Discerning True Believers



Today I feel it is very important that we are able to distinguish true believers from those who say they are, but really are not.  I felt led to read I John 2, and have quoted parts of it here: 

1Jn 2:1    My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:

1Jn 2:2    And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

1Jn 2:3    And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.

1Jn 2:4    He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

1Jn 2:5    But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.

1Jn 2:6    He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked. 

To get a clearer perspective,  according to verse 4, if someone is simply spouting familiar Christian terms and saying they know the Lord, but they are not intending to follow Him (keep His Word), is lying and do not know the Lord even though they say they do.  They may talk the talk, but are they walking the walk? 

1Jn 2:7    Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning.

1Jn 2:8    Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth.

1Jn 2:9    He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now.

1Jn 2:10    He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him.

1Jn 2:11    But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes. 

Take notice of verse 7, "I write no new commandment unto you."  If you research and are following what is going on in the Christian world, it is amply evident that there are groups balking at tradition and trying to come up with something new and different all the time.  Earlier this week I found a site that shed light on the "emerging church."  Click here for the link.  This is exactly the kind of thing to be wary of when someone comes up with new and revised ways that run contrary to Scripture or ignore it altogether.  God doesn't change and neither does His Word, or His commandments.  These are what we must adhere to, not the whims of man.   

1Jn 2:18    Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.

1Jn 2:19    They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us. 

Today there are many "antichrists" who oppose the truth of God's Word and this can come in many forms.  For one, some think that the proponents of the emerging church are the ones who will help usher in the one-world church, where all religions blend into one, and you are no longer allowed to go against the stream of popular opinion.  Are we getting close to that now?  This should be no surprise since we know we are living in the last days.  In verse 19, we have a telling way to expose whether a person is sincerely a true believer in Christ or not.  Once you expose the truth of God's Word to them, as it's been revealed to you (through the Holy Spirit, confirmed by other Scriptures, and experienced by you in your own life), do they retaliate and argue, run and hide, or graciously receive the Word as it's been given?  If they do not receive it, then we have to question whether they are true believers, or are they just trying to lead us astray from the Truth of God's Word.  

 If we say we are true believers and followers of Jesus Christ, then we have been given the Truth for a reason, and it must go beyond ourselves (in fact, it is commanded).  We must not be passive in these last critical days.  We must stand up and make a difference, for there are many lost souls who will not stand a chance of receiving salvation if we do nothing to dispel the influence of such a heavy cloud of deception currently over our world.

Joy versus Positive Thinking

We must not confuse positive thinking with true joy.  A person who is not a Christian may experience temporary happiness due to favorable circumstances, but they can never know the joy of the Lord until they know the Lord in a personal way.  I speak from personal experience.  Even though I was raised in a Christian home, when I was a teenager, I got in with the wrong crowd to fit in, and I ended up backsliding against God.  During that time I lived as anyone who didn't know the Lord.   At first I thought it was fun to see how some unbelievers lived, and participate in the things of the world without any accountability to God or others.   The happiness I experienced all depended on my circumstances, whether I was accepted, invited to certain parties, and so on.   But after awhile, the drinking and the drugs (and cult involvement that went with the drug culture of that time) took a toll on my health and my mental well-being.  I became a border-line diabetic and I fell into a deep depression.  I couldn't sleep for the nightmares that haunted me.  So I began searching for a way out.

I began reading every positive thinking booking I could get my hands on, thinking that if I just learned how to think properly, I'd be free of the depression.  So I tried what they said.  I even prayed.  But nothing seemed to work.  I didn't know anything about oppression and that I had aligned myself with the devil and entered into his territory by delving into drugs and cult literature, which left me open to his deception and oppression.  I thank God that at that time my parents were earnestly praying for me, and made it possible for me to attend a God-centered Bible School that was one of the best schools at that time, with solid Biblical teaching. 

This is where I discovered what true joy is as compared to just positive thinking.  Here is where the Lord reached down to me and in His gentle and compassionate way drew me to Himself.  He changed my thoughts and my heart and He gave me a brand new start.  He filled me with the joy of my salvation, for He had delivered me from the great weight of my own sin and set me free from the bondage of my past.  But it would still take me many more years to discover the roots behind the depression that I would continue to struggle with, but never as so intensely when I wasn't living for Him.  

