Biblical Manhood

Since we shared the sermon of Biblical Womanhood in a previous article, I thought it only made sense to share Min. Voddie Baucham's sermon on "Biblical Manhood".

In this sermon, Min. Baucham discusses:

• For six days of creation, everything God created was "good".  The first thing God said was "not good" was for a man not to have a woman.  It doesn't mean that every man must be married, yet it does mean that marriage is the preferred condition. Even Jesus is engaged to His Bride.
• When God created woman, Adam called her "ishshah" (woman) because she came "out from man" ("iysh").  In this act, Adam claimed Eve as his own and as part of himself.
• The world defines manhood based on performance by the "3 B's": the ball field, the bedroom, and by the billfold.  We don't need men who will strive to be another ball player.  We need men with trained minds who can be warriors for Christ.
• In order for a male to be a "man", he must be committed to:
• God-honoring labor - God put man in the Garden to work and keep it.  Hard work is not a product of the fall, man's attitude toward work is a product of the fall.
• God's law - God gave Adam a law about not partaking of the knowledge of the tree of good and evil.  By giving the law to Adam, it was also Adam's responsibility to teach the law to Eve. 
• A biblical view of family - Society teaches men that marriage is to be avoided like the plague. Men should have a priority in their minds that they are preparing to be a husband and father in order to raise up Godly children.
• God's judgment against Adam for sin was not because he ate of the fruit of the tree, but because he listened to the voice of the woman instead of following what God had commanded.  His fault before God was that he did not exercise the headship he was given.
• Headship of the husband was not a product of the fall, but was established by God before the fall. One, because God made Adam first and Eve was made for the man (I Corinthians 11:8-12).  Also, Adam named all of the animals as an example of his preeminence over them, however he also named Eve (Genesis 2:23).  Further, the fall didn't come through the sin of Eve, but the sin of Adam (Romans 5:12).
• There is no concept of dating in Scripture like we see today.  Fathers think it is acceptable to give their daughter into the care of a 17 year old boy to be taken out, but wouldn't think of doing the same with a $200,000 car.  Society teaches men to value their possessions even over their own daughters.
• Married or not, a man is called to honor his family...whether it is the family of his parents or his own.

What Do I Know?

When faced with a situation that I do not understand, I have often been quick to say "What do I know?"  It was my way of sort of throwing up my hands in resignation and reminding myself that I know nothing; that I have no answers in & of myself.  

Yet yesterday in my prayer time, as I once again pondered inwardly, "I don't know anything"; God reminded me of a statement by Paul.

"For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified." I Corinthians 2:2

God impressed upon me that it might feel really humble to say "I know nothing", but it was an incomplete thought and therefore not fully Biblical.  There was in fact something which I should and must know: Jesus Christ and Him crucified. 

"And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity."  Matthew 7:23

Years ago, in reflecting on the above verse, God told me that I really didn't understand what it meant to "know" Christ and to "be known" by Him.  He said that this wasn't speaking of having a knowledge of Christ as in being familiar with Him, but being in intimate communion with Him.  We are to "know" Christ just like a man "knows" his wife; where the two actually become one.

Therefore, when Paul says in I Corinthians 2:2 that he determined to "know" nothing but Jesus Christ and Him crucified, he is saying that he has determined to join into intimate fellowship with Christ.  The way that we come to "know" Christ is to be made one with Him.  The way that we "know" Jesus as "crucified" is to undergo the crucifixion with Him.  To "know" Him and His crucifixion is to experience Him for ourselves.

Then God reminded me of the following:

"That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead." Philippians 3:10-11

God then asked me, do you "know" the power of Christ's resurrection? The fellowship of His sufferings?  Have you been made conformable to His death?  Have you experienced these things? 

I can honestly say that I have to some very minute degree, but the thing is, this is not a one time experience thing.  Every day I live, I must be experiencing Christ (the power of His resurrection, the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable to His death).  It is not a matter of whether I can preach it, but can I live it?

Honestly, even the very thought sometimes exhausts me.  Every day I wake up with good intentions (and we all know what road is paved with those)...Today I am going to fast, spend more time in study, more time in intercession for others, more time set apart in communion with Jesus, etc.  Yet by the time the day ends, I have not lived up to much of what I intended.  The day seems to get away from me and at night time, I am wondering where all of my time - and my good intentions - went.  The vows I have made to God are left largely unfulfilled; all awash in a day of family, work, and personal endeavors.  Then I start off another day with a new set of inner commitments, and the cycle continues.

It leaves me wondering, "Lord, how can this be done?  Please give me strength.  Please perform your will in me."  I don't want to know merely nothing, but nothing save Christ and Him crucified.  I need your power Lord each day to abide in your will.  It is not enough to have "good intentions", but your work must be actualized in my life.  It is not enough to want to lay down our lives for Him, but we must actually do so.  No matter what we face, the answer lies in "knowing" Christ (experiencing the power of His resurrection, the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable to His death).

It all served to remind me that:

"And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know." I Corinthians 8:2

How can we "know" Him enough?  How can we understand Him and His ways enough?  How can an endless fountain of living water ever be contained in a human vessel?  It cannot be except that we first empty of ourselves and then that water will be continually poured through us.  I don't want to ever be satisfied in Christ, but always thirst for more of Him and never delude myself into thinking that one taste, one experience is enough.

Then this morning, I received a note from Pastor Zac Poonen to his subscribers on a conference he is giving in Romania.  At the very bottom of the note - in a way which may have been missed if you didn't look carefully - there was a link to an article on "The Lord's Table".

This article is so timely and serves a such a confirmation for what I believe the Lord was showing me yesterday that I am posting it in full here below in case it benefits others.

May God bless the reading of this word and use it to bring life to His people.

Breaking of Bread - A Covenant

By Pastor Zac Poonen

When Jesus instituted the 'breaking of bread', He used a word that He never used before - the word `covenant'. A proper understanding of this word is essential if we are to partake in the Lord's table meaningfully.

A Covenant Relationship With God

The first mention of the word 'covenant' is found in Gen. 6:18, where God promises to establish a covenant with Noah (Gen. 9:9,11). God had judged the whole world because of man's sin and now He made a covenant with Noah that He would never again judge the world with a flood as He had just done. God gave a sign to mark the covenant that He then made. It was what we now call the 'rainbow'. God, however, called it 'My bow in the cloud' (Gen. 9:13). The word used for 'bow' there is exactly the same word as is translated elsewhere in the Bible for the weapon, the bow.

A bow is always aimed in the direction of the one who is to be shot with the arrow. The significance of the bow in the cloud pointing upwards (instead of downwards) is that God who dwells in the heavens was Himself going to receive the arrow released by that bow and take the judgment for man's sin. The bow would not be aimed at man but God Himself. The world has never since been judged by a flood. Psalm 69:1,2 states that the floods of God's judgment went over Jesus on the cross. This was the fulfilment of the sign of the bow in the cloud.

Art used by Pat Marvenko Smith,
copyright 1992. To order prints visit her
"Revelation Illustrated" site.

