Lifeline True Holiness Mission
True Gospel to All the World

 

THE BATTLE
 IN YOUR
 MIND!
 
Bishop Dale Collins
Started 1-5-03
 
What does the Bible say about our mind?
 
(1) Jesus said that we are to love the Lord thy God with ALL THY MIND!
 
Matthew 22
36   Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
37   Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
38   This is the first and great commandment.
 
Mark 12
30   And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.

 
Luke 10
27   And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.
 

(2) MANY PEOPLE THAT ARE DEVIL POSSESED LOSE THEIR MIND & WHEN THE DEVIL IS CAST OUT THEIR RIGHT MIND COMES BACK TO THEM!

Mark 5
15   And they come to Jesus, and see him that was possessed with the devil, and had the legion, sitting, and clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid.
 
Luke 8
35   Then they went out to see what was done; and came to Jesus, and found the man, out of whom the devils were departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid.


(3) WE ARE TOLD TO NOT HAVE A DOUBTFUL MIND!
 
16   And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully:
17   And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?
18   And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.
19   And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.
20   But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?
21   So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.
22   And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on.
23   The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment.
24   Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls?
25   And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit?
26   If ye then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for the rest?
27   Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
28   If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith?
29   And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind.
30   For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things.
31   But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you.
32   Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
33   Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth.
34   For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

(4) WE ARE LOOKING FOR PEOPLE THAT HAVE READINESS OF MIND!
 
Acts 17
10   And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews.
11   These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.
12   Therefore many of them believed; also of honourable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few.
 
1 Peter 5
1   The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed:
2   Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;
3   Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being examples to the flock.

(5) WE ARE TO ALL HAVE HUMILITY OF MIND!

Acts 20:17-21
17   And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called the elders of the church.
18   And when they were come to him, he said unto them, Ye know, from the first day that I came into Asia, after what manner I have been with you at all seasons,
19   Serving the LORD with all humility of mind, and with many tears, and temptations, which befell me by the lying in wait of the Jews:
20   And how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have shewed you, and have taught you publickly, and from house to house,
21   Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.

(6) GOD DOES TURN SOME PEOPLE OVER TO A REPROBATE MIND!
 
Romans 1:15-32
15   So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also.
16   For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
17   For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
18   For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
19   Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
20   For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
21   Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
22   Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
23   And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
24   Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
25   Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
26   For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:
27   And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.
28   And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
29   Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
30   Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
31   Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:
32   Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
 
2 Timothy 3
7   Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
8   Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.
9   But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as their's also was.
 
Titus 1
14   Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth.
15   Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled.
16   They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.
 
(7) THE LAW OF OUR MEMBERS AND THE LAW OF OUR MIND!
Romans 7:18-25
18   For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
19   For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.
20   Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
21   I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.
22   For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:
23   But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
24   O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
25   I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.
 
Romans 8:1-14
 
   There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
2   For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
3   For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
4   That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
5   For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
6   For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
7   Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
8   So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
9   But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
10   And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
11   But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
12   Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.
13   For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
14   For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
 
 
(8) WE ARE NOT TO BE HIGHMINDED!
Romans 11:13-25
 
13   For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office:
14   If by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some of them.
15   For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead?
16   For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches.
17   And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert grafted in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree;
18   Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee.
19   Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in.
20   Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear:
21   For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee.
22   Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.
23   And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be grafted in: for God is able to graff them in again.
24   For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?
25   For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.
 
1 Timothy 6
17   Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;
18   That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate;
19   Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.
 
2 Timothy 3
1   This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
2   For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
3   Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
4   Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
5   Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
6   For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,
7   Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
8   Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.
9   But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as their's also was.
10   But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience,
11   Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me.
12   Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
13   But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.
14   But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;
 
(9) WE ARE TO RENEW OUR MIND!
 
Romans 12:1-2
1   I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
2   And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
 
Ephesians 4
22   That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
23   And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
24   And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
(10) WE ARE TO BE OF THE SAME MIND ONE TO ANOTHER!
 
Romans 12:9-21
9   Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.
10   Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;
11   Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;
12   Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;
13   Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality.
14   Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not.
15   Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.
16   Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.
17   Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.
18   If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.
19   Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.
20   Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.
21   Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.
 
Romans 15
4   For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.
5   Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus:
6   That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
 
Philippians 1:27
Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;
 
1 Peter 3
7   Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.
8   Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous:
9   Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.




