Believers who have been watching recent news broadcasts and YouTube have become aware of the fall of some of the prominent men of modern Christendom, and some we perceive “are falling” at the present time. I will not name any names or point any fingers, for today the Lord showed me a Psalm which put the fear of God upon me, when it comes to men taking down men.
Judgment is the Lord’s doing, not to be ours.
Let me explain what the Holy Spirit taught me this morning:
I was reading in the Psalms and came to Psalm 64. Written by David himself, within it was a plea for God’s protection…
From whom?
From those who would whet their tongues like a sword ,
and send forth the arrows of bitter words …
And what were their tongues and mouths up to?
… that they may shoot in secret at the perfect:
…suddenly do they shoot at him, and fear not.
…they encourage themselves in an evil matter.
…they commune of laying snares privily;
…they say, Who shall see them?
…THEY SEARCH OUT INIQUITIES;
…THEY ACCOMPLISH A DILIGENT SEARCH:
…both the inward THOUGHT of every one of them, and the HEART, is deep.
But GOD shall shoot AT THEM with an arrow; suddenly shall they be wounded.
So, they shall make THEIR OWN TONGUE to FALL UPON THEMSELVES:
…all that see them shall flee away.
And all men shall fear…
And shall declare THE WORK OF GOD;
For they shall wisely consider of HIS DOING.
The righteous shall be glad in the Lord, and shall trust in Him;
And all the upright in heart shall glory.
So, this is an exhortation to the Body of Christ, in light of these words of Psalm 64:
The time “of exposure” is upon us… every ministry, every minister, every church… I think we all realize this. Judgment beginning in the house of the Lord is mentioned over and over in the Word of God.
Yet…God is quite able to bring judgment upon those to whom judgment is due.
He doesn’t need us, who are Believers in Christ, to “add to” or to “search out” other’s wrong doings. We are warned to “Judge Not, Lest We Be Judged” in Matthew 7:1-3.
We are warned to “judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.” 1 Corinthians 4:5.
It’s not us and our tongues who should be searching out iniquities of others or trying to expose them!
David was writing this Psalm. According to him, he was the one this evil was being done to . This gives us all a different perspective, doesn’t it. He knew snares were being set for him.
He knew they were searching for his iniquities that they might exalt themselves over him!
Their bitter words… their tongues like swords, he classified as WICKED!
Then he points us all to the fact that GOD WILL INTERCEDE FOR HIM! He was leaving things to God.
What does the Word say will happen?
GOD SHALL shoot at them – with an arrow.
Suddenly, THEY shall be wounded. Their own tongue to fall upon themselves!
And when that happens, all that see it shall flee away.
And ALL MEN SHALL FEAR…and declare the work of God… for they shall wisely consider HIS DOING.
Brothers and Sisters, we are being warned of how to use our own mouths and our tongues.
Can you see this?
We are not to look for iniquities in each other, to bring one another down. We should be grieved in our spirit and go to prayer when we see someone falling. Especially someone in leadership!
If it is the doing of God, let it be so!! He doesn’t need our mouths to help him bring judgment.
We need to stand in the fear of the Lord, lest he judge us, for our own mouths. I don’t know about you. I don’t want my own tongue to fall upon myself.
I want to trust the Lord and be glad in his ability to handle his own children, his own leadership!
He is able to bring order!
He is able to bring correction!
He is able to bring judgment without my helping him “crucify” my brothers or sisters with my own tongue!
So, this Psalm 64 ends with these two verses. Let’s keep these foremost in our thoughts in the days ahead:
And all men shall fear and shall declare the work of God; for they shall wisely consider of HIS DOING. The righteous shall be glad IN THE LORD, and shall TRUST IN HIM; and ALL the UPRIGHT IN HEART SHALL “GLORY”!
Let’s not shoot in secret at the perfect (Psalm 64:4); The perfect means those who have been saved by the righteousness of Christ.
All of us are made perfect in Christ Jesus…we aren’t necessarily “perfect” in all things. Can we agree on this? We are to be Christlike and have His Image, true! This is the ideal we all believe the Spirit of God desires to accomplish in us. Yet we can fail to reach perfection for we all have our carnal nature warring with our Spirit man while in our earthly body.
