Sometimes our Salvation is predicated on the things that God gives us, what He does for us, or how He feels about us before we take it upon ourselves to say “this is the Creator who created me.” Some people who call themselves Christians are falling into what we might say is the Christian Identity Syndrome, taking the life of Jesus Christ and His word like ordering a meal at a restaurant, where everything is a la carte. Everything in Christianity is expected to be separate items on a restaurant menu, and the assumption is you have the option to choose how you want to serve our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. What aspect of Christianity are you following? What makes you a Christian? Do you not know that there is more than one aspect of Christianity that you are to take into consideration? Anybody can take the good aspects of Christianity, but no one wants to take the disciplinarian aspects of Christianity. The Bible says that whatever a man sows, that shall he reap. If you plant a seed of corn, don’t expect a pear tree to come up. So if you sow anger, strife, hatred, all those things into the ground or into the a person, what you’ll get out is the same negative thing you threw in. If you aren’t putting good stuff within you, good stuff won’t come out of you. If you allow your neighbors, friends or the world to put stuff in you, then what will come out of you are the things they’ve placed in you. Anger, jealously, hatred…so when someone sees you and asks, “What do you have for me?” What comes out will be negative and they will say that you, as a Christian, were evil. Will the real Child of God stand? Stand up in the midst of a battle? When things are not good. Stand. When everything is against you. Stand. When you don’t have money. Stand. But if you’re not a Child of God, you won’t know how to stand. Last time, I read the Word of God, I believe it said He die for total humanity, inclusive of all their sins. What would Christianity look like if man was on a chart like a menu and it had every expectation listed of what God wants from mankind labeled with no time limits? What is God asking from you? Total submission, obedience, love, happiness…He wants you to be joyful…the world goes up and says they only want love. What about obedience, caring, sacrifice? Christianity is not what you want it to be, its what it is. Christian means to be Christ-like. How can you be Christ-like when everything you exemplify is like the world? The Word of God says there is a way that seems right to a man but the end thereof are the ways of death? Why? Because you take Christianity a la carte.
Everyone wants someone to love them, hug them, and be around and care for them, right? In Ecclesiastes 3:1 it says there is a time and season for everything under heaven. There is a time to live and die, time to love and not to love. There is a time to be angry and not, because the Bible tells us we can be angry but not sin. There is a time to plant and there is a time to pick up. People try to do things out of season for their own benefit, because “they felt.” But when you feel, its your will. God is not mocked, what a man sows that shall he reap. God will not make you do anything, because He is not a God of control. He just says if you love Me keep My commandments. By love shall you do them, because out of love you won’t do them. These are the things that people negate because they don’t want that aspect of Christianity. Its just like in a marriage. Each partner does what the other likes out of love. It isn’t right for one of the partners to gansterize the spouse by using their emotions to move them in the direction of control. This is not of God. He said whosoever will let him come. God does not say “you better get in here or else!” God is not gangster. God’s way is to ask, “If you love Me would you do that?” If we say no, He’ll go on about His business, seeking for the soul who will say yes. Blessings then are showered on the one who said yes, and the one who said no gropes and moans about what the other person has. The one who says no talks about Jesus, says he knows Jesus, but his actions shows that they don’t love Him because they don’t do what He asks. The Lord Jesus Christ is not an a la carte God. The Lord tells us in His Word in the book of John 14:15, “If you love me, keep my commandments.” He didn’t say keep some of His commandments or even most of His commandments but all His commandments.
Can you imagine a world where people only live according to the Word of God only most of the time? What a world it would be! We are living in a world like that today. People are choosing what they want to do and how they want to serve the Lord. There are people who call themselves Christians who are literally taking whips of leather with sharp metal grommets, whipping themselves saying “Lord forgive me for my sins!” They forgot about the part that says He suffered and died. He did not ask you to suffer! He paid it all on the cross. What aspect of Christianity do you practice? Our God is an all inclusive God. You have to do it all, not the part that you feel you have control of. As we go forth walking in this life, we know its not going to be easy. They tell you when you’re going to get an education that it won’t be easy. There are 1000 others student who are going for the exact same major. “Well how do I get to the front of the line,” you may ask? Its called favor. When God says that is My child, I will bless them with favor. You came in the right season and at the right time to get your blessing of favor. There is a time and season for everything. When all of it merges together, its in God’s time, and if it is, it will move you, in time.
