You are Wretched, Pitiable, Poor, Blind, and Naked

 The Wretched

Before God. Before Jesus. Before your conversion, you ARE wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. Yeah I know, Hey hi, I love you too. It is the truth though. It may not be something that is nice to hear. It may even offend some people. But it is the truth. Look here.

“For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.” Revelation 3:17

God is talking to you. Yes, you. Why is God insulting you like this? He is not. He is telling you the truth. “Wait for a second, I’m not rich. He is not talking to me.” First, if you live in America you are amongst the richest people to ever walk God’s green earth. Most of the poor around the world have nothing. They die of the elements and starvation all the time. They are sold into slavery and abused all the time. American poor? A roof over your head. A car sometimes two, in the driveway. Electric, running water, TVs, Computers in your hand, and food whenever you want it. Even our homeless make more money begging than most of the poor around the world. If you cannot work here? The Government will pay bills and buy your food. So yeah, you are rich. 

You also may think of yourself as a good person in no need of forgiveness. I always thought of myself as a good person. If you ask, most will look at the question in an earthly, world sense. They would reason it out. "Let's see, I haven't been arrested. I love my spouse and kids. I give to charity, go to church on Sunday, and try never to speak ill of anyone. Yes. I would say I was a good person."

In a sense, if looking at it strictly in a world sense, you would be right. However, remember how Jesus answered the man who called Him “good master.” For this, we will use the KJV.

“And He said unto him, “Why callest thou Me good? There is none good but One, that is, God. But if thou wilt enter into Life, keep the commandments.” Matthew 19:17

Some translations say Jesus asked, “Why do you ask me about what is good?” That is not what He said. He was responding directly to someone calling Him good. While He was here with us in the flesh, He was one of us. We are far from good. If Jesus did not consider himself worthy to be called good. Then are you better than he? You see, Jesus was in the flesh, the same as we all are. Therefore the temptations of the flesh were the same for him. The fruits of the flesh would have had the same result for him if he had given in, as they would and do for all of us.

Without God, we live in the flesh. We cannot live any other way. We simply exist as we are, in the flesh. The things we do produce can only be gotten by the flesh. In other words, the fruit of the flesh, or what the works of the flesh produce are these.

“Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” Galatians 5:19-21

Does that sound good to you? But you say, “I do not do any of those things.” But you do. Jesus even told us what we call sin, is even greater than we think. He said things like this.

“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire.” Matthew 5:21-22

And this,

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” Matthew 5:27-28

Look at this one.

“It was also said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.” Matthew 5:31-32

Look what He calls the religious leaders of His day. If anyone was “good” it would have to be them right? The Holier than thou club?

“You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” John 8:44

We will be spending some time on this passage to fully understand, or at least more fully, understand the way we truly are, as opposed to the way we see ourselves. And the good news is this. God is telling us who we are, in the hope, that we come to Him and allow Him to change us into who He wants us to be. Trust me, that is FAR better.

Today we are dealing with the first one. The Wretched. Even though we may see ourselves as good, rich, well-off, wise even, God calls us, minus Jesus, The Wretched. Just because you may not have murdered anyone, did you assassinate their character by gossiping and bearing false witness? We just got done an in-depth study of the Ten Commandments. Did you pass? Do you lie? Steal? Covet? If you are walking in the flesh, you are guaranteed to do all these things and worse. Look here in Romans 8

“For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.” Romans 8:5-8

If we turn back to Galatians 5:16-17

“But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.”

Does any of this sound good? Faithful Husbands, I ask you, did you check out that pretty little thing walking in the Mall the other day? Do you look at things you should not? Is it harmless? Not according to Jesus. Do you see divorce as no big deal? Not according to Jesus.

You can claim to be as good as you want to claim to be. However, are you accepting of sin? Even in the name of compassion? Do you call people “They / Them”? A He a She and the rest of the nonsense? Do you believe there is any other way to heaven than through Jesus? Do you really think you can earn your way into heaven?

