A Complete Secular Exposition!
by Guy C. LaMar
A great many of our people are grasping hold of their idols! Politics can be an idol.
Obsessing over a political agenda, be it the Left or be it the Right makes such a person an idol worshiper.
It’s too often that so-called Christians fool themselves by sticking with a political ideology or a political party, and before long they entwine it with their religion.
This is NOT what our Lord Jesus Christ did!
Jesus respected the Roman government of His time, though it was under EVIL rulership.
He certainly knew that this world was NOT of the Kingdom of God – cf. John 18:36.
He said to the Jewish sect – to the hypocrites – “’ Whose image and inscription is this? … Render therefore to [Tiberius Caesar Augustus] the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.’”
Today, would our people that associate themselves as Democrats say, ‘respect Trump,’ or would they rather hate on him with FILTHY language!?
Today, would our people that associate themselves as Republicans say, ‘respect Biden,’ or would they hate on him with FILTHY language!?
The greater majority of our news media is Satan the devil’s propaganda – and it is all to alter one's belief.
True Christians are to guard their minds – cf. Proverbs 4:23.
Preachers and teachers that preach that believe that we should wrap a sermon in the day’s newspaper or with the news media with God’s living word – the Holy Bible – is W R O N G!
Our Lord Jesus Christ emphatically stated, “’ It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by EVERY WORD that proceeds from the mouth of God’” – Matthew 4:4.
IT IS WITH ONLY THE BIBLE that Christians should wrap themselves with!
That is not to say that we shouldn’t know what is happening around the world. Our Lord Jesus Christ says, “’ Take heed, WATCH AND PRAY; for you do not know when the time is near.’” However, so many people make the “goings-on” a religious stepping stone for their political obsession.
How many so-called Christians do you know that concern themselves only with what the LORD our God’s living word says – and don’t give much mind to this insanely SATAN-led world!? – cf. Matthew 4:8-9; 2 Corinthians 4:4.
True Christians are to focus on ‘seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness’ (Matthew 6:33) – on serving God. It is not to obsessively concern themselves with this world’s changing affairs, of which they personally can do nothing about. Yet, sadly, so-called Christians will reason away their ways (cf. 2 Corinthians 10:12) on just why they must “watch” and trouble their minds with worldly affairs.
A true Christian will take heed to what our Lord Jesus Christ said, “’ Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble’” – Matthew 6:34; 24:6b.
A true Christian is going to be focused on the living WORD OF GOD, and all things related to the LORD our God.
Some, sadly, allow their political prejudices to guide them away from their brethren – who may make a remark which goes against their personal political stance that they will not accept or respect.
This is a tool of Satan the devil!
POLITICS IS OF THE WORLD!
We, as true Christians, are commanded to “come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues” – Revelation 18:4.
Trying not to entwine this world with godly matters is the Way a true Christian should be living.
So, friends, I am starting up a NEW church where it’s based upon SPIRITUAL HEALTHY FOOD – where worldly politics has no place, and backbiting and gossiping will NOT be tolerated.
In fact, the LORD our God hates gossip!
“These six things the LORD hates, Yes, seven are an abomination to Him: 17) A proud look, A lying tongue, Hands that shed innocent blood, 18) A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that are swift in running to evil, A false witness who speaks lies, And one who sows discord among brethren” – Proverbs 6:16-19.
When you go to church services and you hear worldly affairs at the beginning of a CHURCH service, then you are NOT properly keeping the SABBATH holy!
You are promoting ‘the god of this age’ and his worldly system.
This is something of which I shall NEVER again allow in my life to be a part of in a church service.
I fear with great reverence the LORD our God. I love the LORD God with all my heart, soul, strength, and mind – and I know that He wants me to focus on His glory, not the woes of the world – of which Satan the devil has made mankind go towards.
We are either God’s TRUSTED AND LOYAL begotten children, or we are just playing church – having nothing more than a social club – all the while living worldly!
“Again the word of the LORD came to me saying, … ‘But IF the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, and the people are not warned, and the sword comes and takes any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at the watchman’s hand’” – Ezekiel 33:1, 6.
Again, Jesus Christ told us to ‘WATCH AND PRAY’ for the things to come, NOT obsess over them!!!
To ‘watch’ is to observe – to allow it some attention where it relates to end-time prophecy.
To Note: Clearly, the ‘signs of His coming, and of the end of the age’ has sprouted, but by no means is this age as terrible, or even ‘as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time’! You can surely find this out by a simple world history study.
