Rise on Fire Ministries

The Persecutors of the Holy Spirit - Addressing the Gossip

15 days ago
Transcript

So I have to speak to you strongly today, and despite what some may think, it's not something that I take particular joy in doing. But when murder happens right before your eyes, how can you keep silent about that? In fact, if you walked into a place and you saw blood being spilled and you turned a blind eye to it and the authorities showed up, they put up their police tape, they investigated the scene, and if they figure out that you did nothing, that you said nothing, despite the fact that you are a witness, they'll come and take a closer look at you. They'll question, is this person not apart of what the murderer was doing? And in the same way, I want to submit to you that that is what our Father in heaven is doing in this time. There is a crime scene. Brothers and sisters, even in our churches, in our fellowships among believers, some of us have been alerted and have stood to become a witness of it, to stand up and say, this is not right. And there are others who are turning a blind eye. And I have to wonder whether it's intentional. Now, look, I have traveled far and wide to many fellowships in many states within the United States. And the vast majority of believers are the most amazing, loving, sincere people that I've ever met and that have shown me even such great kindness. But there are a few people that are religious and yet have rejected the Holy Spirit while confessing Yeshua as being their Messiah while confessing Jesus. And they are marked and are going to become known more and more for both their practice and participation. Murder. What am I talking about? 1 John 3:15 tells us that everyone who hates his brother is a murderer. And you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. Now, I am a man who actually believes what the Bible says, that the one who hates his brother is a murderer. The world thinks a murderer is someone who sheds blood, literally, with their hands. And the world locks such a man up for a very long time. And that's good. But the Bible says that the threshold of what murder is starts long before someone picks up a stone or a gun or a knife. And you might say, well, pd, you know, yeah, okay, haters of men, those are murderers. I don't hate. Now, let me ask you, why would you not verify the things that you hear? Why, when we hear something about someone else, something that's negative, why do we turn a blind eye? Why do we consume it and spread it? Why do we not go to the person who it's about to verify? See the logical response when you hear a rumor about someone you know, something bad that someone has done or believes or have said, the most logical thing would be to go to them and be like, hey, I have a question. I heard that you said this. Or, you know, I maybe have misunderstood you. Maybe I understood you. But I just want to know, like, what do you mean by that? You'd say to yourself, I've heard something controversial. Let me go and seek the answer. But what if some of us are saying, you know, I don't really want to know the answer because I'm angry, I'm jealous of that person. I'm bitter, that person's my enemy. Perhaps I feel threatened. I'm losing control that I have to this other person. I'm losing influence. I don't like what they believe. I don't like their theology. See, the Pharisees in the first century felt threatened by the Messiah. They felt angered by him. They felt jealous, bitter, especially by the fact that they were losing their influence by this doctrine that he was bringing this new life that was coming out of him and his ministry that wasn't no one else's ministry at that point. In the same way, see, ironically, the Pharisees, who were these men of intelligence and logic and law, responded not with reason and in truth to the Messiah, but rather in lies. Driven by negative and evil emotions that they had about him. Their intellectual relationship with the Bible was exposed as being merely intellectual instead of a relationship with God, with His Holy Spirit. And so because of that, these acts of hatred just came out of them, and they started murdering the Messiah. When people think about Jesus being murdered, they think about the cross. And that's the most obvious and the most true thing that he has gone through. But I want to submit to you that he was murdered long before then by the mouth of the Pharisees. Luke 7:32. They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling to one another. We played the flute for you, and you did not dance. We sang a dirge and you did not weep. For John the Baptist has come eating no bread and drinking no wine. And you say, he has a demon. The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, look at him. A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and a friend of sinners. Imagine that. You know, I could understand bringing an accusation against a mere flawed man. Isn't that not a man like me? Is that not a man or a lady like you? But then you look at the Messiah, and they come to him, the most perfect Lamb of God, and they say, look A glutton, a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners. Well, Yeshua tells us exactly why they did not accept him. As he said in verse 32, we played the flute for you and you did not dance. He makes this amazing analogy to a well known philosophical story that was going around in the first century. And he makes the equation to John the Baptist who sang a dirge. In other words, the people heard a message of repentance, a heavy message from prophets of old in the Torah and prophets and in John the Baptist's life. And they did not weep when they heard the message to repent. And even in our first century New Testament, when Yeshua the Messiah comes to play the flute, in other words, he comes and he gives them good news that there is salvation in him and a Holy Spirit to be poured out on them. They did not dance. Yeshua is saying, no matter what kind of a message God is sending you, you are not responding to the message of God. You love to respond to what you desire at the cost of what God is bringing you. And Stephen, I love Stephen, the first martyr for the faith. He explained this exactly why they killed the Messiah in Acts 7:51. He says, you stiff necked people, you uncircumcised in hearts and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit, as your fathers did, so do you. Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who announced beforehand the coming of the righteous one, whom you have now betrayed and murdered. They murdered John the Baptist. They murdered Yeshua? Yes, literally, but also with the tongue. See, this is the instrument of murder that we all carry and that is going rife today, murdering people. See, when the Pharisees were approached to be asked about this Messiah, this Yeshua, this rabbi, and all of the miracles he's doing, the life that he's bringing, the works of the Holy Spirit being done by him, the demons being cast off by, they tried to ignore what the people were bringing and instead they discredited Yeshua's character from the jealousy that they experienced because the people were flocking to him and his ministry and not to theirs. See, they did not come, for the most part at least to Yeshua to verify. Rather, they started spreading friend of tax collectors, glutton, drunkard, and rumors like these. And while some approached him to discuss theology and their disagreements, which was a good thing to do, many never did. This is why Yeshua spoke very directly to them about this very thing. In John 8:44, he says, you are of your father, the devil. And your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies. But because I tell you the truth, you do not believe me. Now, this is amazing because Yeshua says Satan is the father of lies and a murderer from the beginning. Who did Satan kill? I don't remember Satan picking up a knife. I don't remember the story where he stoned someone unrighteously. I don't remember any of that. But see, in the garden, what happened is Satan was the first murderer who murdered humanity through a lie. See, it was through a lie. Through lying, through bearing false witness about what God had said and deceiving Adam and Eve that they fell into the trap of what God warned them about, that if you eat of the tree, you will die. And Satan, being the deceiver, was the murderer through his lies. See, brothers and sisters, we need to get out of this mindset that to murder is to literally murder. It is to lie, to bear false witness, to gossip, to slander. These are murders. These are as murderous as it gets. That is, they have stood condemned before they put him on the cross. This is why the Messiah said the things he did to them before they put him on the cross. Even though we say we love the law, even though we say we love God, we who say we are religious, sometimes we are the greatest murderers. That is how it was in the first century. The greatest Pontius Pilate was like, I'm washing my hands in innocence. You guys want this guy dead? The Gentiles said, I don't see what's wrong with this Yeshua guy. The leader of the pagans said, I see no fault in him. But the religious, the law keepers, the Torah keepers of the first century, they were the ones who demanded his life. They were the ones who called for his murder, first through their gossip and later by putting him on a cross. And so similarly, brothers and sisters, I want to submit to you that just as in the time of the Torah and the prophets, they persecuted God as they persecuted his messengers, the prophets, and as they in the early church, persecuted the Messiah himself. Even being reminded now of Paul, whom Yeshua said to soul Saul, why are you persecuting me? See, he had no idea, being a religious man, a lover of the law, and no idea that he was persecuting Yeshua himself when he was persecuting Yeshua's disciples. See, Some of you are persecutors of disciples like Paul was before he met Yeshua. And you don't even recognize that today it is you who are now persecuting the Holy Spirit. And it is the Holy Spirit in this day who is saying, why are you persecuting me? See, you think you're doing the Lord's work like Paul thought he's doing God's work, persecuting believers. You're persecuting the Holy Spirit. Today, God is playing the flute of the Holy Spirit for you. He is giving you good news, and still you do not dance. He spoke through John the Baptist. He spoke through Yeshua. He's speaking now through the Holy Spirit. And still you do not weep. You do not dance. You do not respond. And so now what has occurred is that many congregants who are responding, believers who are they are seeing the power of God that wants to work in and through them and starts to work in and through them as they lay their hands on a husband or a wife or a friend, and they see them get healed and they get excited, and then they go to their congregation and they say to their friends and fellow believers, look at what God is doing. This is what God wants to do in us all. It is Acts 2. It is what Joel prophesied to pour out his Spirit upon all flesh, to prophesy, to dream, dreams. It