James 4:6-8
"6 But He gives us more grace. This is why it says: “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” 7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.…"
Monday, May 22, 2017
Nuggets from an Urgent Call
Excellent, It is my observation that most people who claim to be Christian follow very little of the Word of God.
Dave Hunt
Nuggets from An Urgent Call to a Serious Faith by Dave Hunt – Passing the Test
The litmus test of truth for victorious Christian living must be: Is it derived from Scripture, or is it the wisdom of this world, packaged in Christian terminology in order to make it appear to be compatible with Scripture? This test should be applied not only to the sermons and writings of others but to ourselves. We should each get on our knees and ask God, “How much of my daily life is rooted in Your Word, and how much is rooted in the world? When I am happiest, is it because I know I have pleased my heavenly Father, am rejoicing in His grace and love, and the ‘joy of the Lord is my strength’ (Nehemiah:8:10 )? Or is it because I have achieved worldly goals that bring the same joy to those who ‘know not God and obey not the gospel’ (2 Thessalonians:1:8 )?”
Jesus accused the Pharisees of establishing traditions that nullified Scripture. Even the clear command to “Honour thy father and mother” had been turned completely around by the Pharisees (Matthew:15:1-6 ). Christ indicted them with their having established a system of religion that allowed men seemingly to honor God outwardly while in their hearts they remained committed to self. What left men’s hearts far from God while their lips seemed to praise Him? Christ summed up His indictment by declaring that Israel’s religious leaders had substituted the traditions of men for the true doctrine of God’s Word (verses 7-9).
The human traditions that Christ exposed and opposed had at least been developed by religious leaders who presumably were sincere in their desire to please God. The traditions of men, however, that Christian psychology has embraced and brought into the church have been developed by godless humanists and self-confessed atheists who openly oppose biblical Christianity. Indeed, their theories are a secular religion put forth in opposition to the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Along with this same “leaven of the Pharisees,” something even worse is fermenting in today’s church. May God help us to boldly expose and oppose these deadly errors and to stand uncompromisingly for obedience to His Word.
Dave Hunt
Nuggets from An Urgent Call to a Serious Faith by Dave Hunt – Passing the Test
The litmus test of truth for victorious Christian living must be: Is it derived from Scripture, or is it the wisdom of this world, packaged in Christian terminology in order to make it appear to be compatible with Scripture? This test should be applied not only to the sermons and writings of others but to ourselves. We should each get on our knees and ask God, “How much of my daily life is rooted in Your Word, and how much is rooted in the world? When I am happiest, is it because I know I have pleased my heavenly Father, am rejoicing in His grace and love, and the ‘joy of the Lord is my strength’ (Nehemiah:8:10 )? Or is it because I have achieved worldly goals that bring the same joy to those who ‘know not God and obey not the gospel’ (2 Thessalonians:1:8 )?”
Jesus accused the Pharisees of establishing traditions that nullified Scripture. Even the clear command to “Honour thy father and mother” had been turned completely around by the Pharisees (Matthew:15:1-6 ). Christ indicted them with their having established a system of religion that allowed men seemingly to honor God outwardly while in their hearts they remained committed to self. What left men’s hearts far from God while their lips seemed to praise Him? Christ summed up His indictment by declaring that Israel’s religious leaders had substituted the traditions of men for the true doctrine of God’s Word (verses 7-9).
The human traditions that Christ exposed and opposed had at least been developed by religious leaders who presumably were sincere in their desire to please God. The traditions of men, however, that Christian psychology has embraced and brought into the church have been developed by godless humanists and self-confessed atheists who openly oppose biblical Christianity. Indeed, their theories are a secular religion put forth in opposition to the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Along with this same “leaven of the Pharisees,” something even worse is fermenting in today’s church. May God help us to boldly expose and oppose these deadly errors and to stand uncompromisingly for obedience to His Word.
Getting Wisdom, One Must Ask
One does not obtain wisdom from merely reading the Bible and knowing facts!
James 1:4-6
"…4 Allow perseverance to finish its work, so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
5 If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.
6 But he must ask in faith, without doubting, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.…"
James 1:4-6
"…4 Allow perseverance to finish its work, so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
5 If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.
6 But he must ask in faith, without doubting, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.…"
You Didn't Ask
James 4:2-3
"2 You lust and do not have; so you commit murder. You are envious and cannot obtain; so you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures."
"2 You lust and do not have; so you commit murder. You are envious and cannot obtain; so you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures."
Friendship with the World
James 4:2-4
"…2 You crave what you do not have. You kill and covet, but are unable to obtain it. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask.
3 And when you do ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may squander it on your pleasures.
4 You adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore, whoever chooses to be a friend of the world renders himself an enemy of God.…"
"…2 You crave what you do not have. You kill and covet, but are unable to obtain it. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask.
