Renewed (pt.3): Prepared for God's Will

God can and will renew our strength because in doing so we are prepared to do His will. God will not send us out to do any task ill-prepared or without the proper tools. Romans 12:2 says And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. One definition of the word transform is retool. Adhering to the social mindset or standards of the world disarms us, for in this instance, we are becoming part of what we should be avoiding or even fighting. But if we change our thoughts to desire fulfilling the works of God, we will be retooled and once again be prepared to move forward in God.

There is no situation that could keep us from being renewed. The broken and the weak are still capable of the redemption and transformation of God. There are many in the Bible who were broken and weak but became whole and become kings queens, advisors, and chosen people.  It is when the decision to put God first is made, that we will be changed into the person that God will have us to be. He has placed everything, and even everyone that we need in our lives.

We are never disqualified from God's grace or mercy. Though we do not deserve it by any means, the price was paid so many years ago, all flaws considered, all words considered, all acts, all thoughts, all sins considered. To receive change we must seek change. Renewal, revitalization, regrouping-a great restart for the day, year, or life in general begins with God. We are His children and He loves us and wants us to be successful. He wants us to know that we can come to him to ask for the tools necessary to grow spiritually.

I pray that this has been a blessing for all who have read. Join us on social media for more ministries and worship.

Google+
Facebook
Instagram

Or contact us on gmail

Renewed (pt.2): Provision In God's Presence

As Christians, we should be constantly seeking to renew our minds and our spirit to grow a relationship with God. As is the theme in the discussions of The Deception and the Truth, we should pray to converse with God, read the Bible to hear His answers, and then implement what we have learned to do those things that would cause us to grow. But in some instances we are asked to simply wait. Not necessarily doing nothing, but staying where we are in expectancy for a move of God in our lives, and then taking our cue and taking action. But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.(Isaiah 40:31 KJV)  

God knows that we get faint and weary and tired sometimes. In the earlier verses of Isaiah 40, Isaiah asks the people basically, “Do you not know that God never gets faint himself? So imagine what he can do for you!” Isaiah assured us what God would do, back in chapter 35:

Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence; He will come and save you.  Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.  Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert.  And the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water: in the habitation of dragons, where each lay, shall be grass with reeds and rushes.  And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein.  No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon, it shall not be found there; but the redeemed shall walk there:  And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away. Isaiah 35:4‭-‬10

Thank you for reading part 2 of the New Year Renewal lesson. May God bless you and your reading! Share with us on social media and let us know what you think! God bless! Be Blessed and Be a Blessing!

Google+
Facebook
Instagram
Gmail

Renewed (pt.1): Putting on the New Man

And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;  And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. Ephesians 4:23-24

For some, December and January mark a time period of change in light of the new year. More so it marks a time of newness or renewal. As I am not one to fully agree with making New Year's Resolutions, I do however agree that there is a time for everything. So if this time of year gives birth to reflection and a desire to better or grow oneself, than perhaps it is beneficial.

The Bible speaks about spiritual renewal in Ephesians [chapter 4]. The apostle Paul informed the Christians in Ephesus of the importance of putting off the “old man” and putting on the “new man”. He even explained to them how to do it. He declared that they should put off lying, stay composed while angry, not steal, and speak healthy words. In other words, "Give no place to the devil", [verse 27], and "Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God" [verse 30]. Furthermore, Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:  And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you [verses 31-32].

As always we would like to thank you for your support and reading with us.
We invite you to follow and share on social media as we seek to spread and expand this ministry! God bless! Be Blessed and be a Blessing!

Facebook
Google +
Instagram
Or email us. We would love to hear from you!

God's Glory: Darkness to Light

When life beats you down and you become upset, just think of how Jesus, in all his glory, was the Savior, the Lord, the Christ, and He was literally beaten down as well as being verbally abused. Think of how He must have felt knowing that He was to save all people, even those who were putting him down; to know that He has the power to help or to destroy them, yet He chose to be one of the lowly and to walk with those as well.

During times of being put down, because Jesus knows how we feel, He extends his hands to you so that He can help you. Some may get lost in the alliteration of the situation but what this means is by taking Jesus' hand we are following His way and when we follow His way, we have His power in us. Power over death, power over sin, power over the devil.