(11) EVERYONE IS TO BE FULLY PRESUADED IN THEIR OWN MIND!

 
Romans 14:4-6
4   Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.
5   One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.
6   He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks.
 

(12) WE ARE TO BE PERFECTLY JOINED TOGETHER IN THE SAME MIND!

1 Corinthians 1:10
Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.
 
2 Corinthians 13:11
Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you.

Philippians 3
14   I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
15   Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.
16   Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing.

Philippians 4
1   Therefore, my brethren dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved.
2   I beseech Euodias, and beseech Syntyche, that they be of the same mind in the Lord.

 
(13) WE ARE TO HAVE THE MIND OF CHRIST!
 
1 Corinthians 2
15   But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.
16   For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? but we have the mind of Christ.
 
Philippians 2
1   If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies,
2   Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.
3   Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.
4   Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.
5   Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
6   Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
7   But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
8   And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
9   Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
10   That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
11   And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
 
Hebrews 8:10
For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:
 
Hebrews 10:16
This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them;
 
1 Peter 4
1   Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;
2   That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.
 
(14) SOME PEOPLE WALK IN THE VANITY OF THEIR MINDS. THEIR MINDS ARE BLINDED, AND DARKENED!
 
2 Corinthians 3
13   And not as Moses, which put a vail over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished:
14   But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ.
15   But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart.

2 Corinthians 4
3   But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:
4   In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
5   For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake.
 
Ephesians 4
16   From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.
17   This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,
18   Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:

 
(15) WE NEED A WILLING MIND!
 
2 Corinthians 8
11   Now therefore perform the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to will, so there may be a performance also out of that which ye have.
12   For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not.
13   For I mean not that other men be eased, and ye burdened:
 
(16) WE ARE TO HAVE LOWINESS AND HUMBLENESS OF MIND!
 
Philippians 2
1   If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies,
2   Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.
3   Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.
4   Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.
5   Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
6   Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
7   But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
8   And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
9   Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
10   That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
11   And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
12   Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
13   For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
14   Do all things without murmurings and disputings:
15   That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;
16   Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.
17   Yea, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all.
18   For the same cause also do ye joy, and rejoice with me.
19   But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timotheus shortly unto you, that I also may be of good comfort, when I know your state.
20   For I have no man likeminded, who will naturally care for your state.
21   For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ's.
 
Colossians 3
11   Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.
12   Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
13   Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.

(17) IT IS A SHAME TO MIND EARTHLY THINGS!
 
Philippians 3
18   (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:
19   Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)
20   For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:
 
 
(18) THE PEACE OF GOD SHALL KEEP OUR HEARTS AND MINDS!
 
Philippians 4
6   Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
7   And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
 
(19) WE WERE SOMETIMES ENIMIES OF GOD BECAUSE OF WHAT WAS IN OUR MINDS!
 
Colossians 1
20   And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.
21   And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled
22   In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:
 
(20) WE ARE TO COMFORT THE FEBLE MINDED!

1 Thessalonians 5:14
Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men.
 
(21) WE ARE NOT TO BE SOON SHAKEN IN MIND!
 
2 Thessalonians 2
1   Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,
2   That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.
3   Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;

(22) SOME MEN HAVE CORUPT MINDS!
 
1 Timothy 6
1   Let as many servants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honour, that the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed.
2   And they that have believing masters, let them not despise them, because they are brethren; but rather do them service, because they are faithful and beloved, partakers of the benefit. These things teach and exhort.
3   If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness;
4   He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings,
5   Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.
6   But godliness with contentment is great gain.
 
(23) THE APOSTLE PAUL WAS MINDFUL OF THE SAINTS TEAR! WE SHOULD BE ALSO!
 
2 Timothy 1
3   I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience, that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day;
4   Greatly desiring to see thee, being mindful of thy tears, that I may be filled with joy;
5   When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also.

 
(24) GOD GIVES EACH OF US A SOUND MIND!
 
2 Timothy 1
6   Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.
7   For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
8   Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;
 
(25) WE ARE TO BE SOBER MINDED!
 
Titus 2
1   But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine:
2   That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience.
3   The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things;
4   That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children,
5   To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.
6   Young men likewise exhort to be sober minded.
7   In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity,
8   Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.
 
(26) WE ARE TO REMIND PEOPLE TO…
 
Titus 3
1   Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work,
2   To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men.

