Ever Learning and Never Coming to Truth

There is no peace found in the Emergent movement that has pervaded those that consider themselves the people of God.  No one who follows that path agrees, on Truth, that is. They are still in unbelief, for if they believed, they would be at peace(2Cor13:11) and free from that internal striving in their hearts to grasp for something meaningful, but are never able to attain.

Joh 8:25-32  Then said they unto him, Who art thou? And Jesus saith unto them, Even the same that I said unto you from the beginning.  26  I have many things to say and to judge of you: but he that sent me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I have heard of him.  27  They understood not that he spake to them of the Father.  28  Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things.  29  And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.  30  As he spake these words, many believed on him.  31  Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;  32  And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

Is it okay, to accept that everyone has their own belief in who God is? Should each of us as individuals continue on as if “I’m okay” “Your okay” “We are all okay” , “What is important is Love, and doing good” “I’ll let you be who you want to be as long as, you let me be who I want to be”

The apostles of Christ, who were taught by Jesus himself, think otherwise:

1Co 1:10-11 Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. 11 For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.

Rom 12:16  Be of the same one mind toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits. 

Rom 15:6  That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

2Co 13:11  Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you. 

Php 2:2  Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, and one mind.

 Php 3:14-16 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. 15 Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you. 16 Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing.

1Pe 3:8  Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous

We have one Head(mind) in the Body of Christ, Jesus himself; and the Body has to cooperate with that Head or you have chaos… 

Do you have no peace with God or man? Repent and Believe the gospel. There is only One Way, One Truth, and One Life…Jesus is the One…

 

The World is Upside Down

Our world is upside down. One day though, the Lord Jesus Christ is going to come back to set foot on this earth and set things right.  His righteousness will be the standard, justice will reign, no one will lack any good thing. But the meanwhile God’s reign in us, brethren, starts right here and now, in the inward man renewing us day by day, conforming us to the righteousness of Christ, and what He thinks is good, and just, and right.

This poem below I posted months ago, but thought it timely for now again. The Lord is has been revealing more and more his plan to me and to those I gather in fellowship with, about his purpose for declaring the kingdom of God as Christ did when he was physically standing on the earth at His first coming. Isaiah 55 sums up his proclamation to the world…

Isa 55:1-13  Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.  2  Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.  3  Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.  4  Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people.  5  Behold, thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not, and nations that knew not thee shall run unto thee because of the LORD thy God, and for the Holy One of Israel; for he hath glorified thee.  6  Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:  7  Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.  8  For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.  9  For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.  10  For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:  11  So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.  12  For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.  13  Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree: and it shall be to the LORD for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.

I don’t want to live in a mansion,
While millions are without a bed.
I don’t want to feast on fancy food,
While many are starving for bread.  

I don’t want to ride in a high-priced car,
While others must walk or stay home;
For pleasure I will not travel the world,
While homeless the millions just roam.

I don’t want to waste my money for clothes,
Nor dress up just for show;
While millions a rag would be glad to put on,
And sometimes without one must go.

I don’t want to spend my money for fun,
Or aimless pleasure my goals;
While others are working and giving to save
The millions of precious, lost souls.

I don’t want to live just for myself,
Or let self be all my world;
While millions are dying without Jesus Christ,
And into perdition are hurled.

O God, help us who claim to be dead
To prove by the way that we live,
That immortal souls mean more to ourselves
As more to Thy service we give.

-David P. Denton

 

 

Wallowing in the Mire

Like the son in the parable of the wayward son in Luke 15:11-32, we take what we think God has to offer, the benefits of a happy life, the blessings of material goods, the title of being heir to salvation(by saying a sinner’s prayer and calling ourselves christian), the reward of heaven; and like the prodigal son we think that it is sufficient to get us by in this world until we die.  The altar call that led you up to the front of the church building is not sufficient to save you; the baptism when you were a baby is not sufficient to save you; and even that sinner’s prayer does not guarantee you a place in glory when you die.  When trials and tribulations come, those past experiences won’t comfort you, they won’t keep you going and help you to overcome in this life.  After the “wealth” the son took with him was gone, he began to experience famine and then trusted in the world and himself to eat instead of going back to his Father. But the world is of no help, all it has to offer is scraps, of no substance to sustain a child of God, the wisdom of men, and those sugar-coated empty things that only make you fat. All it will leave you is emptiness.  But…

Pro 3:5-10  Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.  In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.  Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.    It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.  Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase:  So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.

It is the Lord God in heaven who will supply all that we need to get us through the time we have to spend on this earth. We must stay in his word, remembering what he has told us. The apostle Peter in 2 Peter chap 1 exhorts us to remember that he has given us all we need if we know God. He reminds us that we can partake of the abundance if we remain in and with Him and allow Him to conform us to be like his Son Jesus Christ. We won’t fall away from Him if we are diligent and let him sustain us. Stay in His word brethren, hold fast, don’t listen to the wisdom of men in this world. Don’t trust in yourself to get you by. Many have already lost sight of of what the Lord has told us, and are sliding back into wallowing in the mire.

Amo 8:10-12 Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD: And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the LORD, and shall not find it.

2Pe 2:20-22  For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.  21  For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.  22  But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.

 

House to House

Where and how did followers of the way meet in the 1st century?

Act 20:20And how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have shewed you, and have taught you publickly, and from house to house,

Act 2:41-47Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles. And all that believed were together, and had all things common; And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

Why did they not build church buildings? Is God pleased with our little empires we build “for him”? Our church cafes, food courts,  church recreation centers, special programs, plush carpets, theatre seating, state-of-the-art play areas for our children? Are these really for him, or for our worship environment to be more pleasant, comfortable, and convenient?

Act 17:24-31
God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; Neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us: For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring. Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man’s device. And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.

Reader, it’s time to repent from assuming that God accepts all those seemingly good intentions as long as we are doing it “for him”. Israel tried to make things convenient by setting up the golden calf since they wanted to experience worshipping God in their own flesh; also by building synagogues when Jerusalem was seemingly too far for them to travel.  The moneychangers in the temple thought they would make it easier for the people so they didn’t have to bring their own sacrifice. But we see how Christ reacted to them:

Mat 21:12-15 And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves, And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves. And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple; and he healed them. And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying in the temple, and saying, Hosanna to the Son of David; they were sore displeased.

It is not our sacrifices that he desires.  Not “do this for the Lord” “do that for the Lord” “go here for the Lord” “go there for the Lord”  But he desires mercy:

Hos 6:6For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.

Mat 9:13But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

After casting the moneychangers out of the temple, we see those of a poor and contrite spirit coming to him for healing and children worshipping him just for who he is. He desires mercy not our sacrifices(seemingly good works, our building and devising things for him).

Psa 51:15-17O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise. For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

Joh 4:19-24The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet. Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship. Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

Brethren, our Father in heaven desires a sincere heart, sincere lips, and a walking in this life of righteousness(obedience)according to truth and led by his Holy Spirit. Amen