As we receive this power and allow it to grow by continuing to walk in His way, we receive glory that is brighter than the Sun. Glory that is so contagious that it will spread to others. Glory that is so intense that those who do not understand will have to look away and hide their faces, because then they will have to realize that they are in darkness. But what is in the darkness must come to the light eventually. Weeping and pain may endure for the night [in the darkness], but joy comes in the morning [with the Light].(Psalm 30:5)

God’s glory is all around us. We may have difficulty discerning it, but it’s there always. If we have ever seen it, we should know it’s power and how great it is. When times are difficult and the Light is hard to see, we should let faith “kick in”, for it is the “substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen.”(Hebrews 11:1)

Therefore, if we do not have a solution in sight for a problem, we must trust faith to define and/or give us confidence that there will be a way for us to make it through. Look to God for his love and his glory in expectancy that His grace and mercy will be sufficient to bring us out from the muck and mire of life and into His glory, into his marvellous Light...the Joy in the morning! This Light...this Glory is there! Seek and ye shall find!

Thank you for reading and supporting The Deception and the Truth!We would love for you to follow us on this page and other social media as we continue to fellowship and share the Word.

Google Plus
Facebook
Instagram
TheDeceptionandtheTruth@gmail.com

Judge Not

"Judge not, that ye be not judged." -Matthew 7:1

To judge someone is to form an opinion about them or to come to a firm conclusion. Judgement tends to be dangerous because it is not always based on factual information but “formed opinions” which could very well be wrong. And furthermore, others may translate the opinions as fact. The truth is that we should not judge anyone. Our human minds are flawed and incapable of fair discernment. Only God can and will judge perfectly.

In the gospels, Jesus clearly says that whatever criteria you use to judge someone, you will be judged  in the same way. Opinions about people are translations of temporary encounters, and unless we know all the events and thoughts of a person, there is no acceptable criteria for judgement. Therefore, instead of addressing questionable situations with judgement, let us use the well-known “Golden Rule”and treat all people as we would like to be treated [Luke 6:31].

In addition, we should treat others as our brothers and sisters, and seek not to put a stumbling block [that the limitations from judgement cause] in their way. Instead, we as Christians should realize that we all will have our day of judgement with the only True and Fair Judge. And on that day we all will have to give account to God for our actions and thoughts, good or bad [Romans14:12-13].

Thank you for you time and support of The Deception and the Truth Ministry. Please join us on social media:

Google Plus

Facebook

Instagram

Gmail

Product of God

“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” Romans 12:2

A recent conversation caused me think about my position on the assumption that a person's environment influences their thoughts and in turn their actions, and little by little changing the environment for the better or worse. While there is some truth to the aforementioned claim, as my father said before, “Ultimately, it is your choice.” What we decide, we decide and no one else. Therefore, we are not so much a product of our environment, as much as we are a product of our own mentalities. Furthermore, our lives become a composite reflection of our hearts.

The disciples gave accounts of Jesus speaking to the fact that “where your treasure is, therein also will be your heart” (Matthew 6:21, Luke 12:34) . Many times the world wins out in the realm of influence toward our hearts because there is physical evidence complying with the claims of the world all around us. In regards to a more spiritual influence coming from a desire to please God, we must rely on faith which requires more self-discipline. Be that as it may, it is a process that can most certainly be achieved. A mindset to make decisions based on what God will have us do is not only attainable, but to the Christian it is mandated. The very essence of what it means to be a Christian requires that we accept Jesus Christ and follow his example. Therefore, when faced with temptations that may cause us to pause, we should either “flee the temptation” or “recite Scripture” as He did. This will help us to keep our focus where it belongs-on God's way. When we are focused, we can then guide ourselves back to God, and in doing so use a spiritual discernment when faced with decisions that have heavy consequences.

Our lives are a sum total of our experiences and decisions. The situations that are out of our control are not always ideal, but it is what we do with our decisions that make a lifelong impact. Allowing the enticements outside ourselves to dictate our thoughts, and hence our actions, is a very deadly game to play. God's way will not steer us wrong and will ultimately lead us to the true intent of our lives.

