Faith in 3D( Discernment, Deception and Delusion)Pt 2

I want to continue on the theme of my last post .

Maybe it can be summed up like this "Truth begets truth error begets error)

The psalmist cries in Ps 119v18"Open my eyes ,that I may see wondrous things from your Law."He clearly understood that understanding the Word of God is more than just an intellectual exercise. Now, of course the mind is involved but it's God who gives the light .This is why Paul prays in Eph 1. 17ff that God would grant the Ephesians the spirit of wisdom and revelation and that the eyes of their understanding would be enlightened.
Discernment comes as God grants insight...and discernment is recognizing what's right as well as what's wrong.To submit to ,rejoice in and embrace truth clears the way for God to give more" to him who has more will be given".

Of course there is the flip side as described in Romans Ch.1 Gods wrath is revealed against those who suppress the truth.
Now God's righteous anger is not a popular topic today{perhaps it never has been) but it's true never the less...and amongst the multitude of ways that this wrath is revealed is described here in Chapter 1 of Romans.Their hearts are darkened vs21 ,God gives them up to perversion vs24 and vs 26 and God gives them over to a debased mind.
Resist God's truth reap deception and delusion. Eventually the Sovereign Lord may declare a truth famine as described in Amos 8:10-12. What a terrifying thought! Someone has said (maybe Paul Washer) that churches such as Joel Osteen's etc are in fact a judgement from God as people refuse to discern and submit to His truth. The thought being that God allows these ministries to prosper for a time to discipline those who refuse to believe God. Those who attend these churches and embrace the teachings of those such as Osteen,Warren,Hybells,Maclaren and sadly ,I think Houston will indeed find they are famished ,starved of the life giving sustenance of the whole counsel of God.The result of which is deception and delusion. The remedy is repentance and obeying the Lord when He says "come out and be separate" Jesus put it like this "Leave them they are blind guides "and the only result you can expect from following a blind guide is that you both will fall into a pit.

Faith in 3D (Discernment,Deception and Delusion)

Among all the amazing life changing and thought -provoking statements that Jesus made ,this one grabbed me recently;

Mt13:12.For whoever has,to him more will be given,and he will have an abundance;but whoever does not have,even what he has will be taken from him.

At first glance that doesn't sound fair, Why give to the one who already has?Well the context clarifies.See the Lord is talking about the mysteries of the Kingdom.In other words insights and revelation in to God and His ways through the Living Word of God.

In Mt 16, Jesus commended Peter for the Holy Spirit given understanding of the Divine identity of Christ.And every true Christian has been given that truth by God Himself.

Now ,it seems ,growth in spiritual matters proceeds according to this principle "whoever has to him more will be given"When God gives us illumination into some aspect of His Kingdom we can have one of two responses.We receive it and embrace it or we ignore and reject it.

Now the issue itself may seem fairly minor or it may have the potential to radically shake up our lives.Regardless God is observing to see how we respond.
This is where it gets exciting... and scary!
To accept ,receive and embrace God's truth will lead to more insight and understanding. We will be entrusted with more and our eyes will be open to more truth pertaining to God and His ways....But if we deliberately block His truth from finding a resting place in our lives then gradually (and sometimes not so gradually)we will lose what we already had. A Christian may lose their sense of God's presence,peace and assurance.To continue down that path wiil eventually lead us to deception and according to 2 Thess 2:10-12 if we have not a love for truth this can lead to delusion where we believe the lie.

I fear for those who refuse to examine their beliefs in the light of scripture.(Christians I'm speaking of here)For those who refuse to be corrected or even to discuss major Biblical truths are opening themselves up to deception and delusion. What a terrifying place to be.

I have spoken to pastors who refuse to sit down and in a mutual seeking open a Bible to see what God has to say. What a travesty and a tragedy ,After all it's their #1 job to understand and communicate God's truth to God's people.

Our awefull responsibility is to respond well to God's truth.There is reward for those who do ...and terror for those who don't

The Accuser of the Brethren

I haven't posted a blog for some time now. I've been researching an issue which is proving to have tentacles so widely spread it's difficult to communicate in a simple blog...perhaps a book in the future .We'll see. That subject incidentally is how the christian church has been infiltrated by the deliberate placing of "Trojan Horses"....I know, I know. Very conspiratorial. The problem is that I do believe it is a conspiracy. More on that later.

Today I was watching Joseph Prince on the ACC." Why ?"you might ask. Well ;blatant heresy inspires me in a funny way;it motivates me to do something about it.
Mr Prince made an interesting comment in the midst of his prosperity talk.
He said "The devil doesn't attack personally;he uses bloggers". Of course the crowd laughed at his witty remark and then he moved on to talk of how satan is the accuser of the brethren.

While the statement about el diablo being the accuser is true , it got me to thinking what does that mean exactly?

Some thoughts .

1/ Accusation is an attempt to tear down or destroy. To point out where someone is seriously in error(whether in doctrine or action) for the purpose of restoration to truth is not accusation but godly challenge which is biblical and Christlike...not satanic.

2/In the process of accusing bloggers of being agents of satan,Mr Prince has in fact become an accuser of the brethren. In fact if the blogger(s) he has in mind are actually operating in obedience to the Lord Jesus he has come frightfully close to the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit.

3/The different responses to accusation are .a/Consider if the accusation is true and if so...change!If not ,carry on.

b/ Consider if the accusation is true,and refuse to change.

c/ Refuse to consider the accusation.
Only one of those responses if godly.

