Warring A Good Warfare
“This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare.” 1 Timothy 1:18
The battle with Satan and sin in not over! Satan is cranking up the “mystery of iniquity” to neutralize God’s people from fighting a true spiritual warfare, and at the same time to energize the forces of anti-christism.
We must not confuse the spiritual warfare with a political or social warfare. Each have their own battleground. Jesus is our example. He never took up a political warfare in His society. He rather waged His warfare by proclaiming the Word of God, which exposed error on all levels, including the social and political.
The church’s mission is to preach the Word of God without compromise. God’s Word is what does the work of God. Thus, we are to hold it forth to the best of our ability. To deny responsibility to God’s laws is to forfeit the power and benefits of God’s authority in our behalf.
The Apostle Paul’s final instructions for spiritual warfare to the Ephesian elders, Acts 20:27-31, was that they would encounter the enemies to the cause of Christ on two major fronts: 1) infiltrators, who would creep in unawares, v29, and 2) home grown problems, v30. The charge was to combat any and all of Satan’s work by taking heed to feed the church of God with the whole counsel of God.
“For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12. Just as God’s Word manifests itself in a believer’s obedient response, it will also root out and manifest those whose hearts are not right with God — “Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled.” Titus 1:15
When the disciples questioned the “negative” impact that Christ’s preaching had on the Pharisees, “But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up.” Matthew 15:13. Anything that God’s Word roots out, is God rooting it out, and necessarily so. So be it! God’s Word feeds, sustains and satisfies believers, but it upsets the apple cart of those who are not building on the foundation (Christ) by faith.
“Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgressions…” Isaiah 58:1. This should be seen as that which uprights God’s people, but also that which uproots that which seeks to devour us. Preach the Word! It is our hope and our defense!
SHARING
Going It Alone By One’s Own Faith
As Christian babes, God carries us on “eagles wings”. But there comes a point where he commands us to grow, unto standing on our own two feet by faith. Unless we respond to this need, Satan will sift us as wheat. We will just be easy prey for his wiles. The Devil seeks to make people dependent on things other than personal prayer and faith. Then when he removes these props, the person falls on their face. Faith is all about being made sufficient, by looking unto Jesus, not leaning on other things.
ABEL stood alone, when he offered his sacrifice by faith, even when it provoked his brother to kill him. NOAH had to go it alone. His world ostracized him, completely discrediting his work and ministry. ABRAHAM was called of God to step out on his own by faith, not knowing the details, but leaving his country and his father’s house. JOSEPH had to go it alone, cut off from his father, being sold into slavery by his own brothers. MOSES had to go it alone. The first time he attempted to help his people, he was scorned, “who made you a prince and a judge over us?” When God sent him back to Egypt, the people resented him, accusing him of just making their problems worse. Most of the time, he was murmured against by the very people he served.
ELIJAH had to go it alone. It is true that Obadiah hid 100 prophets in a cave and there were 7,000 in Israel that had not bowed to Baal. But none stood up with Elijah, he stood alone. DAVID had to leave his wife and family behind and flee from Saul, going out on his own. JOB had to go it alone. His wife considered him to be a fool for his steadfastness of faith. His “friends” all were given to fault finding and criticism. But Job faltered not. DANIEL stood up for God in Babylonian captivity. He went to the den of lions all alone, completely resolved to God’s will being done.
JESUS went to Calvary’s cross and died for our sins all alone! His own disciples forsook Him and fled. You and I never helped Him one bit, as it was our sins that nailed Him to the cross.
JESUS IS CALLING, for those whom He has saved, to take up their cross daily and follow Him. In this day of love growing cold and people turning away, the Saviour asks, “Will ye also go away?” John 6:67-69
SHARINGWhat Has Become Of The United States Of America?
Letter written to Delaware County Daily Times by Mr. Charles Martini, Sr.
To the Times:
Has America become the land of the special interest and home of the double standard? For many it has. Here is a review of current events. Make your own decision.
If we lie to the Congress, it’s a felony. If the Congress lies to us it’s just politics. If we dislike a black person, we’re racist. If a black person dislikes whites, it’s their First Amendment right.
The government spends millions to rehabilitate criminals and they do almost nothing for the victims. In public schools you can teach that homosexuality is OK, but you better not use the word God in the process.
You can kill an unborn child, but it’s wrong to execute a mass murderer. We don’t burn books in America, we now rewrite them. We got rid of the communist and socialist threat by renaming them progressive. We are unable to close our border with Mexico, but we have no problem protecting the 38th parallel in Korea.
If you protest against President Obama’s policies you’re a terrorist or a racist, but if you burned an American flag or George W. Bush’s picture in effigy it was your First Amendment right.
You can have pornography on TV or the Internet, but you better not put a nativity scene in a public park during Christmas. We have eliminated all criminals in America; they are now called sick people. We can use a human fetus for medical research, but it’s wrong to use an animal for drug research to cure a disease.
We take money from those who work hard for it and give it to those who don’t want to work. We all support the Constitution, but only when it supports our political ideology. We still have freedom of speech, but only if we are being politically correct.
