From that day forward we will be ever-maturing from that of a new born babe in Christ into a sanctified Child of God.

JOHN 3:16

"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."

God's Word promises eternal life to everyone who confesses with their mouth and believes in their heart that Jesus is Lord (Romans 10:10). Being a born-again Child of God is really simple, and yet, many will fail to understand how to become a Christian because of their unwillingness to turn from a life of sin. Sin separates mankind from God. God is holy and He cannot co-exist with sin. As hard as we may try, we can never completely rid ourselves of sin in order to walk in the favor of God. In fact, everything about our human nature pulls away from God. Romans 8:7 says that we are incapable of following God's laws because our human nature is hostile toward the truth of God's Word.

JOHN 3:21

"But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God."

It is only when we allow the light of God to shine down on our hearts that we can see the truth about our sinful condition. Stepping into the light of God requires that we humbly come to the throne of grace with a true heart of repentance from all known sin. Repentance is not just saying "I'm sorry", neither does it try to justify thoughts and deeds with rational explanations of "why". Rather, repentance is a change of our heart and mind. When we repent, we admit our wrong doing or wrong thoughts while standing spiritually naked before God.

In order to be supernaturally transformed (born-again) we must first recognize that we are a sinner who needs a Savior. As God shines His light of truth (His Word) upon our hearts, our response should be a sincere cry of relinquishing our will to His. At that same moment, as we put all of our trust in the belief that Jesus is, indeed, the Son of God, and that He died for our sins; the breath of God blows the wind of the Holy Spirit into our innermost being as we are gloriously changed from a sinner to a saint. We don't have to fully understand it all. We just need to accept, by faith, that God loves us so much that He sent His Son, Jesus, into the world to make a way for us to live in His Kingdom... now and for all eternity.

MARK 11:26

"But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses."

Realize that repentance and being forgiven by God are synonymous with forgiving others. After all, how can we expect God to forgive our sins, if we are not also willing to forgive those who have sinned against us? 1 John 3:15 tells us that if we hate someone, we are a murderer and we should know that murderers do not have eternal life abiding within their hearts.

1 JOHN 4:7-8

"Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love."

In order to truly know God, we must be willing to lay down all grudges, bitterness, wrath, jealousy, malice, envy, strife, and revenge. God is love. If we are to be a born-again Child of God, we too, must agree to love the way Christ loves us. God loves us so much that He sent Jesus to die for our sins even when we didn't deserve salvation. Is there someone who doesn't deserve your forgiveness? Yet, in order to be more like Christ, you will purpose in your heart to forgive them.

JOHN 3:18-19

"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. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil."

I think John 3:19 explains the reason that Jesus is such a stumbling block for those who don't want to believe He is the Son of God. So many religions accept that Jesus was a prophet or that He was a good man and they may even go as far as to say that He was born of a virgin and that He even died on a cross; however, in an effort to hide from the truth of one's sinful heart, many choose to follow a lie - a false religion - in an effort to make themselves feel as though they will have eternal life... IN SPITE OF THEIR LOVE FOR SIN.

God is love. God loves people. God is Holy. God hates sin. He has made a way for us to be reconciled to Himself. He sent His love, in the form of a man named Jesus, into the world to touch, heal, and save those who will sincerely believe that He is the Christ.

GALATIANS 2:20

"I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me."

Jesus gave His life for you and I. Will you give your life back to Him and accept His outstretched hand of mercy, grace, and love? God does not want anyone to spend an eternity in hell (separated from His love). He wants everyone to live with Him forever!

If you want to accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior... If you want to be born-again... If you want to be forgiven... Pray this simple prayer with all of your heart:

"Father God, I confess that I am a sinner in need of a Savior. I believe, in faith, that Jesus is truly the Son of God, and while I may not understand everything right now, I do believe that Jesus was born of a virgin, He walked the earth as God in the flesh, He died on a cross, and He was raised from the dead by the power of God. I believe that you, Lord, love me so much that you made a way for me to have eternal life. I confess _____________ (fill in the blank for all known sin). Lord, help me to turn from sin. Change my heart and mind so that I will become more like you. Wash me clean and make me a brand new creature. God, please cause me to understand the Bible. I pray that your Word will come alive in my spirit as I seek to know you more. I give you my life. I worship you. I praise you. In Jesus Name, Amen!"

Now, tell someone that you have made Jesus your Lord and Savior. I would love to be the first person to know that my gift of love (this article) has brought you to eternal life. Comment to me about your born-again experience on this blog... or, click onto my web-site and write to me personally. Now, go and sin no more (John 8:11) for your sins are forgiven and you are truly born-again! Hallelujah!

Yours in Christ,
Deborah

Deborah Ross Ministries
Strengthening Families & Encouraging Women
http://www.deborahrossministries.org/