Category: Discipleship Essentials

Remember Whom We Represent

talk

talk

 

 

 

 

When sharing the gospel, we should remember whom we represent. We are ambassadors of Christ.

After the woman at the well questioned Jesus regarding why he was speaking to a despised Samaritan, he continued.

...“If you only knew the gift God has for you and who you are speaking to, you would ask me, and I would give you living water.” John 4:10 (NLT)

Principle: Remember Whom We Represent

The Bible says that disciples of Christ are ambassadors for God (2 Corinthians 5:20) who carry the most important life-changing message in the universe – the gospel.

Unfortunately, we often forget who we are and act as if we are insignificant with little to offer. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Jesus never forgot his identity, his message, or his mission. He was on point all the time, and so should we be.

But dedicate your lives to Christ as Lord. Always be ready to defend your confidence {in God} when anyone asks you to explain it. However, make your defense with gentleness and respect. 1 Peter 3:15 (GW)
Share this post...

Talk to Unlikely People

talk

talk

 

 

 

 

Jesus often engaged very unlikely people. When Jesus spoke to the woman at the well in John Chapter Four, he broke the Jewish cultural rules.

The woman was surprised, for Jews refuse to have anything to do with Samaritans. She said to Jesus, “You are a Jew, and I am a Samaritan woman. Why are you asking me for a drink?” John 4:9 (NLT)

He was a Jewish rabbi. She was a Samaritan woman. Jews had nothing to do with Samaritans. Rabbis did not talk to women. Jews would not drink from a cup or jar handled by an “unclean” Samaritan. What Jesus did in asking for a drink of water immediately got her attention and prompted her question. When people ask “Why,” it means we have made them curious and gives us an open door to share.

Not only did Jesus break social taboos, he also made himself vulnerable by asking for a favor. We like to present ourselves as self-sufficient, but people generally respond well when we admit that we need their help. She could have rebuffed him, but did not. When we ask for a favor, we open the door for people to be kind to us. Once a person does something for us, it is more likely that they will be more open in general.

Have you recently engaged any unlikely people who are outside your normal comfort zone or pack of friends? Have you asked a favor from anyone? Are you willing to launch a conversation just to see where it might go? These are all keys to being an effective fisher of men.

Share this post...

Can I Know for Sure if I Am Going to Heaven?

key

key

 

 

 

 

 

 

I grew up in the Roman Catholic Church, a religious system based on keeping church rules and submitting to its hierarchy. It offered no security regarding my eternal destiny, only the hope that I might die in what is called a “state of grace,” meaning that I would have no mortal (grave, death producing) sins on my conscience at the time of death. One could go to confession to get a fresh start or gain “indulgences” through attending Masses on specific days to obtain a sort of guarantee of having an opportunity to get right with God before death.

But those who rely on religion cannot know for sure if they are going to heaven. The best one can do is hope for the best.

How different are the words penned so long ago by John the apostle.

I have written this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know you have eternal life. 1 John 5:13 (NLT)

When I first truly understood and believed the good news that Jesus died for my sins and took away the guilt and the judgments leveled against me, giving me his very own life, I realized immediately that God had set me free from relating to him through religious rules keeping and church affiliation! Nothing the Catholic Church ever did or taught gave me the kind of joy, life, and freedom I experienced through being born again by faith in Christ. This began my escape from religion, whose tentacles are long and clutching.

Religious systems are always performance based, manipulative, and fear inducing. They offer no assurance that we are going to heaven.

The Jews tried to relate to God through a religious system, too. They believed that if they kept the Law of Moses, they were good. If they failed to keep it, they would die. Since Christianity is directly descended from Judaism, many Christians fall into such thinking. It’s pretty simple, as long as we are able to stay on the right side of the scale. Unfortunately, no one can do that. God gave the Law to expose our hopeless situation. We are all sinners who deserve to die.

But those who depend on the law to make them right with God are under his curse, for the Scriptures say, “Cursed is everyone who does not observe and obey all the commands that are written in God’s Book of the Law.” 11  So it is clear that no one can be made right with God by trying to keep the law. For the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.” 12  This way of faith is very different from the way of law, which says, “It is through obeying the law that a person has life.” 13  But Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law. When he was hung on the cross, he took upon himself the curse for our wrongdoing. For it is written in the Scriptures, “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.” 14  Through Christ Jesus, God has blessed the Gentiles with the same blessing he promised to Abraham, so that we who are believers might receive the promised Holy Spirit through faith. Galatians 3:10-14 (NLT)

The good news is that Jesus kept the Law for us by living and dying in complete obedience to his heavenly Father. His sacrifice for our sins as God’s Lamb purchased our freedom from death and made us children of God. His resurrection proved his sacrifice on our behalf was accepted.

Now those of us who declare faith and allegiance to Christ can know for sure that our eternal destiny will be life forever with God.

Jesus promised:

I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life. John 5:24 (NLT)

Can we know for sure if we are going to heaven? We can, but only if we put our full confidence in what Jesus accomplished on our behalf. If we are still relying on ourselves to get it done, we can have no assurance whatsoever.

Prayer

Jesus, I am weary of trying to earn my way into God’s favor. I realize now that it is hopeless. You designed it that way so that I would come to my senses and realize that trusting in you is the only way. I ask you today to forgive my sins and come into my life. I give you myself. I belong to you from this day forward. Come, Holy Spirit, fill my life and show me more about Jesus’ and the Father’s love for me. Empower me to be a fearless proclaimer of the good news to others. Amen.

Share this post...

Unlocking God’s Blessings through Being Generous

key

If you know God at all, you understand that he is most generous. The most shared verse in the world, John 3:16, highlights God’s giving nature. He gave his only Son to redeem ungrateful enemies, whom he desired to turn into a family of friends. (Romans 5:6-8) Not surprisingly, he wants his people, those who follow Christ and his teachings, to be like he is – generous.  Psalm 112 attaches some powerful promises to generosity that are worth contemplating. In them we discover that generosity opens the door to many powerful blessings.

