Alec was now under the tutelage of a good and kind, but firm, teacher. It was soon What if they are corrupt? What if they tell us to do what we perceive as wrong? What if they tell us to discovered that he was behind the other students. Again, there were frequent, but this time beneficial, sin? Where can the line be drawn? Besides, why should we have to submit? Are there any benefits? Lisa and I got more involved with his work. Going to school all day and having parents breathing down your neck at night can become The Word of God holds specific answers to all these questions.
I believe this is one of the most overwhelming. Many times Alec would just shut down. Tears frequently flowed as he felt like he was important books the Lord has commissioned me to write because it deals with the root cause of many drowning, even though he was actually making progress. What caused Lucifer to fall? What caused Adam to fall? What causes many to drift in their walk with God? What One day the bottom fell out for him emotionally.
His brothers were going to a school roller skating is really sobering is that most rebellion is not blatant, but subtle. He was missing out on the fun due to his stack of work from the teacher! He could do nothing but weep. It was time In this book I have shared examples of my own failures. I am not a power-hungry leader who for another daddy-son talk.
After a few words, I could easily see the problem. In his eyes the whole desires to beat his sheep, staff, or family into submission.
I have a wonderful staff and family. And I thing was utterly hopeless. So I write as a man who has made many mistakes or, more accurately put, sins. I Dad was saying. There was a time of silence with both of us out of words. He just hung his head and served under two international ministries in the s, and from these experiences I draw most of my sobbed. What is most sobering about each incident is that I believed with all my heart I was right in each one when, in reality, I was wrong.
He straightened up, gained his composure somewhat, and motives. An idea had obviously dawned on him, one that would solve his problems and dry his tears. He My heartfelt desire is to see you learn from my hardships and avoid the same mistakes. I straightened up and crossed his arms. For what I you something. Did you know Jessica in my class. Through repentance came safety and provision. It was hard for me to refrain from smirking or laughing. He had successfully surprised me with this I believe the same can occur with you as this book unfolds.
As you read the biblical and personal one. Some points may strengthen what you already teachers. In either case, I pray you will receive His word with meekness, have been so humorous.
But it was his tone. He really thought he was letting me in on a new revelation for that is truly my heart in bringing it.
He was as serious as someone testifying in a courtroom. Confronted with truth, we can respond two ways. As you embark on this path, remember that often the painful words, not the smooth ones, ultimately It is hard to understand kingdom principles with a democratic mind-set.
As a child, right before I received my second grade immunization shot, a friend told me how much it hurt. After hearing that I was determined to avoid the A challenge now looms before me, one perhaps impossible without the grace of God. Mine is to attempt needle at all costs. I fought with two nurses until they finally gave up.
Then my parents sat me down to teach authority in the midst of a world that increases daily in lawlessness. I had already watched my I outline in this book will go against or resist the very reasoning processes of this world. In so many sister die of cancer, so I knew they wanted only my protection. I knew the shot would be ways we have been programmed to think differently from the foundational truths we are about to somewhat painful, but it would keep me from experiencing much greater pain from contracting a encounter.
Yet this is the exact tactic of Satan, the enemy of our souls—he loves to make what brings us dreadful and possibly deadly disease. Once I understood, I willingly went back for the shot. Remember this example when you encounter any uncomfortable, or even painful, immunizing truths That is how it all started in the first place.
Remember the Garden; his method worked so well, he from the Word of God. Never forget His love for us is pure, complete, and everlasting! The reason is fundamental. It is Heavenly Father, I desire truth in my inward parts more than I desire comfort or pleasure. So I hard to understand kingdom principles with a democratic mind-set.
Democracy is fine for the nations of the world, but we must remember the kingdom of God is just that—a kingdom. It is ruled by a King, and place my heart and soul in Your hands, k nowing that Your ways are perfect. You love me enough there are rank, order, and authority. The laws of His kingdom are not superseded by, or subject to, to send what was most important to You, Your Son, Jesus, to die for me that I might have popular opinion, voting, or polls.
The laws are not swayed by what we believe to be good for us, as Eve was so cleverly deceived into thinking. As I read this book , I ask that You would speak to me by Your Spirit and show principles today since our society does not foster in us kingdom ways.
