Ingrid at Slice of Laodicea received a letter from a author who was critical of hers and others watchmen ministries. Read the post here. I responded to the post, because it really struck me that this is the thought of so many who profess Christianity. This partially why American Christianity is in its state today. My response:
Love, love, love…The bible talks a lot about love. But the bible talks about the wrath of God and the judgement of God, the HOLINESS of God, the rightoeusness of God, the Sovereignty of God, and more. There is more to God than love. God loves but He hates, too. He hates sin in all forms and He will judge the sin of the world.
Each truth that is spoken on this site and others is spoken in love. If you did not love, you would not care enough to expose the false as false. It was the Lord who directed me to this and other watchmen sites in 2004-2005 as I asked Him for His truth. There were things taught to me that did not seem right, but it was a muddle. He did not let me down and I was able to see the truth through sites like this, with brethren I did not know personally, but who challenged me to seek the Lord for myself and to be a Berean, searching the scriptures to see if what I had been taught were true (Acts 17:11).
God honors His word above His name (Psalm 138:32) and we can’t trifle with it as if it were a light thing. If you are against His word, you are against Him. You cannot even be called “Christian” if the Truth of His word is not highly prized and prioritized in your life before the words of man. We are told to STUDY to show ourselves approved unto God, a workman who does not need to be ashamed but who rightly divides the word of truth (2 Tim 2:15). We are not told to believe any and everything that comes in a “Christian” package.
If you call yourself Christian, yet do not believe that Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life and that no one comes to the Father but through Him (John 14:6); that salvation is by grace through faith in Christ ALONE; and that the Bible is God-inspired (2 Timothy 3:16-17) and is the Truth (John 17:17) then there is a problem. If you teach things that are in DIRECT opposition to the bible but call yourself a Christian, then there is a problem. I could go on and on with a whole list…
We have lost the fear of God and the reverence due Him. Most Christians have been silently tolerating ecumenism and even the grossest forms of apostasy. The phrase for the day is…”Pray for them.” If they are apostate and they reject my Lord, the Lord of Glory, Who is worthy of honor, praise, and blessing above all…should I just pray? God said in Jeremiah 11:14, “So do not pray for this people, or lift up a cry or prayer for them; for I will not hear them in the time that they cry out to Me because of their trouble.” If God in His mercy would hear, then so be it. But as to the wolves who are deceiving, battering, fleecing, and drawing disciples unto themselves…I will warn the people and expose the false prohepts and teachers.
Ingrid, be encouraged. Continue to press forward and YELL the warnings, because if the eyes of just one person is opened to God’s truth because of something you have written about, then Praise God!!! Go after that lost sheep and leave us 99. I thank God for giving you the courage, the strength, and the perseverance to do what you do.
God willing, Carla will explore this site and others, and the Lord will give her understanding, and then she will turn around and warn others of the things she had been blind to before.
To the Watchmen:
Continue to persevere and watch and warn. You are accountable to the Lord, no one else.
Friday, August 31, 2007
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Satire
There is a satire over at Spiritual Pathways Ministries that I found interesting. It reminded me that Jesus told us, "You will know them by their fruit" (Matthew 7:16-20). Here is the satire:
http://spm100.wordpress.com/2007/08/26/the-mentoring-woes-of-t-d-jakes/
TD Jakes has been silent on the issues revolving around his girls, Paula White and Juanita Bynum. But this is an opportunity for those who know the truth to speak out and continually tell people..."You will know them by their fruit." This fruit is rotten and stinking. It is good for burning.
http://spm100.wordpress.com/2007/08/26/the-mentoring-woes-of-t-d-jakes/
TD Jakes has been silent on the issues revolving around his girls, Paula White and Juanita Bynum. But this is an opportunity for those who know the truth to speak out and continually tell people..."You will know them by their fruit." This fruit is rotten and stinking. It is good for burning.
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Might
“So the word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed.”
– Acts 19:20
I was reading the book of Acts last week, and after I read the above verse, the Holy Spirit said, “Selah.” I have been thinking on the verse all week. I believe it is applicable for the whole of scripture. My mind went in so many directions, because this was just big for me. I wanted to write something earlier, but I knew I needed to meditate on it some more.
I continued to meditate on this verse after reading the events of this past week with: Weeks battering Bynum; Haggard begging for money; another pastor reneging on loans from parishioners; pastors caught in sexually immoral situations; Randy and Paula White’s divorce; the sub-prime lending crisis; the possibility of a recession; floods, fires, deaths and more deaths. Then there are my own struggles with my unruly flesh...More and more, I ache to be rid of this body of death, and this world that groans for the manifestation of the sons of God. I say, “Even so, Come, Lord Jesus.”
Looking at the false teachers and false prophets, those whom the Lord did not send and did not send to speak, I have asked, “How long, Lord?” I have asked about their followers, “Lord, why can’t they see the truth?” There are so many whose eyes are on a different Jesus and a different gospel. Trying to talk to them and show them their error by the word of God is an uphill battle. But God spoke of the apostasy and of people who will not endure sound doctrine and turn away from the truth (2 Thess. 2:3, 2 Tim 4:3-4). He has shown beforehand what will surely come to pass. And there is the reminder…
”The word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed.”