The next person in the Scriptures with whom God made a covenant was Abram. This is first mentioned in Gen. 15:18. Notice there, how God entered into the covenant with Abram. Abram was told to bring three animals and two birds, to slay them and spread them out on the ground (15:9,10). The animals were to be cut into two and laid each half opposite the other. At night, God came down and as a smoking fire-pot and a flaming fire passed between those halves of the dead animals. Thus it was that the Lord made a covenant with Abram. The significance was again clear - that God Himself would lay down His life (as those dead animals) for Abram. As in the case of the sign of the covenant with Noah, death was the way that the covenant was established - a death in which God Himself took the initiative.

This method of establishing and confirming a covenant later became a practice in Israel (as is seen from Jer. 34:18,19). Whenever two people entered into a covenant, they would slay a calf, divide it into two and walk between the two halves, thus symbolically stating that each was prepared to lay down his life for the other in being true to the covenant. It was a serious offence to make such a symbolic vow and not to keep it. Hence God told the people of Judah through Jeremiah that He would judge them severely for making such a covenant and then breaking it.

In Genesis 17, we find God re-confirming the covenant with Abraham. Again God gave a sign to mark the covenant - this time, circumcision. Circumcision is a cutting off of the flesh and symbolises (as Phil. 3:3 and Col. 2:11 make plain) death to the flesh. We notice that the symbol of the covenant is again something that speaks of death. This time, it was Abraham and his descendants who had to signify their willingness to be faithful to the covenant unto death. The external circumcision was but a sign of God's desire to circumcise the hearts of the Israelites to love Him wholeheartedly (See Deut. 30:6; Rom. 2:28,29). This teaches us that there can be no wholehearted love for God apart from death to the flesh.

The next time we read of a covenant is when God made a covenant with the nation of Israel through Moses - what we call the 'old covenant' or the 'Old Testament'. We read this is Ex. 24:4-7. Moses wrote God's words in a book (the book of the covenant), slew young bulls as a sacrifice to the Lord and sprinkled the blood of the bulls on the people saying, "Behold the blood of the covenant which the Lord has made with you" (Ex. 24:8). The covenant was sealed by the blood of the slain animals.

This is the first time in the Bible that the phrase `the blood of the covenant' occurs. This is the same phrase that Jesus used when passing the cup around, at the last supper, to His disciples (Matt. 26:28). Under the old covenant, the blood was only sprinkled on the people. Under the new covenant, Jesus invites us to drink of the cup. This symbolises the fact that under the old covenant, the law could only cleanse a person's external life whereas under the new covenant, we can be purified inwardly.

Again, the covenant is entered through death. In Heb. 9:13-22, this contrast between the blood of bulls and the blood of Christ is brought out; and we are told there that "where a covenant is, there must of necessity be the death of the one who made it. ... it is never in force while the one who made it lives" (v. 16,17). This is why every symbol of every covenant that God made with any man symbolised death.

The only way that Jesus could establish the new covenant with us was through His own death; and the only way that we can enter into that covenant and its privileges is through death to ourselves. This is the meaning of eating the bread and drinking the wine at the 'breaking of bread'.

In Heb. 13:20, we are told that God brought up Jesus from the dead through the blood of the eternal covenant. What does this mean? The blood shed by Jesus on Calvary's cross was shed as a result of resisting sin unto death (Heb. 12:4). Jesus was determined to obey the Father and never to sin. His attitude to His Father was, "Father, I would rather die than disobey You in one small point" (See Phil. 2:8 - "obedient unto death"). This was Jesus' covenant with His Father.

Now Jesus invites us at His table to drink of the cup which is the blood of this new covenant. Are we willing? Can we drink of the cup which He drank of? Do we long, like the apostle Paul, to know "the fellowship of His sufferings being conformed to His death in order that (we too) may attain to the resurrection from the dead" (Phil. 3:10,11).

Most believers come to the Lord's table so lightly, without any understanding of what it implies and what the covenant is all about. Only one who is determined to strive against sin even unto blood can take part of the Lord's table worthily.

The word `covenant' could be likened to a solemn agreement signed in a court. No one would sign an agreement in a court, without carefully reading and understanding the terms of the agreement. But how lightly believers take part of the bread and wine at the Lord's table! No wonder, as in Corinth, even today many believers are weak (physically and spiritually), sick (physically and spiritually) and a number of them die before God's appointed time (1 Cor. 11:30) - all because they come to the Lord's table lightly.

In Lev. 26:14-20, God had warned the Israelites that if they made a covenant with Him and then broke it, they would become sick and diseased and defeated and there would be no profit in their labours or in their businesses.

It is a serious thing to break a covenant. "Do not be hasty in word in the presence of God. When you make a vow to God, do not be late in paying it. ... It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay it" (Eccl. 5:2-5).

Anyone who is repeatedly plagued by sickness and weakness should carefully consider whether he has carelessly broken his covenant with God. This is why James tells us to confess our sins in order to be healed (Jas. 5:16).

The bread that we break symbolises the body of Christ. First of all it symbolises that physical body that Jesus took when He came to earth, in which He never did His own will but His Father's (see Heb. 10:5-7). Thus His body was a broken, yielded body all through His earthly life. His body was like bread - easily broken when touched even slightly. Such was His yieldedness to His Father's will at all points.

When we break the bread and partake of it, we are testifying thereby, very solemnly, that we too desire to go the same way of yieldedness and brokenness. It is a serious thing therefore to say that to the Lord at the Lord's table, and then live as though we never made a covenant with God. We may not be perfect, but the Lord expects even the newest believer to have a willingness to go the way of death to self, no longer to live for oneself, but for Him alone (2 Cor. 5:15). Otherwise we partake of the bread unworthily, not discerning the Lord's body rightly.

A Covenant Relationship In The Brotherhood

The bread that we break symbolises not only the physical body of Christ but also the church, the body of Christ (1 Cor. 10:16,17), for there is but one loaf, and we who are many are one body. Those who "eat the sacrifices are sharers in the altar" (1 Cor. 10:18). If we eat at the Lord's table, we are to share His death on the cross (the altar) - death to our self - not only in our relationship with God, but also in our relationship with others in the body of Christ.

"We ought to lay down our lives for the brothers" (1 Jn. 3:16). This is another aspect of our testimony at the Lord's table. It is not only with the Lord that we enter into a covenant, but also with our fellow believers. And here too the covenant is entered through death to self.

As the two parties entering into a covenant in Israel passed between the two halves of the slain ('broken') calf, even so today we enter into a covenant with one another through the broken bread. This is just as serious a matter as the first aspect that we considered earlier, of making a covenant with God.

