Speaking the truth plainly is the new evil. The powers that be, cannot stop our thoughts nor can they remove our brains, so they are working feverishly to control our speech through intimidation, manipulation and punitive actions.
We can be sure this method of controlling speech will work for most people, even believers. In the past believers were choosing to withhold judgment and speech in favor of fitting in to be accepted by the world, why would we think they would display greater strength in the face of stricter more devastating rejection?
For years I have spoken boldly on matters of morals and God's principles. In most cases the declaration of God's view of the matters of life, have been met with hostility and judgments against my character, such as "mean spirited", "hateful", and other superlatives to describe a character that would seek to harm instead of to help, mostly by those who claim to be believers. Not only was my speech openly opposed, I was isolated and set apart for dismissiveness to minimize my views in the presence of others.
When I spoke against the sin of "self esteem" some 30 years ago, even as a fairly new believer, I was chastised and shouted down by those who were suppose to know the Word better than I did. They had been indoctrinated into believing that loving one's self was very important to our existence, when in fact, God told us that we are born loving ourselves too much, to the level of godlike status, the goal was to love our neighbor as much as we already love ourselves. God told us to deny self, serve others and worship God above any and all other things and people. When I would attempt to bring the Word of God into the discussion I was quickly shouted down and mocked.
Self esteem teaching is one of the modern sacred cows one is never suppose to touch. Messing with someone's personal choices through preaching or teaching has become a hanging offense, at least among pretenders and the world.
Let me add to all this, if we walk in fear that we may possibly chase someone off because we have addressed sin in the heart of the rebellious, then those same rebellious hearts are not ready to be taught by Christ through those He sent to instruct. If speaking truth causes anger and hostility in a heart, then that heart is not seeking Christ, the problem is not with the messenger of God, but with the rebellious heart that refuses to listen to a rebuke or correction.
When we reject the messengers of God who read the Word and speak of it and is met with rejection, then God will not speak to them personally. God speaks to those who belong to Him and they know Him when He does.
John 10:27-28 "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand."
Hebrews 4:12 "For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart."
Luke 6:46 "“Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?"
1 John 1:3 "That which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ."
Romans 8:7 "For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot."
Those who have been intimidated into silence by others, walk in fear of man rather than love and fear of God. Whenever we place man above God we have an idol and that idol includes ourselves as well as other we elevate.
Proverbs 29:25 "The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe."
Hebrews 13:6 "So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?”
Galatians 1:10 "For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ."
The more time we spend with Christ and His Word in prayer, the greater discernment we develop and much less likely to fall into worldly thinking. Everything worldly we encounter will be quickly exposed through the principles of God's Word as they come to mind. The more we meditate on Christ and His Word, the greater discernment.
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."
Philippians 1:9-10 "And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ,"
Proverbs 3:1-6:35 "My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments, for length of days and years of life and peace they will add to you. Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart. So you will find favor and good success in the sight of God and man. Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. ..."
Proverbs 2:1-5 "My son, if you receive my words and treasure up my commandments with you, making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding; yes, if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God."
There are too many people who claim to be believers, however when questioned about the Bible, know far less than they think they know, even becoming angry when tested or challenged to look into the scriptures. Much of Scripture is taken out of context to justify what the professor wants to believer rather than what God actually meant.
John 17:17 ""Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth."
When we love the Lord, we eat, drink, sleep and ponder continually God's answers to all matters, our first reaction to everything ought to be automatically "what does God think of this."
1 Thessalonians 5
"1 But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.
2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.
3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.
4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.
5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.
6 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.
7 For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.
8 But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.
9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,
10 Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.
11 Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.
12 And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you;
13 And to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake. And be at peace among yourselves.
14 Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men.
15 See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men.
16 Rejoice evermore.
17 Pray without ceasing.
18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
19 Quench not the Spirit.
20 Despise not prophesyings.
21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.
22 Abstain from all appearance of evil.
23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
24 Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.
25 Brethren, pray for us.
26 Greet all the brethren with an holy kiss.
27 I charge you by the Lord that this epistle be read unto all the holy brethren.
28 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen."
We have had the "don't judge" mantra thrown at us more times than we can count, when God teaches just the opposite. Verse 14 of 1 Thessalonians 5 tells us to warn the unruly, verse 17 tells us to pray about everything, verse 18 says to give thanks for all things, according to verse 19 we are not to quench or quiet the Holy Spirit by ignoring Him when He speaks or twisting what He says to us.
