Biblical Heart Check, Idolatry

 Idolatry 

Today we continue to dive deep into this Prayer that David prayed to God and challenges us to do the same;

“Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!” Pslam 139:23-24

As we are discussing, it is scary for us to pray because of the answers that God may give us. We may be going to church. Some may even be reading their Bible all the time and praying daily. However, are there distractions in your heart?

How about this one? Idolatry: This refers to worshipping anything other than God, including created things or even ourselves. It can manifest in a desire for power, status, or pleasure that supersedes our devotion to God.

This one is so offensive to God and so easy for us to fall into, that He created the Second Commandment for it.

"You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.

You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.” Exodus 20:5-7

Idolatry is of course, any statue, or "any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth." That would include the statue of Saint Peter, Paul, Luke, or John, by the way. That would include that statue of this or that Saint, by the way. That would include that statue of Mary, by the way. That would also include the statue of Jesus or the Crucifix, by the way. Just something to think about.

There is nothing wrong with being a good "Christian." Being a good "Catholic." "Jew." "Muslim." Whatever. There is nothing wrong with having faith in the church. However, when you read Jesus is "The Way, Truth, and Life," and your church or religion does not teach you that Jesus is the "Door," then you are in the wrong religion. If you read "Thou shalt not commit Idolatry" and walk into a church and see people worshiping at the foot of statues and praying to this and that Saint, you may want to rethink this. There is nothing wrong with obedience to a certain church or religion, as long as that church and religion is teaching you the Truth according to God. Not solely the traditions of men.

If you do not worship statues, good for you. Can you say Astrology? Horoscopes and such? The Sun, Moon, and Stars will not protect you, nor keep you safe. When you look upon them, you are looking at a Creation. They are to God, what the most beautiful building is to man. They are nothing more than created things. They have no life in them. God warns us about this in His Word.

“And beware lest you raise your eyes to heaven, and when you see the sun and the moon and the stars, all the host of heaven, you be drawn away and bow down to them and serve them, things that the LORD your God has allotted to all the peoples under the whole heaven.” Deuteronomy 4:19

This is growing and one that is the most seductive idol. The idol of self. You need nothing and no one. You are not only enough, but you are the best. Most important. You are a “god.” Sound familiar?

“How you are fallen from heaven,

O Day Star, son of Dawn!

How you are cut down to the ground,

you who laid the nations low!

You said in your heart,

‘I will ascend to heaven;

above the stars of God

I will set my throne on high;

I will sit on the mount of the assembly

in the far reaches of the north;

I will ascend above the heights of the clouds;

I will make myself like the Most High.’

But you are brought down to Sheol,

to the far reaches of the pit.

Those who see you will stare at you

and ponder over you:

‘Is this the man who made the earth tremble,

who shook kingdoms,

who made the world like a desert

and overthrew its cities,

who did not let his prisoners go home?’ Isaiah 14:12-17

“You said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; above the stars of God I will set my throne on high; will sit on the mount of assembly in the far reaches of the north; will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’” Lucifer, as he was known then, wanted to be the most important. He wanted people to bow down in front of him. Worship him. Look what he said to Jesus.

“Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to him, “All these I will give you if you will fall down and worship me.” Matthew 4:8-9

This is what he tempted Adam and Eve with.

“But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” Genesis 3:4-5

Look what society tells our kids. “There is no god.” “You only live once.” “You are special and you are in control of your future.” “Look out for number one.” If you put yourself out there, social media and such, you could be the next big thing.” “The next “influencer with thousands of followers.” Sound familiar?

Look at social media for a second. There are those on social media that make $30,000.00 a day for a 10-minute video. Some make so much money and have so many followers that they make videos where they give money away. Is there anything wrong with them giving money away to those who need it? No. Not really. But why are they? Think about it. Look at what Jesus said here.

“Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” Matthew 6:1-4

Social media has become a source of child abuse. We have parents out there who are letting their underage daughters, some very underage daughters, dance in bathing suits, underwear, and in some cases, nothing, showing little bits of themselves for the pedophiles out there to watch.

Why? The more views, the more followers, and the more they could make money. We used to call nude or semi-nude pictures and videos of little kids, child porn. It used to be a crime. That no longer seems to be the case. Some of those happy little faces doing their dance are doing so because they are being forced to. There have been reports that in other countries, there are compounds full of young girls who are forced to make videos.

Even if we do not go to the extreme, just think about things like FB. Yeah, I know. I have one. I post these messages on it. I share pics, and I share life moments. I look forward to waking up and seeing how many people “liked” my posts. Where is the line though? Social Media is a tool. Like with all tools, it can be used for something good, or it can be turned and twisted into something evil. You could be reading this message on Social Media, or you could be watching porn. You get the point. You could even become consumed with how many “followers” you have as well so PLEASE be careful. The Idol of self is very powerful. One that can and will consume you totally if you let it. Think about this, even back in the day, people were worried about followers and being great. When Jesus was asked, "Who will be the greatest in Heaven?" He answered this way.

“And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.” Matthew 18:2-6

Jesus also told us this.

"For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”Mark 10:45

And here?

“You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them." John 13:13-16

It is not about you. It never was. It never will be. It is about serving others. It is in the very service to others, that God can equip you and bless you. It is not about you. You cannot say you serve God if you are not serving others.

What did Jesus do? Teach, preach, and show the way. He came to serve us. He came to serve us to the point of His torture, abuse, and death. What have you done for your fellow man lately? We have not reached the point of torture and death in this country. Yet. People are being tortured and killed because of the name of Jesus all over the world. Yet they keep spreading the Word. Are you? Or are you worried about losing “followers” if you post something like the real meaning of the Rainbow? Are you worried about offending someone with the truth?

Think about this. If you are, are you now choosing to put yourself before God? Think about that for a second. If you are fearful, that you will lose followers, friends, and or even family, because of your faith in God, then are you not choosing yourself to be more important than God? Jesus put it this way.

“Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul? For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done. Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming into his kingdom.” Matthew 16:24-28

Again, folks, it is ok to be on social media. It is a tool and can be a great way to stay in touch with family and friends. It can be a good way to spread the Gospel. However, be careful that it does not become an avenue to sin. Either by viewing things you should not, or attempting to use it as a tool to commit the original sin. Pride and self-promotion. Remember another warning from Jesus. He said this.

“Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.” Matthew 23:12

Put the “Idol of Self” and all Idolatry away from you and do not seek it out again. Put that Idol of anything you put in front of God away, and do not seek it again. Put God First in your heart, and your head. Seek first His kingdom. Seek His will for you and your life. You will have a much fuller and happier life.

Have you been adopted? If not, say this Prayer. Right now. Wherever you may be. Say it in your own words, and do not doubt in your heart. God will hear you. He will send the Spirit of Life to you. Let us Pray.

"Oh heavenly Father, Lord God. I am a sinner. I know this. I know there is nothing I can do to change that. But I know you can. I accept Jesus's sacrifice for me. I believed He rose from the dead. I repent my sins. Please send the Spirit of Adoption into my life. Help me to get to know the real you. Save me. Please. In the name of Jesus, Amen!"

That's it. It is that simple. Now go tell someone what you have just done. "That if you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in your heart that God hath raised him from the dead, You shall be saved." Romans 10:9. You need to find a Church that God leads you to and be Baptized the way Jesus said to be. You are now a Child of God. A New Creature. You "have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him."Colossians 3:10

The email, if you wish to contact me, is truthbygod1@gmail.com

May the comfort of the Holy Ghost, and the peace of our Lord Jesus, be with you all. May God bless and be with you, always.

Until next time, be blessed, be a blessing, and Jesus is Lord!

