Spiritual Muddy Waters

copyright Millie Plastaras 2/24/09

I spend a lot of time talking to a great variety of people,
from many churches, many walks of life, each with
a different mindset, background, and viewpoint. It
has proved interesting over the years, and it has sharpened
me one way specifically. When I talk to people about
God, and they raise questions, or say things I really
disagree with, it makes me study God's word more.
I want to know why I believe what I believe and be strong in it.
It makes me dig deeper, seek more fully, and cling to
God even more for understanding and CLARITY.

I want to be a wise, sharpened, fully entrenched in the
word of God, defender of my faith.

One thing I am seeing, which the Bible predicted,
is the muddying of the word of God. The Bible says
every man thinks he is right in his own mind.
With so many different churches, doctrines, mindsets
and beliefs, how can one know if what they are believing
is the truth?

I know there are churches that say they are the ONLY
true church, but, that is not true. There is ONLY
one TRUE Savior, and he IS THE ONLY WAY TO GOD.

Jesus spoke a very simple message, he was a
simple man, with plain truth. It is WE who have
complicated it to great distortions.

This is very important. If you don't get that starting
place right, nothing else will fall into place correctly.
It is about JESUS.

The last thing Jesus said to us, was go into all the world
and tell everyone the gospel of Christ.

What is the gospel?

1.The truth is that since the fall of Adam,
all men are born into sin.

2.We must all recognize our sinful
nature, that sin separates us from God. We must recognize
that God loved us so dearly
he sent his ONLY begotten son to earth to die as a atonement
for our sins. He took our place on the cross, shed his blood
for our sins, so that we might find forgiveness and cleansing
from those sins.

3. We must repent of these sins, naming them specifically.
How do we know what sin is? By reading God's word.
It tells us how to find God, what is wrong and right
before him and teaches us that sin is transgression of
Gods law and concepts. Repenting is recognizing
our sin, feeling a Godly sorrow about it, and telling
God we are sorry. Then in turn true repentance
means we walk away from those things, we turn our
back to our old life of sin and turn to a new life in Christ.

4. We must be born again. We ask Jesus to forgive
our sins and be our Savior. We ask Him to be Lord
of our life.. to rule and reign in our spirit, and teach
us which way to go, and what to do. We put Him first.

The Bible tells us once we do this we are born again.
We have recognized our sin, repented of it, received
Jesus sacrifice on the cross for our sins, and then
we have become a disciple of Christ. Following
his teachings, and walking in His light daily.

This means a change. A dedication. A clarification in
our thinking. WE have to clear out the muddy thinking
and clarify it with the word of God. Don't take any one's
word for it.. read it for yourself. Get into a church
that teaches the gospel of Christ, that shows it loves
God, that teaches the Bible (all of it) and that has
a outreach to people. Become part of a community of Christ.

This will not only clarify your thinking.. it will get you into
a fellowship of Christians, where you can pray for one
another, encourage one another, keep each other
accountable, and find strength in community. It will
keep you into the word of God, and you will learn much
that will strengthen you, bring hope, and help you grow in Christ.

It is important to follow up with Baptism. Ask your minister
to have you baptized when you join that church. It is
following Jesus example, showing a outward sign of
a inward change.

My friends, don't accept untruths. Don't compromise
the gospel of Christ. Don't muddy it by focusing on
things that do not profit. Your first job is to receive the
gospel, your second it so live the gospel, and your third
is to tell everyone you meet the gospel of Christ.

The Bible says if our gospel is hid, it is hid to them who are lost.

I must also say in all sincerity, that in these times
many doctrines, false prophets, and people who want
to make a one world religion, that denies, sin, hell,
the need to repent, and that Jesus was the son of God.
They want you to believe that you are in charge of your
life, there is no after life, there is no God, and many
other great spiritual lies.

It is new age, feel good, life is about me, God is me
kind of thinking. It is the road to hell. Make no mistake.
There is a right and a wrong way.

There is a way that seems right to a man and appears
straight before him, but at the end is the way of (spiritual) death.
Proverbs 16:25

To be honest... it is God's way or satan the losers way.
There is no middle ground. God clearly says you are either
for Him or against Him.

Jesus said: Enter through the narrow gate, for
wide is the gate and spacious and broad is the way
that leads to destruction (hell), and many are those
who are entering through it.
But the gate is narrow and the way is straight that leads away
to life, and few there are that find it. Matthew 5:13-14

Even Jesus knew the path was so clear to God - through
HIM ONLY.

Be clear in your thinking.
Be focused on God. Be wise and full of his Word.
Many will try to deceive you.. don't be one of the ones
taken in by false teaching and lost without Christ.

My heart cries out within me that all coming to a saving
knowledge of Christ. It is Jesus who died for our sins,
and God's great gift to us. How can we give less than
our best to God, who loved us so much?

Absolute surrender is a must.

Jesus said, I am the way, the truth and the life, no
man comes to the Father God, except through me.
John 14:6.

Let no man tell you there is any other way than
through the atoning blood of Jesus Christ on the cross.

Love
always
millie