Known by God

There are three essential aspects of our walk with Jesus Christ - knowing Him, making Him known, and being known by Him. Today I'd like to focus for a moment on the last one.

The apostle Paul said to the Galatians, "But now that you know God or rather are known by God —how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable forces? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again?" (Gal 4:9, NIV). He thought it was more appropriate to say they were known by God than that they knew God. Perhaps that's because right now we only know God in part (1 Cor 13:9). Even the apostle Paul admitted that he himself only knew God in part.

He said, "For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known." (1 Cor 13:12, NIV)

Those who truly belong to the Lord are fully known by Him. David described in Psalm 139 just how completely God knew Him, when he wrote:

"You have searched me, Lord,
    and you know me.
You know when I sit and when I rise;
    you perceive my thoughts from afar.
You discern my going out and my lying down;
    you are familiar with all my ways.
Before a word is on my tongue
    you, Lord, know it completely.
You hem me in behind and before,
    and you lay your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
    too lofty for me to attain.
Where can I go from your Spirit?
    Where can I flee from your presence?
If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
    if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
    if I settle on the far side of the sea,
even there your hand will guide me,
    your right hand will hold me fast.
If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me
    and the light become night around me,”
even the darkness will not be dark to you;
    the night will shine like the day,
    for darkness is as light to you.
For you created my inmost being;
    you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
    your works are wonderful,
    I know that full well.
My frame was not hidden from you
    when I was made in the secret place,
    when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
Your eyes saw my unformed body;
    all the days ordained for me were written in your book
    before one of them came to be.
How precious to me are your thoughts, God!
    How vast is the sum of them!
Were I to count them,
    they would outnumber the grains of sand—
    when I awake, I am still with you." (Ps 139:1-18, NIV).

That's how intimately God knows those who belong to Him. At this time, we cannot say we know God that same way, but we will when we see Him face to face. Then we shall know Him fully, even as we are fully known.

Yet not everyone who says to Jesus, "Lord, Lord," will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only those who do the will of the Father in heaven. (Mt 7:21). There are people who operate in the supernatural, prophesying and driving out demons in the name of Jesus, and who call Him "Lord," but He does not know them. And on judgment day He will tell them so. He said, "Then I will tell him plainly, I never knew you. Away from Me, you evildoers!" (Mt 7:23, NIV)

None of us would ever want to hear the Lord say those words to us, yet He does have to say that to many people, who then go away into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels (Mt 25:41). That is the eternal punishment that awaits those false disciples who do not do the will of the Father in heaven. The Lord will deny that He ever knew them.

Therefore it behooves us to know for sure that Christ knows us. How can we know that He does? He said to do the will of the Father in heaven, and then Christ will acknowledge us as one of His own whom He knows. Paul also said in his letter to Timothy: "'The Lord knows those who are His,' and 'Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness.'" (2 Tim 2:19, NIV)

This is a key aspect that is not preached about much these days. The Lord surely knows those who are His. But if you confess Jesus as your Lord, you must turn away from wickedness. If you do not depart from all iniquity, then don't expect the Lord to know you as His own.

That's why it's best to pray sincerely as David did at the end of Psalm 139 for the Lord to search you and reveal any wicked way in you:

"Search me, God, and know my heart;
    test me and know my anxious thoughts.
See if there is any offensive way in me,
    and lead me in the way everlasting."
(Ps 139:23-24, NIV)

It reminds me of the words of the famous hymn, Search Me, O God, by J. Edwin Orr that goes:

"Search me, O God,
And know my heart today;
Try me, O Savior,
Know my thoughts, I pray.
See if there be
Some wicked way in me;
Cleanse me from every sin
And set me free."

This is a wonderful way to express your love for God, by asking Him to search you, cleanse you from every sin, and set you free. If you truly love God, then you will be known by Him. Paul said, "The man who loves God is known by God." (1 Co 8:3, NIV). Yet many people say they love God, and not everyone who claims to love Him truly loves Him. Here is the standard by which it will be determined whether you love God.

Jesus said, "Whoever has My commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves Me. He who loves me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and show Myself to him." (Joh 14:21, NIV). He also said, ""If anyone loves Me, he will obey My teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make Our home with him." (Joh 14:23, NIV). Therefore, if you want to be known by God, then you must love Him, and if you truly love Him, you will obey the commands of Jesus. You will obey His teaching.

That is the straight and narrow path that only few people are willing to take, and it's the only one that leads to eternal life. Many would rather take the wide road to destruction. If you want to be known by God, then find out what pleases the Lord. Take the commands of Jesus and obey them. Follow His teachings and do what He said. That will affect every area of your life. Let me encourage you to do that today, if you are not already doing so. Then you will have no regrets on judgment day. If you depart from sin and serve the Lord with love, then you will not have to hear Him say, "Depart from me, you evildoer, I never knew you," but will instead hear Him say, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant," and you will know Him fully even as you are known.

Attribution notice: Scripture quotations taken from the Holy Bible NIV.

Author's note: If you would like to become a disciple, consider enrolling in our Doulos Training School. You are invited to read Knowing the Lord, The Difference Between Being a Disciple and a Believer, The Cost of Discipleship, The Forgotten Sin of Worldliness, Separation from the World, Michael Shigaba's Encounter with Jesus, Strive to Enter the Kingdom of God, Straight and Narrow Path, Sins That Will Keep You From Heaven, A Warning for Married Christian Couples, What's Wrong with the Prosperity Gospel, Godly Attire and Adornment -- Seven Divine Revelations, Carrying Your Cross or Cross Dressing?, Alcohol and Cigarettes -- Ten Divine Revelations, Keeping Sundays Holy - Part I, Keeping Sundays Holy - Part II, Rock, Rap, and Reggae Music -- Three Divine Revelations, God's View of Public Bathing, and Ask for the Ancient Paths. You may access the Main Directory for this Seeking the Lord blog for more articles like this, as well as my complete blog directory at "Writing for the Master."