While it is true that the devil is the accuser ;the Holy Spirit is the convictor ,and sometimes we can confuse condemnation and challenge.

4/It may well be true that at times bloggers can be harsh or unloving..but that doesn't negate the responsibility to examine their claims and adjust if necessary.Sometimes our harshest critics can be our best friends if they point out things that we need to deal with.

5/Having said all that ;let me make some remarks re: Mr princes ministry.

Joseph needs to get another Bible.The one he's using seems to have large portions missing. He speaks much on grace which is a vital subject. but I have yet to hear him speak on sin ,judgement or God's holy wrath against wickedness.I actually think we cannot appreciate nor appropriate grace till we understand sin,judgement and Hell.

I believe Mr Prince is off track and needs to repent and begin to preach the whole counsel of God.Of course I guess that puts me in the category of the bloggers to which he referred.

Church Growth?

Paul Proctor often has some interesting things to say regarding the Christian life. It is a documented fact that in the western world many christians are giving up on church in order to remain faithful to Christ . That may well go against your presuppositions. There is so much unbiblical (and anti biblical ) teaching in so many churches today that many of God's people get tired of trying to change things from within the system and have elected to "come out and be separate".Anyhow read Paul Proctor's take and see what you think.

Deception

This video was made by Lighthouse Trails. They post a lot of important info on deception in the church. Warren Smith is a former New Ager who knows his stuff in regards to New Age influence in the church. Watch and be informed.

One Truth

One truth, one way ,
One God made man from clay.
One Word divinely writ
One response required to it.
One Saviour, one Lord,
The price required we can't afford.
One act upon the cross,
Salvation offered to the lost.
One Name above all names,
One power the rebel tames.
One heaven offered to men,
One Hell deserveth them.
One hope , one Redeemer
For the lost and foolish dreamer.
One blood, once shed,
One response to raise the dead.
One faith once delivered;
Angels rejoiced, demons quivered.
One life one true Friend,
Kneel to Him before the end.
One church ,the born-again,
Many deceptions surrounding them.
One enemy already defeated,
One throne the Saviour seated.
Innumerable angels in one accord
Direct their worship to the one true Lord
And multitudes of sin-stained men
Rejoice that their washed and join with them.

The Great Apostasy

Here's a challenging word from David Wilkerson.Enjoy. (click on title)

Yahweh of Armies

In an age when men seek to redefine God to fit their personal desires , it's beneficial to remind our selves that the Living God has a Name. Some 7,000 times in the holy scriptures the name of Yahweh is used to refer to the God of the Bible. Many translations follow the tradition of the Jewish scribes and use LORD in capitals where Yahweh is in the original. The God Christians worship is not Allah or Buddha or Krishna ;His Name is Yahweh.

This Name is used in a compound form many thousands of times eg Yahweh our Provider , Yahweh our Healer ,Yahweh our Righteousness culminating in the Name Jesus or Yeshua ,Yahweh our Salvation .

The most repeated compound Name for God in the Old Testament is usually translated LORD of Hosts which actually means Yahweh of Armies.

Following is a poem to Yahweh of Armies...but just a word of caution. The Name of the Lord is not to be treated lightly.The self-existent, self-sufficient,omnipotent,covenant-making and keeping God commands us to treat His Name with utmost respect. Gentle Jesus meek and mild is actually the all-powerfull, all-conquering Yahweh of Armies!



God of Majesty , God of Might,

God of Truth and God of Light.

Expressed within Your Holy Name,

Always sufficient , always the same.



I Am , you said , and will always be

Prefect and complete for eternity.

Untouched by distance , time and space,

Infinite Holiness, infinite Grace.



You stoop to meet with finite men

To reveal what can be revealed to them.

You call to the fallen to seek Your face

And in the Messiah we see your Grace.



Judgement and mercy meet and kiss.

At the cross the promise of eternal bliss.

At Your Holy justice we tremble in awe

But at Calvary to mercy You've opened the Door.



Angelic beings before Your throne

Gaze upon glories to men unknown

And yet to the fallen sons of men,

"In My image created" You say of them.



Yahweh of Armies, our Warrior King

Creator and Owner of everything.

We like sheep have wandered astray,

You bought us back, no more to pay.



Of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob You're Lord.

Apostles and prophets in one accord,

Sing of Your Glory with reverence and awe,

Rejoice in Your Grace and delight in Your law.



If only our tongues could be loosed to express

Your wonders as under the blood we rest;

Sinners washed and judgement ceased,

Reconciled , restored, at peace.



Transcendent God beyond and above,

Infinite Holiness , infinite love,

Eternal Glory in human form

Raised the dead and stilled the storm,



Enlightened the blind and unstopped deaf ears'

Demons tremble as you still men's fears.

Rejected by many but the chosen still tell

Of the God of Heaven called Immanuel.



Yahweh you said Elohim,

Eyes to pure to look on sin,

But the blood is on the Mercy Seat

In the face of Jesus our God we meet.

OneWorld Church on Schedule

The prevailing view in our society is that all gods are the same .This interfaith mentality is rapidly taking hold in the church with such well-known christian spokesmen as Rick Warren and Brian McLaren jumping in boots and all. Many are calling this loving , tolerant and humble.God has another name for it .....APOSTASY! In the linked article there is some current info on this rebellion against God's clear commands.Should Christians, Muslims and Jews unite? Incidentally Brian McLaren is a speaker at Blackstump this year fresh from his celebration of Ramadan!

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A Man of God

You and I need to hear more preaching like this. You may feel as I do..ouch but fantastic.(click on title)