True joy and happiness is from the Lord and it comes from deep within, bubbling over in an unstoppable way.  It is usually accompanied by a deep and restful peace, knowing we are safe and all is well in our relationship with the Lord and others.  It is one of the most precious gifts of God, like a reward, for a job well done, and it is given just because He loves us, with no strings attached.  It comes from having a right attitude, and often follows heart-felt repentance, thankfulness and praise.  And the Lord will often surprise us with joy while we are in the midst of a difficult trial, and sometimes it will come at the end of a trial, like an added bonus. 

Joy does not necessarily happen because things are going well, we have money in the bank, our health is good, and all our relationships are thriving.  In fact, joy often happens when we are in the midst of great trials because we are no longer looking to others or to the things of this world to provide us with happiness.  When we struggle and have little, this is when we are the richest of all, because we realize God is enough and He is the source of all that matters in life.  Paul speaks of the Corinthians, how their joy was experienced during a deep trial: 

2Co 8:2   How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality. 

As well, sometimes when we embrace the tenets of positive thinking, and we are lukewarm towards God and others at the same time, positive thinking will not deliver what we want it to because our hearts have to first be changed.   Joy comes from a heart that is right with God.  We think of David's prayer of repentance: 

Psa 51:2    Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.

Psa 51:3    For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.

Psa 51:4    Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.

Psa 51:5    Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.

Psa 51:6    Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.

Psa 51:7    Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Psa 51:8    Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.

Psa 51:9    Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.

Psa 51:10    Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

Psa 51:11    Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.

Psa 51:12    Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. 

Notice in verse 8, the request for joy and gladness follow David's repentance.  And in verse 12, David desires the restoration of the joy of his salvation, which would not be possible until he had truly repented.  In that same verse, David refers to God as having a "free spirit."  It's interesting that many times when I wasn't living for the Lord, I thought that I was a free spirit because I could do whatever I pleased and that was real freedom.  But I didn't realize the consequences of my actions, and true freedom can only come from the Lord.  And with that freedom, where He graciously and lovingly clears us of our offences against Him, there is a peace and joy that only He can give.   

Many people do not realize that positive thinking, by itself, can never give us the joy we truly seek.  Only God can give us that because He is the source of all that is truly good in this life. 

Jas 1:17    Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. 

God doesn’t just want us to seek after positive thinking, He wants us to experience the whole package, and this will result in joy.  Maybe today the journey seems long, and we can see the mountain ahead of us that seems so far away as we walk through the shadows in the valley to get there.  But once we reach our destination, we will know a joy unspeakable, and will know it will have been worth it all.

 

More than just Positive Thinking

In my last blog, I wanted to share some of the dangers of embracing positive thinking philosophies if they are not soundly Scriptural.  I offered other points of view about positive thinking by providing alternative Scriptural contexts.  I wanted to say if all we are looking for is the icing on the cake (the good feelings), and ignoring deeper issues of the heart, then it is possible that we are missing out on all that God has in store for us.  Today I would like to talk about situations when positive thinking is not enough to get us through the really rough spots in life.  Sometimes, many times, God wants us to walk through the dark shadows of the valleys in life because He wants us to live more fully in Him, strengthen our faith, and love more deeply, as He does.  Sometimes this is only possible through grief and hardship.  We must go through the pain of losing something in order to gain something even greater.  It is no coincidence that this has more recently been my experience. 

In the course of my different forms of writing, sometimes I am called upon to respond to blatant untruths as they continue to spring up on many different types of sites on the Internet.  It is a perfect opportunity to spread the Word of God in whatever way possible, and also proclaim the truth of a matter as kindly and thoroughly Scriptural as possible.  This is not something I necessarily enjoy.  I'd rather continue the fun of writing my newest fiction novel, but I know in good conscience that something must be said.  (Jas 4:17   Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.) 

I recently responded to a post by a Universalist who doesn't believe that hell is a place of "eternal" torment, but a temporary place where everyone will eventually make it out once they've served their penance, and then be allowed into heaven after a time.  We know that this is nowhere found in Scripture, so the Universalists take words that are already there (death, hades, eternal, etc.) and re-write them to take out the harshness of the reality of hell as an eternal place of torment.  They also erroneously try and make God out to be something He is not (for one, they eliminate the part of Him that is righteous judge).  Basically, by all appearances they have no holy reverence or a healthy fear of God, so they can create whatever kind of God they choose, and eliminate hell altogether.  I wonder if we subtly do this when we choose only the good things in life (positive thinking) and ignore the reality of the pain of life and do not try to help or love others in the best way possible. (1Jn 3:18    My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.)  

