“Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners. Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame” (1 Corinthians15:33).

The congregation in Corinth is an example of how we are not to live. It’s also an example of a congregation that was rebuked and took the rebuke to heart. The second letter which Paul wrote to them found a lot less fault in their practice of their Christian faith. One of the main problems in Corinth was the fact that they accepted all manner of evil into their midst. Instead of standing strong upon God’s word, they let the secular ways corrupt their congregation. Paul was very concerned for them and urged them to live for Jesus, not for the world. The above verse speaks mountains of truth. Let’s take a closer look.

The word “communications” is a word that has changed meaning over the years since the King James translation of Scripture first happened. In the original language, the word “homilia” is used, and it means “companionship.” The word “manners” is translated from the word “ethos” and means “custom, usage, morals, character.” The verse, as translated in the New King James Version, reads as “Do not be deceived: “Evil company corrupts good habits” (1 Corinthians 15:33).

When we accept Christ’s finished work on the cross, we are a new creation in Christ. Our life should reflect that change. The ways of the world should no longer appeal to us. It may not be easy to leave old friends and old ways of thinking, but our faith in Christ means we need to walk close to Him and we need to walk in His footsteps. It most likely won’t be easy, but He never said it would be easy. He did say it would be a sacrifice.

“Then said Jesus unto his disciples, if any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me” (Matthew 16:24).

Taking up one’s cross means death. The old man, which is our selfish sin nature, is nailed to the cross, and the new creation in Christ no longer takes pleasure in sin. If we say we accept Christ but continue associating with evil company, the old ways will draw us far away from Christ. If the old ways of walking in darkness hold more appeal than walking in the Light with Jesus, then you need to examine your faith. Have you truly accepted His sacrifice?

How do we reconcile this with the fact that Jesus spent time with sinners and was accused of being a winebibber? Jesus was God incarnate and entered His creation to bring salvation to lost sinners. When He spent time with sinners (which was everyone but Himself), it wasn’t to be one of the crowd. He never compromised. We need to be careful when we judge others by their behavior. The religious leaders of Jesus’ day were extremely judgmental, and Jesus brought this to their attention.

“For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine; and ye say, He hath a devil. The Son of man is come eating and drinking; and ye say, Behold a gluttonous man, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners!” (Luke 7:33-34).

John the Baptist was chosen by God to prepare the way for Jesus. Because of a Nazarite vow, John didn’t cut his hair or drink wine. He must have looked pretty wild. There is no prohibition in Scripture against drinking wine; the only prohibition is against drunkenness. Neither John nor Jesus did anything wrong. The Pharisees compared Jesus to John when they should have been comparing themselves to Jesus. He is the standard to strive for. Today, we need to be around sinners in order to witness to them, but we aren’t to be buddy buddies.

“Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness?” (2 Corinthians 6:14).

This means marriage as well as business partnerships and friendships. Evil company may not always look evil, but there’s a good chance that if you become yoked with a non-believer, you’ll eventually walk a path in which you stumble rather than walking the path Jesus walked.

We do have freedom in Christ, but that freedom isn’t a license to sin. We need to become more Christ-like. We need to control our actions and our words.

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God” (Romans 12:1-2).

God’s love for you knows no boundaries. He gave His life. Jesus left the glory of His home in Heaven and entered His creation to save sinners. He came knowing that He would be slandered, mocked, beaten, and crucified. He loved us so much that He willingly came into this world as a baby, grew and ministered to everyone around Him. Is there anything in your life that is worse than what Jesus faced because of His love for you? Shouldn’t you present your life to Him as a living sacrifice? Yes, you should, even if that means walking away from evil company.

Don’t be deceived. Truth is only found in Scripture. We can find evil company in television shows, movies, songs, and books. Christians need to be careful of what we choose to set our minds to. Do you watch movies that promote sin and violence? Is your hero Dirty Harry or Thor? Don’t choose the evil company found in books and movies which are accepted by the world. Evil company can even be found among so-called Christians. There are many seemingly Christian fellowships with sweet and wonderful people who attend, but there is deception in the pulpit.

“Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves” (Matthew 7:15).

Many popular books are written by an author who claims to be Christian, but if you read them, use caution. Unless the book holds strongly to Scripture, it is promoting false doctrine. Discernment is a gift from God, and only studying Scripture will give you the knowledge to discern false teachers from Godly men who speak God’s truth. Paul gives a list of some of the gifts given by God to those who seek His truth.

“For to one is given by the Spirt the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same spirit; to another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: but all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will” (1 Corinthians 12:8-11).

It’s not easy to receive gifts from God when you’re spending time with evil company.

Old friends will probably ridicule you and accuse you of being “holier than thou” and a “goody-two-shoes,” but the way you conduct yourself will be a witness to former friends.