It is well with the man who is gracious and lends; He will maintain his cause in judgment. 6  For he will never be shaken; The righteous will be remembered forever. 7  He will not fear evil tidings; His heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD. 8  His heart is upheld, he will not fear, Until he looks with satisfaction on his adversaries. Psalm 112:5-8 (NASB)
  • It is well – pleasant, agreeable, good – for the generous. Contrast this with the judgment made upon the miserly. They will experience lack and disfavor. (Proverbs 11:24-26)
  • God will maintain the cause of the generous in judgment.  The Bible makes a surprising connection between our being generous and God providing us with a good defense against judgments made against us. Literally the Hebrew says that God will sustain our  affairs with justice. In other words, when we live justly by caring for those in need, God will care for us when we are in need of justice. God’s justice extends beyond court proceedings. True justice seeks the welfare of the poor, the needy, and the oppressed. When we make that our practice, God will see to it that we benefit from his protection.
  • The generous will never be shaken. This means God will keep us from tottering, shaking, or slipping. Another way to say this is that God holds us up and keeps us secure. He is our Keeper.
  • The generous will be remembered forever.  The woman who poured out her life savings in the form of a costly perfume on Jesus’ feet demonstrated extreme generosity. God rewarded her by including her act of selflessness in the Gospel. Being remembered by God is a great blessing that will be extended to the generous.
  • God will make the generous fearless in times of trouble. As we go further into the unfolding scenario of the Last Days, when lawlessness is on the increase and terrible trouble looms, having confidence in God’s keeping power is essential. Why is it that the generous will not fear an evil report? It is because they know that God takes care of those who take care of others. When we are generous, we tap into the very heart of God, and he reveals more of himself to us. When we pour ourselves out for others, we grasp that he will do the same for us.
  • The generous will look in triumph upon their enemies. Most people are clueless when it comes to God’s judgments and justice. They want religion to be pie-in-the-sky fairy tales that God is some kind of cosmic smiley face. This false view of God’s justice is promoted as a way to manipulate the masses and make them think that with God anything goes, as long as it makes you happy. In other words, the smiley face God is a giver of good things who never requires anything from us except to be happy partakers of his gifts – no accountability, no judgment, no justice, no day of reckoning. The Bible portrays Jesus coming in power and glory to usher in God’s kingdom and bring God’s justice upon the earth once and for all. This will include the punishment of the wicked and the destruction of all those who refuse the mercy extended to them in the Gospel. Literally, there will be hell to pay for refusing to bow the knee to Jesus and acknowledge his Lordship. Those who do surrender to Jesus will be part of his triumphal army, who will come back with him to install God’s kingdom.
Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. 12  His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. 13  He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. 14  And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. 15  From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. 16  On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords. Revelation 19:11-16 (ESV)

God’s Generosity and the Gospel

Those who have experienced God’s generosity are expected to be generous. They accept what Jesus died to give them – forgiveness, freedom from guilt and condemnation, reconciliation to God, freedom from everything that enslaves us, and belonging to God’s eternal family!

Those who have received God’s generosity in the Gospel are obliged to extend that generosity to others in the form of love, forgiveness, service, and sharing the Gospel message. We give away what God gave to us.

We look forward to the day when Christ returns to settle accounts and usher in the final reality.  On that day, we will look in triumph on all those who have ruthlessly persecuted God’s people and resisted the Gospel. A glorious day, indeed!

Those who refuse God’s generosity make the greatest miscalculation of all time. Those who receive learn to be generous and experience the fullness of blessings.

Share this post...

Talk to People

talk

talk

 

 

 

 

When Jesus engaged the woman at the well in John Chapter Four, he demonstrated a very important principle for ministering to people: talk to them.

He [Jesus] had to go through Samaria on the way. 5  Eventually he came to the Samaritan village of Sychar, near the field that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. 6  Jacob’s well was there; and Jesus, tired from the long walk, sat wearily beside the well about noontime. 7  Soon a Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, “Please give me a drink.” 8  He was alone at the time because his disciples had gone into the village to buy some food. John 4:4-8 (NLT)

Jesus was on the way to a specific ministry destination, but opportunities to minister to people often present themselves as we are “on the way”.

Ministry to people should happen wherever we are, not just in a building at a set time on Sunday.

Jesus broke with religious tradition at several places in this account of his interaction with the woman from Samaria. The focus of this gospel snapshot is that he engaged her in conversation, regardless of whether others might consider it appropriate. In fact, its apparent inappropriateness was the initial reason the woman became interested. Was Jesus just another man trying to “pick her up,” or was this something else? Being extremely thirsty, Jesus had a genuine need and asked for her help.

No matter how we start a conversation, unless we actually talk to people, we are never going anywhere ministry wise.

If we learn nothing else from this passage, make it a practice to engage people around you. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you how to do this. If we are genuinely interested in them and their lives, there is no telling where a conversation may lead. Jesus’ unplanned conversation with this woman led to the entire village believing that Jesus is the Messiah! Where will the Spirit take us if we make it our practice to engage people?

Share this post...

Gospel vs. Culture: How the Gospel Confronts the Culture’s Idols and Lies

deception

deception

 

 

 

 

 

The Gospel

The gospel is a proclamation of truth about God, mankind, Jesus the Messiah and Lord, and the coming judgment. It offers a way of escape from the judgment that has been pronounced upon the world through the cross. It offers an opportunity to join God in ruling over a new creation at the end of time.

By nature, the gospel confronts the sinful status quo – the embedded lies and rebellion against God found in the human soul and the prevailing culture.

The gospel is powerful and is God’s designated means to overthrow Satan’s rule in individual lives and ultimately in nations and cultures.

For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile. Romans 1:16 (NLT)

 

Culture, Idolatry, and Lies

One definition of culture is that it is…

…a shared vision of the nature of reality. This vision must include some understanding of both the immanent and the transcendent orders. It will incorporate unseen actualities and accepted moral verities that are believed to affect the arrangement of both the natural and social world. In short, a culture incarnates and expresses a religion. (From Sharper Iron Blog)

From the gospel’s perspective, cultures and the people who live in them thrive to the degree they embrace the truth about God and put into practice the values that define godly living. We see this historically. Those cultures that have embraced Christianity have thrived; whereas, those who reject the Bible’s testimony about God languish. Those cultures which attack the Jews and Christians descend into darkness, inhumane practices, and depravity.

Cultures degrade in proportion to how much they suppress truth and reject biblical norms. (Romans 1)

Human beings are idolators by default as a result of the Fall. We were designed by God to be dependent creatures, who are programmed to worship and serve him. When we turn away from God, the drive to worship and serve will be transferred to an inferior replacement for him, what the Bible calls an “idol.” Idols are products of the sinful human desire to have a “god” who protects and serves us, while condoning our sinful and rebellious behavior toward the true God.

In other words, idols are gods created in our own image which never confront our sin.

The Bible teaches us that we become like whatever we worship. (2 Corinthians 3:18) If we worship God, we become like him. If we worship something inferior, we degrade from God’s created purpose for us. This is by God’s design. God’s purpose is for humanity to reflect God’s glory as we worship him, but when we bow down to and serve an idol, we are transformed into that corrupt image. Idols are not always images made of metal, wood, or stone. Idols can be as subtle as devotion to the pursuit of wealth, if that pursuit displaces our worship of and reliance upon God who is our Provider. Jesus called this serving “Mammon.” In America, the pursuit and deification of “liberty” has led us to believe that freedom in and of itself is worth putting on a pedestal. Freedom apart from God, however, inevitably leads to slavery to our own sinful desires. True freedom is found in obeying God and always results in worshiping and serving him.

Our modern secular culture has major embedded idols and lies. Here are a few that I will cover in this article.

