Tag: jesus

To Walk With God

~ Kim Balogh ~ 1 Comment

To walk with God in Hebrew is halak.
This is an action word which means to live life in a manner that keeps pace with, follows, goes forth, continues on, moves along, travels, goes to and fro with and turns with in a form of weakness or dependence.

According to Scriptures, God was walking in the garden of Eden in the cool of the day. Adam heard God walking in the garden but he was not walking with him.

In fact scriptures do not say that Adam and Eve walked as in halak with God. What scriptures do say is that Adam was alone and God saw that it was not good so he created Eve to be a helper to him.

What did he need help with? In doing what he was created to do. Which was to be a care taker and watchman of the Garden. (Genesis 2:15)

Adam did hear God’s voice. He heard the instructions given to him not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

However he did not listen. Why?

Could it be because Adam was not walking with God? As in halak.

Eve obviously was not walking with God or she would not have been deceived by the devil.

Eve wanted to be wise. She lacked guidance. Hebrew saw-kal’ for wise means to be instructed in prudence, to be skillful, have good success, to understand, to be guided.

Doesn’t sound like some one walking with God. Those are the things God does for us!

Even after Adam and Eve sinned Adam still could hear God’s voice.

And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden.And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.
Genesis 3:8-10

When Eve was deceived by the serpent it was because she did not listen to her husband. Adam was the one God told not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. God gave Adam that instruction before Eve was even created.

Eve did not get the information from God directly. She heard her husband’s commandment which was given to him by the Lord.

Why did Adam then listen to Eve instead of God? Could it be that although Adam could hear God’s voice he was not walking with him in halak ?

Adam knew God and heard his voice but he did not obey God. His relationship with God was not a surrendered one.

Let’s take a look at those who did walk with God.

According to the Bible, Enoch walked with God in perfect step by faith and this pleased God so much that Enoch walked straight into the spiritual realm.
(HEBREWS 11:5, Genesis 5:24)

Noah walked with God. Noah heard God’s voice telling him to prepare for judgment that was to come and by faith he obeyed. (Genesis 6:9)

How many times do we hear God’s voice speaking to us from scriptures and yet do not listen? Is it because we are not really walking with God? (James 1:23)

Scriptures tell us that those who walk after the Holy Spirit will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh. (Romans 8:1)

If we are having struggles with sin and our life is not blessed is it because we hear God’s voice and yet do not obey his commands?

Adam heard God directly. Eve heard God’s commands indirectly but still they disobeyed.

Since scriptures give no reference that Adam walked with God like Enoch or Noah did in halak we can only assume that Adam knew God, heard his voice but did not walk in halak with him.

He could have chosen to eat from the tree of life had he wanted halak but for some reason he did not. (Genesis 2:8,9)

After Adam and Eve sinned they still heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day. All Creation speaks of God’s existence. Even the unsaved hear God’s voice.

Adam and his wife then hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. (Genesis 3:8)

Sin separated God’s creation from himself. When the Lord found Adam he was hiding in guilt and condemnation from God. God then had to sacrifice a sheep and cloth them with a temporary covering to atone for their sin.

After Adam and Eve sinned they were cast out from the presence of the Lord. No more could they live in a perfect sinless life.

This act never did restore Adam to sinless perfection but what it did do was make a covering to appease God’s wrath for disobedience so that he did not destroy Adam and Eve and the whole earth, by his righteous judgment.

In conclusion we can see that it is not enough to just hear God’s voice. We must obey God’s voice. We must walk by his Holy Spirit completely dependent upon him.

This comes by becoming born of God and given new life, being made alive unto God.

Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. John 3:3

If you do not yet know God then ask Jesus the Savior to save you from wrath as you turn away from your sins.

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

Ask God to make you born of his Holy Spirit and fill you with his Holy Spirit.

And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; Ephesians 5:18-20

Then walk with God as he leads you in halak, relationship.

Obey his word the Bible as the Lord helps you every day!

Ye shall walk after the LORD your God, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and ye shall serve him, and cleave unto him. Deuteronomy 13:4

Work Out Your Salvation !

~ Kim Balogh ~ 2 Comments

According to Philippians 2:12,
We are told to work out our own salvation with godly reverence. Then we are told in vs 13 that God works in us his desire and purpose.

On first glance this sounds like an oxymoron but when you look at the fact that the word “work” for vs 12 is a different word than vs 13 then you can see there are two different operations at play here.

In vrs 12 we are called to “work out” which uses the word katergazomai which means to accomplish something. To perform an action. To finish a task.

When we “work out” something we may be striving for a goal, working out kinks or finishing up a project.

The emphasis for that working out is on the self or the person. In other words we have to put in some effort to get the job done.

