By A.W. Tozer
The great deficiency to which I refer is the lack of spiritual discernment, especially among our leaders. How there can be so much Bible knowledge and so little insight, so little moral penetration, is one of the enigmas of the religious world today. I think it is altogether accurate to say that there has never before been a time in the history of the church when so many people were engaged in Bible study as are so engaged today.
If the knowledge of Bible doctrine were any guarantee of godliness, this would without doubt be known in history as the age of sanctity. Instead, it may well be known as the age of the church's Babylonish captivity, or the age of worldliness, when the professed Bride of Christ allowed herself to be successfully courted by the fallen sons of men in unbelievable numbers. The body of evangelical believers, under evil influences, has . . . gone over to the world in complete and abject surrender, avoiding only a few of the grosser sins such as drunkenness and sexual promiscuity.
That this disgraceful betrayal has taken place in broad daylight with full consent of our Bible teachers and evangelists is one of the most terrible affairs in the spiritual history of the world. Yet I for one cannot believe that the great surrender was negotiated by men of evil heart who set out deliberately to destroy the faith of our fathers. Many good and clean-living people have collaborated with the quislings who betrayed us.
Why?
The answer can only be, from lack of spiritual vision.
Something like a mist has settled over the church as "the shroud that enfolds all peoples, the sheet that covers all nations" (Isaiah 25:7). Such a veil once descended upon Israel: "For their minds were made dull, for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away.
Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts" (2 Corinthians 3:14-15). That was Israel's tragic hour. God raised up the church and temporarily disfranchised His ancient people. He could not trust His work to blind men.
“Love Not The World”
ReplyDelete”For the WHOLE world(not just a portion) is under the control of the evil one”.......(I John 5:19)
“Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world will pass away, and the lust thereof: but he that does the will of The Only True GOD will abide for ever.”(IJohn2:15-17)
“If you were of the world, the world would love it’s own: but because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said unto you, the servant is not greater than his Master. If they have persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept My saying, they will keep yours also.” (John15:19-20)
“Where do wars and fighting among you come from? Do they not come of your lusts that war in your members? You lust, and have not: you kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: you fight and war yet you have not, because you ask not. You ask, and receive not, because you ask amiss, that you may consume it upon your lusts. You adulterers and adulteresses, don’t you know that friendship with the world is to be at enmity with The Only True GOD? Therefore whoever will be a friend of the world is the enemy of The Only True GOD.” (James 4:1-4)
“The world cannot hate you; but the world hates Me, because I testify that the works of this world are evil.” (John 7:7)” and “The Messiah gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of The Only True God, Our Father.”(Gal 1:4)
The Messiah testified: “If the world hates you know that it hated Me before it hated you.”(John 5:18) Truly, Truly, I say unto you, except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abides alone: but if it die it brings forth much fruit. He that loves his life in this world shall lose it; and he that hates his life in this world shall have it unto life eternal.” (John 12:24-25)
John testified: “Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hates you.” (I John 3:13) “ James testified, “Whoever would be a friend of this world is the enemy of GOD”(James4:4)
The “earth and it's life forms” are The Creation of The ONE and Only True GOD, Father of ALL! The “worldly” systems are the creation of, and under the dominion of “the god of this world”, he who is “the father of lies”, he who “has blinded the minds of those who believe not The Messiah”! All the nations of this world are under the dominion of, and serve, the “god of this world” for he provides the fuel that feeds mankind’s “imag”ination. And sadly, mankind’s “imag”ination is destroying Creation(air, water, land vegetation, creatures) and perverting that which is Spirit(Truth, Light, Life, Faith, Love, Peace,, All that is Truly Good) ;-(
Peace, in spite of the dis-ease(no-peace) that is of this world and it's systems of religion, for "the WHOLE world(not just a portion) is under the control of the evil one" indeed and Truth......
Truth IS, a lie is not.......
Abide in The Truth....... francis
Hi ElderChild,
ReplyDeleteWelcome to Church Warnings.
Thank you
swarna
HalleluYAH!
ReplyDeleteCame to me that you might appreciate the following testimony:
ReplyDeleteThe "I" Must Die!
In as much as i can 'see',
That which is of the 'I' in me,
So it is i yearn, and to Our Father cry,
For deliverance from all that is of the 'I'.
The 'I', born of "imag"ination and selfish desire,
As lust, greed, and pride, stoked a consuming fire ;-(
A fire burning out of control, as 'I' leads the way,
It's smoke concealing the fleshly mind that leads one astray ;-(
Yet even in the smoke, searing heat, and blindness of 'sight',
Truth can pierce the blackness of darkness, revealing "The Light"!
And nothing can hide from "The Light", so "Light" reveals the "I",
Allowing one to "see" clearly, and clearly the "I" must die!