(27) WE ARE TO CONSIDER WHAT JESUS WENT THRU SO WE DON’T FAINT INOUR OWN MINDS!
 
Hebrews 12
2   Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
3   For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.
4   Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.


(28) WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT BEING DOUBLEMINDED!
 
James 1
1   James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.
2   My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
3   Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
4   But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
5   If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
6   But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
7   For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.
8   A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
 
James 4
7   Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
8   Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
9   Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.


(29) WE ARE TO GUIRD UP THE LOINS OF OUR MIND!
 
1 Peter 1
12   Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.
13   Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
14   As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:
 

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Our Testimony
On Wedding Rings and Jewelry!
Bishop Dale Collins
August 22, 2007
 
     I recently felt a real need to write on the subject of wedding rings. I have given it thought thru the years; but I felt like that I just had to put it down in writing in order to attempt to help hungry souls that are searching for the real truth on this subject. Helping people please God and have a deeper life experience is what our ministry is all about. I am not writing this to beat people over the head. My hearts desire is to help sincere people all over the world live in such a way that God can use them.   Really use them!
 
     The first few years of my life was spent in a worldly Pentecostal Church of God. While still in grade school my parents stopped going to church which pulled me out as well. While in junior high, my bus driver and science teacher got me started going to the Nazarene Church in which I later became a member. I lived a life much like the average teenager that attends these types of churches.  I went to church and I prayed but I was never told much about the world. The sad fact is that I went to church every time the doors were opened. I gave offerings to the church and I was a member of the church. I prayed and cried tears at the altar but I did not know what living for God was really about. While in high school there was an older preacher and his wife that every few weeks would visit the church where I attended. They would come for special services and things like that. I began to take notice of them. They were very different to the rest of the folks that I had met that claimed to be living for God. They talked different. They lived different and they dressed different which made them stand out to everyone. To most they were just old fashioned and outdated. Over a period of time as I watched them I began to develop respect for them. We got closer and closer and I became more convicted of the things of this world until the Lord moved on me in the summer of 1985 that He was giving me my last call. I could not run any longer so I sought the Lord with all my heart on the doorsteps of a little country church. Later that night around midnight I made my way to this minister’s house to pray some more. That night the Lord took the desire for the things of the world out of my heart and to this day nearly twenty-five years later I can still say I wouldn't take nothing for my journey now.
 
 
CALLED WITH A HOLY CALLING!
  
 These people had a great influence upon me in the early stages of my walk with God. They were plain dressed people that loved God and wanted to please Him. I had come to God and started growing really fast. As I prayed God moved upon my heart to make many changes in my lifestyle. I got a short hair cut (1 Corinthians 11:14).  I stopped watching Television (Psalm 101:3) and I made many changes in the way that I dressed including getting rid of all of my shorts and short-sleeved shirts. Coming out of the world takes different people different amounts of time, but I raced as fast as I could because I had been called with a holy calling and I had a work to do. I was never much on wearing jewelry but having graduated from high school the year before (in 1984) I still wore my big class ring.   It wasn't long until it was brought to my attention what the Bible says about the wearing of jewelry and I gladly discontinued wearing my class ring without any fuss. I was glad to do it.    God had filled me with the Holy Ghost and I started preaching. 
 
     At this time in my life almost all of the church people that I came in contact with wore jewelry. It was during this time that I became very aware that with the ministry that God had called me I needed a wife to be a helpmate. By now I was working with an evangelist that traveled across the country preaching revivals. He knew that I was praying and looking for a life companion. One day he told me about a church that he was going to go and preach a meeting for. He said, “That pastor is the strictest man I know and he has some daughters that are not married.” He sent me in advance to take a note to the pastor. I will never forget it because on this Sunday morning my life changed forever. My mother, grandmother, and I got there just before the Sunday school classes got out. We took our seats as they were finishing up their lesson. All of a sudden the door open up in front of the church and on the left side out came a lot of young people from their class. When Sister Sheryl walked out the Lord spoke to me and said, “There she is!” It was love at first sight and oh that people today would learn to pray and to fast and wait on God until He sends them the right one. Nobody can make a match like God! It was not very long until we were seeing each other and she wanted to have my class ring. I gave it to her and I began to compromise my stand on jewelry. I was very young in the Lord but this was a mistake that took a long time to fix.  
 