Paul talks about godly exercise. When we work out at a gym for our physical bodies It has some profit or benefit but when we exercise towards godliness the gains are much more beneficial because there are eternal benefits.

What are we working out? The Bible clearly tells us that we are to work out our salvation or sōtēria which means deliverance, health, preservation.

We are called to perform an action, accomplish a task or finish a project in regards to our health, preservation and deliverance.

There are some Christians who won’t like to hear this because they think because God is sovereign he just drops everything in our plate at his whim but it doesn’t work that way according to the Bible

The good news however is that God has given us a helper. He is called the Holy Spirit. He is our teacher and coach. Like a spotter when we are working out. The one who helps us lift the weight, carry the burden, and trains us to run the race.

Vrs 13 says that it is God who is at work in us to perform all his good pleasure. That word for work is energeō.

Translated it means activating power, effectual energy.

So in other words we are performing an action and the Holy Spirit is giving us his power to perform that action.

God is working in us by his Holy Spirit power releasing his energy in order for us to work out our salvation.

In order to be saved from our old sinful selves (sanctification)it is an on going process. The Bible tells us that we have been saved, are being saved and will be saved.

Jesus died once for our sin. He took our sins and also destroyed the power of sin. By doing that he saved us from eternal death and has given us eternal life.

Automatically when we receive Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord we become a child of God born of his Holy Spirit and a joint heir with Jesus Christ but we still have to by the power of the Holy Spirit work out our salvation with reverence while we are living in this world.

Let me put it this way. When we give life to children they become our family. It is a natural birth and heritage. The children have our DNA. However as they grow their responsibility as our children become greater.

Let’s put it this way, just because you are my child does not mean that you don’t clean your room!

You will have to pick up your toys, make your bed and brush your teeth too!

It’s the same way in God’s kingdom. He expects us to pray, exercise our faith, read our bible, fast and clean our house!

He expects us to take the garbage out too. That means get rid of the sin stinking up his house.

As a parent we help our children along. Give encouragement, help rearrange furniture, put new sheets on the bed. It is the same with the Lord. He will give us his energeō to get the job done.

Do you need deliverance or healing today? Then get ready for your work out! Take up that bed and walk!

Believe God’s word. That’s your part. Exercise your faith and rely on Holy Spirit power to perform his part.

Do you need salvation? Need to be saved out of debt or discouragement? Need to be free from a bad habit?

Then work out your salvation with the Holy Spirit. Call on your coach to help you lift that weight, give you a word of wisdom, and lead you in the right direction.

If you try to work in your own power you will fall on your face but if through the power of the Holy Spirit that is in you, you “work out” your salvation then you will achieve your goal! You will get the victory! Accomplish the task and finish the race!

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Grace Through Faith !

~ Kim Balogh ~ 1 Comment

Grace or charis in ancient Greek is the divine influence upon the heart. Charis means to be gracious, loving, kind, extend favor, benevolent and life giving.

The word charis was used both in Greek and Roman mythology as the personification of graces. To be appropriated as having charis was to be divine.   

Paul being an educated man of his era used the word Charis from the Greek to describe God’s desire to save mankind from sin. This word was understood by the Greeks and Romans in their culture to mean an act of divine kindness. Paul was using this word to convey to the Gentiles of his day how much God cared about them.

Paul went on to tell these Gentiles that the One true God’s charis could be extended to them through pistis or faith in Jesus Christ. In Greek mythology Pistis was representative of having good faith, trust, and reliability. Pistis was a principle used as a classical form of argumentation in Paul’s day. To fully persuade through logical reasoning. In other words, the mind must be fully persuaded in an argument to agree with the evidence presented to be convinced of a particular truth.

Today in law we use the term “good faith” or bona fide to describe the act of putting trust in and confidence with sincerity in something without intent to defraud with malice.

The Bible tells us to be fully persuaded about something in our mind. What we believe will determine our course of action. (Romans 14:5)

According to scripture, Thomas was not fully persuaded in his mind that Jesus had risen from the dead. Jesus did not condemn him for his lack of faith or pistis. Rather he demonstrated his eternal word by revealing himself to Thomas. Some people think that faith is supposed to be blind. Just trust even though you have not been fully persuaded. This simply is not true!

Faith comes by hearing a word from the Lord! (Romans 10:17) Presumptuous blind faith has caused many a life to go ship wrecked.

Faith or pistis comes by a word from God who has worked upon the heart by his divine nature with benevolent intentions, through Grace or charis.  

Pistis is being fully persuaded based on convincing. The Bible says that the Holy Spirit convinces us that something is true. (John 16:8)

Grace or God’s loving kindness convinces the heart through faith (which is relying upon as true) creating the assurance of what is hoped for but not fully materialized.

