The above quote struck a chord in my spirit for I see the results of such poison daily.
You can tell people all day long that:
“Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.”
(Matthew 7:14 KJV) and everyone thinks they are on that “narrow way!”
The key is: “few there be” yet the bigger the church/ministry; the more successful, the more people believe they are on the right path! I don’t need to name names for they are all on TV; their names in lights!
It’s the fence riding; wanting your cake and eating it too, that causes the most trouble for new Christians or recommitted Christians. It’s hard to see the wrong you’ve been consuming for so long. Like trying to give up diet sodas that were supposed to be so much better for you!
“And no man putteth new wine into old bottles: else the new wine doth burst the bottles, and the wine is spilled, and the bottles will be marred: but new wine must be put into new bottles.” (Mark 2:22 KJV) is the scripture that comes to mind when I look back on my conversion.
The scripture I was discovering, while reading my Bible for myself, did not mix well with the old denominational teachings I had received. All the while I was quoting “who I was” and “what I could do”, I would read about picking up my cross and following Him! Suffering for Christ did not fit in with the prosperity message!
Being somewhat a Techie, I soon realized I had to dump a great deal of wrong data; reformat my hard drive if you will! Reprogram my mind! Reading straight through my Bible over and over and not reading any other authors helped greatly! Saturating myself in His Word and good sound teaching changed everything!
In the beginning, I was so angry at those who had taught error for so long! The enemy played the blame game, but it was the ministry of Forgiveness that set me free. Matthew 6:14-15, Matthew 7:1-2, James 5:16 changed my life.
I came to the realization I had to forgive the ministers/churches and denominations that had lied to me! I realized deceived people do not know they are deceived. So I had to forgive and pray for them; that God would open their eyes, too! That He would call them out of deception too!
“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” Matthew 6:33 KJV
If you want to know someone, you have to exert some effort to find out all you can; stalking comes to mind! If you want to know God, you have to go to the source; The Word Of God! You can’t trust the big names to tell you the truth. The sugar coated gospel is what sells but it is not The Truth! It may have a bit of Truth, but if it’s not 100% Truth - it’s a lie! Truth hurts! Truth is hard. Truth is uncomfortable! Truth convicts! Truth brings about repentance! Truth brings change!
“Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” John 17:17 KJV
“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” John 14:6 KJV
Before I heard The Power Of Forgiveness, I followed all of the big name ministries on TV; male and female. I bought all of their books! I went to all of their conferences. I was active in the denominational church I attended; there every time the doors were opened! I believed I was saved and heaven bound! I was doing everything my church told me to do, and I was as lost as a ball in high weeds. The unforgiveness alone was enough to keep me out of heaven.
“For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”
Matthew 6:14-15 KJV
You see, I followed the traditions of men and the doctrines of devils.
“Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.” Colossians 2:8 KJV
“Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;” 1 Timothy 4:1 KJV
The devil began twisting The Word Of God in the garden and is still doing so today. He tried to destroy The Church and when he found he couldn’t, he joined it! Just like in the time of Josiah, The Book Of The Law has been lost in the church! We carry our Bible but we never read it. We are ignorant of The Word; pulling scripture to reinforce our beliefs; like a salad bar, picking and choosing what we like; omitting what we don’t! Our ignorance and laziness paved the way for deception. We love our sins more than God so He’s given us over to lying spirits!
“And the Lord said unto him, Wherewith? And he said, I will go forth, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said, Thou shalt persuade him, and prevail also: go forth, and do so.”
1 Kings 22:22 KJV
But if you seek Him you will find Him! Put away everything and only read your Bible! Pray before you do, “God open my eyes! I want to know You!” Then set aside time to read The Word daily; EVERY DAY! Your Bible; Not a devotional.
“But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” Hebrews 11:6 KJV
He will reward your efforts! He will prove Himself to you! And your faith will increase! The more you find out about Him the more you will want to know Him! And the more you know Him the more you will love Him! And the more you love Him the more you will fear Him! Fearing God - another thing that has been lost in the church!
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” Proverbs 1:7 KJV
“Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God.” Proverbs 2:5 KJV
It all comes down to obedience to The Word Of God; repentance of sin! The very first and last message of Jesus! Knowing what constitutes sin is imperative; the very last thing the devil wants you to know. We all know killing, stealing and lying is bad, but it’s the little sins we think are not so bad that will keep us out of heaven. Unforgiveness, bitterness, hatred, lust, grumbling and complaining, anger, judgments, jealousy, envy, and the most acceptable sin of all - unbelief!
Unbelief is apparent when there is no obedience to The Word! If there are no consequences for sin, why should we obey? The God of Love that is preached today accepts you the way you are and does not expect you to change; will not hurt your feelings! The church today is all about man, the religion is humanism! It’s all wrong!
It’s not about us - it’s all about Him! We were made for Him, not the other way around! We worship a god made in our own image; a permissive parent with no power!
The slow poison of wrong teaching we have ingested has numbed the church to the true Word, and ONLY the Word can wake you up! Hopefully this post has made you angry enough to drive you to The Word to prove me wrong!
My reading ends this morning: “Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: 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. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:6-9 KJV
Seek Him!
It’s not about you!
We are to be His hands, His feet, His mouth;
His servants to be used as He desires!
We are His vessels made by Him for honorable or dishonorable use; at His discretion.
The servant has no say except “Yes sir!”
In obedience we find our purpose, our peace, our joy! To please Him our one desire!
“Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” Matthew 16:24 KJV
There’s only one way and there’s very little time left! Repent!
Even so - MARANATHA!
From 4/16/18
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