Buy the Truth, and Sell it Not

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0 height="100%"><tr> <td valign="top" width=168 BGCOLOR="#000000" TEXT="#F7F7FF" background="129a11c3.png"> <div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Welcome to the Heart4God Website!"><U><B><IMG SRC="4b55a500.png" border=0 width="90" height="80" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id2.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Writings of Joseph Herrin"><U><B>Writings by Date</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id212.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Writings of Joseph Herrin Organized "><U><B>Writings by Topic</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="http://www.heart4god.ws/Audio/index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.heart4god.ws/Audio/index.htm"><U><B>Audio Files</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id690.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Videos"><U><B>Videos</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id323.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Writings of Others"><U><B>Other Authors</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id324.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Links"><U><B>Links</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id339.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Questions and Answers"><U><B>Q&A</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id328.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Heart4God Email List"><U><B>Heart4God E-mail List</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="http://www.parablesblog.blogspot.com" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.parablesblog.blogspot.com"><U><B>Parables Blog</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id306.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="File Downloads"><U><B><IMG SRC="2b264140.png" border=0 width="100" height="20" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A></div> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" BGCOLOR="#000000" TEXT="#F7F7FF"> <bR> <div> <B>Buy the Truth, and Sell it Not</B></div> <div> <IMG SRC="c2827160.png" border=0 width="807" height="22" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> Joseph Herrin (11-3-01)</div> <bR> <bR> <div> Proverbs 23:23</div> <div> Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.</div> <div> (KJV)</div> <bR> <div> John 18:37</div> <div> Pilate therefore said to Him, "So You are a king?" Jesus answered, "You say correctly that I am a king. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice."</div> <div> (NAS)</div> <bR> <div> John 4:24</div> <div> "God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."</div> <div> (NAS)</div> <bR> <div> Have you ever considered that there might be worship that is an abomination unto Yahweh? Would you be surprised to find that the majority of worship today is of this type? Can you envision millions of people coming together week after week and offering their praise and worship to God, many of them feeling like they have encountered the very presence of God, yet God having no regard for their offering? I am convinced this is precisely what is occurring week after week in the majority of the churches of Christianity.</div> <bR> <div> Consider this, in Revelation we find Yahshua addressing a message to seven different churches. The last church to be addressed, and the one that best typifies Christianity today is the church of Laodicea. The following is revealed of this church.</div> <bR> <div> Revelation 3:14-17</div> <div> 14     "And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God, says this:</div> <div> 15     'I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I would that you were cold or hot.</div> <div> 16     'So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth.</div> <div> 17     'Because you say, "I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing," and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked...”</div> <div> (NAS)</div> <bR> <div> This describes a church that is walking in falsehood. Yahshua says that her condition is one of being “wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked.” The church, however, says of herself “I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing.” The church described here is not walking in truth. Deception is rampant in this church. She thinks she is gloriously pleasing to God, yet God is about to spit her out of His mouth.</div> <bR> <div> Do you not suppose that this church assumes that its worship of God is marvelously pleasing to Him? Do you not suppose that this church experiences euphoria in its worship services and takes this as a witness that the Spirit is present and highly pleased with them? Indeed it does, but it is grossly mistaken. Yahshua said that those who worship the Father must do so “in spirit and in truth.” This church has no love of the truth and consequently she has been given over to deception. Her worship cannot please the Father because truth is absent.</div> <bR> <div> The prophet Amos reminded Israel of a time when they made offerings and songs unto Yahweh, yet they also carried along their false gods. He testified that Yahweh was not pleased then, and he prophesied that the coming day of the Lord will be a similar day. The church will be full of music and praise unto God, but Yahweh will not find any pleasure in it. The church will actually be looking forward to the day of the Lord, but Yahweh testifies to them it will be a terror and horror.</div> <bR> <div> Amos 5:18-23</div> <div> 18     Alas, you who are longing for the day of the LORD, for what purpose will the day of the LORD be to you? It will be darkness and not light;</div> <div> 19     As when a man flees from a lion, and a bear meets him, or goes home, leans his hand against the wall, and a snake bites him.