But to live, yet die, seems an impossible task,
And so we need of "Our Father", the impossible to ask.
Help me to "deny myself(die to self)(die to 'I')" Father!
And as HE Helps, HE reveals more and more of "The Selfless One", The One Who leads His Brethren on "The Way to The Truth of The Life". He Who was, and is The Messiah, The Son of The Only True G-D, Father(Creator) of ALL!
And as The Messiah desired above all else, so also will His Brethren desire above all else, "Father, not my will, But THY Will Be Done".......
The poem above was begun in Creel, Chih, Mexico in '92, a time when i sought to live and experience a simple and spiritual life and it was there that i received and embraced Simplicity. Left Mexico in '93, yet returned in '04. Then on 1/26/05 the poem was completed, and 'completion' is near for each and every one of us. And for "the poor and needy", thankfully so.......
Translated, "corruptible to incorruptible" indeed and Truth.......
Home at last.......
Forever free from The "I".......
All Thanks, Praise and Glory Be Unto "Our Father".......
And while there is breath(spirit) there is hope many will "see",
"see" The "I" for what it is, and then desire to be set free!
And that Spirit that was in The Messiah shall "set you free, free indeed"!
So, There Is Hope!
For Miracles do happen.......
Hope is there would be those who experience The Miracle that is receiving "a love of The Truth" for they will "see" The Light that is The Messiah, they will "see" that The Life is of The Spirit(not seen with the natural eye), and most certainly not of the flesh or fleshly mind("I").......
Peace, in spite of the dis-ease(darkness) that is of this world and it's systems of religion, for "the WHOLE world is under the control of the evil one"(1Jn5:19) indeed and Truth.......
Truth IS, a lie is not.......
(Returned to this place called the u.s. of a. in June of '05, yet a return to the simplicity that is rural Mexico would be welcomed, however, i realize that in all things it must be "Father(Creator) not my will, But THY Will Be Done.......)
ElderChild,
ReplyDeleteThank you so very much for sharing this.
QUOTE:
All Thanks, Praise and Glory Be Unto "Our Father".......
And while there is breath(spirit) there is hope many will "see",
"see" The "I" for what it is, and then desire to be set free!
And that Spirit that was in The Messiah shall "set you free, free indeed"!
So, There Is Hope!
For Miracles do happen.......
_______________
Indeed there is HOPE IN CHRIST JESUS.
Yes indeed, miracles do happen and we praise God for that.
The 'I' is concerned about self-preservation, self defense, self righteousness, self-image etc.
Who can deliver us from this 'I'?
PRAISE GOD................CHRIST JESUS.
ElderChild, if you are so led, please feel free to share about your time in Mexico.
Thank you very much for sharing this.
May God Richly Bless you
swarna
i appreciate the encouragement.
ReplyDeleteAs for my time in the Copper Canyon area of Mexico, i had written a brief testimony that i will gladly share here.
-------
Back in '91 i had been in "search of" of what i called "the church" at that time, for almost 5 years and had crisscrossed that place they call the u.s. of a. from NY to CA to WA to FL, traveling well over 100,000 miles.......
Was always returning to a group that called themselves mennonites who were in Louisiana and at one time my desire was to be a part of their 'church', yet thankfully Our Father, HE was Faithful and HE delivered me and miraculously set me free from my own desires!
HalleluYAH!
During my journey in search of the 'church' i knew in my heart that Our Father, HE wanted me to give up my vocation but i had no idea what i would do if i did quit .
The journey revealed much and simplicity became a beacon for me, a light midst the darkness that is of this world, for i had left most possessions(which actually possessed me) behind when i began my search for what i then called the 'church' in earnest. i could load all my possessions in the back of a '76 ford courier pickup with a shell.
Then in November of '91, while in Colorado, "i quit", i gave up the very profession that provided the means for such a journey!
It was then that i said, "no more" to the "american(worldly) way". i had been an independent computer consultant, systems analyst who designed, coded, and implemented custom financial application software for small business, and then in November of '91 i said "No More".
At that time i knew in my heart that the "american dream" was just that, and would better be called "american greed", or "american delusion" and "churches" but propagated that "american dream" ;-(
The perversion of that which is Spirit was readily seen at that time, yet i had not yet "seen" that the earth was being destroyed by mankind. That would be revealed soon as i set out on a new journey.
When i said "No More!" i was without a vocation, but i believed in my heart that a simple life would allow me to experience, and would reveal more of that which really mattered concerning The Life, both temporal and Eternal.
i had realized that what truly mattered was not material things, or that which is temporal, but what truly mattered was that which is Spirit, for that which is Spirit is Truly Real, for that which is Real is Forever.......
