Defending Truth in an Age of Deception

Strengthening your faith in an increasingly ungodly world is more urgent now than ever. Discover how spiritual warfare is at play and how Satan works tirelessly to undermine belief in Jesus. As we stand firm as the light and salt of the earth, we are instrumental in suppressing evil through selfless agape love and the spreading of the gospel. With the potential imminence of the rapture, maintaining vigilance and active faith becomes imperative. Together, we reflect on the signs of the times, the urgency of living a life led by the Holy Spirit, and the profound teachings from the Bible in anticipation of Christ's return.

Living a God-glorifying life in a world resistant to divine teachings requires courage and transformation through the Holy Spirit. This episode challenges you to resist conformity to worldly standards, embrace spiritual growth, and utilize your unique gifts to uplift the body of Christ. We explore the critical role of church leaders in adhering to scripture, safeguarding against societal deception, and discerning truth amidst misinformation. Join us for an insightful journey into aligning your life with God's purpose, supporting those in need, and serving others selflessly while fortifying your faith with divine wisdom.

Be a part of my team!  With your prayer, passing along the message, and financial support you can help get these messages in the hands of all those who need them! And remember, you can text me questions and comments by clicking on "Send Us a Text Message".  Until next time!  God bless!

Chapters

• 0:29 Strengthening Faith for the Second Coming
• 11:32 Living a God-Glorifying Life
• 17:02 Finding Wisdom and Avoiding Deception

Transcript

B.R.Maul: 0:29

Hello and good day. I am BR Maul and you are listening to Living God's Way in an Ungodly World. Here we talk about how we, as Christians born-again believers, follow our Lord and Savior, jesus. Seems like it would be obvious, right, but as obvious as it is, there are many reasons why Christians are thrown off track, not in just modern times. It has been ever since Christ himself walked the earth and hung on the cross and was willing to pay the sin debt of all who believe unto him. People have been explaining away miracles, have been coming up with excuses not to believe in Jesus Christ, and that's because Satan himself, the god small g of this world, is doing everything possible to hold on to what power he has left. Look around you, beloved, and there is violence everywhere. This world is upside down. There's no denying it. Well, let me correct myself it. Well, let me correct myself. There is denying it, and that, to me, in and of itself, is proof of the spiritual warfare going on today, because the world is upside down and there are people who are in fact, denying the very evil that's going on. It's not to say it's just the unbelievers, those who are not Christians, who are denying it. I know Christians personally that still are unwilling to accept that the evil continues to abound. The time is falling shorter and shorter with every passing day, because the day is getting closer to the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Before that happens, the church will be raptured.

B.R.Maul: 2:28

Now, this lesson today is not about the rapture, but I do need to talk just a little bit about it so we have an understanding. There are different schools of thought when it comes to the tribulation. There are those who believe that we are already in the tribulation, that this is already hell on earth, and so this must be what the revelation talks about. That, I believe, is false. There is too much scripture that points to the very fact that the tribulation is a seven-year period. It's not exaggerated, it's seven years, and prior to that seven years, the church is raptured, and it seems to be. That is what begins the Tribulation.

B.R.Maul: 3:16

Just think about this. Right now, the Holy Spirit is indwelling all of the children of God. So for all of us who are born again, we're following Jesus. The Holy Spirit has sealed us for the day of salvation. We are being led by the Holy Spirit and the more a Christian, a born-again believer, in prayer and supplication and reading God's Word pays attention to what the Holy Spirit directs that person to do, the more in tune we are and the more we're able to respond to the Holy Spirit's cues. Well, what does that mean? It means that right now, however many children of God are currently alive and walking the earth and I'm sure it's safe to say it's in the millions it is through us, his children, that God is suppressing the evil of this world.

B.R.Maul: 4:14

I don't believe it is solely through us, because his power alone is what dictates what the devil can and cannot do, and the devil's minions, the demons, what they can and cannot do. It is all to the glory of God. It will satisfy his ultimate purpose, but he is using his children. It is his children with the Holy Spirit that have the capability of loving other people with agape love, a love that is selfless, 100%, there's nothing attached to it. Now, in our own abilities, we can't love people that way. We can love people on different levels of love I've talked about this before but not agape love, not the spiritual love that God himself is. So, with this love that we have for one another and the love that we have for the lost, those who do not know Jesus.