We are not given a good life or a bad life. We are given a life. It's up to us to make it good or bad. Who and what we encompass around ourselves will either make life easier or harder. Life is already destined for some difficulties, but who or what we find ourselves depending on will be the deciding factor between bending and breaking or bending and moving on. God does not desire for us to go through “ unnecessary foolishness." If we simply adhere to the ways set before us, we will see that God wants to protect us, keep us, and hold us.1 Corinthians 10:13 says, “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” Bottom line, if we look to God, we will find what is of true value and be able to make decisions that God, through Jesus has already shown us the answers to. Then no longer will we fall to the cliche of being a product of our environment, but we will rise rise to the honor of being a product of our God! God bless! Be blessed and be a blessing!

Thank you again for reading. Contact us or join us on social media.

Facebook

Google +

Instagram 

Gmail

Train Up A Child

Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it. Proverbs 22:6    

Children must be trained during a young age. Having taught young children, I've seen how important the responsibility of this is. The mind is most impressionable in childhood; therefore, it is crucial that our young are not only exposed to, but strictly held to the standards of God's way. Hard is the recovery of one who wavers from the way of the Father. So if we truly prepare them early, then they are much more likely to adhere to God.

As with athletic training, the process may be anything but comfortable at times, but looking ahead to what lies before us will reveal a better life, because we are in actuality reaching out to God and seeking to draw nigh high to him, the results of which will draw God closer to us. Through the hard times perseverance will strengthen us for the the next situation, and build “thicker skin” toward adversity and adversaries. Our young are constantly facing new challenges without the proper weaponry, but if they are prepared they will know not to look for man-made solutions to  man-made problems.

We as Christians, must tell and show our children that they are special. But we must do so before they are too exposed. Exposed to the world's definition of special, because they are definitely different. The love of God and his mercy bestowed upon us makes us special. When it is finally realized how much an honor it is to know God, then it will be self explanatory how this is so. To give the life of his child for the life of another who is undeserving is quite a feat in itself, but to then offer a perfect love and a perfect relationship afterward is mind blowing.

If then the realization of God's love is truly comprehended, there will be a yearning to please him and to follow his way. It will not be hard to show how to follow, because the ultimate example can be found in the Bible in Jesus Christ, the God-Man. Not only did we receive a blueprint on how to be adults but also how to be children. Honoring our parents, being about the Father's business, teaching God's way, and so on.

God has on many occasions proven himself to be a fair, and merciful parent. In this case, God has given us incentive in a promise. Exodus 20:12 is one of the Ten Commandments in which God specifically tells children to honor their parents so as to receive long days from the Lord. Parents are one of the first gifts to children and should be cherished and respected. It is a sign of respect toward God as if to say thank you directly to honor and respect them.

Part of the foundation of a child's  relationship with God must be understanding his infinite unconditional love toward us, as best as it can be explained. The importance of the Bible and God's promises must be taught. If “Because I said so” can be a powerful phrase, image saying “Because God says so”...and it having an impact!

It is said that we are the sum total of our life's experiences. So, let us not waste our time or our children's time. The sooner we teach them about following God, the sooner they will recognize true peace and fulfillment, that the world will never understand or be able to contain. Come what may, but God will bless a child with a steadfast faith and those who instilled it!

We would like to thank you for your support and invite you to follow us on social media. Thank you again for reading and God bless!

Google+ Facebook

InstagramGmail

Jesus' Words from His Heart

Sometimes actions speak louder than words. They are the results of decisions made. We make decisions based on how we think. And finally our thoughts are directly tied to what we allow to saturate our hearts.
Jesus had a heart full of love for us. He always thought about and did what was in the Will of God so His actions spoke volumes for Him. As a teacher, He taught many things, and spoke of the wonders of God the Father Who sent Him. He directed 12 men, healed those who were broken and did so with words. There was a reputation that preceded Him due to the actions He would be known for. This is an ultimate proof that we will be remembered for the things that we do more so than what we say. 

Many say that talk is cheap. This means that to simply speak about something means little in comparison to actually do something about it. Another phrase is, "Don't talk about it , be about it!" All these phrases ultimately mean the same thing. Talking about change is easy and meaningless in comparison to making or even being the change that you seek in the world as stated by the philosopher Ghandi himself. Jesus spoke of the Will of God and intricately became the Will and the Way of God by living the example that we are to follow! Henceforth becoming the Way, the Truth, and the Life! [John 14:6] Jesus the Christ, the God-man, lived to die for us. His heart was so intent on saving us that He literally became a physical sacrifice for us. His actions were a result of what He was thinking, and His thoughts were in direct correlation to what was in His heart. We were His original intent. He loved, and is still loving us and He needs to know that we live mostly to die for him as well. We must die to the flesh in order to be raised in the Spirit! Glory be to God, because we were the reason He came...to save us. By words were we created and by the Word were we saved! God bless!!!

