“If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder, And the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them; Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for the Lord your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. 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 13:1-4.

If a prophet’s root is of fear and not of belief in God, they are not of God.  The “fear” is the the poison in the pot known as leaven.  The fear they are promoting directs our belief in their word and not God’s Word.  “He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.” Psalms 91:4.

A person cannot be saved without the draw of the Holy Spirit (John 6:44) which convicts them of sin and draws them to repentance. If a person is saved out of fear, they are not truly saved.  It is the preaching and teaching of the Word of God that allows the Holy Spirit to draw….not Shemitahs, Harbingers and other divinations.  The Holy Spirit isn’t going to witness to one’s spirit that they are a Child of God while sitting under divination!

There are many Christian’s who are being drawn to these seducing spirits with a root of fear.  God did not give us a spirit of fear (2 Timothy 1:7).  The only fear we, as a Child of God should have is a fear of the Lord.  In today’s world, we have no fear of the Lord but fear of man.  It is entirely possible to discern the “prophet” and the root of their prophecy without having your head in the sand.  I have been blocked and slandered by so called prophets for rejecting the “fear” they were preaching.   My husband has even had the same so called prophet tell him the last person who came against her came down with cancer and heart problems (witch craft) simply because he rejected the fear she was teaching and chose to believe God.  This is not keeping your head in the sand but understanding your home is not of this world.

Can and will bad things happen to a Child of God?  Yes, the Bible is riddled with trials and tribulations of the saints.  All one has to do is read the end of Hebrews chapter 11. “…others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yes, moreover of bonds and imprisonment:” Hebrews 11:36.   The thing about it is, we have not been given God’s grace (yet) for what will come.  Our vain imaginations or fear, can kill us a 1000 times a day (in September according to these books) but God’s grace is for today, not for what we imagine for tomorrow.  When the day comes that we face trials and tribulations, God’s grace will be sufficient for that day as well.

“While I (Jesus) was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.  And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves.  I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.  I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.  They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” John 17:12-17. 

We, as Saints of God, build up the hedge by preaching and proclaiming His Word – not man’s schemes.  – Donna Warren

An open letter to the lost:

Often times looking ahead we see what is wrong but when the time comes instead of choosing to do what is right, it is easier to do what is wrong.  My entire life I heard don’t drink and don’t smoke, it will kill you.  Actually, everyone in my family who has died of natural causes, except for 1, has died from cancer.  I knew smoking was bad….but what did I do, started smoking.  You see, the cigarettes went really well with the cocktails.  This is not something I’m proud of but it brings me to my point.  Even though we know “it”, whatever “it” may be, is bad we don’t have the strength to overcome “it”.  Some of us may be stronger than others, resist a little longer than others until satan raises the bar.

Satan wants you dead before you come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.  He wants you, your children, your family and friends – all eternally lost in hell.  The devil will keep tempting and enticing you, doing whatever it takes to keep you distracted from seeking Jesus Christ.  There is only one power stronger than satan’s and that is the power of God.

Many of us know God.  I remember I use to pray to God often as a sinner.  Any prayers God did answer for me back in those days was purely His mercy keeping me until I did come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.  The problem was, I didn’t consider myself a sinner and I never thought about hell.  The devil kept me distracted, too busy to think about eternity.  Even my past “successes” were merely distractions to keep me from seeking God.  Satan knew if he threw me a bone every now and then, he could keep me busy.

There are only two types of people, the saint and the sinner.  I was a sinner who belonged to satan.  Not because I sinned, even though I did sin, but because of Adam’s fall.  I HAD A CHOICE TO MAKE.   I emphasize that statement because I did not know I had a choice to make.  I knew God, I knew Jesus, I knew sin and I knew satan.  I thought as long as I knew these basics I could distinguish between them and cherry pick my sins while still remaining a “good person”.  You know, riding the fence while not offending anyone or having to choose, all along playing in satan’s playground.  The devil certainly wasn’t going to let me know I was still a sinner getting ready to bust the gates of hell wide open.  Satan wasn’t going to tell me my loved ones and my family who were playing on the same playground were going with me, he had me right where he wanted me and I had no fight in me against him.  No matter how hard I might try to fight, satan would raise the bar.

