EXPOSING THOSE THAT LIVE THE LIE

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The Bible exposes Satan as THE FATHER OF LIES! Jesus said, “Whenever he tells a lie, he’s doing what comes naturally to him. He’s a liar and the father of lies.” (John 8:44).

I find that fascinating. People and inventors like Jubal in (Genesis 4:21) were the father of all who handle the harp and organ. He was the first one to invent that instrument.

Satan is the first liar.  How does one become a liar? He must believe a lie. Once he believes that lie he must tell that lie. 

Satan’s number one original lie is not what he told Adam and Eve (Gen 3) but what he told himself: “I will be like the most High” (Isaiah 14:14). Satan’s position, wealth, talent and power led him to become vain and arrogant and he was so deceived he began to believe he could rule heaven better than God. He began to believe that his will was greater than God’s will.  He challenged God’s Sovereignty. His claim that his own will was greater than God’s will brought him crushing humiliation.

But even after his eviction from heaven he still believed his own lie.  Every lie that has ever been told can be traced back to him. Satan is not only the first liar but the father of all liars, “Whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.” (Rev 22:15). One version says, “All who love to live a lie.” (NLT).

John 8 exposes people who live a lie. Jesus Christ was and is the light of the world and the Great I AM, Yahweh who sees and exposes all lies. At first blush, we see the adulterous woman was caught in a lie but once exposed she was forgiven and given a gentle reprimand. She no longer lived the lie. Christ only rebukes and chastises those whom he loves or those with whom he has a permanent spiritual relationship by sovereign grace.

But the church leaders of that day and their followers learned to live lies. They wanted to murder Christ (v.40) ! They were children of the devil (John 8:44) who thought they were children of Abraham (v. 33) and children of God (v. 41).

Jesus told them they were spiritual slaves, that unless they obeyed his teaching they could never be free from the lies and oppression of sin and Satan. They said they were never slaves as descendants of Abraham. Yet, years earlier they had just come back from Babylonian captivity! They were so blind! So in order to do this their religious leaders had to redefine SIN and SLAVERY. Just like today. 

Sin is either made into breaking petty rules instead of obeying God from the heart. It requires doing the right thing in the eyes of people and no fear of God. You can seem moral, give your tithe, say the right words, participate in the latest spiritual trends and read the right books, go to the latest religious music concert and you will fit right in. But all the while you are a child of the devil and a slave to sin.  Nothing has changed.

Jesus said, “These people, says God, honor me with their words, but their heart is really far away from me. It is no use for them to worship me, because they teach human rules as though they were my laws!’ “You put aside God’s command and obey human teachings.” (Mark 7:6-8). This is where all the self help guru’s, marriage counselors, financial wizards with a form of godliness come in. They deny the power because their rules coagulated with a scripture here and there become the worst dogma of men and create a pseudo christian life that is no more that a mirage and a huge lie and it cancels out God’s Word.

It is easier for some to live codes and rules of man because it does not require a heart relationship. Their life has no relationship to the Son or God. It does not require a new heart just the ability to please man and it is the darkest form of slavery and deception for it rejects the teaching of Christ while calling itself Christian.

EXPOSING THOSE THAT LIVE A LIE PART 2

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Jesus said to them, “I am telling you the truth: everyone who sins is a slave of sin.”

Christian, if sin dominates your life-you are its slave. If you continue in a sin or sins and have no repentance, no sorrow, no plan to deal or resist that temptation, simply you treat sin lightly. You can be sure that you are a child of the devil. You cannot have a permanent relationship with sin and call yourself a child of God. Why?

Jesus said, “A slave does not belong to a family permanently, but a son belongs there forever.  If the Son sets you free, then you will be really free.” A slave is only a temporary employee, an outsider, not a family member. No slave belongs to a family permanently.

This means first, a true child of God does not keep on sinning against God because they have the nature of God. They love God and hate sin. This does not mean they do not fail God, but they treat sin and temptation aggressively. They repent immediately, obtain god’s forgiveness by the Cross and they seek for God’s strength not to do it again through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Secondly, a slave of sin cannot be a permanent relationship because SIN will KILL it victims, its slaves. The Puritan writer said well, “Be killing sin or sin will kill you!” Only children are family members and they must be born into that family. We are all born slaves in an unseen prison and only through the intervention of God’s Holy Spirit can we be given a new life and a new nature.

The church goers Jesus addressed were not of the family of Abraham and God’s family because they were sinners by nature and birth. They were spiritually dead because of their disobedience and sins. They followed the world’s evil way, their selfish desires; and they obeyed Satan who controls all who disobey God. God was angry at them! (see Eph. 2:1-3).

Jesus makes it clear that all people are NOT the children of God. They can only become thee children of God by being born again (John 3:3-8). Only those who obey Christ’s teaching will never die. Jesus says, “If the Son sets you free, then you will be really free!”