Messages from the Lord for Catholics Worshipping Idols	Only the Holy -- Three Shocking Testimonies	Angelica Zambrano Hell and Heaven
Baptized by Blazing Fire	Taken to Hell	Angelica Zambrano Second Visit to Hell
Australian Pastor Raised from the Dead	Nigerian Pastor Raised from the Dead	Revelation of Hell to Seven Colombian Youths

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

_________________________________________________

Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping

Songs of the Holy Fire

It amazes me sometimes how opposed to the holy fire people can be, especially Christians. It proves just how much the devil hates the holy fire, which I wrote about in my previous article, Holy Fire Baptism.

Yet those same people who say it is unbiblical have probably been singing songs about the holy fire for years, and they never had a problem with the lyrics. But now that it is being emphasized as an important baptism to receive, they have rejected it. Let me share some of these wonderful lyrics about the holy fire that have been put to music over the years.

The Old Hymns
We'll first start with the hymns, since they were the oldest and came first.

Search Me, O God
In Search Me O God, James E. Orr wrote in 1936:

"I praise Thee, Lord, for cleansing me from sin;
Fulfill Thy word and make me pure within;
Fill me with fire, where once I burned with shame;
Grant my desire to magnify Thy name."

See lyrics to the song here.

I Surrender All
In I Surrender All , written by Judson W. Van DeVenter in 1896, it says,

"All to Jesus I surrender;
Now I feel the sacred flame.
O the joy of full salvation!
Glory, glory, to His name!"

Come, Jesus, Lord, with Holy Fire
Charles Wesley (1707-1788), the brother of John Wesley, wrote in his song Come, Jesus, Lord, with Holy Fire:

"Come, Jesus, Lord, with holy fire,
Come, and my quickened heart inspire,
My conscience purged by blood;
Now to my soul Thyself reveal,
Thy mighty working let me feel,
Since I am born of God."

Faith, Hope, and Love
The last verse of a hymn called Faith, Hope, and Love, written by Neal A. McAulay (1854-1928), and composed by Charles H. Gabriel, says:

"O God of grace, inspire my love!
Fill my cold heart with holy fire,
That I may live each passing day
As my Redeemer doth desire."

My Faith Looks Up to Thee
I especially like this song, My Faith Looks Up to Thee, written by Ray Palmer in 1830, because my wife chose this one as her bridal procession song at our wedding, to which she walked down the aisle. It goes like this:

"May Thy rich grace impart
Strength to my fainting heart,
My zeal inspire!
As Thou hast died for me,
Oh, may my love to Thee
Pure, warm, and changeless be,
A living fire!"

The Fire is Burning
A hymn called The Fire is Burning, written by Johnson Oatman Jr. (1898) and music composed by George C. Hugg, has the repeating line, "And my soul is burning with the fire." The refrain goes like this:

"O the fire is burning, yes, ’tis brightly burning,
O ’tis burning, burning in my soul;
O the fire is burning, yes, ’tis brightly burning,
O ’tis burning, burning in my soul."

As one of the lines in the songs says, "God's love is like a heavenly flame." Is the fire brightly burning in your soul? Does the flame consume you while you pray?

O God of Burning Altar Fire
The first stanza of an old hymn called O God of Burning Altar Fire, written by Amy Carmichael
and arranged by Robert A. Schumann, says:

"O God of burning altar fire,
O God of love’s consuming flame,
Make pure the flame of our desire
To win the lost to seek Thy Name."

Revive Us Again
The last line of the hymn Revive Us Again, written by William Mackay in 1863 says,

"Revive us again;
Fill each heart with Thy love;
May each soul be rekindled
With fire from above."

I Will Praise Him
One of the lines in the hymn I Will Praise Him, written by Margaret Harris in 1898 says:

"Then God’s fire upon the altar
Of my heart was set aflame;
I shall never cease to praise Him
Glory, glory to His name!"

O For That Flame of Living Fire
An old hymn called O For That Flame of Living Fire, written by William H. Bathurst in 1831, says:

"O for that flame of living fire,
Which shone so bright in saints of old!
Which bade their souls to Heav’n aspire,
Calm in distress, in danger bold."

God Sent His Mighty Pow’r
A hymn called God sent His mighty pow’r, written by Delia T. White and musically composed by William James Kirkpatrick (1838-1921), says:

God sent His mighty pow’r
To this poor, sinful heart,
To keep me every hour,
And needful grace impart;
And since His Spirit came,
To take supreme control,
The love-enkindled flame
Is burning in my soul.

’Tis burning in my soul,
’Tis burning in my soul;
The fire of heav’nly love is
burning in my soul;
The Holy Spirit came,
All glory to His name!
The fire of heav’nly love is
burning in my soul.

Before the cross I bow,
Upon the altar lay
A willing off’ring now,
My all from day to day.
My Savior paid the price,
My name He sweetly calls;
Upon the sacrifice
The fire from heaven falls.

No good that I have done,
His promise I embrace;
Accepted in the Son,
He saves me by His grace.
All glory be to God!
Let hallelujahs roll;
His love is shed abroad,
The fire is in my soul.

My spirit, soul, and body
Another hymn called My spirit, soul, and body, written by Mary Dagworthy James (1810-1883)
and musically composed by Phoebe Palmer Knapp (1839-1908), says:

"I’m Thine, O dear Lord Jesus,
Washed in Thy precious blood,
Sealed by Thy Holy Spirit,
A sacrifice to God. My all is on the altar;
I’m waiting for the fire;
I’m waiting, waiting, waiting;
I’m waiting for the fire."

Revive Thy work, O Lord
A hymn called Revive Thy work, O Lord!, written by Fanny Crosby (1820-1915) and musically composed by William Howard Doane (1832-1915), says:

"Revive Thy work, O Lord!
And every soul inspire;
Oh, kindle in each heart, we pray,
The Pentecostal fire!

Revive Thy work, O Lord!
Exalt Thy precious name!
And may Thy love in every heart
Be kindled to a flame!"

