Sometimes I think that one of the reasons why Jesus chose fishermen to be in His group of disciples was because of their "thick skin". Jesus knew that He needed people who could handle the Truth, even if it was a discomfort to their flesh.Think about it .... Jesus said "Get behind me, Satan!" to Peter! Did Pete get emotionally devastated and go into a corner and pout? No, Peter still followed Him. Why? Because Jesus had the Words of Life!How would you react if someone called you a devil?Prizing TruthAt some point, in our Walk with God, we are going to have to learn to prize His Truth over our feelings. The Word says:2 Thessalonians 2:8-12"And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: [Even him], whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness."This verse is an indictment against many who call themselves "believers". Prizing "Truth" above all else at the End of the Age is a deciding factor as to whether you "might be saved".Strong DelusionConsider this - if you find yourself cringing when someone tells you the Truth of the Word, you don´t prize it. And, according to 2 Thessalonians, God Himself will send the delusion to you, and you will be "damned". That´s not me speaking... that´s the Word!But you see, a very large percentage of the modern day church wants nothing to do with the Truth of the Word. Sure, they love to hear about the Grace of God towards them as "sinners" ... and they ABSOLUTELY ADORE the passages in the Word that declare God´s undying love for them. But when you want to talk about obedience to God´s commands, and how we can show our love to HIM ... somehow the "lights" go out.Romans 11:22"Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off."The Truth About Loving GodHere is the Truth of the matter:Our Love for God is defined by our obedience. Don´t tell me that you love God, but find no obligation to obey His commands. If you do, you´re a liar. Strong words? Yes they are, but it´s the Truth.1 John 2:4"He who says, `I know Him,´ and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him."1 John 5:3 "For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome."I´m sure I´ll get a few emails/comments on this last bit, but I´ve grown used to it. It seems like people just can´t handle the Truth of the Word, unless it´s pre-packaged to suit their own personal "glitches". This group of people I have dubbed "the Cult of `Nice´" - and they are everywhere.People who belong to the cult of Nice will compromise Truth in the name of what they call "Love". They serve a frail Jesus who likes to hold baby sheep under His arms. Remember the pictures of Jesus that you grew up with in Sunday school? The Jesus that was surrounded by little angels (that look like fat babies withwings)? Yeah... me too.Hardly a picture of a Victorious King ... whose name IS the Word of God.The Cult of "Nice"With the Cult of Nice, it doesn´t really matter what you say.... as long as it´s the Truth, it´s offensive. You could take good, solid scriptural Truth, wrap it up in their favorite Christmas wrapping paper, put a little bow on it, smile and then tell it to them in a "whisper" ..... and they would still think you were being mean. They want a "Nice" truth, custom fit to their own desires and perspectives.Think about this ... if a message is molded and modified to suit everyone´s personal idea of what "Truth" is, where could the Real Truth reside?Imperfect DeliveryObviously, there is some perspective needed here. We shouldn´t feel that we have the right to just walk around and tear apart everything we see, especially when it comes to newborn believers. But if you´ve been "in the Way" for awhile (and so many of us have), you should welcome Truth in all it´s forms. It should be like music to your ears! Sure, it´s not always pleasant and sometimes it´stainted with the perspectives of others. But honestly, if you´re a mature believer, you should be able to discern what God is trying to tell you, even if there is an "imperfect delivery."This "christian sensitivity" is all done under the banner of "showing the Love of God".Saving SoulsThe majority of the modern day church is sterile and ineffective because we have bought into this lie that "showing the Love of God" is an affectionate, altruistic act. This is why so many of our churches are jumping on the bandwagon of the latest great "Cause". Don´t get me wrong ... caring for the widow, orphan and those less fortunate is a vital part of what we are to do as believers ...but it should never, EVER replace the concern for lost souls.And you can´t win the "lost" without telling them the Truth. Just like you can´t stay "found" unless you embrace the Truth.So, the next time you feel the need to tell someone something that could be interpreted as harsh or mean, check with the Holy Spirit first. Don´t beat them over the head with it just because you are in a bad mood ... but at the same time, be faithful to God to deliver His Word. Be like Jeremiah ... don´t be afraid of their faces! (Jer. 1:8)Those who belong to the cult of Nice are enslaved by the fear of man. Let´s fear God ... His Words are forever.
Posted on: Thu, 29 Aug 2013 11:35:43 +0000
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