This is my reply to a comment that was recently made on "A Dream About Egypt":
The spiritual man judges all things. This is not judgmental and arrogant. We are called to judge righteous or spiritual judgment. A Christian that is not spiritual cannot judge spiritual things.
In my Christian walk, many sins have died out in my life. These sins do not beset me anymore--it is an overcoming life that we have in Christ. If people are not overcoming sin in their lives and they say that they have been saved for ten or more years, then I have a real problem with their salvation. It has been a long time since the Lord has convicted me of sin. This is the overcoming power of God in my life. Glory to God in the Highest!
Salvation is just one of many ministries in the Body of Christ. Salvation is not my ministry--unless you take into account that I am trying to save Christians from their milk bottles.
The Lord called me out of the church (church on Sunday) back in 1991. My life has to stand for something. My life would not glorify God if I continued to fellowship with lukewarm Christians when the Lord told me to separate myself from them.
"Come out from among them and be ye separate."
There is a reason why John the Baptist camped out on the other side of the Jordan River. There is a reason why the Lord has had me hitchhike the highways of America these past 15 years. I meet all kinds of believers and unbelievers every day. Either people will feed off of my life in Christ or else they won't. My life of obedience to the Lord IS the sermon.
If the Lord shows me judgment on America, then this is what I speak. "My Father works and I work." I only do what I see my Father do.
“The fact is that, we are not producing saints. We are making converts to an effete type of Christianity, that bears little resemblance to that of the New Testament. The average so-called Bible Christian of our times is but a shallow display of true sainthood. Yet, we put millions of dollars behind ‘movements’ to perpetuate this lower form of religion and attack the man who dares to challenge the wisdom of it.”
--A.W. Tozer
Effete: “having lost character, courage, strength, stamina, or vitality.”
--Webster’s Third New International Dictionary
A Dream About Egypt
Shiloh
_____
“There are wise men in heaven that could not read or write when they were on earth, and there are learned fools in hell that had degrees after their names like the tail of a kite. Man is a moral wanderer in this present world but he becomes a moral fool when he has shut out the voice of God.”
--A.W. Tozer
Effete: “having lost character, courage, strength, stamina, or vitality.”
--Webster’s Third New International Dictionary
A Dream About Egypt
Shiloh
_____
“There are wise men in heaven that could not read or write when they were on earth, and there are learned fools in hell that had degrees after their names like the tail of a kite. Man is a moral wanderer in this present world but he becomes a moral fool when he has shut out the voice of God.”
--A.W. Tozer
Amen.
ReplyDeleteGreat post Tim. I love what you said, "My life of obedience to the Lord IS the sermon." Amen! Stay the course brother. Keep your hand on the plow. Love the A.W. Tozer quote. You know, the timing of this is of the Lord. I've spent the past 3 days really going through a time of "solitude" of sorts. The enemy has been attacking me again and again as to why I never fit in to the world I was raised in; i.e., a culture that guaranteed me success in the defense contracting world. Then having friends and even family turn their backs and ultimately being led away to this strange land. It's so true. We really do follow a path that calls us out. Sarah, I'm not surprised the Chinese Christians would be saying this. The Chinese are so hungry for the word. I told you guys about the young lady who came to Jesus when I met her in the restaurant in Beijing. And living here, it is so difficult to do even the most simple things we take for granted in the U.S. The people on this side of the world are constantly "shocked" by the things they see going on in the U.S. My Chinese friend asked me, "How could your President say he supports the WALL STREET Riots that would destroy your country?"
It's difficult to take a stand, that's for sure, and Tim and Sarah you've done and are doing it. God bless you.
I ran across this from Oswald Chambers, "Are we remaining faithful to the Son of God in everything that attacks His life in us? Are you going on with Jesus? The way goes through Gethesemane, through the city gate, and on " outside the camp" (Hebrews 13:13) The way is lonely and goes on until there is no longer even a trace of a footprint to follow - but only the voice saying, " Follow Me" (Matthews 4:19)
Sarah and Randy:
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comments.
Judgment from the Lord has different levels. The United States has been under judgment for years now. I believe more severe judgment may be coming. Nations become socialist when they turn their backs on the Lord.
Look at Europe: it is very socialist and very secular--and very Godless. I heard this one missionary speak and he said there is more demonic bondage over Europe than over Africa.
I was hitchhiking in Montana years ago and this guy from France picked me up. He told me that when he flew from Paris to New York, he could feel the Puritan influence in that city right away. New York City?! You gotta be kidding me! NYC is considered by some to be the most secular city in the US. Things must be pretty bad in France.