In 1 Sam. 18:1-8, we read of Jonathan entering into a covenant with David. This is a beautiful picture of what the covenant relationship should be like in the body of Christ. It says there that Jonathan's soul was knit to the soul of David. The 'knit' used here is the same word used in Neh. 4:6 where it refers to the wall being built in such a way that there was no gap at all in it. So too was Jonathan's heart was knit with David's - there was no gap between their hearts for the enemy to come through. It says further that Jonathan loved David as himself. This is our calling in the body of Christ too - to be joined together as ONE, such that there is no gap between us (no gap of misunderstanding, jealousy, suspicion, etc) whereby the enemy can come through and bring a division.

Jonathan should have been the one person in Israel who should have been most jealous of David, for he was a threat to Jonathan succeeding Saul as the next king of Israel. Yet he overcame jealousy and loved David as his own self. How Jonathan puts New Testament believers to shame!

Jonathan then made a covenant with David; and as a symbol of the covenant, he took off his royal robe and put it on David. This was symbolic of Jonathan's desire to die to himself as the next king of Israel and to make David king. We are commanded in the body of Christ to "outdo one another in showing honour" (Rom. 12:10 margin). We are to so die to ourselves that we sincerely and earnestly long that our brothers will be greater and higher and more regarded than ourselves. And we take our robe, if necessary, to cover a brother's nakedness wherever it is seen. Thus we can make our brother glorious in the eyes of others. This is what it means to enter into a covenant relationship with the brothers in the body of Christ.

It is impossible to enter into such a covenant without dying to self persistently. All the problems that riddle almost every assembly of believers arise because the believers therein have not entered into such a covenant relationship with one another. Everyone seeks his own. The net result of this is that Satan triumphs. But such assemblies are not the church that Jesus is building, for Jesus said that the gates of hell would not be able to prevail against the church that He builds (Matt. 16:18).

Jesus is building His church in this world today. If we are to be a part of that church and to have a part in building that church, then we need to take to heart covenant relationships and should seek to learn with all our hearts what it means to make our brother glorious.

Then we read that Jonathan also took his armour, his sword, his bow and his belt and gave them to David. Entering into a covenant with our brothers, we surrender every possible weapon with which we can harm them in any way. This is the meaning of Jonathan's action.

The weapon with which the maximum damage has been done in Christendom is the tongue. Are we willing to lay down this weapon in a covenant relationship with our brothers in such a way that we will never again speak evil or backbite or gossip against another, even once.

This surrender of our weapons also implies a trust in our brother such that we can afford to be defenceless before him, because we know that he will never harm us. It is through such trust and confidence that the brotherhood is built.

In 1 Sam. 19,20, we see Jonathan's steadfast loyalty to David even at the cost of having to stand against his own father. Jonathan stood by his brother David in the presence of carnal relatives. Truly he is a worthy example for all of us to follow. We are to love the brotherhood more than our blood relatives.

In Amos 1:9,10, we see how seriously God viewed a breaking of the covenant of brotherhood. Tyre had made a covenant with Israel in the days of Hiram. Yet in the moment of Israel's need, they betrayed Israel and delivered them over to their enemies and thus broke the covenant that they had made. God told Amos that He was going to judge Tyre severely for this.

In 2 Sam. 21:1,2, we read another example of this. For three years there had been a famine in Israel. When David sought the Lord for the cause of this, the Lord told him that it was because Israel had broken the covenant that they had made with the Gibeonites in the days of Joshua. King Saul had killed the Gibeonites, disregarding that solemn covenant. Years later, long after Saul had died, judgment caught up with Israel. God may delay His judgments, but where He does not see repentance, those judgments will surely come. One may ask why God delayed so much in sending the famine. No doubt it was because He gave Israel time to repent. When they did not repent, judgment fell on them.

Paul told the Corinthians that if they judged themselves, God would not judge them. But since they had not judged themselves, therefore many of them were sick and weak and many died before their time (1 Cor. 11:30,31). All believers who are perpetually weak and sick should seek God to see if the reason for it is perhaps a broken covenant of brotherhood - taking part in the table of the Lord and then betraying their brothers and sisters, behind their backs, by slander, gossip, etc. This was the chief crime of Judas Iscariot - that he had partaken of the covenant meal with Jesus and then gone out and betrayed Him. As the psalmist prophesied, "Even my close friend, whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted his heel against me" (Psa. 41:9).

May the Lord enable each one of us to examine ourselves and partake of the Lord's table meaningfully in future. Let us repent wholeheartedly of the sin of breaking covenant with the Lord and with our brothers and sisters; and let us take heed to the voice of the Spirit that has come to us.

Turning From A Spirit of Whoredoms

A Call for Virtuous Womanhood

As I reflected on God's will for young girls last week, I considered my own daughters.  It has been a joy to see God's grace as they grow up with discretion and virtue; yet I also know that - as a society - we have strayed far from God's standards. 

The first thing which came to my mind is how fathers give their daughters away in marriage.  While this is a part of marriage ceremonies today, it has mostly lost its significance. 

The reason why the father presents the daughter at the wedding is because it signifies her being given from his household to the household of her husband.  A young girl was to be under the care/authority of her father until she married, at which point she would come under the care/authority of her husband. 

This was not something to be done just in "Bible days"; nor was it intended to limit the young ladies.  It reflects the protection and covering of patriarchy, a blessing God gives as a reflection of Himself amongst His people. It gives an identity to the family, which is why family members take on the last name of the father (patriarch).  Such is also why the woman replaces her father's last name with her husband's in marriage.

Now, the things which God has given for our benefit, are the very things we despise...because of sin. Today, young ladies cannot wait to leave the home of their parents; to be independent and on their own.  Women often bristle at what should be the honor of taking their husband's last name in marriage.  Many simply append the husband's name to their own in order to retain their own individuality/independence.  Yet these are the poisonous fruit of feminism; it promises a bright, shiny red apple which looks pleasant and able to make one wise, but once bitten it brings death.

Have we not all had a bite out of that rotten fruit?  Through time it has continued to decay, showing itself via a culture of death which envelops the young people of our day.  Nowhere is this more apparent then in the countenance of young girls. 

Scripture says that the woman is the glory of the man (I Corinthians 11:7).  The Amplified Bible puts is this way, "but woman is the expression of man's glory (majesty, preeminence)".  In other words, you can tell the spiritual state of men by looking at the women. This works both ways.  If the men in a society are virtuous, then the women will be ladies of virtue.  If the men are defiled, then the women will likewise reflect that which is reprobate.

Romans Chapter 1 describes the perversion which will (and has) set in during the end times; and one barometer God sets on this devolution is the women.  In an expression of utter amazement, God says during this time that "even the women" will turn away from that which is natural to that which is unnatural (verse 26). 

As evidence to this truth, it is now en vogue for young ladies to dress immodestly, to curse like sailors, and to act like prostitutes. Instead of bringing life to man as a help meet for him, the women are on the prowl and the men are the prey.  How are these girls hunting?  By putting their "wares" on display and competing with each other in order to be more available (sexually and otherwise) to men.

The Wall Street Journal ran an article this month entitled, "Why Do We Let Them Dress Like That?" which explored the current phenomenon of girls being "pimped out" by their parents in the way they are allowed to dress.  An interview with the author about this article is in the video below.