</div> <div> 20     Will not the day of the LORD be darkness instead of light, even gloom with no brightness in it?</div> <div> 21     "I hate, I reject your festivals, nor do I delight in your solemn assemblies.</div> <div> 22     "Even though you offer up to me burnt offerings and your grain offerings, I will not accept them  and I will not even look at the peace offerings of your fatlings.</div> <div> 23     "Take away from me the noise of your songs; I will not even listen to the sound of your harps.”</div> <div> (NAS)</div> <bR> <div> Many current prophecies are declaring that we are just now entering into the period known as the day of the Lord. Many saints are heralding the arrival of this day. They think it will be a day of great light for them. They think they will be suddenly raptured and transported into heaven. They have no understanding of the judgments reserved for a wicked and disobedient church. Like Laodicea, they are oblivious to the fact that they are about to be spit out of the mouth of God. They offer their songs in great abundance, but God says, “take away from Me the noise of your songs; I will not even listen to the sound of your harps.”</div> <bR> <div> The church today is conducting its festivals of praise and worship, but God says, “I hate, I reject your festivals...” The church is conducting solemn assemblies, but God further testifies, “nor do I delight in your solemn assemblies.” What is it about these things that has elicited this response of revulsion by the Father? It is that truth is absent from the midst of those who would make their offerings unto Him.</div> <bR> <div> The apostle John made the following statement:</div> <bR> <div> II John 3:4</div> <div> I have no greater joy than this, to hear of my children walking in the truth.</div> <div> (NAS)</div> <bR> <div> One can conclude that the opposite would also be true, that the apostle would have no greater sorrow than to hear of his children walking in deception and falsehood. As I have been declaring the truths the Father has delivered to me over the past years I have found that it is a minority that will receive truth today. I have shared many scriptures that declare that this would actually be the state of the church before the return of Yahshua. The following is taken from the recent book I posted entitled “Sabbath”.</div> <bR> <div> Let us look at a few scriptures that reveal this understanding, that the days preceding Yahshua’s return would be days of profound deception and error.</div> <bR> <div> II Timothy 3:1-7</div> <div> 1     But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come.</div> <div> 2     For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy,</div> <div> 3     unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good,</div> <div> 4     treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God;</div> <div> 5     holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; and avoid such men as these.</div> <div> 6     For among them are those who enter into households and captivate weak women weighed down with sins, led on by various impulses,</div> <div> 7     always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.</div> <div> (NAS)</div> <bR> <div> Note very carefully here that Paul identifies the day he is speaking of to Timothy. “But realize this, <I>in the last days</I> difficult times will come.” How many ministers today are proclaiming that we live in the last days? It seems that many recognize that the hour is late, but they have failed to discern what the state of Christianity would be at this late hour. Paul begins this passage by saying, “in the last days difficult times will come”, and he concludes by saying that people would be “always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.” In between these two statements Paul describes the heart of mankind in these days, and it is due to the corrupt state of the heart of man that these days are difficult.</div> <bR> <div> Timothy was charged by Paul to preach the word, and things were already difficult in those days, but consider the difficulty of any minister who finds himself proclaiming truth to those described in this passage. Indeed, their task would be very formidable. Yet Paul doesn’t stop here. Paul is still maintaining the same train of thought when he speaks the following words.</div> <bR> <div> II Timothy 4:1-4</div> <div> 1     I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ , who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom:</div> <div> 2     preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction.</div> <div> 3     For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires;</div> <div> 4     and will turn away their ears from the truth, and will turn aside to myths.</div> <div> (NAS)</div> <bR> <div> When should one expect this time to come when men will not endure sound doctrine? Paul already has informed us that he is speaking of the last days, the days in which we now live. If men are not heeding sound doctrine, what are they listening to? They are listening to great accumulations of teachers that are speaking the things their wayward hearts want to hear. They are turning aside unto myths and fables.</div> <bR> <div> It should be obvious that the days we live in are the subject of Paul’s discourse to Timothy, for we are in the last days, yet what preacher will admit that it is his congregation that has hired him to tell them the things they want to hear? What preacher would confess that he is simply tickling the ears of those listening to him, that he is teaching falsehood and myth?