My comment was in response to a Universalist who had taken Scripture and twisted it to mean something entirely different than intended.  My heart's intent was not to argue, but to continue to warn anyone reading, that hell is real and not something to be trifled with.  We may get many things wrong in this life, but our eternal destiny is not something to take a gamble on.  I also explained the purpose and importance of salvation, and I also added the importance of reading ALL of Scripture and praying for understanding.  Needless to say, my comments were not well received by one of the Universalists (not the one I was replying to), and so he became malicious and slanderously responded and put words in my mouth that I never would have said in a million years.  I wondered if I should report this commenter and have his comment removed by the webmaster.  But when I prayed about how or if I should respond, I got a "no."  God had something else in mind. 

As the day unfolded and I was hurting from the cruelty of the commenter, something was happening in my soul.  For one thing, I began to realize anew the lies, false accusations, humiliation, and deep pain of what Jesus had to suffer at the hands of His persecutors.   

Isa 53:3    He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. 

I discovered that what personal suffering does is that it can make us better, or we can choose an alternate attitude; we can choose to become bitter and too self-focused (want to retaliate, self-pity, self-introspection, etc.).  I realized too that God is my avenger.  I didn't have to say anything to try and clear myself of wrongful and hurtful accusations directed at me.  All I did was pray for this situation and for this misguided person.  In addition to this assault against me, many other things seemed to go wrong with my day.  At one point I cried when I had lost something (my bank card) and couldn't find it anywhere.  So I had to go through the hassle of cancelling it and then driving across town to the bank to get another one.  And other things happened, my printer/scanner wouldn't work, so it caused a great delay in getting my work done, and on and on it went.  I finally just laid it all down and said, "Well Lord, whatever else this day has in store for me, I give it all to you."  Then I had a peace in my heart, and I knew He was with me. 

As it turned out, by the end of the day, God did defend me and avenge the slanderous comment that had been said about me.  Someone else (another commenter) soundly and rightly rebuked the person for assuming I would say something that clearly I would  not, and he wrote an entire Scriptural response in defence of what I had said in the first place.  Wow! God is so awesome. 

What did I learn from all of this?  I learned that rather than try to fight the un-pleasantries in life, sometimes you just have to go with it and give it to God.  Positive thinking won't be able to pull you out of it, only God can.  Sometimes He allows these things to happen to draw us closer to Him.  Most importantly, I learned that what is most precious and priceless to me is to "share in the fellowship" of suffering and discover more of the amazingness of God and His love and faithfulness in ALL circumstances of life.  There is nothing as joyful as seeing the "living" Scripture unfold before your eyes.  I love it when that happens.   

So often, we can only experience the grace and favor of God through difficult and trying circumstances.  In these situations, there is only one remedy - draw close to God.  Positive thinking is not enough because it does not affect our heart and entire soul and being.  Only the Word of God can do that.  What is flesh is of the flesh, what is spirit is of the spirit.  This is what Jesus said: 

Joh 6:63    It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. 

I am not saying we should not think positive.  I even wrote a book about it called, Power Thoughts for Positive Thinking.  There are many Scriptures telling us how to think, but we need to be careful we do not get swept away with worldly philosophies surrounding positive thinking as some people present it.  To do so only robs us of a much greater and deeper experience in our walk with God.

Should we Embrace Positive Thinking?

For many years millions of people have flocked to any minister or evangelist who focusses their messages on positive thinking, and uses "faith" as the Christianize means for all our lofty dreams to come true.  Their central message is, if we just have enough faith, or the right kind of faith, and keep repeating certain verses (like a mantra), our lives will magically be transformed and all our dreams will come true.  We will have enough money to help people, we will be strong enough to do mighty things, and happy enough to attract the lost, and the list goes on.   

