Today, I finish looking at the warnings in the New Testament. They are very sobering. The New Testament is full of warnings. I believe I was led to do this several times, in part because I have broken many of the warnings and learned first hand how priceless they are. I also believe I was led to do this because the teachers of the day, for the most part, have abandoned them.
God is Love. God warns. This is so wonderfully shown in what I see as the last warning.
Blessed are you Father, God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. There is no other God but you. You are worthy of all praise and glory. Amen
Revelation 21:8 ISV
6Then he told me, “It has happened! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end.
I will freely give a drink from the spring of the water of life to the one who is thirsty.7The person who conquers will inherit these things. I will be his God, and he will be my son.
8But people who are cowardly, unfaithful, detestable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars will find themselvesbin the lake that burns with fire and sulfur. This is the second death.”
John writes the seventh and final letter to the church in Laodicea. This church is so very like today's church in the western world. These passages are a rebuke to the health and wealth gospel preached by countless greedy, ear tickling preachers today.
Jesus is not talking to unbelievers, but believers and he tells them:
Their actions are neither cold nor hot and if they do not repent Jesus will spit them out of his mouth.
They do not realize they are miserable, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked.
Jesus advises them to by from him gold purified in the fire so they may be rich and white clothes to wear so their shameful nakedness won't show, and to buy ointment to put on their eyes so they can see.
He tells them he disciplines those who he loves and for them to be serious and repent.
Do we want to be spit out of God's mouth? Is that what you do to your bride? Brothers and sisters, these are very serious warnings and I do not want to be part of this group of believers. These believers sound much like those who fall away. How can a child of God be blind and naked? We are wealthy in this nation and many are guilty of loving money. This is idolatry and and Jesus says idolaters "will find themselves in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur. This is the second death."Revelation 21:8
Time is short. We do not know we have tomorrow. Are we lukewarm? Jesus tells these people they do not realize their condition. This should shake us with holy fear! What do we do? We go to the Father, humbling ourselves and seeking him to reveal our sins to us. Surrender all we are and all we have to him. Ask him to do what it takes to keep us from being one who is lukewarm. Live out this attitude and prayer until he comes for us. I did this in 2001. I have not been the same since. I am still doing it. I will not be satisfied until I live a life which constantly realizes Jesus is at my side, hearing and seeing every thing I do.
Revelation 3 ISV
14“To the messengerh of the church in Laodicea, write:
‘The Amen, the witness who is faithful and true, the originator of God’s creation, says this:
15‘I know your actions, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were cold or hot.
16Since you are lukewarm and neither hot nor cold, I am going to spit you out of my mouth.
Yet you don’t realize that you are miserable, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked.
I advise you to buy from me gold purified in fire so you may be rich, white clothes to wear so your shameful nakedness won’t show, and ointment to put on your eyes so you may see.
17You say, “I am rich. I have become wealthy. I don’t need anything.”
19I correct and discipline those whom I love, so be serious and repent!
20Look! I am standing at the door and knocking. If anyone listens to my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he will eatiwith me.
21To the one who conquers I will give a place to sit with me on my throne, just as I have conquered and have sat down with my Father on his throne.
22‘Let everyonej listen to what the Spirit says to the churches.’”
Brothers and sisters, do not be deceived! Thousands of false teachers have risen up and are teaching that God's plan is for you to be healthy, rich, and have "your best life now". This is a lie from hell, yet Joel Osteen and deceivers like him are preaching this every day.
They are liars and idolaters. They love money and distort the truth. They say God does not want you to suffer or be in poverty, but Jesus the Messiah is Truth and told the truth to those of the church of Smyrna - "I know your suffering and your poverty—though you are rich" and also said "The one who conquers will never be hurt by the second death." God's true children look for a city that will never fade. They are not in love with this world system and the things of this world. You will not hear these false teachers warning you this coming Sunday and you surely will not hear them teaching the following passages.
Jesus, the almighty God who created all things says "The one who loves his life will destroy it, and the one who hates his life in this world will preserve it for eternal life." John 12:25 ISV.
Do you understand that it was God's will for these people and countless thousands of others since, to suffer, be in poverty and die a martyr's death? Jesus told these people they would not be hurt by the second death. Are you following a lie? Are you on the path to the second death? You must repent while there is time. Countless millions are going to hell.
Revelation 2 ISV
8“To the messengerc of the church in Smyrna, write:
‘The first and the last, who was dead and became alive, says this:
9‘I know your suffering and your poverty—though you are rich—and the slander committed by those who claim to be Jews but are not.
They are the synagogue of Satan.
10Don’t be afraid of what you are going to suffer.
Look! The devil is going to throw some of you into prison so that you may be tested.
For ten days you will undergo suffering.
Be faithful until death, and I will give you the victor’s crown of life.