Book of Mark, Chapter 3

 Chapter 3

A Man with a Withered Hand

1 Again he entered the synagogue, and a man was there with a withered hand. 2 And they watched Jesus, to see whether he would heal him on the Sabbath so that they might accuse him. 3 And he said to the man with the withered hand, “Come here.” 4 And he said to them, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?” But they were silent. 5 And he looked around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, and said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was restored. 6 The Pharisees went out and immediately held counsel with the Herodians against him, how to destroy him.

A Great Crowd Follows Jesus

7 Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the sea, and a great crowd followed, from Galilee and Judea 8 and Jerusalem and Idumea and from beyond the Jordan and from around Tyre and Sidon. When the great crowd heard all that he was doing, they came to him. 9 And he told his disciples to have a boat ready for him because of the crowd, lest they crush him, 10 for he had healed many, so that all who had diseases pressed around him to touch him. 11 And whenever the unclean spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, “You are the Son of God.” 12 And he strictly ordered them not to make him known.

The Twelve Apostles

13 And he went up on the mountain and called to him those whom he desired, and they came to him. 14 And he appointed twelve (whom he also named apostles) so that they might be with him and he might send them out to preach 15 and have authority to cast out demons. 16 He appointed the twelve: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter); 17 James the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James (to whom he gave the name Boanerges, that is, Sons of Thunder); 18 Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Zealot, 19 and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

20 Then he went home, and the crowd gathered again, so that they could not even eat. 21 And when his family heard it, they went out to seize him, for they were saying, “He is out of his mind.”

Blasphemy Against the Holy Spirit

22 And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem were saying, “He is possessed by Beelzebul,” and “by the prince of demons he casts out the demons.” 23 And he called them to him and said to them in parables, “How can Satan cast out Satan? 24 If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. 25 And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. 26 And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand but is coming to an end. 27 But no one can enter a strong man's house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man. Then indeed he may plunder his house.

28 “Truly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the children of man, and whatever blasphemies they utter, 29 but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin”— 30 for they were saying, “He has an unclean spirit.”

Jesus' Mother and Brothers

31 And his mother and his brothers came, and standing outside they sent to him and called him. 32 And a crowd was sitting around him, and they said to him, “Your mother and your brothers are outside, seeking you.” 33 And he answered them, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” 34 And looking about at those who sat around him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! 35 For whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother.”

Biblical Heart Check, Love of Money

Love of possessions.

We are about to dive deep into this Prayer that David prayed to God and challenges us to do the same;

“Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!” Pslam 139:23-24

As we discussed last time, it is scary for us to pray because of the answer that God may give us. We may be going to church. Some may even be reading their Bible all the time and praying daily. However, are there distractions in your heart? We read things like this.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6

We read things like this.

“And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” Luke 10:27

Yet we are told that the heart is evil. Without Yeshua or Jesus, it is. Without the Holy Spirit in you, it is nothing but a flesh-loving heart. It is easily distracted and this is what we will be talking about today. Here is one of the first and biggest distractions of a flesh-loving heart.

Love of money and possessions. The Bible warns against the dangers of materialism and the temptation to prioritize wealth over God. For example, Matthew 6:24 says

"No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money."

Why? Because Jesus knows the human heart. He even told us this.

"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:19-21

Why? Our love of money and our love for possessions. “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” But I thought there was nothing wrong with wanting more. I thought keeping up with the Joneses was normal and a good thing. It helps you to desire to be better. Right? Wrong. Jesus helps you to be better. The Holy Spirit helps you to be better. God changes your heart, and HE makes you better.

What you are talking about is covetousness. Jesus said this.

“And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” Luke 12:15

Why?

“Whoever trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will flourish like a green leaf.” Proverbs 11:28

Remember the story of the rich man and his barns?

“And he told them a parable, saying, "The land of a rich man produced plentifully, and he thought to himself, 'What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?' And he said, 'I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, "Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry."'

But God said to him, 'Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?' So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.” Luke 12:16-21

Jesus goes on to say this.