What many people don't realize is that the teaching of positive thinking as it is so often presented by televangelists, as one example, sounds good on the surface, but what is really behind it is a secular and humanistic belief system that, Biblically, can be proven to be another doctrine contrary to what Scripture teaches.  It can even be grouped as a false doctrine once you really take a close look at it and put it under the microscope of Scripture.  We need to be careful to study the roots of a movement or author of positive thinking books we are drawn to.  After doing some research on some popular positive thinking authors, whose books I had gobbled up years ago, I was shocked to discover they were using techniques like "imagery," the same techniques used by the New Age, and can be classified as sorcery.  They teach that faith itself (independent of God) is the tool that will reel in whatever we imagine we want.  It's interesting, also to note, that faith teachers, positive thinking gurus, and motivational speakers and authors make a lucrative living from their teaching.  After all, who doesn't want to hear positive sermons and not worry about things like personal conviction and repentance, and that a heart change is needed?  

Having said that, if someone told you that you are going to a church or are involved in a ministry that has another agenda, other than what is soundly Scriptural, would you think twice about attending there?  Yet, this is exactly what is happening today.  What is that agenda? If the message is all positive, and lacks the depth of conviction that the true teaching of repentance and salvation include, then beware! This church/ministry likely has another agenda, ever so subtle, and they are teaching another gospel that the Bible warns about.   

Gal 1:8    But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.

Gal 1:9    As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.

Gal 1:10    For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.

Gal 1:11    But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.

Gal 1:12    For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ. 

Is the teaching pleasing to hear?  Beware, for Scripture says that the Gospel is a "stumbling block."  It will bring persecution and rejection. 

1Co 1:21    For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.

1Co 1:22    For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom:

1Co 1:23    But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; 1Co 1:24    But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.

1Co 1:25    Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

1Co 1:26    For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:

1Co 1:27    But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;

1Co 1:28    And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:

1Co 1:29    That no flesh should glory in his presence. 

Is someone preaching that we must be well off financially in order to reach the lost?  Are they teaching that we must be healthy, wealthy and wise before God can really use us? Look at verse 26 - not many wise, mighty, noble are called.  We think that we need to be and look happy, or perhaps be successful in order to reach the lost.  But in verse 27, God chooses things that are foolish (they don't make sense to the world).  And in verse 28, he chooses things which are despised.   Notice the last verse 29, that no flesh should glory in His presence.  More like, He is able to use us when we are spent, weary, tired, exhausted all our own strength and resources, and come to the end of ourselves. 

We need to ask ourselves if the books we are reading merely entertain us, or draw us closer to Jesus.  Do they convict us and change our heart, or do they promise us a false and fabricated future if we merely focus on what we desire and then believe really hard that we will receive it?  I have read books that were so convicting, I only had to read them once and never forgot what they had written.  These types of books are heavily into teaching Scripture and sound doctrine, from authors like Watchman Nee, and a recent book by Dennis Bank, Sanctiprize.  Both of these authors had suffered great hardship to glean the deeper truths from the Bible, and they are known by their works.  Sometimes these types of books are difficult to read through, and yet these books are without a doubt, inspired and they are heart-changing.  You come away having digested the meat of the Word, and you do not have to read them over and over again like taking positive-thinking pills to keep you on a high.  Positive thinking books and materials, in most cases, have such a temporary effect that you have to keep reading them because they do not change our heart (which is deceitful above all things and wicked- see Jeremiah 17:9).  At least this has been true for me. 

Perhaps if we are seeking positive thinking, we are doing it for the wrong reasons.  We are seeking something for ourselves, so it becomes a pursuit for self, and not a godly thing.  Perhaps too often our focus is on self and not on Christ.  Jesus said: If I be lifted up from the earth, I will draw all men unto Me (see John 12:32).  Are we pointed to Him and pointing others to Him or are we deceived into falsely pointing them to what they can get from Jesus and Christianity?  When they look at us they should see every evidence of the work of the cross in our lives (we have died to sin and self and are alive unto Christ).  When they look at Jesus they should see their own opportunity to repent and be saved, and know that they are loved as they are.  We are not salespeople, we are sinners saved by grace and our true salvation testimony is our greatest witness, not how happy we are because we are positive thinkers.  People want and need what is real, not what is fabricated. 

