Obey Whom?

“But Peter and John replied, “Do you think God wants us to obey you rather than him?” (Acts 4:19 NLT)

I love reading about the “acts of the apostles” and how courageous they were when confronted with unbelief in others.

The “religious council” was amazed at the depth of understanding of these men who had not been taught “under their supervision” and could not possibly believe they knew anything about the scriptures. In the Kings James Version, they are referred to as “ignorant and unlearned” but in the New Living Translation, they are referred to as “ordinary” men.

What is important to note is that in spite of the council’s feelings, they also recognized that the men had also been seen with Jesus and they could see with their own eyes, the miracle that had been performed before them. So they threatened them and told them not to speak “in the name of Jesus” because they were fearful of their own authority being undermined. They, “the religious council,” wanted to make sure they controlled the people and wanted the people to obey them.  And today, I start with their response.

Do you think God wants us to obey Him or the “politically correct” mantra that is not based upon His teachings, but founded upon the “feelings” of man?

Feelings–unchecked emotions–create an environment of chaos and confusion, fueled by hatred for others when they dare to think differently.

God does not respond to our emotional outbursts, but to our obedience to His Word and our faith in Him!

Hatred is not of God but we know who fuels those thoughts and actions–Satan–the fallen angel who is called by many names, but his intent never changes–to hate all that God has created because God is Love!

Whenever we think we are more powerful than God or equal to Him, we enter into a realm of pride and our pride leads us by our egos and we are bound to fall–and everyone will know of our fall. Yes, I know there are some who teach that we are “gods” with a little “g” but in order to avoid the pitfall that comes with thinking we are equal to God, I’d rather be His child and receive His many benefits when I obey Him, rather than those who have no relationship with Him.

That’s my position–who would rather obey–God or man?

Advertisement

This Is How We Know!

“Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well. This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands” (I John 5:1,2 NIV).

John makes everything so clear to those who read God’s Word with understanding. Our relationship with God and others is all about love. When we love God, we love all of His children and we keep His Commandments of love. For Jesus told us, the fulfillment of all the commandments were encompassed in two–Love God and love each other.

When we see and hear reports of people mutilating others, killing others, abusing others, misusing others, hating and disrespecting others, undermining the authority of leadership, those who are totally wrapped up in the deeds of the devil, we know the love of God is not in some people. For if the love of God truly lived in them, they could not harm another. If we believe that God is Love and He can do nothing other than love, then we must know that all the deeds of darkness are designed and deployed by the devil who promotes hatred of anything that God loves.

This is why, it is so easy to detect counterfeit Christians. They say one thing–proclaim they are Christians, and then by their very actions, demonstrate they have been deployed by the devil in everything they do. Instead of praying for leadership as we as followers of Christ are told to do, they mock and disrespect the leadership of this country. Instead of praying for peace, they promote violence and killing under the guise of protecting constitutional rights for owing guns. Guns don’t kill people; people kill people with the guns. Instead of loving all unconditionally, they promote hatred of anyone who disagrees with them, and all who do not look or act like them. Instead of defending the rights of the poor and the needy, they promote foolish legislation that demoralizes and dehumanizes those in need. They have either not read The Word in its entirety or they have not read with understanding based on a love relationship with God. They profess a form of godliness that does not include the attributes of God.

Counterfeit Christians have made a pact with the devil to carry out his diabolical deeds. They have resolved to kill opportunities to help those in need, steal from the poor to subsidize the rich, and destroy any opportunity to resolve differences in civilized ways. They are deceptive and mislead others with false advertisements, yet they masquerade as the guardians of America, when they do everything they can to tear down Americans. All of these traits are indicators of Satan’s influence in their lives.

Until we see  the love of God overflowing in everything they say and do, those who are truly in relationship with God, need to pray that God will reveal Himself to them and they will have an experience leading to learning to love.

