Tag: Warning

Attitudes, US Blog, Worldly

Warning Against Worldly Attitudes

Mar 5, 2024 by Percy Parakh

James 3:13-17 New International Version

Two Kinds of Wisdom

13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. 14 But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. 15 Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. 16 For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.

17 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.

James 4:1-3 New International Version

Submit Yourselves to God

1 What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? 2 You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. 3 When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.

4 You adulterous people,[a] don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.

James 4:4-6 New International Version

4 You adulterous people,[a] don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. 5 Or do you think Scripture says without reason that he jealously longs for the spirit he has caused to dwell in us[b]? 6 But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says:

“God opposes the proud
    but shows favor to the humble.”[c]

James 4:7-12 New International Version

7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

11 Brothers and sisters, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against a brother or sister[a] or judges them speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it. 12 There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you—who are you to judge your neighbor?

Tipping Point, US Blog

Greg Laurie warned that many believers are approaching a tipping point

Jul 23, 2022 by Percy Parakh

International evangelist Greg Laurie warned that many believers are approaching a John 15:20 tipping point, if they aren’t there already.

“If you are a true believer, you will face persecution in some fashion,” Laurie writes in a recent Facebook post. “The word ‘persecute’ means ‘to be chased down, driven away and pursued.’ The good thing about it is that persecution can help you grow strong spiritually.”

Laurie details how Christianity has flourished, despite Satan’s attempts to destroy it.

Laurie writes: 

Secular historians agree that there were 10 great persecutions against the church, 10 major attempts to wipe out Christianity, starting with the wicked Caesar Nero and ending with Diocletian. Believers were fed alive to wild animals. They were taken to Roman arenas for sport. They were torn apart. They were tortured. They were burned at the stake.

Diocletian thought he was so successful in obliterating Christianity from the face of the earth that he actually had a special medal struck, which was inscribed with these words: “The Christian religion is destroyed and the worship of the [Roman] gods restored.”

Needless to say, Diocletian was wrong. Instead of becoming weaker during this time of persecution, the church actually grew stronger. Instead of being destroyed, it became a lean, mean preaching machine. Persecution can have that effect.

The pastor, author and speaker is behind one of the largest modern evangelism outreaches: The Harvest Crusades.

At Harvest America in June, nearly 3,000 attendees gave their lives to Christ. SoCal Harvest, next month, will feature prominent Christian artists, including David Crowder and Lecrae.

Part of what draws so many people to Laurie’s events and sermons is his authenticity.

When it comes to the trials of the Christian faith, the evangelist refuses to mince words.

“In a way, persecution will separate the genuine from the fake. If you are a true follower of Jesus, you won’t back down if a little persecution comes your way,” Laurie says. “And if God allows it in your life, He will give you the strength to face it.”