PLANNING FOR A LIFE LONG MARRIAGE
 
     Making plans for our wedding was left up to Sister Sheryl as I did not know anything about any of that stuff anyway. I only remember going to one wedding before ours, so I just did not know or care much about the details. Later, I wished that I had taken a much more active role in the planning of it. Sister Sheryl had always been raised in churches where folks was allowed to wear one ring on each hand. Please, don't get me wrong. These were good folks that had just never been taught what the Bible says about Jewelry and the wearing of extras. Like so many they had always been taught the traditions of man (Colossians 2:8) concerning this subject.    The excessive jewelry doctrine has been taught far and wide among many loose Pentecostal groups.     As we became engaged to be married the issue of rings started to pop up again.   Coming from her background (and like most young ladies) Sister Sheryl had spent her entire lifetime looking for the day that some prince charming would come along and slip a ring on her finger and they would ride off together into the sunset. Now, I was her prince charming but I wanted to buck up against their traditions and get married without wedding rings.   When talk of being married without wedding rings got to her father (who also was our pastor) he simply told me, “no rings, no wedding!” Sister Collins later told me that if she had realized how serious that I was about not having rings then she would have got married without them. 
 
     Faced with the situation of “no rings, no wedding” I set out to take Sister Sheryl to let her look for and pick out her rings. The issue kept popping up and it was a sore one. It just would not go away, so it wasn't long until instead of she, it was we looking, not only for her rings, but we were looking for our rings. We finally found the ones she fell in love with and then a simpler one for me. We paid down on them and paid them out over the first year of our marriage. We slipped them on and out the door we went so proud to be engaged and in love.
 
     Time passed and many people complemented us on our rings as we prepared to set out together for the rest of our lives. The big day came and we were married. We had a wonderful wedding with a church house full of people. Sister Sheryl did something really unique when she turned around and faced me and sung the song “you light up my life.” My former agriculture teacher said that it was the prettiest wedding that he had ever been to.
 
     We settled into our rented apartment and I continued roofing houses and ministerial work. For us these were the good old days. We never failed to pray at least one hour a day and we always fasted at least one day a week. As we prayed and fasted, we were drawn closer to the Lord. He began to use us from time to time in the ministry. Over a period of time during that first year of marriage the issue of rings would come up. As we traveled more and more in the Lord's work we started to meet a few people that did not wear jewelry.   The more that I prayed and fasted the more that I began to be convicted of my gold wedding ring. In the early days of our family and ministry we had a check and balances system that we went by. Sister Collins had been raised in church all of her life and I was new to it. Being the man of the house, God ordained that I be the leader even though I had only recently been converted.   The way that we worked this out was that when God would deal with one of us in prayer about something we would not say anything and just pray and wait until He would deal with the other one. That way we always were together on things and had unity. We also had confirmation on each issue as to what the mind of the Lord was. I never made Sister Collins give up any thing or do anything out of all of these nearly twenty-five years in serving the Lord. We did it together even though that was not what a lot of folks told.
 
SOMETIMES THE TRUTH HURTS!
 
     We had been married for a few months when we had an outdoor revival in a vacant field next to the bowling alley. Night after night we had church outdoors singing, praying, and preaching to those that stopped in. One night we had a great service with a young woman coming to the altar to pray. I was so excited afterwards that God had moved in the altar service the way that He did. The old preacher that had helped me get started came up to me afterwards to give me a hug. I said to him that night, “We’re having a great holiness meeting aren't we?” I will never forget his reply. It cut me as deep as I had ever been cut but yet deep down I knew it was true. He simply said, “No! We're having a good meeting but you can't call it a holiness meeting with you wearing that gold wedding ring on your finger!” We have often heard it said that “for preaching to be right it must be tight” and this is so true. We went on and finished out the meeting without anything major happening but my heart had been broken by the man that had helped me come to know about the Lord and the old time way. 
 
IT WAS TIME TO STUDY THE WORD OF GOD!    
 
