Man's reliance on man for the wrong things.

Man relies on man too much for definitions of godly matters. A number of ministers have used a dictionary of English language and gotten from it a definition of the word apostle. As a result, they have sent themselves forth as apostles, wanting the saints of God to honor them by such titles. But they have not looked closely at God's word to see God's definition instead of man's. In using man's definition of apostle and not using God's, they have transposed God's definition of this word for man's.

Likewise, the office and work of a bishop is clearly set forth by God's word, but men have accorded themselves and allowed others to accord to them the office and work without any regard for God's word. In so doing, however, they have transposed their qualifications, definitions, and meanings for those of God's. This action is a transposition of truth, for God's word is truth.

When looking at God's word, we can come to a definition of love as an outgoing concern that is activated for another person's significant well-being. This definition encompasses what God's word says about love. Hence, it defines love God's way. Jesus said, "If you love me, you will keep my words." That is action. Love is visible because it does an act, much like faith. "Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works." That is action. [James 2: 18] The Bible says, "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son." That is action. [John 3:16] To have love one to another is to do one for another; love cannot be for oneself only. It is an outgoing concerned for another's significant well being. Paul asked the saints, "Have I made you mine enemy because I told you the truth?" Implying that he shared with them the truth that positively affected their significant well being even though it hurt their feelings, items of relative insignificance.

Today we are living in what the Bible calls the Last Days. [2 Tim. 3:1] That is a period of time when strange, ungodly behavior will be widespread and Satan will stand in God's house exalting himself above all that is called God or worshipped as God. [2 Thes. 2: 3-4] Paul, in several of his writings, explains the behavior of men and Satan during this period. Writing to Timothy, he stated that in the last days, "...perilous times shall come. Men shall be lovers of themselves, covetous, boasters...without natural affection...lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God...they will have a form of godliness but deny the power of it." [2 Tim. 3:1-11]

These Last Days will be a time of great deception and transposition. As God sees men gathering false teachers to themselves and are more eager to hear them than his true ministers, He will send them strong delusions that they will believe a lie and be damned because they desire the lie.

God connects truth and love in a way that is important for one's eternal salvation. Job's call concerning his righteousness in the midst of his great distress must be our call as well, namely, one must love the truth of God's word more than his necessary food. [Job 23:12] The Bible teaches us that we must buy that truth and sell it not. [Prov. 23:23] Only the truth will make us and keep us free. [John 8:32]

During this time called the Last Days, the truth is more valuable than ever before. During this time one can no longer pretend to live for God or pretend to love God's word. All pretense will be tested whether you know it is tested or not.

And only truth will allow us to be free of Satan's deception. [John 8:32] During this time, Satan will exhibit all signs, power and lying wonders, with all deceivableness. Furthermore, he will have a place in the church. Only the truth of God's word will be able to identify Satan under these circumstances. Without a love of truth, Satan will slip in under our defenses, and we won't be able to see him. He will deceive many, and if it were possible, he would deceive even the very elect of God. [Mat. 24:24]

Only those who skillfully use the word of God and allow it to be the determining factor of all things can decipher Satan's work and his ministers. Some of his ministers will seem like angels of light, but they too must be tested by the word of God, not by man's likes or dislikes of their persons. [2 Cor. 11:14] Only the word of God is quick enough, powerful enough, and sharp enough to pierce and divide Satan's sweetened deceptions. Without the correct teaching of God's word and a love of it, one will not even know Satan is deceiving him because during these last days, Satan will exercise his greatest level of deception-all power, signs, and lying wonders; and all deceivableness. This is the time we live in. Now that which is seen plainly in the word of God is reduced to ashes by Satan in the minds of those who are faint of heart, light of head, and not stout enough to fully follow Jesus, the word of God. [Num. 14: 24]

For the unsaved, he will cause them to think that neither God nor he really exist-he will make fools out of them. And for the saved, he will make those who have not received a love of God's word think that they are doing the will of God by following some portions, as they follow their own notions and worldly traditions in other potions. But Ezekiel and John were told to eat God's word up totally, and Caleb was not of the same spirit as the people whom he traveled with [saints]: he fully followed God, as Christians must also fully follow Christ. [Num. 14: 24; Ezek. 2: 8-9; Rev. 10:9]

Certainly those things were written for our learning; even Jesus said that the old scriptures testified of him-the above scriptures testify of him as he is in his saints. [John 5:39] God's people must wholly follow God to be saved. Obeying God's word must become a lifestyle choice, a second nature, or rather, a first nature of Christians. One must decide to be holy and thoroughly committed to God. Satan will tell the people of God that God doesn't demand absolute obedience to his word and that such obedience is too difficult to live. Once you have adopted living according to God's word, and God has shown you how to grow into him, living as Jesus would live today is not a difficult life. Yes, there are tests that present challenges to your faith, but those tests are to build spiritual muscles in God.

Because men, during these Last Days, will not receive the love of the truth that they may be saved, God, himself, will send those men strong delusions that they will believe a lie and be damned. [2 Thes. 2: 8-12] This is remarkable, you say? Not really, God has done this before and shown us in scripture as learning instructions.

Remember Balak, son of Zippor? He asked Balaam, the prophet of God, to curse Israel. God had already shown Balaam that there is no enchantment against Jacob. God had told Balaam not to go with these men and to tell them that Israel is blessed. But as they brought more important men to him and brought more money, this man of God became a man of greed. He went with them, after going back to God and asking God to change his mind. Since God saw that he wanted the money and the adoration of men, God gave him a false delusion to make him think that he was actually moving at God's behest. But he was moving at his own will and desire. So blind was this supposed man of God that the very ass on which he sat had more sight than he. Please do not fail to see the sad condition of this man of God-he was blind; yet he claimed to be on a mission for God. And but for the dumb animal seeing God's mighty angel, he would have been dead. [Num. 22-24. Consider the doctrine of Balaam: Num. 31:16; James 4:4; Rev. 2:14]

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