The Spirits Must Be Tested - 1 John 4:1

   
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. - 1 John 4:1

    Truth be told, there is only one way to test the spirits to see whether they are from God or not: verify them with the Bible! Today, the most pervasive and poisonous teachings are being spread through the “Christian” church at a rate that is truly hard to process. Everything from the false teaching that God wants us to be financially prosperous to the erroneous idea that God will accept us as we are with no need for us to change. “For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.” - 2 Timothy 4:3-4.
    The one thing these various false teachings have in common is that they are nowhere found within or supported by the Word of God: the Bible. In fact, for any false teaching that is taught, one can find the exact opposite of its patent untruth within Holy Scripture. Take a false teaching, any false teaching and the Bible will correct it in word and spirit! Everyone should be prosperous? “For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me.” - Matthew 26:11. Holding onto our sin despite our claim to redemption? “Jesus stood up and said to her, ‘Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?’ She said, ‘No one, Lord.’ And Jesus said, ‘Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.’” - John 8:10-11.
    The fact is that there are no “Liberation Theologies” contained within God’s Word. There is no Prosperity Gospel nor is there a Health Gospel. There is but one Gospel: the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He came into the world with one mission, one purpose - “She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” - Matthew 1:21. In fact, any teaching that does not point back to the Messiah is a false teaching! Any teaching that doesn’t point back to the Cross is a false teaching. And any teaching that does not point to Jesus Christ as the one mediator between God and man, as our Lord and Savior, and as our Prophet, Priest, and King, is a false teaching.
    The false teachers present and advance their soothing poison specifically because they have a welcoming audience. These are the people who claim to have found “the church for people who don’t like church.” These “christians” could never sit under the teaching of honorable preachers like John Knox, George Whitefield, Jonathan Edwards, Charles Spurgeon, David Martyn Lloyd Jones, or R.C. Sproul! In fact, the only preachers that such Christians could follow are of the most unscrupulous kind. Men who are “in it” for what they themselves can get out of it. “If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness, he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain.” - 1 Timothy 6:3-5.
    One with a grasp on the holiness of God can see very plainly the error of such false teaching. And the only means of acquiring a grasp on the holiness of God is through His inerrant and infallible Word; the Bible. That is why it is of the utmost importance to test the spirits to see if they are from God and not the mere cacophony of the wolves in sheep’s clothing.

Samson’s Sleep - Judges 16:20

And she said, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” And he awoke from his sleep and said, “I will go out as at other times and shake myself free.” But he did not know that the Lord had left him. - Judges 16:20