     As the weeks and months began to pass by we continued to pray, fast, and read the Word of God (KJV). Some say that they have never been convicted like we were. Most of the time they have never prayed, fasted, and studied the Bible like we did and do either.    I began to dig it out of the Bible and this was such a hard thing for us. I knew that Sister Collins loved and treasured her weddings rings almost as much as life itself. But I just felt so condemned about breaking the Word of God to wear them. I would feel so condemned and God's glory would not fall on me like He had before during my prayer time. It became apparent to me that knowing what I knew my gold wedding ring had separated me from my God and His glory. I began to try and reason it out in my own mind.   That is one of the worst things that any child of God can do is to try and reason something out. All I was trying to do was to justify my sin and I just could not do it. I was violating the plain written Word of God in several places. I thought to myself as I struggled with this issue (not wanting to break my new wife’s heart I was willing to break both the old preachers and God's heart)! You just can't have God and the world so I had to make a choice. I began to pray foolish prayers like, “well God why don't you just cause me to have an accident and let my ring finger get cut off so I can stop wearing my wedding ring and my wife will understand.” This sounds so silly now but I really did not want to hurt her. I am so glad that God did not answer my foolish prayer and I still have all of my fingers. It finally came to a point with me when I feltGod deal with me to “be a man and stop wearing the wedding ring!” I then began to ask God to help me explain it to my wife in such a way that she would at least understand why I did not want to wear the wedding ring. My mind raced with all sorts of ideas as the flesh provided a number of excuses such as ‘you know wearing rings is something that a lot of men can't do because it is dangerous on their job. They might get hurt.’ The cold hard facts are that these are just excuses that come up way short on justifying sin. Sister Collins still could not see what was wrong with wedding rings at this point but she did accept the fact that I did feel very condemned about it. We agreed that I would stop wearing my wedding ring because that I was so convicted over it and that she would pray some more about it to see if she got convicted over it. I was so happy without my wedding ring and things settled down for a little while. We pressed on in the ministry like a lot of other people. I did not wear a wedding ring but Sister Collins did. This was commonplace among the Pentecostals that we were around at that time in our lives. In fact, it is very common in some ranks for the women to wear wedding rings and other types of jewelry and the men not be allowed to do so. I wasn't going to be that way with us because God was getting ready to speak loud and clear to Sister Collins not just once but several times!
 
GOD SPEAKS LOUD AND CLEAR!
 
     We continued on in the ministry and by this time God had blessed us with a tent to hold services under. We were traveling full time in our old van and travel trailer working for the Lord. I've been there so I already know what many are thinking. “The Lord is using me just like I am!” Yes, He used us too but He could have used us so much more and so much sooner if we had just been willing to clean up sooner!” A lot of people will be lost because of this very thing. People feel like they will be saved in the end because God used them. All this is FLESH! God does what He wants when He wants and we all need to remember that He used a donkey one time. Just because God uses a person a few times to reach out to the lost does not mean that God approves of their life to the point that they will make it. Don't be deceived! No one can ignore God's Word and still make it.    We were preparing to go to a very large holiness campmeeting in Alabama. We had heard many things about this meeting and the group of people. One of the things that we had heard is that they did not wear wedding rings and they did not use preachers that did.   God spoke to Sister Collins loud and clear several times in the last few days before we left on our trip. The first time God opened up Sister Collins' eyes on this subject was when we had been invited over to eat with another young preacher and his family. While we were there visiting the preacher’s wife took my wife back into their bedroom and pulled open their dresser door. She proceeded to take out their wedding rings and to look and gaze at them. She informed my wife that they no longer wore the rings because some people did not believe in them and so they quit wearing them in order to have more doors opened up to them in the ministry. So sad that she liked to go back to the bedroom every once in a while and just pull them out and slip them on. God let Sister Collins see right then and there that wedding rings are idols to a lot of people and that they will go to any extreme to keep them even if it is in secret. Sister Collins was very disappointed in these folks’ testimony and she began to think more and more about it. 
 