Thank you for reading and supporting The Deception and the Truth.
You can contact us at TheDeceptionandtheTruth@gmail.com or
You can follow us here on Google Plus, Facebook , and Instagram

Praise and Deliverance

I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.” Psalm 34:1

This verse is a wonderful blueprint toward how a  Christian’s attitude should be, in regards to acknowledging God’s goodness. Written by the man after God’s own heart, this entire chapter of Psalms [34] reflects on the solid belief and example of God being there for us. The psalter makes sure to always include God’s workings in his life, no matter the situation he finds himself in or coming out of. Perhaps the approach that David takes toward revealing God’s divine intervention causes him to remain or at times, return to being of the description given- being righteous. Blessing the Lord at all times, and continuously praising God no doubt increased the relationship of David and God.

Verse 19 mentions the righteous in that “Many are the afflictions of the righteous:but the Lord delivereth him out of them all.” David surely had his fair share of afflictions, but one in particular is believed to have been the source of his penning these profound words declaring his praise.

Before the poetry of this chapter, is a partial explanation making reference to an incident involving David and his confrontation with Abimelech. In the incident, David, in fear for his life, plays the role of a man gone mad, on the ground in the dirt, drooling in his beard. This image is shameful, to say the least, but it worked. His life was spared and he was sent away. God had saved him, once again. His life was spared and he explains further, “ I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears (v.4). He realizes his shortcomings, referring to himself in verse 6 as “This poor man” crying, when once again “the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.” The commonality here is that when in distress, the Lord will hear his righteous, and deliver them out…of them all.”

Thousands of years after these events,we too can find ourselves on the receiving end of God’s deliverance. We have but to ask, and in the words of Jesus himself, “it shall be given; seek and ye shall find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” (Matthew 7:7) In almost a mirroring of the image that David set forth in Psalm 34, Paul’s Epistle of Ephesians [5:20] reminds us to always give thanks to God for all things. We must remember who he is and what he is capable of. He hears us and delivers us from all that might oppose us. This deliverance is available by believing and consistently praising God’s name -always. David stated it perfectly in an earlier chapter. Psalm 9:10 says, “And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, Lord, hast not forsaken them that seek thee.” Beautiful poetry!

Follow us on

Facebook
Google+
Instagram

Boldly before the Throne: Mercy

Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. Matthew 5:7

Mercy can be described as pity toward those who are in lack, or under strain. Mercy could also be a withholding of punishment or justifying action against someone of opposition. For a Divine or Heavenly explanation, Psalm 103:10 states,"He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our inequities." In other words, God does not treat us as our sins deserve, and our sins bestow upon us a penalty of death. But instead, God offers mercy and an opportunity to engage in and continue a close relationship with him. We should heed Scripture and "Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful." (Luke 6:36) We should follow God and do for others as He does for us- giving mercy and becoming merciful.

Songs of Mercy

King   David showed evidence that even though he was a great warrior, and king, he humbled himself before God. As made known in his praises of Psalms, and in his life story in general, there were many reasons for David in particular to do so, but one specifically- mercy. Even toward the end of his days, David acknowledges God's mercy and tenderness. He actually preferred to deal with God in  light of his transgressions, because he knew in his heart that God is a merciful God, and "His mercies are great." Man, however, especially in that day and time, was not as inclined to be so forgiving. (2 Samuel 24:14)

Back in his time of Psalm writing (Psalm 51), David recognized and asked for God's mercy. He realized his fault and infirmities, all the while knowing how forgiving God is and that He, in His "tender mercies" could "blot out [my] transgressions." As God did with David, so also will He do for us. God's mercy can be described as an undeserved pity given to us by our Creator. God knows that we are undeserving, but in spite of this, because of His loved toward us, decides to help us, and bless us, and grow us though we are broken and imperfect. This phenomenal gift is God's mercy. In order to receive this amazing gift we must go boldly before the throne.