</div> <bR> <div> We live in very difficult days, for the masses of Christendom have departed from truth and they prefer to hear things that agree with their own lusts. Paul said that in the last days men would be “lovers of self, lovers of money... lovers of pleasure, rather than lovers of God.” What sort of things do you suppose that such men would like to hear? </div> <bR> <div> Perhaps they would like to hear a message of financial prosperity. Perhaps they would like to hear a message that says that God wants to pour out blessing after blessing of material goods upon those who are His children. Is this not what is being proclaimed today from so many pulpits? Yet men do not realize that Paul was warning Timothy about those who are within Christianity in this very day, people who have accumulated teachers unto themselves to tell them the things they want to hear.</div> <bR> <div> In contrast, sound doctrine has no home among such saints who are lovers of self,  of money, and pleasure. It is with difficulty that Yahshua’s words are shared with them.</div> <bR> <div> Luke 16:13</div> <div> "No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one, and love the other, or else he will hold to one, and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon."</div> <div> (NAS)</div> <bR> <div> Mammon is the system of world materialism and it is identified with the love of money and all that money can purchase. Myriads of saints today are in that tragic condition of trying to straddle the fence. They want to serve God and mammon at the same time. To accomplish this feat they have developed false doctrines that proclaim that it is the will of Yahweh that every saint should be running over with the goods of this world. Yahshua, however, said that His kingdom followers should not concern themselves with issues of what they would eat and drink, or what they would clothe themselves with, but they should seek first His righteousness and His kingdom.</div> <div> The Pharisees who heard these words scoffed at Yahshua, for we are told that they loved money. Multitudes also scoff today for they share the same affliction.</div> <bR> <div> Luke 16:14-15</div> <div> 14     Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, were listening to all these things, and they were scoffing at Him.</div> <div> 15     And He said to them, "You are those who justify yourselves in the sight of men, but God knows your hearts; for that which is highly esteemed among men is detestable in the sight of God.”</div> <div> (NAS)</div> <bR> <div> We live in a day in which men are proclaiming those things that they esteem, while neglecting the things God esteems. I have picked just one topic, albeit a major one, that is being falsely taught today to demonstrate that men have departed from truth and have sought out teachers that would tell them things in accordance with their desires. Men in their love of self and love of money have devised all manner of false interpretations of scripture to justify their lust for things. Absent is the message of the cross and the proclaiming of the message that if we would save our soul life, we must lose it, but if we lose it we will save it. Absent is the message of taking up our cross daily and following Yahshua.</div> <bR> <div> Matthew 16:24-27</div> <div> 24     Then said [Yahshua] to His disciples, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.</div> <div> 25     "For whoever wishes to save his life shall lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake shall find it.</div> <div> 26     "For what will a man be profited, if he gains the whole world, and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?</div> <div> 27     "For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels; and will then recompense every man according to his deeds.”</div> <div> (NAS)</div> <bR> <div> The message of self denial is not found in the houses of prosperity today. Every man will be recompensed for his deeds, yet the recompense will be very grievous for those who have accumulated to themselves teachers to tell them the things they desire to hear...</div> <bR> <div> The issue of serving mammon is but one issue in which this has happened. There is virtually no area of truth that has remained unaffected due to the difficulty of the days we live. In the book of II Thessalonians, Paul described the dire state of these days with the word “apostasy”.</div> <bR> <div> II Thessalonians 2:1-3</div> <div> 1     Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the coming of our Lord [Yahshua the Messiah], and our gathering together to Him,</div> <div> 2     that you may not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a message or a letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come.</div> <div> 3     Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first...</div> <div> (NAS)</div> <bR> <div> Once more Paul is writing about the days that precede the return of Yahshua. He is writing of the days we live in, and he states that Yahshua will not return unless the apostasy occurs first. Strong’s Dictionary of Greek words defines apostasy in the following manner.</div> <bR> <div> 646  apostasia (ap-os-tas-ee'-ah);</div> <bR> <div> feminine of the same as 647; <I>defection from truth</I> (properly, the state) ["apostasy"]: </div> <bR> <div> As one looks further into the meaning of this Greek word, it is seen that it shares a similar root with the Greek word meaning <I>divorce</I>. The apostasy of which Paul speaks is literally <I>a divorcement from truth</I>. Taken in relationship with Paul’s other statements we can discern that the last days will be a time when those who claim to be followers of Yahshua will divorce themselves from truth, and they will in turn be wed to myths and fables. They will figuratively heap up for themselves teachers that will proclaim error and falsehood unto them.</div> <bR> <div> This is the perilous circumstance that we find ourselves in today. It is not the masses that are proclaiming truth, but the remnant. Truth is not widely preached and received, rather it is largely rejected, having been replaced with falsehood. How did this circumstance come about? Again the apostle Paul informs us of the reason.