3 And when you do ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may squander it on your pleasures.
4 You adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore, whoever chooses to be a friend of the world renders himself an enemy of God.…"
The End is Close
Matthew 24:24 "24 For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders that would deceive even the elect, if that were possible."
Not only will the elect be fooled by false teachers they will be fooled by foul and hypocritical leaders. They will think the new leader who promises them wealth and safety is from God and jump quickly on his bandwagon without much evidence that he is what he claims to be.
So many people look only to the words without evaluating the actions. As long as they hear what they like they lazily believe it without vetting it, to remain in their euphoric condition of deceived feelings.
When Trump was running for office I said "watch out for a trick", because I was looking at more than his words. I was hearing some words that were troublesome, such as "I don't think I have anything to be sorry for", when asked if he had repented from his life.
I saw a man who was running immoral businesses, unrepentant for those businesses, having made his fortune through them. Although I admit I began to question myself, had I really heard a warning from God, or was I just being too critical? I prayed and the more I prayed the more my eyes were opened, God reminded me of things I had pushed aside to embrace my feelings.
Then I noticed that it was the collection of prosperity preachers who were solidly behind him in his campaign, they rallied around him as though he was the man who would "save America", even though America had not repented in any of it's sins which are legion. It made sense that the prosperity preachers were attracted to him and he to them, they are all motivational speakers using emotion rather than rational thinking to manipulate the people.
It was easy for believers to discern the "motivational" tenor of Trump's speeches. He claimed to be pro-Israel, without giving any details about what that meant. He joined regularly with those who were engaged in the promotion of "all religions are acceptable" mentality of the "one worlders."
Motivational speakers know how to say things that flatter as well as generalities that can cause two opposing people to agree with his statements, with little to no substance as to the real meaning of what they say. Trump knows how to phrase things to allow him "plausible deniability", affording him the option of claiming "I didn't say that", as all narcissists do, they flatter, they claim they didn't do something they did and they accuse others of not understanding their actions or words.
Our president has gone to the middle east to embrace all the opposing factions there to discourage terrorism, but how he does that will be evident soon, not to protect Israel but to get Israel to negotiate land for peace.
Trump said: "it is one thing to make a campaign promise , it's another to be president." In other words campaign promises are to be made to get elected, to manipulate the people, once the office is obtained, then one can do whatever they want, the promises mean nothing they are only words.
Trump is not our president to save America, he is here to continue the slippery slide to the one world government through the respecting of all religions.
When we turn a blind eyes to things just because we like one or two campaign promises, we have chosen willfully to be ignorant, it's easier than looking at all the extraneous clues to determine whether or not something or someone is true.
I do not condemn anyone who voted for Trump, I did myself, but I was aware that he very likely was not what he said. The alternative seemed even more unthinkable, that was Hillary.
Now that I see what is happening, there is no question that Trump was God's man, not because he will save America, but because he will more quickly move us to the prophetic end times events God told us about, that being a one world government with a one world religion. His dealings in the middle east will cause the great war and Israel will be defended by God after heavy losses.
Folks, we are in the very last few days of the end times events that fulfill prophesy. America is just as wicked as it always has been and even worse. As a nation we are addicted to sexual sin and mutilation of the body. Pornography is rampant, abortions continue unabated, filthy movies and television are getting worse these industries promote every form of debauchery possible while the nation as a whole watches them while their minds are more and more accepting of evil.
We know the influence the media has had on this country by the growing number of people who are against Israel, shacking up without the benefit of marriage, filthy language and much more, that even the Christians are beginning to accept and use.
Believers today are using language we never even knew existed as children, even the unbelievers would never have allowed, now the young children are using these filthy words.
America has not demonstrated that things are getting better, but rather they are getting far worse. We don't hear our president promoting chastity or morality because he is not interested in that himself. He is interested only in becoming famous, wealthy and loved by the world, the typical response of a narcissist.
So what do we do with all of this information. First we praise God because we know His prophetic statements from His Word are playing out before our eyes. He said these things would happen and they are as we watch them. We are not surprised by any of this because God said it would be this way.
2 Timothy 3:1-5 "3 But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. 2 For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, [a]haters of good, 4 treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these."
We also know that it means that born again believers will be going home soon, to be at the marriage supper of the Lamb and then return with Christ in seven years when He destroys this wicked world, after which He will rule in the Millennium and we will reign with Him. Hallelujah!
Romans 12:1-3 "1 Therefore I urge you, brothers, on account of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God. 3 For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but think of yourself with sober judgment, according to the measure of faith God has given you.…"
1 Thessalonians 4:17-18 "…17 After that, we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words."
We need to take our focus off of this world and involve ourselves deeply in prayer and the Word of God to gain discernment as we live out our lives in this declining world of wickedness.