Although the author speaks from a secular perspective, her insights are valid...even for those "in the church".  In speaking about the path we have helped blaze for our daughters in this area, author Jennifer Moses writes:

"We are the first moms in history to have grown up with widely available birth control, the first who didn't have to worry about getting knocked up. We were also the first not only to be free of old-fashioned fears about our reputations but actually pressured by our peers and the wider culture to find our true womanhood in the bedroom. Not all of us are former good-time girls now drowning in regret—I know women of my generation who waited until marriage—but that's certainly the norm among my peers...

Still, in my own circle of girlfriends, the desire to push back is strong. I don't know one of them who doesn't have feelings of lingering discomfort regarding her own sexual past. And not one woman I've ever asked about the subject has said that she wishes she'd "experimented" more...

But it's easy for parents to slip into denial. We wouldn't dream of dropping our daughters off at college and saying: "Study hard and floss every night, honey—and for heaven's sake, get laid!" But that's essentially what we're saying by allowing them to dress the way they do while they're still living under our own roofs."

Am I saying that we should put young girls on lock-down; chain them to the homes and make sure every inch of their bodies are always covered?  No.  I am saying that the virtues of true womanhood are not defined in the bedroom, but in the Bible.  The honor and dignity of being a woman has been largely lost in this generation and this lapse of vision will not be corrected until we address the root cause of the issue. 

What many do not realize is that such issues for girls says more about their perception of fatherhood (patriarchy) than it does about their desire to be seen as attractive.  Since the identity in a family comes from the father, when that relationship is skewed, the girl is left less than whole inside.  Yes, a mother's presence and role in raising children is critical as well.  God has appointed both mothers and fathers as necessary components in raising Godly children (Malachi 2:15).  However, the blessing of patriarchy bestows a unique sense of belonging and place in the heart which makes us whole.  It tells us where we come from, to whom we belong, and even what inheritance is ours.  Just as the Christians identity is grounded in God the Father (Romans 8:15-17; Galatians 4:6-7), the earthly father plays the same role in an earthly family.

This is why studies have continually shown that absent fathers (physically or emotionally) result in increased sexual activity among young girls.  Scripture also acknowledges that a young girl's promiscuity is a reflection on the father (Leviticus 21:9).  She is looking for in other men what she lacks with her own father, whether it is acceptance, security, approval, love, etc.

We are so far gone from God's ways, that many do not even realize a young girl's effort to "find a boy" is in itself abnormal. Notice, I did not say that it is abnormal for a girl to be attracted to a boy.  I am saying that it is abnormal for her to actively pursue him; it is the evidence of her being incomplete inside.

The Scripture says that he who "finds a wife" finds a good thing (Proverbs 18:22).  The man "finds" a virtuous woman (Proverbs 31:10).  Remember, the marriage relationship between man and woman is a reflection of Christ's relationship with the church (Ephesians 5:31-32); and this includes the steps leading up to engagement.  As the bride of Christ, it is not we who have searched for and claimed Jesus.  He is the one who first sought us (Ephesians 2:4-5; I John 4:19; Titus 3:3-5).  We belong to Him because He first claimed us; we did not choose Him, but He chose us (John 15:16).

Similarly, it is the man who initiates the relationship with the woman.  Just as with Adam, God personally prepares a woman for a man and then reveals her to him as his wife so that the man may begin the courtship.  The only woman in Scripture who is out aggressively looking for and claiming a man is the "strange woman" in Proverbs.

"For by means of a whorish woman a man is brought to a piece of bread: and the adulteress will hunt for the precious life." Proverbs 6:26

"And, behold, there met him a woman with the attire of an harlot, and subtil of heart. (She is loud and stubborn; her feet abide not in her house: Now is she without, now in the streets, and lieth in wait at every corner.) So she caught him, and kissed him, and with an impudent face said unto him, I have peace offerings with me; this day have I payed my vows. Therefore came I forth to meet thee, diligently to seek thy face, and I have found thee." Proverbs 7:10-15

"For a whore is a deep ditch; and a strange woman is a narrow pit. She also lieth in wait as for a prey, and increaseth the transgressors among men."  Proverbs 23:28

It is true deliverance for young women in the Lord to realize that they don't have to "find" a husband.  All she has to do is stay in obedience to the Lord and - if it is His will for her to have a husband - He will provide the one He has selected for her.

This is exactly opposite to the mentality of the world where girls are encouraged to "test the waters" by seeking out and obtaining boyfriends, even in childhood; trying on boys like one tries on shoes.  The result is what we see now: hordes of young girls carrying themselves like discounted merchandise in the hopes of being picked up by the lowest bidder.

Yet, this is the legacy we have been left when we follow the feminist view of "empowerment".  Last Fall, Anne Kingston wrote an article entitled "Outraged Moms, Trashy Daughters" where feminists lamented over the "trashy" state of their daughters.  Their conclusion: More work remains for feminists to do.  My conclusion: We are reaping what we have sown.

Contrary to what the article presents, the crux of the problem lies with the whole feminist ideology.  The very thing missing from the article is what has been whitewashed out of their ideology: fatherhood.  One reviewer, who I am quoting below, summarizes her assessment of this article:

Feminism brainwashed young women to see husbands as oppressors and family as bondage. There was no longer any reason to restrict sex to love and marriage.  Understandably, feminists don't want to admit their teachers have betrayed them.

Even while they wring their hands, feminists are blinded by their ideology.  Both mothers and daughters are victims of deliberate social subversion. Feminism was created by elite social engineers to reduce population and undermine marriage and family.  A woman's career used to be wife and mother. She consecrated her sexuality for the man she loved, the father of her children, her protector and provider.

Young women today are up a creek. They don't know how to be women and men don't know how to be men. But one thing that hasn't changed is - men don't marry sluts. These girls are going to be left high and dry once their sex appeal has faded.

They obsess on looking beautiful but don't know that true beauty comes from within, from a spiritual purity. This means rejecting all coarse influences and behavior. It means focusing on what is good, true, human and inspiring.

It's not too late for girls to learn to be women again.

And I echo that it is not too late.

In Isaiah Chapter 3, God punishes Israel for her idolatry by taking away the patriarchs from the land (verses 1-3).  As a result, society gets turned upside down; people will be oppressed, children unruly, the base things of life will be exalted over that which is honorable (verses 4-7).  The people will sin openly and not be ashamed, but will boldly demonstrate their unrighteous ways (verses 8-11).  As a result of this disorder, God says:

"As for My people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O My people, your leaders cause you to err, and they confuse (destroy and swallow up) the course of your paths." Isaiah 3:12

This is what we see in society and what the mothers in the articles above are mourning over.  The consequence of God removing the righteous patriarchs from society results in children running wild and women left to rule. Take a look at the impact this has on young women: 

"Moreover, the Lord said, Because the daughters of Zion are haughty and walk with outstretched necks and with undisciplined (flirtatious and alluring) eyes, tripping along with mincing and affected gait, and making a tinkling noise with the anklets on their feet, Therefore the Lord will smite with a scab the crown of the heads of the daughters of Zion making them bald, and the Lord will cause them to be taken as captives and to suffer the indignity of being stripped naked. 