Open my eyes to see and my ears to hear Your Word. Reveal If we attempt to live as believers with a cultural mind-set towards authority, we will be at best Jesus to me greater than I have ever seen Him before.
Thank You in advance for what You ineffective and at worst positioned for danger. Our provision as well as protection could be blocked will do in me through Your word in this book. It could be likened to playing Amen. We could compare it to attempting the use of an electric appliance without plugging it into the power source. This and other democratic mind-sets have trickled into our Christianity and marched many down the deceptive path of self-rule.
As this path continues they go beyond challenging authority to blatantly resisting it. Then there are those who have developed a greater degree of contempt for authority, which they display by totally ignoring its existence. Thus, they betray a complete loss of the fear of God.
But none of these approaches will bring the very freedom we seek. For the Scripture says, If they obey and serve him, they will spend the rest of their days in prosperity and their years in contentment. But if they do not listen, they will perish by the sword and die without knowledge. Notice the promise: provision and protection in exchange for our submission to His authority.
The freedom we seek when resisting authority we lose in our insubordination to it. My that had an outstanding youth program. The leaders graciously welcomed me, and we selected the dates. Upon arriving, I was whisked immediately to a Wednesday night youth meeting. I was amazed. They were not upbringing and incorrect church thinking can hinder us. To top inherent authority from our submission to His delegated authority.
All authority originates from Him! I was thrilled and felt certain I had picked Hear what the Scripture admonishes: Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there the right group to glean from. Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. Again I could hardly believe what I found. They had their own youth administration building, two full-time youth secretaries, and four full-time youth There is so much to think about in this passage, and we will dig through it later, but now I want to pastors.
I spent the next two days in and out of meetings with all four youth pastors. The statistics just comment on only a few points. First, God appoints all existing rulers.
The truth is, no one can get were mind-boggling. We must settle this idea in our hearts. Second, to rebel against those authorities is to rebel against the ordinance of the Lord, or God Himself, and those who do bring judgment on themselves. We must remember, our Father—not a Each of the four pastors told me the exact same thing. The concept was simple enough, but profound. It is hard to get unsaved teenagers to a church, but Although they may not be quick to admit it, too many see themselves accountable only to God, and easy to get them to a party.
During the week each member of the youth group was encouraged to target one not to authorities. Those who think this way are on a collision course with the very One they call person in school and invite him or her to the party Friday night. Once there, they enjoyed food, Lord. Farmers in biblical days used goads.
A common goad was an eight-foot-long student, started an organized Bible-based group discussion that eventually steered the conversation to the straight branch of oak or other strong wood from which the bark had been stripped.
At the front end a topic of salvation. Next he presented an opportunity for those there to give their lives to Jesus. As a pointed spike was used to prod the oxen while plowing. An ox would certainly not resist such a sharp result, many first-time visitors were saved. They were taken aside and instructed in the importance of instrument capable of administering a good deal of pain and harm. Wednesday night youth services.
More often than not this can I attended one of the parties and was inspired when several unsaved students gave their lives to be a painful experience and lesson too many of us end up learning the hard way, as I did. I returned to my church and shared what I had learned with my assistant.
After prayer, we felt led to do the same thing with our group. I also excitedly shared the vision with the senior pastor in the parking lot one Sunday after the service.
Go for it! For me it is stamped forever as a monument to the foolishness of kicking against the goads. While in prayer, God gave me a plan. I would immediately begin a school of leadership to prepare my leaders. I announced it Tuesday night to the entire youth group, and to my delight, seventy of them showed up for the leadership class the following Sunday morning.
I would teach them weekly for the In the mids I was offered the position of youth pastor at a large international church. After next six months on principles of leadership, such as faithfulness, integrity, commitment, serving, and prayer and an amazing confirmation, I accepted this position as the will of God.
I felt overwhelmed because I had no previous youth ministry experience, but found myself part of After five months, the Lord spoke to my heart in prayer again and said, Choose twenty-four of the the staff of one of the fastest-growing and most influential churches in America. I started devouring young people in your leadership class, and start a discipleship class for them.