  • There is no God, and we got here by ourselves. The denial of God’s existence is the chief lie. It is intended to eliminate our accountability to our Creator and elevate us to godhood status, the pursuit of which was the original sin. We want to run our own lives without reference to God. A necessary corollary to atheism is self-creation or spontaneous evolution. This bold lie elevates man to the highest rung on the developmental ladder in a godless and amoral universe, giving him a virtual godlike status. Self-worship is the ugliest form of idolatry. Because of the deification of self, Satan receives our worship, too. Our culture has become grossly narcissistic.
  • Truth, sin, and morality are fluid human constructs. Having thrown out God and elevated man to be the measure of all things, our culture maintains that truth, morals, and laws are human constructs which can be changed or discarded at will. The first domino to fall was the belief that truth is absolute. If there is no God, then truth does not come from him. Once truth falls, everything else is up for grabs. Our concept of sin can no longer derive from what God says it is. Instead, sin is viewed as a violation of a societal norm, something changeable. Morality is the next domino to fall, as man attempts to redefine what it means to be good or right. Once again, self-worship is behind it all, propelling the culture to slide into behaviors and beliefs that ultimately destroy it from within.
  • We are accountable only to ourselves. If there is no God, we not only get to make our own rules, but we are accountable to no one but ourselves. The idol that this lie engenders is pure power. Cultures that reject accountability to God slide into totalitarianism.

How the Gospel Confronts the Culture

The gospel directly confronts each of these lies. The proper delivery of the gospel should challenge and refute whatever idol is being worshiped by the hearers. Remember, the gospel presents Jesus as the Lord of Lords, not simply as Savior.

The devil and the anti-god world system seek to encapsulate the gospel and render it impotent in a way that is similar to how a human body walls itself off from infection. The powers that be tell us that all religions are created equal, and therefore, none can issue a moral imperative. None have the “right” to tell people what to do or believe, since no religion is “right.” We are told that what we believe is a private matter and has no inherent authority in the secular public square.

The culture and ruling powers are not usually too upset with the gospel’s claim that Jesus forgives sins. What it hates and fights against is Jesus’ claim to be God, the sole arbiter of truth, the judge of all mankind, and the ruling eternal king.

There Is a God

The Bible declares up front that there is a God who is the Creator. Paul wrote that the entire creation unequivocally declares the existence and power of God for all to see. The only way people can arrive at the position that denies God’s existence is by deliberately suppressing the truth. (Romans 1:18-20) Deep down everyone knows there is a God. The gospel calls its listeners to acknowledge that he exists but that it is to him we owe our existence.

In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2  He existed in the beginning with God. 3  God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him. John 1:1-3 (NLT)

Unless we come to grips with God’s existence and preeminence, we can go no further. The gospel confronts the lie of atheism first of all and calls people back to our obligation to worship, serve, and glorify God the Creator. Our greatest joy in life is experienced in returning love to the God who loves us past comprehension.

May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. Ephesians 3:19 (NLT)
 
We Are Dependent on our Creator

Not only is there a God, but everything we see and experience came from him and is sustained by him.

Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation, 16  for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see— such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him. 17  He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together. Colossians 1:15-17 (NLT)

This gospel truth strikes a fatal blow at man’s desire to be his own god. As dependent creatures, we are humbled to admit that we need God every moment. Coming back into alignment with the truth about our relationship with God allows us to once again draw life, direction, and wisdom from our Creator – Sustainer – Redeemer. This gives us the greatest joy, freedom, and fulfillment.

Truth Originates in God and Is Absolute

Jesus the Messiah called himself “the Way, the Truth, and the Life.” (John 14:6) Truth exists because God is truth. Truth is defined by and comes from God. God is unalterably true in his words and deeds. He means what he says and says what he means. He never lies. The gospel confronts us with the truth about God, ourselves, our sin, judgment, life, and the our eternal destiny. Unless we repent of our lying ways and accept God’s truth, we cannot be saved. This includes accepting the gospel as God’s true testimony about himself, his Son, and his offer of salvation.

He [the devil] will use every kind of evil deception to fool those on their way to destruction, because they refuse to love and accept the truth that would save them. 11  So God will cause them to be greatly deceived, and they will believe these lies. 12  Then they will be condemned for enjoying evil rather than believing the truth. 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12 (NLT)
 
Sin Is Real and Produces Death

The Bible clearly teaches that every person born from Adam is a sinner. (Romans 3:23) All sin derives from our inborn rebellion against God, which is demonstrated by our choice to live on our own terms instead of in humble cooperation with and dependence upon God. Separation from God results from sin and always produces death. (Romans 6:23)

When we knowingly align ourselves with that which brings death, it produces a terrible tension and guilt within us. God gave us consciences to help us be aware of our terrible situation. When confronted with the truth, if we refuse to repent, our consciences can become unfeeling and useless. People become hardened in their rebellion against God, which darkens their ability to think clearly and correctly. (Romans 1:21) Many such people develop philosophies and theologies that agree with their sinful position in an attempt to soothe their guilty consciences. None of this works because we do not get to define sin for ourselves. All it does is keep people alienated from God and reserved for the coming judgment. (Acts 13:46)

The gospel identifies and confronts our sin. It calls us to turn away from our sins and reach out to God in faith to receive the complete forgiveness that Jesus died to give us.

Morality Is Part of God’s Order

Morality, the culture’s accepted standards of good conduct and justice, is woven into God’s creation order. We do not get to determine our own versions of what is good and virtuous. One reason God gave Moses the Law was so that we would have a written standard that reflects God’s righteousness. Society and individuals generally adopt a morality that agrees with their sinfulness. The further from God a culture drifts, the more its morals become skewed. The gospel calls the culture back to God’s moral order and gives people the transformative grace to live according to God’s ways.

We Are Accountable to God Who Will Judge All People

The last major lie confronted by the gospel that I will cover in this article is that people have no ultimate accountability to anyone but themselves. This untruth is a logical derivation from the lie that there is no God. Even people who acknowledge God’s existence often live as functional atheists, which means that by looking at how they live you would never know they believe in God.

The gospel directly confronts this lie by announcing that Jesus is coming back to judge the living and the dead.

“God overlooked people’s ignorance about these things in earlier times, but now he commands everyone everywhere to repent of their sins and turn to him. 31  For he has set a day for judging the world with justice by the man he has appointed, and he proved to everyone who this is by raising him from the dead.” Acts 17:30-31 (NLT)

The gospel calls all people to repent and receive forgiveness and then live in a way that brings honor and glory to God.

Peter replied, “Each of you must repent of your sins, turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ to show that you have received forgiveness for your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39  This promise is to you, and to your children, and even to the Gentiles—all who have been called by the Lord our God.” 40  Then Peter continued preaching for a long time, strongly urging all his listeners, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation!” Acts 2:38-40 (NLT)

 

The Second Coming of Christ

The Second Coming of Christ is an integral part of the gospel. When we proclaim that Jesus is coming back again, it enables us to establish several important truths.