​Keep the Incense Burning
A hymn called Keep the Incense Burning, written by Margaret E. Barber (1869-1930) and musically composed by Edgar Walser, says:

"'Keep the incense burning'
On the altar fire;
Let thy heart’s petition,
Let thy deep desire,
Be a cloud of incense
Wreathing God’s own throne,
Till His will among us
Shall be fully done.

'Keep the incense burning'
On the altar fire;
Feed the flame, Lord Jesus,
Till Thy whole desire
Shall in us, Thy children,
Find free course, and be
Breathed through lips anointed
For this ministry.

'Keep the incense burning'
Though thy faith be weak;
Though in words thou canst not
All thy longing speak;
Silent heart-petitions,
Spirit-taught, will be
Gloriously answered;
Wrought by God for thee.

'Keep the incense burning,'
Hourly let it rise,
Till from opened heavens,
Till from flame-swept skies,
Fire shall fall and kindle
All hearts to a flame;
Making us a glory
To our Savior’s name."

Send the Fire
Another old hymn called Send the Fire, with words by William Booth (1894) and music by Frederick Booth-Tucker, hearkens back to the day of Pentecost in Acts 2. It refers to the baptism with the Holy Ghost and fire as a blood- bought gift and goes like this:

"Thou Christ of burning, cleansing flame,
Send the fire, send the fire, send the fire!
Thy blood bought gift today we claim,
Send the fire, send the fire, send the fire!
Look down and see this waiting host,
Give us the promised Holy Ghost;
We want another Pentecost,
Send the fire, send the fire, send the fire!

God of Elijah, hear our cry:
Send the fire, send the fire, send the fire!
To make us fit to live or die,
Send the fire, send the fire, send the fire!
To burn up every trace of sin,
To bring the light and glory in,
The revolution now begin,
Send the fire, send the fire, send the fire!

’Tis fire we want, for fire we plead,
Send the fire, send the fire, send the fire!
The fire will meet our every need,
Send the fire, send the fire, send the fire!
For strength to ever do the right,
For grace to conquer in the fight,
For power to walk the world in white,
Send the fire, send the fire, send the fire!

To make our weak hearts strong and brave,
Send the fire, send the fire, send the fire!
To live a dying world to save,
Send the fire, send the fire, send the fire!
O see us on Thy altar lay
Our lives, our all, this very day;
To crown the offering now we pray,
Send the fire, send the fire, send the fire!"

What a wonderful prayer that song makes, as we cry out to God for the holy fire.

Contemporary Worship
Now that I have shown you some of the old hymns that sang about the holy fire, let's look at the contemporary worship songs next.

Oh Lord, You're Beautiful
One of my favorites is the song by Keith Green, Oh Lord, You're Beautiful, in which he sings:

"Oh Lord, please light the fire
That once burned bright and clean
Replace the lamp of my first love
That burns with holy fear"

What a beautiful prayer that you can pray to God, as you seek the fire of God. It's bright and clean, the lamp of your first love for Jesus, which burns with holy fear.

Fire of God
Then there is the Vineyard song called Fire of God written by Craig Musseau. In this song, Eddie Espinosa sings:

"Fire of God, burn away what is not holy
Jesus, take our hearts and make them new."

That's what the holy fire does inside of us, it burns away what is not holy.

Refiner's Fire
One of Brian Doerksen's songs called Refiner's Fire says:

"Purify my heart
Let me be as gold and precious silver
Purify my heart
Let me be as gold, pure gold

Refiner's fire
My heart's one desire
Is to be holy
Set apart for You, Lord
I choose to be holy
Set apart for You, my Master
Ready to do Your will

Purify my heart
Cleanse me from within
And make me holy
Purify my heart
Cleanse me from my sin
Deep within"

Brian Doerksen, the writer of this song, said: "This song was both a gift, because the inspiration came so strong, as well as a challenge to me over and over again. It’s really about the bride getting herself ready and desiring purity for the wedding day ... and when I struggle with temptation I find this song is on my lips and helps bring me back to my deepest desire ... to be set apart for God."

I also encourage you to listen to this brief excerpt with Brian about how the Lord inspired him to write this song.

Holy Fire
Another Vineyard song is called Holy Fire. It says:

"Holy fire from heaven
Descend to us we pray
Let us burn again
Holy fire from heaven
Consume our hearts today
Let us burn again, let us burn again."

Lord, Light the Fire Again
Here is another Vineyard song about the fire of God:

"Don't let our love grow cold
I'm calling out
Light the fire again

Don't let our vision die
I'm calling out
Light the fire again

You know our hearts, my deeds
I'm calling out
Light the fire again

I need Your discipline
I'm calling out
Light the fire again

I am here to buy gold
Refined in the fire
Naked and poor
Wretched and blind I come
Clothe me in white
So I won't be ashamed
Lord, light the fire again"

Light the Fire in My Heart Again
Another Vineyard song called Light the Fire in My Heart Again says:

"So light the fire in my soul
Fan the flame
Make me whole
Lord, you know where I've been
So light the fire in my heart once again"

Holy Spirit Come With Your Fire
An English Christian devotional song says:

"Holy Spirit, Holy Spirit, come with Your fire
Holy Spirit come with your fire
Holy Spirit come with your fire
Come, Holy Spirit, let Your fire fall
Come, Holy Spirit, let Your fire fall
Let Your fire fall
Let Your fire fall
Let Your fire fall."

All Consuming Fire
A Hosanna Integrity song written by Randy Wright and sung by Kent Henry called All Consuming Fire says:

"All consuming fire
You're my heart's desire
And I love You dearly, dearly Lord
You're my meditation
And my consolation
And I love You dearly, dearly Lord."

Zion, Holy Mountain, Holy City
A song by Ann Liddell called Zion, Holy Mountain, Holy City says:

And I have counted the cost
I want to leave all this behind
I want to drink from your cup
And be baptized in your fire.