Many have become angry at us for speaking out against divorce and remarriage, while completely ignoring the principle of permanency of marriage as taught by God.
The principles about "coming out from among them", is the most violated of all principles in the Word, on the part of superficial believers. Most "Christians" want one foot in the world while enjoying the benefits of calling themselves Christian, to be elevated in their own minds and in the minds of those who base their theology on a simplistic premise that being a nice person makes one a good church goer.
Sadly the definition of "nice", has not been based on God's idea of the word, but on the worlds. In fact most of what these superficial Christians call "nice" is not nice at all, it is merely compromising to fit into the apostate church mentality and to be included in all the worldly gatherings that make up their extended family experience. Often our desire to be "nice" to people comforts them in their sin, leading them to hell or into the serious discipline of the Holy Spirit.
We almost never hear Christians speak about their love for God's principles and the desire to grow in holiness. We see little confession of sin, because it is a minor concern as long as everyone around us has accepted us "just the way we are, no matter what we do." We love the praise of men more than we love God.
John 12:43 "for they loved the approval of men rather than the approval of God."
God says that "bad company corrupts good morals." 1 Corinthians 15:33 "Do not be deceived: "Bad company corrupts good morals." The more we engage with unbelievers for pleasure alone, the more we become just like them in our hearts, even if we don't indulge in all the sin they do, we become comfortable in the presence of it.
Our God is so holy that He cannot be in the presence of any sin no matter how small. As believers, being in the presence of sin should rankle us to the very core. We should be so uncomfortable in the presence of sinful attitudes, so much so, that we feel a sense of wanting to depart from it as soon as we can.
I have been perplexed often when in communication with church goers, who love to speak often about the ball games, political matters and the latest movie they saw, but act intensely embarrassed at the principles of the Bible that show the futility of trusting in these baser pleasures. We know that politics is more of a pleasure for most conservatives, because they rarely equate them to the Word of God and when they do it is to camp only on the things they don't think they are violating.
Many believers who spend much time on political matters, will prattle on and on about the injustice of the financial impact on their lives, they are rarely grieved about the rampant sin that drives the government machine, while caring deeply about their own pocket books.
We can see a person's emotional and spiritual bent by their conversation and their reactions to the conversations of others. We talk about what we love, we pay close attention to that which is important to us.
Romans 12:2 "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."
Colossians 3:12-15 "Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful."
Matthew 16:1-12
"1 And the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and to test him they asked him to show them a sign from heaven.
2 He answered them, “When it is evening, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.’
3 And in the morning, ‘It will be stormy today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times.
4 An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.” So he left them and departed.
5 When the disciples reached the other side, they had forgotten to bring any bread. 6 Jesus said to them, “Watch and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”
7 And they began discussing it among themselves, saying, “We brought no bread.” 8 But Jesus, aware of this, said, “O you of little faith, why are you discussing among yourselves the fact that you have no bread?
9 Do you not yet perceive? Do you not remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many baskets you gathered?
10 Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many baskets you gathered?
11 How is it that you fail to understand that I did not speak about bread? Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”
12 Then they understood that he did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees."
Mark 7:15 "there is nothing outside the man which can defile him if it goes into him; but the things which proceed out of the man are what defile the man."
Next time someone says this; "you can't know a person's heart", remind them that no one can do on the outside what is not already on the inside.
So many things Christians do wear them out and has no value for the kingdom of God. The social clubs we call churches do not help to grow us in holiness, they merely make us feel comfortable about not being holy.
Non-believes have no business in church, that is a worship time for believers. God commanded us to "go into the world" and make disciples. After they are born again, then we are to bring them into the gathering.
Because we have done it our own way instead of God's way, the church gatherings are full of pretenders who have never been broken over their sin, they learn the lingo of the Bible and have learned how to twist it to suit their own purposes.
Mark 16:15 "And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature."
1 Corinthians 5;13 "13 But those who are outside, God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person."
Many who are in the church are living wickedly, no one is challenging them, so everyone else coming in, especially new believers are confused about the importance of obeying God's principles. Anything goes now and the church ceases to be a gathering of believers and degenerates into a modern social club. And, all for the purpose of keeping the pretenders happy and coming back.
When we walk in the Spirit, we desire to be with others who hold the Bible in high regard.
