Tag: church life

Self Importance

~ Kim Balogh ~ 1 Comment

Lately I have been noticing that more and more Christians on social media are using spamming methods in order to be heard. At first it seems like just a little annoying factor but if you examine this phenomena in light of scriptures you will find a very problematic heart attitude being exposed.

Philippians 2:4-8

Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

Paul tells us that even though Jesus was God in the flesh he did not make a big deal of it. Jesus did not stand on the streets shouting out who he was nor did he bulldoze past the religious leaders and hijack their pulpits.

Rather Jesus made himself of no reputation. That means that he just did what the Father told him to do and then left the outcome to the Father.

Another interesting thing I have noticed is how some ministries confined to their homes due to the “plague” are now in order to stay relevant coming up with all kinds of new sensational methods in order to keep their followers.

All of a sudden a preacher is now a talk show host, a motivational expert, and a political analyst. Well what do you expect them to do? After all their whole livelihood is based on donations to their ministries! You really can’t blame them! They have to live some how!

Jesus preached on the street corners. He had no where to lay his head. He did not always have money to buy food, (he had to eat raw grains of wheat from a field on the Sabbath! ) He was almost thrown off a cliff . Yet some of his modern day followers today live in mansions and have a million bucks in the bank! It is very competitive in Holywood!

Self importance seems to lead Believers into using gimmick after gimmick. Raising money with sensationalism or manipulative tactics is becoming rampant on the internet.

I NEED TO BE RELEVANT!

Really?

Scriptures tell us that God so loved the world that he GAVE. Jesus did not come to take but to give. In fact, God gave his most precious Son so that whoever believes and receives him could inherit eternal life! (John 3:16)

God reveals his love for us by giving his Son. Scriptures tell us that if we abide in his love then God will abide in us. ( 1 John 4:16)

what is God’s love?

God’s love overcomes the world. ( Romans 8:37, 1 John 4:4)

God’s love does not fear in the time of trouble. ( 1 John 4:18)

God’s love lives by faith in God’s ability. (Galatians 2:20)

God’s love lays down one’s life for others. ( John 15:13)

God’s love reaches out to the unsaved. (Roman 5:8, Ephesians 2:4,5)

God’s love is humble. ( 1 Peter 5:6,7)

Gods love is patient and kind. It is not arrogant or boastful. (1Corinthians 13)

Gods love does not insist on having its own way. (1Corinthians 13)

It is a crazy time we live in where self importance is vying to be relevant!

Abide in God’s love !

Rest in God’s faithfulness!

Be still in his presence!

Wait on his timing!

Most of all humble yourself under God’s mighty hand for his word says:

Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. Psalms 46:10

The Word of God

~ Kim Balogh ~ Leave a comment

The Scriptures tell us that God has magnified his word above all his name. (Psalms 138:2)

Magnified in Hebrew is gâdal which means to lift up in power, high estate, to increase and grow.

God magnifies his commandments, his speech, his word both written and oral above all his name, shêm which means individual position, honor and authority, renown.

The reason for this is that a person’s word proves their name.
If my word does not back up my name then my name has no credibility. It’s discredited if I do not honor my word.

Have you ever had any “friends” like that? I have. Say they will do something and they don’t. Talk a good talk but don’t do what they say? Yeah, not someone you can count on and so they end up on your “not reliable list.”

When one gives their word it is like drawing a contract. It is binding. To break one’s word dishonors one’s character and then their name is not worth very much. One’s name must back up their character.

The legal term in contract law is “good faith” which means fair dealings that are honest and sincere towards the other party in a contract.

In other words God’s name is only as good as his word.

When you enter into contract with another person whether a marriage or business contract for example the contract terms must be binding in order for that contract to have any credibility.

I can tell you what my name is or my company’s name but so what if I can’t back up the terms of the contract.

In the same way the name of Jesus is validated by his word. His contract with the other party.

The name of Jesus is honored and glorified because his word has preeminence.

In other words the word of God as laid down in scriptures (contract in writing) represents who Jesus is. All the word (Bible)had to say is all about who Jesus is and like every contract it must be entered into by two parties for the contract to be binding.

Jesus tells us in scriptures that he is the word. The significance of that is that he is what he says. 1 John tells us that in the beginning was the word. God’s word existed before anything in our natural realm existed.

The word was with God, that scripture goes on to say.

God’s word accompanies him at all times even from the moment of creation.

The word was God. Jesus is God’s word.
God actually became flesh in order to demonstrate his word.

Like they say, talk is cheap or unless backed up by action is worthless but God not only spoke his word in the beginning and created our natural realm but he became his word through taking on flesh.

Jesus demonstrated who God was.

But it doesn’t stop there. Scriptures tell us that those who receive Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord become born again of his word. (1 Peter 1:22)

Now God’s seed can propagate the Kingdom of God in the earth. We are epistles read of all men. Not written in ink on tablets of stone (written law) to bring the message of reconciliation between God and man but in fleshly tablets of the heart. ( 2 Corinthians 3:3)

This is significant in regard to God’s word magnified above his name in that as God’s seed the Holy Spirit bears witness in the world that we are the sons of God. Therefore our representation in the world proclaim God’s word to the world. For we are temples of the Holy Spirit which demonstrates through us the word of God to every one we come in contact with.

