faith
Nothing Like A Good Spy Movie
// Filed in: Inspirational
Torn Curtain, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, 13 Rue Madeleine! What do these films have in common beyond being excellent spy dramas? They are films depicting double agents. They only thing that makes a spy film a better spy film is for one or more of the spies to be double agents. As it turns out, though, I am not at my keyboard today to discuss the merits of good film plots. No, I want to discuss those double agents who have invaded the Christian community, the Body of Messiah.
It is nothing to be marveled at or pondered over. Christian “double agents” have been around since the birth of the Church. The apostle John wrote of them in 1 John chapter 2; the apostle Peter wrote of them in 2 Peter chapter 2; Jude wrote of them; the apostle Paul wrote of them in 2 Corinthians chapter 11 and Philippians chapter 3; and Yeshua, himself, spoke of them in the gospel of Matthew chapters 7, 15, and 19.
But I am not talking about the “obvious” double agents of the Christian community; “false teachers.” We all recognize those guys, right? They are the ones who say things like, “Sure, faith is necessary for salvation, but you have to add works to faith in order to be saved.” Those people are like neon signs to all of us...right? Right! No, what I want to focus on today is that surreptitious “double agent” who sits beside you in Church every Sunday.
I am concerned about those Christians who live like the devil himself Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. They are out there in the world cleverly disguised as “worldly people” so they will be more readily accepted by the people of the world. They party like non-Christians, they have casual sex like non-Christians, they download porn like non-Christians, they even cheat and steal like non-Christians. But on Sundays and Wednesday evening prayer meetings, they are there, in Church, with Bibles in hand, a clean shirt, and combed hair. These people look and act like model Christians, but they are “double agents.”
For five days of the week they live to please both themselves and the world. The other two days they appear to please God and the Church. But in the midst of their duplicity, they will claim to have allegiance only to God, the Bible, and Yeshua.
These “double agents” of the Christian community have forgotten that the Lord Yeshua Messiah has made them kings and priests (Revelation 1:5-6), a fact that Peter confirms in 1 Peter 2:5, 9. And a portion of the duties of priests is to make a difference between what is holy and what is unholy; between what is clean and what is unclean (Leviticus 10:10; 11:47; 20:25; Ezekiel 22:26; 44:23).
Even though the Law of Moses has been rendered inoperative with the death of Messiah (Hebrews 7:12, 18; Romans 7:5-6; 10:4; Galatians 3:19), Paul makes a point of our need to be separate from the world by quoting two of the major prophets:
Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, —2 Corinthians 6:17. This verse combines a verse from Isaiah and one from Ezekiel.
Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch no unclean thing; go ye out of the midst of her; be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the LORD. —Isaiah 52:11
I will accept you with your sweet savour, when I bring you out from the people, and gather you out of the countries wherein ye have been scattered; and I will be sanctified in you before the heathen. —Ezekiel 20:41
The risen Lord of Glory, our High Priest, Yeshua, himself, told the apostle Paul that he was separated FROM the people.
But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee; Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee, To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.—Acts 25:16-18
Paul was not to infiltrate the ranks of the unbelievers and appear as one of them, as so many of our fellow Christians are doing today. Rather Paul was to set an example of holiness and righteousness for those who have not yet believed. Paul was to be an example of cleanliness and uprightness, he was not to wallow in the filth of the world. Paul was not called to be a double agent.
By now you may be wondering what my point is in writing this. It is simply this: you, brother or sister, you have a minimum duty to speak to these double agents concerning their current way of life. If you believe you can just “love them” back into a clean walk, or “love them” to repentance, then you are adopting a cowardly, unscriptural approach to the problem. Why?
If “just loving them” was sufficient to bring them to repentance, then Scriptures like John 3:16 and Romans 5:8 would suffice to bring all of humanity to kneel before the Cross of Messiah. Merely “loving” people and having a strong affection for them does not feed hungry people; does not clothe naked people; does not make believers out of unbelievers, and it certainly does not bring repentance to those “double agents” currently under consideration. There is no greater love than God’s love, and people are going to hell while standing in the glorious light of that perfect love.
Good people, we are not here to please the world, and we are not here to please ourselves. Our singular aim is supposed to be pleasing God. This aim is both our personal goal and our collective goal as the Christian community. These “double agents” are in mortal danger of defecting back to the world’s domain. We (you) must let them know they are in trouble. We (you) must warn them that their lives are in peril.