Do you want to know what good truly is? Look here at what God calls the Fruit of the Spirit. Or what you produce in your life with the Holy Spirit in you.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentlenesses, self-control; against such things, there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” Galatians 5:22-24

Desire these things. Seek out these things. Hunger and thirst for these things. Paul, perhaps one of the greatest evangelists to ever walk the earth said this about himself

“Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?”Romans 7:24

And this,

“This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.” 1 Timothy 1:15

There is only one way to erase the wretchedness of our existence. To seek out Jesus. He said this.

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.” Matthew 5:6

Learn to walk in the Spirit. Produce the fruit of the Spirit. Forget the works of the flesh. They will never satisfy you, and you will never lose your wretchedness without Jesus. Jesus IS the Lord of Lords and the King of kings. Do you know Him? Have you accepted Him? 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 really 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

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!

Psalm 52

Psalm 52

1 Why boastest thou thyself in mischief, O mighty man? the goodness of God endureth continually.

2 The tongue deviseth mischiefs; like a sharp razor, working deceitfully.

3 Thou lovest evil more than good; and lying rather than to speak righteousness. Selah.

4 Thou lovest all devouring words, O thou deceitful tongue.

5 God shall likewise destroy thee for ever, he shall take thee away, and pluck thee out of thy dwelling place, and root thee out of the land of the living. Selah.

6 The righteous also shall see, and fear, and shall laugh at him:

7 Lo, this is the man that made not God his strength; but trusted in the abundance of his riches, and strengthened himself in his wickedness.

8 But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God: I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever.

9 I will praise thee for ever, because thou hast done it: and I will wait on thy name; for it is good before thy saints.

Bible Minded

The most important thing for a Child of God to be.

I recently read an article over at Bible Gateway.com that asked what it means to be "Bible Minded." They asked is the definition is one of these...?

…thinks about the Bible a lot?
…believes that the Bible is God’s Word?
…believes that the Bible is scientifically and/or historically accurate?
…obeys Biblical laws and instructions?
…is a Christian?
…belongs to a specific Christian denomination, a particular political party, or other group?
…reads the Bible obsessively?
…tries to base their actions and lifestyle on certain principles found in the Bible?
…some, all, or none of the above?

They seem to agree that these, and other definitions, could describe a "Bible Minded" person. They quote these Scriptures...

{Jeremiah 31:33}

"But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people."

{Proverbs 7:1-3}

"My son, keep my words, and lay up my commandments with thee. Keep my commandments, and live; and my law as the apple of thine eye. Bind them upon thy fingers, write them upon the table of thine heart."

{2 Timothy 3:16-17}

"All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works."

They wrap up the article with this.. They ask, DO you...

…open your mind to the truths it teaches you?
…allow it to convict you, when necessary, of sin in your life?
…respond to that conviction with prayer, repentance, and other Bible-based action?
…earnestly try to put into practice the teachings and values taught in the Bible, with a goal of pursuing righteousness (as the Bible defines “righteousness”)?

It really was a good article. However, I have one question for ya. Do you read the Bible at all? That really is the question. People hear the good news. They hear the Gospel. They hear....

{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."

They hear what we just talked about not too long ago....

{John 11:25-26}

"Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die."

They believe. They accept. They say the Prayer.....

"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 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!"

They hear the Truth, that It really is, just that simple. They go off and tell people, well, some, what they have just done. They get on fire for God, and go to Church, pardon the expression, Religiously, every week. They sing songs and they hear the Word spoken by the Pastor, Preacher, or Leader of the Church. Then someone comes up to them and asks them things like...

"What about all those contradictions in the Bible?" "What about the fact you eat Pork, Bible says not to?" "You walk more than 3637 feet on Sunday, yet you call out others for not following your narrow and hypocritical view of the Bible?" "After all, the Bible even tells you that, and I quote, 'There is no God.' So what is your deal anyway? I like the old you. You know, before all this Bible stuff."