Faith or pistis persuades and convinces by divine intervention a truth.

Thomas was fully persuaded that Jesus rose from the dead by experiencing the logos manifest in the flesh. It is the word of God which creates the ability to believe with fully persuaded assurance.

Even though a person were raised from the dead, if a heart is not fully persuaded by the Holy Spirit they would not believe. The unbelieving heart would just explain away the miracle. It takes charis through pistis to be fully convinced of truth.

Divinely inspired reasoning through the word of God convincing the heart is what produces faith.  Miracles confirm the word of God. Jesus is the logos made flesh. His word through scriptures by divinely inspired utterance or manifestation worked on the heart is what produces faith, pistis.

In Roman’s chapter one we are told that evidence for a Creator is made evident by the things which are made. That does not convince everyone of that fact however.

A mind can be fully persuaded to believe a lie. Satan has built up strongholds of delusion in many people’s mind. They believe something to be true when it is not. Hence the need to have full persuasion of the truth. Scriptures tell us plainly that not all men have faith (2 Thess. 3:2) and that all born again Christians have been given a measure of faith. Notice the word given. Faith is given. An act of divine grace.

Even among Christians this is so. Paul pointed out that one person in persuaded that eating meat is fine while others do not have faith to eat meat.

Paul says that if you do not have faith being fully persuaded about something and you go against your conscience then it is sin. (Romans 14:2-5)

We know from scriptures that God sanctified meats but that some cannot eat meat because of an unpersuaded mind.

To one eating food offered to idols is no big deal because to them the idol is just a man-made construct. A piece of wood or a rock. While to others it is a demon spirit’s offering. Therefore, the thought of eating an offering sacrificed to an idol is abhorrent. (1 Corinthians 8)

Adam and Eve were walking in the garden naked without a problem and then after they sinned their nakedness became sin to them. They felt vulnerable and unprotected. God made a sacrifice of an animal for their atonement and clothed them in the skin. What was the difference? Perception. Their nakedness was seen not from a perspective of innocent children but naked in their beings in front of a Holy God. (Genesis 3)

We see this same principle today in cultural practices. Some have liberty in somethings while others do not have that same liberty due to cultural beliefs.  

Unless the heart is fully persuaded (having faith) through divine intervention about a matter they cannot believe. Faith is a supernatural attribute produced by divinely inspired grace.

The conscience if not adhered to can sear. Basically, can have a flamboyant disregard for something. Many non saved people have this. Their sin does not feel like sin to them because it is a natural practice. It takes Holy Spirit convincing to produce an awareness of sin. (Romans 1)

Charis divinely influenced upon the heart convinces that God’s word is true. Grace through faith produces a change of mind or repentance. (Ephesians 2:8,9)

Evidence that is presented by the Holy Spirit through the word; written, oral or even supernatural produces faith. (John 20)

God’s word graciously worked upon the heart produces faith.

Paul reasoned with, persuaded, argued, testified, to the Gentiles through scriptures that Jesus is both Saviour and Lord. The Holy Spirit divinely moved upon the hearts to convince.

Paul also performed miracles confirming the word of God that he preached through demonstrative power of the Holy Spirit. Charis demonstrated evidences of the truth of the gospel message.

Grace or charis is the divine work of the invisible God the Holy Spirit upon the heart. Blessed indeed are those who believe and are fully persuaded that God’s word is true.   

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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Be Continually Filled With The Spirit!

~ Kim Balogh ~ Leave a comment

The Bible tells us that if we walk after the Spirit then we will not fulfill the desires of the carnal nature or our physical senses. What does it mean to walk after the Spirit?
(Romans chapter 8)

To “walk after” actually means to be joined to or with. Paul differentiates between living in the Spirit and walking after the Spirit. (Gal. 5:25)

A believer can be made alive by the Holy Spirit and “live in” the Spirit or be baptized in the Spirit but not actually walking after the Spirit or walking in the spiritual realm.

Some Christians are still allowing their carnal nature to lead them. They trust in man’s word more than God’s word and they mind the things of the world rather than the things of the Spirit.

Some believers try following the law and discipline of the body to control their carnal nature . This route eventually leads to defeat because while the law many contain sin it cannot conquer it.

God gives us the remedy in his word to crucify the flesh. He says to be filled with the Spirit and then walk after the Spirit. This is not not just a one time thing. We see in Acts chapter 2 that when believers got the Holy Spirit power from on high they waited on the Lord again concerning Peter in Acts chapter 4 and they were all filled with the Spirit again.