B.R.Maul: 5:16

God works through us in fighting evil. It is the righteous person who hates the wickedness, who hates evil. So we do what we can to fight back. Of course, that looks different in many, many ways. Some fight back politically, some fight back militarily, some spiritually. Whatever it might be, we are all used in different ways.

B.R.Maul: 5:44

The ultimate weapon, of course, is God's word and spreading the gospel message. So, if you take away all of those the Holy Spirit possesses and that's a good thing A person wants to be possessed by the Holy Spirit and that only comes by not only after being born again, but allowing the Holy Spirit to possess one, a person forfeiting their life and giving their all to God. And there are those who are light and salt of the earth that bring great hope because they continuously speak the gospel message, they continuously allow God to be his hands and feet, doing the work of justice, doing the work of love and kindness, doing the work of helping the widow and the orphan and the stranger. But when the day comes and Jesus calls for the church and the Holy Spirit raptures that church from the earth and into heaven and the tribulation begins. There is no more righteousness. Those who the Holy Spirit possessed, people who actually can pray and can love, people with agape love, are gone. And what I meant by pray, that is, the effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man, avails much, man, of course, being mankind, so man and woman, people who pray with fervor, people who pray with effect all gone, every single one. Gone and listen carefully, beloved, because that can happen at any moment. There is nothing in the scriptures now that tell us we're still waiting for this to happen. No, there's nothing else that we're waiting to happen. The rapture could happen any moment, and this is more what I'm going to address in this teaching.

B.R.Maul: 7:44

Last week I wrapped up with the book of 1 John and I expect to start teaching in the book of Ephesians, probably next week, but I wanted to take this time right now because, with all the things that are happening around the world today, there's so much and, yes, the world is upside down Now. Interestingly enough, doesn't it seem like that? Every generation says that, and, of course, you can easily pawn that off as well. Yes, every generation thinks that things are getting worse. Have you ever thought that? Perhaps there's a reason for that? Those who have been around the longest are the ones looking back going. It's getting worse. I believe it, and the reason I believe it is because we're told in the Bible that things will continue to get worse. We are to expect this. This is no surprise to God. Jesus gave us the heads up multiple times, and it is for this reason that we need to prepare.

B.R.Maul: 8:48

If you are one who is not born again and you're listening to this message, well then this is a divine act. I truly believe that the Holy Spirit is using this message to speak to you. It's time to get over any questions that you may have that you're seeking to be answered before you follow Jesus. It's time to get over anything of the pride or insecurity that is preventing you from opening your heart and giving your life to the Lord Jesus because, yes, at any moment the rapture can happen. And for the rest, who are listening, who are born again, my dear brothers and sisters in the faith, you're the ones I'm addressing directly, because the hour is now, we are out of time and I'm not predicting that the rapture is going to happen at any given time, other than the fact that we know it's going to happen.

B.R.Maul: 9:46

But what I'm saying is for the millions of Christians around the world who fall into the category of fair weather Christian, somebody who stands up when things are going well, when the weather is nice and they're okay with worshiping the Lord. But, beloved, if you fall into the category that suddenly the storm comes and spiritually you hide, perhaps you feel afraid or ashamed, whatever emotion it may be, but then you stop proclaiming Jesus. And I'm not saying just verbally, stop proclaiming Jesus, but proclaiming Jesus in your life, in your day-to-day living. It is time for Christians to stand up. It is time for Christians to do what God has told us to do to be light and salt of this earth. We must shine, we must give people hope, we must get the name of Jesus out there. And the only way we can do this, beloved, we must be in God's word daily, not for the sake of our salvation, no, because that would be based on works. If you're born again, you are already sealed. You are a child of God, you are heaven bound and there's no way of breaking that because you have sinned again. It doesn't work that way. So I'm not advocating that there's any way that you're going to earn your salvation by reading God's word every day. What I am saying is this is how we strengthen our faith. God speaks to us through his Holy Scripture, and it's the Holy Spirit that gives the children of God understanding.

B.R.Maul: 11:32

The biggest mistake that we can make as a child of God, walking around this forsaken world that wants nothing to do with the maker, is to try to fit in, to try to live lives that match the world. We are to be transformed by the Holy Spirit and not allow the world to conform us to its ways. We're already born into that, so I understand it's tough, isn't it? We all have different levels of struggling with certain sins of this world, things that have enticed us, but we're not here for anything else but glorifying God. There's nothing else that we need to do. I know there's many things that we want to do, but there's nothing else that we need to do. We are here to glorify our Maker. When we accept that Jesus Christ as our Lord and our Savior with our lips, when we confessed it with our heart, when we believed it, the Holy Spirit entered us, sealed us, and we are children of God. We owe it to our God, and God will be glorified, with or without your help.

B.R.Maul: 12:43

So it's time, beloved Christians around the world, for those who have not acted upon this to look to those who have, because there are God's children out there who are indeed doing what our Lord and Savior has commanded, who are indeed doing what our Lord and Savior has commanded. They are putting their life in the reaches of death in areas of the world where Christians are being stabbed, shot, mutilated, beheaded, tortured, but they're out there. They are there sharing the gospel message, knowing that any day could be their last. There are those Christians who are out there in parts of the world who are fighting famine, who are fighting pestilence, all in the name of Jesus, to glorify his name, to let others know, who don't know who he is, that they do have a savior. And even though that their physical needs, where they're at, is scarce, these people are bringing food for their bellies but, more importantly, they're bringing food for their souls.

B.R.Maul: 13:54

There are saints, god's children, around the world who are giving up opportunities left and right to make what the world would consider a great living, a comfortable living, and they're doing it so they can reach out and love other people. They are loving the orphans, the widows and the stranger, and they're not making money or they're making very little money, but the Lord continues to provide for their needs. So there are brothers and sisters of ours that are out there that are doing the work. They are working hard in order to get people the gospel message, to get those people the understanding of who Jesus is, so they have the hope of salvation through Jesus Christ. So my message to those is simply keep it up, keep fighting the good fight beloved for those who have already given their life to Jesus.

B.R.Maul: 14:55

And I'm not saying being born again, no, no, no, because being born again isn't giving our life to Jesus. Being born again is Jesus giving us life spiritually. What I'm saying is, as a Christian, once you're born again, you need to make the decision that, lord, my life is now your life. You purchased it. What will you have me do? I am your servant and then do it. Please don't misunderstand me.

B.R.Maul: 15:25

This is not a pitch for everyone to go out and start their own church, their own mission, because I understand that we must use the spiritual gifts that God has given us. There's all kinds of spiritual gifts, but those spiritual gifts are meant to lift up the body of Christ. Who's the body of Christ? God's children. So whatever spiritual gifts that the Lord has bestowed upon you is to be used to support one another, not for us to make money. Not that it won't. Some people have the spiritual gift of being able to make money. Not that it won't Some people have the spiritual gift of being able to make money. And you might think, well, wow, I want that spiritual gift. But those who have that spiritual gift, it's also in their hearts to make the money for God. They're the ones who go out of their way. They know how to raise funds, they're the ones who put together these fundraisers.

B.R.Maul: 16:23

But whatever your spiritual gift is, if you're not involved, get involved, beloved. If you don't have a church, a group gathering that comes together and worships the Lord, that learns about the Lord, that grow together, that pray for one another to help each other be healed, that grow together, that pray for one another to help each other be healed, well, find one. I caution you don't be quick to find any church because in today's world, as it continues to unravel, to fall apart, many churches are not Bible-believing churches. They're a really nice, friendly club. So please don't get involved with those.

B.R.Maul: 17:02

You want to make sure that the church leadership abide by God's terms, not their own and not the congregations, not society around them. How can you see these? These are men who are leading churches and groups, who often are the ones that many others don't like because they are offensive, because they don't make them feel good about who they are. And it's not that these pastors and elders and deacons and leaders are mean, but they stick to what God says, even though they know many people don't want to hear it. Now, before I completely run out of time, it's important to me to always use God's word in reference to what I'm saying.

B.R.Maul: 17:47

Jesus makes it very clear that we must have knowledge of his word or, as things continue to get worse and worse, you're going to get lost. In Matthew, chapter 24, verse 3, verses 3, 4, and 5, it reads Now, as he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately saying Tell us when will these things be and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age? And Jesus answered and said to them Take heed that no one deceives you Verse five for many will come in my name saying I am the Christ and will deceive many. So, verse four take heed that no one deceives you. Of all things that Jesus started with. He starts with don't be, don't be deceived.

B.R.Maul: 18:47

And just in the last few years alone, with the great powers at hand controlling the internet now, the companies that have the power to hide information or to bring information to the top when it comes to keywords being searched. They're the ones who control the algorithms at what will be found and what will not be found for information. These are people who control and they're the ones who say what misinformation is, which is anything that is against their narrative, their agenda. So it's not even the real truth. It's their own truth, their own narrative that they want to make sure that we all buy into. So the deception is huge. It is beyond anything that we are able to fathom.

B.R.Maul: 19:36

We are being lied to on the news, we are being lied to through even programming, movies and TV shows, agendas that are set up that are deceiving billions of people, and it is only those who are the elect. The elect are God's chosen, the Jewish nation, and there is God's children, the church. There's two different types of elect. The elect I'm referring to right now is God's children, because even the Jewish nation right now is being deceived, but God's children are the only ones right now that, as we stay in God's word, he gives us the ability to see this fakeness, the false narratives that continue to grow, how misleading it is to grow, how misleading it is. People are falling for what we would think would be common sense, that a person wouldn't fall for it.

B.R.Maul: 20:36

But the deception is so great, the lying is so massive that when you have leaders and politicians saying, yeah, this is what's going on, whatever that is, I'm not going to get into specifics for lack of time and then the media, the mass media, go along with it. And when you try to search something on the internet and it turns out that you can't find the actual truth, it's the narrative that they keep spinning. Yes, if you don't have God's word, you're so easily deceived, and Jesus said let no one deceive you. That's how important it is beloved Now when it comes to God's wisdom. And when it comes to wisdom, there is only God's wisdom. There's knowledge in this world, but all wisdom comes from God. There's plenty of knowledge, because God's creation is so massive that there's a ton of knowledge.

B.R.Maul: 22:41

But, of course, over the centuries, we as people have had plenty of time to come up with even our fake knowledge. So such things as evolution. Well, there's something right there that is spiritual warfare, because right now there is so much evidence that common sense says evolution is absolutely impossible. There's nothing. There's nothing that supports evolution. And from time to time, when evolutionists come up with some lie to post it and try to make it look like they're actually discovering something new, well, creationists, they turn around and they can prove that it's false. But yet let's take a look at this.

B.R.Maul: 23:22

In America, the false narrative of evolution is being jammed down our children's minds. They're not even allowed to question anymore. We used to teach our children to think and to ask questions. Now they're trying to tell our children don't ask questions, you don't have that right. Here's the truth and just accept it. So wisdom beloved we can only get from God. If you don't have a Bible, get a Bible and start reading it and don't stop In Proverbs 1, and this is wisdom personified, because I have called and you refused.

B.R.Maul: 24:02

That's wisdom. I have stretched out my hand and no one regarded, because you disdained all my counsel, so hated all of wisdom's counsel and would have none of my rebuke. I also will laugh at your calamity. I will mock when your terror comes, when your terror comes like a storm and your destruction comes like a whirlwind. When distress and anguish come upon you, then they will call on me. And again, this is wisdom.

B.R.Maul: 24:37

So the people who are not seeking God's word, wisdom is saying they're people who are ignoring God's wisdom, want nothing to do with God's word. Suddenly, when calamity strikes and it will, it's not if it's when wisdom says I will not answer, they will seek me diligently but they will not find me. That should be very concerning for anybody who is not reading God's word, because when disaster happens, whether it's national disaster, worldly disaster or individual disaster you lose a loved one. The rest of the world isn't affected, but your life is upended. You're not reading God's word and suddenly you cry out God, why are you doing this? The wisdom isn't there. You don't have that wisdom, so you don't have access to wisdom. And so that's why, in this personification, wisdom saying you can look for me, but you're not going to find me A person after they lose a loved one isn't going to just open God's word right away and find the answer.

