Proving Yourself to the World

I have seen some Christians seemingly list a number of disclaimers prior to attempting to speaking the Gospel.

I am not trying to judge...I love everyone... I hate the sin, but love the sinner...I am not trying to push my beliefs on anyone...I respect everyone's rights... 

Why take such pains to prove that you align with what the world considers a "Christian"?

Why go to such lengths to prove that you are "loving"?

Why the preface to prove that you are not "judging"?

Why feel the need to prove yourself to the world?

I don't recall any disciple of Christ ever taking this attitude, and I have to think it is because they just didn't care.

I am not saying that they didn't care about the people.  Clearly they cared about the people anytime they took the time to tell them the truth.  I am saying that they didn't care how people responded to the message.  Why?  Because they trusted the Holy Spirit.  The trusted the Holy Spirit to guide them in what to say (and how to say it) and they trusted the Holy Spirit to give understanding to those with ears to hear.  And they knew that many would not have ears to hear.

Two Natures At War

All around the world, we are seeing evidence of two natures at war. Do you know why? Which one are you?

Will You Secede?

"Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me." John 14:30

The prince of this world is coming. Does he have anything in you?

If so, then it is time for a secession.

It is time to break ties with anything that looks, tastes, feels, or sounds like the world.  It is time to break off all alliances and end all compromises.  It is time for us to become crucified to the world and for the world to be crucified to us.

"But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world." Galatians 6:14

We have held on long enough to people, possessions, relationships, reputations, hurts, fears, etc. You cannot drag these things into the Kingdom of God.  Yet at the same time, these things will keep you back from the Kingdom.

There are people lying to you, telling you that the Kingdom of God is all about building up some earthly dominion in this world.  They call it "Kingdom Business" as they focus on making money, acquiring possessions, expanding professional networks, and becoming a person of renown.  There is nothing wrong with having possessions, just don't let them start to possess you.

Haven't you heard that the Kingdom of God is not of this world; it is righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost (Romans 14:17)?

"Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence." John 18:36

Guess Who's Coming To Dinner?

"And the men rose up from thence, and looked toward Sodom: and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way. 

And the LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do; Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.

And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous; I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know. And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the LORD.

And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked? Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein? That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?

And the LORD said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes. And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which am but dust and ashes: Peradventure there shall lack five of the fifty righteous: wilt thou destroy all the city for lack of five? And he said, If I find there forty and five, I will not destroy it.

The Old Cross and the New

I was asked by a brother in the Lord to share an article which was originally posted on our expired message board, so I thought I would post it here.  It is an excerpt from The Dwelling Place of God (1966) by A. W. Tozer.

The old cross was a rugged, worn, blood-stained torture device used to bring about the death or end of the man hanging on it.

The new cross is reduced to a mere symbol of that, becoming a source of pride for the flesh to show off, while affecting no change in man...except perhaps to make him worse.

Thank God for men such as A.W. Tozer, who could see the pitfalls in the Church even back then and didn't hesitate to sound the warning.

A. W. Tozer, Man, the Dwelling Place of God
ALL UNANNOUNCED AND MOSTLY UNDETECTED there has come in modern times a new cross into popular evangelical circles. It is like the old cross, but different: the likenesses are superficial; the differences, fundamental.

From this new cross has sprung a new philosophy of the Christian life, and from that new philosophy has come a new evangelical technique-a new type of meeting and a new kind of preaching. This new evangelism employs the same language as the old, but its content is not the same and its emphasis not as before.

The old cross would have no truck with the world. For Adam's proud flesh it meant the end of the journey. It carried into effect the sentence imposed by the law of Sinai. The new cross is not opposed to the human race; rather, it is a friendly pal and, if understood aright, it is the source of oceans of good clean fun and innocent enjoyment. It lets Adam live without interference. His life motivation is unchanged; he still lives for his own pleasure, only now he takes delight in singing choruses and watching religious movies instead of singing bawdy songs and drinking hard liquor. The accent is still on enjoyment, though the fun is now on a higher plane morally if not intellectually.