You can contact us at TheDeceptionandtheTruth@gmail.com

Like us on Facebook. Follow us on Instagram

Christian Pillars: Prayer

Prayer, as mentioned before, is the Christians way of communicating with God. It is such a privilege to be able to come to our All-Powerful Creator and not only talk to Him, but to have Him hear us! By acknowledging and accepting what Jesus did for us by way of sacrifice, we have been given this wonderful gift- an opportunity to have a personal relationship with the Father and call Him "my God!"

"The function of prayer is not to influence God, but rather change the nature of the one who prays."
Soren Kierkgaard

Examine Your Heart
All we who are born-again believers have access to direct communication with God. This direct communication, or prayer, is made possible by having our sin, which denies our access, washed away. This in essence, makes us not guilty and therefore with prayer a relationship is established with God. There is no limit to life when prayer is included. And while prayer is the best and most sure coarse of action, when trying to obtain something or have a request made, it should be geared more toward what we can do for God as opposed to what God can do for us. True, He said "Ask and ye shall receive..." (Matthew 7:7), but before we make requests, perhaps we should examine our hearts and confirm that our wants coincide with what God wants for us in accordance to His will and His way. If that is not the case, then maybe we are praying the wrong prayer, with the wrong intentions, at the wrong time. Before we pray, we should make sure that our hearts are in the right place with good intentions,faith, and a correspondence with what God wants for our lives and not what we want for ourselves.

There are proper ways of coming to the Lord God in prayer. We must call Him in truth (Psalm 145:18) and He will be nigh. "Draw nigh unto God, and He will draw nigh unto you: cleanse your hands ye sinners, and purify your hearts ye double-minded." Mark 11:25-26 speaks to the thought of forgiving and in turn having God forgive you. This verse among others explain that with every action that we take to be closer to God, He will reciprocate. Einstein's famous third theory of motion as we all know says,"For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction."In a Heavenly context, Our Father who is perfect, and holy, and pure, and gracious, and merciful...will hear us. And from that point He can be " a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him," a healer of land and forgiver of sin for those who humble themselves, pray, and seek Him. This may require us to literally stop and take time to confer with ourselves. And after this necessary partaking, and we have have confirmed our good intentions and desire to correspond with God's will and way, it is immensely imperative that we proceed to communicate with God with a base of strong faith. We must believe that there is a God, that He hears us, and that if it be His will He will answer our requests. And while faith carries much power, "faith without works is dead."..............

The next Installment in this "Christian Pillars" Series will address faith and works. 

Thank you to all readers of any material from The Deception and the Truth Ministry. Thank you to family, friends, blood or otherwise. Also a special thank you to all those reading from other countries. The Deception and the Truth is not one person...it's us! Thank you again and God Bless!

The Deception and the Truth can be found on: 
Facebook, Google+, Instagram, and more soon!
Contact us at TheDeceptionandtheTruth@gmail.com

Think On These Things (pt 1)

Think On These Things

Those things that are of true importance are not those of the physical but those of the spiritual. We must see past the the carnal and tangible and see past what is of the flesh.In order to see, we must think and understand. And in order to think and understand, we must study to know in our minds. But beyond knowing in our minds, we must also, and perhaps more importantly, know in our hearts. I believe that the key to the soul is linked to the heart. Whatever is in our heart is a reflection of the direction of our souls. The things that we focus on will define us. 

"Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." Philippians 4:8-9

The above passage gives us an excellent road map toward the path that Jesus took. It gives us a list of things to think on. The author of this passage, the apostle Paul, lived this and is teaching us through such. Before when he was Saul, he gave in to the worlds wickedness, lies, and non-virtuous ways, only to "have his eyes opened" to the fact that the wrong road will lead you to Hell, but the way of Jesus will lead to God's glory and peace.

When all is said and done, those things that are corruptible and privy to decay will, in regards to eternity, fail us. But those things that are of God will set our soul on a coarse toward salvation through cleansing. Jesus sacrificed His life to give this to us. He only asks that we follow Him and do as He did. Turning away from decay, and heading toward a new path of life which guarantees growth. Nothing will be able to take this new path and growth from you because He who gave it loves you and would never take it away. Take a moment to pause and truly think about it. Jesus loved, died, and in turn gave...eternal life!