You will select from youth ministry books and manuals. My assistant pastor and I worked on the students. We could see all the youth of Orlando, Florida, saved! I argued with him for approximately fifteen minutes.
Everyone in the room could feel the tension We poured ourselves into this effort with the purpose of reaching lost souls propelling us. Everyone was excited. The vision had trickled down from the leaders to the regular attendees of the youth services. The young people were already talking about the individuals they wanted to invite Finally I was quiet, but I was steaming inside. I heard nothing else for the rest of the meeting.
All I first to their parties. We were praying that God would touch hearts to respond, that they would see could think was, We have worked on this for eight months. He knew we were doing this; I told him their need for Jesus and be saved. My assistant and I could envision the entire sanctuary filled with months ago. How can he shut down the vehicle that would bring hundreds or even thousands into 2, young people on Tuesday nights.
To say the least, we were charged with vision and passion. He is stopping a move of God! What am I going to tell the youth? I flew to Louisiana. What a waste of money, of time! An older, wiser associate direction of this church is not to have home cell groups. There had to be some kind of mistake or misunderstanding. I pulled into my driveway, opened my front door, and received a greeting from my wife. He canceled them! Can you believe doing very well and were really not the focus of their ministries.
Besides, I had talked to my senior it? You God is trying to teach you something. I stormed into the kitchen, put my foot up on a chair, looked out our front church is not to have cell groups. Only added to those thoughts were thoughts of how insensitive and undiscerning my wife was. They have 1, high school students in their youth group. All four pastors said it was due to their home cell groups.
He said, John, whose ministry are you direction of this church is not to have home cell groups. Mine or yours? How focused on getting the lost saved. The Lord allowed me to vent it all out, then said, John, when I brought you to this church to serve calling to ask your forgiveness.
God has shown me I have been in rebellion to your authority, and I this man, I made you an extension of the ministry I entrusted to him. I called you to be his arms have sinned greatly. Please forgive me.
I will cancel the home groups immediately. He was very gracious, and he forgave me. He was the leader God put over the congregation. James was the leader of the church in Jerusalem. He reminded me of the incident where circumcision was in question among the believers Acts Then Peter spoke. After him, Pastor has canceled the home cell groups. We will not have our parties on Friday night. It was easy to perceive they were the head, he gave his decision, and all of them, including Peter, Paul, and John, submitted to his upset with the senior pastor.
We were all his victims, and of course, I looked good at his expense. After mulling this scene in my mind, I heard the Holy Spirit question, Is that what you are going to I saw this dynamic illustrated in the Scriptures when the angel released Peter from prison.
Peter do? The same was true for Luke and Paul. Why would Peter and Paul identify James in those two accounts? It is clear he was the lead man by the way he is separately mentioned by name. At the next meeting I walked into the roomful of leaders with confidence and a smile on my face and excitement in my voice.
Our senior pastor told us in a staff meeting this week that the direction of the Holy Spirit for this church is not to have home groups. So effective immediately the parties are canceled! With those words came a renewed sense of the fear of God!
At a later date I was able to share with them what had transpired. Many of those young twenty-four are in full-time ministry today and doing well.
He went on, John, if you continue in this direction, the youth will go one way while the church goes another direction. You will bring a division to the church. Why are so many churches and homes dividing today? As I look back, I am convinced that was a pivotal point in my life and ministry. Oh, I may have canceled the parties because I had no other choice, but my heart would have remained resistant, proud, and hard.
Never forget: it is not just outward obedience that God desires, I immediately repented of my rebellious attitude. After praying, I knew what I had to do. I picked up but a broken and contrite heart, one that thirsts and hungers for the will of God.
For this reason David the phone and called the senior pastor. Caught up in all this sacrifice, we could easily imagine ourselves and our efforts as pleasing to God. Hear these words: God is pleased with submission that leads to true obedience. I realize there may be many unanswered questions in your mind about the testimony given here.
What if you were supposed to have cell groups, and he was wrong and you were right? What if he had been influenced wrongly? Our entire relationship with God is regulated by whether or not we have met authority. If we have, then we shall encounter authority everywhere, and being thus restrained by God we can begin to be used by Him.
