Dead Faith - The Watch Letter

How many of us would go to a comedy show or concert where there was known cursing, drunkenness, raunchiness, lewdness, innuendos, suggestiveness, and belligerence? Most who profess to be saved would say they wouldn't. And rightly so. Because we know it is not a place or situation that edifies God, others, or our spirit.

But while many of us would never find ourselves participating in such activities in public, most of us have in private. Whether it's a TV show, reunion, brunch, conversation, or song that we know is pushing those same ungodly boundaries, jokes, mindsets, and cultural references or a secret thought we have in our hearts -- the impact on our lives is the same. Just because we do not do the "act" publicly does not mean "action" has not been made in the spirit.

You Are What You Eat

There is a saying that goes: "you are what you eat." Well, the word eat means to consume. So, if this saying is true then we are what we consume. Whatever we accept in our hearts, minds, bodies, eyes, ears, etc., is what we are or what we will soon become. If we consume gossip, we become gossipers. If we consume lustful content, we become lusters. If we consume lies, we become liars. If we consume fear, we become fearful. If we consume abusive language, we become abusers. And the list goes on.

I thank God for the treasure we have in our Pastor Chief Apostle H.C. Gunn. The messages he delivers, records, and broadcasts all month long are priceless because they come straight from the Kingdom. They are worth more than any diamond or pearl, and more than what money can buy. If we listen and rehearse what has been taught and don't let the word slip, it will help us to walk closely with our Father, God, and "act" like we belong to him.

In replaying some old messages, I heard Chief Apostle Gunn say: We may not do the "acts of the flesh" but we make suggestions and innuendos. We accept them. We do milder versions of them. We think about them. We watch them. We do them in our hearts.

He gave the example: We may not murder with our hands but we murder people with our tongues and even our selfishness. How many people are dying physically and spiritually because of things we say or don't say? How many people are dying because of what we won't give or do or because we don't care?

A man who does not watch pornography but willingly listens to songs or watches content that degrades women or sexualizes them is still participating in fornication. A woman who does not cheat on her husband but compares him to an actor or entertainer they desire and see on TV is still lusting and being unfaithful.

A person who gives to a stranger or a charity but doesn't give in their home and in the church that teaches and nourishes them is still robbing God and according to the Bible is an infidel (unbeliever).

1 Timothy 5:8: But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.

This scripture is sobering. If you are not doing things God's way then you are denying everything you say you believe. An infidel is someone who is unbelieving; because they do not follow the teaching. So, while you may say you believe in God, if you do not believe and act on his teaching and his commands, you are still an unbeliever.

Many may say: I am faithful to my spouse, faithful in going to church, faithful in raising my children, and faithful on my job. But in all that faithfulness, we can still be committing infidelity. We are two-timing God. We are trying to deceive him. We are being disloyal to him. If we don't live by the word that God wrote, and the living-word he breathes out through our pastors, simply saying we love him and believe he is real is not enough.

James 2:14-26 tells us that faith without (Godly) works is dead. Works can mean our behavior, in other words how we act and react according to the word. On today's FORREAL Radio Broadcast, "Cut It Out" Chief Apostle Gunn talks about how the saints must be willing to come to the word. If we are not willing to do what the word of God says to do when it comes to our feelings, our desires, our circumstances, and our questions, then why are we here? Meaning: why are we even coming to church? Why are we even professing to be saved? He said those who aren't willing to do the word as it is taught and written, become like cancer to a church community and if they remain unwilling, the Lord is calling for them to be removed from the body. If not, they will spread their rebellion, and unless the cancer is cut off, it will cause death to the body. What cancer have we spread by our choices, words, and decisions? Listen to "Cut It Out" here: https://www.thebodyofchristinc.com/listen-in?wix-music-track-id=2137320163551719&wix-music-comp-id=comp-kjfzbgmx

Faith Without Works Is Dead

James 2 (some highlights, read the whole thing here:

14 What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? 17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

.... 19 You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! 20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? .... 24 You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only. ...

26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

So, those acts (or works) we do or don't do that we think are harmless, in the middle, neutral, innocent, or acceptable are killing our faith and causing us to deny everything we say we believe.

The truth is: no matter what we do, feel, think, partake in, or no matter how it may look on the outside -- if it is not aligned with the character and word of God then it is unacceptable to God, which is an abomination. So, a person can give a million dollars to a school, but if they have never given one penny to their loved ones in need, then what does that mean to God? If you can testify about how great your boss or best friend is but never have anything to say about how good your pastor is to you, what does that mean to God? If you make all A's at school and have excellent conduct, but never listen in church or participate in the things of the Lord, then what does that mean to God?

In some previous messages from the series "What Do I Do With Myself" (you can play them back on our Listen In page), Chief Apostle Gunn broke down three main reasons why our "acts" or "works" are not lining up with the faith we profess to have.

1. We are weak in presenting our thoughts, feelings, desires, and our whole being before God as a living sacrifice. When the scriptures say to present your whole body it's not just talking about abstaining from sexual sin or outward sinful acts. Your body means everything and every part of you; every component and function of your being. Sometimes we think things aren't a big deal to God when they are. We need to have the courage and willingness and enough love in our hearts to bring everything to him - the good, the bad, and the ugly, as they say, and let him tell us what to do with it.

Romans 12:1: I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

Romans 6:13: Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.

2. We have greatly sinned in not letting the Holy Ghost live in us and allowing it to go after the flesh. The flesh is just like cancer, if it is not stopped it will keep growing. The Holy Ghost is the surgeon who can stop it in its tracks. We ignore his spirit and his word, but we easily let society, bloodline and worldly things, desires, and people dictate our lives. But we can repent today and allow the Holy Spirit to change us inside-out.

3. We never deal with cleansing and filtering our minds and hearts as we should. We can't wait until church to cleanse ourselves. Just like we need to bathe every day, we need to wash in the word and prayer every day. We need to think about what we are doing every day with our bodies and our minds. Some months back, Chief Apostle Gunn told us the Lord was calling for noon and midnight prayer. And as we did it, I saw such a difference in my life, then recently I realized I had gotten off track with pausing to pray at those times. Now, that I have recommitted to it, I feel a washing, resting, and freedom that I so desperately needed. But sometimes the reason we go unclean is that we don't want to do the word or what God says to do, so that is why our Bibles collect dust and our prayers become few and far between unless we need or want something or have a crisis.

Chief Apostle Gunn also said we don't have the ability or power we need to cleanse our plans, our lifestyles, our patterns, mindsets, and behaviors because even when we do pray or read the word, we have not changed the company we keep, the media we watch, and the things we pay attention to. So, we have dead faith, because we stay linked to dead things and dead people like a lifeline. And that death will come for the things of God that are alive in us and instead of us cutting out the sin the sin cuts us off from God. Anything or anyone who is not operating under the salvation God has provided through Jesus is dead. Again, if we don't separate ourselves from the cancer, we will die. Choose life.

Through the power of God, we know that anything/anyone dead can be resurrected, but both Jesus and Lazarus had to obey the words of God to live again.

2 Corinthians 6:14

Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?

1 Corinthians 3:16-17: Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.