We should not be overly obsessed over this ‘great tribulation’ to come, as many worldly churches are today. Too many make a religion out of worldly politics!
It is true that the political scene changes the landscape of society, but God’s chosen people are to stay focused on the kingdom of God and of His righteousness – the Way of our Lord Jesus Christ – NOT ON THIS WORLD!
True – true – Christians are to be focused on J E S U S – that is where one’s protection is.
We are not to hide in the “caves and in the rocks of the mountains” trying to save our mortal bodies – cf. Revelation 6:15. Our Lord Jesus made it emphatically clear, “’ For whoever desires [or obsesses] to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it’”
The LORD our God says the one who ‘dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.’ He who says, ‘the LORD is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust’ He will deliver from the snare of the fowler And from the perilous pestilence” – Psalm 91.
Brethren, we should recall that our Lord Jesus says as an example, “’ Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left. Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming’” – Matthew 24:40-42. Our physical death may be our protection!
Also, we should consider how the apostles died! Are we, as God’s begotten children, any more special than they were, and are!? If we glance at Christian history, we see that most true Christians died a most horrible death!
We, as true Christians, each will go through our own tribulation – cf. 2 Timothy 3:12. Persecution comes in many forms.
“And I said to him: My lord, thou knowest. And he said to me: These are they that come out of great affliction [great tribulation], and they washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb” – Revelation 7:14, Codex Sinaiticus.
Now, it doesn’t say ‘the great tribulation’ – not even in the original King James Version – it just says, ‘they are going to come through a lot of troubles.’ It’s looking into the future, and so the verb tense actually should have been ‘these are they which WILL COME OUT OF.’ These people will come AFTER tribulation – they will go through an awful lot of horrible things in the end-times, and maybe not even the end-times, if you were in the Middle Ages and the plague was all around you – you were in tribulation. Surely there were many people who were attacked because of God’s religion – maybe some of those people were killed because of God’s religion (see James 1:27) – they came after hard times to be entered into the Kingdom of God.
An automobile accident can be ‘a great affliction.’ Cancer can surely be ‘a great affliction.’
There’s a quote by Abraham Lincoln which says, “It is not the years in your life that count – it is the life in your years.” It’s NOT how one dies in which a person should be remembered for, but it’s how that person lived.
To die in the faith secures the person in the faith.
Yet, the churches of the world love to preach gloom and doom while disregarding the POWERFUL MIGHTY HAND of JESUS CHRIST to save them! – cf. 2 Timothy 3:5.
Our Lord Jesus Christ answered them, “’ All too well you reject the commandment of God that you may keep your tradition. … making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down. And many such things you do’” – Mark 7:9, 13.
I have come to realize how extremely lacking in God’s Spirit and stiff-necked a rebellious people can be when the holy Sabbath is supposed to be HOLY and also supposed to be UPLIFTING God’s begotten children – not placing in their minds gloom and doom!
My whole life I have tried hard to see the best in others – not looking at things by how JUDGMENTAL people look at things. But rather looking at things for the good of others.
Sadly, 98% of the time the people that I have listened to who bashed others over the head for whatever reason, was bashing them while they themselves were doing the very same thing they were bashing others for.
It is true that our Lord Jesus Christ hung around tax collectors and sinners – Matthew 9:10.
Why was our Lord Jesus Christ hanging out with the likes of tax collectors and sinners (which surely included prostitutes)!?
He stated, “’ Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance’” – Mark 2:17. He was accused of being gluttonous, a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners alike! – Matthew 11:19. He was even accused of being possessed of a demon! – John 8:48, 52. He was even accused of being Beelzebub himself! – Matthew 12:24. He was accused by the busybodies of His day.
He was helping them see the Light from the darkness!
But the people only saw with blind eyes their judgments upon Him.
They judged by their wicked hearts.
They didn’t want to be around sinners (which certainly would have included prostitutes) because they were afraid they would be enticed to be engaged with a sinner! – cf. Proverbs 28:5. They were afraid they too would become a whoremonger!
The apostle Paul teaches, “I wrote to you in my epistle not to keep company with sexually immoral people. Yet I certainly did not mean with the sexually immoral people of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or idolaters, …” and certainly we can include ‘prostitutes,’ and ‘homosexuals.’ Because, in order to not keep company with them, “ … you would need to go out of the world.” – 1 Corinthians 5:9-10.
As our Lord Jesus teaches us, we are to let our ‘light so shine before men, that they may see [our] good works and glorify [our] Father in heaven.’ – cf. Matthew 5:16.
