Concerning your heart, God's Word, and this nation by Dean Gotcher

Concerning your heart, God's Word, and this nation:

by
Dean Gotcher

Have you read God's Word today or just men's opinions (fables). The one will speak to your soul, creating a pure heart in you, the other will only speak to your head, leaving your heart as it is, deceitful and wicked.

"Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee." Psalms 119:11

"As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: Their feet are swift to shed blood: Destruction and misery are in their ways: And the way of peace have they not known: There is no fear of God before their eyes." Romans 3:10-18

Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them. Colossians 3:5-7

There are those who seek after men's opinions in their quest for the "good" life. (What elections and politics has become all about, "representatives" running on and citizens making decisions upon polls and surveys instead of upon principles.) Yet the "good" life can only be found in the Lord, not in the so called "wisdom" of men. The restraint or the limiting of the power of government, i.e. restraining those in office, is not to promulgate "human nature" (secular humanism"), but rather to restrain government from inhibiting the freedom of religion (faith in God and His Word, not only having the right to believe in God but also to proclaim His word to your children and in the public domain without restrain). True religion is from God, based upon "sound doctrine" (upon His Word alone, revelation), false religion is based upon the doctrines of men (upon the opinions of men, speculation). Those of dialectic 'reasoning' believe that all religion is based upon the opinions of men, negating freedom of religion, responding to it as an "unhealthy" way of thinking and acting when brought into the public domain.

It does not take much thinking, regarding the next quotations, to realize the contempt those of dialectic 'reasoning' have toward parents who inculcate religion into their children's lives. "Parents are 'out of touch with the times,' and unable to understand, much less inculcate, the standards of a social [socialist] order that has changed since they were young." "The family has little to offer the child in the way of training for his place in the community." (James Coleman, The Adolescent Society: the Social Life of the Teenager and its Impact on Education) For 'change' to take place the Father's authority to inculcate religion into his children must be negated in the child's thoughts and action, through the school system. "If the school does not claim the authority to distinguish between science and religion, it loses control of the curriculum and surrenders it to the will of the electorate [to the will of the parents]." (Kenneth Benne, Society as Educator in an Age of Transition, Eighty-sixth Year of the National Society for the Study of Education) When religion is "filtered" through the "scientific" method, treated as an opinion or theory subject to materialistic proof, it is negated. "The critique of religion [bringing religion into dialogue, regarding it as an opinion amongst opinions so it can be treated as a theory, negates it as it is "scientifically" analyzed, i.e. de-materialized] ends with the categorical imperative to overthrow all conditions in which man is a debased, enslaved, neglected, contemptible being [negating religion, the right of the Father to inculcate righteousness into his children's lives, warning them of judgment and hell]."   "The critique of religion ["questioning authority"] ends in the doctrine that man is the supreme being for man;" (Karl Marx, Critique of Hegel's Philosophy of Right)    "Religion and science can be kept apart, indeed, one is able to do conscientious screening and not let one activity impede the other―in short, it is an exercise in 'role playing.'" (J. L. Moreno Who Shall Survive?) Roleplaying is simply acting out your own "feels" and "thoughts" (separated from any higher authorities restraints), with "sense perception" (freely expressing only how you see things) ruling out religious restraints (the Father's commands). "If there is a universal neurosis, it is reasonable to suppose that its core is religion. Psychoanalysis must treat religion as a neurosis." "Freud speaks of religion as a 'substitute-gratification'– the Freudian analogue to the Marxian formula, 'opiate of the people.'" "Marx had compared the money complex with the religious complex, as two forms of human self-alienation." (Normal O. Brown, Life Against Death: The Psychoanalytical Meaning of History)   While Freud saw man alienated from himself, separated from his carnal "human nature," what he called "neurosis," Marx saw man separated from men, separated from the same carnal nature of all mankind (preventing "common"-ism). "Science can be the religion of the nonreligious." (Abraham Maslow, Maslow on Management) By adding men's opinion to God's word, making man's opinion equal with it and it equal with man's opinions, you 'change' God's Word, thereby making it subject to negation (in the thoughts and actions of men). The Holy Spirit works with God's Word (as given) to bring men under conviction, to repentance (which leads to liberty). Men's opinions produce no conviction to repentance, they only engender the doctrines of men (which results in oppression or tyranny, legalism or licentiousness).

