Heard recently from a leader of a church denomination that one cannot tell the difference between the regular church goer and the one who stays home on Saturday or Sunday. They look the same, speak the same, and sin. In reference to those living in what is considered “last days” we for the most part have not had the famine nor pestilence. Although the word is out in the news that mosquitoes are being bred to be released in Florida and California starting now. My question: Why? Do they want disease to multiply? Then we have a sound barrier broken two weeks ago by a meteorite hitting the eastern seaboard. They had to write about it for the sound it made was “loud”. Have you heard about it yet?
But what part of the
pretender dismisses all the alarming news of natural disasters, political
upheaval, vicious wars, and indescribable suffering and pain that strikes fear
in our hearts. Is this the end of time?
We are not to know the
time of Jesus’ return, but there are signs to heed as the time draws near.
Matthew, Mark, and Luke all tell how Jesus warned the disciples about the end
of time. Jesus told them there would be false prophets, Christ-pretenders who
come in His name. Wars and rumors of wars will leave countries desolate,
thousands will suffer famine and pestilence, and great earthquakes will tremble
across the globe (Matthew 24:3-7). “‘All these are but the beginning of
the birth pains,’” Jesus declares ( Matthew 24:8).
As the earth shudders
in advance of Jesus’ return, men’s hearts will turn toward evil as well. The
apostle Paul writes to his beloved friend Timothy warning the time will be
difficult. This is found in 2 Peter 3:1. In this passage, Paul identifies more
than 20 ungodly traits that will mark men as the time draws near: pride,
arrogance, abusiveness, and un-holiness to name a few ( 2 Timothy 3:2-7).
I
John 3:4 defines sin as "the transgression of the law," and John 17:3
defines eternal life as "to know God." Here is a Bible definition of
the fear of the Lord:
The fear
of the LORD is to hate evil, pride, arrogance, and the evil way. (Proverbs
8:13)
The
person makes the choice to do what is right and good and thereby evidences his
inward disposition, his inward attitude, proving what is in his heart by what
others see on the outside—his conduct. He departs from evil. God is taken into
account in his life in every circumstance, in every aspect, and in every
situation, and he makes the choice to do it God's way. The person learns to
hate evil and to love to do what is right, good, and pleasing to God! Godly
living is the fear of the Lord!
We are
to hate evil!
Jesus
was not soft with evil. He was very tough about it and very confronting. In the
same way, in our personal lives we need to have some authoritative
confrontations against darkness that is contrary to the life of God. Paul says
that we are to "cast down" vain imaginations that exalt themselves
against the knowledge of God (2 Corinthians 10:5).
Jesus
declared: Luke 10:18-19 And He said to them, "I saw satan fall like
lightning from Heaven. Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents
and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any
means hurt you." Jesus said,
"I saw satan fall like lightening from Heaven." That means it was
quick and immediate with no delay. These two pictures are much alike. We see
the violent throwing down of satan by God. Realize that when you are taking
captive thoughts, high things that are evil confronting your mind, you cast
them down just as God cast down the devil.
Lift Him
Up, Cast It Down! When we are in our times of praise, exalting Jesus, exalting
His greatness and authority, there is also a time to cast down those thoughts
that are contrary to God's heart and Spirit.
God wants
us to experience breakthroughs in our lives. Many people say they love God, but
is it equally true that they hate evil? Do they say they hate today’s social
gathering to talk with false words, curse words and to wear nakedness instead
of what they need to advance in true life. If you dress for church and wear
something for a famous singer’s concert, you might consider what or who you
serve? We should know the litmus test of
true love for God. It is when We demonstrate our love for God by our lack of
toleration for evil in our own hearts. It always begins in our heart: The Word
of God is the cleansing agent for our lives.
Psalm
119:11 "Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against
You." When the light of His Word
opens our eyes to know what is evil, then that is our opportunity to deal with
it. We do not go looking for evil or searching our hearts for sin. We Welcome Holy Spirit to flood our heart/He then brings
things to the top of the water. He reveals what should not be there! Yielded to
the Holy Spirit, planting His Word within us, we will have eyes to recognize
evil. Many times it comes in a form
that is pleasant or seems acceptable. Some evil is obvious, while other times
it does take Holy Spirit discernment to see it. God will helps us to lean into
Him. Let His praise continually be in your mouth and have a joyful, peaceful
and glorious day with God!
We can
find a fool in the pretender! He is “nabal” found in Proverbs 17:7, 21,
Proverbs 30:22. They lack spiritual perception.. They are reduced in their
reactions and opinions. They rule their hearts. They do not allow Holy Spirit
to have that position in them. The other fool is the arrogant. He is flippant,
the morally deficient and very hard in his heart. He rejects God’s wisdom!
Today, New Covenant believers have the
conviction of the Ruach HaKodesh to help guide us away from foolishness and
being wise, or clever in our own eyes. The righteous of the TaNaKh looked
forward to Messiah, today we look back to the cross. But because we have free
will, we can choose to ignore His prompting to our conscience. We can say no to
God and make it stick! Therefore, we shouldn’t be too critical of these Judeans
because we have the same fallen nature. Certainly leaders today want a lot of
folks just gone. Too many are acting like children to get their “own” way. What
will we do with knowledge? ONE Cannot pretend
if the Lord is leading us in a strong character of the saved one. No
more pretending. Life will touch you in some way, some form either by sickness
or the wicked one searching for you. Looking for life in Jesus is our way
through, it is of truth and life eternally. Amen.
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