How are we to think positive in a right and trusted Biblical way?  We are to delight in The Lord, keep our heart pure, be thankful (stop grumbling and complaining), be content, fight the good fight of faith, stop focusing on self and get out there and lovingly help others, make witnessing a habit.  Paul beat his body into submission, realizing he was running a race (see I Cor.9:24-27).  We need to stop trying to weasel out of running this difficult race, and stop trying to find a comfortable place to soak up the presence of God.  Meanwhile we are letting the outside world remain lost in their sins, die without hope, and suffer in hell forever.  Let us be faithful to the cross and do our part, foregoing the fluff of positive thinking beliefs, and get to the enormous task at hand, as faithful and good servants of The Lord. 

NOTE:  When I researched this, there was so much material, I had to break it up into a series of blogs.  Please watch for my next blogs in this series about positive thinking.

The Deception of Movements

In my last blog, Are You a Movement Junkie?  I discussed how to tell if you are addicted to movements within the Christian context.  Since then, I have had much further insight into the deception of movements that I feel compelled to share.  Please read it through and consider sharing it with your friends and contacts, or anyone else you know that is caught up in a movement that is not God-centered, or soundly Biblical. 

I decided to research a little deeper about current movements, and found one that I was particularly drawn to.  This one kept using the word "unity."  I shuddered when I read this because all the years I witnessed to friends, co-workers, and many others God had placed in my path who were involved in a false cult or worldly religion always used that same word.  And it was never used properly within the context intended in the Bible back then, and, not surprisingly, it is not used properly now within this movement.  Look at the following: 

Eph 4:1  I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,

Eph 4:2  With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;

Eph 4:3  Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.  

In this context, notice the words walk worthy (conduct ourselves befitting of the sacred Gospel and holiness - honor God and His Word).  Lowliness and meekness (consider that we are unworthy, weak, and apt to fall), longsuffering - be patient with one another.  In verse 3, keep the unity in the bond of peace means that when disagreements occur, resolve it until peace is restored. It does not mean to break away in a spirit of bitterness and unforgiveness.  These verses that speak of unity are hardly within a context of breaking up a fellowship and starting up a movement independent of the local church. 

Jesus said He came to bring a sword, and His truth will actually divide us when we properly use it.  Even and especially, families will be at variance. 

Mat 10:34    Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.

Mat 10:35    For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.

Mat 10:36    And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.

Mat 10:37    He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.

 That sword that Jesus is referring to in verse 34 is the Truth, the Word of God, and the Bible.  In Scripture it is referred to as a two-edged Sword. 

Heb 4:12    For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. 

There are many hardships in being a follower of Jesus, and it is never easy.  Yet movements seem to try and find an easy way out of these hardships, without counting the cost.  Jesus talks about the cost of being His disciple. We must forsake all to follow Him.   

Mat 10:38    And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. 

What does it mean to take up our cross and follow Him?  Where did Jesus go?  He went to the cross, was beaten and crucified, mocked and hated, and finally He died in our place.  He rose again three days later.  Then He ministered to those in need and did so in a pure spirit of truth, humility, love and obedience.  We must do the same, die to self.  Jesus was not ever popular and for the majority of the world, He is not popular today.  Neither should we expect to be. When we are sincerely following Him and our heart's desire is to serve Him and minister to others, we will be under a constant attack and we should expect this.  When we are experiencing rejection and hardship, we know we are on the right track, because this is what Jesus experienced. 

This is in stark contrast to the goal of movements that many times, are looking for the supernatural experience, and the pie in the sky religion that makes them feel good.  As I read this one particular movement's beliefs and posts, I couldn't help but notice that it was all centered on exactly what I talked about in the last blog, "What can I get from this?” rather than having a humble servanthood attitude of, "What can I humbly offer God, and how can I be used to serve Him in whatever capacity is needed?"  

John 3:30  He must increase, but I must decrease. 

Our attitude should be, What can I give God that is pleasing to Him?  The Bible says that the sacrifices of God are a broken and contrite heart.  

Psa 51:16    For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering.

Psa 51:17    The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. 

Isa 57:15    For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.

We think of the word obedience and the story of Saul and his disobedience.  Samuel rebuked him for disobeying God and said:   

1Sa 15:23    For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king." 

 As soon as we want things our way, we are in rebellion against God. 

