Idolatry

Idolatry

2 Timothy 4:2- 4

“Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.”

Paul’s exhortation to Timothy was straight forward: Preach the word! Why? Because the days were coming, and today are here when people will not listen to sound doctrine. Today you can present plain Scripture to professing Christians and they will turn away their ear, instead listening to more pleasing views of God, contrary to the word. They form a god to suit themselves, a god who is ok with witchcraft and sexual immorality (Revelations 21:8), who will not judge in righteousness (Acts 17:31), who does not command us to repent (Acts 17:30), who is indifferent to wickedness (Isaiah 5:20), and who created heaven without hell (Matthew 18:8, 9). This is what the Israelites did in the wilderness, and is called idolatry. Idolaters will not inherit the kingdom of heaven (1 Corinthians 6:9-10).

Paul might of told Timothy to “convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and doctrine”, but if you practice this today people will say, “don’t judge me!”, and, “Jesus said to love”, completely ignoring portions of God’s word for the sake of their agenda. They claim their actions are based on love, but part of the definition of love is, “does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth” (1 Corinthians 13:6); yet they rejoice in iniquity and hate the truth, defending evil and shunning any Scripture that opposes their carnal view.

Paul told Timothy, “but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers”, and so they do, gravitating to teachers who tell them love would never correct or make us uncomfortable, who do not teach of repentance, sin, hell or judgment, but only grace, mercy and love. Yet, the Great Master Himself, because of His love, mercy and grace taught us about sin, righteousness and judgment, which things the Holy Spirit also came to convict the world of (John 16:8).

If we love God we must follow the footsteps of Jesus in His teaching, actions and words; but many feel wiser than God and chose to do it a “better” way than He. Turning their ears away from the truth, they turn aside to fables, choosing to believe the idolatrous view of Jesus, which path leads to destruction. Please, for any who will listen today: seek the Living God! Read the word and believe it, not twisting it for your own advantage. Fear God and depart from evil, and Christ will give you life! Do not let anything keep you from the truth, but submit your heart entirely to the LORD and His ways, and He will be with you (John 14:21).

With love for your soul, Jonathan Balls

Web: www.jonnyfivealive.wix.com/pyroounderground

Home Church: www.goodfight.org

Open Air Sermon, UCI

http://youtu.be/hct5R9YVhqg

Be Gentle to All

Be Gentle to All

Proverbs 18:19

“A brother offended is harder to win than a strong city, and contentions are like the bars of a castle.”

If you are a Christian and you share your faith with others, let me give you some advice, which is not really my advice but God’s. Do not purposefully offend others. It is true that God’s Word offends the world, but we are to be gentle to all, able to teach with a humble spirit so people may know that we sincerely love them.

When you offend someone a wall goes up and it no longer matters what you say, it will not get through. You might make perfect sense but because you offended that person, they want nothing to do with you and your words will fall to the ground.

Many have zeal without knowledge, and although they mean well, they lack understanding and do more damage than good. Like Peter in his zeal for Christ, they cut off the ear of the unsaved and make it even harder for them to hear the truth. Only the love of Christ can heal their wounds from an unnecessary offense.

So what am I saying, to at no cost offend others? Certainly not, since the preaching of the cross is an offense to the world, and truth convicts sinners, producing anger. What I am saying is you must speak the truth in love, with a humble spirit, so the person may know that you genuinely care for their soul. So yes, preach the whole truth of God with boldness; by no means compromise the Scriptures, but drench your life of preaching with acts of love, showing that you live the gospel you are proclaiming. Sacrifice often, buy gifts for others, serve the needy, clothe the naked, and love your enemies, praying for those who persecute you; and never quit proclaiming the good news of the cross of Christ!

Time Square, NYC part 1