” For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.  For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.  He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” John 3:16-18.

“…he that believeth not is condemned already…”.  We are born condemned but God has given us a Way; THE Way, the Truth and the Life – Jesus Christ.   God has given us a way to overcome when satan raises the bar by the Blood of Jesus Christ.  It has been said that because of our Justification through Jesus Christ, God fights for us and our Sanctification is God fighting in us.  The Holy Spirit gives us power to overcome the sin nature.  We do not have to live in bondage to sin.  Recognize the enemies distractions, good or bad,  because no matter your social position, unless you choose Jesus as your Lord and Saviour, your eternal position is lost and you do not have the will power to withstand the wiles of the devil.

“Is not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness. And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever.”  Exodus 14:12-13.

Even if you don’t hear another word I’m saying, hear this:  you are not the first one who has been faced with returning to your bondage or what seems to be certain death.  In an attempt to get you to compromise, Satan wants you to believe bondage or death are the only two options.  Both of those options are his (satan’s) options and both lead to eternal hell. “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” John 10:10.  Satan doesn’t want you to realize there is another option called deliverance that can only come through Jesus Christ and His finished work.  Satan doesn’t want you to know that if you believe in what Jesus Christ did on the Cross that God can deliver you from that bondage and save you from eternal hell.  You may think this only affects you but it affects yours as well, your children, your grandchildren and your loved ones.  Your faith can’t save them but your deliverance can be a testimony to God’s redeeming power.  God will allow His Children to come to the brink, to the point where we believe Him or the devil, what we believe determines what we receive – deliverance or deception.  If God did not allow us to come to the brink, we would walk by sight and not by faith.   First we must choose to be a Child of God, we must choose to be a saint and not a sinner…but we must first realize we are a sinner.  Are you a sinner or a Saint?  There are only two sides.  You don’t have to return to bondage or face death, there is a Deliverer – Jesus Christ and Him Crucified.  – Donna Warren

“He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people.” Exodus 13:22.

God did not deliver the Israelites out of Egypt to let them wander around in the wilderness lost.  The Lord did not lead them through the land of the Phillistines, the easiest route, lest they see war and want to return to Egypt (Exodus 13:17).  God led them day by day with a cloud and night by night with a pillar of fire.

Salvation is the greatest gift ever given to the world through our Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit is the greatest Gift ever given to the Believer.  The Holy Spirit is our cloud by day and pillar of fire by night.  He is the still, small voice that orders our footsteps.  “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way.” Psalms 37:23.  All too often, the Children of God make their plans and ask the Lord to bless those plans, which He cannot do.  As the Lord orders our footsteps, we are assured of His blessings.

Our Salvation isn’t a philosophical request that we way out the cost.  To put it bluntly, God is not the one with a decision to make…we are.  As humans, too many worry about the wrong thing.  We concern ourselves with EVERYTHING except what the Lord told us to do, spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the four corners of the world.

Just last week, I was talking to a gentleman in Oregon.  Our conversation started out “normal”.  He had many Christian quotes, etc. pasted all over his Facebook page, along with the pictures of his wife and 2.5 kids.  Then he said some odd things, like “God is the Father of all spirits”.  When I asked him if he believed that Jesus Christ was the only way to be saved, his reply was shocking to me.  He replied “SAVED?  What is saved?”  You see, there are many who know God, the creation testifies of our God, but there is only one way to God and that is through the shed Blood of Jesus Christ and His finished work on the Cross.

By the way, I have heard it said that Mother Theresa had the same response when asked if she was saved.  I’m certainly not saying she was or she wasn’t, only God knows, but what I am saying is that unless she accepted Jesus Christ as her Lord and Saviour, not Mary, not the pope but Jesus Christ and Him alone, that her many good works did not get her to Heaven.  Furthermore, if dear Mother Theresa did accept Jesus Christ as her Saviour, God declared her a Saint the day of her Salvation, whether the pope did or not is irrelevant and just another one of man’s titles.

