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Further Study
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TWO FOES: PRIDE AND THE REASONING MIND (cont. from "About This Ministry").)
Unfortunately, besides a reasoning mind, man also possesses the plague of pride. Pride causes individuals to
resent the notion that they may not have a revelation from God that perhaps another person may, in fact, possess
(especially where that person is perceived to be of a lesser prominence within a religious environment or
church). Pride then is the root cause of such individuals to inflate their carnal reasonings and worldly wisdom,
using an impressive stage and surroundings, a louder microphone and big screen image, material success,
and the popularity and praise of men as the "proof" that what they are saying is "Truth". My friends, RUN from
such people. God NEVER looks at the outside, but always at the inside, at a man's heart, and does so daily.
This is especially true of those exalted, "celebrity" status "leaders" among the Body. Since they coveted the "high
seats" of the congregation, pursued popularity, trusted in the devices of men, and gained broad visibility, God
holds them doubly accountable, and He is less tolerant of their error than the average believer. In a sense, he
must "make an example of them" by withdrawing from them His blessings of Spiritual wisdom and Truth. This is
the manner in which God "puts them on open display" to those with Spiritual discernment. (read more)
Perhaps the most obvious example of this is Rick Warren of Saddleback Church in Southern California. While Warren
clearly covets his popularity and the ample praise of worldly men, those who have resisted such temptations and
have remained true to the Cross can easily see he has become a blind, pride-filled, bellicose fool. Warren,
having cut himself off from God's favor and Spiritual wisdom, has very obviously gravitated to the temporal--the
"here and now"--as is tragically happening to many "popular" religious leaders. They elevate worldly objectives,
emphasize material blessings, and, devoid of revelation, they display an increasing reliance on the worldly
wisdom and principles of psychology, science, political correctness, marketing, statistics, financial gain, and,
most telling of all, the praise of men; especially other "celebrities" and popular figures. A further irony and sad
"proof" that they have lost contact with Spiritual wisdom is that the cannot even see how far they have fallen away.
They are fulfilling the prophecies of the end times, the tragic "falling away" of 2 Thessalonians 2:3, and the
rise of the false prophet and coming One World religion. Yet they foolishly believe they are bringing about "God's
kingdom on earth". Unfortunately, there is no scriptural basis for this whatsoever. Yet they not only do not see it,
but they REFUSE to even discuss it.
This is why the most important trait of true believers, and that which this ministry exhorts at all times, is the
necessity for vigilance and open examination of all one's words and deeds to ensure that they line up with all
scripture, not just a selected few. The humble rejoice whenever ANY brother or sister cautions another about
possible error. But the proud instead bristle, refuse to hear, silence and marginalize the messenger, and are
resentful toward any who dare suggest they are in error. And it doesn't matter how gentle, or "loving" they conduct
themselves, what matters is whether or not they are open to hearing the warning or exhortation from others--and
not just the comfortable, selected coterie of "inner circle" or "advisors" they surround themselves with.
Furthermore, are they also willing to actually carry out a sincere dialogue and scriptural examination with those
who bring them a warning.
Any resistance to hear warnings from others, and sincerely engage in discussions about it, of course, leads to a
downward spiral whose end is a carnal, dead religious organization which God had long abandoned. He of
course never abandons individuals, just the traditions and institutions they collectively create in an effort to "do
something big for God". God knows their hearts, and knows that they really only wanted to do something "big" for
themselves. The "big" things to God, however, always relate to the essence and quality of the one-to-one
personal relationship he seeks and pursues with each believer.
Regardless of how noble-sounding or "purpose-driven" they may wish to label them, no earthly religious
organization, no church, no sprawling campus, no worldwide television ministry, no social aid or relief
organization, or any other temporal activities of men will exist in eternity, nor be accounted for anything in the
Judgement. Only the Cross, and the Eternal Purpose of God in Christ will matter, and each one individual will
have to give account of what they did for THAT ministry of God and Jesus Christ.
"...And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of
God might be known by the Church, according to the Eternal Purpose which He purposed in Christ Jesus our
Lord". Ephesians 3:9-11 (emphasis added).
All other "purposes" of men are meaningless, and a colossal diversion away from God's Purpose in the Cross
God's main criteria for granting a revelation is His evaluation of the motivation and condition of each individual's
heart. Furthermore, God withholds revelation from those who He esteems to be prideful, rebellious, or deceitful
in their heart. Even more problematic for man is that God can and does blind and confuse ANY person--even
believers--once He detects any pride or false humility in one's heart. We can fool others, and even ourselves,
but we cannot fool God. He knows us better than we know ourselves. And that is the basis of a healthy fear of
God, and for constantly examining our attitude and beliefs.
"The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom" Proverbs 1:7, 9:10
With this in mind, one can understand why God devised a mechanism whereby He alone could determine the
hidden condition and motives within each man's heart; those things that the scripture refers to as the "secrets of
men". (Romans
2:16)
We believe the Cross is the mechanism by which God measure's a man's heart, the means by which God
imparts all Spiritual revelation, and is also the mechanism God uses to expose those who are prideful, worldly,
and are deceived, as they become the "the enemies of the Cross". Philippians 3:18 They become blinded to
"the mystery" of the Cross, and become antagonistic toward the preaching of the Cross and those servants of
God who are sent to present the message of the Cross. Because they don't have the revelation, they foolishly
assume no such revelation exists, rather than gladly entreat an invitation to explore the wonders of the Cross.
Mark's Blog