In that day the Lord will take away the finery of their tinkling anklets, the caps of network, the crescent head ornaments, The pendants, the bracelets or chains, and the spangled face veils and scarfs, The headbands, the short ankle chains attached from one foot to the other to insure a measured gait, the sashes, the perfume boxes, the amulets or charms suspended from the ears or neck, The signet rings and nose rings, The festal robes, the cloaks, the stoles and shawls, and the handbags, The hand mirrors, the fine linen undergarments, the turbans, and the whole body-enveloping veils. 

And it shall come to pass that instead of the sweet odor of spices there shall be the stench of rottenness; and instead of a girdle, a rope; and instead of well-set hair, baldness; and instead of a rich robe, a girding of sackcloth; and searing of captives by the scorching heat instead of beauty...AND IN that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying, We will eat our own bread and provide our own apparel; only let us be called by your name to take away our reproach of being unmarried." Isaiah 3:16-24, 4:1

Is this curse not what we see on our streets today?  Young girls walking proudly as they use their bodies like a divining rod to allure and compete for a dwindling number of men.  Instead of bearing a crown of glory, the woman's covering is removed leaving her spiritually bare/bald and without discretion (I Corinthians 11:6-15).  The very spirit she walks in declares, "I am fatherless; I have no spiritual covering".  Young women who should be a precious and sweet savor instead become a stench of rottenness.  I am also reminded of the ending text of the Old Testament:

"Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD: And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse." Malachi 4:5-6

We need the hearts of the fathers to turn back to the children, so that the hearts of the children can be turned back to the fathers.  We need a restoration of true patriarchy in the hearts of God's people, which is founded in Godly leadership, vision, and self-sacrifice.  When men of God stand and take their rightful place - in the home first, and then in the church - and women of God stand to complement them, we will see a remarkable shift in the children.

Young ladies do not have to "find" a husband.

Don't have to use their bodies to "attract" a man.

Don't have to fornicate in order to "keep" a man.
Don't have to debase themselves in order to "please" a man.

Simply delight yourselves in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart (Psalm 37:4).  The question is, "Do you trust God to do this in your life?  Do you believe that His ways are higher than our ways?  Do you want to have your true value restored and walk in a calling that is worthy of respect or are you satisfied living a sub-standard and lonely life where you are never treasured as the precious gem God created you to be?"  The choice is yours.

I cannot tell anyone how to handle their own households; nor do I believe that there is a one size fits all approach for how we are to raise our daughters. I share this information in the hope that it might prompt some to truly seek God's heart & His ways; not just accept that the ways of the world are what is right or even inevitable.  It doesn't have to be this way for young women.  We can choose to show a different path for our own daughters...and our sons.

I have previously posted videos from Min. Voddie Baucham.  His eldest daughter, Jasmine Baucham, has recently written a book entitled, "Joyfully at Home".   "Joyfully at Home" started out as a blog by Jasmine as she chronicled her experiences and insights in deciding to stay at the home of her father until marriage.  Jasmine was also highlighted in a documentary called, "Return of the Daughters" which interviews various young women who have made similar decisions (an excerpt of which is posted in the video below).

Lastly, here is a word of encouragement for women by Dr. Annie Poonen about interceding for children who may be going down the wrong path called "God Will Save Your Children".  I pray it is a blessing to you.

UPDATE: I have included a sermon from Min. Baucham on "Biblical Womanhood" after the Return of the Daughters clip below.  In this sermon, he discusses:

• Biblical womanhood is first & foremost reverent in behavior, seeking to bring honor to God and not to herself in everything she does.
• We are no longer raising women in our culture.  We are raising men who happen to be biologically able to have children.  We are raising women to conduct themselves like men.
• Fathers are primarily accountable for the way their daughters dress.
• When dressing, a woman should consider what aspect of her person she is drawing attention to and then consider whether such is pleasing to God.  What a woman draws attention to in her dress is what she considers to be the most valuable thing about her.
• A young girl's value and worth is not contingent upon men lusting after her.
• A woman deserves to be honored, respected, and protected.  A woman is not a piece of meat to satisfy the sinful, fleshly desires of a man.  Your price is above rubies.
• If a man is not decent enough to be attracted to reverent behavior, then you don't want him anyway.
• A biblical woman who is a teacher of what is good and able to disciple & give instruction to children.
• There is a Greco-Roman myth which says that love is a random, overwhelming, uncontrollable sensual force; this is often symbolized by cupid.  This is not biblical, but is a faulty, godless definition of love.
• A wrong definition of love can even make a father uncomfortable in showing affection to his daughter once she starts to develop into a woman.  A number of young girl's yearning for a boyfriend coincides with this break in affection with their father.
• Biblical womanhood pushes past sensual/emotional love into biblical love.  Love is an act of the will, accompanied by emotion, that leads to selfless action.  This is why Titus 2 tells elder women to teach younger women how to love their husbands and children. Jesus at the Garden of Gethsemane is a prime example of biblical love.
• Biblical womanhood exercises self-control and is pure.
• In the world, purity is not having sex before marriage.  According to Scripture, purity is a lifestyle even after marriage.
• Biblical womanhood focuses on working at home.  This doesn't mean that no work outside of the home occurs, as made clear in Proverbs 31.  It means that the woman's role in her home (as a wife and mother) is her top priority.
• Most families are doing "wife swap" where the wife goes out to support another man in his business endeavor while another woman (or women) takes responsibility for keeping the home (cleaning, cooking, and caring for the children).
  
• Biblical womanhood walks in submission to their husbands.  Women war against submission by nature as a result of the fall.  Feminists like to counter the biblical commands by saying that submission is mutual or conditional; yet this is proven false by Scripture.

For added reading, you may also want to see the article,"Women, Reverence Your Husbands".

Act Like Men

"Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong." I Corinthians 16:13

The phrase "quit you like men"  or "Act Like Men" is the Greek word andrizomai which means "to make a man of, to show one's self to be a man, to be brave."   This phrase was part of the theme of the men's conference Pastor Zac Poonen held in Loveland, Colorado this past weekend.  This other portion of the conference addressed Satan's Tactics.

Links to the list of various discussions, as well as a summary of the lessons, are listed below.  While this message was delivered primarily for men, there are many nuggets of wisdom which could benefit all.

