Living in the fear of the Lord (3)

Shortly after seeking the Lord for understanding of 1 John 2:26 “… who try to deceive you”, I received answer, it’s the next two verses. 1 John 2:27-28 (NKJV) But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him. And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming.

Verse 20 explained, But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things. This anointing is the Holy Spirit. For Jesus said in John 14:26 “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. I guess we all know this, the Holy Spirit can teach us everything. But many overlooked another thing, we often grieve the Spirit by not walking in truth.

The key is “abide in Him“, so that “the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you“, then and only then, “you do not need that anyone teach you“. But how how to abide in Him? 1 John 2:4-6 He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.

Abides in Him means to walk just as He walked, that is imitating Jesus, Paul had urged many times in his letters, 1 Corinthians 11:1 Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ. And 1 Corinthians 4:16 Therefore I urge you, imitate me. And Ephesians 5:1 Therefore be imitators of God as dear children.

Jesus did not use the word “imitate”, he said “abide in me”, the message is the same, John 15:1-8 “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. “Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. “You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.

“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. “If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. “By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.

The message is, abide in Jesus, become His disciples, walk just as He walked, as he said in John 8:28 … When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and that I do nothing of Myself; but as My Father taught Me, I speak these things. Jesus demonstrated the way of taking up the cross, “I do nothing of Myself“.

Who try to deceive you

There are deceivers everywhere, especially in the leadership teams. Those who do not take up their cross will not imitate Him or abide in Him. They are blind guide. I have seen good people went to seminary for knowledge but end up with more confusion by men-made doctrines. Those who teach or preach without abiding in Him is deceived already, and they are going to deceive others with watered-down gospel. However, some of them may have good intention, some are called by God, some are ignorant, some love money like Judas and some are wicked. But their deeds are similar, even some unbelievers can see the visible churches have different Jesus than the real one described in the Bible;

• They rarely talk about what is sin and the need to repent, just as Psalms 36:1-2 (NIV) An oracle is within my heart concerning the sinfulness of the wicked: There is no fear of God before his eyes. For in his own eyes he flatters himself too much to detect or hate his sin. They are usually full of self-righteousness.
  
  They all live in sin and hate Jesus’ teaching on sin, Matthew 5:29 (NKJV) “If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.
• They always promote false salvation by confession without evidence of true repentance.
• They do not follow Jesus, nor preach the need of imitating the Lord.
• They seldom teach how to know God’s will, by hearing His voice.
• They mention not God’s judgement, nor any scripture that warns against false teacher.

Warnings from the word of God

2 Corinthians 11:4, 13,14 For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough. …… For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.

Galatians 1:6-8 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel — which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned!

Titus 1:10-11 For there are many rebellious people, mere talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision group. They must be silenced, because they are ruining whole households by teaching things they ought not to teach — and that for the sake of dishonest gain.

Hear Jesus’ warnings for everyone “who has an ear, let him hear“, in Revelation 2:2 I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false.

Revelation 2:6, 15, 20 But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. …… Likewise, you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans. …… Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophet. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols.

Revelation 3:9 I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are not, but are liars — I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you.

Take heed the conclusion Revelation 3:19-22 Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

The teacher or leader who hears not Jesus’ voice is blind, not knowing God’s will and deceiving. We need to depend on the Lord for guidance, we can pray something like Psalms 31;

In you, O Lord, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame; deliver me in your righteousness.
Turn your ear to me, come quickly to my rescue; be my rock of refuge, a strong fortress to save me.
Since you are my rock and my fortress, for the sake of your name lead and guide me.
Free me from the trap that is set for me, for you are my refuge.
Into your hands I commit my spirit; redeem me, O Lord, the God of truth.
I hate those who cling to worthless idols; I trust in the Lord.
I will be glad and rejoice in your love, for you saw my affliction and knew the anguish of my soul.
You have not handed me over to the enemy but have set my feet in a spacious place.

Be merciful to me, O Lord, for I am in distress; my eyes grow weak with sorrow, my soul and my body with grief.
My life is consumed by anguish and my years by groaning; my strength fails because of my affliction, and my bones grow weak.
Because of all my enemies, I am the utter contempt of my neighbors; I am a dread to my friends– those who see me on the street flee from me.
I am forgotten by them as though I were dead; I have become like broken pottery.
For I hear the slander of many; there is terror on every side; they conspire against me and plot to take my life.

