Acquaintance, Not Hearsay!
The Internet is filled with self-anointed preachers and teachers who promulgate a variety of doctrines that sadly do not chime with the true intent of God’s word to His children. The majority of these ersatz prophets merely present their version of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Sadly, very little in depth study precedes their polemics. More importantly, in their haste to post their opinions and hopefully be viewed as being a spiritual giant, they never confer with the Holy Spirit for confirmation. In reality, they actually resist the Holy Spirit, being more concerned about what they believe is new-found knowledge.
Many also attempt to utilize knowledge and or wisdom that they do not possess based on the reality that it is God alone who provides specific Holy Spirit gifts to whomever He chooses according to His will.
To know more about the author’s books, click on The End Times Passover and Why Christians Will Suffer Great Tribulation. To access the author’s web sites and blogs, click on Joe Ortiz.
And they said to one another, "Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?" (Luke 24:32).
"It is one thing," said Henry Suso, "to hear for oneself a sweet lute, sweetly played, and quite another thing merely to hear about it."
And it is one thing, we may add, to hear truth inwardly for one's very self, and quite another thing merely to hear about it....
We are turning out from the Bible schools of this country year after year young men and women who know the theory of the Spirit-filled life but do not enjoy the experience. These go out into the churches to create in turn a generation of Christians who have never felt the power of the Spirit and who know nothing personally about the inner fire. The next generation will drop even the theory. That is actually the course some groups have taken over the past years.
One word from the lips of the man who has actually heard the lute play will have more effect than a score of sermons by the man who has only heard that it was played. Acquaintance is always better than hearsay. The Root of the Righteous, pp99-100, by A.W. Tozer
"It is one thing," said Henry Suso, "to hear for oneself a sweet lute, sweetly played, and quite another thing merely to hear about it."
And it is one thing, we may add, to hear truth inwardly for one's very self, and quite another thing merely to hear about it....
We are turning out from the Bible schools of this country year after year young men and women who know the theory of the Spirit-filled life but do not enjoy the experience. These go out into the churches to create in turn a generation of Christians who have never felt the power of the Spirit and who know nothing personally about the inner fire. The next generation will drop even the theory. That is actually the course some groups have taken over the past years.
One word from the lips of the man who has actually heard the lute play will have more effect than a score of sermons by the man who has only heard that it was played. Acquaintance is always better than hearsay. The Root of the Righteous, pp99-100, by A.W. Tozer
The Internet is filled with self-anointed preachers and teachers who promulgate a variety of doctrines that sadly do not chime with the true intent of God’s word to His children. The majority of these ersatz prophets merely present their version of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Sadly, very little in depth study precedes their polemics. More importantly, in their haste to post their opinions and hopefully be viewed as being a spiritual giant, they never confer with the Holy Spirit for confirmation. In reality, they actually resist the Holy Spirit, being more concerned about what they believe is new-found knowledge.
Many also attempt to utilize knowledge and or wisdom that they do not possess based on the reality that it is God alone who provides specific Holy Spirit gifts to whomever He chooses according to His will.
As the Bible tells us concerning spiritual gifts in 1Corinthians 12:1-11, not every child of God possesses them all, but have been given the ones that God has chosen for His purpose. Sadly, some of these gifts appear to garner more attention (nowadays), especially the gift of prophecy, which most Christians believe it entails the ability to predict the future. Who wouldn’t want that gift? A person with such ability would be revered by many in Christendom, which is evident in this hero worship-oriented society we live in.
We are inundated by a throng of these so-called Christian ‘super stars’ as is evident in the ‘electronic’ church, who are adored (and followed) by many in today’s religious arenas throughout America. These are the very individuals who are preaching the soothing gospel we are warned about in 2 Timothy 4:3-5.
We are inundated by a throng of these so-called Christian ‘super stars’ as is evident in the ‘electronic’ church, who are adored (and followed) by many in today’s religious arenas throughout America. These are the very individuals who are preaching the soothing gospel we are warned about in 2 Timothy 4:3-5.