For example: the Apostle Paul, addressed a specific problem in the fellowship of saints, i.e. the "forbidding of marriage," the "abstaining from meats," what he calls "bodily exercise," as the result of the opinions of men taught as doctrine, what he calls "profane and old wives' fables."

"Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer." "If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained. But refuse profane and old wives' fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness. For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation. For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe. These things command and teach." 1 Timothy 4:1-11

Dialectic 'reasoning' is to treat belief as an opinion, to make all religions "one," that is, of man's own making (subject to man's "feelings" and "thoughts"). Therefore, apart from faith in God and His Word alone, all you have is the opinions of men, the religion of "one," the one being man. While Matthew was addressing specifically the disrespect of parents (in the verse below), this is true for all the opinions (traditions) of men, "making the commandment of God of non effect." "Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition. Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men." Matthew 15:6-9

It is when men make the Word of God subject to their opinions (having to use dialectic 'reasoning' to do so, i.e. 'justifying' themselves, their thoughts and their actions before men, for "the approval of men") that they make themselves subject to the "wisdom" (opinions) of men, subject to a world of dialectic 'reasoning.' Read God's Word today, not men's opinions of it, that is, if you want the truth about yourself, your neighbors, and your leaders, i.e. about man. It will speak to your soul, bringing you to repentance. Men's opinions will only speak to your head. leaving your heart in tact, deceitful and wicked, leaving you in your sin. It is why "ministers" yell at me when I preach and teach the Word of God over the "wisdom" of men, interrupting me while I speak, insisting that we must dialogue (find "common ground" with man) instead. They are in love with the opinions of men (including their own), leaving their heart in tact, deceitful and wicked, being in love with their own sin and the sins of men, that which we all have in common (the basis of common-ism).

What you read and study today reveals your hearts desire. Is your desire to the Lord or to the "wisdom" of men?

"No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon." Luke 16:13 The deceit of dialectic 'reasoning' is that we can serve both, leaving man in his sin. "I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:" Deuteronomy 30:19 "And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; ... but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD." Joshua 24:15

The leadership of a nation reflects the heart of the people. For direction, are you turning to men (to polls, surveys, feasibility studies, i.e. to men's opinions, how they "feel" and what they "think," including yourself) or to God, who changes men's hearts and a nation, through repentance? God is not looking at polls, surveys, and feasibility studies, i.e. the opinions of men to determine what to do with this nation. He is looking at your heart.

"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." Proverb. 3: 5-6

Psalms 73:1-28

    A Psalm of Asaph. Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart. But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped. For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. For there are no bands in their death: but their strength is firm. They are not in trouble as other men; neither are they plagued like other men. Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain; violence covereth them as a garment. Their eyes stand out with fatness: they have more than heart could wish. They are corrupt, and speak wickedly concerning oppression: they speak loftily. They set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the earth.
    Therefore his people return hither: and waters of a full cup are wrung out to them. And they say, How doth God know? and is there knowledge in the most High? Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches. Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency. For all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning. If I say, I will speak thus; behold, I should offend against the generation of thy children.
    When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me; Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end. Surely thou didst set them in slippery places: thou castedst them down into destruction. How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment! they are utterly consumed with terrors. As a dream when one awaketh; so, O Lord, when thou awakest, thou shalt despise their image. Thus my heart was grieved, and I was pricked in my reins. So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before thee.
    Nevertheless I am continually with thee: thou hast holden me by my right hand. Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory. Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee. My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever. For, lo, they that are far from thee shall perish: thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee. But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all thy works.