People are living today like there is no tomorrow, and the Church is doing the same as the world. For example, the Church is dealing with abusers, drunkards, effeminate men, and lesbianism. Everything that goes on in the world, the Church experiences in the Church. It ought not be. Some of the best liars and con men you’ll find are in the House of God. From the pulpit to the floor. It shouldn’t be.
Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
1 Corinthians 6:9-11
No homosexuals will inherit the kingdom. When I was growing up, it was common for Church pianist to be homosexuals. It was a known thing. The keyboard moves people with the melodic sound. If there is a spirit in you, it goes out into your music. The Church Pastors, Deacons, Elders and Ministers didn’t recognize it until it was too late. The leaders in the Church wanted those with an awesome talent to get people happy and excited, so they can go in their pockets. We allow it. You choose what you want to come into your life and mind. I don’t choose for you and God doesn’t choose for you. Because we don’t have an understanding, we choose the wrong thing. All the people mentioned in 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 will not be going to Heaven. These types of people are in the Church, the body of Christ of baptized believers who call on the name of the Lord. Somebody opened the door for the mess to come in. Misery likes company. So the weak person gets with the weak person in the Church. If they are jacked up concerning the word, they will make the other person jacked up even more so. If you have a pastor or leader not aware of them being jacked up, and they are placed over something in the Church what happens to that? The Word of God tells us that man’s heart has become so cold that they are choosing everything but God. The people described in 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, God has said we once were. If we were once like that, why bring that mess back into your life again? Why associate with those who are like that again? If you were bound with that before, what will people living like that bring to you? A bound nature.
In this world, the tide has changed and the law has become the lawless. As for the some of those so call Christians of today, they are just like the world but with a topping of Christ, a la carte. You get to pick and choose how and what a Christian is defined by your own understanding and experience. How many have had cake without icing? It was good, but when it had icing, it tasted better. That is how the people of God in the Church who call themselves Christians are like. They have an appearance of Godliness. They have a covering of icing on their heads where when people look at them it is said that they are so sweet. Yet in reality they are like ravenous wolves waiting for the opportunity to tear you down. I don’t want anyone around me who will remind me that I’m living in sin, they say. If that happens I have to attack that individual to make them think less of themselves so they will faint. People gain knowledge and understanding about what they’ve come in contact with and by what people directly or indirectly have taught them. They need to corrupt who you are, so just in case they don’t make it on that last day when they stand before the Lord they can make an accusation before Him against you. They’ll say to the Lord, “Do you realize they did this and that and that and this, and you won’t let me in? I served You too!” When people are caught in a lie, they lie more.
All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.
1 Corinthians 10:23
What is lawful? Permitted, legitimate, allowable, approved. What is expedient? Convenient, practical, although possibly improper or immoral. All things are permitted, but all things are not practical. All things are allowable for me but all things are not good for me. Its good to drive a car fast, but is it expedient? If you drive too fast, its not good. It may appear to be good and look good. I can look at a dessert and eat it up. It was good to look at and good to taste, but now I’ve gained too much weight. It was good but wasn’t proper for me. Its good to have a job and get money, but not profitable to work overtime everyday.
You can weigh whether a person is a Christian or not by these factors:
1. Their level of ability to comprehend. If a person can’t understand the Word, how will they live it?
2. Their frame of consciousness or state of mind. If you’re trying to be taught something and your not conscious of what is going on, how would you ever understand and know what the Word of God says?
3. Their immediate point of reference. What are you’re conditions in this life? What is your reference point in life? Where did you come from, how did you grow up? In a hard environment or surroundings? Was your state of being disturbed? Was it conducive to you getting a proper understanding in life?
4. What outside influence was in your life? School? Your neighborhood? Outside influences shouldn’t deter you from your walk in Christ.
By asking these four questions, you will be able to answer or explain your perception on any truth on things that effect you in your Christian life and walk. Will you be able to explain to someone why you do what you do, without using someone else words? What does it mean to you to serve the Lord or to live holy or to walk upright before your God? Can you explain that? Christianity is more than just “Saying I am,” its “Doing I am.” No body likes you or wants to be around you. You make everyone feel guilty. Its not you, its the Word of God that is in and around you that makes them feel guilty. Its not about you its about Christ. They don’t like the fact you serve Him.