Tim, that's right. I meet hundreds of Europeans each year. They are adamant about how the U.S.A. bible and religion sickens them. Last summer two drunk girls (early 20's) from The Netherlands, got so angry that one of the girls started spitting in the sand and feigned vomiting and kept repeating.. The Jesus, God thing you Americans believe makes me sick. I stopped talking about Jesus to her and only said under my breath, "God forgive her, for she has no idea what she's saying."
ReplyDeleteI agree with you and Sarah, the U.S. is under judgement, but we're still at least at this point, a far cry from Europe.
your comment about the Frenchman is very interesting. I had a Frenchman tell me that he was cheering when the twin towers came down because he was tired of hearing all his life that America was a blessed nation because of its belief in God and he said America turned from God a long time ago.
ReplyDeleteMr. Shey,
ReplyDeleteMy name is Michael Prochaska. I'm a student at the University of Georgia majoring in Journalism. I'm working on a story for my magazine class that profiles a young man who is backpacking across America. I'd love to talk to you about your travels and experience as well, ideally over the phone before Wednesday. Let me know of this is something that interests you and give me a call or e-mail!
Sincerely,
Michael Prochaska
prochasm@uga.edu
770-337-4083
..
Mr. Michael Prochaska, You're indeed a blessed man in my opinion to have found Tim Shey. Please start by reading his book. It was one of the rare books I've read that at times took me hours to just absorb one page, trying to grasp the why, what, how of it all. I am especially excited that you'd first be led to find this modern day John the Baptist and then second of all be inspired to study and learn from him. I ask you first and foremost that when digging into the treasure trove of his life, you find the most important and that is JESUS CHRIST.
ReplyDeleteGod bless your study.
November 6, 2011 6:28 PM
Hebrews 6: 1-6: "Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. And this will we do, if God permit. For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame."
ReplyDeleteTo Michael Prochaska: I sent you an email. I will try to contact you by phone, if not, then we can communicate by email.
ReplyDeleteI have hitchhiked through Georgia at least a couple of times--through Atlanta and Savannah. Savannah is a very old city; there is a statue of John Wesley on a city square in Savannah. I met some friendly people in Georgia.
Tim Shey
Hebrews 6 sums it all up about Jesus Christ vs religion in my opinion. I see it as, "Hey, we've talked over and over again about how Jesus Christ paid the price for our justification, salvation and redemption. Let's understand this and move on. We now must accept this and know that we can't get to God by rituals and playing church and following rules; i.e. justification by good works and not by faith. If you can't accept this and live by this and try to act righteous by rituals (playing church) (the just shall live by faith; it's impossible to please God w/o faith>) then you're completely disregarding everything Jesus did for you.
ReplyDeleteHow many people have you come across who are living by faith? Is it a discernible thing? Can you tell what is presumption and what is faith? Does the Lord lead you to share with people when you know you have to warn them? Have you ever been lambasted or rebuked? Is it scary sometimes? Curious.
ReplyDeleteLeslie, to answer your first question, I know you're talking about "faith in God", vs "faith in man". So, I'd have to say very few when comparing the total number of new people I come across each day of my life. Second question, Yes, I'd say faith is a very discernible thing. Next question. I'd answer with a quote: " it can fairly correctly be said, that motives make all the difference between faith and presumption. Motives are so liable to be mixed, and few there are who can separate the blended strands, or recognize the existence of the subtle selfishness in that which looks as though it were wholly for the glory of God, or the good of mankind." (http://www.raptureready.com/resource/morrison2/achieve009.html) Next question. Yes, all the time. And finally yes, all of us have been lambasted or rebuked for the truth and yes it's scary.
ReplyDeleteGod bless
I like that quote about motives...."few there are who can separate the blended strands..."
ReplyDeleteSubtle selfishness goaded on by Satan's wiles can lead to a lot of wasted effort while we think we are doing great things for God.
This is why we have to stay in the Word of God constantly and be led of His Holy Spirit moment by moment, day by day. The older I get, the more this seems impossible! But with God all things are possible.
Abiding painfully,
Leslie Manto
Yes, Satan can be wiley. Obeying the Lord is a narrow path. When we got off the narrow path of obedience, this is where we get into the traditions of men making void the Word of God (Jesus).
ReplyDeleteI have met "Christians" who are so into memorizing Scripture and figuring Scripture out in the heads that they reject Christ (the Word of God). I call this Bible Verse Idolatry.
I have met church people (church on Sunday) who are so into church rituals and liturgy and church organization that they reject Christ. I call this Ecclesiastical Idolatry or churchy church churchianity.
Some churches think that all big decisions need to go through the pastor. We can call this Pastor Idolatry.
There is no doubt that church structure can help the new believer grow in Christ. Eventually you have to stand on your own two feet (surrendered to Christ, dead to self), obey the Lord and do HIS will.
Tim Shey