Can you answer all of these? I am not even getting into some of the more "feeling" arguments. Like telling someone that they are correct in saying that their long lost loved one is NOT in Heaven if they denounced Jesus. Let's just go with these.. Can you answer them? Chances are, if you did not hear this on Sunday Morning, you have no clue..

First of all, there is not one Contradiction in the Bible. No. Not one. There are misinterpretations. There are differences in focus on the same subject by different Witnesses. There are intentional twisting to fit agendas or ideas. There are simple misunderstands. But not one Contradiction. If you go into the Bible, with the Spirit to understand, you will receive Eyes to See, Ears to Hear, and a Heart to understand. God can and WILL speak to you CLEARLY in His Word. This is why it is so important to make time to do so.

One Angel or two? Jesus talks with one of two Blind Men, ETC. Different versions of the same event, by different witnesses, either based on different points, or different points of view. A guy robs a Bank, 10 Witnesses give 6 or 7 different descriptions of the same event, ETC. When you know the Truth, these are insignificant to the ACTUAL Lesson it is trying to teach you.

Eating Pork? Or anything the Bible says you should not? Remember Peter's Dream? Acts 10:9-16. Remember what the Word says in 1 Corinthians 10:23, or in 1 Timothy 4:4? This is not the Truth. However, it would not be a good idea for you to eat a pound of bacon for Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner. It is not healthy for ya. But you are not going to Hell for eating a BLT.

AS far as walking 3637 feet on Sunday? First, do you even know that this means? It means they are accusing you of "Working on the Sabbath." 3637 feet is a Jewish measurement of a Sabbath Days Journey. If you walk past that, you are considered "working." However, this is NOT God Commanded. Second, Jesus asked us,,,

{Luke 6:9}

"I will ask you one thing; Is it lawful on the Sabbath days to do good, or to do evil? to save life, or to destroy it?"

Jesus tells us that the Sabbath was made for Man, NOT Man for the Sabbath. It is a Day of Rest. Oh, and by the way, the Sabbath, is Saturday..

"There is no God"? Yup. Bible says it twice. However, what it actually says is....

"The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good." {Psalms 14: 1} {Psalm 53:1}

So what they told you is true. They Bible does say, "There is no God." However, they did not tell you the whole truth. If you did not know? You could fall for the lie.

As for complaining that you are Judging someone based on your Biblical views? Just because we have declared things OK. Or even deemed them a Human "Right" or whatever, doesn't mean that they are all of a sudden Right. Just because WE have changed Good to Sin and Sin to Good, does mean that it is so. Unless you KNOW the Word, you may accept things as they are, instead of knowing the Truth, they are Sin. Against God. Against Nature. You may fall for what sounds Compassionate and Right, without knowing, what you are being told, is Sin and Wrong.

Understand this Child of God, The Word of God, The Bible, is absolute. It is not filled with Contradictions. There is not one. It is Absolute. It is Perfect."All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." So yes, as a Child of God, you SHOULD,,,,…open your mind to the truths it teaches you, allow it to convict you, when necessary, of sin in your life, respond to that conviction with prayer, repentance, and other Bible-based action. and earnestly try to put into practice the teachings and values taught in the Bible, with a goal of pursuing righteousness (as the Bible defines “righteousness”).

How do you do this? READ IT... Eat it. Absorb it. Take it all in and make it a part of you. Not just go to Church an Hour or two, every other week, if you feel like it. But everyday, enter into the Word with the Hope that it WILL feed your Spirit, and make you a Bible Minded Person..

Do you know Jesus as your Savior? Have you been adopted into the Family of God? 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 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 really is that simple. Now go tell someone what you have just done. "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt 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}

If you want to tell me, or comment, question, give testimonials, or just say "Hi," the Email is opntalk@gmail.com

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen. {2 Corinthians 13}

Until next time, be Blessed, be a Blessing, and Jesus IS Lord..