HALTING BETWEEN TWO OPINIONS

As I was cutting our grass today (we cut it once a week in the summer time) the LORD kept impressing on me to tell His people, "now is the time to stop halting between two opinions." Strangely if I need to hear from the LORD I go to the bathroom (where it is quiet and still) and if I want the LORD to speak to me I cut the grass. How I love cutting the grass and going to the bathroom. We have a big yard and the LORD gets plenty of time working into my heart a few things He wants to see in my life and a few things He wants me to share with the people who get our teachings, articles, newsletter, emails, blog, etc. Today the LORD kept impressing on me to tell my friends, "now is the time to stop halting between two opinions." In 1 Kings Elijah was standing in the place and speaking for God at a crossroad of spiritual understanding for the people of God. At stake was the spiritual life of the people. The concern for the people's physical life was not so much of a concern because even in slavery one can get along quite well. But how easy it is today to have an opinion. Sadly not too many people (and I will include Christians here) are truly concerned about what God wants when it comes to our support for morality and spiritual issues like: abortion, sodomy, lesbianism, and the LGBTQ+ agenda, socialism, the real spiritual issues of our life time. We all (well maybe not all) know God is amazing, but I am ever amazed when Christians do something that is found in the word of God that glorifies God. That pushes the divine spiritual principles of a risen Savior and coming King further down the road of this world and further into the heart and lives of so many people lost in this world. But as Solomon tells us, "The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun." (Ecclesiastes 1:9) So true today and even in the day of Elijah. In 1 Kings Elijah could see the waywardness and the heart of the rebellious people as God brought them to a place of decision. So too today as the world continues to spin out of control (and the "church" is spinning just as fast in the world's orbit) God has brought people (and their heart are exposed by truth) to a place of choice between two opinions: those things of God or those things of the world. The choice today is quite clear and easy (as it was in the days of Elijah either serve God or Baal) ) if you want to be called a Believer. "And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word." (1 Kings 18:21) You see we cannot serve God and Baal or the world and all that goes with her idolatry and religion. Make up your mind! You choose is it God or Baal? In 1 Kings God showed up and there was a great victory as Elijah it slew the 450 servants of Baal after a epic day long battle, but today it seems the choices are not as cut and dry. Then is was God an eternal being of hope and love or Baal a cold hard stone statue. Today it is God or our self and the world and all of the trappings and pleasures the world can offer. Any time we get our soul (our emotions, our thoughts, our feelings, our intellect, our comforts, where sin abides in us) involved our choices and decisions seem to be very difficult. Any time we have some skin in the game, it seems our skin wins out. Not too many Christians want to suffer persecution, go through some tough things even if they are for our learning to be more like Jesus or even for the sake of the Gospel. Maybe that is why the Gospel message is not alive and well in America and around the world? One sign of the times I stumbled across recently. The present leader of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) (check it out it was on their website) just came out with a statement supporting Black Lives Matter (BLM) an anti-Christ and anti-home, homosexual, transgender organization who stated mission is the destruction of America and all she stands for. I was shocked when I read this on FOX News and went to the SBC's website and could not believe my eyes so I called the local Southern Baptist Church is our town and asked for the pastor. Praise God I got him. Well, I did not do much small talk and just came right out and asked if they support BLM and he started telling me how each SBC church is autonomous then he starting to hem and haw on the topic. I asked if he supported the SBC and he said, "well sometimes we disagree on some topics." I then told him the President of the SBC just came out with a statement supporting BLM and "do not say all lives matter." He went to the website as we talked and got very quiet. Now I will be honest I cannot understand how the largest evangelical denomination in the world can play footsie with BLM and still call themselves Believers? How can they can support a radical, subversive, terrorist organization who wants to destroy God and those who love God, the history, traditions, and social graces of America and still say they believe in the Bible? The SBC is deceived and they know not the truth of the word of God. My friend if you support BLM you are not supporting the things of God. I do not know how you can be a member of the SBC and call yourself a Believer. Paul told the Church at Rome, "Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. 13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God." (Romans 6:12-13) The words, "yield ye your members as instruments" mean what we support or give ourselves to in thoughts, intentions, or action (to include financial support) we become an instrument to whatsoever we give ourselves to. Whomever we belong and support in word or action (just look at the SBC organizational chart if you need more clarification) we become a part of what we support so if the boss is saying it then you are a part of it in word and action. How shameful of the SBC to support BLM. There must be a political or financial angle here for the SBC the organization of Billy Graham to compromise the truth of the word of God so easily and quickly. Oh maybe I get it now. Maybe the SBC does not want to lose black members or white members who support BLM and all of the money they contribute. Yeah, it is so much easier to capitulate the truth of the word of God than to stand for righteousness and speak the truth in love when money and power is at play. Anyone who does not believe "all lives matter" does not know the word of God, should be ashamed of themselves, and never again call themselves a Believe until they make it right with God and they know it. So why does the nominal church, all of the main stream denominations, and all of the cultic non-denominational churches halt between two opinions. If God be God then serve God, but if this world be your god then serve this world and all of her trappings. The "church" needs to get off the fence playing lose and fast with the world and holding up God every Sunday or Wednesday for the money and power the world offers. I have seen it all of my life. And it is time for the real Believers of God to stand up and be counted as the salt and light to the world. But no what I see in the SBC and main stream denominational churches is, "Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.( (2 Timothy 3:4-5) Did you get that! This is the spiritual condition of the SBC (unless they change their position) and any one or any organization that support BLM or any organization or group that, "yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin:" It is high time to stand for the word of God and truth! It is high time to call a spade a spade, it is high time for the Children of God to stand and call sin out for what it is, sin! No more compromise for money, influence, and power in this world. Paul really brings it home in 2 Corinthians when he wrote to the Church at Corinth, "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? 15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? 16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, 18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty." (2 Corinthians 6:14-18) Why did Paul write these words to the Church at Corinth? Why? Well the Church at Corinth was doing these things as the "church" of today in America and around the world is. Paul asks, "what communion hath light with darkness?" Sadly today there is much communion darkness is having with people who say they are of the light, but not so they are deceived and the truth is not in them. Oh no I am not judging just examining the fruit that is hanging from the low branches of the trees of their lives. Jesus said, "For every tree is known by his own fruit," By their "fruit" their life style, by their words, by their deeds, who they support, whose company they keep, who they give money, time, and energy. Check it out. Jesus said, "For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. 44 For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes." (Luke 6:43-44) Jesus stated, "a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit;" I wonder makes a tree good or bad? Well I can tell you that one, it is by the life style (words, actions, deeds) the tree lives and company the tree keeps. And these all are decided by the opinion we make. Do we choose God or the world? No need to halt between two opinions life is far too short. Written by David Stahl.