“The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:” Romans 8:16.  As a Child of God, the Holy Spirit will bear witness to us.  There is no question of our Salvation once we accept Jesus into our heart.  He is not a philosophy nor a method, He is the Lord Jesus Christ.  We are not a Child of God unless we choose to be a Child of God and there is only ONE way to do so…accept Jesus Christ into our heart.  Once we are a Child of God “sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.” Romans 6:14.  This means that the Holy Spirit will empower us to live the holy life we are called to live, not under the dominion of sin, when our faith is properly placed in what Jesus did on the Cross.  This means a Child of God still has a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night.  Are you a Child of God?  There are only two kinds of people, only two – the sinner and the Saint.  God created you and He chose you before the foundations of the earth, He doesn’t have a decision to make…you do.  Choose Jesus. – Donna Warren

Although explicit instructions were given on how to handle the Ark of the Covenant, King David made a new cart and adorned it with much religious symbolism (2 Samuel 6). There was no doubt of King David’s sincerity albeit he was sincerely wrong and a man named Uzzah died because of King David’s religious showboating.  The Ark was returned to Jerusalem but this time King David did it God’s way, on the shoulders of the Levites.  Approximately every 18 feet, the Levites would stop and offer up a sacrifice to God.  Every 6 steps blood was shed.  King David and all of Israel had faith that the sacrifices, the lamb’s blood, would spare them God’s wrath.  It was their faith in the sacrifices, who took the fatal blow, that spared them the same fate as Uzzah, not their worthiness or religious symbolism.

We are to have faith in the Sacrifice of Jesus Christ because God looks to His finished work, not ours…no matter the good intentions.  Always follow the Blood trail, God is looking to the Sacrifice, Jesus Christ and Him Crucified.  The power of God is in the Cross of Jesus, the Sacrifice of Jesus.  “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.  For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.” Romans 8:1-2. It is our faith in the Sacrifice, Jesus, that allows us the freedom to rest in God’s power and to leap and dance in joy before the Lord.

Many understand this power (faith in Jesus and His finished work) for Salvation but don’t have faith in Jesus’ Sacrifice for sanctification.  It is as if some feel the Sacrifice (Jesus) can’t “keep” us saved and we must follow man made schemes.  These man made schemes are spiritual adultery.  When we leave faith in Jesus and His finished work for spiritual growth and sanctification and place our faith in what we do and in our “religious ceremonies”, no matter how sincere they may be, they too are sincerely wrong and will lead to our destruction.  Beware of the new cart…follow the old path that leads to Calvary, the only path that leads to Jesus Christ.  Trust in God’s plan for Salvation, faith in Jesus Christ and Him Crucified. – Donna Warren.

Many accept Jesus as the Miracle Worker, Healer and a great example for mankind but few accept the Crucified Christ.  It is the offense of the finished work on the Cross of Jesus that causes the division between sinners and saints.  Many have attempted to skip over the Cross of Christ and land squarely in the middle of the resurrected life. The Resurrection of Jesus Christ was dependent on the complete and finished work on the Cross of Jesus Christ.  The Resurrection was not dependent on a battle in hell in which Jesus won but on God giving us the one and only acceptable sacrifice to pay the sin debt owed to Him because of Adam’s fall.  ” Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to His Cross; And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.” Colossians 2:14-15.

As wonderful and perfect as Jesus’ life and ministry was, it was His Sacrifice, Jesus’ finished work on the Cross (not the wooden beam but what He accomplished there) that reconciled us to God, the Father.  It is because of our reconciliation with God that we are given eternal life THROUGH Jesus…no other way.  “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” John 14:6.

It is Jesus Christ and Him Crucified that causes us to choose repentance or rebellion.  Repentance is choosing the life Jesus died for, which would involve us turning away from sin and turning to Him to break the bondages of sin.  Rebellion, in some cases, is turning to Jesus, the Miracle Worker, Healer and great example but not turning from sin…this is another Jesus.  If the Gospel of Jesus Christ you are sitting under doesn’t involve  repentance of sin…it is another Jesus, repent.  “For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.” 2 Cor. 11:4.