“And he said to his disciples, "Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing.” Luke 12:22-23

I have known workaholics. I have been a workaholic. I worked two full-time jobs and slept every other day or so. It only lasted about 7 months until something had to give. The sad thing is, that some people are so afraid of losing stuff, that they spend half their lives trying to stay one foot ahead of the grave, which puts them in it. You can only go so far on empty until you simply stop going. What is Jesus’s answer for us? His answer for us to have our needs met?

“And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried. For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them.

Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you. Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” Luke 12:29-32

You are a prince or princess of Heaven. The Alpha, and The Omega, The Beginning and the End, The Creator of the Universe is now your Daddy. Are you going to worry about the electric bill? The cable?

If having a TV is a worry, you may need to rethink your priorities. If you cannot put food on the table, but you can watch your favorite show, you may want to rethink your priorities. If you cannot go to Bible Study, because you cannot miss your favorite show? Somebody say amen. If you cannot put food on the table because you have a $700.00 a month car payment, you may want to rethink your priorities. If your kids are wearing worn-out clothes and eating scraps, but you can afford those cigarettes and that alcohol, you should check your priorities. I warned you this series was going to sting some. We are doing a heart check. How is yours?

“Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually!” 1 Chronicles 16:11

We are going to end today with this. 1 Peter 4

“Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same way of thinking, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God.

 For the time that is past suffices for doing what the Gentiles want to do, living in sensuality, passions, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, and lawless idolatry. With respect to this, they are surprised when you do not join them in the same flood of debauchery, and they malign you; but they will give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. For this is why the gospel was preached even to those who are dead, that though judged in the flesh the way people are, they might live in the spirit the way God does”

Talking to you child of God

“The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.” 1 Peter: 1-11

We do not know what tomorrow will bring. The rich man died on the eve of completing his bigger barn. Tomorrow is nowhere to be found. Jesus tells us that the morrow will worry about itself and is filled with evil. James tells us this.

“Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”, yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.” James 4:13-16

What is your heart's desire? Is it money and stuff? Or are you doing what God said to do?

“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” Matthew 6:33

Be the child of God, that God calls you to be.

Have you been adopted into the Family of God? Would you like to be? It is simple. Say this prayer. Say it in your own words, and do not doubt in your heart. God will hear you. He will send the Spirit of Life to you. Let us Pray.

"Oh heavenly Father, Lord God. I am a sinner. I know this. I know there is nothing I can do to change that. But I know you can. I accept Jesus's sacrifice for me. I believed He rose from the dead. I repent my sins. Please send the Spirit of Adoption into my life. Help me to get to know the real you. Save me. Please. In the name of Jesus, Amen!"

That's it. It is that simple. Now go tell someone what you have just done. "That if you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in your heart that God hath raised him from the dead, You shall be saved." Romans 10:9. You need to find a Church that God leads you to and be Baptized the way Jesus said to be. You are now a Child of God. A New Creature. You "have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him."Colossians 3:10

Email if you wish to contact me, it's truthbygod1@gmail.com

May the comfort of the Holy Ghost, and the peace of our Lord Jesus, be with you all. May God bless and be with you, always.

Until next time, be blessed, be a blessing, and Jesus is Lord!

Book of Mark, Chapter 2

 Chapter 2

Jesus Heals a Paralytic

1 And when he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. 2 And many were gathered together, so that there was no more room, not even at the door. And he was preaching the word to them. 3 And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. 4 And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay. 5 And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” 6 Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, 7 “Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” 8 And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, “Why do you question these things in your hearts? 9 Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk’? 10 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralytic— 11 “I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.” 12 And he rose and immediately picked up his bed and went out before them all so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!”

Jesus Calls Levi

13 He went out again beside the sea, and all the crowd was coming to him, and he was teaching them. 14 And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him.

15 And as he reclined at a table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners were reclining with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. 16 And the scribes of the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 17 And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”

A Question About Fasting

18 Now John's disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. And people came and said to him, “Why do John's disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?” 19 And Jesus said to them, “Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. 20 The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast on that day. 21 No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. If he does, the patch tears away from it, the new from the old, and a worse tear is made. 22 And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the wine will burst the skins—and the wine is destroyed, and so are the skins. But new wine is for fresh wineskins.”