The Apostle Paul was never ashamed of his faith, even when among heathens. When he was chatting with a group of non-believers in Athens, he was discussing the gods they worshipped as contrasted by God Almighty. The people of Athens had a god for just about everything and made altars for these false gods. As Paul walked by these altars, he saw one dedicated “To the unknown God” (Acts 17:23). He used that “unknown God” to tell them about Jesus. Paul never used gimmicks in his witnessing, no shoeboxes, or bribery of “good works.” He always came right to the point no matter what danger there might be for him. As he spoke to these men who worshipped the false gods, Paul spoke clearly:

“And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked: and others said, We will hear thee again of this matter. So Paul departed from among them” (Acts 17:32-33).

Witnessing is a very important part of Christianity. We have to be bold but know when the seeds have been planted and when to walk away. Paul didn’t become best friends with these people but knew when to let the Holy Spirit work in their hearts. Notice that some of the group mocked. Usually, if someone mocks your faith, you’ve hit a chord, and they will think about what you’ve said. Trust the Holy Spirit to lead them into salvation. Because Paul spoke words inspired by the Holy Spirit, some of the group wanted to hear more, and some came to faith.

Seek the company of others who seek to serve the Lord.

“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you” (Matthew 6:33).

God will provide for all you need. Seek Him instead of seeking evil company.

God bless you all,

Nathele Graham

twotug@embarqmail.com
ron@straitandnarrowministry.com

Recommended prophecy sites:

www.raptureready.com
www.prophecyupdate.com
www.raptureforums.com

All original scripture is “theopneustos,” God-breathed.

If you’d like to be on my mailing list to receive the commentaries, just drop me an email and let me know.

 

It’s easy to get discouraged as we eagerly await the Rapture. To our human minds, it seems as if Jesus is dragging His feet, but remember, we live in a world with many, many lost souls who need to come to the saving grace of Christ.

“The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).

We need to earnestly thank God for His longsuffering and patience. I’m sure you know someone who has thus far rejected the Gospel and doesn’t see their need for Jesus. That person may be the one Jesus is waiting on. Instead of getting discouraged that He hasn’t called us Home yet, start witnessing to people. If you haven’t truly accepted His free gift of salvation, maybe He’s waiting on you.

Scripture is very clear about what the end of days will look like, and the signs are all falling in place. One thing many people miss is the fact that the Rapture and the Second Coming are two separate events. As we see signs of things that will happen during the final 7 years of Earth’s history (the Tribulation), remember that the Rapture precedes the Tribulation by at least seven years. That means that the Rapture is on the very near horizon. I’m excited, and I can tell from Scripture that we are getting very close. News headlines bombard us with wars and rumors of war. The newscasters don’t really understand that these wars fulfill prophecy, but Jesus tried to comfort us and calm our fears.

“And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet” (Matthew 24:6).

Mainstream news goes on and on about Russia and Ukraine, as well as China and Taiwan. The war in Ukraine is truly awful, and it’s all part of Russia’s march to the Middle East. Have you heard about the many bombs being hurled toward Israel? There’s been 1,000 of them. That’s where you need to keep your focus. That’s where the ultimate battle will take place. Before that final battle, we have more prophecies to come about. Specifically, the Rapture. The signs are all falling into place, and the Rapture could happen at any moment. Instead of being discouraged, dig into Scripture and have answers for others who fear what’s happening and need encouragement. Draw closer to our Lord, and let Him calm your fears and ease your discouragement.

Prophecy is a great witnessing tool, but it’s sadly neglected. The Apostle Peter had seen marvelous things as he followed Jesus – miraculous things that would boggle the mind. But in his second letter, he reminds his readers that, although the things he saw were marvelous, there’s a way to be more certain about Jesus and Scripture.

“We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: knowing this first that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost” (2 Peter 1:19-21).

Be sure you pay attention to the fact that Peter was talking about God’s prophecy and not fortune cookies or Nostradamus.

Peter was one of the disciples who approached Jesus with questions about prophecy “And as he sat upon the mount of Olives over against the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately, Tell us, when shall these things be? And what shall be the sign when all these things shall be fulfilled?” (Mark 13:3-4).

This event is also recorded in the Gospel of Matthew and the Gospel of Luke. Matthew records the questions they asked as “…Tell us, when shall these things be: and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?” (Matthew 24:3b).

They were curious, just like we are, and I’m glad they asked. These men were still under the impression that Jesus would pull out His sword and free Israel from all oppression. That will happen, but it’s still in the future. Jesus explained to them what must come first. “And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you” (Matthew 24:4).

Deception comes when people try to make Scripture say what they want it to say instead of what God actually says. Remember, Peter, who was there, wrote that no prophecy is of any private interpretation. It’s all breathed by the Holy Spirit.

Jesus continued to answer the Disciples’ questions and described what life would look like as time moved toward the end. People would claim to be Christ. “And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet” (Matthew 24:6).