</div> <bR> <div> II Thessalonians 2:10-12</div> <div> 10     because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved.</div> <div> 11     And for this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they might believe what is false,</div> <div> 12     in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness.</div> <div> (NAS)</div> <bR> <div> Because men have preferred lies over truth, the Father has sent a deluding influence upon them so that they might believe what is false. This passage and the others we have looked at are not talking about the world, but those who claim to be followers of God. Paul earlier said they would have “a form of godliness, but deny the power of it.” This is speaking of the church. The true power of godliness is the power to transform men’s lives, but men have preferred not to be transformed. Instead they have desired to transform the scriptures to support the pursuit of their soulish life and it’s desires...</div> <bR> <div> Yahshua said He was the truth, yet the truth is not loved in the last days before Yahshua’s return, and as a result the Father has sent delusion upon the church so that they might believe what is false, which is what they prefer.</div> <bR> <div> As one examines the scriptures with an understanding heart they will perceive that it has ever been the case with mankind that only a remnant has really known what the Father was doing in the day in which they lived. In the days in which Moses led the children of God forth from Egypt and into the wilderness, there was truly a large body of people who were known as God’s chosen people, but not all understood what they should have known.</div> <bR> <div> Psalms 103:7</div> <div> He made known His ways to Moses, His acts to the sons of Israel.</div> <div> (NAS)</div> <bR> <div> What a gulf separates knowing Yahweh’s ways, and witnessing His acts. Of the millions of Israel, only one man was said to have known the ways of Yahweh in the day in which he lived. We see the same thing in the days of Daniel, of Jeremiah, of Elijah, etc...</div> <bR> <div> Certainly this was also the case in the day the Father sent His Son to be born and to walk this Earth in the form of man. There were myriads of Jews dwelling in and around Jerusalem. The temple and the synagogues were a center for the people to learn the things of God. Was it to these centers that Yahweh sent His messenger to prepare for the coming of His Son?</div> <bR> <div> “There came a man sent from God whose name was John...” </div> <div> (John 1:6)</div> <bR> <div> What was John’s message? Was it not to prepare the way for Messiah to come? If there were myriads of devoted Jews in that day, a priesthood, as well as many teachers of the Law, then why did not God use these men to proclaim His truth and to prepare the way for His Son? Why did He not have the message proclaimed in every synagogue?</div> <bR> <div> It is ever the remnant that Yahweh works through. He chose a man who was little esteemed. He had him to grow up in the wilderness, not in the centers of power. And He had him accomplish his ministry away from the synagogues and the temple. Why should it surprise the understanding saint to hear that those who will prepare the way for the second coming of Yahshua will follow a similar pattern?</div> <bR> <div> In the gospels we are told that Yahshua “came to His own, but His own received Him not” (John 1:11). Knowing this was the case of His first appearing to mankind, and that history ever repeats itself, the importance of the following scripture should give rise to serious consideration, as it speaks of His second coming.</div> <bR> <div> Luke 18:8</div> <div> “However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?"</div> <div> (NAS)</div> <bR> <div> Yahshua is here speaking of His second coming to the Earth. At His first coming there was a whole nation of people who claimed to be followers of His Father. There was a well used religious system centered around the Temple and the synagogues. People were studying the scriptures continuously, and they claimed to be waiting for the appearing of Messiah. </div> <bR> <div> Do we not have a similar scenario today. There is a body of people, huge in number that claim to be followers of Yahshua (Jesus). There is a religious system that is utilized regularly. In place of synagogues there are church buildings on every street corner and at every crossroads. This great body of believers also claims to be awaiting the return of their Messiah.</div> <bR> <div> With all of this teaching and religious structure in place, those who claimed to be waiting for Messiah did not recognize the day of their visitation when He appeared 2,000 years ago. Yahshua was despised and rejected. Certainly the Jews and their leaders would never have admitted to having a wrong understanding of Messiah and what His appearing would be like, anymore than would those in Christianity today. Yet Yahshua asks whether He will find faith on the Earth when He returns. Incredibly, Yahshua describes the last days prior to His return, unto His disciples in the following manner.</div> <bR> <div> Matthew 24:10-13</div> <div> 10     "And at that time many will fall away and will deliver up one another and hate one another.</div> <div> 11     "And many false prophets will arise, and will mislead many.</div> <div> 12     "And because lawlessness is increased, most people's love will grow cold.</div> <div> 13     "But the one who endures to the end, he shall be saved.”</div> <div> (NAS)</div> <bR> <div> Many will fall away; many will be mislead; most people’s love will grow cold; men will be lovers of self, lovers of money; men will not endure sound doctrine; men will turn aside to myths and fables; Yahshua will in no way return unless the apostasy occurs first; will He find faith on the Earth?