(continued)
And so the new journey began and in January of '92 i was in Tennessee learning how to "cut wood and carry water". i was asked to complete the last project i had taken on, and i did so with the understanding that i would not provide support for the project when completed.
ReplyDeleteOnce in TN i sold my vehicle, and sold or gave away many other things that i did not "need", which included the money from all that was sold and most of that which was on hand. And by March of '92 after many glorious and at times trying experiences, my "simple life" journey had miraculously taken me to the Copper Canyon area of Old Mexico.
For the first three months i worked washing dishes for room and board, in a hostel type rooming house located in Creel, Chihuahua and then for a year after that experience, i began living in a 50 or more year old shack with a leaking roof, but no plumbing, electric, or any other "thing" that would hinder my desire to live and experience "a simple and spiritual life" .
And that "simple and spiritual life" experience was a blessed time, indeed and Truth.
The "simple life" was a great teacher and many lessons were learned. Lessons that bore witness to The Truth of, "if you don't spend money you don't have to make it", "the simpler life became, the more life became", "less is more and more is less", "the things you possess, in Truth possess you", and i began to 'see' and somewhat experience Creation's sufficiency. Creation, what a wonderful teacher!
And during that time The Light of Truth began to reveal that, "the multitudes are but serving "time" in the prison that is this world" just so that they might realize what they believed to be "ease of life" ;-( (continued)
And so the new journey began and in January of '92 i was in Tennessee learning how to "cut wood and carry water". i was asked to complete the last project i had taken on, and i did so with the understanding that i would not provide support for the project when completed.
Once in TN i sold my vehicle, and sold or gave away many other things that i did not "need", which included the money from all that was sold and most of that which was on hand. And by March of '92 after many glorious and at times trying experiences, my "simple life" journey had miraculously taken me to the Copper Canyon area of Old Mexico.
For the first three months i worked washing dishes for room and board, in a hostel type rooming house located in Creel, Chihuahua and then for a year after that experience, i began living in a 50 or more year old shack with a leaking roof, but no plumbing, electric, or any other "thing" that would hinder my desire to live and experience "a simple and spiritual life" .
And that "simple and spiritual life" experience was a blessed time, indeed and Truth.
The "simple life" was a great teacher and many lessons were learned. Lessons that bore witness to The Truth of, "if you don't spend money you don't have to make it", "the simpler life became, the more life became", "less is more and more is less", "the things you possess, in Truth possess you", and i began to 'see' and somewhat experience Creation's sufficiency. Creation, what a wonderful teacher!
And during that time The Light of Truth began to reveal that, "the multitudes are but serving "time" in the prison that is this world" just so that they might realize what they believed to be "ease of life" ;-(
Question is, "What life? And is such a life worth living, when soon and very soon, it's all over"?
And apart from The Truth can Life, Real Life be?
And The Truth of "The WHOLE(not just a portion) world being under the control of the evil one"(1John5:19) was clearly revealed!
(continued)
i did have a great natural teacher while in Mexico, and my experiences with that teacher(my burro Feliciano) taught me, "if there is a problem in the life given me, "I" am the problem".......period.......
ReplyDeleteAnd so it was that The Truth of "The "I(self,ego,id)" must die" was clearly revealed, for the denial of self("I") is be One with The Creator(Our Father). Only then is the soul renewed, enlivened, and a common union with The Creator(Our Father) realized. No longer was it "I" will, but the cry of my heart, the cry of my being, was as it should be, "Father, not my will, But THY Will Be Done"!
Truly, The Only True Good is of Our Father and emanates from those who realize ""I" can do nothing of my own self".......
During my time in Mexico i began to realize that to know, to truly learn, is to experience.
Later it was revealed that merely reading can muddy the waters, for such "learning" but feeds mankind's "imag"ination. And mankind's "imag"ination is the most powerful weapon used by "the god of this world", "the father of lies", in his war against The Creator(Our Father, The Only True G-D, The Great Spirit) and HIS Creation.
Such revelation led to great sadness, for Truth was clearly manifest and i realized mankind's "imag"ination was destroying Creation(air, water, land, vegetation, creatures) and perverting that which is Spirit(Truth, Light, Life, Love, Peace, Hope, Grace, Faith, Miracles,,,,,,, ALL that is Truly GOOD) ;-(
And such destruction and perversion will continue to increase until the end, when "time is no more"!
So it is, that those who believe The Creator are exhorted to "Cast down "imag"inations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of The Creator(G-D, Father, Great Spirit,,)"!
"Imag"ination is of the mind of man and but genders delusion, deception and lies ;-( And "the father of lies", delusion, and deception, is "the god of this world", "the author of confusion" and "every evil work"!
Life, Real Life is of The Holy(Great) Spirit within us, and natural life is realized with every breath(spirit) we take.