The older I get I find myself distancing myself from people more and more – because of my abhorrence of their bitterness towards others. People mocking and hating on others who cannot see the truth of God as clearly as they might.
I HATE arrogance, and when I see a braggadocious individual, I find myself trying to separate myself from that individual.
Brethren, how can we even begin to call ourselves a true Christian, if we do not love our enemies and do good to those who hate us!? – cf. Luke 6:27-36.
Our Lord Jesus Christ is our example!!
Jesus FORGAVE and LOVED the very ones who MURDERED Him! – Luke 23:34. We, as true Christians, must forgive so that we are forgiven! – cf. Luke 6:37.
Yet, some people – in a somewhat bragging manner – will state, “I am not that good to be like that!”
Well, have they tried!? Have you “put on the Lord Jesus Christ”!?
In this NEW church group that I am going to build up, I am seeking people who have a great love for Jesus Christ and of His guiding Light! I want no individual with a weekly political rant! – of such does not have God’s Spirit!
There was a famous evangelist who has since died, he spent years entwining his political message with religion. He was only tingling the minds of politically motivated people. Now, he has been dead close to twenty years – and those political rants have zero value if they are listened to now.
It is BIBLE-BASED ministers who preach BIBLE-BASED messages, not worldly messages, that will always stand the test of time! Sadly, those ministers are far and few between in the Church of God today.
“But He said to them, ‘I must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also, because for this purpose I have been sent’” – Luke 4:43.
“ … ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in [which also means – OBEY] the gospel’” – Mark 1:15.
THE GOSPEL!
Not a political platform!
“’ For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him [again, which also means – OBEY] should not perish but have everlasting life’” – John 3:16.
“’ Go therefore and make disciples [which also means – TEACH] of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them [politics and of political changes] …’”
No, He did not command that! … He commanded, “ … ‘ teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; …’” – Matthew 28:19-20.
He commanded us to go into the world and preach the Good News of the soon-coming kingdom of God and of His righteousness – of His undeserving mercy!
So, what it boils down to is – preaching JESUS!
“And He said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature [creation]. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be [judged]’” – Mark 16:15-16.
Question: Where is salvation found!?
Answer: JESUS!
“Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” – Acts 4:12.
The gospel message which our Lord Jesus Christ preached was the kingdom of God – which is the Way of God as a lifestyle to live by. And He was that example of that Way!
The gospel message which the apostle Paul preached was the kingdom of God and of our Lord Jesus Christ – that only through Him could one know salvation.
So, the gospel is all things Christ Jesus. It’s about Him, His Way, His government which is ruled by Him – the soon-coming World Tomorrow! And by embracing Jesus one has a doorway to salvation unto eternal life.
“In HIM you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise” – Ephesians 1:13.
Sadly, so many within these worldly churches lack Jesus in their lives!
The true Jesus!
Think about this … patriarch Noah surely preached until he was blue in the face to a multitude of people, and at the time of the Flood, had no converts! Prophet Moses was constantly dealing with people bickering and grumbling!
Our Lord Jesus Christ, God made flesh (John 1:14), preached to thousands upon thousands of people – but only had ‘altogether about a hundred and twenty’ coverts.
O’ how often I have witnessed that Old Covenant mentality – of physical preservation – disregarding the spiritual matters! Some have actually tried to take away the very divinity of Jesus Christ! So many have embraced an old Hebrew name – cf. Yahweh – for God, yet have no understanding that the proper pronunciation of that very name has been lost to time.
There are others who claim that the very name Jesus is wrong! Not understanding or forgetting that the original New Testament was written in the Koine Greek! Transliterated from Hebrew and Aramaic, the name is Yeshua. The English spelling of the Hebrew Yeshua is Joshua. When translated from Hebrew into Koine Greek, the name Yeshua becomes Iēsous. In English, Iēsous becomes Jesus – “the Lord is salvation.” The name of Jesus is important because of its meaning and because of whom it represents.
Yet, in the kingdom of God, we will have a NEW language as well as a NEW name – cf. revelation 2:17.
The LORD God certainly knows this world has some 7,117 known languages – many of which are bastardized.
The very name Jesus applies to the SPIRITUAL mindset of the person who speaks in their native language. As an example: If your language is English, then the name of our Savior is called Jesus.
Friends, the Eternal One knows that when we say “God,” that we are speaking of Him!
He created us, He knows our flaws and our shortcomings – He certainly isn’t too worried about some petty human errors that we are not even in understanding of.