We can celebrate Cinco De Mayo and Halloween, but we can’t celebrate Christmas, which is a recognized national holiday and a religious holiday for most of Americans.
We can ask law-abiding citizens to present valid I.D. when cashing a check or making a credit card purchase, but we can’t ask suspicious “illegal aliens” to produce a valid I.D. to verify their status or identify themselves.
We explain away individuals who steal classified and secret communications and distribute them to the press, but can’t hold the press or individuals libel for participating in this life-threatening treachery to our country and armed forces personnel.
We applaud confiscatory taxation and regulation on those who work hard, run an enterprise and play by the rules, then reward drug addicts, slackers, welfare cheats and bums with “benefits” they did not earn to continue their corrupt lifestyles…and call this whole process “social justice” or welfare for the so-called disadvantaged and poor of society.
Actor Wesley Snipes goes to jail for tax evasion, while Democratic Congressman Charles Rangel, who was indicted 20 times for fraud and evasion, gets a mild censure and no jail time from Congress. And you wonder why the U.S. Congress is held in deep contempt with a 20 percent approval rating from U.S. taxpayers and voters.
What has happened to the land of the free and home of the brave?
The answer: America has become a welfare state based on deviant behavior, questionable morals and situation ethics.
SHARINGGod Bless America
“Inquire, I pray thee, of the Lord for us; for Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon maketh war against us; if so be that the Lord will deal with us according to all his wondrous works, that he may go up from us.” Jeremiah 21:2
When sung with reverence, there are few songs that stir the soul like “God Bless America.” It seems to be an important medium to convey that our success as a nation has been due to Divine blessings. We are thus reminded that for continued blessings, we must meet Divine expectations.
At patriotic events, there are still those who call for God’s favor and blessing, in view of the enormity of the challenges facing our nation. Many of those calls are from sincere-hearted patriots. Some follow the pattern of Zedekiah, who habitually ignored God’s Word, but when faced with Nebuchadrezzar’s army that he could not defeat, called upon Jeremiah to pray to God, that God would bless the kingdom with His wondrous works to cause Nebuchadrezzar to depart from them.
But instead of Jeremiah being able to say, “The Lord’s blessings are on the way,” he had to deliver the message from God: “And I myself will fight against you with an outstretched hand and with a strong arm, even in anger, and in fury, and in great wrath.” Jeremiah 21:5
Even though God’s judgment was thus announced, God revealed that His hand was stretched out still for Judah’s repentance: “Thus saith the Lord; Execute ye judgment and righteousness, and deliver the spoiled out of the hand of the oppressor: and do no wrong, do no violence to the stranger, the fatherless, nor the widow, neither shed innocent blood in this place.” Jeremiah 22:3
America needs to turn back to God, breaking off from her sins and abominations that provoke the wrath of God. I feel it is safe to say that judgment for our willful ignoring of God as Creator and the rejection of His Word, has been decreed against our nation, but that we are in a period of “longsuffering,” where “God’s hand is stretched out still,” even as we see the Nebuchadrezzars of our time moving against us. We cannot continue on as we are, without drastic consequences. The call of God to our nation going out all across the land, is the call to repentance.
God’s arm is not short that is cannot save. But sin and iniquity will separate between a nation and God. God spared not the angles that sinned. He sent the flood, He destroyed the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. He spared not Israel. He will judge our nation. Who is on the Lord’s side?
SHARINGUpholding The Truth
“But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth…” Galatians 2:14
“Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil; neither shalt thou speak in a cause to decline after many to wrest judgment: Neither shalt thou countenance a poor man in his cause.” Exodus 23:2-3
Our obligation to uphold the truth, the will and way of God, is clearly set forth in the scripture. We are not to let our sympathy or pity for someone become justification for going along with them in doing something unscriptural, for God’s grace is sufficient to minister to their need, if they turn to him.
“…withdraw yourself from every brother that walketh disorderly…” 2 Thessalonians 3:6
“Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth. And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.” Romans 14:22-23
“…neither be partaker of other men’s sins: keep thyself pure.” 1 Timothy 5:22
A person undertaking to do that which they know differs from the laws of God, usually seeks to get others involved with them. It does not really matter if they know it is wrong, for if they can just get others to go along with them, that gives them the courage to go ahead with what they are doing.
This is when God’s children need to accept the call to be the salt and the light. To declare God’s position on the issue, is our responsibility as a Christian. God wants us to stand with His Word. When someone asks you to do something with them that just doesn’t seem right, ask them to show you what they are doing from God’s Word to be God’s will for their life. Let the burden of proof rest with them: “Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.” (Ephesians 5:10,17) Should a person not respect God’s will enough to do this, then it is not going to be in your or their best interest to get involved with them in what they are doing.
There are times when people think only with the desires of their mind and they are going to do what they desire to do, regardless. But when this is apparent, that is when it needs to be made clear that they are on their own. “For every man shall bear his own burden.” Ephesians 6:5
One unscriptural course of action will lead to others. “They did it, so I guess I can get by with it, too, etc.” This leads to sin getting the upper hand, and lives being swallowed up in that which is contrary to God’s Word. KEEP THYSELF PURE!!
SHARING