  • Jesus, eternal Word of God who created all things, became a man who died for our sins as God’s Lamb and rose again as Lord of Lords.
  • His Second Coming will finally and completely establish is God’s rule over the earth.
  • He is the glorious Son of Man prophesied by Daniel who will judge the living and the dead.

Once he appears in the sky, every aspect of the gospel will be proved true. Then it will be too late to get right with him. Today is the day of salvation. Now is the time to repent and believe the good news that in Christ God is offering to reconcile us to himself!

The gospel is not merely a presentation of what Jesus did on our behalf to save us from our sins. The gospel reestablishes who God is so that we can come into proper alignment with him through repentance and faith. The gospel affirms the honor and glory of the risen Lord. The gospel is a declaration of war upon the lies and idolatry of mankind. The gospel is a clarion call to become part of God’s eternal kingdom, which will eventually destroy all opposing kingdoms.

As my vision continued that night, I saw someone like a son of man coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient One and was led into his presence. 14  He was given authority, honor, and sovereignty over all the nations of the world, so that people of every race and nation and language would obey him. His rule is eternal—it will never end. His kingdom will never be destroyed. Daniel 7:13-14 (NLT)
Share this post...

Beware of Mass Deception in the Last Days

deception

deception

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We live in a time when lying has become an art form practiced by the mainstream media and politicians. Joseph Goebbels, the infamous Nazi propagandist, said these words in Nuremberg in 1934 as he was helping the Nazis gain and maintain power.

The people should share the concerns and successes of its government. Its concerns and successes must therefore be constantly presented and hammered into the people so that it will consider the concerns and successes of its government to be its concerns and successes. Only an authoritarian government, firmly tied to the people, can do this over the long term. Political propaganda, the art of anchoring the things of the state in the broad masses so that the whole nation will feel a part of them, cannot therefore remain merely a means to the goal of winning power. It must become a means of building and keeping power. (http://research.calvin.edu/german-propaganda-archive/goeb59.htm)

Propaganda is the art and science of manipulating information to cause the masses to think and act in a desired way.

What would have been unthinkable fifty years ago is happening in the United States right now. We are being subjected to a Nazi or Soviet-like blitz of propaganda by a mainstream media that is complicit with the Democratic Party’s efforts to overthrow our constitutional republic. Whether or not they succeed will determine to large degree what our nation becomes. If they succeed, we will descend into dark totalitarianism, which will undoubtedly lead to persecution of truth speakers, especially Christians. How did we get here?

The Origins of Deception

Since the beginning of humanity, according to the Bible, people have displayed an inherent tendency to believe lies more than truth.

Adam and Eve fell for the serpent’s mis-characterization of God, even though the Creator had been only wonderfully kind to them. We learn from the Genesis account that, even in their most pristine state, Adam and Eve were easily deceived. At that moment of disobedience, Satan gained a foothold in the human race.

Sin entered our hearts, deforming our ability to reason properly.We have become even more susceptible to deception than our first parents were because now we are born with a default propensity to deceive and be deceived.

Some people call this the sin nature. No one needs to teach a baby how to sin. It comes naturally.

Jesus identified Satan is the “father of lies.” (John 8:44) Satan is an evil mastermind and the arch-propagandist. He is able to manipulate entire nations, as was the case with Nazi Germany and is becoming increasingly the case with the United States.

When the thousand years come to an end, Satan will be let out of his prison. 8  He will go out to deceive the nations—called Gog and Magog—in every corner of the earth. He will gather them together for battle—a mighty army, as numberless as sand along the seashore. Revelation 20:7-8 (NLT)

There are various ways to interpret this passage, but, as I see it, we are seeing this happening right before our eyes. Mass deception is taking place on a global scale as the nations seem to be aligning themselves against God’s people in preparation for an apocalyptic battle. Whether or not you agree with my interpretation, I hope you can agree that Satan has the ability to deceive on a grand scale. How does he do this?

As I already mentioned, every person comes into the world with a built-in sin nature that defaults toward doubting God and embracing lies. If we refuse to acknowledge and glorify God as our Creator, it is a form of idolatry. We are going to believe in something. If we do not accept the truth about God, then we will fall for something else.

Satan gains a foothold into people’s minds when they embrace some form of idolatry.

Any time a person or a society rejects the truth about God and chooses to believe something else, they are given over to what the Bible calls an “unfit mind.” People like this lose their ability to think critically and easily fall victim to propaganda.

I will add my own notes, which are in blue italics, to the following Bible passage that clearly addresses this subject.

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. [Truth must be suppressed for lies to flourish. Our government has systematically repressed the truth about creation for decades through propaganda about "evolution," producing generations of students who reject God and easily believe lies.] 19  For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20  For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. [Little children know intuitively that there is a God. If our minds were not darkened by sin, we would see God's hand all around us in the world he has made. We have to be conditioned not to see this.]  21  For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. [What else can account for our government’s routine denial of the severity of the external threats against our nation? We have lost our ability to think and are deluded that our enemies are of no real consequence.] 22  Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23  and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. 24  Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, 25  because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen. [Our nation has been given over to sensuality and immorality. That which for centuries has been called sin is now being embraced as good and normal.] 26  For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; 27  and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error. 28  And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased [Greek: adikomos – failing to be approved, unfit] mind to do what ought not to be done. Romans 1:18-28 (ESV)

The principle here is simple: if people embrace the truth about God, they will more likely be able to think correctly, but if we reject the truth about God, we lose our ability to properly reason.

As a nation, the United States has progressively rejected God and his truth. We eliminated prayer and Bible reading from the classroom, and outlawed the teaching of creationism. As with other examples of classic propaganda, those is power have gained ownership of the language and use terms that frame their goals in the most favorable light. For example, abortion, the termination of a living baby in the womb, has been reframed as a woman’s “right” and a non-negotiable part of “reproductive freedom.”

What is called “progressivism” is actually a calculated push toward totalitarianism and requires a wholesale abdication of Bible truth and a manipulation of the populace toward the desired end of globalist control.

Last Days Deception

Those of us who fear God can see what is happening, and it does not surprise us at all. Those who do not know Christ do not have the Holy Spirit, who is also called the Spirit of truth (John 14:17), residing in them.

The Holy Spirit gives believers a love for the truth. This truth is found in Christ, who is called the Truth (John 14:6) and in the Bible. (John 17:17). Those without the Spirit love lies. This is one way we can distinguish between those who truly know God and those who do not. Those who do not know him easily all for mass deception.