God looks upon our heart and our intent of where we are truly focused! – cf. 1 Samuel 16:7; Jeremiah 17:10.
We should embrace what God has simply given us and stop trying to complicate matters with silly stuff – like how someone may pronounce tomato. Too often folks in church groups greatly lack meekness and rather have haughtiness.
It is rather annoying to be around people that appear as though they MUST be seen and heard by others. And when such people speak, they wish themselves to be like the latest trend of today’s newscasters.
They want to be the news, rather than presenting the news. The same goes with how many people speak at church today. Mostly it is a message of political news or self. Of such, there is no place within the Body of Christ!
“’ And when you pray, you shall NOT be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues [in the churches] and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward’” – Matthew 6:5.
“’ Talk no more so very proudly; Let no arrogance come from your mouth, For the LORD is the God of knowledge; And by Him actions are weighed’” – 1 Samuel 2:3.
In fact, of such, God says He hates!
Yes, indeed He does! And, if you are a true Christian, you will come to hate being around such types – as we are to discern the spirits, to know whether they are from God or not.
“The fear of the LORD is to hate evil; Pride and arrogance and the evil way And the perverse mouth I hate’” – Proverbs 8:13.
“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world” – 1 John 4:1.
“To another the working of miracles, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of [languages], to another the interpretation of [languages]” – 1 Corinthians 12:10.
“For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” – Hebrews 4:12.
God’s people have 9 traits of character that show themselves – cf. Galatians 5:22-23.
1. Love
2. Joy
3. Peace
5. Kindness
6. Goodness
7. Faith
8. Meekness
9. Self-Control
Ministers are to teach these traits – but if the people are too stiff-necked, then God’s living word is clear – part company with such!
I have tried in many different ways to show and preach against error, but NEVER EVER in a personal attack on anyone. It is the wrong spirit of which I am to preach against, not the poor and misguided individual.
In Mark 3:25, Jesus states, “’ And if a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand.’”
The apostle Paul says, “Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, AND AVOID THEM” – Romans 16:17.
I made sure to show each person at church our doctrine. Yet, some would rather express their own opinions instead of what the church has established as sound doctrine.
“For those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple [meaning the babes in God’s word]” – Romans 16:18.
O’ how evident this has been when people come in with their own agendas – instead of the agenda of Christ Jesus! It certainly will be pleasing to witness unto a godly-spirit of people than to those with a rebellious spirit – the ones who act as if they know more than anyone else. Those who constantly undermine the ministry and the minister.
Like was the case with patriarch Noah, the door to the Ark has been closed – cf. Genesis 7:16.
After the waters receded, the tops of the mountains were seen – there was work to be done – cf. Genesis 9:13-22.
“’ I set My rainbow in the cloud, …’” – vs. 13.
A NEW BEGINNING!
“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your request be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” – Philippians 4:6-7.
“Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong. Let all that you do be done with love” – 1 Corinthians 16-13-14.
“For we walk by faith, not by sight” – 2 Corinthians 5:7.
I will not any longer allow myself to focus on long-dead church leaders, and how they taught this, or how they taught that.
LOOK TO JESUS NOT MOSES!
God will lead the route to go.
JESUS must be the main focus.
Conclusion
Those that think that they can find salvation by feeding their ego or promoting ‘dead works’ or promoting ‘dead fruit’ or promoting world news as a foreground to a church service – they have NOT entered through the narrow gate which leads to life. Because that is not the works of God!
We all have to work out our own salvation!
“Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” – Philippians 2:12.
Brethren, just as God’s servants of old had to deal with – so we all have to be faithful unto God. We must stay clear of the rebellious spirits and humbly seek our Lord Jesus Christ!
“For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. …” – 1 Samuel 15:23.
So, as for me, it is – ONWARD CHRISTIAN SOLDIER!!
After the Feast of Tabernacles 2021 – God willing – I will be getting a building in Tennessee. I will rent it until I am able to actually build one. I have found a barn builder that can actually make a building for me for fairly cheap.
The plan is to have a Wednesday night Bible study and a Sabbath morning service – once I get the winds in my sails for this great work of God.
Also, will be printing literature up to be placed in Christian bookstores. Will be doing online Internet as well as a local Christian radio program.
Next year – hope to have a feast site! Maybe Gulf Shores, Alabama, or Jekyll Island, Georgia, or maybe at some local state park. As long as I am blessed with the financial capabilities.
My job will greatly make this all reality – if it’s meant to be. □
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