Luke 6:26 "They will hate the Truth." with Pastor Michael Petit. Calvary Chapel Devine's Weekly Devotion.

I remember as a kid when Sally Field won her Oscar, in her speech she said, "You like me, you really like me." 

I am afraid in the world we are in today with the lure of Instagram, Facebook, Tik Tok and YouTube many Pastors and followers of Christ have spent much time wanting to be liked, read, and watched. 

Luke 6:26 ESV
"Woe to you, when all people speak well of you, for so their fathers did to the false prophets.
Do we win people to Christ? 

 We have to be careful when we place ourselves into a position of being liked or loved. Then they look to you before the Lord. Trust me we have some narcissistic pastors in the pulpit. It is more about them then God’s truth and His son Jesus. When we are trying to be liked or loved, then you may worry about offended someone with the truth, you start thinking I just want to love them all the time. I told the church I will offend at some point because it is the word of God that convicts or reproofs. It is not done in hurtful or harmful way. I know I will say something that will ruffle your feathers, because I know my Senior Pastor did to me from the pulpit. Not done in harmful way just the word of God getting to marrow of the bone. 

2 Timothy 3:16-17 ESV
All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, [17] that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

Hebrews 4:12 ESV
For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

Whose approval are you looking for Man’s or God’s?

In this culture today many seek the approval of man. They are more afraid of being cancelled then share truth. Pastor Ken Graves had great quote about cancel culture, Marxism and progressive Christianity, He said; 

“Woe to unto you if not canceled. Woe unto you if your still popular in a world who hates Christ.”
Pastor Ken Graves 

What Pastor Ken Graves was discussing is how many Progressive Pastors are trying to recast Jesus. We are seeing a growing number of pastors accepting a lot of these wrong unbiblical teachings because they don't want to lose popularity or not be loved. We have to be careful because it easy to create a mass media, celebrity filled, social network pastor today. They stress about saying certain things about marriage, gender, race, or homosexuality because it might get them canceled even the though the bible clearly states the truth on each subject. 

Galatians 1:10 ESV
For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.

We have to share truth and what is truth? It is the word of God. Our society is pulling further and further away from the truth. 

“The Further a society drifts from the truth, the more they will hate those who speak it.” George Orwell

Pilate feared man, he was threatened by the Jews and his fear of Caesar caused him to release Barabbas over Jesus because he feared man. 

John 19:12 
From then on Pilate sought to release him, but the Jews cried out, “If you release this man, you are not Caesar's friend. Everyone who makes himself a king opposes Caesar.”

Church I hope you realize the importance sharing the truth of God’s word in today’s culture. We will speak truth they may hate, persecute, or cancel you but we need to hold fast to Christ. Remember the culture may drift further and further away from truth but we need to stand firm in it. Be wary of those pastors that want to be like, loved or fame seekers because they are seeking approval of man not God. 

God bless, 
Pastor Michael Petit