I approve this message
In
American politics, "I
approve this message" is a phrase said by candidates in
political advertisements on television. Under
the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act candidates are required to appear in ads
paid for by their campaigns and to say the phrase.
The
phrase is most often said at the end of the ad, though in some ads it is said
at the beginning. It is often said to make candidates look foolish; for this
reason, some candidates have used the phrase with the word
"because", as in "I'm Howard Dean and I approve this message
because it's time to take our country back."
The political message
is given, but most of the time it is hard to determine exactly what is the
position of the candidate on any given topic.
It can be that way for Christians also.
But, it isn’t for God.
Does
God approve our message? Is our
message from the Lord or is it from another source.
Are we representing the one true living God or is it another?
How can we know?
Scripture
Text: Deut 18:18 I will
raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers; I will put my
words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him.
19 If anyone does not listen to my words that the prophet speaks in my name, I
myself will call him to account. 20 But a prophet who presumes to speak in my
name anything I have not commanded him to say, or a prophet who speaks in the
name of other gods, must be put to death." 21 You may say to yourselves,
"How can we know when a message has not been spoken by the LORD?" 22
If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the LORD does not take place or
come true, that is a message the LORD has not spoken. That prophet has spoken
presumptuously. Do not be afraid of him.
God’s message.
Levi 19:18
"`Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but
love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD.
1Joh 4:10
This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as
an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we
also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love
one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.
God’s messenger:
Hosea is the prophet called to love an unfaithful wife; Jeremiah is the
weeping prophet, Moses who leads the people out of Egypt, and Jesus who is the
Savior. Their lives were the
message. We cannot separate the
message and the messenger.
God will call the
messenger to account. Today
the messenger of the Lord is vital to proclaiming the message of the Lord.
Today’s world wants to know if there is a Christian or a Church who
is real. Do we really love them?
Do we care enough to give them the real message?
Will we speak for the Lord or will we speak for the gods of the world?
1.
The god of legalism: which
requires people to obey a set group of rules before they are accepted. Many modern churches would not have accepted Jesus.
2.
The god of
materialism: which require
people to have the right earthly possessions or be apart of the right social
circles before they are accepted.
3.
The god of
meism: which always puts the
individual’s needs ahead of others. This
message permits selfish gain at the expense of others.
4.
The god of humanism: which
says that humanity is the answer. Humanism
says that we can rise above our circumstances without the power or salvation
of the one true living God. Seeks
approval of men more than God.
5.
The god of
modernism: (comes disguised as tolerance) which permits all lifestyles and
beliefs to be accepted as equal in the eyes of the Lord.
This god permits all to say they are of the One True living God.
Requires no one to repent.
6.
The god of
partiality: which accepts
only the acceptable. This god
calls upon people to love only the lovable and the lovely. Only those who are likeable are acceptable.
The false
messengers: These
messengers of deception lead people to believe a form of truth but they teach
the people to obey themselves and miss the living Lord.
The message of these lead people astray.
They will be judged by the Lord and He says to not fear them or listen
to their message.
Stand for the truth
of the living Lord. Do
you dare to speak God’s message? Will
we live God’s message? God’s
message is the messenger.
The truth of the matter.
The Lord’s message and the
Lord’s messenger will speak the truth and live the truth.
The Lord will do what He will
do. He is God. Will
we join Him? God’s stamp of
approval/disapproval will be seen in the lives of His true prophets.
Will we give the truth and
the whole truth, so help us God? Will
we give the message of the Lord? He
goes out of His way for us and He wants us to give the message that will take
us out into the world. What kind
of message are we sending? Does
God approve?