is Luke 10 as they come back saying, even the demons submit to us. These congregants are going back saying the demons are submitting. They're saying the sick is being healed. They saying that there's prophecy. They're speaking in tongues. All of these very biblical things in the Bible is happening in my life. And I'm seeing God is drawing me near and calling me near. And he's. In the very least, he's drawing my heart to it, and I know it. And then sometimes, as the Holy Spirit is within the hearts of the congregants in the congregation, they respond with joy. They respond to the call of the Holy Spirit, and they enter that with rejoicing. And they see God move through them. The pastors and the leaders see a transformed people. They see a people that has made new, changed hearts. They see divorce cease in the congregation. They see disunity cease. They see church split stop. They see marriages restored. They see what they've always wanted to see because they welcome the Spirit. But then there are some who are uncertain. And questions are, okay, I understand why we may have questions about the Holy Spirit. There's been many things done in the name of the Holy Spirit, that's not been all right. And so it's okay to ask questions. It's okay to make sure we're doing it with discernment. Amen to that. But some, they desire to avoid all questions and anything to do with the Holy Spirit. And instead they do exactly what the Pharisees in the first century did against Yeshua. They went ahead to discredit his character by gossips and slanders and murders by the tongue. And that's even what I myself have witnessed and seen. Just in this last year. I've seen it in a greater way than ever before against our ministry. I mean, just even this last Sukkot, which was a glorious time, by the way. Wow. Praise God. But I remember something happened there. I want to share with you. There was a gentleman who came up to me, and I want to praise God for this gentleman. This gentleman is such a godly man. He is a man of integrity, and you'll hear why in a moment. But I just want to say, when I think back on him, my heart is filled with such love for this man. And it's because after I talked at one of the sessions at the feast, he came up to me and he said, petey, I want to ask you a question. I heard something about you that people have been speaking. I heard that people have said that you say that anyone who doesn't believe in deity, in Jesus being God, that person has a demon. Now, first of all, I have my beliefs about who Yeshua is. And if you watch my channel, you know what those beliefs are, and I feel strongly about those beliefs, by the way. However, I would never do such a thing as to take such a big topic that is a complex theological topic which takes a lot of study and wrestling and looking at the Scriptures to understand. And I understand that journey that people have to go through. And so it'd be very irresponsible for me to ever say or think that someone has a demon just because they haven't seen things the way I see things. Even if I believe this is a very important issue. I recognize that everyone has a road. They're walking with the Father, and as they come to faith in him, they have to discover who he is. And so just because they may not have discovered everything that I may see, that doesn't mean that they have a demon. Right? So let me just get that out of the way here for a second. But see this man. This is the beauty of this whole story. This man came to me as he Himself admits he heard this from someone, who said someone, who said it to someone. And he came to me face to face, wanting to get to the bottom of this and see. When we hear false reports of someone, whether we know it or not, because we do not verify what occurs is a false witness and slander goes out and a murder takes place and blood is spilled and we walk by and we see it, we hear it and we do nothing. Are we not partaking with them in that? So, hey, if you've had a bad report that you heard about me, my ministry, something I apparently said, come to me, speak to me. I have an open email I'd love to hear. I'd love to talk to you about theology. If you have a disagreement with me, come to me. I'd love to speak to you about it. But these people who spread these rumors, they never come to me. The mark of a teacher that you need to be wary of is someone who is constantly speaking of other people negatively, tearing them down in order to try and prop them and their ministries up. See, there is a place, there is a time for addressing a heresy head on. We have rarely. But we have done it on this channel. Like when a false prophet has gone out in order to protect the sheep, in order to protect God's people. Amen. There's a good place for that. But when you're in a constant thing where you're just making stuff up, tearing people down, never going to that person to have a real, just loving conversation about these things, to see eye to eye or to orange sharp iron like, man, we're going to have disagreements, you know, we're going to have things we have to talk through, work through and some things or maybe just whatever. Like, yeah, we're not going to agree on everything and that's not the end of the world. Like when we're talking about secondary issues, that doesn't mean we have to break fellowship over them. But when we start murdering one another by making rumors up and slanderous and things like that, then that causes division as God is coming to bring a restoration of spirit and truth. Then we see now that many people who are opposing the Holy Spirit, like the Pharisees