O Lord, Tell Us What You Need
A song by John David Coupland called O Lord, Tell Us What You Need says:

"Oh Lord, tell us what You need.
Oh Lord, we’ll follow where You lead.
You own the Sun, the Moon, the sky, the rain,
The hills and valleys call Your name,Yet still there is one thing that You desire.

Till every heart that beats is truly Yours,
And every tongue that speaks is truly pure,
There burns within Your breast this holy fire.
We are Your desire.
Alleluia, alleluia."

Refiner's Fire
There is another song called Refiner's Fire written by Randall Dennis and Jon Mohr, and sung by Steve Green, which goes like this:

"There burns a fire with sacred heat
White hot with holy flame
And all who dare pass through its blaze
Will not emerge the same
Some as bronze, and some as silver
Some as gold, then with great skill
All are hammered by their sufferings
On the anvil of His will

Chorus:
The Refiner’s fire
Has now become my souls desire
Purged and cleansed and purified
That the Lord be glorified
He is consuming my soul
Refining me, making me whole
No matter what I may lose
I choose the Refiner’s fire

I’m learning now to trust His touch
To crave the fire’s embrace
For though my past with sin was etched
His mercies did erase
Each time His purging cleanses deeper
I’m not sure that I’ll survive
Yet the strength in growing weaker
Keeps my hungry soul alive"

Holy Fire: Keep Me Burning

I have written and produced a song called Holy Fire: Keep Me Burning, several years after initially writing this article.

Verse 2:

Let holy fire consume my heart, 

The Spirit's flame You'll now impart.

Lord, You came to cast fire on the earth, 

You brought my soul to a second birth.

Like the pillar that guided by night,

Make my heart Your dwelling of light.

Bridge:

Though the world rejects the holy flame,

Let Your fire in us remain.

In holy fear we kneel in awe,

Before Consuming Fire enthroned.

Spirit of Grace, O holy flame,

Kindle a love that bears Your name.

Putting it All Together
As you can see, the holy fire is not a new idea that someone recently came up with, nor is it a false teaching from some strange heretic preaching doctrines of demons. It is a wonderful gift of God that is promised for all the saints who truly love our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and follow Him. The saints have been singing about this for centuries, as well as praying for it and receiving it. If you are a disciple of Christ who has never received it before, I encourage you to ask and receive today. If you have already received the holy fire, then let me encourage you to keep crying out for more until Jesus comes back for His Bride. As you do so, I hope these song lyrics will help you.

Author's note:  If you enjoyed this post, you may also like my other post called Holy Fire: Keep Me Burning, Holy Fire Baptism, as well as The Burning Ones, The Happy Hunters on Fire, The Refiner's Fire, and The Fiery Sufferings of the Believer. These are all part of The Holy Fire Series, where you will find more edifynig articles about the holy fire. You can access my complete blog directory at "Writing for the Master." Now I'd like to ask a very important question.

Attribution Notice: All lyrics are property and copyright of their owners. All lyrics provided for educational and commentary purposes only. 1) Oh Lord, You're Beautiful, written by Keith Green, Copyright © Universal Music Publishing Group; 2) Fire of God written by Craig Musseau, Copyright © 1990 Mercy/Vineyard Publishing. All rights reserved. International copyright secured., 3) Holy Fire, written by Steve Mitchinson and Brian Doerksen, Copyright © 1998 Vineyard Songs (UK/Eire), International copyright secured. All rights reserved. To reproduce this music setting for church usage, both a Church Copyright Licencse and a Music Reproduction License are required. To obtain a license or for further information visit www.ccli.com; 4) My Faith Looks Up to Thee is in the public domain; 5) Search Me O God is in the public domain; 6) All Consuming Fire copyright© 1987 Integrity's Hosanna! Music; 7) Refiner's Fire written by Brian Doerksen, copyright © 1997 Mercy/Vineyard Publishing. All rights reserved. International copyright secured; 8) O For That Flame of Living Fire is in the public domain; 9) Refiner's Fire written by Randall Dennis and Jon Mohr, 1989 © Jonathan Mark Music; 10) The Fire is Burning is in the public domain; 11) O God of Burning Altar Fire, is in the public domain; 11) Faith, Hope, and Love is in the public domain. See The Sale of Christian Music and Art -- A Robbers' Den?

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

_________________________________________________

Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.

In the Yolk of Christianity

These days the word "Christian" has taken on a new meaning that is quite different from what it originally meant. It has become a very broad term that includes many things that were not accepted among the first Christians.

I recall once speaking to my barber in Virginia Beach while I was studying at Regent University's graduate school. I must have tried to open a conversation about the Lord with him, and recall him replying to me, "We're all Christians, aren't we?" It's sad to say, but that seems to be the prevailing thought among so many people.

Yet the true meaning of the word "Christian" is found in the Bible. Scripture says, "The disciples were first called Christians in Antioch." (Ac 11:26b). This means that "Christian" was a term used for disciples of Christ. Disciples are not merely "believers." As I explained in my article, The Difference Between Being a Disciple and a Believer, disciples are wholehearted followers of Christ who practice His teachings. When the term "Christian" was first used, it meant the same thing as "disciple," so the two terms were synonymous.

Yet today the term Christian includes the following types of people:

Nominal Christians
In the broadest sense, the word "Christian" includes everyone in the world who considers himself a Christian by name (i.e., nominal Christians). This includes those who were born into Christian families, even if their family were not practicing Christians. It includes Roman Catholics, which have many practices that are unbiblical. Such people who are part of so-called Christian religions may not even believe in God at all. In fact, I have a friend who was Roman Catholic and yet he was an atheist! You can read his testimony in my article called An Atheist Turns to Christ.

The word "Christian" includes all who were once christened or sprinkled as babies. It includes churches that embrace homosexuality as a lifestyle that is acceptable to God. Even Pope Francis Supports Homosexuality. It includes churches that teach that Christians are little gods, churches that preach the false prosperity gospel, as well as seeker-sensitive churches, universalist churches that deny the existence of hell or believe that all souls will eventually be saved, unitarian churches that deny the existence of the Holy Trinity, and ecumenical churches. It includes Unitarian Universalist (UU) congregations that deny the Trinity, the deity of Christ, and eternal punishment -- all three. In fact, members of UU congregations are free to be atheist, pantheist, polytheist, agnostic, deist, theist or even satanist!

