Itching Ears of the American

Nearly a month ago, my husband and I took some time to watch the ABC News Iowa Republican Debate anchored by correspondents Diane Sawyer and George Stephanopoulos. Watching was hardly my decision, but my husband’s. Given the choice, I would have turned to HGTV or The Food Network. However, I surprisingly found myself growing interested in this question and answer process. Difficult and controversial issues were raised and I anticipated each candidate’s response.

What disappointed me most was that I realized, yet again, my inability to decipher true meaning behind countless words of grandeur. Had I been given the challenge to cast my vote for the next President of the United States upon viewing this debate, I would have failed miserably. Why? Simply because almost every candidate presented themselves to be a wonderful choice! Each made valid points. Each came across as having genuine concern for the welfare and wellbeing of our country and our people.

Truth is, I prefer not to bother myself with politics. Most issues I simply don’t understand. I know I could, and maybe should, invest my time in researching all the hot topics and backgrounds of each candidate, but I choose not to. These divisive subjects are just plain confusing and I feel inadequate when it comes to all things political. So I choose to let my husband, pastor, and other leaders I trust make those decisions for me. Sad, I know.

What’s even worse is that most Americans do this very thing when it comes to religion and the truth of the scriptures. Many of us feel overwhelmed with doctrine and incapable of deciphering truth, so we let someone else do it for us. We find churches and pastors teaching prosperity and the good life with smooth words and flattering speech, deceiving the hearts of the simple (Rom 16:18). We really don’t want to hear all the negativity that comes with judgment, right and wrong, and an eternity in hell. We desire simply to attend church, knowing we should, and we want to leave church feeling like a good person, worthy of approval from an all loving, all accepting god. And many will follow their destructive ways... by covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words (2 Pt 2:2,3).

While allowing others to decide our country’s future is irresponsible and terribly risky, allowing others to decide our eternal future is downright dangerous. And not just dangerous, eternally dangerous! Each candidate knows exactly what the American people want to hear, laboring tirelessly to tickle our ears and win the next vote. Likewise, countless churches and pastors are operating the same way, teaching faithfully and precisely only that which will fill their buildings and their pockets rather than fill your spirit with truth and the Kingdom of God with saints.

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. -2 Timothy 4:2-4

Yes, knowing the truth of God’s Word takes effort, and yes, sometimes it seems overwhelmingly difficult, if not impossible. However, we MUST be in the Word and in prayer. We MUST guard our hearts against deception. If you find it difficult to read, study, or understand His Word, pray, pray, and pray some more. Ask God to open your eyes before you read, as you read, and after you read. Satan is capable of stealing God’s Word right out of your heart and mind (Matt 13:19), but God desires for you to read and understand. However, we cannot understand without the help of God through the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 2:10-16).

If you missed the ABC News Iowa Republican Debate and are interested, you can get caught up here, since I really can’t tell you anything that was said L.

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The Truth, and Nothing but the Truth

I’ve heard it said that a bank teller, handling money day in and day out, when given a phony bill, recognizes the counterfeit instantly. Whether or not the teller is schooled in the variations between the real and the fake will make no difference. The secret to instant recognition is in the fact that they are continually handling true authentic money, and as soon as a counterfeit slides through their fingers, they immediately identify it as nothing more than a copy of the real thing. They know without a doubt, although it starkly resembles money, it is in fact completely worthless.  

My sister, employed for Columbia Sportswear as an Apparel Quality Specialist, travels abroad for work several times a year. Recently I sent her on a mission to purchase some ‘Seven’ jeans for me since they are substantially less expensive oversees than they are here. She hadn’t previously researched this brand of jean and had no idea that a counterfeit would state ‘Aemove’ or ‘Day’ rather than ‘Remove’ and ‘Dry’ on the tag. She wasn’t aware of the fact that the real jean has a large tag sown between two smaller tags, unlike the fake.* Because she is a specialist in her work, and knows the ins and outs of materials better than most, she was able to instantly recognize the ‘Seven’ jeans I desperately coveted for about $30 were nothing more than fakes. I was greatly disappointed, but also thankful to keep my $30.

You know, years ago, I formed in my own mind the need to gain all the knowledge I could regarding the Jehovah’s Witness religion in order to ‘save’ them all from Hell’s fire. So, I began researching a great deal, reading the writings of Walter Martin (who I greatly admire and respect for his gift in understanding innumerable religions) and studying the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ own literature. What I learned:

IF YOU DIG IN THE TRASH, YOU WILL GET DIRTY. That merits repeating- IF YOU DIG IN THE TRASH, YOU WILL GET DIRTY. Ok, that’s not all I learned, but it is definitely a lesson I walked away with. I also discovered what a complicated cult this is, with incredibly devoted followers. Their doctrine is of Satan, and he tried desperately to deceive me into believing it- almost successfully!

Praise God for His truth and the power of prayer. You see, because I had handled the word of God, because I knew the truth in scripture, I was able to determine the authentic, genuine, REAL gospel from the phony counterfeit of Jehovah’s Witnesses. And yes, there are imitation gospels out there.

But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.

-Galatians 1:8-9

Not only are there fake gospels, but a fake Jesus and a fake spirit!

For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted- you may well put up with it!

2 Corinthians 11:4

So, what’s my point? I’ve said it in past posts and I’m saying it again- READ THE BIBLE! The only way for us to be safe and secure from the deceptions of false doctrine is to know the truth of God’s Word. If we are in His Word daily, hiding it in our heart, letting it form and shape us, we will not have to study the multiple false gospels that are not only in this world, but also in our churches, to identify them as phony. Just as bank tellers instantly recognize fraud and my sister safely discerns authentic material, we, as followers of Christ and His Word, must be able to distinguish a counterfeit Christ, gospel, or spirit upon first touch. READ THE WORD OF GOD and don’t allow yourself to be ripped off. Your soul is far more valuable than my $30.

Study to shew theyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

-2 Timothy 2:15

To learn more about the state of the “American Church” and its leaders, click here. To hear a recent teaching by my pastor regarding this topic in Nehemiah chapter 13 click here.

*http://www.freewebs.com/davidcraige/fakesevenjeans.htm
Images Courtesy of:  http://www.karaoui.com/money-money-money/, http://blog.enovatechina.com/seven-for-all-mankind-successful-china-brand-buzz-101/, http://www.betterworldbooks.com/the-kingdom-of-the-cults-id-0764227440.aspx, http://youoffendmeyouoffendmyfamily.com/i-fell-face-first-into-my-trash-can/trash-can-full-of-trash/, http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/im-book-review-counterfeit-gospels, http://prushton.wordpress.com/2011/02/16/course-preview-counterfeit-gods/