    Most Americans have heard the biblical story of Samson. There have been many film accounts of his life and times. Many an aphorism has been quipped about ‘Samson and Delilah.’ It is Samson’s fall from grace that this post deals with.
    Samson’s stumble, while initiated by Delilah’s desire to know the source of his strength, came about, as a result, of his own personal failure. It was Samson’s attraction to a Philistine woman that placed him in spiritual jeopardy. It was his succumbing to her wiles that brought him to his shearing by his enemies. It was his reliance upon his own pride that blinded him and placed him in chains. All of these events occurred when, in his self-assurance, he fell asleep!
    Have we too, in our own pride, fallen asleep and forgotten Christ’s words of warning -
“Therefore stay awake— for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning— lest he come suddenly and find you asleep. And what I say to you I say to all: Stay awake.” - Mark 13:35-37. Jesus is simply commanding us to be vigilant. Such vigilance requires tenacity and strength of purpose. We cannot maintain our guard if we fall asleep due to being self-absorbed.
    The supposition in the title verse that “the Lord had left him” is merely a play on words since we know from Holy Scripture that God will never leave us or forsake us. “For the Lord will not forsake his people; he will not abandon his heritage.” - Psalm 94:14. The weight of Samson’s tribulation lay with Samson for letting his guard down and falling asleep in the midst of his enemies! The aftermath was humbling for Samson the Great - “And the Philistines seized him and gouged out his eyes and brought him down to Gaza and bound him with bronze shackles. And he ground at the mill in the prison.” - Judges 16:21-22. The lesson of Samson’s sleep should not be ignored. “The hand of the diligent will rule, while the slothful will be put to forced labor.” - Proverbs 12:24. In our worldly pride and self-assurance have we too fallen spiritually asleep?
    As Christians, we must maintain our watch for the coming of Jesus. We cannot afford to become complacent in our faith. “Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall.” - 1 Corinthians 10:12. About our commitment to Christ, we cannot become lulled by the world into a state of slumber. “Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning, and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the wedding feast, so that they may open the door to him at once when he comes and knocks.” - Luke 12:35-36.
    How can we avoid the sleep of Samson? Scripture tells us what we must do to stave off the desire to close our eyes and give in to the world - “Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” - Mark 14:38. Maintaining our vigil and prayer are the tools we need to engage in if we are to be successful in our effort to forestall the worldly desire to simply close our eyes for a little while.
    Jesus continues to admonish us to remain vigilant and pray - “But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.” -Luke 21:36.   
    Finally, Paul’s words would have been a saving grace to Samson if he had heard and heeded the Apostle’s warning - “So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober.” - 1 Thessalonians 5:6. The “others” that Paul speaks about are those ‘of the world.’ And Scripture has assured us that while we are in the world, we are not of the world. Let us leave pride and self-assurance to the world and rest our faith in Christ, Who has overcome the world.

The Power & The Purpose Of The Cross - Mark 8:34

And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me." - Mark 8:34

    For most people, the very idea of a crucified Christ is too far beyond the pale of good taste for conversation. The task of nailing a human being to a crucifix with the expressed intention of watching him bleed out or die from asphyxiation is simply a taboo subject for social gatherings. Now, if you don’t believe that, bring it up at your next get-together. But unless we understand the nature of the Cross, how are to ever understand its power and purpose? “For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” - 1 Corinthians 1:18.
    As for the sheer power of the Cross, we can testify that it has the power to save us from our sins and the spiritual death that accompanies them. We know this because Jesus died for us and in dying for us, He died for our sins. “. . .  but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.” - Romans 5:8-9. That great wooden crucifix has more power than we, constrained by our human limitations, could ever grasp. “ . . . by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.” Colossians 2:14. 
    We often speak of the weight of the world. How great the weight of our sins must have been to Jesus hanging on the Cross. Christ incarnate had one job which He accomplished magnificently through His death. “And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” - Philippians 2:8.
    In Christ’s death on a Cross,  we witness Him destroying the decay and corruption of sin that manifests itself in life without Him. Our enmity with God is finally and ultimately removed. And this leads us to the purpose of the Cross. “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.” - 1 Peter 2:24. Christ’s whole purpose; in fact, the purpose of the Cross is to reconcile us with God.
“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” - Romans 8:1.
    The power of the Cross is its ability to save us from our sins, something we can never do on our own. The purpose of the Cross is to do exactly that - to save us from our sins! How important is the Cross to our salvation? Jesus made it clear with these words - “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” - Luke 9:23.
We are called to emulate Christ by entering through the narrow gate, by taking up our own crosses, to follow Him. The power and the purpose of the Cross mark its importance in our lives only once we have decided to follow Jesus. Those who refuse to follow Him will never know the pain and the tribulation of following Christ. They will never know the heartache of family division over the Name above all names. They will never know the weight of remaining faithful even unto death. But neither will they know the promise of glory and eternal life reserved for those who persevere in their faith.
     “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you . . .” - 1 Peter 1:3-4. This is the Power and the purpose of the Cross: the guarantee of eternal life, the ultimate result of the Cross; salvation through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