Father, in the name of Jesus, I pray for all who profess to know You, but have not received the Love You have for them. I pray they will receive, learn how to love and then love all, unconditionally and promote love, not hatred for the rest of their lives. I pray they will teach their children and grandchildren and all who know them how to love and not hate. I pray for peace in the nations all over the world and declare it done in Jesus’ name.

Any Faithful In The House?

“Know that the LORD has set apart his faithful servant for himself; the LORD hears when I call to him” (Psalm 4:3 NIV).

“When I call upon the name of the Lord, He hears me.” Do we really believe this?

The question is asked because of observations made when listening to people pray. The first thing we must remember is when we pray–we are talking to God–not people around us, in front of us, over the telephone or even on the Web. Since we are talking to God to ask of Him–is there any need for us to have long, repetitious conversation with God? Do we need to moan, groan, or screech or pierce ear drums to get His attention? The answer very simply is–no!

God is not deaf and He does not have a memory problem, nor is He distracted by our noise or other superficial modes of conversing with Him. He knows who we are and whether we have been faithful to Him or not. Do we know if we have been faithful or not? Perhaps–we don’t. Hence, this is why some go through all the machinations of presenting oneself to be holy or righteous in the sight of others. Perhaps, if we truly read the Bible with understanding we would know this and church services could be cut in half.

When Jesus is teaching, He uses the story of the Pharisee (religious one) and the tax collector who were praying in the temple (Luke 18:11-13). But now, this is the response that Jesus gave His disciples regarding the one who understood they were talking to God. “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted” (Luke 18:14 NIV). For those who may still be lost on the inference–Jesus explained that the tax collector was more justified with his simple request than the Pharisee who has a feeling of superiority and therefore thinks God should hear him.

Public prayers should be simple and get right to the point. We should not pray in an attempt to impress others with our wordiness or emotional state.  When we know we are faithful to God (not so concerned with man), we can pray effective prayers that God will hear and answer. An offering prayer (before or after) should be about the offering–not the sick or government or anything else. A prayer to ask God’s blessings over food should be just that--not everything and everyone else. A prayer for the pastor should be about the pastor–not everyone else. A prayer for leadership (all types) should be about that. A prayer for the sick should be for those who are incapable of praying for themselves and when possible–accompanied with the laying on of hands and/or anointing with oil. A prayer to receive Holy Spirit does not take all night (just moments), nor does a person have to be in a specific position or mode of prayer to receive--the gift–just a willingness to receive. A prayer of repentance should be just that–an acknowledgment of turning away from sin. People have repented of sin when they were alone and God responded. I know–I did! We need to understand the purpose of specificity in our prayer lives rather than trying to impress others.

We make too much of a public spectacle of ourselves during times of prayer because of our lack of knowledge. God does not respond to emotionalism–He responds to faith. The faithful, He has set apart for Himself. The next time you pray, be faithful and know that He hears the first time–even if you whisper.

Father, in the name of Jesus, thank You for hearing and answering prayer. Holy Spirit guide us in everything we do that glorifies God, and keep us focused on being faithful to Him.

What Love Does!

“No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us” (I John 4:12).

Love is perfected in us, when God’s love abides within

Love does covers (eradicates) a multitude of sin

Love seeks to do good to all – children, men and women

Love chooses to do what is right, hoping everyone wins

The battle against the enemy who does not know Love!

When we truly love God and allow His love to live large in us, we cannot seek or hope for the failure of others. We do wish bad things to happen to those who we simply cannot agree. When we love we do disrespect those in authority because God tells us in His Word that we should pray for those in authority.  If we are disrespecting people, we certainly are not praying for them.

I do not agree with a great deal that the President and Congress, governors and mayors, and many others in authority are doing, but I certainly am not promoting hatred because I don’t agree with them. I am so weary of all the hate-filled propaganda directed at the President by so-called Christians who are making a mockery of truly being one. It is obvious to me that those who proclaim to know God have no clue since God is love. The Tea-Party faction has proven without doubt they have no true knowledge of God or they would cease their promotion of hate. I pray that God does a mighty work in their lives so they can see themselves as they truly are. They certainly are not ambassadors for Christ when they hate without reason. But then again–the religious groups hated Jesus without cause, had Him arrested out of envy and persecuted out of hatred, and they unwittingly were fulfilling God’s plan so that no one has ever forgotten the name of Jesus!