Only after this is accomplished can we move on to the importance of submission to delegated authority. It will be the cornerstone for everything we will build upon. Then I was told my sister was dead. Then and only then did I realize she had been very sick. During all those months, I never connected with what was actually going on because my definition of sickness was limited to just one The church often veers away from the core definition of sin.
I asked questions and probed further. I learned a sick person to be one who is afflicted We do not connect with its true meaning. No longer would I measure sickness in the same way; I became aware of what the true definition of sickness encompassed. What came to mind first? Too often we lack the core understanding of what sin to mind. You may have thought of adultery, fornication, perversion, or some other form of sexual really is.
To move forward, we must look at how Scripture defines it. In church circles this thought seems to be in the forefront as far as violating it. Believers certainly view them as major sins. Maybe gambling, murder, theft, or witchcraft came to mind. He was eating with some people, and category. I think we can safely assume the list looms quite large. After thinking this through, allow me to say this: Adam did not jump in bed with a strange woman in the Garden, nor did he smoke a joint!
Yet his sin was so serious it brought all creation into captivity and bondage. The use of the transgression spread throughout the veins of the human race.
Simply put, he was not obedient to what God told him. Jesus is our Spokesman. We must hear what He is Ponder this for a moment.
We do not connect with its true meaning. Without this important link, we can easily be led into deception, as we are about to learn in this chapter. My mother explained have me excused. I reasoned she was just tired. And on top of that I have five thousand dollars that was given to me to spend at the casinos. I really want to go, so please excuse me for If you read on, you will notice the servant reported to the master and relayed all the excuses.
The not coming. The people of the highways and hedges in Scripture represent the prostitutes, pimps, thieves, gang members, murderers, alcoholics, and so on! When they hear the Is that what they say? If you read your Bible, you will find their responses are very different. In contrast, those who were invited, who examine each one. If it is, a lot of us are in trouble. The answer is no. We all know that. Is buying oxen or any necessary you think?
Of course not, but when industry or business becomes more deeper and glimpse the truth within their answer.
Remember, Adam did not gamble in the Garden of Eden. He simply did not submit to what God said. Jesus spoke of a man with two sons. Is taking a wife a sin? Of course not. If it was, most of us would be in big trouble. Again, recall the Garden. Eve was deceived 2 Cor. Yet disobeyed because his wife had already eaten, and she wanted him to do the same. This is sin. How sobering! Now, it is obvious any parent would prefer his son dine at the wedding supper to which they had previously held honorary invitations.
Yet this parable showed these leaders that the core meaning of sin is but because of simple disobedience to the word of God. Why should this surprise us? If we think it ultimately disobedience to the authority of God. We can walk throughout the Bible and find this same message repeatedly. Jesus was not directing His statement toward Absolutely! They go against His authority as well. God is the same One who tells us to put away society; rather, he was speaking to the church. As far as getting drunk, He the church in the last days.
What about stealing? One such statement is found in the Eph. We have taught and Rev. We have neglected or placed no emphasis on keeping His commands.
This counterfeit grace leads many astray, causing them to make light of obedience. The patient on the couch with a are those who confess and do the will of God, thus keeping the commands of God. True grace has been given to empower us to obey what He demands of us. Grace empowers us to serve God in an acceptable manner, which is in accordance with His will. The disciples of Jesus asked Him about the end of the age. He responded by telling them events that would take place and by describing conditions that would be prevalent in the days Not a few, but many are referenced in this scripture.
Remember the word many in His previous preceding His second coming. So again He was addressing those in the church. Very few, if any, question whether this is an Matt. Notice what they practice—lawlessness. In other words, they have a lifestyle similar to accurate assessment. Yet Jesus was not describing society in that statement. He was describing the those in the parable of the wedding. They have developed a pattern of placing their agenda, pleasure, or church! You may be wondering how I could reach this conclusion.
Well, two distinct phrases in the plans before the commands of the Master. Today this seems normal or natural behavior. Simply put, they two verses show He was talking about the church, not society in general. They obey what fits in with their plans. Vine, who is an expert in They are unaware of their present lawlessness.