Jesus told them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, because I have come to you from God. I am not here on my own, but he sent me. 43  Why can’t you understand what I am saying? It’s because you can’t even hear me! 44  For you are the children of your father the devil, and you love to do the evil things he does. He was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies. 45  So when I tell the truth, you just naturally don’t believe me! John 8:42-45 (NLT)

The Bible predicts this kind of mass deception in the last days. Jesus warned us:

Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. 24  For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. Matthew 24:23-24 (ESV)

In his seminal book, The Islamic Antichrist, Joel Richardson points out that Muslims have their own doctrines of the end times. They state that Jesus was not resurrected because he never really died. Instead, God took him to heaven, where he remains until he will return to earth as second in command to the Mahdi, commanding the nations to convert to Islam and worship Allah. What deception could be greater? The Bible warns us that an Antichrist is coming (the Mahdi?) who will be served and accompanied by a false prophet, who will do signs and wonders to convince people to follow the Antichrist. This sounds very much in line with the Islamic version of Christ. If this happens, those who are nominal Christians will probably be completely deceived, along the rest of the world. Those of us who know the truth will not fall for this, however.

Paul wrote:

Let no one in any way deceive you, for it [the Second Coming] will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, 4  who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God. 5  Do you not remember that while I was still with you, I was telling you these things? 6  And you know what restrains him now, so that in his time he will be revealed. 7  For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way. 8  Then that lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming; 9  that is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders, 10  and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. 11  For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false, 12  in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness. 2 Thessalonians 2:3-12 (NASB)

 

What must we do?

Here are some recommendations for those of us who understand the signs of the times.

  • Pray for God to open the eyes of the blind. Ask the Holy Spirit to remove the blinders from the eyes and unstop the ears of those who do not yet know Christ. Faith in Christ and surrender to his Lordship is the only means of escape from the mass deception that is descending upon the world.
  • Pray for our leaders. Ask the Lord to give our leaders insight and courage to do the right thing, despite the incessant onslaught of the “false prophets” in the mainstream media and educational establishment.
  • Pray for God to uncover hidden wickedness in high places. The “lie” prospers under the cover of darkness. Ask the the Lord to expose evil, wherever it may be, especially in places of power and influence.
  • Repent of any wickedness in our own lives. We must embrace truth personally, if we want this to happen on a national level.
  • Speak the truth courageously and with love. Evil people prosper when good people do nothing.
  • Share the Gospel. The Gospel is the only means for liberating deceived people. We can pray until we drop, but if we do not share the Good News and give the Holy Spirit the opportunity to convert people, nothing much will change. When a large number of people in a nation surrender their lives to Jesus’ lordship, things will improve.
Share this post...

Is it okay for a follower of Christ to be a Mason?

deception

deception

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It is just as outlandish for a follower of Christ to be a Mason as it would be to be a Satanist.

The devil seldom appears as he truly is. Deception is his main game. The Apostle Paul wrote that Satan disguises himself as an angel of light in order to deceive the naive. (2 Corinthians 11:14) In the Garden of Eden, the devil appeared as a talking serpent in order to convince Eve that God was not to be trusted. (Genesis 3:4-5) Satan always tries to reverse the truth, presenting himself as good and the true God as evil. This is exactly the position of the Masons.

Albert Pike wrote quite a bit of material on the Masons and is regarded as an authority on the subject by the Masons. Wikipedia claims the following.

Pike first joined the fraternal Independent Order of Odd Fellows in 1840. He next joined a Masonic Lodge, where he became extremely active in the affairs of the organization. In 1859 he was elected Sovereign Grand Commander of the Scottish Rite’s Southern Jurisdiction.[10] He remained Sovereign Grand Commander for the remainder of his life (a total of thirty-two years), devoting a large amount of his time to developing the rituals of the order.[18] Notably, he published a book called Morals and Dogma of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry in 1871, of which there were several subsequent editions. This helped the order grow during the nineteenth century. He also researched and wrote the seminal treatise Indo-Aryan Deities and Worship as Contained in the Rig-Veda. In America, Pike is still considered an eminent[19] and influential[20] Freemason, primarily in the Scottish Rite Southern Jurisdiction.[21]

Here are some relevant quotes from Pike’s works.

Lucifer, the Light-Bearer! Strange and mysterious name to give to the Spirit of Darkness! Lucifer, the Son of the Morning! Is it he who bears the light, and with its splendors intolerable blinds feeble, sensual or selfish Souls? Doubt it not! [Albert Pike, Morals and Dogma of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry Prepared for the Supreme Council of the Thirty-Third Degree, for the Southern Jurisdiction of the United States, and Published by Its Authority (Richmond, Virginia: L.H. Jenkins, 1871, Reprinted 1944): 321.]

The true name of Satan, the Kabalists say, is Yahweh (GOD) reversed; for Satan is not a black god, but a negation of God…the Kabala imagined Him to be a “most occult light.” [Ibid: 102, 704.]

That which we must say to a crowd is—We worship a God, but it is the God that one adores without superstition. To you, Sovereign Grand Inspectors General, we say this, that you may repeat it to the Brethren of the 32nd, 31st, and 30th degrees—The Masonic Religion should be, by all of us initates of the high degrees, maintained in the purity of the Luciferian Doctrine. If Lucifer were not God, would Adonay whose deeds prove his cruelty, perdify and hatred of man, barbarism and repulsion for science, would Adonay and his priests, calumniate him? Yes, Lucifer is God, and unfortunately Adonay is also god. For the eternal law is that there is no light without shade, no beauty without ugliness, no white without black, for the absolute can only exist as two gods: darkness being necessary to the statue, and the brake to the locomotive. Thus, the doctrine of Satanism is a heresy; and the true and pure philosophical religion is the belief in Lucifer, the equal of Adonay; but Lucifer, God of Light and God of Good, is struggling for humanity against Adonay, the God of Darkness and Evil. [Albert Pike, “Instructions to the 23 Supreme Councils of the World” (July 14, 1889), as recorded by Abel Clarin de La Rive, La Femme et l’Enfant dans la Franc-maçonnerie Universelle (1894): 588.]

Freemasonry is a secret society. This is because they have something to hide. They force members to swear self-maledictory oaths that pledge their secrecy. Why? Jesus did everything in the open. Christians should not swear oaths, should not swear self-malediction, and should never be part of any group that calls the devil good and the true God bad. Freemasonry deceives its own members.

“The Blue Degrees are but the outer court or portico of the Temple. Part of the symbols are displayed there to the Initiate, but he is intentionally misled by false interpretations. It is not intended that he shall understand them; but it is intended that he shall imagine he understands them. Their true explication is reserved for the Adepts, the Princes of Masonry.” (Morals and Dogma, p.819) Albert Pike, [1871 Morals and Dogma: Council of Kadosh: XXX. Knight Kadosh.

Freemasonry is essentially a cleaned up paganism, which places a Bible front and center to deceive the naive.

According to accredited Masonic historians, the lodge claims to be a revival of the ancient philosophy of Egypt, Phoenicia and other pagan nations. These all practiced a secret worship in honor of a sun god (Lucifer). While pagan societies sponsored public worship directed toward idols, the priests, rulers and philosophers always maintained a different, secret worship centered around a sun god. This latter was designated as the “Mysteries.” These “Mysteries” were revived by the “Masonic fathers” at the beginning of the eighteenth century.