But I trust in you, O Lord; I say, “You are my God.”
My times are in your hands; deliver me from my enemies and from those who pursue me.
Let your face shine on your servant; save me in your unfailing love.
Let me not be put to shame, O Lord, for I have cried out to you; but let the wicked be put to shame and lie silent in the grave.
Let their lying lips be silenced, for with pride and contempt they speak arrogantly against the righteous.

How great is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you, which you bestow in the sight of men on those who take refuge in you.
In the shelter of your presence you hide them from the intrigues of men; in your dwelling you keep them safe from accusing tongues.
Praise be to the Lord, for he showed his wonderful love to me when I was in a besieged city.
In my alarm I said, “I am cut off from your sight!” Yet you heard my cry for mercy when I called to you for help.
Love the Lord, all his saints! The Lord preserves the faithful, but the proud he pays back in full.
Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord.

The integrity of the Bible
Warning against not imitating

After seeking to understand God’s ways, I suddenly can see the integrity of the word of God from; 1 John 1:2-7 (NIV) The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.

This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

It tells us, the word of God recorded what the apostles “have seen and heard“, they are “the eternal life“. It lacks no extra theologies or doctrines of men.

This eternal life is the only for those who “walk in the light, as he is in the light“, this means walk with God. Just as it is written, Ephesians 5:1 Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children. And chapter 2 verse 4, He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked. The obedient ones will imitate Jesus, getting real time instruction on how to live everyday life by hearing his voice.

But only some people have fulfilled this, as it is written, 1 Thessalonians 1:5-7 because our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake.You became imitators of us and of the Lord; in spite of severe suffering, you welcomed the message with the joy given by the Holy Spirit. And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia.

The gospel came to the Thessalonians “with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction“, but not others like the Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians and many more, Paul had to urge them imitating God and pray for them so that they may know God better. The reason seems hidden in the sermon on the mount. The Thessalonians have pure heart that others don’t, for “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.”

To many others, Paul’s prayer are vital for their transformation, such as Ephesians 1:16-19 … I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that theeyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength,

And Ephesians 3:14-19 For this reason I kneel before the Father, … I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge —- that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Apart from praying, Paul also warned them the consequence of not following his example of living a holy life, Philippians 3:17-19 Join with others in following my example, brothers, and take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you. For, as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things. I think some of them heeded the warning and repented, thus followed Paul’s example in the end.

This is the grace of God for those don’t have pure and humble heart, if they will obey the word, to pray and repent, then they can also get the blessings and be transformed into Christ like.

Today many of us are unaware the fact that we may not have such pure and humble hearts like the Thessalonians. The good news is, we can follow the prayers in the Epistles and the Psalms. Such as;
19:14 May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.
26:2 Test me, O Lord, and try me, examine my heart and my mind;
51:10 Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
62:8 Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.
86:11 Teach me your way, O Lord, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.
90:12 Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.
119:10 I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands.
119:34 Give me understanding, and I will keep your law and obey it with all my heart.
139:23, 24 Search me, O 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.
141:4 Let not my heart be drawn to what is evil, to take part in wicked deeds with men who are evildoers; let me not eat of their delicacies.

The body of Christ desperately need to understand these prayers and warnings, not the delusion of getting help from theological trained individual or preachers and leaders who still haven’t learned what is sin and how to repent. Too many people are trapped in all kinds of activities without the Holy Spirit. If Paul had to keep praying for the Ephesians to know God better and the eyes of their heart be enlightened, how many more times we have to pray in order to renew our heart and mind?

It is when the prayers somehow become our heart’s true desire, so that we can’t stop praying or meditating during the day, then the renew of the heart has happened quietly, not before. It is when the scripture in Colossians 4:2 “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful” becomes a nature habit, not burdensome rules. Now let’s pray Psalms 33, 34 and 35;

