DECEPTION

In the garden called Eden where God had placed the man and woman He had created, they enjoyed incredible FREEDOM.  Not simply the freedom to do as they chose to do; but a freedom from certain things.

•         They were free from worry
•         They were free from adversity
•         They were free from shame
•         They were free from strife
•         They were free from horror
•         They were free from tragedy
•         They were free from SIN and its cost of DEATH and                                 DESTRUCTION

Then along came a serpent.  A slithering, slimy snake bent on just that, both Death and Destruction.  With one action, that of deceiving the woman, which caused the man to join her, this serpent brought down every ounce of freedom the man and woman had enjoyed.  

Suddenly they found themselves confronted with their own nakedness, and with that discovery came worse.

•         They began to worry about being naked
•         They tensed with the idea of being confronted by God
•         They tried to hide from their shame
•         They realized too late the horror of the consequences of what              they had done
•         They understood the tragic loss of freedom they had suffered
•         SIN and its darkness entered their hearts, their minds and their         souls and as a direct result, their fellowship with God was                   destroyed and they suffered immediate spiritual death and                 eventual physical death

This same deceit occurs today with the same consequences of death and destruction still accompanying it everywhere it finds a soul who falls prey to its lie.

Ephesians 6:12

¹² For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

Satan has no need to wreak havoc in the lives of some.  He is content to leave them alone in the quietness of their own sad desperation.  Because they are no threat to him.  A great deceit has taken place and many are only too happy to accept it. 

It is the deceit that there is no enemy.   No devil, no hell and no spiritual wickedness existing on this earth preying on the hearts of men and women.  We have no need to guard our hearts against an adversary who we have been convinced does not exist. It isn't that we don't "believe in" God.

It is more that if there is no enemy, there is no need of a deliverer.  In this way then, many live in apathy toward the truth God has given us.  After all, if we have no devil, we have no need of a Savior.  This is one of the deceitful ways satan has kept many who live otherwise “good” and “decent” lives from receiving Christ and living the truly ABUNDANT lives of JOY and PEACE and RIGHTEOUSNESS that God actually intends for us.

What then are we to do? 

I can tell you truly that it is not Gods intention that we sit passively and complacently while He spoon feeds truth and deliverance to us.

We are to take action!  

FOLLOW AFTER

DILIGENTLY SEEK

ZEALOUSLY PURSUE

EARNESTLY DESIRE

1 Corinthians 6:9

Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites...

2 Corinthians 11:3

But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

Consider this:  

If I am wrong, if the Bible is a book of fairy tales and there is no God, I've lost nothing by living as if every word is true and absolute.  I'll die when my time comes, and whatever there is, will be.  Meanwhile, I can tell you truthfully that my life has been filled with meaning and purpose beyond myself, and I have personally witnessed  and been the recipient of miraculous things that defy description.

If you who insist there is no truth, no God and no need of a Savior named Jesus; if you have been deceived and are wrong, you will die when your time comes, and you will face unspeakable regret that you did not receive the truth when it was presented to you.  Meanwhile, where do you turn when life is difficult?  Where do you find peace and comfort?  When this world has no answers and you NEED answers, where do you turn?  

God's greatest desire is that ALL THE MEN AND WOMEN HE CREATED will turn to Him, trust Him and receive the forgiveness of sin and deliverance he made available through the sacrificial death on a cross of His only begotten son, Jesus.

WHY?  That's an easy question to answer.

  

John 3:16:  for God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son that whosoever will believe on Him will not perish, but have everlasting life.

Isn't that what all the popular songs we sing tell us? 

THAT LOVE IS THE ANSWER!  :O) 

If you need help, there is a loving answer for your situation.  Please fill out the prayer request form in the upper left.  We'll pray.  You pray.  And watch God come to rescue the child He loves unconditionally!

Radio's, Sin and this thing called CHURCH

Remember when the radio was the
focal point of every home?  It's
still a great source of information.

  I was listening to the radio this week and was especially pleased to hear an interview about     to start with Pastor Jim Cymbala.  At one time I was part of the choir of a sister church with   the Brooklyn Tabernacle and had the distinct pleasure of attending not only several Sunday   services at the Brooklyn Tab, but also of taking part in several choir workshops.  Attending     a Tuesday prayer night at the Brooklyn Tab is not an evening you are likely to forget.  I’m a   fan, too, having read all of his books and looking forward to reading the newest one.  

Can you imagine my shock when the first thing I heard Pastor Cymbala tell the radio host interviewing him that only 6% of Americans are actually Biblical Christians!  He went on to clarify that what he meant by that was only 6% of those identifying themselves as Christians in recent polls also specified belief that Jesus is the one and only way to heaven.

