God's Plan Of Salvation: Hear

Do you believe everything that you hear about the cure for cancer?
What about the rumors of extraterrestrial life?
What about religion?
We need to be mindful of what we hear, more so with God's word, because the first step that one has to take in order to have salvation is hear the word of God.
Romans 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Jesus warns us in His sermon on the mountain of the false teachers in the world.
Matthew 7:15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

These false teachers teach doctrines of men, which makes for vain worship.
Matthew 15:9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

Those that teach such are accursed.
Galatians 1:8,9 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.

Those that follow such error are in the same position as those who teach it: accursed. Both those that teach error and those that follow error will go to hell if they do not depart from their ways.
Matthew 15:13,14 But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up. Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.

In order to know truth from error, we need to try(test) the spirits(teachers).
1 John 4:1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

We do this by observing the fruits that the spirits(teachers) bear.
Matthew 7:16-20 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

Though, no matter what fruits other may bear, we are still required to study God's word. Studying is a part of hearing, because listening to someone who bears good fruit is not enough.
2 Timothy 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

God's word will make you free.
John 17:17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
John 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

False doctrine will bring damnation.
2 Peter 2:1-3 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.

We also must have the right attitude when hearing. We are told to hear(receive) God's word with meekness.
James 1:21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.

Have you heard the true word of God? Do you have the right attitude when hearing it? Be wary, for if you do not hear His word properly, how can you obey His other commandments properly?
Matthew 7:21-23 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Carefully examine what you hear and how you hear(receive) it.

Nicholas Stacks

Heaven

We know that Jesus has gone to prepare a place (Heaven) for us.
John 14:2, 3 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

Only the righteous will enter into Heaven.
Matthew 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Revelation 22:14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.

The trials that trouble us on this earth will not exist in Heaven.
Revelation 21:4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

Heaven is a place of rest; There will be no more fighting against this world for the truth, no more struggling with the cares of the world, no more war, no more racism, no more abuse, no more sin...
Hebrews 4:9-11 There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.

All those that make it to Heaven will receive a crown of righteousness from the Lord.
2 Timothy 4:7, 8 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

Heaven will be forever. It's like that song, Amazing Grace... I think it goes like this: "When we've been there 10,000 years...we've no less days to sing God's praise than when we first begun.".. (I hope that doesn't break any copyright laws... oops)
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Heaven can be ours if we overcome the sinfulness of this world.
Revelation 3:5, 21 (5)He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels. (21)To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.
Revelation 21:7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.

The last day will truly be a great one for those that obey Him.
Matthew 25:34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

In summary, those in Heaven will be: wearing a crown(2 Tim. 4:7, 8) and resting(Heb. 4:9-11) in peace(Rev. 21:4) with the righteous(Mat. 7:21) forever(Rom. 6:23).

Be faithful until death and Heaven will be yours.
Matthew 10:22 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.

Nicholas Stacks

Immodesty

I recently brought up the subject of immodesty to a friend of mine on MSN messenger because she was using a display picture in which, in my opinion, she was dressed immodestly. We started to talk about immodesty and I told her what I thought of her picture. I asked her what she considered to be immodest; she then told me that she thought that what she was wearing in the picture was immodest too and that she didn't know why she wore it. She said that she had never really thought much about immodesty.
It made me think... How many of us don't give a second thought about the the things that we wear?

Immodesty has always been so; It's nothing new. We see it even with the first people in the world (Adam and Eve). After they had made aprons out of fig leaves to cover their nakedness, the Bible says that God made coats of skin to "clothe" them. Obviously, if God had to "clothe" them then their aprons made of fig leaves were immodest.
Genesis 3:7, 21 (7)And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons. (21)Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them.
God clearly wants us to do more than "cover our nakedness".

God even commands that we adorn ourselves in modest apparel -- that excludes all other apparels.
1 Timothy 2:9,10 In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.