It is understandable that Christians want to hear only the “good news” (about salvation, the forgiveness of sin and healing), but the truth of the matter is that the Apostle Paul (and a great portion of the Bible) speaks of how Christians must suffer tribulation and persecution in order to enter the kingdom of God. But, who wants to hear about gloom and doom, especially when there is so much of it here already. Well, that is exactly what we see throughout the Old Testament that documents what God’s prophets were telling God’s people. As we read Isaiah, Ezekiel, Jeremiah, Obadiah, Hosea, Amos Zechariah, et al, their sole purpose was to warn the people to repent and turn back to God. Their audience, for the most part, did not respond to the warnings and they suffered the consequences. Today’s priests (pastors, preachers and teachers) tell us not to worry, we are living in the church age, a time of grace, and will soon experience the Pre-Tribulation Rapture to Heaven to avoid persecution.
But, what is the Holy Spirit saying to today’s priest about this?
Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. 3 For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. 5 But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry, (2 Timothy 4:3-5).
And how are they responding? What are the majority of preachers, pastors, teachers and ersatz evangelists telling the Christian masses?
“God loves you; you have been saved and you can never lose that salvation! He wants to heal you, bless your life with abundance and prosperity, He will never allow you to suffer more than you can handle, rest in His assurance; financially support and invest in your spiritual leaders, read our books, pray for the restoration of our great nation, pray that God will destroy all heathen religions, plead that prayer and the Ten Commandments can be reposted in our schools, write to your elected officials to overturn same-sex marriage laws, pray that God will raise Christian leaders that we can elect to Congress, pray that we can finally have a conservative party to lead us to victory, that we can remove those who enter our country illegally and take food off our tables, to restore our great American culture to its initial greatness, and most of all, bless the nation of Israel (its soldiers, government and its suffering citizens), and He will in turn bless you in all things!”
And the Holy Spirit answers and says, “What?” I’m sorry, but I don’t believe we have ever been acquainted with each other.”
“But Lord, did we not build the most beautiful cathedral ever in the history of the world, right here in the US of A? Did we not lead and save thousands of souls in our last crusade for you? Did we not preach your gospel through the largest Christian television network in the history of mankind? Did we not teach your children about demons and fallen angels? Did we not sell over 65 million books that assured your children that they will not be “Left Behind?”
Then the Holy Spirit brought to their minds and hearts what He had written previously in Luke 13:23-30:
23Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them,
24Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.
25When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are:
26Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets.
27But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity.
28There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out.
29And they shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God.
30And, behold, there are last which shall be first, and there are first which shall be last, (Luke 13:23-30).
And then a few, a very, very small few of them, whom no one knows their name, nor have they started any major mega church, no radio no television show, nor written any books, but rather were off in a dimly lit corner of their home, and began praying thusly:
“Dear precious Jesus, I am nothing but a sinner, not worthy of your grace. But I want to serve you. Please deliver me from second-hand preaching and teaching. Fill me with your Holy Spirit that I may receive first-hand knowledge of your true message, so that my preaching and teaching might always be that of an alert eyewitness. Tell me how I can best serve you, for your everlasting glory; that I may shrink from the spotlight of the world, and solely perform thy will.”
And then someone who was truly acquainted with them, the Holy Spirit, brought to them in remembrance, what is stated in Matthew 25:34,
… 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.
To know more about the author’s books, click on The End Times Passover and Why Christians Will Suffer Great Tribulation. To access the author’s web sites and blogs, click on Joe Ortiz.
You surely know how to compose masterpiece blogs! I like the way you masterfully weave in Scripture at the most appropriate times and places. I also appreciate the way you skillfully portray the hideous and deadly edifice known as the end time Laodicea which, as the Bible warns, will be demolished by the Lord who needs not even a wrecking ball to level it. Am glad that God has raised you up to be a beacon and lighthouse to many around the world! Thanking the Lord Jesus Christ for you, Connor
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