Pastor’s Blog 5.8.19

Last Wednesday night, I was ministering on “The struggle is real” and I was referring to the fact that if you believe and practice the teachings of the early church, and the Apostles doctrine, that you will be a “freak show in the world system”. Think about it. The scripture says:

1 Peter 4:1-6

4:1 Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin,

2 that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God.

3 For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles — when we walked in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries.

4 In regard to these, they think it strange that you do not run with them in the same flood of dissipation, speaking evil of you. 

5 They will give an account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.

6 For this reason the gospel was preached also to those who are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit. NKJV

I don’t laugh at the filthy jokes of the world any more do you? What they call entertainment we are offended by. Look at the following passage:

2 Peter 2:4-3:1 Doom of False Teachers

4 For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment;

5 and did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, one of eight people, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly;

6 and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction, making them an example to those who afterward would live ungodly;

7 and delivered righteous Lot, who was oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked

8(for that righteous man, dwelling among them, tormented his righteous soul from day to day by seeing and hearing their lawless deeds) — 

9 then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment,

10 and especially those who walk according to the flesh in the lust of uncleanness and despise authority. They are presumptuous, self-willed. They are not afraid to speak evil of dignitaries,

11 whereas angels, who are greater in power and might, do not bring a reviling accusation against them before the Lord.

12 Depravity of False Teachers But these, like natural brute beasts made to be caught and destroyed, speak evil of the things they do not understand, and will utterly perish in their own corruption,

13 and will receive the wages of unrighteousness, as those who count it pleasure to carouse in the daytime. They are spots and blemishes, carousing in their own deceptions while they feast with you,

14 having eyes full of adultery and that cannot cease from sin, enticing unstable souls. They have a heart trained in covetous practices, and are accursed children.

15 They have forsaken the right way and gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;

16 but he was rebuked for his iniquity: a dumb donkey speaking with a man’s voice restrained the madness of the prophet.

17 These are wells without water, clouds carried by a tempest, for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.  

18 Deceptions of False Teachers For when they speak great swelling words of emptiness, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through lewdness, the ones who have actually escaped from those who live in error.

19 While they promise them liberty, they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by whom a person is overcome, by him also he is brought into bondage.

20 For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning.

21 For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them.

22 But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: “A dog returns to his own vomit,” and, “a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire.”  NKJV

There are so many warnings in the scriptures about living in sin. I was listening to one of the most popular Bible teachers in America the other day and he said, “Your spirit is perfect when you are born again and your spirit is like “vacuum sealed” by the Holy Spirit, therefore, no sin you commit in your soul or body can affect your spirit.” He went on to say, “That doesn’t mean you should live in sin because that will give the devil access to your soul and body”. What about this verse:

2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1

14 Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?

15 And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever?

16 And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will dwell in them  And walk among them. I will be their God, And they shall be My people.”  

17 Therefore “Come out from among them  And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you.”  

18’I will be a Father to you, And you shall be My sons and daughters, Says the LORD Almighty.”  

2 Corinthians 7

7:1 Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. NKJV

Someone made the comment, “Your notes and blogs are mostly just scriptures”.

You bet! You see, I am called to teach you the Bible, not my opinion. I am trying to call attention to the truth in context. I don’t like plucking a verse out of context and then creating my own interpretation of it by pulling a couple other scriptures out of context and writing my own Bible. That’s “Kingdom fake news.” If I can get you to read and give attention to the Bible and read the whole thought of the original intent, I have done my job.

Recently, another very popular Christian leader said that he no longer used sayings like, “the scripture says”, or “the Bible says”, he went on to say that “offends people.” Really? Hasn’t Jesus been offending people for 2000 years?

One thing about these “new breed of preachers” they will never have to worry about much persecution or martyrdom, because they never say anything that could offend anyone. If Jesus had done that he would not have been crucified. Think about that!