</div> <bR> <div> These things should sober any sincere follower of Yahshua. It is the remnant who will be saved. The true flock of Yahshua is called the “little flock” (Luke 12:32). Why then do the churches preach that there will be a huge body of believers worldwide who will be raptured at the appearing of the Lord? Are they not deceived? Yahshua Himself questioned whether He would find faith on the earth at His return.</div> <div> [end excerpt]</div> <bR> <div> I have shared this excerpt because the church at large has a false concept of the state of Christianity before the return of Christ. Many actually think that great revival is occurring in this hour. Most of the church has no concept of the depths of deception that has overtaken the body of Christ. Many could not describe a single myth or fable that has been embraced.</div> <bR> <div> Yesterday I was walking through a Wal-Mart and I noticed that the Harry Potter books were being prominently displayed, and not far from these books the Left Behind series’ latest release “The Desecration” was also being prominently marketed. Some Christians think that both of these series are fine. Many others radically object to the Harry Potter series, but love the Left Behind series. It is the rare saint that actually realizes that both series are working to lead the saints into greater darkness and deception.</div> <bR> <div> The Left Behind series is fiction based upon false doctrine, but a church mired in myths and fables cannot discern the errors contained in it. The Left Behind series is lulling millions of professing Christians into a sense of ease because they expect to be raptured out of this earth before the great day of the Lord. Most do not recognize that it is but a remnant that will comprise the Bride of Christ and who will be hidden in the day of the outpouring of God’s wrath. John recorded the following words to the church of Philadelphia:</div> <bR> <div> Revelation 3:10</div> <div> 'Because you have kept the word of My perseverance, I also will keep you from the hour of testing, that hour which is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell upon the earth.</div> <div> (NAS)</div> <bR> <div> These words are not spoken to Laodicea. No such promise of being kept from the hour of great testing coming on the world is given to the Laodicean saints. Yet this church falsely thinks she will be raptured out of this world before the outpouring of the wrath of God. </div> <bR> <div> Consider the contrasts between these two groups of saints. Not a single word of reproach is given to the church of Philadelphia, and not a single word of commendation is given to Laodicea. The Philadelphian saints are stated to have kept the word of Yahshua; the word of His patience, the word of His suffering, and they have not denied His name. However, the Laodicean church has avoided suffering. They have equated godliness with wealth and prosperity. They have not walked in obedience, and it is evident that they do not discern the mind of God who is about to spit them out of His mouth.</div> <bR> <div> The Philadelphian believers have been troubled by the “synagogue of Satan”, those who falsely proclaim to be the true members of the kingdom of God. These false ones will eventually come and bow at their feet and acknowledge that they were wrong and the Philadelphian believers whom they persecuted were the ones who truly found favor with Yahweh. Yet the Laodicean church are not mentioned to have had any difficulty with the world or false believers. This is because they have conformed themselves to the world, yet they have forfeited the approval of God.</div> <bR> <div> The Philadelphian church is walking in truth and this leads to persecution. The Laodicean church is walking in falsehood and this leads to greater falsehood and a lack of discerning of the mind of Christ.</div> <bR> <div> I am convinced that there is no greater element that defines the separation that is occurring in the body of Christ today than truth. Those who love the truth are being called out of darkness. Those who have not loved the truth are being given over to greater delusion and deception.</div> <bR> <div> How much do you love the truth? Are you desirous of knowing truth and walking in it despite the hardship it may bring? Are you willing to cast down the objections of the carnal, fleshly nature that you might be found walking in truth? When some truth is proclaimed to you do you press into it to be found conformed to the will of Yahweh, or do you ignore it because it doesn’t please you to do so? Your response to truth will determine whether you are given greater truth. Those who are faithful in a little will be given more. If you will not be faithful in the little that is entrusted to you, you will not be given more. You will remain feeding on pablum when you should be eating meat.</div> <bR> <div> I know I will step on many toes with what I will share next, but the saints of God need to look honestly at themselves and their attitude toward truth. I have written much at the direction of the Holy Spirit on a topic of obedience that is being largely neglected in this hour, and many saints who consider themselves to be lovers of truth have simply ignored that which has been proclaimed.</div> <bR> <div> I ask you, if truth is proclaimed and supported by a myriad of scriptures, is the saint faithful who simply disregards the word spoken, neither do they press in to examine the scriptures to see if these things be true? Is the saint faithful who says, “I simply will not trouble myself with this issue because I wish to not do so”?</div> <bR> <div> In the issue I will mention here I have not yet had one single saint who has written to me and refuted the truths shared. I have not had a single saint to tell me how I had failed to rightly divide the word of truth. Yet I have met with silence from the majority and objections from a few, yet the objections were not founded in, nor supported by the revealed mind of God in scripture. Are such saints exhibiting a love of the truth by responding thus? Should they not be concerned about Paul’s words concerning the great apostasy to come and a church that is given over to delusion because “they loved not the truth”?