Unbelievers have I have loved you. However, each of them can what best describes the atmosphere of their time, deception. One reason for widespread deception is be applied just as easily to nonbelievers as to believers. One such word is phileo. This word, the misapprehension of the core meaning of sin. I was shocked when I came home and found she had died because I never accepted the fact she was really sick. This relates to an experience I had in the late s. It is quite possible these days Christianity.
Yet they did not understand the true or core meaning of sin. Though they desired heaven, will prove to be the most exciting as well as frightening time in the history of mankind. Exciting they lacked the passion to obediently do the will of the Father. It will be a time God is looking for children whose hearts yearn to walk in obedience. No matter what area of life it of glory and joy, judgment, and fear.
The reason for the terrible times would not be persecution from you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness! This warning is repeatedly sounded throughout the New Testament. It is used to describe intercourse between a man and a woman in the Deception is a scary thing. Because it is deceptive! A person who is deceived believes with New Testament Matt. It represents intimacy. Jesus repeatedly warned against deception you. In Matthew 24 alone, He warned four times to beware of it.
God intimately knows those who love Him. Those His disciples asked about His return, the first words out of His mouth when describing our day who love Him are those who submit to His authority by obeying His words.
It is easy to sense the urgency in His warning. He wanted the words imprinted on their souls and ever before them. His words have stood for thousands of years, and we would be wise not to neglect His counsel. First, what is the root cause of this deception?
Second, why is this deception able to run its course unchecked? To answer the first, the root cause of deception is none other than what we discussed in the previous chapter: disobedience to divine authority, or lawlessness. Scripture tells us when a person hears the Word of God yet does not obey, deception enters his heart and mind. This person now lives under the conviction that he is on target when he is actually in error.
Why will deception run rampant in the last days? To love the truth is not just to enjoy hearing it, but to love obeying it. I have their own gain. They are not deceived. They are treading on dangerous territory and advancing toward Many people in our churches love good preaching and teaching, but when it comes down to reality, spiritual death Rom. These are the hard of heart and difficult to reach. Tim —4. We must love truth these constitute the majority of the disobedient in the church—the deceived.
As with Eve, ignorance more than anyone or anything else. We must passionately desire His will more than our comfort or has opened them to deception, the secret power of lawlessness. Then we will delight in putting our personal desires aside for His wishes. We will take up our crosses and deny our rights and privileges for the sake of fulfilling His will. Because He is Ignorance is a breeding ground for deception. This alone keeps us from deception.
The light of His truth exposes and protects But is this the type of devotion we see in the church? Reality is much different. It is amazing how us from any lie. We can assume this took place a while later, lawlessness. With believers, lawlessness would not be for the man had named and viewed every animal and bird of the air before the woman left his side.
That is its mystery. Because God does not want us ignorant of this mystery or secret power, He warns us 2 Cor. Unlike Adam, the woman did not hear the command directly from the mouth of God. We can surmise this situation by her Satan is the master of deception. Think of it: he led a third of the angels in an uprising against God response to the serpent. Read carefully the following verses: Now the serpent was more cunning than Rev.
That took place in a perfect environment, in the very presence of our glorious Lord! We now live in the very days Jesus spoke of, so examine carefully rules secondhand. Here we have another example of what happens when you have heard from another what God said rather than having it revealed directly by the Lord. Paul compared the vulnerability of believers to the deception of Eve.
She lived in a perfect environment, free from When God reveals His word by His Spirit, it then becomes a part of us. This can happen demonic rule and influence. She walked in the very presence of God, unhindered by her as we read a book, as we listen to another teach, or as we are alone reading the Bible, or in flesh. He resorted to subtle communion with the Spirit of God.
By understanding his tactics with Eve, we expose his him; it was part of him. God reveals His secrets or ways to those who was not revealed knowledge, but communicated knowledge. Hearing it secondhand would make her fear Him, and John said to this group of people, more vulnerable to deception.
For that reason the serpent targeted her rather than Adam. These things I have written to you concerning those who try to deceive you. But the anointing which Revealed, not communicated, knowledge is our greatest guard against deception.
