Don't Submit to Religious Bullies

Nevertheless, God's solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: "The Lord knows those who are his," and, "Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness." 2 Timothy 2:19 (NIV)

If a woman is subjected to relentless bullying by her husband.

If a woman’s children are tormented, abused or corrupted by her husband, 

...then the only way for that woman to turn away from wickedness may be for her to leave her husband and take her children with her.

This principle should take priority over her wedding vows.

The same principle applies if you are a member of a church where bullying and abuse is rampant and being covered up. If there is no other way to stop the evil, you must leave, regardless of your position. 

If you are a pastor, an elder, a priest or a nun, it makes no difference. You must depart from evil.

If your father or husband is a predator or accomplice, that does not oblige you to be silent or to stay.

"Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness."
Of course, if you are a mother and you cannot leave without losing your children, it may be necessary to stay for that reason, but don’t let yourself be deceived by guilt sermons about the sin of divorce.

"Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness."

New Hope in the Darkness

This planet is sick. Nations are in fear of sickness, in fear of poverty, in fear of violence. There's a huge pile of garbage in the Pacific Ocean. Young people are desperate about climate change.

But God still speaks as he did in the beginning.
 
 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

 The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.

 Then God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light. Gen 1:1-3 NKJ

God sees the darkness all around you, and he wants to give you His light to see by.

 And God saw the light, that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness. Gen 1:4 NKJ

God wants to take you out of your darkness into His light.

God spoke this world into being. God still speaks and he has not retired.
God was the creator, and he is still the creator.
He created. He creates and he will create.

Everything that man has ruined, God will do away with.

Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. Rev 21:1 NKJ

The Greens warn that this planet is going to perish because of pollution and climate change, but God will make everything new again in the end.

Then He who sat on the throne said, "Behold, I make all things new." And He said to me, "Write, for these words are true and faithful." Rev 21:5 NKJ

And who will enjoy this New World? The very same people who ruined God's creation.

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. Jn 3:16 NKJ

You may have hope in spite of everything, because God loves you in spite of everything.

 And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God.

"And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away." Rev 21:3-4 NKJ

That's nice, you might think, but I'm scared I’ll lose my job. What if I get sick? What will happen to my family? Right here, right now, I'm scared and struggling. How am I going to get through this crisis?

Unfortunately, I'm familiar with these problems, as are we all. Stress in the family, mega-stress at work, even rejection from other Christians.

But Jesus has never abandoned me and he is faithful. He will never abandon you.
“God will make a way, where there seems to be no way ... “ Don Moen.

Every morning you can say, "God has a good plan for me.”
“Something good is going to happen to me today.”

“God will bless me and I will be a blessing to others.”

Then get up, be blessed and be a blessing. God is with you wherever you go.

God Wants to Take Away your Shame

God loves you. He wants to encourage you today.

Have you messed up your life? Are you consumed by shame?

God wants to be your loving father, no matter how you've messed up.

God took your guilt and your punishment upon Himself by sending His Eternal Son to die on the cross.
 
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8 (NIV) 


Imagine the trauma the Father God suffered when he saw his own Son tormented on the cross, how he felt the terrible pain and loneliness of his Son.

But Father God made all this happen, so that Jesus would bear your guilt and my guilt.

God is just. Crimes must never go unpunished, but Jesus took our punishment upon Himself.

But perhaps you suffer because you are a victim. So many children are sexually abused, sometimes by their own parents. Young women are lured by lies and forced to work as prostitutes.

Even if you see yourself as a victim, the shame is unbearable. Imagine you are a decent woman who is tricked and enslaved. The idea that you are or have been a prostitute is unthinkable.

There are also men or women who lose everything and go broke because of their own mistakes, or because of circumstances that were out of their control. Some are tempted to commit suicide.

When the mother of Jesus became pregnant, she was not yet married. Jesus had to endure the shame of a supposedly illegitimate child in a small town.

Then Jesus hung stark naked on the cross. He was despised. He bore your shame.

There are some Christians, some pastors and also some priests who want to help guilty or despised fellow human beings with genuine compassion and understanding, but many suffering people experience cruel rejection in churches.

A young woman wanted to attend a service, but she was not even allowed inside the church because she was wearing a miniskirt.

Some children are sexually abused by pastors or priests. When they later report the crime, they are often condemned by the church and treated badly.

But Jesus was not like these priests and corrupt church leaders.

The hypocritical religious leaders despised Jesus because he was kind to sinners and social outcasts.


The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, 'Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and "sinners."' Luke 7:34 (NIV)

Jesus lived as a human being, but he was also God. He died as a man, but he did not remain dead. Three days after his death he returned to his disciples.

Now Jesus is in heaven with Father God. He is the eternal Son of God, but he still remains human. He loves you with God's love, but also with the compassion and understanding of a fellow human being.