The term "Christian," as used broadly today, also includes all those in pseudo-Christian cults like the Jehovah's Witnesses, The Unification Church (of Sun Myung Moon), The Church of Bible Understanding, The Movement for the Restoration of the 10 Commandments, UFO religions such as Raëlism, The Church of Scientology, Order of the Solar Temple, Heaven's Gate, Branch Davidians (now defunct), and the Mormons, also known as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (LDS). It also includes dangerous Korean-based cults, such as the Providence Church, also known as the Christian Gospel Mission (CGM), Jesus Morning Star (JMS), Setsuri ("Providence" in Japanese), International Christian Association (ICA), the Morning Star Church, the Bright Moon Church, Ae-chun Church, World Youth University Students MS Federation, East-West Christian Union, and International Christian Union.

Apostates
The term "Christian" includes those who are apostates or corrupted Christians. These are people who may have at one time said the Sinner's Prayer or given their life to Jesus, but have since drifted away. They could be running from God. They are worldly Christians, who are friends with the world and enemies of God (Jas 4:4). They are no longer connected to the Head, which is Jesus Christ. As Peter said, "after they have escaped the defilements of the world by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and are overcome." (2 Pe 2:20). They have known the way of righteousness and have turned away from the commandment handed on to them (2 Pe 2:21). They have left the straight paths to walk in dark ways (Pr 2:13). They delight in doing wrong and rejoice in the perverseness of evil (Pr 2:14). Their paths are crooked and they are devious in their ways (Pr 2:15). They are double-minded, unstable in all their ways (James 1:8). They have an evil, unbelieving heart that has fallen away from the living God (Heb 3:12). They have turned away from Him who warns from heaven (Heb 12:25). They have strayed from the truth (James 5:19-20). They are backslidden and headed for destruction, unless they repent.

They had better heed the exhortation of James: "Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up." (Jas 4:7-10)

"Devout Believers"
The word "Christian" also includes those who are sincere and devout followers of whatever Christian religion they belong to, such as the ones mentioned above. I was once a devout Roman Catholic, who was an altar boy for many years, and later a lector at mass, attending church services regularly, and yet I was not even born again, but was living a life of sin until Jesus radically saved me at age 19. Such people typically read their Bibles, pray, go to church religiously, and believe deeply in Jesus Christ. In fact, they may even say they love Jesus. But they are not born again, as Jesus said we must be. For more on that, please see my article, You Must Be Born Again.

Disciples of Christ
Finally, the term "Christian" also includes those who are true disciples of Christ. They deny themselves daily, take up their cross, and follow Jesus. They understand The Cost of Discipleship. They can truly say with the apostle Paul, "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me." (Gal 2:20). Being a disciple of Christ is the only way to eternal life.

In the Yolk and in the Yoke
As a way to demonstrate to you what kinds of people are included in the term "Christian," let me use the illustration of an egg. A chicken egg consists of three main parts. When you boil an egg and open it up, you can see these three parts in solid form -- the outer shell, the white albumen, and the yellow yolk in the center.

The nominal and apostate Christians are like the hard, outer shell of the egg, the devout observers of so-called Christian religions are the rather tasteless egg white, and the true disciples of Christ are the yellow yolk in the center. The yolk is only a small percentage of the whole egg, which represents the true, core Christians. That's who you need to be. Not the outer shell or part of the egg white, but one who is in the yolk.

You need to be a true disciple who is in the yoke with Jesus. He said, “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” (Mt 11:28-30).

The Lord invited us to come to Him and take His yoke upon ourselves. A yoke is a wooden crosspiece that is fastened over the necks of two animals and attached to the plow or cart that they are to pull. When two animals are in the yoke together, they do not operate independently. Likewise, when you take the Lord's yoke upon you, then you have your head in one side of the yoke and you are working for Him, as well as with Him, directly under His Lordship. If He goes to the right, you go to the right. If He goes to the left, so do you. If He moves forward, you move forward, and you stop when He stops. You are no longer independent, but intimately connected to Him and His will. When we take the yoke of Jesus upon ourselves, He said that it is easy and the burden we carry is light.

Putting it All Together
As you can see, while the term "Christian" may be useful in some ways, it has become a catch-all term that includes all kinds of people, even those who are not disciples of Christ, as well as some who are actually anti-Christian. It includes countless, perishing people who are headed for destruction in eternal hell fire. If you are one of them, then repent for the kingdom of heaven is near.

Let me invite you to become a true disciple of Christ and be in the yoke with Jesus. His yoke is easy and His burden is light. I hope you hear His voice today saying, "Come, follow Me." Leave the world behind, deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow Him. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and no man comes to the Father, except by Him (Jn 14:6).

When you are in the yoke with Jesus and in the yolk of Christianity, if you suffer as a Christian, you can praise God that you bear that name (1 Pe 4:16). For it is an honor among those of us who understand the true, biblical meaning of it, which is to be a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ in the household of God.

Attribution notice: Most Scripture quotations taken from the NASB.  Other Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible NIV. Image copyright Food Hacks Daily and used according to Fair Use Act.

Author's note: If you would like to become a disciple, consider enrolling in our Doulos Training School. You are invited to read The Difference Between Being a Disciple and a Believer, The Cost of Discipleship, Following in His Steps, The Forgotten Sin of Worldliness, Separation from the World, Michael Shigaba's Encounter with Jesus, Strive to Enter the Kingdom of God, Sins That Will Keep You From Heaven, A Warning for Married Christian Couples, What's Wrong with the Prosperity Gospel, Godly Attire and Adornment -- Seven Divine Revelations, Carrying Your Cross or Cross Dressing?, Alcohol and Cigarettes -- Ten Divine Revelations, Keeping Sundays Holy - Part I, Keeping Sundays Holy - Part II, Rock, Rap, and Reggae Music -- Three Divine Revelations, Life Transformation Groups, Was Jesus Seeker Friendly?, and Ask for the Ancient Paths. You may access the Main Directory for this Seeking the Lord blog for more articles like this, as well as my complete blog directory at "Writing for the Master."