They have has taught you, you will abide in Him. They can even accurately repeat chapter or verse, but they have lost the breath of life behind the Scriptures. This shows us how the revealed Word of God keeps us from deception. Therefore, she did not detect They may even have enthusiasm as they share a new teaching they just heard at a seminar or the trickery and perversion in the words of the serpent.
However, they appear unable to live out what they so excitedly share. It is not a part of them. They carry the words, yet they remain barren and incapable of producing the life of God.
When this happens, they are easily tempted to add to or take away from what God has said. What was evil! Knowing the answer is vital. Think about it: How did he maneuver her , emphasis added.
Eve lived in an entirely perfect environment. She had never been abused by anyone in authority. She had no bad experience with a father, boss, or minister. She lived in a flourishing If money was the root of all evil, then Jesus was out of order because He had a treasurer and a garden, free from demonic oppression.
She money bag! So how did the serpent go about deceiving her? Judas, who loved money, was upset at the act, yet the Lord rebuked him and commended her John —7. It is an unhealthy desire for and Gen. This legalistic view causes people to have an unhealthy attitude toward money that God never intended. God warns us of an unhealthy desire for, and dependency on, money. This ignorance tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
They have only a communicated exception of one. He desired companions in His garden who would love So how do we receive revelation knowledge? By walking humbly before God with the fear and and obey Him. He did not want robots who lacked the freedom of choice.
He longed for children, love of God burning in our hearts. God said, made in His image, with a free will. When He restricted their access to the tree, He gave them a choice that protected them from death. It involved their will. Would they trust and obey? Without the But on this one will I look: On him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, And who trembles at My word. To put his question in more contemporary terms, the He is the one who truly fears God.
Is that right? Once he accomplished that, it it from us. Its fruit could have been ours all along. Why has He done this to us? If would be all too easy to turn her against His authority. He is withholding something we need in this tree, what else has He withheld from us?
With a single question the serpent distorted the only command, given to longer remained any reason for submission to His authority in the matter. Her self-will overrode the protect, into an unjust denial of good. Eve reached for the fruit and turned it in her hand—nothing happened. She then ate and gave some to her husband. After they ate it their eyes were suddenly opened, and they felt a wave of shame and fear as they realized their nakedness.
With their disobedience came spiritual death. Satan is no fool; he strong taskmaster that would dominate them. His throne represents His authority. If Satan can pervert His righteous lord. The lord of death was granted not only access to their lives but also legal entrance to the world.
Before their disobedience, there was no hatred, anger, unforgiveness, strife, gossip, corruption, fraud, bitterness, or extortion. There was no sexual perversion, drug abuse, drunkenness, murder, or It is quite possible, even as she answered, she wondered about the reason behind the command.
There was no wife or child abuse. Sickness, disease, and poverty were nonexistent. Natural She was questioning the goodness of God. Can you hear her thoughts? It looks good. What could be the harm in it? For God knows that in the day you eat of it multiplies and grows fouler with each passing generation. Out of its deception man lost his divine provision and protection.
He took full advantage of his opportunity to be like God but not subject to Him. By contradicting God and assuring her she would not die. Eve was shocked and confused. She wondered, Why would God keep this fruit from me? She looked at the tree again to survey its fruit, although through different eyes. She judged the fruit to be good and pleasant, not bad and injurious. She thought, Surely it looks great for eating, and best of all it will The writer wanted to make sure we believers would not fall to the same secret power make us wise.
He gave us warning to protect us, as did Paul. That reasoning blinded her to all else around her. She forgot the abundant goodness provided as she focused on the single tree. Satan was again attempting to deceived, just as Eve was. Perhaps it is time You provided for Yourself. Use Your authority to provision and protection will be compromised by way of deception.
Every perfect and good gift is serve Yourself. Turn these stones to bread. He would not allow the enemy to pervert the fulfill her desires. He knew His Father provided for His needs.
How many marry the wrong person for the wrong reasons? Perhaps they were lonely and desired companionship. The writer of Hebrews described eyes and appeared helpful in making decisions. God heard Him because of His godly fear. However, he reaped much sorrow for his disobedience, as the sword never Even in the face of great temptation and intense suffering, more than any had undergone, He chose left his home.