Upon our Salvation we are set apart by the Holy Spirit.  We are set apart from evil to holiness, we are set apart from satan to God. “In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise,” Ephesians 1:13.  All of this happens because of the Cross of Jesus and what His finished work accomplished.  The full Gospel of Jesus Christ and Him crucified will cause the sinner and the saint to choose and not compromise, calling both to repentance of sin or to rebellion of the Cross, the choice is ours.  
                                                                                                                                                                                     We can’t bypass the Cross of Jesus Christ.  “For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin.”  Romans 6:5-7.  Many of us have been trying to live the resurrected life without the resurrection power.  Praise God for His longsuffering.  The Lord WANTS us to have the resurrected life He came to give us, the problem is some of us were carried away by smooth talking, seducing spirits.  We followed the masses and were deceived by man made motivational methods that saw no victory.  It is not too late.  Jesus Christ is the Miracle Worker, Healer and our great Physician.  God is looking to the Sacrifice, Jesus Christ, for those who are reconciled to Him…where are you?  Are you at your “feasts”,  are you attempting to deliver yourself from sin, busy breaking soul ties and family curses after Salvation?  Do you need to go back to the Cross of Jesus?  He is standing at the door…  – Donna Warren.

” In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.  And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.  And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.” Genesis 1:1-3.

God spoke into creation the heavens and earth and “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.” Psalms 19:1.  There is one thing God could not speak into existence and that is man’s redemption.  Because of the Lord’s righteousness, He cannot fellowship with sin.  The depravity of man is due to Adam’s fall.  From Adam and Eve until now, the seed of man has been polluted with sin.

Sin is not stagnant because it’s lord, satan, is not stagnant.   Sin will kill, steal and destroy a person.  The teenagers, young adults, mothers and fathers and grandmas and grandpas; satan is out to claim them, tempt them and take them straight to the pits of hell with him.  Satan has this legal right to them from birth because of sin, not their sin but Adam’s sin, and his goal is to kill, steal and destroy them sooner rather than later.  I have seen many lives destroyed by sin; alcohol, drugs, pornography, homosexuality and more destroyed by the curse of sin.

Man has tried to speak into existence something that God almighty Himself could not do.  He (man) has tried to overcome addictions, depression and many other oppressions of the devil by renaming them and trying to redeem them.  Keep in mind, depression is caused by sin, not necessarily your sin (even though we ALL sin) but Adam’s fall.

Man’s redemption plan is called psychology.  We attempt to speak into existence our redemption.  We have programs, meetings and methods to redeem us to the “good life” we once knew.  God wasn’t able to do it but we seem to think we can do it.   Our righteousness is still filthy rags to God because of Adam’s original sin.  We cannot defeat satan on our own.

God could not speak our redemption plan into existence because there was nothing to remove sin from our lives.  The blood of bulls and goats restored fellowship with God but did not remove the sin and the wages of sin is death.  The shedding of blood was the only way to restore fellowship with God.  This was His Law made to restore fellowship with His creation…but it would not remove the sin, only atone for the sin.

God’s great redemption plan, the ONLY way to be redeemed to Him, was not and could not be spoken into existence by God or by man but was sent by God in the flesh, His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ.  God’s redemption plan involved the ONLY Blood that would wipe away sin completely and restore fellowship with Him, the Blood of Jesus Christ.   The shed Blood of Jesus Christ was the price paid to God for sin.  We don’t blame God for our sin which broke our fellowship with Him but we thank God for His giving us the only Sacrifice that would restore fellowship with Him, Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ and His Sacrifice on the Cross is God’s Redemption plan for whosoever will accept His plan.  The debt due to God (shed Blood) for sin and the Sacrifice supplied by God (Jesus Christ) all in order to redeem us, His creation, to Him to receive His blessings, His protection and His providence for our lives. ” For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:23.

There is only one Way to be redeemed to God and not even He could speak It into existence but He supplied It, the Blood of Jesus.  “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.  For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved.  He that believeth on Him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” John 3:16-18.  Do we, the Body of Christ, truly understand that we cannot redeem ourselves?  Do we truly realize we cannot deliver ourselves?  We cannot and do not have dominion over sin unless we are redeemed to God THROUGH Jesus Christ.  We cannot fellowship with God unless we are redeemed to God. 

