Wake Up Church
Standing up for what’s right, especially in the times we are in, is not going to be easy. The enemy has intentionally blurred the line between right and wrong (1 Timothy 4:1) (2 Peter 2:1-2). Deception is pervasive, especially in the ministry. It has become normal to see saints defending the world and not defending each other. Listen, a kingdom divided cannot stand, but together we are a force to be reckoned with. Clearly, the plumbline (standard for right and wrong) needs to be re-established in the house of God (Amos 7:7-8).
As the Apostle Paul stated, we are to earnestly contend for the faith (Jude 3-4). We must stand for what is right and on the integrity of God’s word – even when it’s not popular. We are not here to judge the world. According to the Word of God, the sin of the world is the rejection of Christ. (John 3:18). However, if the Holy Spirit places something on your heart to say, you must say it. It may be that word released from your mouth that God uses to remove the blinders (2 Corinthians 4:4).
It saddens me to see how so many people bullet point, eisegete and mishandle the word of God in their discussions to validate their own fleshy desires – especially on social media. You cannot simply impose your OWN interpretations on the text and then the text means what you want it to. You’ve done no contextualization and no thorough background on the text. Never forget that it is pretext plus post-text that equals context.
Here’s one example … ‘Even Jesus hung around sinners.’ At surface, that looks good. However, it’s not the full truth. Jesus never hung around sinners for the sake of hanging around and kicking around dust. Wherever He went, there was always a mission in mind. He did go to where the sinners were, BUT He also changed the atmosphere and at the end of His discourse, the sinners through repentance became believers (Mark 2:13-17, John 4:4–26). He didn’t hang around for six months to ensure it happened.
The Apostle Paul said,
1 Corinthians 9:19-23
19 For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.
20 And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law;
21 To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law.
22 To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.
23 And this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.
Notice how through the discourse of this text not once did he say “I became what they were”. The key word is the simile ‘as’. The effort was to win them to Christ – without compromising his life or the integrity of God’s word. We are to become relatable to the sinner, but not take up the practices of the sinner.
It is true that we are ‘in the world’, but never forget that we are not ‘of this world’ (John 17:16). This world is not our home. We are sojourners here. As believers, we are different and we always will be. That’s what distinguishes us – the salt, light and power.
The world will never love us. It doesn’t matter what we do to appease them. If they hated our Lord, they will hate us too. This doesn’t make you religious, judgmental, a bigot or intolerable. It makes you a True Believer in Jesus Christ. The moment they fall in love with you, want you in their circle, become your best friends, trust me when I tell you there is a problem and it’s not with God (John 15:18-25). A friend of the world is an enemy of God (James 4:4). You don’t have to like what I’m saying, but as a believer you must measure your life by the Word (Psalms 139:23-24).
So, reach the lost with this good news we have been given. That’s a part of our mission left by Jesus (Matthew 28:18-20), but never forget that it’s not our job to save anyone. Our job is to lift up Jesus and when we do He will do the drawing. He has an appointed time just like He had an appointed time for us. This clearly eliminates ‘by any means necessary’ (John 12:32).
Through the love of Christ in our hearts millions can be saved, but through compromise millions will be lost. Don’t let the blood of the lost be on your hands.
Be encouraged, keep the faith and fight on good soldier!
Minister Rickey
Romans 12:1-2 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
2 Timothy 2:3-4 Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.
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