When I could force my dropped jam to snap shut I realized I wasn’t actually that shocked after all.  Over the last several years that Turn the Tide Ministries has been traveling the US and sharing the message of the Gospel, we’ve visited a lot of churches and talked with a lot of folks.  Folks in church, not attending church regularly at this time and those who have never attended church.  In every one of these categories of people we’ve heard their own versions about all the different ways to reach heaven.  We’ve listened to argument after argument that God surely isn’t going to “send” so and so to hell just because they are

·        Homosexual

·        Fornicators; living in sin

·        Abusing drugs or alcohol

·        Telling white lies

·        Only stealing from their company because they are underpaid

·        Cheating on their husband/wife but it’s the spouses fault

See I Corinthians 6:9 and Ephesians 5:5, then we’ll talk more about that.

What we’ve learned over the last few years specifically is that there is a serious sin problem plaguing  American Christians.  The sin problem isn’t as simple as that people are sinning and need to repent.  It’s a tougher problem even than that!  It’s a problem exacerbated by the fact that few church leaders are preaching against sin, they make light of sin or they are simply excusing it altogether!  If I had a dollar for every time someone told me “Oh, my pastor said God won’t hold (fill in the blank) against me.  I’ll just be forgiven.”  

Forgiveness isn’t automatic and though it is freely given it isn’t cheap and easy.  In first recognizing that we are sinners, that we have committed sin, we must repent in sincere sorrow and ask forgiveness in a heart that does not plan to continue in sin.  That doesn’t seem to be a concept anyone understands anymore.  The teaching we’ve heard goes along the lines of as long as you show up in church regularly and drop money in the offering plate or bucket or basket, you are okay with God and don’t need to concern yourself with much more than that, unless it’s something really obvious, and even then, the teaching goes, grace will cover so just get on with your life and don’t worry about it.

 

HUH!?!?! 

It seems anything goes, as long as you can report a certain number of church attendee’s.  We were invited to visit a church down south and attended the praise and worship practice.  I was frankly shocked at the harshness of the worship leader toward those volunteering their time to provide music.  Perfection was his goal and nothing less down to the minutest detail would be tolerated.  Turns out the worship leader was also the Pastor.  Made me wonder how he behaved toward the sheep entrusted to his care when they fell short of the perfection he demanded.  I discovered the answer the next morning.  

The music was indeed pitch perfect.  It was also cold and lifeless.  There was not so much worship as there was a performance, which the audience, ummm, I mean, congregation, dutifully applauded for when it was over.  The preaching was also lifeless.  No evidence of the Holy Spirit present or invited.  As much as was humanly possible all was orchestrated to a cold, calculated perfection that left me craving some time with God the Father to recuperate from the exhaustion of just watching the attempt to master perfection through the flesh.

YUK!

In a recent editorial, J. Lee Grady, the Editor of Charisma, a Christian magazine, made the following observation.

“I don’t care if you have strobe lights, fog machines, killer musicians and a home-run sermon every week. If people don’t see true brokenness in the pulpit and experience real pastoral care, they will never grow into disciples. Shallow, professional leaders produce shallow Christianity.”  

I agree wholeheartedly!  On the other end of the spectrum, we sat in a service with barely a handful of people and very little polish in evidence.  It was clear these were not trained or educated folks.  Just people reaching out to the Lord.  And they did not quit crying out and singing and praising Him until they broke through and reached the Throne room.  The music was off key, it was obvious none of them actually knew how to play any of the instruments, but it was one of the sweetest sounds we’d ever heard.  I’m guessing it was to God, too, because He showed up and the service was anointed.  The prayers were powerful and the love was evident in abundance.

We have moved so far away from the biblical model we find in the book of Acts, where the truth was preached at all costs, including the cost of their very lives.  Nowadays, we are so concerned with "our" reputations, we have little to no regard for the reputation of the only one that counts.  That of Jesus our Lord and Savior.   Most church leadership would and DOES reject this style of church service.  They appear content to please the people in return for the mammon they worship, oh sorry, I mean, the money they NEED to keep the church doors open and the retirement funds full. 

Church has become about everything BUT Jesus and His gospel message and all about programs, formula’s and our own brand of Christian Celebrities (more on these next week) all carefully wrapped around God, clothed in the name of God but having very little to do with Him at all.  

Daily reading of THIS bread
will keep us well FED!

My bottom line here is similar to how I heard Pastor Cymbala end his radio interview.

