We Need to Encourage Each Other

Ephesians 5:11-14 NIV

 

“Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. This is why it is said:

 

“’Wake up, sleeper,

    rise from the dead,

    and Christ will shine on you.’”

 

Wake up, Sleeper

 

There is so much evil going on in our world and in the organized church today. It is hard to imagine it getting much more evil, but the Scriptures teach that it will, so we need to be ready spiritually for when it comes.

 

The Lord Jesus began opening my mind and heart to see what is going on in the world and in the church some sixteen years ago. I was beginning to see some of it before then, but he opened my eyes so much wider than I would have ever imagined.

 

I knew the Scriptures fairly well, for I had been teaching them since I was a teenager, so it wasn’t so much in that area that my eyes needed to be opened, but it had to do mostly with unlearning what I was taught in the church with regard to our nation, our government, and our military.

 

As well, the Lord opened my eyes to see all the evil that was going on within the organizational (or institutional) church and the plot that was there to take down the church and the gospel of our salvation and to bring us all into a one world religion and a one world order of government, too.

 

There is not the time or the space here to go into massive detail regarding all that the Lord taught me, and all the research he led me to when the truth was still somewhat available on the internet. Suffice it to say, I had been brainwashed into believing my government, but no more!

 

Reality vs Fakery

 

The Lord opened my eyes to see that the US government is not our real government, but that the de facto government of the US is a group of elite, wealthy, and powerful people who run the world, basically. And our government, as we know it, serves them.

 

There is no right and left, i.e., there is no Republican or Democrat. They are just two sides of the same whole, working for the same people, just play acting their differences in order to confuse, distract and to get even Christians fighting among themselves over which leader is the best.

 

But, even if you are not willing to consider that reality, know what the Scriptures teach regarding our associations with the world, regarding these last days before our Lord returns, and regarding our loyalties and where they should lay.

 

For, we are to be separate (unlike, different) from the world. We are not to get involved in civilian affairs. But we are to live to please our commanding officer, who is Jesus Christ, our Lord. We should be about his business, not be about supporting a leader who may be part of the antichrist beast.

 

For, the things we are seeing take place in the USA and in the world today are what were prophesied would take place in the Scriptures, in particular in Revelation 12-14 (especially chapter 13). For kingdoms of men are being conquered, and there is a global effort to bring us all together as one.

 

Hope in God not in Man

 

Also, we are not to put our trust and our hope in humans who cannot save us. No man or woman is our savior. No military is our savior. And no nation is our savior or our hope. We are to give our worship and our undying loyalty to God and to God alone!

 

And this goes for the church, too. We are not to put our hope or our trust in preachers or in church denominations or in specific church groups. We are not to follow the teachings of men but of God. We are not to get our truth from books written by mere mortals, especially when they dilute and they twist the Scriptures to teach what is false in order to deceive people.

 

So much of today’s church has gone the way of the world and it is barely distinguishable between the world and the church anymore. Many have unequally yoked together with the ungodly and have turned God’s house into a marketplace to be marketed to the world.

 

And they have also altered the gospel of Christ to make it more acceptable to the flesh of man, too, teaching that how we live on this earth will not impact our eternal security. Many are teaching that we don’t have to submit to Christ or obey him or forsake our sinful lifestyles.

 

But Jesus died that we might die with him to sin and live to him and to his righteousness and that we might live according to his Spirit (1 Pet 2:24; 2 Co 5:15, 21; 1 Co 6:19-20; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-17; Lu 9:23-26).

 

Ephesians 5:15-17 NIV

 

“Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.”

 

As we look around us, and we observe what is going on in the world and within our nations, and we see the downfall of the church, too, and we witness the adulterating of the gospel of Jesus Christ, we must look to Jesus for our hope, and we must follow his teachings.

 

We must most certainly be careful how we live because we are all going to be judged by God according to our deeds (our works). Yes, we are not saved by works, but our salvation is not absent of works, but they are the works of God that he has called and empowered us to do (Eph 2:8-10; Tit 2:11-14).

 

So, we must not be foolish and get caught up in what is going on in the world, some or much of which is fake. We must not get involved in civilian affairs (including politics), but we must live to please God in all that we do. And we must not buy into the cheap grace gospel.

 

Jesus died and rose from the dead so that we might die with him to sin and be resurrected with him to newness of life in him, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. But if we continue living in sin, and if sin is what we practice, we don’t have eternal life with God (Rom 6:1-23; Gal 5:16-21; Rom 8:1-17; 1 Jn 1:5-9; Eph 4:17-24; Eph 5:3-6; Gal 6:7-8).

 

Ephesians 5:18-20 NIV

 

“Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

 

Compare to this similar passage of Scripture in Colossians 3:16:

 

“Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.”

 

What is needed right now is for Christians (or those who profess faith in Jesus) to separate themselves from the world and to be separate unto God living holy lives, pleasing to God, sharing the truth of the gospel with as many people as possible before things get worse and before Jesus returns.

 

And this involves first dying with Christ to sin so you can live holy lives unto God. And this dying to sin is daily, as is surrendering our lives to Jesus. And included in this is encouraging one another in our walks of faith, too.

 

So many “Christians” are so caught up in the political realm that they are not doing what God has called them to do in the way of living for him, sharing the gospel, and encouraging one another in walks of holiness, purity, honesty, integrity, and in the fear (honor, respect) of the Lord.

 

We are to speak to one another using songs of the Spirit, hymns, and psalms in order to encourage, counsel, instruct, exhort (strong urging), and correct one another so that we don’t fall into error, and so that we believe and follow the truth. And this is needed so much right now in this time.

 

He Lifted Our Burdens

 

An Original Work / February 15, 2014

Based off Isaiah 9:2-7

 

People walk in darkness.

They abide in their sin.

It has power o’er them.

True belief escapes them.

 

Jesus Christ came to save them.

He gave His life up for them;

Crucified; died for our sin,

So we might be forgiven,

And have life up in heaven.

 

Many come to know Him.

God’s love now o’erflows them.

They rejoice in vict’ry.

Their sin is but hist’ry.

 

We were once bound in slav’ry.

Jesus lifted our burdens;

Set us now free from Satan,

So we now walk in freedom.

Sin has no more dominion.

 

Praise be to our Savior!

He showed us His favor.

He took all our burdens;

Cast them all upon Him.

 

He is our mediator;

The Light which shines in darkness.

Counselor in our troubles;

He gives peace now in our hearts;

Joy which is everlasting.

 

https://vimeo.com/86854416