If you are not redeemed to God through the Blood of Jesus Christ, God cannot fellowship with you because of your sin…no matter how “good” you are.  God’s redemption plan not only redeems us but delivers us from the bondage of sin.  God’s plan of redemption is not only about a man born 2000+ years ago, nor is It about a Man soon to come…it is about The Man Jesus Christ who became flesh and dwelt among us.  “Jesus saith unto him, I am the Way, the Truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me.” John 14:6.  Jesus’ resurrection declared Who He truly is and what He truly did – redeemed us to God the Father.  Are you redeemed by the words of man or by the Blood of Jesus? – Donna Warren

“And when the scribes and Pharisees saw Him eat with publicans and sinners, they said unto His disciples, How is it that He eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners?  When Jesus heard it, He saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” Mark 2:16-17.

Just in case I haven’t yet stepped on the toes of the bar room ministers whose favorite scripture is Mark 2:16-17.   You know who you are, the ones who talk about Jesus hung out with sinners while you are bellied up to the bar having a cocktail “with the sinners”.  Let us now examine the end of Mark 2:17, “…: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”  Jesus was there to heal the sick and call the sinners to repentance.  Unless you are there ministering the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to them, calling them to repentance, you are not a witness of Jesus Christ but of the devil.  Jesus was and is the physician of sinners, not their companion.

Furthermore, just in case anyone wants to jump on the “wine” wagon, please note that wine in the Hebrew is “yayin” or “oinos” which includes grape juice at any stage, from jelly to liquor.  Besides, if you have to search that hard to get away with your sin of choice, there is a possibility you may need to get saved.

“Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.”  James 4:4.  If I have indeed stepped on your toes…well, good.  I hope I have jumped up and down on them enough that you realize that fence your straddling is on the devil’s property.  I pray you do repent.  I’m not trying to be mean but I want you to know.  I want you to know that the devil is trying to drag you, your children and your family to the pits of hell with him and as you sit on the bar stool “ministering”, proclaiming to be a Christian, you are playing the devil’s pawn and dragging other’s with you.

No matter how angry you get with me or how vehemently you disagree with me, it doesn’t matter…it won’t change what the scripture says.  “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord,…” 2 Corinthians 6:17.

Jesus Christ and Him Crucified provided the Way for us to overcome our sin nature.  It is through our faith in what Jesus did on the Cross that the Holy Spirit is given latitude in our lives (Romans 8:2) and we are dead to sin…our sin nature is not dead but we are dead to it.  “Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.” Romans 6:6.  Through our faith in Jesus and His finished work on the Cross, the Holy Spirit empowers us to live the holy and resurrected life we are called to live as a testimony to Jesus….but we must choose.  We must choose this day who we will serve…the fence is on the devil’s property.  – Donna Warren