People dress in the way that they do for a reason. A lot of people use the media (magazines, TV, movies, music, etc.) to set their "style". People like that are continually changing their looks to match that which is "in" this season...
There is nothing necessarily wrong with changing your looks or with wearing what is "in", but we should not let the people of the media set our styles because they have some pretty bad tastes and they set some very bad styles which we should not follow. You must ask yourself before you wear these things: "Am I trying to please God or man by wearing this?".
Galatians 1:10 For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.

We must not worry so much about looking good outwardly, but we need to be focusing more on looking good inwardly. God looks on your heart, not your body.
1 Samuel 16:7 But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.

God's view of beauty will never "go out of style", but the world's view of what is "in" will always be changing.
Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.

We cannot be an example to the believers if we are dressing immodestly.
1 Timothy 4:12 Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.

We are also to abstain from all appearance of evil... Which, in this case is immodesty.
1 Thessalonians 5:22 Abstain from all appearance of evil.

Another reason not to dress immodestly is because if you do dress immodestly you could cause someone else to sin. We should be trying our best to eliminate ways to sin, not create more.
1 Corinthians 8:12 But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ.

Immodesty can be many different things; whether it is clothing that does not full cover you, or tight clothing, or it could just be a simple "suggestive" word written on clothing which covers those parts of the body that are to be kept private, it is all immodest and "of the world".
Romans 12:1,2 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 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.

Something can even be immodest if it is questionable to you. If you unsure about it's modesty or the lack thereof, then it is most definitely immodest apparel.
Romans 14:23 And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.
You need to be absolutely sure that what you are wearing is modest.

Could you imagine our Lord Jesus Christ going to the beach and participating in all of the immodesty that is going on there? Or what about wearing a shirt that says "squeeze me"? Or wearing pants that has something written across the back-side of them? Or anything like that... Could you imagine Jesus wearing such things?
If you don't think that Jesus would have worn it, then neither should you.

Think about what you wear before you buy/wear it.

Nicholas Stacks

Lying

I have been thinking alot about lying lately; I probably hate lying above all else in this sinful world.

There are many different kinds of lies: black lies, white lies, slandering, accusations, telling only "parts" of the truth, altering the truth, withholding the truth, and only so many more...
What do all of these have in common? -- They are all some form of a lie.
We must remember though, a lie is a lie: whether it be great or small.

Satan told the first lie ever. He told what we would refer to today as a "white lie"; he added one tiny little word to the truth to make up his lie.
Genesis 3:4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:
See how small a lie can be? If you alter the truth in any way, you are telling a lie.

If you lie, even once, you're sinning. Satan is referred to as the "father of lies"; I don't know about you, but I don't want to be involved in anything that satan is the father of.
John 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

There is much evidence that God hates lying and He will send all liars to hell:

All liars will burn eternally in hell
Revelation 21:8,27 (8)But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. (27)And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.

Slanderers (liars) will be cut off from the Lord
Psalms 101:5,8 (5)Whoso privily slandereth his neighbour, him will I cut off: him that hath an high look and a proud heart will not I suffer. (8)I will early destroy all the wicked of the land; that I may cut off all wicked doers from the city of the LORD.

Liars will perish
Proverbs 19:9 A false witness shall not be unpunished, and he that speaketh lies shall perish.

Righteous men hate lying, therefore that would mean unrighteous men love lying.
Proverbs 13:5 A righteous man hateth lying: but a wicked man is loathsome, and cometh to shame.

Lying is an abomination unto the Lord
Proverbs 6:16-19 These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.

What do you think about lying?
Could you see Jesus telling a lie if He were still on this earth? I think not.

Be wise and follow Jesus' example. Don't lie for ANY reason!

Nicholas Stacks

Profanity

As most of you know, I recently became employed at a grocery store at which most of the employee's are around my age.
I've been homeschooled my whole life, so I didn't know exactly how corrupt the young people have become until I became employed... It seems like every other word that my fellow employee's utter is profane, yet most of them claim to be religious.
Why is it that we have stopped bridling our tongue?

In order to please God, we must bridle our tongue and keep ourselves unspotted from the world.
James 1:26,27 If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain. Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.
Profane speech is from the world and we need to stay away from it.