He lost three sons in early age or in their primes to death. How much better when we obedience, though it meant severe hardship. Unlike the response of Adam and Eve, this type of obedience and submission blocked all inroads Too often people leave the very places—jobs, churches, cities—where God has planted them of the enemy to His life.
Soon an opportunity comes along, and even John — Not only that, but often the departure compromises the purity to which God called them. Then they end up going against the will of God in the pursuit of what that Satan found nothing in Him.
He is our example and forerunner. He is the One who paid the price and lit the path for us to walk on. We are no longer destined for the way of the first Adam and his lawlessness, but are called and In more general terms, how many disobey the will of God? They are enticed by the good and empowered to walk in the ways of obedience of the last Adam. They pursue it and find fun, happiness, or excitement—for a season. They fear God withholds the attractive or fun stuff from them!
Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this understand their needs or He ignores the importance of their desires. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that their prayers are not answered within their predetermined time frame. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith [obedience], go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through.
That will shoot adrenaline into your souls! They are not always seen immediately, but they will surely follow. Once disobedience is clearly revealed, you should never contemplate tolerating it again. Consider Jesus. He was in the desert for forty days and nights without water, food, or comfort.
Hunger pains pierced His belly as starvation began its harsh work. But what came first: the provision or the temptation? The enemy was again questioning what God had just clearly stated. In fact, we could safely say Cain worked harder than Abel. I know very little about farming and shepherding, but I know enough to know shepherding is work, but farming is harder.
With shepherding, you have responsibilities in the Faith and obedience are inseparable because obedience is evidence of true faith. Various consequences result from disobedience. The aftereffects are not always immediately recognizable or obvious, but just as seeds sown produce a harvest, these, too, are certain.
The enemy Farming is more labor intensive. Cain cleared the ground of rocks, fall prey to his deceptive tactics. Then he plowed and cultivated the soil. He planted, watered, fertilized, and protected his crops. He expended a lot of effort to supply an offering. Some people subconsciously reason that any consequence of their disobedience will be outweighed by what they perceive as the immediate gain of their decision.
I am amazed by how prevalent this deceptive and deadly thought process is. This is the mystery or secret power of lawlessness. The answer is found with his parents. In the Garden everything God created had a covering. Cain was a farmer by occupation. Scripture tells us in the course of time Cain Adam and Eve were no exception. They were not ruled by self-consciousness; rather their lives were before God. God does accept us if we repent!
Try this statement out on Ananias and Sapphira. That changed the moment they disobeyed. Prior to their disobedience, their spirits completely dominated, whereas afterward their flesh would dominate. The key words are they knew. They had knowledge they did not have before. In fact, it is dangerous because it removes the fear of the Lord from our hearts. The fear of the Lord guards us and causes us to depart from sin Ex.
No longer was disobedience a casual matter! Before the Fall, their actions were governed not by the knowledge of good and evil, or by right and wrong, but by the knowledge of God. They were motivated by a sense of obedience birthed out of trust and love. His perfect; For all His ways are justice, sons were raised in a home that called on the name of the Lord. Both brought an offering to the Lord, A God of truth and without injustice; Righteous and upright is He.
The Bible says we are to offer our bodies as living sacrifices Rom. Whenever a sacrifice is brought before God, it represents our service to Him. So we are not talking about Abel, who served God, and brother Cain, who did not. We can identify this as the principle of reasoning. That was why the first question God reasoning], sin lies at the door. First, sin disobedience has desire. The lord of lawlessness, Satan, is the force behind disobedience.
So head over to Stuvera now! John Bevere has heard an ear-full from Christians on their struggles with the subject of authority. As a matter of fact, the majority of people in America do not like the subject of authority. But I believe that as we go through these twelve lessons and you listen carefully, you will find that you will not only like authority, you will develop a passion to seek it and live it in your own life.
Your shield of faith will be strengthened by Biblical awareness in order to protect you from some of the most dangerous arrows of the enemy.
John Bevere and his wife Lisa are the founders of Messenger International, an organization established to teach, reach, and rescue. A minister and best-selling author, John delivers messages of uncompromising truth with boldness and passion. His desire is to support the local church and resource leaders regardless of location, language, or financial position.
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