11‘Let everyoned listen to what the Spirit says to the churches.The one who conquers will never be hurt by the second death.’”
Continuing in the book of Jude, which is a one chapter book,we continue to be warned. Brothers and sisters, no matter what we understand, Jude makes it clear that we are responsible to "remain in God's love as you look for the mercy of our Lord Jesus the Messiah, which brings eternal life". The apostle Paul also tells us there is a race to finish.
If you have not read the first part of Jude's letter, please go back to the previous post and read it. It was filled with warnings which were shown in those who God destroyed in the past. There is a war for our souls and we are responsible for our actions.
The most dangerous place for most believers, is trusting the teachers of today. We are in the falling away and as a general rule, the teachers are not warning. Do not just quickly say "oh, my preacher does". If you do not know the scriptures and judge what the preachers say, you are in serious trouble and filled with false teachings. We are told to assemble together with other believers, but we are not told to listen to a teacher.
Do not trust a man with your soul. If you have not received the gift of languages, ask the Father to give it to you. Seek him earnestly and surrender your all to him. I know of no other way a person can "pray in the Holy Spirit" as Jude tells us to do. I prayed to receive the gift for several years before I received the gift of languages. I believe it was because I had been falsely taught they are not for today and this caused be to doubt and be fearful. If in faith you ask the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob for the gift, you can trust him with your all! You can search my blog for "languages" or "tongues". I show the scriptures which clearly explain this.
Jude 1 ISV
17But you, dear friends, must remember the statements and predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus, the Messiah.o18They kept telling you, “In the last times there will be mockers, following their own ungodly desires.”p19These are the people who cause divisions. They are worldly, devoid of the Spirit.
To others, show mercy with fear, hating even the clothes stained by their sinful lives.r
24Now to the one who is able to keep you from fallingand to make you stand joyful and faultless in his glorious presence,25to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus the Messiah,s our Lord, be glory, majesty, power, and authority before all time and for all eternity! Amen.
As we look at the letter written by John, it appears very likely to be written to Mary, the mother of Jesus. Jesus gave his mother into the care of John while he was on the cross. Chuck Missler brought this to my attention. As Mary was human and a sinner as all women are, she actually receives a warning from John. Among other dangers, Chuck speculates that Mary was in danger of letting false teachers into her house which would then use their relationship with Mary to authenticate their false teachings. I encourage you to read more about this at http://www.khouse.org/articles/2001/335/
To: The chosen lady and her children, whom I genuinely love, and not only I but also all who know the truth, 2that is present in us and will be with us forever.
3Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us from God the Father and from Jesusb the Messiah,c the Father’s Son, in truth and love.
4I was overjoyed to find some of yourd children living truthfully, just as the Father has commanded us. 5Dear lady, I am now requesting of youe that we all continue to love one another. It is not as though I am writing to give youf a new commandment, but one that we have had from the beginning. 6And this is what demonstratesg love: that we live according to God’sh commandments. Just as youi have heard from the beginningwhat he commanded, youj must live by it.
7For many deceivers have gone out into the world. They refuse to acknowledge Jesus the Messiahk as having become human. Any such person is a deceiver and an antichrist.8Seel to it that youmdon’t destroy what we haven worked for, but that youo receive yourp full reward. 9Everyone who does not remain true to the teaching of the Messiah,q but goes beyond it, does not have God. The person who remains true to the teaching of the Messiahr has both the Father and the Son.
10If anyone comes to yous but does not present his teachings,t do not receiveu him into your house or even welcomev him, 11because the one who welcomes him shares in his evil deeds.
12Although I have a great deal to write to you,w I would prefer not to use paper and ink. Instead, I hope to come to you and talk face to face, so that our joy may be complete. 13The children of yourxchosen sister greet you.y
The new Pope gets something write and something wrong. He states "Who Am I To Judge". This is a true statement as he is just a man with no authority given to him by God. Jesus said we are to come to him and learn from him, not a man. Jesus is God and gave the scriptures so we would not have to look to any man.
The Pope then goes on to say “If someone is gay and he searches for the Lord and has good will, who am I to judge?” This shows his his utter ignorance of the scriptures or willful ignoring of what the Savior said. Jesus tells us in the Revelation, 8But people who are cowardly, unfaithful, detestable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars will find themselvesb in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur. This is the second death.” And the Pope says "Who Am I To Judge"?? Friends, follow Jesus. Please, follow Jesus. He is God and his words are true!
On Gay Priests, Pope Francis Asks, ‘Who Am I to Judge?’
Pool photo by Luca Zennaro
Behind the Pope’s Surprising Shift: The Times’s Ian Fisher, a former Rome bureau chief, on the pope’s statement on gay priests and how it differentiates Francis from previous leaders of the Catholic Church.