The Heart Of Gratitude - Romans 11:36

 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.
 - Romans 11:36

    Everything we have, are, possess, enjoy, defend, and love have their beginnings in God. There is nothing created or sustained that is not of God. “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” - Genesis 1:1. That is the totality of existence described in one sentence. If we have it in our lives we should be grateful for the providence of God since without Him, neither we nor what we love would not exist! “And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.” - Colossians 1:17.
    As we join with family and friends over a Thanksgiving dinner, we should remember the source, the genesis of all we have to be thankful for, beginning with God Almighty. “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” - James 1:17.
    Many of us spend far too much of our lives complaining and grousing about the things we don’t have. We pine over the things we think would fulfill us. We mourn over the things we feel have been denied to us. The old adage comes into view here - “Be careful what you wish for.” Do we ever think that there is a good reason, a godly reason, we have failed to obtain these whimsical desires? Could it be that in God’s wisdom He has deemed that what we wish for would do us more harm than good? Do we ever take those moments of denial to refocus our hearts and minds on things that truly will be of benefit to us? “You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.” - James 4:3.
    But what of all the things we do have? Consider your home, your family, your friends, your education, your job, your very life and all the gracious gifts that God has bestowed upon you. Count each and every blessing! An honest assessment will prove that you have more than you lack. Be grateful for the things you have. Many others have been denied even that.
    And if you should suffer a loss of health, employment, a loved one, or a family member is ripping away at your sense of contentment, remember the words of Paul. “Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” - Philippians 4: 11-13.
    This is the heart of gratitude: to be content in any circumstance God sees fit to place us in.
What may seem like an unbearable burden upon our bodies, minds, and souls, has come upon us for a reason. And we may never know why. But trusting in God can bring us through anything we face in life. Things may not end up the way we had hoped or planned but be sure, they end up according to God’s plan for us. “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” - Romans 8:28.
    A grateful heart brings sunshine even on the cloudiest day. With gratitude comes peace of mind and soul. Take a moment today to share with family and friends all the reasons you are grateful, Then thank God!
Happy Thanksgiving!

Lost & Found: Reverent Christian Worship - Psalm 29:2

Lost & Found: Reverent Christian Worship - Psalm 29:2: Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness. - Psalm 29:2     It has been variously describe...

Reverent Christian Worship - Psalm 29:2

Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness.
- Psalm 29:2

    It has been variously described as tedious, unstimulating, boring, dull, monotonous, and unimaginative. The “it” I’m referring to is the liturgy of a Christian service. This liturgy and there are many stylized versions of it, represents the manner of worship during services in our Christian churches. All those lukewarm descriptions of the liturgy are the excuses many give for not attending a traditional Christian service.
    Most people are aware of the Roman liturgy known as “the Mass.” For Protestants, churches can be divided into two major categories - “liturgical Protestant and non-liturgical Protestant.” I attend a “liturgical Protestant church” with a formal order of worship or set liturgy.
    Many denominations mean many forms of worship. Do they all give glory to God’s name? Do they all lead to worship in the splendor of holiness? “Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker!” - Psalm 95:6.
    God has commanded us to worship Him in awe, reverence, and fear - “Worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness; tremble before him, all the earth!”- Psalm 96:9. It is true. When we attend service we should come prepared to worship God, the Creator, and Sustainer of the world. Our focus must be on reverently worshiping God, not on what best entertains us.
     At this point I would like to interject; there is a too familiar casualness that many Christians project when coming to worship services. Please, check the flip-flops and the mocha cappuccinos at the door. Adoration and veneration do not come glibly wearing cut-offs and tank or bringing egg McMuffins into the presence of the Lord. No, perhaps not of us all have suits or blazers but we all should have an outfit or two that can be seen as our “Sunday best.” And we can all wait for breakfast. Remember; we are in the presence of the Lord God Almighty! We should dress and conduct ourselves appropriately.
    Getting back to the subject of proper liturgical worship; when we attend service in the house of God shouldn’t our worship style reflect the reverence we have for our God? Shouldn’t the Holy Gospel be front and center of our worship? We can certainly be entertained by rock bands and carnivals at our festivals and congregational celebrations. We shouldn’t use them as worship tools in place of the Gospel.
    So what kind of worship does God want? Perhaps the words of Isaiah will shed some light on the subject - “And one called to another and said: ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!’” - Isaiah 6:3. The angels proclaimed the holiness of God - the holiness of God, and we take it upon ourselves to approach worship with an air of informality? God’s holiness demands we approach Him with reverent respect. Even Moses was instructed to remove his sandals in the presence of God’s holiness - “Then he said, ‘Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.’” - Exodus 3:5.
    Paul tells us how we are to approach God - “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” - Romans 12: 1-2. We are to present ourselves “as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God.” That, I contend, is a far cry from treating Sunday service as a social club.
    Finally, as Peter instructs us - “As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, ‘You shall be holy, for I am holy.’” - 1Peter 1:14-16.
    If your church presently allows distractions from proper reverent Christian worship, perhaps you’re attending the wrong church. Seek a church with an approach to worship that is grounded in the Gospel and the holiness of God.