Jesus is actually the only holy child of God, the only begotten, God the Son! He is the eternal Son of God begotten before all worlds! He is the firstborn son among many brethren. He is the only one who can set people free! Jesus makes it clear to them that IF they were God’s permanent children spiritually and children of faith like Abraham they would love him. A person who does not love Christ is a slave on borrowed time and is a child of the devil.

Jesus makes it clear that if they do not accept the teaching his Heavenly Father has shown him, they are under the control of Satan (v. 34-41). In fact, the children of the devil hate the truth so much some have gone to the extreme and murdered those that taught the liberating words of Jesus. But most are like those who you may have heard say, “They are dead to me?” This means that they ignore their existence. They treat them as though they were dead. That is how many people crucify Christ afresh by ignoring his words and teaching. He is dead to them and they are dead in sin.

Jesus makes it clear that many people do not understand his message because they cannot bear to listen to it (v. 42-47). He insists that only those who are from God listen to God’s words. It makes me weep that Jesus is saying to some church goers today, “I will go away; you will look for me, but you will die in your sins. You cannot go where I am going…You are from this world, but I am not from this world. That is why I told you that you will die in your sins. And you will die in your sins if you do not believe that ‘I Am Who I Am’.” All they have is devil’s faith and are of their father the devil. 

Some church people today they reject God’s words. They become furious and incensed at anyone who exposes their sin and error. Anyone who dares question whether they are children of God! In fact, the most intense persecution are by those who attend so called churches that persecute truth preachers. They may not physically kill them, but they ostracize them, ignore them and treat them as if they were dead. They will think that by doing this they are serving God.” (John 16:20). The Bible and Church history has shown this to be true. Rejoice for so they persecuted the prophets which were before you!

Are you a child of God? Has Christ set you free? Wishing and hoping is not the way. He says whoever the Son sets free is free indeed! Free in reality and activity. Free in experience. Christ is not only our Savior but our Liberator-setting us free from the power of sins forgiven. Those who he sends out forgiven and says to them, “Stop sinning.”

The Dawn of God’s Mercy Heart has Visited Us

1-Its-A-New-Dawn-Its-A-New-Day-Its-A-New-Year...-Im-Feeling-Fine...A new day has dawned in Christ.

“Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us. To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

The morning light from heaven has broken the darkness of our lives.

God acts with tender mercies for broken hearts wounded from the pain and consequence of sin and raw from repentance need the nail scarred tender hand of Jesus comforting them with acceptance love and forgiveness.

There is “the tender mercy of our God…” (Luke 1:78).

Spurgeon points out that the original phrase is, “The mercy of the heart of our God.”

It means the mercy of God’s very soul. Mercy is vitally connected with God’s own existence-his heart. God’s “mercy heart” shows that he will forgive those who ask for for forgiveness, because he is faithful and just to forgive their sins and cleanse them for all unrighteousness.

How is this forgiveness experienced?

God calming us down after screaming aloud until hoarse?
With the uttering of a repeat-after-me prayer?
Or is it a divine psychology that says, “That’s OK no ones perfect?”
NO!!!
It is like the sun slowly rising in the east bathing the shore in endless light and warmth. As the sun slowly but steadily takes over the night realm and rises as the dawn- so is God’s tender mercy and love seen.  His forgiveness and acceptance will be like the sun warming your face. It is God’s smile upon you dispelling the shadows of guilt and the dense darkness of shame upon you and brings before your the eyes of your heart an endless horizon that shows only God’s love and favor. The sun rising with healing in its wings dislodges any doubt and removes the very thought, words and acts of your transgressions.Then Luke (1:77-79) speaks of the the mercy heart of God and the dawn of Christ’s  life and love as having VISITED us.A visit is when someone temporarily spends some time with us. That is not far from the meaning of this word.

The word visit is “episkeptomai” in the original language shows us a person who cares about us come to look after, inspect and examine someone who is sick or in need. This person does not just come to show sympathy.

He comes with benefits in his hands. He comes with provision and healing.

Years ago, right into the mid to late twentieth century. Doctors used to carried a black bag and make house calls.

I knew Doctor Patten, I will never forget his hospitality and love. We could always come see him and his three wonderful daughters Wendy, Julia and Cynthia and his son John.  He was a Pastor in Maine and a MD. with a cool british accent. I will never forget him running into our bible college into the institute building with his black bag to visit a sick student. I can still see it in my mind. Strange how you remember some things.

It is the same way when Christ makes a house call. But in a way that is incredible. He is a sun and shield giving grace and glory not withholding anything good.

Jesus comes and we always experience God’s mercy heart and the smile of the dawn of grace, mercy and forgiveness in our lives.

Christ visits us.

When we sin, when we are hurt, broken, whatever the need- it will not be long until Christ rings the door bell and knocks. He turns the knob and walks in. He needs not ask. He does not need to be invited. Our home is his home. Our problems are his problems. His answers our now our answers.

The Great Physician with his great mercy heart and his smile that is like the dawn coming and visiting us. Even now he is at the door, knocking and opening-you can hear his voice, see the light of his presence and he has just what you need.