If a man’s house was on fire, would you not help to put it out? Would you not grab your hose and work fervently to help extinguish those flames? Or would you simply love them with all the compassion available in your heart as you watched his house burn to the ground? Likewise, when a man’s soul is ablaze with the fires of sin and wantonness, are you going to at least mention to him that his immortal soul is being burned, or are you just going to love him from a distance and “trust” that God will “work all things together for his good”?
What does Scripture say we should do? Well, the first thing you should do is pray. There is no substitute for prayer. But once you have prayed, you have a duty to act, in faith, on God’s word.
Herald and preach the Word! Keep your sense of urgency [stand by, be at hand and ready], whether the opportunity seems to be favorable or unfavorable. [Whether it is convenient or inconvenient, whether it is welcome or unwelcome, you as preacher of the Word are to show people in what way their lives are wrong.] And convince them, rebuking and correcting, warning and urging and encouraging them, being unflagging and inexhaustible in patience and teaching. —2 Timothy 4:2 AMP
In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will. —2 Timothy 2:25-26 KJV
But now I write to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of [Christian] brother if he is known to be guilty of immorality or greed, or is an idolater [whose soul is devoted to any object that usurps the place of God], or is a person with a foul tongue [railing, abusing, reviling, slandering], or is a drunkard or a swindler or a robber. [No] you must not so much as eat with such a person. What [business] of mine is it and what right have I to judge outsiders? Is it not those inside [the church] upon whom you are to pass disciplinary judgment [passing censuring sentence on them as the facts require]? God alone sits in judgment on those who are outside. Drive out that wicked one from among you [expel him from your church]. —1 Corinthians 5:11-13 AMP
The expulsion from the Church does not happen until the “double agent” has been given an opportunity to repent. And do not chew on that dirty old rag about “we are not supposed to judge.” Paul made it abundantly clear that we are absolutely responsible to judge those CLAIMING to be in the Body of Messiah.
The good news is that you, even you, dear Christian, can help prevent a “double agent” from defecting. You are not required to convince him, nor are you required to get him to take action. You are only required to speak the truth of God’s Word to him (Ephesians 4:25).
Working together, believing and speaking the same things, is the only way we will help eliminate “double agents;” by bringing them to a place where the Holy Spirit can minister to them and bring them to repentance. §
It is nothing to be marveled at or pondered over. Christian “double agents” have been around since the birth of the Church. The apostle John wrote of them in 1 John chapter 2; the apostle Peter wrote of them in 2 Peter chapter 2; Jude wrote of them; the apostle Paul wrote of them in 2 Corinthians chapter 11 and Philippians chapter 3; and Yeshua, himself, spoke of them in the gospel of Matthew chapters 7, 15, and 19.
But I am not talking about the “obvious” double agents of the Christian community; “false teachers.” We all recognize those guys, right? They are the ones who say things like, “Sure, faith is necessary for salvation, but you have to add works to faith in order to be saved.” Those people are like neon signs to all of us...right? Right! No, what I want to focus on today is that surreptitious “double agent” who sits beside you in Church every Sunday.
I am concerned about those Christians who live like the devil himself Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. They are out there in the world cleverly disguised as “worldly people” so they will be more readily accepted by the people of the world. They party like non-Christians, they have casual sex like non-Christians, they download porn like non-Christians, they even cheat and steal like non-Christians. But on Sundays and Wednesday evening prayer meetings, they are there, in Church, with Bibles in hand, a clean shirt, and combed hair. These people look and act like model Christians, but they are “double agents.”
For five days of the week they live to please both themselves and the world. The other two days they appear to please God and the Church. But in the midst of their duplicity, they will claim to have allegiance only to God, the Bible, and Yeshua.
These “double agents” of the Christian community have forgotten that the Lord Yeshua Messiah has made them kings and priests (Revelation 1:5-6), a fact that Peter confirms in 1 Peter 2:5, 9. And a portion of the duties of priests is to make a difference between what is holy and what is unholy; between what is clean and what is unclean (Leviticus 10:10; 11:47; 20:25; Ezekiel 22:26; 44:23).
Even though the Law of Moses has been rendered inoperative with the death of Messiah (Hebrews 7:12, 18; Romans 7:5-6; 10:4; Galatians 3:19), Paul makes a point of our need to be separate from the world by quoting two of the major prophets:
Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, —2 Corinthians 6:17. This verse combines a verse from Isaiah and one from Ezekiel.
Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch no unclean thing; go ye out of the midst of her; be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the LORD. —Isaiah 52:11
I will accept you with your sweet savour, when I bring you out from the people, and gather you out of the countries wherein ye have been scattered; and I will be sanctified in you before the heathen. —Ezekiel 20:41
The risen Lord of Glory, our High Priest, Yeshua, himself, told the apostle Paul that he was separated FROM the people.
But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee; Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee, To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.—Acts 25:16-18
Paul was not to infiltrate the ranks of the unbelievers and appear as one of them, as so many of our fellow Christians are doing today. Rather Paul was to set an example of holiness and righteousness for those who have not yet believed. Paul was to be an example of cleanliness and uprightness, he was not to wallow in the filth of the world. Paul was not called to be a double agent.
By now you may be wondering what my point is in writing this. It is simply this: you, brother or sister, you have a minimum duty to speak to these double agents concerning their current way of life. If you believe you can just “love them” back into a clean walk, or “love them” to repentance, then you are adopting a cowardly, unscriptural approach to the problem. Why?
If “just loving them” was sufficient to bring them to repentance, then Scriptures like John 3:16 and Romans 5:8 would suffice to bring all of humanity to kneel before the Cross of Messiah. Merely “loving” people and having a strong affection for them does not feed hungry people; does not clothe naked people; does not make believers out of unbelievers, and it certainly does not bring repentance to those “double agents” currently under consideration. There is no greater love than God’s love, and people are going to hell while standing in the glorious light of that perfect love.
Good people, we are not here to please the world, and we are not here to please ourselves. Our singular aim is supposed to be pleasing God. This aim is both our personal goal and our collective goal as the Christian community. These “double agents” are in mortal danger of defecting back to the world’s domain. We (you) must let them know they are in trouble. We (you) must warn them that their lives are in peril.
If a man’s house was on fire, would you not help to put it out? Would you not grab your hose and work fervently to help extinguish those flames? Or would you simply love them with all the compassion available in your heart as you watched his house burn to the ground? Likewise, when a man’s soul is ablaze with the fires of sin and wantonness, are you going to at least mention to him that his immortal soul is being burned, or are you just going to love him from a distance and “trust” that God will “work all things together for his good”?
What does Scripture say we should do? Well, the first thing you should do is pray. There is no substitute for prayer. But once you have prayed, you have a duty to act, in faith, on God’s word.
Herald and preach the Word! Keep your sense of urgency [stand by, be at hand and ready], whether the opportunity seems to be favorable or unfavorable. [Whether it is convenient or inconvenient, whether it is welcome or unwelcome, you as preacher of the Word are to show people in what way their lives are wrong.] And convince them, rebuking and correcting, warning and urging and encouraging them, being unflagging and inexhaustible in patience and teaching. —2 Timothy 4:2 AMP
In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will. —2 Timothy 2:25-26 KJV
But now I write to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of [Christian] brother if he is known to be guilty of immorality or greed, or is an idolater [whose soul is devoted to any object that usurps the place of God], or is a person with a foul tongue [railing, abusing, reviling, slandering], or is a drunkard or a swindler or a robber. [No] you must not so much as eat with such a person. What [business] of mine is it and what right have I to judge outsiders? Is it not those inside [the church] upon whom you are to pass disciplinary judgment [passing censuring sentence on them as the facts require]? God alone sits in judgment on those who are outside. Drive out that wicked one from among you [expel him from your church]. —1 Corinthians 5:11-13 AMP
The expulsion from the Church does not happen until the “double agent” has been given an opportunity to repent. And do not chew on that dirty old rag about “we are not supposed to judge.” Paul made it abundantly clear that we are absolutely responsible to judge those CLAIMING to be in the Body of Messiah.
The good news is that you, even you, dear Christian, can help prevent a “double agent” from defecting. You are not required to convince him, nor are you required to get him to take action. You are only required to speak the truth of God’s Word to him (Ephesians 4:25).
Working together, believing and speaking the same things, is the only way we will help eliminate “double agents;” by bringing them to a place where the Holy Spirit can minister to them and bring them to repentance. §
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Growth In Grace
// Filed in: Grace
What Is The Growth Of Grace?
It is another way of expressing the idea of an increase in the power of the Holy Spirit in the activities of the whole of Christianity. That increase is realized in all of the manifestations of the Holy Spirit, e.g., Love, Joy, Peace, Long suffering, Gentleness, Goodness, Faith, Meekness, Temperance (Galatians 5:22, 23)Along with this is connected an increase in the knowledge of Messiah as our Lord & Savior.
