Please, Be Careful Out There

There is a lot of noise out there. Our current age has more access to knowledge than any age in the past and knowledge continues to increase. This is good but with the good also comes the bad. As knowledge increases it seems our wisdom decreases. It seems we understand less and less what to do with our knowledge. There also seems to be a lack of discernment as we confuse knowledge and "wives` tales". In case you did not realize it, not every source is a good source on the Internet.

I am not excluding the Biblical teaching and the Christian following out there from this lack of wisdom. It is wonderful that there is such a great vehicle for carrying the message of Jesus but not all of what is out there is real or true. In fact, we are poised to see the great following away, as people chase after the false teachings of demons, just as the Word says. I am not saying the people spreading the wrong teaching are demons but demons are behind their influence.

There is real danger in preferring to watch videos and read tweets to gain your spiritual understanding instead of reading and studying the Word of God. Have we forgotten that the Holy Spirit is our teacher? It is he who gives us the ability to know and understand. When we study for ourselves he guides us and where we lack maturity to understand him, he gives us teachers to train us. But teachers have a personal relationship with us. It has to be more than a video series on You Tube, as great as they are. We need to be seeking God's face ourselves, not relying on someone else's revelation.

Jesus has placed solid men and women of faith around us to help us stick to solid doctrine. I am not referring to denominational doctrine, as great as they may be. The greater doctrine is that which comes directly from the Word of God and is pressed upon us by the Holy Spirit. A mature teacher will not lift up one denomination over another, but will always put the Word of God first. It is important that we have a good relationship with such people; people we can trust and who love us, whose interest is not in building their own following but to see us mature in Jesus. Paul wrote to Timothy:

What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus. (2 Timothy 1:13)

We always seem to be running after new ideas, new insights, new teaching, but we haven't figured out what we have already been given. Just the subjects of faith, hope and love will take us an eternity to explore. Many rush right by grace not understanding the foundational importance in our relationship with God and others. I know it may not seem like the greatest fade in the Church or the coolest thing happening. I realize that some churches down the street are having multimedia event teaching on the end times or on the place of homosexuals in the church or on how to improve sex in your marriage but if you would stay where you are and learn about God's grace from the Word, all these other things will come into focus as well.

There is a lot of weird stuff being taught out there, and it's appearing on a computer screen right in your home. If you solidly stand on the Word and are trained in it, you will spot the false stuff. It's a great opportunity to grow in knowledge these days, but please, be careful out there. You are hated and the enemy's only desire is to see you defeated, and separated from Jesus. Learn to lean on the Spirit and trust him. He will keep your path straight.

Not Everyone Is A Teacher

The internet is a wonderful thing, making the sharing of information fast and simple. It allows people on opposites sides of the earth to be friends. It opens up a whole new world of support and encouragement. The internet is also a terrible thing, making the sharing of false information fast and simple. It allows people on the opposite sides of the earth to bully each other. It opens up a whole new world of sin and destruction. Like anything else, the internet is only a tool and how it will be used depends on the heart of the person using it.

This is good to keep in mind when speaking with people you have never met. It is good to keep in mind when reading teachings about God's Word from people you don't know, like me. There are a lot of people on the internet teaching a lot of different things. It doesn't mean they are called to that. It doesn't mean they have the anointing. It doesn't mean they have a right relationship with Jesus. It just means they have an opinion. Anyone can have an opinion, it doesn't mean it is supported by the Word of God. More than ever we need to pray for a spirit of discernment, that the Holy Spirit will guide us in all knowledge, truth and wisdom. It always starts by reading the Bible for yourself.

God warns us:

Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you for the prize. Such a person goes into great detail about what he has seen, and his unspiritual mind puffs him up with idle notions. (Colossians 2:18)

I have met a lot of "puffed up" people on the internet. One of the tell tale signs is if they go to church or not. Do they belong to a church they have submitted themselves to, to whom they are accountable?  Jesus did not leave us to go it alone. He placed us in a Body because each member has something that the others need. We have been placed in a Body where we depend on each other to grow and mature into the fullness of Jesus. Just read 1 Corinthians 12 and understand that I need you and you need me to function as Jesus intends for us to function. Those who chose to go it alone, saying the church is full of hypocrites and turning their back on God's design and purpose, are a danger to themselves and others. Again we are warned:

He has lost connection with the Head, from whom the whole body, supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it to grow. (Colossians 2:19)

It is amazing how quickly a person loses connection with the Head when he turns his back on the Body. Yet, he is so arrogant and full of self knowledge that he thinks he is the only one with the truth and he needs to "save" everyone from the false teachings. If such a person does not know the importance of the Church then he does not know as he aught to know.

Be careful who you submit to when it comes Bible teaching. Be careful of the popular quotes that float around. Check them against the Word of God. If you have doubts, go ask your pastor or youth pastor. Do not allow a false thought or teaching take root in your mind. And above all else, pray for discernment, that you will correctly understand and live the Word of God.

A Seed Of Doubt

How do you feel when you know you can do something but someone doubts your ability? It's pretty devastating isn't it? You've got yourself all psyched up to do this great thing and someone comes along who pops your bubble with "Are you crazy? You can't do that". Suddenly you feel like you can't. You have to have a lot of confidence and determination to do great things in the face of doubters.

Doubt is a destructive thing no matter what we are talking about but especially when it comes to your relationship with God. Here we have been promised all these things by Jesus and we should be able to act upon them, but many of us don't because of that nagging voice of doubt. "What if ..." is what we hear over and over again. What if that promise isn't for you? What if he is holding something against you? What if you've got it all wrong? What if he doesn't really love you? Maybe this is the reason apostle Paul prayed this for the Ephesians:

I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.  (Ephesians 3:16-17)

Yes, we need to be strengthen in our inner being so that we have the faith to permit Jesus to live in us. There are plenty of voices on the outside and inside yelling at us that we are stupid to believe. It is only going to get worse. As the world looks for justification to hate the Church it will attack the truth with lies and will try to paint a picture of you to make you feel stupid for believing.

The pressure will only get worse as we have prominent celebrities telling parents to believe what they want but not to pass their superstition on to their children. I know parents don't want to hear it but there is a concerted effort in the school system to separate children from faith in Jesus. It comes as no surprise as the Bible tells us over and over again what the last days look like:

But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive,disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God—  having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them. (2 Timothy 3:1-5)

You think it is bad now? Watch what is already here and growing. There will be hatred in the world against the Church and even within the Church there will be destructive forces trying to destroy you, the Bride of Christ:

The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. (2 Timothy 4:1)

We need to check ourselves and encourage others to check themselves. We need to take inventory and see where we stand in faith with Jesus. We need to shore things up now because the days are growing short and the great tide of opposition is beginning to hit us. It will not get better and is promised to only get worse. If you don't have faith to stand up under the little bit you have been facing now because of the name of Jesus, how do you hope  to stand against the great storm that is approaching?

I'll tell you how: you will stand in the power that is strengthening you in your inner being. That power is given by the Father to insure that you will stand because in faith Jesus lives in you. You are far more powerful, strong, determined, and persevering than you can possibly imagine because of Jesus in you. Block out those voices, get your eyes fixed on the goal, don't stop praising Jesus and, no matter what it costs. never give up on the hope that is ours. Our Father will see us through the days that lay before us and we will meet together in the home he has prepared. Until the that day comes, stay strong in the Lord and stand your ground.