Follow us on 

Facebook and Instagram 

or contact us at

TheDeceptionandtheTruth@gmail.com

Word of Life Missions Trip- Brittany Mickie

Word of Life Missions Trip- Brittany Mickie

Ladies and gentlemen. This is a wonderful opportunity to help God's will be done. Evangelism and giving are always blessed. Please click the link above and learn about how to support this trip and continue praying for my sister Brittany Mickie. Thanks!

https://give.wol.org/bnmickie

For more info you can contact us on our Facebook page or email us at

Thedeceptionandthetruth@gmail.com

Pray. Read. Do. (Christian Pillars pt.1)

Prayer is, for we who believe, a way to communicate with our Father and Creator. It gives us passage to be in the presence of God, and allows us to simply talk one-on-one with Him. Through prayer we are given the opportunity to take part in a truly intimate relationship with our God. In the name of Jesus Christ through the sacrifice that He became, we have been given access to communication with God. This in itself is important and amazing to think about! We, who are in no way worthy of anything remotely resembling favor with the All Mighty, are accepted and given solace in knowing that we can not only talk with the Creator but be loved by Him!

Prayer is communication with God, and when we communicate there is interaction two ways. Therefore, we should listen for a response. And the response will come from God through reading His Word and seeking to follow the ways of Jesus Christ. Everything that we need to know or even hear is addressed in the Bible. Many issues that we are faced with today are but replays in time with different characters. Love, deception, murder, betrayal, law, injustice, inequality, leadership- there are examples of these and many more situations in the Bible. We can learn from the best and the worst. God's Word is His response to the prayers of our lips as well as those of our hearts. The murmurs of our heart from situations that may be taxing on our souls are heard by God. In times of uncertainty and presumed inability to pray, God has already heard our heart. He wants to bless us and we have to do our part.

Even though God is as He is referred to in the Bible as being Omnipotent or All-Powerful, He will not just create a miracle to merely accommodate our whim. There is work to be done. To simply pray without offering or being willing to do anything to bring about growth, advancement, blessings and other such "requests" would be nothing more than naive. We must work for the things that we pray for with faith that God will bless it and that He will be there to catch us when we fall. Simply put, laziness is not rewarded. So faith without works is dead. Christians without an active faith are stagnant. We can not, for example, pray for someone to be blessed and not be willing to in fact become a blessing to them. Sometimes we must become the very thing that we pray for. Jesus Christ came to show the Way, and He himself was and still is the Way. What we do as Christians is not only done for others who are on earth in this physical realm, but also for God above, in the spirit realm, whom we have not seen.

For more from the Deception and the Truth visit us on Facebook or contact us via email thedeceptionandthetruth@gmail.com

God bless!!!

Boldly Before the Throne

“ Let us therefore come boldly before the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:16 KJV

To be bold means to be daring, courageous. Not hesitating or fearful in the midst of danger or situations containing an unknown resolution.

What would we have to fear? Why would we hesitate? To be in the presence of He who created all things, who has all knowledge and power. Power to do what He so chooses at a whim, and knowledge of all our faults and thoughts. To come before Him would be ever so slightly[sarcasm]... intimidating. Yet this scripture says, “ Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne,...” When we think of a throne, we think of a King or Queen or someone who has power and control. Perhaps one who has control of important aspects of our lives- finances, food, clothes, shelter, or even whether we live or die. For some, that throne maybe the La-Z-Boy in the living room, and the ruler, if you will, was Mama or Daddy, and all things mention were under their control from the food and shelter to life and death. The latter because of the phrase “I brought you into this world and…” That was something to fear. But I digress. This fear would be more so an awe-inspired respect. To know what the King has done and is capable of doing should slow us down, if but for a moment, to give him the impression that we are giving Him his just due. To come boldly would show confidence in a situation of unknown resolution. But is the resolution really unknown? Upon showing our confidence or being bold, we do so, not based upon our own merit, but…

Though Jesus.

Hebrews 10:19,20 says,”Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the Holiest by the blood of Jesus,  By a new and living way, which He hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, His flesh…”

Once again we are told of the boldness. This passage verifies that it is solely by the blood of Jesus that we can be bold in the first place. Throughout Hebrews, there is mentioned a reference to Jesus as being likened unto a high priest. But the greatest difference was that Jesus was perfect. Never had their walked such a man as He. Not only perfect in his ways, but He Himself becoming the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Giving intercessions for us, providing us a way to have relationship with the Father and Eternal Life. And for this, He was the perfect sacrifice...