Knowing Messiah As Lord
Knowledge is either speculative (theoretical) or it is experiential, but it cannot be both at the same time apart from Messiah.Both forms of knowledge must be united, and the object of these two forms of knowledge is Messiah as our Lord & Savior.
- Romans 2:20
- Romans 10:2
As Lord, it includes his divinity and his incarnation, as it is the *theanthropos whom we recognize as Lord. An increase in this knowledge of his entire person must include:
- A clearer understanding of God (the Word) electing to become a man himself.
- A clearer understanding of his glory.
- A clearer understanding of his exaltation and dominion.
Knowing Christ As Savior
This includes,A firsthand knowledge of what he does for us in this character.
Inward experience of his saving work on our own souls.
2 Corinthians 5:17-19
Means Of Growth In Grace
The necessary conditions of all growth are light, food and exercise.Light and warmth. This is, so far as spiritual life is concerned, the favor of God, the assurance of it, the experience of it. We must bring our souls under the direct influence of God’s love. The more this is done, the more life shall we have. However, it must be in the way the gospel prescribes.
The food of the soul is truth.
a. This must be pure, i.e., scriptural
Hebrews 5:12, 13
1 Peter 2:2
b. It must be daily received.
c. It must be appropriated, and applied.
The exercise of grace. This includes,
All acts of worship.
All exercises of faith and love, etc.
All outward duties performed in obedience to God and to promote his cause.
Evidences Of Growing In Grace
We are not taking about being zealous or being either guided or driven by feelings/emotions. Nor is it about enjoyment, per se. We are speaking of an increase in—Our submission to the truth.
Our conformity to Christ.
Philippians 3:10
Our power to resist sin and to hear and to do the will of God.
*The word theanthrōpos refers to the entire, concrete person of Messiah—one person in two natures—rather than viewing the matter from one or the other of the natures in an abstract manner.
The Fiery Trial
What have I Been Doing For Two Years?
I can only guess at what people must think about my extended hiatus and total lack of visibility over the past two years. Though my response will probably be less that adequate, it is the truth and will have to suffice.I have, for the past two years, been under a severe spiritual attack. My motives have been questioned, by integrity challenged, my veracity put to the test, and my faith has been tried in on a daily basis. It has been a season of not only testing, but the end result has been spiritual growth. I find the irony to be almost comical in that the title of my last posting here in Lessons For The Heart was Growth In Grace!
Over the past two years I have been ministered to by angels; Lilian, Samantha, Kurt, Maria, David, Kevin, and others. I have been told by others that my unshakeable stand for the absolute authority of God's Word is wrong and that I should be willing to compromise on that in order to maintain peace and unity. It was proclaimed that my insistence on obedience to the clear commands of Scripture was unloving.
My faith has been tried, refined. And I am all the better and all the stronger for it. Though it was not pleasant at the time, the results are beyond words.
I will, once again, be posting here and sharing what the Lord has put upon my heart. My immediate prayer is that you will forgive me for so long and absence and return here again if perhaps I may impart some truth, or blessing, or strength, or hope for your time(s) of Fiery Trial.
Grace and Peace
The Sowing Of The Word
// Filed in: Prayer
Turn to someone beside you and ask if he or she is familiar with the parable of the sower. Chances are quite good that the man or woman will respond in the affirmative. Sure, we have heard the parable of the sower, but have we really understood the message it conveys; maybe not. Resourceful readers will immediately turn to Matthew 13:4, and recite yes she was explanation of this parable; yet they will fail to grasp some of the more significant elements found there.
Gethsemane
I love Yeshua. He has saved me, healed me, delivered me, and made me a man of God. My capacity to declare all of his grace and beauty is pitifully inept. I doubt that I shall ever be able to fully express all that Yeshua is to me, nor all that he has done for me. No surprise that it pains me deeply when I hear preachers and pastors speaking of Yeshua’s experience in Gethsemane as if he were some cringing coward looking desperately for an escape plan. I offer this nugget of instruction as an apology for the utterly false notion that Yeshua was getting “cold feet” in Gethsemane. Read More...
Revival
// Filed in: Prayer | Confession
A revival is nothing but a new beginning of obedience to God. Christians are more to blame for not being revived than sinners are to blame for not being converted. Read More...
Your Throne Rights
All Believers have certain rights, which have come to us by, with, through, and in the Messiah. These rights come to us as a matter of promise, and are received by faith. Your confession should never be controlled by your experience; rather, you should say what God says about you, in Messiah, regardless of your experience (or observation). The more you say it, the more you will live it. Read More...