When it comes to the gathering of the saints of God, and please do not misunderstand me, I know that gathering to strengthen and encourage and teach and disciple is of great importance, it should not be about well planned programs and it surely should not be about following the latest fad or church growth formula.  The planning stage should begin and end with a sincere and humble heart before God, our Bibles, a quiet time of contemplation and prayer and a fervent request for WISDOM from God the Father in how to “do” this thing we call church.    

PRAYERS REQUESTS MAY BE MADE BY FILLING OUT THE FORM AT THE TOP LEFT OF THE PAGE.  WE PRAY DAILY AND HOST PRAYER SERVICES ON FRIDAY EVENINGS.  WE ASK THAT YOU KEEP TURN THE TIDE MINISTRIES IN YOUR PRAYERS, AND MAY THE GOD OF PEACE BLESS US ALL WITH WISDOM AND UNDERSTANDING IN THE HOLY SPIRIT.

Contradictions

Every once in awhile I am reminded that PEOPLE wrote Gods word.  As they were moved by the Holy Spirit, to be sure, theo pneunustos - "God Breathed", and over the many years since, God has diligently protected His word and kept it available to believers age after age.  I've NO DOUBT He will continue to do so until the day Jesus returns to gather the Saints to Himself...."and so shall we ever be with the Lord."

So when I say I am reminded people wrote the Word, what I mean by that is they received the inspiration (II Timothy 3:16  All scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for instruction in righteousness...)  but they wrote according to their vernacular, their syntax, in the language they understood.  Which when translated to different languages can easily result in a misunderstanding on the part of the reader.  That's how apparent "contradictions" exist.  Men have argued, fussed, fought and even killed over these supposed contradictions.  I am of the opinion that if Gods word appears to contradict itself, we need to dig a little deeper to dispel those contradictions, by expanding our overall understanding.

Hebrews 6: 4-6  For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened and have tasted the heavenly gift and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit and have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the age to come, if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance  since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God and put Him to an open shame.  
Yet in James 5: 19-20 we read  Brethren, if any of YOU err from the truth and another converts him, let him know that he which converts the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death and shall hide a multitude of sin.  And again in I John 1: 8-9  If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.  If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

These three verses would appear to be a contradiction, wouldn't they.  James is clearly talking to "Brethren" or brothers (and sisters) in Christ, those born again, members of the Household of Faith.  John is clearly talking to to believers with the use of the word "we".  So, is Hebrews speaking to unbelievers, or believers?  If we SIN after receiving salvation are we damned?  Or do we confess and receive forgiveness?  Hebrews would also clearly indicate that "re-salvation" is not an option, as it puts Christ to shame, like the first salvation "didn't take" and wasn't good enough.

Sounds like quite the confusing contradiction, and men have debated it for ages.  Scholars have applied all their great wisdom, and yet many of them still contradict each other.  Jesus said something similar to the Jews during His time of ministry on the earth.  Remember this scripture?  Luke 9: 62 " No one having put his hand to the plow and looking back is fit for the kingdom of God."

Jesus was addressing a certain people group - the Israelites, or Hebrews.  His own Jewish people.  The book of Hebrews was written to the same people group. There are LONG dissertations which explain this seeming contradiction in great detail, and if you are interested, just ask and I will gladly expand for those who have an interest.  For the sake of brevity here, then, is the short version.  There is NO CONTRADICTION AT ALL.  Taken as a "stand alone" verse, it would seem Hebrews 6 is a dire warning.  However, read in context and in light of all the information available, those particular verses are referring to those who have NOT had a true and heart changing encounter with the Lords Salvation gift.  The writer in Hebrews isn't specifically saying those in Christ who fall away are damned.  He is saying it is IMPOSSIBLE for those truly "born again" of Gods spirit to fall away.  

Yes, a believer may indeed sin - we know that we do in the weakness of our flesh, but we are convicted of that sin by Gods spirit that lives in us, and we repent, turn away from the sin, and God forgives us.  If someone is struggling mightily with sin a fellow believer may step in, praying for them and discipling them until they have the strength to stand on their own, as James indicates, and that is a GOOD THING.  Go back and re-read Hebrews.  Leave out all the man inserted chapters and punctuation and read the whole letter.  The writer of Hebrews is making a great, and valid point.

THOSE TRULY BORN AGAIN NEED NEVER CRUCIFY JESUS AGAIN, NEED NEVER "BE SAVED" A SECOND TIME, THEY NEED ONLY TO ASK AND RECEIVE FORGIVENESS.  IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR ONE WHO TRULY REPENTED AND RECEIVED SALVATION TO "LOSE IT" TO THE END THEY NEED A SECOND DOSE.

Happy week to all.  We'd love to hear from you.  Comments are welcome below, and you are always welcome to email us directly.  REMEMBER:  WE ARE PRAYING FOR ALL OF YOU!