For us.

If and when we accept the blood, accept the sacrifice and realize why we needed it, we become new. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. Old things are passed away; behold all things are become new.” We have a new life, a new direction, a new method of reaction towards things and people that, simply put, rub us the wrong way. He has consecrated this newness or made it sacred and holy because He Himself is Holy. It’s like the Midas touch. Everything it touched turned to gold. Well, everything that Jesus touched with His life became new. It became better than it ever could be and we can be the same way if we just open our hearts and open our minds to the sacrifice- the acceptance and giving through normally unbearable circumstances. His body, much like the veil in the temple, was broken, torn and fell. And because of this, we have been given access to a new life, a new direction, new grace, new mercy, new help, new healing, new sight, new love, new joy. Old things are passed away, and through Christ's perfect blood, we too are made new and can therefore, boldly come before the throne of grace…

With God.

Value

You and your life have value. This holds to be true because Jesus Christ made it so. We have all equally come short of God's glory because we are sinners but Jesus paid the ultimate sacrifice for us all to become valuable. And he did so because of love. An unconditional love that had no boundaries and no special circumstances. Because His love is unconditional and without boundaries we should not hold boundaries to ourselves. Because we are valuable in the sight of God already through the sacrifice of Jesus, we should not depend on what others say to us or what others consider us to be to give us worth or value.
What we possess and what actions we have taken does not determine our worth. Good deeds do not increase my worth. The use of foul language or the consumption of alcoholic beverages does not diminish my worth. Having a certain body shape or certain physical attributes does not increase or diminish value. Past life experiences, misguided decisions made- none of these things determine value. But it is Jesus that determines our value.
My value comes from my acceptance of what Jesus did for me and my life in correlation with my repentance from the things that caused Him to be sacrificed in the first place. I am by no means perfect and in some ways I am no better than I was before, but healing is a process, change is a process, Christianity is a process on a path that I have chosen to take for myself. We are special because we are valuable to God and not because someone else says that we are. And no one can take that away from us.

Christian Legacy: Greater In God

Life is about legacy. A Christian legacy is the sum total of the good that you have done for God, and others. No matter where you've been or where you are, there is no better time than the present to make life greater. Greater for yourself and greater for others. This can be achieved by anyone. Even in times of trial, a simple smile can go a long way. Something minute such as an action of seemingly no immediate value may help someone else. Do the math.

Legacy is part of God's plan for our life. If there seems to be distance from God it is not because He walked away, but rather it is because we walked away. But by grace, God does not hold a grudge. He is there to help us. All we have to do is take His hand and walk in faith with Him. He knows the plans that He has for our lives (there is a plan for everyone) and for we who believe in Him and the power in simply saying His name, He desires abundant prosperity(Jeremiah 29:11). He is Great and can make our lives even greater than what they are now. "Greater is He who is in me than he who is in the world" (1 John 4:4) which means having God makes us greater than anything that is outside of ourselves.

We must leave a mark on the world. What will yours be? Hopefully it will be one that shows that you are hand in hand with God and His ways. A life that reflects the search to adhere to the ways of Jesus Christ. For it is He and He alone who is the Way the Truth and the Life. He is the only way to the Father. And with that access to to the Father we have unlimited access to power from the Creator; therefore, we obtain access to anything in existence that will assist us toward the achievements of an appropriate legacy to be left behind.

Our legacy should be a building block for others. Whether or not we try to leave a legacy, one will be left. So it is very important that we leave a legacy that is constructive and not destructive, focusing energies on those things that will build us as they may be the very things to build another. Perhaps important so because the inverse is true in the way of destruction. We are meant to grow in God and help others do so as well. That which is of God, is that which will build us up and make us greater, and through us make others greater, and through them make the world greater. Legacy.

Let's Talk: Thank You

Thank You God for where I am. I am not where I could have been, so for such I say equally "Thank You" and "I'm sorry." There is so much more that could have been done. But I , in my stubborn human ways, fought You and Your will. I chose to be comfortable and not a Christian, popular instead of proactive. I said "I love You God," but didn't really understand the Words... until I felt them. Playing the part became so easy. I played it so well that I convinced even myself. 

Deception I became.

Deceiver I did serve. 

