My friend, a woman in her early fifties, checked out a church and was telling me about it. The people were so very gracious and likeable, but there was one thing she spoke of that really bothered her, and me too. She noticed the women, certain ones, over-speaking their husbands in conversations. What I mean by “over-speaking” is that when their husband started to speak the wife would but in to take over the conversation, and in a way that seemed acceptable to the husband. She also was disturbed in her spirit to see the pastor of this church occasionally speaking at the pulpit. His wife and another woman preached more than he did, seeming appropriate to honor women as well as men for what they have to say.
As I was listening to her talk about this church (like so many other churches in America), something kept coming to me: “New Vine!”
I waited on more information from the Holy Spirit: It’s a ‘new’ Christianity that has formed here in America where God’s Word doesn’t mean what it says; it doesn’t mean what it ‘used’ to mean. There’s been a different spirit at work to deceive and misinterpret the Word of God so that it keeps Christians pleasing to everyone, except God. These young believers with families of their own – are afraid of being persecuted and rejected in society. They are looking for the way to ‘fit in’ and still hold to their belief in Jesus Christ. It won’t happen, says the Lord! We can’t walk the fence of having the best of both sides. That “fence of compromise” will eventually shake and we will have to decide which side we fall on.
I believe this is what God meant by speaking through Amos His Prophet about our day, the last days:
“’Behold, days are coming’ declares the Lord God, ‘when I will send a famine on the land, not a famine for bread or a thirst for water, but rather for hearing the words of the Lord. People will stagger from sea to sea and from the north even to the east; they will go to and fro to seek the word of the Lord, but they will not find it.’” Amos 8:11-12
The old ancient path of God’s Word meaning EXACTLY what it says – does not ‘fit in’ with today’s progression of all religions taking people to heaven; not one above the other; all religions uniting to tolerate each other’s lifestyles and to not stand against anyone’s lifestyle (of what God hates). Believers in Jesus Christ must compromise the Word of God in order to escape the ‘persecution of progressives’ for obeying God in exactly what He says in His Word. This New Vine Christianity is not of the OLD VINE. This New Vine has different branches and different fruit than the OLD VINE.
God does not change. His Word does not change. The Holy Spirit’s interpretation of God’s Word never changes. We are the ones that go along with the change in culture and society, and try to make the Word of God support our changes.
Christians (so they call themselves) are not taking God’s Word literally and personally as His people once did in America. We have repeated Israel’s mistakes:
“An appalling and horrible thing has happened in the land: The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule on their own authority; and My people love it so! But what will you do at the end of it? Says the LORD, through Jeremiah His prophet. Jeremiah 5:30-31
“No prophecy from God was ever brought about through human initiative, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” 2 Peter 1:21
“Then the LORD said to me, ‘The prophets are prophesying falsehood in My Name. I have neither sent them nor commanded them nor spoken to them; they are prophesying to you a false vision, divination, futility and the deception of their own minds.’” Jeremiah 14:14
New Vine! New Branches! New Fruit! JUDGMENT!
Jesus said, “Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit.” Matthew 12:33
Jesus Himself said that every branch ‘in Him’ that bears NO good fruit will be cut off, while every branch that does bear good fruit He prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. (John 15:2) I would rather be (painfully) pruned than forever cut off!
Jesus tells His followers: “Remain in Me, and I will remain in you. Just as no branch can bear fruit by itself unless it remains in the vine, neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in Me. I am the vine and you are the branches. The one who remains in Me, and I in him, will bear much fruit. For apart from Me you can do nothing.” John 14:4-5
No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not understand what his master is doing. But I have called you friends, because everything I have learned from My Father I have made known to you. You did not choose Me, but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit – fruit that will remain – so that whatever you ask the Father in My name, He will give you. This is My command to you: Love one another.” John 15:15-17
Jesus said to His disciples, “It is inevitable that stumbling blocks will come, but woe to the one through whom they come!” Luke 17:1
Far too many church pastors are “stumbling blocks.” Far too many parents are “stumbling blocks” for children. Far too many husbands are “stumbling blocks” for their wives, and wives to their husbands – like Eve was to Adam in the Garden.
“Now the Spirit expressly states that in later times some will abandon the faith to follow deceitful spirits and the teachings of demons.” 1 Timothy 4:1
“For this is a rebellious people, false sons, sons who refuse to listen to the instruction of the Lord; who say to the prophets, ‘You must not prophesy to us what is right. Speak to us pleasant words, prophesy illusions. Get out of the way, turn aside from the path, let us hear no more about the Holy One of Israel.’” Isaiah 30:9-11
“For they are a nation lacking in counsel, and there is no understanding in them. Would that they were wise, that they understood, that they would discern their future!” Deuteronomy 32:28-29
“For such as these are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive.” Romans 16:18
“Let no one deceive you in any way, for it will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness (the son of destruction) is revealed.” 2 Thessalonians 2:3
“For the time will come when men will NOT tolerate sound doctrine, but with itching ears they will gather around themselves teachers to suit their own desires. So they will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.” 2 Timothy 4:3-4
This is how this New Vine has been able to spread like crab-grass, a fast-growing weed, all the land of America to where we are having great unrest and destruction taking place.
“Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness; who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!” Isaiah 5:20
“They have healed the brokenness of My people superficially, saying, ‘Peace, peace,’ But there is NO peace.” Jeremiah 6:14
Through God’s own Son, Jesus Christ, He says: “Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will NOT be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.” (Matthew 12:32)
Why did our Lord Jesus say this? What does He send His Spirit to do for us that if we reject Him – we are forever lost and separated from God?
“When the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth. For He will not speak on His own, but He will speak what He hears, and He will declare to you what is to come.” John 16:13
TRUTH comes from God’s Spirit! Being prepared for judgment so that we do not stand in the JUDGMENT along with the wicked – is the work in us done by God’s Holy Spirit. Understanding fully what is ahead for the Lord’s disciples, the timing of things promised – is revealed by the Holy Spirit.
If we refuse to listen to the Holy Spirit – we will be deceived – believing every wind of false teaching and false prophecy. This is the working of the devil for a counterfeit vine to replace the TRUE VINE: Jesus Christ and His leadership in our lives.
Hear what the Holy Spirit is saying to the churches! Repent! Return to our First Love! Be still and know that HE IS GOD! Purify ourselves with the cleansing of the Word of God – obeying exactly what it says and means. Pray without ceasing and with the whole armor of God (all power and authority in Christ). And, do not be caught unaware of the devil’s schemes, falling into his traps. Be wiser than our enemies, with the holy wisdom of the Holy Spirit. Make ready a people prepared for the Lord. Ready your families. Jesus is coming sooner than we think!