In other words what formerly constituted the mysteries of freemasonry. In every feature they are identical. Dr. Mackey, Masonic authority, states they are the “same in substance, being derived from one source and celebrated in honor of the same dieites.” Pierson says plainly “…we readily recognize in Hiram Abiff the Osiris of the Egyptians, the Mithras of the Persians, the Bacchus of the Greeks, the Dionysiius of the Fraternity of the Artificers, the Atys of the Phrygians, whose passion, death and resurrection were celebrated by these people.” [http://www.jesusdelivers.com/the-demonic-roots-of-freemasonry]

Freemasonry incorporates parts of various pagan religions while pretending to be above and inclusive of all religion. As such it is explicitly anti-Christ. Jesus said that he alone is the way to the Father. (John 14:6) He is not one of many ways to God. He is the only way. Freemasonry asserts that its members can come to God using any religious pathway.

Below is a great summary of why Christianity and Masonry are completely incompatible. It is found in GotQuestions.org. (https://www.gotquestions.org/free-masonry.html)

Salvation from Sin:

The Bible’s View: Jesus became the sinner’s sacrifice before God when He shed His blood and died as the propitiation (payment) for the sins of all those who would ever believe (Ephesians 2:8-9, Romans 5:8, John 3:16).

Mason’s View: The very process of joining the Lodge requires Christians to ignore the exclusivity of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. According to Freemasonry, a person will be saved and go to heaven as a result of his good works and personal self-improvement.

The View of the Bible:

The Bible’s View: The supernatural and plenary inspiration of the Scriptures—that they are inerrant and that their teachings and authority are absolute, supreme, and final. The Bible is the Word of God (2 Timothy 3:16, 1 Thessalonians 2:13).

Mason’s View: The Bible is only one of several “Volume(s) of Sacred Law,” all of which are deemed to be equally important in Freemasonry. The Bible is an important book, only as far as those members who claim to be Christians are concerned, just as the Koran is important to Muslims. The Bible is not considered to be the exclusive Word of God, nor is it considered to be God’s sole revelation of himself to humankind; but only one of many religious sourcebooks. It is a good guide for morality. The Bible is used primarily as a symbol of God’s will, which can also be captured in other sacred texts, like the Koran or Rig Vedas.

The Doctrine of God:

The Bible’s View: There is one God. The various names of God refer to the God of Israel and reveal certain attributes of God. To worship other gods or to call upon other deities is idolatry (Exodus 20:3). Paul spoke of idolatry as a heinous sin (1 Corinthians 10:14) and John said that idolaters will perish in hell (Revelation 21:8).

Mason’s View: All members must believe in a deity. Different religions (Christianity, Judaism, Islam, etc.) acknowledge the same God, only call Him different names. Freemasonry invites people of all faiths, even if they use different names for the ‘Nameless One of a hundred names,’ they are yet praying to the one God and Father of all.

The Doctrine of Jesus and the Trinity:

The Bible’s View: Jesus was God in human form (Matthew 1:18-24, John 1:1). Jesus is the second person of the trinity (Matthew 28:19, Mark 1:9-11). While on earth, He was fully human (Mark 4:38, Matthew 4:2) and fully divine (John 20:28, John 1:1-2, Acts 4:10-12). Christians should pray in Jesus’ name and proclaim Him before others, regardless of offense to non-Christians (John 14:13-14, 1 John 2:23, Acts 4:18-20).

Mason’s View: There is no exclusivity in Jesus Christ or the Triune God who is the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; therefore there is no doctrine of the deity of Jesus Christ. It is deemed to be un-Masonic to invoke the name of Jesus when praying, or mention His name in the Lodge. Suggesting that Jesus is the only way to God contradicts the principle of tolerance. The name of Jesus has been omitted from biblical verses that are used in Masonic rituals. Jesus is on the same level as other religious leaders.

Human Nature and Sin:

The Bible’s View: All humans are born with a sinful nature, are totally depraved, and need a Savior from sin (Romans 3:23, Romans 5:12, Psalm 51:5, Ephesians 2:1). The Bible denies that because of the Fall, humanity has within itself the capacity for moral perfection (1 John 1:8-10, Romans 1:18-25).

Mason’s View: Through symbols and emblems, Masons teach that man is not sinful, just “rude and imperfect by nature”. Human beings are able to improve their character and behavior in various ways, including acts of charity, moral living, and voluntary performance of civic duty. Humanity possesses the ability of moving from imperfection toward total perfection. Moral and spiritual perfection lies within men and women.

When a Christian takes the oath of Freemasonry, he is swearing to the following doctrines that God has pronounced false and sinful:

1. That salvation can be gained by man’s good works.
2. That Jesus is just one of many equally revered prophets.
3. That they will remain silent in the Lodge and not talk of Christ.
4. That they are approaching the Lodge in spiritual darkness and ignorance, when the Bible says Christians are already in the light, children of the light, and are indwelt by the Light of the World—Jesus Christ.
5. By demanding that Christians take the Masonic oath, Masonry leads Christians into blasphemy and taking the name of the Lord in vain.
6. Masonry teaches that its G.A.O.T.U. [Great Architect of the Universe], whom Masonry believes is the true God of the universe, is representative of all gods in all religions.
7. Masonry makes Christians take a universalist approach in their prayers, demanding a “generic” name be used so as not to offend non-believers who are Masonic “brothers”.
8. By swearing the Masonic oath and participating in the doctrines of the Lodge, Christians are perpetuating a false gospel to other Lodge members, who look only to Masonry’s plan of salvation to get to heaven. By their very membership in such a syncretistic type organization, they have severely compromised their witnessing as Christians.
9. By taking the Masonic obligation, the Christian is agreeing to allow the pollution of his mind, spirit, and body by those who serve false gods and believe false doctrines.

As you can see, Masonry denies and contradicts the clear teaching of Scripture on numerous issues. Masonry also requires people to engage in activities which the Bible condemns. As a result, a Christian should not be a member of any secret society or organization that has any connection with Freemasonry.
Share this post...

Part 9: All Bondage Is Built on a Lie

happy people 
This is the ninth article in a series entitled Wonderful Counseling which addresses bondage. I sometimes use other names for this ministry, such as Personal Prayer Ministry and Biblical Healing and Deliverance. The adjective "wonderful" is used because Jesus is the "wonderful Counselor" of Isaiah 9:6. This ministry attempts to make room for Jesus to personally counsel people by means of the indwelling Holy Spirit, with the human ministers acting as facilitators. This makes it different from most counseling. It is highly effective at teaching the recipient how to hear the voice of the Spirit and to receive his life giving words.

 

The very first attack Satan made against humans was in the form of a lie. It has always been his most effective weapon.

