Gonna call this one:
"There was a man with an unclean spirit in the synagogue".
So I'm just gonna jump right in and get started.
Not gonna mince words etc.
I've been praying for a lot of things for a long time.
I don't mention it much to very many people cause I don't want people thinking I'm showing off.
But for the purposes of what I'm going to write here today (For the edification of the church, more on that later) I'm gonna mention one of the things that I pray for and have prayed for daily for years now, and that is this, "The power and authority to do your will on earth". The only reason I pray for that is because I was told to, so I do.
So when I quote scripture and say "A divine verdict is on the lips of a king, his mouth must not betray justice"? I'd take it with some seriousness if I was you and by that I mean everyone who ever reads this. If you don't want to do so that s fine, I really don't care, but know this, the spiritual war is heating up and for good reason. The evil one and the ones who do his bidding know who we are (Hey honey) and that the time of his demise is imminent. (That's Proverbs 16:10 from the Berean Study Bible BTW) We've been hearing about the Bereans during worship the last two weeks and that just happened to be the translation that appeared first, imagine that right? Also the heading explaining context of the passage says "The reply of the tongue is from the LORD."
Someone just compared me to Simon the Sorcerer in Acts 8:9-25. And they did it on a Holy Day, In a place and a time of worship. Honestly? It's the highest compliment anyone has ever given me and I'll gladly explain why. It's really simple, The established religious order of the day accused Christ of the same thing:
Matthew 12:24
"But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, “It is only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, that this fellow drives out demons.”Matthew 7:15-20
True and False Prophets
“Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.
So here is my question to ALL who would say I'm a false prophet. Where's the bad fruit? Helping friends and families ahead of ones self for years on end now is Satanic? Attempting to help families so that hopefully generations will be more comfortable? This is bad fruit? Helping people increase knowledge and understanding of Christ and scripture and the age that's getting ready to be?? This is Satanic? This is the argument some would like to make? It's nonsense and falls flat on it's face under the weight of it's own preposterousness. Thats a $20 word by the way.
Heres the thing, God gave me commission for several things, one of which is to root out spiritual wickedness in high and low places. I've been saying it for years, it's not my fault people don't believe me.
Ephesians 6:12
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
You really think God is gonna give someone commission and then not prepare them for what they are going to face when the time comes? You really think that's how things work? I knew these arguments were coming five years ago. or so. This type of thinking displays a complete lack of understanding.
Hosea 4:6
My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.
Just happened to be a verse from worship yesterday, I know, complete accident and coincidence etc.
The fact of the matter is this:
Hebrews 5:12
In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food!
So (Epically young people) lets get started shall we? And keep in mind it's all for the edification of the church.
Christ said the Holy Spirit is the spirit of truth
John 16:13
But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.
So like the prophet Isaiah said,
Isaiah 1:18
"Come let us reason together..."
Would the spirit of truth tell you God plays favorites in clear contradiction of scripture?
Romans 2:11
For there is no partiality with God.
Would the spirit of truth launch a hatchet job against one individual from the pulpit during worship and call it a sermon?
Hosea 6:9
As marauders lie in ambush for a victim, so do bands of priests; they murder on the road to Shechem, carrying out their wicked schemes.
Would the spirit of truth Laugh about not understanding the concept of edification after having spent decades in the church?
Would the spirit of truth DELIBEREATELY spread falsehood to a congregation by means of omission?
Edify
edified; edifying
Definition of edify
1: to instruct and improve especially in moral and religious knowledge : UPLIFT
also : ENLIGHTEN, INFORM
2 archaic
a: BUILD
b: ESTABLISH
Merriam-Webster definition BTW
Here is what happens when the gift of discernment is given to an individual. You know what's being said by what's not being said. There are seven (Go figure :-) components to that definition 1) Increasing moral knowledge, 2) increasing religious knowledge, 3) Uplift, 4) Enlighten, 5) Inform, 6) Build, and 7) establish.
So the spirit of truth, in worship, would deliberately leave out the other six components of the definition and then not provide a reference to scripture supporting their premise?
I've been accused of propagating things that aren't in the bible. (Oh there's a response to that coming as well here in a bit and trust me I can't wait). But you know what's really not in the bible? Using the word edify or edifying in the context of improving moral knowledge. Not once is it used in that context. Young people (And other congregants) I would encourage you to ask your teacher to explain to you why that was the only part of the definition given.