Kanye And The True Gospel - Matthew 26:11

   
 For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me. - Matthew 26:11

    The news this week seemed overwhelmed by the idea that rapper, Kanye West appeared with prosperity gospel preacher, Joel Osteen. The media was abuzz with the usual questions that arise when a previously “worldly celebrity” seems to have found God. It is not that I would begrudge Kanye’s desire to find God active in his life. He is certainly just one among the many of us who could benefit by surrendering himself to Jesus Christ. Unfortunately, because he chose Osteen as his outlet I’m more than a little skeptical of his regeneration.
    For me, the issue is one of Biblical authority. Nowhere in the Holy Bible does God ever promise us prosperity. Nowhere! In fact, as the title verse states: we will always have the poor with us. What that means is that there are simply going to be some individuals who are born into poverty; live in poverty, and finally, die in poverty. That statement is Biblical. The Scriptures refer to the poor throughout the books of the Bible.  It does so specifically to illustrate that there will be rich and if there are rich then it only stands to reason that there will be poor. “The rich and the poor meet together; the Lord is the Maker of them all.” - Proverbs 22:2.
    And what does the Bible say is our responsibility and duty to the poor? We are to clothe and feed them - “And he answered them, ‘Whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise.’”- Luke 3:11. Our Christian duty is to provide for the poor; about that, there is no argument. We are to see that they are fed, sheltered, protected, and given aid when needed. Jesus went so far as to equate our treatment of the poor with our treatment of Him. “Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’” - Matthew 25:37-40. That is the way we are to treat the poor who will always be among us.
    As for the false gospel of Joel Osteen; to preach prosperity to people when Jesus preached the cross is not only false teaching - it is sinful. Prosperity preachers like Osteen and his ilk are paving their own personal roads to hell. Think about it. What did Jesus say we had to do if we wanted to follow Him? “Then Jesus told his disciples, ‘If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.’” - Matthew16:24. Does that sound like a life filled with all our worldly desires? Does that sound like a life where all our worldly needs are met? I often wonder if Joel Osteen were to ever meet Jesus, what would Joel’s response to Him be when Jesus told him - “And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, ‘You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.’” - Mark 10:21. Would Osteen be willing to give all his worldly riches to the poor to follow Jesus? Would Kanye West?
    We live in a troubling time for genuine Biblical Christianity. There are so many false teachers preaching worldly prosperity to a desperate world. Preaching a false message that leads to the false hopes of the world’s sinners is simply seasoning the devil’s stew.
    There is one Gospel: the Gospel of Salvation through faith in Jesus Christ and Jesus Christ alone. The focus of our faith between now and glory has been revealed to us - “Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.  Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” - Philippians 2:9-13. I’m still trying to understand how Joel Osteen and perhaps now, Kanye West see material prosperity in this, the one true Gospel.
Also, see - https//maranathia.blogspot.com/2017/11/what-privilege-proverbs-163.html