The new cross encourages a new and entirely different evangelistic approach. The evangelist does not demand abnegation of the old life before a new life can be received. He preaches not contrasts but similarities. He seeks to key into public interest by showing that Christianity makes no unpleasant demands; rather, it offers the same thing the world does, only on a higher level. Whatever the sin-mad world happens to be clamoring after at the moment is cleverly shown to be the very thing the gospel offers, only the religious product is better.

The Whole Truth

A sister in the Lord contacted me saying that she had attempted to post a comment to the last article, but for some reason was unable to.  Therefore she sent it to me directly.

In the comment was a link to a blog post speaking about how the "Mother" Emanuel A.M.E. Church in Charleston, SC - the scene of a recent tragic slaying - was an apostate church steeped in freemasonry.  She wanted me to post it on her behalf because she thought it was important for people to know the whole truth about this situation.

Honestly, I knew that this church was a part of Babylon when the news referenced the church's women pastors.  Anyone who is born again would know that women cannot be pastors in the Church of God.  Somehow, that knowledge was enough for me.  While I don't dispute the research presented in the linked blog post, I have to wonder, "Why was that necessary?"

In a recent article about the shootings, the interim pastor stated:

"The blood of the Mother Emmanuel Nine requires us to work until not only justice in this case, but for those who are still living in the margin of life, those who are less fortunate than ourselves, that we stay on the battlefield until there is no more fight to be fought."

Is it not clear that this is a worldly endeavor?  They are not waging a spiritual war empowered by the blood of Jesus Christ.  They are fighting to defend the blood of man in order to bring people a perceived version of justice and comfort in this life.  Such is not the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Get Off Your Knees & Stop Praying!

"Then said he unto them, Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom." Luke 21:10

The Scriptures warn that in the last days "nation will rise against nation."

The word translated as "nation" here is the Greek word ethnos, which references in part ethnicity.  It lets us know that racial tensions will be prevalent in the days before Christ's return. This makes perfect sense because II Timothy tells us what the character of those outside of Christ will be in the last days:

"This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. 

For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth." II Timothy 3:1-7

The root of the peril we will increasingly face is because men have become lovers of their own selves. Whether manifested as racism, gay pride, etc., this love of self, or pride, is the root behind every other wicked attribute noted in the above Scripture.  Satan was cast out from Heaven due to pride, and those who are inspired by his spirit will have that same trait.

Is there such a thing as racism?  There sure is!  Is that the real battle?  No it is not.  I don't mean to imply that the repercussions of racism are not real.  They certainly are.  My point is that there is another war behind the facade which has nothing to do with race.

It is a shame to watch evil occur and do nothing.  It is a crying shame to be deceived by a false flag into fighting a battle that will never bring victory because the true enemy is not in your targets.

Why The Gospel HAD To Be Organic

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek." Romans 1:16

I recently posted that the book The Organic Gospel is now available, both in print and in eBook format.  I urge you again to get and share a copy of this book.

Friends, this is not about mere book promotion, but about getting into the hands of those who love God and those who need God (and that should be everyone) a message that cuts through the deceptions of religion and points you to the simplicity of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

The devil has done a wonderful job of blinding the minds of men to God's plan of salvation (even those in church) because he aims to pervert the image of God in man.  As long as he can keep man from being born again  - being supernaturally and organically transformed by the Spirit of God to be a new creature - he can keep man bound and alienated from God (Colossians 1:21). Yet, if we can present to people the truths of the Gospel, then there will be a clear call upon their hearts to make a choice. While they may not choose the True & Living way, it will no longer be due to ignorance.

The Cross In My Life

The following message from Derek Prince is entitled, "The Cross in My Life."  It is a great message for those desiring the pure milk and meat of the Gospel.