MY CONFESSION

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:8-10)

“As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.” (Ephesians 4:1-6)

”For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” (Colossians 1:9-14)

Please permit me to share an honest personal confession, then broader information, with you. 

My primary audience is the Body of Christ, true believers in Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior. (This blog is a Christian commentary, as indicated).

Until recently, I was a sinning or straying sheep even while still sharing biblical truth on social media but God has saved and restored me. 

To be clear, no child of God can be a sinner, or can sin successfully.

John MacArthur puts it this way: “As a Christian, your life pattern must equalize with your identity. How you walk or live must harmonize with who you are.” 

In sharp contrast, the world is full of successful sinners. This includes the religious system which is essentially a disciple or follower of the world not of the Lord Jesus Christ, Yeshua Ha-Mashiach. 

I was part and parcel of the religious system and raised with the health-and-wealth gospel, false doctrines, faulty theology, unbiblical teachings and syncretism.

I had head knowledge of Biblical facts and clear analytical and articulation skills with some spritual gift, which I eagerly engaged and developed by generously, passionately and freely sharing the mostly inspired insights on social media (previously) at a time when I began to have ample time on my hands after I left paid employment. I must add that this was when I had the much-needed time for personal devotion as I gave myself deeply to studying God's Word, listening to messages and tarrying in the place of prayer. It was then that God began to do a certain work in me to change my mindset about true spirituality, which was still quite infantile. 

Yet with no true repentance, heart conversion or complete surrender of the will to God, there will be limited fruitfulness in the Christian life and the risk of backsliding into habitual sinfulness.

This uninhibited venture to publicly post Scriptural truth and spiritual insights, albeit initially intended to be shared only among a small group of 'friends', was probably enhanced by the fact that I had served in some forms of youth leadership positions in religious circles from campus fellowship to the local church settings, some as a result of my passion for God and people, and some from group coercion. 

Disillusioned yet with a religious mindset, I stopped attending any church as I was not finding adequate spiritual growth and authentic spiritual community (of genuine, unpretentious and mutually supportive children of God and sincere followers of Christ), evidenced in the initially intermittent occurrence and later recurrent feature of sin in my life. 

(The "stubborn seasons" I was spiritually pre-informed of, quite strongly, sometime in the '90s, long before they started yet I had no idea when and how long it would be; but I now know by hindsight that it came as a necessary procedure for me. To God be the glory).

God in His mercy began to make me understand that I cannot continue that way and that He will have to chastise or correct me, which He definitely did. 

Inward conviction, loss of assurance of salvation, deep sorrow, man’s reproach and comprehensive chastisement for the worldly pursuit and guilty pleasure accompanied the times of gross folly and rebellion.

He also graciously let me know the spiritual value that the whole episode of my rebellion and restoration will do: it would ultimately be for my good and to His glory. 

A lot can be said here about the trial or testing of my faith, the scrutiny and examination of my salvation, the sanctification of my life and walk, the revelation or identification of true brethren and genuine people, and above all, the glory of God’s Grace and Power of The Gospel.

(Satan will do anything to fight these, by hook or by crook. Selah!)

Being renewed by His gracious mercy and power, and genuinely converted, I seek to fellowship with the Body of Christ in a local gathering or assembly of true believers. I’m not going from one church to another in search of prayers or physical things. 

By the mercies of God, I have repented of my sins before Him, and I am wholly trusting Him for the Grace for holy conduct and faithful service, as I discipline myself in the responsibility of personal devotion to Him in prayer and Scripture. 

That’s also why I decided to go to a local church that I adjudged shared similar godly values of righteous living. 

I want to focus on Christ, on my walk with Him and on the Heavenly race. 

Grateful if you can stand with me in this, beloved saints of God. But no matter what happens, let God’s will be done. 

I’m not in church for any material purposes. My focus is on holiness and faithfulness to God. 

There is tremendous value being in fellowship with the Body of Christ in an authentic Christ-centered community that does not only have a form of godliness but truly operates by the inward power of godliness, the provision and production of The Holy Spirit. 

The false religious system (the gigantic religious rendering of the world system) has obviously rejected me and has been persecuting me in many subtle ways (which I really don’t bother about because my trust is in The Sovereign LORD).

There were instances, instigated by the wicked and their gullible recruits, of malevolently exploiting past sins, fomenting problems, secretly conspiring to waste and wreck, and taking undue advantage of maladies, misjudgments or misfortunes in life as evidence or basis to misrepresent, manipulate, mock, taunt, trap, discredit, falsely accuse and sabotage me, after using extreme measures (including stimulants, sorcery and sensual perversion) to distress, distract, detract, desecrate, devastate and destroy. (Only God knows the full extent of this).

In everything, I give thanks to God.

Not surprisingly, as with such warring scenarios and combative situations, there are negative leveraging, hijack, twists and turns by other camps and interests who unduly participate, solicited or unsolicited, to unleash their own resentment-ridden retribution.  

All sorts of ungodly and unwholesome sleight of hand by godless and heartless criminal minds, working deceitfully behind the scenes. 

God fully knows all that happened; how and why.

Selah!

There is an underlying evil motive but it is God The Perfect Judge who will ultimately judge the hearts and works of every person. 

("The Lord knows those who are His"). 

I forgive. All I have for them is deep pity. 

They may take me as a fool because of this, and gleefully exploit the said pity. I know, I know. 

More pity, deeper pity. If only they knew…

But they don't know "Any Thing".

(Nobody really knows anything; only God knows everything, and those He teaches a few things).

Yet they think know what they know and do.

At least they heard truth and made their choice.

As the Lamb said to those who were weeping for Him on His way to the Cross: "Weep not for me but for yourselves..."

God is Just. God is Faithful. 

The LORD is All Wise. YHWH is Almighty!

To whom it may concern: “Fear God.”

To those who have ears, the warning is loud and clear: “Please flee from The Coming Wrath!”

(True salvation is not what many have).

Selah!

Mercy, LORD, on Your Elect! 

"But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." 

In all this, I greatly rejoice and give God thanks and praise. 

“The LORD is my Light and my Salvation. He is my refuge and my strength.” To whom is the glory. Amen.

🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