“And Moses said unto the Lord, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue. And the Lord said unto him, Who hath made man’s mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the Lord? Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say.  And he said, O my Lord, send, I pray thee, by the hand of him whom thou wilt send. And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Moses, and he said, Is not Aaron the Levite thy brother? I know that he can speak well. And also, behold, he cometh forth to meet thee: and when he seeth thee, he will be glad in his heart.” Exodus 4:10-14. Moses was not eloquent in speech but God called him, one man, to deliver 3 million Hebrews out of Egyptian bondage.  The call of God on Moses’ life was irrevocable even though at times it was met with unbelief.  Even after seeing the burning bush, his wooden rod turned into a serpent and back into wood and his arm made as a leper’s arm then healed, Moses’ still asked for God to send Aaron to be his mouthpiece.  Moses felt safer leaning on Aaron for his mouthpiece than believing God to heal his speech, the very Aaron who would eventually build the golden calf…”And the anger of the Lord was kindled…” Exodus 4:14. I hear many dear brothers and sisters speak of spiritual covering and mentors.  I pose this question to them, if God has brought us to the place to where we feel we need spiritual covering or mentors, why do we suddenly lean on man and not God?  How do we know our mentors won’t be the very one’s building the golden calves?  Wouldn’t our dependence on our mentors and coverings kindle God’s anger as well?  Wasn’t Moses refusal to occupy the position God had called him to due to unbelief in God’s ability?  Is it possible that God would have healed Moses’ speech if he would have continued to lean on Him, instead of requesting Aaron? Of course this is but a tiny piece in the story of Moses and Aaron.  God continued to use both of these men in a mighty way.  My point here is two fold.  One, Moses lack of faith in needing Aaron and not depending completely on God and two, God’s call being irrevocable on the life of Moses. “And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. But Moses hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.”  Exodus 17:11-12.  Aaron and Hur held up the hands of Moses when they grew heavy but he (Aaron) did not cause Israel to prevail.  God caused Israel to prevail because of Moses obedience while Aaron and Hur exhorted Moses to be obedient. The definition of mentor is a trusted counselor or guide.   “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.”  John 16:13.   The Holy Spirit is jealous of those who are trying to do His job in the Believer’s life.  Our dependence on our mentors hinders what the Holy Spirit has been commissioned to do…guide us into all Truth according to the Word of God.   If our mentors are holding our hands up and exhorting us to praise God where we are, pointing us to the Word of God, and reminding us of what Jesus did on the Cross, they are not mentors but Brothers and Sisters in the Lord doing what Brothers and Sisters in the Lord should be doing…loving one another.  On the other hand, if our mentors are pointing us to how “we” can overcome instead of how “He” has already overcome, we never overcome because our faith is in our “amount” of faith, our self will, and not God’s will.  As I have said many times before, it is not the “amount” of faith but the Object of our faith – Jesus Christ and Him Crucified.  If we believe in what Jesus did on the Cross, we understand there is no other answer.  We understand Jesus Christ paid the price so we could be redeemed to God, the same God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob…the same God of Moses.  We understand we don’t need Aaron to be our mouthpiece but to hold up our hands. If we are redeemed to God because of Jesus and what He did on the Cross, that means we don’t need an Aaron to lean on because of our weaknesses but we need the Aaron that will hold our hands up in praise to the Lord when we are weak.    To occupy the position God has called us into, we are going to have to step out in belief of His power to see the promise land…or we may come face to face with a golden calf.  Are you willing to give up your Aaron and his might to gain your God and His power?  Believe.  The Old Testament is full of testimonies of God’s power.  The New Testament shows us how we are redeemed to the power of God and there is but one Way we are redeemed, It is straight and It is narrow but It is available to whosoever chooses – It is through the shed Blood of Jesus Christ.  Do you believe?  – Donna Warren.

“Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The Spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.” James 4:5-6.

Humility is not found in the mirror declaring one’s righteousness but at the Cross of Jesus recognizing one’s condition.    Once we recognize our condition as a sinner, regardless of our good works and good deeds, we are humbled by our position as a saint once we accept Jesus as our Saviour.

“This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.  For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.  But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.  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.” Galatians 5:16-21.

It burdens my heart to see Christians being led by the flesh.   We pray for victory but choose to sin.  The Lord did not leave us on our own, we have the Holy Spirit to help us overcome our favorite sins…that is if we so wish to overcome them.  With our faith in what Jesus did on the Cross and paying our sin debt, therefore breaking any legal rights satan had on us, and the Holy Spirit to strengthen and guide us to all things holy and righteous, we are given victory over our sin nature.  Our sin nature no longer has dominion over us.

So what about the saints we see partaking in adultery, fornication, lasciviousness (lustful), idolatry (sins of the mind against God which show a lack of gratitude and acknowledgment to Him), emulation (imitate or following others), seditions (inciting people to rebel against authority), hatred and drunkenness (no explanation needed – that means drunkenness), just to name a few, the Word of God says they will not inherit the Kingdom of God.  How do the Christians who are being led by the flesh explain this scripture away?  Do they realize just because they choose to partake in their sin of choice that this is not Grace but the Law they are living under? “But if you be led of the Spirit, you are not under the Law.” Galatians 5:18.  (Sorry folks, the Holy Spirit is not going to lead us to sin, therefore they are being led by the flesh.)  Do they know the Holy Spirit will deliver them from wanting to partake in their favorite sin and that His deliverance to be able to live the holy life we are called to live is part of His Grace?  Maybe they are just not willing to give up their favorite sin.

