More Conviction

By K. Owens

Acts 20:26-29 niv

I am innocent of the blood of all men. For I have not hesitated to proclaim the whole will of God. Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Oct 13, 2022
• ISBN: 9781669851776

K. Owens

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MORE CONVICTION

K. Owens

Copyright © 2022 by K. Owens.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Scripture quotations marked KJV are from the Holy Bible, King James Version (Authorized Version). First published in 1611. Quoted from the KJV Classic Reference Bible, Copyright © 1983 by The Zondervan Corporation.

Scriptures marked as NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Rev. date: 10/13/2022

Xlibris

844-714-8691

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CONTENTS

Chapter 1    Wisdom

Chapter 2    Seeds

Chapter 3    Wrath

Chapter 4    Hope

BY WISDOM A

HOUSE IS BUILT

AND THROUGH

UNDERSTANDING IT

IS ESTABLISHED.

THROUGH KNOWLEDGE

ITS ROOMS ARE FILLED

WITH RARE

AND BEAUTIFUL

TREASURES.

PROVERBS 24:3-4 NIV

CHAPTER ONE

WISDOM

My son, keep your father’s commands…bind them upon your heart forever, fasten them around your neck. When you walk, they will guide you; when you sleep, they will watch over you; when you awake, they will speak to you.

Proverbs 6:20-22 NIV

Common sense is God’s wisdom. Have you ever met someone that has an abundance of what’s termed ‘book smarts’ but doesn’t seem to grasp simple logic? One that can’t discern what is going on around them? Or more so, to them? Have you seen someone that doesn’t have a clue about what is obviously a wrong thought or a wrong action? One that heads willingly down an unsafe path that any fool could see is going to lead to trouble, or worse-destruction?

All through the Bible we’re told to use wisdom, to follow wisdom. God really does want smart people on His team. There are thousands of words in the Good Book that we must study so they can really seep into our spirits and stick to our souls. In the Bible we’re taught how to live and how to act in love so we can have a peaceful, joy-filled life. And how to discern what is right, what is wrong, and who is bringing the true message Jesus came to share with his people.

A very important chapter to study is Matthew 13. In it we learn that this is how Jesus walked down the path:

We need to be careful not to walk down the path like this:

And in so doing, leave Jesus’ knowledge, presence, and protection.

In Matthew, Jesus teaches us about being careful that we understand the Bible and also worship in spirit and in truth; and tells us plainly that the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of Heaven has been given to us, but not to everyone. The Bible is written for the believer. So all the histories, guidelines, warnings, threats, laws-every word-is for those called into God’s service. And that is what being a believer is. It is a service.

In John 4:23, Jesus told us to worship in spirit and in truth, then in John 5:14 Jesus warned that they were well and to stop sinning or something worse might happen to them. Be aware of the tribulation the Israelites went through during their lives. They continuously turned from serving God and were warned in 1 Corinthians 10 that their ancestors’ bodies were scattered across the desert because God was not pleased with them. Then it reminds us that all accounts were written down as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did.

What do the words of Jesus’ in Luke 13 mean to you? Where he warned unless people repented, they would all perish. If you commit evil acts, but think you’ll get away with it because you say you love Jesus, you’re fooling yourself. And worse than the non-Christian, you’re now a hypocrite. Love is an action. Just go through Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John and read Jesus’ words for yourself.

Read the parables he told. He urged people over and over to walk righteously before God and warned sternly about the threat of condemnation.

Not many people want to admit they are evil. They want to hold on to the message taught by many pastors that they are righteous no matter what they do. They choose to close their eyes to the sin they commit so they can feel God loves them no matter how terrible they are. They see only the portions of the Bible they want to see, only the part that seems to allow them to do as they please, no matter what God has really asked of them. In Matthew 6:22 Jesus said that the eye is the lamp of the body and if your eyes are healthy, your body will be full of light. But he also says that if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness; and if the light in you is darkness, how great that darkness is. He’s referring to people giving themselves a license to sin because they believe in God. Many refuse to see the truth of what Jesus actually preached about your walk and what God really requires of you to call yourself by the holy name of Christ. There is darkness and there is light. Purposeful sin is darkness and is walking in evil on the Devil’s path. Goodness is light and therefore truly following Jesus.

Jesus and Paul said many things like: what does light have to do with darkness, you cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons, you cannot have a part in both the Lord’s table and the table of demons; and in Matthew 12 Jesus said very directly, Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters abroad. (KJV) If you are committing sin, you can’t really think you are with Jesus, you are quite obviously walking along with Satan doing his will and destroying, harming, and corrupting others; the very ones Jesus told you to love and be good to. Open your eyes. You might have to choose between the sin you love and God. Do not be blind to the truth, one path is following Jesus and one path is following Satan. Jesus tells you to choose; just as all the prophets from the very beginning have said.

From the very first words in the Bible, we were told to obey what God asked us to do. When a simple request didn’t work and greed filled Adam and Eve’s hearts and they disobeyed, God sent His big ten down with Moses. That didn’t work. So Jesus came with a message of ‘Do it out of love,’ but told us that he did NOT come to abolish the law or the prophets. He said not the least stroke of a pen would drop out of the law. Don’t think you can stop being obedient because you believe in Jesus. It is that belief that makes you strive harder to be a good person and obey all the moral things that are taught throughout the entire Bible. Jesus and all the prophets in the New Testament taught from the Old Testament. How can you now discount it? That’s why you should get in the practice of reading the whole Bible and read it every day. It outlines how to have a peaceful life by not being idolaters. You can define that as not being selfish and caring more about what you want then what is right, honest, or kind.

Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where the good way is, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk therein.’

Jeremiah 6:16 KJV

In Numbers 15:37 Moses tells us that throughout the generations you are to remember the commands of the Lord so you can obey Him and not prostitute yourselves by chasing after the lusts of your hearts and eyes. That if you remember and follow the commands, then you will be consecrated to God.

Jesus says that whoever blasphemes the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven in this age or the age to come. You must search your soul and see what it is to blaspheme the Holy Spirit. Because you’re warned that that one is not going away. That one is a stain people will carry all the way to judgement and right into Hell. What if blaspheming the Holy Spirit is purposefully sinning when God has called you not to? What if it is re-crucifying Jesus by choosing Satan over God? You have to see that when you sin but know better, that’s exactly what you are doing. That is why Jesus told us to enter through the narrow gate. He told us the way to Heaven is a very small path and few would find it. But he warned that the way to destruction is a broad path and many will go down that road.

Jesus teaches us to judge by the fruit produced. If someone is running around praising God but purposefully cheating on their spouse, lying, stealing, abusing others, they are not of God, they may not even have the Holy Spirit. Jesus said a good tree bears good fruit, a bad tree bears bad fruit and that is how you recognize God’s children. Then he warns that every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

Jesus said:

Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord," will enter the kingdom of Heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, drive out demons, perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me you evildoers!’ Matthew 7:21-23 NIV

So here you learn that your deeds do 100% matter, even if a preacher is telling you that they don’t. Wise up. The Bible says you cannot serve two masters. You have to walk a walk that is pleasing to God and treat other people right. We all make mistakes, we all sin. There is forgiveness. But if you continue to sin, if you purposefully choose to do wrong and callously hurt other people, you’re showing who you truly serve. Jesus told us over and over to obey the commandments and to always do right.

In Deuteronomy 11:26 you see you’re under a blessing or a curse depending on