who rejected the Spirit as their fathers did, they try and discredit ministries who are proclaiming the baptism of the Holy Spirit and the works of the Holy Spirit and the walking in the Holy Spirit by shoving them into this box of. Well, they're just like the Pentecostals of old or pushing people over and who are, who have no Self control and who all these things that we have all witnessed, perhaps, and many of us may even have trauma unheard from such experiences. And I'm sorry if that's been the case for you. We stand against those things. We have never done any of those things at all. The accusation that PD pushes people over at his meetings. Yeah, right. That's never happened. And anyone who's come to a meeting where I was at can tell you that I do not push people. In fact, just call up anyone who works with our ministry who does events with us, and they will say, I have never seen PD push people over while praying for them because it's another false witness, a lie that's come out of nowhere. That's. Someone could have just come to me in the first place and asked, hey, pd, did you push that person? We can have that conversation if that's what you think you saw. No, but see, what I'm most concerned about is not really about me in this ministry. Because look, these rumors happen and they will be like people will do what they do. They have done it to my Messiah. And I rejoice that I suffer the same things. In fact, I have nothing suffered nothing compared to what he has suffered. But who I would like to speak for today, and my point with all of this truly are the thousands of believers who do not have a voice, who do not have a platform of other ministries, who are being gossiped about, who desire to walk in the Holy Spirit and push forward in spiritual gifts and in bringing God's love to people. There is an attack of bearing false witness on every ministry walking in the Holy Spirit. And that attack is increasing and we have to stand together in a time like this. And then secondly, I've received reports of trauma and hurt, gossips and slanders and the way people are being treated, the way that relationships are handled. And the leaders, in some cases, some cases, a few cases, are either the partakers or they witness it and they do nothing. Dear leaders, whether you are the gossiper or whether you've allowed it to just flourish, or even if you've taken joy therein in some way, you've just turned a blind eye to it because you really like the fact that someone is being talked bad about who you don't like, recognize people are waking up to this sin in your congregations and this is your call to put an end to sin or God will put an end to your fellowship. See, the carpets of your congregations are soaked in blood, for murder happens even in the congregation. And does the Torah not speak about what happens when there is blood in the land. Numbers 35:33. You shall not pollute the land in which you live, for blood pollutes the land. And no atonement can be made for the land for the blood that is shed in it, except by the blood of the one who shed it. If you are in a fellowship where the things that I am speaking about is occurring, demand accountability. Approach your leaders and elders and ask them to take action if you see gossip and slander taking place. For the Lord exposes fellowships and will destroy any ministry that produces death instead of life, that murders instead of saves. You say, Petey, you're saying really harsh words right now. Am I really harsh? For the sake of my Father's sheep, I speak. And if you cannot hear my words, beware of his judgment that is coming upon the living and the dead. Matthew 12:36 I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned. And if you are someone who have been the victim of people who have slandered you, your name bore false witness against you, then Proverbs 24:7 tells us to keep our side clean. It says, do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles, lest the Lord see it and be displeased, and turn away his anger from him. Fret not yourself because of evildoers, and be not envious of the wicked, for the evil man has no future. The lamp of the wicked will be put out. I have witnessed that there are five types of people, and I want you to listen, to consider who you are. There's the person who heard something bad or evil, negative about you, then they don't verify it with you. There's the person who doesn't believe everything they hear and who verifies. Number three. There's the person who didn't understand something you said. They themselves heard you say it, but they're not sure. It's like, did you really mean that? Did I mishear you or. And then they don't verify. They just pridefully assume that their interpretation of what you meant by your words is correct. Then there's also the person who didn't understand something you said, but yet they came to you and verified, hey, brother, is that really what you meant? Did your tongue slip over there? What do you mean they came to verify? And then number five, the person who, after verifying, still cannot bear it as Yeshua said in John 8:43, why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word. Some people, no matter what, they will not understand what we're saying because they cannot bear what we are saying. Because the words of the Lord are heavy unto the disobedient and heavy unto those who reject His Holy Spirit. Who are you? You may say, well, Petey, what about my enemies? What do I do about them? Especially so with your enemies. If rumors about your enemy is going around, stop and verify everything you