Jesus said the following about our adversary while speaking to the Jewish leaders of his day.

You people are from your father the devil, and you want to do what your father desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not uphold the truth, because there is no truth in him. Whenever he lies, he speaks according to his own nature, because he is a liar and the father of lies. John 8:44 (NET1)

The enslavement of the human race to sin, death, demonic oppression, and the world system began with a lie. Satan, disguised as a talking snake, suggested to Eve that God did not have her best interests in mind when He forbade her and Adam to eat the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The lying serpent flatly contradicted God’s warning that they would die if they ate it. Instead he promised them that they would become like God, knowing good and evil, something that was obviously very attractive. Eve swallowed the lie hook, line, and sinker, and Adam followed her lead, failing to stand for truth. Believing that first lie and acting upon it opened the door to sin and death through a flood of deception that still works to undermine the revelation of God and our love and devotion to him.

As a result of that first sin in the Garden, every human being enters the world procreated in the image of our first parents, complete with a fallen human nature. The Bible calls it the “old man” or the “flesh”.

As a result of our inheritance from Adam, we are programmed to believe lies and reject God and truth.

Adam and Eve did not have this problem, since God had created them perfectly without any default leaning toward sin. This only shows how powerful deception is. Adam and Eve were unable to resist the lie, even though they did not have a sin nature. Where does that leave us who do? In need of a Savior!

Deception appeals to our inborn sinful desire to be “like God” without having to be dependent upon Him in any way. This is the fundamental nature of sin – self-will in contradiction to God’s will. Since we now have a bias toward deception, Satan easily locks down humanity in a web of lies, with our pride being a willing accomplice in the suppression of truth. We choose to believe that we do not need God, or, even better, that there is no God at all. The deception called evolution perfectly illustrates this. When Darwin first announced his theory, the Russian communist party embraced it as the perfect “scientific” paradigm to support its godless atheism. Evolution is built on the premise that there is no Creator. Rather, the universe simply “happened.” Order and matter proceeded from nothingness and disorder. The second law of thermodynamics guarantees that this is impossible, and even a small child knows that this sort of reasoning, if it can be called that, is ridiculous. Nevertheless, thousands of highly educated people have accepted this “theory” unquestioningly. Today many insist that it be accepted as scientific dogma. It is taught as fact by our public school system and by much of the academic community. This is a willful suppression of truth driven by a determination to be independent from God and deny him the honor he is due, thereby bringing God’s judgment upon us. (Romans 1:18-25)

Our love of the lie is so strong that unredeemed humans choose to suppress any attempt to reveal truth. This is why those who believe in creationism are ridiculed by the media and the followers of evolutionary dogma. This is why our Lord Jesus was persecuted and eventually murdered on a cross.

People do not like the truth. We run from it, hide from it, try to cover it up, and attack it.

Now this is the basis for judging: that the light has come into the world and people loved the darkness rather than the light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For everyone who does evil deeds hates the light and does not come to the light, so that their deeds will not be exposed. 21 But the one who practices the truth comes to the light, so that it may be plainly evident that his deeds have been done in God. John 3:19-21 (NET1)

But truth will eventually win the day. Jesus, who is the embodiment and definition of truth, will reign victoriously over every form of deception both in our own hearts and in the world. Eventually every knee and every lie will bow before the Lord of Truth!

The refusal to acknowledge and glorify God is behind our seemingly hopeless addiction to deception. Rebellion is the root of our refusal to believe the truth. This is not complicated. If God is Truth, then the desire to be independent from God is the same thing as embracing what is false. Anything that is anti-God is by nature deceptive. Satan can only deceive, because to tell the truth is godly.

The refusal to acknowledge, glorify, and worship God always results in some form of idolatry based on a lie.

Man was created to be a worshiper. If he does not worship the true God, he will worship something else that is a pretender to the throne. Just look at how people idolize movie stars and rock musicians. Evolution attempts to put man at the top of the evolutionary chain, making him a god of sorts, who is accountable to no one but himself.

But What about Me?

But what me? I am a follower of Christ, but I still battle with bondage and oppression. Am I also suffering because I believe a lie? This could well be so, and here is why. In addition to our inborn connection to sinful behavior and thinking called “the flesh” and the general power and deceptiveness of sin itself, bondage derives from four basic sources:

  1. Generational thinking, behavior, and consequences that are passed down along family lines,
  2. Unhealed traumatic pain,
  3. Deeply embedded lies, and
  4. Demonic oppression.

We will cover each of these in great detail in this series of articles.

What Jesus accomplished on the cross and through his resurrection provides deliverance in each of these four areas through the agency of the Holy Spirit.

If we are not experiencing that freedom, there are three possible reasons.

  1. First, we might be ignorant of what Christ has done. In that case, instruction from God’s Word accompanied by repentance, faith, and obedience to that truth will provide the desired liberation.
  2. In the second case, despite sufficient instruction in regarding God’s truth, a deeply embedded lie may still be present that hinders or blocks us from repentance, faith, and obedience. I call these lie-based strongholds, which Paul addressed in 2 Corinthians 10:4-5. In this case, Jesus will help us to uncover and remove the lie, which is one of the main reasons for doing Personal Prayer Ministry.
  3. In a third possible scenario, in order to humble us, God may allow some form of oppression to remain in our lives so that we can learn to live by mercy and grace. To my understanding, this is what Paul experienced in 2 Corinthians 12:8-10.

I will concern myself with the first two cases, in both of which there is a lie behind the experience of bondage. The uninstructed person believes a lie simply because he or she never knew the truth that Christ’s finished work actually sets us free. The second person, who is captured by a lie-based stronghold, has chosen to believe a lie that opposes or nullifies God’s truth, quite often without realizing it.

For those of us who have embraced such a lie, it may seem more real than God’s Word, producing a type of practical idolatry in us. Jesus is the truth; so, to believe a lie is idolatry. Sobering, isn’t it?

Sin, by its very nature, is based on the deception that it provides something better than does obedience to God. When we are deceived, we choose the temporary pleasure that sin often affords, along with the death that results, rather than hold out for the eternal rewards associated with obedience to God. This is a form of temporary insanity.

It is only God’s grace ministered by the Holy Spirit that enables anyone to escape the clutches of deception and embrace the truth. In PPM, we ask the Lord to speak his truth to individuals, which breaks the power of the lie.

But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth...  John 16:13a (NET1)

May the Lord help us to be lovers of truth and lovers of God!

Go back to Part 8: Inside Out Truth

Read Part 10: How God Removes Deeply Embedded Lies

Share this post...

Inside Out Truth

happy people 
This is the eighth article in a series entitled Wonderful Counseling which talks about truth. I sometimes use other names for this ministry, such as Personal Prayer Ministry and Biblical Healing and Deliverance. The adjective "wonderful" is used because Jesus is the "wonderful Counselor" of Isaiah 9:6. This ministry attempts to make room for Jesus to personally counsel people by means of the indwelling Holy Spirit, with the human ministers acting as facilitators. This makes it different from most counseling. It is highly effective at teaching the recipient how to hear the voice of the Spirit and to receive his life giving words.