Jesus understands your guilt and your shame. He has carried all this so that you no longer have to carry this terrible burden.

As a man on earth, Jesus invited everyone to come to him.

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28 (NIV) 

Jesus lived a short time among men as a mortal man.

Now he is the risen Son of God. He has sent his Holy Spirit to activate God's love in your life.

Would you like to receive Jesus? He wants to comfort you with His love. He also wants to heal you with His unlimited power.

He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. Psalm 147:3 (NIV)

He now stands as a priest before the eternal throne of Father God, pleading on your behalf.

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathise with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are--yet was without sin.

Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. Hebrews 4:15-16 (NIV)

Cry for Justice is Biblical

If we are concerned about unrighteousness in personal moral affairs but not concerned about brutal injustice in the public arena, are we really representing God's moral character as Christians? 
Read Micah Ch 2 

1 Woe to those who plan iniquity, to those who plot evil on their beds!
At morning’s light they carry it out because it is in their power to do it.
2 They covet fields and seize them, and houses, and take them.
They defraud people of their homes, they rob them of their inheritance. Micah 2:1-2

Even in our lifetime, so many black people in the USA have been murdered by the police.
In our lifetimes, so many black people in Australia have been legally kidnapped.

Do I condone violent black revenge? No. 

But to call police murder “sad” but black revenge “terrorism” is not fair.

“For I, the LORD, love justice;
I hate robbery and wrongdoing. In my faithfulness I will reward my people and make an everlasting covenant with them. Isa 61:8

Mankind, He has told you what is good and what it is the LORD requires of you: to act justly, to love faithfulness, and to walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:8 (HCSB)

No, he has told you what he wants, and this is all it is: to be fair, just, merciful, and to walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:8 (TLB) 


The blood of Abel still cries out. Are we our black brothers' keepers? Yes, we are.

Expect Breakthrough at Pentecost

At the first Passover, the Hebrews were not in a temple or at large events. They were in family homes. They were sheltering from a deadly plague.

A few weeks ago the Jews celebrated Passover and the Christians celebrated Easter at home. The old story repeated itself. We have found refuge from the epidemic at home.

Jesus was slaughtered as the Lamb of God. When was that? Exactly at the same time when the lambs were slaughtered for the Passover.

It was at the time of Passover that Jesus took the punishment for our sins on the cross.

After this terrible time, the disciples withdrew from public ministry. When Jesus came back after His death, He spent 40 days, almost 6 weeks, in private fellowship with His chosen disciples.

Then Jesus returned to His Father in heaven. We call this the Ascension.

Not long after He said this, He was lifted up to heaven before their eyes and disappeared in a cloud.

While they were looking at him, two men dressed in white suddenly stood with them.

They said, "Men of Galilee, why are you standing here staring at the sky? Jesus has been taken away from you into heaven.

"One day he will come again just as you saw him go away." Acts 1:9-11. Jesus will surely come back from heaven. The time is getting closer every day.

The disciples prayed in the temple for a while, but then they withdrew again and waited for the coming of the Holy Spirit. They were already saved, believing and faithful, but they were waiting for a great turning point from God.

We can read in Acts chapter 2 how the Holy Spirit came upon them, how they were filled and transformed by God's Spirit.

They delivered prophetic messages in languages they had never learned.

The Jews from different countries understood the messages in languages they knew, and 3000 Jews came to faith.

In 2020 we experienced something for the first time in 3220 years. Jews and Christians celebrated in private homes and found refuge from a terrible epidemic.

50 days after the first Passover, Moses received the Ten Commandments from God.

50 days after the death of Jesus on the cross, God did not give the law, but the outpouring of the Holy Spirit for all believers.

Today 2200 years later we have a new day of Pentecost.
Millions expect a new dramatic turning point in this time of crisis.

God will give many believers a dramatic breakthrough today.

Many will receive supernatural wisdom and revelation.

Many will be freed from fear, confusion and uncertainty.

After the resurrection 500 disciples saw Jesus, but only 120 were in the upper room on the day of Pentecost.

Let’s expect God's intervention today. Why not follow the example of the 120 in the Upper Room?

Fault-Finding is not Good News

Just about everything in our experience is a mixture of good and evil. Even in the natural world, which is God's own creation, we see animals being cruel. Chickens and ducks are often bullies.

For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope;

because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.

For we know that the whole creation groans and labours with birth pangs together until now.
Rom 8:20-22

The bible tells us to respect and honour rulers and leaders, but we must also discern corruption and cruelty in authority, and we must not submit unconditionally.

For you put up with it if one brings you into bondage, if one devours you, if one takes from you, if one exalts himself, if one strikes you on the face. 2. Cor 11:20

Nevertheless, all human leadership and management is imperfect, so to honour those in authority, we must be able to discern virtue in the midst of imperfection and human frailty.