Jesus Is Lord of the Sabbath

23 One Sabbath he was going through the grainfields, and as they made their way, his disciples began to pluck heads of grain. 24 And the Pharisees were saying to him, “Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?” 25 And he said to them, “Have you never read what David did, when he was in need and was hungry, he and those who were with him: 26 how he entered the house of God, in the time of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and also gave it to those who were with him?” 27 And he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. 28 So the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath.”

Biblical Heart Check

 Biblical Heart Check

I truly believe this is one of the scariest prayers a human being can pray to God.

“Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!” Pslam 139:23-24

Why is this scary? Because if you are being honest, God will show you the truth. Most likely you will have some serious changes to make. Deep serious changes. Real changes. Life-altering changes. You may be believing in God, however, you may still be living for you. This prayer and this series may point out some things in your walk with God that you will need to change immediately. Are you ready to do so?

The world says to follow your heart. In some cases, some churches falsely teach this as well. “See, God is all about love. Love comes from the heart. Love one another without judging, no matter what, or you are not loving. Follow your heart and desires in business, life, and all things. You will be healthy, wealthy, and wise. Forget about that old concept of sin and hell. A loving God is not going to send you to hell. Do as you will. Follow your heart and you will be a good person and a loving person, full of compassion and love.”

This is a lie straight from hell itself. It is the worst thing any child of God can do. Why?

“The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately sick; who can understand it?” Jeremiah 17:9

God saw this before the flood and He said this.

“Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” Genesis 6:5

Following the flood, God said this.

“The Lord smelled the soothing aroma; and the Lord said to Himself, “I will never again curse the ground on account of man, for the intent of man’s heart is evil from his youth; and I will never again destroy every living thing, as I have done.” Genesis 8:21

The flood did not fix us. The flood did not heal our hearts. You are still born into evil, and we are still evil, and “every intent of the thoughts of our hearts is still only evil continually.” This is just a fact. If you do not have God, you are evil. Following your heart will lead you down evil paths. You will do evil things. This is what we will be talking about in this series, “Biblical Heart Check.” If you dare, join us for the next few weeks, and we will do just that. Here is what is coming up.

What distractions or desires tend to take root in your heart? Here are a few:

Love of money and possessions: The Bible warns against the dangers of materialism and the temptation to prioritize wealth over God. For example, Matthew 6:24 says

"No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money."

Pride: Pride, or an inflated sense of self-importance, can blind us to our faults and lead us away from God. Proverbs 16:18 says

"Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall."

Idolatry: This refers to worshipping anything other than God, including created things or even ourselves. It can manifest in a desire for power, status, or pleasure that supersedes our devotion to God.

Worldly desires: The Bible speaks of the world's allurements and how they can distract us from following God's will. 1 John 2:15-16 says

"Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—does not come from the Father but from the world."

How can you be more intentional about guarding your heart with God's word and prayer?

Are there any areas of unforgiveness, bitterness, or pride that may be hindering your spiritual growth?

What practical steps can you take to live a life that is more aligned with God's will?

I am warning you that this is not going to be one of those feel-good, “God Loves you” sermon series. “God wants you to be rich” sermon series. This is going to be an in-depth, possibly painful to some, hopefully, ground-shaking, heart-melting, God-molding, life-changing, series.

I pray that God will lead us through this. God will speak to us through His Word and His will and His way will be known to us. That we, as children of God, will be changed for the better. I say this a lot, but in series like this one, I mean it more than I can say. Please, do not take anything I say as absolute truth. Do not simply follow me and share whatever I say because I say it. PICK THIS US {Holding the Bible} READ IT! Look it up yourself. If you come across something in here {Holding up the Bible} that offends you, you are wrong. It is you that needs to pause and look in a mirror. You need to pray about it and ask God “Why am I so offended by this?”