REJOICE in the LORD, O you righteous! For praise from the upright is beautiful.
Praise the LORD with the harp; Make melody to Him with an instrument of ten strings.
Sing to Him a new song; Play skillfully with a shout of joy.
For the word of the LORD is right, And all His work is done in truth.
He loves righteousness and justice; The earth is full of the goodness of the LORD.
By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, And all the host of them by the breath of His mouth.
He gathers the waters of the sea together as a heap; He lays up the deep in storehouses.
Let all the earth fear the LORD; Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him.
For He spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast.
The LORD brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; He makes the plans of the peoples of no effect.
The counsel of the LORD stands forever, The plans of His heart to all generations.
Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, The people He has chosen as His own inheritance.
The LORD looks from heaven; He sees all the sons of men.
From the place of His dwelling He looks On all the inhabitants of the earth;
He fashions their hearts individually; He considers all their works.
No king is saved by the multitude of an army; A mighty man is not delivered by great strength.
A horse is a vain hope for safety; Neither shall it deliver any by its great strength.
Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear Him, On those who hope in His mercy,
To deliver their soul from death, And to keep them alive in famine.
Our soul waits for the LORD; He is our help and our shield.
For our heart shall rejoice in Him, Because we have trusted in His holy name.
Let Your mercy, O LORD, be upon us, Just as we hope in You.

I WILL bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.
My soul shall make its boast in the LORD; The humble shall hear of it and be glad.
Oh, magnify the LORD with me, And let us exalt His name together.
I sought the LORD, and He heard me, And delivered me from all my fears.
They looked to Him and were radiant, And their faces were not ashamed.
This poor man cried out, and the LORD heard him, And saved him out of all his troubles.
The angel of the LORD encamps all around those who fear Him, And delivers them.
Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!
Oh, fear the LORD, you His saints! There is no want to those who fear Him.
The young lions lack and suffer hunger; But those who seek the LORD shall not lack any good thing.
Come, you children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD.
Who is the man who desires life, And loves many days, that he may see good?
Keep your tongue from evil, And your lips from speaking deceit.
Depart from evil and do good; Seek peace and pursue it.
The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, And His ears are open to their cry.
The face of the LORD is against those who do evil, To cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.
The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears, And delivers them out of all their troubles.
The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart, And saves such as have a contrite spirit.
Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the LORD delivers him out of them all.
He guards all his bones; Not one of them is broken.
Evil shall slay the wicked, And those who hate the righteous shall be condemned.
The LORD redeems the soul of His servants, And none of those who trust in Him shall be condemned.

PLEAD my cause, O LORD, with those who strive with me; Fight against those who fight against me.
Take hold of shield and buckler, And stand up for my help.
Also draw out the spear, And stop those who pursue me. Say to my soul, “I am your salvation.”
Let those be put to shame and brought to dishonor Who seek after my life; Let those be turned back and brought to confusion Who plot my hurt.
Let them be like chaff before the wind, And let the angel of the LORD chase them.
Let their way be dark and slippery, And let the angel of the LORD pursue them.
For without cause they have hidden their net for me in a pit, Which they have dug without cause for my life.
Let destruction come upon him unexpectedly, And let his net that he has hidden catch himself; Into that very destruction let him fall.
And my soul shall be joyful in the LORD; It shall rejoice in His salvation.
All my bones shall say, “LORD, who is like You, Delivering the poor from him who is too strong for him, Yes, the poor and the needy from him who plunders him?”
Fierce witnesses rise up; They ask me things that I do not know.
They reward me evil for good, To the sorrow of my soul.
But as for me, when they were sick, My clothing was sackcloth; I humbled myself with fasting; And my prayer would return to my own heart.
I paced about as though he were my friend or brother; I bowed down heavily, as one who mourns for his mother.
But in my adversity they rejoiced And gathered together; Attackers gathered against me, And I did not know it; They tore at me and did not cease;
With ungodly mockers at feasts They gnashed at me with their teeth.
Lord, how long will You look on? Rescue me from their destructions, My precious life from the lions.
I will give You thanks in the great assembly; I will praise You among many people.
Let them not rejoice over me who are wrongfully my enemies; Nor let them wink with the eye who hate me without a cause.
For they do not speak peace, But they devise deceitful matters Against the quiet ones in the land.
They also opened their mouth wide against me, And said, “Aha, aha! Our eyes have seen it.”
This You have seen, O LORD; Do not keep silence. O Lord, do not be far from me.
Stir up Yourself, and awake to my vindication, To my cause, my God and my Lord.
Vindicate me, O LORD my God, according to Your righteousness; And let them not rejoice over me.
Let them not say in their hearts, “Ah, so we would have it!” Let them not say, “We have swallowed him up.”
Let them be ashamed and brought to mutual confusion Who rejoice at my hurt; Let them be clothed with shame and dishonor Who exalt themselves against me.
Let them shout for joy and be glad, Who favor my righteous cause; And let them say continually, “Let the LORD be magnified, Who has pleasure in the prosperity of His servant.”
And my tongue shall speak of Your righteousness And of Your praise all the day long.