hear. Because, see, I know that it is tempting to be like, I don't like that person. So I want all the negative things I'm hearing to be true. So I'm not going to go and verify it. I'm scared. If I go verify that, it turns out that it's not true, because I really want to believe that they're as evil as I'm hearing right now, because they're my enemy and I don't like them. See, it is double important that when you hear something about an enemy that you verify. Even when it's about a leader, a secular leader, a politician, yes, I'm going even there. Or a biblical leader, a pastor or an elder, it doesn't matter who it's about. When you hear something, you must verify it. In fact, the Bible reestablishes the requirement of witnesses that is needed for a charge to be established. In 1 Timothy 5:19, it says, do not admit a charge against an elder except on the evidence of two or three witnesses. You say, well, Petey, I don't know how to verify it. I can't verify. Well, if you cannot verify it, then don't spread it. It's better not to speak than to stand guilty before God as a false witness. Let us consider how biblical hospitality takes place and how biblical correction takes place. Acts 18:26, we see Apollos is preaching. He's a leader. He's a guy who's teaching. He's an important guy. But when Priscilla and Aquila hear him, do they go on Facebook to blast him? Do they stand up to rebuke him? Now, in certain times, things like that did happen, and we'll talk about that in a second. But in this case, no. It says Acts 18:26. It says, he began to speak boldly in the synagogue. But when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately. And when he wished to cross to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples to welcome him. Look at their incredible hospitality. I say hospitality because that's the word that's used when it says that they took Apollos aside. That word for taking him aside is the word proslembano, which means to receive someone with hospitality. It means to receive someone kindly. It's like when you welcome someone into your home and you pull out a chair, you ask, can I get you something to drink? Can I get you food? Do you need to stay the night? That's what that word is all about. See, that's how they treated Apollos, even though they had a disagreement with him about something that he said publicly that they didn't agree agree with. And then when they reached him with hospitality, they were able to reach him because his heart was open, like, wow, you have the love of God in you, you have kindness in you. I want to hear what you have to say because your fruits are good. You didn't just go and blast me over the things that I said, so I'm going to listen. In fact, it says that they even went to write for others to show hospitality to Apollos. As to where he was going to go next. You say, well, what about Peter and Paul? You know Paul rebuked Peter harshly. Yes, he did, but because Peter in that moment compromised the gospel. He was with Gentiles and then he withdrew when the Pharisees walked in. That was a gospel issue because it was sending a message to the Gentiles that, look, you are not worthy to be with me, an apostle of the Lord, Yeshua, because you are unclean. And that is a message that is sent by his withdrawal, that they are not welcome to the Messiah unless they do the certain requirements of the law, of course, that the Pharisees were putting forth. And that's why Paul took such a strong stance rebuking Peter before everyone, so that everyone can understand how serious this is, that the gospel may not be compromised in that situation. If you want to know more about that, I'm linking a video up here where I go into more detail, verse by verse. But brothers and sisters, I want us to recognize that not every issue is the same. There are issues that are. That are literally like people's salvations are on the line if we do not sort this out now. And then there needs to be a public correction at times, and even that needs to be approached with fear and trembling. And then there are other issues that certainly do not warrant the same type of response, like how Priscilla and Aquila approached Apollos. And then there are Many other issues which are really most issues which stem from jealousies and bitterness. The same things that the certain Pharisees had against Yeshua. They just made stuff up, or they take. They took facts about Yeshua's life, they inflated it, and they said, oh, look, he's dining with tax collectors. He must be one of them bearing false witness. See, it's time for us to really approach this whole topic with such fear and get the memo on slander. Because the liar will not inherit the kingdom of God. See, this is why I'm serious about this, is because the people who are doing this will not inherit the kingdom of God. They will not be in the kingdom. They will not be saved. I'm not the one saying this. I'm not the one who makes these rules. This is what Yeshua said. He said, if you are a liar, if you're a coward, if you're someone who's faithless, if you're a murderer, you'll not be in my kingdom. You will burn. That's what he said in Revelation 21:8. For as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable and murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death. Gossipers are all of these. They are cowardly, for they do not go to the person to verify what they have heard. They are murderers because they spill blood by their own tongues. They are liars, for they twist the truth, and they are detestable by their deeds. Proverbs 6:16 tells us about how gossip is an abominable sin. There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, a false witness that breathes out lies, and one who says discord. This is everything that someone who gossips does. Brothers and sisters, these rumors about us as we stand on spirit and truth worship, these rumors will continue. And it's a badge of honor on my ministry and on yours. For they persecuted the one who has sent you, and he has promised that this persecution is part of being known as his disciple. Matthew 5:11. Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven. For so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. Hallelujah. Are you someone who've had people falsely say things about you behind your back. He says, great is your reward in heaven. Rejoice, rejoice, have a feast, because great is your reward in heaven. 2 Timothy 3:12. Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ will be persecuted, while evil people and imposturers will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. And you may say to me, petey, how can believers do such things? It's what we just read. The Bible calls them imposters. They aren't believers. Even if they call themselves believers. Not everyone who thinks that they are born again are born again. John3.5 says, Yeshua said, truly I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of flesh is flesh, and that which is born of Spirit is Spirit. You cannot say that you are born again and act like you are still in the flesh. No one who is born of God makes a practice of sinning. For God's seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God. By this it is evident who are the children of God and who are the children of the devil. Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God. Nor is the one who does not love his brother, the one who hates the murderer. He is a child of the devil, the gossiper, the slanderer. He or she is a child of the devil. They are liars. That is the father of lies, the devil, and the one who is of the father of lights, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. They are standing for the truth. They do not allow gossip to prosper in their midst. I want to conclude with this story. Years ago, when I was young, I remember I was in a group of friends, and they spoke about a certain girl. They spoke bad things about her. But you know, this girl, I. You know, she was mean to me. She was a bully. And, you know. So there was no reason for me to defend her from that standpoint. But within me, the Holy Spirit welled up. And I opened my mouth and I told them all, have you verified these things with her yourself? And they were all suddenly very quiet. They had nothing to say. They were struck, they were pierced. It was like, yeah, I understand. You know, none of us may like her, but we are commanded to love even our enemies. Recommend to stand up for truth even when it's not going to benefit us, even when it's about someone we don't like. So be the man and woman of God, who is a warrior of righteousness for righteousness sake, for truth's sake, that you are known by the fruit that you carry, that you are known for standing up and defending those who have no voice. Because the moment that someone is gossiping to you about someone else, that other person who is not there, who's been gossiped about, they have no voice. They are not able to defend themselves. You are their only hope. You are the only way that they can have a voice, that they can be redeemed and that the murder of their character can be stopped. You are the only one who can do it. Will you take a stand or will you partake with them? God is coming and he is cleansing his threshing floor. Father, I pray right now, Lord, for all my enemies. I pray that you would bless them, Lord, with your presence. Oh God. I pray, Lord, that you would convict them of their sin. I pray that you would open their eyes, Father, I pray, Lord, you would bless them with the presence of your Holy Spirit, that they would see your Holy Spirit for the glory and the power that you have for them to walk in. Father, I pray that over the body of Christ, this message would go far and wide and convict congregants and leaders alike. That we would all love righteousness and truth and stand up and defend the voiceless. Father, I pray, Lord, that you would help us to stand in unity, in love with one another, with ironing, sharpening iron, and in the midst of disagreement, being able to work together in the midst of disagreement, being able to prosper our fellowships, not destroy them. Lord, I pray that you would come and give us strength. And also, Lord, have mercy on our enemies. Give them time to repent. Give them a season to see you for who you are, the God of love and the just judge who will have everyone give an account for every idle word. Yeshua, I praise you and I thank you. Help me, O Lord, to be blameless in the name of Yeshua. Amen. Thank you for joining me. I believe this message is very important. Please share it if you feel like it's something more neat to hear. Shalom.

‘Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Out of jealousy and feeling threatened, certain Pharisees sought to discredit the character of Jesus by spreading many such false reports about Him.

Instead of responding to His words, they hoped to turn everyone away from Him. In their attempt to murder Him, He was raised higher than any other name.

And to this day, gossip and bearing false witness remains the mark of those who persecute disciples of Christ who walk in the Holy Spirit.

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