How Are You and Jesus Doing Today? Part 2

The last thing is to examine yourself to see if you are still in the faith. But I am in the faith! I believe in Jesus, I have prayed the prayer of salvation, I go to church. None of that means you are saved and redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ. The question you have to ask is, “Do I have an honest relationship with Christ?” As I have already mentioned, we need to pray and get into God’s Word every single day. This is only way we will grow in the knowledge of Christ. The more we get into God’s Word, the deeper and wider His Word gets.

Now, the question of are you still in the faith. Are you one of those that listen to preachers because you like and agree with what they are teaching? When you get home from church, do you dig into your Bible and study what the preacher just taught? Are you studying those things to make sure that they are so, just like the Bereans did in Acts 17:11? You see, if you are solely relying on what man tells you what scripture says, you can and will be led astray very easily. You will believe those things because you will say to yourself – maybe not consciously, but sub-consciously you will – he is ordained of God to preach, so he should know the scriptures. I have news for you. Man is FALLIBLE! I repeat, man is FALLIBLE! God is INFALLIBLE! Man makes mistakes while God never makes a mistake. Michael Youssef (Leading the Way with Dr. Michael Youssef) made this statement “Sometimes God’s Word will contradict what you have been taught.” This is so true! Let me add to that statement, “When God’s Word is contradicting what you have been taught, then what you have been taught is wrong because Gods Word is NEVER wrong!” Did you get that? Gods Word is NEVER wrong! Man will teach at times what he “thinks” scripture is saying, not what it is actually saying. Man will teach scripture and insert their denominations theology and doctrine into his messages. Man will twist scripture to suit his own beliefs, and present them as scriptural. Man will take scripture out of context and tell you this is what it is saying when in fact, it is totally out of the context of the passage. We have to take scripture in the context it is in to understand the true meaning of the passage. For example, Isaiah 53:5. There a lot of pastors that take the last part “with His stripes we are healed” out of the context of the passage. They say that we are to be healed physically. That really isn’t what the verse is saying in the context of the passage. Let’s take a look at the verse here. It actually reads “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed”. Notice the first part of the verse, Isaiah is speaking about Christ. These pastors do not quote the whole verse to make their point because it doesn’t fit their belief. Now go and read the whole chapter and you will see that the chapter is talking about Christ’s death an the cross to heal us spiritually not physically! Context is everything!

There are those that listen to preachers because they tickle their ears with all sorts of false gospels (2 Timothy 4:3,4). A false gospel is one that twists and perverts the Gospel of Jesus Christ to suit their own theology and doctrine. We are told to proof all things, and throw away those things that do not line up with God’s Word (1 Thessalonians 5:21). I am reminded of 2 Timothy 2:15 “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth”. Rightly dividing here literally means to make a straight cut, dissect. When we study His Word, dig into it (dissect), and make sure that we keep the scripture simple. You see a straight cut is simple, it is straight, it does not go to the right or to the left. Scripture itself goes straight to the heart. Scripture “is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”  Keep scripture in context and with the leading of the Holy Spirit, you cannot go wrong in knowing the true meaning of scripture as it actually is written. This does not mean the Holy Spirit won’t give you a revelation that seems to be out of context, when it really is an application for your life. That does happen. Take heed, and be warned that you cannot share the revelation with others and tell them this is what scripture actually says. Remember that it is for you only, in the time you are in.

I entreat you. Examine yourselves to see if you are in the faith by examining yourself against the Word of God. Seek Him while He is near, ask Him to reveal those areas of your life that are a weakness. Ask Him to strengthen you and He will give you more grace to bear those weaknesses, to get through those times. Remember the words of Christ to Paul in 2 Corinthians 12:9 “And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”