It is His word that sustains us. It is His word that is Truth. It is His word that continues to be a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path (Psalm 119:105). It is His word which teaches, rebukes, corrects, comforts, and encourages. It is His word and His Spirit that gives us wisdom and discernment to guide us through the wickedness of this dark and perishing world.
It is His Word that prevails.
I wanted something concrete so I looked up the words “mightily” and “prevailed.” Here’s the American Heritage dictionary definition:
~ mightily
1. In a mighty manner; powerfully.
2. To a great degree; greatly.
~ prevail
I was reading the book of Acts last week, and after I read the above verse, the Holy Spirit said, “Selah.” I have been thinking on the verse all week. I believe it is applicable for the whole of scripture. My mind went in so many directions, because this was just big for me. I wanted to write something earlier, but I knew I needed to meditate on it some more.
I continued to meditate on this verse after reading the events of this past week with: Weeks battering Bynum; Haggard begging for money; another pastor reneging on loans from parishioners; pastors caught in sexually immoral situations; Randy and Paula White’s divorce; the sub-prime lending crisis; the possibility of a recession; floods, fires, deaths and more deaths. Then there are my own struggles with my unruly flesh...More and more, I ache to be rid of this body of death, and this world that groans for the manifestation of the sons of God. I say, “Even so, Come, Lord Jesus.”
Looking at the false teachers and false prophets, those whom the Lord did not send and did not send to speak, I have asked, “How long, Lord?” I have asked about their followers, “Lord, why can’t they see the truth?” There are so many whose eyes are on a different Jesus and a different gospel. Trying to talk to them and show them their error by the word of God is an uphill battle. But God spoke of the apostasy and of people who will not endure sound doctrine and turn away from the truth (2 Thess. 2:3, 2 Tim 4:3-4). He has shown beforehand what will surely come to pass. And there is the reminder…
”The word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed.”
It is His word that sustains us. It is His word that is Truth. It is His word that continues to be a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path (Psalm 119:105). It is His word which teaches, rebukes, corrects, comforts, and encourages. It is His word and His Spirit that gives us wisdom and discernment to guide us through the wickedness of this dark and perishing world.
It is His Word that prevails.
I wanted something concrete so I looked up the words “mightily” and “prevailed.” Here’s the American Heritage dictionary definition:
~ mightily
1. In a mighty manner; powerfully.
2. To a great degree; greatly.
~ prevail
1. To be greater in strength or influence; triumph
2. To be or become effective; win out
3. To be most common or frequent; be predominant
4. To be in force, use, or effect; be current
So, the word of the Lord grew powerfully or greatly and was greater in strength, won out or was predominant against the things which came against it. God’s word is being battered today. It is being twisted, squashed, pulled, and ignored by unbelievers and professing believers alike. But without His Word, His truth, what do we have? NOTHING!
God has shown Himself to be mighty and has shown the promises in His word to be true. Do you believe that God’s word is great, mighty, powerful, and predominant so as to win out in every situation of your life, even those things that take time?
Brethren, in the midst of all that is coming, we MUST hold fast to His word. We have to hold on to it because ours lives and the lives of others depend on it. Be reminded that we must have patience, perseverance and continued faith in Him that what He promised, He will bring to pass.
2. To be or become effective; win out
3. To be most common or frequent; be predominant
4. To be in force, use, or effect; be current
So, the word of the Lord grew powerfully or greatly and was greater in strength, won out or was predominant against the things which came against it. God’s word is being battered today. It is being twisted, squashed, pulled, and ignored by unbelievers and professing believers alike. But without His Word, His truth, what do we have? NOTHING!
God has shown Himself to be mighty and has shown the promises in His word to be true. Do you believe that God’s word is great, mighty, powerful, and predominant so as to win out in every situation of your life, even those things that take time?
Brethren, in the midst of all that is coming, we MUST hold fast to His word. We have to hold on to it because ours lives and the lives of others depend on it. Be reminded that we must have patience, perseverance and continued faith in Him that what He promised, He will bring to pass.
Thursday, August 2, 2007
The Rest of the Story
Ingrid, at Slice of Laodicea, has a post of a letter from a brother who drove three hours to preach the truth to those who attended a Luis Palau "festival." I like the title of the tract he created: "The Rest of the Story." I remember when Palau came to DC a couple of years ago and my daughter's school advertised and asked parents to take their children. I didn't know about Palau then or about these carnivals and festivals and the like, but the event just didn't seem right, so we did not go. Churches around the US mimick his "festival" and the true gospel of Jesus Christ that includes denial of self and cross-bearing, takes a back seat (like the FAR back seat in a school bus). You have to wade through mountains of face painting, music, freebies, food, games, activities, a half-gospel or a false gospel and may never make it to the truth. The letter is inspiring and the brother stood for Christ even in the face of possible arrest. The rope of persecution is tightening more and more here in the US and God will separate the wheat from the chaff. May He give us the courage to stand. Read the post:
http://www.sliceoflaodicea.com/?p=566#more-566
http://www.sliceoflaodicea.com/?p=566#more-566
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)