Discerning Or Deceived??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #39
Like many believers today, I am concerned with all that I see going on around me, especially within churches that claim the name of “Jesus” but preach a message that is in direct contradiction to The Word of God. So, I’d like to share a bit of scripture to remind us all that we won’t be in the majority, but we do need to pursue God’s “right-jority”—for God’s truth has seldom if ever been a popular message with any majority, and we want to align ourselves with God Almighty, Jesus The Son, His Word and His ways, by the power of The Holy Spirit, who indwells those who belong to Jesus, having been “born again” of the Spirit of God!
“Jesus answered and said unto him,
Verily, verily, I say unto thee,
Except a man be born again,
he cannot see
the kingdom of God…
…. Verily, verily, I say unto thee,
Except a man be born of water
and of the Spirit,
he cannot enter into
the kingdom of God.
6 That which is born of the flesh
is flesh;
and that which is born of the Spirit
is spirit.
7 Marvel not that I said unto thee,
Ye must be born again.” Portions of John 3:3-7
Paul makes it clear that truth—God’s truth—is spiritually discerned! Are you being discerning or deceived?
“But we speak the wisdom of God
in a mystery,
even the hidden wisdom,
which God ordained
before the world
unto our glory:
8 Which none of the princes of this world knew:
for had they known it,
they would not have crucified
the Lord of glory.
9 But as it is written,
Eye hath not seen,
nor ear heard,
neither have entered into the heart of man,
the things which God hath prepared
for them that love him.
10 But God hath revealed them
unto us
by his Spirit:
for the Spirit searcheth all things,
yea, the deep things
of God.
11 For what man knoweth the things of a man,
save the spirit of man
which is in him?
even so the things of God
knoweth no man,
but the Spirit of God.
12 Now we have received,
not the spirit of the world,
but the spirit
which is of God;
that we might know
the things that are freely given
to us
of God.
13 Which things also we speak,
not in the words
which man’s wisdom teacheth,
but which
the Holy Ghost teacheth;
comparing spiritual things
with spiritual.
14 But the natural man
receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God:
for they are foolishness unto him:
neither can he know them,
because they are spiritually discerned.
15 But he that is spiritual
judgeth all things,
yet he himself is judged
of no man.
16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord,
that he may instruct him?
But we have
the mind of Christ.” 1 Corinthians 2:7-16
While we can’t ever (nor should we seek to) instruct God, we do have the “mind of the Lord” through Jesus Christ our Lord and we are to yield to the “mind of Christ” via the Holy Spirit, which helps us to walk right before God in humility, grace, and the crucified life. (To see a picture of this see Philippians 2:5-11) And while we should never align with the “majority” of the world, Jesus, speaking of majority, made it very clear that we are walking a ‘narrow road’! All while there is a “broad way” filled with “many” which leads to destruction; and I fear that many who claim the name of Jesus are proclaiming it from a spot on the “broad way”, for Satan is always painting a picture of health, wealth and popularity that draws to the “many”, but we must be discerning for our own sake as well as the sake of those whom God has placed in our path to influence and help to find/see the “narrow road”! Check out their behavior, don’t just follow the tune they are singing!
“Enter ye in at the strait gate:
for wide is the gate,
and broad is the way,
that leadeth to destruction,
and many there be
which go in thereat:
14 Because strait is the gate,
and narrow is the way,
which leadeth unto life,
and few there be
that find it.
15 Beware of false prophets,
which come to you in sheep’s clothing,
but inwardly
they are ravening wolves.
16 Ye shall know them by their fruits.
Do men gather grapes of thorns,
or figs of thistles?
17 Even so every good tree
bringeth forth good fruit;
but a corrupt tree
bringeth forth evil fruit.
18 A good tree
cannot bring forth evil fruit,
neither can a corrupt tree
bring forth good fruit.
19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit
is hewn down,
and cast into the fire.
20 Wherefore by their fruits
ye shall know them.
21 Not every one that saith unto me,
Lord, Lord,
shall enter into the kingdom of heaven;
but he that doeth the will
of my Father which is in heaven.
22 Many will say to me in that day,
Lord, Lord,
have we not prophesied in thy name?
and in thy name have cast out devils?
and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23 And then will I profess unto them,
I never knew you:
depart from me,
ye that work iniquity.” Matthew 7:13-23
Knowing this truth, I believe, is at least part of the reason that Paul warns us in his letter to the Galatians, who were also in danger of deceit, to walk in “the Spirit” not the flesh. We must begin to develop our spiritual senses, if you would, and leave this worldly deceit behind! Oh Lord, please open my eyes to see what YOU see! Just because it walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, and looks like a duck, doesn’t mean it IS a duck; it may be a wolf in sheep’s clothes! Watch that behavior, it’s what Jesus said would tell the tale—for us and others!
“This I say then,
Walk in the Spirit,
and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
17 For the flesh lusteth
against the Spirit,
and the Spirit
against the flesh:
and these are contrary the one to the other:
so that ye cannot do
the things that ye would…
…. 25 If we live in the Spirit,
let us also
walk in the Spirit.” Galatians 5:16-17 & 25
Peter also broached this subject to the scattered believers and warned them not to be “deceived” by “plastic” words that change with the season, popular ideology, greed, or worldly appeal, and to remember the truth of Jesus and press on; knowing there is a coming judgement of God to prepare for! Remember God’s Word is the standard by which judgment will come.
“For the word of God
is quick,
and powerful,
and sharper than any twoedged sword,
piercing even to the dividing asunder
of soul
and spirit,
and of the joints
and marrow,
and is a discerner
of the thoughts
and intents
of the heart.
13 Neither is there any creature
that is not manifest
in his sight:
but all things
are naked
and opened
unto the eyes of him
with whom we have to do.” Hebrews 4:12-13
And Peter’s warning:
“But there were false prophets
also among the people,
even as there shall be false teachers
among you,
who privily shall bring in damnable heresies,
even denying the Lord that bought them,
and bring upon themselves
swift destruction.
2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways;
by reason of whom
the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.
3 And through covetousness
shall they with feigned words
make merchandise of you:
whose judgment now
of a long time
lingereth not,
and their damnation
slumbereth not.” 2 Peter 2:1-3
So, we need to be aware of not only the truth of God’s Word, but that there are also “false prophets” and “false teachers” among us, who desire to deceive us and, as Peter puts it, “make merchandise of you”! Greed is a great motivator—and there are a lot of greedy people who want to lead us down that “broad road…to destruction”! So, put on your “whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day”; for the evil day is here—now! And Paul said it better than I can:
“But thanks be to God,
which giveth us the victory
through our Lord Jesus Christ.
58 Therefore, my beloved brethren,
be ye stedfast,
unmoveable,
always abounding
in the work of the Lord,
forasmuch as ye know
that your labour is not in vain
in the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 15:57-58
Amen and Amen!!!
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