This is important to take note of. Believers need to he continually filled with the Spirit in order to overcome the carnal nature and the world. Being filled with the Holy Spirit means to be immersed in or supplied with the Holy Spirit on a continual basis. This comes by seeking God in prayer and spending time in God’s word. When we seek the Lord and call on him to empower us to walk in his Spirit he will always answer!

Just because we got the Holy Spirit one time does not mean that the Holy Spirit is activated in our lives on a continual basis. A good analogy would be that if we are a cell phone and have a battery inside us that does not mean that battery is charged. We have to plug it in to charge it. This takes time. It’s the same with our bodies. The amount of time we spend charging our battery will be the amount of power we get in our lives.

So when we are filled with the Spirit then we can be led by the Spirit. This means that once our spirits are charged up in the Holy Spirit we become more sensitive to the things of the Spirit and can hear his voice and feel his promptings.

As we fill up with the Holy Spirit each day that old person will soon die and be rendered in operative. As we pray in the Spirit and sing in the Spirit which Paul recommends that we do then we will be empowered by the Spirit. That means when we get to the place where our spirit man is more dominant than our carnal nature we will actually be able to demonstrate the power of the Holy Spirit according to our gifts and callings.

Born again believers live in varing degrees of the Spirit. None of us have managed to be as yielded to the Spirt like Enoch where we walked with God straight into glory but we should be moving closer in that direction all the time.

If we are filled with the Spirit then we can walk in the Spirit. When we acknowledge the Lord in all our ways he will direct our paths and then we are guaranteed to be successful by God’s standards. Then we can live as overcomers in this world.

If through the supply of the Spirit we are controlled by the Spirit then it will be automatic to yield to the Spirit. Our spirits being joined to God’s Spirit will enable us to live holy lives.

Those who are led by the Spirit scriptures tell us are the children of God but those who live according to the carnal nature will be defeated. Paul was talking to believers when he said that.

The unregenerate cannot reign in God’s kingdom. The carnal nature must be overcome and the way that we do it is not through rigorous religious exercise but through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Galatians 5 tells us that our carnal nature will always fight against the Spirit but there is a remedy and that is being led by the Spirit of God. Being led by the Spirit can only come by being filled with the Spirit. When we fill up on the Holy Spirit every day then the Lord will direct our lives every day.

It is the Spirit that gives us life. It is the Spirit that enables believers to be salt and light in the earth. Without the Spirit we can do nothing for the flesh profits nothing. So as Paul says, let us put off the carnal nature and put on Christ. Let us be filled with the Holy Spirit like Jesus was and let us be empowered by the Holy Spirit to live in victory every day!

When our carnal nature becomes so subdued that Jesus is truly Lord of our lives then as Jesus testified in his word, “Greater works shall you do because I go to the Father. “

Be filled with the Holy Spirit today!

My Words are Spirit and Life!

~ Kim Balogh ~ Leave a comment
My Words are Spirit and Life John 6:63 Word of God Gods Word Spirit and Life

“My words are Spirit and they are life” John 3:23

Jesus revealed that the words he spoke into the natural realm originated from the spiritual realm. He said that his words quicken or make alive. Jesus was in fact God’s word made flesh. He personified in human form the very life giving words of God to humanity. (John 3:34)

The flesh according to Jesus gives no profit. That means that the natural man cannot bring life. It is only the Holy Spirit that can give life!

Human ability, human resources and human words cannot bring any one life giving benefit. This is because of the sin nature residing in the hearts of the unsaved. Sin can only bring about corruption.

Humans can have a form of knowledge and a form of life but corruption will ultimately in the end be the final outcome of all human endeavors.

Jesus was trying to tell us the way to life. Not only eternal life but abundant life while we are in the earth. HIS words alone have the power ability to create life.

“My words are Spirit and they are life. ” John 3:23

Jesus wants us to have abundant life. This abundant life comes from HIS word. God creates his life in our lives by his word.

When we mediate on God’s word, pray God’s word, declare God’s word and sing God’s word life will be produced. That is why Satan twists God’s word, lies about God’s word and denies the power of God’s word.

Satan knows that if we get a hold of this revelation his deception will be shattered and we will become over comers! (John 10:10)

Jesus said MY WORDS ARE SPIRIT And THEY ARE AND LIFE. Now if the same Spirit that raised Jesus Christ from the dead lives in us then the same Spirit living in us can quicken our mortal body and make it alive unto God! Alive eternally and alive now! Alive with God’s life and liberty in Christ Jesus.

According to Proverbs 18:21 Our words can bring life or death. Words that are negative, filled with unbelief, and cursing bring non life or corruption but God’s word in our heart and in our mouth will produce life and life abundantly.

Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. Colossians 4:6

Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in thy sight O Lord my strength and my redeemer. Psalm 19:14

Jesus said in scriptures that, “if my words abide in you then you shall have whatever you ask for. ” John 15:7

God’s word alone can bless us in this life.

How does this life giving process come about? Jesus said FIRST the seed. God’s word is described as a seed. It can even be as small as a mustard seed which is very small. Seeds take time to germinate. They need sufficient water and an appropriate environment.

Then the blade grows. Sprouting occurs! Small miracles start to take place. Then with constant care the word will flower! Every one will see the evidence of God’s word in your life!

Lastly, the fruit appears. Small and green at first but again with proper care it will ripen! When the fruit from God’s word appears in our life then that is when others can partake of the goodness of the Lord through our testimony!

“He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.” Matthew 13:31-32

God’s word has life giving power to produce abundant fruit and keep us from corruption!

When we put God’s word in our heart, mediate on it, pray it and declare it then it will produce life and that more abundantly.

Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. Psalm 119:11


The Way of Cain?

~ Kim Balogh ~ Leave a comment

Are You Going the Way of Cain?

Cain was Adam and Eve’s first born son. Cain symbolically represents the law. The law was given by Moses to show men that they are sinners in need of a Savior because no one can keep the law perfectly. Under the Old Testament animal sacrifice was required to cover sin but could not take away sin.

The law was given before Jesus became the sacrifice for sin once and for all. The law was a temporary restrainer of sin but has no power to defeat sin.

CAIN MEANS SPEAR, or a possession. A spear pierces the flesh. It cuts through the heart.

The sting or piercing of sin under the law brings death. The law does not bring life because no one can keep the law in its entirety. All are condemned to eternal separation from God who try to keep the law for justification. (right relationship with God)

ABEL was born after Cain. ABEL means breath of the Spirit. ABEL represents life in the Holy Spirit. Jesus brought life through his atonement for sin and his resurrection.

CAIN was a tiller of the ground. Tiller in Hebrew is abad. It means to work or serve like a bondsman. The ground represents earth or of this natural world.

ABEL was a keeper of sheep. Grace keeps God’s sheep justified from sin through Jesus Christ the Savior. ABEL represents God’s grace. (undeserved mercy)

CAIN brought before the Lord his offering. An offering symbolizes atonement for sin. In other words, Cain brought the works of his hands which he produced from the earth or the rudiments of this world, as an offering for sin.

ABEL brought a blood offering from an innocent lamb to atone for his sin.

The first offering given was made by God to atone for Adam and Eve’s sin by slaying a lamb and clothing them in its skin. CAIN was aware of this. However, he felt that he could earn forgiveness from sin by the works of his hand but God rejected CAIN’S offering.

God accepted Abel’s offering because it was God’s prerequisite for forgiveness of sin. The law says that the soul that sins shall die. Blood must be shed to atone for sin. An eye for an eye. A life for a life.

CAIN became jealous of his brother. Why? We know from the law that obedience to God’s word brings blessings but disobedience brings God’s curse. God refused to bless the work of Cain’s hands but he blessed Abel because he received the lamb sacrifice for atonement of sin.

The struggle between the flesh and the Spirit begin here. Those in the flesh or of the earth cannot please God but those in Jesus Christ are blessed in him and through him.

Often times this will cause jealousy and persecution from the religious mindset (those trying to keep the law for justification) towards the true Christian. These religious ones will attack the children of the Spirit because they want God’s blessings but they want it on their terms. They want God to accept them based on their deeds which they deem to be righteous in and of themselves.

To be rejected by God caused Cain’s countenance to fall or in modern English Cain felt inferior. This is what caused anger and jealousy to rise up in Cain.

After that the Bible says that Cain went and talked to his brother. That conversation is not recorded but I think that Abel tried to explain to Cain the way of salvation. They were talking in a field. Jesus said the fields are ready for harvest. The field represents bringing the salvation message.

Unfortunately, Cain did not receive the message of salvation because what he did was to rise up against his brother and kill him. This is significant because the flesh ( world minded ) always wants to rise up against the Spirit (God’s ways) all the time. The flesh wars against the Spirit on a continual basis according to scripture. The works of the flesh (human deeds outside Jesus Christ) do not please God and so the flesh resists the Holy Spirit all the time.

God asked Cain, “Where is your brother?” Cain replies, “How should I know ? Am I my brothers keeper? (Or in other words), Should I be guarding and protecting him? “

Cain lied to God when asked where his brother was. Cain rejected his responsibility as the oldest. In effect what Cain did was reject his inheritance just like Esau did. Then Cain became upset and cried about how he could not bear his punishment. Interesting to note, the Bible doesn’t mention his punishment right away, but Cain knew.

The Bible says that the soul that sins will die spiritually. CAIN was to face the worst punishment anyone could get. Separation from God. Notice how there was no repentance on his part. No lamb sacrificed. CAIN still rejected salvation by the blood atonement.

God, however, still offered to Cain his mercy. He tells him that if someone would want to hurt him in the future he would be punished 7 times. 7 is God’s number of perfection. God marked Cain with a reminder to all who would reject God’s plan of salvation for their own. God put a sign on him. CAIN was an example to others. All who saw him knew who he was and what he did. Scriptures tell us that sin will always be found out.

CAIN went out from God’s presence and dwelt in the land of Nod which means vagrancey. The flesh cannot dwell with God. CAIN was homeless.

1 John 3 :2 says that Cain was of the wicked one. The flesh is of the devil. The works of one’s hands or one’s own recognizance for justification is an abomination to God. It is of the devil’s nature; selfish, prideful, jealous and murderous.

Jude 1 : 11 says that apostates or false brethren go the way of Cain. They go after the way of the flesh and run after money. Baalam was a prophet for hire. He went the way of Cain. He prophesied nice things people wanted to hear for money. Korah another apostate was rebellious. He wanted his way instead of going God’s way.

The way of Cain is man’s way; greedy, rebellious and wanting the approval of men rather than the approval of God.

The flesh fights the Spirit and that is why God said the flesh must be put to death or denied. The flesh or world desires cannot inherit the Kingdom of God! A Cain mindset cannot inherit eternal life!

We can not rely on our works, good deeds or any thing else for salvation and acceptance by God except the blood of Jesus.

Trying to attain God’s approval by good deeds or law keeping results in separation from God in this life and also eternally.

Trying to keep the law (deeds of righteousness) for God’s approval is going the way of Cain. What is acceptable for salvation is receiving God’s free gift of eternal life through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross. His blood alone can redeem from sin and make you a child of God.

Then when you are born of God all deeds done by the Holy Spirit are acceptable to him. God blesses his works not man’s works. Jesus Christ alone, by faith alone saves and justifies . Jesus said, I AM THE WAY. I AM THE TRUTH. I AM THE LIFE.

IN CHRIST ALONE!

Walk After The Spirit!

~ Kim Balogh ~ 1 Comment

Romans Chapter 7 is a chapter in which the struggle between the man under the law has with the sinful nature.

Paul who was a Pharisee under the law is revealing the battle a person under the law has with the carnal nature.

Right at the beginning of the chapter Paul makes it clear that he is speaking to those under the law. In other words those who are battling the carnal nature from a legalistic mindset.

Paul says that when we have received Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord we are no longer bound to the law. Those under the law were and are constantly battling the nature of sin at work in the non saved person and the law of God.

While with the intellect a person can agree that the law is good they are if not saved powerless to perform it.

Paul points out that true Christians have been delivered from the law. Not from the truths set forth in the law but the law as a letter or theological theory abstract from the non redeemed nature.

While the law reveals sin it has no power to deliver from sin. The law is only a road map but cannot actually get us to our destination. What we need is a vehicle to get us there.

The law in and of itself is good Paul says but because the non redeemed have a carnal nature the no redeemed cannot obey the law in its entirety. That is why under the law God set up the sacrificial system of the blood covering of animals.

The person under the law is not quite the same as a full blown sinner. While the law keeper is a sinner the law keeper tries to obey the law of God in the non redeemed state.

Herein lies the problem. It is rather easy to detect a full blown sinner but not so easy to distinguish a person under the law from a true Christian.

A law keeper may even sometimes look to be more holy than the true Christian. This is because the law keeper is working relentlessly to serve the law while a Christian is looking to God’s grace and mercy for salvation.

There is according to scripture an intense struggle going on between the carnal nature of the law keeper and the law.

The law keeper actually hates the bondage that they are in. They want to serve God in their minds but cannot perform the law good enough to get God’s approval. It’s very tormenting to be a law keeper.

Is there deliverance for this struggle between the carnal nature and the law of God? Paul tells us that there is!

He tells us that through Jesus Christ we can have deliverance.

If we continue on to Romans Chapter 8 we find that those in Jesus Christ no longer have to be in torment battling the law of God and the sin nature. Paul says that there is now no condemnation of the law towards those who walk after the Holy Spirit.

In other words those born of God who are baptized into Jesus Christ and are in the Holy Spirit (because he is living in them) are now called to walk in the Holy Spirit.

Here is where some Christians get mixed up. Just because we are born again and have the Holy Spirit living in us does not mean we have achieved victory over sin. There is a part for us to play and it’s called walking after or yielding to the Holy Spirit. That is being obedient to the inner working of the Holy Spirit in us.

The difference between a law keeper and a true born again person is that the law keeper cannot perform the works of the law for justification while the born again person is justified by grace through faith and can be empowered by the Holy Spirit to obey God.

God’s righteous is fulfilled in those who walk after the Holy Spirit Paul says. To walk after is translated in the Greek as; to be occupied with, to live with and to follow after.

Paul goes on to say that those who live after the flesh or earthly minded things will produce death that is a non productive spiritual life but those who live after the Holy Spirit will produce life abundantly.

Paul also says that one is proven to be a true Christian with the indwelling Holy Spirit by their putting to death the deeds of the body through the power of the Holy Spirit that is indwelling them and walking after the Holy Spirit which is indwelling them.

In other words when the body which is still subject to earthly senses is put under subjection or control of the Holy Spirit then life and liberty in Jesus Christ is the fruit produced.

Paul also says that suffering in the flesh or not giving in to its dictates will produce a far better eternal weight of glory for us.

One day the Christian’s body will be redeemed and the earthly part will be gone but at this time rather that keeping the sin nature contained by the law, those born of God have the Holy Spirit to control sin and produce fruits of holiness.

Christians are more than conquerors in this life Paul says because we belong to Jesus Christ. A conqueror is not a defeated in bondage to sinful desires and lifestyles person nor is a conqueror a twisted tormented law keeper trying to keep the law in the sinful nature.

A conqueror lives victorious in the Holy Spirit. Nothing can separate the true Christian from the love of God if we really belong to God.

Sin has no more dominion over those who walk after the Holy Spirit because Jesus defeated the power of sin at the cross. Scripture tell us that “He who knew no sin became sin for us that we might be made the righteous of God in Christ Jesus the Lord.”

(2 cor. 5:21)

Therefore brethren we are under no obligation or compulsion to obey sinful desires for that leads to death but we are under grace and grace leads us through Holy Spirit power to live a life of holiness.

Endures Forever!

The greatest remedy for our sins, failures, bad choices, and mistakes is God’s unfailing love in which he demonstrated to us through the gift of the Savior Jesus Christ.

This love undeserved is called grace but did you know that grace and salvation stem from God’s heart of compassion in which he releases to the undeserved his mercy.

Mercy called chânan in the Hebrew means to bend in kindness to an inferior; to bestow favor upon. To have pity. Eleeō in the Greek means mercy is the divine grace of almighty God. Mercy is in effect the Lord’s compassion.

Mercy according to the Bible triumphs or is victorious over judgment. All sin is judged by God whose throne is established in justice and righteousness.

Legally speaking God’s laws when broken must be judged. That judgment always leads to death. Christians many times want to blame the devil for every thing but it is not the devil who activates God’s judgment upon us when we sin. It is in fact our own doing.

What the devil does is take advantage of a legal precedent. Sin is an open invitation for Satan to have access to a person’s life. That is why Paul said. Don’t give Satan any place!

Satan is always looking for some one to devour. He wants to kill, steal and destroy in any way he can. So what can we do against this formidable foe who is a merciless devourer that takes advantage of our weakness?

Scriptures give us the answer! Yes, it is God’s mercy! When we confess our sins and ask for help in our weakness the Lord has a legal precedent that triumphs over the law of judgment.

Symptoms of emotional and physical distress often stem from sin and are projected through Satanic attacks. When we suffer from these symptoms we need to look into our hearts and find out how we let Satan get an advantage of us. Then we need to repent.

Whether personal or generational sin has a penalty. That penalty is death. Not just eternal death but non life or dark consequences both material and spiritual. These consequences are manifest through various kinds of torments, afflictions and lack.

Mercy does not need a price for it to bring the remedy for our sins.
Mercy is bestowed freely to the contrite and broken heart of repentance from a loving God. Mercy is not given to the proud or self righteous but to the humble who recognize their weakness and desire help from an all powerful God.

James 4:6
But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.

Mercy from the Lord comes also when we are persecuted, misunderstood, and attacked by unscrupulous people.

Let me show you from scriptures how the mercy of God can be applied to our lives.

In our distress or trouble we can call on the Lord for his mercy and he will hear us and deliver us.

When we are weak and suffering with affliction we can call on the Lord for his mercy. When we are hated and persecuted we can ask for God to pour out his mercy. When we are poor, depressed and alone we can also appeal to God for his mercy for God’s mercy endures forever.

God’s mercy will bring us forgiveness and deliverance. His mercy sent from the throne of Grace will gives us strength and empowers us to live a life that pleases him.

