Whom Do You Follow?

We live in a very confused society. Please remember that if you are a Christian that you are an alien. Have you ever noticed that when other people come from different countries and live here, that sometimes they have a difficult time assimilating to our society. You should, throughout the rest of your Christian life be trying to assimilate to the new country that you have your permanent residence in. You are just passing through here.

   The big problem is that society has so confused everything that we are trying to live a Christian life without being led by the Holy Spirit. We are trying to do it under our own power. So called seminaries that are supposed to train preachers and/or pastors are teaching philosophies of men as a substitute for the teachings of God. God left the instruction manual but we have decided to add or take away at our convenience, the things that convict us or make us feel bad in any way. If it doesn’t fit today’s lifestyle – either rip it out or add something that will make my lifestyle fit with scripture.

   Revelation 22:19 – “And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.”

   You, as a Christian, need to be a little more discriminating about the things you believe. If it does not line up with the Bible, then something is wrong. Look at 1 John 4:1 – “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.”

   Please read the rest of 1 John chapter 4. It is a little too long for me to type in the whole thing, but John goes into more detail on Spirits that are not of God and keeping yourself to show love to others.

   I am going to give you a little clue, if you “feel” something deep in your heart, even if you are saved, check it out with God’s Word.  Jeremiah 17:9 –

“The heart is deceitful above all thing, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” 

   Whatever you do, wherever you go, line it up with His Word. If you are in the grocery store and see certain magazines in the checkout line, you can tell just by the headlines that lifestyles and choices these people make do not line up with what we have been taught. You see, as a society, we are so used to seeing celebrities fawn over pets and talking about the trauma that they had with their abortions (“but it was the right decision for me”), that we now hold more esteem for pets than we do for babies. We throw babies away and fine and imprison people if we harm animals in any way.

   Is that not a little confusing people? Why is the world so entrenched in the church? Does the music in your church make your feet start moving before your spirit does? Something is a little bit off if you get the same feeling from the music in church as the music you might be listening to on a normal top 10 radio station. Your spirit should be lifted, not your carnal desires. If you are confused about things in church or anywhere else, get this:

   “For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.”  1 Corinthians 14:33.

   I could go on and on about this subject, but time will not permit and it can all be expounded on in a later topic, but again, let’s let the Holy Spirit do the talking.

   “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.”

   “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him: for we shall see him as he is.”

   “And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.”

   “And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.”        1 John 3:1-3, 24.

   Try those spirits. Make sure they are of His Spirit. Stay in the faith.

   “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.”  1 John 5:4.

AE

and continuing…

I have children who look up to me.  And I have people in my life that I look up to.  They are wise and caring individuals.  I’ve been blessed in my life with pretty amazing parents who give wise advice.  I married a husband who gives me great advice.  My in-laws are actually pretty amazing people who often have good advice.  I have a Pastor who is always filled with great advice along with his sweet wife.  I’ve surrounded myself with friends who will call me out when I’m being foolish, and will quickly point out hypocrisy in philosophy, and that is always helpful.  (Don’t have yes friends. That’s not wise.)  In short, I’ve got some amazing support for living my life for Christ.  

The problem comes when I begin to replace scripture reading with a text or a phone call.  I can’t place people before God, or they have become my idols.  I can’t expect people to always have the right answers even when I know that they are walking with Christ.  I can ask for advice, but I cannot substitute that advice for the truth of God’s word.

I know many people who have at one time or another been a very faithful member in a local church.  They have been serving God wholeheartedly.  They have been in God’s word, and pouring out their lives following after Christ.  And then something happens.  A person, usually a pastor, sometimes a friend or a mentor will do something to offend them.  Now, I’m not even going to debate the actions of either person.  That isn’t the point I’m making right now.  Bitterness will set in, and anger, and resentment.  It builds up.  I’ve had multiple dear friends walk completely away from church.  (If you are my friend, and you think I’m only talking about you, I promise I’m not.  I’ve seen the same thing happen over and over and over. Not once, not twice, literally 50 or more times.) 

I’ve been in the same place as you.  I’ve been upset with someone over something someone did that was wrong.  The difference is that I could see that throwing out everything I believed in wasn’t the answer because I don’t follow a pastor.  I will serve under a pastor.  I will love my pastor and support him, but I don’t serve my pastor.  I serve the God who made that pastor.  I serve the God who made us all.  

If you can’t face church because of what happened in church, you weren’t serving God.  You were serving man.    If you are allowing yourself to walk away from God, and allowing anger and bitterness in your heart, you need pause and do some soul searching, and figure out  who it is that you follow.

Exodus 34:14  For thou shalt worship no other god: for the Lord, whose name is Jealous is a jealous God. 

Luke 4:8  And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

GA