HIGH STAKES

We are at a time of very high stakes as a nation and as a church. With the political divide now far greater than any divides over race, where you live, or how much or how little money you make, people are often at each other's throats.  I was in a meeting of Christians last week where they handed out flyers on how to oppose the elected government - the hatred was very thinly veiled, and later one of the attendees who is lock, stock, and barrel into their agenda committed slander, expressed vitriol and hate, and cared nothing for the scriptural mandate to honor the king.

I also hear kind voices telling people not to criticize others. Obviously, some make a cottage industry of being negative and opposing everyone but themselves, but scripture is very clear we are not to accept deviant beliefs or ministers who deviate from scripture and lead people astray. Paul said things probably even the most aggressive blogger would stop short of saying.

I am reading an EXCELLENT book titled WOKE JESUS.  It details the start of totally changing the image people have of Jesus that started in the 1700's with the German theologian Immanuel Kant. The emphasis on the humanity of Jesus and diminishing and then tanking his deity and oneness with the Father continued on with Hume, Tillich, MKL, Jr., and just about every WOKE seminary professor today including those from the Southern Baptist Convention. People have painted on a "Jesus canvas" their OWN ideas and made him either Nordic, Black, married, gay, confused, or an anti-Semite.  That is what happened in Germany - they stripped the favor of the Jews from the Bible and made an Aryan Jesus of their own making. Today, people attribute in blasphemous ways their own sins to Jesus, the sinless one. They seek to demonize actual Christians who love and believe the scriptures and who have a vibrant, intimate, and deeply satisfying relationship with the Son of God Himself. They opposed everything God stands for, and ministers of the gospel MUST warn people about these folks as all others who are wolves among the flock. 

So many like to key on the buffoons on so-called Christian TV who are easy targets, but there are far more of these people in local churches that people attend, defend, and give to. They slowly introduce destructive heresies and with the loyalty of the parishioners in hand, they go deeper and deeper into deception. hey often start by "demythologizing" Genesis. They say God did not create everything in six days despite a direct quote of God Himself in Exodus 20 that He indeed did do exactly that. They say the Bible is not a science book, and of course, it is not ONLY a science book, but the Devil loves to start with things like this. The Devil ALWAYS puts man's ideas above God. Do alleged scientists who indict themselves as fools when they confess they believe there is no God carry more weight to ministers than the Holy Spirit who hovered over the face of the waters and was there with the Father and the Son when all this occurred? I see people talking about "old-earth creationism" which also denies the global flood. Interestingly enough, Peter, who made no claims to bring a scientist, but who wrote under the unction and direction of the Holy Spirit, said people in the last days would be destroyed just as those in Noah's day. clinging to uniformitarianism that would dominate the day. EVERYTHING PETER SAID HAS BEEN TRUE FOR OVER 150 YEARS. 

People do not start off denying the resurrection. The build-up to it can take years, but if never addressed, you will be lost. NEVER DOUBT anything in the Bible. If you have an issue, ASK GOD. If you cannot hear His answer, tap other saints for their wisdom. Never let a difficulty in your spirit go unattended. The stakes are TOO HIGH for that. Faith is a gift. You need to keep receiving it from God. Never stop exercising faith, never stop receiving from God.  He has the answers you are seeking. Do not gamble when there are HIGH STAKES involved.