God’s mercy will protect us and defend us from our enemies. God’s mercy will preserve us from trouble and keep us from the power of the wicked one.

God’s mercy will make us stand and be strong in his mighty power.

God’s mercy will teach us Biblical truth and cause us to walk in his ways.

Are you in need of God’s mercy today? Call upon him in your brokenness for he will bend his ear down to hear your cry. He will come to your rescue and save you out of all your trouble for whoever calls on the name of the Lord in sincerity shall be saved!

Psalm 4:1
When I was in distress have mercy on me and hear my prayer.

Psalm 6:2
Have mercy on me in my weakness and suffering and heal me.

Have mercy when I suffer from those who hate me. Lift me up out of death. Psalm 9: 13

Through the mercy of the Lord I shall not be moved. Psalm 21:7

For your mercy’s sake don’t remember my sins
Psalm 25:7

Remember mercy because I am desolate. Left alone. Forsaken. And afflicted. Depressed, needy and poor. Psalm 25:16

Have mercy. Be my helper. Psalm 30:10

Have mercy for I am in trouble and sorrowful. Psalm 31:9

Those who trust the Lord will have mercy. Psalm 32:10

Send forth your mercy to me from heaven. Psalm 36:5 psalm 57:3

Gods mercy has been my defense and refuge in trouble. Psalm 59:16

Your mercy and truth preserve me. Psalm 61:7

Show mercy and bring deliverence psalm 85:7

In your mercy give me strength and save me
Psalm 86 :16

Let your mercy keep me and your covenant stand for me
Psalm 89:28

Extend your mercy to my children psalm 103:17

Let your mercy deliver me because you are good. Psalm 109:21

According to your mercy teach me your word. Psalm 119:24

Deliver me from my enemies in your mercy. Psalm 136:26

Hope in his mercy
Psalm 147:11

Don’t give up video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1r0yn…

Mercy Triumphs over Judgment
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2tbJ…

Vision of the Rapture
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=82j3p…

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Obedience is Better than Sacrifice!

~ Kim Balogh ~ Leave a comment

In 1 Sam. 15:23 God told Saul that obedience to him is better than sacrifice and to hearken than the fat of lambs.

The Lord made it clear to Saul that he wanted him to hear his voice and obey his commands and that was the way he was to worship.

The Lord made a command to Saul to slay every inhabitant of Amalek including their animals. Saul leaned on his own reasoning in the situation. Rather than do what he was told, Saul spared the king of Amalek and took the best of the spoil for himself.

The Lord took Saul’s disobedience as a rebellious act against his Lordship.

Saul said that he was going to sacrifice the sheep and oxen he had taken to the Lord but the Lord wouldn’t accept it.

Saul it seemed wanted to serve God Saul’s way. He knew better than God on how to serve God.

Saul even justified his action by saying he did everything that he was told to do but he took the best of the animals to make a big sacrifice to God. Plus Saul let the king or head of the Lord’s enemy live.

Amalek was a descendant of Esau. This lineage had no respect to God’s covenant. They were disrespectful of God’s holy ways.

By letting Amalek’s king live Saul was compromising with evil.

God’s view was that Saul by taking matters into his own hand was therefore in rebellion and operating in a witchcraft spirit. He in effect was denying God.

This story is really a parallel to the religious spirit that decides how God should be worshiped. The religious spirit comprises with things that disrespect God’s word.

Religion wants to make all kinds of obligations and ritualistic observations in preference to what God’s word has to say.

The religious spirit wants to perform feats that guise as worshiping God but in reality only exalt man’s ego.

God requires obedience to please him. Romans 6:16 tells us that obedience to the faith moves into righteousness or justification.

Obedience means attentive hearkening, complying with a command or request.
Submitting to the authority and moral conviction of the religious truth of reliance on Jesus Christ for salvation. This is obedience to the faith.

God’s way of worship is by faith in Jesus Christ! Not rituals and all kinds of humanistic effort.

2 Corinthians 10:5 tells us to demolish high minded reasoning that oppose knowing God and bringing captive the intellect to obey Jesus Christ.

In other words cast down any form of worship that is against what God’s word defines as worship.

What is obedient worship acceptable to God?

1 Peter 1:2 says that God the Father has chosen those who by his foreknowledge through sanctification (purified and made holy) of the Holy Spirit unto ( toward) obedience (hearkening to command ) and sprinkling of the blood atonement of Jesus Christ.

The only form of worship pleasing to God is through the blood sacrifice of Jesus Christ and obedience to the gospel.

Those who hearken to this command will be received by God the Father and are well pleasing in his sight.

Anything added to that or taken from that is considered disobedience to God.

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!