Love promotes goodwill towards all, not hatred. Love looks beyond our faults and sees the potential to rise above circumstances and be victorious in all things. Love prays for those who have lost their way. Love never ceases to encourage others to love like God loves–unconditionally.

Father, I pray that all who are promoting hatred will cease and desist. I pray that You will forgive their sin and fill them with love overflowing so when they look in the mirror, they will understand who You are. I pray for those in authority all over the world, that they will seek You and Your wisdom in governing all people. I further pray for every born-again believer–encourage hearts and strengthen them to stand against every evil that arises against You and Yours. Help us to understand that the only superior race in the world is the human race and that is because of Your love. In Jesus’ name, I pray and declare–all is well! Amen!

What Did Jesus Say?

“…She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more” (John 8:11)

Jesus, in this verse, is speaking to the woman brought to Him by the Scribes and Pharisees (the religious leaders) who “claimed” the woman was caught in the “very act” of adultery. Under “the law” given by Moses, both the man and woman guilty of adultery should have stoned to death. But they (the religious ones) only brought the woman. If she had been caught in the act, and if they had a right relationship with God, they would have brought the man as well.

Jesus understood what they were doing, which is why he ignored them for a spell as He wrote on the ground. I believe (some could argue) that He was writing the list of sins for which man had been guilty which is why He told them, that whoever had no sin, let him cast the first stone. When they saw what he had written, they all went home. But notice, He told the woman, “go and sin no more”; He did not say, don’t commit adultery again. What He said, included all sin–if we remember who He is, The Son of God, He who was with God from the very beginning–we would have to know that Jesus knew exactly what He meant. Anything The Father had already said was sin, He included in this statement to the woman. All “sin” references were included in His comment to her.

So, when the false prophets, preachers, and other religious folk (without relationship with God) say that, “Jesus said nothing about homosexuality,” they have either been deceived or they are influenced by their true father, Satan and they lie.

“For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect” (Matthew 24:15 NIV) Though this scripture pertains to those falsely predicting Christ’s return, it is appropriate to use in this instance, since all scripture is apt for teaching God’s truths.

The label, “homosexual” or “homosexuality” does not appear in most translations; however the graphic description of the act does appear and only a fool could be misled into believing that the Bible does not address the issue. It is addressed in both Old and New Testament and a person would have to be paid to misunderstand it.

But then there are other words or “labels” that don’t appear in the Bible, but acts are described. Does that mean that those acts are not sin either? It is amazing to me, the lengths that people will go to, trying to justify their acts or beliefs when they know, they are lying to themselves and then influence others to believe them.

God will judge them as He will judge us all. But the ones who deliberately influence people into believing a lie; especially turning the truth of God’s Word into a lie; that person will be judged even more harshly. Don’t take my word for it. Read the Bible with understanding and then develop a right relationship with God and ask Him for yourself, but believe what He says. It will line up with His Word. Jesus said, “He can only say what The Father has said.”

And before anyone gets their underwear bunched into knots, I’m not gay-bashing nor am I homophobic. I simply believe God’s Word to be His truth. If you have a problem with that, then it’s your problem. I am simply tired of hearing people lie on Jesus to justify their unwillingness to abide by God’s Word. Every one of us chooses our final destination–we choose–based upon our conduct and obedience or disobedience. I know where I’m bound and no devil in hell will change or deter me from God’s Truth.

If this message was too much for you today, I suggest you take two aspirin, read God’s Word and pray that I learn to be more tactful in the future.

Father, help us to stand firm in the knowledge of Your Word, knowing Your intent so we will not believe a lie or perpetuate one. In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen!