~~ What is your measuring Rod? ~~

Many resent a God-sent teacher, rebuker and admonisher. A true God-sent teacher and admonisher is not there to hurt anyone, but to make you wise, so that your soul may be saved in the Day of our Lord, when He shall judge the very thoughts of man. It is very much part of a true ministry to rebuke, exhort and admonish. Without this, most people will not see the right path to take and will go on in darkness and ignorance until they lose their souls. The worst enemy of your soul is church. Going to church is the enemy of God. Now it is not that the act of going to a �?I>worship service�?is wrong. But rather the kind of gathering this modern church has become. It is nothing more than a substitute for God and worship. It is a lame excuse for not studying the Word of God, for not living a Holy Life seven days a week, under any and all circumstances. People today are wondering around in their carnal minds as if they had no eyes or ears or minds. They are like little children out in the storms, without anyone to direct them or calm them.

They pretend, even to themselves, that they are seeking truth and how to live right. But watch their actions when they hear something which does not suit their own desires, their own ‘pastor�?or their ‘church�?/I>. They will fume and spew out venom like the very worst snake.

Paul told it this way: 2Cor 10:4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) [See, those of us who are in this spiritual battle must use spiritual weapons to pull down the strong holds of Satan. Believing that going to church will somehow give you salvation, is one of his strongest and most subtle strongholds. This evil trap must be pulled down. I am doing my best to warn you today about this ‘quick-sand�?trap of Satan. ]

2Cor 10:5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; 2co 10:6 And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.

[You must bring every single thought to the obedience of Christ. How are you going to do that unless you know for sure what is truth and what is false requirements of man? How can you bring your every thought into subjection to Christ, when you are indulging in the things of the world, such as TV watching? Do you see the things of God portrayed there? Do you get into the Spirit of joy and worship, watching it? Do you receive the filling of the Holy Ghost from it? Think on this? How is it spiritual? How is it of God? How can it give you a spiritual mind, insomuch that your every thought is in obedience to Christ? I say it is impossible! So you need no man to tell you this thing is evil. Anyone’s common sense tells them this thing is of Satan, and it is his kingdom. It is most certainly NOT God’s kingdom. When you fill your heart and mind with the filthy junk portrayed there, how is there any room in it for the things of God? Think on this! If your vessel is filled to the brim with the things of Satan, where will you put anything from God? There is no way. You cannot think on the things of God, indulging most of your time on pleasure. Paul said they are lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God. People are totally addicted to entertainment.

I warn you this day, those things, TV, movies, ball games, and all such, are idols in your life. You better take stock, judge yourselves so you will not be judged. If you wait until God calls you to judgment, it will be eternally too late for you then. Do not allow these false teachers to deceive you. Unless you clean up your life, live it for God, love God, love his word, study it and search it for the truth, then you will end up lost. You must EAT his FLESH, which is the Word of God. You must feed upon this word. How can you ever know the truth, when you do not ever study the Word enough to know what is written in it, so you can receive the revelation which comes from God bringing its truth to you from another Scripture? If you do not have enough of the words in your mind, you cannot meditate on it, so God can speak to you and reveal its truth to you. Then when you do hear things from those of us who have spent our entire lives studying it, and receiving its revelation, and you do not know about such things, then you jump to the conclusion that it could not possibly be true, because your �?I>preacher�?did not know it, for he was also indulging in the sins of the flesh, and not studying the very word he was getting paid to teach you. You who never even open the Word up, (or if you do, you only read a few verses here and there to sooth your conscious), then jump up and scream that what God has revealed to those who diligently studied, is all wrong. How would you know? I say it is impossible!]

Now look back at verse six again. 2Cor 10:6 And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.

Have any idea what that is telling us? It is truly staggering. Of course, the FALSE teaching of a �?I>rapture�?of the ‘church�?would blind you to this. But in Psalms 149, we are told that the saints of God will bring all the written judgments against the ungodly. Now, when you have fulfilled your own obedience to Christ, then you are qualified to do this revenging of all disobedience. You must first judge your own self and bring your every thought into subjection and obedience to Christ. Then after you have done this, you are ready now to revenge all disobedience. See, when we have repented and gotten our own sins washed away with the blood of Jesus, and live by Grace, then God does not see any sin in us. When He checks us, looks at us, he sees no sin. But then he looks at others and sees their sins. Now it is time to bring the wrath of God against those who went on in their rebellion and sins, and failed to repent and clean up their lives. Entertainment meant too much to them!

2Cor 10:7 Do ye look on things after the outward appearance? If any man trust to himself that he is Christ's, let him of himself think this again, that, as he is Christ's, even so are we Christ's.

Many people look at the outward appearance, and they see a woman. So they up and declare that this woman cannot be a minister of God. She cannot preach, or teach or pastor, etc. But they do not see the inner man in this woman. They do not see that it is really the Holy Ghost, which is a HIM, doing the works in this woman. They do not see that she has studied the Word diligently and God has taught her and SENT her. So by their judging her outward appearance, they tell God He cannot send this female. She wears dresses instead of pants, so she is disqualified. But not so. God looks at the heart, where the Holy Ghost abides, and He sees his ‘son�?in there. This son of God does the works. So she is qualified. He is not, for he held her in bondage of law. So he himself is in that bondage, therefore not qualified to do the work.

2co 10:8 For though I should boast somewhat more of our authority, which the Lord hath given us for edification, and not for your destruction, I should not be ashamed:

Now this AUTHORITY in some of us today, is what they hate. Oh yes. They despise this authority, especially when they see it is a woman. But she is a daughter of God, and God said they too, could prophesy. They too can heal the sick and raise the dead and pastor and do anything a man can do, so long as the Holy Ghost abides inside this woman, it is a male doing the works. Praise my God. They tell me all the time to renounce the glorious truth God has given me and say that I am not sure and in the same boat with them = seeking to be taught. Now I do not mean to say that I am not seeking more knowledge from God. Sure I do and will so long as I live. But I do not sit back and allow these false teacher to tell me their lies. I know that God has given me his truth, and truth is authority. They do hate this authority. They hated it in Paul. They want us all to be powerless, so they feel at ease in their ease. Not so! I will declare the truth of God and not care what they think against it. God sent me and I obey HIM.

2co 10:9 That I may not seem as if I would terrify you by letters.

2co 10:10 For his letters, say they, are weighty and powerful; but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible.

See, it was the truth which gave his letters, or words, the weight and power. It is the same in my messages. The truth is authority and power. Others hate this and wish to destroy it. But God will not let them destroy it. If they knew his truth, they would praise God for this great gift and seek to have it also. God is no respecter of persons. He would give this same truth and power to all who will lay their sins aside and pick up the Holy Word and STUDY it. Study it. Study it. Pray. Seek for the TRUTH. Accept what God shows in his word. Reject all of man’s words, which are not written in the Book.

2Cor 10:11 Let such an one think this, that, such as we are in word by letters when we are absent, such will we be also in deed when we are present.

Now see, there is coming a day when God will send us in person, with all the same authority and power that the Apostles had and we will bring the judgments of God on this earth. Again, the liars to God will drop dead, by only the spoken word.

2co 10:12 For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.

See in verse eight, Paul stated that we have the authority which was given to us by the Lord to use for edification and not for your destruction. That is the true mark of a God-sent leader or teacher. We seek only to edify you and lead you to wholesome, Holy Living and Knowledge, so you may be saved in the Day of our Lord.

What does he mean, measuring themselves by themselves and comparing themselves among themselves? In this they are not wise. And He said we dare not make ourselves of the number who do this. People have the mistaken idea that if Mr. so-and-so does it, it makes it alright. Especially if this Mr. so-and-so happens to be a preacher, then what he says must be true? And if he happens to be their pastor, then you better step out of the way and not bring up anything which he does not say.

I see where these babes bring up all kinds of topics of discussion. They ask such questions as, Is it wrong to watch TV, or to own one? Is it alright to smoke or wear make-up, or even open toed shoes and hose? Now I am here to tell you, that unless God’s word gives us these answers and shows it, then man has no right to set before you guidelines which are nothing more than man-made bondage and laws. I see where some are discussing the UPC organization having a ban against TV. And they wish to see this lifted and are confused as to whether it is right or wrong to watch the thing. Some seem to think that if the UPC lifts their ban, then it will be ok to have one and watch it. So see then that this sets the UPC up as their god and lord. They are being led of this organization and their pastors, instead of by the Spirit of God. They that are led of the Spirit, these are the sons of God, not those led by some man.

Now Paul said the weapons of our warfare are not carnal. He said the carnal mind is death. He said the carnal mind cannot receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to them. So we are at war against the enemy of our souls, Satan, or the carnal mind. So I wish for someone to show me how a person can spend their time before something as ungodly and totally of this world system, as TV and movies, and still have a spiritual mind? I say it is impossible. The things you FEED on, are the kind of mind you will have. Yet to these comparing themselves with themselves, they say some preacher has the TV and therefore they think it makes it alright. If those over there do it, then it is ok. How do you know? That person may not even care about Holy living? They are not your god. At least they should not be. You cannot judge these things by who does it and who does not. It must come from Scripture. People seem to have totally forgotten that we must acquire a spiritual mind and get rid of the carnal mind. You cannot do this watching TV, reading wrong books, etc. It only comes by the Spirit and the Word of God. There is no other way. Going to church does not give you a spiritual mind. And how can a true child of God feel it is alright to set the pulpit of Satan right in their homes, to teach them and their kids the evils of all hell? TV is Satan’s pulpit! You cannot speak up and defy a thing ‘it�?says to you. You cannot stop his evil mouth. You are addicted to it. It has you in its tentacles.

I say if a person desires these things of the world, loves them, and allow them in their lives, they do not know the Spirit of God. They have no idea what a spiritual mind, or warfare is. These same people think they know the Word of God and will not listen to anything someone shows them, unless it fits this organization. It must fit what their pastor tells them. See then, that they are using this church and pastor as a substitute for their own need to study the Word of God, to pray, to spend their time thinking on the things of God. They are led to believe that so long as they attend their ‘churches�?get-togethers, that they are in fine shape, spiritually. Nothing could be further from the truth.

See that they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, and in this, they are not wise. It does not matter to God what someone else tells you that they do. What matters to God is that you, yourself, Love God, Love His Word, study his word, and then obey his word. You must be led of the Spirit of God, not some man or man-made organization. If you need some man to tell you if it is right to watch the evils on TV or not, then you are not being led of the Spirit of God. If a person truly has the Holy Ghost, I mean the same Holy Ghost which came at Pentecost, then that person will hate that kind of evil and cannot stand it. If you can watch it, spend your time there, and it not bother your inner man, you do NOT have the Holy Ghost. After I received the Holy Ghost, I could not stand the sight or sound of TV. I hated it! Detested it. Prayed for God to remove it from my home. In Two weeks of prayer, My husband gave it away. There has never been another one in my home, since 1965. No organization had to tell me to get rid of it. The Spirit of God filled me with hatred for this evil. I had never really wanted one. But now I could not stand it. People, check your own heart. How do YOU feel about it? Do not look to some organization to tell you. Look to what is inside you. If you love it, you need to seek God, for you do not have him in your heart.