Do not believe those who think we need to work hard to save America, we are not here to save this world for our own comfort, we are here to bring the gospel to the lost and to build one another up in the Holy Faith in Christ.
Not only will the elect be fooled by false teachers they will be fooled by foul and hypocritical leaders. They will think the new leader who promises them wealth and safety is from God and jump quickly on his bandwagon without much evidence that he is what he claims to be.
So many people look only to the words without evaluating the actions. As long as they hear what they like they lazily believe it without vetting it, to remain in their euphoric condition of deceived feelings.
When Trump was running for office I said "watch out for a trick", because I was looking at more than his words. I was hearing some words that were troublesome, such as "I don't think I have anything to be sorry for", when asked if he had repented from his life.
I saw a man who was running immoral businesses, unrepentant for those businesses, having made his fortune through them. Although I admit I began to question myself, had I really heard a warning from God, or was I just being too critical? I prayed and the more I prayed the more my eyes were opened, God reminded me of things I had pushed aside to embrace my feelings.
Then I noticed that it was the collection of prosperity preachers who were solidly behind him in his campaign, they rallied around him as though he was the man who would "save America", even though America had not repented in any of it's sins which are legion. It made sense that the prosperity preachers were attracted to him and he to them, they are all motivational speakers using emotion rather than rational thinking to manipulate the people.
It was easy for believers to discern the "motivational" tenor of Trump's speeches. He claimed to be pro-Israel, without giving any details about what that meant. He joined regularly with those who were engaged in the promotion of "all religions are acceptable" mentality of the "one worlders."
Motivational speakers know how to say things that flatter as well as generalities that can cause two opposing people to agree with his statements, with little to no substance as to the real meaning of what they say. Trump knows how to phrase things to allow him "plausible deniability", affording him the option of claiming "I didn't say that", as all narcissists do, they flatter, they claim they didn't do something they did and they accuse others of not understanding their actions or words.
Our president has gone to the middle east to embrace all the opposing factions there to discourage terrorism, but how he does that will be evident soon, not to protect Israel but to get Israel to negotiate land for peace.
Trump said: "it is one thing to make a campaign promise , it's another to be president." In other words campaign promises are to be made to get elected, to manipulate the people, once the office is obtained, then one can do whatever they want, the promises mean nothing they are only words.
Trump is not our president to save America, he is here to continue the slippery slide to the one world government through the respecting of all religions.
When we turn a blind eyes to things just because we like one or two campaign promises, we have chosen willfully to be ignorant, it's easier than looking at all the extraneous clues to determine whether or not something or someone is true.
I do not condemn anyone who voted for Trump, I did myself, but I was aware that he very likely was not what he said. The alternative seemed even more unthinkable, that was Hillary.
Now that I see what is happening, there is no question that Trump was God's man, not because he will save America, but because he will more quickly move us to the prophetic end times events God told us about, that being a one world government with a one world religion. His dealings in the middle east will cause the great war and Israel will be defended by God after heavy losses.
Folks, we are in the very last few days of the end times events that fulfill prophesy. America is just as wicked as it always has been and even worse. As a nation we are addicted to sexual sin and mutilation of the body. Pornography is rampant, abortions continue unabated, filthy movies and television are getting worse these industries promote every form of debauchery possible while the nation as a whole watches them while their minds are more and more accepting of evil.
We know the influence the media has had on this country by the growing number of people who are against Israel, shacking up without the benefit of marriage, filthy language and much more, that even the Christians are beginning to accept and use.
Believers today are using language we never even knew existed as children, even the unbelievers would never have allowed, now the young children are using these filthy words.
America has not demonstrated that things are getting better, but rather they are getting far worse. We don't hear our president promoting chastity or morality because he is not interested in that himself. He is interested only in becoming famous, wealthy and loved by the world, the typical response of a narcissist.
So what do we do with all of this information. First we praise God because we know His prophetic statements from His Word are playing out before our eyes. He said these things would happen and they are as we watch them. We are not surprised by any of this because God said it would be this way.
2 Timothy 3:1-5 "3 But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. 2 For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, [a]haters of good, 4 treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these."
We also know that it means that born again believers will be going home soon, to be at the marriage supper of the Lamb and then return with Christ in seven years when He destroys this wicked world, after which He will rule in the Millennium and we will reign with Him. Hallelujah!
Romans 12:1-3 "1 Therefore I urge you, brothers, on account of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God. 3 For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but think of yourself with sober judgment, according to the measure of faith God has given you.…"
1 Thessalonians 4:17-18 "…17 After that, we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words."
We need to take our focus off of this world and involve ourselves deeply in prayer and the Word of God to gain discernment as we live out our lives in this declining world of wickedness.
Do not believe those who think we need to work hard to save America, we are not here to save this world for our own comfort, we are here to bring the gospel to the lost and to build one another up in the Holy Faith in Christ.
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