In conclusion God’s word which represents who God is through the Holy Spirit is manifest through Jesus Christ and consequently through the born again person to manifest the Kingdom of God and bring reconciliation between God and mankind.

God has magnified his word above all his name. At the name of Jesus who is the word manifest in the flesh every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord!

Faith in the Blood of Jesus!

~ Kim Balogh ~ Leave a comment

According to the Bible salvation is through faith in the blood of Jesus Christ. It is not based on strictly intellectual belief. Scriptures tell us that even the devils believe in Jesus Christ as Savior of the world. What they do not believe is in the redemptive power of the blood of Jesus Christ to save them. The devils cannot have faith in what is impossible for them to ever attain.  

Paul asserts that the Galatians believed in Jesus Christ according to the law in the same way that the devils believe. They believed that Jesus shed his blood on the cross, died and rose again but what they did not believe was that the shed blood of Jesus Christ was enough to save them. They did not have faith in the blood of Jesus Christ.

Just as the devils believe according to the law that blood must be shed for sin, they cannot partake of that sacrifice due to their rebellion. Those under the law cannot be saved either because the blood sacrifice does not apply to intellectual belief only. Law keepers add other things to the redemption of Jesus Christ at the cross.

The Bible tells us that Jesus Christ shed his blood on our behalf. In order to have this sacrifice applied to us we must believe that what Jesus did was enough to save us. What needs to happen in order for salvation to occur is that we must have a revelation of the shed blood of Jesus Christ and faith in his blood to cleanse us from sin and keep us cleansed from sin.

Devils are notorious law keepers when it suits them. Satan accuses the Saints day and night before God’s throne. What can he accuse except violation of the law? The devils are still under the law!

Never can they understand the ministry of grace. The shed blood of Jesus Christ to save completely and thoroughly.

It is the same with the Law keepers. They wanted to remain under the law and be saved too but it does not work that way. The Bible specifically says that salvation is attained by having FAITH IN THE BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST. This means that we must believe that the blood of Jesus Christ alone atones for sin, without adding anything to it whatsoever. Not one good deed, not one special day observed, not fasting, not denial of the flesh’s appetites, not eating special foods! Not a thing!

 In order to be saved we must completely and totally have faith in the blood of Jesus alone to save us AND to keep us saved.  Faith in the blood of Jesus alone JUSTIFIES. That means to be declared righteous or in right standing before God.

Jesus Christ died once for sin. IT IS FINISHED! His blood was enough to bring redemption. With a better covenant based on better promises we can live before him in holiness. Not only does faith in the blood of Jesus save us but faith in the blood of Jesus will also give us victory over sin and the devil! The blood of Jesus is continually working on our behalf. In time of need we can come into the throne room of God and claim the blood of Jesus as our redemption for sin, our healing, our deliverance and our victory!  

And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission. Hebrews 9:22

How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? Hebrews 9:14

Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. Romans 5:9

Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood Rev. 1:5

Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God Romans 3:25

 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. Romans 5:9

Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, Hebrews 10:19

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. 1 John 1:7

And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. Revelation 12:11

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Sin Shall Not Have Dominion!

~ Kim Balogh ~ Leave a comment

Romans Chapter 6:14 tells us that sin shall not have any dominion over us.

To have dominion over means to exercise Lordship, ownership, to be ruled by.

If in fact scriptures tell us that sin shall not have dominion over us then why does sin have dominion over some Christians?

Why are some Christians living very much like they are not much different than the unsaved?

Let’s take a look at what scriptures tell us about the matter.

We find out in the next verse that sin has no dominion over Christians because we are not under law but under grace.

In other words Christians now have a new Lord. The Bible tells us that prior to salvation sin was our master. We were under the control of the devil through the sin nature. Sin is the devil’s nature. That is why Jesus pointed out to the Pharisees who were under the law that they had the devil’s nature.

Continuing on in the chapter we can find the remedy for the sin nature. Verse 15 makes it clear that just because we are under grace or favor from God through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ that does not mean we are free to continue to sin.

Verse 16 tells us that whoever we yield ourselves to obey is whose servant we are to whom we obey. If we yield to sin it is because we have sin as our master. If we yield to the Holy Spirit it is evident that God is our master.

Yielding to sin produces death. That means our fruit will be rotten, leading to decay and death. In other words our lives will produce defeat, sickness, poverty, and all kinds of ailments which may lead even to eternal death.

That is why Jesus said to test the fruit to see if someone really belongs to Jesus. If our lives are producing bad fruit then it is because of one or two things. Either there is no real salvation experience or their is ignorance of God’s word.

Vrs. 17 tells us that if we obeyed the teaching we received about salvation then we are free from the dominion of sin and are now become servants of righteousness.

Righteousness in this verse is translated as justification. Made in right standing with God. Now some Christians will stop there BUT it does in fact not end there.

This verse goes on to say that if we have been made righteous then our fruit will be unto holiness. In other words the fruit of our lives will be producing a sanctified purified life.