</div> <bR> <div> Let me broach this one topic again and ask yourself if you have ever sought out the word of God to know the truth of the matter and the mind of God that all obedience might be fulfilled. The issue is that of divine government and headcovering.</div> <bR> <div> Now I know many will recoil at this topic. It is probably the most troublesome topic in all of the New Testament. It touches on Yahweh’s established government that the man is the head of a woman. How unpopular is this teaching!!! What minister will even touch it with a ten foot pole? What a battle most men would have on their hands if they sought to walk in the truth of it in their own homes! What a pariah they would become in their own churches! I know, for I was cast out of church by ministers whose wives ruled in their homes, who would rather persecute a brother who was teaching truth than deal with the strongholds in their own homes.</div> <bR> <div> But I ask you, how much of a lover of truth are you if you recoil at the tough topics? Are you worshiping in spirit and in truth if you pick and choose the truths you will adhere to? Can you be said to have kept the word of Yahshua’s perseverance if you refuse to look into words that might upset the fragile peace that comes from simply agreeing to not touch certain topics?</div> <bR> <div> I would give you this challenge. If you consider yourself one who is walking in truth then read the articles posted on my site relating to this topic. If you find fault in what is written then show me from scripture my error. Don’t give me your opinion or the dogma of the church. Paul told Timothy that it was the scriptures that were given “for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.” So if you have disagreement then use the scriptures to establish your disagreement.</div> <bR> <div> I encourage you, however, to read thoroughly the articles on this topic. Watchman Nee said that the issue of God’s government was a greater truth even than the issue of salvation, yet most of the church has ignored these truths because they are troubling to them. Yes, it requires a dying to self, a taking up of the cross to walk in these things. That is why they are so often avoided.</div> <bR> <div> This is not a litmus test to see if you are one who loves the truth. It is simply given as a point of illumination to show you the workings of your own heart. If we truly love the truth then we will seek to walk in those truths that cost us something to walk in them, not just the easy truths.</div> <bR> <div> Recently I sent out a writing that demonstrated that the Congress and Senate were proposing a day of reconciliation, but they structured it in such a way where it costs them absolutely nothing. It offends no man. It embraces all religions. It makes no judgments of right and wrong. Yet it is an offense to a holy God.</div> <bR> <div> Are we any different if we embrace only those truths that do not cost us personally should we choose to walk in them? I will give you a list of the articles on my website that deal with this issue of government and headcovering. I can say unequivocally that the Spirit has led me to write them. They were not written to gain popularity for they have had just the opposite effect. They were not written to please man, because most men and women respond angrily to the truths written therein. They were written to be faithful in declaring the truth of God as the Spirit was leading. By God alone  we will be judged and so it is His opinion that I value and it is His approval alone that I seek.</div> <bR> <div> You may be eighty years old and have never walked in the truths proclaimed in these writings. Would you not like to be found walking in truth when the Father says that your course is now run? Would you not like to have His approval at the end of your life?</div> <bR> <div> If you say, “Why should I concern myself about this issue? I would rather just look at other things that I think are important.”, then are you not being selective about the truths of God? Yes, I know I am being troublesome to many of you who receive these words, but I encourage you to buy the truth, the whole truth, and don’t sell it at the altar of convenience and ease. Press into the harder matters of God and seek to align yourself with the truth, no matter what it might be. Having such a heart will find great favor with God.</div> <bR> <div> To read the articles relating to this issue, go to: <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Georgia" ><A HREF="http://heart4god.ws" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://heart4god.ws"><U><U>http://heart4god.ws</U></U></A></FONT> and choose the link for “Articles by Topic.” There is a topic called “Headcovering and Government”, and the first three articles deal in depth with this important issue. The articles are:</div> <bR> <div> Headcovering and Government</div> <div> Neither Male nor Female</div> <div> Is a Woman’s Hair Her Only Covering</div> <bR> <div> I will be glad to discuss these matters with anyone who will approach it with a sincere desire to know truth and who will allow the scriptures to be the measure of truth, doctrine, and instruction. I have not written these things to antagonize anyone. They are written to bring illumination. We live in an hour where a devotion to truth is paramount. I know that many of those on my mailing list have already experienced many trials and even separation due to a desire to walk in truth. I encourage you to press in to even greater extent to know truth and walk in it. This is my challenge and exhortation.</div> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>