People tell me they will not read my messages, for they are too long. Sure, they do not take much time out for seeking truth or the things of God. Wonder how much time they actually spend reading the Scriptures? Probably none. Next time you watch your TV, check and see how much time you spend there. Same with your ball games. How long will you sit there, glorying in that worthless junk? And you think you have God’s Holy Ghost? I say it is the height of deception. The Holy Ghost will cause you to love the Word of God. I loved it long before I was filled with the Holy Ghost. The sweet secrets of God’s word is so far above that earthly junk, and so trilling to the soul, there is no comparison. Unless you search them daily and sincerely, you will never find these secrets. If you cannot tell by the Spirit inside you, if a thing is right or wrong, then you do not have the Holy Ghost, for HE will lead you and guide you into ALL TRUTH. If this is not happening in your own personal life, you do not have the Holy Ghost which Peter and Paul had. They did not need some man to tell them what was Holy and what was unholy. Another thing, if it is not written in Scripture, then it is man-made doctrine. They set themselves up as your god to tell you what is sin and what is not. If you listen to them, you are denying that God is your God. Now the Word of God expressly tells us not to set any evil thing before our eyes. It says to feed on the Word of God. You cannot do this before TV and movies, or dirty books. Those things are of the kingdom of Satan. They have nothing to do with God and His Holy things. If you do not spend quality time studying the Word of God and praying and seeking His Bread from Heaven, you are not in a spiritual mind. You are in a carnal mind, and there you will stay, until you change this kind of living. If you do not desire to feed on the Word of God, which is our Bread and our Meat and Our Drink, then you cannot know the true God. If you only desire to feed your mind and soul on the things of this world, you cannot know the true God. Love not the world and the things of the world. If you do, the love of the Father is NOT in you, so says God’s Word.

These same people tell each other that it is wrong for women to wear open-toed shoes. They say this makes her feet to be naked, and it is wrong for her feet to be naked. I ask, where is even one such statement in God’s Word? It is doctrines of men, who set themselves up as your god, to tell you what is right and what is wrong. It is the fear of man, not of God. No such thing is written is Scripture. If a man claims he has the Holy Ghost, and he is not capable of looking at a women’s feet without lust, he needs to admit that he does not have the true Holy Ghost and seek for it. This sin is in his own soul, not the woman’s. Paul said he had power to lead women about who were sisters and wives. And they worked right along beside Paul in the ministry, and there was no lust or sin. They both had the HOLY GHOST. Their mind was HOLY. Some people, myself included, cannot wear closed up dress shoes, because of a foot problem. I can only wear the open-toed shoes. (Mind you now, according to this man, two little toes, at the very end, showing, is a sin and will trip up holy men??? I say such foolishness!) Where is Scripture for this kind of foolishness? It is not there. So according to these self-made gods, I could never wear a dress shoe. I say phooey on such sinful thinkers. Bet if the truth were known, they are full of hidden real SINS. I know a Jesus-only preacher who slipped behind his church’s back and went to his dances, until a bad wreck. Then he decided to stop that, but he kept up his other sins. And the man did not know one truth in Scripture.

People put their very eternal life in the hands of carnal minded men. They think if he is a preacher, then they can trust their eternal life in his hands. Again, nothing could be further from the truth. I have personally known too many preachers, especially those �?I>Jesus-only�?preachers, who live in total adultery. I have known them personally, who walk right out of their churches, and go commit adultery. I have been in the company of some of them, right out of church, and their conversation had nothing to do with God. They had left him behind when they walked out that door. I have had them to personally try to go with me, and they were married men. I shamed them for their hypocrisy. But see, everyone thinks they are such godly, holy men, because they set themselves up as preachers. Take away their money for this, and they would run right back to the hog pins they cover up that they live in. To receive pay or give pay for any work of God is the mark of the beast. So see, they are just beast, parading around as Holy Men of God. I am telling you all, whoever might read this, you had better forget thinking that going to church gives you holy life, and forget listening to these hirelings, (paid preachers), and get to worshipping God seven day a week, hour by hour. Study his Word for yourself. Accept what it says and forget what your fake church has taught you�?that is if you desire eternal life. Unholy living is not going to get you there.

By: Jo Smith *** August 28, 2007