We are not to use corrupt communication, but rather use the good; we should put away such evil speaking.
Ephesians 4:29,31 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:
How is it possible to "minister grace unto the hearers" if we are using profane words in our speech?

You will give an account for every idle word which you speak; you should do your best to make sure you only use good speech, even when you're alone. God is always watching, and He knows your every thought.
Matthew 12:34-37 O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.

Those that claim to be religious and yet use profane words should read James 3:8-10... We can't be faithful to God if we are using such words in our speech.
James 3:8-10 But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.

Paul tells us to be an example in word and conversation; what kind of an example are you being when you use profane words?
1 Timothy 4:12 Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.

Paul also tells us to put off all filthy communication.
Colossians 3:8 But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.

Whether you want to believe it or not, profanity is a work of the flesh, and those that practice such will not inherit the kingdom of God.
Galatians 5:19-26 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.

All of this also applies to euphemisms that we use (gosh, gee, heck, etc.). Euphemisms are intended to mean the same thing as the word which it originated from.
We need to watch our speech very carefully so we can be sure that our speech is how God would have it to be.
The following is a list of commonly used euphemisms from http://www.topical-bible-studies.org/21-0008.htm:
Euphemisms for God:

• Ga
• Gad
• Gadfrey
• Gawd
• Godfrey
• Gol
• Golly
• Good God
• Good gracious
• Good grief
• Good Lord
• Goodness
• Goodness gracious
• Goodness me
• Good night
• Gosh
• Gracious
• Great Scott
• Od
• Odd

Euphemisms for oh God:

• Egad
• Egads
• Yegads

Euphemisms for oh my God:

• Oh my
• Oh my gawd
• Oh my goodness
• Omigosh

Euphemisms for by God:

• Begorra (Irish)
• B'gosh
• By gar
• By George
• By Jove
• Pardie (French)

Euphemisms for Jesus:

• Cheece
• Cheese
• Cheez
• Cheeze
• Gee
• Gees
• Gee whiz
• Geez
• Geeze
• Jee
• Jeepers
• Jee whiz
• Jeez
• Jeminy
• Jiminy
• Sheece
• Sheesh

Euphemisms for Christ:

• Cracky
• Cricky
• Crikey
• Criminy
• Cripes

Euphemisms for Jesus Christ:

• Jeepers creepers
• Jeez Louise
• Jiminy Cricket

Euphemisms for by Jesus:

• Bejabers
• Bejeezus
• Bejesus
• By jingo

Euphemisms for for Christ's sake:

• For chrissakes
• For crying out loud
• For Pete's sake

Euphemisms for Lord:

• Lawdy
• Lordy

Euphemisms for God's hooks (crucifixion nails):

• Gadzooks
• Odd's bodikins
• Ods bodkins
• Zooks

Euphemism for God's body:

• Ods body

Euphemism for God's flesh:

• Odds fish

Euphemisms for God's wounds:

• Gadzounds
• Ods zounds
• Zounds

Euphemism for God's blood:

• Ods blood

Euphemisms for God rot:

• Drat
• Drats

Euphemisms for God blind me:

• Blimey
• Gorblimey

Euphemisms for hell:

• Heck
• Sam Hill

Euphemisms for damn:

• Blame
• Blast
• Confound
• Dang
• Darn
• Dash
• Dern
• Durn
• Hang

Euphemisms for damnation:

• Darnation
• Tarnation

Euphemisms for God damn:

• Dad blame
• Dadgum
• Dagnab
• Doggone
• God-awful (short for goddamned awful)
• Godfrey Daniels
• God rot
• Goldang
• Goldarn
• Goldurn
• Goshdang
• Goshdarn

That doesn't even include the many euphemisms that we use for cuss words, such as: freakin, friggin, sheep, holy sheep, shoot, shimmy, shiggity, turd, etc.
There are many more, but I think you get the idea...

Do you know what you are really saying?
You should think before you speak; ask yourself, "what would Jesus say?".

The great advice that Jesus gave us concerning our communication(or speech) still holds true today... Just say no.
Matthew 5:37 But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.

Is your speech acceptable?
Obey God: bridle your tongue.

Nicholas Stacks