B.R.Maul: 25:46

It must be a part of who you are, so to be born again, to be a follower of God. You have the Holy Spirit in you and the Holy Spirit is the only way that our brains can get that understanding. It is through reading God's word that we gain understanding and wisdom. Now, as I get close to the end of this message here today, let me go back to another proverb, proverb 2, the beginning of this. What I like about this is there are many action words in here. There are verbs that are pointing to the very fact, beloved, that you have a lot of work to do. You can't just sit and, by osmosis, wake up some morning and suddenly have the understanding of God, to suddenly have the fear of God in you where you appreciate him reverently.

B.R.Maul: 26:40

Proverbs 2, starting in verse 1, king Solomon writes my son, if you receive my words and treasure my commands within you, you catch that if you receive to receive something, you must actually accept it and treasure my commands within you. When we treasure something we hold it dear to us, so that you incline your ear to wisdom. There's a little verb right there incline You're leaning into, you really want to hear it and apply your heart to understanding. There's apply, if we're going to apply something that takes effort, right, yes, if you cry out for discernment and lift up your voice for understanding. If you seek her as silver and search for her, as for hidden treasures, all of those you catch, all of that, seek her, search for her, lift up your voice, cry out. This is all things that we do Verse 5, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God, the key word there is. Then, at that point, you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God.

B.R.Maul: 27:57

Being born again isn't enough. It's enough to be saved, it's enough to be heaven-bound. But that's the beginning of a journey, beloved. It is not the end of a journey. As a child of God, get into his word, study it, meditate on it, pray to the Lord, talk to other believers, continue to grow with one another, worship the Lord, thank him, and as you meditate on his word night and day, you will grow. He will strengthen you, he will guide you, he will keep you, you will be protected. He will be your strength and your shield. It's not a question, it's a for sure.

B.R.Maul: 28:42

Every once in a while I do need these times where I can just kind of rant and rage maybe Polite way of saying it, but this is very near and dear to me. I spent so much of my life in my earlier years doing nothing for God. I did it all for myself. I was so selfish, I was so self-centered and I was so miserable. And even though the world around me continues to fall apart, the evil just continues to abound.

B.R.Maul: 29:15

I have peace. I have such a great peace from God. Yes, there's things that I hear that worry me, concern me, but it's not ongoing. I quickly turn to my Savior and I bring it to Him. I lay that stuff at His feet and he comforts me. He gives me such wonderful peace and beloved.

B.R.Maul: 29:40

If you don't have that, I want you to have that peace, and you can through Jesus Christ. So if you're not born again, just pray a simple prayer, ask him and let him know something as simple as Heavenly Father, I know I'm a sinner, I'm broken and I need your son. Please help me. And if you mean it in your heart, even if you can't come up with the words, if you're struggling, that you think to get the right words, but in your heart you just need Jesus, there you go and then we just learn. When we mess up, we repent and turn right back to our Savior and just keep on going, but this world needs you. If you are born again whether you just became born again or you've been born again for decades the world needs you beloved. There are so many out there that are lost. The harvest is so plentiful but there are so few to go and bring in that harvest.

B.R.Maul: 30:43

If you have any questions, anything that I can do to assist you, to help you get started, or answer any questions you may have, whatever it is, I'll do the best that I can. You can go to my website, brmaulcom, click on contact and email me. I'll get back to you as soon as I can. You can also message me. In all the directories, the listings that I have of my podcast, there should be a message me button. Just click on that and send me your message. Now, that's a one-way message, so you will have to include a way for me to get back to you if that's what you want, but otherwise you can also send prayer requests that way and I'll just pray for you. Well, I look forward to seeing you again. It's a little play on words, so join me again next week. God willing, it'll be the same time. And until next time, god bless.