Last night, I sat front and sort of center on the floor in an auditorium at Discovery Church in Orlando. While I sat, Chris Haw and Shane Claiborne spoke and a couple of guys from Psalters played [amazing] music as part of Chris and Shane’s Jesus for President tour. Jesus for President is a book about politics for ordinary radicals. I’m only in the second section, but the talk inspired me to jump on finishing that book. In fact, I’d like to read a chunk before I fall asleep tonight, so I’ll make this quick.
Here’s what I got out of it (not including a high five from a nomadic musician I really admire and a hug from Shane Claiborne): Change isn’t something that should happen one day in November every 4 years. Change is something we can spark every day. We vote with what we buy, where we go, what we do, and who we represent and how we represent them.
Chris talked about Exodus and about how some called to wander into the wilderness felt that slavery was more stable than that. It felt safer, more stable and comfortable to stay in the bonds of slavery than to wander into the wilderness, sleeping in unfamiliar places, surrounded by entire cities worth of people who’d probably call them their enemies.
Such a parallel! I’ve been bound for so long to this world’s culture that no matter how called I feel toward counter-culturally living like Jesus (which would probably feel a lot like wilderness wandering), I seem so stuck inside this society.
But last night was another push in the right direction.
Never Be Deceived America
Is it possible that today a counterfeit gospel and counterfeit Jesus is being preached in our nation and in the world at large? Just because someone says that they believe in Jesus, does that really mean that they are Christians? Should we believe every person regardless of the way that they live their lives and what they believe in scripture?
Well, I believe that we should not. For we read in scripture that their will be some who will try to trouble us, by perverting the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Now, the Bible makes it very clear, if someone comes to you preaching another gospel, which is not found in the Word of God, or another Jesus that we have not read about in scripture, then we are on no account to receive them as followers of Christ. Paul the apostle of Jesus Christ, was not fooled he said “they profess that they know God; but in works they deny Him,”
In 2 John v 9, we read “Whosoever transgresseth and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ hath not God, he that abideth in the doctrine of Christ; he hath both the Father and the Son.” So if anyone comes to you and says, “we believe in Jesus”, but not in the word of God as it is written in the Holy Bible, then we do not receive them, or welcome them, for they are trying to make you doubt God’s Word, and trying to weaken your faith. It is written, “If there come any unto you and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed,” {2 John v 10}.
So beware in these last days do not listen to anyone who does not bring you sound doctrine, always check out everything that you hear in the Holy Scriptures. If you do you will never be deceived, for we must remember the Words of Jesus, “For there shall arise false Christs and false prophets and shall show great signs and wonders, insomuch that if it were possible they shall deceive the very elect,” {Matthew 24 v 24}.
Dear Saints, let us hold on to God’s Word filling our minds with His truth, if we do we shall never be deceived by what we hear or see.
EVANGELIST BILLY BOLITHO
http://www.evangelistbillybolitho.blogspot.com