Then, on the other hand, their are some who do not partake in their favorite sin but it is not because they don’t want to but because self will and pride will not allow.  Usually these sins are sins of the flesh, the ones that others can see.  If they are not sinning, then what is the problem, right?  Never mind the fact that self will and pride are in themselves a sin but BECAUSE of their self will and pride, they will never know the grace of God…they will never know He can deliver them because they are attempting to deliver themselves through willpower.

The peace that comes with God’s saving grace, comes in knowing His delivering power… His sanctifying power.  God’s power to clean us up and make us a witness of Him comes through Jesus Christ and what He did for us on the Cross.  It is only through faith in what Jesus did for us that we have dominion over our sin nature.  The sin nature is not dead but we are dead to it with our faith properly appropriated in Jesus and His finished work.  Faith in our self will does not give us dominion.  The Holy Spirit is envious of our flesh having control over our lives and He wants to carry out the responsibility He has been given by God, the Father to sanctify us.

If you are still partaking or wanting to partake in your sin of choice, examine your heart.  Do you want deliverance?  If so, the Lord will deliver you.  We must first admit though we need deliverance…we must first confess our sin and repent.  This is humility that is found in the Cross of Jesus, humility that is always met with grace.  – Donna Warren

“For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.  For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.” 1 Corinthians 1:17-18. 

To understand the power of the Gospel of Jesus, we must understand the simplicity.  “For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.” 1 Corinthians 1:19.  Everything we receive from God comes through what Jesus did for us on the Cross.  Our faith in Jesus’ redeeming work is the only faith God will recognize.  The same faith that brought us to Salvation will also deliver us, sanctify us and keep us.

I have heard many theories about the fight in hell between Jesus and satan which are not scriptural.  “I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.” Revelation 1:18.  The devil has never determined who entered hell.  God created Heaven for us, not hell.  There was a sin debt owed to God, not to satan, and the blood of bulls and goats paid for sin but could not remove sin.  Only the Blood of Jesus Christ removed sin.  God sent His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to fulfill the Law and pay the sin debt for all of humanity.  Jesus did not become a “sinner” as some claim.  If Jesus would have become a sinner, He could not have been the perfect Sacrifice for our sins.  Throughout the Old Testament, God always looked to the sacrifice…not the sinner for atonement.  If the sacrifice was not acceptable, the sin was not atoned for, just ask Cain.  However, God always left the door open for the proper sacrifice to be given.  “And the Lord said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?” Genesis 4:6.  All Cain had to do was give the proper sacrifice but instead he rebelled and in the end chose to kill his brother instead of a goat.

It is still hard for man to accept that God will not accept our sacrifice, our way.  We are constantly trying to add to or take from the Sacrifice, Jesus Christ,  that God has given us to save us from hell.  We would prefer to be perfect with Him instead of perfect IN Him, which is an impossibility…our sacrifice is grossly insufficient.

Understanding that the Resurrection of Jesus Christ is proof that our sin debt was and is paid in full to God, not satan (God doesn’t owe the devil a thing), we then understand what God did for us and why – because He loves us.   Jesus is the only perfect Sacrifice for our sin and God only looks to the acceptable Sacrifice; anything outside of the Sacrifice is not acceptable.  Our hope is in the proof, the Resurrection, of our risen Saviour’s Sacrifice and the fact that It was total and complete.  There is not a single bondage, stronghold or oppression that Jesus Christ has not already paid for.   We abide in Him, under His Blood, and He will deliver us.  We are made perfect in Him.  The Word of God is about Jesus, Who He is and what He has done.  We must understand our condition as a sinner and accept the Work that was done by Jesus on His Cross to be partakers in the resurrected life.   We can’t skip over what Jesus has already done and we can’t go any further than what He has done. We must understand the power of God is only through the Cross of Jesus.  Be determined to stay there, at the foot of the Cross, under the Blood of Jesus – the eyes of God are on the Sacrifice.  If you are not covered by the Blood of Jesus, God’s face is not shining upon you.  – Donna Warren