Like Brother Joe said yesterday "don't take my word for it", go look it up yourself. Here I'll even help.
The word/concept only appears in the New Testament and Paul is the only one who used it and the literal meaning of the Greek work he used is "To build as a house". I work construction building pole barns etc. Trust me, me and my buddy know If you get the corner stone wrong? Guess what? The whole thing is wrong. Guess what happens to your argument if your initial premises wrong? No matter how much supporting evidence you can line up behind it, a false premise will never yield a truthful conclusion. Ever. Period. It's been established as fact for thousands of years now. This is what clever people (politicians, lawyers etc) do to mislead people. Because most people wont catch the premise was faulty to start with. And young people please remember Satan is the father of all lies. And lies of omission are still lies. (Done from the pulpit during worship on Sunday with harmful intent I would argue is worse than just a regular lie of omission.)
So lets go back to:
Matthew 7: 15-20
True and False Prophets
“Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.
and lets do as the prophet Isaiah instructed and reason together.
The only logical conclusion is, there's plenty of bad fruit listed above. And if there's Bad fruit? The prophet is thereby a false teacher.
I don't take these matters lightly or I wouldn't bother to begin with. Sent here and given commission to stomp out this nonsense wherever it may occur.
There are other things I pray to be able to do as well but that power will be bestowed at the appropriate time and place, which hasn't come yet. (Healing, casting out of demons etc)
I just want to remind some people:
"A prominent Methodist catechism, "A Catechism on the Christian Religion: The Doctrines of Christianity with Special Emphasis on Wesleyan Concepts" states:
The unpardonable sin is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. Blasphemy includes ridicule and attributing the works of the Holy Spirit to the devil.
(Catechism: a summary of the principles of Christian religion in the form of questions and answers, used for the instruction of Christians).
Somebody sealed their fate last Sunday. They might as well be Uzzah in 2 Samuel 6:3–8.
"Thomas Aquinas lists, or has responded to, six sins that go against the Holy Spirit:
despair: which consists in thinking that one's own malice is greater than Divine Goodness, as the Master of the Sentences teaches,
presumption: if a man wants to obtain glory without merits[11] or pardon without repentance[12]
resistance to the known truth,
envy of a brother's spiritual good, i.e., of the increase of Divine grace in the world,
impenitence, i.e., the specific purpose of not repenting a sin,
obstinacy, whereby a man, clinging to his sin, becomes immune to the thought that the good searched in it is a very little one."
The two most in play in this situation are: The envy of a brothers spiritual good and obstinacy, or the stubborn refusal to acknowledge "that the good searched in it is a very little one"
I carry around a sermon with me in my notes, it's about 18 pages long and it's a humdinger let me tell you. One of the things it says is The reason most Jews did not accept Christ as the messiah is "They were to proud, too self righteous, they were too skeptical because they were in self defense mode." Spiritual pride will land you straight into Hell. See the example listed above.
One more thing about refusing to acknowledge the work of the Holy Spirit when it's in your midst. The geographical areas where miracles of the spirit of truth are not recognized will have a fate worse than Sodom and Gomorrah at the end of an age.
Matthew 11:20-24
Then Jesus began to denounce the towns in which most of his miracles had been performed, because they did not repent. “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you. And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted to the heavens? No, you will go down to Hades. For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day. But I tell you that it will be more bearable for Sodom on the day of judgment than for you.”
Those towns were all close to Christ home BTW.
Mark 6:4-6
Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own town, among his relatives and in his own home.” He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. He was amazed at their lack of faith.
Again, it ought to be sounding familiar to you by now.
I would have gladly said the same exact thing to peoples face over lunch but the fact is nobody ever called. If people don't think I would have? Go ask my mom if she thinks I would. She can tell you from her own personal experience.
I've been saying for years who we are and what time it's getting ready to be.
Revelation 11:5
If anyone tries to harm them, fire comes from their mouths and devours their enemies. This is how anyone who wants to harm them must die.
Romans 13:4
For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer.
"A divine verdict is on the lips of a king, his mouth must not betray justice" (Not fairness mind you, justice)
Remember what I told you at the beginning I've been praying for, for years now?
I don't have a bible app BTW, I don't need one. Scripture has a way of just finding me when I need it. In fact, I've never had one and don't ever plan on having one. I do however have the power of the Holy Spirit working through me and like I said, I'd take it serious if I was you.
I love you honey, thanks so much for all the support sweetheart.
Maranatha
