The Olive Branch

     Over the last several years, God has truly taught me in His masterful way the Truth of His Word.  I have learned that if we only listen to man interpret the Word of God, we are in grave danger of following man-made doctrines.  God has shown me that a preacher can spend much of his sermon speaking absolute truth only to veer from the truth with one simple man-made doctrinal statement. For the longest time, I truly struggled with those moments when the speaker stepped out of the Spirit and stepped into the traditions of man.  Mind battles usually ensued, but it has always been when I have removed my eyes from the seemingly flawed statements of man and placed them back where they belonged - on Jesus - that He has shown me the TRUTH - not the falsely misled interpretation of man. 
     He knows that one of my greatest concerns in this life is following that which is a lie - be it my lie or someone else's.  As a result, I have found myself on many occasions in a dark room crying out to God to show me the Truth -- not tradition, not my friend's way, not my sister's way, not my way - but the Truth - HIS WAY.
      God has never failed to open my eyes with divine revelation these last fours years.  There have been so many issues He has spoken to me regarding that, God willing, I will share as the Lord leads in the near future.
      Recently, I happened to see a "famous" evangelical personality on television.  I just heard a clip of his sermon, but ultimately, it was clear that he believed no amount of future sin on his part would separate him from spending eternity with Christ.  He never mentioned repentance after sin, etc.  I remember just turning the television off and thinking how sad his statements were and wondering how many people in his congregation agreed with his false statement.
     Moments later, I was preparing to put my five year old to bed.  He hadn't been feeling very well that day, and although it hadn't been a thought on my mind in that moment, he asked me, "Aren't you going to anoint me with oil, Mom, since I am sick?"  This is a common practice in my home, for I believe the scripture related to  anointing:

 James 5:14
“Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:”

 Mark 6:13
“And they cast out many devils, and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them.” 

     I said that I would absolutely anoint him and pray over him.  I opened the oil and placed an amount on his forehead and began to pray for his healing by the power of Jesus.  While praying, my five year old was pointing at something and asking a question repeatedly.  I continued to pray but afterwards tried to explain that we should never interrupt during prayer; of course, little did I know God was attempting to show me the UNtruth of the famous evangelical's statement just moments before.  

      My son continued to point at a transparent plastic mold protruding from the bottle of oil that I had just used.  I had to pick up the bottle of oil and closely scrutinize the object molded into the shape of the bottle.  Then, I realized it was an olive branch.  The Spirit spoke and told me to go to Romans and read the scripture on the olive branch in chapter 11:

¹⁷ And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert grafted in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree;

¹⁸ Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee.
¹⁹ Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in.
²⁰ Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear:
²¹ For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee.
²² Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.
²³ And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be grafted in: for God is able to graft them in again

   God had just addressed the very lie spoken by the preacher on television.  Oh, how often He has established His Truth to me in remarkable and undeniable ways.  We are living in such a time when lies abound - when those who appear sincere are either purposely misleading or blindly following the doctrines of men - and simply teaching what they have always been taught - by man..

     May we seek the face of God on ALL issues and not simply follow man because he seems sincere or has good intentions.  May we always be open to the Spirit's leading.