Messages from the Lord for Catholics Worshipping Idols	Only the Holy -- Three Shocking Testimonies	Angelica Zambrano Hell and Heaven
Baptized by Blazing Fire	Taken to Hell	Angelica Zambrano Second Visit to Hell
Australian Pastor Raised from the Dead	Nigerian Pastor Raised from the Dead	Revelation of Hell to Seven Colombian Youths

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

_________________________________________________

Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping

Ignorance is Not Bliss

Many people think that ignorance is bliss. In other words, they think that what they don't know won't hurt them. They believe they will be happier if they are kept in ignorance about certain things, especially those things that are unpleasant or that scare them. They believe it is better not to know things sometimes. Yet the Lord warned us that ignorance is not bliss.

Jesus said, "That slave who knew his master's will and did not get ready or act in accord with his will, will receive many lashes, but the one who did not know it, and committed deeds worthy of a flogging, will receive but few." (Luk 12:47-48a)

He taught that the one who does not know his Master's will and does things deserving punishment will still be beaten. He does not get a free pass because of his ignorance. Granted he will be beaten with few blows, but he will still be beaten. Certainly his punishment will be less severe than that of the one who knew his Master's will and did not act in accord with it, but he will still be punished. Moreover, the Lord did not say the punishment would be temporary, but that it would be less severe, which teaches us that there are varying degrees of punishment in hell for different people. Everyone condemned to hell remains there forever, but they are punished at a level appropriate for their deeds.

This is one of The Apostasy Parables, as I explained in my article by that name. It depicts a servant of the Lord, who believes in his heart that the Lord will not come back for a long time, and who begins to beat the other slaves he was supposed to care of, and begins to eat and drink, and get drunk. Here is the full context, including Peter's question about the previous parable, in which he asked the Lord whether the parable about the servants waiting for their master to return from the wedding banquet was addressed to the disciples only or to everyone else.

Peter said, "Lord, are You addressing this parable to us, or to everyone else as well?" And the Lord said, "Who then is the faithful and sensible steward, whom his master will put in charge of his servants, to give them their rations at the proper time? "Blessed is that slave whom his master finds so doing when he comes. "Truly I say to you that he will put him in charge of all his possessions. "But if that slave says in his heart, 'My master will be a long time in coming,' and begins to beat the slaves, both men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk; the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, and will cut him in pieces, and assign him a place with the unbelievers. "And that slave who knew his master's will and did not get ready or act in accord with his will, will receive many lashes, but the one who did not know it, and committed deeds worthy of a flogging, will receive but few. From everyone who has been given much, much will be required; and to whom they entrusted much, of him they will ask all the more. (Luk 12:41-48).

In this parable, as I have already said, the Lord taught that He will punish His servant, who is not faithful and sensible, and who falls away from Him. He will cut him in pieces, and assign him a place with the unbelievers. So we learn from this parable that ignorance of God's will is no excuse. The Lord will not spare the servant who does not act in accordance with the Lord's will, and who claims he did not know, but will still punish him.

This should put the fear of God into us, and make us want to read the Scriptures prayerfully to know the Lord's will, so that we are not ignorant. We should find out what pleases the Lord and do it. We should seek wisdom, understanding, and the knowledge of God. We should seek to put His Word into practice.

Imagine a person who has at one time come to know the Lord and been saved. He owns a Bible, but does not read it, or at least not very often. He has plenty of time to watch TV, listen to music, surf the internet, spend time on Facebook, spend time hanging out with his friends, and exercise. But he doesn't make time to read the Word of God. Therefore, he misses out on the warnings that God wanted to give him, and he lives in a way that is not in accord with God's will. In the end, he will perish, and it will be his own fault, because he made a choice to do other things rather than read the Scriptures, and by his own actions he demonstrated in his lifetime what was priority for him. God will take that into account at the final judgment, and based on what Jesus taught, we have no reason to believe that such a person will escape hell.

If you don't read your Bible much, let me encourage you to begin doing so now, and to put it into practice. I hope you will take this message seriously and read the Scriptures daily. And for those who already do read the Scriptures, the warning is even more serious, because if you fail to do the will of God that you know you should do, then you will be punished more severely. That would apply especially to people like pastors, teachers, and preachers, who are supposed to be feeding God's people the Word of God. We will be judged more strictly (Jas 3:1), so let's fear God and take heed to this warning.

 

Attribution notice: Most Scripture quotations taken from the NASB. 

Author's note:  Also see Sins That Will Keep You From Heaven, An Open Mind that Loves the Truth, The Top Ten Things Jesus Taught, The Apostasy Parables, Drifting Away, Should you fear the Lord?, Walking in the Perfect Will of God, Deleted Scriptures in the Bible?, Is Obedience Optional?, Wisdom for Wealthy Preachers and Prosperity Teachers , The False Gospel of Eternal Security, The Conditional Security of the Believer, Overcomers in This Life, Rock, Rap, and Reggae Music -- Five Divine Revelations, Garments of Godliness, Godly Attire and Adornment -- Seven Divine Revelations, The Judgment Seat of Christ, Faith Works!, Avoid Becoming a Corrupted Christian, Holding Fast the Faithful Word, Walking in the Perfect Will of God, Only the Holy -- Three Shocking Testimonies, Keeping Sundays Holy, Pleasing the Lord, and Is Tithing Required?

You can access the Seeking the Lord Main Directory or my complete blog directory at "Writing for the Master." Now I'd like to ask a very important question.

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

_________________________________________________

Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.