     A few nights later I was preaching for a woman pastor (1 Timothy 2:12) and I mentioned wearing jewelry. I was really preaching and God was helping me. I did not name any particular jewelry such as wedding rings, etc but this woman pastor got very mad and upset! As soon as I was through I set down and she jumped up there behind the pulpit and started rebuking me. She waved her hand up in the air and yelled, “I have you to know that this ring was my mothers ring and she died wearing this ring and I know that she is up in heaven right now!” She ranted and raved on and on about her mothers ring. She put on such a show in the flesh that Sister Collins could see real clear that to most people rings are simply what the old preacher had called them, IDOLS! This woman had gone so far over the line. When we got ready to leave on the trip to the Alabama holiness campmeeting we were sitting in the van getting ready to pull out when Sister Collins told me that she had heard God speak to her real loud. “I'm not going to be a wish-washy Christian!” “I am going to believe and live the same everywhere that we go regardless of what church that it is or what stand that they take.” What she said next shocked me because I had been so focused on the wedding rings that I had not even thought about anything else that we were doing that might not be pleasing to God. “I am going to take off my wedding rings for the Lord and the ministry but since it is wrong for me to wear my gold wedding rings with a solitaire diamond then it surely must be wrong for me to to wear this giant gold flashy watch covered with diamonds that sparkle. It is nothing but a big gold ring on my wrist and what about you wearing that big old Elvis Presley Watch?” I was stunned because that I had not even connected the two things together but I knew at once without any study that she was right. We took our jewelry off right then and there and it has never been back since. God blessed us so much more on that trip than He had in the past that it was apparent to us that we had done the right thing. All these nearly twenty-five years and I have never heard Sister Collins say that she was sorry or that she regretted the decision that we made together that day!
 
     One more very interesting thing happened while we were in Alabama. We passed by a special store called School and Carnival Supplies. I stopped and went in to look at the books. That day I found a book titled Ancient Rome. This was a book printed for use in public schools. It states on page 24, “The Romans were probably the first to use rings as a symbol of engagement.” What godly Christian would want to copy after the pagan Romans in anything? I still have this book in my office to this day should anyone want to see it.  
 
     As we progressed more into the old time way we soon learned that there was tens of thousands of married people in many different groups that was living a holy and sanctified life without wedding rings or watches. Wedding rings became a battle line between those that was considered holiness and those that lived something less. Since we came into this old time way believing, teaching, and preaching that it was and is “holiness or hell” then there was no other choice for us except to obey the Bible and be gold-free in our adornment. Tens of thousands of Godly couples are married and the world knows that they are married, not because they have a pagan worldly wedding ring on their finger, but because of how they choose to act and live. I am so glad to be in that number and on judgment day you will be too!
 
    MANY HAVE COME ON INTO HOLINESS! 
 
     I have over the years had the privilege of watching as hundreds of people that we have met and known have come on into an old-time holiness experience and have given up their wedding rings and in many cases their wrist watches as well. It has blessed my soul to see many people today ring-free that twenty years ago had gold on their fingers. Some whole fellowships have phased the rings out over the past couple decades and are now enjoying the blessings that full obedience to God's Word brings upon their marriages, families, and ministries. Won't you join us in the old time way as well?
 
     Not long after this experience we were blessed to meet some dear people that God used to change our lives forever.   We became acquainted with missionary Evangelist MA and Sister Jane Collins Daoud from Dallas Texas. Their faith teaching books have forever touched our lives and we would not be where we are today without their influence. They printed a faith building magazine and we got one. In it Brother Daoud was preaching hard and heavy against saints wearing jewelry. I was young and on fire. I was full of what the Bible calls zeal! I noticed in the same magazine that there was a picture of Sister Daoud wearing a gold wedding ring. I was shocked! It so disturbed me that I wrote to Brother Daoud and raked him over the coals for it. I have since learned that we are not to rebuke an elder but I did not know that way back then. After reading my letter, Brother Daoud wrote back that Sister Daoud would pull off the gold wedding ring and would never wear it again as long as she lived! This might not seem like much to you as you read this many years later, but I want to remind you that I was in my early twenties and the Daoud's were probably in their sixties or seventies and had reached out to millions of people all over the world. It was nothing for them to have thirty to fifty thousand people at their faith crusades around the world. They had one crusade that over three hundred churches was started out of the one meeting and yet one little preacher boy was used of God to get the old time message of holiness thru to them. There is no limit to what God can do when people will just surrender all and obey God!
 
 
“That in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established”
Matthew 18:16 B
In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; (10) But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.
1 Timothy 3:9-10
Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quite spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price. For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands:
1 Peter 3:3-5
 
Once again I’d like to invite you and your family to join us on the old-time highway of holiness headed for the eternal city of God.
 
For More Information:
Bishop Dale Collins
Lifeline Missions
P.O. Box 7
Conway, AR 72033 USA
 
www.lifelinemissions.com
Prayer Line 501-730-1946
 
 
 

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