This morning I feel very
tired. My eyes are heavy, and I am fighting off going back to sleep. I am tired
partially because I probably did not get an adequate amount of sleep, but I am
also tired emotionally over certain situations going on in my life which seem
to have no end to them in sight.
So, as I sat here
contemplating if I should just go get some more sleep, I inquired of the Lord, and
I asked him if he ever gets tired over the things which make me tired. And, he
answered back with a few scriptures:
"I hate your new moon festivals and your
appointed feasts, They have become a burden to Me; I am weary of bearing them.”
Is. 1:14 NASB
“You have not bought me sweet cane with money, or
satisfied me with the fat of your sacrifices. But you have burdened me with
your sins; you have wearied me with your iniquities.” Is. 43:24 ESV
God hates hypocrisy. He hates
false forms of worship and empty sacrifices which have no substance behind them
because they do not result in changed lives. He hates it when we just mouth
empty confessions of love, worship and service to him, but our words are not
followed with action. We tell him we love him, but our actions say the
opposite. We tell him he is our Lord, while we still control our own lives and we
do not submit to his will.
He gets weary of us just
repeating the same sins over and over again while we claim to know him and to
worship him, and especially if we keep making excuses for those same sins. He
gets tired of our many false confessions of how we intend to change, too, while
we never or rarely do. He doesn’t want to hear our words if our words are lip
service only but our hearts are far from him. He knows if we are just “throwing
him a bone” in hopes to appease him or if our words are genuine because our
actions follow suit.
The Lord Jesus led me to read
Philippians 3 (Select vv. NASB).
Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware
of the false circumcision. V. 2
There is a warning here to
watch out for those who are evil workers but who fake their relationships with
Jesus Christ or who teach a false gospel. I think there are many within the
church gatherings who might fit this description, though, so I think it would
be good for those who believe they are Christians to examine their own hearts
and lives to see whether or not their confession of Christ is words only, or is
primarily just words, perhaps to impress others, but that there is no real
substance behind those words, because they are still walking according to the
flesh and not according to the Spirit.
Some of these evil workers could
be our friends, family members, neighbors or co-workers. They may give the
false impression of having an intimate knowledge of Jesus Christ. And, they may
be good with the sermons and the false confessions of faith, but by their
lifestyles they deny the Lord. Their words do not match their walks, in other
words. And, some of them may willfully put on a righteous act to impress others
in order to hide insidious sins which they want no one to know about, much like
the Pharisees.
Some of these evil workers,
though, will also try to lead others to go “down their rabbit hole,” i.e. into
a world of lies, sin and perversion. So, we have to pray for wisdom and
discernment so that we are not easily led astray. These evil workers, not
content with their own depredation, will try to drag others down with them
because sin loves company, and it hates righteousness.
You may feel as though you
may not ever be led astray by them, but they are very clever, subtle, stealthy
and manipulative in their approach, and they disguise themselves as servants of
righteousness. So, to the unsuspecting, they may appear to be godly, and even
what they are saying may have the appearance of truth, but they have a way of
twisting truth or of telling half-truths, and they can be very convincing, so
we do have to test what we hear to make certain it is of God, so that we are
not fooled.
For we are the true circumcision, who worship in the
Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh. V.
3
The true circumcision are
those who are born of the Spirit, and who worship God in the Spirit. We read in
Romans 12 that our acceptable worship of God is to give our lives to him as
living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to him. We should no longer be conformed
to the ways of this sinful world, but we should be transformed of the Spirit of
God, in heart and mind, away from sinful lifestyles to living and walking in
Christ’s righteousness and holiness, empowered by the Spirit of God within us.
This means that our walk
should now match our talk, not in absolute sinless perfection, most likely, but
that consistently and faithfully we should not be talking beyond what we are
living. If the Lord does have us share a spiritual truth, and we know we are
not living it, then we should be willing to acknowledge that and not pretend or
give a false impression that we are.
We who are the true
circumcision should put no confidence in the flesh, too. This means we should
not rely on our own flesh, but on the Spirit to help us. And, it also means
that we should not put our confidence (assurance) in other humans, too, who are
sinful beings, and who may not be telling us the truth. We should not be
followers of man, but of God, and we should test what others tell us to make
certain they are telling us the truth. Just because something sounds good or
looks good doesn’t mean it is good.
So, we need to be wise and
discerning and pray.
Brethren, join in following my example, and observe
those who walk according to the pattern you have in us. For many walk, of whom
I often told you, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the
cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose god is their appetite, and
whose glory is in their shame, who set their minds on earthly things. Vv. 17-19
Sadly enough, there are many
people within the gatherings of the church who profess to be Christians, but
who live just like this description here of those who are enemies of the cross
of Christ. And, some of them are the pastors and the elders and the deacons and
small group leaders, et al.
Yet, it is not just that we
must test what they do and say, but that when we do, and when we stand for what
is right, and we reject what is wrong, that we can expect to be persecuted for
it, too. Those who are wolves in sheep’s clothing, who are these evil doers,
but who hide their evil deeds behind a mask of righteousness, will persecute
those who are standing on the truth and who are exposing the fruitless deeds of
darkness. It is a given!
For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we
eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; who will transform the body
of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion
of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself. Vv. 20-21
But, in all this, we can be
encouraged, and we can have hope, for this world is not our home, we are just
passing through. All that we are going through right now is just temporary. A
better place is awaiting us. And, in the meanwhile, our Lord is our all
sufficiency, who will help us, and who give us all that we need to continue to
stand strong, and to keep following him.
So, don’t be disheartened by
those who are of the false circumcision who are mouthing empty words of worship
of God while they are hiding their sins in secret so that no one will know.
And, don’t let it get you down if they are also the ones who are persecuting
you for standing for righteousness. Just put your trust in the Lord, rest in
him, and keeping doing what he says.
All Through the Night
An Original Work / December
7, 2013
Based off Various Scriptures
Blessed are you when you’re
persecuted
Because of your faith in
Jesus Christ.
Blessed are you when people
insult you,
And falsely say what leads
folks to doubt.
Rejoice and be glad, for your
reward is
Great in the heavens. You’re
not alone.
When you are persecuted in
one place,
Flee to another. God will be
there.
You will be hated by all the
nations
Because you testify of God’s
grace.
Many will seize you and
persecute you,
And put to death the
foll’wers of Christ.
Yet, do not fear what humans
may do to you,
For I’m with you all through
the night.
I tell you, love your enemies
with my love,
And forgive as I forgave you.
Pray for those who do evil
against you.
Rest in my love and grace
from above.
Thursday, December 21, 2017,
5:30 a.m. – Thank you, Jesus, for these encouraging words which give us hope
and healing. Amen!
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