The Woes of Christ

Dear God-seekers,

I'd like to share with you the woes of Christ. We rarely hear about these, as most preachers prefer to preach positive messages that please the crowds. One mega church pastor says that he does not preach about hell or against sin, because people hear enough negative things already, rather, he prefers to give them something positive and uplifting. He says, "I'm for people," and "I'm not against anything." It's no wonder his church draws tens of thousands of people every Sunday.

But the Lord did not neglect to preach against sin and warn people about hell, as I have already pointed out in my article, The Top Ten Things Jesus Taught. Since He loves us and does not want us to perish, He did not fail to issue dire warnings of God to people, but freely gave them whenever they were necessary. Therefore, we would be remiss if we did not do the same. His woes are still just as important today as they were then, and they deserve our attention, in case any of them might apply to our own lives.

The word "woe" is a primary exclamation of grief, sorrow, or distress. It is still in use today, and can even be used as a slang word to express shock, amazement, or surprise, although most people misspell it as "whoa!" As John Wesley put it, the woes of Christ were "solemn, compassionate declarations of the misery, which these stubborn sinners were bringing upon themselves."

Eight Woes of Hypocrites 
In Matthew 23, we find the eight woes that Jesus delivered to hypocrites, in which He repeatedly used the phrase, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites.” They are woes to these particular people for the following:

1. For making salvation hard for other people.

He said, "But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you shut off the kingdom of heaven from people; for you do not enter in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in." (Mat 23:13).

In Luke's gospel, it says, "Woe to you lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge; you yourselves did not enter, and you hindered those who were entering." (Luk 11:52)

There are still those who do this today, adding to the Word of God man-made rules and traditions of men that God does not require, which make it impossible for people to ever be saved. Neither they nor their followers will enter heaven. One of the things they do is to call things "sin" which are not sins according to God. They do not preach the fear of God, which is the beginning of knowledge, and they do not tell people the true way to be saved. Woe to them!

2. For devouring widows' homes and pretending to pray long.

"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you devour widows' houses, and for a pretense you make long prayers; therefore you will receive greater condemnation." (Mat 23:14).

There are still those who devour widows' houses in various ways, primarily through pleading for their money in the name of God. And the same goes for those today who make long prayers for a show, who are merely pretenders. Their condemnation is greater.

3. For corrupting converts.

"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you travel around on sea and land to make one proselyte; and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves." (Mat 23:15)

Every preacher, religious teacher, priest, evangelist, missionary, and so-called holy man of any religion ought to take heed to this woe. Some travel over land and sea to win a convert, and then when they get one, they make him twice as much a son of hell as they are. One way is through their teaching, and another way is through their life example. Let's be sure that any converts we make are actually converts to Christ, and become true disciples of His that are qualified for heaven -- not sons of hell! For more on this, see my article, Avoid Becoming a Corrupted Christian.

4. For trivializing religion.

"Woe to you, blind guides, who say, 'Whoever swears by the temple, that is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the temple is obligated.' You fools and blind men! Which is more important, the gold or the temple that sanctified the gold? And, 'Whoever swears by the altar, that is nothing, but whoever swears by the offering on it, he is obligated.' You blind men, which is more important, the offering, or the altar that sanctifies the offering? Therefore, whoever swears by the altar, swears both by the altar and by everything on it. And whoever swears by the temple, swears both by the temple and by Him who dwells within it. And whoever swears by heaven, swears both by the throne of God and by Him who sits upon it." (Mat 23:16-22)

Notice how these blind guides said, "That is nothing," when they spoke of things that were of great significance to God. Blind guides still abound today, so be careful you are not one of them and that you are not following one of them. They teach many things that diminish, minimize, or downplay the importance of that which is very important to God. They also call things that are sinful in God's sight, "Not sin." Woe to them!

5. For neglecting the more important matters of the law.

"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cummin, and have neglected the weightier provisions of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness; but these are the things you should have done without neglecting the others. You blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel!" (Mat 23:23-24)

In Luke's gospel, it says, "But woe to you Pharisees! For you pay tithe of mint and rue and every kind of garden herb, and yet disregard justice and the love of God; but these are the things you should have done without neglecting the others." (Luk 11:42)

As I pointed out in my article, Is Tithing Required for Christians, the Lord here did not condemn tithing or nullify that requirement. In fact, He affirmed it's importance by saying, "...these are the things you should have done." But He warned those who tithe meticulously while neglecting the much more important commandments of God. While they work so hard to ensure that they tithe on every increase they receive, they neglect justice, mercy, faithfulness, and the love of God, which are even greater matters. These things are as much weightier than tithing as a camel is heavier than a gnat. 

6. For self-indulgence and robbery and greed.

"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside they are full of robbery and self-indulgence. You blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup and of the dish, so that the outside of it may become clean also." (Mat 23:25-26; cf. Lk 11:39-41)

We still have those who take great care to ensure that they and their belongings are clean on the outside, but they are full of greed and self-indulgence within. Woe to them! The Lord taught us to first clean out that which is inside of us, in order that the outside may also become clean.

7. For hypocrisy and lawlessness within.

"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness. So you, too, outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness." (Mat 23:27-28)

Much like the previous woe, the Lord here warned those who appear beautiful and righteous to men, but are full of uncleanness, hypocrisy, and lawlessness within. The Lord pronounced a woe over such people.

8. For the murder of God's prophets.

"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the monuments of the righteous, and say, 'If we had been living in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partners with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.' So you testify against yourselves, that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets. Fill up, then, the measure of the guilt of your fathers. You serpents, you brood of vipers, how will you escape the sentence of hell? Therefore, behold, I am sending you prophets and wise men and scribes; some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues, and persecute from city to city, so that upon you may fall the guilt of all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. Truly I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation." (Mat 23:29-36)

This was the climax and the most serious accusation, since God detests the shedding of innocent blood. Today there are still those who murder God's true prophets. Some do so literally, and others do so with their words. Such people will not escape the sentence of hell. Woe to them.

Woe to Those Who Do Not Repent
The apostle Matthew tells us that the Lord also used the word "woe" to denounce the citizens of certain cities (Mat 11:20). In other words, He spoke this word to solemnly declare the impending threat of destruction over their lives.