ROME — For generations, homosexuality has largely been a taboo topic for the Vatican, ignored altogether or treated as “an intrinsic moral evil,” in the words of the previous pope.
In that context, brief remarks by Pope Francis suggesting that he would not judge priests for their sexual orientation, made aboard the papal airplane on the way back from his first foreign trip, to Brazil, resonated through the church. Never veering from church doctrine opposing homosexuality, Francis did strike a more compassionate tone than that of his predecessors, some of whom had largely avoided even saying the more colloquial “gay.”
“If someone is gay and he searches for the Lord and has good will, who am I to judge?” Francis told reporters, speaking in Italian but using the English word “gay.”
John continues to warn. Please note that John talks about the antichrist that is coming, but warns us many antichrists have already appeared. This has grown worse and the man of sin is surely close to appearing. In verses 20 & 21, John told those he was writing to "you have an anointing from the Holy One and know all things" and told them they know the truth. But, then in verse 24, he warns them that what they heard from the beginning must abide in them. This reminds me of 2 Peter 1:10:
"So then, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election certain, for if you keep on doing this you will never fail."
1 John 2 ISV
18Little children, it is the last hour. Just as you heard that an antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have appeared. This is how we know it is the last hour. 19They left us, but they were not part of us, for if they had been part of us, they would have stayed with us. Their leaving made it clear that none of them was really part of us.
20You have an anointing from the Holy One and know all things.f21I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it and because lies don’t come from truth.22Who is a liar but the person who denies that Jesus is the Messiah?g The person who denies the Father and the Son is an antichrist. 23No one who denies the Son has the Father. The person who acknowledges the Son also has the Father.
24What you have heard from the beginning must abide in you. If what you have heard from the beginning abides in you, you will also abide in the Son and in the Father. 25The message that the Sonhhimself declared to us is eternal life. 26I have writteni to you about those who are trying to deceive you. 27The anointing you received from Godj abides in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you this.k Instead, because God’sl anointing teaches you about everything and is true and not a lie, abide in him, as he taught you to do.m
28Even now, little children, abide in him. Then, when he appears, we will have confidence and will not turn away from him in shame when he comes. 29Since you know that he is righteous, you also know that everyone who practices righteousness has been fathered by God.n
Are not the warnings that John is giving a repeat of what Jesus told him before he was crucified?
John 15 ISV
1“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vintner. 2He cuts off every branch that does not produce fruit in me, and he cuts back every branch that does produce fruit, so that it might produce more fruit. 3You are already clean because of what I’ve spoken to you. (Note: In verse 3, Jesus is talking to his disciples, not us.)
4“Abide in me, and I will abide in you. Just as the branch cannot produce fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. 5I am the vine, you are the branches. The one who abides in me while I abide in hima produces much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. 6Unless a person abides in me, he is thrown away like a prunedb branch and dries up. People gather such branches,c throw them into a fire, and they are burned up.
7“If you abide in me and my words abide in you, you can ask for anything you want, and you’ll receive it. 8This is how my Father is glorified, when you produce a lot of fruit and so prove to be my disciples. 9Just as the Father has loved me, so I have loved you. So abide in my love.
10If you keep my commandments, you’ll abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love.
11I’ve told you this, so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete.
Brothers and sisters, John continues to warn us. He tells us that if we do not love our brother, we are in darkness. He then tells us that if we love the world and the things that are in the world, the Father's love is not in us. Do you understand how serious this is? Many believe they belong to God because they said a sinners prayer or did some other good deed, but they are actually headed for hell.
The teachers have lied to so many. Wolves in sheep's clothing had already entered into the church when John wrote this 2,000, years ago. We must examine ourselves in light of the scriptures. It is about our souls. We must repent and follow Jesus, doing what he said. Do not trust man. Do not trust a teacher. Trust God and the scriptures. They are not of private interpretation.
I know Joel Osteen tells you that you can have your best life now and God wants you to prosper financially, etc. Brothers and sisters, he is a deceiver. People choose to be deceived because they want the things of this world and they love Joel because he tells them God wants them to have those things, even though the scriptures tell us God's love is not in those who love the things of this world.
1 John 2 ISV
7Dear friends, I am not writing to you a new commandment, but an old commandment that you have had from the beginning. This old commandment is the word you have heard. 8On the other hand, I am writing to you a new commandment that is truly in him and in you. For the darkness is fading away, and the true light is already shining.
9The person who says that he is in the light but hates his brother is still in the darkness.
10The person who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no reason for him to stumble.
11But the person who hates his brother is in the darkness and lives in the darkness.
He does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.
15Stop lovingc the world and the things that are in the world.
If anyone persists in loving the world, the Father’s love is not in him.
16For everything that is in the world—the desire for fleshly gratification,d the desire for possessions,e and worldly arrogance—is not from the Father but is from the world.