Life, Real Life is not of the "imag"ination, for that which is Real is Forever.......
i appreciate your letting me share that which i have "seen(experienced) and heard(received)" with others. For those who have seen how "poor and needy" they truly are, such sharing will be "Faith to Faith".
Father Help! and HE does.......
So there is hope!
For Miracles do happen!
Hope, not for the earth, not for that which is temporal, but hope that there would be those who would experience The Miracle that is receiving "a love of The Truth" for they will "Come Out" from among those who are destroying Creation(air , water, land, vegetation, creatures) and they will "Come Out" from among those who are perverting that which is Spirit(Truth, Light, Life, Love, Hope, Grace, Mercy, Faith,,,,,,, ALL that is Truly GOOD).......
Peace, in spite of the dis-ease(destruction/perversion) that is of this wicked world and it's systems of religion, for "the WHOLE world is under the control of the evil one"(1John5:19) indeed and Truth.......
Truth IS, a lie is not.......
Abide in Truth.......
Hi ElderChild,
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing this.
quote
At that time i knew in my heart that the "american dream" was just that, and would better be called "american greed", or "american delusion" and "churches" but propagated that "american dream" ;-
________
Yes, shocking that american 'churches' promote the american dream
You certainly have travelled quite a bit!
Thank you for sharing.
BTW, you repeatedly use the term , 'The Light', 'The Truth'. Why?
Thanks again
swarna
Want to be sure that all realize the "american dream" has become this "wicked world's dream" as well, for ALL nations and systems of religion serve "the g-d of this world", he who is "the father of lies", "the angel of light", "the author of confusion" and "every evil work" ;-(
ReplyDeleteAnd that "imag"ined word 'church' is but a buzzword of the 'church OF england" and was created of their "imag"ination less than 500 years past. And most certainly the "church OF england" has it's portion in and of this wicked, evil world ;-(
And all 'churches' have their portion in and of this wicked, evil world, and in some way have their portion in and of pagan catholicism as well ;-(
Faith will not create a religion('church'). For what are The Faithful? What are "The Brothers and Sisters" of "Our Father", if not Family?
Simply, Faith will not create a religion, for Faith is Family.......
As for The Truth?
First it is well to remember that The Messiah testified, "he who does not love Me, does not keep My Words. And The WORD'S which you hear are not Mine, but are The Father's WHO sent Me."(JN14:24)
And The Messiah testified, "I am The Way and The Truth and The Life, no man comes unto The Father but by Me".......(JN14:6)
"And you shall know(experience) The Truth, and The Truth will set you free".......(JN8:32)
Except one receives "the love of The Truth" they can not be saved.......(2Thes2:10)
And "The one who practices The Truth comes to The Light"(JN3:21)
And The Light?
The 1st Day of Creation
"The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of G-D moved upon the face of the waters." (Gen 1:2)
Then G-D spoke HIS Word into being.......
"Let there be Light"!
And "There was Light".......
And such 'Light' was to be, and is, Eternal!
So Hope is Alive!
Even though this wicked world begins and ends it's day in darkness it is good to realize that the 1st Day of Creation, although begun midst the darkness, ended in 'Light'!
And such 'Light' was not the sun, moon or stars for they were not created until the 4th Day.
G-D's Word "Let there be Light" became "The Light which enlightens every man born into the world" and was "the glory The Messiah had with Our Father before the world began".......
LIGHT Begot Light.......
The Messiah, "The Light of the world"(Jn8:12).......
The Messiah, "The beginning of The Creation of G-D"(Rev1:1, 3:14).......
The Messiah, "The Son of The Living G-D".......
And Our Father, HE "created all things by(of, in and thru) The Messiah" (Ep3:9).......
The 1st Day of Creation.
"And G-D called The Light, Day, and the darkness HE called night. And the evening(darkness) and the morning(Light) was the 1st day." (Gen 1:5)
Now if the beginning can not be 'seen' nor understood, then what of the end?
Confusion would reign! And today confusion does reign midst the religious systems of this world, and especially those who believe in a three headed pagan g-d, for apart from "The Light" there is only darkness, "the blind leading the blind" ;-(
Peace, in spite of the dis-ease(no-peace) that is of this world and it's systems of religion "for the WHOLE(not just a portion) world is under the control of the evil one"(1JN5:19) indeed and Truth.......
Truth IS and IS Forever, a lie is not.......
Abide in The Truth.......
Hi ElderChild,
ReplyDeleteThanks
swarna
Once again: "Want to be sure that all realize the "american dream" has become this "wicked world's dream" as well, for ALL nations and systems of religion serve "the g-d of this world", he who is "the father of lies", "the angel of light", "the author of confusion" and "every evil work" ;-("
ReplyDelete