Times have changed...

A few months ago I was contacted by a person who said their life was in total chaos and falling apart. Depression, multiple health issues, broken family relationships, bitterness of heart, and financial lack were just some of the problems. After a brief discussion, it was clear that sin and rebellion towards God were at the root of this person’s afflictions. The lifestyle this person was now living was in direct rebellion to God’s Word.

“I believe in God”, she said. “And I know what the Bible says, but times have changed since then and we live in a different culture today. People are more open-minded today about the things the Bible says God does not approve of.” This was the response I received from a person who said she once was in a relationship with the Lord and even led Bible studies, but was now living a life contrary to God’s Word and His nature. Those words ‘times have changed’ have been on my mind the last two days. I’d like to share some thoughts about them.

Ecclesiastes 1:9-10 That which has been is what will be, That which is done is what will be done, And there is nothing new under the sun. Is there anything of which it may be said, "See, this is new"? It has already been in ancient times before us.

The culture and society we live in today may be different from past generations and may even be thought of as the new and modern way to live and think, but the only thing new about it is the time in which it exists. The scripture is clear that the culture and society we live in today has already expressed itself in time past.

Malachi 3:6 "For I am the LORD, I do not change…

We may live in a new day, in a new culture with a new and open-minded society, but one thing we can be certain of that never changes is the Lord and His Word. He gave us His Word and His Spirit to be a light to us that will show us the right way to live in a world that increasingly seems to be devoid of God and His nature. His Holy Spirit living in and through us empowers us with His grace to overcome every opposition to living a godly life this world can throw our way.

Psalm 19:7-11, The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul; The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple; The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes; The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, Yea, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Moreover by them Your servant is warned, And in keeping them there is great reward.

The word ‘simple’ in the above passage describes a person who is foolish, open-minded, silly, easily persuaded, seduced and enticed, which makes them an easy target for temptation by Satan who Scripture says roams the earth to and fro seeking whom he may devour. The word ‘reward’ means consequence or as a consequence of; result, as in compensation; gain, reward, or end wages.

My point? Having an open-mind according to the world’s standard which says ‘times have changed, do what thou wilt’, will only open you to the deception of an angel of light who will come and preach a different gospel to you, a gospel that is cursed and will bring a curse into every area of your life. How so? Because it won’t be long after believing times have changed and the Bible was not written to the people of our time that you will lay it aside and sin will enter in. Remember, Jesus said, I AM THE DOOR. He is also the Word. The minute you believe the lie that the Word of God is not for today and stop believing and reading it, you are like a man who took the front door of his house off its hinges and threw it aside, went to his bed and fell asleep. You make yourself an easy target to be robbed by a thief. You could even lose your life for doing something so foolish.

Genesis 4:7 "If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it."

John 10:9-10 "I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. "The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

“Sin lies at the door”, the Door is what keeps you from sin and the curse it will bring into your life. Having an open-mind is like the man who removed the front door of his house, his mind being the house, allowing anything and anyone to come in and ‘do what thou wilt’ with your mind to turn it against God and His ways to steal the abundant life God wants you to live.

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Remember, the word ‘reward’ in Psalm 19:11 means a consequence of; result, as in compensation; end wages. It is clear to see and understand that the consequence of not obeying and applying God’s word to your life today results in sin, and its wages and reward is death. I believe this is the situation this precious young sister is in today. The spirit of death, which produces the fruit of lack, limitation, and poverty, has claimed it’s legal right to enter into every area of her life. Her mind, health, relationships, and finances are all under attack and being devoured by her adversary. God does not require death; sin requires death. It may not happen immediately because God is gracious, merciful and longsuffering towards us, but if we refuse to repent and turn away from sin, without a doubt ‘the’ thief will eventually come to steal, kill and destroy every good and perfect thing God intended for you to have and enjoy in this life.

Psalm 119:165 Great peace have those who love Your law, And nothing causes them to stumble.

So much packed into this one verse. The word ‘peace’ in Hebrew is shalom. The word picture for shalom can be interpreted as the authority of God breaks the yoke that binds you to chaos. The word ‘law’ refers to the first five books of the Bible written by Moses. They are called the Book of the Covenant, or the Mosaic Covenant, and also the Deuteronomic Covenant. They are also known as “Torah”, which is commonly referred to as the “Law” but this gives a wrong impression since the real meaning of ‘Torah’ is simply to guide, teach; teaching, doctrine, or instruction. It comes from a root in the realm of archery, ‘yareh’, which means to shoot an arrow to hit the mark. Which is where we get the expression “to sin is to miss the mark.” Leviticus 10:11 "and that you may teach the children of Israel all the statutes which the LORD has spoken to them by the hand of Moses."

‘Stumble’ means to fall, that which against anyone stumbles, a stumbling block. It also means a cause of the failing, a cause of the falling of anyone, incitements to go astray, incitement to sin, offense of the mind. So there you have it. The Law (the Word) is the Door that teaches you how to keep sin and death out of your life and mind. It is the very authority of God that will break the yoke of sin that binds you to chaos. Remove the Law, the Door, from your mind and life and your new free and open-mind will become a stumbling block and offense to you. You will fall headfirst into sin which is patiently waiting on the other side of the Door to devour you and the abundant life Yeshua came to give you.

Joshua 1:8 "This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.

My advice to the young sister was to be reconciled back to God and do as Joshua was instructed to do. Meditate on God’s Word daily, be a hearer and a doer of the Word, and then she will begin to make her ways prosperous again, and she will have good successes. Unfortunately, she refused to be reconciled to God and her situation has grown worse. She is still adamant that times have changed and the Bible is outdated. I pray the Lord will heal her of all wounds and restore her to her first Love.

1 Corinthians 10:1-11 Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, 2 all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, 3 all ate the same spiritual food, 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ. 5 But with most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness. 6 Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted. 7 And do not become idolaters as were some of them. As it is written, "The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play." 8 Nor let us commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and in one day twenty-three thousand fell; 9 nor let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed by serpents; 10 nor complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer. 11 Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.

Times have changed, I agree. The time we live in today is referred to in the Bible as the end of the ages and the last days. Many of the warnings about sin, iniquity, and transgression were specifically written to the people of our day and generation. Times may have changed, but God has not. Sin is still sin.

Romans 15:4 For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.

What about you? Are you in a similar situation where you find yourself questioning the authority of God’s Word for living in today’s world? Remember, there’s nothing new under the sun. If you have gotten away from your first Love, the Lord, I encourage to ask Him to forgive you for being away so long. He will rejoice over you at the sound of your voice calling out to Him. Reacquaint yourself with Him, meditate on His Word, and renew your mind, and the abundant life He desires you to live will begin to bud forth again. Change will come. It’s in the Word.

Numbers 23:19-20 God is not a man, that he might lie, or a son of man, that he might change his mind. Does he speak and not act, or promise and not fulfill? I have indeed received a command to bless; since he has blessed, I cannot change it.

When it comes to you and your life with Him, He is not open-minded nor can He be persuaded by anyone to change His mind concerning His promises towards you. His mind is made-up to bless and prosper you. It always has been, always will be, and always shall be, His intention for your life.

Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

I have also been commanded to bless you. He will not relent. Nothing nor no one can hinder Him from what He has purposed in His heart to do concerning you.

Receive this blessing: The LORD bless you and keep you, the LORD make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you; the LORD lift up His countenance upon you, and give you shalom.

Blessing and favor,

Samuel

Smashing Pillars International (SPI)

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