How much better is it to get wisdom than gold! and to get understanding rather to be chosen than silver! The highway of the upright is to depart from evil: he that keepeth his way preserveth his soul. Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall. Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud. He that handleth a matter wisely shall find good: and whoso trusteth in the Lord, happy is he. The wise in heart shall be called prudent: and the sweetness of the lips increaseth learning. Understanding is a wellspring of life unto him that hath it: but the instruction of fools is folly. The heart of the wise teacheth his mouth, and addeth learning to his lips. Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones. There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. He that laboureth laboureth for himself; for his mouth craveth it of him. An ungodly man diggeth up evil: and in his lips there is as a burning fire. A froward man soweth strife: and a whisperer separateth chief friends.
Proverbs 16:16-28
Verse 19 explains you need to change your surroundings to people who have a humble spirit, because a high minded person will try to control you. Verse 22-23 tells you not to run your mouth about foolishness or things you don’t know about. Verse 25-28 speaks of the things being taught by an ungodly man. He teaches ungoliness and evil. The burning fire he teaches is not of the Holy Ghost and not of God, but ungodliness.
Where the love of God is there lies truth and understanding of being a true Christian, which mean being just like Yeshua (Jesus Christ). The Lord says if you are My child, you will exhibit ways like Me; talk like Me walk like Me act like Me. People will not know the difference and think it is Me! No one should ever stop you from going forth and being what God wants you to be. They don’t have the right. People feel they have control over you and if it doesn’t work directly, they’ll use things like love to make you do what they say. Only one person can tell you, “If you love Me keep my commandments,” and that is Jesus.
What is wrong with the world today? Its Godless. There is so much control in this society today. Once you get connected to the right source, but leave it, you’re on your own. You may not find another source you can connect to and know you’re hearing from God. Satan doesn’t want you to be connected. He wants you to look like a Christian, walk like a Christian, but be empty. Satan just wants you to be a vessel to carry his mess so he can spread mess to everyone you come in contact with. Paul said you have to die daily to yourself. Why? Because daily offenses come your way. So you have to learn how to die to your flesh. Yet your flesh says, “You know you love it,” but you must say, “No, you’ll not get the victory today.” If you give into it, whose unctioning your flesh? Satan. So when you’re flesh says to do something, and you commit the sin, we go through. When you get up, Satan comes to tempt you again. Its the little things that we do that we think are ok with God that Satan knows which he tempts us with. Satan isn’t trying to convert you to him, he is trying to delay you, getting you hooked on things you’re bound by. He’s good at it. The Bible says if it weren’t for the Holy Ghost, no flesh would be saved, because He’d have to shorten the days. Yet we think we can handle it. If Satan took Christ to the top of the pinnacle of a building and was subject to Satan’s temptations, why do we think we can handle Satan? You are Satan’s enemy. You have to fight and can’t allow yourself to be tricked. Its hard, but if it weren’t how would your faith be tried? You need to be put in the fire as the sword so that when it is beaten, then quenched, it hardens. Then its put into the fire again, and when it is hot, it is beaten again, then quenched again. When it cools, it is sharpened and can cut a piece of hair. God is teaching and trying us, beating us into raw material to be used.
So when you are called by God to somewhere to pray for people, the devils in Hell know you’re on your way. They’ve sent messages because they know you are a sharpened sword, and what comes out of your mouth cuts. The demons don’t want you to be there to affect the people, so when you walk into the room, everything comes to silence, because the of the presence of the Holy Ghost is on you, a vessel that has been sharpened. When you intercede, demons will get out as quickly as possible because they know you are a true, tried solider that has been beaten into place, made sharpened and hardened. They can’t tempt you.
If you aren’t going through something, you’d better check to see if you’re walking the way God wants you to walk, because its a daily test and trial for us. When those days come upon us that we don’t feel the presence of God in our lives, you should know for a fact that He is with you. The Holy Ghost will never leave you. God will never leave you or forsake you. Use the authority and power you’ve been given of the anointing of the Holy Ghost to do what you need to do. That is a good soldier.