I'm so very excited that this is the week of Thanksgiving, so all week long, I'll be doing a series of blog posts about the kind of things we should be thankful for and how we can express our gratitude to God for His precious sacrifice. Sound good?
Good.
So, be sure to visit everyday this week. I want to make certain that we all stay in the right frame of mind for this wonderful season we're entering into.
Well, to kick off the series, I want to talk to you about a trend I'm observing and how you and I can show thanksgiving and appreciation to God for the sacrifice of His only son, by being more vocal and taking a stand for what is right. I don't know if you've taken notice, but lately it seems like this world is going crazy!
Right is wrong and wrong is right. The lines between morality and immorality get smeared and blurred more and more each day, but you and I have got to use the platform God has given us--whether big or small--to speak up and stand up for what is right.
Last night, I was watching a portion of an interview on The Lexi Show, that airs on The Word Network, with the very popular leader Bishop Carlton Pearson, former Pentecostal Bishop turned preacher of the heretical Gospel of Inclusion. His wrong religious views say that everyone benefits from the redemptive work of Christ on the cross, even if they don't believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Here's a direct quote: "The whole world is saved (redeemed), but all are not aware."
It's a sad day when people begin believing that we can eliminate the prerequisite of faith in Jesus Christ, as the way to salvation. But these days, lots of false teaching is going around and it's our responsibility to stand up for what we know is right.
That's what I'm attempting to do today.
I also sat down and watched the YouTube videos capturing the "Nightline Faceoff" that aired on ABC a little while ago focusing on the hotly contested debate about whether Satan actually exists. Bishop Carlton Pearson was a part of this debate also and it is quite sad to see how far he's fallen into his heretical beliefs and teachings.
But contradictory teachings aren't going away. Until Jesus Christ returns for His Bride, which is the Church, there will always be individuals who rise up and work to tear down the tenets of our faith, simply because they don't agree and they don't believe. But, does this mean that we have to stand by silently and not stand up for truth?
No!
God gives us all equal opportunities to voice our faith and convictions on His behalf and it's entirely up to us to take that stand. We might not get the opportunity to discuss our positions and share our convictions on a mainstream network, but still, we can make an impact. Everyday, people are falling by the wayside, succumbing to sin, giving up on God and deciding to no longer believe; but you and I can hold fast to our profession of faith.
I don't know about you, but I feel like Joshua when he said, "But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD" (Joshua 24:15). No matter who decides to walk away, or embrace false teachings, or even adopt a contradictory lifestyle, I'm going to stand up and speak up for what I know is right.
This week, as I think of all the tremendous and awesome things God has done for me, the greatest gift He's ever given, is His son Jesus. The least I can do is present my body as a living sacrifice to Him (Romans 12:1), lead a holy life and be a shining example of His redemptive work everyday.
Let's join together and be determined, as never before, to let God's glorious light shine through our lives. No matter who may fall, together, you and I will stand. Just as the fathers of the faith that we see in the historical context of scripture did, we too, have to run this race and represent the one who sent us.
That's the way we demonstrate a true heart of thanksgiving.
I'll leave you with this scripture: "Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of
witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so
easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set
before us" (Hebrews 12:1).
As always, thanks for reading and until next time... may you be empowered to prosper!
Dianna Hobbs