So, let God judge his own leaders! We know from Moses and others, that God’s leaders “will be judged harsher than the average Christian, because they are leading so many others.” But also realize this: Moses, although he paid the terrible cost of not entering the Promised Land due to his own sinning, still belonged TO GOD. He still appeared on the Mount of Transfiguration with Christ. He still fulfilled his purpose. Those in this hour that we see “being judged”, I personally believe, have helped many thousands! I don’t call them false prophets. Just as Moses was not a false prophet. He was a disobedient prophet. He let his emotions get the best of him. There is a huge difference. But, I believe God cares enough about His Own Authority, and about each man’s own walk with him personally, to expose their wrongdoing, and to get them back aligned with him! Therefore, our prayers should be for them, not our tongues wagging against them.
Yes, pray for their repentance! Pray for their healing too! Pray for them to get right with their Lord, so their eternity is secure, and they can have peace again! Pray for those who have been under their leadership to stay strong too! To have the wisdom to know what is going on!
God is cleansing us all! God is cleansing his church!
All the while The Accuser is trying also to take out God’s shepherds!
This calls for “wisdom”. This calls for brotherly love. This calls for the Church’s “SILENCE OF TONGUES”…whether by spoken word, online social media, or print.
I had wondered why my spirit man felt “so yuk” when I’d hear of someone’s arrogance, or fall, or trouble…and now I know why! I’m not The Judge. I am to pray for the Body of Christ to be edified, strengthened, lifted up, and encouraged to stand…
Saints, we are all being encouraged to “stand” even if some around us are falling…
And to “pull up those who are stumbling” all around us.
We don’t give up our faith, Saints! We put our eyes on Christ and away from man! Away from those God allowed to be exalted due to their faithfulness! But even they can fall when they take their eyes away from Christ! A fall can happen to any of us!
The verse that comes to mind is 1 Corinthians 10:12,
“Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.”
In fact, Let’s read that entire chapter…1 Corinthians 10!
For it is for us “right now” !
Here it is from the KJV. Just read it and let the Spirit of God speak to you what He will. I’m just going to put it here for your convenience for there are warnings in here, like the one I mentioned above.
1 Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;
2 And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;
3 And did all eat the same spiritual meat;
4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.
5 But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness.
6 Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.
7 Neither be ye idolaters , as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.
8 Neither let us commit fornication , as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand.
9 Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents.
10 Neither murmur ye , as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer.
11 Now all these things happened unto them for examples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.
12 Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.
13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
14 Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry.
15 I speak as to wise men; judge ye what I say.
16 The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?
17 For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread.
18 Behold Israel after the flesh: are not they which eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar?
19 What say I then? that the idol is any thing, or that which is offered in sacrifice to idols is any thing?
20 But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils.
21 Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord’s table, and of the table of devils.
22 Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than he?
23 All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.
24 Let no man seek his own, but every man another’s wealth.
25 Whatsoever is sold in the shambles, that eat, asking no question for conscience sake:
26 For the earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof.
27 If any of them that believe not bid you to a feast, and ye be disposed to go; whatsoever is set before you, eat, asking no question for conscience sake.
28 But if any man say unto you, this is offered in sacrifice unto idols, eat not for his sake that shewed it, and for conscience sake: for the earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof:
29 Conscience, I say, not thine own, but of the other: for why is my liberty judged of another man’s conscience?
30 For if I by grace be a partaker, why am I evil spoken of for that for which I give thanks?
31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.
32 Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God:
33 Even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.
It is as a warning to all the Body of Christ! Each one must look to his or her own self. Are we following after Christ ourself? And do we lift up those around about us, concerned of their salvation and well-being?
Let GOD BE GOD!
He can judge each of us. This is why it is good to walk in the Fear of the Lord!
I don’t want him judging me! I will keep a reign on my tongue.
I will examine my own heart, and my own level of obedience to God.
I will not gossip of someone who is caught in sin, but will pray for their repentance, their restoration, and their forgiveness.
God is able!
God’s judgments are coming forth… not to ‘take sides’… but to BRING FORTH RIGHTEOUSNESS!
Let that be the prayer of God’s people :
That righteousness comes forth!
That the faithful of the Lord remain faithful!
That God be exalted!
And that fear of Him be upon all men!
Amen!
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