 

Let’s begin with a beautiful verse of Scripture that King David wrote just after admitting to Nathan the prophet that he committed adultery with Bathsheba and then murdered her husband and his friend to cover it up.

Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart. Psalms 51:6 (ESV)

Satan is a liar and master deceiver. He spews out deception as a means of misrepresenting God, subverting truth, and destroying people. Thankfully, God lovingly counters Satan’s every move. Whereas the Lord is never surprised by events, Satan never anticipates God’s wisdom and creative responses. Evil is clever but not wise. It may secure initial gains but always loses the war.

Since sin deformed humanity from the inside out by severing our connection to God in the spirit, God’s salvation works from the inside out, too. What our Lord does inside us who believe via the new birth is greater than anything Adam and Eve ever knew.

God, Immanuel, comes to live inside us! After giving us new birth in the spirit, God engages in transforming His people from the inside out by his Spirit.

When the eternal Logos, the Divine Son of God, became a human being (John 1:14), he called himself “the Truth.”

Jesus *said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me. John 14:6 (NASB)

Jesus the Messiah maintained complete integrity between his inner thoughts, words, and actions, even though it eventually cost Him His life. He was a fearless embodiment and pursuer of truth.

A disciple is a person whose eyes have been opened through revelation to understand that Jesus is God’s Truth incarnate, the risen Messiah King. Disciples believe this in their hearts, confess it with their mouths, commit to a lifelong allegiance to Jesus and the truth, tell others about him, and cooperate with the Holy Spirit in the process of inner transformation.

Being a disciple means being committed to living according to God’s truth.

Then Jesus said to those Judeans who had believed him, “If you continue to follow my teaching, you are really my disciples 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:31-32 (NET1)

Because of the way inheritance works, all of us received from Adam a default predisposition to being deceivers and liars. Jacob in Genesis has always been one of my favorite Bible characters, not because of who he was and what he did, but because, in spite of his many faults, failures, and sins, God still loved and remained faithful to him. Jacob’s name means deceiver and usurper. He is a picture of every person who comes into the world. Over time God changed him so radically that he was even given a new name – Israel. We serve an amazingly merciful and generous God!

Deception is so deeply ingrained in the human race that it takes an act of God to change us.

We must be spiritually reborn to start the process of transformation. This process continues over a lifetime. It involves God restructuring how we think about him, ourselves, and his Word.

Repentance is a word that literally means to change the mind. God works in us to change the way we think so that our lives can become conformed to truth.

Do not be conformed to this present world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may test and approve what is the will of God — what is good and well-pleasing and perfect. Romans 12:2 (NET1)

God gave Jacob a name that exposed his lack of integrity. Imagine being named, “Liar” or “Deceiver”. God is not afraid of telling it like it is, especially when he has a plan to redeem and change the person. Along the way, through God’s dealings, Jacob was forced to take a long hard look at his own deceptiveness. If we commit to following truth, God will also make us confront our sin, too. Today anyone named Jacob is a reminder of how God can take the most crooked of people and make them spiritual fathers.

God loves to force us into a corner from which there is no escape except by engaging in a wrestling match with Truth.

Jacob wrestled with the angel at the river Jabbok, and God prevailed in his life. The result was that Jacob became a prince with God and a great man in God’s kingdom. The same will happen to us if we commit to engaging the Truth.

Embracing truth is not easy. In fact, it can be one of the most challenging things we will ever do.

People often run from truth because we are afraid of it. We don’t want to face the truth about ourselves or God because we may think it is too painful or scary. According to Jesus, people prefer the darkness of deception to the brilliant light of truth.

And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. 20  All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed. John 3:19-20 (NLT)

If we want to experience the freedom offered in Christ, we will need to squarely face truth with the help of the Holy Spirit.

We need not fear the One called the Truth who chose to die for us. He has no desire to destroy us with truth. Instead he wants us to be free because we embrace truth on the inside.

The only way we can properly relate to God and experience true freedom is through the avenue of repentance, which is the process by which we reject the lie and embrace the Truth.

When we admit that we are wrong and God is right we have begun the repentance journey. We make the decision to reject deception and become honest with God, ourselves, and one another. Repentance is the opposite of hypocrisy, which is when we pretend to be something we are not in order to look good to others and hide our sin.

One of the scariest things any person can do is become honest.

That is why people become so angry when their sin is exposed. We usually go into cover-up mode (denial) to try to keep damage to a minimum. Friendships can be damaged or lost by being honest if one of the parties is unwilling to embrace truth. That is why King David’s response to the prophet was so refreshing. When Nathan declared, “You are the man!”, exposing David as an adulterer and murderer, David responded, “I have sinned!” (2 Samuel 12:1-15) How rare is that? How many times have you seen someone instantly and openly admit a transgression?

Deception is rampant in society and honesty rare. but, in the church, it is supposed to be the norm.

Politics survives and thrives on lies. Hollywood is built on the unreal product it presents. Some of the biggest blockbuster movies depend on special effects to transport the viewer into a surreal world where God does not exist and sin often has no apparent consequences. But life is not like that at all. Life is built on the timeless truth of sowing and reaping. It eventually brings us face to face with God’s truth. We will either surrender to it or be destroyed by it. There is no escaping a confrontation with the God of truth.

A life based on sin and deception will always lead us into a dead-end alley from which there no escape except by admitting our sin and accepting God’s truth.

Jacob was forced into a confrontation with his older brother Esau, something he had avoided for years. He feared what Esau might do to him, because he had previously tricked his brother years before and taken his blessing and birthright. God forced Jacob to confront his fears, and, by so doing, to confront his own deceptiveness, all within the protection of God’s love. The result was that Jacob overcame his fears and gained a new status with his brother and God. He no longer had to skulk about in fear, but could walk in boldness and freedom. The same can happen for us if we allow the Holy Spirit to guide us into truth.

God will help us confront things we have run from in the past so that we can experience Christ’s freedom. The more we grow in our knowledge of how much God loves us, the more we will trust him enough to be honest.

Prayer

Dear God, I have run from truth many times, but now I want to fully embrace it, no matter how scary it seems, because I know you love me and want me to be free on the inside. Jesus, thank you for dying and rising for me. Thank you for loving me even when I was your enemy. Thank you for being patient with me and helping me to get to this point. I rely on you to help me move forward in my truth journey. Come, Holy Spirit. You are the one who gives me the strength and ability to live for Jesus. You are the Spirit of truth, my friend, and my God. Have your way in my life. Make me a lover of truth. Amen.

Go back to Part 7.

Read Part 9: All Bondage Is Built on a Lie

Share this post...
Share this post...