Act Like Men	Satan's Tactics
Part 1 : Be a Witness Part 2 : Be a Worshiper Part 3 : Be Under Authority Part 4 : Be Free From Dead Works Part 5 : Be Built on the Rock Part 6 : Be a Judge of Yourself	Part 1 : Satan’s Tactics with Eve Part 2 : Satan’s Tactics with Job Part 3 : Satan’s Tactics with Jesus Part 4 : Satan’s Tactics with the Believer
Questions & Answers:   Session 1           Session 2

"Act Like Men" Lesson Summary

• To be a witness (Acts 1:8) is to stand uncompromisingly for all of God’s truth.
• A servant of the Lord will be tempted often, but he should never be discouraged.
• To be like Jesus is to “have no tears for one’s own griefs” but sorrow for the griefs of others.
• We must retain the standard of “hygiene” in God’s Word (2 Timothy 1:13).
• Being filled with the Holy Spirit “once upon a time” is no more useful than a car’s tank being filled with petrol “once upon a time”.
• When Jesus was on earth, most people didn’t realize that the Second Person of the Trinity was moving among them. Most Christians today don’t realize that the Third Person of the Trinity is now moving around on earth.
• Let it be said of you: “There came a man sent by God who was a witness for Jesus” (John 1:6-7).
• It is OUR responsibility to be the light of the world now (See John 9:5 and Matthew 5:14). We are to reflect the light of Christ in our lives just like the moon reflects the light of the sun.
• God desires that, both in our life and in our ministry, we bear fruit that remains permanently (John 15:16) – not fruit that disappears after a few years.
• The big difference in serving God under the New Covenant is that this service begins in the Most Holy Place. So, in order to serve God, we must first worship Him (Matthew 4:10).
• If we have truly learnt to worship God, we will never get bored with being in His presence.
• Before you can expect complete submission from your wife you must be completely submitted to Christ as your Head (1 Cor.11:3).
• Sin came through someone who rebelled against authority (Satan). Salvation from sin therefore came through Jesus, Who always submitted to authority.
• Submission to authority has nothing to do with whether the authority is perfect or not. Jesus submitted to imperfect Joseph and Mary for 30 years.
• In the step-by-step description of the full gospel in Romans, one important step is submission to earthly authorities (Romans 13:1-7).
• It is extremely dangerous for an unbroken man to exercise authority in a church.
• Eternal life is not a life that merely has no end, but a life that also had no beginning. It refers to the life of God alone – His Divine Nature that we can partake of (John 17:3; 2 Pet.1:4).
• The primary mark of a person who is walking with Jesus is humility (Matthew 11:29).
• The God Who commanded, “Do not kill”, “Do not commit adultery”, and “Do not steal”, also commanded, “Do not be anxious” thrice (Matthew 6:25-34) and “Do not fear” thrice (Matthew 10:26-31). Do we take these latter two commands as seriously as we take the first three?
• If we call anxiety and fear as “weaknesses”, we will never be delivered from them. If however we call them sins – because Jesus forbade them – then He will set us free from them.
• Most Christians have a “laminated righteousness” – one that is merely superficial. They can be compared to dogs that have been trained to act like cats and “meow”, but that will bark when provoked.
• The opposite of the fear of God is the fear of man. If we fear men, we will seek their honor. If we fear God, we will seek only His honor.
• Under the Old Covenant, the Israelites could pray, give, and fast publicly. In the New Covenant however, we are commanded to do these same things secretly (Matthew 6:1-18) - otherwise they will be dead works.
• The Father always heard Jesus’ prayers (John 11:41-42) because Jesus always did the things that pleased His Father (John 8:29). This is the secret of answered prayer.
• Dead works are good works that are done to get honor from men. We must be cleansed from such dead works before we can serve a living God (Hebrews 9:14).
• If God did not answer your prayer, it could be because He did not even hear it – because of some unconfessed sin in your life (Psa.66:18).
• God always answers prayer, but His answers could be, “Yes”, “No”, or “Wait” – just like the green, red and yellow lights in a traffic signal.
• If you assess your prayer-life by the clock, it is a dead work and it proves that you don’t really love Jesus.
• The last of the Ten Commandments (“You shall not covet after…”) was an inward requirement. God gave it, in order to find out who would be honest enough to acknowledge that he could not keep it. Paul acknowledged that (Romans 7:7-8) – and so God led him to a godly life (Rom.8:2-4).
• The Sermon on the Mount begins with a promise to the poor in spirit. The entire kingdom of heaven is available to them. To be poor in spirit is to have a constant sense of one’s own need (Matthew 5:3). Unfortunately, most Christians are content with a kingdom of earth (earthly blessings).
• The Sermon on the Mount ends with a picture of two types of churches – Jerusalem and Babylon – one built (on rock) by those who follow the commands in Matthew Chapters 5-7; and the other built (on sand) by those who don’t take these chapters seriously.
• A branch of an apple tree that has borne fruit for 50 years will still dry up as soon as it ceases to receive sap from the tree. Experience never makes up for constant dependence upon God for the power of His Holy Spirit.
• To pluck out your eye with regard to lust is to be like a blind man when facing sexual temptation.
• In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus spoke of only two sins that could send people to hell – anger and sexually sinful thoughts and actions (Matt.5:21-30). Yet, these seem to be the very two sins that believers commit the most.
• To build your house on the rock is to dig past understanding God’s Word (mind) and being excited about it (emotions) to the point of surrendering your will (Luke 6:47,48). You will never become spiritual if you are only stirred in your intellect and in your feelings. God wants to dwell in your spirit. For that you must yield your will to Him.

"Satan's Tactics" Lesson Summary

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• Whether we know it or not, the devil knows that his time is short and that the Lord is coming soon
• Those who compromise on the things of God will never be a target of Satan's anger.  The devil's fury is reserved for those who serve God wholeheartedly and do not fear him. 
• There are two types of Christians: 1) Those who have a huge devil with a small grasshopper-like God; or 2) Those who have a huge Jesus with a grasshopper-like devil.  Greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.
• We should speak back to the devil when he speaks to us.  The word of our testimony to the devil - acknowledging that we no longer belong to him and that we renounce any past affiliation with him - is part of how we overcome (Revelation 12:11). 
• Jesus accomplished two particular things on the cross: He died for our sins (Colossians 2:14) and He also took away the armor of Satan against us (Colossians 2:15).
• Many Christians are never taught about the authority we have over Satan and how we engage in spiritual warfare against him.
• The devil was defeated on the cross and hates to be reminded of this.
• In every warfare, you need to know the tactics of the enemy so that you can be better prepared to fight against him (II Corinthians 2:11).  This is one of the wonderful privileges of the new covenant.
• Satan comes as a serpent (a deceiver) and a lion (a persecutor). 
• One tactic of Satan in deceiving is to keep people ignorant of what God has really said.
• Multitudes of people are in Hell today because they were given a false assurance that they would not die. God says that if YOU "brethren" (verse 12) live according to the flesh, then YOU will die (Romans 8:13).  This lie that we will not die in such cases is how the devil fooled Eve.
• God uses Satan to fulfill a certain purpose amongst His people.
• We will face storms and trials in obeying God, but the question is how do we react to them?
• The Bible teaches that Satan was cast down from the 3rd heaven (the immediate presence of God) into the 2nd heaven (which is the level immediate above the universe we can see or the 1st heaven). During the last days, Satan will be cast down from the 2nd heavens to the earth where he will fill the Anti-Christ before being judged by Christ.
• Satan doesn't accuse his own; he is the accuser of the brethren.  He accuses believers day and night before God of their unrepentant. 
• When we speak against believers, what determines whether it's a just or righteous accusation is not the truth of it, but the motivation behind it.  Do we have righteous concern for the person or is it simply gossip?  When it is the latter, we must remember that we are holding hands with Satan at that time.
• Their are two ministries going on in Heaven all the time: 1) The Accuser Satan who is in constant accusation against believers for their sin; and 2) The Advocate Jesus is in constant intercession on behalf of believers for their sin.
  