"Then He began to denounce the cities in which most of His miracles were done, because they did not repent. 'Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles had occurred in Tyre and Sidon which occurred in you, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.'" (Mat 11:20-21; cf., Luk 10:13)

As I pointed out in my article, Was Jesus Seeker Friendly?, the Lord did not cater to the crowds or try to sweet talk them into following Him. He told it like it is. He warned people of their need to repent, and this was a critical part of his message. He did not tolerate the unrepentant or accept a mere "Sinner's Prayer" from such people.

You may be surprised to know that many people who get healed by the Lord, or receive a miracle, do not continue on to follow the Lord. They do not repent, but continue on in their sins. The same is true of others who have seen healing and miracles take place in meetings where the gospel is preached, and yet they do not repent. Woe to them!

Woe to Those Who Become Stumbling Blocks
Jesus said, "Woe to the world because of its stumbling blocks! For it is inevitable that stumbling blocks come; but woe to that man through whom the stumbling block comes! (Mat 18:7)

In Luke's gospel, He said to His disciples, "It is inevitable that stumbling blocks come, but woe to him through whom they come!" (Luk 17:1)

May the Lord help us not to be someone that makes others stumble into sin. This is a serious sin in God's sight. As the apostle Paul said, let us determine "not to put an obstacle or a stumbling block in a brother's way." (Rom 14:13)

Woe to the Rich
Jesus said, "But woe to you who are rich, for you are receiving your comfort in full." (Luk 6:24)

That same mega church pastor that I referred to previously has become very wealthy through his best selling books, and his church brings in 90 million dollars a year. As I have explained in my article, What's Wrong with the Prosperity Gospel?, Scripture warns against the deceitfulness of riches. And as I said in my article, Wisdom for Wealthy Preachers and Prosperity Teachers, it is going to be extremely difficult for the rich to enter the kingdom of God. Woe to them.

In light of all the prosperity teaching these days, it's high time we adopt A Biblical View of the Poor.

Woe to the Well-Fed
Jesus said, "Woe to you who are well-fed now, for you shall be hungry." (Luk 6:25a)

Some people eat well in this life. They enjoy the best of food and plenty of it. Paul said, " Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things." (Phil 3:19, NIV). Their god is their appetite. Perhaps they even neglect fasting. But in the end, they will go hungry. It will not go well for them. Woe to them!

Woe to Those Who Laugh Now
Jesus said, "Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep." (Luk 6:25b).

In heaven there will be much laughing, and in this life, we as followers of Christ have great joy. But we also must be sober, serious. It is not becoming of a disciple of Christ to be always cracking jokes and making fun of things, laughing. As John Wesley said, they "are of a light trifling spirit." Matthew Henry said they "have always a disposition to be merry, and always something to make merry with... and are always entertaining themselves with the laughter of the fool." Sadly there are even preachers like this. Woe to them! For they shall mourn and weep eternally, wailing endlessly with a regretful sorrow that is without ease or remedy.

Woe to You When All Speak Well of You
Jesus said, "Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for their fathers used to treat the false prophets in the same way." (Luk 6:26)

As I wrote in my articles Popularity of the Gospel and Persecuted or Popular?, it is not considered a blessing when everyone speaks well of you. The true gospel is not going to be popular with the majority of the people in the world. And neither are those who preach the true gospel. Therefore, woe to you when all men speak well of you. That's how they treated the false prophets!

Woe to Those Who Love Prominence and Respect
Jesus said, "Woe to you Pharisees! For you love the chief seats in the synagogues and the respectful greetings in the market places." (Luk 11:43)

This woe is still relevant today. There are still those, even among ministers, who love having a place of prominence and receiving respectful greetings in public. They love the chief seat, the reserved parking spot, and the place of honor. They love to have people greet them respectfully as "Reverend," "Bishop," "Pastor," "Apostle," or "Prophet." Woe to them. As I said in my article, Clergy-Laity Distinction Unbiblical, we shouldn’t let anyone address us with such titles and we should not address anyone with titles. Rather, we must walk in humility.

Putting it All Together

I hope this has helped to see that our Lord did not neglect to warn us with very serious woes, which we still need to hear today. They have not become any less important or relevant today than they were then. Let's allow the Holy Spirit to bring the conviction to our hearts and repent wherever applicable. And those who preach the gospel should include these woes in their messages just as the Lord did. Live your life today as if there is no tomorrow. With these things the Lord will be pleased.

Attribution notice: Most Scripture quotations taken from the NASB.

Author's note: If you would like to become a disciple, consider enrolling in our Doulos Training School. You are invited to read Was Jesus Seeker Friendly?, The Top Ten Things Jesus Taught, Wisdom for Wealthy Preachers and Prosperity Teachers, The Difference Between a Disciple and a Believer, The Cost of Discipleship, Popularity of the Gospel, Michael Shigaba's Encounter with Jesus, Strive to Enter the Kingdom of God, Sins That Will Keep You From Heaven, A Warning for Married Christian Couples, Godly Attire and Adornment -- Seven Divine Revelations, Carrying Your Cross or Cross Dressing?, Alcohol and Cigarettes -- Ten Divine Revelations, Keeping Sundays Holy - Part I, Keeping Sundays Holy - Part II, Rock, Rap, and Reggae Music -- Three Divine Revelations, The Forgotten Sin of Worldliness, Separation from the World, Life Transformation Groups, and Ask for the Ancient Paths. You may access the Main Directory for this Seeking the Lord blog for more articles like this, as well as my complete blog directory at "Writing for the Master."

Messages from the Lord for Catholics Worshipping Idols	Only the Holy -- Three Shocking Testimonies	Angelica Zambrano Hell and Heaven
Baptized by Blazing Fire	Taken to Hell	Angelica Zambrano Second Visit to Hell
Australian Pastor Raised from the Dead	Nigerian Pastor Raised from the Dead	Revelation of Hell to Seven Colombian Youths

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

_________________________________________________

Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.