Now what is the key here to going from the righteous of God in Christ Jesus to holiness or godly living?

The key is in this word. YIELD. If indeed we have received Jesus Christ and are justified by his blood then we will be servants of that righteousness producing holy living.

Under the sin nature we yielded to sin. It was our master. But now we belong to another, born of his Spirit and are become servants of righteousness. If we are servants then we are not free to live any way the old flesh or earthy senses try to dictate.

We are now called to yield to God. That is to the Holy Spirit given to us at the new birth which makes his will know to us by revelation of the word of God. To yield means to give way to, adhere to. Submit to.

Verse 23 declares that the wages or earnings of obeying the sin nature will produce death but the gift of God which is salvation through Jesus Christ freely given to us produces eternal life.

Those under the dominion of sin are the slaves to sin but those under the dominion of the Holy Spirit are now become servants of righteousness unto holiness.

Yield or give way your vessel to the Holy Spirit and he will empower you to live a life that pleases God!

The Mind of Christ

~ Kim Balogh ~ Leave a comment

The scriptures tell us to Love the Lord with all our heart but also with all our mind.

Mind in the Greek is dianoia which means the imagination, deep thought, and the understanding.

Christians that live according to the dictates of the carnal nature do so because they have not submitted their minds to the Lord. As long as the mind does not love God completely then the bodily appetites and earthly concerns will dominate the person rather than the Holy Spirit.

Those of the flesh or those walking after the carnal nature have their mind (entertain opinions and interests and have affections and cares) on the concerns of this life. (Romans 8)

But those Christians that pursue after the Spirit of God set their affections on the things of God’s kingdom or pertaining to and exceeding to the Spirit of God.

The carnal or worldly mind which is basically the human nature is in enmity with or hostile to God the Bible tells us.

The carnal mind is not in subjection to the law or principles of God nor is it possible to be. To be carnal minded according to the Bible produces death. That means produces things that have no spiritual and eternal value.

To be spiritually minded produces life and peace. Gods’s life will live in and through us.

A carnal or human thinking mind cannot please God. (1 Corinthians 2:13)

All God’s ways are foreign to the human mind. God’s ways many times go against human reasoning. Faith is to believe what is not evident. Faith trusts in supernatural provision. Supernatural ability and supernatural intervention.

God says in his word that if you want financial success then you need to give some money away. That does not register to a carnal mind. A carnal mind will beg,borrow,steal, or whatever to get a financial need met when God says, give and then I will give back to you. (2 Corinthians 9:7, Proverbs 3:9, Luke 6:30-38 Mark 12:41-44, )

The Bible says that if you want wisdom then ask God and he will give it to you. The world says to study philosophy and use secular reasoning to be wise. Use your street smarts. Use common sense.

Those in the Spirit setting their mind on things above are led of the Spirit according to Romans 8 and they have put to death or refused to let operate their flesh or earthly understanding.

God is no respecter of persons. The person who obeys God’s word will produce abundant life and the person who lives by the world’s understanding will produce that which has not spiritual value.

Carnal desires come through minding carnal things. That is from thinking from a human perspective. Thinking on things contrary to the Bible will produce, things such as fear, anxiety, unbelief, sensuality. In the end that kind of thinking will be destructive both mentally and physically and may even produce spiritual death .

Romans 12:2 says not to be conformed or patterned after the world but be transformed or changed by renewing the mind.

How can we renew our mind? By thinking according to the Bible!

Human intellect, feelings and will that are submitted to the will of God will produce life. The word of God is the will of God.

Ephesians 4:2,3 says to put off the former conversation or speach of the old person. The person you were before salvation. God tells us to let no corrupt communication or speach come out of our mouth.

Whatever comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart and whatever is in the heart comes through the mind. The mind is the filter for the heart. (Mathew 15:18)

Putting destructive ungodly things into the mind will result in becoming worldly or carnal. God tells us in his word to be renewed in the soul or spirit of the mind which is the intellect, thoughts, emotional feelings, the understanding and the will.

We are called to put on the new born again person which has been created to be righteous and Holy. (Philllipians 4:8)

Scriptures tell us openly what to think on. “Whatever is true, honest, pure , lovely, good, virtuous and praise worthy.” (Philllipians 4:8)

These are values that are God’s way of thinking as set out in scriptures.

The Bible tells us that God’s word is the remedy for the carnal mind. If we think on the word of God we will be renewed in our minds.

Jesus said, “Why do you call me Lord when you don’t do what I say? ” (Luke 6:46)

Jesus is the word incarnate. The Bible is God’s word. When we put our mind on what God says then we start acting like God says to act. We become not only a hearer of the word but a doer of the word. (James 1:22)

According to Proverbs 23:7 Whatever we think in the mind we will become.

If we think God’s word then it will go into the heart. Then we will act according to God’s word. (Proverbs 4:23)

Loving The Lord with all our mind is the key to living a life that pleases God. A life that pleases God is a life that is blessed.

So let us line up our mind to God’s way of thinking by having it renewed by his word!

1 Corinthians 2:16

For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.