All of the things Jesus said would lead to the end are happening, but most of the world is blind and have their fingers in their ears. Even Christians. There will be war between nations but also fighting within nations. “For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows” (Matthew 24:7-8).

Brothers and sisters, as we see these things become news headlines, remember, it’s just beginning. There will be betrayal and hatred; false prophets will deceive many people, and more. “And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold” (Matthew 24:12).

The word “iniquity” comes from the Greek word “anomia” and means “contempt and violation of law, iniquity, wickedness.” Boy, oh boy, is this one coming to pass! There are many laws being violated. God’s law, as established in the beginning when He created all things, is being mocked. The moral law is being violated. Here’s a fact that people are willfully ignoring. God created man, and then He took woman out of man. There isn’t any room for speculation on that. Nobody can choose their gender, so “gender confusion” is not a reality but a mental disorder. Yet, there is a group of Christ-rejecting people going to schools and teaching the teachers how to encourage the children to become whatever gender they want, as well as training how to teach the children to hide it from their parents.

Today, I heard that in the little community in which I live, some students are convinced they are dogs. Instead of confronting the child with truth and dealing with the mental problem, it’s acceptable for that child to wear a dog collar and be led on a leash. Litter boxes are in place for the “dogs” to use. I looked it up online, and this is happening everywhere. Signs of the times? You bet. Parents, if at all possible, homeschool your children with a Christian-based curriculum. You may have to give up a luxury or two, but your child’s eternal soul is worth it.

“Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it” (Proverbs 22:6). It is the parent’s responsibility to teach their children.

“But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be” (Matthew 24:37). What were the days of Noe (Noah) like? Many Bible “scholars” would have us believe that Seth’s sons married Cain’s daughters, and so God got really mad and destroyed the entire creation. Wrong. When you study Genesis 6, you’ll find that fallen angels were mating with human women in order to corrupt God’s creation. Genetic manipulation was corrupting everything. The only thing God could do was destroy all that was corrupted. Noah and his family were genetically pure.

“But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD. These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God” (Genesis 6:8-9).

The word “perfect” doesn’t mean he was sinless but that he wasn’t corrupted. Today, there is much genetic manipulation happening. Do a study on this subject, and you will be shocked at how it’s infiltrating everything we eat and our health. Honor God in all you do. When you walk with God, you will follow His ways.

So many signs are manifesting today. Matthew isn’t the only one who wrote about signs. The Old Testament prophets wrote about the end times. Daniel is very clear in what he wrote; Ezekiel wrote about the dry bones coming together (the final rebirth of Israel, which has been fulfilled) and the final war that is yet to come; Isaiah contains prophecy about the end times; and many of the Psalms are prophetic. This is just a quick sample of where to look in the Old Testament for prophecy; it’s enlightening to search Scripture.

The New Testament also is clear as to what signs to look for and the truth that the Rapture will happen prior to the Tribulation. Many pastors won’t teach on prophecy, and that is a sad comment upon the quality of the rest of their teaching. Scripture seems to be secondary to funny jokes, secular “authorities,” and whatever sport happens to be in season. Many of our pulpits are filled with false teachers, and they will be held accountable when they stand before Jesus. That, too, is a sign that we are at the end. According to Revelation chapter 3, the last of the church age will be evidenced by Jesus not being welcome into the midst of the congregation.

“Behold I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me” (Revelation 3:20).

If your pastor isn’t preaching the pure word of God, then he isn’t feeding the flock properly. There’s no reason for you to starve. If you have a Bible, you need to study it. God knew that in these last days, there would be pastors who tickle ears and fear losing government tax exemptions more than they respect and honor God’s truth.

“Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD: And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the LORD, and shall not find it” (Amos 8:11-12).

People crave God’s word but will look in all the wrong places to find it if the pastor leaves them empty. Don’t look to Eastern Mysticism or any false doctrine, but look to Scripture and feed on God’s truth for yourself.

Don’t be discouraged, but look for ways that you can work for Christ while there is still time. “I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work” (John 9:4).

Jesus knew that He had much work to do before He allowed Himself to be crucified. He taught His disciples and led by example. When He was crucified and risen from the dead, He sent the Holy Spirit to indwell all of us who truly have placed our faith in Jesus. While we are still in the world, we need to share God’s truth. Arm yourself with God’s armor, and study Scripture.

“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15).

Christians will soon be taken Home in the Rapture, and we need to work for the Kingdom while we can.

Don’t be discouraged. The King is coming, and you don’t want to be caught pouting or sleeping. There’s work to be done, so get busy.

God bless you all,

Nathele Graham

twotug@embarqmail.com
ron@straitandnarrowministry.com

Recommended prophecy sites:

www.raptureready.com
www.prophecyupdate.com
www.raptureforums.com

All original scripture is “theopneustos,” God-breathed.

If you’d like to be on my mailing list to receive the commentaries, just drop me an email and let me know.