Also, as I researched, I noticed that the words "repentance" and "salvation" were not once mentioned.  Also void was the word "outreach."  There was absolutely no mention of any plan to go out and witness to the lost.  The only inference I noticed was that if you go to enough of these meetings and "soak" up the presence of God, you will be happy and smiley and people will notice you are different. And we all know how short-lived that temporary feeling is! Although it does command it in the Bible that we should love one another, and others will know you by the love you have for one another, that love is a costly one, not a touchy-feely one. 

Joh 13:34    A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

Joh 13:35    By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. 

Notice that there is stipulation to the kind of love He expects:  Jesus said that we should love one other as He has loved us.  How is this done? Does He mask the truth? You will not find this in Scripture.  Agape love means to lay down your life for one another.  It is not self-serving (see I Corinthians 13), it rejoices in the truth (yes, this means you also rebuke your brother or sister in The Lord when they err).  It means a deliberate and visible dying to self.  There is nothing artificial about it - it all ties in with the unity mumbo-jumbo they talk about.  We are only one in a spiritual sense (positionally), but this must be worked out on a case-by-case basis - repentance and forgiveness.  It is not a cover-up for our sin, but true love exposes our sin.  

Pro 27:5    Open rebuke is better than secret love.

Pro 27:6    Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful. 

How are other ways we discern truth from error? You shall know them by their fruits. 

Mat 7:16    Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?

Mat 7:17    Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.

Mat 7:18    A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

Mat 7:19    Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

Mat 7:20    Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. 

When people come into your church and create a stir and a discontentment, then try to draw you away and then split the church, beware.  They are wolves in sheep's clothing.  Then in the next breath they talk about unity.  If it was really unity, why would they split up the church? They would have stayed and humbly tried to work it out according to the methods outlined in Scripture.  Without repentance and humility, there is no unity and never will be.  Nor do they really love you as Christ loves you, because they have not laid down their life for you in a Christ-like way.  So if a movement is started as a result of a break-off from a church, then the seeds of that movement are rebellion and witchcraft.  Nothing good can ever come from that, and God will never endorse it or bless it. 

Today if you are involved in a movement that you have even the tiniest doubt about, please pray and ask God to reveal His Word to you and open up His truth in ways to you that will clearly show you the next step you need to take. And like I requested earlier, please do not be shy about sharing this blog with your circle of contacts.  We must keep Jesus front, center and our all-in-all.

Are you a Movement Junkie?

How do you know if you are a movement junkie? Do you run from one church to another, or one seminar to another looking for the latest and greatest answer to your besetting problems? Is someone promising you that you'll get wealth if you just attend this one prosperity conference? Or is someone promising you that you'll lose weight if you just perform this one simple thing? Or perhaps it is healing that you need - are you going beyond your local church to find this? Perhaps you seek more power in your life, and someone has taken Scripture and is promising you a power that is just now being revealed and unleashed in the world.   

Dear friend, if this describes you, you are not alone. I am a recovered movement junkie. I've been there many years ago, and I know what I'm talking about.  Since then, the Lord has taught me many things from His Word about movements in the Christian world, and how to detect and discern which ones are of Him and which ones are not! Overwhelmingly, most of the movements I was a part of were not of Him. This is not to say I have not experienced supernatural occurrences in my life, because I have, in fact, many times.   

When I came out of the movements, I came crashing down like anyone who had been high on drugs.  Movements give you a temporary feeling of a spiritual high, and you start to think that you should be on this high all the time.  But when reality hits and you crash, it can be so devastating that you can lose your faith altogether.  In my case, it drove me to the feet of Jesus and I begged Him to show me the truth of His Word so that I could be set free from being a movement junkie.  He did just that.  What I learned was that I had very subtly put more importance of what I was seeking ahead of seeking God.  I trusted the movement itself, and that this is the only place where God was going to really move, rather than believe He can move anywhere and in whatever way He chooses.  Mainly, we need to seek Him, and not the supernatural manifestations of Him.  Does that make sense?  Scripture says that we are complete in Him, not in the spiritual manifestations of His Spirit.  After all, it is a walk of faith and not according to the senses.  Look at this verse: 

Col 2:8  Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.

Col 2:9  For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.

Col 2:10  And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:  

We are complete in Him - we need nothing more.  Isn’t it far more important to do His work, and then receive His reward of the supernatural in our lives as a result of walking in obedience to Him?  What matters most to God?  Is it how good we are, healthy we are, wealthy, or powerful we are?  No.  According to Scripture, what matters most to God if we’re going to be religious about something is found in the following verse:  

Jas 1:27  Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.  