• To be blameless and upright is to walk according to the light God has given you by the Holy Spirit to stay free from sin.  God is looking for people such as this. 
• Around God's children there is a three-fold hedge: 1) One around the child of God Himself; 2) One around his children, and; 3) One around his property.  Satan cannot touch these areas without the explicit permission of God.
• God is very merciful to those battling sinful ways, but He is against the hypocrite.
• The cup of the Lord may be bitter, but it brings life.  The cup of Satan is sweet, but filled with poison.
• Th reason God allows the hedges to be opened up and for Satan to attack us is so that we can have be given double spiritually than what we had before, just as God gave Job double (II Corinthians 12:7-10).
• The greatest mark of a holy man is that he is humble (Matthew 11:29).
• Temptation is a test of our love for God because if we love Him, then we will endure temptation (James 1:12).
• Satan tempted Jesus in three areas: 1) Get a benefit or comfort for satisfying the needs of the body; 2) Using Scripture to cite "It is written" in an unbalanced & unbiblical way to portray a half-truth and not the whole truths of God; and 3) Compromise on the things of God in order to receive worldly compensation, fame, or honor in the world.
• There is only one power man has over Satan and that is the power of the Holy Spirit.
• Condemnation of believers is another tactic of Satan.  Being tempted is not sin.  Sin must be conceived after temptation to produce sin (James 1:14-15).  However, if we cast down the thought, we can overcome the temptation (II Corinthians 10:4-5).
• It is only when we make up our mind not to fight with people (flesh and blood) that we can be empowered to fight Satan (Ephesians 6:12).
• Anger is another tactic Satan uses to defeat believers. The number one mark of a fool is that he has anger in his heart (Ecclesiastes 7:9).  It gives an open door to Satan to ruin you (Genesis 4:7).
• God's love is a tough love, not wishy washy, because the standard is the same for all.  Ministers walking in His love will be more concerned about upholding God's ways than their personal reputation in being seen as a "gentle and humble" man by compromising on God. 
  

Questions & Answers Summary

• What authority do church leaders have over our lives?  How do we protect ourselves from church leaders who would abuse their authority?
  
  The closest to authority in the church is authority in a home because a church is a family.  It is the family of God.  In a home, the father and mother make decisions; and in a church the elders make the decisions.  The term "elder" is a relative statement.  You are considered elder compared to others in the church; it doesn't mean that such persons are very mature.  In local church, the leaders of that church have authority over the operations of that church.  Accusations against elders by at least 2 witnesses should be investigated to see if they are true (I Timothy 5:19-20).  There are boundaries to authority; it is not absolute. 
  
  
• How can one change to get a sensitivity, or a renewed sensitivity, to what is wrong if one's conscience has become seared?
  
  A conscience is the voice of God in every human making him aware that he is responsible to a Creator.  Our experiences in the world and in sin can dull or deaden the conscience.  Once we are born again, the Holy Spirit begins to make the conscience more sensitive.  Our conscience becomes more sensitive to God's ways the more we are sanctified unto Him.  It is part of growing in Christ.  However, fellowship with backsliders or in a church which doesn't preach holiness can lead to desensitization.  To come back from such a place, stop looking at people and look back to Christ again as your example.
  
  
• How can a person be filled with the Holy Spirit?
  
  Our doctrines must be based on the teaching sections of Scripture and not merely the historical accounts of what happened.  There are certain groups which teaches that all believers must speak in tongues, but Scripture is clear that not all believers do (I Corinthians 12:30).  Baptism simply means immersion.  Being baptized in the Holy Spirit means to be continually immersed in or drenched by the Holy Spirit.
  
  John 7:37-39 addresses this topic. "In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)"
  
  Having faith in God is in part believing that God is more eager to bless you than you are to blessed.  If we thirst (are desperate) and we believe, then we can receive the fullness of the Spirit.
  
  
• How can we become true worshipers of, and be truly in love with, Jesus?
  
  The love for Jesus is not a human, sentimental love which is often reflected in Christian songs.  If we love Jesus, then we will obey Him; that is how we show Him our love.  Today's generation is losing the depth of understanding and appreciating God's love.  True devotion to God comes out of reverence for Him.
  
  
• 
  

Messages From Heaven or Hell?

Holy Apparitions or Unholy Aberrations

In a previous article, we examined the Biblical example of Mary, the mother of Jesus contrasted with the "other" Mary some in the churchworld attempt to promote.

Posted below is a documentary by Jim Tetlow entitled "Messages from Heaven" which examines worldwide apparitions of a young woman who claims to be Mary, the "Queen of Heaven".  During these visitations, it is not uncommon for there to be men or women who serve as "seers"/ "visionaries" channeling messages from "Mary" to the rest of the world.

This video examines:

• What is behind the increase in marian apparitions in what is called the "Millennial age of Mary"? (Part 1)
• The supernatural evidences which accompany these visitations such as healings, paintings of her which weep oil, tears, or blood, and turning silver rosaries into gold. (Part 1)
• What are the words of this "Mary"?  In the end times, does God really "step in with Mary as the Commander and Chief of all of His forces" to usher in a time of "peace & goodness"? (Part 2)

This last video is an interview with Jim Tetlow regarding his book "Queen of Rome, Queen of Islam, Queen of All" which examines the role "Mary" will play in uniting the world into one ecumenical religion.

I & II Thessalonians

Click here to hear Pastor Zac Poonen's sermon on the Books of I and II  Thessalonians, which is summarized below:

I Thessalonians - The Gift of Godly Ministry in Preparing Us for the Second Coming of Christ

• True repentance is to turn from idols to God
• An idol is anything in your life that takes the place of God
• Paul outlines the gift of a holy, just, and blameless ministry:
• They do not speak to please men, but God. 
  
• They don't use flattering words to appeal to the people.
  