Ruined my life, my heart and soul. 

For You I lost my nerve.

Lord I want to make it up to You. For all that I should have done, please endow me with the Spirit, so as to complete the tasks designated for me. I should have been more for You, for others, and for myself. The damage caused by my leisure Christian life replays in my mind, because all of my decisions did not reflect the life of Christ. Had I made decisions regarding my walk with Christ, I would have made better choices and elevated others instead of potentially bringing them to transgression. 

Aside from such, the past is the past and can be used to learn valuable life lessons. I could continue to find reasons to say "I'm sorry", but " Thank You" deserves more energy. Father God, Your grace and mercy has caused me to have a life full of opportunities of which I am no more than unworthy to receive. There have been times that I, in my own stupidity, came close to destruction, yet You delivered me. You continue to make Your grace available, when my actions would call for the opposite to be so. So as I speak to You, I thank You. For Who You are; who You are making me to be; the very life that I live; the progressions as well as the hindrances; persons who would advance me as well as those who would do me harm; for all these I give thanks and gratitude for which I could never be ashamed nor could I deny. You, the Father of all, have taken a portion of Your ever precious time and not only made me, but You molded and shaped me. Fall fresh upon me Lord, and I will do what is desired of me, to the glory of Thine Holy Name, now and even until this vessel shall be no more! 

"Now unto Him, Who is able to keep you from falling, and present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy,

To the only wise God our Savior, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever.Amen." Jude1:24-25

Where Is the Church? (pt.1) Christian Duty

"We've got to go and be a witness

To save the lost and fallen from the hit list.
Get this, give them total Truth, so they never will forget this
And they can claim a place where Holy bliss is..."

It is the responsibility of believers to bring souls to Christ. It is our mandate from God. In Matthew 4:19, Jesus declares that if we follow him, He will make us fishers of men- seeking to bring souls to Christ. We have been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb of God and given a new life as new Creatures. How dare we deprive an unbeliever of the same Christ who saved our wretched souls from a deserved punishment. Who are we to the unbeliever but one whom not so long ago was standing in the same guilty place yearning inside for the scent of atonement? 

"For all have sinned and come short of Gods glory." (Romans 3:23) Therefore, we by ourselves were not good enough. We were not deserving, except by Jesus interceding for us and enduring the Cross whereby we were saved. We are no better than anyone on Earth- man, woman, boy, girl, black, white, saved, or unsaved. We are not perfect. Yet He who was, and still is perfect, saved us. 

Nothing elevates one above another, therefore we are all equal. Sinners needing God's grace. There is no one sin greater than the others. Sin is sin, and if one keeps the Law of God and sin not, save one sin, he still transgresseth the Law. (James 2:10). This verse, in a way, puts us all on a level playing field- all sinners seeking God's grace. We, as Christians though, are to help align the minds of the lost to realize how they can be found, and given newness.

If we are privy to the knowledge of someone falling to sin, it is only our place to help them and not judge. Because the same standard of judgment that we use against them shall be therein used against us. 1 Peter 3:15-16 (KJV) tells us sanctify the Lord in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason  of the hope that is in you with meeknes and fear: Having a good conscience: that whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they might be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ. The NIV translates this verse by saying to revere Christ, and be ready to explain why you have hope. But to do so with gentleness, respect, and a clear conscience. Thus, causing those who spoke evil against you to be ashamed. Also, doing so would make us like Christ in word and deed, and give a good testimony and example as to what really being a Christian is all about.....

(We will revisit this topic in part 2 of this series. Until then we would like to invite you to follow us on social media. Thank you again for reading and God bless!)

Facebook
Google +
Instagram
Gmail

Your Perfect Plan

Take my heart Lord, break and move,
Tried by fire, my love to prove.
Please remove what would be less
Than what should be or not my best.
With my heart Lord, take my mind,
Perfect peace in Thee to find,
For without it, I am lost
In life's billows, tempest tossed.
Let mine eyes see blessings shown,
As I am Yours and not my own;
Blessings pure and undefiled,
Promise given to me Your child.
Speak, O Lord, That I may hear,
Whisper peace to still my fear.
Words that hold Your Holy Power,
Day and night, be hushed no hour.

Take my life and every blunder;
Change me to a different man.
For I know You're awesome wonder;
Place me in Your perfect plan.