Do not put your trust in princes, Nor in a son of man, in whom there is no help. Ps 146:3

We cannot put unconditional faith in human leadership of any kind, even chosen and anointed preachers.

When King David sinned by ordering a census, Joab, the military commander, protested but then obeyed, but he only partly obeyed. He was not punished by David or condemned by God.
(1 Chron 21)

Nevertheless, in spite of his sin in this case, his adultery and murder and his failure as a family man, God called David a man after His own heart. David’s enemies had reasons to oppose him but God forgave David’s sins and promoted him.

Discernment means we must perceive errors and sins but even more importantly, we must look for the gold in the dirt, the goodness in a flawed human character.
There are two aspects of godly discernment, fault-finding and good finding. If fault-finding is our primary focus, we are in serious error.

You can be deceived by not perceiving error but you can also be deceived by focusing on error and not perceiving the gold in the dirt.

There are Christians who put certain preachers or political leaders on a pedestal and uncritically defend and praise everything their favourite leaders say or do. This is dangerous.

There are also Christians who see only evil in the government of their country.

Some Christians also devote a great deal of time and energy to analysing the errors in preachers. 

They say a lot about supposed spiritual poison on the internet, but they provide very little spiritual nourishment themselves. They say a lot about supposedly bad teaching, but they don’t say much about good ministry.

If we look at the New Testament, we see how Jesus and the Apostles had very harsh words to say about flawed religious leaders, but the heart of the message was the Good News, not the bad news.

If our primary focus is not on Good News, we are deceived, and we lead others astray. In our zeal for truth, we can become obsessed with errors. That is bad news.

But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. Heb 5:14

Judgement. A Dangerous Business

Discernment. Tread Carefully.

Some Christians are quick to judge. This is a dangerous business.

Many Christians are afraid of being taken in by falsehood, but in their zeal, they themselves may judge falsely.

Zealous but mistaken judgement may be just as dangerous as the influence of misguided ministry.

Paul was in his day a radical Charismatic. His critics were zealous for a more conservative interpretation of the Word of God. What did Paul write about them?

1 O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you as crucified?
2 This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
3 Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh? 4 Have you suffered so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain?
5 Therefore He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, does He do it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?— Gal 3:1-5

There is no such thing as new truth, because Jesus is “the way, the truth and the life.”

God’s truth is eternal and unchanging, but He has sent His Spirit to lead us into all truth.

The conservative bible believers in Paul’s day included Pharisees who rejected Jesus. However, there were also conservative bible believers who accepted Jesus but who rejected Paul’s revelation that we are not to live under the Law of Moses.

Paul’s radical teaching was attacked as heresy by sincere Bible believers who said it was new truth and therefore false truth, that is, falsehood.

When we see ministry today which goes outside of our mainstream evangelical understanding of the Bible, there are some who go to one extreme by abandoning their fundamental biblical foundation. 

A good example is the people who like getting drunk in the spirit and have become universalists. They say God is so sweet and lovely, that he could not possibly condemn anyone to eternal punishment.

There are others who react in the opposite way. If they see strange or unfamiliar behaviour or teaching, they immediately assume it is demonic.

Gullible acceptance of every dramatic experience is dangerous. It is dangerous to assume every dramatic manifestation is from God. However, it is also dangerous to assume it is from the enemy.

Judgement based on assumptions is not genuine discernment at all, even if you back up your assumptions with bible quotes.

Consider these Bible stories.

Hosea the prophet said God told him to marry a prostitute. This was surely a violation of biblical principles. God’s people in both the Old and New Testaments are called to separate themselves from intimate fellowship with sinners. If a preacher today did this, would he not be condemned by a chorus of zealous bible believers?

This is an extreme example which shows how dangerous it is to rush to judgement based on preconceived assumptions, even when supported by detailed bible knowledge.

If zealous heresy hunters today studied the life of King Solomon, would they accept his writings as divinely inspired? I am quite sure many would not. What about the sensuous Song of Songs? Was this inspired by the Holy Spirit or by Solomon’s well known extreme desire for women?

Of course, we accept it as Scripture because it is in the bible, but how many of us would have agreed to include it in the bible if we were assessing which texts should be accepted as the Word of God?

What about Samson?

Surely his supernatural feats were manifestations of witchcraft! He was a man of evil character, a man who freely indulged himself with prostitutes and dishonest idol worshipping women.

Didn’t Jesus say: “By their fruits you shall know them.” What fruits of righteousness can we see in the life of Samson?

But the bible tells us that his supernatural strength came from God and that throughout his life, Samson performed supernatural feats by the power of God.

How does that fit in with the mindset of some modern heresy hunters?