• They never preach for the purpose of making money.
• They do not seek glory or honor from others
• They do not assert their authority in order to compel people
•  Their love for the people was shown in gentleness towards them and pouring out their lives in service to them.
•  They worked hard night and day so as not to be a financial burden on the people.
• It is not just the message preached, but the way one lives which demonstrates the Gospel.
•  A true servant of God is like a mother and father; both gentle and nurturing as well as providing discipline and correction.
• Even though Satan was able to hinder some of Paul's ministerial efforts, Satan could never hinder God's purpose.  So it is with us as well.
• A servant of God finds joy in the spiritual development of those whom he serves.
• Holiness is increasing in love for one another and is how we are established unblameable in before God.  
• It is our responsibility to possess our bodies in sanctification and honor.
• If our ambition is to please God, then we must study to be quiet, mind our own business, and work with our own hands to earn a living.
• There is no secret coming of Christ.  He comes immediately after the tribulation with a shout and the trump of God.  Then, the dead in Christ will rise and those who are alive will be caught up to meet Him in the clouds.
• Jesus only comes as a thief in the night for those who are in darkness. 
• What does it mean to be asleep?  When we sleep, the things that are real around us seem unreal.  Conversely, the things that are unreal seem real. 
• We must highly appreciate our elders and those who labor in the faith.
• Man is a trinity just like God with a spirit, soul, and body.
  

II Thessalonians - How Do We Personally Prepare for the Second Coming of Christ?

• The Thessalonians patience and enduring faith is the clear proof of God's righteous judgment in two areas: 1) That they are worthy of receiving the Kingdom of God; and 2) That those who trouble them are worthy to receive affliction and tribulation.
•  Persecution will continue until the coming of Christ.
• Do not believe or be shaken by people's visions or words about Jesus having come.  We do not know the day nor the hour of Jesus' Second Coming.
• Jesus cannot come until the falling away occurs (which is already happening) and the Antichrist is revealed.
• There is a mystery of iniquity just as there is a mystery of godliness.  The mystery of godliness is that Jesus has come in the flesh (I Timothy 3:16).  The mystery of iniquity is that Satan will also come in the flesh through possessing a man known as the AntiChrist.
• The spirit of antichrist is already around to prepare people's hearts for receiving the AntiChrist.  He will come with all types of wickedness, as well as with power, signs, and false wonders.
• If we are not willing to acknowledge the truth - about God and about ourselves - then God will allow a person to be deceived.
• The reason many follow that which is false today is because they do not want to acknowledge the truth about their own sin.
• The purpose of the Gospel is that we might acquire the glory of Christ.
• Stay away from those who live lazy lives.  The Apostles' example should be followed which was to work hard and not be chargeable to others in the Body.
• The servant of God must be a model for others, working harder than all others in that calling.
  

Used By God

Used Does Not Mean Approved

I have written before about how it is the light of Christ alone which dispels darkness, not focusing primarily on what the devil is doing.  Yet, God knows that His people are often destroyed for a lack of knowledge.  As such, His word takes time to instruct believers on how to identify false teachers and wolves in sheep's clothing attempting to deceive.

When discussing what Scripture calls "hirelings" in the pulpits (John 10:12-13), it is not uncommon to hear many in the churchworld jump to their defense.  Even when such is a brazen, admitted adulterer clothing his message of spirituality in the branding of a lingerie store which openly exploits immodest images of women for profit.  At least true to form, this ad reveals its real focus; "elevating YOU", not lifting up Christ.  Perhaps the proof editor was off the day this ad was approved, or maybe self-exaltation has become so commonplace in "church" that such messages don't even raise a flag.

As a justification that such are holy men or women, people often point to how God is "using them" in their ministry.  Or, you get a chorus of how "God can use anybody."  Frankly, such sayings are a mouthful of nothing.  Rarely do you hear such arguments made by sincere Christians.  Rather it is a cover often used by those compromising with God because of unrepentant sin.  Since sin is running rampant in their own lives, they want to sign off on God "using" others who are likewise still in bondage to sin.

"Well", you might say, "Isn't that rather harsh?"  Perhaps, but let's not fool ourselves.  No amount of giving to the needy, setting up schools, preaching a good sermon (whatever that means), increasing church membership, sending out missionaries, or any other "good work" can replace being born again and led of God by His Spirit. Only those led by the Spirit are the Sons of God (Romans 8:14).  Our works can never justify us before God; only being found in Jesus Christ can.

The early church did not initially believe that God could use Saul (Paul), but God - in His providence - changed Saul and filled him with His Holy Spirit to become a new man.  It is the evidence of this change - the life of Christ bearing fruit inside of him - that allowed Paul to be received and his testimony believed by the church (Acts 9:13-26).  

It goes without saying that God can "use anyone".  Better yet, let me put it this way: everyone IS being used by God. One is either gathering with Christ or scattering against Him.  Those who are His will be "used" to reflect the light of Christ in a dying world and bring in the harvest.  Those who are not His will be "used" to turn people away from God - making those who are approved manifest and persecuting them as a means of crucifixion to this present, evil world. 

It should never be our goal to just be "used" by God, but to walk in obedience to His will and be found in Him.  Pharaoh was "used" by God to create a cry in the heart of God's people for deliverance (Romans 9:15).  Solomon was "used" by God and even wrote several books of Scripture, but he eventually fell away into idolatry.  Nebuchadnezzar was "used" by God to punish Israel for their idolatry; and in this manner, he was even called God's "servant" (Jeremiah 27:6).  The prophet Balaam was "used" by God, yet was a soothsayer who was rejected by Him.  Judas was "used" by God and wound up damned to Hell.  The Scriptures tell us that the "kings of the earth" set themselves against Him, yet they are each chosen and placed in positions of power specifically by Him (Psalm 2:2; Daniel 2:21).

It is not a matter of being "used" by God, but how?  To gather or to scatter?  The question we must ask is never whether someone is "used", but whether the testimony of their lips and the testimony of their lives attest to the life of the Spirit.  And even this is not so that we can stand in ridicule of them, but so that we can know whether such a person is to be followed - or the words of their testimony believed (I Corinthians 11:1; Hebrews 13:7).  Are they sincerely what they profess to be?

In the following video, David Williams discusses criteria God gives us in His words for discerning true teachers from false ones.  One thing Bro. David speaks of is how the "good" which false teachers do may make it hard to identify them as false.  They are camouflaged, which is why Scripture calls them wolves in sheep's clothing.  Therefore they don't appear to be evil...but they are (Romans 16:18; I Corinthians 11:13-15; II Peter 2:1-3; II John 1:7)  They are trying to mimic in the flesh a life that can only be led by the Spirit.  This is how they can preach the word or do "goods works" one minute, and then turn around to do/say that which is defiled the next.

Am I saying that one must be sinless or completely without error before being qualified to preach?  No.  I am saying that one must be born again by the Spirit and have the witness of the Spirit in their lives as a testimony to be considered a man or woman of God.

Do you know the type of language the Scriptures use to describe God's true ministers?  Such are to be "blameless", above "reproach", of "good behavior", "holy", of "good report", "proven" in the faith and having a "pure conscience" before God and men (I Corinthians 1:8; I Timothy 3:2-10, 5:7-14, 6:14; Titus 1:6-9).  WHY is this the standard?  Because such a life is only made possible by the Holy Spirit of God.  Such is the evidence that their life/testimony is inspired by the Spirit; it is the "fruit" by which we can identify those who belong to the Lord (Galatians 5:22-25). 

The point in posting this is not to examine the individual examples highlighted in David's video, but to keep in mind the direction provided by Scripture in this area.