Why am I seemingly wasting an entire Sunday for this coming right-up message? Because I want you to get ready. I want to get prepared. I want you to pray about it. We are going to pray here in a second, but I want you to pray about it yourself. Prepare yourself to hear God’s Word and feel the convictions if they come. Prepare yourself to be ready to make some possible life-changing choices and grow closer to God. Let us pray.

“First of all, all the praise and glory be to you, God. We come before you to pray as your word declares, for eyes to see, ears to hear, and most importantly, a heart to receive your Truth, your Word, and your Righteousness.

We understand that your ways are higher than our ways. We know that your thoughts are higher than our thoughts and that we don't know anything unless you reveal them to us through the Holy Spirit and your Word.

We have an image of ourselves, and our lives that may or may not be in line with you and your Will and plans for us and our lives. As we go through this sermon series, I pray that you speak to us and to whomever you choose to directly and deeply into our spirit so that we do not miss what you have for us. Even if it is something that you know will offend us, tell us, show us, guide us, and help us to understand.

We love you God, and we yearn to be closer to you. Please be with us, in your precious and Holy Name, Amen.”

We have a new home base, coming to you live from NY. New beginning, new season, same God. Same Truth. Same Yeshua. Nothing has nor will change until the end of time as we know it here on Earth. Nothing will change by geography, time, or the will of man. God is the same yesterday, today, and forever more. What was sin, is sin, and will mostly kill you quicker today than ever, and the result of living a life outside of God and His Will is death. Are you ready to fully have God examine your heart? Are you ready to truly pray,

“Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!”

Are you honestly ready to hear God’s answer?

May the comfort of the Holy Ghost, and the peace of our Lord Jesus, be with you all. May God bless and be with you, always.

Until next time, be blessed, be a blessing, and Jesus is Lord!

Book of Mark Chapter 1

 Chapter 1

John the Baptist Prepares the Way

1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

2 As it is written in Isaiah the prophet,

“Behold, I send my messenger before your face,

    who will prepare your way,

3 the voice of one crying in the wilderness:

    ‘Prepare the way of the Lord,

    make his paths straight,’”

4 John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. 6 Now John was clothed with camel's hair and wore a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey. 7 And he preached, saying, “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. 8 I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

The Baptism of Jesus

9 In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 11 And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you, I am well pleased.”

The Temptation of Jesus

12 The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. 13 And he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. And he was with the wild animals, and the angels were ministering to him.

Jesus Begins His Ministry

14 Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, 15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”

Jesus Calls the First Disciples

16 Passing alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. 17 And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” 18 And immediately they left their nets and followed him. 19 And going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, who were in their boat mending the nets. 20 And immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and followed him.

Jesus Heals a Man with an Unclean Spirit

21 And they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath he entered the synagogue and was teaching. 22 And they were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes. 23 And immediately there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit. And he cried out, 24 “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God.” 25 But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!” 26 And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying out with a loud voice, came out of him. 27 And they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.” 28 And at once his fame spread everywhere throughout the surrounding region of Galilee.

Jesus Heals Many

29 And immediately he left the synagogue and entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. 30 Now Simon's mother-in-law lay ill with a fever, and immediately they told him about her. 31 And he came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and the fever left her, and she began to serve them.

32 That evening at sundown they brought to him all who were sick or oppressed by demons. 33 And the whole city was gathered together at the door. 34 And he healed many who were sick with various diseases and cast out many demons. And he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him.

Jesus Preaches in Galilee

35 And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed. 36 And Simon and those who were with him searched for him, 37 and they found him and said to him, “Everyone is looking for you.” 38 And he said to them, “Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also, for that is why I came out.” 39 And he went throughout all Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out demons.

Jesus Cleanses a Leper

40 And a leper came to him, imploring him, and kneeling said to him, “If you will, you can make me clean.” 41 Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him and said to him, “I will; be clean.” 42 And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean. 43 And Jesus sternly charged him and sent him away at once, 44 and said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, for a proof to them.” 45 But he went out and began to talk freely about it and to spread the news, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter a town, but was out in desolate places, and people were coming to him from every quarter.