Turning to movements takes our mind off of God and the much work He has for us to do.   Are we running to special services, and on the way there, by-passing people who are truly in need?  Too often we forget about the widows and the fatherless, the lonely and the bereaved.  Too often we try to get our needs met in supernatural ways, rather than through the hard work of dying to the flesh and humbly serving our great God in whatever capacity He has called us.  I believe that our needs get met when we apply the following: 

Mat 6:33  But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.  

It’s really quite simple - he supplies our needs as we do His work.  There is no need to strive, and we are not to be moved away from the simple, but profound Gospel message.  In addition, we need to know our doctrine, know our Bible, and study to show ourselves approved unto God. 

1Ti 4:16    Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee. 

Eph 4:14    That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

Eph 4:15    But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: 

Notice in verse 15 it is time to grow up.  We need to move beyond our childhood of looking for the gospel goodies, and believe whatever comes along, and instead seek to know and speak the unchanging and solid truths of the Bible.   

Col 2:6    As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:

Col 2:7    Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. 

Notice again in verse 7, a great sign of maturity, to be rooted and built up in Him (not the movements that are out there).  God uses suffering to grow us - we want to run to the latest and greatest movement out there, and when that fails, we run to the doctor or bank to meet our needs, but God wants us to run to Him. Sometimes He answers right away, other times, He makes us wait. While we are suffering, we are growing, and our faith is getting stronger because we seek Him and His Word to meet our needs.  There is no magical formula – we can do this in our private time of devotions, in our local church, or in a small Bible study.  The Lord can do anything for us, and He will not go back on His Word.  He promises us that if we seek Him He will reward us. The greatest reward is a closer walk with Him.  We stop focusing so much on our own needs and start caring about our relationship with Him more.  A natural outgrowth of this is that we also care more about what He cares for - other people! 

Today there are many different movements sweeping through Christendom.  Some of them might be beneficial, and others very destructive.  I encourage you to test everything by prayer and the Word of God.  If you are in question about anything, ask a pastor who is sound in the Bible and someone you know you can trust.  It may save you from a great deal of grief later on.

Faithful and True

Rev 19:11    I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war.

Rev 19:12    His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself.

Rev 19:13    He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God.

Rev 19:14    The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean.

Rev 19:15    Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. "He will rule them with an iron scepter." He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty.

Rev 19:16    On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.  NIV

At this festive time of year, we hear a lot about the baby Jesus wrapped in swaddling clothes, and how He came to earth with  the announcement of bringing "good tidings of great joy."  For over 2000 years, nations all over the world have been celebrating His birth and proclaiming His good news. Through Him, we are saved and given new life, when we receive Him and His finished work on the cross because He sacrificed His own life for us at the age of 33.  Then He died and rose again and lives forevermore in heaven with His Father.  He also dwells in the hearts of all those who believe in Him and trust Him as their personal Lord and Savior.

But this morning the words "faithful and true" kept coming to mind and the verses above had particular meaning for me, especially after the Newton tragedy where 20 children were killed.  Some people may question where God is when such a thing happens.  My heart goes out to all the parents and anyone affected by this tragedy of so many young lives lost, and also the teachers and principal whose lives were taken.  I pray for God's comfort in a very special, real and tangible way at this time.  A few days after the tragedy, the Lord gave me a vision, which I recently shared on my Facebook page.  Here it is:

I see Jesus and his white robes, and the glow of His deep love and compassion surrounding the slain children. He's gathering them in His strong arms of love and protection. Then they are gone and the room is empty, swept clean. All that is left is His assuring presence.

He is Lord of all and in all circumstances, He reigns supreme.

It is the last part that was especially revealed to me.  HE IS LORD OF ALL AND IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES HE REIGNS SUPREME.  This is extremely significant to me because, in spite of the many human atrocities that occur in our fallen world, Jesus is still on the throne, He is still in control, and this is His world and always will be.  No one owns the earth or any part of it; we are simply renting a space, and all is on loan while we are allotted our time on this earth.  Evil will not rule forever, even though it may seem like it is out of control. 

So at this time of great loss and also celebration of Jesus' birth, may we keep in our hearts and mind that Jesus is King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  May His excellent and glorious name be continuously praised.