Temptation and Israel

"He that is of God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God. Then answered the Jews, and said unto him, Say we not well that thou art a Samaritan, and hast a devil? Jesus answered, I have not a devil; but I honour my Father, and ye do dishonour me" (Jn. 8:47-49). There it is my friend. Jesus called it exactly like it was, and those who moments before were characterized as "believing on him," said he had a devil. Why? It's simple. They didn't want to hear the truth. Jesus did not begin the discussion by telling them that they were not of God. But they demonstrated throughout the discussion that they did NOT WANT TO HEAR THE TRUTH, so it came to that. Jesus knew what he was talking about, and he knew that anyone who did not hear him was simply not after God. Yes it was that simple. Still is in fact. And believe it or not, that malady did not end with Jesus, or at least not according to the beloved apostle: "We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us" (I Jn. 4:6). And Jesus said that it would be that way with ANYONE who follows and represents him in truth: "Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also" (Jn. 15:20). If someone is really in touch with God, and God is in touch with them; and they speak nothing but revealed truth in the Lord's name, they are going to be dealt with exactly as Jesus was. The prophets were. The apostles were. So unless Jesus has retired, or unless he has NOBODY speaking nothing but revealed truth in his name, it is that way today. And as it was for those who resisted his words, it is a very, very serious thing to come across someone like that. Nonetheless God's truth is a plumbline, and it always manifests who is who among God's people, as John said. Those whose hearts are truly after God will sense the truth and draw to it, as they did with Jesus. AS he said, his sheep hear his voice (Jn. 10:3). Those who may appear to be after God, or may think they are after God, but resist the real truth of God; will refute it and slander those who represent the truth. And as it was in Jesus' time, so it is now; that things are not what they appear to be, as Jesus demonstrated by this parable: "But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard. He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went. And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not. Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you" (Mat. 21:28-31).

I am more thankful than I can express for the testimony that God has given me in my life. Everywhere I and those with me go, it is always the non-religious sinners who end up around us, and it is God's own Spirit baptized people who avoid and slander us, especially me. And why do the sinners end up around me? Because of the love they feel, and the lack of the usual judgmental spirit that they are accustomed to feeling from religious people. And that is the exact same reason that God's people avoid me, because the erroneous traditions and doctrines of Christianity have taught them AWAY FROM the love of God, and INTO a religious, judgmental spirit that is foreign to the love of God. Hear this: "Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free" (Jn. 8:31,32). Jesus was not speaking here about continuing to read the Bible, but rather to continue being taught and led by the Spirit of God after receiving it (Jn. 14:26; Rom. 8:14; I Jn. 2:27). By the grace of God that is my testimony, and what continuing in the truth has made me free from is everything that is contrary to the love of God; especially the religious spirits of Christianity that deliver no one from anything, but rather condemn. You may want to note that the scripture passage I just quoted was in fact the beginning of the discussion that I quoted from at the first of this article. And it is also of significant note that "those Jews which believed on him" in this quote, were the exact same people whom he told right after this that they were not of God, and that their father was the devil. So the moral of the story is that it is not just about believing on Jesus, but about believing those who are truly setting forth "what the Spirit is saying unto the [people of God]" (Rev. 2:7). I know one thing, I will never give up the testimony that God has given me, regardless of how many self-acclaimed "believers" choose to refuse and contradict the truth that God has put into my heart and soul to distribute to the hungry. I know that when it's all said and done, I will be gathered unto my predecessors who were "poor and of a contrite spirit, and tremble at [his] word" (Isa. 66:2). And until that time comes I will be overjoyed to be with the few who are blessed to be "poor in spirit," and who agree with the ancient proverb: "Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud" (Prov. 16:19). Amen, and may God bless all who will let him bless them.