October 30, 2022 - Dealing With Legalists

Am I a legalist? Here are some indicators:
1) Make rules outside the Bible
2) Push yourself to try and keep your rules
3) Castigate yourself when you don't keep your rules
4) Become proud when you do keep your rules
5) Appoint yourself as judge over other people
6) Get angry with people who break your rules or have different rules
7) "Beat" the losers

Jesus exposed the traditions of the pharisees. He called them HYPOCRITES! Mask wearers, performers, theatre

We are all guilty of being performers, mask wearers and hypocrites - uncomfortable?

Make believers talk like believers, know Christian lingo, but do not live like believers!

Remember Jesus' words in verse 8, quoting Isaiah 29:13
"These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me."

"God talk" and "Jesus speak" does not make a believer

Jesus is big into:
"You will know them by their fruits" - Matthew 7:20

To the fruitless, Jesus says, "Depart from Me, I never knew you" - Matthew 7:23

What has happened to us? What has happened to America?
"Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron," - 1 Timothy 4:1-2

How do deceiving spirits look? - 2 Timothy 3:1-5
"But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!"

What God finds astonishing - Jeremiah 5:30-31
"“An astonishing and horrible thing has been committed in the land: the prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule by their own power; and My people love to have it so. But what will you do in the end?"

God shows us how to live in these times:
"But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them." - 2 Timothy 3:13-14

We are the people of God!
We are not snowflakes!

We are victors, OVERCOMERS!!

We are not victims!
May we live like it!

King David, prior to his death, charged his on, Solomon with "be strong" - 1 Kings 2:2-3
“I go the way of all the earth; be strong, therefore, and prove yourself a man. And keep the charge of the Lord your God: to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, His commandments, His judgments, and His testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn."

THIS IS OUR TIME TO . . .

"BE STRONG"

"TO KEEP THE CHARGE OF THE LORD"

BE STRONG, FOLKS!
BE STRONG!!